Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Vitamin D Deficiency And Acute Lower Respiratory Infections In Children Younger Than 5 Years: Identification And Treatment, Allison Larkin, Jane H. Lassetter

Faculty Publications

Introduction: Acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) is a leading cause of childhood mortality. Research suggests that vitamin D deficiency (VDD) puts children at risk for ALRI. The purpose of this review is to examine ALRI and VDD in children 5 years and younger. Common etiologies, diagnosis, prevention, treatment of ALRI, and recommendations for vitamin D supplementation are summarized.

Method: Databases were searched for studies investigating VDD and ALRI in children. Independent reviewers assessed the internal validity of the studies.

Results: Of 18 studies examined, VDD was found to be associated with increased risk or severity of ALRI in 13 studies; …

Psychological Fears Among Low-Paid Female Sex Workers In Southwest China And Their Implications For Hiv Prevention, Shan Qiao Ph.D., Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Chen Zhang, Yuejiao Zhou, Zhiyong Shen, Zhenzhu Tang, Bonita Stanton

Faculty Publications

Commercial sex plays a critical role in rapidly increasing heterosexual transmission of HIV in China. Low-paid female sex workers (FSWs) are especially vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. Because of the illegality and stigma associated with sex work, FSWs may constantly live with fears in their daily life. Based on cross-sectional study of 794 low-paid FSWs in China we described their psychological fears related to commercial sex and examined the associations between fears and HIV-related behaviors. Fear of HIV infection was significantly associated with consistent use of condoms with clients. However, fear of breaching sex worker identity significantly prevented the FSWs from consistently …

Tendinopathy: Setting The Record Straight, Craig Nuttall, Ryan Rasmussen

Faculty Publications

Tendinopathy is a commonly diagnosed injury. Traditionally, tendinopathy was considered to be caused by an inflammatory process. It is now known that a majority of tendinopathies are caused by tendinosis, a failed healing response resulting in a degenerated tendon. The recurrent nature of tendinopathies can present a challenge for the health care provider and be very frustrating for the patient. There are several principles that should be followed when treating tendinopathies. These principles include rest, ice, eccentric exercises, and avoidance of corticosteroid injections. Proper treatment of tendinopathies can lead to optimal healing and decrease the risk of recurrence.

Health Literacy And Obesity Among Native Hawaiian And Pacific Islanders In The U.S., Jane Lassetter

Faculty Publications

Objectives: Our purpose was to describe relationships between demographic characteristics, body mass index (BMI), and health literacy among Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders (NHPIs).

Design and Sample: In this cross-sectional survey, we interviewed 364 NHPI adults.

Measures: We used Newest Vital Sign (NVS), a health literacy tool; measured heights and weights; and demographic questions.

Results: According to participants’ NVS scores, 45.3% had at least a possibility of low health literacy. Lower NVS scores were associated with increased BMI (r = -0.12, p = 0.027) and increased age (r = -0.26, p < 0.001). Higher NVS scores were associated …

Musculoskeletal Safety Outcomes Of Patients Receiving Daptomycin With Hmg-Coa Reductase Inhibitors, Christopher M. Bland, P Brandon Bookstaver, Z Kevin Lu, Brianne L. Dunn, Kathey Fulton Rumley

Faculty Publications

Daptomycin, a cyclic lipopeptide antibiotic, and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors (statins) are commonly administered in the inpatient setting and are associated with creatine phosphokinase (CPK) elevations, myalgias, and muscle weakness. Safety data for coadministration of daptomycin with statins are limited. To determine the safety of coadministration of daptomycin with statin therapy, a multicenter, retrospective, observational study was performed at 13 institutions in the Southeastern United States. Forty-nine adult patients receiving statins concurrently with daptomycin were compared with 171 patients receiving daptomycin without statin therapy. Detailed information, including treatment indication and duration, infecting pathogen, baseline and subsequent CPK levels, and …

Teaching Communication And Therapeutic Relationship Skills To Baccalaureate Nursing Students: A Peer Mentorship Simulation Approach, Leslie Miles, Linda Mabey, Sarah Leggett, Katie Stansfield

Faculty Publications

The literature on techniques for improving student competency in therapeutic communication and interpersonal skills is limited. A simulation approach to enhance the learning of communication skills was developed to address these issues. Second-semester and senior nursing students participated in videorecorded standardized patient simulations, with senior students portraying the patient. Following simulated interactions, senior students provided feedback to junior students on their use of communication skills and other therapeutic factors. To integrate the learning experience, junior students completed a written assignment, in which they identified effective and noneffective communication; personal strengths and weaknesses; and use of genuineness, empathy, and positive regard. …

Development Of Ultrasound Sensitive Eliposomes Containing Doxorubicin For Drug Delivery, Chung-Yin Lin, William G. Pitt, Kuo-Chen Wei

Faculty Publications

Aims: A novel nanocarrier was formulated by remote loading of doxorubicin (Dox) into a dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) liposome that also contains various perfluorocarbon (PFC) droplets within its aqueous interior. It was shown that Dox can be loaded to a level of up to 67% into these large unilamellar vesicles composed of DPPC and cholesterol by employing a transmembrane pH gradient technique.

Methods: The different encapsulation efficiencies for these eLipoDox constructs of differing PFC composition are 45.5% (PFC5), 31.5% (PFC6) and 66.7% (PFC5/PFC6 mixture, PFCm). At 30 seconds of insonation, the eLipoDox formulation with PFCm droplets appeared to release more Dox than …

Minimizing Pain During Childhood Vaccination Injections: Improving Adherence To Vaccination Schedules, Lacey M. Eden, Janelle L. B. Macintosh, Karlen E. Luthy, Renea L. Beckstrand

Faculty Publications

Pain experienced in childhood can lead to long-term and psychologically detrimental effects. Unfortunately, the most common pain experienced in childhood is caused by vaccinations and may lead to non-adherence to the recommended vaccination schedule. As a result, it is the health care provider's responsibility to take measures to reduce vaccination pain; however, there are a plethora of pain relieving interventions during immunizations and it is unclear which interventions are most cost efficient, timely, and effective. Studies have been conducted to investigate the efficacy of different pain management interventions during vaccinations. This review evaluates various pain relieving interventions and provide health …

Toxicity Of Engineered Nanomaterials And Their Transformation Products Following Wastewater Treatment On A549 Human Lung Epithelial Cells, Yanjun Ma, Subbiah Elankumaran, Linsey C. Marr, Eric P. Vejerano, Amy Pruden

Faculty Publications

Here we characterize the toxicity of environmentally-relevant forms of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs), which can transform during wastewater treatment and persist in aqueous effluents and biosolids. In an aerosol exposure scenario, cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of effluents and biosolids from lab-scale sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) to A549 human lung epithelial cells were examined. The SBRs were dosed with nanoAg, nano zero-valent iron (NZVI), nanoTiO2 and nanoCeO2 at sequentially increasing concentrations from 0.1 to 20 mg/L. Toxicities were compared to outputs from SBRs dosed with ionic/bulk analogs, undosed SBRs, and pristine ENMs. Pristine nanoAg and NZVI showed significant cytotoxicity to A549 cells in …

Predictors Of Healthcare Professionals’ Attitudes Towards Family Involvement In Safety-Relevant Behaviours: A Cross-Sectional Factorial Survey Study, Rachel Davis, M Savvopoulou, R Shergill, S Shergill, D Schwappach

Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVES: To investigate predictors of healthcare professionals' (HCPs) attitudes towards family involvement in safety-relevant behaviours. DESIGN: A cross-sectional fractional factorial survey that assessed HCPs' attitudes towards family involvement in two error scenarios relating to hand hygiene and medication safety. Each survey comprised two randomised vignettes that described the potential error, how the family member communicated with the HCP about the error and how the HCP responded to the family member's question. SETTING: 5 teaching hospitals in London, the Midlands and York. HCPs were approached on a range of medical and surgical wards. PARTICIPANTS: 160 HCPs (73 doctors; 87 nurses) aged …

A Qualitative Examination About Providers’ Perceptions And Recommendations Regarding The Role Of Public Librarians In Addressing Communities’ Health Literacy., Van Ta Park, Lili Luo, Denise Rosidi

Faculty Publications

We assessed health care providers’ perspectives on libraries as a source of health information and elicited input on how to adequately prepare public librarians to provide health information services. Sample text-based reference transactions were shown to determine whether they think the health inquiries were adequately answered. Results showed that participants had favorable perspectives about public libraries, and thought that the public librarians’ role includes addressing the health literacy community needs. Participants provided recommendations for public librarians to improve health literacy. To enhance the ability of public librarians to meet the health literacy needs of their communities, diverse perspectives such as …

Attitudes Toward Muslim Lebanese Women In Religious Resurgence: A Study Of 284 University Students, Bassima Schbley, Lori Maria Walton

Faculty Publications

The politicization of religion in the last few decades has created a climate ripe for religious resurgence in all areas of the world. The decreased role of religion among societies and effective secularization and modernization of the West have directly influence opposing factors of “religious resurgence”, “religious fundamentalism”, and “religious revivalism” as a sense of cultural preservation and balancing new social, economic, emotional and interllectural side effects of modernization growth (Sahliyeh, 1990). The effects of religious resurgence on Muslim Lebanese women’s efforts to enhance their freedom, equity, and civil rights need to be explored thoroughly to provide an adequate analysis …

Three-Year Change In The Wellbeing Of Orphaned And Separated Children In Institutional And Family-Based Care Settings In Five Low- And Middle-Income Countries, Kathryn Whetten, Jan Ostermann, Brian W. Pence, Rachel A. Whetten, Lynne C. Messer, Sumedha Ariely, Karen O'Donnell, Augustine I. Wasonga, Vanroth Vann, Dafrosa Itemba, Misganaw Eticha, Ira Madan, Nathan M. Thielman, The Positive Outcomes For Orphans (Pofo) Research Team

Faculty Publications

Background With more than 2 million children living in group homes, or “institutions”, worldwide, the extent to which institution-based caregiving negatively affects development and wellbeing is a central question for international policymakers.

Methods A two-stage random sampling methodology identified community representative samples of 1,357 institution-dwelling orphaned and separated children (OSC) and 1,480 family-dwelling OSC aged 6–12 from 5 low and middle income countries. Data were collected from children and their primary caregivers. Survey-analytic techniques and linear mixed effects models describe child wellbeing collected at baseline and at 36 months, including physical and emotional health, growth, cognitive development and memory, and …

Brief Intervention For Truant Youth Sexual Risk Behavior And Marijuana Use, Richard Dembo, Rhissa Briones-Robinson, Kimberly Barrett, Rocio Ungaro, Ken C. Winters, Steven Belenko, Lora M. Karas, Laura Gulledge, Jennifer Wareham

Faculty Publications

Substance use and sexual risk behaviors are common among adolescents, but research has focused attention on alcohol use. Much less is known about the relationship of marijuana use and sexual risk behavior among high-risk, especially truant, youths. We report interim findings from a NIDA-funded experimental, brief intervention (BI) study involving truant youths and their parents/guardians. Longitudinal data were analyzed to study (1) the relationships between the youths' marijuana use and sexual risk behavior and (2) the effects of a substance use BI on their marijuana use and sexual risk behavior. A growth model analysis for parallel processes was conducted to …

Np Bookshelf. [Review Of The Book Compassion Fatigue And Burnout In Nursing: Enhancing Professional Quality Of Life, By V. Todaro-Franceschi], Leslie W. Miles

Faculty Publications

This book is not just for nurses who care for the dying patient but for all nurses who find themselves at some point in their career feeling burned out, dissatisfied with work life, bullied, or lacking a sense of meaning and purpose in their professional quality of life. Todaro-Franceschi identifies the causes of compassion fatigue and burnout as being multifactorial, yet having a core symptom of the nurse internalizing suffering to the point that it negatively transforms the care a nurse can give. The target audience is wide, with application to current practitioners, students, nurse educators, and anyone working in …

A Spatial Analysis Of Functional Outcomes And Quality Of Life Outcomes After Pediatric Injury, Nathaniel Bell, Sami Kruse, Richard K. Simons, Mariana Brussoni

Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND:

Changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) are more regularly being monitored during the first year after injury. Monitoring changes in HRQoL using spatial cluster analysis can potentially identify concentrations of geographic areas with injury survivors with similar outcomes, thereby improving how interventions are delivered or in how outcomes are evaluated.

METHODS:

We used a spatial scan statistic designed for oridinal data to test two different spatial cluster analysis of very low, low, high, and very high HRQoL scores. Our study was based on HRQoL scores returned by children treated for injury at British Columbia Children's Hospital and discharged …

Vaccination Perceptions Of School Employees In A Rural School District, Janelle Macintosh, Karlen E. (Beth) Luthy, Renea L. Beckstrand, Lacey M. Eden, Jennifer Orton

Faculty Publications

Background: There continues to be a need for increases in adult vaccination rates, especially among those working in environments which may easily become communicable disease outbreak centers, such as school employees in the school environment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate why rural Utah school employees were non-compliant with the influenza and measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccines, as well as to identify their views on mandatory vaccination policies.

Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to all school employees in a rural Utah school district. Data analysis included frequencies and measures of central tendency and dispersion for quantitative items …

Weekly And Holiday-Related Patterns Of Panic Attacks In Panic Disorder: A Population-Based Study, Li-Ting Kao, Sudha Xirasagar, Kuo-Hsuan Chung, Herng-Ching Lin, Shih-Ping Liu, Shiu-Dong Chung

Faculty Publications

Background: While chronobiological studies have reported seasonal variation in panic attacks (PA) episodes, information on the timing of PA by week-days may enable better understanding of the triggers of PA episodes and thereby provide pointers for suitable interventional approaches to minimize PA attacks. This study investigated weekly variation in potential PA admissions including associations with holidays using a population-based longitudinal, administrative claims-based dataset in an Asian population.

Methods: This study used ambulatory care data from the ‘‘Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000. We identified 993 patients with panic disorder (PD), and they had 4228 emergency room (ER) admissions for potential PA …

Phosphorus Supplement Alters Postprandial Lipemia Of Healthy Male Subjects: A Pilot Cross-Over Trial, Jana Hazim, Sani Hlais, Hala Ghattas Ph.D., Dareen Shatila, Maya Bassil, Omar Obeid

Faculty Publications

Background:

Epidemiological studies have found a U-shaped relationship between serum phosphorus and cardiovascular disease (CVD). The mechanism(s) behind such a relationship are poorly understood. Phosphorus (P) is reported to improve insulin sensitivity, which is involved in lipid metabolism, and thus we were interested in determining the impact of phosphorus ingestion on postprandial lipemia, a recognized CVD risk factor.

Findings.

A within-subject study design was conducted, whereby 8 healthy male subjects received a high fat meal (330Kcal; 69% energy from fat; 35 mg of phosphorus) with placebo or phosphorus (500 mg) in a random order. Postprandial blood samples (∼10 ml) were …

Liberty Without Capacity: Why States Should Ban Adolescent Driving, Vivian E. Hamilton

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Psychophysical Auditory Filter Estimates Reveal Sharper Cochlear Tuning In Musicians, Gavin Bidelman, Jonathan Schug, Skyler Jennings, Shaum Bhagat

Faculty Publications

Musicianship confers enhancements to hearing at nearly all levels of the auditory system from periphery to percept. Musicians' superior psychophysical abilities are particularly evident in spectral discrimination and noise-degraded listening tasks, achieving higher perceptual sensitivity than their nonmusician peers. Greater spectral acuity implies that musicianship may increase auditory filter selectivity. This hypothesis was directly tested by measuring both forward- and simultaneous-masked psychophysical tuning curves. Sharper filter tuning (i.e., higher Q10) was observed in musicians compared to nonmusicians. Findings suggest musicians' pervasive listening benefits may be facilitated, in part, by superior spectral processing/decomposition as early as the auditory periphery.

Reducing Colorectal Cancer Incidence And Disparities: Performance And Outcomes Of A Screening Colonoscopy Program In South Carolina, Sudha Xirasagar, Yi-Jhen Li, James B. Burch, Virginie G. Daguisé, Thomas G. Hurley, James R. Hébert

Faculty Publications

This study evaluated the efficiency, effectiveness, and racial disparities reduction potential of Screening Colonoscopies for People Everywhere in South Carolina (SCOPE SC), a state-funded program for indigent persons aged 50–64 years (45–64 years for African American (AA)) with a medical home in community health centers. Patients were referred to existing referral network providers, and the centers were compensated for patient navigation. Data on procedures and patient demographics were analyzed. Of 782 individuals recruited (71.2% AA), 85% (665) completed the procedure (71.1% AA). The adenoma detection rate was 27.8% (males 34.6% and females 25.1%), advanced neoplasm rate 7.7% (including 3 cancers), …

Vaccination Perceptions Of School Employees In A Rural School District, Janelle L. B. Macintosh

Faculty Publications

Background: There continues to be a need for increases in adult vaccination rates, especially among those working in environments which may easily become communicable disease outbreak centers, such as school employees in the school environment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate why rural Utah school employees were non-compliant with the influenza and measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccines, as well as to identify their view on mandatory vaccination policies.

Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to all school employees in a rural Utah school district. Data analysis included frequencies and measures of central tendency and dispersion for quantitative items …

Meal Pattern Of Male Rats Maintained On Amino Acid Supplemented Diets: The Effect Of Tryptophan, Lysine, Arginine, Proline And Threonine, Raghad Ayaso, Hala Ghattas Ph.D., Mohamad Abiad, Omar Obeid

Faculty Publications

The macronutrient composition of the diet has been shown to affect food intake, with proteins having distinct effects. The present study investigated the effect of diet supplementation with individual amino acids (tryptophan, lysine, arginine, proline and threonine) on meal pattern among male rats. Meal pattern and body weight were monitored for two weeks. Proline and threonine had minimal effects on meal pattern, while the most pronounced changes were observed in the tryptophan group. Both tryptophan and lysine decreased overall food intake, which was translated into a reduction in body weight. The reduced food intake of the tryptophan group was associated …

Clinical Implications Of Internet Infidelity: Where Facebook Fits In, Jaclyn D. Cravens, Jason B. Whiting Phd

Faculty Publications

The Internet can enhance existing relationships or facilitate the development of new relationships, including illicit ones. Increased research in this area has predominately been on online sexual addiction and pornography, with few about social networking sites. Facebook, a popular social networking site boasting 1.15 billion active users. This article reviews existing literature on Internet infidelity, comparing online activities and Facebook-specific behaviors. Five areas related to Internet infidelity will be explored, such as definitions and the impact on relationships. Although several similarities exist between general Internet and Facebook-specific infidelity, unique differences exist. Implications for future research and clinical practice are presented.

Conflict Translates Environmental And Social Risk Into Business Costs, Daniel M. Franks, Rachel Davis, Anthony J. Bebbington, Saleem H. Ali, Deanna Kemp, Martin Scurrah

Faculty Publications

Sustainability science has grown as a field of inquiry, but has said little about the role of large-scale private sector actors in socio-ecological systems change. However, the shaping of global trends and transitions depends greatly on the private sector and its development impact. Market-based and command-and-control policy instruments have, along with corporate citizenship, been the predominant means for bringing sustainable development priorities into private sector decision-making. This research identifies conflict as a further means through which environmental and social risks are translated into business costs and decision making. Through in-depth interviews with finance, legal, and sustainability professionals in the extractive …

Time-Varying, Serotype-Specific Force Of Infection Of Dengue Virus, Kanya C. Long, Robert C. Reiner, Steven T. Stoddard, Brett M. Froshey, Aaron A. King, Alicia M. Ellis, Alun L. Lloyd, Claudio Rocha, Stalin Vilcarromero, Helvio Astete, Isabel Bazan, Audrey Lenhart, Gonzalo M. Vazquez-Prokopec, Valerie A. Paz-Soldan, Phlip J. Mccall, Uriel Kitron, John P. Elder, Eric S. Halsey, Amy C. Morrison, Tadeusz J. Kochel, Thomas W. Scott

Faculty Publications

Infectious disease models play a key role in public health planning. These models rely on accurate estimates of key transmission parameters such as the force of infection (FoI), which is the percapita risk of a susceptible person being infected. The FoI captures the fundamental dynamics of transmission and is crucial for gauging control efforts, such as identifying vaccination targets. Dengue virus (DENV) is a mosquito-borne, multiserotype pathogen that currently infects ∼390 million people a year. Existing estimates of the DENV FoI are inaccurate because they rely on the unrealistic assumption that risk is constant over time. Dengue models are thus …

Socioeconomic And Demographic Factors Modify The Association Between Informal Caregiving And Health In The Sandwich Generation, Elizabeth K. Do, Steven A. Cohen, Monique J. Brown Ph.D., Mph

Faculty Publications

Background

Nearly 50 million Americans provide informal care to an older relative or friend. Many are members of the “sandwich generation”, providing care for elderly parents and children simultaneously. Although evidence suggests that the negative health consequences of caregiving are more severe for sandwiched caregivers, little is known about how these associations vary by sociodemographic factors.

Methods

We abstracted data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to determine how the association between caregiving and health varies by sociodemographic factors, using ordinal logistic regression with interaction terms and stratification by number of children, income, and race/ethnicity.

Results

The association between …

Role Modeling Clinical Judgment For An Unfolding Older Adult Simulation, Kathie Lasater, Elizabeth A. Johnson, Patricia K. Ravert, Doris Rink

Faculty Publications

Nurse educators must foster development of clinical judgment in students to help them provide the best care for the increasing population of older adult patients. This article reports qualitative findings from a mixed-methods study that focused on clinical judgment in the simulated perioperative care of an older adult. The sample was composed of treatment and control groups of prelicensure students (N = 275) at five sites. The treatment group watched a video of an expert nurse role model caring for a patient similar to the simulation patient, whereas the control group did not watch the video. Four weeks after simulation, …

Brief Intervention For Truant Youth Sexual Risk Behavior And Alcohol Use: A Parallel Process Growth Model Analysis, Richard Dembo, Rhissa Briones-Robinson, Rocio Ungaro, Kimberly Barrett, Laura Gulledge, Ken C. Winters, Steven Belenko, Lora M. Karas, Jennifer Wareham

Faculty Publications

Truant youths frequently experience family problems, emotional/psychological issues, substance misuse, and delinquency. They are likely engaging in alcohol use and sexual risk behavior at a higher rate than the general youth population. Early intervention services would benefit them, their families, and society. We present interim findings from an ongoing, National Institute on Drug Abuse-funded, experimental, brief intervention (BI) study involving truant youths and their parent/guardians. Baseline, 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up data were analyzed to determine whether alcohol use and sexual risk behaviors were longitudinally related, to examine the effects of the BI on alcohol use and sexual risk behaviors, …