Digital Commons Network^™

An Argument And Model For Garden Corps, Sydney Ellis

Honors Theses

The benefits of community gardening have been thoroughly documented. Despite the value of community gardens, however, these gardens face many barriers that threaten their sustainability. This research investigated the benefits, barriers, and solutions to barriers of community gardening. The author performed literature review and conducted interviews with four community garden coordinators from the Chattanooga area to explore these topics. The author used the insights gained from the interviews to develop a business model for Garden Corps, a nonprofit dedicated to building capacity for community gardens.

Hepatitis C Treatment For Substance Users In North Dakota, Janae Arnold

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Papers

In the 1960’s, the hepatitis C virus (HCV) epidemic began mainly through the transmission of blood transfusions. By the time screening was implemented, millions had already become infected worldwide. After a decade of declining infection rates, a second wave started in the midst of the opioid epidemic in 2010. Prior to 2014 and the application of curative direct-acting antivirals, treatment was expensive, had low efficacy, many side effects, and long treatment durations. Advances in medicine have allowed for HCV elimination with shorter treatment durations, less side effects, and higher treatment rates. Unfortunately, treatment is not offered to all HCV patients …

Exploring Higher Weight Women's Experiences Of Provider Weight Stigma, Meredith W. Moore

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore the phenomena of weight stigma as experienced by higher weight women in mental health treatment who also engage in restrictive eating behaviors. Women in larger bodies who are emotionally or behaviorally restrictive in their eating behaviors face a unique set of challenges and barriers. These include challenges due the disordered eating behaviors themselves, along with barriers related to weight stigma perpetuated by the mental health providers treating them (Harrop, 2019). Distinct hurdles to proper treatment including delay of diagnosis, longer duration of symptoms, and increased distress related to eating and body …

Beyond The Covid-19 Pandemic, Havovi Joshi

Asian Management Insights

As COVID-19 infection rates stabilise throughout the world, countries have already begun to prepare for life beyond the pandemic. In this issue, leading academics and seasoned practitioners walk us through the challenges that lay before us, giving us insights into issues from public health and regulations revolving around Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation, to challenges faced in implementing digital transformation and their implications for lives, livelihood, and society as we tread gingerly into the post-COVID-19 world.

Exploring The Relationship Between Healthcare Access And Cancer Diagnosis, Kara Mccurdy

Health Sciences Student Scholarship

Kara McCurdy ’22
Major: Health Policy and Management
Minors: Mathematics and French
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Candidus Nwakasi, Health Policy and Management

Cancer affects millions of Americans each year and is one of the leading causes of death; social determinants of health play an important role in not only the prevention of cancer, but the prevalence of cancer among certain groups in our population. As one of the most prominent public health concerns, examining why cancer affects some more than others is an important part of prevention. Many people in the US lack access to healthcare due to costs and other …

Review Of Diabetes Among Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander People, Katherine Ride, Samantha Burrow

Journal of the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet

Diabetes is the fastest growing chronic disease condition globally. Type 2 diabetes in particular, has reached epidemic proportions, with the greatest burden falling on socially disadvantaged groups and Indigenous peoples.

This review focuses primarily on type 2 diabetes among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, which is responsible for the majority of cases of diabetes in this population. It provides general information on the social and cultural context of diabetes, and the behavioural and biomedical factors that contribute to diabetes among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

This review provides detailed information on:

• the extent of diabetes among Aboriginal and …

Prep Patient Attitudes, Beliefs And Perceived Barriers Surrounding Hpv Vaccination: A Qualitative Study Of Semistructured Interviews With Prep Patients In Primary Care Clinics In Kansas And Missouri., Zoe C Sullivan-Blum, Margaret Brophy, Ryan Didde, Radha Nagireddy, Hannah Swagerty, Sumiko Weir, Kevin J. Sykes, Craig Dietz, Marcus Alt, Megha Ramaswamy, Paul Rotert

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

OBJECTIVES: Men who have sex with men who use pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) have not traditionally been targets for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine programmes, despite their high risk for HPV-related cancers and HPV vaccine being approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for people up to age 45. The objective of this study was to assess attitudes and barriers towards HPV vaccine for adult PrEP users in the primary care context.

METHODS: Semistructured phone interviews of 16 primary care patients taking PrEP in the Kansas City metropolitan area were conducted, with interviews assessing HPV vaccination status, and attitudes, beliefs …

Contact Tracing In The Era Of Covid-19: Implementation Of Traditional Strategies In Novel Contexts And Innovative Approaches To Address Existing Barriers, Tyler James Shelby

Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Dissertations

Background: Contact tracing is an evidence-based intervention that became a core component of many COVID-19 response plans throughout the globe. Despite its demonstrated success within other disease contexts, early studies of COVID-19 contact tracing have reported mixed results regarding the effectiveness and impact of contact tracing on ultimate pandemic objectives such as case incidence or mortality. Yet, there remains a knowledge gap regarding contextual factors that influence implementation outcomes of contact tracing that may in turn influence its ultimate impact. The primary objective of this dissertation is to address this knowledge deficit by evaluating an emergency contact tracing program developed …

Institute Of Public Health Newsletter- Volume3, Issue1, Institute Of Public Health (Iph)

Institute of Public Health Newsletter (IPHNL) and Other Publications

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of Nitrite Concentration In Edible Bird’S Nest (White, Yellow, Orange, And Red Blood), Siti Gusti Ningrum, Bagus Uda Palgunad, Rochiman Sasmita

Makara Journal of Science

The color of edible bird’s nest is associated with its nitrite concentration, but this relationship remains inconclusive. This investigation aimed to evaluate the nitrite content in edible bird’s nest of four different colors: white, yellow, orange, and red blood. Fifty-eight edible bird’s nest samples were obtained from five swiftlet farmhouses in Borneo Island, Indonesia and analyzed for nitrite content using Genesys 30 visible spectrophotometer. Results showed that the dark-colored edible bird’s nests (yellow, orange, and red blood) had higher nitrite concentrations of 304, 317, and 309 ppm, respectively, compared with the white-colored one (15 ppm). Therefore, the color of edible …

Physical Activity Patterns And Dietary Habits Of Undergraduate Students, Ebenezer Essaw, Monday Omoniyi Moses, Daniel Afrifa, Isaac Kwaku Acheampong, Winifred Mensah, Lemuel Owusu

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: ‪Data about physical activity report card for Ghanaian children and youth are available but reports on physical activity patterns and dietary habits of undergraduates are scarce. Material and methods: ‪This cross-sectional study sampled 278 participants (161 males, 117 females, mean age = 20.73 ± 1.72 years). Blood pressure, heart rate, physical activity patterns and dietary habits were measured. Results: ‪Most (83.1%) of the sample predominantly engaged in household activities. Time spent on treadmill/ cycling activities is significantly higher in females than males (P = 0.018). Day/week for high intensity sports was higher in males (P = 0.005), while household …

Knowledge, Attitude And Practices On Non-Communicable Diseases Among Students And Staff At The Dar Es Salaam University College Of Education In Tanzania, Stephen O. Maluka, Saning’O Sangeti

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) are among the major public health problems facing the world today. Despite contributing to over half of all deaths worldwide, and being a major challenge in low- and middle-income countries, NCDs have received less attention. In Tanzania, studies focusing on the assessment of comprehensive knowledge of NCDs are lacking. This study aims to assess knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of the Dar es Salaam University College of Education (DUCE) community on selected NCDs. A cross sectional study was conducted to assess knowledge, attitudes and practices on selected NCDs. The study involved both students and staff at the DUCE. …

Complementary Feeding Practices And The Associated Risk Of Childhood Obesity Among Ethnic Minority Groups Living In High-Income Countries: Protocol For A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Maido Tsenoli, Moien A.B. Khan, Linda Östlundh, Teresa Arora, Omar Omar

All Works

INTRODUCTION: Complementary feeding (CF) is defined as the period from when exclusive breast milk and formula are no longer sufficient for meeting the infant's nutritional needs. The CF period occurs from birth to 23 months of age. Though the recommended guidelines for introducing CF is from around 6 months of age, data indicates that some infants are introduced to food earlier than 6 months which can predispose children to obesity and overweight. Obesity in ethnic minority groups (EMG) is higher than their native counterparts and often tracks into adulthood. Hence, our aim was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis …

Optimal Iron Content In Ready-To-Use Therapeutic Foods For The Treatment Of Severe Acute Malnutrition In The Community Settings: A Protocol For The Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Aamer Imdad, Melissa François, Fanny F. Chen, Abigail Smith, Olivia Tsistinas, Emily Tanner Smith, Jai K. Das, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Introduction: The current standard of care for children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) involves using ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) to promote growth; however, the precise formulation to achieve optimal recovery remains unclear. Emerging research suggests that alternative RUTF formulations may be more effective in correcting SAM-related complications such as anaemia and iron deficiency. This systematic review commissioned by the WHO aims to synthesise the most recent research on the iron content in RUTF and related products in the community-based treatment of uncomplicated severe malnutrition in children aged 6 months and older.
Methods and analysis: We will search multiple electronic databases. …

Self-Medication Practices In Medical Students During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Analysis, Farah Yasmin, Muhammad Sohaib Asghar, Unaiza Naeem, Hala Najeeb, Hamza Nauman, Muhammad Nadeem Ahsan, Abdullah Khan Khattak

Medical College Documents

Background and objectives: During the pandemic, the growing influence of social media, accessibility of over-the-counter medications, and fear of contracting the virus may have led to self-medication practices among the general public. Medical students are prone to such practices due to relevant background knowledge, and access to drugs. This study was carried out to determine and analyze the prevalence of self-medication practices among medical students in Pakistan.
Materials and methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted online in which the participants were asked about the general demographics, their self-medication practices and the reasons to use. All participants were currently enrolled …

What’S Next For Tobacco Control Efforts? Health Equity Related Lessons Learned From A National Qualitative Study On Tobacco Control And Prevention, Courtney A. Parks, Hollyanne E. Fricke, Alethea Chiappone, Jennie L. Hill, Amy L. Yaroch

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Context: Despite gains in the tobacco prevention and control movement, tobacco products remain a threat, with specific populations at greater risk.

Objective: The purpose of this paper is to examine the role that leaders in the tobacco prevention and control movement have played in progress achieved to date and identify recommendations for the future using a health equity framework. The purpose of this paper is to examine the role that leading organizations in the tobacco prevention and control movement have played in progress achieved to date, identify future recommendations within the context of current public health priorities (e.g., obesity prevention), …

The Faith, Activity, And Nutrition (Fan) Dissemination And Implementation Study: Changes In And Maintenance Of Organizational Practices Over 24 Months In A Statewide Initiative, Sarah Wilcox Phd, Kelsey R. Day, Ruth P. Saunders, Danielle E. Jake-Schoffman, Andrew T. Kaczynski, Jessica Stucker, Caroline G. Dunn, John Bernhart Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Background

Few studies have examined the impact of ecological health promotion interventions on organizational practices over time, especially in faith-based settings. This statewide dissemination and implementation study examined change in organizational practices and their predictors across a 24-month period, as well as maintenance of change.

Methods

Using a pre-post quasi-experimental design, church coordinators from 92 United Methodist Churches in South Carolina (42% predominantly African American congregations) completed surveys at baseline, and immediate, 12-, and 24-months post-training regarding physical activity (PA) and healthy eating (HE) organizational practices consistent with the Faith, Activity, and Nutrition (FAN) program (opportunities, policies, pastor support, messages) …

The Legal Role In Building Sustainable Public Health- Speaker, Joanna Sax, E. Donald Shapiro Professor Of Law

Belmont Health Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Zoonotic Pathogens From Illegally Traded Wildlife Justify Adopting The One Health Perspective In Disease Response, Marianne Allison G. Lee, Vinyl Joseph S. Valeza, Jonathan Patrick H. Yan, Ronald Allan L. Cruz

Biology Faculty Publications

Recent studies have described a direct relationship between the illegal wildlife trade (IWT) and the prevalence of zoonotic pathogens in human populations. In the Philippines, the Philippine Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (PIDSR) framework outlines the monitoring, response, and management of disease outbreaks, but needs to be updated in the wake of zoonoses from IWT. Here, we identified zoonotic pathogens that may be introduced to human populations through the IWT, pinpointed potential outbreak hotspots, and provided recommendations on how to improve the Philippines’ public health response while considering One Health. Using seizure data from the Biodiversity Management Bureau (DENR-BMB) covering …

Unpacking The Behavioural Components And Delivery Features Of Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Interventions In The Topchild Collaboration: A Systematic Review And Intervention Coding Protocol, Brittany J. Johnson, Kylie E. Hunter, Rebecca K. Golley, Paul Chadwick, Angie Barba, Mason Aberoumand, Sol Libesman, Lisa Askie, Rachael W. Taylor, Kristy P. Robledo, Seema Mihrshahi, Denise A. O'Connor, Alison J. Hayes, Luke Wolfenden, Charles T. Wood, Louise A. Baur, Chris Rissel, Lukas P. Staub, Sarah Taki, Wendy Smith, Ana Maria Linares

Nursing Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION: Little is known about how early (eg, commencing antenatally or in the first 12 months after birth) obesity prevention interventions seek to change behaviour and which components are or are not effective. This study aims to (1) characterise early obesity prevention interventions in terms of target behaviours, delivery features and behaviour change techniques (BCTs), (2) explore similarities and differences in BCTs used to target behaviours and (3) explore effectiveness of intervention components in preventing childhood obesity.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Annual comprehensive systematic searches will be performed in Epub Ahead of Print/MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane (CENTRAL), CINAHL, PsycINFO, as well as …

Transforming Obesity Prevention For Children (Topchild) Collaboration: Protocol For A Systematic Review With Individual Participant Data Meta-Analysis Of Behavioural Interventions For The Prevention Of Early Childhood Obesity, Kylie E. Hunter, Brittany J. Johnson, Lisa Askie, Rebecca K. Golley, Louise A. Baur, Ian C. Marschner, Rachael W. Taylor, Luke Wolfenden, Charles T. Wood, Seema Mihrshahi, Alison J. Hayes, Chris Rissel, Kristy P. Robledo, Denise A. O'Connor, David Espinoza, Lukas P. Staub, Paul Chadwick, Sarah Taki, Angie Barba, Sol Libesman, Ana Maria Linares

Nursing Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION: Behavioural interventions in early life appear to show some effect in reducing childhood overweight and obesity. However, uncertainty remains regarding their overall effectiveness, and whether effectiveness differs among key subgroups. These evidence gaps have prompted an increase in very early childhood obesity prevention trials worldwide. Combining the individual participant data (IPD) from these trials will enhance statistical power to determine overall effectiveness and enable examination of individual and trial-level subgroups. We present a protocol for a systematic review with IPD meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of obesity prevention interventions commencing antenatally or in the first year after birth, and …

Association Between Initial Opioid Prescription Diagnosis Type And Subsequent Chronic Prescription Opioid Use In Rhode Island: A Population-Based Cohort Study, Benjamin D. Hallowell, C. Chambers, Luke Barre, Nancy Diao, Collette Onyejekwe, Alexandra Banks, Jeffery Bratberg, Heidi Weidele, Samara Viner-Brown, James Mcdonald

Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Objective To identify initial diagnoses associated with elevated risk of chronic prescription opioid use. Design Population-based, retrospective cohort study. Setting State of Rhode Island. Participants Rhode Island residents with an initial opioid prescription dispensed between 1 April 2019 and 31 March 2020. Primary outcome measure Subsequent chronic prescription opioid use, defined as receiving 60 or more days' supply of opioids in the 90 days following an initial opioid prescription. Results Among the 87 055 patients with an initial opioid prescription, 3199 (3.7%) subsequently became chronic users. Patients who become chronic users tended to receive a longer days' supply, greater quantity …

Cost Of Menstrual Hygiene Practices In Gujarat, India, Smruti Bulsari, Kiran Pandya, Jayesh Desai

International Review of Business and Economics

Menstrual cycles are an integral part of a nearly two-third of a woman’s life, and occur every month. Menstruation is a public health concern because irrespective of whether a woman can afford hygienic absorbents or not, she undergoes menstruation phase every month. Therefore, menstruation requires to be examined from public health policy perspective. Choice of menstrual products is not only subject to budget constraint but also to “other regarding preferences”, as can be explained by behavioural economics theories. This study therefore, seeks to get insights into the determinants of choice of menstrual product. The study attempts to devise a method …

Creating A Pre-Illness Covid-19 Action Plan: A Web-Based Public Education Initiative, Brian S. Hustad

DNP Research Projects

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic took the world by storm in the beginning stages of 2020. Public health agencies were overwhelmed, undermanned, and therefore slow to respond. Information began to flow at an unprecedented rate. Yet, very limited resources were put into place to present this information or to instruct the public on evidence-based prevention, treatment, or care at home during active infection.

Intervention: A project website was created and accessed through a QR code on the project flyer or by entering the URL into any browser. Participants were able to access three evidence- based video modules, which introduced the …

Degree-Granting Nutrition Programs In The Republic Of Yemen: A Status Report On Postsecondary Education, Miral Mansour, Basil Aboul-Enein, Elizabeth Dodge, Nada Benajiba

Health & Wellness Department Faculty Publications and Research

Yemen is noted as one of the most food-insecure countries in the Arab world coupled with high rates of malnutrition. To address the public health outcomes related to nutrition, trained nutrition professionals are needed. This report provides a snapshot of current nutrition-affiliated programs offered in postsecondary institutions in Yemen. Partnering with or creating independent organizations responsible for defining the scope of practice is warranted. Additionally, ensuring educational quality, program accreditation, and competence of graduating students and readiness to practice will be central to progressively moving Yemen’s dietetics profession forward.

Rurality And Its Effects On Prenatal Care In Southcentral Kentucky, Kylee Eilers

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Despite ongoing efforts to increase positive healthcare outcomes for prenatal care in rural Kentucky, there continues to be limited access to adequate and quality resources. Research questions for this research project explored the prenatal care resources for Allen, Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Hart, Logan, Metcalfe, Monroe, Simpson, and Warren counties, compared healthcare disparities that exist in those counties with other rural regions of Kentucky, and identified limitations of such prenatal care resources in successfully achieving positive care outcomes. In addition to evaluation of applicable online resources through organizations local to the region, some healthcare professional and representatives were interviewed to find …

The Legal Role In Building Sustainable Public Health (Symposium Transcript), Joanna K. Sax

Faculty Scholarship

The article presents a discussion of food as a public health issue, beginning with why science matters and utilizing science to solve food as a public health issue, especially as it relates to sustainability and climate change. Consumer misperceptions of the risk created by new scientific technologies (e.g., GMOs), or even older scientific technologies, may thwart use of such technologies to solve sustainability problems. The talk addresses why consumers might inappropriately assign risk to certain scientific applications and ways that we might want to think about resolving that issue or closing the divide between consumer misperception of risk and evidence-based …

The New Mainers: An Exploratory Analysis Of Healthcare Experiences In The Somali Bantu Community, Jordan R. Mcclintock

Honors Theses

Healthcare inequities within the United States’ Western model of medicine have existed for hundreds of years. The purpose of this year-long project was to analyze the existing qualitative and quantitative studies of healthcare barriers for the Southern Maine Somali Bantu population, as well as compiling narrative pieces from Maine non-governmental organizations that provide community resources. In doing so, the idea of healthcare access and literacy was analyzed through means of understanding systemic barriers. Overall, the findings of this exploratory project point to a lack of cultural humility within medicine, the importance of recognizing intersectional identities in quality of healthcare, and …

Effect Of Living Arrangements On Cognitive Function In Chinese Elders: A Longitudinal Observational Study, Yanwei Lin, Qi Zhang, Tingxian Wang, Zhirong Zeng

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Objective To examine how living arrangement as a social contextual factor can affect Chinese elders’ cognitive function.

Setting and participants Our sample consists of 2486 Chinese elders from two waves (2014 and 2018) of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) that was administered in 22 of China’s 31 provinces using a multi-stage, disproportionate, purposive random sampling method. The CLHLS aims to better understand the determinants of healthy longevity in China and collects extensive data on a large population of fragile elders aged 80–112 in China.

Outcome measures Cognitive function was measured by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Living arrangement …

Disability In An American Indian Community : Prevalence, Distribution, And The Role Of Polychlorinated Biphenyls, Thoin F. Begum

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Phthalates have been implicated as reproductive toxicants in animal models and in human populations. This study examined associations between potential exposure sources and urinary phthalate concentrations among couples undergoing infertility treatment. Women (n=56) and their male partners (n=43) undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) were enrolled in a prospective cohort investigation of environmental chemicals and IVF outcomes at an academic medical center. On the day of oocyte retrieval, participants provided urine samples and completed questionnaires detailing use of personal care products (PCPs), and consumption of medications, foods, and beverages in the preceding 24-hours. Urine was analyzed for MEP, MBP, MPP, MHxP, …