Public Health Education and Promotion Commons^™

Hidden Hurdles: Evaluating Informal Barriers To Primary Healthcare Access Among Undocumented Migrants In Switzerland, Arantxa Bonifaz Rosas

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Undocumented migrants face heightened difficulties in accessing healthcare due to a combination of legal, financial, and social challenges. Informal barriers to accessing healthcare further exacerbate poor health outcomes among undocumented migrants. In Switzerland, where undocumented migrants have the right to health insurance, barriers to receiving healthcare continue to restrict their access to essential services, such as primary healthcare (PHC). Employing a meta-analysis approach, this qualitative study aimed to broaden existing research on informal barriers hindering access to PHC for undocumented migrants, with a particular focus on the Swiss context. The identified informal barriers centered around health insurance, fear of deportation, …

Identifying Critical Aging Care Challenges And Opportunities In High-Income Countries: A Cross-Country Comparison Of Denmark, Germany, And The United States, Cassandra Martin

Capstone Collection

Despite the rapid growth in the aging population in the United States, insufficient resources and attention are invested in improving the support systems this population relies on. This discussion explored the question of how the United States as a high-income country fails to operate an aging care support infrastructure that has comparable comprehensiveness, availability, affordability, and overall quality to other high-income countries. Comparing financing structures, long-term care models, and various aging care supports is important for answering this question. This paper approached exploring this question by analyzing specified indicators from publicly available data across the United States, Germany, and Denmark. …

Helmintos Transmitidos Por El Suelo En Ecuador; La Respuesta Comunitaria Y Las Percepciones A Ellos En Baños Y Puyo, Audrey Chesney

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This investigation was a qualitative study focused on soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) in Baños and Puyo, Ecuador. The perceptions of the communities regarding STHs and the community response to STH and STH infections was studied. The objectives of this study aimed to discover and learn about the perceptions of STHs from the affected communities, to comprehend the barriers that are present against better treatment for STH infections, and to learn about the community action taking place to improve the situation of soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) in the community. Soil transmitted helminths are intestinal worms that are transmitted through the contamination of the …

Cancer Management In Kenya - Awareness And The Struggles Patients Face To Access Treatment, Care & Support, Ashley Nmoh

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The amount of cancer cases in Africa, and Kenya specifically, are rising at an alarming rate. This study was conducted to determine the challenges that patients with cancer in Kenya face to access treatment, care and support. Thirty-nine cancer patients were interviewed and thirty cancer patients filled out a questionnaire about their experiences of having cancer in Kenya. In addition, twenty key informants were interviewed including doctors, caregivers, cancer NGO executives, a researcher, a psychologist, a National Health Insurance Fund official and a director from the Ministry of Health. A breast cancer awareness survey was also administered to fifty-nine women …

Exploring Mobility Help-Seeking Behavior Among People With Physical Disabilities: A Case Study Of Jaipur Foot, Alex Podell

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

It is estimated that as many as 90 million people living in India experience some sort of disability (The World Bank, 2007). As India’s population keeps growing and aging, not only will the medical aspects, but also the societal impacts of disability need to be brought to the forefront of discussion, developmental strategy, and policy implementation. This study sought to analyze factors influencing the process of seeking help from formal and informal sources for people with physical disabilities. Data was collected from 10 people with physical disabilities receiving a variety of mobility aids from the NGO, Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata …

Health On The Move: Health-Seeking Behavior Of Changpa Nomads In Ladakh, India, Maya Lubeck-Schricker

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The goal of this study is to understand the health-seeking behavior of Changpa nomads in the Changthang region of Ladakh, India including what health issues these communities face, what they do when they fall sick, any preventative health behavior they implement, as well as the health infrastructure available to them. Very little literature exists on the health seeking-behavior of people in South Asia in general, much less among nondominant lifestyles such as that of nomadic or semi-nomadic people. As such, this research hopes to move towards closing that knowledge gap by conducting and analyzing 26 in depth semi-structured interviews and …

Improving Access To Clean Water In Rural Ecuador: The Connection Between Willingness To Pay And Population Health, Micalea Leaska

Capstone Collection

Climate change is affecting social and environmental determinants of health through access to safe drinking water, safely managed sanitation systems, and access to health care services and the ability for individuals to break free from unsuitable circumstances. Ecological disturbances such as those caused by climate change can cause a shift in host vectors or a change in habitat that results in a greater likelihood of the pathogen coming in contact with humans. Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services and their accessibility to populations can directly impact a community’s vulnerability to diseases and limiting factors to increase economic growth. If rural …

Access Is Not Enough: Family Planning In Dar Es Salaam, Claire Burrus

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Population growth is a large problem, both globally and at local levels. The global population is growing at an unsustainable rate, particularly in developing nations. Tanzania, as a developing nation, is one of the fastest growing countries in the world, and as a result, faces many hardships related to high population. The Tanzanian government, non-governmental organizations, and private institutions have made attempts to address these concerns by encouraging family planning. Even so, the national population continues to rise. Many social and cultural factors have contributed to this phenomenon. This study was performed in the Women’s Clinic at Sanitas Hospital in …

Hypertensive Disorders Of Pregnancy In Rural Maharashtra: A Preventative Approach To Risk Factor Reduction Through Lifestyle Interventions, Jess Wiken

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The primary purpose of this study is to assess the contribution and correlation between lifestyle behaviors and modifiable risk factors (MRF) established in adolescence and during pregnancy with development of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) exclusive to preeclampsia (PE), eclampsia, and pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH). MRF include but are not exclusive to diet and nutrition, physical activity, and Mishri use. Associations of HDP with increased premature cardiovascular risk in the affected woman and child indicate the importance of healthy lifestyle modifications that promote cardiovascular health and longevity and reduction of risk factors through prevention. While cardiac conditions are primarily associated …

Análisis De Las Políticas Públicas De Prevención Del Cáncer De Cuello Uterino Vinculadas Al Control Del Virus Del Papiloma Humano (Vph) En Argentina / An Analysis Of Argentina’S Public Health Prevention Strategies Of Cervical Cancer Related To The Control Of The Human Papiloma Virus (Hpv), Caroline Seman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

El objetivo general de este estudio es analizar las políticas públicas de prevención del cáncer de cuello uterino (CCU) basadas en la incorporación de nuevas tecnologías como el test de VPH (Virus del Papiloma Humano) y la vacuna contra el VPH en Argentina. Los objetivos específicos son 1) describir la implementación del test de VPH y la campaña de vacunación obligatoria contra el VPH como estrategias de prevención primaria del CCU a nivel nacional: 2) identificar los factores que las facilitan y las obstaculizan. El CCU es el segundo cáncer más diagnosticado en las mujeres de Argentina. Desde el año …

Babies First: Ensuring Proper Infant Nutrition During Emergencies, Abigail M. Alonso

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Background: Breastfeeding is the best source of nutrition for an infant, living in all regions and cultures. Recommendations apply across the board, from developed nations to refugee camps, from women with HIV to those with time constraints regarding feeding. There also exists a complex relationship between corporations that provide BMS and the NGOs working to promote breastfeeding in emergency situations amongst vulnerable populations.

Objective: The objective of this paper is to expose breastfeeding promotion, using the Dadaab camps in Northeastern Kenya as a case study of IYCF programs and support of breastfeeding among low-literacy populations with an emphasis on women …

Surgeon Practices And Attitudes Toward The Control Of Surgical-Site Infections In Jordan, Sara Ali Mater

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The purpose of this study was to determine the attitudes and practices of Jordanian surgeons on the control of surgical-site infections, evaluated by the Center of Disease Control’s guidelines toward the prevention of surgical-site infections, in addition to gaining respondents opinions on infection control in Jordan. This study was conducted through the distribution of 75 questionnaires given to surgeons at five hospitals in Jordan. Additional insight on SSI infection control was gained through interviews with two cardiac surgeons and three infection control directors. The results of the survey were compared with the Center for Disease Control’s guide to surgical-site infection …

Strengths And Limitations Of The Design Of Helen Keller International’S Childsight® Program Based On Lessons Learned Through The Implementation In Vietnam, 2011-2013, Bradley J. Owen

Capstone Collection

The ophthalmology sector in Vietnam currently faces many challenges. The Asia- Pacific Region, including Vietnam, is reported to have the most cases of uncorrected refractive error in the world at approximately 62 million people. A 2009 study implemented by the World Health Organization also concluded that the Western Pacific region, including Southeast Asia, has 3.98% of the population suffering from uncorrected refractive error, with an estimated cost to the region’s GDP of 111 billion dollars, or .86% of regional GDP (Smith, et al. 2009). In Vietnam alone it is estimated that one in five children suffer from some form of …

The Pertinence Of Maternal Education On Child Immunization In Rural Uttarakhand: More Than Just Increased Rates, Sarah Banerji

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Child immunization rates in India continue to remain low, despite the 1985 implementation of a Universal Immunization Program that provides free basic immunizations to all children. There are numerous logistical factors that contribute to the low rates of immunization, but rates are made further worse by a lack of parental awareness and education about immunization, especially in village communities. This study examines the maternal understanding of immunization in rural Uttarakhand, both in villages in which an NGO has been working to improve maternal immunization education and in villages with no NGO involvement. It finds a positive correlation between increased immunization …

The Perception Of Maternal Anemia And The Effect Of Nutritional Education: A Qualitative Analysis Among Village Mothers In Rural Kumaon, Uk, Kelsey Bash

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Malnutrition is often associated with starving children in developing countries. However, while calorie and protein deficiencies—macronutrient deficiencies—are a cause for concern, micronutrient deficiencies can be equally detrimental and are even more pervasive. The most prevalent micronutrient deficiency is anemia, and the story of anemia in India is particularly grim. India has the largest number of anemic people in the world and severe anemia is the cause of death for an average of 22,000 Indians each year (The Micronutrient Initiative 2006). Anemia rates are exacerbated for women and even more so for pregnant women. According to the most recent National Family …

Schistosomiasis (Bilharzia) In Madagascar: A Case Study Of A Neglected Tropical Disease, Sarah Grace Sawyer

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Over 50% of Madagascar’s population is infected with intestinal or urinary schistosomiasis (Rollinson et al., 2012). The disease slowly debilitates infected persons, who are frequently children, resulting in lower productivity and reduced learning in school-age children. The disease involves a vicious cycle perpetuated by a number of environmental, psychological, and social factors. A multifaceted approach, involving mass treatment, biological control, environmental control, education, and disease surveillance, can lead to schistosomiasis control and elimination in Madagascar. This would yield many socio-economic benefits such as increased productivity, increased school attendance rates, and generally better welfare. Schistosomiasis is the most burdensome and deadly …

Awareness Of Type Ii Diabetes In The Developing World: Case Study In Binh Du’O’Ng, Vietnam, Anna Hong Le

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Vietnam’s rapid economic development after 1986 forever changed the lifestyle of the Vietnamese. Economic development has highly impacted behavior, “changing from a traditional lifestyle to an industrial lifestyle [increasing] noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) : diabetes, overweight, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol disorders” (Danh, Personal Interview). With the increase of NCDs within the country, it is important to focus on awareness education that motivates the population especially those living in the urban sector to practice healthy behaviors. This study project focuses on the evaluating the reach and effectiveness of current diabetes awareness educational materials. One week was spent in Ha Noi, …

Como Mujer…Yo Decido: El Derecho De Salud Sexual Y Reproductiva En Mujeres Aymara De Putre, Chile, Alice Manos

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The human right to sexual and reproductive health, as defined at the International United Nations Conference on Population and Development (Cairo, 1994), continues to be a pending issue in Chile. The sexual and reproductive health of indigenous women emerges as a crucial issue within this field due to Chile’s history of cultural ignorance and a dictatorial healthcare system. Studies of women’s sexual and reproductive healthcare within indigenous communities in Chile have focused on the Cosmo vision and traditional medicine of the Aymara due to their distinct concepts of reproduction, gender roles, and family planning. Studies conducted by Maria Soledad Pérez …