Public Health Commons^™

Quality Of Life And Stigma Among People Living With Hiv/Aids In Iran, Mohammad Ebrahimi Kalan, Jian Han, Ziyad Ben Taleb, Kristopher P. Fennie, Mohammad Asghari Jafarabadi, Maryam Dastoorpoor, Nima Hajhashemi, Mitra Naseh, Shahnaz Rimaz

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Stigma against HIV profoundly affects the quality of life (QOL) of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). We aimed to assess the factors associated with QOL in PLWHA in Iran, specifically HIV-related stigma, sociodemographic and clinical characteristics.

Methods: Two hundred PLWHA participated in this cross-sectional study. Data were collected using sociodemographic, stigma, and WHO-QOL-BREF questionnaires. Correlations, ANOVAs, and Student’s t-distribution tests were performed as bivariate analyses. We employed stepwise multiple linear regression analysis to explore the main factors associated with QOL domains.

Results: Six domains of QOL were negatively correlated with three domains of stigma (p < 0.001 for all). Stepwise multiple linear regression revealed that, after adjusting for con-founders, lack of healthcare insurance, having no basic knowledge of HIV/AIDs prior to diagnosis, low monthly income of participants and family, and stigma (blaming and distancing, discrimination, and fear) were associated with low mean score of different domains of QOL.

Conclusion …

Community-Based Participatory Research To Adapt Health Measures For Use By People With Developmental Disabilities, Christina Nicolaidis, Dora Raymaker, Marsha Katz, Mary Oschwald, Rebecca Goe, Sandra Leotti, Leah Grantham, Eddie Plourde, Janice Salomon, Rosemary B. Hughes, Laurie E. Powers, Partnering With People With Disabilities To Address Violence Consortium

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: People with developmental disabilities (DD) are often not included as participants in research owing to a variety of ethical and practical challenges. One major challenge is that traditional measurement instruments may not be accessible to people with DD. Participatory research approaches promise to increase the participation of marginalized communities in research, but few partnerships have successfully used such approaches to conduct quantitative studies people with DD.

Objective: To use a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach to create an accessible, computer-assisted survey about violence and health in people with DD, and to psychometrically test adapted health instruments.

Methods …

A Community-Based Wellness Program To Reduce Depression In African Americans: Results From A Pilot Intervention, Christina Nicolaidis, Corliss Mckeever, Sandra Meucci

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background

African-Americans are less likely than non-Hispanic Whites to find antidepressants acceptable or seek care for depression.

Objective

To develop and pilot-test a culturally-tailored, community-based, psycho-educational wellness and exercise promotion program to reduce depressive symptoms in African-Americans.

Methods

Participants were African-Americans with moderate depressive symptoms, who were interested in exercise, but were not exercising regularly. They attended a 6-week psycho-educational group program during which they set personal activity goals and learned depression self-management skills. We conducted pre- and post-intervention surveys and post-intervention feedback sessions.

Results

21 African-Americans participated in the intervention. The program had excellent attendance and satisfaction. We found …

Community-Based Approaches To Reduce Toxins In Housing: Lessons Learned From Working With Diverse Communities, Erin Mcnally, Ian Blazina, Stephanie Farquhar

Community Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

This article will review lessons learned from a community-based participatory research project with Latino and Somali residents in Portland, Oregon. The aim of the Healthy Futures Collaborative (HFC) project was to reduce in-home environmental health hazards associated with childhood respiratory illness and asthma through a process that strengthened social support and civic engagement. Using a community-based approach, the HFC trained community residents as community scientists to ensure local leadership and participation. Results suggest an increase in Somali and Latino residents' knowledge of environmental stressors and changes in behavior that may improve indoor environmental quality. Especially when working with historically marginalized …

Interpretations Of Interpretations: Combining Community-Based Participatory Research And Interpretive Inquiry To Improve Health, Jessica Gregg, Lourdes Centurion, Julio Maldonado, Raquel Aguillon, Rosemary Carmela Celaya-Alston, Stephanie Farquhar

Community Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Latina immigrants from Mexico suffer significantly increased morbidity and mortality from cervical cancer when compared with non-Hispanic White women, largely owing to lack of screening and appropriate treatment. Objectives: To demonstrate that by combining the tools of community-based participatory research (CBPR) with the tools of interpretive inquiry, it is possible to address explicit community concerns surrounding a particular problem such as cervical cancer while also examining what other, perhaps less immediately visible, matters consume the time and attention of community members. Methods: We first briefly discuss and compare CBPR as an approach to research and interpretive inquiry as a …

"Sitting In Different Chairs:" Roles Of The Community Health Workers In The Poder Es Salud/Power For Health Project, Stephanie Farquhar, Noelle Wiggins, Yvonne L. Michael, G. Luhr, Jennifer Jordon, A. Lopez

Community Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Evaluations of Community Health Worker programs consistently document improvements in health, yet few articles clearly describe the roles of Community Health Workers (CHWs) from the CHWs' perspective. This article presents the CHWs' points of view regarding the various roles they played in a community-based participatory research (CBPR) project, Poder es Salud/Power for Health in Portland, Oregon, including their roles as community organizers and co-researchers. Methods: Authors draw from an analysis of transcript data from in-depth interviews conducted with CHWs to present a description of the strategies employed by the CHWs to build leadership skills and knowledge among community members. CHWs …

Beyond Education: Improving The Prospects For Good Health, Stephanie Farquhar

Community Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

In this editorial the author focuses on the historical tension between individual responsibility and social accountability in public health programs.