Public Health Commons^™

Assessing Patient Safety Culture In United States' Hospitals, Abdulmajeed Azyabi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Patient safety is founded on continuous learning because there is an urgent need to report and learn from errors, accidents, near misses, and adverse events. The traditional approach to patient safety, based on forming mortality committees and investigating accidents, will no longer be effective. Frameworks, surveys, and assessment tools have been developed over the last decade to assist organizations in measuring and understanding their culture. This a retrospective cross-sectional study included 67,010 respondents from Agency for Health care Research and Quality (AHRQ) 2018 comparative database was analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). This research explored whether the …

Cesarean Skin-To-Skin Contact: Who Gets The Experience In The Operating Room?, Jessica S. Junk-Wilson

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

For the past decade, skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth has been the general recommendation for all births, as there is evidence that it provides many benefits for mothers and infants. Yet, research has shown that immediate skin-to-skin contact is not the standard practice after most Cesarean births. This study assessed access, incidence, and circumstances surrounding Cesarean skin-to-skin contact (CSSC) in the operating room and examined influencing maternal characteristics of age, education, race, and number of births via a survey of 2327 people. Women who experienced a Cesarean section birth in the past 10 years were recruited through Facebook groups for …

Physical Activity As A Predictor Of Obesity In Autistic Children, Cody A. Mullins

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Research has found autistic children to be 40% more likely to be obese compared to their non-autistic peers. Reduced physical activity (PA) is thought to be a contributing factor to the increased prevalence of obesity in autistic children. This was one of the first studies to investigate the PA behaviors of autistic children during an adapted physical education (APE) class using accelerometry. The purpose of this study was to examine the PA of autistic children and determine the relationship between PA and obesity. Participants were recruited from a school for students with disabilities who participate in a once-weekly APE class …

The Role Of Actin Associated Sptbn1 Host Factor In Hiv-1 Infection In Microglial Cells, Hannah Matheney

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a chronic illness affecting more than 32.7 million individuals worldwide. The virus infects immune cells, weakening the immune system overtime eventually leading to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) if left untreated. Infection starts with a fusion step, followed by uncoating of the HIV capsid once in the cytoplasm of the cell. HIV uses host cell proteins to complete the infection process, like the actin associated factor, SPTBN1. The Hulme lab has previously shown that SPTBN1 knockdown by siRNA in microglial cells decreased HIV infection and delayed uncoating of HIV. Because fusion is prior to uncoating, it …

Birthing While Black: Anti-Oppressive Social Work Practices For Improved Maternal Health Outcomes, Sara Hall

DSW Capstone Projects

Black women die at a disproportionate rate than white women in the United States due to maternal mortality. Black women are three times more likely to die because of a maternal complication than any other demographic. Although the United States has a highly developed healthcare system, it also has the worst maternal mortality rate out of developed nations. The focus of this research is social work practices that can be implemented to improve Black maternal health outcomes.

The systematic literature review focuses on gaps in social work literature related to maternal mortality and health equity, solutions for social workers to …

Risk-Targeted Behavioral Activation For The Management Of Work Disability Associated With Comorbid Pain And Depression: A Feasibility Study, Michael J.L. Sullivan, Timothy Wideman, Nathalie Gauthier, Pascal Thibault, Tamra Ellis, Heather Adams

Études primaires

Purpose

The purpose of the present study was to conduct a preliminary evaluation of the feasibility and impact of a risk-targeted behavioral activation intervention for work-disabled individuals with comorbid pain and depression.

Methods

The design of the study was a single-arm non-randomized trial. The sample consisted of 66 work-disabled individuals with comorbid pain and depression. The treatment program consisted of a 10-week standardized behavioral activation intervention supplemented by techniques to target two psychosocial risk factors for delayed recovery, namely, catastrophic thinking and perceptions of injustice. Measures of pain severity, depression, catastrophic thinking, perceived injustice, and self-reported disability were completed pre-, …

Teaching And Learning Numeracy In Health Sciences: A High School Health Classroom Case Study, Jasmina Mesic

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

High school health science teacher professional development (TPD) is one learning environment where emphasis on numeracy and nutritional health literacy can make lifelong positive impacts on the health and wellbeing of youth. It has been estimated that only 33% of United States adults have limited numeracy skills and that only 12% are health literate. The purpose of this study was to begin the development of a high school health science TPD focused on numeracy and nutritional health literacy and to assist the teacher in delivering subject matter using brain-based learning principles. An exploratory case study design was selected as the …

Online Teaching Of Program Planning & Evaluation, Manoj Sharma

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

Program Planning & Evaluation (PBH 440-1001) offered by the School of Public Health at University of Nevada, Las Vegas was taught asynchronously online by Manoj Sharma to undergraduate students (primarily from public health) in Spring 2021 (n=34). This course is designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to systematically develop, implement, and evaluate health-related programs, services, and interventions. The specific teaching techniques that were used in teaching this course were organizing the entire course in Canvas and making it available from day 1, recording all lectures beforehand in Panopto, utilizing cases studies in modules, embedding journal articles …

Preconception Substance Use And Risk Of Unintended Pregnancy, Saima Shafique

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: In the United States, unintended pregnancy is a serious public health issue due to its persistent high prevalence. In the series of three studies, our first two investigations examined the risk and potential determinants of unintended pregnancy among substance and polysubstance using women of childbearing age. In the third study, we conducted a systematic review (SR) with meta-analysis (MA) to assess the association of illicit and recreational drugs to the risk of unintended pregnancy.

Methods: We performed a secondary data analysis on a subset of Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) 2016-17 phase 8 data (n=75,543). The outcome variable …

Examining The Pulmonary Response To Repeated Vishniacozyma Victoriae Exposure And Its Association With Allergic Airway Disease, Rachael Erin Rush

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Allergic airway diseases such as asthma continue to increase in incidence in industrialized nations like the United States. These diseases are complex inflammatory processes involving numerous cells and mediators and are strongly influenced by fungal exposures. Recent developments in fungal detection methods have highlighted the contribution of Basidiomycota yeast species in indoor environments such as Vishniacozyma (syn. Cryptococcus) victoriae. However, despite the high levels of this yeast detected in indoor environments, very little is known about it or its role in respiratory morbidity. V. victoriae is phylogenetically similar to pathogenic Cryptococcus neoformans but lacks a capsule and is …

Instrumental And Emotional Social Support Intention And Utilization Among Pregnant And Postpartum Women During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Gracie Minks

All Master's Theses

Postpartum depression impacts 1 in 7 women across the U.S. As a whole population, between 10-16% of women are impacted by maternal depression during pregnancy or the first year postpartum. Those who experience postpartum depression are at risk for repeated depressive episodes and a lower quality of life over time. The postnatal period may reflect the most vulnerable time for mental health concerns such as anxiety and depression. Fear, judgment, and perceived criticism are commonly named as barriers that delay the mobilization of support.

There is a prevailing perception that postpartum depression is a normal part of motherhood which may …

Education And Awareness Of Workplace Hazards: An Educational Intervention For First Responder Trainees, Emily Portune

All Master's Theses

First responder paramedics, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), and firefighters provide emergency services to communities everywhere, often in life-threatening circumstances. At the same time, these first responders face high-stress life and death situations and may also endure unique workplace hazards like racism, sexual harassment and discrimination, verbal and physical patient assault, and extreme sleep deprivation. These hazards make prehospital providers vulnerable to mental illness, a fact proven by preexisting research that found more than 85% of first responders reported negative mental health symptoms and outcomes directly related to their career. Not only are prehospital providers at high risk of mental illness; …

Knee Braces And Foot Orthoses Multimodal Treatment Of Medial Knee Osteoarthritis, Xavier Robert-Lachaine, Yoann Dessery, Étienne L. Belzile, Philippe Corbeil

Études primaires

Background

Knee braces and lateral wedge foot orthoses are two treatment options recommended for medial knee osteoarthritis, but the combination of both of them could further improve their effectiveness.

Research question

The aim was to evaluate whether the combination of lateral wedge foot orthoses with two types of knee brace enhances the biomechanical effects and pain relief during the stance phase of gait while maintaining comfort.

Methods

Ten patients with medial knee osteoarthritis were fitted with a standard valgus brace, an unloader brace with valgus and external rotation functions, and 7° lateral wedge foot orthoses. The pain relief, comfort, kinematics …

Morphologic Clustering Of Earcanals Using Deep Learning Algorithm To Design Artificial Ears Dedicated To Earplugs Attenuation Measurement, Bastien Poissenot-Arrigoni, Chun Hong Law, Djamal Berbiche, Franck Sgard, Olivier Doutres

Études primaires

Designing earplugs adapted for the widest number of earcanals requires acoustical test fixtures (ATFs) geometrically representative of the population. Most existing ATFs are equipped with unique sized straight cylindrical earcanals, considered representative of average human morphology, and are therefore unable to assess how earplugs can fit different earcanal morphologies. In this study, a methodology to cluster earcanals as a function of their morphologies with the objective of designing artificial ears dedicated to sound attenuation measurement is developed and applied to a sample of Canadian workers’ earcanals. The earcanal morphologic indicators that correlate with the attenuations of six models of commercial …

Occupational Exposure To Wood Dust And The Burden Of Nasopharynx And Sinonasal Cancer In Canada, Amirabbas Mofidi, Emile Tompa, Christina Kalcevich, Christopher Mcleod, Martin Lebeau, Chaojie Song, Joanne Kim, Paul A. Demers

Études primaires

Background: Millions of workers around the world are exposed to wood dust, as a by-product of woodworking. Nasopharynx cancers (NPCs) and sinonasal cancers (SNCs) are two cancers that can be caused by occupational exposure to wood dust, but there is little evidence regarding their burden in Canada. Objective: the aim of this study was to estimate the incidence and economic burden of newly diagnosed cases of NPC and SNC in 2011 in Canada, attributable to occupational exposures to wood dust. Methods: calculating the incidence of cancer attributable to occupational exposure involved three steps of defining relative risk, assessing the prevalence …

Risk-Based Inspection Applied To Two-Post Above-Ground Automotive Lifts, Damien Burlet-Vienney, François Gauthier, Bertrand Galy

Études primaires

The safe use of two-post above-ground automotive lifts (2PAG lifts) has received particular attention in the province of Québec (Canada) following the death of a young mechanic. The inspection and preventive maintenance of this equipment is a problem highlighted in accident investigation reports and by representatives of the sector. Therefore, the work presented in this article aimed at proposing a complete and detailed inspection grid for 2PAG lifts by establishing an exhaustive list of verification criteria, baseline states and the inspection frequency for each criterion according to their criticality. The grid was built from standards, existing grids, manufacturers’ manuals, interviews …

Stay At Work After A Period Of Disability Due To An Occupational Injury: A Complex Process Marked By Social Exchanges, Alexandra Lecours, Marie-José Durand, Marie-France Coutu, Charles Groleau, Roxanne Bédard-Mercier

Études primaires

Purpose Rooted in a social exchange lens, this study aimed to explore the interactions between the factors influencing stay at work after a period of disability due to an occupational injury. Methods Based on a descriptive interpretative research design, interviews with 15 participants (i.e., representatives of workers, workplaces, insurers, and the health care system) were conducted to gather their perspectives about stay at work. Qualitative data was analyzed through thematic analysis. Results Ten different factors interacting together and influencing stay at work were identified. These factors prevail either during stay at work or previously. They are either related to the …

Health Policy, Equity, And The Lead Poisoning Crisis: A Conversation With Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, Mona Hanna-Attisha

Center for Policy Research

Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha delivered the 33rd Annual Herbert Lourie Memorial Lecture on Health Policy on Thursday, September 23, 2021. This year's lecture was titled, "Health Policy, Equity, and the Lead Poisoning Crisis: A Conversation with Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha"

Mona Hanna-Attisha, MD, MPH, FAAP, is founder and director of the Michigan State University and Hurley Children’s Hospital Pediatric Public Health Initiative, an innovative and model public health program in Flint, Michigan.

A pediatrician, scientist, activist, and author, Dr. Hanna-Attisha has testified three times before the United States Congress and was awarded the Freedom of Expression Courage Award by PEN America. She …

Associations Between Mothers’ Use Of Food To Soothe, Feeding Mode, And Infant Weight During Early Infancy, Megan K. Hupp, Peggy C. Papathakis, Suzanne Phelan, Alison K. Ventura

Kinesiology and Public Health

Weight status and rate of weight gain in the first six months postpartum are strong predictors of later obesity; thus, infant feeding practices are an important target for obesity prevention efforts. The use of food to soothe (FTS) is associated with less-favorable eating habits and weight outcomes for older infants and children. However, few studies have examined correlates of use of FTS during early infancy. The primary aim of this cross-sectional study was to explore associations between use of FTS and infant weight status in the first 6 months postpartum. A secondary aim was to identify the combination of maternal …

Covid-19 Mortality May Be Reduced Among Fully Vaccinated Solid Organ Transplant Recipients, Micaela Sandoval, Duc T Nguyen, Howard J Huang, Stephanie G Yi, R Mark Ghobrial, A Osama Gaber, Edward A Graviss

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients are at increased risk for morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 due to their immunosuppressed state and reduced immunogenicity from COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. This investigation examined the association between COVID-19 mRNA vaccination status and mortality among SOT recipients diagnosed with COVID-19.

METHODS & FINDINGS: A retrospective, registry-based chart review was conducted investigating COVID-19 mortality among immunosuppressed solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients in a large metropolitan healthcare system in Houston, Texas, USA. Electronic health record data was collected from consecutive SOT recipients who received a diagnostic SARS-CoV-2 test between March 1, 2020, and October 1, 2021. …

Desired Resources For Changing Diet Among Persons With Multiple Sclerosis: Qualitative Inquiry Informing Future Dietary Interventions, Stephanie L Silveira, Emma V Richardson, Robert W Motl

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: There are approximately 1 million adults in the United States with multiple sclerosis (MS). Persons with MS are interested in diet as a second-line therapy for improving MS symptoms and disease progression. Examination of desired resources regarding diet among persons with MS is necessary for supporting behavior change.

METHODS: Twenty-five adults with MS completed 1-on-1, online semistructured interviews. An inductive, 6-phase, semantic thematic analysis was applied to identify themes associated with participant preferences for dietary behavior change.

RESULTS: The research team crafted 4 key themes from the data that encompassed participants' desired resources for dietary behavior change. Theme 1, …

2022 Annual Report For Ebp Workforce Development, Evidence To Practice, Cep Annual Reports, Lisa Staples, Ronnie Rubin, Brooke Dupre, Gabrielle Gonzalez, Willandra Whiting, J. Henning, Sonita Singh, Stephen Phillippi

Policy & Position Papers

No abstract provided.

The Healthy Native Youth Implementation Toolbox: Using Implementation Mapping To Adapt An Online Decision Support System To Promote Culturally-Relevant Sexual Health Education For American Indian And Alaska Native Youth, Christine M Markham, Stephanie Craig Rushing, Jane Manthei, Michelle Singer, Cornelia Jessen, Gwenda Gorman, Melissa F Peskin, Belinda F Hernandez, Lea Sacca, Gabrielle S Evans, Claudia Luna-Meza, Zoe Merritt, Ross Shegog

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth experience serious disparities in sexual and reproductive health, including the highest teen birth rate among racial/ethnic groups, and disproportionate rates of sexually transmitted infections (STI), including HIV. A growing number of evidence-based programs (EBPs) that integrate the strengths and cultural teachings of Native communities exist. Yet, multiple factors, including lack of trained personnel, limited resources, and geographic isolation, may hinder their adoption and implementation. Innovative implementation strategies that facilitate the adoption and implementation of sexual health EBPs in Native communities may help reduce these disparities.

METHODS: We applied Implementation Mapping, a systematic …

Perceptions Of Physical Activity Guidelines Among Wheelchair Users With Multiple Sclerosis, Stephanie L Silveira, Brenda Jeng, Gary Cutter, Robert W Motl

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Physical activity guidelines provide prescriptive resources for population-level promotion of behavior change to improve health outcomes. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) recently created and disseminated physical activity guidelines for persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) across the disease spectrum.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess perceptions of the updated NMSS Physical Activity Guidelines among wheelchair users with MS.

METHODS: One hundred thirty-four wheelchair users with MS participated in a cross-sectional study examining health behaviors. Outcomes were measured using an online questionnaire that included items related to demographic and clinical characteristics and a battery of questions regarding perceptions of the …

Application Of Artificial Intelligence And Machine Learning For Hiv Prevention Interventions, Yang Xiang, Jingcheng Du, Kayo Fujimoto, Fang Li, John Schneider, Cui Tao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

In 2019, the US Government announced its goal to end the HIV epidemic within 10 years, mirroring the initiatives set forth by UNAIDS. Public health prevention interventions are a crucial part of this ambitious goal. However, numerous challenges to this goal exist, including improving HIV awareness, increasing early HIV infection detection, ensuring rapid treatment, optimising resource distribution, and providing efficient prevention services for vulnerable populations. Artificial intelligence has had a pivotal role in revolutionising health care and has shown great potential in developing effective HIV prevention intervention strategies. Although artificial intelligence has been used in a few HIV prevention intervention …

A Qualitative Investigation Of Organizational Challenges And Facilitators To Screening Individuals Experiencing Homelessness For Hepatitis C Virus (Hcv) In Houston, Texas, Alane Celeste-Villalvir, J Michael Wilkerson, Christine Markham, Lourdes Rodriguez, Vanessa Schick

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Individuals experiencing homelessness may be at a disproportionately high risk for hepatitis C (HCV) because they may be more likely to engage in HCV risk behaviors. Community organizations that provide services to these vulnerable individuals can effectively screen, diagnose, and navigate them into HCV care. However, screening people experiencing homelessness for HCV at such organizations is limited by various challenges that remain understudied, including budgetary considerations and strategies to improve teamwork and communication. Accordingly, this study investigated the organizational challenges and facilitators to HCV screening of individuals experiencing homelessness as reported by homeless services providers.

METHODS: Staff (N = …

The Neighborhood Environment And Hispanic/Latino Health, Natalia I Heredia, Tianlin Xu, Minjae Lee, Lorna H Mcneill, Belinda M Reininger

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: Hispanic/Latino adults on the Texas-Mexico border have high rates of chronic disease. Neighborhoods can influence health, though there is a limited research on neighborhood environment and health in Hispanics/Latinos. The purpose of this study was to assess the relation of neighborhood environment with health variables in Hispanic/Latino adults, including physical activity [PA], depression, anxiety, and lab-assessed conditions (type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and chronic inflammation).

METHODS: Participants were randomly-selected from a Hispanic/Latino cohort on the Texas-Mexico border. Neighborhood environment, self-reported PA, anxiety, and depression were assessed through questionnaires. Laboratory values determined Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and C-reactive protein …

Maternal Occupational Exposures And Fetal Growth In A Spanish Birth Cohort, Jennifer Ish, David Gimeno Ruiz De Porras, Elaine Symanski, Ferran Ballester, Maribel Casas, George L Delclos, Mònica Guxens, Jesús Ibarluzea, Carmen Iñiguez, Loreto Santa-Marina, Michael D Swartz, Kristina W Whitworth

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

While the epidemiologic literature suggests certain maternal occupational exposures may be associated with reduced measures of size at birth, the occupational literature employing fetal biometry data to assess fetal growth is sparse. The present study examines associations between maternal occupational exposures and ultrasound-measured fetal growth. We included 1,739 singleton pregnancies from the INfancia y Medio Ambiente (INMA) project (2003-2008). At 32 weeks of pregnancy, interviewers ascertained mothers' employment status and assessed job-related physical loads, work schedules, and job strain during pregnancy. Job titles were linked to a job-exposure matrix to estimate exposure to 10 endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) groups. We …

Covid-19 Outcomes In Myasthenia Gravis Patients: Analysis From Electronic Health Records In The United States, Youngran Kim, Xiaojin Li, Yan Huang, Minseon Kim, Aziz Shaibani, Kazim Sheikh, Guo-Qiang Zhang, Thy Phuong Nguyen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune, neuromuscular condition and patients with MG are vulnerable due to immunosuppressant use and disease manifestations of dyspnea and dysphagia during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the Optum® de-identified COVID-19 Electronic Health Record (EHR) dataset. Primary outcomes, such as hospitalization, ventilator use, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and death in COVID-19 patients with MG, were compared with those of COVID-19 patients without MG: the subgroups of non-MG included those with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus (SLE), and multiple sclerosis (MS). We further analyzed factors affecting …

Associations Between Vascular Diseases And Alzheimer's Disease Or Related Dementias In A Large Cohort Of Men And Women With Colorectal Cancer, Xianglin L Du, Lulu Song, Paul E Schulz, Hua Xu, Wenyaw Chan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Long term risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related dementias (ADRD) associated with vascular diseases in people with colorectal cancer is unknown.

OBJECTIVE: to determine the risk of ADRD in association with cardiovascular diseases (CVD), stroke, hypertension, and diabetes in a cohort of patients with colorectal cancer.

METHODS: This retrospective cohort study consisted of 210,809 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer at age≥65 years in 1991-2015 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked database with follow-up from 1991-2016, who were free of any ADRD at the baseline (< 30 days after the date of cancer diagnosis).

RESULTS: The crude 26-year cumulative incidence of total ADRD in …