Digital Commons Network^™

A Pilot Study To Evaluate The Effectiveness Of The National Diabetes Prevention Program In An Urban Medically Underserved Community, Stefanie Annette Schroeter

Dissertations

This study evaluated the effectiveness of participation in the National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP) for weight reduction in a sample of prediabetic individuals in an urban medically underserved community. The NDPP was developed from research demonstrating a reduced risk for diabetes in prediabetic individuals who participated in an intensive lifestyle intervention program aimed at reducing weight and improving lifestyle habits. The NDPP was integrated into existing services within a medically underserved urban community health center to provide this evidence-based program targeted to high-risk prediabetic patients.

Relationship Between Nurses' Management Of Pediatric Oncology Patients' Symptoms And Job Satisfaction, Jennifer Isabelle Rheingans

Dissertations

A primary function of the pediatric oncology nurse is to provide symptom management to children with cancer. Symptom management strategies have been published, but there is scarce literature examining neither the actual use of these nursing interventions, nor the effects of using these interventions on the nurses' perceived work environment. The purpose of this study was to examine the nursing interventions used in treating pediatric oncology patients' symptoms, as well as the emotional sequelae from providing this care. Phase One of this study examined the content validity of the newly developed Nurses Distress and Interventions for Symptoms Survey (NDISS) utilizing …

Perceptions Of Elementary School Support Staff Of Their Role In Supporting The School Mission Statement, Matthew Dean

Dissertations

School district mission statements are intended to be unifying declarations that set a tone and direction for organizations and provide a unifying motivator for the individuals who serve those organizations (Rey, 2017). School district mission statements should be created and articulated in a manner that can be understood and followed by certified administrators and teachers, as well as classified personnel such as district support staff (Lynch, 2016). Without adequate articulation, school district mission statements can fall short of providing guidance and motivation to every employee in the district (Rey, 2017). This qualitative study was initiated to gain the perceptions of …

Disparities In Health Care For The Transgender Population, Shannon Crowe

Dissertations

Individuals identifying as transgender, gender nonconforming, or those born with differences of sex development from societal norms have specific healthcare needs. These individuals experience disparities in healthcare treatment as a result of a lack of cultural competence, stereotypes, and personal bias among healthcare professionals. Despite being inclusive of all patients and acceptance of cultural beliefs, many organizations fall short of being inclusive when caring for transgender or gender nonconforming patients. Front line healthcare workers can have a positive impact on the psychological and physical care delivered to transgender patients; thus, setting the stage for a patient of a minority having …

The Relationship Between Adult Attachment, Perceived Social Support, And Depression In Chinese College Students With Different Life Experiences, Yuge Guo

Dissertations

Guo, Yuge. The Relationship between Adult Attachment, Perceived Social Support and Depression in Chinese College Students with Different Life Experiences. Published Dissertation, University of Northern Colorado, August 2020. The population of left-behind children in China face great challenges in daily life and serious concern has been raised over their physical and psychological health. The current study examines whether childhood left-behind experiences have a long-term impact on the mental health of college students in comparison to their peers without such experiences. The current study explored if there were difference in the level of insecure attachment to a parent figure, perceived social …

Effects Of Exercise On Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cell-Related Tumor Progression And Metastasis, Jacob Garritson

Dissertations

Garritson, Jacob. Effects of Exercise on Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cell-Related Tumor Progression and Metastasis. Published Doctoral Dissertation, University of Northern Colorado, 2020. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are potent suppressors of immune function and may play a key role in the development and progression of metastatic cancers. Aerobic exercise has been shown to have anticancer effects, yet the mechanisms behind this protection are largely unknown. Purpose: to determine the effects of physical activity on MDSC accumulation and function. Methods: Female BALB/c mice were assigned to one of two primary groups: sedentary tumor (SED+TUM) or wheel run tumor (WR+TUM). After 6 weeks of …

An Examination Of Parental Locus Of Control, Stress, Social Support, And Depression Among Parents Of Children And Adolescents With Intellectual Disabilities, Brandi Ellis

Dissertations

Caregivers (i.e., mothers and fathers) of youths with ID seem to be at a much higher risk of having symptoms of depression than caregivers of typically developing youths (Cantwell, Muldoon, & Gallagher, 2015; Giallo et al., 2015; Hu et al., 2010; Lee, 2013). A concurrent link has been found between parental locus of control (PLOC) and depression; however, there is a lack of support for a longitudinal association between these constructs among caregivers of youths with ID (Campis, Lyman, & Prentice-Dunn, 1986; Coyne & Thompson, 2011; Freed & Tompson, 2011; Lloyd & Hastings, 2009). Researchers have hypothesized that the lack …

An Empirical Study Of The Determinants Of Consumer Price Sensitivity For The Health And Fitness Club Industry, Lei Ouyang

Dissertations

Ouyang, Lei. An Empirical Study of the Determinants of Consumer Price Sensitivity forthe Health and Fitness Club Industry. Published Doctor of Philosophydissertation, University of Northern Colorado, 2020. The primary purpose of this study was to propose and test a general model todescribe the extent to which customer price sensitivity is influenced by perceived value, service quality, customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, and switching costs. Additionally, the study also sought to examine if there is a significant difference in consumer price sensitivity among gender and household income groups. Finally, the study was designed to examine the congruency of the hypothesized model and …

The Role Of Plasticity In Bumble Bee Responses To Environmental Variability, Matthew Austin

Dissertations

An aim of contemporary biology is elucidating the causes and consequences of phenotypic plasticity. Here, I approach this aim by exploring the eco-evolutionary dynamics of phenotypic plasticity and environmental variability in bumble bees (Apidae: Bombus), a congeneric clade of eusocial pollinating insects. Throughout their evolution, bumble bees have encountered spatiotemporal variability imposed by dynamic floral environments. Today, bumble bees additionally encounter spatiotemporal variability imposed by anthropogenic environmental change. In this dissertation, I explore how phenotypic plasticity affects how successfully bumble bees respond to environmental variability imposed by anthropogenic global change (Chapters 1 and 2) and their floral resources (Chapters …

Supporting Hope In Midlife Cancer Survivors: Intervention Workshop, Clare Marie Butt

Dissertations

Cancer patients lack information and support needed to make the transition to survivorship. This problem was addressed by testing a psycho-educational group intervention, the Mid-Life Directions Workshop, for its effect on hope and quality of life in midlife cancer survivors.

Explaining Relationships Between Stress And Resilience In Pharmacy Students, Rebecca Jones

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Stress is a growing issue on college campuses, and students in a professional pharmacy program may be at an even greater risk for associated problems. The purpose of this study was to gain information about resilience and its relationship with stress, high-risk behaviors, and grade point averages (GPAs) in students who just completed their first professional (P1) year of a pharmacy program. The research questions for this study were: 1) What is the relationship between levels of stress and level of resilience in these pharmacy students, 2) What is the relationship between high-risk behaviors and level of resilience?, and …

Baroreflex Sensitivity During Positional Changes In Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury, Norma D. Mcnair

Dissertations

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects 1.7 million Americans annually leading to significant morbidity and health care costs. An important cause of morbidity in TBI is secondary brain injury due to abnormal cerebrovascular autoregulation (CA). Standard measures of CA are not amenable to use outside of the intensive care unit (ICU) and patients continue to be at risk for secondary brain injury post- ICU. Baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) is a non-invasive assessment of autonomic tone that may be useful in evaluating CA. Evaluation of BRS and its relation to CA has not been examined in patients with TBI and predictors of CA …

Take 10 Program Effects On Fifth Grade Academic Achievement, Emily Janes

Dissertations

Problem Less than one-fourth of children reach their recommended 60-minutes of daily physical activity. Inactivity can result in poor academic performance; whereas physical activity stimulates brain functions responsible for regulating comprehension and attention, release of brain chemicals to improve learning, and enhances neurogenesis resulting in better cognition. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to evaluate the Take 10 exercise program in a rural, Midwestern elementary school fifth grade classroom.

Methods An observational, descriptive design with a purposeful sample of fifth-grade students in a rural elementary school. Grades in math, science, and reading were examined the semester before (quarter …

Improving Clinician Adherence Rates To Aims Testing On Individuals Taking Long-Term Antipsychotics, Shavaun Johnson

Dissertations

Abstract

Problem: Tardive dyskinesia is a common problem that creates challenges in the lives of those affected by it. The Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale records the occurrence of tardive dyskinesia in patients receiving neuroleptic medication. With this scale, clinicians can detect tardive dyskinesia and its severity over time. The aim of this study is to learn the current rate of adherence for clinicians at the organization and to create and implement an intervention that will increase that rate in an effort to improve patient outcomes and quality of life.

Methods: This quality improvement project will use a descriptive cohort …

Mitigating Suicide Risk Post-Discharge From Inpatient Crisis Stabilization: Safety Planning Intervention, Leighia M. Mcghee

Dissertations

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this program evaluation is to evaluate the effectiveness of a newly implemented safety planning intervention (SPI) tool, comparing patient outcomes relating to suicide attempt rates, emergency department (ED) encounter rates, and inpatient rehospitalizations rates pre and post its integration to care in a suburban behavioral health hospital.

Methods: A descriptive cohort design utilizing a retrospective chart review was completed over six months, three months pre, and three months post implementation of the SPI program. A convenience sample of inpatient charts was reviewed to assess the rate of suicide attempts, ED encounters frequencies, and hospitalization rates …

Integrating Nursing Peer Review Into A Unit Shared Governance Model, Mary Jane Brann

Dissertations

Transformational nursing leaders develop environments that empower nurses to achieve nursing excellence. The systems identified by the Magnet Accreditation program, such as shared governance and peer review, help achieve these environments. During the project, a peer review tool based upon the American Nurses Association (ANA) standards of practice was developed. The tool was revised to assist staff nurses with identification of medical record items that exemplified each standard while they were completing the mandatory medical record audits required by the Joint Commission.

Title I Schools And Strategies That Work, Michelle Manriquez

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the strategies principals of Title I schools perceived as most effective in improving English language arts (ELA) scores by at least 10 points, through the lens of WestEd’s Four Domains of Rapid School Improvement.

Methodology: This study utilized a qualitative methodology to gather data via the California Dashboard and semi-structured interviews of 11 principals from 11 different sites in northern California that showed at least 10-point growth on the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) standardized test. The interview questions were based on the Four Domains for Rapid School Improvement: …

Investigations Into Economic Class And Retention Rates Of Nursing Students, Angela D. Martindale

Dissertations

This quasi-experimental, quantitative design based on a grand theory developed for this study explores whether a course designed to allow students to investigate their own environment will affect retention rates of nursing students. A convenience sample of 11 participants were recruited to take the course and data from 185 students was provided for the control group. The course was taken over the Summer and the retention was measured at the beginning of the Fall semester (R1), the end of the Fall semester (R2) and then at the beginning of the Spring semester (R3). The study demonstrated that there was a …

Self-Care Management Of African American Men With Type 2 Diabetes, Kevin Konstantinos

Dissertations

African American men are disproportionately affected by type 2 diabetes and have a 3 times higher rate of 3 serious complications of diabetes, including blindness, amputations, and end-stage renal disease, compared to other groups. The purpose of this project was to address the gap-in-practice disparity that exists in care of African American men with diabetes by providing one-on-one self-care management education in an outpatient clinic setting. The behavior change theories that supported the project intervention were Orem's self-care theory and Bandura's self-efficacy theory. Employing a quasi-experimental design, 33 participants between the ages of 40 and 65 were divided into an …

Social-Ecological And Protective Factor Approach To Managing Parental Incarceration, Jacquelyn Harris

Dissertations

Mass imprisonment does not only impact the incarcerated individual; it also affects approximately five million children in the United States. Researchers identified and compare the impact of parental incarceration on child development. They acknowledged the protective factors across the lifecycle from a social-ecological perspective and specifically related to parental incarceration. The comprehensive literature review inspired an innovative model, the social-ecological and protective factor approach to managing parental incarceration. The primary goal of this model is to combat the detrimental effects of parental incarceration by identifying protective factors across the lifecycle and throughout the microsystem, mesosystem, and exosystem. This model is …

Food Insecurity: A Closer Look At How Households Cope With Food Insecurity And How This Phenomenon Affects Their Overall Health, Burak O. Tan

Dissertations

This study focused on the lived experiences of low-income households who coped with food insecurity and explored their worldview on the health impacts of battling with this phenomenon in the Grand Rapids Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). While the main research question focused on how low-income households coped with food insecurity, the following were the focus of the research analysis and served as the empirically testable framework: a) addressing the impact of poverty on affordability of nutritious food, b) addressing the impact of food deserts on accessibility and availability of nutritious food, c) addressing the coping strategies used to battle food …

What Role Does The African American Church Play When Meeting The Mental Health Needs Of Its African American Parishioners?, Lisa Sutton

Dissertations

Abstract

This study will focus on understanding the role played by the church in meeting the mental health needs of its African American parishioners. The goal is to understand the ways that African American communities hold faith, position themselves within the church, and the outside world, with a specific focus on issues of trust, which have emerged based on historical and structural violence that has debilitated the health of our community. The study examines attitudes and perceptions of church leadership and members around their caring for parishioners with mental health issues. The hope is that the data will help construct …

Support Through Strengthening Relational Ties : An Examination On The Impact Of Community-Based Partnerships In Closing Opportunity Gaps For Students, Sondra D. Davis

Dissertations

Oftentimes I have witnessed a disconnect between addressing student need and the services a community partnership provides. I conducted a qualitative study to examine the impact a faith-based community partnership had on its participating students. I interviewed directors, staff, and parents, as well as completed numerous onsite observations to gather evidence. I discovered that the level of effectiveness is contingent upon the commitment that takes place between the school and partnered organization. Partnerships are essential to efforts to expand when, where, how, and what students learn (Little, 2011). If expectations are jointly created with all parties engaged in ongoing communication …

Exploration Of Physician Attitudes About Self-Care And Personal Mental Health: Possible Barriers To Physician Well Being, Candich Farrar

Dissertations

The present study was designed to examine physicians’ mental health, attitudes, and behaviors toward self-care and the utilization of mental health services. As the medical field can be very demanding and exhausting, it is believed that many physicians suffer from mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression. However, it was theorized that many physicians do not engage in adequate self-care regimes or seek support and suppress their symptoms, which may further exacerbate their illnesses. A thorough literature review was performed to explore the following: possible barriers to physicians seeking mental health services to address high rates of mental illnesses, physicians …

The Biological, Psychological, Cognitive, And Social Perspectives On Aging: The Design Of A Healthy Aging Program For Older Adults, Melissa Santiago

Dissertations

Aging is an inevitable process, accompanied by changes in physiological, cognitive, psychological, and social facets. Researchers have investigated the physiological, cognitive, psychological, and social risk factors associated with aging and have encouraged the use of physical activity, cognitive training, and dietary interventions to alleviate risk factors. However, holistic programs dedicated to promoting successful aging among older adults are uncommon. This review sought to promote successful aging by identifying physiological, cognitive, psychological, and social risk factors that affect older adults and develop a comprehensive program to holistically mitigate these risk factors. Risk factors associated with unsuccessful aging include the development of …

Pinch Span And Force: Normative Data, Requirements For Functional Tasks And Life Roles, And The Influence Of Carpometacarpal Joint Osteoarthritis, Nancy Hock

Dissertations

The three studies that form this dissertation build knowledge related to functional pinch. Study 1 provides normative data for the Baseline® 5-Position Hydraulic Pinch Meter, which may be used in clinical practice. The data collected in this study demonstrate the relationship between lateral pinch strength and age and reveal that strength decreases with age in both males and females. Through examination of the lateral pinch force produced at the 5 different pinch spans, it was found that the strongest lateral pinch strength was produced at 4-5 cm of pinch span. This information can be used by clinicians as they modify …

Life Balance In Nurse Educators: A Mixed Methods Study, Joan M. Owens

Dissertations

The topic of nurse educator life balance is significant to the nurse educator community, which is facing a national nurse faculty shortage, challenges in producing enough new nurses, and a continuing shortage of nurses. This compromises patient safety and the quality of care. Major factors identified as contributing to the shortage of nurse educators are educator dissatisfaction with workload and work life balance. Life balance is described as an enjoyable array of daily activities that is meaningful and contributes to the individual's health. Professional quality of life is described as the quality one feels in relation to one's work as …

The Effectiveness Of A Chart Audit And Feedback Intervention To Improve Cardiology Provider Delivery Of Heart Failure Self-Care Education, Dorothy L. Murphy

Dissertations

Heart failure is a challenging disease process that presents a high risk of mortality, frequent hospitalizations, and an overwhelming economic burden to the health system. Patient self-care education has been shown to decrease unplanned hospitalizations, emergency room visits, hospitalized days, costs, and mortality rates. However, only 61% of adults with HF receive self-care education within a 12-month period. Under the framework of the Iowa Model for Evidence-Based Practice, the purpose of this project was to implement an electronic health record audit and written and verbal provider feedback intervention with the aim of improving provider delivery of heart failure self-care education …

The Effects Of Art Therapy On Hypertension In Black American Women, Ellen Layton Mullarkey

Dissertations

70 million Americans have hypertension affecting one out of three Americans. Heart disease was the leading cause of death in America in 2015. The American Heart Association published an algorithm for implementing alternative approaches to treating hypertension. Creative art therapy was not included. Art therapy blends the therapeutic process of psychotherapy with the art of painting, drawing and sculpture to help express emotions and beliefs that are too difficult to convey in verbal and written communication. The health belief model is a framework that examines why people do not follow the recommendations of health care providers due to real and …

The Relation Between Patient Education And Picc Line Occlusion And Infection, Patricia L. Cameron

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility of using an electronic tablet to supplement patient and caregiver education about PICC line maintenance and to compare the percentage of PICC line complications in the intervention group with national percentage rates for patients and caregivers.