Digital Commons Network^™

Retail Pharmacy Clinic Antibiotic Stewardship Program And Guidelines, Abdulrahman Sudi Amiri

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Overuse of antibiotics poses serious consequences for patient's well-being, including the risk for antibiotic resistance and adverse effects from inadequate and timely treatment. The emergence and frequency of multi-drug resistant bacteria are alarming global public health care experts, as these strains are resisting effective management of life-threatening infections. The gap in practice was that a retail pharmacy clinic did not have a practice guideline for the implementation of a wait-and-see prescription program as part of an antimicrobial stewardship program. The purpose of this project was to coordinate an interprofessional team to develop guidelines for this primary care setting. The practice-focused …

Relationship Between Clostridium Difficile Testing Method, Antibiotic Treatment, And Clinical Symptoms, Jennifer L. Sanguinet

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infection is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States, making the infection a top public health priority. Early and accurate identification of disease is a critical factor in successful management, including clinical symptomology. The testing methods for C. difficile have improved in efficiency and sensitivity, which potentially causes over- or underprescribing behavior. Guided by the symbolic theory, the purpose of this study was to examine the association between C. difficile testing method by case year (2015 and 2018) and antibiotic treatment with the potential moderation of clinical symptoms. The secondary correlational analysis …

Perception Of Stress Observed By Family Members Of Dentists Who Have Committed Suicide, Lillian D. Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research aimed at the observed stress from being a dentist, and how it may have

impacted the occurrence of their suicide did not appear to be prevalent among empirical

suicide studies. The purpose of this basic, qualitative study was to explore how the

family members perceived occupational stress as precursor events in dentists who

committed suicide. Using the interpersonal theory of suicide as the conceptual basis, 4

family members of dentists who committed suicide were interviewed to understand how

family members perceived occupational stress in the dentist using semi structured

interviews. Through a series of precoding and recoding, interview data …

Association Between Mentoring Interventions And Drug Abuse Among African Americans Aged 10-24 Years, Anthonia Ifeyinwa Dunkwu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Drug abuse represents a significant public health problem worldwide, with socioeconomic consequences shaped by a cluster of behavioral, cognitive, and physiological phenomena and serious social, physical, emotional problems. The purpose of this study was to assess the association between mentoring interventions and drug abuse among African American young people. The health belief model was the theoretical framework. The secondary data analysis was done using the data set from the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The dependent variable was drug abuse, while the independent variable was mentoring interventions. The Chi-square analysis revealed an association between participation in school-based …

Predictors Of Use Of Pap Tests Among Ghanaian Immigrant Women In Ohio, Baaba Forson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, cervical cancer disproportionately affects members of ethnic minorities, including immigrant women from Ghana. Overall cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates have declined in the United States due to opportunistic screening with Pap tests; however, rates have not declined for Black women and immigrant women, who continue to experience higher than average mortality rates. Immigrant women, including Ghanaian women, use screening less than nonimmigrant women. Several factors including poor acculturation, low educational level, certain personal attitudes, and lack of health insurance are known to reduce participation in screening. Using the theory of planned behavior as a guide, …

Relationship Between Clostridium Difficile Testing Method, Antibiotic Treatment, And Clinical Symptoms, Jennifer L. Sanguinet

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infection is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States, making the infection a top public health priority. Early and accurate identification of disease is a critical factor in successful management, including clinical symptomology. The testing methods for C. difficile have improved in efficiency and sensitivity, which potentially causes over- or underprescribing behavior. Guided by the symbolic theory, the purpose of this study was to examine the association between C. difficile testing method by case year (2015 and 2018) and antibiotic treatment with the potential moderation of clinical symptoms. The secondary correlational analysis …

Microvascular Disease And Chronic Kidney Disease In Persons With Diabetes In Grenada, Jennifer Elizabeth Lewis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a set of pathophysiological reactions that impact the functionality of the kidney. The association between microvascular disease (MVD) and CKD as it relates to diabetes is important to the evaluation of organizational effectiveness in-hospital services planning as well as improving health outcomes. The purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional study was to determine if there is an association between MVD and CKD severity in persons with diabetes. Using the socioecological model, the association between gender, age group, cigarette smoke, cigarette smoke frequency, alcoholic drink, alcoholic drink frequency, hypertension, albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) severity, cholesterol, sickling (i.e. persons …

Increasing Compliance Of Chlorhexidine Wipes To Prevent Hospital-Acquired Infections, Kelly Jean Dunn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractHealthcare-acquired infections (HAIs) are complications of healthcare linked to increased mortality, morbidity, and length of stay. Assiduous surveillance and constant reeducation can decrease HAI incidence and reduce the healthcare burden caused by these events. Evidence has demonstrated that using 2% chlorhexidine wipes instead of bathing with soap and water greatly reduces the bacteria on the skin and prevents infections such as catheter-associated urinary tract infections and central line-associated bloodstream infections. The practice-focused question for this quality assurance doctoral project was to evaluate if an educational intervention improved compliance of chlorhexidine wipe use among ICU nurses with the hope of improving …

The Relationship Between Cervical Cancer And Women Living With Disabilities In Kentucky, Carolyn Akakpo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractDespite many national interventions, cervical cancer (CC) rates persist, and in Kentucky (KY), CC incidence rates are on the rise. Additionally, women with disabilities face more barriers to secondary prevention and healthcare access, have more known risks, and experience more health disparities than women without disabilities. Given that 1 in 4 persons live with a disability, the purpose of this observational, cross-sectional, quantitative study was to explore the relationship between CC and women with disabilities as evidenced by reproductive cancer discharges from inpatient hospital (IHD) and outpatient services databases (OSD) so as to compare population-specific differences from social determinants of …

The Need For Gender Specific Jail Reentry Programming To Help Female Ex-Inmates Experience Successful Community Reintegration, Penny Lee Humerick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Reentry programs seek to reduce recidivism while maintaining community safety. Most reentry programs have focused on prison reentry and rarely on the reintegration of female offenders from jail to community which left a gap in the research literature. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the barriers that hinder successful community reentry for the female offender. Using social learning theory as the theoretical perspective, this study was intended to gain a better understanding of criminality and deviant behavior among female jail detainees. To build a strong study and gain insight into jail reentry programs, institutional analysis and …

Health Systems Predictors And Trends Of Access To Vaccinations In 9 Sub-Saharan African Countries, Mirfin Mpundu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this ecological quantitative study was to examine the predictors of health systems building blocks and their interactions in improving access and uptake of immunizations in nine sub-Saharan African countries. Immunization rates in this region remain lower than global targets leading to preventable diseases and mortality. Using the systems approach, the study examined the relationships among five independent variables: quality of service delivery, governance, vaccine supply, health financing, socioeconomic factors and the dependent variable, access to immunizations. Datasets from the WHO and UNICEF were used. Analysis included a series of descriptive statistics, logistic and linear regression, and correlations. …

Game-Theoretical Model Of Retroactive Hepatitis B Vaccination In China, Vooha Putalapattu

UROP Posters

Game-Theoretical Model of Retroactive Hepatitis B Vaccination in China

Vooha Putalapattu, Depts. of Psychology, Chemistry, & Biology, with Dr. Jan Rychtar, Dept. of Mathematics

Hepatitis B (HepB) is one of the most common infectious diseases affecting over two billion people worldwide. About one third of all HepB cases are in China. In recent years, China made significant efforts to implement a nationwide HepB vaccination program and reduced the number of unvaccinated infants from 30% to 10%. However, many individuals still remain unprotected, particularly those born before 2003. Consequently, a catch-up retroactive vaccination is an important and especially cost-effective way to …

The Trump Administration’S Flawed Decision On Coronavirus Vaccine Injury Compensation: Recommendations For Changes, Peter H. Meyers

GW Law Faculty Publications & Other Works

This article discusses the problems with the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP), the Federal program to compensate individuals who have suffered injuries from COVID vaccines and other COVID countermeasures. The article compares the CICP with the other, better federal compensation program for injuries caused by childhood vaccines (the VICP), and proposes a number of changes to improve the CICP.

Mindfulness And Engagement In Covid-19 Preventive Behavior, Ilana Haliwa, Jerin Lee, Natalie J. Shook

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic represents a significant risk to population health. Health organizations worldwide have recommended numerous preventive health behaviors to slow the spread of COVID-19. Yet, considerable variability exists in individual-level adherence to these recommendations. Mindfulness has been associated with greater engagement in health promotive behavior (e.g., physical activity, healthy eating), and may serve as an individual difference factor that encourages adherence. However, no study to date has examined the extent to which mindfulness is associated with preventive health behaviors during a global pandemic. The purpose of the present study was to assess the relations between …

The Personal Responsibility Pandemic: Centering Solidarity In Public Health And Employment Law, Lindsay F. Wiley, Samuel R. Bagenstos

Articles

Our nation’s response to the coronavirus pandemic has revealed fundamental flaws in our legal regimes governing both public health and employment. Public health orders have called on individuals to make sacrifices to protect society as a whole. Simple fairness dictates that the burdens should be shared as widely as the benefits. And the case for burden-sharing does not rest on fairness alone. Public health measures are more likely to succeed when those who are subject to them understand them as fair1 and when their cooperation is supported. 2 Predictably, our pandemic response has placed disproportionate burdens on those who are …

Ebola And Emerging Infectious Diseases In Armed Conflict: Contemporary Challenges In Global Health Security Laws And Policies, Caroline Sell

Minnesota Journal of International Law, Vols. 28:2 onward (2019-present)

No abstract provided.

The Role Of The Frequency Of Trauma On The Effects Of Ptsd And Health On Firefighters And Police Officers, Lizbeth Cantu Cantu

Research Papers

This research paper is examining the role of frequency of trauma and the effects of PTSD and health on firefighters and police officers. There have been mixed findings regarding the relationship between trauma, PTSD, and health. Further research is needed to better understand these relationships, especially in high risks occupations such as firefighters and police officers. Firefighters and police officers are at greater risk for developing PTSD, negative health outcomes, and be exposed to multiple traumas and it is important to study how these relate. Furthermore, there is little research investigating the relationship of the frequency of trauma, PTSD, and …

Frequency And Clinical Significance Of Localized Adverse Events Following Mass Drug Administration For Lymphatic Filariasis In An Endemic Area In South India, Vijesh Sreedhar Kuttiatt, Roopali K Somani, Subramanian Swaminathan, Kaliannagounder Krishnamoorthy, Gary J Weil, Jambulingam Purushothaman

Open Access Publications

Fear of adverse events (AEs) negatively affects compliance to mass drug administration (MDA) for lymphatic filariasis (LF) elimination program. Systemic AEs are believed to occur because of killing of microfilariae, whereas localized soft tissue reactions might be due to the death of adult worms following therapy. Most AEs are mild and self-limited. However, localized AEs are sometimes more significant and of concern to participants. Here, we describe localized AEs that were noted during a large community study that evaluated the safety of a triple-drug regimen (ivermectin, diethylcarbamazine, and albendazole) for the treatment of LF in India. We have also discussed …

L-Plastin Deficiency Produces Increased Trabecular Bone Due To Attenuation Of Sealing Ring Formation And Osteoclast Dysfunction, Meenakshi A. Chellaiah, Megan C. Moorer, Sunipa Majumdar, Hanan Aljohani, Sharon C. Morley, Vanessa Yingling, Joseph P. Stains

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Protective Role Of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (Bdnf) In Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (Osas) Patients, Krisstopher Richard Flores, Fausta Viccaro, Mauro Aquilini, Stefania Scarpino, Francesco Ronchetti, Rita Mancini, Arianna Di Napoli, Davide Scozzi, Alberto Ricci

Open Access Publications

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a common disorder characterized by repeated episodes of upper airways collapse during the sleep. The following intermittent hypoxia triggers a state of chronic inflammation, which also interests the nervous system leading to neuronal damage and increased risk of cognitive impairment. Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a growth factor often associated with neuroplasticity and neuroprotection whose levels increase in several condition associated with neuronal damage. However, whether patients affected by OSAS have altered BDNF levels and whether such alteration may be reflective of their cognitive impairment is still controversial. Here we show that, when …

Roles Of Reconstituted High-Density Lipoprotein Nanoparticles In Cardiovascular Disease: A New Paradigm For Drug Discovery, Jiansheng Huang, Dongdong Wang, Li-Hao Huang, Hui Huang

Open Access Publications

Epidemiological results revealed that there is an inverse correlation between high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels and risks of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Mounting evidence supports that HDLs are atheroprotective, therefore, many therapeutic approaches have been developed to increase HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) levels. Nevertheless, HDL-raising therapies, such as cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) inhibitors, failed to ameliorate cardiovascular outcomes in clinical trials, thereby casting doubt on the treatment of cardiovascular disease (CVD) by increasing HDL-C levels. Therefore, HDL-targeted interventional studies were shifted to increasing the number of HDL particles capable of promoting ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1)-mediated cholesterol efflux. One such …

Effects Of Tdp2/Vpg Unlinkase Activity On Picornavirus Infections Downstream Of Virus Translation, Autumn C Holmes, Guido Zagnoli-Vieira, Keith W Caldecott, Bert L Semler

Open Access Publications

In this study, we characterized the role of host cell protein tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase 2 (TDP2) activity, also known as VPg unlinkase, in picornavirus infections in a human cell model of infection. TDP2/VPg unlinkase is used by picornaviruses to remove the small polypeptide, VPg (Virus Protein genome-linked, the primer for viral RNA synthesis), from virus genomic RNA. We utilized a CRISPR/Cas-9-generated TDP2 knock out (KO) human retinal pigment epithelial-1 (hRPE-1) cell line, in addition to the wild type (WT) counterpart for our studies. We determined that in the absence of TDP2, virus growth kinetics for two enteroviruses (poliovirus and coxsackievirus B3) …

Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections: A Focused Review Of Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Operative Management, Antimicrobial Therapy, And Pediatrics, Jeffrey M. Tessier, James Sanders, Massimo Sartelli, Jan Ulrych, Belinda De Simone, Julia Grabowski, Sara Buckman, Therese M. Duane

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Use Of Neuroimaging To Inform Optimal Neurocognitive Criteria For Detecting Hiv-Associated Brain Abnormalities, Laura M Campbell, David B Clifford, Et Al, Charter Group

Open Access Publications

OBJECTIVE: Frascati international research criteria for HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) are controversial; some investigators have argued that Frascati criteria are too liberal, resulting in a high false positive rate. Meyer et al. recommended more conservative revisions to HAND criteria, including exploring other commonly used methodologies for neurocognitive impairment (NCI) in HIV including the global deficit score (GDS). This study compares NCI classifications by Frascati, Meyer, and GDS methods, in relation to neuroimaging markers of brain integrity in HIV.

METHOD: Two hundred forty-one people living with HIV (PLWH) without current substance use disorder or severe (confounding) comorbid conditions underwent comprehensive neurocognitive …

The Long-Term Effects Of A Family Based Economic Empowerment Intervention (Suubi+Adherence) On Suppression Of Hiv Viral Loads Among Adolescents Living With Hiv In Southern Uganda: Findings From 5-Year Cluster Randomized Trial, Fred M. Ssewamala, Darejan Dvalishvili, Claude A. Mellins, Elvin H. Geng, Fredderick Makumbi, Torsten B. Neilands, Mary Mckay, Christopher Damulira, Proscovia Nabunya, Ozge Sensoy Bahar, Gertrude Nakigozi, Godfrey Kigozi, William Byansi, Miriam Mukasa, Flavia Namuwonge

Open Access Publications

BACKGROUND: The rapid scale-up of HIV therapy across Africa has failed to adequately engage adolescents living with HIV (ALWHIV). Retention and viral suppression for this group (ALWHIV) is 50% lower than for adults. Indeed, on the African continent, HIV remains the single leading cause of mortality among adolescents. Strategies tailored to the unqiue developmental and social vulnerabilities of this group are urgently needed to enhance successful treatment.

METHODS: We carried out a five-year longitudinal cluster randomized trial (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT01790373) with adolescents living with HIV (ALWHIV) ages 10 to 16 years clustered at health care clinics to test the effect …

A Ten-Year Retrospective Evaluation Of Acute Flaccid Myelitis At 5 Pediatric Centers In The United States, 2005-2014, Margaret M. Cortese, Anita K. Kambhampati, Jennifer E. Schuster, Zaid Alhinai, Gary R. Nelson, Gloria J. Guzman Perez-Carrillo, Arastoo Vossough, Michael A. Smit, Robert C. Mckinstry, Timothy Zinkus, Kevin R. Moore, Jeffrey M. Rogg, Meghan S. Candee, James J. Sejvar, Sarah E. Hopkins

Open Access Publications

BACKGROUND: Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) is a severe illness similar to paralytic poliomyelitis. It is unclear how frequently AFM occurred in U.S. children after poliovirus elimination. In 2014, an AFM cluster was identified in Colorado, prompting passive US surveillance that yielded 120 AFM cases of unconfirmed etiology. Subsequently, increased reports were received in 2016 and 2018. To help inform investigations on causality of the recent AFM outbreaks, our objective was to determine how frequently AFM had occurred before 2014, and if 2014 cases had different characteristics.

METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study covering 2005-2014 at 5 pediatric centers in 3 …

Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation In Patients With Primary Immune Regulatory Disorders (Pird): A Primary Immune Deficiency Treatment Consortium (Pidtc) Survey, Alice Y. Chan, Jeffrey J. Bednarski, Megan A. Cooper, Shalini Shenoy, Et Al

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Activating Immunity To Fight A Foe — A New Path, Richard S. Hotchkiss, Steven M. Opal

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Wikidata As A Knowledge Graph For The Life Sciences, Andra Waagmeester, Malachi Griffith, Obi L. Griffith, Et Al.

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Targeting Unconventional Host Components For Vaccination-Induced Protection Against Tb, Elisa Nemes, Shabaana A Khader, Rosemary V Swanson, Willem A Hanekom

Open Access Publications

The current tuberculosis (TB) vaccine, Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG), is effective in preventing TB in young children but was developed without a basic understanding of human immunology. Most modern TB vaccine candidates have targeted CD4