Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

“To Live In The Body Of A Survivor ”: Unique And Cumulative Disaster Exposure And Mental Health In A Sample Of Hurricane Katrina Survivors, Noelle Serino

Public Health Theses

Introduction: Fueled by the escalation of climate change, weather-related disasters are increasing in frequency and severity. Existing research has documented the extensive harm induced by such disasters, yet few studies have examined how individuals’ psychological well-being fares when exposed to multiple, diverse threats, including other weather-related and public health disasters (e.g., COVID-19). As such, the present study explores posttraumatic and psychological distress in the context of unique and cumulative disaster exposure.Methods: The data utilized for this study came from the Resilience in Survivors of Katrina (RISK) Project. The sample was comprised of 381 predominantly Non-Hispanic Black (84.5%) women who experienced …

Uniting The Front: A Qualitative Exploration Of The Community Health Worker Covid-19 Pandemic Response In Connecticut, Serena Ly

Public Health Theses

Background: Community health workers (CHWs) are becoming increasingly recognized for their contributions to community health. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to devastate poor and underserved communities, leveraging CHWs’ experiences with vulnerable community members is key to developing an equity-centered pandemic response. This qualitative research study aimed to explore how CHWs have addressed emerging community needs and whether health and emergency management systems have fully integrated CHWs in the COVID-19 pandemic response. This study further aimed to assess, through CHWs perceptions, how well health systems have safeguarded CHWs’ health and wellbeing as they support impacted communities.

Methods: CHWs and their managers …

Impact Of Covid-19 On Participants Of A Fruit And Vegetable Program, Christabelle Ong

Public Health Theses

Objective: To investigate the impact of COVID-19 on the participants of a multi-city fruit and vegetable incentive program.Design: A six-month cohort study was conducted. Pre-program and post-program data were collected using an online survey platform. Setting: Eight cities across the United States. Participants: A total of 822 individuals were recruited through local site partners to participate in a fruit and vegetable incentive program (n=822; 79.4% women, 20.6% men; median age: 57 years old). Intervention: Participants received $50 monthly fruit and vegetable vouchers, a sneaker gift card or gift basket, and access to a weight loss app. Main Outcome Measures: The …

Covid-19 Risk Among Temporary Protected Status Beneficiaries, Diana Estefania Estrada Alamo

Public Health Theses

The current federal response of the United States to the COVID-19 pandemic has created conditions and resulted in unintended consequences that may be disproportionately increasing the risk of COVID-19 infection and sequelae for immigrant populations. This investigative thesis explores whether states with a greater percentage of Temporary Protected Status beneficiaries experience more COVID-19 related deaths as compared to the rest of the United States. Using a multiple linear regression model for statistical analysis, covariates under consideration include the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases, tests performed, hospitalizations reported, as well as the population density of each state and the proportion of …