Public Health Commons^™

Being Ready To Treat Ebola Virus Disease Patients, David Brett-Major, Shevin T. Jacob, Frederique A. Jacquerioz, George F. Risi, William A. Fischer, Yasuyuki Kato, Catherine F. Houlihan, Ian Crozier, Henry Kyobe Bosa, James V. Lawler, Takuya Adachi, Sara K. Hurley, Louise E. Berry, John C. Carlson, Thomas C. Button, Susan L. Mclellan, Barbara J. Shea, Gary G. Kuniyoshi, Mauricio Ferri, Srinivas G. Murthy, Nicola Petrosillo, Francois Lamontagne, David T. Porembka, John S. Schieffelin, Lewis Rubinson, Tim O'Dempsey, Suzanne M. Donovan, Daniel G. Bausch, Robert A. Fowler, Thomas E. Fletcher

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

As the outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa continues, clinical preparedness is needed in countries at risk for EVD (e.g., United States) and more fully equipped and supported clinical teams in those countries with epidemic spread of EVD in Africa. Clinical staff must approach the patient with a very deliberate focus on providing effective care while assuring personal safety. To do this, both individual health care providers and health systems must improve EVD care. Although formal guidance toward these goals exists from the World Health Organization, Medecin Sans Frontières, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and …

Prevalence Of Schistosoma Haematobium Infection Among School-Age Children In Afar Area, Northeastern Ethiopia, Abraham Degarege, Zeleke Mekonnen, Bruno Levecke, Mengistu Legesse, Yohannes Negash, Jozef Vercruysse, Berhanu Erko

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

In this study, the prevalence and intensity of Schistosoma haematobium infection was determined among school-age children living in the Middle and Lower Awash Valley, Afar Regional State of Ethiopia. Between February and May 2014, urine samples were collected from 885 school-age children (5-16 years of age) from the Middle (n = 632; 4 villages) and Lower (n = 253; 3 villages) Awash Valley. All samples were processed using urine filtration to detect and quantify S. haematobium eggs. In addition, a subset of the urine samples was tested for hematuria using a urine dipstick (n = 556). The overall prevalence was …

Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infections And Associated Risk Factors Among Schoolchildren In Durbete Town, Northwestern Ethiopia, Tilahun Alelign, Abraham Degarege, Berhanu Erko

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

Identifying determinants of soil transmitted helminth infection is vital to design control strategy for the disease. This study assessed the prevalence of STH infections and associated factors among schoolchildren in Durbete town, northwestern Ethiopia. Data about the sociodemographic and socioeconomic status of the children were collected using a questionnaire and stool samples were diagnosed using thick Kato-Katz smear. STH infection was more common among school-age children in Durbete town. Hookworm was the most frequent helminth species detected. The prevalence of STH infection was more in children who did not practice wearing shoes and washing hands before eating and in those …

Factors Associated With High Rates Of Antiretroviral Medication Adherence Among Youth Living With Perinatal Hiv In Thailand, Ezer Kang

Department of Psychology Faculty Publications

 Antiretroviral medication adherence behaviour among Thai youth with perinatal HIV in Thailand has received growingattention. However, few studies have examined individual predictors of antiretroviral adherence using multipleself-reports. A convenience sample of 89 Thai youth (interquartile range 14–16 years) with perinatal HIV at threepaediatric programmes in Chiang Mai completed a structured questionnaire and reported their antiretroviral adherencein the past one, seven and 30 days using count-based recall and a visual analog scale. Mean self-reported adherencerates ranged from 83.5% (past 30 days) to 99.8% (yesterday) of the time. One-inflated beta regression models were usedto examine the associations between antiretroviral adherence outcomes, treatment …

Détection Moléculaire Des Bactéries Du Genre Légionella Dans L’Eau Des Tours De Refroidissement Et L’Eau De Consommation, Geneviève Marchand, Nancy Lacombe

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Les bactéries du genre Legionella sont répandues dans plusieurs environnements tant naturels qu’artificiels. Les concentrations rencontrées dans les environnements naturels sont très faibles. Les phénomènes de contamination se rencontrent principalement dans les réservoirs artificiels où les températures de l’eau sont maintenues entre 25 et 42 °C, et où existe une certaine stagnation ainsi que la présence de dépôts, de biofilms et d’amibes. Les bains à remous, les piscines, les condensateurs d’évaporation, les brumisateurs et les tours de refroidissement sont reconnus comme étant des sources responsables de l’éclosion de légionellose en raison de la croissance importante des bactéries du genre Legionella …

Étude Exploratoire Sur La Caractérisation De La Masse Apparente D’Un Système Couplé Corps Assis – Siège Élastique Soumis À Des Vibrations Dans L’Axe Vertical, Subhash Rakheja, Krishna Dewangan, Pierre Marcotte, Arman Shahmir, Suresh Patra

Rapports de recherche scientifique

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Cette étude explore un système de mesure à pellicule mince de la pression à l’interface corps-siège (Tekscan Inc.) pour caractériser les réponses biodynamiques de sujets humains assis sur des sièges élastiques et exposés à des vibrations dans l’axe vertical. L’étude porte sur un siège rigide et trois sièges élastiques : un siège constitué d’un bloc de mousse de polyuréthane (MPU) plat d’une épaisseur de 8 cm (siège A), un siège de véhicule automobile flexible et moulant (siège B) et un coussin gonflable à bulles d’air (siège C). La validité du système …

An Exploratory Study For Characterizing Seated Body Apparent Mass Coupled With Elastic Seats Under Vertical Vibration, Subhash Rakheja, Krishna Dewangan, Pierre Marcotte, Arman Shahmir, Suresh Patra

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Cliquez ici pour la version française de ce rapport

Cette étude explore un système de mesure à pellicule mince de la pression à l’interface corps-siège (Tekscan Inc.) pour caractériser les réponses biodynamiques de sujets humains assis sur des sièges élastiques et exposés à des vibrations dans l’axe vertical. L’étude porte sur un siège rigide et trois sièges élastiques : un siège constitué d’un bloc de mousse de polyuréthane (MPU) plat d’une épaisseur de 8 cm (siège A), un siège de véhicule automobile flexible et moulant (siège B) et un coussin gonflable à bulles d’air (siège C). La validité du système …

Étude En Soufflerie De L’Effet Des Bâtiments Adjacents Sur La Dispersion En Champ Proche Des Émissions Polluantes De Cheminées De Toit, Ted Stathopoulos, Bodhisatta Hajra, Mauricio Chavez, Ali Bahloul

Rapports de recherche scientifique

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La dispersion des polluants des émissions de cheminées de toit dans la couche limite est fortement influencée par la présence de bâtiments avoisinants et la topographie locale. Il est donc très difficile d’évaluer précisément les concentrations dans le panache sur différentes surfaces de bâtiments. Les polluants émis par une cheminée de toit peuvent présenter des risques pour la santé des occupants des bâtiments s’ils se réintroduisent dans le bâtiment duquel ils émanent ou s’ils pénètrent dans un bâtiment voisin par des ouvertures se trouvant sur différentes surfaces de bâtiments. La plupart …

L’Effet De Bâtiments En Amont Et En Aval Sur La Dispersion Des Effluents : Une Approche Axée Sur La Mécanique Des Fluides Numérique (Cfd), Ali Bahloul, Ted Stathopoulos, Bodhisatta Hajra, Mauricio Chavez

Rapports de recherche scientifique

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La prédiction de la dispersion des émissions polluantes de cheminées de toit en milieu urbain est extrêmement complexe, tout particulièrement en présence de bâtiments voisins. Le comportement du panache dépend des caractéristiques du vent, mais il est aussi lourdement influencé par l’environnement. Il se peut ainsi que les effluents émis par une cheminée de toit se réintroduisent dans le bâtiment émetteur ou dans un bâtiment adjacent, exposant du coup les occupants à d’éventuels problèmes de santé. La conception et l’implantation optimales de cheminées d’évacuation pour limiter une telle réingestion au niveau …

Risk Factors For Slip Accidents Among Police Officers And School Crossing Guards: An Exploratory Study, Chantal Gauvin, David Pearsall, Mohsen Damavandi, Yannick Michaud-Paquette, Bruno Farbos, Daniel Imbeau

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Entre 2005 et 2007, les accidents de type glissades, trébuchements et chutes de même niveau ont représenté 12,6 % de l’ensemble des lésions indemnisées par la Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail du Québec (CSST) et ont entraîné des débours de 90 millions de dollars. Deux secteurs professionnels, soit les policiers et les brigadiers scolaires, ont sollicité l’appui de l’Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST) pour les aider à réduire et/ou prévenir les glissades qui, globalement, représentent près de la moitié de ces accidents. Afin de mieux cibler les interventions …

Physician Role In Enhancing Patient Communication, Tamanna Sahni

Undergraduate Research Posters

Communication in the in-patient environment is crucial, and the relationship between a patient and physician enhances patient health and wellness. Patients should feel confident with their abilities to feel comfortable conversing with physicians, which would thus treat symptoms more effectively. This communication has decreased over time, hence patients are often are unable to obtain medical information from their healthcare providers. What is the relationship between psychological factors, such as self-esteem, and quality of patient-physician communication? And can physicians ensure increased patient comfort in the medical environment?

Various factors can affect the patients’ comfort with their physicians, and when addressed, these …

Dementia And Primary-Care Health Measures:Hearing, Gait, And Markers Of Inflammation, Elsa Lindgren

Honors Theses and Capstones

Dementia is a syndrome associated with declining cognitive function that has a variety of types and causes, and is encountered frequently in general medical practice. Researchers are actively exploring possible risk factors for dementia. The St. Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS) exam is a dementia-screening exam used in primary care visits to detect cognitive impairment that may be a sign of dementia. This study compared scores on the SLUMS exam to other measures recorded in a typical primary care visit in 86 patients of age 65 and older to look for correlations between indicators of health, such as physical examination …

Climate, Environmental And Socio-Economic Change: Weighing Up The Balance In Vector-Borne Disease Transmission, Paul E. Parham, Joanna Waldock, George K. Christophides, Deborah Hemming, Folashade Agusto, Katherine J. Evans, Nina Fefferman, Holly Gaff, Abba Gumel, Shannon Ladeau

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Arguably one of the most important effects of climate change is the potential impact on human health. While this is likely to take many forms, the implications for future transmission of vector-borne diseases (VBDs), given their ongoing contribution to global disease burden, are both extremely important and highly uncertain. In part, this is owing not only to data limitations and methodological challenges when integrating climate-driven VBD models and climate change projections, but also, perhaps most crucially, to the multitude of epidemiological, ecological and socio-economic factors that drive VBD transmission, and this complexity has generated considerable debate over the past 10-15 …

Patterns Of Sedentary Behavior And Association With Health Risks Among African American Adults, Tatiana Y. Warren-Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: There is growing and compelling evidence suggesting time spent in sedentary behaviors (SB) is a unique contributor to health risk that appears to be independent of time spent in moderate- and/or vigorous-intensity physical activity (PA). However, few studies have examined these associations in women and even fewer studies have included ethnic minority populations.

Purpose: The major objectives of this study were to: (1) describe patterns of objectively measured sedentary and PA behaviors and variation in these behaviors in African American (AA) adults; (2) assess the association between bouts of and breaks in SB and waist circumference risk, body mass …

Geographic Accessibility To Health Services And Neonatal Mortality Among Very Low Birthweight Infants In South Carolina, Portavia Featherstone

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Infant mortality is commonly denoted as a marker of population health with more than half of all infant deaths occurring during the neonatal period (0-27 days) of infancy. Mortality for infants born very low birthweight (<1500 grams) is markedly higher than the babies born with normal birthweight (2500-4000 grams). The purpose of this research project was to assess geographic access to perinatal health services and the risk of neonatal death among infants born with very low birth weight. Data and methods: The linked birth and death records of a retrospective cohort of very low birthweight (<1500 grams) infants born in South Carolina between the years 2010 and 2012 were used (n=3191). We assessed the impact of travel time from maternal residence to delivery hospital and travel time from maternal residence to the nearest prenatal care provider (obstetricians/gynecologists, community health center, or rural health clinic). Logistic regression modeling was performed with adjustments for maternal characteristics (race, age, chronic/gestational hypertension, chronic/gestational diabetes mellitus, smoking, prenatal care), newborn characteristics (gestational age, birthweight, gender, NICU admission at birth), and the birth in a level III hospital. Results: There were a total of 563 neonatal deaths in this population and the neonatal mortality rate was 17.64 neonatal deaths per 100 live births. We did not find significant associations of travel time from maternal residence to delivery hospital and to a closest prenatal care provider with neonatal death after adjusting for confounders. However, we found that a one-week increase in gestational age (OR: 0.61 [95% CI: 0.57-0.65]) and non-Hispanic Black mothers (versus non-Hispanic White mothers) (OR: 0.65 [95% CI: 0.45-0.94]), were associated with the lower odds of neonatal death, while non-NICU admission at birth (OR: 5.99 [95% CI: 4.05-8.84]) was associated with an increased odds of neonatal death. Conclusion: Although we did not find that travel time was associated with neonatal mortality among very low birthweight infants, our study identified a few significant correlates for neonatal deaths in this birthweight group. Future studies should investigate the role of geographic access to care on mortality during other periods of infancy and among other birthweight groups.

Ethnic Disparities In The Reproductive And Sexual Health Screening Practices Of Ecuadorian Women, Ruth Castillo

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background: Evidence suggests that reproductive and other health disparities disproportionately affect Indigenous and Afro-Hispanic ethnic minority groups throughout the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region. Factors associated with reproductive health disparities in LAC countries include low social economic status (SES), poor health care access, racial and gender discrimination, machismo, health beliefs and low perceived risk for breast cancer, cervical cancer, sexual transmitted infections (STIs) and other conditions. Preventive measures such as health education and early screening is vital for disease prevention and detection. However, screening rates for breast cancer, cervical cancer, and STIs are lower in most LAC countries compared …

The Role Of Kentucky State-Supported Postsecondary Education In Creating A Healthier Citizenship, Julia K. Buchanan

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

Citizens within the United States of America (USA) and the Commonwealth of Kentucky exhibit indicators of lessened health status in a variety of areas. Many chronic diseases and conditions are due to individual lifestyle behaviors, which can be modified through the implementation of dedicated health and wellness programming. Such programs, often housed within institutions of higher education, have the ability to impact many individuals including students, faculty, staff, and community members. This dissertation is a report of a mixed-methods study that begins to explore how state-supported postsecondary institutions may be able to impact individual behavior and thus, resulting health outcomes. …

Visual Voices Participant Recruitment Flyer, Collyn Baeder, Zoe Hull, Rebecca Masterjohn, Virginia Sedarski, Adrian Jung, Michaela A. Hoffman, Nicole O'Brien

Visual Voices: An Arts-Based Assessment of the Perceived Identity of Aging Maine Residents

Participant recruitment flyer for UNE student project Visual Voices: An Arts-Based Assessment Of The Perceived Identity Of Aging Maine Residents. This project was designed to investigate the topics of perception, identity, and aging. Between February and May 2015, over the course of twelve sessions, the UNE team met with six female residents of the Park Danforth senior living community in Portland to have conversations and create art about how the residents perceive themselves in contrast to how they feel perceived by important people in their lives, such as friends, family, and healthcare providers.

Is Risk Malignancy Index A Useful Tool For Predicting Malignant Ovarian Masses In Developing Countries?, Aliya Aziz, Nida Najmi

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Introduction: Risk of Malignancy Index (RMI) is widely studied for prediction of malignant pelvic masses in Western population. However, little is known regarding its implication in the developing countries. The objective of this study is to determine how accurately the RMI can predict the malignant pelvic masses.

Materials and Methods: The study is a retrospective review of patients attending the gynecological clinic between January 2004 and December 2008 with adnexal masses. Information on demographic characteristics, ultrasound findings, menopausal status, CA125, and histopathology was collected. RMI score for each patient in the study group was calculated.

Results: The study …

Gender Considerations Along The Hiv Treatment Cascade: An Evidence Review With Priority Actions, Melanie Croce-Galis, Jill Gay, Karen Hardee, What Works Association, Population Council

Reproductive Health

This treatment brief provides policymakers and program implementers with evidence about the impact of gender dynamics on treatment access and adherence and the gender-related gaps in treatment research and programming. It also includes priority actions that can be taken to better address gender within treatment programming and raises questions for implementation science in order to achieve the global 90-90-90 goal. This brief draws from What Works for Women and Girls: Evidence for HIV Interventions and uses the WHO treatment cascade framework to identify and analyze major gender considerations in providing antiretroviral therapy to those living with HIV in low- and …

Proposed Indicators To Measure Adherence To And Effects Of Rights-Based Family Planning: Resource Guide, Kelsey Wright, Karen Hardee

Reproductive Health

At the London Summit on Family Planning in 2012, the goal of expanding access to FP programs by 120 million additional women and girls by 2020 was established. This goal calls attention to the need for FP information and services to be delivered in ways that are voluntary and respect human rights. While human rights have been codified and affirmed in declarations, conventions, and treaties, operationalizing rights in FP programs is still in an early stage of development. With the recent emergence of global numeric benchmarks for FP programs, there is the risk that the focus will move away from …

Education Sector Response To Early And Unintended Pregnancy: A Policy Dialogue In Homa Bay County, Kenya, Chi-Chi Undie, Ian Mackenzie, Harriet Birungi, Stephen Barongo, Diosiana Ahindukha, Caleb Omondi

Reproductive Health

In collaboration with the Strengthening Evidence for Programming on Unintended Pregnancy (STEP UP) Research Programme Consortium, the Population Council implemented a project to increase the demand for secondary school education in Homa Bay County, Kenya—an area characterized by high, unintended teenage pregnancy and female school drop-out rates. To foster awareness of the school re-entry policy, the Population Council collaborated with the Homa Bay County Department of Education (Ministry of Education) to convene a policy dialogue for all principals of public, day, girls-only, and co-educational secondary schools in the area. The policy dialogue helped to create visibility around the issue of …

Creating Conditions For Scale Up: Technical Assistance As An Implementation Research Uptake Strategy, Ian Askew

Reproductive Health

No abstract provided.

Prevalence And Correlates Of Indoor Tanning And Sunless Tanning Product Use Among Female Teens In The United States, Megan Quinn, Arsham Alamian, Joel J. Hillhouse, Colleen Scott, Rob Turrisi, Katie Baker

ETSU Faculty Works

Background

Indoor tanning (IT) before the age of 35 increases melanoma risk by 75%. Nevertheless, IT and sunless tanning product (STP) use have gained popularity among youth. However, there are limited data on the prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of both IT and STP use in a representative sample of American teens.

Methods

Teenage females (N = 778) aged 12–18 years were recruited as part of an on-going longitudinal study conducted between May 2011 and May 2013. Descriptive statistics explored IT and STP usage in teen females at baseline. Logistic regression was used to determine sociodemographic correlates of IT and STP …

A Decision Support Simulation Model For Bed Management In Healthcare, Raja A. Baru

Masters Theses

"In order to provide access to care in a timely manner, it is necessary to effectively manage the allocation of limited resources such as beds. Bed management is key to the effective delivery of high-quality and low-cost healthcare. An efficient utilization of beds requires a detailed understanding of the hospital's operational behavior. It is necessary to understand the behavior of a hospital in order to make necessary adjustments to its resources, and policies, which can improve patient's access to care. The aim of this research was to develop a discrete event simulation to assist in planning and staff scheduling decisions. …

Attitudes And Behaviors Of South African Women And Psychosocial Determinants Of Gonorrhea, Takiyah White Ndwanya

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The incidence of gonorrhea had declined since the HIV epidemic in the late 1980s, but is now increasing globally due to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant forms of this disease. In South Africa, the incidence of gonorrhea is highest among Black women due to their high co-infection rates with HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This study examined the psychosocial determinants of gonorrhea among Black women aged 18 - 35 in the Langa township in Cape Town, South Africa. All participants had reported at least one sexual experience and at least one positive test for gonorrhea in the past two …

A Tale Of Two Diseases: Mental Illness And Hiv/Aids, Lawrence O. Gostin

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

There have been dramatic advances in the treatment of HIV/AIDS. Whereas HIV was once a dire diagnosis, today it is treatable, and individuals who receive early and consistent treatment can expect to live a normal lifespan. Why has the scientific community made the same strides with mental illness? When I was the Legal Director of the National Association of Mental Health in the United Kingdom in the 1980s, major mental illnesses were primarily treated with powerful antipsychotics, such as haloperidol, that carried the debilitating side effects of tardive dyskinesia—involuntary movements of the tongue, lips, face, trunk, and extremities. When I …

Endgame For Polio Eradication? Options For Overcoming Social And Political Factors In The Progress To Eradicating Polio., Pavan Ganapathiraju, Christiaan B Morssink, James D. Plumb

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

In 1988, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) was launched with the goal of eradicating polio by the year 2000. After 25 years, several dynamics still challenge this large public health campaign with new cases of polio being reported annually. We examine the roots of this initiative to eradicate polio, its scope, the successes and setbacks during the last 25 years and reflect on the current state of affairs. We examine the social and political factors that are barriers to polio eradication. Options are discussed for solving the current impasse of polio eradication: using force, respecting individual freedoms and gaining …

The Challenging Balance Of Being A Physician In Training, A Public Health Graduate Student, And Having A Life – A Commentary, Karina A. Atwell

Florida Public Health Review

Being a successful resident physician and graduate student is challenged by many competing life forces. In this paper I comment on these challenges and offer some thoughts on finding a work-life balance that is suitable for me. Keys to this balance include time management, flexibility, self-care, and frequent reflection of goals and priorities. Whereas they are demanding, the challenges of this balance also keep life vibrant and rewarding.

Kitchen 2.0: Investigation Of The Effect Of Ventilation On Indoor Air Quality, Kelli Marie Whelan

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Even in today’s technology-filled world, nearly half of the global population still relies on some form of biomass to meet their daily energy requirement. Currently, improved combustion technologies (improved cookstoves) are the most common intervention to reduce fuel usage and to reduce human exposure to harmful products of incomplete combustion. This report explores an alternative option to cookstove replacement: ventilation as a low-cost, low-impact solution for health risk reduction.