Digital Commons Network^™

Trends In Injection Drug Use In Texas Treatment Facility Admissions, Cara Dahlhausen

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

This is a serial cross-sectional secondary analysis of drug treatment admissions records from the TEDS-A from years 2013-2017. The prevalence of injected drug use was calculated for each year and analyzed across the five-year period using a chi-square test to determine the presence of significant change in injection drug use from 2013 to 2017. Prevalence of injection drug use also will be calculated for each year by drug type (heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine), age, sex, ethnicity and race, and will be analyzed for trends using a chi-square test.

Exploration Of Breastfeeding As A Protective Factor For Breast Cancer In South African Women: A Nested Case-Control Study, Booker S. Quiera

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Background. South African’s (SA) breast cancer incidence rate is continually increasing (39 per 100,000 (2012) versus 46.2 per 100,000 (2018) with trends towards later-stage diagnosis. In previous literature, breastfeeding has been assessed as a protective factor for breast cancer; however, the SA population experiences inconsistent breastfeeding trends, rates, and support services. Therefore, this study will evaluate the inverse association between breast cancer and breastfeeding history. Methods. Cases (breast cancer) and controls (mastalgia) were matched 1:1 on clinical visit from May-August 2019 at Groote Schuur Hospital (GSH) in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. Breastfeeding history, breast carcinoma diagnosis, and clinically …

The Influence Of Sodium And Potassium On Blood Pressure Genetics In The Population Architecture Using Genomics And Epidemiology Study, Cynthia S. Bell

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Multiple polymorphisms have shown associations with blood pressure (BP) levels and hypertension status, but the overall genetic effect on BP has been small and accounts for only a small fraction of the variation in population-wide BP characteristics. These weak associations of BP with genotype may not be attributable to the examining the “wrong” single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) but may instead be the result of noisy BP phenotypes based on mmHg alone. Adding information from the underlying mechanisms of nutritional intake, reuptake, and excretion on BP may produce more informative BP phenotypes to study. To explore this complex relationship between diet, …

The Association Between Assorted Hormonal Contraceptive Methods And Advanced-Stage Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: A Systematic Review, Cheng Cheng

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Epithelial ovarian cancer, the most lethal of the gynecological cancers, is typically diagnosed at advanced stages. Women diagnosed with advance-staged (i.e., stage III and IV according to the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) epithelial ovarian cancer are more likely to have recurrent episodes within 18 months17. According to a 2012 2016 case analysis conducted by the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results, or SEER program, the incidence of ovarian cancer was 11.4 per 100,000 women in all races per year with the highest incidence in non-Hispanic whites, of 11.9 per 100,000 women and the lowest incidence in Asians / Pacific …

Exploration Of Breastfeeding As A Protective Factor For Breast Cancer In South African Women: A Nested Case-Control Study, Quiera S. Booker

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

South African’s (SA) breast cancer incidence rate is continually increasing (39 per 100,000 (2012) versus 46.2 per 100,000 (2018) with trends towards later-stage diagnosis. In previous literature, breastfeeding has been assessed as a protective factor for breast cancer; however, the SA population experiences inconsistent breastfeeding trends, rates, and support services. Therefore, this study will evaluate the inverse association between breast cancer and breastfeeding history. Methods. Cases (breast cancer) and controls (mastalgia) were matched 1:1 on clinical visit from May-August 2019 at Groote Schuur Hospital (GSH) in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. Breastfeeding history, breast carcinoma diagnosis, and clinically relevant …

Follow Up Care, Cancer Treatment Summaries And Patient Centered Communication, Ashleigh Gil

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The adolescent and young adult (AYA) age group is the cohort of individuals who have been diagnosed with and/or are survivors of cancer. It is recommended they receive lifelong follow up care to prevent or mitigate late health effects associated with cancer and treatment. However, AYAs are caught between the pediatric and adult healthcare systems and they may not be able to fully advocate for their healthcare needs. Some factors that may be associated with AYAs survivorship care are treatment summaries and where they receive follow up care. This study aimed to identify if receipt of a treatment summary and …

A Protocol To Increase Referral Rates To Diabetic Education, David M. Rokser

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

In 2015, approximately 30.3 million Americans, including 10.5% of the population of Minnesota, had been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (American Diabetes Association, 2019). Increased risk of diabetic complications including neuropathy, retinopathy, nephropathy, cardiovascular disease, and chronic wounds has been associated with an elevated hemoglobin A1C (HgA1C). Formal diabetic education has been shown to be a cost-effective intervention to reduce HgA1C. The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion published an objective within HealthyPeople 2020 that seeks to increase the percentage of diabetics receiving formal diabetic education in the United States from 46.9% of adults to 58.4%. The purpose of this …

The Effects Of A Nutritional Intervention On Healthy Eating Habits And Body Mass Index, Kelley Eshenaur

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

In the US, overweight and obesity are growing concerns, as both can have life altering consequences if not prevented or treated. Since 2000, there has been nearly a 10% increase of adults who are obese, from 30.5% (85.8 million) to 39.8% (93.9 million) in 2016 (CDC, 2017). These conditions are preventable with early intervention and motivation. Obesity statistics are especially of interest during the transition to young adulthood. The purpose of this project was to improve student outcomes by identifying barriers, effective strategies, and healthy choices that would ultimately impact weight, increasing healthy food choices, and decreasing overall BMI in …

Effectiveness Of A Multi-Component Intervention Program For Treating Childhood Obesity, Suzy Free

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Childhood obesity is one of the most chronic childhood illness worldwide (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2019; World Health Organization [WHO], 2019). The prevalence of childhood obesity has been described as one of the most common chronic childhood conditions (CDC). The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to reduce the BMI scores of obese children using a multi-component intervention program that incorporates healthy eating, physical activity, and family involvement. The Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice (JHNEBP) model was used to facilitate the implementation of this EBP project. The synthesis of the appraised literature established that utilizing …

Flourishing Gardens In Peoples Lives, Ramiro Rocha

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Mesa Verde Gardens has been a great asset in the Watsonville and Pajaro area by providing a unique way for people to live healthier lives. The community gardens have given people an opportunity to reach new standards for themselves. The organic produce being grown out of the seven different gardens in the area has accommodated the gardeners with delicious food for the entire season. In order to grow Mesa verde Gardens, an outreach project was conducted to allow people to familiarize with all seven gardens. These events included fundraisers, door to door outreach, and participation in community gatherings like festivals. …

The Role Of Culture In Engaging The Senior Population In Omaha, Ne, Jamie Bish

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

In recent years, the senior care industry has become the focus of many public health initiatives as we have come to better understand the significance of our aging population (Olivari et al., 2020). Between the years 2010 and 2050, the population of the United States over 65 years is expected to more than double, from 40.5 to 89 million (Dall et al., 2013). While this data provides a national outlook, further research is needed to determine local impacts. This project centers on developing a better understanding of the demographics of seniors in the Omaha-Council Bluffs Metropolitan Statistical Area and how …

“Disbelieving Black Women To Death”; The “Double Jeopardy”: Racism And Sexism Affects Black Women’S Access To And Quality Of Care During Pregnancy, Birth, And Postpartum, Madeline St. Clair

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This paper explores possible reasons why Black women in the United States experience a higher maternal mortality rate than their white counterparts. Using books, articles, journals, documentaries, personal experiences and stories of Black women and mothers, I argue that barriers from the societal to the individual level create health and medical disparities for Black mothers in pregnancy, during delivery, and the postpartum period. The paper concludes with a multifaceted solution and call to action.

Food Safety Risk In An Indoor Microgreen Cultivation System, Gina Marie Misra

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Microgreens are immature sprouts of edible plants, sharing some similarities with sprouted seeds and petite leafy greens. Since they are most often grown in containers in buildings or greenhouses, they present a new area for food safety research at the intersection of the built environment and produce farming. Contamination by human pathogens has been extensively studied in other types of produce typically eaten raw, including sprouted seeds, which have been implicated in numerous outbreaks of salmonellosis over the last several decades. There is a paucity of knowledge about the microgreen sector of the fresh-cut industry; thus, it was determined that …

Deprivation Matters: Understanding Associations Between Neighbourhood Deprivation, Unhealthy Food Outlets, Unhealthy Dietary Behaviours And Child Body Size Using Structural Equation Modelling., Victoria Egli, Matthew Hobbs, Jordan A. Carlson, Niamh Donnellan, Lisa Mackay, Daniel Exeter, Karen Villanueva, Caryn Zinn, Melody Smith

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Children residing in neighbourhoods of high deprivation are more likely to have poorer health, including excess body size. While the availability of unhealthy food outlets are increasingly considered important for excess child body size, less is known about how neighbourhood deprivation, unhealthy food outlets and unhealthy dietary behaviours are interlinked.

METHODS: This study involves children aged 8-13 years (n=1029) and resided in Auckland, New Zealand. Unhealthy dietary behaviours (frequency of consumption of unhealthy snacks and drinks) and food purchasing behaviour on the route to and from school were self-reported. Height and waist circumference were measured to calculate waist-to-height ratio …

Analysis Of The Soil Lead Contamination Issue Of South Chattanooga, Tesros Cherian

Honors Theses

Childhood lead poisoning is an ongoing health threat despite actions taken by governmental bodies to remove lead from gasoline, paint, and other various household objects in which lead is found. In South Chattanooga specifically, lead has been found in the soil at such a level it is considered a public health threat, especially to children under the age of six. This situation has caused the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to name the South Chattanooga area as a Superfund site known as the Southside Chattanooga Lead Superfund site. This designation has resulted in multiple community meetings between EPA officials and Chattanooga …

Program Evaluation: Wellness For Life, Patricia Wagner

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Specific Aim: The specific aim of this program evaluation is to assess the effectiveness of the employee wellness program (Wellness for Life program) at Community Hospital (CH) in McCook, Nebraska through the analysis of biometric data, personal health assessment results, and survey results.

Significance: The evaluation of this program is important to ensure CH is aiding their employees so they might lead healthy lives at a time when the health of our country is incredibly poor.

Background: CH is a small critical access hospital that employs 323 people in McCook, Nebraska. In 2013 CH decided to offer a formal employee …

The Association Of Demographic And Clinical Characteristics And Self-Reported Sleep Duration Among Patients With Prediabetes, Priyanka Chaudhary

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Background: Sleep has been recognized as a critical component of healthy development and overall health. However, sleep duration has emerged as an important lifestyle factor that influences endocrine function and glucose metabolism. There remains a dearth of research to assess sleep duration among patients with prediabetes.

Objective: To evaluate the association between socio-demographic and clinical characteristics and self-reported sleep duration among patients with prediabetes.

Methods: Baseline data (n=599) was used from a diabetes prevention trial. A chi-square test was used to assess the differences between the groups of sleep duration for the categorical, whereas the t-test was used for the …

Association Of Micronutrient Inadequacy And Body Mass Index In Young Adults, Taylor Peabody

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background

Micronutrient inadequacy has been found at higher levels in overweight and obese individuals in a broad range of ages relative to healthy weight. Insufficient micronutrient levels can have a negative impact on physical and mental health along with excess weight.

Objective

Due to health consequences related to inadequate micronutrient intake and the understanding that the general population not only fails to meet the majority of micronutrient recommendations, but is also overweight or obese, the objective of this study is to first, determine if young adults in the Northwest Arkansas Region are consuming adequate levels of micronutrients and second, if …

Improving Health Insurance Literacy Within Our Community Through The Use Of Local Libraries, Bonnie Gregg, Jenny Lieu

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Low health literacy is associated with a poorer ability to understand medical information leading to disparities among all ages. Communities play a role in supporting efforts to improve health literacy. Libraries are trusted institutes that offer an environment for all members of the community and serve as places of lifelong learning. A needs assessment approach determined a gap in knowledge regarding health literacy and insurance, specifically the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This project was an exploratory, community improvement project. Information was presented in educational sessions at two local libraries. Participants were also given an informative brochure to accompany the presentation. …

Health And Academic Achievement In College And University Students, Amber Beane

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this non-experimental quantitative correlational study was to investigate the relationship between academic achievement and health in a national sample of college students using quantitative data analysis. Specifically, the researcher analyzed the relationship between three health-promoting behaviors (physical activity, strength training, and fruit and vegetable consumption), three negative health behaviors (cigarette, e-cigarette, and opioid use) and obesity with GPA.

Cross-sectional data on student health collected from the American College Health Association’s National College Health Assessment II (ACHA-NCHA-II) and completed by 426,650 college students from 650 U.S. colleges during the semesters between 2015 and 2019 formed the foundation for …

Association Of Perfluorinated Chemicals With Endocrino-Carcinogenetic, Obesogenic And Metabolic Health And With Markers Of Chronic Inflammation And Oxidative Stress, Ogbebor Enaholo Omoike

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

First, this study examined the association of perfluorinated chemicals with 1) cardio-metabolic health outcomes and 2) the association of phthalates with cardiometabolic health outcomes, and 3) cardio-metabolic health outcomes while assessing the possibility of additive interactions between perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) and phthalates. Second, association with markers of chronic inflammation and oxidative stress were explored. Finally, this study examined the association of these chemicals with estrogenic cancers- Breast cancer, prostate cancer, uterine cancer and ovarian cancer.

Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), logistic regression models were used to investigate the relationship between PFCs and the cardio-metabolic …

Do Recipients Of Cash Transfer Scheme Make The Right Decisions On Household Food Expenditure? A Study From A Rural District In Pakistan, Aminah Jahangir, Shehla Zaidi, Jai K. Das, Shifa Habib

Community Health Sciences

Objective: To assess spending by beneficiaries of Benazir Income Support Programme on monthly food commodities, and contribution of the cash grant programme on purchase of nutritious foods.
Methods: The descriptive cross-sectional survey of households enrolled in the Benazir Income Support Programme was conducted during July and August, 2013, in Matiari district of the Sindh province of Pakistan. Monthly household food expenditure on food commodities and use of the cash grant on type of food purchased was assessed through structured interviews of the beneficiaries. Results were computed in 2013 Pak rupees and converted to 2018 United States dollar. Women beneficiaries were …

Increasing Accessibility To Key Social Determinants Of Health In Monterey County, Tabitha Vargas

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Monterey County Health Department’s Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Unit provides agency-wide support in promoting health equity. Obesity and diabetes rates in Monterey County are too high and there needs to be an increase of accessible data, which may help increase targeted prevention services. A health brief was developed for the purpose of increasing access to county-wide obesity and diabetes data and increasing knowledge of the role of how social determinants of health may affect health outcomes. A survey was conducted to measure the effectiveness of the health brief with results demonstrating that 100% of respondents agreed that the brief was …

Stress And Coping In Food-Insecure African Americans In Clark County, Nevada, Johanna Andrews

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

African Americans have the highest rates of food insecurity than any other racial/ethnic group in the nation as a result of poverty, low household income, unemployment, food injustice, food mirages, and racial segregation. This consistent uncertainty in food access demonstrably results in poor mental health outcomes for food-insecure African Americans. Thus, the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping provides a theoretical framework to investigate how African Americans cope with food insecurity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate processes of coping with food insecurity and determine their impact on emotional well-being for African Americans in Clark County, Nevada. A …

From Fighting Wasting To Shedding Excess: An Explanatory Sequential Mixed-Method Study Of Obesity Among People Living With Hiv In Nigeria, John Olajide Olawepo

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is a global epidemic, with initial high mortality rates since the first diagnosis over three and a half decades ago. However, the use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) has led to longer, healthier lives for many people living with HIV (PLHIV). Accordingly, aging comes with associated co-morbidities like obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to further understand the emergent phenomenon of obesity and overweight among PLHIV who are on treatment with ART, using Nigeria as a case study.

An explanatory sequential mixed-method design was used that involved the analysis …

Volatile Organic Compound Exposure And Cardiometabolic Syndrome Risk In A Nationally Representative Cohort., Stacey Lane Konkle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: The relative importance of environmental exposures such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is one of the paramount public health priorities of our time, yet is presently unstudied. VOCs are ubiquitous in the environment and have been associated with numerous adverse health effects, including a number of cardiovascular and metabolic effects that are components of Cardiometabolic Syndrome (CMS). OBJECTIVES: To examine the relationship between CMS and individual-level exposures to VOCs, measured as urinary metabolites of VOCs (UM-VOCs), in a nationally representative sample. METHODS: Associations between urinary biomarkers of exposure to 19 parent VOCs and CMS were assessed using the National …

Reflection And Literature Review On Loving Choices Pregnancy Center Internship, Madison Stave

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

This honors thesis involves a personal reflection and literature review of a nurse internship at Loving Choices Pregnancy Center in Fayetteville, AR. The purpose of this internship was to provide a learning experience in women’s and obstetrical health. Responsibilities included completing community resource projects and assisting staff and nurses in the Care Center and Pregnancy Clinic. To satisfy honors requirements, five learning objectives were created during the internship. These objectives were all met and reflected upon in the first part of this thesis. The second portion of this thesis involves a literature review of the socioeconomic and health-related risks of …

An Interdisciplinary Study To Understand Treatment Seeking Behavior Among Female Survivors Of Anorexia Nervosa, Meaghan Victoria Tipton

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study was done to examine what psychosocial factors influence treatment seeking behavior among female survivors of eating disorders. This study uses a mixed methods survey consisting of open-ended item questions regarding treatment experience and social environment, and close-ended items to measure constructs from the Health Belief Model. Fourteen participants were recruited for this study to retrospectively detail their experiences of treatment during their eating disorder. All fourteen participants identified as Caucasian, thirteen identified as female, one identified with other gender, each with a history of medically diagnosed anorexia nervosa. The mean of age of current participants was 29.46, and …

Rural-Urban Variations In Meals On Wheels Programs, Lea C. Florence

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Older adults are living longer than ever before. By 2060, the U.S. population aged 65 or older is projected to reach 98 million. As adults age, the prevalence of chronic diseases and disabilities increases. The need for Meals on Wheels (MOW) services is growing alongside the aging population. Yet, little is known about the geographic variation of services. Little is documented about the organizational capacity of MOW organizations in terms of geography. The current policies supporting home-and community-based services, including MOW, may be insufficient to support all older adults in all types of communities. An analysis of the More Than …

Transitioning To Value-Based Diabetes Care: A Call For Action Derived From Primary Care Providers In South Florida, Francois Sainfort, Julie A. Jacko, Johannes Vieweg

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background: In Florida, 2.4 million people have diabetes and 5.8 million are pre-diabetic. Not only has the prevalence of diabetes doubled over the past 20 years from 5.2 in 1992 to 11.2 in 2014, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expects 1 out of every 3 adults will have diabetes by the year 2050. In addition, in every year since 1996, Florida well exceeds the national levels in terms of prevalence of diabetes, and the gap is getting wider. A study was conducted to gather information from key physician stakeholders as to how to address unmet needs of …