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Leptin Level Variance In Adults With And Without Cancer, Vilisa Chatman-Terry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

In 2018, health statistics revealed that, despite the many preventive measures established,

cancer was the second leading cause of death in the United States and the leading cause

of death in 22 states, exceeded only by heart disease. With obesity/leptin levels reaching

pandemic levels worldwide, and cancer having a well-known association with obesity,

both chronic diseases represent a large proportion of public health challenges. Guided by

the social ecological model, the purpose of this cross-sectional, quantitative study was to

examine if a significant difference exists in leptin levels among adults with different

types of obesity-associated and common cancers and …

Cultural Factors Affecting African Americans Of Caribbean Descent With Type Ii Diabetes, Ruth Runette Aguy-Paulsaint

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Type II diabetes is a significant problem in the United States that had affected almost 10% of the American population and over 13% of African Americans. Although culturally competent diabetes education and treatment programs have been significantly more successful, little is known about the cultural factors affecting type II diabetes in African Americans of Caribbean descent (AACD). The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to explore the cultural factors relevant to the treatment and prevention of type II diabetes among AACD. The theoretical framework for the study consisted of cultural adaptation theory and the transtheoretical model. Data collection consisted …

Perceptions Of Access To Healthcare In Cameroon By Women Of Childbearing Age, Wenceslaw Chap Chapnkem

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Increased poverty and unemployment rates, minimal investment in social amenities, a shortage of healthcare professionals, poor infrastructure, inadequate social services, and poor institutional and political leadership have weakened the healthcare status of Cameroon's women who have reached the age of childbearing. The World Health Organization expressed increased urgency for healthcare providers and patients to develop new healthcare policies to eliminate health-related disparities. The aim of this phenomenological study was to examine the perceptions of women of childbearing age living in Mamfe rural community in regard to Cameroon's healthcare system and its impact on their lives. The theoretical foundation of the …

Program Evaluation Of The Employee Health And Wellbeing Program, Alicia Carmen Marlena Perez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health promotion and disease prevention are a focus of population health management. Without ongoing and rigorous evaluation, these programs may be in jeopardy of continuing. The purpose of this project was to conduct a descriptive population health- focused evaluation of a large-scale health system's employee health and wellbeing program. Guided by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) framework for program evaluation in public health and National Center for Organization Development guidelines, a nurse-led evaluation was conducted using 5 specific data sets emphasizing organizational structure, employee health offerings, employee surveys, Pathway to Excellence survey, and program contributions. A descriptive …

Community Risk Factors And Health Inspection Violations In Mississippi Delta Census Tracts, Chrystal S. Early

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A concerning public health issue in America is about food deserts urban and rural communities that lack grocery retailers that offer affordable, nutritious, and diverse foods. Empirical evidence has shown significant associations between neighborhood disadvantage/disorder risk factors of high poverty and high percentages of ethnic minority residents with presence/ absence of healthy food retailers in food deserts. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study, framed by the disparities in food safety conceptual model, was to examine if county-level poverty, number of African American residents, number of elderly (i.e., age 65 or older) residents, vehicle ownership, and crime rates were significantly …

Feeding Practices And Nutritional Status Of Infants In Northwest Nigeria, Michael Enyi Enwere

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Infants and young children in the Northwest province of Nigeria are susceptible to malnutrition. Inappropriate and inadequate breastfeeding and complementary feeding result in stunting, underweight, and wasting. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine current feeding practices of infants not older than 2 years and their nutritional status in Northwest Nigeria. The theory of planned behavior was adopted in this research. With a total sample size of 3,861, multiple linear regression was adopted as a predictive analysis to delineate the correlation between two or more independent variables and one continuous dependent variable. Also, adopted was an independent t …

Socioeconomic Determinants Of Physical Activity Among Adult Arab Immigrants In Edmonton, Alberta, Samer Kobrosly

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Little is known about leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) habits of Arab immigrants in Canada. Leisure-time physical activity has been linked to decreased risks for cancer, cardiovascular disease, and all causes mortality and increased life expectancy. Socioeconomic status has been recognized as a significant factor affecting health and wellbeing due to its impact on individuals’ attitudes, experiences, and exposure to several risk factors. The purpose of this cross-sectional descriptive study was to explore the levels of participation in LTPA among adult Arab immigrants in central Alberta, Canada, to examine the socioeconomic determinants of LTPA, and to investigate which individual, social, and …

Staff Education: Hypertension Management For Adults In Primary Care Settings, Doris Adediwura Obaze

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Management of hypertension and its complications requires health care providers to

understand the reason for developing the disease. Complications of hypertension (HTN)

are more prevalent when patient interventions are not consistently performed by staff. A

gap in staff knowledge regarding the management of patients with HTN was noted at an

outpatient clinic in the southwestern United States. A staff education project based on

the Eighth Joint National Committee (JNC-8) guidelines for HTN management was

developed to address the gap in knowledge. This DNP project sought to understand the

impact of an evidence-based staff education program in improving the knowledge of …

Family Predictive Factors Of Rural Malaria Prevalence In Nsukka, Eastern Nigeria, Gabriel Ugwuja Ugwu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Children in early childhood are still suffering from burdens of malaria-related morbidity and mortality. There have been insufficient studies on how family-level factors may predict the prevalence of malaria (PoM), and negatively impact the control of malaria in rural areas, especially among children. In this study, potential family factors were explored to address the challenges associated with the increase in PoM among the children in rural areas of Nsukka. Socioecological framework guided this study at the interpersonal level. The quantitative cross-sectional study used secondary data from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) of 2015 in Nsukka rural communities. Data were analyzed …

Association Of Health Facility Delivery And Risk Of Infant Mortality In Nigeria, Susan Adaku Ukwu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Infant mortality (IM) incidence in health facility systems during or after infant delivery is

substantially high in Nigeria. In this quantitative, cross-sectional study, the effects of skill

birth attendants (SBAs), prenatal care, and providers of prenatal care on IM in health

facility delivery centers were examined. The Mosley and Chen theoretical framework

informed this study and was used to explain the relationship between SBAs, prenatal

care, and providers of prenatal care and IM. One hundred and sixty infant deaths were

examined among mothers who used an SBA versus those who did not, mothers who had

prenatal care versus those without, …

Social-Emotional Support As A Mediator Of Household Structure And Mental Distress In Women, Trisha Jeanine Walker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental illness affects more women than men in the United States. Poor mental health in reproductive-age women has negative implications on population health. The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to examine the relationship between household structure and frequency of mental distress, with consideration of the mediation social-emotional support provides for reproductive-age women. The social ecological model was the theoretical framework for this research, in which frequency of mental distress related to the individual-level of the human-environment interaction construct. Household structure and social-emotional support were examined at the relationship-level. Pearson's correlation coefficient and linear regression were used to conduct …

Trends In Prevalence And Predictors Of Undernutrition Among Children In South Central, Monica Kabahimba Zikusooka

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Undernutrition is a global public health challenge. In Somalia, undernutrition is chronic with the situation often graded for emergency response. The purpose of this study was to provide contextual evidence regarding trends of prevalence and predictors of undernutrition in South Central Somalia. Following the UNICEF conceptual framework of determinants of undernutrition, the study examined which individual, household, and society factors were associated with undernutrition. Using secondary data from cross-sectional nutritional surveys implemented by the Somalia Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit from 2007 to 2012, a sample of 75,756 and 60,856 children aged 6-59 months was used in analyzing trends …

The Influence Of Food Insecurity, Low-Income, And Race On Diabetes Self-Management Practices Among Women With Diabetes, Jill La Capria

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Diabetes is a chronic condition affecting more than 30 million adults living in the United States. Diabetes self-management (DSM) can prevent or delay the complications of diabetes and improve clinical outcomes; however, data show that low-income, food insecurity, female gender, and race contribute to challenges performing effective DSM. The health belief model was the theoretical framework for this cross-sectional study, which examined how food insecurity, low-income, and race affect DSM activities in women with diabetes. The sample population from the 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey consisted of 1,842 women with diabetes who were 18 years of age or …

Demographic, Behavioral, And Cultural Factors On Chlamydia Trachomatis Infection, Philis Grace Palmer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Chlamydia trachomatis is a sexually transmitted disease, and its incidence has been increasing in recent years in the U.S. population. Certain demographic factors have been identified as posing an increased risk to acquire this disease. The purpose of this mixed-methods research was to examine how population demographics (quantitative section) and cultural and behavioral factors (qualitative section) affect risk for contracting chlamydia trachomatis in the Miami-Dade, Florida area. The theory of reasoned behavior was the theoretical framework of the study. The quantitative component used secondary data from Jackson Health System (2012- 2018) pertaining to 333 Miami-Dade young adult individuals with incidents …

Role Of Primary Care Providers And Integrated Disease Surveillance In Chad, Dhoud Stave Gischel Samba

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the Republic of Chad, primary care physicians play a central role in the detection and control of outbreaks and are critical actors in the integrated disease surveillance system through mandatory reporting. Feedback on such surveillance must reveal the needs and perceptions of these physicians. These needs and perceptions were examined using a questionnaire survey distributed to a sampling of 20 physicians in Chad. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the role of primary care providers in the integrated disease surveillance to identify factors that impact complete, quality, and timely reporting. The theory of planned behavior was …

Quality Improvement Initiative To Improve Patient Attendance In Diabetes Self-Management Education Classes, Charon Denise Randel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Diabetes self-management education (DSME) is a key resource in the battle against diabetes and its secondary effects. This quality improvement project was conducted to address the decreased attendance rates of DSME classes in a community health center in the southern United States. The practice question for this project explored process-related strategies to increase patient attendance in DSME classes. Based on review of patient reports of reasons for nonattendance and an evaluation of peer reviewed literature on improving attendance in DSME, the following strategies were implemented: (a) alternative solutions such as providing patients with the dates for a year of initial …

Effect Of Health Information On Food Addiction Among Obese And Overweight Women, Kirsten Elyse Grant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research on obesity, weight loss, and food addiction (FA) suggested a strong relationship between use of food additives and the brain's addictive response to food. Previous researchers have examined (FA) and have identified certain food additives such as monosodium glutamate (MSG) and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) as contributors to food addiction and overeating. Social cognitive theory (SCT) has also been effective in addressing addictive behaviors such as drug addiction, alcohol addiction, and smoking cessation (Bricker et al., 2010). However, researchers had not examined food addiction, social cognitive theory, and obesity in the same study. The purpose of this quantitative, …

Effect Of Access To Health Services On Neonatal Mortality In Uganda, Imelda Atai Madgalene Musana

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since 2006, Uganda has experienced a nonchanging neonatal mortality rate of 27 out of 1,000 live births, which is higher than the global average of 19 deaths for every 1,000 live births. The purpose of this retrospective cross-sectional study was to determine factors affecting access to health services and their impact on newborn deaths in Uganda. Mosley and Chen's model for child survival in developing nations provided the framework for the study. Secondary data from the 2016 demographic and health survey (UDHS) collected by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOs) was used. A total of 7,538 cases were used and …

Patient Awareness And Knowledge Of Medically Induced Radiation Exposure, Travis L. Mann

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The level of knowledge and awareness among patients about the concepts and implications of medical radiation is unknown. The purpose of this qualitative, case study was to explore patients' awareness and knowledge of information regarding this topic from their perspectives. The health belief model provided the framework for the study. A total of 20 individuals were recruited using purposive sampling. All participants were above the age of 18 in central North Carolina and had undergone or are currently undergoing medical radiation exams. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and analyzed using Yin's 5-phased cycle, which involved compiling, disassembling, reassembling, interpreting, …

Exploring The Mechanisms Of Racial Disparity In Infant Mortality: A Grounded Theory Approach, Barry Chukwugekwu Eneh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Infant mortality (IM) is a critical health-disparity problem in the United States. Of the 23000 infants who die each year, the highest number occurs among African Americans. Previous studies implicated a mix of health determinants and risk factors, but no study has explored the mechanisms by which IM predictably persists among African Americans. This study uncovers the complex network of risk factors that underlies racial death disparities in infants. Two theoretical lenses chosen for this study were social systems theory (SST) and critical race theory (CRT). SST explains human behavior as an intersection of interrelated systems. CRT interrogates inherent social …

Vitamin D Receptor Gene Polymorphisms Knowledge And Breast Cancer In Texas, Ejike Roland Egwuekwe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Breast cancer is a world health problem and is a leading cause of cancer-related death among women in the United States. However, breast cancer risks were reported to be reduced through exposure to Vitamin D through its Receptors identified as the p53 target gene. The purpose of this study was to assess the associations between VDR gene polymorphisms knowledge/awareness and decisions to reduce breast cancer risks and likelihood of mammogram screening among women in Texas. Data from survey were used. Roy adaptation model was the theoretical framework that guided this quasi- experimental, quantitative research. The dependent variables were decisions to …

Smoking And Surgical Site Infection In Orthopedic Patients' Lower Extremity Arthroplasty, Alicia Y. Mingo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cigarette smoking has been a public health concern for many years, and the possible impact of smoking on surgical site infection (SSI) has been studied broadly. However, a gap in understanding has persisted concerning whether there is an association between smoking tobacco and the development of SSI among patients who undergo lower extremity surgery, specifically total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The purpose of this study was to examine the association between smoking and lower extremity SSI. Andersen's behavioral model (BM) was used to understand the risk factors relevant to the interaction between smoking and SSI. Application of the BM categories of …

The Effect Of Maternity Care Practices On The Duration Of Breastfeeding, Lisette Rodriguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The natural practice of breastfeeding has been strongly noted as one of the most cost-effective, health promoting, disease-prevention strategies of the 21st century. Although primary health organizations recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life with added complementary foods and continued breastfeeding up to 2 years of age or longer, many mothers do not breastfeed their infants for the recommendation length of time. Applied policies and health practices, such as those described under the 10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and The International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes, have been noted as contributing factors that can considerably …

Globalization Of Clinical Research And Assessment Of Global Access To Treatments Approved Between 2006-2015, Rafael Duncan Escandon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Globalization in clinical research and development has increased since the 1990s. Products approved in the United States (U.S.) and European Union (EU) include increasing numbers of research participants from low- and middle-income countries. The purposes of this quantitative correlational study were to investigate the lag time, or drug lag, between U.S. approval and the approval of selected drugs in all countries that hosted their pivotal clinical trials. The study population was limited to products approved first in the U.S. between 2006 and 2015. The health capability model and research for health justice framework were the theoretical frameworks for the study. …

Cost-Effectiveness Of A Weight Loss Intervention: An Adaptation Of The Look Ahead Lifestyle Intervention In The Us Military, Karina Manz

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Objective: To assess whether a counselor-initiated adaptation (CI) of the Look AHEAD Intensive Lifestyle Intervention (ILI) in a military setting was cost-effective relative to a self- paced adaptation (SP).

Methods: We performed cost-effectiveness analysis from a payer perspective alongside a 2014- 2017 randomized behavioral weight loss trial among 248 active-duty military personnel stationed at a US Air Force Base in Texas. We calculated incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) for weight loss, reductions in waist circumference, and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs).

Results: After 12 months, the CI adaptation cost more per participant compared to the SP adaptation ($1,081 vs. $120), but achieved …

Nutrition Interventions Integrated Into An Existing Maternal, Neonatal, And Child Health Program Reduce Food Insecurity Among Recently Delivered And Pregnant Women In Bangladesh, Edward A. Frongillo Jr., Phuong H. Nguyen, Tina Sanghvi, Zeba Mahmud, Bachera Aktar, Silvia Alayon, Purnima Menon

Faculty Publications

Background

Antenatal care may be a means to reduce food insecurity in pregnancy and postpartum periods.

Objective

With the use of a cluster-randomized design, we tested whether participation in nutrition-focused antenatal care intending to improve household knowledge about the importance of nutrition for pregnant and lactating women and encourage allocation of household resources to ensure sufficient quality and quantity of foods, without providing food assistance, would reduce household food insecurity.

Methods

Alive & Thrive integrated nutrition interventions into an existing Maternal, Neonatal, and Child Health (MNCH) program in Bangladesh. The nutrition-focused MNCH package was delivered in 10 subdistricts through antenatal …

Training As An Intervention To Decrease Medical Record Abstraction Errors Multicenter Studies., Meredith Nahm Zozus, Leslie W. Young, Alan E. Simon, Maryam Garza, Lora Lawrence, Songthip T. Ounpraseuth, Megan Bledsoe, Sarah Newman-Norlund, J Dean Jarvis, Mary Mcnally, Kimberly R. Harris, Russell Mcculloh, Rachel Aikman, Sara Cox, Lacy Malloch, Anita Walden, Jessica Snowden, Irene Mangan Chedjieu, Chester A. Wicker, Lauren Atkins, Lori A. Devlin

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Studies often rely on medical record abstraction as a major source of data. However, data quality from medical record abstraction has long been questioned. Electronic Health Records (EHRs) potentially add variability to the abstraction process due to the complexity of navigating and locating study data within these systems. We report training for and initial quality assessment of medical record abstraction for a clinical study conducted by the IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network (ISPCTN) and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Neonatal Research Network (NRN) using medical record abstraction as the primary data …

Comparative Study Of The Effectiveness Between Used And Non-Used Noise Warning Application On Promoting The Wearing Of Hearing Protection Among Steel Industry Workers In Samut Prakan Province Thailand, Petcharat Kerdonfag

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

The exposure to loud noises from occupational performance is a major problem for workers in steel mills. The operators have to be exposed to loud noises from various types of steel production machinery at all times. These noises may affect to the operator's hearing perception in spite the factories themselves have set up hearing conservation program whereas one element is the procurement of loud noise protection equipment to workers working in loud noise area. But it is still found that the operators hardly prefer wearing hearing protection devices during their working hours to work without wearing them. The main objective …

Panama: Exploration Of Multiple Health Care Settings And Spanish Immersion, Danielle Gonzales

Posters

Details how the urban and rural settings of Panama offer an unique opportunity for Spanish immersion and disease pathology learning experiences.

E-Cigarettes And Conventional Cigarettes: Perceived Risks And Benefits Among College Students, Evi Addoh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT Background: Accompanying the decline in cigarette smoking rates has been a rise in prevalence of electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use. The ongoing investigations on the health impact of e-cigarettes have been accompanied by mixed messages and a lack of consensus which may lead college students to rely on their own perceptions of risk and benefits in deciding whether to use e-cigarettes. Conclusion: Considering the significant association of perceived risks and benefits with e-cigarette and cigarette use this study yields some findings that show the importance of appropriately addressing perceptions. It is paramount to keep the public updated on pertinent research …