Preventive Medicine Commons^™

Assessing The Efficacy Of Prolonged Doxycycline Pep Use In High-Risk Populations For Sti Prevention, Lam Doan, Pearl Joslyn, Lizann Sung, Timothy Breiner, Sarah Marotta, Shikhar Rastogi

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

First recommended in October 2022, doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (DoxyPEP) has been increasingly used as a treatment for multiple sexually transmitted infections (STIs). To evaluate the efficacy of prolonged DoxyPEP use in high risk populations - men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women - for STIs, different sources addressing various aspects of DoxyPEP, its efficacy in STI prevention, and the potential consequences of its widespread use in terms of antimicrobial resistance were examined. Across 9 studies, DoxyPEP was found to decrease the incidence of bacterial STIs, specifically, syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea with varying efficacy, especially for gonorrhea. Furthermore, …

A Systematic Review Of Weight Loss Interventions Among Black Postpartum Women, Jhelma Velveder Perez

Honors Scholar Theses

Cardiovascular disease is a leading contributor to maternal mortality, which remains disproportionately high among Black women. Obesity and postpartum weight retention exacerbate cardiovascular disease risk and increase the likelihood of complications in future pregnancies. Weight loss during the postpartum period may reduce long-term chronic health risks and mortality for Black women. This systematic review aimed to understand the weight-related health needs of Black postpartum women by evaluating behavioral weight loss interventions within the first year after childbirth. A comprehensive search of the PubMed database identified 3 randomized controlled trials that met inclusion criteria. These studies evaluated home-based programs, mobile health …

Heart To Heart: Exploring Why Cardiovascular Risk Is Higher In South Asians, Jasjeet Kaur Dhaliwal

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading global cause of mortality, but South Asians experience a disproportionately high burden of disease, often developing CVD at younger ages and with lower body mass indices compared to other populations. This project explores the underlying genetic and lifestyle factors contributing to elevated cardiovascular risk in South Asians, aiming to highlight the need for targeted prevention strategies and policy reforms.

A literature review was conducted using peer-reviewed studies, meta-analyses, and reviews published between 2007 and 2024. After screening 47 initial articles, 18 were selected for analysis based on their relevance to genetic and lifestyle risk …

Analysis Of Blood Pressure, Blood Glucose, And Cholesterol Screening Results Collected During Street Outreach Events In Atlantic County, New Jersey, As Part Of A Mobile Community Health Worker Program To Identify Residents At High Risk For Severe Covid-19, Kenneth W. Stagliano, Richard T. Jermyn, Alexander E. Abbott, Donato F. Tassoni, Amy Palen, Frank Carozza, Nicole M. Miller

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: This study seeks to evaluate the status of random blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose screening results in Atlantic County, NJ. This study also aims to identify the rates of hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, and hypertension within the target population, and potential differences between surveyed age demographics.

Methods: Medical students participating in the COVID-19 CHW Service Corps collected blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose screenings at multiple screening events in Atlantic County, NJ during a two-year period. This data was analyzed retrospectively using ANOVA, non-parametric Kruskal Walis Test, and Tukey's pairwise comparisons.

Results: Senior adults had significantly higher SBP than …

Barriers To Care For Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome In Southern New Jersey, Gabriela Taslitsky, Hijab Zaidi, Nafisa Zalil

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) is a spectrum of clinical manifestations seen in newborns due to withdrawal secondary to intrauterine illicit and/or prescription drug exposure. Newborns with NAS present with common signs of withdrawal such as poor feeding, irritability, seizures, hypertonicity, low birth weight, loose stool, and premature birth. Maternal opioid use is the most common cause of NAS and with the increase in opioid use in the past decade the cases of NAS have also increased. This study examines the prevalence and challenges associated with NAS in Southern New Jersey. Our analysis reveals that Atlantic and Gloucester counties reported the …

Exercise As An Intervention For Postpartum Depression (Ppd), Kylie P. Mistretta

Honors Scholar Theses

Objective: To illustrate the applications of exercise for preventing the development of postpartum depression (PPD) and addressing associated risk factors identified in the literature. Data Sources: PubMed and EBSCO: Academic Search Premier were accessed using the search terms exercise OR physical activity OR yoga AND postpartum depression OR postnatal depression. A secondary search of PubMed was conducted using the search terms exercise AND pregnancy AND depression OR gestational diabetes OR weight gain OR sleep quality.

Study Selection: Studies selected for inclusion were peer-reviewed, published after January 2012, written in English, and relevant to the PPD risk factors examined. Only clinical …

Green Prescription: Analyzing And Encouraging Plant-Based Eating For Student Physicians In A Four Week Seminar, Deena Sukhon, Kaithlyn Duong, Corinne Bowditch, Tai Metzger, Jessica Eibling, Amy Lin, Cindy Tran, Jackie Kraft, Maya Jaradi, Vicky Lu, Sophie Fisher, Jacob Keeley, Fanny Huang, Virginia Uhley

Posters

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of An Iron-Rich Diet On Fatigue In Menstruating Women With Non-Anemic Iron Deficiency, Meagan Seraydar, Lauren Latimer, Sam Miragliatto

Department of Nutrition Student Projects

Fatigue without diagnosed anemia is prevalent in menstruating women, with iron deficiency being a potential contributor. While iron supplementation is a standard intervention, dietary sources of iron may offer a sustainable alternative. This study aims to assess the impact of an iron-rich diet on fatigue levels in menstruating women. A 12-week randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be conducted, assigning participants to either an iron-rich diet group or a control group following their usual diet without specific iron recommendations. Fatigue will be measured using the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) at baseline, six weeks, and twelve weeks, alongside iron status biomarkers, including …

Off-Label Long-Term Use Of Phentermine For Weight Management, Monique Morin, Yamini Pandey, Sarah Bdeir, Rumyah Rafique, Taim-Allah Al-Jarrah, Ali Farhat

Clinical Research in Practice: The Journal of Team Hippocrates

A clinical decision report using:

Hendricks EJ, Greenway FL, Westman EC, Gupta AK. Blood pressure and heart rate effects, weight loss and maintenance during long-term phentermine pharmacotherapy for obesity. Obesity. 2011;19(12):2351-2360 https://doi.org/10.1038/oby.2011.94

for a patient struggling at the intersection of weight loss and financial instability.

Understanding Challenges To Breast Cancer Screening For African American Women In Detroit: A Study Of Social And Healthcare Inequities, Miranda Goodson, Whitney Bowyer, Erika Lopez, Anna Lundh

Medical Student Research Symposium

African American (AA) women have lower adherence to breast cancer screening guidelines, which may contribute to delayed diagnoses and reduced survival rates. These disparities are often influenced by limited access to quality healthcare and persistent inequities faced within Michigan. With Detroit's population being 77% AA, examining studies focused on the experiences of Black women within urban healthcare networks is essential to understanding the connections between demographic, socioeconomic factors, and breast cancer outcomes. To assess these studies, a literature search was conducted using Ovid Medline yielding 24 associated articles.

Mammogram rates among AA women in Detroit remain low, reflecting a complex …

Perceived Risk And Hpv Vaccination Awareness Among Women In Rural And Underserved Communities In The State Of Louisiana, Deborah Gurgel Smith, Emily M. Dantes, Robbie Beyl, Yanna X. De Koter, Margaret Bourg, Corey D. Smith, Gelinia Jackson, Justin Brown, Jerry W. Mclarty

School of Nursing Faculty Publications

Despite the availability of effective preventive measures, women in rural and underserved communities of Louisiana face health disparities regarding human papillomavirus infections. This study explores how perceived risk and socioeconomic factors, such as income, influence HPV vaccine awareness and attitudes toward HPV risk. A cross-sectional study was conducted among women in rural and underserved areas of Louisiana from November 2022 to December 2023. Participants were eligible to be included in the study if they were adult females aged 25 to 64 with no history of hysterectomy and no history of cervical cancer. We used convenience sampling through a mobile health …

Stopping The Cirrhosis: An International Review Of Hep C Screening In Prisons And Jails From 2004-2023, Anastasia Sahu Bs, Jack Spurlock Ba, Mhs, Eliza Beal Md

Medical Student Research Symposium

Background: As of 2023, HCV prevalence in state prisons in the United States was 9 times higher than the general population¹. Without treatment, 20% of people with HCV will develop cirrhosis, and some estimate that 70% of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases arise from cirrhosis or advanced fibrosis². Despite the high prevalence in prisons, the US does not have nationally standardized Hep C screening in correctional facilities. The goal of this study is to investigate different models of existing programs in prisons internationally. Understanding these models will inform Hep C screening in US prisons on a state …

Limbgod(Pat. Pending): Wearable Garment For Amputation Prevention, Naomi Choi Dpm, Mba, Phuc An Dinh Bs, Ms, Eric Lee Bs, Francois M. Lokenye Dpm

Posters

Approximately 1.6 million people in the U.S. have lower limb amputations, which is expected to double by 2050 (Wong et al.). Socio-economic factors: income, education, rural residency & race, impact amputation risk (Okesina et al.), with Black Americans 70% are more likely to undergo major lower limb amputations than white Americans, even after adjusting for care access & comorbidities (Feinglass et al., Holman et al., Regenbogen et al.). Within 5 years, up to 50% of first-time amputees require another amputation (Dilingham et al., Glaser et al.) & those with comorbidities face a 77% five-year mortality rate (Fortington et al.).

"Health Gatekeepers": The Influence Of Women On Health Practices In Rural, Central Appalachia, Reese Lycan

Senior Theses

Women have historically assumed leadership roles in familial and community health promotion, intervention, and facilitation. While the role of women in family health is globally understood and the historical importance of female leadership has been documented, there remains a gap in knowledge regarding the role of women as “health gatekeepers”. Furthermore, when considering the Appalachian region, there are limited studies regarding women’s place in leadership as far as health is concerned. Therefore, this study employs a hermeneutic phenomenological framework to explore the lived experiences of women in relation to their family and community’s health in rural, Central Appalachia- a region …

Health Literacy: Impact And Interventions, Elizabeth Simpson

Lynchburg Journal of Medical Science

The objectives of this paper are to examine the connection between health literacy level and patient outcome, identify contributing factors of low health literacy, and identify ways in which providers and health literacy programs can promote health literacy on an individual and community level. I conducted a literature search using PubMed and Google Scholar in order to lend evidence to these objectives.

The results demonstrated a clear correlation between low health literacy levels and poor patient outcomes. Low health literacy is also correlated with reduced medication adherence, improper use of medication, more emergency department visits, and unhealthy habits during pregnancy …

Testosterone Replacement Therapy In The Middle-Aged Male, Gina N. Demilt

Lynchburg Journal of Medical Science

The purpose of this review was to investigate the use of testosterone supplementation in the middle-aged male with a focus on the pathophysiology of testosterone throughout the lifespan, current supplementation options and their adverse effects, and the overall benefit of supplementing to enhance quality of life. A comprehensive search of electronic databases was conducted identifying studies that assessed clinical outcomes, pathophysiology, supplementation options, adverse effects and benefits of treatments. The findings suggested that testosterone levels naturally decline with age with most men developing symptoms of hypogonadism around age 60. Testosterone supplementation outside of current guidelines is not recommended, however men …

Updating A Rural Clinic In Tiburón, Haiti, Akankcha Alok, Mohamed Bakhit, Djenie Helne, Philipe Milord, Marcellas Socrate, Camil Clermont, Marie A. Kima

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

Tiburón is a small fishing village in Haiti with a clinic overseen by the Oblate missionaries and the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP). This village was hugely impacted by Hurricane Matthew in 2016, leading to increased health care demands. The clinic was inaccessible from the furthest parts of the village and lacked basic medication supplies and adequate manpower. We aimed to reinforce the infrastructure and update the clinic using a multifaceted approach.

Methods

We developed a quality improvement project to strengthen the clinic's infrastructure and modernize its facilities with a comprehensive approach focused on enhancing health care …

A Systematic Review Of Recent Developments In Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy In Hip Osteoarthritis: Variability In Protocols And Clinical Outcomes (2019–2024), Emily Awdish, Marlena Muszynska, Konrad Lautenschlager, Ali Hamade

Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Characteristics And Outcomes Of Adults Hospitalized With Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Brian S. Shaw, Cara Slaton, Ian P. Murphy, Michael Mcalister, Daniel Egan, Kwabena Ayesu

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a negative sense single-stranded RNA virus (ssRNA) that primarily causes respiratory infections in both children and older adults. We examined clinical characteristics and outcomes of hospitalized adult patients who tested positive for RSV.

Methods: This was a multicenter, retrospective, descriptive study that examined adult patients admitted with a positive RSV test over two years across eight hospitals in Orlando, Florida.

Results: A total of 120 patients were included, of which 88 (73%) were 60 years old and older. Overall, patients with RSV infection were caucasian (62%) with a median age of 70 years and …

Are Maternal Adverse Childhood Experiences (Aces) And Resilience Associated With Breastfeeding Rates And Neonatal Growth?, Lily Zheng, Krystal Hunter, Hsiao-Wei M. Banks, Leslie Abraham, Alla Kushnir

Cooper Rowan Medical Journal

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have shown to have a negative impact on health outcomes. There is evidence of how negative childhood events adversely affect self-esteem in adulthood. Not only do ACEs have an impact on one's own life, but maternal ACEs have shown to have consequences on infants’ development as well, indicating a negative intergenerational impact.

Objectives: To analyze the relationship between maternal ACEs on infant outcomes, breastfeeding adherence, and maternal self-perception

Design/Methods: Between 2020 and 2023, 120 mother-infant pairs from a New Jersey urban hospital were approached between their 2nd trimester and the 2-month well …