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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Exploring The Experiences Of Hiv Positive Pregnant Women On Prevention Of Vertical Transmission Of Hiv/Aids In Rural Malawi, Gertrude Finyiza Jun 2024

Exploring The Experiences Of Hiv Positive Pregnant Women On Prevention Of Vertical Transmission Of Hiv/Aids In Rural Malawi, Gertrude Finyiza

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) continues to be the primary conduct that HIV is transmitted to children worldwide. The problem of HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is having a great impact on the world's children. The prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Malawi continues to be a serious public health issue, especially for expectant mothers. The health outcomes of mothers and children remain significantly threatened by vertical HIV transmission, even with improvements in preventive and treatment efforts. The purpose of this thesis was to explore the experiences of HIV-positive pregnant women in Malawi. I conducted semi structured interviews with thirteen …


Cannabis Exposure During Pregnancy And Neural Mechanisms Of Parenting: Assessing Neural Responses To Infant Cues And Parenting Outcomes, Shannon Powers Jun 2024

Cannabis Exposure During Pregnancy And Neural Mechanisms Of Parenting: Assessing Neural Responses To Infant Cues And Parenting Outcomes, Shannon Powers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As legalization of cannabis and cannabinoids spreads in the United States, access and use of cannabis during the prenatal period has increased. There is limited knowledge on the effects of prenatal cannabis use on the parental brain. One way to identify potential effects of cannabis on parenting is through studying parenting brain functions and behavior. Cannabis use disorder (CUD) has been shown to be associated with lower positive parenting and lower sensitivity to infants, but it is unclear by what mechanisms. The following two studies address this gap in knowledge by examining the association between cannabis use during the prenatal …


Exploring The Relationship Between Historical Redlining And Place-Based Reproductive Health Inequities: A Qualitative Gis Approach, Kristi L. Roybal Jan 2022

Exploring The Relationship Between Historical Redlining And Place-Based Reproductive Health Inequities: A Qualitative Gis Approach, Kristi L. Roybal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Individual-level risk factors and characteristics do not fully explain racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic inequities in preterm birth in the United States, and evidence suggests that medical advancements, increased access to prenatal care, and high per-capita spending on health care have done little to reduce these inequities. Health inequities research has shifted its attention from individual-level factors that influence health outcomes to the social determinants of health. Neighborhoods, considered an important upstream social determinant of health, can influence health outcomes through their social, service, and physical environments, and have been consistently linked to birth outcomes. Despite increased attention to neighborhood influences …


Social Determinants Of Health Theory: Policy Entry Points For Healthcare Providers, Kiah R. Vandergrift Jan 2019

Social Determinants Of Health Theory: Policy Entry Points For Healthcare Providers, Kiah R. Vandergrift

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines a shifting paradigm in the U.S. healthcare system that will re-define the role that the healthcare provider plays in the production of health. It does this by first acknowledging two differing economic theories on the production of health: Human Capital Theory and Social Determinants of Health theory, and how both schools of thought have contributed to the paradigm that healthcare providers only play a role in the end stages of health production - to heal those who are already ill. However, policy, payment, and delivery system reforms have begun to force healthcare providers to re-think how they …


The Stigma Effect: The Role Of Internalized Racism And Internalized Homophobia In Risky Sexual Behavior Among Black Gay Men, Darren Lovell Whitfield Jan 2016

The Stigma Effect: The Role Of Internalized Racism And Internalized Homophobia In Risky Sexual Behavior Among Black Gay Men, Darren Lovell Whitfield

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Black gay, bisexual, queer, and same-gender-loving (GBQSGL) men account for less than 1% of US population, yet account for 36% of all new HIV infections. While, Black GBQSGL men experience higher rates of HIV infection compared to other gay, bisexual, and men who have sex with men (MSM) from other racial groups, they are no more likely to report engaging in condomless anal sex (CAS). These findings suggest that one possible explanation is that the context of sexual behavior for Black GBQSGL men may be riskier because of the prevalence of HIV in the community. Furthermore, research suggests that racism …


Maternal Perception Of Child Body Weight And Physical Activity Behavior Patterns: Interactions With Gender And Ethnic Minority Status Of Preschool Children, Kayla F. Brooks Nov 2014

Maternal Perception Of Child Body Weight And Physical Activity Behavior Patterns: Interactions With Gender And Ethnic Minority Status Of Preschool Children, Kayla F. Brooks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Childhood overweight and obesity is a complex disease that requires early identification and intervention. Little research has investigated the influence of maternal perception of child body weight on reported child physical activity behaviors and importance to change these behaviors. Using parent survey and child body mass index (BMI) data, the current study evaluated the difference between maternal perception of child weight status and reported physical activity and sedentary behavior levels amongst preschool-aged children. Reported child physical activity and sedentary behavior levels were not significantly different depending on maternal misperception. A significant interaction, however, between maternal perception of child body weight …


Mental Health Outcomes Of First Generation College Students: Is Generational Status Associated With Increased Risk For Depression And Anxiety?, James L. Pease Jan 2013

Mental Health Outcomes Of First Generation College Students: Is Generational Status Associated With Increased Risk For Depression And Anxiety?, James L. Pease

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there were differences in mental health outcomes between first generation college students and non-first generation college students. The sample (n = 6,449) consisted of undergraduate students, aged 18-22, in bachelor's degree programs, and was drawn from 15 colleges and universities throughout the United States. Acculturative stress was used as a theoretical framework for why first generation college students (pioneers) may screen higher in prevalence and severity of mental health outcomes. The particular mental health outcomes examined in this study were the prevalence and severity of depression and anxiety. The results …


Our Health Matters: Promoting The Health Of Sexual Minority Women In The New Media Landscape, Brenda Kane Nov 2010

Our Health Matters: Promoting The Health Of Sexual Minority Women In The New Media Landscape, Brenda Kane

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The shifts occurring in the mediascape and the field of public health offer new opportunities for promoting the health and wellness of sexual minority women. As a population that has historically been underserved by the healthcare system, sexual minority women face multiple barriers to achieving positive health outcomes. They are often less likely to access preventive healthcare services and more likely to engage in risky behaviors that are detrimental to health than heterosexual women. Despite the significant health disparities among sexual minority women, studying this population has not been a priority in health research and there is little research-based evidence …


Weathering The Storm: Climate Change, Vulnerability, And Adaptation In Bangladesh, Justin Guay Jun 2009

Weathering The Storm: Climate Change, Vulnerability, And Adaptation In Bangladesh, Justin Guay

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The world is guaranteed a certain level of climate change due to the emissions already released into the atmosphere. Therefore, adaptation to climate change is necessary. Increases in diarrheal disease and malnutrition due to climate change are analyzed for Bangladesh. Relative risks determined by the World Health Organization, estimates obtained from agricultural models, and migration estimates are utilized to determine the costs associated with each of these diseases, as well as reductions in rice production and increases in urban migration. It is found that climate change will create additional costs for treating each of these diseases that equal .05% of …