Digital Commons Network^™

Examining Clinicians' Perspectives Screening For Depression In Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Vickie Lavette Bland

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The United States has a significant diabetes problem. This chronic disease affects the body physically and mentally. One of the emotional effects of diabetes is depression. Depression is often present in individuals with diabetes, chiefly in those with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). While depression is common in T2DM and can interfere with treatment adherence, clinician screening for depression in T2DM patients is low. The purpose of this study was to examine clinicians' attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions concerning screening patients with T2DM for depression. Through a qualitative case study approach centered on reasoned action theory, 3 physicians and 5 nurse …

Predictors Of Depression Screening Among Cancer Patients In U.S. Ambulatory Settings, Joseph Oluyinka Fawole

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Depression is a common mental health comorbidity in cancer diagnoses, affecting 8-24% of cancer patients. Despite the high prevalence of depression among cancer patients, it is often unrecognized and untreated, thereby representing an enormous psychological distress source among the cancer patient population. The purpose of this study was to explore and establish the factors that predict depression screening among cancer patients in the ambulatory care setting in the United States. The health belief model guided the study. Secondary data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey were analyzed to evaluate the predictors of depression screening in patients diagnosed with cancer. …

Carbon Dioxide And Particulate Matter Concentration On Hampton Roads Air Quality, Gregory Hubbard

OUR Journal: ODU Undergraduate Research Journal

Hampton Roads has been a maritime crossroads for the last 400 years. Industrialization has impacted the coastal region for the last 250 years. The expansion of the Port of Virginia in 2019 has created dense traffic in the region resulting in impacts to air quality. Two waste products that affect humans are particulate matter and carbon dioxide. Both respective emissions can cause adverse effects on humans, such as asthma, some lung cancers, and other respiratory distress. Scientists and health practitioners are studying the effects of particulate matter on human health. Hampton Roads, in particular, because of its unique location on …

Maternal Proximity To Mountaintop Removal Mining And Birth Defects In Appalachian Kentucky, 1997-2003, Daniel B. Cooper

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Background: Extraction of coal through mountaintop removal mining (MTR) alters many dimensions of the landscape, and explosive blasts, exposed rock, and coal washing have the potential to pollute air and water with substances known to increase risk of developmental and birth anomalies. Previous research suggests that infants born to mothers living in MTR coal mining counties have higher prevalence of most types of birth defects.

Objectives: This study seeks to examine further the relationship between MTR activity and birth defects by employing individual level exposure estimation through precise satellite data of MTR activity in the Appalachian region and maternal residence …

When Disparities Become Deadly: Spatial Differences In Pm2.5 Levels Within The City Of Pomona, California, Pauline Bekkers

Pomona Senior Theses

This thesis discusses the disparities in particulate matter concentrations between different neighborhoods in the city of Pomona, California, and explores the historical, political and social factors that have shaped these spatial patterns. I argue that urban growth patterns in Pomona, which are historically marked by race and class segregation as a consequence of past discriminatory housing practices, have led to the disproportionate concentrations of air pollutants in low-income, Latino communities in South Pomona.

Due to the absence of a local air quality monitoring system, there is a lack of information about and understanding of how poor air quality may be …

Multiplex Qpcr Discriminates Variants Of Concern To Enhance Global Surveillance Of Sars-Cov-2, Chantal B. F. Vogels, Mallery I. Breban, Isabel M. Ott, Tara Alpert, Mary E. Petrone, Anne E. Watkins, Chaney C. Kalinich, Rebecca Earnest, Jessica E. Rothman, Jaqueline Goes De Jesus, Ingra Morales Claro, Giulia Magalhães Ferreira, Myuki A. E. Crispim, Brazil-Uk Cadde Genomic Network, Lavanya Singh, Houriiyah Tegally, Ugochukwu J. Anyaneji, Network For Genomic Surveillance In South Africa, Emma B. Hodcroft, Christopher E. Mason, Gaurav Khullar, Jessica Metti, Joel T. Dudley, Matthew J. Mackay, Megan Nash, Jianhui Wang, Chen Liu, Pei Hui, Steven Murphy, Caleb Neal, Eva Laszlo, Marie L. Landry, Anthony Muyombwe, Randy Downing, Jafar Razeq, Tulio De Oliveira, Nuno R. Faria, Ester C. Sabino, Richard A. Neher, Joseph R. Fauver, Nathan D. Grubaugh

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

With the emergence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants that may increase transmissibility and/or cause escape from immune responses, there is an urgent need for the targeted surveillance of circulating lineages. It was found that the B.1.1.7 (also 501Y.V1) variant, first detected in the United Kingdom, could be serendipitously detected by the Thermo Fisher TaqPath COVID-19 PCR assay because a key deletion in these viruses, spike Δ69-70, would cause a "spike gene target failure" (SGTF) result. However, a SGTF result is not definitive for B.1.1.7, and this assay cannot detect other variants of concern (VOC) that lack …

Effects Of Trained Providers And Naloxone Distribution On Prescription Opioid Use Disorder, Samuel Sarpong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractOpioid abuse and overdose are associated with substantial morbidity and mortality rates, as well as social and economic costs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the independent and interactive effects of state-sponsored prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) trained healthcare providers and community-based naloxone distribution program related factors in the states of Florida and Georgia for the prevention and reduction of prescription opioid use disorder, overdose, and deaths. The research theory adopted was the socio-ecological model with an emphasis on risk factors such as age. The study used secondary data from 2014 to 2018 from the Florida and Georgia …

Understanding How Religious Practices Influence Self-Care In Black Churchgoers Diagnosed With Hypertension, Taquina C. Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Religion plays an essential role in managing health; however, there is limited research on religious practices among Black churchgoers diagnosed with hypertension. This research aims to understand how religious practices influence self-care in Black churchgoers diagnosed with hypertension. The sample consisted of 21 Black men and women, ages 29 to 70 years, with a clinical diagnosis of hypertension. Participants were recruited from two local, predominately Black churches in South Carolina and administered semistructured interviews to participants. A grounded theory design was used, and the data analysis consisted of constant comparison. Two core concepts were identified. One core concept identified was …

The Influence Of Community-Based Interventions On Behaviors Of Hiv+ Persons In Congo-Kinshasa, Max Ebengho Bokelo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSub-Saharan African communities bear the highest burden of HIV/AIDS in the world. Because of identifiable cultural links and local beliefs, people are more likely to engage in sexual mores that could negatively impact their lives. Starting in early 2000, Congolese HIV+ patients have undergone a variety of inputs designed to decrease HIV risk behaviors among people. The purpose of this inquiry was to understand the impact of those actions within the community. Data grounded on the socioecological model were collected regarding any changes in (1) behavioral rejection of condoms, (2) Kintwidi phenomenon, (3) levirate and (4) sororate marriage, (5) sexual …

The Power Of Exogenous Variables In Predicting West Nile Virus In South Carolina, Christopher Lee Glaze

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the availability of medical data, environmental surveillance tools, and heightened public awareness, West Nile Virus (WNv) remains a global health hazard. Reliable methods for predicting WNv outbreaks remain elusive, and environmental health managers must take preventive actions without the benefit of simple predictive tools. The purpose of this ex post facto research was to examine the accuracy and timeliness of exogenous data in predicting outbreaks of WNv in South Carolina. Decision theory, the CYNEFIN construct, and systems theory provided the theoretical framework for this study, allowing the researcher to broaden traditional decision theory concepts with powerful system-level precepts. Using …

Perceived Health And Preventative Care In The Transgender Population, Gregory Page Carpenter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Historically, the transgender community has been treated and studied myopically, using the lens of psychological illness. As treatment and research efforts have expanded in the past decade, the transgender population is becoming better understood. The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between perceived health and preventative care in the transgender community. The health belief model was the theoretical framework for this cross-sectional study, which included data from the 2014–2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey. Chi-square tests and binomial logistic regressions were performed to investigate associations between perceived health and preventative care in the transgender community. The …

Hospital Emergency Room Visits For Heavy Menstrual Bleeding, Henry John Mead

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) is a well-recognized health issue among women of reproductive age. The characteristics and demographics of women in the community with HMB who present at the emergency department (ED) are not well described. This research aimed to describe the cohort of women who seek treatment at the ED. The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project 2016 National Emergency Department Sample was examined. The theory of reasoned action predicts that women who present at the ED are exhibiting health seeking behavior. From 32 million records, the inception cohort identified N = 111,555 cases. Using national estimation weights, this translates …

Comparison Of The Therapeutic Efficacy Of Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatments, Kacy Smith Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune condition that causes chronic joint pain and destruction. The current standard regimen of monotherapy disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) treatments may not be as effective as that of combination therapy of a DMARD and a biologic agent in treating RA. The purpose of this study was to answer the question, is there a difference in the therapeutic efficacy of combination DMARD treatments with a biologic, compared to monotherapy DMARDs without a biologic, in U.S. Caucasian women between the ages of 30 and 60 that have been diagnosed with RA? Guided by the theoretical framework …

The Determinants Of Endometrial Cancer Survival Disparities In The United States, Evelyn Anegbe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic cancer in the United States with recent trends showing a continued increase in incidence and mortality. Prognosis is influenced by cancer stage at diagnosis and differs by race/ethnicity. Researchers have documented poorer survival among Blacks than Whites diagnosed with endometrial cancer. The 5-year survival rates for women with endometrial cancer is 81%; while survival for White and Black women are 84% and 62%, respectively. There is a gap in literature examining the widening disparity in incidence and survival of women diagnosed with advanced stage disease among population subgroups across the United States. The …

Sociodemographic And Psychosocial Factors And Wellbeing Among Adults 65 And Older In England, Dainelle Clark

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The increased number of older adults living longer parallels with the growth of public health concerns regarding the impact of sociodemographic and psychosocial factors (e.g., loneliness and social isolation) on older adults' wellbeing. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the association between loneliness, social isolation, the combined model of loneliness, and social isolation on wellbeing among older adults when accounting for age, gender, ethnicity, and social support. The socioecological model (SEM) was used to evaluate the multiple levels of environmental determinants for loneliness, social isolation, and wellbeing. The target population included older adults 65 years and older …

Relationship Between Trust, Race, And Health Care Information Sources Among African American Men, Uzochukwu Onukogu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAfrican American men have not been sufficiently at the center of research studies, especially when it comes to health. Most researchers have explored African Americans as a whole, and few have looked at African American men specifically, especially when it comes to their perceptions and ability to trust sources of health information. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to examine the relationship between race and trust in health information sources, including the relationship between prostate cancer health outreach done through the internet and the acceptance of such information outreach among African American men. The theory of planned behavior …

Knowledge And Perceptions Of Antibiotic Resistance Stewardship Among Prehealth And Agriculture Students, Claudia Maria Da Silva Carvalho

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The global threat of antibiotic resistant infection has resulted in health organizations to compile an antibiotic stewardship program, in which the education of current/future medical prescribers and farmers is central for the preservation of current and future antimicrobial treatments. The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the knowledge and perceived threat of antibiotic and antibiotic resistance, as well as the perceived benefit of antibiotic stewardship, among undergraduate students in biology and agriculture at a state university in Kansas. Framed by the health belief model, a cross-sectional study was conducted using a structured online survey of 136 undergraduate …

The Impact Of Socioeconomic Status And Ethnicity On Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients, Donald Garret Abshier

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive and debilitating respiratory condition that leads to significant medial and financial burdens. For many patients with COPD, multiple socioeconomic factors contribute to health disparities, including income, education, employment status, and race/ethnicity. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of SES and race/ethnicity on COPD patients. For this cross-sectional study, using secondary data analysis, the Social-Ecological Model (SEM), which discusses five levels of influence, was utilized. Data from over 3,222 participants aged 18 and over, living in Nevada were obtained from the 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) study. …

Drug-Resistant Neisseria Gonorrhoeae; Identification Of At-Risk Groups In Florida By Regional Variation, Scott August Herber

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Neisseria gonorrhoeae has been on the rise in the State of Florida since 2013. Florida currently follows the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for identifying those at-risk for gonorrhea and drug resistant gonorrhea infections. These groups are narrowly defined and do not consider the different population dynamics throughout the State. This study examined the question of who is at-risk for contracting drug resistant strains of gonorrhea in the eight different regions of Florida based on the prescribed use of last-line-of-antibiotic-defense. Florida’s Surveillance Tools and Reporting System provided 12 years of secondary data from 2007 to 2018. The data …

The Impact Of Obesity, Race, Age, Education, Income, And Healthcare Coverage On Cervical Cancer Screening Among Mississippi Women, Henrietta Tamika Ross

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The human papilloma virus is the necessary agent in the development of cervical cancer. It is through screening exams like the Papanicolaou (Pap) test that cervical changes can be identified, and cervical cancer can be diagnosed in the early stage of cancer. The Pap test has aided in decreasing the rate of cervical cancer and the morbidity of cervical cancer. However, cervical cancer rates and mortality rates from cervical cancer are still the highest among women in Mississippi. Additionally, obesity rates among those who reside in Mississippi are the second highest in the United States. The purpose of this quantitative …

Effects Of Hepatitis On Human Immunodeficiency Virus Viral Suppression, Andrenita Checoby West

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Coinfection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and viral hepatitis leads to unfavorable health outcomes, making treatment of HIV difficult and increasing the odds of HIV transmission. The purpose of this study is to assess whether viral hepatitis (B and C) hinders HIV viral suppression and impacts the white blood cell count (CD4) when a person is concurrently infected with both viruses. The syndemics theory guided this study. Two research questions tested whether there was an association between coinfection with viral hepatitis and HIV viral load suppression. The research design was quantitative case-control with secondary data from 65,626 reports of HIV, …

Modeling Longitudinal Change In Cervical Length Across Pregnancy, Hope M. Wolf, Shawn J. Latendresse, Jerome F. Strauss Iii, Timothy P. York

Graduate Research Posters

Introduction: A short cervix (cervical length < 25 mm) in the mid-trimester (18 to 24 weeks) of pregnancy is a powerful predictor of spontaneous preterm delivery (gestational age at delivery < 37 weeks). Although the biological mechanisms of cervical remodeling have been the subject of extensive investigation, very little is known about the rate of change in cervical length over the course of a pregnancy, or the extent to which rapid cervical shortening increases maternal risk for spontaneous preterm delivery.

Methods: A cohort of 5,160 unique women carrying 5,971 singleton pregnancies provided two or more measurements of cervical length during pregnancy. Cervical length was measured in millimeters using a transvaginal 12-3 MHz ultrasound endocavity probe (SuperSonic Imagine). Maternal characteristics, including relevant medical history and birth outcome data, were collected for each participant. Gestational age at delivery was measured from the first day of each woman’s last menstrual period and confirmed by ultrasound. Repeated measurements of cervical length during pregnancy were modeled as a longitudinal, multilevel growth curve in MPlus. A three-level variance structure was …

The Occupational Depression Inventory—A Solution For Estimating The Prevalence Of Job-Related Distress, Renzo Bianchi, Irvin Sam Schonfeld

Publications and Research

We are concerned about researchers’ reliance on the burnout construct and the MBI-GS to estimate the prevalence of job-related distress. In this paper, we first describe some of the problems plaguing the burnout construct and its measures. Then, we present the Occupational Depression Inventory, a new instrument designed to help occupational health specialists get a clearer view of the mental health status of the workforce (Bianchi and Schonfeld, 2020).

The Relationship Between Insurance And Health Outcomes Of Diabetes Mellitus Patients In Maryland: A Retrospective Archival Study, Soo-Hoon Lee, Samuel L. Brown, Andrew A. Bennett

Management Faculty Publications

Background

Past studies examining the health outcomes of diabetes mellitus (DM) patients found that social determinants of health disparities were associated with variabilities in health outcomes. However, improving access to healthcare, such as health insurance, should mitigate negative health outcomes. The aim of the study was to explore the association between four types of health insurance, namely, Medicare Fee-For-Service (FFS), Medicare Managed Care (MC), Private FFS, and Private MC plans, and the health outcomes of DM patients, controlling for patients’ social determinants of health.

Methods

This is a retrospective cross-sectional archival record study to explore the relationships between types of …

Effects Of Moderate Sleep Restriction During 8-Week Calorie Restriction On Lipoprotein Particles And Glucose Metabolism, Joshua R. Sparks, Ryan R. Porter, Shawn D. Youngstedt, Kimberly P. Bowyer, J. Larry Durstine, Xuewen Wang

Faculty Publications

Study Objectives

This study examined how glucose, glucose regulatory hormones, insulin sensitivity, and lipoprotein subclass particle concentrations and sizes change with sleep restriction during weight loss elicited by calorie restriction.

Methods

Overweight or obese adults were randomized into an 8-week calorie restriction intervention alone (CR, n = 12; 75% female; body mass index = 31.4 ± 2.9 kg/m2) or combined with sleep restriction (CR+SR, n = 16; 75% female; body mass index = 34.5 ± 3.1 kg/m2). Participants in both groups were given the same instructions to reduce calorie intake. Those in the CR+SR group were instructed to reduce their …

Are Covid-19 Vaccine Boosters Needed? The Science Behind Boosters, Rachel M. Burckhardt, John J. Dennehy, Leo L. M. Poon, Linda J. Saif, Lynn W. Enquist

Publications and Research

Waning vaccine-induced immunity coupled with the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants has led to increases in breakthrough infections, prompting consideration for vaccine booster doses. Boosters have been reported to be safe and increase SARS-CoV-2-specific neutralizing antibody levels, but how these doses impact the trajectory of the global pandemic and herd immunity is unknown. Information on immunology, epidemiology and equitable vaccine distribution should be considered when deciding the timing and eligibility for COVID-19 vaccine boosters.

Association Between Race/Ethnicity And Covid-19 Disease Outcomes In The United States: A Qualitative Systematic Review Of The Literature, Jacob Smith

MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years

Background/Objective: As studies have shown disparities in coronavirus disease-19 prevalence and severity, we sought to evaluate differences in outcomes of acute SARS-CoV-2 infection by race/ethnicity.

Design: Systematic review

Data Source: Studies from PubMed were included.

Review methods: Articles published in English language from January 1, 2019 through March 22, 2020. Studies included were observational studies that examined racial or ethnic disparities in SARS-CoV-2 infection outcomes in the United States. One reviewer performed data extraction.

Results: Out of a possible 1,944 articles, 99 observational studies (82 individual-level and 17 population-level) were included. Differential rates of hospitalization or otherwise severe illness …

Investigations Into The Genetics Of Mixed Pathologies In Dementia, Adam Dugan

Theses and Dissertations--Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that leads to a loss of memory and thinking skills. While tremendous progress has been made in our understanding of the genetics underlying AD, currently known genetic variants explain only approximately 30% of the heritable risk of developing AD. One hurdle to AD research is that it can only be definitively diagnosed at autopsy, making cruder, clinic-based diagnoses more common. In recent years, several brain pathologies that mimic AD’s clinical presentation have been identified including brain arteriolosclerosis, hippocampal sclerosis (HS), and, most recently, limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy (LATE). It has become …

Bedbug Education, Treatment, And Prevention, Elizabeth Bedford

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Cimex lectularius (bedbug) has become a severe issue in more recent years due to travel, immigration, and importation of products. Unfortunately, most people do not know their biology hence do not treat these arthropods correctly. Many myths and misinformation are currently available to people on the internet and with pest professionals. Education and proper treatment must eradicate these pests in homes, commercial buildings, and other places. To prove whether or not education with treatment garners better results,ten homes were treated with the same heating and chemical process, with only five being educated before, during and after. All homes were inspected …

Organophosphate Pesticide Dose Estimation From Spot And 24-Hr Urine Samples Collected From Children In An Agricultural Community, Carly Hyland, Katherine Kogut, Robert B. Gunier, Rosemary Castorina, Cynthia Curl, Brenda Eskenazi, Asa Bradman

Public and Population Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Spot urine samples are often used to assess exposure to organophosphate (OP) pesticides in place of “gold standard” 24-hr samples, which are cumbersome to collect. Assessment of non-persistent chemicals using spot urine samples may result in exposure misclassification that could bias epidemiological analyses towards the null. Few studies have examined the validity of measurements of urinary metabolites in spot samples to estimate daily OP dose or the potential implications of reliance on spot samples for risk assessments.

Objective: Examine the validity of using first morning void (FMV) and random non-FMV urine samples to estimate cumulative 24-hr OP pesticide dose …