Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Evaluating The Prevalence Of Postpartum Substance Use In South Jersey, Hebba Ahmad, Joanna Petrides

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The goal of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of substance use among women who experience postpartum depression. Looking at South Jersey women in particular, we aimed to compare the rates of women who began to engage in substance use after undergoing labor within the past one year who are covered by private health insurance versus those with Medicaid coverage. A retrospective chart review was performed, and although the small sample size limited our attempts at data analysis, it revealed that there is work to be done in this field. There needs to be methods in reducing the stigma …

Barriers To Healthcare Access Between English And Spanish Speakers In An Underserved Population, Adeena Javed, Dale Johnson, Gerardo J. Rivera-Colón, Nathaniel J. Byrnes, Kristin Bertsch, Anne C. Jones

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

• According to the NJ State Department of Health, Atlantic County has higher rates of smoking, respiratory disease, hypercholesterolemia, as well as death rates due to coronary heart disease, HIV, and all cancers compared to the NJ state average1,2.

• With over 20% of Atlantic County's population identifying as Hispanic, Spanish speakers encounter greater obstacles compared to their English-speaking counterparts in accessing healthcare services and improving health outcomes1,2 .

• Existing research indicates that various factors, including health insurance coverage, proximity to healthcare facilities, transportation options, health literacy levels, and trust in the medical profession, significantly influence access to healthcare …

Nutrition And Exercise Resources For Uninsured Patient Populations, Sabrina Marie Paparo, Samantha Plasner, Runi Patel, Wendy Briaguez

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Proper nutrition and exercise is integral for the prevention and management of chronic diseases such as type two diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease. However, health care disparities in the United States, such as lack of access to primary health care, has been an ever growing problem. The purpose of this study is to determine if there is a correlation between being uninsured and having worse health outcomes, and to determine if there is a need for accessible nutrition and/or exercise resources for this population. To conduct this research, a survey was distributed at the Cherry Hill Free Clinic …

Maternal Health Outcomes Of The Least And Most Vulnerable Counties In Nj, Nayarith Lopez

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

- Maternal health continues to be of great concern in the United States.

-The maternal mortality rate for 2021 was 32.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, an increase from both 2020 and 2021.1

-The leading causes of pregnancy-related death are mental health, hemorrhage, and cardiovascular conditions. Most are preventable.2

-New Jersey ranks 27th, with 24.1 deaths occurring within 42 days of the end of a pregnancy per 100,000 live births.3

-While rates for the entire state show a need for improvement, in comparison to northern and central regions, rates in the southern region of NJ are approximately twice the state …

Relationship Between Caregiver Burden And Socioeconomic Status, Nikitha Pappachen, Maithri Goud

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

In this study, caregiver burden measures the psychosocial strain a caregiver experiences as a result of caring for a person with autism. In addition, this study focuses on the effect of socioeconomic status on caregiver burden. A previous study found an association between lower primary caregiver education level and more sleep problems for children with autism³. Thus, the finding focuses on the child with autism as opposed to the caregiver burden. Other studies focus on elements that affect caregiver burden such as sleep quality, mental health, and cultural aspects. If it is known that socioeconomic status significantly affects …

Health Disparities Among Adults With Disabilities, Kirsten Carlberg, Madison Plone, Chrismely Castro, Nayarith Lopez

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 27% of adults in the United States (US) live with a disability. These disabilities are often accompanied by poorer health outcomes with adults with disabilities reporting higher rates of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. This review aims to characterize rates of disability among young adults in Camden County, New Jersey.

Methods: Data was collected from the CDC and United States Census and analyzed using Microsoft Excel 365.

Results: In 2022, 9.7% of residents of Camden County aged 18-34 were reported as disabled while the rate was 8.3% of US residents nationwide. …

Diabetes Health Education For South Jersey Communities, Heaven Chu, Sarah Tamous, Ashhabal Kavvi, Amin Khan

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Diabetes is a chronic health condition that hinders the body’s metabolic process using insulin to maintain glycemic homeostasis. It is prevalent worldwide, with about 10% of the global adult population affected. Socio-economic and cultural factors and determinants make diabetes and diabetes management more of a health risk for certain populations rather than others. The prevalence of diabetes in the United States is higher than the global average and the risk factors disproportionately affect disadvantaged communities.

This study was designed to investigate health disparities in diabetes among a diverse population sample. The study included researching the disparities of diabetes patients in …

Comorbidities, Behaviors, And Socioeconomic Factors And Mortality From Diseases Of The Heart In New Jersey, Matthew Guariglia, Stephen Poos, Ahmed Gawash, David Lo, Aayush Visaria

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Mortality from diseases of the heart claimed the lives of 186,074 New Jerseyans from 2010 to 2019. This study aims to establish correlations between each of health-related risk factors and death from heart disease in each of six New Jersey counties. Each of the counties ranked by age-adjusted mortality per 100,000 from diseases of the heart. The six counties were divided by the least (Hunterdon, Somerset, Bergen) and greatest (Cape May, Salem, and Cumberland) mortality rates from heart disease. Additionally, this data was broken down into three main categories that include comorbidities, socioeconomic status, and behavior patterns. Each main category …

Mental Health Outcomes At A Student-Run Free Clinic, Jessica-Sophie Horoschak, Riya Tandra, Sahil Parikh, Shayna Peterzell, Roma Padalkar, Tara Pellegrino

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

In this project we aim to:

1. Assess the outcomes of screening, management, and diagnosis for patients at the Rowan Community Health Center (RCHC).

2. Compare the outcomes of screening, management, and diagnosis between different groups (gender, race, income, insurance status) using validated surveys.

3. There is a need for accessible and affordable primary care in the South Jersey area, which the RCHC is hoping to meet.

Hypothesis:

The quality of mental health care available to patients at the RCHC is comparable to that at other insured practices.