International Public Health Commons^™

Nourishing Births: A Program Evaluation Proposal For Community-Based Nutrition Education, Food Access, And Garden Engagement Among Black Birthing People, Naa Deedei-Vera Hammond

Master's Projects and Capstones

Black birthing people in the United States continue to experience unequal maternal health outcomes, shaped in part by racism and barriers to nutritious food, culturally relevant health education, and supportive community spaces. While prenatal nutrition education and food assistance programs can provide important resources, information alone cannot address the challenges many people face when trying to access healthy and affordable food during pregnancy. The Nourishing Births Initiative is a proposed community-based maternal health program designed to respond to these needs by bringing together prenatal nutrition education, help connecting to food resources, community gardening, and peer support for Black birthing people …

Environmental Perspective For System Dynamics Modeling Of Stunting Mitigation To Achieve The Sustainable Development Goals In West Sumatra, Indonesia, Elsa Yuniarti, Nabila Azzahra, Yulhendri Yulhendri, Heldi Heldi, Mery Delvina, Saskia Putri Azeli

Kesmas

This study developed a system dynamics model to simulate stunting reduction in West Sumatra Province, Indonesia, by integrating infant and toddler health, maternal health, and environmental determinants. Secondary data from 2020–2024 on low birth weight, immunization, malnutrition, exclusive breastfeeding, maternal chronic energy deficiency, iron and folic acid supplement distribution, sanitation, and safe drinking water access were compiled from West Sumatra Provincial Health Office and Statistics Indonesia, and validated through consultation with five stakeholder institutions. Causal Loop Diagrams mapped feedback relationships among determinants and were translated into Stock Flow Diagrams using Powersim Studio 10. The model was validated through structural verification, …

The Impact Of Age, Health, And Education On Public Attitudes Towards Covid-19 Vaccines In Ireland, Kate Buckley, Aisling Burke, Chloe Holland, Clodagh O'Flynn

International Undergraduate Journal of Health Sciences

Abstract:

Introduction: Studies have revealed that age, health status and 3^rd level education influence public attitudes towards the COVID-19 vaccination during the pandemic. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors that influence the public’s attitudes towards the COVID-19 vaccine two years post-pandemic.

Methods: Ethical approval was obtained for the study. A total of 241 participants who provided informed consent were surveyed anonymously using closed-ended, open-ended and Likert Scale questions. Associations between specific demographics and vaccination attitudes were established using SPSS software.

Results: A higher percentage of 25–34-year-olds and 35–44-year-olds regretted receiving COVID-19 vaccines (46.6% and 37.5% …

Full Issue: The International Undergraduate Journal Of Health Sciences, Volume 6, Issue 1, July 2026

International Undergraduate Journal of Health Sciences

Full Issue: The International Undergraduate Journal of Health Sciences, Volume 6, Issue 1, July 2026.

Aid As Leverage: How Humanitarian Assistance Shapes The Health Power Dynamics In Eastern Democratic Republic Of Congo, Emmanuella K. Mbuyu

University Honors Theses

This paper examines humanitarian aid in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where it serves as both relief and a force reshaping local power dynamics within ongoing conflict. Humanitarian organizations provide essential services in contexts of state collapse, but aid delivery is deeply embedded in systems of coercion, negotiation, and external influence. Drawing on critical humanitarianism and the aid economy, this study analyzes how humanitarian access is negotiated, how donor priorities shape definitions of need, and how temporary interventions create dependency and instability. The paper explores how humanitarian action can reinforce alternative structures of authority, particularly in weak or absent …

Determinants Of Corporal Punishment And Severe Physical Punishment In Egypt: A Mixed-Methods Analysis For Child Protection Policy, Marwa Moustafa Nassef

Theses and Dissertations

Corporal punishment (CP) and severe physical punishment (SPP) remain a major public health, child rights, and child protection policy concern. In Egypt, despite legislative reforms, survey-weighted analysis of the 2021 Egypt Family Health Survey (EFHS) 2021 (CAPMAS, 2022) reveals prevalence rates of 60.5% for CP and 27.4% for SPP among children aged 1–14 (author’s calculations using EFHS-2021, n=7623), yet evidence distinguishing the determinants of routine corporal punishment from escalation to severe physical punishment remains limited in low- and middle-income contexts. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s ecological framework, this mixed-methods study identifies key drivers of CP and its escalation to SPP among Egyptian …

Epstein–Barr Virus Common And Rare Complications In Iraq: Review Paper, Ameer Mohammed Kadhim, M. Jafar Zainaldeen, Zainab Haider Abdulmajeed

Maaen Journal for Medical Sciences

Background: Epstein–Barr Virus (EBV) is a highly ubiquitous herpesvirus found globally, it is associated to both a wide range of condition including common, pervasive infections and severe, rare diseases. In Iraq, despite a significant increased incident of chronic illnesses and viral- related malignancies, the local overview of EBV-associated complications remains fragmented. Aim: This review synthesizes the current available Iraqi literature to delineate the dual nature of EBV’s impact, distinguishing between common epidemiological manifestations and its role in severe clinical complications in local cohorts. Key Findings: high seroprevalence (~80%) of EBV in healthy Iraqi population, with noteworthy association observed in autoimmune …

Expert Recommendations To Strengthen Chikungunya Outbreak Surveillance And Reporting For Traveler Health Protection, Daniel C. Payne, Karoun H. Bagamian, Jeffery Goad, Nathan D. Grubaugh, Michael A. Johansson, Moritz U. G. Kraemer, Eyal Leshem, Francesca F. Norman, Alfonso J. Rodríguez-Morales, Henrik Salje, Stephen Thomas, Scott C. Weaver, Lindsey A. Laytner, Rebecca Sturgis, Suzanne K. Scheele, Davidson H. Hamer

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Chikungunya, a debilitating mosquito-borne disease caused by chikungunya virus, has surged dramatically in the past two decades. Chikungunya outbreaks can intensify rapidly, with infections posing a significant endemic health burden in tropical/subtropical areas and for travelers. Health professionals require timely and accurate outbreak information to adequately protect travelers and assess chikungunya risk. However, detection is often insufficient in the areas most susceptible to outbreaks, leading to diagnostic and reporting delays. Consequently, travelers are often unaware of increased chikungunya infection risk at their destination. We assessed chikungunya surveillance and reporting resources, and we developed expert recommendations for traveler health protection. Because …

Global Health Financing Of Diagonal Interventions: Building Resilient And Sustainable Health Systems In Sub-Saharan Africa, Lucy Kim

Master in Public Policy Theses

Background: Global health financing has historically prioritized disease-specific “vertical” programs over broader “horizontal” strengthening of general health systems. Vertical programs in HIV have led to unprecedented reductions in mortality worldwide, but HIV remains a significant public health threat in sub-Saharan Africa, where vertical strategies have long been criticized for creating fragmented health systems. In response, global health strategies have shifted towards combining vertical investments with broader horizontal activities, commonly referred to as “diagonal” programming. While evidence suggests that diagonal programming has the potential to create more resilient and sustainable health systems, evaluating its value for money is challenging due to …

Beyond The Ban: Chhaupadi Abolition And The Governance Of Menstrual Autonomy In Western Nepal, Nikita Paudel

Master in Public Policy Theses

This thesis examines how two decades of efforts to abolish chhaupadi have shaped the everyday conditions under which women and girls experience menstruation in western Nepal. Chhaupadi, commonly understood as menstrual seclusion, has been addressed through Supreme Court directives, national policy, criminal law, municipal implementation instruments, hut demolition campaigns, public health programming, and rights-based advocacy. Yet the practice has persisted, adapted, and in some cases moved into less visible spaces. Rather than treating this as a simple gap between law and practice, this thesis asks how abolition efforts themselves have become part of the regulatory regime through which menstruation is …

Comparison Of Ecg Features, Cardiac Biomarkers, And Clinical Outcomes In Three Waves Of Hospitalized Covid-19 Pneumonia Patients With Cardiovascular Events, Yuchen Han, Jahnavi Sunkara, Tshura S Ali, Harideep Samanapally, Vidyulata Salunkhe, Fnu Deepti, Emma C. Huang, Justin J. Huang, Maiying Kong, Jiapeng Huang

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Background

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a rapidly evolving virus that can severely impact the cardiovascular system. With new variants, it is important to characterize wave-specific (defined by dominant circulating variants) clinical changes.

Methods

A multi-center retrospective cohort study of patients hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 community acquired pneumonia at eight adult acute-care hospitals in the city of Louisville, KY was conducted. Patients hospitalized with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) community acquired pneumonia who experienced a cardiovascular event between March 2020 and July 2022 were included in this analysis. Variant assignment was based on temporal prevalence rather than genomic confirmation, and …

Leading With Hope: A Clinical Communication Campaign To Promote Partner Hiv Testing In Assisted Partner Notification And Antenatal Care Programs In Uganda., Emily A. Hurley, Violet Gwokyala, Linda Kisaakye Nabitaka, Jolly Beyeza Kashesya, Mercylynn Agasha, Florence Namaganda, Nikolaus Schuetz, J Nalubega Ross, Joseph K B Matovu, Rhoda Wanyenze, Glenn Wagner, Kathy Goggin

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Among heterosexual couples in sub-Saharan Africa, fears of relationship dissolution and inability to bear healthy children following an HIV-positive result remain barriers to HIV testing. Recently expanded availability of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) affords a critical opportunity to promote HIV testing with reassuring communication that highlights use for relationship preservation and healthy childbearing. We aimed to develop a theoretically-grounded communication intervention to promote partner HIV testing within assisted partner notification (APN) and antenatal care (ANC) programs in Uganda. Through an 18-month iterative co-creation process, we developed the HOPE Clinical Communication Campaign (HOPE-CCC) in collaboration with a project advisory board (PAB) of …

Assessment Of Health And Medical Students' Awareness, Attitude, And Preventive Practices Toward Monkeypox Outbreak, Haneen Qahtan, Taher M. Al-Fahham, Sameerah Mohammed Saeed

Preventia: The Indonesian Journal of Public Health

Monkeypox is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus, which is a primarily endemic disease in Western and Central Africa. Monkeypox infections among humans have been on the rise in certain areas of Africa in recent times, leading to its identification as a major health hazard. It is important for medical college students, who will become future healthcare professionals, to actively participate in educating the general population about this illness. Their readiness and capacity to properly handle such health emergencies are strongly influenced by their knowledge, attitudes, and preventive measures regarding newly emerging infectious diseases such as monkeypox. This …

From Tradition To Transition: Evaluating Culinary Medicine As A Tool For Metabolic Health Among Nigerian Immigrants In The United States And The United Kingdom, Simi Oduwole M.S.

Department of Nutrition Student Projects

This scoping review examines existing publications to evaluate whether Culinary Medicine can be used as a tool for metabolic health among Nigerian immigrants in the United States and the United Kingdom. Nigeria is one of the fastest-growing populations globally, with increasing migration to high-income countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom. Evidence suggests that Nigerian immigrants experience a rise in diet-related chronic diseases, including obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, as duration of residence increases. This phenomenon is often attributed to dietary acculturation and shifts toward Westernized eating patterns. This scoping review evaluates whether culinary medicine can mitigate …

Regional Inequalities In Healthcare Access And Capacity In Brazil, Elena Kossler

Posters - 2026

The Brazilian health system is one of the largest and most comprehensive universal public health systems, fully funded by the government.

Risk Factors Of Leptospirosis Among Agricultural Workers In Southeast Asia: Literature Review, Ronggo Adi Wibowo, Wawa Najwa Nurzakia, Meirany Sasitha Kirana, Yulia Arthemisia Wijaya, Jasmine Ayumaharani Sekaryudha, Dwi Sarwani Sri Rejeki, Rosita Dwi Jayanti

Jurnal Epidemiologi Kesehatan Indonesia

The agricultural sector is the primary source of livelihood for communities in Southeast Asia; however, these activities increase the risk of exposure to zoonotic diseases, particularly leptospirosis. Southeast Asia is one of the regions with the highest incidence of leptospirosis in the world. This literature review aims to identify risk factors for leptospirosis among agricultural workers in Southeast Asia. The search for research articles utilized three databases (Google Scholar, PubMed, and ScienceDirect) using a descriptive approach based on literature review and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. A total of 9,800 articles were screened for …

Intergenerational Hypertension Transmission Before And After South Africa's Democratic Transition, Winfred A. Avogo

Faculty Publications – Sociology and Anthropology

Background: Apartheid's structural violence produced profound cardiovascular inequalities among Black South Africans through processes that accelerate biological aging ("weathering") and transmit health disadvantage across successive generations. Whether South Africa's 1994 political transition interrupted this intergenerational transmission remains unknown. This study tests whether parent-to-offspring hypertension transmission weakened among cohorts born after apartheid's end, using the 1994 transition as a natural experiment. Methods: This study analyzed 30,438 parent-offspring dyads from five waves (2008–2017) of South Africa's National Income Dynamics Study, representing 11,655 unique offspring aged 18 years and older. Hypertension was defined as blood pressure ≥140/90mmHg or use of antihypertensive medication. Logistic …

Mainstreaming Mistrust: The Shift In Us Vaccine Policy Under The Trump Administration, Sanjin Musa, Amy Estlund, Megan A. Berman

Faculty Scholarship

Department of Health and Human Services led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., represents a significant departure from long-standing public health norms. This commentary explores how historically marginalized anti-vaccine activism has moved into the mainstream of government oversight. Key actions driving this transition include the wholesale replacement of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the departure of senior CDC officials, and the public questioning of established childhood immunization schedules. Furthermore, the administration has ceased financial support for global health entities like the World Health Organization and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, while canceling funding for innovative mRNA vaccine platforms. 

These domestic policy …

Facebook Interaction As A Potential Marker Of Cognitive Decline: Pilot Study, Esraa M. Qansuwa

Theses and Dissertations

One of the critical challenges in brain disorder research is the early identification of individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) who may later develop Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or other dementias. MCI in older adults is frequently associated with diminished social engagement and observable behavioral changes. With the rapid expansion of social media platforms and advances in Machine Learning (ML), digital traces from online activity present a novel and scalable avenue for mental health screening. In particular, predictive ML approaches have demonstrated strong potential in building reliable classifiers for early detection of neurocognitive decline. This study introduces an innovative framework that …

A Pilot Study Evaluating Child Resistant Closures In Pharmaceuticals In The Developing Nation Of Ghana: Informing Global Paediatric Safety And Usability Standards, Samuel Ofosu, Kojo Agyapong Afrifah, Laura Bix

Journal of Applied Packaging Research

Despite their proven effectiveness in preventing unintentional paediatric medication poisoning in high-income countries, the performance and usability of Child Resistant Closures (CRCs) remain underexplored in low and middle-income countries (LMICs).

To provide pilot data regarding the potential efficacy of using CRCs in LMICs, we conducted a study of the approach in a low-resourced region (Ghana, West Africa) by adapting testing protocols utilized in the United States (16 CFR Part 1700.20). The study utilized a convenience sample of children (n=50; 42-51 months) and adults (n=50; 50-70 years) to develop preliminary data related to the efficacy of a single design of CRC …