Public Health Commons^™

Assessing Physical Activity In People With Mental Illness: 23-Country Reliability And Validity Of The Simple Physical Activity Questionnaire (Simpaq), S Rosenbaum, R Morell, A Abdel-Baki, M Ahmadpanah, T V. Anilkumar, L Baie, A Bauman, S Bender, Zahra Hoodbhoy, Romaina Iqbal, Ayesha Mian

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Physical inactivity is a key contributor to the global burden of disease and disproportionately impacts the wellbeing of people experiencing mental illness. Increases in physical activity are associated with improvements in symptoms of mental illness and reduction in cardiometabolic risk. Reliable and valid clinical tools that assess physical activity would improve evaluation of intervention studies that aim to increase physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviour in people living with mental illness.
Methods: The five-item Simple Physical Activity Questionnaire (SIMPAQ) was developed by a multidisciplinary, international working group as a clinical tool to assess physical activity and sedentary behaviour in …

What Really Works To Keep Coronavirus Away? 4 Questions Answered By A Public Health Professional, Brian Labus

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

Editor’s note: The World Health Organization has declared that COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, has a higher fatality rate than the flu. As of March 4, 2020, nine deaths have been reported in the U.S. Brian Labus, a professor of public health, provides essential safety information for you, from disinfectants to storing food and supplies.

Effect Of Influenza Vaccination On Mortality And Risk Of Hospitalization In Elderly Individuals With And Without Disabilities: A Nationwide, Population-Based Cohort Study, Yu-Chia Chang, Ho-Jui Tung, Yu-Tung Huang, Chin-Te Lu, Ernawaty Ernawaty, Szu-Yuan Wu

Health Policy & Community Health: Faculty Publications

Purpose: The effects of influenza vaccines are unclear for elderly individuals with disabilities. We use a population-based cohort study to estimate the effects of influenza vaccines in elderly individuals with and without disabilities. Methods: Data were taken from the National Health Insurance Research Database and Disabled Population Profile of Taiwan. A total of 2,741,403 adults aged 65 or older were identified and 394,490 were people with a disability. These two groups were further divided into those who had or had not received an influenza vaccine. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to compare the relative risks (RRs) of …

How The Wuhan Lockdown Significantly Cut Covid-19 Infections, Singapore Management University

Perspectives@SMU

CUHK study reveals the mandatory quarantine of the virus epicentre reduced infections by restricting mobility during the early stages of the outbreak and that social distancing policies in other cities were effective in containing the spread of the noval coronavirus

Arjun Kukreja - Covid-19 Journal, Arjun Kukreja

Personal Journals

EIU History of Illinois (HIS 3810) student outlines personal impressions of the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Synthetic Pesticides And Health In Vulnerable Populations: Agricultural Workers, Cynthia L. Curl, Meredith Spivak, Rachel Phinney, Luke Montrose

Public and Population Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Purpose of Review: This review aims to summarize epidemiological literature published between May 15, 2018 and May 14, 2019 that examines the relationship between exposure to synthetic pesticides and health of agricultural workers.

Recent Findings: Current research suggests that exposure to synthetic pesticides may be associated with adverse health outcomes. Agricultural workers represent a potentially vulnerable population, due to a combination of unique social and cultural risk factors as well as exposure to hazards inherent in farm work. Pesticide exposure among agricultural workers has been linked to certain cancers, DNA damage, oxidative stress, neurological disorders, as well as respiratory, metabolic, …

Preparing For Shortages Of Future Covid-19 Drugs: A Data-Based Model For Optimal Allocation, Charlie L. Sy, Kathleen Aviso, Christina D. Cayamanda, Anthony F. Chiu, Rochelle Irene Lucas, Michael Angelo Promentilla, Luis F. Razon, Raymond R. Tan, John Frederick Tapia, Ador Torneo, Aristotle T. Ubando, Derrick Ethelbhert C. Yu

Angelo King Institute for Economic and Business Studies (AKI)

Drugs for the treatment of Covid-19 are currently beign tested, and those that are apporved for use are likely to be in short supply due to the global scale of the pandemic. This policy brief proposes a model for optimally allocating future Covid-19 drugs to patients to minimize deaths under conditions of resource scarcity. A linear programming model is developed that estimates the potential number of deaths that may result from Covid-19 under two scenarios: with antivirals and without antivirals. It takes into account patient risk level, the severity of their symptoms, resource availability in hospitals (i.e. hospital beds, critical …

Fluoridation: Our History, Our Legacy, James Wieland Dds

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

2020 marks the 75th anniversary of one of the world’s most dramatic public health initiatives, a public health project that dramatically improved the oral health of millions of people, not only in the United States but throughout the world. On Jan. 25, 1945, the Grand Rapids Study was launched and the Furniture City became the world’s first to adjust the fluoride level of its public water supply.

This landmark trial established the use of fluoridation as a safe, effective, and economical public health measure to prevent tooth decay.

How the Grand Rapids Study began is a fascinating story. Even though …

The Studies That Shaped A Science-Based Profession, Christopher J. Smiley

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Editorial on science-based public health policy and the lessons of the Grand Rapids Study.

The Flint Water Crisis And Community Water Fluoridation: A Lesson In Communication. Communicating With The Public And Connecting With Community Leaders, Traci J. Dantzler Dds, Raymond Gist Dds

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This article presents how not only was Flint’s water compromised lead contamination of residential waterlines during the Flint Water Crisis, but area dentists had to work hard to refute unsubstantiated claims that adding fluoride to the community water supply increased the level of lead in the water. Oral health advocacy to reassure citizens and build confidence in the community water supply following remediation efforts required sharing the best evidence while most importantly actively listening to assure that community members were heard; that they felt that they have a voice, and to know that we are here to listen to their …

Examining Healthy Community Design Characteristics And Its Influence On Physical Health, Alvin T. Yip

Theses and Dissertations

Current trends in obesity rates associated with the community layout constitutes research towards understanding the interaction between the two in order to improve the public's physical health. Successes in healthy community planning studies for the public can be harnessed and implemented within the microcosm of military bases to yield similar results. Four factors were recognized through an in-depth academic literature review that showed positive influence on physical health and physical activity. They are access to green space, highly connected pedestrian and bicycle networks, access to public transportation, and integrated mixed land use. The four healthy planning strategies formed the necessary …

Mainstreaming Nutrition Services: Stabilization Centers And Outpatient Therapeutic Program Centers, Ashar Muhammad Malik

Community Health Sciences

No abstract provided.

Celebrate! The Legacy Of Community Water Fluoridation Continues In Grand Rapids, James Wieland Dds

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Michigan dentistry continues to tell the world about the great advance in public health that began in Grand Rapids 75 years ago. This article looks back at past commemorations, and a tribute to those who worked so hard to make a permanent monument to community water fluoridation.

Increasing Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors In Cargo Drivers, Ronda L. Bell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to examine the extent to which lifestyle behaviors of transportation drivers in North Texas can be improved with health education. This research study was conducted to examine the health behaviors of transportation drivers as a result of an educational partnership between nursing and the transportation industry. The goal was to improve healthy lifestyles through education to decrease chronic illness and comorbid conditions of a significantly at-risk occupational population. The impact of this education was immediate and verified with quantitative measurement and statistical analysis. Results demonstrated that after nurse-led health education, transportation drivers reported significant …

Endemic Human Coronaviruses In Hospitalized Adults With Community-Acquired Pneumonia: Results From The Louisville Pneumonia Study, Forest W. Arnold, Mark V. Burns, Kamran Mahmood, Darmaan Aden, Stephen P. Furmanek, Mahder A. Tella, Connor Glick, Anupama Raghuram, Leslie A. Beavin, Rodrigo Cavallazzi, Dawn Balcom, Leslie A. Wolf, Kenneth E. Palmer, Ruth Carrico, Julio A. Ramirez, The Center Of Excellence For Research In Infectious Diseases (Cerid) Coronavirus Study Group

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Introduction: There are four endemic serotypes of human coronavirus (HCoV) that may cause community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in humans. The clinical syndrome of CAP due to HCoVs is not well characterized. The objectives of this study were to evaluate incidence, epidemiology, and outcomes of CAP in adults due to HCoV and to compare them with CAP due to influenza.

Methods: The Louisville Pneumonia Study (LPS) is a prospective observational study of hospitalized adult patients with CAP in the city of Louisville. Patients enrolled in the LPS in whom a respiratory viral panel polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was obtained were evaluated. Incidence, …

Community-Acquired Pneumonia Due To Endemic Human Coronaviruses Compared To 2019 Novel Coronavirus: A Review, Julio A. Ramirez, Ruth Carrico, Rodrigo Cavallazzi, Leslie A. Beavin, Anupama Raghuram, Mark V. Burns, Kamran Mahmood, Darmaan Aden, Angeline Prabhu, Dawn Balcom, Stephen P. Furmanek, Leslie A Wolf, Kenneth E. Palmer, Mahder A. Tella, Connor Glick, Forest W. Arnold, The Center Of Excellence For Research In Infectious Diseases (Cerid) Coronavirus Study Group

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

The human coronaviruses (HCoVs) are an important etiology of community-acquired respiratory tract infections. Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) may be caused by serotypes of endemic HCoVs or highly pathogenic HCoVs. In this review, we compared clinical characteristics, management, outcomes, and infection control practices for patients with CAP due to endemic HCoVs versus patients with CAP due to 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2).

Surveillance Of Culex And Aedes Mosquitoes In Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska, William Noundou

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In 2018, West Nile virus (WNV) was identified as the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental United States. In response to this very serious problem, the Lincoln-Lancaster County Public Health Department (LLCHD) reinforced their mosquito surveillance program, which constitutes one of the best available tools to fight against this serious threat to human health. The objectives of this study were to 1) expand knowledge of the activity and relative abundance of mosquito communities in understudied areas and 2) evaluate differences in mosquito communities by urban and rural location, especially focusing on known vector species. A total of 6 …

Woodi Health Hub: Promoting Health Information Literacy To Students In The Atlanta University Center, Rosaline Y. Odom

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

“Health Literacy is defined as the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions.” National initiatives call for improved health literacy as a means of addressing ongoing health disparities in the U.S. Low health literacy is linked to a poorer overall health status and higher risk of death among at-risk populations. Vulnerable populations include older adults, immigrant populations, minority populations and low income populations. College years are a time when young adults transition from parental control to independence and face new challenges, stressors and messages …

Medicaid Home Visitation And Maternal And Infant Care And Health: A Reassessment Of Program Effectiveness, Cristian Meghea, Zhiying You, Jennifer E. Raffo, Lee Anne Roman

Michigan Journal of Public Health

Introduction: The Maternal Infant Health Program, MIHP, is Michigan's largest home visiting program for Medicaid-eligible pregnant women and infants. Prior quasi-experimental propensity score matched MIHP evaluations were limited by the possibility of selection bias due to the limited available baseline characteristics. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of MIHP including previously unobserved baseline characteristics to mitigate the possibility of selection bias.

Methods: We analyzed health care and outcomes of mothers and their infants using linked administrative and screening data. All Medicaid pregnant women with a singleton birth in Michigan between 2009 and 2012 who were prenatally …

Development Of A Diabetes Self-Management + Mhealth Program: Tailoring The Intervention For A Pilot Study In A Low-Income Setting In Mexico, Robin Whittemore, Mireya Vilar-Compte, Soraya Burrola-Méndez, Annel Lozano-Marrufo, Roberta Delvy, Mariana Pardo-Carrillo, Selene De La Cerda, Ninfa Pena-Purcell, Rafael Pérez-Escamilla

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a public health pandemic disproportionately affecting low- and middle-income countries. The purpose of this formative research was to adapt evidence-based diabetes self-management education programs to the context of Seguro Popular clinics in Mexico. A theory-based mHealth (pictorial text messaging) component was developed.

Method: Our formative research and development of the program protocol consisted of six phases: (1) interviews and focus groups with stakeholders on the challenges to T2D management, curriculum content needs, and the use of mHealth as a supplement to a DSME program; (2) review of the theoretical underpinning, curriculum, and interactive strategies …

Promoting Bike Safety And Physical Activity In The Community: The Kenton-Hardin County Family Bike Program, Jamie Hunsicker

Ada Chats

No abstract provided.

Estimating The Costs And Cost-Effectiveness Of Promoting Mammography Screening Among Us-Based Latinas, Yamilé Molina, Catherine M. Pichardo, Donald L. Patrick, Scott D. Ramsey, Sonia Bishop, Shirley A.A. Beresford Phd, Gloria Coronado

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Purpose: We characterize the costs and cost-effectiveness of a community health worker (CHW)-based intervention to promote screening mammography among US-based non-adherent Latinas.

Methods: The parent study was a randomized controlled trial for 536 Latinas aged 42-74 years old who had sought care within a safety net health center in Western Washington. Participants were block-randomized within clinic to the control arm (usual care) or intervention arm (CHW-led motivational interviewing intervention). We used the perspective of the organization implementing promotional activities to characterize costs and cost-effectiveness. Cost data were categorized as program set-up and maintenance (initial training, booster/annual training) program implementation (administrative …

Improving Community Advisory Board Engagement In Precision Medicine Research To Reduce Health Disparities, Erin Connors, Rebecca Selove, Juan Canedo, Maureen Sanderson, Pamela Hull, Marilyn Adams, Ila Mcdermott, Calvin Barlow, Denice Johns-Porter, Caree Mcafee, Karen Gilliam, Oscar Miller, Nora Cox, Mary Kay Fadden, Stephen King, Hilary Tindle

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Community Advisory Boards (CABs) are used in efforts to reduce health disparities; however, there is little documentation in the literature regarding their use in precision medicine research. In this case study, an academic-CAB partnership developed a questionnaire and patient educational materials for two precision smoking cessation interventions that involved use of genetic information. The community-engaged research (CEnR) literature provided a framework for enhancing benefits to CAB members involved in developing research documents for use with a low-income, ethnically diverse population of smokers. The academic partners integrated three CEnR strategies: 1) in-meeting statements acknowledging their desire to learn from community partners, …

Rural Primary Care And The Diagnostic Resolution Of Abnormal Screening Mammograms: A Mixed Methods Study In Rural Missouri, Jean Hunleth, Julia Maki, Amanda Lee, Aimee James, Rebecca Lobb

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Rural health clinics (RHCs) and federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) play a vital role in initiating cancer screening in underserved, rural settings. Yet there is limited information about their involvement in diagnostic tests when a mammogram result is abnormal. Diagnostic resolution of abnormal mammograms varies widely by geographic location and resources, and timely resolution is important for addressing rural-urban cancer disparities. This mixed methods study in a rural region of Missouri with high rates of cancer mortality examined the roles of primary care providers during follow-up after an abnormal mammogram, the processes they used, and the clinic specific variations among …

The Right To Vote, The Right To Health: Voter Suppression As A Determinant Of Racial Health Disparities, Anna K. Hing

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Civic participation is beneficial to one’s health. Conversely, being unable to participate, such as being unable to vote, may be detrimental for health. Barriers that prevent voting and civic participation, which constitute voter suppression, disproportionately impact people of color. Therefore, voter suppression may explain intractable racial health disparities. However, few studies have examined the connection between voter suppression and health. In consideration of the frequent, and increasing, reports of voter suppression in recent elections, including the rise in voter identification laws, the reduction in early voting opportunities, and the closing of polling places, the field of public health should address …

Factors Contributing To Domestic Violence Among Hindu Asian Indian Immigrant Women In Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: A Feasibility Study, Chelsea Pallatino, Todd Bear, Martha A. Terry

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

While there is research on survivors of domestic violence in India and the United States (U.S.), little is known about the sociocultural factors related to domestic violence among Hindu Asian Indian immigrant women (AIIW) in the U.S. The objectives of this study were to a) test the feasibility of conducting domestic violence research among Hindu AIIW; b) investigate domestic violence prevalence and correlations with other characteristics; and c) test the cultural appropriateness of completed measures on social support, acculturation status, and domestic violence. Over 50% of respondents had experienced abuse, often perpetrated by family. Participants had high levels of social …

Accessing Young Black Stroke Survivors For Secondary Prevention, Mellanie V. Springer, James F. Burke, Devin L. Brown, Lesli E. Skolarus

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

ABSTRACT

Background- Stroke rates and risk factors may be increasing in young adults aged 18-64, especially black individuals. We sought to identify whether young high risk stroke survivors could be found at community health centers.

Methods- This was a cross-sectional analysis of the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey from 2006-2011. We used chi-square analyses, t-tests, and proportions to compare and describe stroke survivor visits at community health centers and private offices.

Results- Young stroke survivor visits comprise 48% of stroke survivor visits at community health centers compared to 31% of stroke survivor visits at the private office setting. Among young …

A Health Disparity Action Plan: Achieving Equity Through Clinical Trials, Affordable Care, And Professional Development, Daniel Schafer, Shefa Moten, Ayesha Khan, Mauro Ferrari, Boris Lushniak, Edwin Burkett, Asad Moten

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Given the threatened nature of affordable care in the United States, it is crucial to underscore its importance. What is more, the reason such care is so important is the presence of an oft-unacknowledged disparity in access to quality care in this country and, indeed, around the world. A world without health disparities can be achieved and will be characterized by prompt and quality care available to all and at all stages of the care continuum. Further insurance reform is needed beyond the Affordable Care Act, while local care must be more accessible in rural, urban, and other underserved areas. …

Condom Use And Related Factors Among Rural And Urban Men Who Have Sex With Men In Western China: Based On Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model, Ling Hu, Yetao Luo, Xiaoni Zhong, Rongrong Lu, Yang Wang, Manoj Sharma, Mengliang Ye

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

This study aimed to determine the differences in condom use and related factors among rural–urban men who have sex with men (MSM) in Western China. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Chongqing, Sichuan, and Guangxi, which recruited MSM by non-probability sampling. Data were collected through an anonymous, standardized, and self-reported questionnaire guided by an information–motivation–behavioral skills model. Structural equation model was applied to analyze the related factors. Out of the 1141 MSM included in this analysis, 856 (75%) and 285 (25%) were from urban and rural areas, respectively. The median age was 27 years for both groups. Self-reported consistent condom …

Housing With Services Evaluation Report, Hannah Cohen-Cline, Jannate Ahmed, Kyle Jones, Jb Rinaldi

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

No abstract provided.