Public Health Education and Promotion Commons^™

Program Planning On Social Determinants Of Health For Rural Nebraska, Athena H. Ramos, Maria H. Cantu Hines

Capstone Experience

Social determinants of health (SDOH) are non-health factors that impact health in both direct and indirect ways. Research into SDOH and their effects has been extensive in recent years and has been further documented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the wealth of the literature on the SDOH, awareness of these important factors is not prevalent among community residents. Rural communities are as subject to the impact of SDOH just as their urban counterparts and experience additional complexities related to geography and topography.

This capstone project aims to raise awareness, provide education, and assist with tools and resources, to empower rural …

The Clinical Healthcare Provided To Homeless Communities Across The United States: A Literature Review, Saylor Sisemore

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Homelessness has become a global public health concern as it results in poorer physical and mental health than age-matched people living in permanent housing (Ortiz & Roser, 2017). The area that comprises Northwest Arkansas (NWA), like other areas of the United States experiencing rapid growth, has seen a marked increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness in recent years. The homeless population is one of the most vulnerable and underserved groups of individuals in NWA and beyond. Public health nursing as a discipline is dedicated to providing compassionate care and exceptional service for all members of communities, with special …

Emergency Care For Youth Who Experience Suicidality And Identify As Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer/Questioning (Lgbtq+): An Interpretive Phenomenology, Theresa Schultz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Suicide is a leading cause of death in children; youth who identify as LGBTQ+ are at an exponentially higher risk of suicide. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of young adults who identify as LGBTQ+ and sought emergency care for suicidality when they were adolescents.

Methods: Heideggerian hermeneutics phenomenology is the research method used in this study. Youth, ages 18-25 years, who identify as LGBTQ+ and sought emergency treatment for suicidality when they were adolescents (13-17 years) were recruited to participate;fifteen youth enrolled. Individuals ranged in age from 20 to 25 years. Participants described …

Overview Of Transition Care Clinics And Patient No-Shows, Manul Awasthi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction

Transition care clinics (TCCs) have proven to be effective in meeting the time-sensitive needs of patients in the post-discharge period and ensuring smooth transitions of patients from hospital to home. These clinics have led to lower readmissions, lower emergency department visits, cost savings, and lower rates of other adverse events following discharge. However, TCCs, including the East Tennessee State University Family Medicine (ETSU-FM) TCC have been facing high rates of patient no-shows.

Aim

The aim of this dissertation is to identify the different components and outcomes of TCC based on the literature. We further aim to analyze the TCC …

Narrative Inquiry Into Postsecondary Transition Outcomes For Young Adults With Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities, Eric R. Sarrett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) continue to struggle with community engagement despite decades of research and policy initiatives addressing postsecondary transition. Evidence shows that persons with IDD are engaging in employment, postsecondary education, independent living, socialization, and other roles at significantly diminished rates, yet little data exists describing this participation in the voices of those affected. The purpose of this narrative inquiry was to describe community integration of persons with IDD in the decade following postsecondary transition in their own words. Critical disability theory was used as a lens to explore the successes and failures of public …

Supporting Post-Secondary Implementation Of Recovery-Oriented Practice In A Stepped Care Model, Janis Campbell

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Student mental health has been a growing concern for higher education communities for many years. Campuses have been struggling to keep up with the increasing demand for services which has been complicated further by the COVID-19 pandemic. A Stepped Care model (SCM) developed at a Canadian university has been offering new ways of organizing mental health resources based on open access, student choice, and recovery principles. There are diverse definitions of recovery in the literature and are usually based on values such as empowerment, respect, and self-determination. SCMs have been shown to increase access to resources and reduce or eliminate …

Pandemic-Related Caregiver Burden Among Public Health Workforce: A Mixed-Method Analysis, Tony Lee

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by a highly contagious novel virus called SARS-CoV-2, has led to significant global morbidity and mortality. The healthcare workforce (HCW) is disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and is more likely to report depression, burnout, moral injury, compassion fatigue, and post-traumatic stress. However, research among the public health workforce (PHW) remains limited. Given the burden of COVID-19 itself, coupled with the work-related pressure of rapid pandemic management strategies, risk of exposure, potential fatigue, etc., understanding the mental health needs of PHW and related professionals is critical. As such, the purpose of this study is to …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Healthcare Competency Training Delivery Methods, Vanessa Jennings

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Decades of research express the need to strengthen the trust between minority groups and the healthcare system through addressing and reducing cross-cultural miscommunication. Though Central Coast VNA and Hospice is a well-established organization, the rate at which underrepresented individuals (i.e., LatinX, Asian, African American, Pacific Islander) access their services is low. Issues contributing to the low number of underrepresented individuals include language barriers, a poorly structured system, and a lack of cultural competency training among the staff. The result is an underserved population, a failure to meet the agency’s mission, and a perpetuation of systemic racism. To address this problem, …

The Distribution Of Opioid Settlement Funds In Northeast Tennessee, Amani Patel

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Opioid Use Disorder is defined by the NIH as “the chronic use of opioids that causes

clinically significant distress or impairment.”1 Due to a number of factors, the overuse of opioids has become an epidemic in the United States. In recent years there have been a number of lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies and other parties who have benefitted from the proliferation of this issue. In most cases, it is up to the states or local governments who receive these funds to determine their best use. The purpose of this Thesis is to analyze the resources recommended by Ballad Health’s Community …

Covid-19 In Tennessee: Lessons Learned And A Tool For The Future, Allen Archer, Randy Wykoff, Megan Quinn

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: In late 2019, the SARS-CoV-2 virus was identified in Wuhan, China. Within a matter of weeks, the virus spread to the United States and many other countries around the world. By March 5, 2020, the first case of COVID-19 (the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus) was identified in the state of Tennessee, and the first known COVID-19 associated death in the state followed on March 20, 2020. In 2020 alone, there were 514,922 confirmed cases and 6,760 COVID-19 attributed deaths in the state of Tennessee. It is important to understand, however, that confirmed COVID-19 deaths do not accurately …

Covid-19 Vaccine Uptake Among College Students, Erin Hoening, Elizabeth Morse, David Phillippi, Krystal Huesmann

DNP Scholarly Projects

Background: Public health strategies to improve COVID-19 vaccine uptake among college students living in residential communities varied, some universities opted to mandate COVID-19 vaccines while other universities opted to promote and influence the choice for vaccination.

Purpose: This descriptive, cross-sectional study examined the voluntary uptake of COVID-19 vaccines among residential students on a college campus in the southeastern U.S. that elected an evidence-driven health promotion strategy that included strong health promotion messaging coupled with coordinated efforts to make the vaccine accessible and appealing to students on campus.

Methods: Analysis of vaccine uptake was derived from campus electronic health records during …