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Maternal Prenatal Cortisol Trajectories Predict Accelerated Growth In Infancy, Jennifer Hahn-Holbrook, Elysia Poggi Davis, Curt A. Sandman, Laura M. Glynn

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Higher maternal cortisol in pregnancy has been linked to childhood obesity. Much of the previous research has been limited in that cortisol in pregnancy is only measured at one time-point, precluding the ability to examine critical timing effects of prenatal maternal cortisol. To fill this gap, this longitudinal study measured maternal plasma cortisol at 15, 19, 25, and 31 weeks of pregnancy, and assessed infant body mass index percentile (BMIP)1 at birth, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months in 189 mother-infant pairs. Three distinct patterns of maternal cortisol in pregnancy (typical, steep, and flat trajectories) were identified using general growth …

Interactions Between Environmental Factors And Glutathione S-Transferase (Gst) Genes With Respect To Detectable Blood Aluminum Concentrations In Jamaican Children, Mohammad H Rahbar, Maureen Samms-Vaughan, Yuansong Zhao, Sepideh Saroukhani, Jan Bressler, Manouchehr Hessabi, Megan L Grove, Sydonnie Shakespeare-Pellington, Katherine A Loveland

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Aluminum (Al) is a metallic toxicant at high concentrations following natural or unnatural exposures. Dietary intake is considered as the main source of aluminum exposure in children. We used data from 366 typically developing (TD) children (ages 2−8 years) who participated as controls in an age- and sex-matched case−control study in Jamaica. We investigated additive and interactive associations among environmental factors and children’s genotypes for glutathione S-transferase (GST) genes (GSTT1, GSTM1, GSTP1), in relation to having a detectable blood aluminum concentration (BAlC) of >5.0 μg/L, using multivariable logistic regression models. Findings from interactive models revealed that the odds of having …

The Impact Of Meal Dietary Inflammatory Index On Exercise-Induced Changes In Airway Inflammation In Adults With Asthma, Katrina P. Mcdiarmid, Lisa G. Wood, John W. Upham, Lesley K. Macdonald-Wicks, Nitin Shivappa Mbbs, Mph, Ph.D., James R. Hébert Scd, Hayley A. Scott

Faculty Publications

Research suggests exercise may reduce eosinophilic airway inflammation in adults with asthma. The Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII®) quantifies the inflammatory potential of the diet and has been associated with asthma outcomes. This study aimed to determine whether the DII of a meal consumed either before or after exercise influences exercise-induced changes in airway inflammation. A total of 56 adults with asthma were randomised to (1) 30–45 min moderate–vigorous exercise, or (2) a control group. Participants consumed self-selected meals, two hours pre- and two hours post-intervention. Energy-adjusted DII (E-DIITM) was determined for each meal, with meals then characterised as “anti-inflammatory” or …

Poliovirus Immunity Among Children Aged 6-11 And 36-48 Months In 14 Polio High-Risk Provinces Of Afghanistan: A Health-Facility-Based Study, Sajid Bashir Soofi, Maureen Martinez, Noha H. Farag, William S. Hendley, Derek Ehrhardt, Imran Ahmed, Imtiaz Hussain, William Weldon, Ahmed M. Kassem

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Afghanistan is one of two countries where wild poliovirus (WPV) type 1 remains endemic. We conducted a facility-based cross-sectional survey of antipoliovirus antibodies in children in 14 provinces of Afghanistan. The provinces were selected based on programmatic priorities for polio eradication. Children aged 6-11 and 36-48 months attending outpatient clinics were enrolled in the study. We collected venous blood, isolated serum, and conducted neutralization assays to detect poliovirus neutralizing antibodies. A total of 2086 children from the 14 provinces were enrolled. Among the enrolled children, 44.3% were girls; the median age in the 6-11-month group was 9.4 months, and in …

Brazil's Family Health Strategy: An Examination Of The Experience Of Community Health Workers And Their Impact On The Commonwealth, Ximena Perez-Velazco

The Winthrop McNair Research Bulletin

This study explores the experience of community health workers―front line public health workers― who provide low-level health intervention as they are integrated into multidisciplinary teams of health professionals, under the constitution of Brazil’s Family Health strategy, a policy established in order to provide universal primary care in Brazil. Furthermore, this research looks into how the community health workers’ role in bridging the gap between the public health efforts and the commonwealth initiates health literacy and health practices within the community and the CHWs themselves. There is little to no research on the subject of community health workers’ physical or mental …

Prevalence Of Polypharmacy And Associated Adverse Outcomes And Risk Factors Among Children With Asthma In The Usa: A Cross-Sectional Study, Luyu Xie, Andrew Gelfand, Caitlin C Murphy, M Sunil Mathew, Folefac Atem, George L Delclos, Sarah Messiah

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVE: to estimate the prevalence of polypharmacy, identify risk factors and examine related adverse outcomes in the US children with asthma.

DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: This population-based, cross-sectional study included 1776 children with asthma from the 2011-2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys.

EXPOSURES: Polypharmacy is defined as taking ≥2 medications concurrently for ≥1 day over the past 30 days.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: (1) Weighted prevalence estimates of polypharmacy in children with asthma; (2) asthma attacks and emergency department (ED) visits.

RESULTS: The estimated prevalence of polypharmacy in the US children with asthma was 33.49% (95% CI 31.81% to …

Public Health Burden Of Secondhand Smoking: Case Reports Of Lung Cancer And A Literature Review, Ladislav Štěpánek, Jarmila Ševčíková, Dagmar Horáková, Mihir Sanjay Patel, Radka Durďáková

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Secondhand smoke (SHS), composed of mainstream and sidestream smoke, is a known human carcinogen. It contains a variety of harmful substances at even higher concentrations than mainstream smoke itself, which is inhaled during firsthand smoking. Exposure to SHS, affecting more than a third of the worldwide population, increases the likelihood of lung cancer by roughly 30%, with specific contributions depending on the histological type of cancer. This study aimed to present the harmful potential of SHS through case reports and describe the burden of SHS via a literature review. From a collection of lung cancer case reports occurring in never …

Microgreens Outreach In The Community - Applying A Novel Diet-Related Disease Prevention Tool, Jessica Nwabeke, Vibhuti Mishra, Rayna Marshall, Simone Udeh, Swaksha Rachuri, Ben Haslund-Gourley, Annette Gadegbeku

Tower Health Research Day

No abstract provided.

Vitamin C Supplementation For The Treatment Of Covid-19: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Monika Olczak-Pruc, Damian Swieczkowski, Jerzy R Ladny, Michal Pruc, Raul Juarez-Vela, Zubaid Rafique, Frank W Peacock, Lukasz Szarpak

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the severe respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), millions of people have died, and the medical system has faced significant difficulties. Our purpose was to perform a meta-analysis to estimate the effect of vitamin C on in-hospital mortality and the ICU or hospital length of stay for patients diagnosed with COVID-19. We conducted a systematic review with meta-analysis in the following databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. We included studies that evaluated the effect of vitamin C supplementation, compared with standard treatment …

Refining The Nutrition Environment Measures Survey (Nems) For Healthy Community Stores: Adaptations To Capture Alternative Food Retailers And Align With Dietary Guidelines, Alex B. Hill, Ravneet Kuar, Samantha M. Sundermeir, Christina Kasprzak, Megan Winkler, Sara John, Rachael D. Dombrowski, Bree Bode, Joel Gittelsohn

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Research Publications

Inadequate consumption of healthy food is an ongoing public health issue in the United States. Food availability measures of supply versus consumption of healthy foods are disconnected in many studies. There is a need for an objective assessment of the food environment in order to assess how the food supply aligns with the Healthy Eating Index (HEI). Data were collected as part of the Healthy Community Stores Case Study Project, including a refined Nutrition Environment Measures Survey for Healthy Community Stores (NEMS-HCS) and an updated Healthy Food Availability Index that aligns with the Healthy Eating Index (HFAHEI). This paper will …

Infant Age Moderates Associations Between Infant Temperament And Maternal Technology Use During Infant Feeding And Care, Maya I. Davis, Camille M. Delfosse, Alison K. Ventura

Kinesiology and Public Health

Previous research illustrated that infants’ temperamental traits shape parents’ behaviors, but parents’ behaviors can also elicit or intensify infants’ behaviors in ways that shape temperament. One understudied aspect of parenting that may exhibit bidirectional influences with temperament is parent technology use (e.g., use of mobile devices) within family contexts. To date, few studies have examined whether maternal technology use is associated with infant temperament and whether age-related differences in these associations exist. The present study was a secondary analysis of pooled data from three infant feeding studies. Mothers (n = 374) of young infants (age 16.2 ± 6.2 weeks) …

Wellness Review 2022, Part 1, Martin Huecker, Brian A. Ferguson, Jacob Shreffler

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: This article represents the first of a two-part assessment of 2022 literature addressing wellness in healthcare professionals published from January 1, 2022 to June 30, 2022.

Methods: Three editors conducted a similar keyword search in Pubmed, also adding manually curated articles. Focusing chiefly on clinical trials and other prospective research, we settled on a final 25 significant papers focusing on wellness in medical professionals to include in this review.

Literature Review: Recent literature into HCW wellness continues to describe burnout factors and COVID-19 impact, but includes more resilience-targeting interventions and systematic reviews of trials seeking bolstering of well-being. Subsections …

Exploring The Barriers And Facilitators To Making Healthy Physical Activity Lifestyle Choices Among Uk Bame Adults During Covid-19 Pandemic: A Study Protocol, Johnson Mbabazi, Fiona Macgregor, Mona Salman, Jeff Breckon, Edward Kunonga, Barry Tolchard, Lawrence Achilles Nnyanzi

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Past research has identified that individuals from BAME communities face health inequalities and report poorer outcomes from numerous health interventions. This study will explore some of the reasons with a focus on the perceptions towards physical activity in the lifestyle prevention of diseases. It will also seek to elicit a range of facilitators and barriers towards improving physical activity lifestyle choices amongst UK BAME adults, including but not limited to those in the individual, structural, environmental and social domains. Furthermore, it will consider the role of ethnicity and culture in the forming of physical activity lifestyle choices. This study was …

Determinants And Knowledge Of Iron Deficiency Anemia And Its Impact Among Pregnant Women Attending University Hospital In Mukalla, Yemen, Asrar Saleh Sayad, Maher Khaled Alsakkaf, Muneer Khamis Aljaaide, Lotfi Saeed Bin Dahman

Hadhramout University Journal of Natural & Applied Sciences

The prevalence of anemia among pregnant women, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), is still higher than 51% in developing countries, and the most common cause is iron deficiency, which has adverse effects on maternal and child health. The purpose of this study is to determine the knowledge and attitude of pregnant women attending the University Hospital in Mukalla regarding iron deficiency anemia and its impact. A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted on 320 Yemeni pregnant women from January 1, 2021, to June 30, 2021. Data was collected by a predesigned self-administered questionnaire in the antenatal clinic at …

The Clusters Of Health-Risk Behaviours And Mental Wellbeing And Their Sociodemographic Correlates: A Study Of 15,366 Asean University Students, Apichai Wattanapisit, Hanif Abdul Raman, Josip Car, Khadizah H. Abdul-Mumin, Ma. Henrietta Teresa O. De La Cruz, Michael Chia, Michael Rosenberg, Moon-Ho Ringo Ho, Surasak Chaiyasong, Trias Mahmudiono

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Background

This study investigated, through cluster analysis, the associations between behavioural characteristics, mental wellbeing, demographic characteristics, and health among university students in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) University Network – Health Promotion Network (AUN-HPN) member universities.

Methods

Data were retrieved from a cross-sectional self-administered online survey among undergraduate students in seven ASEAN countries. A two-step cluster analysis was employed, with cluster labels based on the predominant characteristics identified within the clusters. The ‘healthy’ cluster was assigned as the reference group for comparisons using multinomial logistic regression analysis.

Results

The analytic sample size comprised 15,366 university students. Five clusters …

Ghanaian Healthcare Research And Reflection (Paper), Alexandra Bladholm

Honors Capstone Projects

Objectives: The primary objectives of this extended literature review were to provide a basic overview of the Ghanaian healthcare system and breakdown some of its complexities, analyze what aspects of the Ghanaian healthcare system are effective with specific focus on accessibility, affordability, increased education, and government involvement, and recognize room for improvement within the Ghanaian healthcare system with specific focus on major disparities, barriers in rural areas, and government involvement.
Background: The healthcare system in Ghana is quite complex as there are many different routes for patients to seek care. This can be done via public health facilities through the …

Nutrition Facts Label Use Among U.S. Adolescents, Jennifer Beth Mandelbaum

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the promise of Nutrition Facts label (NFL) use as a population-level intervention with broad reach, few studies have examined determinants of adolescents’ NFL use, and how this label use may be associated with nutrition behaviors. This study used data from the International Food Policy Study, an online cross-sectional survey of trends in dietary patterns and policy-relevant behaviors in the U.S. and five other countries. First, this study examined 1) whether NFL use was associated with healthy eating efforts and 2) whether there were sociodemographic differences in NFL use among U.S. adolescents. Results demonstrated that NFL use was positively associated …

Association Between Fetal Abdominal Growth Trajectories, Maternal Metabolite Signatures Early In Pregnancy, And Childhood Growth And Adiposity: Prospective Observational Multinational Interbio-21st Fetal Study, Jose Villar, Roseline Ochieng, Robert B. Gunier, Aris T. Papageorghiou, Stephen Rauch, Rose Mcgready, Julia M. Gauglitz, Fernando C. Barros, Manu Vatish, Shama Munim

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Background: Obesity predominantly affects populations in high-income countries and those countries facing epidemiological transition. The risk of childhood obesity is increased among infants who had overweight or obesity at birth, but in low-resource settings one in five infants are born small for gestational age. We aimed to study the relationships between: (1) maternal metabolite signatures; (2) fetal abdominal growth; and (3) postnatal growth, adiposity, and neurodevelopment.
Methods: In the prospective, multinational, observational INTERBIO-21st fetal study, conducted in maternity units in Pelotas (Brazil), Nairobi (Kenya), Karachi (Pakistan), Soweto (South Africa), Mae Sot (Thailand), and Oxford (UK), we enrolled women (≥18 years, …

Governing Cross-Sector Collaboratives: Evaluation Observations From The California Accountable Communities Of Health Initiative (Cachi), Center For Outcomes Research And Education, Desert Vista Consulting, Agd Consulting

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Intertemporal Preferences, Active Consideration Of Health Outcomes, And Simple Health Prompts On The Nutritional Quality Of Food Choices, Olivier Tuyizere

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This thesis consists of three chapters. The first chapter introduces the thesis by highlighting a brief review of intertemporal preferences, active consideration of health outcomes, and health prompts during food choices. The introduction paves the way for the following two chapters, which are related, but stand-alone papers.

In the second chapter, we explore a novel question: how does actively considering health outcomes (both current and future) during decision-making affect the nutritional quality of food choices? We explore this question with an online experiment on food choices. Our findings show that active consideration of health outcomes leads to choosing products with …

The Social Determinants Of Ideal Cardiovascular Health: A Global Systematic Review, Farah Qureshi, Kelb Bousquet-Santos, Sakurako S. Okuzono, Elaine Tsao, Scott Delaney, Anne-Josie Guimond, Julia K. Boehm, Laura D. Kubzansky

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

This systematic review synthesizes research published from January 2010-July 2022 on the social determinants of ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) carried out around the world and compares trends in high-income countries (HICs) to those in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). 41 studies met inclusion criteria (n = 28 HICs, n = 13 LMICs). Most were from the United States (n = 22) and cross-sectional (n = 33), and nearly all evaluated associations among adults. Among studies conducted in LMICs, nearly all were from middle-income countries and only one was carried out in low-income country. Education (n = …

Association Of Puberty Stage And Weight Status With Cardiometabolic Risk In Children And Adolescents Living On The Texas-Mexico Border, Ee Vien Low, Miryoung Lee, Cici Bauer, Susan P Fisher-Hoch, Joseph B Mccormick, Susan Abughosh, Ekere J Essien, Jessica Rodriguez, Hua Chen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: This retrospective cohort study aimed to examine the interaction effect between puberty stage and weight status on individual and clustering of cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRFs) among Mexican American children and adolescents. A total of 333 children and adolescents (aged 8-18 years) enrolled in the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort (CCHC) from 2014 to 2020 were included in the study.

Methods: CCHC is a longitudinal, randomly recruited cohort based on the United States Census tracts/blocks of Mexican Americans living on the Texas-Mexico border. Individual CMRFs, including high blood pressure, central obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and insulin resistance (IR) were …

Effectiveness And Feasibility Of The Workout On Wheels Internet Intervention (Wowii) For Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Katherine Froehlich-Grobe, Jaehoon Lee, Christa Ochoa, Amber Lopez, Erina Sarker, Simon Driver, Ross Shegog, Suh-Jen Lin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

STUDY DESIGN: Randomized-controlled trial (RCT) with immediate intervention (IMM) and wait-list control (WLC) groups; WLC participants received the intervention during delivery to subsequent cohorts.

OBJECTIVES: Investigate the effectiveness and feasibility of a virtually-delivered exercise intervention.

SETTING: Home and community.

METHODS: A total of 168 middle-aged (49.6 [12.3] years old) men (57%) and women (43%) who lived an average 15.5 (12.3) years with spinal cord injury (SCI) participated. The 16-week program provides users (a) website access with exercise information, resources, and 16 skill-building modules; (b) virtual 60-minute, group-based weekly meetings; and (c) a starter package of exercise equipment. Primary outcomes included …

Association Of Prior Periodontal Disease With Cancer – Exploring Epidemiologic Evidence Of Periodontal Exudate-Exposed Site Cancer Risk Versus Remote Gastrointestinal Sites, Asma Alzahrani

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Periodontal disease, a chronic bacterial infection of the gums, if untreated, causes chronic inflammation over years and eventual tooth loss. The associations between periodontal disease (measured by missing teeth) and certain sites of cancer have been established, in epidemiological studies, and attributed to systemic inflammatory impacts causing carcinogenic change over decades. Because periodontal exudates are toxic, containing locally bioactive bacteria and toxins, this study hypothesized and studied the potential higher cancer risk of anatomic sites exposed to oral exudates (exudate-exposed site cancers (EEC); head and neck, oral, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, stomach). The study studied the risk of exudate exposed …

Novel Dietary Index For Gut Microbiota And Associations With Colorectal Cancer And Breast Cancer Risk, Bezawit Eyob Kase

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Diet serves as a driving force for shaping the gut microbiome. Understanding how diet may modify gut microbiota and subsequently may be associated with chronic disease is critical to public health prevention efforts. Aims: We aimed to develop a novel dietary index that captures the quality of diet with respect to attaining beneficial composition and function of gut microbiota. We then examined the relationship between the dietary index and two gut microbiota-related cancers, i.e., colorectal and breast cancers.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review of studies that examined the effect of foods on gut microbiota in adult populations. Dietary …

Assessment Of The Quality Of Emergency Obstetric Care In Public Hospitals In Bangladesh: Evidence From The National Health Facility Assessment Survey, Kaji Korotki

Theses and Dissertations

INTRODUCTION: The quality of obstetric care is low in Bangladesh, especially at the sub-district level, and below sub-district level facilities such as union health centers and community clinics. Using nationally representative health facility assessment survey data, this study assessed the change in the quality of basic and comprehensive obstetric care in terms of human resources, equipment, and service availability at sub-district public health facilities in 2014 and 2017.

METHODS: Based on Donabedian’s model of quality of care (QoC), the quality of comprehensive delivery care was measured using an index of 9 indicators known as Signal Functions (SF), while basic obstetric …

Developing Culturally Appropriate Food Literacy Resources For Aboriginal Children With Foodbank Wa’S Superhero Foods®, Jennifer Tartaglia, Roslyn Giglia, Jill Darby

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Issue addressed

In Australia, food sovereignty of traditional landowners has been marginalised by the globalisation of food systems and resulted in limited opportunities for children to experience familiar bush tucker foods as healthy choices, particularly in a school environment. Superhero Foods^® themed teaching resources focus on the development of nutrition education materials that included traditional Aboriginal foods together with contemporary foods readily available in regional/remote communities.

Methods

Consultation with an Aboriginal expert and Aboriginal artist; local, regional/remote teachers and stakeholders informed the development of tailored resources including food cartoon characters, school lesson plans and a storybook. The latter was …

Application Of A Sustainability Framework To Enhance Australian Food Literacy Programs In Remote Western Australian Communities, Leisha M. Aberle, Julia R. Platts, Marie A. Kioutis, Louise M. Haustead, Stephanie L. Godrich

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Issue addressed: Food literacy programs aim to build individuals’ knowledge, skills and self-efficacy to adopt healthy food choices conducive to reducing the risk of chronic diseases, such as obesity. Foodbank WA’s (FBWA) Healthy Food for All ® nutrition programs have supported the improvement of food literacy knowledge and skills among vulnerable people living in the Pilbara. Methods: A Sustainability Framework containing ten sustainability factors was overlaid with social ecological model (SEM) levels of influence to form a matrix. The use of this matrix facilitated sustainability strategy appraisal within three food literacy programs delivered in remote WA. Results: Programs included multiple …

Evaluating Indoor Air Phthalates And Volatile Organic Compounds In Nail Salons In The Greater New York City Area: A Pilot Study, Inkyu Han, Jin Young Seo, Dana Boyd Barr, Parinya Panuwet, Volha Yakimavets, Priya Esilda D'Souza, Heyreoun An-Han, Masoud Afshar, Ying-Yu Chao

Publications and Research

The Greater New York City area ranks highest in the United States in the number of nail salon technicians, primarily Asian immigrant women. Nail salon technicians are exposed to toxic phthalates and volatile organic compounds daily in nail salons. The purpose of this pilot study was to measure a mixture of phthalates and volatile organic compounds in nail salons in the Greater New York City area, and to characterize work-related determinants of indoor air quality in these nail salons. Working with four Asian nail salon organizations in the Greater New York City area, we measured indoor air phthalates and volatile …

Vitamin C Deficiency In A Food Insecure Patient: A Rare Case Report, Gersham J. Rainone, Tatiana J. Han, Muhammed Rahim, Gregory J. Pirolli, Alina Popa, Jayaram Thimmapuram

Transformative Medicine

Introduction: Scurvy is rarely seen in developed countries and is characterized by deficiency of vitamin C, which can lead to symptoms including wound impairment, bleeding manifestations, and loss of teeth. Case Description: We present a case of a 53-year-old male with a right knee hemarthrosis after a fall. The patient also noted progressively enlarging spontaneous hematomas, denying any recent trauma except for the fall to the knee. He denied family history of bleeding and clotting disorders and endorsed aspirin use in the setting of a prior stroke. He actively resided at a local shelter with limited means of transportation for …