Research
Courses tagged with "Research"
This presentation provides the preliminary findings of the scoping review titled, "The Health Benefits of Indigenous Cultural Practices Involving Human Interconnection Within Nature For Indigenous Peoples In The United States." The presentation will also elaborate on key concepts such as Cultural Practices of Human Interconnection (CP HIWN), and Collective Continuance.
The Alliance of Nurses for Health Environments hosts a special launch event of the “Global Nurse Agenda for Climate Justice” ahead of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26). Climate justice has become a driving force for innovation in science and is at the forefront of the environmental justice movement and nurses are in a key position to advance climate justice in collaboration with the communities we practice in. In the development of this agenda, nursing organizations around the world have gathered together to stimulate a global dialogue on climate justice, center marginalized voices in climate justice decision making, and collaborate through research, education, and practice to advance climate justice action globally. On this webinar, speakers share more information about the Agenda, how nurses are collaborating on a global scale, and their stories at the intersection of climate justice, health, and nursing.
Planetary health challenges such as climate change and vector-borne diseases threaten human health and well-being. Health care professionals such as registered nurses play an integral role in supporting populations affected by planetary health challenges. The purpose of the cross-sectional study was to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of registered nurses in Canada related to climate-sensitive vector-borne diseases. A national self-administered digital survey was distributed to practicing registered nurses in Canada. Of the 382 survey respondents, 35 respondents self-declared as Indigenous. Research findings suggest that nurses’ knowledge on climate change and vector-borne diseases was limited, especially among frontline nurses and those in Western and Northern regions of Canada. Indigenous participants also reported greater knowledge, confidence, and preparedness regarding climate change and vector-borne diseases than nurses who did not report Indigeneity. This may be linked to intergenerational knowledge transfer, which supports the ability to observe and adapt to environmental changes, including shifting patterns of disease. The study validates that while climate-related issues are important for nurses, nurses must be better prepared to address vector-borne diseases in practice and assume a greater role in leading change. Indigenous nurses are uniquely positioned to lead the decolonization of the nursing profession by integrating Indigenous knowledge to prepare nurses for planetary health challenges and to advocate for a climate resilient future.
In this dialogue, we explore nurses’ duty to uphold the right to health. Clean water is vital for health as an inclusive right for all people, yet access is threatened by climate change. Complex impacts of colonization on climate change has resulted in two key problems: lack of clean water access by Indigenous Peoples and marginalization of Indigenous traditional teachings that support water protection. We discuss how Indigenous teachings of living in harmony with Mother Earth are important contributions to global water policy and health solutions. Nurses have an important opportunity to respect traditional teachings noting interconnections of health, water, and climate change to advance health.
PhD student and Assistant Teaching Professor Lesley Hodge presents critical posthumanism as a theoretical framework for promoting environmental justice and planetary health in nursing. Through theoretical analysis and powerful imagery, Hodge explores how this perspective reshapes our understanding of human-environment relationships in healthcare settings and beyond. Practical examples in the presentation demonstrate how critical posthumanism can inform nursing approaches to environmental challenges while acknowledging the framework's possibilities and limitations.
This presentation explores research on the link between daily extreme heat events (EHE)—defined as temperatures exceeding the 90th percentile for the month—and pediatric healthcare visits, including urgent care, emergency departments, and hospitalizations for various health issues. Using a case-crossover study design, we analyzed discharge data from the SLU-SSM Health Virtual Data Warehouse, focusing on pediatric patients from birth to 18 years during the warmer months (May to September) from 2017 to 2022 across a Midwestern healthcare network. We found significant associations between extreme heat and conditions such as dehydration, heat-related illnesses, and infections, particularly affecting vulnerable groups like children aged one to four, males, and those from low socioeconomic status areas. Our findings underscore the need for health promotion in communities and preschools. Enhancing caregiver awareness of heat risks and implementing policy initiatives can help reduce pediatric exposure. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies to explore these dynamics and develop effective strategies for protecting vulnerable children from extreme heat.
Dr. Vera presents on foundational concepts of the determinants of planetary health from an Indigenous perspective and her subsequent work in Aotearoa New Zealand studying Māori and Indigenous women's experiences of embodiment on Land as a path to healing and Indigenous (well)being.
Including local environmental knowledge within historically marginalized communities is central to achieving environmental justice, yet prevailing data collection and analysis methods often fail to recognize discourses rejecting mainstream environmental knowledge. In this presentation, Dr. Evans-Agnew describes the methods and outcomes of a pop-up booth and balloting project in the Puget Sound region of the Pacific Northwest, USA.
Life expectancy can differ by as much as 20 years for people living in different neighborhoods of the same city. Age-related chronic disease outcomes also differ greatly by place, with residents of more affluent neighborhoods living longer, healthier lives. Frequently, high deprivation neighborhoods are majority-minority. However, the biological pathways for how race, place, and health intersect - culminating in health disparities and shorter life expectancy - have not been well examined. In this presentation, Dr. Jackson discusses multiple research studies that have explored race, neighborhood deprivation, and epigenetic age acceleration as antecedents for disparities in chronic musculoskeletal pain outcomes. Pamela Jackson, PhD, RN, MLT(ASCP)BB is a nurse scientist and an Assistant Professor in the department of Environmental Health Sciences in the School of Public Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Jackson’s research focuses on the influence of neighborhood-level environmental exposures on the pace of biological aging. Jackson is particularly interested in the adverse health impacts of climate change on socioeconomically vulnerable communities and using community-engaged approaches to examine the intersection of climate and health. Dr. Jackson has an extensive 20+ year history working in healthcare systems and grew up in socioeconomically vulnerable neighborhoods - bringing inherent ties and shared perspective with communities' environmental concerns. Jackson was selected as a member of the 2023 cohort of the NIH/NIEHS Environmental Health Research Institute for Nurse and Clinician Scientists. Her work has resulted in multiple peer-reviewed publications; local, state, and national conference presentations; and grant funding from NIH/NIA.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, in 2020, COVID-associated healthcare waste alone was 3.4 kg per person per day globally. It was about 2.5 kg per bed per day in developing countries. In this seminar, Dr. Laura Jean Ridge discusses her research on the occupational health of healthcare workers in West Africa, particularly in Liberia and Ghana. Dr. Ridge is an Assistant Professor at the University of Cincinnati's College of Nursing. She has received funding from the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety and was a member of the 2023 cohort of the Environmental Health Research Institute for Nurse and Clinician Scientists™. Dr. Ridge is a nurse practitioner who earned her Master's in Adult Primary Care from Columbia University (2010). She provided primary and HIV-oriented care in New York City for five years before her PhD at New York University.
Fragranced personal care and consumer products are an important and modifiable source of chemical exposure associated with poor air quality and health outcomes. Emissions from fragranced products, such as perfumes, cleansers, and air fresheners, contribute to indoor air pollution and are among the primary ingredients of ground-level ozone. Many fragranced products emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs), causing inflammation and exacerbation of respiratory and allergic conditions, with those who are economically disadvantaged and historically marginalized at the greatest risk of exposure. The choice to use fragranced products impacts all within the shared space, with implications for the social, occupational, and family context. More research is needed to better understand the factors impacting health outcomes and disparities related to fragranced personal care and consumer product use and to develop effective behavioral interventions to limit risk. The purpose of this presentation is to provide an overview of a planned research trajectory centered on mitigating the adverse effects of fragranced products on indoor air quality and health outcomes as mapped to the National Institute of Environmental Health Science (NIEHS) Translational Research Framework. Discussion supports the continued refinement of approaches beneficial to study in this important area of environmental health research.
Content supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R25ES033452 (PI: Castner). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
Contaminated drinking water contributes to child mortality. A quasi-experimental study was conducted in Guatemala to examine a community engagement (CE) strategy, a monetary donation for a water filter. Water filters were distributed to households in four villages; three villages (n = 38) participated in the CE strategy (intervention) and one village (n = 56) did not (control). One-year later we surveyed study households on family health and water filter use. Intervention households had almost five times higher odds (OR = 4.7, p = 0.022) of having a working water filter. Interventions that incorporate ownership might sustain safe drinking water initiatives.
This session focuses on strengthening interprofessional collaboration to address the health impacts of climate change through coordinated, evidence-based, and equity-centered approaches. Learners will explore opportunities within their areas of expertise to engage in interprofessional teamwork, enhance communication and decision-making across disciplines, and demonstrate inclusive leadership in complex healthcare environments. Emphasis will be placed on developing comprehensive, team-based strategies that integrate diverse perspectives, respond to the needs of vulnerable populations, and engage community stakeholders to promote sustainable and just health outcomes in a changing climate.
This lecture examines the intersection of climate change and gender-based violence (GBV), highlighting how climate-related events such as extreme weather can heighten risks for women, girls, and other vulnerable populations. Through an exploration of climate-amplified risk factors, nurses will learn to identify early signs of GBV and provide trauma-informed care in both clinical and community contexts. Emphasis will be placed on multi-level strategies—individual, community, and policy—to eliminate GBV and strengthen women’s climate resilience. Finally, the session will empower nursing professionals to collaborate with community leaders, health systems, and advocacy organizations to promote safety, equity, and climate justice.