Community Health Commons^™

Hawai‘I’S Caring Communities Initiative: Mobilizing Rural And Ethnic Minority Communities For Youth Suicide Prevention, Jane J. Chung-Do, Deborah A. Goebert, Kris Bifulco, Tasha Tydingco, Antonia Alvarez, Davis Rehuher, Jeanelle Sugimoto-Matsuda, Bridget Arume, Pohai Wilcox

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Youth suicide is a serious, yet preventable, public health concern for ethnic minorities and rural communities. This paper describes the youth leadership model utilized by Hawai‘i’s Caring Communities Initiative (HCCI) and provides reflections on the important factors for success in implementing a youth and community advocacy project for youth suicide prevention. HCCI partnered with six youth and community organizations who serve ethnic minority and rural communities across the State of Hawai‘i to train youth leaders and community members in suicide prevention, in order to develop community awareness activities that are grounded in each community’s strengths and needs. The work of …

Advocacy In Action: A Framework For Implementation Of The American Counselors Association Advocacy Competencies On A Local Level, Jeffrey M. Lown

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Despite calls from within the professional field and external forces, counselors have faced ongoing challenges in their efforts to be effective advocates for their clients and themselves. A review of the literature reveals that throughout the history of the profession, prominent figures have called on counselors to assume advocacy roles, and that some initiatives have been successful in fostering lasting change. However, as counselors and their clients’ needs continue to evolve, so too must strategies to address these needs be reevaluated and new initiatives put into place.

In this paper, I have outlined a committee structure and agenda that seeks …

Predictive Factors Of Patient Satisfaction With Pharmacy Services In South Korea: A Cross-Sectional Study Of National Level Data, Sunkyung Lee, Onyeka P. Godwin, Kyungah Kim, Euni Lee

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Objectives
Patient satisfaction has emerged as a prerequisite to improving patients’ health behaviors leading to better health care outcomes. This study was to identify predictive determinants for patient satisfaction with pharmacy services using national-level data.

Methods
A cross-sectional evaluation was conducted using 2008 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) data. To assess the predictive factors for patient satisfaction with pharmacy services, an ordinal logistic regression model was conducted adjusting for patient characteristics, clinical comorbidities, and perception of health.

Results
A total of 9,744 people, a representative sample of 48.2 million Koreans, participated in the 2008 KNHANES, of whom …

Social And Behavioral Implications Of National Collegiate Athletic Association Sickle Cell Trait Screening: The Athletes' Perspective, Raymona H. Lawrence, Alison Scott, Carlton Haywood Jr., Kayin Robinson, Mondi Mason

Community Health: Faculty Publications

Background: In August 2010, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) implemented a policy mandating sickle cell trait (SCT) testing for all Division I collegiate athletes. Subsequently, all Division II-III athletes were also compelled to undergo SCT testing. This decision has met with controversy among healthcare providers, researchers, and sickle cell advocates. However, there is little information concerning the athletes’ perspective of this policy. The purpose of this paper is to report the findings of a qualitative study that explored college athletes’ perceptions of sickle cell trait SCT, NCAA policies on SCT testing, and potential implications of SCT screening.

Methods: …

Think Inside The Blocks: Health Literacy Outreach To Disadvantaged People In Their Own Environment, Nancy Patterson

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

This bilingual (Spanish/English) poster highlights six creative health literacy outreach projects that have proven to be successful in increasing participation in health-related events in their communities and in boosting health literacy in the process.

For example, in Georgetown, South Carolina, a beauty salon owner, concerned about her clients’ frequent frustration with trying to decipher medical information, partners with her local public library and is grant funded to provide a Wellness Workstation in her salon. Years later, her clients research health information between services using the workstation, evening health literacy classes are regularly conducted for community members and continued funding has …

Exploring Cyber Harassment Among Women Who Use Social Media, Sloane Burke Winkelman, Jody Oomen-Early, Ashley D. Walker, Lawrence Chu, Alice Yick-Flanagan

Community Health: Faculty Publications

The number of Internet users around the word is at an all-time high. The majority of North Americans are internet users and over two-thirds participate in some kind of social network (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, etc.). Social networks and mobile technology enable individuals to connect instantaneously or asynchronously, across geographic boundaries publicly or anonymously. Few studies exploring cyber harassment have been conducted, primarily because these technologies are relatively recent. The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine U.S. women's experiences with and attitudes toward cyber harassment by way of an anonymous electronic survey. A total of 293 adult women (mean …

Patient Engagement In Transitional Care, Sheeree Dela Pena

Master's Projects and Capstones

The Clinical Nurse Leader Master’s project was conducted about a public health program called the Transitional Care Program that was working in partnership with a county hospital system, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. The specific aim was to reduce hospital re-admissions of high-risk patients by supporting patient motivation and engagement in the Transitional Care Program by May 2015. Over a four-month period, data was collected through ten client visits, interviews with two public health nurses, information available about the program, and current research conducted on transitional care, hospital discharges, and patient engagement. Various aspects of the program were assessed, such …

Improving Rhode Island’S Health Care System: Lessons From The Cuban Model, Sarah R. Moffitt

Senior Honors Projects

Improving Rhode Island’s health care system: lessons from the Cuban model

Cuba is world renowned for its health care system. In regards to international health crises, Cuba is a leader in sending workers abroad and training doctors from all over the world. Within its own borders, the Cuban model provides free access to all citizens in which every individual has a primary care provider. Cuba boasts high vaccination rates, a long life expectancy, low infant mortality rate, and a population that is one of the healthiest in the western hemisphere.

The purpose of this research project is to evaluate the …

Common Threads: An Integrated Hiv Prevention And Vocational Development Intervention For African American Women Living With Hiv/Aids, Liza Marie Conyers, Yung-Chen Chiu, Aisha Shamburger-Rousseau, Vanessa Johnson, Mark Misrok

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Current policies and initiatives call for the integration of social determinants of health into HIV/AIDS prevention and care interventions. According to the World Health Organization’s Commission on Social Determinants of Health, the lower a person’s socioeconomic status, the worse the health outcomes. One way to alleviate poverty among African American women with HIV/AIDS is to help foster their vocational development and economic empowerment. The National HIV/AIDS Strategy Implementation Plan specifically directs federal agencies to find ways to integrate people living with HIV/AIDS into broader employment initiatives. The purpose of this manuscript is to examine medical, psychosocial, financial/legal and vocational social …

Are There Gender Differences In Perceived Sexual Self-Efficacy Among African-American Adolescents?, Michelle L. Redmond, Rhonda K. Lewis

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background: African American adolescents accounted for more than half of all HIV/AIDS cases in 2009. Behavioral Strategies are needed to help lessen the incidence of HIV/AIDS among this population.

Purpose: The aim of his study was to examine sexual self-efficacy practices and beliefs among African American adolescents. We also examined gender differences between African American adolescents to better understand their perceptions of sexual self-efficacy, condom use intention, and other safer sex practices and beliefs.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 214 African American adolescents using survey instruments to examine their beliefs, perception and intentions on the use of condoms, …

The Role Of Occupational Therapy In Primary Care, Priti Patel

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

The Capstone Project is focused on communicating, influencing and educating other health care professionals regarding the role of occupational therapy in the future model of primary care delivery initiated by the adoption of the Affordable Care Act and the Triple Aim Initiative. Currently, primary care, the largest health care platform in United States, is not inclusive of occupational therapy services. Occupational therapists have the scope, knowledge and understanding to be part of the redesigned team model of primary care. Educating those currently working in primary care about adding occupational therapy services can have a significant impact on the profession of …

Photovoice: Engaging School Communities In Wellness Efforts, Hilary J. Overby

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Currently there are no interactive tools that allow school communities to assess their school wellness needs and foster interest in wellness efforts. PhotoVoice is a participatory action research methodology commonly used in public health that utilizes photography to document and showcase community strengths and weaknesses in order to promote change. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to gather perceptions of a school community after using PhotoVoice to document school wellness efforts 1. Participants: High school students (n=103) and school community members (i.e., residents of community, school faculty) (n=188) were recruited across three school districts. Methods: High school students …

Differences In Health Literacy Knowledge And Experiences Among Senior Nursing Students, Sharon S. Williamson, Joanne Chopak-Foss

Community Health: Faculty Publications

Background: Low health literacy has been identified as a significant public health problem. Also, higher expenditures due to longer hospital stays have been reported for persons with low health literacy. Nurses can assist patients with low health literacy to reduce their hospital stays and increase compliance with discharge instructions.

Methods: A quantitative, descriptive research design was employed to assess knowledge and experiences of 192 senior nursing students. These students were administered the Health Literacy Knowledge and Experiences Survey (HL-KES), a 2- part survey that included assessment of knowledge about health literacy and experience in working with populations of …

An Exploration Of Factors Influencing Attrition From A Pediatric Weight Management Intervention, Melissa Ann Kwitowski

Theses and Dissertations

Childhood obesity is a serious health problem in the United States. Numerous weight management programs attempt to address this issue. However, attrition poses significant treatment efficacy challenges. Understanding attendance and attrition from childhood obesity programs is crucial for effective and appropriate resource utilization. NOURISH+ is a community-based treatment program for parents of overweight and obese children (age 5–11 years, BMI ≥ 85th percentile). The current study investigated attrition from NOURISH+ to enhance understanding of pediatric obesity treatment retention factors. NOURISH+ participants (n=70) completed a questionnaire assessing barriers to adherence and general program feedback. Data were analyzed using frequencies, …

Association Analysis Of Reported Attitudes And Culturally Competent Behavior Engagement Among Public Health Department Employees, Marla B. Hall Phd, Jeffrey J. Guidry Phd, E. Lisako Mckyer Phd, Corliss Outley Phd, Danny Ballard Phd

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Objective: The purpose of this research is to analyze the association of attitudes and beliefs on engaging in culturally competent behavior.

Design: Explorational case study of individuals employed within an urban public health department.

Participants: Employees (n=90) from four metropolitan clinical sites of an urban public health department located in the southwest region of the United States were solicited and recruited during a monthly staff meeting. This sample is representative of 84% of the total employees which is comprised of 107 individuals.

Main Outcome Measures: The Cultural Competence Assessment is designed to explore individual knowledge, feelings …

Trauma Informed Practices For Oakland Unite Service Providers, Maereg D. Haile

Master's Projects and Capstones

Oakland, California - a home to almost 400,000 residents - is the top five most violent cities of the nation. There are lots of factors that greatly contribute to violence including: Poverty, housing/homelessness, unemployment, food insecurity, educational attainment, substance abuse. These factors feed to greater healthy disparities and increased trauma in low-income communities – specifically in east and west Oakland. Measure Y, now called Oakland Unite, is the current violence prevention effort that is set for reauthorization in November 2014. In order for these efforts to continue, Oakland Unite has started looking at comprehensive violence prevention initiatives that includes mental …

The Fatherhood Factor: The Impact Of The Father-Child Relationship On The Social, Interpersonal, And Recidivism Risk Factors Of Previously Incarcerated Men, Larissa A. Maley

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Of the men who return home from prison, nearly 7 out of 10 will be re-arrested and sent back within 3 years of their release (Travis, Solomon, & Waul, 2001). This trend has large- scale implications, not just for individuals, but for their families and communities as well. Clearly, understanding the factors that contribute to a man’s success or failure in staying out of prison is extremely important in constructing policy and programs to assist these at-risk individuals and communities. Of the few studies that have explored the lives of previously incarcerated men, some have found fatherhood to be a …

The Interplay Of Trait Anger, Childhood Physical Abuse, And Alcohol Consumption In Predicting Intimate Partner Aggression, Rosalita C. Maldonado, Laura E. Watkins, David Dilillo

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

The current study examined three well-established risk factors for intimate partner aggression (IPA) within Finkel and Eckhardt’s I³ model, including two impellance factors—trait anger and childhood physical abuse history—and the disinhibiting factor of alcohol consumption. Participants were 236 male and female college students in a committed heterosexual dating relationship who completed a battery of self-report measures assessing childhood physical abuse, trait anger, alcohol consumption, and IPA perpetration. Results revealed a significant three-way interaction showing that as the disinhibition factor alcohol consumption increased, the interaction of the two impelling factors, trait anger and childhood physical abuse, became increasingly more positive. …

Sharing Medicine: The Candidacy Of Medicines And Other Household Items For Sharing, Dominican Republic, Michael N. Dohn, Hugo Pilkington

Population and Public Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Background:

People share medicines and problems can result from this behavior. Successful interventions to change sharing behavior will require understanding people’s motives and purposes for sharing medicines. Better information about how medicines fit into the gifting and reciprocity system could be useful in designing interventions to modify medicine sharing behavior. However, it is uncertain how people situate medicines among other items that might be shared. This investigation is a descriptive study of how people sort medicines and other shareable items.

Methods and Findings:

This study in the Dominican Republic examined how a convenience sample (31 people) sorted medicines and rated …

Toward A Biocommunicable Cartography Of Health Decision-Making In The Amazon Basin Of Ecuador, James Cartwright

Lawrence University Honors Projects

This paper comprises a critical, ethnographic study of health communication in a rural community of Amazonian Ecuador. By synthesizing approaches from anthropology, discourse studies, and public health, the study explores how conversations influence health decisions, how communities understand health systems, and how macrostructural discourse changes the political economy of healthcare in Ecuador. My work draws on the recent theoretical development of ‘biocommunicability’ in anthropology as well as earlier sociological research on knowledge construction. Most importantly, this paper offers a critique of current interventions by NGOs in the region.

Alcohol Use And Church Attendance Among Seventh Through Twelfth Grade Students, Dominican Republic, 2011, Michael N. Dohn, Santa Altagracia Jimenez Mendez, Maximinia Nolasco Pozo, Elizabet Altagracia Cabrera, Anita L. Dohn

Population and Public Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Excessive alcohol consumption increases the years of life lost to premature death and disability worldwide. Religion is a mitigating factor in alcohol consumption. A survey in the Dominican Republic showed increasing church attendance by middle and high school students (N = 3,478) was associated with a delay in age at first alcoholic drink, fewer students who had consumed alcohol in the past month (current drinkers), lower alcohol consumption levels, fewer episodes of inebriation, and less heavy episodic alcohol consumption (all P < 0.0001). The results suggested that it may be useful to conceive of church-attending youth as a subset of the adolescent social network when planning primary alcohol prevention programs for young people.

Oceano Community Health Plan, Eugene Phillip Brennan

Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

Oceano Community Health Plan

Phillip Brennan

Recent, mounting research shows that chronic disease, the leading causes of death and primary driver of health care costs, cannot be effectively addressed through education or preventative health alone. A physical environment that promotes health—through access to healthy food, opportunities for physical activity, quality housing, transportation options, and safe schools—is an integral part of making our communities healthier. This research and accompanying Healthy Community Plans will serve as a way for the County to begin looking in-depth at the ways the built environment (our streets, parks, and neighborhoods) contribute or detract from the …

Emerging Challenges And Health System Capacity: The Case Of Non- Communicable Diseases In Pakistan; A Review, Mubashir Zafar, Muhammad Ashar Malik

Community Health Sciences

Background: Pakistan is facing double burden of disease and the contribution of mortality by non-communicable diseases has over numbered the communicable diseases. The focus of health system of Pakistan is inclined more towards communicable disease and maternal & child health. Therefore, there is a need to review health policy, health sector budgeting and health setup in order to meet the needs of healthcare in context of non-communicable disease.

Objective: To review the health system capacity to manage the emerging challenge of non-communicable diseases in Pakistan.

Methodology: A thorough literature search on PubMed and Google Scholar was done. Reports from W.H.O, …

Strategies Employed By Inner-City Activists To Reduce Alcohol-Related Problems And Advance Social Justice, Laurie Drabble, Denise Herd

Faculty Publications

This study explored strategies employed by activists engaged in efforts to change policies and laws related to selling and promoting alcoholic beverages based on in-depth interviews with 184 social activists in seven U.S. major cities. Nine strategies aimed at improving local conditions and influencing policy were described by activists across regional contexts. Grassroots mobilization was central to all other strategies, which included the creation or enforcement of laws, meeting with elected officials, media advocacy, working with police/law enforcement, education and training, direct action, changing community norms, and negotiating with store owners.

Flipping The Global Health Challenge To The Classroom, Cristina Redko

Population and Public Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Much of the debate concerning global health education remains focused on building effective training programs. This paper emphasizes the development of teaching strategies specific to global health education. Inspired by the active learning process of “flipped classrooms” where critical thinking happens in the classroom and fact finding happens outside, this paper describes the experience of bringing the real global health challenge of high maternal mortality in Somaliland directly into the North American classroom in a public health graduate program.

The Likelihood Of Khat Chewing Serving As A Neglected And Reverse ‘Gateway’ To Tobacco Use Among Uk Adult Male Khat Chewers: A Cross Sectional Study, Saba Kassim, Nikki Lynn Rogers, Kelly Leach

Population and Public Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Chewing khat leaves is often accompanied by tobacco use. We assessed aspects of tobacco use and explored factors associated with tobacco use patterns (frequency of use per week) among khat chewers who used tobacco only when chewing khat (“simultaneous tobacco and khat users”, STKU).

Methods

A sample of 204 male khat chewers was recruited during random visits to khat outlets. Data collected included socio-demographic items, tobacco use and khat chewing behaviours. Both psychological and physical dependence on khat were assessed using the Severity of Psychological Dependence on Khat (SDS-Khat) Scale, the Diagnostic Statistical Manual IV (DSM-IV) and adapted items …

Addressing The Health Of Hispanic Migrant Farmworkers In Rural East Tennessee Through Interprofessional Education, Experiential Learning, And A University/Community Partnership, Sharon Loury, Mchael Bradfield, Joseph Florence, Kenneth Silver, Karin Hoffman, Alexis Andino

International Journal of Health Sciences Education

The concept of interprofessional practice and education is not new but has recently gained attention as the result of a paradigm shift in the future of healthcare and how it is delivered and financed. Universities are now addressing ways to incorporate interprofessional education and learning experiences into the curriculum to ensure graduating healthcare professionals are competent to collaborate as a team and deliver quality effective healthcare.

A regional research university in East Tennessee with health programs across five Health Science colleges (Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Public Health), Psychology, and Social Work has offered an interprofessional …

Health Disparities Report, Sara J. Paton, Sylvia Ann Ellison, Nikki Lynn Rogers

Population and Public Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Through a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Community Transformation Grant (CTG), Public Health – Dayton & Montgomery County (PHDMC) is working to improve the health of our community by reducing preventable chronic diseases such as lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Our CTG initiatives focus on engaging community partners to implement policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) changes to promote tobacco-­free living, active living and healthy eating, and clinical preventive services. These PSE changes are intended to reduce death and disability due to tobacco use, rate of obesity, and death and disability due to heart disease and …

Exercise Participation During Weight Loss On A High Protein – Low Carbohydrate Diet Plan In Females Aged 15-25 Years, Margaret Mobley-Meulman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Weight gain due to poor diet and lack of exercise is responsible for over 300,000 deaths each year (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2010). Obese adults have an increased risk for serious health conditions including high blood pressure and cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, respiratory problems, and certain cancers (National Cancer Institute, 2012). Participation in exercise can help control weight, strengthen muscles and bones, and reduce the incidence of cardiac events, stroke, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, colon and breast cancers, osteoporotic fractures, gallbladder disease, obesity, depression, anxiety, and delay mortality …

Open Streets Initiatives In The U.S. : Closed To Traffic, Open To Physical Activity, Jill A. Kuhlberg, J. Aaron Hipp, Amy A. Eyler, Genevieve Cheng

Brown School Faculty Publications

Background: The ciclovía, or open streets concept, is a community level physical activity promotion strategy where streets are closed to motorized traffic and open for individuals to engage in PA. This paper presents an overview of such initiatives in the U.S. to understand their potential in PA promotion, comparing event and city characteristics. Methods: We searched ciclovía and open streets initiatives held in 2011 in the U.S. using internet searches, publication databases, social media, and personal contacts. We extracted data on the each initiative’s frequency, route length, attendance, evaluation procedures, and sociodemographic characteristics of host cities. Results: Our search yielded …