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Physical Activity Barriers And Facilitators In African American Women: A Social Ecological Models Perspective, Leah Ann Carter

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

African American (AA) women experience poor health outcomes that can be addressed by increasing PA engagement. Understanding how PA barriers and facilitators occur at multiple levels of influence may help tailor PA interventions for AA women. Although prior work has established barriers to PA that are unique to African American women, few studies identify the sociocultural norms associated with these impediments. Little is known about the cultural implications of barriers such as haircare maintenance, and public policy.

The primary aim of this dissertation was to capture AA women’s voice about PA barriers and facilitators using the social ecological model framework. …

Individual Risk Factors Associated With Cesarean Section Surgical Site Infections Among African American Women In California, Paula St Hill

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Gut Feelings: A Literature Review On The Gut-Brain Axis And Its Potential Influence On Mood, Grace Johnson

University Honors Theses

In recent decades, research on the gut-brain axis has evolved due to an increasing interest in the connection between gut health and mental health. The gut-brain axis presents a new frontier of health for both medical professionals and psychologists as there is expanding evidence illustrating the comorbidity of gut disorders and mood disorders. Due to the complex nature of studying the gut-brain axis and the myriad of influences on mood disorders such as depression, research has yet to find significant results definitively tying the two together. Nonetheless, the current body of literature on the topic provides a promising outlook on …

What Do Cervical Cancer Patients Know, How Do They Learn, And Who Do They Tell? A Pilot Study, Sharon Larson, Brian Mcanany, Ilene Ladd, Radhika Gogoi

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: This study explored what patients identified with cervical cancer know about the link between human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer and where they learned this information. Patients share a great deal of information with family, friends and colleagues and we were interested in the accuracy and sources of information they are sharing.

METHODS: Patients identified through the EHR of a health system who had a history of cervical cancer were invited to participate in a brief survey of their experience. The sample represents an opportunity sample of patients who responded.

RESULTS: Generally, these patients, drawn from the Geisinger Health …

How To Build And Sustain A Transdisciplinary Community-Based Exercise Program For Older Adults, Stephen D. Ball Phd, Kristin Miller Ms, Kelsey J. Weitzel Ms, Breanne S. Baker Phd

Journal of Extension

We have built a community-based program called Stay Strong, Stay Healthy, which helps older adults improve muscle strength and flexibility while reducing fall risk. This report details lessons learned and keys to success for Extension practitioners. First, maximize the potential of your state’s Extension framework by building a program that centers around your target population and is fun and easy to implement. Second, partner with researchers who can help to improve program effectiveness and logistical feasibility on larger scales. Lastly, continue to evaluate and adapt based on feedback from those who utilize and implement the program.

Risk Factors Of Dental Anxiety And Exploration Of Interventions, Katelin Hancock

University Honors Theses

Within this literature review, the root causes of dental anxiety, current intervention methods, and possible preventative interventions are discussed. Dental anxiety affects millions of individuals across diverse backgrounds and can be detrimental to oral health. This issue can arise from various sources, however, different socioeconomic and sociodemographic factors can contribute to an individual's risk of developing dental anxiety. Understanding what predisposes certain populations to become more likely to develop dental anxiety is imperative to holistically address the concern. Investigating the relationship between lack of access, oral health, and anxiety levels allows for an understanding of the root causes of anxiety. …

Exploration Of Latina/Hispanic Women's Experiences Living With Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Qualitative Study With Patients In Houston, Lorna H Mcneill

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVES: A deeper understanding of the lived experiences of Hispanic patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) can help guide the development of behavioral programs that facilitate NAFLD management. This paper explores Hispanic women's experiences living with NAFLD.

DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS: We collected brief sociodemographic questionnaires and conducted in-depth interviews with 12 low-income (all had household income ≤USD$55 000 per year) Hispanic women with NAFLD from the Houston area. Transcripts were audio-recorded and transcribed. We developed a coding scheme and used thematic analysis to identify emergent themes, supported by Atlas.ti.

RESULTS: Participants identified physicians as their main information source on …

Analyzing The Relationship Between Preeclamptic Severity And Placental Methylation, Mackenzie C. Maggio

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Preeclampsia (PE) is a life-threatening hypertensive disorder in pregnancy (HDP) characterized by high blood pressure and proteinuria after 20 weeks of gestation. PE poses significant risks to both maternal and child health. An incomplete etiopathogenesis, diverse disease heterogeneity, and limited intervention and detection strategies further exacerbate and perpetuate PE as a major public health concern. By assessing symptom severity of placental tissues from PE pregnancies and analyzing the DNA methylation differences, this thesis aimed to identify epigenetic variations contributing to disease heterogeneity. Using the publicly available dataset GSE 98224, differentially methylated region (DMR) analysis on placental samples (n=48) revealed increasing …

Dining Patterns At Campus Food Venues: University Employees’ Perspectives, Kritika Gupta, Jangwoo Jo, Laurel Lambert, Georgianna Mann, Selby Rebecca Entrekin

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Background: Few studies exist concerning university employees’ on-campus dining patterns patronage with regard to healthy eating principles. Purpose: To understand the importance that faculty/staff (F/S) place on healthy eating principles and the influence it may have on satisfaction and dining patterns at campus food venues. Methods: A validated online survey was used to collect data on F/S’s perspectives. The survey was distributed through a survey panel group, offered through the University’s Office of Research. Results: Responses on the importance of healthy eating principles showed a severe skewness towards high importance. Younger F/S placed higher importance on …

Quality Improvement In Public-Private Partnerships In Low- And Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review, Cassandra Iroz, Rohit Ramaswamy, Zulfiqar Bhutta, Paul Barach

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Public-private partnerships (PPP) are often how health improvement programs are implemented in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs). We therefore aimed to systematically review the literature about the aim and impacts of quality improvement (QI) approaches in PPP in LMICs.

METHODS: We searched SCOPUS and grey literature for studies published before March 2022. One reviewer screened abstracts and full-text studies for inclusion. The study characteristics, setting, design, outcomes, and lessons learned were abstracted using a standard tool and reviewed in detail by a second author.

RESULTS: We identified 9,457 citations, of which 144 met the inclusion criteria and underwent full-text abstraction. We …

Ways To Improve Uptake Of Tier 2 Weight Management Programmes In Bame Communities In Medway: A Qualitative Study, Jennifer A. Teke, Johnson Mbabazi, Emma Giles, Scott Elliot, Louisa Ells, Lawrence Achilles Nnyanzi

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Overweight and obesity is usually determined by Body Mass Index (BMI). Twelve BAME adults participated in the interviews: six were female, ten were first-generation migrants, three were retirees, none lived with a disability, and all were concerned about their excess weight. There were four themes from the data and eight subthemes obtained. To improve the uptake of the weight management service provided in Medway, the participants recommended the use of strategies such as indigenous food labelling, BAME-led clinics, the use of translated leaflets, the recruitment of local weight management champions, better coordination of services, appropriate communication strategies, and further research. …

Preliminary Investigation Of Differences In Host Mitochondria Membrane Potential During Toxoplasma Gondii Infection, Bryan L. Ortega

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan with a broad host range of hosts, including various warm-blooded mammals, including humans. While infections can often be asymptomatic in immunocompetent individuals, they can pose significant risks to those who are immunocompromised, as well as pregnant women. Toxoplasmosis represents a significant burden on public health in the United States, with over 800,000 annual infections reported, often leading to severe complications such as symptomatic eye disease and congenital infections. Recent attention has developed regarding its potential association with human neuropathies such as Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and mood disorders. This project investigated differences in host …

Landscape Of Pharmacogenetic Variants Associated With Non-Insulin Antidiabetic Drugs In The Indian Population, Ambily Sivadas, S Sahana, Bani Jolly, Rahul C Bhoyar, Abhinav Jain, Mohamed Imran, Mohit Kumar Divakar, Anushree Mishra, Arpita Mukhopadhyay, Greg Gibson, Km Venkat Narayan, Sridhar Sivasubbu, Vinod Scaria, Anura V Kurpad

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: Genetic variants contribute to differential responses to non-insulin antidiabetic drugs (NIADs), and consequently to variable plasma glucose control. Optimal control of plasma glucose is paramount to minimizing type 2 diabetes-related long-term complications. India's distinct genetic architecture and its exploding burden of type 2 diabetes warrants a population-specific survey of NIAD-associated pharmacogenetic (PGx) variants. The recent availability of large-scale whole genomes from the Indian population provides a unique opportunity to generate a population-specific map of NIAD-associated PGx variants.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We mined 1029 Indian whole genomes for PGx variants, drug-drug interaction (DDI) and drug-drug-gene interactions (DDGI) associated with …

Characterizing Multimorbidity Prevalence And Adverse Outcomes In Ethnically And Culturally Diverse Sub-Populations In India: Gaps, Opportunities, And Future Directions, Preeti Zanwar, Robyn Taylor, Tanisha Hill-Jarrett, Elena Tsoy, Jason Flatt, Zunera Mirza, Carl Hill, Arokiasamy Perianayagam

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

India is a large middle-income country and has surpassed China in overall population, comprising 20% of the global population (over 1.43 billion people). India is experiencing a major demographic shift in its aging population. Chronic diseases are common among older adults and can be persistent over the life course, lead to the onset of disability, and be costly. Among older adults in India, the existence of multiple comorbid chronic conditions (i.e., multimorbidity) is rapidly growing and represents a burgeoning public health burden. Prior research identified greater rates of multimorbidity (e.g., overweight/obesity diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and malignancies) in minority …

Learning From The Implementation Of A Surgical Opioid Reduction Initiative In An Integrated Health System: A Qualitative Study Among Providers And Patients, Reiping Huang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Surgical opioid overprescribing can result in long-term use or misuse. Between July 2018 and March 2019, the multicomponent intervention, Minimizing Opioid Prescribing in Surgery (MOPiS) was implemented in the general surgery clinics of five hospitals and successfully reduced opioid prescribing. To date, various studies have shown a positive outcome of similar reduction initiatives. However, in addition to evaluating the impact on clinical outcomes, it is important to understand the implementation process of an intervention to extend sustainability of interventions and allow for dissemination of the intervention into other contexts. This study aims to evaluate the contextual factors impacting intervention …

External Relationships As Implementation Determinants In Community-Engaged, Equity-Focused Covid-19 Vaccination Events, Ramey Moore, Jennifer Callaghan-Koru, Jennifer L. Vincenzo, Susan K. Patton, Marissa J. Spear, Sheldon Riklon, Eldon Alik, Alan Padilla Ramos, Stephanie Takamaru, Pearl A. Mcelfish, Geoffrey M. Curran

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background:

While relationships and connectedness among organizations have been included in implementation theories, models, and frameworks, the increased attention to health equity in implementation science raises the urgency of understanding the role of relationships external to the implementing organization. This paper addresses this gap through an exploration of the role of external relationships in community-based, equity-focused interventions.

Methods:

This study focuses on an equity-focused, community-based COVID-19 vaccination intervention in Arkansas, drawing upon long-term community-engaged relationships among University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the Hispanic and Marshallese Islander communities. We used an exploratory qualitative descriptive design to examine barriers and …

Policy Review And Recommendation: Full Practice Authority For Nurse Practitioners In The Southwestern United States, Sara J. Rowe

Student Scholarly Projects

This policy analysis investigates the benefits of full practice authority (FPA) for Nurse Practitioners (NPs) in the Southwestern United States, using Arizona as an FPA model and California and Tennessee as comparison states. The PICO question that directed the project is: for NPs practicing as advanced practice nurse practitioners within the Southwestern United States region (P), does a comprehensive policy recommendation for FPA for NP-led clinics in the secondary education space (I) compared to existing variable approaches within the region (C) improve access to care and direct or indirect patient outcomes as endorsed by the literature (O)? A comprehensive literature …

The Acceptance And Use Of Digital Technologies For Self-Reporting Medication Safety Events After Care Transitions To Home In Patients With Cancer: Survey Study, Sarah T Hawley, Milisa Manojlovich, John C Krauss, Yang Gong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Actively engaging patients with cancer and their families in monitoring and reporting medication safety events during care transitions is indispensable for achieving optimal patient safety outcomes. However, existing patient self-reporting systems often cannot address patients' various experiences and concerns regarding medication safety over time. In addition, these systems are usually not designed for patients' just-in-time reporting. There is a significant knowledge gap in understanding the nature, scope, and causes of medication safety events after patients' transition back home because of a lack of patient engagement in self-monitoring and reporting of safety events. The challenges for patients with cancer in …

Work Ability Among Older Workers In An Agricultural Community In Nan Province, Thailand: A Cross-Sectional Study, Jate Ratanachina, Wilawan Mormoon

Chulalongkorn Medical Journal

Background: There is a global challenge regarding demographic change together with theaging population. Research on work ability among older workers in an agricultural area remains crucial, particularly in Thailand, an aged society country with thirty percent of its working population in the agricultural sector.

Objective: To estimate work ability among older workers in an agricultural community and to determine the relationship between work ability and its associations.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of adults aged 40 to 65 was conducted in an agricultural community in Nan province, Thailand, between May and August 2019. The study participants consisted of 345 villagers …

Experiences Of Women In Sierra Leone Relating To Accessing Breast Cancer Treatment, Anne Neville, Magdeline Aagard Dr.

Journal of Sustainable Social Impact

The lack of consistent access to breast cancer care and treatment remains a significant problem for women diagnosed with breast cancer in Sierra Leone. The instability of the political structure has created an environment with a high level of illiteracy and financial hardship among the female population, resulting in a significant deficiency in information relating to symptoms and the detection of breast cancer. To study the lived experience of women living in Sierra Leone who were diagnosed with breast cancer, I [the first author] used a descriptive phenomenological approach. I conducted semi-structured interviews based on Andersen and Newman’s healthcare utilization …

Knowledge, Attitudes, And Beliefs Toward Third Hand Smoke, Gisele Tah

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Third hand smoke (THS) is gaining significant interest in the environmental and public health fields as a new but dangerous phenomenon. THS is identified as a form of passive smoke consisting of residual nicotine and chemicals that settle on surfaces. THS is reported to be genotoxic in human cells, yet the public has limited or no knowledge of this new concept. The purpose of this qualitative, interpretive, descriptive study was to discover and describe the level of knowledge, attitudes, practices, and beliefs regarding THS among individuals in an eastern U.S. state. Social cognitive theory provided the theoretical framework for this …

Nigerian Nurses' Perceptions Of Caring For Women With Female Genital Mutilation, Jane-Frances Echeozo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There are numerous health problems associated with female genital mutilation (FGM) practice. In Nigerian healthcare, professionals need to ensure culturally sensitive care for FGM cases. However, there was a literature gap involving culturally sensitive care for Nigerian women with FGM complications, evidenced by some northern Nigerian nurses who were not able to identify FGM categories or cultural given names associated with FGM types. Thus, this qualitative study involved ascertaining the worldview of Nigerian nurses and midwives in Owerri regarding providing culturally competent nursing care for FGM complications, guided by the process of cultural competence in the delivery of healthcare services …

Distraction Culture: The Origin Story Of Notification Stress, Benedicte Kalonda

Symposium of Student Scholars

Long gone are the days when procrastination was the sole culprit of poor productivity through the chronic delay of task completion, which has also been linked to a range of stress-related health problems (e.g., headaches, digestive issues, and insomnia). Today’s culture has given rise to the phenomenon of pre-crastination, whereby a technological notification demands and receives immediate attention despite its level of urgency. This propensity to abandon flow and groove is becoming normalized, and the public health impact is currently unknown.

These notifications, a seemingly benign cost of technological advances, are setting the stage for a new level of stressor …

Hypertension In Pregnancy Among Immigrant And Swedish Women: A Cohort Study Of All Pregnant Women In Sweden, Axel C Carlsson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Little is known about risks of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in both first- and second-generation immigrant women in Europe and other Western countries; such knowledge may help elucidate the influence of genetic versus social factors on such risks. We aimed to study both first- and second-generation immigrant women for the presence of all types of hypertension (preexisting hypertension, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, and eclampsia) during pregnancy.

METHODS AND RESULTS: A cohort study was conducted using data derived from the Swedish National Birth Register, the National Patient Register, and the total Population Register. We used Cox regression analysis to compute hazard …

Changes In Real-World Dispensing Of Adhd Stimulants In Youth From 2019 To 2021 In California, Anika Patel, Rishikesh Chavan, Cyril Rakovski, Richard C. Beuttler, Sun Yang

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Introduction: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common pediatric neurobehavioral disorders in the U.S. Stimulants, classified as controlled substances, are commonly used for ADHD management. We conducted an analysis of real-world stimulants dispensing data to evaluate the pandemic’s impact on young patients (≤ 26 years) in California.

Methods: Annual prevalence of patients on stimulants per capita across various California counties from 2019 and 2021 were analyzed and further compared across different years, sexes, and age groups. New patients initiating simulants therapy were also examined. A case study was conducted to determine the impact of socioeconomic status on patient …

Medical Home Implementation And Follow-Up Of Cancer-Related Abnormal Test Results In The Veterans Health Administration, Daniel R Murphy

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

IMPORTANCE: Lack of timely follow-up of cancer-related abnormal test results can lead to delayed or missed diagnoses, adverse cancer outcomes, and substantial cost burden for patients. Care delivery models, such as the Veterans Affairs' (VA) Patient-Aligned Care Team (PACT), which aim to improve patient-centered care coordination, could potentially also improve timely follow-up of abnormal test results. PACT was implemented nationally in the VA between 2010 and 2012.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the long-term association between PACT implementation and timely follow-up of abnormal test results related to the diagnosis of 5 different cancers.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This multiyear retrospective cohort study …

The Moderating Effect Of Race On The Relationship Between Perceived Supervisor Support And Burnout Amongst Public Health Workers, Douglas Diontay Gaffney, Jr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Recent research has shown that burnout is a prevalent problem across the public health workforce. Burnout (BO) contributes to workplace challenges in turnover, employee performance, job satisfaction, and overall quality of life, and is more prevalent among racial minorities. Not only has BO been found to differ across racial demographics, employee perceptions about their level of support from supervisors (PSS) also differ. This quantitative study, informed by Meyer’s minority stress theory, examined Black-White differences in PSS and BO, and whether race moderated the relationship between PSS and BO. Data collected by De Beaumont’s 2017 national public health workforce interest and …

Prenatal, Perinatal And Postnatal Risk Factors Associated With Autism Spectrum Disorder In Palestine: A Case-Control Study, Mustafa Ghanim, Mariam Al-Tell, Samaa Staiti, Maha Rabayaa, Johnny Amer, Malik Alqub, Sameeha Atout, Nihad Al-Othman, Marwa Ismail

An-Najah University Journal for Research - B (Humanities)

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a multifactorial neurodevelopment disorder. Several prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal factors are suggested as risk factors for ASD. This study aimed to correlate prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal factors in a limited number of ASD cases in Palestine. Methods: A case-control study involved 120 children (60 typically diagnosed with ASD and 60 healthy matched with the ASD group). The parents of the children in both groups were asked to fill out the questionnaire. Results: The study showed a higher male-to-female ratio in the ASD group. A family history of ASD was reported in 38.3% of the …

How To Develop A Qualitative Evaluation Plan For A Complex National Intervention: Key Steps And Reflections From The Radx-Up Program, Shelly A. Maras, Josephine Mckelvy, Kelley Milligan, Allyson Kelley, Valerie A. Lucas, Tara Carr, Abisola Osinuga, Leah Frerichs, Gaurav Dave

The Qualitative Report

This article describes the formative process of developing and implementing a Qualitative Evaluation Plan (QEP) for a large-scale, National Institute of Health (NIH) supported program: Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics — Underserved Populations (RADx-UP). RADx-UP includes over 137 projects in the United States that aim to ensure that all Americans have access to timely, accurate diagnostics for COVID-19, with a specific focus on populations the pandemic disproportionately affects. As part of a comprehensive, mixed-methods strategic evaluation plan, our team developed the QEP. We employed qualitative methods to understand RADx-UP academic and community partners’ experiences implementing community-engaged research strategies, and to understand …

Histories, Cultural Contexts, Health Status, Wildlife Contact Characteristics, And Perception Towards Covid-19 Of The Urak Lawoi Ethnic Group In Koh Lanta District, Krabi Province Of Thailand: A Qualitative Study, Kanokwan Suwannarong, Paisit Boonyakawee, Thanomsin Ponlap, Kannika Thammasutti, Phitsanuruk Kanthawee, Nisachon Bubpa, Chularat Boonyakawee, Vittaya Pulkird, Junsri Changnum

Journal of Health Research

Background: The Urak Lawoi ethnic group is an indigenous community residing in the Andaman Sea of southern Thailand and are engaged in various activities related to wild animals. This qualitative study was conducted from November 2022 to February 2023 to collect information on wildlife contact characteristics and determine the level of awareness and understanding of zoonotic diseases and COVID-19 risks among this ethnic group in Koh Lanta district, Krabi province.

Methods: This qualitative study collected data through key informant interviews (KIIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs). The study respondents included 29 Urak Lawoi village health volunteers (VHVs), To Mo …