Digital Commons Network^™

Association Between Androgen Deprivation Therapy For Prostate Cancer And Alzheimer's Disease, Gina Giannantoni-Ibelli

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common progressive, neurodegenerative disease and form of dementia. The hallmarks of AD are extracellular accumulation of amyloid beta protein, resulting in neuritic, senile plaques and intracellular accumulation of tau protein. AD mainly arises from imbalance of amyloid beta protein production and its clearance in the brain. Testosterone modulates production of amyloid beta protein by decreasing its accumulation. Prostate cancer remains a substantial public health challenge in the United States. While androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is an effective treatment for prostate cancer, it may be associated with cognitive impairment due to decreased levels of testosterone. …

A Staff Education Project And Screening Tool To Identify Calciphylaxis, Janice Pennington

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Calciphylaxis is a deadly disease seen primarily in patients with end stage renal disease. Literature indicated that improved patient outcomes are seen with routine screenings. Many dialysis providers lack fundamental knowledge that would enable early identification of calciphylaxis in patients with renal disease. The purpose of this project was to design a screening instrument and develop a staff education program that would transform calciphylaxis management by promoting early identification and treatment of the disease. Knowles's theory of andragogy was used as the theoretic framework for the project. Dialysis center staff (n = 26) participated in the education. The number of …

Variables That Impact Incidence Of Diarrhea Amongst Under-Five In Uganda, Anne Ngonde Muli

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Diarrhea in children remains a major public health problem in Uganda and other countries in the region and acts as one of the leading contributors to child mortality. Most of the risk factors for diarrhea in children are preventable. This study, guided by the socioecological model, was conducted to investigate the association between the occurrence of diarrhea in children and length of breastfeeding, coinfection with acute respiratory infection (ARI), and vaccination status of the child. These variables were identified in the literature as risk factors for diarrhea that had not been investigated in Uganda. The source of the data for …

Impact Of Social Support On Malaria Management By Burundian Community Health Workers, Bonaventure Bazirutwabo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Malaria is the main cause of mortality for children under the age of 5 in Burundi. The access to malaria diagnostics and treatment is hampered not only because of logistical issues, but also due to the lack of qualified human resources and their inequitable distribution across the country. To mitigate the lack of human resources for health, the government of Burundi, along with its partners, shifted some tasks to community health workers (CHWs) to cover unmet healthcare needs for selected diseases such as malaria, diarrhea, and pneumonia. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the social support provided …

Perceptions Of First-Time Antiguan And Barbudan Mothers Towards Breastfeeding And Weaning, Janelle Dion Charles-Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Antigua and Barbuda, in the eastern Caribbean, is one of several countries with exclusive low breastfeeding rates and premature weaning. Researchers have demonstrated that babies exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life are better protected from childhood diseases and experience a better quality of life into adulthood, while early weaning is associated with morbidity and mortality. However, at 6 weeks postpartum, only 30% of Antiguan and Barbudan mothers are exclusively breastfeeding. Researchers have explained why mothers in general cease exclusive breastfeeding prematurely: insufficiency of breast milk, returning to paid employment, lack of social support; but an explanation specific …

The Impact Of Lemongrass, Oregano, And Thyme Essential Oils On Candida Albicans' Virulence Factors, Jennifer Marie Eddins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Increased systemic infections and growing resistance of Candida species in immunosuppressed people have prompted research for additional treatment options. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the potential of lemongrass, oregano, and thyme essential oils tested individually, combined, and combined with the antifungal agents fluconazole and caspofungin to kill Candida albicans isolates in a controlled laboratory setting. This study was grounded on the theoretical concepts of the epidemiologic triangle model. The experimental data collected were used to investigate risk factors related to age, gender, race, and comorbidities. Kill rates of lemongrass, oregano, and thyme essential oils individually and …

Factors Associated With Menthol Cigarettes Smoking Among Youths Ages 12 To 19, Eniye Emmanuel Eguae

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Menthol is added to cigarettes to make smoking more convenient. Menthol is considered a contributing factor that makes smoking appealing to youths and their continuous smoking initiation, which progresses to regular cigarette smoking and addiction, especially among youths ages 12 to 19. Menthol encourages approximately 4,000 youths to experiment with smoking daily in the United States, of which approximately 1,000 become active smokers. Not enough is known regarding the influence of menthol on youth smoking initiation/smoking behavior. A quantitative analysis of data from the 2014 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) was used to explore the association between age, race/ethnicity, gender, …

Young Female College Millennials' Intent For Behavior Change With Wearable Fitness Technology, Andrea Christine Haney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Among young college-aged females, overweight and obesity, type 2 diabetes, uncontrolled hypertension, and high stress levels have increased, causing overall worse health conditions than previous generations. The use of wearable fitness technology (WFT) by young adults assists in fitness and nutrition monitoring, provides feedback in health statistics, and has shown improvements in reducing health-related issues in young college females. A wide body of literature related to physical activity, nutrition, and health issues in young college females exists; however, the experiences and intent of WFT use for behavior change by young college female millennials has not been well researched. The purpose …

Examining Health Disparities And Childhood Obesity In Florida And Georgia, Jennifer Wesley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Childhood obesity is a major issue in the United States. The rates of obesity vary among racial and ethnic groups in the U.S. South. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to investigate significant state health disparities differences in childhood obesity in the South region between Florida and Georgia. To steer this study, the social cognitive theory was used. The associations between neighborhood safety and support, physical activity, family health and activities on body mass index were examined in this study. Data was obtained from the National Survey of Children's Health 2011-2012 on 1,688 children aged 10-17 years residing …

The Relationship Of Location And Educational Achievements To Vision Impairment In Asians, Sonali Trivedi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Introduction: Increasing incidence of vision impairment in the United States reinforces the urgent need for research and public health awareness. Eye diseases are of common concern in Asian and other ethnic groups globally. Glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, myopia, and retinitis are types of eye diseases and common causes of vision impairment in Asians. This study addressed the current gap in knowledge regarding vision impairment prevalence among Asian-Americans by geographical location and level of education. Socio-ecological theory was used as the theoretical foundation.

Method: A cross-sectional secondary dataset from U.S. Census Bureau included 3,916,947 participants' survey responses from 2011 through 2015 …

Relationship Between Exposure To Phthalate And Obesity In The United States, Gladys Chidiebere Ezem

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity is a public health problem. The global obesity problem has been attributed to unhealthy diet, inactivity, and hereditary factors. However, phthalates may also contribute to the obesity epidemic. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine whether there was a relationship between exposure to phthalates and obesity among adults 18 years and older in the United States. The theoretical framework was based on the socioecological model. The quantitative, cross-sectional design, and data analysis were based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2011-2012 database. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the association between …

Decreasing Acute Diabetes Complications Through Self-Management Education, Eugene O. Okafor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that affects millions of people in the United States. The purpose of this project was to develop a guideline to help clinical staff provide clear and concise diabetes self-management instructions to patients in a community setting. Orem's self-care deficit theory (SCD) and health belief model (HBM) provided a platform to assess how patients' self-care deficit contributes to illness and the effect of patients' perception of illness. SCD theory and the HBM provided the framework for the development of the guideline to decrease diabetes acute complications through self-management education. The practice-focused question was whether the …

Complementary And Alternative Medicine Careers Following A Science Academy For Underrepresented Minority Students, Tolulope Oyelowo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Minority groups experience disproportionately worse health outcomes. An identified solution is to increase the number of minorities providing healthcare in their own communities. Primary care complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) providers are a potential resource. Many investigators have demonstrated the efficacy of science-based pipeline programs for increasing the roles of students in allopathic health professions. Whether these programs influence matriculation of minorities into a CAM university is unknown. The main purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of a pre-college science academy at a CAM university and determine whether the experience increased interest in and motivation for CAM …

Evaluation Of A Web-Based Performance Program For Wildland Firefighters, José M. Peña Cueto

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Introduction: In an effort to increase work capacity and reduce occupational injury rates and mortality rates among wildland firefighters, a web-based performance program named The Black was developed. The training program was designed to provide evidence-based training specific to wildland firefighters’ needs.

Purpose: A formative and process evaluation of the program was conducted to study the user rates, and user’s attitudes and preferences regarding the program during the pilot of its first phase.

Methodology: A sequential mixed-methods design was utilized for this evaluation. Qualitative interviews were conducted with firefighters who attended an introductory seminar. Interview data was utilized by program …

Examining Injury Data Reporting Practices Among Wildland Firefighters, Erin M. Boggs

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Wildland Firefighter (WLFF) Crews lack an injury surveillance program to collect information on non-traumatic and traumatic injuries. Tactical athletes including: police, military and structural firefighters all have a variety of collection systems in place for injury data collection. The lack of injury data prevents WLFF crews from identifying high-risk environments, implementing injury prevention programs, and improving the overall quality of care on the job. Over the last several decades the recent rise in wildfire occurrences and wildfire suppression costs creates a need for healthy and strong individuals in the field. The cost of firefighter salaries and medical care can be …

Fall Risk Behaviors And Intrinsic Risk Factors For Falls In Indigenous And Non-Indigenous Rural Older Adults, Andre Gallegos Bouweraerts

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The purpose of this study was to examine fall risk behaviors and intrinsic risk factors for falls in rural dwelling indigenous and non-indigenous older adults in California. Methods: Participants included 157 adults 60+ years of age (89 indigenous and 68 non- indigenous) and were recruited from advertisements in local newspapers, senior centers, and health clinics in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties. Fall risk behaviors and intrinsic risk factors for falls were identified through administration of a demographic, fall risk, and physical activity questionnaire as well as the chair stand, functional reach, timed up and go, four-meter walk, and modified clinical …

Healthy Lifestyles And Job Performance Of Academics: A Theoretical Perspectives, Idayat Odunola Agboola Mrs, Chinyere Nkechi Ikonne Dr

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The health related lifestyle behavior has been neglected in Nigerian Universities and as such causing deaths among the lecturers. Living a healthy lifestyle could reduce heart diseases, blood pressure and diabetes. The study adopted survey method. The population of the study was 5,310 lecturers across the six Federal Universities in South West, Nigeria. From the population, 372 were sampled. Structured questionnaire were used to collect data. From the 372 copies of questionnaire distributed; 278 were returned which gave 75% response rate. Data were analyzed using percentages, mean, standard deviation as well as relationship. Findings revealed that all information gathered on …

Public Health Implications Of Metal Ash Concentrations From Prescribed Burns: A Study Of Open Jarrah Forests, John Edwards

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Ash is not a homogenous product. It is the solid residue of combustion and contains a complex mixture of chemical products. The fire that produces ash is non-discriminatory in that it will burn anything that is combustible. The ash residue resulting from fires varies and is dependent on its source, and burn characteristics such as the temperature of the fire. Ash comprises particles of carbon, soot and trace elements. Ash presents public health risk to people and communities, through direct and indirect ingestion, inhalation and absorption. The health effects of ash exposure are not limited to symptoms affecting the eyes, …

Exposure To Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (Pbdes) In American And Canadian Workers: Biomonitoring Data From Two National Surveys, Sabrina Gravel, Jérôme Lavoué, France Labrèche

Études primaires

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are flame retardants commonly found in many household and industrial products. They can be detected in the serum of the general population, and in even higher concentrations in workers of certain industries, due to an additional occupational exposure. The purpose of this analysis is to determine background exposure levels of PBDEs in the general working population, using national surveys where working status was self-reported. Participants aged 20–65 were selected from the 2003–2004 U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (n = 1141) and the 2007–2009 Canadian Health Measures Survey (n = 1337). Only four congeners were …

Nutrition Label Accuracy And The Theory Of Triadic Influence: The Impact Of Knowledge On Healthy Food Choices In A Predominantly Hispanic Sample, Mosi Staudt Dane'el

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Unhealthy food choices and the outcomes of those choices are a significant concern in the United States. Multiple governmental agencies recommend using nutrition labels to promote healthier food choices. This study investigated this claim using the theory of triadic influence to examine the efficacious use of nutrition labels on food choices. The theory of triadic influence presents a model of variables that affect food choice, including knowledge pathways on which this study focuses. Within the model, we expected increased scores on two measures of health knowledge to predict nutrition label understanding, which predict healthy food attitudes. Next, we expected that …

Intergenerational Financial Exchange And Cognitive Well-Being Among Older Adults In China, Ping Xu

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Although cognitive loss is part of normal aging, it has unfavorable consequences for older individuals, their family, as well as society. The prevalence of mild cognition impairment is expected to go up in China. How to maintain normal cognition for a longer period of time and to delay impair process is an emerging concern for older Chinese adults. Unlike Western countries, China lacks of formal support system. Intergenerational support between older parents and adult children is a predominant resource when they are in need. This study examines how intergenerational financial exchanges between older parents and their adult children is related …

Mchd Student Health Centers Needs Analysis - Claims Analysis, Hannah Cohen-Cline, Kristen Dulacki, Claire Devine, Megan Holtorf, Bill J. Wright

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

No abstract provided.

Do Mothers Affect Daughter’S Behaviors? Diet, Physical Activity, And Sedentary Behaviors In Kuwaiti Mother–Daughter Dyads, Lemia H. Shaban, Joan A. Vaccaro, Shiryn D. Sukhram, Fatma G. Huffman

Publications and Research

The objective of the study was to evaluate 169 Kuwaiti mother– daughter dyads and their associations with health behaviors for eating healthy, engaging in physical activity, daughters perceived body weight, time spent with computer/video, and time viewing television. Female students aged 10–14 years were selected from private and public schools in the State of Kuwait. Results demonstrated that daughters exhibited similar behaviors to their mothers in their perceived eating behavior, physical activity, computer/ video game use, and TV screen time. Future research is essential to determine the role of mothers in effective health behavior intervention strategies for female Kuwaiti adolescents.

Socio-Cultural Determinants Of Physical Activity Across The Life Course: A 'Determinants Of Diet And Physical Activity' (Dedipac) Umbrella Systematic Literature Review, Lina Jaeschke, Astrid Steinbrecher, Agnes Luzak, Anna Puggina, Katina Aleksovska, Christoph Buck, Con Burns, Greet Cardon, Angela Carlin, Simon Chantal, Donatella Ciarapica, Giancarlo Condello, Tara Coppinger, Cristina Cortis, Marieke De Craemer, Sara D'Haese, Andrea Di Blasio, Sylvia Hansen, Licia Iacoviello, Johann Issartel, Pascal Izzicupo, Martina Kanning, Aileen Kennedy, Fiona Chun Man Ling, Giorgio Napolitano, Julie Anne Nazare, Camille Perchoux, Angela Polito, Walter Ricciardi, Alessandra Sannella, Wolfgang Schlicht, Rhoda Sohun

Publications

Objective: Regular physical activity (PA) reduces the risk of disease and premature death. Knowing factors associated with PA might help reducing the disease and economic burden caused by low activity. Studies suggest that socio-cultural factors may affect PA, but systematic overviews of findings across the life course are scarce. This umbrella systematic literature review (SLR) summarizes and evaluates available evidence on socio-cultural determinants of PA in children, adolescents, and adults. Methods: This manuscript was drafted following the recommendations of the 'Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses' (PRISMA) checklist. The MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, and SPORTDiscus databases were …

Consequences Of Fatigue And Sleep Deficiency In The Workplace: Implications For The Construction Industry, Karen Phegley

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Background: This study was a review of the (1) consequences that fatigue and sleep deficiency have on the human body, personal safety and safety in the workplace with implications for the construction industry; and (2) factors in the workplace that contribute to worker fatigue.

Methods: A systematic search and review of peer-reviewed articles and gray literature was conducted for sources describing common industry policies, standards and/or recommendations addressing sleep related problems in the workplace.

Results: The contributing factors of fatigue include work-related mental exertion, sleep deficiency and work-related physical exertion. Major work-related effects stem from circadian rhythm disruptions due to …

Evaluation Of A Health Education Intervention To Improve Knowledge, Skills, Behavioral Intentions And Resources Associated With Preventable Determinants Of Infant Mortality, Danielle Fastring, Susan Mayfield-Johnson, Janna Madison

Faculty Publications

Mississippi has the highest rate of infant mortality in the nation (9.3 infant deaths for 1,000 live births). A health disparity exists between white infants (6.2) and black infants (13.0). This project reports on the effectiveness of a pilot educational program, Healthy Moms and Healthy Babies, which sought to improve knowledge, skills, behavioral intentions and resources related to preventable determinants of infant mortality. A curriculum was developed and piloted with women who were currently pregnant, thinking of becoming pregnant or who had an infant

Preventing Obesity And Cardiovascular Disease In At-Risk Youth, Allison Patricia Woolf, Nicole Ashley Bauernfeind, Rachel Katharine Civale, Elizabeth Rose Spellman

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

The literature review that was conducted focuses on exploring the most effective way to prevent development of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) as a late effect of childhood obesity or risk thereof. Our research focused on the 8-10 year old at-risk and obese pediatric populations and whether the use of interactive educational interventions in the community setting can be of use to reduce CVD development and improve overall health status. Our findings determined that interactive educational interventions early in childhood can improve health outcomes for these populations and prevent subsequent development of CVD. We minimized the inclusion of all research whose evidence …

Worldwide Trends In Body-Mass Index, Underweight, Overweight, And Obesity From 1975 To 2016: A Pooled Analysis Of 2416 Population-Based Measurement Studies In 128·9 Million Children, Adolescents, And Adults, James Bentham, Mariachiara Di Cesare, Ver Bilano, Honor Bixby, Bin Zhou, Gretchen A. Stevens, Leanne M. Riley, Cristina Taddei, Kaveh Hajifathalian, Yuan Lu, Con Burns, Tara Coppinger, Janette Walton, Stefan Savin, Melanie J. Cowan, Christopher J. Paciorek, Adela Chirita-Emandi, Alison J. Hayes, Joanne Katz, Roya Kelishadi, Andre Pascal Kengne, Young Ho Khang, Avula Laxmaiah, Yanping Li, Jun Ma, J. Jaime Miranda, Aya Mostafa, Martin Neovius, Cristina Padez, Lekhraj Rampal, Aubrianna Zhu, James E. Bennett, Goodarz Danaei, Zulfiqar A. Bhutta, Majid Ezzati

Publications

Background Underweight, overweight, and obesity in childhood and adolescence are associated with adverse health consequences throughout the life-course. Our aim was to estimate worldwide trends in mean body-mass index (BMI) and a comprehensive set of BMI categories that cover underweight to obesity in children and adolescents, and to compare trends with those of adults. Methods We pooled 2416 population-based studies with measurements of height and weight on 128·9 million participants aged 5 years and older, including 31·5 million aged 5–19 years. We used a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate trends from 1975 to 2016 in 200 countries for mean BMI …

Metabolic Dysregulation And Cancer Mortality In A National Cohort Of Blacks And Whites, Tomi Akinyemiju, Justin Xavier Moore, Suzanne Judd, Susan Lakoski, Michael Goodman, Monika M. Safford, Maria Pisu

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background: We examined the association between metabolic dysregulation and cancer mortality in a prospective cohort of Black and White adults.

Methods: A total of 25,038 Black and White adults were included in the analysis. Metabolic dysregulation was defined in two ways: 1) using the joint harmonized criteria for metabolic syndrome (MetS) and 2) based on factor analysis of 15 variables characterizing metabolic dysregulation. We estimated hazards ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association of MetS and metabolic dysregulation with cancer mortality during follow-up using Cox proportional hazards models.

Results: About 46% of Black and 39% of White …

Improving Nurse Proficiency: Breastfeeding And The Opioid-Dependent Mother And Infant Diagnosed With Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (Nas), Lauren Mountanos

Master's Projects and Capstones

Management of the opioid-dependent mother-infant dyad is complex. Evidence suggests breastfeeding may decrease the severity of NAS symptoms, delay its onset, and decrease the need for pharmacologic treatment (Macmullen et al., 2014). Therefore, education of nursing staff on the benefits of breastfeeding for opioid-dependent dyads will enable them to safely recommend breastfeeding for long-term health (Pritham, 2013). The Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) project, “Improving Nurse Proficiency: Breastfeeding and the Opioid-Dependent Mother and Infant Diagnosed with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS)” aims to globally increase the number of infants diagnosed with NAS discharged on breast milk by 10% by June 30, 2018. …