Health Services Research Commons^™

The Association Of Patient-Provider Language Concordance With Healthcare Comprehension Among Latino/As In Oregon, Grace Parra

University Honors Theses

Background: The purpose of this study is to describe the need and preferences among Mexican-origin Latinos in Oregon for language-concordant healthcare providers. We hypothesize that the presence of a language concordant provider is associated with greater health care comprehension.

Methods: This is a cross sectional study in collaboration with the General Consulate of Mexico. We developed a 20-item survey that includes questions about socio-demographics, a validated language-based acculturation scale, and questions regarding language concordant care experience and preferences used in previous studies. We are recruiting at the Mexican Consulate 500 Latino/as ages 18 or older who had a healthcare visit …

Chronic Diseases And Inpatient Care Among The Middle-Aged And Elderly People In Indonesia, Ema Madyaningrum

Journal of Health Research

Background: The prevalence of chronic diseases contributes to an increase in healthcare utilization that results in increased vulnerability in middle and old age. This study aims to determine the factors that influence in-patient care among the middle-aged and elderly.

Methods: We conducted a repeated cross-sectional study using the Indonesia Family Life Survey 4 (IFLS 4) in 2007 (10,754 participants) and IFLS 5 in 2014 (12,058 participants). Chronic diseases include hypertension, diabetes mellitus, tuberculosis, asthma, coronary heart diseases, liver diseases, cancer, arthritis, gout, high cholesterol, prostate illness, kidney diseases, and digestive diseases. We used the frequency distribution, and logistic regression to …

Diabetes Prevalence And Monitoring In Nonmetropolitan And Metropolitan Areas Within A Commercially Insured U.S. Population, Lindsey R. Hammerslag, Jeffery Talbert

Rural & Underserved Health Research Center Publications

Overview of Key Findings

• Enrollees living in nonmetropolitan areas had 22% higher likelihood of having diabetes, even after controlling for factors like age and region.
• The prevalence of diabetes in 2019-2020 was 7.9% in nonmetropolitan areas and 6.2% in metropolitan areas.
• Annual hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) testing occurred for 85.1% of nonmetropolitan and 85.7% of metropolitan enrollees with diabetes. After controlling for other factors, we found significantly lower testing for those in nonmetropolitan areas.
• For diabetic enrollees, having an HbA1c test in 2019 was associated with an 8% decrease in the likelihood of non-cardiovascular complications related to diabetes and a 6% …

Wound Care For Unhoused Youth, Diana Altman, Monse Villasenor, Grace Fry, Maddy Johnson, Matthew Messenger

Nursing Leadership in Community Engagement Projects

Wound Care For Unhoused Youth

Introduction

We partnered with a non-profit organization designed to serve the unhoused youth, ages 18-25, who have a day program as well as an overnight shelter. They have 30 beds and reserve 20 of those beds for individuals who are “residents,” who commit to staying for several nights and work towards finding more permanent options. The other 10 beds are for individuals to use for a single night, but these are not always guaranteed, you must sign up to save a spot. The day program has various activities ranging from painting to resume workshops and …

Addressing Disparities For Gambling Treatment Service Use In The Latinx Community: Outreach, Education, Screening, And Referral By Community Health Workers, Michael D. Campos Phd, Abraham J. Caballero Bs, Hugo Ramirez Bs, Hanssel Walker Bba

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

ABSTRACT

Problem gambling/gambling disorder prevalence among Latinx individuals in the U.S. is similar to that seen in the non-Latinx Caucasian community (Alegria et al., 2009). However, there are disparities in the use of State-funded treatment for such problems in California. This is true for mental health service use for ethnic/racial minorities in the US overall (Alegria et al., 2008; Dua et al., 2011; Wells et al., 2001). The California Office of Problem Gambling (OPG), the UCLA Gambling Studies Program (UGSP), and Visión y Compromiso (VyC) are conducting a 2-year pilot project using community health workers (promotores/as) to increase Latinx utilization …

Facilitators And Barriers To Effective Scale-Up Of Evidence-Based Nonprofit-Level Hiv Prevention And Treatment Interventions Among Black Men Who Have Sex With Men (Msm), Ugochukwu C. Uzoeghelu

Master's Projects and Capstones

Since the scale-up of HIV/AIDS prevention evidence-based interventions (EBIs) has not been simple in nonprofit settings, it is crucial to examine processes that occur in the translation of the EBIs into practice that affect successful implementation through the lens of nonprofit principles and practices. This paper examines the facilitators and barriers to effective scale-up of evidence-based HIV prevention and treatment services for nonprofit health organizations that serve Black men who have sex with men (MSM). I interviewed nonprofit health organizations (n = 4) engaged in the global response to end the HIV epidemic, specifically those who provide HIV prevention and …

Home Oxygen And Monitoring For Covid-19 Patients: A Multidisciplinary Team Approach, Mahta Salehi, Shehrose Chaudry, Rebecca B. Newman, Josette Hartnett, Suzanne J. Rose, Forugh Homayounrooz

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Introduction: During the initial COVID-19 pandemic peak, Stamford Hospital implemented a home oxygen program (HOP) to create a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary outpatient initiative without sacrificing a safe discharge. Primary care physicians monitored program participants, whose only indication for remaining admitted was an oxygen requirement. We retrospectively examined participant co-morbidities and outcomes, including death and readmission rates to evaluate HOP safety.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of program participants discharged between April 2020-Janurary 2021 was performed. Variables included demographics, oxygen requirement, days enrolled in the HOP, and major comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes (DM), hypertension (HTN), obesity, chronic kidney disease, malignancies …

Brief Review: Low Frequency Event Charts (G-Charts) In Healthcare, James Espinosa, David Ho, Alan Lucerna, Henry Schuitema

Stratford Campus Research Day

The ability to determine if a change in a system is actually an improvement—or worsening in function—is one of the essential desiderata of quality improvement efforts. There are many ways to look at the issue. A special problem occurs when the event being studied is low frequency by nature. By way of example, patient falls in a given hospital or division of a hospital may occur in a way that is low frequency—yet each event is important. Process engineering has developed an approach to low frequency events. Part of this approach may involve specialized charts that look at the “time-between-events”—as …

Does Accountability Affect Adherence To Moisturizer Treatment In Atopic Patients With Xerosis?, Stuti Prajapati, Christina Kontzias, Steven Feldman

Stratford Campus Research Day

Introduction: Xerosis is common in atopic dermatitis (AD). Adherence depends on factors such as complexity of treatments, disease understanding and accountability. Accountability is a psychobehavioral construct, referring to the expectation that one must be responsible for their actions or inactions.

Objective: We sought to assess whether interventions expected to improve accountability would be associated with improved adherence to xerosis treatment.

Method: This is a prospective study of 30 patients diagnosed with xerosis . Patients were given moisturizer with an electronic monitor to record adherence and asked to apply it once daily for three months. Subjects were randomized into one of …

Analysis Of Implementing Best Practices For Co-Prescribing Naloxone In Your Agency Online Cme Training Module Via Pre- And Post- Knowledge Assessment., Alicia Podwojniak, Arvind Venkataraman, Richard Jermyn

Stratford Campus Research Day

The opioid epidemic poses substantial risk to society. Providers must ensure that their patients understand the uses and risks of both opioids and naloxone. One way to analyze this concept is via metacognition. This refers to a person’s knowledge about cognitive phenomena, and thus it regulates self-awareness abilities in decision making, such as planning and evaluating. It is not only important for providers to have knowledge on best practices, but also to have self-awareness, and confidence in their decision making to ensure optimal patient outcomes. True-false confidence weighted scoring can be utilized, whereby various levels of confidence are assessed from …

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

Stratford Campus 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 …

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

Stratford Campus 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 …

Effects Of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder On Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Procedure: Insights From The National Inpatient Sample, Rafail Beshai, Keri Anacker, Keith Anacker, Tony Elias, Veyola Rezkalla, Maziyar Daneshvar, Howard Weinberg

Stratford Campus Research Day

Introduction: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that can affect children and adults and is characterized by deficits in attention, self-regulation, and executive functioning. Symptoms can seriously affect daily functioning and may present as hyperactivity, inattentive behaviors, or a combination of both. There are data to suggest patients with ADHD suffer from increased rates of cardiovascular disease, however not much is known specifically regarding the relationship between ADHD and undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention. We sought to examine this relationship in greater detail by perusing the national inpatient sample database to describe in-hospital trends and outcomes among these …

Breaking Down Barriers: Investigating Structural And Systemic Factors That Contribute To Covid-19 Disparities In African American Communities In New Jersey, Fazal Choudhary, Suraj Pothineni

Stratford Campus Research Day

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the lives of millions of Americans; however, minority communities have been hit the hardest as infection rates continue to sky rocket and new variants arise. As of October 5, 2021, the CDC reports that African Americans make up a similar share of cases relative to the overall population, at about 12%, but have a significantly higher rate of deaths compared to the population, at approximately14%. African American communities are being disproportionately affected because of higher incidence of chronic diseases, inadequate access to health care, and poorer living and working conditions, which increases their vulnerability …

A Clinician's Guide To 23andme: A Survey-Based Study On People’S Attitudes And Actions Towards Direct-To-Consumer Genetic Testing, Julia Kiffel, Rifke Anolik, Alexander Kowalski

Stratford Campus Research Day

Background: While direct-to-consumer (DTC) at-home genetic testing like 23andMe provides users with potentially valuable information about their genetics and health risks, consumers might not have the background or knowledge to fully comprehend and interpret the results. This concept is a pressing issue because of the rise in popularity of these DTC genetic tests.

Purpose: The goal of this study is to elucidate the beliefs and attitudes of 23andMe users and determine the relationship between their test results and likelihood for taking medical action. The results from the study will give clinicians and primary care providers (PCPs) insight into how to …

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

Stratford Campus 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: …

Exploring Risk Factors For Major Depressive Disorder For Female Patients Aged 18 Or Older Living In Ocean County, New Jersey, James Mack

Stratford Campus Research Day

Background: The incidence and prevalence of major depressive disorder has been increasing worldwide, in the United States of America, and on a local level. The population of Ocean County, New Jersey, a predominantly Caucasian, female, middle-aged population, may be at increased risk of developing major depressive disorder.

Purpose: To explore the social determinants of health and risk factors for major depressive disorder for female patients aged 18 or older living in Ocean County, New Jersey.

Methods: This literature review mainly used PubMed and Scopus for journal articles and utilized governmental databases for additional population data.

Results: Analyses conducted on social …

Cardiovascular Disease Prediction Modelling: A Machine Learning Approach, Usmaan Al-Shehab, Maduka Gunasinghe, Yousuf Elkhoga, Nimay Patel, Juliana Yang

Stratford Campus Research Day

The objective of this project is to utilize the UCI Heart Disease dataset to identify physiological biomarkers that are highly correlated with heart disease incidence. A predictive model can then be developed using these biomarkers to estimate the likelihood of someone having or developing a heart-related condition. This study compares the efficacy of predicting cardiovascular disease as an outcome using three machine learning algorithms: Support Vector Machine, Gaussian Naive Bayes, and logistic regression. Support Vector Machine works by creating hyperplanes between data points to conduct classification. Gaussian Naive Bayes works by using the conditional probabilities of events to classify the …

Association Of Maternal Biomarkers With Gestational Weight Gain And Pre-Eclampsia, Matthew Green, Xinhua Chen

Stratford Campus Research Day

Background: There is convincing evidence that excessive gestational weight gain (GWG), based on the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) 2009 guidelines, increases the risk of both maternal and neonatal complications.1-6 Although the association between excessive GWG and pre-eclampsia is well-established, the reason why this association exists remains unclear.

Methods: Previously collected data from a cohort of pregnant women in Camden, NJ between the years of 1998-2007 was used to examine the association between maternal serum biomarkers (C-peptide, IGF-1, Insulin and Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR)) collected at entry (week 16) and 3rd trimester (week 28) and longitudinally assessed gestational …

Assessing The Need For Mental Health Screenings In A Student-Run Free Clinic And A Family Medicine Office, Sahil Parikh, Emily Forester, Alisha Basak, Jennifer Walpow, Rebecca Chae, Sahiba Gill, Tara Pellegrino

Stratford Campus Research Day

Background: The US Preventive Services Task Force provides strong evidence that early screening helps identify depression in primary care settings, promotes intervention, and facilitates treatment. The Rowan Community Health Clinic (RCHC) in Lindenwold, NJ is a student-run free clinic who serves patients regardless of patient gender, race, income or insurance status. This study aims to determine if there is a need to build internal infrastructure at RCHC for depression and anxiety management.

Methods: This is an IRB-approved study that began in June 2021. Data was collected from Rowan Community Health Center and Rowan Family Medicine patients. Patients were administered mental …