Public Health Commons^™

Utilizing The Technology Acceptance Model To Predict System Use Of An Interactive Behavior Change Technology To Deliver Virtual Diabetes Health Education, Koren Sher'keyer Goodman

Health Services Research Dissertations

Diabetes is expected to affect more than 21% of the U.S. adult population by the year 2050 (Boyle, Thompson, Gregg, Barker, & Williamson, 2010). What is important to understand about diabetes is that there are safe, effective non-pharmaceutical lifestyle modifications and pharmaceutical treatment options that can prevent and delay the onset of complications. Telehealth efforts are practical solutions increasingly used in the health services delivery model to improve self-care management practices among patients with multiple chronic conditions (Davis, Hitch, Salaam, Herman, Zimmer-Galler, & Mayer-Davis, 2010; Eng, Gustafson, Henderson, Jimison, & Patrick, 1999; Fitzner & Moss, 2013; Gruman, 2011; Lin, 1999; …

Modeling Solutions For Prevention Of Medicare Insolvency For The Baby Boomer Generation (Born 1946 - 1964), Gregory Thomas Scott

Health Services Research Dissertations

Medicare, a United States social insurance program operated by the United States federal government, began operating in a deficit in the year 2010. More funding was expended than revenue received for medical care, creating significant shortfalls for the Medicare Trust Fund. This study examined possible initiatives to describe Medicare funding related to issues as financial shortfalls utilizing mathematical modeling and simulation. The Park Conceptual Model is a framework created to identify internal and external changes that influence bankruptcies related to municipalities, and this Model served as the theoretical basis for this study.

The following study addressed insolvency as negative cash …

Her-Storicizing Baldness: Situating Women's Experiences With Baldness From Skin And Hair Disorders, Kasie Holmes

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A general goal to my study was to promote an inclusive approach to baldness by sharing and centering women's experiences with baldness from skin and hair conditions, such as autoimmune alopecia areata conditions and monilethrix. Specifically, a main goal of my study was to her-storicize the lived experiences of women who are bald from skin and hair conditions by examining medical and cultural discourses surrounding these conditions, femininity, and female baldness. Additionally, my study considers strategies of accommodation and resistance that bald women perform in a given context, space, or time. For instance, I consider the ways participants manage their …

Medical Pluralism In A Neoliberal State: Health And Deservingness In Southern Belize, Douglas Carl Reeser

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This ethnography explores the varied contours of a national health care system and how it is used in conjunction with traditional forms of health care in Toledo District, Belize, focused on the largest town of Punta Gorda (P.G.), In a medically plural environment, a variety of health care options are used based on a wide range of social, economic, and structural factors that shape people's choices and decisions. The convenience of and experience with low-cost home- and self-care options make these the most common first choice during an illness event in P.G., however a deeper exploration of health behavior reveals …

E-Cigarettes, Vaping, And Youth, Lawrence O. Gostin, Aliza Y. Glasner

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

E-cigarettes, a relatively new product, storming the tobacco industry are causing a massive stir among public health advocates. While e-cigarettes have the potential to serve as an effective harm reduction tool for existing smokers, they also may present an equally tempting pathway to first time smoking, particularly among youth. Many fear that e-cigarettes will revive the popular smoking culture that has taken decades to dismantle.

In April 2014, the FDA issued proposed rules to “deem” or extend its authority over tobacco products to regulate electronic cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, nicotine gels, waterpipe (hookah) tobacco, and orally ingested dissolvable tobacco products. …

Strategic Planning For Recruitment And Retention Of Older African Americans In Health Promotion Research Programs, Laura Dreer, Cynthia Owsley, June Weston

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

The purpose of this study was to 1) describe a strategic plan for recruitment and retention used in conducting eye health education research with African-Americans living in urban and rural areas of Alabama and 2) characterize recruitment and retention patterns for this project.

We evaluated an eye health education program tailored specifically to older African Americans. InCHARGE was designed to promote eye disease prevention by conveying the personal benefits of annual dilated comprehensive eye care and teaching strategies to minimize barriers to eye care. The InCHARGEÓ program or a social contact control program was delivered at 20 senior centers in …

Developing An Action Learning Community Advocacy/Leadership Training Program For Community Health Workers And Their Agencies To Reduce Health Disparities In Arizona Border Communities, Kenneth A. Schachter Md, Mba, Maia Ingram Mph, Laurel Jacobs Drph, Mph, Hannah Hafter Mph, Jill Guernsey De Zapien Ba, Scott Carvajal Phd, Mph

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Community health workers (CHWs) make unique and important contributions to society. They serve as patient advocates, educators, and navigators in our health care system and a growing body of research indicates that they play an important role in the effective delivery of prevention and treatment services in underserved communities. CHWs also serve as informal community leaders and advocates for organizational and community change, providing valuable insiders' insights about health promotion and the interrelatedness of individuals, their community, its institutions, and the surrounding environment. Accion Para La Salud or Action for Health (Accion) is a CDC-funded community based participatory research (CBPR) …

A Qualitative Examination Of Barriers And Motivators To Smoking Cessation Among Hiv Positive African American Msm Smokers, Alicia Kaye Matthews, Maria Vargas, Lisa Kuhns, Nitin Shappiva, Andrea C. King

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Purpose: To identify barriers and motivators to smoking cessation among HIV-positive African American men-who-have-sex with men (MSM) who smoke.

Procedures: A convenience sample of smokers was recruited for this study using a range of outreach approaches. Focus groups (N = 4) were conducted that examined: quit experiences, barriers to and motivators of cessation, cultural beliefs, and community norms. Established qualitative methods were used to conduct and analyze the focus groups.

Main Findings: Participants (N = 31) reporting being diagnosed with HIV+ for M = 12 years. More than 60% reported a quit attempt in the past year. Knowledge was about …

Trends And Disparities In Tb Among U.S.-Born Black And White Chicago Residents, 1998-2008, Susan A. Lippold, Lori Armstrong, Jennifer M. Carter, Xiomara Hardison

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To describe the decline of tuberculosis (TB) cases among U.S.-born non-Hispanic (NH) black and white Chicago residents.

METHODS: Data from the National TB Surveillance System was used to analyze trends and characteristics of reported TB cases among U.S.-born NH black and U.S.-born NH white Chicago residents from 1998-2008.

RESULTS: Chicago reported a total of 3,821 TB cases over the 11-year time period. Of these, 1,916 were U.S.-born NH black and 235 were U.S.-born NH white. The proportion of cases attributable to U.S.-born NH blacks was 63% (294/469) in 1998 and 34% in 2008 (72/213). Analysis for trends from …

Gendered Violence, Hiv Acquisition, And Clinical/Behavioral Research, Liz Barr, Michele Peake Andrasik, Claire Rappoport, Jessica Mooney, Annet Davis Vogel, Lisa Rossi, Amina Alio

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

HIV incidence and prevalence rates for US women continue to increase, especially among Black and Latina women. In addition, the link between violence and HIV acquisition has been well documented. However, the interaction between violence, HIV risk, and HIV acquisition remains an under-addressed issue in current clinical and behavioral HIV research designs. Because violence against women plays an important role in HIV acquisition and transmission, it is imperative for clinical research to address violence in trial design and implementation. In this article, we discuss the prevalence of violence in women’s lives; the role violence plays in HIV acquisition; and the …

How Medicaid Expansions And Future Community Health Center Funding Will Shape Capacity To Meet The Nation’S Primary Care Needs: A 2014 Update, Leighton Ku, Julia Zur, Emily Jones, Peter Shin, Sara J. Rosenbaum

Geiger Gibson/RCHN Community Health Foundation Research Collaborative

No abstract provided.

Global Rules For Global Health: Why We Need An Independent, Impartial Who, Devi Sridhar, Julio Frenk, Lawrence O. Gostin, Suerie Moon

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Over the past few years the World Health Organization (WHO) has been undergoing a significant reform process. The immediate trigger was a budget crisis in 2010 that spurred massive lay-offs at the global agency. But at a more fundamental level, deeper systematic changes in global health governance have made reform imperative. While WHO reform draws relatively little attention outside diplomatic circles in Geneva, at stake are critical issues that will impact public health everywhere. This article’s key messages are:

• Recent outbreaks of MERS highlight the need for a global response to infectious disease
• The WHO has had a crucial role …

Learning From Networks: Care Transitions, Market Competition, & Community Interventions, Glen P. Mays

Health Management and Policy Presentations

Social network analysis methods offer many avenues of inquiry for studying new developments in health policy and health care delivery. The expanding availability of large linkable electronic clinical and administrative data sources allows for novel SNA applications with dependent data structures. Opportunities include the study of delivery patterns within accountable care organizations (ACOs), and other multi-provider networks, price and quality competition within new health insurance exchanges, and population health effects attributable to complex community-level interventions.

Does Medicaid Crowd Out Other Public Health Spending? Projecting Aca’S Health & Economic Effects, Glen P. Mays

Health Management and Policy Presentations

Research Objective: Twenty-six states are expanding Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2014, and while federal funds cover most costs for newly eligible recipients, states must share the additional costs of covering previously-eligible state residents who newly enroll in Medicaid in response to ACA’s expanded outreach and enrollment incentives. States, together with their local government counterparts, also provide the vast majority (87%) of public sector funds for public health programs designed to promote health and prevent disease and injury on a population-wide basis. Fiscal constraints and generous federal matching funds create strong budgetary incentives for states to …

Participation, Information, Values, And Community Interests Within Health Impact Assessments, Nicole Iroz-Elardo

Dissertations and Theses

Health impact assessment (HIA) has emerged in the U.S. as one promising process to increase social and environmental justice through addressing health equity issues within planning. HIA practice is guided by values such as democracy and equity and grounded in broad social determinants of health. The most readily applied definition of democracy is problematic because it implies an element of direct, participatory engagement with the public. This is at odds with HIA practice that largely relies on stakeholder engagement strategies.

This dissertation critically examines the engagement strategies of three transportation planning HIA cases to more fully understand how the HIA …

Toward A Biocommunicable Cartography Of Health Decision-Making In The Amazon Basin Of Ecuador, James Cartwright

Lawrence University Honors Projects

This paper comprises a critical, ethnographic study of health communication in a rural community of Amazonian Ecuador. By synthesizing approaches from anthropology, discourse studies, and public health, the study explores how conversations influence health decisions, how communities understand health systems, and how macrostructural discourse changes the political economy of healthcare in Ecuador. My work draws on the recent theoretical development of ‘biocommunicability’ in anthropology as well as earlier sociological research on knowledge construction. Most importantly, this paper offers a critique of current interventions by NGOs in the region.

The Reproductive Lives Of Chuukese Women: Transnationalism In Guam And Chuuk, Sarah Ann Smith

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Chuuk, one state of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), experiences significant transnational migration to the United States (U.S.), particularly to the Territory of Guam. This migration is facilitated by the Compact of Free Association (COFA), an agreement with several Micronesian countries previously under U.S. administration that allows for free movement of their citizens into the U.S. Although part of Micronesia, Guam's colonized residents resist an identity connected to rest of Micronesia. With very poor health outcomes, the Chuukese represent a political and social body of bodies that bring sickness, babies and increased costs to the Guam government without adequate …

Post-Treatment Drug Use, Recidivism, Analogous Behaviors, And Perceptions Of Fairness: Examining Whether Parolees With Low Self-Control Will Benefit From The Collaborative Behavioral Management Intervention, Sriram Chintakrindi

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation tested Gottfredson and Hirschi's (1990) low self-control theory and its relationship with post-treatment outcomes by conducting a secondary-data analysis of a randomized controlled trial on parolees (n=569) called the Step'n Out study (2005). The Step'n Out study (2005) compared the results of a control group (standard parole) with an experimental treatment for parolees called the Collaborative Behavioral Management (CBM) intervention which was designed to improve substance-use treatment outcomes, reduce drug use, and reduce recidivism for parolees participating in the study.

Low self-control theory states that individuals with character traits that are impulsive, risk-seeking, self-centered, and display volatile temper …

Hot And Bothered: The Role Of Arousal And Rejection Sensitivity In Dual Process Sexual Decision Making For Gay And Bisexual Men, H Jonathon Rendina

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Dual process theories of decision making acknowledge the functioning of two distinct yet simultaneous processes termed System 1 and System 2. While System 1 relies more heavily on automatic and affective processing, System 2 relies more heavily on effortful and cognitive processing. Over the past several decades, many lines of research have shown the importance of System 1 in decision making and several prominent social psychological theories of interpersonal behavior, such as rejection sensitivity, rely on this dual distinction between affective and cognitive processing. Despite the prominence of dual process theories in many areas of psychology, the role of System …

Access To Healthcare For Vulnerable Asian Subgroup Populations In The United States, Deborah Kim-Lu

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Objectives: This dissertation examines the barriers for access to healthcare for the top four most uninsured Asian American subgroups (Bangladeshi, Cambodian, Korean, and Pakistani communities). Methods: Combining quantitative and qualitative approaches, this study consisted of: (1) an in-depth review of the Health Services Research literature; (2) qualitative interviews with 24 national health experts and advocates on Asian American health; (3) a survey of a non-probability sample of 107 Koreans in the tri-state region (Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York) using the Access to Healthcare Survey for Koreans in the U.S. instrument, which includes a Likert scale with 21 barrier questions …

In The Words Of The Medical Tourist: An Analysis Of Internet Narratives By Health Travelers To Turkey, Margaret E. Ozan-Rafferty, James Allen Johnson, Gulzar H. Shah, Attila Kursun

Health Policy & Management: Faculty Publications (2006-2018)

Background: Patients regularly travel to the West for advanced medical care, but now the trend is also shifting in the opposite direction. Many people from Western countries now seek care outside of their country. This phenomenon has been labeled medical tourism or health travel. Information regarding health travelers’ actual outcomes, experiences, and perceptions is lacking or insufficient. However, advanced Internet technology and apps provide information on medical tourism and are a vehicle for patients to share their experiences. Turkey has a large number of internationally accredited hospitals, is a top tourism destination, and is positioning itself to attract international patients. …

Illness Perceptions Of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Elizabeth Baker

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a chronic illness that affects approximately five million premenopausal women in the United States and is associated with significant cosmetic, reproductive, metabolic, and psychological consequences. Despite its prevalence, few studies have explored the lived experiences and illness perceptions of women living with PCOS. Identifying illness perceptions of women living with (WLW) PCOS is important, because mounting research suggests that a person's perceptions of their chronic illness and its management determine that person's coping behaviors (e.g., adherence, self-management) and, consequently, illness outcomes.

In this dissertation, the Common Sense Model (CSM) is used as a framework to …

Commencement Program 2014, Loma Linda University

Commencement Programs

CONTENTS

1 | Message from the President

3 | 2014 Events of Commencement

5 | The Academic Procession

7 | Significance of Academic Regalia

9 | The Good Samaritan

10 | University History Highlights

12 | Loma Linda University Song - "Healing Love"

13 | The Speakers

24 | The University Honorees

40 | The School Honorees

64 | The Programs

• School of Medicine, 65
• School of Pharmacy, 87
• School of Dentistry, 95
• School of Behavioral Health and School of Religion, 114
• School of Nursing, 126
• School of Public Health, 138
• School of Allied Health Professions - Physical Therapy, 156 …

Family Criticism And Depressive Symptoms In Older Adult Primary Care Patients: Optimism And Pessimism As Moderators, Jameson K. Hirsch, Kristin L. Walker, Ross B. Wilkinson, Jeffrey M. Lyness

ETSU Faculty Works

Objective: Depression is a significant global public health burden, and older adults may be particularly vulnerable to its effects. Among other risk factors, interpersonal conflicts, such as perceived criticism from family members, can increase risk for depressive symptoms in this population. We examined family criticism as a predictor of depressive symptoms and the potential moderating effect of optimism and pessimism.

Methods: One hundred five older adult, primary care patients completed self-report measures of family criticism, optimism and pessimism, and symptoms of depression. We hypothesized that optimism and pessimism would moderate the relationship between family criticism and depressive symptoms.

Results: In …

Water In The 21st Century, Grayson Michael Shor

Social Sciences

The aim of this research project is to provide a comprehensive and global analysis of water use in order to provide the reader with a comprehensive grasp of current and impending issues. The included five (5) chapters discuss water distribution, conservation, purification, law, international development, economic debates, ethical consideration, as well as educated estimations of the effects water related issues may cause in the next one-hundred years.

Congestive Heart Failure Self-Management Among Us Veterans: The Role Of Personal And Professional Advocates, Eleni Skaperdas, Anaïs Tuepker, Christina Nicolaidis, Jessica K. Robb, Devan Kansagara, David H. Hickam

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Objective: Understand patients’ experiences with primary care services for congestive heart failure (CHF) and explore the relationship between health services and self-management.

Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with thirty-nine patients with CHF receiving care at one Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VA). We analyzed data using thematic content analysis.

Results: Participants acknowledged the importance of ongoing engagement in the plan of care for CHF. They attributed success in this effort to be greatly influenced by personal advocates. The advocates included both members of the healthcare team with whom they had a continuity relationship and friends or family members who assisted on …

Paleoparasitological Studies On Mummies Of The Joseon Dynasty, Korea, Min Seo, Adauto Araújo, Karl J. Reinhard, Jong Yil Chai, Dong Hoon Shin

Karl Reinhard Publications

Paleoparasitology is the application of conventional or molecular investigative techniques to archeological samples in order to reveal parasitic infection patterns among past populations. Although pioneering studies already have reported key paleoparasitological findings around the world, the same sorts of studies had not, until very recently, been conducted in sufficient numbers in Korea. Mummified remains of individuals dating to the Korean Joseon Dynasty actually have proved very meaningful to concerned researchers, owing particularly to their superb preservation status, which makes them ideal subjects for paleoparasitological studies. Over the past several years, our study series on Korean mummies has yielded very pertinent …

Limiting What We Can Eat: A Bridge Too Far?, Lawrence O. Gostin

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Innovative mayors across America are seeking to shape personal decisions about diet and physical activity, taking a page from tobacco control. But attempts to limit personal choices of what to eat have drawn the ire of vocal critics and sometimes the rebuke of judges, with former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg’s limit on soda portions becoming a key flash point. The public broadly accepts state power to control infectious diseases, but often draws a line at limiting dietary choices. The author wants to dispel some of the well-worn arguments in the obesity wars.

Reporting Risk, Producing Prejudice How News Reporting On Obesity Shapes Attitudes About Health Risk, Policy, And Prejudice, Abigail C. Saguy, David Frederick, Kjerstin Gruys

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

News reporting on research studies may influence attitudes about health risk, support for public health policies, or attitudes towards people labeled as unhealthy or at risk for disease. Across five experiments (N = 2123) we examined how different news framings of obesity research influence these attitudes. We exposed participants to either a control condition, a news report on a study portraying obesity as a public health crisis, a news report on a study suggesting that obesity may not be as much of a problem as previously thought, or an article discussing weight-based discrimination. Compared to controls, exposure to the public …

Oceano Community Health Plan, Eugene Phillip Brennan

Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

Oceano Community Health Plan

Phillip Brennan

Recent, mounting research shows that chronic disease, the leading causes of death and primary driver of health care costs, cannot be effectively addressed through education or preventative health alone. A physical environment that promotes health—through access to healthy food, opportunities for physical activity, quality housing, transportation options, and safe schools—is an integral part of making our communities healthier. This research and accompanying Healthy Community Plans will serve as a way for the County to begin looking in-depth at the ways the built environment (our streets, parks, and neighborhoods) contribute or detract from the …