Community Health and Preventive Medicine Commons^™

How Environmental Change Will Impact Mosquito-Borne Diseases, Arsal Khan

Master's Projects and Capstones

Mosquitos, the most lethal species throughout human history, are the most prevalent source of vector-borne diseases and therefore a major global health burden. Mosquito-borne disease incidence is expected to shift with environmental change. These changes can be predicted using species distribution models. With the wide variety of methods used for models, consensus for improving accuracy and comparability is needed. A comparative analysis of three recent modeling approaches revealed that integrating modeling techniques compensates for trade-offs associated with a singular approach. An area that represents a critical gap in our ability to predict mosquito behavior in response to changing climate factors, …

Innovation In Health Science Education: An Experiential Learning Program, Lily Apedaile

International Journal of Health Sciences Education

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic disrupted health professions education on a number of different levels. Many health professions and pre-health professions students lost access to real-world clinical experience which has lead to disruptions in the healthcare workforce pipeline. At the University of Montana a diverse group of health professions educators designed an innovative experiential learning program, called Griz Health, that would allow UM students to engage in healthcare experiences while helping the campus with COVID-19 response. Because of the overwhelmingly positive response from students and community members that participated in this program, the Griz Health program was shifted from a volunteer response …

Prevalence Of Postpartum Depression In Occupied Palestine, Amneh Amro

Graduate Dissertations and Theses

In a world where everything has been modernized and progressively accepted, has modern medicine kept up? With a growing population, is the accessibility to healthcare service meeting the demand and without bias? More importantly, has the growing population broken down the stigmas associated with medical conditions, like postpartum depression? There has been a notable disparity in mental health treatment worldwide, and even more so in Palestine and other third world countries of similar nature.

Assessing The Influence Of Food Insecurity And Retail Environments As A Proxy For Structural Racism On The Covid-19 Pandemic In An Urban Setting, Rachael D. Dombrowski, Alex B. Hill, Bree Bode, Kathrybn A. G Knoff, Hadis Dastgerdizad, Noel Kulik, James Mallare, Kibibi Blount-Dorn, Winona Bynum

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Research Publications

A collaborative partnership launched the Great Grocer Project (GGP) in March 2021 in Detroit, Michigan where health inequities, including deaths due to COVID-19, have historically been politically determined and informed by socially entrenched norms. Institutional and structural racism has contributed to a lack of diversity in store ownership among Detroit grocers and limited access to high-quality, affordable healthy foods as well as disparate food insecurity among Detroit residents. The GGP seeks to promote Detroit’s healthy grocers to improve community health and economic vitality through research, programs, and policies that have the potential to advance health equity. A cross-sectional design was …

Integrating Culturally Tailored Interventions To Increase Cervical Cancer Screening: A Quality Improvement Initiative In A Primary Care Clinic, Marife Centeno Solomon

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Abstract

Background: While the incidence of cervical cancer in the US has significantly decreased due to the utilization of vaccination and screening tests, Asian, Native Hawaiian, and other Pacific Islander women consistently have the lowest rate of cervical cancer screening, making them at risk for undetected cervical cancer disease.

Problem: The low cervical cancer screening uptake can be attributed to a knowledge deficit about cervical cancer and its screening and the importance of early detection. Being an immigrant and with limited English proficiency can hinder women of Asian, Native Hawaiian, and other Pacific Islander from getting screened for cervical …

Cellular Automata: The Mathematical Theory Behind The Spread Of Covid-19 And Prediction Of Future Spread, Alison Drumheller

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

This thesis seeks to analyze the spread of the original COVID-19 strain and develop a mathematical model to predict the chances of being infected by this disease using a number of variables. This model is based on the mathematical theory of cellular automata, otherwise known as the theory of spread. The research uses real world data of COVID-19 which includes infection rate, death rate, vaccination rate, use of masks, and transmission rates. By using cellular automata, we predict that the more preventative measures an individual puts in place for themselves, the less likely they are to be infected by the …

Improving Patient Satisfaction And Preventative Health Service Utilization For Limited English Proficiency Immigrants At Pearl Medical Centr, Chioma Holland

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Background: Despite research efforts to address health disparities within immigrant communities, immigrant health continues to lack the attention from healthcare stakeholders it needs. Many immigrants already face dire health threats like extreme poverty, political unrest, and mental health concerns in their countries of origin, making them even more vulnerable to poor physical, mental, and social health outcomes upon arrival to the United States (U.S.). The purpose of this project was to improve patient satisfaction and increase immigrant use of preventative care by utilizing appropriate interpreter services. Method: The Quality improvement (QI) project involved surveying limited English proficiency (LEP) immigrants older …

The School Nurse's Experience Of Secondary Exposure To Trauma, Catherine A. Grano

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The school nurse (SN) is often the sole health care expert in the school setting, providing for the physical and socio-emotional needs of others. SN may be exposed to reports of trauma, a widespread and costly public health issue. This study sought to explore the experience of the SN when exposed to reports of trauma from those in their care. Seven N.J. certified school nurses participated in two online interviews via Microsoft Teams, spaced one to two weeks apart between June 2021 and September 2021. Interviews were recorded & transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis applied. This study found that SN …

Factors Associated With Covid-19 Death In The United States: Cohort Study, Uan-I Chen, Hua Xu, Trudy Millard Krause, Raymond Greenberg, Xiao Dong, Xiaoqian Jiang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Since the initial COVID-19 cases were identified in the United States in February 2020, the United States has experienced a high incidence of the disease. Understanding the risk factors for severe outcomes identifies the most vulnerable populations and helps in decision-making.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the factors associated with COVID-19-related deaths from a large, national, individual-level data set.

METHODS: A cohort study was conducted using data from the Optum de-identified COVID-19 electronic health record (EHR) data set; 1,271,033 adult participants were observed from February 1, 2020, to August 31, 2020, until their deaths due to COVID-19, deaths …

National Early Warning Score (News) For Covid-19 Infected Patients: A Clinical Guidance Tool, Robert Villegas

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Background: Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) presents with variable clinical manifestations from asymptomatic to life-threatening organ dysfunction. The National Early Warning Score, also known as NEWS, was initially developed to detect adult inpatient deterioration using existing physiological data and adverse clinical outcomes from 35,585 medical admissions. The NEWS guideline consists of six parameters: respiratory rate, pulse, oxygen saturation, temperature, systolic blood pressure, and level of consciousness.

Purpose: This project implemented NEWS guidelines to identify patients at high risk for deterioration with COVID-19.

Evidence-Based Interventions: The project included retrospective-prospective chart reviews for 100 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 from October 2020 to December 2020. …

Health Equity & Obesity Management: An Improvement Project In A Federally Qualified Healthcare Center In Central Harlem, Brianna Bouchez

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Description of the problem: Obesity is a growing healthcare problem worldwide with extraordinary costs to the individual's health and the healthcare system. Individuals most affected by obesity include socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals, often with limited resources to seek specialized care.

Available knowledge: Various weight-loss interventions exist but access and success rates vary. Weight loss is often modest and additional factors such as social determinants of health, health literacy, and patient motivation are all factors important to the success of an intervention.

Specific Aims: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to improve self-regulatory weight loss behaviors and increase weight loss …

Covid-19 Booster Vaccination Hesitancy In The United States: A Multi-Theory-Model (Mtm) Based National Assessment, Kavita Batra, Manoj Sharma, Chia-Liang Dai, Jagdish Khubchandani

School of Medicine Faculty Research

Background: Despite the availability of COVID-19 vaccines and the proven benefits of vaccinations outweighing the potential risks, hesitancy to accept vaccines and additional doses remains a persistent problem. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to investigate hesitancy, confidence, literacy, and the role of the multi-theory model (MTM) constructs in COVID-19 booster uptake. Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized a 52-item psychometric valid web-based survey conducted during the month of October 2021 to recruit a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate statistical tests were used to analyze the data. Results: Among the booster hesitant group (n = …

Rates And Perceptions Of Covid-19 Vaccination From University Of Mississippi Students, Josie Parham

Honors Theses

The trials, tribulations and triumphs of the global COVID-19 pandemic are impacted by and are a product of behaviors that occur at the level of nations, states, cities and, ultimately, communities. In the wake of the development of safe and effective vaccines against SARS-CoV2, the virus responsible for the pandemic, the significance of the vaccine is closely linked to the number of individuals that receive the vaccine. To date, surveys have measured sizable variations in vaccination rates between nations, states, cities, and communities. Focusing on events that have transpired in one such local community, the present study (i) measured the …

Comorbidity Burden And Covid-19 Vaccination Intention: Application Of The Health Belief Model, Michael Raymond

Honors Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted many aspects of American’s lives causing over 79 million cases and over 950,000 deaths. Existing research shows severity of COVID-19 infection may be linked to number of underlying health conditions, known as comorbidities. The objective of this study was to determine if comorbidity burden was associated with intention to vaccinate against COVID-19. This relationship was looked at through the Health Belief Model (HBM) and its mediating variables of perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, and perceived barriers. Our sample was compromised of 350 individuals recruited from an online platform who were not already vaccinated against COVID-19. …

An Exploratory Look Into The Effects Of Mississippi's Population Decline On Rural Dental Care, Allen Bailey Saffold

Honors Theses

Literature reviews and interviews with dentists working in rural Mississippi counties examined the effects of population decline on rural dental care in Mississippi. With the state’s continual population decline, loss of industry follows a loss of people. Through a cascade of effects, this can further reduce underserved areas’ access to dental care. In order to address the issue of rural Mississippi continuing to be underserved, policies need to be implemented that will make rural practice at least enticing if not desirable.

Contextual Factors And Sti/Hiv Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Hispanic Youths Aged 13 To 24 Years, Mariam Taiwo

Theses & Dissertations

Despite the growing population of Hispanics and several efforts to combat the high STI/HIV rates among Hispanic youths aged 13 to 24 years in the United States, this population continues to experience stark disparities in STI/HIV and is underrepresented in STI/HIV research relative to their White peers. This dissertation consists of three distinct studies designed to identify and understand the contextual factors of STI/HIV sexual risk behaviors across the social-ecological model that are pertinent to Hispanic youths.

Results from the first study showed that STI/HIV sexual risk behavior varied by Hispanic youths’ acculturation types and moderated by gender. We found …

Evaluation Of Awareness, Knowledge, And Preventive Intervention Of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Among Chinese Young Adults, Yi Du

Theses & Dissertations

The prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) among Chinese young adults (CYA) aged 18-25 years ranges from 4.7% to 15.1% and has kept increasing in recent years. Previous studies reported limited awareness and knowledge of NALFD among middle-aged and older Chinese populations, however, they have not investigated awareness in CYA, for which there is no well-validated questionnaire. There is currently no efficacious educational intervention on NAFLD for CYA.

The objectives were 1) to develop and validate a questionnaire which can be used to assess the awareness and knowledge of NAFLD among CYA; 2) to assess the awareness and knowledge …

Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Health Behaviors And Mental Health During Pregnancy: A Systematic Review, Kara C. Middleton

Honors College Theses

The Coronavirus pandemic had many negative impacts on healthcare. During the COVID-19 pandemic, specialist care providers closed their offices to reduce transmission. Maternal healthcare was severely impacted. Mothers were unable to receive the prenatal and perinatal care they needed. Other specialist care, such as mental healthcare was severely impacted as well. There was also a lack of prenatal care occurring due to offices being closed. There is an established link between anxiety, depression, emotional eating, and Gestational weight gain. Gestational Weight Gain is associated with a higher prevalence of behavioral health conditions that were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Creating A Guideline For Sti Testing In The Pediatric Population, Alexandria Molaro, Alexandra Evans, Alex Niebrugge

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention, education, screening, and management in pediatric primary care settings are of importance due to the increasing number of cases yearly. Almost half of the 26 million new STIs that occurred in 2018 were among young people 15-24. An opportunity existed in a rural pediatric primary clinic, for improved adherence to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendations to screen/test patients. An evidence-based project (EBP) was developed to address this concern. Project objectives included: developing STI screening guidelines for pre-teen to young adults, developing a screening algorithm, providing alternative …

Increasing Obesity Education In An Underserved Latino Population, Morgan Lippert, Kelsey Beard

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Obesity is a rapidly growing health problem in the United States. Certain populations are at high risk for developing obesity including the Latino population and underserved communities. This Quality Improvement project aimed to develop a more patient centered approach for primary care providers use to deliver obesity education to an at-risk Latino population. The project was completed at a clinic in southern Illinois where the majority of the population is underserved and Spanish speaking. Obesity education tools in both Spanish and English were given to the patients in order to decrease the language barrier and improve patient education and understanding …