Public Health Commons^™

‘It Had To Be My Choice’ Indigenous Smoking Cessation And Negotiations Of Risk, Resistance And Resilience, Chelsea Bond, Mark Brough, Geoffrey Spurling, Noel Hayman

Aboriginal Policy Research Consortium International (APRCi)

While Australia is considered a world leader in tobacco control, smoking rates within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population have not declined at the same rate. This failure highlights an obvious shortcoming of mainstream anti- smoking efforts to effectively understand and engage with the socio-cultural context of Indigenous smoking and smoking cessation experiences. The purpose of this article is to explore the narrative accounts of 20 Indigenous ex-smokers within an urban community and determine the motivators and enablers for successful smoking cessation. Our findings indicated that health risk narratives and the associated social stigma produced through anti-smoking campaigns formed …

Influence Of The Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act On The Development Of The Patient Centered Medical Home, Anjali Rao

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

The Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) model of care incorporates many public health concepts. Some supporters of PCMH regard the Affordable Care Act (ACA) as legislation that will invigorate PCMH progress across the country. This policy analysis intends to understand the influence of the ACA on the development of PCMH. The policy analysis compares relevant sections of the ACA with core PCMH concepts agreed upon by major medical professional organizations. The evaluative framework uses a “traffic light” system to rate each section of the ACA based on the accuracy of the section as compared to PCMH criteria, and denotes whether …

Pregnancy Management Strategies And Childbirth Experiences Of Internally Displaced Women In Barranquilla, Colombia, Bre Bolivar

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

This ethnographic study aims to illuminate the experiences of pregnant and new mothers in poor areas of Colombia with respect to pregnancy and childbirth. Ethnographic observations including key informant qualitative interviews were performed by the primary investigator in four different neighborhoods in and around the city of Barranquilla, Colombia, over the course of 3 months. A total of 24 women were interviewed, and additional interviews were held with Colombian medical students, religious workers and not-for-profit healthcare leaders. I seek to better understand the perspectives of these internally displaced women in terms of contraception use including the sense of necessity of …

Trace Element Analysis Of Environmental And Clinical Materials Using Novel Instrumentation Based On X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry : New Capabilities For Public Health Laboratories, Kathryn G. Mcintosh

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry is a well-established analytical technique for determining the elemental content of many different materials. XRF has long been used for public health applications, particularly for identifying lead-based paint hazards. The primary advantage of XRF over other atomic spectrometric techniques is that it is nondestructive. In addition, little sample preparation is required, so results are obtained rapidly and at low cost. The principal aim of this study was to characterize the utility and reliability of current XRF instrumentation for use in the environmental health sciences. Interest in the use of XRF for detecting lead in children's toys …

Risk Factors Associated With Not Well Controlled And Very Poorly Controlled Asthma In U.S. Northeast Region, Brfss Asthma Callback Survey, 2006-2008, Can Yang

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Abstract

Evidence-Based Hazmat Medical Surveillance, Michael D. Jacobson

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Background: Hazardous materials (HAZMAT) teams are tasked with neutralizing substances that pose a dire threat to human health. As a result, communities invest substantially in medical surveillance to protect first responders. Yet, little is known as to the actual exposures, consequent injuries, and cost-effectiveness of medical surveillance.

Objective: The purposes of this study were: 1) Determine actual HAZMAT threats. 2) In light of these threats, evaluate current regulatory requirements, recommendations and practices for their basis in evidence.

Methods: National HAZMAT data was analyzed for trends and compared with local response records from 2008 through 2011. Regulations applicable to medical surveillance …

Rights Of Ohio Mothers: Best Practices For The Pediatric Patient With A Life-Threatening Illness, Kelly Peekstok

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate and review current best practices with regards to a minor’s refusal of life-sustaining medical treatment. The policies of other developed countries and states within the United States serve as a guide for developing evidence-based guidelines for Ohio healthcare professionals. Four specific cases were identified and then analyzed. The results showed that in three of the four cases, the wishes of the minor were followed. While each case contains its own set of complexities, creating a developmental guideline for healthcare organizations will ensure protection of the minor’s capacity to make autonomous decisions.

The Efficacy Of Abstinence Only Education, Jennie Watt Mcadams

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Chlamydia, Gonorrhea and unplanned teen pregnancies cost the United States billions of dollars every year in various forms of government aid. Why are the numbers of teenage incidences of these health indicators higher than almost every other industrialized nation? Why are the youth in the United States so far behind their peers in sexual health? This paper proposes that one cause is that government funding goes to abstinence only education curriculum which is taught in many schools across the nation. These curricula many times do not teach youth about sexual protection or health and other times contain false information. If …

Chronic Disease Prevalence Of A Refugee Population In Dayton, Oh, Sandeep Palakodeti

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Introduction: This study aimed to understand the chronic disease burden of anemia, cancer, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, overweight/obesity, stroke, and tobacco use in the domestic as well as a refugee population. It also aimed to examine the current literature on appropriate screening for those conditions.

Methods: 348 refugee screening intake exams from Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County were analyzed for presence of the conditions stated. Screening intake recommendations from the CDC, the Minnesota Public Health Department, the Canadian Collaboration for Immigrant and Refugee Health, and the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services were examined and compared in order …

Analysis Of An Improved Cook Stove Intervention In Rural Guatemala, Chad Graven

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

An estimated three billion people cook and heat their homes using open fires and nearly two million people die prematurely from illness attributable to indoor air pollution from solid fuel use. According to the World Health Organization, “every year, indoor air pollution is responsible for the death of 1.6 million people...one death every twenty seconds.” Various international groups, government initiatives, and communities have attempted to improve this indoor air pollution problem around the world by implementing various improved cook stove models. In July, 2011, Partners In Health (PIH) and Equipo Técnico de Educación en Salud Comunitaria (ETESC) co-directed the delivery …

Hepatic Effect Of Inhaled Ozone In Sprague-Dawley Rat, Whitney Slone Theis

All ETDs from UAB

Ozone (O3) is a primary component of photochemical smog and represents a serious public health concern as more than 50% of the U.S. population lives in areas exceeding national ambient air quality standards for this toxic pollutant. Recent findings indicate that the effects of inhaled O3 extend to extra-pulmonary tissues like the heart and liver. We hypothesize that inhaled O3 exposure-related events in the lung will cause downstream alterations in the liver proteome. To test this, we exposed male Sprague-Dawley rats to 0.5 ppm ozone for 8 hr a day for 5 days. After exposures, livers were removed and proteomic …

Analyzing The Effects Of Policy Options To Mitigate The Effect Of Sea Level Rise On The Public Health And Medically Fragile Population: A System Dynamics Approach, Rafael Diaz, Joshua Behr, Anna Jeng, Hua Liu, Franceso Longo

VMASC Publications

A critical question related to climate change concerns to how rising sea level will affect underserved populations and medically fragile population in coastal zones and floodplains. As sea levels rise, coastal waters will regain near-tidal areas and co-mingle with human-made pollutants, resulting from decades of industrial and commercial activity. This poses potential threat and risks to public health and the environment. It is critical that decision makers will initiate a process of parsing resources to the mitigation and management of these issues. The purpose of this research is to model the inherent dynamics of this process and understand how near-term …

Obesity: The Anthropometric And Demographic Characteristics Of Insured And Uninsured Individuals, Terra Fox Williams

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Objectives. This study evaluates the association between Body Mass Index (BMI) and health insurance status in attendees at a local health fair. BMI was also compared among ages, gender, and races.

Methods. Descriptive analysis conducted using data collected at the “Celebrating Life and Health” health fairs between the years 2008 and 2011. Data for this study were collected at the BMI booth staffed by Wright State Boonshoft School of Medicine students.

Results. The results of this particular study do not demonstrate a statistical difference between obesity and health insurance status. Consistent with other research articles this study does show that …

Evaluation Of The Pilot Program, Pediatric Early Warning Sentinel Surveillance Program (Pewss), And Its Efficacy In Monitoring Pediatric Illness In Clark County, Nevada, Michelle Lee Lutman

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The influenza outbreak that occurred during 2009 stimulated the formation of several surveillance programs throughout the country. The majority monitor only influenza; however, there are several other circulating respiratory pathogens, especially within the pediatric community. These other respiratory pathogens cause a variety of illnesses, such as bronchitis, pneumonia, croup, etc. Prior research has provided the medical community with valuable information about respiratory illnesses, especially those which afflict pediatric patients. Areas of knowledge including seasonality, demographics, signs and symptoms, prevention measures, and pathogenicity, have been greatly expanded over the years. This information has been of tremendous help to the medical community …

The Role Of Supermarkets In Community Nutrition, Staci Gruber

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Background: Chronic diseases related to nutrition are a serious threat to public health. Supermarkets offer an important and promising venue to improve diet quality and overall health. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the supermarkets’ community nutrition focus and interest in public health.

Methods: This study emphasis’s a triangulated qualitative study design. It employs various methods and taps various sources for data. Twenty face-to-face, semi-structured key informant interviews were conducted with five full service supermarket chains in Montgomery County, Ohio; Wal-Mart, Kroger, Meijer, Cub Foods, and Dorothy Lane Market. Qualitative sources of information collected include store observation and …

Mountains Of Injustice : Social And Environmental Justice In Appalachia, Michele Morrone, Geoffrey L. Buckley

Ohio University Press Open Access Books

Research in environmental justice reveals that low-income and minority neighborhoods in our nation’s cities are often the preferred sites for landfills, power plants, and polluting factories. Those who live in these sacrifice zones are forced to shoulder the burden of harmful environmental effects so that others can prosper. Mountains of Injustice broadens the discussion from the city to the country by focusing on the legacy of disproportionate environmental health impacts on communities in the Appalachian region, where the costs of cheap energy and cheap goods are actually quite high.

Through compelling stories and interviews with people who are fighting for …

Evaluation Of Cancer From Exposure To Cyanotoxins In Drinking Water At Grand Lake Saint Marys, Timothy Edward Soward

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Background: The Celina Water Department treats and supplies surface water contaminated by cyanotoxins from Grand Lake Saint Marys (GLSM) to approximately 12,000 customers in Celina, Ohio. Cyanotoxins are a biochemically and bioactively diverse group of extremely potent natural toxins in water. A common cyanotoxin called microcystin-LR found in GLSM has been associated with acute liver damage and potentially liver and colorectal cancer.

Methods: In this observational study, the city of Celina (Mercer County) Ohio that had a contaminated surface water supply, the cancer incidence was compared with two control cities, St. Marys, and Wapakoneta (Auglaize County) in Ohio, both served …

Are Student Nurses Ready For Disasters? An Analysis Of Emergency Preparedness Content In Nursing School Textbooks Used In The Miami Valley, Kimberly Caudill

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Results of an analysis of nursing textbooks used in the Miami Valley, indicate that there is minimal emergency preparedness content included. The research was based on the textbooks used in the Introduction to Nursing, Psychiatric Nursing, and Community Health Nursing classes at four local nursing schools: Sinclair Community College, Kettering College of Medical Arts, Cedarville University, and Wright State University. The Community Health Nursing classes have the most prepared content, and include extra content in the form of tables and pictures .The analysis indicates that Wright State University does the best job at preparing student nurses to be ready to …

Using Public Health Pbrn Research To Inform Policy & Practice, Public Health Practice-Based Research Networks

Health Management and Policy Reports

The Public Health Practice-Based Research Networks Program is a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that supports research networks dedicated to producing new scientific knowledge on how best to organize, finance, and deliver public health strategies in realworld practice settings. This body of scientific inquiry, known as Public Health Services and Systems Research (PHSSR), is a rapidly developing area of scholarship within the larger fields of public health research and health services research. A public health practice-based research network (PBRN) brings multiple public health organizations into collaboration with an academic research center for the purposes of designing and …

Assessment Of Refugees’ Health In Montgomery County: A Case Study Of Refugees From Rwanda And Burundi, Jean De Dieu Mukunzi

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

The purpose of this research study was to identify health needs and health problems experienced by a refugee/asylee population in Montgomery County. Montgomery County hosts a large number of refugees, asylees and asylum seekers from countries such as Iraq, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Soudan, Rwanda, Burundi and Congo.

A public health challenge is limited demographic data about this population. The scarce data on their health needs slows down not only their successful resettlement but also limits community organizations, health and human services agencies to improve the delivery of health care services and health promotion programs to refugees and immigrants in Montgomery County. …

Building A Sustainable Public Health Pbrn: Tips For Securing Ongoing Research Funding, Public Health Practice-Based Research Networks

Health Management and Policy Reports

Diversify your network’s research funding base. The Public Health PBRN Program funding made available by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation provides start-up resources and initial research support for networks, but networks will require larger and more sustainable sources of funding for public health research as they progress. The most ample sources can be found in federal funding agencies that operate competitive extramural research programs, include CDC, NIH, AHRQ, HRSA, USDA, and NSF. Public health research funding is also available from state and foundation sources, and even corporate sources (e.g. Pfizer’s Public Health Research Fellowship Program). For sustainability, networks should look …

Building Capacity In Physical Activity And Public Health, Russell R. Pate, Jennifer L. Gay, David R. Brown, Michael Pratt

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Public Health Pbrns: Generating Evidence For Policy & Practice, Public Health Practice-Based Research Networks Program

Health Management and Policy Reports

The Public Health Practice-Based Research Networks Program is a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that supports the development of research networks for studying the comparative effectiveness, efficiency and equity of public health strategies deployed in real-world practice settings. A practice-based research network (PBRN) brings multiple public health agencies together with research partners to design and implement studies of population-based strategies that prevent disease and injury and promote health. Participating practitioners and researchers collaborate to identify pressing research questions of interest, design rigorous and relevant studies, execute research effectively, and translate findings rapidly into practice. As such, PBRNs …

Comparing Cognitive Functioning And Adverse Metabolic Effects Of Consumers Taking Type 1 Or Type 2 Antipsychotic Medications With Un-Medicated Consumers, Muhammad Puri

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Obesity and metabolic side effects such as diabetes mellitus are major concerns in public health. Mentally ill people are a high risk subgroup for obesity and metabolic syndrome because of behavior, non treatment, and medication side effects. In this research, I conducted a retrospective chart review to compare the weight and body mass index of consumers who were prescribed antipsychotic Type 1 or Type 2 medications. The sample was drawn from consumers attending the Consumer Advocacy Model (CAM) program which is an outpatient substance abuse and mental health treatment program in the Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine Department …

Toxic Chemicals Transported By Rail And Public Health Safety Using Gis In Montgomery County, Ohio, Jason Lipiec

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Hazardous chemicals transported by rail pass directly through urban cities and pose a safety and health threat to the community. Some of these chemicals can be in large quantities, extremely toxic, devastating to the environment and have the potential to cause mass casualties and death. Thousands of people could be in harm’s way. While there is always the possibility for accidental chemical release, they also have the potential to be used in acts of sabotage and terrorism. Evaluation of the rail line in Montgomery County, Ohio using standards in the 2008 Emergency Response Guidebook using geographic information systems (GIS) at …

The Non-Infectious Disease Implications Of Bed Bug Infestations, Christopher T. Balster

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of bed bug infestations throughout Ohio, whether the non-infectious disease implications of infestations are public health concerns, and also determine the perceived ability of public health departments to respond to outbreaks within their jurisdiction. A descriptive study was performed using survey data obtained from 79 local public health departments throughout Ohio. Overall, 79.05% of individuals surveyed agreed that bed bug outbreaks are a public health concern. The mode of responses regarding whether or not the non-infectious disease concerns of infestations are a public health concern was 4 on a scale …

Smoking During Pregnancy: Its Effects On The Prevalence Of Low Birth Weight Infants, Lynda M. Colussi

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Objective: The purpose of this research was to determine what impact demographic characteristics and the smoking status of mothers had on the prevalence and risk for LBW births. Methods: Birth certificate data from Montgomery County, Ohio from 2006-2009 was analyzed. Among the information collected were the infant's birth weight, the mother's age, marital status, education level, race, payer status at time of delivery, WIC status, and smoking status. The impact demographic characteristics and smoking status had on the prevalence of LBW births was determined by a logistic regression model. The effect of when women smoked during pregnancy had on the …

Obesity And Other Predictors Of Absenteeism In Philadelphia School Children., Elizabeth B Rappaport, Constantine Daskalakis, Jocelyn Andrel

Department of Family & Community Medicine Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Limited data indicate that obese children are absent from school more than their normal-weight peers. We analyzed administrative data from a large urban school district to investigate the association of obesity and student sociodemographic characteristics with absenteeism.

METHODS: We analyzed 291,040 records, representing 165,056 unique students (grades 1-12). Obesity status was classified according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention age- and sex-specific percentiles for body mass index (BMI) and analyses were based on negative binomial regression.

RESULTS: Overall rates of overweight and obesity were 17% and 20%, respectively, and the estimated absence rate was 17 absences per 180 …

Cardiovascular Disease And Post Traumatic Stress Disorder In Adults Exposed To The Terrorist Attacks On The World Trade Center, Katie C. Imhof

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Following events of terrorism communities and individuals are subject to the cumbersome responsibilities associated with rescue and recovery efforts. In addition to the loss of life and direct injuries sustained during the incident, long term health outcomes among the exposed population are often seen. Both physical and mental health can be affected as a result of the exposure, and some outcomes do not immediately present themselves. The population exposed to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City is no different, and the World Trade Center Health Registries database has been established by …

Curated Exhibit Roadside Crosses And Memorials: Photo Essay By Gerald Moore, Laura J. Hall

Posters and Presentations

The Roadside Crosses and Memorials exhibit, curated by Laura J. Hall, MFA, featured a poignant photo essay by New Mexico artist Gerald Moore. The exhibit captured the memorials placed alongside highways and roads in remembrance of those who lost their lives in vehicular accidents. These "descansos," as they are called in New Mexico, represent the places where individuals were last alive, offering a powerful reflection on life, loss, and remembrance. Through photography, Moore documented the varied forms of these memorials, from simple wooden crosses to intricate handmade tributes, capturing both their artistic expression and their deep emotional resonance. April 28, …