Public Health Commons^™

A Systematic Literature Review Of The Use Of Technology As An Emergency Preparedness Tool To Control And Contain The Covid-19 Pandemic, Alyssa Spartz

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Various tools and strategies have been utilized in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to preexisting measures, novel mechanisms and methods have also been developed since the COVID-19 pandemic began to address several different needs worldwide. Technology, for example, has served as a unique and multifunctional tool to aid with controlling and containing the pandemic. While studies and reviews have been conducted to analyze specific types of technology, such as digital applications, a gap in the literature currently exists that fails to comprehensively understand and compare how multiple types of technology were implemented to address the COVID-19 pandemic. This …

Utilizing Re-Aim To Assess Adolescent Weight Loss Interventions: A Systematic Review, Jordan Mccullough

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Adolescent overweight/obesity is an ongoing concern for public health professionals. One out of every five adolescents are overweight, and one out of every three is at risk. Adolescent overweight/obesity is associated with a higher chance of overweight/obesity, premature death, and disability in adulthood. A 2018 systematic review by Moores et al. compared the effectiveness of community-based treatment programs for adolescents (13-17 years) who are overweight and obese by comparing pre-program to post-program changes in weight-related measurements and health-behavior changes. While looking at the effectiveness of a program provides valuable information, other elements (i.e., representativeness of participants, implementation measures such as …

Helping Our Heroes: An Evaluation Of Mental Health And Organizational Policies Surrounding Suicide Prevention And Postvention Strategies For Nebraska First Responders, Maria S. Mickles

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Suicide is ranked as one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Over 40,000 individuals die by suicide each year (Stanley, Hom, & Joiner, 2016; Vigil et al, 2021), and, in 2020, it was ranked in the top 9 causes of death for all ages (10-64), and second for those 10-14 and 25-34 years of age (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). These statistics disproportionately reflect first responders (i.e., firefighters, dispatchers, law enforcement, EMS, paramedics, etc.), as they die by suicide more than the general public (National EMS Management Association, 2016). Within their line of work …

Rural And Agricultural Natural Disaster Stress And Recovery Study: Identifying Experiences And Community Preferences, Kristin K. Gaffney

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Objective: The Rural Natural Disaster Stress and Recovery study surveyed flood and tornado affected residents (N=159 for analysis) in Arkansas and Nebraska, U.S., to address three hypotheses: 1) agricultural producers have different stress and recovery experiences compared to non-agricultural counterparts, 2) rural residents prefer community resources over external resources for disaster stress relief, and 3) communities can provide effective emotional health supports after disaster.

Methods: Demographics, exposure, stress, and recovery measures, and a resource use and effect inventory were analyzed in SAS with Chi-square tests, t-tests, Wilcoxon tests, and multiple linear regression modeling to identify differences between agricultural and non-agricultural …

Evaluation Of The University Of Nebraska Medical Center’S 4ms Geriatric Training Program At Nebraska Medicine Midtown, Holly M. Sesker

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

In 2015, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) created the Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) to address geriatric workforce challenges and improve the health outcomes of older adults. The GWEP redefines care delivery through a movement for age-friendly healthcare guided by evidence-based practices that align with the 4Ms: What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility. The 4Ms identify the key issues that should drive the decision-making and care for every older adult. 4Ms training sessions were conducted at the Nebraska Medicine Midtown Clinic and evaluated through a cross-sectional survey administered to both residents (trainees) and attendings (trainers). Data was collected …

Housing To Health: A Literature Review Analyzing Housing Pathways And Policy Initiatives, Evan P. Lesser

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Housing is a vital aspect of an individual’s ability to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. It is so integral that the United Nations has stated that housing is a human right and extends beyond just basic shelter where housing should provide a certain level of structural integrity of the infrastructure, security, affordability, and access to surrounding resources. Existing research studying the relationship between housing and health outcomes suggest those with poor housing exhibit higher levels of chronic conditions such as asthma, heart disease, and diabetes, and higher chances of accidents within the home. The goal of this literature review, which has …

The Effect Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder On First Responders Following A Disaster: A Literature Review, Briar Butner

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

First responders work in a high-stress environment that can potentially produce traumatic situations. This includes aiding in the recovery and response efforts of critical events such as a disaster. A significant risk factor for developing post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms is people who have been through a disaster (National Institute of Mental Health, 2019). This literature review aims to search for evidence on PTSD in first responders following a disaster, identify the factors associated with the development of PTSD, and make recommendations on best practices to reduce or mitigate the incidences of PTSD. The search was conducted in three academic databases: …

Assessment Of The University Of Rhode Island's Dining Halls And Student Perceptions Of On-Campus Dining, Maria Cherry

Senior Honors Projects

University dining halls are understudied food environments that affect student diet quality. This study (1) assessed dining hall offerings at the University of Rhode Island (URI) using the Partnership for a Healthier America’s Healthier Campus Initiative (PAHA) criteria for healthier campus food environments and (2) evaluated student perceptions of the dining hall through a campus-wide survey (n=165). We evaluated breakfast, lunch, and dinner using spring cycle menus (16 weeks in 2019 and 4 in 2021) from two full-service dining halls totaling 29 meals in 2019, and 84 meals in 2021 to determine adherence with PAHA criteria for availability of: 1) …

An Evaluation Of Seasonal Maternal-Neonatal Morbidity Related To Trainee Cycles, Ayamo Oben, Paula Mcgee, William A Grobman, Jennifer L Bailit, Ronald J Wapner, Michael W Varner, John M Thorp, Steve N Caritis, Mona Prasad, George R Saade, Dwight J Rouse, Sean C Blackwell, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute Of Child Health And Human Development Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND:

The existence of the “July phenomenon” (worse outcomes related to the presence of new physician trainees in teaching hospitals) has been debated in the literature and media. Previous studies of the phenomenon in obstetrics are limited by the quality and detail of data.

OBJECTIVE:

To evaluate whether the months of June to August, when transitions in trainees occur, are associated with increased maternal and neonatal morbidity.

STUDY DESIGN:

Secondary analysis of an observational cohort of 115,502 mother–infant pairs that delivered at 25 hospitals from March 2008 to February 2011. Inclusion criteria were an individual who had a singleton, nonanomalous …

Predictive Performance Of Newborn Small For Gestational Age By A Us Intrauterine Versus Birth Weight-Derived Standard For Short-Term Neonatal Morbidity And Mortality, Nathan R Blue, Lisa Mele, William A Grobman, Jennifer L Bailit, Ronald J Wapner, John M Thorp, Steve N Caritis, Mona Prasad, Alan T N Tita, George R Saade, Dwight J Rouse, Sean C Blackwell, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute Of Child Health And Human Development Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units (Mfmu) Network

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective:

The use of birth weight standards to define small for gestational age (SGA) may fail to identify neonates affected by poor fetal growth since they include births associated with sub-optimal fetal growth. Our objective was to compare intrauterine versus birth weight-derived standards to define newborn SGA to predict neonatal morbidity and mortality.

Study Design:

This was a secondary analysis of a multi-center observational study of 118,422 births. Liveborn singleton, non-anomalous newborns born at 23–41 weeks were included. Those with missing gestational age estimation or without a 1^st or 2^nd trimester ultrasound to confirm dating, birth weight, or …

Egypt’S Pediatric Oncology Hospital 57357: A Case Study Analysis, Ashley A. Clegg

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Hospital 57357 is the foremost pediatric oncology hospital in Egypt and provides treatment free of charge to children with cancer. Since its establishment in 2007, the hospital has grown to a capacity of 380 patient beds across three locations. Its quest for continuous improvement led to the development of a new performance management system emphasizing the tracking and measurement of a multitude of Key Performance Indicators across all departments. While this new system enables objective and perpetual monitoring of key patient care metrics, its integration into the existing structure introduces challenges that must be addressed. To analyze the external environment …

Caregiver-Child Conversations About Sex In African American Women, Hannah King

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Using grounded theory methods, this study examines the experience of African American women during their caregiver-child conversations about sex and the impacts of the conversations on their sexual attitudes. The process of these conversations begins with an unplanned topic and progresses further to identify six essential themes of these conversations: gender differences, race and religion, protective/emphasis on protection, lack of knowledge, withholding knowledge, and sex negativity/shame. African American women’s description of the process included feelings of shame and negativity towards their sexuality. Caregivers promoted positive messages about sex by having open conversations that advocated for equality between the genders, empower …

Blood Lead Levels In Minority Children: A Case Of Environmental Racism, Erick Rivera

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Racial minorities in the United States have suffered from being disadvantaged. Among these disadvantages is environmental racism. This includes minority communities being ‘sacrifice zones’ for toxic waste and being exposed to lead poisoning. The purpose of this study is to examine differences in blood levels between white children and children of color. This research will follow a bivariate model for the first research question, “Do youth of color (under the age of 18) have higher BLLs than white children?” The bivariate model will look at the relationship between ethno-racial group and BLLs. Specifically, an analysis of variance (ANOVA) will be …

Characterization Of Folic Acid, 5-Methyltetrahydrofolate And Synthetic Folinic Acid In The High-Affinity Folate Transporters: Impact On Pregnancy And Development, Ana M. Palacios, Rachel A. Feiner, Robert M. Cabrera

Health Policy & Community Health: Faculty Publications

Objectives:

Folates are B vitamins that are essential for several molecular, cellular, and biological processes, including nucleotide synthesis, methylation, and methionine cycling. The physiological impacts of these processes on health also extend to cell proliferation, folate deficiency anemia, and reduction of the risk of birth defects during pregnancy. The primary objective of this study was to characterize the binding affinities of different folate forms, folic acid (FA), 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5MTHF), and folinic acid, to the folate receptors α and β, and to the bovine milk folate binding protein. These three dietary forms of folate are found in enriched grains (FA), various …

Covid-19 Drive-Through Mass Vaccination In Northwest Louisiana, Deborah Gurgel Smith, John Anthony Vanchiere, Michelle Raley, Andrew David Yurochko, Mohammad Alfrad Nobel Bhuiyan, Kevin Sean Murnane, Rona Scott, Jeremy Kamil, Jill Rush-Kolodzey, Martha Whyte, Kenneth Densmore, Maaren Van Diest, Christopher Kevil

Journal of the Louisiana Public Health Association

No abstract provided.

Assessment Of Oral Human Papillomavirus In Pediatric And Adult Patients Within A Multi-Ethnic Clinic Population, Melissa Kornhaber

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Introduction: Human papillomavirus (HPV) encompasses a large family of oncogenic viruses responsible for increasing rates of both cervical and oral cancer, particularly among minority and low-income populations. Although this represents an increasingly significant public health risk, few studies have screened for oral HPV within Nevada. Based upon this information, the primary objective of this study was to provide a temporal analysis of oral HPV screening among a primarily low-income, minority patient population.

Methods: This retrospective analysis was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB). In brief, unstimulated saliva samples were previously obtained from clinical patient volunteers that provided …

Regional Health Benefits Of The Nevada Renewable Energy Initiative, Alireza Rezaee

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In recent years, there have been tremendous efforts to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy to mitigate emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants in the United States. Nevada was among the first states that established the renewable portfolio standards (RPS), requiring a certain percentage of electricity sold to the customers for consumption coming from renewable resources. The recent Nevada Senate Bill 358, signed by Nevada’s Governor in 2019, set a target that by 2030 not less than 50% of electricity sold in Nevada should come from renewable resources. This research investigates how this Bill could provide health benefits for …

The Theory Of Mattering: Implications For Adolescent Depression And Suicidal Ideation, Josie Lucretia Bryan

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Recent studies have suggested that mattering may influence both self-esteem and depression, and the perception of not mattering can lead to suicide ideation, attempts, or completion. When young people perceive they matter to those in their social environment, that sense of mattering can act as a protective factor. Existing research supports the notion that mattering is salient to adolescent development and, importantly, potentially malleable which could make it a prevention/intervention factor. The current study endeavored to identify contributing factors to adolescent perceived mattering and to test the Theory of Mattering in an adolescent population when predicting mental health outcomes. A …

An Exploratory Study On Institutional Belonging And Its Effects On Mental Health Outcomes And Academic Success, William Cooney

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND

Belonging in higher education is a growing field of research, however there is limited available literature. Institutional belonging encompasses many factors of the college campus environment such as social relationships, extra-curricular activities, academics, institutional support and how they affect a college student’s sense of belonging (Hausmann et al., 2007). The purpose of this exploratory study is to further understand institutional belonging and its relationships with mental health and academic success.

METHODS

This study utilized data from the ACHA-NCHA III, Spring 2020 survey that was randomly given to undergraduate and graduate students (N=5,000) attending a Northwest regional state university. The …

Assessing The Potential Effectiveness Of Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy For Quantifying Neonatal Skin Properties Using Tissue Phantoms, Jack Murphy

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) has previously been shown to be effective at analyzing the optical characteristics of a wide variety of biological tissues, including the skin. In addition to being sensitive to the amount of blood and its oxygenation, DRS can be used to extract bilirubin levels and assess jaundice, a common complication in newborn infants. To assess its potential for being utilized in applications involving neonatal skin, we evaluated the utility of DRS for extracting hemoglobin and bilirubin concentrations from tissue phantoms. Phantom sets were created by including a known amount of scattering and by varying known concentrations of …

Monkeypox Virus Hosts And Transmission Routes: A Systematic Review Of A Zoonotic Pathogen, Mary Walker

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Monkeypox virus (MPXV) is an etiological agent of Monkeypox with origins believed to be of Central/West Africa. As a member of the orthopoxvirus family and due to its increasing emergence, it has become a pathogen in need of research. This paper works to find common trends of transmission routes and reservoir hosts in previous publications through a systematic review. Articles found on Web of Science containing the search term “Monkeypox” were sorted based on relevance to the review topics of potential reservoir hosts and transmission routes of Monkeypox virus. Through Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), 1,036 …

Randomizer Utilizing R Shiny, Cali R. Savage

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Currently, many published animal experiments fail to include concise information regarding randomization (Festing, 2014). By not including randomization efforts in published research, the ability for one to accurately reproduce a study’s results is greatly diminished. This can be seen in randomization efforts that may be difficult to reproduce, such as poor randomization techniques and lack of documentation. Therefore, the creation of the Randomizer utilizing software R to create a user-friendly program that can enable University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) researchers, among others, to create randomization schemes for research involving mice, other animal, or human subjects, and enhance documentation and …

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (Rsv) Laboratory Surveillance And Mortality In Nebraska, 2016 – 2021, Derek Bumgardner

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common respiratory virus affecting children and adults. The United States RSV peak season occurs regularly between October to May, but in April 2021, an unexpected United States interseason RSV epidemic ensued. RSV laboratory testing has changed in the United States due to increased use of nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) rather than antigen-based testing, affecting how RSV seasonal epidemics are determined. Nebraska linked RSV laboratory and death certificate data (2016-2021) were used to calculate crude, specific and adjusted RSV case and mortality rates by age, sex, race, and ethnicity. A Cochran – Armitage test …

Testicular Torsion Education: Improving Awareness Among Boys And Their Caregivers Regarding The Urgency Of Evaluating Scrotal Pain, Abby Taylor

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Introduction: Testicular torsion is a urologic emergency that requires prompt medical evaluation and surgical intervention. The length of time from onset of the torsion to evaluation in the emergency department is often delayed due to lack of knowledge of the urgency of the situation amongst boys and their caregivers. We hypothesize that an animated educational video will increase awareness of the condition and prompt urgent evaluation in the emergency department.

Methods: A 5-minute animated educational video was created following a boy, Danny, as he develops testicular torsion. Four population groups: boys, parents, school nurses, and pediatricians, completed group-specific pre- and …

The Use Of A Mobile Application And Text Messaging Platform To Improve Adherence To Medications In Solid Organ Transplant Patients, Lindsay M. Bruce

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Poor adherence to medication regimens is responsible for 30-70% of all medication-related hospital admission in the United States and can be calculated to cost approximately $100 billion per year (Burra et al., 2011). The purpose of this pre-post cohort analysis is to measure the impact of using a mobile phone application and text messaging service on the medication possession ratio (MPR), a measure of adherence, among solid organ transplant patients who fill at Nebraska Medicine Outpatient Pharmacy. These interventions make it more convenient for patients to request refills, for pharmacy staff to send push notifications, and automatic refill and/or pickup …

Assessing Nutritional Health Knowledge In Sharing Clinic Patients With Diabetes, Minden Huntrods

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Effective diabetes prevention and management relies on nutritional behaviors, thus a basic level of health knowledge is important for patients with diabetes and their caregivers in their quest to acquire acute glycemic control and minimize negative health outcomes (Ley et al., 2014). The purpose of this study was to assess the nutrition-related health knowledge of patients living with diabetes who are seen at the UNMC Sharing Clinic by use of a verbal questionnaire. This nutritional health knowledge assessment was a quantitative, prospective, survey-based study utilizing descriptive statistics. Approximately 86% of patients were proficient in food group and nutritious foods knowledge …

Assessing Meat Processing Workers’ Attitudes And Concerns Regarding Covid-19 Vaccination, Karen Schmeits

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted industries across the globe. Specifically, for meat processing (meatpacking) facilities, the pandemic has changed the way facilities operate, how the workers perform tasks, and how workers perceive their health. The development of an FDA approved COVID-19 vaccine brought hope to meat processing employers and workers. However, little research has been conducted to know how meat processing workers feel about vaccines generally and how they perceive the COVID-19 vaccine. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate preventive vaccine determinants and attitudes and concerns specifically regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. Surveys were conducted with 128 meat …

The Perception Of Technology On Continuous Health And Environmental Monitoring For Professional Drivers, Troy Suwondo

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Due to the sedentary nature of professional truck driving (among other high-risk behaviors and hazardous exposures) many suffer from acute and chronic health conditions. There are many potential hazards in the professional driving profession. Many of these hazards come from those that transport hazardous materials. Figuring out what health and environmental indicators are important to measure can be a way to minimize hazards. Continuous health monitoring technology may be an option to detect disease and alert professional drivers when vital signs indicate impending health crises. Before this can be implemented, it will be important to evaluate the perception of wearable …

Effect Of Climate Variability On Lyme Disease Cases In The United States – A Retrospective Study, Larissa Mark

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Vector-borne illnesses are a growing serious global public health threat. According to the CDC, Lyme disease (LD) is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States. It is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected black-legged tick. Since the discovery, LD has increased in both incidence and geographical distribution. Vector life cycles and disease transmission are highly sensitive to abiotic conditions; as such, it is expected that climate change will alter the geographic distribution and magnitude of vector-borne illnesses. Certain facets of climate change like precipitation patterns, greater climate …

A Global Experiment On Motivating Social Distancing During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Nicole Legate, Thuy-Vy Nguyen, Andree Hartanto

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Finding communication strategies that effectively motivate social distancing continues to be a global public health priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-country, preregistered experiment (n = 25,718 from 89 countries) tested hypotheses concerning generalizable positive and negative outcomes of social distancing messages that promoted personal agency and reflective choices (i.e., an autonomy-supportive message) or were restrictive and shaming (i.e., a controlling message) compared with no message at all. Results partially supported experimental hypotheses in that the controlling message increased controlled motivation (a poorly internalized form of motivation relying on shame, guilt, and fear of social consequences) relative to no message. …