Public Health Commons^™

The Association Of Health Insurance And Prescription Drug Coverage On Cost-Related Non-Adherence And Hospitalization Across Age-Related Groups Of Individuals With Copd, Shamika Martin Walls

Theses and Dissertations

Background: COPD patients have poor adherence to prescribed treatment. Individuals with COPD have higher out-of-pocket treatment cost than individuals without COPD. The significant out of pocket COPD related treatment cost can lead to prescription drug non-adherence especially for individuals without health insurance or prescription drug coverage.

Significance: Since the implementation of Medicare Part D on January 1, 2006, there are no studies that have used national data to evaluate the association of health insurance and prescription drug coverage on cost related non-adherence and hospitalization among individuals 50-64 years old with COPD compared to individuals 65 years and older …

Developing A Taxonomy Of Ladder Climbing Techniques, Charles Holland

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

The research found on ladder safety indicated broad recognition of the hazards of using ladders, especially in the construction industries. OSHA regulations, as well as general guidance on ladder safety point to training workers on ladder usage techniques as being one of the most useful means of reducing risk of falling. However, no studies could be found directly investigating different techniques for ascending and descending ladders. In order to study and compare techniques, this project was initiated to establish a taxonomy of techniques for climbing and descending ladders Six patterns were hypothesized. A secondary purpose was to compare the patterns …

Mining’S Impact On Environmental And Human Health: A Case Study Of Ramba County’S Gold Mine, Vivika Fernes

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research project aims to gain a greater understanding of the health implications that Ramba County’s goldmine has on miners, their families, and the environment. While this study observes the community-at-large, inclusive of visiting miners and extended family members of workers, it will focus on women who engage in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM). Millions of people in the developing word depend on ASGM for their livelihood, evident in this case study in Ramba County. However, while gold is associated with wealth, there is great irony in the fact that those working within the mining industry are being exploited …

Socio-Cultural Norms And Perceptions Of Menstruation: An Intergenerational Analysis Of Rural Jamkhed, Maharashtra, Addison Scales

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study analyzes the socio-cultural norms and perceptions of menstruation between two generations of women in rural Jamkhed, Maharashtra. Interview questions were prepared for women between the ages of 18-26 and 35 or older to determine the level of dilution of the menstrual taboo and stigmas between age groups. All women resided in two villages in the rural area surrounding Jamkhed, Maharashtra. A variety of socio-cultural perceptions and practices were explored to determine their correlation with external influences on the shifting menstruation narrative. The socio-cultural factors of focus are family structure, media exposure, choice of material use, disposal and sustainability, …

“Un Sistema Abandonado”: Una Investigación Sobre El Acceso A Servicios De Salud Sexual Integral Para Mujeres Privadas De La Libertad En Argentina. / “An Abandoned System”: An Investigation Into The Access Of Comprehensive Sexual Health Services For Incarcerated Women In Argentina., Erica Harp

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

En esta investigación, exploramos algunas percepciones del acceso a servicios de salud sexual integral para mujeres privadas de su libertad en Argentina. Las mujeres tienen necesidades de salud muy específicas, y aunque cada una tiene el derecho humano a una atención de salud adecuada, esto no se cumple en muchos casos. Con respecto a la salud en contextos de encierro, Argentina sigue las reglas de Bangkok, leyes federales y provinciales, que requieren atención médica adecuada para mujeres. Investigaciones anteriores han mostrado que hay una gran falta de atención médica en los sistemas penitenciarios del país, específicamente de servicios complementarios como …

“Las Mamás No Son Putas”: Percepciones Y Experiencias De Embarazo Y Maternidad En Trabajadoras Sexuales En Buenos Aires / Mothers Are Not Prostitutes: Perceptions And Experiences Of Pregnancy And Motherhood Among Sex Workers In Buenos Aires, Fiona Kennedy

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

En Buenos Aires, la gran mayoría de las trabajadoras sexuales también son madres. Sin embargo, ha habido pocos estudios en Argentina sobre los vínculos entre el trabajo sexual y la maternidad y las experiencias de embarazo para las trabajadoras sexuales. Las trabajadoras sexuales en Buenos Aires experimentan estigmatización y violencia institucional en múltiples entornos, lo que afecta tanto el acceso a la salud como el bienestar general. Este estudio tiene como objetivo examinar cómo estas vías afectan a las trabajadoras sexuales en la maternidad y el embarazo, con el fin de encontrar áreas de intervención. La mayoría de esta investigación …

La Comunicación Intercultural Entre Pacientes Bolivianos Y Trabajadores De Salud En Buenos Aires, Argentina / Intercultural Communication Between Bolivian Patients And Health-Care Workers In Buenos Aires, Argentina, Lilly Snellman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Según la Ley de Migraciones 25.871 de 2004, los inmigrantes en Argentina tienen el mismo derecho a la atención médica que los argentinos nativos. El sistema de salud argentina es uno de los más inclusivos en el mundo, pero todavía hay barreras al acceso para comunidades e individuos marginados. Muchas veces los migrantes bolivianos son discriminados en la sociedad argentina por sus rasgos raciales, bajo nivel socioeconómico y diferencias culturales. Tres clases importantes de barreras para el acceso a la atención médica para los migrantes son las económicas, estructurales y comunicativas. En este estudio, decidí enfocarme en las brechas de …

Salud Mental Comunitaria: Implementación En Chile Actual, Emma Baker

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study explores how familiar community mental health organizations in Valparaíso follow an established model of community mental health, derived from a variety of essays, books, and reports on the topic. Additionally, it serves to present the effect of this relationship on the contemporary social revolution in Chile. The present social and political unrest, manifesting itself in massive protests throughout the country, presents a unique moment in which these themes can be examined. Additionally, Chile encounters high rates of psychological disorders among its population, a lack of protection for the mental health of children and adolescents, and a lack of …

Increasing Kangaroo Care In A New Small Baby Unit, Dianne Wilderson, Barb Haney, Ashley Mirabile, Beckie Palmer, Jenny Heltzer, Erin Keith-Chancy Bsn,Ccrn, Brooke Smith, Christian Anthony Schneider, Abdebayo Oshodi

Posters

Project Aim: Increase the percent of eligible patients receiving kangaroo care from 19% to 30% by September 2019.

Results:

113 staff completed education

OT consults completed on all SBU patients

20 kangaroo wraps purchased

Kangaroo care rate in NICU increased from 19% (prior to SBU) to 36% (Post SBU opening).

Conclusion: Due to increased multidisciplinary awareness of importance of kangaroo care in the SBU more parents are completing kangaroo care.

Mapping 123 Million Neonatal, Infant And Child Deaths Between 2000 And 2017, Roy Burstein, Simon I. Hay, Veincent Christian F. Pepito, 556 Co-Authors

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Since 2000, many countries have achieved considerable success in improving child survival, but localized progress remains unclear. To inform efforts towards United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3.2—to end preventable child deaths by 2030—we need consistently estimated data at the subnational level regarding child mortality rates and trends. Here we quantified, for the period 2000–2017, the subnational variation in mortality rates and number of deaths of neonates, infants and children under 5 years of age within 99 low- and middle-income countries using a geostatistical survival model. We estimated that 32% of children under 5 in these countries lived in districts that …

Understanding Young Adult Survivors Of Childhood Cancers’ Participation In Late Effects Screening: A Mixed Methods Approach, Kristen Trost Mantlo

Health Services Research Dissertations

Significant advancements in the treatment of childhood cancers have helped to increase the 5-year survival rate from 56% in the early 1970s to approximately 80-85% in the early 2000s (Greenlee, Murray, Bolden, & Wingo, 2000; Hampton, 2005). Treatment modalities such as chemotherapy and radiation have led to many serious long-term side effects, known as late effects. Between 60% and 90% of survivors develop some form of long-term chronic condition due to their treatment and up to 40% of those conditions will be life-threatening (Howlader, N. et al., 2013). While the majority of young adult survivors of childhood cancer are at …

Preventing Skin Exposure To Pesticides Among Apple Growers And Factors Influencing Use Of Protective Clothing, Danièle Champoux, Caroline Jolly, Sylvie Beaugrand, Ludovic Tuduri

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Des recherches internationales ont déterminé que la peau constituait la principale voie d’exposition aux pesticides utilisés en agriculture. L’utilisation des équipements de protection individuelle (ÉPI) joue un rôle clé dans la prévention des risques liés à l’exposition. L’utilisation non systématique des ÉPI prescrits est toutefois documentée et constitue une cible prioritaire des interventions pour la réduction de l’exposition aux pesticides. Cette étude approfondit les résultats d’une première enquête auprès des producteurs de pommes en ciblant spécifiquement l’exposition cutanée aux pesticides et l’utilisation des vêtements de protection (VP). Elle a comme objectif de décrire les situations …

Occupational Exposure To Microorganisms When Using Biological Degreasing Stations, Carol-Anne Villeneuve, Geneviève Marchand, Marie Gardette, Jacques Lavoie, Denis Bégin, Maximilien Debia

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Les fontaines biologiques appelées fontaines de biodégradation ou simplement biofontaines contiennent des dégraissants qui renferment des bactéries dont la tâche est de dégrader, par minéralisation, les salissures hydrocarbonées (huiles et graisses). Les fabricants de dégraissants pour biofontaines affirment que les microorganismes utilisés dans leurs préparations sont inoffensifs puisqu’ils se classent dans le groupe de risque 1; ils se référent alors à la classification des microorganismes en quatre groupes de risque infectieux. Cependant, des auteurs ont identifié plusieurs bactéries du groupe 2 (risque infectieux modéré pour la personne, mais faible pour la communauté) dans les liquides des biofontaines, par exemple Pseudomonas …

Addressing The Surgical Deficit: A Global Imperative For Plastic And Reconstructive Surgeons, Rachel W. Davis, Walter D. Johnson, Larry H. Hollier

Faculty Publications

Despite poor access to quality surgical and anesthesia care for the majority of the world's people, with greatest impact on low- and middle-income countries, surgery has only recently begun to gain acceptance as a necessary component of global health. As a leader in global surgical funding, the field of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery is uniquely positioned to influence change in global policy and financial support. For improvements in surgical access and outcomes worldwide, investment in surgical systems, commitment to national surgery, obstetric, and anesthesia planning, and continued evaluation and improvement of care delivery should be pursued.

"The Healing Of America" And The Next Steps For American Healthcare, Carter A. Hanson

Student Publications

An exploration of three healthcare systems—France, United Kingdom, and Canada—and what can be learned for them. Elements from the three national systems are combined into a proposal for reforming the American healthcare system into a devolved single-payer system.

Associations Among Neighborhood Socioeconomic Deprivation, Physical Activity Facilities, And Physical Activity In Youth During The Transition From Childhood To Adolescence, Morgan N. Clennin, Min Lian, Natalie Colabianchi, Andrew Kaczynski, Marsha Dowda, Russell R. Pate

Faculty Publications

Background: This study aims to examine the longitudinal association of neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation (SED) with physical activity in youth during the transition from elementary to middle school, and to determine if access to physical activity facilities moderates this relationship. Methods: Data were obtained from the Transitions and Activity Changes in Kids (TRACK) study, which was a multilevel, longitudinal study designed to identify the factors that influence changes in physical activity as youth transition from elementary to middle school. The analytic sample for the current study included 660 youth with complete data in grades 5 (baseline) and 7 (follow-up). A repeated …

Ancillary Materials For Advanced First Aid And Emergency Care, Natalie Stickney, Donya Little

Nursing and Health Sciences Ancillary Materials

This set of ancillary materials for Advanced First Aid and Emergency Care was created through a Round Twelve Mini-Grant for Ancillary Materials Creation and Revision.

The PowerPoint lectures, labs, and tutorial videos support the implementation of the BLS CPR Manual and Heartsaver First Aid Student Manual, two low-cost texts for the course.

Lecture slides and questions include the following topics:

• Preliminary First Aid;
• Assessing a Victim;
• Bleeding and Shock;
• Burns;
• Wounds;
• Head and Spinal Injuries;
• Musculoskeletal Injuries;
• Bites and Stings;
• Poisons;
• Sudden Illness;
• Heat and Cold Illness.

Labs and videos cover the following topics:

• Controlling Bleeding;
• Secondary Assessment;
• HAINES …

Pubh 4132: Health Promotion Program Planning I, Raymona H. Lawrence

College of Public Health: Faculty Syllabi (2014-2021)

Provides the student with the theory and practical applications of planning, developing, implementing and evaluating health promotion programs in a variety of settings. The focus will be on a global approach to planning with emphasis on the 5 settings for health promotion programming which include school, community, clinical, college, and worksite settings.

A Need For Patient-Friendly Language For Those With Low Health Literacy In Advanced Care Planning, Denisha Allicock, Addison Mickens, Tilicia Mayo-Gamble

Health Policy & Community Health: Faculty Publications

Work published by Georgia Southern University Press.

Georgia Rural Hospital Tax Credit, Samuel Opoku, Bettye Apenteng, Charles F. Owens, Linda Kimsey, Imaobong B. Ekpo, Emmanuel Akowuah, Michela Hizine, Oluwadamilola Onifade, Bill Mase

Center for Public Health Practice & Research

Background

Eight rural hospitals have closed in Georgia within the last decade, and more are financially distressed. In 2016, Georgia legislation created a state income tax credit for individuals and corporations that donate to qualifying non-profit rural hospitals of their choice. This law, the first of its kind in the US, was intended to provide struggling hospitals with financial support to improve viability. Using a mixed- methods approach, this study assessed the perspective of hospital executives concerning the program, examined community awareness of the program, and evaluated how hospitals used the money to enhance access to care for rural populations.

Diet Quality As A Mediator Of The Relation Between Income-To- Poverty Ratio And Overweight/Obesity Among Adults: Moderating Effect Of Sex, Sajeevika S. Daundasekara, Nipa P. Kamdar, Ashley Dao, Anna E. Greer, A. Lisako, J. Mckyer, Daphne C. Hernandez

Public Health Faculty Publications

Poverty status influences obesity and dietary quality, and dietary quality influences obesity. How these relationships differ by sex is unclear. The current study aims were to 1) determine whether dietary quality mediates the relation between income-to-poverty ratio (IPR) and overweight/obesity (OV/OB) among men and women, separately, and 2) determine whether either of the mediated paths differs by sex. Four cycles of NHANES (2007-2014) were merged to obtain an unweighted study sample of 12,768 adults with complete data. Exposure variables included self-reported measures of IPR, Healthy Eating index (HEI) total score to measure diet quality, and sex. Direct assessment of height …

Assessment And Improvement Of Data Collection Errors Through Inter-Departmental Collaboration, Charlott Williams, Kelli L. Behr, Mary Moffatt, Rangaraj Selvarangan

Posters

Specific Aims:

1. To maintain the ED team's high rate of accuracy in data collection
2. To begin team participation in corrective action planning
3. To improve interdepartmental problem solving

Conclusion

Open communication about errors among all collaborating departments, combing with a shared approach to solving them:

• improved morale and perception of error tracking by the team
• led to a decrease in errors overall, and
• increased interdepartmental collaboration

When all members of the interdepartmental team work together with a positive approach to corrective action, improvement in error rates is a natural outcome of the solutions derived.

Improving Housing Quality To Reduce Asthma Rates And Healthcare Costs In Athens-Clarke County, Ga, Samantha J. Harris, John M. Johnston, Maria Bowie, Grace Bagwell Adams

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition that often develops from controllable environmental factors, such as poor air quality. Our study examined the relationship between mold in the home, which compromises indoor air quality, and asthma prevalence in Athens-Clarke County (ACC), Georgia.

Methods: Data from the Athens Wellbeing Project’s 2016 survey of 1,354 households in ACC was employed to examine indoor air quality and asthma prevalence in ACC. We provided descriptive statistics to examine asthma prevalence and asthma predictors, including the proportion of respondents reporting mold and pest problems, smoking prevalence, and the proportion of households reporting clinical obesity. We …

Participatory Process For Implementing A Colorectal Cancer Screening Intervention: An Action Plan For Local Sustainability, Selina A. Smith, Joyce Q. Sheats, Sandra J. Hamilton, Mary S. Whitehead, Ernestine Delmoor, Thomas Britt, Cassandra Harris, Janette Robinson-Flint, Cheryl Johnson, Corliss Mckeever, Connie L. Sorrell, Vincent R. Green, John W. Harmon, Dorothy L. Reddic, Jane Giddens-Cabarrus, Shirley Gordon-Seay, Benjamin E. Ansa, Daniel S. Blumenthal

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Rigid protocols can hamper translation of evidence-based interventions from research to real-world settings. This investigation aimed to develop procedures for modifying the study protocol of a community-based participatory research (CBPR) project and to analyze the theoretical constructs that underlie this process.

Methods: The research project is a dissemination and implementation study of the Educational Program to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening (EPICS), an evidence-based intervention targeting African Americans in the United States. The study is being conducted in a partnership with community coalitions in 15 different cities. Each site initially presented unique issues that required modification of the study protocol. …

Social Media Usage And Influenza Beliefs, Risk Perceptions And Behavioral Intentions Among Students At A University In Southeastern Us, Jingjing Yin, Pei-Ling Tseng, Kotwoallama Reine Zerbo, Zion Tsz Ho Tse, Levi Ross, Isaac Chun-Hai Fung

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: To document social media usage for the retrieval of health information among college students; and to understand the beliefs, risk perceptions and behavioral intentions among participants who retrieved CDC influenza information via social media.

Methods: We conducted an online survey to a convenience sample of students at a university in Southeastern United States during Spring 2015. The survey was self-administered and every matriculating student received an electronic invitation to participate at least once.

Results: A total of 930 students completed the online survey. Most participants (n=905, 97.3%) reported that they had used a social networking site in the previous …

Health Care Access By Weight Status In The State Of Georgia, Elizabeth Pullekines, Janani Rajbhandari-Thapa

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Obesity continues to grow in prevalence in the United States and within the state of Georgia. Obesity is a risk factor for many chronic and preventable diseases. As such, obese individuals have higher demand for health care services than non-obese individuals. In addition, the health care system can play a role in preventing obesity and other conditions caused by obesity.

Methods: This research follows the established positive relationship between health care use and access to health care services through insurance coverage. The paper analyzes how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) affected insurance coverage and access to health care services …

88th Annual Georgia Public Health Association Meeting & Conference Report, Colin K. Smith, Regina Abbott, Eleanora Zhilyak, Christy Sims

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

The 88th Annual Meeting of the Georgia Public Health Association (GPHA) was held in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 11-12, 2017, with pre-conference (April 10th) and post-conference (April 12th) Executive Board meetings. As Georgia’s leading forum for public health researchers, practitioners, and students, the annual meeting of the GPHA brings together participants from across the state to explore recent developments in the field and to exchange techniques, tools, and experiences. In recent years the venue for the GPHA annual conference has been Atlanta, but in an effort to expand participation across the state the 2018 GPHA Annual Meeting and Conference is …

Insights In Health Administration Education: Understanding The Role Of Personality In Teamwork, Lesley A. Clack, Erica Droste

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Developing a health promotion program plan requires attention to the links between objectives, activities, and overall program goals. Instructors developed the “Connecting the Dots” worksheet to help students establish these linkages.

Methods: The “Connecting the Dots” worksheet included six questions pertinent to the students’ health promotion program plans. The worksheet was given to the students in a flipped classroom setting. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the tool was based upon group presentations at the end of the semester.

Results: Students developed more viable program plans that included stronger links between objectives and corresponding program activities.

Conclusions: The “Connecting the …

Experiences Of Violence Among Female West African Asylum Seekers In Atlanta: A Qualitative Analysis, Kathleen E. Curtis, Dabney P. Evans

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: As the world faces the greatest number of displaced persons in history, it is urgent for countries offering refuge and asylum to understand the needs of these vulnerable populations. Asylum seekers face great uncertainty in the US legal system, and female asylum seekers often face additional challenges. The Atlanta Asylum Network (AAN) facilitates access to low or no-cost physical, psychological and gynecological evaluations to enable a fair and complete judicial process. The purpose of this analysis is to assess the presence of various types of violence experienced by a population of female West African asylum seekers, and to make …

The Relationship Between Per Capita Income, Uninsured Rates, And Cardiovascular Mortality In Georgia Between 1994 – 2016, Monique Bethel, Mark A. Thompson, Adam E. Berman

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: The association between cardiovascular mortality, per capita income and uninsured rates in Georgia have not been well described.

Methods: Cardiovascular mortality rates, per capita income and uninsured rates were obtained for the years 1994-2016, and their relationships were analyzed using univariate and multivariate statistical techniques.

Results: In bivariate analysis, a strong inverse relationship between cardiovascular mortality and per capita income (r = -0.917, p < 0.0001) was detected, while bivariate analysis detected no relationship between cardiovascular mortality and uninsured rates. Both per capita income and uninsured rates were negative predictors of cardiovascular mortality in multivariate analysis.

Conclusions: Per capita income increases in Georgia were strongly correlated with reductions in cardiovascular mortality. While there was not a linear correlation of healthcare coverage status and cardiovascular mortality, it demonstrated a protective effect in …