Epidemiology Commons^™

A Mixed Methods Approach To Examine Racial Disparities In Adherence To Surveillance Mammography Among Breast Cancer Survivors, Megan C. Edmonds

Theses and Dissertations

PURPOSE: Annual surveillance mammography is a critical part of routine cancer care for breast cancer (BC) survivors; reducing mortality by 39%. However, disparities exist with regard to adherence to surveillance mammograms among BC survivors; Black women are 44% less likely to adhere than their White counterparts. Despite the existence of this racial disparity for over a decade, little is known about factors that explain reasons for Black BC survivors’ non-adherence. This is because most studies have not evaluated the role of healthcare delivery or psychosocial factors. Guided by the Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations, the purpose of this mixed methods …

Health Outcomes And Utilization Associated With Renal Diseases In Patients With Cancer In The United States, Mitisha Dedhia

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Adverse events and impairments associated with cancer and its treatments causes worse outcomes. Increased incidence of renal diseases among cancer patients is of particular concern. Objective: To determine the risk factors for renal disease in cancer patients and compare healthcare costs, utilization and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of cancer patients with a renal disease and cancer patients without renal diseases. Methods: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey files from 2009 – 2018 for cancer patients was used for this study. Multiple logistic regression, generalized linear model, Poisson regression and multiple linear regression for analyses after adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic and …

Association Between Race/Ethnicity And Covid-19 Disease Outcomes In The United States: A Qualitative Systematic Review Of The Literature, Jacob Smith

MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years

Background/Objective: As studies have shown disparities in coronavirus disease-19 prevalence and severity, we sought to evaluate differences in outcomes of acute SARS-CoV-2 infection by race/ethnicity.

Design: Systematic review

Data Source: Studies from PubMed were included.

Review methods: Articles published in English language from January 1, 2019 through March 22, 2020. Studies included were observational studies that examined racial or ethnic disparities in SARS-CoV-2 infection outcomes in the United States. One reviewer performed data extraction.

Results: Out of a possible 1,944 articles, 99 observational studies (82 individual-level and 17 population-level) were included. Differential rates of hospitalization or otherwise severe illness …

Symptoms Of Depression And Anxiety Are Associated With Substances Used In Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (Ends): A Longitudinal Analysis From The Texas Adolescent Tobacco And Marketing Surveillance System (Tatams), Jacob Smith, Stephanie Clendennen, Anna V. Wilkinson, Melissa B. Harrell

MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years

Introduction

Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) use with nicotine or THC among adolescents and young adults is increasing. The goal of our research was to examine relationships between symptoms of anxiety or depression and ENDS use, whether with nicotine or THC, among young people in four major metropolitan areas of Texas.

Methods

The sample was 57.6% female and 37.6% Hispanic. Data were derived from Wave 9 (Spring, 2019) and Wave 10 (Fall, 2019) of the Texas Adolescent Tobacco and Marketing Surveillance system. Logistic regression analyses examined associations between symptoms of depression, anxiety, or comorbid depression and anxiety in the Spring, …

Nutritional Approach For Increasing Public Health During Pandemic Of Covid-19: A Comprehensive Review Of Antiviral Nutrients And Nutraceuticals, Vahideh Ebrahimzadeh-Attari, Ghodratollah Panahi, James R. Hébert Scd, Alireza Ostadrahimi, Maryam Saghafi-Asl, Neda Lotfi-Yaghin, Behzad Baradaran

Faculty Publications

Background: The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is considered as the most life-threatening pandemic disease during the last decade. The individual nutritional status, though usually ignored in the management of COVID-19, plays a critical role in the immune function and pathogenesis of infection. Accordingly, the present review article aimed to report the effects of nutrients and nutraceuticals on respiratory viral infections including COVID-19, with a focus on their mechanisms of action.

Methods: Studies were identified via systematic searches of the databases including PubMed/ MEDLINE, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Google Scholar from 2000 until April 2020, using keywords. All relevant clinical and experimental studies …

Modeling Substance Use And Mental Disorder Comorbidity Using Latent Variable And Network Approaches, Courtney T. Blondino

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction. Substance use disorder (SUD) is a common condition that affects millions of Americans. Addressing SUD has been complicated by comorbid mental disorders and co-occurring substance use. Consequently, detailing and addressing SUD and comorbid SUD represent an important goal to improve the health of Americans.

Objective. The research goal of this dissertation was to characterize the comorbidity between substance use, including tobacco use, and mental disorder symptoms measured as negative affect and externalizing symptoms in a population-based sample using latent variable and network approaches.

Methods. Waves 1 – 3 from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study were used. …

Examining Social Vulnerability And The Association With Covid-19 Incidence In Harris County, Texas, Guillermo A Tortolero, Marcia De Oliveira Otto, Ryan Ramphul, Jose-Miguel Yamal, Alison Rector, Michael Brown, Melissa F Peskin, Dania Mofleh, Eric Boerwinkle

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Studies have investigated the association between social vulnerability and SARS-CoV-2 incidence. However, few studies have examined small geographic units such as census tracts, examined geographic regions with large numbers of Hispanic and Black populations, controlled for testing rates, and incorporated stay-at-home measures into their analyses. Understanding the relationship between social vulnerability and SARS-CoV-2 incidence is critical to understanding the interplay between social determinants and implementing risk mitigation guidelines to curtail the spread of infectious diseases. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between CDC's Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) and SARS-CoV-2 incidence while controlling for testing rates and …

Mortalidad Por Diabetes En Guatemala 2018: Patrones E Inequidades, Alejandro Cerón, Gila Goldstein

Anthropology: Faculty Scholarship

El presente estudio busca analizar la mortalidad por diabetes en Guatemala con el propósito de identificar posibles criterios epidemiológicos que orienten la priorización de acciones de salud pública. El riesgo de morir de diabetes en Guatemala muestra marcadas desigualdades por departamento, las que son aún más marcadas al comparar por municipio. El riesgo de morir es también más alto en mujeres, en personas mestizas o ladinas, en niveles educativos bajos, y en personas que se dedican a ocupaciones elementales. Deberían implementarse medidas de salud pública orientadas a los municipios y grupos en mayor riesgo de morir de diabetes. Este estudio …

Analysis Of Covid 19 Mortality And Case Fatality In A Low Income Region Of Brazil, Carlos Eduardo Siqueira, Luiz C De Abreu

Gastón Institute Publications

Introduction: Inserted in the vulnerable context of the Brazilian Amazon, the state of Tocantins has suffered damages with the dissemination of COVID-19 in its territory; however, little evidence is published from this state. Objective: This study aims to analyze the case-fatality, mortality, and incidence of COVID-19 in Tocantins. Methods: This is an ecological study, population-based, time- series analysis of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the state of Tocantins from March 2020 to August 2021. Results: During the examined period, 219,031 COVID-19 cases, and 3,594 deaths were registered due to disease. Two possible occurrence peaks were characterized in this time- series …

A Time-Series Ecological Study Protocol To Analyze Trends Of Incidence, Mortality, Lethality Of Covid-19 In Brazil, Luiz C De Abreu, Khalifa Elmusharaf, Carlos Eduardo Siqueira

Gastón Institute Publications

Introduction: since the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in February 2020, Brazil has reported more than 20 million cases and more than 600,000 deaths on October 31, 2021. The behavior of the pandemic was also different in the various states, from the less developed to the more developed, such as the state of São Paulo. Objective: to describe step-by-step time series for analyzing trends in mortality, lethality and incidence of COVID-19 in Brazil. Methods: a protocol for an ecological study of time series, covering the 26 states and the federal district (Brasilia). Results: the descriptions have the potential to …

Impact Of Case Management On Childhood Lead Exposure In Marion County, Indiana, Maliki Yacouba

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently declared that no amount of childhood blood lead level (BLL) is safe. The purpose of this quantitative study with a retrospective cohort design was to evaluate the effectiveness of case management intervention on children diagnosed with elevated BLL (EBLL; ≥ 5 μg/dL) in Marion, County, Indiana. The health belief model was used as the theoretical foundation for the study. A data set of 160 lead exposure case management records was analyzed to find whether: (a) BLL at post-case-management time significantly differ from BLL at baseline (b) BLL at post-case-management time is affected …

Living In An Oil-Polluted Region In Nigeria As A Risk Factor In Colorectal Cancer Development, Steve Nwachi Onya

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Due to differences in exposure to various risk factors, colorectal cancer (CRC) rates differ in regions of Nigeria. Although the people living in the Southsouth, an oil-producing region, are concerned that they are most affected, there is insufficient research to address these concerns. The purpose of this quantitative ecological study was to investigate whether living in the oil-polluted region in Nigeria is associated with an excess CRC incidence rate. The potential spatial autocorrelation of CRC incidence among the contiguous regions was also examined. The study was grounded in the ecosocial theoretical framework. Data were extracted from the Nigeria National System …

Effects Of Trained Providers And Naloxone Distribution On Prescription Opioid Use Disorder, Samuel Sarpong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractOpioid abuse and overdose are associated with substantial morbidity and mortality rates, as well as social and economic costs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the independent and interactive effects of state-sponsored prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) trained healthcare providers and community-based naloxone distribution program related factors in the states of Florida and Georgia for the prevention and reduction of prescription opioid use disorder, overdose, and deaths. The research theory adopted was the socio-ecological model with an emphasis on risk factors such as age. The study used secondary data from 2014 to 2018 from the Florida and Georgia …

Interrelationships Of Sociodemographic And Biological Factors In Breast Cancer Mortality Disparity Affecting Young Black Women, Richard Mutyabule

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite improved overall survival among breast cancer patients, race and biological subtype-specific disparities persist. Subsequently, this retrospective longitudinal study, guided by ecosocial theory, examined associations between biological subtypes of breast cancer and patient-level sociodemographic factors on survival outcomes in women 25 to 44 years of age. Using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, 34,007 breast cancer cases between 2013 and 2018 were extracted. Kaplan Meier method and Cox proportional hazards model were used to examine time to event and the adjusted mortality risk by race and breast cancer subtype. There was a statistically significant difference in survival among young …

Demographic And Socioeconomic Determinants Of Lassa Fever In Edo State, Nigeria, Faith Ogagaroghene Ireye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus and associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Yearly outbreaks of the disease occur in Edo State, Nigeria. The purpose of this study was to examine the demographic and socioeconomic factors that can influence transmission of the disease. The Commission on Social Determinants of Health conceptual framework was used in this research study. This framework describes the relationship between structural and intermediary factors and how they determine health outcomes. To answer the research question of how demographic and socioeconomic factors influence Lassa fever transmission in Edo State, a cross-sectional …

Analysis Of Malaria-Induced Anemia And Gender Differences Among Children In Nigeria, Temitope Bamgbose

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Malaria is one of the leading causes of death among children under 5 years old in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Also, public health efforts on malaria prevention have been successful in many regions but remains an issue in SSA. Malaria-induced anemia (MA) is associated with health complications among children. The impact of several sociodemographic factors (age, gender, residential type, and parent’s educational level) and malaria preventive/intervention measures such as mosquito net use and malaria medication use among children under 5 years old in Nigeria were assessed to inform malaria best practices and strategies, prioritize resource allocation, and support existing literature on …

Social Determinants Of Maternal And Neonatal Birth Outcomes Among Syrian Refugees In Lebanon, Mona Charbel Kiwan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Neonatal and maternal health indicators have been impacted due to Syrian refugees’ displacement in Lebanon and an increase in child marriage rates from 13% in pre-conflict Syria to 41%. Using the causal continuum framework, the retrospective cross-sectional study’s purpose was to examine whether there is a statistically significant association between adverse maternal and birth health outcomes among Syrian refugees in Lebanon and social determinants of health. The sample size drawn from UNHCR database included 48,083 maternal and 4,288 neonatal refugees admitted to the secondary health care in 2018. Pearson chi-square and binomial logistic regression results showed that employed, newcomers mothers …

Marital Status And Human Immunodeficiency Virus Mortality In A Southern County, Javis Nkwanwoh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) remains a substantial cause of mortality, particularly among U.S. segments of the population. Marriage is protective of HIV/AIDS mortality due to monogamy; however, the increased risk of HIV/AIDS mortality among other marital subgroups is understudied. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between marital status and HIV/AIDS mortality among a cohort of HIV infected individuals in a southern county. Mills' behavior theory guided this research as it posits that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning, which occurs through the interaction with the environment. The study had a quantitative research design …

Assessing The Risk Of Developing Liver Cancer Among Adults In The United States, Magbor Oben

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The risk of developing liver cancer among adults in the United States remains asignificant threat due to an increasing prevalence of the disease. Despite the identification of some biological, environmental, and socioeconomic risk factors, uncertainty exists as to the role of sociodemographic factors. In this study, participants (N=27,804), age 18 and over, were assessed for liver cancer outcome specific to three factors liver disease, insurance coverage, and access to healthcare. With the person-centered care model as the framework, data from the 2016 National Health and Interview Surveys were subjected to the selection criteria and quantitatively analyzed using binary logistic regression. …

Domestic Abuse Against Men In Kenya, Catherine W. Kigaya

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Domestic violence, also known as intimate partner violence (IPV), is prevalent globally and causes severe physical, psychological, and social harm to victims. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to highlight the predictors of physical and sexual IPV among men in Kenya and examine the influence of media in seeking help. These factors were explored through the lens of the socio-ecological model and the social learning theory. The 2014 Demographic Health Survey archival data obtained through in-depth interviews were used to answer the research questions. Dependent variables were physical abuse, sexual abuse, and seeking help while independent variables were …