My project is a data analysis study focused on hospital inpatient discharges in New York State, specifically examining APR-DRG code 817, which pertains to intentional self-harm and attempted suicide. By analyzing demographic trends and patient disposition, I aim to uncover patterns and disparities related to these cases. Additionally, I will assess hospital locations to explore potential socioeconomic factors influencing patient outcomes.

To conduct this study, I am utilizing the SPARCS New York Hospital Inpatient Discharges dataset (2022) and analyzing the data using SPSS. I will focus on descriptive statistics and frequency analysis to identify key trends in demographics (age, gender, and race/ethnicity) and patient disposition (discharge status). Additionally, I will incorporate hospital location data to evaluate possible socioeconomic influences.

This investigation is important because intentional self-harm and attempted suicide are critical public health issues, and understanding the demographic distribution of these cases can help identify at-risk populations. By considering hospital location and socioeconomic factors, this study may shed light on disparities in access to mental health care and post-hospitalization support. I chose this project because it combines data analysis with real-world implications, offering insights that could contribute to discussions on healthcare accessibility and mental health interventions.

keywords:  Public Health, Data Analysis, Socioeconomic Factors

As a Clinical Assistant, I am conducting an action research project with Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten students in both general and inclusive education settings. I have been teaching and researching the impact and effects of small group social-emotional learning (SEL) centers as supplementary to the school’s SEL curriculum. I have been working with 47 students, meeting with each group of students once per week. I am hoping to determine how dedicating time to small group SEL instruction affects students’ understanding and application of the SEL curriculum.

keywords:  Social Emotional Learning, Education, Clinical Assistant

This project aimed to develop a dog care and training curriculum for LifePrep@Naz students, specifically targeting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The initiative represented an interprofessional collaboration between an occupational therapy student and a speech-language pathology graduate student, who facilitated the course during its trial phase. A comprehensive literature review on animal-assisted intervention (AAI) for transition-age individuals with IDD informed the creation of the curriculum, which was designed to enhance transferable social skills while fostering engagement in meaningful interactions with therapy dogs. The primary objective was to provide students with opportunities to lead group discussions focused on essential skills for wellness and independence, including communication, body language, hygiene, exercise, and nutrition.

The program was piloted with two groups of LifePrep@Naz students, supported by volunteers from the Arc of Monroe, therapy dogs Orion and Tilly, and their handler, Dr. Laura Poleshuck of the InterProfessional Animal-assisted Wellness (IPAW) Collaborative. Carryover activities were specifically designed to reinforce the theme of respect, emphasizing its relevance in daily life and promoting the ability to provide constructive feedback. The CaTS scholars demonstrated high levels of engagement in discussions centered around activities that encouraged decision-making based on personal experience. Notably, the student facilitators observed a 100% completion rate for feedback from the scholars and an increase in group participation during discussions of more abstract topics (i.e. body language) when compared to concrete topics (i.e. hygiene). Additionally, the facilitators offered recommendations for the development of social skill outcome measures for individuals with IDD.

This research was funded by a Summer Opportunities for Activities in Research and Scholarship (SOARS) grant.

keywords:  interdisciplinary collaboration, animal assisted intervention, young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities

This project aims to explore how race impacts the length of hospital stay and risk of mortality for patients admitted due to Sickle Cell Anemia crisis using the SPARCS 2022 dataset. The investigation focuses on understanding whether racial disparities exist in hospital outcomes for patients diagnosed with this condition. To achieve this, I will use SPSS to analyze the data, focusing on descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations, and Chi-Square tests to examine the relationships between race, length of stay, and mortality risk. By conducting these analyses, the project will assess whether certain racial groups experience longer hospital stays or higher mortality risks. I chose this topic because Sickle Cell Anemia disproportionately affects certain racial and ethnic groups, particularly African Americans, and it is important to identify potential disparities in care. The findings could contribute to a better understanding of healthcare access and outcomes, informing policies and interventions aimed at improving care for these patients.

keywords:  Public Health, Sickle Cell Anemia, SPARCS

The nature of this project will be a poster presentation examining alcohol-related disorders (ARDs) and [geographically-based] socioeconomic status (SES). SES will be determined with county-level data of median household income(s) from County Health Rankings and Roadmaps. Data from SPARCS 2022 Inpatient Discharges will be used in SPSS to compare ARDs to the SES of the geographic region in which patients were admitted. SPARCS does not include the SES of the patient in its criteria, thus the county’s median household income of which the patient was admitted will be utilized to account for the patient’s SES. In other words, the median household income of the county of which the patient was admitted will be identified as low-income(L), middle-income(M), or high-income(H), thus allowing for a comparison of the presence of ARDs amongst these defined geographic regions. Therefore, this project aims to investigate how ARDs vary across [different] geographic regions with different SES’. In order to accomplish this project, all NYS counties [in which patients were admitted for ARDs) must be encoded with the according socioeconomic level (L= low-income, M= middle-income, and H =high-income) within SPSS to determine the prevalence of ARDs in each region. This information may offer implications regarding how one’s residence within a geographic region [in regards to SES] impacts the prevalence of ARDs. The findings of this project can help to identify high-risk areas within NYS that may require targeted interventions and inform public health policies aimed at reducing alcohol-related harm in these areas. Likewise, identifying geographic areas with increased prevalence of alcohol-related disorders may tailor outreach, prevention programs, and resource allocation to areas of higher need.

keywords:  Public Health, Alcohol Related Disorders

Compeer Rochester is a nonprofit organization that is centered around improving mental health through friendships and mentors. The organization matches volunteers with individuals experiencing mental health challenges to organize one on one outings, group activities, and community and family events. Compeer has programs for children, adults, and veterans making the organization very open to anyone that is in need of a friend.

During my time at Compeer, I worked directly with staff to get a hands-on experience of how a nonprofit organization is run. I helped plan events and attended them, worked on data entry, conducted interviews and much more. My experience made me feel prepared and comfortable with my future and helped me build many skills such as program management, communication, and client engagement.

I chose this internship as I have always had a strong interest in mental health and was very interested in seeing how mental health can be integrated into the field of public health. Working at Compeer Rochester was a very valuable opportunity knowing that my work was directly impacting someone’s well being as well as learning so much about how a nonprofit is run. Although I have always known how important mental health care is needed, I had never thought about how strong and impactful the importance of friendship can be.

keywords:  Public Health, Mental Health, Friendship, Internship

This study investigates disparities in hospital billing by examining the difference between total cost and total charges across insurance providers, racial and ethnic groups, and length of stay. Utilizing principles of biostatistics and public health, this investigation applies quantitative methods to analyze large-scale hospital data from the 2022 New York State Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System (SPARCS). This study aims to uncover potential inequities in hospital pricing, assess how financial burdens vary across patient demographics, and contribute to a broader understanding of healthcare accessibility and affordability.

The study will use the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to organize, process, and analyze the data. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize the differences between total cost (expenses before insurance) and total charges (expenses to the patient after insurance) across different insurance providers, racial and ethnic groups, and lengths of stay. The analysis includes measures like averages, percentages, and comparisons between groups to identify patterns in hospital billing.

This project is essential for understanding financial disparities in healthcare and informing policy discussions on equitable hospital pricing. The difference between total cost and total charges can highlight potential inefficiencies, systemic inequities, and disparities in how healthcare costs are distributed across different patient demographics. By analyzing how these discrepancies vary, this study sheds light on whether certain populations are disproportionately affected by inflated hospital charges or inconsistent pricing practices. These findings can contribute to discussions on healthcare reform, insurance policy adjustments, and hospital billing transparency.

keywords:  Public Health, Biostatistics, Healthcare, Large-scale Hospital Data, Equitable Hospital Pricing

“There is no sex in art. Genius is an independent quality. The woman of the future, with her broad outlook, her greatest opportunities, will go far, I believe, in creative work of every description.” quoted by Cécile Chaminade. “Music is the superlative expression of life experience, and woman by the very nature of her position is denied many of the experiences that color the life of man.” quoted by Amy Beach. These words were boldly proclaimed by two composers driven with a passion to express their art, to be recognized, and to demolish the hindrance of limited achievements due to being a woman.

The piano music of Amy Beach and Cecile Chaminade provides an opportunity to examine their artistic styles for teaching purposes. Their reputation for enticing music is an inspiration to pianists everywhere, and aspiring pianists can look to Beach and Chaminade as role models. Approaching their works from a pedagogical viewpoint reveals their valuable qualities, ones which expand awareness of worthy piano repertoire as both Beach and Chaminade wrote pedagogical pieces for young students. As culture continues to evolve, the inherent desire for change is what moves us forward. Music performance and pedagogy will surely be enriched by the rightful recognition of art from the pens of women composers.

keywords:  Piano, Pedagogy, Beach, Chaminade. Performance

As a Clinical Assistant, I am completing a research project in a suburban school district working with Tier II Kindergarten, First grade and Second grade students. I work with these students two days a week in small group settings. At the beginning of my research, I was using intervention lessons provided by the Core Knowledge Language Arts program, which was brand new to the district this school year. These lessons are specifically geared towards the group of students' literacy needs. After initial data analysis, we learned that the intervention lessons were less effective or not meeting immediate needs of my students. Therefore beginning in February, I incorporated strategies that worked on phonemic and phonological awareness skills using additional supplemental programs. At the conclusion of my interventions, I am hoping to determine the effect of lessons/interventions CKLA program on K-2 learners' phonemic and phonological awareness skills.

keywords:  Phonemic Awareness skills, Phonological awareness skills, literacy intervention

My project focuses on integrating Project-Based Learning (PBL) into my classroom to cultivate both joy and critical consciousness for my students and myself. The blueprint I am developing will provide practical tools and strategies for creating a dynamic, student-centered learning environment that encourages deep engagement and real-world problem-solving. I aim to ensure that the projects I design not only inspire curiosity and creativity in my students but also foster their critical awareness of societal issues.

I will execute this project by researching successful PBL models, adapting them to my classroom’s unique needs, and implementing them in ways that maintain my own joy and critical engagement as an educator. The process will include continual reflection on my role as both a teacher and a learner, ensuring the work stays meaningful for me as well as for my students.

I chose this project because I believe traditional methods often fail to inspire joy or critical thinking in students, and they can leave teachers feeling disconnected. PBL provides a way for both students and teachers to stay engaged, reflective, and passionate about learning. My goal is to create a framework that nurtures joy and deep thinking for all involved.

keywords:  Critical Consciousness, Project Based Learning, Joy in Teaching

As a student getting my Master’s of Public Health, I will be giving a poster presentation on the biostatistics of how much COVID-19 cost hospitals in Monroe County in 2022 from inpatient discharges. I will compare total price charged (insurance and individual) to total cost (cost of individual s individual). To execute this project I will be using statistics from The Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System (SPARCS) Inpatient De-identified File. This file contains 2.1 million rows of discharge level detail on patient characteristics, place of hospitalization, diagnoses, treatments, services, and charges in 2022. I will gather my information by only looking at the data from those with the criteria of Monroe being the “Hospital County” and “Diagnosis” being COVID-19. Narrowing the focus group down to Monroe County and COVID-19 results in 2,418 rows of data. While the controlled variables are Monroe County and COVID-19, I will be comparing total price to total cost. I chose to investigate this topic because public health’s main goal is prevention. The importance of prevention is often overlooked, but to prevent illness, injury, and disease instead of treating medical conditions after they have already occurred is beneficial for multiple reasons. Not only is it beneficial for the individual and community but largely financially beneficial. This comparison of costs will show how costly COVID-19 was for our community and how preventive measures are critical.

keywords:  Public Health, Equity, COVID, Financial burden

Bipolar disorder is a debilitating condition both mentally and fiscally. The lifelong struggle of a mood disorder is exacerbated by healthcare costs and hospital visits that add up to be more than four times what someone without bipolar disorder pays in a lifetime. For this submission, I chose to examine the average cost of care for a hospital visit for someone with bipolar disorder, comparing across different payment types, using NY SPARCS data. Comparing these costs will offer a look into what may be differing between insurance types in terms of charges and costs, and what ends up coming down onto the patient in terms of cost. To portray my research I chose to create a research poster, with figures and data present, to effectively communicate the findings. While bipolar disorder only affects between 2-4% of the population, the indirect and direct costs associated with caring for those with the disorder add up to a staggering amount. Acknowledging the real cost of what has been found to be inadequate treatment for this population, hopefully will lead to more research into more effective and cost effective treatment methods.

keywords:  Public health, biostatistics, mental health

As a Clinical Assistant in a suburban school district, I have been implementing literacy intervention research with 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students at a Tier III intervention level. I currently work with student groups twice a week, either in a two-on-one or one-on-one setting. While working with students, I have been researching the impact of kinesthetic and tactile learning on students’ spelling, specifically pertaining to the process of orthographic mapping. The implementation and data collection of this research is ongoing and still in progress. However, the preliminary findings indicate that using various tactile and kinesthetic methods aids in the improvement of students' spelling accuracy. As I begin my teaching career, I have confidence that this research will inform my literacy instruction and help me to foster meaningful opportunities to engage students in kinesthetic and tactile learning.

keywords:  Literacy, Spelling, Orthographic Mapping

My project involves analyzing cesarean sections and exploring the relationship between the type of insurance and race. I will use data from the SPARCS (Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System) database, which provides information on healthcare services across New York State. I will analyze the dataset to determine potential patterns, disparities, or relationships between cesarean sections and racial and health insurance factors. Quantitative research methodology will be used to conduct the research using the SPARCS database. I will begin with descriptive statistics to understand the distribution of cesarean sections across different types of insurance and racial groups and compare them. The findings will be interpreted to identify the disparities or patterns of whether those with specific types of insurance or racial groups have a higher rate of cesarean sections. The findings will be summarized by providing evidence-based conclusions. This project is important because health disparities in maternal health outcomes have been an issue in the United States. Research has shown that socioeconomic status and access to care may impact maternal care during the prenatal period. By investigating this issue, I hope to contribute a deeper understanding of how these variables impact cesarean section rates and inform healthcare policies.

keywords:  Public Health

Public health education is essential for disease prevention and health promotion. With digital media as a key information source, short-form educational videos provide an engaging way to communicate vital health messages. The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments produce GO Health Minutes, a series of concise videos covering public health topics to raise awareness and promote preventive behaviors.

New GO Health Minutes will address topics like rabies awareness, radon exposure, proper handwashing, and Lyme disease. Previous videos on related subjects help guide content development by analyzing engagement metrics to refine strategies for improved effectiveness and reach.

Designed with health literacy in mind, these videos use plain language, compelling visuals, and captions for accessibility, ensuring they are understandable for diverse audiences, including residents, schools, healthcare providers, and community organizations.

To maximize impact, GO Health Minutes are shared via YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and the health department’s website. The development process includes topic selection, scriptwriting, production and development, expert review, and evaluation through social media analytics and community feedback.

Despite challenges like social media algorithm changes and internet access limitations, GO Health Minutes remains a cost-effective and sustainable tool for enhancing public health knowledge. This project documents the development process, evaluation criteria, and future expansion opportunities.

keywords:  Health education, health literacy, video-based learning, digital media, community engagement

This research project investigates systemic inequalities in opioid use disorder (OUD) diagnoses, which could potentially be used to inform future policy decisions to improve healthcare access and treatment. By discovering the relationships between race, gender, and age with factors such as treatment costs, illness severity, and risk of mortality, we can gain insights into ensuring equitable access to the healthcare system and the various treatment options for OUD. Using the 2022 NYS SPARCS dataset, this study employs a quantitative, cross-sectional design to discover demographic trends in nearly 10,000 opioid-related disorder diagnoses from 2022 across New York State. Uncovering biases in treatment and outcomes for OUD is crucial in improving access to treatment, refining treatment methods, and improving enrollment in preventive care. Opioid use has been a public health crisis for decades, and although a large portion of the population has been impacted by the opioid epidemic, not everyone experiences it the same way. By identifying these disparities, we can help to create a more equitable healthcare system that prioritizes early and upstream interventions in OUD.

keywords:  Public Health, Biostatistics, Socioeconomic Disparities, Opioid Use

Immigrant populations with limited English proficiency (LEP) and heightened deportation fears face significant barriers to accessing nutritious food, contributing to increased food insecurity and adverse health outcomes. The influence of the recent shift in political administration has interrupted the regular function of existing systems and programs. To address these challenges, a program will be developed, with an aim to provide culturally competent nutrition and health literacy education to these vulnerable populations. Through the use of graduate dietetics students, community organizations such as Rochester Hope and community health workers, this program will provide food assistance services, and nutrition education to promote the health of the served population. The program will consist of nutrition workshops that will be easily applied to the daily lives of participants, cooking demonstrations and literacy sessions surrounding maternal and child health. This program will be conducted at a trusted community landmark that provides food banking resources, meals to the community and other resources such as healthcare access and clothing. The learning materials will be adapted to reflect the literacy levels and variation in languages understood by the served population. The health literacy materials and cooking demonstrations will be advised by public health students in the Rochester, NY area and provide students with practical experience in community collaboration. The health literacy sessions will be culturally and financially competent to meet the health needs of the participants, while accepting their input and suggestions to improve the efficacy of the program. This program will aid in the development of health literacy skills and bridge gaps in the resources needed by the community. The program will be evaluated based on the rates of continued participation, food security, and their feedback on the program’s efficacy. The program will not collect identifying information from the participants, as this may discourage engagement. This holistic approach may provide a model of a sustainable and effective method of increasing food security, health status and health literacy among immigrant populations.

keywords:  Food Politics, Nutrition, Health Literacy

As a Clinical Assistant, I have been working full time as a 5th grade teacher in a general education classroom. This is a unique Clinical Assistantship, where I have the opportunity to conduct my action research over the course of two years. The goal of my research has been to understand the overall effectiveness of the mathematics curriculum that has been newly implemented within my current district. During year one, all proposed ideas and findings are based on preliminary, subjective, and objective data points collected throughout the course of the school year. Data sources include: performance on the 2024 NYS Math Test, student interviews, teacher surveys, and the analysis of student work/ learning standards. Any conclusions regarding this project will not be finalized until the completion of year two.

keywords:  Mathematics, Learning Standards, Curriculum Effectiveness

This poster presentation examines the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and health outcomes among older adults, focusing on how wealth, rather than income or education alone, serves as a stronger predictor of health outcomes. My Public Health graduate thesis, Investigating the Relationship Between Socioeconomic Status and Health Outcomes in the Elderly Population, explores how financial security impacts healthcare access, chronic disease prevention, and health behaviors in aging individuals. I will present key findings from my research, which includes a comprehensive review of existing literature on SES and health disparities in older populations.

The methodology for this project involved conducting an in-depth literature review, synthesizing research on SES, wealth, and health outcomes in the elderly. I examined studies that highlight how social determinants of health—such as income, education, and wealth—contribute to chronic health conditions, healthcare access, and overall well-being, particularly in later life.

This project was chosen because of the significant health disparities faced by older adults, particularly those in lower socioeconomic brackets. Addressing these disparities is essential for improving health outcomes in vulnerable populations. By understanding the role of wealth and other social determinants, this research aims to inform public health strategies that reduce health inequities and promote better health for aging individuals in diverse contexts.

keywords:  Socioeconomic status (SES), health disparities, older adults, wealth and health outcomes, public health