Digital Commons Network^™

Comparison Between Acute Leukaemia Screening Tube And Lineage Specific Panels For The Diagnosis Of Acute Leukaemia At The Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi, Douglas Irimu Munga

Master of Medicine in Clinical Pathology

Introduction; Acute leukaemia is a heterogeneous group of haematological malignancies. It is categorized depending on the immature cells that proliferate and replace the normal tissue in the bone marrow. The broad categories are acute myeloid leukaemia if the immature cells are myeloblasts and acute lymphoid leukaemia if lymphoblasts. Other rare categories are blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) and acute leukaemias of ambiguous lineage which include acute undifferentiated leukaemia and mixed phenotype acute leukaemias (MPALs). The classification is important as the treatment and management differ hence a timely and accurate diagnosis is paramount. Multiparameter comparison of the immunophenotype is possible …

Addressing Healthcare Disparities Faced By Aging Down Syndrome Populations, Rhea Mistry

Pitzer Senior Theses

Down syndrome (DS) is a chromosomal genetic condition that impacts the development of the body and brain. The life expectancy of individuals with DS has drastically improved over the decades, increasing from 9 years in 1929 to 25 years in 1983 and further reaching 60 years by 2002. Individuals with DS face a variety of prominent co-occurring health conditions that are subject to change over time, including cognitive, visual, and hearing impairments, sleep apnea, cardiovascular defects, Down syndrome regression disorder, and dementia. Despite this increase in life span, DS is still most familiar to pediatric care providers, resulting in healthcare …

Dental Students’ Psychological Stress: A Comprehensive Investigation Of Stress Inducing Factors At Mohammed Vi University Of Sciences And Health, Latifa El Mouden, Elmehdi Fettach

Health Sciences

Dental students are significantly confronted with mental health problems. We conducted a prospective recruitment of students at the Faculty of Dentistry of the Mohammed VI University of Sciences and Health to investigate the determinants of stress specific to this population in order to find solutions to improve their quality of life. In our study, 410 students responded to the survey, the average age of the students was 21.51 ± 2.102 years, 70% were female, 30% were in their 6th year, and 60% of the students were from Casablanca. The average MSP-25B score was 101.94 ± 33.035. In our study, there …

Pilot Study Evaluating A Brief Chronic Pain Education Program In Occupational Therapy Practitioners, Occupational Therapy Students, And Lay People, Rose Mcandrew, Jacob Sturtevant, Vicki K. Kaskutas

Translational Science in Occupation

Background: Chronic pain and resultant disability can persist long after tissue healing. Past research suggests educating individuals about chronic pain is efficacious in changing knowledge, health beliefs, and healthcare utilization. This study piloted an educational intervention to teach participants about the nature of chronic, nociplastic pain.

Design: Pre-post study using three groups: occupational therapy (OT) practitioners, OT students, and lay people.

Methods: Participants rated their agreement with four statements pre-intervention regarding the relationship between chronic pain, tissue damage, and activity performance to ascertain accurate knowledge. Participants were presented with studies comparing acute and chronic pain and acknowledging that some people …

Factors Associated With The Prevalence Of Iron Deficiency And Anemia In Women Of Reproductive Age In The U.S.: Nhanes 2015-2020, Catherine Wise

All Master's Theses

Iron deficiency (ID) is well recognized as the most prevalent nutrient insufficiency and a leading cause of anemia. Women of reproductive age (WRA), females 15 to 49, are at an increased risk of ID and anemia. This is due to the heightened iron demands of this life stage, including puberty, menstruation, and pregnancy, which require iron intakes ranging from 15 to 27 mg/day. Poor health and nutrition increase the risk of ID and progression to anemia. Consequences of ID and anemia range from exhaustion and decreased cognitive function to an increased risk of mortality. This study aimed to assess the …

Diagnostic Utility Of Chest Radiographs In Children With Clinically Diagnosed Pneumonia As Per The Kenya Basic Paediatric Protocol, Ivy Waruguru Wakahora

Master of Medicine in Imaging and Diagnostic Radiology

Introduction; Pneumonia causes significant morbidity and mortality in children globally, emphasizing the need for accurate diagnosis. While chest radiographs have traditionally been the gold standard for diagnosis, recent international guidelines discourage their routine use in paediatric community acquired pneumonia (pCAP). Despite this, chest radiographs are still regularly acquired for pneumonia diagnosis, resulting in practice variations and imaging overutilization. This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic utility of chest radiographs in children with clinically diagnosed pneumonia as per the Kenya Basic Paediatric Protocol (KBPP).

Materials and methods: Data was retrospectively reviewed of 159 paediatric patients at Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi …

Effects Of Ultrasonic Use On Hearing Loss In Dental Hygienists: A Matched Pairs Design Study, Jessica Suedbeck, Emily A. Ludwig, James Blando, Nathan Michalak

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose: Dental professionals are exposed to hazardous noise levels on a daily basis in clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to compare the hearing status of dental hygienists who utilize ultrasonic scalers in the workplace compared to age-matched control participants (non-dental hygienists) who were not exposed to ultrasonic noise.

Methods: A convenience sample of nineteen dental hygienists (experimental) and nineteen non-dental hygienists (control) was recruited for this study. A matched pairs design was utilized; participants in each group were matched based on age and gender to eliminate confounding variables. The testing procedure consisted of an audiologist performing a …

Perception, Awareness, And Practices Toward The Pm2.5 During The Air Pollution Episode Among Chinese Students In Bangkok And Vicinity, Thailand: A Cross-Sectional Study, Jiali Chen

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Air pollution poses a significant public health threat to urban populations worldwide. Mobile groups such as international students face unique vulnerabilities, but their risk adaptation capacity remains understudied. This study assessed awareness, perception, and protective measures of PM2.5 among Chinese international students in Bangkok and its vicinity. This study used a validated scale to conduct a cross-sectional survey of 393 participants. The results revealed that while students exhibited a high level of risk perception regarding air pollution (mean score: 48.0 ± 7.6), their awareness was relatively low (mean score: 6.3 ± 2.9), with only 3.8% of respondents demonstrating "high awareness". …

Patient Satisfaction Among Saudi Academic Hospitals: A Systematic Review, Ahmed Ali Alasiri, Saad A. Alotaibi, Eric Schussler

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Purpose: To systematically review the patient's satisfaction (PS) levels within academic hospitals in Saudi Arabia from January 2012 to the end of October 2022.

Data Sources: Articles were gathered from PubMed, ProQuest, Google Scholar and Web of Science.

Study selection/data extraction: This review identified studies that assessed PS in Saudi Arabian university hospitals. Articles published before January 2012, as well as commentary letters, conference papers, theses and dissertations, were excluded. The study employed the five domains of PS as outlined by Boquiren et al. Two independent reviewers independently identified qualifying studies, used the Joanna Briggs Institute tools …

Examining Menstrual Health Experiences In Philadelphia, Pa: A Qualitative Investigation, Allison Casola, Oriana Pando, Lynette Medley, Brianna Kunes, Nya Mcglone, Olivia Rea

Department of Family & Community Medicine Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: While menstruation is a physiologic process, it remains highly stigmatized. Despite the sheer number of menstruators, menstruation is a highly individualized experience, with wide variation in duration, symptoms, and management. This wide variability lends itself to large disparities in access to menstruation management products and subsequently the lived experience of menstruators.

OBJECTIVES: The research team sought to understand lived menstrual experiences, symptoms, management tactics, and commonly used and desired resources among 20 cisgendered women aged 18-45 years in Philadelphia.

DESIGN: This project was a qualitative research study.

METHODS: We used a collaborative, community-based participatory research approach with No More …

On The Area-Averaged Effective Sound Absorption Coefficient Of Porous Materials Excited By A Monopole, Franck Sgard, Noureddine Atalla, Olivier Robin, Alain Berry

Études primaires

The area-averaged effective sound absorption coefficient (SAC) of a rigid-backed homogeneous porous material subjected to a monopole excitation is calculated as the absorbed-to-incident sound power ratio. Using Allard's model to describe the sound propagation above the porous material, an analytical model for this power-based SAC is proposed and proves to give a good approximation of the sound absorption performance under monopole excitation of sufficiently large areas of material. The impact of factors on the power-based SAC, such as monopole height, material radial dimension used to calculate the sound powers, and material properties is discussed. The power-based SAC frequency-dependent behavior is …

An Impedance Tube Technique For Estimating The Insertion Loss Of Earplugs, K. Carillo, O. Doutres, F. Sgard

Études primaires

This paper proposes a quick and straightforward technique for estimating the insertion loss (IL) of earplugs measured on an acoustical test fixture (ATF) using a commercial impedance tube. In this method, the earplug's acoustic properties (i.e., its transmission loss and the reflection coefficient of its medial surface) are determined from its transfer matrix measured using the three-microphones impedance tube method modified here for the current application. The IL is then estimated using a one-dimensional analytical model of open and occluded earcanals based on the wavefield decomposition theory. The method is evaluated numerically and experimentally from 50 Hz to 6.5 kHz. …

Effect Of Personalized Spinal Profile On Its Biomechanical Response In An Emg-Assisted Optimization Musculoskeletal Model Of The Trunk, C. Larivière, A.H. Eskandari, H. M., F. Ghezelbash, D. Gagnon, A. Shirazi-Adl

Études primaires

Recent developments in musculoskeletal (MS) modeling have been geared towards model customization. Personalization of the spine profile could affect estimates of spinal loading and stability, particularly in the upright standing posture where large inter-subject variations in the lumbar lordosis have been reported. This study investigates the biomechanical consequences of changes in the spinal profile. In 31 participants (healthy and with back pain), (1) the spine external profile was measured, (2) submaximal contractions were recorded in a dynamometer to calibrate the EMG-driven MS model and finally (3) static lifting in the upright standing challenging spine stability while altering load position and …

Intelligent Thermoregulation In Personal Protective Equipment, Alireza Saidi, Chantal Gauvin

Études primaires

With the prospect of deploying intelligent thermal management in protective equipment, strategies for integrating heating and cooling actuators with modular temperature controls and automatic temperature regulation systems based on feedback from the individual’s personal and environmental parameters are discussed. © 2024 by the authors.

Modifying A Health Education Program By Utilizing Methods From Community-Based Participatory Research Framework, Tashara Grandys

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Purpose: This study determined the use of Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) and guided the modification of the Whole Body Approach (WBA) health education program. The modified program was pilot tested and implemented among neighbors at Northern Illinois Food Bank. The impact of the modification was assessed via pre and post surveys. Background and significance: WBA is a 10-week program developed by faculty at Northern Illinois University and has been taught by graduate students in collaboration with the Northern Illinois Food Bank since 2016. The program is based on the Satter Eating Competence Model and Health at Every Size and …

Exploring Usability In Exercise Interventions: From Conceptualization To Measurement And Application, Anne Inger Mørtvedt

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Exercise interventions hold promise for preventing and treating numerous conditions, diseases, and injuries. However, these interventions will only be effective if they are being used. Unfortunately, uptake and adherence to prescribed exercise and physical activity guidelines are insufficient. Some reasons for this include lack of knowledge, resources, flexibility, and enjoyment. Exercise program developers need to not only consider the effectiveness of the program during the development phase, but also involve end-users and receive feedback on program usability to determine likelihood of uptake and adoption. Usability testing can be used to detect barriers to use and implementation likelihood but has not …

Healthcare Disparities Among Hypermobile Spectrum Disorder And Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Patients, Brooke A. Martinez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) is the most common subtype of rare connective tissue disorder called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). Hypermobile Spectrum Disorder (HSD) is a connective tissue disorder that presents itself similarly to hEDS. Both disorders primarily affect individuals assigned to females at birth (AFAB), and symptoms range from joint instability, musculoskeletal pain, dizziness, fatigue, depression, and anxiety. Due to many factors like lack of education or attitudes among medical professionals (MPs), receiving a diagnosis of either of these conditions can be a challenging and grueling journey for patients. An online survey was conducted and distributed over social media platforms to …

Understanding Guardian Perceptions Of Whole-Foods Plant-Based Diets As Interventions In Pediatric Medicine, Vijay R. Luthra

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The obesity epidemic is widespread in American society, often affecting children who bear its consequences innocently. Due to a lack of nutrition knowledge, children rely on caregivers to meet their nutritional needs and instill healthy habits. This study examines parents' attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors, as well as perceived barriers to adopting a whole-foods plant-based diet (WFPD) for their children. Using a modified survey instrument by Morton et al., this study focused on parents and children regarding dietary choices. Participants were recruited from the waiting area of a pediatric clinic at the Medical College of Georgia between April and May 2023. …

A Case Study Of Hospital Contraceptive Waste Management Practices In Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Awka, Anambra State, Yanmeer S. Tyotswam, Rosebella Iseme, Eliphas G. Makunyi

Population Health, East Africa

Background: Effective management of hospital waste is a critical component of a hospital’s infection control program and is central to occupational safety for healthcare workers. Thus, this study focused on the assessment of hospital contraceptive waste management practices at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH) Awka, Anambra state, Nigeria.

Methods: A cross sectional analytical study was carried out among healthcare workers selected using multistage sampling technique in 6 categories of healthcare workers in COOUTH. Data was collected using a pre-tested semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire and a World Health Organization (WHO) checklist and analyzed using statistical package for the …

Body-Map Storytelling: A Qualitative Exploration Of The Lived Experiences Of Hospital Care Amongst Street Involved Youth, Chelsey Fedchenko

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This social work study explores the experiences of hospital care amongst street-involved (SI) youth. Given that SI youth are at a higher risk for health-related harms and experience significant barriers to health care services, they are at an increased likelihood of hospitalization. Yet, inadequate health care support for SI youth remains a critical problem in Canada. While hospital care amongst adult homeless populations has been well studied interdisciplinary, there is a scarcity of research investigating the hospital care experiences amongst SI youth. The aim of this qualitative, arts-based study was to explore how street-life contributes to hospitalization, how SI youth …

Use Of Machine Learning Approaches To Predict Transition Of Retention In Care Among People Living With Hiv In South Carolina: A Real-World Data Study, Ruilie Cai, Xueying Yang Ph.D., Yunqing Ma, Hao H. Zhang, Bankole Olatosi Ph.D., Sharon Weissman, Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Jiajia Zhang Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Maintaining retention in care (RIC) for people living with HIV (PLWH) helps achieve viral suppression and reduce onward transmission. This study aims to identify the best machine learning model that predicts the RIC transition over time. Extracting from the enhanced HIV/AIDS reporting system, this study included 9765 PLWH from 2005 to 2020 in South Carolina. Transition of RIC was defined as the change of RIC status in each two–year time window. We applied seven classifiers, such as Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, eXtreme Gradient Boosting and Long–short–term memory, for each lagged response to predict the subsequent year's RIC transition. Classification …

Provider And Staff Education Surrounding Universal Hcv Screening And Linkage To Care In An Ambulatory Care Setting, Lauren Clifford

DNP Projects

Abstract

Background: In the United States, it is estimated that there are more than 2 million cases of Hepatitis C (HCV), with over 66,000 new cases since 2020 However, an estimated 75% of those with HCV go undiagnosed and less than 35% receive treatment within a year of diagnosis. In 2018, UK Healthcare (UKHC) implemented a universal HCV screening method using a Best Practice Advisory (BPA) for anyone 18 and older who presented to the Emergency Department and had labs ordered. Patients who screened positive were then referred to outpatient clinics for HCV treatment. Approximately ten percent of positive patients …

Examining Factors Associated With Covid-19 Disruptions To Tuberculosis Services, Tejaswini Dharmapuri Vachaspathi

Public Health Theses

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic posed unprecedented challenges to global health systems, significantly impacting the delivery of essential health services, including tuberculosis (TB) care. It is important to analyze the factors associated with the reductions in TB notifications during the pandemic, with a focus on high TB burden countries, to inform strategies for making TB programs more resilient to health system shocks.

Methods: Amongst 98 selected high-burden countries, a GLM analysis was employed to examine the association between ‘missed’ TB case notifications from 2020 to 2021, and various country-level factors including: COVID-19 mortality estimates, lockdown stringency index, GDP per capita, health …

Evaluation Of One Health Education Materials: A Scoping Review And Quality Assessment, Sydney Jones

Public Health Theses

The increasing risk of zoonotic spillover, driven by climate change and evolving human behaviors, requires a systematic shift in pandemic prevention strategies towards a One Health approach. Central to this approach is effective health communication intended to translate knowledge into actionable recommendations for the most vulnerable populations. This thesis aims to systematically evaluate the quantity and quality of existing One Health communication materials through a scoping review and two distinct methods of quality evaluation: the CDC Clear Communication Index and content analysis. Among 82 communication materials identified in the scoping review, the median overall CDC Clear Communication Index score was …

Indoor Air Pollution In Nomadic Himalayan Highlander Communities, Charles Minicucci

Public Health Theses

Indoor air pollution (IAP) from burning solid biomass fuel is a major global health challenge, especially in resource-limited settings without access to electricity or reliable fuel sources. In the Kingdom of Bhutan, where, despite a reported 99% of households having access to electricity, the vast majority of rural households still use biomass fuels for cooking and indoor heating. Given the resource limitations and access challenges associated with Bhutan’s remote highlander and herding communities, few solutions for or details about their exposure to IAP are available – especially during nomadic periods where families may spend months beyond the reach of infrastructure …

Exploring The Association Between The Supplemental Nutrition Program For Woman, Infants And Children (Wic) And Gestational Weight Gain, Oyinlola Obatolu

Public Health Theses

Background: The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) has been an impactful federal public assistance program that has provided nutrition education and support to millions of low income women and children around the country. Despite its positive impact on perinatal and birth outcomes, the precise mechanisms between WIC and these outcomes remain unclear. Past studies have looked at the relationship between WIC and gestational weight gain (GWG), a potential mediator of the effect of WIC on birth outcomes, but they have mainly focused on city or state level data or Medicaid enrollees. This study aims to …

“I Don't Work For The Prison. I Don't Work For The Hospital Either. I’M Yours. Who Else Here Is Yours?” A Qualitative Analysis Of Facilitators And Barriers Of Launching Enhanced Perinatal Programs In Seven State Prisons, Karenna Thomas

Public Health Theses

The United States incarcerates women at the highest rate globally (Fair & Walmsley, 2022), while simultaneously failing to provide incarcerated individuals with adequate reproductive health care. Perinatal programs, including a combination of one-on-one and group prenatal and postpartum education, labor and birth support with a doula, separation support, and lactation care have been implemented as an alternative to standard care in around 21 states (Wilson et al., 2022). While the efficacy of these programs among incarcerated individuals has been established (Bard et al., 2016; Barkauskas et al., 2002; Schroeder & Bell, 2005; Shlafer et al., 2018; Shlafer, Saunders, Boraas, et …

Cost-Effectiveness Of Helicobacter Pylori Screenings In Asian Americans In The United States, Qin Wang

Public Health Theses

Background: Gastric cancer remains a significant public health concern, particularly for Asian Americans in the United States, who are at higher risk. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a known risk factor for gastric cancer (GC) and peptic ulcer disease (PUD), and its eradication has proven effective in preventing both conditions. Due to the lack of clinical standards in H. pylori screening for this high-risk group of Asian Americans, we explore whether population-based screening using carbon-13 urea breath test (C-UBT) and/or endoscopy is cost-effective in the United States for Asian Americans. Methods: We built a cohort state-transition Markov model to …

Assessment Of Suicide Risk In Emergency Department Settings For Adults In Nepal: Validation Of The Nepali Ask Suicide-Screening Questions, Pei Wang

Public Health Theses

Objectives: Suicide is a severe public health crisis around the globe. Low-middle-income countries (LMICs) bear 77% of the global suicide burden. Screening is a significant component of suicide prevention, but there is a dearth of suicide screening tools, especially in LMICs. This study focused on validating the Ask Suicide-Screening Questions (ASQ) within an adult Emergency Department (ED) population in Nepal. Although the validation occurred in an ED setting, the Nepali ASQ is designed with the flexibility to be useful in a variety of healthcare contexts, extending its applicability beyond just emergency care.Methods: We systematically translated and adapted the 4-item ASQ, …

The Sewage Microbiome Dynamics Of Different Serving Neighborhoods In Charleston, Illinois, Sandra Chiamaka Okoye

Masters Theses

The complex microbial ecosystem within sewage systems holds significant implications for environmental and public health. Unlike studies on wastewater treatment plant microbiomes, upstream sewage systems have not been studied widely. This research investigated the dynamic sewage microbiome across diverse serving neighborhoods in Charleston, Illinois, encompassing residential, hospital, industrial, and university areas. Drawing upon recent advancements in microbiome research, the study aimed to unravel the spatial and temporal variations in microbial structures. Three times between June to December 2023 sewage samples were collected from manholes in the areas mentioned above. Community DNA was extracted and sequenced for the V4-V5 region of …