Brown, Stephen
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11875/4654
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Item Association between Handwashing Behavior and Infectious Diseases among Low-Income Community Children in Urban New Delhi, India: A Cross-Sectional Study(International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021-11) Khan, Khalid M.; Chakraborty, Rishika; Brown, Stephen L.; Sultana, Rasheda; Colon, Alec; Toor, Devinder; Upreti, Pooja; Sen, BanalataDiarrheal diseases and respiratory infections (RI) are two leading causes of childhood mortality in low and middle-income countries. Effective handwashing at critical time-points may mitigate these diseases. However, there is a lack of published data investigating this association in school-aged children in India. This study is part of a larger prospective handwashing intervention study in a low-income community in New Delhi, India examining the associations between handwashing behavior and diarrhea and RI in schoolchildren. This current study reports the findings of the baseline survey administered to 272 mother–child dyads. Children aged 8–12 years, and their mothers, were recruited from six schools. A baseline questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic data, handwash behavior, and mother-reported recent diarrhea and RI incidence among the children. Handwashing before and after preparing food, after defecation, and after cleaning dishes significantly reduced the odds of diarrhea by over 70%, and of RI by over 56%. Using a clean cloth after handwashing lowered odds of diarrhea and RI by 72% and 63% respectively. Around 60% of the participants believed that handwashing could prevent diarrhea and RI in their children. There was a low prevalence of handwashing at critical time-points and a poor perception regarding handwashing benefits. To improve handwashing behavior, hygiene promotion programs need to understand what motivates and hinders handwashing in vulnerable populations.Item Teaching and Learning in the Large Classroom: A Mixed-Methods Approach for Undergraduate Health Management Education(The Journal of Health Administration Education, 2020) Scarbrough, Amanda W.; Brown, Stephen L.; Alva, ChasidyFor several decades, many involved in U.S. higher education—researchers, educational psychologists, professors, students, and administrators—have highlighted the challenges the large lecture class format presents for teaching undergraduates (Hamilton, 2012). Instructors report that the large lecture, while still the most common pedagogy in high-enrollment survey courses, often results in lower student participation and lack of student accountability, which in turn can lead to less engagement. Students in large lectures report feeling disconnected from the course material, the instructor, and classmates (Cooper & Robinson, 2000). This disengagement may contribute to students' difficulty focusing in class and lack of clarity about course concepts, prompting them to lose interest in course topics, and eventually skip class and perform poorly on exams. Additionally, students often find it more challenging to learn, process, and think critically about information presented during a typical lecture (Lineman, 2018).Item Influence of high school sport participation and adult physical activity(Journal of Sport and Health Research, 2014) Bice, M.; Ball, J.; Brown, Stephen L.; Parry, T.BACKGROUND: Although the need for physical activity is often cited, few research studies examine the influence of high school sport participation on adulthood physical activity. This study examines this association using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). METHODS: In 2012, 1350 adults in southern Illinois were surveyed assessing current physical activity levels. Variables included: participant’s age, weight, height, high school sport. The IPAQ was used to summarize individual physical activity levels. Participant’s self reported physical activity levels were averaged and correlations and independent ttests were used to assess the data. RESULTS: Individuals who participated in competitive high school sports reported to have higher physical activity levels than participants that did not. Significant differences in physical activity levels were present in total moderate exercise time and total walking time. Participants who did not participate in high school sports reported significantly higher total time spent sitting compared to those participants who did compete in high school sports. CONCLUSIONS: High school sport participation cannot predict future physical activity trends; however, this study does implicate that physical activity derived from high school sport participation can transition into adulthood. As no significant differences were found in BMI between individuals who participated in high school sports, it is significant to note that high school sport participation may be a significant contributing adult obesity factor. This study can imply that high school sports aids in an active lifestyle but not any different than those who participate in recreational activities.Item Resilience Training for Functioning Adults: Program Description and Preliminary Findings from a Pilot Investigation(International Journal of Emergency Mental Health, 2010) Schiraldi, Glenn R.; Brown, Stephen L.; Jackson, Theresa K.; Jordan, Jessica B.It has previously been asserted that the construct of resilience holds great promise for diverse high-risk populations and that resilience may be an attribute that can be acquired through training. A rich body of literature suggests the strengths that comprise resilience. This paper describes a resilience training program based upon the identified strengths of resilience and provides additional preliminary data from a pilot investigation which lend support to the idea that resilience can be acquired through training. Suggestions for future research are provided. [International Journal of Emergency Mental Health, 2010, 12(2), pp. 117-130].Item Preventive Mental Health Education for Functioning Adults: Stress, Coping and Mental Health Courses at the University of Maryland(International Journal of Emergency Mental Health, 2002) Schiraldi, Glenn R.; Brown, Stephen L.Three fifteen-week courses at the University of Maryland are described. These courses explore diverse cognitive-behavioral skills that facilitate coping, are preventive in nature, and are suitable for learning by healthy individuals in educational settings. Initial results, previously reported, are encouraging and suggest the possibilities that similar courses might be offered in other university, community or workplace settings. [International Journal of Emergency Mental Health, 2002 4(1),pp 57-63].Item Exploring the Experience of Older Adults Volunteering with an Intergenerational Program to Prevent Childhood Obesity(Californian Journal of Health Promotion, 2011) Werner, Danilea; Teufel, James; Brown, Stephen L.Over the past three decades, obesity rates in the United States have increased dramatically among both children and adults. A variety of programs have been created to prevent and intervene in the obesity epidemic but few are intergenerational. This article explores volunteers' experience with an innovative childhood obesity prevention program called Active Generations. Active Generations benefits both children and seniors by utilizing older adult volunteers to implement a version of the evidence-based childhood obesity prevention program, CATCH (Coordinated Approach To Child Health) in out-of-school settings. Understanding that social and civic engagement maintains or improves the health of older adults, this article reviews the stories and preliminary experiences of older adults volunteering to help reverse the trend of childhood obesity.Item Family and Personal Predictors of Early Adolescent Eating Patterns(Californian Journal of Health Promotion, 2012) Brown, Stephen L.; Gautam, Yuba R.; Norrick, Christie; Birch, David; Teufel, JamesMany early adolescents report consuming less than the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, and up to one-third report skipping breakfast. Recent research suggests that children consider parents to be the gatekeepers of food choices, and that parents are important role models for children's eating behaviors. This study examined perceived control over food choices, familial communication regarding healthy eating, and preferred sources of information about healthy eating in relation to eating behaviors. Data were obtained from 959 early adolescents attending health programs in the Midwest. Early adolescents who reported more frequent family discussions were more likely to report eating two or more vegetables per day (AOR=1.4, p<.05), three or more fruits per day (AOR=1.6, p<.05), and five or more vegetables and/or fruits per day (AOR=1.9, p<.05) than early adolescents who reported less family discussions. Those exposed to more frequent family discussions were also more likely to report usually eating breakfast (AOR=1.8, p<.05). Older children were less likely to report eating breakfast (AOR=0.2 for ages 12 and13 compared to age 9, p<.05). Although healthy eating behaviors decline with age, children and adolescents whose families reinforce healthy eating patterns appear more likely to maintain healthy patterns.Item Evaluating Pre-Service Teacher Workforce: Environmental Health Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior(Southern Illinois University (Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development), 2011) Ratnapradipa, Dhititnut; Rhodes, Darson L.; Brown, Stephen L.Research has shown that personal health behaviors and actions established early in life are often carried through adulthood. Thus, working with children to increase environmental health literacy may improve the environmental health literacy of future adults, potentially improving the health of the Nation. Given the amount of time children spend in school, this setting could be an ideal place to address environmental health with children. According to social cognitive theory, observation is one way in which learning takes place. Consequently, the environmental behaviors and attitudes modeled by teachers would likely impact the environmental behaviors and attitudes learned by students. A research study including 101 pre-service teachers from a large Midwestern university was conducted to determine participants’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding environmental health. Results indicated major deficiencies in basic knowledge as well as many unfavorable environmental behaviors. On average, participants answered only 49.7% of knowledge items correctly. Less than half (46.0%) recycle bottles or cans “often” or “almost always.” Given these results, pre-service teachers are likely ill-prepared to address environmental health literacy in their classrooms. Teacher education programs need to address this deficiency in pre-service teachers through the implementation of new courses focused on environmental health or the redesign of current courses to include environmental health content.