Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Nonmydriatic Fundus Photography In A High-Risk Population Of Samoans With Diabetes: The Soifua Manuia Eye Screening Program, Lauren Carmela Lamonica

Public Health Theses

IMPORTANCE Novel methods of detecting eye disease are needed due to the challenges associated with service delivery in resource-limited settings.

BACKGROUND The objective of this study is to determine whether clinically gradable fundus images can be obtained using a low-cost, handheld non-mydriatic fundus camera by a non-ophthalmic provider in a remote setting.

DESIGN Cross-sectional study

PARTICIPANTS Two-hundred and six individuals (412 eyes) in the Pacific Island nation of Samoa with pre-diabetes and diabetes (HbA1c ≥5.7% or FBG ≥110 mg/dl).

METHODS Participants underwent non-mydriatic fundus photography with the PanOptic iExaminer System, along with an assessment of near vision, medical, and ophthalmic …

Older Adult Spouses’ Emotional Responses To Reminiscing About Their First Encounter: Associations With Mental Health, Marital Satisfaction, And Cardiovascular Reactivity, Hanzhen Lan

Public Health Theses

Objectives: While there has been growing interest in how close relationships affect older adults’ health, not much research has examined how emotional experiences in older married couples’ positive interactions relate to individual and relational well-being and physical health. The present study hypothesizes that positive emotional responses to older couples reminiscing about first encounter are associated with each spouse’s higher marital satisfaction, fewer depressive symptoms, and healthier cardiovascular reactivity (blood pressure and heart rate variability).

Method: One hundred and one couples completed a background questionnaire at home and then participated in a laboratory session in which they discussed how they first …

Association Between Engagement In A Community-Based Home Visitation Program And Birth Spacing Between First And Second Children, Hing Ting Connie Li

Public Health Theses

OBJECTIVE: To identify patterns in engagement in the Connecticut-based home visitation program, Nurturing Families Network (NFN), and to determine whether associations exist between various engagement patterns and birth-to-pregnancy intervals between first and second children.

METHODS: Repeated measures latent class analysis was employed to identify patterns in program engagement among 5,248 families enrolled in NFN with available home visit information. Maternal socio-demographic characteristics were examined to identify potential predictors of engagement patterns. Propensity score matching was used to identify firstborn children of families in Connecticut with comparable eligibility and tendency to enroll in NFN. Survival analysis was conducted to assess the …

What Does It Meme? A Qualitative Analysis Of Adolescents’ Perceptions Of Tobacco And Marijuana Messaging, Jessica Liu

Public Health Theses

With increasing popularity of e-cigarettes and legalization of marijuana, messaging from online sites and platforms are shaping product perceptions and use. Quantitative studies have examined social media statistics of posts; however, there is a lack of research explaining the aesthetic appeal of these advertisements from the adolescents and young adults (AYA) perspective.

Twenty-four participants were recruited from a larger study of adolescents' perceptions and tobacco use (N=772 high school students). Participants were grouped by whether or not they had used tobacco or marijuana products before, with N=8 non-users and N=16 users. Data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews, where participants …

Associations Between Cannabis Use, Medication Status And Panic-Anxiety Disorder Symptoms Among Us Adults, Diane Tran Ma

Public Health Theses

The existing body of literature focuses on the onset of panic disorders or other side effects as an association with cannabis use, but does little to address how possible concomitant cannabis use affects symptom presentation in already-diagnosed patients. The present project aims to take a closer look at adults with a lifetime history of DSM-5 diagnosed anxiety disorders, their prescribed (non-cannabis) medication use, cannabis use frequency, and associated symptom severity.

In general, we find that cannabis use is associated with higher panic-anxiety symptom severity across panic disorder without agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorder, and people with combined anxious-distress diagnoses, after controlling …

Wholesome Wave Communities Market Approach, Nikita Mehta

Public Health Theses

In 2017, approximately 1.2 million residents, or 14.4% of the population, in New York City were identified as food insecure, which is higher than the national rate of 11.8%. Wholesome Wave is a non-profit organization based in the Northeastern region of the United States that develops programming for consumers to make healthier food choices through increases in affordable access to healthy, locally and regionally grown foods. Wholesome Wave makes fruits and vegetables affordable through their Wholesome Communities initiative which includes the SNAP Double Value Program and the FVRx. This report builds a strategic go-to-market approach by identifying key funders, partners, …

Predictors Of Intense End-Of-Life Care Among Children And Young Adults With Advanced Hematologic Malignancies, Sophia Mun

Public Health Theses

Background: Studies suggest that children, adolescents, and young adults (AYAs) with advanced cancer receive intense end-of-life (EOL) care. This is particularly true for patients with hematologic malignancies. Yet, it is unclear who is at highest risk for receiving intense care.

Methods: We used the Premier Healthcare Database to perform a population-based analysis of patients aged 0-39 years at death with hematologic malignancies who died between 2010-2017. We defined intense EOL care as: receipt of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), intubation, hemodialysis, or tracheostomy within the last 30 days of life; more than one emergency room (ER) visit within the last 30 days …

Assessing The Effect Of The Fto (Rs9939609) Gene On Weight Loss Among Breast Cancer Survivors Enrolled In The Lifestyle, Exercise, And Nutrition (Lean) Study, Hien Thai Nguyen

Public Health Theses

Abstract: Background: A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the Fat, Mass, and Obesity associated (FTO) gene, rs9939609, is significantly associated with obesity and individual variability in weight loss achieved by diet/lifestyle interventions. However, study results on the effect of the FTO gene on weight loss remains inconsistent. This study aims to examine the moderating effects of the FTO SNP rs9939609 on weight loss achieved by a lifestyle intervention in breast cancer survivors. Methods: Breast cancer survivors with a body mass index (BMI) > 25 kg/m2 were randomized to the LEAN 6-month intervention, which included eleven 30-min counseling sessions focused on reducing …

The Effects Of Rurality And Cost Of Transportation On Time Of Evolution And Disease Complexity At Diagnosis For Cutaneous Leishmaniasis In Colombia, Miguel Paredes

Public Health Theses

Patients in Colombia affected by cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) face significant geopolitical and socioeconomic barriers to accessing diagnosis and treatment. This study aimed to understand how the geosocial characteristics of a patient’s area of residence affect time to medical consultation and disease status at consultation. An observational cross-sectional study was performed of individuals with CL who consulted at a local clinical referral center (CIDEIM) in Cali and Tumaco, Colombia. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable simple and ordinal logistic regression analyses were done to examine how area of residence (urban or rural) and cost of transportation to the nearest urban center may influence …

Randomized Trial Of Weight Loss On Ghrelin Levels Among Breast Cancer Survivors, Leah Puklin

Public Health Theses

Purpose: Obesity is associated with increased breast cancer risk and mortality. Ghrelin is a hormone that participates in a negative feedback loop to regulate body weight. Understanding the impact of an individualized, sustainable, dietary and exercise weight-loss intervention on circulating ghrelin levels could provide insight on weight control mechanisms among overweight and obese breast cancer survivors.

Methods: The Lifestyle, Exercise, and Nutrition (LEAN) randomized controlled trial was a 6-month weight loss trial conducted to examine the effect of a weight loss intervention versus usual care on outcomes in 151 breast cancer survivors with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2. Fasting blood samples …

Associations Between Mindful Eating Techniques And Gestational Weight Gain, Yuqing Shang

Public Health Theses

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the extent to which the use of mindful eating techniques is associated with gestational weight gain among a clinic-based sample of pregnant women.

Methods: Four hundred and forty-eight pregnant women in their second trimester of pregnancy participated in the Expect With Me group care study and were selected for this secondary analysis. Sociodemographic and general health data was collected at baseline. Mindfulness practice was measured based on frequency of performing mindful thinking and mindful eating techniques in the third trimester. The main outcome was excessive average weekly gestational weight gain, which was determined using the guidelines …

Analysis Of Entomological Surveillance Data To Predict West Nile Virus Cases In Connecticut, Lena Marie Tayo

Public Health Theses

INTRODUCTION: Since 1999, West Nile Virus (WNV) has been identified in a wide variety of mosquito species. Seasonal epidemics occur in the summer in all regions of the United States, with varying degrees of intensity and spread. In Connecticut, the state mosquito surveillance system for WNV has been conducted since 2000, collecting entomological and site data, and acting as an early warning system for potential human disease risk.

AIMS: Re-analysis of the epidemiology of WNV in Connecticut after years of established endemicity will be conducted using recent mosquito surveillance and human case data. A predictive model will also be developed …

Strengthening Maternal, Infant And Young Child Feeding Training And Education Delivery In Ghana, Madelynn Raye Tice

Public Health Theses

Objective: To document the maternal, infant and young child feeding (MIYCF) training and education system within Ghana and identify key factors influencing MIYCF training and education delivery by health care providers.

Design: A qualitative study that utilized in-depth interviews.

Setting: The study was conducted within the Central Region of Ghana.

Participants: Fourteen health care providers that served as MIYCF trainers or educators were included in this study.

Analysis: Interviews were conducted in English, audio recorded, and then transcribed. A grounded theory approach was used to create a conceptual model of the themes that emerged from the interview. Half of the …

Nut And Peanut Butter Consumption And Risk Of Prostate Cancer In The Nih-Aarp Diet And Health Study, Mimi (Trucmai) Nu Ton

Public Health Theses

Background: While nuts and their related nutrients have been inversely associated with some cancers, the association between nut consumption and prostate cancer has been inconsistent.

Methods: We conducted an analysis of the association between nut and peanut butter consumption and risk of incident prostate cancer among 173,243 men in the prospective NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study. There was a total of 18,619 incident prostate cancer cases during the 16 years of follow-up. We calculated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using Cox proportional hazards regression for intake of nuts, peanut butter, and total nuts (nuts plus peanut butter), …

Average Time To Negativity Of New Alere Ultra-Sensitive Rapid Diagnostic Test After Treatment For Malaria., Azan Zahir Virji

Public Health Theses

Malaria remains one of the most challenging infections globally. Malaria RDTs have had the largest impact on malaria detection in recent years with almost 245 million RDTs delivered globally. (1) They work by detecting either the histidine-rich protein (HRP2) or the Plasmodium lactate-dehydrogenase (pLDH). (2) Following a malaria infection, the HRP2 and pLDH antigens often circulate in the blood stream for several weeks. (3) As new RDTs are constantly being developed, each with a better sensitivity, specificity and lower limit of detection than its predecessor, the need to understand the persistence of their positivity, following a malaria infection, remains. The …

Exploring Pharmaceutical Waste Prevention And Disposal Practices In Nurse Populations, Natasha Wasim

Public Health Theses

Objective: This research study aimed to explore pharmaceutical waste prevention and disposal practices in nurse populations.

Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional survey was employed through the Qualtrics survey system. The survey questions were designed to probe knowledge, behavior, and attitudes of nurses towards pharmaceutical waste. Participants included intensive care unit nurses

and perioperative nurses in the Yale New Haven Health System.

Results: A total of 104 surveys were collected. Nurses were asked about the importance of proper waste disposal, and 95.2% of nurses (N=99/104) believed that appropriate waste disposal is important to “protect the environment health.” The survey also asked about …

Prion Epidemiology And The Npdpsc’S Experience With Rt-Quic, Aleksandra Wrona

Public Health Theses

Prion diseases, or transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, constitute a wide array of invariably fatal rapidly progressive neurodegenerative illnesses that affect both humans and animals. The gold standard of diagnosis for these diseases is through neuropathologic examination of brain tissue following autopsy. In September 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) added positive real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) test result as a likely indicator of certain human prion diseases. With high sensitivity and specificity approaching 100%, RT-QuIC has quickly become one of the most powerful antemortem diagnostic tools.

This paper will demonstrate why changes in diagnostic criteria and reporting metrics are …

State Vaccination Policies And Coverage For Adolescent Vaccines In The United States, 2017, Anthony Edward Yakely

Public Health Theses

Background: The wide-ranging nature of state vaccination requirements for school entry allows for suboptimal coverage of adolescent vaccination as well as missed opportunities where some adolescent vaccinations are received but not all of them. Variation exists both in the types of exemptions that are allowed and the process that is required to obtain an exemption. State-level policies have been shown to be associated with childhood vaccination coverage, but far fewer studies have examined adolescent vaccine coverage.

Methods: HPV, MenACWY, and Tdap vaccine receipt and demographic data from the 2017 National Immunization Survey-Teen (NIS-Teen) Public Use Dataset were combined with data …

Modeling The Policy Impact On The Dynamics Of Tobacco Product Use, Tianzhou Yu

Public Health Theses

Abstract

Objective

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death. While the proportion of the U.S. population that uses combustible tobacco products has been declining over the past decade, use of e-cigarettes among youth and young adults has risen. Our objective was to model the prevalence of tobacco product use in 10 years given the current policy environment and project product use patterns if new policies are adopted.

Methods

Using data from the literature, we constructed a microsimulation model for the period 2015 – 2025 with the following Markov states: combustible use only, e-cigarette use only, dual use, former use, …

Epigenetic Silencing Rna Methylation Machinery Fto And Mettl3 Associate With Patient Survival In Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma, Jiaxun Zhao

Public Health Theses

Purpose: RNA methylation eraser FTO and writer METTL3 play important roles in human diseases by regulating gene expression. However, the potential of FTO and METTL3 as markers in renal clear cell carcinoma (CCRCC) is still unknown. The purpose of this study is to investigate differential expression of FTO and METTL3 in CCRCC vs. normal kidney tissues, the association of FTO and METTL3 expression and methylation with and their interaction of FTO and METTL3 expression in patient survival in CCRCC.

Method: FTO and METTL3 expression and methylation, the clinicopathologic data were retrieved from a publicly accessed dataset of The Cancer Genome …

Using Volatile Organic Compounds In Exhaled Breath As A Biomarker For Early Lung Cancer Detection: A Systematic Review, Jieqiong Zhou

Public Health Theses

Lung cancer has become the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer deaths globally. The major problem of the high mortality rate is the late diagnosis. Conventional methods utilized for clinical detection of lung cancer have employed expensive and invasive medical procedures that cause stress, discomfort, and pain to patients, and have demonstrated low sensitivity, substantial false negatives, and risk of radiation exposure. The drawbacks obviate their applicability to large-scale, population-wide screening efforts. This paper reviews the applications of using volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath as a potential approach for early lung cancer detection.

An …

A Comprehensive Evaluation Of Breast Cancer Risk Prediction Using Uk Biobank Data., Xiaorui Zhu

Public Health Theses

Introduction: Both genetic and clinical risk factors play roles in breast cancer onset. Developing comprehensive and accurate breast cancer prediction model will enable effective identifications of individuals at high risk, and facilitate personalized decision on screening and preventive strategy.

Objectives: Develop a risk prediction model for breast cancer including both genetic and clinical risk factors, and quantify the benefit of adding polygenic risk score (PRS) in risk prediction.

Methods: Analysis was based on data collected through the UK Biobank which consist of 13,851 breast cancer cases and 206,865 controls. The clinical factors that we considered include baseline demographics, lifestyles, family …

Coarse Particulate Matter Exposure And Inflammation, Emilie Elizabeth Davis

Public Health Theses

Background Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States, and environmental exposures, such as air pollution, contribute to the risk of CVD. While previous studies have found that fine particles, PM 2.5, are associated with CVD risk, fewer studies have considered the effect of coarse particles, PM 10-2.5, on CVD risk and the possible biological mechanism through which this environmental exposure could increase CVD risk. Methods This analysis examines the association between ambient concentrations of PM 10-2.5 and a marker of CVD risk in a cohort of midlife women. Annual questionnaire and clinical data were …

Successful Brace Treatment Of Pectus Carinatum In Osteogenesis Imperfecta Using The Dynamic Compression System., Beth A. Orrick, Amy L. Pierce, Charles L. Snyder, Uri S. Alon

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a genetic disorder of collagen resulting in a "fragile" skeleton with increased fracture risk and other complications, dependent on the specific variant. Pectus deformities of the chest wall, while not common, can be associated with OI. The use of a pectus carinatum brace in a patient with OI poses unknown risks for fractures and adverse treatment outcomes. We successfully applied external compression bracing using the dynamic compression system to one such patient. This case illustrates the ability to treat an OI patient with pectus carinatum using a nonsurgical brace, without complications, resulting in an excellent cosmetic …

Physical Therapy Faculty, Clinical Instructors, And Employer Expectations For New Dpt Graduates In The Acute Care Setting, Leah Nof, Claudia Gazsi, Shari Rone-Adams, Debra F. Stern

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine how the expectations of new graduate physical therapists held by physical therapy faculty (PTF), clinical instructors (CIs), and employers (PTE) compared in the acute care (AC) setting, and determine if graduates are meeting the entry-level expectations of the three stakeholders in acute care. Methods: This mixed method study used Survey Monkey to gather data from participants. Faculty, CIs and PTEs were recruited from CAPTE accredited DPT programs. The current survey used the top 25 characteristics developed by the Delphi study by Gazsi to determine level of agreement of importance among …

Creating Significant Learning Experiences For Clinical Reasoning By Physical Therapist Students, Lois A. Stickley

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Background: Clinical reasoning skills are embedded in all aspects of practice. There is a lack of consensus and standards for curriculum design and teaching methods of clinical reasoning in entry-level education of health professionals. Purpose: The purpose was to describe a process of designing one comprehensive, planned sequence of four courses to create significant learning experiences for clinical reasoning for Doctor of Physical Therapy students. Method: Fink’s design process was used to develop four clinical decision-making courses to ensure a close alignment of learning goals, feedback and assessment, and learning activities to engage students in practicing components of clinical reasoning. …

The Tailoring Of National Guidelines For Upper Extremity Post-Stroke Rehabilitation: A Concept In Use., Salem F. Alatawi

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Background: In Saudi Arabia, national evidence-based clinical guidelines (NCG) were created based for healthcare interventions. However, clinicians appear to be slow to incorporate the evidence into practice. As a result, there exists a time-gap between the gathering and presentation of evidence for best practice and the use of that evidence by clinicians. It becomes, therefore, imperative to investigate the gap between the research evidence and clinical practice. The knowledge to action (KTA) framework is available to facilitate the implementation of research evidence. This framework incorporates the theory of tailoring, a concept that is intended to create a fit between …

Training, Diet And Supplement Regimen Of An Elite Female Standup Paddler In Preparation For An Ultra-Distance Event: A Case Study, Victoria Burgess, Pete Bommarito, Jose Antonio Ph.D., Fnsca, Fissn, Cscs

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

PURPOSE: Standup paddleboard (SUP) racing is the quintessential power-endurance sport that requires a combination of skill, aerobic power as well as muscular strength and endurance. The purpose of this case study was to examine the training, diet and supplement regimen of an elite paddler in preparation for an ultra-distance Standup paddleboard race (i.e., Molokai to Oahu [M2O) 32-mile open ocean SUP race).

METHODS: The physical characteristics of the paddler are as follows: 32-year old female, 167.6 cm height, 62.7 kg weight and 19% body fat (Bod Pod®). During the six-month training program, the athlete's daily average intake of …

Communication Sciences And Disorders Graduate Students' Strengths And Vulnerabilities Related To Resilience: A Survey Of Graduate Programs, Janet Tilstra, Megan Coffman, Teresa Gonia, Caroline Koziol, Ellen Liebe

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Burnout in health care professionals may pose a threat to the quality of care provided in any setting. The purpose of this project was to examine dimensions related to future resilience in CSD graduate students. METHODS: In this project, 146 master’s degree students from Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) programs in the Midwest completed an online survey regarding lifestyle stresses affecting resilience, and patterns in five areas correlated with resilience. RESULTS: Top lifestyle stresses affecting academics were general stress, maintaining mental health, and sleep difficulties. Notably, more than half of the participants reported feeling rested three or fewer days …

Mental Illness And Psychiatry In The Victorian Era: An Analysis Of The Prevailing Power Dynamics Between Women And Male Authority Figures Through Gilman And Freud., Rumaisa Nasim Jumana

Dissertations and Theses

In this research paper, I intend to focus on Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper (1892) and Sigmund Freud’s Dora: An Analysis of a Case of Hysteria (written in 1900 and published in 1905), with an aim to represent the prevailing attitudes of men, especially male physicians, towards women in the Victorian era. I intend to demonstrate how the Victorian social system placed women in a subordinate position through patriarchal ideals of femininity and unapologetically labeled them “insane” if their behavior and personality dared deviate from the prevailing social norms and conventions. In addition, I hope to shed light …