Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Medicine and Health Sciences Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 30 of 182

Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Dismantling Barriers To Hepatitis B And Delta Screening, Prevention, And Linkage To Care Among The Pwud Community In Philadelphia, Beatrice Zovich, Catherine Freeland, Holly Moore, Kara Sapp, Anousha Qureshi, Rachel Holbert, Jason Zambrano, Daljinder Bhangoo, Chari Cohen, Richard W. Hass, Amy Jessop Apr 2024

Dismantling Barriers To Hepatitis B And Delta Screening, Prevention, And Linkage To Care Among The Pwud Community In Philadelphia, Beatrice Zovich, Catherine Freeland, Holly Moore, Kara Sapp, Anousha Qureshi, Rachel Holbert, Jason Zambrano, Daljinder Bhangoo, Chari Cohen, Richard W. Hass, Amy Jessop

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

The prevalence of hepatitis B and delta viruses (HBV/HDV) among people who use drugs (PWUD) remains largely unknown. In the context of one Philadelphia-based harm reduction organization (HRO), this study aimed to assess HBV/HDV prevalence and facilitate linkage to care. Participants completed a demographic HBV/HDV risk factor survey and were screened for HBV and reflexively for HDV if positive for HBV surface antigen or isolated core antibody. Fisher's exact tests and regression were used to understand relationships between risks and HBV blood markers. Of the 498 participants, 126 (25.3%) did not have hepatitis B immunity, 52.6% had been vaccinated against …


Quality Improvement In Public-Private Partnerships In Low- And Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review, Cassandra Iroz, Rohit Ramaswamy, Zulfiqar Bhutta, Paul Barach Mar 2024

Quality Improvement In Public-Private Partnerships In Low- And Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review, Cassandra Iroz, Rohit Ramaswamy, Zulfiqar Bhutta, Paul Barach

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Public-private partnerships (PPP) are often how health improvement programs are implemented in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs). We therefore aimed to systematically review the literature about the aim and impacts of quality improvement (QI) approaches in PPP in LMICs.

METHODS: We searched SCOPUS and grey literature for studies published before March 2022. One reviewer screened abstracts and full-text studies for inclusion. The study characteristics, setting, design, outcomes, and lessons learned were abstracted using a standard tool and reviewed in detail by a second author.

RESULTS: We identified 9,457 citations, of which 144 met the inclusion criteria and underwent full-text abstraction. We …


Characterizing Multimorbidity Prevalence And Adverse Outcomes In Ethnically And Culturally Diverse Sub-Populations In India: Gaps, Opportunities, And Future Directions, Preeti Zanwar, Robyn Taylor, Tanisha Hill-Jarrett, Elena Tsoy, Jason Flatt, Zunera Mirza, Carl Hill, Arokiasamy Perianayagam Mar 2024

Characterizing Multimorbidity Prevalence And Adverse Outcomes In Ethnically And Culturally Diverse Sub-Populations In India: Gaps, Opportunities, And Future Directions, Preeti Zanwar, Robyn Taylor, Tanisha Hill-Jarrett, Elena Tsoy, Jason Flatt, Zunera Mirza, Carl Hill, Arokiasamy Perianayagam

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

India is a large middle-income country and has surpassed China in overall population, comprising 20% of the global population (over 1.43 billion people). India is experiencing a major demographic shift in its aging population. Chronic diseases are common among older adults and can be persistent over the life course, lead to the onset of disability, and be costly. Among older adults in India, the existence of multiple comorbid chronic conditions (i.e., multimorbidity) is rapidly growing and represents a burgeoning public health burden. Prior research identified greater rates of multimorbidity (e.g., overweight/obesity diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and malignancies) in minority …


Statement Of The Aspher Task Force On War And Public Health On The Conflict In Israel/Palestine, Oliver Razum, Paul Barach, Tomasz Bochenek, Colette Cunningham, Nadav Davidovitch, Polychronis Kostoulas, Jutta Lindert, Henrique Lopes, Vladimir Prikazsky, John Reid, Mirjana Kujundžić Tiljak, John Middleton Feb 2024

Statement Of The Aspher Task Force On War And Public Health On The Conflict In Israel/Palestine, Oliver Razum, Paul Barach, Tomasz Bochenek, Colette Cunningham, Nadav Davidovitch, Polychronis Kostoulas, Jutta Lindert, Henrique Lopes, Vladimir Prikazsky, John Reid, Mirjana Kujundžić Tiljak, John Middleton

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.


"Once I Take That One Bite": The Consideration Of Harm Reduction As A Strategy To Support Dietary Change For Patients With Diabetes, Alexzandra Gentsch, Megan Reed, Amy Cunningham, Anna Marie Chang, Stephanie Kahn, Danielle Kovalsky, Amanda Doty, Geoffrey Mills, Judd Hollander, Kristin Rising Jan 2024

"Once I Take That One Bite": The Consideration Of Harm Reduction As A Strategy To Support Dietary Change For Patients With Diabetes, Alexzandra Gentsch, Megan Reed, Amy Cunningham, Anna Marie Chang, Stephanie Kahn, Danielle Kovalsky, Amanda Doty, Geoffrey Mills, Judd Hollander, Kristin Rising

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Despite well-established guidelines to treat diabetes, many people with diabetes struggle to manage their disease. For many, this struggle is related to challenges achieving nutrition-related lifestyle changes. We examined how people with diabetes describe barriers to maintaining a healthy diet and considered the benefits of using a harm reduction approach to assist patients to achieve nutrition-related goals.

METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of 89 interviews conducted with adults who had type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Interviews were analyzed using a content analysis approach. Themes regarding food or diet were initially captured in a "food" node. Data in …


The Pharmacological Deprescription In Elderly Patients, Chelsey Ali, Daniel Huang, Charlene Tugwete, Stefano Del Canale, Vittorio Maio Dec 2023

The Pharmacological Deprescription In Elderly Patients, Chelsey Ali, Daniel Huang, Charlene Tugwete, Stefano Del Canale, Vittorio Maio

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.


The Importance Of Triple Panel Testing For Hepatitis B And The Burden Of Isolated Anti-Hepatitis B Core Antibodies Within A Community Sample, Catherine Freeland, Vivek Sreepathi, Richard Hass, Jonathan Fenkel, Jessie Torgersen, Kenneth Rothstein, Chari Cohen, Robert Gish Dec 2023

The Importance Of Triple Panel Testing For Hepatitis B And The Burden Of Isolated Anti-Hepatitis B Core Antibodies Within A Community Sample, Catherine Freeland, Vivek Sreepathi, Richard Hass, Jonathan Fenkel, Jessie Torgersen, Kenneth Rothstein, Chari Cohen, Robert Gish

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

Within the United States (US), 2.4 million individuals are living with chronic hepatitis B, but less than 20% are diagnosed. Isolated anti-hepatitis B core (iAHBc) antibodies indicate serology in an individual that is positive for anti-HBc antibodies, while negative for surface antigen (HBsAg) and surface antibodies (anti-HBs). A result of iAHBc could indicate a chronic occult bloodstream infection, necessitating further testing. This study assesses the prevalence and risk factors associated with anti-HBc and iAHBc within community high-risk screening in Greater Philadelphia. Participants (n = 177) were screened for HBsAg, anti-HBs, and anti-HBc during community screening events in 2022. Chi-square tables …


Association Between Lack Of Access To A Neighborhood Park And High Blood Pressure In The Philadelphia Metropolitan Area, Stephanie Kjelstrom, Richard W. Hass, Russell K. Mcintire Nov 2023

Association Between Lack Of Access To A Neighborhood Park And High Blood Pressure In The Philadelphia Metropolitan Area, Stephanie Kjelstrom, Richard W. Hass, Russell K. Mcintire

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: Studies have shown a lower risk of high blood pressure (HBP) among people who live near parks; however, little information exists on how feeling safe and comfortable visiting the park affects blood pressure. We identified associations between neighborhood park access, comfort visiting a park, and HBP to understand how these factors may contribute to disparities in HBP prevalence.

METHODS: The 2018 Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey of 3,600 residents in the Philadelphia metropolitan area asked if respondents had ever been told they had HBP and whether they had a neighborhood park or outdoor space that they were comfortable visiting …


Depression By Gender And Associated Factors Among Older Adults In India: Implications For Age-Friendly Policies, Ronak Paul, T. Muhammad, Rashmi Rashmi, Palak Sharma, Shobhit Srivastava, Preeti Zanwar Oct 2023

Depression By Gender And Associated Factors Among Older Adults In India: Implications For Age-Friendly Policies, Ronak Paul, T. Muhammad, Rashmi Rashmi, Palak Sharma, Shobhit Srivastava, Preeti Zanwar

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

Inspite of implementing policies to control mental health problems, depression remains a severe health concern among older adults in India. We examined self-reported differences in the depression among older men and women in India and examined associated factors for gender differences in depression at the population level. We utilized nationally representative data from the Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI) wave I, for years 2017-2019. Our analytical sample comprised of 30,637 older adults ages 60 years and above (14,682 men and 15,655 women). We conducted descriptive statistics and Chi-Square tests followed by binary logistic regression and multivariate decomposition analyses to …


"I Believe More In The Ability Of The Small Person To Make Big Changes": Innovation And Social Entrepreneurship To Promote Public Health In Israel., Keren Dopelt, Nila Mordehay, Shir Goren, Aviya Cohen, Paul Barach Sep 2023

"I Believe More In The Ability Of The Small Person To Make Big Changes": Innovation And Social Entrepreneurship To Promote Public Health In Israel., Keren Dopelt, Nila Mordehay, Shir Goren, Aviya Cohen, Paul Barach

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

Social entrepreneurship has grown worldwide in recent decades as it attempts to create and implement innovative solutions to social and environmental issues through business strategies. The aim of this study was to explore what motivates public health social entrepreneurs to act, the challenges and barriers they face, achievements, and competencies required for success. As such, we interviewed 15 social entrepreneurs in Israel. Budget issues, regulatory barriers, and struggles against powerful companies were the frequent barriers to success. The interviewees indicated several achievements at the health policy level by positioning and becoming an authority in the field, positively influencing other people's …


Perceptions Of Facilitators And Barriers To Smoking Cessation Among Patients And Providers In A Cancer Center: A Single Institution Qualitative Exploratory Study, Luke M. Shenton, Udara Perera, Amy Leader, Ann C. Klassen Sep 2023

Perceptions Of Facilitators And Barriers To Smoking Cessation Among Patients And Providers In A Cancer Center: A Single Institution Qualitative Exploratory Study, Luke M. Shenton, Udara Perera, Amy Leader, Ann C. Klassen

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

PURPOSE: Cancer patients who remain tobacco users have poorer outcomes, including increased mortality and decreased treatment tolerance; however, cessation post-diagnosis is challenging. Our formative research explored cessation-related perspectives among patients and staff at one National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center, to inform improving cessation services within oncology care.

METHODS: Using a descriptive phenomenological approach, a purposive sample of current cancer patients (n = 13) and cancer center physicians and cessation program staff (n = 9) were recruited to complete one-on-one audio-recorded in-depth qualitative interviews, to explore experiences providing or receiving cessation support, and perspectives on patients' readiness and needs regarding cessation. …


Strategies For Strengthening The Resilience Of Public Health Systems For Pandemics, Disasters, And Other Emergencies, Benjamin Ryan, Mayumi Kako, Rok Fink, Perihan Şimşek, Paul Barach, Jose Acosta, Sanjaya Bhatia, Mark Brickhouse, Matthew Fendt, Alicia Fontenot, Nahuel Arenas Garcia, Shelby Garner, Abdülkadir Gunduz, D Mike Hardin, Tim Hatch, Lashonda Malrey-Horne, Makiko Macdermot, Ryoma Kayano, Joshua Mckone, Chaverle Noel, Shuhei Nomura, Jeremy Novak, Andrew Stricklin, Raymond Swienton, Ismail Tayfur, Bryan Brooks Sep 2023

Strategies For Strengthening The Resilience Of Public Health Systems For Pandemics, Disasters, And Other Emergencies, Benjamin Ryan, Mayumi Kako, Rok Fink, Perihan Şimşek, Paul Barach, Jose Acosta, Sanjaya Bhatia, Mark Brickhouse, Matthew Fendt, Alicia Fontenot, Nahuel Arenas Garcia, Shelby Garner, Abdülkadir Gunduz, D Mike Hardin, Tim Hatch, Lashonda Malrey-Horne, Makiko Macdermot, Ryoma Kayano, Joshua Mckone, Chaverle Noel, Shuhei Nomura, Jeremy Novak, Andrew Stricklin, Raymond Swienton, Ismail Tayfur, Bryan Brooks

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify and prioritize strategies for strengthening public health system resilience for pandemics, disasters, and other emergencies using a scorecard approach.

METHODS: The United Nations Public Health System Resilience Scorecard (Scorecard) was applied across 5 workshops in Slovenia, Turkey, and the United States of America. The workshops focused on participants reviewing and discussing 23 questions/indicators. A Likert type scale was used for scoring with zero being the lowest and 5 the highest. The workshop scores were analyzed and discussed by participants to prioritize areas of need and develop resilience strategies. Data from all …


Gross Hematuria And Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Associated With Military Burn Pits Exposures In Us Veterans Deployed To Iraq And Afghanistan, Mosammat M. Perveen, Henry E. Mayo-Malasky, Mary F. Lee-Wong, Julie M. Tomaska, Edward Forsyth, Amy Gravely, Mark A. Klein, Janeen H. Trembley, Tammy A. Butterick, Robert A. Promisloff, Pamela K. Ginex, Paul Barach, Anthony M. Szema Sep 2023

Gross Hematuria And Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Associated With Military Burn Pits Exposures In Us Veterans Deployed To Iraq And Afghanistan, Mosammat M. Perveen, Henry E. Mayo-Malasky, Mary F. Lee-Wong, Julie M. Tomaska, Edward Forsyth, Amy Gravely, Mark A. Klein, Janeen H. Trembley, Tammy A. Butterick, Robert A. Promisloff, Pamela K. Ginex, Paul Barach, Anthony M. Szema

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to describe rates of hematuria and other lower urinary tract symptoms, including self-reported cancer rates, among veterans postburn pits emissions exposure during deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan.

METHODS: US post-9/11 veterans with burn pits emissions exposure confirmed via DD214 forms in the Burn Pits360.org Registry were sent a modified survey. Data were deidentified and anonymously coded.

RESULTS: Twenty-nine percent of the 155 respondents exposed to burn pits self-reported seeing blood in their urine. The average index score of our modified American Urological Association Symptom Index Survey was 12.25 (SD, 7.48). High rates of …


The Relationship Between Changes In Neighborhood Physical Environment And Changes In Physical Activity Among Children: A Prospective Cohort Study, Francesco Acciai, Robin S Deweese, Kristen Lloyd, Michael J Yedidia, Michelle Kennedy, Katherine Isselmann Disantis, David Tulloch, Punam Ohri-Vachaspati Jul 2023

The Relationship Between Changes In Neighborhood Physical Environment And Changes In Physical Activity Among Children: A Prospective Cohort Study, Francesco Acciai, Robin S Deweese, Kristen Lloyd, Michael J Yedidia, Michelle Kennedy, Katherine Isselmann Disantis, David Tulloch, Punam Ohri-Vachaspati

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) is associated with positive health outcomes over the entire life course. Many community-based interventions that promote PA focus on implementing incremental changes to existing facilities and infrastructure. The objective of this study was to determine if such upgrades were associated with increases in children's PA.

METHODS: Two cohorts of 3- to 15-year-old children (n = 599) living in 4 low-income New Jersey cities were followed during 2- to 5-year periods from 2009 to 2017. Data on children's PA were collected at 2 time points (T1 and T2) from each cohort using telephone survey of parents; data …


Simulation As A Key Training Method For Inculcating Public Health Leadership Skills: A Mixed Methods Study, Keren Dopelt, Itamar Shevach, Ofek Eliad Vardimon, Katarzyna Czabanowska, Jascha De Nooijer, Robert Otok, Lore Leighton, Osnat Bashkin, Mariusz Duplaga, Hagai Levine, Fiona Macleod, Maureen Malowany, Leah Okenwa-Emegwa, Shira Zelber-Sagi, Nadav Davidovitch, Paul Barach Jul 2023

Simulation As A Key Training Method For Inculcating Public Health Leadership Skills: A Mixed Methods Study, Keren Dopelt, Itamar Shevach, Ofek Eliad Vardimon, Katarzyna Czabanowska, Jascha De Nooijer, Robert Otok, Lore Leighton, Osnat Bashkin, Mariusz Duplaga, Hagai Levine, Fiona Macleod, Maureen Malowany, Leah Okenwa-Emegwa, Shira Zelber-Sagi, Nadav Davidovitch, Paul Barach

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Successful management of public health challenges requires developing and nurturing leadership competencies. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of training simulations to assess public health leadership and decision-making competencies during emergencies as an effective learning and training method.

METHODS: We examined the effects of two simulation scenarios on public health school students in terms of their experience (compared to face-to-face learning) and new skills acquired for dealing with similar emergent situations in the future. A mixed-methods design included developing a validated and pre-tested questionnaire with open-and closed-ended questions that examined the simulation impact and the degree of student satisfaction …


African American Males Have More Distress During Cancer Treatment Than White Males, Stephanie Kjelstrom, Charis Wynn, Sharon Larson Jun 2023

African American Males Have More Distress During Cancer Treatment Than White Males, Stephanie Kjelstrom, Charis Wynn, Sharon Larson

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

African American (AA) males have a higher incidence and mortality rate for some cancers than other races and sexes, which could be associated with distress during treatment, medical mistrust, and health disparities. We hypothesize distress in AA males during treatment is higher than in other races and sexes. We assessed effect modification of moderate to severe (≥ 4) distress scores during cancer treatment by race and sex, age, and socioeconomic status (SES). National Comprehensive Cancer Network's distress thermometer (scale 0-10) and characteristics for 770 cancer patients were collected from a Philadelphia hospital. Variables included age, sex, race, smoking status, marital …


Physical And Stressful Psychological Impacts Of Prolonged Personal Protective Equipment Use During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study, Giuseppe Candido, Costanza Tortù, Chiara Seghieri, Riccardo Tartaglia, Chiara Baglioni, Paolo Citti, Ida Marina Raciti, Micaela La Regina, Silvia Simonini, Moira Urbani, Chiara Parretti, Paul Barach Jun 2023

Physical And Stressful Psychological Impacts Of Prolonged Personal Protective Equipment Use During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study, Giuseppe Candido, Costanza Tortù, Chiara Seghieri, Riccardo Tartaglia, Chiara Baglioni, Paolo Citti, Ida Marina Raciti, Micaela La Regina, Silvia Simonini, Moira Urbani, Chiara Parretti, Paul Barach

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Healthcare workers (HCWs) caring for COVID-19 infected patients are exposed to stressful and traumatic events with potential for severe and sustained adverse mental and physical health consequences. Our aim was to assess the magnitude of physical and mental health outcomes of HCWs due to the prolonged use of personal protective equipment (PPE) treating COVID-19 patients.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study assessed the symptoms of stress, anxiety, insomnia, and psychological resilience using the Stress and Anxiety to Viral Epidemics (SAVE) scale, Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and Resilience Scale (RS), respectively, in Italy between 1st February and 31st March 2022. The physical …


Study Protocol: Type Iii Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation Study Implementing Age-Friendly Evidence-Based Practices In The Va To Improve Outcomes In Older Adults, Kirstin Manges Piazza, Laura Ellen Ashcraft, Liam Rose, Daniel E. Hall, Rebecca T. Brown, Mary Elizabeth (Libby) Bowen, Shahrzad Mavandadi, Alison C. Brecher, Shimrit Keddem, Bruce Kiosian, Judith A. Long, Rachel M. Werner, Robert E. Burke May 2023

Study Protocol: Type Iii Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation Study Implementing Age-Friendly Evidence-Based Practices In The Va To Improve Outcomes In Older Adults, Kirstin Manges Piazza, Laura Ellen Ashcraft, Liam Rose, Daniel E. Hall, Rebecca T. Brown, Mary Elizabeth (Libby) Bowen, Shahrzad Mavandadi, Alison C. Brecher, Shimrit Keddem, Bruce Kiosian, Judith A. Long, Rachel M. Werner, Robert E. Burke

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

Background

Unmet care needs among older adults accelerate cognitive and functional decline and increase medical harms, leading to poorer quality of life, more frequent hospitalizations, and premature nursing home admission. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is invested in becoming an “Age-Friendly Health System” to better address four tenets associated with reduced harm and improved outcomes among the 4 million Veterans aged 65 and over receiving VA care. These four tenets focus on “4Ms” that are fundamental to the care of older adults, including (1) what Matters (ensuring that care is consistent with each person’s goals and preferences); (2) …


A Systematic Review Identifying Adverse Health Outcomes And Mortality Rates Associated With Telehealth, Fidelia Cascini, Ana Pantovic, Yazan A. Al-Ajlouni, Omar Al Ta'ani, Giovanna Failla, Andriy Melnyk, Paul Barach, Walter Ricciardi Apr 2023

A Systematic Review Identifying Adverse Health Outcomes And Mortality Rates Associated With Telehealth, Fidelia Cascini, Ana Pantovic, Yazan A. Al-Ajlouni, Omar Al Ta'ani, Giovanna Failla, Andriy Melnyk, Paul Barach, Walter Ricciardi

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

Background: The literature supporting telehealth management is growing accelerated by the COVID-pandemic. We hypothesize that there are risks of adverse events associated with telehealth interventions.

Methods: A review of PubMed (including MEDLINE), Embase, ISI (Web of Science), VHL/GHL, Scopus, Science Direct, and PsycINFO was conducted for all adverse events associated with telehealth from January 1, 1960 to March 1, 2021. This systematic review and meta-analyses were conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.

Results: Of 5,144 citations 78 published studies met criteria for quality evaluation and underwent full text abstraction including the qualitative …


A Novel Method For Measuring The Burden Of Breast Cancer In Neighborhoods, Russell K. Mcintire, Hee-Soon Juon, Scott W. Keith, Nicole L. Simone, Dexter Waters, Eleanor Lewis, Charnita Zeigler-Johnson Apr 2023

A Novel Method For Measuring The Burden Of Breast Cancer In Neighborhoods, Russell K. Mcintire, Hee-Soon Juon, Scott W. Keith, Nicole L. Simone, Dexter Waters, Eleanor Lewis, Charnita Zeigler-Johnson

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

Community-based breast cancer prevention efforts often focus on women who live in the same neighborhoods, as they tend to have similar demographic characteristics, health behaviors, and environmental exposures; yet little research describes methods of selecting neighborhoods of focus for community-based cancer prevention interventions. Studies frequently use demographics from census data, or single breast cancer outcomes (e.g., mortality, morbidity) in order to choose neighborhoods of focus for breast cancer interventions, which may not be optimal. This study presents a novel method for measuring the burden of breast cancer among neighborhoods that could be used for selecting neighborhoods of focus. In this …


Increasing Covid-19 Vaccination Coverage For Newcomer Communities: The Importance Of Disaggregation By Language, Abigail Steiner, Kristine Knuti Rodrigues, Nadège Mudenge, Janine Young, Rasulo Rasulo, Colleen Payton, Malini Desilva, Jeremy Michel, Mary Fabio, Katherine Yun Apr 2023

Increasing Covid-19 Vaccination Coverage For Newcomer Communities: The Importance Of Disaggregation By Language, Abigail Steiner, Kristine Knuti Rodrigues, Nadège Mudenge, Janine Young, Rasulo Rasulo, Colleen Payton, Malini Desilva, Jeremy Michel, Mary Fabio, Katherine Yun

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected refugee, immigrant, and migrant populations. Vaccines are essential for decreasing transmission and severity of COVID-19 infection. Understanding differences in vaccination coverage based on preferred language is crucial for focusing efforts to decrease COVID-19-related disparities. Four sites in the Minnesota Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health collaboratively evaluated completion of primary COVID-19 vaccination series on or before December 31, 2021, for patients who were 12 years or older on June 30, 2021, by preferred language. The non-English/non-Spanish speaking population included 46,714 patients who spoke 174 languages; COVID-19 vaccination coverage by language ranged from 26.2% to …


The Prescription Drug Monitoring Program In A Multifactorial Approach To The Opioid Crisis: Pdmp Data, Pennsylvania, 2016–2020, Jenna R. Adalbert, Amit Syal, Karan Varshney, Brandon George, Jeffrey Hom, Asif M. Ilyas Apr 2023

The Prescription Drug Monitoring Program In A Multifactorial Approach To The Opioid Crisis: Pdmp Data, Pennsylvania, 2016–2020, Jenna R. Adalbert, Amit Syal, Karan Varshney, Brandon George, Jeffrey Hom, Asif M. Ilyas

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

Background: Prescription opioids remain an important contributor to the United States opioid crisis and to the development of opioid use disorder for opioid-naïve individuals. Recent legislative actions, such as the implementation of state prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs), aim to reduce opioid morbidity and mortality through enhanced tracking and reporting of prescription data. The primary objective of our study was to describe the opioid prescribing trends in the state of Pennsylvania (PA) as recorded by the PA PDMP following legislative changes in reporting guidelines, and discuss the PDMP's role in a multifactorial approach to opioid harm reduction.

Methods: State-level opioid …


Blood Pressure Surge With Alarm Is Reduced After Exercise And Diet Intervention In Firefighters, Deborah L Feairheller, Macie Smith, Megan Carty, Emily H Reeve Apr 2023

Blood Pressure Surge With Alarm Is Reduced After Exercise And Diet Intervention In Firefighters, Deborah L Feairheller, Macie Smith, Megan Carty, Emily H Reeve

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Cardiac-related incidents are a public health concern for tactical occupations, and cardiovascular disease rates are higher in these populations compared with civilians. Research is needed to examine blood pressure (BP) responses in firefighters. The pager alert is one occupational hazard, and it is unknown if lifestyle change can reduce the systolic surge response.

PURPOSE: To measure BP surge with alarm in firefighters to determine whether the magnitude is lower after a 6-week tactical exercise and Mediterranean-diet intervention.

METHODS: SBP and DBP and BP surge levels, circulating markers, vascular health, and fitness were analyzed. BP surge with alarm was captured …


The Role Of Telehealth In Enabling Sustainable Innovation And Circular Economies In Health, Dimitrios Kalogeropoulos, Paul Barach Feb 2023

The Role Of Telehealth In Enabling Sustainable Innovation And Circular Economies In Health, Dimitrios Kalogeropoulos, Paul Barach

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

Digital health interventions including telehealth support an increasingly broad range of improvement goals for prevention and treatment. Limitations obstructing the many digital benefits of telehealth from reaching their full potential include lack of robust usability and user centered design, regulatory policy paradigms, lack of adequate high-quality evidence and methodologies to evaluate the performance generalization and clinical robustness. Health innovation is explored in the context of different value systems and a solution is proposed to the fundamental limitations arising in the data value system, an approach to a new telehealth paradigm and incorporated intervention designs which combine clinical innovation with innovation …


Efficacy Of Covid-19 Public Health Measures In Philadelphia, New York City, Baltimore, And Chicago, Brian Goldstein, Willie H. Oglesby Feb 2023

Efficacy Of Covid-19 Public Health Measures In Philadelphia, New York City, Baltimore, And Chicago, Brian Goldstein, Willie H. Oglesby

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

Introduction: From the early days of the pandemic, US cities have implemented a variety of public health measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19. This study investigates which policies were most effective in reducing cases of COVID-19 in four major cities: Philadelphia, New York City, Baltimore, and Chicago.

Methods: Through a cross-comparative analysis, we developed a timeline that tracked the implementation of a range of public health measures along with changes in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. Data were collected from publicly available government sites and from press releases.

Results: The results from the stay-at-home orders illustrate the delayed impact …


I Don't Believe A Person Has To Die When Trying To Get High: Overdose Prevention And Response Strategies In Rural Illinois, Suzan M. Walters, Marisa Felsher, David Frank, Jessica Jaiswal, Tarlise Townsend, Brandon Muncan, Alex S. Bennett, Samuel R. Friedman, Wiley Jenkins, Mai T. Pho, Scott Fletcher, Danielle C. Ompad Jan 2023

I Don't Believe A Person Has To Die When Trying To Get High: Overdose Prevention And Response Strategies In Rural Illinois, Suzan M. Walters, Marisa Felsher, David Frank, Jessica Jaiswal, Tarlise Townsend, Brandon Muncan, Alex S. Bennett, Samuel R. Friedman, Wiley Jenkins, Mai T. Pho, Scott Fletcher, Danielle C. Ompad

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Overdose is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among people who inject drugs. Illicitly manufactured fentanyl is now a major driver of opioid overdose deaths.

METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 participants (19 persons who inject drugs and 4 service providers) from rural southern Illinois. Data were analyzed using constant comparison and theoretical sampling methods.

RESULTS: Participants were concerned about the growing presence of fentanyl in both opioids and stimulants, and many disclosed overdose experiences. Strategies participants reported using to lower overdose risk included purchasing drugs from trusted sellers and modifying drug use practices by partially injecting …


Telehealth In Medicine: Predictions 2023–2024, Jiang Li, Ingrid Vasiliu-Feltes, Kathleen Mcgrow, Brendan F. Smith, Paul Barach, Sweta Sneha, Francis X. Campion Jan 2023

Telehealth In Medicine: Predictions 2023–2024, Jiang Li, Ingrid Vasiliu-Feltes, Kathleen Mcgrow, Brendan F. Smith, Paul Barach, Sweta Sneha, Francis X. Campion

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

Each year, Telehealth and Medicine Today asks experts in the field to share their insights into the future and predict how telehealth will influence uptake and healthcare in the new year.


How The Rural Risk Environment Underpins Hepatitis C Risk: Qualitative Findings From Rural Southern Illinois, United States, Suzan M Walters, David Frank, Marisa Felsher, Jessica Jaiswal, Scott Fletcher, Alex S Bennett, Samuel R Friedman, Lawrence J Ouellet, Danielle C Ompad, Wiley Jenkins, Mai T Pho Jan 2023

How The Rural Risk Environment Underpins Hepatitis C Risk: Qualitative Findings From Rural Southern Illinois, United States, Suzan M Walters, David Frank, Marisa Felsher, Jessica Jaiswal, Scott Fletcher, Alex S Bennett, Samuel R Friedman, Lawrence J Ouellet, Danielle C Ompad, Wiley Jenkins, Mai T Pho

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has increased among persons who inject drugs (PWID) in the United States with disproportionate burden in rural areas. We use the Risk Environment framework to explore potential economic, physical, social, and political determinants of hepatitis C in rural southern Illinois.

Methods: Nineteen in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with PWID from August 2019 through February 2020 (i.e., pre-COVID-19 pandemic) and four with key informants who professionally worked with PWID. Interviews were recorded, professionally transcribed, and coded using qualitative software. We followed a grounded theory approach for coding and analyses.

Results: We identify economic, physical, policy, …


Registry-Based Cohort Study Of Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency Prevalence, Incidence And Mortality In Denmark 2000-2018, John Acquavella, Emese Vágó, Henrik Toft Sorensen, Erzsébet Horváth-Puhó, Gregory P. Hess Dec 2022

Registry-Based Cohort Study Of Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency Prevalence, Incidence And Mortality In Denmark 2000-2018, John Acquavella, Emese Vágó, Henrik Toft Sorensen, Erzsébet Horváth-Puhó, Gregory P. Hess

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of diagnosed alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (dAATD) in Denmark as of 31 December 2018, and dAATD incidence and mortality from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2018.

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: We used the Danish National Patient Registry to identify patients with dAATD based on the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) code E88.0A and the Danish Civil Registration System (CRS) for population counts and vital status. We estimated dAATD prevalence, incidence and mortality. We compared mortality among patients with dAATD and an age-matched and sex-matched cohort extracted from the Danish CRS. We conducted a …


Identifying The Gaps Between Public Health Training And Practice: A Workforce Competencies Comparative Analysis, Osnat Bashkin, Robert Otok, Ori Kapra, Kasia Czabanowska, Paul Barach, Orna Baron-Epel, Keren Dopelt, Mariusz Duplaga, Lore Leighton, Hagai Levine, Fiona Macleod, Yehuda Neumark, Stephanie Paillard-Borg, Theodore Tulchinsky, Zohar Mor Dec 2022

Identifying The Gaps Between Public Health Training And Practice: A Workforce Competencies Comparative Analysis, Osnat Bashkin, Robert Otok, Ori Kapra, Kasia Czabanowska, Paul Barach, Orna Baron-Epel, Keren Dopelt, Mariusz Duplaga, Lore Leighton, Hagai Levine, Fiona Macleod, Yehuda Neumark, Stephanie Paillard-Borg, Theodore Tulchinsky, Zohar Mor

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

Objectives: The study aimed to generate insights on how best to enhance the compatibility between Public Health training program competencies and the implementation of competencies required by employers to address current and emerging public health needs.

Methods: A survey adapted from the WHO-ASPHER Competency Framework for the Public Health Workforce was conducted online among Israeli public health managers from August to November 2021. The survey was formulated to mirror Essential Public Health Operations. Forty-nine managers participated (37.6% response rate) in an assessment of 44 public health competencies and the core organizational public health operations.

Results: Analysis of Essential Public Health …