Public Health Education and Promotion Commons^™

Understanding Oral Habits And Malocclusion In School-Aged Children: Insights From Parental And Child Knowledge, Attitudes, And Practices, Maria Laurentia Sanjaya, Evan Raditya Pratomo, Markus Santoso, Agrippine Putricia Asaeli, Eveline Yulia Darmadi, Joy Janny Thenarianto, Jennifer Regina Putri Purwono, Eunike Jacquelyn Widarto

Kesmas

Malocclusion is a prevalent oral health problem in children associated with oral bad habits, yet the extent to which parental and child knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) influence orthodontic status remains insufficiently understood. This cross-sectional study investigated relationships between parental and child KAP, oral habits, and malocclusion in school-aged children, involving 67 child–parent pairs from an elementary school in Surabaya, Indonesia. Parental and child KAP as well as child-reported oral habits were assessed using a validated questionnaire. Children subsequently underwent standardized clinical orthodontic examinations, including alginate jaw impressions to produce dental study models, which were evaluated using the Index of …

Psychosocial Determinants Of Hand Hygiene Practices Among Children And Adolescents Living With Hiv In The Northern City Of Malawi, Balwani Chingatichifwe Mbakaya, Maggie Zgambo, Richard Moyo, Paul Uchizi Kaseka, Obed Nkhata, Fatch Kalembo

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: The common cause of death in HIV and AIDS patients are opportunistic infections such as diarrhoea, acute respiratory infections, and skin conditions. Many of these infections are spread through contaminated hands. Therefore, this study aimed at exploring hand hygiene practices among HIV positive children and adolescents in Mzuzu City, Malawi. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was used to collect data from children and adolescents living with HIV (aged between 9 and 18 years) WHO were attending teen clubs in Mzuzu City. Data were analysed using Stata 17. Chi-Square and logistic regression analysis were used to examine the association among multiple …

Feeding Missoula: Food Insecurity In Rural Children And Youth, Chani Brammer, Braelee Cheeks, Jordin Holland, Rayne Mccollough, Laurel Palmer, Therese Solomon

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

In Montana, approximately one in seven children live in a food-insecure household, with rural Montanans in particular facing significant barriers. Existing needs-based food assistance programs, such as SNAP and WIC, have structural weaknesses: SNAP benefits are often not sufficient to last through the month, and those eligible for these programs face a confusing application process, shame and stigma, and logistical hurdles, such as limited transportation.

“Feeding Missoula” began with an evaluation of how current food assistance programs met or failed to meet the needs of rural youth. Our methodology integrated a comprehensive review of existing literature and structured interviews with …

Hallucinogen Use Among Parents Of Children In The United States: Associations With Mental Health And Substance Use, Maggie K. Richardson

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Hallucinogen use has reemerged in the United States amid expanding clinical research and shifting social and policy contexts. However, population-based evidence remains limited regarding hallucinogen use among adults living with children and its relationship with mental health impairment severity in caregiving environments. Therefore, this study’s objective was to examine associations between past-year hallucinogen use and past-year mental health impairment among U.S. adults, and to test whether associations differ by parental status and number of children in the household. A secondary aim examined correlates of co-occurring substance use among those reporting hallucinogen use.

Data were drawn from the 2023 National Survey …

Sugar Consumption In Aboriginal Children Explored From A Social Practice Perspective, Amy Budrikis, Angela Durey, Dan Mcaullay, Paul Ward, Hanny Calache, Thierry Ng, Roma Winmar, Linda Slack-Smith

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Australian Aboriginal children have higher sugar intake and are disproportionately affected by sugar-related diseases such as obesity, diabetes and dental caries than non-Aboriginal children. The intention of this paper was to highlight the need for approaches that can capture the complexity of health practices without reducing them to either individual choice or structural determination. We explore sugar consumption in Aboriginal children from a social practice perspective. Here, the unit of analysis is the practice, not the individual, where the elements of a social practice (competence, materials and meanings) are integrated into its performance. We conducted qualitative research using elements of …

Parental Expectations Of Pediatric Care For Children, Brenan T. Cash, Jacquelyn D. Wiersma-Mosley, Donia Timby, Laura Herold

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Access to childhood pediatrics is a major factor for a full and healthy childhood for all children from adolescence to adulthood. However, the physical health aspect has been the main focus of most primary care clinics, and there is little focus on mental health. Mental health issues, which involve anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress, are more prominent than they have ever been, as up to 30% of children have experienced mental health issues that involve post-traumatic stress disorder, especially during the pandemic years. This study employed a non-experimental, quantitative analysis utilizing online closed-ended survey questions. Caretakers were offered an anonymous, …

Digital Tools To Promote Or Measure Health Literacy In Children Aged 3–5 Years: Scoping Review, Caron Molster, Jennifer Irvine, Amanda Devine, Ruth Wallace, Lennie Barblett, Leesa Costello

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Health literacy is a determinant of health that should be promoted and measured in early childhood. In the era of digitalization, this could involve digital platforms. However, little knowledge exists on the extent, range, and nature of literature on digital tools for promoting or measuring young children’s health literacy. Addressing this gap, a scoping review was undertaken to explore what digital health literacy tools for children aged 3–5 years could be identified in the literature, what their key features were, how they were designed, whether children were codesigners, and whether the tools had been evaluated. Eligibility criteria included the literature …

Time And Location: Physical Activity Trends In Parents And Children In A Rural Region During Covid-19, Brooke C. Towner, Robert Broce, Rebecca A. Battista

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: COVID-19 restrictions altered the structure of the school and workday for families with children and led to changes in active transportation. Continued restrictions impacted access to many community locations and led to changes in physical activity (PA) behavior.

Purpose: The objectives of the study were to describe the changes in the 1) amount of PA time per day, 2) frequency of PA, and 3) sitting time. Information about how PA changed for parents and children during the COVID-19 pandemic will have potential implications for education, public health, and recreation management.

Methods: This cross-sectional study enlisted participants via an online …

Children Living With Type 1 Diabetes In The Public School System, Madison M. Wilson

Kentucky Undergraduate Journal for the Health Humanities

Type 1 Diabetes is a worldwide chronic condition that typically develops during adolescence and requires life-long treatment and management. Management of this disease is extremely complicated for a child to manage on their own and requires a community of individuals to help them. With children spending most of their days at school, the school’s teachers and staff are vital to the care and management of their condition while attending public school. Children with Type 1 Diabetes in public school systems face many disparities and a reform is needed. Looking at this population through a holistic health science lens can help …

Examining The Relationship Between Nutritional Access And Childhood Obesity In Low-Resource South Jersey Communities, Anastasiya Matveyenko, Saul Madrid-Flores, Arleen Fortuna, Kirsten Marie Carlberg

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

BACKGROUND: Childhood obesity is defined as a child considered to have obesity when their body mass index falls in the top 5% compared to other children of the same age and gender. Unhealthy eating habits formed during childhood have been associated with diseases such as obesity and diabetes. We aim to examine the relationship between childhood obesity and barriers to optimal nutrition in our local South Jersey community.

METHODS: We conducted a literature review through Google, Google Scholar, and PubMed utilizing the key terms, “low socioeconomic status (SES),” “Childhood obesity in NJ,” “Nutritional Intervention,” and “Health Risks.”

RESULTS: Our study …

Cortical Visual Impairment Awareness And Education, Sarah Kozosey

Public Health Capstone Projects

Objectives: This Capstone Project, conducted in collaboration with The Children’s Home (TCH), aims to raise awareness of the educational aspect of cortical visual impairment (CVI) by compiling the work already done in schools, hospitals, and the communities it serves. The focus is on raising awareness and education, interdisciplinary collaboration, diagnosis and early detection, public health implications, and strategic planning and implementation through secondary research. Methods: This project uses CH’s strategic plan to improve the flow of grand rounds already enforced. Meetings with multiple people on the Marketing & Development team and Pediatric VIEW team will answer how much progress has …

A Child-Centred Research Checklist To Improve The Design And Reporting Of Paediatric Research Studies: A Descriptive Mixed Methods Study, Mandie Foster, Lisa Whitehead, Therese A. O'Sullivan, Julie Hill, Evalotte Mörelius

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: No internationally developed child-centred research checklist is currently available to enhance the quality and transparency of the development, reporting and evaluation of research undertaken with children. Objective: To develop an internationally relevant, expert informed child-centred research checklist. Design: A descriptive mixed methods study was undertaken in five sequential phases, including a Delphi component. Setting(s): Academic/international context. Methods: This study involved five sequential stages: 1. Literature review using four databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, Scopus, PsycINFO) and analysis to identify key themes in child-centred research (January 2020). 2. Generate a questionnaire based on the key themes for international experts in child research …

Integrated Child Nutrition, Parenting, And Health Intervention In Rural Liberia: A Mixed-Methods Feasibility Study, Sejla Isanovic, Musa Sanoe, Shelbie Wooten, Edward A. Frongillo Ph.D., Aisha K. Yousafzai, Christine E. Blake Ph.D., Rd, Mufaro Kanyangarara Ph.D., Melanie Swan, Nicole Rodger, Miriam Murray, Leila M. Larson Ph.D., Mph

Faculty Publications

In Liberia, children are exposed to multiple forms of adversity which can negatively impact their health and development. Research is needed to examine the feasibility and benefits of integrated interventions that can be incorporated into existing health delivery programs to simultaneously address low responsive stimulation, undernutrition, and infection. This study assessed the feasibility of an integrated intervention promoting psychosocial stimulation and improved child feeding by the provision of eggs and fish. The integrated intervention was incorporated into an existing government health program. Thirty female caregiver-child dyads were randomly selected from two rural communities in Liberia. Participants received fortnightly group parenting …

Understanding And Intervening In Children's Tick Risk Perceptions And Protective Behaviors: A Grounded Theory, Ariel Dawdy

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Children, ages 8 years and younger, are at a particularly high risk of contracting a tick-borne disease. This is partially due to the misconceptions spread about tick protective behavior and a poor understanding of how antibiotic treatment can help. Because most communities and families believe that tick control is the individual’s responsibility, looking at the interaction between ticks and human children is essential to understanding the individual’s motivations to protect themselves. To help alleviate the number of individuals contracting tick-borne diseases, misconceptions must be addressed, intervention programs implemented, and a behavioral change must occur. This study used a qualitative research …

Complete Dose Of Hepatitis B Vaccination Among Children In Indonesia And Factors Associated: A Community-Based Study, Putri Bungsu Machmud, Dwi Gayatri, Erni Astutik

Kesmas

Hepatitis B vaccination is widely recognized as the most effective way to prevent hepatitis B infection, yet the rate of complete vaccination among Indonesian children remains low. This study aimed to evaluate the extent of hepatitis B vaccination coverage among children and identify potential associated factors in Indonesia. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted. The study involved 7,860 Indonesian mothers of children aged 12-59 months, providing data on their children's hepatitis B vaccination status and other relevant factors from the 2017 Indonesian Demographic Health Survey. Overall, the rate of complete hepatitis B vaccination among children was relatively high (89.8%). Several …

Consideration Of Language, Culture-Education, And Advocacy For Latino Families Who Use Therapy Services, Melina Rodriguez, Rachael Fox, Mary Greer

Summer 2024 OTD Capstone Symposium

Latino families of children with ASD face additional barriers within society compared to other families, including surrounding stigma within the culture, language barriers, lack of resources, and lack of education on how to access these resources. One of the focuses of occupational therapy is to provide education and advocacy to individuals and their families who face occupational barriers. This program was created to provide education to Latino families of children diagnosed with ASD through participation in weekly sessions that cover various topics related to ASD.

Australian Children's Physical Activity And Screen Time While In Grandparental Care, Michelle I. Jongenelis, Timothy Budden, Ben Jackson, Hayley Christian, Andrea Nathan, David Coall, Emma Glassenbury

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective:

The objective of this study was to explore Australian children's engagement in physical activity and screen time while being cared for by their grandparents.

Method:

Grandparents (N = 1,190) providing ≥3 hours of weekly care to a grandchild aged 3–14 years completed an online survey assessing their grandchildren's movement behaviours while in their care. Descriptive statistics were computed for frequency of engagement in unstructured and structured physical activities, minutes spent playing outdoors, and minutes spent engaged in screen time. Regression analyses were conducted to assess socio-demographic predictors of movement behaviours.

Results:

Playing in the yard was the most common …

Primary Care Physician Trust: The Importance Of Early Medical Intervention For African American Children With Asthma, Harrish Ganesh

AUCTUS: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship

Asthma is a prevalent condition characterized by an individual’s airway becoming inflamed, constricted, and leads to the formation of mucus and difficulty breathing. Nearly 27 million individuals are currently diagnosed with Asthma in the United States, and African Americans are 40% more likely to be diagnosed with asthma than Caucasians. This literature review analyzed multifaceted barriers that restrict African American asthmatic children from gaining consistent asthma treatment. Some of these barriers range from historical racial discrimination that leads to parental mistrust to financial and educational barriers that result in inconsistent pediatric care for asthmatic children. The combination of the above …

Examining The Feasibility Of Implementing Farm To School Programs In Rural Kentucky Schools: Barriers And Successes Of Initiating Programming As Identified Through Teacher’S Observations, Christina Wilson

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

Farm to School (FTS) programs provide experiential learning opportunities to children that have the potential to shape eating patterns and, in turn, improve health and learning outcomes. Participation in FTS programs in Kentucky is growing. However, programming varies widely across schools, and few have an edible school garden. This study examined the feasibility of establishing an edible school garden while incorporating FTS programming by evaluating teachers' observations and experiences. Six rural Kentucky schools were selected to receive a $5,000 grant to initiate an edible school garden and incorporate FTS programming. A Qualtrics survey measured six categories regarding implementation. The results …

The Relationship Between Parental Trauma History And Perceptions Regarding Their Child’S Healthcare And Utilization Of Healthcare Services, Krishna Patel

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

TITLE: The Relationship Between Parental Trauma History and Perceptions Regarding Their Child’s Healthcare and Utilization of Healthcare Services

Adverse child events (ACEs) have been associated with a number of physical and mental health problems and have also been linked to increased health care utilization. While parents who have an ACE history may tend to seek healthcare services for themselves, limited studies have examined the impact of their trauma history on seeking healthcare services for their child. Healthcare utilization may also depend on the parents’ level of health anxiety, as well as their anxiety about their child’s health status. This …

‘Safe Couch, Safe House’ Program (Scshp): Reducing Exposure To Toxic Flame Retardants For Children In A Low-Income Public Housing At Hunters View, Bayview-Hunters Point, San Francisco., Aliza Khan

Master's Projects and Capstones

Since the 1970s, flame retardants have been used extensively in consumer goods, including furniture, textile, and electronics, to meet California’s flammability standards. (Gibson et al.,2019) Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs), once the most widely used flame retardants being used in consumer products, were phased out from use in manufacturing as evidence emerged about PBDEs persistence and toxicity. (Hoffman et al.,2017) PBDEs were replaced by Organophosphate Flame Retardants (OPFRs), which has proven to be a case of ‘regrettable substitution’ as exposure to OPFRs is ubiquitous and pervasive in humans due to their volatility and propensity to leach from products into the environment. …

Exploration Of The Association Between Obesogenic Environments And Childhood Overweight/Obesity Rates In Rural Counties In The United States, Kara Lea Ferguson Davis

Theses and Dissertations

Rising obesity rates, particularly among children, pose a significant public health concern. Of particular concern is the prevalence of childhood obesity in rural communities, with up to 38% of rural children classified as overweight or obese, compared to 30% of urban children. Rural communities often lack the typical built environment characteristics associated with increased physical activity rates and healthy eating behaviors. Further, research on obesogenic environments within rural areas is limited. This study aimed to address this research gap by examining the association between obesogenic environment features and childhood overweight/obesity rates across the urban-rural continuum.

Simple and multiple linear regression …

Recruitment And Reach In A School-Based Pediatric Obesity Intervention Trial In Rural Areas., Bethany Forseth, Brittany Lancaster, Megan Olalde, Christie A. Befort, Rebecca E. Swinburne Romine, Meredith Dreyer, Kelsey Dean, Eve-Lynn Nelson, Ann M. Davis

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study is to evaluate two recruitment strategies on schools and participant participation rates and representativeness (reach) within a pediatric obesity treatment trial tailored for families who live in rural areas.

METHODS: Recruitment of schools was evaluated based on their progress toward enrolling participants. Recruitment and reach of participants were evaluated using (1) participation rates and (2) representativeness of demographics and weight status of participants compared to eligible participants (who did not consent and enroll) and all students (regardless of eligibility). School recruitment, as well as participant recruitment and reach, were evaluated across recruitment methods comparing …

The Role Of Parental Military Status And Educational Attainment On Mental Health Service Usage Among Children And Adolescents, Cierra Jones Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A lack of mental health services for children and adolescents has been linked to significant health problems in adulthood. Researchers have investigated factors that influence usage of mental health services among children and adolescence, but significant gaps persist regarding use of mental health service among military-connected youth. This quantitative study was conducted to examine if parental military status and parental education affected the usage of mental health services among children and adolescents ages 3–17 in the United States. Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze secondary data from the combined 2019–2020 National Survey of Children’s Health. After adjusting for income, …

A Novel Skin Cancer Prevention Strategy: Preservice Teachers' Perceptions Of A Sun Safety Intervention And Experiences In Schools, Joseph J. Scott, Robyn S. Johnston, Jill Darby, Sally Blane, Mark Strickland, Bronwen M. Mcnoe

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Issue addressed:

Teachers play a vital role in developing children's sun protection routines however upskilling preservice teachers (PSTs) while at university has not yet been trialled as a targeted skin cancer prevention strategy. Hence, this study investigated PSTs perceptions and experiences of sun safety following a brief pilot intervention and placement in primary schools in Western Australia.

Methods:

This study used a triangulation mixed methods design. Participants (n = 161) completed a post intervention survey which was analysed quantitatively. A random sub-sample was invited to participate in focus groups (three groups, n = 21) and one-on-one interviews (n = 4). …

Effectiveness Of The Catch (Coordinated Approach To Child’S Health) Rainbow Program In Elementary Schools For Change In Fruit And Vegetable Intake, Ashley M. Valinskas

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Background: There is currently a lack of nutrition education programs that effectively increase fruit and vegetable (FV) intake among children. Not meeting the recommendations for fruits and vegetables increases the risk for poor academic achievement, obesity, and chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, asthma, and more. Nutrition, cooking, and gardening lessons individually and together have shown to increase fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption in school-aged children.Methods: Two-Hundred Twenty-five 4th and 5th graders participated in six cooking and six gardening lessons between September 2021 and May 2022 at Genoa Elementary school. Each nutrition education session was 25-minutes long, …

Safe Practices For Preventing Covid-19 Among School-Aged Children, Meleena Reyelle Banda-Garcia

Nursing | Senior Theses

Communicable diseases and infections are common health problems among children. Among the most impactful communicable diseases present today is COVID-19, a disease caused by a virus named SARS-CoV-2, which has forced many school closures due to rapid transmission. Despite children not being the main driving factor of the spread of the disease, severe complications underlying COVID-19 incidence have resulted in increased hospitalization among school-age children.The initial global response to the spread of COVID-19 included the closure of school systems; however as the disease continues to be effectively managed, communities are starting to re-open schools partially or entirely nationwide. Although pharmaceutical …

Resilience Resources And Coping Strategies Of Covid-19 Female Long Haulers: A Qualitative Study, Atefeh Aghaei, Abhishek Aggarwal, Ran Zhang, Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Shan Qiao Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Background: Female long haulers deal with persistent post-acute COVID-19 symptoms that have serious health implications. This study aimed to identify resilience resources at multiple socio-ecological levels for female long haulers and describe how resilience resources affect their responses to long COVID. Methods: Purposive sampling was adopted to recruit participants through social media from April to June 2021 followed by 15 semi-structured interviews. An inductive analytical approach was adopted to categorize themes by open and axial coding that were verified by peer review. Results: Female long haulers relied on resources at various socio-ecological levels to foster their resilience in response to …

Determinants Of Egg Consumption By Infants And Young Children In Ethiopia, Bezawit E. Kase, Edward A. Frongillo Jr. Ph.D., Sejla Isanovic, Wendy Gonzalez, Hana Yemane Wodajo, Eric W. Djmeu

Faculty Publications

Objective:

To identify determinants of egg consumption in infants and young children aged 6–23·9 months in Ethiopia. Design and setting:

Data used were from the cross-sectional baseline survey of an egg campaign in Ethiopia implemented by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition. Participants:

Children aged 6–23·9 months (n 453) were sampled. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, economic resources, caregiver’s behaviour, child health and feeding practices, and egg consumption in the last 7 d were collected using interviewer-administered questionnaires. Multivariable ordinal logistic regression was used to examine the association between explanatory variables and egg consumption in the last 7 d. Results:

About …

Developing Culturally Appropriate Food Literacy Resources For Aboriginal Children With Foodbank Wa’S Superhero Foods®, Jennifer Tartaglia, Roslyn Giglia, Jill Darby

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Issue addressed

In Australia, food sovereignty of traditional landowners has been marginalised by the globalisation of food systems and resulted in limited opportunities for children to experience familiar bush tucker foods as healthy choices, particularly in a school environment. Superhero Foods^® themed teaching resources focus on the development of nutrition education materials that included traditional Aboriginal foods together with contemporary foods readily available in regional/remote communities.

Methods

Consultation with an Aboriginal expert and Aboriginal artist; local, regional/remote teachers and stakeholders informed the development of tailored resources including food cartoon characters, school lesson plans and a storybook. The latter was …