Community Health and Preventive Medicine Commons^™

Pain That Only She Must Bear: On The Invisibility Of Women In Judicial Abortion Rhetoric, Francesca Laguardia

Department of Justice Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The graphic and bodily facts of a legal question of rights are relevant to the courts, particularly in questions that directly implicate physical bodies and pain, such as right to die cases, or what level of search may be allowable and when. However, in the case of abortion, or more specifically the bodily ramifications of pregnancy and childbirth, this detail is conspicuously absent. This article, relying on a content analysis of over 220 legal opinions on abortion rights, documents this absence of rhetoric. Particularly in the context of other discussions of pain and physical health risks in these very same …

What Should Ethical And Strategic Employers Do About Covid-19 Vaccines?, Dale B. Thompson, Susan A. Suspina, Katherina G. Pattit, Dawn R. Swink

University of San Francisco Law Review

No abstract provided.

A Novel Approach To Reducing Adiposity Among Young Men, Jean M. Reading

Theses and Dissertations

Background

Lifestyle intervention is the first line treatment for obesity. Yet, young men are underrepresented in lifestyle interventions, which is posited to be the result of unmet needs and overall low concern for weight management. The aims of this dissertation are to:

Papers 1 and 2: Test the preliminary efficacy, feasibility, and acceptability of a self-guided lifestyle intervention for young men.

Paper 3: Explore the behavioral and physiological factors associated with changes in adiposity among young men and women enrolled in a more intensive lifestyle intervention.

Results

Papers 1 and 2: The self-guided intervention produced modest weight …

Increasing Staff Compliance With Routine Hcv Screening And Improving Linkage To Care Among Patients Testing Hepatitis C Positive In The Emergency Department, Carson G. Swartz

DNP Projects

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a blood-borne pathogen that can cause severe liver disease, cancer, and death and is a significant source of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Several academic medical centers including University of Kentucky Healthcare have implemented routine HCV screening for patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) and have discovered a large viral burden amongst patients who are often symptomatic.

Purpose: The purpose of this doctoral project is to increase staff compliance, confidence, and education regarding the HCV screening process in an urban, Level I emergency department, as well as to evaluate whether an …

Mathematical Models Of Infection Prevention Programs In Hospital Settings, Kelly A. Reagan

Theses and Dissertations

Hospitals play a vital role in providing for the healthcare needs of a community. Patients can develop hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) during their hospitalization due to exposure to foreign bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Infection prevention programs target and reduce HAIs, but implementing the infection prevention programs often comes with a cost. The goal of my research is to use mathematical models to quantify the impact of infection prevention programs on cases of HAIs and total healthcare costs. First, I use a Markov chain model to quantify how one infection prevention program reduces general HAIs in the hospital. Then, I calculate the …

Pharmacists' Role In Opioid Use Disorder And Overdose Prevention And Treatment And Their Attitudes And Perceptions Towards Distributing Naloxone Under A Standing Order, Stephen C. Ijioma

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Opioids are a class of drugs that bind to opioid receptors (mu, delta, and kappa), located in the central and peripheral nervous systems, to exert responses such as analgesia, respiratory depression, euphoria, and miosis. The opioid epidemic is characterized in large part by an increase in opioid overdose deaths. Community pharmacists are one of the most accessible healthcare professionals who frequently interact with patients and can implement OUD and opioid overdose prevention strategies. Treatment for opioid overdose and OUD include naloxone for overdose deaths as well as medication-assisted treatment for OUD.

Objective: The specific aims of this thesis include …

Improving Egypt’S Access To Vaccines And Medicines: Communication During Covid-19 / تحسين إتاحة الوصول إلى اللقاحات والأدوية في مصر: سياسة توعية الجمهور خلال أزمة فيروس كورونا, Alaa Abdel-Rahman, Sarah Attef, Helen Gabrah, Reem El-Sayed, Sarah El-Lithy

Papers, Posters, and Presentations

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Egyptian government has been following protocol as best as possible when it comes to responding to the needs of the health and economic sectors amid difficult times. From lockdown measures to the WHO’s recommended practices in terms of isolation of cases and treatments, Egypt has been lauded as one of the fastest and most effective countries in terms of COVID-19 emergency response. Authorities have implemented several awareness campaigns directed at citizens to inform them about the pandemic, how to prevent infection, what to do if infected and how to act accordingly. Authorities …

Time For Tobacco-Free Generations In The Western Pacific?, Gianna Gayle H. Amul, Suan Ee Ong, Azrul Mohd Khalib, Joanne Su-Yin Yoong

Ateneo School of Government Publications

No abstract provided.

Using Implementation Mapping To Develop Implementation Strategies For The Delivery Of A Cancer Prevention And Control Phone Navigation Program: A Collaboration With 2-1-1, Sapna Prasad

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Cancer prevention and control (CPC) behaviors, such as cancer screening, human papillomavirus vaccination, and smoking cessation, are critical public health issues. Evidence-based interventions have been identified to improve the uptake of CPC behaviors; however, they are often inconsistently implemented, affecting their reach and effectiveness. Patient navigation is an evidence-based approach to increasing CPC behaviors. Nevertheless, there are few navigation programs that use systematically developed implementation strategies to facilitate adoption, implementation, and maintenance, which affects uptake and outcomes. This article describes the development of a multifaceted implementation strategy designed to facilitate delivery of a CPC phone navigation program to increase breast, …

Acceptance- And Mindfulness-Based Techniques For Physical Activity Promotion In Breast Cancer Survivors: A Qualitative Study, Ross Shegog, Casey P Durand, Abenaa Brewster, Elizabeth J Lyons, Karen M Basen-Engquist

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop and characterize the relevance and potential utility of an electronically delivered acceptance- and mindfulness-based approaches to physical activity promotion for insufficiently active breast cancer survivors.

METHODS: The acceptance- and mindfulness-based physical activity intervention was delivered to participants electronically over the course of 4-8 weeks. It consisted of didactic videos, experiential exercises, and workbook-type activities that targeted principles from acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). We conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews with participants after they completed the intervention. Three coders conducted qualitative data analysis on interview transcripts to identify overarching themes and subthemes.

RESULTS: …

Maternal Occupational Exposures And Fetal Growth In A Spanish Birth Cohort, Maribel Casas, Jesús Ibarluzea, Carmen Iñiguez, Loreto Santa-Marina, Michael D Swartz, Kristina W Whitworth

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

While the epidemiologic literature suggests certain maternal occupational exposures may be associated with reduced measures of size at birth, the occupational literature employing fetal biometry data to assess fetal growth is sparse. The present study examines associations between maternal occupational exposures and ultrasound-measured fetal growth. We included 1,739 singleton pregnancies from the INfancia y Medio Ambiente (INMA) project (2003-2008). At 32 weeks of pregnancy, interviewers ascertained mothers' employment status and assessed job-related physical loads, work schedules, and job strain during pregnancy. Job titles were linked to a job-exposure matrix to estimate exposure to 10 endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) groups. We …

Bridging The Gaps: Exploring Factors Associated With Goal Achievement Within An Accountable Care Organization Care Coordination Program, Jessica L. Polk

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Background: Healthcare cost in the U.S. has been increasing at an unsustainable rate due to the growing population diagnosed with multiple chronic conditions and a fragmented healthcare system. The high-risk patient population includes persons who over utilize the healthcare system with frequent avoidable hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and exacerbations of their chronic conditions. This high-risk population makes up five percent of the U.S. but accounts for over fifty percent of all healthcare spending. Care coordination models have emerged to focus proactive health interventions for the highest-risk patient populations to reduce overutilization and empower patients to improve long-term health. Evidence has …

Malaria Resilience In South America: Epidemiology, Vector Biology, And Immunology Insights From The Amazonian International Center Of Excellence In Malaria Research Network In Peru And Brazil, Kathrine Torres, Marcelo U. Ferreira, Marcia C. Castro, Ananias A. Escalante, Jan E. Conn, Elizabeth Villasis, Maisa Da Silva Araujo, Gregorio Almeida, Priscila T. Rodrigues, Rodrigo M. Corder, Anderson R.J. Fernandes, Priscila R. Calil, Winni A. Ladeia, Stefano S. Garcia-Castillo, Joaquin Gomez, Lis Ribeiro Do Valle Antonelli, Ricardo T. Gazzinelli, Douglas T. Golenbock, Alejandro Llanos-Cuentas, Dionicia Gamboa, Joseph M. Vinetz

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

The 1990s saw the rapid reemergence of malaria in Amazonia, where it remains an important public health priority in South America. The Amazonian International Center of Excellence in Malaria Research (ICEMR) was designed to take a multidisciplinary approach toward identifying novel malaria control and elimination strategies. Based on geographically and epidemiologically distinct sites in the Northeastern Peruvian and Western Brazilian Amazon regions, synergistic projects integrate malaria epidemiology, vector biology, and immunology. The Amazonian ICEMR’s overarching goal is to understand how human behavior and other sociodemographic features of human reservoirs of transmission— predominantly asymptomatically parasitemic people—interact with the major Amazonian malaria …

An Analysis Of Georgia Mothers Who Gave Birth In 2015 And 2016 Without Receiving Prenatal Care, Joncel Stephens, Shanta R. Dube, Merrilee Gober

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: The present study characterizes the population of women residing in the state of Georgia who did not receive prenatal care before giving birth to a live infant. The association between mother’s place of residence (rural/non-rural) and preterm delivery was also examined.

Methods: This study examined data obtained from the Georgia Department of Public Health which includes data for 7,062 mothers who did not receive prenatal care before giving birth to a live infant in Georgia in the years 2015 and 2016. Data on the resulting births was also studied. Descriptive analyses of the following variables were used …

Perception Of Health Care Access In Rural Georgia: Findings From A Community Health Needs Assessment Survey, Elisa M. Childs, Tiffany R. Washington

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Limited access to health care services has been cited as a barrier to care for individuals who live in rural areas, contributing to significant health disparities in this population. While perception of services has been cited as a determinant of utilization of health services, it is unknown how perception of services influences health care access in rural areas. The paucity of studies specific to areas in the United States that are medically underserved, necessitated this study and its quantification of the issues that are relevant to individuals living in rural Georgia.

Methods: This study examined the perception of health …

Unpacking The Influence Of Islamic Religious Culture And Individual Religious Affiliation On Testing Hiv-Positive, Brittany Hayes, Amy Adamczyk

Publications and Research

The distribution of HIV cases varies cross-nationally. We separate the influences of Islam at the macro-and micro-levels to understand the role of religion in shaping the spread of HIV. Drawing on biomarker data from the Demographic and Health Surveys, we construct a multilevel database (Individual N= 568,476; Country N= 30). We examine a series of national-and individual-level predictors that may mediate the relationship between Islam and testing HIV-positive. Individual religious affiliation and proportion Muslim retained their risk-reducing effects even when accounting for a range of mediators and suppressors. Islam has a sui generis effect on testing HIV-positive.

Global “Flu-Ization” Of Covid-19: A Perspective From Vietnam

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Hiv Viral Suppression Among People Living With Hiv On Antiretroviral Therapy In Haut-Katanga And Kinshasa Provinces Of Democratic Republic Of Congo, Gulzar H. Shah, Lievain Maluantesa, Gina D. Etheredge, Kristie C. Waterfield, Osaremhen Ikhile, Roger Beni, Elodie Engetele, Astrid Mulenga

Health Policy & Community Health: Faculty Publications

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections and less-than-optimal care of people living with HIV (PLHIV) continue to challenge public health and clinical care organizations in the communities that are most impacted by HIV. In the era of evidence-based public health, it is imperative to monitor viral load (VL) in PLHIV according to global and national guidelines and assess the factors associated with variation in VL levels. Purpose: This study had two objectives—(a) to describe the levels of HIV VL in persons on antiretroviral therapy (ART), and (b) to analyze the significance of variation in VL by patients’ demographic and clinical characteristics, …

Social Media Usage And Transitioning Into Online Classes During Covid-19- A Survey Of Undergraduate Students In Georgia, United States, Sylvia Ofori, Janet Choongo, Mario Kekop, Gulzar H. Shah, Haresh Rochani, Joseph Telfair

Health Policy & Community Health: Faculty Publications

Previous studies on the use of social media (SM) during the COVID-19 pandemic have focused on the use in sustaining academic communication. This study aimed to assess the association between SM and the ease of transitioning to online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic using survey data from 872 undergraduate students. The findings showed that Snapchat and Instagram were the most preferred social media sites among participants. Compared to students who use SM for < 2 hours a day, use for > 5 hours (AOR= 2.44; 95% CI, 1.13 – 5.25) or 3 to 5 hours a day (AOR = 2.01, 95% CI 1.06-3.81) increased the odds of easily …

Parental Differences In Knowledge, Perception, And Safety Behaviors Regarding Home Injuries In An Urban Malaysian District, Munirah Mohd Basar, Mohd Fairuz Ali, Aznida Abdul Aziz

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Parents play an essential role in the prevention of home-related injuries among children. Traditionally, mothers provided direct overall care, whereas evidence on fathers' roles in children’s injuries is limited. This study assesses the differences between parents of children attending kindergarten regarding their knowledge and perception of home injuries and safety behaviors.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from January to April 2018 in 10 private kindergartens in the Selangor district in Malaysia. Self-administered questionnaires on sociodemographic data, knowledge of home injuries, perceptions toward home injuries, and safety behaviors at home were distributed. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were …

Ongoing Genocides And The Need For Healing: The Cases Of Native And African Americans, Benjamin P. Bowser, Carl O. Word, Kate Shaw

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

The elimination of Native peoples and the enslavement of Africans in the U.S. more than qualify as acts of historical state sponsored genocide. A feature of both genocides is that they ended as institutional practices but have continued culturally and psychologically. The primary contemporary legacy of these genocides is racism which reinforces historical trauma and grief. Suggestions are made for how healing for Native and African Americans can begin despite ongoing racism. This includes psychological counseling for White Americans with beliefs in White supremacy. Suggestions are also made for how reconciliation can begin at the county-level between descendants of slave …

The Ecology Of Mental Health And The Impact Of Barriers On Mental Health Service Utilization, Alisha Aggarwal

Theses & Dissertations

Mental health has emerged as a major public health concern in recent times with several disparities and barriers related to adequate health service utilization. Different age groups experience diverse symptoms and face distinct barriers in accessing and utilizing healthcare. Policies like Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act were launched to improve insurance coverage and delivery of mental health services. However, a large gap of unmet needs exists for adequate mental health service utilization in the country. This dissertation aims to describe the financial and non-financial barriers to mental health service utilization …

Complementary Or Alternative Medicine Usage Of Mothers Seeking To Prevent Coronavirus Illness Or Manage Symptoms: Identifying Relationships Existing Between Mental Constructs And Concepts Of The Health Belief Model, Gabrielle Frachiseur

Health and Kinesiology Theses

Background: Mothers are the central supportive structure in most households. Mothers can become overwhelmed by informational overload when selecting the most appropriate modalities of care to provide for their families during the pandemic. The researcher sought to discover the prevalence of complementary or alternative medicine usage (CAM) for the prevention of coronavirus illness or symptoms management. Additionally, the researcher sought to identify the relationship between three additional mental constructs; knowledge, attitudes and beliefs, and constructs of the Health Belief Model, that could affect CAM adoption.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was dispersed to 5 private Facebook groups. The survey was targeted …

Consultation/Liaison Psychiatry During Covid-19, Robert Frierson, Steven B Lippmann

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Consultation/liaison psychiatrists care for people with co-existing medical and psychologic difficulties. The coronavirus pandemic is stressful for patients and their psychiatric caregivers. Patients have lost support systems and harbor fears about exposing family to the virus. COVID-19 sometimes exacerbates previous psychiatric conditions, while diminishing intimacy with physicians. Everyone is oversaturated with COVID-19-related news focusing on rising concerns about the illness and about jobs, school, and housing insecurities.

The psychiatrist maintains a hospital presence despite fear of contracting the disease. Challenges include addressing staff morale, evidencing empathy despite telecommunication devices, and treating anxiety, depression, sleep phobias, post intubation flashbacks, COVID-19-induced cognitive …

Harm Reduction En La Ciudad De Nueva York, Dimitri Fautsch, Jason Gonzalez

Capstones

Entrevistamos especialistas del Educadores de la Reducción de Daños de Nueva York y Sarah Evans quien era un líder del primero centro de la prevención de sobredosis en America Norte. Encontramos que este campo es una solución pragmática para la crisis de addición a los opioides.

Spanish - https://dimitrifautsch.medium.com/la-reducci%C3%B3n-de-da%C3%B1os-en-nueva-york-a0a8c8ccef4a

English - https://jasongonzalez76.wixsite.com/website/post/new-york-s-first-supervised-safe-injection-sites-are-a-first-of-its-kind-in-the-united-states

Low Acceptance Of Helmet-Use And Injuries From Motorcycle Accidents In Rawalpindi And Abbottabad, Pakistan, Maryam Siddiqa, Gulzar H. Shah, A. Munam

Health Policy & Community Health: Faculty Publications

Background: Motorcycle accidents are a major cause of head injuries and the current study evaluated the beneficial impact and effectiveness of helmet usage among injured Motorcycle users. This study has been performed to observe the Motorcycle collisions within 6 months in Rawalpindi and Abbottabad cities of Pakistan

Objectives: Implications of helmet usage were assessed and the risk factors for severe injury during motorcycle accidents were identified.

Results: The multivariate analysis indicated that riders without a helmet were more likely to experience severe (AOR, 2.216; 95% CI, 2.02 to 10.5) or moderate injury (AOR, 1.215; 95% CI, 0.84 …

Self-Measured Blood Pressure Monitoring: A Patient Empowerment Project, Alison Cusmano

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Hypertension is a public health issue estimated to affect 112 million adults by 2030. Primary care patients in an outpatient clinic in Southern California with elevated blood pressure readings in the office did not have an organized system for close follow-up. The purpose of this evidence-based project (EBP) was to educate patients on self-measured blood pressure monitoring (SMBP), Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), diet interventions, and healthy weight loss to improve hypertension rates. Through these interventions, patients developed an understanding of their systolic and diastolic blood pressure goals. Nurse practitioners, medical assistants, and licensed vocational nurses screened for high …

Program Development And Evaluation Of A Diabetes Self-Management Education And Support Toolkit On An E-Learning Platform For Young Adults Living With Type 2 Diabetes, Marlene Eicher

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Project

The purpose of this project was to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a diabetes education toolkit on an e-learning platform for improving individual self-management and medication knowledge to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors for young adults living with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

A descriptive, quasi-experimental design with one-group pretest-posttest was used. Participants were recruited from an independently owned medical clinic. The participants were English-speaking young adults, between ages 18 to 39 with a diagnosis of prediabetes or T2DM. The intervention was a DSMES toolkit with twelve e-learning modules that participants completed over a three-month period. Data collected was age …

New Orleans During A Pandemic: Engaging African American Community Stakeholders On Covid-19 Information, Prevention, Testing And Vaccination, Anthony Thompson

XULAneXUS

This case study examines how the Louisiana Community Engagement Alliance Against COVID-19 Disparities (LA-CEAL) worked to engage African American residents in New Orleans during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on research interviews with Black physicians, pharmacists, and community health providers, along with field notes collected during 12 months of project assistance, the study addresses four research questions concerning African American hesitancy toward COVID-19 treatment and vaccination, strategies for community engagement, clinical trial recruitment, and inclusive research practices during a pandemic. Findings indicate that vaccine hesitancy and research mistrust among Black New Orleanians are rooted in a long history of scientific racism …

Feasibility Of Delivering Fall Prevention Intervention For People With Intellectual Disability In Group-Homes, Poram Choi

Theses and Dissertations

Adults with intellectual disability (ID) have a higher rate of falls than the general population, and changing health behaviors through exercise program could enhance health and reduce falls in this population. However, the feasibility study of fall prevention based on the theoretical framework for adults with ID has not been explored to date. This study examined the feasibility of a home-based exercise intervention for people with ID living in a residential setting. We provided an 8 week intervention consisting of a training workshop for support workers and sessions for adults with ID devoted to behavior reward, education about fall prevention …