Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Acculturation Implications On Obesity Among Ethnically Diverse Teens, Tien Vo, Lori A. Spruance

Faculty Publications

Obesity is a prevalent public health concern among children, especially those from minoritized backgrounds. In order to understand how acculturation and race/ethnicity influence obesogenic behavior in adolescents, a national convenience sample of 11- to 14-year-olds was recruited to participate in a survey about acculturation, physical activity, nutrition, and the school and home environment. Preliminary results showed significant differences in obesogenic behaviors when comparing White to non-White groups. Time spent watching TV, time spent playing video/computer games, and physical inactivity was higher for non-White Westernized adolescents compared to White adolescents. self-reported obesity, participation in school meals were both positively correlated with …

Why Parents Say No To Having Their Children Vaccinated Against Measles: Social Determinants Of Parental Perceptions To Vaccine Hesitancy, M. Lelinneth B. Novilla, Michael C. Goates, Mallory Showalter, Lynneth Kirsten B. Novilla, Tyler Leffler, Russell B. Doria, Michael T. Dang, Katelyn Aldridge

Faculty Publications

Background: Although national and state immunization coverage rates are high, the resurgence of measles points to local pockets of under-vaccination that correspond with higher non-medical exemptions and lower parental confidence on vaccines. The reported geographic clustering of vaccine hesitancy, particularly against MMR, points to social drivers that shape parental perceptions and decisions on immunization.

Objectives. To analyze: (1) why parents delay or refuse vaccination, specifically MMR; (2) social context of vaccine hesitancy and perceived reliable sources of vaccine information between vaccine-hesitant and vaccine-compliant parents/guardians; (3) role of families in countering vaccine hesitancy; (4) strategies at the public health, primary care, …

Navigating The Politics Of Health: A Systematic Review Of U.S. Policymakers’ Views On The Social Determinants Of Health, Health Disparities, Health Equity, And Health In All Policies., M. Lelinneth B. Novilla, Michael C. Goates, Laura A. Galvao, Noyra Melissa Quintana

Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Policies shape our society and influence our health. Poor social policies and bad politics create a collective social milieu that result in health inequities. Closing the health gap in our communities will require tackling these root causes. But how are U.S. policymakers addressing the social conditions that negatively influence health? The purpose of this qualitative systematic review is to identify the social determinants of health perceived as legislative priorities by U.S. policymakers and the factors that facilitate or/ hinder their intent to act on the social determinants of health.

METHODS: We searched 30 journal and news media databases and …

Are Our Policymakers On Board? A Systematic Review Of U.S. Policymakers’ Views On The Social Determinants Of Health, Health Disparities, Health Equity, & Health In All Policies, M. Lelinneth B. Novilla, Michael C. Goates, Spencer Calder, Laura A. Galvao, Tabetha Ellis, Kraymer Eppich, Noyra Melissa Quintana, David Mateos, Russell Doria

Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Policies shape our society and influence our health. Poor social policies and bad politics create a collective social milieu that result in health inequities. Closing the health gap in our communities will require tackling these root causes. But how are U.S. policymakers addressing the social conditions that negatively influence health?

OBJECTIVE: Identify the social determinants of health perceived as legislative priorities by U.S. policymakers and the factors that facilitate/hinder their intent to act on the social determinants of health.

METHODS: A systematic review of 1,832 newspaper, magazine, and journal articles published between January 2000 and July 2016 yielded 202 …

Proactive Protection For Adolescents, The Innocent Victim: Risk And Protective Factors For Pornography, Julie Varner, Kellie Hoch, Michael C. Goates, Carl L. Hanson

Faculty Publications

Several states, including Utah, have declared pornography a public health hazard as use has been equated with sexual violence, normalizing rape, and promoting risky sexual behaviors. Growing access to the internet has led many researchers to explore the effects of internet pornography use on adolescents; however, less has been done to summarize the antecedents. The purpose of this study was to explore the root causes of adolescent pornography use in the context of a well-established prevention framework - the social development model. Findings have implications for creating prevention programming related to adolescent digital pornography use.

Are Our Policy Makers On Board? What Policy Makers Think Of The Social Determinants, Health Disparities, And Health In All Policies, M. Lelinneth B. Novilla, Michael C. Goates, Spencer Calder, Tabetha Ellis, Kraymer Eppich, Laura A. Galvao, Noyra Melissa Quintana, David Mateos

Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: We impact our health by “how we manage our affairs in society.”¹ The unequal distribution of power, money, and resources creates a collective social milieu with disparities in health between and within countries. Tackling health inequities require addressing the health implications of the “toxic combination of poor social policies and bad politics.”¹ But how do U.S. policy makers view the social determinants of health?

OBJECTIVE: Determine U.S. policy makers’ awareness for the social determinants of health, health inequities, and health in all policies; identify the social determinants of health perceived as legislative priorities; list factors identified/perceived …

Body Image In Middle-Aged Mormon Women: A Comparative Case Study, Janette Olsen

Faculty Publications

Body image is a multifaceted construct developed from perceived experiences and personal and cultural attitudes towards the body. Women are more vulnerable than men to internal and external influences regarding negative body image. A qualitative comparative case study design was utilized to explore how 10 lifelong, middle-aged LDS women, either married (n=5) with children or single, never married (n=5), experienced body image through their perceptions of religiosity and spirituality. The participants lived along the Wasatch Front in Utah and were recruited through known LDS gatekeepers. Each participant completed three in-person interviews and three audio or paper journals, which were transcribed …

Patterns Of Smoking Behavior Among Physicians In Yerevan, Armenia, Ray M. Merrill, Gordan B. Lindsay, Paul C. Perrin

Faculty Publications

Physicians can play an important role in smoking prevention and control. This study will identify smoking prevalence among physicians in Yerevan, Armenia. It will also explore how the smoking behaviors of physicians, their perceived ability to influence patient smoking behavior, and their knowledge about health outcomes related to smoking influence their interaction with patients. Methods: A cross-sectional, self-administered, anonymous survey was conducted in July, 2004, among 12 healthcare facilities in Yerevan. Analyses are based on responses from 240 physicians, representing a 70% response rate. Results: The percentage of current smokers was significantly higher in men than women (48.5% vs. 12.8% …

Female Breast Cancer Incidence And Survival In Utah According To Religious Preference, 1985-1999, Ray M. Merrill, Jeffrey A. Folsom

Faculty Publications

Female breast cancer incidence rates in Utah are among the lowest in the U.S. The influence of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint (LDS or Mormon) religion on these rates, as well as on disease-specific survival, will be explored for individuals diagnosed with breast cancer in Utah from 1985 through 1999. Methods: Population-based records for incident female breast cancer patients were linked with membership records from the LDS Church to determine religious affiliation and, for LDS Church members, level of religiosity. Incidence rates were age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. standard population using the direct method. Cox proportional hazards …

Toward A Better Understanding Of The Comparatively High Prostate Cancer Incidence Rates In Utah, Ray M. Merrill, Sterling C. Hilton, Jared D. Sturgeon, Charles L. Wiggins

Faculty Publications

This study assesses whether comparatively high prostate cancer incidence rates among white men in Utah represent higher rates among members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormons), who comprise about 70% of the state's male population, and considers the potential influence screening has on these rates. Methods: Analyses are based on 14,693 histologically confirmed invasive prostate cancer cases among men aged 50 years and older identified through the Utah Cancer Registry between 1985 and 1999. Cancer records were linked to LDS Church membership records to determine LDS status. Poisson regression was used to derive rate …