Public Health Commons^™

Novel Tetrazolium-Based Colorimetric Assay For Helicase Nsp13 In Sars-Cov-2, Triet M. Pham, Morgan G. Howard, Shane M. Carey, Lindsey R. Baker, Edward L. D'Antonio

Natural Sciences Faculty Publications

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a human pathogenic virus that encodes for a helicase (SC2Hel) that is essential for viral replication. SC2Hel has the ability to unravel dsRNA or dsDNA in an NTP-dependent manner from the 5′ to 3′ directionality. The standard helicase assay from studies involving SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 have relied on the concept of fluorescence resonance energy transfer. Adding to the collection of helicase assays, herein, we have developed a novel tetrazolium-based colorimetric assay system for the detection of ADP that is produced via SC2Hel activity. This SC2Hel assay combines three enzyme-coupled steps involving the …

Life-Space Mobility And Cognitive Function: The Reasons For Geographic And Racial Differences In Stroke (Regards) Study, Emiri Matsuda, Michael Crowe, Virginia J. Howard, Cynthia J. Brown, Madeline R. Sterling, Emily B. Levitan

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Inequality And Opportunity: Ranking Community Health In Florence County, Sc, Stephen Borders, Lauren Carter, Brandy Hayden, Mary Elizabeth Magyar

Public Health

Florence County is at the heart of the seven-county Pee Dee Region of South Carolina with a diverse population of about 136,000 residents. Home to McLeod Regional Medical Center and MUSC Health Florence Medical Center, the area boasts more than 750 licensed beds. Despite being home to world-class medical care, the county faces significant health challenges, including high rates of chronic diseases, such as diabetes and obesity, and a shortage of healthcare providers in certain areas. These challenges are exacerbated by the county's socio-economic disparities, with many low-income residents lacking access to basic health services. Our approach addresses these challenges …

Optical Coherence Tomography-Guided Brillouin Microscopy Highlights Regional Tissue Stiffness Differences During Anterior Neural Tube Closure In The Mthfd1l Murine Mutant, Yogeshwari S Ambekar, Carlo Donato Caiaffa, Bogdan J Wlodarczyk, Manmohan Singh, Alexander W Schill, John W Steele, Jitao Zhang, Salavat R Aglyamov, Giuliano Scarcelli, Richard H Finnell, Kirill V Larin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Neurulation is a highly synchronized biomechanical process leading to the formation of the brain and spinal cord, and its failure leads to neural tube defects (NTDs). Although we are rapidly learning the genetic mechanisms underlying NTDs, the biomechanical aspects are largely unknown. To understand the correlation between NTDs and tissue stiffness during neural tube closure (NTC), we imaged an NTD murine model using optical coherence tomography (OCT), Brillouin microscopy and confocal fluorescence microscopy. Here, we associate structural information from OCT with local stiffness from the Brillouin signal of embryos undergoing neurulation. The stiffness of neuroepithelial tissues in Mthfd1l null embryos …

Youth Interest In Reusable Menstrual Hygiene Products: An Opportunity For Improving Menstruation Management, Makenna R. Eccles

College Honors Program

Adolescents experience inconsistent menstrual hygiene material access that is exacerbated by poverty and results in menstruation management difficulty, health risks, and interruptions to school attendance. The study centered the adolescent menstruation management experience through qualitative interviews to identify management difficulties and to assess knowledge, interest, and perceived feasibility of implementing reusable menstrual hygiene materials such as reusable sanitary pads, period underwear, menstrual cups, and menstrual disks to improve both menstrual hygiene access and menstrual management experiences. Inductive and deductive coding was used to analyze interview data and identify key themes. Adolescents expressed interest in reusable menstrual hygiene materials due to …

Prevalence, Incidence, And Predictors Of Kaposi Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Infection Among Young Men Who Have Sex With Men In The Southern United States, Maverick Salyards, Ank E Nijhawan, Jacky Kuo, Sheena M Knights, Susana Lazarte, Nazzarena Labo, Wendell Miley, Denise Whitby, Lu-Yu Hwang, Anna-William Kornberg, Kayo Fujimoto, Elizabeth Y Chiao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Kaposi sarcoma (KS) continues to cause substantial morbidity and mortality in populations at risk in the southern United States. Utilizing biospecimens from the Houston site of the Young Men's Affiliate Project, 351 men who have sex with men had blood tested for KS-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) IgG. Seroprevalence, seroconversion between time points, and demographic and clinical correlates were measured. KSHV prevalence was 36.7% and incidence was 8.9 per 100 person-years. Furthermore, prevalence and incidence were higher among Black individuals, people living with HIV, and those with a history of syphilis. Further research on KSHV risk may improve health disparities in KS …

When A Health Insurance Provider Says “No”: A Health Insurance Claim Navigation Tool, Dorothy Nuckols, Catherine Sorenson

Journal of Extension

The purpose of health insurance is to pay for preventative and nonpreventative health care. Unfortunately, claim denials are frequent and most people do not contested these denials. Consumers lack both knowledge and self-efficacy to challenge their health insurance decision. Conflict is stressful can occur when a health insurance claim is denied unexpectedly. Faced with uncertainty of health care cost coverage, consumers are more likely to delay or forgo healthcare and jeopardize their health. To address this challenge, increase awareness of claim appeal processes and to provide consumer guidance, [STATE] Extension developed a Health Insurance Claim Navigation Tool.

Casar Auc Community Only Lecture: Men, Women’S Body Autonomy & Gbv Crimes In Egypt, Us & Canada: Why Men Need To Step Up For The Education Of Women's Body Autonomy, The Prince Alwaleed Center For American Studies And Research Casar

Performances, Events, and Presentations

This was a hybrid CASAR AUC community only lecture titled: ‘Men, Women’s Body Autonomy & GBV crimes in Egypt, US & Canada’: Why men need to step up for the education of women’s body autonomy.

This lecture featured Tadwein from Egypt, Women’s Advocates from the US & London Abused Women's Counseling Center from Canada (via Zoom). This lecture was part of course AMST 1091 ‘Exploring Feminist Perspectives in Egypt & the US’ (core curriculum pathways two- American studies) taught by Yasmeen El-Ghazaly, CASAR Assistant to Director & Adjunct Faculty - Wednesday May 15th, 2024

The lecture pondered on the following …

Automate Isolation Infection-Prevention Precautions (Aid-Ip): Improving The Efficiency Of Hospital Isolation With Viral Respiratory Infections, Timothy Burchard, Michael Platt, La'sonya Buford

Research Days

The AID-IP project is a QI study working to improve the process of isolation and de-isolation regarding respiratory viruses at Children's Mercy Hospital. Specifically, we aim to improve adherence to proper isolation precautions, minimize cognitive workload regarding the maintenance of isolation for staff, and improve family satisfaction with isolation practice.

Health Disparities In Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis (Scfe) Presentation, Rithika Ginjupalli, George Thomas, Rohit Siddabattula, Richard M. Schwend, Caleb Grote

Research Days

This study identifies various health disparities in SCFE presentations using neighborhood-level determinants COI and ICE in addition to sociodemographic determinants such as race and gender.

Spatial Associations Of Lung Cancer Rates And Socioeconomic, Health, And Environmental Factors In Georgia, Nguyet Le, Jun Tu

Symposium of Student Scholars

According to CDC, Lung and Bronchus Cancer ranks the highest by the rate of cancer deaths among different types of cancers in the United States with the rate of 31.8 per 100 thousand people, and also for Georgia with the rate of 33.4 per 100 thousand people. Thus, to reduce the death rate of lung cancer, it is quite important and urgent to understand its risk factors. Smoking and inhaling radon are among the top risk factors of lung cancer for individuals. The socioeconomic, health, and environmental characteristics of communities might be also related to the likelihood of getting …

The Impact Of Student Stress On Physical Wellbeing, Isabelle Fevrier

Symposium of Student Scholars

This study will explore the intricate relationship between student stress and its impact on physical health. It will explore how stressors such as academic pressures, jobs, and lengthy commutes impact physiological manifestations and various aspects of physical well-being in students. The literature this research builds upon is diverse, ranging from in-depth looks at how the body responds to stress, such as the actions of the brain when under stress, to how stress causes disturbances in sleep, diet, and physical activity. For this specific research, physical health will be defined as sleep schedule, frequency of sickness, and daily fatigue. There will …

An Observational, Retrospective, Study To Assess Sehetna Wellness Program Impact On Employees’ Well-Being And Health, Wafaa Saeed, Lina Shaker, Laila Ghanem, Mohamed El Aziz, Omer Mostafa, Rabab Youssef

BAU Journal - Health and Wellbeing

Wellness is an ongoing process that leads to realizing one's full potential, with studies showing reduced inpatient admissions, healthcare costs, and improved health-related quality of life through participation in large-scale wellness programs. SEHETNA program is a wellness initiative conducted with the Egyptian Group for Import and Export (EGMED) to enhance employees’ well-being. This study aimed to assess the SEHETNA wellness program impact on the general health of employees. This is a retrospective descriptive observational study including employees enrolled in wellness program for up to 12-months in 2021. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS. Descriptive analysis was done, categorical variables …

Improving Healthcare Workers’ Biohazardous Spill Safe Handling Skills, Zeina Mhanna, Ahmad Tassi

BAU Journal - Health and Wellbeing

All healthcare workers (HCWs) are exposed to biohazardous material. Biohazardous material may come in the form of spills, posing a risk of infection to (HCWs) who are not trained on how to safely handle them. While international guidelines recommend training HCWs on how to safely handle biohazardous spills in order to improve their skills, there are no studies that tackled this recommendation. The aim of this study is to improve HCWs’ biohazardous spill safe handling skills through training, and to evaluate the association between the HCWs’ improvement level and demographical characteristics. The study was conducted in a Southern Lebanese hospital …

Knowledge And Attitude Of Lebanese Adults Towards Asthma In Beirut, Lebanon, Farah Hatem Haidar, Doaa Issa, Maha Aboul Ela, Karim Raafat

BAU Journal - Health and Wellbeing

Asthma, a serious global health problem, has been an area of interest due to its increasing prevalence, expanding treatment costs, and rising burden on patients and the community. Since asthma cannot be cured, clinical episodes can be prevented and controlled by adequate management and sufficient knowledge of the disease. Appropriate treatment may relieve asthma symptoms and improve quality of life. However, poor knowledge of asthma disease and medication use, misdiagnoses, misuse of inhalers and inadequate self-management of disease symptoms may have a greater impact on the disease process. Therefore, assessment of the population’s knowledge and attitude toward asthma is essential. …

Hiv Preventive Care Services For Pregnant Women In Kenya Before And During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Modesta Vesonder

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected access to prenatal and postnatal care services for pregnant women living with HIV (PWLHIV) in counties in the Central, Eastern, and Rift Valley regions of Kenya. Many PWLHIV in some counties in Kenya faced challenges in accessing treatment services. In urban counties such as those in the Central region, HIV preventive care services were accessed with minimal disruption. Counties in the semi-arid of Eastern and Central regions experienced some disruptions in the provision of HIV preventive care services for PWLHIV. The periods under consideration were before the COVID-19 pandemic (2019) and during the COVID-19 pandemic …

C-Terminal Binding Protein 2 Is A Novel Tumor Suppressor Targeting The Myc-Irf4 Axis In Multiple Myeloma, Coty Hing Yau Cheung, Chi Keung Cheng, Kam Tong Leung, Chi Zhang, Chi Yan Ho, Xi Luo, Angel Yuet Fong Kam, Tian Xia, Thomas Shek Kong Wan, Herbert Augustus Pitts, Natalie Pui Ha Chan, Joyce Sin Cheung, Raymond Siu Ming Wong, Xiao-Bing Zhang, Margaret Heung Ling Ng

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Multiple myeloma (MM) cells are addicted to MYC and its direct transactivation targets IRF4 for proliferation and survival. MYC and IRF4 are still considered "undruggable," as most small-molecule inhibitors suffer from low potency, suboptimal pharmacokinetic properties, and undesirable off-target effects. Indirect inhibition of MYC/IRF4 emerges as a therapeutic vulnerability in MM. Here, we uncovered an unappreciated tumor-suppressive role of C-terminal binding protein 2 (CTBP2) in MM via strong inhibition of the MYC-IRF4 axis. In contrast to epithelial cancers, CTBP2 is frequently downregulated in MM, in association with shortened survival, hyperproliferative features, and adverse clinical outcomes. Restoration of CTBP2 exhibited potent …

Multiple Job Holding, Job Changes, And Associations With Gestational Diabetes And Pregnancy-Related Hypertension In The National Birth Defects Prevention Study, Amel Omari, Miriam R Siegel, Carissa M Rocheleau, Kaori Fujishiro, Kristen Van Buren, Dallas Shi, A J Agopian, Suzanne M Gilboa, Paul A Romitti

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

We used National Birth Defects Prevention Study data to investigate associations between working patterns shortly before and during pregnancy and gestational diabetes and pregnancy-related hypertension. We analyzed working patterns (multiple-job holders, job changers, single-job holders) during the three months before and during pregnancy for 8140 participants who delivered a live-born child without a birth defect. "Multiple-job holders" worked more than one job simultaneously, "job changers" worked more than one job with no overlap, and "single-job holders" (referent) worked one job. We used multivariable logistic regression to estimate associations between working pattern and each outcome, adjusting for maternal age and educational …

Characterization Of Nationally Reported Pediatric Deaths Involving Fentanyl Ingestions In Missouri, Margaret Campbell, Mary Moffatt, Emily Killough, Terra Frazier

Research Days

There has been a dramatic rise in pediatric deaths associated with synthetic opioid use, with the most prominent being Fentanyl. This is a retrospective cohort study using data from the National Center for Fatality Review and Prevention with the goal of identifying risk factors that increase the vulnerability of children to Fentanyl ingestion. Ultimately this research may help lead to improved identification of at risk children with the goal of implementation of targeted prevention programming.

Understanding The Needs Of Georgia’S Hispanic/Latinx Population Regarding Adolescent Health, Aylin Diaz, Evelina W. Sterling

Symposium of Student Scholars

Georgia’s Department of Public Health’s Adolescent Health and Youth Development (AHYD) Program is based on the Positive Youth Development Approach as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This approach engages youth within their communities, schools and organizations, peer groups, and families in a productive and constructive manner. Overall, the AHYD program aims at preventing HIV, STIs, and pregnancy among all youth. In Georgia, the Hispanic/Latino population has grown to over 10% of our total population. However, adolescent health programs within Georgia have not specifically focused on the cultural differences among the large Hispanic/Latino community. This study takes …

Pour Une Diffusion Éthique Des Connaissances De La Médecine Traditionnelle: L’Intersection De La Culture Yoruba Et Des Besoins Médicaux, Isabel Sala

CISLA Senior Integrative Projects

No abstract provided.

High All-Cause Mortality And Increasing Proportion Of Older Adults With Tuberculosis In Texas, 2008–2020, Belinda A Medrano, Miryoung Lee, Gretchen Gemeinhardt, Lana Yamba, Blanca I Restrepo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) elimination efforts must consider the global growth of the ageing population. Here we used TB surveillance data from Texas, United States (2008-2020; total n = 10656) to identify unique characteristics and outcomes in older adults (OA, ≥65 years) with PTB, compared to young adults (YA, 18-39 years) or middle-aged adults (40-64 years). We found that the proportion of OA with PTB increased from 15% in 2008 to 24% in 2020 (trend p < 0.05). Diabetes was highly prevalent in OA (32%) but not associated with adverse outcomes. Death was 13-fold higher in OA compared to YA and was 7% at the time of diagnosis which suggests diagnostic delays. However, once TB was suspected, we found no differences in culture, smear, or nucleic acid detection of mycobacteria (although less lung cavitations) in OA. During treatment, OA had less drug-resistant TB, few adverse reactions and adhered with TB treatment. We recommend training healthcare workers to 'think TB' in OA, for prompt treatment initiation to diminish deaths. Furthermore, OA should be added as a priority group to the latent TB treatment guidelines by the World Health Organization, to prevent TB disease in this highly vulnerable group.

Unrestricted Versus Regulated Open Data Governance: A Bibliometric Comparison Of Sars-Cov-2 Nucleotide Sequence Databases, Nathanael Sheehan, Federico Botta, Sabina Leonelli

Copyright, Fair Use, Scholarly Communication, etc.

Two distinct modes of data governance have emerged in accessing and reusing viral data pertaining to COVID-19: an unrestricted model, espoused by data repositories part of the International Nucleotide Sequence Database Collaboration and a regulated model promoted by the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza data. In this paper, we focus on publications mentioning either infrastructure in the period between January 2020 and January 2023, thus capturing a period of acute response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a variety of bibliometric and network science methods, we compare the extent to which either data infrastructure facilitated collaboration from different countries around …

Exploring Social Workers Potential Role In Mitigating Maternal Mortality Through Coordinated Care, Jena Brown-Talib

Honors Theses

Maternal health disparities persist as a significant challenge in Mississippi, particularly for African American women. This thesis explores the intersection of coordinated care models and social work interventions in addressing maternal mortality. Coordinated care involves collaboration among physicians, nurses, practitioners, social workers, community health workers, and other support services, aiming to maximize pregnant patients' overall health outcomes.

Analyzing strategies of social workers within coordinated care models is important for improving maternal health outcomes within this study. A qualitative approach was chosen to delve beyond statistics and illuminate the reality of maternal health disparities and the efforts to resolve them. Data …

The Impact Of School-Based Education Program On Body Image In Middle School Students, Elizabeth Hendon

Honors Theses

Body dissatisfaction is an emerging public health concern and carries significant health-related consequences. These implications encompass mental health challenges, eating disorders, unhealthy weight management practices, adverse effects on self-esteem, and potential physical health consequences. Because adolescence is a critical period for healthy body image development due to age-related transitions occurring at this time, it is essential to implement an education program to promote positive body image. Educational programs focused on protective factors designed to enhance self-compassion can potentially improve body image, eating attitudes, and body satisfaction. School-based body image education programs aim to provide adolescents with the knowledge, skills, and …

Revisiting Snack-Time: Analyzing How A Food Prescription Program In Charleston, Ms Affects The Children Of Participating Parents And Caregivers, Aubrey Bethay

Honors Theses

This study examines how Food Rx programs impact the children of enrolled families. Currently, research in this area is limited to data that focuses on produce consumption rates and BMI; however, there are other measures of physical and mental well-being that require evaluation. Consequently, this paper takes a more comprehensive approach, looking into childrens’ sense of security and perception of healthy food. 10 parents (representing 23 children) were interviewed and participated in recorded focus groups in order to gather information. From here, their responses were organized into domains in order to categorize the data.

Many parents reported that their children …

Impact Of An Electronic Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Catch-Up Module For Women With Criminal-Legal System Involvement, Shawana Moore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Cervical cancer can often be prevented with targeted strategies such as Pap smear screenings and the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, now also recommended for those aged 27-45 who have not received the vaccine previously. However, women involved in the criminal-legal system often miss out on primary and secondary prevention measures and are at increased risk for the development of cervical cancer caused by HPV. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility and acceptability of an electronic HPV catch-up module for women in the criminal-legal system aged 27-45. The study, guided by the Health Belief Model, …

Parental Factors Associated With Covid-19 Vaccine Uptake For Children Over 5 Years Of Age In Texas, Paula M Cuccaro, Jihye Choi, Yordanos M Tiruneh, Journey Martinez, Jing Xie, Michelle Crum, Mark Owens, Jose-Miguel Yamal

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective for children, yet parental hesitancy towards vaccinating children against the virus persists. We conducted a telephone-administered weighted survey in Texas to examine parents' sociodemographic factors and medical conditions associated with COVID-19 vaccination intention for parents with unvaccinated children ages 5-17 years. We collected responses from 19,502 participants, of which 4879 were parents of children ages 5-17 years. We conducted multiple logistic regression with Lasso-selected variables to identify factors associated with children's vaccination status and parents' intention to vaccinate their children. From the unweighted sample, less than half of the parents (46.8%) had at …

An Analysis Of Professional Education For Future Physicians To Address Implicit Racial Bias In Black Maternal Health, Jasmine Butler

Honors Theses

The history of medicine in the United States is littered with incidences of racism and exploitation of Black Americans. The extensive history of medical racism has continued to be perpetuated in healthcare today. Within the field of maternal health, the dark history of medicine shows its face with the treatment of black mothers. Black maternal health is a current public health crisis currently being exacerbated through discrimination in the form of implicit bias. Implicit bias is a current issue in our healthcare system that needs to be addressed through adequate training of both medical students and physicians. This qualitative research …

Methods And Variability In Physician Associate Student Advocacy Education, Jason P. Prevelige, Lindsay Gietzen

Pacific Journal of Health

Objective: To assess the current practices of PA programs pertaining to how advocacy education is taught to their students and to determine differences among the programs.

Methods: PA program directors were interviewed about advocacy education including time allotted, when it is provided, learning objectives, source materials, teaching methods, determination of competency, and tracking of student advocacy participation after graduation.

Results: All noted that advocacy education is important, however meaningful, in-depth, instruction can be limited for a variety of reasons. Such reasons include limited educational time to ensure that a sizeable set of standards is met, limited access …