Medicine and Health Commons^™

Duration Of U.S. Stay And Body Mass Index Among Latino And Asian Immigrants: A Test Of Theoretical Pathways, Annie Ro, Georgiana Bostean

Sociology Faculty Articles and Research

Studies find that longer-term immigrants have higher body mass index (BMI) than their more recently-arrived counterparts. Most interpretations of these health patterns by duration of U.S. residence rely on theories of immigrant integration; they posit that with increasing time in the United States, immigrants incorporate economically, socially, and culturally into aspects of U.S. society, and that these changes impact health. Few studies empirically examine whether these aspects of integration are indeed mediators of the association between duration of U.S. stay and BMI, and if their patterns differ across immigrant subgroups. This study examines data from the National Latino and Asian …

The Social Costs Of Gender Nonconformity For Transgender Adults: Implications For Discrimination And Health, Lisa R. Miller, Eric Anthony Grollman

Sociology and Anthropology Faculty Publications

Research suggests that transgender people face high levels of discrimination in society, which may contribute to their disproportionate risk for poor health. However, little is known about whether gender nonconformity, as a visible marker of one’s stigmatized status as a transgender individual, heightens trans people’s experiences with discrimination and, in turn, their health. Using data from the largest survey of transgender adults in the United States, the National Transgender Discrimination Survey (N = 4,115), we examine the associations among gender nonconformity, transphobic discrimination, and health-harming behaviors (i.e., attempted suicide, drug/alcohol abuse, and smoking). The results suggest that gender nonconforming trans …

Socially Deviant Communities Online: How The Pro-Anorexia Movement Utilizes The Anonymity Provided By The Internet To Thrive, Samantha Thomas

Honors Theses

The creation of the internet has produced an environment in which many communities have been able to develop into strong and thriving societies. A large number of communities that are now predominantly online were unable to exist successfully before the establishment of the internet for a variety of reasons. The internet has made it easier for people from different backgrounds and locations to network, form communities, and share information with one another. Unfortunately the internet has also given harmful underground communities the opportunity to develop and thrive as well. Socially deviant communities, groups that support ideas and behaviors deemed unacceptable …

Many Eligible Children Don’T Participate In School Nutrition Programs; Reauthorization Offers Opportunities To Improve, Jess Carson

Carsey Publications

This brief uses data from the 2013 Current Population Survey’s Food Security Supplement to document levels of participation in two of the largest programs authorized by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010—the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program—by region and place type (rural, suburban, and city), to identify areas where expanding participation may be especially important. Author Jessica Carson reports that only 64 percent of eligible households participate in the National School Lunch Program, and 52 percent participate in the School Breakfast Program. Fifty-nine percent of eligible suburban households and 63 percent of rural households participate …

How Do Living Arrangements And Intergenerational Support Matter For Psychological Health Of Elderly Parents? Evidence From Myanmar, Vietnam, And Thailand, Bussarawan Teerawichitchainan, Wiraporn Pothisiri, Giang Thanh Long

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Living arrangements and family support for older persons have become an increasingly important policy concern in developing and rapidly aging Asia. Formulating a sound elderly care policy for the region will benefit from empirically examining how living arrangements, particularly coresidence, and intergenerational exchanges of financial, instrumental, and emotional support are associated with old-age psychological health. This study analyzes data from nationally representative aging surveys in Myanmar, Vietnam, and Thailand for 2011-2012 to offer a comparative perspective from Southeast Asia where various kinship systems coexist. Results suggest that coresidence with a child of culturally preferred gender significantly improves the emotional health …

Ethnic Differences In Medicinal Plant Use Among University Students: A Cross-Sectional Survey Of Self-Reported Medicinal Plant Use At Two Midwest Universities, Rachel Craft, Katrina C. Mcclure, Steven Corbett, Maria Pontes Ferreira, Ashley M. Stiffarm, Kelly Kindscher

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Background: Numerous surveys of medicinal plant use among college students abound, but none compare use between students enrolled in two different Universities with significantly different ethnic compositions. The objective of this study is to compare medicinal plant use between two different ethnic college populations and explore differences between student medicinal plant users and non-users for comparison with previous research.

Methods: Students (n = 721) at a large research university (n = 498) and a Pan-Tribal University for Native Americans (n = 233) completed surveys in October 2011 to assess past year medicinal plant use. The Mann-Whitney U test, Chi Square …

Rural Congestive Heart Failure Mortality Among Us Elderly, 1999–2013: Identifying Counties With Promising Outcomes And Opportunities For Implementation Research, Maria Carmenza Mejia De Grubb, Robert S. Levine, Barbara J. Kilbourne, Baqar A. Husaini, Tyler Skelton, Lisa Gittner, Michael Langston, George E. Rust

Sociology Faculty Research

Objective Describe modern trends in congestive heart failure (CHF) among elderly (>65 years of age) in the United States, to identify potentially successful rural areas. Compare CHF mortality using multiple- (MCOD) versus underlying-(UCOD) cause of death data.

Methods U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mortality files (WONDER internet site).

Results Using MCOD data, overall mortality rates/100,000 population (and 95% confidence intervals) for CHF among persons >65 years of age (1999–2013) were 482.0 (481.2–482.8) for large central and large fringe metropolitan (LCLF) counties, 549.6 (548.6–550.7) in small and medium metropolitan (SM) counties, and 652.6 (650.9–654.0) in micropolitan and non-core, …

Factors Associated With Belief In Conspiracies About Hiv/Aids Among Hiv-Positive African-American Patients, Andrew A. Zekeri, Youssouf Diabate

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine factors associated with belief in conspiracies about HIV/AIDS among HIV-Positive African American patients. Survey data were collected from 256 African American patients living with HIV/AIDS attending two HIV clinics in Montgomery and Dothan, Alabama. The study used multiple regression analysis to examine how sociodemographic factors contribute to belief in conspiracies about HIV/AIDS. Education and age were significantly related to belief in conspiracies about HIV/AIDS among men and women. Beliefs in conspiracies about HIV/AIDS may be a barrier to HIV prevention among African Americans. Public health officials should work toward obtaining the …

Health-Related Beliefs, Practices, And Experiences Of Migrant Dominicans In The Northeastern United States, Constance Sobon Sensor

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Purpose: This study aimed to discover and describe migrant Dominican cultural beliefs and practices related to health, the ways that migrant Dominicans take care of their health in their new environment, and their experience with professional health care in the Northeastern United States.

Design: This descriptive qualitative study was guided by Leininger’s Theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality and four-phase analysis method. The health-related beliefs, practices and experiences of a convenience sample of 15 self-identified adult Dominicans living in the United States for six months or more were explored in three focus groups, assisted by trained culturally appropriate interpreters. …

The Effects Of Social Status On The Quality And Affordability Of Healthcare, Robert O. Burns

Honors College Theses

Access to healthcare is very important in today's society, as is the quality of said healthcare. The socioeconomic status (SES) of an individual is the most important factor when it comes to determining both the accessibility and quality of said care, and as such has been studied extensively. Across different countries, lower SES has been linked to the decreased affordability and success rates of medical treatments such as coronary heart disease medication or health risk prevention regimes. In many cases, low SES patients were found to be less likely to seek treatment than higher SES patients as the debt they …

The Ability Of Narrative Communication To Address Health-Related Social Norms, Meghan B. Moran, Sheila T. Murphy, Lauren B. Frank, Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati

Communication Faculty Publications and Presentations

Social norms are an important predictor of health behavior and have been targeted by a variety of health communication campaigns. However, these campaigns often encounter challenges related to the socially specific context in which norms exist: specifically, the extent to which the target population identifies with the specific reference group depicted and the extent to which the target population believes the campaign’s message. We argue that because of its capacity to effect identification among viewers, narrative communication is particularly appropriate for impacting social norms and, consequently, behavioral intention. This manuscript presents the results of a randomized trial testing the effectiveness …

Washing Hands, Saving Lives, Singapore Management University

Perspectives@SMU

Diarrhoea is a major cause of child mortality in rural Vietnam, caused by a lack of running water and poor handwashing habits. A handwashing station called the HappyTap could solve the problem

Racial Disparities In Infant Mortality, 1990 To 2004: Low Birth Weight, Maternal Complications And Other Causes, Ginny Garcia-Alexander, Hyeyoung Woo

Sociology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Demographers have long studied the unacceptably high rates of infant mortality in the U.S., relative to other advanced countries. These higher rates are largely attributable to persistent racial gaps in infant health outcomes and are likely a reflection of social inequalities, which manifest as poorer infant health outcomes in certain groups. We extend on previous research in this area by utilizing the restricted 1990 and 2000 cohort linked birth-death files to examine the risk of infant death due to several main causes including: maternal complications, low birth weight, and other causes, and how it has changed over time. We estimate …

Trends And Disparities In Postpartum Sterilization Following C-Section, 2000-2008, Ginny Garcia-Alexander, Dawn M. Richardson, Kelly Gonzales, Adolfo Gabriel Cuevas

Sociology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Objectives. We examined variations in the prevalence of postpartum tubal sterilizations following cesarean sections (C-sections) from 2000 to 2008. Methods. We used data from the National Hospital Discharge Survey (NHDS) to estimate odds ratios for patient- (race, marital status, age) and system-level factors (hospital size, type, region) on the likelihood of receiving tubal sterilization after C-section. Results. A disproportionate share of postpartum tubal sterilizations following C-section was covered by Medicaid. The likelihood of undergoing sterilization was increased for Black women, women of older age, and non-single women. Additionally, they were increased in proprietary and government hospitals, smaller hospital settings, and …

Bridging The Gap: The St. Cloud Somali Community’S View Of Illness And Disease In A Western Society & Its Effects On Patient Care, Jeffry J. Anderson, Sinloria C. Macrae, Katee A. Meckeler, Jennifer N. Yang, Sheng Xiong

Celebrating Scholarship & Creativity Day (2011-2017)

In this ethnographic study, we looked at how the Somali people view illness and disease in a Western society. In addition, we looked at how differing views and cultural practices affected their treatment and interpretation of Western medicine. Due to the ongoing increase of Somali people in the United States, this topic is important in showcasing the difficulties that newcomers face when it comes to medicine and how these experiences shape their view of Western medicine. These difficulties include language barriers and cultural differences. Our main focus was on the St. Cloud area due to its close proximity to the …

Concern About The Freshman 15, Peer Influence, & Weight-Control Behavior Among Freshmen, Sarah Bauman

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Objective: The author investigated how individual and perceived concern about the Freshman 15 influences weight-control behaviors among collegc freshmen, if peers have an effect on an individuals' concern about the Freshman 15, and whether students exercise, diet, or exhibit disorderly eating habits. Gender differences were also examined. It was hypothesized that (1) higher levels of concern about the Freshman 15 will result in greater weight control measures (2) peers influence individuals' use of weight-control measures and individuals who perceive their peers as concerned about the Freshman 15 will be more likely to engage in weight-control behaviors (3) that although females …

Serving The Healthcare Needs Of Lgb Millennials: Insights From A Focus Group, Colin Davis, Richard Ruth

School of Medicine and Health Sciences Student Works

The continuance of the historically strained relationship between LGBT populations and systems of care is evidenced by several recent studies and surveys that provide testimony connecting experiences of homo/transphobic and culturally incompetent healthcare to a reluctance or refusal to enter future care, indicative of a significant healthcare disparity for these populations. Few, if any studies have examined the experiences and perceptions of younger LGBT populations, specifically the “Millennial” generation, whose identities, because of generationally distinct social upbringings, might come to bear uniquely in healthcare settings. Understanding this cohort’s relationship with the healthcare system will enable practitioners to more competently interact …

Getting To The Heart Of Our Students: First-Year Students And Their Wellness, Shannon Ford

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Wellness is a topic everyone is talking about these days. While a keyword among conversations, wellness within literature is not broken down but simply a theme. Therefore, I wanted to gain a better understanding of how students across college campuses view and perceive their personal wellness. To do this, I conducted a phenomenological mixed methods study, which explored how first-year students perceive wellness.

Through administering the 36-question Perceived Wellness Inventory survey (Adams, Bezner & Steinhardt, 1997) and conducting a focus group, three themes emerged: behaviors versus knowledge, feelings, and support. These three themes supported existent wellness literature and added areas …

“Can You Hear Me Now?”: Insurance Coverage For Hearing Benefits In The United States, Reegan Whipple

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

Public and private insurance coverage for hearing benefits underscores the gaps in coverage for treating hearing loss in the U.S. The commodification of the hearing benefits sector of healthcare in this country has detrimental consequences for personal health. Using three personal anecdotes to frame the issue, my paper explores the complex worlds of both public and private insurance as well as the implications of each type of insurance for both adults and children. Current regulations and laws for hearing benefits leave many people to suffer financially, physically, and emotionally. After reviewing the current regulations I propose changes to rectify some …

The Impact Of Vaccine Hesitancy On The Polio Vaccine In South Asia, Leah Everist

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

A disease that paralyzes hundreds of children each year, polio is incurable but also entirely preventable through vaccination. Though part of the reason some children are not reached for immunization is that they are in areas too volatile for healthcare workers to access, vaccine hesitancy is increasingly being recognized as an important player. The objective of this study is to ascertain the degree to which vaccine hesitancy affects polio vaccine campaigns in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the countries in South Asia where polio continues to be endemic, to assess the drivers behind hesitancy in this region, and to present recommendations for …