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Impact Of Mental Wellness Courses On Student Mental Health, Joshua W. Pinson Jul 2023

Impact Of Mental Wellness Courses On Student Mental Health, Joshua W. Pinson

Theses and Dissertations

A large portion of college students have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder and that number is climbing. Most of these students are not receiving treatment, and university counseling centers are unable to meet the increasing demands. The purpose of this study is to fill gaps in this literature by doing an early analysis of a larger, multi-year quasi-experimental study to assess the impact of college mental wellness courses on self-health measures and mental health resource utilization rates. The validated instruments used for evaluating self-health measures and mental health resource utilization were the Physical Activity Vital Sign (PAVS) Counseling …


Wearable Activity Trackers For Women: Motivating Factors For Increasing Physical Activity, Danielle A. Bate Aug 2022

Wearable Activity Trackers For Women: Motivating Factors For Increasing Physical Activity, Danielle A. Bate

Theses and Dissertations

Half of American women do not sustain recommended levels of physical activity (PA). Wearable activity trackers (WATs) may increase both awareness of, and PA if worn daily. Thus, WATs should include features and designs that encourage daily use. This study aimed to determine WAT features and designs most appealing to women and the motivational effects of various WATs. For this mixed-method pilot study, 15 women each trialed three WATs; documented daily PA levels; and rated their satisfaction with each device's comfort, features, and motivational effect. Additionally, participants shared experiences and feedback in focus groups. Features that promote adoption of WATs …


Advancing Knowledge Of Exercise As A Therapeutic Management Strategy For Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Pamela J. Wright Oct 2021

Advancing Knowledge Of Exercise As A Therapeutic Management Strategy For Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Pamela J. Wright

Theses and Dissertations

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrinopathy among premenopausal women with a prevalence that ranges 15-21%. The estimated financial burden in the United States for evaluating and treating premenopausal women with PCOS was over $8 billion in 2020. PCOS etiology is complex and poorly understood, as is the optimal treatment and management. Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guidelines recommend exercise as first-line treatment. Yet, the optimal exercise type and “dosing” are not defined. As last reported for women with PCOS, less than 60% are regularly physically active and more than 25% are sedentary. Additionally, little to no published data …


Validation Of Activity Trackers In A Daily Living Setting In Young Adults, Jodi B. Wimmer Aug 2020

Validation Of Activity Trackers In A Daily Living Setting In Young Adults, Jodi B. Wimmer

Theses and Dissertations

Sedentary behavior (SB) contributes to many negative health-related outcomes. Motivation to reduce SB and increase physical activity (PA) are necessary to reduce co-morbidities. Tracking SB and PA provides objective data to help promote wellness. The purposes of this quasi-experimental study were to 1) determine the accuracy of three commercially available activity trackers compared to research-grade accelerometers, and 2) explore whether using these activity trackers led to a change in activity level one week after gathering baseline data. Activity trackers used in this study were Apple Watch, Fitbit Surge, and Microsoft Band 2. A convenience sample of college-age students and community …


Physical Activity Motivational Factors Of Activity Trackers For Young Adults, Amy L. Dalton Jun 2020

Physical Activity Motivational Factors Of Activity Trackers For Young Adults, Amy L. Dalton

Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Physical activity for the majority of individuals is below recommended levels despite strong evidence of its significant health benefits. Activity tracker devices present as a promising and affordable tool to help promote physical activity and active choices. Additionally, young adults present as an ideal age group to implement behavior change interventions. OBJECTIVE: To determine what features of activity tracker hardware and software are helpful in motivating active choices. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 149 participants ranging in age from 18-29 years old who wore an ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometer for one week. They then continued to wear the accelerometer in …


Heart Failure Readmission And The Physical Activity Vital Sign (Pavs): Is There A Relationship?, Jacob Aaron Barlow Dec 2019

Heart Failure Readmission And The Physical Activity Vital Sign (Pavs): Is There A Relationship?, Jacob Aaron Barlow

Theses and Dissertations

Background - Heart failure costs Americans billions of dollars a year and takes a toll on the patients afflicted by the disease. Recent changes in how healthcare systems and providers are reimbursed have motivated them to find new ways to prevent heart failure readmission. There is no cure for heart failure so healthcare providers try to help patients manage their symptoms. Physical activity is one of the interventions healthcare providers recommend for their patients in the management of heart failure. The Physical Activity Vital Sign is a tool that can be quickly administer and has significant validity. Objective - The …


Validation Of Activity Trackers In A Laboratory Setting With Young Adults, Brandon Leslie Lewis Jan 2018

Validation Of Activity Trackers In A Laboratory Setting With Young Adults, Brandon Leslie Lewis

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Objectively tracking sedentary behavior (SB) and physical activity (PA) is becoming increasingly important as research continues to show the negative effects with increasing SB and decreasing PA. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate three commercial activity trackers with young adults regarding how they accurately measure SB and PA behaviors in a laboratory setting. Methods: 50 college-aged participants wore three wrist-based activity trackers (Fitbit Surge, Apple Watch, and Basis Peak) and two ActiGraph accelerometer devices during a series of SB and PA behaviors for five-minute intervals in a laboratory setting. The activity trackers were evaluated against direct …


The Impact Of The Ohana Mana Challenge On Native Hawaiian And Pacific Islander Children, Kristin Kay Van Tassell May 2014

The Impact Of The Ohana Mana Challenge On Native Hawaiian And Pacific Islander Children, Kristin Kay Van Tassell

Theses and Dissertations

In this four-week, family-focused pilot intervention study, researchers studied the impact of culturally relevant nutrition and activity sessions on eleven children from eight Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) families. Mixed methods were used in analysis. In their favorite meal drawings, children included more fruits and vegetables at week four than week one, which was consistent with their self-reported intake of healthy foods that were new to them. From week one to four, mean total scores increased on the nutrition and exercise knowledge exercise questionnaire and the physical activity self-efficacy tool; however, the mean total score decreased on healthy diet …


The Relationship Of Physical Activity, Eating Behaviors, And Hunger Control To Weight Loss And Quality Of Life In Gastric Banding Patients, Nancy Baugh Mar 2011

The Relationship Of Physical Activity, Eating Behaviors, And Hunger Control To Weight Loss And Quality Of Life In Gastric Banding Patients, Nancy Baugh

Theses and Dissertations

Gastric banding as a weight loss surgery has increased in popularity in the United States since its approval by the Food and Drug Administration in 2001. Successful weight loss after weight loss surgery is most frequently defined as greater than 50 percent of excess weight loss (EWL). Systematic reviews show that the band is widely effective in achieving successful weight loss in most patients, however individual studies show more inconsistent outcomes. Although previous research supports gastric bypass surgery as having a positive effect on quality of life after gastric bypass, there is very little data to support this relationship in …