Digital Commons Network^™

Counseling Children And Adolescents: A Call To Action, Rebekah Byrd, Chad Luke, Sonya Lorelle, Emily Donald, Charmayne R. Adams, Edward (Franc) Hudspeth

Office of Health Promotion Scholarship

The ACA 2014 Code of Ethics clearly states the mandate for counselor competence in C.2.a. It is noted that “Counselor practice only within the boundaries of their competence, based on their education, training, supervised experience, state and national credentials, and appropriate professional experience” (p. 8). Given the importance of competencies, ethical standards, and the emphasis on best practice, the paucity of these factors in regard to training and supervision for counselors working with child and adolescent populations is concerning. This article offers a conceptualization of the culture of childhood leading to the need for cultural competency. It outlines information specific …

Rurality And Its Effects On Prenatal Care In Southcentral Kentucky, Kylee Eilers

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Despite ongoing efforts to increase positive healthcare outcomes for prenatal care in rural Kentucky, there continues to be limited access to adequate and quality resources. Research questions for this research project explored the prenatal care resources for Allen, Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Hart, Logan, Metcalfe, Monroe, Simpson, and Warren counties, compared healthcare disparities that exist in those counties with other rural regions of Kentucky, and identified limitations of such prenatal care resources in successfully achieving positive care outcomes. In addition to evaluation of applicable online resources through organizations local to the region, some healthcare professional and representatives were interviewed to find …

Active Learning And Student Achievement: A Matter Of Space, Experiences, Or Pedagogy?, Justin Bruner, Rebecca Affoo, Angela M. Dietsch

United States Public Health Resources

The goal of this study was to contribute to research on active learning by addressing the problem of disentangling the effects of classroom architecture, student characteristics, and pedagogical design as they relate to student achievement. The study utilized a quasi-experimental design where data was collected on student perceptions of their classroom, their experience in the course, and the pedagogy of the instructor, then analyzed with respect to the course grade. Results indicate that neither student perceptions of the classroom spaces nor the spaces themselves had an impact on course grade, but the pedagogy employed by the instructor and student experiences …

The Impact Of Endometriosis-Associated Pelvic Pain On The Social And Academic Wellbeing Of Women Enrolled In University, Ava E. Bettencourt

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: Endometriosis, a medical condition in which endometrial tissue lining grows outside of the uterus, affects approximately 10-15 percent of women of reproductive age. While research has shown that symptoms of endometriosis negatively affect quality of life in women, few studies have examined the impact of this condition specifically in college students who may be overwhelmed with the stress of school, living independently, and managing the symptoms of their endometriosis. Purpose: To examine the impact of endometriosis on academic and psychosocial factors in university students. Methods: Four college females completed the Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ), a 10-item survey used to …

Blockchain-Based Digital Trust Mechanism: A Use Case Of Cloud Manufacturing Of Lds Syringes For Covid-19 Vaccination, Trupti Rane, Jingwei Huang

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

Trust is essential in the digital world. It is a critical task to build digital trust for the ongoing digital engineering transformation. Aiming at developing a blockchain-based digital trust mechanism for Cloud Manufacturing or Manufacturing-as-a-Service (MaaS), in this paper, we use the manufacturing of low dead space (LDS) medical syringes through Cloud Manufacturing as a motivating scenario to develop a basic framework. To meet the need of optimally saving COVID-19 vaccine doses to save more lives, the medical device manufacturing community needs to make a swift move to meet the surged need for LDS syringes. Cloud Manufacturing is a form …

Stress On Correctional Officers In High Demand And Low Control Work Environments, Amy Whiting

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many major health concerns can be caused due to stress that stems from the demands put upon a person from their job. Correctional officers can experience high demands from their job as well as little control due to on-the-job experiences, such as being assaulted by an inmate, witnessing an assault by an inmate on another correctional officer, or having a complaint filed against them by an inmate. The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a relationship between these experiences and stress-related symptoms, such as gastrointestinal issues, headaches, neck or back pain, difficulty concentrating, and more while …

Assessment Of Multidrug Resistance Among Tuberculosis Patients In Lesotho, Jerry Yakubu Yahaya

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The emergence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) jeopardizes the tremendous efforts in the fight against tuberculosis in Lesotho. To understand the occurrence of MDR-TB, it is important to identify the associated risk factors and how to address them. There is a literature gap on the sociodemographic risk factors associated with MDR-TB in Lesotho. This study assessed whether there is any significant association between age, employment, income, sex, education, place of residence and MDR-TB. The association between HIV and MDR-TB was also evaluated. Guided by the health belief model and social cognitive theory, a retrospective case-control study design and a proportionate stratified …

Predictors Of Homelessness Among Female Veterans And Civilians, Victoria Caridad Justiniano Quinones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Homelessness among female veterans is a problem that is likely to increase as growing numbers of women in the U.S. military reestablish themselves into their communities as veterans. There has been increasing concern about the greater risk for homelessness found among female veterans when compared to their nonveteran counterparts, so further investigation of homeless incidence by gender is also warranted. This quantitative, exploratory study was grounded in the social ecological theory, the Balshem and colleagues conceptual model of risk factors for veteran homelessness, and the Susser, Moore, and Link conceptual model which investigated causal pathways that are possible risk factors …

The Factors Urban African American Men Perceive As Preventing Early Prostate Cancer Screening, Joel Mongo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Prostatic carcinoma, or prostate cancer, is the leading cause of death among adult males in the United States. The highest rate of prostate cancer is found in males of African American ethnicity, as males within this cohort are 50% more likely to develop prostate cancer than other ethnicities. African Americans men are 1.6 times more likely to develop prostate cancer and 2.4 times more likely to die from it than Caucasians. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the perceptions of urban African American men about factors that prevent them from seeking and receiving prostate cancer screening, and …

Alzheimer's Disease: Risk And Protective Factors To Improve Detection And Prevention, Darryl Clay Nevels

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a growing epidemic and is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. Individuals with AD often have comorbidities due to the aging process. There is a lack of research on comorbidities as associated risk factors for AD. The leading hypothesis indicates that cardiovascular health issues, environmental exposure, social isolation, and amyloid-beta plaques influence cognitive health and are associated with AD. This study, guided by Finch and Kulminski’s AD exposome, is a caveat to explore a patient’s physical history of cardiovascular health, modifiable behavior, social isolation, and an AD diagnosis. Participants provided health information collected …

Factors Affecting Fetal Death Among Women With Cesarean Section(S) In The United States, Iheanyi Emmanuel Nwosuh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe United States has a higher rate of fetal death compared to other industrialized nations. Although many studies on the factors that contribute to fetal death have been conducted among women in general, little of this phenomenon is known among women who have had a previous Cesarean section (C-section). The purpose of this study was to explore the factors of fetal death among women with a previous C-section(s) and offer suggestions for interventions. The social determinants of health theory was used with other social constructs to provide a theoretical and conceptual framework for the study. As part of the cross-sectional …

The Relationship Between Types Of Workplace Trauma Exposure, Burnout, And Ptsd In Mental Health Workers, Armando Dominguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Work-related traumatic exposure has been studied but has not been concisely defined in the widest range of research studying trauma exposure. Specifically, it is not known from previous research whether direct, indirect, and vicarious trauma exposure predict burnout and PTSD in acute care mental health care workers. The emotional processing theory was used as theoretical foundation informing this study as the habituation of response to stress and trauma has been shown to occur incidentally and cumulatively; the theory supports the concept of dichotomous and continuous type of trauma exposure over time. The purpose of this study was to use a …

Comprehensive Sex Education, Religious Affiliated Organizations, And Std Knowledge Among Young Adults, Leslie Marie Shaffer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractEvery year there are approximately 20 million new cases of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the United States, and half of these are among young adults. Stark County, Ohio recently experienced an increase in chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis cases among 18- to 24-year-old individuals. Public health practitioners have since called for research regarding factors that affect STD knowledge and perceptions in this population. This cross-sectional study was guided by the social-ecological model and assessed the association between attendance at a religious-affiliated institution, access to comprehensive sex education, and STD knowledge. One hundred thirty-eight (n=138) participants, aged 18 to 24 years, …

The Impact Of Electronic Cigarettes Use On Traditional Cigarette Uses Among U.S. Adolescents, Ismail Mensah Dwumfour-Poku

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The increased usage of e-cigarettes among adolescents in the United States (U.S.) is a major public health concern. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nicotine, an active ingredient in e-cigarettes, is the most addictive drug in use today. The purpose of the current study was to explore the relationship between smoking of e- cigarettes and the risk of smoking traditional cigarettes among middle and high school students in Grades 6 through 12 in the U.S., and to determine if demographic factors contribute to this predisposition. This, quantitative cross-sectional study used the social ecological model as the …

Relationship Between Early Years’ Activities Of Daily Living And Alzheimer’S Disease Onset, Linyi Fan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A few promising studies have indicated that activities of daily life (ADL) may be a useful way of predicting Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). However, the existing cross-sectional studies fail to show how ADLs in early years predict AD, and how social factors influence health either in addition to or in interaction with individual risk factors. Using a social epidemiology framework, this study examined the relationship between early years’ ADL and the development of AD in later years. This quantitative study included 4,526 participants derived from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) dataset. The dependent variable was whether the participant has been …

Fielding Vaccines-Challenges And Opportunities In Outbreaks, Complex Emergencies, And Mass Gatherings, Laura J. Fischer, Robert C. Rains, Sherry M. Brett-Major, Mikiko Senga, Debra Holden, David Brett-Major

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

With the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of vaccine development, distribution, and uptake has come to the forefront of the public eye. Effectively fielding vaccines during an emergency-whether that emergency is a result of an infectious disease or not-requires an understanding of usual vaccine-related processes; the impact of outbreak, complex emergencies, mass gatherings, and other events on patients, communities, and health systems; and ways in which diverse resources can be applied to successfully achieve needed vaccine uptake. In this review, both the emergency setting and briefly vaccine product design are discussed in these contexts in order to provide a concise …

Differential Methylation Patterns In Lean And Obese Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis-Associated Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Emma Hymel, Kurt W. Fisher, Evi A. Farazi

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

BACKGROUND: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease affects about 24% of the world's population and may progress to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). While more common in those that are obese, NASH-HCC can develop in lean individuals. The mechanisms by which HCC develops and the role of epigenetic changes in the context of obesity and normal weight are not well understood.

METHODS: In this study, we used previously generated mouse models of lean and obese HCC using a choline deficient/high trans-fat/fructose/cholesterol diet and a choline supplemented/high trans-fat/fructose/cholesterol diet, respectively, to evaluate methylation differences in HCC progression in lean versus …

Bilateral Retractile Testis: A Possible Risk Factor For Male Infertility, Syed Intesar Burni, Shazia R. Khan, Fareena Khalil Ahmed, Sameera Ali Rizvi, Tazeen Saeed Ali

School of Nursing & Midwifery

Healthy youth is an asset and strength for economic and social growth of any society. Developmental changes during puberty of youngsters need proper guidance to avoid future physical, physiological and psychological ailments. Bilateral Retractile Testis (BRT) is a health problem if remains unnoticed till adolescence can lead to tribulations. BRT may affect testicular parenchyma and spermatogenesis. Cremasteric muscles (muscles attached with testes) pull the testes up into groin so it randomly moves up and down and do not reside in its natural pouch always. It has been a controversial issue in male infertility as retraction may affect infertility.
Objective: To …

Black Vs. White: What Is Bipolar Disorder?, Delmy Mendoza, Kendall Childs, Maedot Aklilu, Tynise Phillips

DC Health and Academic Prep Program (DC HAPP)

This intervention will show that underdiagnosing and misdiagnosing mental health disorders can be prevented by creating more high school medical pipeline programs and encouraging POC students interested in healthcare to participate in diversifying the healthcare system. Pipeline programs have shown to be beneficial in increasing the numbers and quality of underrepresented ethnic minority applicants from disadvantaged backgrounds, and achievement motivation. For example, the pipeline program The Teen Medical Academy created in 2008 combated unrepresentative health disparity in adolescents by successfully improving interest in medical and allied health careers, confidence in their ability to accomplish a health profession, learning surgical and …

Increasing Hpv Vaccination In Elliott And Lawrence Counties, Keeghan Francis

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

Appalachian counties within Kentucky have higher rates of HPV-related cancers, including cervical cancer. HPV vaccines are effective at reducing the risk of cervical cancer, but vaccination coverage in Appalachia remains low. The proposed program relies on recommended strategies to improve vaccine uptake by increasing access and demand for HPV vaccines. This will be done through school vaccine clinics and parent education on HPV, cervical cancer, and HPV vaccines.

The Risk Factors For Hiv In African American Transgender Women In Connecticut, Oliver Kunda

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) incidence rate is 70 times higher for African American transgender women than in the general population. Despite decades of outreach and intervention effort to reduce HIV incidence in the transgender community by the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transexual, queer, plus (LGBTQ+) community and public health organizations, the HIV prevalence rate for transgender women remains high at 38%. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to gain insights into how attitude, subjective social norms, and perceived behavioral control influence HIV risk behaviors of African American transgender women in Connecticut. Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior provided …

Knowledge And Experiences Of African American Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Kristy L. Vance

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a nationwide phenomenon, African American or Black women often have little to no information on the education and support available to manage the condition. PCOS is one of the most poorly understood disorders among patients which has led to limited resources and management. The lack of education could contribute to increased risks to many health issues for African American women with PCOS. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore and examine the level of health knowledge related to PCOS among African American women living in or around the Northern Region of …

Effects Of Socioeconomic Status, Demographic Characteristics, And Education On Sarcopenic Obesity, Moruf Oladele Olaleye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The general problem is that although the body of research about obesity is robust, there is a lack of research addressing the problem of sarcopenic obesity. Specifically, there is a lack of research examining the statistical significance of the relationship between the independent variables of socioeconomic status, demographic characteristics, and education and the dependent variable of sarcopenic obesity. This research may advance practice and policy by lending support for developing interventions to address factors that have a statistically significant relationship with sarcopenic obesity. The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to identify independent variables among socioeconomic, demographic, and education …

Spirituality, Hiv And Black/African American Women, Shawanna D. Brun

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the surmounting prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among Black women, few studies have been conducted to examine culturally appropriate prevention methods to reduce the occurrence of the disease. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to explore how religion/spirituality affects the attitudes, beliefs, and self-perceptions of HIV/AIDS among 151 Black/African women, ages 25-44, in Florida, and to investigate the impact of HIV-related stigma on the attitudes, beliefs, and self-perceptions of HIV/AIDS within this population. Social cognitive theory was the framework of the study. Multiple linear regression and hierarchical regression were used to analyze the survey data. Results revealed …

Opioid Types And Adolescent Prescription Opioid Misuse, Orchid George

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAdolescent prescription opioid misuse (POM) in the United States is a significant public health issue, and there is a lack of studies investigating the association between opioid types and adolescent POM. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to explore possible associations between a set of independent variables: opioid types, gender, religiosity, and education, and the outcome variable, POM among adolescents ages 12 to 17 in the United States. The socio-ecological model was the theoretical framework that guided the study. A sample size of 13,722 from the 2017 Substance Abuse & Mental Health Data Archive was analyzed using descriptive …

Effects Of Socioeconomic Status, Demographic Characteristics, And Education On Sarcopenic Obesity, Moruf Oladele Olaleye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The general problem is that although the body of research about obesity is robust, there is a lack of research addressing the problem of sarcopenic obesity. Specifically, there is a lack of research examining the statistical significance of the relationship between the independent variables of socioeconomic status, demographic characteristics, and education and the dependent variable of sarcopenic obesity. This research may advance practice and policy by lending support for developing interventions to address factors that have a statistically significant relationship with sarcopenic obesity. The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to identify independent variables among socioeconomic, demographic, and education …

The Role Of Health And Diet In The Development Of Metabolic Syndrome Stratified By Race, Sex, And Age, Michael D. Harada

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity is now recognized as a disease in need of treatment by the medical profession and is associated with other chronic diseases including hypertension, hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, insulin-resistance, and reduced levels of high density lipoproteins. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) occurs when a combination of at least three of these chronic conditions are comorbid with each other. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to find significant health and nutritional predictors of MetS status across race, sex, and age. The evolutionary mismatch hypothesis and health belief model provided the framework for this study. Data were collected from 2,303 participants from the 2015-2016 …

Lead Toxicity, Attention–Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, And Gun Violence Among Young African American Men, Gwendolyn Hooker-Mcintosh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Violence among adolescents and young adults is a major public health concern in the United States, but it disproportionally affects African Americans. This racial disparity is especially concerning in New Orleans, Louisiana, where fatal and nonfatal shootings have been consistent since 2010 for young African American men. Also, Louisiana ranks third in the nation in prevalence of attention–deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among children. African Americans in New Orleans have lived in areas known to have greater concentrations of lead in the soil, and African American children and their parents have a lower level of awareness of lead toxicity. The purpose …

Cognition, Neurocognitive Disorder, Psychotropic Group Of Medication, And Fall Among Canadians Aged 65+ Years, Victoria Elaki Momoh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the high incidence of fall among the elderly in residential care, this problem has been minimally explored and reported. This study examined the association between (cognitive performance, dementia, four groups of psychotropic medication-hypnotics, antidepressants, antianxiety medication, and antipsychotics) and fall among Canadian elderly in residential care. A multi–variate logistic regression was used for the analysis. The Social Cognitive Theory was used to interpret the findings of an analysis on 180,231 Canadian residents from 2018–2019. Cognitive performance at intact level (OR=1.114, p<0.001), cognitive performance at moderate level (OR=1.192, p<0.001), dementia diagnosis (OR=1.075, p<0.001), antipsychotics (OR=2.571, p<0.001), antidepressants (OR =1.486, p<0.001) and antianxiety prescription (OR=3.284, p<0.001) increased the odds ratio of fall. However, cognitive performance at severe level (OR=0.898, p<0.001), no dementia diagnosis (OR=0.001, p<0.001) and hypnotics prescription (OR=0.389, p<0.001) decreased the odds ratio of fall. Findings indicate that cognitive performance at the intact and moderate levels, antianxiety, antipsychotic and antidepressant medications and dementia were strong predictors of fall among the elderly in residential care in Canada. A limitation of the study was that the dataset used captured data from 7 out of 13 Canadian provinces and territories therefore, limiting external validity. The potential positive social change impact of this study is that it would guide caregivers, enhance fall prevention practices and decrease fall occurrence in this population.

Associations Of Fast-Food Zoning Policy And Cardiovascular Disease In African American Communities, Starrlett Pena-Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a major public health concern, causing one in every four deaths in the United States. Despite availability of effective disease management, African Americans bear the burden of incidence and mortality as CVD prevails as the primary cause of disparities in life expectancy, stroke, and heart failure. This cross-sectional study investigated fast-food restaurant (FFR) availability and socioeconomic status (SES; income, occupation, and education) to predict CVD risk scores in African Americans residing in Jackson, Mississippi. The social construction of target populations theory was used to inform this study. Using hierarchical multiple linear regression, a secondary data analysis …