Community Medicine

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12503/31270

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    WOMEN'S HEALTH: OSTEOPOROSIS
    (2013-04-12) Chandrasekera, Lalanica
    Purpose: Osteoporosis is associated with changes in bone remodeling, characterized by decreased bone mass and structural deterioration. A major feature of osteoporosis, fractures, can have an enormous impact on a patient's morbidity and mortality, leading to increased need of social services and adding to the cost of health care. As there is no cure for osteoporosis, the importance of wellness and prevention becomes paramount. Here, we will review various osteoporosis resources available to the Terrant County community as well as on a national level. Methods: Daily calcium supplements along with Vitamin D improve bone density and maintain overall bone health, while weight bearing, strengthening, and balance exercises prevent further bone loss. Hormone replacement therapy is targeted to prevent rapid bone loss in post-menopausal women, and medications such as Actonel, Boniva, and Fosamax can be used to treat and prevent osteoporosis. Results: Locally, the Division of Chronic Disease Prevention at the Tarrant County Public Health Department offers free classes focusing on methods to delay the onset of osteoporosis. Services targeted to women's health and aging are the center of focus at "A Woman's View," a multidisciplinary clinic in Dallas, Texas. On a broader spectrum, the National Osteoporosis Foundation offers educational resources aimed at raising awareness of this disease and keeping physicians up-to-date with novel treatment options. Lastly, online services as well as consultation with Endocrinologists provide a rich resource to maintaining bone health and delaying age-associated osteoporosis. Conclusions: As it stands, the burden of osteoporosis lies mainly on elderly women, but remains underdiagnosed in men and those with risk factors predisposing to poor bone health. The Division of Chronic Disease Prevention at the Tarrant County Public Health Department, the National Osteoporosis Foundation, and other local multidisciplinary centers are resources discovered in this study whose purpose is to promote methods of prevention and wellness, including access to education. While these resources have proven to be a boon to the community, in order to alleviate the impact of osteoporosis on health care costs and improving overall public health, greater measures should be taken to target resources to more appropriate at-risk populations. For example, the adolescent female population is at risk for inadequate calcium intake and may be a beneficial group for osteoporosis awareness.
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    ONCOLOGY RESOURCES IN TARRANT COUNTY
    (2013-04-12) Bernard, Elizabeth
    Purpose: Many strides have been made in the field of cancer prevention and cure, resulting in an increase in cancer patient longevity and survivorship in the population. This increased demand for cancer services has left many individuals in search for local support. While most research has led to improvements in the life span of cancer patients, there has been little exploration of the quality and availability of local support measures for the expansive number of cancer survivors. The purpose of this investigation is to expose some of the options available in the North Texas community for families and patients in need of cancer resources. Methods: The Blue Book Directory of Community Resources lists organizations and institutes detailing cancer care management and financial backing for the Tarrant County and Fort Worth populace. Results: The M.D. Anderson Center offers diagnosis, treatment, and management for patients that are low-income or uninsured. The American Cancer Society of North Texas provides cancer patients, families, and the public with support groups, rehabilitation clinics, and prevention education services. Breast Health Education supplies mammograms and breast health instruction to qualified members. The Moncrief Cancer institute offers cancer prevention methods and social health opportunities. Lastly, Cancer Care Services promotes emotional and financial support for patients and relatives. Conclusions: These organizations offer support, management, education, and treatment for cancer patients and their loved ones. There are obstacles with eligibility and access to each individual resource due to different qualifications including prognosis, age, and financial status. Improvements could be made to increase awareness about these organizations through advertisements and social media.
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    CULTURAL COMPETENCIES IN HEALTH CARE INTERVIEWING
    (2013-04-12) Hawkins, Meredith
    Purpose: The health history interview is a fundamental opportunity for a clinician to establish a trusting and supportive relationship with the patient, as well as to gather and offer information. During the interview, the clinician calls upon many interpersonal skills that will ultimately improve the well-being of the patient. In the US, health care providers interact with patients and their families who may be from different cultures. Each culture comes with its own traditions, languages and spiritual backgrounds, and thus cultural competence becomes a key interpersonal skill for the health care professional to provide adequate medical care to all patients. Our goal was to develop a plan for health care providers to become culturally competent and be able to use these skills to decrease the cultural gap between themselves and their patients. Methods: We identified various resources that could be used to improve cultural competency in the healthcare workforce and categorized these resources into those for interpersonal or intrapersonal use. Intrapersonal resources play a role in promoting self-awareness and education of the individual in regards to other cultures. Interpersonal resources function as mediation tools to facilitate the medical care process by shortening the cultural gap. Results: A simple two-step method encompassing the identification of resources and implementing them appropriately can enhance both cultural education as well as facilitate the interviewing process, and therefore positively impact health care. Conclusions: Cultural competency can be largely improved upon by making use of different resources available to medical care professionals. In the end, the ultimate goal is a health care system that can provide the highest level of care to every patient, regardless of ethnicity, English proficiency, and background.
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    RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS' BELIEFS AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS CLINICAL RESEARCH STUDIES
    (2013-04-12) Thamby, Rohan
    Purpose: To assess former and current patients' beliefs and attitudes towards clinical research to determine if it correlates with the likelihood the patient would participate in a future clinical research study. To assess former and current patients' beliefs and attitudes towards recommending to others to participate in clinical research. To identify what factors encouraged or discouraged the patient from future research study participation, and methods in which to improve the likelihood of joining a clinical research study. To determine if former research study participants show interest in using the Internet to gather information regarding clinical research studies. To obtain demographic data in order to determine if there is a more concise plan for patient recruitment. Methods: A survey was created that could be distributed in person or over the telephone. The research population of TPCCC with available phone numbers and who were not immediately screen failed were offered the opportunity to complete the surveys. The data was taken and multiple variable chi square tests were performed for each question and compared with demographics such as age, race, and gender to address the project aims. Results: With zip codes and ethnicity having a limited impact, the strongest correlations came from age and gender vs. why the participant joined, why they would participate again, and their level of interest in finding alternative ways to learn about research. Patients who have not used the Internet to locate research studies but who had an interest in future research participation showed an extremely strong interest in finding information through the internet. Patients who had no complaints and were inclined to participate in the future were also highly likely to share their experiences with potential patients. Conclusions: The results showed that the majority of former and current patients are willing to participate in future clinical studies, are more likely to recommend others towards participating, and are interested in learning what the Internet has to offer in terms of providing information about clinical research studies.
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    TARRANT COUNTY ADDICTION SERVICES
    (2013-04-12) Haselhorst, Alexandria
    Purpose: This research study delves into the addiction issues and disparities within the Tarrant County Community. Addiction is a disease that physically and emotionally grasps the life of an individual, their friends, and family. There are many environmental, social, and genetic predispositions of addiction and each case is unique to the individual. Our focus was on the different services that patients could use as a resource in finding help for their addiction. Methods: The "Blue Book: Directory of Community Resources" was the main reference in finding the addiction resources available to patients in the area of Tarrant County. Results: During our evaluation we discovered that Tarrant County has high risk populations more prone to addiction than others. Many of services offered in Tarrant County focus on these groups. Mental Health and Mental Retardation of Tarrant County (MHMR) is an access point for many of these populations. Services provided under the MHMR umbrella, include Addiction Recovery Center, Billy Gregory & Pine Street Center, Community Addiction Treatment Services, Tarrant Youth Recovery Campus, and the Liberty House. Aside from county services under MHMR, North Texas Addiction Counseling and Education, Inc, Recovery Resource Council, Cenikor Foundation, Texas Challenge of Fort Worth, and Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center additionally focus their efforts to help heal the debilitation of addiction. Conclusions: Ultimately, an abundance of resources are available for the citizens of Tarrant County, regardless of age, creed or socioeconomic status; while, others cater to special high risk populations such as veterans and homeless.