Medicine and Health Commons^™

The 1939 Dickinson-Belskie Birth Series Sculptures: The Rise Of Modern Visions Of Pregnancy, The Roots Of Modern Pro-Life Imagery, And Dr. Dickinson’S Religious Case For Abortion, Rose Holz

Women's and Gender Studies Program: Faculty Publications

This multidisciplinary essay examines the hugely influential—yet surprisingly overlooked—Birth Series sculptures. Created in 1939 by Dr. Robert L. Dickinson (obstetrician-gynecologist and leader of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America) and sculptor Abram Belskie, they illustrate the process of human development from fertilization through delivery. First displayed at the 1939–1940 World’s Fair in New York City, they were reproduced in a variety of forms and sent out across the United States and overseas. Hardly a brief fad, their popularity persisted into the 1980s. This essay has four purposes. First, it tells the stories of Dickinson and Belskie to appreciate their contributions …

Chemical Reactions: Marijuana, Opioids, And Our Families, Denise A. Hines Ph.D, Staci Gruber Ph.D, John F. Kelly Ph.D, Kathleen M. Palm Reed, Hilary Smith Connery M.D., Ph.D.

Mosakowski Institute for Public Enterprise

Chemical Reactions: Marijuana, Opioids, and Our Families is the seventh Massachusetts Family Impact Seminar. This seminar was designed to emphasize a family perspective in policymaking on issues related to the legalization of marijuana and managing the opioid abuse crisis in the Commonwealth. In general, Family Impact Seminars analyze the consequences an issue, policy, or program may have for families.

Strategic Community Healthcare Management, Stephanie Penrod

Master's Projects and Capstones

Federally Qualified Health Centers(FQHC) and Community Health Centers are growing with the Affordable Care Act. This paper introduces literature that supports the need for Community Health Centers and management of low income patients with chronic illnesses. This paper also reviews the fieldwork experience at a FQHC. It reviews the goals, project, methods and findings of the fieldwork. This paper also elaborates on the scope of the project and a quality improvement report for the FQHC in observation. It discusses the future potential implementation of the recommendations and the benefits for both employees and patients. This paper concludes with follow up …

‘Project Spraoi’: A Randomized Control Trial To Improve Nutrition And Physical Activity In School Children, Tara Coppinger, Seán Lacey, Cian O'Neill, Con Burns

Publications

Background

Recent evidence predicts that by 2030, Ireland will have the highest rate of obesity in Europe. Consequently, there are concerns that health problems associated with this condition will present in childhood. Studies have shown that interventions based on increasing physical activity (PA) levels, reducing sedentary lifestyles and improving nutritional habits all pose protective mechanisms against obesity and its related disorders in youth. Yet, to date, there are no interventions being delivered in Ireland that concurrently target PA, nutritional habits and sedentary time amongst school children.

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to implement and evaluate an intervention that …

Ethnicity Matters: Implications For Understanding And Acting Upon Disparities In Health Affecting Black Men In The United States, Helen V. S. Cole

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Compared to non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks have higher rates of mortality from heart disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and HIV/AIDS. Black men have a life expectancy approximately 4.7 years than the life expectancy of non-Hispanic white men, due in part to higher prevalence of chronic disease among black men. Many factors are hypothesized to contribute to disparities in health between races, including differences in socioeconomic status; culturally-linked behaviors such as diet, substance use, and physical activity; access to quality healthcare and other resources; and experiences of racism, both institutional and interpersonal. However, in public health research, race is usually treated as …

Women And Healthcare In Appalachia: Impeding Circumstance And The Role Of Technology, Ashley Cano

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For decades, healthcare access and quality in central and southern Appalachia have trailed the rest of the country. Entrenched poverty and low educational attainment compound healthcare problems. This study examines the healthcare obstacles women encounter in southern and central Appalachia and analyzes how technology use, such as Internet searching and social media affect women’s healthcare decisions. Data were analyzed from four focus groups conducted with women from the region. Results indicate that seeing a physician or not did not influence women’s propensity to search the Internet for health-related information or to seek support through social media sites. Additionally, women reported …

The Disease Burden And The Extent Of Drug Therapy Problems In An Underserved Minority Population Receiving Medication Therapy Management At An Ambulatory Care Free Clinic, D. N. Ombengi, F. A. Ndemo, Ayman M. Noreddin, W. T. Harris

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Objective: To determine the common medical conditions, medications, and associated drug therapy problems in an underserved minority population receiving medication therapy management services at a large Community Free Clinic compared to the findings of the Minnesota Pharmaceutical Care Project.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study of a random sample of 60 minority patients referred for medication therapy management service at a Community Free Clinic from January 2012 to January 2014. Patient data including demographics, medication experience, past medical and medication history, medical conditions, active medications, allergies, immunization history and drug therapy was systematically evaluated to determine the most common conditions, …

We Have The Tools To End Hiv: Benefits, Barriers, And Solutions To Expanded Utilization Of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (Prep) In The Us Deep South, Jason Ervin, Allison Weller Tikare, Carolyn Mcallaster

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Using A New Evidence-Based Health Workforce Innovation Research Framework To Compare Innovations In Community Health Center And Other Ambulatory Care Settings, Leah E. Masselink, Patricia Pittman, Claire Houterman

Health Workforce Research Center Publications

In the United States, changing demographics, rising costs, and the impact of new regulations and payment models arising from the Affordable Care Act have placed unprecedented pressures on healthcare providers to increase access to care, improve quality and to control costs. To meet these challenges, some providers are forming accountable care organizations (ACOs) while others are pursuing medical homes or other novel payment and care delivery models designed to help meet these challenges. Within established organizations such as federally funded community health centers (CHCs), healthcare leaders are exercising significant latitude in developing innovative solutions for meeting their patients’ needs more …

The Impact Of Vaccine Hesitancy On The Polio Vaccine In South Asia, Leah Everist

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

A disease that paralyzes hundreds of children each year, polio is incurable but also entirely preventable through vaccination. Though part of the reason some children are not reached for immunization is that they are in areas too volatile for healthcare workers to access, vaccine hesitancy is increasingly being recognized as an important player. The objective of this study is to ascertain the degree to which vaccine hesitancy affects polio vaccine campaigns in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the countries in South Asia where polio continues to be endemic, to assess the drivers behind hesitancy in this region, and to present recommendations for …

Falls Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Determining The Relationship Between Social Networks And The Risk For Falls, Smita Sikhrakar

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Falls among community-dwelling older adults is a big public health problem, which have an effect on older adults' health, independence, and quality of life. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between social networks and the risk for falls among community-dwelling older adults. This was a descriptive correlational study, which utilized a cross-sectional survey for the data collection. The dependent and independent variable of this study were the risk for falls among the community-dwelling older adults, and the strength and type of social networks respectively. In this study, 218 community-dwelling older adults were recruited, who were living …

Adhd Versus Ptsd In Preschool-Aged Children: Implications For Misdiagnosis, Klaudette D. Stewart

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has been one of the most diagnosed disorders in children since it was included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders−III (DSM−III) in 1980. The number of children who have been diagnosed since that time has grown significantly, raising concerns about the overwhelming number of young children being diagnosed and prescribed medication. According to the literature, young children are diagnosed at a higher rate by pediatric primary care physicians (PCPs) than clinical child psychologists (CCPs) because they are taken to a PCP’s office by a parent, rather than referred from a school environment, …

Physician Role In Enhancing Patient Communication, Tamanna Sahni

Undergraduate Research Posters

Communication in the in-patient environment is crucial, and the relationship between a patient and physician enhances patient health and wellness. Patients should feel confident with their abilities to feel comfortable conversing with physicians, which would thus treat symptoms more effectively. This communication has decreased over time, hence patients are often are unable to obtain medical information from their healthcare providers. What is the relationship between psychological factors, such as self-esteem, and quality of patient-physician communication? And can physicians ensure increased patient comfort in the medical environment?

Various factors can affect the patients’ comfort with their physicians, and when addressed, these …

Shots, Everybody? : British Anti-Smallpox Vaccination And The Development Of Multifaceted Anti-Vaccine Rhetoric On Internet Parenting Forums, Marta B. Bean

Scripps Senior Theses

Vaccination is an important public health measure that can help reduce disease at the population level. Substantial evidence exists that vaccines are safe and effective at reducing the incidence of diseases like pertussis, measles and cervical cancer. However, on Internet parenting forums, parents discuss whether or not vaccination is the right choice for their children. In this thesis, I highlight the historical context of the anti-vaccine movement in mid 19^th century to early 20^th century Victorian Britain in the era of compulsory smallpox vaccination. Vaccination in this time was a very different and more overtly dangerous process, and …

The Association Between Insurance Status And Cervical Cancer Screening In Community Health Centers: Exploring The Potential Of Electronic Health Records For Population-Level Surveillance, 2008-2010, Stuart Cowburn, Matthew J. Carlson, Jodi A. Lapidus, Jennifer E. Devoe

Sociology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introduction: Cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates in the United States have decreased 67% over the past 3 decades, a reduction mainly attributed to widespread use of the Papanicolaou (Pap) test for cervical cancer screening. In the general population, receipt of cervical cancer screening is positively associated with having health insurance. Less is known about the role insurance plays among women seeking care in community health centers, where screening services are available regardless of insurance status. The objective of our study was to assess the association between cervical cancer screening and insurance status in Oregon and California community health centers …

Factors Influencing Access To Healthcare Services, Melissa Delia

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Following several political upheavals, the country of Madagascar has become one of the poorest countries in the world. This level of poverty affects many aspects of life, especially access to healthcare services. The availability of both allopathic and traditional healthcare to the impoverished citizens of Madagascar was examined through discussions, interviews, and journal articles. It was found that although both the allopathic and traditional medicinal systems do not charge their patients for general consultations and care, there is a high cost for pharmaceutical medications in the allopathic system. These medications are sometimes too expensive for many Malagasy patients to afford. …

The Characteristics Of Women Seeking Funding From The Dc Abortion Fund, Karin Elizabeth Bleeg

GW Research Days 2013

Objectives: To determine whether the population DCAF serves, based on current research, are those most in need of its financial services. Describe the population that DCAF is supports by age, race and ethnicity, poverty, educational attainment, union status, contraceptive method used, referral source, and number of prior pregnancies.

Methods: An adapted version of The Guttmacher Institute's National Patient Survey will be used to collect data from women who contact DCAF for financial assistance for their abortion (n=150). The data will be collected for one month and then analyzed in SPSS.

Results: Between January and March 2013 approximately 400 women contacted …

The Impact Of The Chinese Rural Healthcare System On Infectious Disease: A Study Of The History And Reform Of Chinese Healthcare, And The Global Implications Of Infectious Disease Control In China, John Barbadoro

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

China’s healthcare system has gone through significant changes in the 20^th and 21^st centuries. These changes have mirrored not only the political focus of the time, but also the social issues facing China. The NRCMCS for rural residents is a cheap annual fee that covers a percentage of medical costs. There are two urban equivalents, the BMIUE and BMIUR for urban employees through their job, and residency respectively. Despite the focus on cheaper healthcare for rural residents, the problems of income inequality and mistrust in the medical system are major problems that affect the health of this large …

Adding Injustice To Injury - Health Perceptions, Plurality, And Power In The Ongoing Bhopal Disaster, Ruth Markwardt

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Standards of health, human rights, and development are typically defined and dictated by policymakers instead of the populations directly affected by so-called development efforts. This paper seeks to contextualize global development efforts by highlighting specific local realities among the community of Bhopal Disaster survivors in Madhya Pradesh, India. As the site of the world’s largest industrial disaster, a disaster which is not over but ongoing, Bhopal represents an important population to highlight as the disaster continues. The Political Ecology of Health model was used to highlight political and environmental influences on community health. Within Political Ecology, this study takes a …

Social And Behavioral Sti Risk Factors: Comparing A Two-Year Community College Setting To A Four-Year University Setting, Oswald M. Attin

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Comparing Two-Year Community College And Four-Year University Student Social And Behavioral Sexually Transmitted Infection Risk Factors, Oswald M. Attin

Faculty Dissertations

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) could cause ectopic, cervical cancer, infertility, and organ damage to the heart, kidneys, and brain. This study compared several behavioral risk factors of STIs (condom use, number of sexual partners, type of sex (anal or vaginal) and drinking habits) between two distinct educational settings and their association with socioeconomic risk factors such as low income and parent’s lower level of education that are known to increase the incidence of STIs among college-aged students. This study was based on the precautionary-health-behavior model, where individuals act regardless of consequences, and the health-behavior-change model, where individual behaviors either increase …

Analysis Of Lead Levels In Deciduous Teeth From Children In Clark County, Nevada., Kristin Murphy, Jennifer Berger-Ritchie, Shawn L. Gerstenberger, Amol B. Amin, Jason K. Nitta, Frederick G. More, Jeanne A. Hibler, Karl Kingsley

Nevada Journal of Public Health

Background: Elevated blood lead levels (EBLL) are declining in the United States, although some population subgroups continue to exhibit significant health disparities. A childhood lead poisoning prevention program was recently started in Nevada, and many efforts have been made to support this program and increase the screening rates.

Methods: To expand the potential pool of children screened for EBLLs, a pilot study was performed to evaluate lead concentrations in extracted deciduous teeth using Graphic Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (GFAAS), Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), and X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analysis.

Results: Lead concentrations as determined by GFAAS and ICP-MS were …

Chronic Disease And Risk Factors Among Nevadans With Disabilities: A 2009 Brfss Study, Jennifer R. Pharr, Sheniz Moonie

Nevada Journal of Public Health

Previous research has found that people with disabilities are more likely to have chronic diseases (coronary artery disease, stroke, cancer, asthma, diabetes), secondary conditions (high blood pressure, high cholesterol) and risk factors for chronic disease (physical inactivity and obesity) (Havercamp, Scandlin, & Roth, 2004; Kinne, Patrick, & Doyle, 2004; Nosek, Hughes, Petersen et al., 2006; Reichard, Stolzle, & Fox, 2011). The purpose of this study was to conduct a secondary analysis using data from the 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) to identify differences in chronic disease risk factors and chronic disease/ secondary conditions between adults with and without …

Nutrition Education In Clark County, Nevada, Matt Bittle, Mildred Mcclain, Jeanne A. Hibler, Marcia M. Ditmyer

Nevada Journal of Public Health

Over 51 million school hours are missed annually by school-aged children due to a dental problem or visit, with 117 hours missed per 100 children (NIDCR, 2002). Approximately half a million of California's 7.2 million school-age children missed at least one day of school in 2007 because of dental issues such as toothaches (Pourat, & Nicholson, 2009). Independent research regarding various educational and intervention programs have been conducted in elementary schools across the country that focus on nutrition and/or physical activity, some of which have found that the programs positively impacted students’ dietary behaviors (Edwards, Mauch, & Winkelman, 2011; Muth, …

Utilization Of Preventative Health Services By Nevadans With Disabilities, Jennifer R. Pharr, Sheniz Moonie

Nevada Journal of Public Health

Health disparities are differences in access to health care, quality of health care and health outcomes observed between population-specific groups of people (Health Resources and Services Administration, 2000). Previous research has found that people with disabilities experience unequal access to preventative health care services. The purpose of this study was to conduct a secondary data analysis using data from the 2008 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) to determine differences in utilization of preventative health services between adults with and without disabilities in Nevada. Nevadans with disabilities were significantly more likely to have access to health insurance and to have …

Assessing Behavioral Health Risks, Health Conditions, And Preventive Health Practices Among American Indians/Alaska Natives In Nevada, Gwen Hosey, Shirley A. Llorens-Chen, Fares Qeadan, Daryl Crawford, Charlton Wilson, Wei Yang

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

The 2004 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey was administered to American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) adults in Nevada to determine whether health disparities exist between AI/ANs and the state’s general population. Results showed AI/ANs were 1.5 times more likely to smoke cigarettes, 3.5 times more likely to be exposed to secondhand smoke, 3.2 times more likely to lack leisure-time physical activity, 9.7 times more likely to report fair/poor health status, and 7.7 times more likely to have a disability. In addition, AI/ANs were more likely to have current asthma (OR=5.0) and diabetes (OR=1.8). AI/AN women were 4.8 times as …

Access To Healthcare For The Poor: Will The Affordable Care Act Address Income-Related Health Disparities In The United States?, Sonya Fabricant

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Background: Low-income populations live shorter and less healthy lives in the United States due to a complexity of social, environmental and behavioral factors. These populations also face significant barriers in accessing health services. In 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) passed, marking the first major reform of the American healthcare system since the 1960s. This paper evaluates its potential to address health disparities through changes to medical care delivery. Methodology: Results were compiled from government documents, reports from research institutes, journal articles, and an expert interview. A section-analysis was also performed, evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of …

Curative Care As The Access Point To Rural Social Transformation A Case Study Of The Comprehensive Rural Health Project, Nancy Liu

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Health inequities based on geographic differences and between rural and urban populations in modern India demonstrate the stark differences in health access and community development throughout the country. More than 70% of the Indian population lives in rural areas, and yet a greater proportion of health care spending is devoted to urban populations. In 2004-5, 29.2% of both central and state public expenditures were allocated to urban allopathic services while 11.8% went to rural allopathic services (Balarajan, Selvaraj, and Subramanian 2011, 508). There are more than twice as many government beds in urban than in rural areas and geographic distribution …

Using First Nations Children's Perceptions Of Food And Activity To Inform An Obesity Prevention Strategy, Ashlee-Ann E. Pigford, Noreen D. Willows, Nicholas L. Holt, Amanda S. Newton, Geoff D.C. Ball

Aboriginal Policy Research Consortium International (APRCi)

No abstract provided.

Assessing And Improving Self-Reporting Of Male Circumcision In Zambia And Swaziland, Paul C. Hewett, Nicole Haberland, Barbara Mensch, Louis Apicella

HIV and AIDS

The Male Circumcision (MC) Partnership was established with the support of the Gates Foundation and PEPFAR to scale up MC services in Zambia, in collaboration with the Zambian government. The MC Partnership is a five-year project led by Population Services International (Society for Family Health, Zambia), in partnership with Jhpiego, Marie Stopes International (MSI), and the Population Council. The ultimate objective of this study is to provide researchers and program managers with evidence-based recommendations for the collection of self-reported data on MC status through an assessment of different methods to describe and explain MC. Specifically, the study assessed tools for …