American Journal of Public Health Research

Making meaningful contact with marginalized populations is a challenge that public health practitioners continually face. Vulnerable populations that are targeted in health promotion initiatives are frequent users of community-based organizations, making these agencies an important point of contact. The relationships community-based organizations have with vulnerable populations are under-utilized for developing and disseminating health messages. Using the example of women and HIV prevention, this paper argues that amending policy within community organizations can be an effective method to improve access to health information and resources, and elicit positive change. Furthermore, greater collaboration and knowledge exchange between public health agencies and community service providers will ensure organizations have the capacity to implement evidence-based policies that foster an environment where long-term positive change can occur.

American Journal of Public Health Research. 2013, 1(2), 53-58. DOI: 10.12691/ajphr-1-2-3
Pub. Date: April 08, 2013

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Dengue Knowledge and Preventive Practices among Rural Residents in Samar Province, Philippines

by Begonia C. Yboa and Leodoro J. Labrague

Original Research

The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies dengue as a disease important in public health. The epidemiology and ecology of dengue infections are strongly associated with human habits and activities. The present study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and practices regarding dengue infections among rural residents in Samar Province, Philippines. A cross sectional design was adopted for this investigation. Convenience samples of six hundred forty six (646) residents who were visiting the rural health units in different municipalities of Samar, Philippines were taken as participants in study. More than half of the respondents had good knowledge (61.45%) on causes, signs and symptoms, mode of transmission, and preventive measures about dengue. More than half of the respondents used dengue preventive measures such as fans (n = 340, 52.63%), mosquito coil (n = 458, 70.90%), and bed nets (n = 387, 59.91%) to reduce mosquitoes while only about one third utilized insecticides sprays (n = 204, 31.58%) and screen windows (n = 233, 36.07%) and a little portion used professional pest control (n = 146, 22.60%). There was no correlation between knowledge about dengue and preventive practices (p=0.75). Television/Radio was cited as the main source of information on dengue infections. Findings suggest that better knowledge does not necessarily lead to better practice of dengue measures. Educational campaigns should give more emphasis dengue transmissions and on cost effective ways of reducing mosquito and preventing dengue such as environmental measures and control. Furthermore, wide range of information, skills and support must be provided by the government to increase dengue awareness among residents.

American Journal of Public Health Research. 2013, 1(2), 47-52. DOI: 10.12691/ajphr-1-2-2
Pub. Date: April 15, 2013

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Does Frailty Modify the Effect of Race on Influenza Vaccination within Nursing Facilities in Michigan, 2005-2006?

by Barbara Bardenheier, Stefan Gravenstein, Carolyn Furlow, Faruque Ahmed and Carol J. Rowland Hogue

Original Research

Nursing home racial composition is associated with vaccine uptake; black residents are less well immunized than white residents. To determine if health status modifies the effect of race on receiving vaccination among nursing home residents, we used cross-sectional data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for Michigan from October 1, 2005 through March 31, 2006 in 291 racially mixed nursing facilities (n=66,895 residents). Analyses included multilevel models, stratified by the proportion of black residents in the nursing home, to assess whether frailty, measured with the Cognitive Performance Scale (CPS), the Activities of Daily Living (ADL), and the Changes in Health, End-stage disease and Symptoms and Signs (CHESS), contributed to vaccination inequity (i.e., white-black difference) within nursing homes. In facilities with few (<5%) blacks, the median vaccination inequity increased when comparing non-frail to frail (CPS) residents: from 4.4 to 14.5 percentage points; ADL: 3.6 to 8.7; and CHESS: 4.1 to 9.4. Among residents of nursing homes with majority (> 50%) blacks, the inequity decreased with increasing frailty (CPS: 8.7 to 0.8; ADL: 9.3 to 2.1; and CHESS: 6.7 to 4.6). Frail residents of minority status within a facility were less likely to be vaccinated than either healthier minority status residents or majority status residents, frail or healthy.

American Journal of Public Health Research. 2013, 1(2), 38-46. DOI: 10.12691/ajphr-1-2-1
Pub. Date: March 22, 2013

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