Epidemiology Commons^™

Inequities In The Rehabilitation Process Of Musculoskeletal Injuries In Maine, Devon A. Grant

Thinking Matters Symposium

Since 2016, Maine’s population has grown as a result of migration and a welcoming of refugees. Changes in state demographics influence the population’s and individuals’ social determinants of health (SDOH) (ie., “where people live, learn, work, and play”) and health literacy (ie., a person’s ability to find, understand, and use information to inform health-related decisions). This project aims to identify the health inequities or disparities throughout Southern Maine in the care of injuries to the lower extremity, such as the knee or ankle, as well as explore factors that influence the healthcare outcomes of athletes in surrounding communities. This study …

Association Between Arsenic And Other Heavy Metal Exposures Through Drinking Water And Food With Lung Function And Respiratory Symptoms: A Cross-Sectional Study, Sofia I. Chapela Lara, Seth O'Neal Md, Mph For The Cysticercosis Working Group In Peru

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

Impaired lung function is a major health concern, particularly in children, as it increases the risk of chronic respiratory diseases and long-term morbidity. Environmental exposure to heavy metals (HMs) such as arsenic, lead, cadmium, and manganese has been associated with reduced lung function and respiratory symptoms. However, findings vary by exposure context and population, with limited research in pediatric populations and few studies evaluating the combined effects of multiple HMs. These exposures disproportionally affect marginalized rural communities, especially in low and middle-income countries with mining activities. This cross-sectional study investigated the association between exposure to As and other HMs through …

Survey Of Mosquito Larval Habitats At The Ksu Field Station, Rose Sofia, Eli Lovvorn, Aspen Hartman, Andrew Haddow

Symposium of Student Scholars

The greater Atlanta metropolitan area hosts numerous mosquito species that are nuisance biters and can transmit arthropod-borne diseases to humans. We surveyed the Kennesaw State University (KSU) Field Station – an incredibly biodiverse location – where student, staff, and faculty-led groups engage in outdoor research and teaching activities. The KSU Field Station located in Cobb County, GA is a heavily trafficked 25-acre property that may attract various mosquito species capable of transmitting pathogens to humans and animals alike. On August 27th, 2024, our team investigated the KSU Field Station to quantify and record potential water-holding containers that serve as mosquito …

Posteriormedial Ankle Impingement In A Male Division I Ice Hockey Player: A Case Report, Bethany Thompson

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

The purpose of this case report is to present the case of a 21 year old male Division I collegiate hockey player’s injury during their season, resulting in posteriormedial ankle impingement of the deep posterior tibiotalar ligament, osteochondral lesion of the talus, and tenosynovitis of the tibialis posterior. The patient’s injury did not require surgery; however, they did complete a rehabilitation plan with a physical therapist and receive a cortisone injection. The patient had a positive outcome due to the athletic trainer sending the patient for immediate diagnostic imaging after initial consultation. The patient was able to continue participation in …

Please Romaine Calm! A Multi-Disciplinary Investigation Of A Cyclospora Outbreak Among Hospital Employees, Jocelyn Love Mph, Amber Erickson Drph, Mph, Hope Dishman Mph, Carla Coley Bs, Rehs

Georgia Public Health Association Annual Meeting & Conference

Background

On July 8, 2022, North Central Health District (NCHD) was notified by a local hospital of a possible Cyclospora outbreak among hospital employees. The hospital noted the employees had eaten at the hospital’s cafeteria, particularly the salad bar. An investigation was conducted to test this hypothesis and determine which salad bar ingredients were the cause of illness.

Methods

An electronic survey was shared with all hospital employees through their email distribution system. Employees were asked to complete the survey regardless of illness or exposure history. Lab- confirmed cases were interviewed using the Cyclosporiasis National Hypothesis Generating Questionnaire. Environmental health …

Beyond The Bmi: Expanding Quantitative Methods To Study Health For All Bodies, Kieran Chase, Daniel Oron

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

The public health field is beginning to reckon with its role in perpetuating and reinforcing systemic anti-fatness. Emerging evidence for the devastating health impacts of stigma call into question decades of research and policy that labels the size of people’s bodies as diseased. However, even as we acknowledge the harmful effects of stigma, the field is materially and institutionally invested in a health paradigm that centers weight loss and size-related proxies for health, such as the BMI. Public health scholars interested in questions related to nutrition, chronic disease, and exercise must begin to expand their research focus to imagine non-stigmatizing …

The Current State Of Underrepresented Osteopathic Minorities In Competitive Specialties, Emmanuel Oyalabu, Steve Guzman, Dashon Eure, Ezenna Obilor

Annual Research Symposium

It is well documented that barriers exist for underrepresented minorities to enter the field of medicine and even more competitive residencies. As defined by the NRMP, competitive specialties include but are not limited to Interventional Radiology, Orthopedic Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Radiation Oncology, Vascular Surgery, Neurosurgery, Dermatology, and Otornylogy (NRMP-AMA). A large number of osteopathic medical school graduates have a history of going into primary care specialties because many osteopathic medical schools have a primary care focus (Primary Care- Osteopathic Medicine). The emphasis on primary care, whether intentional or not, can foster a less-than-advantageous environment for underrepresented minority students (URM), pursuing …

Effects Of Covid-19 On Various Socioeconomic Strata In Nyc, Steven Tung

Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Lifetime Smoking History And Prevalence Of Osteoporosis And Low Bone Density In U.S. Adults, Nhanes 2005-2010, Molly Joyce

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

Background

Osteoporosis and low bone density are common among older adults; women are more likely to have osteoporosis and low bone density than men. The prevalence of osteoporosis and low bone density varies with race/ethnicity, with the greatest prevalence being among non-Hispanic, Asian women. Prior studies identified a negative association between smoking and changes in bone mineral density; however, the association between smoking and osteoporosis or low bone density has not been investigated according to race/ethnicity.

Materials and methods

This study utilized National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 2005-2010. In this study 4,226 U.S. adults aged 50 years …

Urban Warfare: Emerging Geopolitical Conundrum, Bert Chapman

Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

Urban warfare is as old as human history. It is becoming increasingly important in international political and military planning due to increasing global urbanization and the presence of megacities (urban areas with populations exceeding 10 million) in many global regions and being in areas of recent and potential military conflict. 2018 World Bank data notes that approximately 56% of the world's population lives in urban areas which is up from 34% in 1960. Many of these megacities, including New York City, Los Angeles, Sao Paulo, Mumbai, Shanghai, and Manila are adjacent to oceanic waters and vulnerable to trade and supply …

Study Of Physical Literacy And Physical Fitness In School Children, Natalie T. Pexton

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

Background: Currently there is no standard physical education (P.E.) assessment for tracking students’ progress across the state. As a result, there is little data on the physical literacy and physical fitness of school children which are essential to lifelong physical activity.

Physical Literacy is the confidence, knowledge, and ability to execute fundamental movement skills like hopping, throwing, and kicking.

Cardiorespiratory fitness is a measure of the stamina and capacity to perform aerobic exercise.

Objective: To test the “PlayFun” physical literacy and “Pacer” cardiorespiratory fitness tests with Portland Public School students.

Methods:

Setting: Two Portland Public School district elementary …

Recent Incidences And Trends Of The Top Five Cancers In Northeast Appalachian Tennessee, Adekunle Oke, Sylvester Olubolu Orimaye, Ndukwe Kalu, Faustine Williams

Appalachian Student Research Forum

Introduction: Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States (U.S.), after cardiovascular disease. Although there has been a continuous decline in cancer mortality rates in the U.S. over the past two decades, the Appalachian region, which extends through 13 states and 420 counties in the southeastern part of the U.S., has seen a lower decline in cancer mortality. From 1980-2014, cancer deaths decreased by almost 45%, but cancer mortality rates in rural Appalachia was 36% higher than for urban non-Appalachian counties. In terms of cancer-specific, although breast cancer mortality rates have also decreased significantly nationally, a …

Can The Scale-Free Networks, Improve The Prediction Of Pertussis Infection Rates?, Kimia Ameri

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Whooping cough is a highly contagious disease with randomness pattern of infection. Outbreaks of whooping cough have increased over the past few years and has drawn the attention of health care providers. Understanding the spread mechanisms of contagious disease is very important and timely. Extension of contagious disease depends on many complicated factors including pathogen and host environment, exposed population and their activities. In this work, we try to find best prediction for the exposed population. A new SEIR model based on network (NB-SEIR) proposed to improve the accuracy of prediction for number of infected individuals. For this purpose, the …

Coffee Drinking And Leukocyte Telomere Length: A Meta-Analysis, Bella Kotlyar

Yale Day of Data

Telomeres are long tandem nucleotide repeats responsible for maintaining chromosomal integrity. They shorten with each cell division, serving as markers for cellular aging and replicative ability, and shorter telomere length has been associated with greater risk of various chronic diseases of aging. There is increasing interest in the relationship between telomere length and lifestyle factors, such as components of the diet, that are associated with age-related chronic diseases, like cancer and diabetes.

There is mounting evidence that coffee, one of the most commonly consumed beverages in the world, has potential protective effects against chronic disease and mortality. Few studies have …