Public Health Commons^™

Should Marijuana Be Decriminalized? [An Annotated Bibliography], Christina M. Costa

Undergraduate Research Award

No abstract provided.

Public Health Spending, Preventable Outcomes, And Medical Cost Offsets: Questions For Health Reform, Glen P. Mays

Health Management and Policy Presentations

Uncertainty continues to surround the health and economic effects that can be expected from increased federal spending on public health and prevention strategies. Recent research provides some insight into the question of whether spending on public health strategies can offset the need for future spending on medical care.

The Geographic Value Of Patient-Carried Medical Records In Improving Healthcare In The Us, Lauren Edmundson

The Macalester Review

American medical records have typically been maintained in a single location. However, patient-carried medical records (PCMRs) present an opportunity to alter the space in which health records and information operate. While past research has evaluated PCMRs from a largely economic perspective, this research examines potential benefits of PCMRs through a geographic framework. In total, while further work is needed to perfect the PCMR system, they can ultimately serve as a tool to alleviate four specific complaints made by American patients: lack of communication between provider and patient, lack of communication between providers, medical error, and high costs.

Effective Leadership To Alter School Food Environments And Improve Public Health, Philip R. Mcnab

Florida Public Health Review

Multiple studies show that many children and adolescents in the United States are overweight or at risk for overweight; moreover, the numbers are still rising. Contributing to the problem is the fact that schoolchildren, on average, are eating too much fast food and well below the recommended amounts offruits and vegetables. From a public health perspective, these are severe problems, as they have been associated with diseases such as heart stroke and heart disease. Not surprisingly, school food environments, which are often saturated with low-nutrient energy-dense foods, are not helping matters and need to be altered. Interventions involving nutrition education …

Epidemiology Of Hepatocellular Carcinoma In Florida – Part I: A Statewide Report, Angel E. Alsina, Aryan Beharry, Narrad Beharry, Nyingi Kemmer, Edson Franco, Haydy Rojas, Guy W. Neff

Florida Public Health Review

The increasing incidence ofhepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has become a burgeoning public health problem. The effect has been most notable at liver transplant centers. Traditional reports of liver cancer include many non-HCC variants. This study aims at determining the incidence of HCC in the state of Florida, utilizing data from Florida Cancer Data Systems. This study pertains exclusively to HCC. Of 2,296,794 cancer cases, 4,447 HCC and variants were identified (68.7%). Incidence rates were as follows. The incidence of HCC in the state of Florida was 6.1 cases /100,000 population/year; Male: 9.6/100,000 population/year vs. Female: 2.7; Whites: 6.5/100,000 population/year vs. Blacks: …

Leadership To Address Sexual Education In Schools, Shannon Kelley

Florida Public Health Review

This paper will take the strategies ofleadership proposed by Bennis and Nanus (1985) in application to sexual education in schools. The severity and significance of the sexual health of youth will be shown, with an emphasis on contributing risk behaviors and ideologies. An overview ofthe current state ofteenage pregnancy and sexual disease incidence will be included. Next, the factors that contribute to the disparities of sexual health in youth will be addressed. These factors include: race, parental and peer support, participation in a sexual education program, and current policies on sexual education. A discussion about the relation ofthe factors to …

Addressing The Failure Of Abstinence-Only Sex Education Programs: An Emerging Leadership Perspective, Cedric Harville Ii

Florida Public Health Review

Over the past 15 years, abstinence-only sex education has been the sole method of education supported by the federal government as it relates to adolescent sexual health. Despite the exponential increase offunding provided for abstinence-only sex education, few tangible positive results have surfaced. At high rates, teens still take part in risky sexual behaviors, and are at high risks for teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and HIV/AIDS. As a result, it is necessary to take an alternative approach that provides adolescents with a comprehensive view of sex education in order to effectively reduce these negative outcomes. A comprehensive education will …

Not Just A Mother’S Decision: A Multifactorial Exploration Of Low Breastfeeding Rates In African American Women, Mackenzie R. Tewell

Florida Public Health Review

The benefits of breastfeeding for both mother and newborns are well established. Yet, black women in the U.S. consistently have the lowest rates ofbreastfeeding initiation and duration. Utilizing the various levels ofthe Social Ecological Model, this paper explores the factors that are thought to be responsible for this disparity. Poverty, a lack of resources, and societal disapproval weigh heavily upon already strained intrapersonal relationships where social support is severely lacking. Familial influence proves pivotal in a mother’s decision ofwhether or not to breastfeed. The role ofWIC clinics are also examined as a source of intervention, though literature demonstrates women receive …

Influenza Vaccinations: A Leadership Approach, Christine Ann Meister

Florida Public Health Review

Each year thousands of individuals in the United States are diagnosed with cases of seasonal influenza (flu) and the recent pandemic strain ofH1N1 influenza. Complications ofthe flu can lead to serious health issues resulting in hospitalization and even death. Vaccination for seasonal flu and H1N1 can decrease the number ofcases ofthe flu, thus decreasing the number of complications resulting from infection. Unfortunately, a large percentage of the population chooses not to get vaccinated every year for the seasonal flu because they do not trust vaccine safety and effectiveness. To gain the public’s trust and increase the number ofinfluenza inoculations, the …

Increasing Consumer Involvement In Medicaid Nursing Facility Reimbursement: Lessons From New York And Minnesota, Edward Alan Miller, Cynthia Rudder

Gerontology Institute Publications

Medicaid is the major purchaser of nursing home care in the United States. States design their methods of reimbursing nursing homes to achieve desired policy objectives related to facility cost and quality, access to care, payment equity, service capacity, and budgetary control. The incorporation of multiple, sometimes conflicting incentives into state reimbursement systems has resulted in enormously complex and demanding methodologies that inhibit consumer participation in state rating setting decisions. In turn, the lack of consumer involvement has the potential to result in the adoption of reimbursement systems that favor industry and government interests at the expense of issues important …

Hiv And Aids Education: The Tanzanian Case, Katherine Ellison

Social Sciences

This project takes a look at the cultural, religious, and socio-economic roles that affect the spread of education regarding HIV/AIDS in Tanzania. A personal experience in Zanzibar, Tanzania was the incentive to spark interest in teaching. HIV/AIDS is a powerful epidemic that has taken the lives away from millions. This article takes a deeper look at the transmission, stigmas, and pathways for change.

Counterpoint: The Insurance Institute For Highway Safety Study Actually Found Cities Using Red Light Cameras Had Higher Red Light Running Fatality Rates, Barbara Langland-Orban, Etienne E. Pracht, John T. Large

Florida Public Health Review

In February 2011, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) disseminated their research study that compared red light running traffic fatality rates between cities that implemented red light camera (RLC) programs with cities that did not. The IIHS researchers concluded cities that used RLCs had a significantly larger percentage reduction in both red light running (RLR) fatality rates and total fatality rates at signalized intersections. Because a previous IIHS study on RLCs was found to use flawed research methods, as well as to incorrectly report findings, the current IIHS RLC analysis is reviewed for adherence to scientific methods. Our review …

Racial And Ethnic Disparities In Post-Neonatal Mortality In Florida, Arlesia Mathis, Priscilla A. Barnes, Ramal Moonesinghe

Florida Public Health Review

This policy-related study examines primary care delivery methods in reducing population health disparities. We use post- neonatal mortality as an indicator ofpopulation health within counties to study the effects ofusing contracted service providers compared to direct provision of primary care by county health departments in improving health equity. We analyzed post- neonatal mortality data collected annually between 1997 and 2006 from ten ofFlorida’s most populous counties (>500,000). Using Poisson regression analyses with generalized estimating equations (GEE), we examined differences in post-neonatal mortality among racial and ethnic groups; and among counties and groups over time. The results show significant differences …

Quality Of Life Of Families With Children Who Have Severe Developmental Disabilities: A Comparison Based On Child Residence, Joni Taylor Mcfelea, Sharon Raver

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

This study measured the quality of life of two groups of families with children who had severe developmental disabilities-families whose child lived at home and families whose child lived in a residential facility. Participants were 54 primary caregivers of children who had severe intellectual disabilities and who lacked the ability to both ambulate without assistance and communicate conversationally. Participants completed the "Family Quality of Life Scale" (Hoffman, Marquis, Poston, Summers, & Turnbull, 2006). Analyses revealed that both groups rated their family quality of life (FQOL) as exemplary. FQOL was higher in the family home group than in the residential facility …

Community Member Perspectives From Transgender Women And Men Who Have Sex With Men On Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis As An Hiv Prevention Strategy: Implications For Implementation, Gabriel R. Galindo, Ja'nina Walker Ph.D., Patrick Hazelton, Tim Lane, Wayne T. Steward, Stephen F. Morin, Emily A. Arnold

Psychology

Background: An international randomized clinical trial (RCT) on pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) as an human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-prevention intervention found that taken on a daily basis, PrEP was safe and effective among men who have sex with men (MSM) and male-to-female transgender women. Within the context of the HIV epidemic in the United States (US), MSM and transgender women are the most appropriate groups to target for PrEP implementation at the population level; however, their perspectives on evidenced-based biomedical research and the results of this large trial remain virtually unknown. In this study, we examined the acceptability of individual daily use …

A Novel Tool For Assessing And Summarizing The Built Environment, Gretchen L. Kroeger, Lynne C. Messer, Sharon E. Edwards, Marie Lynn Miranda

Community Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: A growing corpus of research focuses on assessing the quality of the local built environment and also examining the relationship between the built environment and health outcomes and indicators in communities. However, there is a lack of research presenting a highly resolved, systematic, and comprehensive spatial approach to assessing the built environment over a large geographic extent. In this paper, we contribute to the built environment literature by describing a tool used to assess the residential built environment at the tax parcel-level, as well as a methodology for summarizing the data into meaningful indices for linkages with health data. …

Victimization From Bullying Among School-Attending Adolescents In Grades 7 To 10 In Zambia, Seter Siziya, Emmanuel Rudatsikira, Adamson S. Muula

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background:

Among school- attending adolescents, victimization from bullying is associated with anxiety, depression and poor academic performance. There are limited reports on victimization from bullying in Zambia; we therefore conducted this study to determine the prevalence and correlates for victimization from bullying among adolescents in grades 7 to 10 in the country in order to add information on the body of knowledge on victimization from bullying.

Methods:

The 2004 Zambia Global School-based Health Survey (GSHS) data among adolescents in grades 7 to 10 were obtained from the World Health Organization. We estimated the prevalence of victimization from bullying. We also …

Power, Race, And The Neglect Of Science: The Hiv Epidemics In Sub-Saharan Africa, Eileen Stillwaggon, Larry Sawers

Economics Faculty Publications

This work addresses racial stereotyping and the effect it has in distorting AIDS policy for sub-Saharan Africa.

Ua12/4 Stall Street Journal, Vol. 4, Wku Health Services

WKU Administration Documents

Broadsides developed by WKU Health Services to convey public health information in students in bathroom stalls. Incomplete run.

Using First Nations Children's Perceptions Of Food And Activity To Inform An Obesity Prevention Strategy, Ashlee-Ann E. Pigford, Noreen D. Willows, Nicholas L. Holt, Amanda S. Newton, Geoff D.C. Ball

Aboriginal Policy Research Consortium International (APRCi)

No abstract provided.

Management Of Type 2 Diabetes, Susan Harch, David Reeve, Carole Reeve

Aboriginal Policy Research Consortium International (APRCi)

Objective: This article describes the evaluation of a new model of partnership care using an audit cycle.

Results: Statistically significant improvements in foot examination, body mass index, urine albumin creatinine ratio, total cholesterol, triglycerides and visual acuity measurements were observed. Significant increases in the proportion of patients achieving cholesterol and triglycerides therapeutic targets occurred. Most other outcome indicators demonstrated a nonsignificant improvement, which may be due to the short time interval in the audit for potential change.

Conclusion: A dedicated chronic disease team and a clinical information system to coordinate culturally appropriate, multidisciplinary chronic disease care enables effective management of …

Do Indigenous Australians Age Prematurely? The Implications Of Life Expectancy And Health Conditions Of Older Indigenous People For Health And Aged Care Policy, Philippa R. Cotter, John R. Condon, Tony Barnes, Ian P.S. Anderson, Leonard R. Smith, Teresa Cunningham

Aboriginal Policy Research Consortium International (APRCi)

Objective. To assess whether Indigenous Australians age prematurely compared with other Australians, as implied by Australian Government aged care policy, which uses age 50 years and over for population-based planning for Indigenous people compared with 70 years for non-indigenous people.

Methods. Cross-sectional analysis of aged care assessment, hospital and health survey data comparing Indigenous and non-indigenous age-specific prevalence of health conditions. Analysis of life tables for Indigenous and non-indigenous populations comparing life expectancy at different ages.

Results. At age 63 for women and age 65 for men, Indigenous people had the same life expectancy as non-indigenous people at age 70. …

Growing Up Our Way : The First Year Of Life In Remote Aboriginal Australia, Sue Kruske, Suzanne Belton, Molly Wardaguga, Conceptual Narjic

Aboriginal Policy Research Consortium International (APRCi)

In this study, we attempted to explore the experiences and beliefs of Aboriginal families as they cared for their children in the first year of life. We collected family stories concerning child rearing, development, behavior, health, and wellbeing between each infant’s birth and first birthday. We found significant differences in parenting behaviors and childrearing practices between Aboriginal groups and mainstream Australians. Aboriginal parents perceived their children to be autonomous individuals with responsibilities toward a large family group. The children were active agents in determining their own needs, highly prized, and included in all aspects of community life. Concurrent with poverty, …

Area-Based Differentials In Childhood Cancer Incidence In Australia, 1996–2006, Danny R. Youlden, Peter D. Baade, Patricia C. Valery, Timothy E. Hassall, Leisa J. Ward, Adele C. Green, Joanne F. Aitken

Aboriginal Policy Research Consortium International (APRCi)

Background. International studies examining the association between the incidence of childhood cancer and characteristics of the area in which the patient lives have generally reported inconsistent patterns. Area-based differentials in childhood cancer throughout Australia have not been previously published at a national level. Procedure. Population-based information from the Australian Paediatric Cancer Registry was used to identify all children aged 0- to 14-years old diagnosed with invasive cancer or intracranial and intraspinal tumors of benign or uncertain behavior between 1996 and 2006. Age-standardized incidence rates per million children per year and the corresponding incidence rate ratios were calculated, categorized by remoteness …

Culture Ontogeny: Lifespan Development Of Religion And The Ethics Of Spiritual Counselling, Glen Milstein, Amy Manierre

Publications and Research

The counsellor has an ethical obligation to treat the whole person. Humans are cultural beings and the foundation of most cultures is religion. Religion and culture are received from our early relation~ ships and modified through later relationships across the lifespan. The paper introduces the term "culture ontogeny" to emphasize that this is a biological process wherein abstract ideas of culture and religion become material in the developing neurophysiology of each brain. A framework and methods are offered to examine the changing roles of religion in clients' emotional self~ structure, inclusive of those who describe themselves as spiritual, not religious. …

Health Effects Associated With Foreclosure: A Secondary Analysis Of Hospital Discharge Data, Nancy Menzel, Sheniz Moonie, Melva V. Thompson-Robinson

Nursing Faculty Research

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to assess the health effects of high home foreclosure rates in an area of the United States of America and the utility of hospital discharge data for this purpose. Methods. We analyzed hospital discharge data from three postal zip codes using the principal diagnosis for 25 Diagnostic Related Groups associated with stress. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize hospital discharge rates for each condition by year and zip code. To test for differences across time, the Cochran-Armitage trend test was performed. Results. Most conditions did not demonstrate a statistical change between …

Nonclinical Development Needs And Regulatory Requirements For Multipurpose Prevention Technologies: A Primer, Joseph W. Romano, Martha Brady, Judy Manning

HIV and AIDS

This summary outlines key development elements that will be necessary for various configurations of multipurpose prevention products for the simultaneous prevention of HIV, sexually transmitted infections, and/or pregnancy.

Assessing And Improving Self-Reporting Of Male Circumcision In Zambia And Swaziland, Paul C. Hewett, Nicole Haberland, Barbara Mensch, Louis Apicella

HIV and AIDS

The Male Circumcision (MC) Partnership was established with the support of the Gates Foundation and PEPFAR to scale up MC services in Zambia, in collaboration with the Zambian government. The MC Partnership is a five-year project led by Population Services International (Society for Family Health, Zambia), in partnership with Jhpiego, Marie Stopes International (MSI), and the Population Council. The ultimate objective of this study is to provide researchers and program managers with evidence-based recommendations for the collection of self-reported data on MC status through an assessment of different methods to describe and explain MC. Specifically, the study assessed tools for …

The Experiences Of Men Engaged In Transactional Sex With Other Men In Urban Nigeria—A Size Estimation And Qualitative Study, Population Council

HIV and AIDS

Reports on a mixed-method research study to estimate the population size and understand the experiences of a sub-group of men who have sex with men presumed to be at particularly high risk of infection with HIV and other sexually transmitted infections: men who engage in transactional sex with other men.

Shaping The Operations Research Agenda For Antiretroviral-Based Prevention Products For Women: Gels And Rings, Martha Brady, C. Elizabeth Mcgrory

HIV and AIDS

This report summarizes discussions from a two-day international experts consultation meeting in 2012 on preparing for the successful introduction of women-centered antiretroviral-based HIV prevention methods. It examines the limits and expectations of operations research in antiretroviral health technologies.