Public Health Commons^™

Hepatitis C Infection In Men Who Have Sex With Men, Jing Zhao

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is the leading cause of cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and liver transplantation. Current treatment rates and efficacy are inadequate to manage the disease burden caused by HCV; thus, efforts are needed to control HCV transmission. Besides the well-known transmission routes, which are health-care-associated transmission and transmission through injecting drugs, HCV could also be transmitted by sexual contact, especially among men having sex with men (MSM). MSM also have higher drug use prevalence than the general population, which may contribute to HCV infection by sexual disinhibition and other risky behavior. Since 2000, there have been emerging reports …

Utilization Of Mind-Body Practices For Adults With Fibromyalgia: 2017 National Health Interview Survey, Jennifer Contreras

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a medical condition characterized by chronic pain and tenderness. Individuals with FM may experience burdensome symptoms, which impact their health-related quality of life. Treatment for FM includes pharmacological and non pharmacological practices. Non-pharmacological treatments for FM include dietary management, routine exercise, and physical and mind-body therapies. There is growing evidence that the utilization of mind-body practices is increasing in the United States, but there have been limited investigations done to observe the use of mind-body practices in the FM population. The purpose of this study is to identify predictors of the use of meditation and/or meditative movement …

The Impact Of Food Security Status On The Food Shopping Behavior And Patterns Of 2018 Brighter Bites Participants At Baseline, Sarah A. Crulcich

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Households with children continue to have a greater prevalence of food insecurity compared to the national average. While the national food security rates have improved in recent years, it remains stagnant among children. The purpose of this study was to conduct a cross-sectional regression analysis on food shopping patterns and behavior among Brighter Bites participants stratified by food security status to offer more insight into how these households obtain fresh produce. We used baseline survey data from Brighter Bites participants completed during fall 2018. The results indicate that food insecure Brighter Bites households shop more frequently for produce at locations …

Novel Propensity Score Methods For Multiple And Continuous Treatments: Applications To Ehr Data, Derek W. Brown

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Propensity scoring is often utilized to overcome the challenges posed by covariate imbalance to make causal inferences within observational studies. While methods for utilizing propensity scoring in a binary treatment case are well studied and established, generalizations to multiple unordered (multinomial) and continuous treatments are more complicated. In Aim 1, we developed and tested a novel multinomial treatment propensity score method, the GPS-CDF method, which derives a single scalar balancing score that can match and stratify subjects. Simulation results showed superior performance of the new methodology compared to standard multinomial propensity score methods. The proposed GPS-CDF method was also applied …

Tuberculosis Among Dairy Workers In Bailey County, Texas, Anabel Rodriguez

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

On January 2016, Texas State Department of Health Services (DSHS) Public Health Region 1 (PHR 1) conducted T-SPOT.TB tests in response to two requests to screen dairy workers potentially exposed to cattle infected with Mycobacterium bovis or bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in Bailey County, Texas. Out of 140 workers tested, 14 had confirmed latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI)—prevalence of 10.0%. This first study gave rise to questions concerning tuberculosis (TB) knowledge and exposure history among dairy workers in this same county. The second study focused on determining TB knowledge among dairy workers through a series of questions administered by research personnel on …

Assessing The Readiness Of Relatives To Undergo Cascade Genetic Testing For Inherited Predispositions To Cancer Using The Transtheoretical Model Stages Of Change, Erica M. Bednar

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

National guidelines recommend cascade genetic testing (CGT) for blood relatives after a cancer predisposition gene mutation is identified in an individual. Despite recommendations for CGT, only 30-60% of first-degree relatives (FDRs) complete CGT. The proportion of untested relatives who are planning to have CGT is unknown. We used the Transtheoretical Model to assess the readiness (stage of change) for CGT among living, untested FDRs at-risk for a hereditary predisposition to cancer. An anonymous, online survey was open to U.S. adults with an autosomal dominant, adult-onset, hereditary predisposition to cancer. Participants reported demographic information, their genetic testing information, and information on …

The Effect Of Hospital Engagement Network Participation On Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections And Readmission Rates, Tyler Wallace

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

In 2012, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) launched the Hospital Engagement Network (HEN) program to decrease patient harm events in United States’ (US) hospitals. The HEN program became the nation’s largest quality improvement collaborative (QIC) focusing on improving patient care. Results from the program’s formal evaluation were inconclusive on whether the HEN program was effective. There have been no other known studies on this program’s effectiveness. Even with the evidence lacking, the CMS continues to fund programs similar to the HEN program. This study’s research aim was to compare patient outcomes for HEN participants to nonparticipants to …

Evaluation Of Food Journal Application Validity In Comparison With Dhq Iii, Michael Roa

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

As chronic conditions associated with the high prevalence of obesity/overweight in the United States continue to rise, research focusing on nutrition has grown in recent years. The gold standard for collecting detailed nutritional information on individuals is food journals, mostly via pen and paper. Alternatively, smartphone food journal applications have become more popular and widely accessible in recent years. These applications allow the user to quickly make meal entries, often taking advantage of the application’s food and servings database.

This study compared the results of the third iteration of the Diet History Questionnaire (DHQ III) with a dietary journal data …

The Medicalization Of Sleeplessness: Results Of U.S. Office Visit Outcomes, 2008-2015, Mairead Eastin Moloney, Gabriele Ciciurkaite, Robyn Lewis Brown

Sociology Faculty Publications

Previous analysis of U.S. physician office visits (1993–2007) indicated that the medicalization of sleeplessness was on the rise and had potentially negative implications for population health. Our study asks if the medicalization of sleeplessness at the level of patient-physician interaction has persisted over time. Using the most recent years available (2008–2015) of the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey we calculated nationally representative estimates for four sleeplessness-related outcomes of physician office visits: sleeplessness complaint, insomnia diagnosis, and prescription of benzodiazepine and non-benzodiazepine sedative-hypnotics (NBSH). To test for the significance of the linear trajectory, we ran a series of bivariate linear models. …

Zika-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, And Practices: Programmatic Implications For Zika Prevention In Honduras, Breakthrough Research

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This brief provides key insights for implementers of social and behavior change activities for Zika prevention in Honduras, based on data from a representative sample of people living in selected USAID Zika program implementation communities, supporting an evidence-based approach to increase Zika and other Aedes aegypti-transmitted virus prevention behaviors.

Enhancing Respectful Maternal Care During Labor And Delivery, Breakthrough Research

Reproductive Health

This brief informs national ministries of Health, health system officials, staff and clients, implementing partners, and donors of innovative ways to improve women's experiences during labor and delivery. ideas42, in partnership with Safe Motherhood 360+ and the Chipata District Health Office in Zambia, under the Breakthrough RESEARCH project, used behavioral design to analyze contextual features and behavioral barriers to respectful maternal care in urban and rural health care settings. Behavioral design revealed new insights into why health care providers may not follow best practices for respectful maternal care, and resulted in a set of simple, adaptable low cost solutions to …

Family Planning And Youth In West Africa: Mass Media, Digital Media, And Social And Behavior Change Communication Strategies, Sarah Castle, Martha Silva

Reproductive Health

This review presents evidence about the impact of mass media and digital media on young people’s family planning attitudes and behaviors. It primarily focuses on the Ouagadougou Partnership countries, but also describes lessons from other initiatives implemented more widely in Africa and elsewhere. Due to the paucity of family planning evidence, the review also includes material from higher income countries where mass and digital media have been used in communication initiatives to prevent non-communicable diseases. In addition, it draws on studies from low- and middle income countries where such media have been used to create demand for maternal and child …

Unimóvil: A Mobile Health Clinic Providing Primary Care To The Colonias Of The Rio Grande Valley, South Texas, Eron G. Manuosv, Vincent P. Diego, Jacob Smith, Jesus R. Garza Ii, John Lowdermilk, John Blangero, Sarah Williams-Blangero, Francisco Fernandez

School of Medicine Publications

Background: We describe a mobile unit (UniMóvil) designed to improve poor healthcare access delivery to residents in two South Texas underserved Colonias. The interprofessional team measured seven clinical outcomes [obesity, diabetes, hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels, and depression], and using the Duke Health Profile, assessed the health-related quality of life (HrQoL).

Methods: The investigators used previously reported disease prevalence, an implementation model, and community needs-assessments to design an outreach healthcare delivery model. A retrospective review of the cohort provides data used to determine potential predictors of clinical variables, 11 domains of HrQOL, and inter/intra Colonia …

Piloting A Cooking Demonstration Curriculum For Dietetics Students, Jill Henderson

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Cooking demonstrations are a unique and effective way to teach nutritional concepts and basic cooking skills in a community setting. They have been found to be beneficial for participants in attendance as they improve confidence in the kitchen, cooking skills development, and the promotion of healthier foods into the diet. Classroom learning facilitates critical thinking but does not necessarily provide a platform for hands-on learning. In planning and executing community-involved cooking demonstrations, students are able to connect content learned in the classroom to professional practice. Over the last decade the field of dietetics has involved more community-based programs designed to …

Probability Of Conception After Fertility Counseling And The Association Of Sexually Transmitted Infections With Pregnancy In The Loussi Study., Lindsey Adelle Wood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study interrogated predictors of pregnancy and the effect of a history of sexually transmitted infection (STI) on probability of conception among a cohort of women seeking fertility counseling (N=170), using multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models. There were 76 (44.7%) total pregnancies. 32 (39.0%) were achieved spontaneously by women who never received ART (N=82). Among women who did receive ART (N=88), 35 (39.7%) were achieved by ART and 9 (10.2%) achieved spontaneously. Among the full cohort (N=170), obesity was a significant negative predictor of pregnancy while history of human papilloma virus was a significant negative predictor of …

Determining The Effect Of An Educational Intervention On Medical Support Personnel's Knowledge To Administer A Standardized Developmental Screening Tool., Leslie Chiaventone Lopez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Early treatment of developmental delays leads to improved outcomes for children (Yeung et al., 2014). In order to benefit from early intervention, children with developmental delays must be identified and referred at a young age. Although the use of validated developmental screening tools is supported by American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines, these instruments are used variably by general physicians in pediatric practice (King et al., 2010). Because of the expanding work roles of medical support personnel, it is worthwhile to determine if this group can administer and score a developmental screening tool after completing an educational intervention to assist …

Correlates Of Same-Sex Behavior Disclosure To Health Care Providers Among Black Msm In The United States: Implications For Hiv Prevention, Christina J. Sun, Karin Tobin, Pilgrim Spikes, Carl Latkin

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Disclosure of same-sex behavior to health care providers (HCPs) by men who have sex with men (MSM) has been argued to be an important aspect of HIV prevention. However, Black MSM are less likely to disclose compared to white MSM. This analysis of data collected in the United States from 2006–2009 identified individual and social network characteristics of Black MSM (n = 226) that are associated with disclosure that may be leveraged to increase disclosure. Over two-thirds (68.1%) of the sample had ever disclosed to HCPs. Part-time employment (AOR = 0.32, 95% CI = 0.11–0.95), bisexual identity (AOR = …

Clinical Practice Variation Among Adult Infectious Disease Physicians In The Management Of Staphylococcus Aureus Bacteremia, Catherine Liu, Luke Strnad, Susan E. Beekmann, Philip M. Polgreen, Henry F. Chambers

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Infectious disease management of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB) was surveyed through the Emerging Infections Network. While there were areas of consensus, we found substantial practice variation in diagnostic evaluation and management of adult patients with SAB. These findings highlight opportunities for further research and guidance to define best practices.

Assessing Heat-Related Mortality And Morbidity Risks In Rural Populations And Sub-Populations, Emmanuel A. Odame

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Heat stress is an environmental and occupational hazard exacerbated by climate change. Rural populations and sub-populations continue to experience disproportionate risks of heat-related impacts due to their low adaptive capacities in terms of infrastructure, information and other resources which are critical in dealing with heat. The study goals were to determine heat-related mortality risks in rural populations globally, explore the contribution of the outdoor work environment and other factors in association with occupational heat-related illnesses (HRI), and assess the risk of heat stress among crop workers using the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT). Published peer-reviewed scientific literature on heat-related mortality …

Heat Waves And Heat-Related Mortality In East Tennessee, Taiwo Adesoba

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Heat waves represent a public health challenge that requires multiple responses and warnings to protect vulnerable populations. Although studies have reported an increasing trend of heat wave occurrence in many areas of the world, no clear trend exists in East Tennessee. Using data from Parameter-elevated Relationships on Independent Slope Models (PRISM), CDC WONDER and the United States Census Bureau, the relationship between mortality rates and year was estimated during heat wave events between 1999 and 2010. Five heat wave definitions were tested. Overall, 2007 and 2010 stand out as the years with the highest number of heat wave days in …

Exploring The Role Of Social Capital In The Implementation Of Fruit And Vegetable Incentive Programs: A Case Study Of The Appalachian Farmacy Program, Kiriinya Mwirigi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The study was conducted to explore the role of social capital in the implementation of Fruit and Vegetable Incentive Programs (FVIP) through a case study of the Appalachian Farmacy (AF) program and to fill a gap in literature on social capital utility in the implementation and evaluation of FVIPs. The study was guided by a conceptual model adopted from Berkman et al. (2000) to identify the mechanisms through which social networks can impact health. A qualitative content analysis was conducted retrospectively on secondary data from the evaluation of AF program to identify social capital attributes. In addition, the study conducted …

Exploring Neighborhood Level Variation In Incidence And Secondary Transmission Of Seasonal Influenza, Melissa Freeland

Masters Theses

Influenza epidemics in the United States, are major causes of morbidity and mortality, and cause serious economic disruption on an annual basis. Evidence has begun to accumulate linking neighborhood-level socioeconomic disadvantage to higher rates of hospitalization and mortality related to influenza (Cordoba & Aiello, 2016; Jung, Lin, & Viswanath, 2013). Some studies suggest that this may be due to lower rates of vaccination, higher rates of comorbidities in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities (Cordoba & Aiello, 2016; Jung, Lin, & Viswanath, 2013; Ross & Mirowsky, 2001). However, few studies have evaluated the effects of neighborhood level socioeconomic disadvantage and structural features on …

Louisiana’S Statewide Implementation And Dissemination: Lessons Learned, Opportunities And Recommendations, Evidence To Practice, Cep Briefs

Policy & Position Papers

No abstract provided.

Cancer In Louisiana: 2012-2016, Volume 34, Louisiana Tumor Registry, Lauren Maniscalco, Carla Rosales, Christina Lefante, Mei-Chin Hsieh, Yong Yi, Lisa Pareti, Brent Mumphrey, Mary Anne Lynch, Xiao-Cheng Wu, Jiadi Liu, William Mi, Pratibha Shrestha

Policy & Position Papers

Mission:

To collect and report complete, high-quality, and timely population-based cancer data in Louisiana to support cancer research, control, and prevention.

Vision:

To reduce suffering and death from cancer using information collected by the Louisiana Tumor Registry.

History:

Cancer registration in Louisiana began in 1947 at the Charity Hospital Tumor Registry in New Orleans. In 1974, as part of its Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program, the National Cancer Institute provided funds for a population-based cancer incidence and survival registry covering Jefferson, Orleans, and St. Bernard parishes. Five years later, the Louisiana Tumor Registry (LTR) was transferred to the …

Por Ahí Dicen: Sexual Health Promotion Campaign In A Puerto Rican Community, Isabella M. Antenucci, Yessica Guzman, Phillip Granberry, Maria Idali Torres

Gastón Institute Publications

The purpose of this study was to assess Puerto Rican mother’s levels of exposure to the Spanish media campaign launched by Por Ahi Dicen, and to assess the identification mothers had with these stories. The methodology consisted of in-person survey interviews of 210 Puerto Rican mothers residing in the city of Springfield, Massachusetts. The study used a sub-set of data taken from these interviews and analyzed using Microsoft Excel and Stata15. The major finding of this study showed that the mothers who regularly watched television in the 90-day campaign time frame were more exposed to the campaign than they were …

Temperature Influence On Insecticide Resistance In Aedes Aegypti And Aedes Albopictus Mosquitoes From South Texas, Wendy Soledad Salinas

Theses and Dissertations

Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are vectors for several emerging arboviruses including Zika, chikungunya and dengue. Both mosquitoes are found along the Rio Grande River in South Texas, along the border between Mexico and the United States of America. These mosquito species typically reside near human settlements. A preventative measure public health official use to help halt the spread of diseases is by controlling vector population with the use of insecticides, but as temperature vary, and with the constant exposure to commonly used insecticides, mosquitoes from South Texas may be developing a resistance to the insecticides. Resistance to insecticides may …

Association Of Copy Number Variations With Chronic Hepatitis B In Chinese Population, Fang Niu

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

With one third of the Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection population of the world, chronic Hepatitis B (CHB) has become a top burden in China. CHB is a lifelong infection with HBV which can cause serious health problems, like cirrhosis, liver cancer or even death. HBV infection is known to result in various clinical conditions, including asymptomatic HBV carriers to chronic hepatitis and primary hepatocellular carcinoma. Several studies have shown that host genetic susceptibility could be an important factor that determines these various outcomes of HBV infection. Many Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) and Copy Number Variations (CNVs) have been associated …

Comorbidity Profile Of Head And Neck Cancer Patients With And Without Depression, Michaela Frenzel

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

This population-based retrospective study used SEER-Medicare data from 2002-2010 to assess depression, comorbidity, and substance use in the elderly head and neck cancer population. Out of 3,533 head and neck cancer patients, 10.6% had depression diagnoses two years prior to cancer diagnosis, 8.9% were newly diagnosed with depression within one year after cancer diagnosis, and 44.5% of those with preexisting depression had an additional depression diagnosis within one year following cancer diagnosis. Comorbid conditions (p<0.0001) and substance use (p=0.0017) showed associations with depression prior to cancer diagnosis yet, no significant associations with incidence of depression in this head and neck cancer population. This study affirms the need for continual depression screenings in head and neck cancer patients and suggests the need for increased research into the burden of comorbid conditions and substance use within the head and neck cancer population.

The Lived Experience Of Psychological Occupational Stress In Early Childhood Education, Brooke Fletcher

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Early childhood education (ECE) programs have been recognized by the Institute of Medicine and the Administration for Children and Families as excellent interventions to alleviate the long-term negative effects of poverty in the United States, but the quality of intervention provided and outcomes for the target population are adversely hindered by high occupational stress burdens for ECE teachers. According to Sheridan, Edwards, Marvin, and Knoche, the models used to address this concern are not empirically supported for specific applicability to ECE nonprofit settings. There is a need for deeper understanding of the lived experiences of ECE teachers, including the psychological …

Evaluation Of Family Inc.'S Home Visitation Program, Brooke A. Linnenbrink

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

FAMILY, Inc. is a nonprofit that provides public health and family support services to women, children, and families in Pottawattamie and Mills counties. It's home visitation program provides health education information to families in the communities that are expecting a child or have a child less than five years of age. This project looked at FAMILY, Inc.’s database regarding the health of children enrolled in their home visitation program and use that information to help develop health education tools as they prepare to expand their programming to include Early Head Start (EHS). Currently FAMILY uses the Parents as Teachers curriculum, …