Public Health Commons^™

Assessing The Value And Knowledge Gains From An Online Tick Identification And Tick-Borne Disease Management Course For The Southeastern United States, Catherine A. Lippi, Holly D. Gaff, Alexis L. White, Sadie J. Ryan

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Tick-borne diseases are a growing public health threat in the United States. Despite the prevalence and rising burden of tick-borne diseases, there are major gaps in baseline knowledge and surveillance efforts for tick vectors, even among vector control districts and public health agencies. To address this issue, an online tick training course (OTTC) was developed through the Southeastern Center of Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases (SECOEVBD) to provide a comprehensive knowledge base on ticks, tick-borne diseases, and their management.

Methods

The OTTC consisted of training modules covering topics including tick biology, tick identification, tick-borne diseases, and public health, personal tick …

Early Onset Colorectal Cancer: Research, Trends & Challenges, Sarah E. Smith

Capstone Showcase

Early onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC) incidence and mortality are rising in a global trend, contrasting with improvements seen in late-onset colorectal cancer (LOCRC). EOCRC appears to differ in presentation, histology, and pathology from LOCRC painting concerns of a more aggressive tumor profile. With incidence steadily climbing, there is still lacking awareness and guidance on screening for EOCRC. This article aims to provide background on EOCRC including epidemiology, risk factors, and traits, as well as to explore methods for adjusting provider screening criteria to combat this concerning trend.

Introducing Comprehensive Sexuality Education And Hiv Prevention And Treatment Methods Through Pop-Up Clinics To Secondary School Girls In Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa, Eliza I. Tobin, Joaquin Carlos Pinga, Caitlyn Stanya

Capstone Showcase

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system leading to people living with HIV (PLHIV) immunodeficient and more susceptible to other infections or diseases (UNAIDS, 2023b). This can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) within 8-10 years of infection (UNAIDS, 2023b). HIV does not always present symptoms, making it hard for people to identify their HIV status without proper screening. The lack of awareness around a person’s status has led HIV to spread worldwide. In addition to the worldwide spread of HIV, there is no cure for the disease, however, antiretroviral therapy (ART) is mainly used …

Reducing The Prevalence Of Overweight And Obesity In Children Ages 10-13 In Charleston, West Virginia Through A School-Based Nutrition Education And Physical Activity Program, Isabella Tullio, Emma Heffley, Natalie Scardino

Capstone Showcase

Childhood overweight and obesity, the excessive or abnormal accumulation of fat causing a health risk, is primarily caused by lifestyle issues including inadequate physical activity and too many calories from food and drinks (WHO, 2020; Mayo Clinic, n,d). Key determinants of health for childhood obesity include physical environment, socioeconomic status or occupation, education level, and school environments. Children with parents who have low socioeconomic status, live in a food desert, (a neighborhood with limited access to fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains), or a food swamp, (a neighborhood with a saturation of fast-food outlets, convenience stores, and corner stores), or …

New York City’S Health Governance And Activism From The 1950s To The 1970s, Andres Valcarcel

Theses and Dissertations

New York City's expansive network of hospitals and preventative health services has an intense history outside of the popular narratives of biomedical and technological advancement. This thesis will discuss the period between the 1950s and 1970s and the various movements and parties that shaped the city's health and hospital system. During this period, New York City's healthcare delivery system became increasingly privatized and commercialized; processes that improved the quality of healthcare yet simultaneously barred the poorest from accessing it. Communities, healthcare workers, and civil rights organizations worked to address perceived faults and extend their agency in health and hospital policy; …

Using Education To Confidently Identify And Report Concerns Of Child Abuse And Neglect: A Qualitative Improvement Initiative Through Staff Development, Sarah E. Neilson

Master's Theses and Capstones

BACKGROUND: Pre-licensure education on child abuse and neglect is crucial for nurses in the healthcare field. It helps to equip them with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively identify, report, and intervene in cases of child abuse and neglect. Having this education available and understanding the signs and effects of child abuse and neglect, empowers nurses to take quick and decisive action in early intervention and prevention. Within the microsystem of a local Operating Room (OR), this quality improvement (QI) project will determine the muchneeded addition to the healthcare curriculum.

METHODS: The Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) framework was …

Improving Discharge Education Quality In Urgent Care Settings: A Quality Improvement Project, Brielle N. Patscheider

Master's Theses and Capstones

BACKGROUND:

Effective discharge education is vital for improving patient care by enhancing health outcomes and reducing hospital readmission. When patients receive thorough and personalized discharge instructions, they are better able to manage their health, follow treatment plans, and identify symptoms needing further attention. This not only boosts patient satisfaction and safety but also reduces the strain on healthcare systems by decreasing preventable readmissions.

LOCAL PROBLEM:

Urgent care facilities serve diverse populations with a range of common, non-emergency ailments. The rapid service and walk-in availability often lead to a high volume of patients with diverse and complex medical needs. To eliminate …

Health Vulnerability Mapping For Drought: A Case Study In A Predominantly Rural, Agricultural State, Babak Jalalzadeh-Fard, Jagadeesh Puvvula, Kelly Smith, Michael Hayes, Rachel Lookadoo, Rezaul Mahmood, Sharon J. Medcalf, Clinton Rowe, Martha Durr, Jesse E. Bell

Journal Articles: Environmental, Agricultural & Occupational Health

No abstract provided.

A Scoping Review Of Perceptions And Fears Experienced By Families With Children With Developmental Disabilities In Sub-Saharan Africa., Isaac Twum Boamah

Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence of perception and fear surrounding families with children with developmental disabilities in Sub-Saharan Africa reveal a complex interplay of cultural, social, economic, and healthcare factors. This interplay of factors results in stigma, which often leads to societal misconceptions and discrimination, exacerbating the challenges faced by affected families. This study seeks to identify the individual and family perception of developmental disabilities, document the stigma experienced by the individual and their families, and document the resources available to help alleviate the plight faced by the individuals and their families. It further seeks to find gaps in the literature on developmental …

Preparing Healthcare Education For An Ai-Augmented Future, Jiajie Zhang, Susan H Fenton

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Artificial intelligence (AI) fundamentally transforms healthcare education as a knowledge enterprise, creating a distributed cognitive system composed of the human brain, which remains relatively unchanged, and AI-based knowledge and cognitive functions, which have accelerated exponentially in scale and power. Education must focus on developing skills to collaborate with AI and on achieving outcomes like problems solved and discoveries made. Curriculum and education policies also need to adapt to this transformation.

Systemic Treatment Of Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer: Asco Resource-Stratified Guideline Q And A, Sana Al Sukhun, Bogda Koczwara, Sarah Temin, Banu K Arun

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The Systemic Treatment of Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer: @ASCO Resource-Stratified Guideline Q and A presents takeways, rationale, and key recommendations based on #JCOGO full guideline for patients by menopausal and marker status.

Human Equilibrative Nucleoside Transporter 1: Novel Biomarker And Prognostic Indicator For Patients With Gemcitabine-Treated Pancreatic Cancer, Jianchun Xiao, Fangyu Zhao, Wenhao Luo, Gang Yang, Yicheng Wang, Jiangdong Qiu, Yueze Liu, Lei You, Lianfang Zheng, Taiping Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

AIM: This article aimed to find appropriate pancreatic cancer (PC) patients to treat with Gemcitabine with better survival outcomes by detecting hENT1 levels.

METHODS: We collected surgical pathological tissues from PC patients who received radical surgery in our hospital from September 2004 to December 2014. A total of 375 PC tissues and paired adjacent nontumor tissues were employed for the construction of 4 tissue microarrays (TMAs). The quality of the 4 TMAs was examined by HE staining. We performed immunohistochemistry analysis to evaluate hENT1 expression in the TMAs. Moreover, we detected hENT1 expression level and proved the role of hENT1 …

Modernizing And Harmonizing Regulatory Data Requirements For Genetically Modified Crops-Perspectives From A Workshop, Nicholas P Storer, Abigail R Simmons, Jordan Sottosanto, Jennifer A Anderson, Ming Hua Huang, Debbie Mahadeo, Carey A Mathesius, Mitscheli Sanches Da Rocha, Shuang Song, Ewa Urbanczyk-Wochniak

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Genetically modified (GM) crops that have been engineered to express transgenes have been in commercial use since 1995 and are annually grown on 200 million hectares globally. These crops have provided documented benefits to food security, rural economies, and the environment, with no substantiated case of food, feed, or environmental harm attributable to cultivation or consumption. Despite this extensive history of advantages and safety, the level of regulatory scrutiny has continually increased, placing undue burdens on regulators, developers, and society, while reinforcing consumer distrust of the technology. CropLife International held a workshop at the 16th International Society of Biosafety Research …

Hpv Vaccination In Africa In The Covid-19 Era: A Cross-Sectional Survey Of Healthcare Providers' Knowledge, Training, And Recommendation Practices, Joel Fokom Domgue, Issimouha Dille, Sharon Kapambwe, Robert Yu, Freddy Gnangnon, Lameck Chinula, Gad Murenzi, Nomonde Mbatani, Mala Pande, Fatoumata Sidibe, Joseph Kamgno, Bangaly Traore, Hicham El Fazazi, Mamadou Diop, Pierre-Marie Tebeu, Mohenou Isidore Diomande, Fabrice Lecuru, Isaac Adewole, Marie Plante, Partha Basu, Jean-Marie Dangou, Sanjay Shete

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: Although the burden of cervical cancer in Africa is highest, HPV vaccination coverage remains alarmingly low in this region. Providers' knowledge and recommendation are key drivers of HPV vaccination uptake. Yet, evidence about providers' knowledge and recommendation practices about the HPV vaccine against a backdrop of emerging vaccine hesitancy fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic is lacking in Africa.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2021-2022 among healthcare providers involved in cervical cancer prevention activities in Africa. They were invited to report prior training, the availability of the HPV vaccine in their practice, whether they recommended the HPV vaccine, …

Secondhand Tobacco Smoke Exposure In Homes And Vehicles In Youth: Disparities Among Racial, And Sexual And Gender Minorities, Rajesh Talluri, Sahil S Shete, Surendra S Shastri, Sanjay Shete

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Secondhand smoke exposure (SHSe) among youth is a serious public health concern, leading to an increased risk of conditions such as asthma and respiratory infections. However, there is little research on SHSe among vulnerable populations, such as racial and sexual minorities. Understanding the factors associated with youth SHSe in homes and vehicles is crucial to developing better protective policies.

METHODS: This study utilized 2020 data from the National Youth Tobacco Survey, a representative sample of middle- and high-school students in the US. The primary outcomes were youth SHSe at home and while riding in a vehicle. Multinomial regression models …

Exploring Measurement Tools Used To Assess Knowledge, Attitudes, And Perceptions Of Pregnant Women Toward Prenatal Screening: A Systematic Review, Lea Sacca, Yasmine Zerrouki, Sara Burgoa, Goodness Okwaraji, Ashlee Li, Shaima Arshad, Maria Gerges, Stacey Tevelev, Sophie Kelly, Michelle Knecht, Panagiota Kitsantas, Robert Hunter, Laurie Scott, Alexis Piccoli Reynolds, Gabriela Colon, Michele Retrouvey

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

There is a lack of standardized measurement tools globally to assess knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of expecting women toward prenatal screening. The purpose of this systematic review was to identify reasons women pursue or decline prenatal screening and compare the strengths and limitations of available measurement tools used to assess pregnant women's perceptions, knowledge, and attitudes toward prenatal screening. This review followed the five-step York methodology by Arksey and O'Malley and incorporated recommendations from the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis checklist for the extraction, analysis, and presentation of results. The five steps consisted of: (1) identification of …

Different Cohort, Disparate Results: Selection Bias Is A Key Factor In Autopsy Cohorts, Kathryn Gauthreaux, Walter A. Kukull, Karin B. Nelson, Charles Mock, Yen-Chi Chen, Kwun C. G. Chan, David W. Fardo, Yuriko Katsumata, Erin L. Abner, Peter T. Nelson

Neurology Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION: Research-oriented autopsy cohorts provide critical insights into dementia pathobiology. However, different studies sometimes report disparate findings, partially because each study has its own recruitment biases. We hypothesized that a straightforward metric, related to the percentage of research volunteers cognitively normal at recruitment, would predict other inter-cohort differences.

METHODS: The National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC) provided data on N = 7178 autopsied participants from 28 individual research centers. Research cohorts were grouped based on the proportion of participants with normal cognition at initial clinical visit.

RESULTS: Cohorts with more participants who were cognitively normal at recruitment contained more individuals who …

Social Determinants Of Health: Evaluation Using Rates Of Vision Screening And Follow-Up Examinations, Madeline Dyer

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Vision care is essential to the quality of life of young children, impacting them over the course of their lives. Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) affect the likelihood of a child having access to appropriate care specified by the Bright Futures. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of SDOH on the completion of vision screening and the rate of follow-up with an eye care provider when applicable. In addition, rates of instrument-based vision screening and recommended ophthalmology follow-up were compared with COI, a metric assessing the quality of resources available and the conditions that matter for …

Differences In Health-Related Quality Of Life Among Breast Cancer Survivors By Hispanic Origin In A Cross-Sectional Study, Meera Lakshmanan

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death among American women. Research has examined the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among breast cancer survivors of various races/ethnicities, reporting that Hispanic women have lower levels of HRQOL compared to non-Hispanic whites. Hispanics are not a homogenous population, and subpopulations may have different lifestyles, socioeconomic status, and cultural/personal/social ideals that could affect their HRQOL after treatment of breast cancer. The objective of this study was to examine the differences in HRQOL by Hispanic origin among breast cancer survivors in Central Florida.

Patient data was obtained from the Florida Cancer Data …

Using Phosphatidylethanol As An Adjunct To Self-Reported Alcohol Use Improves Identification Of Liver Fibrosis Risk, Pamela M. Murnane, Majid Afshar, Gabriel Chamie, Robert L. Cook, Tekeda Ferguson, Lamia Y. Haque, Karen R. Jacobson, Amy C. Justice, Theresa W. Kim, Mandana Khalili, Evgeny Krupitsky, Kathleen A. Mcginnis, Patricia Molina, Winnie R. Muyindike, Bronwyn Myers, Veronica L. Richards, Kaku So-Armah, Scott Stewart, Mark S. Sulkowski, Phyllis C. Tien, Judith A. Hahn

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Introduction: Accurate assessment of alcohol use informs prevention and management of liver disease. We examined whether phosphatidylethanol (PEth, an alcohol metabolite) blood concentrations are associated with liver fibrosis risk independently of self-reported alcohol use, among persons with and without HIV. Methods: We pooled individual-level data from 12 studies from the United States, Russia, Uganda, and South Africa with PEth, AUDIT-C (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption), and FIB-4 measurements. We conducted mixed-effects logistic regression of the relationship between PEth and AUDIT-C as continuous variables (after checking linearity), with high FIB-4 ( ≥ 2.67). We divided PEth (range 0-1000) by 83.3 to …

Impact Of A Covid-19 Related Lockdown On The Experience Of Informal Caregiving In Singapore, Vicky Mengqi Qin, Abhijit Visaria, Rahul Malhotra

ROSA Journal Articles and Publications

Introduction: Lockdowns, while limiting COVID-19 transmission, can affect provision of care by informal caregivers and their caregiving experience. We assessed, among informal caregivers in Singapore, (a) the perceived impact of a 2-month (April to May 2020) nationwide lockdown on their care provision, (b) correlates of different perceptions of the impact of the lockdown on care provision, and (c) association of different perceptions of the impact with negative and positive experiences of caregiving. Methods: In the August 2020 wave of the Singapore Life Panel (SLP; nationally representative, longitudinal monthly survey of Singapore citizens and permanent residents aged 50-70 years at baseline), …

Challenging The Let’S Move Campaign: Advocating For A Weight-Inclusive Approach To Public Health Programming, Sapphire J. Pilney

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

No abstract provided.

Modifying A Health Education Program By Utilizing Methods From Community-Based Participatory Research Framework, Tashara Grandys

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Purpose: This study determined the use of Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) and guided the modification of the Whole Body Approach (WBA) health education program. The modified program was pilot tested and implemented among neighbors at Northern Illinois Food Bank. The impact of the modification was assessed via pre and post surveys. Background and significance: WBA is a 10-week program developed by faculty at Northern Illinois University and has been taught by graduate students in collaboration with the Northern Illinois Food Bank since 2016. The program is based on the Satter Eating Competence Model and Health at Every Size and …

Student Attitudes Towards Their Program Area Of Study In A College Of Health And Human Services, Melanie Regan

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Poor retention rates can be an indicator of systematic problems within a university’s culture of academic affairs and administration. Improving student retention rates requires an understanding of why students are not returning to campus. This research aimed to develop and implement a survey analyzing students' sensory comfort, relevance, reaction to their area of study, sense of belonging, and self-efficacy within a College of Health and Human Sciences. A descriptive research design was utilized for this study to obtain information on the study population to survey participants' overall attitudes towards their experience in a program of study in a college of …

Screening Tools For Employment In Clinical Healthcare Delivery Systems: A Content Analysis, Mina Colon, Julia M. Goodman

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background The relationship between work and health is complex and bidirectional, where work can have both health-harming and health-enhancing effects. Though employment is recognized as a social determinant of health, and clinical healthcare delivery systems are increasingly using screening tools to ask patients about social needs, little research has explored the extent to which employment-related social risk is captured in these screening tools. This study aimed to identify and characterize employment- and work-related questions in social risk screening tools that have been implemented in clinical healthcare delivery systems.

Methods We conducted a qualitative content analysis of employment-related items in screening …

Gains And Challenges Of The Barangay Health Worker (Bhw) Program During Covid-19 In Selected Cities In The Philippines, Mikhaela Y.T. Baliola, Margaret R. Golpe, Leslie V. Advincula-Lopez

Development Studies Faculty Publications

Background: The Philippine Barangay Health Worker (BHW) program extends the accessibility of health care services at the community level. BHWs are trained volunteers who perform various health-promoting and health-educating tasks and provide primary health care (PHC) services within their communities. However, the weak implementation of policies meant to protect their welfare, like the BHW Benefits and Incentives Act (Republic Act No. 7883), translates to challenges that impact the sustainability of the BHW program. This qualitative study aimed to explore the BHWs' experiences with RA 7883 and how its implementation shaped their overall role as frontline health workers during the pandemic. …

Pharmaceutical Messianism And The Politics Of Covid-19 In The United States, Gideon Lasco, Vincen Gregory Yu, Nishtha Bharti

Development Studies Faculty Publications

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, public officials in the United States–from the President to governors, mayors, lawmakers, and even school district commissioners–touted unproven treatments for COVID-19 alongside, and sometimes as opposed to, mask and vaccine mandates. Utilising the framework of ‘pharmaceutical messianism’, our article focuses on three such cures–hydroxychloroquine, ivermectin, and monoclonal antibodies–to explore how pharmaceuticals were mobilised within politicised pandemic discourses. Using the states of Utah, Texas, and Florida as illustrative examples, we make the case for paying attention to pharmaceutical messianism at the subnational and local levels, which can very well determine pandemic responses and outcomes in contexts such …

Racial And Ethnic Disparities In Hospital Practices That Support Breastfeeding In The United States, Jane Lazar Tucker

Open Access Dissertations

Breastfeeding is the optimal form of infant nutrition and has many health benefits for mothers as well as infants (CDC, 2022a; Victora et al., 2016). Though rates of breastfeeding have improved in recent years, disparities in breastfeeding persist among Black and Hispanic women compared to White women (Beauregard et al., 2019; Chiang et al., 2021), despite similar intentions to breastfeed across all racial/ethnic groups (Hamner et al., 2021). Hospital practices that support breastfeeding, such as the baby being placed skin-to-skin immediately after delivery or staying in the room with the mother throughout the hospital stay, are known to predict breastfeeding …

Quality Of Life Among Cancer Survivors: Comparison Of Multiple Cancers Using Icare2, Shinobu Watanabe-Galloway, Rachael L. Schmidt, Kendra Ratnapradipa, Kristin Dickinson, Abbey Fingeret, Whitney Goldner

Manuscripts: Epidemiology

Background: The number of cancer survivors continues to increase due to dramatic improvements in cancer treatment, accounting for approximately 5% of the entire population. As cancer survivors continue to live longer, it is important to understand their quality of life (QoL) in order to maximize supportive care efforts.

Objectives: In this study, the quality of life (QoL) among patients with different types of cancer was examined. The objectives were to: 1) compare patient-reported outcome measures of QoL using the Short-Form (SF-36) Health Survey scores among patients of different cancer types and 2) identify demographic, oncologic, and clinical factors that are …

Engaging Sexual Minority Adolescents In Nationwide At-Home Hiv Prevention Research In The U.S, Ali J. Talan, Carly Wolfer, Nicola Tavella, Cynthia Cabral, Ricardo Despradel, H. Jonathon Rendina

Publications and Research

Objectives: This study examined research-related privacy and confidentiality concerns among adolescent sexual minority males (ASMM) and provides lessons learned to inform recruitment and enrollment strategies for this population.

Methods: Participants were a 2017-2018 internet-based U.S. national sample of sexual minority adolescents who responded to self-report measures of privacy and confidentiality concerns. Results: Bivariate chi-square tests were used to identify participants’ mean differences in worry and likelihood of privacy breach occurrences. Many participants reported privacy-related concerns within remote HIV prevention research.

Conclusions: Study protocols were designed to ensure participants felt safe participating in online HIV prevention research. However, there are challenges …