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Public Health

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

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Public health

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Articles 1 - 5 of 5

Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Policy Alternatives To Increase Access To Early Childhood Education And Care In Massachusetts, Meghan Lemay Jan 2013

Policy Alternatives To Increase Access To Early Childhood Education And Care In Massachusetts, Meghan Lemay

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

Access to early childhood education not only leads to improved social, academic, and health outcomes for children, but can also carry the same benefits into adulthood. Early education and care programs can work against some of the negative effects of social factors such as socioeconomic status, discrimination, social support, and work demands which have been linked to physical and mental health outcomes. Early education programs could intervene not only in the life of a child, but also impact parents, families, and populations. This thesis will review the research showing early childhood education leads to better social and health outcomes and …


Recreational Physical Activity And Premenstrual Syndrome In College-Aged Women, Aimee R. Kroll Jan 2010

Recreational Physical Activity And Premenstrual Syndrome In College-Aged Women, Aimee R. Kroll

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

It is estimated that up to 85% of premenopausal women experience at least one premenstrual symptom and 15-20% meet clinical criteria for premenstrual syndrome (PMS). PMS has a high morbidity level and reduces the quality of life for many women of reproductive age, with pharmaceutical treatments having limited efficacy and substantial side effects. Physical activity has been recommended as a method of reducing menstrual symptom severity. However, little evidence exists to support a clear relationship between physical activity and PMS. Using a cross-sectional design, we evaluated the relationship between physical activity and PMS and menstrual symptoms among 186 women aged …


Vitamin D Status Among Bangladeshi Women Of Reproductive Age, Ann Micka Jan 2009

Vitamin D Status Among Bangladeshi Women Of Reproductive Age, Ann Micka

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

Vitamin D deficiency is of particular concern among women in many south Asian countries due to low availability of vitamin D-rich foods, dark skin pigmentation, and cultural and religious practices that promote the wearing of concealing clothing. However, information regarding the vitamin D status of many subpopulations in south Asian countries is limited. The current study was conducted to assess the vitamin D status of 147 Bangladeshi women of reproductive age and determine whether vitamin D status influences susceptibility to arsenic-associated skin lesions (75 cases, 72 controls). Serum 25(OH)D3 levels were measured using a radioimmunoassay. The mean serum vitamin D …


The Association Between Bully Victimization And Risky Behaviors Among Youth, Shane Nives Isaiah Fernando Jan 2009

The Association Between Bully Victimization And Risky Behaviors Among Youth, Shane Nives Isaiah Fernando

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

In 2005, the Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey reported 21.9% of males and 26.1% of females were bullied in schools. Little research has been conducted into showing an association between childhood bully victimization and risky behaviors. In addition, knowledge is limited about the connection between victimization and risky behaviors among different ethnic groups. We propose to assess the association between victimization and risky behaviors, using the Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey among 3,116 students in grades 9 through 12 in 2007. Data was obtained by self-administered questionnaire, and victimization was considered as a single dichotomous variable. Victimization was assessed as …


The Association Of Self-Reported Birth Weight With Bone Mineral Content And Bone Mineral Density Among College-Aged Women, Valerie M. Hastings Jan 2009

The Association Of Self-Reported Birth Weight With Bone Mineral Content And Bone Mineral Density Among College-Aged Women, Valerie M. Hastings

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

Early life factors such as birth weight have been associated with the risk of disease in adulthood, including osteoporosis. In the United States, an estimated eight million women have osteoporosis, a disease characterized by low bone mass and associated with increased risk of fracture. Peak bone mass, achieved during early adulthood, is a key determinant of risk of subsequent osteoporosis. Prior studies have suggested that an individual's birth weight is positively associated with bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) but results have differed depending on site of bone measurement and other factors considered. We assessed the relationship …