Medicine and Health Commons^™

Survey Measures On Substance Use Amongst College Students, Jacquelyn Reiss, Amy Donley

Institute for Social and Behavioral Science (ISBS)

The Institute for Social and Behavioral Science (ISBS) reviewed measures utilized in 3 major surveys administered within middle schools, high schools, and colleges state-wide and nationally to compile a list of tested survey measures on youth substance use. The 3 surveys that were assessed are the Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey (FYSAS), the American College Health Association National Collegiate Health Assessment (ACHA-NCHA), and the Monitoring the Future Survey (MFS).

Associations Of Hair Dye And Relaxer Use With Breast Tumor Clinicopathologic Features: Findings From The Women’S Circle Of Health Study, Rohan Rao, Jasmine A. Mcdonald, Emily Barrett, Patricia Greenberg, Dede K. Teteh, Susanne B. Montgomery, Bo Qin, Yong Lin, Chi-Chen Hong, Christine B. Ambrosone, Kitaw Demissie, Elisa V. Bandera, Adana A.M. Llanos

Health Sciences and Kinesiology Faculty Articles

Background

Building upon our earlier findings of significant associations between hair dye and relaxer use with increased breast cancer risk, we evaluated associations of select characteristics of use with breast tumor clinicopathology.

Methods

Using multivariable-adjusted models we examined the associations of interest in a case-only study of 2998 women with breast cancer, overall and stratified by race and estrogen receptor (ER) status, addressing multiple comparisons using Bonferroni correction.

Results

Compared to salon application of permanent hair dye, home kit and combination application (both salon and home kit application) were associated with increased odds of poorly differentiated tumors in the overall …

Can I Buy My Health? A Genetically Informed Study Of Socioeconomic Status And Health, Jennifer W. Robinette, Christopher R. Beam, Tara L. Gruenewald

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Background

A large literature demonstrates associations between socioeconomic status (SES) and health, including physiological health and well-being. Moreover, gender differences are often observed among measures of both SES and health. However, relationships between SES and health are sometimes questioned given the lack of true experiments, and the potential biological and SES mechanisms explaining gender differences in health are rarely examined simultaneously.

Purpose

To use a national sample of twins to investigate lifetime socioeconomic adversity and a measure of physiological dysregulation separately by sex.

Methods

Using the twin sample in the second wave of the Midlife in the United States survey …

Self-Reported Health Among Sexual Minorities In The United States, Christopher Burton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous literature on LGBTQ+ people (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, and other sexual minorities) reports that this community experiences greater health problems than heterosexuals. LGBTQ+ people experience higher rates of chronic conditions, STIs, addiction, poor mental health, and cancer, which highlights the importance of capturing data regarding health. A growing concern is that social surveys fail to find meaningful ways to gather gender and sexuality data to understand possible health disparities for LGBTQ+ people. This study uses data from the General Social Survey to examine the physical and mental health outcomes of LGB people compared to straight people in a …

Decisions Are More Than Skin Deep: Exploring Correlations Between Self-Esteem And The Decision To Have Bariatric Surgery, Penny Fox, James Maples

Kentucky Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

Bariatric surgery is now a commonplace approach to addressing obesity. One insightful area of research is examining how bariatric decision relates to self-esteem. Of particular interest is correlations between self-esteem levels and the reason the surgery was selected, the source of the decision to get the surgery, and if the surgery recipient experienced a major life change following the event. In this study, the researchers examine a convenience sample of persons receiving bariatric surgery (n=31) and their motivations for having the surgery along with a pre-post measure of having the surgery. Results show respondents who indicated having the surgery was …

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 …

Neighborhoods Matter; But For Whom? Heterogeneity Of Neighborhood Disadvantage On Child Obesity By Sex, Ashley W. Kranjac, Catherine Boyd, Rachel T. Kimbro, Brady S. Moffett, Keila N. Lopez

Sociology Faculty Articles and Research

Although evidence suggests that neighborhood context, particularly socioeconomic context, influences child obesity, little is known about how these neighborhood factors may be heterogeneous rather than monolithic. Using a novel dataset comprised of the electronic medical records for over 250,000 children aged 2–17 nested within 992 neighborhoods in the greater Houston area, we assessed whether neighborhoods influenced the obesity of children differently based on sex. Results indicated that neighborhood disadvantage, assessed using a comprehensive, multidimensional, latent profile analysis-generated measure, had a strong, positive association with the odds of obesity for both boys and girls. Interactions revealed that the relationship between disadvantage …

After Covid-19: Mitigating Domestic Gender-Based Violence In Egypt In Times Of Emergency, Diana Magdy, Hind Ahmed Zaki

Faculty Journal Articles

In times of crises and emergencies, violence against women tends to increase. The outbreak of COVID-19 has resulted in severe precautionary measures such as social isolation, physical distancing, staying at home, curfews and lockdowns, which brought “normal” life to a halt and created a temporary convergence between the public and the private. The pandemic has forced the global community to turn its gaze back to the private, and compelled them to pay attention to the old/new problem of gender-based violence, particularly, domestic violence that spiked during the pandemic. Against such a backdrop, and using a critical feminist lens that analyzes …

Neither “Post-War” Nor Post-Pregnancy Paranoia: How America’S War On Drugs Continues To Perpetuate Disparate Incarceration Outcomes For Pregnant, Substance-Involved Offenders, Becca S. Zimmerman

Pitzer Senior Theses

This thesis investigates the unique interactions between pregnancy, substance involvement, and race as they relate to the War on Drugs and the hyper-incarceration of women. Using ordinary least square regression analyses and data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ 2016 Survey of Prison Inmates, I examine if (and how) pregnancy status, drug use, race, and their interactions influence two length of incarceration outcomes: sentence length and amount of time spent in jail between arrest and imprisonment. The results collectively indicate that pregnancy decreases length of incarceration outcomes for those offenders who are not substance-involved but not evenhandedly -- benefitting white …

The Ideology Of Baby-Mama Phenomenon: Assessing Knowledge And Perceptions Among Young People From Educational Institutions, Opeyemi S. Adeojo, Daniel Egerson, Gabriel Mewiya, Rowland Edet

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

This study investigated the knowledge and perception of the ideology of baby-mama concept among the youths. Particularly, this paper assessed the knowledge of the concept of baby mama among youths and also their opinion on the acceptability of this style of family structure. The study employed a qualitative approach through an in-depth interview research method. Forty respondents between the ages of 16 and 40 years were selected across three educational institutions in Oyo state, south-west Nigeria. The participants of the study voluntarily agreed to participate in the research and everything said during the course of the interview was transcribed and …

Attitudes About Paid Parental Leave: Cross-National Comparisons And The Significance Of Gendered Expectations, Family Strains, And Extant Leave Offerings, Chris Knoester, Qi Li, Richard J. Petts

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Using data on paid parental leave preferences from 35,488 adults situated within 26 different OECD countries, and multilevel modeling, this study examines public opinions about the provision of paid parental leave, some government funding of leave offerings, and preferred lengths of leave offerings. We consider how attitudes may be similar or different across social contexts and then focus upon the extent to which gender, gendered parenting role attitudes, family strains, and country-level institutionalized leave offerings are associated with leave preferences. The findings indicate that the vast majority of respondents are in favor of rather widespread and generous paid parental leave …

Health Disparities By Sexual Orientation Components In The United States, Julia Kay Wolf

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Fundamental cause theory encourages researchers to consider broad social conditions that put people at risk of individual-level health-related risks that can lead to health disparities between social groups. Stigma has recently been proposed as a fundamental cause of health disparities as it influences multiple disease outcomes, affects access to resources, and is consistently related to health inequities across historical and geographical contexts. Minority stress theory describes how sexual minorities endure excess stressors in the form of prejudice and discrimination due to their stigmatized status. Considering both frameworks, I explore how stigmatized sexual orientation minority respondents compare to their sexual majority …

Dialogic Identity Construction: The Influence Of Latinx Women's Identities In Their Health Information Management Practice, Maria A. Caban Alizondo

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this qualitative research was to study the experiences of Latinx women who lead in health information management in the United States. Latinx health information management professionals are faced with everchanging workplace dynamics and biases in which they are repeatedly reminded of their individual and ethnic differences that require them to construct and co-construct new facets to their identities in social contexts. By grounding this work in narrative inquiry and viewing identities critically, space is given for delving deeper into the specifics of how gender, ethnicity, culture, and class influenced Latinx women’s leadership practice. Interviews offered the opportunity …

Conceptualizing The Effects Of Continuous Traumatic Violence On Hiv Continuum Of Care Outcomes For Young Black Men Who Have Sex With Men In The United States, Dexter R. Voisin

Faculty Scholarship

The United States (US) is on track to achieve the 90-90-90 targets set forth by UNAIDS and the National HIV/AIDS strategy, yet significant racial disparities in HIV care outcomes remain, particularly for young Black men who have sex with men (YBMSM). Research has demonstrated that various types of violence are key aspects of syndemics that contribute to disparities in HIV risk. However, little research has looked collectively at cumulative violent experiences and how those might affect HIV treatment and care outcomes. Drawing on extant literature and theoretical underpinnings of syndemics, we provide a conceptual model that highlights how continuous traumatic …

Lessons From A Five-Year Research Programme On Fgm/C And Their Relevance For Policy And Programmes In Kenya, Dennis Matanda, Agnes K. Meroka-Mutua, Samuel Kimani

Reproductive Health

The Sustainable Development Goals target the elimination of all forms of harmful practices, including female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) by 2030. Kenya has made progress in addressing the elimination of FGM/C through ratification of global instruments and enactment of the Prohibition of FGM Act in 2011 and other supportive laws. The Act created the foundation for the establishment of the Anti-FGM Board, which provides policy leadership and coordination of anti-FGM/C programs in Kenya. More recently, the President of Kenya issued a decree for accelerated elimination of FGM/C by 2022. This synthesis report highlights how evidence generated over the last five years …

Important Lessons On Fgm/C Abandonment From Four Research Studies In Egypt, Nada Wahba, Nahla G. Abdel-Tawab, Abeer Salem

Reproductive Health

Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) continues to be a widespread practice in Egypt. According to the 2014 Egypt Demographic and Health Survey, the prevalence of FGM/C was 92 percent among ever-married women aged 15–49. However, Egypt continues to witness a drastic surge in the medicalization of FGM/C, with 74 percent of women aged 19 years and younger circumcised by medical practitioners, compared to 55 percent in 1995. This policy brief provides key results and recommendations of four studies conducted by the Population Council/ Egypt under the Evidence to End FGM/C project, in coordination with Egypt’s National Population Council. The four studies …

Commentary: Using Law More Effectively Towards Abandonment Of Fgm/C In Kenya, Agnes K. Meroka-Mutua

Reproductive Health

Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is considered a harmful cultural practice and a form of violence against women. Kenya has an FGM/C prevalence rate of 21 percent, but levels vary by ethnic group. Kenya has adopted a robust legal framework for the prohibition of FGM/C, including passage of the Prohibition of FGM Act in 2011, a detailed law that criminalizes carrying out FGM/C and associated offenses. Kenya relies on the human rights–based approach and criminalization in its legal framework for the prohibition of this practice. Despite extensive legal provisions, Kenya has prosecuted fewer than 100 cases, raising concerns with the law’s …

Knowledge Of Breast Cancer And Screening Methods Among Rural Women In Southwest Nigeria, Rowland Edet, Oluwayimika Ekundina

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

The objective of this study was to assess the awareness of rural women on breast cancer and its screening methods in Southwest Nigeria. Descriptive cross-sectional survey design with the aid of a semi-structured questionnaire was used to generate data among 422 rural women in selected communities in Egbeda local government area of Ibadan. The qualitative data was generated through in-depth interviews among rural women and key informant interviews among health workers in the communities. The study revealed that only 63.7% were aware of breast cancer screening methods compared to 31.6% who were not aware. The commonly known screening method among …

Art Adherence Among Men Who Have Sex With Men Living With Hiv: Key Challenges And Opportunities, Dexter R. Voisin

Faculty Scholarship

Purpose of Review: In the USA, gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately affected by HIV. High levels of adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) can dramatically improve outcomes for persons living with HIV and reduce the risk of HIV transmission to others. Yet, there are numerous individual, social, and structural barriers to optimal ART adherence. Many of these factors disproportionately impact Black MSM and may contribute to their poorer rates of ART adherence. This review synthesizes the key challenges and intervention opportunities to improve ART adherence among MSM in the USA. Recent Findings: Key …

Pre-Professional College Women’S Perceptions Of The Social Implications Of Company Sponsored Fertility Postponement, Jordane Schooley

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Large corporations, such as Apple and Google, as well as other tech companies, began incorporating fertility postponement in their health benefits to employees through the form of egg freezing and in-vitro fertilization starting in 2014. While some research exists looking at the implications of this policy for women in the workforce, little attention has been given to the perspective of young women about to enter the workforce. This research examines the perceptions of pre-professional women on the implications of potential future employers offering them egg freezing and IVF benefits, revealing contradictory feelings towards such policies. Since these women are in …

“Disbelieving Black Women To Death”; The “Double Jeopardy”: Racism And Sexism Affects Black Women’S Access To And Quality Of Care During Pregnancy, Birth, And Postpartum, Madeline St. Clair

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This paper explores possible reasons why Black women in the United States experience a higher maternal mortality rate than their white counterparts. Using books, articles, journals, documentaries, personal experiences and stories of Black women and mothers, I argue that barriers from the societal to the individual level create health and medical disparities for Black mothers in pregnancy, during delivery, and the postpartum period. The paper concludes with a multifaceted solution and call to action.

Medical Cannabis And Recreational Marijuana: Patient Perceptions, Stigma, And Gender During A Time Of Emerging Legalization, Matt Reid

Dissertations

Marijuana’s status as an illegal drug has been redefined over the previous three decades. Despite Michigan and 32 other states having comprehensive medical cannabis programs, both academics and laypeople commonly present the medicalization of marijuana as an intermediary phase or proxy for fully legalized recreational use. While some evidence exists to support this position, this framework marginalizes the struggles and experiences of patients who have found relief through their therapeutic use of cannabis. As such, the goal of this study is to re-center the voices of cannabis patients in academic conversations of cannabis as medicine.

My study is unique in …

Understandings Of Sexual Consent Among Male And Female Zulu South Africans In Masxha, Kwazulu-Natal, Larkin Levine

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Though South Africa has an astonishingly high rate of rape and sexual violence, little research has been conducted on understandings of sexual consent outside of the context of rape and sexual violence in different South African communities. Instead, research has focused on understandings and perceptions of rape and sexual violence alone, ignoring the importance of understanding how individuals approach consent in healthy sexual relationships.

Through conducting semi-structured interviews with sixteen Zulu males and females of different ages, all of whom are residents of Masxha, I hoped to learn how these individuals understand sexual consent and how consent is requested, given, …

Weight Loss And Healthiness: How Advertisements Target This Phenomenon, Madelyn Coleman

Scholars Week

With advertisements being all around us in the media and in magazines, messages flood into our everyday lives that can impact us both negatively and positively. Research prior to this involved how media has portrayed women and their weight loss as well as how they are looking at “skinniness” and body type. This as well as overall effects of the media in the food world were among many that have been studied. For my research, I wanted to look at the overall targeting of weight loss and health within magazines not as much as the idea of weight loss as …

Evaluation Of The Impact Of Social Collaborations On Sexual And Reproductive Health Knowledge, Lucki Word, Jaila Campbell, Manar T. Edriss, Destiny Stroman, Jewel Evans, Melanie Hanna-Johnson, Md, Anil N. F. Aranha, Phd

Medical Student Research Symposium

Introduction: Developments in technology, such as the popularity of mobile devices and social media outlets, have enhanced the ability of individuals to communicate. Currently, search engines allow for easy exploration of information related to every topic of interest. Our study purpose was to evaluate the impact of technological and social collaborations on sexual and reproductive health knowledge (SRHK).

Methods: A 50-item survey instrument, integrating factors of sociodemographics, number/type of social collaborations, technological communication use, and SRHK, was developed to assess familiarity with sexual and reproductive health perceptions. The survey was provided to consenting patients in an ambulatory, primary care setting. …

Abriendo Futuros: A Program For Rural Indigenous Girls In Yucatan, Mexico, Fabiola Romero, Ludivine Cicolella, Silvana Larrea, A. Fallone, Isabel Vieitez Martínez

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

The Abriendo Futuros (AF) program builds on the Council’s global experience of designing and implementing successful girl-centered programs in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America and the Caribbean. AF aims to improve the living conditions of Mayan girls (10–18 years) and contribute to the achievement of gender equity in the Yucatan. The program’s community-focused strategy seeks to empower girls through interpersonal communication and participatory workshops. Girls in selected communities are divided into age groups (10–14 and 15–18) that meet weekly with a mentor in safe spaces. The program’s mentors are young women aged 20–30 from the communities, who …

Evidence To Support Hiv Prevention For Adolescent Girls And Young Women (Agyw) And Their Male Partners: Results From Malawi Dreams Studies With Agyw, Male Partners Of Agyw, Men Living With Hiv, And Program Implementing Partners, Nanlesta Pilgrim, Victor Mwapasa, Effie Chipeta, Wanangwa Chimwaza Manda, Nrupa Jani, Tracy Mcclair, Lyson Tenthani, Sanyukta Mathur

HIV and AIDS

Project SOAR, led by the Population Council, in partnership with the Center of Reproductive Health at the University of Malawi College of Medicine, conducted a research portfolio to generate evidence to reduce HIV risk among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) and their male partners. The objectives of this implementation research were to generate evidence for describing HIV-related risk factors among AGYW; assess the extent to which the overall DREAMS project contributed toward the goal of reducing HIV risk among AGYW; and understand the characteristics of male partners and how to link them to HIV services, as well as retain …

Community-Based Hiv Treatment Service Delivery Model For Female Sex Workers In Tanzania: Evaluation Findings, Lung Vu, Waimar Tun, Louis Apicella, Jeremiah Kidola, Caterina Casalini, Gasper Mbita, Neema Makyao, Todd Koppenhaver, Erick Mlanga

HIV and AIDS

Project SOAR in collaboration with the National AIDS Control Program of the Government of Tanzania, National Institute of Medical Research, and Jhpiego’s Sauti Program, conducted an implementation science study to investigate the delivery of community-based antiretroviral treatment (ART) services to female sex workers (FSWs) in Tanzania. Studies from sub-Saharan Africa have shown improved HIV treatment outcomes, such as uptake of HIV services, retention in care, and increased dignity and quality of life, by using community-based delivery of HIV services. As detailed in this Project SOAR final report, the study assessed the effectiveness of the community-based ART delivery intervention in improving …

Considerations For Collecting And Documenting Fgm/C Data By Health Care Providers, Dennis Matanda

Reproductive Health

Data on female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) are rarely collected in health facilities, yet routine collection of facility-based data through other health-seeking visits (e.g., during antenatal care) is considered good medical practice and can be an important source of data. Clinical exams provide an opportunity to identify women and girls who have undergone FGM/C, which is an important step in aiding the prevention of chronic complications that can be difficult to manage later in life. These exams also make it possible to refer those with FGM/C-related complications for specialized treatment. Clinical visits also present an opportunity to discuss prevention of the …

Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting In Senegal: Is The Practice Declining? Descriptive Analysis Of Demographic And Health Surveys, 2005–2017, Dennis Matanda, Glory Atilola, Zhuzhi Moore, Paul Komba, Lubanzadio Mavatikua, Chibuzor Christopher Nnanatu, Ngianga-Bakwin Kandala

Reproductive Health

To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is one of the most prominent issues world leaders and governments must address. In Senegal, estimates from the 2017 Senegal Demographic and Health Survey show that almost a quarter of women aged 15–49 have undergone FGM/C, while 14 percent of girls aged 0–14 years have been cut. Given the many interventions that have been implemented in Senegal with the intention of scaling down FGM/C rates, the key question is: To what extent has the practice declined? The aim of this study, as presented in this working paper, was to generate …