Epidemiology Commons^™

The Effectiveness Of Health Education Materials In Influencing Hiv Testing Behavior: The Unlv-Siphi Study, Rebecca Tsegay

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The UNLV-SIPHI (Sexual Health Internet-Based Public Health Intervention) Study focused on HIV prevention by improving HIV testing behavior through the development and dissemination of health education materials. The goal of the UNLV-SIPHI Study was to develop effective, custom-made HIV health education materials that promote the knowledge, intention and practice of HIV testing among UNLV students. The UNLV-SIPHI Study was conducted during Spring 2012 semester in selected UNLV undergraduate classes. An online quasi-randomized-control trial (RCT) was used to measure the difference in HIV testing behavior contributing factors among students exposed to the health education materials. Several nonparametric tests were used to …

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 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 …

Target Population Involvement In Urban Ciclovias: A Preliminary Evaluation Of St. Louis Open Streets, J. Aaron Hipp, Amy A. Eyler, Jill Kuhlberg

Brown School Faculty Publications

Ciclovias are active street events when roads are open to walkers, cyclists, and families and closed to automobiles. Over 70 cities in the USA have implemented ciclovias to promote physical activity. The authors evaluated four events during 2010 to determine what activities participants perform and who is attending. For two ciclovia events in St. Louis, Missouri, observation reports of activities, gender, and age of 1,452 participants were collected, and 82 adults were interviewed via direct approach. The survey covered six domains: physical activity, travel to event, sense of community, marketing, economic impact, and demographics. Each event occurred within the city, …

Political Competition, Relative Deprivation, And Perceived Threat: A Research Note On Anti- Christian Violence In India, Chad Bauman, Tamara Leech

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

A preliminary subnational statistical analysis of violence against Christians in contemporary India, this article suggests that whereas the data provide very little support for simple, demographic explanations of this violence, they do more robustly support theories emphasizing the relative status of ethnic and religious minorities (vis-à-vis majorities) and the perception, among Hindus, that Christians (and other minorities) represent a threat to their numerical, political and economic strength.

Evaluation Of The Pilot Program, Pediatric Early Warning Sentinel Surveillance Program (Pewss), And Its Efficacy In Monitoring Pediatric Illness In Clark County, Nevada, Michelle Lee Lutman

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The influenza outbreak that occurred during 2009 stimulated the formation of several surveillance programs throughout the country. The majority monitor only influenza; however, there are several other circulating respiratory pathogens, especially within the pediatric community. These other respiratory pathogens cause a variety of illnesses, such as bronchitis, pneumonia, croup, etc. Prior research has provided the medical community with valuable information about respiratory illnesses, especially those which afflict pediatric patients. Areas of knowledge including seasonality, demographics, signs and symptoms, prevention measures, and pathogenicity, have been greatly expanded over the years. This information has been of tremendous help to the medical community …

Association Between Vegan, Vegetarian, And Omnivorous Diets And Overweight And Obesity, Daniel Sullivan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Overweight and obesity and associated health risks have become epidemic in several regions around the world. Numerous studies have addressed the dietary habits of vegetarians and vegans in terms of disease prevention and nutritional deficiencies but the relationship between overweight and obesity and the demographic, psychosocial, lifestyle, and dietary intake of omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans has received less attention. Guided by the social-ecological model, this study included a cross-sectional, quantitative, anonymous web-based survey to obtain dietary information on omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans. Vegans demonstrated a significantly lower mean and median body mass index ( p=0.00) than omnivores, semi-vegetarians, and vegetarians. …

A Sibling Case-Control Study Of Maternal Prenatal Body Mass Index As A Risk Factor For Autism Spectrum Disorder, Ruth Ann Hendrix

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is estimated to be one in every 150 births. While both genetic and postpartum environmental exposure have been linked to ASD, prenatal maternal weight has not been investigated. The objective of the study is to assess whether overweight or obesity at pregnancy is an important risk factor for the diagnosis of ASD in offspring. A case-control study was designed to answer this question using the public health ecosocial theory. The study population consisted of 70 mothers, who were recruited via the Internet using the viral expansion loop. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used …

Optimal Control Applied To A Discrete Time Influenza Model, Paula Andrea Gonzalez Parra

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

For the last decades, mathematical epidemiological models have been used to understand the dynamics of infectious diseases and guide public health policy.

In particular, several continuous models have been considered to study influenza outbreaks and their controls policies. However, most epidemiological data is discrete; therefore, a discrete formulation is more convenient to compare collected data with the output of the model. We introduce a discrete time model in order to study optimal control strategies for influenza transmission.

In our model, we divide the population into four classes: susceptible, infectious, treated, and recovered individuals.

In particular, we evaluate the potential effect …

The Relationship Between Daily Snowfall Accumulation And Pattern And Severity Of Traumatic Injuries At A U.S. Ski Resort, S. Jason Moore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Throughout the relevant literature, research addressing the impact of a specific environmental factor, such as snowfall, on injury patterns or severity among alpine skiers and snowboarders is sparse. The foundation for inquiry into this relationship was developed based on principles of physics and traumatology coupled with findings in the available literature. Secondary analysis of trauma registry data coupled with daily snowfall measurements from one of the largest ski areas in North America illustrated a negative correlation between daily snowfall amount and injury severity (r = -.08). Concordant findings demonstrated an increased odds of sustaining an injury defined as severe or …

Differences In Breast Cancer Tumor Size, Stage, And Survival By Socioeconomic Position In Young Women, Julie Maureen Tomaska

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although the incidence of breast cancer in women under 40 years of age is somewhat rare, young women tend to present with cancer that is more advanced and with poorer prognostic characteristics. This research will be important to providers, women and their families and those seeking to clarify screening guidelines. The purpose of this quantitative, retrospective, cohort study was to evaluate differences in prognostic characteristics by socioeconomic position (SIP). The cohort was comprised of females aged 18 to 39 with a primary diagnosis of breast cancer. Data were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results registry for all primary …

Assessing The Influence Of Socioeconomic Factors, Knowledge Level, Attitudes, And Practices On Malaria Prevention Among The Gusii People Of Kenya, Christopher Nyakundi Arori

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Global morbidity and mortality associated with malaria is rampant, and most of the clinical malaria cases are found in sub Saharan Africa. Previous and current research show that malaria is both preventable and treatable and that socioeconomic variables have a profound influence on how persons in rural Africa respond to malaria infections and the associated preventive strategies. This study assessed two key research questions for malaria cases in the Gusii region of Kenya regarding: First, whether a community education program on malaria has an impact in changing malaria preventive behaviors; and, second, if a relationship exists between socioeconomic factors and …

Analysis Of Risk Factors Associated With Asymptomatic Colonization Of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (Mrsa) Among Community College Students, Marilynn Kish-Molina

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The bacterium Staphylococcus aureus has been an important human ailment for centuries, and with the overuse of antibiotics, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has emerged as a deadly, costly pathogen worldwide. Healthy carriers can become sick or can spread MRSA without symptoms. The amount of asymptomatic colonization among healthy college students and risk factors for colonization by MRSA are not well understood. According to the epidemiologic triangle model, the host (students who take antibiotics or have a history of skin infections), the infectious agent (MRSA) and the environment (direct contact with people, animals, or objects that may harbor MRSA) all …

The Role Of Unrealistic Optimism In Explaining Preventive Behaviors In High Versus Low Endemic Malaria Settings In Belize, Daniel G. Handysides

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background: Of all the diseases an individual can encounter in the world, malaria is one of the most destructive. Simple measures like sleeping under a bednet would greatly reduce the burden (Abeku, 2007). When people estimate their risk relative to others, they are most often unrealistically optimistic, which may explain why those at risk often fail to perform behaviors, such as using a bednet that will reduce their risk. However, one study showed that people at high risk for malaria held pessimistic perceptions of their risk for the disease, but the reasons for this finding are unclear (Morrison, Ager, & …

Everything's Better In Moderation: Young Women's Gender Role Attitudes And Risky Sexual Behavior, Tamara Leech

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Purpose This study examines the association between gender role attitudes and risky sexual behavior among young women. Previous studies have posed seemingly contradictory arguments: that either traditional attitudes or egalitarian attitudes are associated with riskier behavior. Methods Data are based on the children of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, representing 520 sexually active 18–19-year-old women. Propensity radius matching was used to assess differences in rates of multiple sexual partners and sex outside of a committed relationship. Results Relative to moderate gender role attitudes, both egalitarian gender role attitudes and traditional gender role attitudes are associated with higher rates of …

Risk Factors For Development Of High Blood Pressure And Obesity Among African American Adolescents, Monique Shanta White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United States and has been linked to hypertension, especially among African American youth. Optimistic bias leads youth to underestimate their susceptibility to negative health outcomes. Public health officials want to reduce risk factors to result in significant long term reduction in cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study was to explore adolescent behavior practices in a school district and prevalence of high blood pressure and obesity in that population. The health belief model guided the framework for this study. Research questions examined relationship between individual health risk practices and optimistic bias on …

Immigration And Obesity In African American Adults Residing In The United States, Julius N. Ade

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity increases risk for heart disease, hypertension and other chronic diseases, and it affects minority ethnic groups disproportionately. However, it is unknown if African American immigrant adults, an increasing segment of the population, are at higher risk for obesity than African American non-immigrant adults residing in the United States. This study examined the association of obesity and immigrant status by comparing African American immigrant adults now residing in the United States to the general population of African American adults. The socio-ecological model provided the conceptual framework for this study. This study used a cross-sectional quantitative self-administered web-based survey to collect …

The Mediating Role Of Psychological Distress In The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Adult Smoking, Tara Wynn Strine

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While research has indicated that impaired mental health partially mediates the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and alcohol and illicit drug use, little research has examined potential mediators in the relationship between ACEs and smoking, the number one cause of preventable mortality in the United States. Accordingly, this study examined the potential mediating effect of psychological distress on the relationship between ACES and smoking using data from Wave II of the ACE Study, a cross-sectional study completed between June and October of 1997 on a sample of adult health maintenance organization members (N = 7,211). The theoretical underpinnings for …

Social Capital Variables As Predictors Of Hiv Risk-Taking Behaviors Among Sub-Saharan African Immigrants In The United States, Gbadebo Ogundiran Ogungbade

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Vulnerable populations, including immigrants, are often at risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection because of their risk-taking behaviors. This study investigated risk-taking behavior for HIV infection among Sub-Saharan African (SSA) immigrants in United States. Using social capital as a theoretical foundation, the study aimed to address the question, is there any association between social capital assets of educational opportunity, employment, and eligibility for social assistance and HIV risk-taking behavior, defined as condom use before sex (CUBS) among SSA immigrant in the U.S? Potential participants were recruited through religious and social organizations in a southwestern US state. The survey generated …

Clinical Recognition Of Obstructive Sleep Apnea In A Population-Based Sample, Mark R. Zellmer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a disorder in which the airway intermittently collapses and obstructs during sleep, is associated with increased cardiovascular and cerebrovascular morbidity and mortality, increased risk of motor vehicle accidents, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, and depression. Treatment of OSA attenuates or reverses many of these associated risks. However, most cases of OSA are unrecognized and untreated. The two most recent studies using 1990s data found that only 6.5 - 15.4% of OSA cases, depending on severity, are clinically recognized in mixed gender populations. Based on a conceptual framework of improved physician awareness of OSA, and reduced diagnostic access bias …

Tuberculosis In San Bernardino County, 1993-2004 : Lifestyle And Environmental Factors, Anuj Bhatia

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

An observational retrospective study was conducted for tuberculosis (TB) cases between San Bernardino County (SBC), Riverside County, and the state of California from 1996 to 2004. A univariate comparison between San Bernardino County and California indicated a higher proportion of U.S. born cases in SBC. Additionally, it was found that San Bernardino had a higher proportion of non-injection drug using TB cases, compared with California in 1996. Further comparisons were made along country of birth between TB cases in San Bernardino County from 1993 to 2004. Notable differences were observed for injection drug use, non injection drug use, alcohol abuse, …

Foodborne Or Pandemic: An Analysis Of The Transmission Of Norovirus-Associated Gastroenteritis And The Role Of Food Handlers, M. S. Dreyfuss

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study examined the strength of association between food workers and food to norovirus in comparison to bacteria associated with foodborne-related gastroenteritis by whether norovirus had a direct (physical evidence), indirect (statistical evidence), or suspect (neither of the two) association with food or food handlers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers norovirus to cause the largest number of foodborne-related gastroenteritis cases in the United States. The association of norovirus with foodborne outbreaks through its information data collection form focuses on the food worker as the typical source. Yet, many outbreaks are not foodborne in nature. The gap in …

Ua3/1/2/1 President's Office-Cherry - Correspondence - General, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

General correspondence regarding Western Kentucky University. Incoming letters are mainly addressed to Henry Hardin Cherry. Responses are made by Cherry and occasionally by faculty and staff. The president's secretary Mattie McLean is the writer for some of the letters signed by Cherry.

Some of Cherry's personal papers are also found in this series most notably those pertaining to his political aspirations and two candidacies for the Kentucky governorship. Copies of outgoing correspondence begin to appear in Box 1, Folder 50.

Exploratory Study Of Environmental Effects On Physical Activity And Overweight In Older Women: Research Update, Heather A. Whitcomb, Kosuke Tamura, Lauren Milius, Francine Laden, Steve Melly, Peter James, Robin Puett, Ellen Cromley, Eran Ben-Joseph, Philip J. Troped

GIS Day

Background: Physical inactivity and obesity are major public health issues. Recent studies have provided evidence that attributes of the built environment influence physical activity among adults and that factors such as greater urban sprawl are related to overweight and obesity. Few studies have developed objective individual-level measures of the built environment, a geographic scale that may be more relevant to certain types of physical activity, such as walking. In addition, further research is needed to assess the associations of both objective and perceived environmental factors with physical activity. In this 2-year exploratory study funded by the National Cancer Institute, we …

Partner Communication And Factors Associated With The Decision To Obtain An Hiv Test Among Chinese/Chinese American Community College Students In Northern California, Sang Leng Trieu

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

HIV testing and counseling is considered the cornerstone of a comprehensive approach to HIV prevention and education. Little is known, however, about HIV prevention, including HIV testing rates for Asian Pacific Islander (API) women, because data for this ethnic group is aggregated, thus limiting specific data for Chinese/Chinese American population or other API subgroups. This dissertation research examined factors associated with the decision to obtain an HIV test among Chinese/Chinese American community college women and explored the association among relationship status, partnership communication, and discussions of HIV testing.

Using constructs of the health belief model, an online and paper-pencil, crosssectional …

Fighting Nuclear Waste At Skull Valley, Margene Bullcreek

Native American Forum on Nuclear Issues

Abstract:

-Reasons We Oppose Nuclear Waste

-Sovereignty

-Traditional values must be protected

-Protect sacredness of our culture, plants,

animals, air, and water

-Affects on community health

-Protect reservation and homeland

-To protect the air and water

-To protect future generations

-Environmental Justice

Factors Associated With Aids Risk Behaviors Of African Born Adolescents In Southern California, Dixon Anjejo

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The study was aimed at determining if cultural beliefs are salient factors contributing to the spread of HIV/AIDS among African born adolescents aged 15 to 19 years living in southern California. We used a cross-sectional design and collected data in two phases. The first phase was qualitative and data were collected from 25 participants in focus groups. The second phase utilized a questionnaire which was developed from the results of the focus group, using the theory of planned behavior. One hundred and thirty-five black African born teenagers between the ages of 15-19 years living in southern California completed the questionnaire. …

A Cohort Study Of Reproductive And Hormonal Factors And Renal Cell Cancer Risk In Women, Gc Kabat, Stephanie A. Navarro Silvera, Ab Miller, Te Rohan

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

We examined the association of reproductive and hormonal factors with renal cell cancer risk in a cohort study of 89 835 Canadian women. Compared with nulliparous women, parous women were at increased risk (hazard ratio (HR) 1.78, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02–3.09), and there was a significant gradient of risk with increasing levels of parity: relative to nulliparous women, women who had X5 pregnancies lasting 4 months or more had a 2.4-fold risk (HR 1⁄4 2.41, 95% CI 1⁄4 1.27–4.59, P for trend 0.01). Ever use of oral contraceptives was associated with a modest reduction in risk. No associations were …

Girls' Perception Of Physical Environmental Factors And Transportation: Reliability And Association With Physical Activity And Active Transport To School, Kelly R. Evenson, Amanda Birnbaum, Ariane L. Bedimo-Rung, James Sallis, Carolyn C. Voorhees, Kimberly Ring, John P. Elder

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Background

Preliminary evidence suggests that the physical environment and transportation are associated with youth physical activity levels. Only a few studies have examined the association of physical environmental factors on walking and bicycling to school. Therefore, the purpose of this study was (1) to examine the test-retest reliability of a survey designed for youth to assess perceptions of physical environmental factors (e.g. safety, aesthetics, facilities near the home) and transportation, and (2) to describe the associations of these perceptions with both physical activity and active transport to school.

Methods

Test and retest surveys, administered a median of 12 days later, …

Perceived Smoking Environment And Smoking Initiation Among Multi-Ethnic Urban Girls, Tracy R. Nichols, Amanda Birnbaum, Sara Birnel, Gilbert J. Botvin

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Purpose

To examine associations between the perceived smoking environment and smoking initiation among urban multi-ethnic adolescent girls in New York City.

Methods

Self-report surveys completed in grades 7, 8, and 9 assessed girls’ (n = 858) smoking initiation, and perceived smoking environment (family smoking, friends’ smoking, smoking norms, and cigarette availability). Carbon monoxide breath samples were collected from girls using a variation of the bogus pipeline procedure.

Results

Differences were found in smoking prevalence with white girls reporting the highest prevalence of smoking at baseline and the greatest increase in smoking prevalence from seventh to eighth grade. Black girls reported …