Digital Commons Network^™

The Relationship Of Maternal Age, Trimester Of Entry Into Prenatal Care, Maternal Postpartum Depression, And Race With Birth Weight Of Infants Born In Cincinnati, Ohio, Kelli Kohake

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Healthcare, resources, and technology in the United States (U.S.) has improved, yet the U.S. ranks 29th in the world for the highest infant mortality rates – behind other less developed countries. Within the U.S., Ohio (and Hamilton County in particular) has high rates of infant mortality. Low birth weight and preterm births are a major cause of infant mortality. Data analysis was done consisting of descriptive statistics and Analysis of Variance of the prenatal patients served at the Cincinnati Health Department health centers who delivered in 2009, with dependent variables of birth weight and postpartum depression. Independent variables included maternal …

Correlates Of Weight Concern And Control In A Hispanic College Student Sample., J. Blow, T. Taylor, Theodore Cooper, C. Redfearn

Departmental Papers (Psych)

No abstract provided.

Pakistan Human Resources For Health Assessment, 2009, A Hafeez, Z Khan, K M. Bile, Rashid Jooma, M Sheikh

Section of Neurosurgery

Pakistan faces a human resources for health (HRH) crisis. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to overview frontline health workers. A total of 750 health facilities were surveyed across Pakistan. The median estimate of public sector health care workers in the district health system in Pakistan is 417 288, including 46 153 estimate of public sector health care workers in the district health system in Pakistan is 417 288, including 46 153 doctors and 41 032 nurses. Another estimated 20 000 doctors work in public sector tertiary care hospitals across the country. A total of 3549 health care workers were interviewed …

Effectiveness Of Community Health Worker/Nursing Student Teams As A Strategy For Public Health Nursing Education, Gail Landheer Zandee, Debra Bossenbroek, Meghan Friesen, Kari Blech, Ruth Engbers

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

A unique program that partners community health workers with nursing students was developed in response to community-based participatory research data and integrated into a public health practicum at a baccalaureate nursing program in West Michigan. The goal of the program is to promote the health of 3 underserved urban neighborhoods while educating nursing students in population health and public health nursing. The purpose of this paper is to describe program conception and implementation and discuss evaluation of educational outcomes as a public health learning experience.

Prevention With Positives: How Do We Reach Them In The Community?, Avina Sarna, Jerry Okal, Stanley Luchters, Nzioki King'ola, Scott Geibel

HIV and AIDS

In the past, HIV prevention efforts have focused primarily on developing risk-reduction interventions for those presumed to be HIV-negative and therefore at risk of becoming infected with HIV. In recognition of the need for prevention among people living with HIV (PLHIV), programs have been initiated in Africa, but primarily in clinical settings for those who are on antiretroviral therapy (ART). There is little knowledge about how to reach those PLHIV not on ART, and therefore not in regular contact with the health system or with effective prevention messages. This diagnostic study aimed to address the gap in information on how …

Protecting Hope: Situation Analysis Of Vulnerable Children In Uganda 2009, Sam Kalibala, Lynne Elson

HIV and AIDS

The Government of Uganda has focused attention on the problem of orphaned and other vulnerable children through a number of policies, regulations, and initiatives. In 2004, the Ministry of Gender Labor and Social Development developed the National OVC Policy, aimed at improving the quality of life for poor and vulnerable children, such as children who have been orphaned, children who are living on the streets, children who are at risk of abuse, and children exposed to situations of armed conflict. However, despite the many efforts to improve the circumstances of vulnerable children in Uganda, policymakers, donors, and program managers still …

Rapids Evaluation Final Report 2005-2009 Key Findings, Louis Apicella, Katie D. Schenk, Hena Khan

HIV and AIDS

RAPIDS (Reaching HIV/AIDS Affected People with Integrated Development and Support) is an intervention funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and is designed to mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS in Zambia. The overall goal of RAPIDS is to improve the quality of life of Zambians affected by HIV and AIDS by expanding successful community-based models of home-based care and support to orphans and vulnerable children and people who are chronically ill, as well as through interventions targeting youth with livelihood opportunities and life-skills training, focusing on initiatives supporting abstinence and being faithful.

Looking Back, Moving Forward: Reducing Hiv-Related Stigma, Horizons Studies 2000 To 2007, Julie Pulerwitz, Annie P. Michaelis, Ellen Weiss, Lisanne Brown, Vaishali Sharma Mahendra

HIV and AIDS

In 1997, the Population Council initiated the Horizons Program—a decade-long USAID-funded collaboration with the International Center for Research on Women, the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, PATH, Tulane University, Family Health International, and Johns Hopkins University—designing, implementing, evaluating, and expanding innovative strategies for HIV prevention and care. Horizons developed and tested ways to optimize HIV prevention, care, and treatment programs; worked to reduce stigma and improve gender-biased behaviors; and greatly expanded knowledge about the best ways to support, protect, and treat children affected by HIV and AIDS. In all its projects, Horizons strengthened the capacity of local institutions by providing support and …

Looking Back, Moving Forward: Promoting Gender Equity To Fight Hiv, Horizons Studies 1999 To 2007, Julie Pulerwitz, Annie P. Michaelis, Ellen Weiss

HIV and AIDS

In 1997, the Population Council initiated the Horizons Program—a decade-long USAID-funded collaboration with the International Center for Research on Women, the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, PATH, Tulane University, Family Health International, and Johns Hopkins University—designing, implementing, evaluating, and expanding innovative strategies for HIV prevention and care. Horizons developed and tested ways to optimize HIV prevention, care, and treatment programs; worked to reduce stigma and improve gender-biased behaviors; and greatly expanded knowledge about the best ways to support, protect, and treat children affected by HIV and AIDS. In all its projects, Horizons strengthened the capacity of local institutions by providing support and …

Looking Back, Moving Forward: Improving The Lives Of Orphans And Other Children Affected By Aids, Horizons Studies 1998 To 2007, Katie D. Schenk, Annie P. Michaelis, Tobey C. Nelson, Lisanne Brown, Ellen Weiss

HIV and AIDS

In 1997, the Population Council initiated the Horizons Program—a decade-long USAID-funded collaboration with the International Center for Research on Women, the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, PATH, Tulane University, Family Health International, and Johns Hopkins University—designing, implementing, evaluating, and expanding innovative strategies for HIV prevention and care. Horizons developed and tested ways to optimize HIV prevention, care, and treatment programs; worked to reduce stigma and improve gender-biased behaviors; and greatly expanded knowledge about the best ways to support, protect, and treat children affected by HIV and AIDS. In all its projects, Horizons strengthened the capacity of local institutions by providing support and …

Increasing The Use Of Booster Seats: A Community-Based Research Project, Michelle Gallina, Amanda Jones, Jane Kim, Habibullah Muhiddin, Natasha Singletary

OUR Journal: ODU Undergraduate Research Journal

The aim of this project was to increase booster seat usage and knowledge of booster seat safety by implementing population-based interventions in the community. To aid in accomplishing the goal, the nursing students utilized the performance of an educational puppet show, educational handouts, and aggregate height and age screening as the interventions. Pre and post tests data were obtained. As a result, there was an increase of the aggregates‟ desire to be in a booster seat. Nurses who take more action in a leadership role by implementing interventions based on the educational needs of the community increased booster seat awareness. …

Increasing Complete Immunization In Rural Uttar Pradesh: Implications For Behavior Change Communication, Population Council

Reproductive Health

The Population Council conducted a formative study in rural Uttar Pradesh, India to determine the current rate of compliance for recommended schedules of child immunization, identify the barriers and factors facilitating the uptake of full immunization, and identify behavior change communication (BCC) initiatives that could accelerate adoption of this practice. This policy brief identifies a number of barriers to immunization: low risk perception, lack of faith in vaccines, lack of knowledge about vaccines, fear of side effects, lack of family support, and lack of knowledge about location and type of services available. The brief also identifies several facilitating factors and …

Increasing Institutional Delivery And Access To Emergency Obstetric Care Services In Rural Uttar Pradesh: Implications For Behavior Change Communication, Population Council

Reproductive Health

The Population Council conducted a formative in rural Uttar Pradesh (UP), India to determine the impact of the Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) scheme on the current status of institutional delivery in the region, to understand the facilitating factors and barriers in delivering in a health facility, and to identify programmatic and behavior change communication (BCC) initiatives that could accelerate the adoption of institutional delivery. JSY was launched as an intervention to address the barriers to institutional delivery, through the introduction of community-based women volunteers. The study shows that with the introduction of the JSY the rate of institutional delivery jumped …

Mental Health And Substance Abuse Issues Among Native Americans Living On A Remote Reservation: Results From A Community Survey, Theodore W. Mcdonald, Mary E. Pritchard

Public and Population Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

The purpose of the study was to document the perceived and actual mental health and substance abuse issues of residents living on a remote reservation in the Northwestern United States. Surveys were completed by 138 Native Americans, who reported on mental health status and problems, perceptions of personal and community health issues on the reservation, and patterns of substance use and abuse (e.g., how often respondents use alcohol, what drugs present the most serious problems on the reservation). The respondents perceived their own mental health to be quite good. However, they reported that several mental health problems were prevalent in …

Hospital Evacuations: Historical Precedence And Modern Preparedness, Nicholas Squillace

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Objectives: The purpose of this research was to identify common problems encountered during hospital evacuations and how those problems are or should be addressed when creating a hospital evacuation plan.

Methods: Articles relating to hospital evacuations were retrieved from PubMed and CINAHL in addition to government websites and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. The articles collected were limited to within the last 20 years, from 1990 to 2010. Hospital plans were collected from search engines including Google and Yahoo. Moreover, a plan was obtained from a Dayton area hospital.

Results: Numerous instances of hospital evacuations that were …

The Relationship Between Body Image And Body Mass Index In Attendees At A Health Fair, Millie S. Olds

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between body image and body mass index (BMI) in attendees at a health fair. BMI and body image was also compared between races, ages and genders. It was hypothesized that there would be discrepancies between perceived body image and weight status, as measured by BMI. Sixty-two participants at a health fair in Cincinnati completed a survey about perceived body image and had their height and weight measured and BMI calculated later. Results suggested a positive relationship between BMI and body image. Participants with a higher BMI identified themselves with a …

Unmet Medical Need Of Underserved Population In A Safety-Net Organization, Leslie Clem

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Background: Safety net providers serve a large proportion of America’s uninsured and low income population. The purpose of this study is to determine if differences in unmet medical needs exist between the provisional and clinic populations, age groups, and sex and race categories. This research study provides information about the population that receives services from Good Neighbor House, a non-profit social service organization in Dayton, Ohio.

Methods: GNH created a survey to assess the unmet medical need of their clients. The instrument contains questions about routine medical care, unmet medical care in the last 12 months, medical bills, and demographic …

The Effects Of Self Management, Education And Their Combination On Glucose Control Among Hispanics Visting A Community Health Clinic, Isela De Baca

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to measure the impact of diabetes self-management instruction alone, and in combination with diabetes education, on glucose control among diabetic patients at a local community clinic. The researcher of the study was particularly interested in assessing whether self-management goals and diabetes classes positively influence A1C values in this sample.

For this study, the medical charts of 131 patients at Centro San Vicente Health Clinic, a Federally Qualified Community Health Center in El Paso, Texas were reviewed. In addition to collecting A1c values at pretest (baseline) and at three and six months post intervention, …

Evaluations Of Clinical Signs Currently And Not Currently Used In Syndromic Case Management (Scm) Of Reproductive Tract Infections (Rtis) Among Pregnant Women In Jamaica, Gelen Receno Del Rosario

All ETDs from UAB

Reproductive tract infections include sexually transmitted infections, endogenous infections caused by overgrowth of organisms that can be present in the genital tract of a healthy woman, and iatrogenic infections. In Jamaica, women in the reproductive age group of 15-44 years old accounts for 95% of all RTIs. RTIs among Jamaican women of reproductive age can seriously impact the health of the women and their children. The advent of HIV/AIDS has had a significant impact on increasing awareness of the effect of STIs. Health care organizations have reacted with great commit-ment to STI prevention and treatment as a significant factor in …

Introducing A Multi-Site Program For Early Diagnosis Of Hiv Infection Among Hiv-Exposed Infants In Tanzania, Harriet Nuwagaba-Biribonwoha, Bazghina Werq-Semo, Aziz Abdallah, Amy Cunningham, John G. Gamaliel, Sevestine Mtunga, Victoria Nankabirwa, Isaya Malisa, Luis F. Gonzalez, Charles Massambu, Denis Nash, Jessica Justman, Elaine J. Abrams

Publications and Research

Background: In Tanzania, less than a third of HIV infected children estimated to be in need of antiretroviral therapy (ART) are receiving it. In this setting where other infections and malnutrition mimic signs and symptoms of AIDS, early diagnosis of HIV among HIV-exposed infants without specialized virologic testing can be a complex process. We aimed to introduce an Early Infant Diagnosis (EID) pilot program using HIV DNA Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing with the intent of making EID nationally available based on lessons learned in the first 6 months of implementation.

Methods: In September 2006, a molecular biology laboratory at …

Epigenetics: Blurring The Line Between Nature And Nurture, Elizabeth H. Rose

CMC Senior Theses

This long-standing nature versus nurture debate is cited in behavioral and physical expressions of disease dysfunctions, resiliencies, and recovery. Their purposes are noted both in scientific pursuits as well as literature. This discourse has been particularly intense in the fields of psychology, psychiatry, and biology where there is a long history of scientists’ attempts to disprove or discredit others’ intellectual and professional measures. Interestingly, recent advances in the neurosciences and genetic technologies have brought these fields closer together with a new focus – the interactional relationship between nature and nurture – epigenetics.

Social Categories And Health Care Outcomes: African American Women And Hiv Survival In The Urban South, Alyson J. O'Daniel

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

This ethnographic research examines the daily life and institutional conditions under which low-income Black women in urban North Carolina perceived and attended to HIV health-related needs. I focus specifically on the interplay among women’s living conditions, programmatic service needs, and their strategies for navigating the local system of care to explore and refine the categorical label “low income.” I found that there were significant differences among study participants in terms of their monthly incomes and financial resources, housing quality and status, and personal experiences with incarceration and substance abuse. The economic differences among women translated into social differences within the …

Industrial Heat Stress : Using Ice Slurry Ingestion As A Practical Approach To Reducing Heat Strain In Workers, Joseph E. Maté

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Personnel working in industry can encounter hot and humid conditions where uncompensable heat loads are experienced; an inability to dissipate stored heat increases the risk of developing a heat illness. In order to minimise the incidence of heat illnesses, several heat stress reduction interventions have been developed which aim to allow for safe repeated bouts of exposure to high thermal heat loads. These vary from modification of the working environment, wearing of personal protective equipment designed to cool, heat stress indices and/or hydration regimens. Despite these interventions, personnel still experience heat stress related illnesses. Consequently, the overall aim of the …

Establishing An Academic Division Supporting Public Health Medical Direction, Molly Polverento

Michigan Journal of Public Health

No abstract provided.

Monitoring And Evaluation Of The Emergency Plan Progress (Meepp): End-Of-Project Evaluation, Sam Kalibala

HIV and AIDS

This report evaluates the scope of the Monitoring and Evaluation of the Emergency Plan Progress (MEEPP) and the lessons learned from the project in Uganda, which aims to improve availability and quality of PEPFAR data.

Safety Assessment For Tipranavir : A Protease Inhibitor Treatment For Hiv Infected Adults, Jaromir Mikl

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Dose-limiting adverse events associated with anti-retroviral therapy (ART) generally include gastro-intestinal (GI) issues such as vomiting and nausea. However, serious adverse events (SAEs) do occur, the most frequent of which include liver toxicities and renal impairment as well as recent evidence of cardio-vascular disease (CVD) risk.

Respondent Driven Sampling : Feasibility, Validation And Its Potential Use For Estimating Health Indicators For Large General Populations, Robin Lee

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

BACKGROUND: Researchers use many methods to collect population-based health indicator data. Random digit dial (RDD) is one frequently used method; however decreasing sample coverage and non-response bias have researchers searching for alternative methods. We hypothesize that respondent driven sampling (RDS) is a cost effective alternative. In accordance with this hypothesis we propose three objectives: 1) assess the mechanics, feasibility, and representativeness of RDS in producing valid estimates of health indicator data; 2) evaluate the feasibility in using RDS in comparison to RDD to collect health indicator data from a general population; and 3) report on data collected using RDS, specifically …

The Utility Of The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System In Testing Quality Of Life Theory : An Evaluation Using Structural Equation Modeling, Evelyn Marie Kintner

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This study is a secondary data analysis that uses structural equation modeling (SEM) to assess the utility of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)--the Centers for Disease Control's premier surveillance tool for monitoring behavioral risk factors--in predicting health related quality of life (HRQoL). Employing the statistical package SPSS/AMOS (version 7), the study utilizes New York State data extracted from the 2007 BRFSS national dataset to assess how well the observed pattern of variances and covariances of the state level data fit with a well-known HRQoL model developed by Wilson and Cleary (1995). Interaction effects are examined, utilizing a multigroup …

Interventions To Modify Television Viewing Behavior Of Children : A Review, Meta-Analysis, And Key-Informant Interviews, Dayna Maureen Maniccia

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Excessive screen time and childhood obesity are two associated public health concerns. Several interventions to modify children's screen time exist. To date, no systematic review of these interventions has been conducted. This dissertation identified and summarized interventions to modify children's screen time. Suggestions for future work are provided.

A Step-By-Step Guide To Strengthening Sexual Violence Services In Public Health Facilities: Lessons And Tools From Sexual Violence Services In Africa, Jill Keesbury, Jill Thompson

Reproductive Health

Sexual violence (SV) is a serious health and human rights problem across Africa that disproportionately affects women and girls. Survivors require comprehensive and sensitive care to mitigate the negative health consequences of SV, minimize psychological trauma, and promote long-term reintegration and recovery. Despite high levels of sexual violence and a growing recognition of the need to improve the management of rape and sexual assault, many public health facilities in Africa do not currently have capacity to provide comprehensive, patient-centered SV care to adult and child survivors. Public facilities face numerous challenges including lack of specialized SV training, general understaffing and …