Dyadic Internalized Stigma, Resilience, And Psychological Distress Among People With Hiv And Their Family Members: An Actor-Partner Interdependence Mediation Model Analysis, Fanghui Shi, Xueying Yang, Shan Qiao Ph.D., Cheuk Chi Tam Ph.D., M.S., M.A., Shuaifeng Liu, Yuejiao Zhou, Xiaoming Li Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Despite robust evidence showing the mediation role of psychological resilience in the impacts of HIV-related stigma on psychological distress, most studies were conducted from an intrapersonal perspective. Limited studies have examined the dyadic effects of HIV-related stigma and resilience on psychological distress for people with HIV (PWH) and their family members. This study aimed to explore the actor-partner effect and the mediation role of resilience in the relationship between internalized stigma and psychological distress among PWH and family members dyads. Between October 2023 and December 2023, a total of 800 PWH-family member dyads were recruited from two urban cities and …

A Livelihood Intervention Improved Nutritional, Mental Health And Sexual Health Outcomes Among Hiv-Affected Adolescents In Western Kenya: Results From The Shamba Maisha Randomised Controlled Trial, Sheri D. Weiser, Lila Aziz Sheira, Pauline Wekesa, Jennifer Monroe Zakaras, Edward A. Frongillo Jr. Ph.D., Elly Weke, Jason M. Nagata, Amy A. Conroy, Marguerita Lightfoot, Torsten B. Neilands, Lisa M. Butler, Elizabeth A. Bukusi, Craig R. Cohen, Maricianah Atieno Onono

Faculty Publications

Introduction Interventions that address household-level factors, including food insecurity (FI) and poverty, may reduce HIV risk and improve sexual and reproductive health (SRH) among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW).

Methods This cluster randomised controlled trial in Kenya assessed AGYW living in households of adults enrolled in Shamba Maisha (SM). SM was a multisectoral agricultural livelihood intervention designed to improve HIV health. At the trial end, we used linear and logistic regressions to compare differences between the intervention and control arms in FI, and mental health among AGYW-caregiver pairs and SRH outcomes among the AGYW, accounting for clusters with robust …

Evaluating U.S. Health Policy Levers Using Difference-In-Differences: Hospital Acquisitions, Global Budgets, And Income Policies, Kola Adegoke

NYMC Student Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Background: U.S. health policy relies on multiple levers to influence system performance, financial stability, and population health. This dissertation uses a three-paper portfolio to evaluate organizational change (hospital acquisitions), payment reform (Maryland all-payer global budgets), and income-related state policies, applying difference-in-differences (DiD) designs with prespecified diagnostics to support causal interpretation.

Methods: Study 1 examined hospital change-of-ownership (CHOW) acquisitions using a national hospital-year panel from RAND HCRIS (2014–2023), linked to CHOW timing data from 2016–2023. Effects on revenue outcomes were estimated using a staggered difference-in-differences design implemented with the Callaway and Sant’Anna estimator, using doubly robust inverse probability weighting, hospital-level …

Socioeconomic Disparities In Readmission Outcomes And Cardiac Procedures Among Atrial Fibrillation Hospitalizations, Muhammad U. Almani, Muhammad Yousuf, Noor Fatima, Muhammad Q. Ullah, Muhammed Arshad

Einstein Health Papers

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) remains one of the leading dysrhythmias incurring hospitalization. We set out to determine the impact of socioeconomic status (SES) on in-hospital cardiac procedures and the readmission outcomes in patients with AF. Methods: The National Readmission Database (NRD) was searched for adults with a primary diagnosis of AF between 2010 and 2019. We determined unplanned AF-specific readmission within 30 days. Median neighborhood household income was assessed by patient zip code as quartiles: low income (Q1), middle income (Q2), upper-middle income (Q3), and high income (Q4). Differences in in-hospital cardiac procedures during the index hospitalization and probability of …

What Factors Influence Health Professions Trainees’ Preferences For Employment In Rural Appalachia? A Qualitative Study To Inform The Design Of A Discrete Choice Experiment, Chris Gillette, Jan Ostermann Ph.D., Aylin A. Aguillar, Sarah O'Neal, Chris Everett, Dawn Caviness, Esita Patel, Laiton Steele, Dawn Goel, Quazi Minhaz Tabassum

Faculty Publications

Optimizing the geographic allocation of health care providers has the potential to improve health care access and health outcomes for rural populations. To inform the design of a discrete choice experiment (DCE) survey to elicit health professions trainees' preferences for rural practice, this formative research aimed to: (1) elicit factors that influence job selection among health profession trainees, including medical residents physician assistant (PA) and nurse practitioner (NP) students, (2) identify how these trainees evaluate trade-offs for rural job placement and (3) inform attribute selection for inclusion into a future DCE to identify health professions trainees’ preferences for rural practice. …

Transformational Leadership In Higher Education, Dr. Jewel Hale, Jr., Kristi Apostel

Tapestry: Journal of Research in Education

A crisis can highlight the critical need for resilient leadership within higher educational settings. Educational leaders encounter extraordinary difficulties, ranging from different learning options to prioritizing the well-being of both staff and students, necessitating flexible and innovative methods. By exploring how school leaders apply transformational techniques in actual educational environments, this article addresses the impact of the four I’s of transformational leadership, idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration, on building educator resiliency, sustaining school effectiveness, and promoting student achievement in higher education.

Fierce Leadership-Perspectives Of Black Women Educational Leaders: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Janice Taylor, Dianne Reed

Tapestry: Journal of Research in Education

The authors of this transcendental phenomenological study aimed to describe the lived experiences of Black women based on their perceptions, values, and beliefs about the complexities of leadership and the kind of leadership required to succeed in their respective roles, as educational leaders. This study was framed by the adaptive leadership theory. Adaptive leadership recognizes the need for leaders to stay flexible and resilient in fast-paced environments (Nelson & Squires, 2017). The three Black women leaders in this study were fierce adaptive leaders. The information acquired from this study is significant and highlights how Black women educational leaders developed the …

Research Literacy And Research Production Skills As Core Competencies In Leaders, Kk O'Byrne

Tapestry: Journal of Research in Education

No abstract provided.

Factors For Successful Craniosynostosis Surgery Gofundme Campaigns, Annarose Taylor, Rena Atayeva, Shikha Trivedi, Phavon Sage, David Park, Brendan Podszus, Jessica Bigner, Yifan Guo

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

Introduction

Craniosynostosis surgery costs can be as high as 100,000 dollars. Even with complete insurance coverage, patients often face large out-of-pocket expenses. Thus, patients seek other financial resources. As a crowdfunding platform, GoFundMe (GFM) is one of those resources. The objective of our study was to identify GFM campaign factors associated with greater fundraising success.

Methods

GoFundMe.com was queried for: craniosynostosis, synostosis, brachycephaly, trigonocephaly, scaphocephaly, and fused skull suture. Included campaigns had patients in the U.S. fundraising for craniosynostosis surgery or related expenses. Excluded campaigns were duplicates, for animals, helmets, charities, or other surgeries. Successful campaigns achieved third quartile of …

Crowdfunding For Solid Organ Transplants In The United States: A Rising Trend., Annarose Taylor, Sai Kottapalli, Meghana Sunkara, Gabriella Adams, Rena Atayeva, Riccardo De Cataldo, Phavon Sage, Jashanna Walia, Jessica Bigner, Yifan Guo

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

Introduction

This study aims to characterize patients undergoing solid organ transplants (heart, lung, liver, and kidney) who utilize crowdfunding platforms, including GoFundMe, by examining their financial needs, goals, and the characteristics that make certain fundraisers more successful.

Methods

GoFundMe fundraisers were the respective terms “heart,” “lung,” “liver” and “kidney transplant.” Details were collected about fundraisers in America including monetary status, beneficiary demographics, and campaign characteristics. Single-variable analysis was used to assess factors contributing to extremely successful (≥70%), successful (≥50%), and unsuccessful fundraisers (≤25% of funding goal).

Results

1324 campaigns met inclusion criteria. The majority of beneficiaries described in fundraisers were …

Predictors Of Employment Attrition In Lebanon During Multifaceted Crises: The Role Of Chronic Diseases – A National Cross-Sectional Study, Myriam Dagher, Ali Abboud, Ghada E. Saad, Rita Itani, Rindala Fayyad, Hala Ghattas Ph.D., Stephen J. Mccall, Jocelyn Dejong, Malak Ghezzawi, Nisreen Salti, Sasha Fahme, Serena Canaan

Faculty Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic and Lebanon’s ongoing economic crisis exacerbated existing workforce and health disparities. This study explored the predictors of employment attrition during Lebanon’s concurrent crises and examined the association between chronic conditions and employment attrition. This cross-sectional study recruited adults aged 19–64 years residing in Lebanon through random digit dialing (January – July 2024). Data collected included socio-demographics, household characteristics, employment history and characteristics, and self-reported chronic conditions. The outcome was loss of paid employment (employment attrition) during the crises. Predictors were identified through a Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression, and model discrimination and calibration were …

Engagement Patterns With #Naturalremedies On Tiktok: Formative Analysis, Apeksha Mewani, Corey H. Basch, Keanu Renne-Glover, Vincent Jones Ii, Cristiana Cordero, Adea Gutiqi

Publications and Research

This research letter provides formative evidence from a cross-sectional analysis of 118 TikTok videos under #NaturalRemedies, identifying content formats and expertise cues associated with higher engagement, while also demonstrating the feasibility of using engagement metrics and thematic coding to analyze health narratives on emerging platforms such as TikTok.

Optimizing Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (Crrt) In The Icu: A Qsen-Based Framework For Nursing Decision-Making Support, Leslie Okhirkhian

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

Nurses in critical care environments must exercise precise clinical judgement to recognize patient destabilization cues while managing the complex biomedical technologies that support failing physiological systems. Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT) is a modality for hemodynamically unstable patients requiring fluid overload management and waste removal; however, it is a complex technology that demands nurses navigate a “tightrope” between renal perfusion and hemodynamic stability. Despite its prevalence, there is no concise decision-making support for nursing care in the current literature based on the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) strategies. This presentation addresses this gap by proposing a QSEN-based, standardized …

Evaluating Sensory Sensitivities Among Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder In An Adaptive Gymnastics Program, Aicha Kaouss, Bradley Eppinger, Austin Ebbrecht, Kailash Ram, Kaitlin P. Hardy Md

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

Introduction: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) participate in physical activity at lower rates than their neurotypical peers1. Sensory sensitivities, reported in approximately 75–95% of children with ASD, may contribute to this disparity2. Gymnastics environments involve bright lighting and loud noise, which can precipitate sensory overload. The impact of specific sensory features on participation in adaptive gymnastics remains underexplored.

Methods: A cross-sectional study recruited caregivers of children aged 3–12 years with an ASD diagnosis enrolled in the EVMS Adaptive Gymnastics Program. Caregivers completed the Sensory Experiences Questionnaire–Third Edition (SEQ-3)3 and supplemental survey items on Redcap which assessed environmental triggers and …

How Does Striving Against Adversity Impact Emotional Well-Being And Cardiovascular Risk In Children?, Brooks B. Gump, Stefanie Pilkay, Xiafei Wang, Sara Vasilenko, Nader H. Attallah-Yunes, Sarah Woolf-King, Stephen Maisto, Edith Chen, Craig K. Ewart

Population Health Research Brief Series

Working hard and persisting through challenges (i.e., striving) are often encouraged for children who face adversity.  But for children facing severe adversity, striving can come with hidden costs. This brief summarizes findings from a study using data from the Environmental Exposures and Child Health Outcomes (EECHO) cohort (N=283, 2013-2017) of children ages 9-11 in Syracuse, NY. The authors find that children facing adversity who strived harder reported lower depression and hostility. However, high-striving high-adversity children also experienced significantly higher blood pressure and enlarged heart chambers than their lower striving peers, both risk factors for future heart disease.

Bacteriophage Therapy For Antibiotic-Resistant Infections, Shiva Pariyar

Best Integrated Writing

Pariyar examines bacteriophage therapy as a promising alternative to antibiotics for treating multidrug-resistant infections, highlighting its targeted mechanism, ability to disrupt biofilms, and synergy with antibiotics. While challenges such as regulation, immune response, and limited clinical trials remain, the study argues that advances in biotechnology and global collaboration position phage therapy as a future cornerstone in combating antimicrobial resistance.

Exploring The Impact Of Education On Cardiovascular Health In Women: Sex Disparities, Symptom Recognition And Attribution, And Preventive Measures, Sydney Totten

Best Integrated Writing

Totten examines sex disparities in cardiovascular disease among women, emphasizing gaps in symptom recognition, treatment, and health education. Through a literature review and educational intervention, it demonstrates that targeted, nurse-led education can significantly improve women’s understanding of risk factors, symptoms, and disease management, ultimately supporting better health outcomes.

Dietary Inflammatory Index And Objective Disease Activity In Ibd: No Association Found, Rúbia Moresi Vianna De Oliveira, Ana Carolina Junqueira Vasques, Stefhani Andrioli Romero, Nitin Shivappa Mbbs, Mph, Ph.D., Michael David Wirth, James Hébert Scd, Glaucia Fernanda Soares Ruppert Reis, Cristiane Kibune Nagasako

Faculty Publications

Background

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) involves genetic and environmental factors, but the relationship between disease activity, adiposity, and diet remains unclear.

Objective

To investigate the association between endoscopic/radiological activity of IBD, body adiposity, and the Dietary Inflammatory Index with or without adjustment for energy density (E-DII or DII).

Method

An observational, cross-sectional study was carried out. Endoscopic activity was defined by an endoscopic Mayo score >2, Crohn’s Disease Endoscopic Index of Severity (CDEIS) > 5, and/or the presence of a deep ulcer in any intestinal segment. Body adiposity was estimated using the body mass index, waist circumference, and waist-hip ratio (WHR). …

Circulating Levels Of Insulin-Like Growth Factor I (Igf-I) And Risk Of Multiple Myeloma: An Observational And Mendelian Randomisation Study, Yolanda Benavente, Sara Hermosa, Nikos Papadimitriou, Alyssa I. Clay-Gilmour Ph.D., Elizabeth E. Brown, Jonathan N. Hofmann, Nathaniel Rothman, Qin Lan, Sonja I. Berndt, Demetrius Albanes, Mark Purdue, Mitchell J. Machiela, Stephen J. Chanock, Parveen Bhatti, Wendy Cozen, Aaron Norman, Susan L. Slager, James R. Cerhan, Vincent Rajkumar, Et. Al.

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Bodies At Risk When Choice Is A Privilege: Women’S Reproductive Healthcare Accessibility And Health Outcomes Since The Dobbs (2022) Ruling, Dallas Bonnet

Undergraduate Theses

Existing literature has well-documented the disproportionate effects of abortion restrictions upon socioeconomically disadvantaged women and women of color. This thesis builds on that work by exploring the relationship between state-level abortion restrictions and women’s self-reported health, as well as state-level infant mortality rates and maternal mortality rates. This project breaks these relationships down into three separate studies: Study 1 investigates the effect that abortion restrictions have on women’s self perceptions of health. Study 2 assesses the impact of abortion restrictions on infant mortality rates. Study 3 inspects the impact of abortion restrictions on maternal mortality rates. The primary independent variable …

First Epidemiological Assessment: Syphilis Seroprevalence Among Asymptomatic Blood Donors In Merowe, Northern Sudan, 2022, Doaa Albagir Ahmed, Sabra Alfadil Ibrahim, Hiba Elsadig Salah, Hamad A. Albagir

Saudi Toxicology Journal

Syphilis remains a significant transfusion-transmissible infection, yet regional epidemiological data from Northern Sudan are lacking. This study aimed to establish preliminary baseline syphilis seroprevalence among asymptomatic blood donors in Merowe, Northern Sudan. A cross-sectional study was conducted in January 2022 at the Merowe blood donation center. Eighty-nine consecutive asymptomatic male blood donors were screened for anti-Treponema pallidum antibodies using a commercial Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) kit (Fortress Diagnostics, UK). Demographic data were collected via structured questionnaire. The overall seroprevalence was 2.25% (2/89; 95% CI: 0.6–7.9%). The donor population median age was 32 years (range: 18–64). Both reactive donors were referred …

Development Of A Survey And Worry Score To Evaluate Physician Burnout And Wellness Interventions During Covid-19 In The Rio Grande Valley: A Pilot Study, Victoria Jacobsen, Ericka Vazquez, Lauren Herrera, Ruth Escalera, Daniel Salinas, Bharathi Gadad, Juan Carlos Lopez-Alvarenga, Kelsey Potter-Baker

School of Medicine Publications

Background: Current research on physician burnout is limited in rural communities and physicians caring for the medically underserved. This study aimed to create an instrument to quantify the rate of physician burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic and identify effective coping interventions in an underserved mixed rural-urban region along the Texas-Mexico border.

Methods: We conducted a regional study in a sample of US physicians using a structured questionnaire developed by a multidisciplinary group. Thirty-one participants were contacted over a five-week period between December 2022 to January 2023. Participants self-selected based on their experiences of burnout during various phases of the COVID-19 …

Educational Intervention To Improve Awareness Of The Female Athlete Triad Among Division I Athletes, Carly J. Haring, Jonathan Olson Md

Aesculapius Journal (Health Sciences & Medicine)

Introduction: The Female Athlete Triad poses short- and long-term health risks for female athletes through the interrelated components of low energy availability, menstrual dysfunction, and impaired bone health. Despite its prevalence, awareness and education surrounding the Triad remain limited, contributing to delayed recognition and care. The objective of this project was to assess baseline knowledge and comfort discussing Female Athlete Triad–related topics among Division I female athletes and to evaluate the impact of a brief educational intervention on knowledge, attitudes, and help-seeking intentions.

Methods: A community-based educational initiative was conducted in November 2025 among Division I female athletes …

Thermal Inequities In Public Parks And Open Spaces In Los Angeles Determined By Remote Sensing, Ashley Agatep, Joshua B. Fisher, Kainani Tacazon, Ambar Rivera, Rossmery Zayas, Reginald Archer, Juan Carlos Ruiz Malagon, Jason A. Douglas

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Urban heat island (UHI) effects are amplified by disparities in community-level cooling infrastructure—such as urban public parks and open spaces (PPOS)—with the most severe impacts occurring in communities that lack sufficient city-wide cooling resources. We found that the underserved community of South Los Angeles, as compared to their neighboring West Los Angeles counterparts, suffers a double burden of inequitable (1) access to and (2) absence of cooling materials and surfaces within these spaces, resulting in significantly hotter temperatures. Identifying these inequities requires high-resolution temporal and spatial mapping of surface temperatures, which has been previously limited. In this community-based participatory research …

Depressive Symptoms, Campus Connectedness, And Campus Climate Related To Sexual Violence And Misconduct, Stephanie A. Navarro Silvera, Amanda S. Birnbaum, Eva S. Goldfarb, Ranju Mainali, Lisa D. Lieberman

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Depression, although a consequence of sexual violence, has not been studied in the context of college students’ views of campus sexual violence climate. Depression is one of the most prevalent and impairing mental health concerns among college students and has well-established links to sexual violence victimization; therefore, it serves as a theoretically and clinically meaningful focal outcome. Therefore, we assessed perceptions of institutional climate in the context of self-reported depression. Undergraduates (n = 716) reported perceptions and experiences of campus sexual violence and misconduct, connectedness, attitude, and depressive symptoms in an online survey. More than a third of participants reported …

When To Continue, Pause, Or Stop Sglt-2 Inhibitors In Heart Failure: A Complication-Based Clinical Guide, Nicole Tesoro, Jasvin Kurundrayil Manha, Sumanth Kumar Bandaru

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have become an essential part of guideline-directed medical therapy for heart failure due to their proven ability to reduce hospitalizations and improve survival, independent of diabetes status. Despite these benefits, their use can be complicated by genitourinary side effects such as genital mycotic infections, urinary tract infections, and, rarely, serious complications including urosepsis, Fournier’s gangrene, and euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis. These events often leave clinicians uncertain about whether therapy should be continued, paused, or permanently discontinued. Current guidance remains limited and inconsistent, with most recommendations derived from case reports, expert opinion, or post-marketing surveillance. In this …

Food Insecurity’S Influence On Obesity, Hypertension, And Diabetes In Rural Vermont And Adirondack New York, Lindsay Morse

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Food insecurity (FI) is a persistent public health challenge in the United States and disproportionately affects rural communities. Guided by syndemic theory, this quantitative cross-sectional study examined associations between FI and chronic disease outcomes among rural residents of Vermont and the Adirondack region of New York. Social determinants of health screenings and electronic medical records from 35 rural primary care sites were analyzed. Secondary data from n = 72,505 adults were used to evaluate these relationships. Binary logistic regression models assessed obesity, hypertension (HTN), and diabetes (DM), and a multinomial logistic regression model evaluated the combined presence of obesity and …

Living In Liberal Areas Reduced Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among Conservatives, Brittany L. Kmush, Rachel E. Dinero

Population Health Research Brief Series

Political divisions shaped public health responses throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, with conservatives expressing higher vaccine hesitancy than liberals. But does where conservatives live matter? This brief summarizes findings from a study using survey data from 683 U.S. adults (ages 18-94) collected March-April 2023, combined with 2020 presidential election results by zip code. The authors found that liberals consistently had low vaccine hesitancy and high uptake regardless of where they lived, but conservatives living in lower Trump vote share communities reported lower vaccine hesitancy and higher vaccination and booster uptake than conservatives in high Trump vote share communities. This pattern was …

Development And Validation Of The Emergency Department Transitions Measure, Sara Beachy, Danielle M. Mccarthy, Julianna Lenoir, Alexzandra Gentsch, Richard W. Hass, Marissa Witmer, Paula Ostroff, Melissa Tupas, Lindsey Shughart, Hailey Shughart, Kristin L. Rising

Jefferson Center for Connected Care Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Transitions of care are high-risk periods for patient safety in the emergency department (ED), particularly for patients who are still in the diagnostic process and are discharged with diagnostic uncertainty. Care transitions must be improved for these patients, as one third of discharged ED patients have diagnostic uncertainty. Yet there are no validated measures that assess the quality of care transitions from the ED, limiting the ability to assess the impact of interventions. Thus, we developed and validated the ED Transitions (EDT) measure.

METHODS: This mixed methods study was conducted across a large healthcare system in three phases: item …

Sound, Speech, And Synapses: Rebuilding The Brain Through Neuroplasticity, Sireen Khader

The Cardinal Edge

No abstract provided.