Epidemiology Commons^™

Perceived Covid-19 Threat Across The Intersections Of Age, Race/Ethnicity, And Gender, Christina Varghese

Sociology and Criminology Undergraduate Honors Theses

Studying how perceived threat of the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) differs across intersections of age and race/ethnicity as well as age and gender will create a basis for identifying subgroups at greater risk of negative mental health outcomes. I analyzed nationally representative survey data collected in February 2021 from the Pew Research Center’s American Trends Panel (N=9,069). To measure perceived threat, the respondents were asked whether COVID-19 is considered 0) no threat, minor threat, or 1) major threat for personal and population health. Race/ethnicity, gender, and age categories are used as independent variables. Results from logistic regression models indicate that …

Eat Well, Be Well: Basic Needs Initiative's Online Hub For Nutrition Education, Misha Moseley

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Basic Needs Initiative at California State University, Monterey Bay is a department that provides students with food, housing, and wellness resources. Over half of the university's students experience food insecurity, and over 85% use non-academic resources to learn about nutrition. This project adds a dietary health section to the department’s website to increase students’ access to nutrition education. It addresses the micro-level agency problem that too few students eat a healthy, balanced diet. Unhealthy eating is a risk factor for food insecurity, so the project indirectly addresses the macro-level health problem that too many college students in California experience food …

Citizenship Matters: Non-Citizen Covid-19 Mortality Disparities In New York And Los Angeles, Jason A. Douglas, Georgiana Bostean, Angel Miles Nash, Emmanuel B. John, Lawrence M. Brown, Andrew M. Subica

Health Sciences and Kinesiology Faculty Articles

U.S. non-citizen residents are burdened by inequitable access to socioeconomic resources, potentially placing them at heightened risk of COVID-19-related disparities. However, COVID-19 impacts on non-citizens are not well understood. Accordingly, the current study investigated COVID-19 mortality disparities within New York (NYC) and Los Angeles (LAC) to test our hypothesis that areas with large proportions of non-citizens will have disproportionately high COVID-19 mortality rates. We examined ecological associations between March 2020–January 2021 COVID-19 mortality rates (per 100,000 residents) and percent non-citizens (using ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTA) for NYC and City/Community units of analysis for LAC) while controlling for sociodemographic factors. …

Acute Stress Disorder: Incidence Findings And Diagnostic Implications For U.S. Active Duty Service Members, Michael A. Schlenk

Symposium of Student Scholars

Acute stress disorder (ASD) is a psychiatric diagnosis that can occur between three days and one month following traumatic events such as injuries, violence, and/or experienced or threatened harm (5th ed.; DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013). ASD has long been utilized as a predictor of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, literature examining ASD elucidates that predication of subsequent PTSD is not as reliable as once thought (Bonnano et al., 2012; Bryant, 2018). Further, there is a dearth of empirical literature examining ASD among active duty service members (SMs). As such, the present study sought to provide epidemiological data by …

Public Goods From Private Data: An Effectiveness And Justification Dilemma For Digital Contact Tracing, Andrew Buzzell

The Journal of Sociotechnical Critique

Debate about the adoption of digital contact tracing (DCT) apps to control the spread of COVID-19 has focussed on risks to individual privacy. This emphasis reveals significant challenges to ethical deployment of DCT, but generates constraints which undermine justification to implement DCT. It would be a mistake to view this result solely as the successful operation of ethical foresight analysis, preventing deployment of potentially harmful technology. Privacy-centric analysis treats data as private property, frames the relationship between individuals and governments as adversarial, entrenches technology platforms as gatekeepers, and supports a conception of emergency public health authority as limited by individual …

Interrogating Race And Place-Based Inequities In Hiv And Covid-19, Rohan Khazanchi

EMET Projects

Over the last four years, I have developed a research focus examining the intersections of race, place, and health. My M.D. Honors Thesis reflects a snapshot of these efforts. In this collection of brief research reports, I leverage area-based measures to investigate structural inequities in three contexts: the HIV epidemic in our hyperlocal community, the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, and clinical trials for novel COVID-19 therapeutics. I apply novel social epidemiologic tools to measure and explore disparate outcomes. And, in reflecting upon my findings, I discuss concrete implications for clinicians, researchers, and policymakers alike.

Chapter 1: Neighborhood-Level Deprivation …

The Correlation Between Vaccine Hesitancy And Privilege: Exploring The Degree To Which Education And Income Foster Resistance To Vaccination Efforts, Sophie Goldenberg

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Vaccine hesitancy is a public health issue of growing concern. Extensive pre-existing literature offers several explanations and conflicting viewpoints regarding reluctance toward vaccinations. However, minimal research has been done exploring the upstream social determinants driving vaccine hesitancy. Utilizing academic and gray literature and interviews with experts in the field, this study addresses this gap in knowledge with the research question: To what extent does privilege impact vaccine hesitancy and resistance? Vaccine hesitancy appears globally and is particularly concerning given the re-emergence of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs). Additionally, due to inconsistent causes, vaccine hesitancy is difficult to combat. In referencing the history …

Consumption Of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages And Its Potential Health Implications In Indonesia, Ratu Ayu D. Sartika, Atmarita Atmarita, M. I Zulkarnain Duki, Saptawati Bardosono, Lindawati Wibowo, Widjaja Lukito

Kesmas

The broad availability of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) in the Indonesian market is increasing consumption. It, combined with escalating incidence and prevalence of diabetes and related non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and the ongoing debate on policies, has called for a comprehensive review as described in this study. Data was compiled from various sources but mainly gathered from the reported or published documents because of no direct access to the necessary data set. The lack of studies that assessed the direct relationship between SSB consumption and health outcomes in the Indonesian context also became a strong reason for the preparation of this review …

Body Image, Quality Of Life, And Their Predicting Factors In Pregnant Women: A Cross-Sectional Study, Zeynab Rezaei Fard, Arman Azadi, Yousef Veisani

Kesmas

Pregnancy can influence women’s psychological health, including body image and quality of life. This study aimed to examine the relationship between body image and quality of life and their predicting factors in pregnant women. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 250 pregnant women referred to health centers in Ilam City, Iran. Participants were selected using a random sampling method. Data collection tools comprised a sociodemographic questionnaire, Body Image Concern Inventory (BICI), and quality of life questionnaire (Short Form-12). Data were analyzed using statistical software. The mean ± SD of body image concern and quality of life was estimated at 31.77 …

The Estimation Of Excess Mortality During The Covid-19 Pandemic In Jakarta, Indonesia, Madona Yunita Wijaya

Kesmas

Indonesia is among the countries affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and DKI Jakarta Province recorded the highest number of deaths. This study aimed to analyze the excess mortality across five administrative cities in Jakarta stratified by gender to assess the pandemic impact on mortality. The monthly mortality data from January 2018 to December 2020 was obtained through government sources. This data helped to measure excess mortality by estimating the baseline mortality had the COVID-19 pandemic not occurred. The analysis used a linear mixed model because of its ease and flexibility in forecasting subject-specific mortality. The results showed …

The Determinants Of Covid-19 Vaccine Acceptance In Sumatra, Cindy Sidarta, Andree Kurniawan, Nata P H Lugito, Jeremia Imanuel Siregar, Veli Sungono, Rivaldo Steven Heriyanto, Novia Lauren Sieto, Devina Adella Halim, Claudia Jodhinata, Saraswati Anindita Rizki, Terry Devita Sinaga, Chintya Marcella, Felix Wijovi, Billy Susanto, Elizabeth Marcella, Johan Wibowo, Jonathan Juniard Anurantha, Michelle Imanuelly, Michele Indrawan, Nadia Khoirunnisa Heryadi

Kesmas

In light of the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination programs being implemented worldwide, this study aimed to evaluate the COVID-19 vaccine acceptance survey in Indonesia conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia, the National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAG), and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), published in November 2020. It was found that Sumatra Island having lower COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rates, with Aceh Province displaying the lowest level of vaccine acceptance. Thus, a cross-sectional study was conducted, and a logistic regression analysis was used to identify the factors affecting …

Increased Thyroid Hormone Levels In Pesticide Sprayer At Agricultural Area, Aditya Pawitra, Khuliyah Candraning Diyanah, Mohd Talib Latif, Beni Hari Susanto, Muhammad F D Lusno

Kesmas

Pesticides used massively in the agricultural sector would cause many poisoning and serious health problems. Organophosphate pesticides have been identified as endocrine-disrupting chemicals. This study aimed to compare thyroid hormone levels between the sprayers chronically exposed to pesticides and the control respondents who had never been exposed to pesticides. This study was an analytical observational with a cross-sectional design. The total number of respondents was 150, 50 as sprayers and 100 as control respondents. The venous blood samples were examined using the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). The findings significantly showed that the sprayer had a higher level of thyroid-stimulating hormone …

The Development Of A Work Stress Model For Air Traffic Controllers In Indonesia, Lalu Muhammad Saleh, Syamsiar Siang Russeng, Istiana Tadjuddin, Iva Hardi Yanti, Nurul Mawaddah Syafitri, Mahfuddin Yusbud, Yulianah Rahmadani

Kesmas

The workload complexity experienced by and expected air traffic controllers (ATCs) causes psychological fatigue, engenders stressful conditions, and affects their quality of life. This study investigated the development of a model of psychological fatigue in ATCs in Indonesia, which affected their work stress levels and quality of life. This cross-sectional, three-month study focused on 185 ATCs randomly selected from six AirNavs based on strata. The results indicated a relationship between work duration (p-value = 0.033) and stress on ATCs; additionally, a relationship between work time and the opportunity to meet personal life needs (p-value = 0.007) were found. Feelings of …

Effectiveness Of Using Information, Education, And Communication Flowchart Media In Implementation Of Early Breastfeeding Initiation, Rizna Notarianti, Sandra Fikawati, Alifani Faiz Faradhila

Kesmas

Early initiation of breastfeeding (EIB) has many benefits for both the baby and the mother. However, in Bogor City, there are still many babies who do not get EIB when they are born (33.6%). The implementation of EIB is not optimal due to the absence of standard procedures to equalize its theory and perception. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of using Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) flowchart media concerning the standard procedure for EIB implementation in the Primary Health Care (PHC) in Bogor City. A quasi-experimental research was conducted on 58 midwives divided into the intervention and control …

A Study On The Impact Of Occupational Fatigue On Human Performance Among Oil And Gas Workers In Indonesia, Achmad Dahlan, Baiduri Widanarko

Kesmas

Occupational fatigue is a serious problem since it may cause several issues, including deteriorating human performance. Some major accidents in the oil and gas industries were associated with the lack of human performance due to occupational fatigue. This study aimed to analyze the impact of occupational fatigue on human performance among oil and gas workers in Indonesia. This study used a cross-sectional design using a self-administered validated questionnaire to gather information on demographic (gender and age), work characteristics (work rotation, work duration, shift work model, day/night shift, job position), sleep debt, sleep quality, occupational (acute and chronic) fatigue, and at-risk …

Aminolevulinic Acid Dehydratase Allelic Frequency And Lead Toxicity In Children Under-Five In A Former Used Lead-Acid Battery Area, Yana Irawati, Haryoto Kusnoputranto, Umar Fahmi Achmadi, Ahmad Safrudin, Alfred Sitorus, Rifqi Risandi, Suradi Wangsamuda, Dendi Hadi Permana, Lepa Syahrani, Farahana Kresno Dewayanti, Puji B S Asih, Din Syafruddin

Kesmas

Polymorphisms in the Aminolevulinic Acid Dehydratase (ALAD) gene responsible for the ALAD1 and ALAD2 alleles have been implicated in susceptibility to lead toxicity. This study aimed to determine the allelic frequency of ALAD2 among children living in Bogor District, Indonesia, and its association with blood lead levels (BLLs) and lead toxicity. A cross-sectional study involving 128 children was conducted during September-October 2019 in the former ULAB area in Cinangka Village. The ALAD polymorphism, BLLs, and hematological parameters were evaluated. Blood samples were taken for dried blood spotting on filter paper, blood film, and BLL measurement. The PCR amplification and sequencing …

Public Perception And Obedience With Social Distancing Policies During The Covid-19 Pandemic In Jakarta, Indonesia, Widyamurti Widyamurti, Edwina Bernita Sitorus, Dewi Susanna, Bambang Wispriyono, Aria Kusuma, Renti Mahkota

Kesmas

The Indonesian Government established a social distancing policy to prevent COVID-19 transmission. However, this implementation will be ineffective without the compliance of the people. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between public perception and obedience with social distancing in terms of the variables based on the Health Belief Model. This study used a cross-sectional design with a population of Daerah Khusus Ibukota (DKI) Jakarta’s indigenes within the productive age of 15-64 years. The sample comprised 408 participants, with the independent variables of sociodemographics (age, gender, occupation, and education) and health beliefs (perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers, and self-efficacy). Meanwhile, …

A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial For A Multi-Level, Clinic-Based Smoking Cessation Program With Women In Appalachian Communities: Study Protocol For The "Break Free" Program, Joanne G. Patterson, Tia N. Borger, Jessica L. Burris, Mark Conaway, Robert Klesges, Amie Ashcraft, Lindsay Hauser, Connie Clark, Lauren Wright, Sarah Cooper, Merry C. Smith, Mark B. Dignan, Stephenie Kennedy-Rea, Electra D. Paskett, Roger Anderson, Amy K. Ferketich

Psychology Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The cervical cancer burden is high among women living in Appalachia. Cigarette smoking, a cervical cancer risk factor, is also highly prevalent in this population. This project aims to increase smoking cessation among women living in Appalachia by embedding a smoking cessation program within a larger, integrated cervical cancer prevention program.

METHODS: The broader program, the Take CARE study, is a multi-site research collaborative designed to address three risk factors for cervical cancer incidence and mortality: tobacco use, human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, and cervical cancer screening. Break Free is a primary care clinic-based implementation program that aims to promote …

A Framework Of Social Media Messages For Crisis And Risk Communication: A Study Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Nic Depaula, Loni Hagen, Stiven Roytman, Deaundre Dyson, Dana Alnahass, Mihir Patel, Alex B. Hill

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Research Publications

Social media are important channels for crisis and risk communication by government agencies. However, existing frameworks for studying these messages use loose and inconsistent terminology, making it difficult to build on this research and understand how message features impact message diffusion. In this study, we provide a framework based on textual and media dimensions of messages for improved analysis of social media crisis and risk communication. We apply the framework to a sample of Twitter posts from United States local, state and federal public health agencies during a year of the Covid-19 pandemic. Results show reasonable reliability levels for coding …

Ua25 Covid-19 Communications, Wku Finance & Administration

WKU Administration Documents

Official emails sent to faculty & staff regarding issues involved with Covid-19 Coronavirus from 2020 through 2022.

• WKU COVID-19 Grading Policy, 3/24/2020
• Signage Requests
• Steps to Help Keep Everyone Safe
• Latest Information on Covid-19 Vaccine Distribution, 2/25/2021
• Update on Covid 19 Guidance from Centers for Disease Control, 3/12/2021
• Human Resources / Business Services
• Fraudulent Unemployment Compensation Claims, 3/1/2021
• COVID Vaccines Available on Campus, 4/2021
• COVID 19 Vaccination Update, 7/28/2021
• Fall Semester Covid Message, 8/13/2021
• WKU Covid Vaccination Reporting, 8/20/2021
• Update on Proposed OSHA Rule for Covid 19 Vaccinations in the Workplace, 11/4/2021
• COVID-19, 10/21/2021
• Fall Covid Update, 8/3/2022

Association Of The Use Of Combination Therapy Self-Management Of Prediabetes And Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus In Adults, Celestina Reed

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Diabetes is a long-lasting chronic health condition that encompasses three types: Type 1, Type 2, and gestational diabetes. The disease affects how the body breaks down food into energy. It is an insulin-deficient disease and causes heart disease, vision loss, and kidney disease. Investigators of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Diabetes Association evaluated patient treatment preferences to determine the upsurge in patient health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and optimum health. The literature revealed that patients' preferences consisted of therapies and achievable goal setting using the health belief model (HBM) framework. This quantitative research aimed to …

Factors Influencing Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Among Hispanic Youth In Bexar County, Texas, Timothy Edward Wallum

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A high number of Hispanic youth in Bexar County, Texas, face morbidity and mortality related to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection due to inadequate vaccination coverage youth. A better understanding of the factors that influence vaccination might help public health authorities to increase coverage. The aim of this quantitative, cross-sectional study, which was based on the socioecological model and involved analysis of weighted survey data from the 2016 to 2018 National Immunization Survey-Teen, was to better understand the multilevel factors influencing HPV vaccine use among Hispanic youth. The weighted sample was representative of the study population in terms of survey characteristics …

Creation Of A Global Vaccine Risk Index, Tasmiah Nuzhath, Peter J Hotez, Ashish Damania, P Shuling Liu, Brian Colwell

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

The World Health Organization has identified vaccine hesitancy as one of its top ten global health threats for 2019. Efforts are underway to define the factors responsible for reductions in vaccine confidence. However, as global measles cases accelerated beginning in 2018, it became evident that additional factors were promoting measles re-emergence, including war, political and socio-economic collapse, shifting poverty, and vulnerability to weather events and climate change. Accordingly, we propose a Global Vaccine Risk Index (VRI) to consider these variables as a more comprehensive means to identify vulnerable nations where we might expect measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases to emerge …

Factors Associated With Mask Use In New York City Neighborhood Parks During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Field Audit Study, Lisa Hitch, Marie A. Sillice, Hanish Kodali, Katarzyna E. Wyka, Javier Otero Peña, Terry Tk Huang

Publications and Research

Background: Mask use is a cost-effective measure to decrease COVID-19 transmission. Mask mandates intend to increase mask compliance but are often ambiguous when it comes to public outdoor spaces.

Methods: We used a field audit study to examine mask use in New York City neighborhood parks during COVID-19. 1453 park visitors were observed in 13 parks during July–August 2020 using a modified and validated park use audit tool (System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities) that included items on general and proper mask use (i.e., mask covering both nose and mouth). Generalized estimating equation regression was used to determine …

‘Loob’ And ‘Labas’: Spatial Constructions Of Safety And Risk Amid The Covid-19 Pandemic In The Philippines, Gideon Lasco, Michael L. Tan, Vincen Gregory Yu

Development Studies Faculty Publications

This article argues that local constructions of risky and safe spaces, as articulated by the notions ‘loob’ (inside) and ‘labas’ (outside), informed popular and political responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, leading to an overemphasis on staying at home and, conversely, a general avoidance or fear of outdoor spaces that was at times reinforced by public health authorities. Practices and policies related to the pandemic response rendered this binary opposition between ‘loob’ and ‘labas’ visible, from regulations concerning the use of personal protective equipment to restrictions of access to outdoor spaces. While this emergent …

Structural Violence & Small Victories: Political Epidemiology Of Hiv Among Msm In Nigeria, 2000-2010, Debbie A. Dada

Harvey M. Applebaum ’59 Award

No abstract provided.

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 …

"Don't Know Where To Go For Help": Safety And Economic Needs Among Violence Survivors During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Leila Wood, Elizabeth Baumler, Rachel Voth Schrag, Shannon Guillot-Wright, Dixie Hairston, Jeff Temple, Elizabeth Torres

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic and related quarantine has created additional problems for survivors of interpersonal violence. The purpose of this study is to gain a preliminary understanding of the health, safety, and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on people that are experiencing or have previously experienced violence, stalking, threats, and/or abuse. An online survey, open from April to June 2020, was taken by people with safety concerns from interpersonal violence. Participants were recruited from IPV and sexual assault-focused agencies, state coalitions, and social media. Quantitative data were summarized using descriptive methods in SPSS and coding methods from thematic and content …

Covid-19 Vaccination In Palestine/Israel: Citizenship, Capitalism, And The Logic Of Elimination, Nicolas Howard, Emily Schneider

Sociology & Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Despite Israel’s responsibility under international law to combat the spread of contagious diseases and epidemics in its occupied territories, Israeli officials have refused to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Through a critical discourse analysis of Israeli officials’ statements regarding Israel’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign, this paper explores how Israel evades this responsibility while presenting itself as committed to public health and human rights. We find that Israeli officials strategically present Palestinians as an autonomous nation when discussing COVID-19 vaccinations, despite Israel’s ongoing attempts to prevent the creation of a Palestinian state. Relatedly, Israel justifies …

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 …