Digital Commons Network^™

Television Consumption And Child Obesity: Linking Children's Contemporary Television Use, Physical Activity, And Advertising To Putnam's Displacement Hypothesis, Brittany L. Altamirano

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study observed the relationship between television consumption and child obesity through the theoretical construct of Putnam’s displacement hypothesis. It did so by updating the previous research through the investigation of the displacement of both physical activity and advertisements on contemporary television platforms. The inclusion of Putnam’s displacement hypothesis was to provide a foundational framework, not found in previous literature, to study two important paradigms that were represented in previous research: 1) the displacement of physical activity; and 2) the displacement of traditional advertisement exposure.

Several trends became apparent within previous literature. Previous literature did not include an explicitly stated …

The Lived Experience Of Registered Nurses With Substance Use Disorder Who Complete An Alternative To Discipline Program Through A State Board Of Nursing, Susan Melanie Ervin

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Substance use disorder, defined as the misuse of drugs and/or alcohol, is a major health problem in the United States. Health care providers, including nurses, are at risk for this disorder. Risk factors for substance use disorder (SUD) in nurses include social factors such as family history of the disorder and biological factors such as genetic predisposition. Specific risk factors for nurses include easy access to controlled substances (such as opiates), stressful work environments, the belief that substance use assists with coping and a lack of education related to substance use disorder.

Substance use disorder in nurses is a significant …

Evaluating A Novel Approach For Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patient Education: Modified Team -~ Based Learning, Corine Belle Lazaro

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

One of the world’s most serious health issues today is the increasing prevalence of diabetes (Chobev, Sotirovska, Mihajilov, 2011). Indeed, the growth of this widespread and pernicious disease has been categorized as epidemic. The antidote for the diabetes epidemic lies in prevention and the use of a chronic care model that focuses on improving diabetes self-management. For both diabetes prevention and self-management, a core component pertains to knowledge—and specifically to improved public health literacy, public health education, and patient education. For example, ongoing patient education is a critical factor in helping patients to manage their diabetes and prevent the micro- …

A Comparison Of Beliefs And Attitudes About Body Image, Eating And Weight Between Incarcerated And Non-~Incarcerated Females, Anne R. Lindsay

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Abstract

Incarceration and substance abuse are two of the largest public health issues in America. While the U.S. makes up only 5% of the world’s population, it accounts for 25% of its prisoners. Incarceration affects more than 2.2 million individuals who will eventually return to their families and communities with ongoing family, social and health issues. Women in prison are a particularly vulnerable and underserved population, generally of low education and socio-economic status and although they account for a small percent of the prison population, many are mothers of young children who are likely to become incarcerated themselves. Substance abuse …

The Lived Experience Of Nurses Working In A Modified Therapeutic Community, Victoria Lynn Plagenz

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Today over one million U. S. prisoners are being held in federal and state systems for substance use-related crimes. The financial, social, and emotional costs have turned policymakers’ attention to rehabilitation rather than incarceration. In an attempt to meet the challenge of recovery from addiction, prison systems around the nation have explored various options, including residential treatment programs. One such form of residential treatment is the modified therapeutic community (MTC) where inmates participate in a nine-month, cognitive-based treatment program. This model focuses on incarcerated individuals, addicted to substances, to assist them in developing behaviors to reduce antisocial peer associations and …

Cbct Evaluation Of Adolescent Mandibular Morphology In Different Classifications Of Facial Type, Annie Hsu

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The goal of this study is to use the improved imaging capability of cone-beam computerized tomography (CBCT) to investigate the relationship between vertical facial patterns and mandibular tooth-alveolar morphology in the adolescent population. Pre-treatment orthodontic records were obtained from the UNLV School of Dental Medicine archival dental records. One hundred and seventy three patients (72 males, 101 females) between the ages of 12 and 18 years were included in this study. Among these patients, 61 displayed the vertical growth pattern, 30 displayed the horizontal growth pattern, and 82 displayed the average growth pattern. The samples were categorized into 4 age …

Scardovia Wiggsiae Prevalence In Orthodontic Patients, Brandon Joseph Streiff

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Dental caries has mainly been associated with Streptococcus, Lactobacillus, Actinomyces and Veillonella species. But in recent salivary studies a new cariogenic pathogen, has been identified. This new bacteria, Scardovia wiggsiae (SW), is currently being tested within the UNLV School of Dental Medicine patient population. Although these current studies are being conducted to study its prevalence in both pediatric and adult populations, it has not been evaluated among patients with an altered oral environment as seen in patients with orthodontic appliances. Fixed orthodontic appliances increase the difficulty of removing daily plaque on and in between the teeth with standard oral hygiene …

Reliability Of A Multisegment Foot Model In Shod Running, Austin Coupe

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to determine kinematic and marker placement reliability of the Leardini multisegment foot model (LMFM) for tracking foot kinematics during barefoot and shod running without alteration of footwear. Eleven participants, five males (25.6±5 yrs, 73±15.8 kg, 1.75±0.05m) and six females (22.5±2.9 yrs, 66.6±7.2 kg, 1.71±0.05 m) granted institutionally approved written consent to participate. Three-dimensional motion capture (10 Vicon T40-S cameras) was used to capture kinematic data at 200Hz. Kinetic data was captured with an in-ground force platform (Kistler Instruments AG, Switzerland Model 9281B 60x40cm, 2000Hz). Participants were instructed to run at 3.5m/s ±5%. Velocity was …

The Impact Of Shift Work On Diabetes Self-Management Activities, Daniel Navarro

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In the United States 26 million people are affected by diabetes, which can result in microvascular and macrovascular complications. As a consequence, once a person is diagnosed with diabetes, aggressive clinical management is imperative to minimize poor glycemic control’s devastating outcomes. However, for some patients reaching optimum blood glucose levels is challenging due to the complexity of diabetes’ care. In order for patients with diabetes to achieve good blood glucose control, they must engage in self-care activities that include routine blood glucose checks, dietary control, physical activity, and routine medical provider visits, simultaneously with their medication regimen. Diabetes associated self-care …

Understanding Perceptions Of Genetically Modified Food Among Natural Food Shoppers In Southern Nevada, Christian Murua-Aceves

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Today, 85% of corn, 93% of soybeans, and 88% of cotton in the U.S. are genetically modified (GM). Using laboratory methods, genes from one species, such as a plant, can be transferred to an unrelated species, such as an animal. Genetically modified crops may lead to higher yields, have improved food quality, texture, and nutritional value, and have an increased shelf life.

Despite these promising benefits, the potential health risks relating to the consumption of GM food remain inadequately assessed. Genetically modified food is not subjected to rigorous safety testing, such as epidemiologic studies, to identify potential health risks. Two …

Comparison Of Muscle Latencies For Diabetic Neuropathy Patients Versus Healthy Controls During A Perturbed Balance Task, Kyle Mefferd

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to compare muscle latencies for patients diagnosed with diabetic neuropathy versus healthy controls during a perturbed balance task, with a secondary purpose to distinguish postural control strategies the groups used based on the muscle latencies. Five participants diagnosed with diabetic neuropathy (DN; 4 male, 99.7 ± 7.95 kg, 176 ± 9.58 cm, 46.6 ± 16.55 years) and 5 healthy control (HC; 4 male, 100.36 ± 12.61 kg, 173.76 ± 9.66 cm, 47 ± 13.42 years) participants were recruited. Participants granted institutionally approved written consent before participating. Delsys Trigino Wireless EMG sensors were placed on …

Survival Of The Fittest: The Role Of Linguistic Modification In Nursing Education, Brenda Strauch Moore

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This project’s long term goal was to improve English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) nursing student retention. Improving the quality of multiple choice exams is a first crucial step. ESL students find multiple-choice exams to be one of the most challenging aspects of nursing school. One reason for this is the presence of linguistic errors in exam questions. Linguistic errors include: irrelevant question content, poor sentence structure, and culturally biased words or phrases. Non-ESL students are less affected because exams are written in their native language. Linguistic modification, as part of best practices in item writing, removes these types of errors. The U.S. Department …

Understanding The Experience Of Medicare Advantage Patients In A Health Maintenance Organization, Curtis E. Boldman

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study was conducted using a single Health Maintenance Organization in Las Vegas, NV to determine the key drivers and attributes of quality in the patient experience for Medicare Advantage holders. The purpose of this study was to investigate these perceptions of quality to assist the provider in identifying the areas in their treatment process which could be refined in order to better serve their customer base. With the recent changes in healthcare laws, patient satisfaction is now a key determinant in the financial compensation providers receive for services performed.

Data was collected by doing patient intercepts outside of the …

Athletes’ Perceptions Of Athletic Trainers Quality Of Care, Chadley Foster

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to explore student athletes’ perceived satisfaction of care from certified and licensed athletic trainers (ATC) and satisfaction of care between full time and graduate student ATCs at University of Nevada, Las Vegas (n=61). Studies identify satisfaction as a method to measure quality of care and its influence on many aspects of athletes’ success including health outcomes. This is the first study that evaluated multiple aspects of care including type and length of sport participation, academic class status, number of ATCs seen, primary ATC (graduate or full time), number of interactions with primary ATC, injury, …

Oral Vs. Nasal Breathing During Submaximal Aerobic Exercise, Chase Ovila Platt Lacomb

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

When comparing oral breathing versus nasal breathing more volume of air can be transported through the oral passageway, but nasal breathing can lead to slower respiration rates and cleaner inspired air. The purpose of this study is to find the most efficient mode of breathing during different intensities of submaximal aerobic exercise. There were 9 males and 10 females that completed this study. First test was a VO₂ Max test, 3.0 mph for 3 minutes, with increases in 1.0 mph every minute after that. Using a regression equation running speeds were determined for each individual’s submaximal intensities. The desire …

Leukocyte Responsiveness To Exercise In Hcmv+ Individuals, Jared Nicholas Wilson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Introduction: Emerging research suggests that the lymphocyte immune response during exercise is amplified in individuals who are positive for human cytomegalovirus (HCMV+). However, the responses of monocytes and neutrophils in HCMV+ individuals are unknown. HCMV, a type of herpes virus, infects 50% or more of the adult population in the United States. This virus can become a cause for concern in individuals who have a compromised immune system, which has been shown to occur after high-intensity exercise.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to characterize the lymphocyte, monocyte, and neutrophil responses to exercise in HCMV+ individuals.

Methods: Participants were …

Prevalence And Risk Factors For Neck And Shoulder Musculoskeletal Symptoms In Users Of Touch-Screen Tablet Computers, Betina Blair, Mariana Gama, Marissa Toberman

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background and Purpose:

Neck and upper extremity symptoms are common health complaints in the general population and cause a substantial financial burden to the health care system. Neck pain is known to be a multi factorial disorder, with head and spinal posture being one of the most important factors. Currently there is little evidence showing a relationship between touch-screen tablet computer usage and neck/upper extremity pathologies. However, it is fair to postulate that the incidence of neck/upper extremity pathologies is higher within touch-screen tablet computer users, considering how users maintain static postures while using the device. The primary purposes of …

The Effects Of Instruction On Landing Strategies In Female College-Aged Dancers And Non-Dancers: A Pilot Study, Brittany Keating, Jason Pyfer, Kimberly Vialpando

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background Female athletic participation has increased over the past decade and with it the prevalence of knee injuries. Current research demonstrates an increased risk of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury for female athletes. However, a number of studies have pointed out that ballet and modern dancers exhibit a lower incidence of ACL injuries despite the fact that they perform jumping and landing frequently.

Objective The objective of this study was to examine how dance experience and instruction affect the lower extremity biomechanics during drop landings. Specifically, lower extremity joint alignment and muscle activation of gluteus maximus and gluteus medius were …

Four Weeks Of Minimalist Style Running Training Reduced Lumbar Paraspinal Muscle Activation During Shod Running, Stephanie Barton, David Brown, Talia Joyce

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background and Purpose: Research has shown that the risk of low back dysfunctions in runners is related to the increased mileage of distance running. Repetitive shock loading of the spinal structures during running has been indicated as one of the important biomechanical mechanisms underlying such injury. Acute changes in foot strike pattern, like those seen during minimalist style running, have been shown to lead to modifications in lumbar range of motion. Minimalist style running could lead to changes in lumbar biomechanics and muscle activation, potentially reducing the loading on the musculoskeletal structures of the lower back. However, the long term …

Intraprofessional Nursing Communication And Collaboration: Apn-Rn-Patient Bedside Rounding, Rita M. Herm-Barabasz

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Executive Summary

Leading advisory agencies have long advocated that health care must be safe and effective (Institute of Medicine [IOM], 2001). In order for health care to be safe and effective, good communication and collaboration are essential. Research has found that in health care, poor communication and teamwork failures are the major contributors to adverse events (Cornell, Townsend-Gervis, Vardaman, & Yates, 2014; The Joint Commission, 2011; O’Leary, 2012). Such communication-related adverse events can cause avoidable injury, loss of life, and financial devastation. In light of advanced practice nurses’ (APN) increasing contribution in care management, and in order to ensure delivery …

Patient Service Quality And Health Maintenance Organizations: Not An Oxymoron, Jessica Mcbeath

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Today’s quality movement in health care has driven the importance of patient satisfaction and experience across the industry. While the subject is of huge interest to researchers and health care companies, many struggle to identify a unified list of attributes that are applicable globally. Due to the industry’s uniqueness, it becomes necessary to understand the population and specific attributes for each. In review of previous service quality research, this study presents many dimensions and attributes for application. Using existing service quality framework 5Qs, this study provides unique findings correlated to existing literature and presents actionable items.

Purpose: The purpose of …

Sleep Duration Associated With Cardiovascular Conditions Among Adult Nevadans, Brianna Pergola

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality in the United States accounting for 1 out of every 3 deaths. Additionally, 43.9% of the population is expected to have some form of cardiovascular disease by the year 2030, with direct and indirect costs expected to rise upwards of 58 percent. To successfully prevent cardiovascular disease conditions such as myocardial infarction, coronary heart disease, and stroke, research must be done to identify risk factors, both modifiable and non-modifiable. In the existing literature, sleep duration as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease conditions has shown inconsistent associations. According to the National …

The Effects Of Adverse Childhood Experiences On Subsequent Injury In Young Adulthood: Findings From The National Longitudinal Study Of Adolescent And Adult Health, Michelle M. Sotero

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The objective of this study is to examine the association between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in the context of family and community and the likelihood of subsequent unintentional and intentional, nonfatal injury in young adulthood (ages 24-32 years). Using a cross sectional study design, data from Waves I and IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent and Adult Health, a nationally representative sample (n = 14,800) was used to examine the relationship between 16 types of ACEs and a cumulative ACE score and the odds of seven injury outcomes in young adulthood. Over a third (37.6%) of young adults …

The Predictors Of Cultural Competence In The Baccalaureate Degree Nursing Curriculum: Implications For Nursing Education, Angela Elizabeth Silvestri-Elmore

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Health care providers are members of a helping profession and need to provide quality care to all members of society. As a result of current and projected demographic changes within the United States (U.S.), health care professionals are faced with the challenges of providing culturally competent care and fulfilling the role as the “helping profession.” From 2000 to 2010, the Asian population increased by 43.3%, the Hispanic population grew by 43%, the Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander population increased by 35.4%, the American Indian or Alaskan Native population increased by 18.4%, and the African American population increased by 12.3%. …

Examining The Role Of Supportive Others In Substance Abuse Treatment And Child Welfare, Jessica Marie Urgelles

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Child neglect is a prevalent problem and often co-occurs with parental substance abuse. Mothers are most often the perpetrators of child neglect. The currently available treatment programs appear to be failing to meet the needs of these mothers. Most mothers are not completing treatment, putting them at risk of losing custody of their children. The literature suggests that women may have different risk factors associated with their substance use, as compared to men. Social networks appear to play a particularly important role in the maintenance of women’s substance abuse problems. The role of social networks may be distinct for different …

Comparing Functional Motor Control And Gait Parameters In Children With Autism To Those Of Age-Matched Peers Who Are Typically Developing, Patricia Stevenson, Samantha Novotny, Jillian May, Christopher Ancell

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to compare motor performance of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to that of age-matched peers who are typically developing (TD) on motor control tasks plus symmetry and variability of gait parameters across four walking conditions. A sample of convenience of children with ASD (n=6) and peers who are TD (n=6) were recruited. Motor control was assessed using initiation and completion times on the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test. Gait parameters were collected using a computerized walkway under four trial conditions: 1) walking at self-selected velocity (SSV); 2) walking during a tray-carrying task …

The Effects Of Enhanced And Decreased Expectations On Balance Performance In Those With And Without Parkinson’S Disease, Joshua Ostrander, Granuaile Parrish, Jacob Blood

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background: It has been reported individuals typically perform well on a task when enhanced expectancy was provided prior to task performance. It has also been reported people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) are especially susceptible to pre-task placebo cuing and suggestion. Evidence of this susceptibility has been previously demonstrated through brain imaging studies and with demonstration by individuals with PD improved balance performance.

Objective: This study was designed to further previous studies’ results for improved task performance with enhanced expectancy. The purpose of this study was to investigate if the pre-task verbal delivery of enhanced expectancy, decreased expectancy and no expectancy …

Patient No-Show For Outpatient Physical Therapy: A National Survey, James Bokinskie, Payton Johnson, Trevor Mahoney

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Introduction: Patients who fail to show for scheduled medical appointments (no-show) create a cascade of issues for the health care system, the provider, and themselves. No-show can affect clinical productivity, cost and quality of care, and treatment outcomes. There is an overwhelming lack of research on no-show as it relates to outpatient physical therapy in the United States. The purposes of this study were to report national no-show rates, describe the presence and characteristics of no-show policies, determine the relationship of these policies and other demographic information to no-show rates, and describe the most commonly perceived reasons for no-show.

Methods: …

Immediate Effects Of Cervical Spine Manipulation On Gait Parameters In Individuals With And Without Mechanical Neck Pain, Jordan Isom, Shaylyn Kennedy, Justin May, Samuel Moore

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine 1) if there were any differences in gait parameters between participants with mechanical neck pain and those without and 2) if cervical spine manipulation has an immediate effect on these gait parameters.

Methods: Twenty participants with mechanical neck pain and twenty participants without neck pain were randomly assigned into either the sham or manipulation group. The two intervention groups participated in walking across a GAITRite Walkway that recorded gait parameters such as stride length, cadence and step width before and after cervical spine manipulation. The participants walked at their own cadence …

Comparing Usability And Variance Of Low- And High Technology Approaches To Gait Analysis In Health Adults, John Mcconnell, Brian Silverman

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the usability, reliability, and objectivity of four tools that represented varying gait analysis technologies used in clinical practice and/or research. Low technology clinical tools included the Gait Abnormality Rating Scale (GARS-M) and the Rancho Los Amigos Observational Gait Analysis (Rancho OGA). High technology tools included the GAITRiteÒ computerized walkway, and the APDM Mobility LabÔ wearable sensor system.

Subjects: 74 healthy adults ages 18-41 years (mean = 24.82, SD = 4.39) 33 males and 40 females.

Methods: Subjects were instructed to walk at a self-selected speed for two minutes …