Public Health Commons^™

The Sexual Trauma Of The Female Body: Violence Against Women In Contemporary Spanish And Latin American Cultures, Lara Armenteros Garrido

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This dissertation focuses on the idea that women’s bodies have a sexual stigma attached to them as a consequence of different forms of heteropatriarcal violence inflicted on them. From violence in public spaces, such as street harassment or the sexual exploitation of women, to the intimacy of the relationship, like intimate partner violence or the orgasm gap, it becomes increasingly difficult for women to escape violence. Through the analysis of films, documentaries, narratives, and the testimonies of women from Spain and Latin America, I argue there is still a lack of adequate sexual and emotional knowledge to help complete agency …

A Comparative Analysis Of Hiv/Aids In France And The United States: Historical Context And Preventative Actions, Rebecca A. Liebsack

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The HIV/AIDS pandemic is the result of transmission of a zoonotic disease known as simian immunodeficiency virus. The pandemic has had profound social and economic consequences and continues to be present today. France and the United States’ response to the discovery of HIV will be compared and the impact that HIV/AIDS had on their countries and future responses. They had rather similar responses, however, the United States had a slower initial response compared to France. Both had similar takeaways such as aiming at improving prevention and utilizing tactics developed during the start of the pandemic like frequent testing and vaccines.

The Role Of Soft Infrastructure In Developing Sustainable Volunteer-Based Healthcare For Transient Migrants In The El Paso-Ciudad Juárez Border Region, Daniel Avitia

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Cost Saving And Resource Limited Public Health Interventions In Southeast Asia, Amanda Blackwelder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Public health interventions are any activity with the objective of improving human health such as preventing or curing disease, reducing the severity or duration of a disease, or assisting in regaining function after a disease or injury. These interventions are known to be impactful; however, those living with the highest burden of disease such as individuals in low- and middle-income countries have limited money and resources to successfully implement these interventions. Southeast Asian countries are among some of the middle-income countries effected by the lack of affordable interventions. The aims of this study were to assess cost saving and …

Vol 4 May '24 Cover, Publishing And Table Of Contents, Donna L. Williams

Journal of the Louisiana Public Health Association

No abstract provided.

Adolescent Development Unconsidered - Facts Related To Youth In The Adult Criminl Legal System, Stephen Phillippi

Journal of the Louisiana Public Health Association

After three administrations, including republican and democrat leadership, and over two-decades of bi-partisan justice reform, Louisiana has elected to likely return to a time when we were known as the incarceration capital of the world. There were numerous reasons for the reforms that happened, including federal lawsuits, supreme court rulings, new evidence of what works in juvenile justice, and a renewed focus on community programs to support youth and families (both victims and delinquent youth). These reforms focused on increasing public safety, improving outcomes, being more developmentally responsive, and responsibly lowering reliance on incarceration. The commentary that follows is solely …

Vol 4 May '24 Full Issue, Donna L. Williams

Journal of the Louisiana Public Health Association

No abstract provided.

The Naked Truth: Policy On Tackling The Std Crisis Among Young Adults In Louisiana, Chijindu Eke, Matthew Kelley, Madeline Barclay

Journal of the Louisiana Public Health Association

No abstract provided.

Immigration Exams At Community Healthworx In Alexandria, Louisiana From 2014 To 2023, David J. Holcombe, Joshua Mjolsness

Journal of the Louisiana Public Health Association

No abstract provided.

Pandemic Experiences Among Louisiana Adults: Demographic And Behavioral Correlates, Ariane L. Rung, Evrim Oral, Tyler Prusisz, Edward S. Peters

Journal of the Louisiana Public Health Association

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected mental health outcomes. We designed a study to describe the pandemic impacts experienced by adults in Louisiana and examine the characteristics and behaviors associated with them. Methods: 1050 Louisiana residents were surveyed in 2020. A pandemic impact score about respondents’ life experiences was created from 23 items across multiple life domains. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to estimate adjusted associations between demographics, health behavior characteristics and changes, and the pandemic impact score. Results: Higher levels of pandemic impacts were associated with being married and having children under 18 years in the home. Changes …

Farm To Early Care And Education (Ece) Programming: Assessing Current Activities, Resource, Opportunities, And Challenges In Louisiana, Domonique C. Washington, Elisa Munoz-Miller, Megan B. Knapp

Journal of the Louisiana Public Health Association

No abstract provided.

Assessing Covid-19 Deaths By Occupation And Race: Louisiana 2020-2021, Anna Reilly, Brittany Babin, Rashanda Littles, Susanne Straif-Bourgeois

Journal of the Louisiana Public Health Association

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic underscored significant health disparities, with social determinants such as living conditions and occupation amplifying the risk for severe outcomes in Black residents. This study examines the intersection of occupation, race, and COVID-19 mortality among Louisiana workers in 2020 and 2021, emphasizing the importance of integrating work-related information into public health surveillance. Methods: Occupation and race were collected from the death certificates of Louisiana resident workforce participants aged 18-70 years with COVID-19 listed as a cause of death for 2020 and 2021. COVID-19 mortality rates per 100,000 workers were calculated and compared using rate ratios for occupational …

Key Variants Via The Alzheimer's Disease Sequencing Project Whole Genome Sequence Data, Yanbing Wang, Chloé Sarnowski, Honghuang Lin, Achilleas N Pitsillides, Nancy L Heard-Costa, Seung Hoan Choi, Dongyu Wang, Joshua C Bis, Elizabeth E Blue, Eric Boerwinkle, Philip L De Jager, Myriam Fornage, Ellen M Wijsman, Sudha Seshadri, Josée Dupuis, Gina M Peloso, Anita L Destefano

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified loci associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) but did not identify specific causal genes or variants within those loci. Analysis of whole genome sequence (WGS) data, which interrogates the entire genome and captures rare variations, may identify causal variants within GWAS loci.

METHODS: We performed single common variant association analysis and rare variant aggregate analyses in the pooled population (N cases = 2184, N controls = 2383) and targeted analyses in subpopulations using WGS data from the Alzheimer's Disease Sequencing Project (ADSP). The analyses were restricted to variants within 100 kb of 83 previously …

Bayesian Estimation Of Reproduction Numbers From Distributions Of Outbreaks Sizes: Branching Process Approach, Alberta Araba Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

The Generalized Poisson distribution is useful in modeling epidemiological processes as a branching stochastic processes problem. Our goal is to construct accurate and reliable estimators for the reproduction number (R0) (i.e., the number of secondary infections), particularly in the context of disease outbreaks modeled by a Galton-Watson process. Towards this goal, we construct the classical Bayes estimator, the Maximum Likelihood estimator, and the Empirical Bayes (EB) estimator under the Square Error Loss function in Chapter II. We prove that the Empirical Bayes estimator is asymptotically optimal and estimate the rate of convergence. We then proceed to monotonize the Empirical Bayes …

Influence Of Medication Assisted Treatment Weaning On Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome And Outcomes Among Infants Born To Women With Opioid Use Disorder, Rakesh Adelli

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is a drug withdrawal syndrome exhibited by infants born to mothers with opioid use disorder (OUD). The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and other professional societies endorse opioid agonist pharmacotherapy (MATs) as the optimal treatment for OUD during pregnancy. This study focuses on impact of weaning of MAT drugs on the incidence of NAS and neonatal birth outcomes among babies born to women with opioid exposure.

The study population included eighty-six pregnant women with OUD, divided in to weaning and non-weaning groups based on their choice to wean the MATs during pregnancy. Univariate analysis was …

Perinatal Buprenorphine Effects On Offspring Growth, Opioid Withdrawal, And Brain Morphology In Rats, Parker Barnes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Opioid use disorder (OUD) impacts 5.6 million people in the US. Buprenorphine (BUP) is a commonly prescribed opioid medication used to treat OUD, including in pregnant women. However, opioid use during pregnancy is associated with poorer infant outcomes including reduced fetal growth, neurodevelopmental deficits, and neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS). Recent clinical data suggests that providing mothers with a lower dose of BUP may result in fewer negative outcomes in infants. Here, a preclinical rodent model of low-dose perinatal BUP exposure was used to study offspring health outcomes in the neonate, juvenile, and adolescent offspring. Dams were given clinically relevant …

Exploring The Lived Experience Of Self-Care In Young Adults With Type 2 Diabetes, Holly Berry-Price

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction

The prevalence of prediabetes in adults aged 18 or older was as high as 38% between 2017-2020. Youth-onset T2DM is a more aggressive phenotype than T2DM that occurs later in life. Young adults with T2DM have poorer health outcomes, lose an average of 15 years of life, all resulting in significant economic burden impacting the person. Current self-management interventions do not improve health outcomes in young adults with T2DM.

Purpose

The purpose of this research was to explore the self-care experiences of young adults living with T2DM.

Methods

Existential hermeneutic phenomenology informed the research. Inclusion criteria as follows: adults …

February In Santiago Atitlan, Guatemala, Grace Milburn

Posters

Describes her experience working in Santiago Atitlan, Guatemala.

An Assessment Of The Current State Of Nursing Homes In The United States, Southern Region, And Tennessee, Nicole Galler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Nursing homes throughout the U.S. have faced unprecedented challenges in recent years because of staffing shortages, and under-investment, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. To gain insight into the current state of nursing homes, this study examined nursing home characteristics, quality, and accessibility from a national, regional and state perspective.

Methods: This cross-sectional study used secondary data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, American Community Survey, Medicare Beneficiary, and the Tennessee Department of Health. Nursing home characteristics and quality were assessed through bivariate and multivariate regression in the U.S. Assessment of HHS Region 4 nursing home characteristics and …

Healthcare Providers’ Screening And Counseling For Tobacco Use Among Youth In The United States: Prevalence, Practices, And Providers’ Perspectives, Adeola Omolade Ayo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Youth tobacco use is a public health concern in the United States (U.S.) with about 2.8 million middle and high school youth reporting current tobacco use in 2023. Healthcare providers (HCPs) can play a crucial role in addressing youth tobacco use through screening and counseling, yet rates of these interventions are suboptimal. Tennessee has a high prevalence of youth tobacco use and not much is known about these interventions in Northeast Tennessee. This study has several objectives: 1) conduct a scoping review of available evidence on screening and counseling for youth tobacco use and identify related gaps; 2) assess youth …

Exploring The Correlates And Predictors Of Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy And Uptake Among People Living With Hiv/Aids In Tennessee, Charles Olomofe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background

The administration of the COVID-19 vaccines has met with resistance and hesitance from different population groups including people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). It is concerning to know that PLWHAs are showing a higher rate of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy than the general population. The objective of this study is to synthesize the literature and determine the correlates and predictors of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among PLWHA using primary and secondary data.

Methods

A scoping review was conducted to identify and summarize studies on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among PLWHA using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) Extension for …

Familial Sex Trafficking In East Tennessee, Mary K. Brannock

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation was completed in partial fulfillment of the Doctor of Public Health program at East Tennessee State University. The dissertation follows the Manuscript Format which includes three manuscripts, these manuscripts regard familial sex trafficking and are as follows, a scoping review, an empirical study on regional familial sex trafficking, and a policy implications paper on criminal record relief for survivors of familial sex trafficking.

The scoping review includes eight peer reviewed studies on familial sex trafficking and a summary of grey literature. Thematic analysis was used to map the existing literature onto the Three Ps of human trafficking: Prevention, …

The Association Between Prenatal Care And Postpartum Depression: Current State And Future Directions, Esther Adebayo-Abikoye

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a major public health challenge and associated with poor maternal and infant health outcomes. Quality prenatal care decreases adverse outcomes in pregnancy and may reduce PPD risk factors. This study critically reviews the evidence about the role of prenatal care practices in reducing PPD prevalence across population groups and examines the association between prenatal care timing and counseling content with PPD prevalence.

Methods

A scoping review was completed across eight databases to synthesize evidence about prenatal care and PPD across different contextual settings. National data from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) was used …

End-Of-Life Patient Communication: Exploring Comfort, Communication And Education Of Healthcare Professionals For End-Of-Life Care, Madison Gremillion

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Historically, the medical field has viewed death and dying as incurable ‘medical failures,’ and as a result, many healthcare professionals have difficulties when facing a patient who is dying or at the end of their life. These individuals will use avoidant behavior to avoid end-of-life (EOL) patients or can have difficulty providing essential aspects of care including communication, that contribute to building a strong relationship between the healthcare provider and patient. For the healthcare professional (HCP), this can stem from anxiety related to thoughts of death and a lack of educational support or experience. The study of death is where …

Employing Digital Pcr For Enhanced Detection Of Perinatal Toxoplasma Gondii Infection: A Cross-Sectional Surveillance And Maternalinfant Outcomes Study In El Salvador, Mary K. Lynn, Marvin Stanley Rodriguez Aquino, Pamela Michelle Cornejo Rivas, Xiomara Miranda, David F. Torres-Romero, Hanson Cowan, Madeleine M. Meyer, Willber D. Castro-Godoy, Mufaro Kanyangarara Ph.D., Stella C.W. Self Ph.D., Ms, Berry A. Campbell, Melissa S. Nolan Ph.D., Mph

Faculty Publications

Toxoplasma gondii is a parasitic infection that can be transmitted in utero, resulting in fetal chorioretinitis and other long-term neurological outcomes. If diagnosed early, pregnancysafe chemotherapeutics can prevent vertical transmission. Unfortunately, diagnosis of acute, primary infection among pregnant women remains neglected, particularly in low-andmiddle-income countries. Clinically actionable diagnosis is complex due to the commonality of infection during childhood and early adulthood which spawn long-last antibody titers and historically unreliable direct molecular diagnostics. The current study employed a cross-sectional T. gondii perinatal surveillance study using digital PCR, a next generation molecular diagnostic platform, and a maternal-fetal outcomes survey to ascertain the …

Mda Foundation: Mda Foundation Grant Helps Huda Clinic Celebrate 20 Years Of Service, Anne Berquist

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

MDA Foundation Director discusses the 20th anniversary of HUDA Clinic, Detroit's largest free clinic, providing crucial medical, dental, and mental health services to the uninsured. Supported by a $10,000 grant from the MDA Foundation, HUDA plans to expand dental services due to overwhelming demand, aiming to provide daily care. They seek volunteers and donations to meet the significant need, especially for dentures. Expansion plans include collaboration with local dental schools and community colleges.

Travel-Time Disparities In Access To Proton Beam Therapy For Cancer Treatment, Todd Burus, Alexander Vanhelene, Michael Rooney, Krystle Lang Kuhs, W. Jay Christian, Christopher Mcnair, Sanjay Mishra, Arnold Paulino, Grace Smith, Steven Frank, Jeremy Warner

Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

IMPORTANCE: Proton beam therapy is an emerging radiotherapy treatment for patients with cancer that may produce similar outcomes as traditional photon-based therapy for many cancers while delivering lower amounts of toxic radiation to surrounding tissue. Geographic proximity to a proton facility is a critical component of ensuring equitable access both for indicated diagnoses and ongoing clinical trials.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the distribution of proton facilities in the US, quantify drive-time access for the population, and investigate the likelihood of long commutes for certain population subgroups.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This population-based cross-sectional study analyzed travel times to proton facilities in …

Relationship Between Food Security, Nutrition Security, And Diabetes: The Role Of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Participation, Maha Almohamad, Jayna M Dave, Eric E Calloway, Ruosha Li, Shreela Sharma

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Inadequate nutrition and poor diet quality are associated with a heightened risk of diabetes. The connection between food insecurity measures and diabetes has been established, with evidence indicating that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation contributes to reductions in food insecurity. Recently developed nutrition security measures, defined as the ability to acquire healthful foods to prevent diseases, and their association with diabetes and SNAP participation are not yet understood.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the relationship between food security and nutrition security in relation to diabetes overall and by SNAP participation and nutrition security as potential modifiers.

METHODS: …

Patterns Of Undertreatment And Overtreatment In Adjuvant Radiotherapy For Early-Stage Endometrial Cancer Based On Molecular Classification, Otilia Ciobanu, Yixuan He, Alicia R Martin, Jill S Remick, Joseph W Shelton, Tony Y Eng, David C Qian

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The quality improvement study examines the use of risk-adaptive adjuvant radiotherapy in women with non–mismatch repair deficiency endometrial cancer.

Translating Motivational Interviewing For The Hpv Vaccine Into A Computable Ontology Model For Automated Ai Conversational Interaction, Nicole Moore, Muhammad Amith, Ana C Neumann, Jane Hamilton, Lu Tang, Lara S Savas, Cui Tao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations are lower than expected. To protect the onset of head and neck cancers, innovative strategies to improve the rates are needed. Artificial intelligence may offer some solutions, specifically conversational agents to perform counseling methods. We present our efforts in developing a dialogue model for automating motivational interviewing (MI) to encourage HPV vaccination. We developed a formalized dialogue model for MI using an existing ontology-based framework to manifest a computable representation using OWL2. New utterance classifications were identified along with the ontology that encodes the dialogue model. Our work is available on GitHub under the GPL v.3. …