Public Health Commons^™

Examining The Relationship Between Adequate Sleep, Sleep Behaviors, And Psychological Distress In College Students, Neil Knight

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Objective: Examine the relationship between sleep hygiene behaviors, overall distress, and total hours of sleep in a college population. The predictors analyzed were: sleep quality, total hours of sleep, level of distress, bedtime, wake time, time to fall asleep, alcohol/drug use, exercise, caffeine consumption and grade point average.

Methods: A retrospective chart review gathered client information from the CCAPS-34 questionnaire and the Standardized Data Set (SDS), obtained by Counseling and Wellness Services at Wright State University. ANOVA determined statistically significant relationships between the variables.

Results: Seven-hundred sixty-seven charts were reviewed. The majority of students included in the study were white …

Immigrants And Refugees As Vulnerable Populations: Considerations For School Based Health Centers, Gaïa D. C. Oliver

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

School based health centers (SBHC) have been shown to benefit domestic populations both in terms of bettering health and bettering academics while being effective over the long term. There is, however, lacking evidence on how they impact immigrant and refugee communities, which are some of the most vulnerable United States communities in terms of health risks. Through discussion of literature, this paper defines and reviews the criteria for vulnerable populations and explains how this term applies to immigrant and refugee populations. School based health centers and their documented health and academic benefits for domestic high risk populations are discussed and …

From Their Home To Ours: Establishing Environmental And Health Literacy Via Urban Gardening For At-Risk Youth, Tiffany B. Hunter

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

The Global Health concentration of the Master of Public Health highly encourages its students to participate in efforts which promote health and prevent disease either for a cultural group abroad or with a local disparate group (e.g. first-generation immigrants, established minority groups). The current research aimed to develop a similar model of community engagement and health promotion within an urban setting as witnessed in a developing country.

During an internship with Israel’s Ministry of Health, I witnessed a successful community garden and environmental education program designed for children whom reside in an Arab village. Much like the Israeli Arab community …

Utilizing Social Media To Educate School Nutrition Professionals, Ashley Seybold

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Background: Schools enrolled in United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Team Nutrition (TN) projects often have positive outcomes and develop useful resources. The challenge was to find an accessible mean to share outcomes and resources with schools across Ohio.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to design a blog to educate school nutrition professionals and build awareness of positive activities related to Ohio school meals. This project also aimed to identify indicators of engagement, make recommendations for research and practice, and identify a set of best practices for future blog site use. Methods: The foundation of the blog ( …

The Evolution Of The Intersection Of Hiv And Breastfeeding In Global Policy, Kristin M. Sinning

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Increasing breastfeeding rates and reducing HIV/AIDS are two important global health priorities, and their intersection has led to policies that meet mutual goals of supporting, protecting and promoting breastfeeding and reducing the risk of HIV/AIDS. The World Health Organization has developed and released recommendations, policies, and guidance on infant feeding and the risk of transmission through breastfeeding. This analysis provides a historical, chronological perspective on the global policies for infant feeding in the case of an HIV-positive mother, an analysis of changes, and recommendations for the future. The policies evaluated demonstrate the evolution in knowledge and recommendations for infant feeding …

Sustainable Improvement In Immunization Rates For Seniors: A Local And Community-Wide Effort, Linda C. Lopez

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Objective: Overall: To improve influenza and pneumococcal immunization rates in patients age ≥65 years by developing relationships with community organizations that would provide opportunities for community member education about adult vaccines. Pre/post Surveys: To assess potential changes in influenza and pneumococcal immunization knowledge and opinions in community members exposed to an educational presentation.

Methods: Using personal and university resources, contact was made with several organizations serving the senior, underserved population in West Dayton, Ohio. An educational presentation about adult immunizations was developed and used at ten community events. The presentation included oral and written communication, and was based on the …

Strengths And Challenges Of A Rural Ohio Public Health Department: Considerations For Effective Service Delivery And Emergency Preparedness, Cindy L. Harris Graessle

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

The local public health department is the main entity in cities and counties established to ensure the safety, health, and well-being of its community members. In many cases, particularly in rural areas, the health department may be the community’s closest access to health care, providing not only clinical care, but preventive services as well. These rural health departments have additional challenges that may not be experienced in the larger, more populated metropolitan areas. These challenges include lack of resources and funding that impact daily operations, expanded registered sanitarian responsibilities, and emergency preparedness difficulties with resource allocation and communication. Despite these …

Is The Breeze Making You Wheeze? Air Quality And Asthma In The Us, Gaurav A. Nagar

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Objective: A secular trend towards increased current and lifetime asthma prevalence has been observed in the US. The current study compared ambient Air Quality Index (AQI) data and asthma prevalence data from all fifty US states.

Methods: Air pollution is measured as AQI by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). County level AQI data are available at the EPA website. Asthma prevalence data for each state are available on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website. Data from 50 US states (2011-2013) were analyzed for AQI and asthma prevalence. The average of proportions for all counties in each …

Association Of Secondhand Tobacco Smoke And Abdominal Adiposity In The United States Population, Omar T. Tahtamooni

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Background: Secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure occurs when people inhale smoke from tobacco products or inhale smoke that has been expelled by other smokers. Exposure to SHS increases the risk of many metabolic and chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease.

Purpose: To evaluate the association between SHS and abdominal adiposity in US adults. Methods: Data from 2011-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) was used to examine the relationship between SHS exposure and abdominal adiposity, Sagittal Abdominal Diameter [SAD]), after adjusting for covariates (age, gender, ethnicity, and income) (n=4,012). Univariate linear regression analyses were used to predict association of smoking …

Descriptive Epidemiology Of Air Transportation Fatalities From The United States Air Force Mortality Registry, Richard O. Speakman

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Background: United States Air Force (USAF) personnel and retirees participate in aviation both on and off duty. Because aviation mortality is investigated by aircraft ownership, the combined mortality rate for on and off duty flying is unknown, as is aircraft-associated mortality among USAF retirees.

Methods: Mortality data were obtained from the Air Force Mortality Registry (AFMR) and publically available datasets. Air Transport deaths were defined following the Tenth International Classification of Diseases. USAF Active Duty (AD), Guard (ANG), Reserve (ARC) components, aggregate, and retiree rates (1988-2008) were calculated. Sex, age and rank-adjusted AD and retiree rates were compared with US …

A Systematic Review Of Smartphone Applications For Parent, Coach, And Referee Sideline Concussion Symptom Identification And Intervention In Youth Soccer, Patrick Hoffman

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

BACKGROUND: It is the collective responsibility of coaches, referees, and parents to identify the signs and symptoms of a concussion, assess a player’s acute medical condition, and report their observations. Increasing concussion awareness and empowerment of these entities is critical to ensure that concussions are properly managed, risk is reduced, and effects are mitigated.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this review was to provide youth soccer organizations and relevant parties with the most relevant, factual evidence-based smartphone applications for recognizing the signs and symptoms of concussions in youth sports.

METHODS: An evidence-based standard for concussion symptoms and identification was identified from …

Body Composition Of Reserve Officers Training Corps (Rotc) Cadets: A Comparison Across Three Techniques Of Measurement, Namrata J. Dave

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Background: Physical fitness is imperative for the Army Reserves Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) cadets to be commissioned for active duty. This project compared the standard anthropometric assessment of ROTC cadets using tape measurement to body composition measurements using Air Displacement Plethysmography (ADP) from the Bod Pod and the seven- site Pollock Skin Fold Thickness (SFM) measurement. These results were compared to the norms established by the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT), recommending to improve ROTC body measurement method.

Method: Thirteen ROTC cadets were recruited from Central State and Cedarville Universities. Cadets were measured using the ADP (BODPOD) and SFM method. …

Could Motivational Interviewing Unlock The Potential Of Cellular Texting? An Evidence Review Of Text Messages Influencing Behavior Change, Tracy Bozung

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Cellular text messaging is an emerging technology that influences patients’ decisions on health behaviors. It offers a cost-effective method to reduce healthcare costs by improving management for diseases or conditions associated with high morbidity/mortality. The objectives for this review are: 1) review current evidence on using text messages to influence patients’ health behaviors; 2) evaluate which conditions or diseases are most influenced by text messaging; 3) determine if basing the text messaging in a theoretical framework improves outcomes. Common literature databases were searched for any published review articles since 2005 on this subject. Thirty-six reviews met inclusion criteria. Overall, there …

Dietary Supplement Use Associated With Air Force Fitness And Deployment Health, Michael J. Bell

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Objective: This study characterizes supplement use among United States Air Force members as well as attempts to identify an association between supplement use and Air Force Physical Fitness Test (AFPFT) scores or self-reported deployment health.

Methods: The study population (n = 24,020) was comprised of Airmen who completed a Web Based Preventive Health Assessment (WebPHA), Post Deployment Health Assessment (PDHA) and completed an AFPFT within six months of their WebPHA. Binary logistic regression was performed to predict AFPFT scores and deployment health outcomes based on supplement usage. Chi-squared analysis was performed to determine if there is any significant association between …

The Impact Of Emergency Department Based Influenza Vaccination, Paul T. Deflorio

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Objective: To quantify the proportion of the Wright-Patterson (WPAFB) Air Force Base Emergency Department (ED) patients presenting during a four month segment of the 2014-2015 influenza season who were eligible for influenza vaccination and model the impact of vaccinating them.

Methods: A random sample of 200 out of 5,624 ED patients who presented to the WPAFB ED between October 1st, 2014, and January 31st, 2015 was studied. Both ED charts and immunization records were reviewed to determine eligibility for influenza vaccine during the ED visit. Area under the curve (AUC) analysis was used to determine vaccine velocity (VV), which was …

Emergency Preparedness For A Radiological Disaster: Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Plant Release, Meghan A. Jackson

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Over the course of human history, man has tried to find an ultimate source of energy. Nuclear energy has been paramount to this sustainability. There have been over 420 nuclear related disasters since 1944 and preparedness has only marginally increased in response. This study examines the potential outfall of a major nuclear accident within the United States at the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Plant. Using data from the incident that occurred in Fukushima, Japan in 2011, radiation plumes were plotted using HotSpot software over northern Ohio to examine the dispersion and concentration of radioactive particles and their potential health effects on …

Descriptive Analysis Of U.S. Air Force Occupational Injuries And Illnesses, Kenneth Mackenthun

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Background: Occupational health is a concern in the workplace environment. Cases of occupational illness or injury could lead to lost workdays, a lower quality of life, chronic pain, and sometimes death. Air Force personnel perform unique functions that could have negative effects on their health.

Purpose: Identify the most common occupational illnesses and injuries among active duty United States Air Force (U.S.A.F.) personnel, determine rates of occupational illnesses and injuries in the Air Force by rank, and compare rates across Major Commands (MAJCOMS). Methods: A literature review was conducted on select occupational illnesses and injuries. A descriptive data analysis was …

Dominicanas Redefining Hiv In San Pedro De Macorís, Emily Frances Surico

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

This study explored the social support among women impacted by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) living in the Province of San Pedro de Macorís, República Dominicana. Social support is one way that social networks can influence health status. Social networks impact health behaviors and overall health outcomes which include infectious diseases, morbidity rates, and mortality rates. Social networks can promote health and minimize risky behavior: “cohesive, supportive networks may themselves blunt stressful experiences and enable people to resist risky behavior and maintain healthier choices” (Berkman, Kawachi, & Krishna, 2014, p. 248). Qualitative methods were used to explore how social support systems …

Impact Of The Global Strategy For Infant And Young Child Feeding On Nutrition And Child Survival Indicators As Illustrated By The World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative Tool, Charles Ituka Mosimah

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Background: Non-optimal infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices are associated with malnutrition, infant mortality and under-five mortality, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the risk of under-five mortality is 15 times higher than developed countries.

Objective: To determine implementation effects of the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding before and after WBTi tool assessment using infant/child health data collected between 2000 and 2013 in Cameroon.

Methods: A descriptive analysis of Cameroon’s policies, programmes and practices was conducted using the WBTi tool. Child survival and nutrition indicators before (2003-2008) and after (2009-2013) WBTi assessment were analyzed using data from …

Association Of Maternal Demographics With Breastfeeding Of Low Birth Weight Infants In Ohio In 2012, Raymond I. Okeke Jr.

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Background: Breastfeeding (BF) is an important feeding practice for newborns, especially the low birth weight (LBW) infant population and during emergencies. Association of maternal demographics with BF in LBW infants in Ohio, especially during emergencies is not fully characterized. This study aims to fill that data gap.

Methods: The data for this study were the 2012 Ohio Vital Statistics Birth Data compiled by the Ohio Department of Health and obtained from Public Health – Dayton & Montgomery County. It included all 11,805 LBW, 8.5% of the total births in Ohio in 2012. IBM SPSS version 22 was used for the …

Accurate Parental Perception As A Milestone In Managing Childhood Obesity, Florence Walusimbi

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Objective: There were three objectives of this study: to determine the accuracy of parental perception of their child’s weight status; to compare parent and child perception of the child’s weight status; and, to ascertain if comments from the child’s health professional about the child’s weight status was related to the accuracy of the parent’s perception.

Methods: Using NHANES 2011-2012 data, chi square analysis (p

Results: Overall, 24.7% of parents and 29.6% of children underestimated the child’s weight status. For overweight/obese children, 60.1% of parents and 60.4% of children underestimated the child’s weight status. Almost 90% of parents did not recall …

Development Of Population Protective Procedures For A Radiological Event, Daniel A. Baker

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Objective: The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the execution of emergency preparedness procedures of the west central Ohio region during a radiological event. Preparedness plans were generated by the Dayton Metropolitan Medical Response System and Public Health – Dayton and Montgomery County, which would later be disseminated to eight counties in west central Ohio.

Methods: Two live scenarios, a region-wide functional exercise and a Medical Reserve Corps training exercise, were used to test different procedures and protocols for a radiological event relevant to various first response agencies (public health, law enforcement, emergency medical systems, hospitals, etc.). Exercise evaluation …

The Accuracy And Feasibility Of Production Records To Measure Food Selection In School Cafeterias, Erin R. Krafka, Ellen M. Claiborne

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Background: New meal pattern requirements have recently been introduced and emphasize the serving of vegetable subgroups. These regulations ensure students are offered certain food items, and the selection and consumption of these items are essential to track their progress and effectiveness. This study investigates whether production records are a feasible tool in tracking selection across time by comparing production records with direct observation of food selection in the lunchroom.

Methods: Food selection was measured through direct observation and production records for two consecutive weeks. The frequencies of daily items served were entered into Excel and each food item was coded …

Assessment Of Knowledge And Attitudes On Latent Tuberculosis Treatment Acceptance In A Southwest Ohio Public Health Clinic, Ann M. Biedenharn

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), like active tuberculosis (TB) disease, disproportionately affects foreign-born persons living in the United States. Without treatment, those diagnosed with LTBI risk going into active disease and potentially becoming infectious. Determining any knowledge, attitudes, or social characteristics associated with a person’s decision to initiate LTBI treatment is significant for TB control. A logic model based on the Theory of Reasoned Action functioned as a guide to understanding the antecedents related to LTBI treatment acceptance. Participants enrolled in the study at the time of LTBI treatment offer in a Southwest Ohio public health TB clinic. An examination of …

Relactation In Emergencies, Ashley N. Franz

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Disaster situations in the United States are unique entities that require solutions which are well thought out, appropriate for the population and planned well in advance. Infant and young child feeding in emergencies is no exception. While in peacetime infants may be safely nourished with both breastmilk and infant formula, disaster situations often add a level of complexity to feeding with infant formula, including lack of access to potable water and ability to effectively sterilize feeding items. Such complexities, along with the important and undeniable fact that breastmilk is the ideal form of food for all babies (and especially in …

Decompression Illness In United States Air Force: High Risk Occupations, Jaime Rojas

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Introduction: Although the physics of decompression sickness (DCS) is well understood, an individual’s unique response to the bubble formation places the United States Air Force’s (USAF) Airmen and missions at risk. We identified 123 decompression sickness diagnoses in the USAF between the years 2005-2010. From these cases we attempted to identify an association between the disease and the two occupations that are routinely performing high-altitude duties, the U2 pilot and the hypobaric chamber technician. Methods: A Chi-squared analysis was performed to identify if DCS was associated with the high-altitude occupations, tobacco, or alcohol. Results: There association between DCS and U2 …

Immigrant Women: Risk And Protective Factors Associated With Depression And Anxiety Disorders, Fartun Yussuf

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this review was to provide an international perspective on the effects of immigration on the mental health of women. Many of the current reviews focus on one ethnic group and the many factors influencing their mental health. This review examined many ethnic groups but attempted to focus on immigration-related factors that may act as risk or protective factors for depression and anxiety in first- and second-generation immigrant women.

Method: A search of electronic databases for peer-reviewed articles resulted in 30 studies, of which 19 were reviewed for this analysis. The search was limited to studies published …

Sharing Medicine: The Candidacy Of Medicines And Other Household Items For Sharing, Dominican Republic, Michael N. Dohn, Hugo Pilkington

Population and Public Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Background:

People share medicines and problems can result from this behavior. Successful interventions to change sharing behavior will require understanding people’s motives and purposes for sharing medicines. Better information about how medicines fit into the gifting and reciprocity system could be useful in designing interventions to modify medicine sharing behavior. However, it is uncertain how people situate medicines among other items that might be shared. This investigation is a descriptive study of how people sort medicines and other shareable items.

Methods and Findings:

This study in the Dominican Republic examined how a convenience sample (31 people) sorted medicines and rated …

Identification Of Potential On-Call Partners For Montgomery County, Ohio Fast In Disaster Relief Shelters, Angela M. Snyder

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify potential on-call partners for inclusion in Functional Assessment Service Teams (FAST) to serve residents of Montgomery County, Ohio. Functional Assessment Service Teams provide assessment and care for individuals with functional needs following disaster in disaster relief shelters.

Methods: A questionnaire was constructed and administered to 17 agencies in Montgomery County, Ohio that work in the field of emergency management and functional needs support. The questionnaire measured necessities for functional needs groups in emergency sheltering environments. The questionnaire measured three topics: essential services, assessment, and area agencies’ willingness to participate.

Results: A …

Refugee Health In Montgomery County: A Retrospective Descriptive Study Of Refugee Health Screening Results From April 2007 - April 2008, Marjan Lyons

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Introduction: The top refugee health concerns characteristically are associated with parasitic infections, infectious diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, and parasites, as well as nutritional deficiencies such as anemia, and malnourishment. Understanding the specific health needs of the refugee population will not only improve the transition of the refugees within the United States healthcare systems, but also improve public health within the community.

Methods: Health records from Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery Country were used to obtain the prevalence of both acute and chronic health conditions within the newly resettled refugee population. There were a total of 193 refugees included …