Digital Commons Network^™

Life Satisfaction In Justice-Involved Opioid Users, Cassandra Michel

Public Health Theses

Life satisfaction—an individual’s overall evaluation of their life, including their feelings and attitudes toward it—has been linked to a range of psychological and physical health outcomes. While numerous studies have examined the factors associated with life satisfaction across various populations, such as healthy young and older adults, limited research has focused on individuals with substance use disorders or those involved in the criminal justice system. This study explored the relationship between psychosocial and structural factors and life satisfaction among justice-involved individuals with a history of opioid use disorder. Using cross-sectional survey data from a sample of 372 participants, I conducted …

Effects Of High-Intensity Interval Training On Biomarkers And Inflammatory Factors In Patients With Heart Failure: A Meta-Analysis Of Randomized Controlled Trials, Wanting Zhang, Jooyeon Hwang, Beibei Lu, Xin Xu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: There is still controversy about the effect of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on the levels of cardiac and inflammatory biomarkers in patients with heart failure compared with moderate-intensity continuous training (MCT) and conventional healthcare activities. This article is to systematically investigate the effects of HIIT on the levels of cardiac and inflammatory biomarkers in patients with heart failure compared with MCT and conventional healthcare activities.

Methods: A computerized search of databases was conducted with the search year from the establishment of the database, and the screened results were subjected to quality assessment and data extraction, and the data was …

A Mixed-Methods Usability Pilot Of A Value-Goal Elicitation Tool In The Inpatient Setting For Older Adults Anticipating Post-Acute Care, Kirstin M Piazza, Caroline Pascal, Syama R Patel, Caroline Sefcik, Marilyn M Schapira, Caroline Madrigal, Katherine C Ritchey, Longyi Yip, Aanand D Naik, Robert E Burke

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Age-Friendly Health Systems (AFHS) emphasize aligning care with "What Matters" most to older adults. Hospitalization represents a critical period where value-based goals could shape key decisions about post-acute care transitions. However, few tools designed for eliciting such goals have been adapted for use in the inpatient setting, where the acute nature of care poses unique challenges. This mixed-methods study evaluates the usability of the Health Priorities Primer Tool (HPPT) in older hospitalized adults who anticipate needing post-acute care, aiming to identify necessary adaptations for the inpatient setting. We conducted interviews, observations, and surveys with older hospitalized patients to understand their …

"The Association Between Serious Psychological Distress And Life Satisfaction Among U.S Adults With Hypertension", Kellen Michael Lenz

All ETDs from UAB

Purpose: Given the observed link between psychosocial and physical health outcomes, this study investigates the association between serious psychological distress and life satisfaction among U.S adults with hypertension. Methods: A cross-sectional study using 2021 National Health Interview Survey data among U.S adults was conducted to investigate the association between serious psychological distress and hypertension and assess the role of life satisfaction in modifying this relationship. Hypertension (diagnosed, undiagnosed), serious psychological distress (≥ 13 on the Kessler 6 nonspecific distress scale), and life satisfaction (Very satisfied, Satisfied, Dissatisfied, Very dissatisfied) were self-reported by participants. Ordinal logistic regression was used to investigate …

Multifactorial Fall Interventions For People Over 65 Years In The Acute Hospital Setting: Pre–Post-Test Design, Allison Wallis, Christina Aggar, Deb Massey

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Falls are the most reported patient safety incident for patients >65 years in acute hospital settings worldwide. While multifactorial fall interventions reduce the number of falls in subacute and rehabilitation settings, fall interventions in acute hospital settings are unknown. Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of multifactorial fall interventions on the number of falls using codesigned education targeting staff and the patient and review the environment in acute hospital settings in NSW, Australia for patients over 65 years of age. Method: A pre–post-test design with a non-equivalent group was conducted. All acute hospital inpatient falls occurring both pre- and post-intervention …

Geriatric Care In Corrections: An Exploratory Study Of Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives On The Needs Of An Aging Prison Population, Cynthia A. Scheiderer

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The incarcerated population in the United States is aging. The proportion of adults 55 or older in prison rose from 3% in 1993 to 16% at year-end 2022 (Carson & Sabol, 2016; Carson & Kluckow, 2024). Researchers have consistently found evidence that the prevalence of disabilities and functional impairment is higher among older adults who are incarcerated than among those in the community. As the incarcerated population ages, corrections professionals responsible for providing safety, housing, and health care must respond to the needs of the population. In this qualitative study, 21 corrections professionals from the disciplines of custody, classification, medical, …

Investigating Falls Risk Awareness In Hospitals Using The Self-Awareness Of Falls Risk Measure (Safrm): Empirical Research Quantitative, Elissa Dabkowski, Simon J. Cooper, Jhodie Duncan, Karen Missen

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Aim: The overarching aim of this study was to explore patients' falls risk awareness in hospitals using section A of the validated Self Awareness of Falls Risk Measure (SAFRM). Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study design. Setting: Three rural/regional hospitals in the State of Victoria, Australia. Methods: Using a purposive sampling strategy, patients were eligible to participate if aged ≥ 40 years, English-speaking, and have ambulatory capacity prior to hospital admission. Participants were excluded from the study if they returned a Standardised Mini-Mental State Examination (SMMSE) score < 18. Falls risk awareness data was collected from both patient and health professionals using section A of the SAFRM. Patient demographic data was collected from patient medical records. Results: A total of 77 patients (72.9 years ±11.2) and 58 health professionals were recruited. Patients had a significant difference in falls risk awareness when compared to their clinician (z = −2.08, p = 0.038). Regression analyses showed that patients were more likely to overestimate their falls risk if they used anticoagulant medication and if their highest education level was less than or equal year 11. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) revealed a three-factor solution from section A of the SAFRM, which were labelled Physical Activity Awareness, Cognitive Awareness and Balance Awareness. Conclusions: There was a significant difference in patients' falls risk awareness compared to a health professional. The independent associations of variables with falls risk awareness, such as age, education level and medication use, further our understanding of the differences in falls risk awareness. The findings also establish that the 15-item section A SAFRM is a reliable and feasible falls risk perception measure for use in hospitals, with future research recommended to evaluate the proposed three-factor model with the addition of tailored hospital falls education. Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care: The findings from this study establish a significant difference in patients' falls risk awareness compared to their health professional. Section A of the SAFRM is a reliable tool for nurses and other health professionals to establish the presence of a falls risk disparity. The ability to empirically measure this disparity and to determine an under- or overestimation of falls risk is a useful addition to clinical practice. The SAFRM facilitates a person-centred approach to falls prevention by providing opportunities for the clinician to collaborate with the patient and tailor fall prevention strategies. Impact: Problem: Inpatient falls in hospital settings. Main Findings: There was a significant difference in patients' falls risk awareness compared to a health professional. Section A of the Self-Awareness of Falls Risk measure is a reliable and feasible tool to identify under- or overestimation of falls risk perception in hospitals. Patients were more likely to overestimate their falls risk if they used anticoagulant medication and if their highest education level was less than year 11. The findings for a three factor-model Physical Activity Awareness, Cognitive Awareness and Balance Awareness could inform future hospital falls education. Impact: Registered nurses, health professionals, inpatients. Reporting Method: STROBE checklist for cross-sectional studies. Patient or Public Contribution: This study involved the collection of data from patient participants and registered nurses.

Support For Older People Living With Chronic Life-Limiting Illnesses In Rural Ghana, Barbara Adonteng-Kissi, Obed Adonteng-Kissi

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Summary: This research aims to address formal support needs of informal caregivers (ICs) in the context of long-term care of older people (OP) living with chronic life-limiting illnesses and examine the relationships of ICs of OP with formal support in rural Ghana. We undertook ethnographic interviews with 15 OP; 15 ICs; and 10 healthcare professionals (HPs) after participatory observations during 6 months of fieldwork. This was supported with daily field notes used to collect the needed data and purposively sampled across Gomoa West District in Ghana. The average age of participants was 76 years. Interviews were recorded and transcribed, using …

Focus On Frailty: Co-Designing Digital Frailty Education With Healthcare Students, Kristiana Ludlow, Sarah Martin, Benignus Logan, Ruth E. Hubbard, Nicola Warren, Olivia Gallagher, Bonnie K. Kwok, Rosemary Saunders

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Frailty is prevalent in hospitals and is associated with adverse events and poor health outcomes. In Australia, there is a need for co-designed, multidisciplinary, and contextually relevant frailty education to improve healthcare students’ understanding and knowledge of frailty within the hospital setting. Objective: This study aimed to i) explore healthcare students’ understanding of frailty and their experiences with patients who are frail, and ii) seek healthcare students’ design ideas for the content of a new digital frailty education course.

Methods: Participants were university students enrolled in a health-related degree. Online focus groups and interviews were conducted between August and …

Age-Related Variations In Hba1c Improvemecnts: Insights From A Telehealth-Supported Community-Based Intervention, Laura Porterfield, Xiaoying Yu, Amber B Amspoker, Craig A Johnston, Aanand D Naik, Salim S Virani, Christie M Ballantyne, Ashok Balasubramanyam, Elizabeth M Vaughan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and objectives: We previously demonstrated that a telehealth-supported community health worker (CHW) intervention significantly improved clinical outcomes in diabetes care. However, the extent to which these benefits vary across different age groups remains unclear. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a CHW-led multidimensional diabetes intervention in reducing HbA1c across age groups.

Research design and methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 10 studies (n = 301) that focused on low-income Hispanic adults with or at risk for type 2 diabetes. The intervention included CHW-participant coaching via mobile Health (mHealth), monthly CHW-led group education, and bidirectional mHealth feedback among …

Examining The Impact Of A Health Course On Lifelong Learner Attitudes Toward Psychedelic And Entheogenic Substances, Dustin B. Larrazolo

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This study examined the impact of a three-week Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) health course, “Far Out” Medicine: The Science and History of Psychedelics, on midlife and older adult learners’ knowledge, attitudes, and perspectives regarding psychedelic and entheogenic substances. Eleven midlife and older adults (ages 40 - 80; M = 59.0, SD = 15.35) completed matched pre- and post-course surveys assessing demographic characteristics, factual knowledge, attitudes, personal willingness, and social or policy views. The sample was highly educated (1 associate, 5 bachelor’s, 3 master’s, and 2 doctoral degrees) and demonstrated strong internal consistency and response convergence across repeated measures. …

Health Literacy On Physical Therapy Among Senior Citizens With Physical Disability And Community Health Workers, Kriza G. Ganotisi, Faye Angelene J. Barangay, Andrew A. Galang, Wina Frances Q. Lazaro, Christopher U. Rivera, Ryan Dean T. Sucgang

Philippine Journal of Physical Therapy

Introduction. This study was conducted to determine the health literacy on physical therapy (PT) among senior citizens with physical disability and community health workers (CHWs). Specifically, it identified the sociodemographic profile of the CHWs and senior citizens with physical disability, their extent of health literacy on PT as to prose, document and numeracy and how health policies, availability of PT programs, and available equipment and facilities for the rendition of PT services affect their health literacy.

Methods. This study employed a descriptive research design. The respondents of the study involved 18 CHWs and 29 senior citizens. It was conducted in …

Managing The Cost Of Services For People With Disabilities: An International Approach. Part I: Poland, Dana Pugh, Jaroslaw Richard Romaniuk

Faculty Scholarship

Introduction: The cost of care for people with disabilities is rising, whereas all forms of support for them are decreasing. Countries and communities develop different ways to serve the disabled. We examined the comprehensive state of care from the perspective of cost management of services for individuals with disabilities in Poland. Method: This paper is based on a review of relevant international literature, with a special focus on the situation in Poland. A keyword search was completed in both Polish- and English-language databases. Results: In Poland, people with disabilities usually live with their families, and specialized services are offered outside …

Association Between Body Mass Index, Abdominal Obesity And Menopause-Related Symptoms In Postmenopausal Women, Brianna A. Rice, Patricia Heavey

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

Abstract: Existing research demonstrates a lack of data on the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and menopause-related symptoms in postmenopausal women, particularly in Ireland. This study aimed to determine whether there is an association between BMI, general abdominal obesity and menopause-related symptoms in postmenopausal women. This should help bridge the data gap regarding postmenopausal women living in Ireland and their symptoms. Introduction: Menopause is defined as the permanent cessation of a woman's menstrual cycle. This is caused by a reduction of the secretion of oestrogen and progesterone, leading to reduced ovarian function. These changes have been attributed …

After-Hours, Severity, And Distance Are Associated With Non-Vha Emergency Department Use For Older Veterans: Insights From A Regional Health Information Exchange, Elina Kurkurina, Kimberly M. Judon, Ula Hwang, Kenneth S. Boockvar, Juan Wisnivesky, Matthew R. Augustine

Journal of Geriatric Emergency Medicine

Background: Older adults treated in emergency departments (EDs) are at higher risk for adverse outcomes. Using multiple facilities can worsen this issue through service duplication and poor care transitions. Veterans with dual insurance coverage can access both Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and non-VHA EDs. This study aimed to identify factors associated with non-VHA ED use among veterans.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study of patients aged ≥ 65 who had primary care at the James J Peters VA Medical Center and at least one VHA or non-VHA ED visit between October 2017 and February 2020. Data were collected from …

Mexican Health And Aging Study Biomarker And Genetic Data Profile, Rafael Samper-Ternent, Jesús Daniel Zazueta-Borboa, Alejandra Michaels-Obregon, Dolly Reyes-Dumeyer, Sandra Barral, Giuseppe Tosto, Rebeca Wong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS) is one of the largest ongoing longitudinal studies of aging in Latin America, with six waves over 20 years. MHAS includes sociodemographic, economic, and health data from a nationally representative sample of adults 50 years and older in urban and rural Mexico. MHAS is designed to study the impact of diseases on adults' health, function, and mortality. As Mexico is experiencing rapid population aging, providing adequate information to study this phenomenon is vital for designing and implementing public policies. The availability of biomarker and genetic data and longitudinal survey data elevates opportunities for …

Urinary Metal Levels, Cognitive Test Performance, And Dementia In The Multi-Ethnic Study Of Atherosclerosis, Arce Domingo-Relloso, Katlyn E Mcgraw, Susan R Heckbert, Jose A Luchsinger, Kathrin Schilling, Ronald A Glabonjat, Irene Martinez-Morata, Melanie Mayer, Yongmei Liu, Alexis C Wood, Jeff Goldsmith, Kathleen M Hayden, Mohamad Habes, Ilya M Nasrallah, R Nick Bryan, Tanweer Rashid, Wendy S Post, Jerome I Rotter, Priya Palta, Linda Valeri, Timothy M Hughes, Ana Navas-Acien

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

IMPORTANCE: Metals are established neurotoxicants, but evidence of their association with cognitive performance at low chronic exposure levels is limited.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of urinary metal levels, individually and as a mixture, with cognitive tests and dementia diagnosis, including effect modification by apolipoprotein ε4 allele (APOE4).

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: The multicenter prospective cohort Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) was started from July 2000 to August 2002, with follow-up through 2018. A total of 6303 MESA participants were included. Data analysis was performed from October 12, 2023, to June 13, 2024.

EXPOSURE: Urine samples were collected at baseline …

Economic Disadvantage During Childhood, Obesity, And Diabetes Across Three Birth Cohorts Of Older Mexicans, Jesús-Daniel Zazueta-Borboa, Rafael Samper-Ternent, Rebeca Wong, Neil Mehta

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVES: Diabetes prevalence has increased markedly in Mexico. We examined the individual and joint contributions of economic disadvantage during childhood (EDDC) and elevated body weight on diabetes prevalence in 3 cohorts of Mexican adults.

METHODS: Data on those 60-69 years old from the 1930-1939, 1940-1949, and 1950-1959 birth cohorts in Waves 1 (2001), 3 (2012), and 5 (2018) of the Mexican Health and Aging Study were used. EDDC was defined as the absence of a toilet in the household before age 10. Body mass status was defined using self-reported perceived body image at age 50. Diabetes was based on respondent …

Chronic Β3-Ar Stimulation Activates Distinct Thermogenic Mechanisms In Brown And White Adipose Tissue And Improves Systemic Metabolism In Aged Mice, Duraipandy Natarajan, Bhuvana Plakkot, Kritika Tiwari, Shoba Ekambaram, Weidong Wang, Michael Rudolph, Mahmoud A Mohammad, Shaji K Chacko, Madhan Subramanian, Stefano Tarantini, Andriy Yabluchanskiy, Zoltan Ungvari, Anna Csiszar, Priya Balasubramanian

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Adipose thermogenesis has been actively investigated as a therapeutic target for improving metabolic dysfunction in obesity. However, its applicability to middle-aged and older populations, which bear the highest obesity prevalence in the United States (approximately 40%), remains uncertain due to age-related decline in thermogenic responses. In this study, we investigated the effects of chronic thermogenic stimulation using the β3-adrenergic (AR) agonist CL316,243 (CL) on systemic metabolism and adipose function in aged (18-month-old) C57BL/6JN mice. Sustained β3-AR treatment resulted in reduced fat mass, increased energy expenditure, increased fatty acid oxidation and mitochondrial activity in adipose depots, improved glucose homeostasis, and a …

Advance Care Planning In Rehabilitation: Training Nurses And Social Workers To Facilitate Discussions, Celeste Christiansen

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Patients and healthcare workers fail to hold advance care planning (ACP) discussions. Social workers perceive a lack of time and feel unprepared to hold ACP conversations.

PICOT: The PICOT question that guided this project was: Do patients in acute inpatient rehabilitation (P) who receive education and resources about ACP from trained nurses and social workers (I) accept and participate in ACP (O) compared to prior standards of care (C) while on the rehabilitation unit (T)?

Evidence: The public and healthcare workers have limited knowledge of ACPs and their role in these discussions. People are more likely to hold …

Post-Pandemic Needs Of Unpaid Family And Friend Caregivers To Effectively Continue Caregiving Duties In One Northern Ontario Health Authority, Jodi Webber, Erin Mulroney, Mark Tatasciore, Brianna Smith, Patti-Jo Duggan, Louis Ferron, Hannah Albani, Bianca Feitelberg, Laura Tenhagen, Sophia Myles

Patient Experience Journal

The Covid-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the support networks for older adults and caregivers as health and social care systems were forced to dramatically change the ways patients and clients interacted with providers, services, and programs. In Northern Ontario, caregivers are older, caring in more intense situations, more likely to be caring for multiple care recipients simultaneously and less likely to be in contact with health professionals. This research sought to explore the post-pandemic needs of caregivers in a Northern Ontario health catchment to better understand the needed supports. Using a collaborative and co-design approach with caregiver advisors …

Addressing Practice Effects In Population-Based Studies Of Trends In Late-Life Dementia And Cognitive Impairment, Vicki A Freedman, Mengyao Hu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Disparities In Cognitive Decline Along The Texas-Mexico Border: Insights From The 2021 Brfss, Bianca D. Valenzuela

Health and Kinesiology Theses

The aging global population has brought increased attention to cognitive health and early detection of cognitive decline. Subjective Cognitive Decline (SCD), defined as self-reported memory or thinking problems, is an early marker of neurodegenerative diseases. Despite growing research, gaps remain in understanding how geographic disparities influence SCD prevalence and contributing factors. The Texas-Mexico border region, predominantly Hispanic and facing unique socioeconomic and health care challenges, offers a unique context to explore these influences. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of SCD and related functional limitations in Texas-Mexico border counties versus non-border counties, using 2021 Behavioral Risk …

Dementia Risk Reduction In The African Context: Multi-National Implementation Of Multimodal Strategies To Promote Healthy Brain Aging In Africa (The Africa-Fingers Project), Chinedu Momoh, Rachel Maina, Lukoye Atwoli, Karen Blackmon, Edna Bosire, Gloria Chemutai, Linda Khakali, Sylvia Mbugua, Zul Merali, Olivera Nesic Taylor,, Anthony Ngugi, Cyprian Mostert, Eunice Muthoni, Roselyter Riang’A, Mansoor Saleh, Shahin Sayed, Jasmit Shah

Brain and Mind Institute

Dementia prevention in Africa is critically underexplored, despite the continent's high prevalence of modifiable risk factors. With a predominantly young and middle-aged population, Africa presents a prime opportunity to implement evidence-based strategies that could significantly reduce future dementia cases and mitigate its economic impact. The multinational Africa-FINGERS program offers an innovative solution, pioneering culturally sensitive, multidomain interventions tailored to the unique challenges of the region. Leveraging insights from landmark global studies such as Worldwide-FINGERS and Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, the program employs a multideterminant precision prevention framework, grounded in community based systems dynamics. Africa-FINGERS further integrates cutting-edge state-of-the-art multimodal biomarker …

Genomic Analysis Of Intracranial And Subcortical Brain Volumes Yields Polygenic Scores Accounting For Variation Across Ancestries, Luis M García-Marín, Adrian I Campos, Santiago Diaz-Torres, Jill A Rabinowitz, Zuriel Ceja, Brittany L Mitchell, Katrina L Grasby, Jackson G Thorp, Ingrid Agartz, Saud Alhusaini, David Ames, Philippe Amouyel, Ole A Andreassen, Konstantinos Arfanakis, Alejandro Arias-Vasquez, Nicola J Armstrong, Lavinia Athanasiu, Mark E Bastin, Alexa S Beiser, David A Bennett, Joshua C Bis, Marco P M Boks, Dorret I Boomsma, Henry Brodaty, Rachel M Brouwer, Jan K Buitelaar, Ralph Burkhardt, Wiepke Cahn, Vince D Calhoun, Owen T Carmichael, Mallar Chakravarty, Qiang Chen, Christopher R K Ching, Sven Cichon, Benedicto Crespo-Facorro, Fabrice Crivello, Anders M Dale, George Davey Smith, Eco J C De Geus, Philip L De Jager, Greig I De Zubicaray, Stéphanie Debette, Charles Decarli, Chantal Depondt, Sylvane Desrivières, Srdjan Djurovic, Stefan Ehrlich, Susanne Erk, Thomas Espeseth, Guillén Fernández, Irina Filippi, Simon E Fisher, Debra A Fleischman, Evan Fletcher, Myriam Fornage, Andreas J Forstner, Clyde Francks, Barbara Franke, Tian Ge, Aaron L Goldman, Hans J Grabe, Robert C Green, Oliver Grimm, Nynke A Groenewold, Oliver Gruber, Vilmundur Gudnason, Asta K Håberg, Unn K Haukvik, Andreas Heinz, Derrek P Hibar, Saima Hilal, Jayandra J Himali, Beng-Choon Ho, David F Hoehn, Pieter J Hoekstra, Edith Hofer, Wolfgang Hoffmann, Avram J Holmes, Georg Homuth, Norbert Hosten, M Kamran Ikram, Jonathan C Ipser, Clifford R Jack, Neda Jahanshad, Erik G Jönsson, Rene S Kahn, Ryota Kanai, Marieke Klein, Maria J Knol, Lenore J Launer, Stephen M Lawrie, Stephanie Le Hellard, Phil H Lee, Hervé Lemaître, Shuo Li, David C M Liewald, Honghuang Lin, W T Longstreth, Oscar L Lopez, Michelle Luciano, Pauline Maillard, Andre F Marquand, Nicholas G Martin, Jean-Luc Martinot, Karen A Mather, Venkata S Mattay, Katie L Mcmahon, Patrizia Mecocci, Ingrid Melle, Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg, Nazanin Mirza-Schreiber, Yuri Milaneschi, Thomas H Mosley, Thomas W Mühleisen, Bertram Müller-Myhsok, Susana Muñoz Maniega, Matthias Nauck, Kwangsik Nho, Wiro J Niessen, Markus M Nöthen, Paul A Nyquist, Jaap Oosterlaan, Massimo Pandolfo, Tomas Paus, Zdenka Pausova, Brenda W J H Penninx, G Bruce Pike, Bruce M Psaty, Benno Pütz, Simone Reppermund, Marcella D Rietschel, Shannon L Risacher, Nina Romanczuk-Seiferth, Rafael Romero-Garcia, Gennady V Roshchupkin, Jerome I Rotter, Perminder S Sachdev, Philipp G Sämann, Arvin Saremi, Muralidharan Sargurupremraj, Andrew J Saykin, Lianne Schmaal, Helena Schmidt, Reinhold Schmidt, Peter R Schofield, Markus Scholz, Gunter Schumann, Emanuel Schwarz, Li Shen, Jean Shin, Sanjay M Sisodiya, Albert V Smith, Jordan W Smoller, Hilkka S Soininen, Vidar M Steen, Dan J Stein, Jason L Stein, Sophia I Thomopoulos, Arthur W Toga, Diana Tordesillas-Gutiérrez, Julian N Trollor, Maria C Valdes-Hernandez, Dennis Van T Ent, Hans Van Bokhoven, Dennis Van Der Meer, Nic J A Van Der Wee, Javier Vázquez-Bourgon, Dick J Veltman, Meike W Vernooij, Arno Villringer, Louis N Vinke, Henry Völzke, Henrik Walter, Joanna M Wardlaw, Daniel R Weinberger, Michael W Weiner, Wei Wen, Lars T Westlye, Eric Westman, Tonya White, A Veronica Witte, Christiane Wolf, Jingyun Yang, Marcel P Zwiers, M Arfan Ikram, Sudha Seshadri, Paul M Thompson, Claudia L Satizabal, Sarah E Medland, Miguel E Rentería

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Subcortical brain structures are involved in developmental, psychiatric and neurological disorders. Here we performed genome-wide association studies meta-analyses of intracranial and nine subcortical brain volumes (brainstem, caudate nucleus, putamen, hippocampus, globus pallidus, thalamus, nucleus accumbens, amygdala and the ventral diencephalon) in 74,898 participants of European ancestry. We identified 254 independent loci associated with these brain volumes, explaining up to 35% of phenotypic variance. We observed gene expression in specific neural cell types across differentiation time points, including genes involved in intracellular signaling and brain aging-related processes. Polygenic scores for brain volumes showed predictive ability when applied to individuals of diverse …

Sex Differences In Hypertension And Its Management Throughout Life, Wan-Jin Yeo, Rahul Abraham, Aditya L Surapaneni, Pascal Schlosser, Shoshana H Ballew, Bige Ozkan, Carina M Flaherty, Bing Yu, Joseph V Bonventre, Chirag R Parikh, Paul L Kimmel, Ramachandran S Vasan, Josef Coresh, Morgan E Grams

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: The prevalence of hypertension and uncontrolled hypertension may differ by age and sex.

Methods: We included participants in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study at seven study visits over 33 years (visit 1: 15 636 participants; mean age, 54 years; 55% women), estimating sex differences in prevalence of hypertension (systolic blood pressure ≥130 mm Hg; diastolic blood pressure ≥80 mm Hg; or self-reported antihypertension medication use) and uncontrolled hypertension (systolic blood pressure ≥140 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mm Hg) using unadjusted and comorbidity-adjusted models.

Results: The prevalence of hypertension increased with age from 40% (ages, 43-46 …

Practical Strategies For Establishing A Physical Activity Program For Older Aboriginal People - Reflections About Decolonising Practice, Margaret Gidgup, Josephine Umbella, Anne-Marie Hill

Journal of the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet

Background
Physical activity (PA) is a vital component of healthy ageing. However, there are few culturally appropriate PA programs available for older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The objectives of this review were to i) assist health professionals to gain understanding about working with older Aboriginal people, ii) provide practical strategies that guide a decolonising approach when delivering PA programs.

Methods
A review of PA program delivery was undertaken by two researchers, one of whom was a Noongar Wadjak woman. The researchers conducted a weekly PA program for older Aboriginal people on Noongar Boodja (Country). The researchers took a …

Social Determinants Of Health And How They Affect A Small Rural Community (Case Study) Eastern Shore Of Maryland, Kristopher S. Durham, Lindsay Gietzen

Pacific Journal of Health

The Eastern Shore of Maryland is rural and is characterized by prevalent poverty, housing instability, lack of access to healthcare, chronic diseases, substance abuse, and issues with transportation to access healthcare services. The same problems exist for the population in Maryland and the United States. Understanding the challenges experienced by rural communities in Maryland is critical to addressing the vulnerable population. This study is an explanatory case study that examines the social determinants of health and how those affect small rural communities on the Eastern Shore of Maryland by examining literature published between 2016 and 2024. The literature reviewed resulted …

Social Determinants Of Alzheimer’S Disease And Dementia: The Mississippi Landscape, Kenneth R. Butler Jr., Denise Lafferty, Stacee B. Naylor, Kimberly C. Tarver Md

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Social determinants of health (SDOH) are those conditions in the environment where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health, physical and cognitive functions, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks. Numerous social factors are significant contributors to the development and progression of various diseases. Recently, much attention has focused on assessing the impact of social factors on Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). The objective of this commentary is to describe and assess the SDOH that have been associated with increased risk of ADRD in the context of the social environment in …

Parallel Electrophysiological Abnormalities Due To Covid-19 Infection And To Alzheimer’S Disease And Related Dementia, Yang Jiang, Jennifer Neal, Pradoldej Sompol, Görsev Yener, Xianghong Arakaki, Christopher M. Norris, Francesca R. Farina, Agustin Ibanez, Susanna Lopez, Abdulhakim Al-Ezzi, Voyko Kavcic, Bahar Güntekin, Claudio Babiloni, Mihály Hajós

Neurology Faculty Publications

Many coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) positive individuals exhibit abnormal electroencephalographic (EEG) activity reflecting “brain fog” and mild cognitive impairments even months after the acute phase of infection. Resting-state EEG abnormalities include EEG slowing (reduced alpha rhythm; increased slow waves) and epileptiform activity. An expert panel conducted a systematic review to present compelling evidence that cognitive deficits due to COVID-19 and to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia (ADRD) are driven by overlapping pathologies and neurophysiological abnormalities. EEG abnormalities seen in COVID-19 patients resemble those observed in early stages of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly ADRD. It is proposed that similar EEG abnormalities in …