Public Health Education and Promotion Commons^™

Our Story, Our Song: Assessing And Addressing Black Women's Healthcare Experiences., Jason Deakings

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite advancements in medicine and health sciences, health disparities and declining life expectancy persists among Black women in the United States. Researchers and non-traditional healthcare providers suggest alternative healing (e.g., music and Sister Circles) and research methodologies to achieve a culturally conscious, traumainformed, quality, and holistic care and practice. The intersecting identities and cultural responsibility of Black women highly influences the barriers and facilitators on the uptake of healthcare services. Utilizing a community engaged research approach, this qualitative study assessed the healthcare experiences, as well as the role of music in the lived and retold experiences of Black women navigating …

Health Behaviors, Financial Difficulties, And Depressive Symptoms Among Older Adults Across Gender And Race During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Yujun Liu, Heng Wang, M. Courtney Hughes

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

Background: COVID-19 deeply affected the health and well-being of older adults. This study examines health behavior change and the interrelationships between health behaviors, financial difficulties, and depressive symptoms among older adults across gender and race during the pandemic.

Methods: Using Rounds 1, 5, and 10 of the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) linked with the NHATS COVID-19 dataset, our sample included Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 or older in the U.S. (N = 3,118). We modeled the interrelationships between health behaviors, financial difficulties, and depressive symptoms using a structural equation model.

Results: Female participants reported less walking, more changes …

The Lived Experiences Of Black Women With Hysterectomy For Benign Fibroids, Clarise M. Jackson-Hall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Black women are more likely than women of any other race in the United States to undergo an abdominal hysterectomy instead of a less invasive and less damaging laparoscopic or robotic procedure for benign fibroids. Although Black women are the population most disparately affected by benign fibroids, as evidenced by higher morbidity and mortality rates due to complications, they are often excluded in clinical research. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of Black women who decided to undergo an invasive abdominal hysterectomy for benign fibroids. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 14 Black women, …

Interventions To Support Teen Mothers In California And Reduce The Disparities Related To The Effects Of Teen Pregnancy, Shanelle Christine Sanchez

Master's Projects and Capstones

The US teen birth rate has slowly been declining; however, teenage pregnancy is still prevalent. In 2018 the US teen birth rate was 17.4 births per 1,000 girls aged 15-19 years, totaling 179,871 births (National Vital Statistic Report). California’s most recent birth rate was 13.6 births per 1,000 girls aged 15-19 years in 2020 (CDC, 2020). Few studies focus on teen mothers’ health, life needs, and outcomes as a result of adolescent pregnancy and subsequently, adolescent parenting. Additionally, few studies have looked at the cultural differences and views of adolescent pregnancy and parenting within the Hispanic population, which are greatly …

The Impact Of Covid-19 In The Latinx Community, Laura Pedraza, Ricardo Villela, Vikki Kamatgi, Kaitlyn Cocuzzo, Ricardo Correa, Miriam Zylberglait Lisigurski

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the existing health and social disparities that affect minority groups in the United States (US), including the Latinx community. This situation has been reflected in many aspects of health, including increased morbi-mortality and reduced adherence to medical and scientific recommendations. Limited access to health care, financial challenges, migrant status, and health literacy, or lack thereof, have all hampered the Latinx community's ability to seek aid quickly and to be tested or treated effectively for this disease. This pandemic has shown that the Latinx community's socioeconomic status correlates with greater mortality rates when compared to other …

Improving Patient Satisfaction And Preventative Health Service Utilization For Limited English Proficiency Immigrants At Pearl Medical Centr, Chioma Holland

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Background: Despite research efforts to address health disparities within immigrant communities, immigrant health continues to lack the attention from healthcare stakeholders it needs. Many immigrants already face dire health threats like extreme poverty, political unrest, and mental health concerns in their countries of origin, making them even more vulnerable to poor physical, mental, and social health outcomes upon arrival to the United States (U.S.). The purpose of this project was to improve patient satisfaction and increase immigrant use of preventative care by utilizing appropriate interpreter services. Method: The Quality improvement (QI) project involved surveying limited English proficiency (LEP) immigrants older …

Increasing Obesity Education In An Underserved Latino Population, Morgan Lippert, Kelsey Beard

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Obesity is a rapidly growing health problem in the United States. Certain populations are at high risk for developing obesity including the Latino population and underserved communities. This Quality Improvement project aimed to develop a more patient centered approach for primary care providers use to deliver obesity education to an at-risk Latino population. The project was completed at a clinic in southern Illinois where the majority of the population is underserved and Spanish speaking. Obesity education tools in both Spanish and English were given to the patients in order to decrease the language barrier and improve patient education and understanding …

Lgbtq+ Health Disparities: Healthcare Intervention, Kara Steinbrecher

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) community has carried the burden of countless health disparities throughout its history tied to discrimination, bias, prejudice, and stigma. LGBTQ+ individuals are disproportionately at higher risk for substance abuse, sexually transmitted diseases, cardiovascular disease, mental illness, suicide, and unequal access to healthcare, related to social stigma and bias that exists in healthcare itself. The purpose of this systematic literature review is to analyze existing health disparities among the LGBTQ+ population in the United States and the efficacy of various interventions of health care professionals to reduce them. Twenty-one articles from multiple online …

The Neighborhood Environment And Hispanic/Latino Health, Natalia I Heredia, Tianlin Xu, Minjae Lee, Lorna H Mcneill, Belinda M Reininger

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: Hispanic/Latino adults on the Texas-Mexico border have high rates of chronic disease. Neighborhoods can influence health, though there is a limited research on neighborhood environment and health in Hispanics/Latinos. The purpose of this study was to assess the relation of neighborhood environment with health variables in Hispanic/Latino adults, including physical activity [PA], depression, anxiety, and lab-assessed conditions (type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and chronic inflammation).

METHODS: Participants were randomly-selected from a Hispanic/Latino cohort on the Texas-Mexico border. Neighborhood environment, self-reported PA, anxiety, and depression were assessed through questionnaires. Laboratory values determined Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and C-reactive protein …

Exploring How Exposure To Truth And State-Sponsored Anti-Tobacco Media Campaigns Affect Smoking Disparities Among Young Adults Using A National Longitudinal Dataset, 2002-2017, David C. Colston, Yanmei Xie, Jim Thrasher Ph.D.,Ma. Ms, Sherry Emery, Megan E. Patrick, Andrea R. Titus, Micheal R. Elliot, Nancy L. Fleischer

Faculty Publications

Background. Little is known regarding long-term impacts of anti-tobacco media campaigns on youth smoking and related disparities in the United States. Methods. We examined longitudinal cohort data from Monitoring the Future (MTF) between 2000 and 2017 in modified Poisson regression models to understand the long-term impacts of televised Truth and state-sponsored ad campaign exposure at baseline (age 18) on first cigarette and daily smoking initiation 1 to 2 years later (at modal ages 19/20). We also used additive interactions to test for potential effect modification between campaign exposure and smoking outcomes by sex, race/ethnicity, and parental educational attainment. Results. We …

Black And White Health Disparities: Racial Bias In American Healthcare, Yasmeen Almomani

Bridges: An Undergraduate Journal of Contemporary Connections

This paper explores the historical implications of race in American society that have led to implicit racism in the healthcare system. Racial bias in healthcare against Black people is a factor in the health disparities between Black and white people in America, such as the gap in life expectancy, infant death, and maternal mortality. Black people are more likely to report racial discrimination from healthcare providers, which is a reason for the decreased quality of care received. The past justifications of slavery, the Tuskegee syphilis study, and the medical experimentations on Black women are horrifying but were considered acceptable in …

Responding To The Call: Building A Training Program To Diversify The Academy In Alzheimer's Disease Research, Lucy Annang Ingram Phd, Mph, Marvella E. Ford, Christiana L. Johnson, Brianna Ashford-Carroll, Quentun Mccollum, Daniela B. Friedman Ph.D., Sue Ellen Levkoff

Faculty and Staff Publications

Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) are at the forefront of the United States (US) public health agenda due to their tremendous human and financial burden. Further, disproportionately high ADRD rates among racial/ethnic minorities require incorporating the unique perspectives of racially and ethnically diverse scientists, which will necessitate diversifying the scientific workforce that investigates disparities in aging. The purpose of this paper is to describe the training and mentorship initiatives of the National Institute on Aging (NIA)-funded Carolina Center on Alzheimer's Disease and Minority Research, emphasizing lessons learned from our engagement with underrepresented minority and minoritized (URM) Scientists. We highlight …

Feasibility And Acceptability Of Using Mobile Health Apps In Underserved Patients With Diabetes, Jieyu Luo

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Introduction. Diabetes mellitus is a condition with a growing morbidity and mortality burden. An estimated 30 million adults currently live with diabetes, with each individual spending over $9500 annually on medical care. The successful management of diabetes is a lifelong endeavor. This involves balancing a variety of factors including diet, medications, and glucose monitoring. It has been well established that successful control of diabetes depends largely upon patients’ daily lifestyle habits and activities. Not all patients, however, have the resources necessary for effective diabetes management. Health disparities lead to a higher rate of diabetes development in minority and poor populations. …

Forum 1: Social Inequality, Justice, And Vaccine Intent And Distribution In The United States, Grant Drawve, Kevin Fitzpatrick, Casey Harris

Vaccine Course

The key issues for the distribution of the COVID vaccine are shared. These issues include funding, racial and ethnic disparities, supply and logistics, communication and trust, federal, state and local roles, and coverage and costs.

Moving Past The Binary: Transgender And Gender Non-Conforming Students’ Experiences Of And Perspectives On College Campus Fitness Centers, Rachel E. Petterson

Honors Projects

Transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) people face various mental and physical health disparities. Despite this, spaces related to health and wellness are not always inclusive. Similarly, college campuses are often not as inclusive or accommodating as they should be. This study looks at the experiences of TGNC students at campus fitness centers. Through both quantitative and qualitative data gathered through an online survey, it aims to better understand the following: the presence of inclusive facilities; the perceived importance of facility variables; use of campus fitness facilities by TGNC students; what improvements they would like to see; and how any of …

Risk Factors Associated With Opioid Use Among African American Faith-Based Populations, Kelsey Christensen Ma, Jannette Berkley-Patton Phd, Alexandria Bauer Phd, Carole Bowe Thompson, Tacia Burgin

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

African Americans (AAs) in the Midwest are more likely to die from an opioid overdose compared to Whites, despite lower rates of use. Little is known about factors related to opioid use among AAs residing in the Midwest, particularly church-affiliated AAs. AAs have the highest rate of church attendance among all racial/ethnic groups, and the Black Church may be an appropriate setting for prevention efforts. The present study sought to better understand factors related to opioid use among Midwestern church-affiliated AAs to inform future faith-based interventions. This study examined predictors of opioid use (ever) using survey data from Taking It …

Addressing Hidden Barriers To Follow Up Healthcare: A Community Referral Pilot Project, Amber Williams

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Objective: The project was aimed to reduce the number of participants lost to primary care follow-up following a mobile health unit screening event.

Design: A pilot study program screening tool implementation was utilized to address the hidden barriers of the Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) during a Winter 2021 event.

Sample: A group of 12 participants were screened during a mobile health unit event. Eight of the participants opted to be a part of the pilot study.

Measurements: A comparison ratio of Primary Care follow up was compared from the Winter of 2020 with Winter of 2021, where the screening …

The Impact Of The Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program On Healthy Days, Health Inequity, And Hospital Community Benefit Spending, Samhita Kadiyala

Scripps Senior Theses

The Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program (HVBP) is a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) program implemented in 2012 to reward acute-care hospitals with incentive payments for the quality of care provided to Medicare patients in inpatient settings. Under this policy, payment adjustments are made based on a variety of factors including clinical quality, patient experience, and cost reductions. This paper uses state-level variation in the implementation of HVBP to ascertain whether the policy led to improvements in Healthy Days (a CDC-designed composite measure of individuals’ self-reported number of physically and mentally “healthy” days per month), health disparities, and community …

Addressing Health-Related Myths In The Culturally Diverse African American Population: A Call To Action, Lucson Joseph

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

African Americans (AAs) experience numerous challenges that socially, economically, and physically affect their communities. Recent studies have found that a diverse array AAs encounter many struggles as they navigate the United States (U.S.) healthcare system to access care and receive healthcare services. AA communities are significantly affected by the burden of chronic diseases. They face considerable barriers to healthcare services that contribute to adverse health outcomes. This paper explains the daily struggles many AAs face within their communities to access and navigate the healthcare system due to culturally held myths and barriers. This paper discusses commonly held myths among Afro-Caribbean …

Responding To The Call: Building A Training Program To Diversify The Academy In Alzheimer’S Disease Research, Lucy Annang Ingram Phd, Marvella E. Ford, Christiana L. Johnson, Brianna Ashford-Carroll, Quentin Mccollum, Daniela B. Friedman, Sue E. Levkoff

Faculty Publications

Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) are at the forefront of the United States (US) public health agenda due to their tremendous human and financial burden. Further, disproportionately high ADRD rates among racial/ethnic minorities require incorporating the unique perspectives of racially and ethnically diverse scientists, which will necessitate diversifying the scientific workforce that investigates disparities in aging. The purpose of this paper is to describe the training and mentorship initiatives of the National Institute on Aging (NIA)-funded Carolina Center on Alzheimer's Disease and Minority Research, emphasizing lessons learned from our engagement with underrepresented minority and minoritized (URM) Scientists. We highlight …

The Association Of Demographic Characteristics And Social Vulnerability With Covid-19 Outcomes, Gloria D. Boone

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The Association of Demographic Characteristics and Social Vulnerability With COVID-19 Outcomes

by

Gloria Boone

(Under the Direction of Gulzar Shah)

ABSTRACT

This research explored 102 Illinois counties' COVID-19 data to determine whether demographic characteristics and social vulnerability are associated with increased vulnerability to COVID-19 infections and deaths. COVID-19 is disproportionately impacting vulnerable groups and has been deadlier for African American and Hispanic people. The findings of this research will contribute to the knowledge base regarding social vulnerability and assist public health officials in targeting resources and designing interventions. This study used a retrospective cross-sectional design to assess demographic characteristics of …

Feasibility And Acceptability Of A Technology-Based, Rural Weight Management Int Ervention In Older Adults With Obesity, John A. Batsis, Curtis L. Petersen, Matthew M. Clark, Summer B. Cook, David Kotz, Tyler L. Gooding, Meredith N. Roderka, Rima I. Al-Nimer, Dawna M. Pidgeon, Ann Haedrich, K. C. Wright, Christina Aquila, Todd A. Mackenzie

Dartmouth Scholarship

Background

Older adults with obesity residing in rural areas have reduced access to weight management programs. We determined the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary outcomes of an integrated technology-based health promotion intervention in rural-living, older adults using remote monitoring and synchronous video-based technology.

Methods

A 6-month, non-randomized, non-blinded, single-arm study was conducted from October 2018 to May 2020 at a community-based aging center of adults aged ≥65 years with a body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2. Weekly dietitian visits focusing on behavior therapy and caloric restriction and twice-weekly physical therapist-led group strength, flexibility and balance training classes were delivered using video-conferencing …

Coh-2000 - Community Health Interventions, Jose Nanin

Open Educational Resources

This syllabus includes OER materials and college policies for a fully online course that exposes students to a range of health promotion and disease prevention and management strategies used by health specialists to address community health challenges. Through readings and videos, as well as online course assignments and discussions, students learn about planning and designing interventions to improve the health of specific priority populations and communities-at-large.

Hs-4100 - Global Health Issues, Jose Nanin

Open Educational Resources

This syllabus includes OER materials and college policies for a fully online course that takes a comprehensive look at global health issues. In this course, the assessment of health issues are analyzed from various perspectives including geographic, ethnic, religious, human rights, socioeconomic, social, cultural, and political influences. Students learn about global environmental causes and consequences of infectious diseases, major diseases, mental illness, natural disasters, malnutrition, drug and alcohol addiction, violence and injuries.

¡Sí, Yo Puedo Vivir Sano Con Diabetes! A Self-Management Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial For Low-Income Adults With Type 2 Diabetes In Mexico City, Robin Whittemore, Mireya Vilar-Compte, Selene De La Cerda, Roberta Delvy, Sangchoon Jeon, Soraya Burrola-Méndez, Mariana Pardo-Carrillo, Annel Lozano-Marrufo, Rafael Pérez-Escamilla

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a worldwide epidemic and a leading cause of death in Mexico, with a prevalence of 15.9%, and >70% of diagnosed adults have poor glycemic control [glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) >7.5%]. We developed a diabetes self-management education program contextualized to the study population, including dietary preferences, health literacy, and health system.

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a self-management + text message program (¡Sí, Yo Puedo Vivir Sano con Diabetes!) on primary (HbA1c), and secondary behavioral (self-management), clinical, and psychosocial outcomes in adults with T2D in Mexico City.

Methods: Participants were recruited at public …

Assets And Unmet Needs Of Diverse Older Adults: Perspectives Of Community-Based Service Providers In Minnesota, Hayley R. Mccarron, Alana Wright, Rajean P. Moone, Traci Toomey, Theresa L. Osypuk, Tetyana Shippee

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

This paper examines assets and unmet needs of diverse older adults and highlights the need for programs and policies that address the social determinants of health. The United States is undergoing an unprecedented demographic shift, becoming increasingly diverse and aging rapidly. Given these changing demographics, it is important to understand the strengths and needs of our diverse population of older adults. This study captures perspectives of diverse service providers who work with older adults in communities, to identify existing assets as well as unmet needs and challenges facing diverse older adults in Minnesota. Qualitative data were collected using key informant …

Severe Maternal Morbidity In Michigan: An Investigation Of Health Disparities, Laura Houdeshell-Putt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Severe maternal morbidity (SMM) rates in Michigan have increased over the past 20 years and continue to affect racial and ethnic women disproportionately. Women experiencing health conditions that complicate pregnancy outcomes have a greater risk of having poor obstetric outcomes that result in a SMM event. To evaluate the distribution of women experiencing health conditions that complicate pregnancy and a SMM event, geographic information systems were utilized in this study. The purpose of this study was to depict trends in the prevalence of 4 health conditions and SMM among women hospitalized for obstetric delivery in Michigan from 2016–2017. The 4 …

Primary Care Physicians’ Knowledge And Perception Of The Impact Of Health Literacy On Patient Care, Lutrisha S. King

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Until recently, many health literacy studies were completed from the patient and nurse perspective, while few focused on the physician perspective, specifically the primary care physician. The purpose of this study was to provide insight into the health literacy knowledge and education of primary care physicians and determine the association, if any, between physicians’ perceptions of patients’ limited health literacy and physicians’ use of health literacy communication techniques. The knowledge, attitudes, and practice (KAP) framework directed this study. This framework posits that knowledge informs or influences attitudes, which leads to practices. The KAP framework was employed to answer the research …

Examining Racial & Ethnic Disparities In The Reach Of The Medicare Shared Savings Program, Lindsey Arneson

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

It is important to understand the quality of health care for racial and ethnic minorities covered under the largest U.S. government-run insurance program, Medicare, because the demographics of the U.S. are becoming older and more diverse. A new value-based program under Medicare is the Shared Savings Program (MSSP), which creates incentives to improve care quality and health outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries with a specific focus on increasing the provision of preventive care services. This capstone project aims to understand the representation of racial/ethnic minority Medicare beneficiaries, namely African Americans/Blacks and Hispanics/Latinxs, that receive care from providers or facilities (i.e., Accountable …

The Empower Action Model: A Framework For Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences By Promoting Health, Equity, And Well-Being Across The Life Span, Aditi Srivastav, Melissa Strompolis, Amy Moseley, Kelsay Shania Daniels

Faculty Publications

The empower action model addresses childhood adversity as a root cause of disease by building resilience across multiple levels of influence to promote health, equity, and well-being. The model builds on the current evidence around adverse childhood experiences and merges important frameworks within key areas of public health—the socio-ecological model, protective factors, race equity and inclusion, and the life course perspective. The socio-ecological model is used as the foundation for this model to highlight the multilevel approach needed for improvement in public health. Five key principles that build on the protective factors literature are developed to be applied at each …