Digital Commons Network^™

Too Much To Ask Too Much To Handle, Ana Rosa Linde Arias, Elisa Tristan-Cheever, Grace Furtado, Carlos Eduardo Siqueira

Gastón Institute Publications

Abstract: Zika virus infection during pregnancy is a cause of congenital brain abnormalities. Its consequences for pregnancies have made governments and both national and international agencies issue advice and recommendations to women. This study was designed to understand the impacts of Zika on women who were less directly affected and less vulnerable to Zika. Women were recruited from various locations in Brazil, Puerto Rico, and the United States. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. Women perceived that public health systems placed an unfair responsibility for preventing health complications from Zika onto women who had limited …

Assessing Public Health Workforce Informatics Competencies: A Study Of Three Health Departments In Metro Atlanta, Olatanwa Adewale

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Background: There is a need for the public health workforce to be current and versatile in technology usage. Public health leveraging technology usage in service delivery has the potential to improve efficiency and bring it to the forefront in the provision of healthcare services. The purpose of this study was to assess public health workforce informatics competencies in select Atlanta health districts and determine the correlates of public health informatics proficiency.

Methods: A 10-item instrument adapted from the recommendations of a Working Group document by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the 2015 Informatics Capacity and …

Exploring Strategies To Enhance Access To Mental Health Services During Covid-19 Among Expectant Mothers In Medically Underserved Communities, Janet Choongo, Dziyana Nazaruk

Eagles Talking About the Public’s Health

No abstract provided.

Applying The Socio-Ecological Model To Improving Maternal Mental Health In Georgia, Kim Harris, Janet Choongo, Joanne Chopak-Foss

Eagles Talking About the Public’s Health

No abstract provided.

Retention, Viral Suppression, And Care Models In Hiv Positive Children And Adolescents In Cameroon, Eveline Mboh Khan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) remains a significant public health problem in Sub-Saharan Africa with poor treatment outcomes in children and adolescents (C&As). There is a lack of information on the effects of various HIV care models (Child and Adolescent Friendly Clinic model and Support Group model) on retention in care and Viral Suppression (VS) in Cameroon. This study was carried out to identify the care model with the best outcomes for C&As, inform national scale-up strategies, resource prioritization, and contribute to the existing literature. A quantitative retrospective cohort review approach guided by the social cognitive theory was used to analyze …

Mortality Disparities Among Puerto Rican Infants In 2015, Maria Del Carmen Medina

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a well-established disparity between infant mortality rates among women residing in rural areas in Puerto Rico in comparison with woman residing in urban areas of Puerto Rico. There is a significant amount of research that connects infant mortality to low birth weight, congenital malformations, and premature births. The purpose of this study was to determine infant mortality and its relationship with the geographical location of Puerto Rican mothers. The study also examined whether there is a relationship between infant mortality and the area of residence (rural/urban) of the mother, marital status, race, and education level of the mother. …

Validity Of A Portable X-Ray Fluorescence Device For Analyzing Field Dust Wipe Samples For Lead, Alexander Boakye Obeng

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background and Significance. Interior dust lead loadings on floors and windowsills are reliable predictors of a child’s blood lead level and an important predictor in “clearance testing” of residences. The traditional method of determining dust lead levels on surfaces is to send dust wipe samples to a laboratory for analysis. These laboratory analyses are expensive and analysis reports typically take up to 2 weeks to complete. The portable X-ray fluorescence device has been touted as a technique that can provide fast, accurate, and precise results regarding the presence of dust lead hazards in residences but needs to be further evaluated …

Perceptions, Practices, And Risk Factors Associated With Typhoid Fever In Nimo Village, Nigeria, George Ilouno

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Typhoid fever is a bacterial disease transmitted by the fecal-oral route. In Nigeria, the condition is life threatening and endemic. It affects communities such as Nimo that have limited water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure. Previous researchers focused on sanitation and hygienic conditions that contribute to the disease such as household-level hygiene and food and water contamination, including handling practices. However, there is limited knowledge on how the environmental behavior and living conditions of eating and sleeping on a floor harboring fecal materials affect typhoid fever prevalence. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the perception of the …

Population Density And Spatial Distribution Of Neglected Tropical Diseases In Sierra Leone, Abou B. Funna

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are the most common health conditions affecting the poorest residents of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). These infections affect an estimated 2 billion people worldwide, including 500 million people living in SSA. About 85% of NTD infections are a result of helminth infections; hookworm is also a common occurrence among SSA’s poorest people, especially children. Schistosomiasis is the 2nd most prevalent NTD after hookworm. This quantitative correlational study investigated population distribution and the spread of NTDs in Sierra Leone. The focus was on 5 major NTDs: ascariasis, hookworm, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis, and trichuris. Data were obtained from the …

Sociodemographic Factors, Culture, And Suicide In Guyana, Kay Shako

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Suicide in younger populations is a major public health concern and it significantly impacts third world countries like Guyana. Some challenges related to suicide are poor recording of suicide risk factors and customized prevention programs to address this significant issue. The purpose of this study was to examine which sociodemographic factors (age, gender, occupation, method of suicide, and region) are associated with suicide and method of suicide among people aged ≥ 15 years in Guyana. Also, because studies show that culture plays a pivotal role in suicide, this study investigated if there is a link between culture (ethnicity/race and religion) …

‘Coronated’ Consumption In The Viral Market, Soonkwan Hong

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

The universal exposure to the virus has disrupted institutions, redefined values, and reshaped systems, including the market. Idling, uncertainty, and liquidity encapsulate the ever-precarious individual lives and the reflexive socio-politico-cultural changes. These conditions and consequences nonetheless create paradoxical opportunities in the viral market. The new meaning of connectivity that promotes high-viscosity relationships and high-visibility identities will transform the market to better acknowledge and support humans and the new sociality.

Does The Type Of Housing A Child Lives In Predict Blood Lead Level?, Elizabeth Alvarado Navarro

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background and Significance: Childhood lead exposure continues to be a global health problem that can compromise children's long-term health. Identifying factors that predict which children may be at the highest risk of exposure is a strategy that could help focus child lead surveillance. Lead is a natural element found in small amounts in the earth's crust and has been widely used in industry and consumer products since the time of the Romans. Lead, however, is highly toxic for humans and serves no biological purpose in the human body. There is substantial evidence that, even at the lowest levels of exposure, …

Association Of A Repetitive Manual Task On Inflammatory Biomarker Expression, Heart Rate Variability And Rating Of Perceived Exertion, Daniel Conde

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) defines work related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) as a group of disorders involving muscles, tendons, and nerves. The WMSDs symptoms are considered the most common occupational disease, causing limitations in daily activities. Even though there is an association between repetitive manual tasks involving short work cycles, force demanding tasks, and the development of WMSDs, the specific cause of the physiological changes over a long period of time is a cause of debate. The study of mechanisms underlying the physiological changes is essential for the early detection, diagnosis, and appropriate management of WMSDs.

The Associations Between Socioeconomic Status And Childhood And Adult Psychosocial Experiences Among Men Living In El Paso, Texas, Sophia Marie Ornelas

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Substantial evidence indicates that low levels of Socioeconomic Status (SES) can have adverse psychosocial health implications in early childhood that can persist into adulthood. While there is extensive research about this relationship very little is known about the relationship between SES characteristics and adult psychosocial burden among Hispanic men. OBJECTIVE: This research aims to explore the associations between SES characteristics and childhood adverse experiences, adult perceived stress burden, and depressive symptoms among Hispanic men living in El Paso, Texas. METHODS: This research used data from a cross-sectional study of 100 adult men residing in El Paso, Texas in 2018. …

Assessing The Relationship Between Diabetes Causation Beliefs, Diabetes Risk, And Intent To Engage In Healthy Lifestyles Among Mexican American Men, Brisa Evet Rodriguez Alcantar

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background: The Hispanic population is the largest growing ethnic group and is estimated to reach 27% of the US population by 2050. Compared to non-Hispanic groups and other racial/ethnic minority groups they have the highest diabetes related mortality rate. Income, education, and health insurance put the Hispanic population at greater risk for diabetes, diabetes related complications, and diabetes mortality. Objectives: The objective of this research is to: 1) identify which diabetes causation beliefs (i.e., biological, psychological, socioenvironmental, behavior, fatalistic) are the most common among Hispanic men; 2) examine the relationship between men's diabetes causation belief and diabetes risk (HbA1c); and …

Childhood Obesity In California: The Impact Of School Lunch Options And Physical Education Standards In Public Elementary Schools, Audrey Connell

Scripps Senior Theses

Obesity is a biosocial phenomenon in that it is shaped by both biological and social processes. On the biological level, excess body fat increases one’s risk of placing the body in a non-homeostatic state that can weaken the immune response. On the social level, social inequalities are linked to obesity in the United States where racial and ethnic minority communities with low education and high poverty rates bear the largest burden of obesity. In various institutions, multiple actors such as food marketers, public health officials, policy makers, and school administrators dictate the opportunities available to children for them to reach …

Sex And Age Differences In Prevalence And Risk Factors For Prediabetes In Mexican-Americans, Kristina Vatcheva, Belinda M. Reininger, Susan P. Fisher-Hoch, Joseph B. Mccormick

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

AIMS:

Over 1/3 of Americans have prediabetes, while 9.4% have type 2 diabetes. The aim of our study was to estimate the prevalence of prediabetes in Mexican Americans, with known 28.2% prevalence of type 2 diabetes, by age and sex and to identify critical socio-demographic and clinical factors associated with prediabetes.

METHODS:

Data were collected between 2004 and 2017 from the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort in Texas. Weighted crude and sex- and age- stratified prevalences were calculated. Survey weighted logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify risk factors for prediabetes.

RESULTS:

The prevalence of prediabetes (32%) was slightly higher than …

The Perceived Influence Of Grandparents’ Beliefs And Attitudes On Parents’ Breastfeeding Behaviour And Paediatric Vaccination Decisions, Shantha Premila Karthigesu

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Human infants are highly dependent on their parents for a prolonged period of time. The resources required to raise a child cannot be provided by biological parents alone and requires the assistance of others, usually relatives. Grandparents among them, have played the most significant role. With increased life expectancy in Western, educated, industrialised, rich and democratic (WEIRD) societies, grandparents have come to the forefront as informal childcare providers. Although the influence of a child’s social environment on health has been well-studied, the influence of grandparents, specifically in regard to breastfeeding remains inconclusive, while grandparental influence on paediatric vaccinations has not …

Are Maternal Feeding Practices And Mealtime Emotions Associated With Toddlers’ Food Neophobia?A Follow-Up To The Dit-Coombe Hospital Birth Cohort In Ireland, Meijing An, Qianling Zhou, Katherine Younger, Xiyao Liu, John M. Kearney

Articles

This study was conducted to explore the associations between maternal feeding practices,mealtime emotions, as well as maternal food neophobia and toddlers’ food neophobia in Ireland.A follow-up to the Technological University Dublin (DIT)-Coombe Hospital birth cohort wasconducted. Mothers in the original cohort were invited to the present study by telephone calls.Postal questionnaires with stamped addressed envelopes were distributed to those who agreed toparticipate in the study. Toddler food neophobia was assessed by the modified version of the ChildFood Neophobia Scale (CFNS). There were 205 participants included in this study, with a median scoreof child food neophobia of 12. A higher degree …

Atmospheric Biodetection Part I: Study Of Airborne Bacterial Concentrations From January 2018 To May 2020 At Saclay, France, Roland Sarda-Estève, Dominique Baisnée, Benjamin Guinot, Gediminas Maineli, John Sodeau, David O'Connor, Jean Pierre Besancenot, Michel Thibaudon, Sara Monteiro, Jean-Eudes Petit, Valérie Gros

Articles

Background: The monitoring of bioaerosol concentrations in the air is a relevant endeavor due to potential health risks associated with exposure to such particles and in the understanding of their role in climate. In this context, the atmospheric concentrations of bacteria were measured from January 2018 to May 2020 at Saclay, France. The aim of the study was to understand the seasonality, the daily variability, and to identify the geographical origin of airborne bacteria. Methods: 880 samples were collected daily on polycarbonate filters, extracted with purified water, and analyzed using the cultivable method and flow cytometry. A source receptor model …

The Prevalence Of Overweight And Obesity In Irish Children Between 1990 And 2019, Aisling O'Donnell, Maria Buffini, Laura Kehoe, Ann Nugent, John Kearney, Janette Walton, Albert Flynn, Breige Mcnulty

Articles

Objective: The present study aimed to examine the temporal prevalence of overweight and obesity in Irish children through different methodologies and evaluate the change in rates between 1990 and 2019.

Human Skills Assessment As A Support To Human Factor Management, Lorenzo Comberti, Micaela Demichela, Maria Chiara Leva

Conference papers

Automatization, robotics and Industry 4.0 are deeply modifying the working condition with an expected reduction of the number of workers employed in traditional job and an increasing request of new professions. Despite these technologies could limit the involvement of workers, in some sectors humans are still widely employed, as in assembly line of manufacturing companies. As a consequence of this, the Human Factor (HF) will still have relevant influence in term efficiency, quality and safety performances.

This paper approached the HF analysis into the manufacturing field in an assembly line. This study was focused on the analysis of those human-skills …

Predictive Modeling Of Influenza In New England Using A Recurrent Deep Neural Network, Alfred Amendolara

Theses

Predicting seasonal variation in influenza epidemics is an ongoing challenge. To better predict seasonal influenza and provide early warning of pandemics, a novel approach to Influenza-Like-Illness (ILI) prediction was developed. This approach combined a deep neural network with ILI, climate, and population data. A predictive model was created using a deep neural network based on TensorFlow 2.0 Beta. The model used Long-Short Term Memory (LSTM) nodes. Data was collected from the Center for Disease Control, the National Center for Environmental Information (NCEI) and the United States Census Bureau. These parameters were temperature, precipitation, wind speed, population size, vaccination rate and …

Histopathological Diagnosis Of Diseases Affecting Amphibians Inhabiting Kihansi Gorge, Tanzania, Joshua J Malago

Tanzania Journal of Science

Kihansi gorge is a natural habitat to Kihansi spray toad (KST), Nectophrynoides asperginis. The toad is extinct in its natural habitat partly due to diseases. Efforts to successfully re-introduce it are primed by awareness and mitigation of prevalent diseases at the gorge. This study aimed at exploring the prevalent amphibian diseases at and around Kihansi gorge. A total of 182 individuals from Petropedetes yakusini (n = 60), Nectophrynoides tornieri (n = 60) and Leptopelis uluguruensis (n = 62) species were collected, humanely sacrificed, fixed in formalin, routinely processed, sectioned, stained with haematoxylin and eosin and analysed for diseases by histopathology. …

Intervention For Cognitive Reserve Enhancement In Delaying The Onset Of Alzheimer's Symptomatic Expression (Increase), A Randomized Controlled Trial: Rationale, Study Design, And Protocol, Daniela C. Moga, Brooke F. Beech, Erin L. Abner, Frederick A. Schmitt, Riham H. El Khouli, Ashley I. Martinez, Lynne Eckmann, Mark Huffmyer, Rosmy George, Gregory A. Jicha

Pharmacy Practice and Science Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The course of Alzheimer's disease (AD) includes a 10-20-year preclinical period with progressive accumulation of amyloid β (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the absence of symptomatic cognitive or functional decline. The duration of this preclinical stage in part depends on the rate of pathologic progression, which is offset by compensatory mechanisms, referred to as cognitive reserve (CR). Comorbid medical conditions, psychosocial stressors, and inappropriate medication use may lower CR, hastening the onset of symptomatic AD. Here, we describe a randomized controlled trial (RCT) designed to test the efficacy of a medication therapy management (MTM) intervention to reduce inappropriate …

Efek Asi Eksklusif Terhadap Stunting Pada Anak Usia 6-59 Bulan Di Kabupaten Bogor Tahun 2019, Hardya Gustada Hikmahrachim, Rinawati Rohsiswatmo, Sudarto Ronoatmodjo

Jurnal Epidemiologi Kesehatan Indonesia

Stunting, atau perawakan pendek, berhubungan erat dengan hambatan kemampuan kognitif dan kualitas hidup. Prevalensi stunting di Indonesia mencapai 30,8% tahun 2018. Stunting dipengaruhi pemenuhan nutrisi di awal kehidupan, salah satunya melalui ASI eksklusif. Meskipun cakupan ASI eksklusif di Indonesia sudah 74,5%, hubungan stunting dengan ASI eksklusif seringkali tidak konsisten akibat keberagaman kuantitas dan kualitas ASI. Penelitian ini ingin mengetahui efek ASI eksklusif terhadap stunting di Kabupaten Bogor, sebagai salah satu daerah tinggi stunting di Indonesia. Penelitian dengan desain potong lintang ini dilaksanakan di Puskesmas Kecamatan Ciampea, Kabupaten Bogor, pada Februari sampai April 2019. Kriteria inklusi adalah balita usia 6-59 bulan …

Risk Factors And Mortality Rates Associated With Invasive Group B Streptococcus Infections Among Patients In The Us Veterans Health Administration, Robin L.P. Jump, Brigid Wilson, Daniel Baechle, Sunah Song, Federico Perez

Faculty Scholarship

IMPORTANCE The incidence of invasive infections caused by group B Streptococcus (GBS) continues to increase in the United States. Although diabetes is a key risk factor for invasive GBS, the influence of long-term glycemic control is not well characterized; other risk factors and mortality rates associated with specific types of invasive GBS infections are unknown. OBJECTIVE To investigate risk factors and mortality rates associated with specific invasive GBS infectious syndromes. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This cohort study used US Veterans Health Administration data to assess active users of the Veterans Affairs health care system between January 1, 2008, and December …

: Examining How Factors Associated With Patients, Physicians, Hospitals, And Surrounding Communities Affect Primary And Repeat Cesarean Delivery Through A Social-Ecological Lens, Christina Ventura-Dipersia

Dissertations and Theses

Background: Childbirth is one of the most common reasons for hospitalization in the U.S., and Cesarean delivery (i.e., surgical childbirth) is costlier and has a higher likelihood of birth-related complications, maternal rehospitalization, and postpartum medical care utilization than vaginal delivery. The rate of Cesarean delivery in the United States (U.S.) has increased in recent years by over 60%, from 20.7% of all births in 1996 to 32.9% of all births in 2011. As Although this increasing trend of Cesarean delivery incidence has also been seen in other countries, the rate of Cesarean delivery has been rising more steadily within …

Burden And Risk Of Non-Aids Defining Cancers In Hiv-Infected Persons Receiving Antiretroviral Therapy, Brittney L. Dickey

Theses & Dissertations

The burden of cancers not previously associated with an HIV infection, called non-AIDS defining cancers (NADCs), have increased in the years since highly active anti-retroviral therapy has been introduced. The studies in this dissertation attempted to quantify this burden via incidence and mortality compared to the general population. Further, an assessment of risk factors and creation of a predictive risk model, a nomogram, were utilized to better understand how factors associated with demographics, lifestyle, and immune response affected risk for an NADC diagnosis once therapy was initiated and HIV better controlled. Standardized incidence and mortality ratios showed that burden of …

Small Molecules That Inhibit Tnf Signalling By Stabilising An Asymmetric Form Of The Trimer, James O'Connell, John Porter, Boris Kroeplien, Tim Norman, Stephen Rapecki, Rachel E. Davis, David Mcmillan, Tracy Arakaki, Alex Burgin, David Fox Iii, Tom Ceska, Fabien Lecomte, Alison Maloney, Alex Vugler, Bruce Carrington, Benjamin P. Cossins, Tim Bourne, Alastair Lawson

Faculty Publications

Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) is a cytokine belonging to a family of trimeric proteins; it has been shown to be a key mediator in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease. While TNF is the target of several successful biologic drugs, attempts to design small molecule therapies directed to this cytokine have not led to approved products. Here we report the discovery of potent small molecule inhibitors of TNF that stabilise an asymmetrical form of the soluble TNF trimer, compromising signalling and inhibiting the functions of TNF in vitro and in vivo. This discovery paves the way for …