Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Pandemic-Related Caregiver Burden Among Public Health Workforce: A Mixed-Method Analysis, Tony Lee

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by a highly contagious novel virus called SARS-CoV-2, has led to significant global morbidity and mortality. The healthcare workforce (HCW) is disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and is more likely to report depression, burnout, moral injury, compassion fatigue, and post-traumatic stress. However, research among the public health workforce (PHW) remains limited. Given the burden of COVID-19 itself, coupled with the work-related pressure of rapid pandemic management strategies, risk of exposure, potential fatigue, etc., understanding the mental health needs of PHW and related professionals is critical. As such, the purpose of this study is to …

Mental Health Burden Among College Students During Covid-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study, Jeffrey Bao Truong

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is a significant public health issue and has negatively burdened the general population’s health, though assessment among vulnerable groups remain limited. The present study aimed to evaluate the mental health burden of the COVID-19 pandemic among college students.

Method:This study utilized a cross-sectional approach. Courses across multiple departments were used to collect data in order to ensure a diversity of majors. All statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS version 28 with p <.05 denoting significance.

Results: A total of 98 study participants were included in analyses. Among study participants, 32%reported feeling their mental health worsened due to COVID-19 …

The Effectiveness Of Best Management Practices Implemented At Lake Gregory, Crestline, Ca, Devin Darrow

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Water quality deterioration of recreational surface waters from excess pollution inputs is a significant concern for the health of the public and aquatic ecosystem. This study will examine the effectiveness of Best Management Practices (BMPs) in reducing pollution inputs into Lake Gregory, Crestline, CA. The effectiveness of the BMPs was examined by testing for water quality parameters including dissolved oxygen, temperature, pH, conductivity, turbidity, nitrate (NO3-), ammonium (NH4+), total coliform, and Escherichia coli on weekly to bi-weekly basis for a period of 1 year. A statistical analysis involving descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, the Efficient Ratios (ER) and Percent Removal Rates …

Preventing Intimate Partner Violence Through Healthy Relationship Education, Jessica Naranjo Larios

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global public health crisis and is defined as behavior by a current or former partner who causes physical, sexual, or psychological harm (WHO, 2021). The age demographic experiencing the highest rates of IPV is those between 18-24 years old (Brewer et al., 2018). Since many college students fit this demographic, colleges must implement effective evidence-based IPV prevention programs. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of healthy relationship education among college students using the KAP (Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice) model tool.

Methods: This study utilized quantitative research methods to assess …

The Prevalence Of Iron Deficiency And Obesity Among Young Children In The United States, Mirriam Abunaja

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background The coexistence of obesity and iron deficiency among children is one manifestation of the double burden of malnutrition (DBM) and is a public health concern. This study aims to provide useful insight on public health knowledge by presenting a current snapshot of the coexistence of obesity and iron deficiency among pre-school aged children as well as specific risk factors.

Methods This analysis utilizes secondary data from a publicly accessible, national database, the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES). The data examined were retrieved from the years 2015-2016 and 2017-2018. Chi-squared tests were used to test each thesis question. …

Burden Of Food Insecurity Among College Students: A Cross-Sectional Study During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Saba Sami

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background: Food insecurity is lack of access to proper nutrition for an individual to obtain a healthy lifestyle. The goal of this research is to determine the frequency of food insecurity among college students at a four-year college institution during COVID-19 pandemic in association to mental and physical health status.

Methods: This study was conducted among college students using cross-sectional study method. All data were collection virtually and kept anonymous. All statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS version 28 with (p<.05), denoting significance.

Results: In the study there were a total of 98 participants who were being analyzed. All the participants were …

Pandemic And Substance Use: A Cross-Sectional Analysis, Vanessa E. Ermilio

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background: The COVID-19 Pandemic called individuals to stay at home which may have impacted individuals to become not only physically, but socially isolated as well. With social isolation, comes an increase in mental health complications which may lead to an increase in substance use. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential association between COVID-19 social isolation and substance use among college students.

Method: The present study’s data was collected from a public, four-year university located in Southern California. The survey was disseminated through instructors at the university and students were incentivized with extra course credit to participate. …

Injection Drug Users (Idus), Blood-Borne Diseases, And The Role Of Needle Exchange Programs, Lilibeth Guzman

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Objective: Needle exchange programs are designed to educate injection drug users of healthy drug behaviors and establish a controlled environment to prevent blood-borne diseases through clean needles and provide treatment to reduce blood-borne diseases and become drug-free. This study observed the prevalence of blood-borne diseases among injection drug users as well as the general population. The study used publicly available data of drug use to assess differences by race/ethnicity, and participation in needle exchange programs.

Methods: Quantitative methods were used with the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Analysis began with descriptive statistics, followed by regression analyses to …

Pandemic And Sleep Health: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Among College Students, Jasmine Mitchell

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background: The purpose of this study seeks to address sleep health among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: The study used a cross-sectional design. Data in this study were collected from college students through a virtual survey at a public university in Southern California. Data was collected with SPSS version 28 to conduct crosstabs and chi-square, as well as descriptive statistics.

Results: The study presented key findings that call attention to college students and poor sleep health. Results showed most of the participants (62.8%) reported getting less than 7 hours of sleep on an average school night. 45.7% of …

Promoting Health Equity Among Racial And Ethnic Minorities During And After The Covid-19 Pandemic, Alexandra Viramontes, Deserry Salgado

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Racial and ethnic minorities experience disproportionate health outcomes during a pandemic, yet preparedness plans have failed to address the social determinants of health that produce the most severe impact. By examining social workers’ perspectives on the health disparities faced by racial and ethnic minorities during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study provides insight into the ways in which services can be improved in a future health crisis. In this exploratory study, a qualitative approach was utilized where social workers were asked to participate in interviews consisting of open-ended questions. The qualitative data was obtained in the form of interview transcripts, which …

Sleep Health And Academic Performance During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Analysis, Rushil Gumasana

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background: Sleep health is an important public health topic that is often overlooked by college students who are trying to juggle between school, work, and social life. Sleep is seen as a luxury and as a result, most often sacrificed for other activities. The purpose of this thesis is to make a connection between the factors that lead to poor sleep quality and its influence on academic performance.

Methods:The study utilized the cross-sectional approach to evaluate sleep health and identify the relationship that exists with academic performance among college students. All data were collected virtually and kept anonymous. All …

Sexual Health Services During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Thomas C. Roland

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic created a unique situation for healthcare providers worldwide. The highly infectious nature of the COVID-19 virus required many countries to impose strict lockdowns and limit access to select health services such as sexual health services. The present study was designed to explore the role of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare services, specifically sexual health services.

Methods: A cross- sectional study design was selected to evaluate the burden of the pandemic on sexual health services. Participants responses were obtained anonymously using an online survey. Data was analyzed through descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses using IBM SPSS version …

Relationship Between University Students’ Demographics And Drinking & Driving Behaviors, Carlos Razo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

In the U.S. there continues to be public health concerns behind alcohol related motor-vehicle accidents, as the yearly death continues to remain high. University students are a population of interest, as the age group found in these institutions closely matches the age range of most alcohol related accidents. University students already experience health related problems with their drinking & driving behaviors. Literature supports that university students are more susceptible to drinking and driving when compared to those that don’t attend. This study focused on determining whether a relationship existed between university demographics (age, gender, and student classification) and their drinking …

Pre-Migration To Post-Migration – Mental Health Problems In Unaccompanied Migrant Children From The Northern Triangle Of Central America, Paola Zuniga

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background - The number of unaccompanied migrant children arriving at the U.S. southern border has significantly increased. Each year, children are forced to flee from their native countries of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. These countries form the Northern Triangle region of Central America, which is recognized as “one of the most dangerous places on earth” according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Children from this region, experience significant trauma during their pre-migration, in-transit, and post-migration journey. This raises significant concerns about potential mental health problems. For this reason, access to mental health services for UMCs is …

Barriers To The Use Of Palliative And Hospice Care Among The Latino Population, Diana Ramirez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Patients suffering from irreversible and terminal illnesses may benefit from the services provided by Palliative and Hospice Care to control any symptom burden and assist in navigating complex medical decisions. Many patients may express hesitation in accepting and enrolling to this service due to misconceptions. Language barriers may add an additional layer of complexity. This study explored the challenges Palliative Care providers encounter when introducing concept of hospice to Spanish-speaking patients their families for the first time. This study implemented qualitative research methods by using semi-structured one-on-one interviews. Ten members of an In-patient Palliative Care Team at a University Hospital …