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Focus Group Interview: Perspectives Of Virtual Dietary Counseling Methods Post Covid-19 Pandemic, Maria R. Mendoza

All Master's Theses

In response to the prevalence of morbidity and mortality, studies to avert these conditions in a cost-effective and accessible manner are also increasing. Developing new methods to provide nutrition education that are more accessible is critical to reaching individuals who may experience socioeconomic barriers impacting their ability to access healthcare. The purpose of this study is to examine the perceptions related to different delivery methods of dietary counseling. This qualitative research study will examine the perceptions related to different methods of dietary counseling (telephone calls, video calls, or face-to-face visits). Focus group one contained provider participants (N = 7), which …

Knee Health Is A Major Determinant Of Mobility Across The Healthspan, Brandon M. Peoples, Kenneth Harrison, Michael A. Samaan, Christopher B. Mobley, David T. Redden, Jaimie A. Roper

Kinesiology and Health Promotion Faculty Publications

Knee health constitutes a pivotal determinant of locomotor function and overall mobility throughout the healthspan. Impairments in knee function lead to a series of biomechanical and physiological alterations that pose substantial public health challenges and economic burdens worldwide. This review synthesizes evidence that delineates the complex and multifaceted relationship between knee health and mobility, emphasizing the interplay across various domains in adult populations. Knee health is conceptualized as a dynamic, interconnected system whereby structural integrity, neuromuscular mechanisms, biomechanical adaptations, and functional mobility are intricately interrelated through cascades of mechanistic processes operating across different temporal stages. A comprehensive understanding of these …

Women’S Health In Rural American Communities, Leandra Moukoudi Ndoko, Stephanie Zeszutek Do, Renee Reijo Pera Phd

Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine (Great Falls) Publications and Research

Limited data have been published on the status of women’s health in rural areas, particularly pertaining to women of color and rural women in the United States. The aim of this review is to briefly describe the trends in women’s health in rural areas, the factors contributing to poor health outcomes and potential ways to focus improvements most effectively. To provide this overview, approximately 310 articles were screened by full text on the database PubMed. Of these, 27 articles are described in more detail in this piece. Data focus on women’s health in the United States and include information bulletin …

'I Did Not Know We Could Exercise This Small Premature Baby': Challenges Experienced By Parents While Implementing Early Intervention For Their Preterm Infants-A Qualitative Perspective, Manasa Kolibylu Raghupathy, Selim Jahangir, Sonia Khurana, Leslie Edward S. Lewis, Bhamini Krishna Rao

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Preterm birth is a highly stressful experience for both parents and infants. Parental participation in care enhances developmental outcomes, fosters parent-infant interactions and builds parental confidence. However, low parental adherence has always been a challenge in the successful implementation of intervention programs both in the NICU and at home. It is imperative to understand parents' perspectives and view the challenges that they experience through their lens while providing early intervention to their infants born preterm. This study is aimed at identifying new parents' challenges when implementing early intervention programs for their infants during the transition from hospital to home. …

Minds, Made Up Or Malleable? Covert Commands At The Eclipse Of Vaccine Communications, David H. Lee

Publications and Research

Abstract: Although millions have died from SARS-CoV-2 illness, COVID vaccines are credited with stemming the tide. Vaccinations and boosters significantly decrease the incidence of severe illness and death (even if they don’t usually prevent COVID-19 infection). Despite the success of global vaccination efforts, frequent reports of vaccine hesitance and refusal suggest that public health communications need improvement.

The chapter begins by acknowledging adverse events associated with COVID vaccination, including rare cases of anaphylaxis, GBS, and myocarditis. An inoculation-theoretic rationale is offered for this admission of vaccine risks: just as immune defenses mount when organisms are exposed to pathogens, so too …

Perceptions Of The Health Care System As Mediators In The Association Between Experiences Of Discrimination, Communication From Providers, And Gaps In Mammography, Hannah Cohen-Cline

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

No abstract provided.

Tobacco And Trouble: Exploring The Health Consequences Of Electronic Cigarette Use In Adolescents, Noor Ibrahim Abdulhay

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: Tobacco use remains one of the leading causes of preventable disease and death in the United States (U.S.). Although conventional cigarette use among youth has declined, the use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) has become highly prevalent and poses emerging public health concerns. Adolescence represents a critical developmental period for both oral and mental health, making it essential to understand the consequences of tobacco and nicotine exposure during this stage. The goal of this dissertation is to examine the health impacts of tobacco use in adolescents across multiple domains. Specifically, this research (1) synthesizes existing evidence on the relationship between …

Preliminary Evaluation Of A Brief Intervention To Enhance Trauma-Informed Attitudes Among Educators And School Mental Health Counselors, Cheri Shapiro, Kara Lee, Courtnie Collins, Tristan Collier, Carl Sorensen

Publications

Professional development training designed to advance knowledge of the impacts of trauma and trauma-responsive practices for educators and counselors in schools and mental health settings have become common. Given the popularity of these training approaches, it is important to understand the potential impact on trauma-informed attitudes and beliefs. This descriptive, exploratory study examined changes in traumainformed care attitudes as a function of participating in a novel intervention designed to support trauma-informed practices in a sample of elementary school educators, administrators, and school mental health counselors (n=194) from one state in the Southeastern US. Positive changes in trauma-informed attitudes from pre …

Early, Standardised, And Precise Treatment Of Copd Exacerbations And Covid-19, Sanjay Ramakrishnan

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Background: Background Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a common chronic condition causing significant morbidity and mortality. Patients with COPD report sudden episodes of deteriorating respiratory symptoms called exacerbations, often presumed to be precipitated by infections. COPD is in the top 5 causes of death globally. COPD exacerbations drive a large proportion of these deaths. Despite this, there is no standardised model of care for the sickest patients who need hospitalisations for exacerbations. Meanwhile, treatment for COPD exacerbations continues to be guided by symptoms, instead of underlying biology. Most patients are treated with unnecessary and harmful systemic corticosteroids. During the …

Examining The Association Between Perceived Stigma And Mental Health Help-Seeking Behavior Among Racial/Ethnic Minority Students In Health Professions Education, Camila A. Agurto

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Racial and ethnic minority (REM) students in health professions programs in the U.S. have considerable mental health issues. Still, they are less likely to access mental health services when compared to their White peers. The stigma they face, such as —public stigma, self-stigma, or intersectional stigma, may serve as a barrier to help-seeking. Although there is increasing recognition of the barriers to mental health care experienced by these students, there is no systematic understanding of how perceived stigma associated with mental health issues affects mental health help-seeking by REM students enrolled in health professions education. This systematic literature review aims …

Supports For Mental Well-Being Valued By Healthcare Workers: Qualitative Analysis Of Data From A Canadian Cohort Of Healthcare Workers During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Shannon Marie Ruzycki, Anil Adisesh, Quentin Durand-Moreau, France Labrèche, Tanis Zadunayski, Erica Stroud, Nicola Cherry

Études primaires

A prospective cohort of 4964 HCWs from four Canadian provinces was established early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were invited to comment about workplace mental health supports at three time points. We performed a thematic content analysis of responses from 1738 participants using the Social Support Behaviour Code framework to categorize barriers to support as informational, tangible, emotional, social, or expressing esteem. Themes were synthesized into suggestions for healthcare organizations to prepare for future crises. Formal and informal peer support, workplace mental health supports, and one-on-one counseling were most often mentioned as valued. Analysis suggested that workplace social networks as …

The Incidence Of Postmenopausal Breast Cancer In Relation To Occupational Exposure To Textile Fibers And Dusts In Montreal, Canada, 2008-2011, Maymouna Myriam Ka, France Labrèche, Mark S. Goldberg, Vikki Ho

Études primaires

Objective To estimate the associations between occupational exposure to textile fibers/dusts, and incidence of postmenopausal invasive breast cancer.

Methods

A population-based case-control study conducted in Montreal (2008 − 2011) identified hospital cases (N = 695) and population controls (N = 608) from the electoral list. Occupational hygienists examined participants’ occupations and tasks, and attributed exposures to several textile fibers. For all tumors and according to biomolecular subtypes, odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were estimated using logistic regression models with different exposure indices, adjusting for potential confounders.

Results

Ever exposure to cotton dust was associated with an increased …

Evolution Of Stressors For Healthcare Workers Over The Covid-19 Pandemic, F. Labrèche, Q. Durand-Moreau, A. Adisesh, J.-M. Galarneau, Shannon Ruzycki, Tanis Zadunayski, Nicola Cherry

Études primaires

Background:

Many studies have documented exposure to psychosocial factors in healthcare workers (HCWs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Few have done it prospectively with open-ended questions.

Aims:

To describe the evolution of stress factors reported by HCWs during the pandemic.

Methods:

A prospective cohort of 4964 HCWs (physicians, nurses, healthcare aides, personal support workers), from four Canadian provinces, received four online questionnaires between the springs 2020 and 2022. Responses to an open-ended question on stressful events were coded into 25 stressors. Multilevel logistic regressions assessed trends in stressors, and the effect of gender, occupation, and age.

Results:

In 2020, 91% of …

Using Ai To Improve Study Skills, Lesley L. Rennis

Open Educational Resources

This module consists of three lesson plans designed to teach students to use AI tools responsibly and ethically to create outlines, refine research questions, and use APA referencing. By integrating AI into study practices, students enhance their organizational, analytical, and citation skills, while maintaining academic integrity. The lessons emphasize using AI as a tool to improve study skills so that more time can be spent on deep learning and critically thinking about class material.

Addressing Barriers In The Primary Prevention Of Hypertension In Black People, Makalah Pierre Rn Bsn

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Hypertension is a significant health concern among minority groups, and the black population is most at risk (Abrahamowicz et al., 2023). The black population experience higher prevalence rates of hypertension compared to other racial groups and are more likely to experience hypertension-related problems, including cardiovascular disease (CVD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD).  This literature review explores various nursing interventions aimed at preventing hypertension within this population. In this review, the term “black people or persons” is a broad term used to describe both African Americans and people of Afro-Caribbean decent. This includes various backgrounds such as Haitian, Jamaican, or otherwise …

Factors Associated With Fatalism Among Hispanic And Latina Breast Cancer Survivors, Liara Lopez Torralba

Honors Undergraduate Theses

As fatalism, a person’s attitude towards their life, increases, there is a significant level of medical mistrust and avoidance, which can delay cancer diagnoses and affect the prognosis of the disease. Literature has shown that many factors, including age, race, acculturation, locus of control, education, and fear can influence fatalism. However, little research has been conducted on whether fatalism differs independently by Hispanic origin and its associated factors among Hispanic breast cancer survivors. This study used data from the Hispanic Breast Cancer Study at the University of Central Florida. The original study recruited 408 women aged ≥ 20 years, diagnosed …

A Systematic Review Of Dietary Trends, Influencing Factors, And Their Impacts On Cardiovascular Health In Turkish Populations, Pelin L. Özoğlu

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death globally, including in Türkiye. One key factor influencing CVD prevention is dietary patterns, which directly impacts cardiovascular health. Türkiye traditionally follows the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet), which is acclaimed for its cardiovascular benefits. Despite this, Türkiye continues to experience high rates of CVD, with projections indicating that CVD mortality will double for both men and women by 2030. It is crucial to address diet-related factors, including potential nutritional deficiencies, to reduce cardiovascular health risks.

This research aims to analyze the Turkish community's adherence to the Mediterranean diet to understand why CVD prevalence …

Genomic Epidemiology Of Staphylococcus Aureus Sequence-Type 72, Sachitaa Senthilkumar

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus, SA) is a gram-positive bacterial colonizer and pathogen commonly carried on the skin and in the anterior nares of humans. SA colonization may lead to a variety of non-invasive (e.g., skin and soft tissue infections, SSTIs) and invasive (e.g., bacteremia and osteomyelitis) infections. The SA population is comprised of multiple lineages that can be delineated through multi-locus sequence typing (MLST), which compares nucleotide sequences within seven housekeeping genes. Strains belonging to an MLST share a common evolutionary history and phenotypic characteristics like antibiotic resistance or virulence. As a result, the epidemiology of lineages can be …

At The Crossroads: Initial Findings And Lessons Learned From A Medicaid Housing Benefit Pilot, Cat Livingston, Megan Holtorf, Benjamin Gronowski, Alyssa Cragie

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

No abstract provided.

Longitudinal Viral Load Clustering For People With Hiv Using Functional Principal Component Analysis, Yunqing Ma, Xueying Yang Ph.D., Jiayang Xiao, Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Bankole Olatosi Ph.D., Jiajia Zhang Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Background: Longitudinal measures of viral load (VL) are critical in monitoring the HIV status. While multiple lab indicators exist for monitoring measures of VL, research on clustering historical/longitudinal VL measures is limited. Analyzing longitudinal VL patterns rather than aggregated measures offers deeper insights into HIV status. This study uses functional data clustering to classify longitudinal VL patterns and characterize each cluster by demographics, comorbidities, social behaviors, and CD4 count.

Methods: Adult PWH diagnosed from 2005 to 2015 in South Carolina with a 5-year minimum follow-up were included. We compared functional principal component analysis (FPCA), K-means, hierarchical clustering, and Gaussian mixture …

Temporal Changes In Racial Disparities Of Hiv Linkage To Care From 2013 To 2020: A Statewide Cohort Analysis, Fanghui Shi, Katherine E. Weaver, Chen Zhang, Bankole Olatosi Ph.D., Jiajia Zhang Ph.D., Sharon Weissman, Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Xueying Yang

Faculty Publications

Background: Racial disparities have historically existed regarding HIV care outcomes, including linkage to care. This study aims to explore the contribution of contextual features (e.g., socioeconomic and structural environmental factors) to the temporal change of county-level racial disparities in linkage to care.

Methods: This is a statewide population-based retrospective cohort study. The patient-level variables in the South Carolina HIV registry system were used to calculate the aggregated county-level linkage to care percentage. Then, we used four indices to measure racial disparities in the county-level percentage of timely linkage to care, i.e., the Black-White ratio, index of disparity (ID), weighted ID, …

Harnessing Big Heterogeneous Data To Evaluate The Potential Impact Of Hiv Responses Among Key Populations In Sub-Saharan Africa: Protocol For The Boloka Data Repository Initiative, Refilwe Nancy Phaswana Mafuya, Edith Phalane, Amrita Rao, Kalai Willis, Katherine Rucinski, K. Alida Voet, Amal Abdulrahman, Claris Siyamayambo, Betty Sebati, Mohlago Seloka, Musa Jaiteh, Lerato Lucia Olifant, Katharine Journeay, Haley Sisel, Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Bankole Olatosi Ph.D., Neset Hikmet, Prashant Duhoon, Francois Wolmarans, Yegnanew A. Shiferaw, Lifutso Motsieloa, Mashudu Rampilo, Stefan Baral

Faculty Publications

Background: In South Africa, there is no centralized HIV surveillance system where key populations (KPs) data, including gay men and other men who have sex with men, female sex workers, transgender persons, people who use drugs, and incarcerated persons, are stored in South Africa despite being on higher risk of HIV acquisition and transmission than the general population. Data on KPs are being collected on a smaller scale by numerous stakeholders and managed in silos. There exists an opportunity to harness a variety of data, such as empirical, contextual, observational, and programmatic data, for evaluating the potential impact of HIV …

Longitudinal Assessments Of Viral Rebound Among People With Hiv In South Carolina: A Population-Based Cohort Study, Jiayang Xiao, Xueying Yang Ph.D., Yunqing Ma, Bankole Olatosi Ph.D., Sharon Weissman, Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Jiajia Zhang Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Routinely monitoring viral rebound (VR) is important in the life course of people with HIV (PWH). This study examined risk factors for time to the first VR, the number of VRs and their association with VR history in men who have sex with men (MSM). It includes 8176 adult PWH diagnosed from January 2005 to December 2018, followed until July 2021. We used the Cox model for time to the first VR, the Poisson model for a number of VRs, and logistic regression for VR history in MSM. Younger individuals (50–59 years vs 18–29 years, aHR: 0.43, 95% CI: [0.34, …

Maternal Vulnerability Index And Severe Maternal Morbidity, Nansi S. Boghossian, Joshua Radack, Molly Passarella, Ciaran S. Phibbs, Lucy T. Greenberg, Jeffrey S. Buzas, George R. Saade, Jeannette Rogowski, Scott A. Lorch

Faculty Publications

Importance: Few studies have investigated the association of composite measures of neighborhood social determinants of health with severe maternal morbidity (SMM), and no research has examined this association for indices tailored to maternal health. Objective: To examine the association of scores in the Maternal Vulnerability Index (MVI), a tool developed to measure maternal risk of adverse health outcomes, with SMM. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective, population-based cohort study was conducted in 5 states (2008-2020 for Michigan, Oregon, and South Carolina; 2008-2018 for Pennsylvania; and 2008-2012 for California) among individuals delivering a fetal death or a live birth between 22 …

Caregiving Burdens Of Task Time And Task Difficulty Among Paid And Unpaid Caregivers Of Persons Living With Dementia, Matthew Lee Smith, Jodi L. Southerland, Malinee Neelamegam, Gang Han, Shinduk Lee, Chung Lin Kew, Juanita Dawne R. Bacsu, Elyse Couch, Steffi M. Kim, Monique J. Brown Ph.D., Mph, Ayse Malatyali, Lucas Wilson, Zahra Rahemi, Jeremy Holloway, Marcia G. Ory

Faculty Publications

Background: Demands of caregivers of persons living with dementia (PLWD) are often influenced by the context of their caregiving situation. This study examines common and unique factors associated with caregiving burden in terms of task time and task difficulty among paid and unpaid caregivers of PLWD. Methods: Cross-sectional baseline survey data were analyzed from 107 paid and unpaid caregivers of PLWD participating in a larger NIH-funded study assessing the feasibility of using a novel in-situ sensor system. Oberst Caregiving Burden Scale constructs of task time and task difficulty served as dependent variables. Two least squares regression models were fitted, controlling …

Investing In The Development Of The Next Generation Of Mch Leaders, Karen A. Mcdonnell, Jamal Percy, Lisa Anders, Monique J. Brown Ph.D., Mph, Alice R. Richman, Julianna Deardorff, Monica S. Ruiz, Jihong Liu Sc.D., Kelli Russell, Audrey Snyder, Cassondra Marshall

Faculty Publications

The public health landscape is constantly evolving to address the strengths and needs of the community. Training for the public health workforce is leading the way, establishing an ecosystem approach that integrates individuals within social, political, and environmental contexts to promote health equity within a framework of social justice. One area of public health that is innovatively preparing the next generation of leaders is maternal and child health (MCH). In the United States, key indicators of health disparities within MCH remain stagnant, highlighting the need for training programs that develop future MCH professionals from diverse backgrounds. These professionals will deliver …

Associations Between County-Level E-Cigarette-Inclusive Tobacco 21 Law Population Coverage And E-Cigarette Use Behaviors Among United States Adolescents In Monitoring The Future, James H. Buszkiewicz, Catherine A. Vander Woude, Yanmei Xie, Steven Cook, Bukola Usidame Peters, Megan E. Patrick, Michael R. Elliott, James F. Thrasher Ph.D., Ma, Ms, Nancy L. Fleischer

Faculty Publications

Background and aims: In the United States (US), Tobacco 21 (T21) laws set the minimum legal sale age for all tobacco products to 21 years. This study aimed to examine whether e-cigarette-inclusive T21 laws were associated with e-cigarette use behaviors and related disparities among US adolescents. Design: We used nationally representative, repeated cross-sectional Monitoring the Future data to compare self-reported current e-cigarette use (2014–2022) and first e-cigarette initiation (2015–2022) among adolescents in counties with 100% ('full') versus < 100% ('partial or no') e-cigarette-inclusive T21 law population coverage using modified Poisson regression, examining differences by sex, race and ethnicity, parental educational attainment and college educational expectations through interactions. Setting: United States. Participants: 8th, 10th and 12th graders. Measurements: County-level e-cigarette-inclusive T21 law population coverage was determined using Tobacco 21 Population Coverage Database and US Census Bureau population data. Current e-cigarette …

Healthcare Providers’ Perspective On Hiv Testing And Hypothetical Mhealth-Connected Linkage To Care Among Men Who Have Sex With Men (Msm) In South Carolina, Tony Brown, Prince Nii Ossah Addo, Monique J. Brown Ph.D., Mph, Xiaoming Li, Oluwafemi Adeagbo

Faculty Publications

Background: HIV continues to be an important public health concern in South Carolina (SC). However, an examination of providers’ willingness to use mHealth technologies to address ongoing barriers to HIV care and prevention strategies, particularly among men who have sex with men (MSM) is currently lacking in SC. We therefore explored HIV care providers’ perceptions of HIV testing and treatment uptake among MSM, and providers’ willingness to use mHealth technology to address barriers to HIV testing and treatment in SC. Methods: Between August and December 2021, we conducted semistructured virtual interviews with 10 HIV care providers recruited purposively based on …

Sars-Cov-2 Detection And Persistence In A Remote Amazonian Settlement, Glauco M. Silva, Roberto C. Ilacqua, Franciely G. Gonçalves, Carla M. Santana, Felipe T. Jordão, Paula R. Prist, Melissa S. Nolan Ph.D., Mph, Andreia F. Brilhante, Marcia A. Sperança, Gabriel Z. Laporta

Faculty Publications

Background: COVID-19 continues to pose a major global health challenge. Despite its geographic distance from Brazil’s major urban centers, Acre state has experienced notable outbreaks. This study assessed the detection and persistence of SARS-CoV-2 in the rural settlement of Santa Luzia, located in the remote municipality of Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre state, Brazil. Methods: In July 2022, a cross-sectional survey was conducted at 40 sites from an ongoing environmental study, selected by deforestation patterns and proximity to health posts. Saliva samples were collected from residents aged 5–90 years, followed by nucleic acid extraction and multiplex RT-qPCR for SARS-CoV-2 detection. Results: …

Exploring Harm Reduction In Treatment: A Qualitative Study Of Methods And Perceptions Among People In Substance Use Disorder Care, Carson Francis Ferrara

Public Health Theses

Amidst the ongoing opioid epidemic and rising overdose deaths, substance use disorder (SUD) treatment has historically prioritized abstinence over harm reduction, creating gaps in patient safety. This qualitative study explores harm reduction integration in formal treatment settings and participant perceptions through 48 semi-structured interviews with individuals enrolled in Project RENEW, a larger cohort study examining factors influencing people in treatment for alcohol use across Connecticut and Georgia. Participants (79% inpatient, 51% court-mandated) described their experiences with harm reduction methods and safety strategies while in treatment. Thematic analysis revealed four key findings: 1) inconsistent access to resources like naloxone and fentanyl …