Public Health Commons^™

A Comparison Of Beliefs And Attitudes About Body Image, Eating And Weight Between Incarcerated And Non-~Incarcerated Females, Anne R. Lindsay

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Abstract

Incarceration and substance abuse are two of the largest public health issues in America. While the U.S. makes up only 5% of the world’s population, it accounts for 25% of its prisoners. Incarceration affects more than 2.2 million individuals who will eventually return to their families and communities with ongoing family, social and health issues. Women in prison are a particularly vulnerable and underserved population, generally of low education and socio-economic status and although they account for a small percent of the prison population, many are mothers of young children who are likely to become incarcerated themselves. Substance abuse …

Adapting And Piloting An Evidence-~Based Hiv/Aids And Teen Pregnancy Prevention Intervention For Native American Teens, Murlynn Crystal Lee

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Introduction: Native American youth are at disproportionate risk for HIV infection. Native Americans represent about 1.7% of the U.S. population, yet they rank fifth in HIV/AIDS diagnosis nationwide (U.S. Census, 2012; CDCd 2013). Native Americans with HIV/AIDS are more likely to be younger than non-Native Americans with the disease. There are limited evidence-based HIV/AIDS and teen pregnancy prevention interventions that have been developed, adapted, and/or evaluated for Native American teens. The purpose of this study was to adapt an existing evidence-based HIV/AIDS and teen pregnancy prevention intervention into a culturally responsive intervention curriculum for Native teens. Methods: There were three …

Health Impact Assessment Of Proposed Rental Housing Policy Within Clark County, Nevada, Usa, Erika Raquel Marquez

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Homes serve as a central function of our everyday lives, they are where most Americans spend a significant amount of time and money. The quality of our homes can impact our health. Poor housing can cause and contribute to preventable diseases and injuries, such as the development or exacerbation of asthma, neurological deficits, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. According to the American Housing Survey (2013) approximately 5.8 million homes, of 132 million homes in the United States, are in moderate to severe physical disrepair, with rental housing being at a disproportionate burden. According to 2013 U.S. Census, Clark County, Nevada has …

Television Consumption And Child Obesity: Linking Children's Contemporary Television Use, Physical Activity, And Advertising To Putnam's Displacement Hypothesis, Brittany L. Altamirano

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study observed the relationship between television consumption and child obesity through the theoretical construct of Putnam’s displacement hypothesis. It did so by updating the previous research through the investigation of the displacement of both physical activity and advertisements on contemporary television platforms. The inclusion of Putnam’s displacement hypothesis was to provide a foundational framework, not found in previous literature, to study two important paradigms that were represented in previous research: 1) the displacement of physical activity; and 2) the displacement of traditional advertisement exposure.

Several trends became apparent within previous literature. Previous literature did not include an explicitly stated …

Differences In Disease Reporting: An Analysis Of State Reportable Conditions And Their Relationship To The Nationally Notifiable Conditions List, Brian Labus

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The basis of public health surveillance is the reporting of diseases and conditions to the health department by clinicians and laboratories. In the United States, over eighty diseases and conditions of national importance (e.g., tuberculosis, syphilis, and cancer) are included on the list of Nationally Notifiable Conditions (NNC) for submission to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) by the states. The legal basis for disease reporting is found at the state level, where inconsistent laws may differ in terms of which conditions are reportable and their reporting process. The process by which states require the reporting of NNCs …

Educators’ Perspectives Associated With School Garden Programs In Clark County, Nevada: Practices, Resources, Benefits And Barriers., Tomomi Murakami

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

School garden programs have been utilized in the U.S. since their introduction at the end of the 19th century. The use of school gardens and the teaching style implemented in them are dependent on individual schools and teachers. Educators’ attitudes, knowledge, and motivation for a school-based gardening program are crucial to implementing comprehensive school garden programs. To move toward an expansion of garden education, it is necessary to determine the concerns, resources, benefits or barriers that educators identify regarding the utilization of gardens to teach their students. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine principals’ and teachers’ perceived …

The Presence Of Clostridium Difficile On Environmental Surfaces In Healthcare Facilities Pre- And Post-Decontamination Of Patient Rooms, Theresa Trice

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are infections related to receiving medical care. HAIs are responsible for an excess of morbidity and mortality among hospitalized patients. Though most HAIs rates are on the decline, Clostridium difficile infection rates are at an all-time high, primarily due to the persistence of C. difficile spores in the environment. In the United States, Clostridium difficile-related mortality rates per million have increased from 5.7 in 1999 to 23.7 in 2004, with an estimated 26,642 deaths due to Clostridium difficile infections (CDIs). Clostridium difficile is transmitted via the fecal-oral route or aerosolized endospores, but it can also be transmitted …

Partnering With The Community For Establishment Of Alternate Care Sites During Disasters Or Emergencies: A Staff Training Matrix, Jean Marie Roberts

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

An approach to fulfill a need for additional hospital beds during emergency and disaster situations has been establishment of alternate care sites (ACS). Kern County, California, with a population of about 856,000 and approximately 1,500 hospital beds, is at significant risk for inability to care for the medical needs of its residents in the face of a disaster or an emergency. Even the most conservative estimates of additional hospital beds requirements in a disaster or emergency would indicate the need for nine to ten ACSs accommodating up to 50 patients each in Kern County.

Recognizing the need for alternatives to …

Slip, Trip And Fall Risk Among Elderly Men And Women Living In The Hawaii Adult Foster Care Home System, Michelle Echauz Ching

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Adults 65 years of age and older (hereby referred to as “elderly”) are one of the fastest growing populations in the United States (U.S.). A major public health concern affecting the elderly population is unintentional injuries, particularly slips, trips, and falls (STFs). While there is extensive research on STFs among the elderly living in the community and long-term health care facilities, little to no research is found on STFs among the elderly living in community-based health care facilities. Research has also shown that STFs are caused by the interaction between multiple risk factors. Therefore, the purpose of this quasi-experimental study …

The Impacts Of A Smoking Ban On Gaming Volume And Customers' Satisfaction In The Casino Industry In South Korea, Sojeong Lee

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

A growing number of countries have legislated smoke-free policies in enclosed public areas and have extended the policies to hospitality facilities. However, some states and countries exempt gaming areas from the smoking law fully or partially. Anti-smoking policy is controversial for a number of reasons, such as smokers’ strong opposition, government ordinance, public health, and economic anxiety. Casino management may worry that a smoking ban policy will result in a significant decline of casino revenue because the break for smoking may interfere with continuing play.

This thesis examined a smoking ban impacts on gaming volume and customers’ satisfaction in the …

Lead Hazard Control In Henderson, Nevada: Identifying Critical Areas And The Associated Costs, Khaye Gerazel Arcilla Rufin

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Lead poisoning is a common, yet preventable childhood health problem in the United States today. Studies show statistically significant (p < .05) associations between higher childhood lead exposure and subsequent negative developmental outcomes. Since 1993, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Lead Hazard Control (LHC) Grant Program has devoted more than $1 billion in funding to several cities.

This study investigated a total of n=75 homes enrolled into the Henderson Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes Program (HLHCHHP) from December 2013 – February 2015. A logistic regression was performed to ascertain the frequency of lead-based paint (LBP) found in homes based on the year it was constructed. Of the 75 enrolled and tested for LBP, 58 homes (77.3%) were found to contain LBP and 17 homes (22.7%) did not contain LBP. The significance value of p=0.013 shows that …

Understanding Perceptions Of Genetically Modified Food Among Natural Food Shoppers In Southern Nevada, Christian Murua-Aceves

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Today, 85% of corn, 93% of soybeans, and 88% of cotton in the U.S. are genetically modified (GM). Using laboratory methods, genes from one species, such as a plant, can be transferred to an unrelated species, such as an animal. Genetically modified crops may lead to higher yields, have improved food quality, texture, and nutritional value, and have an increased shelf life.

Despite these promising benefits, the potential health risks relating to the consumption of GM food remain inadequately assessed. Genetically modified food is not subjected to rigorous safety testing, such as epidemiologic studies, to identify potential health risks. Two …

The Effects Of Adverse Childhood Experiences On Subsequent Injury In Young Adulthood: Findings From The National Longitudinal Study Of Adolescent And Adult Health, Michelle M. Sotero

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The objective of this study is to examine the association between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in the context of family and community and the likelihood of subsequent unintentional and intentional, nonfatal injury in young adulthood (ages 24-32 years). Using a cross sectional study design, data from Waves I and IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent and Adult Health, a nationally representative sample (n = 14,800) was used to examine the relationship between 16 types of ACEs and a cumulative ACE score and the odds of seven injury outcomes in young adulthood. Over a third (37.6%) of young adults …

Sleep Duration Associated With Cardiovascular Conditions Among Adult Nevadans, Brianna Pergola

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality in the United States accounting for 1 out of every 3 deaths. Additionally, 43.9% of the population is expected to have some form of cardiovascular disease by the year 2030, with direct and indirect costs expected to rise upwards of 58 percent. To successfully prevent cardiovascular disease conditions such as myocardial infarction, coronary heart disease, and stroke, research must be done to identify risk factors, both modifiable and non-modifiable. In the existing literature, sleep duration as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease conditions has shown inconsistent associations. According to the National …