Public Health Education and Promotion Commons^™

Protecting Science At Federal Agencies: How Congress Can Help, Jacobs Institute Of Women’S Health, The George Washington University, Climate Science Legal Defense Fund, Democracy Forward, Environmental Integrity Project, Environmental Protection Network, Government Accountability Project, Greenpeace, National Federation Of Federal Employees, National Partnership For Women & Families, Power To Decide, Project On Government Oversight, Union Of Concerned Scientists

Jacobs Institute of Women's Health

No abstract provided.

Better Bone Health: Health Community Clinic, Naijah Hughes, Dakota Turnage, Kintara Williams, Christopher Fangna

DC Health and Academic Prep Program (DC HAPP)

Osteoporosis affects the quality of life, the ability to work, and basic activities of daily living. Osteoporosis is a disease marked by reduced bone strength leading to an increase in fractures. Every day, our body breaks down old bone and puts new bone in its place. As we get older, our bones break down more bone than they put back. If you do not take the steps to keep your bones healthy, you may lose too much bone and osteoporosis may develop. Men and women are both affected by osteoporosis. In the United States, an estimated 5.3 million people aged …

Hiv Intervention For The Dc Community, Evelyn Rosales, Elias Belhocine, Daniel Ndagha, Tiana Young

DC Health and Academic Prep Program (DC HAPP)

Before the 1980s, the world had little to no knowledge about HIV. Now there has been research conducted on HIV/AIDs that has helped people prevent and be aware of their status. However, there is still an increasing amount of HIV cases in adults (18-34), especially in DC communities. Such disparities in HIV cases occur based on people’s race, gender, sexual orientation, income and geographical location. The social determinants of health also play a role in these cases such as poverty, access to care, stigma and racism. Our program will tackle these issues by providing an emphasis on existing programs by …

Teen Pregnancy Prevention: Nine Minutes To Avoid Nine Months, Natalie Custodio, Ronaldo Gomez, Katherine Mejicanos-Portillo, Jalen Templeman

DC Health and Academic Prep Program (DC HAPP)

The United States is one of the most developed nations with one of the highest rates of teen pregnancy. Although there has been a reduction in teen pregnancy nationally, areas in DC such as Wards 5, 7 and 8 still have teen birth rates above the national rate. The objective for our project is to provide a targeted-intervention to decrease teen pregnancy rates by increasing awareness of safe sex practices, contraceptive methods and STIs/HIV. Our program will provide a 9-minute session on sexual health at chosen schools and youth organizations in Wards 5, 7 and 8 to target 11 to …

Project Anacostia, Lapoldeon Williams, Abenezer Lemma, Janae Thomas, Kafoued Ouedraogo

DC Health and Academic Prep Program (DC HAPP)

Objectives Project Anacostia aims to [1] help meet the Healthy People 2020 goal of reducing the disease burden of diabetes mellitus (DM) and improving the quality of life for all persons who have, or are at risk for, DM as outlined by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. [2] To increase community awareness of the social determinants of health related to obesity and diabetes. [3] Increase access to recreational facilities and healthy food options in Wards 7 &8 and [4] promote healthy lifestyle choices among youth in the Anacostia community.

Methods Our intervention is comprised of three progressive …

Community-Based Distribution Of Iron-Folic Acid Supplementation In Low- And Middle-Income Countries: A Review Of Evidence And Programme Implications., Justine A Kavle, Megan Landry

Prevention and Community Health Faculty Publications

The present literature review aimed to review the evidence for community-based distribution (CBD) of iron–folic acid (IFA) supplementation as a feasible approach to improve anaemia rates in low- and middle-income countries.

The literature review included peer-reviewed studies and grey literature from PubMed, Cochrane Library, LILAC and Scopus databases.

Low- and middle-income countries.

Non-pregnant women, pregnant women, and girls.

CBD programmes had moderate success with midwives and community health workers (CHW) who counselled on health benefits and compliance with IFA supplementation. CHW were more likely to identify and reach a greater number of women earlier in pregnancy, as women tended to …

Refugee Policy Implications Of U.S. Immigration Medical Screenings: A New Era Of Inadmissibility On Health-Related Grounds., Mi-Kyung Hong, Reshma E Varghese, Charulata Jindal, Jimmy T Efird

Medicine Faculty Publications

Refugees frequently face extended delays in their efforts to enter the United States (U.S.) and those who are successful, in many cases, encounter overwhelming obstacles, inadequate resources, and a complex system of legal barriers. Travel restrictions based on equivocal health concerns and a drop in refugee admittance ceilings have complicated the situation. The authors retrieved and analyzed peer-reviewed journal articles, government agency press releases, media postings, epidemiologic factsheets, and relevant lay publications to critically assess U.S. policy regarding refugee resettlement based on health-related grounds. While refugees arguably exhibit an increased incidence of measles and tuberculosis compared with the U.S. population, …

Reduced Nicotine Content Cigarettes In Smokers Of Low Socioeconomic Status: Study Protocol For A Randomized Control Trial., Nicolle M Krebs, Sophia I Allen, Susan Veldheer, Diane J Martinez, Kimberly Horn, Craig Livelsberger, Jennifer Modesto, Robin Kuprewicz, Ashley Wilhelm, Shari Hrabovsky, Abid Kazi, Alyse Fazzi, Jason Liao, Junjia Zhu, Emily Wasserman, Samantha M Reilly, Lisa Reinhart, Neil Trushin, Robinn E Moyer, Rebecca Bascom, Jonathan Foulds, John P Richie, Joshua E Muscat

Prevention and Community Health Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND:

The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act gave the Food and Drug Administration jurisdiction over the regulation of all tobacco products, including their nicotine content. Under this act, a major strategy to reduce harm from cigarette tobacco is lowering the nicotine content without causing unintended adverse consequences. Initial research on reduced nicotine content (RNC) cigarettes has shown that smokers of these cigarettes gradually decrease their smoking frequency and biomarkers of exposure. The effectiveness of this strategy needs to be demonstrated in different populations whose response to RNC cigarettes might be substantially mediated by personal or environmental factors, such …

Testimony Before The Committee Of The Whole Council Of The District Of Columbia. Hearing On: B22-176 "Health Care Revolving Fund Act Of 2017" And B22-207 "East End Health Care Desert, Retail Desert, And Food Desert Elimination Act Of 2017", William H. Dietz

Sumner M. Redstone Global Center for Prevention and Wellness

No abstract provided.

Victims Or Heroes? How Did Journalists Frame The Ebola Crisis In Liberia?, Tamah Kamlem, Nwanneamaka Ume, Skylar Lisse, Eme Udoh, Jialin Meng

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

The Ebola Virus Disease epidemic in West Africa in 2014 with over 11,000 deaths made headlines worldwide, causing fear and posing a challenge to traditional media, entrusted with the task of reporting about the spread of the disease. Individuals and communities rely on media to obtain health information, including decisions related to disease prevention and behavior to protect their health. Therefore, frames used by the media to report about health emergencies impact public perceptions. Mass media framing during crises has been associated with emotional and behavioral responses that are consistent with the thematic depiction of unfolding events. Moreover, message frames …

Promotion Of New Diabetes Products In The District Of Columbia, Joy Eckert, Dilpan Sundaramoorthy, Alycia Hogenmiller

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Background: Growth in pharmaceutical expenditures for diabetes outpaced growth in diabetes prevalence. Prescribers accepting gifts and meals from pharmaceutical companies have been linked with higher prescription rates and costs[1]. Pharmaceutical marketing to these prescribers and patients often promotes newer, more expensive drugs, such as the GLP-1 analogues and SGL-2 inhibitors. These two drug classes are more expensive but no more effective than metformin,[2] the recommended first-line treatment for diabetes, and the oldest and cheapest available treatment. We investigated how cost of diabetes treatment was affected by marketing practices in the District of Columbia.

Methods: The AccessRx program …

E-Cigarettes And Smoking Cessation Among Pregnant Women: Insights From A Secondary Analysis Of A Randomized Controlled Trial, Shawn Chiang, Lorien Abroms

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Background: The use of electronic cigarettes is a rapidly expanding phenomenon. Currently, there is a scarcity of data to help guide decisions regarding the potential harm and benefits of e-cigarettes. This study examines whether pregnant smokers who used e-cigarettes are more likely to quit smoking than those who had never used e-cigarettes.

Methods: Data were drawn from the Quit4Baby study, a text-message-based smoking cessation randomized controlled trial. The sample was comprised of 481 participants with complete follow-up data at 1 month follow-up. Linear and logistics regression models to control for confounds were conducted to evaluate the association between e-cigarette use …

A Comparative Study On The Impact Evaluation Of World Vision’S Water, Sanitation And Hygiene Program In Malawi, Mozambique, And Zambia: Analyses Using Lives Saved Tool, Chulwoo Park, Armen Martirosyan, Erin A. Jones, Ashley Labat, Yvonne Tam, Emmanuel Opong

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Background

According to the World Health Organization, diarrheal disease is the second top killer of children under five years of age (U5), claiming around 760,000 young children’s lives every year, and 88% of diarrheal disease is attributed to unsafe water supply, inadequate sanitation and hygiene. The humanitarian aid organization, World Vision, launched community-based water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) project in 76 Area Development Programs (ADPs) for 506,019 target U5 population across Southern Africa Region (SAR): Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia in 2010.

Objective

This study estimated the retrospective health impact of the project between 2010 and 2014 to measure how effectively …

Healthcare Provider And Patient Knowledge, Attitudes And Practices (Kap) Regarding Zika Virus, Quinton Katler, Prachi Godiwala, Charles Macri, Beth Pineles, Aileen Chang, Homa Ahmadzia

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Introduction:

Zika virus emergence in the western hemisphere has prompted the critical need for tailored risk counseling. Our team created a KAP survey in order to assess provider and patient awareness of Zika virus symptoms, transmission, treatment, and current and future concerns in order to inform local risk counseling efforts.

Methods:

The cross-sectional survey was issued in Medical Faculty Associates (MFA) clinics and via online link to healthcare providers and community members. The REDCap Data Collection tool was used to capture responses with subsequent SAS data analysis.

Results:

A total of 172 responses were collected. Most respondents (97%) were aware …

What May Be Associated With Young Adult E-Cigarette Use? Examination Of Key Correlates, Diane J. Martinez, Monique M. Turner, Kathleen Roche, Kimberly Horn

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Given increasing rates of e-cigarette use among young adults, research is needed on the attitudes and beliefs that drive use among this age group. Tobacco control approaches used to prevent cigarette smoking may not work as effectively for preventing e-cigarette use. To address this research gap, the present study applied the Integrated Behavior Model (IBM) encompassing the affect heuristic theory to examine the individual-level determinants (i.e., attitude, perceived norm, personal agency, intention, and e-cigarette risk perception) of young adults' e-cigarette use. The 2013-2014 Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study Wave 1 baseline adult dataset consisted of 9,112 young …

Challenges To Estimating Vaccine Impact Using Hospitalization Data., Cynthia Schuck-Paim, Robert J Taylor, Lone Simonsen, Roger Lustig, Esra Kürüm, Christian A W Bruhn, Daniel M Weinberger

Global Health Faculty Publications

Because the real-world impact of new vaccines cannot be known before they are implemented in national programs, post-implementation studies at the population level are critical. Studies based on analysis of hospitalization rates of vaccine-preventable outcomes are typically used for this purpose. However, estimates of vaccine impact based on hospitalization data are particularly prone to confounding, as hospitalization rates are tightly linked to changes in the quality, access and use of the healthcare system, which often occur simultaneously with introduction of new vaccines. Here we illustrate how changes in healthcare delivery coincident with vaccine introduction can influence estimates of vaccine impact, …

Implementation Science To Accelerate Clean Cooking For Public Health., Joshua Rosenthal, Kalpana Balakrishnan, Nigel Bruce, David Chambers, Jay Graham, Darby Jack, Lydia Kline, Omar Masera, Sumi Mehta, Ilse Ruiz Mercado, Gila Neta, Subhrendu Pattanayak, Elisa Puzzolo, Helen Petach, Antonello Punturieri, Adolfo Rubinstein, Michael Sage, Rachel Sturke, Anita Shankar, Kenny Sherr, Kirk Smith, Gautam Yadama

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Clean cooking has emerged as a major concern for global health and development because of the enormous burden of disease caused by traditional cookstoves and fires. The World Health Organization has developed new indoor air quality guidelines that few homes will be able to achieve without replacing traditional methods with modern clean cooking technologies, including fuels and stoves. However, decades of experience with improved stove programs indicate that the challenge of modernizing cooking in impoverished communities includes a complex, multi-sectoral set of problems that require implementation research. The National Institutes of Health, in partnership with several government agencies and the …

Design And Feasibility Of A Text Messaging Intervention To Prevent Indoor Tanning Among Young Adult Women: A Pilot Study, William Douglas Evans, Darren Mays

Prevention and Community Health Faculty Publications

Background: Although skin cancer is largely preventable, it affects nearly 1 of 5 US adults. There is a need for research on how to optimally design persuasive public health indoor tanning prevention messages.

Objective: The objective of our study was to examine whether framed messages on indoor tanning behavioral intentions delivered through short message service (SMS) text messaging would produce (1) positive responses to the messages, including message receptivity and emotional response; (2) indoor tanning efficacy beliefs, including response efficacy and self-efficacy; and (3) indoor tanning risk beliefs.

Methods: We conducted a pilot study of indoor tanning prevention messages delivered …

Exploring Determinants Of Handwashing With Soap In Indonesia: A Quantitative Analysis, Mitsuaki Hirai, Jay P. Graham, Kay Mattson, Andrea Kelsey, Supriya Mukherji, Aidan Cronin

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Handwashing with soap is recognized as a cost-effective intervention to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with enteric and respiratory infections. This study analyzes rural Indonesian households’ hygiene behaviors and attitudes to examine how motivations for handwashing, locations of handwashing space in the household, and handwashing moments are associated with handwashing with soap as potential determinants of the behavior. The analysis was conducted using results from a UNICEF cross-sectional study of 1700 households in six districts across three provinces of Indonesia. A composite measure of handwashing with soap was developed that included self-reported handwashing, a handwashing demonstration, and observed handwashing materials …

Household, Psychosocial, And Individual-Level Factors Associated With Fruit, Vegetable, And Fiber Intake Among Low-Income Urban African American Youth, Angela Trude, Anna Kharmats, Kristen Hurley, Elizabeth Steeves, Sameera A. Talegawkar, Joel Gittelson

Exercise and Nutrition Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Childhood obesity, one of the greatest challenges to public health, disproportionately affects low-income urban minority populations. Fruits and vegetables (FV) are nutrient dense foods that may be inversely associated with excessive weight gain. We aimed to identify the individual characteristic, psychosocial, and household factors influencing FV and fiber consumption in low-income African-American (AA) youth in Baltimore, MD.

Methods

Cross-sectional analysis of data collected from 285 low-income AA caregiver-youth (age range: 10–14 y) dyads participating in the baseline evaluation of the B’More Healthy Communities for Kids obesity prevention trial. The Kid's Block FFQ was used to estimate daily intakes of …

Putting Prep Into Practice: Lessons Learned From Early-Adopting U.S. Providers' Firsthand Experiences Providing Hiv Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis And Associated Care, S. K. Calabrese, Manya Magnus, K. H. Mayer, D. S. Krakower, A. I. Eldahan, L. A. Gaston Hawkins, +5 Additional Authors

Epidemiology Faculty Publications

Optimizing access to HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), an evidence-based HIV prevention resource, requires expanding healthcare providers' adoption of PrEP into clinical practice. This qualitative study explored PrEP providers' firsthand experiences relative to six commonly-cited barriers to prescription-financial coverage, implementation logistics, eligibility determination, adherence concerns, side effects, and anticipated behavior change (risk compensation)-as well as their recommendations for training PrEP-inexperienced providers. U.S.-based PrEP providers were recruited via direct outreach and referral from colleagues and other participants (2014-2015). One-on-one interviews were conducted in person or by phone, transcribed, and analyzed. The sample (n = 18) primarily practiced in the Northeastern (67%) or …

Maternal Leisure-Time Physical Activity And Risk Of Preterm Birth: A Systematic Review Of The Literature, Mira Kahn, Loretta Dipietro, Kimberly Robien

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Background: Preterm birth is a leading cause of infant death and regular physical activity may reduce the risk for preterm birth because of its beneficial effects on pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia, excessive weight gain, and gestational diabetes. On average, however, pregnant women report lower levels of physical activity compared with those who are not pregnant. This systematic review examined low, moderate and vigorous leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) during pregnancy and the outcome of preterm birth.

Methods: Key words related to preterm birth and physical activity were used to search relevant databases (Medline, Cochrane, CINAHL, Sports Discuss and Scopus). Studies …

Promotion Of Drinking Water Among Latino Immigrant Youth, Nicole Barrett, Allison Elkins, Uriyoan Colón-Ramos, Ivonne Rivera, W. Douglas Evans, Mark Edberg

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Objective: To design an innovative intervention to increase drinking water behaviors among Latino immigrant youth.

Methods: We conducted two rounds of focus groups, totaling 10 sessions (n=61), with Latino immigrant youth, aged 6-18 years, living in Langley Park, Maryland. Participants were stratified into focus groups by age group (elementary, middle, and high school) and language preference (Spanish and English). A professional, bilingual-speaking moderator used a semistructured discussion guide to examine: (1) what youth preferred to drink in different settings and why, (2) their reactions to promotional messages, (3) slogans that would entice them to drink more water in school and …

Assessing The Effectiveness Of Partners In Quitting, A Text Message-Based Smoking Cessation Program, Rachael Schoenbrun

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

This presentation will discuss the implementation of Partners in Quitting, a new text message-based smoking cessation program. It will also provide preliminary data on client engagement rates, program effectiveness, and program challenges. Partners in Quitting is an outreach program that has been implemented at Bread for the City, a large DC hub for free health and social services. Partners in Quitting provides an evidence-based, easily accessible, and comprehensive smoking cessation program to the clients of Bread for the City.

A New Look At Care In Pregnancy: Simple, Effective Interventions For Neglected Populations, Stephen Hodgins, James M. Tielsch, Kristen Rankin, Amber Robinson, Annie Kearns, Jacquelyn Caglia

Global Health Faculty Publications

Background

Although this is beginning to change, the content of antenatal care has been relatively neglected in safe-motherhood program efforts. This appears in part to be due to an unwarranted belief that interventions over this period have far less impact than those provided around the time of birth. In this par, we review available evidence for 21 interventions potentially deliverable during pregnancy at high coverage to neglected populations in low income countries, with regard to effectiveness in reducing risk of: maternal mortality, newborn mortality, stillbirth, prematurity and intrauterine growth restriction. Selection was restricted to interventions that can be provided by …

Exploring Geographic Distributions Of High-Risk Water, Sanitation, And Hygiene Practices And Their Association With Child Diarrhea In Uganda, Mitsuaki Hirai, Amira A. Roess, Cheng Huang, Jay P. Graham

Global Health Faculty Publications

Background: High-risk water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) practices are still prevalent in most low-income countries. Because of limited access to WASH, children may be put at an increased risk of diarrheal diseases.

Objectives: This study aims to 1) develop a new measure of WASH-induced burden, the WASH Resource Index (WRI), and estimate its correlation with child diarrhea and an additive index of high-risk WASH practices; 2) explore the geographic distribution of high-risk WASH practices, child diarrhea, and summary indices at the cluster level; and 3) examine the association between the WRI and child diarrhea at the individual level. …

Legal Space For Syringe Exchange Programs In Hot Spots Of Injection Drug Use-Related Crime., Sean T Allen, Monica S. Ruiz, Jeff Jones, Monique M Turner

Prevention and Community Health Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Copious evidence indicates that syringe exchange programs (SEPs) are effective structural interventions for HIV prevention among persons who inject drugs (PWID). The efficacy of SEPs in supporting the public health needs of PWID populations is partially dependent on their accessibility and consistent utilization among injectors. Research has shown that SEP access is an important predictor of PWID retention at SEPs, yet policies exist that may limit the geographic areas where SEP operations may legally occur. Since 2000 in the District of Columbia (DC), SEP operations have been subject to the 1000 Foot Rule (§48-1121), a policy that prohibits the …

Social Media In The Sexual Lives Of African American And Latino Youth: Challenges And Opportunities In The Digital Neighborhood, Robin Stevens, Jamie Dunaev, Ellen Malven, Amy Bleakley, Shawnika J. Hull

Prevention and Community Health Faculty Publications

There has been significant interest in the role of social media in the lives of adolescents, particularly as it relates to sexual risk. Researchers have focused on understanding usage behaviors, quantifying effects of social media exposure and activity, and using social media to intervene. Much of this work has focused on college students and non-minority youth. In this paper, we examine the growing body of literature around social media use among US minority youth and its intersection with sexual risk behavior. We introduce the concept of the “digital neighborhood” and examine the intersection of social media and sexual health in …

Interruptions Of Antiretroviral Therapy In Children And Adolescents With Hiv Infection In Clinical Practice: A Retrospective Cohort Study In The Usa., Natella Rakhmanina, Kam S Lam, Jaclyn Hern, Heather A. Young, Alex Walters, Amanda D. Castel

Epidemiology Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION: Changes in combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) throughout childhood challenge the continuity of paediatric HIV treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of treatment interruption (TI), including lamivudine (3TC) monotherapy, and the relationship of TI to virologic and immunologic parameters in HIV-infected paediatric patients.

METHODS: Nested within a prospective observational study of a city-wide cohort of HIV-infected persons in the District of Columbia, this sub-study collected retrospective data on antiretroviral therapy, enrolment (endpoint) and historic (lifelong) CD4 counts and HIV RNA viral load (VL) of the paediatric cohort. TI was defined as interruption of cART ≥4 consecutive weeks. Data …

Bridging The Divide White Paper: Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (Larc) In The United States, Julia Strasser, Liz Borkowski, Megan Couillard, Amy Allina, Susan Wood

Jacobs Institute of Women's Health

Long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) methods – specifically, intrauterine devices (IUDs) and subcutaneous hormone-releasing implants – demonstrate great potential in reducing unintended pregnancy. Although LARC methods have had a rocky history in the US and use rates have remained low here in comparison to other countries where the methods are available, there has been a significant increase in uptake of newer LARC products in recent years. Researchers have identified this change as a likely contributor to the declines seen in unintended pregnancy, abortion, and teen pregnancy rates.

Decades of research have shown that current LARC methods are highly safe and effective, …