Public Health Commons^™

Examining Childhood Trauma And Substance Use Problems Among Justice-Involved Adolescents In Florida, Skye C. Bristol

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to assess the relationship between childhood trauma and substance use problems as latent constructs among justice-involved adolescents (JIA). Additionally, racial differences and spatial analyses were examined. Previous research underscores the limitations of conceptualizing childhood trauma solely through Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). This justified integrating child welfare involvement, or out-of-home placement, as an additional indicator to develop a comprehensive scope of childhood trauma among JIA. Furthermore, current literature established that childhood trauma is a key predictor of substance misuse among JIA. However, the lack of a standardized measure of substance misuse across juvenile justice systems …

Hesitation Towards The Covid-19 Vaccine In The United States: A Digital Ethnographic Study [Vacilación Ante La Vacuna Contra El Covid-19 En Estados Unidos De América: Un Estudio Etnográfico Digital], Rosalynn A. Vega

Anthropology Faculty Publications

Following the authorization of the use of COVID-19 vaccines in babies age 6 months through children 4 years old in the United States, some individuals (parents, pediatricians, and communicators) framed COVID-19 vac-cination as an issue of access, while many others expressed hesitancy, and some resisted recommendations from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In this context, this study aimed to explore: 1) divergent reactions to the authorization of COVID-19 vaccine use in children aged 6 months to 4 years; and 2) opposing logics underlying attitudes towards pro-vaccination, anti-vaccination, and vaccine hesitancy regarding COVID-19 vaccines. To achieve this, a …

Evaluating Drowning Prevention Campaigns - The Challenge Of Getting The Right Information To The Right People At The Right Time: A Response To Calverley, Petrass, And Blitvich, Gemma Crawford, Meg Abercromby, Malena Della Bona, Justine E. Leavy Ph.D.

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Evidence-informed decision making requires timely and readily available research and evaluation for policy and practice. In the context of drowning prevention, evaluation of interventions in the grey and peer reviewed literature is relatively scarce. Lack of evidence and associated barriers to access limits the scope of knowledge translation efforts and the application of research outcomes to initiatives designed to prevent drowning. The paper, Alcohol Focused Drowning Prevention Campaigns: What Do We Know and What Should We Do Now? highlights a lack of specific evaluation for alcohol-focused drowning prevention campaigns. We offer insights as evaluators of a youth water safety program …

Implementation Of Mindfulness & Stress Reduction Training For Medical Students, Jill Berenato

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Abstract

This proposal advocates for implementing mandatory mindfulness and stress reduction training sessions for surgical students at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM). It is well-documented that medical students, particularly those in surgical disciplines, experience high levels of stress, which can negatively impact their mental health, academic performance and overall well-being. Mindfulness-based interventions have shown promise in reducing stress and enhancing resilience among medical students. By integrating mindfulness training into the surgical curriculum, PCOM aims to equip students with essential coping skills to effectively manage stress, thereby promoting their mental health and academic success. This handout serves to accompany the …

A Fork In The Road: Uncovering The Impact Of Industrial Animal Agriculture On The Physical Health Of Communities Of Color, Mariana Zepeda

Population Health Research Brief Series

Nearly all (99%) farmed animals in the U.S. come from Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). CAFOs are industrial agriculture facilities defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as operations where animals are raised in confinement and meet animal size and waste material thresholds. Communities located near CAFOs, which tend to have high shares of low-income and racial/ethnic minority residents, are at risk of exposure to CAFO-related air and water pollutants. This brief summarizes the health risks for communities located near CAFOs. Additionally, it calls for government regulations that improve transparency, management, and consumer empowerment.

Exploration Of Latina/Hispanic Women's Experiences Living With Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Qualitative Study With Patients In Houston, Natalia I Heredia, Erika Mendoza Duque, Sylvia Ayieko, Amelia Averyt, Lorna H Mcneill, Jessica P Hwang, Maria E Fernandez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVES: A deeper understanding of the lived experiences of Hispanic patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) can help guide the development of behavioral programs that facilitate NAFLD management. This paper explores Hispanic women's experiences living with NAFLD.

DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS: We collected brief sociodemographic questionnaires and conducted in-depth interviews with 12 low-income (all had household income ≤USD$55 000 per year) Hispanic women with NAFLD from the Houston area. Transcripts were audio-recorded and transcribed. We developed a coding scheme and used thematic analysis to identify emergent themes, supported by Atlas.ti.

RESULTS: Participants identified physicians as their main information source on …

Dining Patterns At Campus Food Venues: University Employees’ Perspectives, Kritika Gupta, Jangwoo Jo, Laurel Lambert, Georgianna Mann, Selby Rebecca Entrekin

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Background: Few studies exist concerning university employees’ on-campus dining patterns patronage with regard to healthy eating principles. Purpose: To understand the importance that faculty/staff (F/S) place on healthy eating principles and the influence it may have on satisfaction and dining patterns at campus food venues. Methods: A validated online survey was used to collect data on F/S’s perspectives. The survey was distributed through a survey panel group, offered through the University’s Office of Research. Results: Responses on the importance of healthy eating principles showed a severe skewness towards high importance. Younger F/S placed higher importance on …

Close Contacts Of Xenograft Recipients: Ethical Considerations Due To Risk Of Xenozoonosis, Daniel J Hurst, Luz Padilla, Daniel Rodger, Tamar Schiff, David K C Cooper

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

With decades of pre-clinical studies culminating in the recent clinical application of xenotransplantation, it would appear timely to provide recommendations for operationalizing oversight of xenotransplantation clinical trials. Ethical issues with clinical xenotransplantation have been described for decades, largely centering on animal welfare, the risks posed to the recipient, and public health risks posed by potential spread of xenozoonosis. Much less attention has been given to considerations relating to potentially elevated risks faced by those who may care for or otherwise have close contact with xenograft recipients. This paper examines the ethical and logistical issues raised by the potential exposure to …

Urban-Rural Differences In School Districts' Local Wellness Policies And Policy Implementation Environments, Swati Iyer, Timothy J Walker, Alexandra L Macmillan Uribe, Chad D Rethorst, Rebecca A Seguin-Fowler, Jacob Szeszulski

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Higher rates of obesity in rural compared to urban districts suggest environmental differences that affect student health. This study examined urban-rural differences in districts' local wellness policies (LWPs) and LWP implementation environments. Cross-sectional data from two assessments in Texas were analyzed. In assessment one, each district's LWP was reviewed to see if 16 goals were included. In assessment two, an audit was conducted to identify the presence of a wellness plan (a document with recommendations for implementing LWPs), triennial LWP assessment, and school health advisory councils (SHACs) on the district website. Rural districts' LWPs had a smaller number of total …

How To Develop A Qualitative Evaluation Plan For A Complex National Intervention: Key Steps And Reflections From The Radx-Up Program, Shelly A. Maras, Josephine Mckelvy, Kelley Milligan, Allyson Kelley, Valerie A. Lucas, Tara Carr, Abisola Osinuga, Leah Frerichs, Gaurav Dave

The Qualitative Report

This article describes the formative process of developing and implementing a Qualitative Evaluation Plan (QEP) for a large-scale, National Institute of Health (NIH) supported program: Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics — Underserved Populations (RADx-UP). RADx-UP includes over 137 projects in the United States that aim to ensure that all Americans have access to timely, accurate diagnostics for COVID-19, with a specific focus on populations the pandemic disproportionately affects. As part of a comprehensive, mixed-methods strategic evaluation plan, our team developed the QEP. We employed qualitative methods to understand RADx-UP academic and community partners’ experiences implementing community-engaged research strategies, and to understand …

M-Chat Implementation Strategies To Improve Autism Screening Rates In Pediatric Clinics In Metro Detroit, Karamoja Monchamp

Medical Student Research Symposium

The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) is the most widely used autism screening tool. However, current practices for M-CHAT roll-outs and follow-ups are not wide-reaching, culturally sensitive, or consistent. This study aims to address the existing barriers to universal autism screenings and design a sustainable implementation strategy for a successful M-CHAT roll-out. We implemented strategies in five Henry Ford Health pediatric clinics, incorporating iPad-administered M-CHAT in waiting rooms, multilingual options, task shifting for referrals, forced choice mechanisms, and audit-and-feedback support. A Clinical Screening Dashboard tracked real-time M-CHAT data, including demographic information, collected from EPIC. Our goal is to …

The Great Resignation: Narratives Of Mid-Career Teacher Burnout And Attrition, Nicole Burton

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the issues of teacher attrition. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, from January to November 2021, there was a 40% increase in the quit levels of teachers within the state and local education agencies (John, 2022). While prior research has examined early-career teachers leaving the profession, mid-career teachers have largely been left out of the conversation. This narrative inquiry investigates the reasons that mid-career teachers are leaving the profession. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four mid-career teachers hailing from the Midwest region. Interviews focused on understanding how teachers have experienced stress and …

Identifying Rural Health Clinics Within The Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-Msis) Analytic Files, Katherine Ahrens Mph, Phd, Zachariah Croll, Yvonne Jonk Phd, John Gale Ms, Heidi O'Connor Ms

Rural Health Clinics

Researchers at the Maine Rural Health Research Center describe a methodology for identifying Rural Health Clinic encounters within the Medicaid claims data using Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-MSIS) Analytic Files.

Background: There is limited information on the extent to which Rural Health Clinics (RHC) provide pediatric and pregnancy-related services to individuals enrolled in state Medicaid/CHIP programs. In part this is because methods to identify RHC encounters within Medicaid claims data are outdated.

Methods: We used a 100% sample of the 2018 Medicaid Demographic and Eligibility and Other Services Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-MSIS) Analytic Files for 20 states …

Voices From Grenada: An Impact Evaluation Of A Community-Academic Partnership., Sade Richardson

Doctor of Social Work Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of the community-academic partnership between the University of Michigan School of Public Health Office of Public Health Practice and the Grenadian community. Five key informant interviews were conducted to analyze the partnership from the perspectives of the community partners in Grenada to understand the strengths, challenges, and existing opportunities, specifically within the context of a global collaboration.

The findings highlighted the benefits of community-based collaboration, considerations for partnership design, and opportunities for education, practice, policy, research, and leadership. The organizations spoke highly of the partnership, underscoring their desire for expanded …

Governmental Affairs Update, Neema Katibai Jd

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

The article presents the American Dental Association's federal advocacy achievements during the first half of the 118th Congress. The ADA has made significant strides in influencing policy and regulations across various categories, including workforce issues, dental insurance reform, access to care, student loan debt, Medicaid, practice management, veterans' affairs, health information technology, and public health. Their efforts span from urging legislative action to collaborating with federal agencies and Congress members. These accomplishments showcase the ADA's commitment to advancing dental profession interests nationally.

The Accuracy Of Anal Self- And Companion Exams Among Sexual Minority Men And Transgender Women: A Prospective Analysis, Alan G Nyitray, Timothy L Mcauliffe, Cameron Liebert, Michael D Swartz, Ashish A Deshmukh, Elizabeth Y Chiao, Lou Weaver, Ellen Almirol, Jared Kerman, John A Schneider, J Michael Wilkerson, Lu-Yu Hwang, Derek Smith, Aniruddha Hazra

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Squamous cell carcinoma of the anus (SCCA) annual incidence among sexual minority men with and without HIV is 85/100,000 and 19/100,000 persons, respectively, which is significantly higher than the overall incidence (2/100,000). Incidence may also be higher in transgender women. Since SCCA tumours average ≥30 mm at diagnosis, we assessed the accuracy of individuals to self-detect smaller anal abnormalities.

METHODS: Using convenience sampling, the study enrolled sexual minority men and transgender women, aged 25-81 years, in Chicago, Illinois and Houston, Texas, USA, during 2020-2022. Individuals were taught the anal self-examination and anal companion examination (ASE/ACE). Then, a clinician performed …

Risk Of Alzheimer's Disease And Related Dementias In Persons With Glaucoma: A National Cohort Study, Casey Crump, Jan Sundquist, Weiva Sieh, Kristina Sundquist

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: Glaucoma is a heterogeneous group of optic neuropathies that potentially may be associated with other cerebral neurodegenerative processes leading to dementia. However, prior studies have been inconsistent. We examined dementia risks after glaucoma diagnosis in a large population-based cohort.

DESIGN: National matched cohort study.

PARTICIPANTS: A total of 324 730 persons diagnosed with glaucoma during 1995-2017 in Sweden and 3 247 300 age- and sex-matched population-based controls without prior dementia.

METHODS: Cox regression was used to compute hazard ratios (HRs) for Alzheimer's disease (AD), vascular dementia (VaD), and all-cause dementia in persons with glaucoma compared with controls, adjusting for …

Trends In Sleep Duration In The Us From 2004 To 2018: A Decomposition Analysis, Jiahui Xu, Liying Luo, Alyssa Gamaldo, Ashton Verdery, Melissa Hardy, Orfeu M Buxton, Qian Xiao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Average sleep duration in the United States declined in recent years, and the decline may be linked with many biopsychosocial factors. We examine how a set of biopsychosocial factors have differentially contributed to the temporal trends in self-reported sleep duration across racial groups between 2004-2005 and 2017-2018. Using repeated nationally representative cross-sections from the National Health Interview Survey, we decompose the influence of biopsychosocial factors on sleep duration trends into two components. One component corresponds to coefficient changes (i.e., changes in the associations between behaviors or exposures and sleep duration) of key biopsychosocial factors, and the other part accounts for …

Cultural Context Index: A Geospatial Measure Of Social Determinants Of Health In The United States, Alaina M Beauchamp, Gordon C Shen, Syed H Hussain, Atif Adam, Linda Highfield, Kai Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Minority populations will continue to grow in the United States. Such pluralism necessitates iterative, geospatial measurements of cultural contexts. Our objective in this study was to create a measure of social determinants of health in geographic areas with varying ethnic, linguistic, and religious diversity in the United States. We extracted geographic information systems data based on community characteristics that have known associations with population health disparities from 2015 to 2019. We used principal component analysis to construct a Cultural Context Index (CCI). We created the CCI for 73,682 census tracts across 50 states and five inhabited territories. We identified hot …

Life Satisfaction Changes And Adaptation In The Covid-19 Pandemic: Evidence From Singapore, Terence C. Cheng, Seonghoon Kim, Kanghyock Koh

Research Collection School Of Economics

We provide novel evidence on how COVID-19 affected overall life satisfaction using a monthly longitudinal survey of middle-aged and older Singaporeans. We study how the subjective well-being of individuals evolves over the course of 18 months including the outbreak of the pandemic, the implementation of the lockdown and the spike of cases due to the delta variant in a country where COVID-19 is controlled in a sustained manner. Using an event-study design framework, we find large declines in overall life satisfaction in the lead-up to and following the lockdown. Fifteen months after the outbreak of the pandemic, and 13 months …

Infant Mortality Rates Vary Substantially Across Regions Of The United States, Marissa Merrifield

Population Health Research Brief Series

Infant mortality rates are higher in the United States than in its high-income peer countries. Additionally, infant mortality rates vary within the U.S., with much higher rates in some geographic regions compared to others. This data slice uses data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to compare infant mortality rates by geographic region in the U.S. between 2017-2021. The results show that the infant mortality rate was the highest in the South and lowest in the Northeast and West.

Association Of Plasma Ykl-40 With Mri, Csf, And Cognitive Markers Of Brain Health And Dementia, Matthew P Pase, Jayandra J Himali, Raquel Puerta, Alexa S Beiser, Mitzi M Gonzales, Claudia L Satizabal, Qiong Yang, Hugo J Aparicio, Daniel J Kojis, Charles S Decarli, Oscar L Lopez, Will Longstreth, Vilmundur Gudnason, Thomas H Mosley, Joshua C Bis, Alison Fohner, Bruce M Psaty, Mercè Boada, Pablo García-González, Sergi Valero, Marta Marquié, Russell Tracy, Lenore J Launer, Agustín Ruiz, Myriam Fornage, Sudha Seshadri

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Higher YKL-40 levels in the CSF are a known biomarker of brain inflammation. We explored the utility of plasma YKL-40 as a biomarker for accelerated brain aging and dementia risk.

METHODS: We performed cross-sectional and prospective analyses of 4 community-based cohorts in the United States or Europe: the Age, Gene/Environment Susceptibility-Reykjavik Study, Atherosclerosis Risk in the Communities study, Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study, and Framingham Heart Study (FHS). YKL-40 was measured from stored plasma by a single laboratory using Mesoscale Discovery with levels log transformed and standardized within each cohort. Outcomes included MRI total …

Building Advocacy In The Younger Generation Through The Adopt A School Program Of The University Of South Florida College Of Public Health Activist Lab-A Commentary, Karen Liller, Madison Sanders, Erin Millsapps, Truc Ho, Kanika Chandra, Rolando Trejos

Florida Public Health Review

No abstract required as this is a commentary.

Dietary Adherence And Cognitive Performance In Older Adults By Nativity Status: Results From The National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey (Nhanes), 2011–2014, Md Towfiqul Alam, Elizabeth Vásquez, Jennifer L. Etnier, Sandra Echeverria

Department of Health Sciences - Faculty Scholarship

Although adherence to dietary guidelines is associated with better cognitive performance, there may be differences by nativity status. This study aimed to investigate the association between adherence to the healthy eating index (HEI) and cognitive performance (CP) among United States (US)-born and foreign-born older adults (60+ years). Data were obtained from the 2011–2014 NHANES (n = 3065). Dietary adherence was assessed with HEI quintiles. CP (adequate vs. low) was examined using word listing (CERAD), animal naming (AFT), and the digit symbol substitution test (DSST). Weighted multivariable logistic regressions were used to examine associations. The US-born participants in higher dietary quintiles …

Statement Of The Aspher Task Force On War And Public Health On The Conflict In Israel/Palestine, Oliver Razum, Paul Barach, Tomasz Bochenek, Colette Cunningham, Nadav Davidovitch, Polychronis Kostoulas, Jutta Lindert, Henrique Lopes, Vladimir Prikazsky, John Reid, Mirjana Kujundžić Tiljak, John Middleton

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

A Longitudinal Look At Student Attitude, Perceived Competence, And Fitness Test Performance Of Elementary Students, Risto Marttinen, Kevin Mercier, Jung Yeon Park, Kelly L. Simonton, Erin Centeio, Kevin Andrew Richards, Kathleen Wilson

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

The purpose of this study was to assess relationships between students’ attitudes toward physical education (PE), their perceived competence toward PE, and their fitness test performance, as well as how these relationships change over time. Measurements were conducted with validated instruments across five time points during two school years with fourth and fifth grade students across ten schools (n = 636, 48% = female). This study was developed to address a need for examining how attitudes and perceived competence change over time. Descriptive statistics and latent growth models were run with the variables of interest to investigate four research …

What Factors Increase Risk Of Alzheimer's Disease And Related Dementia?, Elizabeth Vásquez, Kai Zhang

Population Health Research Brief Series

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia and ranks 7th in the leading causes of death in the United States (U.S.). This data slice uses nationwide data from 3,155 counties in the U.S. to identify the factors that best predict county-level rates of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRDs) in 2018. The results indicate that insufficient sleep, consuming less than one serving of fruits and vegetables per day, having no high school diploma, Black population percentage, and social vulnerability were among the leading factors predicting county-level ADRD prevalence.

Evaluating The Oral Health-Related Quality Of Life Among Dental Patients In South India - A Descriptive Study, Dheekshitha P K, Sudeep C B Dr., Sunil P M Dr., Suji M Dr.

Annual Research Symposium

This study aims to evaluate the oral health-related quality of life among dental patients in South India.

Black Women Have The Highest Maternal Mortality Rate In The United States, Tori-Ann Haywood

Population Health Research Brief Series

The U.S. maternal mortality rate is consistently higher than its high-income peer countries. Since 2018 maternal mortality rates in the U.S. have steadily increased for all ethnoracial groups. This data slice uses data from the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics to describe U.S. maternity mortality rates for women ages 15-45 across different ethnoracial groups between 2018-2022. Results show that, except for non-Hispanic (NH) Asian women, ethnoracial minority women have higher maternal death rates than NH White women.

Calming The Body, Calming The Mind: A Pilot Study On The Use Of Zero Balancing To Reduce Anxiety, Misty L. Rhoads, Mary Murphy

Journal of Transformative Touch

Background: The predominance of anxiety is currently at record levels, and the need for non-pharmaceutical approaches to help alleviate and decrease the harmful effects of anxiety on an individual and collective level is necessary. This study explored how Zero Balancing supports individuals with anxiety to manage their physical, mental, and emotional health more effectively. Researchers hypothesized that Zero Balancing would lower the perceived severity of general anxiety and lower perceived anxiety symptoms.

Methods: To honor the holistic nature of bodywork and the participants' lived experiences, the researchers utilized a concurrent mixed-methods phenomenological research design. Each participant received one Zero Balancing …