Public Health Education and Promotion Commons^™

Predictors Of Parental Behavior And Child Weight Status, Fidelia Senayah, Heba M. Athar, Allison G. Litton

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Childhood obesity is a major health issue globally. The prevalence rate remains high in Ohio, with associated complications among affected children and adolescents. The current study examined the association among obesity risk knowledge, risk perception, feeding behavior, and child weight outcome while controlling for race, gender, income, and education. We collected quantitative data through an online survey of parents in Northwest Ohio (n = 71) using the obesity risk knowledge scale and factors from the Child Feeding Questionnaire. We analyzed data using multiple linear regression. The primary outcome measures were feeding behavior and child weight status. Parental obesity risk …

Mothers’ Characteristics And Children's Diarrhea Between 2010-2020 In Rwanda, Amans Ntakarutimana Dr., Patrick A. Tschida Dr.

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Mothers’ characteristics influence children’s health and development. We conducted a cross-sectional study to assess the influence of mothers’ education level, employment status, and exposure to domestic violence on diarrhea among children under 5 years old using secondary data from 2010, 2015, and 2020 Rwanda Demographic Health Surveys. We used stratified descriptive statistics, pairwise comparisons, and logistic regression designs to assess (a) the prevalence of mothers per education level, employment status, and exposure to domestic violence; (b) their variation over time; and (c) their influence on diarrhea among children under 5 years old between 2010 and 2020 in Rwanda. According to …

Examining The Effects Of A Social Cognitive Intervention Aimed At Promoting Appropriate Antibiotic Use Self-Efficacy, Erin M. Hill, Andriana Frost

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Our goal in this study was to examine the effect of a social cognitive intervention aimed at improving appropriate antibiotic use self-efficacy (AAUSE). The intervention incorporated several aspects of self-efficacy theory, including mastery, vicarious learning, and verbal persuasion. To test the effectiveness of the intervention, we used two comparison conditions—reading a pamphlet focused on antibiotic resistance (ABR) or one focused on general health (diet, physical activity, sleep). A total of 226 undergraduate students completed the study, which involved completing a series of questions/questionnaires at time 1 (preintervention), engaging in the intervention (or reading a pamphlet), and then completing the time …

Harm Reduction Without Supportive Policing: Experiences Of Drug Users In Nepal, Chandra Jha, Dennis Donovan

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

This study explored the impact of drug criminalization and policing on harm reduction efforts in Nepal. In contexts marked by widespread corruption, drug criminalization often exacerbates the mistreatment by law enforcement of people who use drugs (PWUD), creating substantial barriers to their accessing harm reduction services. Utilizing a constructivist framework and a modified grounded theory approach, we conducted in-depth interviews with 20 PWUD to examine their experiences with drug use, interactions with police, and the consequent effects on harm reduction efforts. Three key themes emerged: the exploitation of PWUD as a significant source of income for corrupt police officers, the …

Mental Health Conditions Of Adults With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease And Comorbidities, Amanda M. Hinson-Enslin, Luis E. Espinoza, Jennifer L. Talleff

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Although the association is not well understood, people with COPD are likely to suffer from mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. Due to this occurrence, the aim of the present study is to better understand the mental health experience and COPD comorbidities of U.S. adults with a COPD diagnosis. The final sample comprised 1,676 U.S. adults who were surveyed in the 2019 National Health Interview Survey adult public file. Logistic and ordinal regression were used to calculate adjusted odds ratios for comorbid conditions predicting depression, anxiety, and the number of mental health issues, respectively. Depressive symptoms were more …

Relationship Between Household Water Sanitation And Hygiene Behaviors And Diarrhea Between 2010-2020 In Rwanda, Amans Ntakarutimana Dr., Patrick A. Tschida Dr.

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Rwanda has made considerable progressive policy efforts to significantly reduce diarrhea among children under 5 years old, especially since 2010. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the relationship between household water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) behaviors and diarrhea among children under 5 years old between 2010 and 2020. We used secondary data from the 2010, 2015, and 2020 Rwanda Demographic Health Surveys. We used descriptive statistics, pairwise comparisons, and linear regression designs to assess (a) the prevalence of household WASH behaviors across districts, regions, urban areas, and rural areas, (b) the variation of household WASH behaviors over time, and (c) …

Staff Perspectives Of Deaf And Hard Of Hearing College Students’ Alcohol Use, Christine L. Gannon, Theresa H. Gibble, Retta Evans

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

A predominant health issue at colleges and universities is alcohol use. This is also true for deaf and hard of hearing college students. Key stakeholders who observe and witness this alcohol dynamic are staff. Researchers used a semi-structured qualitative guide to interview Gallaudet University staff (N = 26) to learn about their perspectives on and experiences with student alcohol use. Through thematic analysis, they identified several dominant themes that were then grouped into the three levels of the social-ecological model. First, they identified intrapersonal factors, including fear of missing out and coping strategies. Second, they identified interpersonal factors such …

Family Medicine’S Role In Addressing The Intersections Of Redlining And Climate Change, Daryl O. Traylor, Eboni E. Anderson, Brianna Clark, Alex M. Smith, Cooper K. Allenbrand

Journal of Sustainable Social Impact

Redlining, the practice of discriminating against specific neighborhoods based on race and socioeconomic status, leads to persistent environmental hazards and socioeconomic inequalities that have lasting adverse health effects on their populations. Health disparities are further exacerbated through the concentration of environmental hazards, as well as the escalating impact of climate change, which poses an increased risk of respiratory illness, cardiovascular disease, mental health issues, heat-related illness, infectious diseases, food insecurity, and socioeconomic difficulties in redline neighborhoods.

This paper examines the interplay of redlining, climate change, and health disparities, with an emphasis on the enduring consequences for these marginalized communities. Through …

A Case Study To Investigate Factors Influencing The Santa Clara County Getting To Zero Initiative’S Collective Impact Model, Harit Agroia, Rebecca Reno, Jenette Spezeski, Leyla Mousli, Richard Sarabia, Erin Starzyk

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Our objective was to explore how factors, such as backbone organization changes and COVID-19, affected a collective impact (CI) initiative’s progression through the five CI phases and its components of success. We conducted a case study using semistructured interviews with 17 representatives from the action committee, community-based organization, and health department between January and February 2023 in Santa Clara County, California. Participants were asked how internal and external factors affected their engagement and experiences with the CI initiative. We analyzed the data using structural and holistic coding. Results showed that the initiative’s progression was impacted by intersecting factors; overall findings …

Predictors Of Prescription Opioid Misuse Based On Type Of Healthcare Insurance, Keon Green Drph, Mba, Hca, C.J. Schumaker Phd Lfache

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

The misuse and abuse of prescription opioid (PO) medications has garnered the attention of lawmakers, healthcare professionals, and public health experts since the opioid epidemic was declared a national public health emergency in 2017. Our purpose in this study was to investigate the types of healthcare insurance that predict PO misuse. We also sought to inform stakeholders of potentially needed changes to the existing inconsistent drug utilization rules necessary to achieve parity among all types of healthcare insurance and minimize loopholes. We performed a secondary data analysis on the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health data of noninstitutionalized …

Navigating Professional Paradigms: Transactional Sex, Behavior Change, And Structural Responses In Uganda, Shelley K. White, Hugo A. Kamya

Journal of Social Work in the Global Community

Professional paradigms within social work and related social service fields have been critiqued for being behaviorally focused, thereby obscuring and perhaps excusing structural determinants of health and well-being. Recent initiatives in international social work have aimed to align theory, practice, education, and research with sustainable development, reflecting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, which aim to address structural determinants. Our qualitative research examined responses to transactional sex among Ugandan youth through in-depth interviews with 23 professionals working in social services with youth who were vulnerable to HIV. Through thematic content analysis, using deductive and inductive analysis, we examined the demographics …

Urban American Indian Experiences Living With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Elin E. Kambuga, Yitza A. Arcelay-Rojas

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

This qualitative interpretive study aimed to describe the experiences of 13 American Indians living in urban settings and their use of traditional healing and biomedical health services for type 2 diabetes. Urban American Indian adults living in the United States who used traditional healing and biomedical health services for type 2 diabetes were recruited for the study through purposive sampling, including snowball sampling. Thirteen participants completed semi-structured interviews. Participants reported positive experiences and barriers to traditional healing and Western biomedical services. They also discussed feelings of disorientation when diagnosed at a young age with type 2 diabetes but self-empowerment as …

Understanding Cultural Perceptions Of Health In Middle School Females For Obesity Prevention: A Case Study, Tien Vo, Egenia Dorsan, J. Mitchell Vaterlaus, Lori A. Spruance

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

The purpose of this study was to understand acculturation and race/ethnicity influences in the home and school environment that affect physical activity and nutrition in female adolescents attending middle school. A convenience sample of eight female adolescents (n = 2 Asian American, n = 2 Black, n =2 Latinx/Hispanic, and n = 2 White) was interviewed individually via Zoom. Responses regarding acculturation, physical activity, and nutrition in the home and school environment were analyzed using qualitative case study analysis. Three themes were identified: 1) experiences related to home, health, and culture, 2) the intersection between school meals and personal …

Relationship Between Treatment Comorbidities And Hiv Viral Suppression Among People Who Live With Aids In Johannesburg., Nwogo Immaculata Ekeji, Tolulope A. Osoba, Hebatullah Tawfik, Mehdi Agha

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

HIV has globally infected over 37.9 million people, of which 28.2 million (73%) are on antiretroviral treatment, and 66% of those on treatment are virally suppressed. In South Africa, however, low rate of viral suppression (47%) among people living with HIV is a major health problem that has continued to fuel HIV prevalence. A cross-sectional quantitative research design was used to investigate the relationship between treatment comorbidities and viral suppression among HIV-infected adults aged 18–49 who were diabetic, had cancer, or tuberculosis in Johannesburg. HIV Care Continuum formed the theoretical framework for this research. An existing HIV-infected patient de-identifiable dataset …

The Disaster Health System: Built For Collaboration And Coordination In A Complex Environment, Leslie E. Taylor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative case study examined patient distribution and coordination during complex, rapidly changing, uncertain emergencies or disasters. The study explored how Washington State’s Northwest Healthcare Response Network (NHRN) uses the state’s patient tracking system, WaTrac, as a collaboration tool for Emergency Support Function 8 (ESF 8) and public health emergency operations. This study used complexity theory to address a gap in the literature, acknowledging the importance of relationships among members of the NHRN and how the patient tracking system could enhance positive patient outcomes. This study included nine healthcare response participants; all were members of the NHRN healthcare coalition serving …

The Hospital Consumer Assessment Of Healthcare Providers And Systems And Central-Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections, Mary Kerich

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Central-line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) are common healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) contributing to extended hospital stays, morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. In 2011, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services implemented the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing initiative, which links acute care hospitals' payments to quality performance. A gap in the literature existed regarding the relationship between hospital characteristics, patient experience, and CLABSI rates. This quantitative study aimed to explore the relationship between patient experience scores reported by the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) and CLABSI standardized infection ratio (SIR) in nonprofit acute care hospitals in the United States. Three …

Environmental Factors And Breast Cancer Mortality, Joel Collazo Rodriguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Breast cancer is a public health problem in the United States that impacts diverse ethnic female groups in different ways regarding incidence and mortality. Much is known about the factors increasing the risk of developing breast cancer, but little is known about those that increase the chances of dying from it, other than access to health care, screening, and appropriate treatment. This study aimed to understand the association between exposure to Environmental Protection Agency-regulated air pollutants and breast cancer mortality, including how the interaction between these air contaminants impacts the outcome of interest, considering median income, education level, and percentage …

The Experiences Of Women In The Healthcare Profession With Alcohol Use During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Amber Olsen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Women have severe health risks associated with drinking alcohol long-term and excessively. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the lived experience of women in healthcare positions regarding alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was informed by the theory of planned behavior. Semistructured interviews were used to gather information from participants based on their firsthand experiences with alcohol usage. Understanding women’s attitudes toward alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic can improve intervention. Data were analyzed using an inductive, thematic procedure. Participants associated their own use of alcohol with socialization, and all participants reported that they regarded …

Association Between Knowledge Of Human Papillomavirus, Related Cancers, And Barriers To Information, Joycelyn Larbie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Globally, over 250,000 women die every year from cervical cancer and human papillomavirus (HPV). The purpose of this quantitative study was to discover the relation between sociodemographic factors of age, educational attainment, socioeconomic status, personal belief, and knowledge about HPV and related cancers. A cross-sectional design was used to determine statistical relationships. Secondary de-identified data from the Health Information National Trends Survey 2018 was accessed from the National Center Institute and was employed in the study. The study used a simple random technique to select a sample of 3,504 women. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds of knowing …

Neighborhood Factors, Cardiovascular Illness, Mental Health, And Aging In The United States, Brenda Billings

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The inability to age in place among people 65 years old and older is a public health problem in the United States. However, it is unknown what neighborhood factors (i.e., trust, safety, shared values) impact the communities that are struggling to support individuals looking to stay in their homes as they age. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between neighborhood factors (i.e., trust, safety, and shared values), cardiovascular illness (i.e., heart attack and stroke), mental health (i.e., depression), and aging in place, controlling for sex, age, marital status, educational level, employment status, and race. …

African American Baby Boomers’ Lived Experiences In Skilled Nursing Facilities For Post-Acute Care Admissions, Dr. Charles A. Fraiser

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractPrevious studies have examined the quality of elderly healthcare offered in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) among older adults, in general, but the studies have not emphasized ex-periences unique to African America baby boomers and the factors they consider when making SNF-related decisions for post-acute care. The purpose of the study was to exam-ine the lived experiences of African American baby boomers who are currently in or have been treated in SNFs for post-acute care to learn about their decisions to select an SNF. Andersen’s behavioral model of health services served as the conceptual framework. A descriptive phenomenological qualitative design was …

Traditional Healing And Biomedicine Use In Urban American Indians Living With Diabetes, Elin Elise Kambuga

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this interpretative qualitative study was to describe influences that affect the use of traditional healing and biomedical health services for type 2 diabetes to help health educators develop more culturally competent diabetes education programs for urban American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities in the United States. The theoretical framework used for this study was the social ecological model (SEM). Using the SEM, the research questions were crafted to explore experiences of participants connected to personal, interpersonal, community, institutional, policy, and educational factors that influenced the use of traditional healing and biomedical health services. Urban AI/AN adults living in …

Experiences With Access To Seeking And Maintaining Home Health Care Services In Low-Income Communities, Staci Yvette Kennedy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractHome health care services (HHCS) are a cost-effective service option often underutilized by individuals living in low-income communities. For this population, barriers to care may result in higher health care costs and poor health outcomes. Gaps in literature indicated a need to explore experiences of accessing and maintaining home health care among individuals living in low-income communities. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to gain insight into how individuals living in low-income communities perceive their access to HHCS. The conceptual framework used for this phenomenological study was Penchansky and Thomas’s model of access, which addresses access from seven …

Impacts Of White Privilege And Implicit Bias On Treatment Implementation With Black Pediatric Patients, Tara Geer-Leiker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

White privilege and implicit bias are known contributing factors to the racial health inequities that exist in the treatment of Black children in U.S. hospitals. There is limited research, however, on the potential for White nurses to engage in self-examination related to either concept. The purpose of this basic qualitative inquiry was to understand how White privilege and/or implicit bias shapes the lived experiences of White nurses as they treat and interact with Black pediatric patients. The conceptual framework included a modified model comprised of Hobbs’s concept of White privilege and Blair et al.’s model of influences of implicit bias …

Relationship Of Acetaminophen And Alcohol To Incipient Renal Insufficiency: The Role Of Race In Estimating Glomerular Filtration Rate, Preston Eledu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There are increasing concerns about the incorporation of race in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) prediction equation. which has been used to measure renal function in studies that have shown a relationship between therapeutic dose of acetaminophen and light-moderate alcohol use to incipient renal insufficiency. The purpose of this study was to assess the same relationship, using a redefinition of renal insufficiency based on the chronic kidney disease–epidemiology collaboration creatinine-based eGFR, with and without race, and exploring the potential impact of race in the hypothesized relationship. Data from the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed using …

The Relationship Between Preterm Birth Rates, Sociodemographic Factors, And Prenatal Care, Natasha Grant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Reducing preterm births is a local, national, and global public health priority. Preterm birth rates continue to rise with evident racial and ethnic differences. The purpose of the quantitative study was to analyze the Mississippi Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) Phase 8 data to investigate the association between preterm births, timing of prenatal care, insurance types, and marital status among 5,666 women who gave birth in Mississippi between 2016 - 2020 using logistic regression. The social-ecological model was used to explain the impact of preterm births at the individual, interpersonal, and policy levels. Marital status was shown to be …

Experiences With Access To Seeking And Maintaining Home Health Care Services In Low-Income Communities, Staci Yvette Kennedy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractHome health care services (HHCS) are a cost-effective service option often underutilized by individuals living in low-income communities. For this population, barriers to care may result in higher health care costs and poor health outcomes. Gaps in literature indicated a need to explore experiences of accessing and maintaining home health care among individuals living in low-income communities. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to gain insight into how individuals living in low-income communities perceive their access to HHCS. The conceptual framework used for this phenomenological study was Penchansky and Thomas’s model of access, which addresses access from seven …

A Comparison By Ethnicity Of Usage Of Medication, Intubation Use, And Mortality Rates Of Covid-19 Patients In An Urban Hospital, Howard Rubin Baruch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Evidence from an urban hospital initially revealed that ethnicity had no bearing on treatment modalities or mortality among patients admitted and diagnosed with COVID-19 symptoms from January 1, 2020 to January 1, 2021. The purpose of this study was focused on answering three principal research questions concerning evidence at one hospital of differences in medication used, whether intubation was used, and mortality by ethnicity for those treated for COVID-19 while controlling for age, gender, and co-morbidities. The health belief model served as the theoretical framework. Data was collected from 1188 patient charts, and binary logistic regression was used to test …

Personal Hardiness As An Unexamined Component Of The Healthy Volunteer Effect, Angelique E. Blann

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Clinical trials are the standard for approving medicines for public use. To conduct trials, researchers depend on a declining number of volunteers. The healthy volunteer effect, a phenomenon in which participants demonstrate better outcomes than their peers, limits the generalizability of trial outcomes. The healthy volunteer effect does not fully explain the outcome difference between volunteers and nonvolunteers. The purpose of this cross-sectional quantitative study was to examine personal hardiness as an unexplored component of the healthy volunteer effect and determine whether personal hardiness is associated with willingness to participate. Hardiness was a personality construct that represented resilience to stress. …

The Effect Of Community Health Linkages On Suicide Rates In Veterans, Erica Anderson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Suicide risk is a public health issue. It is a complex and poorly understood mental health and societal threat. This study examined veteran suicide rates and their relationship to family and social support, as measured by the social association rate, mental health funding per capita, and the lethality of the method rate. The interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide and the social-ecological model are the theoretical frameworks that guided the study. Both theories emphasize the complexity surrounding suicide at the state level as it is related to the individual, social, environmental, and political landscape related to veteran suicide. The quantitative bivariate correlation …