Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Association Of Dietary Intake Patterns With Emotion Regulation, Megan Holt

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background: Western dietary patterns, characterized by high intakes of trans fatty acids (TFA’s), are associated with numerous preventable chronic diseases. Conversely, a Mediterranean dietary pattern is known to be favorably associated with health. Recent findings suggest a correlation between Mediterranean dietary patterns and positive affect, and an inverse correlation with negative affect. Trans fatty acid intake is also associated with negative affect. Further, affect disturbances are associated with emotion dysregulation. We have yet to understand the association of diet with emotion regulation after taking affect disturbances into consideration. The purpose of this study was to examine effects of Mediterranean diet …

Maternal Smoking, Weight Status And Preecalmpsia And Eclampsia Risk Among Women Living In San Bernardino County, Fiona Bedelia Lewis

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Preeclampsia is defined as pregnancy-induced hypertension affecting between 2% and 8% of pregnancies and accounting for about 10-15% of maternal deaths worldwide. Eclampsia is defined as the occurrence of one or more episodes of seizures in a pregnant woman related only to a preeclampsia diagnosis. Preeclampsia, if poorly managed, can progress to eclampsia resulting in injury and death to both mother and infant. The etiology of preeclampsia is not completely understood. Oxidative stress leading to abnormal placenta development and endothelial dysfunction are thought to be key components in the biological mechanism of preeclampsia.

Modifiable risk factors include maternal body weight …

Effects Of Photovoice On Youth Perceptions Of Healthy Food Access In The Built Environment, Sharlene A. Gozalians

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background. Minority communities are at a higher risk for chronic diseases related to obesity because they lack access to stores that have affordable, fresh, nutritious foods that are necessary for a healthy diet. Photovoice can serve as a tool to engage youth in positive health behaviors and behavior change. Healthy food access has been analyzed based on nutrition, yet there is a lack of literature as to what factors enable and prevent access to healthy foods.

Methodology. The purpose of this study was to determine if a photovoice intervention would create a difference in perception of food access, empowerment …

The Association Of Diet With Affect, Patricia Ann Ford

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids have been associated with mental health yet few studies have examined whether foods protective or deleterious for cardiovascular disease affect mood. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between consumption of foods typical of Mediterranean and Western diets and fatty acids with positive and negative affect.

Adventist church attendees residing in North America completed a validated food frequency questionnaire in 2002-6 as part of the Adventist Health Study-2. A subset of these participants ^=9,121) completed the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) in the Biopsychosocial Religion and Health Study conducted in 2006-7. …

The Effect Of Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis On Subjects With Metabolic Syndrome, Samer Hammoudeh

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of metabolic abnormalities that increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Several criteria establish the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome, including high waist circumference, low HDL cholesterol, high triglycerides and glucose and above normal blood pressure. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome is on the rise following the rise in obesity across the globe. Qatar, a country in the Arabian Peninsula shares the burden of obesity with recent studies showing prevalences of'---61% among women and —39% among men. These studies found that metabolic syndrome is more common among women. Physical activity helps reduce visceral …

Civic Attitude And Activity Of Loma Linda University Dental Graduates, Gregory W. Olson

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Introduction: Dentistry is regarded as a profession and granted certain privileges, such as self-regulation. Associated with this status are stated and implied responsibilities which are widely debated. In recent years, dental professionalism seems to be on the decline. Evidence cited includes access-to-care issues and decreased public trust in dentists. In response, academia and professional organizations have developed curricula and statements intended to bolster professionalism. Meanwhile little is known about practicing dentists’ attitudes or participation in health-related civic matters. Objectives: This study seeks to examine the importance Loma Linda University (LLU) dental graduates place on public roles, their reported participation in …

Preventive Care Utilization Among Black Women : Perceived Beliefs, Benefits And Barriers To Mammography Screening, Rowandalla Y. Dunbar

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Blacks, in comparison to other racial or ethnic groups, suffer higher rates of illness and death from many preventable or treatable diseases. Despite the significantly higher rates of mortality and disease, Blacks are least likely to utilize clinical preventive care services. Black women, who are more likely to have advanced breast cancer at time of diagnosis (Chu, Lamar, & Freeman, 2003) are least likely to seek mammography screening (National Health Interview Study, 2000). Allen, Bastani, Bazargan and Leonard (2002) examined predictors of mammography screening among women 40 years old and older residing in the South Central area of Los Angeles, …

The Role Of Unrealistic Optimism In Explaining Preventive Behaviors In High Versus Low Endemic Malaria Settings In Belize, Daniel G. Handysides

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background: Of all the diseases an individual can encounter in the world, malaria is one of the most destructive. Simple measures like sleeping under a bednet would greatly reduce the burden (Abeku, 2007). When people estimate their risk relative to others, they are most often unrealistically optimistic, which may explain why those at risk often fail to perform behaviors, such as using a bednet that will reduce their risk. However, one study showed that people at high risk for malaria held pessimistic perceptions of their risk for the disease, but the reasons for this finding are unclear (Morrison, Ager, & …

Tuberculosis In San Bernardino County, 1993-2004 : Lifestyle And Environmental Factors, Anuj Bhatia

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

An observational retrospective study was conducted for tuberculosis (TB) cases between San Bernardino County (SBC), Riverside County, and the state of California from 1996 to 2004. A univariate comparison between San Bernardino County and California indicated a higher proportion of U.S. born cases in SBC. Additionally, it was found that San Bernardino had a higher proportion of non-injection drug using TB cases, compared with California in 1996. Further comparisons were made along country of birth between TB cases in San Bernardino County from 1993 to 2004. Notable differences were observed for injection drug use, non injection drug use, alcohol abuse, …

Low Birth Weight, Very Low Birth Weight And Infant Mortality In San Bernardino County : A Secondary Analysis Of Maternal Factors, Rebecca D. Nanyonjo

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Purpose: National and state infant mortality rates have slowly declined over the last several years. Despite this reduction, San Bernardino County still has one of the highest infant mortality rates in California and racial disparities between Black and White infants not only persist but continue to widen. These disparities remain at the forefront of concern. Healthy People 2010 target objectives have yet to be reached, while national and state proposed plans have supported the statement that a community's largest health problem is initiated by its infant mortality. The purpose of this study was to investigate maternal factors through use of …

Correlates Of In-Home Smoking Behavior Of Parents With Newborns, James Kyung Jo

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Secondhand smoke has been shown to have adverse health effects on young children. It is associated with various health effects such as respiratory infections, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), and asthma. Because of the dangers secondhand smoke poses to young children, there is a need for educating parents about the dangers of secondhand smoke as well as determining factors associated with secondhand smoke exposure among children. Understanding these factors may be first step toward developing strategies to reduce ETS exposure.

The study examined correlates of in-home smoking behavior of parents with newborns by analyzing 657 respondents who filled out the …

The Anti-Proliferation Effects Of Lycopene On Breast Cancer Cells, Tixieanna Dissmore

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background: The incidence and deaths from breast cancer represent the most cause of all cancer deaths among women. Lycopene, the carotenoid in tomatoes has been associated with decreasing risk of prostate, breast, and digestive tract cancers. Various mechanisms of lycopene action have been proposed, including antioxidant activity and pro-differentiation activities. Identifying changes in the expression of proteins modified by lycopene can provide information to study the modulating effects of lycopene carcinogenesis and tumorigenesis development.

Objective: The objective was to study the anti-proliferative effects of lycopene on MCF- 7 human breast cancer cells and to identify changes in protein expression patterns. …

Risk Factors Associated With Infant Mortality Among Very Low Birthweight Infants Of Teenage Mothers In San Bernardino County, C. Letitia Henry

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background. Typically, infant mortality decreases as maternal age increases in teenagers. In contrast to these national data, San Bernardino County (SBC) experienced a different phenomenon in 1989-1994 among very low birthweight (VLBW) infants. The infant mortality rate (IMR) of VLBW infants born to mothers under 17 years old (283 per 1000 live births) was significantly lower than the IMR of VLBW infants born to mothers between the ages of 17-19 years old (430 per 1000 live births) (p = .02).

Purpose. The purpose of the study was to explain the discrepancy between IMRs of VLBW infants of younger teenage mothers …

Factors Associated With Successful Long-Term Weight Loss Maintenance In Women, Renie Del Ponte

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Abundant literature exist on interventions for weight loss documenting the existence of a weight loss maintenance problem (Wadden & Bell, 1990; Kay man et al., 1990; Wadden et al., 1989). Very few individuals are successful at maintaining their weight loss for at least two years for reasons that are not clearly understood. This retrospective study examined factors, identified in a review of the scientific literature, shown to be associated with weight loss maintenance. A screening questionnaire was presented to all female patients (n=271) entering physician offices for routine health maintenance care from February 1, 1994 through June 30, 1994. Fifty-three …

Identified Barriers To Well Child Care For Homeless Children Under Age Thirteen, Judith G. Riemer

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to identify barriers perceived by homeless families to well child care for their children under age thirteen and to determine if there is a relationship between perceived barriers and duration of homelessness. Using an investigator-modified version of Melnyk's Barriers Scale and a demographic measure, a convenience sample of homeless families (N = 53) from three transitional shelters in two southern California counties were surveyed via questionnaire. Barriers to well child care for homeless children were identified. No relationship was determined to exist between duration of homelessness and perceived barriers using a measurement of correlation.

A Study To Ascertain Why A Selected Group Of Women Do Or Do Not Have Cervical Smear Cytologic Examinations For Cancer Detection, Jeanette Rudy Earnhardt

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

It was the purpose of this survey to find out the awareness of a selected group of Seventh-day Adventist women regarding the importance of cervical smear examinations in cancer detection; and to identify the need for health teaching in the prevention and control of uterine cervical cancer among women of this group. The 1715 women attending meetings at the General Conference Session in San Francisco July of 1962, who completed questionnaires were considered to be the participants in this study.

A review of literature revealed that through the use of yearly exfoliative cytology examinations, the approximately 14,000 annual deaths from …