Psychology Commons^™

Psychological Stress And High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein Levels In Overweight And Obese Men, Olivia L. Moses

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background and Purpose. High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), a measure of inflammatory response, is now considered an independent marker for coronary heart disease. Psychological stress also affects the immune system and influences the inflammatory response. Ladwig, et al (2003) found a significant positive association between hs-CRP levels and depression (F=4.9, p^.008) in 726 obese males, even after adjusting for smoking, high blood pressure and age. This study investigated if there was a similar association between increased hs-CRP levels and psychological stress in overweight and obese males.

Method. Sixty-one overweight (n=28) or obese (n= 33) males, ages 20-35, were recmited …

Infant Heart Transplant: Perioperative Indicators Of Neurocognitive Development, Joy Michelle Gardner

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Approximately five to eight births per 1000 in the United States are born with a congenital heart defect (Limperopoulos et al, 1999), the primary defect in 57% is hypoplastic left heart syndrome (Johnston, 1991). A fatal disease twenty years ago, survival has jumped from less than 5% to 91% of infants surviving their one-month birthday due to advances in palliative and transplant procedures (Razzouk et al, 1996). Unfortunately, the decrease in mortality has been unmatched by a decrease in morbidity, which continues to be a major risk factor when undergoing deep hypothermia (du Plessis, 2000). While neurodevelopmental and cognitive dysfunction …

Confirming The Factor Structure Of The Quality Of Life Rating, Charles John Drake Iii

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The Quality of Life Rating (Gust, 1982) (QOLR) is a clinically developed 20-item self-report instrument that has been used in spinal cord and traumatic brain injury rehabilitation clinics as well as clinical mental health environments. This current study tested a five-factor model (Huebner et al., 1998) of the QOLR using the confirmatory factor analysis method. Huebner et al.’s (1998) five extracted factors were labeled as: self-esteem and well-being, interpersonal attachment, economics or basic needs, recreation/leisure, and spirituality. For the present study, 230 completed QOLR’s collected from adults at intake of an outpatient psychological services clinic in the Southwestern United States …

Pediatric Amputations: Ptsd, Behavioral Tendencies And Quality Of Life, Adriana Macias Chamorro

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The present study examined children and adolescents between 11-18 years of age who had experienced traumatic amputations due to an acute physical injury (burns, severing, and crushing accidents). In order to account for variance which may have impacted the results of the study, evaluations were conducted between a group of children/adolescents with amputations and a comparison group of children/adolescents who had been hospitalized due to a non-head injury, non-death motor vehicle accident. The goal of this study was to assess symptoms of PTSD, provide a description of the internalized and externalized behaviors, and examine the quality of life (QOL)(health habits, …

Cultural And Psychological Influences On Diabetic Adherence, Keikilani Mcmillin-Williams

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Diabetes mellitus is a serious disease that poses a particular healthcare challenge because progression is considered controllable (Cox, et al, 1985; Vinicor, et al, 1996) yet treatment adherence, and thus outcome, is very poor (Gonder-Frederick, Cox, & Ritterband, 2002; Goodall, 1991). Culture is a lethal risk factor for diabetic contraction and treatment maintenance. Latinos within the United States are two-to-three times more likely to develop complications and die than non-Latinos (Haffner et al, 1996; Rubin, Peyrot, & Saudek, 1991) and are less likely to adhere to treatment (Lipton, Losey, Giachello, Mendez, & Girotti, 1998). Efforts to eliminate health disparities have …

Comparative Perceived Breast Cancer Risk Before And After An Intervention, Constance F. Welebir

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Breast cancer screening has the potential of early detection, more effective treatment, and possible arrest of certain breast cancers, yet many women do not adhere to screening guidelines. With research showing that people use social comparison while making risk judgments, often holding optimistically biased beliefs about their health, women who maintain an optimism bias about their breast cancer risk may not practice routine breast cancer surveillance. Therefore, effective interventions designed to inform women of their breast cancer risks and to encourage adherence to breast cancer screening guidelines are necessary. This study investigated the role that social comparison plays in risk …

The Role Of Diet And Physical Activity For Ovarian Cancer Results From The Adventist Health Study, Fatemeh Kiani

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

A few aspects of the epidemiology of ovarian cancer are well understood, such as the inverse relationship with parity and oral contraceptive (OC) use. The role of other factors such as the potential influence of diet or physical activity is far from being established. A few studies, however, have been able to identify dietary risk factors for ovarian cancer. In this dissertation, I have conducted two studies that investigate the relationship between dietary factors and physical activity and the three endpoints: 1) nonfatal ovarian cancer (1976-1982; time to diagnosis), 2) fatal ovarian cancer (1976-1988; time to death), and 3) total …

The Effect Of The Cooper Wellness Program In Promoting Long- Term Lifestyle Behavior Changes, Ernesto P. S. Medina Jr.

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Most research on health behavior change programs examines their effectiveness in producing initial behavior changes, but fails to evaluate long-term maintenance of those changes. This study examined the effectiveness of the Cooper Wellness Program (CWP) in Dallas, Texas, in promoting maintenance of lifestyle behavior changes for one year or longer in the areas of diet, exercise, and stress management.

The CWP offers an intensive live-in lifestyle behavior modification program in four-, seven-, or 13-day formats. Data were collected from 223 individuals who attended the CWP between January, 1989, to February, 1992. The study addressed the following areas: 1) long-term maintenance …

Shared Responsibility For Medication Use : An Experiment, Marjorie Tessner

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Medication adherence is an important part of effective therapy for gastrointestinal disease. Theory has suggested that the more involved the individual is in their care the more adherent they will be to their medication regime. However, such management is often complicated by patient psychological factors, health beliefs, self-efficacy, and lack of knowledge about medication.

In this experimental study of the impact of shared responsibility for medication use: an experiment, 60 patients from four ethnic groups were randomly assigned to three groups of 20 each: 1) routine discharge medication group, 2) formal education group, and 3) self medication and shared responsibility …

Religious Commitment As A Predictor Of Health Behavior And Health Status In A Selected Population, Donald George King

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Religious beliefs and behaviors are multidimensional and they profoundly determine the ways we respond to health and illness, suffering and death. Researchers have designed numerous scales to measure different dimensions of religious commitment, beliefs and behaviors. A thorough review of the literature has shown general relationships between religion and health, but no researcher has developed an instrument measuring dimensions of religious commitment specifically relevant to health behaviors.

In this study, scale items were developed to measure three dimensions of religious beliefs thought by Kenneth Vaux (1976) to be related to health behavior--purity of life, peace in existence, and belief in …

Smoking Behavior Among Alabama Student Nurses : The Role Of Behavioral Beliefs And Normative Referencing, Judith Rausch

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine predictors of smoking behavior for the senior student nurses in the state of Alabama using Ajzen and Fishbein's Theory of Reasoned Action. Smoking prevalence by level of educational preparation and selected health behaviors were examined for relationship to cigarette use.

A sample of 11 schools of nursing were selected from Alabama's 34, using a random numbers table. There were 13 total programs as two of the schools had both A.D. and B.S. nursing programs. Thirty-two percent (N=555) of senior A.D., B.S. & diploma students nurses in Alabama responded to an 87 item …

The Effect Of Self-Help Support Groups On Self Esteem And Blood Glucose In Young Insulin-Dependent Diabetics, Linda L. Woertz

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Successful adaptation to diabetes is probably a function of many factors: the stress involved, the rewards, the motivation of the individual, and the self concept. The more optimal the self concept the more optimal the behavior may be. By helping the patient shape a positive self concept, a base can be built for blood glucose control (Bruhn, 1977, pp. 93-97). One method of improving self concept or self esteem may be through the development of self-help support groups for diabetics.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of self-help support group intervention on the levels of self …

A Comparison Of Self-Esteem And Health Locus Of Control In Adolescents With Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus, Janice Mace

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This study was a descriptive survey establishing a baseline level of self-esteem and health locus of control in insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) adolescents. The purpose of the research was to study and describe health behaviors of IDDM adolescents in regards to self-concept and health locus of control. These behaviors are believed to have life-long ramifications on the IDDM adolescent's health status.

The sample consisted of 91 IDDM adolescents, 34 male and 57 female, in a nonrandom convenience cluster attending a 10-day summer camp.

Null hypothesis one was: Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus would make no difference at the .05 level …

The Effect Of Individual Instruction Versus Group Instruction On Compliance In C.O.P.D. Patients, Renee L. Hills

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Because of the evolution of hospitals from general care to acute care centers, the need for more outpatient therapy programs had increased in an effort to aid patients in managing their health care at home. As a result, health care professionals were concerned with the extent to which patients would follow their medication and treatment programs. Marston estimated that approximately 30 to 35 percent of patients fail to follow their physicians' medical recommendations (Marston, 1970).

Discovering a means of insuring patient compliance was a prevalent concern in the nursing and medical professions. Previously we had attempted to blame noncompliance on …

Depression And Non-Responsive Behavior Displayed By Low Socio-Economic Latino Mothers In An Urban Child And Youth Clinic, Raquél María Aguayo

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

During the researcher's experience as a public health nurse, she became aware of two types of depressed women. The first type is the withdrawn, weeping, self-isolating woman while the second type cited numerous physical complaints which prevented her from caring for her home and children. Both exhibited non-responsive behavior to her children's needs.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not low socio-economic latino mothers displaying non-responsive behavior had levels of depression different than low socio-economic latino mothers displaying responsive behavior.

Non-responsive behavior Is defined as an inability to utilize clinic services appropriately for health by exhibiting …

The Relationship Of Locus Of Control Of The Diabetic Patient And Compliance With Medical Regimen, Lois Daniel

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The literature indicates that many diabetic patients do not adhere to their prescribed medical regimen and that there is a need to discover factors that stimulate compliant behavior. It has been proposed that the patient's decision to accept or reject treatment has many determinants. This study explored the effect of one such determinant, the locus of control (the source of the stimulus for a person's behavior). It was hypothesized that a person with an internal locus (one who believes his actions influence his future) would be more likely to comply with a medical regimen than one with an external locus …

Two Emotional Factors And Weight Loss Among Females Attending A Weight Control Class, Karen Lynn Carrigg, Eileen Rae Wangerin

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

A descriptive study was conducted on twenty-four females attending a weight control class to discover the effect of weight loss upon levels of self-esteem and anxiety, as an understanding of the relation of these factors to reduction and control of weight would prove helpful to community health nurses in counseling with overweight and obese persons in the community.

The entire sample was tested for self-esteem (TSCS) and A-State and A-Trait anxiety levels at the initial class of the weight control program sponsored by the Health Education Department of Loma Linda University Medical Center, and again after seven weeks of class …

Effects Of Music Therapy And Personal Interaction On The Preoperative Patient, Phyllis Jean Nix

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This study was conducted to discover the effects of (1) an interpersonal relationship and (2) an interpersonal relationship and music therapy on preoperative patients in a selected hospital.

The descriptive survey was chosen as the method of study. A checklist and a tape recording of selected music were used as a tool of research. Two groups of preoperative patients were given nursing care by the researcher. Patients in Group One received care with an aim toward developing an interpersonal relationship, while patients in Group Two received the same as Group One with the addition of music therapy.

Findings revealed a …