Community Health and Preventive Medicine Commons^™

Mda Foundation: What A Difference A Smile Makes, Anne Berquist

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

The 2023 round of scholarships awarded by the MDA Foundation totaled $31,000, more than twice the amount awarded in 2022. As a recipient of the MDA Foundation's Dr. George L. Bletsas Scholarship, Maya Scott, now a dental student, is dedicated to advocating for underserved minorities. Scott's journey into dentistry was shaped by her personal experiences with dental care and her desire to address health disparities. Growing up in challenging circumstances, orthodontic treatment transformed her smile and ignited her interest in dentistry. Her scholarship facilitates participation in dental missions and eases living expenses. With aspirations for general dentistry in underserved areas, …

Microbial Profile And Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns Of Surgical Intra-Abdominal Infections At A Tertiary Hospital In Tanzania A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study, Abduel Julius Kitua

Master of Surgery

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Among infections of surgical importance, intra-abdominal infections prevail among the most common in surgical patients with considerable morbidity and mortality. The ever-rising microbial resistance to commonly available antibiotics and geographical variations in microbial profile and resistance patterns poses a challenge to the management of these surgical infections of abdominal origin. The aim of this study was to evaluate microbiological characteristics and antibiotic susceptibility of isolates from intra-abdominal infections at a tertiary hospital in Tanzania and how these influence early treatment outcomes.

Outpatient Fall Prevention In Ambulatory Adults 65 Years Old And Over, Dorothy L. Osborne-White

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Background: In the United States (U.S.), falls are the leading cause of injury among adults 65 and over, resulting in 36 million falls yearly (Moreland et al., 2020). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2023), one in four older adults experiences a fall each year. Falls are the world's second most prominent cause of accidental deaths (World Health Organization [WHO], 2021). Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries among older adults (Moreland et al., 2020).

Methods: A quality improvement project that included a fall bundle was implemented in a primary clinic. A …

Nursing Education On Sleep Health And Its Impact On Insulin Resistance In Adolescents, Salamasina Tufa

Nursing | Student Research Posters

Sleep is essential for human physical restoration, cognitive function, and emotional well-being. Recent studies have discovered that sleep is also important for proper endocrine system health, and problems with sleep may directly put a person at risk for Type II Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) (Tsuneki et al., 2016). A precursor to T2DM is insulin resistance (IR), which is when insulin is not effective in bringing glucose into the cells for energy. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2024). Sleep disorders, poor sleep quality, and short sleep duration contribute to IR by harming the body’s cells, making them less responsive to …

Home Blood Pressure Monitoring Bundle For Hypertension Outcomes In Adult Patients Receiving Care In Public Health Clinics, Christine Jennifer Victorian

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Background: Hypertension (HTN) that is not adequately controlled leads to cardiovascular disease, stroke, and heart disease. It affects 116 million adults (47%) in the United States (U.S.). The HTN compliance rate in a South Texas public health clinic was 64%, below the national benchmark of 76%. Home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) was recommended in a joint statement by the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Medical Association (AMA). Literature evidence revealed that the HBPM bundle increased BP control (< 140/90 mmHg) compliance.

Methods: A quality improvement (QI) bundle was initiated to address the low HTN compliance rate from a quality management perspective. …

Mda Foundation: 2024 Promises Great Things From The Mda Foundation, Anne Berquist

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

The MDA Foundation is making significant strides in supporting dental and hygiene students and the community. In a recent announcement, 12 scholarships totaling $31,000 were awarded, thanks to donor generosity. The Foundation's upcoming Sparkling Smiles Celebration will provide an opportunity to meet scholarship recipients and acknowledge donors. The primary focus in June will be the Mission of Mercy event in Flint, aiming to offer essential dental care to up to 2,000 individuals. Volunteers are encouraged to participate, and financial support can be pledged online. Ongoing efforts include fundraising for the Karen Burgess Scholarship Endowment and the upcoming MDA Foundation golf …

Improving Dental Students' Knowledge And Confidence In Treating Tobacco Use, Victoria Pierce

DNP Projects

Background: Tobacco use can lead to numerous chronic health conditions. Healthcare professionals in the dental field are in a unique position to broach this issue with patients. Research shows that dental students do not feel equipped to provide tobacco cessation care, citing lack of education on the subject among their top reasons for this.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to evaluate changes in dental students’ knowledge and confidence related to treating tobacco use after participation in an educational intervention about the 5A’s, behavioral counseling, and first-line prescription medications.

Methods: This quality improvement initiative utilized a quasi-experimental survey design …

Reducing Food Scarcity: The Benefits Of Urban Farming, S.A. Claudell, Emilio Mejia

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Urban farming can enhance the lives of communities and help reduce food scarcity. This paper presents a conceptual prototype of an efficient urban farming community that can be scaled for a single apartment building or an entire community across all global geoeconomics regions, including densely populated cities and rural, developing towns and communities. When deployed in coordination with smart crop choices, local farm support, and efficient transportation then the result isn’t just sustainability, but also increasing fresh produce accessibility, optimizing nutritional value, eliminating the use of ‘forever chemicals’, reducing transportation costs, and fostering global environmental benefits.

Imagine Doris, who is …

An Evaluation Of A Student Allied Health Professions’ Social Prescribing Scheme, Kirstie A. Goodchild, Anya De Iongh

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Social prescribing is a core part of healthcare policy within the NHS and requires support and contributions from all healthcare professionals, including Allied Healthcare Professionals (AHPs). The well-established medical student-led social prescribing student champion scheme (SPSCS) has been expanded to include AHPs, and AHP champions were recruited to deliver peer-led activities focused on social prescribing. This article aimed to evaluate the impact of the scheme's expansion on AHP students. Method: Fourteen AHP champions ran 21 activities that reached 524 students. Those participating in the champion-led activities were asked to complete pre- and post-session surveys to capture the impact of …

Strategies To Encourage Recall And Prevent Relapse After Full Mouth Rehabilitation Under General Anesthesia In Children, Claire Koukol

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Background: Dental caries are preventable. Dentists utilize many prevention strategies in the office and provide at-home education to families. However, once a child develops Early Childhood Caries (ECC), especially in more severe cases, they may need general anesthesia (GA) to complete treatment. While this is an effective way to achieve full mouth dental rehabilitation (FMDR), this burdens the healthcare systems and families and does not come without risk to the patient. Patients with high caries experience remain at high risk of caries relapse after FMDR under GA, sometimes necessitating additional FMDR under GA. While there has been a significant amount …

Assessing Virtual Versus In-Person Experiential Learning And Medical High-Fidelity Simulation In Medical Student Pediatric Clerkship Training, Andrew Mitchell Berry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Simulation and experiential training have been incorporated into medical school training for decades. The utilization of medical simulations has become an invaluable tool in healthcare education and training. However, circumstances such as limited resources, geographical constraints, or global health crises may hinder the feasibility of conducting in-person medical simulations. In these scenarios, virtual medical simulations emerge as a compelling alternative. While there are many ways to accomplish experiential-based learning, many faculty and students feel Socratic learning styles provide the best learning experience.

As medical students had just finished a predominantly virtual preclinical year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the research …

A Case Study Of The Political Determinant Of Health On The Public Health Crisis Of Malaria In Nigeria, Bisola M. Olumegbon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Globally, there were about 229 million cases of malaria in 2022. The sub-Saharan African region accounted for 92% of the reported cases and 94% of deaths. Nigeria had the highest number of malaria cases and deaths, representing 27% of global cases. This scholarly project was a case study guided by the political determinants of health. Triangulation of data using thematic analysis was used to identify the political determinants of malaria in Nigeria and to understand how the concept of interaction contributes to the persistence of the disease. The analysis involved a deductive and inductive approach based on the literature …

A New Dietary Fiber Can Enhance Satiety And Reduce Postprandial Blood Glucose In Healthy Adults: A Randomized Cross-Over Trial, Simou Wu, Wen Jia, Huimin He, Jun Yin, Huilin Xu, Chengyuan He, Qinqiu Zhang, Yue Peng, Ruyue Cheng

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Dietary fiber plays a potential role in regulating energy intake and stabilizing postprandial blood glucose levels. Soluble dietary fiber has become an important entry point for nutritional research on the regulation of satiety.

METHODS: this was a double-blind, randomized cross-over trial enrolling 12 healthy subjects to compare the effects of RPG (R+PolyGly) dietary fiber products (bread, powder, and capsule) and pectin administered with a standard meal on satiety, blood glucose, and serum insulin level.

RESULTS: Adding 3.8% RPG dietary fiber to bread significantly increased the volume, water content, hardness, and chewiness of bread compared to 3.8% pectin bread and …

Expanding Health Professional Education In The Rio Grande Valley During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Sabrina R. Orta, Samantha G. Alvarado, Shuchita Jhaveri

Research Symposium

Purpose: The COVID-19 Pandemic has prompted innovation in health professional education, such that learners are able to recognize and mitigate healthcare disparities in the outcomes of vulnerable populations. The objective of our project was to increase education on preventing, preparing for, and responding to COVID-19 and other locally prevalent infectious diseases that disproportionately affect RGV communities.

Description: This project had 3 goals: (1) provide learners with virtual patient-interaction simulations (2) provide interactive training modules on the identification, prevention, and treatment of infectious diseases affecting South TX and strategies to increase child vaccinations, and (3) provide learners an opportunity to coordinate …

Interdisciplinary Integrated Primary And Behavioral Healthcare (I2pbh) Initiative, John Ronnau, Deepu George, Maria Hernandez, Evan Garcia, Myrna Ruiz

Research Symposium

Purpose: The Interdisciplinary Integrated Primary and Behavioral Healthcare (I²PBH) initiative will train University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) mental health graduates to deliver high quality, evidence-based Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) services in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) – a high-need, high-demand, medically underserved Hispanic region along the US-Mexico border. Specifically, the I²PBH initiative will train 24 UTRGV mental health graduates annually to deliver high-quality Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) clinical services through the evidence based Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) model. With a training emphasis on basic/advanced theory and clinical skills in the PCBH model, students …

Primary Care Behavioral Health Partnerships Advancing & Transforming Health Sciences (Pcbh Paths), Kristan Diaz-Rios, Deepu George, Maria Hernandez, Evan Garcia, Myrna Ruiz, Salvador Arellano Iii

Research Symposium

Purpose: Primary Care Behavioral Health Partnerships Advancing & Transforming Health Sciences (PCBH PATHS) is a workforce development pipeline project aimed at permanently augmenting UTRGV’s institutional capacity to address shortage of an Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) competent workforce locally, regionally and nationally. Our initiative, aligned with UTRGV strategic priorities and key initiatives, will integrate basic(model specific strategy and operational elements), mid-level (role identity and profession specific behavioral competencies specific to each health profession), and advanced (behavioral medicine clinical skills) applications of the evidence based PCBH model of delivery. A PCBH focused delivery system (clinical and educational), in which primary care providers …

Impact Of Interprofessional Student Teams At A Remote Area Medical Event In Rural Appalachia, Emily K. Flores, Karilynn Dowling, Caroline Abercrombie Md, Rick L. Wallace

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Education in interprofessional collaboration is vital to expand healthcare access, especially in areas of higher disparity. To address this need, interprofessional faculty collaborators incorporated undergraduate and graduate health profession students into teams at an annual Remote Area Medical event in rural Appalachia between 2017 and 2020.

Purpose: This article evaluates the impact of an interprofessional student teams model on both patient care experience and students’ interprofessional collaboration attitudes and behaviors.

Methods: Student volunteers completed pre- and post-event surveys containing questions about demographics, open-ended questions, and questions from two instruments: the Student Perceptions of Interprofessional Clinical Education-Revised Instrument, Version 2 …

Estimation Of Health Risks Caused By Metals Contained In E-Cigarette Aerosol Through Passive Vaping, Wei-Chung Su, Jinho Lee, Kai Zhang, Su-Wei Wong, Anne Buu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

It is expected that secondary exposure to e-cigarette aerosol (passive vaping) will soon become an issue of public health. Passive vaping inhales e-cigarette aerosol containing similar harmful substances as active vaping. However, parallel studies on passive vaping are minimal. Therefore, there is a need for passive vaping-related health risk studies to assess the impact of vaping on public health. This research conducted a series of experiments in a room using a puffing machine and the Mobile Aerosol Lung Deposition Apparatus (MALDA) to study e-cigarette aerosol respiratory deposition through passive vaping. The experimental data acquired were applied to estimate the deposited …

Transformative Approach To Developing A Sustainable Interprofessional Education Program, Tilicia Mayo-Gamble, Jane Nester, Paula Tillman, Sandhya Lohani, Padmini Shankar, Pamela Mahan

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: The ability to offer and sustain interprofessional collaboration and education (IPE) in an academic setting could potentially serve as a training model for other academic institutions to implement programs that will increase the number of practice-ready, culturally competent healthcare professionals. We designed, implemented, and evaluated an Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Scholars Program to train culturally competent interdisciplinary students to provide quality, patient-centered healthcare in rural and underserved communities post-graduation.

Methods: Two cohorts of students (Cohort 1, n = 15, Cohort 2, n = 14) were recruited into a two-year longitudinal program with 80 hours of didactic learning and …

Building Up Cal Poly Global Brigades Student Group: Reflections On Designing And Implementing One Undergraduate-Led Community Info Session, Caroline Nicole Smith, Jafra D. Thomas

Kinesiology and Public Health

Intro: Global Brigades, an international non-profit organization, trains college students and other pre-professionals in community-based health promotion by mobilizing community service trips around the world, which are taught and led by local community groups. Cal Poly’s Global Brigades student group was founded in 2018, and thus far, they have carried out three annual, medically-focused brigades to Honduras (two in-person, one virtual).

Purpose: The aim of this report is to present the findings of one experiential senior project to promote Cal Poly’s Global Brigades student group^[1] (conducted January to March 2023).

Methods: The student designed material for …

Understanding Home Visitor Attendance At Well Child Checks: A Mixed Methods Study, Rachel Segal, Sommer Rose, Marcia Dutcher, Tyler Myroniuk, Mary Moffatt, James Anderst

Research Days

Background: Early childhood home visiting programs have variable outcomes on child health across models and studies. Given this variability, novel approaches are needed to foster consistent positive outcomes. One approach is attendance of a home visitor (HV) at medical provider well child checks (WCCs) to provide a stronger link between home visiting and the medical home. This process may be assessed in an exploratory study evaluating the qualitative perceptions and initial quantitative effects of the intervention.

Objectives/Goal: Qualitatively explore perspectives of HVs attending WCCs and quantitatively evaluate effects of the practice on (1) family compliance with American Academy of Pediatrics …

Healthcare Disparities In The Lgbtqia+ Community: A Scoping Review Of Community Vs Provider Experiences, Uttara Hardikar, Alisha Vincent, Venkateswar Venkataman, Millicent Channell

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: It is well-established that healthcare disparities exist in the LGBTQIA+ community. The divide is a growing concern exacerbated by recent changes in the healthcare and sociopolitical climate. To eliminate this divide and find ways to deliver better outcomes to the LGBTQIA+ is a dire need. This report analyzes the possible reasons from the community as well as the providers perspective, with a goal to find best practices that could be implemented in both components.

Methods: A scoping literature review was carried out as described below to collect perspectives from both sides: patients as well as providers.

Results: From patient …

Introduction Of Hiv Point-Of-Care Testing In Adolescent Primary Care: A Quality Improvement Project, Jennifer Quinn Belfry

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

BACKGROUND: HIV, first identified in 1981, remains a persistent public health problem affecting 1.1 million Americans today. Detection is a critical first step to ending the HIV epidemic and the CDC recommends universal HIV screening for all patients 13-64 years of age regardless of risk factors. HIV screening rates are suboptimal especially in adolescent and young adult populations who face unique barriers to screening. The aim of this project was to improve HIV screening rates in adolescent and young adult patients at a large, urban FQHC.

LOCAL PROBLEM: In the state of Rhode Island, 1 in 10 persons living with …

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (Lgbtqia+) Health Disparities In Sexual Health And Sexual Education, Cole T. Mcbride

Curriculum and Instruction Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: Comprehensive sex education instills knowledge and promotes the health of all youth, however, most sex education remains heteronormative. School-based programs in the United States (US) emphasize monogamous, heterosexual relationships. In 2021, only 7.4% of students received sex education that included positive representations of both LGB and transgender people and nonbinary topics, while 72% of programs across the US omit LGBTQ+ topics. Most new HIV diagnoses occur in gay and bisexual men aged 13-34, but the sex education environment for this group is increasingly hostile as more states prohibit addressing these topics in public schools.

Purpose: The purpose …

Prevention Of Obesity-Related Morbidity & Mortality In Adults, Rachelle Virgin

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

Poster presentation on the prevention of obesity related morbidity and mortality in adults.

A Dentist's Role In The Delivery Of Culturally Competent Oral Health Care To Transgender Patients, Laura Rhein Dds, Benjamin Solomowitz Dmd, Michael Mand Dds

The New York State Dental Journal

The importance of delivering patient-centered care is understood by professionals across all healthcare fields. But to deliver such patient-centered care involves understanding various patient populations, especially marginalized populations. Rendering non-biased, non-prejudicial care to marginalized populations is irrefutably critical. To do so, it requires understanding the specific needs of these at-risk populations to deliver high quality patient-centered care. The transgender community is one marginalized population that faces inequities in healthcare. This article seeks to examine current literature to reveal such inequities that the transgender population encounters in dental care and to explore the dentist’s role in the delivery of culturally competent …

The Current State Of Underrepresented Osteopathic Minorities In Competitive Specialties, Emmanuel Oyalabu, Steve Guzman, Dashon Eure, Ezenna Obilor

Annual Research Symposium

It is well documented that barriers exist for underrepresented minorities to enter the field of medicine and even more competitive residencies. As defined by the NRMP, competitive specialties include but are not limited to Interventional Radiology, Orthopedic Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Radiation Oncology, Vascular Surgery, Neurosurgery, Dermatology, and Otornylogy (NRMP-AMA). A large number of osteopathic medical school graduates have a history of going into primary care specialties because many osteopathic medical schools have a primary care focus (Primary Care- Osteopathic Medicine). The emphasis on primary care, whether intentional or not, can foster a less-than-advantageous environment for underrepresented minority students (URM), pursuing …

Efficacy Of Osteoporosis Education In Rural Populations, Mindy Cook, Jaden Arnold, Hannah Berhow, Rebekah Hans, Bivash Neupane, Alizon Pachas, Andrea Pham, Holly Radke, Mitchell Rush, Emily Schwartz, Hunter Stutz, Darell Schmick, David Sant Phd, Erika Noonan Md

Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Early Marriage And Reproductive Health Outcomes Among Women In South Asia, Sameen Kazmi

Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Physicians' Knowledge And Attitudes Towards Psychedelics, Arazoo Shwany, Arren Hill, Mary Seamons

Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.