Public Health Commons^™

Desert In The Springs: Ethnography Of A Food Desert, Margeaux Alana Chavez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

"Food desert" commonly describes food insecure areas with few fresh food outlets. Though used in a number of sources, the definition of "food desert" remains largely undeveloped and research is often deficit oriented, failing to account for community assets that may exist within food deserts but are underutilized or under-supported. Using an assets-based, ethnographic approach, this study combines GIS and survey methodology with participant observation and qualitative interviews to assess the potential positive effect of urban agriculture on food accessibility in Sulphur Springs, a USDA identified urban food desert in Tampa, Florida.

Ethnographic data suggest that within this neighborhood, residents …

Exploring The Relationship Between Physical Activity And Everyday Cognitive Function In Older Adults: Within- And Between- Person Variability, Christine Haley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research suggests that physical activity may play a role in preserving cognitive function in older adulthood. However, the exact nature, direction, and magnitude of observed associations remain unclear. The current study utilized a microlongitudinal design to repeatedly assess cognitive function and physical activity across five days. Two studies examined relationships between physical activity, physical fitness, and cognitive function among community-dwelling older adults. The first study examined associations between baseline performance in a measure of everyday cognition and multiple measures of physical activity and physical fitness. Bivariate analyses revealed that objectively measured physical activity of moderate-to-vigorous intensity, repeated chair stand time …

The Role Of Connectedness And Religious Factors On Bullying Participation Among Preadolescents In Puerto Rico, Melissa C. Mercado-Crespo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Relationships or connections with caring pro-social others (e.g., parents, teachers, school, friends, neighborhood, religion) serve as pro-resilience assets that may enhance children's abilities to cope with bullying. The purpose of this research study was to explore the roles of connectedness and religiosity as potential factors that could enhance resiliency against bullying among preadolescents in Puerto Rico (PR). This doctoral dissertation also addressed several gaps in the children's bullying, resilience and religiosity research literature.

A sample of 426 community-based afterschool program preadolescents (ages 10-12 years old) participated in this exploratory, cross-sectional study, by completing a quantitative questionnaire in paper and pencil …

Illegitimate Tasks And Employee Well-Being: A Daily Diary Study, Erin Eatough

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on an occupational stressor that has been recently introduced to the literature, illegitimate tasks, or tasks that seem unreasonable or unnecessary at work. Previous work has demonstrated the relationship between illegitimate tasks and a narrow set of discrete emotions as well as negative employee performance behaviors. The current research contributes to the literature by expanding the nomological network associated with illegitimate tasks and uses a rigorous daily diary methodology in a full-time working sample. It was expected that illegitimate tasks reduce state levels of self-esteem as well as other employee well-being indicators including anger, depressive mood, fatigue, …

More Than Feeding: Lived Experiences Of Low-Income Women Receiving Lactation Support, Emily Anne Dunn

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Increasing breastfeeding duration, especially among low-income women, has become a national public health priority. These mothers and their babies have less equitable access to support, resources, and the health benefits of breastfeeding. This thesis examines breastfeeding from a biocultural perspective with a focus on political economy, embodiment, and human rights. This research explores the lived experiences of new mothers who receive services from a community non-profit lactation support program which is aimed at providing in-home postpartum breastfeeding support to low-income/at-risk mothers. Evaluation of program services and analysis of women's narratives will provide insight into improvement of lactation services for all …

Survivorship, Infertility And Parenthood: Experiencing Life After Cancer In Puerto Rico, Karen Elizabeth Dyer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

While incidence rates are increasing for many cancers in Puerto Rico, mortality rates are declining (Torres-Cintron, et al. 2010), resulting in growing numbers of survivors and creating a situation in which long-term survivorship concerns are beginning to emerge as priorities. The importance of quality-of-life among survivors of cancer is increasingly being recognized among healthcare providers, although there remains a gap in knowledge of how young adult survivors cope with long-term treatment-related physical effects, such as infertility, and of the impact of cancer on survivors' social relationships and future goals.

Because understandings of "cancer survivorship," as well as of reproduction, vary …

The Professionalization And Practice Of Lactation Consulting: Medicalized Knowledge, Humanistic Care, Aimee R. Eden

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Breastfeeding support for mothers and their babies historically was the informal work of family and community members. In the United States today, breastfeeding support is embedded in the biomedical system, and is provided by a new allied health professional: the International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). This dissertation explores this professionalization of breastfeeding support and the origins of this new profession. It studies how IBCLCs working in the U.S. cultural context perceive and practice the profession and examines the relationship between the profession of lactation consulting and the medicalization of breastfeeding. Oral history interviews with 17 founders of the profession, …

An Exploration Of The Meaning And Consequences Of Unintended Pregnancy Among Latina Cultural Subgroups: Social, Cultural, Structural, Historical And Political Influences, Natalie Dolores Hernandez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, prominent racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in rates of unintended pregnancy, abortion, and unintended births exist. Recent analysis suggests that Latinas are three times more likely to experience an unintended pregnancy than non-Latina white women. More than half of pregnancies among Latinas (53%) in the United States are unintended and have higher unintended births as they are less likely than black women to have an abortion. In addition, in 2006 the unintended pregnancy rate was highest among women aged 20-24. Little research has 0been conducted to understand unintended pregnancy particularly among young adult Latina women.

The purpose …

An Analysis Of The Association Between Animal Exposures And The Development Of Type 1 Diabetes In The Teddy Cohort, Callyn Hall

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research on exposure to animals and risk of type 1 diabetes (T1D) has had conflicting results with some researchers finding that animal exposure reduces the risk of T1D and others finding no association between animal exposure and T1D. Previously conducted studies on the association between animal exposure and T1D are case-control studies that have been limited by recall bias. The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between early life animal exposure and the risk of persistent, confirmed islet autoantibodies (IA) and T1D diagnosis among an eligible cohort of genetically high T1D risk participants enrolled in the international …

Evaluation Of Four Portable Cooling Vests For Workers Wearing Gas Extraction Coveralls In Hot Environments, Joseph Kevin Johnson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Excessive exposure to heat stress can cause a host of heat-related illnesses. For laborers, job specific work demands and protective garments greatly increase the risk of succumbing to the effects of heat stress. Microclimate cooling has been used to control heat stress exposure where administrative or engineering controls are not adequate. This study tested the performance of four personal cooling vests for use with insulated protective clothing (gas extraction coveralls) in warm-humid (35 ° C, 50% relative humidity) and hot-dry (40°C, 30% relative humidity) conditions. On 10 separate occasions, 5 male volunteers walked on a treadmill to elicit a target …

Associations Of Perceived Stress, Sleep, And Human Papillomavirus In A Prospective Cohort Of Men, Stephanie Kay Kolar

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Mucosal human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) and is associated with genitals warts, anogenital cancers, and oropharyngeal cancers. Most sexually active persons will become infected with HPV at some point in their lives, however few will develop HPV-related diseases such as warts, lesions, or cancer as a result of the infection. It is unclear why a minority of individuals fail to clear HPV infection and develop clinical disease. Due to initial associations with cervical lesions, much research has focused on women. Th1 type immune responses have been associated with successful response to HPV …

Parent Pathways: Recognition And Responses To Developmental Delays In Young Children, Jennifer Marshall

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The importance of early recognition and intervention for developmental delays is increasingly acknowledged, yet high rates of under-enrollment and 1-3 year delays in entry to the public early intervention system continue. Much research has examined developmental screening in health and child care settings, but less well understood is what prompts parents to identify problems and seek help for their children. This mixed methods study rooted in the Health Belief Model and Social Support Theory examined child, parent, family, and community level factors related to parent recognition (awareness and concern) and response (help-seeking and enrollment in services), including formal and informal …

Practices And Factors Influencing Sharps Use And Safety In A Suburban Fire Department And Among Emergency Medical Services Personnel, Christine Michelle Mcguire-Wolfe

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Needlestick injuries (NSIs) are a recognized risk for occupationally-related transmission of bloodborne pathogens (BBP). The occurrence of NSIs and BBP exposures among firefighters (FFs) and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel has been documented.

The purposes of this study were: 1) to define the problem of NSI among FFs and EMS personnel in a suburban fire department (FD) and identify practices and factors that influence sharps use and safety; 2) design and implement and intervention to promote safer sharps device usage; and 3) to measure the effectiveness of the intervention among FFs and EMS personnel.

A multi-phase, mixed methods approach was …

Framing Colombian Women's Beliefs, Values And Attitude Towards Sex And Sexual High-Risk Behaviors, Rosa Ore

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hispanic immigrants constitute the largest and fastest growing groups of minorities in the United States. According to the 2010 Census, there are 50.5 million Hispanics in the United States, making up 16.3% of the total population (Passel, Cohn & Lopez, 2011). Furthermore, the state of Florida is home to 4,223,806 Hispanics (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010). Because the Hispanic population continues to grow, it is important to study their sexual health behaviors because diseases linked to risky sexual behaviors account for approximately 20,000 U.S. deaths each year, and are linked to a number of adverse reproductive outcomes (Abraido-Lanza, Chao, & Florez, …

"When You Tell Them, Your Secret Is Out There": Experiences Of Sexuality And Intimacy Among Hiv Positive Black Women, Mackenzie Rae Tewell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

HIV/AIDS infections disproportionately impact African Americans within the United States. In 2010, black Americans made up 12 percent of the United States population, yet accounted for 44 percent of new HIV/AIDS infections (Kaiser Family Foundation 2013). The majority of black women (85 percent) are infected with the virus through heterosexual contact, meaning it is critical examine their sexual lives in order to gain insight into this infection within this population (CDC 2011b). Through semi-structured interviews at a Tampa, Florida AIDS service organization, this study presents the experiences of sexuality and intimacy among HIV positive black women. Results demonstrate that HIV …

Eco-Epidemiology Of Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus, Patrick Vander Kelen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEEV) is an alphavirus with high pathogenicity in both humans and horses. Florida continues to have the highest occurrence of human cases in the USA, with four fatalities recorded in 2010. Unlike other states, Florida supports year-round EEEV transmission. This research uses Geographic Information Science (GIS) to examine spatial patterns of documented sentinel seroconversions and horse cases in order to understand the relationships between habitat and transmission intensity of EEEV in Florida. Sentinel sites were categorized as enzootic, periodically enzootic, and negative based on the amount of chicken seroconversions to EEEV. Sentinel sites were analyzed …

A Critical Ethnography Of Globalization In Lesotho, Africa: Syndemic Water Insecurity And The Micro-Politics Of Participation, Cassandra Lin Workman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In spite of decades-long development programs, Lesotho faces an ongoing problem of water insecurity with far- reaching individual and social impacts. The purpose of this research was to understand how women in Lesotho are impacted by the synergistic epidemics, or syndemics, of water insecurity and HIV/AIDS and how they respond to these forces. Little has been done to address how water insecurity, defined in terms of both sufficient amount and quality of water, catalyzes the syndemic impact on the people of Lesotho. Access to safe and reliable sources of water is crucial for all individuals, particularly those who have been …

Exploring Potential Risk Factors Of Fetal Origins Of Diabetes: Maternal Stressors During Pregnancy And Birth Outcomes Among Women In A Hospital In The Municipality Of Caguas, Puerto Rico, Juan Pablo Arroyo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Puerto Rico has the highest prevalence of type 2 diabetes, low birth-weight, and the second highest prevalence of preterm-birth in all the U.S. and its non-incorporated territories. These conditions are related. Birth-weight at both ends of the spectrum and preterm-birth are associated with an increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes and immune-inflammatory dysregulations. Maternal psychosocial stressors during pregnancy have also been recognized as potential risk factors for type 2 diabetes, and have been consistently associated with preterm-birth and low birth-weight across populations. Current evidence points toward epigenetic fetal metabolic-programming as the mechanism that underlies the increased risk for the …

The Effect Of Drug Resistance On Plasmodium Falciparum Transmission And Gametocyte Development, Samantha Olivia Aylor

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In order to reduce malaria prevalence worldwide, a better understanding of parasite transmission and the effect of drug resistance is needed. The effect of drug resistance on malaria transmission has been examined for some drugs, but not for mitochondrial inhibitors such as atovaquone and the current basis of malaria therapy, artemisinin. Therefore, the goal of this study was to produce gametocytes, the life cycle stage that transmits from mosquito to human, in several different drug resistant patient isolates as well as to determine the effect of drug resistance on gametocyte development and transmission. Previous studies have shown that the mutation …

Quality Of Life In Female Breast Cancer Survivor In Panama, Mayela Castro

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common female cancer worldwide and it is also the principal cause of death from cancer among women globally. Breast cancer has the highest prevalence among Panamanian women and its incidence is also growing every year. Women living with and beyond breast cancer have special needs that have to be considered by society and the health care systems. After diagnosis, the quality of life (QOL) of women is highly affected, due to the emergence of physical, psychological and social effects which lead to changes in attitudes and expectations towards life.

Purpose: To evaluate the …

Uncontrolled Hypertension And Associated Factors In Hypertensive Patients At The Primary Healthcare Center Luis H. Moreno, Panama: A Feasibility Study, Roderick Ramon Chen Camano

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), renal impairment, peripheral vascular disease, and blindness. In Panama, a recent study estimated the prevalence of hypertension at 38.5% in the two main provinces of the country, with a rate of uncontrolled hypertension of 47.2%.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to assess the feasibility of the study design and to describe the characteristics of the hypertensive population and the physician's adherence to Panamanian antihypertensive protocols and their relationship with uncontrolled hypertension.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of adult hypertensive …

Patients' Perspectives In Following Hypertensive Guidelines On Sodium Intake And Lifestyle Modifications In Panama, Lissette Raquel Chang

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore patients' perception and knowledge regarding hypertension and hypertensive guidelines on sodium intake and lifestyle modifications in a work environment in the Republic of Panama. Hypertension is important not only because of its high prevalence but also because it is a major modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. In Panama the prevalence of hypertension is about 38.7% and uncontrolled hypertension is almost 50%.This number may translate into complications for the general population. For instance 52.8% of the population has had an ischemic disease and death by ischemic disease climbed from third place to …

School Mental Health: Views Of Services Integration And Attitudes Toward Evidence-Based, Donna L. Burton

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Purpose of the study. Through secondary data analysis of results from the School Mental Health Services Integration Survey (SMHSIS), this study describes indicators of school mental health integration preparedness, including role identification, willingness to engage in tasks associated with mental health services integration and implementation facilitators. The study also investigated the utility of a modified version of the Evidence-Based Practice Attitude Scale (EBPAS) for use with school staff.

Study rationale. With as many as 20% of children meeting criteria for mental disorders that cause impairment, the gaps in mental health services delivery to this special needs population are evident …

Universal Tumor Screening For Lynch Syndrome: Identification Of System-Level Implementation Factors Influencing Patient Reach, Deborah Le Cragun

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Lynch syndrome (LS) is the most prevalent cause of hereditary colorectal cancer (CRC) and confers high risks for several other types of cancer. Universal tumor screening (UTS) of all newly diagnosed patients with CRC can improve LS identification and decrease associated morbidity and mortality among patients and family members. However, for UTS to be effective, patients who screen positive must pursue genetic counseling and confirmatory germline testing (i.e., high patient reach). The purposes of this study were to characterize UTS programs, identify barriers and facilitators to implementation, document whether there have been negative outcomes, and determine institutional and implementation conditions …

Referral Tracking Pilot And Referral Outcome Rates For The School Health Program In Panama, Jesica Eileen Candanedo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background: The School Health Program (SHP) in the Republic of Panama includes preventive healthcare services delivery and referral issuing at elementary schools nationwide. Despite these early prevention efforts, a majority of referrals are apparently not achieving their desired outcome. This idea is supported by the SHP data showing preventable diseases on the rise. Thus, learning the outcome rates of particular referral outcomes may provide a basis for appropriately targeted action.

Methods: Three focus groups were conducted with health workers, medical records staff, and teachers, respectively. Following systems thinking and framework analysis, a pilot plan for referral tracking and referral outcome …

Cost Of Treatment Of Asthma Attacks In A Tertiary Level Healthcare Hospital In Panama, Nydia Flores Chiari

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by inflammation of the airway and the presence of recurrent attacks (exacerbations) of breathlessness, wheezing, cough, chest tightness, or some combination of these symptoms. In the US, about 53% of people with asthma had an asthma attack in 2008, and 57% of these, were children. One in ten children (10%) had asthma in 2009, and boys were more likely than girls to have asthma. Internationally, the prevalence of asthma varies widely in different countries, but the disparity is narrowing due to rising prevalence in low and middle income countries. Unfortunately, we do not …

The Water Culture Beliefs Of Embera Communities And Maternal And Child Health In The Republic Of Panama, Ilenia Anneth Forero

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Water has cultural and spiritual values to indigenous people. These beliefs expose them to unsafe water sources and make them vulnerable to waterborne diseases. This background is not taken into account when countries write their water legislations, therefor imposing a management of water not readily accepted by them. The Embera group is one of the indigenous groups from the Republic of Panama, who have strong water beliefs. They live along the shore of rivers in houses built on high stilts away from urban areas. The purpose of this cross-sectional community based study is to describe through a survey the relation …

The Relationship Between Socioeconomic Status And Body Mass Index On Vitamin D Levels In African American Women With And Without Diabetes Living In Areas With Abundant Sunshine, Shani Vann Davis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationships between socioeconomic status (SES), body mass index (BMI), and vitamin D levels in African American (AA) women living in areas with abundant sunshine; and to explore if diabetes moderates these relationships.

SIGNIFICANCE: More AA's live in poverty, and experience obesity, diabetes, and chronic disease compared to other groups. Eighty percent of AA women are overweight or obese, and rates of type 2 diabetes is highest in this group. Minority race, obesity, and diabetes increase risks for low vitamin D, and are associated with p

DESIGN AND METHOD: A cross-sectional descriptive research design was used to …

African Americans And Hospice: A Culture-Centered Exploration Of Disparities In End-Of-Life Care, Patrick Dillon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As the United States' population ages and grows more diverse, scholars and practitioners have grown increasingly concerned about persistent disparities in the cost and quality of end-of-life health care, particularly with regard to African Americans. Although a variety of factors may influence these disparities, most scholars agree that the underutilization of hospice care by this population is an important contributor. Drawing from the culture-centered approach to health communication and narrative theory, the present study explores African American patients and caregivers' experiences with hospice care and takes an initial step toward addressing disparities in end-of-life care. I begin this study, first, …

Mother- To - Child Transmission Of Hiv And Congenital Syphilis: A Snapshot Of An Epidemic In The Republic Of Panama, Lorna Elizabeth Jenkins

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Background: Worldwide HIV is going through a feminization and rejuvenation as more women are living with HIV/AIDS, increasing the risk of vertical transmission. Despite the efforts in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) by 2010, Panama was the third most affected country in the region with HIV/AIDS, with females aged 15-24 twice as affected as men.

Methods: This descriptive epidemiological study of HIV vertical transmission in Panama reviewed clinical charts to identify health care personnel's practices during pregnancies in 2008. This study also examines the impact of interventions comparing the HIV outcome of the children at the end of …