Digital Commons Network^™

Seasons Of Kawasaki Disease During The Covid-19 Pandemic., Todd T. Nowlen, Ashraf S. Harahsheh, Geetha Raghuveer, Simon Lee, Anji T. Yetman, Nagib Dahdah, Michael A. Portman, Supriya S. Jain, Michael Khoury, Selemet Tierney, Cedric Manlhiot, Pedrom Farid, Brian W. Mccrindle

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

The incidence of Kawasaki Disease has a peak in the winter months with a trough in late summer/early fall. Environmental/exposure factors have been associated with a time-varying incidence. These factors were altered during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was performed through the International Kawasaki Disease Registry. Data from patients diagnosed with acute Kawasaki Disease and Multiple Inflammatory Syndrome-Children were obtained. Guideline case definitions were used to confirm site diagnosis. Enrollment was from 1/2020 to 7/2023. The number of patients was plotted over time. The patients/month were tabulated for the anticipated peak Kawasaki Disease season (December-April) and non-peak season (May-November). Data …

Vol 4 November '24 Full Issue, Donna L. Williams

Journal of the Louisiana Public Health Association

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic Among Latinos In Northwest Louisiana, Deborah G. Smith, Carolina O. Ochoa, Jillian L. Sandoz, Jennifer A. Deleon, Jason C. Hoosier, Corey D. Smith, Raimunda H.M. Macena

Journal of the Louisiana Public Health Association

No abstract provided.

Covid-19 Breakthrough Infection After Vaccination And Substance Use Disorders: A Longitudinal Cohort Of People With And Without Hiv Receiving Care In The United States Veterans Health Administration, Elena M Soyer, Kathleen A Mcginnis, Amy C Justice, Evelyn Hsieh, Maria C Rodriguez-Barradas, Emily C Williams, Lesley S Park

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Research regarding HIV, substance use disorders (SUD), and SARS-CoV-2 infections after COVID-19 vaccination is limited. In the Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS)-HIV cohort, we followed vaccinated persons with HIV (PWH) and without HIV (PWoH) from 12/2020 to 3/2022 and linked SARS-CoV-2 test results for laboratory-confirmed breakthrough infection through 9/2022. We examined associations of substance use (alcohol use disorder [AUD], other SUD, smoking status) and HIV status and severity with breakthrough infections, using Cox proportional hazards regression hazard ratios (HR). To test for potential interactions between substance use and HIV, we fit survival models with a multiplicative interaction term. Among 24,253 …

Lack Of Detection Of Norwalk Virus In Saliva Samples From A Controlled Human Infection Model, Robert L Atmar, Frederick H Neill, Nicole M Hayes, Antone R Opekun, David Y Graham, Mary K Estes, Sasirekha Ramani

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Following recent reports of norovirus replication in salivary gland cells, we examined whether the prototype norovirus strain, Norwalk virus (GI.1), could be detected in the saliva of 21 experimentally infected persons. Viral RNA was not detected in saliva 2 and 7 days after challenge despite high levels being present in feces.

Conceptions Of Latinos And Latinas About The Grieving Process And Associate Concepts Of Dying, Death, Bereavement, And Loss: A Covid-19-Post-Pandemic Case Study, Rosario Garcia Ortiz

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to recognize the grieving process and the related concepts of Latinos who lost a loved one to the COVID-19 pandemic. Death and dying have been studied in the United States, with limited studies focusing on the Latino culture. The COVID-19 pandemic was a devastating experience for the world and continues to be studied for understanding and lessons in the aftermath. This research included four participants from the Latino culture who lost a loved one during the COVID-19 pandemic. An inductive approach and data analysis were used to form theoretical constructs. Three main categories were …

Upside Down World, Donna L. Williams

Journal of the Louisiana Public Health Association

No abstract provided.

Revealing Patterns Of Sars-Cov-2 Variant Emergence And Evolution Using Rbd Amplicon Sequencing Of Wastewater, Xingwen Chen, John Balliew, Cici X Bauer, Jennifer Deegan, Anna Gitter, Blake M Hanson, Anthony W Maresso, Michael J Tisza, Catherine L Troisi, Janelle Rios, Kristina D Mena, Eric Boerwinkle, Fuqing Wu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objectives: Rapid evolution of SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in the emergence of numerous variants, posing significant challenges to public health surveillance. Clinical genome sequencing, while valuable, has limitations in capturing the full epidemiological dynamics of circulating variants in the general population. This study aimed to monitor the SARS-CoV-2 variant community dynamics and evolution using receptor-binding domain (RBD) amplicon sequencing of wastewater samples.

Methods: We sequenced wastewater from El Paso, Texas, over 17 months, compared the sequencing data with clinical genome data, and performed biodiversity analysis to reveal SARS-CoV-2 variant dynamics and evolution.

Results: We identified 91 variants and observed waves of …

Access To Treatment For Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease In The Americas: A Call For Action A Joint Perspective From The Brazilian Thoracic Society, Canadian Thoracic Society, Latin American Thoracic Society, And The American Thoracic Society, Francesca Polverino, Mohit Bhutani, Gustavo Zabert, Frederico Leon Arrabal Fernandes, Karen Czischke, Luiz Fernando Pereira Ferreira, Lian Szabo, Juan P Wisnivesky, Margareth Pretti Dalcolmo, Juan C Celedón

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major public health problem in the Americas (a region of the world comprising North, Central, and South America), although there is substantial variation in disease prevalence, morbidity, and mortality between and within nations. Across the Americas, COPD disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, including minoritized populations and impoverished persons, who are more likely to be exposed to risk factors such as tobacco use, air pollution, infections such as tuberculosis, and biomass smoke, but less likely to have adequate healthcare access. Management of COPD can be challenging across the Americas, with some barriers being specific to …

Effectiveness Of Original Monovalent And Bivalent Covid-19 Vaccines Against Covid-19-Associated Hospitalization And Severe In-Hospital Outcomes Among Adults In The United States, September 2022-August 2023, Jennifer Decuir, Diya Surie, Yuwei Zhu, Adam S Lauring, Manjusha Gaglani, Tresa Mcneal, Shekhar Ghamande, Ithan D Peltan, Samuel M Brown, Adit A Ginde, Aimee Steinwand, Nicholas M Mohr, Kevin W Gibbs, David N Hager, Harith Ali, Anne Frosch, Michelle N Gong, Amira Mohamed, Nicholas J Johnson, Vasisht Srinivasan, Jay S Steingrub, Akram Khan, Laurence W Busse, Abhijit Duggal, Jennifer G Wilson, Nida Qadir, Steven Y Chang, Christopher Mallow, Jennie H Kwon, Matthew C Exline, Nathan I Shapiro, Cristie Columbus, Ivana A Vaughn, Mayur Ramesh, Basmah Safdar, Jarrod M Mosier, Jonathan D Casey, H Keipp Talbot, Todd W Rice, Natasha Halasa, James D Chappell, Carlos G Grijalva, Adrienne Baughman, Kelsey N Womack, Jillian P Rhoads, Sydney A Swan, Cassandra Johnson, Nathaniel Lewis, Sascha Ellington, Fatimah S Dawood, Meredith Mcmorrow, Wesley H Self, Investigating Respiratory Viruses In The Acutely Ill (Ivy) Network

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Assessments of COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness are needed to monitor the protection provided by updated vaccines against severe COVID-19. We evaluated the effectiveness of original monovalent and bivalent (ancestral strain and Omicron BA.4/5) COVID-19 vaccination against COVID-19-associated hospitalization and severe in-hospital outcomes.

METHODS: During September 8, 2022 to August 31, 2023, adults aged ≥ 18 years hospitalized with COVID-19-like illness were enrolled at 26 hospitals in 20 US states. Using a test-negative case-control design, we estimated vaccine effectiveness (VE) with multivariable logistic regression adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, admission date, and geographic region.

RESULTS: Among 7028 patients, 2924 (41.6%) were …

Exploring The Air Pollution With Particulate Matter - Pm10, Covid-19 Cases Evolution In Romania And Exposure To Aeroallergens, Irina Mihaela Stoian, Simona Parvu, Radu Cucuiu, Dana Galieta Minca

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Constant exposure to the atmospheric air polluted with particulate matter is considered to have a negative influence on human health, even if it is found at values that may not exceed the maximum allowable concentration. Starting from the correlation between atmospheric air polluted with PM and COVID-19 incidence/mortality, this research had as first objective to assess the exposure to an average concentration of PM10 in Romania and, in particular, in Bucharest for a period of six years and the cumulative incidence of COVID-19 cases per 1000 inhabitants (continuing previous research, from 2020). Subsequently, we studied the cumulative incidence of COVID-19 …

Enhancing Patient Safety: The Role Of Interdisciplinary Teams In Reducing Blood Culture Contamination, Austin Patrick Eisenberg, Fady M. Awad, Brian Watson, Mohammed Faris

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

Blood cultures are vital to diagnostic workups among many hospitalized patients, providing valuable information about bloodstream infections (BSIs), which cause roughly 250 000 deaths annually between North America and Europe. Despite advances in health care, blood culture contamination remains a substantial problem, with deleterious effects on patient mortality, patient and hospital costs, and microbial resistance. This article reviews the repercussions of blood culture contamination on the health care system and delineates evidence-based strategies to decrease contamination rates.

Methods

To reduce blood culture contamination rates, our health care facility undertook a quality improvement initiative. A task force was created, consisting …

The Relationship Between Snacking And Sugar, Salt, Fat Intake On Nutritional Status Of Adolescents Of Smkn 30 Jakarta, Khoirul Anwar, Syifa Aulia Putri

Indonesian Journal of Public Health Nutrition (IJPHN)

Excessive consumption of sugar, salt, and fat including from snacks can increase the risk of obesity or being overweight. The objective of this study to analyze the relationship between snacking and sugar, salt, and fat intake on nutritional status in adolescents. This design is cross-sectional with a sample of 90 grade X students at SMKN 30 Jakarta. The data collected include physical activity data using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ), snacking habit data, frequency of sugar, salt, and fat consumption using the SQ-FFQ. The results of the correlation test showed that there was a significant relationship between snacking habits …

Chikungunya Pathogenesis In Cardiac Tissues And Its Evaluation In Stem Cell Derived Cardiac Models, Elizabeth M. Traverse

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Chikungunya Virus (CHIKV) is a single stranded RNA alphavirus primarily vectored by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitos. CHIKV has circulated in tropical and sub-tropical regions of Africa and Asia, but outbreaks in the past two decades have seen the virus spread to Europe, South America, and the Caribbean. Disease from CHIKV infection typically results in fever, malaise, and sometimes debilitating arthralgia. However, there are concerning abnormal presentations that affect the human heart, including myocarditis, heart failure, and death. These symptoms are seen in all age groups and sexes and are not connected to particular strains or mutations in the …

A Fluid Frontier: Cholera Throughout Latin American History, Sarah Auletta

Sociology Between the Gaps: Forgotten and Neglected Topics

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Drinking Water And Sanitation Facilities On Child Mortality In Sierra Leone, Christie Ben-Carew

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) are viewed as key contributors to the high rates of under-5 child deaths in sub-Saharan Africa. In one of the countries in the region, Sierra Leone, there was an absence of studies on the potential impacts of WASH on child mortality. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine how variables related to access to toilet facilities and safe drinking water in rural and urban areas of Sierra Leone impact child mortality. Secondary data from the United Nations Children's Fund 2017 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (N = 18,006) were analyzed as part of this …

Micrornas Are Enriched At Covid-19 Genomic Risk Regions, And Their Blood Levels Correlate With The Covid-19 Prognosis Of Cancer Patients Infected By Sars-Cov-2, Simone Anfossi, Faezeh Darbaniyan, Joseph Quinlan, Steliana Calin, Masayoshi Shimizu, Meng Chen, Paola Rausseo, Michael Winters, Elena Bogatenkova, Kim-Anh Do, Ivan Martinez, Ziyi Li, Loredana Antal, Tudor Rares Olariu, Ignacio Wistuba, George A Calin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Cancer patients are more susceptible to an aggressive course of COVID-19. Developing biomarkers identifying cancer patients at high risk of COVID-19-related death could help determine who needs early clinical intervention. The miRNAs hosted in the genomic regions associated with the risk of aggressive COVID-19 could represent potential biomarkers for clinical outcomes.

Patients and methods: Plasma samples were collected at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center from cancer patients (N = 128) affected by COVID-19. Serum samples were collected from vaccinated healthy individuals (n = 23) at the Municipal Clinical Emergency Teaching Hospital in Timisoara, Romania. An in …

Using Public Funeral And Obituary Listings To Identify Spikes In Excess Mortality In One Appalachian County, Allen Archer, Melissa White, Megan Quinn, Randy Wykoff

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Delays (10-22 months) in availability of official state and county-level mortality data could have significant public health consequences. The COVID-19 pandemic illuminated the need for health officials to access timely death data to identify unexpected increases in mortality in their communities.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine if funeral home listings and/or newspaper obituaries could help identify excess mortality on the local level, prior to the availability of official death records.

Methods: To calculate excess mortality, four years (2017–2020) of data were collected from three sources: the state health department, online funeral home listings, and newspaper …

Norovirus Acute Gastroenteritis Amongst Us And European Travellers To Areas Of Moderate To High Risk Of Travellers’ Diarrhoea: A Prospective Cohort Study, Martin Alberer, Christine L Moe, Christoph Hatz, Kerstin Kling, Amy E Kirby, Lisa Lindsay, Hans D Nothdurft, Margarita Riera-Montes, Robert Steffen, Thomas Verstraeten, Henry M Wu, Herbert L Dupont

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is a major medical condition for travellers worldwide, particularly travellers to low- and middle-income countries. Norovirus (NoV) is the most common cause of viral AGE in older children and adults, but data on prevalence and impact amongst travellers is limited.

METHODS: Prospective, multi-site, observational cohort study conducted 2015-2017, amongst adult international travellers from the US and Europe to areas of moderate to high risk of travel-acquired AGE. Participants provided self-collected pre-travel stool samples and self-reported AGE symptoms whilst travelling. Post-travel stool samples were requested from symptomatic subjects and a sample of asymptomatic travellers within 14 days …

Marijuana Legalization And Opioid Use Disorder In Ontario, Canada, From 2015 To 2021, Luke Ome Agada

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study examined the trends in opioid-related hospitalizations and deaths in Ontario, Canada, from 2015, to 2021, with a particular focus on the periods before and after cannabis legalization. The social problem addressed was the ongoing opioid crisis, exacerbated by rising opioid-related health issues. Grounded in the harm reduction theory, this research explored whether cannabis legalization could serve as a substitute to mitigate opioid use disorder. Data were extracted from the Discharge Database, Emergency Department Database, National Ambulatory Care Reporting System, and Hospital Morbidity Database. Analysis using the generalized estimation equation (GEE) method revealed a significant increase in opioid-related hospitalizations, …

The Price Of Prevention: Spain And Italy's Approach To National Prep, Jon Burkart

Claremont-UC Undergraduate Research Conference on the European Union

While recent advancements in antiretroviral therapy (ART) continue to improve the outlook for people living with HIV (PLHIV), new infections remain a concern for health authorities around the world. A clinically proven intervention holds the potential to dramatically reduce new infections: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a once-daily pill for high-risk populations, including men who have sex with men (MSM), that substantially reduces HIV infection risk. However—much like rates of new infection—public provision of PrEP varies considerably among OECD countries. This case study thus seeks to answer the question: What might explain the disparate timeline of adopting public reimbursement for PrEP …

Racial Residential Segregation And Covid-19 Health Outcomes: Evidence From The State Of Georgia, Palak Patel, Simon Medcalfe, Catherine P. Slade

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

ABSTRACT

Background:

According to the Georgia Department of Public Health (GDPH), the state of Georgia reported 563,658 cumulative COVID-19 cases and 9,845 total deaths in 2020. Decades of research on racial disparities in health outcomes suggest we should not be surprised with the disproportionate number of cases, hospital visits, and deaths of non-white and Black Georgia residents. Racial disparities in health are often defined by a Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) model. One understudied SDOH is racial residential segregation. In this study we explore the relationship between racial residential segregation and COVID-19 health outcomes. Our paper addresses critical challenges for …

Development Of Prediction Models Of Covid-19 Vaccine Uptake Among Lebanese And Syrians In A District Of Beirut, Lebanon: A Population-Based Study, Marie-Elizabeth Ragi, Hala Ghattas Ph.D., Hazar Shamas, Jocelyn Dejong, Nada M. Melhem, Stephen J. Mccall, The Caep Study Group

Faculty Publications

Introduction Vaccines are essential to prevent infection and reduce the morbidity of infectious diseases. Previous evidence has shown that migrants and refugees are particularly vulnerable to exclusion and discrimination, and low COVID-19 vaccine intention and uptake were observed among refugees globally. This study aimed to develop and internally validate prediction models of COVID-19 vaccine uptake by nationality.

Methods This is a nested prognostic population-based cross-sectional analysis. Data were collected between June and October 2022 in Sin-El-Fil, a district of Beirut, Lebanon. The study population included a random sample of Lebanese adults and all Syrian adults residing in areas of low …

Understanding Long Covid: Navigating The Journey To Recovery, Heather H. Kelley, Rachel Byers, Ty Aller, Timothy Keady

All Current Publications

This fact sheet provides very basic facts on what long COVID is and information on how to navigate the healthcare system and cope with long COVID.

Prevalence And Factors Associated With Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorder Among Central Sterile Supply Technicians In Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thailand, Withaya Chanchai Dr, Ratree Nacglud Ms, Keatkongkrai Bunnum Mr., Nureeya Promsorn Mrs., Laddawan Duangmusik Mrs., Warunee Suwanrat Mrs., Wichuda Chantasin, Kritsana Thonnan Ms.

Chulalongkorn Medical Journal

Background: Central Sterile Supply Technicians (CSSTs) face an elevated risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), notably affecting the back.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the prevalence and factors associated with work-related musculoskeletal disorders among CSSTs in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thailand.

Methods: A cross-sectional study in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand, assessed WMSDs among CSSTs using self-administered questionnaires on demographics and symptoms. Out of 188 distributed, 179 were completed, evaluating disorder presence and severity during sterilization in 33 hospitals.

Results: The prevalence rate of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) in various body regions, particularly the upper back, at the …

The Prevalence Rate Of Syphilis And Hiv Across Different Genders, Races, And Ages From 2017 To 2021 In The Southern Region Of The United States, Nafiseh Gavari, Rita Momah, Jessica Green Collins, Elizabeth Jones

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

This study investigates the prevalence rates of Syphilis and HIV across different genders, races, and ages from 2017 to 2021 in regions 4 (Kentucky, North Carolina, Mississippi, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Alabama) and 6 (New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana). These regions have been identified as high-risk areas for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Our study seeks to shed light on the trends and disparities in STD prevalence within these specific regions over the specified timeframe. Data were collected and analyzed from the AtlasPlus database, providing insights into the epidemiology of these diseases. The findings reveal increasing trends …

Immune System, Your Very Favorite, Children's Health

English

single-page

Immune System (Spanish), Your Very Favorite, Children's Health

Spanish

single-page, Spanish

A Historical Analysis Of Infant Mortality In South Carolina From 1920-1970, Allison Ritchie

Senior Theses

This study uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to investigate racial and spatial inequalities in South Carolina infant mortality rates (IMR’s) between 1920-1970. In the 20th century, IMR’s declined throughout the United States, primarily due to economic growth, increased sanitation, and improved medical knowledge. Factors such as systemic racism and lack of healthcare access resulted in higher IMR’s for Black infants and infants living in rural areas. In 1920, South Carolina’s Black IMR was 1.5 times higher than the white IMR; by 1970 the difference expanded to 1.9, reflecting a 27% rise. The disparity between Black and white IMR’s increased in …

Health Matters! Coloring And Activity Book (80-Pages), Your Very Favorite, Children's Health, Lorraine Sheldon, May Bressler

English

Health Matters! is a English-language health literacy resource designed for pediatric patients and their families. Written at an approximately 6th-grade reading level, it supports patient education through engaging coloring and activity pages.

The content covers a wide range of health and wellness topics, including body systems, nutrition, mental wellness, patient safety, and social-emotional skills such as building friendships and navigating conversations when returning to school. Developed for use in both hospital settings and the broader community, the resource promotes learning through interactive, age-appropriate activities.

This printable PDF version contains the complete collection of activities and comprises 80 pages. The resource …