http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/keyword/public-health Inquiries Journal provides undergraduate and graduate students around the world a platform for the wide dissemination of academic work over a range of core disciplines. en-us Sat, 09 May 2026 10:28:19 -0400 Sat, 09 May 2026 10:28:19 -0400 http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1946/an-assessment-of-the-origins-and-culpability-of-the-opioid-crisis-in-the-united-states By Connor D. Catalani - The use of synthetic opioids in the United States in the past 30 years has created an epidemic the likes of which our healthcare and law enforcement systems have never before encountered. Although some opioid analogs, like fentanyl, were developed with the intention of managing chronic pain, these potent drugs have, through their addictive qualities, trapped millions of Americans in a deadly cycle of dependency. This review addresses the major routes by which synthetic opioids are illegally shipped into the United States, where they are then sold to theAmerican public. By examining the origins... Fri, 11 Mar 2022 03:02 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1946/an-assessment-of-the-origins-and-culpability-of-the-opioid-crisis-in-the-united-states http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1931/federalism-and-the-value-of-institutional-experience-during-a-national-disaster-identifying-determinants-of-rapid-emergency-medicaid-waiver-adoption-during-the-covid-19-pandemic By Jason Semprini - Section 1135 emergency waivers were designed as tools for policy-makers to rapidly increase health system capacity during a disaster. Granting regulatory, administrative, or payment-model flexibilities during the covid-19 pandemic, states may be better equipped for an influx of hospitalizations. One month passed before every state adopted a covid-19 waiver and no research investigated why states adopted waivers sooner than others. This study utilizes a Parametric (Gamma) Time-to-Event design to construct a Contextual, Institutional, Political, External, and a combined Integrated model to identify... Thu, 06 Jan 2022 01:24 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1931/federalism-and-the-value-of-institutional-experience-during-a-national-disaster-identifying-determinants-of-rapid-emergency-medicaid-waiver-adoption-during-the-covid-19-pandemic http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1918/euthanasia-and-consensual-harm-evaluating-the-moral-and-legal-asymmetry-of-self-and-other-regarding-acts By Anna L. Peters - Suicide is legal in almost every country, but places where euthanasia is permitted remain in the minority (Mishara and Weisstub 2016). In many legislatures, suicide is not a criminal act. It is, however, a criminal act for you to assist me in this, either indirectly by providing the means (assisted suicide), or directly by performing the fatal act (euthanasia), even if I ask for your assistance. This dichotomy is emblematic of a pattern that can be found in many legal systems: person B – the agent, throughout – is prohibited from doing to person A – the principal, throughout &... Mon, 25 Oct 2021 08:48 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1918/euthanasia-and-consensual-harm-evaluating-the-moral-and-legal-asymmetry-of-self-and-other-regarding-acts http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1899/longevity-blue-zone-centenarians-an-expository-paper By Christopher M. Green - Areas of the world found to harbor the people with exceptional lifespans are known as a Longevity Blue Zone (LBZ). LBZ’s are areas around the world that have an unusual concentration of centenarians. This paper investigates the link between lifestyle wellness and the lack of institutional long-term care among centenarians living in LBZ’s. There is limited information on the relationship between health and structured health care in these zones of the world. The ability to assess if there is a requirement for institutional services in these zones has the power to resolve current gaps... Tue, 11 May 2021 02:19 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1899/longevity-blue-zone-centenarians-an-expository-paper http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1821/poor-cultural-communication-as-an-obstacle-to-adequate-medical-care-a-case-study-of-the-manchurian-plague-epidemics By Jingkai Hou - Communication between doctors or health authorities and the population is important to the implementation of public health policies. Even when the government and the people have no cultural conflicts, violent riots may happen due to the distrust of authority, typified by the Italian cholera riots of 1910-11. In cases where the public health authorities and the population do not share a common culture, it is harder for effective communication to form between them. Linguistic, cultural, and ideological differences all pose difficulty for the population to understand the authorities. Poor cultural... Wed, 21 Oct 2020 07:51 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1821/poor-cultural-communication-as-an-obstacle-to-adequate-medical-care-a-case-study-of-the-manchurian-plague-epidemics http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1807/the-keto-diet-and-long-term-weight-loss-is-it-a-safe-option By Natalya F. Giroux - The ketogenic diet, or keto diet for short, is a fad diet that has gained significant attention in recent years as a popular weight loss approach. The diet is characterized by a depletion of carbohydrates which in turn place the body in a state called ketosis. In this metabolic state, the body breaks down fat stores directly and produces ketones to be used as fuel, which correlates directly with the ability of the diet to induce rapid weight loss. Fierce debate surrounding the diet originates from mixed opinions of the diet’s safety and efficacy, especially in the long term, based on the... Thu, 01 Oct 2020 02:07 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1807/the-keto-diet-and-long-term-weight-loss-is-it-a-safe-option http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1800/intergenerational-intimate-partner-violence-pathways-of-genetic-and-environmental-interactions By Clare Choi - Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health issue that results in social, psychological, emotional, and physical consequences. Although interventions may be continuously designed to combat this problem, IPV must first be understood in an intergenerational perspective before effective programs can be put into place. Intimate partner violence is historically viewed as a social and private phenomenon, tinged with shame and stigma. Existing literature on this issue predominantly focuses on the social environment, leaning towards theories that put blame on the social environment the... Tue, 22 Sep 2020 05:31 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1800/intergenerational-intimate-partner-violence-pathways-of-genetic-and-environmental-interactions http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1746/is-medical-debt-a-social-determinant-of-health By Vikrant Bhatnagar - Medical Debt has largely been viewed as a financial burden. While studies have linked Medical Debt to decreased savings, reduced health access, foreclosure of homes, and loss of income, there has been little to no research exploring Medical Debt’s effect as a social determinant of health. While Medicaid expansion via the Affordable Care Act has decreased overall Medical Debt, data on this phenomenon fails to adequately address the broader issue: the need to isolate statistically Medical Debt’s association with patient access to care. A sensible first step to explore this phenomenon... Tue, 30 Oct 2018 09:51 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1746/is-medical-debt-a-social-determinant-of-health http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1743/can-the-value-proposition-work-in-health-care By Frederick J. White - The value proposition in the commercial setting is the functional relationship of quality and price. It is held to be a utility maximizing function of the relationship between buyer and seller. Its proponents assert that translation of the value proposition into the health care system of the United States is a necessary and perhaps indispensable solution to the current structural difficulties of health services delivery in our nation. But the application of the value proposition to health care delivery in the United States will meet with difficulty for a myriad of reasons. Some of these are inherent... Wed, 24 Oct 2018 08:24 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1743/can-the-value-proposition-work-in-health-care http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1705/theoretical-utilisation-of-biological-warfare-from-aquatic-invasive-species By Richard J. Neale - The Peruvian population became infected from eating shellfish that had ingested plankton, and from drinking or bathing in water supplies drawn directly out of the rivers which at best had only minimal processing. It worked its way inland, and was spread faster due to massive overcrowding, whilst the waters themselves spread along the coastline. The lack of water purification, chlorination protocols, insufficient infrastructure with regards to medical facilities and waste disposal, coupled with minimal international support lead to 4,000 deaths within a matter of weeks, with a further 393,000 contracting... Thu, 16 Nov 2017 11:42 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1705/theoretical-utilisation-of-biological-warfare-from-aquatic-invasive-species http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1654/the-evolution-and-devolution-of-mental-health-services-in-australia By Lila P. Vrklevski - This article provides a brief historical overview of the development of mental health services in Australia. It commences with the establishment of the first public asylum, Bethlem Royal Hospital, London, in 1247, the arrival of the First Fleet on 24 January 1788 at Botany Bay, New South Wales and the establishment and growth of asylums in Australia. The article identifies some of the major social, historical, medical and political developments that have influenced our understanding and treatment of mental illness and the mentally ill. The article then traces the evolution and development of the... Tue, 17 Oct 2017 08:44 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1654/the-evolution-and-devolution-of-mental-health-services-in-australia http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1554/nutritional-communications-across-climates-a-comparative-research-study-between-ecuador-and-the-netherlands By Morgan Messelink - A study in May 2014 analyzed food labels in Quito, Ecuador, to better understand the culture's nutritional communication. The study explored what is considered to be a healthy diet in Ecuadorian culture and how this is communicated, and also to what extent nutrients in packaged food are effectively communicated via labelling. Data was gathered using a mixed methods approach; first using quantitative methods with a survey administrated to students at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito. Following the completion of the survey, participants were then asked to volunteer for a questionnaire containing... Sun, 30 Oct 2016 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1554/nutritional-communications-across-climates-a-comparative-research-study-between-ecuador-and-the-netherlands http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1424/accessibility-of-abortion-in-canada-geography-as-a-barrier-to-access-in-ontario-and-quebec By Daniela Bernal Kotlier - In Canada, a point of national pride has often been our publicly funded health care system. Its pillars of universality, accessibility and comprehensiveness exemplify the Canadian identity as being inclusive and progressive. However, it is important to look beyond the big picture and delve into how our health care system actually measures up to these standards in the lives of Canadians. Canada is often seen as a global leader in gender equality and sexual and reproductive rights (Action Canada for Sexual Health and Reproductive Rights [ACSHR], 2015a); we are one of the few countries in the world... Thu, 16 Jun 2016 08:06 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1424/accessibility-of-abortion-in-canada-geography-as-a-barrier-to-access-in-ontario-and-quebec http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1448/do-healthcare-systems-discriminate-a-comparative-policy-analysis-of-health-inequality-in-the-united-states-and-united-kingdom By Sarah E. Rudasill - This comparative analysis of U.S. and U.K. healthcare systems pinpoints inequalities in health outcomes and recommends policies to alleviate disparities. Mortality data from the CDC'S WONDER Database and Cancer Research U.K. were used to analyze two gendered conditions – female breast cancer and male prostate cancer– for mortality rates and relative mortality ratios by region, race, and socioeconomic status. The data indicate that although the United States outperforms the United Kingdom in overall mortality rates for breast and prostate cancers, outcomes for U.S. Black residents are... Tue, 31 May 2016 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1448/do-healthcare-systems-discriminate-a-comparative-policy-analysis-of-health-inequality-in-the-united-states-and-united-kingdom http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1347/the-impact-of-medicaid-expansion-on-hiv-positive-men-and-women-in-the-southern-united-states By Sarah E. Rudasill - The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 called upon states to expand Medicaid, a subsidized health insurance program, for individuals making up to effectively 138 percent of the federal poverty line. The rapidly growing HIV-positive community of the southern United States, a geographic region that has recently been named the new epicenter for HIV, is especially positioned to benefit from such an expansion. Projections of the number of HIV-positive individuals eligible for the Medicaid expansion reveal that a substantial proportion of the HIV-positive community will enjoy greater... Tue, 02 Feb 2016 10:35 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1347/the-impact-of-medicaid-expansion-on-hiv-positive-men-and-women-in-the-southern-united-states http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1577/effects-of-cultural-factors-on-aids-epidemics-in-sub-saharan-african-countries-from-2005-2010 By Lee Walter - Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) has ravaged sub-Saharan Africa in the decades since its first recorded case. The disease has reached epidemic levels in many regions, with millions of new cases diagnosed each year. This paper examines the effects of several variables on the infection rates of AIDS in six African countries across six years and tests the hypothesis that widespread misconceptions surrounding AIDS, e.g. the misconceptions that AIDS can be cured by intercourse with a virgin and that AIDS can only be transmitted among homosexuals, affects AIDS rates more than other variables... Thu, 31 Dec 2015 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1577/effects-of-cultural-factors-on-aids-epidemics-in-sub-saharan-african-countries-from-2005-2010 http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1383/e-fluid-induces-inflammation-responses-in-lung-epithelial-cells By Hayley E. Tartell - Electronic cigarettes (E-cigarettes) are devices that effectively deliver vaporized liquid nicotine to the lungs and are commercially available as a nicotine replacement therapy that is safer than conventional tobacco smoking. However, there is limited data available on the safety of E-cigarettes, and E-cigarettes currently do not fall under the regulation of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This study investigates the potential inflammation effects of E-cigarettes by utilizing lung cell culture techniques. Lung cells (A549 cell line) were exposed to the liquid that is vaporized by E-cigarettes... Thu, 03 Dec 2015 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1383/e-fluid-induces-inflammation-responses-in-lung-epithelial-cells http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1299/the-danger-of-sitting-down-a-summary-of-the-health-risks-of-excessive-sedentary-behavior By Ronan C. Talty - Excessive sedentary behavior (defined as waking time spent sitting, reclining, or lying down) represents an increasingly noteworthy global health risk, particularly for individuals whose professions require long hours spent sitting at a desk. Despite the undeniable associations between sedentary time and several diseases, few existing health initiatives – from the company to governmental level – address this issue with any substance. This paper resolves present literature regarding the health detriments linked to exorbitant sedentary behavior. It then explores potential alterations... Sun, 08 Nov 2015 05:33 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1299/the-danger-of-sitting-down-a-summary-of-the-health-risks-of-excessive-sedentary-behavior http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1214/spatial-analysis-of-inflammatory-bowel-disease-in-south-carolina By Joshua E. Sellner - The etiology of IBD has yet to be definitively established. The most popular theory is the ‘Hygiene Hypothesis’ which points to a decrease of infections during adolescence leading to an increase of autoimmune diseases later in life, such as IBD(Okada, Kugn, Feillet, & Bach, 2010). While it is widely accepted that this may play an essential role in the development of IBD, many believe that it is but a small piece in the web of causation. A more comprehensive explanation may be a combination of an individual being genetically susceptible to the disease along with being exposed to... Mon, 12 Oct 2015 05:42 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1214/spatial-analysis-of-inflammatory-bowel-disease-in-south-carolina http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1089/does-bmi-affect-diagnostic-efficacy-of-computer-aided-diagnostic-software-in-the-identification-of-malignant-pulmonary-nodules-in-dual-energy-subtracted-chest-radiographs By Nicholas J. Novak - The increasing level of obesity in the general population of industrialized nations is a major public health concern. While obesity increases morbidity and mortality, increasing body habitus also impacts the utilization and analysis of medical imaging. The purpose of this retrospective pilot study is to compare the diagnostic effectiveness of Computer Aided Diagnosis (CAD) software (OnGuard™ 5.2) in combination with a hardware based bone suppression tool, Dual Energy Subtraction (DES) radiography on thoracic radiographs of patients with varying levels of obesity. Chest radiographs from 30... Fri, 01 May 2015 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1089/does-bmi-affect-diagnostic-efficacy-of-computer-aided-diagnostic-software-in-the-identification-of-malignant-pulmonary-nodules-in-dual-energy-subtracted-chest-radiographs http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/900/hiv-positive-youth-empowerment-in-swaziland-an-evaluation-of-the-social-stigma-surrounding-hiv By Sahil Aggarwal - UNAIDS reports the antenatal HIV prevalence rate—the prevalence of HIV in unborn children—to be approximately 38% in Swaziland, Africa (UNAIDS 2012), the highest rate in the world (Root 2010). Diagnosed through an HIV antibody test or virological analysis, clinical progression of HIV infection is often divided into four stages based on symptoms observed in children (Table 1) (World Health Organization 2007). Disease progression through the stages into AIDS or death is reduced through antiretroviral medications, which have shown long term reversals in the infection’s effects on... Wed, 04 Jun 2014 09:57 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/900/hiv-positive-youth-empowerment-in-swaziland-an-evaluation-of-the-social-stigma-surrounding-hiv http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/970/the-efficacy-of-guerrilla-advertising-on-public-health-issues By Kendal Cinnamon - While commercial businesses utilize guerrilla advertising regularly nowadays, the practice has crossed over into non-commercial territory: the public health industry. The purpose of this study is to assess the perceived efficacy of guerrilla advertising tactics, specifically as applied to public health issues. Based on fear appeal, sensory involvement, and environmental circumstances, three important components for measuring the efficacy of advertisements, the author created a measurement instrument called the Resonance and Impact Analysis (RIA) Scale that was used to measure three guerrilla-style... Thu, 29 May 2014 06:36 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/970/the-efficacy-of-guerrilla-advertising-on-public-health-issues http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/895/prescription-drug-monitoring-programs-to-curb-prescription-drug-abuse-examining-the-components-of-program-efficacy By Joshua J. Timmons - In the American healthcare system there have been few trends as persistent, yet avoidable, as the rise in prescription drug overdoses. Between 1999 and 2008 prescription overdoses quadrupled to nearly twenty thousand per year (Paulozzi, Jones, Mack, & Rudd, 2011). It is estimated that nearly six million Americans are abusing or misusing prescription drugs in any given year, and nonmedical prescription use remains one of the most common forms of illicit substance abuse among young adults, second only to cannabis use (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA], 2012).... Mon, 05 May 2014 12:09 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/895/prescription-drug-monitoring-programs-to-curb-prescription-drug-abuse-examining-the-components-of-program-efficacy http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/791/motivating-behavior-change-a-content-analysis-of-public-service-announcements-from-the-lets-move-campaign By Maria Georgiadis - Childhood obesity is an important issue facing our country and as a result, public health programs including the Let's Move! campaign have been implemented to prevent this growing epidemic. The Let's Move! campaign released a series of print, TV, radio and outdoor public service advertisements meant to influence publics and motivate behavior change. Through a content analysis of the print and TV PSAs from the Let's Move! campaign, this study found that health messages were strategically communicated with a series of separate but cohesive PSA ads that displayed consistency in messages, logos and... Sat, 16 Nov 2013 09:12 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/791/motivating-behavior-change-a-content-analysis-of-public-service-announcements-from-the-lets-move-campaign http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/752/understanding-the-flu-host-and-environmental-factors-associated-with-susceptibility-to-influenza-virus-induced-disease By Lauren M. Neighbours And Meagan F. Vaughn - Influenza virus infection is a worldwide public health burden because of the significant morbidity and mortality that result from seasonal outbreaks and devastating epidemics. Despite extensive research and therapeutic measures to combat influenza virus infections, the genetic and environmental factors that impact influenza virus-induced disease susceptibility remain poorly defined. Here we report the current state of knowledge regarding the host and environmental factors that impact influenza virus susceptibility. Mouse models of influenza virus infection have led to the identification of several... Sun, 01 Sep 2013 05:05 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/752/understanding-the-flu-host-and-environmental-factors-associated-with-susceptibility-to-influenza-virus-induced-disease http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/741/from-physician-to-patient-the-effects-of-the-patient-protection-and-affordable-care-act-ppaca By Sujay Kulshrestha - During the 2008 Presidential Election, voters designated health insurance reform as a key issue for their future president to work on. With 46.3 million Americans uninsured in 2008, voters demanded change, and upon his election, President Barack Obama set in motion the process of drastically overhauling the entire healthcare system in the United States (Census Bureau 20). Speaking to a joint session of Congress in September 2009, Obama declared that he was “determined to be the last” president to advocate for healthcare reform (Obama). After his efforts throughout the first fifteen... Fri, 14 Jun 2013 11:39 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/741/from-physician-to-patient-the-effects-of-the-patient-protection-and-affordable-care-act-ppaca http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1207/a-call-for-ecologically-informed-policy-to-address-sex-work-evidence-from-kenya By Léa Steinacker - With the recognition that sex workers constitute a key population at higher risk for the acquisition and dissemination of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) has come an appreciation of the central role that they might assume in policy solutions to the global HIV epidemic. Since then, the activist approach and to some extent, the academic gaze have shifted from mere disease control to a more comprehensive accounting of sex workers’ lives. Policies and strategies for interventions, however, have largely lagged behind. Most interventions treat sex workers as a focal point of an infection... Thu, 01 Nov 2012 06:41 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1207/a-call-for-ecologically-informed-policy-to-address-sex-work-evidence-from-kenya http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/708/maternal-mortality-in-nepal-addressing-the-issue By Roman Shrestha - Each year around 358,000 women die because of complications during pregnancy or childbirth and many more encounter serious problems (WHO, 2012). The vast majority of these problems occur in low-income countries, where poverty increases sickness and reduces access to care. These deaths occur within a context of gender-based, economic, political and cultural discrimination and neglect of women’s right to equal status and equitable access to services. Nearly all of these deaths are preventable because the majority of deaths are caused by hemorrhages, sepsis, hypertensive disorders, prolonged... Mon, 22 Oct 2012 10:02 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/708/maternal-mortality-in-nepal-addressing-the-issue http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/701/arsenic-contamination-of-groundwater-in-nepal-good-public-health-intention-gone-bad By Roman Shrestha - Nepal is a small developing country in South Asia, bordered by China to the north and India to the south, east and west. With a total land area of 56,827 square miles, the country is predominantly mountainous with more than 80% of the total area covered by hills and mountains. However, the southern belt of Nepal consists of flat alluvial plains called the Terai region, populated by almost half of the total population of the country.1 According to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) census, 2012, the estimated total population of the country is 29,890,686 with growth rate of 1.768% per annum.... Tue, 25 Sep 2012 09:16 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/701/arsenic-contamination-of-groundwater-in-nepal-good-public-health-intention-gone-bad http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1622/the-hivaids-epidemic-in-the-deep-south By Andrew Menefee - This paper examines explanations for the current HIV/AIDS epidemic in the Deep South United States. The first set of explanations is categorized as social determinants of health and includes social and economic factors that influence public health care such as poverty rates, high school graduation rates, and existing health infrastructure in the region. The second set of explanations examines the influence of less visible barriers to health care, and includes studies related to shared communal narratives of conspiracy theories and stigma. The paper employs a quantitative analysis of social and... Thu, 31 May 2012 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1622/the-hivaids-epidemic-in-the-deep-south