Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Current State Of The Gynecological Health Of Missouri Women And The Promotion Of Women's Health Issues In St. Charles County, Missouri, Tina Chapman

Theses

This thesis will focus on the current state of women's gynecological health in Missouri and the importance of raising the awareness of health issues among a targeted population of women in St. Charles County.

Compared to national averages, women living in Missouri suffer higher infection rates of certain sexually transmitted diseases as well as higher rates of cervical cancer. Since hundreds of thousands of women do not receive annual exan1inations that would detect these conditions, it is clear that a public information campaign is desperately needed. This project attempts to develop such a campaign.

The campaign will focus on St. …

Efficacy Of A Pneumatic Oxygen Conserving Device In The Oxygenation Of Copd Patients During Sleep, Ronda Z. Bradley

Theses

For the greater than one million Americans who rely on supplemental oxygen for survival, the vast majority of them struggle with ambulatory oxygen sources which restrict their ability to move freely about within and out of their homes. Liquid oxygen sources can provide the smallest and longest lasting ambulatory oxygen supply. However, the cost of the provision on liquid oxygen has historically been cost prohibitive under our current Medicare reimbursement schedule. The HELiOS™ Oxygen System by Puritan-Bennett a division of Mallinckrodt. has developed an oxygen system, which allows for the smallest, lightest weight and longest lasting oxygen system ever developed. …

Pro-Aging Vs. Anti-Aging: A Comparative Study Of Attitudes Toward Older Adults, Vanessa Lee Benavidez

Theses

A comparative study was conducted on the attitudes toward older adults between Counselors and Non Counselors. The participants included 50 Licensed Professional Counselors from the state of Missouri, who are registered members of the American Counseling Association (ACA), and 33 Graduate students from Lindenwood University in Saint Charles, Missouri, who are enrolled in graduate programs unrelated to professional counseling. The participants completed a demographic questionnaire and the Facts on Aging Quiz' (FAQl). The demographic questionnaire contained personal data, and the FAQ 1 measured attitudes and knowledge in five areas: correct answer, negative bias, positive bias, neutral, and don't know. The …

Fitness And The Elderly, David B. Mingo

Theses

Statistics show the American population is aging at an explosive rate. The correlation between fitness and the aging process is once again becoming a ripe area for study. Previous studies show that fitness can improve quality of life and health for the elderly. A new defined category of seniors known as the young-old has emerged. This category is comprised of seniors that range in age from 55- 65. This study focuses on the relationship between routine exercise and quality of life issues for the young-old. Subjects for this study were 15 retired military soldiers. Subjects were asked to complete a …

Bipolar Disorder And Locus Of Control: Implications For Treatment Compliance, Linda J. Ryan-Cox

Theses

Theoretically, a paradigm shift in the 1960s made community-based care and out-patient treatment an acceptable alternative to institutionalization of the chronically mentally ill. Utilizing the Levenson Multidimensional Locus of Control Scale for Psychiatric Patients, the author conducted a causal-comparative study to determine if a link exists between having bipolar disorder, a chronic mental illness, and an external locus of control, a link which might explain the inability of this population to maintain their optimal level of mental health utilizing the out-patient treatment model. Though the study failed to demonstrate any significant differences in external measures of loci of control between …

Attention Deficit Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity, And Depression, Jeanne Marie Goacher

Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of depression that is going untreated in adolescents with an Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or an Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnosis. This study included high school age students (grades 9-12) who either had a diagnosis of ADD or ADHD, had never been diagnosed with depression, and who have never been treated for depression and another group who did not have a diagnosis of either ADD/ ADHD or depression. After obtaining parental permission, through a questionnaire format, the students were given the Beck Depression Inventory. A Chi-Square was performed to …

The Effect Of Binaural Auditory Beats On The Anxiety And Psychological Hardiness Levels Of Graduate Students, Terry L. Moore

Theses

Three graduate students from a Midwestern urban university were selected from a pool of volunteers based on elevated levels of anxiety. The students were initially tested using the Self-Evaluation Questionnaire and Hardiness Scale. Students were provided with audio tapes using binaural beats. Each Self-Evaluation Questionnaire score was tracked for the purpose of determining the affect of the audio tapes on levels of anxiety and hardiness. All three students showed reduced levels of anxiety after using the tapes, with either a similar or higher level of Hardiness.

Job Satisfaction And Work Locus Of Control Among Physicians, Faye Schlecter Fay

Theses

This study examined the relationship between job satisfaction GS) and perceived work locus of control (WLOC) among physicians. A stratified random sample of non-retired hospital-based physicians (i.e., pathologists, radiologists, and anesthesiologists) belonging to the St Louis Area Medical Society received 2 brief Likert-type instruments: 6-item JS subset of the Job Descriptive Index, and the WLOC survey. The questionnaire packets were mailed to 108 doctors in each of the three specialties for a total of 324, and 138 usable responses were returned. Results indicated a positive association between job satisfaction and internal locus of control in the workplace. The findings support …

An Evaluation Of Home Based Family Services, Tia L. Liston

Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of home-based family therapy by analyzing existing data from a local agency. Files from the past year containing a complete referral form, a client satisfaction survey and follow-up forms from six months and a year, were evaluated to determine the level of client satisfaction. The data was analyzed to determine the differences in frequency of types of difficulties addressed. Data was also analyzed to determine factors related to successful outcomes. Based on results, it was determined that home-based services were successful. An evaluation of types of services and difficulties were …

The Redesignment Of An Acute Inpatient Dual Diagnosis Unit, Irene Harris Griggs

Theses

This project will focus on the study of mental illness and chemical abuse/dependence as it has progressed into the entity of dual diagnosis or what experts consider co-existing or co-occurring disorders.

Research has revealed the increase in the number of individuals suffering from co-occurring illnesses since the early 1980's. Because this condition has become the norm rather than the exception, it becomes necessary to focus more clearly on individuals that are diagnosed with this illness and on the most effective treatment in order to assist the individual in recovery.

Individuals have had co-existing or co-occurring disorders prior to the early …

A Comparison Among Older And Younger Caregivers Of Physically Disabled Adults And Their Ability To Handle Stress, Traynette Jenkins-Reese

Theses

This study was designed to determine if there was a significant relationship in the level of caregiver burden and age. Participants consisted of thirty-three individuals who considered themselves to be the primary caregiver for a physically disabled or elderly family member. These thirty-three volunteer caregivers were drawn from those who had a disabled or frail family member receiving services from a local agency. The subjects were asked to complete Zarit's Caregiver Interview Questionnaire. The findings in the study did not produce significant levels to justify rejecting the null hypothesis or to show that there is a relationship between the caregiver's …

The Knowledge Of Dementia Among Nursing Staff Working In Special Care Units, Julia M. Gray

Theses

Dementia is a growing concern among the elder population. Special Care Units in long-term settings are becoming common placements for elders with dementia. The nursing staff within Special Care Units ideally have additional training in dementia. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the knowledge of dementia among nursing staff working in Special Care Units.

The Influence Of Health Care Service Quality On Patient Satisfaction, Mary Ann Hackmeister

Theses

This thesis will concentrate on the delivery of health care services and the influence the level of service quality has on patient satisfaction.

The health care industry continually experiences changes. but the changes that have occurred over the past five to ten years have occurred quite rapidly. These changes have altered the way that patients view delivery of health care services. Those within the industry itself, including physicians, administrators. and staff members, have been faced with many challenges.

From a competitive standpoint alone, today's health care environment is drastically different from the previous decade. Declining revenues for the health care …

Burnout Among Managed Care Clinicians, Dawn M. Waggoner

Theses

Burnout is a pattern of emotional overload in which one feels overwhelmed by the demands imposed by others . Those individuals who do "people work" of some kind are the most vulnerable to burnout. The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a relationship between the level of burnout and the number of months case workers have worked at the same managed care company. Thirty-two case workers from one managed care company completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) to assess their current level of burnout. Data analysis run on all three subscales found that there was no …

The Medicare Program: Ripe For Reform, Gina M. Barhoumy

Theses

This thesis will evaluate several proposals to reform the Medicare system and how those proposals differ in terms of focus on either financial restructuring or care delivery redesign. This thesis proposes that an emphasis on managed care strategies will represent an effective way to reform the Medicare system.

The purpose of the study is to consider how a shift in focus from acute care treatment to illness prevention and chronic disease management would salvage the Medicare program. The thesis will further explore how an acute care focus has affected the Medicare program, turning a social policy into fuel that feeds …

Health Aspects Of Native American Indians And Alaskan Natives, Beverly V. Bennett-Maine

Theses

This thesis will focus on the decline in health of Native Americans and Alaskan Natives in regards to chronic diseases due to changes in their food habits, customs, traditions, and culture.

The purpose of this study is to explore why Native Americans and Alaskans health has deteriorated in relation to diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and alcoholism.

Limitation in access to health care facilities includes geographic location, cul tural, and linguistic barriers.

The studies to be discussed include: the Inter-Tribal Heart Project (ITHP) for cardiovascular disease; the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) for self-reported risk factors; and the Navajo Health …

Awareness And Usage Of Alternative Medicine In The Elderly Black Population, Deborah Martin Burks

Theses

Alternative medicine covers a broad range of healing philosophies, approaches and therapies. When these therapies are used alone they are referred to as ' alternative'. When they are used with conventional therapies or other alternative therapies then they are referred to as complimentary.

Alternative medicine also embraces health beliefs and practices that fall outside of orthodox medicine. They offer the opportunity for an individual or case manager to explore alternative forms of healing when conventional treatment alone is not effective. Research has shown an increased interest in alternative medicine for the treatment of chronic illness.

The overall goal of this …

Current Trends In Designing A Therapeutic Milieu For The Victims Of Alzheimer's Disease, Nancy J. Allen

Theses

The increasing awareness of the need to appropriately manage victims of Alzheimer's disease has created an explosion of special care units across the country. This research project was designed to investigate the most current trends in caring for these individuals and the complex issues that are involved in the creation and operation of a therapeutic environment. Several existing Alzheimer's special care units in the St. Louis area are examined and compared. The results of this survey reveal the status of these units and how they compare to the desired therapeutic milieu described in this exercise.

"Ssmart Care": The Development Of Disease Management Programs Within An Integrated Health Care Network, Carol E. Oberaitis

Theses

This cumulative project paper will focus on the development of disease management programs by SSM Health Care - St. Louis, an integrated health care delivery network. This paper will detail the process used by the network to prepare for this project, the key roles and functions of the staff and physicians, the design phase and implementation phase of the project. The rationale for the project, the literature review, the barriers to the project and the outcomes will be included in this paper.

The purpose of this project paper is to share with other networks or individual hospitals the experience of …

The Impact Of Community Violence On African American Children And Families, Simeon J. Williams

Theses

This thesis will attempt to increase awareness of the significant impact of community violence on the social and emotional development of African American children and families and to examine the role that mental health and maternal and child health agencies could play in the implementation of effective prevention and intervention strategies.

The purpose of the study is to give an overview of the scope of the problem, identifying the extent, prevalence, and nature of the community violence in African American communities. Additionally, the study will review the theoretical and conceptual frameworks that have guided research in the area of violence …

Management Needs And Development Of Nursing Administrators In The Long Term Care Industry, Myrtle Jean Darnell

Theses

This thesis will focus on the role of the nursing administrator in long-term care in the past, at present, and the requirements for the future. The major emphasis will be to focus on the educational needs required for the nursing administrators to function effectively in their role as top nursing leader of the facility.

There are many external forces affecting long-term care facilities: early discharges from hospitals result in sicker residents in the nursing home, a case mix prospective payment system is being piloted for rollout to all fifty states, and managed care enrollment is increasing for the Medicare population, …

The Effects Of 50 Beat Per Minute Music To Decrease Anxiety And Lower Heart Rates In A Select Group Of College Students, Laura E. Burnell

Theses

The purpose of this study was to assess the affect of experimenter chosen 50 beat per minute music composed especially for stress and anxiety reduction on a select group of college students, and to examine its usefulness in promoting relaxation. The rationale for the study was based on research done in the area of using music to promote relaxation, and on the composer's claims that this music has been effective on a variety of populations for such purposes. Thirty subjects comprised of 17 males and 13 females ranging in age from 18 to 25 years participated in the study. This …

Patient-Focused Care: The Restructuring Of Healthcare, William E. Brown

Theses

This thesis will focus on the study of restructuring or redesigning the current healthcare delivery system. with a primary emphasis on the concept of patient-focused care. Patient-focused care is defined as the redesign of patient care so that hospital resources and personnel are organized around patients. rather than around various specialized departments.

An overview of the healthcare delivery system prior to 1980 pointed out that healthcare expenses were increasing at far too rapid a rate. The number of Americans without healthcare benefits was climbing and medical record management was out of control. Hospital information systems were obsolete and professional territorialism …

Getting Ready For Total Joint Replacement Surgery: A Pre-Operative Education Program, Jason R. Delaney

Theses

Today's health care system is in a state of constant flux attempting to merge, decrease jobs and increase profits. A method to accomplish the goal for increased profits is to have a decline in the number of days any patient remains in the hospital. One such facility attempting to achieve this goal is a 340 bed acute care hospital in the Midwest.

ln the view of the author it seems possible for the physical and occupational therapy departments to have the ability to improve outcomes and decrease the total amount of time any patient remains hospitalized. With this in mind, …

Quality Assisted Living For Older Adults, A Study Of Three Single Family Homes, A Viable Housing Alternative To Institutionalization, Rhonda Lynn Dahlberg

Theses

Long-term care is one of the greatest threats to the financial security of older Americans and their families. People are living longer and because of this many are becoming frail, developing functional impairments and suffering from chronic illnesses. In the past, elderly people did not have many options when health problems made running a household too difficult to manage. It then became necessary to explore other housing alternatives. Previously, nursing homes were the traditional solution for individuals without the family resources to help them stay at home.

Today, new housing options are emerging. These housing options are gaining considerable attention. …

The Integration Of The Long Term Care Continuum Into A Seamless Health Delivery System, Virginia E. Moseley

Theses

A seamless continuum of healthcare services is necessary to serve older adults, caregivers and the community. Personal knowledge and experience of the author, a nurse and skilled nursing facility administrator. is combined with a literature review to determine a vision for serving older adults and caregivers. A vertical integration of long term care into a health delivery network traditionally focused on acute and primary care is proposed.

Coping Resources: A Comparative Study Of Parents Of Children With Down Syndrome And Parents Of Children Without Down Syndrome, Randee Jo Feco

Theses

A comparative study was conducted on differences in coping resources in parents of a child with Down syndrome and parents of children without Down syndrome. Participants included twenty- three parents of a child with Down syndrome and twenty-nine parents of children without Down syndrome . All parents were from the St. Louis metropolitan area. The participants completed a personal data questionnaire and the Coping Resources Inventory (CRI). The personal data questionnaire contained demographic questions, and the CRI measured coping resources in five domains: cognitive , social, emotional, spiritual/philosophical, and physical . Data was statistically analyzed to determine differences in each …

Cost-Effectiveness Of Activities In Extended-Care Facilities, Nancy Marie Knapp

Theses

The purpose of this project is to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of activities in extended-care facilities. The life expectancy of older adults and housing options is presented in the introduction to this project. A literature review highlights the need for activities to maintain and restore the health of older adults in extended-care facilities. The literature shows that activities help to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of older adults. Meeting these needs leads to life satisfaction for the residents in extended-care facilities. The importance of evaluation in determining the cost-effectiveness of activities in extended-care facilities is also presented in the …

Burnout Among Mental Health Workers, Kim Marie Harness

Theses

Burnout is the state of being emotionally and physically fatigued by some aspect of one's work leading to the loss of efficiency and productivity. Those employed in the helping profession are uniquely susceptible to burnout as the trials and tribulations of their clients confront them each day. Presented here is research into the possible causes of burnout. The purpose of this study was to determine if levels of burnout correlated with the number of months an individual had worked at the same agency. Burnout was measured on the three subscales of the Maslach Burnout Inventory: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal …

Geriatric Care Management And The Development Of A Long-Term Care Facilities Database, Patricia J. Iverson

Theses

The purpose of this project was to investigate the professional field of geriatric care management. Information was obtained by reviewing the needs of the caregiver and the aging adult and the dynamics of the relationship which exists between them, by exploring the reasons why this relationship sometimes inhibits the caregiver from pursuing the services that are needed, and by examining the role of the geriatric care manager in helping the caregiver and aging adult sort through the fragmented web of services in order to match the caregiver and the aging adult with the appropriate services.

Locating and selecting appropriate services …