Digital Commons Network^™

The Microbiome And Pneumonia Disease Severity In Asthmatic Children, Sarah Rae Wannier

Public Health Theses

Background: Pnuemonia is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and children diagnosed with asthma have been shown to be at greatly increased risk of recurrent Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP). CAP in asthmatic children can incur nearly double the healthcare costs and lead to poorer outcomes during the course of the pneumonia infection.

Objective: This study seeks to determine if sputum (SP) samples may be used in the pediatric population to better understand the microbiome environment during severe pneumonia in place or in conjunction with the more commonly used nasopharyngeal (NP) samples. Additionally, this study seeks to identify features of …

Acculturation And Likelihood Of Exclusive Breastfeeding Among Liberian Refugees And Ghanaians Living In Buduburam Camp In Ghana: A Cross-Sectional Study, Meley T. Woldeghebriel

Public Health Theses

Poor breastfeeding practices can put children at increased risk of morbidity and mortality particularly due to diarrheal and respiratory diseases and impaired physical and mental development. It is therefore important to understand the determinants of exclusive breastfeeding, particularly among residents in refugee settlements who may not have access to key resources and health education. The purpose of this study was to explore if acculturation influenced exclusive breastfeeding practices among Liberian refugees living in the Buduburam refugee settlement. A cross-sectional survey was administered between July - August 2008 to Ghanaian and Liberian women, with at least one biological child between 6 …

Does Financial Literacy Contribute To Food Security?, Katherine Grace Carman, Gema Zamarro

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

Food insecurity, not having consistent access to adequate food for active, healthy lives for all household members is most common among low income households. However, income alone is not sufficient to explain who experiences food insecurity. This study investigates the relationship between financial literacy and food security. We find that low income households who exhibit financial literacy are less likely to experience food insecurity.

Acculturation And Diabetes Risk Among Mexican Americans, Chelsea Anderson

Public Health Theses

Mexican Americans experience a disproportionate burden of type 2 diabetes in the United States, but it is unclear how acculturation influences diabetes risk in this Hispanic subgroup. We studied the influence of acculturation on diabetes risk in a large cohort of Mexican Americans. Acculturation was assessed at baseline by means of language use, birth country, and duration of residence in the U.S. (among Mexico-born participants). Self-reported diabetes status was ascertained during annual follow-up interviews. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to model the influence of each acculturation proxy variable on incident diabetes. Interactions with each acculturation measure were also tested …

Evaluation Of Yale New Haven Health System Employee Wellness Program, Raj Ahsan

Public Health Theses

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of the Yale New Haven Health System (YNHHS) Employee Wellness Program.

Methods: A pre- and post- study design of wellness-enrolled employees from YNHHS was conducted. Biometric screening, Health Risk Assessment, one-on-one counseling and other wellness interventions were made available to 20,630 employees across the health system. There were 8,164 individuals who participated in both 2013 and 2014. Analysis was performed on the biometric measurement data obtained at initial screening in 2013 and follow up screening in 2014.

Results: Clinically and statistically significant improvements were seen after one year in biometric measures: BMI, systolic blood pressures …

The Epidemiology Of Clostridium Difficile Infections Among Oncology Patients, Yunyoung Gina Chang

Public Health Theses

Clostridium difficile is the leading cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea. Oncology patients are a group of immunosuppressed patients who are at increased risk for C. difficile infection. The primary objective of this study was to describe the demographic factors, medical history, and clinical characteristics and identify risk factors for C. difficile infection among oncology patients. A retrospective chart review was conducted for this case-control study. Seventy-seven cases were compared to two control groups; one control group of patients with diarrhea but whose stool samples were tested and were negative for C. difficile (n=77), and a second control group of patients matched …

Environmental Policy Assessment & Observation (Epao) In Daycare Centers: Does The Daycare Provider And Environment Matter?, Jenna Ciotti

Public Health Theses

Abstract

Background: Prior to the development of the Activity Begins in Childhood (ABC) Trial, no cluster-randomized control trial has investigated the effectiveness of a physical activity intervention with daycare providers in Canada.

Rationale: Educating daycare providers about the importance of improving their preschooler’s gross motor skills, physical activity, and reducing sedentary time in their daycare environments is an important step toward diminishing the rates of childhood obesity and overweight across Canada.

Method: A total of N = 15 daycare centers were enrolled in the ABC trial and equally randomized to: Intervention 1, Intervention 2, or a Comparison Group. Intervention providers …

Gleaning In The Cedar Valley: A Post-Evaluation Study, Dylan Thomas Hillyer

Honors Program Theses

Gleaning is a term describing the act of either picking, cleaning or sorting produce that would otherwise be wasted. It is a practice long known to Europe, and in the past thirty years has gained immense popularity among non-profit organizations throughout the United States. The Cedar Valley Gleaning Program (CVGP) had its pilot-year in the fall of 2014. This thesis seeks to improve the efficacy of the CVGP through examining both the pilot year, and a qualitative study of gleaning operations worldwide, to answer the question: How can gleaning become an effective tool for communities in the Cedar Valley.

Wangari Gardens: Gardening For Community, Health & Happiness In Washington, Dc, Tracy George

Public Health Theses

Background: Wangari Gardens is a community garden and garden education nonprofit located in the northwest region of Washington, DC. The gardens consist of 110 individual garden plots, public gardens open to harvest by any local resident of DC, and an outdoor classroom that holds free weekly workshops on gardening topics for all community members.

Objective: To explore the health and community related experiences of community members who hold garden plots at Wangari Gardens.

Methods: 17 semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted at the community garden. Interviews lasted a half hour on average, and covered topics of how one chose to garden …

Community Systems, Health Knowledge, And The Role Of Promotoras De Salud In Rural Bolivia, Jennifer Grasso

Public Health Theses

Community Health Worker (CHW) programs have had a positive impact on public health across many settings worldwide. However, due to the nature of their vocation and the challenging health infrastructure in which they often work, these individuals commonly face significant barriers that threaten their performance as health promoters, educators, and liaisons. This qualitative research study assessed the perceived challenges for volunteers of a rural Promotoras de Salud program in Bolivia. Data were collected by way of in-person interviews with 20 active Promotoras de Salud of ten communities in the north central region. Results showed that two commonly reported sources of …

Effect Of Physical Activity On Lipid Markers In Breast Cancer Survivors Taking Aromatase Inhibitors: The Hormones And Physical Exercise Study, Norbert Hootsmans

Public Health Theses

The use of aromatase inhibitors (AIs) has been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease and unfavorable changes in lipid profile in postmenopausal breast cancer survivors. In other populations, physical activity has been shown to successfully reduce CVD risk and improve lipid parameters. The Hormones and Physical Exercise (HOPE) study was a yearlong randomized trial examining the impact of exercise vs. usual care on AI-associated side effects. This analysis examined the effect of exercise on lipid profiles among HOPE participants.

We enrolled 121 physically inactive (<90 min/wk of aerobic activity and no strength training) postmenopausal breast cancer survivors receiving an AI for at least 6 months. Participants were randomly assigned to exercise (150 min/wk of aerobic exercise and supervised strength training 2x/wk) or to usual care. Fasting blood samples (>12 hours) were collected at the baseline, 6- and 12-month clinic visits. Intervention effects …

Relative Importance Of Phenotypic Trait Matching And Species' Abundances In Determining Plant - Avian Seed Dispersal Interactions In A Small Insular Community, Aaron González-Castro, Suann Yang, Manuel Nogales, Tomas A. Carlo

Biology

Network theory has provided a general way to understand mutualistic plant-animal interactions at the community level. However, the mechanisms responsible for interaction patterns remain controversial. In this study we use a combination of statistical models and probability matrices to evaluate the relative importance of species morphological and nutritional (phenotypic) traits and species abundance in determining interactions between fleshyfruited plants and birds that disperse their seeds. The models included variables associated with species abundance, a suite of variables associated with phenotypic traits (fruit diameter, bird bill width, fruit nutrient compounds), and the species identity of the avian disperser. Results show that …

Mining, Risk And Climate Resilience In The 'Other' Pacific: Latin American Lessons For The South Pacific, Anthony J. Bebbington, Jeffrey Bury, Nicholas Cuba, John Rogan

Geography

We suggest the value of considering Pacific Latin America and the South Pacific in relationship to each other in contexts of climate change and investment in extractive industry. The paper explores the interactions between extractive industry, climate change and environmental governance through the lenses of double exposure, double movements, resilience and risk. The first part of the paper addresses the nature and scope of investments in extractive industries in this 'other Pacific'. The geography of these investments is changing the actual and perceived distribution of exposure and risk in the region. The nature of this risk is also being affected …

Nursing Care At The End Of Life: What Every Clinician Should Know, Susan E. Lowey

Milne Open Textbooks

Nursing Care at the End of Life: What Every Clinician Should Know should be an essential component of basic educational preparation for the professional registered nurse student. Recent studies show that only one in four nurses feel confident in caring for dying patients and their families and less than 2% of overall content in nursing textbooks is related to end-of-life care, despite the tremendous growth in palliative and end-of-life care programs across the country. The purpose of this textbook is to provide an indepth look at death and dying in this country, including the vital role of the nurse in …

Possible Adaptations To The United States From South Korea's Healthcare System, Priyadharshini Chidambaram

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

No abstract provided.

Empirical Investigation Of Samhsa’S (Substance Abuse And Mental Health Services Administration) Model Of Wellness, Dipanjana Das

Dissertations and Theses

The quest to operationalize the construct of wellness has been elusive. Part of the difficulty resides in the way wellness has been conceptualized in the literature, using different non-overlapping models. Another drawback is that many existing models are not based on solid empirical evidence. The current study addressed these limitations by assessing the empirical validity of SAMHSA’s (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) model of wellness. We created an instrument to assess wellness based on a thorough review of the literature that serves as the basis of the SAMHSA model that can be used to assess wellness. Findings revealed …

Food Imports As A Hindrance To Food Security And Sustainable Development: The Cases Of Nigeria And Senegal, Dioume Astou

Dissertations and Theses

Despite the growing global acceptance of an individual’s right to adequate food and nutrition, and the state’s obligation to ensure that all its citizens are free from hunger, 805 million or one in nine people around the world today are still chronically malnourished; the majority live in developing countries. African states have had a particular problem with food insecurity. Food security on the continent has worsened since the 1970s and by the end of the century, the population in Africa is

expected to be three times its current level. Hence, food insecurity in Africa will be much more severe than …

World Bank, Agriculture And Policy: A Case Study In Ghana And Ethiopia, Steven Margel

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis tests the effectiveness of the World Bank’s agricultural-aid policy by examining case studies in Ghana and Ethiopia in the period of 2000-2010. Each study examines the policy context, project/program success, overall human development results, and threats to sustainability, of agricultural aid. The primary hypothesis of the paper is that participatory processes and inclusive institutions will prove to be decisive factors. Each case is tested against this political view of aid in addition to three additional images (Destructive, Ineffective, Effective Technical), in order to ensure a comprehensive review.

The Ghana case showed a lack of participation in forming the …

Extreme Levels Of Poverty And Inequality May Lead To Equally High Levels Of Social Conflict And Crime, Rukelt Dalberis,

Dissertations and Theses

Poverty and economic inequality remain a vexing concern in Latin America. The specter of crime continuously looms, creating a constant state of social discomfort in the region. Latin America has established an unparalleled zone of democracy. The region has also become an economic force.

The prevailing notion regarding the relationship between poverty and inequality with crime and conflict outbreaks is that violence tends to occur in regions where poverty is endemic. Inequality, as it is understood, breeds contempt. In this thesis, I test the hypothesis that extreme levels of poverty and inequality are likely to result in equally high levels …

Abstracts 2015: Highlights Of Student Research And Creative Endeavors, Columbus State University

Abstracts: Highlights of Student Research and Creative Endeavors

No abstract provided.

Sex Dependent Efficacy Of Taurine As A Treatment For Cocaine Drug Use: A Study Of Reward, Kevin Uribe

Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

Insomnia And Identity: The Discursive Function Of Sleeplessness In Modernist Literature, Sarah Kingston

Open Access Dissertations

This dissertation examines the topic of insomnia in British and American modernist literature, focusing primarily on the ways in which the condition of insomnia and the identity category of the “insomniac” intersect with other aspects of subjectivity, such as gender, occupation, race, and social class. Through examining insomnia from a narratological perspective, using fictional, philosophical, psychological, sociological, and medical literature, I discuss the discursive function of both this disorder and identity category during the Modernist period. It also explores the relationship between insomnia and Modernism itself, regarding both the discursive production of knowledge of insomnia and the insomniac during this …

An Exploratory Study Of The Role Of The Town Nurse, Lynn P. Blanchette

Open Access Dissertations

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) was designed to expand and refocus health care delivery to a more preventative mode as opposed to a curative one. Despite being a highly industrialized country, the United States of America (USA), ranks 37th in the world in a number of health outcomes including life expectancy, universal health coverage for core services, maternal outcomes and obesity rates among adults. Public health nursing is being called to respond to this need. What is missing from the literature is a description of the role of the Town Nurse.

A descriptive, exploratory study of the …

Effects Of Perfluorinated Compounds (Pfcs) On Metabolic Tissues And The Benefits Of Caloric Restriction, Deanna M. Salter

Open Access Dissertations

The CDC states that there has been a dramatic increase in obesity from 1990 to 2010. Type-II diabetes and obesity prevalence are increasing worldwide. Often, obesity and Type-II diabetes are concurrent, and predispose individuals to development of fatty liver disease, referred to as Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) are two commonly studied perfluorinated compounds (PFC’s) that are considered environmental toxicants that have the potential to elicit diabetic and NAFLD phenotypes. This dissertation presents novel findings of gaps within the literature to date. Traditionally, diabetes and obesity have been discussed in regard with …

Characterizing Nontarget Species Use At Bait Sites For White-Tailed Deer, Brent Bowman, Jerrold L. Belant, Dean E. Beyer Jr., Deborah Martel

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Baiting white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) has evolved into a controversial issue of wildlife management. During August–September 2012, we established a grid of 64 cameras in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan at sites baited with corn that simulated legal bait sites for white-tailed deer to characterize presence, diversity, and frequency of species use. We detected >20 species of wildlife that visited bait sites. We categorized 3,177 of 11,194 images as independent detections (i.e., species detected >1 hour apart). White-tailed deer had the greatest detection rate (47%), but overall detections of nontarget species was slightly greater (53%). Most frequent nontarget …

Does Body Condition Affect Immediate Post-Capture Survival Of Ungulates?, Louis C. Bender

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Many factors are known or are thought to increase vulnerability to capture-related mortality in ungulates. I compared body condition of Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelson), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), and pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) to assess whether those that survived capture differed from those that did not. Fate of ungulates was generally not related to condition (F_1,646 = 1.6; P = 0.21), and this relationship was similar among species (species × fate interaction: F_4,646 = 1.3; P = 0.29), season of capture (species × season × fate interaction: F_6,646 = …

Distance-Dependent Effectiveness Of Diversionary Bear Bait Sites, Stephen F. Stringham, Ann Bryant

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Baiting black bears (Ursus americanus) to sites outside a community can alleviate famine-induced spikes in human–bear conflicts. But little is known about effects of distance between baits and communities. Bears were lured out of towns in California’s Tahoe Basin to baits in adjacent forests. Delay between onsets of baiting and decline in bear–human conflict was directly related to each community’s distance from the nearest bait. The amount and rate that conflicts declined were inversely related to distance. In 7 communities about 1 km from a bait, conflicts declined 41% after 1 month and 93% after 3 months; mean …

Role Of School Boards In Promoting Social Justice : A Critical Race Theory Perspective, Tia Lorese Robinson

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to gain insight into how school boards learn their roles when dealing with issues of race and class. This study explored how school board members learned, how school board members were socialized to learn their roles, the various contexts that shaped their learning and decision making, the role that race and class played in shaping their racialized lived experiences, and how their racialized lived experiences impacted their decision making.;A qualitative case study analysis was used for this study. This study was conducted on an urban elementary school district located in the Midwest. Four Black …

Exploring The Impact And Benefits Of A Health Education Program At Turtle Mountain, Shane Michael Martin

Theses and Dissertations

The Turtle Mountain Chippewa Tribal members in North Dakota have long suffered from severe poverty and accompanying social stresses that threaten the social fabric of the community. Ninety percent of students attending college from the Turtle Mountain Reservation qualify for educational assistance based on financial need (Northwest Area Foundation, 2014). Youth, between the ages of 10 and 18, struggle with historic and present day, multi-generational, trauma and poverty exhibiting risk factors exemplified by suicide attempts; depression; hopelessness; despair; alcohol, meth and/or other substance abuse; increased anger; conflicts; aggression, violence; and poor performance in school. Schools on the Turtle Mountain Reservation …

N-Cadherin Expression And Emt Progression In Arsenic- And Cadmium-Transformed Urotsa, Elizabeth Sandquist

Theses and Dissertations

Environmental agents are common causes of bladder cancer. Specifically, arsenic (As3+) and cadmium (Cd2+) are known carcinogens implicated in the development of bladder cancer. Previous studies from our laboratory have shown that As3+ and Cd2+ can cause malignant transformation of normal immortalized bladder urothelial cells, which can form tumors when injected subcutaneous or intraperitoneal into nude mice. Microarray analysis of repeated metal transformation in parallel revealed that N-cadherin was the most upregulated gene in As3+ transformants, and a top induced gene in Cd2+-transformed cells. The switch from E-cadherin to N-cadherin is a well-known indicator of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition occurring in …