Digital Commons Network^™

Age-Related Change In Physical Activity In Adolescent Girls, Russell R. Pate, June Stevens, Larry S. Webber, Marsha Dowda, David M. Murray, Deborah R. Young, Scott Going

Faculty Publications

Purpose - To determine the annual rate at which physical activity changes in girls during middle school using both objective and self-report measures of physical activity.

Methods - Participants were 6^th and 8^th grade girls from the control schools in the Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls (TAAG). Random cross-sectional samples initially were drawn from 6^th grade girls (n=786) and two years later from 8^th grade girls (n=1545). A cohort of 501 girls was in both the 6^th and 8^th grade samples. The girls wore an accelerometer for six days and completed the 3-Day …

The Prevalence And Determinants Of Health Risk Behaviors Among High School Students In Mexico, Nellie León

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that despite health promotion efforts, adolescents continue to engage in behaviors that put them at risk for morbidity and mortality. Alcohol consumption, illicit drug use, smoking, and risky sexual behaviors are among the behaviors that contribute to leading causes of morbidity and mortality in youth; these four behaviors were explored in this study. An observational cross-sectional design was utilized. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was utilized to assess the prevalence of the four risk behaviors among high school students in Jalisco, Mexico. Items constructed …

Argument Structure Effects In Action Verb Naming In Static And Dynamic Conditions, Dirk B. Den Ouden, Steve Fix, Todd B. Parrish, Cynthia K. Thompson

Faculty Publications

Argument structure, as in the participant roles entailed within the lexical representation of verbs, affects verb processing. Recent neuroimaging studies show that when verbs are heard or read, the posterior temporoparietal region shows increased activation for verbs with greater versus lesser argument structure complexity, usually bilaterally. In addition, patients with agrammatic aphasia show verb production deficits, graded based on argument structure complexity. In the present study, we used fMRI to examine the neural correlates of verb production in overt action naming conditions. In addition, we tested the differential effects of naming when verbs were presented dynamically in video segments versus …

Cross-System Profile Of Maine's Long Term Support System: A New View Of Maine's Long Term Services And Supports And The People Served, Eileen Griffin Jd, Julie T. Fralich Mba, Catherine Mcguire Bs, Louise Olsen, Stuart Bratesman Mpp, Kathy Bubar, Romaine Turyn

Disability & Aging

This document provides a new way of looking at Maine's long term services and supports, with an emphasis on developing a common approach for describing and analyzing long term services and supports across programs. A conscious effort was made to organize this profile around the populations served rather than the programs serving them. For that reason, the profile captures information on all of the services accessed by each population group, not only those services administered by a particular program. This broader view provides important information about the full range of service utilization for each population group.

Educating And Informing Patients Receiving Psychopharmacological Medications: Are Family Physicians In Pakistan Up To The Task?, Hammad Ashraf Ganatra, Hadi Bhurgri, Roomasa Channa, Fauzia Ahmad Bawany, Syed Nabeel Zafar, Rafia Ishfaq Chaudhry, Syeda Hina Batool, Abdul Basit, Mehmood Asghar, Sarah Saleem, Haider Naqvi

Community Health Sciences

Introduction: Studies have shown a high prevalence of psychiatric illnesses among Patients in primary health care settings. Family physicians have a fundamental role in managing psychiatric illness with psychopharmacological medications. Providing information about the disease, its management and the potential adverse effects of the medications is an important part of the management of mental illnesses. Our objective was to determine if Patients who were prescribed psychopharmacological drugs by family physicians at a community health center in Karachi, Pakistan were provided adequate education about their disease and its management.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Community Health Centre (CHC), …

Caractérisation Des Bioaérosols Par Écologie Microbienne Moléculaire, Caroline Duchaine, Valérie Létourneau, Benjamin Nehmé, Anne Mériaux, Yan Gilbert, Marc Veillette

Rapports de recherche scientifique

La santé des travailleurs a été abondamment étudiée et il est connu que les travailleurs des porcheries plus particulièrement peuvent développer des inflammations chroniques des voies respiratoires suite à l’inhalation de contaminants organiques, de gaz comme l’ammoniac provenant du lisier (NH ₃) ou le gaz carbonique (CO ₂) produit par l’activité des porcs. Pour documenter les causes de ces problèmes et y remédier, de nombreuses études ont été effectuées. Malheureusement il a toujours été difficile de faire le lien entre les causes et les effets. En effet, par le passé, pour étudier la biodiversité dans l’environnement, …

Eating Routines: Embedded, Value Based, Modifiable, And Reflective, Margaret M. Jastran, Carole A. Bisogni, Jeffrey Sobal, Christine E. Blake, Carol M. Devine

Faculty Publications

Eating routines are a compelling issue because recurring eating behaviors influence nutrition and health. As non-traditional and individualized eating patterns have become more common, new ways of thinking about routine eating practices are needed. This study sought to gain conceptual understanding of working adults' eating routines. Forty-two purposively sampled US adults reported food intake and contextual details about eating episodes in qualitative 24-h dietary recalls conducted over 7 consecutive days. Using the constant comparative method, researchers analyzed interview transcripts for recurrent ways of eating that were either explicitly reported by study participants as "routines" or emergent in the data. Participants' …

Health Status Of Children Entering Kindergarten: Results Of The 2008-2009 Nevada Kindergarten Health Survey, Clark County School District, Southern Nevada Health District, Nevada State Health Division, Nevada School District Superintendents, Denise Tanata Ashby, Tara Phebus, Amanda Haboush, Jennifer Waddoups, Enrique Lopez

Nevada Institute for Children's Research and Policy Reports

Academic achievement for children is vital to their success in life. Those that do well in school have greater opportunities for post-secondary education, and later have better prospects for employment. One of the major factors that can affect a child’s academic achievement is his or her health status. Academic outcomes and health conditions are consistently linked in the literature (Taras & Potts-Datema, 2005). Children with poor health status, and especially those with common chronic health conditions, have increased numbers of school absences and more academic deficiencies (Taras & Potts-Datema, 2005). In a study concerning excused versus unexcused absences, children with …

The Not-So-Safe Drinking Water Act: Why We Must Regulate Hydraulic Fracturing At The Federal Level, Angela C. Cupas

William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review

No abstract provided.

Mutual Information For Testing Gene-Environment Interaction, Xuesen Wu, Li Jiin, Momiao Xiong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Despite current enthusiasm for investigation of gene-gene interactions and gene-environment interactions, the essential issue of how to define and detect gene-environment interactions remains unresolved. In this report, we define gene-environment interactions as a stochastic dependence in the context of the effects of the genetic and environmental risk factors on the cause of phenotypic variation among individuals. We use mutual information that is widely used in communication and complex system analysis to measure gene-environment interactions. We investigate how gene-environment interactions generate the large difference in the information measure of gene-environment interactions between the general population and a diseased population, which motives …

Multiple Independent Genetic Factors At Nos1ap Modulate The Qt Interval In A Multi-Ethnic Population, Dan E. Arking, Amit Khera, Chao Xing, W H Linda Kao, Wendy Post, Eric Boerwinkle, Aravinda Chakravarti

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Extremes of electrocardiographic QT interval are associated with increased risk for sudden cardiac death (SCD); thus, identification and characterization of genetic variants that modulate QT interval may elucidate the underlying etiology of SCD. Previous studies have revealed an association between a common genetic variant in NOS1AP and QT interval in populations of European ancestry, but this finding has not been extended to other ethnic populations. We sought to characterize the effects of NOS1AP genetic variants on QT interval in the multi-ethnic population-based Dallas Heart Study (DHS, n = 3,072). The SNP most strongly associated with QT interval in previous samples …

Analyses Of Occupational Illnesses And Implementation Of Preventive Strategies At Connecticut Tobacco Farms, William Carter Iii

UCHC Graduate School Masters Theses 2003 - 2010

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Eating Disorders On Work Performance, Kristie Jean Smith

UCHC Graduate School Masters Theses 2003 - 2010

No abstract provided.

C-Reactive Protein, Obesity, And Colorectal Cancer Mortality : A Prospective Study Of The Nhanes Iii-Ndi Dataset, Alexandra Maria Hajduk

UCHC Graduate School Masters Theses 2003 - 2010

Chronic inflammation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of many chronic diseases, including colorectal cancer. Obesity has been identified as a risk factor for colorectal cancer via induction of a chronic state of low-grade bowel inflammation due to excessive release of inflammatory cytokines such as C-Reactive protein (CRP) by adipocytes. Prior studies have produced evidence of positive associations between CRP and colon cancer risk but none to date have assessed if elevated CRP is an independent risk factor when controlling for obesity. Also, controversy exists about which measure of adiposity best predicts risk of colon cancer. METHODS: We examined these …

The Impact Of Depression On Long-Term Care Needs And Utilization, John Kouch

UCHC Graduate School Masters Theses 2003 - 2010

No abstract provided.

Inequality, Physician Distribution, And Health In Illinois Counties: A Three-Stage Least Squares Model, Martin Mistretta, Karen Peters

International Journal of Global Health and Health Disparities

Government health policies often do not succeed as planned, possibly due to income inequality. Its importance is often overlooked when searching for the causes of poor health and when developing strategies to improve the health of Americans. This research uses an advanced statistical technique to study the relationship between income inequality, racial/ethnic, and rural/urban disparities in health for counties in Illinois. Primary care physician to population ratios were also controlled in three-stage least squares econometric models. Mortality data were used as the health measure. Simultaneity between certain variables was accounted for: something not previously studied. Income inequality in the Illinois …

Fusion, 2009, George Washington University, William H. Beaumont Medical Research Honor Society

Fusion

No abstract provided.

Tobacco Control Polices Are Egalitarian: A Vulnerabilities Perspective On Clean Indoor Air Laws, Cigarette Prices, And Tobacco Use Disparities, Alexis Dinno, Stanton Glantz

Community Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study models independent associations of state or local strong clean indoor air laws and cigarette prices with current smoker status and consumption in a multilevel framework, including interactions with educational attainment, household income and race/ethnicity and the relationships of these policies to vulnerabilities in smoking behavior. Cross sectional survey data are employed from the February 2002 panel of the Tobacco Use Supplement of the Current Population Survey (54,024 individuals representing the US population aged 15 to 80). Nonlinear relationships between both outcome variables and the predictors were modeled. Independent associations of strong clean indoor air laws were found for …

Pilot Community-Based Intervention To Address The Needs Of Elderly Caregivers In The Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, Priscilla Reddy, Shegs James, H. Mutumba Bilay-Boon, Eka Esu-Williams, Hena Khan

HIV and AIDS

The HIV epidemic in South Africa has placed a substantial burden on elderly caregivers, mainly women, who are often tasked with caring for their grandchildren who are orphaned and rendered vulnerable by the death or illness of their parents. The Medical Research Council (MRC), Age-in-Action, and the Horizons Program conducted formative research, as described in this research summary, to assess the needs of elderly caregivers in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa in 2005. The investigations revealed that elderly caregivers faced a number of challenges including difficulty communicating with youth, fears and a sense of hopelessness around matters regarding …

Interventions To Reduce Recidivism Rates Among Juvenile Offenders, Rebecca Arnold

International Journal of Global Health and Health Disparities

This paper will review epidemiologic literature on interventions that contribute favorably to reducing rates of recidivism among juvenile offenders. In this context, the exposures are the various interventions and treatment modalities that may be used in an attempt to prevent recidivism; the disease (outcome) is recidivism. Recidivism is defined as "the tendency to relapse into a previously undesirable type of behavior, especially crime." For the purpose of this review, "juvenile offender" includes boys and girls aged 12-21 who can be classified as juvenile delinquents and/or who have committed at least one violent crime; the juvenile offenders in the studies reviewed …

Ethical Considerations Of Genetic Presymptomatic Testing For Huntington's Disease, Alberto Coustasse, Alicia Pekar, Andrew Sikula Sr., Sue Lurie

Management Faculty Research

The aim of this literature review was to determine if there is adequate ethical justification for presymptomatic genetic testing on potential Huntington's disease patients. Huntington's disease is a neurological genetic disorder characterized by midlife onset which consists of cognitive, physical, and emotional deterioration. Although genetic testing has traditionally been guided by the principle of autonomy, severe psychological consequences such as depression, anxiety, survival guilt, and suicide have complicated the ethical issue of providing a presymptomatic yet definitive diagnosis for an incurable disease. An analysis of available articles yielded inconclusive findings, namely due to insufficient evidence, self-selection bias of test participants, …

Reasons For Urban Trail Use Predict Levels Of Trail-Related Physical Activity, Genevieve Dunton, Donna Spruijt-Metz, Jennifer Wolch, Chih-Ping Chou, Michael Jerrett, Jason Byrne, Susan Weaver, Kim D. Reynolds

CGU Faculty Publications and Research

Background:

Efforts to increase community levels of physical activity through the development of multiuse urban trails could be strengthened by information about factors predicting trail use. This study examined whether reasons for trail use predict levels of physical activity on urban trails.

Methods:

Adults (N = 335) living within a 1-mile buffer zone of urban trails in Chicago, Dallas, and Los Angeles completed a self-report measure assessing demographics, reason for trail use, and physical activity on the trail. Accelerometers measured total daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Environmental features of the urban trail were assessed with the Systematic Pedestrian and Cyclist …

Affective Decision-Making Predictive Of Chinese Adolescent Drinking Behaviors, Lin Xiao, Antoine Bechara, Jerry L. Grenard, Alan W. Stacy, Paula Palmer, Yonglan Wei, Yong Jia, Xiaolu Fu, C. Anderson Johnson

CGU Faculty Publications and Research

The goal of the current investigation was to address whether affective decision making would serve as a unique neuropsychological marker to predict drinking behaviors among adolescents. We conducted a longitudinal study of 181 Chinese adolescents in Chengdu city, China. In their 10th grade (ages 15–16), these adolescents were tested for their affective decision-making ability using the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and working memory capacity using the Self-Ordered Pointing Test. Self-report questionnaires were used to assess academic performance and drinking behaviors. At 1-year follow-up, questionnaires were completed to assess drinking behaviors, and the UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale was used to examine …

Risk Assessment For Suicide Behaviour : Clinical Challenges, Amresh Srivastava, Charles Nelson

Data and Test Instruments

This is an audio-visual about risk assessment of suicide behavior. Part 1. Reformulating the concept of RISK and a New instrument for assessment: Risk assessment is an important clinical responsibility, which can be ‘life-saving’. Literature on risk factors has become voluminous; however a traditional risk assessment does not take into account the most relevant factors. This reflects the prevailing conceptualization of risk, which has not been fully and completely tied to clinical outcomes. Psychopathology is currently understood in biopsychosocial terms. A more progressive conceptualization of risk should consider the interplay of both, risk and protective factors. The present work proposes …

Pharmacists’ And Pharmacy Students’ Ability To Identify Drug-Related Problems Using Timer (Tool To Improve Medications In The Elderly Via Review), Sarah Snyder Lee, Ann K. Schwemm, Jeffrey Reist, Matthew Cantrell, Michael Andreski, William R. Doucette, Elizabeth A. Chrischilles, Karen B. Farris

United States Public Health Resources

Objective. Determine the effectiveness of TIMER (Tool to Improve Medications in the Elderly via Review) in helping pharmacists and pharmacy students identify drug-related problems during patient medication reviews.
Methods. In a randomized, controlled study design, geriatric patient cases were sent to 136 pharmacists and 108 third-year pharmacy students who were asked to identify drug related-problems (DRPs) with and without using TIMER.
Results. Pharmacists identified more tool-related DRPs using TIMER (p 5 0.027). Pharmacy students identified more tool-related DRPs using TIMER in the first case (p 5 0.02), but not in the second.
Conclusion. TIMER increased the number of DRPs identified …

Evaluation Of Hiv Counseling And Testing In Anc Settings And Adherence To Short Course Antiretroviral Prophylaxis For Pmtct In Francistown, Botswana, Carolyn Baek, Tracy Creek, Lee Ann Jones, Louis Apicella, Jennifer Redner, Naomi Rutenberg

HIV and AIDS

The vast majority of children infected with HIV are the result of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of the virus during pregnancy, labor, or breastfeeding. Botswana is one of the first countries in the developing world with a national prevention program (PMTCT) to reduce vertical transmission. The Horizons Program of the Population Council, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Premiere Personnel in Botswana, conducted an evaluation to describe the adherence of pregnant women to the current PMTCT regimen. The report recommends standardizing post-test counseling content through the use of job aids and adapting existing WHO materials, …

The Afford Health Marketing Initiative In Uganda: Mid-Term Evaluation, Oleksandr Rohozynsky, Christie Billingsley, Annette Bongiovanni

HIV and AIDS

AFFORD is a five-year (2005–10) social marketing initiative financed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Uganda. It supports the Uganda Ministry of Health’s strategic plan to promote positive health-care-seeking behavior and reduce the shortage of health products and services related to family planning and reproductive health; child health; malaria prevention and treatment; and HIV prevention, care, and treatment. AFFORD seeks to achieve the sustainable marketing of products and services that prevent transmission of HIV, malaria, and diarrheal diseases; to help couples plan their families; and to help people living with HIV enjoy improved quality of life. Target groups …

The Overlooked Epidemic: Addressing Hiv Prevention And Treatment Among Men Who Have Sex With Men In Sub-Saharan Africa, National Aids Control Council Of Kenya, Population Council

HIV and AIDS

Globally, less than 1 out of 20 men who have sex with men (MSM) has access to HIV prevention and care. UNAIDS has estimated that at least 5 to 10 percent of all HIV infections globally occur through male-to-male sexual activity. In spite of the high risk of HIV infection and evidence of extensive sexual networks, national HIV programs in Africa have been slow to address MSM in prevention and treatment efforts. To address these issues, the Population Council and the National AIDS Control Council of Kenya convened a meeting on May 14–15, 2008. The goals of the meeting were …

Adolescent Girls In Urban Ethiopia: Vulnerability And Opportunity, Abebaw Ferede, Annabel Erulkar

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

In 2008, the Population Council undertook a survey of out-of-school, adolescent girls (aged 10 to 19) in slum areas of urban Ethiopia—a population that is highly vulnerable to HIV infection. The survey serves as a baseline for HIV prevention programs designed and implemented jointly by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Regional Bureaus of Youth and Sports, and the Population Council. This study provided valuable direction for programmers interested in supporting adolescent girls, particularly early adolescent (10 to 14 years old) and out-of-school girls who are highly vulnerable and in need of dedicated attention. Special efforts are needed to support …

Kwazulu-Natal Department Of Health Policy And Guidelines For Integrated Ante And Postnatal Care At District Hospital Community Health Centre And Clinic Level, Population Council

Reproductive Health

A 2006 baseline survey conducted by CARE Kenya indicated that sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is widespread throughout Kenya’s North Eastern Province. Other findings revealed that high levels of stigma and gender imbalances are associated with sexual violence and female genital mutilation (FGM) and that a coordinated approach to responding to the service needs of survivors is missing. As noted in this report, there is limited awareness of the legal mechanisms available to survivors. The Population Council’s study in Wajir District ascertained the need for and possible components of an integrated and comprehensive services model that could meet the needs …