Browsing by Author "Muvuka, Baraka"

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    Social Determinants of Health Associated with Inpatient Admissions for Congestive Heart Failure, Diabetes, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, and Asthma
    (2023-07) Deckbar, John Quentin; DeMichael, Kelly; Gad, Wael; Guerrero, Jonathan; Muvuka, Baraka
    Introduction: The CDC and American Lung Association estimate that congestive heart failure (CHF), diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), and asthma (COPD/asthma) cost Americans $30.7 billion, $327 billion, and $50 billion respectively each year. They account for most inpatient readmissions at St. Mary Medical Center (SMMC), an urban hospital in Northwest Indiana. There is need for further research on the social, behavioral, and demographic determinants associated with these conditions. This study examined the social, behavioral, and demographic determinants associated with inpatient admission for CHF, diabetes, COPD/asthma in SMMC’s service area.  Methods: This retrospective study was part of a multi-phased Community-Based Participatory Research partnership between SMMC and Indiana University School of Medicine Northwest. SMMC implemented a pilot screening and referral program to assess social determinants of health in their service area as part of their Hospital Readmission Reduction Program. This study included data from 10,953 inpatient admissions between January 2021 to March 2023, majority of whom were transferred from the emergency department. Data analysis consisted of univariate, bivariate (Chi-square), and multivariate (binary logistic regression) analysis in SPSS 29.0. Results: Bivariate analysis revealed a statistically significant association between CHF and smoking, age, insurance type, and income. Diabetes was significantly associated with smoking, smokeless tobacco use, age group, race, income, and sex. COPD/asthma was significantly associated with smoking, age group, transportation needs, stress, insurance, ethnicity, and sex. Multivariate analysis found the following significant associations: age group with both CHF (p<0.001) and diabetes (p<0.001), former smoking with both CHF (p = 0.007) and COPD/asthma (p = 0.049), current smoking with COPD/asthma (p = 0.016), and sex with diabetes (p <0.001).   Conclusions: These findings indicate significant associations between multiple socio-behavioral factors and admission for CHF, diabetes, COPD/asthma. Multi-risk-factor interventions may address these interactions and contribute to reducing readmission.
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    The Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Youth Violence: Insights from Professional Key Informants
    (University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing, 2023-06-14) Aldallal, Mohamed; Omari, Deeb; Muvuka, Baraka; Ryan, Elizabeth R.
    Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has had drastic effects on youth violence protective and risk factors by isolating many at risk youth. While youth violence is a growing global health problem, there are limited studies exploring youth violence during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lake County in Northwest Indiana presents an opportunity for youth violence research and prevention given its socio-demographic context and its limited youth violence data. This study explored the COVID-19 pandemic’s impacts on youth violence and its risk and protective factors from the perspectives of professional key informants in Lake County, Indiana. Methods: This study utilized a descriptive qualitative design inspired by the constructivist grounded theory. We recruited professional key informants through purposive and snowball sampling. Data collection consisted of virtual semi-structured key informant interviews that were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data analysis consisted of inductive thematic analysis with open line-by-line coding, focused coding in Dedoose, and theme identification. Results: A total of six key informants were interviewed, representing diverse youth-serving occupations. These interviews revealed five general themes portraying the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on youth violence: mental health impacts on youth; socialization of youth; youth as victims, perpetrators, or witnesses; shifting of learning environments; and parent-child relationships. Key informants observed an increase in less visible types of youth violence, underlying pandemic-induced or-exacerbated youth mental and behavioral health issues, strained parent-child relationships, and the educational marginalization of youth in underserved communities during online learning transitions. Conclusions: This study highlighted underserved youth’s vulnerability to the COVID-19 pandemic’s adverse impacts on youth violence experiences, risk, and protective factors. Our findings support the need to prioritize youth during and after crises, to utilize innovative strategies to better reach underserved youth, and to develop ethical and integrated youth violence data systems. Future research should explore youth’s lived experiences with violence throughout the pandemic.
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    “Vets Restoring Vets”: An Innovative Peer Support Program
    (University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing, 2023-06-14) Stewart, Cody C.; Muvuka, Baraka; Hutwagner, Will; McCollum, Hunter; Dyer, William K.; Ryan, Elizabeth R.
    Introduction: Military Veterans disproportionately experience mental health issues due to unique service-related experiences. Peer and social support interventions have shown promise in improving Veterans’ mental health alongside clinical mental health interventions yet there are limited studies on Veteran-designed and Veteran–led peer or social support interventions. This study explored the perceptions and experiences of Veterans participating in an innovative Veteran-designed and Veteran-led peer and social support program. It was a preliminary study in a long-term Community Based Participatory Research partnership between Indiana University School of Medicine-Northwest regional campus and Operation Combat Bikesaver (OCB). Methods : This mixed methods study utilized a limited dataset from pre-and-post-session surveys collected by OCB between September 2019 and August 2021. We examined pre-post differences in participants’ self-rated “feelings” (i.e., emotional state) with the following independent variables through Linear Mixed Models in SPSS: OCB location, OCB event attended, day of the week, time of day, duration of attendance, frequency of attendance, and social assistance. We analyzed participants’ qualitative OCB experiences using inductive thematic analysis in Dedoose.  This study was reviewed and exempted by The Indiana University Human Research Protection Program (Protocol # 12499) on August 16, 2021. Results: A total of 128 participants completed pre-post surveys for 746 OCB sessions. There was a statistically significant pre-post session increase in participants’ feelings (mean=34.6; SD=21.7; p<0.001), with increasing effects by duration (p=0.002) in an OCB session. There was no linear trend in individual pre-and-post session changes in feelings over time. The following themes describe participants’ OCB experiences: sense of purpose and meaning, regaining comradery and brotherhood, “Vets restoring Vets,” satisfaction with OCB structure and processes, and experiencing OCB impacts. Conclusions: Convening Veterans with shared experiences around innovative and supportive social activities may develop their perceived sense of purpose, belonging, and mutual support and produce improvements in perceived mental health. Future research within this community-regional medical campus research partnership will explore jointly determined research questions to follow-up on the main findings and limitations of the current study.