If students receive a form of sexual education, it usually occurs in their K-12 years in the United States. This education serves to prepare them for sexual activity as they transition into adulthood. The study sheds light on the importance of comprehensive and inclusive sexual education in reducing stigma and promoting healthy decision-making for all students. Our study aims to examine various factors influencing a college student's sexual health, including their sexual identity, religious affiliation, regional differences in K-12, sexual education, students' perceptions of their sexual education, and their comfort in discussing these topics with healthcare providers. A survey was conducted using responses from 200 ASU students, which collected data on their sexual behavior, and their responses were used to assess their level of sexual risk. Additionally, data was collected on topics outlined in our research questions, which explored several factors that can impact sexual health. Independent samples t-tests were conducted to analyze these correlations. The findings suggested a correlation between comprehensive sexual health education and increased positive and healthy behaviors related to sexual health. While some of our hypotheses were supported, the only statistically significant one was the impact of regional K-12 sexual health education on college students' sexual health. Overall, our study highlights the importance of implementing nationwide, comprehensive sexual education to promote healthy lifestyles and prepare adolescents with the knowledge to make informed decisions as they prepare for their transition into adulthood.

This thesis explores the correlation between demographic factors and gun violence rates in Mohave and Yuma Counties in Arizona from a public health perspective. With the growing recognition of gun violence as a significant public health issue, this research aims to identify specific demographic characteristics that influence rates of gun-related homicides and suicides.

Dementia is a disease affecting many individuals worldwide resulting in neurological deficits. The most common form of dementia known as Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States. The disease is defined by neuron loss, the presence of intracellular tau protein (tubulin associated unit) neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), and extracellular amyloid- (Aβ) plaques. For this study, our aim was to understand the staging system used based off of the disease progression, called Braak Staging. Our hypothesis is that as disease progresses, marked by Braak stages, different brain regions will begin to show differential expressions of various biological dysregulations. Molecular dysfunctions of early disease will be precursors to later disease dysfunctions. The outcomes of our study indicated there were several molecular dysfunctions in early disease with tau pathology not present in the region yet.

Families that are discharged from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) oftentimes need additional support which is provided by NICU follow-up home visitation programs. The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic caused numerous programs to shift to telehealth visitation. Following the pandemic, many of those home visitation programs continue to offer telehealth support while transitioning back to in-person care. This qualitative study aims to analyze parent attitudes toward telehealth and in-person care delivery. Through analysis, 6 main themes were generated: staff support, telehealth challenges, telehealth convenience, telehealth engagement, in-person engagement, and family preferences. The hybrid participants preferred in-person visitation due to better learning and interactions, while the telehealth group leaned toward telehealth visitation for its convenience. Nevertheless, most parents desired a hybrid mode of service delivery. Both groups shared similar thoughts about the effectiveness and convenience of telehealth. Hence, telehealth is an effective method of service delivery for home visitation programs from a parent perspective. However, depending on the family and their needs, in-person services could be encouraged to further develop the learning experience and the parent-provider rapport. For a majority of families, hybrid support provides the most suitable combination of both care models.

Background: Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is an increasingly prevalent allergic disease characterized by eosinophilic inflammation and symptoms of esophageal dysfunction. Diagnosis and monitoring require repeated, invasive endoscopic esophageal biopsies to assess levels of eosinophilic inflammation. Recently, the minimally invasive esophageal string test (EST) has been used collect protein in mucosal secretions as a surrogate for tissue biopsies in monitoring disease activity. From the string, assessment of the eosinophil-associated proteins major basic protein-1 (MBP-1) and eotaxin-3 (Eot3) is used to assess disease activity; however, this requires measurement in a reference laboratory, for which the turnaround time for results exceeds the time required for histopathologic assessment of endoscopic biopsies. In addition, MBP-1 and Eot3 are not markers unique to eosinophils. These obstacles can be overcome by targeting eosinophil peroxidase (EPX), an eosinophil-specific protein, using a rapid point-of-care test. Currently, EPX is measured by a labor-intensive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), but we sought to optimize a rapid point-of-care test to measure EPX in EST segments. Methods: We extracted protein from residual EST segments and measured EPX levels by ELISA and a lateral flow assay (LFA). Results: EPX levels measured by LFA strongly correlated with those quantified by ELISA (rs = 0.90 {95% CI: 0.8283, 0.9466}). The EPX LFA is comparable to ELISA for measuring EPX levels in ESTs. Conclusions: The EPX LFA can provide a way to rapidly test EPX levels in ESTs in clinical settings and may serve as a valuable tool to facilitate diagnosis and monitoring of EoE.

This project challenges the prevailing weight-centric paradigm of present-day medicine which focuses on weight as a primary indicator of health. This study aimed to understand the impact of a brief pragmatic intervention to facilitate shifting healthcare providers' clinical conceptualization, attitudes, and practices from weight-centric to weight-inclusive care. A one-hour pragmatic training was composed and presented to providers at a community health clinic. The intervention highlighted the critical gap in our understanding of health and attempted to bring attention to the intricate web of factors that play into the complexity of weight. The education also provided specific tools that providers can put into practice to better cultivate weight-inclusive care. Mixed methods were used to evaluate the acceptability and efficacy of the intervention via changes in provider attitudes, treatment behaviors, and conceptualization of patient issues. Findings reveal modest differences from pre- to post-intervention as well as a notable disconnect among providers’ understanding and application of concepts. Participants expressed significant interest in the training and weight-inclusive care.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is projected to increase, and understanding risk and protective factors could help mitigate this increase. Deficits in Choline, a B-like vitamin, intake or issues with endogenous choline production can lead to an increased risk for AD development. To better understand the effects of endogenous choline through the lifespan in the context of Alzheimer pathology, Male and Female 3xTg-AD and NonTg mice, were aged to 16.81 ± 0.13 months. Body weight, food consumption data, and blood plasma samples were collected across the lifespan. A behavioral battery, that consisted of Rotarod, Elevated Plus Maze, and Intellicage, was performed to assess differences across a range of tasks. Hippocampal and cortical tissue were collected to assess pathology. Overall, 3xTg-AD mice had lower choline levels than NonTg at multiple timepoints and Males had higher choline than Females. Furthermore, 3xTg-AD Females had higher levels of both Aβ and Tau pathology than their Male counterparts. In the Intellicage, Females made fewer Percent of Correct Responses during Place Preference. Together these findings show that choline levels through the lifespan, impact the severity of pathology between Males and Female 3xTg-AD mice and behavioral differences between the 3xTg-AD and NonTg mouse models.