Public Health Commons^™

Need For A Multidimensional And Interdisciplinary Approach For Opioid Addiction Prevention Intervention, Prachi Joshi, Atin Adhikari

Eagles Talking About the Public’s Health

No abstract provided.

Freestanding Emergency Departments: A Possible Solution To Rural Hospital Closure, Emily Steadman

Biology and Microbiology Graduate Students Plan B Research Projects

Freestanding emergency departments have become more and more common over the years and have started to pop up in many states across the country. A freestanding emergency department is a facility that provides healthcare in the form of emergency services separate from those at a hospital. FEDs can be seen as independent structures that are distinct from hospital-based emergency rooms and urgent facilities. Just as freestanding emergency departments have spread across the country in a bit of a frenzy, another prevalent issue has been sweeping the country, the closure of rural hospitals. Over the last decade rural hospitals have struggled …

A Social Review Of The Opioid Epidemic: The History, Pathophysiology, And Effects On Rural America, Holly J. Goehring

Biology and Microbiology Graduate Students Plan B Research Projects

One of the more pressing issues in modern day health care is the nationwide heath care crisis known as the opioid epidemic. The beginning of this literature review will focus on the history of opioid use and early prescription rates, as well as the summary and definitions of the drugs involved in the current opioid epidemic. The review then shifts to the pathophysiology of addiction involving the activation of opioid receptors and opioid use disorder. The main focus of this literature review is the societal impacts of the opioid epidemic, making special reference to the economic burden and effects on …

Relationship Between Mental Health And Obesity In The United States, Lexie E. Barnett

2020 Symposium Posters

Rates of obesity have continued to grow in the United States, as well as the rates of mental illness. There appears to be a link between mental health and obesity. Obesity develops from a combination of environmental effects and genetics, both of which can present as heightened risk factors in people with mental illness. Obesity also brings with its higher risks of type two diabetes and cardiovascular disease, which can further affect psychological well-being. It has been discovered that an uneven number of individuals with mental health issues are obese compared to the general population. The research method that was …

Differences Between Older And Younger Adults With Diagnosed Cardiovascular Disease: An Analysis Of Fels Study Data, Jacqueline Jacobs

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Most deaths in the United States (U.S.) result from complications of chronic diseases and at the heart of the matter is America’s number one killer: cardiovascular disease (CVD). CVD is culpable for 33% of U.S. deaths, killing more people than all cancers and chronic lower respiratory diseases combined.

醫食文字, 嶺南大學服務研習處

OSL Students' Service-Learning Project Output: Booklet

2018-19年度，嶺南大學中文系與浸會大學中醫藥學院，連同嶺南大學服務研習處、浸會大學創新服務學習中心，舉辦全港首次跨學院、跨學科的聯校服務研習計劃。 該計劃。聯校課程為大學教育資助委員會撥款資助之「香港跨院校服務學習師資培訓」計劃 (Project No. PolyU4/T&L/16-19) 的項目之一，結合新聞寫作及中醫食療保健課程，聯繫學生相互學習，並共同推廣服務學習。

在賽馬會「關愛．服務．研習@ 屯門」計劃下，第一年的活動已經完滿結束，此書總結活動成績，以學生的角度，整理出人物故事、機構資料，也有實用的中醫知識和食譜，展示中醫藥多元的資訊。

Traffic And Our Health, Atteh Akoto

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objective: The intent of this study is to find a correlation between long commute times, physical health, and mental health. Methods: Data was collected from a publicly available dataset on countyhealthrecords.org. Results: Increased percentage of lone drivers with long commutes and obese adults, positive correlation between long commuters and access to exercise opportunities, and negative correlation between long commuters and poor mental health days.

Investigating Preventable Hospitalizations And Potentially Related Factors In Ohio, Seth Guillozet

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objective: This research study aims to examine preventable hospitalization rates in Ohio and several variables to may be associated with changes in these rates. First, I will investigate how preventable hospitalization rates (PHRs) have changed in Ohio from 2016 to 2020. Additionally, Primary Care Physician (PCP) ratio will be compared from 2016 to 2020 in Ohio, looking for any change that has occurred between the years. Next, PHRs will be correlated to the percentage of population uninsured in Ohio to look for any relationship between these two variables. Finally, Ohio’s PHRs will be compared to Indiana’s for 2020, to look …

Universal Health Coverage And Hiv In Hispanic America, Jenna Frantz

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objective: This study analyzes differences between HIV statistics in Hispanic American countries that have passed UHC legislation versus those that have not passed UHC legislation. In 2017, 0.4% of the population of Latin America and 1.2% of the population of the Caribbean was living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).1 Because of these high rates of HIV in Hispanic America, as well as the lethality of HIV if untreated, HIV statistics and treatment outcomes in Hispanic America are of great concern. Relationships between HIV statistics and Universal Health Coverage (UHC) legislation could serve as a metric for UHC performance in Hispanic …

Effectiveness Of The Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Mini-Bestest) In Evaluating Balance In The Controlled Hypertensive Elderly Population, Melanie Sich

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objective: Provide additional evidence about the relationship between controlled hypertension and balance control by evaluating individuals’ gait stability, sensorial orientation, reactive postural response, and anticipatory postural adjustment using the Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Mini-BESTest).

Methods: A total of 76 (28 controlled hypertensive, 48 non-hypertensive) individuals were evaluated with the Mini-BESTest protocol. Each of the subscores obtained from the test represented the different subdomains of postural control, and they were compared between controlled hypertensive and non-hypertensive groups using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) statistical analysis.

Results: Hypertensive individuals tended to score lower than non-hypertensive individuals in the anticipatory postural adjustment …

Incidence Of Female Breast Cancer In The United States By Race And Region, Tiffany Le

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objective: Assess the distribution and incidence of female breast cancer in the United States in different races and regions of the United States. Methods: Collect and analyze CDC WONDER data from the Center for Disease and Control to see if there are varying rates of female breast cancer incidence between races and in different regions of the United States. Results: The results are expected to show a significant difference in female breast cancer incidence between races and a non-significant difference in female breast cancer incidence among different regions of the United States.

Correlations Between Quality Of Life, Daily Sunlight, And Suicide Risk, Brittany Abeldt

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Methods: Data was collected from the archives provided by the CDC Wonder database; including The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, The North America Land Data Assimilation System, and The Web-Based Injury Statistic Query and Reporting System. The variables used were quality of life (as measured by mental health days and physical health days), suicide rates, and daily sunlight. Data was obtained for all the states in the United States, excluding Alaska and Hawaii due to lack of available data from these states. Quality of life and suicide rate data was from 2016 and daily sunlight data was from January 1st, …

Cardiovascular Fitness And Muscle Strength In Asthmatic Children, Kaitlynne Pak

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objective: The aim of this retrospective study is to evaluate the cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength performance of children with asthma versus without.

Methods: Participants include patients who were involved in the 2012 NHANES National Youth Fitness Survey (NNYFS) as published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The average cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength scores will be appreciated by analyzing the averages of time spent on treadmill, maximal heart rate, heart rate at end of exam, recovery time, maximal endurance time, cardiovascular fitness report, upper body strength and lower body strength using two-tailed T-tests between patients with asthma …

The Impact Of Food Insecurity On Diabetes Prevalence In The Us: A Look At The Northeast And The Midwest, Richard Mensah

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Diabetes is one of the most common chronic conditions globally. Various risk factors have been found to be associated with the incidence of diabetes. These include genetic predispositions, physical activity and diet. However, less attention has been given to the potential risk of food insecurity to diabetes prevalence. Therefore, the goal of this study was to look at the prevalence of food insecurity and diabetes in New York and Ohio, and try to see if a correlation exists between food insecurity and diabetes prevalence in these states.

In our methods, we used the 2019 data from County Health Rankings (CHR) …

Syringe Exchange Programs And Emergency Department Use For Drug Overdoses In Kentucky, Timothy Williams

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

In 2015, syringe exchange programs (SEPs) were legalized in Kentucky as part of a response to the high and rising morbidity and mortality associated with injection drug use, particularly opioids. In addition to their primary function of preventing the spread of some infectious diseases by providing injection drug users (IDUs) with easy access to sterile injection equipment, SEPs may also offer ancillary services such as referrals to primary care providers and substance abuse and mental health treatment, as well as safe injection education and naloxone training. These ancillary services are intended to improve the overall health of IDUs and the …

A Rapid Review Of Physician Burden Secondary To Electronic Health Records Use In The United States From 2015 To 2020, Lori Wong

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

Background: After the passing of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act in 2009, there has been a tremendous increase in the number of hospitals and providers adopting and using Electronic Health Records (EHRs). While EHRs were a way of improving efficiency, quality, and safety of healthcare, there is emerging evidence that they are contributing to physician burden, which can take the form of increased workload, decreased satisfaction, negative attitudes, and burnout. For instance, Arndt et al. found that physicians spent half of their workday on the EHR during and after work, and Robertson et al. …

Hospital-Based Safe To Sleep Intervention To Decrease Sleep-Related Infant Deaths In St. Louis, Missouri, Olivia M. Pokoski

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

The city of St. Louis in Missouri has an elevated infant mortality rate compared to St. Louis County, Missouri, and the United States. When controlling for race, black or African American infants are over twice as likely to die before their first birthday compared to their white counterparts. Two of the leading causes of infant death are sleep-related causes and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) which occur if the infant is placed in an unsafe sleeping environment. To address this burden Affinia Healthcare, Barnes Jewish Hospital, and St. Mary’s Hospital have decided to implement a hospital-based Safe to Sleep campaign. …

Growing Green Minds: Implementation Of A School Garden & Nutrition Program For The Freedom Area School District In Rural Wisconsin, Marissa Schuh

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

Most children in the U.S. consume too few fruits and vegetables which is putting them at risk to develop obesity and other lifestyle diseases. The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that individuals should increase the amount and variety of fruits and vegetables consumed in order to prevent weight gain and other chronic diseases. Research shows that garden-based educational programs can increase children’s fruit and vegetable intake as well as change their preferences and attitudes towards eating and trying new fruits and vegetables. Incorporating a garden and nutrition curriculum into a school setting is an ideal opportunity to improve children’s …

Implementing The Fit And Strong! Program To Reduce Osteoarthritis In The Older Adult Population Of Carmel, Indiana, Lauren Alexis Bergstrom Roach

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

Osteoarthritis is a health outcome most commonly experienced by older adults. As the “baby boomer” population continues to age, the demand for services for older adults also increases. Fit and Strong! is an evidence-based program that works to reduce symptoms of osteoarthritis in this population through an 8-week course of physical activity classes, taught by Fit and Strong! certified instructors. Carmel, Indiana, a city in Hamilton County, has a high percentage of older adults within its population, and community health needs assessments have indicated that Hamilton County citizens have repeatedly expressed a need for resources for older members of the …

Domestic Military Operations And The Coronavirus Pandemic, Mark P. Nevitt

Faculty Articles

In response to the novel coronavirus crisis, we are witnessing one of the largest domestic military operations in American history. This article proceeds in three parts. Part I considers the emergency authorities invoked to address the coronavirus, including the Public Health Service Act (PHSA), National Emergencies Act (NEA), and Stafford Act. Part II deals with the laws, regulations, and policies governing the military’s role as a law enforcer— including restrictions on the military’s role to quell civilian disturbances. I also briefly discuss martial law, a rarely invoked but powerful authority held at the federal, state, and local levels. Part III …

Against The "Safety Net", Matthew B. Lawrence

Faculty Articles

Then-Representative Jack Kemp and President Ronald Reagan originated the “safety net” conception of U.S. health and welfare laws in the late 1970s and early 1980s, defending proposed cuts to New Deal and Great Society programs by asserting that such cuts would not take away the “social safety net of programs” for those with “true need.” Legal scholars have adopted their metaphor widely and uncritically. This Article deconstructs the safety net metaphor and counsels against its use in understanding health and welfare laws. The metaphor is descriptively confusing because it means different things to different audiences. Some understand the safety net …

Reflections On The Effects Of Federalism On Opioid Policy, Matthew B. Lawrence

Faculty Articles

One thing we have seen today that we talk about in health law all the time is how the policy, the laws and institutions up at the 10,000 foot level, can so dramatically influence the personal, people’s lived experiences. Our speakers today have done a really great job of drawing out abstract institutional questions and also showing us how those questions have influenced the lives of real people in often tragic ways. Another thing we have seen that we talk about in administrative law all the time is the importance of expertise, especially given how hard it is to trace …

Essentializing Labor Before, During, And After The Coronavirus Pandemic, Deepa Das Acevedo

Faculty Articles

In the era of COVID-19, the term essential labor has become part of our daily lexicon. Between March and May 2020, essential labor was not just the only kind of paid labor occurring across most of the United States; it was also, many argued, the only thing preventing utter economic and humanitarian collapse. As a result of this sudden significance, legal scholars, workers’ advocates, and politicians have scrambled to articulate exactly what makes essential labor “essential.” Some commentators have also argued that the rise of essential labor as a conceptual category disrupts—or should disrupt—longstanding patterns in the way the nation …

Seafarers’ Experiences During The Covid-19 Pandemic, B. Pauksztat, M. Grech, M. Kitada, R.B. Jensen

Reports

This report provides an overview of preliminary findings of a study on the experiences of seafarers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose was to examine the impact of the pandemic on seafarers’ work and life on board as well as on their mental health and exhaustion, and identify factors that may mitigate the negative impact of the pandemic

The Perception, Usage, And Knowledge Of Moringa Oleifera In Mare-Brignol, Haiti After Increased Education And Access, Preethashree Anbukkarasu, Phillip Saad, Nichika R. Holdrum, Chinelo Germain, Leticia Ebihara, Archi Patel

Digital Repository: Showcase of Undergraduate Research Excellence

No abstract provided.

Using The Idea Model To Analyze Messages Used In Hepatitis B Vaccination In Uganda, Ann Mugunga, Angella Napakol

International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference

This research analyzed the messages that both the Government of Uganda and the National organization of persons living with Hepatitis B use to communicate to at-risk populations in order to enable them take up the vaccination against Hepatitis B. Content analysis was carried out on two electronic fliers circulated from the ministry of health’s program in charge of Hepatitis control and treatment, and one hard copy flier from the National organization of persons living with Hepatitis B. The study assessed how the publications made use of the IDEA concepts of internalization, distribution, explanation and action in getting the audience to …

Simulating Medical Isolation: Communicatively Managing Patient And Medical Team Safety, Elizabeth L. Spradley, R. Tyler Spradley

International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference

Reducing hospital acquired or associated infections (HAIs) is a national public health priority. HAIs pose risks to patients, visitors, and medical personnel. To better understand how to communicatively manage safety in medical isolation, data was collected with nursing students simulating medical isolation in a high-fidelity simulation with a medical mannequin with C. difficile. Observations of nursing students and faculty revealed four distinct communication practices: social support, patient education, humor, and storytelling. Conclusions include recommendations to intentionally design these communication practices into high-fidelity medial isolation simulations and scale up these communication practices in routines of safety.

Occupational Therapy In Haiti: A Pilot Study To Identify Intervention Methods Used During Short-Term Medical Missions, Sheelagh M. Schlegel, Kathleen Mathieson

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

Due to the shortage of occupational therapists (OTs) in Haiti and over 800,000 individuals with disabilities, most occupational therapy assessments and interventions are provided by OTs on short-term medical missions (STMMs). Learning which methods OT use to provide assessments and interventions during these STMMs is the first step to understanding how to facilitate followup and carry-over for clients and ensure longevity for STMMs in Haiti. This study used a cross-sectional, descriptive design to gather data on methods used by OTs. Thirty-three OTs, who travelled to Haiti on STMMs, completed a 16-question, online survey. The most common method provided by OTs …

Health Behaviors And Pandemics, Jay E. Maddock, Anna E. Greer

Public Health Faculty Publications

Human health behaviors are essential to reducing the spread and impact of pandemics. However, most behavioral scientists do not work in the area of pandemics given the infrequency of their occurrences. This editorial examines relevant health behavior theories, in particular the precaution adoption process model, and how these apply to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Impact Of Medicaid Expansion On Childhood Vaccination Rates, 2010-2018, Chandra K. Couzens

Public Health Theses

Background

The relationship between coverage expansions and vaccination coverage is not well characterized, through previous work as linked coverage expansions with insurance rates and insurance rates with vaccination completion. We examined whether Medicaid expansions implemented by the end of 2015 in 29 states and D.C. were associated with changes in MMR vaccination and 7-series vaccination completion among low income children from 2010-2018.

Methods

Changes in mean vaccination coverage were compared between the four years before expansion (2010-2013) and the four years post expansion (2015-2018), using data from the 2010-2018 National Immunization Child Survey. The final study sample (N=36,591) included children …