Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

An Examination Of Intimate Partner Violence And Cigarette Smoking Among African American Women In 12 States, Eboneka Coleman

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Abstract

Introduction. African American female intimate partner victims (IVP) are more likely to abuse substances, suffer from depression and anxiety, and experience mental health issues, including PTSD, all of which are risk factors for smoking. The purpose of this study is to determine among African American women who have ever experienced IPV the prevalence of smoking and whether it is influenced by education and income.

Methods. Data for this study comes from the 2005 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state-based Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). This primary study population was African American females who answered IPV-related questions …

Mcdonald's Or Mesquite: Struggles On The Salt River Pima Reservation, Stefani Kim

Capstones

The Salt River Pima Indians, prior to colonization, had a strong tradition of harvesting and food sovereignity. As the tribe adapted to a more Westernized diet which consisted mainly of processed food rations, the rate of diabetes began to skyrocket on the reservation and, at one point, the tribe had one of the highest per capita diabetes rates in the world. This year, the tribe's cultural resources department will resurrect a 16-year-old community garden program originally funded by a USDA/Habitat for Humanity grant as a way to help combat health problems related to a poor diet such as diabetes and …

Turning Waste Into Resources In Haiti, Alexis Barnes

Capstones

Sanitation infrastructure in Haiti is an ongoing problem- one that only exacerbated a massive cholera epidemic brought to the country by Nepalese United Nations peacekeeping troops. SOIL is an NGO that works in alternative sanitation- using "urine-diverting dry toilets" to turn waste into a fertile resource. In my capstone, I explore the potential for alternative sanitation in Haiti, how it works and what internal and external political and economic factors lead to the current state of water and sanitation infrastructure in the country.

Urgent Cares Outpace Health Policy In The U.S., Ashley Rodriguez

Capstones

More and more medical practices across the country are rebranding themselves as urgent care centers to meet the growing demand for fast, affordable health care. In many states, they are regulated like physicians groups. However, there is a debate brewing among health care policy experts and government officials over whether these centers should have their own regulations. Such oversight could help patients expecting acute care avoid confusion to such a degree that they receive poor treatment from professionals who aren’t prepared to offer emergency services, or delayed treatment because they are bounced around from facility to facility.

Parents' Gender Ideology And Gendered Behavior As Predictors Of Children's Gender-Role Attitudes: A Longitudinal Exploration, Hillary Paul Halpern

Masters Theses

This longitudinal study examined the association between parents’ early and concurrent gender ideology and gendered behaviors and their children’s gender-role attitudes at age six. Specifically, parents' global beliefs about women's and men's "rightful" roles in society, as well as their work preferences for mothers, were considered in relation to the gender-role attitudes held by their first-graders. In addition, parents’ gendered behaviors, including their division of household and childcare tasks, division of paid work hours, and job traditionality were examined as predictors of children’s gender-role attitudes. Based on previous research, it was hypothesized parents’ early and concurrent behavior and ideology would …

Residency Education In Preparing Adolescent And Young Adults For Transition To Adult Care: A Mixed Methods Pilot Study, Janet S. Hess

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background: There is considerable evidence that physicians lack sufficient training in facilitating transition from pediatric to adult care systems for adolescents and young adults (A/YA). While several primary care residency programs have introduced health care transition (HCT) curricula in recent years, there are few studies that assess the effectiveness of HCT teaching models.

Purpose: To assess the impact of a residency education program that uses electronic health records (EHR) and other methods to teach residents how to prepare A/YA for transition to adult care.

Methods: In a mixed methods, quasi-experimental research design, quantitative methods were used to measure change in …

The Impact Of Financial Incentives For Cervical Cancer Screening In Ontario's Primary Care Delivery Models, Ciara Pendrith

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Physicians practicing in capitation-based Family Health Organizations and fee-for-service-based Family Health Groups receive bonuses for delivering preventive care, including cervical cancer screening, while those practicing in the traditional fee-for-service model do not. Financial incentives were introduced to increase Ontario’s cervical screening rate to 85%. To date, the impact of incentives for cervical screening on screening rate and cost-effectiveness have not been assessed. Patient-level data obtained from the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences were used to estimate primary care model screening rates and cancer treatment costs. A microsimulation model was developed from published cervical cancer natural history models and parameterized using …

Simulation Based Evaluation Of Multiscale Small Area Health Models, Purbasha Dasgupta

Theses and Dissertations

The effects of scale on the analysis of spatial data, often referred to as the modifiable areal unit problem in spatial studies, is one of the issues often encountered in small area health models. These spatial effects of scale are also seen in the areas of disease mapping where data are usually available in counts. Often there is a need to consider the different scales of aggregation that exist within count data, since inferences based on analyses can vary if we change the definition of the unit of analysis. This thesis provides a framework that describes the distribution of relative …

Examining The Influence Of Healthy Eating Identity On Shopping Behaviors, Jordan Brittingham

Theses and Dissertations

Eating identity is shown to be a promising measure capable of enhancing our understanding of nutrition behavior. Persons with healthy eating identities are less likely to consume the typical American diet and report healthier diets in general. While there are several studies linking healthy eating identity and diet, there is currently no research examining healthy eating identity in relation to food shopping behavior, an important aspect of nutritional intake. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of healthy eating identity on shopping behaviors including supermarket utilization, supercenter utilization, likelihood of shopping at the nearest store, distance to …

Periodontal Microorganisms, Obesity, Chronic Inflammation, And Type 1 Diabetes, Georges Joseph Nahhas

Theses and Dissertations

Periodontal disease is a low-grade chronic inflammation in the tissues surrounding the teeth caused by multiple, mostly gram-negative pathogens. It is associated with diabetes, obesity, and chronic inflammation. The specific roles that periodontal microorganism play in these conditions are not well-studied. Hereby, we explored how periodontal bacteria from sub gingival plaque clustered in youth with and without type 1 diabetes, and how such patterns related to body-mass-index percentile (BMI percentile), C-reactive protein (CRP) and adiponectin. Cross-sectional data were collected from 105 youth with type 1 diabetes and 71 without diabetes. Participants were between 12 and 19 years of age receiving …

Exploring The Association Between Depression And Obesity Among Alzheimer's Patients, Stephanie Clugstone

Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurological disorder that affects elderly individuals, and is becoming an increasing concern among the aging population of the world. Due to the projected increase in incidence of AD, modifiable risk factors such as depression and obesity should be evaluated, as prevention is the only current option. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of obesity and depression among AD patients, and to evaluate the association between depression and obesity. Patients were chosen from a subset of the South Carolina Alzheimer’s disease registry, which included information about weight status and depression, as well as several other …

Mixture Cure Models: Simulation Comparisons Of Methods In R And Sas, Myra Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

Typical survival methods have the assumption that every subject will eventually experience the event of interest, given enough follow-up time. However, there are some occasions in which a proportion of the population of interest will never experience the event of interest. Therefore, the incorporation of a “cure” fraction in a statistical model is necessary. In this thesis, I comprehensively evaluate mixture cure models in two different statistical software programs: the smcure package in R and the PSPMCM macro in SAS. Extensive simulation studies in R and SAS allow evaluation of the performance of these two models. An additional aspect of …

Effect Of Primary Care Physician Density On Late Stage Cervical Cancer Diagnosis, Emily Haanschoten

Theses and Dissertations

INTRODUCTION: Late-stage cervical cancer diagnosis is an important contributing factor to the cervical cancer mortality rate. Screening for cervical cancer is a vital tool in reducing the number of late-stage cases, preventing incident cases and reducing mortality. Access to care is often a significant barrier to receiving these services. Women who have no usual source of care report significantly lower percentages of Pap tests than women who have a usual source. South Carolina ranks 13th in the US in cervical cancer incidence and 7th in cervical cancer mortality. South Carolina also struggles with a primary care physician shortage, ranking 39th …

Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms In Dna Repair And Oxidative Stress Genes, And Their Interaction With Antioxidants On Prostate Cancer Aggressiveness, Samuel Antwi

Theses and Dissertations

Prostate cancer is the leading invasive malignancy and the second most common cause of cancer death among American men. Despite compelling evidence that oxidative stress, ineffective DNA damage repair, and habitually low antioxidants intake may act in tandem to influence prostate carcinogenesis, few studies have examined gene-diet interactions involving these risk factors. Even fewer studies have examined such interactions in relation to prostate cancer aggressiveness. This study investigated whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in DNA repair- and oxidative stress-related genes modulated associations between antioxidant intake and prostate cancer aggressiveness. We utilized data from the North Carolina-Louisiana Prostate Cancer Project (PCaP) …

Mental Disorders, Mental Health Problems, And Treatment Among Army Recruiters And Recruiting Candidates, 2011-2013: An Examination Of Current Rates In The Recruiting Population, Chadwick Karl Knight

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: This study sought to determine the prevalence and severity of mental health disorders (MHDs) and/or mental health problems (MHPs) and types of treatments received among soldiers who have or will serve as recruiters. Research Design and Methods: Data were collected between October 2011 to July 2013 from active duty soldiers (N=2,783) attending courses on Fort Jackson at the U.S. Army’s Recruiting and Retention School (RRS). Students consisted of regular active duty soldiers and activated Guard/Reservist that were either recruiters or recruiting candidates. The medical records of participating recruiters and recruiting candidates were reviewed for the prevalence of MHDs and …

Gestational Weight Gain, Pregnancy Outcomes, And Use Of Perinatal Health Services, Lujing Zhan

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation consists of three studies that were undertaken to better understand 1) the role of gestational weight gain (GWG) during early pregnancy on subsequent blood pressure changes and the risk of pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH), 2) the causal effect of GWG in both early and mid-late pregnancy on the subtypes of preterm births, and 3) the impact of personal capital on the use of perinatal health services (i.e., prenatal care use and preconception care counseling). The first two studies were based on the data from the 1988 National Maternal and Infant Health Survey and the third study employed the data …

Assessing The Structural Validity Of The Measure Of Processes Of Care (Mpoc-20) In Children With Epilepsy, Kariym Christopher Joachim

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The goal of this thesis was to determine whether the 20-item Measure of Processes of Care (MPOC-20) questionnaire remains structurally/factorially valid among children with epilepsy, and to propose adaptations if it did not. Establishing the MPOC-20’s structural validity in this population makes it possible to draw conclusions on the potential effects of parent-perceived Family-Centred Care (FCC) on health outcomes within this population. Data came from the Health-related Quality of Life for Children with Epilepsy Study (HERQULES). Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) indicated that the original five factor model fit poorly in children with epilepsy. An exploratory analysis within a CFA framework …

The Lunches Study: Elementary School Children's Packed Lunch Contents And Intake In The Traditional Vs. Balanced School Day Schedule, Lisa Neilson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The Balanced School Day (BSD), an alternative to the Traditional Schedule (TS), provides two 20-minute eating periods during the school day, rather than a midday lunch break. Widespread implementation of the BSD schedule has occurred across Ontario with limited systematic evaluation of potential health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to compare the food and nutrient value of grade 3 and 4 students’ packed lunch contents and consumption in the BSD versus TS, by direct observation. When compared to the TS, more BSD students had a sugar-sweetened beverage packed in their lunch. Greater portions of snack items were also …

Prevention Of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Through Information And Education At The California Department Of Public Health, Vaisali M. Patel

Master's Projects and Capstones

Immunizations are one of the most important developments in the twentieth century towards the prevention of infectious diseases. Vaccinations against communicable diseases have helped reduce morbidity and mortality all over the world. Despite having numerous vaccines that protect individuals from serious and deadly diseases, vaccination rates in the United States remain at an all-time low. The Information and Education section of the Immunization Branch within the Division of Communicable Disease Control at the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) focuses on working with local health departments, primary care providers, immunization coalitions, and other statewide organizations to increase the rates of …

Ebola Response: A Summary Of Field Work Project, Jeffrey A. Schmidt Mr.

Master's Projects and Capstones

While epidemics and disease outbreaks are not uncommon world wide, the most recent outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) has been the largest outbreak of the disease and the most wide spread in history. The outbreak has caused international concern and was declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization (WHO) in August of 2014. Since the outbreak started there have been a total of 15,351 confirmed, probable and suspected cases of EVD reported in six affected countries including Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Spain and the United States. There have been 5459 reported deaths …

The Creation And Implementation Of A Transgender Cultural Competence Nursing Education Toolkit, James Bl Donovan

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Healthcare disparities in the transgender populations have been linked to lack of healthcare provider cultural competence (IOM, 2011; Bradford et al., Harbin et al., 2012; Eliason, Dibble, & DeJoseph, 2010; Lim, Brown, & Jones, 2013). Prior research has identified that healthcare providers receive little, if any, transgender cultural competence training during their formal education. A survey of nursing educators at the University of San Francisco School (USF) of Nursing and Health Professions suggested that few educators are providing transgender content or understand the unique healthcare needs of that population. A literature review concluded that little is known about the best …

Overcoming Barriers To Screening For Anal Intraepithelial Neoplasia For Persons Living With Hiv, Brandon Hastings

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Screening has proven an effective strategy in the management of diseases that plague the population. This technique has proven to be most effective when screening is conducted with those who are most at risk for developing the targeted illness and when the frequency of screening follows set guidelines. Currently there are no nationally recognized screening guidelines for anal intraepithelial neoplasia (AIN). Screening for AIN stands to reduce overall incidence of anal squamous cell carcinoma through destruction of the dysplastic cells before they become cancerous. The goals of this project were to identify the patient population that stands to benefit the …

Fieldwork Summary Report: California Std/Hiv Prevention Training Center, Maureen L. Ryan

Master's Projects and Capstones

This fieldwork summary report encapsulates the author’s fieldwork internship at California STD/HIV Prevention Training Center (CA PTC) in Oakland, California. Students in the University of San Francisco (USF), Master of Public Health (MPH) program are required, as a final phase of their studies, to participate in a 300-hour fieldwork internship to demonstrate competency in the Core Knowledge areas as outlined by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). Students choose their fieldwork placement site based on an area of particular interest and focus.

My fieldwork experience was different from many of my colleagues, in that I did not work …

Berkeley Youth Alternatives Fieldwork Summary Report: Assessing Social Determinants To Improve The Physical Health And Academic Development For Youth In Berkeley, California, Alane M. Cruz

Master's Projects and Capstones

The following paper summarizes the three hundred hour fieldwork experience at Berkeley Youth Alternatives (BYA), a non-profit community-based organization located in Southwest Berkeley that is committed to combating the social determinants that contribute to the prevalent health disparities within their community. The fieldwork internship is a major requirement in completing the Master’s of Public Health (MPH) program at the University of San Francisco (USF), and allows the education and experience gained over the duration of the program to be applied in a real public health setting.

The overall goal of the internship experience was to assess the social determinants of …

Addressing Impacts Of Incarceration In Marin, Ca Project Avary Peacemaker Initiatives, Jessica Lynn Stillman

Master's Projects and Capstones

Project Avary, a nonprofit in Marin, piloted a new initiative, Peacemakers, to promote health equity and awareness of the impacts of incarceration. The need for a comprehensive program to bring awareness of the impacts of incarceration was clear. The Peacemaker Initiative will address the issue, by empowering Marin youth to educate their communities. The project seeks to improve the life outcomes of many youth in Marin County.

The focus of the paper is a summary of Project Avary’s new initiative, the Peacemaker. The paper will highlight strategies and approaches used to breaking cycles of intergenerational incarceration. Furthermore, this report links …

Healthy And Livable Pittsburg Initiative: Master Of Public Health Culminating Experience, Jasmine L. Bernal

Master's Projects and Capstones

Contra Costa Health Services Department of Community Wellness and Prevention sole purpose is to improve the environmental, social and economic conditions that contribute to poor health, and support a quality of life that promotes the health and well being of all residents within the county, with major attention to those underserved. The Healthy and Livable Pittsburg Initiative tries to address those issues within the city of Pittsburg. The project aims to engage certain members of the community within Pittsburg to be involved in the future community action plan, which will improve the lives of every resident in Pittsburg. The first …

Addressing Health Disparities In Refugees, Claire E. Lopez

Master's Projects and Capstones

I completed the required 300 hours of my fieldwork internship at the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Oakland, CA. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a non-profit international organization that responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and aids displaced individuals in rebuilding their lives in new countries by providing support in health care, finance, education, infrastructure, and resettlement.

I worked as a Health Access/Intensive Case management Intern. As a Health Access Program Intern, it was my job to ensure that refugees coming to the United States had a place to seek medical care, advice, and preventative services. In order …

Increasing Compliance Of Personal Protective Equipment S Election And Use For Isolation Precautions Among Rns & Nas On A Med-Surg Unit, Megan R. Alsmeyer

Master's Projects and Capstones

Background: Due to the high potential of transferring infectious diseases and/or organisms among patients, themselves, and the community, healthcare workers (HCWs) must be knowledgeable and confident in selecting the appropriate type of personal protective equipment (PPE), and the use in technique when putting on (donning) and removing (doffing) PPE based on the level of isolation precautions required for the patient being cared for.

Project Purpose: The purpose of this project is to determine whether assessing the knowledge and actual practice with observing, and utilizing an innovative approach of video and educational tools to isolation precautions would improve the consistency of …

Improving Birth Outcomes: Women’S Oral Health Project, Dilem Polat

Master's Projects and Capstones

Improving Birth Outcomes: Women’s Oral Health Project is a new project housed within the Child Health and Disability Prevention, CHDP Program. The main goal of the project is to improve the birth outcomes of high-risk pregnant women and their children, by educating participants within the Maternal Child and Adolescent Health Section at the San Francisco Department of Public Health. The educational component will focus on the importance of oral health and the impact of oral disease on perinatal health. Following the educational component, referrals for appropriate dentists will be provided for participants to they may begin improving their oral health. …

Combating Hiv/Aids In Marginalized Communities: Papua And West Papua Provinces, Indonesia, Bani Cheema

Master's Theses

My study focuses on foreign aid and local initiatives for HIV/AIDS prevention in eastern Indonesia using the provinces of Papua and West Papua as a case study. The two provinces are home to indigenous tribal groups that are socioeconomically marginalized and most affected by the epidemic. My research investigates behavior change communication as a principal strategy undertaken by multiple organizations for HIV/AIDS prevention in this region. I take a qualitative approach by examining the effectiveness of this strategy in local communities and by revealing social and cultural barriers that impede success. Obstacles that negatively impact prevention efforts include structural violence, …