Epidemiology Commons^™

“When One Shingle Sends Up Smoke”: The Summit Beacon Advises Akron About The Epidemic Cholera, 1849, Elizabeth Hall

Nineteenth-Century Ohio Literature

Elizabeth Hall explains the American cholera epidemic of 1849, with special attention to how cholera afflicted Akron, a booming canal town in Northeast Ohio. The article presents the full text of 1849 Akron newspaper articles on cholera and explains how their mix of good and bad information was published right before scientific breakthroughs in cholera research.

Household Determinants Of Malaria In Mutasa District Of Zimbabwe, David Takudzwa Zinyengere

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Malaria is a vector borne, acute febrile illness, caused by Plasmodium parasites. Malaria impacts the medical and socioeconomic development programs of affected communities, as it diverts both individual and national resources into managing the disease burden. The purpose of this study was to explore and evaluate household determinants of malaria in Mutasa District, Zimbabwe. The precede-proceed theoretical model guided the study. Secondary data from Demographic Health Survey and District Health Management Information System, and current data from household determinant questionnaires, were used to evaluate the influence and significance of identified household determinants. Multiple logistic regression models were used to examine …

Predictive Relationship Between Treatment Adherence, Glycated Hemoglobin And Diabetic Complications Among Jamaicans, Christian Anaba Nwaukwa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Patient nonadherence to physicians' prescribed therapeutic regimen is the greatest challenge in the effective treatment of patients with diabetes worldwide. Scientific evidence has revealed that nonadherence to prescribed medication could result in diabetic complications such as cardiovascular disease, retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathic diabetic foot ulcers. The purpose of this study was to explore predictive relationships between levels of adherence to antidiabetic medications, patient HbA1c levels, and diabetic complications among Jamaicans, an understudied population. The research question that guided this study was: Do the patient level of adherence and HbA1c levels have any predictive relationship with the severity of diabetic complications …

Factors Affecting Completion Of Childhood Immunization In North West Nigeria, Sule Abdullahi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

North West Nigeria has the lowest vaccination rate of the geopolitical regions of the country. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine associations between the parents'/caregivers' biological, cultural, and socioeconomic factors and the completion or noncompletion of routine immunization schedules. Andersen's behavioral model provided the framework for the study. Data were obtained from the 2013 National Demographic Health Survey. Descriptive statistics were calculated for all variables. Chi-square tests were used for categorical predictor variables, simple logistic regression models were used for the age variable, and multiple linear regression models were used for the biological, cultural, and socioeconomic variables …

Relationship Between Health Literacy And End-Stage Renal Disease Among Type Ii Diabetics, Joelle M. Stolte

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The progression of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) among type II diabetics is preventable, yet complications continue to plague many. Reports show that 29.1 million people (9.3%) in the United States have diabetes, and 40% of those individuals develop ESRD. Four research questions explored the relationship between ESRD, health literacy, and healthcare. Data from 2010-2015 from the National Institute of Health (NIH) was quantitatively analyzed. The conceptual framework was the revised health service utilization theory. The target population included 3939 diverse males and females between the ages of 20-75 diagnosed with type II Diabetes. Results from Chi-square, cross-tabulation, binary, and …

How Fine Particulate Matter Modifies Preterm Birth Risks In Korea, Hyun Jin Choi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the increasing interest in preterm birth risk associated with maternal exposure to the current level of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in Korea, there is little information on differences in PM2.5 exposure and its impact on preterm birth. This study was designed to examine the effects of Korea's air quality on preterm birth, including the possibility of moderation and mediation. This work was also designed to investigate manipulable factors for PM2.5 exposure. The theoretical framework of this quantitative and observational study included the social ecological theory and systems theory. The conceptual framework of this partially ecologic and retrospective cohort study …

Structure Of The Picornavirus Replication Platform: A Potential Drug Target For Inhibiting Virus Replication, Meghan Suzanne Warden

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Picornaviruses are small, positive-stranded RNA viruses, divided into twelve different genera. Members of the Picornaviridae family cause a wide range of human and animal diseases including the common cold, poliomyelitis, foot and mouth disease, and dilated cardiomyopathy. The picornavirus genome is replicated via a highly conserved mechanism involving a presumed cloverleaf structure located at the 5’ noncoding region of the virus genome. The 5’ cloverleaf consists of three stem loops (B, C, and D) and one stem (A), which interact with a variety of virus and host cell proteins during replication. In this dissertation, human rhinovirus serotype 14 (HRV-14) SLB …

Characterizing Novel Radiologic And Pathologic Tissue-Based Risk Factors For Breast Cancer In African American Women With Benign Breast Disease, Asra N. Shaik

Wayne State University Dissertations

African American women (AAW) suffer a higher breast cancer mortality burden than women of other ethnicities in the US. More likely to be diagnosed with aggressive subtypes resistant to therapy and with rapidly fatal course than European American women (EAW), AAW may benefit greatly from earlier detection of breast cancers. However, it remains difficult to predict with a high degree of accuracy which women will develop breast cancer. Current risk assessment is especially poor for AAW, where models consistently underestimate risk in the subset of women with a prior biopsy. Risk assessment can be improved with the inclusion of new …

Gender, Social Support, And Resiliency In Suicidal Ideation Among U.S. Army Soldiers, John Franklin Ambrose

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Suicidal behaviors have continued to increase in the United States (U.S.) Army population since the beginning of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Suicide rates are higher in men compared to women; yet, the rate of suicidal ideation is higher in women than men. The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a correlation between suicidal ideation and protective factors, if social support and resiliency are different for men and women within the U.S. Army population, and if gender acts as a moderating variable between suicidal ideation and protective factors. The interpersonal-psychological theory of suicidal behavior was …

Alcohol Consumption And Cervical Cancer Associations Among Women In Los Angeles, California, Tina A. Nmor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Alcohol consumption and cervical cancer caught in the early stages are preventive epidemics, though the incidence of cervical cancer has continued to rise in Los Angeles, California. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to better understand the association between alcohol consumption and cervical cancer incidence using the theory of relationism. California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) data collected in 2005 was used to investigate alcohol consumption and cervical cancer incidence among women in Los Angeles, California. The CHIS 2005 surveyed 43,020 adults; of those surveyed, 441 participants reported alcohol consumption and cervical cancer out of 25,548 adult women. Chi-square …

Relationship Between Exposure To Phthalate And Obesity In The United States, Gladys Chidiebere Ezem

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity is a public health problem. The global obesity problem has been attributed to unhealthy diet, inactivity, and hereditary factors. However, phthalates may also contribute to the obesity epidemic. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine whether there was a relationship between exposure to phthalates and obesity among adults 18 years and older in the United States. The theoretical framework was based on the socioecological model. The quantitative, cross-sectional design, and data analysis were based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2011-2012 database. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the association between …

Emergency Department Use For Nontraumatic Dental Conditions And Adult Oral Health, Cheryl Anne Lassiter-Edwards

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nontraumatic dental-related emergency department visits has resulted in a financial burden to hospitals across the United States. This study investigated whether there is a relationship between adult preventive dental care and emergency department visits for nontraumatic dental conditions by comparing specific states. Guided by Andersen's behavioral model of health services utilization, this retrospective quantitative study also investigated associations between state-specific community water fluoridation and dental-related emergency department visits. The population of interest was adult Medicaid enrollees who visited the emergency department for non-trauma-related dental conditions in the top 5 most populous states as identified in the 2012 NHAMCS survey. These …

The Importance Of Person And Place In Predicting Prostate Cancer Incidence And Mortality Among United States Veterans Seeking Veterans Health Administration Care, Peter Georgantopoulos

Theses and Dissertations

T Introduction: There are several unique characteristics in the epidemiology of prostate cancer (PrCA) that make it an interesting and important cancer to study. The first is that while prostate cancer is the most common cancer that men develop, it is one of the least common cancers that men die from. This indolent nature of PrCA has led to the idiom among health scientists that “men are more likely to die with PrCA than due to PrCA”. Just like other cancers, several individual-level risk factors (e.g., family history of the disease, age, and race) are well established for both PrCA …

Health Systems Readiness For Adopting Mhealth Interventions For Addressing Non-Communicable Diseases In Low- And Middle-Income Countries: A Current Debate, Anam Shahil Feroz, Muhammad Masood Kadir, Sarah Saleem

Community Health Sciences

In low-and-middle-income countries, epidemiologic transition is taking place very rapidly from communicable diseases to non-communicable diseases. NCDs mortality rates are increasing faster and nearly 80% of NCDs deaths occur in LMICs. Existing weak health systems of LMICs are undergoing a devastating human and economic toll as a result of increasing treatment costs and losses to productivity from NCDs. At the same time, the increasing penetration of mobile phone technology and the spread of cellular network and infrastructure have led to the introduction of the mHealth field. While mHealth field offers a great promise to prevent and control non-communicable diseases in …

Public Health Strategies For Strengthening Prehospital Injury Responses In St. Lucia, Delwin Oliver Ferguson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Traumatic injuries have steadily increased during the last two decades, affecting over 5.8 million persons annually and have become a global public health issue. Since 2008, 80% of all deaths from noncommunicable diseases and trauma, approximately 29 million occurred in developing countries. Sixteen thousand young adults worldwide have died due to traumatic injuries. Additionally, injuries account for over 15% of the global burden of diseases, with approximately 90% of these injuries occurring in developing countries like St. Lucia. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to examine policy gaps in prehospital traumatic injury responses and explore implementing Essential Public …

Oral Glucose Insulin Secretion Test For Identifying Patients With Insulin Resistance, David Kershner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Insulin resistance is an increasing public health issue with the current literature, suggesting reduced sensitivity of insulin leads to adult onset diabetes and associated downstream pathologies that reduce life expectancy. The main objectives of this study were to evaluate the ability of the Oral Glucose Insulin Secretion Test (OGIST) to identify insulin resistance and examine differences in the insulin sensitivity based on gender, age, and ethnicity. This study was supported by the insulin resistance theory which focuses on the reduced ability of insulin to bind to the cellular insulin receptor, reducing the sensitivity of insulin. The OGIST lab results of …

Influence Of Maternal Psychosocial Health On Infant Feeding Practices, Tessy Linda Aguzie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Choice of nutrition has a great effect on the early development of human growth. Despite increased knowledge on the benefit of breastfeeding to both mother and child, some mothers still choose to formula feed. The purpose of this study is to explain how maternal health contributes to choices. The theory of maternal role attainment and the social cognitive theory are used to evaluate these feeding choices. This study tests for the association between maternal weight status and choice of infant feeding practices, the association between postpartum depression and choice of feeding and finally, if depression mediates the relationship between maternal …

Latent Tuberculosis Infection Treatment Completion And Predictors Of Noncompletion Among Visa Holders In The Rural Setting, Scott Hutton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), a product of exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), can lead to tuberculosis (TB) and further cause death if untreated. Fortunately, TB can be prevented with LTBI treatment. Targeting newly arrived visa holders for LTBI screening and treatment is an effective strategy for decreasing future TB burden. However, LTBI treatment completion rates are low, and researches had primarily focused on the nonrural U.S. setting. This study, using a retrospective cohort design under the epidemiological disease triangle framework evaluated (a) the treatment completion rates for 2 cohorts of visa holders (i.e., immigrants, N = 31 and refugees, N …

Early Radiation Therapy And Cervical Cancer Survival In The United States, Olufunmiso Oyetunde Asamu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A paucity of information exists on the benefits of using radiation therapy for treating women with early cervical cancer detection. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the association between early versus late testing of Human papilloma virus (HPV), age, race, radiation therapy, and regions in United States, and survival rates among women diagnosed with early cervical cancer. The epidemiological triad of person, time, and space guided this study to explain the regional spread of cervical cancer, and the effect of early testing. Secondary data from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) were used (N= 520,153). Statistical analyses …

Implementation And Evaluation Of Guillain-Barré Syndrome Surveillance In Puerto Rico During The 2016 Zika Virus Epidemic, Chelsea G. Major, Emilio Dirlikov, Nicole A. Medina, Roberta Lugo-Robles, Desiree Matos, Jorge Muñoz-Jordán, Candimar Colón-Sánchez, Myriam García-Negrón, Marangely Olivero-Segarra, Graciela Malavé-González, Dana L. Thomas, Carlos A. Luciano, Stephen H. Waterman, James Sejvar, Tyler M. Sharp, Brenda Rivera-García

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

OBJECTIVE: Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an uncommon autoimmune disorder that follows infection or vaccination, and increased incidence has been reported during Zika virus (ZIKV) transmission. During the 2016 ZIKV epidemic, the Puerto Rico Department of Health (PRDH) implemented the Enhanced GBS Surveillance System (EGBSSS). Here, we describe EGBSSS implementation and evaluate completeness, validity, and timeliness.

METHODS: GBS cases were identified using passive surveillance and discharge diagnostic code for GBS. Completeness was evaluated by capture-recapture methods. Sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV) for confirmed GBS cases were calculated for both case identification methods. Median time to completion of key time steps …