Digital Commons Network^™

Prevalence Of Metabolic Abnormalities In Children With Varying Degrees Of Obesity, Leah Sabato

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

As the prevalence of obesity among children has risen, metabolic syndrome, a cluster of abnormalities which includes obesity, altered glucose metabolism, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, has increasingly become recognized in the pediatric population. Metabolic syndrome has been studied extensively in adults, and there is increasing interest to understand the condition in adolescents; however, studies of metabolic syndrome in younger children are limited. The purpose of this study is to examine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its individual components among children aged 6-10 years. Demographic, anthropometric, and biochemical data were gathered retrospectively from the medical records of 222 obese children aged …

Katrina's Animal Legacy: The Pets Act, Marita Mike, Rebecca Mike, Clark J. Lee

Homeland Security Publications

This article discusses issues related to the federal Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act of 2006 (PETS Act), which was signed into law in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Issues discussed in this article include:

1. Various problems concerning animal evacuations and sheltering that Hurricane Katrina brought to light;
2. Provisions of the PETS Act and related laws and policies which were developed in response to the tragedies brought about by Hurricane Katrina; and
3. Strengths and weaknesses of the PETS Act and recommends next steps to improve implementation of the PETS Act.

Alzheimer’S Disease, Carol Watwood

DLPS Faculty Publications

Alzheimer’s disease is a common health issue mostly found in elderly persons. An overview of the disease and a list of reliable Web-based information sources suitable for a general audience are presented.

The Influence Of School Eating Environment On Children's Eating Behaviors: An Examination Of The Snda-Iii, Sabrina M. Neeley

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

The prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity in the United States has prompted researchers to examine the factors that contribute to children’s food choices and consumption. Schools provide ample opportunities to teach children healthy eating habits, as well as create eating environments that are conducive to healthy eating behaviors. The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides federally assisted meals to millions of children every day and the assessment of the NSLP provides an opportunity to examine the school-eating environment. Hierarchical and logistic modeling of the SNDA-III, the USDA assessment of the NSLP, was conducted to determine relationships between environmental factors …

Suicide And Suicide Risk In Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, And Transgender Populations: Review And Recommendations, Ann P. Haas, Mickey Eliason, Vickie M. Mays, Robin M. Mathy, Susan D. Cochran, Anthony R. D'Augelli, Morton M. Silverman, Prudence W. Fisher, Tonda Hughes, Margaret Rosario, Stephen T. Russell, Effie Malley, Jerry Reed, David A. Litts, Ellen Haller, Randall L. Sell, Gary Remafedi, Judith Bradford, Annette L. Beautrais, Gregory K. Brown, Gary M. Diamond, Mark S. Friedman, Robert Garofalo, Mason S. Turner, Amber Hollibaugh, Paula J. Clayton

Publications and Research

Despite strong indications of elevated risk of suicidal behavior in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, limited attention has been given to research, interventions or suicide prevention programs targeting these populations. This article is a culmination of a three-year effort by an expert panel to address the need for better understanding of suicidal behavior and suicide risk in sexual minority populations, and stimulate the development of needed prevention strategies, interventions and policy changes. This article summarizes existing research findings, and makes recommendations for addressing knowledge gaps and applying current knowledge to relevant areas of suicide prevention practice.

Prevalence, Knowledge, And Concern About Bed Bugs, Mary Beth Kaylor

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Recent research suggests that the United States and the world are on the verge of a bed bug pandemic. Assumptions have been made that socioeconomic status is not an indicator and that bed bugs are not competent disease vectors. However, little information is available at the local level about the prevalence of bed bugs in private homes. This study aimed to identify prevalence, knowledge, and concern about bed bugs in one village in Ohio. Responses from 96 individuals who completed the Prevalence, Knowledge, and Concern about Bed Bugs (PK CABB) survey were utilized for data analysis. The majority of the …

Hla/Kir Restraint Of Hiv: Surviving The Fittest, Arman A. Bashirova, Rasmi Thomas, Mary Carrington

United States Public Health Resources

Multiple epidemiological studies have demonstrated associations between the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) loci and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease, and more recently the killer cell immunoglobulin-like (KIR) locus has been implicated in differential responses to the virus. Genome-wide association studies have convincingly shown that the HLA class I locus is the most significant host genetic contributor to the variation in HIV control, underscoring a central role for CD8 T cells in resistance to the virus. However, both genetic and functional data indicate that part of the HLA effect on HIV is due to interactions between KIR …

Nih And Usda Funding Of Dietary Supplement Research, 1999–2007, Karen S. Regan, Edwina A. Wambogo, Carol J. Haggans

United States Public Health Resources

Over one-half of U.S. adults use dietary supplements, so federally supported research into the safety and effectiveness of these compounds is important for the health of many Americans. Data collected in the Computer Access to Research on Dietary Supplements database, which compiles federally sponsored dietary supplement-related research, are useful to scientists in determining the type of dietary supplement research that federal agencies are currently funding and where research gaps exist. This article describes the dietary supplement-related research funded by the NIH and the USDA. Between fiscal years 1999 and 2007, the number of research projects and funding for dietary supplement …

Substance Use Disorders In Iraq And Afghanistan Veterans In Va Healthcare, 2001–2010: Implications For Screening, Diagnosis And Treatment, Karen H. Seal, Greg Cohen, Angela Waldrop, Beth E. Cohen, Shira Maguen, Li Ren

United States Public Health Resources

Background: The prevalence and correlates of alcohol use disorder (AUD) and drug use disorder (DUD) diagnoses in Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who are new users of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare nationwide has not been evaluated.

Methods: VA administrative data were used in retrospective cross-sectional descriptive and multivariable analyses to determine the prevalence and independent correlates of AUD and DUD in 456,502 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who were first-time users of VA healthcare between October 15, 2001 and September 30, 2009 and followed through January 1, 2010.

Results: Over 11% received substance use disorder diagnoses: AUD, …

Situation Assessment Of The Hiv Response Among Young People In Zambia, Sam Kalibala, Drosin Mulenga

HIV and AIDS

The main objective of this situational assessment is to compile and synthesize existing recent information on HIV and young people together with the current AIDS response for young people in Zambia—including programs, policies, and key partners—and to document gaps and challenges in the response. The assessment aims to further strengthen this response by all stakeholders including the Government of the Republic of Zambia, the UN, faith-based organizations, civil society organizations, donors, young people, and youth-led organizations. Recommendations include: amending and strengthening laws related to HIV programming for young people and involving them in design and implementation; offering health services, life …

Migration And Hiv In India: Study Of Select Districts, Niranjan Saggurti, Bidhubhusan Mahapatra, Suvakanta N. Swain, Madhusudana Battala, Alka Narang, Umesh Chawla

HIV and AIDS

Report of a study assessing the important role of migration in the spread of HIV in districts with high out-migration in India. The study suggests a considerable spread of HIV linked to migrants’ extramarital sexual behaviors, and subsequent delay in treatment for infected spouses. In order to control the spread of HIV, the study provides programmatic recommendations made by the study participants and the counselors from ICTCs and ART centers. These suggestions include village-level mapping of at-risk persons, mainstreaming HIV prevention interventions within current health resources, improving various village level HIV prevention programs, and involving women left behind by migrant …

Hiv Transmission Among Married Men And Women In Districts With High Out-Migration In India: Study Brief, Niranjan Saggurti, Bidhubhusan Mahapatra, Suvakanta N. Swain, Madhusudana Battala, Umesh Chawla, Alka Narang

HIV and AIDS

This brief describes a study examining the links between male out-migration and HIV transmission among married men and women and other mechanisms by which HIV is transmitted within marital relationships in districts with high out-migration.

Evaluation Of The Informed Consent Process For Male Circumcision Scale-Up In Swaziland, Barbara Friedland, Louis Apicella, Katie D. Schenk, Meredith Sheehy, Paul C. Hewett

HIV and AIDS

This report evaluates the informed consent process for male circumcision conducted through the Male Circumcision Partnership for Swaziland, led by Population Services International, in partnership with Jhpiego, Marie Stopes International, and the Population Council. The study assesses participants' comprehension of the circumcision process, the informed consent process, as well as the affect of male circumcision counseling on their experience.

The Effects Of Racially-Motivated Emotional Arousal On The Eating Behaviors Of African American Women, Lenwood W. Hayman

Wayne State University Dissertations

Disparities between African Americans and Caucasians remain vast across a wide variety of health indicators. Chronic stress has been identified as a risk factor for a variety of chronic illnesses and poor health outcomes. One type of chronic stress that has been linked to health disparities is the stress associated with experiences of racial discrimination. The stress African Americans encounter as a result of their racist experiences contributes to a chronic elevation of their physiological stress response. In addition to stress, a major risk factor for coronary heart disease and diabetes is obesity, which has been established as a major …

An Investigation On Hiv Related Stigma To Improve Hiv Prevention Efforts In North Dakota, Krissie Lynn Mayer-Guerard

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This study examines HIV stigma to improve HIV prevention in North Dakota. A survey was administered to North Dakotan adults between January 15 and February 15, 2011, in eight selected towns. The study focused on North Dakotan perceptions of HIV in their state. Research found that most North Dakotans do not view HIV as a problem in their state. There is, however, a belief that there is stigma associated with HIV in North Dakota, as 65 percent of survey respondents believe that. The study also shows that there is a need for education regarding the transmission of HIV. Sixty percent …

Increasing Organ Donation In Ireland : Social Marketing And Infrastructural Improvements., Ronan O'Sullivan

Theses

There were over 600 patients on the organ waiting list in Ireland in November 2010. This is a substantial increase on the 414 patients on the waiting list in 2008. Ireland also witnessed a dramatic decline in the number of donors from 90 donors in 2009 to 58 donors in 2010. This thesis focuses on investigating the current state of organ donation in the Republic of Ireland, with the eventual goal of recommending alterations to improve the system. In depth- interviews were conducted with eleven leading personnel from the fields of organ donation and social marketing in Ireland as well …

Front Matter

Michigan Journal of Public Health

No abstract provided.

Examining The Relationship Among Physical And Psychological Health, Parent And Peer Attachment, And Cyberbullying In Adolescents In Urban And Suburban Environments, Jemica Monique Carter

Wayne State University Dissertations

Cyberbullying is a new phenomenon that has received substantial attention via media. An extensive review of the literature revealed limited nursing research on this topic. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of cyberbullying on adolescents' physical (e.g., headache, stomachache, etc.) and psychosocial (e.g., self-esteem, depression, post traumatic stress syndrome, etc.) outcomes. Individuals who experience repeated traditional bullying are at increased risk for experiencing repeated incidents of cyberbullying. Research has shown that effects of cyberbullying may be more traumatic than traditional bullying because victims can be bullied 24 hours and 7 days a week, on and off …

Ic107: Cancer Facts: Children/Adolescents And Cancer, Intercultural Cancer Council

Informational and Promotional Materials

The fact sheet summarizes cancer facts related to children and adolescents. The document is organized into seven sections: Who We Are, Causes/Etiology, Patient/Provider Communication, Screening, Disparities, Outcomes, and References. See more at Intercultural Cancer Council Records.

Ic107: Cancer Facts: Pain And Cancer, Intercultural Cancer Council

Informational and Promotional Materials

The fact sheet summarizes cancer facts related to pain. The document is organized into seven sections: Who We Are, Causes/Etiology, Patient/Provider Communication, Screening, Disparities, Outcomes, and References. See more at Intercultural Cancer Council Records.

Social Mobilization Strategy, Family Advancement For Life And Health (Falah)

Reproductive Health

This document outlines social mobilization strategies at the national and community levels of the Family Advancement for Life and Health (FALAH) project in Pakistan. The project aims to improve the health and well-being of women, men, and their children through tackling the major obstacles in adoption of birth spacing to improve maternal and child health outcomes and family well-being, by increasing knowledge of the benefits of birth spacing as well as knowledge, increased demand for, and effective use of contraceptive methods. The strategy aims to achieve a significant increase in couples’ knowledge and understanding of the need for and benefits …

Tanning Predicts Bone Mass But Not Structure In Adolescent Females Living In Hawaii, Daniel L. Osborne, Connie M. Weaver, Linda D. Mccabe, George P. Mccabe, Rachel Novotny, Carol Boushey, Dennis A. Savaiano

Department of Anthropology: Faculty Publications

Objectives: To evaluate the relationship between facultative skin pigmentation, which predicts circulating levels of plasma 25-hydroxymitamin D, and several measures of bone mass and structure in a cross sectional sample of adolescent females living in Hawaii.

Methods: Our sample was composed of adolescent females (n = 94) living in Hawaii where seasonal sun exposure is minimal, and who self-identified as either white (n = 16) or Asian (n = 78). Bone mineral content (BMC) of the total body, the lumbar spine and the hip, and cross sectional area (CSA) and section modulus (Z) at the …

Leadership Traits, Tools, And Practices: Decision Making In A Crisis, Linda M. Murawski

Ed.D. Dissertations

Crises often present complex, uncertain, and unstable situations where routine decision making is not enough. Crises are typically unpredictable yet leaders must prepare to make decisions using a variety of traits, tools and practices. While all leadership is dependent on many factors and subject to many variables, in a crisis, those variables are magnified. Effective decision making during a crisis is a key trait of crisis leaders and is developed over time and with practice.

Using the classic Delphi Technique, the researcher obtained qualitative data from experts in crisis management concerning (a) the difference between non-crisis and crisis decision making, …

Provider-Related Barriers To Accessing Emergency Contraception In Developing Countries: A Literature Review, Katherine Williams

Reproductive Health

This systematic literature review aims to identify and describe existing provider-related barriers to accessing emergency contraception (EC) in developing countries, as well as the prevalence of these barriers and documented research programs to address them. Findings from this review will contribute to specific recommendations on provider attitudes and behaviors related to emergency contraception and inform the development of a global advocacy strategy to increase access to the method.

Development Of A Novel Metallo-Lipid Microparticle Delivery System For A Leishmania Mexicana Dna Vaccine Candidate, Joanna B. Valencia

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Background and Significance.

The leishmaniases are an important group of neglected tropical parasitic diseases caused by parasitic protozoa of the genus Leishmania. International health authorities estimate that 350 million people around the world are at risk for contracting leishmaniasis. Two million new cases occur each year and 12 million people are presently infected worldwide. Leishmaniasis is endemic throughout the Americas region including all of Central America, most of South America, Mexico and southern Texas. Leishmania is also considered a threat to the military readiness of U.S. troops deployed to the Middle East or Latin America.

First- and second-line treatments …

Review Of The Multi-Level Factors Contributing To Fruit And Vegetable Consumption In The U.S., Qi Zhang, Liuliu Fu

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

The consumption of fruits and vegetables (F&V) has a significant protective effect in reducing various cardiometabolic diseases. In recent years, the U.S. government has made a lot of effort to promote F&V consumption through different projects and programs, including the MyPyramid food guidance system supported by the USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, and the Fruits & Veggies More Matters program (previously called the 5-A-Day for Better Health program), supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other public and private agencies. However, modest success has been achieved in promoting healthy diets among the American public. …

Self-Reported Poor Oral Hygiene Among In-School Adolescents In Zambia, Seter Siziya, Adamson S. Muula, Emmanuel Rudatsikira

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background

Dental health is a neglected aspect of adolescent health globally but more so in low-income countries. Secondary analysis using the 2004 Zambia Global School-Based Health Survey (GSHS) was conducted in which we estimated frequencies of relevant socio-demographic variables and explored associations between selected explanatory variables and self-reported poor oral hygiene (not cleaning or brushing teeth) within the last 30 days of the completion of questionnaire.

Findings

Most of the 2257 respondents were males (53.9%) and went hungry (82.5%). More than 4 in 10 respondents drank alcohol (42.2%) while 37.2% smoked cannabis. Overall 10.0% of the respondents reported to have …

Norovirus Epidemiology And Duration Of Shedding In Michigan, 2007-2008, Nodira A. Abdujamilova, David Dixon, Laura Mosher, Patricia Somsel, Anthony Muyombwe, Patricia A. Clark, Jeffrey Massey, Brenda Brennan, Paul C. Bartlett

Michigan Journal of Public Health

Background: In the United States, an estimated 23 million cases of norovirus (NoV) are reported each year, and although mortality is low, the morbidity and economic impact are substantial. Methods: RT-PCR and sequencing were used for identification of NoV genotypes obtained from outbreak and sporadic cases. RT Quant PCR was used to determine the viral load in fecal specimens. In order to rule out bacterial infection as the cause for acute gastroenteritis (AGE), bacterial culture for Salmonella, E.coli O157, Shigella, Campylobacter and Clostridium difficile was performed by standard laboratory procedures. The duration of NV shedding was investigated with longitudinal sampling …

Evaluation Of The Informed Consent Process For Male Circumcision Scale-Up In Zambia, Barbara Friedland, Louis Apicella, Katie D. Schenk, Meredith Sheehy, Paul C. Hewett

HIV and AIDS

This report evaluates the informed consent process for male circumcision conducted through the Male Circumcision Partnership for Zambia, led by Population Services International (Society for Family Health, Zambia), in partnership with Jhpiego, Marie Stopes International, and the Population Council. The objectives of the study were to assess male circumcision clients' comprehension of the informed consent process, examine social norms and practices regarding informed consent for adolescents, compare clients' expectations and experiences, and make additional recommendations for improving the informed consent process.

Addicted Youth: The Understanding Of Smoking-Related Health Risks In Female College Students, Rebekah Agnes Ann Morris

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Young adults are at the greatest risk for initiation of smoking or becoming daily smokers. Smoking has a unique history in the United States and is associated with health risks beyond heart disease and lung cancer, many specifically affecting women. Although the majority of people are aware of the risks for heart disease and lung cancer, many other risks are not recognized. By evaluating the known knowledge of smoking-related health risks beyond and including heart disease and lung cancer in the high risk population of female college students, education programs and cessation teaching can be altered, potentially resulting in lower …