Rula Freiji, MD, MPH, Appointed to SMA’s Education Committee
The Southern Medical Association (SMA) is pleased to announce that Rula Freiji, MD, MPH, has been appointed to the Association’s Education Committee.
SMJ articles in the category "public health"
Constellation Quality Health: March 2026 ECHO Session Presenter Spotlight
SMA partner Constellation Quality Health welcomes Lisa Graham, RN, CDCES, BC-ADM, as our ECHO session’s didactic and case presenter on Community-Based Programs for Diabetes Education and Management.
Original Article
Pre-Post Study of the Effect of Pamphlets in Creating Awareness of Eye Diseases among Patient Populations
Objective: The objective of our study was to determine the effect of a pamphlet in increasing awareness of eye disease among patient populations to boost early utilization of eye care and screening. Methods: This was a pre-post study using a survey to measure changes in self-evaluated knowledge regarding eye disease…
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patient education 5 public health 15
Original Article
Racial Disparities in Clinical Outcomes of Emergency Colectomies for Diverticulitis
Objectives: The literature suggests that there are ongoing racial disparities in healthcare outcomes between patients in White and non-White populations. As such, we examined the outcomes of patients who underwent an emergency colectomy for diverticulitis. Methods: We identified 4841 White and 590 non-White patients, which include Black/African American and Asian…
Original Article
Public Health Measures and SARS-CoV-2 Cases in the Juvenile Justice System: Implications for Pandemic Response in the Detention Setting
Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 case positivity in juvenile justice facilities of two different states alongside institutional, local, and state public health policies during the first 6 months of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Methods: This retrospective chart review examined two large,…
Original Article
Adherence to Hypertensive Treatment among Vietnamese Patients in New Orleans
Objectives: Our principal objectives were to identify the level of adherence and identify the attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors that influence adherence to antihypertensive treatment among Vietnamese patients in New Orleans, Louisiana. Methods: By partnering with a community health center serving the Vietnamese community in New Orleans, we conducted reviews of…
Original Article
Participation in a Longitudinal Seminar Series Increases Medical Student Engagement with the COVID-19 Pandemic
Objectives: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic required a multifaceted response by healthcare professionals. Medical students played only a limited role in the early response, resulting in feelings of disengagement. The authors developed a discussion-based elective course reviewing the COVID-19 response to address this gap in medical student education. Methods:…
Original Article
Lower Intent to Comply with COVID-19 Public Health Recommendations Correlates to Higher Disease Burden in Following 30 Days
Objectives: We sought to determine whether self-reported intent to comply with public health recommendations correlates with future coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease burden. Methods: A cross-sectional, online survey of US adults, recruited by snowball sampling, from April 9 to July 12, 2020. Primary measurements were participant survey responses about their…
Original Article
Rate of Food Insecurity Among Households with Children with Sickle Cell Disease is Above the National Average
Objectives: Despite studies demonstrating the negative impact of food insecurity on health in children, limited research has been done to assess the prevalence and sequelae of food insecurity in sickle cell disease (SCD). We tested the hypothesis that food insecurity is common in children with SCD and is associated with…
Original Article
FREE: The Importance of Health and Social Services Spending to Health Outcomes in Texas, 2010–2016
Objectives: Public health and social services spending have been shown to improve health outcomes at the county level, although there are significant state and regional variations in such spending. Texas offers an important opportunity for examining nuances in the patterns of association between local government health and social services spending…
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population health 4 public health 15
Original Article
Evaluation of Patients for Zika Virus Infection in a Travel Clinic in the Southeast United States, 2016
Objectives: Zika virus is an emerging infection that has posed vexing challenges to the US public health system. Improved characterization of patients with possible and confirmed infection is needed to better understand risks for infection in US travelers and to inform evolving evaluation guidelines. Methods: We performed a retrospective electronic…
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public health 15
Original Article
Cardiovascular Risk in Gullah African Americans with High Familial Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Project SuGAR
Objectives: To determine the prevalence of cardiovascular disease, levels of cardiovascular risk factors, and extent of preventive care in Gullah African Americans with a high familial risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: Between 1995 and 2003, 1321 Gullah African Americans with a high prevalence of diabetes mellitus from the…
Original Article
Screening People in the Waiting Room for Vestibular Impairments
Objective: Primary care physicians need good screening tests of the vestibular system to help them determine whether patients who complain of dizziness should be evaluated for vestibular disorders. The goal of this study was to determine whether current, widely used screening tests of the vestibular system predict subsequent performance on…
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public health 15
Original Article
Universal Newborn Screening: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Satisfaction Among Public Health Professionals
Objective: Assess knowledge, attitude, and satisfaction with the newborn screening (NBS) system among pediatric public health leaders in the state of Florida. Methods: Online surveys and open-ended telephone interviews were administered to 10 county medical directors for a state-funded program that oversees NBS. Survey questions examined basic knowledge regarding NBS,…
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communication 11 public health 15
Original Article
Tree Stand Falls: A Persistent Cause of Sports Injury
Objective: Tree stand falls are a well-known cause of hunting-related injury. Spine and brain injuries associated with these falls result in a significant incidence of permanent disability. Prior studies indicate that hunting tree stand injuries are largely preventable with the proper use of safety belts; however, compliance with safety belt…
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injury 11 public health 15
