Digital Commons Network^™

An Examination Of Working Memory In Dancers And Non-Dancers, Mason Low

All Master's Theses

The present study examined the behavioral working memory differences between dancers and non-dancers. Previous research has indicated that dance can provide an enhancing effect on working memory, particularly in non-dancers. A Dance History Questionnaire along with the letters backward, digits backward, digits forward, letters forward, and abstract visual subtests of the Test of Learning and Memory II was used to collect data. The current study found that dancers had greater visuospatial memory than non-dancers and that dance experience may have an effect on certain working memory tests such as the letters forward subtest.

Impact Of Diet Culture On Disordered Eating Habits In College Students, Laura Vanderlinde Padgett

All Master's Theses

Eating Disorders (ED) impact people worldwide at increasing rates and are a contemporary public health issue in the United States. The purpose of this research was to understand if exposure to Diet Culture impacts disordered eating behaviors in college students. A cross-sectional study was conducted of adults aged 18 and older who were currently enrolled in at least one college-level course during the period of August 2023 to December 2023. Utilizing the platform Qualtrics, an anonymous survey was created and distributed via online and in-person sources. Researchers created 5 survey questions aimed at collecting data on the familiarity and exposure …

Impact Of The Use Of Nutrition Information On Glycemic Control In Adults With Diabetes, Katelyn Richardson

All Master's Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine the association between glycemic control in adults with diabetes and the use of nutrition information (NI). A cross-sectional design evaluated adults with diabetes from the 2009-2010 and 2017-2020 NHANES databases. Use of NI was quantified based on the subject’s use of the Nutrition Facts Label, use of calorie information at restaurants, and use of either the USDA Food Guide Pyramid or My Plate. Glycemic control was established if the subject’s hemoglobin A1C concentration was 7.0% or lower. SAS Software (v. 9.4) was used for all statistical analysis. Differences between prevalences were established …

Factors Associated With The Prevalence Of Iron Deficiency And Anemia In Women Of Reproductive Age In The U.S.: Nhanes 2015-2020, Catherine Wise

All Master's Theses

Iron deficiency (ID) is well recognized as the most prevalent nutrient insufficiency and a leading cause of anemia. Women of reproductive age (WRA), females 15 to 49, are at an increased risk of ID and anemia. This is due to the heightened iron demands of this life stage, including puberty, menstruation, and pregnancy, which require iron intakes ranging from 15 to 27 mg/day. Poor health and nutrition increase the risk of ID and progression to anemia. Consequences of ID and anemia range from exhaustion and decreased cognitive function to an increased risk of mortality. This study aimed to assess the …

Risk Of Low Energy Availability, Disordered Eating, And Menstrual Dysfunction In Female Recreational Runners, Marissa Miles

All Master's Theses

Running is characterized by high physiological demands with an emphasis on weight, which may lead to a greater risk of developing low energy availability (LEA) and/or disordered eating (DE). Recreational runners are a population that is often overlooked due to a lack of resources readily available to them. Purpose: This study investigated (1) the prevalence of menstrual dysfunction, risk of DE and LEA and (2) compare the risk of DE, training volume, and weight dissatisfaction between female recreational runners at risk for LEA versus not at risk for LEA. Methods: Female recreational runners (n= 1,923) completed an online questionnaire that …

Cannabis Cues And Effects On Social Anxiety, Erica Steinberg

All Master's Theses

Prior research has shown that individuals experiencing social anxiety may use cannabis for self-medication; therefore, the current study evaluated if viewing cannabis cues would reduce feelings of social anxiety. Central Washington University undergraduates enrolled in psychology courses (n = 124; 66.7% female; M_age = 19.8, SD_age = 4.7) were shown cannabis cues after viewing expressive facial images that prior research has shown induces feelings of social anxiety. Contrary to prior research, the current study found that emotional faces did not significantly affect state-trait anxiety as measured by the 6-item State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-6) but that trait social …

The Expected Risks And Exacerbations Of Poverty, Mental Health Disorders, And Maternal Mortality From Abortion Bans: A Comparative Literature Analysis, Daniel J. Francisco

All Master's Theses

Background. Early termination of a pregnancy (hereinafter referred to as an “abortion”) has been debated in the United States (U.S.) for decades, without much regard to the negative outcomes that forced pregnancies have for those assigned female at birth regarding poverty, mental health and maternal mortality. In 1973, access to safe abortions was protected so long that the procedure was done within the legal gestational period and/or was necessary for the health and safety of the patient (Blackmun, 1972). Unfortunately, in 2022, the Supreme Court took that protection away and made it legal for states to determine the reproductive rights …

Risk Of Low Energy Availability, Disordered Eating, And Menstrual Dysfunction In Female Collegiate Runners, Leah Louise Dambacher

All Master's Theses

Collegiate female distance runners may be at risk for low energy availability (LEA) due to increased exercise energy expenditure with or without decreased energy intake. Furthermore, this population has increased risk of disordered eating (DE), which can lead to LEA and negative health consequences, such as menstrual dysfunction (MD). Purpose: The purpose of this study was to: 1) investigate risk of LEA and DE and 2) compare DE, training volume, and weight dissatisfaction among female collegiate runners athletes at risk vs not at risk for LEA. Methods: Female runners (n = 287) who competed on an NCAA Division …

Identifying Unexpected Inflammation Resulting From Drug-Drug Interactions, Keegan Jolly

All Master's Theses

Adverse drug events result in nearly 1.3 million emergency room visits per year in the United States of America. As much as 30% of these adverse events are a result of drug-drug interactions (DDI’s). There is a gap in knowledge concerning these DDI outcomes especially when it comes to inflammation. Inflammation is linked to a variety of chronic health conditions and non-infectious diseases such as cancer. Purpose: The goal of this study was to examine how many active drug ingredients from FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), when combined (in groups of two or more), elicit an inflammatory response …

Comparison Of Midwifery And Obstetric Care Among American Indian And Alaska Native Birthing People, Trista Barnhart

All Master's Theses

Despite making up only 3% of the U.S. population, American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) individuals have the second highest maternal mortality rate in the United States, and the leading cause of maternal mortality and morbidity among AI/AN is postpartum hemorrhage. Many interventions used during childbirth have been identified as common causes of hemorrhage, such as lacerations of the vagina and cervix, operative vaginal deliveries, & augmentation of labor. Research has found that individuals who had midwives as their care providers have been found to be less likely to experience instrumental deliveries, epidural analgesia, labor augmentation, episiotomy or perineal lacerations, cesarean sections, …

Evaluation Of Leishmanicidal Activities Of 4-Thiazolidinones Against Leishmania Major, The Causative Agent Of Human Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, Kiera Bush

All Master's Theses

The leishmaniases are a group of vector-borne parasitic diseases that affect many developing countries including parts of Africa, India, and the Middle East in addition to Southern Europe and the Americas. It is estimated that worldwide, there are about 3 million new cases of leishmaniases each year leading to as many as 50,000 fatalities annually. The parasites that cause leishmaniasis belong to the genus Leishmania spp and are transmitted by the female phlebotomine sand fly. There are three clinical forms of the infection: visceral, mucocutaneous, and cutaneous. However, the focus of this paper is on cutaneous leishmaniasis that causes skin …

Consensus On Potential Changes In Public Health Leadership Competencies As A Result Of The Covid-19 Pandemic Among Washington State Local Health Jurisdictions, Haley M. Schimmel

All Master's Theses

Effective leadership practices among the public health field are critical in the process of influencing positive health outcomes across populations. While many competencies or skill sets that are needed of leaders to promote ideal public health functions have been identified and discussed in previous literature, there has become an arising need for evaluation of potential changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

To do this, the Delphi research method was utilized through the implementation of a four-round questionnaire process to gain consensus among participating leaders in ten different Washington State Local Health Jurisdictions. The two main research questions of this study …

The Impact Of Universal Free Meals During Covid-19 On Family Life And Perspective Of School Meals In Central Washington State, Charlotte Green

All Master's Theses

This study explored the impact of the USDA COVID-19 Universal Free Meal (UFM) waivers on family life, school meal participation, and child eating habits from parents with children in Central Washington state (WA) schools. n = 119 parents/caregivers with students who were in K-12^th grade in Central WA from August 2019-February 2023 completed a 10 question electronic, and descriptive survey. The survey measured changes in participation in school lunch/breakfast pre to post COVID-19 waiver, which provided free meals for all children, and whether UFM were beneficial to families, impacted perception of school food, child’s sense of community at school …

Impact Of The Washington State Covid-19 Lockdown On 5-10-Year-Ol School-Aged Children Residing In Kitties County, Peyton Rondeau

All Master's Theses

Background: The Washington State COVID-19 lockdown and subsequent school closures brought increased dependency on parents to provide nutritious meals and opportunities for physical activity for their children.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to describe the impacts of the Washington State COVID-19 lockdown on the dietary, physical activity, and screen time habits of children ages 5-10-years-old residing in Kittitas County.

Methods: A researcher-developed Qualtrics survey was created and validated via the Index of Item Objective Congruence. The survey was administered to parents via Facebook, using local Kittitas County Facebook groups.

Results: Most parents identified that the Washington lockdown negatively …

Factors Influencing Intestinal Parasite In Black-And-White Ruffed Lemurs (Varecia Variegata), Eliette Noromalala

All Master's Theses

Ecological factors, such as feeding behavior and climatic seasonality, might influence intestinal parasite infection and patterns in non-human primates. Here, we examined if frugivory levels and climate (i.e., temperature and rainfall) were associated with parasite patterns in black-and-white ruffed lemurs (Varecia variegata). Feeding data using 5-min focal sampling, climate data, and fecal samples from V. variegata (n = 23) at the “Mangevo” site were collected from February through May 2019. Microscopic examinations of fecal flotation and sedimentation were done to identify and count parasites. Nematoda (Callistoura vauceli, and Strongyloides sp.) Ciliophora (Balantidium sp.), Coccidia ( …

Instrumental And Emotional Social Support Intention And Utilization Among Pregnant And Postpartum Women During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Gracie Minks

All Master's Theses

Postpartum depression impacts 1 in 7 women across the U.S. As a whole population, between 10-16% of women are impacted by maternal depression during pregnancy or the first year postpartum. Those who experience postpartum depression are at risk for repeated depressive episodes and a lower quality of life over time. The postnatal period may reflect the most vulnerable time for mental health concerns such as anxiety and depression. Fear, judgment, and perceived criticism are commonly named as barriers that delay the mobilization of support.

There is a prevailing perception that postpartum depression is a normal part of motherhood which may …

Who's Included? A Systematic Review Of Socio-Demographics And Participant Recruitment Within The Investigation Of Periodontal Disease And Its Treatment Effect On Hemoglobin A1c, Jaclyn L. Johnson

All Master's Theses

Diabetes mellitus and periodontal disease are major global public health concerns. Within the United States (U.S.) over 34 million adults have diagnosed diabetes (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2020a), and 64 million U.S. adults have periodontitis (American Academy of Periodontology [AAP], 2021a). Research has shown that persons with diabetes have a coinfection with periodontal disease at a rate between 2.6 and 2.9 times higher than persons without diabetes (Wang et al., 2014). Diabetes and periodontal disease collectively and disproportionately affect persons of low socioeconomic status (SES), age, and particular racial/ethnic identities (AAP, n.d.b; CDC, 2021; Connolly et al., …

Investigating The Effects Of Body Weight Fluctuations On Insulin Resistance In Adults: A Nhanes Study, Jessica Claire Burke

All Master's Theses

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a history of weight cycling on insulin resistance (IR) utilizing the 2015-2020 NHANES database. A value greater than 3.2 for homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was used to define IR. No study to date has examined the weight cycling question since its application in the NHANES 2015-2016 cycle year. RESULTS 53% of the total 4100 participants reported weight cycling at least once and 33% of the total were classified as having IR. Prevalence of IR and obesity were highest amongst those who weight cycled 3 times or …

Education And Awareness Of Workplace Hazards: An Educational Intervention For First Responder Trainees, Emily Portune

All Master's Theses

First responder paramedics, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), and firefighters provide emergency services to communities everywhere, often in life-threatening circumstances. At the same time, these first responders face high-stress life and death situations and may also endure unique workplace hazards like racism, sexual harassment and discrimination, verbal and physical patient assault, and extreme sleep deprivation. These hazards make prehospital providers vulnerable to mental illness, a fact proven by preexisting research that found more than 85% of first responders reported negative mental health symptoms and outcomes directly related to their career. Not only are prehospital providers at high risk of mental illness; …

Parental Status As A Modifying Factor In Covid-19 Vaccination Status: A Mixed Methods Approach, Mackenzie Carter

All Master's Theses

Introduction: Vaccines are the best protection against COVID-19 and have been proven to be safe and effective. Parental efforts to protect their children by complying with or refusing pediatric vaccinations have previously been studied. However, the author found little research on how parental status affects the vaccination decisions for the parents. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods approach and the Health Belief Model, this study examines how parental status influences parental COVID-19 vaccination status. Methods: A local health department conducted a quantitative survey on COVID-19 vaccination attitudes and beliefs from September to October 2021. The COVID-19 vaccination status of parents of …

Determining The Effects Of Chemical Exposure On Hepatocyte Mitochondrial Networks And Cell Viability, Bethany Eaton

All Master's Theses

Mitochondria are cellular organelles that are becoming more recently studied. One of their main functions is the production of energy through cellular respiration, which is crucial to cell life. However, they are also associated with numerous disease states. It is hypothesized that reactive oxygen species (ROS), largely produced in mitochondria, induce oxidative stress and affect mitochondrial morphology along with cell viability. This study compares chemical exposure of menadione, an ROS producer, and phthalates (plasticizers) on two mouse hepatocyte cell lines to determine the effects they have on mitochondrial morphology and cell viability. Three experiments were performed to analyze the effects …

Exploring Agricultural Worker Self-Efficacy During A Covid-19 Delta Variant Surge And Adverse Environmental Conditions, Hannah Lascano

All Master's Theses

Yakima County is a rural county with an urban core located in central Washington State. With over 60% of its workforce dedicated to agriculture, food production, and other essential industries, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly compounded in Yakima County populations. Factors such as low decision-making power, limited ability to social distance, and occupational limitations such as fear of job loss, non-compliance with immigration regulations, and lack of representation have yet to be explored during the COVID-19 Delta variant (Delta) surge in conjunction with environmental conditions. This study utilized a novel, online survey of Yakima County residents, …

Cold-Induced Metabolic Changes In Lean, Nag-1 Transgenic Mice, Rachel J. Davey

All Master's Theses

Obesity is a multifaceted metabolic disorder with severe worldwide public health consequences. While obesity can often be treated using diet and exercise, there are complex genetic interactions driving obesity that don’t always respond to such changes. One important research focus for addressing genetic factors is activating brown adipose tissue which increases thermogenesis, the process of burning stored fats to generate heat. Cold exposure is a known way to activate brown adipose tissue through b3-adrenergic signaling. This signaling pathway causes an upregulation of thermogenesis in brown adipocytes and beige adipocytes, which is white adipose tissue that “browns” and becomes metabolically active. …

Evaluating Compassion Satisfaction And The Risk Of Compassion Fatigue Among Those Working At Non-Human Primate Sanctuaries And Wildlife Centers, Madalyn Rantala

All Master's Theses

Compassion fatigue, an occupational risk commonly associated with caregiving professions, can have adverse effects for individual employee wellbeing, organizational productivity, and the quality of care that patients receive. Within animal-care worker samples, previous research suggests that around 25 percent of employees are at a high risk of developing compassion fatigue (i.e., experiencing burnout and secondary traumatic stress concurrently). To my knowledge, this thesis is the first study to explore compassion fatigue within the primate sanctuary field. Thirty-nine eligible participants completed an online survey that probed professional quality of life via the ProQOL 5, perceived workplace support via the Trauma-Informed Organizational …

Clinical Test Versus Self-Test For Prediabetes: Outcomes In Diabetes Prevention Based On Mode Of Diagnosis, Debra J. Rich

All Master's Theses

Approximately 34.2 million U.S. adults were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2018 and diabetes prevalence is projected to reach 60.6 million by 2060. A predicted 88 million adults have prediabetes, but only 15.3% have been diagnosed by a medical provider. Approximately 15-30% of the population with prediabetes will develop diabetes within 5 years without lifestyle modification to decrease risk. Reduced incidence of diabetes is an urgent priority for Healthy People 2030 and increased participation in lifestyle change programs is a primary objective. The Diabetes Prevention Program promotes behavior modification to prevent or delay diabetes. Despite evidence to support effective …

The Effect Of Probiotics, Prebiotics, And Synbiotics On Indicators Of Lactose Intolerance: A Systematic Review, Taylor Roice

All Master's Theses

Lactose intolerance disproportionately affects racial minority groups in the United States, increasing the incidence of calcium deficiency and low bone mineral density in these populations. The nutritional quality of lactose-containing food products incentivizes the investigation of long-term treatment options for lactose intolerance. Modifying the gut microbiome to increase the quantity of lactose-hydrolyzing bacteria in the intestines is a promising avenue of treatment that merits investigation. Such modification is typically achieved via consumption of probiotics, prebiotics, or synbiotics in various forms. This systematic review examined 25 studies measuring outcomes of lactose intolerance in subjects given probiotic, prebiotic, or synbiotic treatments. Bacterial …

The Development Of A Survey Instrument To Assess Racial And Cultural Inclusiveness: A Case Study Of Staff, Jolene Rios

All Master's Theses

Background:

The hierarchy of the medical system and its lack of racial and cultural inclusiveness has created systematically inequitable healthcare with direct outcomes to health disparities. Inequitable non-inclusive healthcare perpetuated and negatively impacted health disparities among minorities and has been a major preventable public health problem. Research studies have established a correlation between racism and various adverse health outcomes, including higher mortality, lower rates of cancer screening, elevated blood pressure, higher C-reactive protein levels, substance use, and mental health conditions (Shavers et al, 2012). Measuring exposure to racism has been essential to establishing racism’s influence on equitable, inclusive healthcare and …

A Pilot Study: Observations Of Patients Participating In Heart Failure Shared Medical Appointments While Receiveing Nutrition Education, Hannah Hugo

All Master's Theses

The purpose of this pilot project was to examine descriptive statistics from patients who participated in heart failure (HF) shared medical appointments (SMAs) at a mid-sized heart center in the Northwest, in which nutrition education was provided by an RD. Information collected included blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), weight, scores from the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure (MLHF) Survey, and the Atlanta Heart Failure Knowledge (AHFK) questionnaire. Due to small sample size and lack of control group, simple descriptive statistics, such as mean and median were used to examine the data. Three of the participants were female and 4 …

Risk Of Low Energy Availability In Elite Male Athletes With Spinal Cord Injury, Savannah Glasgow

All Master's Theses

Recent research examining male able-bodied athletes has suggested that males are at risk for low energy availability (LEA); however, there is a paucity of research pertaining to prevalence amongst male athletes with an impairment. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the risk of LEA and prevalence of symptoms related to Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S), including risk of disordered eating, hormonal profiles, and bone mineral density (BMD) scans, in male wheelchair para athletes. Collegiate- and national-level male athletes (n = 9) with spinal cord injury (SCI) completed 7-day concurrent diet and training logs, Eating Disorder Examination …

Mood Effects And Individual Differences On Reappraisal And Distraction: An Erp Study Of The Sensitivity Of Emotion Regulation Strategies, Elsa Mastico

All Master's Theses

The present research evaluated the effect of mood and individual differences on the regulatory process of emotions by using a regulation task with negative and neutral images to assess reappraisal and distraction ability. Specifically, this research evaluated the average amplitude of the latent positive potential (latent positivity, LPP) brainwave linked to distraction and reappraisal using an ERP analysis. In addition, the current study compared the modulation of the LPP to the self-reported mood of the participants and their individual differences in regulation ability through scores of a self-report emotion regulation questionnaire. The latent positive potentials from an emotion regulation task …