Preventive Medicine Commons^™

Evaluating The Nccn Clinical Criteria For Hereditary Breast And Ovarian Cancer Syndrome Genetic Testing, Caiqian Wu

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer (HBOC) syndrome predisposes females with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation to an up to 85% lifetime risk for breast cancer and an up to 40% lifetime risk for ovarian cancer. It is crucial for individuals with HBOC to be identified to allow for proper screening, management, and identification of at-risk family members in order to reduce mortality. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has established clinical guidelines for when to recommend BRCA1/2 testing. A retrospective chart review of 1123 M.D. Anderson Cancer Center breast cancer patients was performed in order to evaluate the positive predictive …

Impact Of The Heart Watch Program On Patients At Risk Of Developing Metabolic Syndrome, Prediabetes Or Cardiovascular Disease, Jennifer T. Fink, Kathryn K. Havens, Julia A. Schumacher, Renee E. Walker, George L. Morris Iii, David A. Nelson, Maharaj Singh, Ron A. Cisler

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Purpose

Metabolic syndrome is a set of metabolic risk factors associated with increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. We retrospectively evaluated the effectiveness of a lifestyle modification program (Heart WATCH) geared toward reducing development of chronic disease in women deemed at risk for metabolic syndrome, prediabetes and/or cardiovascular disease.

Methods

Our institution’s Heart WATCH program consists of screening sessions with a multidisciplinary team (physician/nurse, nutritionist and psychologist), a minimum of three visits with a nurse practitioner and weekly follow-up phone calls for a 14-week period. Sociodemographic variables were obtained at initial visit. Biometric testing indices …

Hepatitis C Virus Infection Screening Test Compliance At Primary Care Clinic, Talal Alzahrani, Brandon Rieders, Mohammed Fadlalla, Jason Gendell, Anne Cioletti

GW Research Days 2015

Introduction:

Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is the most common cause of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, and is the leading cause of liver transplantation in the US. About 3.2 million individuals are chronically infected with HCV. Most of these patients are unaware of their infection because they are largely asymptomatic. Approximately three-fourths of them were born between 1945-1965. Furthermore, with the advances in HCV treatment, it is imperative to identify chronically infected individuals in order to avert the long-term, costly, sequelae of the virus. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recently recommended a one-time screening test for HCV for those …

Prevalence Of Obesity And Estimated Medical And Work Loss Costs Attributable To High Bmi: The Baptist Health South Florida Employee Study, Khurram Nasir, Emir Veledar, Chukwuemeka Osondu, Ehimen Aneni, Oluseye Ogunmoroti, Sankalp Das, Maribeth Rouseff, Thinh Tran, Don Parris, Leah Holzwarth, Henry Guzman, Theodore Feldman, Michael Ozner, Jonathan Fialkow, Bernie Fernandez, Jack Ziffer, Arthur Agatston

All Publications

No abstract provided.

Mosquito-Borne Diseases In Mississippi, Ryan J. Rodriguez

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Life Cycle:
Egg Must be exposed to water to hatch
Larvae Live in aquatic habitats
Pupa Stay near the surface of water to breath
Adults: Only females feed on blood; Males feed on nectar

Public Health •Besides being a nuisance, they cause numerous health hazards to humans (and other animals) •In some cases, they may cause severe allergic reactions •Diseases they transmit: •Eastern Equine Encephalitis •Japanese Encephalitis •La Crosse Encephalitis •St. Louis Encephalitis •West Nile Virus •Western Equine Encephalitis •Dengue Fever •Malaria •Rift Valley Fever •Yellow Fever

Mosquito-Borne Diseases in Mississippi and its Vectors •Chikungunya Virus •Aedes species •Eastern Equine …

The Role Of Occupational Therapy In Primary Care, Priti Patel

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

The Capstone Project is focused on communicating, influencing and educating other health care professionals regarding the role of occupational therapy in the future model of primary care delivery initiated by the adoption of the Affordable Care Act and the Triple Aim Initiative. Currently, primary care, the largest health care platform in United States, is not inclusive of occupational therapy services. Occupational therapists have the scope, knowledge and understanding to be part of the redesigned team model of primary care. Educating those currently working in primary care about adding occupational therapy services can have a significant impact on the profession of …

Menthol Cigarette Smoking And Obesity In Young Adult Daily Smokers In Hawaii, Alyssa Marie M. Antonio, Pebbles Fagan, Faith D. Hamamura, Ian Joseph N. Lagua, Jenny Liu, Devin J. Park, Pallav Pokhrel, Thaddeus A. Herzog, Ian Pagano, Kevin Cassel, Angela Sy, Dorothy Jorgensen, Tania Lynch, Crissy Kawamoto, Carol J. Boushey, Adrian Franke, Mark S. Clanton, Eric T. Moolchan, Linda A. Alexander

Health, Behavior & Society Faculty Publications

This study investigates 1) the relationship between menthol cigarette smoking and obesity and 2) the association of body mass index with the nicotine metabolite ratio among menthol and non-menthol daily smokers aged 18–35 (n = 175). A brief survey on smoking and measures of height and weight, carbon monoxide, and saliva samples were collected from participants from May to December 2013 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Multiple regression was used to estimate differences in body mass index among menthol and non-menthol smokers and the association of menthol smoking with obesity. We calculated the log of the nicotine metabolite ratio to examine differences …

Employees' Interests And Preferences Regarding Worksite Exercise Programs, Amber Butcher

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

In order to address the problem of an unhealthy workforce, employers often implement disease prevention and health promotion strategies, referred to as worksite wellness programs. The purpose of this study was to examine employees' interests and preferences regarding worksite exercise programs. To collect data, a 12 item survey was developed and administered to employees from a company based in Rochester, Minnesota. A total of 21 participants completed the survey (66.7% male, 28.6% female). The mean age was 51 years old. The findings of the study indicated an interest in worksite exercise programs and that incentives may motivate employees to participate …

Effective Youth Suicide Prevention: Evidence From Kentucky, Dessi Slavova, Hatim A. Omar

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

In 2013, Suicide was the second leading cause of death among U.S. young adolescents (15-19 years of age), accounting for 18.4% of all deaths in this age group. According to a nationally representative study on the lifetime prevalence of adolescent suicidal behaviors, 12.1% of U.S. adolescents experience suicidal ideation, 4.0% develop a plan, and 4.1% attempt suicide. The same study estimated that approximately 60% of young people with a suicide plan will attempt suicide, and most of the adolescents who subsequently make an attempt do so within the first year after the onset of ideation.

These findings support the importance …

Strategy For Improvement Of Maternal Health In Nepal, Gehendra Mahara, Xiuhua Gua, Wei Wang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Maternal death is a public health problem in like Nepal. Still women have been facing the pregnancy related problems due to inaccessible and poor quality health service as well as a less available health service from skilled health workers. This is due to lack of essential knowledge about pregnancy and its complications. The main aim of this article is to evaluate and synthesize the current public health issues of maternal health of women in Nepal. Syntheses the problems, challenges and issues regarding maternal health and what can be done for the improvement of those problems with the evidence base practice. …

Hiv Drug Resistance Among Infants And Children In South Africa: How Efficient Is Genotypic Testing?, Ellen Hendrix

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Background: South Africa has the largest prevalence of HIV infection. This epidemic impacts adults as well as the pediatric population. The presence of drug-resistant mutations to antiretroviral therapies among infants and children is on the rise. Few studies have been conducted on this topic. Objective: The study aims to determine whether drug resistance testing in the form of genotypic testing is cost-effective when deciding whether to switch to a new HIV antiretroviral therapy following drug failure. Method: An interactive research approach is taken by collecting primary data from experts in this field. Secondary sources including guidelines from the World Health …

The End Of An Era: The Cancer Stem Cell Hypothesis And Its Therapeutic Implications, Emily Paton

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Cancer, a leading cause of death in many developed countries, has become a global health burden. Much of the drain on healthcare systems has resulted from the high cost and ineffectiveness of conventional cancer treatments, which often lead to cancer relapse or metastasis. The failures of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery have been elucidated by the cancer stem cell (CSC) hypothesis, which postulates that a small percentage of tumor cells drive tumorigenesis. These cells can sustain cancer through their capacity to self-renew and differentiate into specialized tumor cell types, similar to how healthy stem cells maintain healthy tissues. Conventional cancer treatments …

Formulating Effective And Accessible Population-Based Colorectal Cancer Screening Programs, Danielle Luffman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Colorectal cancer, a type of carcinoma originating in cells of the colon or rectum, continues to rank as the third most prevalent cancer worldwide with 1.36 million cases and the fourth most fatal with 693,881 deaths during 2012. In an attempt to alleviate the burden of colorectal cancer throughout society, governments and non-governmental organizations continue to implement population-based cancer screening programs. These programs, typically designed by a federal authority, offer free screening tests to a given population for a certain type of cancer on a routine basis. National systematic screening programs have effectively reduced the incidence of and mortality from …

An Examination Of The Relationship Between Sense Of Coherence, Engagement In Health Behaviors, And Individual Coping Style., Dean Todd Misener 1973-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Stress is a pervasive issue among traditional college students; affecting their choice in health behaviors, and overall academic performance. What is not clear is why some students, despite the pervasiveness of stressors are able to do well in school and maintain/improve their health, while other students struggle to maintain their health and do poorly in school. Aaron Antonovsky theorized that when confronted with a stressor a person with a high sense of coherence (SOC) will be motivated to cope, believe the challenge is understood and that the necessary resources to cope with the stressor are available. Overall, Antonovsky theorized that …

Assessment Of American Heart Association’S Ideal Cardiovascular Health Metrics Among Employees Of Large Health Care Organization: The Baptist Health South Florida Employee Study, Khurram Nasir, Emir Veledar, Ehimen Aneni, Sankalp Das, Maribeth Rouseff, Thinh Tran, Don Parris, Leah Holzwarth, Henry Guzman, Theodore Feldman, Michael Ozner, Jonathan Fialkow, Bernie Fernandez, Arthur Agatston

All Publications

No abstract provided.

Household Malaria Knowledge And Its Association With Bednet Ownership In Settings Without Large–Scale Distribution Programs: Evidence From Rural Madagascar, Paul J. Krezanoski, Alexander C. Tsai, Davidson H. Hamer, Alison B. Comfort, David Bangsberg

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background Insecticide–treated bednets are effective at preventing malaria. This study focuses on household–level factors that are associated with bednet ownership in a rural area of Madagascar which had not been a recipient of large–scale ITN distribution.

Methods Data were gathered on individual and household characteristics, malaria knowledge, household assets and bednet ownership. Principal components analysis was used to construct both a wealth index based on household assets and a malaria knowledge index based on responses to questions about malaria. Bivariate and multivariate regressions were used to determine predictors of household bednet ownership and malaria knowledge.

Results Forty–seven of 560 households …

Effects Of An Osteoporosis Educational Intervention: Knowledge And Self-Efficacy Of Prevention In Young Adult Collegiate Females, Valerie A. Bollenbacher

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Osteoporosis is a silent and potentially debilitating chronic illness. In 2012, the CDC reported that 4.5 million women over the age of 50 were diagnosed with osteoporosis in the United States. Within the next 20 years, 41 million women worldwide are projected to have osteoporosis. The annual financial burden of osteoporosis is estimated to be 19 billion dollars. The objective of this evidence-based practice project was to answer the clinical question: In young adult collegiate females, how does an osteoporosis educational intervention compared to current education effect osteoporosis knowledge and self-efficacy of osteoporosis prevention over a one-month time period? The …

Barriers To Successful Cervical Cancer Screening In Rural Kwazulu-Natal, Cato Manor, And Cape Town, Amanda Comai

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In 2000, the South African Department of Health produced a nationwide policy intended to combat the growing crisis of cervical cancer. Nearly fifteen years later, however, the disease remains a significant cause of death among certain female populations, especially those who are rural, poor, and HIV-positive. It is undeniable that challenges of access, awareness, resource demand, and stigmatization stand in the way of complete policy enactment.

In this study, I explore in detail the barriers that prevent successful implementation of the policy. My research combines interviews with a variety of individuals and participant observation at the Cancer Association of South …

Microbiota, Oral Microbiome, And Pancreatic Cancer, Dominique S. Michaud, Jacques Izard

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Only 30% of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer survive one year post-diagnosis. Progress in understanding the causes of pancreatic cancer has been made, including solidifying the associations with obesity and diabetes, and a proportion of cases should be preventable through lifestyle modifications. Unfortunately, identifying reliable biomarkers of early pancreatic cancer has been extremely challenging, and no effective screening modality is currently available for this devastating form of cancer. Recent data suggest the microbiota may play a role in the disease process, but many questions remain. Future studies focusing on the human microbiome, both etiologically and as a marker of disease …

Benefits And Barriers To Hiv Testing In A Population Of Federal Detention Inmates, Nicole A. Knight

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Voluntary HIV testing in combination with early medical intervention has been shown to be effective in reducing the rate of new infections and improving the health and life expectancy of those living with HIV. There are however several high-risk populations in the US that remain largely unreached by HIV testing efforts, some of which could be reached while they spend time in prison or jail. Per current Bureau of Prisons (BOP) policy, HIV testing is routinely offered only to “high risk” pretrial and sentenced inmates. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 721 pretrial and sentenced inmates who entered a large …