Public Health Commons^™

Perceptions Of Fruits And Vegetables Amongst Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Recipients, Latasha Shanelle Reddick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are the primary source of food for Georgians with an annual income under the federal poverty level. This program provides monthly monetary benefits to allow the purchase of food through an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card. Georgia SNAP beneficiaries do not receive nutrition counseling or have purchasing restrictions associated with their benefits. Previous research has indicated that there is a significant benefit to eating fruits and vegetables. The purpose of this qualitative study was to apply the health belief model theory to understand the viewpoint of Georgia SNAP beneficiaries regarding fruits and vegetables. Data …

Faith, Medication Adherence, And Cardiovascular Disease Among African American Churchgoers, Linett Lorain Brice

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Getting African Americans to adhere to medical management strategies to reduce negative health outcomes of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and CVD risk factors may be challenging. The purpose of this cross-sectional quantitative study was to examine whether levels of faith in God's healing, when it comes to taking medications, was associated with medication adherence to hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus type 2 (DMII) medications, and whether those factors were associated with prevalence of CVD and uncontrolled symptoms of CVD risk factors, namely hypertension and DMII. Social cognitive theory provided the framework for the study. Data were collected from surveys completed by 102 …

Perceptions Of Newly Licensed Registered Nurses About Homecare As A Practice Area, Tamara M. Kelley Frazier

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The demand for competent nurses working in a home care setting continues to grow because of decreased length of stay in hospitals and population needs for chronic care management when homebound. Nursing educational programs introduce students to community health and home care nursing, which could influence a student nurse's choice of home health care as an initial practice setting. This qualitative study examined the perceptions of newly licensed registered nurses (NLRNs) about home care as an initial practice area. Ten NLRNs not working in home health care areas responded to 16 open-ended interview questions that were based on the career …

Quality Of Life For Persons With Chronic Disease Utilizing Mobile Integrated Healthcare, Dr John Robert Ash

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The use of mobile integrated healthcare-community paramedicine (MIH-CP) has the potential to be integrated into existing chronic disease management initiatives as a means of reducing unnecessary hospitalizations and costs as well as improving quality of life (QOL). The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationships between demographics, noncommunicable disease type (NCD), and changes in self-perceived, self-reported QOL for those who have participated in an MIH-CP program. The research design for this study was a pretest/posttest design using secondary data that were obtained from a research partner using the MIH-CP intervention and collecting QOL data using the Euroqol QOL …

The Relationship Between Food Rules And Childhood Obesity In Rural And Non-Rural Families, Anna Venjohn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Childhood obesity is continuing to rise, leading to long-term health consequences. Research shows that rural populations have higher rates of childhood obesity. There is a lack of research on how the home environment may affect this health disparity. Parents often enforce food rules to control their child’s eating habits, but the difference between the rural and non-rural populations in enforcing these rules is unknown.
Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to determine if there is a significant difference in food rules between rural and non-rural school-aged children, and if these differences correlate to BMI categories.
Methods: Secondary …

Demographics, Naloxone Accessibility, And Repeat Opioid Overdose In The United States, Craig Hamp Booker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Approximately 2.1 million people in the United States suffer from opioid use disorder, and over 47,600 people die from opioid-related overdoses each year. Opioid overdose is often treated with naloxone, a quick-acting medication that counteracts the effects of an overdose. This quantitative, correlational study was conducted to determine whether demographics (gender, age, and race) and naloxone accessibility were predictors of repeat opioid overdose in a Tennessee county in the United States. The study was developed and conducted using principles of the diffusion of innovations theory. Descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted using secondary, county-level data (n = 967) from emergency …

Levels Of Albuterol Inhaler With And Without Spacers In Children With Asthma, Jefferson Libed Pambid

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Children with asthma remain a problem in public health because asthma drastically impacts children’s daily activities, increases absenteeism in school, and causes difficulties in sleeping. Researchers have demonstrated that poor asthma management is due to a lack of education about the correct inhaler technique, and the appropriate doses are not inhaled. Researchers have yet established whether asthma symptoms improve based on the doses inhaled with or without a spacer and whether children are most likely to experience fewer asthma episodes or attacks if they receive professional instruction. The purpose of this study was to fully understand the influence of an …

Public Policies For Drug Abuse In Brazil And The Us, Daniely Tatmatsu, Carlos Eduardo Siqueira, Zilda Del Prette

Gastón Institute Publications

The study’s objective was to discuss public policies for drug abuse prevention targeted to young people in Brazil and the United States. Brazil has formulated its policy with programs that are questioned at the international level on epistemological, theoretical, and methodological grounds. The authors conclude that social policymaking in Latin America is still permeated by dependence on central countries, since the tension between the prohibitionist and harm reduction policies persists in the policy provisions for drug abuse prevention under the National Secretariat for Drug Policies and the Ministry of Health and what is actually implemented. The article suggests pursuing autonomy …

Perceptions Of Marijuana Potency And Public Health Consequences Of Legalization, Stella Resko, Kathryn Szechy, Jennifer Ellis, Theresa Early, Danielle Hicks, Elizabeth Agius

Substance Use Research Team

Background: As cannabis policy is rapidly evolving and support for marijuana legalization is increasing, understanding of the public’s perception of cannabis and its associated risks is important for prevention efforts. Method: Adults in Michigan (n = 2,189) were recruited to complete a web-based survey focused on attitudes toward marijuana (August–September 2016). Participants were recruited through online and email advertisements from community-based agencies and a statewide advocacy coalition. Measures were adapted from previous public opinion research with input from advocacy coalition members. Logistic regression analyses were used to assess public perceptions of cannabis potency and the perceived impact of marijuana legalization …

Identification And Evaluation Of Epidemic Prediction And Forecasting Reporting Guidelines: A Systematic Review And A Call For Action, Simon Pollett, Michael Johansson, Matthew Biggerstaff, Lindsay C. Morton, Sara L. Bazaco, David Brett-Major, Anna M. Stewart-Ibarra, Julie A. Pavlin, Suzanne Mate, Rachel Sippy, Laurie J. Hartman, Nicholas G. Reich, Irina Maljkovic Berry, Jean-Paul Chretien, Benjamin M. Althouse, Diane Myer, Cecile Viboud, Caitlin Rivers

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

INTRODUCTION: High quality epidemic forecasting and prediction are critical to support response to local, regional and global infectious disease threats. Other fields of biomedical research use consensus reporting guidelines to ensure standardization and quality of research practice among researchers, and to provide a framework for end-users to interpret the validity of study results. The purpose of this study was to determine whether guidelines exist specifically for epidemic forecast and prediction publications.

METHODS: We undertook a formal systematic review to identify and evaluate any published infectious disease epidemic forecasting and prediction reporting guidelines. This review leveraged a team of 18 investigators …

Reduction Of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids With Tumor Progression In A Lean Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis-Associated Hepatocellular Carcinoma Mouse Model, Elizabeth M. Vlock, Shilpa Karanjit, G. Talmon, Evi A. Farazi

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

Background and Aim: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease in Western countries. While obesity and diabetes are the hallmarks of NAFLD, it also develops in lean individuals in the absence of metabolic syndrome, with a prevalence of 7 percent in the U.S. and 25-30 percent in some Asian countries. NAFLD represents the spectrum of liver disease, starting with excess liver fat accumulation (NAFL) that can progress to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), cirrhosis and ultimately hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). To date, the pathogenesis of lean NASH-HCC is poorly understood and a mouse model is lacking. We aimed …

An Assessment Of Knowledge, Behavior, And Consumption Patterns Surrounding Sugar- Sweetened Beverages Among Young Adults, Anne Harguth

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Background The obesity epidemic is a growing problem in this country. Many studies have been conducted in effort to unravel and derail the rise in obesity and overweight status among Americans. Strong evidence supports the notion that excessive sugar consumption is largely contributing to an increase in obesity and risk for many chronic diseases and conditions.

Objective This study assessed sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, knowledge of sugar-sweetened beverages, disease risk associated with consumption, and correlation between the knowledge and consumption among a sample of students at a large midwestern university. A cross-sectional, retrospective design with random sampling was utilized for this …

Socioeconomic Status Impact On Smoking Rates In Ohio In 2019, Zafer Sattouf

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objective: To study the impact of socioeconomic status on smoking. Research Questions: This research study aims to determine the impact of socioeconomic status on smoking rates across counties in Ohio in 2019. It is investigating how different variables such as education, income, and employment status are correlated with smoking rates across different counties. Methods: Correlation studies and ANOVA were conducted to show how smoking affects premature deaths and how socioeconomic indicators affect smoking rates. Results: Smoking is associated with increased numbers of premature deaths in Ohio 2019 (p < 0.001). Higher levels of education, higher income, and lower unemployment rates has been associated with lower smoking rates in Ohio 2019 (p < 0.001).

Gender Differences In Marijuana-Related Problems Among Those Who Self-Reported Daily Smoking And Marijuana Use, Justin Ho

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

In 2012, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported about 5.2% of its respondents using tobacco and marijuana, with strong evidence of increasing marijuana use among tobacco users.¹ While smoking cigarettes has been shown to cause lung cancer,² additional studies associate habitual marijuana smoking with abnormal airway tissue histology, impeded airway conductance,³ decreased memory, psychomotor speed, and manual dexterity.⁴ Cigarette smoking and marijuana use are shown to have similar withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, anxiety, and depression,^2,5 meaning that this example of polysubstance dependence could become a valid public health concern, especially with …

Correlation Between Copd And Physical Activity In The United States, Ellie Ganz

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objective: My objective of this project is to determine whether there is a correlation between COPD and physical activity in the United States by looking at all 50 states. Also, to determine if there is a difference between the prevalence of COPD in different regions of the US.

Methods: Data was collected and analyzed using the publicly available data set from the CDC Wonder database (wonder.cdc.gov). A Pearson correlation test and an ANOVA with post hoc tests were used to determine correlations and differences between variables to answer research questions.

Results: There is a significant negative correlation between physical activity …

Impact Of Different Factors On Premature Deaths In Rural And Urban Virginian Counties, Christian Randazzo

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

The goal of this investigation is to analyze data that influences premature death rates in Virginian counties. Specifically, I am looking at how the rates compare between rural and urban Virginian counties in 2020. In addition, I am analyzing how the premature death rates correlates with low birthweights, with air pollution, with preventable hospital stays, and with children in poverty and see how these variables predict the variance in premature death rates by county. I am using data from the County Health Rankings website. They gathered their data via surveys, the National Vital Statistics System, the CDC health tracking network, …

The Impact Of Exercise Of Mental Health, Kala Griffith

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objective: Researchers have long recognized the positive association between exercise and mental health. With such a large proportion of the United States population being affected by mental illness, it is more important now than ever, to establish ways to improve the mental health of the country. The aim of this study is to evaluate the mental health of areas with differing levels of access to exercise, specifically Ohio and West Virginia, and begin making connections and associations about locations with similar data.

Methods: Data used in this study was gathered by the County Health Rankings and Roadmaps program (CHR&R). The …

Understanding The Relationship Between Suicide Rates, Exercise, Commute Drive, And Healthcare Provider, Kaitlin Beemiller

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States, with rates that have been rising significantly over the past decade, differing in varying states.1,2 Although there is not a lot known about the specific causes of these trends, recent literature has found a dose-response relationship association between inactivity and poor mental health, self-harm, and suicidal attempt, indicating that physical activity may possess a protective nature.1,4 Further expanding off this research, I wanted to investigate the relationships between rates of access to exercise, long commute drives, and healthcare providers to rates of suicide in 5 different states— to …

The Impact Of State Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs On Opioid Prescribing Practices And Opioid-Related Overdose Death Rates, Molly Scarbro

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objective: Most states within the US have implemented a form of a Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has developed a scale to rate each state’s requirements of prescribers use of the PDMP on timely submission of the data and consultation when prescribing opioids. This paper looks at the impact of three levels of PDMP ratings (Green, Yellow, and Red) on opioid prescribing practices and opioid-related overdose death rates in 2015 (prior to PDMP rating) and in 2017. Methods: Data was collected from the CDC Wonder database, a publicly available data set. A …

Video Games, Screen Time, And The Impact On Body Mass Index And The Cardiovascular Fitness Of Adolescence, Joshua Sylvan

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objective: To determine the effect of screen time/video gameplay has on the BMI and cardiovascular fitness of adolescence between the ages of 12 and 15 years old.

Methods: All data were collected and analyzed based on the CDC’s NHANES National Youth Fitness Survey (NNYFS).

Results: Analysis showed that there was no significant difference between body mass index and time spent using a computer as well as no significant difference between estimate maximal O2 uptake (primary endpoint for cardiovascular fitness) and time spent using a computer.

Looking Into The Importance Of Mental Health In Ohio, Tanner Graves

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objective: This study is meant to analyze the effects of poor mental health as it relates to other health outcomes. Methods: Data on mental and physical health will be collected from the County Health Rankings website. Then tests will be performed to compare rates of poor mental health days between Ohio and various other states. Then the number of poor mental health days will be correlated to physical inactivity and premature death rates to see if there is a positive or negative correlation. Lastly, poor mental health days and insufficient sleep will he used to see if those two variables …

Factors Influencing Infant Death Due To Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Michelle Adamczyk

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objective: Determine what factors are associated with increased mortality in infants <1 year old due to respiratory syncytial virus. Methods: Using publicly accessible infant mortality data from CDC Wonder, I used z-scores to compare infant death rates due to RSV between different groups including levels of prematurity, birth weight, and race. Results: When compared by race, mortality rates were highest for infants with mothers who are American Indian or Alaska Natives, followed by infants with Black mothers, and lowest for infants with White or Asian mothers. Infants born with lower weight at birth had higher mortality rates by RSV than infants with higher birth weights. Infants born prematurely, especially at <28 weeks gestation had higher RSV mortality rates. When compared by geographic region, RSV mortality rates were highest in the Southern U.S.. Sorting by mother’s age, infants born to younger mothers, especially mothers <20 years old had higher mortality rates due to RSV. These findings align with previous research focusing on RSV mortality and overall trends in epidemiological factors influencing infant mortality.

Insufficient Sleep In 2020: Where Does Ohio Stand?, Daniel Masters

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objective: To determine the impact of insufficient sleep on premature death and mental health as well as see how the levels of insufficient sleep in Ohio compare to previous years and to other states in the US. Methods: Data on insufficient sleep, premature death, smoking, food environment index, physical inactivity, and poor mental health days was all collected from County Health Rankings and then analyzed. Results: Insufficient sleep was found to be moderately correlated to years of potential life lost in a positive manner in Ohio in 2020. Insufficient sleep has risen in Ohio from 2016 (35.76%) to 2020 (37.04%). …

Iot Devices In The Public Health Sector, Cayla Young

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

In this research, proper attention is drawn to privacy and security concerns with the integration of Internet of Things (IoT) devices in the public health sector. Often, not much attention is given to IoT devices and its vulnerabilities concerning the medical industry. Effects of COVID-19 contact tracing applications are explored through research of various source types. Mitigation techniques for these privacy and security issues is given. Focus is brought to topics outlining the risks associated with genetic testing companies and the vulnerabilities of data collection and data storage. Recommendations are provided to help consumers avoid these risks. Lastly, a comprehensive …

The Analysis Of College Students Knowledge, Attitudes. Behaviors, And Perceptions Concerning Sexually Transmitted Infections, Ambrosia Roberts

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to further research, more in-depth, college student's attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors concerning sexually transmitted infections and unsafe sexual practices using the Health Belief Model as a framework. By utilizing an electronic survey and social media a non-probability convenience sample of 167 students was assessed. This study was given to undergraduate and graduate students at a midwestern college campus and was intended to evaluate college student's knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions concerning sexually transmitted infections. Two major findings were that less than half of the participants were tested for STI's yearly; and there was no …

Barriers To Mental Health Services Related To Stigma In Northern California, Kandalena Ary

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

California Senate Bill 1041 recognized mental health as a contributing barrier for individuals struggling to achieve independence from aid through the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program to meet the needs of the state's low-income families while reducing barriers to self-sufficiency. As mental health illnesses continue to increase, the engagement and utilization of services have not increased. The purpose of this study was to explore county policy infrastructure addresses making mental health services known, accessible, and increase participation to decrease barriers in utilization of available resources. The research questions were used to examine the effectiveness of processes …

Physician–Patient Communication: Association With Health Literacy In African Americans Living With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Brittany Egeh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health literacy is needed throughout care to understand basic health, prevent diseases, understand diagnoses, and treatment and management of complicated diseases, such as Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Inadequate physician–patient communication is related to medication errors and overall understanding of basic health information in chronic condition such as T2DM. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between physician–patient communication and health literacy, glycemic control, diabetic knowledge, and demographics. The target population consisted of African Americans, ages 18-75, diagnosed with T2DM. Primary data were collected from a family medicine clinic using 4 questionnaires: s-TOFHLA (short form of functional …

Jiann-Ping Hsu College Of Public Health Magazine, Georgia Southern University

College of Public Health: News & Publications

• Message from the Dean: Stuart Tedders, PhD
• Dean Stuart Tedders: Welcome
• One-On-One Telfair in conversation with Tarasenko: Working for WHO as a Chronic Disease Epidemiologist
• Student research shows Georgia was home to four of nation’s ten highest counties for mortality rate from COVID-19
• One the front lines: Reports from our Alumni and Students working on the front lines of COVID-19
• Robert Vogel, PhD: Leaves legacy of wit and knowledge
• Center for Addiction Recovery Hosts seventh annual Southeastern Collegiate Recovery Summit
• Karl E. Peace Center for Biostatistics and Survey Research Working together: Biostatistics collaborations
• Center for Public Health Practice and Research …

Suicide Prevention: The Role We Play, Tanesha Slocumb, Delores P. Quasie-Woode, Fayth M. Parks

Eagles Talking About the Public’s Health

No abstract provided.

Bridging Disparities: Mass Incarceration Among African American Men, Eghosa Asemota, Jonathan A. Grubb

Eagles Talking About the Public’s Health

No abstract provided.