Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Pubh 6532 – Environmental Health, Tolulope Awolusi

Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health Syllabi

This course is designed for graduate students and provides students with an introduction and overview of the key areas of environmental health. Students will gain an understanding of the interaction of individuals and communities with the environment. Impact of environmental agents on human and ecosystem health will be analyzed. This course will also introduce current topics in global environmental health and challenges faced under the changing climate and socio-economic needs and examine recent case studies and their outcomes related to environmental policy and management.

Pubh 4333 - Public Health Aspects Of Vector Control And Prevention, Marina Eremeeva Dr.

Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health Syllabi

This course provides an overview of common vector-borne diseases, discusses public health preventive practices, and introduces students to the concepts of the planning, design, implementation and management of control of vector-borne infectious diseases.

Pubh 3432: Introduction To Global Health Policy, Bill Mase

Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health Syllabi

This course introduces the range of cultural and policy approaches different countries take to health, healthcare access, and related population-level health interventions. As part of this course, students will compare different healthcare systems from selected countries.

Pubh 5111 - Lgbtq+ Issues In Public Health, Katie M. Mercer

Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health Syllabi

This course introduces students to public health issues surrounding LGBTQ+ populations. The course is divided into topic areas that will allow students to become familiar with the terminology, history, health disparities, health inequities, special health needs, and barriers for this population in receiving health care services. The course will also touch on the public health implications that result from the care or lack thereof of these populations. This course will cover topics relating to health services research and public health aspects of LGBTQ+ populations rather than clinical medicine topics.

Pubh 3232: Foundations Of Health Education And Promotion Practice, Jill Johns

Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health Syllabi

This course examines current issues and topics related to the practice of health promotion and education including philosophical foundations of health promotion and education, ethical issues in health education and promotion, the Certified Health Education Specialist Competencies, organizations and associations in public health education and employment potential. Prerequisite(s): A minimum grade of "C" in PUBH 2131.

Knowledge Of The Human Papillomavirus Vaccine: An Analysis Using Together For Health Virginia Population Health Survey, Mythili Vigneshwar, Sunny Jung Kim, Carrie A. Miller, Bernard Fuemmeler, Rajesh Balkrishnan

Virginia Journal of Public Health

Purpose: The purpose of this analysis was to identify key predictors which impact knowledge of the Human Papillomavirus vaccine in adults aged 21 to 45 in Virginia.

Methods: Data was collected from the Together for Health Virginia Population Surveys administered by Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Virginia. Logistic regression was performed on data using the variables sex, age, rurality, race, education, income, occupation, and type of health insurance coverage.

Results: There was a statistically significant positive relationship between knowledge of the HPV vaccine and part-time occupation (OR: 4.288, CI: 1.492-13.325), younger age (OR: 2.31, CI: 1.088-4.905), and …

Long-Term Evaluation Of A Course On Evidence-Based Public Health In The U.S. And Europe, Rebekah R Jacob, Carol A Brownson, Anjali D Deshpande, Amy A Eyler, Kathleen N Gillespie, Jennie Hefelfinger, Paul C Erwin, Marti Macchi, Ross C Brownson

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The evidence-based public health course equips public health professionals with skills and tools for applying evidence-based frameworks and processes in public health practice. To date, training has included participants from all the 50 U.S. states, 2 U.S. territories, and multiple other countries besides the U.S. This study pooled follow-up efforts (5 surveys, with 723 course participants, 2005-2019) to explore the benefits, application, and barriers to applying the evidence-based public health course content. All analyses were completed in 2020. The most common benefits (reported by >80% of all participants) were identifying ways to apply knowledge in their work, acquiring new knowledge, …

Examining The Co-Infection Effects Of Helminths And Malaria In An Indonesian Community, Andrea Rodríguez-Sánchez

Masters Theses

Malaria is one of the most prevalent vector-borne infectious diseases with major morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. Recent epidemiological studies have shown that co-occurrence of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections, or infection caused by parasitic worms, are associated with increased risk of malaria infection. However, studies of the association between STH and malaria, and the effect of antihelminth (deworming) treatments that are more commonly used in areas with high STH infection rates, are sparse. Therefore, we explored the relationship between STH and malaria infection in an Indonesian community (N=1997) with high prevalence of both STH and malaria …

Vulnerability To And Protection Against Covid-19 Fear, Threat, And Worry, Marsha Kim Huh

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Drawing from a sample of 10,368 adults living in the U.S., the current study examines the role of social and psychological resources in lowering COVID-related fear, threat, and worry, controlling for a number of social vulnerabilities (e.g. gender, race/ethnicity, and presence of children). The impact of social location, particularly in regards to race, and how one accesses and/or utilizes social and psychological resources is also examined through disaggregated regression models. Results demonstrate that some social and psychological resources impact COVID-specific distress (fear/threat/worry), but depending on the resource, relationships vary in direction and significance. The strength of social ties and mastery …

Social Intervention By The Numbers: Evidence Behind The Specific Public Health Guidelines In The Covid-19 Pandemic., Michael P. Savage, David L. Fischman, Mamas A. Mamas

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has rapidly become a worldwide pandemic ushering in a global health and economic crisis. In the absence of vaccines or definitive drug therapies, current strategies against COVID-19 rely on preventing the transmission of disease through nonpharmaceutical interventions such as social distancing and proper hand hygiene. For practical and perhaps ethical reasons, the clinical efficacy of these public health measures for managing pandemics has not been demonstrated in randomized controlled clinical trials. Accordingly, guideline recommendations for using nonpharmaceutical interventions are based primarily on observational and modeling studies and on expert opinion. A recent position paper from the …

"The Use Of Water As A Weapon Against Public Health In Palestine And Kashmir", Evan D. Gumas

Senior Theses

Water as a political tool has serious implications for global conflicts and its very nature has devastating impacts on public health. No disputes display these more clearly than those in Palestine and Kashmir which are, in large part, water related. Subsequently, public health is affected as water is integral to public health. Both Palestine and Kashmir’s positions in their regions of the world make their experiences with water weaponization against public health unique, but their statuses as occupied territories share vast similarities which make them perfect candidates for research on the intersection of water use as a weapon and public …

Heavy Metals In Ends Liquids: A Comparative Analysis Of Products From The United States, England, Canada, And Australia, Ashleigh Coggins-Block

Forensic Science Theses

The International Tobacco Control (ITC) Policy Evaluation Project 4-Country Survey, which this thesis is a part of, aims to compare policies and electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) products between the United States, England, Canada, and Australia. Since they can pose many serious health risks, this thesis investigated the presence of and source of heavy metals, including lead, nickel, chromium, and cadmium, in ENDS e-liquids. The source of these metals in ENDS e-liquids has been disputed between cultivated tobacco used to derive nicotine and the metal parts of ENDS devices. ENDS purchased in 2017 from each of the four countries of …

Navigating Post-Covid A Guide For Young Adults Recovering From Mild To Moderate Cases Of Covid-19, Chesley Ferris

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

COVID-19 is a new strain of the Human Coronavirus. There are many types of Human Coronavirus, with COVID-19, or the Coronavirus Disease, being discovered in December 2019. COVID-19 is classified as a mild to severe upper respiratory illness. It can affect people differently, with some being asymptomatic, or having no symptoms, and others having mild, to moderate or severe symptoms. Symptoms can also present differently in each person. One person may not have the same symptoms as another.The virus is easily transmittable, meaning it can travel from person to person quickly and easily. This is why it is important to …

Soda, Water, And Convenience: An Evaluation Of The Mexican Soda Tax, Benjamin Hager

Honors Theses

This thesis seeks to evaluate the Mexican soda tax of 2014 by exploring the reasons for the tax and the underlying factors that the tax seems to ignore. This soda tax, in particular, was implemented to address obesity by curbing the consumption of sugary soft drinks due to the large quantities consumed by the Mexican populous. However, as this thesis shows there are some potential pitfalls in this type of obesity prevention policy. By exploring potable water data from the World Bank, the rural and urban noncommunicable disease rates of two Mexican states, and the penetration of levels of the …

Lyme Disease In The U.S.: Where Is Risk Highest?, Mary E. Helander

Population Health Research Brief Series

Over 30,000 Lyme disease cases are reported to the CDC annually. Lyme disease, which is carried by ticks, can lead to numerous debilitating health conditions and even death. This data slice describes the geographic distribution of Lyme disease in the U.S. from 2009-2018 and summarizes prevention strategies.

The New (?) Look Of Precaution, Paul B. Freeman Od

Optometric Clinical Practice

Letter from the Editor-in-Chief

“Warm Handoff” To Increase Enrollment In A Maternal Infant Health Program, Samantha Worthem

Doctoral Projects

Introduction: In a Midwest Health Department’s (HD) Maternal Infant Health Program (MIHP), infant death rate has been on a steady incline at 4.8 deaths per 1,000 in 2019 (Michigan Department of Community Health, 2020). Implementation of a “warm handoff” between the local HD and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) was created to increase enrollment and visits. During warm handoffs, health care providers work together within the same setting to provide evaluation and care to patients and clients (Musselman et al., 2018).

Methods: This program evaluation reviewed data retrospectively from March 31 to September 30, for 2019 and …

Examining Factors Associated With Bcg And Poliomyelitis Vaccination Coverage In Tanzanian And Kenyan Children Aged 12 To 23 Months Using Dhs Surveys, Ognyan Simeonov

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The rapid spread of infectious diseases in eastern Africa has made vaccination a major health factor in the region. This study aims to evaluate the factors affecting vaccination coverage with the BCG and Poliomyelitis vaccines in Tanzanian and Kenyan children aged 12 to 23 months. In May 2021, we collected data from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) from 2014-2016 for Kenya and Tanzania and evaluated how different variables such as the sex of the child, maternal age, maternal educational level, availability of health facilities, access to electricity in the household, and birth order affect the vaccination coverage. We used …

Anemia And Cancer Survival, A Peruvian Study With A 5-Year Follow-Up, María Loo-Valverde, Jennyfer E. Garcia Arispe, Willer Chanduví, Jose M. Vela-Ruiz, Rocio Guillen-Ponce, Jhony A. De La Cruz-Vargas

Revista de la Facultad de Medicina Humana

Introduction: Anemia is a serious public health. Several studies indicate that anemia status is a factor that might influence survival and response to cancer treatment in patients. Objective: To determine the relationship between anemia and 5-year survival in cancer patients. Methods: Observational, analytical, and retrospective cohort study. The sample population consisted of novel diagnosed cancer patients registered for hospital care with their respective follow up from 2014 until 2019. Time to death, presence of anemia, and other variables were evaluated. Survival was determined using Kaplan Meier curves and analyzed using the log-rank test. Hazard ratio and risk were determined in …

Mothers Without Borders Program Evaluation: Establishing Effective Program Evaluation To Assess Holistic Orphan Care Initiatives In Zambia, Alyssa Baer

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This paper uses an interdisciplinary approach—combining theories and methodologies from the Social Impact and Public Health disciplines—to design an evaluation of Mothers Without Borders’ (MWB) programs in Lusaka, Zambia. Their programs aim to support communities as they care for children in crisis living in their communities—with a focus on communities with large populations of orphaned and vulnerable children (OVC) as a result of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. This paper provides an overview of the orphan crisis, international orphan care standards, and evaluation practices in order to understand and design an effective evaluation plan for the organization. This project aims to provide …

Co-Distribution Of Ambient Light At Night And Incidence Of Human Cancers And Covid-19, Yidan Meng

Public Health Theses

Introduction and BackgroundThere are increasing concerns about the effects of artificial lights on human health, including hormone-related disease and immune functions. In January 2020, the outbreak of COVID-19 disrupted everyone’s life, and people who infected have various severity. Thus, we want to analyze whether people exposed to different ambient light at night (LAN) levels make them more susceptible to COVID-19 for our summer research. Besides the effects of LAN on immune functions, we also discussed the association of LAN and multiple cancers in seven states of Northeastern U.S. We used similar statistical and geographic analysis methods and separate them into …

Carbon Dioxide And Particulate Matter Concentration On Hampton Roads Air Quality, Gregory Hubbard

OUR Journal: ODU Undergraduate Research Journal

Hampton Roads has been a maritime crossroads for the last 400 years. Industrialization has impacted the coastal region for the last 250 years. The expansion of the Port of Virginia in 2019 has created dense traffic in the region resulting in impacts to air quality. Two waste products that affect humans are particulate matter and carbon dioxide. Both respective emissions can cause adverse effects on humans, such as asthma, some lung cancers, and other respiratory distress. Scientists and health practitioners are studying the effects of particulate matter on human health. Hampton Roads, in particular, because of its unique location on …

Viral Dynamics Of Acute Sars-Cov-2 Infection And Applications To Diagnostic And Public Health Strategies, Stephen M. Kissler, Joseph R. Fauver, Christina Mack, Scott W. Olesen, Caroline Tai, Kristin Y. Shiue, Chaney C. Kalinich, Sarah Jednak, Isabel M. Ott, Chantal B. F. Vogels, Jay Wohlgemuth, James Weisberger, John Difiori, Deverick J. Anderson, Jimmie Mancell, David D. Ho, Nathan D. Grubaugh, Yonatan H. Grad

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

SARS-CoV-2 infections are characterized by viral proliferation and clearance phases and can be followed by low-level persistent viral RNA shedding. The dynamics of viral RNA concentration, particularly in the early stages of infection, can inform clinical measures and interventions such as test-based screening. We used prospective longitudinal quantitative reverse transcription PCR testing to measure the viral RNA trajectories for 68 individuals during the resumption of the 2019-2020 National Basketball Association season. For 46 individuals with acute infections, we inferred the peak viral concentration and the duration of the viral proliferation and clearance phases. According to our mathematical model, we found …

Issues Facing Community-Based Social Workers When Providing Female Offenders With Reunification Services, Karen N. Vertti

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe goal with this action research project was to understand how community-based social workers (CBSWs) could address female offenders’ and their children’s needs while striving to reintegrate them into the community of Central Los Angeles County, California. Postrelease female offenders with children suffer from a variety of issues related to housing, employment, and personal childhood trauma. The trauma exacerbates the risk of revictimization and recidivism. CBSWs play a pivotal role in helping female offenders overcome barriers to successful reentry and reunify with their children. This study incorporated Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory which provided a systems lens to this project. The …

Analysis Of Contraceptive Use Among Immigrant Women Following Expansion Of Medicaid Coverage For Postpartum Care, Maria I. Rodriguez, Megan Skye, Stephan Lindner, Aaron B. Caughey, Ana Lopez-Defede

Publications

Importance: Access to postpartum care is restricted for low-income women who are recent or undocumented immigrants enrolled in Emergency Medicaid. Objective: To examine the association of a policy extending postpartum coverage to Emergency Medicaid recipients with attendance at postpartum visits and use of postpartum contraception. Design, setting, and participants: This cohort study linked Medicaid claims and birth certificate data from 2010 to 2019 to examine changes in postpartum care coverage on postpartum care and contraception use. A difference-in-difference design was used to compare the rollout of postpartum coverage in Oregon with a comparison state, South Carolina, which did not cover …

Association Of Expanded Prenatal Care Coverage For Immigrant Women With Postpartum Contraception And Short Interpregnancy Interval Births, Maria I. Rodriguez, Menolly Kaufman, Stephan Lindner, Aaron B. Caughey, Ana Lopez-De Fede

Publications

Importance Access to prenatal and postpartum care is restricted among women with low income who are recent or undocumented immigrants enrolled in Emergency Medicaid. Objective To examine the association of extending prenatal care coverage to Emergency Medicaid enrollees with postpartum contraception and short interpregnancy interval births. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study used a difference-in-differences design to compare the staggered rollout of prenatal care in Oregon with South Carolina, a state that does not cover prenatal or postpartum care. Linked Medicaid claims and birth certificate data from 2010 to 2016 were examined for an association between prenatal care coverage …

Disparities In Postpartum Contraceptive Use Among Immigrant Women With Restricted Medicaid Benefits, Maria I. Rodriguez, K. John Mcconnell, Megan Skye, Menolly Kaufman, Aaron B. Caughey, Ana Lopez-De Fede

Publications

BACKGROUND: The Emergency Medicaid program offers restricted Medicaid benefits for people who meet the same financial eligibility criteria as Traditional Medicaid recipients but do not meet the citizenship requirements for enrollment in Traditional Medicaid. By federal law, Emergency Medicaid covers care for life-threatening emergencies or a hospital admission for childbirth. No prenatal or postpartum care is covered. Most of the women enrolled in Emergency Medicaid are Latina. OBJECTIVE: We assessed postpartum visits and receipt of postpartum contraception and compared the outcomes for Emergency (restricted benefit) Medicaid recipients with those of Traditional (full-benefit) Medicaid recipients in Oregon and South Carolina, 2 …

Impact Of Covid-19 On Ohio's National Parks Visitation, Ryan Grzeschik

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed the way in which society operates in order to get the novel disease under control. Businesses throughout the United States have had to close or reduce provided services, stay at home orders have secluded many people, and social distancing limits contact between others so many are turning to the parks system to cope with these changes. This study aims to find how the visitation of national parks in Ohio have been affected through the first six months of the pandemic. Visitation statistics were compared from March to August of 2020 to those same months …

Female Health Networks In Yemen: An Examination Of The Impact Of Conflict On Health Infrastructure And The Role Of Women In Yemen’S Health System, Philippa S. Chadwick

Senior Projects Spring 2021

This project aims to establish the existence of informal community female-led health networks within Yemen and understand the functions of these health networks and how they have been impacted by the ongoing internal conflict in the country. Female health networks exist globally in both informal and formal sectors. But, the extent to which female health networks function and their importance is unique to Yemen, and there has been no scholarly work focusing on this phenomenon. This paper will use the information gained from 52 interviews with Yemeni women and available literature to understand the current formal and informal health systems …

Evaluating The Relationship Between Confidence And Anxiety During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Althea M. Devereux

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.