Digital Commons Network^™

Covid-19 Newsletter (Vol. 130), Center For Disaster Medicine, New York Medical College

COVID-19 Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Environmental Communication: Changing The Attitude-Behavioral Gap In Science Communication Utilizing Strategic Messaging, Carrie Helgeson Nelms

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

National Polls in the United States consistently find the public’s beliefs and attitudes about climate change and other environmental issues significantly diverge from those held by the science community. A communication gap between the findings on the causes and effects of environmental issues and the public’s inability to interpret or refuse to accept these findings are possible causes of this divergence. This communication gap constitutes a threat to society because of inaction to environmental problems and points to needed changes in scientific messaging that better informs and motivates behavioral change. The present research employed a strategic message design to affect …

A Scoping Review Of Preterm Births In Sub-Saharan Africa: Burden, Risk Factors And Outcomes, Adam Mabrouk, Amina Abubakar, Ezra Too, Esther Chongwo, Ifedayo M. Adetifa

Institute for Human Development, East Africa

Preterm births (PTB) are the leading cause of neonatal deaths, the majority of which occur in low- and middle-income countries, particularly those in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Understanding the epidemiology of prematurity is an essential step towards tackling the challenge of PTB in the sub-continent. We performed a scoping review of the burden, predictors and outcomes of PTB in SSA. We searched PubMed, Embase, and three other databases for articles published from the database inception to 10 July 2021. Studies reporting the prevalence of PTB, the associated risk factors, and/or its outcomes were eligible for inclusion in this review. Our literature …

Longitudinal Reduction In Diversity Of Maternal Gut Microbiota During Pregnancy Is Observed In Multiple Low-Resource Settings: Results From The Women First Trial, Minghua Tang, Nicholas E. Weaver, Daniel N. Frank, Diana Ir, Charles E. Robertson, Jennifer F. Kemp, Jamie Westcott, Kartik Shankar, Sumera Aziz Ali, Sarah Saleem

Community Health Sciences

Objective: To characterize the changes in gut microbiota during pregnancy and determine the effects of nutritional intervention on gut microbiota in women from sub-Saharan Africa (the Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC), South Asia (India and Pakistan), and Central America (Guatemala).
Methods: Pregnant women in the Women First (WF) Preconception Maternal Nutrition Trial were included in this analysis. Participants were randomized to receive a lipid-based micronutrient supplement either ≥3 months before pregnancy (Arm 1); started the same intervention late in the first trimester (Arm 2); or received no nutrition supplements besides those self-administered or prescribed through local health services (Arm …

Examining Mental Health Disparities In A Rural County: A Community Health Needs Assessment Analysis, Dustin M. Schulz

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Over 20% of adults in the United States experience some form of mental illness each year. Those residing in rural areas can see increased prevalence of mental illness, and typically face disparities in access and availability of services for mental health. The goal of this project was to examine the impact of mental health in Woodford County, Illinois using data collected through the 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) process, with the intent of identifying areas of improvement that could be implemented at the local level. Analysis of the CHNA data was conducted using frequency analysis in SAS 9.4 through …

An Analysis Of Demographics And Risk Factors Associated With Increasing Syphilis Cases In Iowa, Eleanore H. Nelson

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Background:

Syphilis is easily detectable and treatable with the appropriate medical attention, yet national incidence rates have been on the rise since reaching an all-time low in 2000 (Shockman et al, 2014). Similar to HIV, men who have sex with other men (MSM), represent most syphilis transmission, yet in recent years, syphilis rates have concerningly increased among both genders and among all racial/ethnic groups (CDC, 2019).

Methods:

Surveillance data was collected on all syphilis cases reported to the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) regarding demographics and risk factors of cases. Variables were analyzed using chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests, …

Could Cultures Determine The Course Of Epidemics And Explain Waves Of Covid-19?, Md Salman Rahman

Theses and Dissertations

Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, is an infectious disease that quickly became a pandemic spreading with different patterns in each country. Travel bans, lockdowns, social distancing, and non-essential business closures caused significant economic disruptions and stalled growth worldwide in the pandemic’s first year. In almost every country, public health officials forced and/or encouraged Nonpharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs) such as contact tracing, social distancing, masks, and quarantine. Human behavioral decision-making regarding social isolation significantly impedes global success in containing the pandemic. This thesis focuses on human behaviors and cultures related to the decision-making of social isolation during the pandemic. …

A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis On Prevalence Of And Risk Factors Associated With Depression, Anxiety And Insomnia In Infectious Diseases, Including Covid-19: A Call To Action, Kai Yuan, Yong-Bo Zheng, Yi-Jie Wang, Yan-Kun Sun, Yi-Miao Gong, Yue-Tong Huang, Xuan Chen, Xiao-Xing Liu, Yi Zhong, Si-Zhen Su, Nan Gao, Yi-Long Lu, Zhe Wang, Wei-Jian Liu, Jian-Yu Que, Ying-Bo Yang, An-Yi Zhang, Meng-Ni Jing, Chen-Wei Yuan, Na Zeng, Michael V Vitiello, Vikram Patel, Seena Fazel, Harry Minas, Graham Thornicroft, Teng-Teng Fan, Xiao Lin, Wei Yan, Le Shi, Jie Shi, Thomas Kosten, Yan-Ping Bao, Lin Lu

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Infectious disease epidemics have become more frequent and more complex during the 21st century, posing a health threat to the general public and leading to psychological symptoms. The current study was designed to investigate the prevalence of and risk factors associated with depression, anxiety and insomnia symptoms during epidemic outbreaks, including COVID-19. We systematically searched the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, OVID, Medline, Cochrane databases, bioRxiv and medRxiv to identify studies that reported the prevalence of depression, anxiety or insomnia during infectious disease epidemics, up to August 14th, 2020. Prevalence of mental symptoms among different populations including the general public, …

Are Kenyans Likely To Use Covid-19 Self-Testing Kits? Results From A Cross-Sectional Survey, Griffins Manguro, Sonjelle Shilton, Sharon Omenda, Patrica Owira, Deepshikha Batheja, Abhik Banerji, Sophie Chabeda, Marleen Temmerman, Walter Jako, Stanley Luchters

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Objectives: To understand the public’s perceptions around rapid SARS-CoV-2 antigen self-testing in Kenya, including the drivers of acceptability, willingness to pay, and adherence to hygiene and prevention recommendations following a positive self-test.

Methods: A household-based, cross-sectional survey, using a 35-item questionnaire, was conducted in Mombasa and Taita–Taveta counties, Kenya, during August 2021. Individuals aged ≥18 years were enrolled using a stratified sampling approach.

Results: There were 419 participants (mean age 35.7 years). A minority (10.5%) had ever tested for SARS-CoV-2. If SARS-CoV-2 self-testing were available, 39.9% and 41.5% would be likely and very likely, respectively, to use it. If unavailable …

Infection And Transmission Determinants Of Flea-Borne Rickettsioses, Hanna J. Laukaitis

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

The genus Rickettsia is comprised of Gram-negative, obligate intracellular bacteria that are spread by hematophagous arthropods. Elucidating the factors conferring rickettsial virulence has perplexed investigators for decades, complicated by the lack of efficient genetic tools necessary to uncover rickettsial- and vector-specific factors contributing to persistence. The advent of transposon mutagenesis has enabled the field to make vast developments in uncovering novel rickettsial mechanisms utilized in various host backgrounds. Thus, the aim of this study was to generate Rickettsia felis transposon mutants and characterize novel phenotypes associated with genetic disruption in an arthropod background. Distribution of rickettsiae is reliant on the …

Antibody Evasion By Sars-Cov-2 Omicron Subvariants Ba2121, Ba4 And Ba5, Qian Wang, Yicheng Guo, Sho Iketani, Manoj S Nair, Zhiteng Li, Hiroshi Mohri, Maple Wang, Jian Yu, Anthony D Bowen, Jennifer Y Chang, Jayesh G Shah, Nadia Nguyen, Zhiwei Chen, Kathrine Meyers, Michael T Yin, Magdalena E Sobieszczyk, Zizhang Sheng, Yaoxing Huang, Lihong Liu, David D Ho

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants BA.2.12.1 and BA.4/5 have surged notably to become dominant in the United States and South Africa, respectively1,2. These new subvariants carrying further mutations in their spike proteins raise concerns that they may further evade neutralizing antibodies, thereby further compromising the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutic monoclonals. We now report findings from a systematic antigenic analysis of these surging Omicron subvariants. BA.2.12.1 is only modestly (1.8-fold) more resistant to sera from vaccinated and boosted individuals than BA.2. However, BA.4/5 is substantially (4.2-fold) more resistant and thus more likely to lead to vaccine breakthrough infections. Mutation at spike …

Acquired Hemophilia A: A Possibly Fatal Complication Of Sars-Cov-2 Infection, Hasan Fareed Siddiqui, Taymmia Ejaz, Aisha Fareed Siddiqui, Fahd Niaz Shaikh

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Social Contributors For The Rise Of Covid-19 Infections In South Asia: A Large Cross-Sectional Survey, Zouina Sarfraz, Azza Sarfraz, Muzna Sarfraz, Nishwa Azeem, Namrata Hange, Miguel Felix, Ivan Cherrez-Ojeda

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: The ongoing global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first reported in South Asia on 30th January 2020 in India. Ever since, certain countries have witnessed multiple waves of COVID-19, requiring attention by public health experts and strategists in the region. The objectives of this study are to assess social contributors to the recurrent waves of COVID-19 in South Asia including first demographic traits, second household characteristics and social measures, third workplace trends and personal protective equipment use, and fourth satisfaction and attitudes concerning public health measures and vaccination status. …

Narrative Synthesis Systematic Review Of Pakistani Women's Health Outcomes From Primary Care Interventions, Sara Rizvi Jafree, Qaisar Khalid Mahmood, Sohail Mujahid, Muhammad Asim, Jane Barlow

Community Health Sciences

Objective: Women living in Pakistan have complex health problems including infectious and non-communicable diseases, accident and injuries, and mental health problems. While a majority of these women rely on primary healthcare services for all of their healthcare needs, there has to date been no overview of the extent of their effectiveness. The objective of this review was to (1) synthesise the available evidence regarding the effectiveness of primary care based interventions aimed at improving women's mental and physical health and (2) identify the factors that promote effectiveness for women's health outcomes.
Methods: Five academic databases were searched, including PubMed, BMC …

Local Broadcast Reporters Maintaining Social Responsibility And Mental Health While Serving A Community Under Lockdown, Mary-Morgan Ellis

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study looks at local broadcast news reporters working in Northwest Arkansas before, at the start, and during the COVID-19 global pandemic. Research for this study includes a content study of the tweets and Twitter accounts of eleven local reporters. This study considers the social responsibility theory and examines how these eleven local reporters use the theory in their everyday work. Research found, though these reporters don’t credit the theory by name, they are still putting its guidelines into effect as a sort of moral compass when creating objective and representative news for their communities. The research also found that …

Role Of Community Leaders In Managing Covid-19 Pandemic In Indonesia, Nur Alvira Pascawati, Tri Baskoro Tunggul Satoto, Annisa Rizqa Alamri

ASEAN Journal of Community Engagement

Community leaders must understand their role in controlling COVID-19, such as monitoring misleading information and providing socialization, education, protection, monitoring, and evaluation activities in the community, due to the numerous limitations of local governments in managing large populations during this crisis. This study aimed to describe the role of Yogyakarta community leaders in increasing community engagement in managing the Covid-19 pandemic. This study uses a quantitative method with a cross-sectional approach, and the study sample includes all community leaders as many as 31 people at the levels of neighborhood and hamlet. The data analysis process uses frequency distribution values. Results …

Comprehensive Efforts To Accelerate Non-Communicable Disease Services In The Era Of Covid-19 In Indonesia’S Suburban Area, Akmal Taher, Soehartati A. Gondhowiardjo, Adang Bachtiar, Sabarinah Prasetyo, Irene Pixelyne, Ficky Huang, Rima Sumayyah Ahmad

ASEAN Journal of Community Engagement

The COVID-19 crisis has disrupted non-communicable disease (NCD) services in primary health care, and NCD is one of the comorbidities that increase mortality in COVID-19 patients. Efforts to accelerate NCD services were carried out with the focus on two programs: the development of integrated polyclinic NCD services and the training of community health workers (CHW) at the Tanara Community Health Center (CHC) in Banten. The development of a continuous team-based service system from the Pos Pembinaan Terpadu (Posbindu)/integrated service post to NCD services at the CHC was carried out for six months to improve the quality of human resources and …

Initiating Entrepreneurship To Improve Health Amongst People In Lio Village During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study, Stella K. Triastari, Angelina Patricia Chandra, Andito M. Wibisono, Dewi Friska

ASEAN Journal of Community Engagement

Community development in Lio Village performed by Faculty of Medicine Universitas Indonesia students aimed to improve the health status of villagers. Because economy correlates with health, an economic intervention may increase the health status of the people. Based on this, an entrepreneurship program was initiated as a part of a community development program. This study is qualitative study that was conducted between July 2020 and February 2021. The intervention consisted of asynchronous webinar sessions, workshops, and business competition. Data were gathered from post-test questionnaires through a Google form. The winners were chosen according to the business ideas and given …

Spotted Fever Group Rickettsioses In Central America: The Research And Public Health Disparity Among Socioeconomic Lines, Kyndall C. Dye-Braumuller, Marvin S. Rodriguez Aquino, Stella C.W. Self, Mufaro Kanyangarara, Melissa Nolan Ph.D., Mph

Faculty Publications

Tick-borne diseases including rickettsial diseases are increasing in incidence worldwide. Many rickettsial pathogens can cause disease which is commonly underdiagnosed and underreported; Rickettsia pathogens in the spotted fever group (SFGR) are thus classified as neglected bacterial pathogens. The Central American region shoulders a large proportion of the global neglected disease burden; however, little is known regarding SFGR disease here. Although development varies, four of the seven countries in this region have both the highest poverty rates and SFGR disease burdens (El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Nicaragua), compared to Belize, Panama, and Costa Rica. Utilizing the Human Development Index (HDI), we …

Covid-19 Newsletter (Vol. 129), Center For Disaster Medicine, New York Medical College

COVID-19 Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Social Life Of Females With Persistent Covid-19 Symptoms: A Qualitative Study, Atefeh Aghaei, Ran Zhang, Slone Taylor, Cheuk-Chi Tam, Chih-Hsiang Yang, Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Shan Qiao Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Persistent COVID-19 symptoms (long COVID) may bring challenges to long haulers' social lives. Females may endure more profound impacts given their special social roles and existing structural inequality. This study explores the effects of long COVID on the social life of female long haulers. We conducted semi-structured interviews via Zoom between April and June 2021 with 15 female long haulers in the United States, purposely recruited from Facebook and Slack groups and organization websites related to long COVID. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim with consent. The interview data were managed using MAXQDA and examined by thematic analysis. Long COVID …

Hair Zidovudine Concentrations Predict Virologic Outcomes Among People Living With Hiv/Aids In China, Yan Wu, Shuaifeng Liu, Liuxi Chu, Quan Zhang, Jin Yang, Shan Qiao, Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Yuejiao Zhou, Huihua Deng, Zhiyong Shen

Faculty Publications

Background: Hair antiretroviral concentrations are an objective and non-invasive measure of adherence to long-term antiretroviral therapy (ART) and can further predict virologic outcomes among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH). Zidovudine, one of the mainstream antiretrovirals in China, has been verified to have high reliability in adherence assessment, especially for its hair concentrations. However, data are limited in its predicting virologic outcomes. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize whether hair zidovudine concentrations can predict virologic suppression among Chinese PLWH compared with hair lamivudine concentrations and two self-reported measures, the overall frequency of adherence behaviors and percentage adherence. Methods: This cross-sectional study …

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Patients With Chronic Liver Disease: Results From The Global Liver Registry, Zobair M. Younossi, Yusuf Yilmaz, Mohamed El-Kassas, Ajay Duseja, Saeed Hamid, Gamal Esmat, Nahum Méndez-Sánchez, Wah Kheong Chan, Ashwani K. Singal, Brian Lam

Department of Medicine

Patients with preexisting chronic liver disease (CLD) may experience a substantial burden from both coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) infection and pandemic-related life disruption. We assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with CLD. Patients enrolled in our Global Liver Registry were invited to complete a COVID-19 survey. As of June 2021, 2500 patients (mean age ± SD, 49 ± 13 years; 53% men) from seven countries completed the survey. Of all survey completers, 9.3% had COVID-19. Of these patients, 19% were hospitalized, 13% needed oxygen support, but none required mechanical ventilation. Of all patients including those not infected with …

Capturing The Pool Dilution Effect In Group Testing Regression: A Bayesian Approach, Stella Self Ph.D., Ms, Christopher Mcmahan, Stefani Mokalled

Faculty Publications

Group (pooled) testing is becoming a popular strategy for screening large populations for infectious diseases. This popularity is owed to the cost savings that can be realized through implementing group testing methods. These methods involve physically combining biomaterial (eg, saliva, blood, urine) collected on individuals into pooled specimens which are tested for an infection of interest. Through testing these pooled specimens, group testing methods reduce the cost of diagnosing all individuals under study by reducing the number of tests performed. Even though group testing offers substantial cost reductions, some practitioners are hesitant to adopt group testing methods due to the …

Impact Of Biosecurity Measures, Social Pressure And Bullying On Attitudes, Perceptions, And Job Satisfaction Levels Among Healthcare Workers During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Survey, Azza Sarfraz, Zouina Sarfraz, Genesis Camacho-Leon, Geovanny Efraín Alvarado-Villa, Derly Madeleiny Andrade-Molina, Juan Carlos Fernandez-Cadena, Arjola Agolli, Zeynep Yukselen, Miguel Felix, Juan Carlos Gallardo Bastidas

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Introduction: The extent and nature of social pressure and bullying towards healthcare workers (HCWs) during the COVID-19 remains unclear. The following study identifies the effect of social pressure and bullying directed towards HCWs when using biosecurity measures during the COVID-19 pandemic; further, the impact on perceptions, attitudes and job satisfaction level is also explored.
Methodology: We conducted a cross-sectional survey-based study among 684 Ecuadorian HCWs. The survey consisted of 38 questions related to the frequency, attitudes, and perceptions of biosecurity measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. Exploratory factor analysis was performed to assess the validity of the questionnaire. Associations between variables …

2022-07-23_Michiganoverview_Covidsymptoms, Michigan Department Of Health & Human Services

Michigan COVID-19 Syndromic Surveillance System Data

The Syndromic Surveillance System Data report was obtained from Michigan's COVID-19 dashboard, from under the link "​Coronavirus Symptoms": https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus/stats/coronavirus-symptoms. Data was compiled by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). The information was updated twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays.

Syndromic Surveillance System data is obtained from approximately 216 facilities participating in syndromic surveillance (139 Emergency Departments (ED), 77 Urgent Cares) across the State of Michigan. The reporting is based on individuals who present at EDs and may not be representative of the overall population. The coronavirus-like symptoms query searches visit free-text (chief complaint, triage notes, …

Estimating The Pre- And Post-Diagnosis Costs Of Tuberculosis For Adults In Pakistan: Household Economic Impact And Costs Mitigating Strategies, Shama Razzaq, Aysha Zahidie, Zafar Fatmi

Community Health Sciences

Background: Despite free tuberculosis (TB) care in Pakistan, patients still have to bear high costs, which push them into poverty. This study estimated the pre- and post-diagnosis costs households bear for TB care, and investigated coping mechanisms among adults ≥ 18 years in Karachi, Pakistan.
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study comprising of 516 TB patients identified with completion of at least one month intensive treatment from four public sector health facilities from two institutes in Karachi, Pakistan. A standardized questionnaire to estimate patient's costs was administered. The study outcomes were direct medical and non-medical costs, and indirect costs. The …

School And Community Drivers Of Child Diets In Two Arab Cities: The Scale Protocol And Innovative Tools To Assess Children's Food Environments, Hala Ghattas Ph.D., Zeina Jamaluddine, Aline Semaan, Nehmat El-Helou, Gloria Safadi, Tatiana Elghossain, Christelle Akl, Shady Elbassuoni, Ali Chalak, Jalila El Ati

Faculty Publications

Background

In the context of the rapid nutrition transition experienced by middle-income countries of the Arab region, children and adolescent's food choices and dietary behaviors are early risk factors for the development of non-communicable diseases. Assessment of factors influencing food choices among this age group is challenging and is usually based on self-reported data, which are prone to information and recall bias. As the popularity of technologies and video gaming platforms increases, opportunities arise to use these tools to collect data on variables that affect food choice, dietary intake, and associated outcomes. This protocol paper describes the SCALE study (School …

Covid-19-Related Stressful Experiences And Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms Among College Students In China: A Moderated Mediation Model Of Perceived Control Over The Future And Empathy, Zhi Ye, Chengbo Zeng, Xueying Yang, Cheuk-Chi Tam, Yuyan Wang, Shan Qiao Ph.D., Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Danhu Lin

Faculty Publications

The current study aims to investigate the mediating effect of perceived control over the future and the moderating effect of empathy on the association between stressful experiences and PTSD symptoms among college students in China in response to COVID-19. A sample of 1,225 college students (70.69% were female, M age=20.22 years, SD=2.02) were recruited using web-based surveys at wave 1 (W1) and wave 2 (W2) longitudinally. Results showed that COVID-19-related stressful experiences were significantly associated with PTSD symptoms. Perceived control over the future partially mediated the relationship between these two variables (indirect effect size=0.09, p < 0.01). Empathy significantly moderated the path from perceived control over the future to PTSD symptoms, suggesting that the association was stronger for individuals with higher levels of empathy. Findings suggest a protective effect of perceived control over the future on college students’ PTSD symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Such a protective effect was intensified by empathy. Future intervention to manage PTSD symptoms should be tailored to positive future expectations and empathy.

Performance Of Machine Learning Classifiers In Classifying Stunting Among Under-Five Children In Zambia, Obvious Nchimunya Chilyabanyama, Roma Chilengi, Roma Chilengi, Michelo Simuyandi, Caroline C. Chisenga, Masuzyo Chirwa, Kalongo Hamusonde, Rakesh Kumar Saroj, Najeeha Talat Iqbal, Innocent Ngaruye

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Stunting is a global public health issue. We sought to train and evaluate machine learning (ML) classification algorithms on the Zambia Demographic Health Survey (ZDHS) dataset to predict stunting among children under the age of five in Zambia. We applied Logistic regression (LR), Random Forest (RF), SV classification (SVC), XG Boost (XgB) and Naïve Bayes (NB) algorithms to predict the probability of stunting among children under five years of age, on the 2018 ZDHS dataset. We calibrated predicted probabilities and plotted the calibration curves to compare model performance. We computed accuracy, recall, precision and F1 for each machine learning algorithm. …