How Environmental Change Will Impact Mosquito-Borne Diseases, Arsal Khan

Master's Projects and Capstones

Mosquitos, the most lethal species throughout human history, are the most prevalent source of vector-borne diseases and therefore a major global health burden. Mosquito-borne disease incidence is expected to shift with environmental change. These changes can be predicted using species distribution models. With the wide variety of methods used for models, consensus for improving accuracy and comparability is needed. A comparative analysis of three recent modeling approaches revealed that integrating modeling techniques compensates for trade-offs associated with a singular approach. An area that represents a critical gap in our ability to predict mosquito behavior in response to changing climate factors, …

Guiding Change: A Multidisciplinary Framework For Interventions Addressing Systemic Racism In Healthcare, Lavette D. King

Master's Projects and Capstones

The relationship between systemic and institutional racism in the U.S., and health outcomes in people of the African Diaspora have been well documented (Bailey et al., 2017). Distrust in the healthcare system is the result of generational trauma compounded by an ongoing issue that has yet to be fully addressed (Scharff et al., 2015). For decades people of African descent have expressed concern about negative experiences with the U.S. healthcare system. Often the encounters leave them feeling, mistreated, unheard and or criminalized. These feelings result in trepidation over using the healthcare system which often further compounds health issues (Washington, 2008). …

Strategies For Addressing Vaccination Disparities And Rates In The U.S Among Racial/Ethnic Minority Adults, Harpreet Kaur

Master's Projects and Capstones

As new and emerging infectious diseases surface, public health officials are working harder to close the immunization gap. Every year, thousands of adults in the U.S suffer adverse health outcomes and die from vaccine-preventable diseases. The COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us of the power of vaccines as they have been able to eradicate diseases, save lives, and create healthier communities. A literature review was conducted to identify the gaps in research as it relates to vaccine disparities among racial/ethnic adult populations.

The literature indicates that ethnic/racial minorities are at disproportionate risk for vaccine-preventable diseases and data has shown increasingly high …

Community-Dwelling Older Adult Fall Prevention Improvement Project, Evan Edminster Bsn, Rn, Cfrn, Tcrn, Cen, Nhdp-Bc

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

Problem: Ground-level falls among community-dwelling adults 60 years and older are significant and contribute to adverse health outcomes such as fractures, functional decline, disability, and death. Additionally, falls among community-dwelling older adults are the number one mechanism of injury seen at a Northern California Level II trauma center. Falls often lead to post-fall fear, activity restriction, and physical deconditioning, further compounding fall risk.

Context: When trauma centers provide targeted outreach and screening for unmanaged health risks such as falls, they reduce unnecessary disability and premature death in the local population. Reducing total fall victim numbers and fall recidivism also …

California's Master Plan For Aging, Health Reimagined: A Case For Seniors To Age-In-Place, Remonia A. Bowie

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

In 2021 Worldwide, communities face a singular yet common challenge; and this is the significant aging of their senior adult populations. Current evidence from the literature suggests that older adults prefer to stay in their homes as they age. However, the facilitators and challenges older people encounter in realizing their aging goals have been inadequately addressed by the current body of literature given the projected increase in the number of older people in the United States preferring to age from their homes. Aging adults are vulnerable to daily frustration, which could negatively impact their aging process. However, knowledge of …

Improving Vaccination Uptake In The Latinx Community Through Standardized Outreach, Vanessa M. Arteaga

Master's Projects and Capstones

Vaccine hesitancy during the COVID-19 pandemic has been an issue in the Latinx and Black community since the initial discussions of the emergency use of the experimental Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. The aim of this project is to standardize the patient outreach process to increase COVID-19 vaccine uptake. Patients at a community clinic in Oakland have expressed hesitance of the COVID-19 vaccine. They also exhibited increased frustration with the staff who are contacting them to schedule vaccine appointments and provide information. This resulted in refusal of the vaccine and less than desirable number of vaccine appointments. The objective of this …

Understanding The Significance Of Virtual Support During Global Pandemic In Young Adults Diagnosed With Hepatitis C, Veronika Arkhipova

Master's Projects and Capstones

Hepatitis C is a viral infection that attacks the liver and leads to inflammation. In recent years, the prevalence of hepatitis C infections among 20 and 30 years of age has increased by 300 percent, and between 30 and 39 years by 400 percent. Due to the global coronavirus pandemic, people diagnosed with Hepatitis C have lost access to mental health services and resources, including in-person meetings with support groups. Since most states enforced stay-at-home order, many community centers, non-profit organizations that work with Hepatitis C patients and the affected population provide limited to no access to support group meetings …

Identifying And Structuring Long-Term Community Engagement Platforms For San Francisco's Ending The Hiv/Hcv/Sti Epidemics Initiative, Adam Landeros

Master's Projects and Capstones

Purpose: The primary objective for this project was to develop recommendations for a long-term community engagement structure and process for the ten-year implementation of the San Francisco Department of Public Health’s Ending the HIV/HCV/STI Epidemics initiative.

Background: Community engagement offers public health practitioners, researchers, and policymakers the opportunity for open, respectful dialogue with community members in pursuit of a common goal. This project was designed to explore different community engagement coordinators’ experiences with undertaking such initiatives, in order to inform a large-scale funding proposal being pursued by the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH).

Methods: Phase 1 of the …

Con Confianza: Using Community-Based Participatory Research Principles To Inform Community-Academic Partnership Practices And Build Trust In Hispanic Communities, Sharon Tafolla

Master's Projects and Capstones

Hispanic communities are at disproportionate risk for chronic diseases and researchers have cited the need for further community and culturally informed studies to improve research outcomes to either make treatments and interventions more generalizable or modify them to the needs of Hispanic communities. However, many of the same linguistic and cultural barriers to health care access and utilization also impact the ability for Hispanic groups to participate in research studies. Community Academic Partnerships (CAPs) are positioned to conduct culturally and linguistically competent research in Hispanic communities. For research in Hispanic communities to be effective, CAPs must prioritize practices that build …

Promoting Community Engagement Through Basic User Tutorial Of Epa Geospatial Screening Tools, Jonas Nguyen

Master's Projects and Capstones

Social inequalities are riddled with health disparities and outcomes leading toward lower life expectancy. Communities of color, low income, and rural neighborhoods lack the voice and resources to effectively oppose industrial settlement which would likely lead to the release of toxic wastes into the water, air and ground ultimately affecting residential health. Empowering members through community engagement is a relatively new strategic process where researchers are finding mutual benefits in design, implementation, and results. This study aims to identify and promote tools for community engagement within the scope of environmental justice by working with EPA geospatial screening tools and designing …

Plant-Powered: A Digital Plant-Based Nutrition Intervention For Low-Income Patients With Type Ii Diabetes, Ellen Pelos

Master's Projects and Capstones

Purpose: This project aimed to measure the acceptability and feasibility of plant-based diets among low-income individuals with type II diabetes at the Samaritan House Food Pharmacy and to create a user-centered pilot program to encourage the adoption of a plant-based diet.

Background: Plant-based diets are effective for preventing, treating, and reversing type II diabetes, but there is not much evidence about the acceptability and feasibility of these diets.

Methods: Focus groups were used to gather qualitative data about the acceptability and feasibility of plant-based diets in the target population. The researcher conducted interviews with Food Pharmacy program leaders to learn …

Black Pregnancy Matters: Racial Reproductive Bias In African American Maternal Mortality, Juhi Khemani

Master's Projects and Capstones

This semester-long research project uncovers how racial biases demonstrated in the reproductive health field, and specifically before, during, and after childbirth, affect the rate of maternal mortality and morbidity for African American mothers in the United States. The rate of maternal mortality for this specific racial group is four times greater as compared to Caucasian women and this discrepancy will be investigated and analyzed throughout this capstone thesis. Interviews were conducted with key figures in the obstetric and gynecological field as well as with Black mothers themselves in an effort to uncover what factors, aside from medical anomalies, are leading …

Offering Medical Providers Capacity And Competence In Caring For Transgender And Non-Binary Patients: Evaluation Of A Pilot Digital Training Program, Lexis Manzara

Master's Projects and Capstones

Purpose: Stigma and discrimination in health care settings contribute to health disparities for transgender and non-binary (TGNB) people. Evidence suggests that a lack of training on the care for transgender and non-binary TGNB patients in medical school curricula has contributed to providers feeling unprepared to provide quality care for this population. Health care providers have the opportunity to play a key role in the reduction of health disparities for TGNB patients.

Methods: Twenty-five health care providers completed the eight-module digital training program. Pre- and post-tests assessed provider knowledge, self-efficacy, preparedness, and behavior. Paired samples t-tests were conducted to compare pre-and …

Art-Based Health Education For Homeless And Marginally Housed Women In San Francisco, Trineca R-N Godfrey

Master's Projects and Capstones

San Francisco currently has the highest rate of unsheltered homeless persons in the United States. Between limited resources and stigma many women included in this most vulnerable population are left with little to no support. Cis women as well as trans and non- binary people are at high risk for negative mental health outcomes due to violence (physical and psychological), stigma, lack of social support, societal marginalization, and the lack of healthcare. Lyon-Martin Health Services and the Women’s Community Clinic, in San Francisco’s Mission Neighborhood, caters to this community through its Outreach Department. Following a staff and outreach client needs …

Redefining Trauma: Utilizing Restorative Justice To Repair Care Systems, Emebet Aklilu

Master's Projects and Capstones

This project examined the ways in which restorative justice programming can improve trauma informed care among the African American population in Oakland, CA. With 23% of African American men and women living at or below the poverty line in the United States, this project assesses gaps in current trauma informed care practices as evident in the literature. Following a rigorous document review the author coded and organized key programming components following six factors detailed by Rowher, Schoones, and Young (2014). Further examination of these program components was conducted using Bloom’s taxonomy levels to assess program outcomes associated with specific modules …

Wellness For One, Healthy Community For All: Improving A Multidimensional University Wellness Programlth, Shea Gaier

Master's Projects and Capstones

Background: Evidence suggests that college students are often unaware of the seven

dimensions of wellness (Social, emotional, environmental, financial, physical, intellectual, and spiritual). According to interviews, most students think of physical wellness only when it comes to wellness. Besides the dimensions of wellness, students have shown to gain substantial benefits from increasing their knowledge of school resources regarding personal health.

Methods: This was a quality improvement project for the Wellness Matters Program that encompassed a Plan, Do, Study, Act cycle. The goal was to improve the program by adding a comprehensive educational workshop and optimizing the one-on-one sessions. Pilot tests …

Paging Dr. Strong: A Call To Action Towards Addressing Occupational Stress And Burnout Among Primary Care Health Professionals, Carmen Olmedo

Master's Projects and Capstones

Purpose: Within a rapidly evolving industry, occupational stress and burnout among healthcare clinicians and staff is becoming a pervasive public health crisis across all subspecialties. The purpose of this project was to use the Compassion Satisfaction-Compassion Fatigue (CS-CF) Theory as a method to assess burnout among primary care health professionals, in addition to developing recommendations to assist the promotion of a staff wellness initiative at an urban community clinic.
Methods: A needs assessment was conducted at a Community Health Center (CHC) in San Francisco. Data collection consisted of anonymous distribution of the Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) Survey and semi-structured …

Finding The Narrative In Incident Reports, La'eeqa Aslam

Master's Projects and Capstones

The Progress Foundation, as licensed by the state of California and the Community Care Licensing, is required to use incident reports for internal audits and remain in compliance as a health facility. Incident reports are used to record events or accidents that have occurred within an organization. Often times, reports are made, handed off, and given from the residence home to the Community Care Licensing with little to no information of how an incident was managed. The Progress Foundation is working towards tracking information from the incident reports to improve internal management and understand the trends in the reports.

In …

Keep The Beat With Heart Failure Education: A Quality Improvement Project, Brenda L. Peterson

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

Problem: Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is the number one diagnosis-related group (DRG) for people 65 years of age and older in the United States. This disease group is complicated and debilitating, requiring frequent hospitalizations with high mortality rates. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) has identified CHF as an area for improvement in hospitals.

Context: This was a quality improvement project for an integrated medical center in the Central Valley, California with over 19,000 HF patients. In 2018, for patients 65 years and older, HF is the third-most admitted DRG …

In Home Support For All: A Community Outreach Project, Lily Moll

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

In Home Supportive Services Public Authority (IHSSPA) is a Medi-Cal funded organization that helps the elderly and disabled living in San Francisco find care and support at home. The Public Authority component of IHSS specializes in providing support to their clients or “consumers” when attempting to hire home care workers or “providers.” However, IHSSPA services remain relatively unknown throughout many communities in San Francisco county and there is a need for increased community outreach. To address this problem, communities that are currently underserved by IHSSPA were defined by their zip code. These communities were compared with data indicating which …

Implementation Of A Fruit And Vegetable Voucher Program In San Francisco, Alexandra Kambur

Master's Projects and Capstones

Chronic disease has emerged as the predominant public health challenge of the 21st century. Chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes and obesity have maintained their top positions as the leading causes of poor health, disability, death, and high health-care expenditures for over a decade. Health and hunger go hand-in-hand. Today over 15 million households in the United States struggle with food insecurity, meaning they do not have sufficient access to food that meets their dietary needs for an active and healthy life. The issue of food insecurity in cities like San Francisco, California is exacerbated by the …

Community-Based Asthma Intervention Programs And Their Impact On Childhood Health Outcomes And Burdens On The Healthcare System, Danika Ng

Master's Projects and Capstones

Since 1997, asthma prevalence rates have increased by 3% annually, leading to a current rate of 18.4 million adults and 6.2 million children with asthma, high hospitalization and emergency department visit rates, and an overall healthcare spending of 50 billion dollars. However, this increase in prevalence is disproportionately impacting children. Asthma is the third leading cause for hospitalization in children, have higher proportions of children being hospitalized with asthma symptoms, and have higher rates of asthma attacks. Recent literature shows that perceived lack of adequate education in areas such as medication adherence, medical device usage, asthma trigger avoidance, lack of …

The Health Consequences Of Adverse Childhood Experiences: Building Resilient Communities, Elizabeth S. Najmabadi

Master's Projects and Capstones

Studies have identified that trauma experienced as a child directly affects your health later in life. In Sonoma County, one in four children have experienced two or more Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) before the age of 18. Twenty-two percent of Sonoma County adults reported experiencing four or more ACEs before the age of 18. With the high rates of ACEs in our community this fieldwork placement aimed to bring awareness and build community capacity to understand and address ACEs and foster resiliency. To raise awareness in our community we developed the ACES and Resiliency Fellowship Series, which trained 60 fellows …

The Impact Of Housing Insecurity On Community Health Outcomes: Exploring Collective Community Solutions And Housing Models In The Western Addition, Jacqueline V. Brown, Jacqueline Victoria Brown

Master's Projects and Capstones

In a city where housing is scarce and prices continue to rise, the lower income residents of the Western Addition are in panic. Historically, the Western Addition/Fillmore is ground zero for Urban Renewal. This community is still bouncing back from the negative effects of the out migration of Black residents, Japanese internment, and rapid gentrification. For twenty years, this part of the city was known as Harlem of the West due to its world-renowned Jazz and Blues composers, and is informally known as “Tha ‘Mo”. San Francisco has set the tone nationally for public, mixed income, and private housing that …

Inpatient & Outpatient Venous Thromboembolism: A Multifactorial Approach To Increase Mechanical And Pharmacological Prophylaxis Compliance, Suzanne E. Scheierling

Master's Projects and Capstones

Venous thromboemboli (VTEs) are a clinical and public health problem as they are commonly linked to inpatient experiences, yet frequently occur in the outpatient setting. VTEs place a significant burden on health care organizations and patients alike, as VTEs are costly, require long-term medications, and frequently reoccur. Research has identified risk factors and determined best practices for VTE prevention and prophylaxis, however little consensus exists among health care organizations and the implementation of best practices is varied. This project studied the challenges and opportunities in VTE prevention and prophylaxis at a large metropolitan hospital in California. Environmental changes were made …

The Healing Power Of A Whole Foods, Plant-Based Diet: A Nutrition Prescription For Cancer, Meghan Adelman Mrs.

Master's Projects and Capstones

Chronic disease is quickly overtaking infectious diseases as one of the biggest threats to population health worldwide (Egger, 2012). Studies have shown that plant based diets are effective at reducing prevalence but are also a viable complimentary treatment approach to healing. Further investigation is needed into how plant based diets can reduce risk of recurrence, specifically as it relates to a cancer diagnosis. The Ceres Project is an organization that provides a healing foods philosophy to the care of cancer patients through meal delivery programs at low to no cost. The aim of this research study was to implement the …

Stroke Outreach In The Lao Community, Noor A. Dythavon

Master's Projects and Capstones

CNL Abstract

A community health needs assessment for the service area prompted concern regarding access to quality healthcare for non-English speaking Southeast Asians (SEA) in the area. Goals of an initial investigation and subsequent implementation of sustainable stroke health fairs for non-English speaking communities were evaluated to assess primary healthcare concerns that the SEA community face and to suggest long-term solutions to these issues. Initial investigation required researching population-specific minority health statistics to quantify the prevalence of chronic diseases and conditions which were prioritized in terms of needs versus disparities. Research came from evidence base practice guidelines and personal concern …

Chna: The Role Of The Hospital In Addressing Specific Community Health Needs, Yesmina L. Zavala

Master's Projects and Capstones

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) added a requirement for nonprofit hospitals to keep their tax-exempt status under the Internal Revenue System Code 501(c) 3. This code requires all nonprofit hospitals to complete Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) reports every three years and must include input from community stakeholders and underserved individuals representing the low-income, minority and chronically ill population.

In addition to the CHNA, implementation strategies are required to be executed in the geographic areas served in order to meet the identified prioritized needs from the CHNA. Oftentimes, CHNAs are difficult to conceptualize and operationalize within the …

Geographical Incidence Of Antimicrobial Resistant Gonorrhea, Christofer A. Rodriguez

Master's Projects and Capstones

Evolving throughout the last century, Gonorrhea has become a superbug, becoming difficult to treat. As the second most commonly reported notifiable disease, gonorrhea rates have been increasing, despite efforts in prevention and treatment. Populations at risk are mainly MSM and FSW. In 2015, men’s gonorrhea rates in the United States were higher compared to women, at 140.9 and 107.2 per 100,000 population, respectively. Illinois has consecutively had higher rates of infection compared to the US, at 133.5 per 100,000 population compared to the US rate of 123.9 per 100,000 population. The surveillance of gonococcal isolate resistance to current antimicrobials began …

Inside The Juvenile Justice System, Megan Phalon

Master's Projects and Capstones

The United States of America is known for freedom and integrity and being a nation that stands for justice and equality for all. Within the United States there are systems in place to better the people and communities in order to provide safety and order. However, just as any nation, there is a struggle with violent behavior and tendencies among adults and adolescents. Within the last three decades, the United States has created a correctional system that specifically targets adolescents, and that acknowledges the differences between adult and juvenile development and deviant behavior. Within this literature review, academic databases were …