Personalized Estimation And Causal Inference Via Deep Learning Algorithms,
2020
UTHealth School of Public Health
Personalized Estimation And Causal Inference Via Deep Learning Algorithms, Yuanyuan Liu
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
Personalized approaches have shown great potential to transform modern medicine. As challenging as it may sound, we are making tremendous progress with the help of data sciences and machine learning. Two fundamental tasks in data sciences are prediction and inference. In this dissertation, I proposed to address these two tasks using deep learning approaches in the setting of personalized medicine. First, I developed a novel framework to estimate individualized treatment effects (ITE), which quantified the variation in response to the same treatment among patients with heterogeneous profiles. The ITE estimation has the potential to replace the one-size-fits-all average treatment effects …
Pediatric Wound Care: What Can We Learn From A Systematic Review Of The Literature? Using A Systematic Review And A Clinical Consensus Group To Assess The Quality And Content Of Systematic Reviews Focusing On Pediatric Wound Care. Then Providing And Analytical Outline For Creation Of Pediatric Wound Care Guidelines For Evidence Based Clinical Practice, Ryan Krasnosky
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
Background: Wound care practices for neonatal and pediatric patients including the category of products, specific products within each category, and length of application of the products have created lack of standardized evidence-based guidelines for treatments in clinical practices. This dissertation addresses this concern by encompassing three crucial steps in developing evidence-based clinical guidelines for wound care specialists. Using a three-paper method, an expert consensus group was formed, a systematic review of reviews completed and a process for creating clinical decision trees created. Methods: Criteria for selection of the consensus group members included: 1) Research graduate active in Pediatric Wound Care …
An Assessment Of Outpatient Clinic Room Ventilation Systems And Possible Relationship To Disease Transmission,
2020
UTHealth School of Public Health
An Assessment Of Outpatient Clinic Room Ventilation Systems And Possible Relationship To Disease Transmission, Kristin G. King
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
The delivery of healthcare in the United States is shifting from a largely inpatient model to an outpatient services model, but the physical infrastructure for outpatient clinics or medical offices may not be as robust as inpatient hospitals regarding whole room ventilation requirements. Guidelines for the design of healthcare facilities and national standards for ventilation establish generally acceptable ventilation rates for outpatient clinics, but it is unclear if these standards are actually being integrated into these settings. Published peer reviewed literature indicates that inadequate ventilation rates can be a risk factor in airborne transmission of infectious diseases in outpatient clinics, …
The Influence Of Brand Equity On Prescriber Behaviour In A Multisource Drug Market,
2020
UTHealth School of Public Health
The Influence Of Brand Equity On Prescriber Behaviour In A Multisource Drug Market, Wanjiku Kariuki
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
When a patent expires, innovator (brand-name) drugs lose their monopoly status and new generic competitors are free to enter the market. Theoretically, free market entry and exit should lead to a drop in the price of the innovator drug as per the tenets of perfect competition. Yet instead of prices decreasing, innovator drug prices are often minimally impacted by generic competition and the innovator continues to maintain both market power and market share – a phenomenon labelled the generic competitor paradox (Scherer, 1993) That the expected supply and demand dynamic is less pronounced in multisource drug markets, suggests that non-price …
The Intersection Of Diet, Health And The Environment: Plant Based Diets And Public Health,
2020
UTHealth School of Public Health
The Intersection Of Diet, Health And The Environment: Plant Based Diets And Public Health, Christine E. Jovanovic
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
Both globally and within the United States, chronic disease has become a major driver of mortality and morbidity. In the United States in 2017, the top ten causes of mortality accounted for 74% of all deaths [2]; of these causes, half are closely linked to diet (heart disease, cancer, stroke, Alzheimer’s and diabetes). [3] In 2013, Ioannidis estimated that 26% of deaths and 14% of disability adjusted life years (DALYs) in the United States may be attributable to dietary risk factors, controlling for obesity. [4] At the same time, diet also has an important impact on the environment. Direct emissions …
A Geospatial Examination Of The Association Between Geographic Food Access And Food Insecurity In Central Texas: The Role Of Race/Ethnicity And Urbanicity,
2020
UTHealth School of Public Health
A Geospatial Examination Of The Association Between Geographic Food Access And Food Insecurity In Central Texas: The Role Of Race/Ethnicity And Urbanicity, Kathryn Janda
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
Food insecurity is a public health issue that affects one in ten Americans, one in seven Central Texans, and is associated with malnutrition, chronic disease, and obesity. Geographic food access is the most intervened upon aspect of food insecurity and is often measured objectively through mapping software, such as ArcGIS. Yet when geographic food access is only measured in terms of distance to food retail, analyses do not full capture the nuances of community context. Thus, other sources of data, like survey data, and demographic indicators, such as race/ethnicity and urbanicity, should be incorporated into the research exploring the association …
Estimating Means And Distributions Of Count Data From Surveys Invoking Complex Sampling Designs: Application To Measuring Cross-Sectional And Lifetime Alcohol Intake From Nhanes And Nlsy,
2020
UTHealth School of Public Health
Estimating Means And Distributions Of Count Data From Surveys Invoking Complex Sampling Designs: Application To Measuring Cross-Sectional And Lifetime Alcohol Intake From Nhanes And Nlsy, Elysia A. Garcia
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
It is often of interest to measure the distribution (i.e. mean and percentiles) of count outcomes from national survey data to assess population consumption and guide public health efforts for substances such as alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana, and other illicit or licit drugs. Currently available methods for estimating the distribution of dietary intakes do not immediately lend themselves to estimating the consumption of substances measured as counts, nor do they accommodate the complex design elements – strata, cluster, and weight – characteristic of national surveys. We introduce an accurate methodology, called the Survey Adjusted Count (SAC) method, and an associated SAS …
Understanding Factors That Impact Health Behaviors And Access To Healthcare Among Youth Experiencing Homelessness,
2020
UTHealth School of Public Health
Understanding Factors That Impact Health Behaviors And Access To Healthcare Among Youth Experiencing Homelessness, Kathryn Rosales Gallardo
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
Youth experiencing homelessness (YEH) have a high risk of adverse health outcomes and their utilization of healthcare services is low. This dissertation aims to further understand factors that impact YEH’s health behaviors and access to healthcare services. This dissertation is in the form of three manuscripts that each contribute to the overall aim. In manuscript 1, we examined the rates and correlates of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination initiation and completion among a sample of YEH in seven U.S. cities using logistic regression models. We found that HPV vaccination completion is low among male (19%) and female (37%) YEH. Among male …
Consider Us: Analysis Of National Mammography Screening Recommendations On African American Women,
2020
UTHealth School of Public Health
Consider Us: Analysis Of National Mammography Screening Recommendations On African American Women, Gayla M. Ferguson
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
Breast cancer is the second most common cause of cancer related death in women in the United States with one in eight women expected to develop the disease in their lifetime. Unfortunately, breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer related death among African American women. African American women are four times more likely to die from breast cancer that Caucasian women. Mammography screenings are the most effective method of reducing breast cancer mortality in African American women. This study aimed to determine if the changes made to the mammography screening recommendations put forth by the U.S. Preventive Services Task …
Social Work Involvement In Hurricane Harvey Relief Efforts,
2020
UTHealth School of Public Health
Social Work Involvement In Hurricane Harvey Relief Efforts, Claire Crawford
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
Hurricane Harvey brought 33 trillion gallons of rainfall to Texas and Louisiana and damaged more than 100,000 homes in August 2017. Social workers worked during and after the storm to provide services to those affected. The primary research question guiding this dissertation was: What were social workers’ experiences as they were involved in relief efforts during and immediately after Hurricane Harvey? The study group comprised 39 participants (35 female, 4 male); of these, 19 were masters-level social workers who volunteered at shelters in Houston following Hurricane Harvey, 14 were masters-level social workers who worked at a pediatric children’s hospital on …
Exploration Of Breastfeeding As A Protective Factor For Breast Cancer In South African Women: A Nested Case-Control Study,
2020
UTHealth School of Public Health
Exploration Of Breastfeeding As A Protective Factor For Breast Cancer In South African Women: A Nested Case-Control Study, Booker S. Quiera
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
Background. South African’s (SA) breast cancer incidence rate is continually increasing (39 per 100,000 (2012) versus 46.2 per 100,000 (2018) with trends towards later-stage diagnosis. In previous literature, breastfeeding has been assessed as a protective factor for breast cancer; however, the SA population experiences inconsistent breastfeeding trends, rates, and support services. Therefore, this study will evaluate the inverse association between breast cancer and breastfeeding history. Methods. Cases (breast cancer) and controls (mastalgia) were matched 1:1 on clinical visit from May-August 2019 at Groote Schuur Hospital (GSH) in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. Breastfeeding history, breast carcinoma diagnosis, and clinically …
The Influence Of Sodium And Potassium On Blood Pressure Genetics In The Population Architecture Using Genomics And Epidemiology Study,
2020
UTHealth School of Public Health
The Influence Of Sodium And Potassium On Blood Pressure Genetics In The Population Architecture Using Genomics And Epidemiology Study, Cynthia S. Bell
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
Multiple polymorphisms have shown associations with blood pressure (BP) levels and hypertension status, but the overall genetic effect on BP has been small and accounts for only a small fraction of the variation in population-wide BP characteristics. These weak associations of BP with genotype may not be attributable to the examining the “wrong” single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) but may instead be the result of noisy BP phenotypes based on mmHg alone. Adding information from the underlying mechanisms of nutritional intake, reuptake, and excretion on BP may produce more informative BP phenotypes to study. To explore this complex relationship between diet, …
Estimating Children’S Health Risks From Recreational Beach Play Following An Oil Spill,
2020
UTHealth School of Public Health
Estimating Children’S Health Risks From Recreational Beach Play Following An Oil Spill, Tanu K. Altomare
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
Environmental contamination from marine oil spills can have damaging impacts on ecosystems and human health. In 2010, an explosion of the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil drilling platform resulted in approximately 1,728 km of shoreline oiling. Existing research characterizes health risk from exposure to oil spill chemicals (OSCs) for adults; however, data on impacts to child health are limited. One objective of the Beach Exposure And Child HEalth Study (BEACHES), funded by the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative, is to estimate health risks to children between walking and six years of age from exposure to OSCs in a post-oil spill scenario …
Measuring Cultural Humility Of Community Health Workers,
2020
UTHealth School of Public Health
Measuring Cultural Humility Of Community Health Workers, Nayeema Ahmed
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
This study examined cultural humility of community health workers (CHWs) in ambulatory clinical settings. Cultural humility has been defined as an attitude, or process that incorporates openness, power-balance, and critical self-reflection when interacting with people of cultural differences. It differs from the more well-known concept of cultural competence in that cultural humility is not culture specific and reflects provider attitudes and an orientation towards recognizing differences rather than specific knowledge about another culture. As such, cultural humility may lend itself to improving the care process across diverse patient populations. The literature on cultural humility and its relationship with CHWs is …
Determining The Drivers Of Quality Of Life In Hiv Patints Treated With Antiretroviral Therapy In Subsaharan Africa,
2020
UTHealth School of Public Health
Determining The Drivers Of Quality Of Life In Hiv Patints Treated With Antiretroviral Therapy In Subsaharan Africa, Oubote Sangbana
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
During the last decade, HIV in sub-Saharan Africa has shifted from a fatal disease to a chronic condition thanks to the expansion of antiretroviral therapy (ART). As a result, the focus of care has transitioned from survival to quality of life (QoL), and the latter has become a significant outcome measure during patient follow up. Yet, the determinants of QoL among HIV patients in western and central Africa are not well known. The objective of this dissertation was to determine the main factors associated with QoL among ART-treated HIV adult patients in western and central Africa to ensure healthcare providers …
Depression, Anxiety, And Social Anxiety As Predictors Of Help – Seeking Behavior Among U.S. University Students,
2020
UTHealth School of Public Health
Depression, Anxiety, And Social Anxiety As Predictors Of Help – Seeking Behavior Among U.S. University Students, Priya B. Thomas
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
Depression and anxiety are the top two mental health issues frequently cited by university students. Furthermore, the majority of students fail to seek professional help and may not find treatment useful. Many studies do not address the multiple factors that inhibit help seeking behaviors. This study aims to examine the associations between mental health issues and specific sociodemographic factors that may predict which students find seeking mental health treatment useful and are likely to seek help for their mental health issues over two semesters. Data from this study can be used to help develop strategies that help students maximize the …
Statistical Evaluation Of An Extension Of Linear Discriminant Analysis In Multiclass Settings With An Application For Detection Of Cervical Neoplasia,
2020
UTHealth School of Public Health
Statistical Evaluation Of An Extension Of Linear Discriminant Analysis In Multiclass Settings With An Application For Detection Of Cervical Neoplasia, Frances A. Brito
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
Although a pathologists’ review of Papanicolaou smear cell samples has been successful in decreasing cervical cancer incidence, it is often costly and time-consuming. Quantitative cytology is a promising semi-automated method that measures cell features for further analysis or classification. There have been several advancements in classification algorithms, but many do not account for the nested data structure seen in quantitative cytology. Further, histologic diagnoses are separated into five or more classes, yet, multiclass classification has not been investigated. Here, we compare the predictive performance of macrolevel discriminant analysis (MDA) to traditional discriminant analysis methods in multi-class settings on cervical quantitative …
Using S-Predixcan To Identify Associations Of Genetically Determined Gene Expression Levels With Carotid Intima Media Thickness,
2020
UTHealth School of Public Health
Using S-Predixcan To Identify Associations Of Genetically Determined Gene Expression Levels With Carotid Intima Media Thickness, Andy Bryan A Castaneda
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
The aim of the study was to identify associations between predicted gene expression levels using S-PrediXcan and carotid intima media thickness (cIMT) in order to elucidate the etiology of atherosclerosis. Further, we wanted to compare our results to those from a transcriptome wide association study (TWAS) that used actual gene expression levels in whole blood. For our analysis we used summary statistics from a GWAS of cIMT from the Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research in Genomic Epidemiology (CHARGE) consortium, tissue-specific gene expression profiles from the GTEx project, and S-PrediXcan prediction models. The TWAS of cIMT that we compared our …
Treatment Outcomes Associated With Implementation Of An Express Sti Testing Model In A Prep Clinic In Austin, Texas,
2020
UTHealth School of Public Health
Treatment Outcomes Associated With Implementation Of An Express Sti Testing Model In A Prep Clinic In Austin, Texas, Diane Chau
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
It is unknown whether express STI testing is as effective as comprehensive STI testing. The research aims of this study are: (1) to describe the patients who obtained a STI testing at the Kind Clinic between February 01, 2019 to January 31, 2020; (2) to determine the association between STI testing type and sociodemographic factors, clinically-relevant factors, and treatment outcomes; (3) to visualize time-to-treatment among STI type and testing types for comparison on a diagnosis-level and a patient-level. Electronic medical records were abstracted for 2,201 patients that received an STI test during February 01, 2019 and January 31, 2020 at …
Utility Of Plasma Biomarkers In The Validation Of Reported Loc & Pta For Gcs 13-15 Patients: A Track-Tbi Pilot Study,
2020
UTHealth School of Public Health
Utility Of Plasma Biomarkers In The Validation Of Reported Loc & Pta For Gcs 13-15 Patients: A Track-Tbi Pilot Study, Jeffrey Brennan
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
Depending on a brain injury patient to accurately report their duration of unconsciousness and amnesia is clearly flawed. We constructed biomarker-based models to validate these self-reported measurements using a GCS 13-15 subset of participants from TRACK-TBI, a multi-institutional study on traumatic brain injury. Potential covariates were assessed for significant interactions with biomarker level. We report that the predictions of LOC and PTA failed. GFAP exhibited the most consistent serum level increase between categories of both LOC and PTA. Given a number of issues with the study sample, we recommend continued investigation on the prediction of LOC and PTA using a …
