Community-Based Research Commons^™

Healthy Food Options At Dollar Discount Stores Are Equivalent In Quality And Lower In Price Compared To Grocery Stores: An Examination In Las Vegas, Nv, Courtney Coughenour, Timothy J. Bungum, M. Nikki Regalado

Public Health Faculty Publications

Food deserts indicate limited access to and affordability of healthy foods. One potential mediator is the availability of healthy food in non-traditional outlets such as dollar-discount stores, stores selling produce at the fixed $1 price. The purpose of this study was to compare availability, quality, price differences in ‘healthier’ versus ‘regular’ food choices, price per each food item, and summary score in dollar-discount stores to grocery stores in Las Vegas using the NEMS-S; a protocol consisting of three subscores—availability, quality, price of healthier versus regular food, and a summary score. [...] see article for full abstract

Wide Educational Disparities In Young Adult Cardiovascular Health, Elizabeth M. Lawrence, Robert A. Hummer, Benjamin W. Domingue, Kathleen Mullan Harris

Sociology Faculty Research

Widening educational differences in overall health and recent stagnation in cardiovascular disease mortality rates highlight the critical need to describe and understand educational disparities in cardiovascular health (CVH) among U.S. young adults. We use two data sets representative of the U.S. population to examine educational disparities in CVH among young adults (24–34) coming of age in the 21st century: the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2005–2010; N= 689) and the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (2007–2008; N=11,200). We employ descriptive statistics and regression analysis. The results show that fewer than one in four young adults had …

Prevention Of Type 2 Diabetes In Urban American Indian/Alaskan Native Communities: The Life In Balance Pilot Study, Daniel C. Benyshek, Michelle Chino, Carolee Dodge-Francis, Toricellas O. Begay, Hongbin Jin, Celeste Giordano

Environmental & Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Objective: The Life in BALANCE (LIB) study is a pilot translational study modeling the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) intensive lifestyle coaching intervention among an underserved, high-risk population: American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) living in a large urban setting (Las Vegas, Nevada). Research Design and Methods: A total of 22 overweight/obese AI/ANs (age, 39.6 ± 10.4 years; BMI, 34.1 ± 6.3 kg/m2) at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes (HbA1c > 5.4 (36 mmol/mol) < 6.4 percent (46 mmol/mol) participated in the program between April and December, 2011. Study participants completed a 16 week intensive lifestyle coaching intervention. In addition to obtaining qualitative data regarding opportunities and challenges of applying the lifestyle intervention for AI/AN participants in an urban setting, clinical data, including BMI, waist circumference, blood pres- sure, fasting blood glucose, and blood lipids (HDL, LDL and Triglycerides), were collected. Results: Only 12 of the 22 participants remained in the LIB program at the final post-program follow-up. Participants demonstrated significant decreased waist circumference and elevated HDL cholesterol. Triglycerides manifested the highest percentage change without statistical significance. No significant change was ob- served in blood pressure or fasting blood glucose. Conclusions: LIB participants’ improvements in BMI, waist circumference, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides suggests type 2 diabetes prevention programs aimed at urban AI/ANs show significant potential for reducing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes among this underserved and high risk community. Qualitative data suggest the main challenge for type 2 diabetes prevention specific to this population is a need for improved community outreach strategies.

Health Effects Associated With Foreclosure: A Secondary Analysis Of Hospital Discharge Data, Nancy N. Menzel, Sheniz Moonie, Melva Thompson-Robinson

Environmental & Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the health effects of high home foreclosure rates in an area of the United States of America and the utility of hospital discharge data for this purpose.

Methods: We analyzed hospital discharge data from three postal zip codes using the principal diagnosis for 25 Diagnostic Related Groups associated with stress. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize hospital discharge rates for each condition by year and zip code. To test for differences across time, the Cochran-Armitage trend test was performed.

Results: Most conditions did not demonstrate a statistical change between 2005 and …

Health Effects Associated With Foreclosure: A Secondary Analysis Of Hospital Discharge Data, Nancy Menzel, Sheniz Moonie, Melva V. Thompson-Robinson

Nursing Faculty Publications

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to assess the health effects of high home foreclosure rates in an area of the United States of America and the utility of hospital discharge data for this purpose. Methods. We analyzed hospital discharge data from three postal zip codes using the principal diagnosis for 25 Diagnostic Related Groups associated with stress. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize hospital discharge rates for each condition by year and zip code. To test for differences across time, the Cochran-Armitage trend test was performed. Results. Most conditions did not demonstrate a statistical change between …

School Program Planning To Increase Active Transport To School, Brenda Aguilar

McNair Poster Presentations

Studies have shown that active transport is known to increase physical activity of children, decrease traffic congestion and the production of greenhouse gasses. This study examines active transport to school (ATS) [walking, biking, or other self-powered wheels to school] among elementary students. Through the Nevada Moves Day program an increase proportion of elementary students who use ATS was expected.

This study was done at two elementary schools, one being the intervention school that participated in the Nevada Moves Day, and a control school, which did not participate. Data was collected over a three week period. Students using active transport and …

Evaluating The Impact Of Social Determinants On Pedestrian Injury In Clark County, Nevada, Jonathon Lavalley, Courtney Ann Coughenour, Michelle Chino

Health Sciences Graduate Research

In order to understand the social determinants which may impact pedestrian injury rates in an urban, sprawling, western community we conducted an ecologic investigation to compare pedestrian crash rates by social determinants available for census tracts in Clark County, NV.

Analysis Of Primary Risk Factors For Oral Cancer From Us States With Increasing Rates, Anthony Bunnell, Nathan Pettit, Nicole Reddout, Kanika Sharma, Susan O'Malley, Michelle Chino, Karl Kingsley

Public Health Faculty Publications

Objectives

To examine the primary risk factor for oral cancer in the US, smoking and tobacco use, among the specific US states that experienced short-term increases in oral cancer incidence and mortality.

Methods

Population-based data on oral cancer morbidity and mortality in the US were obtained from the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database for analysis of recent trends. Data were also obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) to measure current and former trends of tobacco usage. To comprehensive measures of previous state tobacco use …

Quality Of Life Estimation With Structural Equation Modeling In School Aged Children With Asthma, Sheniz Moonie, Xuan Huang, David A. Sterling

Environmental & Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Significant increases in childhood asthma prevalence and mortality has prompted federal and regulatory agencies to work towards a national framework to address childhood asthma. Quality of life is an important component of chronic disease, and the evaluation of healthcare outcomes. There is little discussion in the literature regarding the implications of QoL as a theoretical construct. This study determined the effect of asthma on the QoL of our study population and caregiver’s missed workdays on the child’s QoL scores. A negative relationship was found between the child’s QoL and the caregiver’s missed workdays due to their child’s asthma. The use …

Lead-Contaminated Candies In Southern Nevada, Shawn Gerstenberger, Glenn Savage, Clayton Sellers, Keith Zupnik, Emmanuel C. Gorospe

Environmental & Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Lead-contaminated candies from Latin America are beginning to gain attention in the public media1,2 and in the medical literature.3–5 These candies come from a number of sources and are manufactured outside Food and Drug Administration regulatory control. In 2005, we sampled 50 imported Latin American candies sold in Southern Nevada. A total of 20 (40%) tested positive with an average lead content of 1.46  0.27 mg/kg in the candies’ wrappers and straws, based on standard Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry methodology. Given these results, the Southern Nevada Health District issued a cease-and-desist order on February 13, 2006, to local …

The Status Of Childhood Lead Poisoning And Prevention In Nevada, Usa, Anne Rothweiler, Elena E. Cabb, Shawn Gerstenberger

Environmental & Occupational Health Faculty Publications

One of the first steps in addressing the problem of childhood lead poisoning is to identify the possible sources of exposure in specific communities and target high-risk populations with appropriate interventions. Due to several factors, such as lack of funding and lack of blood lead reporting, little information exists regarding the occurrence of childhood lead poisoning and the prevalence of potential exposure sources in the state of Nevada. Following the recent establishment of a Nevada-based Lead Poisoning Program, we compiled the most current information available on Nevadans, and use this knowledge to suggest future research objectives and outreach activities for …

The Benefits Of Breastfeeding: An Introduction For Health Educators, Sheila G. J. Clark, Timothy J. Bungum

Environmental & Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Currently 16% of Americans breastfeed their children for at least 12 months as recommended by the AAP, which is well below the HP 2010 goal of 25%. Breastfed infants receive benefits that can improve their health throughout their lives. The benefits of breastfeeding for children include increased resistance to infectious diseases, such as gastroenteritis, respiratory tract infections, and ear infections. Breastfed children also display lower rates of chronic diseases including diabetes, obesity, asthma, and leukemia. The choice to breastfeed results in economic benefits from lower health care costs and from reduced spending on infant formula. The Healthy People 2010 targets …