Public Health Commons^™

The Independent And Joint Effects Of Prenatal Depression And Mercury Exposure On Infant Birth Size Outcomes : A Preliminary Analysis, Meredith Spivak

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Prenatal exposure to depression and mercury have been independently linked to adverse infant outcomes. Though results specific to birth size remain inconsistent, they are generally associated with smaller infant anthropometrics. Increasingly, research has shifted towards examining co-occurring, cross-disciplinary exposures, and thus more studies are examining if and how psychosocial and environmental exposures jointly contribute to health. This study examines the independent effects of prenatal depression and mercury exposures on infant birth size, and also whether these exposures jointly contribute to adverse infant birth size outcomes. This study uses data from the Albany Infant and Mother Study (AIMS), an ongoing birth …

Spatio-Temporal Frequency Separation With Application Of Kolmogorov-Zurbenko Filters To The Multivariate Analysis Of Melanoma Prevalence, Edward Valachovic

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Time Series Analysis is the observation of variables recorded across time. Observations are visualized and analysis often performed in the native time domain. It is common for a time series to be the dependent variable of more than one factor. Several factors can have concurrent and combined effects. The time domain presents an obstacle due to constructive and destructive interference of factors at each time point. Unless effects are clearly pronounced and separable, the entanglement of factors along with the presence and intensity of random variation can obscure true relationships.

Applying New Methodologies In Assessing Impact Of School Environment On Children's Health And Performance, Yi Lu

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

School-age children spend substantial time at school, a setting that is more vulnerable to environmental problems. School environmental factors, such as indoor air quality (IAQ), has been shown to have a significant impact on students’ health and academic performance. However, several research gaps remain regarding school environmental research. Few studies have assessed both indoor and outdoor school environmental factors and their impact on student’s respiratory health on a large scale. This is partially due to the lack of application of methods able to handle highly correlated variables. Little is known about the potential mediators on the path between the school …

Exploring Three Strategies For The Prevention Of Hospital-Acquired Clostridium Difficile Infection In Nys Acute Care Hospitals-- : Structure-Process-Outcome Model Of Quality Improvement, Danielle Jane Durant

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Those receiving medical care are at risk for developing serious hospital-acquired conditions (HACs), which include infections (HAIs) and other harm while receiving medical care. Pay for performance programs initiated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and private payers, linking reimbursements to quality of care, have created financial incentives for hospitals to address these HACs. The most common HAI in the United States, causing almost half a million infections, with 29,000 deaths within 30 days of diagnosis, results from Clostridium difficile. Infection with this bacterium leads to deadly diarrhea, and disproportionately impacts patients 65 and older, representing 80% …

Childhood Emotional Functioning And Arterial Stiffness In Young Adulthood, Logan Carey

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Abstract

Preconception Serum Alpha-Tocopherol Levels Are Associated With Higher Live Birth Rates After In Vitro Fertilization, Erica Jamro

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

STUDY QUESTION: Are serum lipid and lipophilic micronutrient concentrations associated with clinical in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes?

For Better Or Worse? : Exploring How Decentralization Shapes Local Expenditures And Health Service Utilizations In Indonesia, Adenantera Dwicaksono

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Decentralization has become one of the most important public-sector reform programs globally since the 1990s with mixed results. In this four-paper dissertation, I explored how decentralization reforms affect public goods and services delivery, by analyzing how post-decentralization institutional changes shape local expenditure decisions and health service utilizations in Indonesia. The main goal of this dissertation was to improve understanding on a better approach to studying public goods and services delivery under a decentralized governance. I used primarily quantitative methods in this dissertation. I started with a systematic review of quantitative studies on the impacts of decentralization reforms and health system …

Nutrition Transition, Trace Elements In Nails, And Blood Pressure Along The Interoceanic Highway, Madre De Dios, Peru, Stacy M. Pettigrew

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The paving of the Interoceanic Highway (IOH) brought rapid development to the Madre de Dios (MDD) region in the Peruvian Amazon. Development brings concerns of toxic trace element exposures, and road development has been a major driver of the transition from traditional to calorie-dense processed ‘Western’ diets in lower and middle-income countries. Investigacion de Migracion, Ambiente, y Salud (IMAS) (Investigation of Migration, the Environment, and Health) is the first analysis of health, diet, and integrated toxic trace elements in nails in the region. In 2014 we collected household surveys from 310 households in 46 communities along the IOH and nails …

The Impact Of Adverse Childhood Experiences On Mental Health, Executive Functioning, And Emotion Regulation Across Childhood : Which Family And Community Factors Mitigate Risk?, Atara Siegel

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

It is well established that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) increase risk of developing mental health disorders later in life. It is unclear how early in childhood these effects can be seen. Executive functioning (EF) and emotion regulation (ER) have been proposed as potential mechanisms which mediate the effect of ACEs on mental health. Individual ACEs have been associated with poor EF and ER. It is unclear whether ACE scores impact EF and ER in a graded, dose-response manner. It is also unclear how early in childhood these effects can be seen. Finally, more research is needed to identify family and …

Examining The Utilization Of Hiv Preventive Services In The Transgender Population Compared To The Cisgender Population Of New York State : Results From The New York State Aids Institute Information Reporting System (Airs) Data From 2014 To 2016, Zohra Afzal

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

ABSTRACT

Occupational Health Psychology, Irvin Sam Schonfeld

Publications and Research

Occupational health psychology (OHP) is a cross-disciplinary subspecialty within psychology. OHP derives from two disciplines within applied psychology, health psychology and industrial/organizational psychology. OHP is also linked to disciplines outside of psychology, such as occupational medicine and public health. The discipline has roots in eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth century thinkers, including Adam Smith, Friedrich Engels, Karl Marx, Émile Durkheim, and Max Weber. These thinkers were concerned with the impact of the organization of work and the business cycle on human life. Later research by Elton Mayo, Marie Jahoda, Walter B. Cannon, Hans Selye, and investigators at the University of Michigan’s …

Understanding Haitian Women’S Health Care In Immokalee, Florida, Usa, Michele Leigh Flippo Bolduc

Theses and Dissertations--Geography

This social science research project takes a critical approach to understanding the health of a population by using the health care system as an entry point through which we can see how large-scale social processes produce a particular health care landscape in the rural, im/migrant farmworker community of Immokalee, Florida, USA. Using a multi-scalar analysis of health care, I investigate how anti-immigrant legislation and neoliberal economics influence the experience of health care for health care providers and Haitian im/migrant women navigating these processes. First, I argue that anti-immigrant and pro-market discourses have been successful in limiting the accessibility to health …

Indigenous Adolescent Girls’ Empowerment Network (Imagen): Adapting The Girl Roster™ For Lakota Communities, Kelly Hallman, Stephanie Martinez

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This brief reports on a first-of-a-kind meeting between the Population Council’s GIRLCenter and organizations such as the White Buffalo Calf Woman Society (WBCWS) that work locally with Native American communities to understand the specific needs of adolescent girls in Indian Country. This followed an inaugural meeting of the Indigenous Adolescent Girls’ Empowerment Network (IMAGEN) with its wealth of insight concerning the needs of the Native communities they serve, and the GIRL Center’s myriad programmatic tools and resources that have been tried and tested in global settings for several decades. The IMAGEN Approach is an adaptable process that links these two …

Girlsread! Girls’ Rights: An Empowerment Curriculum, Natalie Jackson Hachonda, Nicole Haberland, Barbara Mensch, Pamela Nyirenda, Diana Bulanda-Shalala

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This curriculum guide is designed to help female mentors in the GirlsRead! program in Zambia to directly engage girls in critical thinking about gender inequalities and discrimination, and help them build the assets and confidence needed to act on their own behalf and as progressive voices in their communities. GirlsRead! participants are girls in grade 7—the last year of primary school—when they are at high risk of leaving school. The curriculum includes 19 sessions that cover a range of topics from gender equality to sexuality to rights, in meetings that provide a space and opportunity for girls to regularly interact …

Exploring Barriers And Opportunities For Pre-Eclampsia And Eclampsia Prevention And Management In Ethiopia, Pooja Sripad, Hussein Ismail, Amy Dempsey, Karen Kirk, Charlotte E. Warren

Reproductive Health

The Ending Eclampsia Project is a five-year cooperative agreement between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Population Council, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health Ethiopia, which seeks to expand access to quality underutilized interventions and commodities for the prevention and treatment of pre-eclampsia/eclampsia (PE/E). This report presents qualitative findings from formative research conducted to: 1) assess the policy and health systems environment related to PE/E prevention and management, 2) identify potential bottlenecks in the supply chain, 3) investigate PE/E knowledge, attitudes, and practices at policy, health system, and community levels, 4) describe the barriers …

Mitigating Disparities In Community Hiv Testing Among Youth And Young Adults, Joseph Mims, Katrina Odell, Graham F. Watts Sr, Sandy Arts

Florida Public Health Review

Prevention strategies are a key lever for reducing HIV incidence, which differentially affects jurisdictions. HIV incidence coexists with social determinants of health, health-related disparities, poverty, and other risk factors. One zip code in Jacksonville, Florida’s urban core fit the description of a disadvantaged jurisdiction; hence, the local HIV prevention consortia implemented a theory-based, social outreach HIV prevention event, which attracted 189 residents and 64 tested for HIV. Survey data from 120 respondents indicated that event attendees viewed the event’s prevention activities and the supporting entertainment music favorably. Respondents liked the emphases on healthy behaviors, health education, and community capacity to …

Accessibility And Affordability Of Healthy Foods In Food Deserts In Florida: Policy And Practice Implications, Lauri Wright, Palak Gupta, Kumiko Yoshihara

Florida Public Health Review

Food deserts are areas where people experience limited access to healthy and affordable food. People with limited access to affordable food have been shown to have higher rates of obesity and obesity-related, chronic diseases. The purpose of this study was to assess the availability and affordability of healthy foods in retail outlets of food deserts in Florida. Eighteen food deserts in two large metropolitan areas were assessed using the USDA Food Store Survey Instrument. Overall, stores within food deserts were missing 43.16% of food items and convenience stores were missing food items almost seven times more than supermarkets. Food items …

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Disparity Among Truck Drivers: Danger On American Roads, Felicia N. Green, Ivette A. López, Mary Simmons

Florida Public Health Review

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a common sleep disorder, can cause perilous levels of fatigue that impact commercial drivers who operate vehicles such as tow trucks, tractor trailers, and buses. In this study, we explored this population for its awareness of obstructive sleep apnea, the risk factors, and its impact on health for all. We conducted a qualitative study using 33 semi-structured in-depth interview questions with 12 male commercial truck drivers ages 28 to 44 years old, who were Florida residents. Participants had basic knowledge of OSA, minimal awareness of the underlying risk factors that impact their overall health, and of …

The Relationship Between Physical Dating Violence And Alcohol And Drug Use Among High School Students In An Urban Florida County, Stacey B. Griner, Michele Johnson Moore, Kristina Wilson

Florida Public Health Review

Physical dating violence (PDV) is associated with a number of serious behavioral and psychological consequences for adolescents who have been victimized. However, there are few studies investigating the relationship between PDV and alcohol and drug use specifically among high school students in Florida. This study analyzes data from the 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Survey in an urban school district in Florida. Alcohol use, drug use, and sociodemographic factors were significantly associated with PDV. After controlling for individual factors, odds of experiencing PDV were higher among those who reported current alcohol use (aOR: 2.38, [95% CI 1.53-3.69]) and those who reported …

Reducing Firearms-Related Domestic Violence Injuries: Legal Developments And Policy And Practice Implications, Marshall B. Kapp, Robin Hassler Thompson

Florida Public Health Review

The potential dangers posed by a combination of firearms availability and domestic violence are substantial in the United States today. The dangers posed and resulting harms must be addressed as a pressing public health matter. This article reports on a 2016 United States Supreme Court decision that, although fairly narrow in terms of the technical legal question answered, supports broad public health implications for future policy and practice concerning the intersection of firearms regulation and the prevention or mitigation of domestic violence. Following a brief summary of the legal case, we make recommendations for reducing the incidence and severity of …

Perceived Barriers Preventing And Treating Hiv/Aids Among Public Health Workers In Florida, Nichole E. Stetten, Felix Lorenzo, Jessica L. King, Mark Hart

Florida Public Health Review

In 2015, Florida moved from being ranked second to first nationally in total number of HIV diagnoses. To combat this statistic, public health workers were interviewed to understand perceived perspectives about available resources and practicable solutions to barriers that may inhibit the use of testing and treatment services to reduce overall health disparities and inequalities among individuals with HIV/AIDS. Ten public health workers from rural counties in Florida were interviewed, and then qualitatively analyzed using the constant comparison method. Public health workers found that multiple barriers, lack of education and knowledge of resources available among health workers, and a need …

Hepatitis C Screening Practices In A Local County Health Department: A Gap Analysis, Andrew Blix, Barbara B. Little

Florida Public Health Review

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a growing problem in the United States and most patients remain undiagnosed. CDC guidelines from 2012 recommend one-time screening of everyone born from 1945-1965. The penetration of this guideline is relatively unknown and the literature reveals that most efforts for improvement are poorly sustained. The purpose of this study was to compare a Florida county health department’s screening practices to national guidelines. In addition, provider-level barriers to screening were assessed in order to develop tailored recommendations for improvement. Using a serial cross-sectional design, data was examined to determine HCV screening prevalence for patients born …

The Challenging Dual Role Of Being A Public Health Professional Degree-Seeking Student And Having A Life Outside Of School – A Commentary, Kristen L. Brewer

Florida Public Health Review

This paper is part of a continuing series of papers describing the experiences of students as they contend with academic studies, marriage and family, job-related responsibilities, and other activities that compete with being a full-time student. In this paper, the author discusses “multi-tasking,” the intellectual challenges of school, the all-consuming nature of advanced education, and the irony of personal, social, and health sacrifices one makes while seeking a public health degree – asking rhetorically, “Is it worth it?”

Evaluation Of A Pilot Intervention To Relink Formerly Incarcerated Plhwhas To Hiv/Aids Care, Graham F. Watts, Heather S. Vaughan, Deidre Kelley, Dana C. Barnes, Sandy Arts

Florida Public Health Review

HIV is a manageable chronic disease. However, it requires knowing one’s status, retention in care, and medication adherence for viral suppression. Disadvantaged groups of persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs) who experience incarceration and major depressive disorders, homelessness, substance use and lack of social support are overwhelmed by these burdens and do not fully engage in HIV care, without help. Four Northeast Florida entities engaged in action research to influence health equity for formerly detained PLWHAs. The City of Jacksonville, Ryan White Part-A Program, Florida Department of Health-Duval, Lutheran Social Services, and Jacksonville Sherriff’s Office convened a coalition, called CAPRICE. Activities …

Community-Based Participatory Research At Jacksonville, Florida Superfund Ash Site: Toxicology Training To Improve The Knowledge Of The Lay Community, Alan Becker, Sandra Suther, Cynthia Harris, Grazyna Pawlowicz, Gale Disney-Tucker, Matthew Dutton, Fran Close, Aaron Hilliard, Richard Gragg

Florida Public Health Review

Until the late 1960’s, Jacksonville, Florida incinerated its solid waste with the resultant ash deposited in landfills or used to fill flood-prone areas. These filled areas were later developed into parks, school sites and residential areas. Lead in soil at these sites was the major toxicant of concern and driver of clean-up actions. During the period of assessment of lead-levels in soil, there were no established lines of communication between the City and residents of affected neighborhoods resulting in mistrust in the community. To address communication issues, a community-based, culturally sensitive Community Environmental Toxicology Curriculum (CETC) and a short video …

Work-Related And Non-Work-Related Lead Poisoning Among Adults In Florida, Babajide Sadiq

Florida Public Health Review

The aim of this study was to identify whether adults with lead poisoning (blood lead level ≥10μg/dL) due to exposure to lead at their workplace have higher blood lead concentration levels compared to persons with lead poisoning who are not occupationally exposed. Data for this study were collected from the Florida Blood Lead Epidemiology Surveillance (ABLES) Program from 2008 to 2010 (n = 2246 adults). The demographic characteristics used for this study included age, gender, race, and ethnicity. The population shows that adults 47years of age have the highest number of cases of blood lead level ≥10μg/dL. In addition, male, …

Incidences Of School-Based Anti-Gay And Gender-Related Bullying: Differences Across Levels Of Education, Evan Mcewing, Joseph M. Zolobczuk, Kiet D. Huynh, Ariel A. Gonzalez, Debbiesiu L. Lee

Florida Public Health Review

Anti-gay and gender-related bullying and harassment are pervasive public health problems found in schools and are correlated with negative mental health and educational outcomes for students. This study examines the differences in the forms and prevalence of anti-gay and gender-related bullying with students from middle school, secondary, and post-secondary institutions. This information can assist researchers and practitioners in better understanding the prevalence of anti-gay verbal versus physical harassment at particular education levels. The sample comprised 7,007 participants. Multivariate analysis of variance was used to examine differences across levels of education, race/ethnicity, and gender on the 9-item Gender and Orientation Attitudes …

Interdisciplinary Academic And Community Partnerships To Promote Child Well-Being At School: The Outdoor Classroom, Erin Largo-Wight, Katrina Hall, Caroline Guardino

Florida Public Health Review

This community-based participatory research (CBPR) project involved academic-community partners working together to design, build, and implement an outdoor classroom at a local elementary school to improve the school environment and foster child health and learning. A two-week pilot period took place prior to implementation and formative research was gathered. The formative research findings revealed that the school partners had initial concerns with the environmental conditions and outdoor classroom space, timing of the program within the school day, and materials in the outdoor classroom. The concerns were reported and addressed. The participating teachers completed a survey and reported satisfaction with the …

Trends In The Hiv Epidemic Among Men Who Have Sex With Men In Miami-Dade County, Florida, 2004-2014, David W. Forrest, Gabriel Cardenas, Charlene S. Dodson, Lisa R. Metsch, Marlene Lalota, Emma Spencer

Florida Public Health Review

Miami, Florida has a large population of Hispanic and black men who have sex with men (MSM), a population more likely to become HIV infected than white MSM. We present here HIV behavioral trends in this population that reflect the effects of public health prevention in Miami over a 10-year period. Using National HIV Behavioral Surveillance (NHBS) data of MSM in Miami-Dade County, Florida, in 2004-05, 2008, 2011 and 2014, chi-square trend analyses were used to assess the epidemiologic trends related to HIV infection rates, HIV testing rates, undiagnosed HIV infection, use antiretroviral therapy (ART) and access to HIV care. …

10 Years Of Progress In Population Health: Connecting Health And Healthcare, David B. Nash, Md, Mba, Willie H. Oglesby, Phd, Mba, Msph, Frsph, Fache, Alexandria Skoufalos, Edd

College of Population Health Annual Reports

Table of Contents

• 6 - A City of Firsts, A College of Firsts
• 8 - Upstream & Downstream
• 14 - Innovations in Education
• 16 - Equipped with the Tools
• 17 - Working Towards Community Health at a Population Level
• 18 - Community Health Requires Community Partnership
• 19 - Bridging the Academic-Industry Divide
• 20 - The Center for Population Health Innovation Supports Lifelong Learning
• 22 - Investing in Research, Investing in Health
• 23 - 1989 Jefferson Center for Population Health
• 24 - Research in Action