Community Health and Preventive Medicine Commons^™

Abo Blood Group Type And Susceptibility To Covid-19 Infection, G. Rafael Fernandez-Botran

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Since December 2019, the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic has extended its reach over most of the world, infecting over four million people and causing well over 300,000 deaths so far.[1] A significant percentage of infected patients develop severe symptoms and life-threatening conditions. While COVID-19 infection can affect all ages, available evidence points to older age and pre-existing comorbidities, such as hypertension, diabetes, and coronary heart disease, as important risk factors related to increased mortality rates.[2-4] Moreover, recent reports from China and the U.S. have suggested that susceptibility, and perhaps even mortality, to COVID-19 infection might be influenced by the ABO blood …

Virtual Community Health Workers: Outreach Calls During Covid-19, Geoffrey Hayden, Md, Paula Ostroff, Rn, Ms, Emily Romano, Bs, Imani Gray-Taylor, Carl Johnson, Bs, Angelique Miller, Sharla Thomas, Ba, Gina Mccoy, Bs, Deborah Ziring, Md

Health Equity and Quality Improvement (HEQI) Summit

The “Clinical Experience” program at the Sidney Kimmel Medical College, established in 2017, provides pre-clerkship students with an opportunity to identify and address patients’ needs for social determinants of health (SDoH). The COVID-19 pandemic led to a suspension of the student program in the clinical environment, but the CHWs continued to address patients’ social needs from a remote setting. In the absence of established best practices regarding patient outreach calls from a remote setting, we sought to develop an effective workflow that would mask the CHWs’ personal cell phones while leading to fewer “unable to reach” scenarios and improved case …

Implementation Of The Louisville Covid-19 Surveillance Protocol: Experiences From The University Of Louisville Center Of Excellence For Research In Infectious Diseases [Cerid], Ruth Carrico, Dawn Balcom, William Johnson, Amr Aboelnasr, Mutasem Abuhalaweh, Stephen Furmanek, Montray Smith, Amanda Lasnik, Donghoon Chung, Julio A. Ramirez

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

The lack of available testing for SARS-CoV-2 has been one of the primary challenges in the development and implementation of a comprehensive approach to infection prevention and transmission in the United States (US). In response to the need for increased testing capacities and capabilities, the University of Louisville (UofL) Division of Infectious Diseases Center of Excellence for Research in Infectious Diseases (CERID) initiated the Louisville Coronavirus Surveillance Program, a comprehensive approach to surveillance and testing of patients and healthcare workers. The first specimens were accepted on March 12, 2020, and parallel testing was done using a high-capacity testing process at …

Pleural Effusion As A Manifestation Of Pulmonary Cryptococcosis, Mercedes Toranzo, Marisol Arrojo, Alejandra González, Mariano Fielli

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

Rethinking Covid-19 Vulnerability: A Call For Lgbtq+ Im/Migrant Health Equity In The U.S. During And After A Pandemic, Nolan Kline

Faculty Publications

Public health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic have emphasized older adults’ vulnerability, but this obfuscates the social and political root causes of health inequity. To advance health equity during a novel communicable disease outbreak, public health practitioners must continue to be attentive to social and political circumstances that inform poor health. Such efforts are especially needed for populations who are exposed to numerous social and political factors that structure health inequity, such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or otherwise-queer identifying (LGBTQ+) populations and im/migrant populations. The COVID-19 outbreak is therefore a critical time to emphasize root causes of health inequity.

Laws Restricting Access To Abortion Services And Infant Mortality Risk In The United States, Roman Pabayo, Amy Ehntholt, Daniel M. Cook, Megan Reynolds, Peter Muennig, Sze Yan Liu

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Objectives: Since the US Supreme Court′s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion, states have enacted laws restricting access to abortion services. Previous studies suggest that restricting access to abortion is a risk factor for adverse maternal and infant health. The objective of this investigation is to study the relationship between the type and the number of state-level restrictive abortion laws and infant mortality risk. Methods: We used data on 11,972,629 infants and mothers from the US Cohort Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Files 2008–2010. State-level abortion laws included Medicaid funding restrictions, mandatory parental involvement, mandatory counseling, mandatory waiting period, and …

Engagement Of Community Stakeholders To Develop A Framework To Guide Research Dissemination To Communities, Jennifer Cunningham-Erves, Tilicia Mayo-Gamble, Yolanda Vaughn, Jim Hawk, Mike Helms, Claudia Barajas, Yvonne Joosten

Health Policy & Community Health: Faculty Publications

Background: Dissemination of research findings to past study participants and the community-at-large is important. Yet, a standardized process for research dissemination is needed to report results to the community. Objective: We developed a framework and strategies to guide community-academic partnerships in community-targeted, dissemination efforts.

Methods: From 2017 to 2019, a community-academic partnership was formed in Nashville, Tennessee, and iteratively developed a framework and strategies for research dissemination using cognitive interviews. A deductive, constant comparative analysis was conducted on interview responses to examine framework and strategy content. Feedback was used to finalize the framework and strategies for the evaluation. …

Mental Health Screening For Low Income Adolescents: An Evidence-Based Project, Allison Bryden

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Abstract

TITLE: Mental Health Screening For Low-Income Adolescents

BACKGROUND: Nearly 80% of adolescents in the United States will suffer from a mental illness and not receive evaluation or services. Children from low socio-economic backgrounds have an increased risk of mental health disorders which permeate into adulthood, leading to additional negative sequel and lower quality of life. Among adolescent mental health conditions, depression and anxiety are the most common. Literature has suggested provider intuition alone has low sensitivity and specificity for detecting mental illness and that screening tools are indicated.

PURPOSE: The aim of this project is to implement standardized routine …

Substantial And Sustained Reduction In Under-5 Mortality, Diarrhea, And Pneumonia In Oshikhandass, Pakistan: Evidence From Two Longitudinal Cohort Studies 15 Years Apart, C L. Hansen, B J J. Mccormick, Iqbal Azam Syed, K Ahmed, J M. Baker, E Hussain, A Jahan, A F. Jamison, N Samji, Oshikhandass Diarrhea And Pneumonia Project, Anita K. M. Zaidi, Ahmed Jan

Community Health Sciences

Background: Oshikhandass is a rural village in northern Pakistan where a 1989-1991 verbal autopsy study showed that diarrhea and pneumonia were the top causes of under-5 mortality. Intensive surveillance, active community health education and child health interventions were delivered in 1989-1996; here we assess improvements in under-5 mortality, diarrhea, and pneumonia over this period and 15 years later.
Methods: Two prospective open-cohort studies in Oshikhandass from 1989 to 1996 (Study 1) and 2011-2014 (Study 2) enrolled all children under age 60 months. Study staff trained using WHO guidelines, conducted weekly household surveillance and promoted knowledge on causes and management of …

Recommended Syphilis And Hiv Testing After Positive Sti Testing, Katherine Cayce Monaghan Rn, Bsn

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Background: Historically primary and secondary syphilis were seen primarily among men who have sex with men and rates among women remained low and rarely increased. Recent research shows that between 2013–2017, the primary and secondary syphilis rate increased 72.7% in the U.S. and 155.6% among women. Patients diagnosed with syphilis have a two to five fold increased risk of acquiring human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Additionally, positive testing for other sexual transmitted infections (STI) might be indicators of high risk sexual behaviors and exposures that place a person at greater risk for acquiring syphilis and HIV. A southern California university student …

Screening For Iron-Deficiency Anemia In The Pediatric Population (Ages 1-17) In Gonaïves, Haiti, Cara Rose Fratianni

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this pilot project is to screen for iron-deficiency anemia in pediatric patients (ages 1-17) in a primary school in Gonaïves, Haiti. Patients with anemia will be treated with oral supplemental iron for a period of four weeks according to WHO guidelines (WHO, 2011). All students will be treated empirically for helminths per WHO guidelines, unless treated elsewhere in the last six months (WHO, 2017). Nutritional status will also be assessed using MUAC according to WHO guidelines (2017).

Background Summary: Malnutrition contributes significantly to the problem of iron-deficiency anemia, with one in four children exhibiting stunting …

Iron-Deficiency Anaemia (Ida): Socio-Cultural Misconceptions Intersect The Health Of Vulnerable Populations In Developing Countries, Samantha G. Alarcon Basurto

University Honors Theses

Iron is a mineral that the human body uses to make hemoglobin, a protein that red blood cells need to carry oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body. The lack of adequate iron in the blood is known as iron deficiency, which if experienced in greater proportions, can lead to anaemia. Iron-deficiency anaemia is generally understood as a nutritional deficiency that can be treated by diets of food rich in iron content or the ingestion of iron supplements; yet lack of information, restricted access to bioavailable iron-rich foods, minimal awareness of anaemia’s detrimental effects on children’s cognitive …

Association Between Racial Discrimination And Health‐Related Quality Of Life And The Impact Of Social Relationships, Sze Yan Liu, Genevieve Bergeron, Nneka Lundy De La Cruz, L. Hannah Gould, Amber Levanon Seligson

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Purpose: Interpersonal racial discrimination is associated with poor health. Social relationships may moderate the impact of discrimination and represent modifiable behaviors that can be targeted by public health interventions. We described citywide associations between self-reported racial discrimination and health-related quality of life among the overall New York City (NYC) adult residential population and by four main race/ethnicity groups and explored whether social relationships moderated health effects of discrimination.

Methods: We analyzed cross-sectional survey data from 2335 adults weighted to be representative of the NYC population. We measured exposures to lifetime interpersonal racial discrimination in nine domains using a modifed version …

Possible Role Of Tetracyclines On Covid-19: Recycling Well-Known Old Drugs From The Shelf, Martin Gnoni, Raul Vasquez-Gararatti, Angel Mena

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

We are in the midst of a pandemic due to the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Innovative therapies are in the lookup around the world. Recently, chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in addition to azithromycin were proposed to be used in patients with severe disease even though strong evidence is lacking. We propose the use of tetracyclines in addition to anti-virals early in the curse of the disease in order to prevent the cytokine storm syndrome associated with COVID-19 and prevent ARDS. The proposed mechanisms of tetracyclines are: 1) anti-apoptotic properties; 2) decrease the Myeloperoxidase and ROS releaser from immune cells; 3) decrease neutrophil …

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 Women Survive Breast Cancer With Community-Based Care, Shelley I. White-Means, Jill Dapremont, Barbara D. Davis, Tronlyn Thompson

Faculty Presentations

PURPOSE Community-based breast cancer support agencies who address non-medical, social determinants of health needs that serve as barriers to maximizing breast health outcomes may play a vital role in mitigating breast cancer mortality. They share a common emphasis on addressing social, economic, and psychological needs of breast cancer survivors and those at risk of breast cancer. This paper is third in a series of papers exploring why the rate of breast cancer mortality is two times higher for African American women than white women in Memphis. We sought insights from community-based breast cancer support agencies because they have a close-up …

Kids Don’T Float…And Their Parents Don’T Either: Using A Family-Centered Approach In Alaska’S Kids Don’T Float Program, Michelle E. E. Bauer, Audrey R. Giles, Justina Marianayagam, Kelli M. Toth

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

The goal of this experiential report is to outline the adoption of a family-centered Kids Don’t Float approach. We conducted a critical synthesis of information to reflect the expansion of the Kids Don’t Float program into a more family-centered approach. The critical synthesis provided insights into why we should adopt this approach, how it was implemented, and how it influenced drowning incidents compared to the previously used child-centered approach. The adoption of a family-centered approach may contribute to reducing drowning incidents by targeting parents, providing safety information to families, and promoting parental modelling of life jackets. Program evaluators and water …

Factors Impacting Swimming Participation And Competence: A Qualitative Report, Todd E. Layne, Carol C. Irwin, Jennifer Renee Pharr, Richard L. Irwin

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Drowning continues to be a major cause of death for children, especially among minority groups. USA Swimming commissioned studies in 2008 and 2010 to look at swimming ability or inability, an associated drowning variable. The 2010 study showed alarming high percentages regarding insufficient swimming skill for many demographic groups. The current study’s purpose was to provide further analysis of variables which emerged from 2010 study and how these variables are affecting all US populations. Focus group interviews accomplished in three regionally diverse US cities asked participants (3=fathers; 12=mothers) about their personal history with swimming, perceptions concerning swimming in general, and …

Costing Of Actions To Safeguard Vulnerable Mexican Households With Young Children From The Consequences Of Covid-19 Social Distancing Measures, Mireya Vilar-Compte, Víctor Pérez, Graciela Teruel, Aranzazu Alonso, Rafael Pérez-Escamilla

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

COVID-19 has imposed unprecedented challenges to society. As the pandemic evolves, the social distancing measures that have been globally enforced, while essential, are having undesirable socioeconomic side effects particularly among vulnerable populations. In Mexico, families who depend upon informal employment face increased threats to their wellbeing, and households who in addition have young children may face long-term consequences. The Mexican government has not yet taken actions, but a coalition of non-governmental organizations is advocating in partnership with academic institutions for social protection actions such as a cash transfer and basic services subsidies for families with young children, subsisting from the …

Leveraging Volunteer Fact Checking To Identify Misinformation About Covid-19 In Social Media, Hyunuk Kim, Dylan Walker

Business Faculty Articles and Research

Identifying emerging health misinformation is a challenge because its manner and type are often unknown. However, many social media users correct misinformation when they encounter it. From this intuition, we implemented a strategy that detects emerging health misinformation by tracking replies that seem to provide accurate information. This strategy is more efficient than keyword-based search in identifying COVID-19 misinformation about antibiotics and a cure. It also reveals the extent to which misinformation has spread on social networks.

Promising Practices For Boating Safety Initiatives That Target Indigenous Peoples In New Zealand, Australia, The United States Of America, And Canada, Mitchell Crozier, Audrey R. Giles

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Boating-related incidents are responsible for a significant number of the drowning fatalities that occur within Indigenous communities in New Zealand, Australia, the USA, and Canada. The aim of this paper was to identify promising practices for boating safety initiatives that target Indigenous peoples within these countries and evaluate past and ongoing boating safety initiatives delivered to/with Indigenous peoples within these countries to suggest the ways in which they – or programs that follow them - may be more effective. Based upon evidence from previous research, boating safety initiatives that target Indigenous peoples in New Zealand, Australia, the USA, and Canada …

La Maestra’S Circle Of Care: Studying The Impact Of An Integrated Service Model On The Health And Well-Being Of Vulnerable Populations, Zara Marselian

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

There is an urgent need to reform the health care delivery system in the United States, as recognized through current bipartisan efforts. Society’s vulnerable populations especially need health care reform as health care outcomes are the poorest among disadvantaged populations. Moreover, vulnerable populations are twice as likely to develop chronic diseases than the general population and they remain ill due to other contextual, societal factors affecting their ability to achieve health and well-being. This population is subjected to adverse life events that suggest a more comprehensive approach to health and well-being is called for.

The Circle of Care is …

Student Wellbeing And Open Studio Process In The School Curriculum, Maria Kim

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This study aimed to explore whether Open Studio Process (OSP) increased wellbeing of middle and high school students when facilitated by teachers as a part of the regular art curriculum. It was hypothesized that OSP might increase the sense of wellbeing among middle and high school students as well as facilitating teachers. The research was conducted as a mixed methods study in South Korea where students need preventative interventions for their wellbeing. The researcher trained eight teachers to facilitate OSP and five of them implemented it with their classes for seven sessions. Quantitative data (K-YSR; pre- and posttest) were collected …

Impact Of Increasing Hpv Vaccination Coverage On Preventing Oropharyngeal Cancer: A Cost-Effectiveness Study, Abhishek Choudhary Dr.

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

Swimming Pool Environment And Respiratory Health Issues Experienced By Masters Swimmers: Results From A Literature Review And Survey Of United States Masters Swimming Clubs, Jody C. Gan, Julia Snegg, William Harder

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

After three members of a Masters adult swim club died of lung cancer, both a literature review and survey were conducted with representatives from 746 United States Masters Swimming clubs to explore a possible relationship between swimming and cancers of the respiratory tract. Six other clubs reported known cancers of the respiratory tract among club members, but none of the other 740 clubs reported a similar cluster of lung cancer. More clubs reported cases of chronic respiratory infections and widespread complaints about air quality. While no studies exploring a relationship between swimming and lung cancer could be found in the …

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 …

Exploration Of The Complex Relationship Among Multilevel Predictors Of Prep Use Among Men Who Have Sex With Men In The United States, Kristina M. Rodriguez

Dissertations and Theses

Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) remain the group most heavily affected by HIV in the United States (US), with MSM of color further disproportionately represented. In July 2012, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate plus emtricitabine (TDF-FTC, Truvada) for use as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in HIV-negative adults who are at high-risk of HIV infection. Despite its effectiveness, PrEP prescriptions are reaching only a small proportion of those who could benefit from the drug and prescription rates vary both by race and geographic region. The goal of this dissertation was …

The Expansion And Evaluation Of Medication Assisted Treatment Services For An Underserved Rural Northern California Community, Carolyn Perrotti

DNP Qualifying Manuscripts

Problem: Widespread opioid misuse has led to the opioid epidemic that claims 130 deaths per day due to an opioid overdose (CDC, 2018). The opioid epidemic has plagued the United States for three decades and has been considered a public health emergency since 2017 (HHS, 2017). Rural communities are disproportionately affected by this problem and in 2014, the rate of opioid overdose deaths was 45% higher in rural communities (SAMHSA, 2018).

Context: Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is considered the most effective treatment for opioid dependence because it incorporates medication management and biopsychosocial supports (Jones et al., 2018). Retention in a MAT …

Examining Minority Youth Swimmers’ Versus Non-Swimmers’ Perceptions Of Swimming Involvement, Timothy M. Dasinger, Laura L. Brown, Ashton J. Sawyers

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Drowning is one of the leading causes of death in youth, especially among minority populations (Gilchrest & Parker, 2014). According to the World Health Organization (2014), every hour of every day approximately 42 people lose their lives to drowning. Additionally, African-Americans are 14 times more likely to drown in a pool than other racial or ethnic group members (Waller & Norwood, 2011). The purpose of this study was to examine survey results between swimming and non-swimming minority youth participants. Forty African American students between the ages of 5-17 from an after-school program completed the Swimming Involvement Survey. Results indicated that …

Initiating Prep In Primary Care: Addressing The Adolescent And Young Adult High Risk Populations, Igor G. Mocorro

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Problem: Adolescents and young adults (AYA) ages 13 to 24 comprise a quarter of the new HIV diagnoses in the United States. Lack of access to HIV-preventive therapies such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) reduces opportunities to prevent HIV infection in this population. Initiating PrEP in AYA significantly reduces the negative health outcomes of HIV, but it is evident that many clinicians are still reluctant to initiate PrEP in AYA patients based on perceived threats and barriers.

Context: Primary care clinics, including school-based clinics, have an opportunity to offer HIV prevention services including PrEP. This project, the Adolescent and Young Adult …