Public Health Commons^™

A Brief Report On A Facilitated Approach To Connect Cooperative Extension Southern Region State-Level Health Specialists, Samantha M. Harden, Lisa Washburn, Alison Berg, Ninfa Pena-Purcell, Heather Norman-Burgdolf, Nancy Franz

Dietetics and Human Nutrition Faculty Publications

Improving the nation’s health will require collaboration among many stakeholders and systems, including representatives from Cooperative Extension Services (CES). This paper describes the process of establishing a multistate collaboration and discusses initial outcomes of a third-party facilitated participatory planning meeting. State-level specialists with expertise and responsibilities in “health” promotion participated. Satisfaction with meeting format; feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness of the proposed approach to public health impact; and general meeting feedback were collected through a survey and cultural artifacts (e.g., notes, worksheets). Preparation and attendance costs were captured. Seventeen of the 20 attendees (85%) responded to the survey and reported the …

Coronavirus (“Covid-19”) Webpage, March 3, 2020, University Of Northern Iowa

UNI Response to COVID-19

A memo from the Director of Risk Management announcing the members of the COVID-19 Task Force to coordinate the response to the disease.

From The Provost: Covid-19 Preparations, March 3, 2020, University Of Northern Iowa

UNI Response to COVID-19

A memo from the Provost outlining steps taken up to March 3, 2020 and outlining potential actions should they be necessary to ensure the completion of the spring semester.

College Of Public Health News, Georgia Southern University

College of Public Health: News & Publications

• Georgia Southern: Engaging Individuals with Sickle Cell Disease in Patient-Centered Outcomes Research

Contraceptive Use Dynamics In India: A Prospective Cohort Study Of Modern Reversible Contraceptive Users, Arupendra Mozumdar, Elizabeth Tobey, Kumudha Aruldas, Rajib Acharya, Aparna Jain

Reproductive Health

This report highlights the contraceptive use dynamics among 2,699 married women in India who began using one of four reversible contraceptive methods over one year. Women aged 15-49 were enrolled into the study from Odisha and Haryana states within one month of starting their reversible method—interval intrauterine device (IUD), postpartum IUD (PPIUD), injectable contraceptive, or oral contraceptive pill (OCP)—and were interviewed at four time points: at enrollment into the study, and three, six, and 12 months after enrollment. Study findings include the quality of care received at the time of method adoption, experience and management of side effects, reasons for …

Covid-19 Travel Restrictions - Italy, March 2, 2020, University Of Northern Iowa

UNI Response to COVID-19

A memo announcing the restriction on travel to Italy.

Comparing Self-Reported Medication Adherence Measures With Hair Antiretroviral Concentration Among People Living With Hiv In Guangxi, China, Quan Zhang, Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Shan Qiao Ph.D., Zhiyong Shen, Yuejiao Zhou

Faculty Publications

Background: Antiretroviral adherence is essential to HIV treatment efcacy. Various self-reported measures are commonly used for assessing antiretroviral adherence. Limited data are available regarding the validity of those selfreported measures in comparison with long-term objective biomarkers of adherence measures such as hair measures.

Methods: Self-reported adherence (frequency, percentage, and visual analog scale [VAS]) and hair tenofovir concentration were evaluated at a single time point from 268 people living with HIV in China. The responses to each of three self-reported measures were converted into percentage and then dichotomized as “optimal” (100%) vs. “suboptimal” (less than 100%) adherence. Two composite adherence scores …

College Of Public Health News, Georgia Southern University

College of Public Health: News & Publications

• Georgia Southern's Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health secures $248,000 grant

Effect Of Influenza Vaccination On Mortality And Risk Of Hospitalization In Elderly Individuals With And Without Disabilities: A Nationwide, Population-Based Cohort Study, Yu-Chia Chang, Ho-Jui Tung, Yu-Tung Huang, Chin-Te Lu, Ernawaty Ernawaty, Szu-Yuan Wu

Health Policy & Community Health: Faculty Publications

Purpose: The effects of influenza vaccines are unclear for elderly individuals with disabilities. We use a population-based cohort study to estimate the effects of influenza vaccines in elderly individuals with and without disabilities. Methods: Data were taken from the National Health Insurance Research Database and Disabled Population Profile of Taiwan. A total of 2,741,403 adults aged 65 or older were identified and 394,490 were people with a disability. These two groups were further divided into those who had or had not received an influenza vaccine. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to compare the relative risks (RRs) of …

Hidden Heroes: Tales From Caregivers, Part 4, Singapore Management University

Social Space

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to unleash its effects on a global scale, most of us are glued to the news and social media for updates, and bracing ourselves for the impact of the coronavirus on our countries, communities and families. In the face of such uncertainty, it's only normal to feel anxious and afraid. However, if you're holed up at home letting your worries and fears get the better of you, it may be time to slow down and steer yourself into a calmer headspace.

Guide Lines Vol. Ii, Issue 1 - March 2020, College Of Health And Human Services

GUIDE Lines

Periodic Newsletter of the Governors State University - University of Illinois, Chicago - Disparities Education Cancer research training and education project (The GUIDE Project).

How The Wuhan Lockdown Significantly Cut Covid-19 Infections, Singapore Management University

Perspectives@SMU

CUHK study reveals the mandatory quarantine of the virus epicentre reduced infections by restricting mobility during the early stages of the outbreak and that social distancing policies in other cities were effective in containing the spread of the noval coronavirus

Arjun Kukreja - Covid-19 Journal, Arjun Kukreja

Personal Journals

EIU History of Illinois (HIS 3810) student outlines personal impressions of the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Kitchen Concentrations Of Fine Particulate Matter And Particle Number Concentration In Households Using Biomass Cookstoves In Rural Honduras, Megan L. Benka-Coker, Jennifer L. Peel, John Volckens, Nicholas Good, Kelsey R. Bilsback, Christian L'Orange, Casey Quinn, Bonnie N. Young, Sarah Rajkumar, Ander Wilson, Jessica Tryner, Sebastian Africano, Anibal B. Osorto Pinel, Maggie L. Clark

Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Cooking and heating with solid fuels results in high levels of household air pollutants, including particulate matter (PM); however, limited data exist for size fractions smaller than PM2.5 (diameter less than 2.5 μm). We collected 24-h time-resolved measurements of PM2.5 (n = 27) and particle number concentrations (PNC, average diameter 10–700 nm) (n = 44; 24 with paired PM2.5 and PNC) in homes with wood-burning traditional and Justa (i.e., with an engineered combustion chamber and chimney) cookstoves in rural Honduras.

The median 24-h PM2.5 concentration (n = 27) was 79 μg/m3 (interquartile range [IQR]: 44–174 μg/m3); traditional (n = 15): …

Synthetic Pesticides And Health In Vulnerable Populations: Agricultural Workers, Cynthia L. Curl, Meredith Spivak, Rachel Phinney, Luke Montrose

Public and Population Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Purpose of Review: This review aims to summarize epidemiological literature published between May 15, 2018 and May 14, 2019 that examines the relationship between exposure to synthetic pesticides and health of agricultural workers.

Recent Findings: Current research suggests that exposure to synthetic pesticides may be associated with adverse health outcomes. Agricultural workers represent a potentially vulnerable population, due to a combination of unique social and cultural risk factors as well as exposure to hazards inherent in farm work. Pesticide exposure among agricultural workers has been linked to certain cancers, DNA damage, oxidative stress, neurological disorders, as well as respiratory, metabolic, …

Risk Factors For Poor Birth Outcomes In Moderately Malnourished Pregnant Women In Sierra Leone, Candice A. Rodriguez

Master's Theses

Background: Maternal malnutrition in developing countries is associated with adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes. Malnourished mothers are often faced with additional risk factors as a circumstance of poverty. Supplementary nutrition can improve the outcomes of both mother and infant. Identifying maternal nutritional and socioeconomic risk factors is critical for developing effective interventions.

Objective: A secondary analysis to evaluate maternal risk factors associated with poor birth outcomes including pregnancy loss, low birth weight, stunting, and preterm delivery among moderately malnourished pregnant women in Sierra Leone. Maternal risk factors in the analysis are age, education, parity, BMI, MUAC, gestational weight gain, and …

Detection And Quantification Of Bacterial Species Important To Mental And Physical Health, David G. Leonard

Theses and Dissertations

The human gut microbiome contains an abundance of microorganisms which could influence mental health as well as physical health. These microorganisms produce chemicals which affect the brain and the body in various ways. Probiotic bacteria and yeasts have been studied to determine effects they have on mice, rats, and humans to illustrate the importance these microorganisms on health. Studies have shown that adding beneficial microorganisms to the human diet can have positive effects on mental and physical health, to include lessening symptoms of depression and anxiety, lessen gastrointestinal inflammation, displacing pathogens, and improving immunomodulatory response. A quantitative way to identify …

Electronic Image Detectability Under Varying Illumination Conditions, Jeremy J. Miller

Theses and Dissertations

Light in the built environment plays an essential role in the vision and the health of humans through non-visual receptors in the eyes. Unfortunately, image analysts and other Air Force personnel who engage in the detection of objects on softcopy displays are often required to work in very dimly-lit or dark environments as higher illumination reduces the contrast of displayed information. Literature has shown that increases in light exposure improves circadian rhythm entrainment and reduces the negative health consequences of insufficient lighting. This research examines the effects of indoor lighting to determine if increases in ambient illumination or changes to …

Assessing Challenges Associated With Sampling Hexavalent Chromium Under New Consensus Guidelilnes, Megan L. Steele

Theses and Dissertations

Hexavalent chromium is a corrosion inhibitor found in the primer of most aircraft platforms across the Department of Defense (DoD), from fighter jets to transports. It is also known to cause cancer in humans. Currently, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) legal exposure limit is 5 μg/m³ for workers exposed to hexavalent chromium. A non-regulatory scientific body has recently recommended lowering this exposure level over a factor of ten and sampling with a different sampler that collects particles with the same efficiency as the nose during inhalation. This inhalable sampler collects more particles than the one currently used …

Smokefree Home Rules And Cigarette Smoking Intensity Among Smokers In Different Stages Of Smoking Cessation From 20 Low-And-Middle Income Countries, Daniel Owusu, Megan Quinn, Kesheng Wang, Faustine Williams, Hadii M. Mamudu

ETSU Faculty Works

Smokefree environment created by smokefree policies is associated with smoking reduction; however, there is paucity of literature on the relationship between smokefree home rules and smoking intensity in low-and-middle income countries (LMICs), and how smokefree policy affects smoking behavior of smokers at different stages of smoking cessation. This study examined the relationship between smokefree home rules and average number of cigarettes smoked per day (CPD) among daily smokers at different stages of the transtheoretical model (TTM) of change. Data from 18,718 current daily cigarette smokers from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) conducted from 2011 to 2017 in 20 LMICs …

Preparing For Shortages Of Future Covid-19 Drugs: A Data-Based Model For Optimal Allocation, Charlie L. Sy, Kathleen Aviso, Christina D. Cayamanda, Anthony F. Chiu, Rochelle Irene Lucas, Michael Angelo Promentilla, Luis F. Razon, Raymond R. Tan, John Frederick Tapia, Ador Torneo, Aristotle T. Ubando, Derrick Ethelbhert C. Yu

Angelo King Institute for Economic and Business Studies (AKI)

Drugs for the treatment of Covid-19 are currently beign tested, and those that are apporved for use are likely to be in short supply due to the global scale of the pandemic. This policy brief proposes a model for optimally allocating future Covid-19 drugs to patients to minimize deaths under conditions of resource scarcity. A linear programming model is developed that estimates the potential number of deaths that may result from Covid-19 under two scenarios: with antivirals and without antivirals. It takes into account patient risk level, the severity of their symptoms, resource availability in hospitals (i.e. hospital beds, critical …

Understanding Barriers To Clinical Management Of Rape (Cmr) Services Among Survivors Of Rape In Crisis Settings In Borno State, Osasuyi Dirisu

Reproductive Health

Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is a global public health concern disproportionately affecting women, with negative consequences for their health, well-being, human rights, and equality. SGBV includes any act perpetrated against an individual that is against that person’s will and is predicated upon gender norms and unequal power relationships. SGBV occurs in crisis settings where vulnerability is increased, and social and legal sanctions are reduced. Internally Displaced Persons are vulnerable to SGBV during times of conflict as well as in post-conflict settings due to resultant losses of socioeconomic opportunities in addition to housing, security, lack of institutional protection, and familial …

Exploring Changes In Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: Shifting Norms And Practices Among Communities In Fafan And West Arsi Zones, Ethiopia, Getaneh Mehari, Asabneh Molla, Ayantu Mamo, Dennis Matanda

Reproductive Health

Globally, more than 200 million women and girls have undergone FGM/C. More than half of these girls and women live in three high-prevalence countries: Egypt, Ethiopia, and Indonesia. Given the increase in population growth, recent estimates show that the number of girls and women subject to FGM/C will continue to rise in the coming years unless sufficient efforts are undertaken to encourage abandonment of the practice. A descriptive analysis of changes in FGM/C prevalence over time in Ethiopia shows that the percentage of women aged 15–49 years who report undergoing FGM/C has been declining. Despite the decline, the FGM/C prevalence …

Improving Data Reporting To Nhmis From The Private Sector In Nigeria: Lessons From A Dhis2 Pilot With Community Pharmacists And Patent And Proprietary Medicine Vendors, Population Council

Reproductive Health

The IntegratE Project is a four-year initiative (2017–21) implemented by the Population Council and partners that seeks to increase access to contraceptive methods by involving the private sector (community pharmacists [CPs] and patent and proprietary medicine vendors [PPMVs]) in family planning (FP) service delivery in Lagos and Kaduna States, Nigeria. The project aims to establish a regulatory system with the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria to ensure that CPs and PPMVs provide quality FP services, comply with FP regulations, and report service statistics to the Health Information Management System (HMIS). To achieve this, the project is implementing: a pilot three-tiered accreditation …

The Effects Of A Family Planning Training On Community Pharmacists And Patent And Proprietary Medicine Vendors’ Knowledge In Nigeria: Preliminary Pre And Posttest Results, The Integrate Project, Population Council

Reproductive Health

The IntegratE Project is a four-year initiative (2017–21) implemented by the Population Council and partners that seeks to increase access to contraceptive methods by involving the private sector (community pharmacists [CPs] and patent and proprietary medicine vendors [PPMVs]) in family planning (FP) service delivery in Lagos and Kaduna States, Nigeria. The project aims to establish a regulatory system with the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria to ensure that CPs and PPMVs provide quality FP services, comply with regulations, and report service statistics to the Health Information Management System. To achieve this, the project is implementing: a pilot three-tiered accreditation system for …

Fluoridation: Our History, Our Legacy, James Wieland Dds

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

2020 marks the 75th anniversary of one of the world’s most dramatic public health initiatives, a public health project that dramatically improved the oral health of millions of people, not only in the United States but throughout the world. On Jan. 25, 1945, the Grand Rapids Study was launched and the Furniture City became the world’s first to adjust the fluoride level of its public water supply.

This landmark trial established the use of fluoridation as a safe, effective, and economical public health measure to prevent tooth decay.

How the Grand Rapids Study began is a fascinating story. Even though …

The Studies That Shaped A Science-Based Profession, Christopher J. Smiley

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Editorial on science-based public health policy and the lessons of the Grand Rapids Study.

Quality Of Care Received For Family Planning From Community Pharmacists And Patent And Proprietary Medicine Vendors In Lagos And Kaduna, Nigeria: The Integrate Project, Population Council

Reproductive Health

The IntegratE Project is a four-year initiative (2017–21) implemented by the Population Council and partners that seeks to increase access to contraceptive methods by involving the private sector (community pharmacists [CPs] and patent and proprietary medicine vendors [PPMVs] in family planning (FP) service delivery in Lagos and Kaduna States, Nigeria. The project aims to establish a regulatory system with the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria to ensure that CPs and PPMVs provide quality FP services, comply with regulations, and report service statistics to the Health Information Management System. To achieve this, the project is implementing: a pilot three-tiered accreditation system for …

Early Polls Make Sense In A Worsening Pandemic, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

In a commentary, SMU Associate Professor of Law Eugene Tan opined there is no good time for a general election amid the global pandemic, and it is a judgment call on when to hold Singapore's 13th general election, which must take place by April next year at the latest. He believes early polls make sense in a worsening pandemic if the Government ensures that even as candidates campaign, there is no let-up in the fight against the outbreak.

The Flint Water Crisis And Community Water Fluoridation: A Lesson In Communication. Communicating With The Public And Connecting With Community Leaders, Traci J. Dantzler Dds, Raymond Gist Dds

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This article presents how not only was Flint’s water compromised lead contamination of residential waterlines during the Flint Water Crisis, but area dentists had to work hard to refute unsubstantiated claims that adding fluoride to the community water supply increased the level of lead in the water. Oral health advocacy to reassure citizens and build confidence in the community water supply following remediation efforts required sharing the best evidence while most importantly actively listening to assure that community members were heard; that they felt that they have a voice, and to know that we are here to listen to their …