Public Health Commons^™

Therapy Dogs And The Impact On Employees In The Pediatric Medical Setting, Laine Foith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

More than 40% of nurses reported experiencing significant burnout. Burnout is characterized by disengagement, cynicism, negative views of personal accomplishment and ability, and emotional exhaustion. The healthcare providers that experience burnout can possibly expect a decrease in ability to recognize/report errors, increase of negative feelings toward the patient, and decrease levels of patient satisfaction (Ernest, 2014). One of the ways Schub (2015) suggested to regulate burnout for employees was to provide psychosocial support to colleagues to reduce stress. This study is one of the first attempts to bridge the gap between the unknown correlation between qualitative and quantitative benefits of …

New Outpatient Experience Survey Design: A Quality Improvement Case Study, Nathan Paluso

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

The purpose of this capstone project is to evaluate the implementation process for a new survey methodology introduced by Maine Medical Partners (MMP), by following the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) quality improvement cycle framework. This new survey has been implemented to collect data on patients’ experiences in the MMP outpatient facilities, and is offered to the patients via iPad at check-out after their appointment. Through observation at MMP practices and MMP staff interviews, strengths and weaknesses of the implementation process have been identified. Evidence-based solutions pertaining to the identified weaknesses have been selected through a literature review and are incorporated in recommendations …

Sexual Orientation Differences In Treatment Expectation, Alliance, And Outcome Among Patients At Risk For Suicide In A Public Psychiatric Hospital, Martin Plöderl, Sabine Kunrath, Robert J. Cramer, Jen Wang, Larissa Hauer, Clemens Fartacek

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Sexual minority (SM) individuals (gay, lesbian, bisexual, or otherwise nonheterosexual) are at increased risk for mental disorders and suicide and adequate mental healthcare may be life-saving. However, SM patients experience barriers in mental healthcare that have been attributed to the lack of SM-specific competencies and heterosexist attitudes and behaviors on the part of mental health professionals. Such barriers could have a negative impact on common treatment factors such as treatment expectancy or therapeutic alliance, culminating in poorer treatment outcomes for SM versus heterosexual patients. Actual empirical data from general psychiatric settings is lacking, however. Thus, comparing the treatment outcome …

Humor In Medicine: A Literature Review Of Humor’S Potential Therapeutic Value In Health Care, Weston Michael Grant

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Using humor and laughter within the health care field has the potential to be relevant to patients during treatment, to the patient-caregiver relationship, to the subjective well-being of health care providers, and to the environments’ (e.g., work settings) impact on group relationships (e.g., colleagues). A review of the literature examines how the psychological and physiological effects of laughter and humor within the human body impact health and well-being, how humor and laughter improve the patient-practitioner relationship, and if humor and laughter can potentially impact physician burnout. Several possible implications for these findings are discussed, such as professional medical comedians, improvements …

Illegitimate Bodies In Legitimate Times: Life, Liberty And The Pursuit Of Movement, Brian Culp

Faculty Articles

Drawing on Michel Foucault’s concepts of state racism and biopower, the author of the 26th Delphine Hanna Lecture presents several claims: (a) that the idea of the illegitimate outsider in Western world governments like the United States has largely been influenced by ancient Greek ideals, (b) that a host of policies and intentional actions by power brokers create derision and hierarchies between “old” and “new” immigrant groups, and (c) neoliberal ideology couched in actions that aim “to protect the state” is nothing more than a recoding of traditional racist rhetoric that expands systemic racism. The author identifies the capabilities approach, …

Schizophrenia And Its Effects On An American Family: A Call To Action For The 21st Century, Cynthia Newton Captain

Senior Theses

Our country’s healthcare system is at a moral crossroads. The way we treat those whom we call “the homeless” is deplorable. The majority of the homeless are mentally ill and need treatment. Our country needs to treat those with the severe brain diseases of schizophrenia, schizo-affective disorder, and bi-polar disorder just as we would Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Those with severe mental illness, who have no insight into their illness, should not be allowed to dictate their own treatment. If a homeless person is brought to San Francisco General Hospital and is found to be a schizophrenic in psychiatric …

Colorectal Cancer Fit Screening In The Hope Vi Population Of Jefferson County, Kentucky., Jeffrey D. Stone

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Using pre-post survey data collected from 209 randomly selected African American people from the population of former residents of Clarksdale and Sheppard Square public housing areas, this study explores the relationship between individual characteristics and colorectal cancer screening behavior, measured by the uptake of the Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) and by prior colorectal screening, while controlling for neighborhood factors and geographic proximity to healthcare facilities. This particular public housing population is of interest because of their relocation from the downtown area, where healthcare facilities are within walking distances, to other public housing units either in large apartment complexes or scattered …

A Study Of Innovation In Model Project Design: Addressing Mental Health Symptoms Among Co-Occurring Substance Use And Mentally Ill Clients Who Are Homeless In A Local Community Clinic Setting, Isis Dian Martel

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Homeless persons with co-occurring substance use combined with mental illness constitute a particularly vulnerable subgroup with complex service needs. Unfortunately, the capacity to deliver critical treatment services has been extremely limited causing many from this population to remain untreated. Untreated co-occurring disorders can lead to a host of difficulties for both the individual and the community (Bouchery, Harwood, Sacks, Simon, & Brewer, 2011). Developing community based intervention services in Arkansas is a key activity necessary in strategically addressing this problem (Barbee, Gonzales, & Shelor, 2016). In partnership with the Arkansas Division of Behavioral Health Services, a local community treatment provider …

Reconnecting The Mind And Body: A Pilot Study Of Developing Compassion For Persistent Pain, Sarah L. Parry Dr, Zoey Malpus Dr

Patient Experience Journal

As an alternative to the more typical cognitive behavioural approach to pain management, a novel pain management group based on the principles of compassionate mind training was developed for a particular sub-group of patients. Participants were patients of a community pain clinic, who were invited to participate in this alternative approach to pain management. The eight-week Compassion in Pain Groups included psychoeducation around persistent pain, the underlying principles of compassionate mind training, practical exercises such as diaphragmatic breathing, followed by a series of compassionate imagery exercises and group discussions. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses were undertaken to gain further insights …

Experiences Of Communication Barriers Between Physicians And Immigrant Patients: A Systematic Review And Thematic Synthesis, Salim Ahmed, Sonya Lee, Nusrat Shommu, Nahid Rumana, Tanvir Turin

Patient Experience Journal

Frequent immigration of peoples from outside often challenges various systems of any country; healthcare sector is the most confronted one. One of the most prominent reasons for this confrontation is communication gap between physicians and immigrant patients. In this systematic narrative review, we studied existing literature on physician-immigrant patient communication. We systematically searched the repositories of literature and followed some criteria to select literature. We selected 32 literatures for information extraction. Three themes emerged from the synthesis: Physicians’ viewpoint about communication barrier with their immigrant patients, Immigrant patients’ viewpoint about the communication barrier with their physicians, and Interpreter as a …

Knowledge And Beliefs About Cancer In African American Population, Rabindra P. Gautam Dhs, Deven Shah Phd, Eric Matthews Phd

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the United States, taking the lives of one in four Americans each year (American Cancer Society [ACS], 2015). A total of 1,658,370 new cancer cases and 589,430 deaths from cancer were projected to occur in the United States in 2015 (ACS, 2015). In 2013, approximately 176,630 new cancer cases and 64,880 deaths from cancer were projected to occur in African American communities. The majority of diagnoses were cancers of the prostate, lung, colon, rectum, breast, and colorectal region (ACS, 2013). For most cancers, African Americans have the highest death rate, …

Conflict In South Asia And Its Impact On Health, Siddarth David, Rukhsana Gazi, Mohammed Shafiq Mirzazada, Chesmal Siriwardhana, Sajid Bashir Soofi, Nobhojit Roy

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

South Asia has a large population affected by different types of protracted conflict and can provide critical insights to understand health challenges in conflict zones.
Health systems in conflict affected areas should prioritise domestic and gender-based violence, along with reproductive and sexual health services.
Mental health and psychosocial services for conflict-affected populations in South Asia need to be strengthened, and these services should be integrated into existing primary care platforms.
Building the capacity of the existing healthcare system and developing a trained local workforce can improve the access to and availability and acceptability of health services in conflict-affected communities.
Research …

Prevention Of Drug Use And Treatment Of Drug Use Disorders In Rural Settings, John A. Gale Ms

Mental Health / Substance Use Disorders

This Guide on Prevention of Drug Use and Treatment of Drug Use Disorders in Rural Settings was prepared by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Drug Prevention and Health Branch (DHB), in the context of the global project Treatnet II: OFID-UNODC Programme to prevent HIV/AIDS through Treatnet Phase II, with the aim of providing an awareness-raising tool and guidance for policymakers, public health officials, local authorities and other stakeholders in dealing with substance use issues in rural settings in their respective countries. This Guide will serve as an awareness-raising tool and guidance for policymakers, public health officials, …

Maternity Care: A Case Study At Centro De Parto Normal, Kemi Oladipo

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

An overwhelming percentage of Brazil’s population has caesarean births (C-sections), and during pregnancies many women endure violations of their rights such as mental and physical abuse. The main objective of my community study project (CSP) is to learn more about normal childbirth through fieldwork at Centro de Parto Normal (CPN). The goal is to understand how CPN’s approach and principles create a better birthing experience with quality maternity care. My second objective is to learn how CPN mitigate issues with accessibility to health facilities, especially in Brown and Black locations. A general goal is to share my acquired knowledge and …

Abordajes De Nuevos Tratamientos Para La Enfermedad De Chagas Y Su Potencial Aplicación En Pacientes Desde Las Perspectivas De Los Profesionales En La Ciudad Autónoma De Buenos Aires, Argentina / Approaches To New Treatments For Chagas Disease And Their Potential Application In Patients From The Perspectives Of Professionals In The Autonomous City Of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Chelsea Hipwell

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Más de cien años después del descubrimiento de la enfermedad de Chagas, esta enfermedad desatendida sigue afectando más de 6 millones de personas en Latinoamérica, de las cuales 1.5 millones son de Argentina. Al día de hoy, solo existen dos medicamentos para tratar esta enfermedad. El presente proyecto se basa sobre un estudio exploratorio de los desafíos de tratar la enfermedad de Chagas en sus distintas fases y los abordajes actuales para nuevos tratamientos.

Los objetivos de este trabajo fueron los siguientes: en primer lugar, estudiar el contexto socio-económico en que existe esta enfermedad y las implicaciones de este contexto …

El Acceso Y Uso De Las Pruebas Genéticas Para La Detección Precoz De Enfermedades Congénitas En Mujeres Embarazadas En La Ciudad Autónoma De Buenos Aires En El Año 2017 \ The Access And Use Of Genetic Tests For Early Detection Of Congenital Diseases In Pregnant Women In The Autonomous City Of Buenos Aires In The Year 2017, Anna Anna Bauer

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Las pruebas genéticas son una herramienta útil para la prevención y el diagnóstico de defectos congénitos en las mujeres embarazadas. Esta investigación explora el acceso y uso de estas pruebas para mujeres que residen en la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires en el año 2017. Se trata de un tema amerita una investigación porque la tecnología para hacer estudios genéticos todavía es algo novedosa. Además, a través de las pruebas genéticas es posible detectar si el feto tiene un alto riesgo para desarrollar un defecto congénito, el cual es una de las causas más importantes de la mortalidad prenatal y …

What May Be Associated With Young Adult E-Cigarette Use? Examination Of Key Correlates, Diane J. Martinez, Monique M. Turner, Kathleen Roche, Kimberly Horn

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Given increasing rates of e-cigarette use among young adults, research is needed on the attitudes and beliefs that drive use among this age group. Tobacco control approaches used to prevent cigarette smoking may not work as effectively for preventing e-cigarette use. To address this research gap, the present study applied the Integrated Behavior Model (IBM) encompassing the affect heuristic theory to examine the individual-level determinants (i.e., attitude, perceived norm, personal agency, intention, and e-cigarette risk perception) of young adults' e-cigarette use. The 2013-2014 Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study Wave 1 baseline adult dataset consisted of 9,112 young …

E-Cigarettes And Smoking Cessation Among Pregnant Women: Insights From A Secondary Analysis Of A Randomized Controlled Trial, Shawn Chiang, Lorien Abroms

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Background: The use of electronic cigarettes is a rapidly expanding phenomenon. Currently, there is a scarcity of data to help guide decisions regarding the potential harm and benefits of e-cigarettes. This study examines whether pregnant smokers who used e-cigarettes are more likely to quit smoking than those who had never used e-cigarettes.

Methods: Data were drawn from the Quit4Baby study, a text-message-based smoking cessation randomized controlled trial. The sample was comprised of 481 participants with complete follow-up data at 1 month follow-up. Linear and logistics regression models to control for confounds were conducted to evaluate the association between e-cigarette use …

The Disappearance Of Nyoman And Ketut, Laura Michelle Garvie

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

No abstract provided.

Buprenorphine Physician Supply: Relationship With State-Level Prescription Opioid Mortality, Hannah K. Knudsen, Jennifer R. Havens, Michelle R. Lofwall, Jamie L. Studts, Sharon L. Walsh

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

Background: Buprenorphine is an effective treatment for opioid use disorder but the supply of buprenorphine physicians is currently inadequate to address the nation’s prescription opioid crisis. Perception of need due to rising opioid overdose rates is one possible reason for physicians to adopt buprenorphine. This study examined associations between rates of growth in buprenorphine physicians and prescription opioid overdose mortality rates in US states.

Methods: The total buprenorphine physician supply and number of physicians approved to treat 100 patients (per 100,000 population) were measured from June 2013 to January 2016. States were divided into two groups: those with rates of …

Tobacco Product Use Among Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Adolescents., Hongying Dai

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

OBJECTIVES: Sexual minority youth face health disparities and a high risk of substance abuse. This study sought to fully characterize the disparity of tobacco use and risk factors in this high-risk subpopulation.

METHODS: Using data from the 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, the current use of various tobacco products (cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, cigars, and e-cigarettes) was compared according to sex and distinct sexual identities (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and unsure). Heterosexual/straight adolescents served as the control group.

RESULTS: Of 14 703 respondents, 88.8% were heterosexual/straight, 2.0% were lesbian or gay, 6.0% were bisexual, and 3.2% were unsure about their sexual identity. …

El Suma Qamaña: La Convivencia En Relación A La Salud Según La Gente Aymara De Arica, Codpa, Y Putre / El Suma Qamaña: Coexistence In Relation To Health According To The Aymara People Of Arica, Codpa, And Putre, Alison Ogawa

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Suma qamaña, comúnmente conocido como buen vivir o convivir bien, es un concepto andino relacionado con la manera en que la gente entiende la vida y conceptualiza la salud. Es un modelo de armonía en que se busca un equilibrio con todas las cosas, incluida la comunidad, la naturaleza, la espiritualidad, la familia, el cuerpo, y la mente. Esta investigación busca responder a la pregunta ¿Cómo se entiende y vive la salud en el marco del concepto del buen vivir de la gente aymara de Arica, Codpa, y Putre? También, intenta explicar el concepto del buen vivir o suma qamaña, …

Shifting Mental Health From The Back Burner: An Investigation Of The Mental Health Treatment Gap, Eva Hanorah Stanton

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The purpose of this research project is to investigate solutions to the so-called ‘mental health treatment gap’. The need for scholarship in this area is underscored by the recent tragedy in the Gauteng province, which has brought the neglect of the mental health sector into the public eye. Through semi-structured interviews with six key stakeholders in the fields of mental health and health policy this project seeks to better understand the causes of the mental health treatment gap and the impact National Health Insurance (NHI) rollout may have on access to quality mental healthcare. Sub-themes explored include: the integration of …

Health Literacy Skills Of Aging Populations And Its Impact On The Prevention Of Cardiovascular Disease, Peter Gorman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) represents a threat to both the economic and social well being of Switzerland. Cardiovascular disease is easily a preventable disease, yet continues to take over the world. One’s ability to read and comprehend health information from medical professionals is a vital component of maintaining and improving an individuals’ overall health. Health literacy can have an impact on the effectiveness of preventive interventions in health behaviors and the success of health outcomes. Studies have shown that well-educated and financially improved persons have a higher health competence than lower educated persons.1 Given that cardiovascular disease is the number one …

Disparities In Infant Mortality: Are Sociocultural Risk Factors Shaped By Institutionalized Racism? [Poster], Madison Grimm

Research in the Capitol

The United States has one of the highest infant mortality rates among countries with similar economies. In addition, significant disparities are present between races within this health indicator. According to the CDC, the infant mortality rate in 2013 among non-Hispanic whites was 5.06 infant deaths per 1,000 live births; the infant mortality rate for Black Americans was 11.11 - more than double. The purpose of this research is to explore a) sociocultural risk factors for disparities in infant mortality rates and b) whether institutionalized racism contributes to those risk factors. The social ecological model will be used as a theoretical …

Understanding The Perspectives Of Potential Minority Participants On Clinical Trial Enrollment, Saliha Akhtar

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Research has shown that there continues to be insufficient recruitment of minorities in clinical trials. By eliminating this group from research, not only does it impact the success of clinical trials by making it more difficult to achieve recruitment targets, but it also leads to an inability to identify appropriate treatments and interventions for all individuals, especially as racial/ethnic factors can play a role in the efficacy and safety of a treatment and intervention. The purpose of the study was to understand the perspectives of minority healthcare students/professionals on clinical trial enrollment. Focusing on this population would shed light on …

Using The Roc Curve To Measure Association And Evaluate Prediction Accuracy For A Binary Outcome, Jingjing Yin, Robert L. Vogel

Biostatistics: Faculty Publications

This review article addresses the ROC curve and its advantage over the odds ratio to measure the association between a continuous variable and a binary outcome. A simple parametric model under the normality assumption and the method of Box-Cox transformation for non-normal data are discussed. Applications of the binormal model and the Box-Cox transformation under both univariate and multivariate inference are illustrated by a comprehensive data analysis tutorial. Finally, a summary and recommendations are given as to the usage of the binormal ROC curve.

Utilizing Three Years Of Epidemiological Data From Medical Missions In Cambodia To Shape The Mobile Medical Clinic Formulary, Jeany Kim Jun, Junia S. Koo, Amy Y. Kang, Deborah B. Chien, Albert Shim, Dale Knutson, Eda M. Kim

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Objective: The purpose of this project was to gather epidemiological data on common diseases and medications dispensed during medical mission teams to Cambodia to shape the mobile medical clinic formulary.

Methods: Data for patients seen during week-long, mobile, medical clinics was collected in Cambodia during Septembers 2012 to 2014. Patient’s gender, age, weight, blood pressure, glucose, pertinent laboratory values, diagnoses, and medications dispensed were collected. Blood pressure and glucose were measured in patients 18 years and above. Data collected onto paper intake forms were transferred onto spreadsheets without patient identifying information and analyzed for aggregate means, common diseases, and most …

{Ace}Ing Early Childhood In Minnesota, Bailey Alston, Casie Devos, Alisha Field, Renee Gasner

Master of Social Work Student Policy Advocacy Briefs

Too many young children are facing ACEs that are detrimentally impacting their development and contributing to negative outcomes that persist into adulthood. There are no current policies using the ACE questions to drive mental health interventions. The Governor’s Task Force on Mental Health made nine recommendations that, if implemented, will greatly improve the mental health and well-being of children and their parents. Improving early childhood prevention and intervention programs helps ALL Minnesota’s families build healthy and rich experiences for their children.

1. Expand the Early Childhood Mental Health Grant program statewide to increase early childhood mental health specialists.
2. Create a Governor’s …

The Juvenile Justice Behavioral Health Services Cascade: A New Framework For Measuring Unmet Substance Use Treatment Services Needs Among Adolescent Offenders, Steven Belenko, Danica Knight, Gail A. Wasserman, Michael L. Dennis, Tisha Wiley, Faye S. Taxman, Carrie B. Oser, Richard Dembo, Angela A. Robertson, Jessica Sales

Sociology Faculty Publications

Overview—Substance use and substance use disorders are highly prevalent among youth under juvenile justice (JJ) supervision, and related to delinquency, psychopathology, social problems, risky sex and sexually transmitted infections, and health problems. However, numerous gaps exist in the identification of behavioral health (BH) problems and in the subsequent referral, initiation and retention in treatment for youth in community justice settings. This reflects both organizational and systems factors, including coordination between justice and BH agencies.

Methods and Results—This paper presents a new framework, the Juvenile Justice Behavioral Health Services Cascade (“Cascade”), for measuring unmet substance use treatment needs to …