Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Parental Sources Of Nutrition Information And Their Knowledge, Attitudes, And Behaviors: Impact On Children's Dietary Intake In Ages 2-5 – A Cross-Sectional Study, Mara O. Fiorio

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Objectives: Nutrition in early childhood is critical to long-term health outcomes and parents play a key role in shaping children’s eating habits. This study examined where U.S. parents of children aged 2–5 obtain nutrition information, source credibility, and how parental nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors (KAB) relate to children’s dietary intake.

Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was completed by 126 parents, recruited via social media and community networks using convenience sampling. The survey assessed parental sources of nutrition information, perceived trustworthiness, nutrition knowledge, feeding attitudes and behaviors, and child dietary intake. Descriptive statistics summarized demographic characteristics and source utilization. Chi-square …

Molecular Epidemiologic Studies Of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (Me/Cfs), Anil Kumar

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Background: Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME)/chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a disabling multisystem complex disorder with no known etiology or approved treatment. Our studies aimed to assess the link between ME/CFS and autoimmune disease (AID) and cancer, and to identify potential biomarkers and biological mechanisms to further explore pathophysiology of this diseases.

Methods: All analyses were done using data from a case-control study of ME/CFS conducted by Dr. Roxana Moslehi and her collaborators. In our first study we estimated the cumulative incidences of AID and cancer among first degree relatives of 60 cases and 61 controls and compared cumulative …

Predictors Of Viral Suppression Among People Living With Hiv (Plhiv) On Antiretroviral Treatment In Almaty, Kazakhstan, Ainur Kussainova

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

ABSTRACT

Introduction

The Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) region is experiencing the world’s fastest-growing HIV epidemic, with Kazakhstan among the countries most affected. Despite progress in HIV testing and treatment, Kazakhstan continues to face significant challenges in achieving optimal viral suppression among PLHIV. While 82% of PLHIV in Kazakhstan know their HIV status, only 73% are on ART, and just 67% of those on treatment achieve viral suppression. Adherence to ART remains a critical barrier, influenced by a complex interplay of individual, social, and structural factors, including mental health disorders such as depression, substance use, stigma and discrimination. Understanding …

Non-Profit Hospital Spending On Community Health Improvement: Catalysts, Impediments, And Opportunities In New York State, Isaac H. Michaels

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This dissertation assesses the distribution and determinants of spending by non-profit hospitals in New York State on community health improvement services and community benefit operations. Utilizing the Social Ecological Model of Health, this study considers multiple levels of influence on this spending, including organizational and community characteristics. Using quantitative analysis, it examines cross-sectional, spatial, and longitudinal patterns in spending and identifies organizational and community-level factors influencing it. Qualitative analysis investigates operational factors affecting spending, including individual and interpersonal influences. The results of this mixed-methods study can inform hospital administrators, public health officials, policymakers, and communities in optimizing policies and decision-making …

Polygenic Risk Scores Of Grip Strength In Men And Women With Or At Risk For Hiv, Sreevidya Sadananda Sadasiva Rao

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Background: Adequate hand function among older adults is necessary for the successful completion of activities of daily living and can affect whether an older adult is able to live independently. Current research highlights grip strength, the strength people have in their hands, as a robust predictor of morbidity and mortality, and explores the decline in grip strength over time. A person’s family history and genes (DNA) affect how much grip strength they have. Previous studies have identified genes that affect grip strength, mainly in European ancestry populations. In this study, we examined whether these genetic elements predict grip strength in …

Association Of Non-Communicable Diseases With Severe Covid-19 Among People Living With And Without Diagnosed Hiv/Aids In New York State, Ravi Kumar Balu

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Background: People living with diagnosed HIV (PLWDH) have a higher chance of co-infections and co-morbidities than the general population. When SARS-CoV-2 was first reported in China in December 2019 and later declared a pandemic, it was speculated that PLWDH might be more prone to SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe disease outcomes given their increased vulnerability to other respiratory infections like influenza, pneumococcal pneumonia and tuberculosis. However, several facets of COVID-19 disease in PLWDH are incompletely understood, including whether non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are strong risk factors for severe disease outcomes and death as they are in the general population.

Methods: The data …

Food Rescue, Food Waste, And Policy In New York: A Mixed-Methods Study Of Food System Impacts, Mariana Torres Arroyo

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This dissertation investigates how food donation policies in New York State influence the recovery, redistribution, and waste of surplus fresh produce, with a focus on fruits and vegetables. Using an interdisciplinary, systems-based approach that integrates system dynamics modeling with qualitative, community-engaged research, the study analyzes the effectiveness and unintended consequences of three major policies: Nourish New York, the Farm to Food Bank tax credit, and the Food Donation and Food Scraps Recycling Law.

Chapter 2 uses simulation modeling to examine how the tax credit and waste ban affect produce recovery and redistribution. Results show that while both policies can boost …

How Do Young Adults With Drug Use Disorder (Dud) Utilize Treatment? Exploring And Examining Lived Experiences Towards Treatment Completion In Indonesia, Dewi Kartikawatiningsih

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

In Indonesia which has the highest rate of drug addiction in Southeast Asia, there is currently little knowledge about how young adults perceive the barriers faced when completing treatment or how treatment providers' perspectives influence their treatment completion. Understanding and identifying barriers to treatment completion is essential to making drug treatment more effective. The purpose of this study is to explore the perspectives and live experiences of young adults with DUD and their addiction counselors to develop a deeper understanding of treatment needs. This study interviewed 33 clients and 15 counselors from the rehabilitation center of the Badan Nasional Narkotika …

Theoretical Foundations And Applied Performance Of Periodicity-Aware Imputation: Variable Bandpass Block Bootstrap Methods For Incomplete Time Series, Asmaa Ahmad

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Time series data are prevalent across a wide range of disciplines, including health surveillance, public policy, and environmental monitoring. In the presence of underlying cyclical patterns, the integrity of time series analysis depends critically on the ability to detect, model, and impute structured missing data without compromising the temporal structure. This dissertation introduces and validates a novel imputation framework that integrates the Variable Bandpass Periodic Block Bootstrap (VBPBB) into multiple imputation procedures, improving the accuracy, robustness, and interpretability of time series models under high rates of missingness and noise. The overarching goal of this dissertation was to develop and evaluate …

An Analysis Of Mental Health And Workplace Absenteeism, Kristin Marie Vrona

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation examines the effect of mental health on own health-related absenteeism among employed adults in the United States, using data from the 2010–2014 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). The MEPS uniquely differentiates between absences due to one’s own health and those due to another person’s health, enabling causal estimation of individual-level factors influencing absence decisions.

The analysis incorporates both mental and physical health measures, including diagnostic indicators and self-reported general well being, which are used as proxies for severity that may affect both diagnosed and undiagnosed individuals. Results reveal a consistent pattern: individuals experiencing high psychological distress but lacking …

Minds, Made Up Or Malleable? Covert Commands At The Eclipse Of Vaccine Communications, David H. Lee

Publications and Research

Abstract: Although millions have died from SARS-CoV-2 illness, COVID vaccines are credited with stemming the tide. Vaccinations and boosters significantly decrease the incidence of severe illness and death (even if they don’t usually prevent COVID-19 infection). Despite the success of global vaccination efforts, frequent reports of vaccine hesitance and refusal suggest that public health communications need improvement.

The chapter begins by acknowledging adverse events associated with COVID vaccination, including rare cases of anaphylaxis, GBS, and myocarditis. An inoculation-theoretic rationale is offered for this admission of vaccine risks: just as immune defenses mount when organisms are exposed to pathogens, so too …

Anemia In Pregnant Women: Findings From Kuwait Birth Cohort Study, Abdullah Al-Taiar, Ali H. Ziyab, Majeda S. Hammoud, Reem Al-Sabah, Saeed Akhtar

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background Anemia is the most common hematologic disorder in pregnancy, affecting over one-third of pregnant women globally. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of anemia in pregnant women and its associated factors in the Kuwait Birth Cohort study.

Methods The Kuwait birth cohort (n = 1,108) was a prospective study in which pregnant women were recruited during their second or third trimester. Data were collected through personal interviews during antenatal care visits, including data on sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. Blood samples were analyzed under strict quality control to measure various laboratory indicators. Anemia was defined as hemoglobin (Hb) < 110 g/L. Predictors of anemia were categorized as underlying or direct factors, and logistic regression models were used to investigate their association with anemia.

Results …

Frailty And Sleep In Adult Survivors Of Childhood Cancer: A Childhood Cancer Survivor Study Report, Lauren C. Daniel, Margaret M. Lubas, Huiqi Wang, Mariana Szklo-Coxe, Kirsten K. Ness, Annalynn M. Williams, Daniel A. Mulrooney, Rebecca Howell, Wendy Leisenring, Yutaka Yasui, Leslie L. Robinson, Gregory T. Armstrong, Eric J. Chow, Kevin R. Krull, Tara M. Brinkman

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background

Young adult survivors of childhood cancer exhibit rates of frailty similar to adults several decades older without a cancer history. Frailty has been associated with sleep disturbances in non-cancer populations, but the relationship has not been examined in childhood cancer survivors who are known to exhibit elevated rates of sleep problems.

Aims

Examine associations between frailty and poor sleep quality in long-term survivors of childhood cancer.

Methods

This study utilized data from 9044 participants (> 5 years from diagnosis, M(age) = 40.8 years [SD = 9.5]) in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. Survivors' frailty status, chronic health conditions (CHC), …

Analyzing The Centers For Disease Control And Prevention Mortality Data Using Weekly Exceedance In Mortality Count And Weekly Change In Mortality Indicator: A Time Series Study, Aditya Chakraborty, Mohan D. Pant

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background and Aims

Cause-specific mortality (CSM) count prediction plays a vital role in the context of public health policy. In this study, we introduce a new analytical approach, which is divided into three phases to answer specific questions regarding CSM due to 14 specific causes by computing different simple, compound, and conditional probabilities.

Methods

A multivariate time series forecasting model was developed using the CDC weekly mortality count data. A binary data matrix was constructed for 14 causes of death (COD) as a function of weeks by combining the observed and forecasted mortalities. We introduced two new concepts: Weekly Exceedance …

Pediatric Cancer Incidence, Temporal Trends, And Mortality In The United States By Health Disparities Indicators, Seer (1973-2014), Prachi P. Chavan, Laurens Holmes Jr.

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background: Pediatric cancer incidence has been increasing in the United States, despite improvement in pediatric cancer survival. This steady increase in incidence trends is not completely understood but maybe associated with social and environmental factors. In this study we aimed to assess the cumulative incidence, temporal trends, and mortality rates in pediatric cancer. Additionally, we examined sub-group variability in both incidence and mortality rates. Methods: Data from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) −18 from 1973–2014 were used for the purpose of analysis in this study. Age-adjusted incidence rates were used to assess temporal trends in cancer among children aged < 1–19 years. Univariable and multivariable binomial regression models were used to examine the association between race and cancer mortality while adjusting for potential confounders. Results: There were 92,594 cancer diagnoses during this period. White children comprised 74,758, (80.7%), black children 10,030, (10.8%), and other races 6648, (7.2%). Overall the age-adjusted cumulative incidence was slightly higher among white children (16.4%) than black children (12.4%) and other (13.0%). Children aged 15–19 years and those in metropolitan regions were more likely to be diagnosed with pediatric cancer. Relative to females, males were 16% more likely to die from the disease [adjusted Risk Ratio (aRR): 1.16, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.09–1.22]. Additionally, compared to white children, black children had higher mortality rates [(aRR): 1.37, 99% CI: 1.23–1.52]. Conclusions: There is an increasing trend in pediatric cancer incidence; while white children have the highest incidence, black children and males indicated a survival disadvantage, indicative of racial and sex variability in overall pediatric cancer in the United States.

Psychometric Validation Of Eq-5d-5l In Individuals With Chronic Spinal Cord Injury In China, Haixia Xie, Qi Zhang, Rong Jin, Jianhui He, Xinxing Hu, Yixuan Zhang, Xiaoping Shao, Xiaohong Li, Hua Zhai, Fengshui Chang

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Objectives

The EQ-5D is a brief measure for assessing health-related quality of life (HRQoL), but chronic spinal cord injury (CSCI) related psychometric evaluation of the EQ-5D-5L has not been explored. We conducted a validation study on the Chinese version of the EQ-5D-5L for individuals with CSCI in China.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Shanghai Sunshine Rehabilitation Center. The floor and ceiling effects, internal consistency, test and retest reliability, discriminatory power (only for EQ-5D-5L), convergent validity (using Spearman correlation coefficients), and known-group validity of the EQ-5D-5L and visual analog scale (VAS) were analyzed.

Results

A total of 271 …

Incidence Of Bleeding And Performance Of The Precise-Dapt Score In Predicting Bleeding In Patients On Dual Antiplatelet Therapy After Treatment For Acute Coronary Syndrome In Kenya, Peter Mugo, Jeilan Mohamed, Miriam Msunza, James Orwa, Mzee Ngunga

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Introduction: Dual Antiplatelet Therapy (DAPT) plays an important role in the secondary prevention of ischemic events after treatment for acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The long-term use of DAPT is associated with an increased risk of bleeding, which affects morbidity and mortality. Risk stratification scores have been developed to predict this risk and provide a balance against the risk of ischemic events. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of bleeding in a cohort of patients in Kenya on DAPT and assess the performance of the PRECISE-DAPT Score in predicting the risk of bleeding.

Methods: This was a …

Informal Caregivers Connecting On The Web: Content Analysis Of Posts On Discussion Forums, Michelle L. Foster, Chinenye Egwuonwu, Erin Vernon, Mohammad Alarifi, M. Courtney Hughes

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

Background: About 53 million adults in the United States offer informal care to family and friends with disease or disability. Such care has an estimated economic value of US $600 million. Most informal caregivers are not paid nor trained in caregiving, with many experiencing higher-than-average levels of stress and depression and lower levels of physical health. Some informal caregivers participate in web-based forums related to their caregiving role.

Objective: This study aimed to explore how informal caregivers use easy-to-access caregiving web-based forums, including the types of information they share and seek from others. It also aimed to gain insights into …

The Sky’S The Limit: Improving Satellite Imagery Data Literacy To Address Noncommunicable Diseases, M. Courtney Hughes, Elizabeth J. Folkmann

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

Low-and middle-income countries experience 77% of the world’s premature deaths caused by non- communicable diseases, and their underlying health determinant data are often scarce and inaccurate. Im- proving satellite imagery data literacy worldwide is an integral step toward using the vast amount of publicly available data collected via satellites, such as air pollution, green space and light at night—all determinants of non-communicable diseases. Existing machine learning–based algorithms enable automated analysis of satel- lite imagery data, but health officials and scientists must know where to find and how to apply these algorithms to measure risk and target interventions.

Co-Creating A Social, Emotional, And Mental Health Well-Being Group For College Students With Disabilities And/Or Chronic Health Conditions And Are Registered With Disability Support Services, Consuelo A. Click Copeland

All ETDs from UAB

ABSTRACT Nearly one in four adults in the United States report living with a disability (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024). According to the National Center for Educational Statistics (2023), approximately 21 percent of undergraduate students and 11 percent of postbaccalaureate students report having a disability. Students with disabilities in college encounter considerable obstacles that can adversely affect their mental health, academic performance, and general well-being. These obstacles encompass social isolation, stigma, and insufficient personalized support services, resulting in increased levels of anxiety, depression, and dropout rates compared to students without disabilities. Despite the critical need, there is a …

Occupational Exposure To Cooking Emissions And Evaluation Of Ventilation System In Restaurant Kitchens, Matthew Kaleb Hanvey

All ETDs from UAB

Background: In the restaurant environment, there are many harmful contaminants generated during the cooking process that kitchen workers are potentially exposed to. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the potential exposure to aldehydes and respirable particles among restaurant kitchen workers and to examine the ventilation performance of the kitchen exhaust hoods. Methods: There were three restaurants recruited for this study and they cooked seafood/poultry (Restaurant 1), farm style foods (Restaurant 2), and finger foods (Restaurant 3). The three restaurants had wall-mounted canopy hoods. Restaurant 1 had two hoods, Restaurant 2 had two hoods, and Restaurant 3 had one …

Prevalence Of Cannabis Use Disorders And Associated Factors Among Privately Insured Adults With Epilepsy, Katarzyna Czerniak, Youngran Kim, Refugio Sepulveda, Sahiti Myneni, Robert Addy, Ross Shegog

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: As cannabis is increasingly used as a treatment option for epilepsy, people with epilepsy (PWE) may be at higher risk of developing cannabis use disorder (CUD). This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of CUD among privately insured PWE in the United States using IQVIA's 2022 PharMetrics® Plus for Academics health plan claims database.

Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using 2022 IQVIA PharMetrics® Plus for Academics health plan claims data containing longitudinal view of inpatient and outpatient services, prescription and office/outpatient administered drugs, costs and detailed enrollment information. Individuals with epilepsy aged 18 years and older were included. …

Sustaining Substance Use Recovery Housing For People Taking Medications For Opioid Use Disorder: Diverse Funding, Strategic Partnerships, And Charging Rent, I Niles Zoschke, Kathryn R Gallardo, Danielle Gillespie, Hannah L N Stewart, Serena A Rodriguez, Sheryl A Mccurdy, J Michael Wilkerson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Opioid use disorder is a U.S. epidemic, and recovery housing plays a critical role by providing stable, supportive environments that promote long-term recovery. However, little is known about the sustainability of recovery homes, particularly those serving people taking medications for opioid use disorder.

Methods: We applied thematic analysis to interviews with 29 staff and operators from 10 recovery homes serving people taking medications for opioid use disorder across five Texas cities.

Results: Operators relied on diverse funding sources, leveraged strategic partnerships and professional certifications, and planned to charge rent when public funding ended. Staff and operators balanced financial sustainability …

Dental Care Trajectories Among Formerly Incarcerated Older Adults In The United States, Alexander Testa, Luis Mijares, Mateus Renno Santos, Vahed Maroufy, Dylan B Jackson, Rafael Samper-Ternent, Rahma Mungia, Ana C Neumann

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

A growing body of research has documented an association between prior incarceration and lower dental care use, yet the longitudinal impact of prior incarceration on dental care patterns over time among older adults remains unexplored. This study aims to investigate whether prior incarceration is associated with differing trajectories of dental care use among older adults in the United States. Data were drawn from the 2012-2020 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a nationally representative longitudinal survey of older adults in the United States (n =  5,893). Group-based trajectory modeling was used to estimate dental care use patterns over …

Assessing Sun Protection Policies In Texas School Districts Located In Counties With The Lowest And Highest Melanoma Risk: Content Analysis And Cross-Sectional Study, Nabeel Ahmad, Brooke Bartley, Stephanie Zhang, Madison M Taylor, Karl Schrader, Kehe Zhang, Hung Quoc Doan, Cici Bauer, Kelly C Nelson, Jennifer Cofer

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction

School policy can encourage sun safe habits, such as wearing hats and applying sunscreen. However, sun safety policies (SSP) have not been formally assessed for Texas independent school districts (ISDs), particularly in counties with the highest melanoma incidence relative risk (RR). This study aims to assess the presence, strength, and intent of SSPs across Texas ISDs located in counties with the highest and lowest melanoma incidence. We also identify factors correlated with stronger SSP.

Methods

Eleven components of SSPs from 102 ISDs were evaluated in this cross-sectional study by examining school district websites, official documents, social media, media appearances, …

Impact Of Pre-Transplant Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Use On Post-Transplant Outcomes In Hcc: A Systematic Review And Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis, Mohammad Saeid Rezaee-Zavareh, Yee Hui Yeo, Tielong Wang, Zhiyong Guo, Parissa Tabrizian, Stephen C Ward, Fatma Barakat, Tarek I Hassanein, Shravan Dave, Veeral Ajmera, Sherrie Bhoori, Vincenzo Mazzaferro, David M H Chascsa, Margaret C Liu, Elizabeth S Aby, John R Lake, Miguel Sogbe, Bruno Sangro, Maen Abdelrahim, Abdullah Esmail, Andreas Schmiderer, Yasmina Chouik, Mark Rudolph, Davendra Sohal, Heloise Giudicelli, Manon Allaire, Mehmet Akce, Jessica Guadagno, Clara Y Tow, Hatef Massoumi, Paolo De Simone, Elise Kang, Robyn D Gartrell, Mercedes Martinez, Ricardo Paz-Fumagalli, Beau B Toskich, Nguyen H Tran, Gabriela Azevedo Solino, Dra Mariana Poltronieri Pacheco, Richard S Kalman, Vatche G Agopian, Neil Mehta, Neehar D Parikh, Amit G Singal, Ju Dong Yang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background & aims: Treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) prior to liver transplantation (LT) has been reported; however, ICIs may elevate the risk of allograft rejection and impact other clinical outcomes. This study aims to summarize the impact of ICI use on post-LT outcomes.

Methods: In this individual patient data meta-analysis, we searched databases to identify HCC cases treated with ICIs before LT, detailing allograft rejection, HCC recurrence, and overall survival. We performed Cox regression analysis to identify risk factors for allograft rejection.

Results: Among 91 eligible patients, with a median (IQR) follow-up of 690.0 (654.5) …

Risk Of Post-Acute Symptoms Among Adults: A Comparison Study Of Severe Covid-19, Pneumonia, And Influenza, Caroline M Schaefer, Trudy Millard Krause, George L Delclos, Raymond S Greenberg

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: A retrospective cohort study was undertaken to assess the relationship between initial disease severity of COVID-19 and the risk of post-acute symptoms. The COVID-19 cohort was compared against influenza and pneumonia cohorts to assess whether risk of post-acute symptoms differed.

Methods: Administrative health claims data were obtained for commercially insured and Medicare Advantage covered adults (≥ 18 years) with symptomatic laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 diagnosed in 2020 (n=121,205), and similar cohorts of influenza (n=20,844) and pneumonia (n=29,052) patients diagnosed prior to the pandemic. Post-acute symptoms were assessed at four weeks, three and six months following initial diagnosis.

Results: Among the patients …

Protocol For The Houston Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Program, Alexander Testa, Eresha Bluth, Latanya Monroe, Karlton Harris, Sarah Beth Abbott, Mary E Aitken, Erin E Fox, Brian Heckler, Lillian S Kao, Ruosha Li, Susannah Meg Michael, Heidi M Mcpherson, Marisol Nieves, Christian P Owen, Kevin Rix, Hema Sarvani Jalaparthi, Vanessa Schick, Shreela V Sharma, Carlie Stratemann, Anne Marie V Thompson, Jack Tsai, Zixi Yang, Sandra Mckay

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Firearm violence is a leading cause of injury and mortality in the United States. Hospital-based violence intervention programs (HVIPs) are a promising public health strategy designed to reduce recurrent violence by engaging patients during hospitalization and connecting them to support services after discharge. This protocol describes the design and implementation of the Houston Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Program (Houston-HVIP), which will be evaluated by a randomized controlled trial conducted at a Level 1 trauma center in Houston, Texas. The study plans to enroll individuals aged 16-35 who present with gunshot wounds (GSW) at the Level 1 trauma center. Participants are randomized …

Hazardous Work Exposures And Working Conditions And The Risk Of Serious Injury Among Latino Day Laborers In Houston, Texas (2014–2021), Maria Eugenia Fernandez-Esquer, Cesar Leonardo Pinzon-Gomez, Celeste Monforton, Yuan Li, Vahed Maroufy, Martha Ojeda, Anabel Rodriguez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Latino day laborers (LDLs) are frequently exposed to workplace hazards that increase their risk of an injury. The purpose of this study was to assess the relative influence of worker and workplace characteristics on serious injuries reported by LDLs at four different time points. We examined the influence of demographic characteristics, hazardous chemical exposures and working conditions using data from four cross-sectional surveys conducted between 2014 and 2021.

Methods: A total of 740 LDL were randomly recruited from public job hiring locations (known as "corners") in Houston Texas to participate in surveys conducted as part of injury risk reduction …

Improved Depression Symptoms Among Low-Income Mexican Americans Participating In A Community-Clinical Diabetes Intervention, Minjae Lee, Joseph H Conroy, Zihan Yang, Sein Lee, Paul G Yeh, Juliana Z Lopez, Natalia I Heredia, Lisa A Mitchell-Bennett, Maribel Sifuentes, Belinda M Reininger

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus and comorbid depression face complex disease management. Salud y Vida, a diabetes management intervention for Mexican Americans in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, may mitigate depression through social support and community-clinic referrals.

Methods: In a cohort study, 292 Salud y Vida participants completed the patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9) at baseline, month 6, and month 12. A PHQ-9 score of ≥5 indicated mild depression and activated a mental health referral. Using SAS 9.4 with significance set at < .05, we conducted multivariable longitudinal negative binomial regression to assess changes in depression level.

Results: The proportion of participants with a PHQ-9 ≥5 decreased from 36% at baseline to 18% …