Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Burnout, Depression And Suicide Prevention In Healthcare Staff, April Ritchie

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Burnout can lead to depression and suicidal ideation in healthcare providers. Healthcare leaders must proactively identify staff experiencing burnout and offer interventions for staff wellbeing, which will also, reduce errors, improve patient satisfaction, and patient outcomes. This manuscript provides a review of evidence-based interventions that can help accomplish these goals.

The Role Of Il-6 In Osteogenic And Neurogenic Differentiation Potentials Of Dental Pulp Stem Cells (Dpscs), Yongtae Park, Xiaoxing Kou, Songtao Shi

Dental Theses

Introduction: Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic soluble mediator which is involved with many different parts of inflammatory processes. Studies have shown that there is a significantly higher concentration of IL-6 in inflamed pulp tissues when compared to healthy pulp tissues. However, there are no comprehensive studies on how IL-6 can interact with dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) from healthy (H-DPSCs) and inflamed pulp tissues (I-DPSCs) and how it can affect the differentiation potential of DPSCs. Therefore, I hypothesized that IL-6 can promote osteogenesis while inhibiting neurogenesis from DPSCs. The aims of this study were to investigate the baseline differences ...

The Sensoryfun! Toolkit: A Bilingual Resource For Parents & Caregivers, Nicolette D'Esposito, Yvette Lozano, Natalie Carrillo, Sarah Pashby

Occupational Therapy | Graduate Capstone Projects

A sensory diet is an occupational therapy (OT) intervention strategy. Sensory diets are specifically designed to meet a child's sensory integration needs. Sensory diets are not standardized among practitioners and there are a limited number of resources available for individuals that do not have a clinical background. The lack of easy to understand resources for parents and caregivers creates several barriers for occupational therapists working with families with children experiencing sensory processing difficulties. One barrier is that there are few resources available in Spanish. The purpose of this project was to develop a resource for parents and caregivers using ...

Exploratory Application Of A Sensory Activity Schedule In Head Start Preschool, Marian Perez, Elaine Wong, Michelle Perryman

Occupational Therapy | Graduate Capstone Projects

Objective: The objective of this research is to determine whether the implementation of sensory activity schedule in a preschool classroom can increase the on-task behaviors of the students.

Methods: Three students were recruited to participate in a quantitative multiple single subject design with qualitative follow-up study. The participants performed sensorimotor activities before circle time and were monitored for frequency of their off-task behavior using a time sampling frequency data collection. Afterwards, the head teacher was interviewed to discuss the experience.

Results: Off-task behavior decreased from baseline on all three children, which supports the efficacy of sensory activity schedule in reducing ...

Occupational Responses Of Older Adults Following Partner Loss, Carol Huang, Jane Song, Peter Behr, Stephanie Sterner

Occupational Therapy | Graduate Capstone Projects

Spousal loss has been frequently identified as a life stressor that can greatly impede one’s ability to age at home. The purpose of this study is to identify the occupational changes that commonly result after this event and their impacts on one’s ability to age in place. This study utilized a qualitative phenomenological research design. Eight participants were recruited from an educational program for older adults and were interviewed using a semi-structured interview format. Researchers transcribed and coded all interviews to determine emergent themes. Two major categories of themes were found: occupational and intrinsic responses. The areas of ...

Physiological Responses Of Adults With Sensory Over-Responsiveness, Catherine Anne Datu, Nicholas Wing Or, Megan Melody Valentine, Megan Jeanne Velcich

Occupational Therapy | Graduate Capstone Projects

The purpose of this research study is to identify if there are physiological response patterns associated with self-reported sensory over-responsiveness (SOR) in typical adults. SOR is the most common sensory modulation disorder and negatively affects the daily experiences of those that report SOR. The first phase of the study consisted of phone interviews where participants were screened for any potential characteristics that could affect physiological function. Then, the SRQ and AASP were used in conjunction to identify low and high SOR, typical adults. The last phase utilized the Sensory Challenge Protocol, which is both standardized and randomized, to expose participants ...

A Sensory-Based Program To Enhance Occupational Performance For Dementia, Ivy Annahi Torres-Flores, Jacob Gantan, Heather Anne August, Naomi Grace Wong

Occupational Therapy | Graduate Capstone Projects

Dementia is a neurological disease, causing behavioral and cognitive symptoms, that progressively impairs an individual’s ability to engage in meaningful activities. Progressive deterioration associated with dementia impacts occupational performance and independence and quality of life. Sensory based interventions, such as drumming groups, have been hypothesized to be a non-pharmacological intervention for individuals with dementia. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of a sensory based intervention program, in this case participation in a drumming group, on functional engagement during self-feeding for individuals with dementia. Researchers gathered data over the course of two days using the Functional ...

Transition In Occupations Of Refugees During Resettlement, Jacqueline-Elizabeth Cantrell, Kimberley K. Banuelos, Adam Chan, Jennifer H. Daine

Occupational Therapy | Graduate Capstone Projects

Purpose: In 2016, there were 22.5 million refugees worldwide (UNHCR, 2017). California resettled just over 5,000 of those 85,000 (Igielnik & Krogstad, 2017). Limited research has been conducted in the United States (U.S.) focusing on the refugee experience; furthermore, there is a significant gap in research regarding the impact of the refugee experience on the occupations of refugees as they transition to living in the U.S. Smith (2012) explored the adaptation of cultural weaving among Karen refugees to maintain their previous occupations and the impact of daily weaving on their lives within Western culture; however, the study focused only on work occupations. This study sought to capture the experience of refugees and the impact ...

The Impact Of Fall Efficacy On Occupational Performance In Community-Dwelling Older Adults, Michelle Fong, Araya Moua, Erin Denola, Merit Franklin

Occupational Therapy | Graduate Capstone Projects

Falls are a major health concern in the older adult (OA) population. While there is research on falls and their prevention, research on how low fall efficacy (FE) impacts the occupational engagement of the OA population is limited. FE is defined as the confidence a person has in his/her ability to complete a task without falling (Tinetti & Powell, 1993). A qualitative study was conducted using a phenomenological approach to explore the lived experiences of OAs with low FE and the impact on occupational performance. Participants who scored ≤ 6 on the Modified Fall Efficacy Scale (MFES) engaged in a semi-structured ...

Transcriptional Regulation Of Nlrc4 Inflammasome By Irf8, Ein Lee

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

The NLRC4 inflammasome is a crucial part of the innate immune response against bacterial infections. We found that NLRC4 inflammasome activation in bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) is greatly dependent on interferon regulatory factor 8 (IRF8). NLRC4-mediated caspase-1 activation and subsequent production of the inflammasome-dependent cytokines IL-1β and IL-18 and cell death were impaired in IRF8-deficient cells. IRF8 mediated the transcription of genes encoding NAIPs, the receptors for NLRC4 inflammasome, which recognize bacterial flagellin and type III secretion system (T3SS) proteins. IRF8 was critical for host survival following infection with Salmonella Typhimurium or Burkholderia thailandensis. Furthermore, mice deficient in IRF8 were ...

Violence Against Women: Group Treatment Mental Health Strategies In The Integral Women's Centers In The Autonomous City Of Buenos Aires, 2017, Margaret Newman

University of Tennessee Honors Thesis Projects

No abstract provided.

Synthesis Of Novel Library Of Cyanopyrrolidinyl Beta-Amino Alcohols And Matrine Alkaloids, Xiaotian Chen

Theses and Dissertations

Cyanopyrrolidines and beta-Amino alcohols are molecular scaffolds that are highly found in commercially available drugs. We developed a multi-step synthetic method to form a novel library of compounds as inhibitors that share both scaffolds toward potent and selective diabetes therapeutics. Despite the ease for the synthesis of Cyanopyrrolidines, the difficulty of forming high selective beta-Amino alcohols is challenging. We successfully find the best condition for the preference of highly selective mono-alkylation and double-alkylation products and produce them with high yield.

Matrine is an alkaloid found in plants from the genus Sophora and can produce some pharmacological effects such as anti-cancer ...

Project Palmms (Physical Activity Levels And Family Medical Histories): An Undergraduate Sample, Pierre Alexander Leon

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Physical inactivity has garnered significant attention as it is considered an emerging worldwide young adult problem. There is empirical evidence on predictors of low levels of physical activity (PA), such as an individual’s sex and/or socio-economic status. There are also other possible reasons for the decline in PA, such as an individual’s motivations and/or barriers for participation in physical activity and an individual’s understanding of their predisposition to chronic illnesses. This study seeks to identify perceptions of benefits/barriers to PA and motivating factors needed to increase physical activity in college populations. Methods: A ...

Green Tea Extract, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Protect Against Methamphetamine-Induced Striatal Neurotoxicity In Mice, Allen L. Pan

All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Methamphetamine (METH) is a strong psychostimulant and its exposure can lead to serious neurological complications. METH-induced neuronal injury is the result of a complex interplay of different factors including dopamine (DA) overflow, oxidative stress and neuroinflammation. Although the mechanisms of METH-induced neurotoxicity have been extensively studied, there is still no effective therapeutic treatment. Therefore, it is essential to study potential drug candidates that can treat METH-induced neurotoxicity. Green tea extract, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), has emerged as a neuroprotective agent that can protect against several neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Recently, our lab has shown that ...

A Narrative Inquiry Of Associate Degree Nursing Students' Stories About Their Experience Of Academic Misconduct, Bridget Anne Maley

All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Academic misconduct is a growing national and global concern. There is a paucity of literature on academic misconduct in nursing. Among the research studies that have been conducted, all but one were quantitative. The purpose of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of Associate Degree (AD) nursing students’ experiences with academic misconduct during their nursing education. This study utilized the qualitative method of narrative inquiry to address the research question: What are the stories of Associate Degree nursing students with academic misconduct experiences during their nursing education? This sample included five volunteer research participants who were current associate ...

Intimate Partner Violence Among Expectant Adolescent Couples: Psychological And Relational Predictors And Sexual Risk, Jessica Lewis

All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is prevalent and tends to be bilateral in adolescent relationships. Expectant adolescent couples are at even higher risk. Using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM), this study sought to: (1) describe the patterns of physical/sexual and psychological IPV victimization of women and men in expectant adolescent couples from pregnancy through twelve months postpartum; (2) examine the associations between psychosocial and relational factors during pregnancy and postpartum IPV; and (3) investigate the relationship between IPV victimization and later sexual risk across the perinatal period.

METHODS: Data were collected from pregnant adolescents and their male partners ...

An Experimental Evaluation Of Stop-Plosive And Fricative Consonant Intelligibility By Tracheoesophageal Speakers In Quiet And Noise, Sebastiano Failla

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Despite functional levels of postlaryngectomy communication, individuals who undergo total laryngectomy and tracheoesophageal (TE) puncture voice restoration continue to experience significant communication difficulties in noisy environments. In an effort to identify and further characterize TE speakers’ intelligibility in noise, the current auditory perceptual study investigated stop-plosive and fricative intelligibility of TE speech in quiet and in the presence of multi-talker noise. Eighteen listeners evaluated monosyllabic consonant-vowel-consonant words produced by 14 TE speakers using an open-response paradigm. Our findings indicate that overall intelligibility was significantly lower in noise. Further examination showed a differential effect of noise on intelligibility according to manner ...

Physical Therapists’ Perceptions Of Barriers To The Use Of Evidence-Based Fall Prevention Intervention With Individuals Of 65 Years Of Age Or Older, Charles Agbonghae

Student Dissertations

Falls are a problem in the elderly population. Evidence-based fall prevention programs are available but physical therapists do not always utilize them. The literature identifies a number of barriers to clinician’s use of evidence-based interventions in general but there is limited knowledge of barriers to the use of evidence-based interventions in the clinical practice area of fall prevention. The purpose of this study was to identify barriers perceived by physical therapists to the use of evidence-based fall prevention interventions with individuals of 65 years of age or older. The study utilized an on-line survey of physical therapists licensed in ...

Following Surgically Assisted Rapid Palatal Expansion, Do Tooth-Borne Or Bone-Borne Appliances Provide More Skeletal Expansion And Dental Expansion?, Adrien Hamedi-Sangsari

Dental Theses

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study is to compare the outcome measures of skeletal and dental expansion with Bone-Borne (BB) versus Tooth-Borne (TB) appliances following SARPE. This study is being done to provide quantitative measurements that will help the oral surgeon and orthodontist in selecting the appliance with, on average, the greatest amount of skeletal expansion and the least amount of dental expansion.

Methods: A computerized database search was performed using PubMed, EBSCO, Cochrane, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar on publications in reputable oral surgery and orthodontic journals. A systematic review and meta-analysis was then completed with ...

Analysis Of Control Measures Used During Cholera Outbreaks Among Internally Displaced Persons, Nicole Devine Carneal-Frazer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cholera remains a major public health problem affecting high-risk populations such as camps of internally displaced persons. During a cholera outbreak, it is essential to reduce transmission and minimize new infections. The Miasma theory, host-agent-environment model and Ecosocial theory were utilized for this study. This study was a retrospective comparison to determine whether historical cholera control measures are effective during current cholera outbreaks within camps of internally displaced persons. A quantitative approach ascertained changes in incidence and mortality rates following implementation of primary and/or secondary control measures. Cholera outbreaks were identified from the World Health Organization's (WHO) Disease ...

Improving Nurses' Knowledge Of Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection, Misty Cooper

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) are usually attributable to suboptimal line insertion, care, or maintenance and are associated with poor patient outcomes. Nursing plays a pivotal role in preventing CLABSI, because nurses are generally responsible for the routine care and maintenance of central lines. The purpose of this project was to determine if CLABSI nursing education and demonstration-based competency could improve nurses' knowledge on a neurology unit as compared to current practice of an annual e-learning module as the sole source of nurse education. This project was informed by Lewin's planned change theory and involved changing behaviors, attitudes, and ...

Exploring Strategies For Reducing Patient Failure To Keep Scheduled Appointments, Charlene Denise Kesee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High no-show rates in the ambulatory setting lead to underutilized resources, decreased clinic revenue, and lower productivity. The purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies that administrators used to maintain acceptable no-show rates and maintain the sustainability of the healthcare practice. The target population for this study included local chapter members of a professional healthcare organization that provided access to practice managers and administrators in the Las Vegas, Nevada regional area where there are a large number of practices that are not part of a health system; the sustainability of these practices is dependent on allocation of ...

Development Of Nursing Education For An Observation Unit, Donna Mckinney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As healthcare continues to face scrutiny related to the cost and quality of patient care, organizations are challenged with providing the right care to patients in the right setting. Some healthcare organizations are implementing observation units to provide appropriate care to a specific subset of patients. The purpose of this project was to develop education for nursing staff who will work on the dedicated observation unit and are unfamiliar with the care requirements. Benner's novice-to-expert theory was used as the framework for the project. This theorist posits that nurses transitioning to a new area require new knowledge and skills ...

Nursing Staff Education For Heart Failure Disease Management, Kerri Murphy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Heart failure (HF) has a global significance for the older population and is the most common reason for hospitalization. Patients with HF can reduce their risk for hospital readmissions and adverse outcomes through self-management of their disease. Nurses are responsible for educating patients about HF self-management; however, nurses at the project site lacked sufficient understanding and confidence to perform adequate HF patient education, creating a gap in practice. This project was guided by Pender's health promotion model and adult learning theory with the goal to increase nurses' knowledge and confidence with the self-management principles of HF. The purpose of ...

Care Intervention And Reduction Of Emergency Department Utilization In Medicaid Populations, Eno J. Rouse

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Expansion of Medicaid and private health insurance coverage through passage of the Affordable Care Act of 2010 was expected to increase primary care access and reduce emergency department (ED) use by reducing financial burden and improving affordability of care. The aim of this study was to examine the differences in utilization patterns that exist among the Medicaid population that participated in an optimal level of care (OLC) intervention inclusive of appointments scheduled to primary care providers. Using the integrated behavior model as a theoretical framework, the key research question focused on determining if there was a difference in ED use ...

The Influence Of Obstetrician And Gynecologists' Avoidance Behaviors On Maternal Morbidities, Nakisha Rene'e Boulware

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The prevalence of maternal morbidities continues to increase in U.S. women of lower socioeconomic status and non-Hispanic Black women despite the efforts of health care practitioners to reduce the disparities. Two decades of research has shown that physicians avoid patients based on insurance and socioeconomic status or their malpractice history. Reducing maternal illness and complications is one of the federal government's top 10 maternal health indicators in the Healthy People 2020 initiative. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of malpractice allegations on patients at high-risk for maternal morbidity. Supported by the theoretical foundation of ...

The Cost Of Treating Human Papillomavirus-Related Oropharyngeal Cancer, Karla Smalley Houston

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted infection contributing to 70% of oropharyngeal cancers in the United States. The incidence of HPV-related oropharyngeal cancers is greater in Kentucky's population than in any other state. Research has demonstrated the cost of treating oropharyngeal cancer on a national level, but little information exists as to state-specific costs. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine radiation therapy costs for treating HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer in Kentucky in relation to age, gender, race, and insurance. A theory by Aday and Andersen was applied to explain the relationship between the independent and dependent ...

Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae: Epidemiology, Genetics, In Vitro Activity, And Pharmacodynamic Modeling, Brandon Kulengowski

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

Background: Infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) such as Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae are among the most urgent threats of the infectious disease realm. The incidence of these infections has been increasing over the years and due to very limited treatment options, mortality is estimated at about 50%. By 2050, mortality from antimicrobial resistant infections is expected to surpass cancer at 10 million deaths annually.

Methods: We evaluated 18 contemporary antimicrobials against 122 carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae using a variety of antimicrobial susceptibility testing methods according to Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. Time-kill studies were performed on clinical isolates with variable ...

Improving Access To Antenatal Care In Ngara, Tanzania Through Implementation Of The Lady Health Worker Programme, Alison L. Bailey

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Maternal mortality is one of the greatest health disparities facing the world today. A disproportionate number of women who die from pregnancy-related complications live in developing countries: the average maternal mortality in developed nations is 12/100,000, compared to 239/100,000 in developing nations; this rate is even higher in several sub-Saharan African nations. Reasons for this disparity include a lack of providers, inaccessibility to care, and poor quality of treatment in developing nations. Women living in the sub-Saharan country of Tanzania face many of these barriers, and as a result the country’s maternal mortality rate is ...

Natural Product Induction In Pencillium And Human Caspase Crystallography, Kelly J. Mcgrath

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.