Public Health Commons^™

Air Force Demographics Of Sexually Transmitted Infections 2007 To 2012, Daniel R. Shea

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

In the United States there is a significant gap between Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) rates of Caucasians and African Americans. This disparity is attributed to many causes including access to health care, socioeconomic status, and social dynamics. The objective of this research is to describe the racial demographics of STI infections in the Air Force and explore possible disparities based on military pay grades. The military enforces many of the recommendations on how to limit STI health disparities by offering easy access to free health care and mandatory regular checkups. Despite these policies, the data reveals significant disparities based on …

Reception Centers In Response To Radiological Hazards: Correctly Triaging Survivors, Ameer Matariyeh

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

A disastrous incident involving radiological materials has the potential to cause mass casualties exceeding several thousand. Early diagnostic screening and triage at community reception centers (CRC) are excellent tools to keep communities safe from unidentified radiological material. Community receptionists quickly screen survivors with portable radiation detectors before triaged first aid survivors are transported to a nearby hospital. Screening for radiation immediately upon arrival to a community reception center reduces internal and external radiation dose levels, as well as the chance of chronic radiation illness. This culminating experience sought to determine if different CRC flow charts affect survivor triage.

Perception Of Slipperiness And Prospective Risk Of Slipping At Work, Theodore K. Courtney, Santosh K. Verma, Wen-Ruey Chang, Yueng-Hsiang Huang, David A. Lombardi, Melanye J. Brennan, Melissa J. Perry

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Objectives: Falls are a leading cause of injury at work, and slipping is the predominant cause of falling. Prior research has suggested a modest correlation between objective measures (such as coefficient of friction, COF) and subjective measures of slipperiness (such as worker perceptions) in the workplace. However, the degree of association between subjective measures and the actual risk of slipping at the workplace is unknown. This study examined the association between perception of slipperiness and the risk of slipping.

Methods: 475 workers from 36 limited-service restaurants participated in a 12-week prospective cohort study. At baseline, demographic information was collected, participants …

Treatment-As-Prevention In Aids Control: Why Communication Still Matters, Rupali J. Limaye, Jeffrey Bingenheimer, Rajiv N. Rimal, Susan Krenn, Claudia Vondrasek

Prevention and Community Health Faculty Publications

Treatment-as-prevention is a term used to describe an HIV prevention method that uses antiretroviral treatment to minimize the chance of HIV transmission, with the idea that treatment can decrease the viral load of those infected to a level where transmission risk is minimal. However, for treatment-as-prevention to be a success, individuals must get tested, know their status, seek care, and adhere to their antiretroviral regimen. Communication plays a role in each of these steps, as communication can be used to create demand for health-seeking behavior and as a means to increase quality and support on the supply side, at the …

Development And Assessment Of Traditional And Innovative Media To Reduce Individual Hiv/Aids-Related Stigma Attitudes And Beliefs In India, Caricia Catalani, Diego Castaneda, Freya Spielberg

Prevention and Community Health Faculty Publications

Although stigma is considered a major barrier to effective response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, there is a lack of evidence on effective interventions. This media intervention took place among key HIV-vulnerable communities in Southern India. Two HIV stigma videos were created using techniques from traditional film production and new media digital storytelling. A series of 16 focus group discussions were held in 4 rural and 4 urban sites in South India, with specific groups for sex workers, men who have sex with men, young married women, and others. Focus groups with viewers of the traditional film (8 focus groups, 80 …

2013 Community Benefit Summary, Children's Mercy Hospital

Community Benefits

Fiscal year report on the community benefits provided by Children's Mercy Kansas City to the communities in the Kansas City region.

Medical Tourism: The Role Of Communication Regarding Risks And Benefits Of Obtaining Medical Services Abroad., Kevin Wright, Alicia Mason

Faculty Submissions

The ever-increasing globalization of healthcare has led to a greater number of consumers using the World Wide Web for the purpose of accessing health information and medical services that transcends international borders (Kangas, 2010; Lunt, Mannion, & Exworthy, 2012; MacReady, 2007; Snyder, Crooks, Adams, Kingsbury, & Johnston, 2011). When faced with the high cost of health care or limited treatment options in the United States, more and more Americans are looking to developing countries to obtain a variety of health-related services, including cosmetic surgery, dentistry, diagnostic testing, fertility treatment, and major surgeries such as heart valve operations and organ transplants …

Intellectual Property And Public Health – A White Paper, Ryan G. Vacca, James Ming Chen, Jay Dratler Jr., Thomas Folsom, Timothy S. Hall, Yaniv Heled, Frank A. Pasquale, Elizabeth A. Reilly, Jeffery Samuels, Katherine J. Strandburg, Kara W. Swanson, Andrew W. Torrance, Katharine A. Van Tassel

Faculty Scholarship

On October 26, 2012, the University of Akron School of Law’s Center for Intellectual Property and Technology hosted its Sixth Annual IP Scholars Forum. In attendance were thirteen legal scholars with expertise and an interest in IP and public health who met to discuss problems and potential solutions at the intersection of these fields. This report summarizes this discussion by describing the problems raised, areas of agreement and disagreement between the participants, suggestions and solutions made by participants and the subsequent evaluations of these suggestions and solutions. Led by the moderator, participants at the Forum focused generally on three broad …

Physical Mistreatment In Persons With Alzheimer’S Disease, Gregory Paveza, Carla Vandeweerd, Margaret Walsh, Jaime Corvin

Library Scholarship

Physical mistreatment has been estimated to affect 2 million older persons each year and dramatically affects health outcomes. While researchers have attempted to examine risk factors for specific forms of abuse, many have been able to focus on only victim or perpetrator characteristics, or a limited number of psychosocial variables at any one time. Additionally, data on risk factors for subgroups such as persons with Alzheimer’s disease who may have heightened and/or unique risk profiles has also been limited. This paper examines risk for physical violence in caregiver/patient dyads who participated in the Aggression and Violence in Community-Based Alzheimer’s Families …

Central Columbia School District Health Impact Assessment Report, Carl Milofsky, Hayden Yancey, Wenhui Xiu, Zach Moon, Matt Mcanear, Kety Silva, Brandn Green

Technical Reports

Central Columbia School District (CCSD) Superintendent Harry Mathias contracted us to undertake a community impact assessment of the Central Columbia District Community Wellness and Athletic Center. We developed a multiple methods research approach that used analysis of the Action Health community health assessment and ethnographic evaluation methods through interviews, mapping of social infrastructure and assets, and an inventory of community health programming. We created a research team consisting of five undergraduate students and they gathered all of the data used in this report. They were advised by Brandn Green and Carl Milofsky of Bucknell University. -- introduction

Patent Landscape Of Helminth Vaccines And Related Technologies, Jon R. Cavicchi, Stanley P. Kowalski, John Schroeder, Rayna Burke, Jillian Michaud-King

Law Faculty Scholarship

Executive Summary This report focuses on patent landscape analysis of technologies related to vaccines targeting parasitic worms, also known as helminths. These technologies include methods of formulating vaccines, methods of producing of subunits, the composition of complete vaccines, and other technologies that have the potential to aid in a global response to this pathogen. The purpose of this patent landscape study was to search, identify, and categorize patent documents that are relevant to the development of vaccines that can efficiently promote the development of protective immunity against helminths. The search strategy used keywords which the team felt would be general …

Critical Analysis Of Contemporary Public Health Genomics And Needs Assessment For Public Health Genomics Course Curriculum, Kim London

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Objective: To analyze the need for increased content on genomics in Public Health (PH) academic curriculum.

Methods: A literature synthesis was performed of various genetic science studies. Results were assessed with regard to the number and type of genomic studies published, cost to perform genetic analyses, health care provider and the public’s use and understanding of genetic testing capabilities. A search was conducted and assessment performed of public health genomics curriculum at accredited public health educational programs.

Results: The cost to sequence a single genome declined from $10 million in 2007 to under $10 thousand in 2012. This cost reduction …

Proyecto Interconexiones: A Pilot Test Of A Community-Based Depression Care Program For Latina Violence Survivors, Christina Nicolaidis, Angie Mejia, Marlen Perez, Anabertha Alvarado, Rosemary Celaya-Alston, Yolanda Quintero, Raquel Aguillon

Chicano/Latino Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Latina intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors often face great barriers to depression care. We sought to use a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach to create and evaluate a community-based depression care program for Latina IPV survivors.

Methods: We created a multifaceted, culturally tailored intervention, based on principles of chronic illness management. A promotora provided case management services and led 12 weekly group sessions. Participants completed surveys at baseline and 6 months and participated in open-ended exit interviews.

Results: Ten Spanish-speaking Latina women participated in the intervention. The program had excellent attendance, with 100% of women attending …

From Problem-Solving To Research Utilization: How Operations Research And Program Evaluation Can Make Programs Better, Karen Foreit

HIV and AIDS

HIV treatment, care, and support, and PMTCT programs are most effective when based on the best available research evidence. This is the fundamental premise of evidence-based medicine. Equally well known is the dilemma of transforming evidence into practice, which is the subject of knowledge translation and implementation science. Even when the findings of clinical trials make their way into international and national program guidelines, they run up against competing priorities within public health and community programs, resource constraints, and institutional and human inertia. Understanding how to effectively change the approach used in program operations requires understanding how programs work in …

What Are Parents' Perceptions On Immunizations Causing Autism Spectrum Disorders?, Shanae Nicole Blake

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to identify parental perceptions on immunizations causing Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs), and identify whether or not these perceptions influenced whether or not a parent vaccinated their child. If parents are educated on vaccinations, and understand that numerous studies have been conducted proving immunizations do not cause autism, it may prevent a host of possible problems that may arise in the future.

The Relationship Between School District Tobacco Policy And Smoking Rates Of 10th Grade Students In Montgomery County, Ohio, Ajiri E. Ikede

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Tobacco use is responsible for a multitude of preventable deaths each year in the United States. Smoking is the most common form of tobacco use and tends to begin during the adolescent years, thereby resulting in a prolonged lifetime exposure to the harmful effects of tobacco. Smoking behavior among students has been shown to be influenced by school tobacco policies, thus the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) recommends all school campuses adopt a 100% tobacco-free policy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between school district tobacco policies and student smoking rates. Survey responses from students in …

Differences In Demographic, Behavioral, And Biological Variables Between Those With Valid And Invalid Accelerometry Data: Implications For Generalizability, Paul D. Loprinzi, Bradley J. Cardinal, Carlos J. Crespo, Gary R. Brodowicz, Ross E. Andersen, Ellen Smit

Community Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: The exclusion of participants with invalid accelerometry data (IAD) may lead to biased results and/or lack of generalizability in large population studies. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether demographic, behavioral, and biological differences occur between those with IAD and valid accelerometry data (VAD) among adults using a representative sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized U.S. population. Methods: Ambulatory participants from NHANES (2003-2004) who were 20-85 years of age were included in the current study and wore an ActiGraph 7164 accelerometer for 7 days. A "valid person" was defined as those with 4 or more days of at …

Molecular Epidemiology Of Early And Acute Hiv Type 1 Infections In The United States Navy And Marine Corps, 2005–2010, Richard A. Heipertz, Eric Sanders-Buell, Gustavo Kijak, Shana Howell, Michelle Lazzaro, Linda L. Jagodzinski, John Eggleston, Sheila Peel, Jennifer Malia, Adam Armstrong, Nelson L. Michael, Jerome H. Kim, Robert J. O'Connell, Paul T. Scott, David Brett-Major, Sodsai Tovanabutra

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

The U.S. military represents a unique population within the human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) pandemic. The last comprehensive study of HIV-1 in members of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps (Sea Services) was completed in 2000, before large-scale combat operations were taking place. Here, we present molecular characterization of HIV-1 from 40 Sea Services personnel who were identified during their seroconversion window and initially classified as HIV-1 negative during screening. Protease/reverse transcriptase (pro/rt) and envelope (env) sequences were obtained from each member of the cohort. Phylogenetic analyses were carried out on these regions to determine relatedness within the cohort and …

Combating Sti Epidemic: Community Perspectives Learned From Mixed-Gender Focus Group Study, K. M. M. Islam, Laura C. Vinson, Sherri Nared, Ira Combs, Melissa Tibbits, Shinobu Watanabe-Galloway, Ruth Margalit

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

Background. Since 2004, Douglas County in Nebraska has been experiencing higher rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) than the rest of the state. Northern Omaha has been considered to be one of the “hot spots” for STIs in the county. In 2011-2012, a focus group study was conducted to investigate the community’s perception of STIs and to identify strategies to increase the testing and treatment of STIs. Methods. Fourteen young adults were recruited to participate in two mixed-gender focus group sessions, each lasting 1.5 hours. Sessions covered various topics on STIs. Audio-recorded sessions were transcribed and analyzed by …

Documentation Of Hiv Prevention Research And Programmatic Learnings From India—Selected Peer-Reviewed Journal Publications From The Knowledge Network Project (Volume 1), Population Council

HIV and AIDS

Over the past decade (2000–11), India has achieved dramatic successes in reversing the HIV epidemic. These successes are largely due to the implementation of upscaled HIV-prevention interventions by the National AIDS Control Organization, two other donors, and nongovernmental organizations, under the National AIDS Control Program III. As the epidemic in India is concentrated in vulnerable subpopulations, these interventions were focused on high-risk groups. It is important to understand the lessons learned from the implementation of HIV-prevention programs and the vulnerabilities that need to be addressed to reach the goal of zero new infections. To support this understanding, the Population Council …

Comparing Two-Year Community College And Four-Year University Student Social And Behavioral Sexually Transmitted Infection Risk Factors, Oswald M. Attin

Faculty Dissertations

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) could cause ectopic, cervical cancer, infertility, and organ damage to the heart, kidneys, and brain. This study compared several behavioral risk factors of STIs (condom use, number of sexual partners, type of sex (anal or vaginal) and drinking habits) between two distinct educational settings and their association with socioeconomic risk factors such as low income and parent’s lower level of education that are known to increase the incidence of STIs among college-aged students. This study was based on the precautionary-health-behavior model, where individuals act regardless of consequences, and the health-behavior-change model, where individual behaviors either increase …

Ua12/4 Stall Street Journal, Vol. 5, Wku Health Services

WKU Administration Documents

Broadsides developed by WKU Health Services to convey public health information in students in bathroom stalls. Incomplete run.

Factors Affecting Uptake Of, And Adherence To, Treatment For Latent Tuberculosis Infection In Ventanilla, Peru, Mariano Matias Iberico Lozada

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

In Peru, treatment for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) with isoniazid is free for all people younger than 20 who have been in close contact with a person with active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Despite the availability of this drug therapy within the context of a TB control program that exceeds the international standards for TB care, very few children access, and even fewer complete a full course of treatment. This study was done in order to understand which factors contribute to latent tuberculosis infection treatment uptake and adherence, and whether a socio-economic intervention could improve uptake and adherence of treatment for …

Diabetes Is A Community Issue: Evidence-Based Diabetes Education Outreach Programs In The African American Population, Maleka J. Embry

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

The purpose of this study was to assess the health needs of Montgomery County and determine which populations are at a greater risk for diabetes. The research looked at evidence-based diabetes outreach programs geared towards those populations and how they can be implemented in Montgomery County. Methods: The Montgomery County Community Health Assessment 2010 was examined. The assessment was conducted using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, Ohio Department of Health Data Warehouse, Ohio Department of Health Vital Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau, Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association hospital discharge data, Dayton Children’s …

Antibiotic Resistance In Foodborne Pathogens, Ciara Walsh, Geraldine Duffy

Reports

Wide-spread antibiotic resistance among bacterial pathogens is now a serious public health issue and multi-antibiotic resistance has been reported in many foodborne pathogens including Salmonella and E. coli. A study to determine antibiotic resistance profiles of a range of Salmonella and Verocytotoxigenic E.coli (VTEC) isolated from Irish foods revealed significant levels of antibiotic resistance in the strains. S. typhimurium DT104 were multiantibiotic resistant with 97% resistant to 7 antibiotics. S. Dublin and S. Agona showed lower levels of antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance among VTEC isolates was generally low but two isolates of E. coli O157:H7 from minced beef were shown …

Parental Feeding Practices In Mexican American Families: Initial Test Of An Expanded Measure, Jeanne M. Tschann, Steven E. Gregorich, Carlos Penilla, Lauri A. Pasch, Cynthia L. De Groat, Elena Flores, Julianna Deardorff, Louise C. Greenspan, Nancy F. Butte

School of Education Faculty Research

Background: Although obesity rates are high among Latino children, relatively few studies of parental feeding practices have examined Latino families as a separate group. Culturally-based approaches to measurement development can begin to identify parental feeding practices in specific cultural groups. This study used qualitative and quantitative methods to develop and test the Parental Feeding Practices (PFP) Questionnaire for use with Mexican American parents. Items reflected both parent’s use of control over child eating and child-centered feeding practices.

Methods: In the qualitative phase of the research, 35 Latino parents participated in focus groups. Items for the PFP were developed from focus …

Prevalence Of Hiv, Hepatitis B And C, And Co-Infection In A Cohort Of Male Injection Drug Users In Delhi, Lopamudra Saraswati, Mary Philip Sebastian, Avina Sarna, Vartika Sharma, Ira Madan, Dean Lewis, Ibou Thior, Waimar Tun

HIV and AIDS

India has a large injection drug user (IDU) population estimated at 177,000 nationally with an HIV prevalence of 7.2 percent. Historically, the presence of IDU populations and associated HIV infection was concentrated in the northeastern states of the country. Recent evidence documents IDU populations in other parts of the country. Delhi has an estimated 17,000 IDUs and the second highest HIV prevalence in India at 18.3 percent. The probability of becoming infected with HIV after using an infected syringe ranges from 0.34 percent to 1.4 percent. By comparison, the risk for hepatitis C (HCV) ranges from 1.5 percent to 5 …

People Who Inject Drugs, Hiv Risk, And Hiv Testing Uptake In Sub-Saharan Africa, A K. Asher, J A. Hahn, Marie-Claude Couture, K Maher, Page

Nursing and Health Professions Faculty Research and Publications

Dramatic rises in injection drug use (IDU) in sub-Saharan Africa account for increasingly more infections in a region already overwhelmed by the HIV epidemic. There is no known estimate of the number of people who inject drugs (PWID) in the region, or the associated HIV prevalence in PWID. We reviewed literature with the goal of describing high-risk practices and exposures in PWID in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as current HIV prevention activities aimed at drug use. The literature search looked for articles related to HIV risk, injection drug users, stigma, and HIV testing in sub-Saharan Africa. This review found evidence …

Condom Negotiation Across Different Relationship Types By Young Women Engaged In Sex Work In Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Lisa Maher, Julie Mooney-Somers, Pisith Phlong, Marie-Claude Couture, Serey Serey Kien, Ellen Stein, Anna Juong Bates, Neth Sansothy, Kimberly Page, Young Women's Health Study Collaborative

Nursing and Health Professions Faculty Research and Publications

Cambodia’s 100% Condom Use Programme is credited with an increase in consistent condom use in commercial sexual interactions and a decrease in HIV prevalence among female sex workers (FSWs). There has been little improvement in condom use between FSWs and non-commercial partners, prompting calls for more innovative approaches to increasing condom use in these relationships. To understand why condoms are used or not used in sexual interactions involving FSWs, we examined condom negotiation across different types of relationships. We conducted 33 in-depth interviews with young (15 to 29 years) women engaged in sex work in Phnom Penh. There was an …

Liberation Health And The Role Of The Public Health Leader, Courtney Keeler

Nursing and Health Professions Faculty Research and Publications

The following short report lays the groundwork for rethinking the practice and implications of public health leadership in the context of liberation health. Liberation health reduces to a universal idea:health is freedom. In short, everyone holds a subjective notion of health and, within certain bounds, has the right to promote and maintain that health. This report briefly describes liberation health, discusses the implications of liberation health for public health leadership, and outlines two needed transformations in moving towards a liberation health model of leadership. The report details areas for future research on this topic among public health leaders …