Public Health Commons^™

Hansen, Gregory Alfred (Fa 396), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid and full-text of paper (click on "Additional File" below) for Folklife Archives Project 396. Paper: "[Nautilus Center at Lovers Lane Racquetball Club]" written by Gregory Alfred Hansen for a Western Kentucky University folk studies class.

College Of Health And Human Services International Service Learning Program: Gales Point, Belize, Jordan Norris, Carrierobin Menapace

Impact Belize

No abstract provided.

Chasms In Care: Implications Of A Disparate System On Childhood Obesity, Sara Dianne Miller

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

There are disparities that exist between public health and personal health care in addressing childhood obesity. Public health efforts to reduce the prevalence of this epidemic have focused on preventive strategies because a coordinated system of health care to address the treatment of obesity in children does not exist. For children who are already overweight, these strategies are not enough. What programs do exist are typically fee-for-service. This study examines the ethics and implications of the disparities that exists in our nation, as well as the role socioeconomic status plays in adolescent overweight and obesity and its primary behavior risk …

Ua94/6/1 Student / Alumni Personal Papers Western Kentucky University Small Collections, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Small collections of personal papers and oral histories relating to the Western Kentucky University.

Ua12/4 Stall Street Journal, Vol. 1, Wku Health Services

WKU Administration Documents

Broadsides developed by WKU Health Services to convey public health information in students in bathroom stalls. Incomplete run.

Ua3/1/2/1 President's Office-Cherry - Correspondence - General, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

General correspondence regarding Western Kentucky University. Incoming letters are mainly addressed to Henry Hardin Cherry. Responses are made by Cherry and occasionally by faculty and staff. The president's secretary Mattie McLean is the writer for some of the letters signed by Cherry.

Some of Cherry's personal papers are also found in this series most notably those pertaining to his political aspirations and two candidacies for the Kentucky governorship. Copies of outgoing correspondence begin to appear in Box 1, Folder 50.

Klimowicz, Teresa Dolores (Fa 352), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid and full-text scan of paper (Click on “Additional Files” below) for Folklife Archives Project 352. Paper: "[Aerobics Class]" written by Teresa Dolores Klimowicz for a Western Kentucky University folk studies class.

Watkins, Dianne (Winkler), 1941-2024 (Fa 264), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid and full-text scan of paper (Click on “Additional Files” below) for Folklife Archives Project 264. Paper: "Lamaze Method of Prepared Childbirth" written by Dianne (Winkler) Watkins for a Western Kentucky University folk studies class. Also, four pamphlets related to childbirth and parenting.

An All-Terrain Vehicle Safety Educational Program: Is It Effective In Improving Attitudes, Safety Knowledge, And Behaviors In Adolescents Ages 12 To 18?, Kim Elaine Young Vickous

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

All terrain vehicles (ATVs) are a popular source of recreation. For some rural adolescents, ATVs are frequently used for agricultural work. Whether for work or recreation, many adolescents operate ATVs improperly either from a lack of knowledge, poor judgment or they engage in risky behaviors resulting in injuries and fatalities.

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) has devoted resources to provide ATV safety programs to educate adolescents statewide. However, there are no known studies evaluating the effectiveness of this KDA intervention. Therefore, a pilot study was proposed to determine the effectiveness of The KDA ATV safety program in improving ATV …

England, Pamela (Fa 276), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid and full-text scan of paper (Click on “Additional Files” below) for Folklife Archives Project 276. Paper: "Pediatrics Clinic and Well-Child Care Clinic" written by Pamela England for a Western Kentucky University folk studies class.

Socioeconomic Determinants Of Hiv Status In Kenya, Kimberly Fletcher

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The spread of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is one of the greatest threats to stability and development in Kenya. The country's infection rate is estimated between seven and eight percent, making it one of the highest in the world. Several studies have been done that examine subpopulations such as truck drivers, sex workers, and migrants. However, to date there is little research that examines who, across the country, is contracting HIV. Kenya's 2003 Demographic and Health Survey includes data that make it possible to determine which groups have the highest odds of being infected. The question of who is contracting …

Healing Kentucky, Nancy Disher Baird

Library Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 83, No. 19, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news

Writing The World: Ursula K. Le Guin And Margaret Atwood’S Literary Contributions To Ecofeminism, Melissa Messer

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Along with the philosophical writings of ecofeminism’s greatest proponents and critics, the growth of ecofeminist philosophy has relied heavily on fiction writers. The term ecofeminism was coined in 1975, and the following year ecofeminism found fertile ground for exploration and growth in March Peircy’s science fiction novel, Woman on the Edge of Time (1976). The social, academic, and literary trends leading up to the emergence of ecofeminism, however, began well before 1975. Both Ursula K. Le Guin and Margaret Atwood are speculative fiction authors whose work before and after 1975 examines important ecofeminist topics and contributes to the growth of …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 83, No. 8, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news.

Choice Theory: An Interview With Dr. William Glasser, Dr. Jill D. Duba, Bill Greenwalt

Counseling & Student Affairs Faculty Publications

This article presents the work of William Glasser. The interview addresses his current emphasis on helping people to improve their own mental health as expalined in the 2003 book Warning: Psychiatry Can Be Hazardous to Your Mental Health.

Ua1f Wku Archives Vertical File - Wku Health & Human Services, Wku Archives

WKU Administration Documents

Digitized vertical file materials regarding WKU Health & Human Services.

Characteristics Of Marijuana Users Compared To Multiple Drug Users, Swateja Nimkar

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study examines drug use behavior in a self-described sample of users. Comparisons are made between subjects whose only illicit drug use is marijuana and those who use both marijuana and other drugs. Data are from the DRUGNET study (1996, 1998, 1999), a multi-panel study conducted over the internet from 1996 - 1998. This sample was predominately white, male, young, and college educated. The majority of respondents were employed with incomes in the $50,000 - $60,000 (USD) range. A subset of respondents to the DRUGNET survey was selected for this analysis. Respondents had to be at least 18 years of …

Body Image And Weight Related Behaviors: The Role Of Gender, Ethnicity, And Immigration, Tina Hoover

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Obesity rates have aggressively climbed in both children and adults, and notably for particular ethnic and lower socioeconomic status groups. National data from 1999-2002 have shown that approximately one-half of African-American women were obese, as compared to one-third of Caucasian women. It has been substantiated that a significant portion of overweight or obese children will become obese adults, with a number of factors identified that may influence obesity in children including gender, ethnicity, and environment. This study analyzed secondary data from The Youth Behavioral Risk Factor Survey administered to students at BGHS to identify variations in body image for particular …

Factors Affecting Condom Use Among College Students, Amar Kanekar

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The absence of consistent and correct usage of condoms increases the risk of STI's and HIV/AIDS. However, most studies done to date across the nation indicate a low usage of condoms among college students. In fall of 2004, the National College Health Assessment was administered to a random sample of students at a state comprehensive university in south central Kentucky. Findings revealed that among the sexually active students, approximately half never used condoms during vaginal intercourse. Further among students engaging in anal sex, an alarmingly high proportion --95%- reported never using condom during this act. These findings along with differences …

Improving The Health Literacy Of Rural Elders: An Interdisciplinary Approach, M. Susan Jones, Marilyn M. Gardner, Janelle A. Peeler, Serena Merry Britt, Marilyn Lewis Graves

Nursing Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 81, No. 23 [25], Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news. Articles in this issue:

• Leslie, Joey. More Students Tested During AIDS Day
• Hupman, Samantha. J-term More Popular than Anticipated
• Fontana, Alex. Student Government Association Proposes New Bicycles for Police
• Bosken, Nina. Students Dodge, Duck, Dive for Charity and Prizes – Special Olympics
• Richardson, Kelly. Kentucky Community Technical College System Requests Funding – KCTCS
• Taking the Next Step – Cultural Diversity
• Eoff, Allison. Pass on Adderall
• Gabler, R. XXX Ads Disappointing
• Williams, Suzanne. A Woman’s Heart
• Hupman, Samantha. Two Fights Reported on Hill
• Paul, Corey. Kwanzaa to Be Celebrated Today …

Exposure Assessment Of Mercury In Fish From Kentucky Surface Waters, Najla Gubari

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Consumption of fish contaminated with mercury is the primary exposure pathway by which humans are exposed to mercury. Mercury is known to be a neurological toxin that can cause attention and language deficits, impaired memory, and impaired visual and motor function, especially in children under the age of six. In addition, mercury exposure can lead to other health problems in adults, such as damage to the kidney and increased risk of coronary heart disease. This study assesses the exposure to mercury through consumption of fish from Kentucky surface waters. The exposure assessment is based on data collected by the Kentucky …

Relationships Between Environmental Factors And Fungi On Occupants' Perceptions Of Indoor Air Quality, Monica Rodriguez

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In recent decades, concerns about potential health effects resulting from exposure to contaminants that cause indoor air pollution have dramatically increased. The purpose of this study was to assess the indoor air quality of three buildings at Western Kentucky University and to examine and characterize indoor levels of basic comfort parameters, carbon dioxide, and fungi as well as occupants' perceptions of poor indoor air quality and the role of fungi on reported health symptoms. The three buildings included in the study were: Tate Page Hall (TPH), Jones Jagger Hall (JJH) and Science and Technology Hall (STH). Fifty-three questionnaires were completed …

Evaluating Uranium Depth Versus Socio-Economic Statistics For Residential Radon Vulnerability In Warren County, Kentucky, Anthony Iovanna

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Residences in Warren County, Kentucky, are characterized by high levels of residential radon, which is one of the radioactive daughter products of uranium. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), radon exposure causes approximately 22,000 lung cancer deaths in the United States per year. The City of Bowling Green, in Warren County, is underlain by karst, an easily soluble limestone subsurface, which allows radon gas to travel easily through cracks and fissures. Carbonate rocks under Bowling Green are underlain by the Devonian Chattanooga Shale, a low-grade uranium ore and a potential source of radon gas. A digital …

Ua61/6 Newsletter Issue 4, Wku Institute For Rural Health Development & Research

WKU Administration Documents

Newsletter created by and about the Institute for Rural Health Development & Research. This issue contains:

• Simpson, Staci. Letter from the Director
• Institute for Rural Health Development & Research Impact Statement
• Mobile Health Unit Conference Attended
• WKU Mobile Health & Wellness Unit
• Kentucky State Fair Project
• Health House of Horrors
• Wilson, Richard. Faculty Presents at American Public Health Association Conference
• New Interdisciplinary Program: WellWorks
• Health Fair Event for Migrant Workers Held
• Local Interventions to Encourage the Enhancement of the Health of the Rural Elderly
• Jones, Susan. Predicting the Use of Personal Respiratory Protection Among Workers in Swine Confinement Buildings
• The …

Episodic Heavy Drinking And Marijuana Use Among Undergraduate Students At Western Kentucky University, Ariel L. Sarmiento

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Research has documented that Episodic Heavy Drinking (EHD), defined as consuming four or more and five or more alcoholic drinks per drinking episode among females and males, respectively, is a prevalent risk behavior among undergraduate college students throughout the United States. Moreover, studies have shown that EHD is the leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality among college students as unintentional injuries, sexual assaults, and unsafe sexual behaviors among this population have been linked to this risk behavior.

Illicit substance use, although often portrayed as a separate risk behavior, is also associated with EHD. Nationally, the most frequently used illicit …

Predicting The Use Of Personal Respiratory Protection Among Workers In Swine Confinement Buildings, M. Susan Jones

Nursing Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to identify the variables that influence the frequency of personal respiratory protection (PRP) use by workers in swine confinement buildings (SCBs). The study was designed to answer four research questions: 1). What is the validity and reliability of the Personal Respiratory Protection Survey (PRPS)? 2). How frequently do workers in SCBs wear PRP? 3). How do demographics, occupational histories, and self-reported respiratory health histories influence the use of PRP in SCBs? and 4). What are the relationships of the constructs (benefits, barriers, susceptibility, severity, norms) to the use of PRP by workers in SCBs? …

A Comparison Of Perceptions Of Students, Parents And School Personnel Regarding Bullying Behavior, Joan Buchar

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

A COMPARISON OF PERCEPTIONS OF STUDENTS, PARENTS AND SCHOOL PERSONNEL REGARDING BULLYING BEHAVIOR Joan Buchar July 2, 2004 52 Pages Directed by: Richard W. Wilson, J. David Dunn, Lisa L. Lindley Department of Public Health Western Kentucky University Bullying in America's schools is a problem that is, at best, a nuisance and at worst, the suspected cause of school shootings. Bullying is a persistent, physical or psychological abuse of power. It takes many forms from physical assault and name calling to shunning, ridicule or exclusion. The victims are usually powerless to change conditions and often bullying is ignored or dismissed …

Perceptions Of Pediatric Overweight And Weight Management: A Comparison Of Parents And Physicians, Lisa K. Thomason

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Pediatric overweight is of paramount importance in Kentucky, as studies show prevalence rates are higher in the state than the national average. Research suggests that comprehensive treatments involving diet training, exercise training, and psychological counseling are most effective at reducing overweight in children. Little research has been done, however, to compare parents' and physicians' perceptions of obesity, its treatment, or barriers to weight management.

The purpose of this study is to examine differences in attitudes toward pediatric obesity and weight management among parents and physicians, specifically related to the importance of diet training, exercise training, and psychological counseling. Surveys were …