Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Prevalence And Correlates Of Being Bullied Among In-School Adolescents In Malawi: Results From The 2009 Global School-Based Health Survey, H.W. Kubwalo, A.S. Muula, S. Siziya, S. Pasupulati, E. Rudatsikira

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background

Physical and emotional violence against adolescents is a neglected, but growing problem globally. Violence against adolescents negatively affects the victim in terms of physical health, school attendance and performance and social adjustment. The literature on the prevalence and associated factors of bullying against adolescents is sparse in southern Africa outside South Africa. Such data are even sparser for Malawi. The current study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of self-reported bullying and its personal and social correlates.

Methods

A secondary analysis of the Malawi School-Based Student Health Survey (2009) was done. Descriptive analyses were done to describe the sample …

Lead-Based Paint Awareness, Work Practices, And Compliance During Residential Construction And Renovation, James D. Blando, Nickita Antoine, Daniel Lefkowitz

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently implemented the Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) rule that applies to pre-1978 residences because of the potential presence of lead-based paint. Enforcement of this rule may be difficult and therefore it is crucial to understand the awareness and beliefs of contractors and the general public because these will likely be major determinants of exposures resulting from residential renovation work. The study described in this article utilized two mailed surveys: one directed to the general public and the other directed to contractors. The surveys were conducted in New Jersey and Virginia. Field observations were also …

Identifying Environmental Health Priorities In Underserved Populations: A Study Of Rural Versus Urban Communities, M. C. Bernhard, M. B. Evans, S. T. Kent, E. Johnson, S. L. Threadgill, S. M. Becker

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Objectives- Understanding and effectively addressing persistent health disparities in minority communities requires a clear picture of members' concerns and priorities. This study was intended to engage residents in urban and rural communities in order to identify environmental health priorities. Specific emphasis was placed on how the communities: defined the term environment; their perceptions of environmental exposures as affecting their health; specific priorities in their communities; and differences in urban versus rural populations.

Study design- A community-engaged approach was used to develop and implement focus groups and compare environmental health priorities in urban versus rural communities.

Methods- A total of eight …

Higher Food Prices May Threaten Food Security Status Among American Low-Income Households With Children, Qi Zhang, Sonya Jones, Christopher J. Ruhm, Margaret Andrews

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Children in food-insecure households are more likely to experience poorer health function and worse academic achievement. To investigate the relation between economic environmental factors and food insecurity among children, we examined the relation between general and specific food prices (fast food, fruits and vegetables, beverages) and risk of low (LFS) and very low food security (VLFS) status among low-income American households with children. Using information for 27,900 child-year observations from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Class of 1998 1999 linked with food prices obtained from the Cost of Living Data of the Council for Community and Economic Research, formerly known …

Experiences Of Kenyan Healthcare Workers Providing Services To Men Who Have Sex With Men: Qualitative Findings From A Sensitivity Training Programme, Elise M. Van Der Elst, Evans Gichuru, Anisa Omar, Jennifer Kanungi, Zoe Duby, Miriam Midoun, Sylvia Shangani, Susan M. Graham, Adrian D. Smith, Eduard J. Sanders, Don Operario

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Introduction

Men who have sex with men (MSM) in Kenya are at high risk for HIV and may experience prejudiced treatment in health settings due to stigma. An on-line computer-facilitated MSM sensitivity programme was conducted to educate healthcare workers (HCWs) about the health issues and needs of MSM patients.

Methods

Seventy-four HCWs from 49 ART-providing health facilities in the Kenyan Coast were recruited through purposive sampling to undergo a two-day MSM sensitivity training. We conducted eight focus group discussions (FGDs) with programme participants prior to and three months after completing the training programme. Discussions aimed to characterize HCWs’ challenges in …

Vitamin D And Biomarkers Of Sex Steroid Hormones Are Non-Linearly And Inversely Related To All-Cause Mortality: Results From Nhanes Iii, Hind A. Beydoun, Shaker M. Eid, Hueiwang Anna Jeng, Alan B. Zonderman, May A. Beydoun

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background: In men, hypovitaminosis D as well as high and low testosterone levels have been linked to adverse events, including death. A biological interaction has been previously suggested between vitamin D and androgens. In a cohort study using Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, we simultaneously investigated circulating vitamin D and biomarkers of sex steroid hormones as predictors of all-cause mortality.

Methods: Age-adjusted and fully-adjusted Cox regression models were constructed to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI). Whereas the vitamin D sufficient group (25(OH)D3 ≥30 ng/ml) was selected as a referent, biomarkers of sex …