Epidemiology Commons^™

Health Department Prevention/Education Plans And Perceived Risks Of Zika Infection, Lacey Jacques

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractZika virus is an infectious disease caused by the bite of an infected mosquito that has been linked to increased rates of microcephaly and other devastating birth defects. The existing body of knowledge has focused on the individual-level factors that influence a person’s decisions about prevention activities and risk perceptions related to Zika virus. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between state-level plans for prevention and education and individual-level risk perceptions. Rosenstock’s health belief model lays a foundation for why individuals make the health decisions they do and helps explain how these can be influenced for …

Looking Upstream For Factors Influencing Mental Illness In A Low-Resource Setting, Adewole Adebola Adefalu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An investigation into the upstream determinants of mental disorders could provide insight into pathways by which these risk factors could relate to different groups of mental illness. The study was a quantitative inquiry using constructs within the Rothman’s sufficient and component cause framework to examine the pathways existing between upstream risk factors for schizophrenic and mood disorders. The study population was drawn from a convenience sample of clients accessing services at the psychiatry departments of a secondary mental health institution in North-Central Nigeria. The mean age of the participants in this study was 35.5years. The majority were males (53.4%), single …

Risk Factors Associated With Access To Intermittent Preventive Treatment For Malaria Among Pregnant Women In Uganda, Mayanja Simon Peter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy (IPTp) is an intervention consisting of the full course of therapeutic antimalarial medicine administered to pregnant women during routine antenatal visits regardless of whether the woman is infected with malaria. The use of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy using sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) has been reportedly low in most of the malaria endemic areas, including Uganda. The coverage of IPTp in Uganda has been estimated to be as low as 17%. An in-depth secondary data analysis using the 2016 Uganda Department of Health Services survey was conducted to understand the causal relationships between …

Factors Associated With Accidental Drug Exposure In U.S. Adults Over 65 Years Of Age, Edwin Raj

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Medication errors are a major public health issue and a leading cause of fatalities in the United States and globally. Older adults who rely on medications to address age-related health issues are at higher risk of medication errors. Accidental exposure to drugs is a major type of medication error that impacts older people more than other age groups. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the association between patient gender, age group, and reporter type and accidental exposure to drugs in older people. The ecological model was used to guide the study. Logistic regression analysis was used …

Suicidal Ideation Among American Indian And Alaska Natives In The United States, Lacie Lashawn Tillman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Suicidal ideation is a silent public health issue across the United States. Evidence suggests that suicidal ideation is a predictor of suicide attempt and completion. Suicide is a leading cause of death among American Indians and Alaska Natives (AIs/ANs) in the United States, especially among younger people. Alcohol and illicit drug use, coupled with poor social conditions, can lead to suicidal ideations—and sometimes suicide completion. Using social cognitive theory, this quantitative cross-sectional study compared variables within the 2017, 2018, and 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health to determine the effect that alcohol and/or illicit drug use has on …

Prophylactic Antimalarial Intermittent Preventive Therapy In Pregnancy And Birth Weight In Togo, Epiphane Awokou

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Togo, prophylactic antimalarial intermittent preventive therapy in pregnancy (IPTp) is provided to disrupt suboptimal pathways leading to the issue of low birth weight. However, there is a lack of nationally representative data on the determinants of this adverse birth outcome. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to determine pregnancy-related determinants of low birth weight through a nationally representative dataset. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems model guided this study to explore potential associations between the covariates IPTp, utilization of long-lasting insecticidal bed nets, age of pregnant women, socioeconomic status of pregnant women, and gravidity type of pregnant women and the …

The Impact Of Electronic Cigarettes Use On Traditional Cigarette Uses Among U.S. Adolescents, Ismail Mensah Dwumfour-Poku

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The increased usage of e-cigarettes among adolescents in the United States (U.S.) is a major public health concern. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nicotine, an active ingredient in e-cigarettes, is the most addictive drug in use today. The purpose of the current study was to explore the relationship between smoking of e- cigarettes and the risk of smoking traditional cigarettes among middle and high school students in Grades 6 through 12 in the U.S., and to determine if demographic factors contribute to this predisposition. This, quantitative cross-sectional study used the social ecological model as the …

Invasive Haemophilus Influenza Type B In An Infant During The Covid-19 Pandemic: The Return Of Diseases We Hoped Never To See Again…, Christy Tabarani, Stephen A Fletcher, Gloria P Heresi, Susan H Wootton

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Use Of Modeling To Inform Decision Making In North Carolina During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study, Karl Johnson, Caitlin B Biddell, Kristen Hassmiller Lich, Julie Swann, Paul Delamater, Maria Mayorga, Julie Ivy, Raymond L Smith, Mehul D Patel

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background. The COVID-19 pandemic has popularized computer-based decision-support models, which are commonly used to inform decision making amidst complexity. Understanding what organizational decision makers prefer from these models is needed to inform model development during this and future crises. Methods. We recruited and interviewed decision makers from North Carolina across 9 sectors to understand organizational decision-making processes during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic (N = 44). For this study, we identified and analyzed a subset of responses from interviewees (n = 19) who reported using modeling to inform decision making. We used conventional content analysis to …

Cerebral Infarctions In An Infant With Covid-19 Delta Variant Infection And Disseminated Tuberculosis, Stuart Fraser, Misti Ellsworth, Norma Perez, Hunter Hamilton, Stephen Fletcher, Deborah Brown, Lakshmi Srivaths

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Decontamination Of Geobacillus Stearothermophilus Using The Arca Aerosolized Hydrogen Peroxide Decontamination System, Loren Benjamin Mead, Tanner Mathison, Garry Osborne, Anne Marie Richards

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: In response to the limited supply of personal protective equipment during the pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2, recent studies demonstrate that gaseous H2O2 is an effective decontaminant of N95 filtering facepiece respirators to enable reuse of these items in a clinical setting. This paper evaluates the efficacy of the Arca Aerosolized Hydrogen Peroxide Decontamination System (Arca), a novel aerosolized H2O2 decontamination system, using biologic indicator testing.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Arca produces and circulates H2O2 aerosol inside of a sealed stainless steel chamber. The Arca's decontamination efficacy was evaluated in 8 decontamination trials with 2 H2O2 concentrations (3% and 12%) …

Global “Flu-Ization” Of Covid-19: A Perspective From Vietnam, Khoi Quan Nguyen, Le My Anh Nguyen, Andrew W Taylor-Robinson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Circus-Specific Extension Of The International Olympic Committee Consensus Statement: Methods For Recording And Reporting Of Epidemiological Data On Injury And Illness In Sport 2020, Stephanie Greenspan, David Munro, Joanna Nicholas, Janine Stubbe, Melanie I. Stuckey, Rogier M. Van Rijn

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Indepth knowledge of injury and illness epidemiology in circus arts is lacking. Comparing results across studies is difficult due to inconsistent methods and definitions. In 2020, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) consensus group proposed a standard method for recording and reporting epidemiological data on injuries and illnesses in sports and stated that sport-specific extension statements are needed to capture the context of each sport. This is the circus-specific extension to be used with the IOC consensus statement. International circus arts researchers in injury and illness epidemiology and performing arts medicine formed a consensus working group. Consensus statement development included a …

Variables On The Proportion Of Children With Sickle Cell Hemoglobin, Oyekola Oluyimika Oloyede

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe case fatality rate among children living with sickle cell disease was approximately 50% to 90% in Sub-Saharan Africa. Though researchers have contributed social determinants of health more broadly, they have not provided adequate screening information on children living with sickle cell disease aged 6 months to 59 months. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine the association between sickle cell disease status, infection prevention, pain and anemia management, demography, socioeconomic status, and healthcare use. This study included approximately 11,536 genotype results of children under 5-years-old in Nigeria. Bronfenbrenner’s systems theory and Krieger’s ecological theory formed the theoretical …

Barriers To Blood Availability Within The New Orleans Area, Tishawn Michelle Francis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An adequate and reliable supply of blood and blood components is becoming an increasing public health concern. Over the past decade, researchers have indicated a continued decline in the collection of blood products. An insufficient blood supply may present a risk to both patients and reserves for emergencies and disasters. The purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional study was to determine whether gender, age group, ethnicity, year, serological tests, and discard factors were associated with the availability of the donated blood supply throughout the New Orleans region. The donated blood supply chain model guided this study. Secondary data were retrieved from …

Primary Care Physicians’ Knowledge, Attitudes, And Practices Regarding Lyme Disease In High- Versus Low-Incidence Lyme Disease Midwestern States, Alexander Karnga

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study, guided by the barriers to physician behavior change (BPBC) framework, was to address the gaps in the Lyme disease empirical literature by examining whether there were significant differences in Lyme disease knowledge, attitude, and practices between primary care physicians in Wisconsin, a high-incidence Midwestern Lyme disease state, and Michigan, a low-incidence Lyme disease Midwestern state. The study was conducted with 65 physicians (53.8% male and 46.2% female). The study hypotheses were tested by conducting a one-way multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA), controlling for physicians’ years of practice (the number of patients seen per …

Gestational Weight Gain, Level Of Education, And Infant Mortality Among African American Women, George Lee Amanambu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

African American (AA) women in Mississippi have a higher burden of infant mortality, especially those with low income and educational levels, as compared to other regions of the country. However, it is unknown if abnormal gestation weight gain (GWG) is contributing to this increased burden. This quantitative cross-sectional study examined the association between GWG (25-35lbs), level of education, income, and infant mortality among AA women with normal prepregnancy body weight who were between 30 to 47 years old in the state of Mississippi from 2016 to 2018. Biopsychosocial and ecosocial models were used as the theoretical foundation to design …

Alternative Diet Practices As Predictors For Vaccine Confidence, Nancy Dolin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Perceived risks and side effects have left some with a lack of confidence in the safety and efficacy of vaccines. This may lead to not adhering to the recommended vaccination schedule and result in outbreaks that have the potential to harm those who are unable to get vaccinated due to age or infirmity. It is vital to seek and address the characteristics that may predict one’s confidence in vaccines. The aim of this study was to identify whether an individual’s alternative diet behavior may be able to predict their confidence in the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. The theoretical …

Health-Related Quality Of Life For Veterans Transitioned Into Civilian Life, Vicki Ann Guerra

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Texas veterans transitioning to civilian life have experienced health issues after discharge. There are processes to follow before seeking treatment or diagnosis for any health issue prior to military discharge. Given the gaps in the literature on veteran health, quality of life and transition to civilian life, scholars lack understanding of the transitional events that take place. Veteran health issues are impacted by medical appointment wait-times, day to day life events, and this can lead to decreased quality of life. The purpose of this mixed-methods study (N=36) was to evaluate veterans’ health related quality of life who had transitioned from …

Weight Change And Hyponatremia As Predictors Of Polydipsia Among Persons With Schizophrenia, Kingsley Okechukwu Nwachukwu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractPolydipsia is found in 20% of inpatients with chronic severe mental disorders. Of this, 80% are diagnosed with chronic schizophrenia, hence polydipsia is strongly associated with chronic schizophrenia. Despite the prevalence and serious health complications of coexisting polydipsia in this population, its current method of detection is flawed. The purpose of this quantitative study was to accurately identify comorbid polydipsia in schizophrenia using periodic weight change and hyponatremia. The Wilson’s complexity theory and primary data were used to attempt to explain the relationship between weight change and hyponatremia and polydipsia, in a cross-sectional study design. The dependent variable was polydipsia, …