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Structural Inference In Transition Measurement Error Models For Longitudinal Data, Wenqin Pan, Xihong Lin, Donglin Zeng

Harvard University Biostatistics Working Paper Series

No abstract provided.

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Estimation In Semiparametric Transition Measurement Error Models For Longitudinal Data, Wenqin Pan, Donglin Zeng, Xihong Lin

Harvard University Biostatistics Working Paper Series

No abstract provided.

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A Comparison Of Methods For Estimating The Causal Effect Of A Treatment In Randomized Clinical Trials Subject To Noncompliance, Rod Little, Qi Long, Xihong Lin

Harvard University Biostatistics Working Paper Series

No abstract provided.

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Body Image And Weight Related Behaviors: The Role Of Gender, Ethnicity, And Immigration, Tina Hoover

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Obesity rates have aggressively climbed in both children and adults, and notably for particular ethnic and lower socioeconomic status groups. National data from 1999-2002 have shown that approximately one-half of African-American women were obese, as compared to one-third of Caucasian women. It has been substantiated that a significant portion of overweight or obese children will become obese adults, with a number of factors identified that may influence obesity in children including gender, ethnicity, and environment. This study analyzed secondary data from The Youth Behavioral Risk Factor Survey administered to students at BGHS to identify variations in body image for particular …

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Factors Affecting Condom Use Among College Students, Amar Kanekar

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The absence of consistent and correct usage of condoms increases the risk of STI's and HIV/AIDS. However, most studies done to date across the nation indicate a low usage of condoms among college students. In fall of 2004, the National College Health Assessment was administered to a random sample of students at a state comprehensive university in south central Kentucky. Findings revealed that among the sexually active students, approximately half never used condoms during vaginal intercourse. Further among students engaging in anal sex, an alarmingly high proportion --95%- reported never using condom during this act. These findings along with differences …

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Mechanisms Of Sickle Cell Anemia, Gary M. Onady, Lawrence Prochaska, John F. Donnelly, John Paietta, Dean Parmelee, Barbara Schuster

Family Medicine Faculty Publications

Team-based learning (TBL) is a well-defined instructional strategy that allows a single instructor to teach by conducting multiple small groups simultaneously in the same classroom. Learners actively participate in and out of class as they move through three phases: independent study assignments, readiness assurance testing, and group activities that force them to put knowledge into practice. Students prepare in advance by reading an assigned article. Class time is shifted away from learning facts and toward application and integration of information. The instructor retains control of content and acts as both facilitator and content expert. This TBL program is designed to …

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Relative Risk Regression In Medical Research: Models, Contrasts, Estimators, And Algorithms, Thomas Lumley, Richard Kronmal, Shuangge Ma

UW Biostatistics Working Paper Series

The relative risk or prevalence ratio is a natural and familiar summary of association between a binary outcome and an exposure or intervention. For rare events, the relative risk can be approximately estimated by logistic regression. For common events estimation is more difficult. We review proposed estimation algorithms for relative risk regression. Some of these give inconsistent estimates or invalid standard errors. We show that the methods that give correct inference can be viewed as arising from a family of quasilikelihood estimating functions for the same generalized linear model, differing in their efficiency and in their robustness to outlying values …

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Investigating Mediation When Counterfactuals Are Not Metaphysical: Does Sunlight Uvb Exposure Mediate The Effect Of Eyeglasses On Cataracts?, Brian Egleston, Daniel O. Scharfstein, Beatriz Munoz, Sheila West

Johns Hopkins University, Dept. of Biostatistics Working Papers

We investigate the degree to which a reduction in ocular sunlight ultra-violet B (UVB) exposure mediates a relationship between wearing eyeglasses and a decreased risk of cataracts. An estimand is proposed in which causal effects are estimated locally within strata based on potential UVB exposure without glasses and the degree to which glasses use reduces UVB exposure. We take advantage of the structure of the data in which the counterfactual UVB exposures if the participants in the study who wore glasses had not worn glasses are considered observable.

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Causal Comparisons In Randomized Trials Of Two Active Treatments: The Effect Of Supervised Exercise To Promote Smoking Cessation, Jason Roy, Joseph W. Hogan

COBRA Preprint Series

In behavioral medicine trials, such as smoking cessation trials, two or more active treatments are often compared. Noncompliance by some subjects with their assigned treatment poses a challenge to the data analyst. Causal parameters of interest might include those defined by subpopulations based on their potential compliance status under each assignment, using the principal stratification framework (e.g., causal effect of new therapy compared to standard therapy among subjects that would comply with either intervention). Even if subjects in one arm do not have access to the other treatment(s), the causal effect of each treatment typically can only be identified from …

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Measuring The Influence Of Built Neighborhood Environments On Walking In Older Adults, Yvonne L. Michael, Tracey Beard, Dongseok Choi, Stephanie Farquhar, Nichole Carlson

Community Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Examined the degree of association between perceived and objective characteristics of the neighborhood environment and the relation of each type of measurement to neighborhood walking in older adults. Participants included 105 adults aged 65-92 (mean age 75.1) from 10 neighborhoods in Portland, Oregon, participating in Senior Health and Physical Exercise (SHAPE), a randomized walking intervention. Neighborhoods were stratified by a "walking friendliness" ranking variable. This variable was derived for each neighborhood based on available social and environmental data that were hypothesized to correlate with walking and physical activity: high income, high older adult population density, high proportion of white residents, …

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Jefferson Medical College Annual Report, 2006, Thomas J. Nasca

Jefferson Medical College Administrative Documents and Reports

No abstract provided.

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Clark County Child Death Review: 2006 Annual Report, Nevada Institute For Children’S Research And Policy

Nevada Institute for Children's Research and Policy Reports

The primary goal of all Child Death Review Teams is to prevent future child deaths. The child death review process enables jurisdictions to come together in a collaborative, multidisciplinary forum to openly discuss detailed circumstances in an effort to gain a better understanding of child deaths. The team provides a venue for representatives from a variety of both public and private agencies as well as community organizations to share information in a confidential and non-threatening environment. The National Center for Child Death Review (hereinafter, National Center), which is supported by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of the U.S. Department …

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Navigating Medicare Part D:A Personal Experience With The New Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit, Daniel Z. Louis

Population Health Matters (Formerly Health Policy Newsletter)

No abstract provided.

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Criterion Validity Of The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index: Investigation In A Non-Clinical Sample, Michael A. Grandner, Daniel F. Kripke, In-Young Yoon, Shawn D. Youngstedt

Faculty Publications

The objective of this study was to investigate the reliability and validity of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) in a non-clinical sample consisting of younger and older adults. There has been little research validating the PSQI with respect to multinight recording as with actigraphy, and more validation is needed in samples not specifically selected for clinical disturbance. Also, the degree to which the PSQI scores may reflect depressive symptoms versus actual sleep disturbance remains unclear. One-hundred and twelve volunteers (53 younger and 59 older) were screened for their ability to perform treadmill exercises; inclusion was not based on sleep …

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Feasibility Of Gdaha Hospitals Meeting The Surge Capacity And Capability Requirements Of An Avian Flu Pandemic In The Miami Valley, Raymond P. Ten Eyck

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Hospital surge capacity is a crucial portion of disaster preparedness planning within a community. The demands generated by a disaster require additional capacity, in the form of beds, equipment, personnel, and special capabilities. The scope and urgency of these requirements must be balanced with a practical approach addressing cost and space concerns. The advent of new infectious disease threats, particularly an avian flu pandemic, have reinforced the need to be prepared for a prolonged surge, lasting six to eight weeks, in addition to the shorter duration surges required for industrial accidents, tornados, chemical disasters and terrorists. Using a standardized data …

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Disease Mapping And Spatial Regression With Count Data, Jon Wakefield

UW Biostatistics Working Paper Series

In this paper we provide critical reviews of methods suggested for the analysis of aggregate count data in the context of disease mapping and spatial regression. We introduce a new method for picking prior distributions, and propose a number of refinements of previously-used models. We also consider ecological bias, mutual standardization, and choice of both spatial model and prior specification. We analyze male lip cancer incidence data collected in Scotland over the period 1975–1980, and outline a number of problems with previous analyses of these data. A number of recommendations are provided. In disease mapping studies, hierarchical models can provide …

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Assessment Of Whole Grain Intake And Health Correlates In An Aging Population, Alexis Howard

Senior Honors Projects

Research suggests that whole grain intake may decrease the risk of heart disease, type II diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and many types of cancer. The overall goal of this work is to increase the health status of an older adult population through comprehensive nutrition risk assessment and exposure to tailored nutrition education interventions. This project involved assisting in baseline and post-intervention assessment of the knowledge, attitude, and intake of whole grain foods within a convenience sample of fifty-eight older adults residing in low-income housing sites across Rhode Island. Anthropometry, including height, weight, waist circumference, and blood pressure was measured, along with …

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A Coprological View Of Ancestral Pueblo Cannibalism, Karl Reinhard

Karl Reinhard Publications

As the object of my scientific study, I’ve chosen coprolites. It’s not a common choice, but to a paleonutritionist and archaeoparasitologist, a coprolite—a sample of ancient feces preserved by mineralization or simple drying—is a scientific bonanza. Analysis of coprolites can shed light on both the nutrition of and parasites found in prehistoric cultures. Dietary reconstructions from the analysis of coprolites can inform us about, for example, the origins of modern Native American diabetes. With regard to parasitology; coprolites hold information about the ancient emergence and spread of human infectious disease. Most sensational, however, is the recent role of coprolite analysis …

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Data Integration And Storage: Managing And Using Home And Community-Based Services Data For Quality Improvement, Carolyn E. Gray Mph, Maureen Booth Mrp, Ma

Disability & Aging

This paper reports on data integration from a program manager’s perspective. The paper is not meant to be an exhaustive research document, nor does it single out any one correct approach. The paper is meant to facilitate communication between program units and analytic staff and serve as one reference for states as they continue to improve upon data collection techniques and use this information for ongoing quality management and improvement.

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Working With The Tabu: Hiv/Aids Education Strategies In Fiji, Amanda Butts

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The focus of this paper is the cultural tabu, or taboo, in Fiji that prevents the open discussion of sex and therefore complicates education efforts towards HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention. Specific factors perpetuate the tabu including using it as an excuse to simply ignore a complex issue such as HIV/AIDS and using it to keep sex off social agendas in a predominantly Christian nation. Where organizations have taken strides to work with or break the tabu, the author examines and analyzes various education strategies employed by a variety of sectors including schools, health care facilities, faith-based organizations, the HIV positive …

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Sex-Education And Preventative And Contraceptive Services: Educação-Sexual E Serviços Contraceptivos E Preventativos, Elizabeth M. Ortiz

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Maternal morbidity is one of the leading causes of death amongst women in Latina America. Lack of access to Reproductive Health services has incited a continental epidemic amongst adolescent women - and should be considered a public health crisis. Yet, there is little being done by the governing male bodies to secure access and the Right to Reproductive Health services. This is not only a means of re-enforcing gendered inequalities- but also class, and racial disparities. Reproductive Health in Brazil and Northeastern Brazil in particular, serves as an allegory for socio-economic, gender, ethnic, and racial inequality in the region. The …

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Sexually Transmitted Infections: Perceived Knowledge Versus Actual Knowledge, Heather Ferguson, Richard Topolski, Marc Miller

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) continue to be a serious problem, with potentially severe consequences. Past research has found that people may not seek out treatment for STIs because they do not know what symptoms to look for (Greenberg et al., 2002). The present study investigated many aspects of STI knowledge, including perceived knowledge and actually knowledge. Moreover, this study added a novel and applied aspect to the assessment of STI knowledge: visual knowledge. Overall, participants performed poorly on the actual STI knowledge, however, those who rated their knowledge as high performed significantly better than those who rated their knowledge as …

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An Examination Of Adolescents’ Knowledge And Attitudes Related To Heart Disease, Nutrition, Physical Activity, And Media Influences And The Adoption Of A Healthy Lifestyle, Melissa Schenkman, Randolph Martin, Susan Butler

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

The present pilot study aimed to determine the attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and degree of knowledge among adolescents related to healthy eating, exercise, heart disease, the influence of television, and possible factors in modifying their attitudes toward adopting a healthy lifestyle. Juniors and seniors from two private high schools (N=62) in metro Atlanta were surveyed. The study was based on the Social Cognitive Theory and the Health Belief Model. The research questions examined the impact of nutrition and heart disease knowledge on physical activity behavior, and the impact of television media exposure on eating habits. A 36-question cross-sectional survey compiled from …

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Knowledge And Attitudes Of Restaurant Operators Concerning The Requirements Of The Georgia Smoke-Free Air Act, Jeffrey B. Fountain

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

The State of Georgia enacted the Georgia Smoke-Free Air Act (GSAA) in 2005 to limit smoking in public places including restaurants. The purpose of this study was to determine if a correlation exists between restaurant operators’ attitude toward smoking regulation and prevention and their knowledge of requirements of the GSAA. Participants from Atkinson, Bacon, and Jeff Davis counties, three of the smaller populated rural counties of the Southeast Health District, completed questionnaires for this study (n = 41). The correlation was weak and not determined to be statistically significant (r = -.251) but did indicate restaurant operators agree they have …

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Sensitivity Of The Hazard Ratio To Non-Ignorable Treatment Assignment In An Observational Study, Nandita Mitra, Daniel F. Heitjan

UPenn Biostatistics Working Papers

In non-randomized studies, estimation of treatment effects generally requires adjustment for imbalances in observed covariates. One such method, based on the propensity score, is useful in many applications but may be biased when the assumption of strongly ignorable treatment assignment is violated. Because it is not possible to evaluate this assumption from the data, it is advisable to assess the sensitivity of conclusions to violations of strong ignorability. Lin et al [1] have implemented this idea by investigating how an unmeasured covariate may affect the conclusions of an observational study. We extend their method to assess sensitivity of the treatment …

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Development Of An Evaluation Methodology For Hazardous Waste Training Programs, Ryan A. Crowley

Theses and Dissertations

The Purpose of this research was to develop a methodology to measure hazardous waste training programs. The Air Force Material Command (AFMC) hazardous waste training program was used to conduct this research. To measure the effectiveness of AFMC's hazardous waste training program, the research attempted to answer four research questions. These questions addressed correlations between hazardous waste training programs and Environmental Compliance Assessment and Management Program (ECAMP) findings, the understanding personnel have of hazardous waste principles and concepts, the effectiveness of hazardous waste training courses, and how personnel feel about the hazardous waste training they are receiving. In addition, the …

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Pnes: Neuropsychological Impairments & Psychological Symptomatology, Adriana Macias

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The present study utilized a standardized neuropsychological evaluation and self report measures to compare 52 female patients, 18 years of age and older with a video-electroencephalogram (V-EEG) confirmed diagnosis of psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) (n₁=29) to a group of left temporal lobe epilepsy (L-TLE) demographically matched patients (n₂=23). In an attempt to overcome methodological confounds of previously reported studies, participants were chosen based on stringent exclusion criteria, which barred mixed etiologies. The purpose of this study was to investigate possible differences in neuropsychological functioning, mood, and personality characteristics between individuals with PNES and those with L-TLE. …

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Analysis Of Patient Information: An Empirical Modeling Approach, Tony A. Murphy

Theses and Dissertations

With rising costs and increasing complexities, many hospitals seek to better understand the intricate details of their operations. Increasingly, these organizations have a strong desire to accurately predict the resources required to effectively treat their patient load. This research investigates patient length-of-stay in a hospital neurological unit using an empirical modeling approach. Factors significantly affecting patient length of stay were identified and used to construct a regression model. The predictive model provides hospital decision makers with a compact tool to input what-if scenarios and predict future patient treatment lengths, thus, allowing the hospital to properly allocate resources.

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La Bibliothèque Publique, Un Lieu De Travail : L'Ergonomie Appliquée À Un Projet D'Aménagement De Comptoir De Service, Patrick Vincent, Micheline Marier, Élise Ledoux, Marie Bellemare, Louis Trudel, Sylvie Montreuil

Rapports de recherche scientifique

No abstract provided.

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Tag Snp Selection For Finnish Individuals Based On The Ceph Utah Hapmap Database, Cristen J. Willer, Laura J. Scott, Lori L. Bonnycastle

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

The pattern and nature of linkage disequilibrium in the human genome is being studied and catalogued as part of the International HapMap Project [2003: Nature 426:789-796]. A key goal of the HapMap Project is to enable identification of tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that capture a substantial portion of common human genetic variability while requiring only a small fraction of SNPs to be genotyped [International HapMap Consortium, 2005: Nature 437:1299-1320]. In the current study, we examined the effectiveness of using the CEU HapMap database to select tag SNPs for a Finnish sample. We selected SNPs in a 17.9-Mb region of …

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Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Structural Inference In Transition Measurement Error Models For Longitudinal Data, Wenqin Pan, Xihong Lin, Donglin Zeng

Harvard University Biostatistics Working Paper Series

Estimation In Semiparametric Transition Measurement Error Models For Longitudinal Data, Wenqin Pan, Donglin Zeng, Xihong Lin

Harvard University Biostatistics Working Paper Series

A Comparison Of Methods For Estimating The Causal Effect Of A Treatment In Randomized Clinical Trials Subject To Noncompliance, Rod Little, Qi Long, Xihong Lin

Harvard University Biostatistics Working Paper Series

Body Image And Weight Related Behaviors: The Role Of Gender, Ethnicity, And Immigration, Tina Hoover

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Factors Affecting Condom Use Among College Students, Amar Kanekar

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Mechanisms Of Sickle Cell Anemia, Gary M. Onady, Lawrence Prochaska, John F. Donnelly, John Paietta, Dean Parmelee, Barbara Schuster

Family Medicine Faculty Publications

Relative Risk Regression In Medical Research: Models, Contrasts, Estimators, And Algorithms, Thomas Lumley, Richard Kronmal, Shuangge Ma

UW Biostatistics Working Paper Series

Investigating Mediation When Counterfactuals Are Not Metaphysical: Does Sunlight Uvb Exposure Mediate The Effect Of Eyeglasses On Cataracts?, Brian Egleston, Daniel O. Scharfstein, Beatriz Munoz, Sheila West

Johns Hopkins University, Dept. of Biostatistics Working Papers

Causal Comparisons In Randomized Trials Of Two Active Treatments: The Effect Of Supervised Exercise To Promote Smoking Cessation, Jason Roy, Joseph W. Hogan

COBRA Preprint Series

Measuring The Influence Of Built Neighborhood Environments On Walking In Older Adults, Yvonne L. Michael, Tracey Beard, Dongseok Choi, Stephanie Farquhar, Nichole Carlson

Community Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Jefferson Medical College Annual Report, 2006, Thomas J. Nasca

Jefferson Medical College Administrative Documents and Reports

Clark County Child Death Review: 2006 Annual Report, Nevada Institute For Children’S Research And Policy

Nevada Institute for Children's Research and Policy Reports

Navigating Medicare Part D:A Personal Experience With The New Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit, Daniel Z. Louis

Population Health Matters (Formerly Health Policy Newsletter)

Criterion Validity Of The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index: Investigation In A Non-Clinical Sample, Michael A. Grandner, Daniel F. Kripke, In-Young Yoon, Shawn D. Youngstedt

Faculty Publications

Feasibility Of Gdaha Hospitals Meeting The Surge Capacity And Capability Requirements Of An Avian Flu Pandemic In The Miami Valley, Raymond P. Ten Eyck

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Disease Mapping And Spatial Regression With Count Data, Jon Wakefield

UW Biostatistics Working Paper Series

Assessment Of Whole Grain Intake And Health Correlates In An Aging Population, Alexis Howard

Senior Honors Projects

A Coprological View Of Ancestral Pueblo Cannibalism, Karl Reinhard

Karl Reinhard Publications

Data Integration And Storage: Managing And Using Home And Community-Based Services Data For Quality Improvement, Carolyn E. Gray Mph, Maureen Booth Mrp, Ma

Disability & Aging

Working With The Tabu: Hiv/Aids Education Strategies In Fiji, Amanda Butts

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Sex-Education And Preventative And Contraceptive Services: Educação-Sexual E Serviços Contraceptivos E Preventativos, Elizabeth M. Ortiz

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Sexually Transmitted Infections: Perceived Knowledge Versus Actual Knowledge, Heather Ferguson, Richard Topolski, Marc Miller

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

An Examination Of Adolescents’ Knowledge And Attitudes Related To Heart Disease, Nutrition, Physical Activity, And Media Influences And The Adoption Of A Healthy Lifestyle, Melissa Schenkman, Randolph Martin, Susan Butler

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Knowledge And Attitudes Of Restaurant Operators Concerning The Requirements Of The Georgia Smoke-Free Air Act, Jeffrey B. Fountain

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Sensitivity Of The Hazard Ratio To Non-Ignorable Treatment Assignment In An Observational Study, Nandita Mitra, Daniel F. Heitjan

UPenn Biostatistics Working Papers

Development Of An Evaluation Methodology For Hazardous Waste Training Programs, Ryan A. Crowley

Theses and Dissertations

Pnes: Neuropsychological Impairments & Psychological Symptomatology, Adriana Macias

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Analysis Of Patient Information: An Empirical Modeling Approach, Tony A. Murphy

Theses and Dissertations

La Bibliothèque Publique, Un Lieu De Travail : L'Ergonomie Appliquée À Un Projet D'Aménagement De Comptoir De Service, Patrick Vincent, Micheline Marier, Élise Ledoux, Marie Bellemare, Louis Trudel, Sylvie Montreuil

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Tag Snp Selection For Finnish Individuals Based On The Ceph Utah Hapmap Database, Cristen J. Willer, Laura J. Scott, Lori L. Bonnycastle

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works