Public Health Commons^™

Covid-19 Vaccine Acceptance In Older Syrian Refugees: Preliminary Findings From An Ongoing Study, Noura Salibi, Sawsan Abdulrahim, Maria El Haddad, Stephanie Bassil, Zeina El Khoury, Hala Ghattas Ph.D., Stephen J. Mccall

Faculty Publications

This study assesses COVID-19 vaccine intentions among a sample of older Syrian refugee beneficiaries of a humanitarian organization in Lebanon, and explores factors associated with vaccine refusal. The findings are part of an ongoing rotating 4-wave panel study. The sample was limited to participants from the first panel who completed a phone interview between January-February 2021. Out of 1,037 beneficiaries, almost a third (29%) reported no intention to vaccinate. Reasons for refusal were: newness of the vaccine (35%); preference to maintain precaution measures (21%); belief that the COVID-19 vaccine is not essential (21%); and other (23%). COVID-19 vaccine refusal was …

Occasions, Purposes, And Contexts For Offering Snacks To Preschool-Aged Children: Schemas Of Caregivers With Low-Income Backgrounds, Christine E. Blake, Kirsten K. Davison, Rachel E. Blaine, Jennifer O. Fisher

Faculty Publications

Objective Snacking among preschool aged children is nearly universal and has been associated with overconsumed nutrients, particularly solid fats and added sugars (SoFAS). This research examined caregivers’ schemas, or cognitive frameworks, for offering snacks to preschool-aged children.

Methods A qualitative design utilizing card sort methods was employed. Participants were 59 Black, Hispanic, and White caregivers of children aged 3–5 years with low-income backgrounds. Caregivers sorted 63 cards with images of commonly consumed foods/beverages by preschool-aged children in three separate card sorts to characterize snacking occasions, purposes, and contexts. The mean SoFAS content (kcal/100 g) of foods/beverages was evaluated by snacking …

Actions In Global Nutrition Initiatives To Promote Sustainable Healthy Diets, Ligia I. Reyes, Shilpa V. Constantinides, Shiva Bhandari, Edward A. Frongillo Jr. Ph.D., Pepijn Schreinemachers, Sigrid Wertheim-Heck, Helen Walls, Michelle Holdsworth, Amos Laar, Tuan Nguyen, Christopher Turner, Kate Wallard, Christine E. Blake Ph.D., Rd

Faculty Publications

Multiple recent global nutrition initiatives have recommended actions to transform food systems to improve food environments and food choice. This study aimed to identify actions recommended by these initiatives and understand their similarities and differences. Twelve global nutrition initiatives were reviewed, collectively spanning 13 action themes and accompanying strategies. Action themes were analyzed according to primary focus on either food environments and their food system drivers or food choice. Representation of the 13 actions varied across initiatives. Some actions overlapped; others were infrequently represented. Strategies targeting food environments and their food system drivers were more frequently recommended than strategies targeting …

Fostering Distance Education: Lessons From A United States-England Partnered Collaborative Online International Learning Approach, Lucy A. Ingram, Courtney M. Monroe, Haley Wright, Amy Burrell, Rebecca Jenks, Simon Cheung, Daniela B. Friedman Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) is a teaching and learning approach whereby entire courses or modules are co-developed and team taught by instructors from different institutions for students of both institutions. Since 2006, the approach has been gaining in mass appeal; however, considering our present-day global coronavirus pandemic, COILs have a renewed relevance in academia. Faculty from the University of South Carolina (United States) and Coventry University (England) embarked on a COIL partnership yielding a valuable experience that can serve as a model for other institutions that are interested in developing innovative and cross-cultural distance learning opportunities. The purpose of …

Challenges For Estimating The Global Prevalence Of Micronutrient Deficiencies And Related Disease Burden: A Case Study Of The Global Burden Of Disease Study, Sonja Y. Hess, Alexander C. Mclain Ph.D., Edward A. Frongillo Jr. Ph.D., Ashkan Afshin, Nicholas J. Kassebaum, Saskia Jm Osendarp, Reed Atkin, Rahul Rawat, Kenneth H. Brown

Faculty Publications

Information on the prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies is needed to determine related disease burden; underpin evidence-based advocacy; and design, deliver, and monitor safe, effective interventions. Assessing the global prevalence of deficiency requires a valid micronutrient status biomarker with an appropriate cutoff to define deficiency and relevant data from representative surveys across multiple locations and years. The Global Burden of Disease Study includes prevalence estimates for iodine, iron, zinc, and vitamin A deficiencies, for which recommended biomarkers and appropriate deficiency cutoffs exist. Because representative survey data are lacking, only retinol concentration is used to model vitamin A deficiency, and proxy indicators …

A Healthy Dietary Pattern With A Low Inflammatory Potential Reduces The Risk Of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus, Lotta Pajunen, Liisa Korkalo, Noora Houttu, Outi Pellonperä, Kati Mokkala, Nitin Shivappa Mbbs, Mph, Ph.D., James Hébert Scd, Tero Vahlberg, Kristina Tertti, Kirsi Laitinen

Faculty Publications

Purpose An optimal diet for lowering the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is still to be defined, but may comprise of nutrient intakes, dietary patterns, diet quality, and eating frequency. This study was designed to investigate the contribution of diet in developing GDM in a comprehensive way. Methods The dietary intake of overweight or obese women, a risk group for GDM (n = 351), was assessed using 3-day food diaries and diet quality questionnaires in early pregnancy. Eating frequency and nutrient intakes were calculated, and dietary patterns identified using principal component analysis. The inflammatory potential of the diet was …

Performance Of A Validated Spontaneous Preterm Delivery Predictor In South Asian And Sub-Saharan African Women: A Nested Case Control Study, Rasheda Khanam, Tracy C. Fleischer, Nansi Boghossian, Imran Nisar, Usha Dhingra, Sayedur Rahman, Angela C. Fox, Muhammad Iiyas, Arup Dutta, Nurun Naher, Ashoka D. Polpitiya, Usma Mehmood, Saikat Deb, Aziz Ahmed Choudhury, Md Bahadur Badsha, Karim Muhammad, Said Mohammed Ali, Salahuddin Ahmed, Durlin E. Hickok, Najeeha Iqbal, Et. Al.

Faculty Publications

Objectives

To address the disproportionate burden of preterm birth (PTB) in low- and middle-income countries, this study aimed to (1) verify the performance of the United States-validated spontaneous PTB (sPTB) predictor, comprised of the IBP4/SHBG protein ratio, in subjects from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Tanzania enrolled in the Alliance for Maternal and Newborn Health Improvement (AMANHI) biorepository study, and (2) discover biomarkers that improve performance of IBP4/SHBG in the AMANHI cohort.

Study design

The performance of the IBP4/SHBG biomarker was first evaluated in a nested case control validation study, then utilized in a follow-on discovery study performed on the same samples. …

Causal Effects On Low Apgar At 5-Min And Stillbirth In A Malaria Maternal–Fetal Health Outcome Investigation: A Large Perinatal Surveillance Study In The Brazilian Amazon, Julio Abel Seijas-Chávez, Melissa Nolan Ph.D., Mph, Mary K. Lynn, Maria José Francalino Da Rocha, Muana Da Costa Araújo, Fernando Luiz Affonso Fonseca, Gabriel Zorello Laporta

Faculty Publications

Background

Malaria elimination in Brazil poses several challenges, including the control of Plasmodium falciparum foci and the hidden burden of Plasmodium vivax in pregnancy. Maternal malaria and fetal health outcomes were investigated with a perinatal surveillance study in the municipality of Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre state, Brazilian Amazon. The research questions are: what are the causal effects of low birth weight on low Apgar at 5-min and of perinatal anaemia on stillbirth?

Methods

From November 2018 to October 2019, pregnant women of ≥ 22 weeks or puerperal mothers, who delivered at the referral maternity hospital (Juruá Women and Children’s Hospital), …

Blood Donation Fear, Perceived Rewards, Self-Efficacy, And Intention To Return Among Whole Blood Donors In China: A Social Cognitive Perspective, Zhong Li, Shuge Lei, Xiamoing Li Ph.D., Yilun Zhao, Yudong Dai, Shengxuan Jin, Qiang Fu, Xubing Cai, Zhenping Lin, Xiaoming Tu

Faculty Publications

With the increasing demand from aging population and seasonal blood shortage, recruiting and retaining blood donors has become an urgent issue for the blood collection centers in China. This study aims to understand intention to donate again from a social cognitive perspective among whole blood donors in China through investigating the association between the blood donation fear, perceived rewards, self-efficacy, and intention to return. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in six cities, which are geographically and socioeconomically distinct areas in Jiangsu, China. Respondents completed a self-administrated questionnaire interviewed by two well-trained medical students. A total of 191 blood donors were …

The Dietary Inflammatory Index Is Not Associated With Gut Permeability Or Biomarkers Of Systemic Inflammation In Hiv Immunologic Non-Responders, Fat Malazogu, Rodney K. Rousseau, Nitin Shivappa Mbbs, Mph, Ph.D., Sanja Huibner, Sharon L. Walmsley, Colin M. Kovacs, Erika Benko, Robert J. Reinhard, Ron Rosenes, James R. Hébert, Rupert Kaul

Faculty Publications

Immunologic non-responders (INRs) are a subset of individuals living with HIV who have suboptimal blood CD4+ T cell recovery despite effective antiretroviral therapy (ART). They are at an increased risk of serious non-AIDS co-morbidities and death, and demonstrate enhanced systemic immune activation. In other populations diet has been correlated with markers of systemic inflammation through the Diet Inflammatory Index (DII), but this association has not been studied in persons living with HIV (PLWH). Blood was collected from 28 INR PLWH with a blood CD4+ T cell count <350/μL despite ≥2 years of effective ART. Participants completed a Canadian Diet History Questionnaire, and their responses were used to calculate the DII. Plasma inflammatory markers (IFNγ, TNF, IL-6, sVCAM, D-dimer, sCD14 and CRP) were assayed by ELISA, cellular immune activation (HLA-DR and CD38 on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells) was quantified using flow cytometry, and small bowel permeability assessed by calculation of the urine LacMan ratio after drinking a mix of lactulose and mannitol. Participants were a median age of 57 years, had been on effective ART for 15 years, and the median DII was −1.91 (range of −3.78 to +2.23). No correlation was observed between DII and plasma markers of inflammation, levels of T cell activation, gut permeability, or the biomarker of bacterial translocation sCD14. Self-reported alcohol intake, a potential confounder of the relationship between diet and inflammatory biomarkers, was also not associated with systemic inflammation or gut permeability. Our findings suggest that other mechanisms, rather than diet, are likely to be the major driver of systemic inflammation in INR individuals.

Association Between Diet Quality Indices And Incidence Of Type 2 Diabetes In The Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study, Allison M. Hodge, Md Nazmul Karim, James Hébert Scd, Nitin Shivappa Mbbs, Mph, Ph.D., Barbora De Courten

Faculty Publications

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a common condition whose incidence is increasing worldwide, and for which obesity and diet are important risk factors. The aim of this study was to assess the association of three diet quality scores with diabetes risk and how much of the association was mediated through body size. The Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study recruited 41,513 men and women aged 40–69 years during 1990–1994. At baseline, data were collected on lifestyle and diet, anthropometric measures were performed. Incident diabetes was assessed by self-report at follow-up surveys in 1994–1998 and 2003–2007. The associations between the dietary inflammatory index …

Challenges For Estimating The Global Prevalence Of Micronutrient Deficiencies And Related Disease Burden: A Case Study Of The Global Burden Of Disease Study, Sonja Y. Hess, Alexander C. Mclain, Edward A. Frongillo Jr., Ashkan Afshin, Nicholas J. Kassebaum, Saskia J. Osendarp, Reed Atkin, Rahul Rawat, Kenneth H. Brown

Faculty Publications

Information on the prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies is needed to determine related disease burden; underpin evidence-based advocacy; and design, deliver, and monitor safe, effective interventions. Assessing the global prevalence of deficiency requires a valid micronutrient status biomarker with an appropriate cutoff to define deficiency and relevant data from representative surveys across multiple locations and years. The Global Burden of Disease Study includes prevalence estimates for iodine, iron, zinc, and vitamin A deficiencies, for which recommended biomarkers and appropriate deficiency cutoffs exist. Because representative survey data are lacking, only retinol concentration is used to model vitamin A deficiency, and proxy indicators …

Shaper-Pnd Trial: Clinical Effectiveness Protocol Of A Community Singing Intervention For Postnatal Depression, Carolina Estevao, Rebecca Bind, Daisy Fancourt, Kristi Sawyer, Paola Dazzan, Nick Sevdalis, Anthony Woods, Nikki Crane, Lavinia Rebecchini, Katie Hazelgrove, Manonmani Manoharan, Alexandra Burton, Hannah Dye, Tim Osborn, Rachel E. Davis, Tayana Soukup, Jorge Arias De La Torre, Ioannis Bakolis, Andy Healey, Rosie Perkins, Carmine Pariante

Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION: Postnatal depression (PND) affects approximately 13% of new mothers. Community-based activities are sought after by many mothers, especially mothers that prefer not to access pharmacological or psychological interventions. Singing has shown positive effects in maternal mood and mother-child bonding. The Scaling-Up Health-Arts Programmes: Implementation and Effectiveness Research-Postnatal Depression study will analyse the clinical and implementation effectiveness of 10-week singing sessions for PND in new mothers. This protocol paper will focus on the clinical effectiveness of this trial. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A total of 400 mothers with PND (with a score of at least 10 on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression …

Association Between Neighborhood Social Deprivation And Stage At Diagnosis Among Breast Cancer Patients In South Carolina, Oluwole Adeyemi Babatunde, Whitney Zahnd Ph.D., Jan Eberth Ph.D., Andrew B. Lawson, Swann Arp Adams, Eric Adjei Boakye, Melanie S. Jefferson, Caitlin G. Allen, John L. Pearce, Hong Li, Chanita Hughes Halbert

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between neighborhood social deprivation and individual-level characteristics on breast cancer staging in African American and white breast cancer patients. We established a retrospective cohort of patients with breast cancer diagnosed from 1996 to 2015 using the South Carolina Central Cancer Registry. We abstracted sociodemographic and clinical variables from the registry and linked these data to a county-level composite that captured neighborhood social conditions—the social deprivation index (SDI). Data were analyzed using chi-square tests, Student’s t-test, and multivariable ordinal regression analysis to evaluate associations. The study sample included 52,803 female patients …

Differences By School Location In Summer And School Monthly Weight Change: Findings From A Nationally Representative Sample, Ethan T. Hunt, Bridget Armstrong Ph.D., Gabrielle Turner-Mcgrievy Ph.D., Rd, Michael Beets Med, Mph, Phd, Robert Weaver Med, Phd

Faculty Publications

Objectives: To examine changes in accelerations of Body Mass Index (BMI), age-and-sex specific body mass index (zBMI), and 95th percentile of BMI (%BMIp95) during the summer months and school year by school location designation (i.e., urban, suburban, exurban). This study utilized the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten Class of 2010-2011.

Methods: Of the 18,174 children in the ECLS-K:2011 dataset, I restricted participants to those with at least two consecutive measures that occurred August/September or April/May. Mixed-effect regression analyses estimated differences in monthly change in BMI, zBMI, and %BMIp95 between the summer and school year while accounting for the ECLS-K complex …

Impact Of Front-Of-Pack Labels On The Perceived Healthfulness Of A Sweetened Fruit Drink: A Randomised Experiment In Five Countries, Alejandra Jauregui, Christine M. White, Lana Vanderlee, Marissa G. Hall, Alejandra Contreras-Manzano, Claudia Nieto, Gary Sacks, Jim Thrasher Ph.D., Ma, Ms, David Hammond, Simón Barquera

Faculty Publications

Objective: Front-of-pack (FOP) nutrition labelling is a globally recommended strategy to encourage healthier food choices. We evaluated the effect of FOP labels on the perceived healthfulness of a sweetened fruit drink in an international sample of adult consumers.

Design: Six-arm randomised controlled experiment to examine the impact of FOP labels (no label control, Guideline Daily Amounts (GDA), Multiple Traffic Lights, the Health Star Ratings (HSR), Health Warning Labels, and 'High-in' Warning Labels (HIWL)) on the perceived healthfulness of the drink. Linear regression models by country examined healthfulness perceptions on FOP nutrition labels, testing for interactions by demographic characteristics.

Setting: Online …

Effects Of Sesame Consumption On Inflammatory Biomarkers In Humans: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Randomized Controlled Trials, Shabnam Rafiee, Roghaye Faryabi, Mohammad Ali Zareian, Jessie Hawkins, Nitin Shivappa Mbbs, Mph, Ph.D., Laila Shirbeigi

Faculty Publications

Objectives. Existing evidence produces conflicting findings regarding the effect of sesame intake on inflammatory biomarkers; thisknowledge gap has yet to be met through systematic review and meta-analysis. )is meta-analysis of randomized, controlledclinical trials (RCTs) was conducted to evaluate the effects of sesame consumption on markers of inflammation in humans. Methods. PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched through August 2020 to identify relevant papers for inclusion. Using the random-effects model, data were evaluated as weighted mean differences (WMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Cochrane’s Q and I-squared (I2) tests were used to …

A Comparison Of Bayesian Spatial Models For Hiv Mapping In South Africa, Kassahun Abere Ayalew, Samuel Manda, Bo Cai Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Despite making significant progress in tackling its HIV epidemic, South Africa, with 7.7 million people living with HIV, still has the biggest HIV epidemic in the world. The Government, in collaboration with developmental partners and agencies, has been strengthening its responses to the HIV epidemic to better target the delivery of HIV care, treatment strategies and prevention services. Population-based household HIV surveys have, over time, contributed to the country’s efforts in monitoring and understanding the magnitude and heterogeneity of the HIV epidemic. Local-level monitoring of progress made against HIV and AIDS is increasingly needed for decision making. Previous studies have …

Determining Diagnosis Date Of Diabetes Using Structured Electronic Health Record (Ehr) Data: The Search For Diabetes In Youth Study, Kristin M. Lenoir, Lynne E. Wagenknecht, Jasmin Divers, Ramon Casanova, Dana Dabelea, Sharon Saydah, Catherine Pihoker, Angela D. Liese Ph.D., Debra Standiford, Richard Hamman, Brian J. Wells, The Search For Diabetes In Youth Study Group

Faculty Publications

Background Disease surveillance of diabetes among youth has relied mainly upon manual chart review. However, increasingly available structured electronic health record (EHR) data have been shown to yield accurate determinations of diabetes status and type. Validated algorithms to determine date of diabetes diagnosis are lacking. The objective of this work is to validate two EHR-based algorithms to determine date of diagnosis of diabetes. Methods A rule-based ICD-10 algorithm identified youth with diabetes from structured EHR data over the period of 2009 through 2017 within three children’s hospitals that participate in the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study: Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, …

The Individual Water Insecurity Experiences (Iwise) Scale: Reliability, Equivalence And Validity Of An Individual-Level Measure Of Water Security, Sera L. Young, Hilary J. Bethancourt, Zacchary R. Ritter, Edward A. Frongillo Jr.

Faculty Publications

Objective: The lack of a validated and cross-culturally equivalent scale for measuring individual-level water insecurity has prevented identification of those most vulnerable to it. Therefore, we developed the 12-item Individual Water InSecurity Experiences (IWISE) Scale to comparably measure individual experiences with access, use, and stability (reliability) of water. Here, we examine the reliability, cross-country equivalence, and cross-country and within-country validity of the scale in a cross-sectional sample.

Methods: IWISE items were implemented by the Gallup World Poll among nationally representative samples of 43 970 adults (15 y) in 31 low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Internal consistency was assessed …

Predictors Of Complementary Feeding Practices Among Children Aged 6–23 Months In Five Countries In The Middle East And North Africa Region, Linda Shaker-Berbari, Vilma Qahoush Tyler, Chaza Akik, Zeina Jamaluddine, Hala Ghattas Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Ensuring diets of children aged 6–23 months meet recommended guidance is crucial for growth and development and for the prevention of malnutrition including stunting, wasting and micronutrient deficiencies. Despite some improvement, indicators related to undernutrition and overnutrition fall short of global targets in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region that consist of low- and middle-income countries witnessing political and social changes and a nutrition transition. This research aims at reviewing the situation related to the diets of children aged 6–23 months in five selected countries in the MENA region, examining factors affecting complementary feeding and providing recommendations for …

Prolonged Time From Diagnosis To Breast-Conserving Surgery Is Associated With Upstaging In Hormone Receptor-Positive Invasive Ductal Breast Carcinoma, Natalie Hills, Macall Leslie, Rachel Davis, Marielle Crowell, Hiroyasu Kameyama, Hallgeir Rui, Inna Chervoneva, William Dooley, Takemi Tanaka

Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Time to surgery (TTS) has been suggested to have an association with mortality in early-stage breast cancer. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to determine the association between TTS and preoperative disease progression in tumor size or nodal status among women diagnosed with clinical T1N0M0 ductal breast cancer. METHODS: Women diagnosed with clinical T1N0M0 ductal breast cancer who had breast-conserving surgery as their first definitive treatment between 2010 and 2016 (n = 90,405) were analyzed using the National Cancer Database. Separate multivariable logistic regression models for hormone receptor (HR)-positive and HR-negative patients, adjusted for clinical and demographic variables, were used to …

Evaluating The Health Impact Of Centeringpregnancy Program Versus Traditional Prenatal Care In Midland Obstetric Clinics And Validating Selected Item On Birth Certificate, Oluwatosin A. Momodu

Theses and Dissertations

The primary focus of this dissertation is to evaluate the health impact of the CenteringPregnancy (CP) program versus traditional prenatal care (TPNC) on important maternal outcomes of pregnancy. This is looked at in two outcomes-gestational weight gain (GWG) and pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH). The specific aims are to examine the: (1) effects of CenteringPregnancy program versus traditional prenatal care on gestational weight gain (GWG); (2) effects of CenteringPregnancy program versus traditional prenatal care on pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH).

Birth certificate (BC) data were linked to hospital discharge records of women who delivered in midland’s obstetric clinics of South Carolina between …

Relation Of Breastfeeding Duration With Blood Pressure And Arterial Stiffness, Lohita Kollipara, Abbi Lane-Cordova, Xuewen Wang

Senior Theses

Background: The purpose of this analysis was to investigate the effects of differing breastfeeding duration on vascular function.

Methods: A study was designed to explore the breastfeeding patterns of 79 participants who delivered a singleton fetus 6 months-3 years ago and were aged 18-45 years old. Participant breastfeeding and dietary habits were self-reported using surveys. Breastfeeding groups were established by following the American Association of Pediatric guidelines on breastfeeding duration: Women who did versus did not breastfeeding for 6 months continuously. Blood pressure was measured using a standard oscillometric cuff, while SphygmoCor® technology was used to measure pulse wave velocity. …

Food Choice Decision-Making Among School-Going Adolescents Amidst The Nutrition Transition In Urban Accra, Ghana, Krystal Krsna Rampalli

Theses and Dissertations

Like many countries of the world, Ghana is experiencing a nutrition transition and rising non-communicable diseases. Adolescents are susceptible to diet-related health risks as they experience significant physical and psychological changes, which are happening in tandem with food environment changes, including widespread proliferation of large portion and package sizes of energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods. Both local and multinational food and beverage companies have encouraged consumption of their products through various marketing tactics targeted directly to adolescents. Some of these tactics include the use of characters or celebrity endorsement, promotional discounts, and appeal to sociocultural values, including messages about body size preferences. …

Utilization Of Remote Sensing To Analyze Aedes Mosquito Egg Abundance With Combined Weather Variables In Two Southeastern Coastal Cities, Danielle M. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Several vector-borne diseases have recently resurfaced, and many have suddenly spread to new areas in the United States (U.S.) due to climate change and tropicalization. Two vectors of public health importance are Aedes aegyptiand Aedes albopictus. The Southeastern region of the U.S. appears to be a preferential ecological niche for both Aedes species. Aedes aegyptiand Aedes albopictus are highly susceptible to environmental conditions, such as humidity, precipitation, temperature. Remote sensing technology has proven to be useful for estimating vector populations. Miami-Dade County is an established hotspot for disease transmission. Charleston County is newly vulnerable due to similar …

Hear My Voice: Qualitative Studies To Explore What Empowers Patients To Talk With Their Doctor And Participate In Making Health Care Decisions, Alicia Marie Oostdyk

Theses and Dissertations

Patients with fibromyalgia are faced with many decisions throughout the process of seeking and obtaining health care. For patients to feel empowered to take action, it is essential they feel as if they can play a role in making decisions up to their desired level of participation. However, it is unclear what constitutes empowerment in shared decision making between patients and providers. For patients with fibromyalgia, who deal with complex symptomology and individualized treatment choice, it is important to know what makes them feel empowered to participate in care. The objective of this dissertation is to create a patient-centered definition …

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (Prep) Knowledge, Willingness To Use & Uptake Among Black Heterosexual Men, Akeen Lowell Hamilton

Theses and Dissertations

INTRODUCTION: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a pill, taken orally, that has been shown to be effective at reducing the chance that someone who is HIV-negative and at-risk for HIV will contract the disease during sexual intercourse with someone who is living with HIV. One demographic group that has been under-researched is Black heterosexual men. This dissertation presents research on evaluating the heterosexual Black men’s awareness of, prior use, and network of friends/family’s perceived interest in learning more about PrEP.

METHODS: Two-hundred and six Black heterosexual men living in Brooklyn, New York City, were surveyed about their sexual behaviors and PrEP …

Estimated Prevalence Of Smoking And Smoking-Attributable Mortality Associated With Graphic Health Warnings On Cigarette Packages In The Us From 2022 To 2100, Jamie Tam, Jihyoun Jeon, Jim Thrasher Ph.D., Ma, Ms, David Hammond, Theodore R. Holford, David T. Levy, Rafael Meza

Faculty Publications

Question What are the estimated population health outcomes associated with implementation of graphic health warnings on cigarette packages in 2022 and with delayed implementation of the warnings since 2012, as originally planned, in the US?

Findings In this decision analytical model using simulation modeling of smoking prevalence and smoking-attributable mortality in the US from 2012 to 2100, graphic health warnings, if implemented from 2022 to 2100, would be associated with 539 000 smoking-attributable deaths averted and 7.9 million life-years gained, and if implemented in 2012, with 718 000 deaths averted and 11.2 million life-years gained through 2100.

Meaning These findings …

Men’S Comfort In Distributing Or Receiving Hiv Self-Test Kits From Close Male Social Network Members In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania: Baseline Results From The Step Project, Joseph K.B. Matovu, Gaspar Mbita, Akeen Hamilton, Frank Mhando, Wynton M. Sims, Noah Thompson, Albert N. Komba, Jackson Lija, Jiajia Zhang Ph.D., Thomas Van Den Akker, Dustin T. Duncan, Augustine T. Choko, Donaldson F. Conserve

Faculty Publications

Background

A variety of strategies have been used to reach men with HIV self-testing services, including social network-based HIV self-test kits distribution. However, few studies have assessed men’s comfort to distribute to or receive HIV self-test kits from close male friends within the same social network. In this study, we assessed men’s comfort to distribute to and/or receive HIV self-test kits from close male friends and associated factors among men who socialize in networks locally referred to as “camps” in Tanzania.

Methods

Data are from the baseline survey of a cluster-randomized controlled trial conducted in June 2019 with 18 social …