Digital Commons Network^™

Vocal Hygiene For Musical Theatre Performers, Anne M. Koziara, Dr. Ron Scherer

Honors Projects

There have been numerous “do’s - and - don’t’s” vocal hygiene pamphlets made for voice users, however, a guide for vocal hygiene for musical theatre performers is not typically included in these pamphlets. Musical theatre performers differ from other professional voice users, because in addition to singing, they also have the taxing responsibilities of acting and dancing. As a result, many musical theatre performers have questions and often seem confused about what proper vocal hygiene should be for them. The goal of this honors project was to create an advisory brochure on vocal hygiene specifically for musical theatre performers. This …

Diet Quality As A Mediator Of The Relation Between Income-To- Poverty Ratio And Overweight/Obesity Among Adults: Moderating Effect Of Sex, Sajeevika S. Daundasekara, Nipa P. Kamdar, Ashley Dao, Anna E. Greer, A. Lisako, J. Mckyer, Daphne C. Hernandez

Public Health Faculty Publications

Poverty status influences obesity and dietary quality, and dietary quality influences obesity. How these relationships differ by sex is unclear. The current study aims were to 1) determine whether dietary quality mediates the relation between income-to-poverty ratio (IPR) and overweight/obesity (OV/OB) among men and women, separately, and 2) determine whether either of the mediated paths differs by sex. Four cycles of NHANES (2007-2014) were merged to obtain an unweighted study sample of 12,768 adults with complete data. Exposure variables included self-reported measures of IPR, Healthy Eating index (HEI) total score to measure diet quality, and sex. Direct assessment of height …

Mining’S Impact On Environmental And Human Health: A Case Study Of Ramba County’S Gold Mine, Vivika Fernes

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research project aims to gain a greater understanding of the health implications that Ramba County’s goldmine has on miners, their families, and the environment. While this study observes the community-at-large, inclusive of visiting miners and extended family members of workers, it will focus on women who engage in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM). Millions of people in the developing word depend on ASGM for their livelihood, evident in this case study in Ramba County. However, while gold is associated with wealth, there is great irony in the fact that those working within the mining industry are being exploited …

Improving Women, Infants, And Children Participation Using Quality Improvement Methodology, Samuel Little, Sarah Stone, Jeffrey D. Colvin, Sidney Smith, Brenda Hilboldt, Laura Williams, Patricia Marein, Keith Mann, Kristi Williams

Posters

Food insecurity, when a household is unable to acquire food for one or more of its members due to insufficient resources, has recently been on the decline in the United States, according to official 2017 USDA reports.

Unfortunately, this decline has not been observed to the same extent in the demographic of households with children.

WIC is a federal assistance program that works to alleviate the poor health outcomes associated with food insecurity in this demographic by providing eligible, enrolled families with nutritional aid and education.

The specific aim of the project is to increase the percentage of maximum potential …

Dietary Advanced Glycation End-Products (Ages) And Breast Cancer Risk And Survival, Omonefe Opeyemi Omofuma

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) are implicated in the pathogenesis of chronic diseases including cancer. AGEs are produced endogenously and are also consumed from foods. High amounts of AGEs are found in animal products and processed foods, and AGE formation is accelerated during cooking at high temperatures. Using data from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial (PLCO), we assigned and quantified NƐ-carboxymethyl-lysine (CML)-AGE content in food and investigated the association between dietary AGE intake and breast cancer (BrCa) risk. We assessed whether the risk was modified by race/ethnicity, obesity status, fruit and vegetable intake, BrCa invasiveness …

The Association Of Health Insurance And Prescription Drug Coverage On Cost-Related Non-Adherence And Hospitalization Across Age-Related Groups Of Individuals With Copd, Shamika Martin Walls

Theses and Dissertations

Background: COPD patients have poor adherence to prescribed treatment. Individuals with COPD have higher out-of-pocket treatment cost than individuals without COPD. The significant out of pocket COPD related treatment cost can lead to prescription drug non-adherence especially for individuals without health insurance or prescription drug coverage.

Significance: Since the implementation of Medicare Part D on January 1, 2006, there are no studies that have used national data to evaluate the association of health insurance and prescription drug coverage on cost related non-adherence and hospitalization among individuals 50-64 years old with COPD compared to individuals 65 years and older …

The Relationship Between The Electronic Health Record Patient Portal And Shared Decision Making, Gloria Esoimeme

Theses and Dissertations

Shared decision making (SDM) is a collaborative decision-making style where the patient and the physician are involved in the clinical decision-making process. The goal of this dissertation project was to examine the relationship between the patient portal of an electronic health record (EHR) and SDM.

The SDM process has three main components: information sharing, deliberation and decision making. Patients participate in SDM at varying levels: some patients may prefer to share information and deliberate but leave the final decision making to the provider while others prefer to participate in all the three components of SDM. The patient portal of an …

Health Insurance Program For The Poor, Out-Of-Pocket Costs, And Catastrophic Health Expenditures In India, Shyamkumar Sriram

Theses and Dissertations

Background

India is currently taking steps to provide Universal Health Coverage (UHC) as envisaged in its National Health Policy 2017. Financial protection is considered the backbone of UHC. In India, OOP expenses accounts for about 62.6% of total health expenditure - one of the highest in the world. Out of 1.324 billion people in India, around 12.4% of the population is below the poverty line. Lack of health insurance coverage and inadequate coverage are important reasons for high OOP health expenditures. High OOP health expenditures push many households into poverty. The objective of this research is to examine the effect …

Longitudinal Trajectories Of Depressive Symptoms Among Youth And Young Adults With Type 1 Diabetes: Predictors And Health Outcomes, Melanie Whitmire Sutherland

Theses and Dissertations

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is one of the most frequently diagnosed chronic illnesses among youth, and has many long-term complications, including retinopathy, neuropathy, and cardiovascular disease. The risk of these complications may be reduced through maintaining glycemic control and one potential risk factor for failure to achieve optimal glycemic control is elevated depressive symptoms among youth and young adults (YYA) with T1D. YYA with T1D are at increased risk of depression, which has been associated with adverse outcomes such as poor adherence to self-management and poor glycemic control. Although a robust body of research exists on the association between comorbid …

Regional Variation In Chronic Kidney Disease And Associated Factors In Hypertensive Individuals In Rural South Asia: Findings From Control Of Blood Pressure And Risk Attenuation-Bangladesh, Pakistan And Sri Lanka, Liang Feng, Hithanadura Asita De Silva, Imtiaz Jehan, Anuradhani Kasturiratne, Gulshan Himani, Mohammad Abul Hasnat, Tazeen Jafar, Cobra-Bps Study Group

Community Health Sciences

Background: We aimed to determine the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and its cross-country variation among hypertensive individuals in rural Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. We also explored the factors associated with CKD in these populations.
Method: We studied baseline data from the Control of Blood Pressure and Risk Attenuation-Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka (COBRA-BPS) trial, an ongoing cluster randomized controlled trial on 2643 hypertensive adults ≥40 years of age from 30 randomly selected rural clusters, 10 in each of the three countries. CKD was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) /min/1.73 m2 or a urine albumin:creatinine …

Energy Balance Related Lifestyle Factors And Risk Of Endometrial And Colorectal Cancer Among Individuals With Lynch Syndrome: A Systematic Review, Susan M Schembre, Eduardo Vilar, Y Nancy You, Miguel A Rodriguez-Bigas, Larkin L Strong, Patrick M Lynch, Karen H Lu, Karen Basen-Engquist

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Lifestyle factors related to energy balance, such as excess body weight, poor diet, and physical inactivity, are associated with risk of sporadic endometrial cancer (EC) and colorectal cancer (CRC). There are limited data on energy balance-related lifestyle factors and EC or CRC risk among individuals with lynch syndrome, who are at extraordinarily higher risk of developing EC or CRC. We conducted a systematic review of evidence related to weight status, weight change, dietary habits, and physical activity on EC and CRC risk among individuals with lynch syndrome. Findings are reported narratively. We searched Medline, EMBASE, CENTRAL, PubMed, and clinicaltrials.gov up …

Pubh 3431 – Introduction To Global Health, Kristina Harbaugh

College of Public Health: Faculty Syllabi (2014-2021)

This course introduces the broad and growing field of global health. The course will discuss how health and illness is defined and explore the biological, cultural, social, and political forces that influence health at the global level. This is a survey course that will explore such topics as: comparative health systems, social determinants of health, health services and quality, healthcare policy, key stakeholders, and major global health initiatives. Throughout the course, an emphasis is placed on global health ethics and issues of social justice. 3 credits (3-0-3)

Pubh 9231 – Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Jian Zhang

College of Public Health: Faculty Syllabi (2014-2021)

This course is designed to introduce the student to the ever-expanding area of chronic disease epidemiology. Students will be introduced to the current status of chronic disease and control programs, methods used in chronic disease surveillance, intervention methods, and modifiable risk factors. Some of the major chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic lung disease, diabetes and arthritis will be discussed in detail. Pathophysiology and clinical features of common chronic conditions will also be presented.

Epid 7135-A – Epidemiology Of Infectious Disease, (Isaac) Chun Hai Fung

College of Public Health: Faculty Syllabi (2014-2021)

This course is designed to provide students with an overview of the principles and practices of infectious diseases epidemiology with focus on how the presence and control of communicable diseases affects public health locally, nationally and internationally. Topics to be covered include: 1) general principles of infectious diseases epidemiology, including outbreak investigation, surveillance, analysis of infectious diseases data, and laboratory testing of specimens; 2) major modes of infectious disease transmission, including airborne, food and water, zoonotic, insect vector, blood, and sexual transmission; 3) different control strategies for infectious diseases, including infection control, antimicrobial management, immunization, risk factor modification, and screening; …

Chbe 9335 A – Global Health And Preparedness, Andrew Hansen

College of Public Health: Faculty Syllabi (2014-2021)

This course will focus on global public health and preparedness for domestic and global emergencies. Students will explore patterns of health and disease around the world, and compare them to public health issues in the United States. An ecological framework will be employed to illustrate the complex political, social, economic, and environmental determinants of global health inequity. Concepts from the social sciences, epidemiology, health systems, and policymaking will be incorporated. The course will emphasize issues related to humanitarian emergencies and natural disasters both globally and domestically, and the need to build public health infrastructure and preparedness to mitigate them.

Pubh 4231- Health Aspects Of Aging, Jamie S. Cromley

College of Public Health: Faculty Syllabi (2014-2021)

This course is intended to familiarize students with promotion of health in an aging population, the notion that aging is a natural part of the lifecycle, community, state and federal health programs and services for the aged. Students will become acquainted with the process of and problems associated with aging in order to effectively manage this important public health issue. Specific health concerns of the elderly including the increase in life expectancy, current life extending research and technology and successful aging will also be examined. Knowledge and understanding of biological, psychological, and sociological aspects of aging as related to health …

Pubh 3431- Introduction To Global Health, Atin Adhikari

College of Public Health: Faculty Syllabi (2014-2021)

This course introduces you to a comprehensive and growing field of global health. The course will introduce students to the essentials of global health in well-structured, clear and easy to understand ways. This is a survey course that will focus broadly on five questions: What do people get sick, disabled and die from; why do they suffer from these conditions? Which people are most affected? Why should we care about such concerns? What can be done to address key health issues, hopefully at least cost, as fast as possible, and in sustainable ways? The course will be global in coverage …

Pubh 6535: Theoretical Perspectives Of The Social & Behavioral Sciences In Public Health, Stacy W. Smallwood

College of Public Health: Faculty Syllabi (2014-2021)

This course is designed to familiarize students with the history and current applications of social and behavioral sciences as they are applied to public health practice and research. It explores social and behavioral science models, theories, and approaches that inform public health, and their philosophical roots. The course also examines social and behavioral determinants of health equity across the ecological spectrum. Emphasis is placed on critical thinking skills to help students synthesize and utilize information in research and practice. An important contribution of this course is the emphasis on recognizing the contributions of social and behavioral science research and practice …

A Need For Patient-Friendly Language For Those With Low Health Literacy In Advanced Care Planning, Denisha Allicock, Addison Mickens, Tilicia Mayo-Gamble

Health Policy & Community Health: Faculty Publications

Work published by Georgia Southern University Press.

Examine Predictors Of Bmi Classification And Perception Of Overweght Status Of Caregivers Of Preschool Children, Beth H. Chopp

Health Services Research Dissertations

Since the 1970’s the rate of childhood obesity in the United States has tripled and now one in five school-aged children is obese (Ogden et al., 2016). The childhood obesity epidemic will have medical, social, economic implications for future generations. Risk factors for childhood obesity include genetics, food intake, and physical activity, maternal health during pregnancy, parental weight, maternal employment and sociodemographic influences. This study examined the relationship between caregiver misperception of their preschoolers’ overweight/obese weight status and possible predictors that may assist in future interventions. The study evaluated NHANES data of 1245 caregivers with a child under age five …

Improving Housing Quality To Reduce Asthma Rates And Healthcare Costs In Athens-Clarke County, Ga, Samantha J. Harris, John M. Johnston, Maria Bowie, Grace Bagwell Adams

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition that often develops from controllable environmental factors, such as poor air quality. Our study examined the relationship between mold in the home, which compromises indoor air quality, and asthma prevalence in Athens-Clarke County (ACC), Georgia.

Methods: Data from the Athens Wellbeing Project’s 2016 survey of 1,354 households in ACC was employed to examine indoor air quality and asthma prevalence in ACC. We provided descriptive statistics to examine asthma prevalence and asthma predictors, including the proportion of respondents reporting mold and pest problems, smoking prevalence, and the proportion of households reporting clinical obesity. We …

Use Of Complementary And Alternative Medicine Among People With Cardiovascular Diseases In Southeast Georgia, Chimuanya Okoli, Stacy Carswell, Sewuese Akuse, Kelly Sullivan

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States. Proper treatment of patients with cardiovascular disease is essential and can be challenged by non-disclosed use of complementary or alternative treatments. The objective of this study was to assess which demographics were associated with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use and if education affects the use of CAM.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among a stratified random sample of residents of Southeastern Georgia. Sampling was stratified by urban/rural residence in order to reach sufficient rural residents. Participants that indicated they had been diagnosed with hypertension or …

Health Care Access By Weight Status In The State Of Georgia, Elizabeth Pullekines, Janani Rajbhandari-Thapa

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Obesity continues to grow in prevalence in the United States and within the state of Georgia. Obesity is a risk factor for many chronic and preventable diseases. As such, obese individuals have higher demand for health care services than non-obese individuals. In addition, the health care system can play a role in preventing obesity and other conditions caused by obesity.

Methods: This research follows the established positive relationship between health care use and access to health care services through insurance coverage. The paper analyzes how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) affected insurance coverage and access to health care services …

88th Annual Georgia Public Health Association Meeting & Conference Report, Colin K. Smith, Regina Abbott, Eleanora Zhilyak, Christy Sims

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

The 88th Annual Meeting of the Georgia Public Health Association (GPHA) was held in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 11-12, 2017, with pre-conference (April 10th) and post-conference (April 12th) Executive Board meetings. As Georgia’s leading forum for public health researchers, practitioners, and students, the annual meeting of the GPHA brings together participants from across the state to explore recent developments in the field and to exchange techniques, tools, and experiences. In recent years the venue for the GPHA annual conference has been Atlanta, but in an effort to expand participation across the state the 2018 GPHA Annual Meeting and Conference is …

The Relationship Between Per Capita Income, Uninsured Rates, And Cardiovascular Mortality In Georgia Between 1994 – 2016, Monique Bethel, Mark A. Thompson, Adam E. Berman

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: The association between cardiovascular mortality, per capita income and uninsured rates in Georgia have not been well described.

Methods: Cardiovascular mortality rates, per capita income and uninsured rates were obtained for the years 1994-2016, and their relationships were analyzed using univariate and multivariate statistical techniques.

Results: In bivariate analysis, a strong inverse relationship between cardiovascular mortality and per capita income (r = -0.917, p < 0.0001) was detected, while bivariate analysis detected no relationship between cardiovascular mortality and uninsured rates. Both per capita income and uninsured rates were negative predictors of cardiovascular mortality in multivariate analysis.

Conclusions: Per capita income increases in Georgia were strongly correlated with reductions in cardiovascular mortality. While there was not a linear correlation of healthcare coverage status and cardiovascular mortality, it demonstrated a protective effect in …

How Breastfeeding Behavior Is Affected By The Breastfeeding Perspectives Of Fathers In Georgia (Usa), Les'shon Irby, Emily Graybill, Cassandra White

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Father support has recently been associated with increasing breastfeeding rates, but research is limited on how the American father’s perspectives of breastfeeding influence breastfeeding behavior. The aim of the study was to investigate the perspectives of fathers residing in Georgia on breastfeeding and to understand if it contributed to mothers’ decisions to breastfeed.

Methods: We conducted 10 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with parents of ever-breastfeed infants who were at least six months of age.

Results: Mothers often led the decision-making process to breastfeed based on her prepartum knowledge of breastfeeding. Many fathers had no prepartum opinion on breastfeeding, and their …

The Impact Of Maternal Literacy Skills On Child Weight In Mozambique, Ashley Watson, Shannon Self-Brown, Iris Feinberg, Whitney Rostad

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Infant mortality is a serious public health problem. One factor that is strongly associated with infant mortality is low weight in children. The percentage of underweight children under the age of five in Mozambique was 16% in 2012. In order to reduce the number of underweight children in this country, contributing caregiver characteristics of this problem should be investigated. One potentially relevant characteristic is maternal literacy, which has been under investigated. Objective: This study aims to determine whether maternal literacy affected the weight and body-mass-index (BMI) of children ages 0 to 3 years old in Mozambique.

Methodology: A cross-sectional …

Sociodemographic And Biometric Factors Associated With Eating Behaviors Among African American Women Aged 18-74, Takiyah J. Thomas, Jammie M. Hopkins, Riba Kelsey-Harris, Folashade Omole, Ernest Alema-Mensah

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Obesity is a growing problem in the United States and is disproportionately increasing among African Americans. The objective of this study is to examine the sociodemographic and biometric factors associated with eating behaviors among African American women.

Methods: We analyzed data from the 2009-2010 dietary screener and weight history questionnaire from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Multivariable analyses were used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) to determine the association between six specific eating behaviors and different sociodemographic and biometric factors. Analyses were conducted using SAS 9.4.

Results: The analyses show …

Living Arrangement: A Contributor To Vascular Disease In Asymptomatic African American Women, Meldra Hall, Elizabeth Ofili, Rigobert Lapu-Bula, Ernest Alema-Mensah, Stephanie Miles-Richardson

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Diminished social support has shown to lead to worse cardiovascular outcomes and since cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States (U.S.), it is critical to non-invasively study its precursor- vascular disease (VD). Assessing the impact social support has on vascular outcomes can unveil potential CVD susceptibilities in at-risk populations. African American women exhibit the greatest burden of CVD morbidity and mortality; therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the association between living arrangement/social support and impaired vascular function in asymptomatic African American women.

Methods: Vascular function was assessed by a non-invasive …

Ethical Approaches To Mandating Influenza Vaccinations For Local Health Department Workforce In Georgia, Melicent R. Miller, Maureen K. Akubu-Odero, Lashauna L. Hunt, Stephanie L. Irvin, Catherine T. Palmer, William A. Mase

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: The seasonal influenza illness occurs every year in the United States during the cooler months from October to April, sometimes lasting longer. Although certain populations are more susceptible to this condition, data have shown that otherwise healthy individuals have experienced alarming rates of morbidity and mortality associated with these infections. Despite the CDC’s recommendation for influenza vaccination for all HCWs, compliance have been lagging among local health departments’ workforce. This practice arguably exposes a wide cross section of the U.S. population to the flu, while being served in these facilities. The utilitarian approach provides a framework to examine the …