Public Health Commons^™

Epidemiology News, Georgia Southern University

Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Environmental Health Sciences: News & Publications (2011-2018)

• A Merged Model for Quality Improvement

Environmental Health News, Georgia Southern University

Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Environmental Health Sciences: News & Publications (2011-2018)

• A Merged Model for Quality Improvement

College Of Public Health News, Georgia Southern University

College of Public Health: News & Publications

• A Merged Model for Quality Improvement

Health Policy & Management News, Georgia Southern University

Health Policy & Community Health: News & Publications (2011-2018)

• A Merged Model for Quality Improvement

Less Talk, More Action: Accelerating Innovative Strategies To Eliminate Health Disparities

Population Health Matters (Formerly Health Policy Newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Population Health: Integrating Medicine And Public Health

Population Health Matters (Formerly Health Policy Newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Observational Intensity Bias Associated With Illness Adjustment: Cross Sectional Analysis Of Insurance Claims, J. E. Wennberg, D. O. Staiger, S. M. Sharp, D. J. Gottlieb

Dartmouth Scholarship

Objective: To determine the bias associated with frequency of visits by physicians in adjusting for illness, using diagnoses recorded in administrative databases.

Setting: Claims data from the US Medicare program for services provided in 2007 among 306 US hospital referral regions.

Design: Cross sectional analysis. Participants 20% sample of fee for service Medicare beneficiaries residing in the United States in 2007 (n=5 153 877).

Using Learning Collaboratives To Improve Public Health Emergency Preparedness Systems, Michael A. Stoto, Harold Cox, Melissa Higdon, Kerry Dunnell, Donald Goldmann

Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research

The U.S. National Health Security Strategy calls for the development and wide-spread implementation of quality improvement (QI) tools in public health emergency preparedness (PHEP), including the development of “learning collaboratives,” a structured way for organizations with common interests to close the gap between potential and practice by learning from each other. To test this approach, we developed and assessed separate learning collaboratives focused on PHEP emergency communications and on the use of Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) volunteers. Although participants carried out improvement projects that they felt were useful, each collaborative struggled to identify a common theme, participation was limited, and …

Evidence-Based Decision Making To Improve Public Health Practice, Ross C. Brownson, Jonathan E. Fielding, Christopher M. Maylahn

Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research

Despite the many accomplishments of public health, greater attention on evidence-based approaches is warranted. This article reviews the concepts of evidence-based public health (EBPH), on which formal discourse originated about 15 years ago. Key components of EBPH include: making decisions based on the best available scientific evidence, using data and information systems systematically, applying program planning frameworks, engaging the community in decision making, conducting sound evaluation, and disseminating what is learned. Core competencies for EBPH are emerging, including not only technical skills but also attention to administrative practices in public health agencies. To better bridge evidence and practice, the concepts …

Commentary: A Public Health And Hospital System Collaboration For Conducting Community Health Assessments And Community Health Improvement Plans: Seven Hospital Systems In Oregon And Washington And Four County Public Health Departments In Oregon And One In Washington, Lillian Shirley, Andrew S. Davidson, Marti Franc, Kathleen O'Leary, Priscilla Lewis, Marni Storey, Christine Sorvari

Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research

The following narrative describes the innovative partnership and approach to create comprehensive, meaningful, and coordinated community health assessments and community health improvement plans that fulfill the specific needs of hospital systems, local public health, and coordinated care organizations (Oregon’s version of Accountable Care Organizations).

Progress Realized: Trends In Hiv-1 Viral Load And Cd4 Cell Count In A Tertiary-Care Center From 1999 Through 2011, Howard B. Gale, Manuel D. Rodriguez, Heather J. Hoffman, Debra A. Benator, Fred M. Gordin, Ann M. Labriola, Virginia L. Kan

Epidemiology Faculty Publications

Abstract

Accumulating evidence suggests that alterations in immune function may be important in the etiology of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). To identify genetic markers in immune-related pathways, we evaluated 3,985 tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 230 candidate gene regions (adhesion-extravasation-migration, arachidonic acid metabolism/eicosanoid signaling, complement and coagulation cascade, cytokine signaling, innate pathogen detection and antimicrobials, leukocyte signaling, TNF/NF-kB pathway or other) in a case-control study of 344 PTC cases and 452 controls. We used logistic regression models to estimate odds ratios (OR) and calculate one degree of freedom P values of linear trend (PSNP-trend) for the association …

The "Coopetition" Model: Caring For San Diego's Low-Income Population, Lisa Sprague, Jessamyn Taylor

National Health Policy Forum

This site visit explored aspects of health care delivery for Medicaid beneficiaries and the uninsured in a California county marked by a diverse population, dominant managed care, and stakeholder dedication to solving problems in a spirit of "coopetition." The program looked at the impact of California's Bridge to Reform (the state's Medicaid section 1115 waiver) on federally qualified health centers and the people they serve. Eligibility and enrollment expansions in the Low Income Health Program and Medi-Cal, health information technology adoption and its use to improve care delivery and health, and patient-centered medical homes and care coordination were discussed. The …

Impact Of The Tohoku Earthquake And Tsunami On Pneumonia Hospitalisations And Mortality Among Adults In Northern Miyagi, Japan: A Multicentre Observational Study, Hisayoshi Daito, Motoi Suzuki, Jun Shiihara, Paul E. Kilgore, Hitoshi Ohtomo, Konosuke Morimoto, Masayuki Ishida, Taro Kamigaki, Hitoshi Oshitani, Masahiro Hashizume, Wataru Endo, Koichi Hagiwara, Koya Ariyoshi, Shoji Okinaga

Department of Pharmacy Practice

Background On 11 March 2011, the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami struck off the coast of northeastern Japan. Within 3 weeks, an increased number of pneumonia admissions and deaths occurred in local hospitals.

Methods A multicentre survey was conducted at three hospitals in Kesennuma City (population 74000), northern Miyagi Prefecture. All adults aged ≥18 years hospitalised between March 2010 and June 2011 with community-acquired pneumonia were identified using hospital databases and medical records. Segmented regression analyses were used to quantify changes in the incidence of pneumonia.

Results A total of 550 pneumonia hospitalisations were identified, including 325 during the pre-disaster period …

Public Health Delivery Systems And Population Health: What We Know And Need To Learn, Glen P. Mays

Health Management and Policy Presentations

Despite high overall health expenditures, the U.S. continues to fall behind other high-income countries on many measures of population health. While health care delivery systems are now studied intensively for solutions to U.S. cost and quality problems, the nation's delivery systems for public health programs and policies are only now becoming the subject of rigorous empirical study. This presentation examines recent studies of public health delivery systems and important directions for future inquiry.

College Of Public Health News, Georgia Southern University

College of Public Health: News & Publications

• JPHCOPH Studies Childhood Obesity

Latitudinal Variations In Seasonal Activity Of Influenza And Respiratory Syncytial Virus (Rsv): A Global Comparative Review, Kimberly Bloom-Feshbach, Wladimir J. Alonso, Vivek Charu, James Tamerius, Lone Simonsen, Mark A. Miller, Cecile Viboud

Global Health Faculty Publications

Background

There is limited information on influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) seasonal patterns in tropical areas, although there is renewed interest in understanding the seasonal drivers of respiratory viruses.

Methods

We review geographic variations in seasonality of laboratory-confirmed influenza and RSV epidemics in 137 global locations based on literature review and electronic sources. We assessed peak timing and epidemic duration and explored their association with geography and study settings. We fitted time series model to weekly national data available from the WHO influenza surveillance system (FluNet) to further characterize seasonal parameters.

Results

Influenza and RSV activity consistently peaked during …

Service Learning In Guatemala: Using Qualitative Content Analysis To Explore An Interdisciplinary Learning Experience Among Students In Health Care Professional Programs, Kathleen S. Fries, Donna M. Bowers, Margo Gross, Lenore Frost

Nursing Faculty Publications

What is the experience of interprofessional collaboration as a nursing, occupational, or physical therapy health care student taking part in a weeklong service-learning experience? Interprofessional collaboration among health care professionals yields improved patient outcomes, yet many students in health care programs have limited exposure to interprofessional collaboration in the classroom and in clinical and service-learning experiences. This practice gap implies that students enter their professions without valuing interprofessional collaboration and the impact it has on promoting positive patient outcomes.

The aim of this study was to describe the interprofessional experiences of students in health care professional programs as they collaborated …

Estimating The Health And Economic Effects Of Public Health Spending, Glen P. Mays

Health Management and Policy Presentations

Preventable health conditions account for more than 75% of the $2.7 trillion spent annually on health care in the U.S., yet less than 5% of these expenditures are devoted to public health programs and services that are designed to prevent and control disease and injury rather than to treat the downstream consequences of these conditions. Such limited expenditures in public health may contribute to the higher rates of preventable morbidity, mortality and excess medical costs experienced in the U.S. compared to other high-income countries. In this presentation, I update previous estimates of the health effects and medical cost offsets associated …

Hpv Vaccination Among Young Adult Women: A Perspective From Appalachian Kentucky, Laurel A. Mills, Katharine J. Head, Robin C. Vanderpool

Health, Behavior & Society Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION: Few studies have assessed barriers to human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination uptake and adherence, particularly among women of Appalachian Kentucky, a population with higher rates of cervical cancer, lower rates of HPV vaccination, and lower socioeconomic status compared with the rest of the nation. The objective of this study was to address women's reasons for declining the HPV vaccine and, among women who initiated the vaccine series, barriers to completion of the 3-dose regimen.

METHODS: We recruited 17 women aged 18 to 26 from a Federally Qualified Health Center who participated in in-depth, semistructured telephone interviews. All interviews were audio-recorded …

Assessing The Health Needs Of The Burmese And Bhutanese Refugees In South Philadelphia, Patricia Tolu-Ajayi

CwiC-PH

While refugees initially receive government aid (eg, Refugee Medical Assistance) upon arrival to the US, they often have unresolved medical concerns that persist beyond their initial period of government assistance (8 Months). To address these unmet health needs, Refugee Health Partners at Thomas Jefferson University started a free clinic targeting refugees from Bhutan and Burma living in South Philadelphia. An important finding from this clinic was that many refugees do not utilize the health care system, regardless of insurance status. Consequently, it is not known what health and social issues are most prevalent.

Continued Clinic Staff Education, Joseph S. Hong

CwiC-PH

Improving patient care by providing teaching sessions to hospital and clinic staff. The staff include medical assistants, technicians, and front office staff. The desired result would be to create an environment of scientific curiosity and improved understanding, for what the patients are dealing with. Thereby improving empathetic care when interacting with the patient.

Helping Refugees Navigate The Health Care Maze, Jenna Fox, Andy Kay

CwiC-PH

Jenna’s main focus during her Bridging the Gaps assignment at NSC was an outcomes assessment for use in grant applications. Her side projects included client service and education development

Analysis Of Importance Of Implementing Spiritual Assessment And Care Of Patients In Clinical Settings, You Na Park

CwiC-PH

Health professionals need to take care of patients’ spirituality, evaluate various spiritual approaches from both professional and public voices, and address concerns and potential conflicts in meeting the patients’ spiritual needs. There is a number of strategies and solutions to addressing the concerns of spiritual assessments and management of the patients in clinical setting.

Environmental And Occupational Interventions For Primary Prevention Of Cancer: A Cross-Sectorial Policy Framework, Carolina Espina, Miquel Porta, Joachim Schüz, Ildefonso Hernández Aguado, Robert V. Percival, Carlos Dora, Terry Slevin, Julietta Rodriguez Guzman, Tim Meredith, Philip J. Landrigan, Maria Neira

Faculty Scholarship

Nearly 13 million new cancer cases and 7.6 million cancer deaths occur worldwide each year; 63% of cancer deaths occur in low and middle-income countries. A substantial portion of all cancers are attributable to carcinogenic exposures in the environment and the workplace.

The objective of this study was to develop an evidence-based global vision and strategy for the primary prevention of environmental and occupational cancer.

The study concluded that opportunities exist to revitalize comprehensive global cancer control policies by incorporating primary interventions against environmental and occupational carcinogens.

Development Of A Diagnostic Test Set To Assess Agreement In Breast Pathology: Practical Application Of The Guidelines For Reporting Reliability And Agreement Studies (Grras), Natalia V. Oster, Patricia A. Carney, Kimberly H. Allison, Donald L. Weaver, Lisa Reisch, Gary Longton, Tracy Onega

Dartmouth Scholarship

Diagnostic test sets are a valuable research tool that contributes importantly to the validity and reliability of studies that assess agreement in breast pathology. In order to fully understand the strengths and weaknesses of any agreement and reliability study, however, the methods should be fully reported. In this paper we provide a step-by-step description of the methods used to create four complex test sets for a study of diagnostic agreement among pathologists interpreting breast biopsy specimens. We use the newly developed Guidelines for Reporting Reliability and Agreement Studies (GRRAS) as a basis to report these methods.

Where Are They Now? Understanding How Src Directorship Influences Medical Student Career Trajectories And Outcomes Post-Graduation, Anita Modi,, Ann Vale, James D. Plumb, Md, Mph

CwiC-PH

JeffHOPE, a student-run clinic (SRC) designed to empower and care for Philadelphia's underserved population, was established in 1991 by the students of Jefferson Medical College. Since its inception, the program has been led by over 100 student directors, who oversee each of the five JeffHOPE clinics staffed by fellow medical students every week. But where are the directors now, and how did their leadership experiences caring for the underserved influence their career trajectories? Through the administration of a 20-question survey, we aimed to explore the experiences and accomplishments of medical student directors throughout the 20-year history of JeffHOPE, as well …

Asthma Questionnaire For An Immigrant Chinese Population, Ho-Hin Choy, Whitney Shiau, Md, Audrey Lung Md, Faap

CwiC-PH

Asthma is a key public health problem for the pediatric population of the United States. 7 million children in the United States have been diagnosed with asthma at some point in their lives (1). Asthma remains a disease that occurs in higher rates among minority populations. Those living in inner-city environments are most at risk. A study performed in an inner-city area of Boston, MA showed that 16% of an Asian American school age population had previously diagnosed asthma with an additional 3% having possible undiagnosed asthma (2). Northeast Medical Services (NEMS), a federally qualified community health center (FQHC), serves …

Mural Painting In South Philadelphia: A Means Of Addressing Racism Directed Against Bhutanese And Burmese Refugees, And Improving Health Outcomes, Meera Bhardwaj

CwiC-PH

INTRODUCTION

• Acculturation is the process of adjusting personal behavior patterns in response to prolonged interaction with another culture [1, 2].
• Discrimination in the host country significantly affects the acculturation process. Refugees have an extremely high risk for discrimination [3]. Discrimination exacerbates existing mental health conditions and activates the HPA [4].
• In the South Philadelphia refugees from Bhutan and Myanmar have been resettled into the neighborhood of East Passyunk/Moymensing. This demographic change has unfortunately resulted in acts of discrimination by the local community against the refugees.
• Mural Arts is painting a mural in the heart of this neighborhood. This mural will …

The Contribution Of Schizophrenia To Homelessness: Analysis Of The Housing First Model And Possible Prevention Of Serious Mental Illness, Elijah Grillo

CwiC-PH

The Problem

• 2.6 million schizophrenics in the US accounting for more inpatient treatment days than any other medical illness (national cost: $62 billion/year).

• 6% (~160,000) are homeless or live in shelters

• Make up 36% of the 700,000 homeless individuals in the US.

Health Care Delivery And Community Development In Rural Nepal, Abdul-Razaq Adeniyi

CwiC-PH

The barriers to health delivery and access to care in the developing world have numerous origins. From poverty and education, to environmental and cultural factors, the immense complexity of the problem demands innovative, dynamic, and comprehensive treatment models. Through a 5 week research and observational internship at Dhulikhel Hospital, in Dhulikhel Nepal, I was able to observe how the public health and community outreach arm or the hospital engaged in an effective model of delivery incorporating community participation, economic development, an innovative collaboration.