Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Effect Of The Sphere Standards On The Incidence Of Communicable And Infectious Diseases In A Complex Humanitarian Emergency, Masashi Rotte

Master of Public Health Capstone Presentations

The purpose of this study was to determine what effect achieving the Sphere Standards relating to water and sanitation had on the incidence of communicable diseases in a returnee camp in South Sudan during a complex humanitarian emergency. The water and sanitation infrastructure of the returnee camp was tracked over time until it met the Sphere Standards. The total camp population was also tracked over the same period of time and compared to daily counts of diseases diagnosed in a medical clinic at the camp. A daily incidence of disease was then calculated for each communicable disease that was tracked. …

Knowledge And Attitudes Assessment Of Out-Of-Hospital Emergency Physicians In Yerevan, Armenia, Aline Baghdassarian, Md

Master of Public Health Capstone Presentations

Out-of-hospital emergency care is in an early stage of development in Armenia. While efforts are underway by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and other organizations to reform the emergency medical services (EMS) system, little data exists on the status of pediatric emergency care (PEC). To evaluate the knowledge and attitudes of out-of-hospital emergency physicians (EPs) in pediatric rapid assessment and resuscitation, and to identify areas of improvement to the pediatric EMS system and PEC education in the capital, Yerevan, a cross-sectional, anonymous, self-administered Knowledge and Attitudes survey regarding pediatric rapid assessment and resuscitation was distributed to all out-of-hospital EPs in …

Smoking Mediates The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease In The Brfss Data, Andrew Messersmith

Master of Public Health Capstone Presentations

Associations between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and adult health outcomes are well grounded in the empirical literature; such studies generally find both direct and indirect effects of ACE on health outcomes such as liver disease, cancer, and heart disease. In this study, the association between ACEs and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was examined, and smoking was assessed as a partial mediator in the ACE-COPD relationship. Data were collected from five states in which an eight category ACE module was included in the 2011 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Logistic regression models were developed to test the mediational hypothesis-that …

Emergency Department Utilization: An Analysis Of The Thomas Jefferson Community Benefit Areas In North Philadelphia, Bettina Berman

Master of Public Health Capstone Presentations

The Emergency Department (ED) is a place where disaster preparedness, public health surveillance, and in many cases, ambulatory primary care is provided. The increase in ED visits, combined with expanded services, has led to overcrowding and significant strains on resources. The purpose of this study was to conduct a retrospective data analysis of emergency department utilization in the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (TJUH) community benefit areas in North Philadelphia and to determine if patients were utilizing the ED for conditions which could have been treated in the outpatient setting. A comprehensive literature review was conducted. The review focused on studies …

Emergency Department Utilization Among South Philadelphia Residents And Frequent Users In The Jefferson Community Benefit Area, Melissa Mccarey

Master of Public Health Capstone Presentations

Over the past decade, the rate of emergency department (ED) visits increased at almost double the rate that would be expected due to normal population growth. The implications of this increase in ED usage include decreased quality of care, overcrowding, increased wait times, and increased healthcare costs. The purpose of this analysis is to examine health issues, concerns, and underling social determinants of frequent ED users and South Philadelphia Residents who use the Thomas Jefferson University or Methodist Hospital emergency departments. This project is a retrospective data analysis using descriptive statistics, measures of central tendency, and cross-tabulation analysis to analyze …

The Effects Of A Standardized Patient Education Program On Self-Management Outcomes In Patients With Hiv, Jason J. Schafer

Master of Public Health Capstone Presentations

The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the potential impact of a standardized HIV education program delivered during a provider visit on patient self-management of HIV as measured by adherence to care. Following a baseline assessment of HIV knowledge and adherence using validated tools, eligible patients were randomized to receive the standard of care normally provided in clinic, or the standard of care and a10-minute scripted educational presentation delivered during the clinic visit. Following the presentation, patients in the intervention group received the same knowledge assessment tool they received at baseline to identify knowledge changes. Patient adherence to …

Type Ii Diabetes And Dietary Preferences In A Rapidly Urbanizing Region Of West Africa, Megan Doherty

Master of Public Health Capstone Presentations

This study aims to identify themes in food preferences, knowledge, attitudes and behaviors (KAB) among a mix of rural and urban Ghanaians in the greater Kumasi region; to inform health interventions targeting better patient management of type II diabetes in a rapidly urbanizing region of Ghana; and to inform social marketing strategies by providing insight into consumption patterns. Urban centers in Sub-Saharan Africa have been especially impacted by the persistence of infectious disease and accompanying rise in non-communicable disease prevalence, including type II diabetes. In fact, type II diabetes recently registered as tenth among top causes of death in Kumasi, …

Development And Evaluation Of The Eastern Pennsylvania And Delaware Geriatric Education Center’S (Epad Gec) Geriatric Oncology Online Toolkit, Mariana R. Kuperman

Master of Public Health Capstone Presentations

Older adults have higher cancer rates than younger adults. Treating geriatric cancer patients is a challenge because they present with comorbidities, poly-pharmacy, physical frailty, and/or cognitive impairment. The interprofessional oncology treatment team may not be adequately trained to meet the special needs of geriatric cancer patients. The EPaD GEC focuses on interprofessional geriatric education targeting students, faculty and practitioners by developing and disseminating interprofessional geriatric training programs, including self-directed online learning modules. The Geriatric Oncology Care Module focuses on specialized considerations in the treatment/care of older cancer patients. The purpose of this project is to develop a Geriatric Oncology toolkit …

Got Worms?: Planning And Evaluation Of A Culturally Appropriate Health Education Pilot Program For The Control Of Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infections In Rwandan Village Children, Pier Hart

Master of Public Health Capstone Presentations

Infections with parasitic intestinal worms known as soil-transmitted helminthes (STH) are endemic in most poor countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. In Rwanda, the prevalence of helminth infections among school-age children was found to be nearly 70%. Chronic STH infections are associated with malnutrition and anemia, which cause physical and cognitive developmental problems. These morbidities negatively affect educational attainment and vocational productivity and thereby perpetuate the cycle of poverty in affected communities. Control of STH requires both regular deworming treatments and changes in health behaviors relevant to transmission, including personal hygiene and sanitation practices. In Rwanda, a nationwide program …

Assessing Nutrition Knowledge, Skill And Attitudes In Adolescent Girls, Tatyana Jean

Master of Public Health Capstone Presentations

There is still much to be understood about the nutrition habits of adolescents who are just beginning to break away from familial habits and developing individual identities. The African American community in particular, is known to experience disproportionate amounts of overweight and obesity resulting in chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. This study used quantitative and qualitative measures to assess the nutrition skills, knowledge, and attitudesof African American girls aged 14-17. After data analysis, it was found that African American adolescent girls had high body image and self esteem but poor nutrition skill and knowledge. Body image and weight …