Maternal Attitudes, Feeding Practices And Child Weight-For-Length Percentiles: Maternal Participation Vs. Non-Participation In A Prenatal Infant Nutrition Education Session, Connie S. Lewis

Dissertations

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions nationally and internationally. All ages are affected resulting in physiological and psychological health consequences. Obesity-related habits that begin in childhood may continue into adulthood suggesting the need for developmentally targeted approaches. Efforts to reduce obesity should begin early in life with interventions targeting infants and young children. Is there a difference in infant feeding attitudes, the initiation of breastfeeding practice, the introduction of solid foods practice, and child weight-for-length percentiles at 12, 18, and 24 months between mothers who participated in a prenatal infant nutrition education session and mothers who did not participate? The purpose …

Implementation Of Oral Health Recommendations In Pediatric Primary Care, Kelly Lucash

Dissertations

Abstract

Problem: Early childhood caries (ECC) is the most common chronic disease of childhood and fluoride is key to prevention. A major barrier to dental care for children is lack of access to a dental provider. Current practice recommendations include the application of fluoride varnish (FV) in the primary care setting. The purpose of this quality improvement initiative was to evaluate the number of FV applications in a Midwestern, suburban pediatric primary care practice.

Methods: An observational, descriptive design utilizing retrospective medical record reviews for children aged 12-, 18-, 24-, and 36-months who experienced well-child visits between April 1^{st …}

Impact Of A Web-Based Instructional Module Of Alzheimer’S Disease Within Seven Content Knowledge Domains, Joyce Haynie

Dissertations

Abstract

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) has been classified as the most common form of dementia. Primary health care providers are usually the first clinicians to whom individuals present with symptoms of dementia. By 2050, it is expected that as many as 13.8 million Americans will be living with AD, and millions more will be placed in the challenging role of providing care for these individuals. However, studies continue to show that dementia is often underdiagnosed and under detected. The purpose of the study was to systematically inquire about the impact of AD education on level of knowledge about AD among primary …

Fathers' Experiences With Their Premature Infants Or Unhealthy Neonates, Lisa Cummings

Dissertations

Author: Lisa Cummings PhD RN

Fathers’ Experiences with Their Premature Infants or Unhealthy Neonates

Purpose and Background/Significance: Fifteen million babies worldwide are born prematurely each year, impacting a multitude of fathers. The importance of an early close father-infant relationship has been identified as central for the development of the child. Fathers influence on a child’s emotional and cognitive development and their physical well-being and health. Many times, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is the initial contact environment between a father and his premature infant. Studies have shown that the NICU can be a stressful environment for parents, producing emotional …

Factors Related To 30-Day Readmission Among Hispanics With Type 2 Diabetes, Athena Mohebbi

Dissertations

Background: Medicare spends $17 billion yearly on 30-day readmissions. Hispanic adults have a higher prevalence of diabetes (12.6%) compared to non-Hispanic whites (9.4%). Those with a diagnosis of diabetes have the 17% higher rate (14-23%) for 30-day readmission. Little research has been conducted on Hispanics with diabetes relative to 30-day readmissions. Aims: Among Hispanics with type 2 diabetes: 1) measure the incidence of 30-day readmission by sociodemographic, behavioral and clinical factors;2) identify independent factors associated with 30-day readmission among Hispanic adults with type 2 diabetes accounting for potential covariates; 3) compare the ability of the Hispanic Diabetic Study Model plus …

The Risks Of Methemoglobinemia With The Use Of Two Antimicrobials In Low Birth Weight Infants, Denise J. Poirier Maguire

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the degree of risk of methemoglobinemia and extent of skin breakdown when 0.5% chlorhexidine was used as a topical antimicrobial in a population of low birth weight (LBW) infants.

Managing Personal Integrity: A Grounded Theory Of Elderly People Surviving Hospitalization, Cynthia S. Jacelon

Dissertations

The goal of this grounded theory research was to develop a substantive theory of the social processes engaged in by elderly people while in the hospital. The derived theory is entitled Managing Personal Integrity. Within the theory, Personal Integrity is defined as a dynamic, intrinsic quality of the self which has properties composed of physical and psychological attributes.

Gaining A Voice: A Study Of The Breastfeeding Experiences Of A Select Group Of Educated, Low-Income, Minority Women Supported By Peer Counselors, Maryanne Phyllis Locklin

Dissertations

This grounded theory study describes the experiences of a small select group of educated, low-income, culturally diverse women who were supported by peer counselors/breastfeeding advocates in their communities as they attempted to breastfeed. The study explores their issues and concerns. In-depth interview data from seventeen women (ten African-American and seven Latina) were analyzed, using constant comparative analysis. Findings from the study indicated that the perception of successful breastfeeding can have an empowering effect on women when support for their endeavors are gender--and culturally--appropriate, The five themes that emerged as primary descriptors of the experience were Making the Discovering, Seeking a …

Pressure Ulcers And Prevention Among Pediatric Patients And Factors Associated With Their Occurrence In Acute Care Hospitals, Ivy J. Razmus

Dissertations

Pressure ulcers are a health-care concern for all patient populations; however, younger patients, including infants, have different etiologies associated with pressure ulcer development. The influence of hospital, unit, and nursing factors on hospital-acquired pressure ulcers (HAPU) rates have not been evaluated in pediatric patients. Comparative data for pediatric patients is necessary for hospitals to improve the care related to prevention and treatment of pediatric pressure ulcers.

The purpose of this study was to describe (a) the pressure ulcer prevalence rate and the rate of HAPU in pediatric patients; (b) the frequency of patient pressure ulcer risk assessment and prevention …

Self-Efficacy, Social Support, Therapeutic Support And The Initiation And Duration Of Breastfeeding In Adolescent Mothers, Deborah L. Birk

Dissertations

This longitudinal investigation examines self-efficacy, social support and therapeutic support as predictors of initiation and duration of breastfeeding in adolescent mothers. It proposes that prenatal levels of self-efficacy, social support and therapeutic support are significant predictors of breastfeeding initiation in adolescent mothers. It also proposes that postpartum levels of these variables are significant predictors of the number of days breastfeeding after delivery in adolescent mothers.

Hypertonic Lower Extremities In Infants: Correlation To Motor Function Scores At Thirteen Months Of Age, Susan Jean Brillhart

Dissertations

Exploring a large data set, hypertonicity of the lower extremities has been incidentally identified as occurring in one out of every five infants, whether term or preterm. This retrospective, longitudinal, descriptive, quantitative study examined data from 463 functionally and structurally normal infants and identified infants that were considered to be hypertonic at either hospital discharge and at one month of corrected gestational age to determine what their motor capabilities were at 13 months of age. Understanding the correlation will assist in determining whether early intervention is indicated for these infants. Multiple statistical analyses revealed no correlation between hypertonicity as a …

Sex, Drugs, And Religion: A Multi-Ethnic Analysis Of Health Behaviors, Attitudes, And Perceptions Of Childbearing Women, Robin L. Page

Dissertations

Maternal health behaviors such as substance use and sexual promiscuity can put the health of mothers and their offspring at risk. Sociodemographic factors such as low socioeconomic status are also found to correlate with health risks for childbearing women. Hispanic women—especially those less-acculturated—often have sociodemographic risk factors present, but have paradoxically positive pregnancy outcomes. Healthy behaviors in addition to religiosity have been hypothesized to contribute to such positive outcomes. Past studies offer support for the positive influence of religion on healthy behaviors. The purpose of this study was to investigate the patterns and predictors of healthy behaviors and well-being of …

The Experience Of Cognitive Change In Women With Breast Cancer Following Chemotherapy, Mary Louise Kanaskie

Dissertations

Change in cognitive function is one side effect of chemotherapy that has been reported in some breast cancer survivors. Alarming reports indicate that between 16 to 50 percent of women receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer experience symptoms of cognitive impairment. These symptoms include subtle changes in memory, concentration, and some higher order processes that include psychomotor speed and executive functioning. In addition, it has been reported that these symptoms may persist even years after completion of treatment. Research is limited that has explored the lived experience of the phenomenon of chemotherapy-related cognitive change in breast cancer survivors.

The purpose of …

Implementing A Depression Screening And Referral Program In An African American Church Community, Mary S. Garner

Dissertations

The purpose of this quality improvement project was to launch a depression screening and stigma reduction program in a nondenominational church that serves mainly African Americans. Potential links between stigma, such as beliefs related to mental illness, and how education can influence help-seeking and health literacy among ministerial leaders were identified.

Parenting A Lone Twin: When One Twin Dies, Kelly L. Grady

Dissertations

Parents who simultaneously grieve the loss of one twin and nurture the surviving twin experience a paradox of grief and joy. The acute grief of losing a twin coincides with a critical time in the development of the parental role and relationship with the surviving twin. Very few researchers have addressed the unique parenting situation in which one twin infant dies. The aim of this qualitative descriptive study was to describe the experience of parents who lose one twin in utero, at birth, or in the neonatal period. The study question was "What is the parenting experience of mothers and …

Effect Of Heparin Injectate Volume On Pain And Bruising Using The Roy Model, Pamela S. Stewart Fahs

Dissertations

This quasi-experimental study examined the effect of heparin injectate volume on pain and bruising using the Roy model. The study was undertaken to provide nurses with information on responses produced by two injectate volumes.

Influence Of The Economy On Teen And Adult Birth Patterns In Oklahoma 1980 Through 1995: A Time Series Analysis, Sandra Kay Cesario

Dissertations

Influence of the economy on birth patterns was examined separately for teen and adult women. Competing theories and conceptual frameworks currently exist to describe the cyclic patterns found in reproductive behavior and their relationships to economic condition. Pro-cyclic models suggest a lagged positive association between economic conditions and numbers of births whereas counter-cyclic models indicate that a negative or inverse relationship exists. Three distinct problems were addressed in this study. First, the competing economic models was addressed. Second, this study of daily and weekly births to allow greater sensitivity in testing the relationship of an economic variable number and timing …

Deciding To Withhold/Withdraw Life-Sustaining Treatments From Incompetent Adults Following Unanticipated, Catastrophic Illnesses: A Phenomenological Study Of Surrogate Decision Makers' Experiences, Carolyn M. Hayes

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe the experience and meaning of having made a decision to withhold and/or withdraw life-sustaining treatments from an adult who was rendered incompetent following an unanticipated, catastrophic illness.

Managing My Pregnancy: A Grounded Theory Of Pregnancy And Childbearing Beliefs And Practices Of Women Of Mexican Descent, Lorena Consuelo Guerrero

Dissertations

Examples of pregnancy-specific health beliefs and practices of Hispanic women are found in the medical literature, but the findings regarding the beliefs and practices are often outdated, limited, mostly curative in nature, and are often dismissed as benign cultural practices of a mainly homogeneous cultural group. Hispanic women incorporate both conventional and biomedical practices with traditional medicine/complementary and alternative medicine in their treatment of illnesses. The findings from this study served to illustrate current pregnancy-specific health beliefs and practices of pregnant Hispanic women of Mexican origin. The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the pregnancy-specific health …

Rural Daughter/Daughter-In-Law Caregivers' Interactional Patterns, Sharon P. Ridgeway

Dissertations

Daughters/daughters-in-law who care for a parent with a dementing illness at home are at risk for physical, psychological, and social problems. Also, their parent care recipient runs a higher risk of institutionalization, In order to intervene in this dynamic, a multidimensional, subjective perspective is required. However, literature is sparse regarding a multidimensional subjective perspective of rural daughter/daughter-in-law caregivers' patterns of interaction within the context of caring for a parent with a dementing illness. The purpose of this research was to identify the multidimensional patterns of person-environment interaction.

The Lived Experience Of Women Who Quit Assisted Reproductive Technology Without The Birth Of A Live Child And Remained Childless, Linda L. Millenbach

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe the experience of women who quit assisted reproductive technology (ART) without the birth of alive child and remained childless.

Development And Testing Of A Text Messaging Educational Intervention For Pregnant Adolescents, Rhonda R. Martin

Dissertations

This study developed a literature based educational text messaging intervention, utilizing professional and adolescent subject matter experts (SMEs) to assess the content validity of the intervention, and pilot test the intervention for effect on pregnant adolescents' knowledge of nutrition and physical activity. Pregnant adolescents tend to utilize prenatal care inconsistently and have problems with weight gain during pregnancy. Questions have arisen regarding whether pregnant women are receiving education needed to eat healthy and be active during pregnancy. Several studies identified that women know to eat healthy and exercise but not specifically what to eat, what kind of activity to perform, …

The Relationship Between Recurrent Placental Pathology And Recurrent Poor Pregnancy Outcome, Cara Krulewitch

Dissertations

Poor pregnancy outcome (PPO) is a top agenda item in health and political arenas. Most prominent PPOs are low birth weight (LBW) and preterm delivery (PTD). Effective interventions to maximize pregnancy outcome will diminish their negative impact. The placenta is a diary of the infant's prenatal experiences. Changes in the placenta provide clues to the uterine environment during the pregnancy. Each placental pathology represents a different insult, including severity, duration and type. The Collaborative Perinatal Project of the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke was a longitudinal study of obstetric outcomes in women. The study was conducted …

Describing Nursing Effectiveness Through Standardized Nursing Languages And Computerized Clinical Data, Cindy Ann Scherb

Dissertations

The purpose of this descriptive exploratory study was to analyze patient data from a computerized clinical documentation system using the standardized languages of the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association, the Nursing Interventions Classification, and the Nursing Outcomes Classification. This study investigated the relationships between nursing diagnoses, interventions, and outcomes for the patient populations of Pneumonia, Congestive Heart Failure (CHF), and Total Joint Replacement (TJR).

Acuity-Based Staffing In Long Term Care: Does It Influence Quality?, Kathy Diane Gray-Siracusa

Dissertations

Long-term care settings have frequently been targeted as environments prone to deficiencies in quality and resultant negative effects on resident safety. The use of minimum nurse staffing ratios has been proposed as a way to improve the quality of care for long-term care residents. However, the American Nursing Association has criticized the appropriateness of ratios for the determination of staffing needs. A more appropriate staffing methodology is one that is based on a measure of intensity that takes into consideration the aggregate population of patients and the associated roles and responsibilities of the nursing staff. The purpose of this study …

Prenatal Breastfeeding Education: An Intervention For Pregnant Immigrant Hispanic Women, Jane W. Schlickau

Dissertations

This experimental study tested a one-to-one Prenatal Breastfeeding Education (PBE) intervention for primigravid immigrant Hispanic women who received prenatal care at a public health clinic. The study framework was derived from the Health Promotion Model. Specific aims were: (a) to test if the intervention increased breastfeeding initiation, (b) to test if the intervention increased breastfeeding duration and (c) to discover if breastfeeding self-efficacy mediates the effect of the intervention on breastfeeding initiation and duration.

Social And Literacy Development Of School-Based Pre-Kindergarten Students, Stewart Smirthwaite

Dissertations

In order to meet the demands of college and career ready standards, students are expected to enter kindergarten knowing more than ever before. A need exists to examine data that provides evidence of desired social and literacy outcomes for students in kindergarten. In order to address the need for further study of school prekindergarten opportunities for young children, two different sets of data were collected, examined, and discussed. Literacy proficiency was measured by using data from the Mississippi K-3 Assessment Support System’s (MKAS²) Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA). Social competence was measured using the Behavior Assessment System for Children, …

Latinos’ Intention To Seek Mental Health Services: A Cultural Adaptation Of The Theory Of Reasoned Action, Jesse Andrew Valdez

Dissertations

Latinos are at unique risk for experiencing untreated mental illness. These men face structural, cultural and gender specific barriers that may inhibit their use of counseling services. The current study provided greater insight into the factors that positively influence Latinos intention to seek these services. Building upon previous research, the current bi-lingual study recruited participants from Northern Colorado. Using an empirically supported model for explaining human behavior, the influence of traditional machismo, caballerismo, and attitudes as they relate to Latinos intention to seek counseling services were examined. In addition, the current study included measures of psychological distress, acculturation and enculturation, …

Individuals Perception Of The Double Value Coupon Program And It's Administrative Scope In Southern Illinois: A Qualitative Study, Dominique M. Rose

Dissertations

This dissertation examined the dimensions of food access and its effects on food selection for individuals enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); low-income senior citizens; and recipients of the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) benefit. This study investigated the use of the Link Up Illinois Double Value SNAP Nutrition Incentives Program (DVCP), a coupon with which recipients can receive twice as much fresh produce when redeemed at a farmers market. In addition, this study measured the organizational scope of administering the Double Value Coupon Program in the 12th Congressional District of Illinois. This information allows for the development …

A Single Session Of Acceptance And Commitment Therapy To Promote Health-Related Behavior Change: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Monica Barreto

Dissertations

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have identified physical activity, nutrition, and sleep as three key health-related behaviors that can help the prevention of chronic disease. Only a fraction of the population met the recommended guidelines across these domains. It is important to develop interventions that can be simultaneously focused, flexible, efficient, and efficacious as a means of impacting population health. This study examined the efficacy of a single 60-minute Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) session targeting health-related behavior change and compared it to an information-only wait-list (WL) control condition. Forty-five collegians (Mage = 22.35 [6.91], 78% female, 56% …