Browsing by Author "Church, Abby"

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    An Educational Intervention to Improve HPV Vaccination: A Cluster Randomized Trial
    (AAP, 2019-01) Dixon, Brian E.; Zimet, Gregory D.; Xiao, Shan; Tu, Wanzhu; Lindsay, Brianna; Church, Abby; Downs, Stephen M.; Epidemiology, School of Public Health
    Background: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection can lead to serious health issues and remains the most common sexually transmitted infection. Despite availability of effective vaccines, HPV vaccination rates are suboptimal. Methods: In a cluster randomized trial, an intervention targeting parents of adolescents (11-17 years) eligible for a dose of HPV vaccine was tested in pediatric clinics part of an urban health system. Parents watched a digital video outlining the risks and benefits of vaccine using a tablet in the exam room. The primary outcome was change in HPV vaccine status two weeks after the clinic visit. An intention to treat analysis for the primary outcome utilized generalized estimating equations to accommodate the potential cluster effect of clinics. Results: A total of 1596 eligible adolescents were observed during the 7-month trial. One-third of adolescents visited an intervention clinic. Adolescents who attended an intervention clinic were more likely to be younger (11-12 years) than those who attended a control clinic (72.4% versus 49.8%; p<0.001). No differences in race or gender were observed. The proportion of adolescents with an observed change in vaccine status was higher for those attending an intervention clinic (64.8%) versus control clinic (50.1%; OR=1.82; 95% CI=1.47-2.25; p<0.001). Adolescents whose parents watched the video had a three times greater odds of receiving a dose of the HPV vaccine (78.0%; OR=3.07; 95% CI=1.47-6.42; p=0.003). Conclusions: Educational interventions delivered within a clinical setting hold promise to improve vaccination behaviors.
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    Fostering Awareness of the Community by Engaging Students (FACES)
    (Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, 2014-04-11) Robison, Lisa; Stegink, Jason; Buente, Bryce; Ying-Hsuan, Sherri; Church, Abby
    Fostering Awareness of the Community by Engaging Students (FACES) is a program created by students and faculty of the IU School of Medicine and Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health at IUPUI to provide medical and public health students structured volunteer opportunities to engage with adults experiencing homelessness, allowing for an increased understanding of vulnerable populations and community exposure. Despite poor health outcomes and a need for primary healthcare services, adults experiencing homelessness often do not seek or receive the medical care they need1, 2. In response to this issue, FACES seeks to provide safe group settings (art, educational, and focus groups), in which students can discuss barriers to quality healthcare and public health services with a small group of homeless individuals and better recognize methods to improve service delivery. Through the support of the IUPUI solution center, data has been collected to inform the development of FACES and to promote program sustainability. An evaluation of the student volunteer training module was performed to assess the quality of information provided within the training. Two in-person pilot training sessions were conducted for this evaluation, using a mixed methods approach. Each pilot session consisted of a pre- and post-assessment of self-perceived knowledge to obtain quantitative data regarding the impact of the training on knowledge levels, as well as an information recall test to provide quantitative data on the ability of the participants to become engaged in the training. Qualitative data for the evaluation was collected through focus groups conducted at the completion of both training sessions. To further advise program development, FACES’s developers conducted focus groups with small groups of homeless individuals to collect input from the participating community and obtain qualitative data concerning the details of program organization, future topics of discussion, and willingness to participate.
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    Massage perceptions and attitudes of undergraduate pre-professional health sciences students: a cross-sectional survey in one U.S. university
    (BMC, 2020-07-08) Munk, Niki; Church, Abby; Nemati, Donya; Zabel, Samantha; Comer, Amber R.; Health Sciences, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
    Background Attitudes and beliefs about massage therapy have been explored among health professionals and health profession students, but not for undergraduate preprofessional health sciences students. Methods This cross-sectional survey sought to determine pre-professional health students’ attitudes and perceptions toward massage therapy and determine the extent demographic variables such as age, gender, race, along with lifetime massage experience are associated with neutral/negative perceptions. Results N = 129 undergraduate students completed the Attitudes Toward Massage scale and 7 supplemental items pertaining to sexuality and therapist gender preference along with questions regarding lifetime massage utilization. Prevalence of massage therapy utilization was 35.6% (lifetime) and 18.6% (last 12-months). Overall, positive attitudes towards massage therapy was observed with participants reporting massage experience expressing more positive massage attitudes (lifetime; p = 0.0081, the past 12 months; p = 0.0311). Participants with no massage experience were more likely to report neutral/negative attitudes toward massage (p = 0.04). Men were more likely to prefer their massage therapist to be of the opposite sex (38.9%) compared to women (2.1%) (p = < 0.0001). Men were less confident than women in their concern of becoming sexually aroused during massage (p = 0.0001) and in the belief that massage is sexually arousing (p = 0.048). Both genders expressed comfort with female and/or male massage therapists, but if given a choice, both prefer a female massage therapist. Conclusions Undergraduate pre-professional health sciences students have generally positive attitudes towards massage therapy however more research is needed regarding implicit gender bias and/or preferences. This work should inform future research designs examining the impact of attitudes and beliefs on patient referrals to massage therapy.