Public Health Commons^™

Moraxella (Branhamella) Catarrhalis: A Molecular Epidemiology Study, Lyndell R. Gill

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis is the third-most-frequently isolated microorganism associated with acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis in patients during their stay at the Mountain Home VA Medical Center (MHVAMC). In order to develop a practical, epidemiologically-meaningful typing method for M. (B.) catarrhalis, we tested two methods based on analysis of chromosomal DNA for typeability, reproducibility, and ability to differentiate between unrelated strains (discriminatory power, D). M. (B.) catarrhalis isolants from MHVAMC from 7/1/87-6/30/88 were grown overnight in broth and embedded in agarose. DNA was isolated by standard methods. The DNA was subjected to: (1) restriction endonuclease digestion (with either Bgl II …

Prison Employee Killed In Tractor Rollover, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 36-year-old male prison recreation director was killed in a tractor rollover incident. The victim was driving the tractor down a sloping, S-curved driveway when he lost control. The tractor went over an embankment, rolled one-half turn, and came to rest on the victim. It was not equipped with a Rollover Protective Structure (ROPS) or a seatbelt. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene by the county coroner. In order to prevent similar incidents, the KY FACE investigators concluded that:

• Tractors should be retrofitted with Roll Over Protective Structures and seatbelts.
• Employers should provide tractor operation training by safety …

Farmer Killed When Run Over By Tractor In Barn, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 62-year-old male farmer was killed inside his barn on a Saturday afternoon after starting his tractor from a standing position. The victim was demonstrating recent repairs to the tractor for his brother-in-law; a new battery and starter had been installed. Standing beside the tractor, the victim reached for the ignition switch to turn the tractor on. The tractor was in gear; when he turned the key the tractor lurched forward, running over the victim, who died moments later. The KY FACE investigators concluded that, to prevent similar occurrences, farmers and other tractor operators should:

• Never attempt to start a …

Ua66/13/3 Health Link, Vol. 1, No. 1, Wku Public Health

WKU Administration Documents

Newsletter created by and about the WKU Public Health department.

Ua66/14/4 Kentucky Partnership Newsletter, Vol. Ii, No. 8, Kentucky Partnership For Farm Family Health & Safety

University Organizations

Newsletter created by and about the Kentucky Partnership for Farm Family Health & Safety.

Factors Which Predict The Initiation And Use Of Alcohol In Rural Adolescents, Charlotte Swint

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this research was to determine whether a selected group of factors are significant when trying to predict the use of alcohol by adolescents who live in rural areas. This research is important because most of the studies concerning drug and alcohol use in adolescents have focused on adolescents who live in urban areas. The results of such studies may not be generalizable to rural populations. The factors investigated included the following: availability of alcohol, peer influence, parental influence, tobacco use, gender, and grade level. These factors were chosen based on their inclusion in four prominent theories regarding …

Health Attitude Changes As A Result Of Participating In A Worksite Prenatial Education Program, Vickie Gibson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine whether differences in health beliefs exist between participants attending worksite prenatal education classes and participants receiving only prenatal education self-help materials. A multiple treatment study was performed on a sample of convenience of 169 women enrolled in Fruit of the Loom's worksite prenatal education program. Group 1 subjects received class and materials while Group 2 subjects received materials only. Study participants were asked to complete an 18-item Likert scale questionnaire prior to enrolling in the program and again upon completion. Sixty-two subjects completed both the pre- and posttest questionnaires. Analysis of covariance …

A Comparison Of The Utilization Of Health Services In The Presence Or Absence Of Prescriptive Drug Insurance In A Managed Care Environment, Martha Groblewski

Health Services Research Dissertations

This study tested if the availability of third party payment for prescriptive drugs as part of employer sponsored health insurance was associated with a change in the utilization of four types of health services in an independent practice association (IPA). The study employed the individual determinants component of the Andersen-Newman theoretical framework for health services utilization. Groups of employees in companies that offered health insurance identical in all ways except for the presence or absence of the prescriptive rider were included in the study which resulted in a population of 122 companies (89 with prescriptive rider insurance and 33 without …

Effect Of Nutrition Intervention On The Outcomes Of Pregnancy: A Rural Urban Comparison, Ranjita Misra

Health Services Research Dissertations

The present study examines the effect of nutritional intervention on two outcomes of pregnancy: birth weight of the baby and gestational age. The study further examines the difference in nutritional intervention in rural and urban areas. The research method used is ex-post facto design. Data for the study is extracted from the health records and tracking sheets of women participating in the Nutrition Intervention Project in Virginia Department of Health. Path analysis and effects analysis are used to analyze the causal and direct effect of the independent variables and each of the outcome variables. A model has been developed grounded …

The Landscape Of Reason: A Scheme For Representing Arguments Concerning Environmental, Health And Safety Effects Of Chemical Weapons Disposal In The Us, R. Steven Konkel, Edward Liebow, Judith A. Bradbury, Kristi M. Branch, Judith Heerwagen, Jenniffer Leyson

Environmental Health Science Faculty and Staff Research

To reduce the risk of environmental contamination and honor an international treaty, chemical weapons stored at eight locales around the US are slated for destruction. Incineration is the main choice of a National Research Council committee directed by Congress to weigh the hazards of alternative destruction technologies, but many citizens' groups remain unconvinced. The US Army, which must dispose of the dangerous chemicals, faces decisions about the choice of destruction technologies, as well as more specific questions concerning protection of environment, safety and public health once the technology choices are made. Based on more than 200 individual interviews and 40 …

A Population-Based Serologic Survey Of Immunity To Tetanus In The United States, Peter J. Gergen, Geraldine M. Mcquillan, Michele Kiely, Trena M. Ezzati-Rice, Roland W. Sutter, Gabriel Virella

Publications and Research

Background. Vaccination rates are frequently considered a surrogate measure of protection. To provide more accurate estimates, serum levels of antibody against tetanus were measured as part of the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), which studied a representative sample of the civilian, noninstitutionalized population of the United States.

Methods. We measured tetanus antitoxin using a solid- phase enzyme immunoassay in serum samples from 10,618 persons six years of age and older who were examined during phase 1 of NHANES III in 1988 to 1991.

Results. Overall, 69.7 percent of Americans six years of age and …

The Aids Project Newsline, Vol.7, No.3 (March 1995), Eve Cimmel, The Aids Project

AIDS Project Newsline (1991-1996)

No abstract provided.

Rebecca A. Stephenson's Review Of Tom Davis's (Pa Tuterangi Ariki) Island Boy: An Autobiography, Rebecca A. Stephenson

Pacific Studies

No abstract provided.

Glenn Petersen's Review Of Vincent Lebot, Mark Merlin, And Lamont Lindstrom's Kava: The Pacific Drug, Glenn Petersen

Pacific Studies

No abstract provided.

Log Loader Runs Over Worker At Stave Mill, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 56 year-old-male stave edger was killed when he entered the path of a moving log loader at a saw mill. At 4:30 pm the day of the incident, the victim had completed an 8-hour shift in the mill. He walked out of the metal building toward the employee parking area. About 18 feet from the building he was struck by a loader, which was backing up. A witness and the loader driver ran to the victim and helped move him to some nearby logs. The victim was alive and conscious. He removed his ear plugs while waiting for the …

Ua12/12 Wku Wellnews, Vol. 2, No. 2, Wku Wellness Center

WKU Administration Documents

Newsletter created by the Wellness Center regarding services, health and fitness.

Protection From Skin Cancer: A Photonovel, The Kentucky Partnership For Farm Family Health And Safety

Nursing Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Ua66/14/4 Kentucky Partnership Newsletter, Vol. Ii, No. 7, Kentucky Partnership For Farm Family Health & Safety

University Organizations

Newsletter created by and about the Kentucky Partnership for Farm Family Health & Safety.

Prevalence And Disability Outcome Of Secondary Conditions Experienced By Adults With Disabilities Living In A Rural State: Validation Of A Surveillance Instrument, Tom Seekins Ph.D., Craig Ravesloot Ph.D., Kaye Norris Ph.D., University Of Montana Rural Institute

Health and Wellness

Objectives. People with disabilities can lead healthy lives but may be at risk for secondary conditions. This study investigated prevalence rates and disability outcome of secondary conditions using the Secondary Conditions Surveillance Instrument (SCSI). The reliability and validity of the SCSI for measuring self-reported limitation due to secondary conditions was also investigated. Methods. Three-hundred-fifty-four handicapped parking permit holders and 22 non-disabled undergraduate students completed the SCSI. Eighteen people with spinal cords injuries completed the SCSI twice approximately 3 years apart. Results. Respondents reported experiencing an average of 14 secondary conditions during the past year with 73% experiencing more than 10 …

Teaching Awareness Of Cognitive Bias In Medical Decision Making, Paul J. Hershberger, Howard M. Part, Ronald J. Markert, Steven M. Cohen, William W. Finger

Family Medicine Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Skilled Nursing Facility Based Rehabilitation Outcomes Of The Geriatric Stroke Patient, Sheila Bernadette Andrews

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

An Overview Of The Effectiveness And Efficiency Of Hiv Prevention Programs, D. R. Holtgrave, Noreen L. Qualls, J. W. Curran, Ronald O. Valdiserri, Mary Guinan, William C. Parra

School of Public Health Faculty Research

Because of the enormity of the HIV-AIDS epidemic and the urgency for preventing transmission, HIV prevention programs are a high priority for careful and timely evaluations. Information on program effectiveness and efficiency is needed for decision-making about future HIV prevention priorities. General characteristics of successful HIV prevention programs, programs empirically evaluated and found to change (or not change) high-risk behaviors or in need of further empirical study, and economic evaluations of certain programs are described and summarized with attention limited to programs that have a behavioral basis. HIV prevention programs have an impact on averting or reducing risk behaviors, particularly …

Exercise And Dietary Habits Of High School, Health Science Students, Lorri Castro Aguilera

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

Methodological Issues In Occupational-Stress Research: Research In One Occupational Group And Its Wider Applications, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Jaesoon Rhee, Fang Xia

Publications and Research

The chapter addresses a number of important methodologic issues that are relevant to occupational-stress researchers. The issues addressed have arisen in the context of an ongoing research program involving cross-sectional and longitudinal studies of stress in teachers; the issues, however, apply to occupational research in general. The first issue involves measurement strategies required in operationalizing the stress process. The focal concern is the reduction of confounding in measures of the work environment. The second issue encompasses the question of whether to sample new or veteran workers. The third issue applies to types of job stressors. The chapter describes a …

Pesticide Safety: A Photonovel, M. Susan Jones, The Kentucky Partnership For Farm Family Health & Safety

Nursing Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Isolation And Characterization Of A B-D-Glucuronidase-Producing Strain Of Escherichia Coli Serotype O157:H7 In The United States, Peggy S. Hayes, Kristina Blom, Peter Feng, Jay Lewis, Nancy A. Strockbine, Bala Swaminathan

United States Public Health Resources

A phenotypic variant of Escherichia coli serotype O157:H7 (G5101) was isolated from a patient with bloody diarrhea. Strain G5101 does not ferment sorbitol but is β-D-glucuronidase and urease positive. Serotyping and colony hybridization using a serotype-specific DNA probe confirmed that the isolate was O157:H7. G5101 produces Shiga-like toxins I and II and contains an eae gene that is highly conserved in the O157:H7 serotype. This strain would have been missed by laboratories that screen for the sorbitol-negative, β-D-glucuronidase- negative phenotype in isolating E. coli O157:H7 from clinical and food specimens.

Genetic Polymorphism Of The Ipah Multicopy Antigen Gene In Shigella Spps. And Enteroinvasive Escherichia Coli, Jerry M. Buysse, Antoinette B. Hartman, Nancy Strockbine, Malabi Venkatesan

United States Public Health Resources

The ipaH loci comprise a multicopy antigen gene family unique to Shigella species and enteroinvasive Escherichia coli (EIEC). DNA probes derived from the Shigella flexneri stereotype 5 ipaH_7.8 gene were used to compare the molecular arrangement of ipaH alleles in a variety of Shigella and EIEC strains. Multiple copies of ipaH-homologous sequences were detected in all invasion plasmids examined. Oligonucleotide probes covering discrete 24 bp segments of the ipaH_7.8 gene and sequences flanking the ipaH_4.5 (probe H25) and ipaH_2.5 (probe H24) loci were used to define the extent of homology among invasion plasmid copies of …

Fulminant Hepatic Failure: Summary Of A Workshop, Jay Hoofnagle, Robert Carithers Jr., Craig Shapiro, Nancy Ascher

United States Public Health Resources

Fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) is defined by the appearance of severe liver injury with hepatic encephalopathy in a previously healthy person. There are an estimated 2,000 cases of FHF in the United States yearly, representing 0.1% of all deaths and, perhaps, 6% of liver related deaths. The causes of FHF are many, the chief ones in the United States being hepatitis A; B; non-A, non-B and drug induced liver disease. There are no specific therapies for FHF, however, liver transplantation is recommended for situations in which spontaneous recovery appears unlikely. Factors that are valuable in assessing the likelihood of spontaneous …

Community-Based Aids Prevention And Care In Africa—Dissemination Of Phase I Findings: Report Of Five National Workshops, Population Council

HIV and AIDS

Given the constraints faced by the health care infrastructure in responding to the AIDS crisis in sub-Saharan Africa, and the limitations of traditional educational approaches in motivating people to modify their sexual behavior within the African context, community-based efforts at AIDS prevention, and care of those affected, are the first lines of defense against the disease. Thus, they deserve greater scrutiny, to learn from the experiences and to continue and expand their efforts. The “Community-Based AIDS Prevention and Care in Africa: Building on Local Initiatives” project is being carried out by the Population Council with support from Glaxo Wellcome. The …

The Relationship Between Diet, Activity, And Other Factors, And Postpartum Weight Change By Race, Debra J. Boardley, Roger G. Sargent, Ann L. Coker, James R. Hussey, Patricia A. Sharpe

CRVAW Faculty Journal Articles

Objective: To identify the impact of dietary intake and activity level on postpartum weight change.

Methods: White (n = 121) and black (n = 224) women, 7-12 months postpartum, participating in the Special Supplemental Feeding Program for Women, Infants, and Children were assessed for dietary intake, activity level, body weight, and other maternal characteristics.

Results: For both black and white women, the most important variables in predicting postpartum weight loss were pre-pregnancy weight, gestational weight gain, parity, and prenatal exercise. After these factors were controlled, race predicted that black women retained 6.4 lb more than white women. These results may …