Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Development Of A Web-Based Diabetes Prevention Program (Dpp) For Chinese Americans: A Formative Evaluation Approach, Ming-Chin Yeh, Wincy Lau, Zoey Gong, Margrethe Horlyck-Romanovsky, Ho-Jui Tung, Lin Zhu, Grace X. Ma, Judith Wylie-Rosett

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Increasing evidence demonstrates that an online Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) can delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. However, little has been done for Chinese Americans. This study, using Community-Based Participatory Research and Intervention Mapping approaches, describes a formative research process in the development of a culturally and linguistically tailored online DPP program among Chinese Americans with prediabetes living in New York City. Using a triangulation approach, data were collected to inform the development of an online DPP curriculum through (1) a literature review, (2) three focus groups (n = 24), and (3) a community advisory board meeting among 10 …

How Healthcare Providers Can Support Timely Cervical And Breast Cancer Screenings For Individuals With Disabilities, Rachel Byers, Timothy Keady

All Current Publications

This fact sheet outlines how healthcare providers can apply current evidence and best practices in screening for cervical cancer and breast cancer in individuals with disabilities.

Mental Health Benefits Of Physical Activity In Older Adults, Adrian Kurt Zitzmann

Master of Science in Nursing Family Nurse Practitioner

Physical activity is the fountain of youth, strengthening both the physical body as well as the mind, leading to better emotional stability and a general sense of well-being. The population over age 65 is nearing retirement age and are transitioning from a high paced work and family life to a slower and less active “empty nest” lifestyle. Among adults over age 65, will implementing an exercise program for 30 minutes per day increase mental well-being? The benefits of physical activity will be supported by gathering a group of older adults ages 65 and up from a local retirement community to …

Freedom As Prevention: Mechanisms Of Autonomy Support For Promoting Hiv Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Use And Condom Use Among Black Msm In 3 Us Cities-Hptn 073, Laron E Nelson, Donte T Boyd, Geetha Beauchamp, Lynda Emel, Leo Wilton, Darren Whitfield, S Raquel Ramos, Wale Ajiboye, Mandy J Hill, Donaldson F Conserve, Portia Thomas, Lisa Hightow-Weidman, Steve Shoptaw, Manya Magnus, Kenneth H Mayer, Estelle Piwowar-Manning, Sheldon D Fields, Darrell P Wheeler, Hptn 073 Study Team

Journal Articles

Healthcare providers who use controlling or coercive strategies may compel short-term enactment of HIV and sexually transmitted infection prevention behaviors but may inadvertently undermine their client's motivation to maintain those behaviors in the absence of external pressure. Autonomous motivation refers to the self-emanating and self-determined drive for engaging in health behaviors. It is associated with long-term maintenance of health behaviors. We used structural equation modeling to investigate whether autonomy support was associated with increased odds of therapeutic serum levels of pre-exposure prophylaxis, through a pathway that satisfies basic psychological needs for autonomous self-regulation and competence regarding pre-exposure prophylaxis use. We …

Hiv Viral Load Suppression Before And After Covid-19 In Kinshasa And Haut Katanga, Democratic Republic Of The Congo, Gulzar H. Shah, Gina D. Etheredge, Stacy Smallwood, Lievain Maluantesa, Kristie C. Waterfield, Osaremhen Ikhile, John Ditekemena, Elodie Engetele, Elizabeth Ayangunna, Astrid Mulenga, Bernard Bossiky

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic resulted in unique programmatic opportunities to test hypotheses related to the initiation of antiretroviral treatment (ART) and viral load (VL) suppression during a global health crisis, which would not otherwise have been possible.

Objectives: To generate practice-relevant evidence on the impact of initiating ART pre-COVID-19 versus during the COVID-19 pandemic on HIV VL.

Method: Logistic regression was performed on data covering 6596 persons with HIV whose VL data were available, out of 36 585 persons who were initiated on ART between 01 April 2019 and 30 March 2021.

Results: After controlling for covariates …

Influenza Vaccination Coverage Among An Urban Pediatric Asthma Population: Implications For Population Health, Sarah J. Parker, Amy M. Delaroche, Alex B. Hill, Rajan Arora, Julie Gleason-Comstock

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Research Publications

Introduction
Asthma is the most common chronic disease in children. Children with asthma are at high risk for complications from influenza; however annual influenza vaccination rates for this population are suboptimal. The overall aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of a high-risk population of children with asthma presenting to an urban pediatric emergency department according to influenza vaccination status.

Methods
The study was a retrospective chart review of 4355 patients aged 2 to 18 years evaluated in a Michigan pediatric emergency department (PED) between November 1, 2017 and April 30, 2018 with an ICD-10-CM code for asthma …

Refining The Nutrition Environment Measures Survey (Nems) For Healthy Community Stores: Adaptations To Capture Alternative Food Retailers And Align With Dietary Guidelines, Alex B. Hill, Ravneet Kuar, Samantha M. Sundermeir, Christina Kasprzak, Megan Winkler, Sara John, Rachael D. Dombrowski, Bree Bode, Joel Gittelsohn

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Research Publications

Inadequate consumption of healthy food is an ongoing public health issue in the United States. Food availability measures of supply versus consumption of healthy foods are disconnected in many studies. There is a need for an objective assessment of the food environment in order to assess how the food supply aligns with the Healthy Eating Index (HEI). Data were collected as part of the Healthy Community Stores Case Study Project, including a refined Nutrition Environment Measures Survey for Healthy Community Stores (NEMS-HCS) and an updated Healthy Food Availability Index that aligns with the Healthy Eating Index (HFAHEI). This paper will …

Socioeconomic Status And Other Factors Associated With Hiv Status Among Ovc In Democratic Republic Of Congo (Drc), Gulzar H. Shah, Gina D. Etheredge, Lievain Maluantesa, Kristie Cason Waterfield, Osaremhen Ikhile, Elodie Engetele, Astrid Mulenga, Alice Tabala, Bernard Bossiky

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Background: Orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) are a high-risk group for HIV infection, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Purpose: This study aims to portray the socioeconomic profile of OVC and examine the association of household and parent/guardian characteristics with the HIV status of OVC.

Methods: For this quantitative retrospective study, we obtained data from ICAP/DRC for a total of 1,624 OVC from households enrolled for social, financial, and clinical services between January 2017 and April 2020 in two provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haut-Katanga and Kinshasa. We computed descriptive statistics for OVC and their parents' or guardians' characteristics. We …

The Social Determinants Of Ideal Cardiovascular Health: A Global Systematic Review, Farah Qureshi, Kelb Bousquet-Santos, Sakurako S. Okuzono, Elaine Tsao, Scott Delaney, Anne-Josie Guimond, Julia K. Boehm, Laura D. Kubzansky

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

This systematic review synthesizes research published from January 2010-July 2022 on the social determinants of ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) carried out around the world and compares trends in high-income countries (HICs) to those in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). 41 studies met inclusion criteria (n = 28 HICs, n = 13 LMICs). Most were from the United States (n = 22) and cross-sectional (n = 33), and nearly all evaluated associations among adults. Among studies conducted in LMICs, nearly all were from middle-income countries and only one was carried out in low-income country. Education (n = …

Air Quality And Cancer Prevalence Trends Across The Sub-Saharan African Regions During 2005–2020, Omolola Okunromade, Jingjing Yin, Clara Ray, Atin Adhikari

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Poor air quality and environmental pollution remain some of the main etiological factors leading to cancers and cancer-related deaths worldwide. As a result of human activities, deleterious airborne chemicals can be dispersed not only in the environment but also released in occupational environments and industrial areas. Air pollutants and cancer links are now established through various oxidative stress-related mechanisms and related DNA damages. Generally, ambient and indoor air pollutants have been understudied in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) compared to other regions in the world. Our study not only highlights the deleterious effects of air pollutants in these developing countries, but it …

Visual Factors Associated With Physical Activity In Schoolchildren, Síofra Harrington, John Kearney Prof, Veronica O'Dwyer Dr

Articles

Clinical relevance Physical activity is an essential part of childhood physical and mental development. Recent research identified visual problems associated with a sedentary lifestyle in children in Ireland.

Background This study explored the association between visual function in children and their engagement with physical activities outside school.

Methods Participants were 1,626 schoolchildren (728 aged 6–7 years, 898 old 12–13 years) in randomly selected schools in Ireland. Before data collection, parents/legal guardians of participants completed a standardised questionnaire reporting physical activity as no activity (mostly on screens), light activity (occasional walking/cycling), moderate activity (/week engaged in sports), or regular activity ( …

In The Eyes Of The Beholder: Race, Place And Health, Alfredo J. Velasquez, Jason A. Douglas, Fangqi Guo, Jennifer W. Robinette

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Racial and ethnic health disparities are fundamentally connected to neighborhood quality. For example, as a result of historical systemic inequities, racial and ethnic minorities are more likely to live in neighborhoods with signs of physical disorder (e.g., graffiti, vandalism), and physically disordered environments have been noted to associate with increased risk for chronic illness. Degree of exposure to neighborhood disorder may alter peoples' perception of their neighborhoods, however, with those most exposed (e.g., historically marginalized racial/ethnic groups) perhaps perceiving less threat from signs of neighborhood disorder. The purpose of the present study was to examine the complex interrelationships between people …

Estimating The Health Effects Of Adding Bicycle And Pedestrian Paths At The Census Tract Level: Multiple Model Comparison, Ross J. Gore, Christopher Lynch, Craig Jordan, Andrew Collins, R. Michael Robinson, Gabrielle Fuller, Pearson Ames, Prateek Keerthi, Yash Kandukuri

VMASC Publications

Background: Adding additional bicycle and pedestrian paths to an area can lead to improved health outcomes for residents over time. However, quantitatively determining which areas benefit more from bicycle and pedestrian paths, how many miles of bicycle and pedestrian paths are needed, and the health outcomes that may be most improved remain open questions.

Objective: Our work provides and evaluates a methodology that offers actionable insight for city-level planners, public health officials, and decision makers tasked with the question “To what extent will adding specified bicycle and pedestrian path mileage to a census tract improve residents’ health outcomes over time?” …

A Commentary On The Healthy Community Stores Case Study Project: Implications For Retailers, Policy, And Future Research, Samantha M. Sundermeir, Megan R. Winkler, Sara John, Uriyoán Colón-Ramos, Ravneet Kuar, Ashley Hickson, Rachael D. Dombrowski, Alex B. Hill, Bree Bode, Julia Deangelo, Joel Gittelsohn

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Research Publications

In the United States, low-income, underserved rural and urban settings experience poor access to healthy, affordable food. Introducing new food outlets in these locations has shown mixed results for improving healthy food consumption. The Healthy Community Stores Case Study Project (HCSCSP) explored an alternative strategy: supporting mission-driven, locally owned, healthy community food stores to improve healthy food access. The HCSCSP used a multiple case study approach, and conducted a cross-case analysis of seven urban healthy food stores across the United States. The main purpose of this commentary paper is to summarize the main practice strategies for stores as well as …

The Protective Effects Of Influenza Vaccination In Elderly Patients With Breast Cancer In Taiwan: A Real-World Evidence-Based Study, Szu-Yuan Wu, Ho-Jui Tung, Kuang-Hua Huang, Chiachi Bonnie Lee Lee, Tung-Han Tsai, Yu-Chia Chang

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

In elderly patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer, clarity is lacking regarding the effects of influenza vaccines, particularly on clinical outcomes. This study conducted two nationwide, population-based, and propensity score-matched cohorts to estimate and compare the protective effects of influenza vaccine in elderly women and elderly patients with breast cancer. Data were derived from the National Health Insurance Research Database and Cancer Registry Database. Generalized estimating equations (GEEs) were used to compare outcomes between the vaccinated and unvaccinated cohorts. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) were used to estimate the relative risks, and stratified analyses in the breast cancer cohort were performed …

Adaptation Of Diabetes Prevention Program For Chinese Americans – A Qualitative Study, Ming-Chin Yeh, Wincy Lau, Siqian Chen, Ada Wong, Grace X. Ma, Judith Wylie-Rosett

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Background: Studies have demonstrated that a culturally and linguistically tailored Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) can be effective in reducing diabetes risk in Chinese Americans. The purpose of this study was to explore the cultural and linguistic acceptability of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Prevent T2 curriculum in an online format in the Chinese American community in New York City (NYC). Methods: Three focus groups among a total of 24 Chinese Americans with prediabetes and one community advisory board (CAB) meeting with 10 key stakeholders with expertise in diabetes care and lifestyle interventions were conducted. Each focus group lasted …

Preparing To Break Barriers: A Mixed Methods Exploration Of The Knowledge, Attitudes, And Perceptions Of Hiv, Prep, And Hiv Risk Behaviors Among Women Of Color In Miami, Florida, Amanda C. Ichite

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. HIV epidemic is characterized by regional, racial, and ethnic disparities. HIV rates are disproportionately higher in the South and Black and Hispanic populations are most impacted. Moreover, the intersectional identity of being a Black or Hispanic woman living in the South has been associated with profound disparities in HIV impact. Prior to the advent of the biomedical HIV prevention tool pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in 2012, women were limited in their options for female-controlled HIV prevention strategies. Despite the proven efficacy of PrEP, utilization in women is significantly lower than other at-risk groups. In the present study, secondary analysis …

Investigating The Covid-19 Pandemic In Your Community, Tanzina Ahmed

Open Educational Resources

In this writing assignment, students will conduct research on statistics about COVID-19 in New York City and their embedded communities using free online databases from the New York City Department of Health (NYC DOH). For questions 1, 2, 3, and 4, students will conduct research on COVID-19 statistics within NYC and their specific neighborhood/community in New York City. In questions 5 and 6, students will analyze the data you have gathered while using your own knowledge of your community. A full set of instructions for accessing NYC DOH databases and a complete rubric for grading the assignment is included.

Factors Associated With The Nutritional Status Of Infants And Young Children From Rural Honduras, Ana M. Palacios, Mario Keko, Aishat Adewoye, Haresh Rochani, Asli Aslan, Dziyana Nazaruk, Ana Gisela Ramos, Weston L. Oliver, Laura Manship

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Objectives

Malnutrition is a major public health problem in children. Undernutrition and excessive weight at young ages are associated with life-long consequences. The main objective of this study was to characterize the sociodemographic and food insecurity factors associated with the nutritional status of rural children ages 6 to 24 months living in 27 rural communities in Intibucá, Honduras.

Methods

This secondary analysis of baseline data included a total of 402 children ages 6 to 24 months who were recruited to participate in a cluster-non-randomized trial of a community-based nutrition intervention. Data were collected in January 2021 through a survey that …

Recruitment, Retention, And Future Direction For A Heart Health Education And Risk Reduction Intervention Led By Community Health Workers In An African American Majority City, Julie Gleason-Comstock, Cindy Bolden Calhoun, Ghadir Mozeb, Cardell Louis, Alex B. Hill, Barbara J. Locke, Victor Harrell, Sadia Yasmin, Liying Zhang, John M. Flack, Nancy T. Artinian, Jinping Xu

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Research Publications

Heart disease is a leading cause of death for African Americans. A community-academic partnership cross-trained community health workers to engage African American adults in a 6-month heart health education and risk reduction intervention. We conducted a one-group feasibility study using a one group (pre-posttest) design. A total of 100 adults were recruited from 27 zip codes in an African American majority city through community-based organizations (46%), churches (36%), and home visits (12%). Ninety-six percent were African American; 55% were female, 39% were male, and 6% were transgender. Their mean age was 44.6 years (SD=15.9). Ninety-two percent had health insurance. Seventy-six …

Plant-Centered Diets Among Older Adults: The Need For Improved Nutritional Health Messaging, Margaret Rose

Population Health Research Brief Series

By the year 2030, it is expected that 12% of the world’s population will be aged 65 years or older compared to 8.5% in 2015. This demographic shift will be accompanied by increased healthcare costs and greater demand on health care. One way aging adults may mitigate disease onset and progression is through increased consumption of plant-based foods. This issue brief examines the impact plant-based foods have on disease prevention and acceleration and calls for developing appropriate health messaging to encourage the acceptance and adoption of plant-centered diets among older adults.

Assessing The Influence Of Food Insecurity And Retail Environments As A Proxy For Structural Racism On The Covid-19 Pandemic In An Urban Setting, Rachael D. Dombrowski, Alex B. Hill, Bree Bode, Kathrybn A. G Knoff, Hadis Dastgerdizad, Noel Kulik, James Mallare, Kibibi Blount-Dorn, Winona Bynum

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Research Publications

A collaborative partnership launched the Great Grocer Project (GGP) in March 2021 in Detroit, Michigan where health inequities, including deaths due to COVID-19, have historically been politically determined and informed by socially entrenched norms. Institutional and structural racism has contributed to a lack of diversity in store ownership among Detroit grocers and limited access to high-quality, affordable healthy foods as well as disparate food insecurity among Detroit residents. The GGP seeks to promote Detroit’s healthy grocers to improve community health and economic vitality through research, programs, and policies that have the potential to advance health equity. A cross-sectional design was …

Restorative Streetscapes: Promoting Positive Mental Health Outcomes Through Urban Landscape Design In Winooski, Vermont, Sean R. Fitzsimmons

Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Studio and Student Research and Creative Activity

The global health burden of mental health disorders is immense. The World Health Organization ranks depression as the single largest contributor to global disability; anxiety disorders alone rank sixth. One in four people will have a diagnosable mental illness in their lifetime and mental health conditions are increasing worldwide, rising 13% in the last decade. The economic implications are also immense, costing the global economy US $1 trillion each year. Mental health is more than the absence of disorders or disabilities, however. It is defined by the WHO as “a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or …

Addressing Maternal Health Disparities With Hospital Library Services: Information-Seeking Behavior Of Maternal Health Care Providers In Resolving Clinical Questions Related To Diverse Populations, Seema Bhakta

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

No abstract provided.

Bullied Because Of Their Teeth: Evidence From A Longitudinal Study On The Impact Of Oral Health On Bullying Victimization Among Australian Indigenous Children, Md Irteja Islam, Verity Chadwick, Tuguy Esgin, Alexandra Martiniuk

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Making life better for Indigenous peoples is a global priority. Although bullying and oral health have always been a topic of concern, there is limited information regarding the impact of this problem on the general population, with no evidence in this regard among the Australian Indigenous population. Thus, we aimed to quantify the relationship between bullying victimization and oral health problems by remoteness among 766 Australian Indigenous children aged between 10–15-years using data from the LSIC study. Bivariate and multilevel mixed-effect logistic regression analyses were employed. Findings indicated children self-reported bullying more than parents reported their children were being bullied …

Assessment Of The University Of Rhode Island's Dining Halls And Student Perceptions Of On-Campus Dining, Maria Cherry

Senior Honors Projects

University dining halls are understudied food environments that affect student diet quality. This study (1) assessed dining hall offerings at the University of Rhode Island (URI) using the Partnership for a Healthier America’s Healthier Campus Initiative (PAHA) criteria for healthier campus food environments and (2) evaluated student perceptions of the dining hall through a campus-wide survey (n=165). We evaluated breakfast, lunch, and dinner using spring cycle menus (16 weeks in 2019 and 4 in 2021) from two full-service dining halls totaling 29 meals in 2019, and 84 meals in 2021 to determine adherence with PAHA criteria for availability of: 1) …

If A Tree Falls In The Forest: Presidential Press Conferences And Early Media Narratives About The Covid-19 Crisis, Masha Krupenkin, Kai Zhu, Dylan Walker, David Rothschild

Business Faculty Articles and Research

Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, as we confronted questions about social distancing, masking wearing, and vaccines, public safety experts warned that the consequences of a misinformed population would be particularly dire due to the serious nature of the threat and necessity of severe collective action to keep the population safe. Thus, the media and the political elites (e.g., President of the United States) who possess the power to set the information agenda around COVID-19 bear a huge responsibility for the general welfare. Through automated text analysis of complete transcripts of national cable, network, and local news, we explore their narratives surrounding …

Characterization Of Folic Acid, 5-Methyltetrahydrofolate And Synthetic Folinic Acid In The High-Affinity Folate Transporters: Impact On Pregnancy And Development, Ana M. Palacios, Rachel A. Feiner, Robert M. Cabrera

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Objectives:

Folates are B vitamins that are essential for several molecular, cellular, and biological processes, including nucleotide synthesis, methylation, and methionine cycling. The physiological impacts of these processes on health also extend to cell proliferation, folate deficiency anemia, and reduction of the risk of birth defects during pregnancy. The primary objective of this study was to characterize the binding affinities of different folate forms, folic acid (FA), 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5MTHF), and folinic acid, to the folate receptors α and β, and to the bovine milk folate binding protein. These three dietary forms of folate are found in enriched grains (FA), various …

Citizenship Matters: Non-Citizen Covid-19 Mortality Disparities In New York And Los Angeles, Jason A. Douglas, Georgiana Bostean, Angel Miles Nash, Emmanuel B. John, Lawrence M. Brown, Andrew M. Subica

Health Sciences and Kinesiology Faculty Articles

U.S. non-citizen residents are burdened by inequitable access to socioeconomic resources, potentially placing them at heightened risk of COVID-19-related disparities. However, COVID-19 impacts on non-citizens are not well understood. Accordingly, the current study investigated COVID-19 mortality disparities within New York (NYC) and Los Angeles (LAC) to test our hypothesis that areas with large proportions of non-citizens will have disproportionately high COVID-19 mortality rates. We examined ecological associations between March 2020–January 2021 COVID-19 mortality rates (per 100,000 residents) and percent non-citizens (using ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTA) for NYC and City/Community units of analysis for LAC) while controlling for sociodemographic factors. …

The Correlation Between Vaccine Hesitancy And Privilege: Exploring The Degree To Which Education And Income Foster Resistance To Vaccination Efforts, Sophie Goldenberg

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Vaccine hesitancy is a public health issue of growing concern. Extensive pre-existing literature offers several explanations and conflicting viewpoints regarding reluctance toward vaccinations. However, minimal research has been done exploring the upstream social determinants driving vaccine hesitancy. Utilizing academic and gray literature and interviews with experts in the field, this study addresses this gap in knowledge with the research question: To what extent does privilege impact vaccine hesitancy and resistance? Vaccine hesitancy appears globally and is particularly concerning given the re-emergence of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs). Additionally, due to inconsistent causes, vaccine hesitancy is difficult to combat. In referencing the history …