Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Health Outcomes In Pathways To Housing Clients, Kimberly Alfonso, Lara Weinstein, Md

Phase 1

Introduction: Homelessness is widespread throughout the United States, with homeless individuals accounting for over half a million of the country’s population. In addition, chronic mental, behavioral, and medical issues are overly expressed in this population. Therefore, the purpose of this project was to determine if the Housing First Model, represented by Pathways to Housing PA, would alleviate these chronic conditions over the course of stay.

Methods: The target population of the study was the homeless population, specifically within the city of Philadelphia. Data was collected via the SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) NOMs (National Outcome Measures) survey. …

Analyzing The Attitudes, Beliefs, And Practices Of Breastfeeding Women At Maternity Care Coalition, Angela Heysel, Conor Bradley, Naima Black, Galissa Jones

Phase 1

Introduction: Breastfeeding is essential for health and bonding within the mother-child dyad. Most guidelines, therefore, suggest women continue breastfeeding up to twelve months post-partum. Discrepancies in achieving this exist across zip codes and race in Philadelphia, despite high overall rates of breastfeeding. Our research goal is to understand these discrepancies and the relationship between attitudes and practices of breastfeeding Philadelphian women, in order to target them with breastfeeding resource.

Methods: General population data was collected via an online survey taken by residents of Philadelphia and the surrounding counties, whereas the focus group survey was taken in-person by Maternity Care Coalition …

Perspectives On Lung Cancer Screening In The Philadelphia Lgbtq Community, Kaitlin Demarest, Kristine Pham, Mph, Rickie Brawer, Phd

Phase 1

Introduction: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, but there are low screening rates across the country. While the prevalence of smoking in the LGBTQ population is disproportionately high, the LGBTQ community may have decreased access to screening, since they are reported to be less likely to have health insurance, more likely to receive inferior care or be denied care. The objective of this project was to better understand the knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes toward lung cancer screening in the LGBTQ community in Philadelphia in order to develop appropriate, community-focused educational materials to increase …

A Photovoice Project With Latino Youth In Easten North Philadelphia, Maria F. Arisi, Vincent Pepe, John Mckeegan, Caleb Dafilou, Mph, Rickie Brawer, Mph, Phd

Phase 1

Introduction: Eastern North Philadelphia is home to both the highest density Latino population in Philadelphia and some of the poorest health measures of the city. This Latino population is known to face a multitude of barriers to health, such as high rates of poverty, low educational attainment, and language barriers. There is little data showing what the self-identified priority needs of these Latino populations are, and even less showing the needs of Latino youth. Understanding how youth perceive the impact of their social and built environments can bring attention to the issues that the community needs addressed.

Methods: We conducted …

High Retention In An Fqhc Moud Program Despite Substantial Vulnerabilities In Population, Qais Iqbal, Lara Weinstein, Md, Mph, Drph

Phase 1

Background: Seventy-thousand people in Philadelphia use heroin, and another 50,000 misuse prescription opioids. Philadelphia has increased its capacity for medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) with buprenorphine from 100 slots in 2017 to 2,906 as of December 2018, but clearly there is still a need for thousands of more treatment slots. Additionally, recent evaluations reveal people from vulnerable populations, including homeless, non-white, and those with chronic medical diseases, have compounded difficulty accessing MOUD, even if there is sufficient capacity. Our objective was to describe and report initial outcomes of a low-threshold MOUD program at our Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) …

Analyzing The Attitudes, Beliefs, And Practices Of Breastfeeding Women At Maternity Care Coalition, Angela Heysel, Conor Bradley, Naima Black, Galissa Jones

Phase 1

Introduction: It is recommended that women breastfeed for twelve months because breastfeeding is an important part of infant development and maternal bonding. Research shows that despite high overall breastfeeding rates, discrepancies exist in breastfeeding rates across zip codes and race in Philadelphia. The research goal is to develop a community resource to promote breastfeeding in Philadelphia and to understand the impact race and zip code have on breastfeeding attitudes and practices.

Methods: Data was collected from residents of Philadelphia and neighboring counties through an online general population survey and focus group survey. Both surveys addressed demographics and the women’s attitudes …

Health Concerns In The Juvenile Justice System In Philadelphia: An Analysis, Sarah Humrich

Phase 1

Introduction: There are more than 40,000 minors nationwide that are incarcerated, and yet there remains to be no standardized way to offer this population health care. Time spent in prison offers a unique opportunity that could allow healthcare workers to intervene, providing needed health care to an otherwise neglected population. This research seeks to better understand the healthcare offered to youth in juvenile detention centers in Philadelphia and to determine the unique health concerns of this population.

Methods: The target population of this study is the incarcerated youth in the juvenile detention centers of Philadelphia. I intend to collect data …

Parks And Shootings In Philadelphia From 2005-2015: A Proximity Analysis, Crystal Lee, Mph, Caleb Dafilou, Mph, Rickie Brawer, Mph, Phd, Mches

Phase 1

Introduction: Urban green space exposure has been negatively correlated with mortality, and positively correlated with mood, attention, and physical activity; however, the relationship between urban green space, violence, and crime is still a topic of contention. The Philadelphia Horticultural Society found significant reductions in gun assaults and gun robberies in greened lots vs. ungreened lots. It is unclear whether or not there is a protective effect of parks overall for shootings in Philadelphia.

Methods: In order to explore the relationship between green space and shootings in Philadelphia, we compiled data from 2005-2015 police reports to map out where shootings and …

Obesity And Cardiovascular Health Differences Between Urban And Suburban Philadelphia High School Athletes, Peri Levey, Kyle Prochno, Prashant Rao, Md, David Shipon, Md, Facc, Facp, Jeremy Close, Md

Phase 1

Introduction: The strongest risk factor for primary hypertension in children is obesity, and concern for pediatric hypertension rises with the rising prevalence of obesity in American children. Specifically, in urban Philadelphia schools from 2009 to 2012, preparticipation physical evaluations (PPEs) demonstrated a positive correlation between blood pressure measurements demonstrating stage 1 or 2 hypertension and elevated body mass index (P < 0.00001).

Objective: The purpose was to identify potential differences in cardiovascular health and prevalence of obesity between adolescents in the urban and suburban Philadelphia areas.

Methods: Data from PPEs administered to urban Philadelphia high school athletes in 2018 by the Athlete …

Investigating Chronic Illness In Pathways To Housing Clients, Joshua Malerich, Lara Weinstein, Md, Dph

Phase 1

Approximately 553,000 individuals were homeless in the US each night in 2017, each at significant risk for substance use disorder, severe mental illness, and untreated chronic disease. Housing First (HF) is an evidence-based model for reaching high risk homeless individuals by providing a personal home to clients without the requirement for abstinence. HF has been shown as effective as other frameworks in remission of substance use, connectedness in the community, and client perceived quality of life, but there is a gap in the literature regarding the impact of HF services on clinical measures of chronic health, which could help further …

Advocating For Protective Measures Against Childhood Lead-Poisoning In Philadelphia Rental Homes, Claire Miller, Colleen Mccauley

Phase 1

Introduction: Lead exposure has been linked to delays in development and behavioral problems in children. Over 1,500 children are poisoned by lead each year in Philadelphia; the majority (62%) in rental homes.

Objective: The purpose of this project was to understand the impact of lead poisoning on children in Philadelphia, the current policies in place to protect children and the ways in which various stakeholders can advocate for policy changes that will better protect children.

Methods: A mixed-methods approach was utilized including meetings with councilmembers, stakeholder interviews and data analysis, visualization and presentation. This information was used to gain councilmembers’ …

Obesity And Cardiovascular Health Differences Between Urban And Suburban Philadelphia High School Athletes, Kyle W. Prochno, Peri Levey, Prashant Rao, Md, David M. Shipon, Md, Facc, Facp, Jeremy D. Close, Md

Phase 1

Introduction: Limited data exist regarding hypertension and obesity levels of Philadelphia-area high school student-athletes. We aim to assess their prevalence in an urban population, investigate whether they are correlated with demographic factors, and determine whether urban student-athletes differ in these outcomes compared to their suburban/non-urban counterparts.

Methods: Demographic and physical data were extracted from Athlete Health Organization (AHO) 2018 pre-participation physical exams. Adiposity classifications were made from body mass index (BMI) calculations applied to appropriate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) growth charts, while systolic/diastolic measurements were used to classify students’ blood pressure according to current American Academy of …

Needs Assessment: Northeast Philly Opioid Epidemic, Davis Witt, Ms, Christopher Chambers, Md

Phase 1

Introduction: Philadelphia has the 3rd highest rate of opioid-related overdoses in the nation. This crisis is worsening in Northeast Philadelphia and the Department of Public Health lacks necessary information to intervene in an informed manner.

Objective: This study aims to better understand the crisis in this community and to provide key information to guide future harm reduction interventions in the Northeast Philadelphia region.

Methods: Using a designed discussion guide, qualitative interviews were completed with key stakeholders and community members. Information regarding personal experiences and opinions about the epidemic was gathered and interviews were analyzed using narrative analysis. In addition, needle …

Identifying The Health Needs Of The East North Philadelphia Latino Youth Via Photovoice, Vincent Pepe, Maria F. Arisi, John Mckeegan, Caleb Dafilou, Mph, Rickie Brawer, Mph, Phd, Mches

Phase 1

Introduction: The East North Philadelphia community contains the city’s largest Latino population, most of whom are of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent. This community in particular has unique health needs compared to the rest of the city of Philadelphia, with rates of diabetes (22.9%), asthma (28.6%), and poverty (45.5%) exceeding the national and city averages. Documenting the perceived needs of the children living here regarding their built environment will provide insight into the problems onto which the community at large needs to focus. This study aims to determine the priority needs of the community and to empower the youth …

Identifying The Health Needs Of Latino Youth In East North Philadelphia Through Photovoice, John Mckeegan, Maria Arisi, Vincent Pepe, Caleb Dafilou, Mph, Rickie Brawer, Mph, Phd, Mches

Phase 1

Introduction: The Hispanic population in East North Philadelphia is abounding with risk factors for poor health. These structural risk factors adversely affect the Hispanic adolescents in the area – a demographic that has historically had little say in the research that is done to contextualize the self identified health needs in the community.

Objective: The purpose for this project is to identify the factors that are both helping and preventing healthy development and living of Hispanic adolescents in East North Philadelphia, as well as beginning to find avenues of support for the prioritized self identified needs.

Methods: A Photovoice project …

Characteristics Of A Food Insecure Population In North Philadelphia, Galicano Kai Inguito, James Gardner, Laura Layer, Karen Fritz

Phase 1

Introduction: A 2018 report by Hunger Free America showed that food insecurity increased in Philadelphia by 22%, even though it decreased nationally. The objectives of this study were to perform food insecurity screens, and to describe the demographic characteristics in terms of age, gender, primary language, body mass index (BMI), and zip code. We hypothesized that older, overweight, Hispanic females would be more likely to be food insecure.

Methods: After obtaining consent, the validated Hunger Vital Sign screening tool was used in the Summer of 2019 in North Philadelphia by teams of trained students in the Summer Medical Institute program. …