Public Health Commons^™

Evaluation Of Sociodemographic Factors And Presence Of Oil And Gas Waste Disposal Wells In Kansas, Katherine Rose Wolf

Public Health Theses

Background and objective: Kansas hosts the second-largest number of wells in the United States for the disposal of oil and gas waste (n = 13,396), which can contain chemicals toxic to human health. In this study we evaluate potential associations between oil and gas waste disposal well locations and sociodemographic characteristics in Kansas.

Methods: We obtained oil and gas production and disposal well data from the Kansas Geological Survey and sociodemographic data at the census block group level from the United States 2013–2017 American Community Survey. We used two-variable t-tests, logistic regression with and without thin plate spatial splines, and …

Partners In Crime: Fledgling Tumors Hijack Inflammation, Balamurugan Kuppusamy, Howard A. Young

United States Public Health Resources

While inflammation is a normal physiological response after tissue injury, the chemicals/mediators that are released by the damaged tissue can be toxic to the cells. This underlying inflammation increases the likelihood of cellular DNA damage and aberrant cell growth (Kiraly and others 2015). In this scenario, inflammation functions as a ‘‘behind-curtain factor’’ for many disorders. Cancer has long been known to be closely tethered to inflammation. Widespread evidence shows that inflammatory diseases such as colitis, pancreatitis, and hepatitis make their respective organs highly susceptible to eventual cancer development (Shalapour and Karin 2015). However, other studies have shown that in due …

Advancing Heart, Lung, Blood, And Sleep Research (January 2019)

United States Natonal Institutes of Health: Materials

Advancing Heart, Lung, Blood, and Sleep Research is an 8-page brochure that highlights major NHLBI programs, partnership activities, and other topics.

Partner Build Grow: Resources To Sustain Partnerships And Advance Prevention Initiatives, Evelyn Frankford, Rachel Sadlon, Olga Acosta Price, Linda Sheriff

Prevention and Community Health Faculty Publications

Alignment of programs, practices, and policies by practitioners at the state and local levels can create health-promoting environments for all children. Such alignment, guided by principles of prevention science and public health, can enhance school–community partnerships involved with the mental, emotional, and behavioral well-being and positive development of children and youth. The key to success of such prevention approaches is sustaining the work over time. Partner Build Grow, an online Action Guide, supports sustainability through cross-sector collaborations and systems change to create school– community environments that promote equity. Informed by local and national experts along with field experience and application …

Befasta Education To Change Attitudes To Call 911 When Stroke Symptoms Occur, Holly J. Swanson

Theses and Graduate Projects

In the 1990s, the medication Alteplase was starting to be used to treat ischemic stroke. It

is necessary to administer this medication within 4.5 hours from the time the person is last known to be without symptoms of stroke. To raise public awareness of stroke symptoms and the need to present to a hospital quickly to receive this medical treatment, the acronym FAST representing facial drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulties, and time, was developed in 1998. FAST has successfully been used in many public awareness efforts. Research studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of FAST in helping people remember the symptoms …

Cervical Cancer Screening And Prevention In Central America, Madeline Jensen

Theses and Graduate Projects

Cervical cancer is the fourth most frequent cancer in women around the world. In the Central American region, it is a leading cause of mortality for young women due to inadequate preventive and screening measures. The disease is slow-growing and caused by the human papillomavirus, which is transmitted via sexual contact. The HPV vaccination was created in order to prevent the disease, and there are a variety of quality screening methods to quickly identify progression. The most common screening methods include the Papanicolaou (Pap) test and visualization by acetic acid (VIA). While frequent screening is common in developed countries, rates …

Geographic Variances Of Osteoporosis: What Interventions Can Be Implemented To Raise Awareness And Reduce The Risk Of Fractures In Latin America?, Kayla Mork

Theses and Graduate Projects

Osteoporosis is a major public health problem worldwide. Its complications are those related to fragility fractures, which cause considerable morbidity, mortality, and resource utilization. The socioeconomic burden is relatively well understood in the United States, but less studied in developing regions of the world. This paper will compare the epidemiology and socioeconomic burden of osteoporosis between the United States and Latin America. It will also review the current prevention, screening, diagnosis, and treatment methods, with an emphasis on raising awareness, improving management, and prioritizing osteoporosis as a public health problem. Information was gathered through a PubMed literature review and an …

Preventing Road Traffic Incidents In Low- And Middle-Income Countries, Kayla Fuechtmann

Theses and Graduate Projects

Globally, approximately 1.35 million people die each year due to road traffic injuries (RTIs), with millions more suffering from serious injuries and living with long-term adverse health consequences. RTIs are the leading cause of preventable death, yet they continue to be the number one cause of death among those aged between 5 and 29 years of age. Even more, motor vehicles crashes are the number one killer of healthy United States citizens in foreign countries.

Childhood Immunization Coverage And Challenges: United States Vs. Latin America, James Cedric Holden

Theses and Graduate Projects

All countries are classified, for analytical purposes, into three broad classifications, based off a country’s economic condition. The World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) is responsible for these classifications. The gross national income per capita (GNI) is the measurement used to classify a county’s economy: as developed, in transition or developing. The United States is an example of a country that is considered developed, while the countries of Central America are all considered developing. This classification system is useful; however, it may not provide great insight into the health of a nation’s population. Good health of a country’s population directly …

Family Caregiver Satisfaction With Inpatient Rehabilitation Care, Kristine T. Hanson, Kathleen F. Carlson, Greta Friedemann-Sanchez, Laura A. Meis, Courtney H. Van Houtven, Agnes C. Jensen, Sean M. Phelan, Joan M. Griffin

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introduction:

Informal family caregivers play an increasingly important role in healthcare. Despite their role in ongoing management and coordination of care, caregiver satisfaction with the healthcare services care recipients receive has been understudied. We sought to assess what influences caregiver satisfaction with inpatient care provided to their care recipient among caregivers of veterans with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and polytrauma.

Methods:

Data from the Family and Caregiver Experience Survey, a national survey of caregivers of veterans with TBI and polytrauma, was used to explore factors associated with caregiver satisfaction with the care his/her care recipient received while an inpatient at …

Prevalence Of Alcohol Use: A National Survey Of Deaf Adults In The United States, Poorna Kushalnagar, Traciann Hoglind, Abbi N. Simons, Debra Guthmann

JADARA

Objective: Alcohol is one of the most commonly used substances in the United States. Alcohol consumption has been linked to several sociodemographic and social characteristics in the general population. Research is needed to understand the prevalence of and characteristics related to alcohol use in Deaf adults. Our study purpose was to determine nation-wide prevalence of alcohol use and investigate characteristics related to alcohol consumption in Deaf adults in the United States.

Methods: Secondary data were drawn from the Health Information National Trends in American Sign Language (HINTS-ASL). Self-reported data from 1272 Deaf adults (56% female) were used to …

Expenditure, Coping, And Academic Behaviors Among Food-Insecure College Students At 10 Higher Education Institutes In The Appalachian And Southeastern Regions, Rebecca L. Hagedorn, Laura H. Mcarthur, Lanae B. Hood, Maureen Berner, Elizabeth T. Anderson Steeves, Carol L. Connell, Elizabeth Wall-Bassett, Marsha Spence, Oyinlola Toyin Babatunde, E Brooke Kelly, Julia F. Waity, J Porter Lillis, Melissa D. Olfert

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background

A number of studies have measured college student food insecurity prevalence higher than the national average; however, no multicampus regional study among students at 4-y institutions has been undertaken in the Appalachian and Southeast regions of the United States.

Objectives

The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of food insecurity among college students in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, and to determine the association between food-insecurity status and money expenditures, coping strategies, and academic performance among a regional sample of college students.

Methods

This regional, cross-sectional, online survey study included 13,642 college …

Interventions To Increase Completion Of Hepatitis B Vaccination In People Who Inject Drugs: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Stacy Tressler, Ruchi Bhandari

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Abstract

Increases in opioid misuse and injection drug use have resulted in a rise in acute cases of hepatitis B. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized studies to determine the effect (pooled odds ratio) of interventions to increase hepatitis B vaccination completion in people who inject drugs (PWID). Odds ratios from the included studies were combined to create a pooled odds ratio (OR) using the Inverse Heterogeneity Model. Eleven studies met the eligibility criterion of having a randomized intervention to increase hepatitis B virus vaccination completion among PWID. The odds of vaccine completion in the intervention group …

Strengthening Capacity To Prevent Hiv Among Adolescent Girls And Young Women: Supporting Dreams Programming, Project Soar

HIV and AIDS

The Population Council, with funding from Girl Effect, worked in seven Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored, and Safe (DREAMS) Partnership countries to strengthen the capacity of implementing partners to develop new approaches to reach AGYWs at highest risk of HIV infection, link them with essential resources, and empower them with social and protective assets for a safe and healthy entry into adulthood. This technical assistance was informed by the Population Council’s decades of research and experience determining “what works”—and what doesn’t work—in girl-centered programming. Through Project SOAR, the Population Council provided technical assistance to implementing partners in five additional countries …

Implementing And Scaling-Up Stepping Stones In Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa: Lessons From Working In Informal Settlements, Cecilia Milford, M. Mtshali, Mags Beksinska, Julie Pulerwitz

HIV and AIDS

KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), a major epicenter of the South African HIV epidemic, has large informal settlements where thousands of people live. The settlements are often underserved by municipal services and lack accessible health care. Given high rates of HIV, there is a critical need to assess the successes and challenges of implementing HIV prevention and treatment in this context. Stepping Stones is a widely used life-skills training intervention focused on curbing gender-based violence and reducing HIV risk. The program addresses issues such as communication about HIV, relationship skills, and assertiveness. The manual-based curriculum encourages participants to engage in critical reflection through …

The People Living With Hiv Stigma Index: Dominican Republic, Red Dominicana De Personas Que Viven Con Vih/Sida, Alianza Solidaria Para La Lucha Contra El Vih Y Sida, Population Council

HIV and AIDS

The People Living with HIV Stigma Index, developed in 2008, is a survey instrument used to highlight stigma and discrimination experienced by PLHIV. Developed and administered by and for PLHIV, the Stigma Index is not merely a measurement tool, its implementation is intended to be an empowering experience for PLHIV. In 2016–17, the Population Council–led research consortium Project SOAR updated the Stigma Index to reflect changes in the global HIV response in the past decade. The new version (Stigma Index 2.0) now has an increased focus on PLHIV’s experiences accessing HIV services; using and adhering to antiretroviral services; mental health …

Índice De Estigma En Personas Viviendo Con Vih 2.0: Resultados Preliminares Para La República Dominicana, Project Soar

HIV and AIDS

El estigma y la discriminación hacia las personas que viven con el VIH (PVVIH) contribuyen a la pobre calidad de servicios de salud, coerción y violencia, desempleo y exclusión de las reuniones sociales. Abordar el estigma que afecta a las PVVIH es una prioridad mundial, dado su impacto en la epidemia del VIH. En 2008, la Red mundial de personas que viven con el VIH, la Comunidad internacional de mujeres que viven con el VIH, la Federación Internacional de Planificación de la Familia y ONUSIDA lanzaron el Índice de Estigma para proveer evidencia sobre estigma y discriminación que sirva para …

Índice De Estigma En Personas Que Viven Con Vih: República Dominicana, Red Dominicana De Personas Que Viven Con Vih/Sida, Alianza Solidaria Para La Lucha Contra El Vih Y Sida, Population Council

HIV and AIDS

El Índice de Estigma de las personas que viven con el VIH, desarrollado en 2008, es una encuesta utilizada para identificar el estigma y la discriminación que enfrentan las PVVIH. Desarrollado y administrado por y para las PVVIH, el Índice de Estigma es más que un simple instrumento de medición, e espera que su ejecución empodere a PVVIH. En 2016-17, el consorcio de investigación liderado por el Population Council, el Proyecto SOAR, actualizó el Índice de Estigma a modo de reflejar los cambios en la respuesta mundial ante el VIH durante la última década. La nueva versión (Stigma Index 2.0) …

Youth Engaging For Success (Yes)—Youth Peer Mentor Pre-Service Training: Youth Peer Mentor Guide, Project Soar

HIV and AIDS

No abstract provided.

Youth Engaging For Success (Yes)—Youth Peer Mentor In-Service Training: Youth Peer Mentor Guide, Project Soar

HIV and AIDS

No abstract provided.

Youth Engaging For Success (Yes)—Youth Peer Mentor Pre-Service Training: Facilitator Guide, Project Soar

HIV and AIDS

No abstract provided.

Youth Engaging For Success (Yes)—Youth Peer Mentor In-Service Training: Facilitator Guide, Project Soar

HIV and AIDS

No abstract provided.

Weight Loss And Weight Gain Among Participants In A Community-Based Weight Loss Challenge, Merrill D. Funk, Minjae Lee, Michelle L. Vidoni, Belinda M. Reininger

Health & Human Performance Faculty Publications

Background

To describe the characteristics of participants who registered for multiple annual offerings of a community-based weight loss program called The Challenge, and to determine participant characteristics associated with weight change over multiple offerings of The Challenge occurring during the years 2010–2016.

Methods

Multivariable linear mixed effects analyses were conducted to describe percent weight change within and between offerings of The Challenge by participant characteristics.

Results

There were 669 and 575 participants included in the within and between analyses, respectively, for offerings of The Challenge. Among the 434 participants who lost weight in their first attempt at The Challenge and …

Evaluability Assessment Of “Growing Healthy Communities,” A Mini-Grant Program To Improve Access To Healthy Foods And Places For Physical Activity, Christiaan G. Abildso, Angela Dyer, Shay M. Daily, Thomas K. Bias

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Mini-grants have been used to stimulate multisector collaboration in support of public health initiatives by funding non-traditional partners, such as economic development organizations. Such mini-grants have the potential to increase access to healthy foods and places for physical activity through built environment change, especially in small and rural towns in the United States. Although a promising practice, few mini-grant evaluations have been done. Therefore, our purpose was to conduct an Evaluability Assessment (EA), which is a process that can help promising programs that lack evidence advance toward full-scale evaluation. Specifically, we conducted an Evaluability Assessment of a statewide mini-grant program, …

Evaluation Of Plan Quality And Treatment Efficiency For Single-Isocenter/Two-Lesion Lung Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy, Lana Sanford, Janelle A. Molloy, Sameera S. Kumar, Marcus Randall, Ronald C. Mcgarry, Damodar Pokhrel

Radiation Medicine Faculty Publications

Purpose/objectives: To evaluate the plan quality and treatment delivery efficiency of single‐isocenter/two‐lesions volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) lung stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT).

Materials/methods: Eight consecutive patients with two peripherally located early stage nonsmall‐cell‐lung cancer (NSCLC) lung lesions underwent single‐isocenter highly conformal noncoplanar VMAT SBRT treatment in our institution. A single‐isocenter was placed between the two lesions. Doses were 54 or 50 Gy in 3 and 5 fractions respectively. Patients were treated every other day. Plans were calculated in Eclipse with AcurosXB algorithm and normalized to at least 95% of the planning target volume (PTV) receiving 100% of the prescribed …

Burnout Levels Of Teachers Within A Selected School District In Minnesota, Adam Whirley

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to identify feelings of burnout within a selected school district in Minnesota and to identify contributing demographic factors. For this study, a random school district in Minnesota was chosen to be surveyed. By identifying feelings of burnout and demographic factors associated with these feelings, appropriate mental health interventions will be developed and implemented within school districts and the workplace. By implementing these interventions there will be a reduction in occupational burnout and stronger mental health among employees. The study showed a significance relationship between 9-12(High School) teachers and higher levels of burnout when compared …

Examining The Effect Of Socioeconomic Factors On Kindergarten Vaccination Rates In Kentucky Counties, Abigail Wiggins

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

The purpose of this project is to examine the relationship between county-level socioeconomic factors and immunization compliance rates among kindergarten age children. All 120 counties in Kentucky were included in this evaluation.

County-level percent of uninsured children, number of children in poverty, children receiving free lunch (percentage), unemployment rate (percentage), and high school graduation rate were assessed. Socioeconomic data for each county were compared to county-level kindergarten vaccination rates. All vaccination data were obtained from the 2015-2016 Kentucky Annual School Immunization Survey Report. All socioeconomic county data were obtained from the 2016 County Health Rankings data, published by the Robert …

Use And Cost Analysis Of Comprehensive Respiratory Panels At A Children’S Hospital Within A Tertiary Medical Center, Megan Cummins

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Introduction

A comprehensive respiratory panel (CRP) is a quick and non-invasive laboratory diagnostic test that can detect viral nucleic acids by utilizing polymerase chain reactions (PCR). A CRP can detect multiple causative agents associated with upper respiratory illness and CRPs are commonly used in the Kentucky Children’s Hospital as part of the initial evaluation for patients who present with signs and symptoms of a respiratory infection. While CRPs are quick to detect the presence of a viral illness and are shown to increase the prescribing of antivirals for viral illnesses, the cost of the CRP to the hospital is around …

The Use Of Mobile Healthcare Clinics To Expand Access To Underserved Populations: A Rapid Review, Alejandro Jimenez

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Access and utilization of health care is essential for the maintenance of overall health and prevention of chronic diseases. Several factors contribute to healthcare access disparities, including race, ethnicity, poverty, and rurality. Mobile healthcare clinics can be used to travel to medically underserved areas and reduce healthcare disparities. This rapid review examined the scope and impact of mobile healthcare units, and their use in reducing healthcare disparities. The exploration was done in 4 stages (1) identification of existing and relevant research studies, (2) selection of studies using prespecified eligibility criteria, (3) extraction of data from collected studies, and (4) summarization …

A Population-Based Analysis Of Patient Age And Other Disparities In The Treatment Of Ovarian Cancer In Central Appalachia And Kentucky, Robert Ore

Theses and Dissertations--Clinical Research Design

Objectives: Adherence to National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines for ovarian cancer treatment improves patient outcomes. The aim of this study was to assess disparities associated with ovarian cancer treatment in the state of Kentucky and central Appalachia.

Methods: Data on patients diagnosed as having ovarian cancer from 2007 through 2011 were extracted from administrative claims-linked Kentucky Cancer Registry data. NCCN compliance was defined by stage, grade, surgical procedure, and chemotherapy. Selection criteria were reviewed carefully to ensure data quality and accuracy. Descriptive analysis, logistic regression, and Cox regression analyses were performed to examine factors associated with guidelines compliance and …