Public Health Commons^™

Community Health Assessment Activity By Lhds: The Influence Of Local Health Agency And Community Characteristics, Gulzar H. Shah, Barbara Laymon, Carolyn Leep, Julia Elligers

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

Research Objective: This study investigates organizational and community characteristics associated with the likelihood of local health departments to conduct community health assessments (CHAs).

Study Design: For this observational study, we used data from the 2010 National Profile of Local Health Departments Study (Profile). Using the FIPS codes for the county and place, additional data were merged with Profile data to capture community characteristics. To compute estimates of community characteristics for LHDs involving multiple cities/counties, we computed population weighted averages. In order to estimate unbiased population parameters, we used appropriate statistical weights in all analyses, to account for disproportionate non-responses …

The Resilient Local Health Department: Surviving The 2008 Economic Crisis, Paul C. Erwin, Gulzar H. Shah, Glen P. Mays

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

Research Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify potential modifiable factors that can protect local health departments from job losses and budget cuts during periods of economic stress.

Study Design: This was a retrospective cohort study which used data from census surveys of local health departments (LHDs) which were conducted in 2005 and 2010 by the National Association of County and City Health Officials. The 2005 survey data served as the source of independent variables, which were grouped around domains of organization, revenue, and services. The outcome of interest - resiliency of the LHD - represented financial resiliency …

Empowerment-Based Positive Youth Development: A New Understanding Of Healthy Development For African American Youth, Raphael Travis Jr., Tamara Leech

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

A shift occurred in research about adolescents in the general population. Research is moving away from deficits toward a resilience paradigm and understanding trajectories of positive youth development. This shift has been less consistent in research and practice with African American youth. A gap also exists in understanding whether individual youth development dimensions generate potential in other dimensions. This study presents an empowerment-based positive youth development model. It builds upon existing research to present a new vision of healthy development for African American youth that is strengths-based, developmental, culture-bound, and action-oriented. It emphasizes the relationship between person and environment, the …

The Obesity Epidemic, Lenka Kollar, Evienne Epifano, Molly Mckneight, Jeff Miskovich, Heather Moore

Student Papers in Public Policy

The incidence of chronic, noncommunicable diseases, such as heart disease, is increasing at an alarming rate on the global scale. The growing prevalence of overweight and obesity have led to an upsurge in cases of diabetes and other obesity-related diseases. About 18 million people die every year from heart disease, of which diabetes and obesity are major predisposing factors. Worldwide, more than 1.1 billion adults are overweight, 312 million of which are obese. The number of children that are overweight or obese is also growing (Hossain, Parvez et al.). Obesity, and the associated diseases, has become a worldwide epidemic and …

Rural Children Experience Different Rates Of Mental Health Diagnosis And Treatment, David Hartley Phd, Mph, Jennifer D. Lenardson Mhs, Nathaniel J. Anderson Ms, Mph, Samantha J. Neuwirth Md

Mental Health / Substance Use Disorders

Research indicates that privately insured, rural adults have lower use of office-based mental health services, but higher use of prescription medicines than their urban counterparts. Patterns for rural children may be different from urban children because of the limited supply of pediatric mental health providers in rural areas, which may lead to reduced access and lower use of mental health services in rural areas versus urban. Using data on children ages 5-17 from the 2002-2008 of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, researchers from the Maine Rural Health Research Center find that rural children are significantly less likely to be diagnosed …

From The Frontier: Translating Research To Practice…Qi As The Hinge Point, Paul C. Erwin

Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research

This article is number three in the series From the Frontier: Translating Research to Practice. The narrative describes the work of a practice-academic network in Minnesota which explored the degree to which having a culture of quality at the local health department level influenced the capacity to implement a new statewide initiative. The network conducted a mixed-methods study of grantees funded to develop and implement local policy, systems, and environmental change strategies to promote nutrition, increase activity, and reduce tobacco use and exposure. The results of their study indicated that grantees with higher performance levels in Quality Improvement (QI) …

Addressing Health Inequalities In The United States: Key Data Trends And Policy Action, Sara N. Bleich, Marian P. Jarlenski, Caryn N. Bell, Thomas A. Laveist

Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research

Health inequalities, which have been well documented for decades, have recently become policy targets in the United States. This report summarizes current patterns and trends in health inequalities, commitments to reduce health inequalities, and progress made to eliminate health inequalities. Time trend data indicate improvements in health status and major risk factors but increases in morbidity, with black and lower-education individuals experiencing a disproportionate burden of disease. A common policy response has been priority setting in the form of national objectives or goals to address health inequalities. More research and better methods are needed to precisely measure relationships between stated …

Alternative Hospital Gift Bags And Breastfeeding Exclusivity, Yeon Bai, Shahla M. Wunderlich, Rickie Kashdan

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Scholarship and Creative Works

The type of gift bags given to new mothers at the time of discharge from the hospital can influence their confidence in breastfeeding. Most hospitals in the US continue to distribute commercial gift bags containing formula samples despite the reported negative influence of commercial bags on the duration of breastfeeding. This study compared breastfeeding outcomes in women receiving three different kinds of gift bags at discharge. A prospective intervention study was conducted during the 2009-2010 in New Jersey. Three breastfeeding cohorts were recruited and assigned to three groups: COMMERCIAL received discharge bags containing formula samples, BF-INFO received breastfeeding information and …

Analyzing Return On Investment In Public Health: Implications And Future Directions, Glen P. Mays

Health Management and Policy Presentations

Return on investment (ROI) analyses of public health programs, policies, and services are being undertaken with increasing frequency to provide assessments of the value of these activities. This presentation reviews current initiatives and future directions for improving the quality of ROI studies and their application to real-world public health policy and administrative decisions.

Harnessing The Power Of Public Health Systems For Injury Prevention & Control, Glen P. Mays

Health Management and Policy Presentations

Efforts to improve population health hinge on a vast yet diffuse constellation of government agencies, health care providers, and community organizations that assume responsibilities in implementing prevention programs and policies across the U.S. Realizing the full health and economic benefits of injury prevention and control initiatives requires mobilizing and managing these complex and heterogeneous public health delivery systems. This session will explore the emerging science of public health delivery systems and what it tells us about improving injury prevention and control amid policy and economic change.

Public Health Delivery Systems And Population Health, Glen P. Mays

Health Management and Policy Presentations

Despite high overall health expenditures, the U.S. continues to fall behind other high-income countries on many measures of population health. While health care delivery systems are now studied intensively for solutions to U.S. cost and quality problems, the nation's delivery systems for public health programs and policies are only now becoming the subject of rigorous empirical study. This presentation examines recent studies of public health delivery systems and important directions for future inquiry.

New Jersey Vaccine Mandates: The Confluence Of Regulations, Rights, And Religion, Drew Harris Dpm, Mph

Population Health Matters (Formerly Health Policy Newsletter)

No abstract provided.

The Untold Story Of Population Health, Drew Harris Dpm, Mph

Population Health Matters (Formerly Health Policy Newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Duel Or Diversion? Conscientiousness And Executive Function In The Prediction Of Health And Longevity, Tim Bogg, Brent W. Roberts

Psychology Faculty Research Publications

Response to Hall and Fong Letter to the Editor in Annals of Behavioral Medicine 45(3).

Quality Of Care In Community Health Centers And Factors Associated With Performance, Peter Shin, Jessica Sharac, Sara J. Rosenbaum, Julia Paradise

Geiger Gibson/RCHN Community Health Foundation Research Collaborative

Federally funded community health centers are a key source of comprehensive primary care for medically underserved communities, serving more than 20 million patients in 2011. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) expanded the health center program significantly to help meet the increased demand for health care that is expected as millions of the uninsured gain health coverage, beginning in 2014. Especially given health centers’ growing role, evidence of the quality of care they provide is of keen interest. Most research shows high performance by health centers relative to various standards, but some gaps have also been found, and suitable benchmarks for …

Principles To Consider For The Implementation Of A Community Health Needs Assessment Process, Sara J. Rosenbaum

Health Policy and Management Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Commencement Program 2013, Loma Linda University

Commencement Programs

CONTENTS

1 | Message from the President

3 | 2013 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

23 | The University Honorees

45 | The School Honorees

64 | The Programs

• School of Medicine, 65
• School of Pharmacy, 83
• School of Dentistry, 90
• School of Behavioral Health and School of Religion, 107
• School of Nursing, 120
• School of Pubic Health, 129
• School of Allied Health Professions - Physical Therapy, 145 …

The Case For Conscientiousness: Evidence And Implications For A Personality Trait Marker Of Health And Longevity, Tim Bogg, Brent W. Roberts

Psychology Faculty Research Publications

Purpose Recent initiatives by major funding agencies have emphasized translational and personalized approaches (e.g., genetic testing) to health research and health management. While such directives are appropriate, and will likely produce tangible health benefits, we seek to highlight a confluence of several lines of research showing relations between the personality dimension of conscientiousness and a variety of health-related outcomes.

Methods Using a modified health process model, we review the compelling evidence linking conscientiousness to health and disease processes, including longevity, diseases, morbidity-related risk factors, health-related psycho-physiological mechanisms, health-related behaviors, and social environmental factors related to health.

Conclusion We argue the …

Advancing The Right To Health Through Global Organizations: The Potential Role Of A Framework Convention On Global Health, Eric A. Friedman, Lawrence O. Gostin, Kent Buse

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Organizations, partnerships, and alliances form the building blocks of global governance. Global health organizations thus have the potential to play a formative role in determining the extent to which people are able to realize their right to health.

This article examines how major global health organizations, such as WHO, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, UNAIDS, and GAVI approach human rights concerns, including equality, accountability, and inclusive participation. We argue that organizational support for the right to health must transition from ad hoc and partial to permanent and comprehensive.

Drawing on the literature and our knowledge of …

Ontogeny Of Venom Use And Venom Composition In The Western Widow Spider Latrodectus Hesperus, David Roger Nelsen

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

I investigated the behavioral ecology of venom and venom use by the western widow spider (Latrodectus hesperus), emphasizing the role of ontogeny. In an introductory paper, I reviewed existing definitions of venom and poison, and refined these by adding a third category of toxic biological secretions: toxungen. These three can be distinguished by mode of toxin delivery and presence of a wound. In the first of four empirical studies, I investigated venom use by adult females in the context of threat assessment. A single brief poke at the lowest threat level elicited primarily avoidance responses ("move" and "retract"), repeated prodding …

Realizing The Right To Health Through A Framework Convention On Global Health?, Eric A. Friedman, Jashodhara Dasgupta, Alicia E. Yamin, Lawrence O. Gostin

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

This article introduces a special issue of Health and Human Rights (volume 15, issue 1) that features articles exploring potential elements of and key questions and issues surrounding the Framework Convention on Global Health (FCGH). The FCGH is a proposed global health treaty that would be grounded in the right to health, with the aim of closing domestic and global health inequities. It would set standards and ensure financing for health care and public health services, while also addressing social determinants of health. The FCGH would raise the priority of health in other sectors, ensure effective private sector regulation, and …

Prevalence And Patterns Of Sexting Among Ethnic Minority Urban High School Students, Melissa Fleschler Peskin, Christine M Markham, Robert C Addy, Ross Shegog, Melanie Thiel, Susan R Tortolero

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Although sexting among U.S. youth has received much popular media attention, there are only limited data on its prevalence among ethnic minority youth. This study, therefore, specifically examined the prevalence and patterns of sexting (sending and/or receiving a nude or semi-nude picture/video or a sexual text-only message) among a sample of black and Hispanic youth. Data from 1,034 tenth graders from a large, urban school district in southeast Texas were used to calculate the prevalence of sexting by gender-race/ethnicity. Overlap among sexting behaviors was also examined. Electronic surveys were administered via an audio-computer-assisted self-interview on laptop computers. Prevalence estimates were …

Urban Agriculture Stormwater Management In California Cities, Rachel L. Cohen

Master's Theses

Cities within California are beginning to incorporate urban agriculture into their land use designations. Prompted by residents and local organizations, cities are hoping to capture the benefits that urban agriculture provides. Research has shown that urban agriculture renews and beautifies neighborhoods, provides healthy food choices, increases public health, has the potential to help with stormwater runoff, creates jobs, and fosters community. In the last few years, several California cities have made headlines as they have adopted new zoning codes that include urban agriculture.

In reviewing these new zoning codes and exploring the topic of urban agriculture, it became evident that …

The Influence Of Mindful Attention On Value Claiming In Distributive Negotiations: Evidence From Four Laboratory Experiments, Jochen Reb, Jayanth Narayanan

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

We examined the effect of mindful attention on negotiation outcomes in distributive negotiations across four experiments. In Studies 1 and 2, participants who performed a short mindful attention exercise prior to the negotiation claimed a larger share of the bargaining zone than the control condition participants they negotiated with. Study 3 replicated this finding using a different manipulation of mindful attention. Study 4 again replicated this result and also found that mindful negotiators were more satisfied with both the outcome and the process of the negotiation. We discuss theoretical and practical implications, limitations, and future directions.

Estimating Return On Investment: Approaches And Methods, Glen P. Mays

Health Management and Policy Presentations

Continuing fiscal constraints in the public sector and large-scale policy changes associated with health reform implementation in the U.S. are giving heightened attention to questions about the health and economic value of public health programs, services, and policies -- strategies designed to protect health and prevent disease and injury on a population-wide basis. This session provides an overview of approaches for conducting return-on-investment (ROI) analyses and related economic evaluation studies in public health settings in order to inform policy and administrative decision-making. New opportunities and resources created through CDC's National Public Health Improvement Initiative (NPHII) and RWJF's Public Health Practice-based …

Optimizing The Value Of Public Health Services: Lessons From Research & Practice, Glen P. Mays

Health Management and Policy Presentations

Expanding the delivery of efficacious public health programs and policies holds considerable potential for improving population health and constraining the growth in health care spending. Achieving such expansions efficiently, particularly in low-resource settings, requires careful attention to interorganizational and intergovernmental relationships in public health delivery.

Fearless: Kevin Lugo, Kevin B. Lugo

SURGE

This summer, recent graduate Kevin Lugo will bike over 4,000 miles across the country to benefit the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults. His choice to bike for seventy days from Baltimore to Seattle makes him fearless! His goal is to raise $7,476 for the organization, and he reached that goal last night (although more donations are always welcome in support of fighting cancer)! Kevin explains that when he studied abroad in Denmark in the fall of 2011, he “fell in love with sustainable transportation, especially cycling.” Not only does his fearless endeavor raise money to fight cancer, but he …

The Olive Branch Program : A Proposal For Outreach To Survivors Of Trauma Highlighting The Restorative Potential Of Nature-Based Cultural Settings, Mariana I. Swick

Graduate Student Independent Studies

Addresses the long-term implications of sexual assault-related trauma on the lives of women survivors and demonstrates how nature-based cultural institutions can support the needs of this population throughout recovery. The study proposes the adoption of The Olive Branch Program (a hypothetical outreach program) by local nature-based cultural institutions in light of the long term needs of women survivors on various pathways towards recovery. In addition, the study proposes ways for cultural institutions to engage in interdisciplinary collaboration, address issues of accessibility, and offer socially relevant programming.

Next Generation Public Health Delivery: Optimizing Health And Economic Impact, Glen P. Mays

Health Management and Policy Presentations

Improving population health in the context of significant policy and economic change will require governmental public health agencies to rethink their roles within the U.S. health and social services systems, giving much greater attention to "catalytic" functions intended to mobilize, direct, and coordinate the actions of others. A growing body of evidence and experience suggests that such changes are likely to be feasible, effective, and efficient.

Factors Influencing Medical Adherence Of Clients In Aids Project Worcester, Marianne M. Sarkis, Abby Dnahue, Jacqueline Osei-Owusu, Shan Yi Koay, Maya Baum, Anna Shayo, Amanda Major

Local Knowledge: Worcester Area Community-Based Research

What are the factors and barriers that lead to levels of adherence for those receiving treatment for those in the HIV/AIDS community through AIDS Project Worcester?

Over the last few decades, the HIV/AIDS epidemic has undergone a visible shift. In particular, the demographics of HIV/AIDS infected persons have transitioned from mostly gay affluent, white males to women and men of various minority populations with lower resources and socioeconomic statuses. This trend has also been true for the Worcester community. Based in Worcester, Massachusetts, this research project seeks to identify patterns between the recent change in client demographics and the relation …