Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Development Of A Web-Based Diabetes Prevention Program (Dpp) For Chinese Americans: A Formative Evaluation Approach, Ming-Chin Yeh, Wincy Lau, Zoey Gong, Margrethe Horlyck-Romanovsky, Ho-Jui Tung, Lin Zhu, Grace X. Ma, Judith Wylie-Rosett

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Increasing evidence demonstrates that an online Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) can delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. However, little has been done for Chinese Americans. This study, using Community-Based Participatory Research and Intervention Mapping approaches, describes a formative research process in the development of a culturally and linguistically tailored online DPP program among Chinese Americans with prediabetes living in New York City. Using a triangulation approach, data were collected to inform the development of an online DPP curriculum through (1) a literature review, (2) three focus groups (n = 24), and (3) a community advisory board meeting among 10 …

Further Validation Of The Realness Scale: Are Celebrity Worshipers Unreal?, Lynn E. Mccutcheon, Lillian Donahue, Joshua L. Williams, Sarah K. Nielson, Scott Peterson, Terry F. Pettijohn Ii

Department of Psychology Faculty Publications

We administered the Realness Scale (RS), Celebrity Attitude Scale (CAS), and the modified Authentic Living Subscale (ALS) from the Authenticity Scale (AS) to undergraduate students from four American institutions of higher learning. We sought to further validate the RS by showing that it correlated positively with the ALS and negatively with the CAS. We also hypothesized that African Americans would score lower than Whites on the RS. Our results supported the first hypothesis, but we found only weak or non-existent support for the other two hypotheses. Discussion focused on reasons why our latter two hypotheses yielded mostly negative results and …

Pandemic Fatigue Impedes Mitigation Of Covid-19 In Hong Kong, Zhanwei Du, Lin Wang, Songwei Shan, Dickson Lam, Tim K. Tsang, Jingyi Xiao, Huizhi Gao, Bingyi Yang, Sheikh Taslim Ali, Sen Pei, Isaac Chun-Hai Fung, Eric H. Y. Lau, Qiuyan Liao, Peng Wu, Lauren Ancel Meyers, Gabriel M. Leung, Benjamin Cowling

Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Environmental Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Hong Kong has implemented stringent public health and social measures (PHSMs) to curb each of the four COVID-19 epidemic waves since January 2020. The third wave between July and September 2020 was brought under control within 2 m, while the fourth wave starting from the end of October 2020 has taken longer to bring under control and lasted at least 5 mo. Here, we report the pandemic fatigue as one of the potential reasons for the reduced impact of PHSMs on transmission in the fourth wave. We contacted either 500 or 1,000 local residents through weekly random-digit dialing of landlines …

Hiv Viral Load Suppression Before And After Covid-19 In Kinshasa And Haut Katanga, Democratic Republic Of The Congo, Gulzar H. Shah, Gina D. Etheredge, Stacy Smallwood, Lievain Maluantesa, Kristie C. Waterfield, Osaremhen Ikhile, John Ditekemena, Elodie Engetele, Elizabeth Ayangunna, Astrid Mulenga, Bernard Bossiky

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic resulted in unique programmatic opportunities to test hypotheses related to the initiation of antiretroviral treatment (ART) and viral load (VL) suppression during a global health crisis, which would not otherwise have been possible.

Objectives: To generate practice-relevant evidence on the impact of initiating ART pre-COVID-19 versus during the COVID-19 pandemic on HIV VL.

Method: Logistic regression was performed on data covering 6596 persons with HIV whose VL data were available, out of 36 585 persons who were initiated on ART between 01 April 2019 and 30 March 2021.

Results: After controlling for covariates …

Socioeconomic Status And Other Factors Associated With Hiv Status Among Ovc In Democratic Republic Of Congo (Drc), Gulzar H. Shah, Gina D. Etheredge, Lievain Maluantesa, Kristie Cason Waterfield, Osaremhen Ikhile, Elodie Engetele, Astrid Mulenga, Alice Tabala, Bernard Bossiky

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Background: Orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) are a high-risk group for HIV infection, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Purpose: This study aims to portray the socioeconomic profile of OVC and examine the association of household and parent/guardian characteristics with the HIV status of OVC.

Methods: For this quantitative retrospective study, we obtained data from ICAP/DRC for a total of 1,624 OVC from households enrolled for social, financial, and clinical services between January 2017 and April 2020 in two provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haut-Katanga and Kinshasa. We computed descriptive statistics for OVC and their parents' or guardians' characteristics. We …

Air Quality And Cancer Prevalence Trends Across The Sub-Saharan African Regions During 2005–2020, Omolola Okunromade, Jingjing Yin, Clara Ray, Atin Adhikari

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Poor air quality and environmental pollution remain some of the main etiological factors leading to cancers and cancer-related deaths worldwide. As a result of human activities, deleterious airborne chemicals can be dispersed not only in the environment but also released in occupational environments and industrial areas. Air pollutants and cancer links are now established through various oxidative stress-related mechanisms and related DNA damages. Generally, ambient and indoor air pollutants have been understudied in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) compared to other regions in the world. Our study not only highlights the deleterious effects of air pollutants in these developing countries, but it …

The Protective Effects Of Influenza Vaccination In Elderly Patients With Breast Cancer In Taiwan: A Real-World Evidence-Based Study, Szu-Yuan Wu, Ho-Jui Tung, Kuang-Hua Huang, Chiachi Bonnie Lee Lee, Tung-Han Tsai, Yu-Chia Chang

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

In elderly patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer, clarity is lacking regarding the effects of influenza vaccines, particularly on clinical outcomes. This study conducted two nationwide, population-based, and propensity score-matched cohorts to estimate and compare the protective effects of influenza vaccine in elderly women and elderly patients with breast cancer. Data were derived from the National Health Insurance Research Database and Cancer Registry Database. Generalized estimating equations (GEEs) were used to compare outcomes between the vaccinated and unvaccinated cohorts. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) were used to estimate the relative risks, and stratified analyses in the breast cancer cohort were performed …

Adaptation Of Diabetes Prevention Program For Chinese Americans – A Qualitative Study, Ming-Chin Yeh, Wincy Lau, Siqian Chen, Ada Wong, Grace X. Ma, Judith Wylie-Rosett

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Background: Studies have demonstrated that a culturally and linguistically tailored Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) can be effective in reducing diabetes risk in Chinese Americans. The purpose of this study was to explore the cultural and linguistic acceptability of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Prevent T2 curriculum in an online format in the Chinese American community in New York City (NYC). Methods: Three focus groups among a total of 24 Chinese Americans with prediabetes and one community advisory board (CAB) meeting with 10 key stakeholders with expertise in diabetes care and lifestyle interventions were conducted. Each focus group lasted …

Factors Associated With The Nutritional Status Of Infants And Young Children From Rural Honduras, Ana M. Palacios, Mario Keko, Aishat Adewoye, Haresh Rochani, Asli Aslan, Dziyana Nazaruk, Ana Gisela Ramos, Weston L. Oliver, Laura Manship

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Objectives

Malnutrition is a major public health problem in children. Undernutrition and excessive weight at young ages are associated with life-long consequences. The main objective of this study was to characterize the sociodemographic and food insecurity factors associated with the nutritional status of rural children ages 6 to 24 months living in 27 rural communities in Intibucá, Honduras.

Methods

This secondary analysis of baseline data included a total of 402 children ages 6 to 24 months who were recruited to participate in a cluster-non-randomized trial of a community-based nutrition intervention. Data were collected in January 2021 through a survey that …

Characterization Of Folic Acid, 5-Methyltetrahydrofolate And Synthetic Folinic Acid In The High-Affinity Folate Transporters: Impact On Pregnancy And Development, Ana M. Palacios, Rachel A. Feiner, Robert M. Cabrera

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Objectives:

Folates are B vitamins that are essential for several molecular, cellular, and biological processes, including nucleotide synthesis, methylation, and methionine cycling. The physiological impacts of these processes on health also extend to cell proliferation, folate deficiency anemia, and reduction of the risk of birth defects during pregnancy. The primary objective of this study was to characterize the binding affinities of different folate forms, folic acid (FA), 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5MTHF), and folinic acid, to the folate receptors α and β, and to the bovine milk folate binding protein. These three dietary forms of folate are found in enriched grains (FA), various …

Children Receiving A Nutrition And High-Quality Early Childhood Education Intervention Are Associated With Greater Math And Fluid Intelligence Scores: The Guatemala City Municipal Nurseries, Ana M. Palacios, Lisa A. Villanueva, Matthew B. Flynn, Erik Parker, Stephanie Dickinson, Helen W. Bland, Greg A. Reinhart

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Background: About 47% of children < 5 years of age are stunted in Guatemala. In this study, the investigators aimed to compare growth and cognitive outcomes between children in second grade that attended five Guatemala City Municipal Nurseries (GCMN) vs. same sex, grade, and age-matched children. Methods: A cross-sectional design nested in a retrospective cohort was implemented between 2015 and 2019. Children that attended the GCMN and matched controls completed a math test and validated receptive language and fluid intelligence tests. The primary caregivers completed a sociodemographic survey. General and generalized linear mixed effect models were used to compare children that attended the GCMN vs. controls. The models were adjusted by maternal education, sex, asset score, and other relevant covariates. Results: Children that attended the GCMN exhibited greater math and fluid intelligence scores relative to the controls in the adjusted models (ß = 6.48; 95% CI (2.35–10.61)) and (ß = 1.20; 95% CI (0.12–2.29)), respectively. Lower odds of stunting were significant for children who went to any early childcare institution (AOR = 0.28; 95% CI (0.09–0.89)). Conclusions: The importance of integrating nutrition and high-quality early childhood education interventions in cognitive and growth outcomes is highlighted in this study. The GCMN model may be a scalable model in similar low-resource settings.

Association Between Serum Lycopene And Lung Cancer Mortality: An 18-Year Follow-Up Study Of A National Cohort, Evans Afriyie-Gyawu, Padmini Shankar, Gulzar H. Shah, Alicia A. Brown, Shannon Cearley, Akwasi Ampofo-Yeboah, Nathaniel Abrams, Jian Zhang

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Background: Lycopene is a carotenoid found in some fruits and vegetables that is responsible for the red pigment in tomatoes and tomato products. While many studies have shown a link between lycopene and protection against the initiation and/or progression of lung cancer, data on its effect on lung cancer survivability is limited.

Objective: The primary objective of this study was to see if there was a link between lycopene levels in the blood and lung cancer mortality. A secondary goal was to see if dietary factors influence lycopene levels in the blood.

Materials and Methods: A retrospective …

Covid-19 And Social Determinants Of Health: Medicaid Managed Care Organizations’ Experiences With Addressing Member Social Needs, Samuel T. Opoku, Bettye Apenteng, Linda Kimsey, Angela H. Peden, Charles F. Owens

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Background

The significant adverse social and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has cast broader light on the importance of addressing social determinants of health (SDOH). Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MMCOs) have increasingly taken on a leadership role in integrating medical and social services for Medicaid members. However, the experiences of MMCOs in addressing member social needs during the pandemic has not yet been examined.

Aim

The purpose of this study was to describe MMCOs’ experiences with addressing the social needs of Medicaid members during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

The study was a qualitative study using data from 28 semi-structured …