Rural Health Commons^™

The Efficacy Of Transversus Abdominis Plane Block As An Adjunct To Spinal Anesthesia For Cesarean Delivery: An Evidence Synthesis And Implementation Toolkit, Alyssa Hebert, Alex Potts, Gabriela Robertson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Postoperative pain hinders cesarean delivery recovery and overall patient experience. Although spinal anesthesia with intrathecal opioids remains the standard of practice, associated side effects and concerns regarding opioid exposure highlight the need for effective opioid-sparing strategies. Anesthesia providers play a critical role in advancing postoperative pain management through evidence-based protocol development, provider education, and interdisciplinary collaboration to optimize maternal outcomes. The transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block provides somatic analgesia to the anterior abdominal wall by targeting the thoracolumbar nerves (T6–L1) and has increasingly been incorporated into multimodal postoperative pain management strategies for abdominal surgery. Nevertheless, a gap remains in obstetric …

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 …

Feeding Missoula: Food Insecurity In Rural Children And Youth, Chani Brammer, Braelee Cheeks, Jordin Holland, Rayne Mccollough, Laurel Palmer, Therese Solomon

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

In Montana, approximately one in seven children live in a food-insecure household, with rural Montanans in particular facing significant barriers. Existing needs-based food assistance programs, such as SNAP and WIC, have structural weaknesses: SNAP benefits are often not sufficient to last through the month, and those eligible for these programs face a confusing application process, shame and stigma, and logistical hurdles, such as limited transportation.

“Feeding Missoula” began with an evaluation of how current food assistance programs met or failed to meet the needs of rural youth. Our methodology integrated a comprehensive review of existing literature and structured interviews with …

Promoting Maternal And Infant Health In Franklin County, Ky: A Community-Based Physical Activity And Education Intervention, Subin Kim

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Maternal and infant health outcomes are key indicators of population health, yet persistent disparities exist in rural communities across the United States. In Kentucky, Franklin County reflects this pattern, with concerning maternal and infant health indicators despite relatively favorable socioeconomic conditions. Identified challenges include elevated rates of poor physical and mental health days, high drug overdose mortality, provider shortages, and ongoing reproductive health concerns such as tobacco use during pregnancy and increased infant mortality associated with elevated maternal body mass index.

To address these gaps, a three-pronged, community-based prenatal and postpartum physical activity and education program is proposed. The program …

Preventing Teen Pregnancy Through Expanded Contraceptive Access In Mccreary County, Kentucky, Dacey B. Chitwood

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

This capstone project proposes a school-based Condom Availability Program to reduce teen pregnancy risk by expanding discreet contraceptive access for adolescents in McCreary County, Kentucky. Teen pregnancy remains a persistent public health concern in rural communities where stigma, privacy concerns, transportation barriers, and limited healthcare access can prevent adolescents from obtaining reproductive health resources. McCreary County faces elevated teen birth rates, socioeconomic disadvantage, and limited maternal healthcare infrastructure, making teen pregnancy prevention an important local priority. The proposed program would place free latex and non-latex condoms in student restrooms at McCreary Central High School, with QR-code-linked information connecting students to …

Rurality, Infant Feeding Practices, And Perinatal Cardiovascular Health Behaviors, Elly Marie Marshall

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States, with higher rates in rural areas. While limited healthcare access contributes to this disparity, other factors remain unclear. Breastfeeding provides long-term protection against cardiovascular disease, but modern infant feeding practices are complex and may impact maternal cardiovascular health (CVH) in unexpected ways. Healthy CVH behaviors of sufficient sleep duration, adequate physical activity, a healthy diet, and nicotine avoidance can enhance protection against future cardiovascular disease risk. Therefore, the aims of this dissertation are to 1) assess associations between rurality and first trimester CVH behaviors; 2) synthesize …