Digital Commons Network^™

The Pathway To Making Change: How Parents Promote Health For Their Overweight Or Obese Child, Jennifer S. Laurent

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Informed by the grounded theory method, the aim of this study was to discover, explore, and explain how parents promote the health of their overweight or obese child. Implicit within this goal was to discover the worldview of the parents and to understand the context, properties, and dimensions in which this process occurred. Interviews from 17 participants were analyzed using constant comparison and theoretical sampling techniques. The concepts and constructs that emerged from the data analysis depict the basic social process of how parents come to know their child is overweight or obese and how they promote their child's health …

Assessing Adult Attitudes Toward End-Of-Life Issues And Advanced Directives After Implementing An Educational Intervention In A, Marchina Tolbert-Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: There is a lack of discussion regarding end-of-life care planning which results in low advanced directive execution (AD) rates. This can lead to decision making by family, friends, and the health care team on behalf of patients whose end-of-life care wishes are unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of an educational intervention in the work setting to increase end-of-life discussions and the execution of advanced directives. Methods: A descriptive design was used in an occupational workplace setting at a local bottling company after appropriate IRB approval was obtained. An educational intervention based on the …

Linear Enamel Hypoplasia At Santa Rita Corozal, Belize, Andrew Peter Tetlow

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this thesis is an analysis of a sample of dentition collected from the Postclassic Maya site of Santa Rita Corozal in Northern Belize. The goal of this study is to determine what the presence (or absence) of Linear Enamel Hypoplasia (LEH) can demonstrate about the general health (i.e. stress, disease, nutrition, and weaning age) and social status of a single subset of the Late Postclassic (900-1500 CE) Maya living at Santa Rita Corozal. Specifically, this thesis focuses on dentition of thirteen individuals from a large Postclassic platform group. The sample consists of sub-adult and adult female dentition …

A New Measure Of Parental Self-Efficacy For Enacting Healthy Lifestyles In Their Children, Jonathan W. Decker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The issue of childhood obesity has become a pandemic of increasing prevalence and concern. Many behaviors contributing to overweight and obesity, such as dietary intake and physical activity, are learned in childhood. It is known that parents are key agents for change in their children. Therefore, interventions aimed at decreasing childhood overweight and obesity should be targeted at parents. Many parents state that they know the healthy dietary and physical activity behaviors they should adopt for their children, but lack the confidence, or self-efficacy, to enact these behaviors. A review of the literature for self-efficacy for behaviors in these domains …

An Inquiry Of The Lived Experiences And Contextual Understandings Of Early Childhood Special Educators Related To Children's Trauma, Alison Dubois

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Secondary trauma stress, compassion fatigue, and vicarious trauma are terms rarely found in educational literature. Studies have shown the significant and lasting ramifications of these constructs within the realm of counseling and psychology. Professionals working in educational settings with high risk populations encounter multiple exposures to children experiencing traumatic events. Despite this phenomenon, teacher and counselor training programs do little to address the issue, thereby matriculating graduates who do not feel confident, well informed, and effective when dealing with trauma material on a daily basis.

This inquiry sought to examine the lived experiences and contextual understandings of early childhood special …

Growing Local: Anthropological Reflections On Current Challenges Facing Central Florida Organic Farmers, Cheney Swedlow

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis considers Central Florida's emerging local food movement from an anthropological perspective. Area farmers and organizations spearheading this movement and the benefits of purchasing and consuming locally grown food are ethnographically explored. Interviews with natural and organic farmers highlight the challenges affected farmers face in creating a sustainable local food movement in the greater Orlando region. Their motivations for farming organically and the counter-hegemonic tendencies inherent in this mode of cultivating are critically analyzed. Taken as a whole, this work addresses the limitations and opportunities afforded to farmers amid the popularity of local food consumption as a social movement. …

A Single Case Study Of A Three Year Coordinated School Health Program At A Rural North Mississippi Elementary School, Sandra Lena Howell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The single case study presents the story of the implementation of a three year Coordinated School Health Program (CSHP) at a rural North Mississippi school. The school was recognized by the Mississippi Department of Education, Office of Healthy Schools, as one of ten selected model Mississippi healthy schools. An awarded grant of one hundred thousand dollars funded the implementation of the CSHP over a three year period. The study examined the impact of the CSHP on the students, staff, and personnel. Two types of data were collected and analyzed including archived documents and interviews conducted with five members of the …

Differences In Bone Mineral Density Among Adolescent Female Tennis Players And Non-Tennis Players, Kevser Ermin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Approximately 10 million Americans have osteoporosis. Physical activity (PA) is an important step in preventing osteoporosis and is one of the major determinants of peak bone mass during adolescence. However, type of pa plays an important role when examining the effects of pa on bone mineral density (BMD). Purpose: 1) to determine the differences in BMD among adolescent female tennis players (TP) and non-tennis players (NTP); 2) to determine the differences in body composition (BC) between adolescent female TP and NTP; 3) to determine whether BC variables (weight, fat mass, and lean mass) were predictive of differences in BMD; and …

A Comparison Of Vertebral Osteoarthritis Between Archaic And Mississippian Populations And Its Relation To Subsistence Activities : An Examination Of The Burials At The Perry Site (1lu25) And Moundville (Msm) Sites, Jessica Johns

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Cognitive-Behavioral Aspects Of Eating And Bmi Status In Young Adults, Mary Righton Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Perception Of Risk Of Heart Disease In Comparison To Actual Risk In College Females, Samantha Hirth

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Osteology Of The Chalillo Dam Archaeology Salvage Project, Upper Macal River Valley, Belize, Lenna M. Nash

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Clinical Trial Of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy To Reduce Antiretroviral Side Effects In Hiv Patients, R. Eric Doerfler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background & Purpose: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV/AIDS has led to significant improvements in survival and a reduction in AIDS-related morbidity. Adherence to regimens is vital, yet clinical observations and research have suggested that side effects are a significant reason for non-adherence. This randomized, controlled clinical trial was a pilot study sought to determine if a brief exposure cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) could reduce side effect symptoms in HIV/AIDS patients on ART.

Methods: 33 participants were randomized to standard adherence education alone or adherence education plus three sessions of CBT over a period of three months.

Results: Completing the study were …

Discovering The Healthcare Beliefs And Practices Of Rural Mestizo Ecuadorians: An Ethnonursing Study, Julie A. Moss

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose

This qualitative ethnonursing study was to discover and understand the role of the nurse, healthcare beliefs and practices of rural mestizo Ecuadorians. Discovering these beliefs and practices will enable nurses and other healthcare workers to provide care that is acceptable, congruent in culture and health promoting.

Background

The current literature regarding Ecuadorian health practices has been limited to the study of indigenous Americo-Indian groups living in Ecuador. No studies have been conducted in the mestizo rural setting.

Research Design

An ethnonursing method developed by Leininger was used to guide this study which took place in Tosagua, Ecuador.

Conclusions and …

Hospital Resource Utilization Among Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease - An Analysis Of 2002 - 2005 Healthcare Cost And Utilization Project Data, Pallavi Balwant Rane

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The objective of this study is to develop a national assessment of the length of stay (LOS), total costs, and in-hospital mortality among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), using retrospective data derived from Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP).

Children With Mental Retardation / Intellectual Disability: The Function Of Adaptive Behavior And Parental Stress Across Childhood, Wendy Westwood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Numerous studies have investigated the relationship between child functioning, problematic child behaviors, and parental stress. However, previous research has not fully examined variables of parental stress across adaptive behavior and the lifespan span of a child with MR/ID. The present study investigated parental stress differences among children's adaptive behavior and childhood life stages, according to the family life cycle theory. Stress was examined in parents of a child with a disability whose age fell in the life cycle stages of preschool, school age, or adolescence. Results indicated that parents of preschool and school age children with disabilities (M =31.17, SD …

Community Partner Perspectives Of Community-University Partnerships That Support Service Learning, Anne Marie Witchger Hansen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Community partner voices are important to understand because they provide the contexts in which occupational therapy students meet course objectives by applying clinical reasoning theory and developing clinical reasoning skills in a natural context (Witchger-Hansen et al., 2007; Provident, et al., 2011). To sustain these community-university partnerships, faculty must understand how community partners are experiencing these partnerships. This understanding provides the faculty with insight on how to adjust, revise or enhance the partnership process that supports the service-learning pedagogy to sustain this community work of meeting community-identified needs while providing students with an opportunity to apply theory and develop clinical …

Synthesis Of Bicyclic Pyrrolo[2,3-D]Pyrimidines, And Tricyclic Indeno[2,1-D]/[1,2-D]Pyrimidines As Receptor Tyrosine Kinase (Rtk) Inhibitors And Antimitotic Agents, Ying Zhao

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The dissertation will give an introduction, background and our research progress in the areas of receptor tyrosine kinases inhibitors and antimitosis inhibitors. The design and syntheses of bicyclic pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidines, and tricyclic indeno[2,1-d]- and [1,2-d]pyrimidines as receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors and bicyclic pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidines, and tricyclic indeno[2,1-d]pyrimidines as antimitotic inhibitors have been described. As a part of this study, a total of two hundred and eleven new compounds have been synthesized and characterized. Of these, ninety five final compounds were submitted for biological evaluation.

Prevalence Of And Risk Factors For Intraoperative Non-Euglycemia Events In Premature Neonates >2500 Grams, Zulay Ritrosky

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the rates and risks of premature neonates >2500grams developing intraoperative non-euglycemia events (IONEE). A retrospective chart review of 26 premature neonates >2500 grams who underwent surgical procedures between January 1 and December 31, 2009 was conducted. Statistical analysis was done using Chi square and t-tests. Ten of the 26 subjects (38%) experienced an IONEE. Hyperglycemia was the primary IONEE that was noted in the neonates. (Mean: 143.19; sd: 56.041) Length of surgery was significantly longer in those premature neonates with IONEE than those with euglycemia (71.7 0± 27.03 vs. 45.62 ± 17.98 minutes). All IONEE subjects received …

Swine Flu, Drug Wars, And Riots: Media And Tourism In Oaxaca, Mexico, Joshua Crosby

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines how travelers evaluate and process mass media news stories about local events. Thanks to its colonial architecture, white sand beaches, and indigenous history, the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca receives millions of foreign and domestic visitors each year. Between 2006 and through 2009 Oaxaca has received a great deal of negative international media coverage, including stories of street riots, drug violence, and the fall out of the H1N1 flu virus. The overall impact of these unfavorable reports, and the resulting decline in the local tourism industry, has been predictable and severe. This thesis is based on anthropological …

The Impact Of Grade Configuration On Sixth Grade Academic Achievement In Florida Public Schools, Karen Schafer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the impact of grade span configuration on the academic achievement of sixth grade students in Florida public schools. Grade configuration (PK-6, PK-8, and 6-8) was the independent variable. Academic achievement, the dependent variable, was measured using 2009 Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) Reading and Mathematics mean scale scores and the percentage of students making annual learning gains from 2008 to 2009. School socioeconomic status (SES) was used as a covariate to equalize the effect of poverty on achievement. Random samples of schools were drawn from the population of all Florida public schools with sixth grades in 2009, …

Examining The Hypocrisy Paradigm As An Intervention For Modifying High-Risk Alcohol Use Behaviors Among College Students, Mary Hammons

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the hypocrisy paradigm as an experimental alcohol intervention to determine if participants who complete the hypocrisy paradigm will experience a significant reduction in the number of negative consequences associated with their alcohol use, quantity and frequency of alcohol use, and average and peak eBAC compared to college students in the control condition. Participants were 53 college students randomly assigned to an experimental hypocrisy paradigm intervention or a control condition. Contrary to prediction, the hypocrisy paradigm was not found to be significantly different than the control condition. Exploratory analyses examining within-group differences were …

Evaluating An Online Personalized Family-Based Intervention To Promote Healthy Lifestyle Changes, Sharon Hayes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study evaluated the initial feasibility, efficacy, and acceptability of a motivationally-tailored family-based intervention designed to promote the adoption of healthy lifestyle behaviors associated with physical activity and nutrition. Parents (N=132) of children 6 to 11 years old were randomly assigned to the intervention or control condition, and they completed a series of online questionnaires. Intervention participants (n=61) received a single motivationally-tailored feedback report via e-mail. Control participants (n=71) completed measures and immediately received information about a free online resource that provides information about healthy lifestyle behaviors (www.mypyramid.gov). Feasibility data indicate that an online feedback program has high dissemination …

Branched And Spiral Organic Nanotubes Based On The Self-Assembly Of Bile Acids, Xuejun Zhang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The self-assembly of chiral amphiphilic molecules in aqueous solutions is of particular interest because the chirality of individual molecules is often expressed in their supermolecular structures. Self-assembled tubes made of chiral amphiphilic molecules represent useful supramolecular architectures which hold promise as controlled release vehicles for drug delivery, encapsulates for functional molecules, and nanoreactors for chemical reactions. Lithocholic acid (LCA) is a secondary bile acid with the concentration being identical to that of cholesterol in the hepatic bile and gallbladder. It has a rigid, nearly planar hydrophobic steroid nucleus, with four hydrogen atoms and one hydroxyl group directed toward the concave …

Modeling Mortuary Behavior Based On Secondary Burial Data From Carson Mound Group, Coahoma County, Mississippi, Jenna Leigh Anne James

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Development Of A Prototype Bi-Layered Patch With Asymmetric Release For Ocular Drug Delivery, Kanchan Hippalgoankar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Determinants Of Bone Mineral Density In African-American And Caucasian College-Aged Women, Andrea K. Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Osteoporosis is a serious health issue affecting 10 million Americans, with an additional 44 million being at risk. Due to the morbidity and mortality associated with fractures caused by osteoporosis, it is an important public health concern. Some researchers suggest that African-American women fracture at a lower rate when compared to Caucasians with the same bone mineral density (BMD). However, when African-American women do fracture, they have higher mortality and morbidity rates. Data regarding risk factors and prevalence of low BMD among African American and Caucasian college-aged women are limited. Purpose. The primary purpose of this research was to explain …

Increasing Parental Awareness And Monitoring: The Development And Evaluation Of A Web-Based Program To Empower Parents To Reduce, Pamela Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Parent attitudes about underage alcohol use and parent monitoring of the activities of their adolescent children have been found to be directly related to the likelihood of underage alcohol use. Unfortunately, there are relatively few programs or resources available to parents to assist them to reduce their children's potential for early and problematic alcohol involvement. In an effort to address this need, the present project entailed the development and evaluation of a web-based psychoeducational program entitled, Increasing Parental Awareness and Monitoring (iPAM). This online program begins to fill the gap in effective and convenient programming focused on development of parent …

Understanding Parent's Perspectives Of Their Kindergarten Children's Transition To School, Pamela Anderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates possible reasons why parent's perceive that their kindergarten child complains about school. Using data in the parent questionnaires from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study ' Kindergarten Class of 1998-1999, this research looks at a nationally representative sample of boys and girls and specifically targets those children whose parents indicated that they complained more than one time per week during the first two months of school. Looking at factors both from home, including socioeconomic status, maternal education levels and family structure, and from school, including length of the kindergarten day, transition practices received by the child and prior …

Paleopathology In Ancient Eygpt: Evidence From The Sites Of Dayr Al-Barsha And Sheikh Said, Cindy Malnasi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For centuries, people have been fascinated with how the ancient Egyptians lived, and particularly how they died. Although Egyptologists in the past had a greater interest in the treasures that accompanied the dead, there has now been a shift in focus on the actual ancient Egyptians themselves and their ways of life. Recognizing the health and disease status of ancient Egyptians has become particularly important. The aim of this research project is to document the paleopathology of the individuals from the sites of Dayr al-Barsha and Sheikh Said encompassing the Old Kingdom (2686 - 2160 BC), the First Intermediate Period …