Public Health Commons^™

The Effect Of An Antenatal Breastfeeding Intervention On Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy And Intention Among Inner City Adolescents, Jamie El Harit

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

According to Healthy People 2020, infants who are breastfed have improved nutritional, immunological, developmental, and social outcomes (USDHHS, 2014). Despite the benefits of breastfeeding and the focused international efforts to increase levels of breastfeeding, adolescents remain largely unaware and continue to have among the lowest levels of breastfeeding initiation (CDC, 2013; Spear, 2006). The purpose of this EBP project was to reduce the disparities of breastfeeding initiation by increasing breastfeeding self-efficacy and intention in an inner city specialty high school. Synthesis of the evidence demonstrated that needs-based, repeated antenatal education delivered by a lactation expert including breastfeeding peer counselor supports …

Can Electronic Health Records Systems Support New Payment Methods For Health Centers?, Peter Shin, Feygele Jacobs, Jeffrey Barnes, James B. Welsh, Lisa Perry, Scott D. Morgan

Geiger Gibson/RCHN Community Health Foundation Research Collaborative

This study assessed the feasibility and usefulness of combining electronic health record (EHR) data with federal cost report data for the purposes of: 1) quantifying the provision of enabling services; and 2) for use as the basis of community health center payment rate-setting. The study used EHR data derived from the Center for Primary Care Informatics to isolate enabling services and perform the end-to-end analysis that might be required to develop or evaluate reimbursement rates. The study revealed that data extracted from federal cost reports combined with data from the EHR fall short of providing the information required to reasonably …

The Impact Of A Community Garden On A Local Township, Mariah E. Reitz

Undergraduate Distinction Papers

Due to increasing food insecurity and food deserts, community gardens can increase the accessibility for those under-served populations. These community gardens can help with the mental and physical health of the public. The goal of this research is to determine if a community garden will benefit a smaller community like that of a suburban Township and to use these trends to increase community health education and availability, social cohesion, and overall health behaviors and practices. A survey evaluated overall consumption of fruits and vegetables, affordability of healthy foods, and education on the consumption of these foods as well as assessing …

Perceptions Of School And Health Department Emergency Preparedness Collaboration, Kaitlin A. O'Keefe, Katharine D. Arrington, Michael Prelip, Kimberley I. Shoaf

Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research

Background: School systems often have the vital responsibility of protecting students during emergency situations. Collaborations with the local health department (LHD) can be invaluable in helping schools effectively fulfill this responsibility.

Purpose: An evaluation of existing organizational collaborations is needed to describe attitudes toward current efforts and to form recommendations for enhancing the effectiveness of future joint programs.

Methods: Questionnaires regarding perceptions of existing collaborations were distributed to a sample of LHDs and schools districts in spring and summer 2011. Participant responses from each organization were paired on jurisdictional area, forming 25 paired observations. Analyses were conducted in …

The Feasibility Of Delivering A Home-Based Motivational Exercise Program To African-American Breast Cancer Survivors, Denise Spector, Claudio Battaglini

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Most African-American breast cancer survivors do not meet current exercise recommendations for cancer survivors, which include both aerobic and strength-training exercises. This pilot study tested the feasibility of delivering a home-based exercise intervention to African-American breast cancer survivors. Sedentary African-American breast cancer survivors were recruited for a 16-week motivational home-based progressive aerobic and strength-training exercise pilot study. Participants completed weekly exercise logs and received weekly phone calls. To assess feasibility, we evaluated recruitment, retention, and adherence rates, as well as participant acceptance and safety. 17 women enrolled; 13 completed the intervention (76%). Participants had moderately-high adherence (70%) to walking goals, …

Racial/Ethnic Disparities Related To Health Insurance Coverage, Access To Care And Ease In Health Care Services Among Children In 2012 Cchaps Data, Jacquelynn Meeks, Sweety Baidhya

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

nObjective:The aim of this study was to examine racial/ethnic disparities in unmet medical care, dental care and prescription medications and ease of using heath care services.

Methods:This is a cross sectional study of households in a six-county service region in Texas (Tarrant, Johnson, Hood, Parker, Wise and Denton Counties). The participants included the parents/guardians of children aged 1-15 years. In 2012, a total of 8,439 parents completed the survey. In 2012, 4194 completed the version containing the health insurance type and unmet medical, prescription and dental health care and ease/difficulty in access to health care questions.The dependent variables …

Psychosocial Correlates Of Perceived Stress And Depressive Symptoms Among Help-Seeking Hispanic Smokers, Monica Webb Hooper Phd

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Objectives: Research has demonstrated robust associations between perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and cigarette smoking. The extent to which these findings from the general population generalize to Hispanic smokers is unknown. The present study examined (a) correlates of perceived stress and depressive symptoms among help-seeking Hispanic smokers and (b) whether maladaptive coping and social support were related to stress and depressive symptoms. Design: Hispanic smokers (N=123) enrolled in an RCT completed demographic and smoking history, perceived stress, depressive symptoms, perceived social support, and maladaptive coping measures. Results: Bivariate associations indicated that perceived stress was positively correlated with depressive symptoms …

Chronic Physical Health Conditions Among Homeless, Nooshin Nikoo, Marjan Motamed, Mohammad Ali Nikoo, Verena Strehlau, Erika Neilson, Sahoo Saddicha, Michael Krausz

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

ABSTRACT

Objective: Morbidity and mortality among homeless individuals is higher than the general population. This study aims to determine the prevalence of current self-reported, chronic physical health conditions in a large sample of homeless people with sub-samples from shelters and street in British Columbia, Canada. Methods: Cross-sectional survey applying modified version of the ‘National Survey of Homeless Assistance Providers and Clients (NSHAPC)’ questionnaire in multiple sites in Vancouver, Victoria and Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. Sample: Five hundred homeless individuals were surveyed between May and September of 2009. A person was defined as homeless if he/she had a …

Gathering Perspectives On Extended Family Influence On African American Children's Physical Activity, Natasha A. Brown, Katherine Clegg Smith, Rachel L.J. Thornton, Janice V. Bowie, Pamela J. Surkan, Darcy A. Thompson, David M. Levine

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background: The family environment is a key determinant of children’s physical activity. The importance of the extended African American family is well established, but there is little research on its influence on school age children’s physical activity. Methods: We recruited eight families in which grandparents and other adult relatives played a central role in child supervision. Semi-structured interviews with parents, other adult relatives, and children revealed various perspectives on the influences of culture and families on children’s weight-related behaviors. Results: Children were between the ages of 6 and 11, and five of the families resided in neighborhoods in which at …

Consumer Inferences Of Corporate Social Responsibility (Csr) Claims On Packaged Foods, Gaeul Kim

Open Access Theses

With the growing public demands in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of the food industry, CSR claims have begun to appear on food packages, as companies started communicating their CSR initiatives to consumers. Although food packages emerged as an important CSR communication tool, consumers' processing of CSR claims and the effects of these claims on product evaluations still remain unknown. In this regard, the present study carries two important research questions. First, do non-health/nutrition-related CSR claims influence consumers' product evaluations, such as perceived health benefits or tastes? If so, how does the effect of CSR claims differ by type of CSR …

Investigating Barriers To Early Cancer Detection For Rural Indian Women: A Qualitative Analysis Of Cancer Outreach In Dehradun, Uttarakhand, Blair Burnett

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study examines barriers to early detection for women’s specific cancers in rural India in and around Dehradun, Uttarakhand, within the framework of existing health outreach programs from tertiary hospitals in the state. The burden of cancer mortality within India is disproportionately affecting women living in rural populations considering the current health education and health care infrastructure in place. Barriers of knowledge, access to knowledge, economic condition, geography, and cultural norms are all examined within this study in the context of early cancer detection. National Indian health policy is currently framed to address the burden of cancer within India; however, …

Effect Of Females In Leadership Roles On Menstrual Sanitation In Rural Jamkhed, India, Kirsten Hughes

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Introduction: Menstruation is integral to puberty and maturation of adolescent girls. Education about menstruation and menstrual hygiene effects a woman’s physical and psychosocial health through the majority of her life.

Purpose: This study seeks to answer the following questions: Who is providing information to girls before or after their first menstruation? Is this information timely, appropriate and accurate? Is the information effective enough to see changes in menstrual practices through a family and community? In answering these questions, the study attempts to determine the pathways of communications regarding menstruation and menstrual health in the Jamkhed area of the Ahmednagar district …

Exploring Knowledge And Beliefs Of Human Papillomavirus (Hpv) Infection And Hpv Vaccination Among U.S. Chinese International Students, Haijuan Gao

Open Access Dissertations

The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine provides an effective prevention strategy against HPV infection, cervical cancer, and genital warts. As increasing numbers of Chinese international students (CIS) are living and studying in United States, this specific ethnic group has become the candidate for HPV vaccination promotion. Despite an increased awareness and knowledge of HPV infection and HPV vaccine among U.S. college students, studies focused on CIS as a unique ethnic group regarding HPV vaccine promotion were limited. This project is the first time aimed to examine CIS's awareness, knowledge and beliefs about HPV infection, HPV vaccine, cervical cancer and genital warts. …

Dying For A Drink: How The Consumption Of Home Brews Affects Health Within The Kibera Slum Of Nairobi, Kenya, Teaka Jackson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Home-brewed alcohols are inexpensive, thus they are especially consumed by low-income individuals such as those residing in Kibera. This project investigates three alcohols brewed within this area: muratina (mugasha), busaa and chang’aa. With the help of Philip Ndemwa, a nutrition expert from the Kenya Medical Research Institute, I was able to gain insight regarding the process of these alcohols, as well as the sanitation conditions of the production sites of these home brews and how these factors affect the health of the consumer. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were utilized in order to fully understand the health repercussions from …

Permanence And Picnic Tables Perceptions Of Maji Safi Group’S Disease Prevention Center At Shirati Kmt District Designated Hospital, Sarah Muskin

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study conducted in Shirati village in the Rorya District of the Mara Region of Tanzania analyzed perspectives on the effectiveness of Maji Safi Group’s Disease Prevention Center at Shirati KMT District Designated Hospital. It took place from April 9th- 24th 2015. The sample frame was those affiliated with or using the Disease Prevention Centers resources. The sample populations were medical professional employed at Shirati Hospital (n = 15), Community Health Workers (n = 11) (CHWs) working for Maji Safi Group, and visitors (n = 113) to the Disease Prevention Center. This study utilized three main methods for data collection: …

Analysis Of Traditional Medicine In Zanzibar, Tanzania, Jessica Baylor

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Traditional medicine is used as a major source of health care in developing countries. A small island off the coast of Tanzania, Zanzibar has traditional medicine embedded in its culture. Informal interviews of community members and healers in four different villages as well as interviews with the Department of Forestry and the Traditional and Alternative Medicine Unit were conducted over a four week study. This study found that community members of four villages in Zanzibar supported the idea of a regulation of traditional medicine by the government. It also found that the majority of traditional medicine users have noticed a …

Herbs, Home Medicine, And Self-Reliance: A Study On The Current Status Of Traditional Home Medicine In Idukki District, Kerala, Richard Gaunt

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Home medical knowledge, or knowledge of how one’s surroundings can be used to maintain and restore health, can be an important tool for health self-sufficiency in rural places as well as for the ecological conservation of important plants and natural materials. The Indian state of Kerala has a rich heritage of traditional medicine, found in the historically inter-related forms of codified Ayurveda and folk knowledge. In Idukki district, a region of Kerala nestled in the hills of the Western Ghats, rural households engage in small-scale home-gardening and agroforestry, which in addition to providing nutritionally diverse food is a source of …

Ouch, That Hurts: Childbirth-Related Pain Management And The Inappropriate Replacement Of Traditional Obstetrical Knowledge In Kumaon, Uttarakhand, India, Sabrina Zionts

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Throughout India, obstetrical knowledge and practice has been developed and passed down by generations of women. In many Indian societies, traditional birth attendants, or dais, remain the gatekeepers of childbirth-related knowledge. Yet with the push towards institutional delivery, traditional knowledge and practices are being increasingly replaced with modern and Western ones. While the trend of hospital deliveries has yielded positive health outcomes, its socio-cultural consequences remain unclear. Situated in Uttarakhand’s Kumaon Himalayas, this study employs a bio-social framework and begins to reveal these consequences. Using labor pain management as an entry point, this study argues that the push towards institutional …

Perceptions Of Potable Water In Rajasthan’S Jodhpur And Barmer Districts, Melissa Spross

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper looks at differences and similarities in various populations’ perceptions of safe drinking water (SDW) within Rajasthan (RJ), India, developing suggestions for future initiatives addressing the movement for safe drinking water for all. For this study, surveys were used; the survey was conducted in RJ, India, both in urban Jodhpur and in surrounding rural villages. To analyze the data, all the responses were entered into Excel format to discover patterns, themes and trends within four subtopics: access, storage, quality and cultural significance. The responses indicate that while a distinct water culture spans the geographic area, each different population retains …

Ulaanbaatar’S Ger District Issues: Changes And Attitudes, David Engel

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Several of Ulaanbaatar’s current issues are directly related to Ulaanbaatar’s sprawling Ger District. The Ger District is home to approximately 736,000 residents, 61% of Ulaanbaatar’s population (Galimbyek, 2015). The significant growth in Ulaanbaatar is shown by its 52.8% of residents who were born outside of the city, the majority of migrants moving into the Ger District due to a lack of housing. (Chilkhaasuren & Baasankhuu, 2012). The development of Ulaanbaatar has not kept up with the rapid growth leading to inadequate infrastructure in much of the Ger District. In turn, inadequate infrastructure has lead to high pollution levels, negatively affecting …

Barriers To Prevention And Treatment Of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Qualitative Analysis Of Women In East Sikkim, India, Emily Applewhite

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Diabetes Mellitus is a metabolic disorder that affects more people in India than anywhere else in the world (Ramachandran et. al., 2010). A recent national study concluded that Sikkim, a small northeastern state in the Himalayas, has the highest prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus compared to any other state in India. In order to determine why this is so, this study looks at the barriers women face when attempting to prevent and treat Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) in East Sikkim. Fieldwork for this study was facilitated by The Volunteer Health Association of Sikkim, and took place in Gangtok and a …

Muslim Women And United States Healthcare: Challenges To Access And Navigation, Dayna M. Seeger

What All Americans Should Know About Women in the Muslim World

This paper offers an analysis of the interactions of Muslim women in the US healthcare system in order to unpack challenges and propose potential accommodations. Islam may inform values or considerations in the context of other cultural factors or present Muslim women with specific challenges in seeking healthcare based on Islamic teachings or social constructs. This paper examines these factors by elaborating on an overview of Muslim interpretations of healthcare using religious authorities, text from the Qur’an, and social norms. It then delves into challenges faced by Muslim women in the US healthcare system and the implications of those challenges …

Levels And Predictors Of Lhds' Engagement In Community Health Assessment, 2002-2013, Gulzar H. Shah, Kay Lovelace, Daniel F. Linder

Health Policy & Management: Faculty Presentations (2008-2022)

This presentation was given at the Keeneland Conference for Public Health Systems and Services Research.

Factors Driving Local Health Department’S Collaboration With Other Organizations In The Provision Of Personal Healthcare Services, Huabin Luo, Nancy L. Winterbauer, Ashley Tucker, Gulzar H. Shah

Health Policy & Management: Faculty Presentations (2008-2022)

Background: Recent work has highlighted the necessity of integrating primary care services and public health to improve quality and reduce the cost of healthcare.

Research Objectives: To describe levels of partnership between local health departments (LHD) and other organizations in the community in the provision of personal healthcare services; and to assess LHD organizational characteristics and community factors that contribute to partnerships.

Data Sets and Sources: Data were drawn from the 2013 NACCHO Profile Study (Module 1) and the Area Health Resource File. A total of 490 LHDs responded to Module 1, where LHDs were asked to describe the level …

Geographic Variation In The Delivery Of Public Health Services: Understanding Causes And Consequences, Glen P. Mays

Health Management and Policy Presentations

The implementation and reach of evidence-based prevention and public health programs varies widely across the U.S., as does the availability of cross-cutting infrastructure and foundational capabilities required to support these interventions. This talk profiles ongoing research to uncover the causes and consequences of variation in public health delivery. This research points to policy and administrative strategies that can reduce inequities and inefficiencies in public health protections.

Why?-Abetes: Understanding Diabetes Management In Rural Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa, Kyra Wicklund

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This project will investigate how diabetics, family members, and community members involved with diabetes relate to the disease and its continued management in a rural area of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Although diabetes is an issue worldwide, it has been largely over-looked in sub-Saharan Africa. This study utilized interviews with diabetics, family members of diabetics, and clinic staff as well as personal observations to reveal the strategies, challenges, and stories of diabetes in this area. Conversations with local health experts verified that diabetes is a major issue in the area of this study. Topics of interest were support structures present; education; …

Deconstructing Unmade Examining The Capacity Of Ayurveda To Address India’S Mental Health Crisis, Cassie Sutten Coats

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Though India does not have a credible, widespread system in place to recognize and focus on issues of mental health, especially in allopathic treatments, it is imperative to evaluate the existing practices and approaches in regards to mental health alongside the impact that these approaches may have on Indian society. In contrast to Westernized systems of medicine, the traditional Indian system of Ayurveda inherently addresses issues in mental health due to the holistic approach through mind-body medicine. This study evaluates the enormous potential that exists within Ayurvedic philosophy to provide adequate, culturally congruent, treatments and care in mental health, and …

Attitudes Toward A Cancer Coalition: Implications For Coalition Health Communication, Chervin Lam Shih Kian

Open Access Theses

A cancer coalition is a communication hub for cancer patients that may help address cancer by promoting health and mitigating health issues. Attitudes toward a cancer coalition may be important in determining whether or not patients participate or utilize a coalition. However, little is known about the attitudes of cancer patients toward a cancer coalition, its services, and toward participation. This study addresses this gap by investigating these attitudes. The results encourage the development of a cancer coalition in states that do not yet have a coalition. Effective coalition health communication was found to be a pivotal service that cancer …

Differences In Expectations Of Cleanliness Among Students At Bowling Green State University, Ashley Meehan

Honors Projects

Objective: To determine if there are significant differences in perceptions of cleanliness between different demographic groups of undergraduate students at Bowling Green State University (BGSU). Methods: A cross-sectional survey was distributed to all undergraduate students at BGSU’s main campus through the campus email system, and a two-sample t-test was used to analyze data. Results: There were significant differences in cleanliness perceptions between females and males and between Health Science and non-Health Science students. No significant differences were detected between first-year and second, third, and fourth-years students. Discussion: Possible psychological explanations of these differences were offered, and it is not possible …

Whom Do You Trust? Doubt And Conspiracy Theories In The 2009 Influenza Pandemic, Shawn Smallman

International & Global Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

The 2009 pandemic of H1N1 influenza led people around the globe to create narratives about the epidemic defined by the question of trust; these narratives ranged from true conspiracy theories to simply accounts in which mistrust and betrayal formed a motif. In particular, most of these narratives reflected a fear of capitalism and globalization, although in specific regions, other issues—such as religion—played a more central role. These stories were not unique to the H1N1 pandemic but rather have appeared with every contemporary outbreak of infectious disease. This paper will examine conspiracy theories and moral panics related to the H1N1 pandemic …