Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

An Epidemic Model Structured By The Time Since Last Infection, Jorge Alturo Alfaro Murillo

Open Access Dissertations

Epidemiological models structured by time since infection have their origin in the seminal work of 1927 by Kermack and McKendrick. Compared to ordinary differential equations (ODE) models, they are able to capture differences in infectivity of the individuals in a more suitable manner. Their use declined in the second half of the 20th century, probably because the theory for ODE models is more robust, complete and has proved successful in providing insights and predictions for many epidemiological problems. Nevertheless, it is important to understand in what occasions the inclusion of time since infection may alter the outcomes in a significant …

Health Care Resource Utilization And Expenditures In Persons With Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease, Neeraj Neelakantan Iyer

Open Access Dissertations

The objectives of this study were to determine prevalence of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), to determine all-cause health care resource utilization and all-cause health care expenditures, to determine incremental health care resource utilization, and to determine incremental health care expenditures associated with ADPKD. An observational database analysis of a privately insured population was conducted using information from a large administrative claims database. Individuals 18 years of age or older and enrolled in a tracked health plan anytime during the period from April 1, 2011 through March 31, 2012, were eligible for inclusion in the sample for determination of …

Sanitation Infrastructure, Medicinal Plant Use And Diarrhea In Rural Costa Rican Communities, Travis Clifford Sondgerath

Open Access Theses

Diarrhea is estimated to be responsible for 3.3 million deaths a year and is particularly problematic in the developing world among children. The Millennium Development Goals established by the United Nations has set a goal of reducing mortality among children by two thirds during the new millennium. However due to the nature of diarrhea it is often difficult to study its patterns, distribution, and determinants.

This study presents an analysis of the relationship between diarrhea and sanitation infrastructure and medicinal plant use in 4 rural Costa Rican communities. Over the past few decades' access to clean drinking water and municipal …

Correlates Of Past Year Dental Health Visits Among Black Men: From The Black Men's Health Study Of Indiana, Shauna Spring Stapleton

Open Access Theses

Objective: This study aimed to examine correlates of past year dental health visits among Black Men of Indiana.

Methods: A 2011 health needs assessment was taken from a convenience sample of 1,444 Black men from 12 Indiana counties. Participants represented a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds. Utilizing logistic regression analysis, compensating for clustering by county, predisposing and enabling factors were explored to determine their correlation to dental health visits within the previous year. Predisposing factors included age, sex, marital status, educational level, and employment status. Enabling factors included household income level, health insurance, place of sick care, smoking status, self-rated …

Perception And Attitude About Breast And Cervical Cancer Screening Among Muslim Women In A Midwest University Campus, Tahira Yeasmeen

Open Access Theses

Early detection of breast and cervical cancer through mammograms and Pap smears can improve survival rates. Muslim women in the United States are faced with traditional beliefs and diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds that may affect their knowledge and perceptions about these cancer screening practices. The objective of this study is to determine the overall health status and participation rates, knowledge, and perceptions about, and barriers to, breast and cervical cancer screening among a controlled population of Muslim women. Data were collected from Muslim women residing at or near Purdue University and the Greater Lafayette area via an online questionnaire …

The Relationship Between Bullying And Weight Management Behaviors In High School Aged Youth, Lindsey Simpson-Pedigo

Open Access Theses

Purpose: Examined whether high-school students' body mass index (BMI) classification was related to being bullied, and whether being bullied mediates the student's likelihood of practicing unhealthy weight management and weight loss behaviors.

Methods: This study was a secondary data analysis of cross-sectional data obtained by the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) 2011. Mediation analyses were used to assess relationships between weight status, being bullied and use of unhealthy weight management and weight loss behaviors.

Results: The sample consisted of 15,425 high-school students in the United States drawn from a nationally representative survey. In this sample, 15.8% were overweight and …