Epidemiology Commons^™

A Literature Review Of The United States Of America’S Reliance On Imported Covid Personal Protective Equipment During The Pandemic, Pradip K. Shukla, Izzet Kosar, Hedieh Setayesh

Business Faculty Articles and Research

This paper provides a literature review of United States of America’s reliance on imported Covid Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) during the Covid pandemic. The abstracted and cited articles show that the United States was too reliant on imported PPEs, primarily imported from Asia which led to shortages as the cases of Covid surged at various points during the waves of Covid cases. This supply and demand imbalance was not just an inconvenience such as the toilet paper shortage and other supply chain disruptions of basic commodities; this supply and demand imbalance had life and death impacts for many first responders, …

Racial Disparities In Clonal Hematopoiesis And Their Impact On Hematologic Malignancies, Zijian Zhang, Chao Cheng

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) is a known risk factor for hematologic malignancies (HM), but its distribution and clinical implications across diverse ancestries remain poorly characterized. In this study, we investigated CHIP and its progression to HM in a large, racially diverse cohort from the All of Us Research Program, comprising 245,388 participants. We identified 10,446 CHIP driver mutations in 9,476 individuals. Our analysis revealed clear racial disparities in CHIP prevalence and mutational profiles: African American (AA) individuals had higher odds of CHIP and exhibited distinct mutation patterns compared to White American (WA) individuals. Consistent with prior studies, CHIP …

Mold Exposure And Cognitive Health During Menopausal Transitions: A Quantitative Analysis Using Secondary Data, Holly Jeannette Burns

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mold exposure and menopausal transition have been independently linked to cognitive decline, yet their interaction among socioeconomically disadvantaged populations has not been well examined. This quantitative study is an exploration of how menopausal transition influences the relationship between mold exposure and cognitive health outcomes among women aged 40 to 60 living in low-income housing in the United States. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory was used to guide the cross-sectional design using secondary data from the 2005–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES; N = 149). Weighted logistic regression and Hayes’ PROCESS (Models 2 and 4) were used to test associations …

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Positive Childhood Experiences, And Digital Media Use Among Children And Adolescents In The United States, Elizabeth L. Crouch, Emma Boswell, Monique J. Brown Ph.D., Kevin J. Bennett

Publications

No abstract provided.

Econometric Analyses Across The Continuum Of Care For Individuals With Hearing Loss, Teresa I. Anthony

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hearing loss affects individuals across the age span and, if left untreated, can lead to developmental delays and health and well-being concerns. This dissertation applies econometric analyses to investigate factors influencing diagnostic outcomes in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), intervention enrollment rates among babies with permanent childhood hearing loss (PCHL), and utilization and hospitalization outcomes among adults with sensory impairment (SI). The first study evaluates the cost-effectiveness of automated auditory brainstem response (aABR) versus transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE) for newborn hearing screenings in a Thailand hospital NICU. Decision tree modeling and economic evaluation suggested that although aABR is …

Association Between Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension, Obesity, And Diagnosis Of Covid-19 In Puerto Rico, Julian Rene Rivera Rodriguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The population of Puerto Rico has been heavily affected by chronic diseases; however, data remains limited on the influence of diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension, and obesity on the probability of COVID-19 diagnosis. The purpose of this quantitative study was to evaluate the association between non-communicable diseases that included DM, obesity, hypertension, and COVID-19 diagnosis, controlling for age and sex and person exposure in Puerto Rico. The sample consisted of 1,463 participants who underwent a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for COVID-19 from April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021. Results from adjusted multivariable logistic regression analyses established that obesity OR …

Learning From Covid-19: Clinical Trials, Health Information Technology, And Patient Mortality, Christos Nicolaides, Avinash Collis, Seth Benzell, Indranil Bardhan

Economics Faculty Articles and Research

During the COVID-19 pandemic, deaths per case in the United States decreased from 7.46% in April 2020 to 1.76% in April 2021. One mechanism that could explain this decline is a learning effect associated with testing of new treatments by hospitals. Hospitals that participated in clinical trials developed better organizational capabilities to diagnose and treat COVID-19 patients. Simultaneously, hospitals used health information technologies (IT) that integrated health information across healthcare providers to facilitate greater learning and sharing of best practices. Using US county-level data on clinical trial participation, use of health IT, and COVID-19 cases and deaths, we show that …

A Quantitative Analysis Of Postmarketing Safety Events Of Breakthrough Medicines, Richard Judson Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adverse events to medicines pose a risk to the public health of patients. Breakthrough therapy medicines are designed to address unmet medical needs and are often approved on an expedited timeline; however they are also criticized for lacking an adequate understanding of their risk profile at the time of approval. This study examined the relationship between the number of concomitant medicines, as well as the approved therapeutic indication, and the outcomes of reported adverse events associated with medicines approved under the breakthrough therapy designation. The conceptual framework applied in this retrospective, cross-sectional, quantitative study is the process of pharmacovigilance, which …

Higher Mortality Following Sars-Cov-2 Infection In Rural Versus Urban Dwellers Persists For Two Years Post-Infection, A. Jerrod Anzalone, Michael T. Vest, Makayla E. Schissel, Bradley Price, William B. Hillegass, Ronald Horswell, San Chu, Clifford J. Rosen, Lucio Miele, Susan L. Santangelo, Gordon S. Smith, Sally L. Hodder, Christopher G. Chute

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Previous studies demonstrated higher short-term mortality among rural compared with urban residents infected with SARS-CoV-2. However, whether this difference persists remains uncertain. This retrospective cohort study analyzed two-year post-COVID-19 mortality by rurality using the National Clinical Cohort Collaborative COVID-19 Enclave, a United States-based longitudinal electronic health record repository. We analyzed mortality among patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 between April 2020 and December 2022, with follow-up until December 2024. Patients were categorized into urban, urban-adjacent rural (UAR), and nonurban-adjacent rural (NAR) groups based on residential ZIP Code. Mortality differences were assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis and weighted multivariable Cox regression, with weights derived …

Impact Of Covid-19 Pandemic On Quality Of Life, Anxiety, Connections To Friends, And Access To Resources Among People With Hiv: Using The Social Ecological Model, Carol Dawson-Rose, Christine Davey, Emily Huang, Laura Cox, Phillips Craig, Motshedisi Sabone, Lufuno Makhado, Emilia Iwu, Kathleen Fitch, Sheila Shaibu

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

The purpose of this study was to understand the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and mitigation efforts on health and social outcomes for people with HIV at the individual, social, and structural levels of the Social Ecological Model. The International Nursing Network for HIV collected data for a cross-sectional survey of people with HIV in Botswana, Canada, Colombia, Hong Kong, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Thailand, and the United States from August 2021 through June 2023. Among 1,400 participants, 47.5% experienced decreased quality of life, 40.9% experienced increased anxiety, 33.0% had reduced connection with friends, and 38.8% had …

Broadening Dementia Risk Models: Building On The 2024 Lancet Commission Report For A More Inclusive Global Framework, Cyprian Mostert, Chinedu Momoh, Andrea Winkler, Connor Mclaughlin, Harris Eyre, Mohamed Salama, Levi Muyela, Karen Blackmon, Zul Merali, Kirti Ranchod

Brain and Mind Institute

No abstract provided.

Weight Loss Remains A Challenge For Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension Patients: A Retrospective Case Series From Kenya, Zian Muikamba, Jaskirat Sokhi, Jasmit Shah, Sheila Marco, Juzar Hooker, Dilraj Sokhi

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a neurological condition characterized by elevated intracranial CSF pressure without demonstratable evident causes. The mechanisms leading to a particular predilection for women of childbearing age who are overweight and obese or who have recent rapid weight changes remain imprecisely described. If undiagnosed, it can progress to disabling irreversible visual loss. Weight loss is useful in addition to medical therapy in treating the condition. There is a rise of obesity in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) but there is little published on IIH.

Methods We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study at our tertiary regional referral neurology centre …

Unnoticed Early Pregnancy During Myomectomy With Favorable Outcome: Case Report, Ronak Mulji, Lusajo Mwagobele, Farhat Seif, Zainab Fidaali, Munawar Kaguta

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Introduction

Uterine fibroids are a common cause of infertility, and myomectomy remains a key surgical intervention to improve reproductive outcomes. However, the occurrence of an undetected pregnancy during myomectomy is rare and poses significant clinical risks.

Case Presentation

We report a 34-year-old woman, nulliparous with a history of secondary infertility and three first-trimester miscarriages. She had multiple fibroids and was managed for polycystic ovarian syndrome and hyperprolactinemia. Scheduled for abdominal myomectomy, the surgery proceeded uneventfully, with six fibroids removed and no breach of the endometrial cavity. Five weeks postoperatively, she presented with symptoms suggestive of early pregnancy. Ultrasound confirmed a …

Cervical Hpv 18 Detection Is Associated With High-Grade Cervical Dysplasia In Kenyan And Ugandan Women Living With Hiv, Miriam Nakalembe, Collins Mpamani, Jane Namugga, Carolyn Nakisige, Grace Banturaki, Phillip Tonui, Peter Itsura, Omenge Orango, Kapten Muthoka, Anthony Ngeresa

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Objectives Cervical cancer, caused by “high-risk” (HR) HPV, is the most common malignancy and the leading cause of cancer deaths among women living in Kenya and Uganda. Women living with HIV (WLWH) are at a high risk for HR-HPV infection. This longitudinal, observational cohort analysis was conducted to identify factors that are important among WLWH in prediction of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grades 2 or 3 (CIN2/3).

Methods Data of this analysis was based on a study of HPV natural history and cervical cancer among Kenyan and Ugandan WLWH. Demographic, behavioral and biological data were collected; HR-HPV DNA testing of cervical …

Cervical Hpv 18 Detection Is Associated With High-Grade Cervical Dysplasia In Kenyan And Ugandan Women Living With Hiv, Miriam Nakalembe, Collins Mpamani, Jane Namugga, Carolyn Nakisige, Grace Banturaki, Phillip Tonui, Peter Itsura, Elkanah Orang'o, Kapten Muthoka, Anthony Ngeresa

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Objectives Cervical cancer, caused by “high-risk” (HR) HPV, is the most common malignancy and the leading cause of cancer deaths among women living in Kenya and Uganda. Women living with HIV (WLWH) are at a high risk for HR-HPV infection. This longitudinal, observational cohort analysis was conducted to identify factors that are important among WLWH in prediction of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grades 2 or 3 (CIN2/3).

Methods Data of this analysis was based on a study of HPV natural history and cervical cancer among Kenyan and Ugandan WLWH. Demographic, behavioral and biological data were collected; HR-HPV DNA testing of cervical …

Growth Measurements In Ugandan Children With Sickle Cell Anaemia From A Hydroxyurea (Hydroxycarbamide) Treatment Trial Relative To Unaffected Sibling Controls, Dennis Kalibbala, Vincent Mboizi, Grace Nambatya, Susan Murungi, Joan Ashaba, Catherine Nabaggala, Lynnth Turyagyenda, Deogratias Munube, Phillip Kasirye, Robert Opoka

Paediatrics and Child Health, East Africa

No abstract provided.

Diabetes-Related Foot Complications And Socioeconomic Influences Among Hispanic Males In South Texas: A Scoping Review, Mariana J. Rodriguez, Demian Rodriguez, Amanda Killeen

School of Podiatric Medicine Publications

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is the 7th leading cause of death in the U.S. and 6th in Texas. South Texas counties have higher diabetes rates than state and national averages. This complex, progressive disease affects multiple body systems and can lead to serious complications, especially in the lower extremities. Uncontrolled diabetes is often associated with diabetic foot ulcers (DFU), foot infections, and lower extremity amputations (LEA). South Texas, predominantly Hispanic American, is disproportionately affected. This demographic faces clinical barriers due to a lack of cultural understanding, highlighting the need for culturally sensitive healthcare workers such as promotoras. This study aimed to …

Diabetes-Related Foot Complications And Socioeconomic Influences Among Hispanic Males In South Texas: A Scoping Review, Mariana J. Rodriguez, Demian Rodriguez, Amanda L. Killeen

School of Podiatric Medicine - Student Research

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is the 7^th leading cause of death in the United States and is 6^th in the state of Texas. Counties from South Texas are primarily affected with higher rates of diabetes than both the state and national average. Diabetes mellitus is a complex and progressive disease which can affect multiple systems of the body, leading to serious complications if untreated, especially in the lower extremities. Uncontrolled diabetes is often associated with diabetic foot ulcers (DFU), foot infections, and lower extremity amputations (LEA). South Texas is a region predominantly populated by Hispanic Americans who are disproportionally …

Unravelling The Distinct Effects Of Vhl Mutations And Chromosome 3p Loss In Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma: Implications For Prognosis And Treatment, Xiang Wang, Jian-Rong Li, Naail Raed Chowdhury, Lang Wu, Cheng Chao

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Prevalence And Risk Factors Of Hypertension Among Clients Seeking Care At Selected Healthcare Facilities In Kenya, Jasmit Shah, Soraiya Manji, Jamila Nambafu, Cynthia Smith, Anthony Ochola, Linda Barasa, Faraj Amir, Husni Abdalla, Rajiv Patel, Sayed Karar

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background Hypertension remains one of the primary risk factors for cardiovascular disease and the leading cause of mortality worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as estimated 1.28 billion adults suffer from hypertension worldwide and approximately half are unaware of the problem. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of hypertension, and the association of sociodemographic, behavioral, and physiological factors related to hypertension in patients seeking care at the different healthcare facilities in Kenya.

Methodology We carried out a cross-sectional survey study between April 2023 and July 2023. The general adult public visiting the outpatient clinics were recruited from …