Public Health Commons^™

Breaking The Silence: Learning About Youth Sexual And Reproductive Health In Egypt, Nahla G. Abdel-Tawab, Sally Saher, Nora El Nawawi

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This collection of research (supported by the Ford Foundation office in Cairo) documents the Population Council’s efforts to build the capacity of young Egyptian researchers to study youth sexual and reproductive health. Understanding the needs of young Egyptians, including their sexual and reproductive health needs, is crucial for developing policies and programs that can help bring about desired changes and improve their health and well-being. Young people must be given accurate information and access to services to protect their sexual and reproductive health and to prepare them for taking on family responsibilities as they get older. This report sets the …

The Contracting World Of Girls At Puberty: Violence And Gender-Divergent Access To The Public Sphere Among Adolescents In South Africa, Kelly Hallman, Nora Kenworthy, Judith A. Diers, Nick Swan, Bashi Devnarain

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This Population Council working paper describes a participatory mapping project undertaken with single-sex groups of grade 5 and grade 8–9 children in urban and rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. At grade 5, female self-defined community areas were equal to or larger in size than those of males in both sites. However, wide gender divergence in access to the public sphere was found among grade 8–9 children. Although curtailed spatial access, especially in urban areas, is intended to protect post-pubescent girls, grade 8–9 girls reported most spaces in their small navigable areas unsafe. Reducing girls’ access to the public sphere does not …

The Ishraq Program For Out-Of-School Girls: From Pilot To Scale-Up [Arabic], Mona Selim, Nahla G. Abdel-Tawab, Khaled El Sayed, Asmaa Elbadawy, Heba El Kalaawy

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

In response to the needs of adolescent girls in Egypt for improved schooling, health, and livelihood prospects, Ishraq (sunrise)—a multidimensional program for 12–15-year-old out-of-school girls—was launched in 2001 by the Population Council in collaboration with CEDPA, Save the Children, Caritas, and local nongovernmental organizations. The program combined traditional tested program elements (literacy, life skills, nutrition) with more innovative ones (sports, financial education). It focused on building a multilayered platform to support and institutionalize the program by educating and mobilizing communities around issues of importance to adolescent girls; forging partnerships between international NGOs, government institutions, and local NGOs; and building capacities …

Capturing The Demographic Dividend In Pakistan, Zeba Sathar, Rabbi Royan, John Bongaarts

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Pakistan’s demographic profile is changing: fertility is slowly decreasing, and people are living longer. If Pakistan succeeds in strengthening education and bringing the full panoply of reproductive rights and reproductive health services to women, it will have taken two important steps in transforming demographic change into poverty reduction and better lives for the great majority of Pakistanis. If it also takes other policy actions that can spur productive employment and investment, positive outcomes are all the more likely. This book brings together many ideas that have been discussed for some time in Pakistan and around the world, including extensive development …

Policy Brief: Adolescent Girls And Migration In The Developing World, Population Council

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

When a migrant girl is successful, she creates a ripple effect through generations: families and future children will be better off because of her ability to finish school, get a job, and stay healthy. Despite the positive potential of migration for adolescent girls, migrant girls are largely ignored in policy and programs designed to reach migrants and adolescents. Because of their age and gender, migrant girls are especially vulnerable to risks such as exploitative employment. If these girls arrive at their destination and settle in safely, their diligence can enable them to capitalize on new opportunities and become productive, contributing …

Designing, Implementing, And Evaluating A Targeted, Evidence-Based Intervention For A Vulnerable Subgroup Of Girls: A Case Study Of The Filles Éveillées ("Girls Awakened") Pilot Program For Migrant Adolescent Girls In Domestic Service In Urban Burkina Faso, Sarah Engebretsen

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Investing in adolescent girls is crucial in the developing world where a large and growing proportion of the population is under the age of 24. Research has demonstrated that adolescent girls face serious challenges around the time of puberty including withdrawal from (and lack of safety in) public spaces, loss of peers, leaving school, pressure for marriage or liaisons as livelihood strategies, and internalization of harmful gender norms. Investments need to be made at critical moments in early adolescence. While policymakers and development professionals have acknowledged the need to make investments in the poorest girls in the poorest communities early …

Follow-Up Study Of Migrant Adolescent Girls In Domestic Service Who Participated In The First Cohort Of The Filles Éveillées ("Girls Awakened") Program, Sarah Engebretsen

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Circular migration (from rural to urban areas and back) among adolescents is common throughout West Africa, with the principle motivation being the search for economic opportunities, including domestic work. The evidence base on adolescent migration and domestic work is fairly thin. Evidence on programmatic effectiveness generally ends at program completion and does not follow adolescents over time. The current study follows a subsample of migrant adolescent girls in domestic service in urban Burkina Faso who participated in the first cohort of the Filles Éveillées (Girls Awakened) pilot program. Filles Éveillées was designed to provide migrant girls in domestic service with …

The Adolescent Girls Empowerment Program: Lessons Learned From The Pilot Test Program, Karen Austrian, Natalie Jackson Hachonda, Paul C. Hewett

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Adolescent girls in Zambia face a range of risks and vulnerabilities that compromise their healthy development into young women, and lack the social, health, and economic assets to mitigate these risks. The issues that girls are confronted with include high rates of gender-based violence, unsafe sex that puts them at risk for unwanted pregnancy and HIV infection, school dropout, lack of economic resources and income-generating options, and lack of agency and participation. The Adolescent Girls Empowerment Program (AGEP) has three major components: safe spaces groups in which girls meet once a week over the course of two years for training …

Comprendre La Vie Des Adolescentes Avant Et Après La Migration: Enquête Réalisée Sur Les Sites D'Origine Auprès D'Anciennes Filles Migrantes Employées Comme Aide-Ménagères, Gisele Kaboré

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Le Population Council met en œuvre un projet en direction des adolescentes migrantes travaillant comme employées de maison dans les zones urbaines au Burkina Faso (Ouagadougou et Bobo-Dioulasso). Ce programme, dénommé «Filles Éveillées», a pour objectif d’élargir les réseaux sociaux des filles et de développer leurs compétences en capacités financières, en santé et hygiène, santé de la reproduction et en compétences de la vie courante. Il offre également aux bénéficiaires l’opportunité d’accéder à l’alphabétisation. Dans un effort d’améliorer ce programme en ville, il s’est avéré opportun de mieux comprendre les circonstances de la vie des adolescentes dans le village avant …

Évaluation De Filles Éveillées : Programme Pilote Pour Adolescentes Migrantes Employées De Maison, Sarah Engebretsen

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Le programme «Filles Éveillées» a été conçu dans le but d’accroître les réseaux sociaux et de développer les compétences des adolescentes migrantes employées de maison au Burkina Faso urbain. Il a fait l’objet de deux cycles pilotes: en 2011-2012 à Bobo-Dioulasso, puis en 2012-2013 à Ouagadougou et Bobo-Dioulasso. Une évaluation de processus a été effectuée entre les deux cycles avant d’évaluer l’efficacité du programme et d’y proposer les améliorations de structure, mise en œuvre et contenu jugées utiles avant le lancement de la seconde cohorte. Cette évaluation a donné lieu aux changements suivants: simplification du contenu programmatique sur la santé …

A Descriptive Study Of The Leadership Role Of Community Health Ambassadors On Diabetes-Related Health Behaviors, Barbara Pullen-Smith

Dissertations

Diabetes is a chronic disease that bears a disproportionate burden among African American populations. The lack of access to affordable, culturally appropriate health care is a key barrier to effective diabetes prevention or disease management for racial/ethnic minority populations. Living in public housing communities, with concentrated poverty, exacerbates the burden of diabetes and reduces access to screening and early detection services to prevent the onset of diabetes. The purpose of the study was to describe the leadership role of lay health advisors, known as Community Health Ambassadors (CHAs), on diabetes-related health behaviors of African Americans living in a public housing …

The American Public’S Perception Of Illegal Steroid Use: A National Survey, 2013, Gary Siperstein, Neil Romano, Gizem Iskenderoglu, Anthony Roman, Floyd J. Fowler Jr., Max Drascher

Center for Social Development and Education Publications

Through the surge of news about doping scandals in the media, it is expected that the public is aware of the magnitude of the problem among professional athletes; however, it is uncertain whether the public is aware that the problem often starts when athletes are younger. To this end, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, the Taylor Hooton Foundation, and the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society partnered with the Center for Social Development and Education and the Center for Survey Research at the University of Massachusetts Boston to conduct the most comprehensive national opinion survey to date to …

A Process Evaluation Of The Brief Alcohol Screening Intervention For College Students Program At The University Of Mississippi, Tiffany Bouldin Lawson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol misuse by students is a prevalent public health problem on college campuses across the nation. Underage drinking and binge drinking are two distinct forms of alcohol misuse that are comamong college students and often result in negative consequences for the students, the universities, and the surrounding communities. As a result, there is an increasing need for universities to provide targeted intervention programs for students who misuse alcohol. Furthermore, it is important that the selected interventions are capable of successful implementation on campus. The University of Mississippi currently utilizes the brief alcohol screening intervention for college students (basics) program for …

Cultural Competency In Health Care: Framework, Training And Evaluation - A Review Of The Literature, Diana Salas Coronado

Center for Social Policy Publications

Healthcare professionals are now more aware of the challenges they face when providing healthcare services to a culturally and racially diverse population. Cultural competency has emerged as a framework for understanding health disparities among racial and ethnic groups in particular, but also for women, the elderly, sexual orientation and gender identity, people with disabilities, and religious minorities. Although there are several definitions of cultural competency, each emphasizes the need for healthcare systems and providers to be aware of and responsive to patients’ cultural perspectives and backgrounds. One example defines cultural competency as “a set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies …

A Mathematical Modeling Framework For Phlebotomist Scheduling And Blood Draw Assignments In Laboratory Medicine, Laquanda T. Leaven

Dissertations

Laboratory services in healthcare delivery systems play a vital role in inpatient care. Studies have shown that laboratory data affects approximately 65% of the most critical decisions on admission, discharge, and medication. Laboratory testing accounts for approximately 10% of hospital billing. Reducing laboratory costs would contribute to reducing total healthcare cost, which is one of the major goals for the U.S. healthcare delivery system. This research focuses on improving the performance of the hospital laboratory in a large hospital system. The intention of this study is to identify and then optimize the most critical stage to improve the entire laboratory …

The Effects Of Whole Body Vibration On Muscle Recovery And Performance, Nicole Dabbs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Facilitating muscle recovery in trained individuals is essential, as it allows for a quicker return to activity without reduction in performance. Many proposed modalities have been studied but have not shown consistent effectiveness. A relatively new modality, whole-body vibration (WBV) has been shown to increase strength and power outcomes and recently has been shown to decrease perceived pain associated with muscle soreness. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the effects of WBV following exercise induced muscle damage over a period of 72 hours in recreationally trained females. Participants were randomly selected into either the control group or …

Maternal Circulating Leukocytes Display Early Chemotactic Responsiveness During Late Gestation, Nardhy Gomez-Lopez, Satomi Tanaka, Zoya Zaeem, Gerlinde A. Metz, David M. Olson

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Parturition has been widely described as an immunological response; however, it is unknown how this is triggered. We hypothesized that an early event in parturition is an increased responsiveness of peripheral leukocytes to chemotactic stimuli expressed by reproductive tissues, and this precedes expression of tissue chemotactic activity, uterine activation and the systemic progesterone/estradiol shift.

Methods

Tissues and blood were collected from pregnant Long-Evans rats on gestational days (GD) 17, 20 and 22 (term gestation). We employed a validated Boyden chamber assay, flow cytometry, quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.

Results

We found that GD20 maternal …

Subjective Health Status And Health-Related Quality Of Life Among Women With Recurrent Vulvovaginal Candidosis (Rvvc) In Europe And The Usa, Samuel Aballéa, Florent Guelfucci, Julian Wagner, Amine Khemiri, Jean-Paul Dietz, Jack Sobel, Mondher Toumi

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Recurrent vulvovaginal candidosis (RVVC) is a chronic condition causing discomfort and pain. Health status and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in RVVC were never previously described using validated questionnaires. The objective of this study is to describe subjective health status and HRQoL and estimate health state utilities among women with RVVC.

Methods

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among women who reported having suffered four or more yeast infections over the past 12 months, in five European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK) and the USA. Index scores were derived from the EQ-5D, a questionnaire providing …

An Edge-Directed Interpolation Method For Fetal Spine Mr Images, Shaode Yu, Rui Zhang, Shibin Wu, Jiani Hu, Yaoqin Xie

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Fetal spinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a prenatal routine for proper assessment of fetus development, especially when suspected spinal malformations occur while ultrasound fails to provide details. Limited by hardware, fetal spine MR images suffer from its low resolution.

High-resolution MR images can directly enhance readability and improve diagnosis accuracy. Image interpolation for higher resolution is required in clinical situations, while many methods fail to preserve edge structures. Edge carries heavy structural messages of objects in visual scenes for doctors to detect suspicions, classify malformations and make correct diagnosis. Effective interpolation with well-preserved edge structures is still …

Jiann-Ping Hsu College Of Public Health Magazine, Georgia Southern University

College of Public Health: News & Publications

• Changing Rural Public Health and Supporting Health Equity

The Biology And Taxonomy Of Head And Body Lice— Implications For Louse-Borne Disease Prevention, Denise L. Bonilla, Lance A. Durden, Marina E. Eremeeva, Gregory A. Dasch

Environmental Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Sucking lice (Phthiraptera: Anoplura) are obligate blood-feeding ectoparasites of placental mammals including humans. Worldwide, more than 550 species have been described and many are specific to a particular host species of mammal [1]. Three taxa uniquely parasitize humans: the head louse, body louse, and crab (pubic) louse. The body louse, in particular, has epidemiological importance because it is a vector of the causative agents of three important human diseases: epidemic typhus, trench fever, and louse-borne relapsing fever. Since the advent of antibiotics and more effective body louse control measures in the 1940s, these diseases have markedly diminished in incidence. However, …

Legal Issues With The Electronic Health Record, Hannah Jackson

Applied Research Projects

Introduction

The purpose of this paper is to make readers aware of the legal issues in the electronic health record (EHR) and the risks involved so they can be prepared. It is also to help provide solution to those who are already dealing with the risks. The goal of this Project is to reach out to health care facilities who are about to embark on a new chapter in health care that we call, the EHR. Everyone should know the risks of a product before purchasing and that is what my research will show.

Method

I used The Journal of …

Electronic Health Record Incentive Program Demonstrates Adoption Association With Improved Care, Keith Rosenbaum

Applied Research Projects

This study used Meaningful Use (MU) payment information as a proxy for electronic health record (EHR) adoption linked to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) data indicating quality to demonstrate the association of EHR adoption with improved care. The CMS quality indicators used were comprised of data from the value-based purchasing (VBP) program, readmission reduction program, and hospital compare mortality data. Results showed a positive association of EHR adoption with the VBP data, which most closely aligns the MU achievement period with the quality measure period. Readmission and mortality data showed negative and neutral associations, respectively, with a less aligned …

Anesthesia Information Management Systems: A Review Of The History, The Products, And The Adoption Of These Systems, Emily G. Hoffner

Applied Research Projects

Anesthesia Information Management Systems (AIMS) have been growing in popularity and use over the past decade, but widespread adoption of these systems by anesthesia groups and hospitals across the country is yet to occur. The promise of AIMS reaches beyond basic anesthesia recordkeeping into a realm of complex, integrated systems with enhanced billing, improved regulatory requirements, improved communication amongst caregivers, and reduced medical-legal exposure. In fact, AIMS have been shown to improve patient care and can increase the financial performance of a group. Despite the documented benefits of AIMS, adoption of these systems is low. This paper will review the …

Correctional Telemedicine And Its Benefits For Female Inmates, Chelsea Oliver

Applied Research Projects

The purpose of this study is to identify health issues that are specific to the female population of correctional institutions and how telemedicine would be beneficial in providing healthcare to same. A questionnaire was developed using information from literature on the topics obtained from a variety of places. Once the questionnaire was completed, a randomly selected group of telemedicine providers received the questionnaire, along with an introduction and information on the study that was being conducted.

The barriers of this study came from telemedicine providers either not responding to the questionnaire entirely or the providers only being able to answer …

Closing The Meaningful Use Gap Between Small And Large Practices, Crystal L. Jones

Applied Research Projects

The Lack of Meaningful Use Awareness in small practices is very prevalent. One may ask why there is such a gap in MU Awareness amongst small and large practices. The answer is quite the same across the board for small practices, “Cost”. This misfortune has resulted in many small practice physicians and staff being objective to the adoption of an electronic health record system. They are indifferent about the penalties that will be enforced soon, if they do not follow suite with the guidelines mandated by the ARRA. Essentially, this thesis will provide statistical data on the adoption rate of …

An Evaluation Of The Role Of The Originator Of Catastrophic Edits/Data Overwrites Within The Veteran Health Administration, Britney Braxton

Applied Research Projects

Objective: To determine which job function causes or creates a large number of Catastrophic Edit/ Data Overwrites within VHA.

Methods: The study is based on data extracted from the Catastrophic Edits Monthly Reports reported by the HC IdM Team staff on the CEs that have occurred on the MPI. Catastrophic Edits (CEs) reported by the HC IdM team between November 2011 through December 2012 are examined.

Result: Out of the 2736 Potential Identity Changes, 115 actually resulted in a CE. The number of CEs created by each job title ranged from 1% by Employee Health Clerk to 28% by Eligibility …

Increasing Patient Engagement In The African American Community Through Personal Health Record Use, Andrea Perkins

Applied Research Projects

Personal Health records have many potential benefits to patients, caregivers and institutions. In order to meet meaningful use standards EHR systems must allow patients to be able to access and easily download their healthcare records and images for their own use. Previous studies have shown that African Americans are less likely to enroll in a personal health record than other ethnic populations. This study was done to research and identify possible barriers the have limited the utilization of personal health record use in the African American community. A preliminary survey and focus group were convened to discuss issues affecting PHR …

Bringing Families Together: Parent-Student Reunification Procedures In School Crisis Planning, Ashleigh Welko

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate and review current best practices with regard to parent-student reunification procedures following crises in schools. No national recommendations for school crisis planning exist, resulting in varying degrees of completeness in school planning. Parent-student reunification is one of the most frequently ignored or under-developed aspects of school emergency planning, yet a poorly developed reunification plan has the potential to become an enormous source of chaos in the aftermath of school crisis. Expedient reunification reduces the potential for lasting trauma to both children and their parents. A best practices review of existing literature was …

Adolescents, Obesity, And Motivational Interviewing, Betty J. Cheney

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

The United States has seen higher rates of obesity (18.4%) in adolescents in recent years. The impact of obesity can be felt at all levels of public health because of the co-morbidities that correlate to obesity, especially in adolescents. Health outcomes for these future adults are dampened by health behavior decisions made today. Motivational interviewing has demonstrated promising evidence but mixed results when addressing health-related behaviors in adolescents. It is unclear what intervention characteristics are most successful, so more research is required to determine the intervention most appropriate for adolescents to improve health-related behaviors and ultimately improve health outcomes associated …