Digital Commons Network^™

A Review Of Praziquantel Resistance In Schistosomes And The Future Of Schistosomiasis Control, Gabriela G. Eastham

Senior Honors Theses

Schistosomiasis is a group of both acute and chronic parasitic trematode infections of the genus Schistosoma. Praziquantel (PZQ) has been the drug of choice to treat schistosomiasis for decades. Though it is effective against all three clinically relevant species, heavy reliance on PZQ has led to concerns of schistosome resistance, especially in areas that have implemented this drug in mass drug administration (MDA) programs. Although there is currently insufficient evidence to conclude that schistosomes are becoming resistant to PZQ on a large scale, other control methods are a necessity to best treat and eliminate schistosomiasis. This article summarizes the …

Assessing The Relationship Between The Incidence Of Campylobacteriosis And Ecological Risk Factors In Tennessee, Emmanuel Angmorteh Mensah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Campylobacteriosis although is the leading causes of bacterial diarrheal illnesses, have not gained prominent awareness and there are gaps in the understanding of transmission routes for sporadic, non-outbreak cases and their risk factors at the communal level to humans. This study, therefore, aimed to identify the campylobacteriosis risk factors and risk perception from the existing literature in the United States, determine the incidence and ecological risk factors for campylobacteriosis zip code level in Tennessee, and to perform spatiotemporal analysis of campylobacteriosis incidence cases in Tennessee.

Method: To achieve the first aim, a scoping review was conducted to synthesize …

Incidence And Risk Factors Of Surgical Site Infection After Lower Transverse Incision In Cesarean Section, Ahmed M. Salman, Suzan Z Mohammed, Fatma M. Sayed, Soha A. Fawaz, Ahmed A. Kassab, Sherif Abd El-Mordy, Mohammed I. Elazab, Heba M. Khattab

Journal of Medicine in Scientific Research

Background Cesarean sections are frequently performed every day, and the rate of cesarean deliveries in Egypt is rapidly escalating. Surgical site infection is a complication of cesarean sections associated with numerous risk factors, elevating maternal morbidity and potentially resulting in maternal mortality. Several strategies are followed to minimize SSI risk after CS, which can improve both the mother's and the newborn's health. Patient and methods This prospective case-control study was carried out throughout 12-month from November 2023 to November 2024, at the obstetrics and gynecology department of the EL-Sahel Teaching Hospital in Cairo, Egypt. In the study 947 CS were …

Investigating The Spatial Distribution Of Food Insecurity And Its Associated Factors Across Mississippi Counties, Elizabeth C. Swindell, Riley Morgan, Dylan Barker, Ruaa Al Juboori

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Background: Mississippi has one of the highest rates of food insecurity in the United States, with many counties experiencing significant disparities in access to healthy food. Therefore, understanding the spatial distribution of these disparities is essential for developing targeted interventions.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the spatial distribution of food insecurity and its associated social and health factors across Mississippi counties to identify areas in need of intervention.

Methods: Cross sectional study was conducted using publicly available datasets to examine food insecurity and its associated factors at the county level. Pearson correlations and bivariate Moran’s I were used to …

Longitudinal Assessment Of Moral Distress And Burnout During Pediatric Residency In A Canadian Site: Low Prevalence But Notable Risk Of Attrition, Kenneth S. Lee, Dianna C. Louie, Elaine O. Cheung, Peter Dodek, Dylan King, Kimee Chong

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Although more than half of pediatric residents report burnout, the incidence of moral distress, the course of moral distress and burnout during residency, and associations between this course and personal characteristics of residents are unknown. The purpose of this work was to examine the incidence, temporal course, and associations of moral distress and burnout in pediatric residents.

Methods: In the pediatric training program of British Columbia Children’s Hospital, all residents were invited to complete the Moral Distress Scale-Revised thrice yearly, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory annually, between July 2016 and October 2018. In addition, residents reported a measure of …

Prenatal Exposure To Pm2.5 Concentration And Risk Of Preterm Birth In New Mexico; A Seasonal Pattern And Spatio-Temporal Modeling., Onyedikachi J. Okeke

Mathematics & Statistics ETDs

This study investigates the association between prenatal PM2.5 exposure and preterm birth risk in New Mexico (2014–2021). Using descriptive statistics, time series models, and spatial analyses, findings show an average preterm birth rate of 14.87 per 1,000 live births, with moderate correlation (r = 0.727) between PM2.5 levels and very preterm births. While traditional models revealed no significant global effect, spatial methods such as Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) and Multiscale GWR uncovered strong spatial heterogeneity. PM2.5 effects varied by county (coefficients: -0.00154 to 0.00150), with clustering evident in 2018–2019 (Moran’s I = 0.155–0.174). Results highlight the limitations of global models …

Comparative Analyses Of Neurorehabilitation Regulations And Health Equity In The U.S., Switzerland, And China: Implications For Universal Health Coverage, Linyue Lu

Switzerland: Global Health and Development Policy

Introduction: As populations age and the burden of neurological conditions rises, equitable access to neurorehabilitation has emerged as a critical yet under-addressed component of Universal Health Coverage (UHC). This comparative study examines how healthcare structures in the United States, Switzerland, and China shape neurorehabilitation equity. Methods: This analysis combines semi-structured interviews with seven healthcare experts (neurorehabilitation clinicians, health economists, and scholars) and a systematic review of peer-reviewed literature, policy documents, and demographic data. Results: In the U.S., fragmented insurance models and high out-of-pocket costs disproportionately limit access for low-income and rural populations. Switzerland’s universal coverage masks the inequities driven by …

Adolescent Sleep Health, Mental Health, And Cardiovascular Disease Risk In Adulthood, Prince Nii Ossah Addo

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Insufficient sleep and poor sleep quality are major public health issues among adolescents in the United States (U.S.). Mental health and substance use challenges are also common among adolescents, particularly those with sleep problems. Although exposures in adolescence have been evidenced to significantly impact future health, little is known about how adolescent sleep health, mental health, and substance use influence future cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. We, therefore, examined the association between sleep health in adolescence and CVD risk in adulthood and assessed whether the association is mediated by depressive symptoms and substance use in adolescents. Further, we explored the …

The Relationship Between Climate And Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever Incidence Rate In Malang Regency In 2022-2024, Aticobhita C. Pramono, Suprijandani Suprijandani, Marlik Marlik, Pratiwi Hermiyanti

Jurnal Epidemiologi Kesehatan Indonesia

Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) is an infectious disease that poses a public health problem in tropical regions and is influenced by climatic factors such as temperature, rainfall, humidity, and wind speed. In 2023, Malang Regency recorded 1,018 cases with an incidence rate (IR) of 38.2 per 100,000 population. This study aims to analyze the relationship between climatic factors and the DF IR for the 2022–2024 period using an ecological design and Spearman’s correlation analysis. Climate data were obtained from the BMKG, while DF data were obtained from the Health Office. The results showed that only air temperature was significantly associated …

Aerosolized Transmissible Diseases Guidance Document, J. David Miller, John P. (Jack) Springston Jr., Cheryl L. Marcham, J. David Krause, Ling-Ling Hung, Wane A. Baker

Publications

Prior to COVID-19, pandemic influenza viruses have emerged four times in the previous one hundred years. This includes “Spanish” influenza (H1N1) in 1918, “Asian” influenza (H2N2) in 1957, “Hong Kong” influenza (H3N2) in 1968, and H1N1 “swine” influenza in 2009 (Saunders-Hastings & Krewski, 2016; Taubenberger, 2005). In early May 2024, the first reported human case of avian flu (H5N1) that had also infected cows in the US appeared in the literature (Uyeki et al., 2024). In late August 2024, OSHA released a hazard alert providing information for dairy workers on avian influenza in dairy cattle, together with personal protective equipment …

Critical Appraisal Of Multidrug Therapy In The Ambulatory Management Of Patients With Covid-19 And Hypoxemia. Part Ii: Causal Inference Using The Bradford Hill Criteria, Eleftherios Gkioulekas, Peter A. Mccullough, Colleen Aldous

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

We continue the critical appraisal of three published case series of 119 COVID-19 patients with hypoxemia, treated in the United States, Zimbabwe, and Nigeria with similar ivermectin-based multidrug treatments, to assess the available evidence supporting a causal relationship between treatment and reduction in hospitalizations and mortality. A narrative review was conducted to assess the Bradford Hill criteria for a causal association. We used a previously proposed refinement of the Bradford Hill criteria that reorganized them into three categories of direct, mechanistic, and parallel evidence. The efficacy of the two most aggressive ivermectin-based multidrug protocols is supported by the Bradford Hill …

Associations Between Atmospheric Ozone, Pm2.5 And Prevalence Of Diabetes In Georgia, United States, Kingsley A. Kalu, Jingjing Yin, Atin Adhikari

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Objective:

This study examines the association between two air pollutants (PM_2.5 and ozone), and the prevalence of adult diabetes mellitus in relation to various confounding factors.

Methods:

We collected diabetes prevalence data from the 2015 County Health Ranking and Georgia Health Data Hub. A negative binomial regression analysis was conducted to examine the associations between the county-level dependent variable “adult diabetes” (for adults aged> 18 years diagnosed with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes) and two independent county-level variables: percentage of days ³ NAAQS for ozone and PM_2.5 concentration levels while controlling for confounders.

Results:

At the county …

Wearable Penile Devices: The Techring, Gal Saffati, Daniela Orozco Rendon, Riley Daily, Mohit Khera, John P Mulhall

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The integration of wearable technology into healthcare has transformed patient monitoring, particularly in urology. Wearable penile devices (WPDs), such as the FirmTech TechRing, offer real-time data on erectile function, providing critical insights into nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT) patterns that can indicate underlying health issues. This piece highlights the potential of the FirmTech TechRing, a WPD, to advance erectile function monitoring by providing real-time data on NPT and intra-coital activity. It explores its promise in detecting early dysfunction, assessing cardiovascular risk, and enhancing proactive health management. By measuring parameters like firmness, girth expansion, and the frequency of erections, the TechRing enables …

A Proposed Mhealth Intervention To Address Patient Barriers To Colposcopy Attendance: Qualitative Interview Study Of Clinic Staff And Patient Perspectives, Jennifer Hemler, Rachel Wagner, Brittany Sullivan, Myneka Macenat, Erin Tagai, Jazmarie Vega, Enrique Hernandez, Suzanne Miller, Kuang-Yi Wen, Charletta Ayers, Mark Einstein, Shawna Hudson, Racquel Kohler

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer disparities persist among minoritized women due to infrequent screening and poor follow-up. Structural and psychosocial barriers to following up with colposcopy are problematic for minoritized women. Evidence-based interventions using patient navigation and tailored telephone counseling, including the Tailored Communication for Cervical Cancer Risk (TC3), have modestly improved colposcopy attendance. However, the efficacious TC3 intervention is human resource-intense and could have greater reach if adapted for mobile health, which increases convenience and access to health information.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe feedback from clinic staff members involved in colposcopy processes and patients referred for colposcopy regarding adaptions …

Exploring The Link Between Low-Income Communities And Increased Cancer Risk From Nitrate Contamination In Drinking Water: A Review, Anna Wiggins, Rena Phillips, Michael L. Phillips, Wei-Hsiung Yang

South Atlantic Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Environmental And Behavioral Determinants Of Congenital Defects: An Ecologic Study In Kentucky, Amelia G. Floyd

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Congenital defects are a significant contributor to infant morbidity and mortality. The multifactorial etiology of such defects presents complex challenges for public health. This ecologic study investigates the association between environmental and behavioral exposures and congenital defects rates at the county level in Kentucky from 2010 to 2019. The Kentucky Department for Public Health, Office of Vital Statistics, provided all relevant defect data. County-level exposure data was collected from multiple sources.

Descriptive and geospatial analyses revealed substantial geographic variability, with notable high defect rates in northeastern Kentucky. Negative binomial regression models identified behavioral and socioeconomic factors to be the strongest …

Scientific Writing: A Guide From Data To Draft, Kristin M. Klucevsek

Open Education Materials

Textbook for ENGL302W (Scientific Writing)

CC BY-NC-SA (2025)

A Study Of Glyphosate, Pesticide Mixtures, And Metabolic Health Outcomes: Integrating Epidemiologic, Mechanistic, And Ecological Evidence On Environmental Drivers Of Metabolic Health, Sarah Otaru

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Glyphosate, the most extensively used herbicide worldwide, has become a ubiquitous environmental contaminant. Although initially considered safe due to its specific biochemical target in plants, emerging evidence suggests that chronic, low-level human exposure may disrupt metabolic processes. Simultaneously, the global rise in metabolic disorders such as metabolic syndrome (MetS), obesity, and type 2 diabetes, has created a pressing need to identify novel, potentially modifiable environmental contributors. This dissertation investigates the relationship between glyphosate and metabolic health through a triangulated framework that integrates individual-level epidemiological analysis, systematic synthesis of mechanistic evidence, and ecological evaluation of pesticide mixtures.

The first study employed …

Under-Five Malaria And Malnutrition Syndemic In Rajasthan, Nandini Sinha

Public Health Theses

Background: The syndemic of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and malaria in under-five children in Rajasthan presents a critical public health challenge. Current SAM and malaria programs are implemented as siloed interventions despite the potential benefits of integrated approaches. A better understanding of the interactions between these factors is important to strengthen the delivery of integrated services.

Objective: This study investigates the relationship between under-five SAM and malaria infections at the block level in Rajasthan to inform targeted, integrated interventions. By running regression analysis, we will identify associations between these co-occurring health threats to guide state-level policy integration. To the best …

Impact Of Tobacco Control Policies On Socioeconomic Inequalities In Smoking Prevalence And Quit Ratios: An Ecological Study In The European Union (2009–2020), Ariadna Feliu, Esteve Fernandez, Irene Tamí-Maury, Cristina Martinez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Tobacco control efforts have succeeded in reducing smoking prevalence and increasing smoking cessation rates in the European Union Member States (EU27). However, the impact of these policies has been unequal across different income groups.

Methods: Ecological study with the country as unit of analysis. We used the Tobacco Control Scale (TCS) in EU27 in 2010 and the prevalence of smoking and quit ratios from the Eurobarometer surveys (2009, n=27 788; and 2020, n=28 288). We analysed the relationship between the TCS scores (2010) and smoking indicators and their relative changes (between 2009 and 2020) using scatter plots and multiple …

The Influence Of Student Personality Traits On Satisfaction And Success In Online Education In Higher Education: A Systematic Review, Elizabeth G. Hunter, Jayna Niblock, Samantha Barefoot, Jackson Miller, Jason Hughes, Lydia Kite, Edith Scarletto

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Online learning is a growing area in occupational therapy education. It is important for faculty to use the modality of online learning to understand the influence of student personality traits, defined as relatively stable characteristics that influence thinking and behavior, on student satisfaction and success in graduate level programs. By understanding the influence of personality traits, faculty can better develop online materials that are flexible enough to support individuals who may have a higher risk of low satisfaction and success. There has been plentiful research in the areas of education and psychology assessing the influence of personality on the online …

The Relationship Between Food Insecurity And Low Birthweight Across Us Counties And Related Racial Disparities, Marissa A. Beldon, Shondra L. Clay, M. Courtney Hughes, Kathryn Mazurek

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

Objective

To explore the relationship between low birthweight (LBW) and food insecurity across US counties and determine whether this relationship differs between Black and White women.

Methods

LBW data was derived from the 2013–2019 National Center for Health Statistics and National Vital Statistics System Birth Files. Food insecurity data was derived from Feeding America’s 2013–2019 Map the Meal Gap project. Analyses included descriptive statistics and regression models.

Results

Data were available for 3037 US counties. Food insecurity significantly predicted county-level LBW (t(3035) = 44.48, P <  .001) and explained 39.46% of the variance in LBW (F(13,035) = 1978.03, P <  .001, R = .63). Food insecurity predicted LBW for …

Saatnya Memberikan Vaksin Influenza Untuk Tenaga Kesehatan, Anshari Saifuddin Hasibuan

Jurnal Penyakit Dalam Indonesia

No abstract provided.

Implementation Of A Food Security Program To Reduce Hypertension At A Primary Care Clinic, Maribel Ballesteros

Master's Projects and Capstones

The food security program aims to reduce hypertension and food insecurity by increasing access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Although food insecurity is a growing public health issue, the food security program experienced significantly low enrollment compared to projected values. The quality improvement project was conducted in an adult medicine department in a primary care clinic in San Francisco serving the Latinx community. To address the issue of low program enrollment, a comprehensive educational food security program flyer was developed containing program information, including frequently asked questions. The flyer aimed to increase program enrollments by increasing program education. Fifty flyers …

Age-Related Differences In Behavioral Outcomes Of Bimanual Functional Motor Tasks In Children And Adolescents With Cerebral Palsy: A Scoping Review, Hubert D. Gascon, Sahian Alicia Maldonado Numata, Sandrine Emond, Samuel Nemanich, Maxime T. Robert

Occupational Therapy Faculty Research and Publications

Aim: The objective of this review is to determine age-related differences in behavioral outcomes of bimanual motor tasks in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP). Method: This review followed the 6-stage Joanna Briggs institute methodology. The embase, EBSCO CINAHL, and PubMed databases were searched on May 2024. we included studies that employed instrumented measures to assess bimanual tasks in individuals with CP aged between 3 and 19 years.Results: Twenty-eight studies were included after full-text screening. This review reported on 544individuals with CP. Bimanual tasks were grouped in seven categories and their varying complexities were listed and analyzed. There are …

Faktor Kontributor Prevalensi Stunting: Studi Kasus Jawa Timur Tahun 2022, Sofiyulloh Sofiyulloh, Martya Rahmaniati

Jurnal Biostatistik, Kependudukan, dan Informatika Kesehatan

Malnutrisi, termasuk stunting, masih menjadi masalah kesehatan yang mempengaruhi kemajuan pembangunan berkelanjutan. Stunting, akibat kekurangan gizi berkepanjangan dan infeksi berulang, menghambat pertumbuhan anak. Di Indonesia, prevalensi stunting pada tahun 2022 adalah 21,6% dan masih belum mencapai target. Dan Jawa timur, angka stunting di 2022 adalah 19,2%, mendekati angka nasional pun masih belum mencapai target. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengidentifikasi faktor-faktor yang berkontribusi terhadap stunting di Jawa Timur, dengan fokus pada faktor soial ekonomi dan kesehatan. Data sekunder dari Kementerian Kesehatan, dan Dinas Kesehatan Jawa Timur dianalisis menggunakan uji korelasi. Hasil menunjukkan bahwa Indeks Pembangunan Manusia (IPM) dan rata-rata lama sekolah memiliki …

Invited Perspective: Climate Change And Maternal Mental Health-Looking Beyond High-Income Countries, Andrea G Buchwald, Sarah Boudova

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

Stroke Pada Lansia Di Indonesia: Gambaran Faktor Risiko Berdasarkan Gender (Ski 2023), Annisa Darmawati, Sabarinah Prasetyo, Miftahun Najah

Jurnal Biostatistik, Kependudukan, dan Informatika Kesehatan

Stroke merupakan masalah kesehatan di Indonesia dengan prevalensi 8,3 kasus per seribu penduduk. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memperoleh gambaran faktor risiko stroke pada lansia berdasarkan gender, dengan fokus pada faktor yang dapat dimodifikasi seperti aktivitas fisik, pola makan, kebiasaan merokok, dan pemeriksaan tekanan darah rutin. Penelitian ini menggunakan data sekunder dari Survei Kesehatan Indonesia (SKI) 2023 yang dirancang potong lintang. Sampel studi ini adalah subjek berusia ≥60 tahun (lansia) yang melaporkan diri atau didiagnosis stroke. Hasilnya memperlihatkan subyek laki – laki (54,7%) dan perempuan (45,3%) pada sampel lansia penderita stroke. Lansia stroke yang termasuk kategori lansia muda pada laki – …

2024 - The Fifth Annual Fall Symposium Of Student Scholars

Symposium of Student Scholars Program Books

The full program book from the Fall 2024 Symposium of Student Scholars, held in November 2024. Includes abstracts from the presentations and posters.

Impact Of Racial, Ethnic, And Socioeconomic Disparities On Presentation And Survival Of Hcc: A Multicenter Study, Nicole E Rich, Patricia D Jones, Hong Zhu, Tanushree Prasad, Amy Hughes, Sandi Pruitt, Caitlin C Murphy, Karim Seif-El-Dahan, Darine Daher, Gloria Figueroa, Stephanie Castaneda, Lisa Quirk, Michael Gonzales, Osiris Carranza, Samantha Bourque, Nargis Baset, Adam C Yopp, Amit G Singal

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Racial and ethnic disparities have been reported for HCC prognosis, although few studies fully account for clinically important factors and social determinants of health, including neighborhood socioeconomic status.

METHODS: We conducted a retrospective multicenter cohort study of patients newly diagnosed with HCC from January 2010 through August 2018 at 4 large health systems in the United States. We used multivariable logistic regression and cause-specific Cox proportional hazard models to identify factors associated with early-stage HCC presentation and overall survival.

RESULTS: Of 2263 patients with HCC (37.6% non-Hispanic White, 23.5% non-Hispanic Black, 32.6% Hispanic, and 6.4% Asian/other), 42.0% of patients …