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Development And Validation Of A Scale To Measure Fear Of Physical Response To Exercise Among Overweight And Obese Adults, Brooks Cotton Wingo
Development And Validation Of A Scale To Measure Fear Of Physical Response To Exercise Among Overweight And Obese Adults, Brooks Cotton Wingo
All ETDs from UAB
Fear-avoidance beliefs have been correlated with disability and physical function in populations with pain, but research has primarily focused on the impact of these beliefs on daily functioning, not leisure time physical activity. Current screening tools focus on a specific type or source of pain, making them inadequate for assessing fear of exercise-induced pain. The purpose of this study was to develop and establish preliminary validity of a scale to measure fear of physical response to exercise among overweight and obese adults. Additionally, the study sought to assess the relationships between scale responses and body mass index, physical activity level …
Parental Separation Anxiety And Shared Responsibility For Diabetes-Related Tasks In Adolescents Diagnosed With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, Kathryn Anne Sheppard
Parental Separation Anxiety And Shared Responsibility For Diabetes-Related Tasks In Adolescents Diagnosed With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, Kathryn Anne Sheppard
All ETDs from UAB
Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) is most commonly diagnosed in children and young adults, and complications may be life-long as well as life threatening. Management of T1D has proven to be very challenging during adolescence, and parental involvement in diabetes management has been shown to improve adherence and glycemic control in children and adolescents. Middle adolescents should become increasingly responsible for diabetes-related tasks under the supervision and guidance of parents (shared management). However, adolescents spend less time with their family as they get older, resulting in parents' being unable to validate effective self-management; this inability may lead to anxiety about …
Intimate Partner Violence Among Latinas In Central Alabama: Sociodemographic Characteristics, Perceptions Of Abuse, And Help-Seeking Behaviors, Angela Boy
All ETDs from UAB
This study utilized a cross-sectional design to survey 272 Latinas in the Birmingham metropolitan area and interview 29 Latinas who were known victims of IPV in the community. Prevalence, socio-demographic characteristics, perceptions of abuse, and help-seeking behaviors were examined, and the psychometric properties of the Woman Abuse Screening Tool (WAST) were assessed. Survey findings indicated current and lifetime IPV prevalence rates of 39.4% and 44.9%, respectively, among women aged 19-55. Victims were 1.9 times more likely to have been born in Central/South America than non-victims. Survey respondents had an average score of 32.5 (range 11-44) on the Perceptions of Abuse …
Organizational Support, Perceived Social Support, And Intent To Turnover Among Psychiatric Nurses: A Mixed Methods Study., Beverly Jean Myers
Organizational Support, Perceived Social Support, And Intent To Turnover Among Psychiatric Nurses: A Mixed Methods Study., Beverly Jean Myers
All ETDs from UAB
Nurse turnover compromises the quality of patient care and leads to an increase in organizational costs. Nurse turnover is defined as the intent to leave one's current job position either to transfer to another unit within the organization or to terminate employment with the organization. Few studies have examined the role social support received at work as well as at home, personal characteristics and work factors play in guiding psychiatric nurses' decisions to leave a current nursing position (turnover). The overall purpose of this mixed-methods sequential explanatory study was to explore factors that contribute to psychiatric nurses' intent to turnover. …
Chronic Alcohol Consumption Promotes Opening Of The Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore And Increases Mitochondrial Injury In Liver, Adrienne Lester King
Chronic Alcohol Consumption Promotes Opening Of The Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore And Increases Mitochondrial Injury In Liver, Adrienne Lester King
All ETDs from UAB
Alcoholic liver disease is a serious public health concern. In particular, the mitochondrion is a specific target of ethanol toxicity and much of the damage can be related to unregulated Ca2+ homeostasis and oxidative stress which are key players in the induction of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) within the organelle. The mechanism behind the induction of the MPTP remains elusive. Therefore, this body of work will provide insight on what effects chronic alcohol consumption has on mitochondrial dysfunction with an emphasis on the MPTP. Chapter 2: Assessment of mitochondrial dysfunction arising from treatment with hepatotoxicants provides a description …
Cellular Mechanisms Involved In Host Responses To Porphyromonas Gingivalis And Its Virulence Factor Hemagglutinin B, Dalia Emil Gaddis
Cellular Mechanisms Involved In Host Responses To Porphyromonas Gingivalis And Its Virulence Factor Hemagglutinin B, Dalia Emil Gaddis
All ETDs from UAB
Porphyromonas gingivalis is a main causative agent for adult chronic periodontitis and immunization with its virulence factor Hemagglutinin B (HagB) provides protection against infection. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) recognize various microbial products and are crucial in eliciting and regulating the innate and adaptive immune responses to infections. The objective of this dissertation was to investigate the cellular mechanisms that influence the innate and adaptive immune response to HagB and P. gingivalis, focusing on the role of TLR signaling in the response. We started with investigating the ability of HagB to activate dendritic cells (DC), the most efficient antigen-presenting cell in priming …
Age Bias In Physicians' Recommendation For Physical Activity, Adherence, And Health Related Quality Of Life Among Individuals With Arthritis, Shamly Austin
All ETDs from UAB
The association between individuals' ages, physicians' recommendations for physical activity, adherence, and health related quality of life among individuals with arthritis was examined using the 2007 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. The sample included 33,071 individuals with self-reported, physician-diagnosed arthritis who were 45 years or older. To answer the research questions, three sets of data were created: a whole sample (n=33,071), those 45-64 years old (n=17,607), and those 65 years or older (n=15,464). The conceptual framework for the study was based on the Behavioral Model of Health Services Utilization. The variables of interests were physicians' recommendations for physical activity, adherence …
Development And Validation Of A Palliative Care Needs Assessment Instrument-English/Arabic Versions (Pcna-Eav), For Use With Patients With Advanced Cancer, Susan Edith Volker
Development And Validation Of A Palliative Care Needs Assessment Instrument-English/Arabic Versions (Pcna-Eav), For Use With Patients With Advanced Cancer, Susan Edith Volker
All ETDs from UAB
The aim of this study was to develop and translate a psychometrically valid and reliable, population-based, needs assessment instrument, the PCNA-EAV, to measure the health care and support needs of patients with advanced cancer. The cross-sectional study design combined qualitative and quantitative methods, to test instrument reliability and validity, and to examine the association between sample characteristics and health care and support needs. The 116-item, PCNA-EAV, comprised 10 domains of need: physical/functional; social; psychological/emotional; information; communication; helpful resources; financial; religious/spiritual; priority of need; and preference for care The target population was all cancer patients in the department of oncology at …
The Role Of Parental Autonomy Support In The Motivation Of The Health Behaviors Of Diet And Exercise In Older Adolescents, Shannon A. Morrison
The Role Of Parental Autonomy Support In The Motivation Of The Health Behaviors Of Diet And Exercise In Older Adolescents, Shannon A. Morrison
All ETDs from UAB
Diseases that were once considered to be unique to the adult population are now being diagnosed in childhood and adolescence. Health behaviors established during adolescence are believed to influence attitudes and motivations toward health practices well into adulthood. Poor dietary choices and decreased exercise frequency are believed to have a direct influence on the rising adolescent obesity rate and the premature onset of many chronic health conditions. Since the family unit is the primary source of socialization, parental interactions are believed to persuade adolescent attitudes, motivations, and behaviors through the negotiation and renegotiation of the adolescent's autonomy development. Adolescent autonomy …
Sexual Risk Behavior Among African-American Adolescents: Trajectories And Their Predictors, Maureen Muchimba
Sexual Risk Behavior Among African-American Adolescents: Trajectories And Their Predictors, Maureen Muchimba
All ETDs from UAB
Although adolescents in the United States are at high risk of sexually transmitted infections and HIV, research indicates that many do not use condoms consistently and have high numbers of lifetime multiple sexual partners. Among adolescents, different subgroups exhibit distinct patterns of sexual behavior over time. The purpose of this dissertation was to identify trajectories of sexual risk behavior among adolescents and to determine individual, family and community factors that are predictive of membership to trajectory groups. Data were collected on sexual risk behavior among low-income African-American adolescents in Mobile County, Alabama. Gender-balanced subsamples of risky sex (N = 1294) …
Occupational Stress, Job Satisfaction And Job Performance Among Hospital Nurses In Kampala Uganda, Rose Chalo Nabirye
Occupational Stress, Job Satisfaction And Job Performance Among Hospital Nurses In Kampala Uganda, Rose Chalo Nabirye
All ETDs from UAB
ABSTRACT Occupational stress, a common occurrence among various professions worldwide, is regarded as a major occupational health problem for healthcare professionals especially nurses. Occupational stress has been reported to affect job satisfaction and job performance among nurses, thus compromising nursing care and placing patients' lives at risk. Stress is a complex phenomenon resulting from the interaction between individuals and the environment. Therefore, significant differences in occupational stress, job satisfaction and job performance among nurses may exist due to different work settings. The aims of the study were to: 1) examine the relationships between occupational stress, job satisfaction and job performance …
Oral Lesions As Clinical Markers For Antiretroviral Therapy Failure In Hiv Patients, Irene M. Tamí-Maury
Oral Lesions As Clinical Markers For Antiretroviral Therapy Failure In Hiv Patients, Irene M. Tamí-Maury
All ETDs from UAB
The true nature of the association of oral lesions (OL) and gold standards of HIV progression, CD4+ T cell counts (CD4) and HIV-1 RNA viral load (VL), is not completely clear, especially when patients are on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Our aim was to assess the association between OL and virologic failure among HIV/AIDS patients on ART. We conducted a retrospective study of 744 HIV patients who entered care between 2000 and 2006 at the UAB 1917 Clinic. Data was collected for 2 years after enrollment. Prevalence of OL was 35.8%. Oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC) was the most prevalent OL (74.9%). Among …
Contributions Of The Atrial Natriuretic Peptide Gene System To The Relationship Between Pediatric Body Fat, Free Fatty Acids, And Blood Pressure, Amanda Willig
All ETDs from UAB
Elevated blood pressure and nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) in children can lead to increased chronic disease risk during adulthood. The atrial natriuretic peptide precursor A (NPPA) and natiuretic peptide receptor A (NPR1) genes encode for atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and its cell receptor, respectively, and may influence levels of blood pressure and NEFA. Additionally, it is unclear how body composition, physical activity, physical fitness, and racial genetic ancestry influence pediatric NEFA and blood pressure. In order to understand the associations among these factors, five investigations were performed. For experimental aim 1, the association between blood pressure and body composition measures …
Association Between Birth Outcomes And Aflatoxin B1-Biomarker Levels Among Pregnant Women In Kumasi, Ghana, Faisal Mohammed Barbas Shuaib
Association Between Birth Outcomes And Aflatoxin B1-Biomarker Levels Among Pregnant Women In Kumasi, Ghana, Faisal Mohammed Barbas Shuaib
All ETDs from UAB
Aflatoxins are fungal metabolites that contaminate staple food crops in many developing countries. Although studies have linked these toxins to adverse health outcomes, few studies have investigated the association between birth outcomes and aflatoxin B1-lysine adduct levels among pregnant women. The objective of this dissertation was to investigate the association between birth outcomes and aflatoxin B1- lysine adduct levels among pregnant women in Kumasi, Ghana. In a cross-sectional study of 755 pregnant women, Aflatoxin B1-lysine adduct (AF-ALB) levels were determined by High Performance Liquid Chromatography. AF-ALB associations were assessed as both continuous and categorical values. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was …
Maternal Gestational Glucose Concentration And Offspring Body Composition, Insulin Sensitivity, And Ss-Cell Function, Nikki C. Bush
Maternal Gestational Glucose Concentration And Offspring Body Composition, Insulin Sensitivity, And Ss-Cell Function, Nikki C. Bush
All ETDs from UAB
Background: Evidence suggests that intrauterine exposure to elevated glucose concentrations may be a mediating factor in prenatal programming of offspring disease risk. However, studies examining the effects of maternal glucose concentration on measures of body composition, insulin sensitivity, and ß-cell response in prepubertal children are limited. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the associations of maternal glucose concentration with children's fat mass, insulin sensitivity, and ß-cell response using robust and physiologic measures. Methods: Participants were 40 children aged 5-10 years. Children's insulin sensitivity index (SI) and measures of basal, static, dynamic, and total ß-cell response were determined …
Sense Of Community Among Adolescents Participating In The Mobile Youth Survey: A Measurement Study, Randolph Stacer Devereaux
Sense Of Community Among Adolescents Participating In The Mobile Youth Survey: A Measurement Study, Randolph Stacer Devereaux
All ETDs from UAB
A measurement study was conducted to evaluate 11 items representing the latent variable labeled "sense of community" (SOC) employed by investigators of the Mobile Youth Survey (MYS). In previous research the 11 items representing the concept of SOC have been combined to form a composite variable, assuming that the concept was best represented by a single factor (e.g., Bolland, Bryant, Lian, McCallum, Vazsonyi & Barth, 2007). However, no systematic analysis has been conducted to determine the psychometric properties of the 11-item composite variable. The objects of the present study are a) to determine the component structure of the items used …
An Assessment Of The Factors That Affect The Self-Care Behaviors Of Diabetics, Gregory Ellis
An Assessment Of The Factors That Affect The Self-Care Behaviors Of Diabetics, Gregory Ellis
All ETDs from UAB
The International Diabetes Federation states that there are over 246 million people in the world who have diabetes. The occurrence of co-morbidities associated with diabetes can be significantly reduced with adherence to diabetes self-care behaviors. Self-care behaviors consist of a series of behaviors that encompass life-diet, exercise, self-blood glucose examinations, and self-foot examinations. This is the only national population -based study of diabetes self-care behaviors to comprehensively identify the influence of age, gender, income, and having a regular provider of care across a complete range of self-care behaviors. This is also the first analysis of its kind to examine how …
Identification And Validation Of Biodosimetry Markers In Multiple Models Of Radiation Exposure, Ashley Nicole Filiano
Identification And Validation Of Biodosimetry Markers In Multiple Models Of Radiation Exposure, Ashley Nicole Filiano
All ETDs from UAB
Following a radiological or nuclear disaster, radiation dose assessment is imperative to minimize morbidity and mortality through rationally directed medical intervention. Current methods of retrospective dosimetry are not amenable to mass exposure scenarios and remain limited to monitoring of clinical symptoms (nausea/vomiting and lymphocyte depletion) and cytogenetic analysis. The goal of this study was to identify radiation biomarkers capable of qualitative (non-irradiated/irradiated) and quantitative (dose) assessment of radiation exposure. Initial analyses revealed 17 radiation-responsive cytokine/chemokine genes in blood samples from 6 pediatric cancer patients undergoing fractionated total body irradiation (TBI). These 17 genes were combined with 29 additional IR-inducible genes …
The Influence Of Self-Concept, Physical Activity, And Sedentary Screen Time Activities On Blood Pressure In 11-13 Year Old Middle School Children, Elizabeth Di Benedetto Gulledge
The Influence Of Self-Concept, Physical Activity, And Sedentary Screen Time Activities On Blood Pressure In 11-13 Year Old Middle School Children, Elizabeth Di Benedetto Gulledge
All ETDs from UAB
The aims of this study were to: 1) examine associations between self-concept (SC), physical activity (PA), sedentary screen time (SST), and blood pressure (BP) and 2) determine the amount of variance explained by SC, PA, and SST in BP. The increase in SST along with decreases in PA may contribute to increases in BP. SC, PA and SST have been associated with BP in adolescents but less is known about middle school children. A sample of 116 (36 males; 80 females; 51 African American, 65 White) 6th and 7th grade11-13 year old students were recruited in a southeastern state. Participants …
Examining The Association Between Body Mass Index And Weight Related Quality Of Life In Black And White Women, Tiffany Lashaun Cox
Examining The Association Between Body Mass Index And Weight Related Quality Of Life In Black And White Women, Tiffany Lashaun Cox
All ETDs from UAB
Obesity not only increases risk for morbidity/mortality, but also impacts the quality of life of obese individuals. In the United States, black women have the highest prevalence of obesity of any other group with approximately 80% of black women over age 20 having a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2. We aimed to examine the association between weight and quality of life in this high risk population and compare it to weight-related quality of life in white women using the Impact of Weight on Quality of Life (IWQOL)-Lite questionnaire. Data for 343 women were analyzed (172 black, 171 white). …
Radiographic Damage And Functional Disability In African American Patients With Recent-Onset Rheumatoid Arthritis, Jie Zhang
All ETDs from UAB
African Americans are under-represented in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) research and factors associated with the two main RA disease outcomes, radiographic damage and functional disability, have been insufficiently studied. The objective of this project was to examine such factors using data from the Consortium for the Longitudinal Evaluation of African Americans with rheumatoid arthritis (CLEAR), a longitudinal cohort of African American patients with recent onset RA. The association between baseline generalized bone mineral density and radiographic damage at 3 years disease duration was examined among 141 subjects. The total radiographic damage score at 3-years of disease duration in subjects with reduced …
Cardiometabolic Risk And Risk Perception Among Oklahoma American Indian Women With Previous Gestational Diabetes, Emily Jean Jones
Cardiometabolic Risk And Risk Perception Among Oklahoma American Indian Women With Previous Gestational Diabetes, Emily Jean Jones
All ETDs from UAB
Introduction: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one killer of women in the United States (US). Increasing rates of CVD have been associated with the epidemic rates of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the US. Minority women, particularly American Indian women, experience a greater burden of health risk factors and significant disparities in health status related to CVD and T2DM. Furthermore, women who have had gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) during pregnancy are at greater risk for these diseases than women who have not had GDM. However, these women often do not perceive themselves to be at risk, or, if …
The Effects Of Paternal Absence On The Sexual Behaviors Of African-American Adolescents Living In Impoverished Neighborhoods, Cheri Nicolette Langley
The Effects Of Paternal Absence On The Sexual Behaviors Of African-American Adolescents Living In Impoverished Neighborhoods, Cheri Nicolette Langley
All ETDs from UAB
According to the 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), 47% of the surveyed high school students reported ever having sexual intercourse, with 6% reporting having initiated their first sexual intercourse before the age of 13 (Eaton et al., 2006). Using the Mobile Youth Survey (1998-2008), the purpose of this study is four-fold: (a) to describe the MYS sample (1998-2008) in terms of its primary independent variable (the absence of a father figure) and its primary outcomes (sexual debut, sexual frequency, number of sex partners, condom use, pregnancy in the last year, and pregnancy intention); (b) to determine the impact of …
Determinants Of Self-Efficacy To Seek Care For Tuberculosis And Complete Tuberculosis Treatment Among Hiv-Positive Patients Attending Government Hiv/Aids Clincis In Honduras, Mayra Silvana Arias
Determinants Of Self-Efficacy To Seek Care For Tuberculosis And Complete Tuberculosis Treatment Among Hiv-Positive Patients Attending Government Hiv/Aids Clincis In Honduras, Mayra Silvana Arias
All ETDs from UAB
HIV-positive persons bear an elevated risk of developing, relapsing, and dying from tuberculosis (TB), and have greater risk of TB treatment default. Yet little is known about the factors that influence TB care-seeking among this population. This study evaluated sociodemographic, cognitive, and psychosocial characteristics of PLHA without a history of TB receiving care in specialized HIV/AIDS clinics in Honduras, and the influence of several variables on self-efficacy to seek care, including: (1) seeking care for prolonged cough despite external constraints and potential HIV stigmatization, and (2) completing TB treatment once diagnosed. The majority of participants were women (55%). Seventy-two percent …
Hypothesis Testing Based On Pool Screening With Unequal Pool Sizes, Hongjiang Gao
Hypothesis Testing Based On Pool Screening With Unequal Pool Sizes, Hongjiang Gao
All ETDs from UAB
Pool screening is a widely applied technique to estimate the prevalence of a rare event. This focus of this research is on developing statistical test of hypothesis procedures under the assumption that pool sizes are unequal but known. One of the proposed test procedures is , an exact test based on the number of positive pools (denoted by T). Another set of proposed test procedures is a modification of the likelihood ratio, Wald's and Score tests which are commonly-used likelihood-based tests. In paper 1, we derive the distribution of T which will be the basis of the exact test. Other …
Pneumococcal Vaccine Response And Aging In Human, Saeyoung Park
Pneumococcal Vaccine Response And Aging In Human, Saeyoung Park
All ETDs from UAB
Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major human pathogen, especially for young children and older adults. To protect from pneumococcal diseases, 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) has been used clinically since 1983. However, PPV23 is not so effective among old adults with its protective efficacy diminishing with age. We confirmed that young and old adults, who were immunized with PPV23, have comparable pneumococcal polysaccharide (PS) specific IgG levels. Interestingly, we found that old adults had lower IgA and IgM antibody levels than young adults for three serotypes (serotype 14, 18C and 23F). Consistent with the previous results, opsonic capacities of immune sera …
Self-Blood Pressure Monitoring, Stage Of Change, Medication Adherence, Self-Efficacy And Blood Pressure Control In Hypertensive Workers, Tonya Lynn Shropshire
Self-Blood Pressure Monitoring, Stage Of Change, Medication Adherence, Self-Efficacy And Blood Pressure Control In Hypertensive Workers, Tonya Lynn Shropshire
All ETDs from UAB
ABSTRACT According to the World Health Organization, hypertension is the leading cause of death in the world and it is one of the primary reasons patients seek health care. Prior to 2010, uncontrolled blood pressure (BP) rates were approximately 18%, despite the fact that prescribed medical treatment is available to adequately control patients' BP. It has been established that medication adherence is a major factor in controlling BP, and self-BP monitoring is highly recommended by the national guideline to improve blood pressure control. However, information related to assessing hypertensive patients' readiness to engage in health care treatment and self-monitoring is …
Lens Cataract: Biochemical Analysis Of The Alpha Crystallins, David Ray Stella
Lens Cataract: Biochemical Analysis Of The Alpha Crystallins, David Ray Stella
All ETDs from UAB
The cataract is a common ailment affecting the aged population. It appears over time and affects the quality of one’s life by the eventual loss of vision. Currently, there is no effective strategy to prevent or treatment to reverse the development of a cataract. As well, there is no consensus on one particular mechanism or sequence of events that contributes to its formation. In order to better understand the possible etiology of the cataract, it is necessary to define the biochemical changes that occur to lens proteins as one ages, as these are the key players in the prevention of …
Methods For Estimating Mediation Effect In Survival Analysis: Does Weight Loss Mediate The Undernutrition-Mortality Relationship In The Older Adults?, Yanhui Sun
All ETDs from UAB
The influence of undernutrition on mortality and other adverse outcomes through the mechanism of unintentional weight loss in older adults is often assumed, but the analytic methods to test these mediation mechanisms are not well-developed, and the need for methodological advances in this area motivated this program of research. We first examined the test-retest reliability and predictive validity of self-reported caloric intake as a measure of undernutrition. Acceptable reliability was observed, consistent with previous reports, but the evidence for predictive validity was inconsistent and self-reported caloric intake deficiency was not found to be related to observed weight loss. We then …