Medical Specialties Commons^™

Promoting Mammography Screenings In African American Women: Media, Church, And Health Providers, Lasonya Little, Debra C. Wallace, K.Jay Poole

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Due to the underutilization of screening mammography, African American women (AAW) are more likely to experience negative health outcomes after receiving a late-stage breast cancer diagnosis than White Women (WW). The purpose of this article is to examine the roles of the media, health community and the African American church and pastor and their potential impact in AAW screening decisions. Fifteen AAW, ages 45 and older, were invited to participate in a semi-structured interview. Most women agreed the African American pastor and church as well as the health community, and media are an integral part of their lives. Therefore, specific …

Prevalence Of Central Venous Stenosis Among Black And White Eskd Patients With Dysfunctional Dialysis Access, Vipul Chitalia Md, Jonathan Ravid, Arinze Nkiruka, Kristina Yamkovoy, Matthew Diamond, Rohit Pillai, Tyler J. Ryan, Saran Lotfollahzadeh, Janice Weinberg, Alik Farber, Rajendran Vivendhan, Jean Francis, Nathanael Fillmore, Najia Idrees

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

In the United States, significant racial and ethnic disparities exist in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and its management. Hemodialysis constitutes the main stay of renal replacement therapy for end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), which is initiated using central venous catheters (CVC) in most CKD patients in the United States. Black ESKD patients have higher usage and greater time on CVC for hemodialysis compared to White patients. This trend places Black patients at a potentially higher risk for CVC-related complications such as central venous stenosis (CVS). We posited that Black patients would have a higher prevalence and a greater risk of CVS. …

Using The Multi-Theory Model (Mtm) Of Health Behavior Change To Explain The Seeking Of Stool-Based Tests For Colorectal Cancer Screening, Manoj Sharma, Christopher Johansen, Kavita Batra, Chia-Liang Dai, Ravi Batra, Traci Hayes, Aditi Singh

Social & Behavioral Health Faculty Publications

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide and is the second leading cause of cancer-associated deaths. While colorectal cancer is on the decline in the United States (US), disparities still exist, despite the non-invasive screening modalities, such as stool-based tests have shown themselves to be effective in the detection of colorectal cancer. Many of the existing stool-based test interventions lack the use of a contemporary theory-based approach. Given the paucity of theory-based interventions intended to promote stool-based tests, this cross-sectional study utilizes the multi-theory model (MTM) of health behavior change to explain the seeking of stool-based tests for …

Diabetes Related Distress And Co-Occurrence With Depressive Symptoms In Urban Low-Income African American And Hispanic/Latinx Adults With Type 2 Diabetes, Laurie Ruggiero, Sarah Williams Leng, Mary De Groot, Ben S. Gerber, Rosalba Hernandez, Lauretta Quinn

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Introduction. Burden of diabetes in the U.S. is greater in racial-ethnic minority populations than non-Hispanic Whites. Depression and diabetes-related distress (DRD) are recognized as relatively common and important psychosocial areas to address in people living with diabetes. Limited research in the U.S. has focused on DRD in racial-ethnic minority populations. The purpose of this study is to describe patterns of DRD and co-occurrence with depressive symptoms in urban low-income African American and Hispanic/Latinx adults with type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM).

Method. We examined the baseline data collected for a randomized clinical trial (RCT) studying the impact of a culturally tailored …

Socioeconomic Disparities Exist In Access To Rotator Cuff Repair Surgery, Justin Solarczyk, Heather Roberts Md, Stephanie Wong Md, Derek Ward Md

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background: The relationship of socioeconomic disparity in access to rotator cuff repair (RCR) has not been well studied. Socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic disparities in access to surgical management of rotator cuff tears have previously been described in patients with commercial insurance. This study is a population-level analysis which investigates racial and ethnic disparities in access to surgical rotator cuff repair across multiple health insurance statuses.

Purpose: (1) Is non-white race and ethnicity associated with lower rates of RCR? (2) Do these associations change throughout different insurance statuses?

Methods: We used the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) database to identify …

Global, Regional, And National Burden Of Diabetes From 1990 To 2021, With Projections Of Prevalence To 2050: A Systematic Analysis For The Global Burden Of Disease Study 2021, Kavita Batra, Numerous Authors, See List Below

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background:

Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide, and affects people regardless of country, age group, or sex. Using the most recent evidentiary and analytical framework from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD), we produced location-specific, age-specific, and sex-specific estimates of diabetes prevalence and burden from 1990 to 2021, the proportion of type 1 and type 2 diabetes in 2021, the proportion of the type 2 diabetes burden attributable to selected risk factors, and projections of diabetes prevalence through 2050.

Methods:

Estimates of diabetes prevalence and burden were computed in …

Physician Workforce In The Mountain West, Hira Ahmed, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

Using data from the Association of American Medical College’s State Physician Workforce Data Report, this fact sheet synthesizes Mountain West data on the numbers of active physicians and active physician demographics in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. This fact sheet focuses on active physicians in the Mountain West region by gender, race and ethnicity, as well as the number of students pursuing medical and premedical education.

A Nationwide Analysis Of Gunshot Wounds Of The Head And Neck: Morbidity, Mortality, And Cost, John M. Menezes, Kavita Batra, Vladislav Pavlovich Zhitny

Plastic Surgery Faculty Publications

Background:

Gun violence in the United States rose continuously from 2010 to 2022, spiking during the pandemic, and peaking in 2021 at 48,830 deaths (14.8 per 100,000). Previous reports investigated health and financial burden associated with gunshot wounds (GSWs) during 2004 to 2013; however estimates related specifically to head and neck (H&N) injuries have been lacking. This population-based study aims to examine incidence, morbidity, mortality, and health resource utilization of H&N injuries utilizing the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database.

Methods:

A population-based study was undertaken using the National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample (NIS) database (2015Q4–2017Q4). The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision …

Advancing Health Equity In The Us Military, James D. Mancuso, John Young, Jennifer Rusiecki, Shauna Stahlman, Natasha Schvey, Toya Randolph, Candy Wilson, Catherine Witkop, Patrick Hyde, Althea Green, Patcho Santiago, Donald Shell, Tracy Sbrocco

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Eliminating health disparities and achieving health equity are central to US national health objectives and the Military Health System’s “quadruple aim,” which has readiness as its core aim. Because military service members enjoy universal eligibility for health care, it is sometimes assumed that health disparities do not exist in the Department of Defense (DoD). However, while some studies have shown that disparities have been attenuated or eliminated in the DoD, others suggest that significant disparities remain. Reasons these disparities may remain include that universal eligibility for care does not necessarily result in equal to access to care, and that equal …

Births In The Mountain West, 2016-2020, Corryn Richardson, Hira Ahmed, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet examines state-level data on births and health indicators from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), a government health statistics unit of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This fact sheet presents data related to births in the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah.

Death And Dignity: Approaches To Medical Aid-In-Dying And Recommendations For Nevada, Cecilia Winchell

Student Research

Advancements in medicine, surgery, and treatment have prolonged life spans in a way that presents new considerations for death and dying. When it comes to terminal illnesses, all of these innovations increase life expectancy but cannot do the same for a patient’s quality of life. In fact, many people with terminal illnesses lose their autonomy and dignity, leading to the emergence of assisted dying as a way to provide terminally ill patients with an alternative to palliative care. This report takes a look at how assisted dying has developed within the US over the past two and a half decades, …

The Impact Of High-Intensity Interval Training On Vascular Function In Adults: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Mousa Khalafi, Mohammad Hossein Sakhaei, Fatemeh Kazeminasab, Michael E. Symonds, Sara K. Rosenkranz

Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences Faculty Publications

Aim: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) compared with moderateintensity continuous training (MICT) or with no exercise (CON) on vascular function in adults who were free of cardiometabolic diseases and those with cardiometabolic diseases.

Methods: A search across three electronic databases including Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science was conducted through February 2022 to identify the randomized trials evaluating HIIT vs. MICT and/or CON on vascular function as measured using brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) in adults. Separate analyses were conducted for HIIT vs. MICT and/or CON to calculate weighted …

Artificial Intelligence In The Radiomic Analysis Of Glioblastomas: A Review, Taxonomy, And Perspective, Ming Zhu, Sijia Li, Yu Kuang, Virigina B. Hill, Amy B. Heimberger, Lijie Zhai, Shenjie Zhai

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Research

Radiological imaging techniques, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET), are the standard-of-care non-invasive diagnostic approaches widely applied in neuro-oncology. Unfortunately, accurate interpretation of radiological imaging data is constantly challenged by the indistinguishable radiological image features shared by different pathological changes associated with tumor progression and/or various therapeutic interventions. In recent years, machine learning (ML)-based artificial intelligence (AI) technology has been widely applied in medical image processing and bioinformatics due to its advantages in implicit image feature extraction and integrative data analysis. Despite its recent rapid development, ML technology still faces many hurdles for its broader applications …

Fecal Microbiota Transplantation In Decompensated Cirrhosis: A Systematic Review On Safety And Efficacy, Annie S. Hong, Kyaw Min Tun, Jenny M. Hong, Kavita Batra, Gordon Ohning

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Background and Aims: Due to increasing knowledge of the “gut–liver axis”, there has been growing interest regarding the use of fecal microbiota transplant in the management of chronic liver disease. There are limited data available and current guidelines are mostly based on expert opinions. We aim to perform the first systematic review investigating safety and efficacy of fecal microbiota transplant particularly among high-risk decompensated cirrhosis patient populations. Methods: Literature search was performed using variations of the keywords “fecal microbiota transplant” and “cirrhosis” on PubMed/Medline from inception to 3 October 2021. The resulting 116 articles were independently screened by two authors. …

1485-Pub: Assessing Correlates Of Microvascular Complications Among Patients With Diabetes Mellitus, Kenneth Izuora, Amalie Alver, Arpita Basu, Kavita Batra, Shelley J. Williams, Jeffrey L. Ebersole

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Microvascular complications associated with diabetes (DM) are important predictors of morbidity and mortality. Understanding the factors associated with these complications is important in reducing their burden. Method: Using a cross-sectional study design, seventy-one ambulatory patients with Type 2 DM (female 60.6%, white 36.6%, mean age 64.1± 10.3 years, and mean duration of DM 15.8±9.1 years) were recruited using an investigator-administered questionnaire and chart review. Variables of demographics, smoking, HbA1c, DM duration, and complications were collected. CRP was measured and oral health status was assessed by a clinical exam. Data were analyzed using Chi-square/Fisher exact tests and binomial logistic regression …

Diabetes-Related Outcomes Following Use Of Basal-Bolus Insulin Vs Premixed Insulin In A Va Population With Type 2 Diabetes: A Retrospective Chart Review., Ravisha Bai, Kavita Batra, Charmaine Yap, Kenneth Izuora

School of Medicine Faculty Presentations

No abstract provided.

A Systematic Review Of The Efficacy And Safety Of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation In The Treatment Of Hepatic Encephalopathy And Clostridioides Difficile Infection In Patients With Cirrhosis, Kyaw Min Tun, Annie S. Hong, Kavita Batra, Yassin Naga, Gordon Ohning

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

The microbiome of the human gut and liver coexists by influencing the health and disease state of each system. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has recently emerged as a potential treatment for conditions associated with cirrhosis, such as hepatic encephalopathy and recurrent/refractory Clostridioides difficile infection (rCDI). We have conducted a systematic review of the safety and efficacy of FMT in treating hepatic encephalopathy and rCDI. A literature search was performed using variations of the keywords “fecal microbiota transplant” and “cirrhosis” on PubMed/MEDLINE from inception to October 3, 2021. The resulting 116 articles were independently reviewed by two authors. Eight qualifying studies …

A Multi-Theory Model Based Analysis Of Correlates For Initiating And Sustaining Mammography Screening Behavior Among Hispanic American Women In The United States, Manoj Sharma, Kavita Batra, Amanda H. Wilkerson, Francesco Chirico, Siddharth Raich

Social & Behavioral Health Faculty Publications

Background: Despite the known advantages of mammography, screening rates among Hispanic American women are lower compared to other ethnic groups. Therefore, this cross-sectional study aimed to explore correlates of mammography screening behavior among a sample of Hispanic women aged 45-54 years living in the United States using the multi-theory model (MTM). Methods: A 50-item web-based survey consisting of psychometrically valid tools based on MTM theoretical framework was administered through non-random sampling procedures using Qualtrics. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate statistics were used to analyze the data. Results: Out of 370 participants, nearly 49% (n=189) reported not having a mammogram in the …

Therapists’ Observations In Reduction Of Unpleasant Emotions Following Advanced Integrative Therapy Interventions, Gregory P. Brown, Kavita Batra, Suzie S. Hong, Robert Sottile, Raveena Bakhru, Emily Dorin

Psychiatry & Behavioral Health Faculty Publications

Objective: To assess the potential clinical efficacy of a novel model of energy psychology intervention, Advanced Integrative Therapy (AIT), this pilot study assessed clinician perceptions of AIT through a cross-sectional survey. Methods: A 17-item web-based questionnaire was administered to AIT therapists in November of 2021. The survey included clinician demographics and the clinician-observed response to AIT treatment based upon changes in reported Subjective Units of Distress (SUD), the associated emotion, and somatic sensation (when present). Result: A total of 76 complete responses were analyzed. The sample respondents were predominantly female (81.6%) and non-Hispanic white (68%). Over 80% of the respondents …

Perceived Value Of Acute Care Physical Therapy, Juliana Amenta, Andrew Falcinelli, Erin Heenan, Hannah Kendall

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background/Significance/Objective: Although there is some research regarding physical therapy in the acute hospital setting, much of it is focused on the role physical therapists play with specific patient populations or diagnoses. By understanding more about how physical therapy services can add value in the acute hospital, their skills could be better utilized to maximize benefit for both individual patients and the hospital. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceived value that physical therapists bring to the acute care hospital from the perspective of both physical therapists and their supervisors in Southern Nevada.

Methods: This study used an …

The Role Of Socioeconomic Status, Race, And Gender In Patient-Reported Outcomes Following Total Hip Arthroplasty, Allyn M. Bove, James Porter, Aatif Sayeed, Clair Smith, Brian A. Klatt

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background

Disparities in total joint arthroplasty are well-documented. However, much of the research regarding disparities in vulnerable populations receiving total hip arthroplasty (THA) have focused on short-term outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of race, gender, and socioeconomic status (SES) on patient-reported outcomes six months following THA.

Methods

Electronic health record data were retrospectively analyzed for 269 individuals who underwent THA at a large urban hospital from 2013-16. Data retrieved included patient demographics, baseline health information, data regarding hospital length of stay when undergoing THA, post-operative complications, and patient-reported function, measured by the Harris Hip …

Explaining Correlates Of Cervical Cancer Screening Among Minority Women In The United States, Manoj Sharma, Kavita Batra, Christopher Johansen, Siddharth Raich

Social & Behavioral Health Faculty Publications

Globally, cervical cancer is the fourth leading cause of death among women. While overall cervical cancer rates have decreased over the last few decades, minority women continue to be disproportionately affected compared to White women. Given the paucity of theory-based interventions to promote Pap smear tests among minority women, this cross-sectional study attempts to examine the correlates of cervical cancer screening by Pap test using the Multi-theory Model (MTM) as a theoretical paradigm among minority women in the United States (U.S.). Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was done for testing the construct validity of the survey instrument. Data were analyzed through …

Literature Review Of Omicron: A Grim Reality Amidst Covid-19, Suraj Arora, Vishakha Grover, Priyanka Saluja, Youssef Abdullah Algarni, Shahabe Abullais Saquib, Shaik Mohammed Asif, Kavita Batra, Mohammed Y. Alshahrani, Gotam Das, Rajni Jain, Anchal Ohri

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) first emerged in Wuhan city in December 2019, and became a grave global concern due to its highly infectious nature. The Severe Acute Respiratory Coronavirus-2, with its predecessors (i.e., MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV) belong to the family of Coronaviridae. Reportedly, COVID-19 has infected 344,710,576 people around the globe and killed nearly 5,598,511 persons in the short span of two years. On November 24, 2021, B.1.1.529 strain, later named Omicron, was classified as a Variant of Concern (VOC). SARS-CoV-2 has continuously undergone a series of unprecedented mutations and evolved to exhibit varying characteristics. These mutations have largely occurred …

Ten-Year Trends Of Utilizing Palliative Care And Palliative Procedures In Patients With Gastric Cancer In The United States From 2009 To 2018 - A Nationwide Database Study, Moon Kyung Joo, Ji Won Yoo, Zahra Mojtahedi, Pearl Kim, Jinwook Hwang, Ja Seol Koo, Hee Taik Kang, Jay J. Shen

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Objectives: Little is known about the current status and the changing trends of hospitalization and palliative care consultation of patients with gastric cancer in the United States. The aim of this study was to evaluate the changing trend in the number of hospitalization, palliative care consultation, and palliative procedures in the US during a recent 10-year period using a nationwide database. Methods: This was a retrospective study that analyzed the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database of 2009–2018. Patients aged more than 18 years who were diagnosed with a gastric cancer using International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-9 and 10 codes were …

Mechanisms Of Memory Updating: State Dependency Vs. Reconsolidation, Christopher Kiley, Colleen M. Parks

Psychology Faculty Research

Reactivating a memory trace has been argued to put it in a fragile state where it must undergo a stabilization process known as reconsolidation. During this process, memories are thought to be susceptible to interference and can be updated with new information. In the spatial context paradigm, memory updating has been shown to occur when new information is presented in the same spatial context as old information, an effect attributed to a reconsolidation process. However, the integration concept holds that memory change can only occur when reactivation and test states are the same, similar to a state-dependent effect. Thus, in …

Spontaneous Globe Subluxation: A Case Report And Review Of The Literature, Tesfaye Yadete, Ian Isby, Ketan Patel, Alex Lin

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Spontaneous globe subluxation (SGS) is an atraumatic anterior dislocation of the eyeball. It is exceedingly rare. Understanding SGS predisposing factors may help uncover its etiology and undertake vision-saving management. Case presentation: A 48-year-old female presented to the ED with her right eye out of its socket. She reported blurry vision, photophobia, and pain in the affected eye. She was unable to close her right eyelid and was in obvious distress. On arrival, her blood pressure was elevated. Her medical history was notable for hypertension and obesity. On physical examination, extraocular eye movements were not intact, and the globe appeared …

Improving Care For Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Through The Use Of A Personal Electrocardiogram, Teresa Praus, Jonathan Li, Svetlana Barbarash, Manuel Proenza, Mary D. Bondmass

Nursing Faculty Publications

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia affecting more than six million people in the United States. The economic burden is estimated to be >$6 billion annually with catastrophic events dramatically increasing expenditure. When patients experience symptoms, they commonly present to an acute care facility; this can be costly and anxiety provoking. Local problem: Same-day access issues prohibit patients from communicating directly with their cardiology provider, forcing them to use resources and increasing psychological burden.Methods:A convenience sample, made up of 43 patients, was given a KardiaMobile device. Eligible patients had ≥2 AF-related emergency department (ED) or urgent care …

Exploring Treatment Targets To Mitigate Fear Of Falling Activity Avoidance Behavior In Parkinson's Disease And Older Adults, John Vincent Rider

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Fear of falling (FOF) is a significant concern among individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and older adults in general. This FOF can lead to avoidance behavior resulting in activity restriction. Some level of fear of falling avoidance behavior (FFAB) may be protective (adaptive) and decrease the likelihood of falls, especially among individuals with physical limitations and high fall risk. However, excessive (maladaptive) avoidance behavior may lead to downstream consequences such as further physical and psychological decline and an increased likelihood of falls, especially when there is a disparity between the FFAB and physiological fall risk. While poor physical functioning, disease …

Statistical Measurements Of Dispersion Measure Fluctuations Of Frbs, Siyao Xu, David H. Weinberg, Bing Zhang

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Research

Extragalactic fast radio bursts (FRBs) have large dispersion measures (DMs) and are unique probes of intergalactic electron density fluctuations. By using the recently released First CHIME/FRB Catalog, we reexamined the structure function (SF) of DM fluctuations. It shows a large DM fluctuation similar to that previously reported in Xu & Zhang, but no clear correlation hinting toward large-scale turbulence is reproduced with this larger sample. To suppress the distortion effect from FRB distances and their host DMs, we focus on a subset of CHIME catalog with DM < 500 pc cm-3. A trend of nonconstant SF and nonzero correlation function (CF) at angular separations θ less than 10 is seen, but with large statistical uncertainties. The difference found between SF and that derived from CF at θ ≲ 10 can be ascribed to the large statistical uncertainties or the density inhomogeneities on scales on the order of 100 Mpc. The possible correlation of electron density fluctuations and inhomogeneities of density distribution should be tested when several thousands of FRBs are available.

Black Infertility And Social Media Engagement: A Mixed Methodology Analysis, Melody Rasouli, Benette Krizel Sagun, Kajal Verma, Cindy M. Duke

Obstetrics & Gynecology Faculty Publications

Objective: To study social media engagement on black infertility to better understand why there is lower utilization of in vitro fertilization by black women despite higher infertility rates. Design: The online analytics module BuzzSumo was used to quantify total engagements with the search term “black infertility” across the commonly used social media platforms. The 10 article links with the highest engagement were selected from periods in 2020 and 2021. Sources cited in each article were reviewed to identify those that had citations of scientific peer-reviewed journals or national medical organizations. The contents of each article were reviewed for accuracy by …