Public Health Commons^™

Adolescent Substance Use: Risk And Protective Factors Of Family, School, Peer, And Leisure, Tara Woodward

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND

Adolescent substance use has long been a global public health issue. In this study, we explored developmental contexts that correspond with protective and risk factors associated with adolescent substance use. The developmental contexts of interest are the family domain, the school domain, the peer domain, and the structured and unstructured leisure domains. The leisure domain is of particular interest as it often corresponds with protective and risk factors different from those associated with the other domains. The purpose of this study was to assess whether the identified domains are associated with adolescent alcohol use and cannabis use.

METHODS

This …

Movement Integration In Classrooms: Factors Associated With The Adoption And Implementation Of Physical Activity In Us Elementary Schools, R. Blake Densley

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The intentional integration of movement in elementary school classrooms—including both brief instructional breaks for physical activity, or the integration of physical activity with lessons—can benefit children’s physical health and education outcomes. Teachers are key implementation agents, but despite movement integration (MI) being considered an educational best practice, many classroom teachers do not regularly use it. The aim of this study was to obtain updated nationally-representative prevalence estimates in US public elementary schools, regarding four key outcomes pertaining to teachers’ implementation of physical activity: 1) school adoption of physically active lessons (PALs); 2) school adoption of physical activity breaks (PABs); 3) …

Grower Perceptions Of Safety Hazards And Associated Injuries Among Farmworkers Involved In Northwest Potato Production, Cynthia Curl, Karin Adams, Rachel Phinney, Matthew Blua

Public and Population Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Potatoes are a vital part of the Pacific Northwest’s agricultural economy. As in many agricultural industries, workers involved in potato production may be at risk for illness and injuries.

Methods: A Hazard Perception Survey (HPS) was completed by 63 potato growers in Washington (n = 26) and Idaho (n = 37) during the fall and winter of 2017–2018. Participants were asked to indicate their level of concern regarding the frequency and severity of injuries associated with various potato production tasks. Descriptive statistical analyses were used to identify operations and tasks that potato growers perceived to be most …

Understanding Challenges To Well-Being Among Latina Farmworkers In Rural Idaho Using In An Interdisciplinary, Mixed-Methods Approach, Cynthia L. Curl, Lisa Meierotto, Rebecca L. Som Castellano

Public and Population Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

The aim of this study was to identify social, cultural and workplace-related risk factors affecting well-being among Latina farmworkers in rural Idaho. We recruited 70 Latina farmworkers from southwestern Idaho in 2019. We employed an inter-disciplinary, mixed-methods approach—including surveys, focus groups, interviews, and pesticide biomonitoring—to characterize multiple domains that influence well-being, including food security and access, housing conditions, social supports, access to medical care, and workplace safety. Six major themes emerged as primary challenges to Latina farmworkers’ well-being. In the public sphere, study participants identified these challenges as long working hours, concerns regarding pesticide exposure, and lack of enforcement of …

Assessment Of Electrostatic Potential Resulting From Friction Between Fabric Samples Made Of Natural And Synthetic Fibers, Uwe Reischl, Budimir Mijovic

Public and Population Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Synthetic fibers are known to be a major source of electrostatic potential occurring on clothing. The electrical properties of fibers are determined by their chemical composition and polymer structure. Environmental factors such as humidity, temperature, and friction intensity can influence these properties. Due to the insulative characteristics of most fabrics, fibers are able to keep their charge for relatively long periods. This can result in clothing to cling to each other, attract dust, and create discharge shocks. To reduce these issues, suggestions have been proposed to mix garment layers made of natural fibers with garment layers made of synthetic fibers. …

Organophosphate Pesticide Dose Estimation From Spot And 24-Hr Urine Samples Collected From Children In An Agricultural Community, Carly Hyland, Katherine Kogut, Robert B. Gunier, Rosemary Castorina, Cynthia Curl, Brenda Eskenazi, Asa Bradman

Public and Population Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Spot urine samples are often used to assess exposure to organophosphate (OP) pesticides in place of “gold standard” 24-hr samples, which are cumbersome to collect. Assessment of non-persistent chemicals using spot urine samples may result in exposure misclassification that could bias epidemiological analyses towards the null. Few studies have examined the validity of measurements of urinary metabolites in spot samples to estimate daily OP dose or the potential implications of reliance on spot samples for risk assessments.

Objective: Examine the validity of using first morning void (FMV) and random non-FMV urine samples to estimate cumulative 24-hr OP pesticide dose …

Influence Of Woodsmoke Exposure On Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Alzheimer’S Disease: Existing Literature And Gaps In Our Understanding, Adam Schuller, Luke Montrose

Public and Population Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Woodsmoke poses a significant health risk as a growing component of ambient air pollution in the United States. While there is a long history of association between woodsmoke exposure and diseases of the respiratory, circulatory, and cardiovascular systems, recent evidence has linked woodsmoke exposure to cognitive dysfunction, including Alzheimer’s disease dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with largely idiopathic origins and no known cure. Here, we explore the growing body of literature which relates woodsmoke-generated and ambient air pollution particulate matter exposure to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) onset or exacerbation, in the context of an inflammation-centric view of AD. …

Smoke From Wildfires Can Worsen Covid-19 Risk, Putting Firefighters In Even More Danger, Luke Montrose

Public and Population Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Two forces of nature are colliding in the western United States, and wildland firefighters are caught in the middle.

Emerging research suggests that the smoke firefighters breathe on the front lines of wildfires is putting them at greater risk from the new coronavirus, with potentially lethal effects.

At the same time, firefighting conditions make precautions such as social distancing and hand-washing difficult, increasing the chance that, once the virus enters a fire camp, it could quickly spread.

As an environmental toxicologist, I have spent the last decade expanding our understanding of how wood smoke exposure impacts human health. Much of …

Neonatal Lead (Pb) Exposure And Dna Methylation Profiles In Dried Bloodspots, Luke Montrose

Public and Population Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Lead (Pb) exposure remains a major concern in the United States (US) and around the world, even following the removal of Pb from gasoline and other products. Environmental Pb exposures from aging infrastructure and housing stock are of particular concern to pregnant women, children, and other vulnerable populations. Exposures during sensitive periods of development are known to influence epigenetic modifications which are thought to be one mechanism of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) paradigm. To gain insights into early life Pb exposure-induced health risks, we leveraged neonatal dried bloodspots in a cohort of children from Michigan, US …

What’S In Wildfire Smoke, And Why Is It So Bad For Your Lungs?, Luke Montrose

Public and Population Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

If I dare to give the coronavirus credit for anything, I would say it has made people more conscious of the air they breathe.

A friend texted me recently after going for a jog in the foothills near Boise, Idaho, writing: “My lungs are burning … explain what’s happening!!!”

A wildfire was burning to the east of town – one of hundreds of fires that were sending smoke and ash through communities in hot, dry western states. As an environmental toxicologist, I research how air pollution, particularly wood smoke, impacts human health and disease.

Agricultural Workplace Compliance With The Environmental Protection Agency's Worker Protection Standard: An Idaho Analysis, Rachel Phinney

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Agricultural workers are at high risk for occupational pesticide exposure and pesticide-related illness. The Worker Protection Standard (WPS) is the primary federal regulation aimed at reducing pesticide exposure among agricultural workers. Agricultural employers are responsible for complying with the nearly 100 WPS requirements, including the provision of pesticide safety training, personal-protective equipment, and decontamination supplies to employees.

Despite the potential health implications of WPS violations, information is limited regarding compliance levels in Idaho. We aim to fill this gap by describing compliance trends according to WPS inspection results archived by the Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA). We analyzed 557 …

Communication In Healthcare Settings: Access And Barriers To Care Experienced By Deaf Patients, Elizabeth Schniedewind

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Deaf persons who use American Sign Language (ASL) as their primary form of communication are members of a cultural and linguistic minority that experiences significant health disparities yet are not recognized as a health disparity population by the National Institutes of Health. Studies have reported ineffective communication in healthcare interactions and reduced access to care experienced by Deaf patients. Requests for sign language interpreters in healthcare encounters are frequently denied, despite federal mandates to provide effective communication. Comprised of three articles, this dissertation investigates the diminished access to communication in healthcare settings experienced by Deaf patients and qualitative research methods …

Boise State University Reintegration Guide, Boise State University

Rebuilding the Launchpad: Serving Students During Covid Resource Library

The Boise State University Reintegration Committee (“Committee”) is charged by President Marlene Tromp with recommending and advising when and under what conditions the university can reintegrate, or resume, in whole or part, in-person operations.

The Committee is chaired by Chief of Staff & Vice President for Compliance, Legal and Audit, Alicia Estey, JD, MPH, and has eleven additional members. The group meets regularly to review relevant research, modeling, clinical data and other inputs from respected sources that can help inform integrated and aligned recommendations, including recommendations from various work groups and subcommittees supporting reintegration. Through Chief of Staff and VP …

Cancer Rates Not Explained By Smoking: A County-Level Analysis, Douglas J. Myers, Polly Hoppin, Molly Jacobs, Richard Clapp, David Kriebel

Public and Population Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Debates over the importance of “lifestyle” versus “environment” contributions to cancer have been going on for over 40 years. While it is clear that cigarette smoking is the most significant cancer risk factor, the contributions of occupational and environmental carcinogens in air, water and food remain controversial. In practice, most cancer prevention messaging focuses on reducing cigarette smoking and changing other personal behaviors with little mention of environmental chemicals, despite widespread exposure to many known carcinogens. To inform decision-making on cancer prevention priorities, we evaluated the potential impact of smoking cessation on cancer rates.

Methods: Using cancer …

A Faith-Based Quality Improvement Project To Increase Awareness, Prevention, And Management Of Coronary Heart Disease In African Immigrants, Temitope S. Okpebho

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Problem Description: Coronary heart disease (CHD) affects people globally, and it is the leading cause of death in the United States. Despite increased CHD awareness, evidence shows the increased prevalence and low CHD awareness among African Immigrants. According to Boateng et al. (2017), African immigrants are more likely to have CHD risk factors and be unaware. This may be due to changes in eating habits, lack of physical activity, increased stress level, and the adaptation of the Western diet.

Rationale: This project included implementing a culture care theory in a faith-based organization to increase awareness, management, and prevention of CHD …

The Presence Of Legionellae In Respiratory Devices: Convenience Sampling Of Idaho Long Term Care Facilities, Andrew Nutting

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Legionella is a bacterium found naturally in moist environments. Persons can become infected when they inhale airborne droplets of water containing such bacteria. Legionellosis cases associated with the use of respiratory devices such as Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) units, jet nebulizers, portable room humidifiers, and respiratory ventilation equipment have been identified in context of a Legionellosis outbreak. However, a systematic search for the presence of Legionella bacteria in respiratory devices outside of a Legionellosis outbreak has not been reported. The goal of this study was to carry out such a survey on different types of respiratory devices in long …

Using The Fitness Challenge To Teach The Principles Of Conditioning And Improve Campus Physical Activity, Shawn R. Simonson

Kinesiology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The goal of KINES 432 Conditioning Procedures is for students to develop the skills to appropriately prescribe exercise and conditioning that will enhance the student’s ability as a practitioner to help others improve conditioning and achieve their health, fitness, and performance goals. The focus is on program objectives, planning, exercise analysis, and prescription as well as the supporting theories, rationale, and research. Application of concepts occurs via projects, service-learning and laboratory experiences. KINES 432 is also designated a university Finishing Foundations course. Boise State University’s Foundational Studies Program provides undergraduates with a broad-based education that spans the entire university experience. …

Coronavirus Closes In On Rohingya Refugees In Bangladesh’S Cramped, Unprepared Camps, Saleh Ahmed

University Author Recognition Bibliography: 2020

Coronavirus is spreading quickly in densely populated Bangladesh, despite a nationwide shutdown put in place a month ago.

This preventive measure has proven challenging to implement due to lack of awareness of the coronavirus and the absence of a social safety net. Extreme poverty also forces many Bangladeshis to keep working and looking for food despite the risks. Bangladesh had 2,948 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of April 20.

The disease has not yet spread into the refugee camps that house the Rohingya Muslims who fled ethnic violence in Myanmar in 2017, according to a recent update from the humanitarian organizations …

Wildfire Smoke Worsens Coronavirus Risk, Putting Firefighters In Extra Danger, Luke Montrose

Public and Population Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

As summer approaches, two forces of nature are on a collision course, and wildland firefighters will be caught in the middle.

New research suggests that the smoke firefighters breathe on the front lines of wildfires is putting them at greater risk from the new coronavirus, with potentially lethal effects.

At the same time, firefighting conditions make precautions such as social distancing and hand-washing difficult, increasing the chance that, once the virus enters a fire camp, it could quickly spread.

As an environmental toxicologist, I have spent the last decade expanding our understanding of how wood smoke exposure impacts human health. …

Democratic Governors Are Quicker In Responding To The Coronavirus Than Republicans, Luke Fowler, Jaclyn Kettler, Stephanie Witt

Public Policy and Administration Faculty Publications and Presentations

While the coronavirus pandemic is a national and international concern, state and local officials find themselves on the front lines of the public health battle.

Governors, in particular, have been in the spotlight in recent weeks. New York’s Andrew Cuomo has been praised by news outlets for his leadership at the epicenter of the U.S. outbreak, while others have been criticized for slow responses.

A clear partisan gap has emerged in how quickly governors have declared emergencies and issue stay-at-home orders. Democratic governors have issued orders three to four days sooner than Republican governors, on average.

Synthetic Pesticides And Health In Vulnerable Populations: Agricultural Workers, Cynthia L. Curl, Meredith Spivak, Rachel Phinney, Luke Montrose

Public and Population Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Purpose of Review: This review aims to summarize epidemiological literature published between May 15, 2018 and May 14, 2019 that examines the relationship between exposure to synthetic pesticides and health of agricultural workers.

Recent Findings: Current research suggests that exposure to synthetic pesticides may be associated with adverse health outcomes. Agricultural workers represent a potentially vulnerable population, due to a combination of unique social and cultural risk factors as well as exposure to hazards inherent in farm work. Pesticide exposure among agricultural workers has been linked to certain cancers, DNA damage, oxidative stress, neurological disorders, as well as respiratory, metabolic, …

Support For Rural Practice: Female Physicians And The Life–Career Interface, Kimberly Stutzman, Ruth Ray Karpen, Pragna Naidoo, Sarah E. Toevs, Amanda Weidner, Ed Baker, David Schmitz

Public and Population Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introduction: The need for family physicians in rural areas across the USA and Canada is a longstanding issue that has been well documented. Since family physicians constitute the largest population of rural practitioners, the problem has been exacerbated by a sharp decline in medical students’ interest in the field of family medicine and the aging of the current rural workforce. Previous research has shown that female physicians in rural areas need strong support networks to maintain a healthy work–life balance. The purpose of this study was to better understand the types of support they need and how they find it, …

Development And Guiding Principles Of The Icelandic Model For Preventing Adolescent Substance Use, Alfgeir L. Kristansson, Michael J. Mann, Jon Sigfusson, Ingibjorg E. Thorisdottir, John P. Allegrante, Inga Dora Sigfusdottir

Public and Population Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Adolescent substance use—the consumption of alcohol, tobacco, and other harmful drugs—remains a persistent global problem and has presented ongoing challenges for public health authorities and society. In response to the high rates of adolescent substance use during the 1990s, Iceland has pioneered in the development of the Icelandic Model for Primary Prevention of Substance Use—a theory-based approach that has demonstrated effectiveness in reducing substance use in Iceland over the past 20 years. In an effort to document our approach and inform potentially replicable practice-based processes for implementation in other country settings, we outline in a two-part series of articles the …

Covid-19 Personal Protective Equipment Sterilization System, Uwe Reischl

Public and Population Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

A portable system based on a non-destructive sterilization method was developed that consists of a chamber producing ozone concentration levels reported in the scientific literature to deactivate 99.9% of all microorganisms. The system includes a small cordless 30mg/h ozone generator placed inside a 20L enclosed chamber. Personal protective equipment is loaded into the chamber and automatically exposed to an ozone concentration up to 18 ppm for 30 minutes. PPE is then removed and ventilated in open air to allow residual ozone to degrade to oxygen. The paper describes the design and performance characteristics of this technology.

Implementing The Icelandic Model For Preventing Adolescent Substance Use, Alfgeir L. Kristjansson, Michael J. Mann, Jon Sigfusson, Ingibjorg E. Thorisdottir, John P. Allegrante, Inga Dora Sigfusdottir

Public and Population Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

This is the second in a two-part series of articles about the Icelandic Model for Primary Prevention of Substance Use (IPM) in this volume of Health Promotion Practice. IPM is a community collaborative approach that has demonstrated remarkable effectiveness in reducing substance use initiation among youth in Iceland over the past 20 years. While the first article focused attention on the background context, theoretical orientation, evaluation and evidence of effectiveness, and the five guiding principles of the model, this second article describes the 10 core steps to practical implementation. Steps 1 to 3 focus on building and maintaining community …

Pharmacist Perceptions Toward Screening, Brief Intervention, And Referral To Treatment For Prescription Opioid Misuse: Initial Instrument Reliability And Validity, Tara Fouts

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Prescription opioid misuse has become a growing problem in the United States, and there has been a significant increase in the number of nonfatal overdose and overdose deaths since the 1990s. Idaho has also experienced an increase in the number of drug-induced deaths over time, increasing nearly 30% from 2012 to 2016. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates overprescribing and dispensing of prescription opioids is a main driver to the increase in overdoses. Evidence-based early intervention methods, such as screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT), can be utilized in health care settings to identify risky behaviors …

Effect Of A 24-Week Randomized Trial Of An Organic Produce Intervention On Pyrethroid And Organophosphate Pesticide Exposure Among Pregnant Women, Cynthia L. Curl, Jessica Porter, Ian Penwell, Rachel Phinney, Marai Ospina, Antonia M. Calafat

Public and Population Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Introduction of an organic diet can significantly reduce exposure to some classes of pesticides in children and adults, but no long-term trials have been conducted. Objectives: To assess the effect of a long-term (24-week) organic produce intervention on pesticide exposure among pregnant women.

Methods: We recruited 20 women from the Idaho Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program during their first trimester of pregnancy. Eligible women were nonsmokers aged 18–35 years who reported eating exclusively conventionally grown food. We randomly assigned participants to receive weekly deliveries of either organic or conventional fruits and vegetables throughout their second or third trimesters …

Addressing Challenges To The Reliable, Large-Scale Implementation Of Effective School Health Education, Michael J. Mann, David K. Lohrmann

Public and Population Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

The long-held priority of teaching young people the knowledge and skills needed for healthy living has recently been diminished in many preK-12 schools. Driven by federal and state priorities, laws, and policies associated with high-stakes testing, instruction in untested subjects has been reduced or eliminated in most schools in order to devote more attention to tested subjects, like reading, math, writing, and science. This article proposes a pathway to ensure that all children are able to learn what society knows about health. To that end, four challenges to the reliable, large-scale implementation of effective school health education are identified: (1) …

Effects Of Acute Physical Activity On Nih Toolbox-Measured Cognitive Functions Among Children In Authentic Education Settings, H. G. Calvert, J. M. Barcelona, D. Melville, L. Turner

University Author Recognition Bibliography: 2019

Introduction: Identifying a dose of physical activity (PA) that can improve cognitive function in children has important implications for school-day PA recommendations. Researchers and educators have interest in this link as it relates to both health and academic performance. This study examined the dose-response relationship between PA and improvement in cognition in a sample of fifth and sixth grade students.

Methods: Participants (n = 156) from eight classes each completed two of four different cognitive assessments on an iPad, both before and after exposure to one of four randomized, 10-min PA conditions (sedentary, light, moderate, and vigorous). Conditions …

Development Of A Novel Tool For Assessing Coverage Of Implementation Factors In Health Promotion Program Resources, Hannah Calvert, Lindsey Turner

University Author Recognition Bibliography: 2019

Programs for promoting health behaviors have been developed for adoption in various settings such as schools (Hoelscher et al., 2010; Sallis et al., 1997), afterschool programs (Beets et al., 2009), child care centers (Ward et al., 2010), community health and mental health clinics (Aarons et al., 2011), and other settings (Soler et al., 2010). While many of these programs have established efficacy, implementation-related challenges often limit their impact in real-world applications (Glasgow et al., 2003; Glasgow and Emmons, 2007). As a result, an emerging body of literature has pointed to the need to better consider implementation factors related to real-world …