Community Health and Preventive Medicine Commons^™

Nutrition And Diabetic Management In Urban Kenya, Madeline Jackson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This Independent Study project sought to identify the changes in nutrition from the traditional Luo culture to the new urban setting and explore the management, perceptions and prevalence of Type II diabetes in an increasingly urban area. The focus was on Type II diabetes since the majority of disease burden stems from this acquired form of the diabetes. Through speaking with elderly community members and shadowing the first line diabetic treatment centers in Kisumu, an assessment of the relationship between changing nutrition and diabetic management showed numerous gaps in the system that will continue to increase unless something is done. …

The Development Of Hiv-Prevention Programs In Public Health Centers And Their Impact On Women: Opportunities For Changes In The City Of Buenos Aires - El Desarrollo De Programas De Prevención Contra El Vih Y Sus Impactos En Las Mujeres En El Primer Nivel De Atención. Oportunidades Por Cambios En La Ciudad De Buenos Aires., Anna Longo

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The focus of my research is the implementation and continued efforts of HIV-prevention plans that are provided in primary care public health centers in the city of Buenos Aires. Much of the outline for these programs has been created and maintained by la Coordinación SIDA, a government-based AIDS group that works to organize and moderate public sector prevention efforts in the city. Public health centers are an effective channel through which HIV-prevention can be provided, due to the fact that they are often very integrated in their communities and tend to have a good sense of the social context that …

Los Factores Sociales Que Influyen En El Embarazo Y En El Uso De Anticonceptivos De Adolescentes En El Barrio 25 De Mayo, Maipú, Mendoza., Isabel Odean

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Background: Adolescent pregnancy is a common phenomenon among those living in poverty. Adolescent pregnancy is influenced by many social and cultural factors, leading to lack of use of contraceptives. This study took place in the neighborhood 25 de Mayo, in the city of Maipú, Mendoza in Argentina. This community is mostly composed of people with low incomes and limited education. Socioeconomic and the attitudes toward teenage pregnancy, as well as the use of contraceptives by adolescents, are distinct from those in wealthier better educated groups. This neighborhood is approximately 10,000 people, the majority of whom are women. Most of the …

Awareness Of Type Ii Diabetes In The Developing World: Case Study In Binh Du’O’Ng, Vietnam, Anna Hong Le

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Vietnam’s rapid economic development after 1986 forever changed the lifestyle of the Vietnamese. Economic development has highly impacted behavior, “changing from a traditional lifestyle to an industrial lifestyle [increasing] noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) : diabetes, overweight, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol disorders” (Danh, Personal Interview). With the increase of NCDs within the country, it is important to focus on awareness education that motivates the population especially those living in the urban sector to practice healthy behaviors. This study project focuses on the evaluating the reach and effectiveness of current diabetes awareness educational materials. One week was spent in Ha Noi, …

Using Photovoice In Pete Programs To Initiate Positive Change, Gavin T. Colquitt, Jody Langdon, Tony A. Pritchard, Starla Mccollum

Community Health: Faculty Presentations (1993-2018)

The purpose of this presentation will be to provide teacher educators with an overview of the Photovoice methodology and its potential utility in curricular change. The National Association for Sport and Physical Education’s ([NASPE], 2008) PETE standards state educators should allow diversity to drive instructional related decision-making. Photovoice, a participatory action research methodology, is a tool teacher educators can use to be responsive to the continuously changing contexts of public schools.

Stubborn, Persistent, Dangerous C.Difficile Infections. Is Improvement Possible?, Sara Townsend

Master of Science in Healthcare Quality and Safety Capstone Presentations

C.difficile also known as C.diff or CDI has developed into a dangerous infection for the United States’ health care system. While much work has been done to improve C.diff rates, health care teams have not been successful in reducing C.difficile infections. Many studies have focused on the mode of transmission of C.difficle, yet there still is not consensus on understanding how this infection is spread. Bryn Mawr Hospital, a community hospital in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pa, has struggled to improve their C.diff rates like their peers throughout the country. While their infection rates for C.diff are …

A Mixed Methods Approach To Food Safety Knowledge, Beliefs And Practices In Hispanic Families With Young Children In Nebraska, Kristen M. Stenger

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This mixed methods study addresses food safety for Hispanic families with young children in Nebraska. A convergent mixed methods design was used, where qualitative and quantitative data were collected in parallel, analyzed separately and then merged in analysis and interpretation. A quantitative food safety knowledge survey (n=90, 52 from focus groups, 38 from piloting the survey), was used to assess the FightBac!™ concepts: Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill, and two additional concepts: foods that increase risk, and groups at increased risk. Qualitative focus groups explored food safety handling beliefs and practices through the lens of the Health Belief Model. Focus groups …

The Convergence Of Science And Culture: Developing A Framework For Diabetes Education In Tribal Communities, Michelle Chino Dr, Carolee Dodge Francis, Lemyra Debruyn, Lynn Short, Dawn Satterfield

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

In an unprecedented effort to address the epidemic of diabetes in tribal communities, the Diabetes Education in Tribal Schools project brought together a group of individuals from eight tribal colleges and three federal agencies to develop a diabetes prevention curriculum for American Indian and Alaska Native school children. The curriculum incorporates Western and Native science with culturally responsive teaching techniques. Both the project and its evaluation process have reached beyond conventional bounds to acknowledge fundamental issues of tribal culture, history and health and the integration of science, culture, and community. This article will discuss the challenges and rewards of the …

Assessing Behavioral Health Risks, Health Conditions, And Preventive Health Practices Among American Indians/Alaska Natives In Nevada, Gwen Hosey, Shirley A. Llorens-Chen, Fares Qeadan, Daryl Crawford, Charlton Wilson, Wei Yang

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

The 2004 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey was administered to American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) adults in Nevada to determine whether health disparities exist between AI/ANs and the state’s general population. Results showed AI/ANs were 1.5 times more likely to smoke cigarettes, 3.5 times more likely to be exposed to secondhand smoke, 3.2 times more likely to lack leisure-time physical activity, 9.7 times more likely to report fair/poor health status, and 7.7 times more likely to have a disability. In addition, AI/ANs were more likely to have current asthma (OR=5.0) and diabetes (OR=1.8). AI/AN women were 4.8 times as …

Developing A Preference Assessment Tool For Use Among Minority And Low Literacy Primary Care Patients, Sarah T. Hawley, Maria Jibaja-Weiss, Partha Krishnamurthy, Sally W. Vernon, Natoshia Hebert, Robert Volk

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Incorporating patients’ preferences into healthcare decisions has been identified as one mechanism for reducing health disparities. Some research suggests that providers need to tailor medical recommendations to the preferences of their patients. Yet there are few tools to facilitate clarification of preferences for health services. This paper reports the process of testing an innovative preference elicitation technique—conjoint analysis—among minorities and low literacy patients using the example of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. CRC screening exemplifies preference-sensitive healthcare as there exist several screening options. However, screening rates among minorities are low. Better methods for preference assessment could improve patient-provider communication and increase …

Effects Of Photovoice On Youth Perceptions Of Healthy Food Access In The Built Environment, Sharlene A. Gozalians

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background. Minority communities are at a higher risk for chronic diseases related to obesity because they lack access to stores that have affordable, fresh, nutritious foods that are necessary for a healthy diet. Photovoice can serve as a tool to engage youth in positive health behaviors and behavior change. Healthy food access has been analyzed based on nutrition, yet there is a lack of literature as to what factors enable and prevent access to healthy foods.

Methodology. The purpose of this study was to determine if a photovoice intervention would create a difference in perception of food access, empowerment …

The Effect Of Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis On Subjects With Metabolic Syndrome, Samer Hammoudeh

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of metabolic abnormalities that increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Several criteria establish the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome, including high waist circumference, low HDL cholesterol, high triglycerides and glucose and above normal blood pressure. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome is on the rise following the rise in obesity across the globe. Qatar, a country in the Arabian Peninsula shares the burden of obesity with recent studies showing prevalences of'---61% among women and —39% among men. These studies found that metabolic syndrome is more common among women. Physical activity helps reduce visceral …

Family Breast Cancer Education: A Model For African American Women, Frankie D. Powell, Edwin D. Bell, Jamilla Shepperson, Thomas Coaxum

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

The purpose of this study, funded by the American Cancer Society, was to increase knowledge and understanding, i.e., the willingness and ability to discuss, of breast cancer in southern minority women and their families. A family model of health education guided the research questions. (a) To what extent will an action research intervention increase knowledge about the causes and treatment of breast cancer in minority women? (b) To what extent will an action research intervention increase willingness to talk with family members? The t-test analysis of a 67-item, self- administered survey indicated significant increases in knowledge of cancer and in …

The Manufacture Of Lifestyle: The Role Of Corporations In Unhealthy Living, Nicholas Freudenberg

Publications and Research

Recently, researchers have debated two views on the connection between lifestyle and health. In the first, health-related lifestyles including tobacco and alcohol use, diet, and physical activity are seen as primary influences on health. In the second, social stratification is the dominant influence with lifestyles simply markers of social status. Neither approach leads to interventions that can reverse the world's most serious health problems. This article proposes that corporate practices are a dominant influence on the lifestyles that shape patterns of health and disease. Modifying business practices that promote unhealthy lifestyles is a promising strategy for improving population health. Corporations …

Institute For Community Inclusion (Ici) Leadership Education In Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (Lend) Partners With Community-Based Organizations (Cbos), David Helm, Institute For Community Inclusion, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

This Interdisciplinary Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) and Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) funded-program aims at providing long-term, graduate level interdisciplinary training to health professionals and family members. The purpose of this project is to develop leadership potential to improve the health status of infants, children, and adolescents with or at risk for neurodevelopmental and related disabilities and to enhance the systems of care for these children and their families.

An Outline Of Contraceptive Use In Mali, Lillie Carlile

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The global community continues to increase at alarming rates. October 2011 marked the world’s population at a record high of 7 billion people, and counting. This population growth is linked to many complex factors, an important one of which is maternal health. The World Bank reports that over 99% of maternal deaths occur in developing countries, more than half of which occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa.^[1] The term “maternal health” refers to the health of women before, during, and after pregnancy. A crucial factor in maternal health is contraception, as its use allows women to avoid or space pregnancies, effectively …

Hospital Collaboration With A Public Library, Margot Malachowski Mls

All Scholarly Works

Baystate Health is a teaching hospital located in Springfield, MA. Our city’s population is 52% White; 22% Black; 39% Hispanic (regardless of race). Nearly 24% of our families speak Spanish at home. Poverty rates are 27%, as compared with 10% statewide. These populations are less likely to use the internet to find health information. The Dept of Health & Human Services draws a correlation between internet-based information seeking and the status of people experiencing disease, finding inverse relationships between internet use and incidence of asthma, diabetes, heart disease and other conditions. Libraries play a role in Healthy People 2020 by …

Do No Harm: Perceptions Of Short-Term Health Camps In Nepal, Dena Seabrook

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Short-term health camps are a growing form of delivering health care services to needy populations. Often these camps, usually lasting around 2 weeks, are led by I/NGOs in developing nations like Nepal and are staffed with volunteers from the Global North. These camps are largely ungoverned, and there are no evaluative techniques in place to monitor the effectiveness of the work done, raising concerns about the unintended consequences of short-term health camps camps. Nepal is particularly vulnerable to this issue because of the vast number of I/NGOs currently operating within its boundaries.

This research sought to expand the conversation surrounding …

Measles Vaccinaiton In Developing Nations: A Statistical Analysis Looking At Factors That Affect Measles Vaccination Percentages, Jeffrey Judkins

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Why do two developing countries in the same region have vastly different vaccination rates? What specific factors have the greatest influence on the vaccination rates in differing developing nations? This papers objective is to use a statistical model to try to determine what factors, education, healthcare system and infrastructure, play the largest role in impacting both positively the measles vaccination rate in 20 African countries. The results found only two of the six variables originally chosen to be statistically significant. These variables were the percentage of paved roads and the percentage of the GDP spent on education.

Indicadores De Maduracion Sexual Y Su Relacion Con Indices De Masa Corporal (Imc) Y Habitos De Alimentacion En Escolares Femeninas De Arica, Chile, Melissa Colden

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The basis of this investigation came from recent evidence that the age of puberty, specifically with respect to young girls, has fallen notably in the past decade. This trend exists in Chile, as well as other countries such as the United States, and has presented itself alongside a portentous epidemic of obesity and malnutrition. Knowing the risks of both disorders, and how their affects have already been manifested in the adolescent population in Chile and the city of Arica, this study sought to develop a relationship between body mass index (BMI) and pubertal development, including the appearance of secondary sexual …

Cancer Awareness In Alternative Settings: Lessons Learned And Evaluation Of The Barbershop Men’S Health Project, Cheryl L. Holt, Theresa A. Wynn, Katrina Debnam, Mark S. Litaker, Sanford Jeames, Yu-Mei Schoenberger, Penny Southward, Virgil Simons

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Prostate and colorectal cancer are two of the leading causes of cancer deaths among African American men. This study describes lessons learned from the development, implementation and evaluation of a culturally appropriate, barbershop-based intervention to improve prostate and colorectal cancer screening awareness among African American men. Working with an Advisory Panel of shop owners, barbers, and cancer survivors, local barbers were recruited and trained as Community Health Advisors to educate, motivate, and assist their clients in becoming more knowledgeable about prostate and colorectal cancer. Survey results reveal increases in prostate and colorectal cancer knowledge and self-reported screening among participants. Lessons …

Colorectal Cancer Screening Behaviors Among American Indians In The Midwest, Christine M. Daley, Niaman Nazir, K. A. Greiner, Aimee S. James, Won S. Choi

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Colorectal cancer is the second most diagnosed cancer among American Indians and is also the second leading cause of cancer death. We used a community-based participatory approach to conduct a mixed methods study to examine colorectal cancer screening behaviors. Here we report on the screening behaviors of our focus group participants (n=153). There were significant gender differences in the colorectal cancer screening rates for FOBT and colonoscopy. Although over 80% of participants reported having health insurance, only 35% of males over 50 years old and 57% of females reported ever having a colonoscopy. More research is needed to identify the …

A Health Needs Assessment Of Arab-Americans In The Washington, Dc Area, Reem N. Ghoneim, Amita N. Vyas

GW Research Days 2012 and Earlier

Although Arab-Americans often face various health challenges due to the stress associated with immigration, cultural conflict in the U.S., and limited knowledge of the complex U.S. health system, there is a paucity of research examining health risks and behaviors among this ethnic group. This cross-sectional study assessed the health needs among Arabs living in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Participants were recruited to take the survey online, reporting on health care access and utilization, risk behaviors, and health status. It also measured for associations between reported depression, discrimination, acculturation, and health. Quantitative analysis showed correlations between age and current tobacco …

Application Of A Re-Aim Framework To Assess The Impact Of The Southwest American Indian Collaborative Network, Michelle Chino, Carolee Dodge Francis

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

In response to a Request for Proposals from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona (ITCA) along with health care partners from the Phoenix Indian medical Center (PIMC) and academic partners from the Arizona Cancer Center (ACC) at the University of Arizona (UA), and the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) established a Community Network Program entitled the Southwest American Indian Collaborative Network (SAICN). The ultimate goal of the SAICN project was to “eliminate cancer health disparities by closing the gap between the health needs of the community and cancer prevention and control made possible by …

A Su Salud En Acción: Replicating A Model To Increase Utilization Of Cancer Screening Among Low Income Latinas, Amelie G. Ramirez Drph, Patricia Chalela, Lucina Suarez, Kipling J. Gallion

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Latinas suffer longstanding disparities in breast cancer survival and cervical cancer incidence and mortality compared to non-Hispanic white women. This study assessed the feasibility of replicating the theory-based A Su Salud En Acción communication model to impact cancer screening behaviors in two at-need Nevada clinics. The intervention significantly increased the number of mammograms and Pap smears among Latinas. Mammograms and Pap smear rates increased by 58.7‰ and 51.8‰ respectively in the pilot site (95% CI 40.1-49.1 and 47.1-56.5 respectively) and by 33.7‰ and 7.5‰ respectively (95% CI 15.6-51.9 and 4.3-10.6) in the replication site, among women ages 50-64.

This study …

Walking Increases Among African American Adults Following A Community-Based Physical Activity Intervention: Racial And Ethnic Approaches To Community Health, 2002–2005, I. W. Miles, J. Kruger, Y. Liao, S. A. Carlson, J. E. Fulton

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) 2010, a communitybased program, is a cornerstone of CDC’s efforts to eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities. Six African American REACH sites implemented walking interventions as part of their plans to decrease health disparities. We evaluated changes in walking using annual evaluation assessments (2002–2005) from the REACH 2010 Risk Factor Survey. Walking was classified 3 ways: (1) any walking (≥ 10 minutes per week); (2) regular walking (≥ 30 minutes each day, ≥ 5 days per week); and (3) median minutes of walking per week. Any walking increased from 68.3% in 2002 …

Integrating Viral Hepatitis Screening And Prevention Services Into An Urban Chemical Dependency Treatment Facility For American Indians And Alaska Natives, Shelly Huffman, Rachel Brucker, John T. Redd, Maile Taualii, Cecile M. Town, Mei L. Castor, Crystal C. Tetrick, Ralph Forquera, Joanna Buffington

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) patients at an urban residential chemical dependency treatment center participated in a viral hepatitis prevention project. Project activities integrated into patients’ treatment programs included viral hepatitis and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risk factor screening, education and counseling, laboratory testing, and hepatitis A and B vaccination. Of 928 AI/AN admissions, 585 (63%) completed risk factor screening assessment. Of these, 436 (75%) received at least one vaccination, viral hepatitis testing, or both. Of 322 patients tested, 91 (28%) were hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody positive. Lack of pre-existing immunity to vaccine-preventable viral hepatitis infection was common: 132 (45%) …

Responding To American Indian Communities: Southwest American Indian Collaborative Network (Saicn) Cancer Educational Activities, Naomi A. Lane, Kathleen Evans, Agnes Attakai, Catherine Witte, Maylynn Riding In-Warne, Kathryn Coe

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Developing educational materials and providing trainings in American Indian communities is a highly rewarding activity. However, to do so successfully a number of complex issues must be faced and cultural-tailored strategies to promote awareness must be developed based on the unique traditions of each tribe. In this paper we describe the educational activities conducted over a four year period by the Southwest American Indian Collaborative Network, a project funded by the National Cancer Institute’s Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities. Activities fell into two broad areas: dissemination of cancer information through trainings and workshops and development of culturally-tailored educational materials.

Multi-Person Sex Among A Sample Of Adolescent Female Urban Health Clinic Patients, Emily F. Rothman, Michele R. Decker, Elizabeth Miller, Elizabeth Reed, Anita Raj, Jay G. Silverman

Prevention and Community Health Faculty Publications

Adolescent sexual activity involving three or more people is an emerging public health concern. The goal of this exploratory, cross-sectional study was to describe the prevalence, correlates, and context of multiple-person sex among a sample of adolescent females seeking health care from an urban clinic. Because sex involving multiple people may either be consensual (i.e., “three-ways” or “group sex”) or forced (i.e., “gang rape”), we use the term “multi-person sex” (MPS) to encompass these experiences. Subjects were 328 females, ages 14–20 years old, who utilized a Boston-area community- or school-based health clinic between April and December of 2006, and completed …

Moving Physical Activity Beyond The School Classroom: A Social-Ecological Insight For Teachers Of The Facilitators And Barriers To Students' Non-Curricular Physical Activity, Brendon Hyndman, Amanda Telford, Caroline F. Finch, Amanda C. Benson

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Non-curricular avenues such as active play during school breaks have been established as a major source for children’s physical and cognitive development, yet there is little information for teachers on the influences affecting primary and secondary school students’ non-curricular physical activity. During this study focus groups and drawing were used to explore the broader influences on primary (n=47) and secondary (n=29) school students’ physical activity behaviour beyond the classroom. Barriers and facilitators to children’s physical activity were categorised using a multi-level social-ecological framework incorporating intrapersonal, interpersonal, physical environment and policy factors. Based on the drawings, comparisons between students’ existing play …