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Smoking Cessation And Relapse Among Pregnant African-American Smokers In Washington, Dc, Ayman El-Mohandes, M. Nabil El-Khorazaty, Michele Kieley, Marie G. Gantz

Publications and Research

Smoking is the single most preventable cause of perinatal morbidity. This study examines smoking behaviors during pregnancy in a high risk population of African Americans. The study also examines risk factors associated with smoking behaviors and cessation in response to a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention. This study is a secondary analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial addressing multiple risks during pregnancy. Five hundred African-American Washington, DC residents who reported smoking in the 6 months preceding pregnancy were randomized to a CBT intervention. Psycho-social and behavioral data were collected. Self-reported smoking and salivary cotinine levels were measured prenatally …

Research On Healthcare Worker Personal Protective Equipment: Minimum Requirements For Isolation Gowns, F.Selcen Kilinc-Balci, Phd

Building the Chain of Safety: Stakeholders Summit

F. Selcen Kilinc-Balci, PhD, is a Senior Service Fellow at the National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)/National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). She works in the area of protective clothing and ensembles, including personal protective equipment for healthcare workers, mine rescue ensembles, fire fighter turnout gear, and chemical protective garments. Prior to joining NIOSH in February 2010, she worked as a senior engineer at DuPont Protection Technologies. Her work at DuPont focused on product development, product testing and certification, and promotional claim validation in personal protective clothing. She has more …

Progress In Controlling Healthcare Associated Infections: A Historical Perspective, Richard Wenzel, Md

Building the Chain of Safety: Stakeholders Summit

Richard P. Wenzel, MD, MSc, is professor and former chairman of the Department of Internal Medicine at the Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, in Richmond, Virginia (1995-2009).  From 2003-2008, he was President of MCV Physicians, the clinical practice plan for over 600 physicians, and Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs.

For eight years (1992 to 2000), he was a member of the editorial board of The New England Journal of Medicine, and, in September 2001, became the journal’s first Editor-at-Large, a position he still holds.  He is the prolific author of over 500 publications, the editor of …

Comparison Of Workplace Protection Factors For Different Biological Contaminants, Kyungmin Jacob Cho, Tiina Reponen, Roy Mckay, Alok Dwivedi, Atin Adhikari, Umesh Singh, Rakesh Shukla, M. Susan Jones, Gordon Jones, Sergey A. Grinshpun

Nursing Faculty Publications

This study compared workplace protection factors (WPFs) for five different contaminants (endotoxin, fungal spores, (1→3)-β-D-glucan, total particle mass, and total particle number) provided by an N95 elastomeric respirator (ER) and an N95 filtering facepiece respirator (FFR). We previously reported size-selective WPFs for total particle numbers for the ER and FFR, whereas the current article is focused on WPFs for bioaerosols and total particle mass. Farm workers (n = 25) wore the ER and FFR while performing activities at eight locations representing horse farms, pig barns, and grain handling facilities. For the determination of WPFs, particles were collected on filters simultaneously …

Weaning Onto Solid Foods In Ireland: Some Of The Challenges, A. E. Bennett, A. O'Connor, N. J. Canning, E. M. Keaveney, Katherine Younger, M. Flynn

Conference Papers

No abstract provided.

Smoking During Pregnancy: Its Effects On The Prevalence Of Low Birth Weight Infants, Lynda M. Colussi

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Objective: The purpose of this research was to determine what impact demographic characteristics and the smoking status of mothers had on the prevalence and risk for LBW births. Methods: Birth certificate data from Montgomery County, Ohio from 2006-2009 was analyzed. Among the information collected were the infant's birth weight, the mother's age, marital status, education level, race, payer status at time of delivery, WIC status, and smoking status. The impact demographic characteristics and smoking status had on the prevalence of LBW births was determined by a logistic regression model. The effect of when women smoked during pregnancy had on the …

Commencement Program 2011, Loma Linda University

Commencement Programs

CONTENTS

1 | Message from the President

3 | 2011 Events of Commencement

4 | The Academic Procession

6 | Significance of Academic Regalia

8 | The Good Samaritan

9 | University History Highlights

11 | Loma Linda University Song - "Healing Love"

12 | The Speakers

20 | The University Honorees

32 | The School Honorees

53 | The Programs

• School of Medicine, 54
• School of Pharmacy, 74
• School of Dentistry, 80
• School of Science and Technology and School of Religion, 96
• School of Nursing, 111
• School of Allied Health Professions - Physical Therapy, 121
• School of Allied Health …

Child And Family Responses To Weight Management Programs : A Qualitative Investigation, Andra Lynn Fjone

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Introduction: The purpose of this study is to explore what happens within families in which a child participates in a pediatric weight management program for the treatment of overweight or obesity and identify strategies and processes for successful weight management.

Method: A qualitative approach was used to collect data from seven families. Individual interviews were conducted with parents, target children, and siblings. Data was analyzed within families and compared between families.

Results: Grounded theory analysis revealed three major essential themes: Shared Burden, Family Congruence, and Collaboration. Descriptive analysis was used to identify recommendations for improving family based weight management programs. …

The Association Of Religious Coping On Reports Of Low Back Pain And Inflammatory Markers, Jacqueline D. Bougie

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Chronic pain is the most common cause of disability in the United States with depression, anxiety, and stress often occurring co-morbidly. The purpose of the study was to explore how religion may modulate the frequency of back pain, influence inflammatory markers, influence the use of medications, and impact functional ability.

Participants were from the Biological Manifestations of Religion Study (BioMRS; N= 508) and the Psychological Manifestations of Religion Study (PsyMRS; N = 10,988). All participants completed a 20-page questionnaire and BioMRS participants provided blood, salivary, and urine samples, performance tests, and learning tests all collected within 1 week of …

Perceived Barriers And Benefits Of Hiv Voluntary Counseling And Testing Among University Students In Nigeria, Clara Egbealele Omogbai

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background. Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa is one of the sub- Saharan nations most affected by HIV and AIDS. However, due to stigma most people at risk of infection refuse testing, thereby likely increasing the transmission of HIV. Voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) has been shown to influence behavior change and it is important to explore how to increase rates of VCT in young people who may experiment with sexual activity in this environment that holds increased risks due to nationally elevated rates of HIV.

Purpose. To examine intention to use HIV voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) services …

Relationship Of Vitamin D Levels To Blood Pressure In A Biethnic Cohort, Rosario O. Sakamoto

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background: Serum hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] has been well-accepted as not an ordinary vitamin but a pro-hormone that has many benefits beyond its well-known effects on bone. Cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension remain a huge health burden and Blacks have been recognized to have higher prevalence of hypertension compared to non-Hispanic Whites. Despite increasing evidence of the benefits of vitamin D on blood pressure control, there is much more to be learned about the relationship of serum 25(OH)D to blood pressure among different ethnicities.

Purpose: The goal of this study was to determine whether vitamin D serum 25(OH)D levels were …

The Risk Factor Profile Of Women With Secondary Infertility: An Unmatched Case-Control Study In Kigali, Rwanda, Nathalie Dhont, Stanley Luchters, Claude Muvunyi, Joseph Vyankandondera, Ludwig De Naeyer, Marleen Temmerman, Janneke Van De Wijgert

Population Health, East Africa

Background: Secondary infertility is a common, preventable but neglected reproductive health problem in resource-poor countries. This study examines the association of past sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV, bacterial vaginosis (BV) and factors in the obstetric history with secondary infertility and their relative contributions to secondary infertility.

Methods: Between November 2007 and May 2009 a research infertility clinic was set up at the Kigali University Teaching Hospital in Rwanda. Cases were defined as sexually-active women aged 21-45 years presenting with secondary infertility (n = 177), and controls as multiparous women in the same age groups who recently delivered …

Hub City Steps: Methods And Early Findings From A Community-Based Participatory Research Trial To Reduce Blood Pressure Among African Americans, Jamie M. Zoellner, Carol L. Connell, Michael B. Madson, Bo Wang, Vickie Blakely Reed, Elaine F. Molaison, M. Kathleen Yadrick

Faculty Publications

Background: Community-based participatory research (CBPR) has been recognized as an important approach to develop and execute health interventions among marginalized populations, and a key strategy to translate research into practice to help reduce health disparities. Despite growing interest in the CBPR approach, CBPR initiatives rarely use experimental or other rigorous research designs to evaluate health outcomes. This behavioral study describes the conceptual frameworks, methods, and early findings related to the reach, adoption, implementation, and effectiveness on primary blood pressure outcomes.

Methods: The CBPR, social support, and motivational interviewing frameworks are applied to test treatment effects of a two-phased CBPR walking …

Screening & Assessment Manual, Institute For Public Health And Justice, Screening And Assessment, John Ryals Jr.

Policy & Position Papers

No abstract provided.

Maternal And Infant Nutritional Supplementation Practices In Ireland: Implications For Clinicians And Policymakers, Roslyn Tarrant, Margaret Sheridan-Pereira, Roberta Mccarthy, Katherine Younger, John Kearney

Articles

This prospective Irish observational study examined maternal and infant nutritional supplement use. From an initial sample of 539 mothers recruited from the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital in Dublin (during 2004-2006), 450 eligible mothers werefollowed up at 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum. Only 200 women (44.4%) complied with peri-conceptional folic acid at therecommended time with strong social patterning associated with its uptake. Almost 10% of the sample (n=44) consumed acombined multivitamin and mineral supplement during pregnancy. A vitamin D-containing supplement was provided to only 5 (1.1%)and 15 (3.3%) infants at 6 weeks and 6 months, respectively. A national …

Discovery Of A Functional Ecdysone Response Element In Brugia Malayi, Tracy Enright

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this study was to determine whether functional ecdysone response elements (EcREs) exist within the genome of Brugia malayi, a parasitic nematode that causes lymphatic filariasis. The hypothesis that EcREs exist in B. malayi stemmed from previous demonstration of a functional ecdysone response system in B. malayi (Tzertzinis et al., 2010). Real-time PCR (qPCR) experiments were conducted to measure gene expression levels for twelve genes proximal to five putative EcREs in 20-OH ecdysone treated and untreated B. malayi embryos. Seven genes showed consistent upregulation with 20-OH ecdysone treatment. Each of the five putative EcREs had at least one …

Biomechanical Analysis Of Asymmetric And Dynamic Lifting Task, Xiaopeng Jiang

Theses

Lifting tasks is one of the leading causes of occupational lower back disorders (LBD). Aimed at deriving internal forces of human musculoskeletal system during lifting, biomechanical models are utilized to address this problem. This thesis provides an indepth literature review of such modeling, and the results of experiments used to address LBD issues.

An isometric pulling experiment was conducted to study the correlation between electromyography (EMG) and predicted muscle forces by AnyBody Modeling System™ with increasing hand loads. An infinite order polynomial (min/max) optimization criterion predicted percentage of maximum muscle forces, which achieved 98% correlation with normalized EMG. In a …

Cardiovascular Disease And Post Traumatic Stress Disorder In Adults Exposed To The Terrorist Attacks On The World Trade Center, Katie C. Imhof

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Following events of terrorism communities and individuals are subject to the cumbersome responsibilities associated with rescue and recovery efforts. In addition to the loss of life and direct injuries sustained during the incident, long term health outcomes among the exposed population are often seen. Both physical and mental health can be affected as a result of the exposure, and some outcomes do not immediately present themselves. The population exposed to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City is no different, and the World Trade Center Health Registries database has been established by …

Analysis Of The Water Fluoridation Controversy, Megan Presutti

Honors Theses

Analysis of the water fluoridation controversy.

Cultural Definitions Of Health Care: A Case Study Of Burmese Refugees, Marielena Rose White

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

As a result of ongoing civil war and civil unrest in the Southeast Asian country of Myanmar, every year the United States accepts increasing numbers of refugees from Burma of which there is a population of significance within the greater Indianapolis area. When considering options for health care, Burmese refugees may opt for self care as opposed to care from a health care professional as a result of clashing cultural factors or fears of the unknown.

This study aims to uncover how members of the Chin ethnic group have been challenged or confronted by the social, cultural, and political institutions …

Influenza And Bacterial Coinfections In The 20th Century, Xuan-Yi Wang, Paul E. Kilgore, Kyung Ah Lim, Song-Mei Wang, Jeongseok Lee, Wei Deng, Mei-Qi Mo, Batmunkh Nyambat, Jing-Chen Ma, Michael O. Favorov, John D. Clemens

Department of Pharmacy Practice

To help understand the potential impact of bacterial coinfection during pandemic influenza periods, we undertook a far-reaching review of the existing literature to gain insights into the interaction of influenza and bacterial pathogens. Reports published between 1950 and 2006 were identified from scientific citation databases using standardized search terms. Study outcomes related to coinfection were subjected to a pooled analysis. Coinfection with influenza and bacterial pathogens occurred more frequently in pandemic compared with seasonal influenza periods. The most common bacterial coinfections with influenza virus were due to S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, Staphylococcus spp., and Streptococcus spp. …

Individualized Healthcare And Health Disparities: An Examination Of Health Disparities Related To Short-Term Response To Food Insecurity In Low-Income, Urban Communities, Valen R. Diaz

Honors Scholar Theses

The U.S. has seen a spike in chronic diseases along with worsening health outcomes. There are many factors at play to create these circumstances, especially regarding the social determinants of health, like socioeconomic status, access to food, and geographic location. Another concern is health disparities, particularly regarding obesity, and the fact that food access and neighborhood food environments contribute to these disparities. This paper gives a broad overview of American food culture and then focuses on the local food environment in urban, low-income communities, regarding both food deserts and food swamps. There is also a discussion about the response of …

Moving United States Health Care Forward, Thomas R. O'Neill

Honors Scholar Theses

Substantive Health Care reform poses one of the greatest current challenges to the American political system. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 marks the most recent attempt at approaching this daunting task. Charged with expanding coverage while controlling costs, it pursues a sundry number of legislative solutions to achieve these seemingly incompatible goals. Despite the strides the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has made, lingering educational, pharmaceutical, and legal concerns stand to derail progress made on fixing the health care system. If these goals are to be successful, a number of additional measures are needed to …

Validity And Reliability Of The Paffenbarger Physical Activity Questionnaire Among Healthy Adults, Kathleen Simpson

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Healthcare Issues In The United States And Beyond With Existentialist Philosophy, Kristen D'Entremont

Senior Honors Projects

Healthcare Issues in the United States and Beyond with Existentialist Philosophy

Kristen D’Entremont
Faculty Sponsor: Gail Faris, Women’s Center

The importance of quality healthcare is a personal matter for each and every individual across the globe. We cannot go a day without considering the impact that proper health through good nutrition, disease prevention, and access to care has on our bodies. The topic of medical care has interested me for many years and has lead me to the major and position that I am in today. As a senior, majoring in Biology with a pre-medical focus, I will begin the …

Opening The Industry Playbook: Myths And Truths In The Debate Over Bpa Regulation, Thomas Mcgarity, Rena I. Steinzor, Matthew Shudtz, Lena Pons

Faculty Scholarship

For the last two decades, scientists have amassed evidence that bisphenol A (BPA) poses a threat to human health.  Although scientists have targeted BPA as a public health concern, plastics industry lobbyists have attempted to thwart the efforts of federal, state, and local authorities to reduce exposure to BPA.  This paper reviews the major arguments advanced by the plastics industry and debunks them as “myths” that public health officials must reject.  The five topics covered include:  the myth of scientific consensus on safety; the myth that only studies complying with “Good Laboratory Practices” guidelines are adequate for making regulatory decisions; …

Bmi Trajectories During The Transition To Older Adulthood: Persistent, Widening, Or Diminishing Disparities By Ethnicity And Education?, Katrina M. Walsemann, Jennifer A. Ailshire

Faculty Publications

Previous research has produced inconsistent results on whether education and ethnic disparities in BMI persist, widen, or diminish over time. We investigate how education and ethnicity, independently and conditionally, influence BMI trajectories during the transition to older adulthood. Employing random coefficient modeling, we analyzed 8 biennial waves of data (1992-2006) from the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative longitudinal study of individuals born between 1931 and 1941. After adjusting for health behaviors and health status, education and ethnic disparities in BMI persisted for most groups, but narrowed between high-educated white men and both low-educated Hispanic men and high-educated black …

The Effects Of Climate Change On Public Health And The Healthcare Provider's Role In Addressing Climate Change, Allyson J. Pfeiffer

Senior Honors Projects

“Climate change is a term that refers to major changes in temperature, rainfall, snow, or wind patterns lasting for decades or longer.  Both human-made and natural factors contribute to climate change” (EPA, p. 1, 2011).  Some examples of human-made causes of global warming include burning fossil fuels (e.g., petroleum, coal, diesel), cutting down forests, and developing land for farms, cities, and roads, because these activities all release green house gases into the atmosphere.  Green house gases are gases that trap heat in the atmosphere.  There are some greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide that occur naturally and are emitted into …

A Review Of The Alteration Of Polychlorinated Biphenyls In The Aquatic Environment With An Analysis Of The Pcb Contamination Of The St. Lawrence River Fish, Kate Bennett

Public Health Undergraduate Program

No abstract provided.

Understanding Depressive Symptoms Among High-Risk Pregnant African American Women, Kristine M. Molina, Michele Kiely

Publications and Research

Much has been written about depression and its risk factors, particularly among women. However, a growing body of literature on prenatal depression has begun to emerge, given that depression during pregnancy presents a major public health concern, since it is found to be a common experience among childbearing aged women (Gaynes et al., 2005; Marcus, 2009). In fact, the onset of depressive symptoms is most likely to occur between 20 to 40 years of age, the range when most women become pregnant (Marcus & Heringhausen, 2009). Further, prior studies have found rates of depression among pregnant women to range from …