Digital Commons Network^™

Depression In The Elderly: Does Family System Play A Role? A Cross-Sectional Study, Ather M. Taqui, Ahmed Itrat, Waris Qidwai, Zeeshan Qadri

Department of Family Medicine

Background

The most common geriatric psychiatric disorder is depression. The role of family systems in depression among the elderly has not been studied extensively. It has been suggested that urbanization promotes nucleation of family systems and a decrease in care and support for the elderly. We conducted this study in Karachi, a large urban city of Pakistan, to determine the relationship between the type of family system and depression. We also determined the prevalence of depression in the elderly, as well as correlation of depression with other important socio-demographic variables.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was carried out in the premises …

Concurrent Panel Session 2: Health Challenges Facing Las Vegas, Carlos Brandenburg, Shawn Gerstenberger, Zaven Khachaturian, John Mcdonald, Dennis Pirages, Thom Reilly, Kathy Silver, Bonnie Sorenson, Carolyn B. Yucha, Maurizio Trevisan

Shaping the Future of Southern Nevada: Economic, Environmental, and Social Sustainability

Moderator: Marcia Turner, NSHE Health Science System Scribe: Candace Griffith, UNLV Department of Sociology Conference white paper & Full summary of panel session, 8 pages

Reframing School Dropout As A Public Health Issue, Nicholas Freudenberg, Jessica Ruglis

Publications and Research

Good education predicts good health, and disparities in health and in educational achievement are closely linked. Despite these connections, public health professionals rarely make reducing the number of students who drop out of school a priority, although nearly one-third of all students in the United States and half of black, Latino, and American Indian students do not graduate from high school on time. In this article, we summarize knowledge on the health benefits of high school graduation and discuss the pathways by which graduating from high school contributes to good health. We examine strategies for reducing school dropout rates with …

Clinical Skills Day: Preparing Third Year Medical Students For The Rural Rotation, Gwen Wagstrom Halaas, Therese M. Zink, Kathleen D. Brooks, J. Miller

Family Medicine Faculty Publications

Introduction: In order to prepare third year medical students in the Rural Physician Associate Program for a nine-month community-based continuity care experience in rural Minnesota, USA, a clinical skills day that featured human patient simulators and standardized patients was developed. Patients presenting with common urgent and routine primary-care problems were developed and presented using the objective structured clinical examination for teaching. The goals of the day were to: (1) distinguish urgent from non-urgent clinical presentation; (2) use clinical guidelines for making decisions; (3) communicate effectively in stressful situations; and (4) uncover a significant clinical issue with a different presenting complaint. …

V Is For Voluntary: Uptake Of Hiv Testing And Counseling In Mombasa District, Kenya, Julie Caplow

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) is a crucial HIV intervention strategy, promoting safe behavior, providing personalized support, and serving as an entry point for care and treatment. Experts agree that knowledge of HIV status should ideally be universal; however, as VCT is a voluntary service, certain challenges arise in promoting its uptake. Though Kenya has made remarkable headway in expanding its VCT provision, setting a leading example for the world, 80% of adult citizens still have never been tested. This project investigates the factors controlling the uptake of VCT in Mombasa district and seeks ways to reach more people with …

Diagnostic Classifications And Resource Utilization Of Decedents Served By The Department Of Veterans Affairs, Sonia A. Duffy, Laurel Copeland, Faith Hopp, Robert J. Zalenski

Social Work Faculty Publications

Background: Given the volume and cost of inpatient care during the last year of life, there is a critical need to identify patterns of dying as a means of planning end-of-life care services, especially for the growing number of older persons who receive services from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).

Methods: A retrospective computerized record review was conducted of 20,933 VHA patients who died as inpatients between October 1, 2001 and September 30, 2002. Diagnoses were aggregated into one of five classification patterns of death and analyzed in terms of health care resource utilization (mean number of inpatient days and …

Air Toxics Under The Big Sky – A High School Science Teaching Tool, David Jones, Tony Ward, Diana Vanek, Nancy Marra, Curtis W. Noonan, Garon Smith, Earle Adams

Public and Community Health Sciences Faculty Publications

A project has been developed between Big Sky High School and The University of Montana (UM) which has brought together high school students and teachers, university scientists, and county environmental health officials in a multilayered research experience focusing on the collection and analysis of specific air toxics, and investigating their relationship to respiratory diseases. The Air Toxics Under the Big Sky project allows students to benefit from an independent experience linking science, research, and local environmental issues. We see this as a long term project which will be built upon and expanded by future students during each new school year …

Download Entire Pdf Prescriptions For Excellence In Health Care-Fall 2007, Issue 1.

Prescriptions for Excellence in Health Care Newsletter Supplement

No abstract provided.

A Qualitative Study Of Pregnancy And Maternal Mortality In Rural Senegal: An Examination Of The Pregnant Woman’S Experience, Megan Frances Harlow

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Much prior research has focused on the problem of maternal mortality in Senegal, the factors that cause it, and the numerical trends that indicate either decline or increase in maternal mortality. Few studies, however, have captured the mentality, attitudes, or beliefs of Senegalese women in rural areas, or the rationality behind their behaviors during pregnancy, which ultimately have implications for the alleged contributors to maternal mortality. I conducted the bulk of my field research in Saraya, a small town in southeastern Senegal. Through study of prenatal consultation records, participant observation in multiple settings, and interviews with healthcare practitioners and recent …

En Busca De Equilibrio: Una Evaluación Del Componente De Salud Intercultural Del Programa Orígenes En La Primera Fase, Sarah Stellberg

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The social changes of globalization and the loss of socio-cultural identity have contributed to a progressive health deterioration of the Mapuche people in southern Chile. Although traditional Mapuche medical knowledge and practices continue to complement western medicine, neither modern healthcare nor ancestral practices are capable of satisfying all of the health demands the Mapuche population presents. Faced with this situation, Programa Orígenes (Origens Program), financed through a loan from the Interamerican Development Bank and funds from the Chilean Government, has developed an Intercultural Health initiative as a socio-culturally appropriate solution to the healthcare problems within indigenous populations of the country. …

Rural Utility Cooperative (Ruc): Final Evaluation Report, Steven Konkel

Reports

No abstract provided.

Mrsa Prevention And Control In County Correctional Facilities In The Greater Dayton Area, Jeffrey Allen Webb

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Recently there has been an increasing number of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) cases in correctional facilities around the country, including the Greater Dayton area. Considering the potential health impact of MRSA on correctional facilities it is important that facilities have prevention and control protocols in place. This study summarizes the prevention and control preparedness activities of county correctional facilities in the Greater Dayton area. The positive response rates for the control measures were 88.4% for screening, 83.6% for treatment, 80.6% for personal hygiene, 95.4% for environmental control, 80.4% for education and 84.3% for standard precautions. The study also compared rural …

Download Full Pdf Issue Of Thomas Jefferson University Mph Public Health Link Newsletter, Vol. 3, Iss. 8, October 2007

Public Health Link

This issue includes a faculty spotlight on Dr. Maio and another article written by Dr. Plumb "Public Health Perspective: Public Health Advocacy—A Perspective and Opportunities" and an update on the Delaware Valley Schweitzer Fellows Program.

Chemotherapy And Survival For Patients With Multiple Myeloma: Findings From A Large Nationwide And Population-Based Cohort, Nidhi Rohatgi, Xianglin L. Du, Ann L. Coker, Lemuel L. Moye, Michael Wang, Shenying Fang

CRVAW Faculty Journal Articles

Objective: To assess the patterns of chemotherapy use for patients with multiple myeloma and to determine if chemotherapy is effective in prolonging survival outside the clinical trial settings.

Methods: We studied a nationwide and population-based retrospective cohort of 4902 patients ≥65 years of age with stage II or III multiple myeloma from 1992 to 1999, identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End-Results-Medicare data. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratio of receiving chemotherapy and Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate the hazard ratio of mortality associated with chemotherapy.

Results: Of 4902 patients with stage II …

Long-Term Effects Of A Physical Activity Intervention In High School Girls, Russell R. Pate, Ruth P. Saunders, Rod K. Dishman, Cheryl L. Addy, Marsha Dowda, Dianne S. Ward

Faculty Publications

Background - Physical activity decreases during childhood and adolescence, and physical activity levels are significantly lower in females than males, particularly during adolescence. Schools are attractive settings in which to implement interventions designed to promote physical activity in girls and young women, but few studies have tested the sustained effects of such interventions.

Design - Cross-sectional. Data were collected in 2002-2003 and analyzed in 2006-2007.

Setting/Participants - 1594 adolescent girls in 22 high schools.

Intervention - The intervention, Lifestyle Education for Activity Program (LEAP), was designed to increase physical activity in 9^th grade girls through two channels: changes in …

Glycaemic Index, Glycaemic Load And Ovarian Cancer Risk: A Prospective Cohort Study, Stephanie A. Navarro Silvera, Meera Jain, Geoffrey R. Howe, Anthony B. Miller, Thomas E. Rohan

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Background

There is some evidence that plasma insulin levels might influence ovarian cancer risk. The glycaemic index (GI) and glycaemic load (GL) are measures that allow the carbohydrate content of individual foods to be classified according to their postprandial glycaemic effects and hence their effects on circulating insulin levels. Therefore, we examined ovarian cancer risk in association with GI and GL, and intake of dietary carbohydrate and sugar.

Methods

The study was conducted in a prospective cohort of 49 613 Canadian women enrolled in the National Breast Screening Study (NBSS) who completed a self-administered food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) between 1980 and …

Writing The World: Ursula K. Le Guin And Margaret Atwood’S Literary Contributions To Ecofeminism, Melissa Messer

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Along with the philosophical writings of ecofeminism’s greatest proponents and critics, the growth of ecofeminist philosophy has relied heavily on fiction writers. The term ecofeminism was coined in 1975, and the following year ecofeminism found fertile ground for exploration and growth in March Peircy’s science fiction novel, Woman on the Edge of Time (1976). The social, academic, and literary trends leading up to the emergence of ecofeminism, however, began well before 1975. Both Ursula K. Le Guin and Margaret Atwood are speculative fiction authors whose work before and after 1975 examines important ecofeminist topics and contributes to the growth of …

Risk Factors For Hiv Transmission Among Hispanic Men Who Have Sex With Men In Atlanta, Valerie A. Hepburn, Denyse N. Nanan

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

This study assessed and compared demographic factors, psychosocial factors, health seeking behavior, and sexual practices of two convenience samples of Hispanic/Latino gay men and men who have sex with men (MSM) in the metropolitan Atlanta region. The aim was to obtain data on emerging HIV/AIDS patterns in this group. Bilingual surveys were conducted in 2000 and 2006 at local gay bars. Discrepancies observed between HIV/AIDS knowledge and sexual behaviors in 2000 were replicated in 2006. Contrary to expected improvements due to enhanced HIV/AIDS education and awareness, risk behavior for HIV/STDs increased significantly between 2000 and 2006. These findings should inform …

Health Literacy Levels Among Adult Support Group Members And The General Adult Public : A Focus Group Approach, Daniel R. Czech, June Alberto, A. Barry Joyner

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Health literacy has been identified as lacking in 47% of Americans (The National Academies, 2004). While health literacy reports of studies conducted in the southern section of the United States are available (DeWalt et al., 2004; Kennen et al. 2005), this research team found limited research that provides health literacy levels of the southeast, rural Georgia population. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine and compare health literacy of health-related support group members and non group members in southeast Georgia utilizing a focus group methodology developed by Kreuger (1994). After Institutional Review Board approval at a local university, …

Toward A Population Health Model Of Segmented Assimilation: The Case Of Low Birth Weight In Los Angeles, Brian K. Finch, Nelson Lim, William Perez, D. Phuong Do

Faculty Publications

The authors adapt the segmented assimilation theory to a model population health, which posits that assimilation is actually harmful to migrants' health. The authors also specify models of individual and contextual factors to indirectly test the theory of segmented assimilation - a theory that posits interactions between individual and residential circumstances. Using Year 2000 vital statistics data merged with 2000 U.S. census data from Los Angeles County, the authors model the probability of being born low birth weight among the native and foreign born. Results confirm an immigrant advantage at the individual level and protective effects of immigrant coresidence at …

Local And National Health Advancement Using The Power Of Sport In South Africa, Lisa Zook

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

South Africa currently suffers greatly from disease and poverty. In particular, the country has a remarkably high prevalence of HIV/AIDS. This study looks at how the popularity of sport is being used to combat these social and health concerns. Many believe the power of sport is one means by which educational messages can be communicated to the public. Over a period of one month, three different sports related non-governmental organizations (NGOs) were examined. Two of the organizations, PeacePlayers International, which uses basketball to teach HIV/AIDS education and personal development, and loveLife Games, which uses sport to attract youth to their …

The Realization Of The Rights To Health, Education And Social Welfare Among Disabled Youth In Ingwavuma And Bhambanana, Kwazulu Natal, Ali Mumford

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This practicum based study was completed in an effort to explore the realization of the rights to health, education and social welfare for disabled children in Ingwavuma and Bhambana, KwaZulu Natal. Very little research has been done on disabled children in South Africa, and estimations of prevalence range from 3.3-6.4%. The absence of accurate data creates a situation where implementation of policy and delivery of services is slow and does not always address the most urgent needs. The new South Africa aimed to bring rights and freedom to all groups of people, but the question which this study attempts to …

Faith As A Means Of Healing: Traditional Medicine And The Ethiopian Orthodox Church In And Around Lalibela, Lauren Anderson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper examines and explores the relationship between indigenous medical traditions in Ethiopia and the healing rituals of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The practices still upheld by the Church today are explored in depth as is the prevalence of debtera, church educated traditional healers in Ethiopia. The relationship between traditional and modern modes of medical treatment in Ethiopia is explored as well as the legitimacy of both church healing and alternative medicine worldwide. Present research into the benefits of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) including mind/body healing is also examined.

Buscando La Luz: Changes In Partería And The Loss Of Feminine Autonomy In Oaxaca, Mexico, Hannah Ewert-Krocker

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Birth is one of the most fundamental moments of every human being’s life, and women have long been honored in the world’s societies as sacred and vital due to their important roles as life-givers. Because of the importance of birth in the lives and societies of human beings, birth and birthing practices can reveal many values of a culture and of the women within that culture and also demonstrate how and why those values are changing. The choices women make between traditional health care and more “modern” Western models are almost always influenced by the socio-economic and cultural conditions of …

Infant Mortality Trends Among Georgia Residents, 1995-2003: Targeting Healthy People’S 2010 Goals, Diana Sturges, Laura Gunn, Padmini Shankar, Shrikrishna Shroff

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Population-based trends in infant mortality among Georgia Residents between 1995 and 2003 were assessed on characteristics such as race, birth weight, neonatal and post-neonatal periods, and cause of death. A statistical analysis was conducted to show that the Georgia infant mortality rate (IMR) remained constant throughout the study period and averaged 8.67 per 1,000 live births. The analysis revealed racial disparities, with an IMR ranging from 6.03 in white infants to 13.76 in black infants, with less than one percent (0.86%) change, on average, among the differences between black and white mortality rates across the nine-year period. The disparities were …

Children's Behavioral Health Services In Baltimore: Walking The Continuum, Jennifer Ryan

National Health Policy Forum

This site visit explored the range of behavioral health services available for children in the city of Baltimore and in the state more broadly. Like many states, the policy community in Maryland has been working hard to meet the challenges of providing an effective continuum of care in the context of complex financing incentives and an overburdened educational and public health care system. Several promising practices have emerged, including the Wraparound practice model that offers individualized, comprehensive services and natural supports to achieve a positive set of outcomes for the child and family. The wraparound model incorporates both traditional services …

Analyse Des Stratégies De Manutention Chez Des Éboueurs Au Québec : Pistes De Réflexions Pour Une Formation À La Manutention Plus Adaptée, Denys Denis, Marie St-Vincent, Maud Gonella, Francis Couturier, Roselyne Trudeau

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Le travail des éboueurs est exigeant et comporte des risques pour la santé et la sécurité. Diverses solutions ont été mises de l’avant pour atténuer les contraintes de ce travail, la formation étant une avenue populaire. Pourtant, les contenus de formation, quand ils existent, sont souvent théoriques et peu adaptés à la réalité du travail. Suite à une demande d’une municipalité québécoise pour revoir son contenu de formation, l’ergonome en charge du projet a filmé plusieurs éboueurs dans différents contextes. Ce matériel unique a été exploité afin d’observer les stratégies de manutention des éboueurs en situation réelle de travail. L’objectif …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 83, No. 8, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news.

Medicare Advantage Payment Policy, Mark Merlis

National Health Policy Forum

Medicare Advantage (MA) plans have become a source of supplemental benefits for many Medicare beneficiaries. In many cases, MA plans are able to finance these extra benefits only because Medicare is paying them more than it would have spent to cover the same beneficiaries on a fee-for-service basis. As Congress considers curbing MA plan payments, this background paper explains how MA plans are paid and reviews recent trends in plan participation and enrollment. It then considers key issues raised by proposals to change the payment system.

Suppression Of Peroxisomal Enzyme Activities And Cytochrome P450 4a Isozyme Expression By Congeneric Polybrominated And Polychlorinated Biphenyls, Larry W. Robertson, Isabelle Berberian, Tim Borges, Li-Chuan Chen, Ching K. Chow, Howard P. Glauert, Johannes G. Filser, Helmut Thomas

Toxicology and Cancer Biology Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of PCBs and PBBs on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha-(PPARalpha-) associated enzyme activities or protein levels. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered a single IP injection (150 mu mol/kg) of either 3,3',4,4'-tetrabromobiphenyl, 3,3',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl, 3,3',5,5'-tetrabromobiphenyl, 2',3,3',4,5-pentachlorobiphenyl, 3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl, 2,2',3,3',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl, or 3,3',4,4',5,5'-hexabromobiphenyl in corn oil (10 ml/kg). One week later, the activities of catalase, peroxisomal fatty acyl-CoA oxidase, and peroxisomal beta-oxidation as well as cytochrome P450 4A (CYP4A) protein content were determined in subcellular liver fractions. None of the peroxisomal enzyme activities were significantly increased by any of the halogenated biphenyl congeners tested. Except for minor …