Health Services Administration Commons^™

Health Disparities: Ranking Horry County's Most Disadvantaged Communities, Stephen Borders, Jacob Bradley, Mackenzie Cannon, William Hall

Public Health

Horry County is a rapidly growing region in South Carolina, with a diverse population of over 300,000 residents. Despite this growth, the county faces significant health challenges, including high rates of chronic diseases, such as diabetes and obesity, and a shortage of healthcare providers in certain areas. These challenges are exacerbated by the county's socio-economic disparities, with many low-income residents lacking access to basic health services. Our approach is to address these challenges by identifying the areas within the county with the greatest unmet needs, also known as disadvantaged communities. By identifying the needs of Horry County’s most disadvantaged communities, …

Protocol For Developing A Personalised Prediction Model For Viral Suppression Among Under-Represented Populations In The Context Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jiajia Zhang Ph.D., Xueying Yang Ph.D., Sharon Weissman, Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Bankole Olatosi Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Introduction Sustained viral suppression, an indicator of long-term treatment success and mortality reduction, is one of four strategic areas of the 'Ending the HIV Epidemic' federal campaign launched in 2019. Under-represented populations, like racial or ethnic minority populations, sexual and gender minority groups, and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, are disproportionately affected by HIV and experience a more striking virological failure. The COVID-19 pandemic might magnify the risk of incomplete viral suppression among under-represented people living with HIV (PLWH) due to interruptions in healthcare access and other worsened socioeconomic and environmental conditions. However, biomedical research rarely includes under-represented populations, resulting in biased …

Medical Interpreters' Work Impact On Their Lives: Understanding Medical Interpreters' Work Experience, Nicholas M. Herrarte Smith

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

Medical interpreters in the US are crucial health workers that specialize in facilitating communication between non-English-speaking patients and English medical professionals. Although much research has been done regarding the positive impact of professional medical interpreters on LEP (limited English proficient) patients' health, it is less known how medical interpreters’ lives are impacted in this line of work. Thus, this study was aimed at gaining a better understanding on the impact that this line of work has on the lives of medical interpreters. For this study, a survey was created with questions regarding demographics, interpretation’s certification process, interpreter’s satisfaction/experience, and mental …

Ethical Considerations Of Clinical Research In Emergency Care Settings: A Review, Adith Velavan

Honors Scholar Theses

Emergency and acute care settings are some of the most volatile and high intensity areas of any healthcare operation. Better understanding of systems and treatments in these spaces are critical to improving outcomes for the high risk patients that are treated there. Clinical research serves as a cornerstone of modern medical research, and is critical to the further improvement of clinical care in these settings. This thesis serves to explore the ethicality of such research given the constraints of emergency medicine settings. Not only does this thesis provide a strong foundation regarding the history and current practices of clinical research, …

Effects Of Income And Language On Health Literacy: A Study Between A Student-Run Free Clinic And A Family Medicine Office, Sahil Parikh, Emily Forester, Alisha Basak, Arpan Bhagat, Leah Cliatt, Usmaan Al-Shehab, Rebecca Moore

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: Over one-third of the US population exhibit limited health literacy, leading to negative health outcomes and lifestyle choices. By employing the NVS assessment, RCHC sought to compare the health literacy levels of uninsured patients at their facility with those of insured patients at the Rowan Family Medicine office in Hammonton, NJ. This study aimed to assess specific factors that may influence health literacy levels.

Methods: This is an IRB-approved study which surveyed patients enrolled at the RCHC and Rowan Family Medicine Office between February 2021 and March 2023. Patients were given a nutrition label and verbally answered the NVS …

Language Barrier Contributions To Food Insecurity In Spanish-Speaking Populations, Amin Khan, Leeza Kumar, Edanur Kilic, Stephen Acheampong

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Food insecurity refers to a household or individual’s inability to access adequate food to obtain a healthy lifestyle. This contributes to health concerns such as birth defects, low nutritional intake, anemia, cognitive problems, mental health disorders, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. Low-income rural community members lack access to full grocery stores and often turn to convenience stores with unhealthy, expensive, and fewer food options. The aim of this study was to determine how language barriers affect Spanish-speaking populations with limited English proficiency. The research for this project was obtained from Google, Google Scholar, and PubMed. Keywords included “health disparities,” “Spanish-speaking,” …

Barriers To Colorectal Cancer Screening For Low-Income Hispanic Men In Urban Areas Between 50-75, Alex Vega

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Although CRC screening rates have improved in non-Hispanic whites (NHW), Hispanic adult males (HAM) aged 50-75 in urban areas continue to experience low screening rates and higher CRC morbidity and mortality. This review aims to identify the barriers to CRC screening among HAM and propose targeted interventions to increase screening rates. A comprehensive literature review was conducted using databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Key search terms included "colorectal cancer", "screening", "Hispanic adult males", "urban", "barriers", and "interventions". Factors identified include poverty, language …

Evaluation Of Available Medical Interpretation Resources Available To Spanish-Speaking Patients In Nj Ahec Counties, Magdalene Lederer, Cindy Nativi, Madhav Patel, Joseph Mendoza, Nhi Tran, Yesha Patel, Melissa Vincent, Rebecca Moore

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

According to the US Census Bureau Spanish is the most common non-English language spoken in the US. Despite the growing population of Spanish-speaking individuals, most healthcare providers can only communicate in English. Linguistic differences between patients and providers have been identified to impact the quality of care received, therefore, it is not surprising that Spanish-speaking patients have been found to be less satisfied with healthcare. Language barriers in healthcare lead to poor compliance and underuse of services which eventually negatively impact health outcomes. Several studies found that the most effective communication tools are often underutilized, with healthcare providers relying on …

Trends In Opioid Usage And The Covid-19 Pandemic, Priya Brahmbhatt, Jeffery Powers

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The opioid epidemic and the COVID-19 pandemic have affected individuals in the United States in various capacities, and new avenues to reduce the harmful effects of both public health crises must be explored. It has been found that those with substance use disorders have an increased risk for COVID-19 (Wang 2021). There have been more visits to emergency rooms for substance overdose during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic (Holland 2021). This research project attempted to understand the trends amongst opioid users during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, in …

Maldi-Tof Ms Based Proteomic Fingerprinting Of Total Serum Plasma For Somatic Pain Syndromes, Isaiah Pinkerton, Venkateswar Venkataraman

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

There are racial and ethnic disparities regarding pain management within the United States, and that disproportionately affects women of color. There is also a fundamental lack of information regarding the biological mechanism by which pain sensitization and perception occurs, and how it could be affected by both neurologic and somatic pain syndromes.

Methods: Research was performed on principal electronic scientific databases including Google Scholar, PubMed, and Embase with search terms “MALDI-TOF”, “ESI-MS”, “Pain”, and “Biomarkers”, as well as other modifiers to narrow the literature search.

Results: Studies on comparison between MALDI-TOF and other traditional analysis platforms, including Electrospray Ionization (ESI-MS), …

Outcomes In Type Ii Diabetes Patients Through The Covid 19 Pandemic A Retrospective Chart Review, Zurwa Nishat, Tara Pellegrino, Robert Steer

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Context: The COVID-19 pandemic provided a unique opportunity for urgent expansion of telemedicine services as providers continued to supply longitudinal care to patients. Patients with type II diabetes were vulnerable to serious infection with COVID-19 as well as disruption in management of their chronic disease.

Objective: To delineate the outcomes in type II diabetes patients through the COVID-19 pandemic by a retrospective chart review in which disease management was evaluated through HbA1c levels and BMI.

Methods: This retrospective chart review included adult T2DM patients receiving care from five university family medicine offices in NJ. HbA1c levels and BMI values were …

The Correlation Between Traumatic Brain Injury And Incarceration Among Adult Males In The United States, Shadi Shams

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The United States has one of the largest growing prison populations in the world. A large amount of social and economic resources go towards the cost and maintenance of correctional facilities each year. Additionally, the current correctional programs are insufficient in assisting inmates with getting back to society; especially those with traumatic brain injury (TBI) who often remain undiagnosed and are usually treated unfairly in the prison system instead of receiving the appropriate help. Prior scholarly work has shown that patients in the post-TBI stage are more likely to enter the judicial system. In the recent population-based cohort study, the …

The Effect Of Socioeconomic Status On Primary Care Access And Cancer Screening Rates, Seth Spicer, Liam Courtney, Alyssa Laguerta, Abdul Sanni-Adam, Bharathi Balaji

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: Low cancer screening rates among specific demographics are major health issues that lead to disparities in health outcomes. Early cancer detection is crucial for cure; however, it is not well known how age, race, gender, primary care access, and socio-economic status affect cancer screening rates. This review discusses the importance of cancer screening and the factors that affect screening rates.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate how access to primary care affects cancer screening rates, with consideration to age, race, socioeconomic status, and primary care access in order to improve screening rates in underserved populations.

Methods: …

An Analysis Of The Effects Of Certified Electronic Health Records On Organizations And Patients., Picandra Elzie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The growing technological advancement of electronic health records can become an issue with quality and electronic patient information exchange if hospitals do not adhere to federal guidelines. It is recommended that hospitals utilize certified electronic health records (EHRs) to receive financial incentives. This certification is supposedly also associated with the quality of the EHR itself. The certification process is criticized for allowing EHR vendors to meet a set of limited functions known in advance. EHRs can affect healthcare quality and electronic health information exchange. This dissertation explored what is known about the effects of certified EHRs on length of stay …

Profitable, Alternative Income Generation And Improved Quality Of Life Among Global Beekeepers, Chris Honeycutt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Interventions that promote alternative income generation (AIG) to address social determinants of health are associated with increased household income and improved health outcomes. Organizations have used beekeeping to address poverty and other development goals with mixed outcomes. Beekeeping presents a viable option to promote AIG. Organizations increase their risk of failing to achieve positive outcomes when beekeeping interventions are inadequate. This project aims to develop an organizational assessment tool that measures organizational position in relation to evidence-based factors for income generation and improved quality of life among global beekeepers. The assessment is organized into seven domains that correspond with PRECEDE-PROCEED …

Youth-Friendly, Person-Centered Contraceptive Care For Adolescents: Exploring The Capacity Of Safety-Net Clinics In Alabama And South Carolina, Kristen Surles

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: In recent years, high quality contraceptive care for adolescents has shifted away from tiered effectiveness counseling and toward youth-friendly, patient-centered counseling (YFPCCC). YFPCCC is essential in the South, which has higher rates of sexual activity, lower rates of contraception use, and higher teen birth rates. This study examined Southern clinics’ characteristics which support YFPCCC and youth’s perceptions of the contraceptive care they receive.

Methods: This mixed methods study examined secondary data collected in two surveys and primary data collected through key-informant interviews. The first survey examined clinic characteristics impacting YFPCCC, and the second survey examined adolescents’ (aged 16-24) perspectives …

Key Determinants Of Using Telehealth Technologies Among Underserved Populations From The Perspective Of Patients And Providers, Johanna Cimilluca

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: The utilization of telehealth has had a substantial impact on transforming and enhancing the methods by which healthcare is presently delivered. The potential benefits of telehealth in improving the health of vulnerable populations and underserved communities are substantial. The aims of this study were to examine the association between social determinants of health and patient perceptions of their experiences with telehealth. We will analyze how perceptions differ across specialization, race, gender, and other key determinants; examine how patient’s self-rated physical health and mental health influences perceptions and attitudes about telehealth utilization; and evaluate differences in perceptions and attitudes, …

Covid-19 Challenges, Responses, And Resilience Among Rural Black Women: A Study Protocol, Fanghui Shi, Jiajia Zhang Ph.D., Chengbo Zeng, Xiaowen Sun, Zhenlong Li, Xueying Yang, Sharon Weissman, Bankole Olatosi Ph.D., Xiaoming Li Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Background

Timely linkage to care (LTC) is key in the HIV care continuum, as it enables people newly diagnosed with HIV (PNWH) to benefit from HIV treatment at the earliest stage. Previous studies have found LTC disparities by individual factors, but data are limited beyond the individual level, especially at the county level. This study examined the temporal and geographic variations of county-level LTC status across 46 counties in South Carolina (SC) from 2010 to 2018 and the association of county-level characteristics with LTC status.

Methods

All adults newly diagnosed with HIV from 2010 to 2018 in SC were included …

A Concept Analysis Of The Patient Experience, Tanja Avlijas Rn, Mscn, Janet E. Squires Rn, Phd, Michelle Lalonde Rn, Phd, Chantal Backman Rn, Phd

Patient Experience Journal

Patient experience, an essential indicator of quality patient care, is of increasing importance to hospitals that want to improve and maintain strong patient experience metrics to remain competitive in the business of healthcare. The aim of this study was to clarify the concept of the patient experience by identifying its existing definitions, methods of measurement, and underlying themes and attributes, to differentiate it from similar concepts and propose an operational and theoretical definition to guide valid and reliable development of future assessment tools. Walker and Avant’s eight-step methodology served as the framework for this concept analysis. A literature search, using …

Combating Long-Term Care Isolation Through Healing Touch, Veronica J. Butts

ONU Student Research Colloquium

Loneliness is defined as feelings of disconnectedness, lack of belonging, and perceived isolation that can manifest as a physical or psychological state. In long-term care facilities, this sentiment can develop into social isolation in which residents are disconnected from family, removed from familiar environments, and suffer from various cognitive conditions that cause them to socially withdraw. Various clinical studies seek to identify the connection between isolation, loneliness, and lack of human touch with worsening health conditions and outcomes, determining that there is a correlation between this feeling of discontent. To combat this, healing touch has been a rising topic of …