Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Nutrition Education Needs And Barriers Of Uninsured Clients Who Utilize Free Clinics In Western North Carolina, Manan Roy, Alisha Farris, Erin Loy, Lauren Sastre, Danielle L. Nunnery

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Many uninsured adults rely on free health clinics for prevention and treatment of chronic disease. Little is known about the nutrition education needs of adults served by free health clinics, especially those living in counties within the Western North Carolina Appalachian Mountain Region.

Methods: An in-person survey was distributed to 202 clients of two free health clinics in western North Carolina. Descriptive analyses were conducted to determine frequency distributions for food and physical activity practices, acceptable topics and strategies for nutrition education, and the acceptance and barriers for various modalities.

Results: Depending on the clinic, 49-58% of participants were …

Aftermath: A Word To Appalachia Following Hurricane Helene, Emily Wilson

Journal of Appalachian Health

On September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene caused massive and catastrophic flash flooding in the lower Appalachian Region, leveling towns and forever altering much of the landscape. This is an open letter to the people of Appalachia who were affected by the disaster that blindsided our region.

Young Children’S Mental Well-Being In Low-Income South African Settings: A Qualitative Study, Catherine E. Draper, Caylee J. Cook, Elizabeth A. Ankrah, Jesus A. Beltran, Franceli L. Cibrian, Jazette Johnson, Kimberley D. Lakes, Hanna Mofid, Lucretia Williams, Gillian R. Hayes

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

This qualitative study aimed to capture community perspectives of the risks and protective factors for social emotional development and mental health of young children in low-income South Africa settings, and was conducted as one component of a larger study with the ultimate aim of co-designing the Mazi Umntanakho (‘know your child’) digital tool. Twenty focus group discussions (n = 154, 97% female) were held with staff of community-based organisations (CBOs) and community health worker (CHW) programmes in urban and rural sites from four geographical regions. Data were analysed thematically, and grouped according to components of nurturing care (responsive caregiving, safety …

Local Crime And Substance Use Disorders: A Comparison Of Midlife Adults In The 1990s And 2000s, Jennifer W. Robinette, Jason D. Boardman, Kathleen Mullan Harris

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

This study investigated how sociopolitical changes in the United States between the 1990s and 2000s may explain the increase in substance use disorders and reduced longevity in more recent cohorts of US midlife adults. The 2008 recession which drastically increased unemployment rates across the country may have had negative implications for downstream contextual and individual processes, including both local crime rates and substance use disorders. The Midlife in the United States Survey cohort (1995; n = 6148; 20–75 years) and the MIDUS Refresher cohort (2011; n = 3543; 23–76 years) reported on substance use disorders. These data were linked to …

Gender And Sexuality Awareness In Medical Education And Practice: Mixed Methods Study, Rola Khamisy-Farah, Eden Biras, Rabie Shehadeh, Ruba Tuma, Hisham Atwan, Anna Siri, Manlio Converti, Francesco Chirico, Łukasz Szarpak, Carlo Biz, Raymond Farah, Nicola Bragazzi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: The integration of gender and sexuality awareness in health care is increasingly recognized as vital for patient outcomes. Despite this, there is a notable lack of comprehensive data on the current state of physicians' training and perceptions in these areas, leading to a gap in targeted educational interventions and optimal health care delivery.

OBJECTIVE: The study's aim was to explore the experiences and perceptions of attending and resident physicians regarding the inclusion of gender and sexuality content in medical school curricula and professional practice in Israel.

METHODS: This cross-sectional survey targeted a diverse group of physicians across various specializations …

The Psychological Impacts Of Algorithmic And Ai-Driven Social Media On Teenagers: A Call To Action, Sunil Arora, Sahil Arora, John Hastings

Research & Publications

This study investigates the meta-issues surrounding social media, which, while theoretically designed to enhance social interactions and improve our social lives by facilitating the sharing of personal experiences and life events, often results in adverse psychological impacts. Our investigation reveals a paradoxical outcome: rather than fostering closer relationships and improving social lives, the algorithms and structures that underlie social media platforms inadvertently contribute to a profound psychological impact on individuals, influencing them in unforeseen ways. This phenomenon is particularly pronounced among teenagers, who are disproportionately affected by curated online personas, peer pressure to present a perfect digital image, and the …

Pengaruh Work Life Balance Dan Burnout Terhadap Tingkat Kepuasan Kerja Karyawan Organisasi Pelayanan Kemanusiaan: Studi Pada Karyawan Organisasi Pelayanan Kemanusiaan X, Diva Arum Pratami Martias

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

Nothing is more important in the work lives of employees of human service organizations than job satisfaction. Job satisfaction is fundamental to employee welfare, organizational sustainability, and welfare services. The study aims to provide an overview of the influence of work life balance and burnout on the level of job satisfaction of employees of humanitarian service organizations. The study results using the Somers’D test partially proved the hypothesis that there is a positive and significant influence of work life balance on job satisfaction of 0.571 and a p-value of 0.000, stating that employees with high work life balance tend to …

Empowering Students Is “Perfectly Normal:" The Case For 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘭 In Middle Schools, Caroline H. Peabody

OUR Journal: ODU Undergraduate Research Journal

In September of 2023, a middle school teacher wrote an open letter to the Lexington County, Virginia school board expressing outrage over the “graphic sexual content” included in the county middle school’s library. Swiftly following the letter, the school board removed two books from the county’s Lylburn Middle School library without due process and avowed to reconsider the guidelines for including books in the library. One of the two books in question was It’s Perfectly Normal, a non-fiction illustrated book intended to educate readers ten and up on sex, intercourse, and puberty. It’s Perfectly Normal and should be available …

Breast Cancer Molecular Subtype Classification According To Immunohistochemistry Markers And Its Association With Pathological Characteristics Among Women Attending Tertiary Hospitals In Tanzania, Allyzain Ismail, Sajida Panjwani, Neelam Ismail, Caroline Ngimba, Innocent Mosha, Philip Adebayo, Ally Mwanga, Ali Zehri, Aidan Njau, Ali Athar

Family Medicine, East Africa

Background: Breast cancer immunohistochemistry is a biological characteristic of the tumour which has a role to diagnose molecular subtype, prognosticate and guide treatment and is categorised into 4 subtypes. Data in Tanzania was lacking and was based off data extrapolated from studies in Western Africa thus hypothesizing that women of African ancestry predominately develop Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC).

Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was carried out at two tertiary referral hospitals on participants who were recruited from the cancer registries from 2015 to 2022. Prevalence of each molecular subtype was determined and association between molecular subtype to demographic and …

Sex Differences In Metabolic Adaptation In Infants With Cyanotic Congenital Heart Disease, Tina O Findley, Ana Carolina Palei, Kyung Serk Cho, Zhongming Zhao, Caleb Shi, Gouri Mahajan, Antonio Francesco Corno, Jorge Salazar, Louise Mccullough

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Female infants with congenital heart disease (CHD) face significantly higher postoperative mortality rates after adjusting for cardiac complexity. Sex differences in metabolic adaptation to cardiac stressors may be an early contributor to cardiac dysfunction. In adult diseases, hypoxic/ischemic cardiomyocytes undergo a cardioprotective metabolic shift from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis which appears to be regulated in a sexually dimorphic manner. We hypothesize sex differences in cardiac metabolism are present in cyanotic CHD and detectable as early as the infant period.

METHODS: RNA sequencing was performed on blood samples (cyanotic CHD cases, n = 11; controls, n = 11) and analyzed …

Negara Hukum Kesejahteraan Di Batas Pantai: Paradoks Perlindungan Negara Terhadap Masyarakat Pesisir Di Tengah Perubahan Iklim, Aji Baskoro

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

Climate change poses significant challenges to vulnerable coastal communities in Indonesia. As a welfare state, the Indonesian government is expected to safeguard these vulnerable groups through policies that promote their welfare and sustainable livelihoods. However, current policies create a paradox. This article explores this paradox: on the one hand, Indonesia adheres to the welfare state principle, which demands that all government actions be grounded in law, ensuring public safety and welfare. On the other hand, the policies focus on exploiting natural resources, exacerbating the vulnerabilities of coastal communities, particularly in the face of climate change. The article employs a normative …

Addressing Adolescent Suicide In South Korea, Alyssa Kang

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Suicide is a prevalent issue that widely affects all demographics in South Korea. Among adolescents, it is the leading cause of mortality with an average rate of 7 deaths per 100,000 people. Some of the most significant factors that influence the risk of suicidal ideation and attempts are cultural stigma and academic stress. Other factors, such as bullying and family structure, also increase the likelihood of suicide, while specific characteristics including internet addiction, socioeconomic status, and substance abuse have been found to be predictors of suicide. Adolescent suicide attempts in Korea also increase the individual's risk for future attempts, and …

Emotional Display Rules Of Deaf Culture, Nicholas M. Gala, Lawrence Pick

JADARA

Emotional display rules refer to the expression of culturally prescribed and socially acceptable emotions across different people and situations (Wu & Schulz, 2020). The display rules among hearing adults across several cultures are well defined and depend on the type of emotion, the individuals involved in the exchange, and the situation. Regarding Deaf culture in the United States, this minoritized group may follow unique display rules (Hosie et al., 2000), but there has been almost no research conducted with this population and the existing studies have focused on youth. The present study explores perceived emotional expressions among a sample of …

Providing End-Of-Life Counseling: A Narrative Inquiry, Carol Hecht, Sibyl West

Adultspan Journal

This qualitative study aimed to address the gap in the research related to end-of-life counseling by exploring the experiences of counselors working with clients at end of life. While counseling literature and education are lacking regarding end of life, many counselors will work alongside clients approaching death. The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to better understand the nuanced experiences of counselors providing end-of-life counseling and (b) to explore the supports and preparations helpful for counselors to provide end-of-life counseling. A narrative approach, using the Listening Guide (Gilligan, 2015), was employed to analyze and present the stories of three …

Considerations Of Medicare Telehealth Services With Older Adults, Sonah Kho, Amanda Dediego

Adultspan Journal

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic set in motion a rapid expansion of mental health services offered via telehealth. With this rapid expansion came the need to examine how policy and practice should be shaped in a future where telehealth is considered common in counseling practice. For counselors to understand how to support older adult clients in using telehealth services, they must understand telehealth policy. Following the eligibility of licensed counselors to participate in Medicare, counselors need to stay abreast of regulatory changes regarding restrictions and regulations on use of telehealth for mental and behavioral health services, including video and …

How Do Older Adults Define A Good Death? A Scoping Review, Ellen L. Csikai, Quentin R. Maynard

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

A scoping literature review of the concepts of ‘good death’ and ‘dying well’ among older adults was conducted. The purpose was to identify aspects that older adults specifically considered important in defining a ‘good death’. The search revealed five articles published between 2005 and 2019 that met inclusionary criteria for the review. Primary among the views of the older adults in these studies of a ‘good death’ was the desire to avoid being a burden to families; done so by dying pain-free/peacefully (preferably in sleep) and preparing in advance by involving family in decisions and funeral/estate planning. Family support throughout …

Adaptation Of The Socioecological Model To Address Disparities In Engagement Of Black Men In Prostate Cancer Genetic Testing, Amy Leader, Timothy Rebbeck, William Oh, Alpa Patel, Eric Winer, Leeann Bailey, Leonard Gomella, Crystal Lumpkins, Isla Garraway, Lisa Aiello, Monica Baskin, Heather H Cheng, Kathleen Cooney, Amanda Ganzak, Daniel George, Susan Halabi, Feighanne Hathaway, Claire Healy, Joseph W Kim, Michael Leapman, Stacy Loeb, Kara Maxwell, Christopher Mcnair, Todd Morgan, Breanne Prindeville, Howard R Soule, Whitney Steward, Sakinah Suttiratana, Mary-Ellen Taplin, Kosj Yamoah, Thierry Fortune, Kris Bennett, Joshua Blanding-Godbolt, Laura Gross, Veda Giri

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Black men consistently have higher rates of prostate cancer (PCA)- related mortality. Advances in PCA treatment, screening, and hereditary cancer assessment center around germline testing (GT). Of concern is the significant under-engagement of Black males in PCA GT, limiting the benefit of precision therapy and tailored cancer screening despite longstanding awareness of these disparities. To address these critical disparities, the Socioecological Model (SEM) was employed to develop comprehensive recommendations to overcome barriers and implement equitable strategies to engage Black males in PCA GT.

METHODS: Clinical/research experts, national organization leaders, and community stakeholders spanning multiple regions in US and Africa …

Advancing Consensual Non-Monogamy In Psychological Research, Practice, And Policy: A Guide For Psychologists, Amy C. Moors, Michelle Denise Vaughan, Sharon M. Flicker, Kaiponanea T. Matsumura, Heath A. Schechinger

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

In this article, we present a brief overview of the topic of consensual non-monogamy (CNM) as a scientific inquiry, including reviews related to stigma, relationship functioning, and health and well-being. Next, we discuss how psychologists can be more responsive to people who engage in CNM, by (1) conducting research that is inclusive of CNM, including challenging mononormativity in theory and measurement; (2) training clinicians to be more knowledgeable about CNM, including expanding diversity requirements and evidence-based clinical practice; (3) working in advocacy to help shape law and policy, including future directions for research to inform marital/family and antidiscrimination law. Our …

Differences In Happiness And Perceived Meaning In Life Between U.S. Working-Age Adults With Versus Without A Self-Care Disability, Nastassia Vaitsiakhovich, Scott D. Landes, Shannon M. Monnat

Population Health Research Brief Series

Subjective wellbeing (SWB) - being happy or perceiving one’s life has meaning, is critical to good physical health. People who are happier and who report that their lives have meaning are healthier and live longer. In general, individuals with disabilities have worse SWB compared to those without disabilities. This brief summarizes findings from a study that used data from the National Wellbeing Survey collected in early-2021 to examine differences in happiness and perceived meaning in life between U.S. working-age adults (ages 18-64) with versus without a self-care disability (such as difficulty eating, using the toilet, or dressing without assistance) and …

Assessing The Feasibility Of Implementing A Hands-On Diabetes Course Curriculum In Community Settings, April Litchford, Jenna Dyckman, Carrie Durward

Transforming Communities

Diabetes remains a significant health concern in the United States, with millions affected and at risk. Despite the known benefits of diabetes education programs, barriers such as accessibility and engagement persist. To address these challenges, Utah State University Extension developed the Diabetes Cook Along (DCA) program and conducted a study to determine the feasibility of implementing these classes in community settings. The DCA curriculum is based on national standards and emphasizes changes in dietary and lifestyle components critical for diabetes management. Data collection included pre- and post-surveys, along with qualitative feedback. Overall participation in the classes and satisfaction of participants …

Skin Tone Discrimination And Birth Control Avoidance Among Women In Harris County, Texas: A Cross-Sectional Study, Kimberly Baker, Susan Tortolero Emery, Evelyn Spike, Jazmyne Sutton, Eran Ben-Porath

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: Structural racism plays a major role in reproductive health inequities. Colorism, discrimination based on skin color, may profoundly impact reproductive health access and service delivery. However, quantitative research in this area is limited.

METHODS: We administered an online survey of women (n = 1,299) aged 18-44 from Harris County, Texas to assess the relationship between skin color discrimination and reproductive health service avoidance. The survey included questions on demographics, self-reported skin tone, and dichotomous measures of previous discrimination experiences and avoidance of care because of perceived discrimination. Binary logistic regression was used to examine whether race/ethnicity, skin tone, and …

Planetary Health Learning Objectives: Foundational Knowledge For Global Health Education In An Era Of Climate Change, Kathryn H. Jacobsen, Caryl E. Waggett, Pamela Berenbaum, Brett R. Bayles, Gail L. Carlson, René English, Carlos A Faerron Guzmán, Meredith L. Gartin, Liz Grant, Thomas L. Henshaw, Lora L. Iannotti, Philip J. Landrigan, Nina Lansbury, Hao Li, Maureen Y. Lichtveld, Ketrell Mcwhorter, Jessica E. Rettig, Cecilia J. Sorensen, Eric J. Wetzel, Dawn Michele Whitehead, Peter J. Winch, Keith Martin

Earth and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications

Planetary health is an emerging field that emphasises that humans depend on a healthy Earth for survival and, conversely, that the sustainability of Earth systems is dependent on human behaviours. In response to member demands for resources to support teaching and learning related to planetary health, the Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH) convened a working group to develop a set of planetary health learning objectives (PHLOs) that would complement the existing ten CUGH global health learning objectives. The eight PHLOs feature Earth system changes, planetary boundaries, and climate change science; ecological systems and One Health; human health outcomes; …

The Seattle Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Als) Patient Project Database: Observational, Longitudinal, Dyadic Characterization Of People With Als And Their Partners, Suzanne C. Segerstrom, Edward J. Kasarskis

Neurology Faculty Publications

Introduction: The median survival time in ALS is approximately 3 years, but survival times range from less than a year to more than 10 years and much variance in disease course remains to be explained. As is true for physical outcomes, there is considerable variance in QOL, which is influenced by psychological health, coping, and social support, among other psychosocial factors. The Seattle ALS Patient Project Database (SALSPPD) provides a unique opportunity for researchers to address established and novel hypotheses about disease progression and QOL in ALS.

Methods: The SALSPPD is a longitudinal dataset of people with ALS (n = …

Infertility’S Impact On Couples’ Functioning, Elizabeth Sanders

Dissertations

Historically, infertility has been a taboo topic of discussion and is often avoided in conversation because of the stigmatization of the diagnosis. According to the World Health Organization (2022), infertility affects 186 million individuals globally. However, there seems to be a gap in the research as it pertains to the psychological well-being and treatment of men and women diagnosed with this condition. While it has become less of a feared topic, it still is not discussed or researched enough, thus further exacerbating the gap in research on mental health and treatment options. The following dissertation completed a critical review of …

Admixture Mapping Of Cognitive Function In Diverse Hispanic And Latino Adults: Results From The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study Of Latinos, Rui Xia, Xueqiu Jian, Amanda L Rodrigue, Jan Bressler, Eric Boerwinkle, Biqi Cui, Martha L Daviglus, Charles Decarli, Linda C Gallo, David C Glahn, Emma E M Knowles, Jee-Young Moon, Thomas H Mosley, Claudia L Satizabal, Tamar Sofer, Wassim Tarraf, Fernando Testai, John Blangero, Sudha Seshadri, Hector M González, Myriam Fornage

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: We conducted admixture mapping and fine-mapping analyses to identify ancestry-of-origin loci influencing cognitive abilities.

METHODS: We estimated the association of local ancestry intervals across the genome with five neurocognitive measures in 7140 diverse Hispanic and Latino adults (mean age 55 years). We prioritized genetic variants in associated loci and tested them for replication in four independent cohorts.

RESULTS: We identified nine local ancestry-associated regions for the five neurocognitive measures. There was strong biological support for the observed associations to cognitive function at all loci and there was statistical evidence of independent replication at 4q12, 9p22.1, and 13q12.13.

DISCUSSION: Our …

Reclaiming Healing Spaces: A Phenomenological Study On The Transformative Power Of Outdoor Therapy From The Lived Experiences Of Black Clinicians Working With Black Clients, Lynn Murphy

Dissertations

This phenomenological study involved assessing the experiences of Black therapists who engaged Black clients in outdoor therapeutic contexts. The study was founded on the existing literature that shows the quality of the therapeutic relationship is pivotal for client retention and the Western standards that have historically favored treatment within indoor environments. To contextualize this research, a comprehensive literature review was commenced, covering topics such as the decolonization of therapy, the historical and present-day relationship between Blacks and the outdoors in the United States, sedentary lifestyles, the psychological benefits of time spent in nature, various types of outdoor therapy, and the …

Changes In The Perceptions Of The Neighborhood Environment And Physical Activity Patterns Among Mexican Americans On The Texas-Mexico Border, Natalia I Heredia, Soo Kyung Park, Minjae Lee, Lisa Mitchell-Bennett, Paul Yeh, Rose Gowen, Arturo Rodriguez, Miryoung Lee, Belinda M Reininger

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: Little research on the association of neighborhood environment with physical activity in resource-poor communities has been done. This study assessed changes in perceptions of the neighborhood environment and the association between those perceptions and physical activity in Mexican Americans on the Texas-Mexico border in an area where there would be community efforts to enhance pedestrian and cycling infrastructure and programming.

METHODS: We analyzed data from a population-based cohort of Mexican American individuals on the Texas-Mexico border. From 2008 to 2018, interviewer-administered questionnaires were used to collect perceptions of neighborhood environment and physical activity at baseline, 5- and 10-year follow-ups, …

Communities Disproportionately Affected By Carbon Monoxide Exposure After Winter Storm Uri, Elyse N Portillo, Casandra Quiñones, Zachary C Foughty, Ryan Ramphul, Asha T Morrow, Kathryn Fisher, Stephen A Harding, Elizabeth A Camp, Shubhada Hooli, Eric A Russell

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Extreme cold in February 2021 precipitated prolonged power failure in Texas. In Houston, many patients presented for carbon monoxide exposure from neighborhoods with lower per capita income, higher rates of limited English proficiency, and greater median Social Vulnerability Indices than Greater Houston. Weather-related disasters disproportionately affect socially vulnerable communities.

Leveraging The Science Of Early Life Predictability To Inform Policies Promoting Child Health, Laura M. Glynn, Sabrina R. Liu, Candice Taylor Lucas, Elysia Poggi Davis

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Addressing the tremendous burden of early-life adversity requires constructive dialogues between scientists and policy makers to improve population health. Whereas dialogues focused on several aspects of early-life adversity have been initiated, discussion of an underrecognized form of adversity that has been observed across multiple contexts and cultures is only now emerging. Here we provide evidence for “why unpredictability?”, including: 1. Evidence that exposures to unpredictability affect child neurodevelopment, with influences that persist into adulthood. 2. The existence of a translational non-human animal model of exposure to early life unpredictability that can be capitalized upon to causally probe neurobiological mechanisms. 3. …

Sexannodb, A Knowledgebase Of Sex-Specific Regulations From Multi-Omics Data Of Human Cancers, Mengyuan Yang, Yuzhou Feng, Jiajia Liu, Hong Wang, Sijia Wu, Weiling Zhao, Pora Kim, Xiaobo Zhou

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background

Sexual differences across molecular levels profoundly impact cancer biology and outcomes. Patient gender significantly influences drug responses, with divergent reactions between men and women to the same drugs. Despite databases on sex differences in human tissues, understanding regulations of sex disparities in cancer is limited. These resources lack detailed mechanistic studies on sex-biased molecules.

Methods

In this study, we conducted a comprehensive examination of molecular distinctions and regulatory networks across 27 cancer types, delving into sex-biased effects. Our analyses encompassed sex-biased competitive endogenous RNA networks, regulatory networks involving sex-biased RNA binding protein-exon skipping events, sex-biased transcription factor-gene regulatory networks, …