Digital Commons Network^™

The Blurred Boundaries Of Care: A Qualitative Analysis Of Nurse-Doula Role Conflict, Curisa Mae Tucker Phd, Rn, Maria Mcclam, Kelly Russin Dnp, Rnc-Ob, Chse, Nansi Boghossian, Rachel Gulczinski, Lauren Workman

Faculty Publications

Introduction:

Methods:

Patterns Of Multimorbidity Among Low-Income Adults Who Smoke With Implications For Tailored Interventions: A Cluster Analysis Using A Mixture Of Bernoulli Model, Monique T. Cano, Michael R. Lindstrom, Oscar F. Rojas Perez, Ricardo F. Muñoz

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

Introduction: Smoking cigarettes remains a leading modifiable risk factor for preventable health conditions. In the United States, the health burden of smoking disproportionately impacts low-income individuals. Multimorbidity is common in this group, complicating treatment and worsening outcomes. Identifying multimorbidity clusters can support targeted, individualized interventions. This study aimed to identify multimorbidity clusters among individuals who smoke and experience economic hardship and provide clinical recommendations to enhance health outcomes.

Method: Individuals who smoke and experience economic hardship (N = 60) were recruited from the San Francisco Health Network (SFHN) and were assessed for physical and mental conditions. Cluster analysis was …

Association Between The Dietary Index For Gut Microbiota (Di-Gm) And Colorectal Cancer In The Plco Cohort, Bezawit E. Kase, Angela D. Liese Ph.D., Jiajia Zhang Ph.D., Elizabeth Angela Murphy, Susan E. Steck Phd, Mph, Rd

Faculty Publications

Objectives: The study aimed to examine the association between a dietary index for gut microbiota (DI-GM) and the risk of incident colorectal cancer (CRC). Clarifying the role of diet-induced alterations in the composition and function of gut microbiota on the development of CRC can contribute to prevention efforts. Methods: Participants from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening trial enrolled in the intervention arm and who completed baseline assessments were included in the analysis (n = 55,685). The DI-GM is a literature-derived index used to score diet quality in terms of maintaining healthy gut microbiota. A time-dependent Cox model …

Association Between The Dietary Index For Gut Microbiota (Di-Gm) And Colorectal Cancer In The Plco Cohort, Bezawit E. Kase, Angela D. Liese, Jiajia Zhang, Elizabeth Angela Murphy, Susan E. Steck

Faculty Publications

Objectives: The study aimed to examine the association between a dietary index for gut microbiota (DI-GM) and the risk of incident colorectal cancer (CRC). Clarifying the role of diet-induced alterations in the composition and function of gut microbiota on the development of CRC can contribute to prevention efforts. Methods: Participants from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening trial enrolled in the intervention arm and who completed baseline assessments were included in the analysis (n = 55,685). The DI-GM is a literature-derived index used to score diet quality in terms of maintaining healthy gut microbiota. A time-dependent Cox model …

Associations Between Caregiver-Provider Communication Quality And Unmet Care Needs Among Older Adults, Jiaming Liang, Rafael Samper-Ternent, Brian Downer, Zhigang Xie

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Unmet care needs (lack of assistance with daily activities) among older adults are common and linked to adverse health outcomes, greater healthcare utilization, and caregiver burden. While effective patient-provider communication is known to improve care quality, less is understood about the role of caregiver-provider communication, particularly across sociodemographic, health, and caregiving contexts. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional secondary analysis of pooled 2021–2023 National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) and National Study of Caregiving (NSOC) data, restricted to community-dwelling older adults (65 + years) who received assistance from caregivers due to difficulty with daily activities, and had at least …

Dyadic Internalized Stigma, Resilience, And Psychological Distress Among People With Hiv And Their Family Members: An Actor-Partner Interdependence Mediation Model Analysis, Fanghui Shi, Xueying Yang, Shan Qiao Ph.D., Cheuk Chi Tam Ph.D., M.S., M.A., Shuaifeng Liu, Yuejiao Zhou, Xiaoming Li Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Despite robust evidence showing the mediation role of psychological resilience in the impacts of HIV-related stigma on psychological distress, most studies were conducted from an intrapersonal perspective. Limited studies have examined the dyadic effects of HIV-related stigma and resilience on psychological distress for people with HIV (PWH) and their family members. This study aimed to explore the actor-partner effect and the mediation role of resilience in the relationship between internalized stigma and psychological distress among PWH and family members dyads. Between October 2023 and December 2023, a total of 800 PWH-family member dyads were recruited from two urban cities and …

A Livelihood Intervention Improved Nutritional, Mental Health And Sexual Health Outcomes Among Hiv-Affected Adolescents In Western Kenya: Results From The Shamba Maisha Randomised Controlled Trial, Sheri D. Weiser, Lila Aziz Sheira, Pauline Wekesa, Jennifer Monroe Zakaras, Edward A. Frongillo Jr. Ph.D., Elly Weke, Jason M. Nagata, Amy A. Conroy, Marguerita Lightfoot, Torsten B. Neilands, Lisa M. Butler, Elizabeth A. Bukusi, Craig R. Cohen, Maricianah Atieno Onono

Faculty Publications

Introduction Interventions that address household-level factors, including food insecurity (FI) and poverty, may reduce HIV risk and improve sexual and reproductive health (SRH) among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW).

Methods This cluster randomised controlled trial in Kenya assessed AGYW living in households of adults enrolled in Shamba Maisha (SM). SM was a multisectoral agricultural livelihood intervention designed to improve HIV health. At the trial end, we used linear and logistic regressions to compare differences between the intervention and control arms in FI, and mental health among AGYW-caregiver pairs and SRH outcomes among the AGYW, accounting for clusters with robust …

Socioeconomic Disparities In Readmission Outcomes And Cardiac Procedures Among Atrial Fibrillation Hospitalizations, Muhammad U. Almani, Muhammad Yousuf, Noor Fatima, Muhammad Q. Ullah, Muhammed Arshad

Einstein Health Papers

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) remains one of the leading dysrhythmias incurring hospitalization. We set out to determine the impact of socioeconomic status (SES) on in-hospital cardiac procedures and the readmission outcomes in patients with AF. Methods: The National Readmission Database (NRD) was searched for adults with a primary diagnosis of AF between 2010 and 2019. We determined unplanned AF-specific readmission within 30 days. Median neighborhood household income was assessed by patient zip code as quartiles: low income (Q1), middle income (Q2), upper-middle income (Q3), and high income (Q4). Differences in in-hospital cardiac procedures during the index hospitalization and probability of …

What Factors Influence Health Professions Trainees’ Preferences For Employment In Rural Appalachia? A Qualitative Study To Inform The Design Of A Discrete Choice Experiment, Chris Gillette, Jan Ostermann Ph.D., Aylin A. Aguillar, Sarah O'Neal, Chris Everett, Dawn Caviness, Esita Patel, Laiton Steele, Dawn Goel, Quazi Minhaz Tabassum

Faculty Publications

Optimizing the geographic allocation of health care providers has the potential to improve health care access and health outcomes for rural populations. To inform the design of a discrete choice experiment (DCE) survey to elicit health professions trainees' preferences for rural practice, this formative research aimed to: (1) elicit factors that influence job selection among health profession trainees, including medical residents physician assistant (PA) and nurse practitioner (NP) students, (2) identify how these trainees evaluate trade-offs for rural job placement and (3) inform attribute selection for inclusion into a future DCE to identify health professions trainees’ preferences for rural practice. …

Predictors Of Employment Attrition In Lebanon During Multifaceted Crises: The Role Of Chronic Diseases – A National Cross-Sectional Study, Myriam Dagher, Ali Abboud, Ghada E. Saad, Rita Itani, Rindala Fayyad, Hala Ghattas Ph.D., Stephen J. Mccall, Jocelyn Dejong, Malak Ghezzawi, Nisreen Salti, Sasha Fahme, Serena Canaan

Faculty Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic and Lebanon’s ongoing economic crisis exacerbated existing workforce and health disparities. This study explored the predictors of employment attrition during Lebanon’s concurrent crises and examined the association between chronic conditions and employment attrition. This cross-sectional study recruited adults aged 19–64 years residing in Lebanon through random digit dialing (January – July 2024). Data collected included socio-demographics, household characteristics, employment history and characteristics, and self-reported chronic conditions. The outcome was loss of paid employment (employment attrition) during the crises. Predictors were identified through a Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression, and model discrimination and calibration were …

Engagement Patterns With #Naturalremedies On Tiktok: Formative Analysis, Apeksha Mewani, Corey H. Basch, Keanu Renne-Glover, Vincent Jones Ii, Cristiana Cordero, Adea Gutiqi

Publications and Research

This research letter provides formative evidence from a cross-sectional analysis of 118 TikTok videos under #NaturalRemedies, identifying content formats and expertise cues associated with higher engagement, while also demonstrating the feasibility of using engagement metrics and thematic coding to analyze health narratives on emerging platforms such as TikTok.

How Does Striving Against Adversity Impact Emotional Well-Being And Cardiovascular Risk In Children?, Brooks B. Gump, Stefanie Pilkay, Xiafei Wang, Sara Vasilenko, Nader H. Attallah-Yunes, Sarah Woolf-King, Stephen Maisto, Edith Chen, Craig K. Ewart

Population Health Research Brief Series

Working hard and persisting through challenges (i.e., striving) are often encouraged for children who face adversity.  But for children facing severe adversity, striving can come with hidden costs. This brief summarizes findings from a study using data from the Environmental Exposures and Child Health Outcomes (EECHO) cohort (N=283, 2013-2017) of children ages 9-11 in Syracuse, NY. The authors find that children facing adversity who strived harder reported lower depression and hostility. However, high-striving high-adversity children also experienced significantly higher blood pressure and enlarged heart chambers than their lower striving peers, both risk factors for future heart disease.

Exploring The Impact Of Education On Cardiovascular Health In Women: Sex Disparities, Symptom Recognition And Attribution, And Preventive Measures, Sydney Totten

Best Integrated Writing

Totten examines sex disparities in cardiovascular disease among women, emphasizing gaps in symptom recognition, treatment, and health education. Through a literature review and educational intervention, it demonstrates that targeted, nurse-led education can significantly improve women’s understanding of risk factors, symptoms, and disease management, ultimately supporting better health outcomes.

Dietary Inflammatory Index And Objective Disease Activity In Ibd: No Association Found, Rúbia Moresi Vianna De Oliveira, Ana Carolina Junqueira Vasques, Stefhani Andrioli Romero, Nitin Shivappa Mbbs, Mph, Ph.D., Michael David Wirth, James Hébert Scd, Glaucia Fernanda Soares Ruppert Reis, Cristiane Kibune Nagasako

Faculty Publications

Background

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) involves genetic and environmental factors, but the relationship between disease activity, adiposity, and diet remains unclear.

Objective

To investigate the association between endoscopic/radiological activity of IBD, body adiposity, and the Dietary Inflammatory Index with or without adjustment for energy density (E-DII or DII).

Method

An observational, cross-sectional study was carried out. Endoscopic activity was defined by an endoscopic Mayo score >2, Crohn’s Disease Endoscopic Index of Severity (CDEIS) > 5, and/or the presence of a deep ulcer in any intestinal segment. Body adiposity was estimated using the body mass index, waist circumference, and waist-hip ratio (WHR). …

Circulating Levels Of Insulin-Like Growth Factor I (Igf-I) And Risk Of Multiple Myeloma: An Observational And Mendelian Randomisation Study, Yolanda Benavente, Sara Hermosa, Nikos Papadimitriou, Alyssa I. Clay-Gilmour Ph.D., Elizabeth E. Brown, Jonathan N. Hofmann, Nathaniel Rothman, Qin Lan, Sonja I. Berndt, Demetrius Albanes, Mark Purdue, Mitchell J. Machiela, Stephen J. Chanock, Parveen Bhatti, Wendy Cozen, Aaron Norman, Susan L. Slager, James R. Cerhan, Vincent Rajkumar, Et. Al.

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Living In Liberal Areas Reduced Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among Conservatives, Brittany L. Kmush, Rachel E. Dinero

Population Health Research Brief Series

Political divisions shaped public health responses throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, with conservatives expressing higher vaccine hesitancy than liberals. But does where conservatives live matter? This brief summarizes findings from a study using survey data from 683 U.S. adults (ages 18-94) collected March-April 2023, combined with 2020 presidential election results by zip code. The authors found that liberals consistently had low vaccine hesitancy and high uptake regardless of where they lived, but conservatives living in lower Trump vote share communities reported lower vaccine hesitancy and higher vaccination and booster uptake than conservatives in high Trump vote share communities. This pattern was …

Development And Validation Of The Emergency Department Transitions Measure, Sara Beachy, Danielle M. Mccarthy, Julianna Lenoir, Alexzandra Gentsch, Richard W. Hass, Marissa Witmer, Paula Ostroff, Melissa Tupas, Lindsey Shughart, Hailey Shughart, Kristin L. Rising

Jefferson Center for Connected Care Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Transitions of care are high-risk periods for patient safety in the emergency department (ED), particularly for patients who are still in the diagnostic process and are discharged with diagnostic uncertainty. Care transitions must be improved for these patients, as one third of discharged ED patients have diagnostic uncertainty. Yet there are no validated measures that assess the quality of care transitions from the ED, limiting the ability to assess the impact of interventions. Thus, we developed and validated the ED Transitions (EDT) measure.

METHODS: This mixed methods study was conducted across a large healthcare system in three phases: item …

Social Network Determinants Of Cigarette Forgoing And Quit-Related Conversations In A 15-Day Ecological Momentary Assessment Study In Mexico And The Us, Lizeth Cruz-Jiménez, Kevin A. Carson, Jim Thrasher Ph.D., Ma, Ms, Katia Gallegos-Carrillo, Dèsirée Vidaña-Pérez, Diego F. Leal

Faculty Publications

Introduction

Methods

Mist: A Hierarchical Bayesian Framework For Detecting Differential Dna Methylation Dynamics In Single-Cell Data, Daoyu Duan, Wenjing Ma, Wen Tang, Hao Wu, Liangliang Zhang, Hao Feng

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Recent advancements in single-cell DNA methylation (scDNAm) sequencing technologies have enabled the profiling of epigenetic landscapes at unprecedented resolution, offering insights into cellular heterogeneity, differentiation and evolution. Trajectory inference, which orders cells along pseudotime, allows researchers to track genomics changes across continuous cell states and identify key loci exhibiting differential methylation. However, no methods currently exist to model methylation changes along pseudotime in scDNAm data. Here, we present a hierarchical Bayesian framework for scDNAm data analysis. Our method, named mist (methylation inference for single-cell along trajectory), models stage-specific biological variations, identifies genomic features with significant methylation changes along pseudotime, and …

Comparative Outcomes And Costs Of Robotic Assisted, Laparoscopic, And Open Partial Nephrectomy: A Contemporary Analysis Of National Inpatient Sample Data., Manisha Lin, Elizabeth Sottung, Vietbao H. Phan, Mumbi E. Kimani, Costas D. Lallas, Raegan M Davis, Scott W. Keith, Patrick Moeller, Vittorio Maio

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

PURPOSE: Partial nephrectomy is increasingly favored for small renal masses due to its renal function-preserving benefits. This study compared contemporary utilization patterns, perioperative outcomes, and hospital costs of robotic-assisted (RAPN), laparoscopic (LAPN), and open partial nephrectomy (OPN) among U.S. patients with renal cancer.

METHODS: Using the 2016–2019 National Inpatient Sample, renal cancer patients undergoing RAPN, LAPN, or OPN based on ICD-10-CM/PCS codes were identified. Patient demographics, comorbidities, hospital characteristics, length of stay (LOS), perioperative complications, and hospital costs, were summarized by surgical approach. Regression analyses adjusted for patient- and hospital-level covariates were used to compare perioperative outcomes, LOS, and costs …

Development And Validation Of A Life Participation Self-Assessment Tool For People Living With Obesity: The Life Participation Impact Questionnaire (Lpiq-O), Marie-Claude Touchette

Translational Science in Occupation

Purpose: Obesity is a chronic condition affecting over 40% of adults in the U.S. Given the well-documented impact of obesity on life participation, a comprehensive, population-specific assessment tool is needed. We aimed to establish the face and content validity of the Life Participation Impact Questionnaire for People with Obesity (LPIQ-O), an occupation-focused assessment tool measuring the impact of obesity on areas of life participation.

Method: This study included seven iterative phases: (a) literature review, (b) interviews, (c) synthesis of the literature review and interviews, (d) item development, (e) expert validation, (f) face validation, and (g) final expert review. Six participants …

Factors Associated With Immediate Postnatal Care In Lao People’S Democratic Republic: An Analysis Of The 2017 Lao People’S Democratic Republic Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, Tressa Quayle, Jinyoung Kim, Jennifer Pharr, Rebecca Benfield

Nursing Faculty Research

Background: The World Health Organization recognizes that approximately half of all maternal deaths occur in the immediate postnatal period or 24 h after birth. Forty-seven percent of Lao women aged 15–49 who delivered a baby in the last two years received a postnatal health check in the frst two days after delivery. After leaving the presence of a provider, 98.5% of these women never received another postnatal check. The maternal mortality ratio (MMR) in Lao PDR was 126 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020. Immediate postnatal care (PNC) is a crucial step to improving maternal mortality. The aim of …

Implementation Of Centering-Based Antenatal Group Care In Flanders (Belgium): Experiences Of Women And Health Care Providers; Modalities For Sustainable Integration Into The Health Care System, Bianca Eerens, Astrid Van Damme, Nathalie Leister, Florence Talrich, Christine Mccourt, Deborah Lynn Billings Phd, Marsha Orgill, Matty Crone, Marlies Rijnders, Katrien Beeckman

Faculty Publications

In Belgium, antenatal care is characterized by one-to-one care; with limited integration of community-based approaches. Centering-Based Group Care (CBGC), derived from the CenteringPregnancy^® model, offers an alternative by combining clinical follow-up, health education, and peer support in group sessions. This study focuses on the experiences of participants and facilitators with the implementation of CBGC in three Flemish cities (Aalst, Gent, Leuven) as part of the European Union GC_1000 project. We explored the experience regarding the implementation process along with factors influencing sustainable integration into the health care system.

Methods

A total of 193 women participated in 30 CBGC trajectories …

Ulk4 And Cdkn2a Polymorphisms Influence The Risk Of Developing Monoclonal Gammopathy Of Undetermined Significance, José Manuuel Sánchez-Maldonado, Angelica Macauda, Antonio José Cabrera-Serrano, Hauke Thomsen, Murat Güler, Rob Ter Horst, Bethany Van Guelpen, Pavel Vodicka, Stefano Landi, Subhayan Chattopadhyay, Pelin Ünal, Lucía Ruiz-Durán, Delphine Casabonne, Hartmut Goldschmidt, Istemi Serin, María Carretero-Fernández, Elena Cabezudo, Fernando Reyes-Zurita, Alyssa I. Clay-Gilmour, Et. Al.

Faculty Publications

Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is a necessary precursor condition to multiple myeloma (MM). Given the role of autophagy in modulating MM risk, we investigated whether genetic variation in autophagy-related genes influences susceptibility to MGUS. We analyzed the association of 34,042 common autophagy-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with MGUS across six independent cohorts, five from Europe and one from North America, comprising 2317 MGUS cases and 282,358 controls. We also assessed their impact on immune parameters, including absolute counts of 91 blood-derived immune cell subsets and 103 circulating immunological proteins. Meta-analysis revealed a genome-wide significant association between the ULK4 …

Impact Of Medicaid Enrollment Timing On Tumor Stage At Diagnosis And Survival In Breast, Colorectal, And Lung Cancer, Gabriel A. Benavidez, Stella Coker Watson Self Ph.D., Ms, Anthony Alberg Ph.D., M.P.H., Janice Probst, Jan Marie Eberth

Faculty Publications

Background: Medicaid-insured patients experience higher rates of late-stage cancer diagnosis and worse survival than non-Medicaid patients. The impact of Medicaid enrollment timing on cancer outcomes is less clear. This study examines the association between Medicaid enrollment and timing with tumor stage and cancer-specific survival for breast, colorectal, and lung cancers. Methods: We analyzed SEER-Medicaid linked data for 276,755 breast, 104,784 colorectal, and 101,058 lung cancer patients < 65 years of age. Patients were categorized as non-Medicaid enrollees, pre-diagnosis enrollees (≥12 months before), or post-diagnosis enrollees (≤12 months after). Multivariable logistic regression estimated odds ratios of late-stage diagnosis, and cause-specific Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess cancer-specific survival, adjusting for demographic and socioeconomic factors. Results: Compared to non-Medicaid enrollees, post-diagnosis enrollees had the highest odds of late-stage diagnosis (breast cancer: OR: 3.41; colorectal cancer: OR: 3.78; lung cancer: OR: 1.87). Pre-diagnosis enrollees also had increased odds, but the …

Assessment Of Antimicrobial Transition Errors From Hospitals To Skilled Nursing Facilities, Amy Y. Kang, Guarina A. Garcia Delgado, Ashley Nguyen, Maddie Yeh, Tracy Ly, Richard C. Beuttler, Abisay Ortega, Donna Phan Tran, Evelyn Flores, Charis Tjeong, Andrew Bishop, Praneet Kalkat, Loren G. Miller

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background More than 1 million Americans reside in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). Antimicrobial transition errors among patients transferred from hospital to SNFs pose safety risks and may lead to poor outcomes, but data on such errors are limited.   Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of infectious diseases clinics from 1 June 2020 through 30 November 2023 at the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, a large safety-net health system. We performed logistic regression analyses to identify factors associated with antimicrobial transition errors and poor infection outcomes.   Results We screened records of 6865 clinic patients, among whom 112 were …

Potency-Related Effects Of Smoked Cannabis On Simulated Driving Performance: A Randomized, Controlled Crossover Trial, Bruna Brands, Adam Zaweel, Madison Wright, Patricia Di Ciano, Christine M. Wickens, Justin Matheson, Andrew Fares, Omer S. M. Hasan, Marcos Sanches, Beth Sproule, Marilyn A. Huestis, Timothy L. Brown, Bernard Le Foll

Institute of Emerging Health Professions Faculty Papers

Given the increasing availability of high-potency Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) products, understanding potency-related effects of Δ9-THC on driving performance is an important public safety issue. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subjects trial examined the effects of smoked cannabis with varying Δ9-THC concentrations on simulated driving. Adults aged 19–45 who regularly used cannabis and held valid driver’s licenses completed simulated driving tasks after smoking placebo, or cannabis containing low (6.25%/47 mg Δ9-THC), medium (12.5%/94 mg Δ9-THC), or high (22%/165 mg Δ9-THC) Δ9-THC levels. The primary outcome was mean speed (km/h); secondary measures included maximum speed, standard deviation of lateral position (SDLP), reaction time (RT), …

Rural–Urban Differences In Cognitive Outcomes Among Older Adults: The Roles Of Falls And Depressive Symptoms, Ayse Malatyali, Tom Cidav, Lisa A.K. Wiese, Jian Zou, Monique J. Brown Ph.D., Mph, Junfeng Ma, Breno S. Diniz, Ladda Thiamwong

Faculty Publications

Background: Older adults with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) experience a higher risk of falls. However, research lacks evidence on the effect of fall exposure on cognitive impairment and dementia. We investigated the association of falls and depressive symptoms with cognitive impairment and dementia in a nationally representative sample. Methods: We analyzed data from 6221 participants (age ≥ 65) in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) from the 2018–2020 waves, using Multinomial logistic regression models. Measures included the HRS health status questionnaire, HRS cognition scale, and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale. Results: Prevalence of fall exposure across …

Rural–Urban Differences In Cognitive Outcomes Among Older Adults: The Roles Of Falls And Depressive Symptoms, Ayse Malatyali, Tom Cidav, Lisa A.K. Wiese, Jian Zou, Monique J. Brown Ph.D., Mph, Junfeng Ma, Breno S. Diniz, Ladda Thiamwong

Faculty Publications

Background: Older adults with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) experience a higher risk of falls. However, research lacks evidence on the effect of fall exposure on cognitive impairment and dementia. We investigated the association of falls and depressive symptoms with cognitive impairment and dementia in a nationally representative sample. Methods: We analyzed data from 6221 participants (age ≥ 65) in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) from the 2018–2020 waves, using Multinomial logistic regression models. Measures included the HRS health status questionnaire, HRS cognition scale, and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale. Results: Prevalence of fall exposure across …

Modeling The Impact Of Shade Pavilions On Wet Bulb Globe Temperature And Activity Modification In Outdoor Sports Across Diverse U.S. Climates, Andrew Grundstein, Susan W. Yeargin Ph.D., Atc, Lat, Earl Cooper, Lilly Cargile

Faculty Publications

Extreme heat is an ongoing hazard for outdoor sports. In response, schools, recreation departments, and fitness clubs are increasingly installing shade pavilions over venues like football fields and tennis courts. While shading is known to improve thermal comfort and reduce heat stress, its effects on wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) and related activity modification guidelines in sports remain underexplored. This study uses a modeling approach to quantify the impact of shade pavilions on WBGT and activity modification across a range of U.S. climates.

WBGT values were calculated using a model based on historical data from 221 weather stations, each with …