Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring The Factors Of Persistence For African American Senior Nursing Students, Yolanda Nelson

Theses and Dissertations

African American nursing students experience commonalities within their college experience. Often these students may be faced with challenges, barriers, and/or struggles that may place a hindrance on their success in meeting their educational goals. This qualitative study used a phenomenological approach to explore African American female nursing students perceptions of faculty-student relationships and its implications for persistence. Four African American female nursing students and two nursing faculty agreed to participate in this study. This research study offers an examination of past and present research regarding the history of African American nursing students, health disparity, social justice and diversity within the …

A Qualitative Study Of The Massage Therapy Foundation's Best Practices Symposium: Clarifying Definitions And Creating A Framework For Practice, Ann Blair Kennedy

Theses and Dissertations

Large numbers of individuals seek massage therapy for wellness/disease prevention purposes and research supports consumer reported benefits including physical and psychological improvements. However, challenges within the profession may be hindering the advancement of the field. To better understand the process and outcomes and ultimately develop best practices for massage therapy as well as better inform education, policy and research, it is necessary to investigate how massage and/or massage therapy are defined and operationalized in practice. This study entailed qualitative analysis of cross-sectional data using a grounded theory approach to examine the data gathered from a two-day symposium held in 2010 …

Community-Level Factors Associated With Health-Related Quality Of Life Among Older Adults, Yu-Hsiu Lin

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and well-being is a new topic area for Healthy People 2020 in the U.S. In a broad-based literature review, more research explored individual level factors of HRQOL, and few focused on older adults. Multilevel analysis was seldom adopted to investigate the relationship between area-level socioeconomic or social environment factors and HRQOL. In lieu of the traditional Chapter 4 (Results) and Chapter 5 (Conclusion), two manuscripts representing the two specific research aims are included. The main aim of first manuscript was to explore the association between area deprivation, area health resources and older adults’ HRQOL. …

Post-Fall Decision Making Among Older Women Living In Continuing Care Retirement Communities: A Mixed Methods Study, Caroline D. Bergeron

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: One in every three adults over the age of 65 experiences a fall every year, with women experiencing more falls than men. Falls can affect how older women perceive themselves and their independence. The purpose of this study was to examine older women's health decision making after experiencing a fall. Methods: I conducted semi-structured interviews with 17 older women living independently in continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) who had experienced a fall within the previous six months and 11 individuals the women identified as being involved in their post-fall decision making. I also conducted an exploratory survey on post-fall …

Nurses Utilizing The V.O.I.C.E.S. Hiv Prevention Intervention In The Black Church Community, Jason Richard

Theses and Dissertations

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) epidemic is a significant problem in the United States, especially in the “Bible Belt” Deep South where the epidemic is hitting this region the hardest. The HIV epidemic in the state of South Carolina is very real, significant, and quite alarming. In fact, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) labels South Carolina as an HIV “hot spot.” All racial and ethnic groups are susceptible and impacted by HIV. However, evidence shows that African Americans – especially young adults 18-35, bear the brunt of the burden to the extent that the “new face” of …

Genetic And Epigenetic Variations In Asthma And Wheeze Illnesses, Todd M. Everson

Theses and Dissertations

Asthma, a chronic respiratory condition, is common worldwide with no cure and limited effective prevention strategies. It is well recognized that asthma has a multifaceted etiology, though many of the underlying mechanisms involved in asthma development, persistence and remission are still convoluted. Epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, regulate gene-expression but are not related to changes in the actual DNA sequence. Recently, differential patterns of DNA methylation within many genes have been associated with asthma, particularly within genes involved in the differentiation of pro-inflammatory T-helper 2 (Th2) cells. DNA methylation patterns within less known biologic pathways undoubtedly are involved in …

Support For Comprehensive Sexuality Education And Adolescent Access To Condoms And Contraceptions In South Carolina, Sarah H. Kershner

Theses and Dissertations

A statewide random-digit dialed telephone survey was administered to residents of a historically conservative southern state to 1) assess the level of support for comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) in public schools, 2) assess the support for availability to condoms and contraception as an effective strategy for reducing unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted (STIs) among adolescents and 3) assess the perceived view of reproductive health as a moral or public health issue. Survey data were obtained from 841 South Carolina residents May through June 2013. Findings from the study revealed that the majority (90%) of South Carolina residents support CSE in …

Low-Intensity Physical Activity And Cardiometabolic Risk Factors Among Older Adults With Multiple Chronic Conditions, Yueyao Li

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among older adults in the Unites States and is driven largely by cardiometabolic risk factors including elevated blood pressure and blood glucose. Studies have found the protective effect of moderate intensity physical activity (MIPA) and vigorous intensity physical activity (VIPA) on cardiometabolic risk factor; however, the association between light physical activity (LIPA) and cardiometabolic risk factor among older adults is not clear. Objectives 1). Examine the association between LIPA and cardiometabolic risk factors. 2). Examine whether the association between LIPA and cardiometabolic risk factor is moderated by multiple chronic conditions. …

Refinement And Pilot Testing Social Networks For Encouraging Healthy Behaviors: The Social Pounds Off Digitally (Social Pod) Study, Sarah B. Hales

Theses and Dissertations

Currently about 71% of adults in the US are considered overweight or obese. Overweight and obesity are associated with higher risk of developing many chronic diseases; however, health risks associated with overweight and obesity can be reduced by as little as a 3% to 5% reduction in weight. Mobile health (mHealth) has shown promise as a way to deliver weight loss interventions, yet maintaining participant engagement over time has been a challenge. The purpose of this study was to develop, refine, and pilot test the Social Pounds Off Digitally (POD) Android app for personalized health monitoring and interaction; revise the …

Individual- And Neighborhood-Level Determinants Of Emergency Department Utilization Among Patients With Diabetes In South Carolina, Charity B. Breneman

Theses and Dissertations

AIM: The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the geographic variation in emergency department (ED) use in South Carolina using geographical information systems (GIS) and to examine the effects of both individual- and neighborhood-level characteristics on frequent ED use among patients with diabetes. METHODS: ED discharge data for 2013 was geocoded based on patients’ residential ZIP code using GIS. Frequent ED use among patients with diabetes was defined as three or more ED visits between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2013. The boundaries for each neighborhood were defined by the U.S. Census Bureau ZIP Code Tabulation Areas …

Dental Insurance As A Mitigating Factor In Reducing The Risk Of Mortality Among Working-Age Adults With Dental Caries And Periodontitis, Naveed Sadiq

Theses and Dissertations

Background Poor oral health had been associated with increased risk of having systemic diseases and thus mortality. The purpose of this research was to find if dental coverage with health insurance could mitigate the risk of death due to untreated dental caries and periodontitis among working age U.S. adults. Methods Data were drawn from NHANES III (1988-1994) and linked to mortality updated till Dec. 31st, 2011. It was restricted to those in the age range of 20-64 years adults. Furthermore, it was restricted to those who had complete data collection on all measures. Unweighted propensity scores were calculated to control …

Clinical Decision Making In Last Semester Senior Baccalaureate Nursing Students, Beth Cusatis Phillips

Theses and Dissertations

Clinical decision making (CDM) is an integral part of what nurses do (Muir, 2004; Ramezani-Badr, Nasrabadi, Yekta, & Taleghani, 2009). Yet, inspection of the nursing literature reveals concerns about the lack of preparation and readiness of new nursing graduates to engage in effective clinical decision making (Smith & Crawford, 2002, Duchscher, 2008, Gillespie & Paterson, 2009, Benner, Sutphen, Leonard & Day, 2010, Noohi, Karimi-Noghondar, & Haghdoost, 2012). This study was conducted to better understand the nature of students’ decision making and how they learn to make clinical decisions. Nursing students in their final semester of a baccalaureate program participated in …

Place Experience Of Nursing Home Courtyards: A Holistic Approach To Understanding Institutional Outdoor Environments, Chia Jung Shih

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation research investigates place experience of three nursing home courtyards. Based on systemic place theories, each nursing home courtyard is conceptualized as place or a system consisting of three major subsystems: physical settings, people and rules of place uses. Place experience as the center of conceptualization is the result of interactions between them. Place experience is thus characterized by objective, subjective and consensual qualities of people-environment relationships. The research design follows the premises of pragmatic case study methodology; a mixed research method is employed that includes archival research of floor plans, photo documentation, a physical setting checklist and instrumented …

Changes In Acoustic And Kinematic Articulatory Working Space Across Three Intensity Levels, Panika Ellis Palmer

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare changes in acoustic and kinematic measures of articulation across soft, comfortable, and loud speech conditions. There were 19 participants, 9 male and 10 female, with age ranging from 20 to 34 with a median age of 25. Each participant had electromagnetic sensors glued to their tongue, jaw, and lips. It was anticipated that the acoustic measures would accurately reflect the kinematic measures of speech as articulation changed across the intensity levels. Vowel space area (VSA) and vowel articulation index (VAI) were computed from the three corner vowels, /α, i, u/. Articulatory-acoustic vowel …

An Exploratory Investigation Of Tele-Counseling: Looking At The Power Of Therapeutic Alliance In Improving Wellness, Jorge Rostro

Theses and Dissertations

The present study explored the power of one tele-counseling session to elicit change within post wellness ratings scores and the relationship between clients’ perceptions of relationship, goals and topics, approach and method, and overall session with clients’ wellness ratings. Results indicated that the mean for post-session wellness was significantly greater than pre-test wellness ratings. The standardized effect size, d, was .43, indicative of a moderate effect size. No difference was found between client’s perceptions of predictor variables with post-wellness rating scores. This study adds support for the use of tele-counseling services as one session might have the power to elicit …

Dental Hygienists' Cognitive Process In Periodontal Soft Tissue Charting, Kelsey M. Schwei

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Dental hygienists have not had the opportunity to be involved in the design and development of the periodontal soft tissue charts and the surrounding interface features that are used while examining dental patients in daily practice. In some cases, dentists are able to give their opinions, wants, and needs into the development of the health information systems that they use on a daily basis, but too often, the dental hygienist is forgotten about and no input is ever given to the developers from the dental hygienists. This project considers the impact of well-designed interfaces on effectiveness and workflow particularly …

The Lived Experiences Of An Injured Athlete And Members Of A Performance Management Team During Injury Rehabilitation: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, Courtney Wynne Hess

Theses and Dissertations

In response to an ever growing understanding of the biopsychosocial nature of health and well-being, multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches to rehabilitation have grown in acceptance over the past decade. Studies that have explored the effect of these two approaches have found them to be effective in improving rehabilitation outcomes (McAlister et al., 2001; Tur et al., 2003). Although they have been shown to be objectively effective, the impact that these approaches have on the lived experiences of the team employing them, and the athlete or patient they serve, is not well understood. As such, the purpose of the current study …

Functional And Phenotypic Analysis Of B- And T-Helper Cells In Rhesus Macaques And African Green Monkeys, Sahar Ali Alhakeem

Theses and Dissertations

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is one of the most challenging infectious agents at the current time. To date, many vaccine trials have been conducted. However, there has not been a fully successful trial. This is due, in part, to the gap in knowledge of the protective immune response against HIV. African green monkeys (AGMs) serve as an interesting model to study immune protection in primate immunodeficiency virus infections due to their resistance to AIDS. Experimental SIV infection in rhesus macaques (RMs) resembles HIV infection in humans with chronic immune activation and progression to AIDS well characterized in both. Understanding the …

The Right Ear Advantage In Response To Levels Of Linguistic Complexity: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study, Elizabeth Hyatt

Theses and Dissertations

The right ear advantage (REA) phenomenon has been utilized in clinical and research settings to study auditory processing disorders and linguistic lateralization. Previous research has established that the REA is not reliable in its measures within or between individuals. This is likely due to the influence of other variables, such as neuromaturation and attention. One variable that has not been studied in depth in this context is linguistic complexity. It was hypothesized that stimulus conditions with levels of linguistic complexity would elicit corresponding levels of temporal lobe activity. Understanding and controlling the variables that affect the REA will increase the …

How Does Social Comparison Affect Self-Esteem In The Classroom After Receiving An Exam Grade, Dana Oppenheimer

Theses and Dissertations

Social comparison is a theory developed by Leon Festinger which states that social comparison has many effects on everyday life, including body perception, learning in schools, self-esteem, exercise habits, and even balance. These different topics have been studied numerous times in the past. The hypothesis of this study is social comparison will have a significant change in self-esteem after receiving an exam grade back and being able to talk about it. The study consists of a participant filling out a self-esteem inventory pre-test, which was taken one day in the beginning of the semester before any exams were given and …

Do Mindfulness, Rumination Or Social Problem-Solving Factors Predict Distress?, Gabriela Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

Depression and anxiety continue to be prevalent concerns, with lifetime prevalence rates of 41% for depressive symptoms and 15% for anxious symptoms. Reputable studies confirm that high self-reported mindful awareness and social problem solving are both individually related to a lower severity of self-reported depressive symptoms. Rumination has also been found to have a significant relationship with depressive and anxious symptoms. Yet, these etiological factors have not been studied in combination, which is the focus of the current study. Hypothesis 1: Mindfulness, rumination, and social problem-solving will predict depressive symptoms after controlling for the variance predicted by Time 1 (T1) …

The Effects Of Laryngeal Activity On Articulatory Kinematics, Katherine Marie Barber

Theses and Dissertations

The current study examined the effects of three speech conditions (voiced, whispered, mouthed) on articulatory kinematics at the sentence and word level. Participants included 20 adults (10 males, 10 females) with no history of speech, language, or hearing disorders. Participants read aloud six target utterances in the three different speaking conditions while articulatory kinematics were measured using the NDI Wave electromagnetic articulograph. The following articulators were examined: mid tongue, front of tongue, jaw, lower lip, and upper lip. One of the target utterances was chosen for analysis (It's time to shop for two new suits) at the sentence …

The Effects Of Abuse On Mental Health Outcomes Of Males, Helana Russo

Theses and Dissertations

Childhood sexual and physical abuse has been found to have lasting effects on one's physical and mental health in adulthood. Studies have found that childhood abuse is linked to a variety of mental health conditions that tend to present later in life. This paper investigates specifically how childhood abuse experiences may affect the mental health of male victims, explicitly examining whether the type of abuse has an effect on the way mental health problems express, whether internalized or externalized disorders are more prominent depending on the abuse type. The study also aims to compare mental health outcomes of abused males …

Vaccination Policies Of Utah Family Practice Clinics, Levi R. Kohler

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to collect information regarding healthcare worker (HCW) vaccination policies in Utah family practice clinics. Data sources: The study was conducted in Utah family practice clinics in the most densely populated counties in the state and was a cross-sectional descriptive design. Data were collected from 155 family practice clinic managers. Analyses included frequencies and percentages for quantitative items and a content analysis for open-ended items. Conclusions: HCWs are employed in environments where infectious diseases can be easily spread from person to person, thus, vaccinations can be instrumental in protecting the health of HCWs and patients …

Print Awareness: A Comparison Between Print And Electronic Assessments In Typically Developing Preschool Children, Peter Kao

Theses and Dissertations

This study compared print and electronic formats of the Concepts About Print (CAP) assessment in typically developing preschool children. The researchers were interested in comparing print awareness skills using two different reading modalities. Independent variables were mode of presentation and age, dependent variables were the CAP scores. To account for a learning curve, two different versions of the CAP assessment were used and counterbalanced. Modes of presentation was also counterbalanced. Examiners achieved a 98.24% agreement (K = 0.964) across 40% of all assessments.

A significant correlation (r =.919) was found between the scores on the CAP and scores on the …

Three Essays On Enhancing Clinical Trial Subject Recruitment Using Natural Language Processing And Text Mining, Euisung Jung

Theses and Dissertations

Patient recruitment and enrollment are critical factors for a successful clinical trial; however, recruitment tends to be the most common problem in most clinical trials. The success of a clinical trial depends on efficiently recruiting suitable patients to conduct the trial. Every clinical trial research has a protocol, which describes what will be done in the study and how it will be conducted. Also, the protocol ensures the safety of the trial subjects and the integrity of the data collected. The eligibility criteria section of clinical trial protocols is important because it specifies the necessary conditions that participants have to …

Evaluation Of Vaccination Policies Among Outpatient Oncology Clinics In Utah: A Pilot Study, Sarah Louise Stocksdale

Theses and Dissertations

Background: In Utah, all major hospital facilities have employee vaccination policies. However, the presence of health care worker vaccination policies in the Utah outpatient oncology setting was unknown. Objectives: The objectives were to identify Utah oncology outpatient employee vaccination policies and to identify what consequences, if any, were present for unvaccinated employees. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study design in which clinic managers from outpatient oncology clinics in Utah were asked, via questionnaire, to describe the clinic's employee vaccination policy and the consequences for refusing the policy. Findings: Most vaccination policies applied to employees primarily assigned to work in …

Relationship-Based Care: A Test Of The Quality Caring Model's Association With Nurses' Perceptions Of Work And Patient Relationships, Kristopher Heindel

Theses and Dissertations

This study assesses whether ambulatory surgery nurses who apply concepts from the Quality Caring Model (QCM) will experience different work perceptions and patient relationships than do nurses who do not directly apply QCM concepts. The QCM contends that if nurses demonstrate caring through their interaction, a patient experiences a greater level of satisfaction with the healthcare encounter. Conceptualized from the framework of a service relationship, this thesis posits that nurses employing the QCM should also perceive more positive relationship qualities with their patients and more positive workplace experiences than other nurses who are not utilizing QCM principles. Data from 27 …

Improving Mental Health Literacy: A Single-Subject Design Experiment Examining The Effects Of Text Messaging On Adolescent Mental Health Literacy, Emma Coffman

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to determine the feasibility of delivering a text-based mental health literacy intervention for adolescent children who have family members with mental illness. The effectiveness of the text message intervention was measured using a single subject, multiple baseline study design. Each participant received three text messages per week for a total of 6 weeks, containing information regarding mental illness, managing crisis, resources, stigma, and assertiveness. The subjects were evaluated using qualitative and quantitative measures at multiple periods throughout the study. Assessments utilized include: Schizophrenia Vignette quiz developed by Jorm et. al. (1997), Perceived Stress Scale-14(PSS-14) …

Comparison Of Conversation And Narrative Language Abilities In Children With Autism: Diagnostic And Therapeutic Considerations, Corissa Kroenke

Theses and Dissertations

Many children with autism experience significant difficulty with comprehension and expression of spoken language. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) require sensitive assessments to describe the unique profiles of individual clients with autism so that appropriate treatments can be prescribed. Language sample analysis is a current best-practice for describing language profiles in children with language difficulties, though there is a limited literature describing clinical best-practices for children with autism. The purpose of this study was to analyze the difference in conversation and narrative language abilities in children with autism. Language ability was also analyzed in comparison to age-matched typically developing peers. This goal …