Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Relationship Between Quality Cost Conversations And Dental Visit Satisfaction: Findings From An Online Survey Of Us Adults, Naa-Amy K. Wayne, Wendy Kutten, Samuel Anokye-Mensah, Bettye Apenteng Phd, Samuel Opoku Phd

Georgia Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Conference

Background. Cost conversations between patients and providers have been identified as vital to patient-centered care. Within the dental care setting, however, the role of cost conversations in enhancing patient experience and outcomes remain unexplored. This study examines the association between the quality of cost conversations between patients and providers on patients’ satisfaction in dental care settings.

Methods. The study was a cross-sectional study using data from 370 US adults who had received dental care in the past 24 months at the time of the survey. Data were collected through an online, self-administered survey in August 2021. The outcome of interest …

Health Informatics And Improvements In Maternal And Child Health In Rural Communities: A Scoping Review, Mambwe Mutiti, Gulzar Shah, Kristie Waterfield

Georgia Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Conference

Background: According to the United Nations (UN), approximately 830 women have died from pregnancy-related complications, with most maternal deaths being avoidable with timely access to quality healthcare. Health Informatics is vital in addressing healthcare disparities in rural communities by identifying and addressing health inequities in health services and through health education. Health informatics has the potential to bridge the gap between rural and urban healthcare, leading to better health outcomes for individuals living in rural areas.

Objective: This study investigated the role of health informatics in enhancing maternal and child health (MCH) in rural communities and described opportunities, challenges, and …

Development And Validation Of An Index Of Social Attributes Predictive Of Frailty Among Older Adults, Preshit Ambade, Neil Mackinnon, Zachary T. Hoffman

Georgia Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Conference

Background: Frailty captures accumulating age-related deficits in the normal functioning of an adult. The existing frailty models include physical and behavioral attributes; however, they ignore the complex social environments that impact them. The varying environment and estimation processes further make cross-country comparisons of frailty difficult. The Commonwealth Fund’s International Health Policy (IHP) survey data on older adults allows one to compare social predictors of frailty across high-income countries.

Methods: Our objective was to develop and validate a social risk measure to predict frailty across the countries using comparable social characteristics based on Social Production Function Theory. We employed the least …

The Relationship Between Social Vulnerability And Pedestrian Injuries In Georgia, Denise Yeager

Georgia Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Conference

This study used the Center for Disease Control’s Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) to measure vulnerability of neighborhoods, and to study that relationship with the incidence of motor vehicle crashes involving non-motorists, at the census tract level. The goals of this study were to describe the spatial relationship between SVI and pedestrian serious and fatal injuries across Georgia regions; compare the differences in the pedestrian serious and fatal injury crash rates by SVI quintiles across Georgia regions; and describe the association between the SVI and pedestrian serious injury and fatal crashes across Georgia regions. A combination of spatial analysis, comparison of …

Role Of Strong Social Support In Stool-Based Test Uptake For Colorectal Cancer Screening, Benjamin Ansa

Georgia Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Conference

Background: Screening has been shown to be effective for preventing colorectal cancer (CRC). In 2021, less than 72% of adult Americans had received CRC screening based on the most recent guidelines. The stool-based tests (fecal occult blood test (FOBT) and fecal immunochemical test (FIT)) reduce mortality from CRC by 15–40%. This study examined the relationship between strong social support and stool-based test uptake for CRC screening among U.S. adults based on socioeconomic factors.

Methods: The 2021 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data for 19,954 U.S. adults were analyzed for stool-based test rates among individuals with strong, some, and weak social …

Un Dekalb Saludable: Presenting Health Concerns Among Hispanic/Latino Dekalb County Residents Using An Online Dashboard, Miranda M. Montoya, Mercedes Albanes, Danielle Arroliga, Calvin Patimeteeporn, Sandra J. Valenciano

Georgia Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Conference

Background: Despite extensive publicly available data, few assessments of Hispanic/Latino health have been conducted at the county level and made available online. Although 8.5% of DeKalb County, Georgia residents identify as Hispanic/Latino, a focused analysis of this population's health status has not been done in the past. To better serve the Hispanic/Latino population, local health departments should be aware of the socioeconomic status (SES) of the Hispanic/Latino community and the health concerns they face.

Methods: We extracted demographic data from the 2021 American Community Survey and 2017-2021 health data from Georgia’s Online Analytical Statistical Information System and the State Electronic …

Field Observations From Houston County Home Visit Pilot Program: Maternal Marijuana Use, Julia Jensen Mph, Ashley O'Neal Rnc-Mnn, Clc

Georgia Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Conference

Background:

The Houston County Health Department is one of three county health departments in Georgia chosen to implement a pilot program aimed promoting maternal and child health via postpartum home visits with families wherein the mother screened positive for marijuana at the time of childbirth. Initial observations from the local public health practitioners who conducted home visits for this program identified a trend in reason for use by the new mothers was to aid in symptoms of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. A review of current literature around nausea and vomiting during pregnancy was conducted to aid the public health …

Predicting Barriers To Performing Concussion Education: Identifying Opportunities For Change, Julia D. Drattell, Emily Kroshus, Johna K. Register-Mihalik, Christopher D'Lauro, Julianne D. Schmidt

Georgia Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Conference

Background: There are many barriers that impact effective delivery of sport-related concussion education which can be described through the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation Behavior (COM-B) model of behavior change. Barriers may be predicted by factors like school levels, sports medicine access at school, and the educator’s professional experience or gender. Athletic trainers (ATs), medical professionals often employed in school athletics, usually provide concussion-related education. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore factors that influence ATs’ barriers to providing concussion education.

Methods: The National Athletic Trainers’ Association distributed an electronic survey to 9,997 member ATs working in secondary schools (SSs) …

Assessing Accessibility Of Online Healthcare Networks In Southeast Georgia, Anusha Gadipudi, Adebisi Bamidele, Yasmeen Shahout

Georgia Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Conference

Per the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), all public businesses must accommodate people with disabilities. A shift towards online operations makes it essential to ensure online spaces are as accessible as physical spaces. Websites, especially those providing essential health information, must consider individuals with disabilities who rely on assistive technologies. This research investigates the accessibility of healthcare websites in Southeast Georgia.

The American Hospital Directory was referenced to build a database of hospitals in Southeast Georgia. State Office of Rural Health data was utilized to list Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) and Department of Public Health (DPH) offices serving this …

The Link Between Perceived Racism And Healthcare Utilization Among Older Adults: A Health Equity Analysis, Preshit Ambade, Neil Mackinnon, Zachary T. Hoffman

Georgia Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Conference

Patient discrimination in healthcare settings is a growing concern in the United States. In healthcare settings, discrimination based on age, gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, geographic region, and insurance status is well-documented. Nearly one-in-five US adults have experienced discrimination at least once when visiting the health system. While the scholarship on discrimination and its association with health outcomes is well established, there remains a dearth of literature that compares this across countries. Such comparisons could provide valuable information for policy makers.

In this study, our purpose was to conduct a secondary analysis of the 2021 Commonwealth Fund International Health …

Leave In Silence: Hospital Discharge Communication Problems In Older Adults In 11 Countries, Neil Mackinnon, Preshit Ambade, Zachary T. Hoffman

Georgia Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Conference

The transition from hospital care to another point of care is a critical moment in ensuring positive patient outcomes and safety. We aimed to determine the prevalence of hospital discharge communication problems in older adults in 11 high-income countries and the associated factors.

We analyzed data from the 2021 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy (IHP) survey of older adults. Respondents were from 11 countries high-income countries. Poor discharge communication (PDC), a composite score, was defined as participants reporting at least 2 problems in the discharge process out of a maximum of 3. A multivariate logistic regression model assessed PDC’s association …

Trends In Substance Use And Mental Health Among Adolescents In Georgia, 2002-2022, Saumya S. Palipudi, Bangaru Talli Palipudi, Murty Komanduri

Georgia Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Conference

Background: While substance use and absence of mental health disorders among youth in the United States (US) have declined over the past two decades, post COVID-19 pandemic, these conditions have increased significantly with notable disparities, and witnessed a crisis in public health. In 2022, 24.7% or 6.1 million adolescents aged 12 to 17 in the US had either Major Depressive Episodes (MDE) or Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and 3.7 percent had both in the prior year². Increased stress, lack of peer connections, parental abuse, and poor mental health conditions were attributed to this increase in substance use^{3-7 …}

Physical Activity Levels In First-Year University Students, Jerealya Cogdell

Honors College Theses

The purpose of this study is to see if physical activity (PA) is affected for students since transitioning from high school to their first semester in college. The study was conducted by asking questions pertaining to PA via an online survey through the platform Qualtrics. It will be administered to students at Georgia Southern University. However, only the data from freshmen students that meet specific criteria will be accounted for in this study. The data will be analyzed using Chi-squared to determine how PA is affected due to this transition. The data will compare the results from high school senior …

Perceptions Of A Community Health Worker Home Deployment Intervention On Diabetes Management: Project Peach Community Study, Chinonye Wamkpah, Ayanna Farmer, Sierra Simmons, Michelle Nwagwu, Asia Rivers, Rakale Quarells

Georgia Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Conference

The Project PEACH Community Study, conducted in partnership with the Albany Area Primary Health Care in Southwest Georgia, implemented a Community Health Worker (CHW) intervention. CHW interventions have been successful at increasing healthcare access and improving self-management behaviors for individuals with diabetes. This purpose of this study was to assess participants’ perceived improvements in diabetes self-management behaviors resulting from their participation in the CHW Community Home Visit Education Program. To qualify for the CHW Community Study, participants had to self-identify as Black or Hispanic, be aged18-50 years, have a previous diabetes diagnosis, and recent out-of-range blood glucose results in their …

Health Disparities: The Influence Of Black Celebrity Endorsers And Social Media Influencers On Consumption Habits Among African American Consumers, Dale A. Cake, Wooyang Kim

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2024

This study examines the impact of celebrity and social media influencer endorsements on the dietary choices of African Americans, a group disproportionately affected by obesity and diabetes. It focuses on the role of limited access to healthy foods in impoverished communities and cultural influences. Using the source credibility model, the research assesses endorsements based on the endorser's attractiveness, expertise, and trustworthiness. The methodology involves a two-step approach: conducting semi-structured interviews with African American students to understand perceptions of food-related celebrity endorsements, followed by an experimental design using eye-tracking and galvanic skin response (GSR) technology. This design will evaluate reactions to …

"Shut Down And Closed Off": A Routine Activity Approach To Investigating The Relationship Between Covid-19 School Closures And Child Sexual Abuse Report Characteristics In Georgia, Spencer E. Riner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 created a public health crisis that led to an unprecedented number of school closures. A major concern raised by child advocates, law enforcement, and social service providers was the possible increase in undetected child abuse and maltreatment. Undergirding this concern was the belief that this mitigation effort might place child abuse victims and offenders within proximity for extended periods of time. While this was a significant concern, it has rarely been analyzed empirically. To address this gap in the literature, this thesis investigates how school closures impacted the characteristics of child sexual abuse (CSA) reports …

Social And Structural Determinants Of Health As Predictors Of Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among Older Adults In The United States, Kingsley Kalu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Although vaccination is one of the greatest accomplishments in public health, some people, especially older adults, are reluctant to take vaccines. This study examined the association between the social and structural determinants of health and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among older adults in the United States.

Methods: Secondary data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) was used. The HRS participants were 65 years and older, and the sample size was 2311. Multinomial multivariable logistic regression models were conducted for this study.

Results: The study shows that social determinants of health (marital status, educational level) and structural determinants of health …

An Integrated Evidence-Based Approach To Provide A Practicum-Based Learning Experience To Students, Dziyana Nazaruk, Joseph Telfair, Jamie S. Cromley, Joanne Chopak-Foss, Ana M. Palacios

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Background

Due to the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the public health field has an exceptional opportunity not only to address current challenges but also to rebuild and expand the workforce. Objectives

The main objective of this presentation is to highlight the 2018-2022 academic year's progress of the practice-based learning experience of the JPH College of Public Health at Georgia Southern University in Georgia, USA. The College serves more than 59, mostly rural counties, and involves diverse practicum preceptors, students, and existing professionals from the USA and other countries. The College provides a unique opportunity for students to develop …

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities And Threats Of A Community-Based Egg Program In Rural Honduras, Lilly Karsa, Dziyana Nazaruk, G. Ramos, L. Manship, Ana M. Palacios

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Background

Young children living in poor rural areas in Honduras are susceptible to suffering from undernutrition. About 1 in every 4 children under age 5 have stunting. Stunting during early childhood has negative consequences on an individual's life that can have short-term and lasting effects. This study's purpose was to explore the perceptions of the mothers of children that participate in a community-based nutrition-agriculture program that offers 1 egg daily to all children ages 6 to 24 months in 13 communities. Methods

Using community-engaged methods, we implemented a SWOT analysis to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats using a semi-structured …

Clinical And Demographic Attributes Of Patients With Diabetes Associated With The Utilization Of Telemedicine In An Urban Medically Underserved Population Area, Lisa Ariellah Ward, Gulzar H. Shah, Kristie C. Waterfield

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Marginalized populations often experience health disparities due to the significant obstacles to care associated with social, economic, and environmental inequities. When compared with advantaged social groups, these populations frequently experience increased risks, poorer health outcomes, and reduced quality of life (QoL). This research examines the clinical and demographic characteristics—age, gender, and race—related to patients with varying stages of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), comparing the utilization of telemedicine (TM) with traditional healthcare face-to-face (F2F) appointments in an urban medically underserved population area (UMUPA). A logistic regression model, was used to analyze retrospective electronic patient health records (EHRs) from 1 January …

Increasing Character Strength Knowledge, Interest, And Skill: Preliminary Evidence For A Collaborative And Multimethod Assessment Procedure, Jeff J. Klibert, Michaela D. Simpson, Brandon J. Weiss, C. Thresa Yancey, Calla Pritulsky, Amy Luna, Hayley Houseman, Hani M. Samawi

Department of Psychology Faculty Publications

Introduction: The study’s objective was to evaluate whether a qualitative, collaborative, and multimethod assessment protocol increased reports of character strength interest, knowledge, and perceived skills.

Methods: Thirty-two participants completed three phases of data collection. Participants were first screened for well-being, which was used as an auxiliary covariate to order participants into experimental conditions. Selected participants were randomly assigned to a control or collaborative and multimethod assessment (card sort × qualitative interview) condition. Participants completed pre- and post-measures of strength interest, knowledge, and perceived skill. In the final phase, second phase participants were invited to report on strength-related outcomes 24 h …

Is The Public Aware Of Water Quality Monitoring And Safety Notifications On Beaches?, Asli Aslan, Jeffery A. Jones, Dziyana Nazaruk, Sibel Zeki

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Recreational water-related activities have important public health benefits, however, pollution at beaches may have serious health risks. Although there is a substantial amount of research and policies in place at federal and state levels, oftentimes these efforts may not be well translated to the public. This paper evaluates the effectiveness of routine water quality monitoring and warning systems in Georgia, USA. A survey was conducted among 238 beachgoers in Georgia, asking about awareness of water quality monitoring and warning signs for beach advisories. Surveys were collected directly at beaches as well as through an online questionnaire. Results show that more …

Use Of Advance Directives In Us Veterans And Non-Veterans: Findings From The Decedents Of The Health And Retirement Study 1992–2014, Ho-Jui Tung, Ming-Chin Yeh

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Evidence shows that older patients with advance directives such as a living will, or durable power of attorney for healthcare, are more likely to receive care consistent with their preferences at the end of life. Less is known about the use of advance directives between veteran and non-veteran older Americans. Using data from the decedents of a longitudinal survey, we explore whether there is a difference in having an established advance directive between the veteran and non-veteran decedents. Data were taken from the Harmonized End of Life data sets, a linked collection of variables derived from the Health and Retirement …

Evaluation Of Feasibility And Acceptability Of A Web-Based Diabetes Prevention Program (Dpp) For Diabetes Risk Reduction In Chinese Americans In New York City, Ming-Chin Yeh, Wincy Lau, Claire Anselmo Keady, Margrethe Horlyck-Romanovsky, Ho-Jui Tung, Lu Hu, Grace X. Ma, Judith Wylie-Rosett

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Introduction: Intensive lifestyle intervention remains an effective modality to reduce diabetes incidence and delay the progression to type 2 diabetes. The primary aim of this study was to pilot-test the feasibility and acceptability of a culturally and linguistically tailored web-based DPP intervention among Chinese Americans with prediabetes living in New York City.

Methods: Thirteen Chinese American participants with prediabetes were recruited to complete a 1-year web-based Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) lifestyle intervention. Quantitative and qualitative measures such as retention rate and data collected from web-based questionnaires and focus groups were collected and analyzed to assess study feasibility and …

The Effects Of Multiple Micronutrient Fortified Beverage And Responsive Caregiving Interventions On Early Childhood Development, Hemoglobin, And Ferritin Among Infants In Rural Guatemala, Alysse J. Kowalski, Victor Alfonso Mayen, Silvia De Ponce, Kaley B. Lambden, Nick Tilton, Lisa M. Villanueva, Ana M. Palacios, Greg A. Reinhart, Kristen M. Hurley, Maureen M. Black

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Undernutrition and a lack of learning opportunities can jeopardize long-term growth and development among infants in low- and middle-income countries. We conducted a 6-month 2 × 2 cluster-randomized trial to assess the effects of multiple micronutrient-fortified beverages and responsive caregiving interventions among infants 6–18 months in 72 community sectors in southwest Guatemala. We administered baseline and endline assessments of childhood development (Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development) and socioemotional development (Brief Infant Toddler Socio-Emotional Assessment) and measured ferritin and hemoglobin on a subsample. The trial was analyzed using linear mixed models. At the baseline, the mean age (SD) was …

Editorial: Assessing And Addressing Health Inequities And Disparities: The Role Of Health Informatics, Gulzar H. Shah, Anjum Khurshid, Joanne Chopak-Foss

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Radical Youth Work: A Community Based Approach To Working With Youth, Young Adults And Families, Weston J. Robins

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

Eternal Strength Center for Radical Youth Work is a blended community center with customizable mental health therapeutic support for youth, young adults and families. Providing humanistic and person centered psychotherapy and counseling, alongside experiential therapies and community engagement we support families and youth struggling with anxiety, depression, substance abuse, self harm, suicidality and other challenges on their developmental growth journey.

A Nationwide Study Of The “July Effect” Concerning Postpartum Hemorrhage And Its Risk Factors At Teaching Hospitals Across The United States, Zahra Shahin, Gulzar H. Shah, Bettye Apenteng, Kristie Cason Waterfield, Hani M. Samawi

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Objective To assess the “July effect” and the risk of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) and its risk factors across the U.S. teaching hospitals. Method This study used the 2018 Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) and included 2,056,359 of 2,879,924 single live-birth hospitalizations with low-risk pregnancies across the U.S. teaching hospitals. The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) from the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) medical coding was used to identify PPH and other study variables. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to compare the adjusted odds of PPH risk in the first and second quarters of the academic year vs. …

Engaging Youth In The Development, Implementation, An Evaluation Of Sexual And Reproductive Health Programs, Pam Drake, Kristin Kennedy

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

This session will introduce the use of a group concept mapping process to create a conceptual model for engaging youth in sexual and reproductive health programming – particularly BIPOC LGBTQ+ youth and young men of color. We will walk through the gcm process, present the model, and explore ways to apply the model in various situations.

Develop Restorative Capacity, Don't Defund Your Safety Network, Louis L. Fletcher Phd, David Watson

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

The Executive Director of Facilities & Operations and the Director of Safety & Security for a Colorado School district with 27,000 students will share tools, techniques, and experiences, which have cultivated restorative practices (RP) in their district. The presenters will discuss the effectiveness of proactive techniques for training SROs and school security officers to provide successful restorative alternatives to traditional discipline approaches with the goal of helping participants evaluate whether getting rid of SROs versus retraining their approach to student discipline is the best alternative.