Digital Commons Network^™

Sleep Duration Is Associated With Caudate Volume And Executive Function, Nicole Jones

Honors Theses

The ineligible role of the caudate nucleus in sleep has been implicated throughout multiple scientific studies. Previous literature has shown that greater caudate volume is associated with longer habitual sleep duration in older adults- ranging from 55 years of age and up. However, the association between sleep duration and caudate volume remains unknown in the younger population. In this study, we examined the caudate volume in youth to older adults (10 to 85 years old) with a greater sample size (N=464) to increase statistical power. The volumetric size of the caudate nucleus showed significantly positive association with habitual sleep duration, …

Evaluation Of The Train 2 Run Program At The Joplin Va Community Based Outpatient Clinic (Cboc), Jenifer Webb

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Project

THE EVALUATION OF A TRAIN 2 RUN PROGRAM AT THE JOPLIN VA CLINIC

An Abstract of the Scholarly Project

by Jenifer Webb, MSN, RN, FNP-C

The purpose of this project is to evaluate the effectiveness and satisfaction levels of participants in the Train 2 Run program that was started at the Joplin VA in Joplin, MO. The program was from May 3, 2022, to October 8, 2022, for a total of 5 months. The participants for this study were selected from the patients, family members, and staff who participated in the Train 2 Run program for a minimum of six …

Sensor-Controlled Digital Game For Heart Failure Self-Management: Protocol For A Randomized Controlled Trial, Kavita Radhakrishnan, Christine Julien, Matthew O'Hair, Rachel Tunis, Grace Lee, Angelica Rangel, James Custer, Tom Baranowski, Paul J Rathouz, Miyong T Kim

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) is the leading cause of hospitalization among older adults in the United States. There are substantial racial and geographic disparities in HF outcomes, with patients living in southern US states having a mortality rate 69% higher than the national average. Self-management behaviors, particularly daily weight monitoring and physical activity, are extremely important in improving HF outcomes; however, patients typically have particularly low adherence to these behaviors. With the rise of digital technologies to improve health outcomes and motivate health behaviors, sensor-controlled digital games (SCDGs) have become a promising approach. SCDGs, which leverage sensor-connected technologies, offer the …

Implementing The Timed Up And Go Test To Prevent Falls, Shamika Allen

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Falls are the most reported injury within the geriatric population. Behavioral health patients have the most injurious falls, with falls impacting multiple things such as staffing, cost, injury, and quality of life for the patient (Ocker et al., 2020). Currently, the standardized fall assessment for new patients upon admission is the Morse Fall Scale (MFS). This fall assessment was intended to assess the level of fall risk for patients who are on an acute medical floor during their hospital stay. The Timed Up and Go test (TUG) is a fall assessment that has been used in geriatric patients to assess …

Introduction Of A Spinal Care Pathway Triage Protocol In The Secondary Care Setting, Tonicia I. Boston

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Back pain is considered the leading cause of disability worldwide. Providing effective multidisciplinary care for clients with chronic back pain (CBP) has been an ongoing issue globally. Improper care management of CBP creates personal, economic, and societal burdens that significantly affect patients, their families, and the healthcare system. Purpose: This quality improvement project aimed to successfully integrate a spinal care pathway (SCP) electronic decision support tool (e-tool) into a multidisciplinary spinal care program, to improve providers’ satisfaction with care delivery and their satisfaction with CBP patient outcomes. Methods: This DNP project used an evidence-based quality improvement (EBQI) design to …

Caretaker Burnout In Nj In Response To The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Study Focusing On Quality Of Life, Challenges And Coping Strategies., Abdullah Junayed, Joanna Petrides

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

There is a scarcity of literature regarding caretaker burnout in response to Covid-19, however one cross section survey study in Italy explored the perceived burden of caretakers of patients with Alzheimer’s disease during the pandemic.1 Maria G. Maggio et al showed that an increase in caregiver burden allowed for a deterioration in personal health conditions causing an increase in perceived stress levels. 1 Along with impaired management of stress and low quality of life, many caretakers were found to utilize avoidance strategies.1 However, the authors pointed out that the dysfunctional coping strategies did not affect stress levels and this study …

Extravasated Brain-Reactive Autoantibodies Perturb Neuronal Surface Protein Expression In Alzheimer's Pathology, Wardah Bajwa, Mary Kosciuk, Randel L. Swanson, Anuradha Krishnan, Venkat Venkataraman, Robert Nagele, Nimish Acharya

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: Increased blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability is reported in both the neuropathological and in vivo studies in both Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and age matched cognitively normal, no cognitive impairment (NCI), subjects. Impaired BBB allows various vascular components such as immunoglobulin G (IgG) to extravasate into the brain and specifically bind to various neuronal surface proteins (NSP), also known as brain reactive autoantibodies (BrABs). This interaction is predicted to further enhance deposition of amyloid plaques.

Hypothesis: Interaction between extravasated BrABs and its cognate NSPs lower the expression of that NSPs in AD patients.

Methods: We selected Western blotting technique to study …

Tele-Sim For Nurse Practitioner Clinical Education: An Online, Real-Time, Educational Innovation Using Simulation And Telehealth For Learning Physical Assessment Skills, Kat Tremblay

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Translational and Clinical Research Projects

Background: Increasing numbers of nurse practitioner (NP) educational programs are being offered online, with little or no face-to-face contact among students and instructors. Students express lack of confidence in their physical examination skills and want live instructor demonstrations, observed practice, and real-time feedback from their clinical instructors.

Significance: NP students need to acquire physical examination skills to increase competency in assessing patients for enhanced clinical judgment and improved patient outcomes.

Purpose/Aims: to improve and measure the competency and confidence in the performance of advanced physical assessment skills of NP students in an advanced health assessment (AHA) clinical course with an …

Association Of Mitochondrial Dna Copy Number With Brain Mri Markers And Cognitive Function: A Meta-Analysis Of Community-Based Cohorts, Yuankai Zhang, Xue Liu, Kerri L Wiggins, Nuzulul Kurniansyah, Xiuqing Guo, Amanda L Rodrigue, Wei Zhao, Lisa R Yanek, Scott M Ratliff, Achilleas Pitsillides, Juan Sebastian Aguirre Patiño, Tamar Sofer, Dan E Arking, Thomas R Austin, Alexa S Beiser, John Blangero, Eric Boerwinkle, Jan Bressler, Joanne E Curran, Lifang Hou, Timothy M Hughes, Sharon L R Kardia, Lenore J Launer, Daniel Levy, Thomas H Mosley, Ilya M Nasrallah, Stephen S Rich, Jerome I Rotter, Sudha Seshadri, Wassim Tarraf, Kevin A González, Vasan Ramachandran, Kristine Yaffe, Paul A Nyquist, Bruce M Psaty, Charles S Decarli, Jennifer A Smith, David C Glahn, Hector M González, Joshua C Bis, Myriam Fornage, Susan R Heckbert, Annette L Fitzpatrick, Chunyu Liu, Claudia L Satizabal

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Previous studies suggest that lower mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number (CN) is associated with neurodegenerative diseases. However, whether mtDNA CN in whole blood is related to endophenotypes of Alzheimer disease (AD) and AD-related dementia (AD/ADRD) needs further investigation. We assessed the association of mtDNA CN with cognitive function and MRI measures in community-based samples of middle-aged to older adults.

METHODS: We included dementia-free participants from 9 diverse community-based cohorts with whole-genome sequencing in the Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine (TOPMed) program. Circulating mtDNA CN was estimated as twice the ratio of the average coverage of mtDNA to nuclear …

An Investigation Of Resistance Training Behavior, Non-Specific Psychological Distress, And Perceived Barriers To Resistance Training In Self-Identifying Female Undergraduate Students, Jody Sobel

Master's Theses

The prevalence and severity of depression symptoms amongst college students, specifically female identifying undergraduate students, is worrisome. There is a great deal of research that suggests a relationship between exercise, specifically resistance training (RT), and mental health. That said, current literature suggests that many female identifying students are not engaging due to perceived barriers. This, perhaps because of the plethora of barriers one can perceive. The purpose of this study was multifold 1) to examine the prevalence and severity of non-specific psychological distress; 2) to determine if there were differences between Kessler 6 Non-Specific Psychological Distress Scale (K6) categories (i.e., …

Nicotinamide Riboside And Beta-Hydroxybutyrate Activate Parallel Pathways For C. Elegans Lifespan Extension, Mckenzie Peters

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Supplementation with nicotinamide riboside (NR), a form of vitamin B3 and a precursor of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺) extends lifespan in the nematode C. elegans and delays aging-related pathologies in mammals. During aging, levels of NAD⁺ decline causing metabolic dysfunction and oxidative damage. Studies in C. elegans found that when NR was administered during larval development it induced the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPR^mt), which is frequently associated with lifespan extension. Both calorie restriction (CR) and ketogenic diets (KD) have been shown to extend lifespan, in part through increasing NAD⁺ and through increasing levels …

Medication Safety In Community-Dwelling Older Adults, Fatoumata Jallow

Nursing Dissertations - Archive

This article-based thesis comprises two manuscripts on medication safety strategies in community-dwelling older adults. A phenomenological method was used to conduct semi-structured interviews with 28 community-dwelling older adults over 65 years who took five or more prescription medications daily. Caregivers were encouraged to participate in interviews. The objective of the first manuscript was to explore the roles of patients, pharmacists, and providers in medication safety from the perspective of community-dwelling older adults. Inductive thematic analysis revealed six themes indicating varying perceived roles of medication safety by older adults. In addition, results show that the provider and pharmacist roles overlap but …

A Systematic Literature Review On Long-Term Care Quality Improvement Initiatives In The United States, Daisy D. Pang

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

As the number of people 65 and older increases due to the baby boomer population, there will be a greater demand for long-term care (LTC) services. Quality improvement in LTC is essential to ensure positive health outcomes, patient satisfaction, and reduction in healthcare costs. The purpose of this systematic literature review is to identify the current quality initiatives for LTC in the United States and evaluate the outcomes, effects, and values of each quality initiative identified to support the claim that current the quality initiatives have a limited effect on quality improvement in LTC settings. The Preferred Reporting Items for …

Social Media And Wellbeing, Aditya Adsule

Honors College Theses

This psychology thesis paper investigates the existing body of scientific literature surrounding the effects of social media on the wellbeing of adolescents and adults ages 18-29. The current body of scientific literature supports the overall finding that social media has a negative impact not only on mental health, but on physical health. There are also key findings showing the impact of social media on other facets of life such as sleep patterns, social interactions, and physical activity. Current intervention therapies need to be revisited and the DSM categorization of social media addiction needs to be investigated further.

Education, Beliefs, And Health Literacy Of Care Providers On Mouth Care Of Older Adults, Molly Lakin

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Oral health is important to one’s overall health and quality of life as it can lead to chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, and neurodegenerative disorders (Haumschild et al. 2021). In long-term care facilities, it is important that dependent older adults are provided mouth care to maintain their oral health and decrease their chances of developing a chronic illness; however, there are barriers affecting the level, quality, and quantity of mouth care being provided in these facilities. A survey was developed to look at the education, beliefs, and health literacy of care providers on providing mouth care in hopes …

Obstacle Crossing In Healthy Young And Older Individuals, Hope M. Hanson, Ashlyn M. Jendro, Abigail C. Schmitt

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Introduction: In the United States, the average population age is rising and will continue to increase in the coming years.With an older population comes increased risk of injury associated with falls. Falls are considered a leading cause of injury and death in older individuals, and many falls are caused by body imbalance or obstacle collision due to a clearly visible stationary object (e.g., rug, chair, branch). Older adults tend to cross obstacles with increased toe clearance in order to prevent tripping, but much of what is known about obstacle crossing in older adults is limited to artificial obstacles that are …

Addressing The Needs Of Parkinson’S Disease Care Partners, Jenna Wall

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease that can affect all aspects of life, requiring individuals with this condition to require support from a care partner. The extensive support PD care partners provide impacts their health and well-being resulting in an increased prevalence of negative health outcomes. Furthermore, these care partners do not receive adequate support which only compiles the effect of caregiving. The main goals of this capstone project were the development and implementation of a 4-week PD care partner support protocol, the creation of an electronic resource, and improving community awareness about PD and PD care partner needs. …

The Relationships Among Proprioception, Balance, And Cognitive Perception Of Body Awareness In College Students, Courtney Helmick

Honors College Theses

Introduction: Proprioception is an important physiological function that is essential for activities of daily living as well as exercise and sport performance. Integration of proprioceptive signals plays a key role in both static and dynamic balance. Previously, researchers have assessed the relationship between balance and proprioception, however, the effect of cognitive perception of body awareness has not previously been included in this research. The aim of this pilot study was to explore the relationships among lower extremity proprioception, dynamic balance, and cognitive perception of body awareness in college students.

Methods: Nineteen apparently healthy college students (age 21.26 ± 1.10 years, …

The Impact Of Low Appendicular Skeletal Muscle Mass In The Development Of Insulin Resistance And Metabolic Syndrome: A Systematic Review Of The Literature, Ella Boston

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Chronic conditions are the leading cause of death and disability. More specifically, cardio-metabolic disease is the number one cause of death worldwide. The tragedy and burden of disease is unrefuted; even more so, evidence indicates that realistic modifications of lifestyle can prevent most chronic disease. Metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance are leading risk factors in the development of cardio-metabolic disease. Presently, chronic disease is treated through symptomatic evaluation of risk. Reframing the lens of care through root cause evaluation is fundamental to optimizing patient outcomes. The purpose of this systematic review is to synthesize literature evaluating the impact of low …

The Psychometric Properties Of The Modified Fear Of Falling Avoidance Behavior Questionnaire In Parkinson’S Disease And Older Adults, Billy La, Arturo Aldaco, Ashley Haller

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background/purpose: The Fear of Falling Avoidance Behavior Questionnaire (FFABQ), developed in 2011 to measure fear of falling avoidance behavior, has good evidence for reliability and validity. However, a recently modified version (mFFABQ) is theorized to be easier to understand for those completing the questionnaire because the Likert responses are more logical in completing the item stem. The purpose of this study was to examine the test-retest reliability and construct validity of the mFFABQ in adults with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and older adults aged 60-90 years. Methods: Thirty-nine participants (age 72.21 ± 9.5; 29 men, 10 women) diagnosed with PD (diagnosis …

Stepping On - Virtual Fall Prevention For Older Adults, Sean Conners, Tyler Greener, Kaitlyn Johnson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Three student learners in a doctoral physical therapy program completed a service-based learning project dedicated to reducing falls in the elderly. The program, called Stepping On, is a fall prevention initiative supported by the Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging (WIHA) whose goal is to identify risk factors for falls in the older population and provide exercises and recommendations to reduce falls. The eleven volunteer participants in this student learners’ Stepping On program completed online fall prevention classes and provided feedback at the completion of the program. Participants reported being more conscientious while walking and noted improved balance and flexibility.

Evaluation Of A Care Management Program On Family Caregivers Of Persons With Dementia, Victoria L. Jackson

Doctoral Projects

Dementia due to Alzheimer’s and other disease is a growing concern for healthcare providers as the number of individuals in the U.S. population ages. Persons with dementia (PWDs) rely on caregivers, primarily family caregivers (FCGs), for basic and instrumental activities of daily living as the disease progresses. There may be negative outcomes, such as depression, strain, and distress for FCGs of PWDs. Routine assessment and intervention by healthcare providers can address needs of FCGs of PWDs. There are multiple interventions that have demonstrated effectiveness in caring for PWDs and FCGs; one such intervention is care management. The University of California, …

Effects Of Time Restricted Feeding And Whey Protein Isolate Supplementation On Dietary Intake, Mood, And Sleep In A 12-Week Randomized Controlled Trial, Sydney Boudrey

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: Obesity is a quickly growing epidemic that is affecting adults in the United States leading to many chronic diseases and reduced well-being. Time Restricted Feeding (TRF) is type of dietary intervention that is gaining popularity among adults for weight loss. However, current data is lacking regarding the effectiveness of TRF on facets of well-being such as sleep and mood. Moreover, to our knowledge protein supplementation in conjunction with TRF has yet to be studied. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of time restricted feeding supplemented with whey protein isolate on food intake, sleep, and mood, …

Recognizing Barriers In The Elderly Population And Increasing Access To Case Management Services, Loveleena Alex

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Abstract

Implementing case management can lead to fewer hospitalizations in the elderly population. Barriers influencing the number of hospitalizations include low socioeconomic status, transportation needs, health literacy, financial strain, multiple comorbidities, underserved populations, medication availability, availability of community resources, and access to primary care. A review of the available literature revealed that by addressing these barriers in a primary care setting and implementing case management, the number of hospitalizations can be decreased and the quality of life in the elderly population can be improved. This quality improvement project implemented a screening and referral process for chronic care management in the …

Ots Delivering Culturally Sensitive Care For Dementia Family Caregivers From Diverse Backgrounds, Abraham Lai, Lucy Palacios Mendez, Darren Sarmiento

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

As occupational therapists, addressing key cultural barriers that may obstruct access to dementia care and education for individuals with dementia and their caregivers from diverse backgrounds is a priority for client-centered care. Stress, racial discrimination, and distrust may exacerbate symptoms and prevalence of dementia in certain populations, such as Chinese- Americans and Latinx (Quinones et al. 2020). Immigrants’ experiences of aging and health are diverse due to belonging to different socioeconomic, ethnic, cultural, and linguistic groups and having varying levels of education and work experience (R. S. 2020). There are existing cultural differences regarding caregiving and family networks, perception and …

Evidence-Based Approaches To Lowering Uti Rates In Skilled Nursing Facilities: A Review Of The Literature And Application To A Local Skilled Nursing Home, Hailey Griffin

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The purpose of this paper may be divided into two parts. The first part was a literature review that sought to determine the most common risk factors for developing a urinary tract infection in nursing homes, as well as to identify evidence-based practice interventions for decreasing UTI rates within that specific patient population. The second part consisted of a case study that sought to apply the principles gathered from the literature review to the UTI logs of a deidentified local nursing home. It was found that indwelling urinary catheters and age are the two most common precipitating risk factors for …

Effects Of A 12-Week Remote Exercise Program On Balance In Adults With Down Syndrome, Kayla Kotake, Sherwin Cadiao, Nicole Kaes, Jayston Prudencio

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Purpose/Hypothesis Individuals with Down syndrome (Ds) tend to have deficits in balance and postural control, which negatively affects their ability to perform physical activities safely and independently. Previous research has shown that exercise can improve balance in people with Ds, however, most studies looked at balance in children with Ds. As the average life expectancy for people with Ds has increased, there is a need for research investigating balance in adults with Ds. Also, there is a need to increase exercise opportunities (eg, remote exercise programs) for adults with Ds, as physical inactivity and sedentary behavior are prevalent among individuals …

The Effects Of Telehealth On Access To Palliative Care In Rural Communities, Ryleigh Hanson

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Patients with serious and life-limiting illnesses are in need of palliative care which allows for both the patient and their family to learn how to live a relatively quality life in spite of their illness. Current access to palliative care is limited to urban areas leaving those in rural communities to face their illness without proper care. To understand why these limitations exist and to determine possible solutions, several articles were analyzed that focused on the benefits and stigmas of palliative care, why rural communities struggle to gain access to palliative care, and if telehealth is a possible solution to …

Promoting Early Detection In Primary Care: Program Evaluation Of The Dementia Care Aware Program In Orange County, Ennah Cabading

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The aging population is growing quickly, raising concerns about the increasing numbers of those with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, as age is the common risk factor for acquiring the disease. The increase in the elderly population may influence higher healthcare costs and the need for more healthcare professionals like primary care professionals. However, primary care professionals face challenges meeting this population's demands due to the lack of training, confidence, and understanding of dementia care. A new California initiative called Dementia Care Aware aims to support primary care professionals by offering training, tools, and resources to increase early detection and …

Prefrontal Activation During Inhibition Of A Balance Recovery Step, Ezinne Abugu

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The ability to quickly step is an important strategy to avoid a fall. However, real-world settings often constrain a stepping path. Such constraints necessitate response inhibition to prevent an inappropriate step and select a new course of action to ultimately recover balance. The present study investigated neural mechanisms that underlie this ability to stop a highly automatic balance recovery step. In the field of cognitive neuroscience, response inhibition has typically been researched using focal hand reaction tasks performed by seated participants. This approach combined with neuroimaging has revealed a neural stopping network, which includes the right Inferior Frontal Gyrus (right …