United States

This project aims to investigate vaccine hesitancy in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic and how social/structural barriers to vaccine access and lack of trustworthiness may impact equitable vaccination rates in African American individuals who reside in the Southeastern US. Current research shows that 46% of participants in a similar study expressed uncertain/low intent to receive the COVID-19 vaccine with factors such as distrust in the efficacy of vaccines influencing intentions most strongly. This project will analyze data from the Southern Community Cohort Study (SCCS), a prospective cohort of approximately 85,000 adults, to examine predisposing, enabling, and need factors from the Andersen Behavioral Model as predictors of vaccine uptake. The results of this study will be presented at scientific conferences, distributed to members of the community, and used to inform dissemination strategies.

AMA Research Challenge 2023

Investigating How Social &amp; Structural Barriers to Vaccine Access and Lack of Trustworthiness May Impact Vaccination Rates Among African Americans During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Investigating How Social & Structural Barriers to Vaccine Access and Lack of Trustworthiness May Impact Vaccination Rates Among African Americans During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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Background: Eating disorders (EDs) have some of the highest mortality rates reported among psychiatric illnesses and are exacerbated by stigmatization. Obesity is recognized as a worldwide epidemic, and weight stigma has been highly researched for its negative physical and mental health implications. However, despite the well-established link between weight stigma and the development of EDs, few qualitative studies exist that explore this relationship from the patient and provider perspective. This project seeks to further understand patients’ and providers’ perspectives of the complex relationship among obesity, EDs, and their stigmatization in healthcare settings.

Methods: Three groups were invited: people with self-disclosed EDs, people self-disclosing as overweight or obese, and providers in primary care or mental health care. Semi-structured interviews probed participant attitudes toward weight stigma, ED stigma, and how providers discuss weight and eating. Transcripts were analyzed by grounded theory methods to generate a codebook of identified themes.

Results: Twelve individuals (4 obese/overweight, 3 EDs, 6 providers; 1 both overweight and a provider) completed the interview. Themes were organized under seven domains: (1) weight stigma, (2) obesity stereotypes, (3) ED stigma, (4) ED stereotypes, (5) eating influences, (6) relationship between obesity and EDs, and (7) improving provider approaches to weight and eating.

Discussion: This qualitative analysis characterizes the different facets of weight stigma and ED stigma, as well as their relationship with eating, weight, and health. Healthcare providers must take patient-centered approaches when discussing these concepts to reduce stigma and better support these populations.

Weight Stigma in Providers: A Qualitative Study on Provider Attitudes Towards Eating Disorders and Obesity

Background
The Muslim community of Steelton, Pennsylvania faces many negative social determinants of health, centering around a lack of economic stability and cultural barriers to health. In a close collaboration between the Islamic Society of Greater Harrisburg (ISGH), Penn State Lion Care, Penn State Community Health, and Penn State Muslim Student Association (MSA), a health fair was established at the ISGH mosque to provide education and resources to the local Muslim community.
Methods
Planning was initiated 6 months in advance, which included establishing relationships with stakeholders, solidifying a time and location for the event, recruiting volunteers, marketing, and other logistical tasks. Volunteer recruitment occurred primarily through pre-established organizational networks and used mediums such as email, group messaging, and word-of- mouth. Event marketing included distributing event fliers at 6 different local mosques after Friday prayer for 3 weeks leading up to the event. The health fair included stations which were uniquely designed around community needs and were created and run by volunteers, who included medical students, residents, attending physicians, and community health staff. Stations included engaging informational posters and unique free giveaways such as sunscreen, hats, and informational brochures. A “health passport” system was created to further engage event attendees.
Results
The health fair lasted for 3 hours, in which 38 people attended. 31 attendees received an Influenza vaccine, 28 had their blood pressure read, and 11 had blood glucose read. 27 volunteers, 13 were Muslims. Three referrals were made to LionCare. A total of 12 patients needed translation services, which included English, French, Urdu, and Arabic
languages. Screenings included blood pressure and blood glucose levels, and flu shot administration. Information stations included: diabetes education, mental health awareness, women’s health, pediatric injury prevention, vaccination myths, exercise and nutrition, colon cancer screening, skin cancer prevention, and free clinic resources.
Conclusion
Successful elements of the health fair included working with diverse volunteers that spoke multiple languages to translate for patients, tailoring topics to the Muslim population’s health needs, encouraging engagement within the health fair through interactive activities, and providing care within a cultural context (i.e. private spaces for men and women, avoiding music inside the mosque, modest attire for volunteers, etc.).
Future improvements include pairing the health fair with an already established community event, such as Friday prayer, to help increase attendance. Since this was a first time event, establishing consistency and building a respectable reputation in the community can incentivize more attendance in the future.


Establishing a Health Fair at a Mosque for an Underserved Muslim Population

This study investigates the feasibility and impact of a 12-week intervention combining Ashtanga yoga and mindfulness-enhanced behavioral lifestyle educational practices on mental and physical health outcomes in community-dwelling South Asian immigrant women. Thirty participants, recruited from diverse community gatherings, engaged in weekly sessions comprising 90 minutes of yoga and 30 minutes of mindfulness-enhanced interventions. Participants’ were an average age of was 53±6.3 years, with a mean BMI of 28.5±4.2, indicating overweight. Recruitment was successful, with 28 (93%) completing the study, demonstrating high feasibility. Participant attendance and satisfaction were strong, reinforcing acceptability. Significant improvements were observed in self-reported questionnaires, including mindfulness facets, depression, sleep quality, self-esteem, and physical activity levels. Objective assessments revealed improvements in mobility, grip strength, cognitive function, and systolic blood pressure. These findings support the feasibility and potential benefits of the intervention in enhancing mental and physical health outcomes in this population.

Group-Led Yoga and Mindfulness Intervention to Improve Mental and Physical Health Outcomes in a High-Risk Minority Population: South Asian Middle- and Older-Aged Women


Key words: Barbershops, Mental Health, Emotional Impact, Therapist, Talk Therapy


Introduction: Mens' mental health, particularly in communities of color, is an unkempt public health issue. In the United States, 1 in 8 men are likely to be diagnosed with a mental health illness, but compared to their women counterparts, are 33% less likely to reach out for intervention from a healthcare professional for mental or general health. What’s more, men are 3.56 times more likely to commit suicide than women. These numbers are hyper intense in Fort Worth, TX. Intervention is desperately needed. Our project goal is to utilize volunteer mental health professionals to provide focus groups, education, and health screening services to barbershops in underserved communities in Fort Worth, TX. The hope is that men of color will be able to have talk therapy during their haircut while receiving resources and support that they would/could not otherwise acquire. We will measure the likelihood of the men seeking mental health services after acquiring resources during their haircut, and how important safe spaces like the barbershop are vital in dismantling barriers to access resources. 

Method: 26 question electronical survey that gauge participants knowledge and accessibility to mental health resources in FW. PHQ2 is incorporated into the survey and will be done to gauge if follow up with MH professionals is needed during or after the project. The screening will be administered via electronic survey on iPad. Surveys will provide a participant ID to privately follow up and/or refer participants with anonymity. We will evaluate the emotional impact the project had on the patrons who visited that day. Additionally, it will measure the likelihood that individuals who attended followed up to receive mental health or general health services in the subsequent month.

Results: in a sample, n=45 individuals 68% percent deny promoting wellness in their everyday life. Over 53% denote moderate stressors being their occupation (24) and 33% severe stressors being Social injustice/race/class (18). 22.2% do not confide with anyone when they feel overwhelmed. 15% do not feel safe anywhere. 42% screened positive for depression via PHQ2, 59% believe their barber is like a therapist, 59% talk to their barbers about sensitive topics they do not talk to anyone else about. 93% feel more optimistic and less stress after leaving the barbershop. 57% felt more reassured about accessing mental health resources after the conclusion of the project. 74% stated it is important for them to have a therapist that looks like them. 53% stated that after the barbershop event, they probably and/or definitely would consider seeking a mental health provider. 46% stated barbershops are important to communities because haircuts make you feel better about yourself; 46% stated as well that barbershops are a place we can strategize how to be better for our community. 

Conclusion: Barbershops are a powerful setting in the de-stigmatization of mental health of men from minority communities. It instills confidence to access said resources and mobilizes ownership of their mental wellness as well as their community. More work needs to be done in creating a network of diverse therapists that can treat the multifaceted needs of the community. Additionally, training sessions would be invaluable to treat barbers how to identify anxiety or depression as well as equip them with resources to refer patrons accordingly. 

References:
1. The National Institute of Mental Health. (2021). Men and Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/men-and-mental-health/index.shtml
2. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2019). Mental Health: Culture, Race, and Ethnicity - A Supplement to Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK44243/
3. National Alliance on Mental Illness. (2021). African American Mental Health. https://www.nami.org/Your-Journey/Identity-and-Cultural-Dimensions/Black-African-American
4. Ghafoori, B., Langer, D. A., & Hunter, S. J. (2020). Exploring the Role of Barbershops in Facilitating Men's Access to Mental Health Care. Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities, 7(4), 675–684. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-019-00662-9
5. Hankerson, S. H., Suite, D., & Bailey, R. K. (2018). Treatment Preferences for Depression in Men of Color Who Participate in Community-Based Health Screening Events. Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities, 5(3), 598–607. https://doi.org/10.1007


Barbershop Talk Therapy Project: A Quality Improvement Study on Therapy-Led
Focus Groups for Minority Males in Community-Driven Spaces

Background
In 2017, Charleston was reported as the fasted gentrifying city in the United States of America. Gentrification has been theorized to impact health through changes to the physical environment and changes to the social environment. Despite an overall increase in insurance coverage in the Tri-County Charleston Metropolitan area (Tri-County Area) in South Carolina, the number of premature deaths increased between the years of 2015 to 2020. 

Methods
Trident United Way provided a data set from the Community Health Needs Assessment Survey published in 2019. This study analyzed this Community Health Needs Assessment Report conducted by Trident United Way. Variables analyzed were self-reported reasons for limited healthcare access by race and ethnicity. Race/ethnicity was categorized as White, Hispanic, Black, and Other. Rao-Scott Chi Square tests were used to conduct all analyses. 

Results
Significant results indicated a difference by race/ethnicity for the following reasons for limited healthcare access: “Cultural/religious beliefs” (p=<.0001); “I don’t know how to access healthcare services (p=.034); “I do not know when I need to see a doctor” (p=.006); “Fear” (p=.010); “I do not trust doctors'' (p=.003), “I do not have insurance and cannot pay for services (<.001); “I have insurance, but I cannot afford the co-pay or deductibles” (p<.001); “I do not know how to sign up for health insurance” (p<.001); “Lack of transportation” (p<.001); and “Lack of knowledge” (p<.001). No significant difference was found for lack of available healthcare services or distance to healthcare services.

Conclusion
Findings indicate that many disparities exist by race/ethnicity related to reasons for limited healthcare access in the Charleston Tri-County area. The top three most significant reasons were related to economic effects and were the highest in the minority populations. It is also important to note that lack of knowledge and distrust in doctors in the Hispanic population were higher than the top 3 overall reasons. This may be due to language barriers and/or recent immigration status. No differences were found regarding availability of services or distance to services, indicating that other strategies are needed to increase access to care. The most significant reason for Caucasians regarding limited healthcare access was that even though they had insurance, they stated they could not afford to pay their co-pay or deductible. This was counterintuitive from the demographic data that showed that they were the race with the highest self-reported income and education level.

Social Determinants of Access to Healthcare Services in the Tri-County Charleston Metropolitan Area by Race/Ethnicity

Background
Preterm birth is a major medical concern in the United States. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, about 1 in every 10 (10.38%) infants born in the United States in 2022 was delivered preterm. Neighborhood deprivation has been reported to be associated with preterm birth and neighborhood violence may mediate the association. However, the mediating influence of neighborhood violence has been unexplored in medical studies. This study, using a geographically defined cohort of women in Richmond city, Virginia, aims to examine the mediating influence of neighborhood violence on the association between neighborhood deprivation and preterm birth.

Methods
Merged data from the vital statistics live birth records, police crime reports, and census data for Richmond city, Virginia, for a ten-year consecutive period of 2006 to 2015 were analyzed. Data had a 2-level hierarchical structure with individual live births nested in 66 census tracts. Neighborhood deprivation was measured using the Neighborhood Deprivation Index (NDI) based on a previously validated algorithm and it synthesizes multiple dimensions of the neighborhood socioeconomic context, allowing for comparisons across geographic areas. Neighborhood violence was measured as the violence rate (per 1000 youth population) for each census tract and preterm birth was measured as the birth of a baby before 37 completed weeks of gestation. Multilevel structural equation modeling was used to examine the mediating influence of neighborhood violence on the association between neighborhood deprivation and preterm birth and the direct and indirect effects and their associated 95% confidence intervals were recorded.

Results
Rate of preterm birth in the study population was 10.1% and the violence rate was 114.1 per 1000 youth population in Richmond city during the study period. The median NDI score across all census tracts was 0.09, with an interquartile range of –0.69 to 0.76. There was a significant direct effect between neighborhood deprivation and preterm birth (β=0.304, 95% CI=0.231, 0.377). However, the indirect effect of neighborhood deprivation on preterm birth through neighborhood violence was not significant (β=0.063, 95% CI= –0.025, 0.151).

Conclusions
There is insufficient evidence to show that neighborhood violence mediates the association between neighborhood deprivation and preterm birth in women in Richmond city, Virginia. However, findings lend support to previous studies that reported increased risk of preterm birth in women resident in deprived neighborhoods, as well as increased risk of neighborhood violence in deprived neighborhoods.


Neighborhood Deprivation and Preterm Birth: The Mediating Influence of Neighborhood Violence

Asian Americans, comprising 6.3% of the US population and the fastest-growing racial/ethnic group, have seen a rising prevalence of eating disorders. However, research on the relationship between Asian Americans and eating disorders remains significantly understudied. Understanding these nuances is crucial due to the vulnerable status of Asian Americans from a social determinants of health perspective. The cultural preference for thin body types in Eastern societies, combined with the influence of K-Pop and Asian media on mainstream American culture, may contribute to increased eating disorders, disordered eating, and body dysmorphia among Asian Americans. Moreover, the lack of Asian American role models and negative racial stereotypes, particularly impacting Asian American males, add to the challenges they face. This study aims to examine the current state of eating disorder research among Asian American populations, identifying reasons for the research gap and shedding light on factors influencing the development and exacerbation of eating disorders in this community.

A Critical Analysis of Eating Disorders among Asian Americans and Actionable Recommendations

Prescription drug spending on generics has increased drastically in recent decades. Now, with over ninety percent of dispensed prescriptions in the United States being generic, there is a greater need to create strong legislation to prevent exorbitant financial burdens on patients. These burdens lead to decreased compliance with their needed prescription drugs and increased sacrifices of healthy lifestyle choices to accommodate for increased prices. Ultimately, the health risks compound, further affecting individuals’ physical and mental health and causing worse health outcomes. Prescription drug spending can be managed by addressing barriers to affordability, including shortages, price gouging, and abuse by brand-name drug manufacturers and pharmacy benefit managers. The Inflation Reduction Act, FAIR Drug Pricing Act, and Pharmacy Benefit Manager Reform Act are important bills that have been proposed but have yet to make significant headway toward passing into law. More federal support is needed for federally backed and trusted non-profit manufacturers to create generic products that compete with the private market. Such a solution will help increase competition and encourage the creation of a stable supply chain. Furthermore, amending current legislation to respond to the exploitations performed by brand-name drug manufacturers and pharmacy benefit managers by increasing transparency of pricing and practice will serve to improve access and affordability of generic prescription drugs. My policy recommendation is to tackle these challenges comprehensively and integrate these solutions for a more pronounced improvement in generic drug pricing. 


Policy Proposal to Improve Access and Affordability of Generic Prescription Drugs

Background
Neonatal jaundice is a condition that develops in approximately 85% of live births and becomes severe when total serum bilirubin (TSB) levels surpass 85 µmol/L and physical signs appear including yellow skin, yellowish eye appearance, pale stools, and dark urine. If untreated, kernicterus, an irreversible brain injury, occurs. As diagnosis of severe neonatal jaundice (SNJ) remains a challenge globally, it is imperative to address existing gaps, which have prompted this literature. The goals of our project include: 1) To consolidate diagnostic practices for SNJ in ten 
countries, 2) To determine gaps in screening measures, and 3) To provide feedback on areas of improvement.

Methods
Our search was conducted using the PubMed database to include 13 papers published between 2013 to 2023. The search terms used were “neonatal jaundice screening challenges,” “screening challenges in neonatal hyperbilirubinemia,” “prevalence of neonatal jaundice,” and “neonatal screening in developing countries.” We reviewed diagnostic practices and screening gaps for SNJ in ten countries including Malawi, Nigeria, India, Egypt, Netherlands, Bangladesh, Sweden, South Africa, Indonesia, and Turkey.

Results
Within our review of screening issues, four specific areas of improvement in diagnostic approach were identified: 1) access to healthcare facilities with appropriate resources for transcutaneous 
bilirubin (TcB) or TSB testing, 2) timely pre-discharge testing, 3) diagnostic education of SNJ for parents and community healthcare workers, and 4) compliance to the diagnostic guidelines by healthcare providers. In Malawi, Nigeria, India, Egypt, Netherlands, and South Africa, families with newborns had difficulty with accessing TcB or TSB testing. In Sweden and Turkey, appropriate pre-discharge testing needed 48-72 hours post-birth did not occur. Within Malawi, Bangladesh, and Indonesia, parents of newborns and community health workers did not receive adequate education to identify symptoms of SNJ. Studies in Nigeria and the Netherlands 
highlighted overuse of visual assessments to diagnose SNJ without use of additional tests to confirm diagnosis.

Conclusion
The following three recommendations were developed using the weaknesses in diagnostic approach in ten countries: 1) to design future healthcare facilities that have TcB or TSB testing and are geographically accessible to rural populations, 2) to offer community forums for community health workers, parents, and healthcare providers to educate on key symptoms and diagnostic tests of SNJ, and 3) to monitor compliance with diagnostic guidelines by healthcare providers. Key limitations of this review were the rising number of births occurring outside of 
the hospitals and inadequate financial resources to implement these recommendations.

Global Analysis of Challenges in Diagnosing Severe Neonatal Jaundice: Identifying Areas of Improvement

Background
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a condition that affects 14.7% of women globally and occurs when a mother develops diabetes during the course of pregnancy. Increased insulin resistance in pregnant mothers can lead to further complications, such as a larger baby, increased risk of the baby developing Type II diabetes, having low blood sugar, and even premature birth, which can cause respiratory issues. The lack of policies in place to address GDM in various countries worldwide highlights the need for this literature.
The goals of this project are to compile health policies pertaining to GDM implemented in several countries across the world, analyze core differences and similarities amongst Gestational Diabetes protocols, and pinpoint disparities in existing health policies in order to determine areas of policy improvement.

Methods
We focused on specific countries which included India, Canada, South Africa, United Kingdom, and China. Several global policies that we focused on were from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecology, International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Group, American Diabetes Association, WHO 2013, and Carpenter-Coustan criteria. With the use of the databases including PubMed and Scopus, ten policies were examined that described the gestational diabetes diagnosis/protocol.

Results
After scoping through the data and analyzing the policies based on intended audience, main recommendations of the policy, and fulfillment of culturally relevant recommendations, data was combined from the articles. Identifiable gaps that were perceived as significant included lack of perceived risk of type 2 diabetes, challenges in establishing homogenous GDM screening and diagnosis practices, issues with cost-effectiveness, and obstacles in addressing low resourced regions and population diversity including pregnant women lacking social support and knowledge of GDM.

Conclusion
There are clear identifiable gaps amongst the different health policies. There are many populations that are predisposed to gestational diabetes due to genetics, past pregnancies, area of residency, socioeconomic status, etc. In reviewing the country specific and global policies, many of the policies reported broad criteria for diagnosing GDM as they did not include specific risk factors for consideration. Many gaps need to be addressed to reduce the increasing prevalence of GDM through early diagnosis, development of risk factor screening, and providing support to pregnant women at high risk of developing GDM. There were several limitations to this study such as the inability to research specific policies due to the lack of reporting policies, inaccurate reporting, and outdated criteria for GDM.

Next from AMA Research Challenge 2023

Weight Stigma in Providers: A Qualitative Study on Provider Attitudes Towards Eating Disorders and Obesity