Public Health Education and Promotion Commons^™

Vaccine Hesitancy Among Healthcare Workers In The Covid-19 Era, Gabriella Checchi

Capstone Showcase

Vaccination against harmful, deadly pathogens have been an essential tool in the scientific world and have shaped our community as we know it today. They have allowed us to live in a society where members of the community are protected from certain severe disease and can help to decrease the death toll of these diseases. Vaccines have allowed us to eradicate smallpox, a disease that ravaged the world and killed over 300 million people. They have been a one of the most useful advances in medical science so far. And yet today, as SARS-CoV-2 continues to spread rampantly throughout the …

The Program To Reduce Implicit Bias In Carroll Hospital Center Using The Implicit Association Test, Katherine E. Traynor

Capstone Showcase

Natural brain processes make all individuals susceptible to unconscious bias; however, stressful, fearful, or anger-evoking situations as well as the negative influence of media and social surroundings increase the risk of holding obstructive bias, and there is a greater risk of being negatively impacted by this phenomenon when belonging to a minority population (Rose & Flores, 2020). As a result, high rates of infant mortality (10.2 deaths per 1,000 live births for the Non-Hispanic Black population compared to 4.1 in the White population) and cardiovascular related diseases (190.0 cases per 1,000 in the Non-Hispanic Black population compared to 161.3 in …

Understanding The Environmental Implications Of The Microbiome Of Canals In Bangkok, Thailand, Emma Tao

Scripps Senior Theses

The canals of Bangkok, Thailand hold significant economic and social value, yet the increasing urbanization of the city has resulted in increased water pollution. Agricultural runoff and urban waste contribute to the degradation of the water quality, which has impaired its safe usage by the people of the city. This study focused on analyzing the microbiome of the water in the canals in correlation with the surrounding environment, both in and out of the water. Ten sites along the Bangkok canals were analyzed. DNA was isolated for the sequencing of the 16s rRNA gene to determine the microbial diversity of …

Effects Of Indoor Air Pollutants On Childhood Asthma: African American Parents’ Perspective, Marcia Maureen Haughton Lewis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractIndoor air pollution has been implicated in many chronic health conditions, including childhood asthma, which is more prevalent among African American children. Children are more susceptible than adults to the effects of exposure to indoor air pollution; however, many parents may not be aware of the polluting impacts of products in their homes and are inadvertently placing their families at risk for adverse health outcomes. Understanding parents’ perceptions and experiences is essential for planning and developing educational programs and interventions for improving indoor environment management as part of asthma management in children. This descriptive phenomenological study aimed to explore parents’ …

Exploring Agricultural Worker Self-Efficacy During A Covid-19 Delta Variant Surge And Adverse Environmental Conditions, Hannah Lascano

All Master's Theses

Yakima County is a rural county with an urban core located in central Washington State. With over 60% of its workforce dedicated to agriculture, food production, and other essential industries, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly compounded in Yakima County populations. Factors such as low decision-making power, limited ability to social distance, and occupational limitations such as fear of job loss, non-compliance with immigration regulations, and lack of representation have yet to be explored during the COVID-19 Delta variant (Delta) surge in conjunction with environmental conditions. This study utilized a novel, online survey of Yakima County residents, …

Time For Tobacco-Free Generations In The Western Pacific?, Gianna Gayle H. Amul, Suan Ee Ong, Azrul Mohd Khalib, Joanne Su-Yin Yoong

Ateneo School of Government Publications

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Behavioral Health Clinician Shortage At A Rural Midwestern U.S. Agency, Tracy L. Wilson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Behavioral health clinician shortages are a significant and ongoing problem in the United States, especially in rural areas, which have higher rates of homelessness, suicide, substance use, and violence rates than urban areas. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore factors contributing to the behavioral health clinician shortage in a rural midwestern U.S. public health department. The goal was to gain a better understanding of this shortage and explore strategies and solutions for recruiting and retaining behavioral health clinicians at the agency’s facilities. The Baldrige excellence framework undergirded the investigation. Data sources included interviews with three administrative …

Relationship Between Employee Engagement, Kind Of Initiatives, And Workplace Wellness Program Effectiveness, Alicia Dobrzeniecki

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffective workplace wellness programs prevent organizations from decreasing employee health and well-being costs. Workplace wellness managers lose more than $1,100 in decreased productivity each year. Grounded in the theory of planned behavior, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between workplace wellness engagement, kind of workplace wellness initiatives, and workplace wellness program effectiveness. Data were collected from 146 workplace wellness program managers who completed the HERO scorecard. The multiple linear regression analysis results indicated the model was able to significantly predict workplace wellness program effectiveness, F(2, 143) = 85.482, p = < .001, R² = .545. Both predictors provided a significant contribution to the model, with workplace wellness engagement level (t = 8.342, p = < .001, β = .543) providing a higher contribution to the model than kind of workplace wellness initiatives (t = 4.584, p = < .001, β = .298). A key recommendation for workplace wellness program managers is to emphasize employee engagement in workplace wellness programs and choose the appropriate initiatives to ensure workplace wellness program effectiveness. The implications for positive social change include the potential for improved health and well-being within the U.S. workforce.

The Perceptions Of Adult Patients Who Experience Needle Fear During Cosmetic Injections, Julia Hoy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAdult patients receiving cosmetic injections frequently experience needle fear symptoms which results in patient discomfort, suffering, and poor injection outcomes. The needle fear experience contributes to a decreased quality of life and possible avoidance behaviors involving other medical treatments requiring needles. Researchers have conducted quantitative studies which explored interventions on pain reduction but there are no qualitative studies from the perspectives of adults experiencing needle fear. The purpose of this research study was to explore the perceptions of needle fear in adult patients receiving cosmetic injections in a medical office setting. The interpretative phenomenological approach was used to provide an …

Framing Vaccine Mandates: Messenger And Message Effects, Christopher Buccafusco, Daniel J. Hamel

Faculty Scholarship

In September 2021, President Biden announced that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) would require large employers to ensure workers are vaccinated against Covid-19 or tested weekly. Although widely characterized as “Biden’s vaccine mandate,” the policy could be described with equal accuracy as “OSHA’s testing mandate.” Some commentators speculated that reframing the policy as a testing mandate would boost support. This study investigates how framing effects shape attitudes toward vaccination policies. Before the Supreme Court struck down the vaccinate-or-test rule, we presented 1500 U.S. adults with different descriptions of the same requirement. Reframing “Biden’s vaccine mandate” as “OSHA’s testing …

Association Of Health Literacy And Provider Education With Knowledge Of Breast And Cervical Cancer Screening In An Underserved Female Population, Mallory Gandy, Karly A. Meyer, Jennifer Liu, Jenenne Geske

EMET Projects

No abstract provided.

Integrating Fema And Scouts For Local Community Hazard Preparedness, Megan Vocatura

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

My goal is to support the development of a comprehensive, evidence-based, plan to connect four counties in eastern Massachusetts with local Scouting resources to enhance preparedness efforts. The counties of Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, and Suffolk comprise the geographic footprint of the Sprit of Adventure Scout Council (SoA). SoA’s newly established partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) needs recommendations on where to stage preparedness and response efforts. My role will be to build a repository of evidence of current and anticipated hazards, vulnerabilities, and risks for the region and specific communities. This part of the project will consist of …

Assessing Sexual Assault And Harassment At Montclair State University: Research Abstracts, Amanda Birnbaum, Eva Goldfarb, Lisa Lieberman, Stephanie A. Navarro Silvera

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Public Health Implications Of Cannabis Legalization: An Exploration Of Adolescent Use And Evidence-Based Interventions, Joseph Donnelly, Michael Young, Brenda Marshall, Michael L. Hecht, Elena Saldutti

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Abstract: This article examines the relaxation of state marijuana laws, changes in adolescent use of marijuana, and implications for drug education. Under federal law, use of marijuana remains illegal. In spite of this federal legislation, as of 1 June 2021, 36 states, four territories and the District of Columbia have enacted medical marijuana laws. There are 17 states, two territories and the District of Columbia that have also passed recreational marijuana laws. One of the concerns regarding the enactment of legislation that has increased access to marijuana is the possibility of increased adolescent use of marijuana. While there are documented …

Aproximación Al Consumo De Alimentos Recomendables Y No Recomendables En La Primera Ola De La Pandemia Por Covid-19 En México, Erika Lozano-Hidalgo, Mauricio Hernández-Fernández, Pablo Gaitán-Rossi, Mireya Vilar-Compte

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Objective. To estimate the frequency of consumption of some recommended and non-recommended food groups during the Covid-19 pandemic in Mexico, and their association with sociodemographic characteristics and food security. Materials and methods. We used the Survey on the Effects of Covid-19 on the wellbeing of Mexican households (Encovid-19). We identified four groups with information about the frequency of their consumption, and estimated logistic regression models adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics and food security. Results. Higher socioeconomic levels A/B and C were associated with higher frequency of consumption of recommended and non-recommended food groups. Mild food insecurity was associated with lower consumption …

Reply To The Commentary Of The Article "Monthly Prevalence Of Generalized Anxiety Disorder During The Covid-19 Pandemic In Mexico", Pablo Gaitán-Rossi, Víctor Pérez-Hernández, Mireya Vilar-Compte, Graciela Teruel-Belismelis

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Medicine Adherence As A Determinant Of Complication Development In Diabetes And Hypertension Patients On A Medical Aid Scheme In Zimbabwe, Tsitsi Moyo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Pharmacotherapy is a significant component of chronic disease management; its efficacy depends on long term, correct, and consistent use; however, medicine adherence rates remain low. The cost of medicines is considered a significant barrier to adherence, especially in low-income settings. This quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted using data from Cimas Medical Aid Society collected between 2015 and 2019. The purpose of the study was to determine the extent of the association between medicine adherence, complication development, and cost of care among diabetic and hypertensive patients while controlling for age and gender on a population that does not experience cost barriers …

Social Media Use And Mental Health: An Educational Intervention To Reduce Depression And Anxiety In Adolescents, Natalie Catlett

DNP Projects

Background: Most adolescents spend a great deal of their time using various social media platforms. However, excessive and maladaptive social media use is correlated with worsening symptoms of depression and anxiety among adolescents.

Objective: This project aimed to determine whether an educational intervention could help decrease overall time spent using social media and improve mood and mental health outcomes among adolescents with depression or anxiety disorders.

Methods: This was a quasi-experiment with a pretest and posttest design. An educational intervention about the relationship between social media use and symptoms of depression and anxiety among adolescents and strategies to minimize risk …

Healthcare System Responses To Non-Communicable Diseases’ Needs Of Syrian Refugees: The Cases Of Jordan And Lebanon, Chaza Akik, Farah Asfahani, Tatiana Elghossain, Sandra Mesmar, Miriam Rabkin, Wafaa El Sadr, Fouad M. Fouad, Hala Ghattas Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Introduction:

Since the start of the Syrian conflict in 2011, Jordan and Lebanon have hosted large refugee populations, with a high pre-conflict burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). We aimed to explore NCD service provision to Syrian refugees in these two host countries and to identify lessons learned that may inform the global response to the changing health needs of refugees.

Methods: Between January 2017 and June 2018, we conducted 36 in-depth interviews with stakeholders from Jordan and Lebanon, as well as global stakeholders, to understand the context, the achievements, gaps and priorities in the provision and uptake of NCD prevention, …

Perceptions Of Physical Activity Guidelines Among Wheelchair Users With Multiple Sclerosis, Stephanie L Silveira, Brenda Jeng, Gary Cutter, Robert W Motl

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Physical activity guidelines provide prescriptive resources for population-level promotion of behavior change to improve health outcomes. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) recently created and disseminated physical activity guidelines for persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) across the disease spectrum.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess perceptions of the updated NMSS Physical Activity Guidelines among wheelchair users with MS.

METHODS: One hundred thirty-four wheelchair users with MS participated in a cross-sectional study examining health behaviors. Outcomes were measured using an online questionnaire that included items related to demographic and clinical characteristics and a battery of questions regarding perceptions of the …

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 …

Using Implementation Mapping To Develop Implementation Strategies For The Delivery Of A Cancer Prevention And Control Phone Navigation Program: A Collaboration With 2-1-1, Lynn N Ibekwe, Timothy J Walker, Ebun Ebunlomo, Katharine Ball Ricks, Sapna Prasad, Lara S Savas, Maria E Fernandez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Cancer prevention and control (CPC) behaviors, such as cancer screening, human papillomavirus vaccination, and smoking cessation, are critical public health issues. Evidence-based interventions have been identified to improve the uptake of CPC behaviors; however, they are often inconsistently implemented, affecting their reach and effectiveness. Patient navigation is an evidence-based approach to increasing CPC behaviors. Nevertheless, there are few navigation programs that use systematically developed implementation strategies to facilitate adoption, implementation, and maintenance, which affects uptake and outcomes. This article describes the development of a multifaceted implementation strategy designed to facilitate delivery of a CPC phone navigation program to increase breast, …

Acceptance- And Mindfulness-Based Techniques For Physical Activity Promotion In Breast Cancer Survivors: A Qualitative Study, Michael C Robertson, Emily Cox-Martin, Yue Liao, Sara A Flores, Ross Shegog, Christine M Markham, Kayo Fujimoto, Casey P Durand, Abenaa Brewster, Elizabeth J Lyons, Karen M Basen-Engquist

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop and characterize the relevance and potential utility of an electronically delivered acceptance- and mindfulness-based approaches to physical activity promotion for insufficiently active breast cancer survivors.

METHODS: The acceptance- and mindfulness-based physical activity intervention was delivered to participants electronically over the course of 4-8 weeks. It consisted of didactic videos, experiential exercises, and workbook-type activities that targeted principles from acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). We conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews with participants after they completed the intervention. Three coders conducted qualitative data analysis on interview transcripts to identify overarching themes and subthemes.

RESULTS: …

Dna Methylation Pattern Of Cpg Site In The Promoter Region Of Calca-Alpha Gene As A Putative Epigenetic Biomarker In Neonatal Sepsis- A Prospective Observational Study In South India, Rudra Rupesh Reddy Narsapurapu, Deepti Thandaveshwara, Anshu Kumar Yadav, Akila Prashant

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

Background: Recently, several studies have been reported on epigenetic modifications of DNA as a predisposing factor for several diseases among neonates and adults. Here we aimed to study the changes in the DNA methylation pattern in the promoter region of the CALCA gene among the neonates suspected to have sepsis in a tertiary care hospital.

Methodology: All the neonates suspected to have sepsis based on the inclusion criteria during the study period were included in the study as cases. Normal healthy neonates were included in the study as controls. Positive cases were isolated from suspected cases based on …

Primary Care Physicians’ Knowledge, Attitudes, And Practices Regarding Lyme Disease In High- Versus Low-Incidence Lyme Disease Midwestern States, Alexander Karnga

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study, guided by the barriers to physician behavior change (BPBC) framework, was to address the gaps in the Lyme disease empirical literature by examining whether there were significant differences in Lyme disease knowledge, attitude, and practices between primary care physicians in Wisconsin, a high-incidence Midwestern Lyme disease state, and Michigan, a low-incidence Lyme disease Midwestern state. The study was conducted with 65 physicians (53.8% male and 46.2% female). The study hypotheses were tested by conducting a one-way multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA), controlling for physicians’ years of practice (the number of patients seen per …

Fire Safety Education And Increasing Functioning Smoke Detectors In Residential Apartments, Enrique Fernandez Robinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The lack of functioning smoke detectors poses significant life safety risks to people in low-income residential communities. In 2019, a fire incident occurred in an urban Maryland community due to the lack of a functioning smoke detector. Although no deaths or injuries resulted, there was significant property damage and resident displacement. The purpose of this study was to assist a local fire department in an urban area of the state of Maryland with developing and implementing a fire safety community outreach program designed to reduce the percentage of residential homes in a low-income community without functioning smoke detectors. A qualitative …

Educating Nurses On Sbar Tool Implementation For End-Of-Shift Reporting, Doreen Rose-Park

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Patient information transfer during nursing end-of-shift reporting remains a complicated process that lacks universal standardization. This lack of standardization was illustrated at the project site, a detention center in the northeastern United States. Deficiencies and gaps in the health care information of patients during end-of-shift reporting lacked consistence and congruency. This project was developed and implemented to educate the nursing staff at the project site on using the situation–background–assessment–recommendation (SBAR) tool during patient information transfer at cell-side in the facility infirmary. The practice-focused question that guided this project was whether a staff education on an SBAR communication tool designed to …

Relationship Between Student-Centered, Active Learning Strategies And Student Success In An Undergraduate Nursing Course, Camden Seal

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2010, the Institute of Medicine issued a report calling for the transformation of undergraduate nursing education to prepare new graduates for the complexities of practice. To improve preparation for practice, faculty responded by incorporating student-centered, active learning strategies (SCALS); however, the effectiveness of SCALS has not been examined. The purposes of this descriptive correlational study, guided by Brunner’s constructivist theory, were to determine the relationship between (a) a nurse educator’s use of SCALS and the percent of students that successfully completed the course, (b) an educator’s self-perception of their learner-centeredness and the use of SCALS, and (c) an educator’s …

Impact Evaluation Of The Brfss In New York On Obesity Prevention For Weight Loss Among Women, Nikisha Skeete

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract Obesity has increased among the adult population, specifically women, in the United States within the past few decades. While the increase in obesity has been linked to a lack of physical activity and poor dietary intake, obesity lacks contextual analysis within adult women as a group. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the impact of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) on obesity prevention for weight loss in women. Health behavior change theory, the transtheoretical theory model, and the health behavior model guided this study. The research questions were designed to examine whether modifiable lifestyle …

Depression, Drug Use, And Hsv-2 Among Women Who Have Sex With Women, Viani Picchetti

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), the main cause of genital herpes, is an incurable sexually transmitted infection responsible in 2018 for 18.6 million infections in the United States. HSV-2 is twice as frequent in women than in men. Women who have sex with women (WSW) have a higher prevalence of depression and drug use than women who have sex exclusively with men (WSM), which are each related to HSV-2 as they increase the likelihood of engaging in risky sexual behaviors. The purpose of this study was to assess the predictive relationship between depression status, nonprescription drug use status, and …