Community Health and Preventive Medicine Commons^™

An Observational, Retrospective, Study To Assess Sehetna Wellness Program Impact On Employees’ Well-Being And Health, Wafaa Saeed, Lina Shaker, Laila Ghanem, Mohamed El Aziz, Omer Mostafa, Rabab Youssef

BAU Journal - Health and Wellbeing

Wellness is an ongoing process that leads to realizing one's full potential, with studies showing reduced inpatient admissions, healthcare costs, and improved health-related quality of life through participation in large-scale wellness programs. SEHETNA program is a wellness initiative conducted with the Egyptian Group for Import and Export (EGMED) to enhance employees’ well-being. This study aimed to assess the SEHETNA wellness program impact on the general health of employees. This is a retrospective descriptive observational study including employees enrolled in wellness program for up to 12-months in 2021. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS. Descriptive analysis was done, categorical variables …

Physical Activity In Underserved Preadolescents: Characterization Of Accumulation And Patterns, Alma I. Behar, Matthew T. Mahar, Gregory Norman, John P. Elder, Michael Pratt, Patricia Dionicio, Noe C. Crespo

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Objectives: The increasing rates of physical inactivity and sedentary behaviors among youth are a significant public health concern. The greatest disparities in physical activity (PA) are experienced by underserved (racial/ethnic minority, low-income) youth. This study aimed to characterize accelerometer-measured PA behaviors in a sample of low-income, predominantly Latino, preadolescents. Methods: Participants wore wrist worn GENEActiv accelerometers for 7 days. PA levels were classified as sedentary (< 50 mg), light (50-150 mg), moderate (> 150-500 mg), vigorous (> 500 mg), and MVPA (≥ 150 mg). Time spent in PA levels and sedentary time (ST), prevalence of meeting MVPA guidelines, and PA volume were estimated from accelerometer data. Three-way …

Reducing Food Scarcity: The Benefits Of Urban Farming, S.A. Claudell, Emilio Mejia

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Urban farming can enhance the lives of communities and help reduce food scarcity. This paper presents a conceptual prototype of an efficient urban farming community that can be scaled for a single apartment building or an entire community across all global geoeconomics regions, including densely populated cities and rural, developing towns and communities. When deployed in coordination with smart crop choices, local farm support, and efficient transportation then the result isn’t just sustainability, but also increasing fresh produce accessibility, optimizing nutritional value, eliminating the use of ‘forever chemicals’, reducing transportation costs, and fostering global environmental benefits.

Imagine Doris, who is …

Self-Reported Consumption Of Bottled Water V. Tap Water In Appalachian And Non-Appalachian Kentucky, Jason W. Marion

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Quantitative studies on drinking water perceptions in Appalachia are limited. High-profile water infrastructure failures in the U.S. and Eastern Kentucky, coupled with human-made and natural disasters in the Appalachian Region, have likely impacted opinions regarding tap water.

Purpose: To use existing unexplored data to describe baseline tap water v. bottled water consumption in Kentucky.

Methods: Telephone-based cross-sectional data were obtained from the 2013 Kentucky Health Issues Poll (KHIP) directed by the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky. Among many items in KHIP, self-reported consumption of bottled water over tap water, reasons for bottled water use, and demographic data were obtained. …

Brominated Flame Retardants: A Literature Review Of The Toxicity Mechanisms, Clinical Manifestations, And Current Treatments, Yacobus Christian Prasetyo, Eti Nurwening Sholikhah

Occupational and Environmental Medicine Journal of Indonesia

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are organohalogen compounds that can inhibit fire formation and delay its spread in manufacturing materials. BFRs are known to be toxic for the environment and humans. BFRs could persist for years prolonging potential exposure and toxicity to living beings. Indonesia had begun to reduce the use, even though some of toxic BFRs are still illegally circulating. This review aims to describe some aspects of BFRs toxicity including the mechanism, its clinical manifestations, and the current possible treatments. Toxicity after BFRs exposure includes endocrine, neurodevelopmental, and genotoxicity. The toxicity is manifested into some clinical conditions such as …

Effect Of Fenugreek And Curry Leaves Powder On Dyslipidemia- A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study, Syeda Farha S, Shivani Agarwal, Vanitha Reddy P

International Journal of Health and Allied Sciences

Background: Dyslipidemias, a disorder of lipid metabolism, is widely established as an independent major and modifiable risk factor of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The conditions are common worldwide and a leading cause of death in India, and has even riven the age bar swaying in young people too. The significant effect of an increase in dyslipidemias depends on diabetes and hypertension. Nutraceuticals, derived from food sources serve as an alternative therapy for the management of dyslipidemia. India is home to multitudinous medicinal plants, of which many remain underutilized. Murraya Koenigii (curry leaf) and Trigonella foenum-graecum (fenugreek leaves) are well-proven as good …

Pva-Sansevieria Trifasciata Fraction Films As Absorbers Of Electromagnetic And Thermal Radiation On Smartphones, Nabiila Rahmani, Gustini Syahbirin, Akhiruddin Maddu, Purwantiningsih Sugita, Auliya Ilmiawati

Makara Journal of Science

Technological developments have prompted the production of highly advanced smartphones. However, various advanced features cause smartphones to heat up quickly and emit more electromagnetic radiation, which harms human health. Smartphone protection is needed to solve these issues. This study aims to create a film from the S. trifasciata plant based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to reduce electromagnetic and thermal radiation on smartphones. S. trifasciata plants were macerated with acetone and partitioned with n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and water. The films were made by mixing PVA with the four fractions. Among the four layers of film, the PVA + water …

Relationship Between Treatment Comorbidities And Hiv Viral Suppression Among People Who Live With Aids In Johannesburg., Nwogo Immaculata Ekeji, Tolulope A. Osoba, Hebatullah Tawfik, Mehdi Agha

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

HIV has globally infected over 37.9 million people, of which 28.2 million (73%) are on antiretroviral treatment, and 66% of those on treatment are virally suppressed. In South Africa, however, low rate of viral suppression (47%) among people living with HIV is a major health problem that has continued to fuel HIV prevalence. A cross-sectional quantitative research design was used to investigate the relationship between treatment comorbidities and viral suppression among HIV-infected adults aged 18–49 who were diabetic, had cancer, or tuberculosis in Johannesburg. HIV Care Continuum formed the theoretical framework for this research. An existing HIV-infected patient de-identifiable dataset …

Access To And Utilization Of Primary Care: A Synthesis, Klaire M. Johnson

Kentucky Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

Barriers to access and utilization of primary care affect nearly 9% of the nation’s population (USDHHS, n.d.a). These barriers are important to evaluate for members of the aging population due to increased need for health care as a result of chronic conditions and falls. Research indicates that access for the aging population is affected by a variety of factors, including: transportation, non-financial barriers, and internal factors. Issues surrounding current delivery of care, such as a workforce shortage of primary care physicians, have compounded the problem even further. While this issue has begun to be addressed through the Affordable Care Act, …

Full Issue, Winthrop Mcnair Research Bulletin

The Winthrop McNair Research Bulletin

Winthrop McNair Research Bulletin Volume 5, Full Issue

Webinars As A Tool For Increasing Awareness Of Diabetes Prevention And Management Programs, Cindy Jenkins, Carrie Durward, April Litchford, Catherine Hansen, Annette Prall, Caitlyn Jasumback

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

Stakeholders sought to reduce the burden of preventable diabetes among adults in Utah via a “Food as Medicine” webinar series. The “Food as Medicine” webinar series sought to increase awareness of and enrollment in public diabetes programs. Evaluation results from the webinar series indicated an increase in awareness of diabetes programs and nutrition information needed to improve personal diabetes management.

The Racial Divide: A Follow Up Study On Racial Disparity Amongst Covid-19 Survivors In An Urban Community, Christopher Millet, Emily Racoosin, Spandana Narvaneni, George Horani, Sherif Roman, Alisa Farokhian, Arslan Chaudhry, Sohail Chaudhry, Yezin Shamoon, Humberto Jimenez, Patrick Michael, Jin Suh

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Background Studies have shown that COVID-19 has had a disproportionate effect on minority groups in both the clinical and social settings in America. We conducted a follow up study on patients previously diagnosed with COVID-19 one year ago in an urban community in New Jersey. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the socioeconomic impact of COVID-19 as well as assess for receptiveness towards COVID-19 vaccination amongst various ethnic groups.

Methods This was a prospective cohort study consisting of patients who had recovered from COVID-19 one year prior. The patients included in the study had a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis …

Microgreens Grow Kit: A Novel Pilot Study To Improve Nutrition Awareness, Ben Haslund-Gourley, Chris Para, Swaksha Rachuri, Sascha Enders, Rayna Marshall, Vibhuti Mishra, Simone Udeh, Jessica Nwabeke, Annette Gadegbeku

Transformative Medicine (T-Med)

Obesity and associated non-communicable illnesses including coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and stroke have steadily increased in prevalence over the last decade. Previous studies identified the involvement of individual, family, and community support intervention strategies used to prevent and manage obesity. Additionally, education on nutrition from the early stages of development is crucial for obesity prevention and control. Therefore, new preventative methods are needed to further engage and educate individuals and communities about health-conscious diets. Microgreen cultivation utilizes a reduced cost, low-footprint, recyclable, weather-independent, and transportable method to provide less nutrition-privileged communities with exposure to healthy foods within one …

Implementation Of A Drive-Through Covid-19 Mass Vaccination Site: Experiences From Louvax–Broadbent In Louisville, Kentucky, Ruth Carrico, Sarah Beth Hartlage, Valenchia Brown Msn, Aprn, Fnp-C, Sarah M. Bishop, Luanne Didelot, William Hayden, Beverly Williams Coleman, Sarah Tan, Delanor Manson, Kellie Kane, Dawn Balcom, Paul Kern

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Background: Response to the COVID-19 pandemic has required innovative approaches to vaccination, including methods to rapidly and safely immunize communities. A major challenge to such a response involved access to untapped healthcare worker resources. The Louisville, Kentucky, response involved the use of a large volunteer workforce to supplement local public health employees in planning and implementing a large-scale drive-through vaccination event. The objective of this manuscript was to outline processes involved in training a mass immunization workforce and implementating a large-scale COVID-19 community vaccination.

Approach: Competency-based and standardized training was provided for every volunteer before working their shift. Volunteers worked …

Promoting Inclusion Of Adults With Disabilities In Local Fitness Programs: A Needs Assessment, Samantha M. Ross, Bridgette Schram, Kathleen Mccarty, Nicole Fiscella, Willie Chun Wai Leung, Kayla Lindland

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Fit-Pals* is a university-based, service-learning program with a mission to prepare adults with disabilities to engage in lifelong physical activity. We conducted a Needs Assessment to evaluate recent programmatic partnerships with community-based fitness organizations. We aimed to (1) evaluate organizational perceptions of Fit-Pals’ partnership efforts, and (2) identify perceived organizational needs to improve inclusion practices. Representatives from each of our seven partner organizations participated in an online-survey, follow-up interviews, and a stakeholder meeting. A thematic analysis of survey and interview responses highlighted areas for programmatic growth related to training in disability awareness and fitness accommodations, and improved communication across all …

H1n1 Influenza Virus (Swine Flu): A Comprehensive Insight Into Escalating Catch-22 Scenarios, Muhammad Shahzaib, Ehsan Ul Haq

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Introduction: Viruses have always been a major cause of various disastrous pandemics in mankind’s history. H1N1 became a threat when its original strain was first discovered back in the swine flu pandemic of 2009. It became highly catastrophic on a large scale because none of the therapeutic interventions and methodologies that were already present at the time were effective against the virus.

Methods: A vast amount of literature and research is available regarding H1N1 influenza from different reputable sources online. The data were gathered with the contrasting and relative situations of 1918 and 2009 pandemics in mind. The overall extracted …

A Comparative Analysis Of The Knowledge And Stigmatizing Attitude Of Ghanaians And Nigerians Towards Covid-19 Survivors, Emmanuel Lamptey, Dorcas Serwaa, Maxwell Hubert Antwi, Theckla Ikome Ms, Nkechi Odogwu

Journal of Refugee & Global Health

Introduction: In Africa, COVID-19 associated stigmatization still remains the contextual factor that poses a challenge for the mitigation and suppression of COVID-19 spread, especially among the illiterate populations. This comparative study was therefore conducted to assess the knowledge and willingness of Ghanaians and Nigerians to associate with COVID-19 survivors.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to collect information from 290 Ghanaian and 220 Nigerian nationals aged 18 years and above between 11th July-30th October 2020. An electronic-based questionnaire was developed to collect information on the public. The data were analyzed with SPSS v 22 and factors influencing knowledge and willingness …

Is The Acsm And Friend Metabolic Equations Valid For Assessing Cardiorespiratory Fitness Among 18-34 Aged Men? : Preliminary Results, Marc-Olivier Dugas, Laurie Simard, Tommy Chevrette, Martin Lavalliere

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology Volume 2: Issue 1, Article 2, 2021. Metabolic equations, such as ACSM and FRIEND, are used worldwide to indirectly measure the VO₂max in adults, but lack of accuracy seems to occur. 30 men of 18-34 years old performed a maximal incremental test on a treadmill during which direct VO₂max measurements was taken and then have been compared to ACSM and FRIEND metabolic equations. Point of application #1: Better evaluation and exercise prescription among athletic populations. Point of application #2: Act in prevention among sedentary and symptomatic populations. Point of application …

Addressing Health-Related Myths In The Culturally Diverse African American Population: A Call To Action, Lucson Joseph

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

African Americans (AAs) experience numerous challenges that socially, economically, and physically affect their communities. Recent studies have found that a diverse array AAs encounter many struggles as they navigate the United States (U.S.) healthcare system to access care and receive healthcare services. AA communities are significantly affected by the burden of chronic diseases. They face considerable barriers to healthcare services that contribute to adverse health outcomes. This paper explains the daily struggles many AAs face within their communities to access and navigate the healthcare system due to culturally held myths and barriers. This paper discusses commonly held myths among Afro-Caribbean …

The Effects Of Health-Based Wellness Programs On Employee Productivity, Brittany Holcomb

The Corinthian

Purpose: Stress is an inevitable part of an employee’s life. A majority of employees do not know how to properly handle stress and keep it under control. Having high level of occupational stress can lead to detrimental physical habits, such as poor nutrition, smoking, a sedentary lifestyle and substance consumption. The purpose of this study will be to take an in depth look into how employees take advantage of wellness programs offered to them, whether or not these programs have a direct impact on productivity and the levels of employees that take advantage the programs. Methods: Participants of the study …

A Lung Cancer Screening Personalized Decision-Aid Improves Knowledge And Reduces Decisional Conflict Among A Diverse Population Of Smokers At An Urban Academic Medical Center, Madeline Kaufman, Nilan Schnure, Andrea Nicholson, Frank Leone, Carmen Guerra

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Introduction: Few lung cancer screening decision aids have been tested in diverse populations. The study objective was to determine whether the online decision aid www.shouldiscreen.com impacts knowledge of and decisional conflict around lung cancer screening in a diverse population.

Methods: Eligible patients had significant smoking histories, were at increased risk for lung cancer (ages 45-80, >20 pack-years, smoking within last 15 years) and had no history of prior lung cancer or screening. Data was collected and analyzed in 2017.

Results: 40 patients were enrolled: 80% were female, 62.5% black, 33% white, and 48% had a high school …

The Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities And Threats (Swot) Analysis Of The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Of Covid-19, Michael Oluyemi Babalola Ph.D

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 is the etiologic agent of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), a highly contagious, emergent, acute, viral pneumonia that emanated sporadically in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. COVID-19 became a pandemic in February 2020, leading to 4,942,687 confirmed cases and over 321,987 deaths and grounding several economies around the world as of May 2020. Although global researchers, epidemiologists, virologists, and medical professionals rose steadily to contain the disease, in-depth knowledge of the virus and concerted efforts to combat it are still evolving. This research sought to elucidate the biological Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats to SARS-CoV-2, with a view to …

Kids Don’T Float…And Their Parents Don’T Either: Using A Family-Centered Approach In Alaska’S Kids Don’T Float Program, Michelle E. E. Bauer, Audrey R. Giles, Justina Marianayagam, Kelli M. Toth

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

The goal of this experiential report is to outline the adoption of a family-centered Kids Don’t Float approach. We conducted a critical synthesis of information to reflect the expansion of the Kids Don’t Float program into a more family-centered approach. The critical synthesis provided insights into why we should adopt this approach, how it was implemented, and how it influenced drowning incidents compared to the previously used child-centered approach. The adoption of a family-centered approach may contribute to reducing drowning incidents by targeting parents, providing safety information to families, and promoting parental modelling of life jackets. Program evaluators and water …

Factors Impacting Swimming Participation And Competence: A Qualitative Report, Todd E. Layne, Carol C. Irwin, Jennifer Renee Pharr, Richard L. Irwin

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Drowning continues to be a major cause of death for children, especially among minority groups. USA Swimming commissioned studies in 2008 and 2010 to look at swimming ability or inability, an associated drowning variable. The 2010 study showed alarming high percentages regarding insufficient swimming skill for many demographic groups. The current study’s purpose was to provide further analysis of variables which emerged from 2010 study and how these variables are affecting all US populations. Focus group interviews accomplished in three regionally diverse US cities asked participants (3=fathers; 12=mothers) about their personal history with swimming, perceptions concerning swimming in general, and …

Promising Practices For Boating Safety Initiatives That Target Indigenous Peoples In New Zealand, Australia, The United States Of America, And Canada, Mitchell Crozier, Audrey R. Giles

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Boating-related incidents are responsible for a significant number of the drowning fatalities that occur within Indigenous communities in New Zealand, Australia, the USA, and Canada. The aim of this paper was to identify promising practices for boating safety initiatives that target Indigenous peoples within these countries and evaluate past and ongoing boating safety initiatives delivered to/with Indigenous peoples within these countries to suggest the ways in which they – or programs that follow them - may be more effective. Based upon evidence from previous research, boating safety initiatives that target Indigenous peoples in New Zealand, Australia, the USA, and Canada …

Swimming Pool Environment And Respiratory Health Issues Experienced By Masters Swimmers: Results From A Literature Review And Survey Of United States Masters Swimming Clubs, Jody C. Gan, Julia Snegg, William Harder

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

After three members of a Masters adult swim club died of lung cancer, both a literature review and survey were conducted with representatives from 746 United States Masters Swimming clubs to explore a possible relationship between swimming and cancers of the respiratory tract. Six other clubs reported known cancers of the respiratory tract among club members, but none of the other 740 clubs reported a similar cluster of lung cancer. More clubs reported cases of chronic respiratory infections and widespread complaints about air quality. While no studies exploring a relationship between swimming and lung cancer could be found in the …

Examining Minority Youth Swimmers’ Versus Non-Swimmers’ Perceptions Of Swimming Involvement, Timothy M. Dasinger, Laura L. Brown, Ashton J. Sawyers

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Drowning is one of the leading causes of death in youth, especially among minority populations (Gilchrest & Parker, 2014). According to the World Health Organization (2014), every hour of every day approximately 42 people lose their lives to drowning. Additionally, African-Americans are 14 times more likely to drown in a pool than other racial or ethnic group members (Waller & Norwood, 2011). The purpose of this study was to examine survey results between swimming and non-swimming minority youth participants. Forty African American students between the ages of 5-17 from an after-school program completed the Swimming Involvement Survey. Results indicated that …

A Nutritional And Environmental Analysis Of Local Food Pantries Accessible To College Students In Rural North Carolina, Emily E. Frymark, Jonathon Stickford, Alisha Farris

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Food insecurity is a growing concern among college students and is especially prevalent in rural areas. Food pantries often serve as a resource to food insecure individuals yet, their policies, standards, and nutritional quality vary due to the unpredictability of food donations.

Purpose: To examine the nutritional quality of food items and adherence of best practices at local food pantries accessible to college students near a university in rural Appalachia.

Methods: Three food pantries in North Carolina were selected due to their proximity to a local, rural university. Food items were analyzed for nutrient and food …

Socio-Ecological Nature Of Drowning In Low- And Middle-Income Countries: A Review To Inform Health Promotion Approaches, Muthia Cenderadewi, Richard Charles Franklin, Susan Devine

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Most deaths by drowning (91%) have occurred in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), particularly in Southeast Asia (35%) and Africa (20%), in proportion to total drowning deaths worldwide. Poor data collection in LMICs hinders the planning, implementation, and evaluation of prevention strategies. The objective of this study was to review the rates and risk factors of unintentional drowning in LMICs and to identify drowning prevention strategies within a socio-ecological health promotion framework. A systematic search, guided by PRISMA, was conducted on Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, Informit health, PsycINFO (ProQuest), Scopus, SafetyLit, Google Scholar, and BioMed Central databases for all relevant studies …

Evaluation Of A Drowning Prevention Campaign In A Vietnamese American Community, Linda Quan Md, Elena Shephard Md, Elizabeth Bennett Ches, Mph

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

To address Washington State’s high pediatric fatal drowning rates in Asian children, especially Vietnamese, we conducted and evaluated a community water safety campaign for Vietnamese American families. Working with community groups, parks departments and public health, we disseminated three messages (learn to swim, swim with a lifeguard, and wear a life jacket) in Vietnamese media and at events, increased access to free/low cost swim lessons and availability of lifeguarded settings and life jackets in the community. Parents completed 168 pre- and 230 post-intervention self-administered, bilingual surveys. Significantly more post-intervention compared to pre-intervention respondents had heard water safety advice …