Demography, Population, and Ecology Commons^™

Predictors Of Depression For Low-Income African American Single Mothers, Jennifer Hatcher, Mary K. Rayens, Ann R. Peden, Lynne A. Hall

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Purpose: To test a model of predictors of depression in low-income single African American mothers. Design: Secondary analysis of existing data collected as part of a study of women at risk for clinical depression.

Methods: Cross sectional secondary data analysis of a study of low-income African American single mothers with children ages 2-6. Path analysis was used to test a model of the potential mediating role of negative thinking. It was hypothesized that negative thinking mediates the effects of chronic stressors, general health status, and self-esteem on depressive symptoms

Finding: Negative thinking mediated the relationships of chronic stressors and self-esteem …

African American Adults’ Experiences With The Health Care System: In Their Own Words, Keri A. Jupka, Nancy L. Weaver, Vetta L. Sanders-Thompson, Nicole M. Caito, Matthew W. Kreuter

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

African Americans suffer a disproportionate burden of death and illness from a number of different chronic diseases. Inequalities in health care practices and poor patient and provider communication between African American patients and health care professionals contribute to these disparities. We describe findings from focus groups with 79 urban African Americans in which the participants discussed their interactions with the healthcare system as well as beliefs and opinions of the healthcare system and professionals. Analysis revealed five major themes: (1) historical and contextual foundations; (2) interpersonal experiences with physicians and other health care workers; (3) discrimination; (4) trust, opinions and …

Examination Of Racial Disparities In Childhood Asthma Management Practices, Crystal N. Piper, Saundra Glover, Kieth Elder, Jong-Deuk Baek

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Objective: To analyze asthma management plan practices for children with asthma in the United States considering race and other demographic and person-level characteristics.

Methods: Univariate/Bivariate/Multivariate analysis was performed to examine asthma management plan physician recommendations among children in the United States utilizing secondary data analysis of the 2002 and 2003 National Health Interview Survey.

Results: The majority of the study participants reported not having an asthma management plan at (59.00%). In multivariate analysis using SAS callable SUDAAN, Whites were significantly more likely to have an asthma management plan (OR=1.66, p=.0031).

Conclusion: Findings from this study indicate that Black and Hispanic …

Promoting Physical Activity In Low Income African Americans: Project Laps, Dorothy W. Pekmezi, Brooke L. Barbera, Jamie S. Bodenlos, Glenn N. Jones, Phillip J. Brantley

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Low income African Americans are at increased risk for physical inactivity and related chronic illnesses. Thus, effective interventions are needed to address these health disparities. The current study examined the efficacy of a home-based physical activity intervention among a low income African American sample with high rates of chronic illnesses (obesity, hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol). Participants (n=214) were randomly assigned to either the home-based physical activity intervention (self-help print materials, five monthly newsletters, two telephone counseling sessions) or an attention control condition, which promoted healthy diet. Results indicated that the intervention did not produce significantly greater increases in physical activity …

Utilizing Community Resources To Reduce The Presence Of Type 2 Diabetes In Rural Youth, Antonia S. Mead, M. C. Nagy, Stephen Nagy

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

The purpose of this study was to implement a program designed to promote diabetes prevention activities among preadolescents in a rural southern setting using a day camp intervention. Participants in the study were eleven youth from a rural Alabama county who participated in a week-long half-day camp administered by local and community volunteers. Change scores were used to compare pre- to post- to follow-up measures for camp participant responses. Program results consistently demonstrated that the day camp was theoretically sound and that program activities positively impacted behavioral antecedents. This study demonstrated the feasibility of conducting a diabetes prevention day camp …

Hepatitis C Diagnoses In An American Indian Primary Care Population, Hillary E. Norton, John T. Redd, Ralph T. Bryan

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

BACKGROUND: Despite large disparities in the burden of chronic liver disease, data on hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among American Indians (AIs) are lacking. We reviewed hepatitis C diagnoses in 35,712 AI/AN primary care patients.

MAIN FINDINGS: At least one HCV-associated ICD-9 code was recorded in 251 (1%) patients between October 1, 2001 and September 30, 2003. An HCV enzyme-linked immunoassay (HCVEIA) was sent in 209 (83.0%); 206/209 (99%) were positive. Confirmatory testing was performed in 144/206 (70%) HCV-EIA positive patients; HCV infection was confirmed in 144 (100%). In the 90/144 (63%) charts with risk factor documentation, injection drug use …

Tribally-Driven Participatory Research: State Of The Practice And Potential Strategies For The Future, Patricia Mariella, Eddie Brown, Michael Carter, Vanessa Verri

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

This paper discusses current practice of research with and by American Indian tribal governments in the United States. It begins with a brief overview of Community-Based Participatory Research and compares and contrasts its principles and methods with what this paper terms Tribally-Driven Participatory Research. The paper analyzes current challenges and offers concepts for continuing to improve the effectiveness of Tribally-Driven Participatory Research.

Talking Glossary Of Genomics Terminology: A Genomics Education Module For American Indian Communities, Jill Peters, Pauline Davies, Naomi Lane, Kathryn Coe

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

This paper describes the development of an audio visual genomics glossary that was designed as an education tool for American Indian communities. This “Talking Glossary of Genomics Terminology” is a multimedia DVD that was modeled on the “Talking Glossary of Genetics,” which was developed by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI). The NHGRI Glossary was modified and expanded with content designed to increase awareness among American Indians about cancer, genomics, and personalized medicine. Partners on the project include the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc., Phoenix Indian Medical Center, Arizona Cancer Center at the University of Arizona, the Translational …

Beyond The It Magic Bullet: Hiv Prevention Education And Public Policy, Fay C. Payton

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Analytic applications are vital in the assessments of public health and surveillance as these applications can drive resource allocation, community assessment and public policy. Using a dataset of nearly 90,000 patient hospital encounters, the number of instances with an ICD code of HIV and co-morbidities was identified. Blacks accounted for 75 percent of HIV hospital encounters in the dataset. While business analytic applications informed this study of cross-tabulations and interaction effects among race, age and gender, there appears to be a significant relationship among HIV diagnoses and substance abuse. Payer data is informed by the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project …

Health Disparities In Kidney Transplantation: An Equity Analysis, Shirley A. Wells

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

The growing incidence of end stage renal disease along with advances of the past 40 years that have improved the success rate of kidney transplantation have created an unprecedented demand for kidney transplant. Yet, certain racial and ethnic groups and women consistently have longer waiting times and lower rates of transplantation which makes a review of the kidney procurement and transplantation system in view of its equity imperative. Reasons given for these disparities have varied from cultural attitudes and beliefs on the part of patients and health care providers, socioeconomic status, rates of organ donation, and geographic location. The equity …

A Review Of Smoking Among Rural African Americans: Recommendations For Research And Cessation Interventions, Susan Hedgecock, Anita Fernander

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Objective: The purpose of this review is to synthesize the available literature on smoking among rural African Americans.

Methods: Using search terms “rural” “African American” “Black” and “smoking” 19 relevant articles were identified in the Medline data base. Findings gleaned from the 19 articles are presented in four categories: a) smoking prevalence, b) smoking behavior and patterns, c) smoking cessation interventions and quitting, and d) smoking-related outcomes.

Results: There may be gender differences, a pattern of late onset of smoking, and a preference for mentholated brands among rural African American smokers. There is no evidence that rural African Americans are …

Differential Effects Of Race And Poverty On Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions, Farrukh B. Hakeem, Daniel L. Howard, Timothy S. Carey, Yhenneko J. Taylor

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

This study is a continuation of an earlier study that examined hospitalization rates for ambulatory care sensitive (ACS) conditions, as a proxy for quality of care, and found evidence of a racial disparity among African American and White Medicare beneficiaries. The current study sought to determine whether neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) explained this disparity. Differences in rates of ACS hospitalizations by race were assessed using Cochran-Mantel Haenszel tests and Poisson regression. Unadjusted rate ratios for ACS hospitalization for African Americans vs. Whites were found to be higher in low poverty areas (rate ratio (RR)=1.13; 95% CI (1.08, 1.17)) than in …

Inflammatory Biomarkers And Subclinical Atherosclerosis In African-American Women With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (Sle), Edith Williams, Carlos Crespo, Joan Dorn

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Women with lupus are at increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). Previous studies of atherosclerosis in SLE have not been representative of the minority groups most affected by lupus and its complications. Therefore, a study of 41 lupus cases and 83 controls was conducted to investigate the relationship between carotid atherosclerosis and inflammation in African-American women. Participation consisted of a questionnaire, physical examination, fasting blood draw, and ultrasound of the carotid arteries. There were observed differences between cases and controls with regard to carotid intima media thickness (IMT) and traditional cardiovascular risk factors, although few reached statistical significance. Tumor …

A Human Capital Approach To Reduce Health Disparities, Saundra Glover, Sudha Xirasagar, Yunho Jeon, Keith Elder, Crystal N. Piper, Harris Pastides

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Objective: To introduce a human capital approach to reduce health disparities in South Carolina by increasing the number and quality of trained minority professionals in public health practice and research.

Methods: The conceptual basis and elements of Project EXPORT in South Carolina are described. Project EXPORT is a community based participatory research (CBPR) translational project designed to build human capital in public health practice and research. This project involves Claflin University (CU), a Historically Black College University (HBCU) and the African American community of Orangeburg, South Carolina to reduce health disparities, utilizing resources from the University of South Carolina (USC), …

Examining The Role Of Life Satisfaction And Negative Emotionality In A Social Disorganization Framework, Jeremy Waller, Timothy C. Hart

Graduate Research Symposium (2010 - 2017)

At the core of the social disorganization perspective is the notion that neighborhood structural factors (i.e., socio-economic status, residential mobility, racial heterogeneity, family disruption, and urbanization) disrupt a community’s ability to self-regulate, which in turn leads to crime and delinquency.

Exogenous neighborhood characteristics believed to be causally linked to crime and delinquency are consistently derived from official Census data and endogenous community characteristics are typically measured from self-reported surveys.

The body of literature supporting the social disorganization explanation of criminogenic places is growing and supports the idea that neighborhood structural determinants of crime influence residents’ feelings of social capital and …

Multicultural Education Policies And State Legislatures: Analyzing The Factors Affecting Policy Adoption, Leander D. Kellogg

Graduate Research Symposium (2010 - 2017)

Introduction: This study looks at the factors that contribute to the adoption of multicultural education policies in the fifty US state legislatures plus the District of Columbia. The demographics of the US are changing significantly. According to Frey (2011), “The 2010 census showed that among infants, almost half—49.8 percent—are minorities, and a quarter of these are Latinos.” Furthermore, it is now projected that by 2023 Whites will become a minority in the student populations nationwide and by 2042 Whites will be a minority within the general US population. In fact, according to the 2010 census there are already 11 states …

Physical Activity Effects On Depressive Symptoms In Black Adults, Elisa R. Torres, Carolyn M. Sampselle, Kimberlee A. Gretebeck, David L. Ronis, Harold W. Neighbors

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Objectives: Randomized trials found physical activity (PA) effective in decreasing depressive symptoms. Few studies included Black participants. The purpose of this systematic literature review was to determine the effects of PA on depressive symptoms in Black adults. Methods: Articles were abstracted by conducting a computer and hand search of eligible studies. Results: Eight of 13 studies found a significant inverse relationship between PA and depressive symptoms in Black adults. Sources for the heterogeneity were explored. Conclusion: Future studies should include representative samples of Black adults, incorporate a theory which considers multiple levels of influence, account for genetic factors in the …

Preventable Asthma Episodes Among Urban/Rural Children And Adolescents: A Comparative Study, Saundra Glover, Crystal N. Piper, Edith Williams, Kevin Bennett, Winifred Thompson, Lucy Annang, Shaniece Charlemagne, Rahnuma Hassan

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Context: Asthma is a chronic respiratory illness that is increasing in prevalence among children in the United States. A limited number of studies have examined the relationship between rurality and the prevalence of asthma in minority children, and those studies found mixed results. The aim of this study is to examine urban/rural locality and its impact on asthma episodes and preventable emergency department visits, and to provide quantitative evidence concerning the relationship between patient characteristics and geographic location. Methods: This is a retrospective study and secondary data analysis of the 2000 National Health Interview Survey. Parametric testing using Univariate/Bivariate/Multivariate analysis …

Not Always Black And White: Racial Bias For Birth Disparities From Excluding Hispanic Identification, Barbara L. Wilson, Cristi Coursen, Matthew Butler

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Despite gains in prenatal care (PNC) usage and birth outcomes for minority women during the past few decades, observed disparities between non-Hispanic Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics persist. Using the National Center for Health Statistics’ (NCHS) natality files from 1981 through 1998, Alexander, Kogan, & Nabukera (2002) examined live births of U.S. residents by trimester in which PNC was initiated and the appropriateness of that care based on the Adequacy of Prenatal Care Utilization Index (APNCU) (Kotelchuck, 1994). They found racial disparities between White and Black women in both the trimester of PNC initiation and the number of PNC visits made. …

Self-Stigma, Stress, And Smoking Among African American And American Indian Female Smokers: An Exploratory Qualitative Study, Diana Burgess, Rachel Widome, Michelle Van Ryn, Sean Phelan, Steven Fu

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Research suggests that negative emotions and difficulty coping with stressful events might impede women’s ability to quit smoking. This study uses qualitative methods to explore interrelationships between smoking behavior and negative emotions among a sample of racial/ethnic minority female smokers with the aims of theory-building and hypothesis generation. Data were derived from a larger study involving sixteen focus groups with current and former smokers from ethnic minority communities. The present study consisted of three focus groups of female African American and American Indian smokers (N = 16). Data was analyzed following standard methods for in vivo coding of qualitative data. …

Asthma Management: An Ecosocial Framework For Disparity Research, Robin A. Evans-Agnew

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background: Asthma management disparities (AMD) between African and White Americans are significant and alarming. Various determinants have been suggested by research frameworks that affect the unfair distribution of resources for asthma management to groups who are more or less advantaged socially. Ecosocial models organize determinants into individual/family, healthcare, community, and sociocultural levels. Multilevel interventions can affect AMD through simultaneous actions on different levels and pathways between determinants.

Objective: Provide a comprehensive summary of the known determinants of AMD.

Method: Peer reviewed research frameworks of AMD from 1998-2009 were retrieved from PubMed/ Web of Science databases using (“Socioeconomic Factors”[Mesh] OR (“Healthcare …

Poverty And Mortality Disparities In Central Appalachia: Mountaintop Mining And Environmental Justice, Michael Hendryx

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Objectives. This study investigated the associations between poverty rates, Appalachian mountaintop coal mining, and age-adjusted total mortality rates to determine if persons exposed to this form of mining experience greater poverty and higher death rates compared to other types of mining or other areas of Appalachia.

Methods. Mortality rates, poverty rates, Appalachian designation and mining activity were examined for counties in Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia (N=403). Linear least squares models tested for annual group differences from 2000-2007 in total and child poverty, and total mortality, based on mining type and Appalachian location. Nested linear models accounting for state-level …

Mountain Monitor-4th Quarter 2011, Mark Muro, Kenan Fikri

Mountain Monitor Quarterly

Recovery was firmly underway in the Intermountain West by the fourth quarter of 2011 but its pace varied considerably across the region’s 10 major metropolitan areas. Six of the 10 metros saw job growth in the fourth quarter but only four saw it accelerate over the previous one. Output grew everywhere but only in half of the region’s metros did the pace of growth quicken. The unemployment rate was down across the board from one year earlier. House prices in most markets stabilized. Yet signs of a robust, sustained, and self-fueling recovery remained elusive.

National economic indicators from early 2012 …

Housing Availability And Homelessness In Nevada, Dahn Shaulis, Kathleen Fairchild, Kurt Borchard

Social Health of Nevada Reports

The first edition of Housing Availability and Homelessness in Nevada was written in 2005 amid economic boom times and rapid population growth. At the publication of this revision, in 2011, Nevadans face crisis-level economic conditions profoundly affecting how we evaluate housing conditions in the Silver State. Hundreds of thousands of people have lost their homes and tens of thousands are jobless and without benefits, putting them at greater risk of homelessness (Associated Press, 2011, Silva, 2011, Sermons and Witte, 2011). Housing availability and homelessness are social concerns looming larger than six years ago.

The Impact Of Age, Education, Political Knowledge And Political Context On Voter Turnout, Roy Edward Snyder Iii

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The following study will present an examination of factors that impact levels of voting activity among American citizens from 1972 through 2004. The subject of voter turnout has been thoroughly examined by political scientists over the years, as have aspects of youth voting and the influence of education. Many of the same variables presented by scholars in recent years will be employed in this study. However, these earlier studies tend to look only at individual level variables in explaining voter turnout. This study will contribute to a more complete understanding of voting through the analysis of individual, regional, and temporal …

Happiness Around The World: The Paradox Of Happy Peasants And Miserable Millionaires, Carol Graham

Brookings Scholar Lecture Series

For centuries the pursuit of happiness was the preserve of philosophers. More recently there is a burgeoning interest in the study of happiness in the social sciences. Can we really answer the question what makes people happy? Is it grounded in credible methods and data? Is there consistency in the determinants of happiness across countries and cultures? Are happiness levels innate to individuals or can policy and the environment make a difference? How is happiness affected by poverty and by progress? This presentation introduces a line of research which is both an attempt to understand the determinants of happiness and …

The Next Swing Region: Reapportionment And Redistricting In The Intermountain West, David F. Damore

Brookings Scholar Lecture Series

During the first decade of the 21st century no region in the nation experienced the political and demographic changes that occurred in the Intermountain West region, including the states of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. These states grew at unprecedented levels and are now demographically more diverse and increasingly urbanized. This presentation will explore the status of redistricting and reapportionment efforts, and the implications for state and national politics.

Mountain Monitor-2nd Quarter 2011, Mark Muro, Kenan Fikri

Mountain Monitor Quarterly

Data through the second quarter of 2011 raise new questions about the pace and certainty of recovery in the Intermountain West. Even places like Denver, Colorado Springs, and Ogden—which only suffered mild setbacks in the early quarters of the recession—have stagnated in the wake of the nation’s worst economic slump since the Great Depression. Output and employment increased hesitantly in eight of the 10 major metros of the Intermountain West in the second quarter while the housing market slumped to new lows everywhere.

Statistical Analysis Of Fatalities Due To Vehicle Accidents In Las Vegas, Nv, Annabelle Marie Mathis

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The goal of this thesis is to investigate factors that affect the odds of having a fatality in a vehicle collision. We will be looking at characteristics of the driver that caused the accident (age, gender, behavior, actions, influences, and seat belt worn), the characteristics of the vehicle the driver drove (type of vehicle, and air bag deployment), the characteristics of the environment in which the accident occurred (weather, road condition, lighting, time of day, the day of the week, and month of the year), the characteristics of the crash (direction of accident and how many vehicles were involved), and …

Assessing A Combined Theories Approach To Climate Change Communication, Ted Greenhalgh

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This research examines the complexities of communicating climate change risk information and the underlying individual attitudes and message content that affect message reception. Using climate change messages incorporating fear appeals and normative information subject's reactions to the messages were evaluated using the Theory of Planned Behavior model. The study found that fear appeals did increase behavioral intention to adopt a lower carbon lifestyle among test group subjects. The Theory of Planned Behavior model showed that attitudes and self-efficacy were significant predictors of the behavioral intent to adopt a lower carbon lifestyle, while community norms were only marginally predictive. However, not …