Community Health Commons^™

Mission Of Mercy: Restoring Smiles With Dignity, Anne Berquist

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This feature chronicles Michigan’s 2026 Mission of Mercy clinic, where more than 1,200 volunteers provided 5,656 procedures to 771 patients. The article describes patient experiences, volunteer contributions, and the extensive planning required to transform a sports arena into a temporary dental clinic. Beyond oral healthcare delivery, the program restored confidence, relieved pain, and highlighted the dental profession’s commitment to serving underserved populations.

Determinants Of Corporal Punishment And Severe Physical Punishment In Egypt: A Mixed-Methods Analysis For Child Protection Policy, Marwa Moustafa Nassef

Theses and Dissertations

Corporal punishment (CP) and severe physical punishment (SPP) remain a major public health, child rights, and child protection policy concern. In Egypt, despite legislative reforms, survey-weighted analysis of the 2021 Egypt Family Health Survey (EFHS) 2021 (CAPMAS, 2022) reveals prevalence rates of 60.5% for CP and 27.4% for SPP among children aged 1–14 (author’s calculations using EFHS-2021, n=7623), yet evidence distinguishing the determinants of routine corporal punishment from escalation to severe physical punishment remains limited in low- and middle-income contexts. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s ecological framework, this mixed-methods study identifies key drivers of CP and its escalation to SPP among Egyptian …

Abortion Politics And Policy: Stigma And Access In The Silver State, Celene Fuller

Lincy Institute Events

In the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2022) overturning Roe V. Wade, states have taken divergent paths in regulating access to abortion services. In 2024, Nevada voters overwhelmingly passed Question 6 proposing to codify abortion rights into the state constitution. In November 2026, Question 6 will again be on the ballot for final confirmation. If it passes, these rights will be protected from future legislative action.

Despite Nevadans’ strong support for abortion rights, the state’s dearth of abortion providers limits access to these services. As this lecture explores, both providers and individuals seeking abortions, …

Simulating Social Attitudes With Llms: Accuracy, Demographic Effects, And Refusal Behavior In The Sensitive Domain Of Suicide Prevention, Cristina J. Perez, Michael P. Vasquez Jr., Philippe J. Giabbanelli, Patrick Y. Wu

VMASC Publications

Large language models (LLMs) are increasingly used to simulate public opinion, yet their validity in sensitive policy domains remains underexplored. We evaluate whether LLMs can reproduce attitudes toward suicide prevention policies using 32 questions drawn from seven nationally representative U.S. surveys (2023-2025). We systematically vary demographic conditioning (race/ethnicity, gender, age, education, income, party), prompt framing (direct elicitation, respondent embodiment, specialist embodiment), and model architecture (GPT-5 Nano, DeepSeek V3.2, Meta Llama 3.1 8B, Mistral Small 24B). Across 811,560 prompts, the mean absolute error—the average gap between predicted and human response distributions—is 23 percentage points. We also find that LLM responses to …

Moving Toward Healthy Ageing: The Role Of Physical Activity In Cognitive Function And Self-Esteem Among Older Adults In Türkiye, Canan Birimoglu Okuyan, Müjde Kerkez

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between religious attitudes and breastfeeding attitudes and the effect of this relationship on breastfeeding practices.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 251 older adults. Data were collected using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, the Standardized Mini-Mental State Examination, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Spearman’s correlation and chi-square tests were employed for statistical analysis.

Results: Physical activity levels were positively correlated with both cognitive function (r = 0.546, p < 0.001) and self-esteem (r = 0.168, p < 0.05). No significant association was observed between cognitive function and self-esteem. Physical inactivity, cognitive decline, and low self-esteem were more prevalent among women, participants with lower educational attainment, those with chronic diseases, and individuals engaged in polypharmacy.

Conclusions: The findings emphasize the importance of integrating physical activity promotion into national healthy ageing policies, particularly in Mediterranean contexts such …

Behind The Badge: Effects Of Stress And Trauma In Policing -- Understanding The Importance Of Evidence-Based Prevention, Early Intervention, And Wellness Programs, Jessica Rolshouse

Master of Arts in Human Services

Law enforcement officers are exposed to occupational stress and trauma routinely and at rates that far exceed the general population. This chronic exposure places them at risk for physical and psychological injury and negative outcomes to include mental health disorders including burnout, anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Prolonged exposure to occupational stress and trauma also increases the risk of suicidal ideation and dying by suicide, the most tragic outcome of the stress law enforcement officers face. This literature review focuses on individual risk factors, occupational stress, and trauma, and the development of mental health disorders in law enforcement officers. It also …

A Quantitative Exploration Of Risk And Protective Factors Affecting The Mental Health Of Chitimacha Tribal Youth, Daphnie Vilcan-Tanner

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the relationships between demographics, risk factors, and protective factors with mental distress among Chitimacha Tribal adolescents aged 12 to 18. Using a Positive Youth Development framework, the research aimed to identify the prevalence of mental distress, trauma, discrimination, and protective factors, as well as their collective and individual impacts on mental health. Data were collected through online surveys completed by 73 participants residing on or near the Chitimacha Tribal Reservation. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to analyze the data. Results revealed that while trauma and discrimination collectively predicted mental distress, family and community …

Senior Health (Age 65+) In The Mountain West, 2024, Taylor Volk, Kristian Thymianos, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet presents senior health care statistics for the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The “2024 Senior Report – State Summaries,” study from America’s Health Rankings, United Foundation provided the data for all fifty states and Washington, D.C.

The Social Standing Versus The Mind Standing Of Older Adults In Egypt: Cross-Sectional Analysis Of The Relationship Between Social Capital And Cognitive Functions, Shaza H. Shinaishen Dr

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Egypt's population, much like that of other countries, is expected to age considerably over the course of the coming decades. Although biological and socioeconomic predictors of cognitive function have been studied widely, personal level social capital remains unexplored, especially in LMICs.

Purpose: This study primarily investigates the relationship between individual social capital and cognitive functioning among older adults aged 65 years and older in Egypt using the structural and cognitive components of social capital, including group membership, civic engagements, and caregiving roles.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey on 363 older individuals in different geographical and demographic segments of Egypt using …

The Association Between Economic Outcomes And Abortion: A Scoping Review, Larisa Nicole Stephenson

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Background: Abortion access is not just an issue of autonomy, but an economic issue as well. Evidence of the intersectionality of abortion health care and economics has endured due to the financial cascading effects a denial of an abortion, or the inability to access an abortion, has on one’s personal, professional, and economic upward mobility. A change in recent policies impacting access to abortion warrants an updated synthesis examining the relationships between economic outcomes and abortion access for people of reproductive age in the United States (U.S.).

Aim: This scoping review summarizes evidence pertaining to the association …

Psychological Treatment Behind The Walls:Insights From The Inside, Rogelio Serrano

Psychology Division Scholarship

Repeated eras of mass incarceration, criminalization of marginalized communities, and substance use policies have created a revolving door of justice involved populations. The ever-increasing prison population has repeatedly become the largest contingency of mental health clientele for an overburdened mental health system. Those who work with formerly incarcerated individuals in the community often don’t know the unique set of challenges faced by practitioners within the system. Increased understanding and coordination of care can offer opportunities for sustained recovery and reduced levels of recidivism. In this presentation participants will learn about the unique insights on mental health treatment that can be …

Behere Nevada: Partnership And Policy, Sara Hunt

Community Engagement Expo Research Posters

Partnership: Nevada ranks 51st in the nation for mental illness prevalence and access to care (Mental Health America). Significant shortages in mental health professions, especially in rural areas. Other states using policy and funding to implement a “grow our own” model for behavioral health workforce development. Proposed a behavioral health workforce development center for Nevada.

"Health Gatekeepers": The Influence Of Women On Health Practices In Rural, Central Appalachia, Reese Lycan

Senior Theses

Women have historically assumed leadership roles in familial and community health promotion, intervention, and facilitation. While the role of women in family health is globally understood and the historical importance of female leadership has been documented, there remains a gap in knowledge regarding the role of women as “health gatekeepers”. Furthermore, when considering the Appalachian region, there are limited studies regarding women’s place in leadership as far as health is concerned. Therefore, this study employs a hermeneutic phenomenological framework to explore the lived experiences of women in relation to their family and community’s health in rural, Central Appalachia- a region …

Preferences And Willingness For Starting Daily, On-Demand, And Long-Acting Injectable Hiv Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Among Transfeminine Persons In The Us, 2022-2023, Duygu Islek, Travis Sanchez, Stefan Baral, Carolyn Brown, Joanna A. Caldwell, Jennifer L. Glick, Danielle Friedman Nestadt, Jeb Jones, Iaah L. Lucas, Supriya Sarkar, Annemiek De Ruiter, Patrick S. Sullivan, Mariah Valentine-Graves, Savannah Winter, Vani Vannappagari

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Background There remains limited information concerning US transfeminine persons preferences across varying PrEP options. We examined PrEP option willingness, preferences, and associated factors among a US nationwide sample of transfeminine persons. Methods Sexually active transfeminine persons age 15 + were recruited online between June 2022-October 2023 through social media advertisements. Transfeminine persons not diagnosed with HIV were asked about willingness to initiate, and ranked preference, of three PrEP options- daily oral (DO), on-demand, and long-acting injectable (LA-PrEP). Log-binomial models were used to examine PrEP modality willingness and associated sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics. Results Among 2657 transfeminine persons not currently using …

Defederalizing Opioid Addiction Care, Matthew B. Lawrence

Faculty Articles

Lack of access to evidence-based care for drug addiction is an urgent problem amid a decades-long overdose crisis that kills tens of thousands of Americans a year. Opioid addiction is the primary driver of overdoses today, and medicines exist to treat such addiction that can dramatically improve quality of life while reducing the risk of deadly overdose by more than half. Yet fewer than one in four of the nine million Americans who need such evidence-based medical care for their addiction receive it. Chief among barriers to access are restrictive and burdensome federal requirements limiting the use of narcotic medications …

Addressing The Public Health Concern Of Maternal Mortality In Houston, Texas, Lucy Couture

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Maternal mortality remains a pressing public health concern in the United States, with disproportionate consequences for marginalized communities. Despite being a developed nation, the U.S. reports one of the highest maternal mortality rates among its peers, with approximately 80% of maternal deaths deemed preventable. Texas reflects this national crisis, particularly affecting Black women, whose maternal mortality rate is significantly higher than that of other racial and ethnic groups. This thesis explores maternal mortality trends in Houston, Texas, analyzing the roles of systemic inequities, social determinants of health, and disparities in access to quality care. Drawing on data from the Texas …

Obesity: Influencing Behavioral Consumption Through Meal Kit Distribution, Alejandro Hernandez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Founded in 2002, Everyone’s Harvest is a grassroots nonprofit dedicated to providing access to healthy, affordable fruits and vegetables through certified farmers markets and community food programs. Its key initiatives—Fresh Rx, Market Match, Edible Education and Farms Together —focus on alleviating nutrition insecurity and combating diet-related health conditions by providing vulnerable populations the resources to purchase, or receive, fresh produce and gain nutritional knowledge. This study explores a new intervention: the distribution of farmers' market meal kits as a complementary strategy to the current Edible Education program. These meal kits, which feature seasonally available produce and pre-measured ingredients, aim to …

Impacting Community Well-Being Through Effective Engagement Using The Seed Method, Carlin Rafie, Emily B. Zimmerman, Angelina Hargrove, Theodora Biney Amissah, Samantha Lee

Journal of Extension

Cooperative Extension can make a significant impact on health in the United States through effective community engagement that focuses on the complex socio-ecological factors that impact health. The Stakeholder Engagement in Question Development Method (SEED Method) employs community based participatory research principles to engage communities in research, problem-solving, and action planning. Projects employing the SEED Method engage community members from diverse backgrounds, create community capacity, result in tangible outcomes, and foment inter-organizational trust and networking. A SEED Toolkit is available on the Extension Foundation Campus site and provides implementation instructions, tools and timelines, and potential applications within Extension.

A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial Of A Smartphone-Based Application To Support At-Home Psa Screening And Culturally Tailored Prostate Cancer Education For African American Men: A Study Protocol, Jordan Neil, Bingjing Mao, Ruosi Shao, E. Ogunsanya Motolani, Summer Frank-Pearce, Michael Businelle, Michael Cookson, Kelly Stratton, Mark Doescher, Stephanie Pharr, Valerie Moise, Brianna Fleshman, Jack Fronheiser, Kimberly Estrada, Iván Flores, David Bradley, Ashley Kendrick, Adam C. Alexander

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Background: Prostate cancer is the most diagnosed cancer in Black/African American men (AA) and the second‑leading cause of cancer-related deaths. A prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test is an early detection screening tool for prostate cancer, but uptake of PSA screening remains low among AA men. Greater PSA screening rates among AA men, coupled with earlier treatment, may reduce disparities in prostate cancer outcomes, including mortality. The current pilot study will test the first-of-its-kind mobile health (mHealth) app to improve prostate cancer knowledge and increase PSA screening uptake among AA men using home-based screening methods. Methods: AA men aged 55 to …

Expanding Healthcare Access For The Undocumented Immigrant Community: The Heal For Immigrant Families Act Of 2023, Perla Torres Estrada

The Gettysburg Journal for Public Policy

When it comes to the topic of universal healthcare, most of us will readily agree that healthcare is a human right. Where this agreement usually ends, however, is on the question of who should be granted this right, and if it should be left to the free market to determine access and affordability. Specifically, the political debate on expanding healthcare access to undocumented immigrants in the United States revolve around concerns over costs, legality, and equity. Proponents maintain that it is a human right whereas opponents question the potential burden on taxpayers and the implication for immigration policy. The HEAL …

Unveiling The Impact: Structural Racism And Childhood Lead Exposure's Health Consequences In Philadelphia, Mahhum Naqvi, Mahrukh Naqvi, Justin Stout, Colton Spencer

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Childhood lead exposure poses a significant risk to health and well-being, adversely affecting brain function, nervous system development, and behavioral patterns. This study examines the health disparities and inequities associated with childhood lead exposure in Philadelphia, focusing on structural racism and residential segregation as crucial lenses for analysis. By delving into the sociocultural context of lead exposure, this study underscores the imperative of collaborative efforts among stakeholders to safeguard Philadelphia's most vulnerable populations. Healthcare professionals and policymakers play pivotal roles in enhancing funding and prevention strategies. Addressing this issue through the prism of structural racism allows for the identification and …

Exploring Hypertension Prevalence Among Ill-Housed Individuals In Urban Environments, Lia Summer Goldberg, Sameer Shah, Nikhila Archakam, Murod Khikmatov, Kesha Choksi, Anddee White

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

This study explores the interrelations of hypertension, homelessness, and access to healthcare in urban ill-housed populations. It was found that conditions such as heart disease and diabetes significantly exacerbate hypertension, which remains highly prevalent due to the population's limited access to consistent medical care. Homelessness further complicates the management of hypertension due to unstable living conditions, making adherence to treatment and follow-up with healthcare providers challenging. Additionally, factors like higher rates of substance abuse and malnutrition among homeless populations contribute to worsening hypertension, which, if untreated, can lead to severe health crises including heart attacks and strokes.

The research underscores …

The Impact Of Policy And Perception On Women’S Health Since 2010, Eryn Busenbark

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This project tackles the complicated relationship between policy and perception of women’s health in the last decade. This was achieved through research on existing literature and semi-structured interviews with five professionals in various areas of women’s health: mental health, public policy, sexual health education, and research. Literature reviews were conducted using University of Nebraska at Omaha Criss Library’s databases, with dozens of articles analyzed. The goal of this research was to gain an understanding of how public opinion and perceptions can sway policy, which has created challenges and consequences for women and their health.

Family Medicine’S Role In Addressing The Intersections Of Redlining And Climate Change, Daryl O. Traylor, Eboni E. Anderson, Brianna Clark, Alex M. Smith, Cooper K. Allenbrand

Journal of Sustainable Social Impact

Redlining, the practice of discriminating against specific neighborhoods based on race and socioeconomic status, leads to persistent environmental hazards and socioeconomic inequalities that have lasting adverse health effects on their populations. Health disparities are further exacerbated through the concentration of environmental hazards, as well as the escalating impact of climate change, which poses an increased risk of respiratory illness, cardiovascular disease, mental health issues, heat-related illness, infectious diseases, food insecurity, and socioeconomic difficulties in redline neighborhoods.

This paper examines the interplay of redlining, climate change, and health disparities, with an emphasis on the enduring consequences for these marginalized communities. Through …

Reducing Food Scarcity: The Benefits Of Urban Farming, S.A. Claudell, Emilio Mejia

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Urban farming can enhance the lives of communities and help reduce food scarcity. This paper presents a conceptual prototype of an efficient urban farming community that can be scaled for a single apartment building or an entire community across all global geoeconomics regions, including densely populated cities and rural, developing towns and communities. When deployed in coordination with smart crop choices, local farm support, and efficient transportation then the result isn’t just sustainability, but also increasing fresh produce accessibility, optimizing nutritional value, eliminating the use of ‘forever chemicals’, reducing transportation costs, and fostering global environmental benefits.

Imagine Doris, who is …

Policy Review And Recommendation For Secondary Education Np-Led Clinics In The Southeastern United States, Shiney Alex Jacob

Student Scholarly Projects

Secondary-level education involves adolescent children aged 11-12 years to 18-19 with unique healthcare needs. Their healthcare is of significant importance as they are transitioning to adulthood, and a majority of them lack access to primary healthcare needs. Advanced Practice Registered Nurses/Nurse Practitioners (APRNs/NPs) provide high-quality, cost-effective, and evidence-based care to people across the lifespan, and there is minimal utilization of their services in meeting the primary care needs of adolescents at the secondary school level. The purpose of the policy project was to determine if current policies and practices related to school health services in three southeastern states of the …

An Integrated Evidence-Based Approach To Provide A Practicum-Based Learning Experience To Students, Dziyana Nazaruk, Joseph Telfair, Jamie S. Cromley, Joanne Chopak-Foss, Ana M. Palacios

Health Policy & Community Health: Faculty Publications

Background

Due to the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the public health field has an exceptional opportunity not only to address current challenges but also to rebuild and expand the workforce. Objectives

The main objective of this presentation is to highlight the 2018-2022 academic year's progress of the practice-based learning experience of the JPH College of Public Health at Georgia Southern University in Georgia, USA. The College serves more than 59, mostly rural counties, and involves diverse practicum preceptors, students, and existing professionals from the USA and other countries. The College provides a unique opportunity for students to develop …

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities And Threats Of A Community-Based Egg Program In Rural Honduras, Lilly Karsa, Dziyana Nazaruk, G. Ramos, L. Manship, Ana M. Palacios

Health Policy & Community Health: Faculty Publications

Background

Young children living in poor rural areas in Honduras are susceptible to suffering from undernutrition. About 1 in every 4 children under age 5 have stunting. Stunting during early childhood has negative consequences on an individual's life that can have short-term and lasting effects. This study's purpose was to explore the perceptions of the mothers of children that participate in a community-based nutrition-agriculture program that offers 1 egg daily to all children ages 6 to 24 months in 13 communities. Methods

Using community-engaged methods, we implemented a SWOT analysis to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats using a semi-structured …

Clinical And Demographic Attributes Of Patients With Diabetes Associated With The Utilization Of Telemedicine In An Urban Medically Underserved Population Area, Lisa Ariellah Ward, Gulzar H. Shah, Kristie C. Waterfield

Health Policy & Community Health: Faculty Publications

Marginalized populations often experience health disparities due to the significant obstacles to care associated with social, economic, and environmental inequities. When compared with advantaged social groups, these populations frequently experience increased risks, poorer health outcomes, and reduced quality of life (QoL). This research examines the clinical and demographic characteristics—age, gender, and race—related to patients with varying stages of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), comparing the utilization of telemedicine (TM) with traditional healthcare face-to-face (F2F) appointments in an urban medically underserved population area (UMUPA). A logistic regression model, was used to analyze retrospective electronic patient health records (EHRs) from 1 January …

Adaptation And Formative Evaluation Of Online Decision Support To Implement Evidence-Based Strategies To Increase Hpv Vaccination Rates In Pediatric Clinics, Ross Shegog, Lara S Savas, Erica L Frost, Laura C Thormaehlen, Travis Teague, Jack Steffy, Catherine Mary Healy, Laura Aubree Shay, Sharice Preston, Sally W Vernon

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination rates remain below national goals in the United States despite the availability of evidence-based strategies to increase rates. The Adolescent Vaccination Program (AVP) is a multi-component intervention demonstrated to increase HPV vaccination rates in pediatric clinics through the implementation of six evidence-based strategies. The purpose of this study, conducted in Houston, Texas, from 2019-2021, was to adapt the AVP into an online decision support implementation tool for standalone use and to evaluate its feasibility for use in community clinics. Phase 1 (Adaptation) comprised clinic interviews (