Public Health Commons^™

The Impact Of The State Children's Health Insurance Program's Unborn Child Ruling On Foreign-Born Latina Prenatal Care Utilization And Birth Outcomes, 2000-2007, Jonathan Hawthorne Drewry

All ETDs from UAB

In 2002 the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) "unborn child ruling" was established to provide prenatal care (PNC) to low income women otherwise without health insurance. The majority of foreign-born (FB) Latinas otherwise ineligible for PNC should have benefited most from the ruling. In late 2003 six states incorporated the UCR into their state plan amendments, providing a natural experiment for policy analysis. This study used cross-sectional pooled natality data from 2000-2007 to estimate the effect of the UCR on prenatal care utilization (PNCU) and birth outcomes. A differences-in-differences econometrics model was employed using policy enacting and non-enacting states, …

The Hypometabolic Actions Of Hydrogen Sulfide In Mammalian Systems, Asaf Stein

All ETDs from UAB

In recent years, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been identified as a ubiquitous cell signaling molecule. In addition to its diverse physiological roles, H2S has emerged as a possible drug therapy, with a wide range of applications. Along with cytoprotective effects in pathological states such as ischemia-reperfusion injury, H2S has been shown to decrease aerobic metabolism in a reversible manner. This dissertation is focused on exploring H2S-induced hypometabolism and the implications therein for human health and disease. We have shown that rats exposed to 80 ppm H2S gas in combination with low oxygen (10.5% O2) for 6 hr exhibit decreases in …

Measuring Disease Activity And Use Of Complementary And Alternative Medicine In African-Americans With Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ashutosh Tamhane

All ETDs from UAB

The aims of this project were to: 1) compare disease activity scores 28 joints (DAS28) based on erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) versus that based on C-reactive protein (CRP), and 2) describe prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use and examine differences of CAM use stratified by disease duration and sex. This analysis included participants from the Consortium for the Longitudinal Evaluation of African Americans with Early Rheumatoid Arthritis (CLEAR) Registry. Using tender and swollen joint counts separate ESR-based and CRP-based DAS28 scores (DAS28-ESR3 and DAS28-CRP3) were calculated, as were DAS28-ESR4 and DAS28-CRP4, which included the patient¡¯s assessment of disease …

Sleep Duration And Obesity: Longitudinal Study Of Adolescents, Herpreet Kaur Thind

All ETDs from UAB

Prevalence of obesity continues to be high in the United States with about one-third adults being overweight or obese. Among adolescents the rates of overweight/obesity have increased by three times in the past two decades. Moreover, the rates of obesity are disproportionately high among the minority population. Recently, sleep duration has emerged as an independent risk factor for obesity. Several cross-sectional and longitudinal studies worldwide have shown an inverse relationship between sleep duration and obesity. However, some studies do not support this association. Majority of the studies in the United States have been conducted on predominantly White populations. African Americans …

The Effect Of Environmental Ozone Exposure On The Postnatal Lung, Katherine Leah Tuggle Stringer

All ETDs from UAB

In the U.S., approximately 37 million children reside in geographic locales that experience unhealthy ozone levels. This population is of great concern as they are undergoing active lung growth and cellular differentiation which may alter their susceptibility to inhaled toxicants. Epidemiological and animal studies indicate that early life ozone exposure results in altered lung development, potentially facilitating predisposition to chronic pulmonary conditions in adulthood. The goal of this dissertation was to evaluate short and long-term effects of ozone exposure in the developing lung. The first study evaluated acute effects of ozone exposure in the postnatal and adult lung. The results …

The Use Of Red Rules In Patient Safety Culture, Lisa Kaye Jones

All ETDs from UAB

This study examines the use of Red Rules in patient safety culture. The presence of a strong culture of patient safety has become a critical component in reducing medical errors. Some hospitals are implementing Red Rules as a patient safety strategy with disciplinary consequences if not followed. The use of Red Rules and patient safety culture seem to be inconsistent. The theoretical framework for control-based and commitment-based management was utilized to develop and address four hypotheses. The hypotheses address the impact of Red Rules on 1) staff perceptions of safety, 2) frequency of events reported, 3) number of events reported, …

Application Of The Social Cognitive Theory To A Web-Based Physical Activity Intervention For Overweight African American Female College Students, Rodney Joseph

All ETDs from UAB

Background.African American women report low levels of physical activity and share a disproportionate burden of many health conditions associated with being insufficiently active, indicating the need for innovative approaches to promote physical activity in this population. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate changes in physical activity and associated Social Cognitive Theory constructs of outcome expectations, enjoyment, self-regulation, and social support following the completion of a six month, culturally-adapted, Social Cognitive Theory-based website-delivered weight loss and physical activity intervention for young African-American women. Methods.A secondary data analysis was performed on African-American female college students (N=34) enrolled in a …

Trajectories Of Depressive Symptoms And Illicit Drug Use: Longitudinal Temporal Associations And Comorbidity In A Community Sample Of Adults, Yulia Khodneva

All ETDs from UAB

Cross-sectional studies of the community and treatment samples suggest substantial comorbidity between depression and illicit drug use disorders. Controversy exists whether such pattern of comorbidity is seen among drug using behaviors and depressive symptoms that fall short of the DSM-IV criteria for a clinical disorder. This dissertation research applied principles of the life course perspective and trajectory modeling to describe heterogeneity and comorbidity of subthreshold depressive symptoms with opioid, cocaine and amphetamine use in middle age. Secondary analysis of community-dwelling adults from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study was performed. The CARDIA cohort, N=5115 at inception …

An Investigation Of The Effect Of Misspecifying The Random Effect Distribution And The Incorrect Assumption Of Equal Intraclass Correlation Coefficients Among Treatment Groups In The Analyses Of Data From Cluster Randomized Trials, Omar B. Mbowe

All ETDs from UAB

Generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) are among the commonly used statistical methods for the analyses of binary data from cluster randomized trials (CRT). GLMMs extend the linear mixed models to accommodate, among others, binary outcomes. The linear predictor of GLMMs contains fixed effects and random effects to model the correlation among responses in a cluster. These random effects are usually assumed to be normally distributed but this assumption may not hold in practice. Also, the cluster sizes may vary within a trial for several reasons including loss to follow-up. This variation in cluster sizes can result in unequal cluster sizes. …

Relationship Between Religiosity, Violent Behavior And Gang Activity In Economically Disadvantaged Adolescents, David Mckenzie

All ETDs from UAB

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RELIGIOSITY, VIOLENT BEHAVIOR AND GANG ACTIVITY AMONG ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED ADOLESCENTS DAVID McKENZIE HEALTH EDUCATION & HEALTH PROMOTION ABSTRACT Few studies have examined the relationship between religiosity, violent behavior and gang activity in disadvantaged youth. This research study analyzed data from a population of low-income adolescents in Mobile, Alabama. The research objectives were to assess the relationship between adolescent religiosity and involvement in violent behavior and gang activity, and to determine if there were gender differences between boys and girls regarding religiosity, violent behavior and gang activity. It was hypothesized that there would be an inverse relationship between religiosity …

Studies In Public Health Systems And Services Research: Three Papers Examining The Market Environment, Quality Improvement, And Community Partnerships, Valerie A. Yeager

All ETDs from UAB

This dissertation, comprised of three publishable manuscripts, addresses various identified gaps in the literature focused on public health systems and services research. Public health systems and services research includes studies that examine the organization, financing and delivery of public health services in communities, and the impact of these services on public health. Specifically, this dissertation focuses on three topics: (1) the measurement of the health care market environment of local public health departments, (2) community characteristics related to quality improvement strategies in local public health environments, and (3) the longitudinal changes in public health partnerships and how these partnerships relate …

Utilization And Effectiveness Of Osteoporosis Medications Among Medicare Beneficiaries, Huifeng Yun

All ETDs from UAB

This dissertation contains three papers evaluating the utilization and effectiveness of osteoporosis medications using data on a 5% sample of Medicare beneficiaries in 2006-2009. The first paper assessed the completeness of Medicare Part D data on generic alendronate. The second paper sought to identify anti-osteoporosis medication utilization patterns and factors associated with medication discontinuation. The third paper examined the comparative effectiveness of osteoporosis medications for risk of fractures and mortality, with a focus on the recently introduced infusion and injection medications. In the first study, we identified beneficiaries highly adherent with branded alendronate during 1/1/06-2/6/07 ("2007 cohort") and highly adherent …

High-Risk Human Papillomavirus And Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia Among Foreign-Born Latinas At Colposcopy, Bertha Hidalgo

All ETDs from UAB

Although the literature is quite extensive with regard to the human papillomavirus (HPV) among many racial/ethnic populations, there continues to be a paucity of information regarding the prevalence of HPV types as well as of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN among Latinas, specifically foreign-born Latinas. Some studies have reported prevalence of HPV among Latinas, but very few have differentiated between US- and foreign-born Latinas. This nuance is essential to understanding the true effect contributed by each group to HPV and CIN incidence and prevalence rates. Therefore, this dissertation aimed to assess differences in the prevalence of high- and low-risk types and …

Association Between Cc Chemokine Ligand 3-Like-1 (Ccl3l1) Gene Copy Number And Rheumatoid Arthritis In African Americans, Mawuli Kwame Nyaku

All ETDs from UAB

Gene copy number of the CC Chemokine ligand 3-Like-1 (CCL3L1) located on chromosome 17 position q12 varies between ethnicities. Previously, gene copy number of CCL3L1 greater than the ethnic median copy has been associated with an increased risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Three later studies found no association between CCL3L1 and RA. All studies were conducted in non-African Americans and an objective of this study was to determine this association in an African American cohort. CCL3L1 shares significant homology with three other genes within the same cluster; CC Chemokine ligand 3 (CCL3), CC Chemokine ligand 3-Like-2 (CCL3L2) and CC Chemokine ligand …

The Influence Of Federally Qualified Health Centers On Selected Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions In Georgia, Mary W. King Mathis

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Author's Abstract: Ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs) resulting in hospitalizations make up a substantial proportion of health care costs, but should not because these conditions are manageable in quality primary care settings that promote prevention in an effort to avoid exacerbations that can lead to hospitalization. The use of emergency departments (EDs) as a safety net for ACSCs has increased the burden on hospitals because patients who do not regularly utilize primary care often resort to the use of EDs for treatment of ACSCs. Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) are designed to provide consistent, high-quality primary care to all people, …

Oral Health Knowledge, Attitudes, And Behaviors: Investigation Of An Educational Intervention Strategy With At-Risk Females, Susan Romano Rustvold

Dissertations and Theses

A self-perpetuating cycle of poor health literacy and poor oral health knowledge and behavior affects approximately 90 million people in the United States, most especially those from low-income groups and other at-risk populations such as those with addiction. Poor oral health can result from lack of access to regular preventive dental appointments, lack of access to restorative care when dental diseases are treatable, and low oral health knowledge that leads to poor oral health self-care behaviors. In addition, patients' dental anxiety can impede care, because highly anxious people often avoid dental appointments. To address these issues, this inquiry examined oral …

Target Population Involvement In Urban Ciclovias: A Preliminary Evaluation Of St. Louis Open Streets, J. Aaron Hipp, Amy A. Eyler, Jill Kuhlberg

Brown School Faculty Publications

Ciclovias are active street events when roads are open to walkers, cyclists, and families and closed to automobiles. Over 70 cities in the USA have implemented ciclovias to promote physical activity. The authors evaluated four events during 2010 to determine what activities participants perform and who is attending. For two ciclovia events in St. Louis, Missouri, observation reports of activities, gender, and age of 1,452 participants were collected, and 82 adults were interviewed via direct approach. The survey covered six domains: physical activity, travel to event, sense of community, marketing, economic impact, and demographics. Each event occurred within the city, …

Identifying Risk Factors For Disparities In Breast Cancer Mortality Among African-American And Hispanic Women, Nancy Tian, Pierre Goovaerts, F. Benjamin Zhan, T. Edwin Chow, Jeff Gaines Wilson

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: This study evaluated the risk factors associated with racial disparities in female breast cancer mortality for African-American and Hispanic women at the census tract level in Texas from 1995 to 2005.

Methods: Data on female breast cancer cases were obtained from the Texas Cancer Registry. Socioeconomic and demographic data were collected from Census 2000. Network distance and driving times to mammography facilities were estimated using Geographic Information System techniques. Demographic, poverty and spatial accessibility factors were constructed using principal component analysis. Logistic regression models were developed to predict the census tracts with significant racial disparities in breast cancer mortality …

Formative Research And Community Resilience: A Case Of Under Addressed Youth Problem Gambling, Michea Caye

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The overarching research topic for this study is the issue of effectively engaging and informing community and government decision makers about health issues that can negatively impact a community's resilience. The question guiding this study is how can formative research engage and inform community and government decision makers about the under addressed issue of youth problem gambling (YPG) in Windham County, Vermont? The study has two aims: 1) to develop a formative research conceptual framework and evaluate its effectiveness in addressing the public health issue of youth problem gambling, and 2) to use the formative research methodology to develop a …

Fibroblast-Secreted Hepatocyte Growth Factor Mediates Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Resistance In Triple-Negative Breast Cancers Through Paracrine Activation Of Met, Kelly L. Mueller, Julie M. Madden, Gina L. Zoratti, Charlotte Kuperwasser, Karin List, Julie L. Boerner

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Introduction

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have shown clinical efficacy in lung, colon, and pancreatic cancers. In lung cancer, resistance to EGFR TKIs correlates with amplification of the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) receptor tyrosine kinase Met. Breast cancers do not respond to EGFR TKIs, even though EGFR is overexpressed. This intrinsic resistance to EGFR TKIs in breast cancer does not correlate with Met amplification. In several tissue monoculture models of human breast cancer, Met, although expressed, is not phosphorylated, suggesting a requirement for a paracrine-produced ligand. In fact, HGF, the ligand for Met, is not …

The Association Of Natural Elements And Trail Use By Adults, Anna E. Greer, Julian A. Reed, Steve P. Hooker

All PTHMS Faculty Publications

We used the System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities to examine the association between variations in natural elements (ie, season, weather, and temperature) and adults’ use of a rail-trail in South Carolina (2006-2009). Most (62%) of the 4,468 trail users observed were walkers; 38% were observed participating in vigorous physical activity. Adults were most often observed using the trail during the summer (32%), sunny weather (78%), and moderate temperatures (54%). When promoting trail use among adults, natural elements should be considered.

About Abortion: The Complications Of The Category, Carol Sanger

Faculty Scholarship

My subject this afternoon is abortion, a subject that for the last 40 years has embedded itself in American consciousness, American politics, and American culture with remarkable durability and reach. Looking only at the first decade of this century – from George W. Bush to Barack Obama, to use two presidential landmarks – abortion has been central to how Americans conceptualize, debate, and sometimes resolve all sorts of things: foreign aid, health care reform, high school sex education, and judicial nominations to the Supreme Court. Abortion has been at the heart of disputes over what products Walmart keeps on its …

Associations Between Sociodemographic Characteristics And Perceptions Of The Built Environment With The Frequency, Type, And Duration Of Physical Activity Among Trail Users, Andréa L. Maslow, Julian A. Reed, Anna E. Greer, Steven P. Hooker

All PTHMS Faculty Publications

Introduction

Rail trails are elements of the built environment that support the Task Force on Community Preventive Services' recommendation to create, or enhance access to, places for physical activity (PA). The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between sociodemographic characteristics and perceptions of the built environment with the frequency, type, and duration of PA among users of an urban, paved rail trail segment.

Methods

Interviewers conducted intercept surveys with 431 rail trail users and analyzed data by using logistic regression to estimate odds ratios between sociodemographic characteristics and perceptions of the built environment on the frequency, type, …

Mise À Jour Du Répertoire Des Silencieux, Soufflettes Et Pistolets Aspirateurs, Rémy Oddo, Chantal Simard, Noureddine Atalla

Rapports de recherche scientifique

La mise à jour du répertoire des silencieux, soufflettes et pistolets aspirateurs présente les résultats de mesure obtenus sur de nouveaux appareils ainsi que sur des appareils ayant déjà été testés (en 1995) et encore présents sur le marché. À partir de ces résultats, un guide d’utilisation a été rédigé pour chaque classe d’appareils.

Le guide d’utilisation des soufflettes présente les risques potentiels liés à l’utilisation des soufflettes. Il donne également, pour différentes tâches, les modèles de soufflettes les plus performantes du point de vue acoustique. L’un des résultats importants ressortant des mesures sur les soufflettes est que, du point …

Workers Exposed To Metalworking Fluids: Evaluation Of Bioaerosol Exposure And Effects On Respiratory And Skin Health, Caroline Duchaine, Yvon Cormier, Yan Gilbert, Marc Veillette, Jacques Lavoie, Anne Mériaux, Christine Touzel, Denis Sasseville, Yves Poulin

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Cliquez ici pour la version française de ce rapport

Certains problèmes respiratoires sont observés chez les machinistes travaillant avec des fluides de coupe solubles (FC). Ces problèmes pourraient être reliés aux aérosols contenant des microorganismes présents dans les systèmes de FC. Pour mieux comprendre les effets de ces aérosols sur la santé humaine, l’environnement de travail doit être caractérisé. Nous avons détaillé la flore microbienne des FC ainsi que celle de l’air, les brouillards d’huile, les poussières inhalables et les endotoxines de 44 sites d’usinage répartis dans 25 usines du Québec. La PCR quantitative a été utilisée afin de dénombrer …

Analyse Ergonomique De La Santé Et De La Sécurité En Centre De Formation Professionnelle, Céline Chatigny, Livann Nadon-Vézina, Jessica Riel, Vanessa Couture, Priscille Hastey

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Cette recherche exploratoire porte sur les enjeux de santé et sécurité au travail (SST) en milieu scolaire d’apprentissage des métiers. Cette problématique est importante dans un contexte où les centres de formation professionnelle (CFP) investissent beaucoup pour répondre aux demandes de la Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail pour réduire des lésions professionnelles chez les jeunes. L’étude a été réalisée avec l’approche ergonomique de l’activité qui analyse la complexité du travail réel pour développer les conditions de SST avec la participation des acteurs concernés. Plusieurs partenaires de la formation professionnelle (FP) et de la SST ont …

Study Of Interventions To Reduce Musculoskeletal Disorders And Psychological Health Problems In 911 Emergency Call Centres In The Municipal Public Security System, Georges Toulouse, Louise St-Arnaud, Alain Delisle, Denis Duhalde, Julie Lévesque, Anne Marché-Paillé, Marisol Moore, Alain-Steve Comtois, Christian Larue, Erik Pena Salazar

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Cliquez ici pour la version française de ce rapport

La présente recherche fait suite à une première étude épidémiologique montrant la prévalence élevée des troubles musculo-squelettiques (TMS), des troubles de santé psychologique (TSPsy), des facteurs de risques physiques et psychosociaux chez les préposés des centres d'appels d'urgence de la sécurité publique municipale (CAU-SPM). Elle vise à comprendre comment apparaissent ces risques dans le travail afin de proposer des pistes d'action pour réduire leurs effets délétères sur la santé des préposés. Dans cette perspective, cette recherche se fonde sur l'approche ergonomique de l'activité de travail, incluant des mesures physiologiques, et est …

A Systematic Approach For Identifying The Psychological Health And Work-Related Determinants Of Occupational Disability In A Target Sector, Marie-France Coutu, Iuliana Nastasia, Marie-José Durand, Marc Corbière, Patrick Loisel, Pierre Lemieux, Marie-Elise Labrecque, Sara Pettigrew

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Cliquez ici pour la version française de ce rapport

La difficulté à se maintenir au travail en raison d’un problème de santé psychologique constitue une préoccupation sociale grandissante. Les auteurs ont voulu développer une approche systématique pour identifier les déterminants de l’incapacité à maintenir une vie professionnelle active chez le travailleur ayant des difficultés psychologiques. Pour ce faire, ils ont élaboré et effectué une première validation de deux outils à l’intention des milieux de travail : un dispositif d’enquête permettant d’identifier les déterminants, la prévalence et la distribution de la détresse psychologique et du présentéisme et un outil ergonomique pour …

Caractérisation Et Contrôle De L’Exposition Professionnelle Aux Nanoparticules Et Particules Ultrafines, Maximilien Debia, Charles Beaudry, Scott Weichenthal, Robert Tardif, André Dufresne

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Click here for the English version of this report

De nombreux travailleurs sont exposés à un ensemble de particules présentes à une échelle nanométrique. En hygiène du travail, il est commun de différencier les nanoparticules (NP) manufacturées, des particules ultrafines (PUF) qui proviennent de sources naturelles, humaine ou industrielle. Étant donné qu’il existe des lacunes importantes dans les démarches usuelles d'évaluation du risque à ces particules, l’objectif de cette recherche était d’évaluer les expositions professionnelles à des PUF et des NP. L’objectif secondaire était de tester globalement les capacités d’évaluation des expositions professionnelles aux NP et aux PUF dans un …

Contraintes Biomécaniques Exercées Aux Membres Supérieurs Lors De L’Utilisation De Petits Outils Dans Le Secteur Des Services À L’Automobile, Denis Marchand, Denis Giguère

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Entre 1998 et 2002, dans le secteur des Services à l’automobile, les troubles musculo-squelettiques aux membres supérieurs (TMS-MS) représentaient 14,9 % des jours d’arrêt de travail et 13,8 % des déboursés totaux de compensation, malgré qu’ils ne comptaient en moyenne que pour 8,7 % de l’ensemble des lésions compensées. L’objectif de ce projet était de quantifier de façon objective les contraintes physiques observées, lors d’une précédente activité de recherche dans les garages (Marchand et Giguère, 2010), chez les mécaniciens, peintres et carrossiers. En effet, les postures, et le poids des outils fréquemment utilisés par ces travailleurs, présentent une combinaison de …