Public Health Commons^™

Prostate Cancer Risk Group Is Associated With Other-Cause Mortality In Men With Localized Prostate Cancer, R. Rasul, A. Golden, M. A. Feuerstein

Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

Thirty-Day Unplanned Readmission And Its Effect On 90-Day Mortality In Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients Undergoing Partial Hepatectomy, Yongyue Qi, Tricia Levan, Gleb Haynatzki, Chandrakanth Are, Evi A. Farazi

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

Background: Despite advances of surgical techniques, hepatectomy continues to be potentially dangerous and is associated with postoperative mortality, morbidity and readmission. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of 30-day unplanned readmission on ‘conditional’ 90-day mortality among hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients who underwent partial hepatectomy.

Methods: National Cancer Database (NCDB) was queried from 2004 to 2012 for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who underwent partial hepatectomy. Thirty-day unplanned readmission rate, and associated risk factors, was determined for 7,696 patients. The association between 30-day unplanned readmission and conditional 90-day mortality was further addressed.

Results: The 30-day unplanned readmission …

Ua94/6/1 Covid-19 Diary, Missy Thomas

Student/Alumni Personal Papers

COVID-19 diary submitted to WKU Archives by student Missy Thomas for fall 2020 semester.

Ua94/6/1 Covid-19 Diary, Anonymous

Student/Alumni Personal Papers

COVID-19 diary submitted to WKU Archives by student Isabelle Hobbs for fall semester 2020.

Ua35/3 Memoranda, Wku Provost

WKU Administration Documents

2020 memoranda issued by the WKU Provost to faculty & staff via email.

• Center for Innovative Teaching & Learning January Workshops
• Fall to Fall Retention of All FFY as of Census by Selected Categories
• Updates fromt the Provost
• COVID-19
• COVID-19 or Coronavirus Update
• COVID-19 Update from the Provost's Office
• Announcing the 2020 College Faculty Award Winners
• WKU Announces New Associate Provost for Research & Graduate Education
• Budget Communication
• Summer School Updates from the Provost
• Amendment to PDF Policy
• FY2020-21 Budget Executive Committee Recommendations
• Provost's Message

After-Hours Incentives And Emergency Department Visits: Evidence From Ontario Forthcoming At Canadian Public Policy, Rose Anne Devlin, Koffi Ahoto Kpelitse, Lihua Li, Nirav Mehta, Sisira Sarma

Epidemiology and Biostatistics Publications

No abstract provided.

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Aquatic Therapy On Mobility, Balance, And Level Of Functional Independence In Stroke Rehabilitation: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis., Alice Mary Iliescu, Amanda Mcintyre, Joshua C. Wiener, Jerome Iruthayarajah, Andrea Lee, Sarah Caughlin, Robert Teasell

Epidemiology and Biostatistics Publications

OBJECTIVE: To meta-analyze and systematically review the effectiveness of aquatic therapy in improving mobility, balance, and functional independence after stroke.

DATA SOURCES: Articles published in Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Scopus up to 20 August 2019.

STUDY SELECTION: Studies met the following inclusion criteria: (1) English, (2) adult stroke population, (3) randomized or non-randomized prospectively controlled trial (RCT or PCT, respectively) study design, (4) the experimental group received >1 session of aquatic therapy, and (5) included a clinical outcome measure of mobility, balance, or functional independence.

DATA EXTRACTION: Participant characteristics, treatment protocols, between-group outcomes, point measures, and measures of variability …

The Epidemiology Of Overweight And Obesity In Ghana: Examination Of Predictors And Risk Groups Among Women Of Childbearing Age, Jason Mulimba Were, Emmanuel Kojo Kyeremeh, Bridget Annor, Saverio Stranges

Africa Western Collaborations Day 2020 Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Diversification Of Research Methodological Approach During Model Enhancements In Health Information System Research, Uche Ikenyei

Africa Western Collaborations Day 2020 Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Cost And Variations In Trauma Types For Pediatric Er Visits By South Carolina County, Cokeitha James Gaddist

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Children between the ages of 0 to 19 are treated in South Carolina emergency rooms (ER) and hospitals for unintentional injuries at an alarming rate which contributes to high medical cost and high mortality and morbidity rate. The objective of the study is to examine ER visits and hospital discharge data for pediatric patients in South Carolina by county to identify trauma types for unintentional injuries, cost, distribution by high-risk populations and by rural or urban classification to determine appropriate interventions. This is a quantitative study using retrospective analysis of archival data from ER visits and hospital discharge data for …

Retention, Viral Suppression, And Care Models In Hiv Positive Children And Adolescents In Cameroon, Eveline Mboh Khan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) remains a significant public health problem in Sub-Saharan Africa with poor treatment outcomes in children and adolescents (C&As). There is a lack of information on the effects of various HIV care models (Child and Adolescent Friendly Clinic model and Support Group model) on retention in care and Viral Suppression (VS) in Cameroon. This study was carried out to identify the care model with the best outcomes for C&As, inform national scale-up strategies, resource prioritization, and contribute to the existing literature. A quantitative retrospective cohort review approach guided by the social cognitive theory was used to analyze …

Sexual Orientation, Body Mass Index, And Methamphetamine Use Among Chicago Youth, Nileshkumar Panchal

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Drug use and obesity are two of the most challenging health-related issues that young people face. Obesity, substance abuse, and drug addiction lead to brain dysfunction, which can decrease the quality of life and academic performance as well as increase the vulnerability of developing chronic diseases. To date, there has been little research to determine whether sexual orientation influences the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and methamphetamine use. Focusing on youth, the relationship between BMI, methamphetamine use, and sexual orientation were examined in this study through secondary data analysis of the Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance System in Chicago. Guided …

Structural Equation Modeling To Detect Correlates Of Childhood Vaccination: A Moderated Mediation Analysis, Abraham Degarege, Karl Krupp, Vijaya Srinivas, Boubakari Ibrahimou, Purnima Madhivanan

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

OBJECTIVES: This study used a health belief theory derived framework and structural equation model to examine moderators, mediators, and direct and indirect predictors of childhood vaccination.

METHODS: A secondary analysis was conducted using data collected from a cross-sectional survey of a random sample of 1599 parents living in urban and rural areas of Mysore district, India. Applying two-stage probability proportionate-to-size sampling, adolescent girls attending 7th through 10th grades in 23 schools were selected to take home a questionnaire to be answered by their parents to primarily assess HPV vaccine intentions. Parents were also asked whether their children had received one …

Parasitic Infections Represent A Significant Health Threat Among Recent Immigrants In Chicago, Jesica A. Herrick, Monica Nordstrom, Patrick M. Maloney, Miguel Rodriguez, Kevin Naceanceno, Gloria Gallo, Rojelio Mejia, Ron Hershow

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

Parasitic infections are likely under-recognized among immigrant populations in the USA. We conducted a cross-sectional study to evaluate if such infections have health impacts among recent immigrants in Chicago and to identify predictive factors for parasitic infections. A total of 133 recent immigrants were enrolled, filling out a standardized medical questionnaire and providing blood and stool samples. Appriximately 12% of subjects (15/125) who provided a blood or stool sample for testing were found to have evidence of current or prior infection with a pathogenic parasite, of which Toxocara spp. (8 subjects, 6.4%) and Strongyloides stercoralis (5 subjects, 4%) were most …

Short-Term Effects Of Ambient Ozone, Pm2. 5, And Meteorological Factors On Covid-19 Confirmed Cases And Deaths In Queens, New York., Atin Adhikari, Jingjing Yin

Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Environmental Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2, has been rapidly increasing in the United States. Boroughs of New York City, including Queens county, turn out to be the epicenters of this infection. According to the data provided by the New York State Department of Health, most of the cases of new COVID-19 infections in New York City have been found in the Queens county where 42,023 people have tested positive, and 3221 people have died as of 20 April 2020. Person-to-person transmission and travels were implicated in the initial spread of the outbreaks, but factors …

Molecular Typing Of Rickettsia Akari, Marina E. Eremeeva

Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Environmental Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Rickettsia akari is an obligate intracellular bacterium that causes smallpox rickettsia. Rickettsia akari is an atypical member of the rickettsia spotted fever (SFG) group because it circulates in gamasid mites; however, only limited data are available regarding the degree of genetic diversity of R. akari isolates. We examined 13 isolates of R. akari isolated from humans, rodents, and ticks in the United States, the countries of the former USSR, and the former Yugoslavia for the period from 1946 to 2003 for diversity in the composition of tandem repeats (TR) and intergenic regions (IGR). Using the Tandem Repeat Finder software (http://tandem.bu.edu) …

Rickettsialpox – A Rare But Not Extinct Disease: A Review Of The Literature And New Directions, Marina Eremeeva, Kamalich Muniz-Rodriguez

Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Environmental Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Smallpox rickettsia is an urban zoonosis caused by Rickettsia akari. To date, R. akari is the only characterized representative of the group of spotted fevers transmitted by the gamasid mite Liponyssoides sanguineus, which is common among peridomic rodents. This disease was first described in New York in 1946, and a few years later a similar outbreak occurred in the Ukrainian SSR. Numerous serological studies and diagnostics of sporadic cases of smallpox rickettsiosis suggest its widespread occurrence on the planet; however, the current geography and incidence of smallpox rickettsiosis is unknown. Smallpox rickettsiosis is characterized by the classic clinical triad of …

Intravenous Lidocaine As A Non-Opioid Adjunct Analgesic For Traumatic Rib Fractures., Jeff Choi, Kirellos Zamary, Nicolas B Barreto, Lakshika Tennakoon, Kristen M Davis, Amber W Trickey, David A Spain

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

INTRODUCTION: Pain management is the pillar of caring for patients with traumatic rib fractures. Intravenous lidocaine (IVL) is a well-established non-opioid analgesic for post-operative pain, yet its efficacy has yet to be investigated in trauma patients. We hypothesized that IVL is associated with decreased inpatient opioid requirements among patients with rib fractures.

METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated adult patients presenting to our Level 1 trauma center with isolated chest wall injuries. After 1:1 propensity score matching patients who received vs did not receive IVL, we compared the two groups' average daily opioid use, opioid use in the last 24 hours of …

Persistent Reduction In The Age Adjusted Mortality Rate From Aortic Valve Surgery In The United State With Elimination Of Gender Gap In Recent Years., Mohammad Reza Movahed, Sara Etemad, Mehrnoosh Hashemzadeh, Mehrtash Hashemzadeh

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

BACKGROUND: Advancement in the surgical techniques should translate into better outcome. The goal of this study was to evaluate mortality trends from aortic valve surgery in the United State using large inpatient database.

METHOD: The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database was used to calculate the age-adjusted mortality rate from aortic valve surgery from 1988 to 2011 in the United State using ICD-9 coding for aortic valve surgery.

RESULTS: We found that age adjusted mortality rate from aortic valve surgery gradually decreased from 1988 until end of study in 2011 to the lowest level with elimination of gender gap that was …

Association Between Breastfeeding And Child Stunting In Mexico, Ana Paola Campos, Mireya Vilar-Compte, Summer Sherburne Hawkins

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Background: Globally, the prevalence of child stunting has been decreasing over the past decades. How-ever, in low-and middle-income countries such as Mexico, stunting is still the most prevalent form of undernutrition affecting a large number of children in the most vulnerable conditions. Breastfeeding has been identified as one of the key affordable and modifiable maternal health behaviors protecting against child stunting. Objective: To examine the association between breastfeeding (defined as never breastfed, any breast-feeding for <6 months, and any breastfeeding for ≥6 months) and other individual-, household-, and area-level factors with child stunting (defined as length/height-for-age-z-score for sex under –2 standard deviations of the World Health Organization child growth standards’ median) in Mexico. Methods: Secondary data analysis using the 2012 Mexican Health and Nutrition Survey, which allowed representativeness of rural and urban areas at national level and among 4 regions in Mexico. Our subset included data on 2,089 singleton Mexican children aged 6–35 months with information on previously identified risk and protective factors for stunting. We conducted fixed-and mixed-effects logistic regression models sequentially controlling for each level of factors. Findings: Overall, 12.3% of children were stunted and 71.1% were breastfed for ≥6 months. Any breast-feeding and being female were consistent protective factors against child stunting across all models. In contrast, child low birthweight, maternal short stature, higher number of children aged <5 years per household, and moderate to severe food insecurity were consistent risk factors for child stunting across all models. Conclusions: According to our findings, efforts to reduce child stunting in Mexico should include prenatal strategies aiming to prevent low birthweight offspring particularly among short-stature women, moderate to severe food insecure households, families with a higher number of children aged <5 years, and indigenous communities. Postnatal components should include multilevel strategies to support breastfeeding.

Aerosol And Surface Contamination Of Sars-Cov-2 Observed In Quarantine And Isolation Care, Joshua L. Santarpia, Danielle N. Rivera, Vicki L. Herrera, M. Jane Morwitzer, Hannah M. Creager, George W. Santarpia, Kevin K. Crown, David Brett-Major, Elizabeth R. Schnaubelt, M. Jana Broadhurst, James V. Lawler, St. Patrick Reid, John Lowe

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) originated in Wuhan, China in late 2019, and its resulting coronavirus disease, COVID-19, was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020. The rapid global spread of COVID-19 represents perhaps the most significant public health emergency in a century. As the pandemic progressed, a continued paucity of evidence on routes of SARS-CoV-2 transmission has resulted in shifting infection prevention and control guidelines between classically-defined airborne and droplet precautions. During the initial isolation of 13 individuals with COVID-19 at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, we collected air …

Real-Time Public Health Communication Of Local Sars-Cov-2 Genomic Epidemiology, Chaney C. Kalinich, Cole G. Jensen, Peter Neugebauer, Mary E. Petrone, Mario Peña-Hernández, Isabel M. Ott, Anne L. Wyllie, Tara Alpert, Chantal B. F. Vogels, Joseph R. Fauver, Nathan D. Grubaugh, Anderson F. Brito

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

Genomic epidemiology can provide a unique, real-time understanding of SARS-CoV-2 transmission patterns. Yet the potential for genomic analyses to guide local policy and community-based behavioral decisions is limited because they are often oriented towards specially trained scientists and conducted on a national or global scale. Here, we propose a new paradigm: Phylogenetic analyses performed on a local level (municipal, county, or state), with results communicated in a clear, timely, and actionable manner to strengthen public health responses. We believe that presenting results rapidly, and tailored to a non-expert audience, can serve as a template for effective public health response to …

Acute Encephalopathy With Elevated Csf Inflammatory Markers As The Initial Presentation Of Covid-19, Shelli Farhadian, Laura R. Glick, Chantal B. F. Vogels, Jared Thomas, Jennifer Chiarella, Arnau Casanovas-Massana, Jing Zhou, Camila Odio, Pavithra Vijayakumar, Bertie Geng, John Fournier, Santos Bermejo, Joseph R. Fauver, Tara Alpert, Anne L. Wyllie, Cynthia Turcotte, Matthew Steinle, Patrick Paczkowski, Charles Dela Cruz, Craig Wilen, Albert I. Ko, Sean Mackay, Nathan D. Grubaugh, Serena Spudich, Lydia Aoun Barakat

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome virus SARS-CoV-2. It is widely recognized as a respiratory pathogen, but neurologic complications can be the presenting manifestation in a subset of infected patients.

CASE PRESENTATION: We describe a 78-year old immunocompromised woman who presented with altered mental status after witnessed seizure-like activity at home. She was found to have SARS-CoV-2 infection and associated neuroinflammation. In this case, we undertake the first detailed analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytokines during COVID-19 infection and find a unique pattern of inflammation in CSF, but no evidence of viral neuroinvasion.

CONCLUSION: Our findings …

Motor Vehicle Fatalities During Memorial Day Weekends, 1981-2016, Yuni Tang, Kendra Ratnapradipa, Henry Xiang, Motao Zhu

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

OBJECTIVE: Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of injury death in the United States, and Memorial Day weekend is one of six holiday periods with an increased number of motor vehicle fatalities in the United States. However, few motor vehicle fatality comparisons were made between Memorial Day weekend and non-holiday periods. Our aims were to determine which day(s) during the holiday had highest motor vehicle fatality risk compared to non-holiday travel and to identify potential risk factors.

RESULTS: Of 43,457 traffic fatalities studied, 15,292 (35%) occurred during the holiday, with Saturday being deadliest but Monday having highest odds of …

Increased Motor Vehicle Fatalities Tuesday Through Thursday During The Us Thanksgiving Holiday (1980-2018), Kendra Ratnapradipa, Motao Zhu

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

Traffic crashes remain a leading cause of death in the United States; holidays are known to have increased travel and traffic fatalities. Our purpose was to determine which days during Thanksgiving had the highest crash fatality risk compared to non-holiday periods. Using time series and binomial approximations, we analyzed Fatality Analysis Reporting System data (1980-2018) with a Monday-Sunday holiday and matching comparisons the weeks before and after. Fatalities included 31,263 during the holiday, 30,361 the previous week, and 29,399 the following week. Deadliest days during the holiday were Saturday (16.7% of fatalities) and Wednesday (16.0%), but odds of a traffic …

The Correlation Between Maternal Postpartum Depression And Child Psychopathology, T'Keyah I. Vaughan

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a phenomenon that affects nearly 10-15% of pregnancies in the US. It is characterized by depressed mood or anhedonia and lasting for more than 2 weeks. PPD changes how moms interact with family members and child-rearing behavior. Depression is a phenomenon that is also known to affect the psychopathology of children. However, the specifics of how postpartum depression impacts children remains controversial. Many studies do not control for major depressive disorder which makes it difficult to disentangle the impact depression has within the first year of life. Furthermore, other PPD risk factors may be confounding …

Advanced Preparation Makes Research In Emergencies And Isolation Care Possible: The Case Of Novel Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19), David Brett-Major, Elizabeth R. Schnaubelt, Hannah M. Creager, Abigail Lowe, Theodore J. Cieslak, Jacob M. Dahlke, Daniel W. Johnson, Paul D. Fey, Keith F. Hansen, Angela L. Hewlett, Bruce G. Gordon, Andre C. Kalil, Ali S. Khan, Mark G. Kortepeter, Christopher J. Kratochvil, Luann Larson, Deborah A. Levy, James Linder, Sharon J. Medcalf, Mark E. Rupp, Michelle M. Schwedhelm, James N. Sullivan Md, Angela M. Vasa, Michael C. Wadman, Rachel E. Lookadoo, John-Martin J. Lowe, James V. Lawler, M. Jana Broadhurst

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

The optimal time to initiate research on emergencies is before they occur. However, timely initiation of high-quality research may launch during an emergency under the right conditions. These include an appropriate context, clarity in scientific aims, preexisting resources, strong operational and research structures that are facile, and good governance. Here, Nebraskan rapid research efforts early during the 2020 coronavirus disease pandemic, while participating in the first use of U.S. federal quarantine in 50 years, are described from these aspects, as the global experience with this severe emerging infection grew apace. The experience has lessons in purpose, structure, function, and performance …

Diagnostic Accuracy Of Chest Computed Tomography Scans For Suspected Patients With Covid-19: Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve Analysis, Lianpin Wu, Qike Jin, Jie Chen, Jiawei He, David Brett-Major, Jianghu James Dong

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

BACKGROUND: Computed tomography (CT) scans are increasingly available in clinical care globally. They enable a rapid and detailed assessment of tissue and organ involvement in disease processes that are relevant to diagnosis and management, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper is to identify differences in the CT scan findings of patients who were COVID-19 positive (confirmed via nucleic acid testing) to patients who were confirmed COVID-19 negative.

METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was proposed to compare patient clinical characteristics and CT scan findings in suspected COVID-19 cases. A multivariable logistic model with …

The Impact Of Body Mass Index And Sociodemographic Factors On Moderate-To-Vigorous Physical Activity And Sedentary Behaviors Of Women With Young Children: A Cross-Sectional Examination, Danae M. Dinkel, Nicholas Hein, Kailey Snyder, Mohammad Siahpush, Shannon I. Maloney, Lynette M. Smith, Evi A. Farazi, Corrine K. Hanson

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

OBJECTIVES: Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity provides multiple benefits to women after childbirth. To achieve these benefits, the recommendation that adults obtain, 150 min of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week and reduce sedentary behaviors, also applies to women in the post-partum phase of the life span. However, research examining the moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and sedentary behaviors of women with young children (0-2 years) is limited. A greater understanding of these behaviors from a nationally representative sample is needed. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to determine the levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and sedentary behaviors of a nationally representative sample …

The Covid-19 Response In Nebraska: How Students Answered The Call, Sabrine Chengane, Anlan Cheney, Sierra Garth, Sharon J. Medcalf

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

The Student Response Team at the University of Nebraska Medical Center answered the statewide call to assist local health departments during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. As a voluntary student-led effort, the SRT assisted health departments to conduct contact tracing, monitor social media, and educate the public. Their experience demonstrates how students can increase the public health surge capacity of local health departments while gaining applied experience during public health emergencies. This call-to-action commentary proposes that SRTs should be formed, trained, and deployed through academic institutions across the nation and the globe, during and beyond the current pandemic.