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CEC Publications

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  • Stanifer S, Delidow B, Rademacher K, Huntington-Moskos L, Kennoy K, Thaxton-Wiggins A, Wilmhoff C, Hahn EJ. Evaluation of a Faculty Fellows Program in Science Communication. J Appalach Health. 2023 Aug 1;5(2):85-99. doi: 10.13023/jah.0502.07. PMID: 38022491; PMCID: PMC10629883.
    Impact Statement: This study demonstrates the significant positive impact of the Faculty Fellows in Science Communication (FFSC) program on enhancing self-efficacy in science communication across diverse audiences among faculty in environmental health science and education in Appalachia Kentucky. The findings underscore the program's effectiveness in empowering participants to engage with peers within and outside their departments, as well as lay audiences, offering valuable insights into tailored communication strategies and innovative methods to bridge the science communication gap.
  • Hartson KR, Huntington-Moskos L, Sears CG, Genova G, Mathis C, Ford W, Rhodes RE. Use of Electronic Ecological Momentary Assessment Methodologies in Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Sleep Research in Young Adults: Systematic Review. J Med Internet Res. 2023 Jun 29;25:e46783. doi: 10.2196/46783. PMID: 37384367.
    Impact Statement: This publication showcases how advanced technology allows researchers to study physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep in young adults through real-time data collection. The study highlights the growing use of electronic ecological momentary assessment (eEMA) but also identifies the need for standardized reporting and inclusion of diverse populations to improve research in this area.
  • Grande M, Eldeirawi KM, Huntington-Moskos L, Polivka B, Nyenhuis SM. The Association of Food Insecurity With Asthma Control in Adults During COVID-19. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2023 May 3:S2213-2198(23)00469-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2023.04.028. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37146886.
    Impact Statement: This study highlights the importance of understanding the relationship between food insecurity and asthma control in adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings demonstrate that adults with higher levels of food insecurity are more likely to have uncontrolled asthma, emphasizing the need for healthcare providers to screen and address food insecurity when managing individuals with asthma to improve their overall asthma control and well-being.
  • Cardarelli KM, Ickes M, Huntington-Moskos L, Wilmhoff C, Larck A, Pinney SM, Hahn EJ. Authentic Youth Engagement in Environmental Health Research and Advocacy. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Feb 23;18(4):2154. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18042154. PMID: 33672107; PMCID: PMC7926324.
  • Eldeirawi K, Huntington-Moskos L, Nyenhuis SM, Polivka B. Increased disinfectant use among adults with asthma in the era of COVID-19. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2021 Mar;9(3):1378-1380.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2020.12.038. Epub 2020 Dec 29. PMID: 33385592; PMCID: PMC7832809
  • Castner J, Huntington-Moskos L, May A. Generating Data Visualizations of Longitudinal Cohort Ambient Air Pollution Exposure: Report-Back Intervention Development in Participatory Action Research. Comput Inform Nurs. 2021 Aug 18. doi: 10.1097/CIN.0000000000000821. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34412083.
    Impact Statement: This work discusses the intentional use of data visualizations in the report back of research findings to community members. Open-source tools can be effectively used to create data visualizations, discuss environmental exposure findings, and promote science literacy.
  • Huntington-Moskos L, Rayens MK, Wiggins AT, Butler KM, Hahn EJ. Use of Theory-Driven Report Back to Promote Lung Cancer Risk Reduction. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Oct 11;18(20):10648. doi: 10.3390/ijerph182010648. PMID: 34682394; PMCID: PMC8536114.
    Impact Statement: The goal of this work is to highlight the role of a report back process in prompting health behavior change. Report back is active sharing of research findings with participants to prompt behavior change. In particular, research on a theory-driven report back process for environmental risk reduction is limited. Our research team sought to evaluate the impact of a stage-tailored report back process with participants who had high home radon and/or air nicotine levels. We found that tailored report back of research findings to individual participants reduced radon exposure and changed the health behavior necessary to remediate radon and SHS exposure.
  • Polivka BJ, Eldeirawi K, Huntington-Moskos L, Nyenhuis SM. Mask Use Experiences, COVID-19, and Adults with Asthma: A Mixed-Methods Approach. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2021 Nov 14:S2213-2198(21)01262-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2021.10.071. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34785392; PMCID: PMC8590602.
    Impact Statement: This study reports that most adults with asthma reported wearing a mask in public places. Lower asthma control and longer daily mask wearing were associated with more self-reported problems with wearing masks. To increase wearability, study participants recommended using a comfortable mask that fits, staying calm, breathing slowly and deeply were recommended. Recommendations also included taking safe “mask breaks” when needed.
  • Rayens MK, McGeeney T, Wiggins A, Bucher A, Ickes M, Huntington-Moskos L, Clark P, Hahn E. Smoke-free Ordinances and Youth Tobacco Use in Kentucky. Am J Health Promot. 2022 Jan 27:8901171211066913. doi: 10.1177/08901171211066913. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35081759.
    Impact Statement: Nearly half of U.S. youth are not protected by smoke-free laws. This study underscores the association between comprehensive laws and decreased likelihood for both cigarette and smokeless tobacco use among high school students in a state with high use rates overall.
  • Polivka BJ, Huntington-Moskos L, Folz R, Barnett R. CE: Environments & Health: Chemicals in the Home That Can Exacerbate Asthma. Am J Nurs. 2022 May 1;122(5):34-39. doi: 10.1097/01.NAJ.0000829776.73698.e0. PMID: 35394947.
    Impact Statement: The authors describe how the use of cleaning and disinfectant products may affect asthma and asthma-related symptoms and report the findings of a recent study they conducted that identified how these products could reduce asthma control in older adults.
  • Eldeirawi KM, Nyenhuis SM, Huntington-Moskos L, Polivka BJ. COVID-19 Related Anxiety Is Associated with Uncontrolled Asthma in Adults. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2022 Apr 22:S1081-1206(22)00308-8. doi: 10.1016/j.anai.2022.04.011. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35470038; PMCID: PMC9033292.
    Impact statement: The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected people with chronic diseases, including asthma; these impacts were both physically and psychologically. Our findings underscore the need for health care providers to assess for the ongoing psychological impact of the pandemic and refer to mental health specialists.
  • Polivka BJ, Huntington-Moskos L, Antimisiaris DE, Cavallazzi RS, Folz RJ. Phenotyping older adults with asthma by means of cluster analysis. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2022 Jun 10:S1081-1206(22)00501-4. doi: 10.1016/j.anai.2022.06.003. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35697194.
    Impact Statement: Whereas a number of publications have identified asthma phenotypes in adults, few have focused only on older adults. As a component of a randomized controlled trial of older adults (≥50 years old) with persistent asthma, Baptist et al identified 4 phenotypic clusters. The purpose of this study was to compare findings from the Baptist et al study with cluster analysis findings from a cohort of older adults with asthma participating in a longitudinal observational study.
  • Nyenhuis S, Cramer E, Grande M, Huntington-Moskos L, Krueger K, Bimbi O, Polivka B, Eldeirawi K. Utilizing Real-time Technology to Assess the Impact of Home Environmental Exposures on Asthma Symptoms: Protocol for an Observational Pilot Study. JMIR Res Protoc. 2022 Aug 2;11(8):e39887. doi: 10.2196/39887. PMID: 35916686.
    Impact Statement: It is estimated that over 60% of adults with asthma have uncontrolled symptoms, representing a substantial health and economic impact. Findings from this feasibility study will support a powered study to address the impact of home environmental exposures on asthma symptoms and develop tailored, home-based asthma interventions that are responsive to the changing home environment and home routines.
  • Bhatnagar A, Keith R, Yeager R, Riggs D, Sears C, Bucknum B, Smith T, Fleischer D, Chandler C, Walker KL, Hart JL, Srivastava S, Turner J, Rai S. The Green Heart Project: Objectives, Design, and Methods. medRxiv [Preprint]. 2023 Dec 5:2023.12.05.23299461. doi: 10.1101/2023.12.05.23299461. PMID: 38105951; PMCID: PMC10723507.
    Impact Statement: The Green Heart Project, initiated in 2018 in a low-to-middle-income mixed-race residential area of Louisville, KY, conducted a comprehensive study assessing the impact of increased urban greenery on environmental and community health. Through meticulous data collection, including sociodemographic factors, pollutant exposure, and cardiovascular function assessments, the project aims to provide valuable insights into the long-term effects of planting over 8,000 trees and shrubs in designated clusters, contributing to ongoing research on the benefits of urban green spaces.
  • Sokoloski KJ, Holm RH, Smith M, Ford EE, Rouchka EC, Smith T. What is the functional reach of wastewater surveillance for respiratory viruses, pathogenic viruses of concern, and bacterial antibiotic resistance genes of interest? Hum Genomics. 2023 Dec 18;17(1):114. doi: 10.1186/s40246-023-00563-8. PMID: 38105239; PMCID: PMC10726489.
    Impact Statement: This publication emphasizes the significance of high-throughput sequencing in wastewater-based epidemiology for the broad and unbiased detection of human pathogens, antibiotic resistance genes, and other health-relevant entities. The call for collaborative networks among public health agencies, researchers, and community stakeholders highlights the need for a more inclusive public health infrastructure, positioning high-throughput sequencing of wastewater samples as a gold standard for comprehensively understanding and addressing community health, especially in the context of potential public health emergencies or pandemics.
  • Holm RH, Nyirenda R, Smith T, Chigwechokha P. Addressing the challenges of establishing quality wastewater or non-sewered sanitation-based surveillance, including laboratory and epidemiological considerations, in Malawi. BMJ Glob Health. 2023 Nov;8(11):e013307. doi: 10.1136/bmjgh-2023-013307. PMID: 37918872; PMCID: PMC10626866.
    Impact Statement: This publication emphasizes the significance of high-throughput sequencing in wastewater-based epidemiology for the broad and unbiased detection of human pathogens, antibiotic resistance genes, and other health-relevant entities. The call for collaborative networks among public health agencies, researchers, and community stakeholders highlights the need for a more inclusive public health infrastructure, positioning high-throughput sequencing of wastewater samples as a gold standard for comprehensively understanding and addressing community health, especially in the context of potential public health emergencies or pandemics.
  • Anderson LB, Ness HD, Holm RH, Smith T. Wastewater-Informed Digital Advertising as a COVID-19 Geotargeted Neighborhood Intervention: Jefferson County, Kentucky, 2021-2022. Am J Public Health. 2023 Oct 19:e1-e4. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2023.307439. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37856730.
    Impact Statement: This publication demonstrates the potential of using localized public health clinical case data and wastewater pathogen data to implement a geotargeted digital messaging intervention. This approach offers a more responsive and targeted solution for environmental health risks.
  • Klaassen F, Holm RH, Smith T, Cohen T, Bhatnagar A, Menzies NA. Predictive power of wastewater for nowcasting infectious disease transmission: A retrospective case study of five sewershed areas in Louisville, Kentucky. Environ Res. 2023 Oct 12:117395. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117395. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37838198.
    Impact Statement: This research underscores the potential value of wastewater data in enhancing infectious disease nowcasting, particularly when clinical surveillance data are limited or absent, offering a valuable alternative for early pandemic monitoring or in resource-constrained settings. Although the addition of wastewater data only marginally improved predictive performance compared to models using traditional case and death reports, its inclusion significantly enhanced agreement with estimates derived from models utilizing death data, emphasizing its utility in augmenting disease trend predictions.
  • Marin-Ramirez A, Mahoney T, Smith T, Holm RH. Predicting wastewater treatment plant influent in mixed, separate, and combined sewers using nearby surface water discharge for better wastewater-based epidemiology sampling design. Sci Total Environ. 2023 Sep 27;906:167375. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167375. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37774884.
    Impact Statement: This publication presents a methodology to optimize wastewater sampling during high hydrologic activity. By integrating readily available environmental data, it enhances our ability to monitor public health indicators in wastewater, leading to timely and informed public health interventions.
  • Keck JW, Lindner J, Liversedge M, Mijatovic B, Olsson C, Strike W, Noble A, Adatorwovor R, Lacy P, Smith T, Berry SM. Wastewater Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 at Long-Term Care Facilities: Mixed Methods Evaluation. JMIR Public Health Surveill. 2023 Aug 29;9:e44657. doi: 10.2196/44657. PMID: 37643001; PMCID: PMC10467632.
    Impact Statement: The study demonstrated that wastewater surveillance could potentially serve as an effective early warning system for detecting SARS-CoV-2 in long-term care facilities (LTCFs). While the surveillance efficiently detected SARS-CoV-2 and additional pathogens of interest, it acknowledged some challenges that need to be addressed for broad adoption in these settings.
  • Anderson LB, Kanneganti D, Houk MB, Holm RH, Smith T. Generative AI as a Tool for Environmental Health Research Translation. Geohealth. 2023 Jul 26;7(7):e2023GH000875. doi: 10.1029/2023GH000875. PMID: 37502196; PMCID: PMC10369501.
    Impact Statement: We demonstrate how generative AI, like ChatGPT, can be used to create Plain Language Summaries (PLS) of published studies and excels at insight synthesis, such as targeting an eighth-grade reading level or emphasizing key findings and real-world applications. In the field of environmental health science, this no-cost technology offers the potential to enhance research translation to a wide range of community and public policy stakeholders.
  • Basner M, Smith MG, Jones CW, Ecker AJ, Howard K, Schneller V, Cordoza M, Kaizi-Lutu M, Park-Chavar S, Stahn AC, Dinges DF, Shou H, Mitchell JA, Bhatnagar A, Smith T, Smith AE, Stopforth CK, Yeager R, Keith RJ. Associations of bedroom PM2.5, CO2, temperature, humidity, and noise with sleep: An observational actigraphy study. Sleep Health. 2023 Apr 10:S2352-7218(23)00043-8. doi: 10.1016/j.sleh.2023.02.010. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37076419.
    Impact Statement: This study demonstrates that factors such as air pollution, temperature, carbon dioxide, and noise in the bedroom environment have a significant impact on sleep quality. Higher levels of these factors were found to decrease sleep efficiency, highlighting the importance of creating a healthy and comfortable bedroom environment, beyond the mattress, for optimal sleep.
  • Holm RH, Pocock G, Severson MA, Huber VC, Smith T, McFadden LM. Using wastewater to overcome health disparities among rural residents. Geoforum. 2023 Aug;144:103816. doi: 10.1016/j.geoforum.2023.103816. Epub 2023 Jun 26. PMID: 37396346; PMCID: PMC10292026.
    Impact Statement: This commentary addresses the disparities in rural health during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and proposes the use of wastewater surveillance as an innovative tool to address these disparities. By reviewing successful implementations in South Africa, we conclude that wastewater surveillance can help monitor diseases in underserved areas, improve disease detection among rural residents, and potentially identify future global outbreaks.
  • Holm RH, Osborne Jelks N, Schneider R, Smith T. Beyond COVID-19: Designing Inclusive Public Health Surveillance by Including Wastewater Monitoring. Health Equity. 2023 Jun 15;7(1):377-379. doi: 10.1089/heq.2022.0055. PMID: 37351532; PMCID: PMC10282970.
    Impact Statement: This work emphasizes the importance of expanding wastewater testing to include vulnerable and underserved communities, particularly when clinical testing data are insufficient, in order to ensure rapid response to public health threats and equitable protection of health in the United States.
  • Anderson LB, Kanneganti D, Houk MB, Holm RH, Smith T. Generative AI as a Tool for Environmental Health Research Translation. medRxiv [Preprint]. 2023 Feb 22:2023.02.14.23285938. doi: 10.1101/2023.02.14.23285938. PMID: 36865187; PMCID: PMC9980240
    Impact Statement: This research has the potential to significantly impact society and public health by making scientific information more accessible to non-academic, and specifically environmental justice audiences, thereby empowering communities and promoting informed policy-making. Additionally, the widespread adoption of AI-generated plain language summaries could lead to better public understanding of health research, ultimately resulting in improved public health policies and practices.
  • Naughton CC, Holm RH, Lin NJ, James BP, Smith T. Online dashboards for SARS-CoV-2 wastewater data need standard best practices: An environmental health communication agenda. J Water Health. 2023 May;21(5):615-624. doi: 10.2166/wh.2023.312. PMID: 37254909.
    Impact Statement: This study underscores the need to standardize the presentation of SARS-CoV-2 (and other pathogen) wastewater data across online dashboards globally, which we show to vary greatly leading to potential public health miscommunication. Our findings could lead to improved risk communication, enabling better use of this important data on a global scale, informing public health responses to COVID-19 and enhancing the efficacy of future pandemic management efforts.
  • Keith RJ, Holm RH, Amraotkar AR, Bezold MM, Brick JM, Bushau-Sprinkle AM, Hamorsky KT, Kitterman KT, Palmer KE, Smith T, Yeager R, Bhatnagar A. Stratified Simple Random Sampling Versus Volunteer Community-Wide Sampling for Estimates of COVID-19 Prevalence. Am J Public Health. 2023 May 18:e1-e10. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2023.307303. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37200600.
    Impact Statement: This study demonstrates the importance of using structured targeted sampling approaches to assess the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the community. The findings show that these sampling methods provide more accurate estimates of disease prevalence compared to administratively reported data based on incident cases. The study highlights the significance of using targeted sampling, particularly among marginalized populations, to obtain more reliable and representative data for public health planning and interventions.
  • McLeish AC, Smith T, Riggs DW, Hart JL, Walker KL, Keith RJ, Anderson L, Sithu I, Pinilla-Baquero J, Srivastava S, Bhatnagar A. Community-Based Evaluation of the Associations Between Well-Being and Cardiovascular Disease Risk. J Am Heart Assoc. 2022 Nov 15;11(22):e027095. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.122.027095. Epub 2022 Nov 12. PMID: 36370026.
    Impact Statement: In a community‐based cohort, individuals reporting higher levels of well‐being have lower odds of hypertension and dyslipidemia as well as lower rates of age‐dependent increase in vascular stiffness.
  • Holm RH, Rempala GA, Choi B, Brick JM, Amraotkar AR, Keith RJ, Rouchka EC, Chariker JH, Palmer KE, Smith T, Bhatnagar A. SARS-CoV-2 wastewater concentration and linked longitudinal seroprevalence: a spatial analysis of strain mutation, post-COVID-19 vaccination effect, and hospitalization burden forecasting. medRxiv [Preprint]. 2023 Jan 7:2023.01.06.23284260. doi: 10.1101/2023.01.06.23284260. PMID: 36656780; PMCID: PMC9844017.
    Impact Statement: Wastewater samples can be used to estimate the effects of vaccination and hospitalization burden. Our study underscores the importance of continued environmental surveillance post-vaccine and provides a proof of concept for environmental epidemiology monitoring.
  • Nardi D, Waite R, Nowak M, Hatcher B, Hines-Martin V, Stacciarini JR. Achieving Health Equity Through Eradicating Structural Racism in the United States: A Call to Action for Nursing Leadership. J Nurs Scholarsh. 2020 Oct 1. doi: 10.1111/jnu.12602. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33002309.
  • Bowland, S. & Hines-Martin, V. (2020). Strengthening health in mixed-age housing communities. Journal of Health and Human Services Administration, 43(2), 218-234.
  • Hines-Martin, V.P. (2020). Community displacement, environmental change and the impact on mental well-being. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, ISSN 0883-9417. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnu.2020.10.012.
  • Yearwood EL, Hines-Martin VP. Editorial: Impact of social determinants of health on mental health. Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 2021 Feb;35(1):A1-A2. doi: 10.1016/j.apnu.2020.12.001. Epub 2021 Jan 8. PMID: 33593523.
  • Naegle MA, Kelly LA, Embree JL, Valentine N, Sharp D, Grinspun D, Hines-Martin VP, Crawford CL, Rosa WE. American academy of nursing consensus recommendations to advance system level change for nurse well-being. Nurs Outlook. 2023 Feb 1;71(2):101917. doi: 10.1016/j.outlook.2023.101917. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36736029; PMCID: PMC9889942.
    Impact Statement: This paper proposes recommendations from the AAN Expert Panels on Building Health Care System Excellence, Psychiatric Mental Health and Substance Use, and Global Health Expert Panels for the American Academy of Nursing to leverage related policy in the arenas of government and professional/healthcare organizations. Transforming health care work environments and advancing nurse well-being and equity can be accomplished through key, innovative policy changes. These will be achieved through collaboration among associations, organizations, nonprofit groups, and with the public and the media.
  • Wei H, Price Z, Evans K, Haberstroh A, Hines-Martin V, Harrington CC. The State of the Science of Nurses' Implicit Bias: A Call to Go Beyond the Face of the Other and Revisit the Ethics of Belonging and Power. ANS Adv Nurs Sci. 2023 Jan 10. doi: 10.1097/ANS.0000000000000470. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36728370.
    Impact Statement: This article summarizes the current state of nurses' implicit bias and discusses the phenomenon from Levinas' face of the Other and ethics of belonging, Watson's human caring and unitary caring science, and Chinn's peace and power theory. Nurses' implicit bias is a global issue; the primary sources of nurses' implicit bias include race/ethnicity, sexuality, health conditions, age, mental health status, and substance use disorders. The current research stays at the descriptive level and addresses implicit bias at the individual level. This article invites nurses to go beyond “the face of the Other” and revisit the ethics of belonging and power.