Community Health Commons^™

The Relationship Between Physical Activity And Diet And Young Children's Cognitive Development: A Systematic Review, Pooja S. Tandon, Alison Tovar, Avanthi T. Jayasuriya, Emily Welker, Daniel J. Schober, Kristen Copeland, Dipti A. Dev, Ashleigh L. Murriel, Dima Amso, Dianne S. Ward

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Objective. Given the high prevalence of suboptimal nutrition and low activity levels in children, we systematically reviewed the literature on the relationship between physical activity and dietary patterns and cognitive development in early childhood (six months to five years).

Methods. In February 2016, we conducted two different searches of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and ERIC. Each search included either physical activity (including gross motor skills) or diet terms, and neurocognitive development outcome terms. Included studies were in English, published since 2005, and of any study design in which the physical activity or diet measure occurred prior to age five.

Results. For physical …

An Analysis Of Women’S Access To Acute Opioid Detoxification Services In Maine: Identifying The Barriers To Treatment, Karen E. Conley

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

The lack of treatment facilities and services for opioid use disorder in Maine, combined with an increased prevalence of addiction, creates a potential for health inequity between men and women that may be intensified by barriers in access to care. This capstone study utilized detoxification screening inquiry forms and data obtained from the Milestone Foundation’s acute opioid detoxification program to assess and categorize barriers to access by gender. A barriers model was developed based on existing literature and was to identify potential associations among and between the known barriers to accessing treatment. Barriers were described as internally or externally based, …

A Systematic Review Of Coal Fired Power Plant Proximity And Local Socioeconomic Status Trends And Outcomes, Oshane Mcrae, Peter Lapuma

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Among the significant sources of energy, coal based energy bears the largest share (42%) of the electricity produced in the United States. Already existing coal fired power plants are the largest emitter of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States. Among the cumulative emissions contributed by the industrial sector, significant portions are from coal fired power plants. Coal-fired power plants emit 66% of sulfur oxides, 40% of carbon dioxide, 33% of mercury and 22% of nitrogen oxides in the U.S. and are linked as risk factors to respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases and other ailments shown to impact environmental and human …

Wic Participation As A Risk Factor For Loss To Follow-Up In The Wisconsin Ehdi System, Elizabeth L. Seeliger, Rebecca A. Martin, Andrea N. Gromoske, Anne B. Harris

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

In 2011, Wisconsin’s Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) program, Wisconsin Sound Beginnings (WSB), developed multiple strategies to reduce loss to follow-up (LTFU) for babies who did not pass their newborn hearing screening: Medical Outreach, Family Outreach, Regional Outreach and WIC Alert. WSB evaluated the outcomes of babies identified as at-risk for LTFU to determine whether WIC participation was an indicator of their risk for LTFU. Additionally, WSB evaluated whether babies who were identified as at-risk for LTFU and receiving WIC services in two WIC projects serving areas and populations with known health disparities, were at even greater risk for …

Multilevel Analysis Of Individual, Neighborhood, And Health Care Facility Characteristics Associated With Achievement And Maintenance Of Hiv Viral Suppression Among Persons Newly Diagnosed With Hiv In New York City, Ellen W. Wiewel

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Objective

To investigate the effect of individual, health care facility, and neighborhood characteristics on achievement and maintenance of HIV viral suppression, among New York City residents aged 13 years and older diagnosed with HIV between 2006 and 2012.

Methods

I used individual-level data from the New York City HIV surveillance registry and Case Surveillance-Based Sampling, facility-level data from the surveillance registry, and neighborhood-level data from the U.S. Census and American Community Survey. The outcomes of interest were first viral suppression after diagnosis (Aims 1 and 3; ≤400 copies/mL) and virologic failure after first suppression among persons who achieved suppression (Aim …

A Test Of Symmetry Based On The Kernel Kullback-Leibler Information With Application To Base Deficit Data, Hani M. Samawi, Robert L. Vogel

Biostatistics: Faculty Publications

The assumption of the symmetry of the underlying distribution is important to many statistical inference and modeling procedures. This paper provides a test of symmetry using kernel density estimation and the Kullback-Leibler information. Based on simulation studies, the new test procedure outperforms other tests of symmetry found in the literature, including the Runs Test of Symmetry. We illustrate our new procedure using real data.

Symptom Patterns Of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Deaf Trauma Survivors, Melissa L. Anderson, Amanda Sortwell, Kelly S. Wolf Craig, Douglas M. Ziedonis

JADARA

Details about Deaf people’s pattern of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms remain relatively unknown due to inaccessible methods used in most epidemiological research. We conducted semi-structured American Sign Language interviews with 16 trauma-exposed Deaf individuals to explore their PTSD symptom patterns. Half met criteria for current PTSD, a rate higher than the general population. Underlying this disparity may be heightened rates of dissociation and psychogenic amnesia reported by many Deaf trauma survivors. Future research with large samples of Deaf survivors is needed to clarify this hypothesis, and to inform interventions that more accurately target Deaf people’s pattern of trauma symptoms.

Experiences Of Victimization And Health Care Access Among Non-Metropolitan Lgbtq+ Individuals, Ashley-Ann Marcotte

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer (LGBTQ+) individuals report substantial rates of violence, discrimination, and negative life events due to homophobia and transphobia and these experiences impact access to health care services and programs (Bauer et al, 2009; Grant, Mottet, Tanis, Harrison, & Keisling, 2010) These experiences result in LGBTQ+ communities needing services, programs, and social supports to provide safer spaces. Although it is well recognized that health care services are not a major determinant of health outcomes and yet use more than 60% of health spending (Canadian Institute for Health Information, 2014; Muzyka, Hodgson, & Prada, 2012). As such, …

Low Self-Esteem Leads To Depression Among Elderly: Case Study Of Nursing Home, Savera Aziz Ali, Nadir Suhail, Sumera Aziz Ali

School of Nursing & Midwifery

Background: Self-esteem is defined as “how we value our self”; it affects our trust and relationships in every part of life. Person with low self-esteem may feel powerless and incompetent about himself/herself. Moreover, low self-esteem operates as a risk factor for depression, which is most common disorder among elderly people both in developed and developing countries, causing multiple behavioral changes as well as may increase the chances of depression and suicide among the elderly people. Objective: The objective of this case study was to understand the problems faced by elderly people in the nursing home and to relate the self-esteem …

Design And Commissioning Of A Community Scale Solar Powered Membrane-Based Water Purification System In Haiti, Shavin Pinto, Yung Wong, Kyle Fennesy, Yan Tang, Marc Compere

Publications

This paper presents the design and commissioning of a solar powered water purification system at the Ryan Epps Home for Children (REHC) in Michaud, Haiti. This system supplies clean drinking water to the 200 children who live and go to school at REHC and also to the community in the form of a micro-business. This micro-business is the mechanism for income generation for sustainable system operation. The purifier uses a three stage filtration system with a disc-type sediment filter, a 0.1 micron ultrafiltration membrane, and an ultraviolet light for disinfection. The backwash cycle extends the life of the ultrafiltration membrane …

A Cross-Sectional Study On Patients' Access To Healthcare In A Developing Nation, Pawan Bhandari

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The objective of this research study was to gauge the current status of patients' access to health care services in a developing nation or least-developed country (as defined by the World Bank and United Nations), Nepal. Many patients are not privileged to have a hospital at a close proximity in Nepal. They are also forced to travel and wait for long hours due to their inability to pay for services offered by private healthcare institutions. A survey questionnaire was developed to get a snapshot of how long patients travel to get to a public hospital for an outpatient service. The …

Development And Evaluation Of A Peer-To-Peer Intervention To Increase Self-Management Among Adult In-Center Hemodialysis Patients, Jennifer J. St Clair Russell

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Peer-to-peer (P2P) support programs have the potential to assist ESRD patients in managing their disease and improve outcomes. Yet, there is little research examining P2P programs’ impact on psychosocial outcomes and disease management behaviors.

Methods: A 4-month P2P mentoring intervention was designed and piloted in a facility serving 249 in-center hemodialysis patients in Lynchburg, Virginia. Preceded by a social marketing effort, which included a program naming contest and participant recruitment, the intervention included: (1) mentor training, (2) pairing of mentees and mentors, (3) kick-off social mixers, (4) ongoing meetings between mentees and mentors, (5) mentor training booster, and (6) …

Healthcare Access In Women’S Prisons: An Intersectional Perspective, Megan R. Bray

Undergraduate Research Posters

This project will be identifying the key factors that contribute to the significant lack of health care in prisons in the U.S., specifically in women’s correctional facilities. I will be lending my focus to disparities in mental health, HIV/AIDs care, reproductive health, trans health, and physical health issues among women who are either currently incarcerated or those who have completed their sentences and are at higher risk for re-entry after attempting re-integration. There is a lack of care, access, and proper treatment for women inmates in U.S. prisons and reform is needed. I foresee the best possible way to accomplish …

Frequency Of Birth Defects And Its Relationship To Parents Having Interfamily Marriages At A Tertiary Care Hospital, Tufail Soomro, Shiyam Sunder Tikmani

Community Health Sciences

Background: Inter family cousin marriages carries a risk of increased birth defects. The exact contribution of interfamily to birth defects risk is controversial. The aims of this study were to determine the frequency of birth defects in in relation to interfamily or outside family marriages.
Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted in the Civil hospital Sukkur from 9th November 2013 to 13th December 2015. Mothers giving birth to babies married in interfamily or outside family with their consent obtained were included in the study. Mothers not giving consent for study and having any known major illnesses were excluded from …

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 …

Correction Of Verication Bias Using Log-Linear Models For A Single Binaryscale Diagnostic Tests, Haresh Rochani, Hani M. Samawi, Robert L. Vogel, Jingjing Yin

Biostatistics: Faculty Publications

In diagnostic medicine, the test that determines the true disease status without an error is referred to as the gold standard. Even when a gold standard exists, it is extremely difficult to verify each patient due to the issues of costeffectiveness and invasive nature of the procedures. In practice some of the patients with test results are not selected for verification of the disease status which results in verification bias for diagnostic tests. The ability of the diagnostic test to correctly identify the patients with and without the disease can be evaluated by measures such as sensitivity, specificity and predictive …

Monitoring For Adverse Events Post Marketing Approval Of Drugs, Karl E. Peace, Macaulay Okwuokenye

Biostatistics: Faculty Publications

This brief communication provides information to those developing monitoring plans for serious adverse events (SAE’s) following regulatory approval of a new drug. In addition, we (1) illustrate how many patients would need to be treated in order to have high confidence of seeing at least 1 pre-specified SAE, (2) show that absence of proof of a SAE is not proof of absence of that SAE, and (3) identify statistical methodology that could be used for formal statistical monitoring of SAE’s.

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 …

The Impact Of Antenatal Care On Maternal Mental Health In Rural Maharashtra, Cameron Barker

India: Public Health, Policy Advocacy, and Community

This study seeks to understand the major mental health concerns experienced by pregnant women and recent mothers in rural villages in Maharashtra and how these concerns are impacted by different elements of holistic antenatal and postnatal care. The risk factors that may lead to poor maternal mental health are strongly tied to social factors and vary from community to community. Unfortunately, in most developing countries mental health takes a back seat to other health issues deemed more pressing. This is especially true for female specific illnesses, given that the overall health of women and girl children is often neglected. The …

Does Mode Of Contact With Different Types Of Social Relationships Predict Depression In Older Adults? Evidence From A Nationally Representative Survey, Alan R. Teo, Hwajung Choi, Sarah B. Andrea, Marica Valenstein, Jason T. Newsom, Steven K. Dobscha, Kara Zivin

Community Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

OBJECTIVES: To determine associations between use of three different modes of social contact (in person, telephone, written or e-mail), contact with different types of people, and risk of depressive symptoms in a nationally representative, longitudinal sample of older adults.

DESIGN: Population-based observational cohort.

SETTING: Urban and suburban communities throughout the contiguous United States.

PARTICIPANTS: Individuals aged 50 and older who participated in the Health and Retirement Survey between 2004 and 2010 (N = 11,065).

MEASUREMENTS: Frequency of participant use of the three modes of social contact with children, other family members, and friends at baseline were used to predict depressive …

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 …

A Step By Step Methodological Approach To Appraise The Quality Of Written Feedback Using Comment Analysis, Lubna Ghazal, Raisa B. Gul, Amina Aijaz Khowaja

School of Nursing & Midwifery

Several studies have been conducted to analyze the quality of written feedback given by teachers on students’ written assignments. However, it has been observed that there is no clear existing method or tool to facilitate the analysis of teachers’ written feedback. This paper aims to document a step by step methodological approach to analyze teachers’ comments and appraise the quality of feedback on students’ written assignments. A self-initiated tool was developed from the comment analysis process which revealed the use of various formats and modes employed to provide written feedback to the students. In addition, this tool helped to determine …

Size And Power Of Tests Of Hypotheses On Survival Parameters From The Lindley Distribution With Covariates, Macaulay Okwuokenye, Karl E. Peace

Biostatistics: Faculty Publications

The Lindley model is considered as an alternative model facilitating analyses of time-to-event data with covariates. Covariate information is incorporated using the Cox’s proportional hazard model with the Lindley model at the timedependent component. Simulation studies are performed to assess the size and power of tests of hypotheses on parameters arising from maximum likelihood estimators of parameters in the Lindley model. Results are contrasted with that arising from Cox’s partial maximum likelihood estimator. The Linley model is used to analyze a publicly available data set and contrasted with other models.

Joint Modeling Of Treatment Effect On Time-To-Event Endpoint And Safety Covariates In Control Clinical Trial Data Analysis, Kao-Tai Tsai, Karl E. Peace

Biostatistics: Faculty Publications

It is a common practice to perform a separate analysis of efficacy and safety data from clinical trials to estimate the benefit and risk aspects of a particular treatment regimen. However, by doing so, one is likely to miss the complete picture of the treatment effect given that these data are generated from the same study subjects and therefore most likely will be correlated. Therefore, it is desirable to analyze these data jointly to obtain a more complete profile of the treatment regimen. A substantial number of statistical methodologies have been proposed in the last decade to model the time-to-event …

The Associations Between Environmental Quality And Preterm Birth In The United States, 2000–2005: A Cross-Sectional Analysis, Kristen M. Rappazzo, Lynne C. Messer, Jyotsna S. Jagai, Christine L. Gray, Shannon C. Grabich, Danelle T. Lobdell

Community Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Many environmental factors have been independently associated with preterm birth (PTB). However, exposure is not isolated to a single environmental factor, but rather to many positive and negative factors that co-occur. The environmental quality index (EQI), a measure of cumulative environmental exposure across all US counties from 2000—2005, was used to investigate associations between ambient environment and PTB.

Methods: With 2000–2005 birth data from the National Center for Health Statistics for the United States (n = 24,483,348), we estimated the association between increasing quintiles of the EQI and county-level and individual-level PTB; we also considered environmental domain-specific (air, …

Promoting Completion Of Advance Directives In A Hispanic Religious Congregation: An Evidence-Based Practice Project, Luis Daniel San Miguel, Mary Jo Clark

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Background: Hispanics utilize more aggressive medical treatment at the end of life and are less likely to receive end-of-life care consistent with their wishes than nonHispanic Whites. Hispanics are less likely than nonHispanic Whites to have an advance directive (AD). Increasing AD completion among Hispanics can promote end-of-life care consistent with their wishes, diminish healthcare disparities, and eliminate unnecessary healthcare spending. Objectives: To promote completion of advance directives by increasing knowledge, positive attitudes, and comfort with advance care planning (ACP) among Hispanics through culturally sensitive interventions. Intervention: The project was conducted in Spanish and implemented among a …

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 …