Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 15 of 15
Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences
Factors Associated With Electronic Cigarette Use Among Adolescents In Texas, Christie Anuli Okonkwo
Factors Associated With Electronic Cigarette Use Among Adolescents In Texas, Christie Anuli Okonkwo
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The use of electronic cigarettes among adolescents has remained a major public health concern. Reports have shown that the adolescent brain is still growing and can be affected by nicotine and cancer-causing chemicals contained in e-cigarettes. The rising trend of e-cigarette use by adolescents has reportedly reached an epidemic, and there is a knowledge gap in the factors associated with this behavior and the provision of appropriate interventions for the at-risk population. The purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional study was to investigate the association between sociodemographic factors and the tendency of Texas adolescents to use e-cigarettes. This study was a …
Association Between Learning Methods And Analgesic Opioid Abuse, Nicole Marie Blanchard
Association Between Learning Methods And Analgesic Opioid Abuse, Nicole Marie Blanchard
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Opioids are an extremely addictive class of medication used to treat pain; overprescribing practices and chronic misuse has led to an epidemic that continues to grow. The opioid epidemic not only has the potential to cause injury or even death but also has a large impact on the U.S. economy. Research regarding determinants of abuse are needed to improve safeguards for opioid abuse prevention. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if learning capabilities and/or learning medium preference are correlated with analgesic opioid abuse. The social-ecological model was used to evaluate the social levels of influence for abuse …
Moderate-Intensity Risk Reduction Counseling And Acquisition Of Sexually Transmitted Infection, Cindy M. Farina
Moderate-Intensity Risk Reduction Counseling And Acquisition Of Sexually Transmitted Infection, Cindy M. Farina
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a public health problem in the United States, with adolescents and young adults to age 25 bearing a disproportionate burden of infection. Risk reduction counseling (RRC) as a strategy to decrease STI incidence has been a focus of scholars. Research examining RRC efficacy has suggested that RRC is effective for 6 to 12 months after treatment. However, study samples have varied by age, ethnicity, race, gender, and geographic location. Whether RRC is effective for more than 1 year is unknown. The purpose of this post hoc chi-square study was to examine the efficacy of moderate-intensity …
Socioeconomic And Sociocultural Factors Associated With Parenting Choice And Fertility Experience Among Lesbian And Nonlesbian Women, Annette Silvia
Socioeconomic And Sociocultural Factors Associated With Parenting Choice And Fertility Experience Among Lesbian And Nonlesbian Women, Annette Silvia
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Minorities including lesbians may face disparities that contribute to minority stress, which leads to adverse health outcomes. The purpose of this social epidemiology study was to examine the association between insured status, perceived stress, and parental status among lesbians and nonlesbians. The theoretical foundation was minority stress, and the design was quantitative with a convenience sample of women aged 18 years and older. Data on demographics, perceived stress, fertility quality of life, and lesbian identity disclosure were collected via online survey. Among the 314 respondents, 102 self-selected as lesbian (49% parents), and 212 self-selected as nonlesbian (73.1% parents). More than …
Strategies Hospital Administrators Utilize To Optimize Patient Services, Vicente Njoku
Strategies Hospital Administrators Utilize To Optimize Patient Services, Vicente Njoku
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Hospital administrators face challenges that arise from environmental factors or psychosocial factors, and lack resources to deliver valuable medical services to stakeholders, including patients and employees. A multicase study served to explore experiences and gain a broader perspective of hospital administrators' use of strategies to optimize patient services. Ten hospital administrators from acute care hospitals in Nevada and California were purposefully selected from the population of hospital managers with a minimum of 2 years of documented experience in successfully implementing management strategies to improve patient services. The conceptual framework was Drucker's management theory. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with …
Public Education/Public Health Perspectives On Collaboration-Influence On High School Completion, Claudette Virginia Campbell
Public Education/Public Health Perspectives On Collaboration-Influence On High School Completion, Claudette Virginia Campbell
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The research problem focused on the use of collaboration by managers, supervisors, consultants, and professional staff in a department of public education and health to address disparities in on-time high school completion rates. The purpose of the study was to examine the perspectives of individuals in these public sectors on the use of collaboration as a means to improve on-time high school completion rates for African American and Hispanic students. The theoretical foundation and conceptual framework for the study were John Rawls's theory of justice and Amartya Sen's capability approach. The key research question involved how individuals in the public …
Public Health Providers' Perceptions Of Electronic Health Records In A Disaster, Sherhonda Yvette Harper
Public Health Providers' Perceptions Of Electronic Health Records In A Disaster, Sherhonda Yvette Harper
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The introduction of federal initiatives and incentives regarding health information technology fostered a movement towards the adoption of electronic health records (EHR). Implementation of EHRs sparked discussions among healthcare providers, patients, and others about the benefits or challenges of the move from the traditional paper method to the electronic version in healthcare settings. A knowledge gap in research involving the usefulness of EHRs and their impact to the delivery of care in other settings exists. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore public health providers' perceptions of the meaningful use of EHRs in a disaster setting. Study participants …
Perceptions Of Chiropractors In Mississippi Regarding Obesity, Phelesia Nakita Foster
Perceptions Of Chiropractors In Mississippi Regarding Obesity, Phelesia Nakita Foster
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Obesity continues to be a growing problem across the United States. Chiropractors have made claims of providing health promotion services within their treatment protocol; however, there is a lack of empirical research regarding a need for the chiropractic profession to train chiropractors to address Healthy People 2020 public health initiatives. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the perceptions of Mississippi Delta Region chiropractors regarding their role in obesity management as nonmedical practitioners that implement public health objectives in their practice. The research questions aimed at addressing possible barriers and limitations that influenced chiropractors' perceptions regarding their role …
Socioeconomic Characteristics Of Farmers And Agrochemical Use In Grenada, Lindonne Marcia Glasgow
Socioeconomic Characteristics Of Farmers And Agrochemical Use In Grenada, Lindonne Marcia Glasgow
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The World Health Organization classified carbaryl, glyphosate, and paraquat as hazardous to human health. In the Agriculture Health Study in the United States, health problems were associated with the use of these 3 agrochemicals 12 or more times per year. These 3 agrochemicals were commonly used in Grenada. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to investigate the relationship between the social and economic characteristics of the farmers who participated in the 2012 agriculture survey and the use of agrochemicals at frequencies that could pose health risks. Five constructs of the social cognitive theory were used as the premise …
Beliefs, Costs, And Policies Influencing African American Men's Decisions On Psa Screening, Mary Frances Carter
Beliefs, Costs, And Policies Influencing African American Men's Decisions On Psa Screening, Mary Frances Carter
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Despite the growing concerns about routine prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening in men, little is known about the societal and economic impact of screening among the African American population. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore beliefs among African American men about PSA screening, funding for screening, and the role of the United States Preventive Service Task Force in addressing the problem. Guided by rational choice theory, data collection consisted of completion of a health beliefs survey, face-to-face interviews, field notes taken during interview, and interview audio recording. The population for the study included African American men residing …
Consequences Of Community Water Fluoridation Cessation For Medicaid Eligible Children And Adolescents, Jennifer Meyer
Consequences Of Community Water Fluoridation Cessation For Medicaid Eligible Children And Adolescents, Jennifer Meyer
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Oral health impacts general health and well-being throughout the lifespan. Recent trends in the United States towards cessation of community water fluoridation (CWF) may increase disparities in oral health. The purpose of this quantitative retrospective cohort study was to analyze Medicaid dental claims records for caries related procedures among 0 to18-year-old patients during an optimal CWF year 2003 (n = 854) and compare them to claims records from 2012 (n = 1,053), 5 years after CWF was ceased. The theoretical framework of this study was the diffusion of innovations theory. Statistically significant results included higher mean number of caries related …
Risk Factors Associated With Severe Acute Respiratory Infections Cases, Ryan Gatdula Ortiguerra
Risk Factors Associated With Severe Acute Respiratory Infections Cases, Ryan Gatdula Ortiguerra
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The close proximity of the United States to the Mexican border poses a concern for communicable diseases because of the high flow of population movement. The purpose of this retrospective, quantitative study was to identify risks associated with respiratory diseases using an analysis of archived data from the Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) surveillance program. Based on the epidemiologic triangle theory, demographic and etiologic factors were analyzed to examine any associations with SARI in this population. Between 2010 and 2012, 798 subjects enrolled in this program, with 336 (42.1%) testing positive for respiratory pathogens. Chi square analysis determined that age …
Acculturation, Inflammation, And Depression Among Hispanic Adults In The United States, Kristin Marie Marano
Acculturation, Inflammation, And Depression Among Hispanic Adults In The United States, Kristin Marie Marano
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Disparities exist in the recognition and treatment of depression among Hispanics in the United States, creating a social, ethical, economic, and public health burden. This study was designed to generate an improved understanding of the causes of and/or contributors to depression within this population. It was specifically designed to 1) assess the prevalence and severity of depression among Hispanic adults in the United States relative to adults of other race/ethnicities in the United States; 2) clarify the inconsistent results in the literature concerning the relationship between acculturation and depression among Hispanic adults in the United States; and 3) fill a …
Predictors Of Excessive Alcohol Consumption Among U.S. Business Travelers, Jennifer Clore Barrickman
Predictors Of Excessive Alcohol Consumption Among U.S. Business Travelers, Jennifer Clore Barrickman
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Excessive alcohol consumption (EAC) is an important public health problem. Several researchers have examined work-related influences on EAC, but few have investigated the predictors of EAC related to business travel. This study measured the association between EAC and frequency of business travel, duration of business travel, and job industry among U.S. business travelers. Research was conducted within the social-ecological theoretical framework. Snowball sampling was used to gather data from 187 business travelers. Data were evaluated using bivariate analysis to assess the association between measures of EAC and each independent variable. Multiple logistic regression was used to adjust for covariates. Respondents …
Relationship Between Modality And The Degree Of Knowledge Retention In Bioterrorism Training, Gaylon Rashun Crawford
Relationship Between Modality And The Degree Of Knowledge Retention In Bioterrorism Training, Gaylon Rashun Crawford
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
A public health workforce must be trained to react quickly, especially in the case of terrorist attack. Political leaders and emergency management experts have often cited inadequate emergency training as a contributing factor in the public health system's failed preparations for a bioterrorist event. As a result of these failures, billions of dollars have been allocated towards correcting infrastructure deficiencies including training for public health nurses (PHNs), who are critical to a communitywide medical response. This quantitative study used Pearson's correlation and a multivariate regression analysis to evaluate the most effective modality of bioterrorism training (BTT) for PHNs working in …