Dental practice requires unique working conditions such as prolonged working hours, strained body postures and laborious, high finesse dental techniques. However, it can be more efficiently performed by the application of ergonomics, rather than physically forcing the worker's body to fit the job. Posture is highly influenced by factors such as inadequate working level, incorrect patient positioning, and poor visual comfort. In order to eliminate musculoskeletal disorders it is necessary to control these and other factors, and design the human work environment to be more ergonomic. The aim of this study was to assess ergonomics within Indian dental practice and elucidate factors that prevented application of ergonomics. An observational study was conducted among 58 Indian dentists, both from a private dental hospital and clinics. A questionnaire that consisted of 37 open-ended and closed-ended questions was used as a research tool for the study. Information on background characteristics, work environment, equipment, work administration, and ergonomic awareness was collected using the questionnaire. Sampling consisted of observing 37 male and 21 female dentists. A total of 58 individuals, 62 % ( 36), worked for a private dental hospital, and 38% (22) for dental clinics. A majority, 84.5% (49), of the dentists reported that they did not receive ergonomic training from their work administration. Most dentists, 96% (56), reported that there was no system of recordkeeping for workplace accidents. Lack of proper ergonomic training and no system of recordkeeping for workplace accidents were found to be the primary factors for not applying ergonomics by Indian dentists. Ergonomic training programs are needed in India to help educate dentists on workplace safety and health, and thus aid in reducing musculoskeletal pain. Finally, a system is needed in Indian dental practice to promote workplace safety and health by identifying workplace hazards that result in injuries.

The purpose of this research was to determine the effectiveness of the independent study method of instruction in promoting health knowledge and health attitude change. The experimental method was compared to the traditional classroom model of instruction. A random sample of ten subjects was taken for the experimental group and matched control subjects were then selected. Control subjects were chosen based on the demographic variables of age, race, sex, academic classification and grade point average. A pretest-posttest design using two standardized instruments was employed to measure the health knowledge gain and health attitude change. Data was statistically analyzed by use of a two-tailed T-test. Findings revealed no significant difference between the independent study model of instruction and the traditional instructional model regarding health knowledge gain or attitude change. Conclusions were made regarding the findings and recommendations were offered for future research in this area.

Sexual risk behaviors pose a major public health problem. However, sufficient research has not been done on the relationship between health risk behaviors and emotional intelligence. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between emotional intelligence, and sexual, smoking, and alcohol behavior among young adults. As well as explore the relationship between health risk behaviors. Emotional intelligence and sexual, alcohol, and smoking behavior of undergraduate college students from the greater Los Angeles area was assessed through an anonymous online questionnaire (n=80). There was no significant difference found in emotional intelligence between college students engaging in risk behaviors and college students not engaging in risk behaviors, for all risk behaviors assessed. However, there was a strong correlation found between college students engagement in different risk behaviors. These results indicate there is no significant relationship between emotional intelligence and health risk behaviors. Research about this relationship can be useful in designing interventions that reduce negative health outcome associated with health risk behaviors.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports indicate that 8% and 6.3% of Kentuckians consume enough fruits and vegetables, respectively. The Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud (PIUKP) project is a recipe-development project that aims to boost produce consumption by incorporating local fruits and vegetables. The purpose of this study was to implement promotional strategies using PIUKP recipes at farmers’ markets and determine their effects on consumers’ intent of purchasing and preparing the produce. The study was conducted at nine farmers’ markets across Kentucky (n=300) in collaboration with Cooperative Extension agents/assistants. The consumers’ impression of the sample was positively associated with their intent to purchase fruits and vegetables the same day (t = 0.36; p < 0.0001), in future (t=0.43; p < 0.0001), and prepare the respective recipes (t=0.51; p < 0.0001). Distribution of recipe cards was also positively correlated with consumers’ intent to prepare recipes (t=0.35; p < 0.0001). However, no significant association was found between the self-reported fruit and vegetable intake and their respective dermal carotenoid score. Findings from this study support the use of promotional strategies as a means to influence produce intake among farmers market consumers. Future studies can apply these strategies and explore the extent of effect they have on dietary intake.

Emerging influenza viruses continue to challenge public health. The problem is public health science professionals have been battling emerging human influenza diseases with tactile and reactionary methods because there is a lack of knowledge and data at the human-animal interface. This research was a baseline study of the proportion of influenza A virus (IAV) in urban and rural communities in California. The population was artificial recirculating water ponds in the geographic locations of rural and urban Californian communities. Surface water samples [N = 182] were collected from artificial recirculating ponds in California. Positivity for IAV was verified by real time RT-PCR, MDCK cells for virus infectivity, nucleotide sequencing of the RNA genome, and phylogenic analysis of IAV H5N1 strains. The proportion of IAV in rural and urban ponds favored the greater burden of IAV in urban ponds over rural ponds. The presence of waterfowl and IAV M gene sequence positivity were found not to be significantly related. The geochemical properties--pH, salinity, and water temperature at time of collection--were not predictors of IAV infectivity. This baseline research study validated these water ponds as resource sites for IAV surveillance and monitoring. The social change implications of this study can be recognized at the national and international levels, to the population level, and to the individual level by providing geospatial analysis and spatial-temporal data for IAV surveillance, initiating biosecurity measures to protect poultry industries in the United States and Brazil, and contributing to the current IAV strain library. Contributions to the IAV strain library may be used to develop vaccines against human pandemics.

Immunization remains one of the most successful and cost-effective public health interventions worldwide. The purpose of this study was to examine the individual and socioeconomic factors that influence childhood immunization coverage in Nigeria. The health belief model and the social ecological model were used as the theoretical framework for the study, which examined the effects of individual, parental, and socioeconomic factors on complete immunization among Nigerian children. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate tests were conducted within a secondary analysis of 2013 Nigerian National Demographic and Health Survey was done. Of 27,571 children aged 0 to 59 months, 22.1% had full vaccination and 29% never received any vaccination. Immunization coverage was significantly related to the socioeconomic status of the child's parents, region, and marital status (p < 0.00). Similarly, child birth order, delivery place, child number, and presence or absence of child health card in the family were significantly related to the level of immunization (p < 0.00). Maternal age, geographical location, education, religion, literacy, wealth index, marital status, and occupation were significantly associated with immunization coverage. Respondent's age, educational attainment, and wealth index remained significantly related to immunization coverage at 95% confidence interval in multivariate analysis. Implications for positive social change include evidence on hindrances to successful immunization programs and relevant information for a more effective, efficient, sustainable and acceptable immunization program for the stakeholders in Nigeria.

Increased systemic infections and growing resistance of Candida species in immunosuppressed people have prompted research for additional treatment options. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the potential of lemongrass, oregano, and thyme essential oils tested individually, combined, and combined with the antifungal agents fluconazole and caspofungin to kill Candida albicans isolates in a controlled laboratory setting. This study was grounded on the theoretical concepts of the epidemiologic triangle model. The experimental data collected were used to investigate risk factors related to age, gender, race, and comorbidities. Kill rates of lemongrass, oregano, and thyme essential oils individually and combined, kill rates of fluconazole, caspofungin, and the kill rates when the antifungals were each combined with the 3 essential oils were compared using 117 isolates recovered from bloodstream infections between January 2009 through August 1, 2017. The data collected were analyzed using 2-way repeated ANOVAS. According to study results, there were statistically significant increases in kill rates when the isolates were exposed to any of the combinations of essential oils tested. Using binomial and multinomial regression to analyze age, gender, race, and comorbidities resulted in the age group 25-34, kidney failure, and solid organ tumor cancer all being statistically significantly associated with an increased risk for Candida albicans bloodstream infections, and multiple organ failure negatively associated with the risk. Health care practitioners can use the results of this study to reduce the number of patients becoming infected with life-threatening yeast infections, which could reduce the costs associated with infections.

African American breast cancer survivors are at a greater risk of experiencing disparities in mortality, treatment, and quality of life. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the impact that breast cancer had on the quality of life of African American breast cancer survivors from a psychosocial, physical, spiritual, and economic perspective. Face-to-face, in-depth interviews were conducted with 9 volunteers who met the eligibility criteria of being breast cancer survivors of African American decent. The sample of survivors ranged in ages 45 to 80 and was between 6 to 30 years postdiagnosis. Giorgi's phenomenological method was used to extract themes or meaning units. Thematic analyses led to 4 established quality of life categories and 2 empowerment emerging themes. The quality of life categories were psychosocial (body image, acceptance), physical (complications of treatment), spiritual (reliance of God), and economic (insured and uninsured). The empowerment categories and emerging themes were formal social networks (whether a sense of empowerment was encouraged), keep moving, and support from other survivors. The final empowerment category was informal social networks-whether a sense of empowerment was encouraged (friends and family was supportive, husband not involved in care). Positive social change implications include providing African American breast cancer survivors information on social networks to achieve a sense of support.

The complex challenges facing the sexual assault nurse examiners program in a midwest state are underreporting, late reporting, and poor coordination of care for pediatric victims of child maltreatment with sexual abuse. The main objective of this quality improvement project was the identification of necessary practice-related approaches to care to decrease barriers associated with reporting suspicions of abuse or neglect. An evidence-based, multidisciplinary assessment clinical toolkit that followed clinical components of trauma-sensitive, child-centered screenings triggering a coordinated response to conduct a forensic medical exam within 96 hours of the alleged incident was evaluated. During 3 rounds of surveys following the Delphi technique, 10 members of an expert panel agreed upon critical success indicators were used for the review and final decision for adoption of the toolkit. The final consensus obtained, with an intraclass correlation of 0.924 with a 95% confidence interval, supported implementation of this trauma-informed toolkit which would ensure that medical care and throughput through the system of care addressed the physical and mental needs of the patient and caregivers as well as improvement in the forensic investigative data collection. A child-centered, trauma-sensitive approach to screening and evaluation by healthcare professionals will help decrease the delay to evaluation and to curtail long-term adverse impacts on survivors. This family-based primary prevention effort is a framework for healthcare practitioners to use and includes strategies (i.e., health history, mental health evaluation, family dynamics evaluation) that are child and family centered contributing significantly to positive social change.

Medical and economic costs for obesity are estimated at $147 billion per year, yet less than 1/3 of overweight individuals successfully maintain weight loss. The literature is replete with descriptions of the problem and research on treatments, yet demonstrations of effective loss and maintenance are lacking. Missing is an understanding of the experiences of individuals who successfully maintained healthy weight loss, which could provide insights regarding effective psycho-social interventions. The purpose of this qualitative narrative study was to explore key events and experiences in the lives of former weight cyclers. The primary phenomena of interest included weight cycling and sustained weight loss. Self-determination theory (SDT) and social cognitive theory (SCT) provided the theoretical frameworks to explore concepts like autonomy, mastery, and vicarious learning, which are known to be associated with recovery from other addictions (e.g., smoking cessation, weight loss). Using the tradition of narrative analysis, the stories of 6 formerly obese weight cyclers revealed 5 major themes: structure, strategies, relationship/support, autonomy, and identity as a fat person. Findings support SDT and SCT as meaningful frameworks for understanding how severely obese individuals can attain successful weight maintenance. Findings from this study revealed elements not fully addressed by these theories, such as resilience, the diverse orientations to the problem, and overarching themes common to all participants. Findings can be used to place greater emphasis on psychological components such as autonomy, mastery, and relatedness, which are necessary for successful remission. Findings may contribute to reducing direct and related costs of obesity and improving quality of life for individuals and their families.