Predictors Of Future Physician Practice Location, Allegra Latimer

Honors Theses

Healthcare disparities exist throughout the United States. While Mississippi does not stand alone in the maldistribution of physicians and medical practices across the state, it does exist as a state that has been historically medically underserved. According to data collected by The County Health Rankings Model developed by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, in 2019, the ratio of population to primary care physicians in Mississippi was 1860:1. This is nearly 30% higher in disparity than the national average. It is also important to note that of Mississippi’s 82 counties, 79.3% are considered rural with the majority of physicians …

Secondhand Smoke: An Examination Of The Public Health Issue In Marina, Eric J. Tallman

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Monterey County Tobacco Control Program is a public health organization that works to solve tobacco related issues in Monterey county. Secondhand smoke exposure is a major public health issue because of its dangerous effects on human health. This project is a research report on secondhand smoke in the city of Marina. The expected outcomes of this project were to educate readers, gain information, and find an effective policy for mitigating this public health issue. Components of this project include in depth research on secondhand smoke, survey conduction regarding Marina residents opinions about the issue, and data collection of tobacco …

Increasing Patient Education On Proper Antibiotic Stewardship, Arif S. Ahsan

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Antibiotic resistance is a growing public health issue in the United States. Coinciding with this, patients often inappropriately self-treat infections using antibiotics. Locally, this causes complications in treating patients in an outpatient setting, and nationally, this causes an increased economic burden on the United States healthcare system. A handout was developed for distribution at pharmacies in order to better educate patients on proper antibiotic stewardship, based on information that providers believed to be most important for patients to know.

Engagement Journalism In Action: Supporting New Yorkers With Long Covid, Sarah Luft

Capstones

What do asthma and long COVID have in common? 1 in 13 U.S. adults are living with them. This report is a recap of my efforts to address the information needs of New Yorkers with long COVID as a student in CUNY's Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism engagement program. For my final project, I partnered with THE CITY, a nonprofit news outlet serving New Yorkers, to expand the MISSING THEM project. The report details the what, why, and how of my engagement reporting process, including a community engagement framework, a service journalism series, and lessons to carry forward. You …

Infrastructure And Policies Supporting Physical Activity Habits: A Comparison Between The United States And Europe, Anisha Laddha

Honors College Theses

Most adults in the United States are not getting enough physical activity, and this is causing high rates of adverse health conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease in the population. The rising costs of cardiovascular disease are a national problem that must be tackled from multiple perspectives. This literature review explores policies and infrastructure implemented in European countries with better health outcomes and higher physical activity levels in the population compared to the United States. The infrastructure in places such as Germany and Denmark is constructed to encourage physical activity in the form of active transportation such as walking …

Four Corners: A Values Clarification Exercise, Montsine Nshom

Open Educational Resources

Four Corners is a values clarification activity that asks participants to stand/show whether they strongly agree to strongly disagree with a specific statement, and reflect on their position during and after the activity. This four corners activity is designed to help students think about and discuss topics that are pertinent to urban community health and public health.

No prior reading or coursework is required; it is a good option for the first day of class to introduce key themes that will be covered during the course as well as practice ground rules and class discussion norms.

Examining The Relationships Between Early Childhood Experiences And Adolescent And Young Adult Health Status In A Resource-Limited Population: A Cohort Study, Zeba A. Rasmussen, Wasiat H. Shah, Chelsea L. Hansen, Syed Iqbal Azam, Ejaz Hussain, Barbara A. Schaefer, Nicole Zhong, Alexandra A. Jamison, Khalil Ahmed, Benjamin J J. Mccormick

Department of Medicine

Background: Adolescence is a critical point in the realization of human capital, as health and educational decisions with long-term impacts are made. We examined the role of early childhood experiences on health, cognitive abilities, and educational outcomes of adolescents followed up from a longitudinal cohort study in Pakistan, hypothesizing that early childhood experiences reflecting poverty would manifest in reduced health and development in adolescence.
Methods and findings: Adolescents/young adults previously followed as children aged under 5 years were interviewed. Childhood data were available on diarrhea, pneumonia, and parental/household characteristics. New data were collected on health, anthropometry, education, employment, and languages …

What’S In Wildfire Smoke?: A Toxicologist Explains The Health Risks And Which Masks Can Help, Luke Montrose

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Smoke is turning the sky hazy across a large swath of the country as dozens of large fires burn, and a lot of people are wondering what’s in the air they’re breathing.

As an environmental toxicologist, I study the effects of wildfire smoke and how they differ from other sources of air pollution. We know that breathing wildfire smoke can be harmful. Less clear is what the worsening wildfire landscape will mean for public health in the future, but research is raising red flags.

“The Clementine Collective”: A Corner Store Intervention Of Clementine Fruits In A High Need Neighborhood In Staten Island, New York, Heather Butts

Faculty of Health Care & Public Administration Publications

Individuals living in underserved neighborhoods face significant barriers to getting fresh produce. It has been extensively researched that providing individuals with fresh fruits and vegetables can have a positive physical and mental impact on the lives of individuals in underserved neighborhoods and the lives of their families. Unfortunately, individuals who reside in such neighborhoods are often viewed as not being motivated to consume fresh fruits and vegetables, even where barriers to eating such foods are removed. This study aims to determine whether, in the COVID-19 era, individuals in underserved neighborhoods would consume fresh fruits if presented with them in an …

Exploring The Perceived Barriers And Benefits Of Physical Activity Among Wounded, Injured, And/Or Sick Military Veterans, Robert Walker, Caroline Limbert, Paul M. Smith

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Wounded, injured, and/or sick (WIS) military veterans face significant physical and psychosocial challenges following discharge from service. Physical activity can have many positive effects on the holistic wellbeing of such individuals. However, little knowledge exists regarding the perceived barriers and benefits of physical activity within this population, creating challenges surrounding physical activity promotion. Therefore, this study was designed to identify key barriers and benefits among this population, so that informed approaches to encourage participation in physical activity can be developed. A questionnaire related to the perceived barriers and benefits of physical activity was completed by 105 WIS British military veterans. …

Comparing The Health And Welfare Of Refugees And Non-Refugees At The Outset Of The Covid-19 Pandemic: The Results Of A Community Needs Assessment., Matthew J. Lyons, Mary Helen O'Connor, Iris Feinberg, Daniel J. Whitaker, Michael Eriksen, Ashli Owen-Smith, Saiza Jivani, Mohammad Tamer, Esther Kim, Ganaro Makor

Journal of Refugee & Global Health

Refugees are a vulnerable population who experience significant health disparities. They may also be at disproportionately high risk of adverse outcomes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper presents the results of a community needs assessment to investigate the impact of the pandemic on health and welfare in a refugee relocation community in the United States. A multilingual data collection team made up of refugees surveyed 179 participants (128 refugees vs. 51 non-refugees). Only 55.9% of refugee respondents said they would be able to provide enough food for their family this week, compared with 84.0% of non-refugees (p < 0.01), and this difference was even greater for food next week …

Should I Reduce My Red Meat Consumption?, Joshua Kojiro Bibbee

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Maintaining and improving the health of 5,000+ county employees is no easy task, but the Monterey County Health Department Employee Wellness (MCHDEW) program’s job is to do just that. There are many parts that fall under the category of health, and one area to research on is red meat consumption. A diet high in red meat can cause some of the health conditions of metabolic syndrome, which is a cluster of health conditions that increase a person’s risk of heart disease. This is relevant because metabolic syndrome is found in one-third of county employees, and this contributes to increased healthcare …

Mobilizing Rural Communities To Create Systemic Changes To Reduce Health Disparities, Denise Everson, Amanda Tedrow, Al Parker Edd

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

USG institutions are creating strategies to enhance community capacity in addressing health inequities, "closing the gap" between suggested optimal development models and helping prepare a visioning masterplan in rural communities.

The State Of Sleep: What Keeps Vermont Up At Night?, Magalie Carey

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

No abstract provided.

Community Health Interventions To Reduce The Burden Of Radon-Related Lung Cancer, Benjamin Weaver

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. One in seven homes in Vermont has elevated levels of radon, but most patients are unaware of radon as a risk factor for lung cancer or that radon testing and mitigation services are available to them. To promote increased testing and mitigation of radon we screened patients presenting to a Family Medicine practice in Vermont about whether they had had these services done in their home. We also developed a patient education resource for providers to give to patients who had more questions about radon …

Smoke From Wildfires Can Worsen Covid-19 Risk, Putting Firefighters In Even More Danger, Luke Montrose

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Two forces of nature are colliding in the western United States, and wildland firefighters are caught in the middle.

Emerging research suggests that the smoke firefighters breathe on the front lines of wildfires is putting them at greater risk from the new coronavirus, with potentially lethal effects.

At the same time, firefighting conditions make precautions such as social distancing and hand-washing difficult, increasing the chance that, once the virus enters a fire camp, it could quickly spread.

As an environmental toxicologist, I have spent the last decade expanding our understanding of how wood smoke exposure impacts human health. Much of …

Identifying And Structuring Long-Term Community Engagement Platforms For San Francisco's Ending The Hiv/Hcv/Sti Epidemics Initiative, Adam Landeros

Master's Projects and Capstones

Purpose: The primary objective for this project was to develop recommendations for a long-term community engagement structure and process for the ten-year implementation of the San Francisco Department of Public Health’s Ending the HIV/HCV/STI Epidemics initiative.

Background: Community engagement offers public health practitioners, researchers, and policymakers the opportunity for open, respectful dialogue with community members in pursuit of a common goal. This project was designed to explore different community engagement coordinators’ experiences with undertaking such initiatives, in order to inform a large-scale funding proposal being pursued by the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH).

Methods: Phase 1 of the …

Swimming Pool Environment And Respiratory Health Issues Experienced By Masters Swimmers: Results From A Literature Review And Survey Of United States Masters Swimming Clubs, Jody C. Gan, Julia Snegg, William Harder

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

After three members of a Masters adult swim club died of lung cancer, both a literature review and survey were conducted with representatives from 746 United States Masters Swimming clubs to explore a possible relationship between swimming and cancers of the respiratory tract. Six other clubs reported known cancers of the respiratory tract among club members, but none of the other 740 clubs reported a similar cluster of lung cancer. More clubs reported cases of chronic respiratory infections and widespread complaints about air quality. While no studies exploring a relationship between swimming and lung cancer could be found in the …

An Evaluation Of Community Based Food Intervention: Cooking Matters In Charleston, Ms, Lindsay Fournier

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of Cooking Matters classes in producing improvement in individuals’ cooking skills and confidence, as well as their eating behaviors, shopping skills, and perceptions of cooking in rural Charleston, MS. These classes have reported great success in more urban areas such as Atlanta, GA; Philadelphia, PA; and Washington, DC; however, different challenges may be faced in rural Mississippi. To study the effectiveness of the interventions in a new context, pre- and post-intervention self-report surveys were performed and evaluated using Wilcoxon statistical analysis as well as paired sample t tests, and bootstrap …

The Impact Of Location On Healthcare Access For Individuals With Disabilities, Addison Kimber

Honors Scholar Theses

This paper analyzes healthcare access for individuals with disabilities living in rural areas. In current political discussion, we typically think of insurance coverage as the metric to analyze healthcare access. However, as demonstrated by studies of healthcare in the United Kingdom, people with disabilities continue to face barriers to health care even with universal healthcare systems. In particular, individuals in rural areas have less healthcare access than urban residents. This is due to factors including socioeconomic status, insurance coverage, access to competent care, and transportation. This study aims to understand if disability status exacerbates the issue of access in rural …

¡Sí, Yo Puedo Vivir Sano Con Diabetes! A Self-Management Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial For Low-Income Adults With Type 2 Diabetes In Mexico City, Robin Whittemore, Mireya Vilar-Compte, Selene De La Cerda, Roberta Delvy, Sangchoon Jeon, Soraya Burrola-Méndez, Mariana Pardo-Carrillo, Annel Lozano-Marrufo, Rafael Pérez-Escamilla

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a worldwide epidemic and a leading cause of death in Mexico, with a prevalence of 15.9%, and >70% of diagnosed adults have poor glycemic control [glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) >7.5%]. We developed a diabetes self-management education program contextualized to the study population, including dietary preferences, health literacy, and health system.

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a self-management + text message program (¡Sí, Yo Puedo Vivir Sano con Diabetes!) on primary (HbA1c), and secondary behavioral (self-management), clinical, and psychosocial outcomes in adults with T2D in Mexico City.

Methods: Participants were recruited at public …

Wildfire Smoke Worsens Coronavirus Risk, Putting Firefighters In Extra Danger, Luke Montrose

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

As summer approaches, two forces of nature are on a collision course, and wildland firefighters will be caught in the middle.

New research suggests that the smoke firefighters breathe on the front lines of wildfires is putting them at greater risk from the new coronavirus, with potentially lethal effects.

At the same time, firefighting conditions make precautions such as social distancing and hand-washing difficult, increasing the chance that, once the virus enters a fire camp, it could quickly spread.

As an environmental toxicologist, I have spent the last decade expanding our understanding of how wood smoke exposure impacts human health. …

First Aid First: Implementation And Evaluation Of A Community-Based First Aid Training Course, Luke Wesemann

Medical Student Research Symposium

In 2018, medical students at Wayne State University School of Medicine (WSUSOM) created a first aid training initiative called First Aid First (FAF). FAF is a comprehensive community-based training program that teaches lifesaving skills tailored for Detroit. The objective of this initiative was to improve the confidence and basic first aid skills of those who attend trainings.

Pre- and post-test surveys were used to measure knowledge, confidence and skill level. The survey data gathered from March 2018-October 2019 consisted of 5 Likert scale questions for self-evaluation component and 23-25 multiple choice questions, number depending on time of administration due to …

Perceptions Of Workload And Job Impact As Predictors Of Child Welfare Worker Health Status, Austin G. Griffiths, David Royse, Chris Flaherty, Crystal Collins-Camargo

Social Work Faculty Publications

Turnover in the child welfare workforce remains a problem with detrimental consequences. While a robust body of literature has explored the influence of job factors on employee retention, and the presence of secondary traumatic stress and other related experiences in this population, little is known about the impact of such factors on the physical health of the practitioner. This manuscript is a first step in documenting the relationship between worker characteristics, perceptions of their job, and their self-reported health status. Utilizing the Child Welfare Employee Feedback Scale (CWEFS), a Binary Logistic Regression model identified Workload and Job Impact as significant …

Association Between Sports Participation And Levels Of Physical Fitness, Jordan Italiano

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objective: Physical activity is a major component of overall health, especially in children. Increased physical activity in children provides many health benefits, and organized sports provide a great opportunity to meet the physical activity recommendations. In fact, participation in organized sports provides further health advantages, such as lower BMIs, compared to those who engaged in self organized physical activity and has shown to promote continued healthy habits throughout life. However, there has not been research looking at which sports are associated with the greatest level of fitness and provide the greatest health benefit for participants. In this study, we examine …

Promoting Physical Activity In School-Aged Children During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Abigail H. Belser

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, children and adolescents are engaging in less physical activity and are increasing their sedentary behavior. These changes can lead to long-lasting negative lifestyle behaviors, which increases risk of health complications.

To ensure safety during the pandemic, guidelines have created restrictions on physical education and sports, which are both primary physical activity outlets for children and adolescents. Children and adolescents have to find alternate ways and resources to meet the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity daily.

An informational pamphlet was created to educate parents and children of current physical activity recommendations, with resources and ideas …

Timely Access To Maternal, Neonatal And Child Healthcare For Rural Communities In Rwanda: The Role Of Community Health Workers, Jean Bosco Bigirimana

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Abstract

Introduction: In Rwanda, although there has been some progress in health care delivery as expressed in the reduction in maternal and child mortality, rates are still high and geographically variable. Improving equitable access to quality healthcare services for maternal, neonatal and child healthcare (MNCH), community-based maternal, neonatal and child healthcare (CBMNCH) depends upon using “community health workers” (CHWs). Yet CHWs program faces difficulties that upset delivery of the quality of the comprehensive package of services. Unfortunately, little is known about CHWs` performance and job satisfaction in the provision of CBMNCH.

Goal: The study aimed to provide insight into …

The Benefits And Accessibility Of Integrative Exercise In Geriatric Populations, Elizabeth Nisper

Honors Projects

There are many physical and mental benefits of conventional exercise and they have been well-studied. However, integrative exercise practices aim to encompass more than physical fitness. There is also a spiritual/ethical component when taking into account aspects such as meditation and mindfulness. By examining a number of different health domains, we can study whether the benefits of yoga and tai chi extend beyond the benefits of exercise more broadly. While the short-term physical fitness benefits of other cardio and strength training may exceed those of integrative practices, yoga and tai chi appear to be equally as beneficial in the long …

Health Care In The Caribbean: A Comparative Analysis Between Cuba And Puerto Rico, Matheus Moreira Sanches Peraci

Honors Projects

The paper at hand focuses on comparing the differences of the Cuban and Puerto Rican health care (HC) system and conditions. As this is a comparative research analysis, this was done by reviewing many different reliable sources and compiling the relevant information from Cuba and Puerto Rico. The factors that were taken into account are: (a) Political and Health Care Systems, (b) Natural and Artificial Disaster and (c) Country’s Demographics and Health Statistics.

The Impact Of Nutritional Changes On Dietary Inflammatory Index: New Soul Study, Callie Mclean

Senior Theses

The Impact of Nutritional Changes on Dietary Inflammatory Index: NEWSoul

Callie McLean; Gabrielle Turner-McGrievy, PhD, MS, RD; Michael Wirth, PhD; Anthony Crimarco, MS

Background: Historically, a soul food diet consisted of mainly plant-based foods in West Africa and evolved to a mostly meat-based diet in the Southeastern United States. As a result, many soul foods today often exceed the recommended dietary guidelines for saturated fats and cholesterol. This is important to consider for dietary interventions focusing on African American populations, since they are at a greater risk for cardiovascular disease and chronic illness compared to all other ethnic groups. One …