Public Health Commons^™

Recipe For Life - Health Awareness, Courtney Thrower

Collection of Engaged Learning

The design of this project was two-fold; the research component included examination of data from a previous investigation and compared it with data collected in a community service project. In each, the aim was to assess the health habits of underserved Spanish communities and provide information and opportunity for engagement with health education. Data were collected from voluntary participants in Panama and West Dallas. The purpose of the investigation was to learn more about perceptions of health habits and provide hands-on learning regarding what it means to be healthy and practice a wellness lifestyle. Specifically, to help participants in underserved …

College Of Public Health News, Georgia Southern University

College of Public Health: News & Publications

• Laying the Groundwork for Evidence-Based Public Health

Association Between Nutritional Awareness And Diet Quality: Evidence From The Observation Of Cardiovascular Risk Factors In Luxembourg (Oriscav-Lux) Study, Ala'a Alkerwi, Nicolas Sauvageot, Leoné Malan, Nitin Shivappa, James R. Hébert

Faculty Publications

This study examined the association between nutritional awareness and diet quality, as indicated by energy density, dietary diversity and adequacy to achieve dietary recommendations, while considering the potentially important role of socioeconomic status (SES). Data were derived from 1351 subjects, aged 18–69 years and enrolled in the ORISCAV-LUX study. Energy density score (EDS), dietary diversity score (DDS) and Recommendation Compliance Index (RCI) were calculated based on data derived from a food frequency questionnaire. Nutritional awareness was defined as self-perception of the importance assigned to eating balanced meals, and classified as high, moderate, or of little importance. Initially, a General Linear …

Health Policy & Management News, Georgia Southern University

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

• Laying the Groundwork for Evidence-Based Public Health

Can Electronic Health Records Systems Support New Payment Methods For Health Centers?, Peter Shin, Feygele Jacobs, Jeffrey Barnes, James B. Welsh, Lisa Perry, Scott D. Morgan

Geiger Gibson/RCHN Community Health Foundation Research Collaborative

This study assessed the feasibility and usefulness of combining electronic health record (EHR) data with federal cost report data for the purposes of: 1) quantifying the provision of enabling services; and 2) for use as the basis of community health center payment rate-setting. The study used EHR data derived from the Center for Primary Care Informatics to isolate enabling services and perform the end-to-end analysis that might be required to develop or evaluate reimbursement rates. The study revealed that data extracted from federal cost reports combined with data from the EHR fall short of providing the information required to reasonably …

The Road To A Happier Health Care System: Lessons From Denmark, Deanna Karam

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

The lack of an organized primary care system in the United States not only contributes to high health care costs, but also to decreased access to care, increased fragmentation, and poor health outcomes. The Scandinavian country of Denmark, with its universal health care system and “cozy and snug” lifestyle offers a model for reforming the US health care system. In Denmark, primary care is organized around a gatekeeping system, in which General Practitioners serve as gatekeepers to other medical services, including hospitals and specialists. This system is responsible for Denmark’s well-organized and coordinated primary care system, which largely contributes to …

The Impact Of A Community Garden On A Local Township, Mariah E. Reitz

Undergraduate Distinction Papers

Due to increasing food insecurity and food deserts, community gardens can increase the accessibility for those under-served populations. These community gardens can help with the mental and physical health of the public. The goal of this research is to determine if a community garden will benefit a smaller community like that of a suburban Township and to use these trends to increase community health education and availability, social cohesion, and overall health behaviors and practices. A survey evaluated overall consumption of fruits and vegetables, affordability of healthy foods, and education on the consumption of these foods as well as assessing …

Supporting Practices To Adopt Registry-Based Care (Sparc): Protocol For A Randomized Controlled Trial, Rebeccar S. Etz, Rosalind E. Keith, Anna M. Matemick, Karen L. Stein, Roy T. Sabo, Melissa S. Hayes, Purvi Sevak, John Holland, Jesse C. Crosson

Publications and Research

Background: Diabetes is predicted to increase in incidence by 42% from 1995 to 2025. Although most adults with diabetes seek care from primary care practices, adherence to treatment guidelines in these settings is not optimal. Many practices lack the infrastructure to monitor patient adherence to recommended treatment and are slow to implement changes critical for effective management of patients with chronic conditions. Supporting Practices to Adopt Registry-Based Care (SPARC) will evaluate effectiveness and sustainability of a low-cost intervention designed to support work process change in primary care practices and enhance focus on population-based care through implementation of a diabetes …

Portrait De La Nanotechnologie Au Québec Dans Les Milieux Industriels Et De La Recherche Universitaire Et Publique, Charles-Anica Endo, Claude Ostiguy, N. Inès Dossa, Claude Émond

Rapports de recherche scientifique

La dernière décennie a vu émerger un intérêt croissant pour le développement et l’utilisation des nanotechnologies (NT) dans différents domaines incluant la chimie, l’électronique, les cosmétiques et le diagnostic/traitement médical. En raison des propriétés uniques des nanoparticules (NP), de leurs multiples applications, de leur potentiel économique et social, et des percées scientifiques dont elles sont à l’origine, plusieurs gouvernements ont décidé d’investir massivement afin de soutenir la recherche, de favoriser l’implantation industrielle et de s’approprier une part de ce marché colossal. Par contre, les efforts de recherche consacrés à caractériser les effets potentiels de l’utilisation de ces matériaux sur la …

Troubles Musculosquelettiques Et Santé Psychologique : Démarche De Soutien Aux Activités De Prise Et De Répartition Des Appels D’Urgence 9-1-1, Georges Toulouse, Louise St-Arnaud, Mariève Pelletier

Rapports de recherche scientifique

La présente étude constitue un prolongement des recherches antérieures ayant pour objectif de réduire les risques psychosociaux associés aux troubles musculosquelettiques et de santé psychologique chez les préposés des centres d’urgence 9-1-1. Elle se fonde plus précisément sur la précédente recherche (Toulouse et coll., 2011) dont les résultats suggéraient la nécessité de mieux soutenir les préposés aux prises avec des situations d’appels difficiles. En effet, les résultats montraient que les situations, qui génèrent une charge de travail ou une charge cognitive plus élevée sont corrélées à l’augmentation de l’intensité des douleurs au cou et aux épaules, alors que les douleurs …

Environmental Health News, Georgia Southern University

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

• Key Determinants of the Fungal and Bacterial Microbiomes in Homes

College Of Public Health News, Georgia Southern University

College of Public Health: News & Publications

• Key Determinants of the Fungal and Bacterial Microbiomes in Homes

Race/Ethnic Disparities In Treatment Patterns Among Newly Diagnosed Primary Prostate Cancer Patients In Florida, Vonetta L. Williams

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Study Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine whether there were differences in patterns of care between African American (AA) and Non-Hispanic White (NHW) men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer in Florida, and how the treatment patterns compare with the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) initial treatment recommendations.

Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study utilized data from the Florida Cancer Data System (FCDS), to identify incident cases of prostate cancer diagnosed between 1982 and 2012. The variables of interest included: race/ethnicity, marital status, age at diagnosis, stage at diagnosis, tumor grade, year of diagnosis, and treatment modality …

Perceptions Of School And Health Department Emergency Preparedness Collaboration, Kaitlin A. O'Keefe, Katharine D. Arrington, Michael Prelip, Kimberley I. Shoaf

Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research

Background: School systems often have the vital responsibility of protecting students during emergency situations. Collaborations with the local health department (LHD) can be invaluable in helping schools effectively fulfill this responsibility.

Purpose: An evaluation of existing organizational collaborations is needed to describe attitudes toward current efforts and to form recommendations for enhancing the effectiveness of future joint programs.

Methods: Questionnaires regarding perceptions of existing collaborations were distributed to a sample of LHDs and schools districts in spring and summer 2011. Participant responses from each organization were paired on jurisdictional area, forming 25 paired observations. Analyses were conducted in …

Slope Settlement And Post-Disaster Health Needs Of Urban Displacement In La Paz, Bolivia, James Steven Arango

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In 2011, a landslide displaced approximately six thousand people from the urbanized mountain slopes of La Paz, Bolivia. The municipal government of La Paz (GAMLP) managed the displacement by housing thousands of people in displacement camps throughout the city. By 2013, residents were attempting to return to still damaged lands. This research used participant observation and interviews with residents over eight weeks in 2013 to address the following questions: 1) What social, cultural, economic or historic factors influence the settling and then resettling of at-risk slope neighborhoods in La Paz, Bolivia? 2) What are the most pressing health needs of …

The Feasibility Of Delivering A Home-Based Motivational Exercise Program To African-American Breast Cancer Survivors, Denise Spector, Claudio Battaglini

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Most African-American breast cancer survivors do not meet current exercise recommendations for cancer survivors, which include both aerobic and strength-training exercises. This pilot study tested the feasibility of delivering a home-based exercise intervention to African-American breast cancer survivors. Sedentary African-American breast cancer survivors were recruited for a 16-week motivational home-based progressive aerobic and strength-training exercise pilot study. Participants completed weekly exercise logs and received weekly phone calls. To assess feasibility, we evaluated recruitment, retention, and adherence rates, as well as participant acceptance and safety. 17 women enrolled; 13 completed the intervention (76%). Participants had moderately-high adherence (70%) to walking goals, …

Racial/Ethnic Disparities Related To Health Insurance Coverage, Access To Care And Ease In Health Care Services Among Children In 2012 Cchaps Data, Jacquelynn Meeks, Sweety Baidhya

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

nObjective:The aim of this study was to examine racial/ethnic disparities in unmet medical care, dental care and prescription medications and ease of using heath care services.

Methods:This is a cross sectional study of households in a six-county service region in Texas (Tarrant, Johnson, Hood, Parker, Wise and Denton Counties). The participants included the parents/guardians of children aged 1-15 years. In 2012, a total of 8,439 parents completed the survey. In 2012, 4194 completed the version containing the health insurance type and unmet medical, prescription and dental health care and ease/difficulty in access to health care questions.The dependent variables …

Psychosocial Correlates Of Perceived Stress And Depressive Symptoms Among Help-Seeking Hispanic Smokers, Monica Webb Hooper Phd

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Objectives: Research has demonstrated robust associations between perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and cigarette smoking. The extent to which these findings from the general population generalize to Hispanic smokers is unknown. The present study examined (a) correlates of perceived stress and depressive symptoms among help-seeking Hispanic smokers and (b) whether maladaptive coping and social support were related to stress and depressive symptoms. Design: Hispanic smokers (N=123) enrolled in an RCT completed demographic and smoking history, perceived stress, depressive symptoms, perceived social support, and maladaptive coping measures. Results: Bivariate associations indicated that perceived stress was positively correlated with depressive symptoms …

Reducing Health Disparities Through The 2015 Mcat: A Bold Goal Requiring On-Going Assessment, Aliya G. Feroe, Stephen F. Loebs

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

There is broad consensus that reduction in health care disparities is an important and multi-faceted challenge. One possible approach, among many others, starts with the attraction of women and men to the field of medicine who have a broad based education and who can demonstrate cultural understanding and sensitivity. In this context, the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) has been revised, effective in 2015, to include many additional questions concerning the psychological, social, and behavioral sciences. There are important assumptions fueling the revised Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) and these will need to be tested. These assumptions range from influencing …

Chronic Physical Health Conditions Among Homeless, Nooshin Nikoo, Marjan Motamed, Mohammad Ali Nikoo, Verena Strehlau, Erika Neilson, Sahoo Saddicha, Michael Krausz

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

ABSTRACT

Objective: Morbidity and mortality among homeless individuals is higher than the general population. This study aims to determine the prevalence of current self-reported, chronic physical health conditions in a large sample of homeless people with sub-samples from shelters and street in British Columbia, Canada. Methods: Cross-sectional survey applying modified version of the ‘National Survey of Homeless Assistance Providers and Clients (NSHAPC)’ questionnaire in multiple sites in Vancouver, Victoria and Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. Sample: Five hundred homeless individuals were surveyed between May and September of 2009. A person was defined as homeless if he/she had a …

Evaluation Of The Nci’S Community Cancer Centers’ Program (Ncccp): Impact On Disparities In Quality Of Cancer Care, Michael T. Halpern, Pamela Spain, Debra J. Holden, Andrew K. Stewart, Erica J. Mcnamara, Greer Gay, Steven B. Clauser, Irene Prabhu Das

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

This study examined the effects of the NCCCP pilot on breast or colon cancer quality of care for patients from underserved populations and those treated at disparities-focused hospitals (NCCCP sites having fewer oncology resources or in communities with greater proportions of underserved populations). Data on five quality of care measures were collected using the Commission on Cancer’s Rapid Quality Reporting System. Following NCCCP initiation, we observed improvements in all five quality of care measures. There were similar quality of care improvements for Black vs. White patients, privately insured vs. Medicaid or uninsured patients, and men vs. women. Patients treated at …

Impact Of Social And Cultural Factors On Teenage Pregnancy, Devi Akella, Melissa Jordan

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

United States has the highest level of teenage pregnancy amongst the industrialized nations. Further, the level of teenage pregnancy is highest amongst the minority population. This research study examines the reasons behind high rates of early childbirth amongst African American teenagers. This study uses Bandura’s (1977) Social Learning Theory to deconstruct the factors, which influence and manipulate the overall behavior of the teenagers and initiates them to choose early motherhood over education and career. To ensure better quality of empirical data, the authors collaborated with the pregnant teenagers and a local non-profit community agency using a phenomenological analysis.

Gathering Perspectives On Extended Family Influence On African American Children's Physical Activity, Natasha A. Brown, Katherine Clegg Smith, Rachel L.J. Thornton, Janice V. Bowie, Pamela J. Surkan, Darcy A. Thompson, David M. Levine

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background: The family environment is a key determinant of children’s physical activity. The importance of the extended African American family is well established, but there is little research on its influence on school age children’s physical activity. Methods: We recruited eight families in which grandparents and other adult relatives played a central role in child supervision. Semi-structured interviews with parents, other adult relatives, and children revealed various perspectives on the influences of culture and families on children’s weight-related behaviors. Results: Children were between the ages of 6 and 11, and five of the families resided in neighborhoods in which at …

American Muslim Health Disparities: The State Of The Medline Literature, Aasim I. Padela, Afrah Raza

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background: While religious beliefs and values influence health behaviors, conventional health disparities research rarely examines health outcomes by religious affiliation particularly within multi-ethnic minority communities.

Methods: Using a systematic strategy we searched the Medline literature to identify empiric studies that report on health disparities between American Muslims and non-Muslim groups residing in America. In addition to use religious affiliation descriptors for Muslim groups we utilized geographic and ethnicity terms such as “South Asian” or “Pakistani” as proxy terms to help uncover studies of American Muslims.

Results: 171 empirical studies were captured. South Asians and Arabs were the most commonly studied …

Lifesteps: An Evidence-Based Health Promotion Program For Underserved Populations – A Community Service Learning Approach, Melanie Austin-Mccain

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Chronic diseases are the most common, costly, and preventable of all health problems in the United States. Chronic diseases represent the leading causes of death and are experienced at higher rates by minority populations (CDC, 2012). Innovative community-based health promotion programs are recommended that meet the diverse needs of underserved populations (Yeary, et al., 2011). LifeSteps is being developed as an evidence-based health promotion program focusing on health and wellness, a domain area defined within the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (OTPF, 2008). LifeSteps will utilize a client-centered approach to coach individuals in making health behavior changes. Fieldwork and service-learning components …

Fast Food: A Source Of Exposure To Phthalates And Bisphenol A In A Nationally Representative Sample, Cassandra Phillips, Susanna Mitro, Ami R. Zota

GW Research Days 2015

Background: Certain phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA) are industrial chemicals widely used in consumer products that can adversely impact human health. Diet is hypothesized to be a major source of exposure but little is known about the impact of specific food sources. This study aims to investigate the association between fast food consumption with human exposure to high-molecular weight phthalates (di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and diisononyl phthalate (DINP)) and BPA, in 8876 participants, aged 6 to 85 years old, from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2003-2010.

Methodology: During the NHANES mobile exam, participants: 1) provided a spot urine …

The Impact Of Care Coordination On Community Pharmacist-Delivered Medication Therapy Management, Stephanie A. Gernant

Open Access Theses

Background: Care coordination is imperative to successful patient outcomes. However, community pharmacists are commonly excluded from health information exchange during care coordination. One of the ways pharmacists deliver care, through medication therapy management (MTM), could be optimized if pharmacists engaged in care coordination through review of unedited patient medical records in preparation for a section of the MTM, the comprehensive medication review (CMR).^ Methods: This was a non-blinded randomized controlled trial undertaken within the Medication Safety Research network of Indiana, also known as RxSafeNet. RxSafeNet is a community pharmacy practice based research network. Pharmacists were randomized to deliver CMR’s to …

Maine's Breastfeeding Gap: How Initiation And Duration Differ By Socioeconomic Status, Zoe Miller

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

The preventive health benefits of breastfeeding for both mothers and children are widely recognized. Leading health authorities recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life.

Though breastfeeding rates in the United States have been increasing for the past decade, significant disparities continue across race and socioeconomic status.

Energy-Related Indicators And Breast Cancer Risk Among White And Black Women, Maureen Sanderson, Loren Lipworth, David Shen-Miller, Sarah Nechuta, Alicia Beeghly-Fadiel, Martha J. Shrubsole, Wei Zheng

Peer Reviewed Articles

Energy-related indicators, including physical activity, energy intake, body mass index (BMI) and adult weight change, have been linked to breast cancer risk. Very few studies of these associations have been conducted among black women, therefore we used the Nashville Breast Health Study (NBHS) to determine whether similar effects were seen in black and white women. The NBHS is a population-based case-control study of breast cancer among women age 25 to 75 years conducted between 2001 and 2010 in and around the Nashville Metropolitan area. Telephone interviews and self-administered food frequency questionnaires were completed with 2,614 incident breast cancer cases ascertained …

Consumer Inferences Of Corporate Social Responsibility (Csr) Claims On Packaged Foods, Gaeul Kim

Open Access Theses

With the growing public demands in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of the food industry, CSR claims have begun to appear on food packages, as companies started communicating their CSR initiatives to consumers. Although food packages emerged as an important CSR communication tool, consumers' processing of CSR claims and the effects of these claims on product evaluations still remain unknown. In this regard, the present study carries two important research questions. First, do non-health/nutrition-related CSR claims influence consumers' product evaluations, such as perceived health benefits or tastes? If so, how does the effect of CSR claims differ by type of CSR …