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Mindfulness In Education: A Literary Analysis And Program Proposal, Halle Graham

Honors Theses

The purpose of this work is to understand the potential impact of introducing mindfulness meditation and other contemplative practices to the United States Public Education System. Broken into two main components, the first section of this work is a literary analysis. Relevant studies on mental health in children and adolescents are analyzed in order to understand the state of mental wellbeing among the sample group. Research studies on integrating mindfulness into institutions (public and private schools, children’s summer camps) are also evaluated in order to understand the applications of mindfulness practices in terms of children and adolescents. Overall, the research …

Patient Falls: Reducing Patient Falls With Injury, Frederick Comer

Master's Projects

The occurrence of patient falls is a very important health concern facing the healthcare industry. Many patients not only experience falls, but have falls with an injury. This is a patient safety concern that can have serious effects on patient outcomes, is a leading cause of patient injuries in hospitals, and are costly adverse events (Trepanier & Hilsenbeck, 2014). It is important that healthcare professionals determine ways to prevent what has been deemed a preventable event (Bemis-Dougherty & Delaune, 2008). In 2005 The Joint Commission (TJC) included patient falls with injury as part of their National Patient Safety Goals (Bemis-Dougherty …

Assessing The Impact Of The Sunwise Program On Youth Sun Safety Knowledge, Attitudes, And Behaviors In Clark County, Nevada, Sabina Malik

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Introduction: Skin Cancer rates in Nevada continue to increase and remain above the

national average. One important method to combat rising rates is education related to the

prevention of sunburns, the main risk factor for developing skin cancer. This study aimed

to assess the impact of the SunWise Program, a sun safety education program developed

by the Environmental Protection Agency, to increase knowledge, improve attitudes, and

change behaviors of participants based on constructs of the Health Belief Model.

Methods: Participants included youth from ages 7-18 years old who attended 6 Boys and

Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada. Boys and Girls …

Sport-Specific Risk And Protective Factors For Low Back Pain In Olympic Class Sailors: An Epidemiologic Analytic Cohort Study, Shawn E. Hunt

Open Access Dissertations

This dissertation determined the effect of known and theoretical risk factors for LBP in the Olympic class sailors utilizing a cohort design. A secondary goal was to determine if any factors related to sailors or sailing would provide a protective effect, lowering the risk of LBP. Sailors exposed to hiking (a sailing-specific activity) and non-hiking sailing classes were analyzed for the effect of hiking activity as a risk factor for LBP. Hiking exposure increases risk of LBP. Exposure to more than two hours of unloading the sailors’ boats and equipment prior to a regatta was a second unique risk factor …

Parental Attitudes/ Locus Of Health Control And Caries Experience In Their 3-5 Year Old Children, Cassandra Garcia

Dental Hygiene ETDs

ABSTRACT

Purpose: Childhood caries represents a public health issue especially for the Head Start population due to many disadvantages. Behavioral risk factors such as locus of health control (LoC) could act as indirect casual agents in the development of dental disease, but has not been fully studied. This research was to assess the relationship between parental attitudes/ health locus of control, parental age, and parental marital status with caries experience in their preschool children by using a validated survey.

Methods: The target population assessed in this study was the parents of children enrolled in Head Start Programs, in Santa Fe …

Sex Ed To Go- An Analysis Of Comprehensive Sexual Education Mobile Phone Applications, Kerstin M. Kalke

Communication ETDs

The United States has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates among developed countries and the numbers of STIs have increased during the last few years. Mobile phone applications constitute a promising platform to disseminate sexual health information and to reduce adverse health outcomes, particularly among teens. In order to be effective, apps have to follow a comprehensive approach to sexuality education, include concepts of behavior change theories, and adhere to health literacy principles.

This study used a mixed-methods approach consisting of a quantitative content analysis and qualitative thematic analysis to assess the quality of sexual education apps available to …

Perceptions Of Southwest Missouri Superintendents In Regard To School Violence And Prevention, Ahlam Mohamed Krimid

Dissertations

This research involved examination of the causes of school violence, attitudes concerning violence, and preventative measures used by schools in the United States in relation to problems and solutions found in southwest Missouri schools. The goal of this dissertation was to study perceptions of school violence in the United States to form a better understanding of what schools are doing to combat violence and why these actions are seen as necessary for the safety of students, staff, and faculty within schools. To gather relevant information for the study, a literature review was conducted, followed by a written questionnaire administered to …

Chlor-Amidine, A Novel Pad Inhibitor, As An Effective Drug For The Treatment Of Ulcerative Colitis And Prevention Of Colorectal Cancer, Erin Witalison

Theses and Dissertations

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that affects the quality of life of millions of patients worldwide. This disease is associated with inflammation and ulceration of the colonic epithelium, leading to an increased risk for the development of UC-associated colorectal cancer (CRC). Current UC medications are designed to manage the symptoms and induce remission; however, several challenges are faced with current treatment options. 5-aminosalicyclic acid and corticosteroids have few side effects, but have limited efficacy and often the disease becomes refractory. Biologics are introduced after initial treatments fail, but serious side effects are often associated with these …

“A Wound That Never Heals”: Health-Seeking Behaviors And Attitudes Towards Breast Cancer And Cancer In General Among Women In Nakirebe, Uganda, Ann Louise Tezak

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The scale and severity of cancer, specifically breast cancer, remains significantly different across the spectrum of low-income to high-income countries. This study explores women’s beliefs about breast cancer and associated prevention and health-seeking behaviors in a rural area of Uganda. Through a critical medical anthropological perspective, the study examines the social, cultural, and economic factors that shape women’s understanding of cancer, and breast cancer specifically, and that influence their use of biomedical services. Data were collected over a three-month period through 35 in-depth interviews and two focus groups with 10 women older than 18 years in the rural setting of …

Transitioning Care From Hospital To Home, Increasing Awareness Of Take-Home Pressure Injury Prevention Kits, Erika A. Yazdanbakhsh Mrs

Master's Projects and Capstones

With proper implementation of evidence-based interventions, most pressure injuries (PI) can be prevented. While prevention is considered standard of care while inpatient, there is a need to transition this care from hospital to home. This CNL project aimed to increased awareness of take home PI prevention kits made available to staff nurses at on medical surgical hospital unit with 15 staff nurses. An author-blinded, internal chart review and a comprehensive review of evidence-based literature were studied to provide background data and support for implementation using the staff huddle. Direct observation and staff interaction was incorporated with Lewin’s change theory to …

A Systematic Review Of The Efficacy Of Environmental Decontamination And Personal Hygiene Practices In Reducing Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Acquisition, Rhe'a Green

Public Health Capstone Projects

Background

Staphylococcus aureus is the leading cause of hospital acquired infections. Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is the second most common healthcare associated infection in the healthcare system. A bacterium resistant to the antibiotic drug, methicillin, MRSA can make treatment for serious chronic illnesses difficult, leading to morbidity and mortality.

Objective

The primary purpose of this study is to provide a systematic review of all research articles pertaining to the effectiveness of personal hygiene and environmental decontamination in controlling the transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

Methods

Databases PubMed, Global Health, and Medline were searched for research articles relevant to …

The Development Of An Employee Wellness Program Within A Mid-Sized Company, Patricia J. Elkon

Public Health Capstone Projects

INTRODUCTION: With over 160 million Americans currently in the workforce, employee wellness programs have proven to be a viable method of reaching a large population with an objective of improving health outcomes. These programs can encourage the awareness of health-related issues including nutrition, physical activity, preventative health screening, and stress management, and they also can serve to improve employee morale and/or engagement. Moreover, they can often help to reduce healthcare costs to both the organization and the individual employees.

AIM: The purpose of this capstone was to design a framework for an employee wellness program that could be utilized within …

Prevention Of Hospital-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus In U.S. Pediatric Inpatients: A Systematic Review, Rachel See

Public Health Capstone Projects

Background: Pediatric inpatients in United States healthcare settings may be particularly vulnerable with respect to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection and transmission. Although infection prevention and control protocols have well been established for MRSA and for adult inpatients, there are few current guidelines available on how to address MRSA prevention and control in pediatric inpatients.

Objectives: To systematically identify, describe, and evaluate the quality of the current literature on infection prevention and control strategies for preventing the transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in United States pediatric inpatient settings.

Search methods: In June-August 2015, Campbell Collaboration Library, Cochrane Library, PubMed, …

Effect Of An Educational Intervention For Prevention Of Std In Minority Women, Umparrys L. Witherspoon

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Historically, African Americans and Hispanics in the United States have been disproportionately affected by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), as compared with non-Hispanic whites. Females continue to outnumber males with these diagnoses. Women are generally at greater risk of acquiring HIV and other STDs than men because the female genital tract is more prone to injury and infection resulting from high-risk heterosexual contact (Crepaz et al., 2009). The purpose of the evidence based project was to implement and evaluate an educational intervention for the prevention of HIV and STDs. The Health Belief Model (HBM) was …

Vaccination For Prevention Of Postherpectic Neuralgia, Erik C. Burke

Nursing Capstones

No abstract provided.

Implementation And Evaluation Of A Social Media Campaign To Promote Cervical Cancer Prevention And Control, Kelsie Nicole Dirksing

Senior Theses

Background: Cervical Cancer-Free South Carolina (CCFSC) is a member state of the Cervical Cancer-Free Coalition focused on eliminating cervical cancer through screening, follow-up care, HPV vaccination, and education. CCFSC utilizes social media to help spread awareness about cervical cancer prevention and control.

Purpose: The purpose of this thesis was to develop, implement, and evaluate a social media campaign for CCFSC during Cervical Health Awareness Month in January 2016.

Methods: Two social media plans – one for CCFSC use and another for CCFSC partner use – were developed for use during Cervical Health Awareness Month in January 2016. The CCFSC posts …

Legal, Structural, And Ethical Barriers To Prevention And Treatment Of Hiv/Aids: A Review Of Malaysia And Kazakhstan, Amanda S. Volk

Public Health Undergraduate Program

The HIV/AIDS epidemic in nations that use Islamic scripture in law has faced several challenges. The conservative ethical and political approach to the epidemic has been ineffective in halting the spread of and treating the existence of HIV/AIDS. It is expected that there will be several structural barriers to obtaining care, treatment, and prevention services for HIV/AIDS in these nations particularly for vulnerable populations such as Men who have Sex with Men (MSM), People Who Inject Drugs (PWID), and sex workers. This research will investigate and analyze research, laws, politics, ethics, and structure in the nations of Malaysia and Kazakhstan …

Ocd And Exposure Response Prevention, Nita Bakke

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

“Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a neuropsychiatric condition that ranges in severity, with the presence of obsessions or compulsions that are time-consuming…or cause marked distress or significant impairment” (Dyches et al., 2010, p. 35). It is the fourth most commonly diagnosed mental illness in the United States, affecting 1 in 200 children and adolescents (Bornheimer, 2014; Whiteside et al., 2014). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) is the primary choice for treating youth diagnosed with OCD (Morgan et al., 2013). Due to the lack of research on the use of ERP in the treatment of children and adolescents …

Truancy In The Eyes Of The Stakeholders, Lindsay Hjermastad

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

The intent of this qualitative study was to examine what relevant stakeholders believe serve as significant causes of truancy and what can be done to reduce or eliminate it. This study utilized a qualitative, exploratory research design to better understand what a sample of stakeholders believed would help reduce truancy rates in youth ages 13-­‐17. The sample of this study was made up of five professionals who currently work or have worked with families and youth involved with truancy related issues. Two of the participants were high school counselors, two were community outreach workers, and one participant was a county …

Short-Term Outcome Evaluation Of Healthy Habits, Healthy U: A School-Based Cancer Prevention Program, Alicia Anderson

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Healthy Habits, Healthy U (HHHU) is a school-based cancer prevention program. This program is a collaborative effort among Boise State University, St. Luke’s Mountain States Tumor Institute, and the Boise School District. HHHU started in April 2013 as a community outreach initiative designed to teach and reinforce positive health habits in students. HHHU lessons target eighth-grade students and offer a unique approach highlighting the relationships among nutrition, physical activity, sugar-sweetened beverages, and cancer risks, through a variety of educational materials.

The purpose of this study was to assess program efficacy by evaluating short-term outcomes. The study evaluated the effectiveness of …

Child Abuse: Signs, Symptoms, And The Role Of The School Counselor, Ryan A. Mcrae

Counselor Education Capstones

Victims of abuse experience trauma which affects their academic and social/emotional well being. The purpose of this paper is to examine the prevalence of abuse, to be able to identify signs and symptoms of abuse, and to explore the school counselor’s role ethically in reporting suspected child abuse in addition to their role in providing direct and indirect services to students. Common perpetrators of abuse and physical, emotional/behavioral, and academic warning signs will be discussed. Lastly, school counselors’ ethical responsibilities to respond to child abuse, the importance of confidentiality and informed consent/mandated reporting, how to report to Child Protective Services …

Using An Online Learning Module In A Nursing Program To Improve Knowledge And Skills To Prevent Falls In The Community Dwelling Older Adult Population, Susan Kane Patton

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nationally, 28.4% of older adults fall each year. Falls and resulting injury result in decreased mobility, functional impairment, loss of independence, and increased mortality. Utilization of evidence based protocols by providers to identify older adults at risk of falling is limited and rates of participation by older adults in prevention activities is low. Because of nursing’s increasing role in caring for older adults, development of fall prevention education for nursing students would result in increased awareness of the need for fall prevention in community dwelling older adults and increased access of older adults to falls risk assessment. There is a …

To Screen Or Not To Screen Parent’S Perceptions Of Eye Care Prevention For Pre-School Age Children, Bonnie E. Keaton

Honors Theses

One in 20 children is at risk for permanent vision loss from disorders such as amblyopia and strabismus (Why Save Sight, 2016). Despite vision disorders and childhood blindness being a common disability in children, preventative vision screenings are not at the center of prevention discussions. Studies have suggested that vision screenings for young children are beneficial in preventing permanent vision loss (Vision Screenings for Healthy Vision, 2016). Vision screenings for preschool children are important and require more attention in the United States. This descriptive study addressed parental perceptions of early detection of vision problems among preschoolers in southeast Mississippi as …

Smoking Perceptions Among Adult Cameroonian Men Who Smoke Cigarettes, Elvis N. Ngyia

Nursing Dissertations

Background: Over five million people die annually from smoking related illnesses. As more people consider quitting smoking in industrialized nations, the rate of smoking has been rising in African countries, also referred to as low and middle-income countries. The projected population growth in Africa has led tobacco manufacturers to strategically target African teenagers who do not clearly understand the adverse effects of smoking cigarettes. In developed countries such as the United States, public education about the dangers of smoking and the availability of structured smoking cessation programs have been influential in helping smokers quit. Unfortunately in most developing countries in …

Substance Abuse Prevention Programs: A Review Of Risk Factors, Fundamental Program Components And The Coping Power Program, Mary Sussenguth

Counselor Education Capstones

The Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration created the National Household Survey, which showed children are already abusing substances by ages 12 or 13 (Robertson, David, & Rao, 2003). Often, signs of risk can indicate whether children will have a higher or lower likelihood of substance abuse. The signs can be detected as early as infancy in certain cases. Risk signs identify as risk factors, predictive factors, and adverse childhood experiences. The risk signs may vary within cultures. Prevention programs target risk signs at different developmental levels because risk continues to evolve while children age. An example prevention program, The …

Mindfulness And Prevention In Western Medicine: Focus On Physician Assistant, Amber Bernelis

Honors Theses

The health and wellness of the mind has been an important aspect that has been recognized by different cultures and medical traditions for thousands of years, but was generally neglected in the United States until recently. The beginning of the western mindfulness revolution started when Jon Kabat-Zinn introduced the concept and practice of mindfulness to care for the health and wellness of our mind. “Mindfulness is a simple concept in which one pays attention on purpose, in the present moment, nonjudgmentally” (Kabat-Zinn, 1994, p. 4). Research indicates that mindfulness helps to treat aspects of chronic diseases, pain, as well as …

Identifying Terrorist Affiliations Through Social Network Analysis Using Data Mining Techniques, Govand A. Ali

Information Technology Master Theses

In a technologically enabled world, local ideologically inspired warfare becomes global all too quickly, specifically terrorist groups like Al Quaeda and ISIS (Daesh) have successfully used modern computing technology and social networking environments to broadcast their message, recruit new members, and plot attacks. This is especially true for such platforms as Twitter and encrypted mobile apps like Telegram or the clandestine Alrawi. As early detection of such activity is crucial to attack prevention data mining techniques have become increasingly important in the fight against the spread of global terrorist activity. This study employs data mining tools to mine Twitter for …

Investigating The Effects Of Increasing Anti-Ama1, Anti-Msp1, And Anti-Msp2 In Preventing Malaria Incidence, April Skipper

Selected Honors Theses

Malaria is a life-threatening illness that 3.2 billion people, half of the world's population, are at risk of contracting. In 2015, there were 214 million malaria cases and 438,000 deaths caused by the disease. It is caused by Plasmodium parasites which infect humans through the bite of the Anopheles mosquito. The four species of Plasmodium that are known to cause malaria are P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, P. malariae, and P. knowlesi. The symptoms of malaria greatly resemble symptoms of a common cold, so accurate diagnosis can be a challenge. Symptoms commonly include fever, headache, …

The Use Of Supplemental Progesterone In Preventing Preterm Birth In High-Risk Women: A Critical Review Of The Literature, Leah Marie Schroeder

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Twelve percent of births in the United States occur before 37 weeks of gestation and therefore are considered preterm births (Norwitz, 2015). While the ability to identify women at risk for preterm birth has improved dramatically over the past three decades, the application of primary and secondary interventions has failed to reduce the incidence of preterm delivery, which has actually been on the rise (Norwitz, 2015). Preterm birth is a phenomenon that needs to be reduced not only in the United States, but also across the world. Purpose: To determine to what extent the use of supplemental progesterone in …

Barriers To Care For Cardiovascular Risk Factor Management, Morgan Anne Pratte

Public Health Theses

Introduction: Hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, and smoking are established risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and the presence of several risk factors is associated with worse health outcomes. Access to healthcare has a major influence on the management and treatment of these modifiable conditions. The objective of this study is to examine barriers to care among non-elderly adults with multiple risk factors for CVD, and to furthermore identify socio-demographic disparities within this group.

Methods: Analyses utilized data from a subset of 39 U.S. states and territories that implemented the optional healthcare access module in the 2013 Behavioral Risk Factor …