Community Health and Preventive Medicine Commons^™

Community Readiness Assessment: Applications For Community Nutrition Research, Whitney E. Houser

All Master's Theses

Trends in qualitative community nutrition research demonstrate a powerful, emerging perspective in the midst of a field historically dominated by quantitative methods of inquiry. For this qualitative study, ten key respondents were purposively selected and interviewed using the Community Readiness Model (CRM) to capture community knowledge of food insecurity issues and strategies. Data were analyzed using anchored rating scales, revealing readiness at a stage three, characterized by a vague awareness of local food insecurity. The purpose of this study is to report on the strengths and challenges of the CRM experienced when utilizing the model to address food insecurity. The …

Prevalence And Correlates Of Indoor Tanning And Sunless Tanning Product Use Among Female Teens In The United States, Megan Quinn, Arsham Alamian, Joel J. Hillhouse, Colleen Scott, Rob Turrisi, Katie Baker

ETSU Faculty Works

Background

Indoor tanning (IT) before the age of 35 increases melanoma risk by 75%. Nevertheless, IT and sunless tanning product (STP) use have gained popularity among youth. However, there are limited data on the prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of both IT and STP use in a representative sample of American teens.

Methods

Teenage females (N = 778) aged 12–18 years were recruited as part of an on-going longitudinal study conducted between May 2011 and May 2013. Descriptive statistics explored IT and STP usage in teen females at baseline. Logistic regression was used to determine sociodemographic correlates of IT and STP …

Exploring Social Networking Technologies As Tools For Hiv Prevention For Men Who Have Sex With Men, Jorge Ramallo, Thomas Kidder, Tashuna Albritton, Gary Blick, John Pachankis, Valen Grandeleski, Trace Kershaw

Publications and Research

Social networking technologies are influential among men who have sex with men (MSM) and may be an important strategy for HIV prevention. We conducted focus groups with HIV positive and negative participants. Almost all participants used social networking sites to meet new friends and sexual partners. The main obstacle to effective HIV prevention campaigns in social networking platforms was stigmatization based on homosexuality as well as HIV status. Persistent stigma associated with HIV status and disclosure was cited as a top reason for avoiding HIV-related conversations while meeting new partners using social technologies. Further, social networking sites have different social …

Promoting Colorectal Cancer Screening Among Haitian Americans, Steven S. Coughlin, Erica I. Lubetkin, Jennifer L. Hay, Renald Raphael, Selina A. Smith

Publications and Research

Background

Few studies have examined colorectal cancer screening among Haitian Americans, although striking disparities in colorectal cancer screening and mortality are well-documented among U.S. Blacks. Race, socioeconomic status, and place of birth are factors associated with colorectal cancer incidence and mortality patterns.

Methods

In this article, we summarize published studies on colorectal cancer screening among Haitian Americans, identified through bibliographic searches in PubMed and CINAHL through August 2015, and offer recommendations for further research.

Results

Only one qualitative study and three quantitative surveys have examined colorectal cancer screening among Haitian Americans. A qualitative study found important differences in perceptions of …

Social Contexts Of Infant Feeding And Infant Feeding Decisions, Ellen J. Schafer, Natalie A. Williams, Siri Digney, Marion E. Hare, Sato Ashida

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Background: Infant feeding takes place within a network of social relationships. However, the social context in which infant feeding advice is received remains underresearched.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the social contexts of infant feeding by examining individual and relationship characteristics of mothers and network members associated with advice to exclusively breastfeed, exclusively formula feed, or use a combination of breast milk and formula.

Methods: Information about 287 network members was reported by 80 low-income mothers during a one-time survey. Characteristics of relationships associated with mothers receiving advice (exclusively breastfeed/formula feed, combination feed) from each network …

Factors That Influence Breast Cancer Diagnoses In Virginia Women 40-64 Years Old Who Utlized The Every Woman’S Life Program 1998-2012, Melanie C. Dempsey

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines sociodemographic determinants and preventive health behaviors among women 40-64 years of age who participated in the Virginia Department of Health’s Every Woman’s Life breast cancer screening program. Utilizing secondary data, this research sought to explore patterns of breast cancer incidence, mammography screening utilization and sources of health information among low-income women.

The Virginia Department of Health provided a large sample size (N=34,942) on which to perform binary logistic regression analyses. Sociodemographic determinants and preventive health behaviors were analyzed as potential influencing factors in the diagnosis of breast cancer, the stage at the time of diagnosis and source …

Public Health Implications Associated With The Practice Of Utilizing Tires To Singe Meat In Three Major Cities Of Ghana: A Concurrent Mixed Methods Study, Tempest D. Hill

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Utilization of automobile tires to singe meat (e.g., cows) intended for human consumption presents public health risks due to hazardous chemicals released into the environment and meat. This has become a common practice in some African countries such as Ghana. The objective of this study was to investigate the awareness and perception of the residents in three major cities of Ghana (Cape Coast, Kumasi and Accra) using the Health Belief Model and Social Ecological Model. Survey participants (n=196) and focus group discussion members (n=37) completed the study. Data collected from study participants included meat consumption, awareness of the use of …

Development, Implementation, And Evaluation Of Refugee Health Literacy Program (R-Help), Cecilia A. Boateng

DNP Projects

Problem Statement: United States refugees often encounter significant barriers when adapting to their new host country; such as cultural and language barriers, and difficulty in navigating through the American healthcare system. For example, navigating through the American Pharmacy system to buy or refill medications is a great challenge for most refugees. To make matters worse, most refugees have difficulty understanding medications instructions which puts them at risk for making medication errors.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop, implement, and evaluate the feasibility of delivering an evidence based health literacy medication educational program for all newly-arrived refugees attending …

Physician Role In Enhancing Patient Communication, Tamanna Sahni

UROP 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 …

Refraction In Mozambique: Evaluations Of Practice And Development Of Competency Frameworks For Eye Care Personnel, Kajal Shah

Doctoral

Purpose The development of competency- based education for optometrists and mid-level eye-care personnel has been identified as an important component in the elimination of avoidable blindness and vision impairment. The Mozambique Eye care Project (MEP) is a multi-institutional collaboration, which seeks to facilitate greater access to training in eye health professions, which will ultimately contribute to providing affordable and accessible eye care within the public health system in Mozambique. An important tenet of the MEP is to develop and enhance the refraction training of all existing (ophthalmic technicians) and new eye care personnel (four-year training of optometrists and eighteen-month training …

Knowledge, Attitude And Practices Regarding Respiratory Symptoms Among Textile Workers Of Karachi, Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Survey, Aneeta Khoso, Asaad Ahmed Nafees

Community Health Sciences

Objectives: To determine the prevalence and predictors of good knowledge, appropriate attitude and appropriate protective practices regarding respiratory symptoms among textile workers, and to determine the association of knowledge, attitude and practices with respiratory symptoms.
Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted in 2009 and comprised male workers from 15 textile mills in and around Karachi. A structured and pre-tested questionnaire was used which included questions to explore the knowledge, attitude and practices regarding respiratory symptoms. SPSS 19 was used for statistical analysis.
Results: The study had a sample size of 372 and found prevalence of good knowledge to be in …

Wellness Wednesday: Monitoring Lifestyle Changes Via The Transtheoretical Model, Mariah J. Bloom Ms.

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Physical activity has been shown to improve cognition, functional and overall health indicators across the lifespan. Older adults are less likely to participate in physical due to barriers and risk related factors. Additionally, lower income, underserved populations experience added barriers as well. Interventions addressing negative health behaviors in these populations have rarely been implemented. PURPOSE: Using the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) behavior change theory, the purpose of this study was to determine if five, monthly educational and exercise classes targeting these populations will improve motivation levels and result in facilitating increases in physical activity levels. METHODS: One validated TTM survey was …

The Effects Of Vitamin D Supplementation On Influenza, Jonah M. Spoerndle

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Recently the role of vitamin D in other non-classical capacities has been evaluated. One of these non-classical vitamin D roles is assisting in maintaining proper immune system health. One disease that has a great effect on the immune system is influenza. Vitamin D helps to prevent and limit influenza by moderating the inflammatory cytokines as well as promoting the production of monocytes that help destroy the invading materials. Through the use of vitamin D supplementation the recommended daily amount of vitamin D can be assured and optimal health could be achieved. The purpose of this project was to design a …

Creating Space For An Indigenous Approach To Digital Storytelling: "Living Breath" Of Survivance Within An Anishinaabe Community In Northern Michigan, Brenda K. Manuelito

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

As Indigenous peoples, we have a responsibility to our global community to share our collective truths and experiences, but we also deserve the respect to not be objectified, essentialized, and reified. Today, we are in a period of continual Native resurgence as many of us (re)member our prayers, songs, languages, histories, teachings, everyday stories and our deepest wisdom and understanding as Indigenous peoples--we are all “living breath” and we are “all related.” For eight years, Carmella Rodriguez and I have been nDigiStorytelling across the United States and have co-created over 1,200 digital stories with over 80 tribes for Native survivance, …

Differences In Health Literacy Knowledge And Experiences Among Senior Nursing Students, Sharon S. Williamson, Joanne Chopak-Foss

Community Health: Faculty Publications

Background: Low health literacy has been identified as a significant public health problem. Also, higher expenditures due to longer hospital stays have been reported for persons with low health literacy. Nurses can assist patients with low health literacy to reduce their hospital stays and increase compliance with discharge instructions.

Methods: A quantitative, descriptive research design was employed to assess knowledge and experiences of 192 senior nursing students. These students were administered the Health Literacy Knowledge and Experiences Survey (HL-KES), a 2- part survey that included assessment of knowledge about health literacy and experience in working with populations of …

An Exploration Of Factors Influencing Attrition From A Pediatric Weight Management Intervention, Melissa Ann Kwitowski

Theses and Dissertations

Childhood obesity is a serious health problem in the United States. Numerous weight management programs attempt to address this issue. However, attrition poses significant treatment efficacy challenges. Understanding attendance and attrition from childhood obesity programs is crucial for effective and appropriate resource utilization. NOURISH+ is a community-based treatment program for parents of overweight and obese children (age 5–11 years, BMI ≥ 85th percentile). The current study investigated attrition from NOURISH+ to enhance understanding of pediatric obesity treatment retention factors. NOURISH+ participants (n=70) completed a questionnaire assessing barriers to adherence and general program feedback. Data were analyzed using frequencies, …

Dementia And Primary-Care Health Measures:Hearing, Gait, And Markers Of Inflammation, Elsa Lindgren

Honors Theses and Capstones

Dementia is a syndrome associated with declining cognitive function that has a variety of types and causes, and is encountered frequently in general medical practice. Researchers are actively exploring possible risk factors for dementia. The St. Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS) exam is a dementia-screening exam used in primary care visits to detect cognitive impairment that may be a sign of dementia. This study compared scores on the SLUMS exam to other measures recorded in a typical primary care visit in 86 patients of age 65 and older to look for correlations between indicators of health, such as physical examination …

Trailmaking Test Performance Contributes To Subjective Judgment Of Visual Efficiency In Older Adults, Annalisa Setti, James Loughman, George Savva, Rose Anne Kenny

Articles

Introduction.

The determinant factors that influence self-reported quality of vision have yet to be fully elucidated. This study evaluated a range of contextual information, established psychophysical tests, and in particular, a series of cognitive tests as potentially novel determinant factors.

Materials &Methods. Community dwelling adults (aged 50+) recruited to Wave 1 of The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, excluding those registered blind, participated in this study (N = 5,021). Self-reports of vision were analysed in relation to visual acuity and contrast sensitivity, ocular pathology, visual (Choice Response Time task; TrailMaking Test) and global cognition. Contextual factors such as having visited …

Comprehension Of Randomization And Uncertainty In Cancer Clinical Trials Decision Making Among Rural, Appalachian Patients, Janice L. Krieger, Angela L. Palmer-Wackerly, Phokeng M. Dailey, Jessica L. Krok-Schoen, Nancy E. Schoenberg, Electra D. Paskett

Department of Communication Studies: Faculty Publications

Comprehension of randomization is a vital, but understudied, component of informed consent to participate incancer randomized clinical trials(RCTs). Thisstudy examines patient comprehension of the randomization process as well as sources of ongoing uncertainty that may inhibit a patient’s ability to provide informed consent to participate in RCTs. Cancer patients living in rural Appalachia who were offeredanopportunitytoparticipateinacancertreatmentRCT completed in-depth interviews and a brief survey. No systematic differences in randomization comprehension between patients who consented and those who declined participation in a cancer RCT were detected. Comprehension is conceptually distinct from uncertainty, with patients who had both high and low comprehension experiencing …

Applying The Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process To Immunization Services: A Resource Guide For Pharmacists, Albert Bach, Jeff Goad, Mitchel Rothholz, Brian Wall, Anne Burns, Liza Chapman, Jean-Venable “Kelly” R. Goode, Sheila Seed, Rebecca Snead

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

"This guidance document has been written and formatted to align comprehensive components of a pharmacy-based immunization patient encounter Collect Assess Plan Implement Follow-Up 6 American Pharmacists Association and recommendations from the National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC) the Standards for Adult Immunization Practice with the original framework of the PPCP.5 The colored columns to the right throughout this document are the PPCP steps as they have been published by JCPP, and the main document text describes how to integrate each PPCP step into immunization services."