Public Health Commons^™

Enhancing Nutrition Education And Physical Activities In Chinese Community: We Can! Chinese Family Campaign, Yi Feng Tan

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

Early childhood obesity is a serious health problem in the United States. It has adverse and long-lasting consequences for children, parents and entire communities. The magnitude of the problem has increased dramatically over the last three decades. The high prevalence of obesity has significant health consequences and increases expenditures for health care. Although federal and state governments have a long history of fighting the problem of childhood obesity by formulating health policies and requirements, early childhood obesity in California has become an epidemic. In this paper I will introduce my fieldwork project, the We Can! Chinese Families Campaign, and …

Implementation Of Patient Mobility Assessment Tool: A Clinical Nurse Leader Initiative Towards Improved Patient And Nurse Health Outcomes, Janet Lopez

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

Early ambulation during hospitalization has been recognized as a fundamental and logical intervention to reduce patients functional decline and muscle weakness. Recently, our healthcare system is encouraging nurses to become more actively involved in assessing patient’s mobility status and managing their mobilization. However, since the high nursing workload affects the time that a nurse can assign per task, more often than not they have little time to accurately assess patient’s mobility status; Presenting a safety concern for nurses and patients. In an effort to ease this challenge, the Patient Mobility Assessment Tool (PMAT) is introduced as an efficient nurse-driven …

Association Between Leisure Time Physical Activity Preference And Behavior: Evidence From The China Health & Nutrition Survey, 2004-2011., Junmin Zhou, Denise H. Britigan, Shireen S. Rajaram, Hongmei Wang, Dejun Su

Journal Articles: Health Promotion, Social & Behavioral Health

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have suggested that food preference is a good indicator of actual food intake and that sedentary activity preference is a significant predictor of lower physical activity level. But no studies have examined the direct relationship between leisure time physical activity (LTPA) preferences and actual LTPA behavior, especially studies using longitudinal data. This study seeks to determine the association between these two variables, and to assess whether the association differs between urban and rural areas in China.

METHODS: A total of 2427 Chinese adults were included in the analysis. Spearman correlation coefficients were used to test the association …

The Public's Concern Over Abusive Relationships, Taylor Alexander

OSRI Journal of Student Research and Innovation

This research was done due to the media’s overwhelming influence on the public. The increasing amount of stresses on the public, and the lack of healthy ways to release the stress can result in harm to the community. The purpose of this project was to see the pattern of abusive relationships between men and women. In order to discover those patterns, Google Trend searches were made using the key words abusive girlfriend and abusive boyfriend. After, doing the research it showed specific months that had a higher search rate than others. Some months repeated a higher search rate year after …

Determining The Knowledge, Attitudes And Beliefs Of Healthcare Providers In Treating Non-Specific Acute And Chronic Back Pain, Stacey L. Kale

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Project

An Abstract of the Scholarly Project by

Stacey Kale

Managing back pain has become a public health and clinical challenge (Krein et al., 2016). Incidence of back pain related complaints requiring treatment in the US is estimated at 11.2% of the adult population (Dowell, Haegerich, & Chou, 2016). New research suggests that it is the most common pain problem (Pauline, 2016). It is the third most expensive health disorder and is exceeded only by cancer and heart disease. Many health care providers lack formal pain management education and training thus leaving them at risk for failing to properly manage patients …

Evaluating Knowledge Of Developmental Disabilities Among Wic Participants, Carolina Regalado Murillo, Katharine Zuckerman, Alison Chavez, Julie A. Reeder

Student Research Symposium

Background: Children in racial/ethnic minority and low-income families are more likely to experience low rates of early developmental disability (DD) diagnosis. Racial/ethnic and language differences in parent information about DDs could contribute to diagnostic delays, but little is known about differences in parent DD familiarity.

Objectives: To assess DD knowledge and information in a sample of low-income families.

Methods: We conducted a self-administered survey on 539 parents attending their child’s appointment at the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in six Oregon counties. Survey items assessed familiarity with early signs of DDs, self-reported knowledge about DDs, …

The Skin Cancer Health Crisis And Recommended Intervention Methods, Blaire Brooks

Senior Theses

Despite the increasing research connecting UVR exposures to skin cancer, rates of skin cancer are rising. Skin cancer is now the most common form of cancer and there are significant health care costs associated with treating the cases (Balk et al., 2013). As a result, the United States needs greater initiatives to increase educational programs, physician counseling, and political action regarding ultraviolet exposure and incidence of skin cancer. Evaluation of the types of skin cancer, perceptions of tanning, and current regulations and recommendations are required in order to form the initiatives to combat the growth of skin cancer.

Patient Activation Among Diverse Populations: A Systematic Review, Megan Kenney

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

The purpose of this article was to review the current research regarding patient activation among diverse populations. Patient activation is defined as an individual’s knowledge, skill, and confidence in managing his or her own health and health care. A total of 62 articles were used in this review (54 primary research articles, six retrospective analyses, and two systematic reviews). Articles were obtained using the EBSCO search engine through the Leatherby Libraries at Chapman University. Preliminary and secondary searches were conducted using the keywords “patient activation.” Only articles published within the last ten years (2007 to 2017) were included to ensure …

Environmental Health, Tessa Oliaro

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

There is a very important intersection between the environment, public health, and socioeconomic factors (Braveman, 2014). These include waste disposal, water use and quality, road safety, ecosystem services, and many more. Environmental health stresses, “the health impacts of physical, chemical, and biological agents in the environment and workplace, and learns to develop strategies to measure and control major environmental health problems both locally…and in settings around the globe” (UC Berkeley School of Public Health, 2017). This overarching umbrella can have emphases in environmental epidemiology, exposure science, climate change, ergonomics, home and industrial hygiene, and molecular epidemiology. Exploring each of these …

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 …

2nd Place Research Paper: Patient Activation Among Diverse Populations: A Systematic Review, Megan Kenney

Kevin and Tam Ross Undergraduate Research Prize

The purpose of this article was to review the current research regarding patient activation among diverse populations. Patient activation is defined as an individual’s knowledge, skill, and confidence in managing his or her own health and health care. A total of 62 articles were used in this review (54 primary research articles, six retrospective analyses, and two systematic reviews). Articles were obtained using the EBSCO search engine through the Leatherby Libraries at Chapman University. Preliminary and secondary searches were conducted using the keywords “patient activation.” Only articles published within the last ten years (2007 to 2017) were included to ensure …

Epigenetic Modifications Of Human Placenta Associated With Preterm Birth, Drissa Toure

Theses & Dissertations

Preterm birth is a complex multifactorial process. Despite the well-known role of the placenta in supporting the fetal development and maternal-fetal tolerance, the placental epigenetic modifications and preterm birth (PTB) remains poorly understood and under investigated. Various maternal and environment factors can influence epigenetic programming during fetal development to affect the functioning and structures of organs, including the placenta, which can lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes, including PTB. The understanding of the placental epigenetic alterations and maternal determinants associated with PTB are apparently indispensable for the development of actual diagnosis and methods of prevention and treatment of premature labor. The …

Sex And Sexuality Of Breast Cancer Survivors, Aja D. Kneip Pelster

Theses & Dissertations

With new diagnostic technologies and treatment modalities available, more people than ever are living as cancer survivors in the United States. A large group of this population consists of breast cancer survivors. The purpose of this research was to explore the intersection of breast cancer survivorship, at points beyond the termination of treatment, and sexuality, including expressions and performance of gender, relationships, and sexual behavior. The current study used semi-structured interviews, conducted with 21 Midwestern women at least 6-months post-treatment, to better understand the intersection of these two concepts. Following traditions of narrative and phenomenological qualitative research, the women’s own …

Epidemiologic And Clinical Profiles Of Uterine Cancer In The Gharbiah Province Of Egypt, Saad Alshahrani

Theses & Dissertations

Background: Uterine cancer is one of the top-ranking cancers of women with wide international variations in incidence rates. Egypt has a lower incidence of uterine cancer than other countries in the Middle East. In addition to the international incidence variation, there are also wide variations in incidence by rural and urban areas within countries. Therefore, this research project focused on the Gharbiah province, north of Cairo in the Nile Delta, with the aims of investigating demographic and clinical characteristics of uterine cancer, assessing rural/urban variation in incidence rates, and evaluating the possible role of hysterectomy in under-estimating the disease incidence …

Gender Disparities In Midlife Hypertension: A Review Of The Evidence On The Arab Region, Christelle Akl, Chaza Akik, Hala Ghattas Ph.D., Carla Makhlouf Obermeyer

Faculty Publications

Objective

While gender differences in hypertension and increased prevalence rates among women at midlife have been documented in multiple settings, the evidence on the Arab world has not been systematically examined. This review summarizes the evidence related to gender disparities in midlife hypertension in this region.

Methods

We searched MEDLINE and Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) databases for studies, published between January 2000 and August 2015, on hypertension in the 22 countries of the Arab region. We abstracted information on the prevalence of hypertension among women and men, in general populations during midlife.

Results

Nineteen studies provided data on the …

Emergency Room Overuse And Medicaid Population: Creating A Toolkit To Decrease Er Misuse By Family Resources Clients, Nicole Johanne Morrissey Ms.

Celebration of Learning

One of the biggest issues facing healthcare in the United States is excessive spending on ER visits. This issue costs the United States healthcare field about $38 billion a year to treat patients who might not necessarily need the immediate attention. The Medicaid population is one of the highest users of the ER and the most common reasons are behavioral issues and no other place to go. Family Resources, a non-profit organization in Davenport, IA, works to connect families with healthcare facilities in the area based on each family’s needs. Much of their clientele uses Medicaid and struggles with ER. …

Addressing Childhood Lead Poisoning Through Gis: A Proactive Approach In Scott County, Iowa, Tanner Osing

2016-2017: Scott County, Iowa and the Scott County Health Department

In June 2016, Scott County Health Department (SHCD) officially partnered with the Upper Mississippi Center (UMC) at Augustana College as part of the Sustainable Working Landscapes Initiative (SWLI). The initiative’s main goal is to address childhood lead poisoning in Scott County, Iowa. While the health department has ongoing efforts to address the problem, there are still approximately 50 children testing positive for lead poisoning every year (Tibbets, 2016). Currently, as part of the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention and Control Program, the health department offers case management services for children poisoned under the age of six, follow-up inspections for residences, and …

Fall Risk Reduction Using Lifestyle-Integrated Functional Exercise (Life), Kayla L. Comer, Tiffany Huang, Kelly Schmidt, Matthew W. Tong

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

As the population and longevity of older adults’ increases, the prevalence of falls is becoming an ever-growing issue. Falls in older adults may lead to sedentary behavior, decreased independence, and lower quality of life. Evidence has shown that traditional exercise programs emphasizing strength and balance can decrease the fall risk in older adults, but may be difficult to sustain over time. Emerging evidence suggests that exercises that are integrated into daily life, as seen in the Lifestyle-integrated Functional Exercise (LiFE) program, may have a more lasting effect in reducing fall risk in older adults. This study explored the effectiveness of …

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 …

Making Sex Work For The State : The Policing Of Sex Work In The United States., Madeline A Clabough

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

This thesis analyzes the ways that sex work is regulated within the United States, and analyze the ways that regulation is shaped by contemporary feminist discourse. To do so, it analyzes the ways in which sex workers have been and pathologized since the 19th century, and address the ways that these conceptualizations have been incorporated into the legal regulation of sex workers. Finally, this thesis will look to contemporary practices in the state regulation of sex workers, and argue that the relationship between neoliberalism, the carceral state, and what has come to be termed “carceral feminism” operate in conjunction to …

Evaluating The Impact Of Statewide Policy Implementation On Interorganizational Collaboration At The Regional Level : An Application Of Network Analysis., Nida Moez Ali

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

One challenge to improving population health in the United States is that the systems tasked with the responsibility of providing services across the continuum of care often operate in silos, missing opportunities to provide quality, coordinated care. In 2011, Texas received approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for a five-year 1115(a) Medicaid Waiver Demonstration Project. This dissertation focuses on one element of the Waiver, the Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) Program, which was designed to incentivize activities that support organizations’ collaborative efforts with other organizations in addressing the Triple Aim strategies. DSRIP was implemented through …

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 …

Clinician-Parent Discussions About Influenza Vaccination Of Children And Their Association With Vaccine Acceptance, Annika M. Hofstetter, Jeffrey D. Robinson, Katherine Lepere, Morgan Cunningham, Nicole Etsekson, Douglas J. Opel

Communication Faculty Publications and Presentations

Objective: To examine how clinicians communicate with parents about influenza vaccination and the effect of these communication behaviors on parental vaccine decision-making.

Study Design: We performed a secondary analysis of data obtained from a cross-sectional observational study in which health supervision visits between pediatric clinicians and English-speaking parents of young children were videotaped. Eligible visits occurred during the 2011-2012 and 2013-2014 influenza seasons, included children ≥ 6 months, and contained an influenza vaccine discussion. A coding scheme of 10 communication behaviors was developed and applied to each visit. Associations between clinician communication behaviors and parental verbal vaccine acceptance …

Hydration Markers And Water Intake In 3 To 13 Year-Old Girls, Cody Shopper

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

INTRODUCTION: Recent data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) showed that more than 50% of children in the U.S. are hypohydrated. However, this assessment was based on a random single urine void which has several limitations in assessing hydration. Studies have shown that greater water consumption is associated with improved mood, cognition, increased physical activity and better overall nutrition. OBJECTIVE: To assess water intake and hydration status in 3-13 year-old girls. METHODS: 39 girls age 3-13 years-old (6.9 ± 2.9 y) collected their own urine samples for 24-hours on a Sunday. Subjects also recorded …

Reducing Tobacco-Related Health Disparities : Exploring The Barriers And Facilitators To Smoking Cessation Among Individuals Experiencing Homelessness., Bernadette Guzman Antoon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although the prevalence of smoking has declined in the U.S., vulnerable populations continue to suffer from tobacco-related health disparities. An estimated 68.0-80.0% of homeless adults are current cigarette smokers compared to 15.1% in the general population. The large gap in smoking rates suggests that current tobacco cessation programs designed to reduce smoking have little impact among individuals experiencing homelessness. The purpose of this study was to explore the barriers and facilitators to smoking cessation among the homeless. The second aim of this study was to explore if the barriers and facilitators to tobacco cessation differed among male smokers experiencing homelessness …

A Guide For Assessing Older Adults’ Needs On Maine Islands, Beatrice Byrne

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

This template may help Maine island communities identify older adults’ needs and island resources, in order to allow older adults to age in the island communities.

Three interviews with island health leaders, one community conversation with older islanders, and one pilot test provided information about what to include in the template.

The template includes a demographic survey, guides for conducting semi-structured interviews and group conversations with older adults and caregivers, a guide and worksheet for analyzing the data, a guide for assessing community resources, a guide for dissemination, and a list of additional resources.

Correlates Of Human Papillomavirus (Hpv) Vaccine Acceptance In Appalachian Tennessee, Oluwatosin Ariyo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection in the U.S., where one HPV-related cancer is diagnosed every 20 minutes. The most common HPV-related cancer is cervical cancer, with an estimated incidence of 12,000 cases annually, a third of which lead to death. Cervical cancer disparately affects women of ethnic minority groups and geographically isolated regions, such as Appalachia. Tennessee ranks third highest in cervical cancer incidence in the country. Many cases of cervical cancer could be prevented through vaccination against HPV, however, vaccination rates for females in Tennessee are among the lowest in the country. This mixed-methods …

Voices In Treble: Self-Reported Vocal Health Of Student Singers, Jane Dreier

Honors Projects

The investigator examined reports of vocal health among singers in two different choral groups on a university campus, a population consisting of both music majors and non-music majors. These student singers consented to filling out a 36-question survey that asked about their overall vocal health and daily habits that might affect that health. A section of this survey involved rating answers from 0-4, while the other section required write-in answers. Results indicate that there is no significant difference in self-reported vocal health between music majors and non-music majors, although there were minor differences between these populations regarding daily habits, such …

Assessing Organizational Health Literacy At An Academic Health Center: A Quantitative Research Study, Latrina Y. Prince

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Inadequate health literacy is a national health problem that affects about 90 million Americans. Health literacy is the degree to which a person is able to make good health decisions based on his/her ability to read, understand, and use health information and services. Organizational Health Literacy (OHL) is the degree to which an organization considers and promotes the health literacy of patients by providing easy to read, understand, and use health information and services. Since it is difficult to determine which patients have inadequate health literacy, a recommended intervention for addressing health literacy is to use OHL practices at all …

Chuukese Migrant Women In Guam: Perceptions Of Barriers To Health Care, Margaret Hattori-Uchima

Asian/Pacific Island Nursing Journal

This descriptive qualitative study examined perceived barriers to health care among Chuukese migrant women in Guam and explored which factors influenced health-seeking behaviors. Study participants recommended interventions which may reduce those perceived barriers. Since the Compact of Free Association with the United States was enacted in 1985, there has been a dramatic rise in the numbers of Chuukese migrating to Guam. This migration is anticipated to continue with more migrants needing health care, education, and social services. Little is known about their perceptions of barriers to health care services or the cultural, social, economic, and other factors that influence their …