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Food Insecurity On College Campuses: Addressing The Issue Through A Student-Centered Perspective, Thomas Ard

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Research indicates food insecurity (FI) has become a consistent challenge for college students. However, more is needed regarding the students' lived experiences of food insecurity following the COVID-19 pandemic. Universities play a vital role in assisting students with food insecurity through food assistance programs, on-campus resources, and financial help, which impacts their physiological needs and academic performance. A better understanding of what influences students' perceptions and decisions about whether to engage in these resources is essential.

This dissertation's purpose was to explore how college students living with food insecurity experience engaging in food assistance programs (FAP). The study used a …

Identifying And Predicting Intention To Quit Using Juul Among Emerging Adults, Jakob W. Hester

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Objectives: (1) Describe intention to quit, (2) identify relationships between sociodemographic factors or social influences and intention to quit, (3) explore if Theory of Planned Behavior-informed constructs can predict intention to quit as well as identify which construct best predicts, and (4) discover if descriptive norms strengthen a predictive model of intention to quit among emerging adults currently using Juul. Participants: Full-time, first-year students currently using Juul, an e-cigarette product, at a large university in the southeastern United States (N = 182). Methods: A November 2018 online survey assessed sociodemographic characteristics, social influences, patterns of use, quit intention, and attitudes, …

Health Priorities, Current Lifestyle Behaviors, And Barriers To A Healthy Lifestyle Among Emergency Department Nurses, Shannon C. White

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Background: Emergency nurses are tasked with managing the hectic, unpredictable, and constantly changing environment of an ED. In addition, emergency nurses have been shown to have high levels of stress, irregular meal schedules, rotating shift work, long hours, and a lack of physical activity. Furthermore, research has suggested that nurses are at an increased risk for non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, and coronary heart disease (Phiri, et al., 2014), in addition to a high prevalence of obesity (Kyle, et al., 2016).

Methodology: In this study, 23 emergency nurses completed a 43-item survey regarding current behaviors and constructs of …

Factors That Influence Maternal Feeding Decisions For Toddlers: Extending The Theory Of Planned Behavior, Elizabeth Lucas Combs

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Establishing healthy eating behaviors is vital in the early years to help combat the development of obesity and other chronic diseases. Mothers play an invaluable role in shaping their children's eating habits through controlling what and when children eat as well as the overall food environment, which is why a better understanding of what influences mothers’ decisions about these behaviors is important.

The purpose of the dissertation was to gain a better understanding of what impacts maternal feeding decisions regarding toddler nutrition behaviors. This was a two-phased mixed methods study. The aim of the initial study was to explore, using …

The Effects Of A Worksite Wellness Program On Prescription Claims, Carrie Deann Davidson

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the worksite wellness weight loss program called Weight Loss Matters (WLM) for employees at the University of Kentucky. The three main objectives were to measure the effect of Weight Loss Matters for employees from June 2006 to December 2011 in the following areas (1) prescription claims for hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia, (2) weight loss, and (3) food diary compliance. Participants included 591 employees who participated in WLM for at least one session from 2006 to 2011 for whom there were data. This study employed a Quasi-experiment, longitudinal design. Data …

Understanding The Links Of Mindfulness, Relationship Satisfaction, And Sexual Satisfaction, Elizabeth N. Greer

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between mindfulness and its link to sexual satisfaction and relationship satisfaction. Data were collected from 809 individuals (18.8% bisexual, 60.7% straight, 19.2% gay/lesbian) in romantic relationships. Participants completed an online survey to measure mindfulness (five facets: observing of experience, describing with words, acting with awareness, non judging of inner experience, non reactivity to inner experience), sexual satisfaction, and relationship satisfaction. Results from two multivariate analyses (predicting sexual satisfaction and relationship satisfaction) revealed that relationship satisfaction is significantly predicted by three of the five facets of mindfulness – acting with …

Self-Reported Adherence To Physical Activity For Cancer Survivors: An Update From The 2015 Nhis Database, Andrew Jackson Shearer

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in America. It’s been suggested that regular physical activity (PA) can improve health outcomes in cancer survivors. An estimate from BRFSS data (2009) suggested that 47% of all cancer survivors met recommended guidelines and that this estimate was not different from the population at large (48%). Several factors were examined from these BRFSS data to determine whether subgroups of survivors existed who might benefit from interventions aimed at improving their PA status. The purpose of this investigation was to obtain more recent estimates of adherence to established PA guidelines for cancer survivors. …

Lifestyle Contributors To Cardiovascular Disease Risk, Adam J. Berrones

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Aortic stiffness is an independent risk factor that has prognostic value regarding future cardiovascular disease (CVD) events such as myocardial infarction, strokes, and heart failure. Although death rates due to coronary heart disease have declined in recent years, the leading global killer remains CVD and prevalence is still high. Understanding lifestyle contributors associated with aortic stiffness would provide the public with insight into targeting key health-related behaviors.

The purpose of this observational study was to examine the association of physical activity, physical function, and dietary quality as independent factors contributing to aortic stiffness in apparently healthy middle aged men. Fifty-two …

The Role And Impact Of School Nurses And Intentions To Delegate Diabetes-Related Tasks Amidst Budget Cuts And Legislative Changes, Michelle J. Lineberry

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

As the percentage of school children with chronic conditions such as diabetes continues to rise, funding for school nurses to keep those students healthy and safe is decreasing. This dissertation includes three studies: (1) a systematic review of the literature on the role and impact of American elementary school nurses, (2) a focus group study that further examined the role of Kentucky school nurses and described their reaction to a new regulation that necessitates delegation of diabetes-related nursing tasks to unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP), and (3) a quantitative study that examined Kentucky school nurses’ past behaviors and future intentions regarding …

Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors In Structural Firefighters, Nicholas W. Trubee

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

This dissertation is composed of two manuscripts assessing cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in structural firefighters. Study 1 compared traditional CVD risk factors and health-related behaviors between professional and volunteer firefighters. Online questionnaires were sent to approximately 4000 firefighters in the state of Kentucky. The results indicated that 90% of volunteer and 58% of professional firefighters were classified as moderate-to-high CVD risk. Volunteer firefighters were significantly (p < 0.001) older and more likely (p = 0.026) to be current cigarette smokers. The mean body mass index among all firefighters in the sample was 30.8 kg·m^-2. Nearly 60% of volunteer firefighters were obese. Obese firefighters were more likely (p < 0.05) to have been diagnosed as diabetic or pre-diabetes compared to overweight and normal weight firefighters. These results indicate that volunteer firefighters may be at a greater CVD risk compared to professional firefighters.

Study 2 investigated the association of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and body fat with arterial stiffness in professional firefighters. Forty-six …

Dating Violence On Small Rural College Campuses: Are Administrator And Student Perceptions Similar?, Jean Allen Oldham

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

In recent years dating violence has become more and more prevalent on college campuses. Reports of the range of dating violence vary widely, with studies reporting from 20% to 85% of college women experiencing dating violence. However, almost all research has been conducted among urban and/or large colleges and universities, with virtually no attention to what is happening on small and/or rural college and university campuses.

When a possible 20% of college women have experienced dating violence on college campuses, there becomes a crucial need for administration at a college to have an accurate assessment of the college’s liability, and …

Physical Activity, Sleep Patterns, And Health Outcomes In University Law Enforcement Officers, Nicole C. Koebke

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Research indicates that law enforcement officers (LEOs) have a higher prevalence of developing coronary artery disease (CAD) compared to the general population. Sleep deprivation and physical inactivity have been found to be related to many risk factors for CAD. This cross-sectional study examined the health status and the relationship between sleep and physical activity outcomes versus CAD risk factors among 27 University LEOs. The subjects’ health behaviors, and CAD and metabolic syndrome risk factors were described using basic statistics. Accelerometer derived sleep and physical activity outcomes were correlated to measures of health to identify potential relationships. 33% of LEOs were …

Factors Relating To Hpv Behaviors Of Female College Students, Nicole Rachael Peritore

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

This study examined the knowledge, sources of information, reasons for and against Gardasil® uptake, and possible relationships between unhealthy behaviors and vaccination for undergraduate college females at a public university. Utilizing an online survey, 2400 random students were emailed as well as recruited through online classes. The final sample size was 516 females. The study determined how many participants had been vaccinated and their rationale for or against vaccination. The majority of study participants were knowledgeable about HPV and Gardasil®. The primary sources of information about HPV and Gardasil® were doctors and television; however parents and friends were also common …

Energy Drink Consumption (With And Without Alcohol) And Its Relationship To Risky Behavior, Risk Awareness, And Behavioral Intention In College Students, Julia K. Buchanan

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationships between energy drink consumption (with and without alcohol) and other risky behaviors; students’ overall awareness level of the risks for consuming energy drinks; and overall behavioral intention to consume energy drinks among college students at the University of Kentucky. A total of 277 students enrolled during the Spring 2012 semester responded to the online survey, 46.5% (n=129) of which were considered energy drink users. Students classified as energy drink users participated in other risky behaviors more often than non-users (p=0.001). In addition, energy drink users exhibited a higher …

The Impact Of Maternal Smoking In Kentucky And Effect Of The Giving Infants And Families Tobacco-Free Starts Pilot Project On Smoking Cessation And Birth Outcomes, Joyce Madeline Robl

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Smoking during pregnancy remains a significant public health issue despite knowledge about the adverse maternal and fetal health effects. This research had six purposes: identifying effective smoking cessation strategies for low income pregnant women; identifying characteristics of Kentucky women who smoke during pregnancy; estimating the role of smoking on birth outcomes in Kentucky; exploring the impact of tobacco reduction on birth outcomes; identifying the characteristics of women participating in the Giving Infants and Families Tobacco-free Starts (GIFTS) pilot program; and evaluating the impact of GIFTS on smoking status and birth outcomes.

Seven randomized controlled trials targeting low income women with …

Relationships Of Access And Affordability To Household Food Security Status Among Rural, Low Income Caregivers, Jodi Elaine Marani

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Household food security status in rural areas is a significant issue facing caregivers as positive health outcomes depend on appropriate access to healthy foods necessary to lead an active life. Access and affordability of healthy foods are two mediating factors of household food security that may be improved to ultimately increase rates of food security and overall health status among rural, low income populations.

The purpose of the study was to examine the factors of access and affordability of nutritionally adequate food sources in one rural community in relation to food security status through the perspective of its caregivers. In …