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College Of Public Health News, Georgia Southern University

College of Public Health: News & Publications

• Karmen Williams Named Dr. E. Richard 'Rick' Brown Keeneland Conference Scholar

College Of Public Health News, Georgia Southern University

College of Public Health: News & Publications

• LHDs Approchaces to Deal with the Aftermath of Recession

Health Policy & Management News, Georgia Southern University

Health Policy & Community Health: News & Publications (2011-2018)

• LHDs Approaches to Deal with the Aftermath of Recession

Assessing Changes In Safety Net Providers Since The Passage Of The Affordable Care Act, Arlesia Mathis, Julia Burke, Gulzar H. Shah

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

The passage of the Affordable Care Act presented opportunities and challenges for safety net providers. Significant investments in provider capacity promised much needed expansion of services; and in 2014, the law extended coverage to millions of previously uninsured Americans. However, safety net providers are concerned that changes to financing brought about by changes in the ACA may threaten their ability to provide services to millions more who still lack insurance. This is a preliminary study of changes occurring with maternal and child health services among safety-net providers.

Use Of Facebook By Local Health Departments: Activity And Focus Areas, Rakhi Trivedi, Gulzar H. Shah

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

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

Variations In Public Health Governance, Jeffery A. Jones, Ankit Bangar, Patrick Chang, Yelena N. Tarasenko

Epidemiology: Faculty Presentations (2000-2018)

Background: Studies of public health departments have found mixed results regarding the relevance of governance through local boards of health (LBOHs). Some studies find that LBOHs can be an important component in higher performance by local health departments. Other analyses, however, find no advantage for local health departments having or not having a LBOH. The hypothesis was that a typology of LBOHs nationwide can define different types of LBOHs based on their powers and responsibilities.

Methods: Using national profile sample data from the National Association of Local Boards of Health, LBOHs were categorized using 34 variables based on four domains …

Pink Goes Red For A Day: Is Your Heart Healthy?, Quierra W. Jones

Honors College Theses

There is a major lack of public health education among college aged students at many colleges and universities across the country. Even further, many minority college students are unfamiliar with one of the most life-threatening health issues that affect them the most: heart health. As a nursing student and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., I strive to uphold our “service to all mankind” motto and also educate the public about important heart health matters. On February 4, 2014, I presented a program through my sorority entitled Pink Goes Red for a Day in which I educated the primarily …

Environmental Health News, Georgia Southern University

Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Environmental Health Sciences: News & Publications (2011-2018)

• Persistence of Enteric Markers in Sewage Polluted Water

College Of Public Health News, Georgia Southern University

College of Public Health: News & Publications

• Persistence of Enteric Markers in Sewage Polluted Water

College Of Public Health News, Georgia Southern University

College of Public Health: News & Publications

• Laying the Groundwork for Evidence-Based Public Health

Health Policy & Management News, Georgia Southern University

Health Policy & Community Health: News & Publications (2011-2018)

• Laying the Groundwork for Evidence-Based Public Health

Environmental Health News, Georgia Southern University

Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Environmental Health Sciences: News & Publications (2011-2018)

• Key Determinants of the Fungal and Bacterial Microbiomes in Homes

College Of Public Health News, Georgia Southern University

College of Public Health: News & Publications

• Key Determinants of the Fungal and Bacterial Microbiomes in Homes

Chbe 9331 - Health Disparities & The Rural Underserved, Andrew Hansen

College of Public Health: Faculty Syllabi (2014-2021)

This course provides an in-depth look at health disparities, including factors related to history, politics, socioeconomics, race/ethnicity and public health. The extant literature in each of these areas will be examined and discussed.

Hspm 7230 - Health Leadership And Strategic Planning, Samuel T. Opoku

College of Public Health: Faculty Syllabi (2014-2021)

This course examines the dynamic nature of organizations in the health services field and the implications for leaders and managers within the context of organizations as open systems from an individual, group and system perspective. The course examines principles of strategic leadership/management applied to health care organizations amid a changing environment and focuses on improving organizational efficiency, effectiveness and efficacy through leadership principles.

Characteristics Of Local Health Departments Associated With Their Implementation Of Electronic Health Records And Other Informatics System, Gulzar H. Shah, Jonathon P. Leider, Brian C. Castrucci, Karmen S. Williams, Huabin Luo

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

Background: Information technology and information systems (IT/IS) play a critical role in the daily operation of local health departments (LHDs). Assessing LHDs’ informatics capacities is important, especially within the context of broader, system-level health reform efforts.

Research Objective: This study assesses a nationally representative sample of LHDs’ level of adoption of information systems, technology, and the factors associated with adoption/implementation. Specifically, five areas of public health informatics were examined: electronic health records (EHRs), health information exchange (HIE), immunization registry (IR), electronic disease reporting system (EDRS), and electronic lab reporting (ELR).

Data Sets and Sources: Data from NACCHO’s 2013 National Profile …

Using Our Voices-And Using Our Science, Johanna M. Hinman

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Using Our Voices-and Using Our Science

Legislative Smoking Bans For Reducing Exposure To Secondhand Smoke And Smoking Prevalence: Opportunities For Georgians, Steven S. Coughlin, Jennifer Anderson, Selina A. Smith

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Secondhand smoke, which is also referred to as environmental tobacco smoke and passive smoke, is a known human carcinogen. Secondhand smoke also causes disease and premature death in nonsmoking adults and children.

Methods: We summarize studies of secondhand smoke in public places before and after smoking bans, as well as studies of cardiovascular and respiratory disease before and after such bans.

Results: To protect the public from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke, smoke-free legislation is an effective public health measure. Smoking bans in public places, which have been implemented in many jurisdictions across the U.S. and in other …

Ebola: Working Through Fear, Brenda Fitzgerald

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Ebola: Working Through Fear

Unveiling The Mysteries Of Palliative Care, Jennifer Currin-Mcculloch, Karen Terry

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Unveiling the Mysteries of Palliative Care

86th Annual Georgia Public Health Association Meeting & Conference Report, Selina A. Smith, Regina Abbott, Christy Sims

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

The 86th annual meeting of the Georgia Public Health Association (GPHA) and joint conference with the Southern Health Association was held in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 13-14, 2015, with pre-conference (April 12th) and post-conference (April14th) Executive Board meetings. As Georgia’s leading forum for public health researchers, practitioners, and students, the annual meeting of the GPHA brings together participants from across the state to explore recent developments in the field and to exchange techniques, tools, and experiences. Historically, the GPHA conference has been held in Savannah (n=24); Jekyll Island (n=20); Atlanta (n=16); Augusta (n=4); and Gainesville (n=1). There was no annual …

Promoting Policy And Environmental Change In Faith-Based Organizations: Organizational Level Findings From A Mini Grants Program, April Hermstad, Kimberly R. Jacob Arriola, Shauna St. Clair, Sally Honeycutt, Michelle L. Carvalho, Sabrina T. Cherry, Tamara Davis, Sheritta Frazier, Cam Escoffery, Michelle C. Kegler

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: High rates of heart disease, cancer, and stroke exist in rural South Georgia, where Emory’s Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network provided mini-grants and technical assistance to six faith-based organizations to implement policy and environmental changes to promote healthy eating (HE), physical activity (PA), and tobacco use prevention (TUP). Drawing from a Social Ecological Framework, we hypothesized that church members would perceive an increase in messages, programs, and the availability of facilities to support HE, PA, and TUP over a 1-year period.

Methods: Members (N=258) completed self-administered questionnaires that assessed perceptions of the existing church health promotion environment relative …

Georgia Carrera Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Program: A Story Of Success!

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Georgia Carrera Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Program: A Story of Success!

The file for v.5, iss.1, article 10 is not available. If you are the author of this article, please contact Digital Commons@Georgia Southern to provide a PDF copy of the article for inclusion in the issue.

Understanding The Role Of Social Norms In Organ Donation Decision Making Among African American Adults, Briana M. Lucido

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: African Americans (AAs) comprise a disproportionate number of those waiting on the national transplant list and are underrepresented among registered organ donors. While barriers to organ donation are well understood, little research has explored factors that facilitate interest in donation. Because AAs are often characterized by strong extended relationships and shared decision-making, social norms may be an influential factor in donation behavior. Utilizing the Theory of Reasoned Action, this study demonstrated the application of theory to understand the role social norms play in donation decisionmaking, among AAs.

Methods: Self-administered questionnaires were completed by 425 AA adults residing in the …

A Multisite Evaluation Of Pediatric Asthma-Related Treatment In Accordance To The 2007 National Heart, Lung And Blood Institute Expert Panel Report — 3 Guidelines, Emeka Oraka, Brittani Robinson, Trevor Ousley, Francesca Lopez, Leroy Graham

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: To determine if Georgia-based healthcare providers who received continuing education on pediatric asthma as described by 2007 National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Expert Panel Report – 3 guidelines demonstrated improvements in asthma-related treatment.

Methods: We used a multi-site, cross-sectional design. Data were collected via surveys administered to healthcare providers and via randomized medical chart abstractions. Chart abstraction occurred at 12 months prior to intervention (n = 149); one month post-intervention (n = 208); and three months post-intervention (n = 123).

Results: Substantial improvements were observed among the providers who used pre/post bronchodilator spirometry (5% at baseline, 12% at …

Impact Of 1918 Spanish Influenza Pandemic On Mortality Rates In Savannah, Ga, And Implications For Future Epidemic Prevention, Sara S. Plaspohl, Betty T. Dixon

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: The Spanish Influenza pandemic struck the United States in waves from September 1918 through March 1919. This study investigates the impact of the Spanish Influenza on Savannah and Chatham County, Georgia.

Methods: Primary death records from the Chatham County Health Department were examined and analyzed for the years of 1917, 1918, and 1919. Historical mortality rates in the Savannah area were compared to those for other parts of the United States and world.

Results: Mortality rates attributed to the Spanish Influenza within Savannah closely paralleled similar flu-related mortality rates for comparison populations in New York, London, and Madrid.

Conclusions: …

Venomous Spiders Of The Southeastern Us: An Unexpected Threat, Alex Collins, Oreta Samples

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Environmental health specialists recommend that residents of the Southeastern US, including Georgia, have the ability to identify the three venomous spiders indigenous to this area. It is necessary to recognize the black widow, brown widow, and brown recluse spiders and to be familiar with the likely habitats of these insects and with the symptoms of bites. The primary author, who serves as an Environmental Health Specialist and is a hobbyist who works with distressed wood, frequently encounters all three of these spiders.

Methods: A literature review supports the fact that these three venomous spiders are indigenous to Georgia.

Results: …

Nonprofit Hospitals And Community Health Needs Assessments, Beth Stephens

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 requires all hospitals filing as 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations to conduct a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) every three years. Many Georgia hospitals published their first CHNAs in 2012 and 2013. The goals of this research and policy project were to assess compliance with the new CHNA requirements for nonprofit hospitals, provide recommendations to hospital administrators and policymakers, and encourage hospitals to engage in meaningful ways with community-based organizations and local public health departments in the next round of CHNAs.

Methods: With funding from the Healthcare Georgia Foundation, Georgia Watch reviewed …

Evaluation Results Of An Innovative Pilot Program To Increase Access To Fresh Fruits And Vegetables In Cobb County, Ga, Rebecca C. Woodruff, Rebecca Shipley, Agnes F. Brown, Anne-Marie Coleman, Jennifer Munoz, Sally Honeycutt, April K. Hermstad, Lorna Loh, Michelle C. Kegler

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: This abstract describes a public health practice initiative called the Farm Fresh Market (FFM) and presented pilot evaluation results.

Methods: The FFM, developed by Cobb and Douglas Public Health, the McCleskey-East Cobb Family YMCA, and Cobb2020, sold low-cost fruits and vegetables to families living in the 30168 zip code of Austell, Georgia. The evaluation focused on documenting to what extent the FFM reached its intended population and increased perceived access to fresh fruits and vegetables among customers. A convenience sample of 100 returning FFM customers completed self-administered, written intercept surveys at the end of the 2014 market season.

Results: …

Surviving Hiv And Dying For A Smoke: Implications For Tobacco Use Among People Living With Hiv, Rachel Culbreth, Jane Kelly, David Maggio, Pascale M. Wortley, Cherie Drenzek

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Since the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy in the mid-nineties, deaths among persons living with HIV (PLWH) have declined nationally. Now a controllable condition, HIV has become a chronic disease, highlighting the importance of tobacco cessation in lowering morbidity and premature mortality. Current smoking is approximately twice as high among PLWH compared with the general population. PLWH who smoke experience higher rates of cardiovascular disease, AIDS-defining illnesses, and cancer than PLWH who do not smoke. Loss of life-years associated with smoking among PLWH is greater than life-years lost from HIV.

Methods: Data on current smoking, derived from the …