Public Health Commons^™

The Effects Of A Brief Yoga Intervention On Psychologic And Physiologic Measures In Women Recovering From Substance Abuse Disorders, Robi C. Hopp

DNP Projects

Women are the fastest-growing population experiencing substance use disorders (SUDs) in the United States. Multiple barriers e.g., mental health disorders, reduced self-efficacy, lack of social support have been identified and negatively impact acute and sustainable recovery efforts. The aim of this project was to evaluate the effects of yoga on mood status, biometrics, and self-efficacy toward yoga in a cohort at The Next Door, a substance abuse treatment center for women only. This was a quasi-experimental research approach with 14 women completing a total of 8 weekly yoga sessions over a ten-week period. Appropriate demographic data was collected. Measurements were …

Using Ranked Auxiliary Covariate As A More Efficient Sampling Design For Ancova Model: Analysis Of A Psychological Intervention To Buttress Resilience, Rajai Jabrah, Hani Samawi, Robert Vogel, Haresh Rochani, Daniel Linder

Biostatistics: Faculty Publications

Drawing a sample can be costly or time consuming in some studies. However, it may be possible to rank the sampling units according to some baseline auxiliary covariates, which are easily obtainable, and/or cost efficient. Ranked set sampling (RSS) is a method to achieve this goal. In this paper, we propose a modified approach of the RSS method to allocate units into an experimental study that compares L groups. Computer simulation estimates the empirical nominal values and the empirical power values for the test procedure of comparing L different groups using modified RSS based on the regression approach in analysis …

Communicative Behaviors Elicited By Leisure Activities In Memory Care Units, Tarynn Clune

Honors Projects

A wide variety of leisure activities used in reminiscence care have been studied for their merits in terms of preventing cognitive decline, and increasing quality of life; however, little is known about what different types have to offer in terms of communicative opportunities. Communication with peers is imperative for quality of life, and is crucial for maintenance of relationships between the person with dementia (PWD) and their loved ones. As a result of this importance, an exploration of communication elicited by different activities facilitated in a unit was conducted. The communication explored in this study was solely vocal, and included …

The Use Of Vital Statistics Data For Research Of Consequence: Birth Outcomes And Population Health In A Rural Region, Claudia Kozinetz, Shimin Zheng, Eunice Mogusu

ETSU Faculty Works

Objective: The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has influenced increasing interests in population health and population health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to exemplify the importance of using existing vital statistics data for understanding and monitoring health outcomes and consequentially health disparities at the population level. Data from birth records for two geographic regions from 2009-2014 were compared; low birth weight (LBW) and preterm delivery (PD) were used as surrogates for population health outcomes.

Methods: A population-based, multi-year, cross-sectional study design using a pooled dataset of birth records from Tennessee (TN) was the framework for the analyses. …

Impact Of Cannabis Use On Treatment Outcomes Among Adults Receiving Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment For Ptsd And Substance Use Disorders, Lesia M. Ruglass, Alina Shevorykin, Vanja Radoncic, Kathryn M. Z. Smith, Philip H. Smith, Isaac R. Galatzer-Levy, Santiago Papini, Denise A. Hien

Publications and Research

Background: Research has demonstrated a strong link between trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorders (SUDs) in general and cannabis use disorders in particular. Yet, few studies have examined the impact of cannabis use on treatment outcomes for individuals with co-occurring PTSD and SUDs. Methods: Participants were 136 individuals who received cognitive-behavioral therapies for co-occurring PTSD and SUD. Multivariate regressions were utilized to examine the associations between baseline cannabis use and end-of-treatment outcomes. Multilevel linear growth models were fit to the data to examine the cross-lagged associations between weekly cannabis use and weekly PTSD symptom severity and primary …

Bridging The Divide White Paper: Pregnant Women And Substance Use: Overview Of Research & Policy In The United States, Darla Bishop, Liz Borkowski, Megan Couillard, Amy Allina, Susanna Baruch, Susan Wood

Jacobs Institute of Women's Health

This paper examines the current literature and policy implications of substance use and substance use disorders among pregnant and parenting women. While this is not meant to serve as an exhaustive literature review on this topic, it seeks to describe: current research on health effects of substance use and substance use disorders on pregnant women1 and their children; policies and programs that help ensure that pregnant women who use substances have access to the highest quality healthcare, including prenatal care; the current barriers to accessing treatment for substance use disorders for pregnant women, including those who are incarcerated; and the …

Need Vs. Supply Analysis Of The New Haven Public Bus System, Stan Mathis

Yale Day of Data

ABSTRACT:

The aim of the study was to assess how well the public transportation system of New Haven County was matched to the public transit need using publicly available geospatial datasets from state and federal sources. Geospatial bus stop data was extracted from public State of Connecticut data sets. Census tract geography was extracted from US Census TIGER files while census tract aggregated household vehicle access data was queried from the American Community Survey data access server. A census tract’s Need was defined as percentage of households reporting access to zero vehicles; its supply was defined as the number of …

E-Cigarette Specialty Retailers: Data To Assess The Association Between Retail Environment And Student E-Cigarette Use, Georgiana Bostean, Catherine M. Crespi, Patsornkarn Vorapharuek, William J. Mccarthy

Sociology Faculty Articles and Research

The retail environment is a major social determinant of health, yet little is known about the e-cigarette specialty retailer environment. The e-cigarette specialty retail environment may be associated with e-cigarette use by middle and high school students, an issue that was addressed in a recent article entitled, “E-cigarette use among students and e-cigarette specialty retailer presence near schools,” by Bostean and colleagues (G. Bostean, C.M. Crespi, P. Vorapharuek, W.J. McCarthy, 2016). We present data relating to e-cigarette specialty retailers in Orange County, California. We describe the data collection method (including the search methodology to identify e-cigarette specialty retailers), present descriptive …

The Effects Of Patient Characteristics On Clinician’S Adherence To Preventive Practice Guidelines, Deshana A. Collett Ph.D,Pa-C, Kenneth M. Tyler Ph.D.

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The existence of health disparities confirms that not all patients, regardless of differences in patient demographics, are provided quality healthcare (Agency of Health Care Research and Quality, 2003). Moreover, research suggests that health disparities may be present due to the inadequate delivery of medical services (S. Haist, J. Wilson, M. Lineberry, & C. Griffith, 2007; Van Ryn, Burgess, Malat, & Griffin, 2006). The differences in the delivery of care and services to ethnic minorities and those of low socioeconomic status warrant examining the role healthcare providers play in the causation of these health disparities (Smedley, Stith, & Nelson, …

Emergency Department Utilization: A Qualitative Analysis Of Illinois Medical Home Network Patients., Crystal M. Glover, Yanina A. Purim-Shem-Tov

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background

Inappropriate emergency department (ED) use continues to plague healthcare in terms of disease management and costs. In 2012, the State of Illinois implemented Medical Home Network (MHN) where Medicaid recipients were assigned to primary care providers to, in part, reduce overreliance on EDs. However, MHN patients have continued to use EDs.

Objective

The purpose of this study is to provide a qualitative analysis of Medicaid patient-identified barriers to primary care, facilitators of emergency use, and related mental health and psychosocial factors.

Methods

Patients who presented themselves at the ED located at an urban, academic medical center participated in one-time, …

Childhood Obesity: Physiological And Psychological Implications And Ethical Responsibilities, Connie S. Lewis

Journal of Health Ethics

Childhood obesity continues to be a health concern in the United States with physiological and psychological consequences. Research conducted in schools may address the physiological effects and exacerbate negative psychological effects, including weight bias and stigmatization. In the home, children are dependent on parents/caregivers to provide a healthy diet and exhibit a healthy lifestyle.The ethical theory, ethics of care, emphasizes dependence and interdependence on others, and ethical and moral responsibilities in the parent/child relationship. The assurance of ethical considerations involving children in research and parental provision for healthy dietary provision is of utmost importance. Any action or inaction that results …

Patterns Of Hiv Testing, Drug Use, And Sexual Behaviors In People Who Use Drugs: Findings From A Community-Based Outreach Program In Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Gitau Mburu, Chanrith Ngin, Sovannary Tuot, Pheak Chhoun, Khuondyla Pal, Siyan Yi

Background: People who use drugs are an important priority for HIV programs. However, data related to their utilization of HIV services are limited. This paper reports patterns of HIV testing, drug use, and risk and service perception among people who use drugs. Study participants were receiving HIV and harm reduction services from a communitybased program in Phnom Penh, comprised of itinerant peer-led outreach and static drop-in centers.

Methods: This was a mixed-methods study conducted in 2014, comprising of a quantitative survey using a structured questionnaire, followed by two focus group discussions among a sub-sample of survey participants. Participants …

Translating Mental Health Diagnostic And Symptom Terminology To Train Health Workers And Engage Patients In Cross-Cultural, Non-English Speaking Populations, Bibhav Acharya, Madhur Basnet, Pragya Rimal, David Citrin, Soniya Hirachan, Brandon Kohrt, +Several Additional Authors

Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Faculty Publications

Although there are guidelines for transcultural adaptation and validation of psychometric tools, similar resources do not exist for translation of diagnostic and symptom terminology used by health professionals to communicate with one another, their patients, and the public. The issue of translation is particularly salient when working with underserved, non-English speaking populations in high-income countries and low- and middle-income countries. As clinicians, researchers, and educators working in cross-cultural settings, we present four recommendations to avoid common pitfalls in these settings. We demonstrate the need for: (1) harmonization of terminology among clinicians, educators of health professionals, and health policymakers; (2) distinction …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Smokers’ Perceptions About Lung Cancer Screening, Lindsay Gressard, Amy Degroff, Thomas B. Richards, Stephanie Melillo, Julia Kish-Doto, Christina L. Heminger, Elizabeth Rohan, Kristine Allen

Prevention and Community Health Faculty Publications

Background

In 2013, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) began recommending lung cancer screening for high risk smokers aged 55–80 years using low-dose computed tomography (CT) scan. In light of these updated recommendations, there is a need to understand smokers’ knowledge of and experiences with lung cancer screening in order to inform the design of patient education and tobacco cessation programs. The purpose of this study is to describe results of a qualitative study examining smokers’ perceptions around lung cancer screening tests.

Methods

In 2009, prior to the release of the updated USPSTF recommendations, we conducted 12 120-min, gender-specific …

Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms In Pathological Gambling: Potential Evidence Of Anti-Reward Processes, Cheryl L. Green, Ramzi W. Nahhas, Arielle A. Scoglio, Igor Elman

Population and Public Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Excessive gambling is considered to be a part of the addiction spectrum. Stress-like emotional states are a key feature both of pathological gambling (PG) and of substance addiction. In substance addiction, stress symptomatology has been attributed in part to "anti-reward" allostatic neuroadaptations, while a potential involvement of anti-reward processes in the course of PG has not yet been investigated. Methods: To that end, individuals with PG (n = 22) and mentally healthy subjects (n = 13) were assessed for trauma exposure and post-traumatic stress symptomatology (PTSS) using the Life Events Checklist and the Civilian Mississippi Scale, respectively. Results: In …

Depression In Low-Income Adolescents: Guidelines For School-Based Depression Intervention Programs, Gopika Hari

AUCTUS: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship

Adolescent depression is growing in interest to clinicians. In addition to the estimated 2 million cases of adolescent major depressive episodes each year, depressive symptoms in youth have become indicators of mental health complications later in life. Studies indicate that being low-income is a risk factor for depression and that socioeconomically disadvantaged teenagers are more than twice as likely to develop mental illnesses. Only an estimated 1 in 4 children with mental illnesses receive adequate help and 80% of these resources come through schools. Thus, this study focuses on establishing the importance of depression intervention programs in low-income high schools …

Experiences Of Postpartum Women In One Residential Treatment Facility For Substance Use Disorders: A Qualitative Case Study, Rebecca Jo Williams

Online Theses and Dissertations

A growing opioid crisis in the United States has sparked a need for gender-specific research and treatment to address unmet needs and promote positive health outcomes for both women and children. The primary purpose of this research is to provide insight into the experiences and perceptions of postpartum women with substance use disorders receiving care at one residential treatment facility. Two women, aged 22 and 27 years old, participated in semi-structured interviews designed to elicit perceptions about barriers to treatment, the value of various programs, the role of physical, social, and temporal contexts in treatment, and beliefs about the effect …

Examining Preference Of Home-Based Telemental Health Among Rural Veterans, Paige Dixon

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Rural veterans face significant disparities to health care that have resulted in lower physical and mental health related quality of life when compared to their urban counterparts (Weeks et al., 2006). Such disparities are further complicated by the six-fold increase in prevalence of mental health diagnoses among Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans (Seal et al., 2009). These rising rates are particularly relevant to rural veterans as they represent 41% of the overall Veteran Health Administration enrollees, but only 19% of the general population (U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs, 2012; U.S. Census Bureau, 2014). Rural veterans face three …

Sex Education In Montana Schools: An Assessment Of The Needs Of Sexual And Gender Minority Youth, Elizabeth A. Redinger, Annie Sondag

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Youth are particularly vulnerable to infection from HIV and STIs. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, youth between the ages of 13 and 24 accounted for about 26% of all new HIV transmission cases in the United States in 2010, In young MSM specifically, there was a 22% increase in new infections from 2008 to 2010 (CDC, 2015). Education is one of the factors that plays a role in sexual health practices starting in high schools, yet in Montana there is no clear set of guidelines as to what is covered during sex education classes in the …

Evaluation A Depression Treatment Program On Hiv Care And Mental Health Outcomes In Malawi, Project Soar

HIV and AIDS

This brief outlines a Project SOAR study which will provide critical evidence on the feasibility, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of an integrated depression treatment model for improving retention in and adherence to HIV care in Malawi. Among people initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART), those with depression are a large and especially vulnerable population. Depression affects 18–30 percent of patients receiving HIV care in Africa and is an important barrier to early ART retention. Evidence revealed by the study will have implications not only for the applicability of the model in Malawi but for other countries in sub-Saharan Africa as well.

Understanding The Links Of Mindfulness, Relationship Satisfaction, And Sexual Satisfaction, Elizabeth N. Greer

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between mindfulness and its link to sexual satisfaction and relationship satisfaction. Data were collected from 809 individuals (18.8% bisexual, 60.7% straight, 19.2% gay/lesbian) in romantic relationships. Participants completed an online survey to measure mindfulness (five facets: observing of experience, describing with words, acting with awareness, non judging of inner experience, non reactivity to inner experience), sexual satisfaction, and relationship satisfaction. Results from two multivariate analyses (predicting sexual satisfaction and relationship satisfaction) revealed that relationship satisfaction is significantly predicted by three of the five facets of mindfulness – acting with …

Emergency Department Use Among Asian Adults Living In The United States: Results From The National Health Interview Survey (2006 – 2013), Kathleen M. Sullivan, James Davis, Angela Sy

Asian/Pacific Island Nursing Journal

This paper presents secondary analyses of the National Health Interview Survey data focused on emergency department (ED) utilization among Asian adults residing in the United States. National Health Interview Survey data provided from survey years 2006-2013 was pooled and disaggregated by single-race Asian ethnic subgroups (Filipino, Chinese, Asian Indian, other Asian). We explored trends in reports of an ED visit over the survey years for the purpose of determining whether reports of an ED visit increased or decreased over survey years. We also explored background/biologic, environment, access to care, and behavior factors and their associations with having an ED visit. …

Assessment Of The Use Of Overdose Education And Naloxone Distribution By Maine Buprenorphine/Naloxone Prescribers, Stephen Kirsch

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

Background: Overdose deaths, specifically related to opioids, have been identified as a public health problem both nationally and in the state of Maine. Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution (OEND) is an innovative model of patient education that has been shown to be effective in increasing knowledge of overdose risk and has the potential to help reduce opiate related overdose deaths.

Methods: A 28-item web-based survey examining clinician attitudes, OEND practices and characteristics was distributed to 196 Maine based physicians with a Drug Enforcement Agency waiver to prescribe burprenorphine/naloxone. Facilitators and barriers to the provision of OEND were also assessed. Surveys …

Urine Cotinine In Children And Parental Behavior Modification: A Pilot Study, Teresa Lachance

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

“Urine Cotinine in Children and Parental Behavior Modification” was designed by Dr. Deirdre Burns, a pediatrician at the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital (BBCH). It was implemented as a pilot study to determine whether urine cotinine testing in children who are admitted to the hospital for respiratory illness and tracking parental smoking behaviors over time was feasible. Parents were given a brief survey to assess their current smoking behaviors and to understand their readiness to quit smoking. They received smoking cessation materials provided by the Breathe Easy Coalition of Maine. These materials outline information about second-hand and third-hand smoke, and encourage …

Complementary And Alternative Medicine (Cam) And Adolescent Body Mass Index (Bmi): A National Population-Based Study, Laura Y. Defrain Lpn

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE (CAM) AND ADOLESCENT BODY MASS INDEX (BMI): A NATIONAL POPULATION-BASED STUDY

Abstract

Background

Childhood obesity rates in the United States have remained around 17% since the 1990s - this figure translates to an estimated 12.7 million obese children. Maintaining a healthy weight through adolescence may limit subsequent health risks in adulthood. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) encompasses a variety of non-pharmacological treatments and lifestyle choices that have been utilized in addition to or in place of typical Western medicine. The relationship between adolescent Body mass index (BMI) and the use of complementary and alternative medicine has …

A Quantitative Study On The Association Between Stress Tolerance And Exercise Habits Among Students Enrolled In A College Of Health Professions Program, Megan Brophy

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to gain further knowledge on the effects of stress on students studying health professions by discovering common causes of stress, coping mechanisms utilized for stress of students, and how regular exercise relates to stress tolerance. METHODS: This study was a quantitative, cross-sectional design through a survey distributed via email to undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in a Midwestern university’s College of Health Professions. Embedded in the email was an anonymous link to a survey, which was constructed through the Qualtrics survey platform. The survey included questions relating to stress about major life events …

Screening For Alcohol Use/Abuse In The Primary Care Setting Using The Audit-C And Sbirt (Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral To Treatment), Whitney D. Spear

DNP Projects

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of alcohol screening in the primary care setting to detect alcohol abuse or misuse using the AUDIT-C standardized screening tool and SBIRT.

METHODS: This study design was a Quasi-Experimental intervention, one group post-test. Data was collected via retrospective chart review from the electronic medical records by the type of office visit; either new patient initial visit or annual well visit. The patient sample consisted of 25 participants for the study period of September 19^th through October 10^th, 2017.

RESULTS: There were 37 patients eligible to participate …

Associations Between Personality Style, Perceptions Of Health Coaching And Percent Of Starting Weight In Meal Replacement Program Participants, Anne E. Sawyer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To determine if personality style and an individual’s perception of their health coaching experience impact their ability to lose weight and/or maintain weight loss. Methods: An electronic survey was distributed to 20,000 current and past meal replacement program participants. Personality style was assessed via the Ten Item Personality Inventory, providing individual perceptions of each of the Big Five personality domains (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, and openness to experience). The Working Alliance Inventory (Short Revised) was used to assess three key perceptions of health coaching: 1) agreement on the goals of coaching (goal), 2) agreement on the tasks of …

Social Workers' Perceptions Of A Rural Emergency Mental Health Trauma Service, William L. Getz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Studies have shown that emergency mental health trauma (EMHT) services can significantly reduce the long-term effects of trauma after a disaster. However, rural municipalities may find they do not have the capacity to create such a service, or may not realize that their disaster planning includes no provision for emergency mental health care. Such was the case in a rural island community in the state of Washington, where, in 2014, several residents initiated a discussion that helped to identify the community's lack of EMHT services. This project, framed by action research and based on collaboration theory, sought to advance the …

Relationship Of Religiosity And Spirituality To Hazardous Drinking, Drug Use, And Depression Among Sexual Minority Women, Laurie Drabble, Cindy Veldhuis, Barth Riley, Sharon Rostosky, Tonda Hughes

Faculty Publications

Using data from Wave 3 of the Chicago Health and Life Experiences of Women (CHLEW) study (N = 699), we explored whether religiosity and spirituality were associated with risk of hazardous drinking, drug use, and depression among sexual minority women (SMW; i.e., lesbian, bisexual) and possible differences by race/ethnicity. Participants were more likely to endorse spirituality than religiosity, and endorsement of each was highest among African American SMW. We found no protective effect of religiosity or spirituality for hazardous drinking or drug use. An association initially found between identifying as very spiritual and past-year depression disappeared when controlling for help-seeking. …