Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 22 of 22
Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network
Socioeconomic And Health Impact Of Opioid Overuse On Working-Age Population In Minnesota, Colette Ngum Ngwa
Socioeconomic And Health Impact Of Opioid Overuse On Working-Age Population In Minnesota, Colette Ngum Ngwa
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Abstract The United States faces numerous challenges associated with the ongoing opioid crisis. Although the opioid epidemic is complex, opioid overuse affects users’ health and has a far-reaching impact on socioeconomic well-being. This study employed a quantitative cross-sectional design using secondary data from a 2018 national survey of working-age individuals ages 18 to 45. Multivariate regression analysis was used to examine the associations between opioid overuse and socioeconomic status, health status, and perceived need for substance abuse treatment. The addiction career concept and chronic illness model theory were used to analyze these correlations. The findings indicated that people with higher …
Understanding The Perspectives Of African American Gay And Bisexual Men Toward Hiv, Victor Onwezi , Ikechukwu Nwanguma
Understanding The Perspectives Of African American Gay And Bisexual Men Toward Hiv, Victor Onwezi , Ikechukwu Nwanguma
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
There is an urgent need to stop the HIV epidemic among African American gay and bisexual men in the United States. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to identify the health issues responsible for the HIV epidemic among African gay and bisexual men. Two theoretical frameworks that guided the study were the transtheoretical model and the syndemic theory. The study's research involved understanding African American gay and bisexual men's perspective toward HIV infections and their understanding of possible reasons HIV rates appear to increase in their community. Semi-structured telephone interviews and field notes were used to collect primary …
Improving Patients' Engagement And Retention In Intensive Outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment, Leo W. Lavender
Improving Patients' Engagement And Retention In Intensive Outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment, Leo W. Lavender
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Substance use disorder continues to be a major health crisis in the United States. Thousands of people die yearly due to substance use and related criminal activity. Substance abuse treatment is a remedy to the disorder and treatment centers admit thousands of patients yearly to address the dilemma. Throughout the years retention has been an ongoing barrier to successful treatment. This study explored significant obstacles to retention: motivation and engagement. The Baldrige Excellence Framework was utilized to assess the training, supervision, procedures, and leadership roles at an intensive outpatient substance abuse treatment center. This study utilized a qualitative approach case …
Experiences Of Women In Sierra Leone Relating To Accessing Breast Cancer Treatment, Anne Neville
Experiences Of Women In Sierra Leone Relating To Accessing Breast Cancer Treatment, Anne Neville
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
There has been a lack of consistent access to breast cancer care and treatment for women in developing countries, especially in Sierra Leone. Limited access to breast cancer care and treatment is a significant problem for women diagnosed in the later stages of the disease. The purpose of this research was to understand the experiences of women diagnosed with different stages of breast cancer, how they went about accessing breast cancer care and treatment, and how those experiences can be used to improve access to breast cancer treatment in Sierra Leone. Andersen and Newman’s healthcare utilization model guided the study’s …
Factors Associated With Nonmedical Prescription Opioid Use And Prescription Opioid Misuse Among Rural Americans, Brittany Cox
Factors Associated With Nonmedical Prescription Opioid Use And Prescription Opioid Misuse Among Rural Americans, Brittany Cox
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Opioid misuse is a rapidly evolving health epidemic in the United States, leading to opioid use disorders, overdose deaths, and disparities in treatment. The rural population may be more susceptible given socioeconomic status, less educational attainment, and lower income. The impact on specific populations is not well understood. The purpose of this study was to identify the association of nonmedical prescription opioid use (NPOU), prescription opioid misuse (POM), and treatment-seeking with race, age, sex, education, and insurance status among rural Americans. The social-ecological model (SEM) served as the theoretical framework. The SEM described the interplay between individual, relationship, community, and …
The Role Of Psychological Distress In Maintaining Exercise After Cancer Diagnosis, Patrick Tertulien
The Role Of Psychological Distress In Maintaining Exercise After Cancer Diagnosis, Patrick Tertulien
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
AbstractCancer affects the lives of thousands of people every day and is a leading cause of death. Exercise has been shown to yield mental and physical benefits for patients and survivors, but the experiences of cancer patients who face a multiplicity of psychological stressors have not been clearly described. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the psychological factors that are associated with continuing to exercise after cancer diagnosis, during and/or following their treatment. The focus was on how cancer survivors maintained a regular routine of exercise while experiencing psychological distress associated with cancer diagnosis, treatment, and concerns …
Increasing Provider Awareness About The Use Of Cbt In Treating Insomnia In Adults, Ayorinde Oluwagbemiga Oyeneyin
Increasing Provider Awareness About The Use Of Cbt In Treating Insomnia In Adults, Ayorinde Oluwagbemiga Oyeneyin
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
AbstractThis doctoral project addressed the issue of prescribing cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) as the first-line treatment for insomnia. Despite being less efficacious, medications are the most preferred form of treatment for insomnia among most psychiatric clinicians. Providers at the clinical site where the project took place were foregoing CBT in preference to medications. Providers preferred the pharmacotherapeutic approach due to its ease of prescription compared to the psychotherapeutic intervention. An educational program was provided for the providers regarding the advantages of prescribing CBT over medications, for the treatment of insomnia. The program was in the form of a PowerPoint presentation, which …
Fertility Treatments Of Women In Nigeria: Using Long Versus Short Protocols, Michael Egwu
Fertility Treatments Of Women In Nigeria: Using Long Versus Short Protocols, Michael Egwu
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
A global estimate indicates that over 70 million heterosexual married couples live with the burden of infertility, and Nigeria accounts for about 30%. Although protocols exist, it appears there are no standardized treatment guidelines for practicing fertility experts in Nigeria. This study, therefore, aimed to determine which protocol provides a better outcome across a given population of infertile women in Nigeria as a method to move towards developing standardized treatment guidelines. The study was grounded using the Patient-Centered Care Treatment Model, and the method of inquiry was a retrospective, cross-sectional, quantitative, and nonexperimental technique, and the influence of the patient’s …
Treatment Disparities In Black And Hispanic Children With Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders, Charlotte Seiji Frey
Treatment Disparities In Black And Hispanic Children With Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders, Charlotte Seiji Frey
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Disparity in diagnosis and treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among children has been studied; however, no known studies examining disparities based on severity of symptoms have been investigated. The purpose of this study was to assess the racial disparities in diagnosis and treatment that exist among children based on severity of symptoms. This cross-sectional quantitative analysis used data from the 2016 National Survey of Children's Health and the theoretical foundation was guided by the behavioral model of healthcare utilization and help-seeking behavior for ADHD. Binomial logistic regression analysis showed an overall association between race and the diagnosis and …
Examining The Efficacy Of A School-Based Mental Health Program In Iowa, Karen A. Rodriguez
Examining The Efficacy Of A School-Based Mental Health Program In Iowa, Karen A. Rodriguez
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Evidence shows that treating mental health issues positively impacts academic and other life outcomes for students. However, there remains a gap in knowledge specific to academic outcomes and to rural school districts. It is important for mental health providers, educators, and third-party payers to gain an understanding of how treating mental health in the school setting affects student performance. The purpose of this quantitative study, which had contribution analysis as its theoretical framework, was to examine the academic and behavioral outcomes of participating in a school-based mental health (SBMH) program in rural school districts in Iowa. The specific focus was …
Promoting The Recognition Of Depression In The Geriatric Population, Rose L. Hodge
Promoting The Recognition Of Depression In The Geriatric Population, Rose L. Hodge
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Depression is a chronic condition that has both physical and mental consequences, complicating the elderly’s health status and interfering with daily functioning. Depression is not a normal part of aging and the elderly frequently seek mental health care in outpatient clinical settings where there is need for effective screening and prompt recognition leading to decreased morbidity and mortality. It is critical for psychiatric care settings to provide the most effective screening tools for recognizing depression as quickly as possible. This Doctoral Nursing Project quality improvement (QI) evaluation project resulted from observation of lack of a tool for recognizing depression in …
Clinicians' Attitudes Toward Sex Offender Treatment, Vallerie Hancock
Clinicians' Attitudes Toward Sex Offender Treatment, Vallerie Hancock
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Clinician attitudes toward a client have a significant influence on outcomes for that client's treatment. Exploring the attitudes of clinicians toward sex offenders can provide additional insights into methods to improve treatments for this population. The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory study was to examine the attitudes of clinical professionals who work with sex offenders to identify the specific ways that these attitudes influenced professional behaviors and client interactions. Grounded theory was used to move beyond a general description of the issue to formulate a theory regarding clinician work with sex offenders and its implications. The sample comprised 10 …
Oromo Ethiopians Perceptions Of The Prevalence, Causes, Treatment And Prevention Of Trachoma, Linda L. Gross
Oromo Ethiopians Perceptions Of The Prevalence, Causes, Treatment And Prevention Of Trachoma, Linda L. Gross
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
In Ethiopia, one of the primary contributors to blindness is trachoma, which is an infectious ocular disease. There is no record of any prevention programs in rural Ethiopian villages of Oromia, where the prevalence of trachoma is high. The original purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions of rural Oromo villagers in Ethiopia on the causes, treatment, and prevention of trachoma, using the health belief model and the social-ecological model as a theoretical framework. Due to a security situation in Ethiopia, final interviews were conducted with immigrant Ethiopians in the US, all of them from the trachoma-endemic …
Analysis Of Latent Tuberculosis Infection Treatment Adherence In An Inner-City Clinic, Yvonne Washington-Turay
Analysis Of Latent Tuberculosis Infection Treatment Adherence In An Inner-City Clinic, Yvonne Washington-Turay
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
More than 10 million people in the United States are known to have latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), and more than 300,000 begin treatment for LTBI annually. However, many fail to adhere to therapy for numerous reasons. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the impact of a new guideline, Targeted Tuberculin Testing and the Treatment of Latent Tuberculosis, at inner-city tuberculosis (TB) control clinic in the United States. The practice-focused question for the project asked if the implementation of the clinical guideline using a shorter regimen improved LTBI treatment adherence. The health beliefs model was the framework used to …
Differential Treatment Outcome Factors For Custodial And Noncustodial Mental Health Care Programs, Sheila Fay Waters
Differential Treatment Outcome Factors For Custodial And Noncustodial Mental Health Care Programs, Sheila Fay Waters
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Researchers have suggested that jails and prisons in the United States are becoming the new mental health clinics, contributing to the phenomenon of mass incarceration and costing upwards of $15 billion per year in public revenue. The problem is no conclusive evidence exists that treatment in these custodial environments is more effective than that provided by noncustodial programs; especially for substance users. Additionally, the continuing incarceration of people with mental health problems by the hundreds of thousands poses a difficult ethical dilemma regarding why this population does not receive noncustodial or hospital treatment instead. The study addressed the research question …
Non Medical Prescription Drug Use In Rural Communities And Social Work, Izetta Mounice Briggs-Bolling
Non Medical Prescription Drug Use In Rural Communities And Social Work, Izetta Mounice Briggs-Bolling
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
This study explored the roles and responsibilities of social workers providing services to nonmedical prescription drug users (NMPDU). Researchers have indicated NMPDU disproportionately affects people living in rural communities. The overarching research question sought to explore the concerns of social workers when providing services to patients coping with NMPDU in the rural community of Ulster County, New York. The intention was to examine systemic challenges facing rural social workers when attempting to decrease morbidity risks and increase the health of Ulster County residents. A total of 7 social workers participated in 3 focus groups to explore their ideas for defining, …
Children's Oncology Group Hospital Membership And Survival Of Pediatric Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Paul David Betts
Children's Oncology Group Hospital Membership And Survival Of Pediatric Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Paul David Betts
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) predominates in children ages 0-14 years and has an excellent prognosis for cure with 5-year survival exceeding 90% in the United States. However, not all children experience such positive outcomes. The purpose of this quantitative, retrospective cohort study was to evaluate differences in survival of ALL among children who reside in the 32-county Texas-Mexico border region. While factors such as poverty and health insurance have been strongly associated with poorer cancer outcomes, additional factors such as geographic isolation and treatment disparities are not as well-documented in children. This study examined the association between use of Texas …
Impact Of Distance, Diagnosis, And Demographics On Attendance For Rural Outpatient Treatment, Trey Howard Jensen
Impact Of Distance, Diagnosis, And Demographics On Attendance For Rural Outpatient Treatment, Trey Howard Jensen
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Missed psychotherapy appointments inhibit mental health treatment, limit the availability of treatment to those waiting for care, and reduce clinician revenue. Previous research has revealed that the factors that predict missed appointments vary depending on the geographic location in which that research is conducted. There is not a complete understanding of the characteristics of people who miss appointments in a rural context. This study used information from 281 client records to examine the predictive relationships among missed appointments and the distance traveled to the clinic, mental health diagnosis, age, and gender at a rural outpatient mental health clinic. The purpose …
Referral And Treatment Settings For Pregnant Women, Linda D. O'Daniel
Referral And Treatment Settings For Pregnant Women, Linda D. O'Daniel
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Drug and alcohol addiction in pregnant women is a significant public health issue. The purpose of this study was to assess drug and alcohol addiction in pregnant women and the setting in which they sought service or treatment to determine whether U.S. census regions and race data could predict the type of addiction service or treatment that pregnant addicts chose. The theories of self-efficacy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and rational emotive behavioral therapy were used as the theoretical framework for this study. The research questions were used to examine whether there was a relationship between the source of addiction treatment referral …
Differences In Treatment-Seeking And Treatment-Adherence Factors For Tuberculosis In Armenian Versus Non-Armenian Populations Of Los Angeles County, Tanya Marie Ferguson
Differences In Treatment-Seeking And Treatment-Adherence Factors For Tuberculosis In Armenian Versus Non-Armenian Populations Of Los Angeles County, Tanya Marie Ferguson
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Tuberculosis (TB) is a deadly, yet curable, infectious disease that continues to be a global health threat. Armenia suffers from rising TB incidence and mortality rates. Armenians living in Los Angeles (LA) County, where TB incidence is higher than national averages, is the second largest Armenian community in the world; therefore implications are that many TB cases are attributed to this group. Using the social ecological model as a theoretical framework, this concurrent, mixed-methods study compared Armenians to non-Armenians in LA County about their knowledge of TB and perceived barriers to seeking and adhering to treatment. Bivariate chi-square analysis from …
Women's Perspectives On Adequacy Of Screening And Treatment For Postpartum Depression, Gloria Marcia Watson
Women's Perspectives On Adequacy Of Screening And Treatment For Postpartum Depression, Gloria Marcia Watson
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Postpartum depression affects some 10% to 20% of mothers. Its impact on the health and well-being of mothers and their infants is well documented. If not identified and addressed early, it can result in emotional burden, costly hospitalization and treatment, and, at worst, suicide and or infanticide. Empowerment theory was the conceptual framework for this hermeneutic phenomenological study. The purpose was to understand the lived experiences of the screening and treatment processes of 10 women from New York City experiencing postpartum depression and their perceived adequacy of the treatment received. In-depth interviews were used to investigate participants' lived experiences of …
Family, Faith/Religion, And African Americans' Decisions To Seek Lung Cancer Treatment, Carla Demetrius Williams
Family, Faith/Religion, And African Americans' Decisions To Seek Lung Cancer Treatment, Carla Demetrius Williams
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality in the United States, especially among African Americans, who have the lowest survival rate from this disease among all racial/ethnic groups. The aim of this qualitative study was to investigate how family support and religion/faith influence patients' decisions about seeking treatment for lung cancer. This study was guided by the medical decision-making model and used a phenomenological approach. Data were collected from male and female lung cancer patients (n = 15) who were being treated in a thoracic and cardiovascular surgery clinic in Greensboro, North Carolina using semi-structured interviews. All participants …