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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Characterization Of The Impact Of Prenatal Cigarette Smoke Exposure On Age- And Sex-Specific Sirt1-Mediated Hepatic Molecular Phenotype In C57bl/6 Mice., Kendall S. Stocke Dec 2019

Characterization Of The Impact Of Prenatal Cigarette Smoke Exposure On Age- And Sex-Specific Sirt1-Mediated Hepatic Molecular Phenotype In C57bl/6 Mice., Kendall S. Stocke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the U.S., 7.2% of women still report having smoked at some point during pregnancy despite known risks to fetal health. Prenatal cigarette smoke exposure (CSE) in children puts them at risk for low birth weight, premature birth, and other adverse impacts on developmental and postnatal health. Children subjected to prenatal CSE have a higher risk of adulthood metabolic disease predicted by the Barker Hypothesis. The hepatic molecular phenotype associated with this risk is unknown. This dissertation characterizes the prenatal CSE-induced hepatic molecular phenotype during three key life stages. We used a murine model of prenatal CSE utilizing a Teague …


“Pissing In The Wind”: Racially Discriminatory Economic Policies’ Impact On Today’S Banking Status, Use Of Alternative Financial Services And Health Outcomes., Gaberiel Jones Jr Dec 2019

“Pissing In The Wind”: Racially Discriminatory Economic Policies’ Impact On Today’S Banking Status, Use Of Alternative Financial Services And Health Outcomes., Gaberiel Jones Jr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Centuries of discriminatory policies and practices in the United States have created racially segregated, resource-poor urban communities. Differential benefits of banking and housing legislation were among the consequences of these policies as they contributed to drastic racial inequities in wealth. Today, racial differences in banking status and financial practices persist. However, a void exists in the literature exploring what alternative financial services (AFS) are used in lieu of banks by Black Americans, why those services are used, the thoughts and beliefs of Black Americans about the use of those services, the impact of bank locations on financial behavior patterns, and …


Probability Of Conception After Fertility Counseling And The Association Of Sexually Transmitted Infections With Pregnancy In The Loussi Study., Lindsey Adelle Wood Aug 2019

Probability Of Conception After Fertility Counseling And The Association Of Sexually Transmitted Infections With Pregnancy In The Loussi Study., Lindsey Adelle Wood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study interrogated predictors of pregnancy and the effect of a history of sexually transmitted infection (STI) on probability of conception among a cohort of women seeking fertility counseling (N=170), using multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models. There were 76 (44.7%) total pregnancies. 32 (39.0%) were achieved spontaneously by women who never received ART (N=82). Among women who did receive ART (N=88), 35 (39.7%) were achieved by ART and 9 (10.2%) achieved spontaneously. Among the full cohort (N=170), obesity was a significant negative predictor of pregnancy while history of human papilloma virus was a significant negative predictor of …


Determining The Effect Of An Educational Intervention On Medical Support Personnel's Knowledge To Administer A Standardized Developmental Screening Tool., Leslie Chiaventone Lopez Aug 2019

Determining The Effect Of An Educational Intervention On Medical Support Personnel's Knowledge To Administer A Standardized Developmental Screening Tool., Leslie Chiaventone Lopez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Early treatment of developmental delays leads to improved outcomes for children (Yeung et al., 2014). In order to benefit from early intervention, children with developmental delays must be identified and referred at a young age. Although the use of validated developmental screening tools is supported by American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines, these instruments are used variably by general physicians in pediatric practice (King et al., 2010). Because of the expanding work roles of medical support personnel, it is worthwhile to determine if this group can administer and score a developmental screening tool after completing an educational intervention to assist …


Uncovering The Stories Behind The Numbers : A Case Study Of Maternal Death Surveillance And Response In Goma, Democratic Republic Of Congo., Baraka Muvuka May 2019

Uncovering The Stories Behind The Numbers : A Case Study Of Maternal Death Surveillance And Response In Goma, Democratic Republic Of Congo., Baraka Muvuka

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Globally, 303 000 women die each year from preventable causes related to pregnancy, with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) having the tenth highest maternal mortality rate. Maternal Death Surveillance and Response (MDSR) is a surveillance-action cycle that aims to eliminate preventable maternal mortality by linking actionable data on maternal deaths with multi-level actions. While countries are increasingly adopting MDSR, there are research gaps on its implementation, outcomes, and best practices in developing countries including the DRC. This study assessed MDSR implementation in Goma Health Zone (HZ), DRC, specifically its structure, process, quality, outcomes, and influencing factors. A qualitative case …


Polydrug Use Among People Who Use Opioids, National Survey On Drug Use And Health 2002 To 2017., Diana Kuo Stojda May 2019

Polydrug Use Among People Who Use Opioids, National Survey On Drug Use And Health 2002 To 2017., Diana Kuo Stojda

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Mortality due to overdose has been increasing since 2010 in the U.S., with an increase in the reported use of heroin and co-use of heroin and prescription opioids. Trends and correlates of polydrug use need to be analyzed to propose policies to reduce overdose risk. The overall objective of this study is to characterize high-risk polydrug groups among people who use opioids (PWUO) to understand the patterns of co-used substances and overdose risk factors. Methods: Publicly available data from the 2002-2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health were analyzed to obtain weighted prevalence rates and trends …


Evaluation Of The Health And Exposure Histories Of A Community Surrounded By Industry And Industrial Waste : A Mixed Methods Approach., Lindsay Koloff Tompkins May 2019

Evaluation Of The Health And Exposure Histories Of A Community Surrounded By Industry And Industrial Waste : A Mixed Methods Approach., Lindsay Koloff Tompkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Environmental pollution is not distributed equally across members of society. Low-income individuals are more likely to live near waste sites and other sources of pollution, and, therefore, face greater exposure to environmental health hazards. One such community in Louisville, Kentucky, the Riverside Gardens neighborhood, consists of approximately 300 homes that are surrounded on three sides by industry and industrial waste, including a remediated Environmental Protection Agency Superfund site, a former coal-burning power plant and coal ash storage site, and multiple chemical, rubber, and plastic manufacturing companies. Residents have reported elevated rates of cancer and other chronic diseases and have requested …


The Shape Study : The Survey Of Health And The Perceived Environment Study., Colette Patrice Davis May 2019

The Shape Study : The Survey Of Health And The Perceived Environment Study., Colette Patrice Davis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Few studies have considered how an individual’s perception of their built environment may be a risk factor for being overweight or obese. Adolescents may be particularly vulnerable in the context of “impoverished environments”, which they may perceive to be difficult, dangerous, resource deficient, and unaesthetic. This study aids in clarifying how the built environment influences the risk of obesity among adolescents residing in a neighborhood in Louisville, KY. Objective: The overall objective was to conduct a cross-sectional epidemiologic pilot study among adolescents aged 12-17 years residing in West Louisville, Kentucky to evaluate the association between perceptions of …


An Evaluation Of The Supply And Demand Of Radiation Oncology Medical Physicists In The United States., Christine Marie Swanson May 2019

An Evaluation Of The Supply And Demand Of Radiation Oncology Medical Physicists In The United States., Christine Marie Swanson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: This dissertation is a mixed methods evaluation of the radiation oncology medical physics workforce in the United States. Radiation oncology medical physicists serve a vital role in the safe treatment of patients with radiation therapy. While cancer incidence continues to rise, the pathways to board certification in radiation oncology medical physics continue to narrow causing a potential shortage of radiation oncology physicists in the United States. While there is no lack of data about the medical physics community it has scarcely been used to evaluate the current state of the workforce. In order to ensure patient safety, appropriate physics …


Innovation And Equity In Public Health Research : Testing Arts-Based Methods For Trauma-Informed, Culturally-Responsive Inquiry., Tasha Golden May 2019

Innovation And Equity In Public Health Research : Testing Arts-Based Methods For Trauma-Informed, Culturally-Responsive Inquiry., Tasha Golden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the field of Public Health has shifted from a biomedical paradigm to a social ecological approach, focusing on health equity and social determinants of health, it has increasingly acknowledged the roles of culture and trauma in health outcomes. The field has responded by modifying some research practices, but continues to prioritize conventional methodologies—with few options designed to foreground trauma- and cultural-responsiveness. Unfortunately, to the extent that conventional approaches require health to be defined, communicated, or valued according to dominant norms, they risk perpetuating inequities. Health equity therefore requires the development of research methodologies that increase inclusivity and access, elicit …