Digital Commons Network^™

Development Of Psychometrically Equivalent Speech Recognition Threshold Materials For Native Speakers Of Samoan, Jennifer Lane Newman

Theses and Dissertations

The speech recognition threshold (SRT) is an important measure, as it validates the pure-tone average (PTA), assists in the diagnosis and prognosis of hearing impairments, and aids in the identification of non-organic hearing impairments. Research has shown that in order for SRT testing to yield valid and reliable measures, testing needs to be performed in the patient's native language. There are currently no published materials for SRT testing in the Samoan language. As a result, audiologists are testing patients with English materials or other materials not of the patient's native language. Results produced from this manner of testing are confounded …

Assessing Community Health Center (Chc) Assets And Capabilities For Recruiting And Retaining Physicians: The Chc Community Apgar Questionnaire, David Schmitz, Ed Baker, Ayaka Nukui, Benjamin Tverdy

Public and Population Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Community factors play a key role in the recruitment and retention of physicians. While prior workforce studies often investigated characteristics of the candidate-physician, the initial Critical Access Hospital Community Apgar Questionnaire (CAH CAQ) study identified community factors at critical access hospitals which help determine the success of achieving and maintaining an adequate local physician workforce. The goals of the current study are to identify opportunities for improvement in physician retention and recruitment in Idaho’s Community Health Center (CHC) systems and to develop a better understanding of the community factors in this dynamic process.

Peripheral Arterial Disease In Hiv Positive And Negative Subjects At The Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi, Farida Kaittany

Master of Medicine in Internal Medicine

Aim: To determine the prevalence of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) amongst HIV positive patients and HIV negative subjects and associated risk factors at Aga Khan Hospital Nairobi Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study Patients and Setting: A group of 125 HIV positive and 120 HIV negative subjects aged between 40 – 70 years were included in the study. HIV negative subjects were sampled from HIV positive patients attending the HIV outpatient clinic while HIV negative subjects were sampled from blood donor unit at theAga KhanUniversityHospital. Methodology: Two separate convenient samples were selected for the study. The first sample was a group of …

Keeping Health Insurance After A Job Loss: Cobra Continuation Coverage And Subsidies, Kathryn Linehan

National Health Policy Forum

Many Americans under 65 have health insurance through an employer. Beginning in 1985, a federal law known as COBRA required that eligible workers and their dependents have the option to continue employer-based group health coverage when employment is terminated. Because premiums for COBRA coverage can be very expensive, the 111th Congress included provisions in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (and subsequent legislation) to temporarily subsidize premiums for those who have lost their jobs since September 2008. This issue brief outlines the eligibility rules for COBRA as well as the current COBRA subsidies. It also discusses the possible …

The Climatic Niche Diversity Of Malagasy Primates: A Phylogenetic Perspective, Jason M. Kamilar, Kathleen M. Muldoon

Dartmouth Scholarship

Background:

Numerous researchers have posited that there should be a strong negative relationship between the evolutionary distance among species and their ecological similarity. Alternative evidence suggests that members of adaptive radiations should display no relationship between divergence time and ecological similarity because rapid evolution results in near-simultaneous speciation early in the clade's history. In this paper, we performed the first investigation of ecological diversity in a phylogenetic context using a mammalian adaptive radiation, the Malagasy primates.

Methodology/Principal Findings:

We collected data for 43 extant species including: 1) 1064 species by locality samples, 2) GIS climate data for each sampling locality, …

Health Care Shortage Designations: Hpsa, Mua, And Tbd, Eileen Salinsky

National Health Policy Forum

A wide variety of federal programs designed to improve access to health care services rely on specific criteria to designate areas and populations eligible for funding and other types of aid. Two related yet distinct designations, the Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) and the Medically Underserved Area (MUA), are most commonly used to identify underserved people or places. This background paper reviews the methodologies currently utilized in these designations, identifies the federal programs that use these designations to allocate resources, describes proposals that have been advanced to consolidate and improve these designations, and discusses key issues and challenges for future …

Contact Point, Arthur A. Dugoni School Of Dentistry

Contact Point

No abstract provided.

Today - May 21, 2010, Loma Linda University

TODAY

Inside this issue:

-- University prepares for 2010 commencement ceremonies
-- LLU public relations video ream receives three Emmy nominations
-- Silent teachers honored at the willed body program memorial service
-- Children's Hospital staffers run for the money (or was it the kids?)
-- Dubious activities cloud LLU School of Medicine event
-- School of Dentistry alumna and faculty member receives Golden Key Award
-- MBA students successfully compete in annual HCE bowl
-- Interviews for Orientation for Leadership taking place in May
-- Laughter may boost appetite, Loma Linda University researchers find
-- School of Religion hosts first …

The Places Of Birth: Navigating Risk, Control, And Choice, Hannah E. Emple

Geography Honors Projects

Through qualitative research in the Twin Cities, Minnesota and a literature review grounded in health and feminist geography, this paper analyzes how women, their families, and health care providers view and navigate places of birth. Over four million births occur annually in the United States, making birth the most common reason for hospitalization of women. Although 99% of women in the U.S. give birth in hospitals, a small but vocal minority seek alternative places to birth – primarily at home. Where to give birth is a contested subject infused with social and political significance. I suggest that place is highly …

The Provision Of Mental Health Services By Rural Health Clinics, John A. Gale Ms, Stephanie L. Loux Ms, Barbara Shaw Jd, David Hartley Phd, Mha

Rural Health Clinics

The number of Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) providing specialty mental health services remains limited. This study examined changes in the delivery of mental health services by RHCs, their operational characteristics, barriers to the development of services, and policy options to encourage more RHCs to deliver mental health services. Key Findings: Approximately 6% of independent and 2% of provider-based RHCs offer mental health services by doctoral-level psychologists and/or clinical social workers. Models used to provide mental health services include contracted and/or employed clinicians housed in the same facility as primary care providers. A key element in the development of mental health …

Use Of An Animal Model To Explore Prenatal Predictors Of Insulin And Glucose Metabolism In Southwestern Alaskan Yupiit, Julie Jo Kachinski

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Compared to other North American indigenous populations, Southwest Alaskan Yupiit exhibit very low rates of type 2 diabetes despite the occurrence of common risk factors. Contemporary Yupiit obtain a substantial portion of their calories from traditional foods, which contain high amounts of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Epidemiological and experimental animal research has linked glucose and insulin homeostasis with a diet high in omega-3s. This study used an experimental animal model to explore potential diabetes protective effects (for adult offspring) of prenatal maternal nutrition modeled on traditional locally-obtained Yupiit diets. The results of this study showed that the adult offspring whose …

A Grounded Theory Approach To Faculty’S Perspective And Patterns Of Online Social Presence, Rebecca A. Cox-Davenport

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this research study was to generate a grounded theory regarding the patterns and perceptions of nursing faculty in the formation of social processes in an online course. Employing a grounded theory approach, this researcher built upon the theoretical concepts of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) model (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2000). The CoI model illustrates the inner workings of the educational experience. The model consists of three main components: social presence, teaching presence, and cognitive presence. These three elements overlap to demonstrate how each factor influences the other forms of presence. This study sought to better understand …

Enhanced Food Marketing To Children On The Internet: A Content Analysis, Sarah A. Ochsner

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In light of the continuing epidemic of childhood obesity, aggressive food marketing strategies have come under increased scrutiny as a possible contributing factor. It has been acknowledged in numerous studies, that poor nutrient quality of food and beverages dominate children's programming. The growth in child-specific media envoys has further increased favorable opportunities to market food and beverages to children, notably less regulated and parentally unsupervised. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 65% of children aged 6-11 have home access to the Internet; and today, the majority of food manufacturers operate websites appealing to children. The Institute of Medicine issued a …

Tetrahydroisoquinoline Neurotoxins In Parkinson Disease, Michael G. Decuypere

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

The goal of this dissertation work was to (1) determine the distribution of several tetrahydroisoquinoline (TIQ) derivatives in rodent, normal human and Parkinson disease (PD) brain, (2) quantify the levels of these TIQ derivatives in common food sources in an effort to link specific food intake patterns with the development of PD and (3) examine the neurotoxicity of select TIQ derivatives in human dopaminergic cell culture. The TIQs are a family of monoamine alkaloids that share structural homology with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahyrdropyridine (MPTP), can be formed from dopamine or its oxidized metabolites and may be involved in the pathogenesis of monoaminergic cell …

Influence Of Anchoring On Miscarriage Risk Perception Associated With Amniocentesis, Regina A. Nuccio

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

INFLUENCE OF ANCHORING ON MISCARRIAGE RISK PERCEPTION ASSOCIATED WITH AMNIOCENTESIS Publication No. ___________ Regina Nuccio, BS Supervisory Professor: Claire N. Singletary, MS, CGC Amniocentesis is the most common invasive procedure performed during pregnancy (Eddleman, et al., 2006). One important factor that women consider when making a decision about amniocentesis is the risk of miscarriage associated with the procedure. People use heuristics such as anchoring, the action of using a prior belief regarding the magnitude of risk as a frame of reference for new information to be synthesized, to better understand risks that they encounter in their lives. This study aimed …

T-Cell Receptor Cdr3 Sequence But Not Recognition Characteristics Distinguish Autoreactive Effector And Foxp3+ Regulatory T-Cells, Xin Liu

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Regulatory T-cells (Treg) play an important role in maintaining immune tolerance to self-antigens and in suppressing excessive immune responses in the host. The source, specificity, and plasticity of the forkhead box transcription factor 3 (Foxp3⁺) Treg and conventional T (Tconv) cell populations active at sites of autoimmune pathology are not well characterized. To evaluate this, we combined global repertoire analyses and functional assessments of isolated T-cell receptors (TCR) from TCRa retrogenic mice with autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Treg and Tconv cell TCR repertoires were distinct, and autoantigen-specific Treg and Tconv cells were enriched in diseased tissue. Autoantigen sensitivity and …

Oral Health Status Of Children In The Child Health Investment Partnership (Chip) Program, Latrice Foster

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe children’s dental disease status and functional health literacy of families enrolled in the Child Health Investment Partnership program in Roanoke Valley. Methods: This was a prospective cohort study of children (n=166) enrolled in the Child Health Investment Partnership of Roanoke Valley, Virginia (CHIP). The parents of the 166 children completed the Life Skills Progression (LSP) survey at enrollment between September 2004 and September 2008 to assess their functional health literacy levels. Their LSP scores were used to determine their subsequent health care literacy (HCL), personal health literacy (PHL), and dental-child utilization …

2010 - The Fifteenth Annual Symposium Of Student Scholars

Symposium of Student Scholars Program Books

The full program book from the Fifteenth Annual Symposium of Student Scholars, held on April 27, 2010. Includes abstracts from the presentations and posters.

The Eternal Flame: Politics Of The Olympic Games, Alyssa Gunstrom

Honors Capstones

Capstone submitted as a graduation requirement for the BSU Honors Program.

Your Attention Please: Increasing Ambient Noise Levels Elicits A Change In Communication Behaviour In Humpback Whales (Megaptera Novaeangliae), Rebecca A. Dunlop, Douglas H. Cato, Michael J. Noad

Bioacoustics Collection

High background noise is an important obstacle in successful signal detection and perception of an intended acoustic signal. To overcome this problem, many animals modify their acoustic signal by increasing the repetition rate, duration, amplitude or frequency range of the signal. An alternative method to ensure successful signal reception, yet to be tested in animals, involves the use of two different types of signal, where one signal type may enhance the other in periods of high background noise. Humpback whale communication signals comprise two different types: vocal signals, and surface-generated signals such as ‘breaching’ or ‘pectoral slapping’. We found that …

Stigma And Therapy Completion For Latent Tuberculosis Among Haitian-Origin Patients, Jeannine Coreil, Michael Lauzardo, Heather Clayton

Florida Public Health Review

A prospective cohort study of LTBI treatment conducted within the Haitian population of South Florida investigated the predictive association between illness-related stigma among patients near the beginning of treatment and completion of preventive therapy. Factors associated with perceived stigma were also investigated. Ninety patients from Broward and Palm Beach counties were administered a questionnaire that included items related to illness history, perceptions and understanding of latent tuberculosis, and a 25-item stigma scale adapted from previously developed measures of tuberculosis-related stigma. Therapy completion was determined through a follow-up chart review. Data analyses compared patients who completed therapy with those who defaulted …

Wku Scholar, Pamela Napier, Editor-In-Chief

WKU Scholar

No abstract provided.

A Gis Analysis Of The Environmental Variables Related To Rift Valley Fever Outbreaks, Jacqueline Florette Jackson

Health Services Research Dissertations

Rift Valley fever is a mosquito-borne disease that causes widespread febrile illness and mortality in domestic animals as well as humans (Gaff, 2007). Rift Valley fever virus was first isolated in 1931 (Daubney, 1931), and since then, outbreaks have occurred in sub-Saharan Africa, southern Africa, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Madagascar, proving it to be a virus able to invade ecologically diverse regions (Gaff, 2007). The potential introduction of Rift Valley fever into the United States suggests the potential for human infection and major economic disruption. It is important to understand the role environmental variables have played in historical outbreaks …

Climate Change, Environmental Justice, And Vulnerability: An Exploratory Spatial Analysis, Sacoby M. Wilson, Roland Richard, Lesley Joseph, Edith M. Williams

Faculty Publications

Research has demonstrated that vulnerable populations including disadvantaged populations of color live in areas that may place them at higher risk of exposure to social and environmental hazards. Due to climate change, these populations may experience worse health outcomes and environmental health disparities. The purpose of this project was to explore the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to assess areas that may be vulnerable to climate change across the United States. We employed ArcGIS 9.3 to create vulnerability scores for areas across the country that may be that may be impacted by climate change at the county level in …

Changing Po2licy: The Elements For Improving Childhood Asthma Outcomes, Anne Rossier Markus, Meagan Lyon, Sara J. Rosenbaum

Geiger Gibson/RCHN Community Health Foundation Research Collaborative

Childhood asthma is a serious and chronic health issue that affects one in seven U.S. children and their families, compromising their health and quality of life and placing a heavy financial burden on families as well as an enormous strain on the health care system. Treating, managing, and ultimately preventing and reducing the burden of asthma represents a critical test of the ability of the U.S. health system – health insurers, clinical care providers, and public health agencies – to work together. Our investigation found that, as a country, we already know enough to act and improve life for the …

Gis And Injury Prevention And Control: History, Challenges, And Opportunities, Nathaniel Bell, Nadine Schuurman

Faculty Publications

Intentional and unintentional injury is the leading cause of death and potential years of life lost in the first four decades of life in industrialized countries around the world. Despite surgical innovations and improved access to emergency care, research has shown that certain populations remain particularly vulnerable to the risks and consequences of injury. Recent evidence has shown that the analytical, data linkage, and mapping tools of geographic information systems (GIS) technology provide can further address these determinants and identify populations in need. This paper traces the history of injury prevention and discusses current and future challenges in furthering our …

Learning Sustainable Development: Chimeneas De La Esperanza, Miriam V. Mollan Gundersen

Social Sciences

Social inequality and environmental degradation are motivating informed young people into action and connecting impoverished regions of the world with students in more developed nations. This Social Sciences senior project is to analyze an alternative development model designed by a group of Californian university students. The project, named Chimeneas de la Esperanza, is designed to help impoverished Nicaraguan women start a ceramics business. The major hurdle of this mission is to establish a market for the ceramics product. Energy efficient ceramic stoves and smoke ventilating chimneys would benefit the community and avoid an impacted crafts market. The project encompasses ideas …

Art Therapy Support Group For Siblings Of Children With Autism, Christine Mccann Giardina

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Siblings of children with autism are at an increased risk for psychosocial and adjustment difficulties due to the extra stresses and frustrations they often experience. This qualitative, phenomenological multiple case study explored the unique experiences of siblings of children with autism in an art therapy support group. Seven 40 minute art therapy sessions, occurring approximately once per month, were implemented to address the specific concerns of siblings of children with autism. This study included three participants who agreed to share their experiences and their reactions to the sibling art therapy support group. Case reports were generated from session observations, semi-structured …

Smart Density: A More Accurate Method Of Measuring Rural Residential Density For Health-Related Research, Peter M. Owens, Linda Titus-Ernstoff, Lucinda Gibson, Michael L. Beach, Sandy Beauregard, Madeline A. Dalton

Dartmouth Scholarship

Studies involving the built environment have typically relied on US Census data to measure residential density. However, census geographic units are often unsuited to health-related research, especially in rural areas where development is clustered and discontinuous. We evaluated the accuracy of both standard census methods and alternative GIS-based methods to measure rural density.

Hepatitis D: Scenario In The Asia-Pacific Region, Z Abbas, Wasim Jafri, Sajjad Raza

Department of Medicine

Hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection is present worldwide and affects all age groups. Around 18 million people are estimated to be infected with HDV. An important trend in HDV infection is global decline. HDV prevalence has decreased significantly in Europe since the 1970s and 1980s when it was first reported. The Asia-Pacific region now seems to be where HDV is a major health concern. There is a lack of available data from most of the countries from this region, hence, the true status of HDV cannot be determined. In South Asia, most of the countries have conditions that are favorable …