Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Well-Born: Black Women And The Infertility Crisis No One Is Talking About, Kaara Baptiste

Capstones

Black women are twice as likely to experience infertility than white women, but are less likely to seek treatment or to have successful fertility results once treated. Despite this alarming number, this topic is not often discussed, even among the black community. My narrative piece t tells the story of a black woman confronting her infertility diagnosis and the role her race played in her fertility treatment, while exploring the role racism and sexuality have had in keeping this issue in the shadows.

Exploring The Intersection Between Folk And Conventional Medicine In Albany, Kentucky, Chloe J. Brown

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Approximately 60% of patients surveyed (in Albany, KY) practice folk medicine, which suggests that a significant segment of the population may practice folk medicine. Patients typically use folk medical treatments concurrently with conventional medical treatments; while the interaction of these treatments is generally innocuous or positive, folk medical treatments can sometimes be harmful, lead to negative interactions with other drugs prescribed by a conventional medical professional. Since folk medicine and conventional medicine frequently interact, it is important for medical professionals to be aware of and address folk medical practices in a conventional medical environment. In order to better address folk …

Health Information Exchange: Growth And Patient Privacy, Niam Yaraghi

Brookings Scholar Lecture Series

Health Information Exchanges (HIE) provide the electronic movement of health-related information among organizations according to nationally recognized standards. The goal of health information exchange is to facilitate access to and retrieval of clinical data to provide safer, timelier, efficient, effective, equitable, patient-centered care. HIEs are becoming integral parts of the national healthcare reform efforts, chiefly owing to their potential impact on cost reduction and quality enhancement in healthcare services. However, the potential of a HIE platform can only be realized when its multiple constituent users actively participate in using its variety of services. In this research, Yaraghi models HIE systems …

Access To Hospital Interpreter Services For Limited English Proficient Patients In New Jersey: A Statewide Evaluation, Glenn Flores, Sylvia Torres, Linda Holmes, Debbie Salas-Lopez, Mara Youdelman, Sandra Tomany-Korman

Debbie Salas-Lopez MD, MPH

CONTEXT/OBJECTIVES: We surveyed New Jersey (NJ) hospitals to assess current language services and identify policy recommendations on meeting limited English proficiency (LEP) patients' needs.

METHODS: Survey with 37 questions regarding hospital/patient features, interpreter services, and resources/policies needed to provide quality interpreter services.

RESULTS: Sixty-seven hospitals responded (55% response rate). Most NJ hospitals have no interpreter services department, 80% provide no staff training on working with interpreters, 31% lack multilingual signs, and 19% offer no written translation services. Only 3% of hospitals have full-time interpreters, a ratio of 1 interpreter:240,748 LEP NJ residents. Most hospitals stated third-party reimbursement for interpreters would …

Older Woman Workers: Met And Unmet Needs For Health And Wellbeing In The Workplace, Gillian Gorfine

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Older women workers report experiencing occupational injustices however the literature focuses on barriers faced rather than understanding the needs-based strategies empowering women as they age at work. This study engaged women aged 55 and older in a participatory action research project defining and examining strategies for older women workers’ health and wellbeing. In Phase 1, a key informant advisory group (N = 4) defined the problem and guided the design of an open answer survey conducted with 72 older women in work. Three categories emerged informing the fundamental, instrumental, and contextual needs of older women workers. Meeting fundamental needs may …

Grant Application: Immigrant And Refugee Family Wellness Engagement Through Yoga And Zumba, Elizabeth Crawford, Faith Swenson, Angela Serrani, Kathleen Cassidy, Brittany Roy, Trixie Porter

Immigrant and Refugee Family Wellness Engagement Through Yoga and Zumba

IPEC Mini-grant application for funding of UNE student project Immigrant And Refugee Family Wellness Engagement Through Yoga And Zumba. Students from multiple health professions collaborated to provide Yoga and Zumba classes at the Riverton Community Center. The project aimed to increase the participants’ ability to utilize stress reducing activities through a blend of student created heath education materials and yoga and zumba classes for refugee women and children.

Sexual Education And Attitudes Toward Masturbation, Jannine Ray, Shelby Afflerbach

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

The long-standing social stigma surrounding masturbation has led to its prohibition from being included in public school curriculum as a healthy sexual practice. Furthermore, not only is masturbation a healthy sexual practice for the individual, research has demonstrated masturbation to be helpful in treating sexual dysfunctions for couples. Therefore, if the topic of masturbation is included in comprehensive sexual education as a healthy sexual practice, it may promote sexual health among individuals both intra- and interpersonally. The present study recruited from a convenient sample from a medium sized state university in the upper Midwest. Participants completed two surveys, administered through …

"…Is It Normal To Be This Sore?": Using An Online Forum To Investigate Barriers To Physical Activity., Tammy Toscos, Sunny Consolvo, David Mcdonald

Tammy R Toscos

The importance of regular physical activity to overall health has been well established, yet U.S. adults are leading increasingly sedentary lives. Research suggests that lowering perceived barriers to physical activity is a critical part of interventions that encourage physical activity. In this paper, we describe the top five barriers—two of which have not been reported as principle barriers in the literature—that emerged from our systematic qualitative coding of an online forum used to support a three month healthy lifestyle intervention. Based on our analysis, we identify design considerations for technologies that encourage and support physical activity. Understanding the needs of …

Considering Sport Participation As A Source For Physical Activity Among Adolescents, Jennifer Pharr, Nancy L. Lough

Environmental & Occupational Health Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND:

Studies have shown participation in sport is lower among girls than boys, decreases as students matriculate through high school, is lowest among Black and Hispanic girls and has a positive relationship with SES. With sport recognized as a contributor to physical activity and health in adolescents, consideration of diminishing rates of participation appears warranted. The purpose of this study was to identify patterns related to differences in self-reported sport participation between genders, ethnic groups, grades and SES.

METHODS:

This study was a cross-sectional, secondary analysis of data collected for a sport interest survey. All students in grades 8-11 attending …

Does Medicaid Crowd Out Other Public Health Spending? Projecting Aca’S Health & Economic Effects, Glen P. Mays

Health Management and Policy Presentations

Research Objective: Twenty-six states are expanding Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2014, and while federal funds cover most costs for newly eligible recipients, states must share the additional costs of covering previously-eligible state residents who newly enroll in Medicaid in response to ACA’s expanded outreach and enrollment incentives. States, together with their local government counterparts, also provide the vast majority (87%) of public sector funds for public health programs designed to promote health and prevent disease and injury on a population-wide basis. Fiscal constraints and generous federal matching funds create strong budgetary incentives for states to …

Producing Population Health: Collective Action Requires Infrastructure, Incentives & Evidence, Glen P. Mays

Health Management and Policy Presentations

Population health improvement strategies are collective action problems that require targeted infrastructure, incentives, and information to succeed. Research on collective action problems and solutions in public health and other spheres of practice offer insight for the successful scale and spread of population health innovations.

Federal Disaster Declarations And Denials: Analyzing Spatial Equity In The Implementation Of The Stafford Act, Richard Salkowe

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Federal disaster declarations are authorized by the president under the provisions of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act of 1988. Prior studies have found varying levels of political influence associated with the declaration process. Factors including electoral votes, reelection years, congressional committee appointments, geographic location, and party favoritism have been implicated in claims of inequity associated with the distribution of federal disaster assistance. Compounding these concerns is evidence of recurring problems associated with disparities in the long-term recovery from disasters based on social and economic factors. This dissertation is a response to the call for further …

Family-Farm Therapy: An Urban Therapy Clinic To Address The Multifaceted Needs Of Multi-Stressed Families And Their Surrounding Communities, Felisa M. Huene

Graduate Research Symposium (GCUA) (2010 - 2017)

Family-Farm Therapy incorporates a therapeutic clinic within an urban farming community site, and focuses on multi-stressed family systems and the larger community system. The goal is for systemic change within the family and the community by creating positive relationships and personal acceptance. Farming has traditionally been a family endeavor which makes it a unique environment to be utilized as metaphors for family systems, their interactions, behaviors, and structure. Multi-stressed families have socioeconomic hurdles that complicate their ability to adjust to change and crisis in their family. Farming addresses such hurdles by offering economic sustenance, increased physical health, and community acceptance. …

Employment And Economic Development In Southern Nevada, Jennifer Pharr, Courtney Coughenour, Shawn Gerstenberger

Nevada Journal of Public Health

Wealth influences a person’s health. People who are higher on the socioeconomic scale tend to have better health outcomes. To improve the health of a community, it is important to understand the employment opportunities of the people living in the community.

Southern Nevada’s economy was hit hard between 2008 and 2012. Unemployment rates in the region exceeded national and peer regions between during this time period. Construction; leisure and hospitality; trade, transportation and utilities; and professional and business service sectors experienced the greatest job loss during the recession. The Education and Health Services sectors did not experience a decrease in …

Healthcare Access And Health Outcomes In Southern Nevada, Jennifer Pharr, Courtney Coughenour, Shawn Gerstenberger

Nevada Journal of Public Health

In a publication from the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation, it was recognized that a person’s zip code was a more important predictor of health than their genetic code. Where we live influences not only our access to health care, but other health indicators as well. Clark County has a low primary care physician to population ratio compared to other counties in Nevada and in the US. Clark County also has highest rates of uninsured in the Mountain West and among the highest in the nation.

Southern Nevada fared worse than other Mountain West Metropolitan areas in health indicators and preventative …

Demographic Makeup And Population Projections For Southern Nevada: Understanding The Emerging Healthcare Needs In Our Community, Jennifer Pharr, Courtney Coughenour, Shawn Gerstenberger

Nevada Journal of Public Health

Even with a leveling-off of population growth from 2008 to 2011, Southern Nevada had one of the fastest growing populations in the nation over the past decade. While population growth is projected to increase for the next ten years, the rate of growth will be slower than in the past decade. The Hispanic population, as a percentage of the total population, is projected to surpass the White population somewhere near the year 2030. The Southern Nevada population is aging, as the median age in the region increased between 2000 and 2010. The 65+ age group is projected to increase as …

Community Engagement And Research Section, Umass Center For Clinical And Translational Science, University Of Massachusetts Center For Clinical And Translational Science

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

The UMCCTS Community Engagement and Research Section works to improve health in Massachusetts by fostering community engaged research among UMass researchers and community partners. We do this through conferences, pilot funding opportunities, webinars, training, consultation, linking researchers with community partners, and an email discussion group (listserv).

Grandparents As Parents: Investigating The Health And Well-Being Of Trauma-Exposed Families, Ginny Sprang, Moon Choi, Jessica Eslinger, Adrienne Whitt-Woosley, Rachel Looff

Center on Trauma and Children Reports

An excerpt from the introduction:

Over the past two decades, the number of grandparents serving as primary caregivers for their grandchildren has steadily increased. Nationally, 42% of all grandparents living with grandchildren function as the primary caregivers (U.S. Census, 2006).

In the southern region of the country, this phenomenon is particularly salient, and expected to continue, with estimates that range from 7% to 15% higher than in 2000 (U.S. Census, 2004). Kentucky is no exception, with 67,394 children living with their grandparents, 58.8% of those grandchildren fall under the responsibility of their grandparents (American Community Survey, 2005). In fact, Region …

Slides: Best Management Practices For Oil And Gas Development And Comparative Water Quality Database Of Regulations Relating To Shale Oil And Gas, Matt Samelson, University Of Colorado Boulder. Getches-Wilkinson Center For Natural Resources, Energy, And The Environment. Intermountain Oil And Gas Bmp Project

Fracking, Water Quality and Public Health: Examining Current Laws and Regulations (March 20)

Presenter: Matt Samelson, J.D., Attorney, Consultant for Intermountain Oil and Gas Best Management Practices (BMP) Project, Getches-Wilkinson Center for Natural Resources, Energy and the Environment, University of Colorado Law School

34 slides

Health Claims And Food Advertising: Comparison Of Marketing And Nutrition Experts' Ratings Of Magazine Advertisements, Sandra C. Jones, Peter Williams, Linda C. Tapsell, Kelly L. Andrews

Peter Williams

To determine the nature and differences in expert opinion from the fields of nutrition and marketing on the use of health claims in the 30 most frequently appearing Australian magazine food advertisements, a survey was conducted with 28 nutritionists and 21 marketing experts in Australia and New Zealand. The experts assessed the advertisements with respect to the accuracy of the nutrition claims, the tactics and intentions of the advertising strategy and the accessibility of the nutrition information to lay consumers. Of 28 advertisements where a claim was identified, for only one did more than 90% believe the claim to be …

Changing Health Paradigms - Can The Concepts Of Wellness And Wellbeing Build Bridges In Dietary Counselling?, A T. Mcmahon, L Tapsell, P Williams

Peter Williams

Abstract of poster that presented at the 20th International Congress of Nutrition, Granada, September 2013.

Dimensions Of Religiousness And Cancer Screening Behaviors Among Church-Going Latinas, Jennifer D. Allen, John E. Perez, Claudia R. Pischke, Laura S. Tom, Alan Juarez, Hosffman Ospino, Elizabeth Gonzalez-Suarez

Psychology

Churches are a promising setting through which to reach Latinas with cancer control efforts. A better understanding of the dimensions of religiousness that impact health behaviors could inform efforts to tailor cancer control programs for this setting. The purpose of this study was to explore relationships between dimensions of religiousness with adherence to cancer screening recommendations among church-going Latinas. Female Spanish-speaking members, aged 18 and older from a Baptist church in Boston, Massachusetts (N = 78), were interviewed about cancer screening behaviors and dimensions of religiousness. We examined adherence to individual cancer screening tests (mammography, Pap test, and colonoscopy), …

The Influence Of Exercise Environment And Gender On Mood And Exertion, Thomas G. Plante, Marily A. Opezzo, L. Aislinn Diaz, Selena Pistoresi, Michael Santos, Jacqueline E. Fahey, Elizabeth Kay, Briana Britton, Suheel Khan

Psychology

This study examined the influence of exercise environment and gender on post-exercise mood and exertion. College student participants (55 females, 49 males) were instructed to pedal a stationary bike at a moderate pace for 20 minutes. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three laboratory conditions: (1) exercising in front of a mirror and posters showing ideal fit body types (i.e., celebrity male and female personal trainers), (2) exercising in front of a mirror only, or (3) a control condition in which participants exercised without a mirror or posters. The Activation- Deactivation Adjective Check List (AD-ACL), measuring exercise-induced mood states, …

Development Of An Attribution Of Racial/Ethnic Health Disparities Scale, Robert E. Braun Phd., James H. Price, Jagdish Khubchandani, Erica Payton, Prasum Bhattacharjee

Health and Sport Sciences Faculty Scholarship

The purpose of this study was to develop an Attribution of Racial/Ethnic Health Disparities (AREHD) scale. A convenience sample of undergraduate college students (n = 423) at four Midwestern universities was recruited to respond to the survey. A pilot test with undergraduate students (n = 23) found the survey had good acceptability and readability level (SMOG = 11th grade). Using exploratory factor analysis we found the two a priori subscales were confirmed: individual responsibility and social determinants. Internal reliabilities of the subscales were: individual responsibility (alpha = 0.87) and social determinants (alpha = 0.90). Test–retest stability reliabilities were: individual responsibility …

Cross Sectional Survey Of Human-Bat Interaction In Australia: Public Health Implications, Beverley J. Paterson, Michelle T. Butler, Keith Eastwood, Patrick M. Cashman, Alison Jones, David N. Durrheim

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Background Flying foxes (megachiroptera) and insectivorous microbats (microchiroptera) are the known reservoirs for a range of recently emerged, highly pathogenic viruses. In Australia there is public health concern relating to bats' role as reservoirs of Australian Bat Lyssavirus (ABLV), which has clinical features identical to classical rabies. Three deaths from ABLV have occurred in Australia. A survey was conducted to determine the frequency of bat exposures amongst adults in Australia's most populous state, New South Wales; explore reasons for handling bats; examine reported practices upon encountering injured or trapped bats or experiencing bat bites or scratches; and investigate knowledge of …

Revolution, Reform, And Reticent Voices: The Effects Of Nicaragua's Dynamic Health System On Medical Professionals, James E. Gardner

Browse All Undergraduate research

The views of health professionals are an important and often overlooked aspect of changes in health policy. This paper examines the impact of healthcare reform on the medical professionals of Nicaragua over the last 40 years. First, the historical context of Nicaraguan healthcare is discussed. This history is presented as both an outgrowth of and a reaction to Nicaragua’s changing political environment. The changes in health policy over this time period are then examined through the lens of medical professionals. Several sub-topics are investigated including the relationship between perceptions of health professionals and political ideology, the inability of the younger …

Quality Of Life, Health Status, And Academic Success In Undergraduates, Amanda Kuhlman

Honors Projects

Background: Undergraduates are making their first autonomous health decisions. This is an opportune stage for examining the precursors to the chronic diseases of adulthood. The purpose of this study was to examine correlations between health status, quality of life, and academic success in college students.

Methods: A quality of life survey (Goodman, 1997) was utilized to determine the behavioral difficulties of 86 first and second year college students. Each of these behavioral categories were then examined for possible correlations with blood pressure, weight, body mass index (BMI), alcohol consumption, body fat percentage, and any changes in these categories from the …

Testing The Health And Exercise Knowledge Of Bowling Green State University Students, Veronica Rasicci

Honors Projects

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions and the problem is only continuing to grow (Flegal, 2006). Young adult college students are at a time in their lives where behaviors can more easily change than during other ages. They also are at a point in their lives where their current behaviors will influence the habits that they continue into later adulthood (Racette, Deusinger, Strube, & Highstein, 2012). Education is one way to promote healthy changes by college students. It is important to find out what knowledge of health and exercise college students already have. I developed a questionnaire with content-related validity and …