Public Health Commons^™

Emergency Encounters: A Cross Sectional Study Of A Rural Emergency Room, Selynto Rodrecca Anderson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

It is very difficult for certain populations to obtain access to healthcare within the United States, particularly in rural areas. Typically, individuals who live in rural areas are far less healthy than those who live in more urbanized areas. Although there have been some improvements made to ensure there is adequate health care for all, barriers still exist. A few examples of these barriers are socioeconomic status, education, and job status. In this study, adult patients from a rural Southeastern hospital were surveyed via those who came to the emergency room seeking care, and via those who came to the …

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

College of Public Health: News & Publications

• Message from the Dean: Stuart H. Tedders, PhD
• One-On-One: Building a POD from the ground up!
• Our Community: Making a Difference
• The COVID-19 Pivot: Teaching, Outreach, Research
• One Year Later: Reflections
• Dr. James Stephens
• Zoom made the world smaller
• Creating space where everyone belongs
• Center for Addiction Recovery Growth in a new normal—the pandemic year
• Karl E. Peace Center for Biostatistics and Survey Research Working together: biostatistics collaborations
• Center for Public Health Practice and Research Making real impacts with training, assessments and more
• Faculty and Students
• Office of Practice and Research
• Research
• College
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Covid-19: A Driving Factor For Pre-Existing Racial Disparities In Food Insecurity, Christina S. Cook, Sandhya Lohani, Jeffery A. Jones, Stacy Smallwood Ph.D., Tilicia L. Mayo-Gamble

Eagles Talking About the Public’s Health

No abstract provided.

Primary Care Physician-Nurse Practitioner Collaboration And Physicians Career Satisfaction, Tania Alidina

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Dissatisfaction amongst US physicians has been steadily increasing over the past few decades as health care reform changes the practice of medicine (Hoff, Young, Xiang, & Raver, 2015; Rosenstein, & Mudge-Riley, 2010). In 2008, physician dissatisfaction rates had increased to 19% (Mazaurenko & Menachemi, 2012). By 2012, 42% of physicians voiced dissatisfaction, with family medicine reporting most likely to be dissatisfied (Sorrell & Jennings, 2014). One factor that could affect physician career dissatisfaction/satisfaction that has not been studied is collaborative relationships with other healthcare providers, such as nurse practitioners. This study used secondary quantitative data from the National Survey of …

Prevalence And Perceptions Of Herbal Medicine Use In Eastern Jamaica, Jacqueline Jepsen

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objective: The purpose of this research was to determine the prevalence of herbal medicine use in rural St. Mary Parish, Jamaica. It also aimed to identify which herbs are commonly used and gauge the population’s general attitude toward herbal remedies vs conventional medicine. Methods: A cross-sectional population survey was developed and distributed at eight different clinics throughout St. Mary Parish, Jamaica with a sample size of 68.

Results: It was determined that herbal medicine use is common amongst the Eastern Jamaican population, with 63% of subjects reporting its use. A wide variety of herbal remedies are utilized, with aloe vera, …

Ct Scan Effective Radiation Dose Reduction In Pediatric Trauma Patients, Benjamin Clouse, Elizabeth Ey, Sara J. Paton, Frank Pianki, Jeffrey C. Pence, Lisa Schwing, Melody Campbell

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

This project attempts to address the problem of excessive radiation exposure via CT imaging for pediatric patients presenting at adult regional trauma centers.

To answer this question, we utilized the pediatric trauma registry to conduct a retrospective chart review of consisting of all patients under 14 years of age that received trauma related CT imaging and that were transferred from an adult trauma center to Dayton Children’s Hospital in the time period of January 2019 to December 2019.Cases of unnecessary imaging will be determined by subject matter expert review, based on ACS and Image Gently guidelines. Cases of overexposure to …

Teeka Tehreek: Increasing Epi Vaccinations In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, Narjis Fatima Hussain

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

Abstract

Globally, Pakistan ranks third among countries with the most unvaccinated and under-vaccinated children. Within the country, there are huge regional disparities, and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region (KPK FATA) has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country. Low vaccination rates contribute to the high burden of childhood infectious diseases in Pakistan that cause 70% of childhood deaths. Addressing the issue requires an understanding of the barriers towards vaccinations; 30% of refusals are due to religious reasons and other misconceptions that are compounded by low literacy rates. Since religion has a critical authority in shaping the population’s beliefs, attitudes, …

Nurse Home Visitation Program In Hamilton County, Oh To Increase Maternal And Child Health Outcomes, Hannah Widner

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

Hamilton County Ohio currently has poor outcomes related to maternal and infant health, specifically among African Americans. Compared to the Healthy People 2020 goals, Hamilton County has higher rates of infant mortality, preterm birth, neonatal infant mortality, and conception within 18 months of previous pregnancies. These rates are disproportionate among African Americans. For instance, African American babies born in Ohio have higher infant mortality rate (14.3 per 1,000) prematurity as a cause of death (4 per 1,000) and neonatal mortality rate (9.2 per 1,000). These are compared to White babies in Ohio with infant mortality rate (5.1 per 1,000), prematurity …

Implementing The Mothers And Babies Program To Reduce Preterm And Low Birth Weight Deliveries, Tan Frison

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

Georgia ranks fourth (4th) in the nation for the highest low birth weight rate at 10%, and sixth (6th) in the nation for preterm birth rate at 11.7%, among the states. Based on statistical data Bulloch county has maintained an average low birth weight statistic of 10% for over a decade. In 2019, there were 107 preterm and 79 low weight births in Bulloch county, Georgia. These numbers confirm there is a need for more preventive resources for mothers and children within this community. To address this burden, the Bulloch County health department has decided to implement the Mothers and …

Farmer Suicide: Rates, Trends, And Associations To Commodity Production Among States Reporting Violent Deaths, 2003-2017, Paul Norrod

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

Occupational studies show that farmers are at higher risk for suicide with rates at least two-fold those of the U.S. population.2-4 Therefore, the purpose of this study was to (1) determine age- and sex-specific farmer suicide rates, (2) evaluate rate trends, and (3) assess the relationship between commodity production and farmer suicide using the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) and quinquennial Census of Agriculture. We identified 1,652 farmer suicide cases from the NVDRS. Age-specific rates showed the highest rates among male farmers over 64 at 14.03 per 100,000. Annual rates for the 15-year study period peaked during 2013 at …

Recovery Housing In The United States And The Importance Of Data Collection, Maanasa Manchikanti

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

Substance use disorder (SUD) has been a prevalent issue in both the clinical and public health sectors for some time. Substance use disorder can be defined as a disease that affects an individual’s brain and behavior, causing them to develop an inability to control the use of legal or illegal drugs and substances (Mayo Clinic, 2021). Substances include but are not limited to alcohol, marijuana, opioids, and other controlled substances (Mayo Clinic, 2021). Substance misuse is a large topic of focus in public health because it not only deteriorates the quality of health in individuals and society, but also comes …

Rates Of Diabetes Screening In Kentucky Before And After Implementation Of The Affordable Care Act (Aca), Cory Reinert

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

Diabetes mellitus, commonly referred to as “diabetes”, is currently at epidemic proportions in the United States as its prevalence has drastically increased over the past several decades. The percentage of Americans with diagnosed diabetes has risen from 0.93 percent of the population in 1958 to 10.5 percent in 2018 (ADA, 2021). Diabetes also impacts record numbers of Kentucky residents.

Regular screening for those considered at-risk can encourage patients to implement lifestyle modifications, pharmacological therapy, or other interventions earlier in the course of disease. This can help prevent or delay onset of T2D and can reduce diabetes-related complications in those who …

Implementing The Textme Cardiovascular Mobile Health Intervention In Detroit, Michingan, Melissa Horton

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

Cardiovascular disease is currently the leading cause of death in the United States. One of the cities with the highest rates of cardiovascular disease is Detroit, Michigan. Those diagnosed with cardiovascular disease are encouraged to make lifestyle modifications to improve their health. However, if cardiovascular disease is not managed, it can lead to serious health outcomes such as stroke, heart disease, and death. The TEXTMe program is designed to send randomized text messages to participants to encourage lifestyle changes around diet, exercise, and smoking cessation. Participants in the program will be recruited from three health clinics located in the city …

Fiscal Waivers And State "Innovation" In Health Care, Matthew B. Lawrence

Faculty Articles

This Article describes how the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has used fiscal waiver authorities—delegated power to alter federal payments to states under Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA)—to influence state health policy choices. It highlights how the agency uses its fiscal waiver authorities to shape which reforms states choose to pursue, in some cases inspiring genuine state innovation and in others encouraging states to adopt reforms favored by HHS or discouraging states from adopting disfavored reforms. Moreover, while HHS has sometimes influenced state policy making in ways that further the substantive goals of the ACA and …

Pandemics, Paid Sick Leaves, And Tax Institutions, Alex Zhang

Faculty Articles

The COVID-19 pandemic is currently ravaging the world, and the United States has been largely unsuccessful at containing the coronavirus. One long-standing policy failure stands out as having exacerbated the pandemic in our country: the lack of a national mandate of paid sick leaves, without which workers face financial and workplace-cultural pressures to attend work while sick, thus spreading the virus to their fellow employees and the public at large.

This Article provides the blueprint for a national, subsidized mandate of paid sick leaves and two additional insights about our tax institutions as mechanisms of effectuating broader societal goals. It …

Characteristics And Factors Associated With The Menstrual Hygiene Practices Of Buddhist Nuns In North District, Yangon, Myanmar, Aye Cherry Aung

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

In Myanmar, menstrual hygiene is a subject receiving little attention. There are a few studies on menstrual hygiene of students, but none on menstrual hygiene of Buddhist nuns although there are 60,400 nuns, 0.1% of the total population, in need to practise menstrual hygiene. The study objective is to assess characteristics and factors associated with Buddhist nuns’ menstrual hygiene practices in North District, Yangon. A cross-sectional survey using a self-administered questionnaire constructed on Health Belief Model theory was conducted among 432 nuns in 11 urban and rural nunneries. Multistage, systematic, random sampling was used. Frequency and percentages were used to …

Experience Of Community Violence Exposure Among Adolescents In Makassar, Indonesia, Andi Nurdini Yuridna Yudha

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Violence has been recognized as a global public health issue. The consequences go beyond one's health and socioeconomic well-being; it is a serious violation of human rights and security. Growing up in the midst of societal violence have proven to have impacts to adolescents social, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive development. This study examines the association among sociodemographic, perception of aggressive behavior, perception of problem behavior, and history of drug abuse, towards the experience of community violence exposure (SEVC) among adolescents in Makassar Indonesia. Cross-sectional study were used to measure experience using online questionnaire, and Self-report of SEVC. The results out …

Neither “Post-War” Nor Post-Pregnancy Paranoia: How America’S War On Drugs Continues To Perpetuate Disparate Incarceration Outcomes For Pregnant, Substance-Involved Offenders, Becca S. Zimmerman

Pitzer Senior Theses

This thesis investigates the unique interactions between pregnancy, substance involvement, and race as they relate to the War on Drugs and the hyper-incarceration of women. Using ordinary least square regression analyses and data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ 2016 Survey of Prison Inmates, I examine if (and how) pregnancy status, drug use, race, and their interactions influence two length of incarceration outcomes: sentence length and amount of time spent in jail between arrest and imprisonment. The results collectively indicate that pregnancy decreases length of incarceration outcomes for those offenders who are not substance-involved but not evenhandedly -- benefitting white …

Perceptions And Health Effects Of Electronic Cigarettes Among College Students, Safia Centner

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, are devices that allow users to inhale an aerosol, which contains chemical additives. E-cigarettes are becoming common for nicotine delivery in addition to traditional cigarettes. The goal of this study was to determine how college students perceive e-cigarettes, how often college students use e-cigarettes, and how they view e-cigarettes compared to tobacco cigarettes. This was accomplished through sending a survey built on Qualtrics to UCF students via Knights Email. This survey included questions about demographics, perceptions, and usage of e-cigarettes. The collected data was downloaded into SPSS and analyzed to compare data among different groups. The …

A Mixed Methods Study On Food Insecurity Screening And Patient-Centered Care: Perspectives Of Patients And Healthcare Providers On Practices And Barriers To Effective Screening In Outpatient Medical Settings, Christina Bernhardt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The purpose of this study was to better understand the relationship between elements of patient-centered care and patient/provider comfort with conversing about food insecurity and related social determinants of health. A mixed methods study was conducted. Patients and healthcare providers were surveyed on their experiences with patient-centered care and comfort discussing food insecurity and related social concerns. Telephone interviews were conducted to gain a richer understanding of the concepts under investigation. In the survey and telephone interviews, both samples were also asked about changes in communication during COVID-19 times. Quantitative findings show that patient involvement in care and cultural sensitivity …

Health Literacy, Knowledge, Attitudes, And Opioid Use Behavior Among College Students, Khristen Holmes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Opioid-related deaths have increased rapidly over the last couple of decades due to the overprescribing of prescription opioids and the availability of illicit drugs from family members, friends, or street dealers. To address this crisis, this research will attempt to identify how health literacy levels affect knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Hence, this study is informed by the Knowledge-Attitude-Behavior (KAB) Model. The KAB model is used to determine the influence of knowledge and attitudes on behaviors, which includes prescription drugs, illicit drugs, and fentanyl. This dissertation aims to explore the relationships between health literacy, knowledge, attitude, and behavior for opioids (prescription …

The Impact Of The 2018 Kentucky Cigarettes Taxes On Tobacco Use Among Youth, Claire W. Mampunza

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

Introduction: In the Commonwealth of Kentucky, cigarette smoking results in 1.92 billion dollars spent every year on medical costs, the death of approximately 9,000 Kentuckians, and 34 percent of all cancer cases. In 2017, 14.3 percent of high school students in Kentucky declared being current cigarette smokers, compared to 8.8 percent nationally. Tobacco use among youth is a public health concern because 88 percent of adult smokers initiate smoking before age 18. Youth nicotine use can damage the growing brain, which continues to develop until 25 years of age. In July 2018, the excise tax on cigarettes increased from …

Assessing Changes In The Epidemiology Of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis In Southwest Colombia Following The Peace Accord With Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias De Colombia (Farc), Matthew Stephen Benczkowski

Public Health Theses

The Colombian Conflict persisted for over 50 years, recently coming to an end in November 2016 after the signing of Colombia’s Peace Agreement between the government and FARC guerrilla group. Internal armed conflict is often entangled with the exacerbation of health outcomes, including promoting the spread of infectious diseases like cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). CL is a vector-borne parasitic disease localized to the human tegument that decreases quality of life through lesions leading to scars and associated stigmatization. This study assessed changes in demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with CL in Southwest Colombia before and after the signing of the …

The Utility Of A Maximum Entropy Species Distribution Model For Ixodes Scapularis In Predicting The Public Health Risk Of Lyme Disease In Ontario, Canada, Holly Alexandra Burrows

Public Health Theses

Introduction: Lyme disease is an emerging public health threat in Ontario, Canada due to the range expansion of the tick vector, Ixodes scapularis. Tick abundance and density are important predictors of human Lyme disease risk and are typically measured using active tick surveillance (dragging). New cost-effective tools are needed to augment current surveillance activities.Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of a Maximum entropy species distribution model to predict I. scapularis density and abundance in three regions of Ontario – Ottawa, Kingston, and southern Ontario – in order to determine its utility in predicting the public …

Exploring Thai Physicians’ Perceptions Of And Willingness To Prescribe Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (Prep), Brandi E. Moore

Public Health Theses

Background: Oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a daily medication that can prevent HIV infection. PrEP may further support HIV prevention initiatives in Thailand, particularly as it becomes more accessible in the country’s government clinics and hospitals. While studies have explored perceptions of PrEP for at-risk people in Thailand, there has been limited investigation into Thai physicians’ opinions of and willingness to prescribe PrEP. Methods: Using convenience sampling, this cross-sectional study recruited 132 Thai physicians to complete an anonymous, online survey. The survey assessed physicians’ concerns about PrEP, experience with PrEP, and willingness to prescribe PrEP. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regressions …

Covid Mitigation Strategies And Safety Perceptions Among Workers During Spring 2020 Shutdown, William Mciver

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

A novel coronavirus pandemic radically shifted the working environment of the population in the United States in the spring of 2020. Studies have examined the difference between healthcare workers and the general population, but there exists a gap when looking at mitigation strategies between healthcare workers and other workers that continued working outside the home. This study surveyed workers and asked about employment status, employment field, COVID safety precautions taken in the workplace, and feelings of safety. This study examined that and found statistically significant differences in the mitigation strategies used by healthcare workplaces and all other non-healthcare workplaces. This …

Educational Intervention To Change Knowledge And Attitudes Regarding Sexual Behaviors To Reduce Rates Of Sexually Transmitted Infections Among University Of Kentucky’S Sorority Life Students., Julianna Maita

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

Sexually transmitted infections disproportionally affect young adults. Within this age group, women are at an increased risk for contracting and STI and face more severe long-term adverse consequences than men. College aged individuals are at an increased risk for contracting an STI due to risky sexual behaviors such as unprotected sex with multiple partners. College students involved in Greek Life have been found to engage in risker sexual behaviors than non-Greek life students. These individuals perceive themselves to be at a higher risk for contracting an STI and have an increased number of unprotected sexual encounters under the influence of …

Understanding Resilience Among Individuals With Adverse Childhood Experiences (Aces), Meghan Larson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as abuse, neglect, and dysfunction in a child’s home are considered a public health crisis due to their correlation to health disparities and psychosocial problems in adulthood such as substance use, relationships, education, and maintaining employment. However, some individuals are resilient and demonstrate the ability to adapt and function well despite experiencing adverse events. To better understand resilience when ACEs are present, I conducted a basic qualitative research study to explore the lived experiences of individuals in Tennessee with elevated ACE and resilience scores. A purposeful sample of 12 participants who scored high on ratings …

Strategic Management Of Digital Contact Tracing Technologies: Covid-19 And Singapore, Yaya Sirimongkarakorn

Engineering and Technology Management Student Projects

The emergence of the COVID-19 virus and global health pandemic has sparked a rapid need for new digital solutions. Singapore took a strategic lead by paving the path towards innovating digital contact tracing (DCT) technologies to contain the spread of the virus. The nation’s expedited response and model for DCT has shown to be one that many countries can take example from, regardless of experiencing hurdles in gaining sufficient user uptake initially. The concerns surrounding data security and privacy has fueled the movement for DCT technologies. With the vast majority of the population being involved, many aspects need to be …

Diabetes Management And Self-Perception Of Health Among Adults In The United States, Moses Ajoku

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The burden and complications of diabetes have been a public health concern and societal challenge for decades, and the rate of prevalence is projected to increase in the future. The study aims to examine the association between blood glucose monitoring, glycated hemoglobin test, and self-perceived health status among diabetic adults in the United States. Guided by the chronic care model, the study used data from the 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to investigate diabetes management practices among diabetic adults in the United States. Quantitative and cross-sectional methods were used to assess the associations between diabetes management practices and self-perceived …