Public Health Commons^™

The Transcriptional Response To Oxidative Stress During Vertebrate Development: Effects Of Tert-Butylhydroquinone And 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-P-Dioxin, Mark E. Hahn, Andrew G. Mcarthur, Sibel I. Karchner, Diana G. Franks, Matthew J. Jenny, Alicia R. Timme-Laragy, John J. Stegeman, Bruce R. Woodin, Michael J. Cipriano, Elwood Linney

Alicia R. Timme-Laragy

Oxidative stress is an important mechanism of chemical toxicity, contributing to teratogenesis and to cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Developing animals may be especially sensitive to chemicals causing oxidative stress. The developmental expression and inducibility of anti-oxidant defenses through activation of NF-E2-related factor 2 (NRF2) affect susceptibility to oxidants, but the embryonic response to oxidants is not well understood. To assess the response to chemically mediated oxidative stress and how it may vary during development, zebrafish embryos, eleutheroembryos, or larvae at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 days post fertilization (dpf) were exposed to DMSO (0.1%), tert-butylhydroquinone (tBHQ; 10 µM) …

A Pilot Study Of Deaf Trauma Survivors’ Experiences: Early Traumas Unique To Being Deaf In A Hearing World, Melissa L. Anderson, Kelly S. Wolf Craig, Wyatte C. Hall, Douglas M. Ziedonis

Melissa L. Anderson

Conducting semi-structured American Sign Language interviews with 17 Deaf trauma survivors, this pilot study explored Deaf individuals’ trauma experiences and whether these experiences generally align with trauma in the hearing population. Most commonly reported traumas were physical assault, sudden unexpected deaths, and “other” very stressful events. Although some “other” events overlap with traumas in the general population, many are unique to Deaf people (e.g., corporal punishment at oral/aural school if caught using sign language, utter lack of communication with hearing parents). These findings suggest that Deaf individuals may experience developmental traumas distinct to being raised in a hearing world. Such …

Transportation And Retention In Outpatient Drug Abuse Treatment Programs, Peter Friedmann, Stephenie Lemon, Michael Stein

Peter D. Friedmann MD

To determine whether certain types of transportation assistance improve outpatient treatment retention beyond thresholds shown to have therapeutic benefits, we analyzed data from 1,144 clients in 22 outpatient methadone maintenance (OMM) programs and 2,031 clients in 22 outpatient drug-free (ODF) programs in the Drug Abuse Treatment Outcomes Study (DATOS), a national, 12-month, longitudinal study of drug abuse treatment programs. Directors' surveys provided information about provision of car, van, or contracted transportation services or individual vouchers/payment for public transportation. Chart-abstracted treatment retention was dichotomized at 365 days for OMM and 90 days for ODF. Separate multivariate hierarchical linear models revealed that …

Symptom Patterns Of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Deaf Trauma Survivors, Melissa Anderson, Amanda Sortwell, Kelly Wolf Craig, Douglas Ziedonis

Melissa L. Anderson

Details about Deaf people’s pattern of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms remain relatively unknown due to inaccessible methods used in most epidemiological research. We conducted semi-structured American Sign Language interviews with 16 trauma-exposed Deaf individuals to explore their PTSD symptom patterns. Half met criteria for current PTSD, a rate higher than the general population. Underlying this disparity may be heightened rates of dissociation and psychogenic amnesia reported by many Deaf trauma survivors. Future research with large samples of Deaf survivors is needed to clarify this hypothesis, and to inform interventions that more accurately target Deaf people’s pattern of trauma symptoms.

Sex Offending And Serious Mental Illness: Directions For Policy And Research, Andrew Harris, William Fisher, Bonita Veysey, Laura Ragusa, Arthur Lurigio

Arthur J. Lurigio

Over the past decade, two rapidly evolving areas of criminal justice practice have garnered increasing attention from policy makers, practitioners, and researchers: the management and treatment of justice involved individuals with serious and persistent mental illness, and the challenges of managing the perceived societal risk presented by sex offenders. Yet, whereas each of these issues has independently attracted significant attention, the nexus between them has remained largely unexamined. Matters of concern include the manner in which individuals with serious mental illness may be disproportionately affected by the expanding range of restrictions placed on those with sexual offense histories, the demands …

United States Acculturation And Cancer Patients’ End-Of-Life Care, Alexi Wright, Heather Stieglitz, Yankel Kupersztoch, M. Elizabeth Paulk, Yookyung Kim, Ingrid Katz, Francisco Munoz, Rachel Jimenez, Jan Mutchler, Lorna Rivera, Anthony Back, Holly Prigerson

Lorna Rivera

Background: Culture shapes how people understand illness and death, but few studies examine whether acculturation influences patients’ end-of-life treatment preferences and medical care.

Methods and Findings: In this multi-site, prospective, longitudinal cohort study of terminally-ill cancer patients and their caregivers (n = 171 dyads), trained interviewers administered the United States Acculturation Scale (USAS). The USAS is a 19- item scale developed to assess the degree of ‘‘Americanization’’ in first generation or non-US born caregivers of terminally-ill cancer patients. We evaluated the internal consistency, concurrent, criterion, and content validity of the USAS. We also examined whether caregivers’ USAS scores predicted patients’ …

Knowledge, Attitudes, Beliefs And Behaviors (Kabb) Of Diabetes Among Afro-Caribbeans Near Brooklyn, New York, Sophia Allen

Sophia I. Allen, Ph.D.

Diabetes is an epidemic in the U.S. that unduly affects minority groups. African Americans are more than two times as likely to die from diabetes than whites. Literature previously established that some population groups have a negative perception toward medical professionals and visiting a doctor's office and/or hospital when a health problem occurs. In New York City, where a large group of Afro-Caribbeans live, diabetes prevalence more than doubled over the past 10 years with over half a million adults diagnosed. Due to a gap in literature in the U.S. on type 2 diabetes among English-speaking Afro-Caribbeans, this study recruited …

Perceived Harm Of Secondhand Electronic Cigarette Vapors And Policy Support To Restrict Public Vaping: Results From A National Survey Of Us Adults, Susan Mello, Cabral Bigman, Ashley Sanders-Jackson, Andy Tan

Andy SL Tan

Introduction: There is ongoing debate over banning electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use (vaping) in public places. Many people perceive secondhand e-cigarette vapors (SHV) to be relatively harmless, which may affect their support for policies to restrict vaping in public places. Given that awareness of secondhand cigarette smoke risks predicts public support for clean air policies, we hypothesized that greater perceived harm of SHV to personal health would be associated with stronger support for vaping restrictions.

Methods: Data from 1449 US adults in a national online panel was collected from October to December 2013. Using multiple regressions, we predict a three-item scale …

Public Use And Perceptions Of Emergency Departments: A Population Survey, Gerry Fitzgerald, Ghasem Tooloo, Peter Aitkin, Gerben Keijzers, Paul Scuffham

Gerben Keijzers

Objectives: To inform demand management strategies aimed at reducing congestion in EDs by: (i) identifying public use of EDs, decision-making and reasons; and (ii) measuring acceptance of alternative care models. Methods: A cross-sectional telephone survey of a random sample of Queensland population aged 18 years or older residing in a dwelling unit in Queensland that could be contacted on a land-based telephone service was conducted. One person per household was selected according to a predetermined algorithm to ensure sex and regional balance were interviewed. The main outcome measures were: ED use, attitudes towards ED staff and services, and alternative models …

Understanding, Experiences, And Reactions To Bullying Experiences In Boys With An Autism Spectrum Disorder, Vicki Bitsika, Christopher Sharpley

Vicki Bitsika

Most previous studies of bullying in young people with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have relied on data from adults’ rather than the person with an ASD themselves, thus limiting our understanding of the bullying experience from the child’s perspective. To investigate this issue, 48 high-functioning boys with an ASD, and their mothers, completed an online questionnaire about various aspects of bullying. There were some minor discrepancies between mothers’ and their sons’ reported frequency of bullying. Boys demonstrated an understanding of the behaviour that constitutes bullying that was consistent with the wider literature, enhancing the validity of their responses about …

Professionalism Under Fire: Conflict, War And Epidemics, Michelle Mclean, Vikram Jha, John Sandars

Michelle McLean

Today’s medical students (tomorrow’s doctors) will be entering a world of conflict, war and regular outbreaks of infectious diseases. Despite numerous international declarations and treaties protecting human rights, the last few decades has been fraught with reports of ‘‘lapses’’ in medical professionalism involving torture and force-feeding of detainees (e.g. captured during the War on Terror) and health care professionals refusing to treat infected patients (e.g. HIV and Ebola). This paper provides some historical background to the changing status of a physician’s duty to treat and how medical practitioners came to be involved in the inhumane treatment of detainees during the …

Making The Blue Zones: Neoliberalism And Nudges In Public Health Promotion, Eric Carter

Eric D. Carter

This paper evaluates the ideological and political origins of a place-based and commercial health promotion effort, the Blue Zones Project (BZP), launched in Iowa in 2011. Through critical discourse analysis, I argue that the BZP does reflect a neoliberalization of public health, but as an "actually existing neoliberalism" it emerges from a specific policy context, including dramatic health sector policy changes due to the national Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare; a media discourse of health crisis for an aging Midwestern population; and an effort to refashion Iowa cities as sites of healthy and active living, to retain and …

Municipal Officials' Participation In Built Environment Policy Development In The United States, Stephenie C. Lemon, Karin V. Goins, Kristin L. Schneider, Ross Brownson, Cheryl A. Valko, Kelly R. Evenson, Amy A. Eyler, Katie M. Heinrich, Jill Litt, Rodney Lyn, Hannah L. Reed, Nancy O'Hara Tompkins, Jay Maddock

Stephenie C. Lemon

Purpose. This study examined municipal officials' participation in built environment policy initiatives focused on land use design, transportation, and parks and recreation. Design. Web-based cross-sectional survey. Setting. Eighty-three municipalities with 50,000 or more residents in eight states. Subjects. Four hundred fifty-three elected and appointed municipal officials. Measures. Outcomes included self-reported participation in land use design, transportation, and parks and recreation policy to increase physical activity. Independent variables included respondent position; perceptions of importance, barriers, and beliefs regarding physical activity and community design and layout; and physical activity partnership participation. Analysis. Multivariable logistic regression models. Results. Compared to other positions, public …

Evolving Social Health Scheme For Workers In Unorganized Sector: Key Evidences From Study Of Cycle Rickshaw Pullers In Delhi, India, Nishant Kumar, Vijay Tiwari, Kuldeep Kumar, Kesavan Nair, Sherin Raj, Deoki Nandan

Kuldeep Kumar

Background

In view of high out-of-pocket costs and low spending even for basic healthcare for the poor employed in the unorganized sector, policy makers in India have turned their attention to developing a financing mechanism for social health insurance with the desire to provide quality care to the poor and economically disadvantaged.

Objectives

This study aims to assess and determine the disease profile, treatment expenditure and willingness to pay for health insurance among rickshaw pullers in Delhi.

Methods

The study was conducted among 500 rickshaw pullers from five zones of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, taking a sample of 100 …

Unnecessary Dieting Intention And Behavior Among Female Students In Naha City, Japan, Khin Zay Yar Myint, Daisuke Nonaka, Masamine Jimba, Keiko Nanishi, Krishna C. Poudel, Junko Yasuoka, Masaya Miyagi, Masaki Shinjo, Jun Kobayashi

Krishna C. Poudel

Weight concerns and dieting are prevalent among female adolescents both in Western and Asian countries. They can result in negative psychological and physiological consequences. This study aimed to examine the relative importance of social and personal facts on the decision to diet of female adolescent students in Japan, applying the Theory of Planned Behavior. Data were collected from 5 junior high schools and 3 high schools in Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture, in 2010, through self-administered questionnaires. The data of 756 female students were assessed. The independent variables included social factor variables (norms) and personal factor variables (attitude to dieting, perceived …

Acute Exercise And Gastric Emptying: A Meta-Analysis And Implications For Appetite Control, Katy Horner, Matthew Schubert, Ben Desbrow, Nuala Byrne, Neil King

Nuala Byrne

Background: Gastric emptying (GE) could influence exercise-induced changes in appetite and energy intake. GE also could contribute tochanges in gastric symptoms and the availability of nutrients during exercise, which will subsequently affect performance. Objective: The objective of this review was to determine the effects of acute exercise on GE using a systematic review and meta-analysis. The most common parameters to determine GE were selected, consisting of half-emptying time and volume emptied. Oral-caecal transit time (OCTT) was also examined. Data Sources: Research databases (PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, EBSCOhost, SPORTDiscus) were searched through November 2013 for original studies, abstracts, theses and dissertations …

Childhood Obesity In Asia: The Value Of Accurate Body Composition Methodology, Andrew Hills, Najat Mokhtar, Sharon Brownie, Nuala Byrne

Nuala Byrne

Childhood obesity, a significant global public health problem, affects an increasing number of low- and middle income countries, including in Asia. The obesity epidemic has been fuelled by the rapid nutrition and physical activity transition with the availability of more energy-dense nutrient-poor foods and lifestyles of many children dominated by physical inactivity. During the growing years the pace and quality of grow this best quantified by a combination of anthropometric and body composition measures. However, where normative data are available, this has typically been collected on Caucasian children. To better define and characterise overweight and obesity in Asian children, and …

Everyday Life In Southeast Asia, Kathleen Adams

Kathleen M. Adams

This lively survey of the peoples, cultures, and societies of Southeast Asia introduces a region of tremendous geographic, linguistic, historical, and religious diversity. Encompassing both mainland and island countries, these engaging essays describe personhood and identity, family and household organization, nation-states, religion, popular culture and the arts, the legacies of war and recovery, globalization, and the environment. Throughout, the focus is on the daily lives and experiences of ordinary people. Most of the essays are original to this volume, while a few are widely taught classics.

The Impact Of Hiv-Related Stigma On Older And Younger Adults Living With Hiv Disease: Does Age Matter?, Charles A. Emlet, David J. Brennan, Sarah Brennenstuhl, Sergio Rueda, Trevor A. Hart, Sean B. Rourke

Charles Emlet

Community Health Education Methods: A Practical Guide, Robert Bensley, Jodi Brookins-Fisher

Robert J Bensley

The Third Edition Of Community Health Education Methods: A Practical Guide Teaches Students To Effectively Communicate Health Education Messages And Positively Influence The Norms And Behaviors Of Both Individuals And Communities. This Text Explores The Methods Used By Health Educators, Including Didactic Techniques Designed To Guide Others Toward The Pursuit Of A Healthy Lifestyle. The Authors Explain The Essential Tools Involved In Communicating Messages To Specific Audiences, Providing Readers With A Full Grasp Of The Skills Necessary In Making A Difference.

The Pediatric Alliance For Coordinated Care: Evaluation Of A Medical Home Model, Judith Palfrey, Lisa Sofis, Emily Davidson, Jihong Liu, Linda Freeman, Michael Ganz

Jihong Liu

No abstract provided.

Immunizations In Children With Special Health Care Needs In A Medical Home Model Of Care, Ronald Samuels, Jihong Liu, Lisa Sofis, Judith Palfrey

Jihong Liu

No abstract provided.

Factors Affecting Adoption In China, 1950-87, Jihong Liu, Ulla Larsen, Grace Wyshak

Jihong Liu

No abstract provided.

Maternal Obesity And Breast-Feeding Practices Among White And Black Women, Jihong Liu, Michael Smith, Mirela Dobre, James Ferguson

Jihong Liu

No abstract provided.

Racial Differences In Trends And Predictors Of Infant Sleep Positioning In South Carolina, 1996-2007, Michael Smith, Jihong Liu, Kristen Helms, Kristin Wilkerson

Jihong Liu

No abstract provided.

Physical Activity And Electronic Media Use In The Search For Diabetes In Youth Case-Control Study, Felipe Lobelo, Angela Liese, Jihong Liu, Elizabeth Mayer-Davis, Ralph D'Agostino, Jr., Russell Pate, Richard Hamman, Dana Dabelea

Jihong Liu

No abstract provided.

Breastfeeding Duration And Perinatal Cigarette Smoking In A Population-Based Cohort, Jihong Liu, Kenneth Rosenberg, Alfredo Sandoval

Jihong Liu

No abstract provided.

Gender Differences In Functioning For Older Adults In Rural Bangladesh: The Impact Of Differential Reporting?, M. Rahman, Jihong Liu

Jihong Liu

No abstract provided.

Emergency Contraception In Emergency Departments In Oregon, 2003, Kenneth Rosenberg, Jodi Demunter, Jihong Liu

Jihong Liu

No abstract provided.

Meaning Of The Family-Cap Policy For Poor Women: Contraceptive And Fertility Decision-Making, Diana Romero, Hannah Fortune-Greely, Jorge Verea, Debbie Salas-Lopez

Debbie Salas-Lopez MD, MPH

In 1996 the US Congress enacted welfare reform legislation. In addition to new lifetime time limits and work requirements for those receiving cash and other forms of social assistance, the states could impose policies pertaining to reproductive-related behaviors of poor women. One such policy is the so-called “family-cap,” which denies additional income support to poor women who have a baby while receiving cash assistance; 24 states have implemented such policies. The ostensible goal of the policy is to limit fertility among current cash assistance recipients. This pilot study sought to explore whether poor women in a family-cap state (NJ) base …