Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Attitudes Toward Pursuing Genetic Testing Among Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder In Taiwan: A Qualitative Investigation, Zihan Zhang, Justin Kramer, Haocen Wang, Wei-Ju Chen, Tse-Yang Huang, Yann-Jang Chen, Tung-Sung Tseng, Lei-Shih Chen

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Background: The diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) cases is increasing in Taiwan. Genetic testing for children with ASD offers several potential benefits and is available with out-of-pocket expenses. Parents play a pivotal role in having their children with ASD tested; therefore, understanding their perceptions of, and perceived barriers to genetic testing is vital. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 39 parents of children with ASD in Taiwan. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. NVivo 12 software (QSR International, Doncaster, Australia) was used to facilitate an inductive coding methodology. Results: The majority of participants (74.4%) supported ASD genetic testing for …

Evaluation Of Pediatric Rheumatology Telehealth Satisfaction During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Lindsay N Waqar-Cowles, John Chuo, Pamela F Weiss, Sabrina Gmuca, Marianna Lanoue, Jon M Burnham

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

Background: During the Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, ambulatory pediatric rheumatology healthcare rapidly transformed to a mainly telehealth model. However, pediatric patient and caregiver satisfaction with broadly deployed telehealth programs remains largely unknown. This study aimed to evaluate patient/caregiver satisfaction with telehealth and identify the factors associated with satisfaction in a generalizable sample of pediatric rheumatology patients.

Methods: Patients with an initial telehealth video visit with a rheumatology provider between April and June 2020 were eligible. All patients/caregivers were sent a post-visit survey to assess a modified version of the Telehealth Usability Questionnaire (TUQ) and demographic and clinical characteristics. TUQ total …

How Physical Activity Implementation Strategies Changed During The Covid-19 Pandemic In Schools Enrolled In The Let’S Go! Program, Alexandra Peary

Honors College

Childhood obesity is a serious public health issue in the United States. Many children fail to meet the recommended daily physical activity of 60 minutes. Poor metabolic health at a young age puts children and adolescents at a significantly higher risk of developing chronic health issues in adulthood. With the potential to further exacerbate the obesity epidemic, the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic challenged students’ abilities to participate in structured physical activity, such as recess and physical education, due to school closures, strict social distancing guidelines, and hybrid or remote models of learning. This lack of structure and opportunities for …

Construct Validity For The Self-Reported Competency And Sub-Construct Associated Characteristics Of Romanian Physicians In Autism Spectrum Disorder, Mohammad H Rahbar, Iuliana Dobrescu, Shezeen Gillani, Manouchehr Hessabi, Sori Kim, Mihaela Stancu, Florina Rad

Journal Articles

BACKGROUND: Lack of physicians' knowledge regarding mental health, including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) could have adverse effects on affected individuals' health and quality of life. The purpose of this study was to provide construct validity for a modified questionnaire in order to determine the self-reported competency for underlying sub-constructs in ASD, make inferences on perceived competence in ASD based on a sample of Romanian physicians, and identify physicians' characteristics associated with these sub-domains of competency.

METHODS: For this survey, we modified a questionnaire that was used in Pakistan and Turkey, and administered it to a sample of 383 practicing physicians …

Global Pediatric Pulmonology Alliance (Gppa) Proposal For Covid-19 Vaccination In Children., Lance E Rodewald, Kun-Ling Shen, Yong-Hong Yang, Gary Wing-Kin Wong, Leyla Namazova-Baranova, Lanny J Rosenwasser, Adel S Alharbi, Anne B Chang, Jim Buttery, Basil Elnazir, Ruth A. Etzel, Anne Goh, Hilary Hoey, Rosemary Horne, Eitan Kerem, Antonella Muraro, Chris O'Callaghan, Kazunobu Ouchi, Varinder Singh, Jiu-Yao Wang, Spencer Li, Yu Guan, Yue-Jie Zheng, Zhengde Xie, Gen Lu, Yi Jiang, Xing-Wang Li, Rong-Meng Jiang, Xiao-Chuan Wang, Ji-Kui Deng, Xiao-Xia Lu, Bao-Ping Xu, Zhuang Wei, Lu-Zhao Feng, Zheng-Yan Zhao

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Maternal Resources For Care Are Associated With Child Growth And Early Childhood Development In Bangladesh And Vietnam, Sulochana Basnet, Edward A. Frongillo Jr., Phuong Hong Nguyen, Spencer Moore, Mandana Arabi

Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND:

Suboptimal child growth and development are significant problems in low- and middle-income countries. Maternal resources for care may help to improve growth and development. This study examined the association of maternal resources for care on child length, motor development and language development of children 12-23.9 months old.

METHODS:

We used baseline data from the Alive & Thrive household surveys collected in Bangladesh (n = 803) and Vietnam (n = 635). Resources for care were represented by maternal education, knowledge, height, well-nourishment, mental well-being, decision-making, employment, support in chores and perceived support. The regression analyses were adjusted for household wealth …

Interdisciplinary Development Initiative (Idi) Entitled “Emerging Team Initiative To Reduce Inequities In Maternal And Child Lifestyle Health, Rozhan Momen

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Interdisciplinary Development Initiative (IDI) entitled “Emerging team initiative to reduce inequities in maternal and child lifestyle health"; an environmental scan of the faculty of health sciences and other western faculties, Brescia university college and research institutes as well as community agencies with similar interests.

Concentrations Of Lead, Mercury, Arsenic, Cadmium, Manganese, And Aluminum In The Blood Of Pakistani Children With And Without Autism Spectrum Disorder And Their Associated Factors, Mohammad H Rahbar, Shahnaz H Ibrahim, Syed Iqbal Azam, Manouchehr Hessabi, Fatima Karim, Sori Kim, Jing Zhang, Nasreen Gulzar Ali, Katherine A Loveland

Journal Articles

BACKGROUND: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with early onset in utero or childhood. Environmental exposure to six metals (Pb, Hg, As, Cd, Mn, Al) is believed to be associated with ASD directly or interactively with genes.

METHODS: We enrolled 30 ASD cases, age 2-12 years old, and 30 age- and sex-matched typically developing (TD) controls in Karachi, Pakistan. We assessed associations of ASD status with various factors using Conditional Logistic Regression models. We also used General Linear Models to assess possible interaction of blood Mn and Pb concentrations with the three GST genes in relation to ASD …

A Review Of The Cardiac And Cardiovascular Effects Of Covid-19 In Adults And Children, Bibhuti B Das, S Kristen Sexon Tejtel, Shriprasad Deshpande, Lara S Shekerdemian

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

Symptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) typically affects the respiratory system but can involve the cardiovascular system. Cardiac complications of COVID-19 can result directly from myocarditis or indirectly from numerous other mechanisms. Differentiating between primary and secondary cardiovascular involvement-our focus in this review-may help to identify the long-term effects of COVID-19 on the heart in adults and children.

Perceptions Of Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd) Etiology Among Parents Of Children With Asd, Wei-Ju Chen, Zihan Zhang, Haocen Wang, Tung-Sung Tseng, Ping Ma, Lei-Shih Chen

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social communication deficits and restricted or repetitive behaviors. Parental perceptions of the etiology of their child’s ASD can affect provider–client relationships, bonding between parents and their children, and the prognosis, treatment, and management of children with ASD. Thus, this study sought to examine the perceptions of ASD etiology of parents of children with ASD. Methods: Forty-two parents of children diagnosed with ASD were recruited across Texas. Semi-structured interviews were conducted individually. All interviews were recorded and later transcribed verbatim for content analysis utilizing NVivo 12.0 (QSR International, Doncaster, Australia). …

Factor Structure And Equivalence Of Maternal Resources For Care In Bangladesh, Vietnam, And Ethiopia, Sulochana Basnet, Edward A. Frongillo Jr., Phuong Hong Nguyen, Spencer Moore, Mandana Arabi

Faculty Publications

Objectives: Resources for care among women are crucial for children's growth and development. The objectives of this cross-sectional study were to determine if: (1) the factor structure of measures of maternal resources for care was comparable across countries and consistent with the theoretical constructs and (2) the measures showed equivalence across contexts.

Methods: The study included 4400, 4029 and 2746 women from Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Ethiopia, respectively. The measures of resources for care were maternal education, knowledge, height, body mass index, mental well-being, financial autonomy, decision-making, employment, support in chores, and perceived support.

Results: The factor analysis demonstrated that a …

Opportunities And Challenges In Developing A Cryptosporidium Controlled Human Infection Model For Testing Antiparasitic Agents, Rajiv S Jumani, Johanne Blais, Hanns-Christian Tillmann, Florencia Segal, Dean Wetty, Christian Ostermeier, Natko Nuber, Jay Lakshman, Natasha Aziz, Richa Chandra, Wilbur H Chen, Cynthia L Chappell, Thierry T Diagana, Ujjini H Manjunatha

Journal Articles

Cryptosporidiosis is a leading cause of moderate-to-severe diarrhea in low- and middle-income countries, responsible for high mortality in children younger than two years of age, and it is also strongly associated with childhood malnutrition and growth stunting. There is no vaccine for cryptosporidiosis and existing therapeutic options are suboptimal to prevent morbidity and mortality in young children. Recently, novel therapeutic agents have been discovered through high-throughput phenotypic and target-based screening strategies, repurposing malaria hits, etc., and these agents have a promising preclinical in vitro and in vivo anti-

A Cross-Sectional Study On Bullying And Psychological Disturbances Among Malaysian School Children, Muhammad Lokman Md Isa, Nurfatin Aina Mocktar, Wisam Nabeel Ibrahim, Mohd Said Nurumal, Muhammad Kamil Che Hasan

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Bullying is a common violence in school and has become a major public health and global concern. Bullying influences mental health and is identified as a leading factor of depression. Therefore, this study aimed to identify bullying prevalence and its association toward psychological disturbances (stress, anxiety, and depression).

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in three secondary schools in Kuantan. After obtaining consent from parents/guardians, participants were asked to answer a self-administered questionnaire, including School Climate Bullying Survey, Depression Anxiety Stress Questionnaire-21, Patient Depression Questionnaire, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Demographic data were self-reported. Data were analyzed using …

Mothers’ Nutritional Knowledge, Self-Efficacy, And Practice Of Meal Preparation For School-Age Children In Yangon, Myanmar, Wut Yee Phyo, Ohn Khin Khin, Min Htike Aung

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Childhood malnutrition is a global public health concern. For Myanmar, mothers play a prominent role in improving the nutritional status of children as they prepare meals for children.

Methods: This community-based cross-sectional analytical study was conducted on 367 mother-child pairs (6–10 years). Significantly, systematic random sampling and structured questionnaires were utilized in this study.

Results: The mean age of mothers was 35.73 ± 6.9 years, and a majority had fair nutritional knowledge (52.3%), good self-efficacy (79.8%), and good practice of meal preparation (59.4%). The prevalence of childhood malnutrition was categorized as stunting (18.2%), underweight (18.8%), wasting …

Overcoming Obesity: Provider Reminders And Education In Pediatrics, Michelle Warren

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

The prevalence of pediatric overweight and obesity is rising globally (Di Cesare et al., 2019) and results in lifelong chronic health problems and an estimated annual healthcare cost of $14.1 billion (Trasande & Chatterjee, 2009). The purpose of this evidence-based practice project was to address overweight and obesity in patients between the ages of five and 12 years through the provision of provider reminders, education, and guidelines. Primary outcomes included frequency of diagnosis, frequency of patient referrals, return to see times, and frequency of patient nutrition and activity education while secondary outcomes included patient weight, body mass index (BMI), and …

A Machine Learning Compatible Method For Ordinal Propensity Score Stratification And Matching, Thomas J Greene, Stacia M Desantis, Derek W Brown, Anna V Wilkinson, Michael D Swartz

Journal Articles

Although machine learning techniques that estimate propensity scores for observational studies with multivalued treatments have advanced rapidly in recent years, the development of propensity score adjustment techniques has not kept pace. While machine learning propensity models provide numerous benefits, they do not produce a single variable balancing score that can be used for propensity score stratification and matching. This issue motivates the development of a flexible ordinal propensity scoring methodology that does not require parametric assumptions for the propensity model. The proposed method fits a one-parameter power function to the cumulative distribution function (CDF) of the generalized propensity score (GPS) …

Absent B Cells, Agammaglobulinemia, And Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy In Folliculin-Interacting Protein 1 Deficiency, Francesco Saettini, Cecilia Poli, Jaime Vengoechea, Sonia Bonanomi, Julio C Orellana, Grazia Fazio, Fred H Rodriguez, Loreani P Noguera, Claire Booth, Valentina Jarur-Chamy, Marissa Shams, Maria Iascone, Maja Vukic, Serena Gasperini, Manuel Quadri, Amairelys Barroeta Seijas, Elizabeth Rivers, Mario Mauri, Raffaele Badolato, Gianni Cazzaniga, Cristina Bugarin, Giuseppe Gaipa, Wilma G M Kroes, Daniele Moratto, Monique M Van Oostaijen-Ten Dam, Frank Baas, Silvère Van Der Maarel, Rocco Piazza, Zeynep H Coban-Akdemir, James R Lupski, Bo Yuan, Ivan K Chinn, Lucia Daxinger, Andrea Biondi

Journal Articles

Agammaglobulinemia is the most profound primary antibody deficiency that can occur due to an early termination of B-cell development. We here investigated 3 novel patients, including the first known adult, from unrelated families with agammaglobulinemia, recurrent infections, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Two of them also presented with intermittent or severe chronic neutropenia. We identified homozygous or compound-heterozygous variants in the gene for folliculin interacting protein 1 (FNIP1), leading to loss of the FNIP1 protein. B-cell metabolism, including mitochondrial numbers and activity and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT pathway, was impaired. These defects recapitulated the Fnip1-/- animal model. Moreover, we identified either uniparental disomy …

Utility Of Repeat Testing For Covid-19: Laboratory Stewardship When The Stakes Are High, Lindsey M. Rearigh, Angela L. Hewlett, Paul D. Fey, M. Jana Broadhurst, David Brett-Major, Mark Rupp, Trevor Van Schooneveld

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to circulate, testing strategies are of the utmost importance. Given national shortages of testing supplies, personal protective equipment, and other hospital resources, diagnostic stewardship is necessary to aid in resource management. We report the low utility of serial testing in a low-prevalence setting.

Molecular Characterization Of Cryptosporidium Spp. From Humans In Ethiopia, Ambachew W. Hailu, Abraham Degarege, Haileeyesus Adamu, Damien Costa, Venceslas Villier, Abdelmounaim Mouhajir, Loic Favennec, Romy Razakandrainibe, Beyene Petros

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

Data on the distribution and genotype of Cryptosporidium species is limited in Ethiopia. This study examined the presence and genetic diversity of Cryptosporidium species circulating in Ethiopian human population. Stool samples collected from patients who visited rural (n = 94) and urban (n = 93) health centers in Wurgissa and Hawassa district, respectively, were examined for the presence of Cryptosporidium spp. using microscopy, nested PCR and real-time PCR. To detect infection with PCR, analysis of 18S ribosomal RNA was performed. Subtyping was performed by sequencing a fragment of GP60 gene. The overall prevalence of infection was 46% (n = 86) …

Moving Beyond Giving Free Food: Specific Targeting And Tailoring In Response To Child Food Insecurity, Maryah Stella Fram, Edward A. Frongillo Jr.

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Lying In Wait: The Resurgence Of Dengue Virus After The Zika Epidemic In Brazil, Anderson Fernandes Brito, Lais Ceschini Machado, Rachel J. Oidtman, Márcio Junio Lima Siconelli, Quan Minh Tran, Joseph R. Fauver, Rodrigo Dias De Oliveira Carvalho, Filipe Zimmer Dezordi, Mylena Ribeiro Pereira, Luiza Antunes De Castro-Jorge, Elaine Cristina Manini Minto, Luzia Márcia Romanholi Passos, Chaney C. Kalinich, Mary E. Petrone, Emma Allen, Guido Camargo España, Angkana T. Huang, Derek A. T. Cummings, Guy Baele, Rafael Freitas Oliveira Franca, Benedito Antônio Lopes Da Fonseca, T. Alex Perkins, Gabriel Luz Wallau, Nathan D. Grubaugh

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

After the Zika virus (ZIKV) epidemic in the Americas in 2016, both Zika and dengue incidence declined to record lows in many countries in 2017-2018, but in 2019 dengue resurged in Brazil, causing ~2.1 million cases. In this study we use epidemiological, climatological and genomic data to investigate dengue dynamics in recent years in Brazil. First, we estimate dengue virus force of infection (FOI) and model mosquito-borne transmission suitability since the early 2000s. Our estimates reveal that DENV transmission was low in 2017-2018, despite conditions being suitable for viral spread. Our study also shows a marked decline in dengue susceptibility …

Digital Interventions To Improve Health Literacy Among Parents Of Children Aged 0 To 12 Years With A Health Condition: Systematic Review, Evalotte Mörelius, Suzanne Robinson, Diana Arabiat, Lisa Whitehead

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background:

Parental health literacy is associated with child health outcomes. Parents are increasingly turning to the internet to obtain health information. In response, health care providers are using digital interventions to communicate information to assist parents in managing their child’s health conditions. Despite the emergence of interventions to improve parental health literacy, to date, no systematic evaluation of the effectiveness of the interventions has been undertaken.

Objective:

The aim of this review is to examine the effect of digital health interventions on health literacy among parents of children aged 0-12 years with a health condition. This includes evaluating parents’ engagement …