Digital Commons Network^™

Environmental Predictors Of County-Level Drowning Rates In Georgia, Jeff Turner

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Recent increases in drowning rates, both nationally and within Georgia, have led to renewed interest in the individual, situational/behavioral, and environmental characteristics that impact drowning. This study examines the association between two environmental characteristics, natural surface water coverage and public pools, on drowning fatalities and drowning-related ER visits by county in Georgia

Methods: We gathered county-level data on drowning fatalities and drowning-related ER visits and the number of public pools from the Georgia DPH, surface water coverage from the US Census Bureau, and demographic measures from the CDC. We conducted a linear regression analysis to identify how …

Did Statewide School Smoking Bans Reduce Smoking Rates?, Rachana Bhatt, Peter Hinrichs

Upjohn Institute Policy and Research Briefs

No abstract provided.

Virginia Team Nutrition Training Grant Workshop Participation Increased Intention To Change In Specific Topics, Rachel A Liebe, Kathleen J Porter, Valisa Hedrick, Elena Serrano, Kelly Shomo, Sandra Curwood, Sarah Misyak

Journal of Extension

Team Nutrition is implemented nationally to improve school food environments. Yet evidence on factors impacting implementation is limited. This study aimed to evaluate the execution of the Team Nutrition Training Grant (TNTG) in Virginia elementary schools using the RE-AIM (Reach, Efficacy, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance) framework. The TNTG grant was implemented through two train-the-trainer workshops that were conducted with school nutrition directors (SNDs). Overall, SNDs from 84% of school divisions attended at least one workshop. Intention to change increased significantly from pre- to post- for both workshops in some target areas. This evaluation could help practitioners guide the development of evaluation …

Demographic And Socioeconomic Factors Influence Perceived Community Needs And Risk Factors For Firearm Violence In Mississippi, Masoumeh Karimi, Matthew Morris, Xiaoshan Gordy, Matthew Kutcher, Leila Seidfaraji, Michelle Brassfield, Erin Dehon, Alyscia Severance, Rukia Lumumba, Fredrick Womack, Lei Zhang

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Background: The burden of firearm-related injuries and deaths is not borne equally across sociodemographic groups. The present study investigated the perceived needs and risk factors of firearm related injuries and mortality across gender, education, and income levels through a quantitative needs assessment completed by community members and firearm injury survivors living in the greater Jackson, Mississippi, metropolitan area.

Methods: A total of 93 participants including gunshot wound patients, survivors and community members who have been recruited through community organizations completed the needs assessment survey collecting data on demographic information, firearm exposure, substance use, community exposure to crime and …

Pilot Evaluation Of A Cross-Disciplinary Training Addressing Substance Use Among Mississippi Mothers, Saijun Zhang, Catherine Poehling, Xiaoshan Gordy, Chinedu P. Chukwu, Jerome R. Kolbo, Masoumeh Karimi, Matthew Morris, Andrew Voluse, Erin Dehon, Michelle Brassfield, Danielle Lahn, Lisa Slade, Deanna Howington, Kathleen Rhodes, Tearsenee Davis, Sonja Fuqua, Lei Zhang

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) and substance use co-occurring is often managed in siloed systems. Training IPV and related service providers on substance use topics may strengthen screening, response, and referral.

Purpose: To assess whether a pilot training program on substance use disorders (SUDs) in Mississippi improved service providers’ knowledge, preparedness, and attitudes around substance use and satisfaction with the training.

Methods: Pre–post surveys were administered to healthcare and community service providers who completed the training, assessing substance use service-related knowledge, preparedness, and attitudes.  Descriptive statistics and t-tests were used to analyze the data.

Results: Fifty-nine providers completed a …

Hidden Patterns: Revealing The Noise Exposure Habits Of College Musicians Throughout The Year, Maya Vallejo

Holster Scholar Projects

College musicians face elevated risk for noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) due to extensive rehearsal, headphone use, and performance activity, yet most objective sound-exposure studies rely on personal dosimeters that capture only brief windows (1–3 weeks) during the academic year, and overlook headphone-specific exposure. This study leveraged historical Apple Watch and AirPods sound data from participants in the ongoing AMI study (Skoe lab, University of Connecticut) to compare environmental and headphone noise exposure between academic-year and academic-break periods in college-age lifelong, former, and non-musicians. Sound levels (dBA) were calculated using duration-weighted, log-power averaging to account for the logarithmic nature of decibels. …

Women's Experiences Of Menstrual Pain And Perceptions Of Acupuncture: A Qualitative Study, Weiting Liu, Amanda Towell-Barnard, Khui Hung Lee

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Menstrual pain is a common reproductive health concern that can substantially disrupt physical, emotional, and social well-being, yet it is frequently normalised and insufficiently addressed within healthcare encounters. Acupuncture is increasingly used as a complementary approach for menstrual pain management; however, little qualitative research has explored how women understand, interpret, and navigate this option within their menstrual care.

Methods: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted using four online focus groups with 14 women aged 19–46 years residing in Australia who self-reported primary dysmenorrhea. Participants were purposively sampled from respondents to a previous cross-sectional survey study who had indicated willingness …

Recommendations From Health Research For Children And Adolescents Living In The Kimberley Region Of Western Australia: A Scoping Review, Lisa Cannon, Elizabeth J. Elliott, Andrew Dossetor, Tracey W. Tsang, Md Irteja Islam, Alexandra L. Martiniuk, Habiba Naanai, Tuguy Esgin, Emily Carter, Lauren J. Rice

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Aboriginal leaders in Western Australia’s Kimberley region have voiced concern that research conducted on their lands is not being adequately used to inform meaningful change. Objective: This scoping review, grounded in an Aboriginal-academic partnership, identifies the child and adolescent health-related research conducted in the region and summarises the authors’ recommendations for knowledge translation. Methods: Drawing on PRISMA-ScR guidelines, we conducted a comprehensive search of multiple databases for publications between January 1967 and June 2025, focusing on children aged ≤ 18 years. Data extraction was conducted using Covidence, and publications were categorised based on the International Classification of Diseases (11th …

Pooled Proportion And Associated Factors Of Postoperative Pain During The Recovery Time Among Adult Surgical Patients In An Ethiopian Setting With Limited Resources: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Sintayehu Samuel Lorato, Mitiku Desalegn, Kelemu Abebe Gelaw, Yohannes Godie Ashebir, Olyad Kuma Getahun, Gebeyehu Lakew, Mathewos Mekonnen Gemmechu, Tiruye Menshaw Tiruneh, Yibeltal Assefa Atalay, Amlaku Nigusie Yirsaw, Eyob Ketema Bogale, Natnael Atnafu Gebeyehu, Tewodros Shitemaw Tekoye, Genanew Kassie Getahun, Kedir Seid, Abel Tibebu Goshu

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

No abstract provided.

Building Health Resilience Against The Threat Of “Jakarta Sinking”: A Scoping Review, Risky Kusuma Hartono, Dewi Shinta

Journal of Indonesian Health Policy and Administration

In Jakarta, land subsidence amplifies flood risks—often described as the city “sinking”—which increases exposure to waterborne and vector-borne diseases, disrupts essential health services, and undermines health system resilience. This review examines how subsidence-induced flood amplification impacts health and its implications for system resilience. This study employs a literature review approach that combines narrative synthesis with scoping-oriented evidence mapping. Peer-reviewed articles in English or Indonesian (2015–2025) were searched across PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and Portal Garuda using the following terms: flooding, Jakarta land subsidence, health impacts, and health system resilience. Data on hazards, populations, health outcomes, and resilience functions were …

An Evaluation Of Southern Nevada’S Pediatric Care Ecosystem, David Damore, Tina Quigley, Nick Fiore

Policy Briefs and Reports

In 2024, The Lincy Institute and the Nevada Health and Bioscience Corporation released a report prepared by the consulting firm Tripp Umbach detailing the case for a stand-alone children’s hospital in Southern Nevada. Shortly thereafter, Intermountain Health announced it would build Nevada’s first such facility in Las Vegas, expected to open in 2030. To complement the hospital’s development, The Lincy Institute undertook an independent evaluation of the regional pediatric care landscape. The analysis draws on secondary data and discussions with advocates, health system administrators, practitioners, and providers. The report examines:

• Fiscal, resource, and workforce challenges underlying Nevada’s poor population-level pediatric …

Factors Associated With Adherence To Anti-Tuberculosis Medication (Oat) In Samarinda, Fahmi Nur Indah Sari, Irfansyah Baharuddin Pakki, Nur Rohmah, Siswanto Siswanto, Muhamad Z. Saefurrohim

Jurnal Epidemiologi Kesehatan Indonesia

Latar Belakang: Tuberkulosis (TB) merupakan penyakit menular yang masih menjadi masalah kesehatan masyarakat utama di Indonesia. Keberhasilan pengobatan sangat bergantung pada kepatuhan pasien dalam mengonsumsi Obat Antituberkulosis (OAT) .

Tujuan . Untuk mengetahui hubungan antara persepsi kerentanan, keparahan, manfaat, hambatan (stigma), isyarat untuk bertindak (peran tenaga kesehatan), dan efikasi diri dengan kepatuhan minum OAT pada pasien TB di Kota Samarinda.

Metode . Penelitian ini menggunakan desain potong lintang dengan pendekatan kuantitatif yang melibatkan 121 pasien TB dari empat Puskesmas di Samarinda. Sampel dipilih menggunakan teknik multistage sampling. Data dikumpulkan melalui wawancara terstruktur menggunakan kuesioner dan dianalisis menggunakan uji Chi-Square.

Hasil …

Determinants Of Antiretroviral Therapy Status Among Men Who Have Sex With Men (Msm) Living With Hiv In Greater Jakarta, Leonita Agustine, Mondastri Korib Sudaryo, Helwiah Umniyati

Jurnal Epidemiologi Kesehatan Indonesia

Men who have sex with men (MSM) are a key population contributing to the largest proportion of new HIV infections among the adult population in Indonesia, accounting for 44% of new infections in 2024. However, antiretroviral therapy (ART), as a key intervention in HIV control, remains suboptimal among this group, with previous studies showing that only around 57% of MSM living with HIV in Indonesia were receiving ART. In urban settings such as Greater Jakarta, these gaps may be more pronounced due to complex social and structural barriers to care. This study used a cross-sectional design based on data from …

A Spatiotemporal Study Of Environmentally Associated Pulmonary Diseases In Georgia, Jason Raymond Baum

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Exposures to particulate dust matter (PM10 and smaller) from aggregate comminution facilities (ACF) can lead to the onset of environmentally associated pulmonary diseases (EAPDs); acute and chronic asthma (Type I allergic hypersensitivity reaction), chronic pulmonary disease, interstitial lung disease (ILD), and lung cancer. In this environmental epidemiological research study, three primary spatial and spatiotemporal research questions related to nonoccupational exposures from 118 facilities across Georgia were evaluated. Secondary data analysis was conducted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) 2018–2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) and the Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Metropolitan Divisions to …

Plasmodium Falciparum Parasite Density And Its Association With Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Test Positivity Among School-Aged Children Across Diverse Malaria Transmission Settings In Mainland Tanzania, Felista Mwingira

Tanzania Journal of Science

Malaria rapid diagnostic tests (mRDTs) are widely used for malaria diagnosis and surveillance; however, their performance is influenced by parasite density. This study assessed the relationship between parasite density and mRDT positivity among school-aged children (SAC) across diverse malaria transmission settings in mainland Tanzania. Data were obtained from 17,131 school-aged children participating in a nationwide malaria survey. Malaria infection was assessed using mRDT and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) targeting the Plasmodium falciparum lactate dehydrogenase (PfLDH) gene. Parasite density distributions were examined across demographic, environmental, and epidemiological characteristics. Malaria prevalence was 19.5% by malaria rapid diagnostic test (mRDT) and 19.2% …

Agentic Ai For Clinical Outcomes Research, Population Health Management Analyses With Large Administrative Databases, And Generating Epidemiological Estimates Of Diseases: Feasibility And Validation Study, Daniel Frisch, Michael Fronstin, Carla Zema

Division of Cardiology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: There is tremendous enthusiasm for the use of AI in health care because of the ability to analyze existing data for preventative, diagnostic, and treatment support. Agentic AI can feasibly provide access to large real-world datasets for the generation of real-world evidence for health care and clinical applications to health care providers, researchers, and administrators without access to large analytic programming resources.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to understand the feasibility of using agentic AI for clinical outcome research and population health management. Specifically, this study used an agentic AI evidence-generation platform to obtain epidemiological estimates of …

Burden And Prioritization Of Airborne Diseases In Bogor City, 2024: A Situational Analysis, Tuti Alawiyah, Helda Helda, Menikha Maulida

Jurnal Epidemiologi Kesehatan Indonesia

Indonesia, particularly urban agglomeration areas such as Bogor, continues to face major challenges related to air quality, resulting in an increased risk of airborne disease transmission. This study aimed to assess the burden of airborne diseases and determine health problem priorities in Bogor City using surveillance data from 2022 to October 2024. A descriptive epidemiological study was conducted in Bogor City using surveillance data from 2022 to 2024. Health problem prioritization was performed using the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)-adapted Hanlon method through structured questionnaires administered to an expert panel consisting of health office officials and heads of primary healthcare …

Psychosocial And Demographic Determinants Of Work Stress Among Lecturers At University X, Natasha Putri Ayu Kayla, Fajaria Nurcandra, Dr. Dyah Utari, Nayla K. Fithri, Siti Norashikin Mohamad Shaifuddin

Jurnal Epidemiologi Kesehatan Indonesia

Occupational stress is a psychological pressure related to work conditions. Psychosocial and demographic determinants may be the influence. Lecturers are white collar workers who have the opportunity to experience occupational stress. The aim of this study is to determine the factors that influence occupational stress among lecturers in X University. This research is a quantitative study with a cross-sectional study design. The sampling technique used is Accidental Sampling. The number of samples used was 132 respondents. The study was conducted in April-June 2024. The Cox Regression Model was used to analyze. The instruments used were The Workplace Stress Scale, Multidimensional …

Factors Associated With Hiv Infection Among People Who Inject Drugs In Jakarta, Igo Cahya Negara, Mondastri Korib Sudaryo, Helwiah Umniyati

Jurnal Epidemiologi Kesehatan Indonesia

HIV infection among people who inject drugs (PWID) remains a substantial public health burden, with Jakarta consistently reporting among the highest PWID-associated HIV prevalence in Indonesia. This study aimed to identify factors associated with HIV infection among PWID in Jakarta, utilizing secondary data from the 2023 Integrated Biological and Behavioral Survey (IBBS 2023). A cross-sectional study design was employed using secondary data from 261 PWID recruited in Jakarta. Bivariate associations were examined using Chi-square tests, and multivariate analysis was performed using modified Cox regression with a constant time parameter to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) with 95% confidence intervals. The …

Evaluation Of Disaster Mitigation Policy Implementation And Public Health Integration Through The “Sipatokkong” Program In Strengthening Tourism Village Resilience, Nurul Azisah Sahrani, Andi Alif Raihan Analta

Journal of Indonesian Health Policy and Administration

Disaster risks in tourism villages are increasing, generating multidimensional impacts on environmental, economic, institutional, and public health. In late 2024, Mattabulu Tourism Village experienced an 83% decline in tourist visits following a series of disasters, disrupting tourism activities and weakening local governance capacity. This study uses a qualitative case study design to evaluate disaster mitigation policy implementation through the “Sipatokkong” Program. Evaluation applied four Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development–Development Assistance Committee (OECD-DAC) criteria: relevance, effectiveness, impact, and sustainability, operationalized through policy implementation, street-level bureaucracy, and collaborative governance frameworks. Data were obtained from five documents and non-participatory field observations conducted …

Intimate Partner Violence And Child Wasting Across Countries: An Ecological Cross-Sectional Study, Wanri Lumbanraja, I Ketut Kasta Arya Wijaya, Ruben Cornelius Siagian

Journal of Indonesian Health Policy and Administration

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a public health issue that can affect the well-being of women, their families, and the child-rearing environment. Meanwhile, wasting in under-five children reflects acute malnutrition linked to food insecurity, infectious diseases, poverty, and access to healthcare services. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between the prevalence of IPV among women in the past 12 months and the prevalence of wasting in children under the age of five at the national level. This study addresses the gap in cross-national research, which remains limited in linking IPV as an indicator of social vulnerability with wasting as …

Perceived Susceptibility And Automatic Compliance In Indonesia's Triple Elimination Screening: A Mixed-Methods Study, Ratna Dewi Puspita Sari, Josef Maria Seno Adjie

Journal of Indonesian Health Policy and Administration

Despite global commitments to eliminating mother-to-child transmission of human immunodeficiency virus, syphilis, and hepatitis B, gaps remain in understanding the behavioral and systemic drivers of screening coverage in decentralized health systems such as Indonesia. This study aimed to analyze individual behavioral determinants and structural health system barriers affecting triple elimination screening coverage among pregnant women, focusing on perceived susceptibility and automatic compliance. A mixed-methods sequential explanatory study was conducted in Central Jakarta, Surabaya, and Karawang. The quantitative phase involved a cross-sectional survey of 1,224 pregnant women, with Health Belief Model variables analyzed using logistic regression. The qualitative phase comprised three …

Why Do Indonesians Travel Abroad For Medical Treatment? A Qualitative Phenomenological Study, Lucky Sarjono Buranda, Aries Wahyuningsih, Steven Busby

Journal of Indonesian Health Policy and Administration

More than one million Indonesian citizens travel abroad for medical treatment each year, generating financial transactions exceeding IDR 180 trillion (USD 11.5 billion). This study aimed to explore the reasons why Indonesians seek medical treatment overseas. A qualitative phenomenological approach was employed using in-depth interviews with Indonesian citizens who had received or were currently receiving medical treatment outside Indonesia. All interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed through coding to identify themes, subthemes, and related properties. Interviews were conducted with 18 participants from three major Indonesian cities (Makassar, Surabaya, and Batam), as well as individuals receiving treatment in Singapore and Malaysia. …

Effectiveness Of Pancreatic Cancer Screening In High-Risk Elderly Individuals In Florida, Adeleke A. Aromolaran

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Routine preventive care supports early identification and management of health conditions among adults at high risk for pancreatic cancer. Evidence is limited regarding socioeconomic and health care access factors associated with engagement in routine preventive care among Florida adults aged 65 years and older at high risk for pancreatic cancer. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional correlational study was to examine these associations among this population. The health belief model served as the theoretical framework. Secondary data from the 2022 Florida Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System were analyzed for N = 4,032 participants using two multivariable binary logistic regression models …

Relationship Between High-Risk Cytogenetic Abnormalities And Tent5 Mutations And Disease Outcomes Of Multiple Myeloma Patients, Erica Lea Richardson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Multiple myeloma (MM) patients have the lowest 5-year cancer survival rates due, in part, to the time it takes for symptoms to develop and the presence of one to four high-risk cytogenetic abnormalities (HRCA). The Terminal Nucleotidyltransferases 5 (TENT5) subfamily, which regulates myeloma cell migration and tumorigenesis, may also increase the risk for developing MM and impact survival rates. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between the number of HRCA and TENT5 mutation hits with disease outcomes in MM patients while controlling for the stage of the disease (i.e., I, II, or III) at diagnosis. The …

Sociodemographic And Geographic Factors Underlying Breast Cancer Survival Disparities Among Women In The United States, Colletta Brabham-Orr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Breast cancer-specific mortality in the United States remains higher among women in rural and socioeconomically disadvantaged areas, yet few population-based studies have been conducted to jointly scrutinize demographic and structural determinants of this disparity. Informed by the social determinants of health framework, this secondary data analysis, using records from the SEER Research Plus database, examined the association between age at diagnosis, race and ethnicity, rural/urban residence, county-level median household income, and breast cancer-specific mortality among U.S. women aged 18 and older diagnosed with malignant invasive breast cancer between 2010 and 2020 (N = 285,865). Bivariate chi-square tests and binary logistic …

A Retrospective Descriptive Profile Of Cancer Patients Seeking Homoeopathic Care In A Semi-Rural South African Setting, Radmila Razlog

Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy

Background: Patient profiling renders valuable information about the population's healthcare-seeking behaviours, critical for effective patient management. Khula Natural Health Centre (KNHC) in South Africa provides healthcare to rural communities, within the scope of Homoeopathy. Objective: The study aimed to create a preliminary cancer patient profile of KNHC from April 2017 to August 2024. Method: This retrospective study adopted a descriptive, exploratory design. Anonymised patient data was extracted from the KNHC database. Data that met the inclusion criteria were descriptively analysed to summarise and describe the dataset. Results: Forty-six participants' data, presenting a range of cancers, consulted at KNHC for homoeopathic …

Prenatal Cannabis Exposure Is Associated With Occipitotemporal Brain Surface Area In Neonates, Alexander J. Dufford, Sun Hyung Kim, Martin Styner, Xinyi Shen, Erika Iisa, Marilyn A. Huestis, Peter Fried, Christine Conageski, Jocelyn E. Phipers, Cristina Sempio, Jost Klawitter, Pilyoung Kim, Tessa L. Crume

Institute of Emerging Health Professions Faculty Papers

IMPORTANCE: Prenatal cannabis use has been associated with neurodevelopmental consequences for the offspring beginning in childhood; however, it is unclear if neonatal brain structural morphometry is impacted shortly after birth.

OBJECTIVE: We examined differences in regional surface morphometry among neonates exposed to chronic in utero cannabis compared to unexposed neonates.

DESIGN: The Moms Helping Moms study is a prospective pre-birth cohort selected based on chronic prenatal cannabis use and an unexposed control group. Exclusion criteria included alcohol, tobacco, or other substance use. Participants included in this analysis included 18 mother-neonate pairs with prenatal cannabis exposure and 21 unexposed pairs. Chronic …

Faktor-Faktor Yang Berhubungan Dengan Kejadian Prediabetes Pada Perawat Di Rumah Sakit X Tahun 2025, Putri Nurhaliza, Chandrayani Simanjorang, Agung Raharjo

Jurnal Biostatistik, Kependudukan, dan Informatika Kesehatan

Prediabetes dapat berkembang menjadi diabetes melitus dan meningkatkan risiko penyakit kardiovaskular. Selain itu, beban ekonomi juga meningkat akibat tingginya biaya pelayanan kesehatan dan penurunan produktivitas kerja. Salah satu kelompok berisiko prediabetes adalah perawat karena karakteristik pekerjaannya, seperti penerapan sistem kerja sif serta tingginya beban dan tekanan kerja yang dapat memicu stres. Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk mengidentifikasi faktor-faktor yang berhubungan dengan kejadian prediabetes pada perawat di Rumah Sakit X pada tahun 2025. Desain studi yang digunakan adalah cross-sectional dengan sumber data primer yang dikumpulkan melalui pengisian kuesioner dan data sekunder yang diperoleh dari laporan hasil medical check-up tahun 2025. Populasi dalam …

Barriers And Facilitators To Health Literacy Among Black Americans With Overweight And Obesity In South Carolina: A Mini-Ethnographic Study, Shelly Campbell-Timmons

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative mini ethnography adapted from traditional ethnography with limited time and scope, was to explore and understand perceptions of barriers and facilitators to health literacy among Black Americans with overweight and obesity in three South Carolina counties. Population data showed that approximately 40.3% of U.S. adults are obese. Moreover, Non-Hispanic Black communities are disproportionately affected by overweight and obesity despite efforts to combat the weight-related health risk. Still, limited health literacy should be the focus of public health strategies like teach-back and plain language communication, to address overweight and obesity prevalence and disparities. The study was …