Public Health Commons^™

The Texas Community-Engagement Research Alliance Against Covid-19 In Disproportionately Affected Communities (Tx Ceal) Consortium, Rebecca A. Seguin-Fowler, Chris Amos, Bettina M. Beech, Robert L. Ferrer, Lorna Mcneill, Jasmine J. Opusunju, Emily Spence, Erika L. Thompson, Luis R. Torres-Hostos, Jamboor K. Vishwanatha

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic requires urgent implementation of effective community-engaged strategies to enhance education, awareness, and inclusion of underserved communities in prevention, mitigation, and treatment efforts. The Texas Community-Engagement Alliance Consortium was established with support from the United States’ National Institutes of Health (NIH) to conduct community-engaged projects in selected geographic locations with a high proportion of medically underserved minority groups with a disproportionate burden of COVID-19 disease and hospitalizations. The purpose of this paper is to describe the development of the Consortium. The Consortium organized seven projects with focused activities to address COVID-19 clinical and vaccine trials …

Pharmacists Provision Of Non-Dispensing Services In Health Professional Shortage Areas, Haley L. Kessinger, Emily R. Landis

ONU Student Research Colloquium

Background: Individuals living in primary care health professional shortage areas (PCHPSAs) experience health inequities. Community pharmacists are healthcare professionals with an opportunity to provide care to underserved populations. The objective of this study was to compare non-dispensing services provided by Ohio community pharmacists in PCHPSAs and non-PCHSPAs.

Methods: An electronic, IRB-approved 19-item survey was sent to all community pharmacists practicing in full PCHPSA counties and a random sample practicing in non-PCHPSA counties in Ohio (n=324). Questions assessed current provision of non-dispensing services as well as interest and barriers regarding such services.

Results: Seventy-three usable responses were received (23% response rate). …

Change Of Air Quality Knowledge, Perceptions, Attitudes, And Practices During And Post-Wildfires In The United States, Alessandro Del Ponte, Lina Ang, Lianjun Li, Noah Lim, Wilson Tam Wai San, Wei Jie Seow

Political Science Faculty Articles and Research

Amid worsening climate change, the recurrent wildfires have substantially worsened air quality in the Western United States (U.S.). Understanding the knowledge, attitudes, perception, and practices (KAPP) over time in response to natural disasters such as wildfires is crucial for public health interventions and disaster preparedness. This is the first study to investigate the change in air quality KAPP over time in response to natural disasters. Previous studies have only assessed KAPP at a fixed time point. Using a two-wave panel survey (during and post-wildfires), we assessed the association between KAPP and respiratory health indicators as well as the changes over …

Citizenship Matters: Non-Citizen Covid-19 Mortality Disparities In New York And Los Angeles, Jason A. Douglas, Georgiana Bostean, Angel Miles Nash, Emmanuel B. John, Lawrence M. Brown, Andrew M. Subica

Health Sciences and Kinesiology Faculty Articles

U.S. non-citizen residents are burdened by inequitable access to socioeconomic resources, potentially placing them at heightened risk of COVID-19-related disparities. However, COVID-19 impacts on non-citizens are not well understood. Accordingly, the current study investigated COVID-19 mortality disparities within New York (NYC) and Los Angeles (LAC) to test our hypothesis that areas with large proportions of non-citizens will have disproportionately high COVID-19 mortality rates. We examined ecological associations between March 2020–January 2021 COVID-19 mortality rates (per 100,000 residents) and percent non-citizens (using ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTA) for NYC and City/Community units of analysis for LAC) while controlling for sociodemographic factors. …

Public Health Interventions For Children Of Incarcerated Parents, Daniel Bullman

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

The impact of social and structural determinants of health have lifelong consequences on an individual’s quality of life. Literature focusing on child health and wellbeing of incarcerated parents indicate significant negative health outcomes and adopted detrimental health behaviors. Using a systematic realist review, recent publications were reviewed for their potential discussion or recommendation for interventions in changing health outcomes. This review found that additional research is needed in identifying and testing potential interventions or determining if parallel public health initiatives have had positive impacts in promoting the health behavior change process for children and adolescents of incarcerated parents.

Fortunate People In A Fortunate Land: Dwelling And Residential Alienation In Santa Monica's Rent-Controlled Housing, Lauren E.M. Everett

Dissertations and Theses

The importance of safe and stable housing for individual and community wellbeing is widely acknowledged. However, for the one third of Americans who rent their homes, housing-related stress and precarity (residential alienation) may undermine stability and a sense of home. Rent control is perhaps the most well-known tenant protection policy in the United States, but it remains highly controversial and its efficacy has been debated for decades. This research is the first academic inquiry to examine the policy through the experience of residents of rent-controlled housing. In academic discourse dominated by quantitative inquiry from the discipline of economics, this study …

An Examination Of The Relationship Between Childhood Punishment And Adult Ipv, Anna G. Griffith

Honors College Theses

The goal of this project is to examine the relationship between childhood punishment and experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) as an adult. Using an anonymous, self-report survey, students from Georgia Southern University were asked about their experiences with IPV, as well as their experiences of childhood punishment administered by both mother and father. The results show that children who receive corporal, verbal, and emotional punishment from their mother are more likely to experience all forms of IPV later in life. When analyzing the same relationships with fathers, corporal punishment is not associated with IPV while verbal and emotional punishment is.

Protecting A Woman’S Right To Abortion During A Public Health Crisis, San Juanita Gonzalez

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

As COVID-19 infected our nation, states were quick to issue executive orders restricting various aspects of daily life under the pretense of public safety. It was clear at the outset that certain civil liberties were going to be tested. Among them, the constitutional right to an abortion.

This comment explores Texas’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the limitations it imposed on abortion access. It will attempt to address the legitimacy of the “public health concerns” listed in executive orders issued throughout numerous states and will discuss the pertinent legal framework and judicial scrutiny to apply.

According to the Fifth …

Acute Stress Disorder: Incidence Findings And Diagnostic Implications For U.S. Active Duty Service Members, Michael A. Schlenk

Symposium of Student Scholars

Acute stress disorder (ASD) is a psychiatric diagnosis that can occur between three days and one month following traumatic events such as injuries, violence, and/or experienced or threatened harm (5th ed.; DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013). ASD has long been utilized as a predictor of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, literature examining ASD elucidates that predication of subsequent PTSD is not as reliable as once thought (Bonnano et al., 2012; Bryant, 2018). Further, there is a dearth of empirical literature examining ASD among active duty service members (SMs). As such, the present study sought to provide epidemiological data by …

Sensory Integration For Survivors Of Intimate Partner Violence (Ipv), Nadien Albanna

Spring 2022 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Since the start of the global pandemic, stay-at-home orders forced IPV survivors to stay in the home with abusers, increasing the risk of abuse, and the impact of psychological trauma. (Bright et al., 2020). Occupational therapists are trained professionals in incorporating sensory-based strategies to focus on the somatic manifestations experienced by the body from trauma and can help to regulate physiological and psychological responses through sensory stimuli (Mcgreevy & Boland et al., 2020). The development of this project sparked an opportunity to publish a new framework to introduce the role of sensory integration in treating survivors of intimate partner violence …

A Call For Occupational Justice: Amending Medicare Policy, Amanda Amaro, Lisa Griggs-Stapleton, Jennifer Summers

Spring 2022 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

This advocacy project titled, A Call for Occupational Justice: Amending Medicare Policy focuses on advocating for increased access to occupational therapy (OT) services for elderly individuals within home health settings and bridging the health equity gap. The student was able to collaborate with the AOTA Federal Affairs Department throughout their capstone advocacy experience. They began the process of addressing Medicare home health policy serving as an environmental barrier for quality of life within this population through preparing to introduce legislation amending Medicare policy. This Medicare home health legislation would allow OT to be recognized as a Medicare qualifying home health …

Understanding Travel For Families With A Physically Disabled Child Through The Occupational Therapy Lens, Dinah Adams, Karen Park, Susan Macdermott

Spring 2022 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Travel is a complex occupation that involves interactions between body function, activity participation, and the environment. For families traveling with a physically disabled child this occupation becomes even more complex. The available literature on the lived experiences of these families is significantly limited. This project aims to determine participants’ experiences of commercial airline travel with a child who has a physical disability. Through the participants experiences, barriers and needs of this population can be identified. Through identification of barriers, the needs of this population are highlighted as well as ways they can be supported and advocated for.

Eta Sigma Gamma - Georgia Southern University Chapter: Breast Cancer Awareness Health Communication Plan, Jill Johns, Omolola Okunromade

Eagle Showcase: Excellence in Service-Learning (Archived)

The health communication plan was used to evaluate public health communication and advocacy promotion by efficiently increasing awareness about breast health and preventive services such as mammography screening among college students and women eligible for breast cancer screening. The communication plan was targeted towards empowering the Georgia Southern University chapter of Eta Sigma Gamma (ESG) members and other college students to act as health advocates by virtually disseminating information through the Facebook platform to their peer groups and social networks including friends and families in their community.

The purposes of the program evaluation and implementation measurement were to: 1) monitor …

A Review Of Programs Related To The Prevention Of And Response To Sexual And Gender-Based Violence Among Refugees In Humanitarian Settings, Lili Morgan

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Textual or Investigative

The Impact Of Afghan Opium Cultivation On The U.S. Opioid Epidemic, Zachary Wahab Cheek

UNL Student Research Days Posters, Undergraduate

I argue here that increases in Afghan opium cultivation, the most prolific in the world, has depressed American prescription opioid and heroin prices, thereby increasing abuse risk in U.S. addict populations and increasing death rates. Utilizing a two-stage regression model with a sparse dataset from several national and international sources, I find evidence that a one percent increase in Afghan opium production is associated with a 0.122 percent increase in prescription opioid overdose deaths, and a 0.367 percent increase in heroin overdose deaths. Assessing the 2001-2002 Taliban opium ban with an identification strategy, I find that in this timeframe prescription …

Public Goods From Private Data: An Effectiveness And Justification Dilemma For Digital Contact Tracing, Andrew Buzzell

The Journal of Sociotechnical Critique

Debate about the adoption of digital contact tracing (DCT) apps to control the spread of COVID-19 has focussed on risks to individual privacy. This emphasis reveals significant challenges to ethical deployment of DCT, but generates constraints which undermine justification to implement DCT. It would be a mistake to view this result solely as the successful operation of ethical foresight analysis, preventing deployment of potentially harmful technology. Privacy-centric analysis treats data as private property, frames the relationship between individuals and governments as adversarial, entrenches technology platforms as gatekeepers, and supports a conception of emergency public health authority as limited by individual …

Obesogenic Environments And Cardiovascular Disease: A Path Analysis Using Us Nationally Representative Data, Fangqi Guo, Georgiana Bostean, Vincent Berardi, Alfredo J. Velasquez, Jennifer W. Robinette

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Introduction

People living in obesogenic environments, with limited access to healthful food outlets and exercise facilities, generally have poor health. Previous research suggests that behavioral risk factors and indicators of physiological functioning may mediate this link; however, no studies to date have had the requisite data to investigate multi-level behavioral and physiological risk factors simultaneously. The present study conducted serial and parallel mediation analyses to examine behavioral and physiological pathways explaining the association between environmental obesogenicity and cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Methods

This cross-sectional observational study used data from the 2012–2016 Health and Retirement Study, a representative survey of US older …

Examination Of An Individual-Level Stigma Reduction Tactic In Front-Line Service Encounters, Christopher J. Waterbury, Nicholas A. Smith Phd., Larry Martinez Phd., Shi (Tracy) Xu Phd.

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

Minority stress theory links short- and long-term negative health outcomes to stigma and discrimination. It is important that workers have the agency to effect change in the processes of discrimination as a social determinate of health. Identity management strategies are elective tactics that workers may wish to use to reduce discrimination. Front line service workers may be discriminated against by customers in the form of negative customer service evaluations. Group-level stereotypes may influence customer service perceptions more than objective service quality. In this poster, we report findings from two studies in which we examined the effectiveness of an individual-level stigma …

Effect Of Sin Lek Rice Intervention On Cognitive Function, Dietary Patterns, And Fecal Microbiota Of Elementary School Children In Chiang Rai, Thailand, Angie Setthavongsack, Siam Popluechai, Jackilen Shannon, Justin Denny, Eleni Gentekaki, Kongkiat Kespechara, Lucsame Gruneck, Thomas J. Sharpton, Kullawong Niwed, Lisa K. Marriott

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

Thailand has struggled with malnutrition rates in young children. Rice is a key component of Southeast Asian diets and a whole grain rice varietal (Sin Lek) may support improved nutrition. Diet can influence cognitive function and human gut microbiota, which were explored in the context of a rice intervention. We conducted a pilot study using a non-randomized, crossover clinical trial of Sin Lek rice versus traditional white rice consumption in elementary school children in Chiang Rai, Thailand. Outcomes related to diet, anthropological factors, cognitive function (e.g., short-term working memory, attention, impulsivity), and gut microbial populations were measured at baseline and …

Influencers Of Covid-19 Vaccine Acceptance In The Deep South, Katie C. Hall, Angela Duck, Tara Price

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Background: Within the Deep South, vaccine ratings fall between 48.5-58% of the state’s population being fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Therefore, half of the population is at risk for the negative mortality and morbidity outcomes associated with COVID-19.Purpose: The aim of this study was to describe key influencers for accepting the COVID-19 vaccine for individuals living within the Deep South region of the US.Methods: A descriptive, secondary analysis of quantitative data was conducted from an online survey entitled COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance Survey. A total of 421 participants identified as living in the Deep South, were ≥ 18 years of age, and …

Covid-19 Related Awareness Among Healthcare Professionals And Students At The Medical Center In The Southern United States, Eldrin Bhanat Md, Mph, Vinayak K. Nahar Md, Phd, Ms, Thomas Dobbs Md, Kenneth R. Butler Phd, Josny Thimothee Ms, Rinkuben Parmar Mbbs, Md, Mph, Patrick Bergin Md, George Russell Md, Alan Jones Md, Bhagyashri D. Navalkele Md

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Background: In late 2019, the novel COVID-19 was reported to cause severe viral pneumonia in Wuhan, China. It has spread worldwide, resulting in a pandemic that has now infected more than 123 million people, causing more than 2.7 million deaths globally. Mississippi has become one of the hotspots for spreading the virus with a very high positivity rate. As of 6/09/2021, there were a total of 318,685 cases, and 7,347 deaths have been reported in Mississippi.Purpose: This study aimed to assess the COVID-19 related knowledge among faculty and staff working in our healthcare system. We also assessed if there are …

A False Sense Of Security: The Perceptions Of Threat And Efficacy Contributing To Vaccine Hesitancy In The Gulf States, Braden Hale Bagley

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Background: Since the release of the COVID-19 vaccine, vaccine hesitancy has been an issue in the southern states. Public health officials and communication experts have since been tasked with creating messages aimed at eliminating vaccine hesitancy.Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify which perceptions regarding threat and efficacy are contributing to vaccine hesitancy in the Gulf States.Method: 226 participants from two groups, including the Gulf States and remaining U.S. states, responded to a survey measuring threat and efficacy perceptions, as well as vaccination status. Binary logistic regression was used to identify differences between the two groups.Results: Significant differences …

Assessment Of College Students In Understanding Beliefs, Behaviors, And Key Levels Of Influence Regarding Covid-19 Vaccine Uptake, Olivia Rosemary Hernandez, Antonio J. Gardner, Leah B. P. Pylate, Barry P. Hunt

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Background: As Covid-19 causes increased morbidity and mortality, vaccination status is at the forefront of preventive action. However, approximately 52% of residents still need to be vaccinated in Mississippi. These rates are even higher among the 18–24-year-old demographic, where only 38% have reported full vaccination.Purpose: This study aimed to assess the underlying reasons for COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy among college students in the 18-24-year-old demographic.Methods: A 21-item survey was administered to college students at a large southeastern university to assess their beliefs and vaccination status regarding COVID-19.Results: Regarding safety, intention, and severity of COVID-19, statistical significance was found between those college …

Public Health Policy: Internet Access To Advance Health Equity, Juanita Graham Dnp-Rn, Frsph, Victor Sutton Phd

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Internet access could be the 21st century’s great equalizer, interrupting access barriers that negatively impact health. Mississippi reigns as the poorest state in the nation (CB, 2020), with some of the country’s worst health outcomes (UHF, 2022), particularly among rural populations. The Community Engagement Center (CEC), one of three Jackson Heart Study (JHS) centers, leverages community partnerships and connections to improve public health. In these times of public health crises, connections are relevant - that is, internet connections. Internet, or broadband, access is the far upstream approach needed to improve the social determinants that negatively impact Mississippians’ health. The National …

Individual Correlates Of Covid-19 Concerns, Prevention Behaviors, And Experiences Among College Students, Samantha Cohen-Winans Ms, Kaitlyn Armstrong Ms, M. Allison Ford Phd, Hannah K. Allen Phd

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Background. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a public health crisis, and college campuses and areas in the southern U.S. are high-risk environments for disease spread. Purpose. This study examined variation in COVID-19 concerns, prevention behaviors, and related experiences among college students at a large, public university in the southeast region of the U.S. Methods. A sample of 544 undergraduate students completed an online survey in the final weeks of the Fall 2020 academic semester. Subgroup variation in level of COVID-19 concern by history of COVID-19 diagnosis and associations between individual correlates and COVID-19 outcomes were explored. Results. Students were …

Launching A Human Papillomavirus Vaccination (Hpv) Campaign On A College Campus During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Eric Pittman, M. Allison Ford, Marie Barnard, Emily Tschumpter, Sally Earl, Joshua Gautreaux

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

No abstract provided.

Following The Science: The Role Of The Academic Medical Center In The Covid-19 Pandemic, Richard L. Summers, Leslie Musshafen, Gailen Marshall, John Bates, Sarika Jain, Jake Johnston, Alexandra Castillo, Krishna Ayyalasomayajula, Ramona Sandlin, I. J. Frame, Seth Lirette, Saurabh Chandra, Ashley Robinson, Michael R. Garrett

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

This article reviews the experience and role of an academic medical center in a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Case Report Of Myopericarditis Post Covid-19 Vaccinations In The First Female Young Adult In Ms, Vipina Nair Md, Paul Byers Md, Kathryn G. Taylor Md

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Background: The advent of COVID-19 vaccinations saw a rise in myopericarditis cases among young adults all over the United States, especially among males. As of June 11, 2021, 21.5 million second doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in the age group 12 to 29, with 455 reported cases of myocarditis. Purpose: This report outlines a case of myopericarditis diagnosed in the first female young adult in the state of Mississippi after administering the second dose of the Pfizer- BioNTech BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. The purpose of this case report is to discuss the presentation of myocarditis in a female …

Making Covid-19-Related Decisions: A Qualitative Study Of University Students, Jamie Methvin, Antonio J. Gardner, Leah B. P. Pylate, Barry P. Hunt, Holli H. Seitz, Regina Young Hyatt

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Background: SARS-Cov-2 (Coronavirus Disease or COVID-19) has impacted society greatly since its arrival to the United States. More specifically, college students have had to modify their behaviors on campus to minimize the spread of the virus.Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify benefits and barriers to testing, reporting, and quarantining of undergraduate college students attending a large southeastern university.Methods: Undergraduate students were asked to complete an open-ended Qualtrics survey to share their perceived benefits and barriers to engage in behaviors to detect and prevent the spread of COVID-19. Data was analyzed via Grounded Theory techniques to determine codes …

Covid-19 Vaccine Uptake Among College Students, Erin Hoening, Elizabeth Morse, David Phillippi, Krystal Huesmann

DNP Projects

Background: Public health strategies to improve COVID-19 vaccine uptake among college students living in residential communities varied, some universities opted to mandate COVID-19 vaccines while other universities opted to promote and influence the choice for vaccination.

Purpose: This descriptive, cross-sectional study examined the voluntary uptake of COVID-19 vaccines among residential students on a college campus in the southeastern U.S. that elected an evidence-driven health promotion strategy that included strong health promotion messaging coupled with coordinated efforts to make the vaccine accessible and appealing to students on campus.

Methods: Analysis of vaccine uptake was derived from campus electronic health records during …