Public Health Commons^™

Weight Health In The Modern Lens: Investigating The Intersectionality Of Obesity, William Bohne, Anthony Onochie

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between these social determinants of health and obesity to provide a better understanding of geographical differences in obesity rates. Methods All data was collected using countyhealthrankings.org. The variables that were studied included access to exercise, food insecurity, and life expectancy due to previous literature demonstrating probable association between these variables and the prevalence of obesity. Results Statistically significant increase in number of adults with obesity from 2016 to 2022 (32% to 37%). Statistically significant weak, negative correlation between access to exercise and obesity (r=-.306). Statistically significant weak, negative correlation …

Associations Between The Lived Environment And Health Markers In Ohio Counties, Jake Trzybinski, Darbi Griffith, Brian Johns

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Environmental exposures have known to be associated with poor health outcomes in adults, however there is scarce literature on which exposures that are county-specific influence health outcomes in the state of Ohio. There are known longitudinal effects of the environment on a person’s physical and mental health and demonstrated correlations could have the potential to improve health outcomes of those living in communities disproportionately impacted by environmental stressors. Through a retrospective review using County Health Rankings and the defined parameters of rurality, we looked at various measures of environmental exposures and living conditions and their effect on diabetes rates, chlamydia …

Climate Change And Mental Health: An Interactive Educational Session, Andrea Costin, Daniel Fisher, Bethany Harper, Ramzi W. Nahhas, John Sullenbarger

Population and Public Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Introduction: Climate change is the single biggest health threat facing humanity, with direct and indirect impacts on mental health, yet health impacts of climate change remain notably absent from most medical school curricula. We describe a timely interactive educational session on climate change and mental health that was implemented and studied on a medical student clinical psychiatry rotation. Methods: We developed a 1-hour introductory session on the mental health impacts of climate change and potential solutions. The session was delivered to third-year medical students on their 4-week clinical psychiatry rotation and included pre- and postsession survey questions assessing their knowledge, …

The Impact Of Mental Health On Academic Performance In Ohio In 2022, Lily Chen, Samantha Gilbert

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Background: Previous research has shown a significant link between mental health issues and low academic performance. Our study explores the delicate connection between mental health issues and academic performance in Ohio school children, in particular, how the dynamic may differ between rural and non-rural communities. Methods: We utilized County Health Rankings data from the years 2016 and 2022 from all 88 counties in Ohio, which we further substratified as 44 rural and 44 non-rural counties. From CHR, we chose data categories to represent measures of academic performance, internalizing mental health problems, and access to mental health services, and utilized SPSS …

Concealed Carry Legislation And Firearm-Related Deaths In The United States: Possible Causes And Ramifications, Amelia Liu, Kyle Willette

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Background: Previous research has shown that there is not an association between the legislation of constitutional carry and firearm deaths, but rather it is predominantly associated with socioeconomic status and location. On the national scale, the factors that most significantly affected firearm related deaths, firearm homicides, and firearm suicides were partisan lean, urbanization, and poverty rate over these three categories. Concealed carry legislation was not significantly associated with deaths. Objective: We are looking at whether the passage of constitutional carry laws have impacts on the rates of firearm-related deaths or violent crime across states. Important variables we are considering include …

Investigating Factors In Firearm Fatalities In Pediatric Populations, Parth Patel, Domenick Bartoletti

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Despite advancements in public health initiatives, preventable firearm injuries among children persist in the United States. This study investigates correlations between household income, single parent households, severe housing problems, and firearm fatalities among pediatric populations in Ohio counties. Utilizing data from the County Health Rankings and the National Center for Health Statistics–Mortality Files, our analysis reveals a negative correlation between household income and firearm fatalities, emphasizing the role of socioeconomic factors in firearm safety. Additionally, we found a positive correlation between single parent households and firearm fatalities. Furthermore, a weak positive correlation suggests a potential link between severe housing problems …

The Impact Of Mental Healthcare Access On Community Safety, David Buchinsky, Caroline Watts

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Mental health illness is a pressing American public health concern. Approximately one in five Americans is diagnosed with a mental health condition.1 While cost, location, and physician shortage play a role in one’s access to mental healthcare, research is still determining the effects of mental healthcare access on community safety. Using County Health Rankings (CHR), we analyze the changes in mental health providers between 2016 and 2022 in Alabama and Massachusetts, two states with differing rankings in access to mental healthcare and firearm legislation. We then investigate how access to mental health providers affects community safety (firearm fatalities, suicide rates, …

Insufficient Sleep In Ohio And Its Complication In Risky Behaviors, James Dai, Jackson Mitchell

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Background Insufficient sleep is a major public health concern in the United States. Lack of sufficient sleep causes impaired decision making that can increase the chance of participating in risky behavior. Methods County Health Rankings data from Ohio in 2016 and 2022 were reviewed for percentage of insufficient sleep and risky behaviors. We identified excessive alcohol use, driving deaths due to alcohol, drug overdose mortality, and percentage of smokers as risky behaviors. Urban and rural counties were identified via HRSA. Results: There was a significant increase in insufficient sleep from 2016 to 2022 in Ohio. Smoking and drug overdose mortality …

Positive Correlation Of Smoking Percentage And Mentally Unhealthy Days In Ohio 2016-2022, Kevin Williams, Matt Crudele

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

There is substantial research regarding the negative physical side effects of smoking, such as increased risk of developing hypertension or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Smoking rates are substantially higher among those with a pre-existing mental illness (such as schizophrenia or generalized anxiety disorder)1. Additionally, second-hand smoke exposure among non-smokers has been attributed to an increased risk of developing symptoms of poor mental health (such as anxiety or depression)2,3. It has also been shown that smoking cessation leads to improved mental health4. However, there is limited research regarding the negative effects of smoking on mental health, especially in the state of …

The Relationship Between Being Uninsured And Having Poor Health Outcomes And Experiences In Eastern Kentucky, Danielle Adams, Amber Todd

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objective: To examine health insurance and health outcome disparities in Eastern Kentucky since Kentucky’s implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Methods: Using data from County Health Rankings and Roadmap, rates of uninsurance will be compared before and a decade after implementation of the ACA in Kentucky (2013 and 2023). In addition, prevalence of certain health outcomes in Eastern Kentucky will be compared from 2013 and 2023 and correlation established between uninsured rates and particular health outcomes for 2023. Results: Since 2013, the percentage of those uninsured in Eastern Kentucky has seen a significant decline. While there is no correlation between …

Regional Disparities In Hispanic/Latino Health Outcomes: A Comparative Analysis Of The Midwest And Top Hispanic Population States, Julian Aviles, Marcelo Hyczy Dacosta Neto

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Background: Hispanic/Latino communities in the United States face significant health disparities and poorer health outcomes compared to non-Hispanic whites. While previous research has documented these inequalities at the national level, it is unclear whether certain regions exhibit more substantial disparities than others. Hypothesis/Research Question: This study aims to investigate whether counties in Midwest states with higher rates of health inequalities and unfavorable outcomes have compared to counties in the top 3 states by Hispanic/Latino population percentage. Methods: Using County Health Rankings, we examined counties in Midwest states (Ohio, South Dakota, and North Dakota) and counties within high Latino population states …

Assessment Of Antimicrobial Competence Of Epiphytes And Endophytes From Osmium Basilicum And Trigonella Foenum Graecum, Iram Asim, Atia Iqbal, Muhammad Ikrama Tanveer

Journal of Bioresource Management

Plant-associated bacteria are an unexplored group of microorganisms that has enormous potential. These bacteria are the source of finding new antimicrobial substances. The present study aimed to isolate and characterize the epiphytes and endophytes from Osmium basilicum and Trigonella foenum graecum plants and to determine their antimicrobial potential against pathogenic bacteria from Nishtar Hospital Multan, Pakistan. The sum of 18 stems and roots along leaf specimens were assembled as of the plant's Osmium basilicum plus Trigonella foenum graecum as of the distinct locales of the Multan city. Overall 73 bacterial strains were isolated and their colony morphology, gram staining, spore …

The Relationship Between Insufficient Sleep And Mental Health Distress In Ohio Compared To West Virginia And New Jersey, Audrey Nourse, Alexander Winkle

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objective: To compare and establish the importance of the relationship between insufficient sleep and the frequency of mental health distress in Ohio in contrast to that in West Virginia and New Jersey in 2022. Methods: The data used included information on insufficient sleep, frequency of mental health distress, and premature death per each state studied and was collected from County Health Rankings and then analyzed using a Pearson’s correlation, one way analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression. Ohio was chosen as the reference state with New Jersey and West Virginia as comparisons based on their equivalent population s ize …

Comparing The Impact Of Food Insecurity, Access To Exercise Opportunities, And County Classification On Obesity Rates In Ohio, Ankur Parekh, Deborah Lee

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objective: We completed a study to determine how food insecurity, access to exercise opportunities, and county classification (rural or urban) impacted obesity rates in Ohio. We hypothesized that the county classification impacted obesity the most followed by food insecurity and access to exercise opportunities.

Methods: We obtained data on food insecurity, access to exercise opportunities, and obesity from County Health Rankings and county classification data from the United States Department of Agriculture Census. We analyzed correlations between obesity and food insecurity and obesity and access to exercise opportunities in both county types. We also analyzed changes in obesity rates in …

Addressing The Barriers To Mammography Screening In Rural And Urban Ohio Counties, Carly Perkowski, Isabelle Fox

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Mammography screenings have the potential to protect individuals from the burden of cancer and can even save lives. However, in Ohio, many women are not receiving regular screenings. Recent research indicates that social determinants of health, such as income and education, can impact an individual’s ability to access mammography. Yet, we lack a comprehensive understanding of how these factors hinder an individual's ability to obtain mammography screenings, particularly in urban and rural areas of Ohio. The introduction of mammography has facilitated early detection of breast cancer in women. By identifying gaps in access to mammography and implementing changes to improve …

Uninsurance Rates And Associated Impacts Within Urban And Rural Counties In Ohio In 2022, Anneliese M. Fisher, Megan Sharifi

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Background: Rural populations comprise of 20% of the American population and 19% of those individuals are over the age of 65 (compared to 15% in urban areas).1,2 There has been an increase in discussion surrounding the social determinants of health (SDOH), and the literature shows that the SDOH often disproportionately impact individuals based on where they live, including rural areas. The rural-urban mortality rate disparity within the United States has been growing and has been attributed to levels of poverty.3 The SDOH also include access to healthcare and insurance, and insurance coverage is associated with higher healthcare access and quality.4 …

Factors Contributing To Adult Obesity: A Midwestern Analysis, Makul Sharma, Hop Lewis

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objective: To investigate the association between adult obesity and several health-related factors: access to healthy food, exercise opportunities, and physical inactivity in Ohio compared to other Midwestern regional states (Illinois and Iowa) in 2022

Methods: Data was obtained from a County Health Rankings Model using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Data were then weighted to reflect population distribution and then used to measure various health behaviors and health-related quality of life (RQoL) indicators.

Results: We found significantly higher rates of adult obesity in Ohio compared to Illinois and Iowa. It was also determined that adult obesity in Ohio …

The Effect Of Neighborhood Safety On Childhood Mental And Behavioral Health Problems, Courtney Kiggins, Alayna Pavol

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

The correlation between socioeconomic status (SES) and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) with mental and behavioral health problems is well documented, however the connection between neighborhood safety and mental and behavioral health problems is not well understood. This study analyzes the impact of neighborhood safety on childhood mental and behavioral health outcomes. Data collected by the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) was used for this study and statistically analyzed using IBM SPSS software. A strong connection was found between poverty level and childhood mental and behavioral health outcomes, where those who were more impoverished had higher percentages of children experiencing …

The Impact Of Food Insecurity On Health Outcomes, Ali El Kharsa, Gabrielle Montes

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objective: This research study aims to investigate how food insecurity in the United States has changed between 2016 and 2022 and its correlation with health outcomes by looking at the percent of reporting fair or poor health. Our study also compares healthy food access and food environment index in the US between 2016 and 2022.

Research Methods & Procedures: Paired t-tests compared the levels of food insecurity between 2016 and 2022 and compared food environment index and healthy food access in the United States between 2016 and 2022. A Pearson correlation determined the relationship between food insecurity and the percentage …

Family Medicine Editors Collaborate Towards Antiracist Publishing, Sarina Schrager, Sumi Sexton, Marjorie A. Bowman, Caroline Richardson

Population and Public Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Editors of 10 North American Family Medicine journals simultaneously published a Joint Call for Action to address systemic racism and encourage diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility/antiracism (DEIA) initiatives in medicine and medical publishing in January 2021. The efforts of the journals since publication of the joint editorial are summarized and include working to diversify editorial teams, editorial boards and authors; enhanced content about DEIA topics; mentoring of authors who are underrepresented in medicine (URM); and presenting content related to DEIA in Family Medicine publishing at national meetings. Editors had a follow up meeting in November 2022 to continue working toward …

Effects Of Insurance Coverage On Healthcare Access And Outcomes For Children In Ohio, Haley Hurst, Patrick Ruz

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objective: Despite health insurance coverage correlating to improved child health outcomes and reduced healthcare costs, it is estimated that 8.7% of children in America lack continuous insurance. Although coverage has expanded multiple times through the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) initiated in 1997, rates for child insurance vary drastically across regions of the country. In this study we investigated child insurance rates over time and by state, as well as explored the effects of having insurance and child health outcomes. To do this, we measured the association of uninsured children to primary care physician access and child mortality in the …

The Importance Of Sexual Education On Adolescent Sexual Behaviors, Ryan Hill, Jacqueline Stephens

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objective: The objective of this report is to examine how sex education for adolescents living in rural and urban settings in the states of Alabama and Ohio impacts their sexual health and behaviors.

Methods: To explore this topic, several different statistical tests were done: an independent t-test, an ANOVA test, a Pearman/Spearman correlation, a regression, and a standard correlation. The reason for these different tests was to compare the difference in the number of sexually transmitted diseases, how insurance status correlates with teenage pregnancy rates and sexually transmitted diseases, and the relationship between socioeconomic status and the rate of sexually …

Social And Environmental Factors Impact On Reading Performance In Illinois In 2020, Gisella Drouet

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objective: Reading scores, such as average literacy grade level are often used as a variable for academic success. It has been found that third grade students reading at grade level are less likely to drop out of high school. The objective of the project is to investigate average reading performance and its implications on English fluency, high school graduation and various social factors.

Methods : Social factors analyzed in this study were single-parent household, residential segregation and severe housing conditions. Illinois data analyzed was from County Health Rankings website ( https://www.countyhealthrankings.org/app/illinois/2020/measure/outcomes/1/map). This study analyzed the change in 2020 reading performance …

Examining The Impact Of Teenage Pregnancy And Its Associated Factors On High School Graduation Rates In Ohio, Eshita Garg, Empress James

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objective: Our objective is to determine the impact of teen pregnancy, and its associated factors (e.g., child poverty, single-parent households, disconnected youth) on high school graduation rates in Ohio. Introduction: Failure to complete high school often results due to a process known as educational disengagement. This process has been studied to include such factors like teenage pregnancy, which is often linked to increased absences and decreased participation in class. While studies indicate that programs should emphasize attendance and engagement, rather than teenage pregnancy prevention, we also examine factors that are commonly associated with teenage pregnancy. Such variables that contribute to …

The Impact Of Healthcare Disparities In Rural Ohio, Bailey Stammen, Sara Curtis

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Rural communities in the state of Ohio face barriers to care that affect the health of the population. This paper investigates the extent to which the general state of health, life expectancy, uninsured rates, and access to primary care providers can be affected by living in a rural community and how these variables have changed over time. Data from urban and rural counties in Ohio, taken from 2016 to 2022 via the 2022 County Health Rankings, will be used to explore health-related concerns. There were significant findings of decreased general health and access to primary care providers for rural communities …

Health Disparities In Rural Kentucky Counties: Mortality Outcomes And The “Rural Penalty”, Aaron R. Tims

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objective: The object of this paper is to investigate the relationship between rurality and the national top five causes of death in Kentucky counties.

Methods: We used Spearman correlations to quantify the relationship between percent rurality and the crude death rate for heart disease, malignant neoplasia, unintentional injury, chronic lower respiratory disease, and cerebrovascular disease for each Kentucky county. We also used a Spearman correlation to compare and correlate percent rurality and mortality due to heart disease as these two factors changed between data from 2000 and 2010.

Results: Our research demonstrated statistically significant correlations between percent rurality and the …

Prevalence And Evaluation Of Multidrug Resistance Pattern Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Among Critical And Non-Critical Areas At A Tertiary Care Hospital Of Multan, Romah Ishfaq, Hubza Ruatt Khan, Mehvish Javeed, Muhammad Ikrama Tanveer, Asma Ashraf

Journal of Bioresource Management

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an extremely wide spread microorganism linked to nosocomial illnesses. Effective inspection of variations in antimicrobial resistance patterns of P. aeruginosa is vital for selecting suitable antimicrobial drugs for pragmatic treatment. The current research has been performed for assessing antimicrobial sensitivity profile of P. aeruginosa isolated as of a variety of medical specimens collected from critical and non-critical admitted patients of Nishtar Hospital, Multan. The isolates were detected utilizing standard lab practices, as well as the sensitivity was examined employing Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method corresponding to Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) recommendations 2019. Out of 373 samples, …

Does The Impact Of Arthritis On Participation In Social Activity Vary By Depression?, Mehnaaz Ali

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Objective As the population’s longevity is increasing over time, the number of comorbidities that individuals are suffering with are also becoming evident. The objective is to determine whether individuals living with arthritis have difficulty in social activity participation while suffering with depression. Using the 2019 National Health Interview Survey, this analysis included males and females between 18 to 85 years of age. The dependent variable was social activity participation, where it was identifying participants whether they are or are not having difficulty taking part in social activities. The primary independent variables were depression and arthritis. Other covariates included the demographics …

Vision And Hearing Loss Associated With Lifetime Drug Use: Nhanes 2013–2018, Amanda M. Hinson-Enslin, Ramzi W. Nahhas, Heather F. Mcclintock

Population and Public Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: One in four American adults has a disability. Individuals with disabilities are more likely to have mental health issues and use substances and are less likely to attend substance use rehabilitation compared to individuals without disabilities. However, most research about substance use and substance use rehabilitation does not focus specifically on sensory disabilities. Objective: The purpose was to test the association between vision and/or hearing loss, lifetime drug use, and lifetime drug rehabilitation. Methods: Data files from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey cycles (2013–2014, 2015–2016, 2017–2018) were combined. Ordinal logistic regression was used to test the association between …

The Relationship Between Screen Time, Weight Status, And Fatty Liver Disease In U.S. Adolescents, A Cross-Sectional Study Using Nhanes, 2017-2018, Becky J. Thomas

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess if screen time in U.S. adolescents is positively associated with evidence of fatty liver disease (steatosis and/or fibrosis) on FibroScan technology and to test the hypothesis that being overweight or obese mediates this relationship.

Methods: The analysis used cross-sectional data from 12–17-year-old participants (n = 612) in the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to evaluate the association between self-reported average daily screen time and the presence of liver steatosis and/or fibrosis using FibroScan. Adjusted logistic regression analysis was performed to describe the independent association between screen time and …