Public Health Commons^™

Implications Of The 2014 Quality Family Planning Services Guidelines Issued By The Cdc And The Office Of Population Affairs, Sara J. Rosenbaum, Susan Wood, Merle Cunningham, Tishra Beeson, Peter Shin

Geiger Gibson/RCHN Community Health Foundation Research Collaborative

How To Plan A Birthday Party: An Allopathy Enthusiast's Guide To Integrating The Values Of Traditional Medicine Into Childbirth, Emily Baumgaertner

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Unbiased literature regarding the strengths of traditional birth attendants is lacking. While many international organizations have published data regarding the improving success rates of allopathic interventions, there has been no acknowledgement or discussion of the qualities that keep traditional birth attendants in practice. This study has aimed to identify the distinct values of traditional medicine that contrast most allopathic healthcare practices. Through informal interviews with three traditional birth attendants and one allopathic provider in the rural region of Andasibe, Madagascar, the researcher unearthed some of the key differences between these practices' patient care before, during, and after childbirth. Results suggest …

Don’T Diss The Reninjaza: A Case For Integrating Traditional Birthing Attendants Into The Allopathic System To Improve Prenatal Health In Rural Madagascar, Shenna Bannish

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This project seeks to prove the practicality of using Reninjazas (traditional birthing attendants) in rural Madagascar to better prenatal care and diminish the maternal and infant mortality rates in this country. Prenatal care is of vital importance to expecting mothers. Without it, birth defects, complicated labor and delivery, miscommunications concerning fetal development, and even death can occur (Mayo Clinic, 2014). There is no doubt that the lack of adequate prenatal care in Madagascar contributes to its unfortunately high maternal and infant death statistics. While listed as “moderate” in terms of severity, the maternal and infant mortality rates in Madagascar are …

Improving The Childbirth Experience: Complementarity, Communication And Education, Nyasia M. White

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The purpose of this paper is to discuss and address the issues dealing with maternal health in America and see how practices of traditional medicine could help improve childbirth and concerns of mothers-to-be. Maternal death in America is increasing and some reports have suggested that women are growing fearful of giving birth in hospitals. By looking at methods used by traditional birth attendants and interviewing the traditional doctors themselves, suggestions could be made to decrease costs and the maternal mortality rate as well as better inform mothers about their health and the options available to individualize their childbirth experience. Complementary …

Unmet Need For Contraception And Unintended Pregnancies Among Women Of Reproductive Age Group: A Situation Analysis, Sumera Aziz Ali, Savera Aziz Ali

School of Nursing & Midwifery

Each year approximately 210 million pregnancies occur worldwide and more than one-third (75 to 80 million) of these are unintended, more than half of these (46 million) unintended pregnancies undergo unsafe abortions. In Pakistan 16% of the births are reported to be unwanted and if the unwanted fertility is eliminated, total fertility in Pakistan would be 3.1 births per woman. Total demand for family planning in Pakistan is 55%, while the contraceptive prevalence rate is 35% and unmet need for family planning is 20%. Reasons for unmet need and unintended pregnancy include lack of permission, fear of side effects, poor …

Pregnancy Anxiety And Prenatal Cortisol Trajectories, Heidi S. Kane, Christine Dunkel Schetter, Laura M. Glynn, Calvin J. Hobel, Curt A. Sandman

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Pregnancy anxiety is a potent predictor of adverse birth and infant outcomes. The goal of the current study was to examine one potential mechanism whereby these effects may occur by testing associations between pregnancy anxiety and maternal salivary cortisol on 4 occasions during pregnancy in a sample of 448 women. Higher mean levels of pregnancy anxiety over the course of pregnancy predicted steeper increases in cortisol trajectories compared to lower pregnancy anxiety. Significant differences between cortisol trajectories emerged between 30 to 31 weeks of gestation. Results remained significant when adjusted for state anxiety and perceived stress. Neither changes in pregnancy …

Exposure To Fine Particulate Matter During Pregnancy And Risk Of Preterm Birth Among Women In New Jersey, Ohio, And Pennsylvania, 2000–2005, Kristen M. Rappazzo, Julie L. Daniels, Lynne C. Messer, Charles Poole, Danelle T. Lobdell

Community Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Particulate matter < 2.5 micrometers in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5) has been variably associated with preterm birth (PTB).

Objective: We classified preterm births into four categories (20–27, 28–31, 32–34, and 35–36 weeks completed gestation) and estimated risk differences (RD) for each category in association with a 1-µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 exposure during each week of gestation.

Methods: We assembled a cohort of singleton pregnancies that completed at least 20 weeks of gestation during 2000-2005 using live birth certificate data from three states (Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New Jersey) (n = 1,940,213; 8% PTB). We estimated mean PM2.5 exposures for each week of gestation from monitor-corrected Community Multi-Scale Air Quality modeling data. RDs were …

A Study Protocol: Using Demand-Side Financing To Meet The Birth Spacing Needs Of The Underserved In Punjab Province In Pakistan, Syed Khurram Azmat, Moazzam Ali, Waqas Hameed, Ghulam Mustafa, Ghazanfer Abbas, Muhammad Ishaque, Mohsina Bilgrami, Marleen Temmerman

Community Health Sciences

Background: High fertility rates, unwanted pregnancies, low modern contraceptive prevalence and a huge unmet need for contraception adversely affect women's health in Pakistan and this problem is compounded by limited access to reliable information and quality services regarding birth spacing especially in rural and underserved areas. This paper presents a study protocol that describes an evaluation of a demand-side financing (DSF) voucher approach which aims to increase the uptake of modern contraception among women of the lowest two wealth quintiles in Punjab Province, Pakistan.
Methods/design: This study will use quasi-experimental design with control arm and be implemented in: six government …

Rationale, Design, And Cohort Enrolment Of A Prospective Observational Study Of The Clinical Performance Of The New Contraceptive Implant (Femplant) In Pakistan, Syed Khurram Azmat, Waqas Hameed, Anja Lendvay, Babar Tasneem Shaikh, Ghulam Mustafa, Muhammad Ahmed Siddiqui, Sajid Brohi, Asif Karim, Muhammad Ishaque, Wajahat Hussain

Community Health Sciences

Introduction: The use of hormonal implants has gained positive traction in family planning programs in recent times. Compared to other popular methods, such as long-term reversible intrauterine devices, the use of hormonal implants as a family planning method has distinct advantages in terms of long-term efficiency and better user compliance and availability. This paper presents a study protocol to document and evaluate the efficacy, safety, and acceptability of Femplant (contraceptive implant) in Pakistan during the first year of its use among married women of reproductive age (18-44 years) at clinics in two provinces of Pakistan (Sindh and Punjab).
Materials and …

Application Of The Breastfeeding Personal Efficacy Beliefs Inventory And Acknowledgment Of Barriers For Improving Breastfeeding Initiation Rates In An Urban Population, Diwata Bose, Callie Cox Bauer, Kiley A. Bernhard, Dennis J. Baumgardner

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Introduction: Breastfeeding (BF) is recognized as the preferred method of infant nutrition by American Academy of Pediatricians, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the World Health Organization. Despite the benefits of BF, in 1998 only 69% of new mothers in the United States initiated BF and 29% continued to breastfeed at 6 months.

Objective: To assess perceived breastfeeding confidence (BFC) and determine barriers in regards to BF in an urban population.

Methods: The Breastfeeding Personal Efficacy Beliefs Inventory (BPEBI) was used to determine perceived BFC. The survey was distributed to 271 women during prenatal appointments at an urban Milwaukee …

"Transforming Care Through Disruptive Design": Incorporating A Midwifery Model Of Care Into Obstetric Practices, Lauren Marsh

Senior Theses

Maternal and child health outcomes in the United States are far poorer than in other industrialized nations. To improve women’s experiences with the maternity care system, nurse-midwife Sharon Schindler-Rising developed the CenteringPregnancy (CP) group model of prenatal care (PNC). Research comparing CP with ‘traditional’ one-on-one PNC has found that implementing CP results in decreased rates of preterm birth and low birth weight, increased rates of breastfeeding, and improved outcomes for women who typically experience health disparities, including African Americans. Documented success of the model in the Greenville Health System convinced the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services of …

Exploring Obstacles To Perinatal Care-Seeking Behavior In Women Of Rural Odisha, India Using A Community Based Participatory Research Approach, Sarah Law, Runjhun Bhatia

Senior Theses

This project resulted from collaboration between USC student organization GlobeMed and the Alternative for Rural Movement (ARM), a non-governmental organization in Odisha, India. Rajendra Rana, the head of ARM, expressed the need to delineate the factors underlying the tendency of rural Odishan women to deliver with unskilled birth attendants as opposed to institutionally. A literature review was conducted to explore possible economic, cultural, and social factors. During five weeks in Odisha, discussions with women's groups, community health workers, and ARM staff members built on the literature review. A preliminary survey and plan for its dissemination were developed. The community based …

Project Parenthood: Efficacy Of Evidence-Based Parenting And Safer Sex Education Program In An At-Risk Adolescent Population, Jasmin Scott

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Objective: Project Parenthood was developed to support the growth of adolescent parenting education and to provide a resource for adolescent safer sex education and repeat pregnancy prevention.

Methods: Through the use of pre- and post-surveys, three key variables were measured: (1) knowledge, (2) perspective, and (3) skill. Survey questions were categorized as measuring one of the variables. Survey data was aggregated to create a pre- and post-composite score for each question. The percentage of questions that resulted in an increase, decrease, or no change was calculated for each variable. A Paired t-Test analysis was run to evaluate whether or not …

A Comparison Of Prenatal Alcohol, Tobacco, And Other Drug Use Between San Luis Obispo County And Ventura County, Dana M. Williamson

Statistics

Prenatal substance abuse is a growing issue in America. It can lead to fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, long term growth, behavior, and executive functioning problems, and creates a predisposition for drug use for the child.

This project summarizes the statistical analyses comparing alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use by pregnant women between San Luis Obispo County and Ventura County. The main goal of these analyses is to determine if there is a difference between San Luis Obispo County and Ventura County. This is an interesting comparison because these counties are neighboring counties, and past data have shown that the rate …

Increasing Victimization Through Fetal Abuse Redefinition, Margaret Kelly

William & Mary Journal of Race, Gender, and Social Justice

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of School And Neighborhood Environmental Factors On Childhood Obesity, Yiwei Qian

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The dissertation consists of three chapters exploring the effect of school program and neighborhood environment on childhood obesity outcome using individual panel data set of Arkansas public schoolchildren.

The first chapter (Section 2) investigates how the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP), a program that provides funding for the distribution of free fresh fruits and vegetables to students in participating schools, affects childhood obesity. We combine matching methodology and difference-in-differences analysis to estimate the effect of the FFVP on childhood BMI outcomes. Estimates of the FFVP effect are sensitive to different matching methods. Methods that provide a good balance between …

Translation, Cultural Adaptation And Field-Testing Of The Thinking Healthy Program For Vietnam, Jane Fisher, Hau Nguyen, Priya Mannava, Ha Tran, Thao Dam, Tran Huong, Thach Tran, Kelly Durrant, Atif Rahman, Stanley Luchters

Population Health, East Africa

Background: Depression and anxiety are prevalent among women in low- and lower-middle income countries who are pregnant or have recently given birth. There is promising evidence that culturally-adapted, evidence-informed, perinatal psycho-educational programs implemented in local communities are effective in reducing mental health problems. The Thinking Healthy Program (THP) has proved effective in Pakistan. The aims were to adapt the THP for rural Vietnam; establish the program’s comprehensibility, acceptability and salience for universal use, and investigate whether administration to small groups of women might be of equivalent effectiveness to administration in home visits to individual women.

Methods: The THP …

The Relationship Among School Playground Design And Conditions And Physical Activity Levels In Children, Ipuna Estavillo Black

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Almost 20% of children aged 6 to 11 years are obese in the United States, tripling over the last ten years. The rise in childhood obesity challenges nurses in their efforts to improve community health and sustainability. A decrease in physical activity (PA) levels has been associated with an increase in obesity. Schools have been identified as a primary setting to provide children adequate amounts of daily PA, and nurses working in the area of child health promotion can work with schools to provide opportunities for children to increase PA levels. The playground is one environment where children can increase …

Why 'Down Under' Is A Cut Above: A Comparison Of Rates Of And Reasons For Caesarean Section In England And Australia, Samantha J. Prosser, Yvette D. Miller, Rachel Thompson, Maggie Redshaw

Dartmouth Scholarship

Background: Most studies examining determinants of rising rates of caesarean section have examined patterns in documented reasons for caesarean over time in a single location. Further insights could be gleaned from cross-cultural research that examines practice patterns in locations with disparate rates of caesarean section at a single time point.

Methods: We compared both rates of and main reason for pre-labour and intrapartum caesarean between England and Queensland, Australia, using data from retrospective cross-sectional surveys of women who had recently given birth in England (n = 5,250) and Queensland (n = 3,467).

The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, Kathryn E. Brackett

Senior Honors Theses

Abstract

The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) is a worldwide movement started by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) that is aimed at providing hospitals with a certification that guarantees the best possible patient-centered care for mothers and infants. It focuses on breastfeeding as optimal infant nutrition, and implements strategies to encourage and support mothers to breastfeed their infants exclusively for six months after birth. The Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding are a set of 10 simple, easy to understand guidelines developed by WHO and UNICEF for implementing this initiative in the hospital setting and …

Perinatal Distress In Women In Low- And Middle-Income Countries: Allostatic Load As A Framework To Examine The Effect Of Perinatal Distress On Preterm Birth And Infant Health, Shahirose Sadrudin Premji

School of Nursing & Midwifery

In low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), determinants of women's and children's health are complex and differential vulnerability may exist to risk factors of perinatal distress and preterm birth. We examined the contribution of maternal perinatal distress on preterm birth and infant health in terms of infant survival and mother-infant interaction. A critical narrative and interpretive literature review was conducted. Peer-reviewed electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Global Health, CINHAL), grey literature, and reference lists were searched, followed by a consultation exercise. The literature was predominantly from high-income countries. We identify determinants of perinatal distress and explicate changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, sympathetic, …

Methamphetamine: The Effect On The Child From Womb, Birth And Beyond, Chiara L. Keune

Graduate Research - Criminal Justice

Globally the use of methamphetamine surpasses that of heroin and cocaine combined. As a drug that facilitates weight loss and provides the user with increased energy, it is particularly appealing to women. This raises concerns about its use by pregnant women. This poster highlights what is known about the effects of methamphetamine by pregnant women on the unborn child, and on the long term consequences for the children of these women.

Prepregnancy Low-Carbohydrate Dietary Pattern And Risk Of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Prospective Cohort Study, Wei Bao, Katherine Bowers, Deirdre K. Tobias, Sjurdur F. Olsen, Jorge Chavarro, Allan Vaag, Michele Kiely, Cuilin Zhang

Publications and Research

Background: Low-carbohydrate diets (LCDs) have been vastly popular for weight loss. The association between a low-carbohydrate dietary pattern and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) remains unknown.

Objective: We aimed to prospectively examine the association of 3 prepregnancy low-carbohydrate dietary patterns with risk of GDM.

Design: We included 21,411 singleton pregnancies in the Nurses’ Health Study II. Prepregnancy LCD scores were calculated from validated food-frequency questionnaires, including an overall LCD score on the basis of intakes of carbohydrate, total protein, and total fat; an animal LCD score on the basis of intakes of carbohydrate, animal protein, and animal …

Instructional Posters And Prevention Education: Do They Really Work?, William D. Mcquilken Ba, Deanna Shisslak, Judith M. Schultz Ba, Cstr

Department of Surgery

No abstract provided.

Implementing A Community-Based Intervention For African American Mothers And Daughters, Teri Aronowitz, Nandini Sengupta

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

Adolescents represent one of the fastest growing risk groups for HIV. Inner-city, minority youth are at highest risk because of concentration of HIV in inner-city areas, higher rates of STDs, and early sexual initiation. Mothers are the primary sex educator of daughters, and girls state their relationship with their mother was an important influence on their delaying sexual activity. With 70% of adolescent HIV seroconversions occurring among African American (AA) females, studies are urgently needed to enhance mother-daughter sexual communication. The purpose of this poster is to offer insights on the logistics of carrying out a manualized program.

Breakthrough Series Collaborative To Support Trauma-Informed Practice In Early Care & Education, Anne Douglass

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

This study investigated the use of a Breakthrough Series Collaborative (BSC) to promote the adoption of trauma-informed practices in urban early care & education (ECE) programs. Through this BSC, ECE programs implement new practices to promote safe, stable, and nurturing relationships and prevent trauma exposure; protect children exposed to trauma, help children heal, and support family protective factors that help children thrive.

2009 H1n1 And Seasonal Influenza Immunization Among Pregnant Women: A Comparison Of Different Sources Of Immunization Information, Bonny Specker, Betty Wey, Jill Fuller, Marie-Noel Sandoval, Maureen Durkin, Nancy Dole, Emmanuel B. Walter

Ethel Austin Martin Program Publications

Validity of prenatal immunization data from different sources has not been assessed. We evaluated prenatal 2009 H1N1 and seasonal influenza (FLU) data obtained from state immunization information systems (IIS), medical record abstraction (MRA), and participant recall using medical care logs (NCS-MCL). 2009 H1N1 and FLU data were obtained from IIS and MRA for 325 pregnant women participating in the National Children's Study at three locations (SD/MN, NC, WI). Women recalled immunizations at first pregnancy visit and at 16-17 and 36 weeks' gestation (NCS-MCL). The proportion of women with vaccine information obtainable from each data source was determined, and proportions immunized …

El Embarazo Adolescente Y La Educación Municipal Una Investigación De Las Experiencias Educativas Y Las Perspectivas Personales De Las Estudiantes Embarazadas O Que Son Madres O Padres En Valparaíso, Chile, Katharine Rowe

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This investigation examines the topic of teenage pregnancy in the context of public educational institutions in Valparaíso, Chile through the personal experiences and perspectives of adolescents who were pregnant or parents during their time in high school. This investigation is based in the theories of cultural capital, which describes how relations of social power and socioeconomic status impact an individual’s social advantages, and social imaginaries, which describe how symbolic representations are socially constructed to reflect a hierarchy of social power. Through this theoretical framework, the investigation seeks to understand the experiences of these students in their networks of familial, social, …

Selling Life To Abortion-Seekers: A Content Analysis Of Passive And Active Persuasion In Crisis Pregnancy Center Marketing, Alexander Kocman

Masters Theses

For supporters of the pro-life cause, crisis pregnancy centers (or CPC's) have become the "darlings of the movement," according to the New York Times (Belluck, 2013), offering women with unplanned pregnancies free advice, information, classes, childcare, and needed supplies. For abortion advocates, such establishments are intended to seduce vulnerable abortion-seekers into a situation where they will be counseled out of an abortion and possibly even proselytized. Yet for as much controversy as exists in the news media, medical community, and legal realm about CPC's, there is an unsettling lack of understanding of how--and why--CPC's market themselves the way they do. …

El Significado Cultural Del Parto: Perspectivas De Mujeres Mapuche, Erin Drake

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The aim of this study is to understand the cultural meaning of childbirth within Mapuche culture, in order to promote culturally respectful childbirth practices related to intercultural programs of the public health system in Chile. This study focuses on the problem of the institutionalization and medicalization of childbirth in Chile, and how these processes have affected the childbirth experiences of Mapuche women. While there have been many studies on the cultural meaning of childbirth in distinct places of the world, very few studies focus on this theme within Mapuche culture. The few studies that have described Mapuche cultural practices regarding …