Public Health Commons^™

Care With Dignity: Understanding How To Care For Hiv Positive And Formerly Incarcerated Populations, Caroline Komanecky, Terry Trudeau, Med, James D. Plumb, Md, Mph, Helen Koenig, Md

CwiC-PH

Philadelphia FIGHT is a comprehensive HIV/AIDS service organization providing primary care, consumer education, advocacy, and research on potential treatments and vaccines. FIGHT was formed as a partnership of individuals living with HIV/AIDS and clinicians, who joined together to improve the lives of people living with the disease. Today, FIGHT serves an even broader patient population and recently received designation as a Federally Qualified Health Center. FIGHT strives to address not only HIV-infected patients, but all at-risk populations through education, outreach, and preventative medicine. The annual Bridging the Gaps interns are responsible for several projects, including a client satisfaction survey, a …

Chhs February 2015 E-Newsletter, Dr. John Bonaguro, Dean, Vashon S. Wells, Editor, Wku College Of Health & Human Services

College of Health & Human Services Publications

No abstract provided.

Designs Of Two Randomized, Community-Based Trials To Assess The Impact Of Influenza Immunization During Pregnancy On Respiratory Illness Among Pregnant Women And Their Infants And Reproductive Outcomes In Rural Nepal, James M. Tielsch, Mark Steinhoff, Joanne Katz, Janet A. Englund, Jane Kuypers, Subarna K. Khatry, Laxman Shrestha, Steven C. Leclerq

Global Health Faculty Publications

Background: Among the most important causes of illness and death in both pregnant women and their newborn infants are respiratory infections including influenza. Pregnant women in North America have a 4 to 5 fold excess rate of hospitalization compared to non-pregnant women. Rates of infant hospitalization associated with influenza are much higher than in their mothers. Fully half of children hospitalized for influenza in the US are in the age group 0–5 months, a group where no vaccine is licensed. Data on influenza are much fewer in low income countries where the risks of serious morbidity and mortality are …

Risk Of Gastrointestinal Bleeding Associated With Oral Anticoagulants: Population Based Retrospective Cohort Study, Hsien-Yen Chang, Meijia Zhou, Wenze Tang, G. Caleb Alexander, Sonal Singh

Epidemiology Faculty Publications

Objectives To determine the real world safety of dabigatran or rivaroxaban compared with warfarin in terms of gastrointestinal bleeding.

Design Retrospective cohort study.

Setting Large administrative database of commercially insured people in United States from 1 October 2010 through 31 March 2012.

Participants Enrollees with a prescription of warfarin, dabigatran, or rivaroxaban between 1 October 2010 and 31 March 2012, who were aged 18 years or older, had continuous enrollment and no oral anticoagulant use during the six months before the entry date, with known age and sex, and with no gastrointestinal bleeding for at least six months before the …

Health Care In Bolivia: A First Hand Experience, Sanchi Malhotra

CwiC-PH

This research project is based on a one month work experience in Cochabamba, Boliva through the NGO Sustainable Bolivia at Hosptial Viedma, a major public hospital and Centre de Salud Pacata, a rural outpatient health clinic. The information presented below is derived from both research and personal experience. This trip was partially funded by Jefferson Office of International Affairs with the goal of gaining experience and knowledge about the Bolivian health care system.

Universal Healthcare: Costa Rica As A Model, Annie J. Ferris

CwiC-PH

What it Looks Like in Costa Rica

• Run by the Costa Rican Social Security Administration
• Financed by employers, employees, and the Ministry of Health. Employer and employee contributions together make up over 90% of contributions.
• Costa Rica is divided into 105 health areas, which are further divided up into primary care units called Basic Provision Units of Integrated Healthcare, or EBAIS. There are 947 of these primary care centers throughout Costa Rica, and everyone is assigned to one.
• The EBAIS clinics provide a wide range of services to cover the general and specific health needs of the community, including primary …

Establishing Roots In West Philadelphia, Nina Millman, James Larosa, Skip Weiner, Rickie Brawer, Mph, Phd, James D. Plumb, Md, Mph

CwiC-PH

Urban Tree Connection

Urban Tree Connection is an organization that utilizes plots of land which have been abandoned. The organization uses the land to create gardens that grow produce which is then sold at markets and to the community. Their goal is to provide access to fresh fruits and vegetables in the food desert areas of West Philadelphia. Members of the community are able to get involved by allowing some of their land to be used as gardens and helping to maintain the sites. The organization also tries to spread information about sustainability including a compost program in the neighborhood.

Regional Disparities In Neurocritical Care Outcomes, Kali Graham

CwiC-PH

BACKGROUND

• Determinants of Neurocritical Care Outcomes: Social as opposed to biological disparities can frequently dictate health outcomes for neurocritically ill patients. Survival rates are determined both by a patient’s access to a NCU (Neurocritical Care Unit) as well as the level of inpatient care he or she receive once admitted to a NCU.
• Regional Inequality in Access to Care¹:
• Only 12.8% of Americans have access to a NCU within 45 min by ground transportation and 36.8% have access to a NCU within 45 minutes by air transportation.
• Racial Disparities in NCU Admissions and Outcomes²:
• Non …

Direct From The Students: Ideas To Improve Diversity Education At Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Elizabeth Sophy, Ms2, Christine Jerback, Md, Natasha Brown, Edd, Ms

CwiC-PH

The Importance of Diversity

Diversity in medical education:

• Enhances students’ educational experience⁸
• Influences perspectives about culture, health, and about social issues³

Diversity in clinical practice:

• Decreases health disparities and improves outcomes³
• Increases patient satisfaction⁵
• Increases access for underserved^4,7

Genetic Vulnerability To Diabetes And Obesity: Does Education Offset The Risk?, Sze Yan Liu, Stefan Walter, Jessica Daniel, David H. Rehkopf, Laura E. Kubzansky, M Maria Glymour

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity has recently increased dramatically. These common diseases are likely to arise from the interaction of multiple genetic, socio-demographic and environmental risk factors. While previous research has found genetic risk and education to be strong predictors of these diseases, few studies to date have examined their joint effects. This study investigates whether education modifies the association between genetic background and risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity. Using data from non-Hispanic Whites in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS, n = 8398), we tested whether education modifies genetic risk for obesity …

Coercing Pregnancy, A. Rachel Camp

William & Mary Journal of Race, Gender, and Social Justice

Intimate partners coerce thousands of women in the United States into pregnancy each year through manipulation, threats of violence, or acts that deliberately interfere with the use of, or access to, contraception or abortion. Although many of these pregnancies occur within the context of otherwise abusive relationships, for others, pregnancy serves as a trigger for intimate partner violence. Beyond violence preceding or resulting from pregnancy, women who experience coerced pregnancies often suffer other physical, financial and emotional harms. Despite its correlation to domestic violence, reproductive coercion fits imperfectly, if at all, within our existing laws designed to combat domestic violence …

Overboard Falls Of Crew Members On Québec Lobster Boats: Risk Analysis And Prevention Solutions, Sylvie Montreuil, Francis Coulombe, Jean-Guy Richard, Michel Tremblay

Rapports de recherche scientifique

L’activité de pêche commerciale est l’une des plus dangereuses du domaine industriel. Des chutes par-dessus bord se produisent chaque saison de pêche et leurs conséquences sont généralement graves, parfois mortelles. Au cours des dernières années, deux décès sont survenus dans ces circonstances au Québec lors d’activités de pêche au homard. De façon générale les causes documentées des chutes par-dessus bord sont la perte d’équilibre et l’entraînement par le gréement de pêche. Les objectifs de cette recherche sont : 1) d’analyser les risques de chute par-dessus bord et leurs déterminants lors de la pêche au homard, 2) de documenter les moyens …

Preconception And Early Pregnancy Air Pollution Exposures And Risk Of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus, Candace Robledo, Pauline Mendola, Edwina H. Yeung, Tuija Männistö, Rajeshwari Sundaram, Danping Liu, Qi Ying, Seth Sherman, Katherine Grantz

School of Medicine Publications

Background: Air pollution has been linked to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) but no studies have evaluated impact of preconception and early pregnancy air pollution exposures on GDM risk.

Methods: Electronic medical records provided data on 219,952 singleton deliveries to mothers with (n=11,334) and without GDM (n=208,618). Average maternal exposures to particulate matter (PM) ≤ 2.5μm (PM2.5) and PM2.5 constituents, PM ≤ 10μm (PM10), nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide (SO2) and ozone (O3) were estimated for the 3-month preconception window, first trimester, and gestational weeks 1-24 based on modified Community Multiscale Air Quality models for delivery hospital referral regions. …

Price Subsidies, Diagnostic Tests, And Targeting Of Malaria Treatment: Evidence From A Randomized Controlled Trial, Jessica Cohen, Pascaline Dupas, Simone Schaner

Dartmouth Scholarship

Both under- and over-treatment of communicable diseases are public bads. But efforts to decrease one run the risk of increasing the other. Using rich experimental data on household treatment- seeking behavior in Kenya, we study the implications of this trade-off for subsidizing life-saving antimalarials sold over-the-counter at retail drug outlets. We show that a very high subsidy (such as the one under consideration by the international community) dramatically increases access, but nearly one-half of subsidized pills go to patients without malaria. We study two ways to better target subsidized drugs: reducing the subsidy level, and introducing rapid malaria tests over-the-counter. …

Target Zero: Why States Choose To Eradicate Infectious Diseases And How They Succeed, Gifty Abraham

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Realism has remained the dominant paradigm within international relations for most of the modern era, emphasizing the competitive nature of the international arena and the unlikeliness of states to within it to cooperate. The attempts and further still, successes, by states to eradicate infectious diseases--which remain among the most cooperative enterprises--present a number of challenges to realism's assumptions, particularly with respect to the unlikely world historical-times during which the eradication campaigns took place. As such, a two-part puzzle arises. First, why would states, which are natural competitors, cooperate to eradicate infectious diseases given structural and situational incentives not to do …

Risk Factors And Costs Influencing Hospitalizations Due To Heat-Related Illnesses: Patterns Of Hospitalization, Michael T. Schmeltz

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The objective of this dissertation was to identify individual and environmental risk factors, investigate outcomes and hospital resource use, including costs, and document the pattern of heat-related illness hospitalizations in the United States. The main data source for the study population was the 2001-2010 Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS). The study population for heat-related illnesses (HRIs) consists of patients in the NIS with at least one diagnosis of a heat-related illness (ICD-9 codes 992.0 - 992.9) from 2001 to 2010. Outcome analysis included a study population of patients who had primary or secondary diagnoses of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory illnesses, nephritic …

The Effect Of Peer Educators On Medication Adherence In Hiv Patients In Cochabamba, Bolivia, George Ru

CwiC-PH

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

• Bolivia is the least developed country in South America, with high levels of poverty, poor access to safe water, and low economic activity. Bolivia’s GDP, in US dollars, in 2013 was $30.60 billion and the gross national income, per capita in US dollars was $2,550, which both rank either at or near the bottom of the list for all South American countries (7).
• The Ministry of Health and Sports (MSD) is the national governing body responsible for formulating the strategy, policies, plans and programs in health. The Department of Health Services (SEDES) is the highest level of technical …

Experiences With Prenatal Care Among Women In A Philadelphia Homeless Shelter, Stephanie Rand, Ms4, Montida Fleming, Ms3, Maria Somohod, Ms3, Caitlin Callaghan, Ms2, Alexandra Strauss, Ms2, Natalie Ziegler, Ms2, Anita Modi, Ms4, Rickie Brawer, Mph, Phd, James D. Plumb, Md, Mph

CwiC-PH

Prenatal care for the underserved is a national concern, with pregnancy rates as high as 22% in homeless women and 75% of these women reporting barriers to care during pregnancy. Inadequate prenatal care confers increased risk for gestational complications and unfavorable postnatal outcomes, including prematurity and low birth weight. Yet while many studies delineate the prevalence and health consequences of inconsistent prenatal care in the homeless population, few address healthcare barriers. To both fill this gap in the literature and design effective interventions increasing consistency of care, we explored prenatal care experiences of pregnant homeless women at Philadelphia’s primary intake …

An Interdisciplinary Approach To Combat Obesity In The Galapagos, Christopher Busack, Bethany Fox

CwiC-PH

Galapagos Background

• Total Population (2010) = 25,124¹
• Largest city = Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz)
• Average monthly income in Galapagos = $772.03/month²
• Average monthly income in mainland Ecuador = $251.70/month²
• Booming tourism industry contributes to rapid population growth³

4 of 18 main islands (>1km²) open for human residence (Santa Cruz, Isabela, San Cristobal, Floreana)

Bridging The Gaps Chip: Prevention Point, Patrick Prior, Clayton Ruley, Mss, Mlsp, Shp, Rickie Brawer, Mph, Phd, James D. Plumb, Md, Mph

CwiC-PH

Prevention Point Philadelphia aims to reduce the harm associated with injection drug use and sex industry work through an array of harm reduction programs, including syringe exchange, condom distribution, naloxone rescue, social workers, and opioid replacement therapy.

Rural And Urban Medicine In Ecuador, Moira Black

CwiC-PH

Free, Universal Health Care

• Health care is free to all workers and their children with support from the government, employers, and a portion of the workers’ paychecks.¹
• Military personnel do not contribute part of their paychecks to paying for healthcare.¹

Health Needs Assessment For Head Start Children, Gerald Gibbons

CwiC-PH

Background: Head Start Program

• Preschool program for low-income families, providing comprehensive learning and care for children ages birth through 5 years old.¹
• Receives federal funds through the Department of Health & Human Services. However, each Head Start program is a locally designed and implemented model based on local community needs and resources.¹
• One of many government requirements involves yearly health check-ups and up-to-date immunization records for all children enrolled.¹
• NSCA elicited services from Jefferson Center for Urban Health to investigate why some families have a difficult time completing the medical record requirements.

Addiction: A Treatable Disease, Nathaniel Graham

CwiC-PH

Addiction: Definitions and Statistics

Nearly 1 in 7 Americans (~40 million people) are addicted to a chemical substance.

An additional 2 in 7 Americans (~80 million people) qualify as risky substance users; those who use chemical substances in ways that threaten their health and safety.

Underrepresented Minorities And Jefferson Medical System Healthcare: What Can We Do To Diversify The Physician Workforce?, David Halpen

CwiC-PH

Why Diversity?

• An increasingly diverse workforce leads to better levels of care.¹
• Underserved areas need better care and this is currently not being provided by Physicians from non URM backgrounds. ²
• Research shows that physicians from diverse backgrounds are more likely to return to service the communities of underrepresented minorities (URMs). ³
• There will be a decrease in overall healthcare disparities between different groups. ⁴

Lgbt Healthcare And Our Role In Smoking Cessation, Leor Krichilsky, John Covotta, Valerie Canavin, Rickie Brawer, Mph, Phd, Robert Winn, Md, Ms, Aahivs

CwiC-PH

Mazzoni’s goal is comprehensive LGBT care

The interns learned the value of comprehensive care through observing roles of the nurses, transgender intake counselor, case managers, and physicians. Mazzoni’s multi-disciplinary model allows patients’ various needs to be met directly.

The interns also learned the importance of LGBT care through discussions about use of unisex bathrooms, preferred pronouns, and inclusive language. This is demonstrated by Mazzoni’s new patient forms.

Crossmodal Encoding Of Motor Sequence Memories, Brittany Heckel, Marianne Stephan, Sunbin Song, Leonardo G. Cohen

CwiC-PH

Background

• The field of motor rehabilitation is in need of more efficient and effective rehabilitation strategies.
• Each year, almost 2.5 million Americans suffer from traumatic brain injury (TBI) and roughly 800,000 Americans experience a stroke. ^{1, 2}
• The total annual direct and indirect costs of stroke and TBI in the United States are $65.5 billion and between $48 and $56 billion, respectively.^{3, 4}
• A promising new approach may lie in using sound as a neuromodulatory tool to access motor areas of the brain.
• Pianists, for example, can improve their performance of a previously practiced musical piece just by listening …

Comparison Of Breastfeeding Among White And African American Patients Delivering At Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Rachel Horowitz, Theresa Burcher, Md, Abigail Wolf, Md, Rebecca J. Mercier Md Mph

CwiC-PH

BACKGROUND

• Maternal breastfeeding has been widely accepted as the gold standard for infant nutrition during the first six months of life.¹
• Healthy People 2020 goals:

– 89.1% initiation of breastfeeding

– 60.6% breastfeeding for 6 months

– 32.4% breastfeeding for 1 year¹

• Global promotion of breastfeeding though Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative

– Started by WHO and UNICEF in 1991 to assist hospitals in facilitating and promoting breastfeeding

– Provides education and skill building for all levels of staff

– Recognizes hospitals providing optimal care for infant nutrition²

• While the rates of breastfeeding have increased nationally since 1990, the …

Globally Minded, Locally Serving: Refugee Health In Philadelphia, Sarah Jamieson, Angelica Montes, Gretchen Shanfeld, Mph, Rickie Brawer, Mph, Phd, Caryn Johnson, Ms, Otr/L, Faota, James D. Plumb, Md, Mph

CwiC-PH

Introduction

A refugee is someone who is forced to leave their country of origin due to war, violence, or persecution. The United States is the world’s top resettlement country. Out of the 50 states, Pennsylvania is 5^th in terms of the number of annually resettled refugees. Each year, Philadelphia resettles approximately 800 refugees. Bhutan, Burma, Iraq, Eritrea, Sudan, and Democratic Republic of Congo are the most frequent countries of origin in Philadelphia.

Cervical Cancer In Guatemala: Using Visual Inspection With Acetic Acid Screening To Reduce Incidence Of And Mortality From Cervical Cancer, Zachary Klock

CwiC-PH

Guatemala is a developing nation of nearly 16 million in Central America. Among the many health problems the nation suffers, cervical cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related death. Cervical cancer, an easily detectable cancer, predominantly affects women in developing nations. Traditional cytology techniques have been used to screen women in the country for over 25 years, but less than 10% of the Guatemalan population is screened. The Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA) is a simple produce that uses acetic acid to visualize precancerous cervical lesions and has been proven to be more effective in resource-poor settings. The screening …

Evaluating And Responding To Medical Student Demand For Global Health Education, Angela Ugorets, Bs, Maria Montano, Mph, Michael Cafarchio, Md, Daniel Becchi, Ba, Annie Masterson, Ba, Nithin Paul, Ba, Ellen Plumb, Md

CwiC-PH

Introduction

With the constant interchange of people and diseases across continents, “the separation between domestic and international health problems is no longer useful.” (1) Look no further than the 80,000 refugees currently resettled in the United States for proof that health is a global phenomenon. The medical community needs to respond to the changing global landscape by training future healthcare leaders to think and act globally.

Medical students across the U.S. recognize this need with 68% of U.S. allopathic medical schools having an active student global or international health interest group. (2) Unfortunately, training opportunities lag behind student interest with …