Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Exploring Women’S Oxytocin Responses To Interactions With Their Pet Cats, Elizabeth A. Johnson, Arianna Portillo, Nikki E. Bennett, Peter B. Gray

Anthropology Faculty Research

Background. Extensive research has evaluated the involvement of the neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) in human social behaviors, including parent-infant relationships. Studies have investigated OT’s connection to human attachment to nonhuman animals, with the majority of the literature focusing on domestic dogs (Canis lupis familiaris). Utilizing what is known about OT and its role in maternal-infant and human-dog bonding, we apply these frameworks to the study of human-domestic cat (Felis catus) interactions. Methods. We investigated changes in salivary OT levels in 30 U.S. women of reproductive age before and after two conditions: reading a book (control) and interacting with their pet cat. …

Fidelity Monitoring In The Solution Focused Wellness For Hiv (Sfwh) Intervention For Women, Helen Taylor Yates, Spencer Elise Lee

Journal of Solution Focused Practices

Solution Focused methods are often interpreted by different practitioners with a degree of flexibility and adaptation to specific practice settings (Lehmann & Patton, 2012). This flexibility is one of the features that makes SFBT a very client-centered approach and has been highlighted as one of the key aspects of successful co-construction of desired outcomes with clients (Franklin et al., 2017). This collaborative approach is possible due to SFBT’s utilization of social constructionist principals in the solution-building process (Blundo & Simon, 2015). While encouraging flexibility of implementation of SFBT, identifying the main tenets of the therapy, including specific techniques and mindsets …

A Scoping Review Of Barriers And Facilitators To Pap Testing In Women With Disabilities And Serious Mental Illnesses: Thirty Years After The Americans With Disabilities Act, Michele S. Lee, Jillian R. Peart, Julie S. Armin, Heather J. Williamson

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background: Thirty years after the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed, promising equal access to health services for people with disabilities and serious mental illness, research on Pap testing continues to uncover health disparities among women with disabilities and women with serious mental illnesses, including those that identify as an ethnic/racial minority.

Aim: The purpose of this paper is to describe and present the literature on the barriers and facilitators women with disabilities and women with serious mental illnesses face with receiving a Pap test using the social ecological model. We also examined the degree to which …

Covid-19: Tougher On Women?, Aika Dietz

Research Briefs

Women are receiving the worst effects of the COVID-19 recession.

Dietary Blueberry And Soluble Fiber Improve Serum Antioxidant And Adipokine Biomarkers And Lipid Peroxidation In Pregnant Women With Obesity And At Risk For Gestational Diabetes, Arpita Basu, Jeannette Crew, Jeffrey L. Ebersole, Jefferson W. Kinney, Arnold M. Salazar, Petar Planinic, James M. Alexander

Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences Faculty Publications

Pregnancies affected by obesity are at high risk for developing metabolic complications with oxidative stress and adipocyte dysfunction contributing to the underlying pathologies. Few studies have examined the role of dietary interventions, especially those involving antioxidants including polyphenolic flavonoids found in fruits and vegetables on these pathologies in high-risk pregnant women. We conducted an 18 gestation-week randomized controlled trial to examine the effects of a dietary intervention comprising of whole blueberries and soluble fiber vs. control (standard prenatal care) on biomarkers of oxidative stress/antioxidant status and adipocyte and hormonal functions in pregnant women with obesity (n = 34). Serum samples …

Using The Multi-Theory Model (Mtm) Of Health Behavior Change To Explain The Correlates Of Mammography Screening Among Asian American Women, Manoj Sharma, Chia-Liang Dai, Kavita Batra, Ching-Chen Chen, Jennifer R. Pharr, Courtney Coughenour, Asma Awan, Hannah Catalano

Environmental & Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Globally, breast cancer is the most common malignancy affecting women. The incidence of breast cancer has been growing among Asian American women. Mammography is a screening procedure that provides early diagnosis for the timely treatment to reduce premature mortality due to breast cancer. However, there are no national data available that summarize the rates of mammography screening among Asian American women. Some small-scale studies have reported low rates of mammography uptake among Asian American women. This cross-sectional study utilized the fourth-generation, multi-theory model (MTM) of health behavior change to explain the correlates of mammography screening among Asian American women between …

Impact Of Nutrition-Based Interventions On Athletic Performance During Menstrual Cycle Phases: A Review, Macy M. Helm, Graham R. Mcginnis, Arpita Basu

Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences Faculty Publications

Despite the steady increase in female participation in sport over the last two decades, comprehensive research on interventions attenuating the influence of female menstrual physiology on performance remains scarce. Studies involving eumenorrheic women often only test in one menstrual phase to limit sex hormone variance, which may restrict the application of these findings to the rest of the menstrual cycle. The impacts of nutrition-based interventions on athletic performance throughout the menstrual cycle have not been fully elucidated. We addressed this gap by conducting a focused critical review of clinical studies that reported athletic outcomes as well as menstrual status for …

Influence Of Previous Covid-19 And Mastitis Infections On The Secretion Of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor And Nerve Growth Factor In Human Milk, Veronique Demers-Mathieu, Dustin J. Hines, Rochelle M. Hines, Sirima Lavangnananda, Shawn Fels, Elena Medo

Psychology Faculty Research

Background: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) play a critical role in neurodevelopment, where breast milk is a significant dietary source. The impact of previous COVID-19 infection and mastitis on the concentration of BDNF and NGF in human milk was investigated. Methods: Concentrations of BDNF and NGF were measured via ELISA in human milk samples collected from 12 mothers with a confirmed COVID-19 PCR, 13 mothers with viral symptoms suggestive of COVID-19, and 22 unexposed mothers (pre-pandemic Ctl-2018). These neurotrophins were also determined in 12 mothers with previous mastitis and 18 mothers without mastitis. Results: The NGF …

The Utility Of Genetic Risk Score To Improve Performance Of Frax For Fracture Prediction In Us Postmenopausal Women, Xiangxue Xiao, Qing Wu

Public Health Faculty Publications

The ability of the fracture risk assessment tool (FRAX) in discriminating fracture and non-fracture in postmenopausal women remains suboptimal. Adding a genetic profile may improve the performance of FRAX. Three genetic risk scores (GRSs) (GRS_fracture, GRS_BMD, GRS_eBMD) were calculated for each participant in the Women’s Health Initiative Study (n = 23,981), based on the summary statistics of three comprehensive osteoporosis-related genome-wide association studies (GWAS). The primary outcomes were incident major osteoporotic fracture (MOF) and hip fracture (HF). The association between each GRS and fracture risk were evaluated in separate Cox Proportional Hazard models, with FRAX clinical risk factors adjusted for. …

The Association Between Cardiovascular Disease Knowledge And Risk Factors Among African American Breast Cancer Survivors In The Deep South, Michelle S. Williams, Chizoba Anyimukwu

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Purpose: African American breast cancer survivors in the Deep South have a disproportionately high burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. Multiple potentially modifiable CVD risk factors are highly prevalent in this population, such as high blood pressure, obesity, and poor dietary habits. The purpose of this study was to assess the association between CVD health metrics and heart disease knowledge among the target population.

Methods: The Heart Disease Knowledge Questionnaire was used to assess the participants’ knowledge of heart disease and heart disease risk factors. Questions from My Life Check were used to assess the participants cardiovascular health metrics. Multivariate …

Effects Of Resistance Training On Muscle Quality Index, Muscle Strength, Functional Capacity, And Serum Immunoglobulin Levels Between Obese And Non-Obese Older Women, Paulo Roberto Silva Junior, Dahan Da Cunha Nascimento, Ivo Vieira De Sousa Neto, Silvana Schwerz Funghetto, Ramires Alsamir Tibana, James W. Navalta, Fabiani Lage Rodrigues Beal, Jonato Prestes

Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences Faculty Publications

International Journal of Exercise Science 14(7): 707-726, 2021. Considering the negative impact of obesity on neuromuscular and immune systems, we sought to compare the effects of a 10-week resistance training (RT) program on muscle quality index (MQI), muscle strength, functional capacity, and immunoglobulins in older women with and without obesity. Thirty-nine older women participated in the present study (age: 69.02 ± 6.16, fat (%): 38.80% ± 6.28) and underwent a linear RT program performed on two non-consecutive days of the week. Body composition, functional tests, immunoglobulins, muscle quality of upper and lower limbs and absolute muscular strength of the upper …