Environmental Public Health Commons^™

Environmental Exposures And Human Health Challenges: Evidence-Based Insights From Health Surveillance Systems, Jagadeesh Puvvula

Theses & Dissertations

Human exposure to environmental hazards is associated with a variety of preventable adverse health outcomes. As the environmental health risks result from the complex interaction between hazard, exposure, and susceptibility, these exposure-outcome associations are heterogeneous across the population. Improving environmental health literacy by advocating evidence-based environmental risk communication could play a role in reinforcing protective behavior against environmental hazards. The use of public health surveillance systems to assess the exposure-response associations is one of the effective ways to quantify the environmental health risks. However, there are several gaps in effectively quantifying environmental health risks. This dissertation aims to address a …

Using Syndromic Surveillance To Assess The Impact Of Environmental Factors On Asthma- And Copd- Related Ed Visits In Douglas County, Nebraska, Sandra Gonzalez-Ramirez, Anne Mardis O'Keefe, Tricia D. Levan, Lynette Smith

Capstone Experience

Background: Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are chronic diseases associated with health disparities in Douglas County, Nebraska and in the United States. Currently there is a lack of information describing the impact of environmental factors in Nebraska on the burden of emergency department (ED) visits or hospitalizations related to these chronic respiratory (CR) diseases. The aim of this study was to determine if there is an association between the numbers of seasonal viral respiratory (SVR)- related ED visits, outdoor air pollutants, aeroallergens, or meteorological factors on the number of CR- related ED visits in Douglas County, Nebraska.

Methods: …

The Association Between Melanoma And Exposure To Arsenic Among U.S. Adults Using The National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey (Nhanes) From 2003 To 2016, Ahmed Bedaiwi

Capstone Experience

Background: Melanoma is a deadly skin cancer at late stages, and its incidence has been increasing significantly over the last ten years in the United States. Chronic exposure to arsenic has been associated in many studies as a risk factor for non-melanoma skin cancer, notably squamous cell carcinoma. However, current knowledge is limited regarding melanoma and long-term arsenic exposure.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study using the 2003-2016 cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), to investigate the association between arsenic exposure and self-reported melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer diagnoses. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were conducted. …

Trends In Childhood Elevated Blood Lead Levels In Nebraska, 2013 – 2017, Ellana Haakenstad

Capstone Experience

This project explored the exposure to lead among children in Nebraska. Using the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services’ Blood Lead Level database, trends were investigated in screening; demographics; incidence; and prevalence of elevated blood lead levels, statewide and by census tract. The study further explored the geography of lead exposure and elevated blood lead level cases with maps. Based on these results, policy recommendations were made to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services’ Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, particularly about areas of Nebraska with high risk of lead incidence and exposure risk where testing should be …

Relationships Between Complex Pediatric Health Conditions And The Built, Physical And Social Environments, Brittany Corley

Theses & Dissertations

The relationship between human health and the environment is complex and overall poorly understood. The environment has a lasting impact on health, and the processes appear to start at conception. Thus, this dissertation examines the potential relationship between pediatric health and the environment.

The first relationship examined was between the built environment and comorbid Attention Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Many publications have reported the relationship between socioeconomic disadvantage, Attention Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder, and Autism Spectrum Disorder. However, the link between the built environment and Attention Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder symptom severity is poorly understood. …

Epidemiologic And Clinical Profiles Of Uterine Cancer In The Gharbiah Province Of Egypt, Saad Alshahrani

Theses & Dissertations

Background: Uterine cancer is one of the top-ranking cancers of women with wide international variations in incidence rates. Egypt has a lower incidence of uterine cancer than other countries in the Middle East. In addition to the international incidence variation, there are also wide variations in incidence by rural and urban areas within countries. Therefore, this research project focused on the Gharbiah province, north of Cairo in the Nile Delta, with the aims of investigating demographic and clinical characteristics of uterine cancer, assessing rural/urban variation in incidence rates, and evaluating the possible role of hysterectomy in under-estimating the disease incidence …

Epigenetic Modifications Of Human Placenta Associated With Preterm Birth, Drissa Toure

Theses & Dissertations

Preterm birth is a complex multifactorial process. Despite the well-known role of the placenta in supporting the fetal development and maternal-fetal tolerance, the placental epigenetic modifications and preterm birth (PTB) remains poorly understood and under investigated. Various maternal and environment factors can influence epigenetic programming during fetal development to affect the functioning and structures of organs, including the placenta, which can lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes, including PTB. The understanding of the placental epigenetic alterations and maternal determinants associated with PTB are apparently indispensable for the development of actual diagnosis and methods of prevention and treatment of premature labor. The …