Digital Commons Network^™

Implementation Of Skin-To-Skin Immediately Post C-Section: A Pilot Study, Miah Vernor

Dissertations

Skin-to-skin contact during the golden hour is a practice that has numerous health benefits following the delivery of a newborn. These benefits include a healthy transition to extrauterine state, initiation of breastfeeding, thermoregulation, and more. However, the mode of delivery affects how often this practice is done. Parents who deliver vaginally are routinely offered the opportunity to perform skin-to-skin immediately after delivery whereas birth parents who deliver by cesarean section are not always offered this same benefit due to various reasons. A quality improvement project was conducted on an 18-bed labor and delivery unit at a Midwest hospital. This project …

America Is Unprepared To Meet The Needs Of Its Growing Older Adult Population, Sierra Kaplan

Population Health Research Brief Series

In 2030, nearly 73 million Americans will be aged 65 years or older. As Americans continue to have fewer children than in the past, the number of older adults will outnumber children. Thus, fewer young adults will be around to support and care for the older adult population. Coupled with COVID-19 pandemic-driven disruptions to the healthcare industry, America’s health and aging care system is unprepared to support its large and growing older adult population. Over time, we will see increased health care scarcity and inequality in the distribution of elder care services, especially with continued healthcare worker shortages and drastic …

Which Types Of People Were Least Likely To Get The Covid-19 Vaccine?, Xue Zhang, Shannon M. Monnat

Population Health Research Brief Series

Vaccine hesitancy is a long-standing challenge that worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding the reasons behind different types of vaccine hesitancy is crucial for developing effective vaccine messaging strategies that can increase confidence in and uptake of future vaccines. This brief summarizes the findings from a study that used data from the 2022 National Wellbeing Survey on 7,612 U.S. adults aged 18-64 to identify characteristics of adults who were least likely to get the COVID-19 vaccine and the characteristics associated with different types of vaccine hesitancy. The authors considered three non-mutually exclusive types of vaccine hesitancy: 1) watchful (concerned about …

The Key Elements And Driving Paths Of Digital Empowerment For The Efficient Construction Of The Rural Medical And Health Service System: Based On 28 Cases Through Fsqca, Liqing Li, Ming Yu

Journal of Scientific Information Research

[Purpose/significance]This paper explores the linkage effect and improvement path of technology-organization-environment antecedents on the efficient construction of digital empowerment rural medical and health service system, in order to accelerate the research progress of digital construction of rural medical and health service. [Method/process]Based on the technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework and China's real-life scenarios, this paper constructs a theoretical analysis framework for the efficient construction of digital empowerment rural medical and health service system, Using the method of fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis, this paper takes the rural areas of 28 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government) in China …

Mixed-Methods Assessment Of Farmworkers’ Perceptions Of Workplace Compliance With Worker Protection Standards And Implications For Risk Perceptions And Protective Behaviors, Carly Hyland, Lisa Meierotto, Rebecca L. Som Castellano, Cynthia L. Curl

Public and Population Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introduction: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Worker Protection Standards is the primary set of legislation aimed at protecting farmworkers from occupational pesticide exposure in the United States. Previous studies suggest that worker adoption of Pesticide Protective Behaviors (PPBs) promoted by WPS is associated with lower urinary pesticide concentrations. However, adoption of PPBs is often outside of the control of individual farmworkers and dependent on workplace factors such as employer provisioning of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and access to trainings/resources.

Methods: We conducted a mixed-method study including urinary pesticide biomonitoring, surveys, and interviews with 62 Latinx farmworkers in southwestern Idaho from …

The Blessed Assembly: Irreplaceable Physical Co-Presence In Worship And Healthy Hybridity Reimagined After The Pandemic In The Digital Age, Yvette, Ying Wai Lau

Doctor of Pastoral Music Projects and Theses

Because of the unprecedented and unexpected force of the pandemic since 2020, most churches around the world have experienced some online worship during the lockdown of their cities or the mandated closure of the church buildings. For many people, online worship seems to be an equivalent, if not better, alternative for gathering together—a physical co-presence in worship—even after the pandemic has ended. As necessary and vital as online worship experiences have been for Christians during the pandemic, the witness of the church from Pentecost throughout Christian history indicates that gathered worship in physical spaces is irreplaceable for faith formation and …

Understanding Cancer Grade And Survival Disparities Among Young Adults Diagnosed With Non-Hodgkin’S Lymphoma (Nhl) Residing In South Carolina, Prema S. Bhattacharjee

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction. Previous research has shown that age and cancer grade differences must be carefully considered when developing initiatives to improve outcomes for NHL among the young adult population. The aims of this study are 1) to examine differences between low vs. high grade in NHL by race/ethnicity, healthcare insurance, and geographic factors among YAs aged 18-39 years of age in South Carolina, 2) to examine delays in the first course of cancer treatment for NHL by race/ethnicity, healthcare insurance, and county of residence (urban vs. rural) among YAs aged 18-39 years of age in South Carolina, and 3) examine differences …

Parenting Identity And Parental Mental Health In Chinese Parents In Mainland China, Zhenqiao Yang

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

In the modern context of mainland China, parents of young children face unique parenting stressors, making parental mental health during the early stages of parenting a significant public concern. Increasing awareness of the role of self-concepts in mental health underscores the importance of exploring the relationships between parenting identity concepts, parenting stress, parental mental health, and familial factors. This study aims to examine the relationship between parenting identity and parental mental health, specifically depression and anxiety, in the context of early childhood parenting stress. Data were collected from 456 parents at four daycare centers and public spaces in an Eastern …

The Relationship Between Diet, Depression, And Alzheimer's Disease: A Narrative Review, Hilal Salim Said Al Shamsi, Stephanie R. Rainey-Smith, Samantha L. Gardener, Hamid R. Sohrabi, Rodrigo Canovas, Ralph N. Martins, Warnakulasuriya Mary Ann Dipika Binosha Fernando

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose of Review: This narrative review evaluates the role of diet in the relationship between depression and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recent Findings: AD and depression are often comorbid, and depression appears to independently increase the future risk of AD. Evidence suggests diet influences the risk of both conditions directly and indirectly. Diet impacts neurochemical and biological processes that may affect the development and progression of depression and cognitive dysfunction. The dietary components offering the greatest protection against depression and AD are yet to be determined. Current evidence highlights the importance of polyphenolic compounds, folate, B vitamins, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, …

Interdisciplinary Perspectives On Multimorbidity In Africa: Developing An Expanded Conceptual Model, Justin Dixon, Ben Morton, Misheck Nkhata, Alan Silman, Ibrahim Simiyu, Stephen Spencer, Myrna Van Pinxteren, Edna Bosire, Christopher Bunn, Claire Calderwood

Brain and Mind Institute

Multimorbidity is an emerging challenge for health systems globally. It is commonly defined as the co-occurrence of two or more chronic conditions in one person, but its meaning remains a lively area of academic debate, and the utility of the concept beyond high-income settings is uncertain. This article presents the findings from an interdisciplinary research initiative that drew together 60 academic and applied partners working in 10 African countries to answer the questions: how useful is the concept of multimorbidity within Africa? Can the concept be adapted to context to optimise its transformative potentials? During a three-day concept-building workshop, we …

What Are The Psychosocial Effects Of Service Dogs On Handlers With Disabilities, Kylie Kline

University Honors Theses

This study looks to explore the psychosocial effects that service dogs have on handlers with disabilities. A cross-sectional survey designed to gather information about this directly from service dog handlers was administered to a sample of 20 participants. Then, a qualitative analysis was conducted on data from the survey using an inductive coding scheme that identified themes in the data as key terms and ideas emerged.

Results revealed many nuances surrounding service dogs' effects on handlers' psychosocial health. Notable results include: 20 of 20 participants (100%) reporting their service dogs have had positive impacts on their quality of life; 19 …

Exploring Negotiated Autonomy In The Physician–Physician Assistant Collaborative Dyad, Stephen Robie

Doctor of Philosophy in Translational Health Sciences Dissertations

Physician Assistants (PAs) are integral members of multidisciplinary medical care teams who practice medicine legally under the supervision of physicians. During medical care, supervision is a dynamic process of collaboration wherein a PA who displays competence is granted increasing independence by the supervising physician. This process has been referred to as negotiated autonomy. Despite being noted in work-force literature, the mechanics of how negotiated autonomy operates in real-time have not been described. As organizations increasingly work to integrate PAs into practice, new-hire training programs called ‘on-boarding’ have been implemented to accelerate PA professional development with a goal of increased efficiency …

Trauma- And Violence-Informed Empowering Care For Sexual Assault Survivors, L. B. Klein, Jessica Melnik, Kimberly Curran, Jeneile Luebke, Kaylen M. Moore, Ashley Ruiz, Cassilynn Brown, Diara Parker, Isabel Hernandez-White, Kate Walsh

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Background

Forensic nurse examiners, including sexual assault nurse examiners, provide care for survivors holistically through healthcare, emotional support, connection to follow-up care, safety planning, and, if desired, evidence collection to aid in the prosecution of sexual assault. There is increasing recognition that trauma-informed care must also include an understanding of the impacts of structural violence on minoritized patients to ensure health equity.

Aim

To help address this guidance gap, we expanded Campbell and colleagues' empowering care model using a trauma- and violence-informed care (TVIC) lens.

Methods

We used an iterative discussion-based process that included five joint meetings between a seven-member …

Sexual Well-Being And High-Risk Behaviors : An Exploratory Mixed Methods Study For Questionnaire Development, Stephan R Smith

Covenant Nurses Week 2024

No abstract provided.

Correlations Of Physical And Psychological Health In Parents Of Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Norah L. Johnson, Abir K. Bekhet, Emily Zint, June Wang, Sylvia Peña, Amy V. Van Hecke, Mauricio Garnier-Villarreal, Alexander V. Ng

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Background: Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have social communication difficulties and restricted, repetitive, and/or sensory behaviors or interests. The prevalence of ASD is now 1 in 36 individuals. Parents of individuals with ASD face challenges that can affect their physical and psychological wellbeing.

Objective: With the long-term goal to tailor an exercise program, the purpose of this study was 2-fold: (1) establish the baseline physical and mental health of parents of individuals with ASD and (2) estimate the relationship of physiologic variables with psychological variables of health for parents of individuals with ASD.

Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study (N …

Oar-Weighted Dice Score: A Spatially Aware, Radiosensitivity Aware Metric For Target Structure Contour Quality Assessment, Lucas Mccullum, Kareem A Wahid, Barbara Marquez, Clifton D Fuller

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC) is the current de facto standard to determine agreement between a reference segmentation and one generated by manual / auto-contouring approaches. This metric is useful for non-spatially important images; however, radiation therapy requires consideration of nearby Organs-at-Risk (OARs) and their radiosensitivity which are currently unaccounted for with the traditional DSC. In this work, we introduce the OAR-DSC which accounts for nearby OARs and their radiosensitivity when computing the DSC. We illustrate the importance of this through cases where two proposed contours have similar DSC, but lower OAR-DSC when one contour expands closer to the surrounding …

Current State, Challenges, And Opportunities Of The School-Based Sexual And Reproductive Health Education In Indonesia: A Systematic Literature Review, Genesa Lahope, Reza Fathurrahman

Preventia: The Indonesian Journal of Public Health

Sexual and reproductive health education for adolescents remains crucial for Indonesia as it is home for more than 44 million teenagers as of 2022, in its way to anticipate demographic bonus in 2030. Government Regulation no. 61 of 2014 concerning Reproductive Health mandates sexual and reproductive health education in formal and informal education settings. By using a systematic literature review (SLR) method, this study assesses the current state of school-based sexual and reproductive health education in Indonesia. Findings reveal that the delivery of sexual and reproductive health education in Indonesian schools is fragmented, spread across various subjects such as Biology, …

Getting Precise About Gender And Sex Measurement: A Primer For Epidemiologists, Arjee J. Restar, Elle Lett, Neia Prata Menezes, Andrea R. Molino, Tonia C. Poteat, Lorraine Dean, Jennifer L. Glick, Kellan E. Baker, S Wilson Cole

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Accurately measuring gender and sex is crucial in public health and epidemiology. Iteratively reexamining how variables-including gender and sex-are conceptualized and operationalized is necessary to achieve impactful research. Reexamining gender and sex advances epidemiology toward its goals of health promotion and disease elimination. While we cannot reduce the complexities of sex and gender to simply an issue of measurement, striving to capture these concepts and experiences accurately must be an ongoing dialogue and practice-to the benefit of the field and population health. We assert that epidemiology must counteract misconceptions and accurately measure gender and sex in epidemiology. We aim to …

Evaluation Of Flooding Disaster Risk Initiatives In Vulnerable Homeless Communities, Nicholas W. O'Clair

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Homeless individuals, who have limited resources and lack stable lodging, are particularly vulnerable during disasters, further jeopardizing their already precarious health conditions. By examining the effectiveness of existing preparedness and response strategies on the readiness of homeless individuals during flood events, insights can be gained to enhance emergency operations. The purpose of the study was to investigate the experiences and vulnerabilities of homeless populations in a northeastern U.S. city with the goal of promoting inclusivity and resilience. Research questions involved understanding knowledge of dangers of flooding disasters; disaster preparedness, response, and recovery; and how current public promotion practices of disaster …

Evaluation Of Flooding Disaster Risk Initiatives In Vulnerable Homeless Communities, Nicholas W. O'Clair

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Homeless individuals, who have limited resources and lack stable lodging, are particularly vulnerable during disasters, further jeopardizing their already precarious health conditions. By examining the effectiveness of existing preparedness and response strategies on the readiness of homeless individuals during flood events, insights can be gained to enhance emergency operations. The purpose of the study was to investigate the experiences and vulnerabilities of homeless populations in a northeastern U.S. city with the goal of promoting inclusivity and resilience. Research questions involved understanding knowledge of dangers of flooding disasters; disaster preparedness, response, and recovery; and how current public promotion practices of disaster …

A Comprehensive Analysis Of How Pet Ownership Impacts The Experiences And Well-Being Of Homeless Individuals, Alexandra G. Watson, Nancy A. Dreschel

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

This paper conducts a thorough examination of the relationship between pet ownership and homelessness. In a context where homelessness in the United States is a growing concern, we delve into an aspect that has received little attention: how homeless individuals and their pets interact. Through an extensive review of existing research, this paper aims to uncover the demographic characteristics of homeless pet owners and understand the significant effects of this bond. Our findings reveal that homeless individuals with pets come from diverse backgrounds, including various ages, genders, and racial backgrounds. Their pets provide not only companionship but also emotional support, …

Perspectives Of Medical And Dental Undergraduate Students On Educational Strategies During And Post Covid-19 Lockdown, Syed Junaid Hasan, Syed Yawar Ali Abidi, Samira Adnan, Muhammad Elham Habib, Maham Muneeb Lone, Isma Sajjad, Jamshed Ahmed

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Introduction After the emergence and declaration of Covid-19 as a pandemic in March 2019, many countries implemented lockdown with cessation of essential and non-essential activities including educational and academic processes, in order to restrict the spread of the disease,. This necessitated the shift of education from face -to-face conventional methods towards online teaching and assessment practices in all domains, including medicine. This study determined the perspectives and level of satisfaction of medical and dental undergraduate students regarding the online teaching and assessment modes practiced during and after Covid-19 lockdown period. Method: The study was conducted at various medical and dental …

How Did Cognitive Status Impact Health Care Use Among Older Adults During The Covid-19 Pandemic?, Katarina Sako, Janet Wilmoth

Population Health Research Brief Series

Physical distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the lives of older adults. Older adults experiencing dementia and other forms of cognitive decline have impaired executive functioning that made it even more difficult to contend with these disruptions. This brief presents findings from research that used data from the 2021 Health and Retirement Study to examine differences in health care delays and health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic among a nationally representative sample of U.S. older adults (ages 50+) with versus without cognitive decline. Results show that most older adults did not delay getting health care and did not experience …

Foster Parents Assisting Transitioning Foster Care Youth In Maintaining Stable Housing, Cecilann Morrison

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Foster Parents Assisting Transitioning Foster Care Youth in Maintaining Stable Housing by Cecilann Morrison MA, National University, 2013 BS, Fresno Pacific University, 2011 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Human and Social Service Walden University June 2024

Foster Parents Assisting Transitioning Foster Care Youth In Maintaining Stable Housing, Cecilann Morrison

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Investigating Risk Factors For Racial Disparity In E-Cigarette Use With Path Study, Amy Liu, Kennedy Dorsey, Almetra Granger, Ty Runet Bryant, Tung Sung Tseng, Michael Celestin, Qingzhao Yu

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Background: Previous research has identified differences in e-cigarette use and socioeconomic factors between different racial groups However, there is little research examining specific risk factors contributing to the racial differences. Objective: This study sought to identify racial disparities in e-cigarette use and to determine risk factors that help explain these differences. Methods: We used Wave 5 (2018–2019) of the Adult Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study. First, we conducted descriptive statistics of e-smoking across our risk factor variables. Next, we used multiple logistic regression to check the risk effects by adjusting all covariates. Finally, we conducted a mediation …

Effect Of Incarceration On Prisoners Diagnosed With Mental Health Conditions: Trauma, Treatment, And Transitioning, Ingria S. Haywood

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A mental illness is a medical disorder that affects a person’s behavior, thoughts, and emotions. It also has an impact on social and cognitive functions. Misuse of substances, biological factors, or abuse, whether as a victim or a bystander to repeated abuse, are all variables that contribute to mental illness. The prevalence of mental illness among incarcerated prisoners is alarming, and it is nondiscriminatory in that it affects both men and women. Several variables contribute to inmates’ susceptibility to mental health problems. Anxiety disorders, depression as a mood disorder, dementia, and schizophrenia are examples of these. A diagnosis of mental …

Lived Experiences, Perceptions, And Caregiving Trajectories Of Family Caregivers Of Youth With Substance Use Disorders (Suds) In Zambia, Ireen Manase Kabembo

Lingnan Theses (MPhil & PhD)

There is unequivocal evidence that family caregivers contribute to healthcare systems worldwide by providing care for persons with chronic illnesses in the home setting. his study explores the lived experiences, perceptions, and caregiving trajectories of 30 family caregivers of youth aged 16-24 diagnosed with Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) in Zambia. Data was collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews, a caregiving timeline, and participant observation and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Guided by the integrated theoretical framework of positioning theory and the theory of caregiving dynamics, this study offers a new lens for understanding caregiver’s experiences regarding caregiver identity, self-perceptions, interpersonal relationships, …

Global Implications Of Covid-19 On Education And Research In Healthcare And Stem: Analysis Of Case Studies, Yumna Indorewala, Santanu De

FDLA Journal

The zoonotic novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 posed major threats to the world’s economy, social development, and public health. Education and research in STEM and healthcare were no exceptions to the global implications of the Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Social distancing guidelines were initially recommended to refrain from in-person operations for preventing the transmission of the virus. As academic organizations implemented multifarious methods to effectively transition to remote/online or hybrid educational formats, COVID-19 necessitated designing, adopting, as well as evaluating the efficacy of new instructional approaches, especially for disciplines that require active, experiential learning such as healthcare and STEM. These …

Increasing Nurses’ Knowledge Of Cultural Preferences Influencing Diabetes Self-Management Among Sierra Leoneans, Winstina Aminata Taylor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The practice problem identified at the project site was the lack of nurses’ knowledge of how cultural preferences influence diabetes self-management practices among African Americans with diabetes mellitus. An educational program focused on the cultural preferences of Sierra Leoneans that influence diabetes self-management practices was provided for 48 nurses who worked in the agency. The doctoral project included concepts from nursing education and cultural competence theories to inform the approach. The project followed the ADDIE model process steps to develop and implement the educational program. The sources of evidence included pre- and posteducation surveys administered to participating nurses to assess …