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Full-Text Articles in Public Health

The Effects Of Financial Literacy On Patient Engagement, Melanie Meyer Jan 2015

The Effects Of Financial Literacy On Patient Engagement, Melanie Meyer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health care reform has caused consumers to learn more about what it means to have health insurance and its costs. Patient engagement, a critical component of health care reform, reflects provider and consumer attention to shared decision making between patient and physician. The problem addressed in this study is that although researchers have studied patient engagement, there has been insufficient exploration of the relationship between financial literacy and patient engagement, which could negatively impact health outcomes not only for patients or consumers but for society as a whole. The purpose of this quantitative research was to determine if a relationship …


Barriers To Receiving The Influenza Vaccine In Adults 65 Years And Older, Melissa Madalone Jan 2015

Barriers To Receiving The Influenza Vaccine In Adults 65 Years And Older, Melissa Madalone

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Vaccination is regarded by many as the most effective means of reducing influenza infection and disease; however, many people in the United States are hospitalized from flu-related illness each year. Adults 65 years and older account for more than half of these hospitalizations and almost all flu-related deaths. This project aimed to identify barriers to receiving the influenza vaccine among the adult population (> 65 years of age) in a community setting. The goal was to develop a teaching tool that would assist practitioners towards improving influenza vaccination rates among this population. The Health Belief Model was the theoretical framework …


H2h Strategies Associated With Reduced Heart Failure Readmission Rates In Georgia Hospitals, Carisa Sellers Jan 2015

H2h Strategies Associated With Reduced Heart Failure Readmission Rates In Georgia Hospitals, Carisa Sellers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Reducing heart failure risk standardized readmissions rates (RSRRs) continues to be a challenge in the United States. Among Medicare beneficiaries, the U.S. national rate for heart failure RSRRs is 23, and Georgia only has 3 hospitals with heart failure RSRRs that are better than the national rate. The hospital component of the chronic care model (CCM) was the theoretical framework used in this study because the model was designed to assist heath care organizations in improving chronic care outcomes. Researchers have indicated that the Hospital to Home Initiative (H2H), a national quality improvement campaign launched in 2009, is effective in …


Underserved Patients' Perspectives On How The Ehr Impacts Their Health, Marie Mirna Lexima Jan 2015

Underserved Patients' Perspectives On How The Ehr Impacts Their Health, Marie Mirna Lexima

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Our modern health care system requires technology that can deal with multidisciplinary and complex processes, operations, and situations. The EHR, by far, is one of the greatest health information technology innovations that satisfy these requirements because of its efficiency and the effectiveness of its features. This study sought to develop an in-depth understanding of how underserved patients' perspectives about their health and illness, can contribute to greater use of the EHR. It also sought to improve their health outcomes and maintain sustainable change in the lives of the underserved. A quantitative non-experimental design study was conducted over a 6-week period …


Increasing Knowledge About Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency In The Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Population, Maureen Ann Wentink Barta Jan 2015

Increasing Knowledge About Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency In The Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Population, Maureen Ann Wentink Barta

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of the project was to increase awareness about alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), particularly among those with a familial history of genetic factor AATD; an additional goal was to understand its relationship to COPD. COPD is the third leading cause of death in the United States, with more than half of COPD patients experiencing significant disabilities. Major causes for COPD include smoking, air pollution, secondary smoke, upper respiratory infections, hereditary factors, occupational factors, environmental factors, and socioeconomic factors. Genetic factors, however, also play a significant role in early onset COPD and in those …


Promotion Of The Hospital's Patient Portal, Courtnie Jones Burrell Jan 2015

Promotion Of The Hospital's Patient Portal, Courtnie Jones Burrell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services wanted to ensure that electronic health records were used in a meaningful manner to improve coordination and quality of patient care. In 2011, the federal government began offering monetary incentives to help healthcare facilities and providers adopt technology that supported patient access and increased their ability to manage their own health. The hospital where this project took place encouraged patients’ involvement in their health by providing a patient portal, yet the public has underutilized it. The purpose of this project was to develop an evidence-based strategy for future implementation at the hospital that …


Technology As A Health Intervention And The Self-Efficacy Of Men, Karen Denise Maxwell Jan 2015

Technology As A Health Intervention And The Self-Efficacy Of Men, Karen Denise Maxwell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mortality rates in the United States are higher for men than they are for women as a result of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Despite these disproportionate rates, few health interventions are targeted to men, and limited knowledge exists regarding the specific components needed to design technology health tools to appeal to men. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between the use of technology health tools and the role of self-efficacy in men and the influence on participation in healthy lifestyle behaviors. A quasi-experimental design was used to analyze data collected …


Patient Safety Culture And High Reliability Organizations, Jared D. Padgett Jun 2014

Patient Safety Culture And High Reliability Organizations, Jared D. Padgett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A 1999 evaluation of case studies performed by staff from the Institute of Medicine found that between 40,000 and 98,000 patients died from preventable errors, while 43,598 individuals died in car accidents that year. A 2011 report increased that estimate nearly 10 times. Widespread preventable patient harm still occurs despite an increase in healthcare regulations. High-reliability organization theory has contributed to improved safety and may potentially reverse this trend. This explorative single case study explored how the perceptions and experiences of nursing and respiratory staff affected the successful transition of a healthcare organization into a reliability-seeking organization. Fourteen participants from …


A Case Study Of Primary Healthcare Services In Isu, Nigeria, Raymond Ogu. Chimezie Jan 2011

A Case Study Of Primary Healthcare Services In Isu, Nigeria, Raymond Ogu. Chimezie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Access to primary medical care and prevention services in Nigeria is limited, especially in rural areas, despite national and international efforts to improve health service delivery. Using a conceptual framework developed by Penchansky and Thomas, this case study explored the perceptions of community residents and healthcare providers regarding residents' access to primary healthcare services in the rural area of Isu. Using a community-based research approach, semistructured interviews and focus groups were conducted with 27 participants, including government healthcare administrators, nurses and midwives, traditional healers, and residents. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's 7-step method for qualitative data analysis. Key findings included …


Learning Style Needs And Effectiveness Of Adult Health Literacy Education, Leah A. Grebner Jan 2011

Learning Style Needs And Effectiveness Of Adult Health Literacy Education, Leah A. Grebner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low health literacy impacts an individual's ability to comprehend communication from healthcare providers, reduces access to healthcare, and contributes to increased mortality. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of learning style on adult health literacy education. The health belief model, protection motivation theory, the transtheoretical model, and social cognitive theory were used to analyze the data in this study, and to further develop effective health literacy education. The research questions addressed the effectiveness of educational intervention adjusted to their appropriate learning style in comparison to a standardized health literacy intervention and potential difference, according to type …


An Examination Of Awareness Of Over-The-Counter Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs And Adverse Events, Michelle Popa Jan 2011

An Examination Of Awareness Of Over-The-Counter Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs And Adverse Events, Michelle Popa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The elderly population is among the fastest growing populations in the United States. Finding and consuming medications safely and effectively are challenging endeavors for this population. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a widely consumed class of medications among the elderly population, with 70% of individuals consuming over-the-counter (OTC) NSAIDs once a week and 34% using them daily. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine whether (a) patients are aware of the risks associated with the consumption of NSAIDs, and (b) there are differences in awareness based upon specific demographic characteristics and levels of patient-physician communication. The health belief …


The Influence Of Community Support Services In Reducing Potentially Preventable Readmissions, Camille Rose Bash Jan 2011

The Influence Of Community Support Services In Reducing Potentially Preventable Readmissions, Camille Rose Bash

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Recently, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) ranked all hospitals based on Medicare readmission rates for heart attacks, heart failure, and pneumonia. CMS offered subsidies to hospitals ranked in the 4th quartile to develop community support services to reduce the problem of potentially preventable readmissions (PPRs). CMS cited 4 of the 5 hospitals in Prince George's County in the 4th quartile. The purpose of this quantitative research study was to investigate the relationship between community support services and the reduction of PPRs in Prince George's County. The Evans and Stoddart field model of health and well-being guided this …


Physician Decision Criteria Regarding Omega-3 Dietary Supplements, Warren P. Lesser Jan 2011

Physician Decision Criteria Regarding Omega-3 Dietary Supplements, Warren P. Lesser

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

American Heart Association officials and other expert cardiologists recommend omega-3 (n-3) dietary supplementation for the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease, a prevalent health problem in the United States. Physicians' lack of understanding of possible n-3 preventive health benefits results in underprescribing n-3 dietary supplements and lower n-3 dietary supplement product sales. N-3 dietary supplement marketers do not understand physician n-3 prescribing decision criteria enough to optimize high-impact communication to physicians to increase n-3 dietary supplement product use. The purpose of this phenomenological research study was to improve n-3 marketers' understanding of how physicians reach decisions to prescribe or recommend products …


Care Coordination, Family-Centered Care And Functional Ability In Children With Special Health Care Needs In The United States, Madeline Marti-Morales Jan 2011

Care Coordination, Family-Centered Care And Functional Ability In Children With Special Health Care Needs In The United States, Madeline Marti-Morales

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Children with special health care needs (CSHCN) generally have physical, mental, or emotional conditions that require a broader range and greater quantity of health and related services compared to typical children. Care coordination (CC) and family-centered care (FCC) are necessary in the quality of health care for CSHCN. A gap exists in the literature regarding the impact of CC and FCC on children's functional ability (FA). Previous researchers have focused on met and unmet health care needs, but not on health outcomes or functionality. The purpose of this study was to determine if there was an association between CC, FCC, …


Experiences Of Older African American Women With Breast Cancer Screening And Abnormal Mammogram Results, Marshalee George Jan 2011

Experiences Of Older African American Women With Breast Cancer Screening And Abnormal Mammogram Results, Marshalee George

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Even with access to well-known breast cancer treatment centers, older African American women continue to have higher breast cancer mortality compared to their European American counterparts. Researchers have theorized relationships among diagnostic delay, socioeconomic status (SES) factors, beliefs, culture, and breast cancer mortality in African American women ages 40 to 64, but these same relationships among African American women ages 65 to 80 have not been investigated. The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe older African American women's experiences with abnormal mammograms. The quality-caring model and critical race theory were used through narration to show the association of …


Manual Handling Workload And Musculoskeletal Discomfort Among Warehouse Personnel, Terrance N. Knox Jan 2010

Manual Handling Workload And Musculoskeletal Discomfort Among Warehouse Personnel, Terrance N. Knox

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSD), specifically physical and muscular discomfort in the upper arm, lower arm, thigh, lower leg, wrist, shoulders, back, or neck, are among the most frequently reported workplace injuries in the United States. The dearth of knowledge about the types of workloads that may contribute to the development of WRMSD was the impetus of this research. The study aimed to identify antecedents of WRMSD among warehouse workers in order to reduce WRMSDs and increase productivity as expressed in a systems perspective on industrial health. The research questions examined the prevalence of specific WRMSDs, the relationship of high-risk tasks …