Public Health – Page 4 – UROP Spring Symposium 2021

Public Health

Whole Health Educational Resource Development and Evaluation for Veterans and VA Staff

Whole Health is a system of holistic care focusing on physical and social parameters in the care of Veteran patients that is in place at VA hospitals around the country. The aim of this study is to investigate participants’ perceptions of the Whole Health system of care. The study methodology focuses on a survey containing questions regarding different areas of the Circle of Whole Health (a widely used framework for Whole Health at the VA). The survey is designed by a team of undergraduate researchers at the University of Michigan, working with a physician researcher at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System. The survey was sent out to Veterans, VA staff, VA volunteers, and family members of Veterans. At the time of publication of this abstract, the data has been collected and preliminary analysis is in process. Analysis of the survey results in terms of descriptive statistics and tests of relationships, using chi-square tests, is being performed. Specific, detailed, and final results will be available at the time of the Symposium presentation. This final information could be used to better understand which modalities are most understood by Veterans, which areas are most understood by those who support Veterans (such as VA staff, VA volunteers, and family members), and which Whole Health modalities are most effective in improving Veterans’ physical or mental health.

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Whole Health Educational Resource Development and Evaluation for Veterans and VA Staff

The Veterans Association (VA) is a government agency providing comprehensive healthcare for Veterans. Many VA hospitals have implemented the Whole Health system of care which is an approach to healing that emphasizes patient empowerment and holistic methods that treat the body, mind and spirit. Some integrative methods included in Whole Health are yoga, music therapy, tai chi and personal goal setting. Previous research has shown that therapies, such as these, have improved symptoms of anxiety, stress, depression and PTSD in Veterans. Given these benefits, our goal is to analyze perceptions and uses of holistic services. Results can be used for self-reflection or possible pragmatic areas of emphasis. In order to collect data, a twenty-question survey on Qualtrics will be distributed digitally to Veterans and employees at the VA hospital. We expect a sample size of around 25 participants. The questions are open-ended, multiple choice, scale-based and multiple select. Multiple choice answers will be analyzed quantitatively, while open-ended questions will be examined using keyword coding. At the time of publication of this abstract, the data has been collected and preliminary analysis is in process. Specific, detailed, and final results will be available at the time of the Symposium presentation. Implications include educating Veterans on unfamiliar Whole Health programs and promoting integrative healthcare. Data can also be used to tailor resources for Veterans and employees. The content of future studies will depend on the pending results and analysis.

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Whole Health Educational Resource Development and Evaluation for Veterans and VA Staff

Our research studies how the VA’s Whole Health program affects the health and well-being of Veterans, staff members and volunteers. Whole Health is a holistic system of care at the Veteran Administration Healthcare System that starts with the individual, focusing on eight aspects of their life including exercise, work, leisure, diet, sleep, relationships, spirituality and stress. Preventative care and medical treatment is personalized to what matters to the patient. Our research group is exploring how different integrative medical modalities affect the patient and the various aspects that contribute to their well-being. Background research has shown that yoga may be effective in treating PTSD and chronic lower back pain, while acupuncture has shown to be an effective treatment for disturbed sleep in PTSD patients. Our group has constructed an online survey that will be distributed to a diverse population of Veterans, staff members and volunteers to assess how five modalities affect their well-being. We are focusing our survey on acupuncture, light therapy, yoga, mindfulness meditation and diet. At the time of publication of this abstract, the data has been collected and preliminary analysis is in process. Specific, detailed, and final results will be available at the time of the Symposium presentation. We are expecting to see that some of the modalities being surveyed positively influence the Veterans and hope to find out specifically which aspects of their circle of Whole Health are being targeted. Once the data is collected, we want to look further into how we can continue to work with the VA to improve the personalized care of their Veterans.

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Topics in Global Studies: the Effect of Government Programs on Perceived Trust in Conflicted Areas of Myanmar

Julia Tenbusch Pronouns: she/her/hers Research Mentor(s): Elisa Maria Maffioli, Assistant Professor Research Mentor School/College/Department: Health Management and Policy, School of Public Health Presentation Date: Thursday, April 22, 2021 Session: Session 4 (2pm-2:50pm) Breakout Room: Room 11 Presenter: 5 Event Link Abstract For privacy concerns this abstract cannot be published at this time. Authors: Julia Tenbusch

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Help with different research projects in Global Health

Sadie Hertz Pronouns: she/her Research Mentor(s): Elisa Maria Maffioli, Assistant Professor Research Mentor School/College/Department: Health Management and Policy, School of Public Health Presentation Date: Thursday, April 22, 2021 Session: Session 4 (2pm-2:50pm) Breakout Room: Room 11 Presenter: 5 Event Link Abstract For privacy concerns this abstract cannot be published at this time. Authors: Sadie Hertz

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Online Homophobic and Racial Discrimination and Cardiovascular Health among Young Sexual Minority Men: Preliminary Evidence

Background Much research documents the deleterious impact of discrimination on health outcomes of minority populations. In particular, emerging evidence suggests that experiences of discrimination can lead to physiological dysregulation which, in turn, can lead to poor cardiovascular health outcomes among racial/ethnic minorities. However, experiences in online environments (e.g., Twitter, Facebook) have been underexplored in the research literature despite the fact that they are pervasive among young adults. In particular, young sexual minorities may experience discrimination online due to their racial/ethnic identity and/or sexual minority identity. This, in turn, may impact processes of mental and physiological health among this population. The current study seeks to bridge the gap in the literature by exploring the association between experiences of homophobic and racial discrimination online and cardiovascular health among a sample of young sexual minority men (YSMM).

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Online Homophobic and Racial Discrimination and Cardiovascular Health among Young Sexual Minority Men: Preliminary Evidence

Background Much research documents the deleterious impact of discrimination on health outcomes of minority populations. In particular, emerging evidence suggests that experiences of discrimination can lead to physiological dysregulation which, in turn, can lead to poor cardiovascular health outcomes among racial/ethnic minorities. However, experiences in online environments (e.g., Twitter, Facebook) have been underexplored in the research literature despite the fact that they are pervasive among young adults. In particular, young sexual minorities may experience discrimination online due to their racial/ethnic identity and/or sexual minority identity. This, in turn, may impact processes of mental and physiological health among this population. The current study seeks to bridge the gap in the literature by exploring the association between experiences of homophobic and racial discrimination online and cardiovascular health among a sample of young sexual minority men (YSMM).

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Fostering trust in state authorities during COVID-19 pandemic

Brooke Beccari Pronouns: She/her/hers Research Mentor(s): Elisa Maria Maffioli, Assistant Professor Research Mentor School/College/Department: Health Management and Policy, School of Public Health Presentation Date: Thursday, April 22, 2021 Session: Session 4 (2pm-2:50pm) Breakout Room: Room 13 Presenter: 2 Event Link Abstract For privacy concerns this abstract cannot be published at this time. Authors: Elisa Maffioli,

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Using Google Earth to assess neighborhood physical and social disorder and how it affects stroke incidence

The purpose of this study is to investigate how microscale features of built and social environments (BSEs) indicating physical and social disorder contribute to increased risk of stroke. The extent of neighborhood physical and social disorder is expected to have a positive correlation with increased risk of stroke, assuming that these features indicate less safety and less social cohesion in a neighborhood. If participants perceive that a neighborhood is an unsafe place to exercise outside, there will be lower levels of physical activity, contributing to higher risk of stroke. This study utilized participant data collected from the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) cohort, a national sample of adults over the age of 45 including oversamples of African American participants and participants living in the stroke belt. Using Google Earth and a subsample of participants (n=1,200), the physical and social disorder surrounding each participant’s home was characterized based on a series of metrics. The results of each environmental audit were then compared using chi-square tests to determine if a statistically significant relationship between stroke risk and each feature exists. Sixty-two percent of the participants in the case cohort sample had a prior stroke. Over two-thirds of participants’ neighborhoods had no abandoned buildings, graffiti, buildings with broken/boarded windows, or extensive disorder, and less than half had unmaintained fields/lots. None of the tests of association between stroke and measures of disorder were significant.

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Using Google Earth to assess neighborhood features and how they affect stroke

Relevance: Stroke is one of the leading causes of death in the US, and the impact of this risk is extensive, especially among Black Americans living in the southern United States. This study investigates the impact that built and social environments (BSE) can have on individuals’ health, specifically stroke risk, focusing on two features in the built environment, sidewalks and pedestrian street lights, that may influence activity levels, which can in turn affect stroke risk. Methods: Researchers obtained key measures from the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study and expanded the data to measure the BSEs of the study participants. 30,239 participants throughout the United States were sampled. This study took advantage of the free Google Earth geobrowser to analyze the built and social environments of a sample of participants’ neighborhoods. Chi-square tests were used to examine associations between presence of sidewalks, street lights and stroke risk in a sample of about 1200 participants. Results: In this case cohort sample, sixty-two percent of the study participants had a prior stroke. Fewer than half of the participants’ streets (44%) had sidewalks or pedestrian street lights (32%). The chi-squared tests showed no significant associations between stroke risk and presence of sidewalks or pedestrian street lights. Conclusion: The study’s goal of discerning the “unexplained variability” present in stroke risk, specifically between African American and White individuals, has not yet been achieved. Future research should continue to gather more data to evaluate the relationship between BSEs and stroke risk.

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