Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Does Workplace Social Capital Associate With Hazardous Drinking Among Chinese Rural-Urban Migrant Workers?, Junling Gao, Scott R. Weaver, Hua Fua, Zhigang Pan

Public Health Faculty Publications

Background: The present study sought to investigate the associations between workplace social capital and hazardous drinking (HD) among Chinese rural-urban migrant workers (RUMW). Methods: A cross sectional study with a multi-stage stratified sampling procedure was conducted in Shanghai during July 2012 to January 2013. In total, 5,318 RUMWs from 77 workplaces were involved. Work-place social capital was assessed using a validated and psychometrically tested eight-item measure. The Chinese version of Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was used to assess hazardous drinking. Control variables included gender, age, marital status, education level, salary, and current smoking. Multilevel logistic regression analysis was …

A Three-Dimensional Computational Model Of Collagen Network Mechanics, Byoungkoo Lee, Xin Zhou, Kristin Riching, Kevin W. Eliceiri, Patricia J. Keely, Scott A. Guelcher, Alissa M. Weaver, Yi Jiang

Public Health Faculty Publications

Extracellular matrix (ECM) strongly influences cellular behaviors, including cell proliferation, adhesion, and particularly migration. In cancer, the rigidity of the stromal collagen environment is thought to control tumor aggressiveness, and collagen alignment has been linked to tumor cell invasion. While the mechanical properties of collagen at both the single fiber scale and the bulk gel scale are quite well studied, how the fiber network responds to local stress or deformation, both structurally and mechanically, is poorly understood. This intermediate scale knowledge is important to understanding cell- ECM interactions and is the focus of this study. We have developed a three-dimensional …

Trends In Awareness And Use Of Electronic Cigarettes Among Us Adults, 2010–2013, Brian A. King, Roshni Patel, Kimberly H. Nguyen, Shanta R. Dube

Public Health Faculty Publications

Introduction: Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) marketing has increased considerably since the product entered the US market in 2007, thereby warranting additional surveillance to monitor recent trends in population-level awareness and utilization. We assessed the prevalence, characteristics, and trends in e-cigarette awareness and use among nationally representative samples of US adults during 2010–2013. Methods: Data came from the 2010–2013 HealthStyles survey, an annual consumer-based web survey of US adults aged ≥18 years. Sample sizes ranged from 2,505 (2010) to 4,170 (2012). Descriptive statistics were used to assess e-cigarette awareness, ever use, and current use (use within the past 30 days) overall and …

Madison County, Kentucky Hazardous Materials Commodity Flow Analysis, Dr. Ritchie D. Taylor, Dr. Vijay Golla, Jacqueline Brown, Bryan Makinen, Carl Richards, Michael Bryant

Public Health Faculty Publications

The results of a commodity flow analysis of hazardous materials for KY Highway 21 (KY-0021) and KY Highway 627 (KY-0627) conducted by Western Kentucky University, in partnership with the Madison County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), are presented within this report. This report specifically focuses on the portions of these highways located in Madison County, Kentucky. Figure 1.1 shows the location of Madison County in relationship to the state of Kentucky. The purpose of this report is to present information regarding the patterns of hazardous materials transportation along KY-0021 and KY-0627 as observed from August 4, 2014 through August 15, …

Rowan County, Kentucky Hazardous Materials Commodity Flow Analysis, Dr. Vijay Golla, Dr. Ritchie D. Taylor, Jacqueline Brown

Public Health Faculty Publications

The results of a Commodity Flow Analysis of Hazardous Materials for Interstate 64 (I-64) conducted by Western Kentucky University in partnership with the Rowan County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) are presented within this report. This report specifically focuses on the portion of the I-64 corridor located in Rowan County, Kentucky. Figure 1.1 shows the location of Rowan County in relationship to the state of Kentucky. The purpose of this report is to present information regarding the patterns of hazardous materials transportation observed along I-64 in Rowan County from June 16, 2014 through July 11, 2014. Finally, the report presents …

Montgomery County, Kentucky Hazardous Materials Commodity Flow Analysis 1, Dr. Vijay Golla, Dr. Ritchie D. Taylor, Jacqueline Brown

Public Health Faculty Publications

The results of a Commodity Flow Analysis of Hazardous Materials for Interstate 64 (I-64) conducted by Western Kentucky University in partnership with the Montgomery County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) are presented within this report. This report specifically focuses on the portion of the I-64 corridor located in Montgomery County, Kentucky. Figure 1.1 shows the location of Montgomery County in relationship to the state of Kentucky. The purpose of this report is to present information regarding the patterns of hazardous materials transportation along I-64 as observed from July 14, 2014 through August 1, 2014. In addition, this report also summarizes …

Demographic And Psychosocial Correlates Of Mobile Phone Ownership And Usage Among Youth Living In The Slums Of Kampala, Uganda, Monica Swahn, Sarah Braunstein, Rogers Kasirye

Public Health Faculty Publications

Introduction: The use of mobile phones and other technology for improving health through research and practice is growing quickly, in particular in areas with difficult-to-reach population or where the research infrastructure is less developed. In Sub-Saharan Africa, there appears to be a dramatic increase in mobile phone ownership and new initiatives that capitalize on this technology to support health promotion campaigns to change behavior and to increase health literacy. However, the extent to which difficult-to-reach youth in the slums of Kampala may own and use mobile phones has not been reported despite the burden of injuries, substance use, and HIV …

Intentions To Smoke Cigarettes Among Never-Smoking Us Middle And High School Electronic Cigarette Users: National Youth Tobacco Survey, 2011–2013, Rebecca E. Bunnell, Israel T. Agaku, René A. Arrazola, Benjamin J. Apelberg, Ralph S. Caraballo, Catherine G. Corey, Blair N. Coleman, Shanta R. Dube, Brian A. King

Public Health Faculty Publications

Introduction: Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use is increasing rapidly, and the impact on youth is unknown. We assessed associations between e-cigarette use and smoking intentions among US youth who had never smoked conventional cigarettes. Methods: We analyzed data from the nationally representative 2011, 2012, and 2013 National Youth Tobacco Surveys of students in grades 6–12. Youth reporting they would definitely not smoke in the next year or if offered a cigarette by a friend were defined as not having an intention to smoke; all others were classified as having positive intention to smoke conventional cigarettes. Demographics, pro-tobacco advertisement exposure, ever use …

Primary Care: Mental And Behavioral Health And Persons With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, David A. Ervin, Ashley Williams, Joav Merrick

Public Health Faculty Publications

Introduction: There are multiple ways to address the mental and behavioral health needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

Method: In this paper, we do not argue for a particular approach or set of approaches, but instead review the benefits of integrating mental and behavioral health supports with primary healthcare based primarily on our experience in and understanding of healthcare systems in the United States. It is estimated that between 35 and 40% of people with IDD also live with psychiatric disorders. NADD, an association for persons with developmental disabilities and mental health needs in the US holds …

Healthcare For Persons With Intellectual And Developmental Disability In The Community, David A. Ervin, Brian Hennan, Joav Merrick, Mohammed Morad

Public Health Faculty Publications

Introduction: While there has been impressive progress in creating and improving commu- nity healthcare delivery systems that support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), there is much more that can and should be done.

Methods: This paper offers a review of healthcare delivery concepts on which new models are being developed, while also establishing an historical context. We review the need for creating fully integrated models of healthcare, and at the same time offer practical consid- erations that range from specific healthcare delivery system components to the need to expand our approach to training healthcare providers. The models and …

Newborn Care: What We Can Learn From The Kangaroo Mother, Donald E. Greydanus, Joav Merrick

Public Health Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Cigar Smoking Among U.S. Students: Reported Use After Adding Brands To Survey Items, Catherine G. Corey, Shanta R. Dube, Bridget K. Ambrose, Brian A. King, Benjamin J. Apelberg, Corinne G. Husten

Public Health Faculty Publications

Background: Among U.S. youth overall, cigars are the most commonly used tobacco product after cigarettes. However, youth who identify their products by brand names, not general terms like “cigar,” may underreport use. Purpose: To examine changes in reported cigar (cigar, cigarillo, or little cigar) smoking among students following inclusion of cigar brand examples on the National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS). Methods: Data from the 2011 and 2012 NYTS and National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) were analyzed in 2013 to estimate ever and current cigar smoking, overall and by race/ ethnicity. The 2012 NYTS included cigar brand examples …

Changes In Antidepressant Use By Young People And Suicidal Behavior After Fda Warnings And Media Coverage: Quasi-Experimental Study, Christine Y. Lu, Fang Zhang, Matthew D. Lakoma, Jeanne M. Madden, Donna Rusinak, Robert B. Penfold, Gregory E. Simon, Brian K. Ahmedani, Gregory Clarke, Enid M. Hunkeler, Beth E. Waitzfelder, Ashli Owen-Smith, Marsha A. Raebel, Rebecca C. Rossom, Karen J. Coleman, Laurel Copeland, Stephen Soumerai

Public Health Faculty Publications

Objective To investigate if the widely publicized warnings in 2003 from the US Food and Drug Administration about a possible increased risk of suicidality with antidepressant use in young people were associated with changes in antidepressant use, suicide attempts, and completed suicides among young people.

Design Quasi-experimental study assessing changes in outcomes after the warnings, controlling for pre-existing trends.

Setting Automated healthcare claims data (2000-10) derived from the virtual data warehouse of 11 health plans in the US Mental Health Research Network.

Participants Study cohorts included adolescents (around 1.1 million), young adults (around 1.4 million), and adults (around 5 million). …

Adaptation Of The African Couples Hiv Testing And Counseling Model For Men Who Have Sex With Men In The United States: An Application Of The Adapt-Itt Framework, Patrick S. Sullivan, Rob Stephenson, Beau Grazter, Gina Wingood, Ralph Diclemente, Susan Allen, Colleen Hoff, Laura F. Salazar, Lamont Scales, Jeanne Montgomery, Ann Schwartz, Jasper Barnes, Kristina Grabbe

Public Health Faculty Publications

To respond to the need for new HIV prevention services for men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States, and to respond to new data on the key role of main partnerships in US MSM epidemics, we sought to develop a new service for joint HIV testing of male couples. We used the ADAPT-ITT framework to guide our work. From May 2009 to July 2013, a multiphase process was undertaken to identify an appropriate service as the basis for adaptation, collect data to inform the adaptation, adapt the testing service, develop training materials, test the adapted service, …

Understanding Racial Hiv/Sti Disparities In Black And White Men Who Have Sex With Men: A Multilevel Approach, Patrick S. Sullivan, John Peterson, Eli S. Rosenberg, Colleen F. Kelley, Hannah Cooper, Adam Vaughan, Laura F. Salazar, Paula Frew, Gina Wingood, Ralph Diclemente, Carlos Del Rio, Mark Mulligan, Travis H. Sanchez

Public Health Faculty Publications

Background: The reasons for black/white disparities in HIV epidemics among men who have sex with men have puzzled researchers for decades. Understanding reasons for these disparities requires looking beyond individual-level behavioral risk to a more comprehensive framework.
Methods and Findings: From July 2010-Decemeber 2012, 803 men (454 black, 349 white) were recruited through venuebased and online sampling; consenting men were provided HIV and STI testing, completed a behavioral survey and a sex partner inventory, and provided place of residence for geocoding. HIV prevalence was higher among black (43%) versus white (13% MSM (prevalence ratio (PR) 3.3, 95% confidence interval (CI): …

Results Of The Kentucky Worksite Assessment: Utilization Of The Cdc’S Health Scorecard, Cecilia M. Watkins, Grace Lartey, Gretchen Macy, Vijay Golla, Teresa Lovely

Public Health Faculty Publications

Study Objectives and Research Approach

A Health Impact Assessment (HIA) conducted in 2011-2012 of a proposed Kentucky Worksite Wellness Tax Credit highlighted gaps in the data available on worksite wellness programs in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Conducting a state-wide assessment of worksite wellness programs was a recommendation that resulted from this HIA.

The purpose of the assessment is to:

1) Identify the number of comprehensive worksite health promotion programs in Kentucky.

2) Determine the health needs of worksites in Kentucky.

By Identifying current wellness practices in Kentucky, better tools and support can be provided at a state level to assist …

Effects Of Exposure To Community Violence And Family Violence On School Functioning Problems Among Urban Youth: The Potential Mediating Role Of Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, Tia M. Mcgill, Shannon Self-Brown, Betty S. Lai, Melissa A. Cowart-Osborne, Ashwini Tiwari, Monique Leblanc, Mary Lou Kelley

Public Health Faculty Publications

Adolescents who are exposed to violence during childhood are at an increased risk for developing posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms. The literature suggests that violence exposure might also have negative effects on school functioning, and that PTS might serve as a potential mediator in this association. The purpose of the current study was to replicate and extend prior research by examining PTS symptoms as a mediator of the relationship between two types of violence exposure and school functioning problems among ado- lescent youth from an urban setting. Participants included a sample of 121 junior high and high school students (M = …

Acceptability Of Condoms, Circumcision And Prep Among Young Black Men Who Have Sex With Men: A Descriptive Study Based On Effectiveness And Cost, Richard A. Crosby, Angelica Geter, Ralph Diclemente, Laura F. Salazar

Public Health Faculty Publications

The current study examined and compared the willingness of young Black men who have sex with men (YBMSM) to accept pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), adult male circumcision, and condoms for reducing their risk of HIV acquisition. The majority (67%) reported unprotected receptive anal sex in the last six months. About three-quarters (71%) would accept using PrEP if it was 100% effective. Cost influenced PrEP acceptance with 19% indicating acceptance at $100 per month co-pay. Of those not circumcised, 50% indicated willingness if circumcision was 100% effective. Acceptance of circumcision decreased markedly to 17% with co-pays of $100. About 73% of men …

Marginal Cost Analysis Of Two Train-The-Trainer Models For Implementing Safecare, Phaedra S. Corso, Nathaniel Taylor, Jordan Bennett, Justin Ingels, Shannon Self-Brown, Daniel J. Whitaker

Public Health Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Technology-Based Innovations In Child Maltreatment Prevention Programs: Examples From Safecare®, Melissa A. Cowart, Matthew Jackson, Elizabeth Chege, Evander Baker, Daniel J. Whitaker, Shannon Self-Brown

Public Health Faculty Publications

Each year, hundreds of thousands of children in the U.S. are victims of child maltreatment. Experts recommend behavioral, skill-based parent training programs as a strategy for the prevention of child abuse and neglect. These programs can be enhanced using innovative technology strategies. This paper presents a brief history of the use of technology in SafeCare®, a home visiting program shown to prevent child neglect and physical abuse, and highlights current work that takes a technology-based hybrid approach to SafeCare delivery. With this unique approach, the provider brings a tablet computer to each session, and the parent interacts with the software …

Associations Between Perceptions Of Drinking Water Service Delivery And Measured Drinking Water Quality In Rural Alabama, Jessica C. Wedgworth, Joe Brown, Pauline Johnson, Julie B. Olson, Mark Elliott, Rick Forehand, Christine E. Stauber

Public Health Faculty Publications

Although small, rural water supplies may present elevated microbial risks to consumers in some settings, characterizing exposures through representative point-of-consumption sampling is logistically challenging. In order to evaluate the usefulness of consumer self-reported data in predicting measured water quality and risk factors for contamination, we compared matched consumer interview data with point-of-survey, household water quality and pressure data for 910 households served by 14 small water systems in rural Alabama. Participating households completed one survey that included detailed feedback on two key areas of water service conditions: delivery conditions (intermittent service and low water pressure) and general aesthetic characteristics (taste, …

Can Social Networking Be Used To Promote Engagement In Child Maltreatment Prevention Programs? Two Pilot Studies, Anna Edwards-Guara, Daniel J. Whitaker, Shannon Self-Brown

Public Health Faculty Publications

Introduction: Child maltreatment is one of the United States’ most significant public health problems.In efforts to prevent maltreatment experts recommend use of Behavioral Parent Training Programs(BPTs), which focus on teaching skills that will replace and prevent maltreating behavior. eScholarship provides open access, scholarly publishing services to the University of California and delivers a dynamic research platform to scholars worldwide. While there isresearch to support the effectiveness of BPTs in maltreatment prevention, the reach of such programsis still limited by several barriers, including poor retention of families in services. Recently, newtechnologies have emerged that offer innovative opportunities to improve family engagement. …

Factors Associated With Support For Smoke-Free Policies Among Government Workers In Six Chinese Cities: A Cross- Sectional Study, Michelle C. Kegler, Xinwei Hua, Madeleine Solomon, Yiqun Wu, Pin Pin Zheng, Michael Eriksen

Public Health Faculty Publications

Background: A certain level of public support for smoke-free environments is a prerequisite for adoption and enforcement of policies and can be used as an indicator of readiness for legislative action. This study assessed support for comprehensive smoke-free policies in a range of settings such as hotels and colleges among government workers in China and identified factors associated with support for smoke-free policies. Understanding the extent to which government workers, a large segment of the working population in China, report a smoke-free workplace and support for smoke-free policies may be important indicators of readiness for strengthened policies given their role …

Assessing The Microbial Quality Of “Improved’ Drinking Water Sources: Results From The Dominican Republic., Rachel Baum, Georgia Kayser, Christine E. Stauber, Mark Sobsey

Public Health Faculty Publications

Millennium Development Goal Target 7c (to halve between 1990 and 2015 the proportion of the global population without sustainable access to safe drinking water), was celebrated as achieved in 2012. However, new studies show that we may be prematurely celebrating. Access to safe drinking water may be overestimated if microbial water quality is considered. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between microbial drinking water quality and drinking water source in the Puerto Plata region of the Dominican Republic. This study analyzed microbial drinking water quality data from 409 households in 33 communities. Results showed that 47% …

The Role Of Cities In Reducing Smoking In China, Pamela Redmon, Jeffrey Koplan, Michael Eriksen, Shuyang Li, Wang Kean

Public Health Faculty Publications

China is the epicenter of the global tobacco epidemic. China grows more tobacco, produces more cigarettes, makes more profits from tobacco and has more smokers than any other nation in the world. Approximately one million smokers in China die annually from diseases caused by smoking, and this estimate is expected to reach over two million by 2020. China cities have a unique opportunity and role to play in leading the tobacco control charge from the “bottom up”. The Emory Global Health Institute—China Tobacco Control Partnership supported 17 cities to establish tobacco control programs aimed at changing social norms for tobacco …

The Urban Health Index: A Handbook For Its Calculation And Use, Scott Weaver, Dajun Dai, Christine E. Stauber, Riuyan Luo

Public Health Faculty Publications

The Urban Health Index (UHI) is a single metric that can be used to measure and map the disparities in health determinants and outcomes in urban areas. This Handbook is primarily intended for those who want to calculate the UHI for a particular geographic area of interest.

Death Patterns During The 1918 Influenza Pandemic In Chile, Gerardo Chowell, Lone Simonsen, Jose Flores, Mark A. Miller, Cecile Viboud

Public Health Faculty Publications

Scarce information about the epidemiology of historical influenza pandemics in South America prevents complete understanding of pandemic patterns throughout the continent and across different climatic zones. To fill gaps with regard to spatiotemporal patterns of deaths associated with the 1918 influenza pandemic in Chile, we reviewed archival records. We found evidence that multiple pandemic waves at various times of the year and of varying intensities occurred during 1918–1921 and that influenza-related excess deaths peaked during July–August 1919. Pandemic-associated mortality rates were elevated for all age groups, including for adults >50 years of age; elevation from baseline was highest for young …

Authors’ Reply: Feedback From Modelling To Surveillance Of Ebola Virus Disease, Hiroshi Nishiura, Gerardo Chowell

Public Health Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Heat-Related Deaths In Hot Cities: Estimates Of Human Tolerance To High Temperature Thresholds, Sharon L. Harlan, Gerardo Chowell, Shuo Yang, Diana B. Petitti, Emmanuel J. Morales, Benjamin L. Ruddell, Darren M. Ruddell

Public Health Faculty Publications

In this study we characterized the relationship between temperature and mortality in central Arizona desert cities that have an extremely hot climate. Relationships between daily maximum apparent temperature (ATmax) and mortality for eight condition-specific causes and all-cause deaths were modeled for all residents and separately for males and females ages <65 and ≥65 during the months May–October for years 2000–2008. The most robust relationship was between ATmax on day of death and mortality from direct exposure to high environmental heat. For this condition-specific cause of death, the heat thresholds in all gender and age groups (ATmax = 90–97 °F; 32.2‒ 36.1 °C) were below local median seasonal temperatures in the study period (ATmax = 99.5 °F; 37.5 °C). Heat threshold was defined as ATmax at which the mortality ratio begins an exponential upward trend. Thresholds were identified in younger and older females for cardiac disease/stroke mortality (ATmax = 106 and 108 °F; 41.1 and 42.2 °C) with a one-day lag. Thresholds were also identified for mortality from respiratory diseases in older people (ATmax = 109 °F; 42.8 °C) and for all-cause mortality in females (ATmax = 107 °F; 41.7 °C) and males <65 years (ATmax = 102 °F; 38.9 °C). Heat-related mortality in a region that has already made some adaptations to predictable periods of extremely high temperatures suggests that more extensive and targeted heat-adaptation plans for climate change are needed in cities worldwide.

Rates Of Influenza-Like Illness And Winter School Breaks, Chile, 2004–2010, Gerardo Chowell, Sherry Towers, Cecile Viboud, Rodrigo Fuentes, Viviana Sotomayor

Public Health Faculty Publications

To determine effects of school breaks on influenza virus transmission in the Southern Hemisphere, we analyzed 2004–2010 influenza-like–illness surveillance data from Chile. Winter breaks were significantly associated with a two-thirds temporary incidence reduction among schoolchildren, which supports use of school closure to temporarily reduce illness, especially among schoolchildren, in the Southern Hemisphere.