Use of Facebook by Local Health Departments: Activity and Focus Areas

This presentation was given at the Keeneland Conference for Public Health Systems and Services Research

Use of Facebook by Local Health Departments: Usage, Public Health Themes, and Maintenance

Background: Recent research shows that social media offer unprecedented opportunities for communications with stakeholders in public health and other industries. Purpose: This study examines the manner in which U.S. local health departments (LHDs) use Facebook. Public health program themes discussed on Facebook profiles of LHDs were analyzed and ranked by the frequency of mentions on Facebook. Methods: LHDs included in the study were those indicating use of Facebook in the 2010 National Profile of Local Health Departments. Using the list from the profile study, the primary data from LHDs’ public Facebook profiles were collected over a period of 4 months. A content analysis of the active Facebook profiles was performed; this identified themes that were discussed in the Facebook posts by LHDs and also determined the level of maintenance of LHDs’ Facebook profile. Results: Nineteen public health themes were identified that were being discussed by LHDs. Different levels of maintenance of Facebook profiles was also noted. Implications: Social media can make a potential difference in providing the essential public health services of informing, educating, and empowering people about health issues, and mobilize community partnerships

Concurrent variations of median and musculocutaneous nerves and their clinical correlation – a cadaveric study

Variations of median nerve, musculocutaneous nerve and their communicating branches are of interest for anatomists and surgeons. These variations may be vulnerable to damage in surgical procedures. We examined median nerve and musculocutaneous nerve concurrently in 58 cadavers, i.e. 116 superior extremities, and found median nerve innervating muscle of the anterior compartment of arm in the absence of musculocutaneous nerve in 11.2% superior extremities, splitting of median nerve in the arm into median nerve proper and musculocutaneous nerve in 5.12% superior extremities, and communication between median and musculocutaneous nerves in 20.7% superior extremities. Knowledge of such anatomical variations is helpful for surgeons treating neoplasm or repairing trauma

Exploring The Relationship between Social Determinantes of Health and Oral Health-related Quality of life (OHRQOL) Among Adults: A Case Study in a Public Health Dental Clinic in Georgia

Oral health is an essential dimension of overall health and has profound impacts on the physical, social, and psychological well-being of individuals. Although oral health conditions are prevalent and acknowledged in the United States, they have been long overlooked in research. Most studies that evaluate the oral health status of individuals are based on the clinical indicators; however, its association with social determinants is limitedly documented. Considering that social factors are strong determinants of health more research is warranted. The purpose of the study was to conduct patient-centered outcome research to explore OHRQol and its relationship with social factors. Aim: This research investigates the association between Social Determinists of Health (SDoH) and OHRQol. Method: A quantitative study was conducted using OHIP-14 to measure the OHRQol. Negative Binomial Regression analysis was conducted. Results: A total of 182 individual participated in the study (N=182). In conclusion, OHRQol is found to be associated with Age and Income. Gender, Race, and Education showed no statistical difference within the OHRQol score. Public Health Significance: This is the first study in Georgia to establish relationships between OHRQol and SDoH. This research will help the health departments to determine the efforts needed in the direction to expand preventative services such as creating new educational programs toward oral health

Simulation-based learning in nursing curriculum- time to prepare quality nurses: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Simulation-based learning (SBL) emerged as an imperative pedagogical approach adaptable to situations involving widely varying clinical content without exposing patients to the risks inherent in trainee learning. The purpose of the present review was to assess the outcome of SBL on the domains of learning i.e cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane library, Clinical Trial database, and other sources to evaluate the effectiveness of SBL versus traditional teaching methods among nursing students till March 2021. Two authors individually extracted the data and identified the risk of bias and analyzed the data. Results: The selected studies with a total of 364 nursing students were included for analysis. Overall, it was found that learning via simulation has beneficial effects. In combined subgroup analysis, use of simulation showed significant effects on students’ understanding (SMD = 1.31, 95% CI [0.80, 1.82], P < 0.00001), Self-confidence (SMD = 1.93, 95% CI [1.01,2.84], P < 0.0001), (SMD = 1.83, 95% CI [0.91,2.74], P < 0.0001), Learning satisfaction [E:17.94, C-17.60] and Skill (SMD = 1.62, 95% CI [0.62,2.62], P = 0.002) and psychological care (SMD = 1.60, 95%CI [0.61,2.58], P = 0.001). Heterogeneity ranging from I2 = 54%–86% was found during the analysis. Conclusion: The findings of the present study considered simulation as an effective teaching method to enhance cognitive, affective, and psychomotor skills

Use of Facebook by Local Health Departments: Posts, Frequency, and Purposes

Introduction: Online social media is one of the greatest advancements of 21st century after the telephone revolution of early ‘70s. Emailing pictures and videos have become obsolete and taken over by real time sharing to several friends. Similar to telephone and mobile phones, the use of Facebook is not confined to personal use. There is a great potential for public health professional at local health departments (LHDs) to utilize this popular platform to endorse health information, communicate with public, and support the agency work. Objective: To assess the usage of Facebook by LHDs, their level of activity on Facebook, and to identify the areas in which LHDs are focusing through Facebook. Method: We used data from the National Association of County and City Health Officials’ (NACCHO) 2013 Profile of LHD study, administered to 2,532 LHDs. A module consisting of questions based on social media usage completed by 505 LHDs determined that 167 LHDs use Facebook. We then followed the Facebook profiles of these 167 LHDs over a period of 4 months and transcribed the content information into a document. Finally we performed qualitative analysis on the transcripts to get our results. Result: LHDs which responded about their activity on Facebook on 2013 profile survey done by NACCHO were somewhat inconsistent in their presence itself. We were able to find only 101 LHDs with an active profile. Boulder County Health Department, Colorado was found to be the most popular based on the number of “likes” within the study period. In terms of content information, we found that tobacco usage and its effects were the most popular topic followed by inclement weather/ emergency preparedness and maternal and child health issues. Surprisingly, Ebola was the least mentioned topic by LHDs on Facebook. Conclusion: This analysis reflected the cross sectional standings of LHDs in using social media platforms in increasing awareness about many public health issues. Despite the extended reach of social media, our LHDs are not completely utilizing this platform in health promotion. Moreover, LHDs need to be updated with the current global concerns as well, along with the conventional public health issues

Use of Facebook by Local Health Departments: Usage and Activity Area

Background: Recent research shows that social media offer unprecedented opportunities for communications with stakeholders in public health and other industries. Purpose: This study examines the manner in which U.S. local health departments (LHDs) use Facebook. Public health program themes discussed on Facebook profiles of LHDs were analyzed and ranked by the frequency of mentions on Facebook. Methods: LHDs included in the study were those indicating use of Facebook in the 2010 National Profile of Local Health Departments. Using the list from the profile study, the primary data from LHDs’ public Facebook profiles were collected over a period of 4 months. A content analysis of the active Facebook profiles was performed; this identified themes that were discussed in the Facebook posts by LHDs and also determined the level of maintenance of LHDs’ Facebook profile. Results: Nineteen public health themes were identified that were being discussed by LHDs. Different levels of maintenance of Facebook profiles was also noted. Implications: Social media can make a potential difference in providing the essential public health services of informing, educating, and empowering people about health issues, and mobilize community partnerships

Intraoral Hemangioma: An overview of the clinical entity

Hemangiomas are common tumors characterized microscopically by proliferation of blood vessels. The congenital hemangioma is often present at birth and may become more apparent throughout life. They are probably developmental rather than neoplastic in origin. Despite their benign origin and behavior, hemangiomas in the oral cavity are always of clinical importance to the dental profession and require appropriate clinical management. Surgery and other treatment modalities are not always satisfactory and have a higher morbidity, recurrence, and complication rate. This case report presents a case of hemangioma of mandibular left lower region in 47-year-old female and its treatment using sclerosing agent

Data on the risk perceptions of beach water safety in coastal Georgia

These data reflect the perceptions of beach water quality drawn from a convenience sample of 238 visitors to Georgia (USA) beaches collected in June–July 2017 and are related to the research article entitled “Water quality and the perception of risk: a study of Georgia, USA, beachgoers” (Jones et al., 2018) [1]. Data were collected both via an online survey distributed through Facebook and through in-person questionnaires collected directly on the beaches