Poster Session / Pósteres: Foyer
Addressing Tobacco-related Health Disparities in California: Lessons Learned from Statewide Efforts to Restrict Flavored and Menthol Tobacco Products
Poster Session Sarah Hellesen
Smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death in the United States. While overall rates of traditional cigarette smoking have decreased in recent years, the use of flavored tobacco products among young people and new smokers has increased. Flavored products are more attractive to youth and are often perceived as less harmful. Menthol cigarettes are also used disproportionately by youth, women, the LGBT population, and communities of color. Prohibiting the sale of flavored products is an important step toward eliminating tobacco-related health disparities in the U.S. In 2014 and 2017, local health agencies funded by the California Tobacco Control Program conducted public opinion polls and key informant interviews to ascertain public sentiment around prohibiting the sale of flavored tobacco. The Tobacco Control Evaluation Center analyzed this data and compared the results from both years. TCEC also analyzed evaluation reports from projects that advocated for policies restricting flavored tobacco in their jurisdictions during these years. The strategies used by these agencies, challenges encountered, and lessons learned can inform future work in this area of tobacco control. Statewide data shows both public and policymaker support for prohibiting flavored tobacco has increased from 2014-2017, with a third wave of data collection planned for 2019. Evaluation design to accurately inform policy implementation activities and assess the impacts of interventions is crucial to the success of these efforts. Extensive assessment of the community's attitudes and beliefs to guide successful campaigns, and the mobilization of youth to self-advocate for restrictions on tobacco sales are also recommended.
Age and Cause Specific Decomposition of Life Expectancy Growth in Hong Kong from 1987 to 2016
Poster Session Yan Zheng
During the past few decades, Hong Kong has achieved a remarkable increase in life expectancy and become one of the best life expectancy records in the world. Although there have been many studies discussing the health states of Hong Kong residents, we still know very little about the growth mechanism of life expectancy improvement in Hong Kong. Our study aims to assess contributions of mortality change by age groups and selected major causes of death to the overall life expectancy growth over the period from 1987 to 2016 in Hong Kong. Decomposition methods were used to quantify the impacts of age structure and leading causes of death on the life expectancy growth in Hong Kong. Findings of the study showed that the improvement of Hong Kong life expectancy from 1987 to 2016 was mainly attributable to the declined mortality from chronic diseases of adult groups being shifted to the older population. However, this positive contribution was partly offset by the negative contribution of increase of deaths from pneumonia. Besides, the escalating prevalence of many chronic diseases among the younger age groups has caused a noticeable loss in life expectancy in recent years. In terms of external causes of death, the declining mortality of accidents has also exerted positive contribution to the health improvement in Hong Kong. Therefore, although Hong Kong has achieved significant performance in improving life expectancy, much is still needed to be done to sustain its continuous improvement.
Text to Connect: An Evaluation of a Texting Help Line for Domestic Violence Support Services
Poster Session Patti Culross, Meghan Kehoe
Texting help lines are becoming more common for social and healthcare services provision. Young adults are more likely to use phones for texting rather than talking and would be the primary audience this service. Young adulthood is also the most common time for the first experience of intimate partner violence, therefore, intervening at this age is critical. Yet an age-appropriate method of assistance is not widely available from domestic violence (DV) services providers. A texting help line aimed at youth was piloted at an established domestic violence services provider in Northern California after a phone help line for youth was not effective. Staff consulted with local DV youth leaders and a national youth-focused DV prevention program, which operates its own hotline, chatline and text line. These conversations informed the decision to pilot a texting help line for youth to provide a more age-appropriate communications bridge to domestic violence services. We will describe the development and operation of the text line and present evaluation data from the pilot year of operation. Data will include the demographics of text help line users, specific types of domestic violence reported, length of text conversations and types of information provided and the services or referrals recommended. These data will allow domestic violence service providers to understand the demographics and types of domestic violence experiences of a youth population previously unreached by conventional phone help lines, and will allow for more targeted interventions designed for youth victims of domestic violence.
Prediabetes and Diabetes Screening on Wheels in Solano County California
Poster Session Clipper Young
One in three Americans has prediabetes, and 90% of those who have this condition do not know it. One in seven Americans has diabetes (14% of the U.S. adult population); 10% know it, and 4% are undiagnosed according to recent CDC data. To prevent diabetes and increase the equal access to health care screening, Touro University California in Solano County California has created and implemented a community outreach program: Mobile Diabetes Education Center (MOBEC). This is a community effort with Sutter Health, Solano County Department of Public Health and others to enhance health literacy in at-risk and homeless populations. With the belief that an increased percentage of the homeless and at-risk populations can be screened for prediabetes/diabetes, MOBEC has been taking the care/screening/education to them. Our screening procedure includes asking residents to complete the CDC Prediabetes Screening Test; performing a fingerstick test if their screening score is 9 or above; obtaining a hemoglobin A1c if the glucose level is within the prediabetes/diabetes range. The outcomes of this program are: to identify those who have the condition; to enroll those who have the condition to either the Diabetes Prevention Program or the Diabetes Education and Empowerment Program. Solano County residents have returned to MOBEC for screenings and/or additional education, and an increased number of community partners has asked MOBEC to attend community health events. Although MOBEC is still in its early phase, the data collected have shown the effectiveness of this concept.
Community Collaboration Targeting HIV/AIDS Reduction in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Poster Session Teresa Sharp, Sujeith Barraza
In 2015, 143,000 Tamilians were living with HIV/AIDS. Cultural challenges exist that prevent community members from recognizing HIV/AIDS as a problem. Social determinants of health, including government statements and a male-dominated society, are factors that limit harm reduction practices and contribute to HIV/AIDS rates in Chennai. The International Alliance for the Prevention of AIDS (IAPA) collaborated with other non-governmental agencies to conduct 4 focus groups: Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) (n=6), Women (n=10), Transgender (n=10), and, Counter Parts/Translators (n=8). Themes within and across focus groups provided ideas to properly address HIV/AIDS in the community. Identified themes included stigma, communication, innovative prevention and intervention methods utilizing technology, and perceptions and actions related to monogamy and safe sex practices. Summary: Local and trusted organizations provide relevant perspectives on HIV/AIDS, are well known among community members, assist with translation and provide engagement with at-risk communities. IAPA’s next steps include operationalizing focus group recommendations through a new campaign; “#KnowTheSelfie” to increase education and behavior changes utilizing social media platforms. Local agencies will assist with dissemination of the campaign thereby increasing the likelihood of success in delivering the message to the populations they serve, and addressing the risks that have increased the rates of HIV/AIDS in these communities.
Sexual Abuse among Children: Victims’ and Perpetrators’ Characteristics
Poster Session Mona Hassan
Most child sexual abuse research is based on the recollections of adults whose perspectives and biases might hinder identification of abuse risk factors. This study examined children’s immediate post assault reports. A convenience sample of health records of 95 children ages 6 to 14 treated in emergency departments from 2006 to 2010 was examined. Child victims’ mean age was 11.3; most were African American (87%) girls (86%) who were abused on weekends (73%). Most parents and caregivers (63%) reported alleged sexual abuse within 24 hours; 57% obtained medical help within 12 hours of abuse. Perpetrators had a mean age of 23.3, were overwhelmingly male (97%), and known to the child victims (80%), usually through their mothers, explaining why most children (57%) offered no resistance. Education, research, and health policy are needed to increase awareness of the potential for sexual abuse and physical harm to children by men known to the family.
Smartphone-based 478 Breathing Training on Stress and Mood: Possibility of Self- stress Management Strategy
Poster Session Seongwook Bae, Kyungmi Lee
The objective of this study was to verify, in a sample of university students, whether a smartphone-based 478 breathing technique program is capable of improving mood and reducing levels of stress. Eight adult healthy subjects (aged between 25 and 30 years) volunteered for the study. The subjects were submitted in the morning and in the evening daily 478 breathing training for three minutes during one week without practicing any treatment. The psychological state of mood and stress was evaluated using Korean version of Global Assessment of Recent Stress scale (K-GARS), Korean version of Profile of Mood State (K-POMS), while the biological profile of the stress was detected by measuring the heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV) and the salivary cortisol. The results show an improvement of both subjective and objective parameters in all participants after one week training. The results obtained from the present research support the possibility that 478 breathing technique is capable to induce an effective improvement in mood and stress both in terms of self-reported evaluations (GRS and POMS) and of objective parameters, such as heart rate, HRV, and salivary cortisol levels.
Men's Preconception Health: Social and Economic Factors
Poster Session Jennifer Pearce-Morris
Men’s preconception health is important for the health outcome of a child. A variety of factors for men help produce healthier children, such as men having less exposure to environmental toxins, alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs, unhealthy foods, and type-II diabetes complications prior to conception. Much of the public is still unaware of this information, and federal health agencies have made it a goal to increase awareness of and address barriers to men’s preconception health engagement. This study contributes by examining the following: first, what are some positive, health-related practices that young men currently do when they become likely to conceive a child? Second, what social and economic factors are associated with whether or not someone engages in positive, health-related practices? Data come from public-use files of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. The sample consisted of men who went from either having no sex or sex with pregnancy prevention to later engaging in sex without pregnancy prevention with a romantic or sexual partner. From the time one to time two, men increased exercise and decreased marijuana use (if previously using marijuana), however, cigarette and alcohol use did not significantly change. Respondents with higher education, or who were taught about health and pregnancy in school during adolescence, were more likely to increase exercise. As relationship commitment level increased, marijuana use declined. Lack of physician visits and having a job with potential environmental toxins were also challenges for some respondents. Addressing economic, educational, and environmental factors is warranted.
Enhancing Students’ Understanding of Health, Well-being, Illness Risks, and Possible Health-related Disparities Using Student-conducted, Inter-disciplinary Empirical Projects
Poster Session Laurette Morris
Students in disciplines such as psychology, sociology, and public health study health concerns within individuals, communities and societies. Such study includes prevalence and incidence findings for physical and mental illnesses, along with risk and protective factors, as well as disparities in health and in health care or access to it. Empirical evidence gathered by students may serve: (1) to engage students’ interest in various health-related topics; (2) enhance their understanding of specific topics; and (3) allow them to gain hands-on experience in the scientific investigation process. Selected qualitative and quantitative procedures are recommended, depending on the course level, time constraints, and students’ skill sets. They also (4) learn to evaluate and better appreciate the pros and cons of different research methods, making them better consumers of others' health-related research and findings as well. Students may determine their own topics for investigation as well as address specific questions posed by instructors or consistent with course agenda. Standardization of procedures chosen should be maximized to increase the reliability, validity and overall utility of data collected. Findings from students’ projects may be used to support and supplement material presented in courses, be incorporated into student papers, other assignments and course exams, as well as facilitate class discussions. Examples of student projects, along with sample findings are presented.
Goochland County Community Health Assessment: Qualitative Data and Health Topic Prioritization
Poster Session Caitlin Hodge
The Community Health Assessment (CHA) for Goochland County, Virginia is the initial phase of a process to evaluate and improve the health outcomes and opportunities of the whole community. The assessment is intended to serve as a guide for those seeking to improve community health and make impactful change in the County. Quantitative data was collected and analyzed to better understand the issues and barriers influencing the population’s health. Additionally, multiple activities were conducted to add context, perspective, and real-life examples of health determinants from the community. These activities included: Community Listening Sessions to learn the importance of health-related topics from the perspective of community members; a Forces of Change Assessment with County leadership to identify factors influencing health in the community currently and in the future; Windshield Surveys to observe the built environment, resources, and services within each of the County’s five districts; Root Cause Tree analyses to explore conditions that may contribute to local health disparities; and multi-voting to select health priorities with the CHA Steering Committee by defining, categorizing, and selecting health indicators most relevant to the well-being of the community. The assessment uncovered areas that would benefit from focused action to promote health equity: limited access to affordable and high-speed internet; a scarcity of local mental health care providers; limited transportation options for those without a personal vehicle; and limited affordable housing options in the County. Developing strategies for breaking down barriers to health equity will be the focus during the Community Health Improvement Plan.
