Digital Commons Network^™

The Effect Of The Lifestyle, Exercise, And Nutrition (Lean) Study On Alcohol Consumption Among Breast Cancer Survivors, Isabella Sofia Berglund-Brown

Public Health Theses

Background: Alcohol use is an established risk factor for the development of breast cancer. Additionally, there is evidence that consuming alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer recurrence among survivors. A randomized controlled weight loss intervention called the Lifestyle, Exercise, and Nutrition (LEAN) Study resulted in clinically meaningful weight loss and improvements in aspects of diet among a population of breast cancer survivors. Since the LEAN intervention included some content related to alcohol consumption, we hypothesized that the LEAN intervention would result in a reduction in alcohol consumption at 6 months.

Methods: A total of 151 overweight and obese breast …

Self-Directed Behavioral Interventions For Health Promotion Among Graduate Students, Chelsea Brett

Public Health Theses

Background: Graduate school environments are recognized for contributing to elevated stress levels among student populations, particularly when compared to their non-academic peers. Graduate school settings can subsequently foster maladaptive coping strategies among students, including self-isolation, poor nutrition choices, engaging with less physical exercise, and substance misuse. Self-stigma related to mental health care may additionally discourage students from seeking mental health treatment. The objective of this study was to explore whether self-directed behavioral interventions, delivered in the context of a course on behavior change, are effective in promoting health among this population. Prior studies have shown that self-directed behavioral interventions can …

Personalized Multimedia Videos As Reminiscence Therapy For Persons With Dementia, Julia Rose Donald

Public Health Theses

Reminiscence therapies are an effective intervention in increasing self-esteem, well-being, sense of personhood and even reducing distress and confusion in persons with dementia. There is even evidence that reminiscence therapies can slightly slow the progression of dementia, by enabling a cohesive narrative and sense of identity. This paper will consider relevant literature and explore the potential of using modern technological advances, such as a wealth of digital media and the ability to scan old photos, to create personalized and engaging life narratives. In addition to this paper, this special project will include a concrete example of this type of video …

Association Between Maternal Depressive Symptoms And Hypertension Among African American Mothers In The Intergen Study, Xiaosong Gao

Public Health Theses

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the association between maternal depressive symptoms and hypertension among African American mothers from the InterGEN study.

Data Source: The Intergenerational Blood Pressure (InterGEN) Study was a longitudinal study which enrolled 250 African American mother-child dyads based in Southwest and Central Connecticut.

Methods: We used logistic regression models to examine the association between depressive symptoms and hypertension, and adjusted for educational level, employment in the past 6 months, and Race-Related Events Score (RRES). We used growth curve modeling to examine the association of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) …

Marketing Of (Bms): Content Analysis Of Breast Milk Substitutes Digital Marketing On Chinese E-Commerce Platforms, Shannon Han

Public Health Theses

Background: China has one of the largest and fastest-growing breast milk substitutes (BMS) industries and a disproportionately low exclusive breastfeeding rate. The rapid penetration of technology and the internet, together with convenience-oriented lifestyles, has led to the dominance of the e-commerce industry in China. Many BMS manufacturers have established e-commerce flagship stores and use them as main retail and marketing channels.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the BMS retail websites on the largest business to consumer (B2C) e-commerce platform TMall, to characterize the marketing themes and strategies used to target consumers. It was specifically designed to improve our understanding …

Cardiovascular Outcomes In Hypertension As Defined By Proof-Bp Using Nhanes 2015-2016, Kamran Javadi

Public Health Theses

Hypertension is one of the most common medical conditions, affecting nearly one-third of Americans.1 Chronic high blood pressure is the cause of numerous cardiovascular diseases which cost the United States over $100 billion annually.1 The American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association have recently challenged the previous definition of hypertension by suggesting those with a blood pressure of ≥130/80 mmHg now have the disease.2 This new threshold would classify nearly 50% of Americans as hypertensive.2 Establishing a diagnosis of hypertension can be difficult and resource intensive requiring patients to have serial recordings over 24-hours. Until recently there has been …

Development Of A Comprehensive Sexual Education Curriculum For A Private, Independent Day School For Students Pre-K Through 8th Grade, Haja I. Kamara

Public Health Theses

This paper describes the development of a comprehensive sex education (CSE) curriculum for The Country School (TCS), a coeducational, independent school in Madison, CT that serves approximately 200 students in Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade. CSE describes a wide array of sex education programs and curricula that are scientifically accurate, culturally and age-appropriate, gender-sensitive and life skills-based. The goal for this project is multi-pronged: adapt existing health education programming, build out a new health and wellness program with a distinct scope and sequence for each grade level that includes resources and supports for ongoing parent education and professional development. To inform …

Impact Of A 6-Month Exercise Intervention On Cognitive Function Among Ovarian Cancer Survivors: The Women’S Activity And Lifestyle Study In Connecticut (Walc), Jonica Yu Kao

Public Health Theses

Purpose: Cancer survivors often exhibit symptoms of impaired cognitive abilities after chemotherapy treatment. Physical activity has been shown to be promising in improving cognitive function among survivors for various types of cancer. However, very few studies have addressed this concern among the ovarian cancer patient population specifically.

Methods: The study randomized 111 physically-inactive ovarian cancer survivors into a 6-month exercise intervention (n=59) or an attention-control group (n=52). The FACT-Cog scale was self-reported to understand survivor perceptions of cognitive abilities at baseline and at 6 months. Generalized linear models (GLMs) were executed to examine the effect of the intervention versus attention-control …

Investigating The Community-Level Variation In Hookworm Prevalence In The Kpandai District, Ghana: A Mixed-Methods Study, Harry Hyunteh Hyunteh Kim

Public Health Theses

Soil-transmitted helminths are a major cause of disability and morbidity in resource-poor settings: over 1.5 billion are estimated to be at risk of infection. Human behaviors and household socioeconomic conditions that facilitate contact with contaminated soil may increase exposure to parasites. The primary objective of the study was to investigate the community-level variation in hookworm prevalence in the Kpandai district of Ghana.

We used a mixed-methods approach to investigate behavioral, societal and environmental risk factors to hookworm exposure. 264 individuals from three neighboring villages (Jagbigbingdo [JG], Takumdo [TK], Wiae Chabor [WC]) were recruited using a convenience sampling strategy. Household questionnaires …

Birth Outcomes Associated With Heavy Metal Exposures In The Surroundings Of A Former Chemical Plant In Târnăveni, Romania, Jenny Wai Kun

Public Health Theses

Heavy metal exposures have long been a public health concern, research on this field may promote policies and regulations to restrict or limit certain industrial practices. This study aims to evaluate potential associations between toxic heavy metal exposures via contaminated environmental media and the frequency of the birth defects in the designated area: Tarnaveni, Romania; historically contaminated by a former chemical plant. In 2018, a pilot investigation conducted on the site demonstrated that chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), and manganese (Mn) are common heavy metal contaminants found. Soil concentrations for all three metals exceeded normal background levels according to Romanian Environmental …

Prevalence, Awareness And Control Of Hypertension And Diabetes Among Hiv Positive And Negative Patients At The Military Hospital Of Douala, Cameroon, Duane Killian Madziva

Public Health Theses

Background: With anti-retroviral therapy (ART) prolonging the survival of people of living with HIV/ AIDS, other chronic co-morbidities such as hypertension, and diabetes are becoming an increasing problem. Studies on hypertension and diabetes in Sub-Saharan Africa are still limited, even with the growing concern of Africa’s dual burden of chronic and infectious diseases. As such, we aimed to determine the prevalence, awareness and control of hypertension and diabetes among people living with and without HIV/ AIDS in Cameroon. Methods: This was a hospital-based cross-sectional study conducted at the Military Hospital of Douala, Cameroon. Participants aged 21 – 65 years were …

Wealth Inequality And Health: Understanding Health Disparities Without A Wealth Of Knowledge, Emily Bunker Peterson

Public Health Theses

Even though wealthier individuals have better health outcomes than their poorer counterparts surprisingly little research has attempted to demonstrate the link between wealth and health at the individual level. Instead, previous research into the wealth-health connection has primarily focused on analyzing the connection between annual income and health outcomes. However, analyzing income alone understates the full magnitude of socioeconomic disparities and their impact on health.

This study is a secondary analysis of responses from 2,442 respondents to waves 1 and 2 of the Perceptions of Economic Security Survey conducted through the American National Election Studies program. A created variable that …

Relationship Between Food Craving And Food Selection, Elizabeth Marie Raiff

Public Health Theses

Objective: The primary aim of this study was to determine the influence of craving on food selection.

Research Methods and Procedures: A total of 95 viable participants completed the food craving inventory

(FCI), a restaurant meal selection questionnaire, and various demographic questions. Linear regression

modeling was used to analyze the relationship between FCI craving score and various forms of caloric intake.

Logistic regression models were utilized to analyze the relationship between “high-craving” status and food

selection.

Results: No significant findings resulted from modelling the relationship between craving category FCI scores

and craved caloric intake using Pearson’s coefficient. Likewise, no significant …

Cost Effectiveness Of A Produce Prescription Intervention, Danielle Raso

Public Health Theses

In this study, we examined the effectiveness, cost, and cost-effectiveness of a produce prescription program. The program analyzed in this study is run by Community Health and Social Services (CHASS) Center, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in Detroit, Michigan. The prescription produce intervention begins with eligibility screening and referral by patients’ physicians at clinical visits for eligibility. Eligible patients are then given “prescriptions” for free fruits and vegetables that they can exchange at participating farmers markets or farm stands. Farmers markets also host cooking demonstrations and distribute healthy recipes. Finally, coordinators and volunteers follow up with patients and provide …

The Relationship Between Race And Gender And Healthcare Outcomes For Patients In The Intensive Care Unit, Ria Rungta

Public Health Theses

Objective: Although racial and gender disparities in healthcare treatment have been widely studied, relatively few studies have focused on the critically ill population and have had conflicting results. In this study, we sought to assess the associations between a patient’s race and gender and their ICU mortality, length of stay, and any observed delays in the discharge process.

Methods: We utilize a large single-center database called MIMIC-III to analyze the association be- tween a patient’s race and gender and the outcomes of hospital mortality, ICU length of stay, and delays in discharge process. All analysis is conducted using R. Multivariable …

Are Food Baskets Helpful For Refugees With Chronic Illnesses In Sub-Saharan Africa?, Anthony Russell

Public Health Theses

ABSTRACT

Refugees are among some of the most vulnerable populations in our world today. Food insecurity appears to be a consistent state among many refugee populations regardless of length of refugee status and setting. The primary study aims were to: a) identify factors influencing refugees’ ability to manage their chronic illnesses; b) describe food insecurity and dietary intake among refugees with chronic illnesses; c) understand the role food baskets play for this population.

A cross-sectional mixed methods study was conducted in two phases. Phase 1 consisted of 10 in-depth interviews with older adult refugees to identify factors influencing their management …

Promoting Ecosystem And Human Health Under Climate Change ——An Integrated Analysis Of Sustainable Olive Cultivation In Cyprus, Ningjing Wang

Public Health Theses

Achieving agricultural sustainability has become a high priority to ensure society’s current and future food needs without compromising ecosystem health, economic profitability, and human well-being. Organic agriculture has been proposed as an alternative to conventional farming for meeting sustainable goals. However, empirical evidence linking organic farming, human health, and sustainability in the context of climate change is scarce. In addition, previous studies comparing organic and conventional agriculture have not considered the variation in farming practices within the same management regime.

In this study, a multi-criteria sustainability assessment framework with ten indicators has been developed and proposed for sustainable olive cultivation …

Solid Fuel-Related Indoor Air Pollution And Poor Sleep Quality In Adults Aged 45 Years And Older; A National Longitudinal Study In China, Haiqing Yu

Public Health Theses

Background: Sleep disorders are a common public health issue in an aging society. Outdoor air pollution has been linked to poor sleep quality, but few studies have investigated the relationship between indoor air pollution derived from solid fuel combustion and sleep quality in elderly.

Objective: To evaluate the association between indoor air pollution due to cooking solid fuels and sleep quality among adults aged 45 years and elderly in China.

Methods: We analyzed data from the China Health and Retirement Survey (CHARLS), a national survey of ~17,000 residents aged over 45 from 150 counties/districts in China. Participants were restricted to …

Accelerometer-Measured Physical Activity And Sedentary Time Among Samoan Adults And Associations With Type 2 Diabetes And Hypertension, Parmida Zarei

Public Health Theses

Objectives: (1) To describe accelerometer-measured physical activity among Samoan adults; (2) to determine associations between physical activity and type 2 diabetes and hypertension; and (3) to assess adherence to global physical activity recommendations.

Participants: Three hundred eighty-five Samoan adults aged 30-72 years.

Setting: Participants were recruited from 23 villages on the Samoan island of ‘Upolu (eight urban, seven peri-urban, and eight rural).

Measurements: Self-reported demographic information including age, census region of residence, and occupation was collected. Anthropometric measurements including weight and height were taken in light island clothing, and body mass index was calculated. Sedentary time, light-intensity physical activity, and …

An Interprofessional Clinical Placement In A Primary Healthcare Setting: A Pilot Study, Christina Aggar, Beth Mozolic-Staunton, Renee Joyce Lovi, Maggie Scorey, Melissa Kemp, Tara Walker, Sian Lewis

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Internationally, and in Australia, interprofessional education (IPE) is becoming typical in primary healthcare delivery and is core to delivering patient-centred care. It is essential that primary healthcare education develop interprofessional capacity in order to produce a skilled workforce. An IPE clinical placement for undergraduate health students was developed and piloted in primary healthcare settings. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the IPE clinical placement in a primary healthcare setting on students’ perceptions of interprofessional education. Method: A pre-post placement validated questionnaire (n=19) indicated overall perceptions of IPE significantly increased over the course of …

Does Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status Moderate The Association Between Adhd And Overweight/Obesity?, Ayanna N. Gilmore

Dissertations and Theses

This study aimed to examine whether neighborhood-level socioeconomic status (NSES) moderated the Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)-overweight/obesity association. Participants (N=568; mean (SD) age = 20.74 (3.20) years; 70.8% female) were part- time or full-time students attending the City College of New York. They were recruited through an online platform and participated in the study in exchange for course credit. Eligible participants were required to self-report their height, weight, from which body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Participants were categorized as Low BMI (Underweight or Typical BMI) or High BMI (Overweight or Obese BMI). Participants self-reported current ADHD symptoms using the ADHD-EF Index …

Women Empowerment In Agriculture And Food Security In Savannah Accelerated Development Authority Zone Of Ghana, Akanganngang Joseph Asitik, Benjamin Musah Abu

All Rsif Scholars' Publications

Purpose – This paper assessed the causal effect of women empowerment in agriculture (WEA) on household food security in the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) zone of Ghana. Design/methodology/approach – The study used the extended probit regression with endogenous treatment to account for potential endogeneity of empowerment and food security using data from the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Feed the Future baseline survey. Findings – All three indicators of women empowerment positively impact food security. In specific terms, when women participate in crop and livestock decision-making in the household, and when they have access to cultivable lands, …

Disparities In The Prevalence And Risk Factors Of Anaemia Among Children Aged 6–24 Months And 25–59 Months In Ethiopia, Tafere Gebreegziabher Belay, Nigatu Regassa, Micaela Wakefield, Kelly Pritchett, Susan Hawk

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of Education and Professional Studies

Despite global efforts made to address anaemia, the prevalence remains high in most Sub-Saharan African countries. In Ethiopia, anaemia poses a very strong public health concern. The purpose of the present study was to examine the key risk factors related to anaemia among children aged 6–24 months (younger age group) and 25–59 months (older age group). We used the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey data, collected from 11 023 mothers with under five children. Ordered logistic regression modelling was used for assessing risk factors of childhood anaemia. The results suggest that the prevalence of anaemia was 72 % in …

Ampk In The Ventromedial Nucleus Of The Hypothalamus: A Key Regulator For Thermogenesis, Hailan Liu, Yong Xu, Fang Hu

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Obesity has become a global health issue, but effective therapies remain very limited. Adaptive thermogenesis promotes weight loss by dissipating energy in the form of heat, thereby representing a promising target to counteract obesity. Notably, the regulation of thermogenesis is tightly orchestrated by complex neuronal networks, especially those in the hypothalamus. Recent evidence highlights the importance of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) within the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH) in modulating thermogenesis. Various molecules, such as GLP-1, leptin, estradiol, and thyroid hormones, have been reported to act on the VMH to inhibit AMPK, which subsequently increases thermogenesis through the …

Development Of A Rapid And Efficient Protoplast Isolation And Transfection Method For Chickpea (Cicer Arietinum), Ninghui Cheng, Paul A Nakata

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is the second most important grain legume worldwide. Recent advances in the sequencing of the chickpea genome has provided a new and valuable resource to aid efforts in gene discovery and crop trait improvement. Technical difficulties in stable chickpea transgenics and the lack of a transient expression system for rapid analysis of gene expression and function; however, has limited the usefulness of this genomic resource. As a step toward alleviating this limitation, we report here the development of a simple and efficient transient gene expression protocol. Using leaves from chickpea seedlings, we have established a …

Classify Multicategory Outcome In Patients With Lung Adenocarcinoma Using Clinical, Transcriptomic And Clinico-Transcriptomic Data: Machine Learning Versus Multinomial Models, Fei Deng, Lanlan Shen, He Wang, Lanjing Zhang

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Classification of multicategory survival-outcome is important for precision oncology. Machine learning (ML) algorithms have been used to accurately classify multi-category survival-outcome of some cancer-types, but not yet that of lung adenocarcinoma. Therefore, we compared the performances of 3 ML models (random forests, support vector machine [SVM], multilayer perceptron) and multinomial logistic regression (Mlogit) models for classifying 4-category survival-outcome of lung adenocarcinoma using the TCGA. Mlogit model overall performed similar to SVM and multilayer perceptron models (micro-average area under curve=0.82), while random forests model was inferior. Surprisingly, transcriptomic data alone and clinico-transcriptomic data appeared sufficient to accurately classify the 4-category survival-outcome …

Alien Babies And Angelina Jolie: Evaluating Sources Using Tabloids With A Taste Of News Literacy, Ashley Cole, Heather K. Beirne

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

This lesson plan/activity is meant to demonstrate the concepts of authorship and authority to first-year writing students. Students will use their prior knowledge and everyday experiences with subpar information and/or misinformation to draw parallels between evaluating academic, news, and popular sources.

Colors Of Fruits And Vegetables And Diabetes Risk In The United States Latino Population, Raymond Anthony Colon

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Objectives: Fruits and vegetables (FV) play an important role in people’s health. The current study aimed analyzed if specific colors of FV are associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) risk in the United States (US) Hispanic/Latino population.

Methods: This study used participants from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL). It is a multi-center, prospective cohort study with 5,740 self-identified Hispanic/Latino individuals from 2008-2011. Data collected include anthropometrics, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), dietary intake, medical history, physical activity, and sociodemographic information. FV are categorized into five color groups: green, white, yellow/orange, red/purple, and uncategorized.

Results: A total …

Effects Of Abiotic Factors On Host Plant Quality And Community Structure Of The Parasitoid Guild That Attacks Asphondylia Borrichiae Midges On Borrichia Frutescens, Kevin Orta

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Asphondylia borrichiae is a gall-inducing insect that attacks its ancestral host plant Borrichia frutescens: through ovipositional mistakes it has acquired two additional hosts, Iva frutescens and Iva imbricata. Oviposition results in the formation of a gall, a tumor-like growth of plant tissue within which immature A. borrichiae develop. During development, immature A. borrichiae, are attacked by a suite of four generalist hymenopteran parasitoids. Of these, Galeopsomyia haemon and Torymus umbilicatus are facultative hyperparasitoids, more common and exhibit non-random attack patterns. In the present study, soil quality was manipulated through bi-weekly application of either ammonium nitrate fertilizer or sodium …

Exploring The Impact Of A Nutrition Support Workshop For Ghanaian Nutrition Professionals, Sarah D. Zeola

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Ghana, a middle-income country in West Africa, has long experienced high rates of malnutrition and is increasingly struggling with nutritional challenges from non-communicable diseases including overweight, obesity, hypertension and stroke. There is an inadequate number of trained Ghanaian nutrition professionals to meet the demands of providing nutrition care for the citizens of Ghana and those professionals providing nutrition care have limited opportunities for continuing education. This quasi-experimental prospective, single cohort pre-test/post-test research was conducted in Accra, Ghana in September 2019 to determine if providing a nutrition support workshop to Ghanaian nutrition professionals (dietitians, dietetic interns, dietetic students and nutritionists) would …