Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Association Between College Age Students' Nutrition Intake And Depression, Mackenzie Allen

Honors Projects

The research performed was to determine a correlation between depression and nutrient intake in college age students. This study used NHANES publicily available data and IBM's SPSS statistical software to analyze a correlation between depression and nutrition/lifestyle variables: vitamin D, vitamin B12, saturated fatty acids, unsaturated fatty acids, fiber, and exercise. The study found that fiber and unsaturated fatty acid intake had a negative correlation with depression, meaning that as the intake of these nutrients increased, depression decreased. This research reveals key factors to improve the nutritional status of college age students, along with their emotional wellbeing.

The Benefits And Accessibility Of Integrative Exercise In Geriatric Populations, Elizabeth Nisper

Honors Projects

There are many physical and mental benefits of conventional exercise and they have been well-studied. However, integrative exercise practices aim to encompass more than physical fitness. There is also a spiritual/ethical component when taking into account aspects such as meditation and mindfulness. By examining a number of different health domains, we can study whether the benefits of yoga and tai chi extend beyond the benefits of exercise more broadly. While the short-term physical fitness benefits of other cardio and strength training may exceed those of integrative practices, yoga and tai chi appear to be equally as beneficial in the long …

Modifications And Medications To Improve Alzheimer’S Disease From Type 2 Diabetes, Ashley N. Robinson

Other Undergraduate Research

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) are chronic conditions increasing in prevalence that impact the daily lives of those afflicted with them. AD and T2D are linked through the pathophysiology of insulin resistance. Thus, there are intersections that can allow the management of T2D to improve the treatment and prevention of AD. Modifiable risk factors, such as diet and physical activity level, play important roles in the health of T2D patients as well as in preventing AD. Medications traditionally used in the treatment of T2D, such as metformin, pioglitazone, and insulin, are being examined for use in the …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of An Exercise Program For Persons With Multiple Sclerosis, Tiffany Kuipers

Doctoral Projects

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, degenerative condition of the central nervous system that leaves patients with a wide variety of symptoms and disability. Symptoms include decreases in energy levels, muscle strength, bone strength, vision, sensation, coordination, cognition, hearing, balance, and quality of life. Exercise has been well supported as a way to reduce symptoms and slow the disease progression of MS. Outpatient exercise programs have also been shown effective in providing patients with the necessary tools to perform appropriate exercises at home. Yet, few programs are available that are appropriate for patients with MS. This project aimed to, first, …

Primary Care Assessment And Interventions To Improve Physical Activity Among Insufficiently Active Adults Ages 18 Through 64 Years Old, Thomas A. Sanchez

Doctoral Dissertations

A number of chronic and debilitating conditions such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, hypertension, anxiety, depression, pain, osteoporosis, and falls are known to be delayed, improved, or prevented by increasing physical activity (PA) levels. The numbers of those affected form a substantial portion of the US population. As of 2011, for example, 26 million adults in the U.S. were diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (DM) alone. Another 79 million people had elevated blood glucose measurements putting them at risk for DM. Despite knowledge of the connection with chronic disease, PA levels are not consistently and quantitatively assessed during primary care office visits. …

An Evidence-Based Approach For The Implementation Of An Osteoporosis Educational And Exercise Intervention Among Perimenopausal Women, Joanne Maura Cecile Finazzi

Doctoral Dissertations

According to the osteoporosis criteria developed by the World Health Organization, 10 million individuals residing in the United States are estimated to have osteoporosis, and 8 million of these individuals are women (National Osteoporosis Foundation [NOF], 2009). Educational and exercise interventions (Bohaty, Rocole, Wehling, & Waltman, 2008) have been developed in an effort to prevent osteoporosis. However, medical record reviews reveal that only 18% of patients receive counseling regarding osteoporosis educational interventions and exercise preventive measures during health care visits (Lee, Zuckerman, & Weiss, 2002).

The purpose of the pilot study was to examine the effectiveness of a 4-week, 4- …

A Rehabilitation Program For Lung Cancer Patients During Postthoracotomy Chemotherapy, Amy J. Hoffman, Ruth Ann Britnall, Alexander Von Eye, Lee W. Jones, Gordon Alderink, Lawrence H. Patzelt, Jean K. Brown

Peer Reviewed Articles

Objective: The objective of this pilot study was to describe the effects of a 16-week home-based rehabilitative exercise program on cancer-related fatigue (CRF), other symptoms, functional status, and quality of life (QOL) for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after thoracotomy starting within days after hospital discharge and continuing through the initiation and completion of chemotherapy.

Materials and methods: Five patients with NSCLC completed the Brief Fatigue Inventory (measuring CRF severity) and the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory (measuring symptom severity) before and after thoractomy, and at the end of each week of the 16-week exercise program. Additionally, the Medical …