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Tetanus Immunity Among Adults In The Democratic Republic Of The Congo, Sue K. Gerber

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although tetanus is not a contagious disease, it can be deadly for people who are exposed and do

not have protective immunity against tetanus, which can be acquired only through vaccination.

Most studies on adult tetanus protective immunity are from high-income countries; limited

studies occur in Africa, and none has been reported from the Democratic Republic of the Congo

(DRC). This study sought to determine protective immunity against tetanus among adults in

DRC in relation to their age, sex, place of residence, and for women, antenatal care. The primary

purpose of this observational cross-sectional study using a nested serosurvey within …

Examining The Effect Of Substance Use Training On Registered Nurses’ Competency And Self-Efficacy, Myrtle Harrison Greene

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Substance abuse and addiction among nurses remains a problem and can have lasting and sometimes fatal effects on patients. The purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental study is to examine the effect of substance use training on RNs’ post training competency about substance use impairment and level of self-efficacy to deal with impaired colleagues. Bandura’s self-efficacy theory (SET) which originated from Bandura’s social cognitive theory provided the theoretical foundation. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 118 registered nurses using the Perceived Competency with Impaired Nurses survey, the Methods for Dealing with Nurse Impairment Questionnaire (MDNIQ) and a demographic questionnaire. …

Effects Of Race And Gender On Strengths And Difficulties Questionnaire Scores, Amanda Haas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers can use the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire-Teacher Form (SDQ-TF) for ages 4 to 10 as a behavioral screening tool to determine the severity of a child’s problematic behaviors; however, SDQ-TF is subject to potential rater biases. Implicit bias refers to people remaining unaware of their biases, which may influence the ways that student behaviors are rated. Therefore, this study was conducted to measure the effect of race and gender congruency on teacher ratings of student problematic behaviors by the total difficulties score using the SDQ-TF 4-10. A nonprobability convenience sample of 98 teachers in the greater Phoenix, Arizona area …

Community-Based Workers’ Treatment And Relationship With African American Men With Dual Diagnosis, André V. Haley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Helping professionals have a role as service providers when working with African American men with dual diagnosis and incarceration histories. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to understand how helping professionals provided community-based treatment and established a helper/helpee relationship with this population of African American men. Hirschi’s social control theory provided the framework for the study. Semistructured interviews were used to collect data from 9 helping professionals who worked with this population in the Northeast United States. Yin’s 5-step model for case studies was used for data analysis and thematic coding. Findings indicated that professionals lacked competency …

Epidemiology Of Marijuana Use And Mental Health In The Context Of Changing Policies, David G. Harvey Ii

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a growing body of evidence supporting the association between cannabis use and the development of mental health disorders, but few studies have addressed this association following the recent increase in marijuana legalization laws. Therefore, using the social ecological model and the self-medication theory of addiction as theoretical frameworks, the purpose of this retrospective database study was to assess the relationship between marijuana use and major depression and suicidal ideation in both adults and adolescents in 2008 and 2017. Data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health were analyzed using logistic regression at the p < .05 threshold for statistical significance. Results demonstrated positive, statistically significant relationships between marijuana use and both major depression and suicidal ideation for both adults and adolescents in both 2008 and 2017. Further, the strengths of these relationships generally increased between 2008 and 2017, coincident with the increase in marijuana legalization laws. These findings provide empirical support to the association between cannabis use and the development of mental health disorders, and that the strength of these associations is increasing following the increase in marijuana legalization laws. This study has important implication for positive social change by identifying significant relationships between cannabis use and the development of mental health disorders and revealing that these relationships are strengthening over time, coincident with the increase in marijuana legalization laws.

Perceptions Of Clinical Adjunct Instructor Preparedness In Nurse Education, Melissa Ann Harvey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This project study addressed the perceptions of novice adjunct clinical instructors as they transition from clinician to novice educator within an associate degree nursing program in Ohio. Lack of formal training in educational preparation has caused the disorientation of effective supervisory practices in the clinical setting and prevents the optimal transfer of knowledge from educators to nursing students. Mezirow’s transformative adult learning theory and Schoening’s nurse educator transition model were the two conceptual frameworks that guided this study. A qualitative exploratory research design was used to study the role transition process and perceptions of supervision, challenges, and strategies or support. …

Prisoner Reentry And Recidivism: Access To Reentry Programs And Reducing Recidivism For African American, Male Ex-Offenders, Tracee Leigh Harvey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has primarily been centered around the reentry process and programs available to those incarcerated in prison; however, those incarcerated in jails and the reentry programs available has been underrepresented in the field of study. The Jails to Jobs initiative is intended to combat the reentry barriers faced by ex-offenders by offering reentry services while incarcerated as well as transitional services upon release to address the barriers to reentry. However, the problem exists due to the effectiveness of the reentry programs and their ability to provide adequate services that address the needs of African American, male ex-offenders, and, in turn, …

Experiences Of Low Socioeconomic Community College Students Anticipating Transition To A 4-Year University, Richard Hayward

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low socioeconomic status students in the United States are facing declining completion rates for the attainment of 4-year degrees, which may have consequences for their economic well-being. The purpose of this study was to understand lower socioeconomic status students’ experiences regarding a sense of belonging, academic advising, and college preparedness while attending community college and transitioning to a 4-year university. The conceptual framework for this study was grounded in Strayhorn’s findings pertaining to a sense of belonging, Bandura’s social cognitive theory, Adelman’s momentum theory, and Schlossberg, Waters, and Goodman’s transition theory. This basic qualitative study used interviews with 11 community …

Understanding Impostor Phenomena In Hispanic Students From Three Different Learning Environments, Marie Hernandez-Seltz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hispanic college student retention and dropout rates are regarded as social and economic crises in the United States. Research studies with minority students suggest Hispanic students may feel out of place. Impostor phenomenon (IP) is a psychological pattern involving feeling like a fraud that may explain their experience. Several studies with minority students suggest IP and learning environment (LE) may be correlated. Other minority student studies indicate an association between ethnic identity (EI) and IP. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between IP, EI, and LE in a Hispanic university student population. The theoretical …

Texas Elementary Teachers’ Perceptions Of Data Chats, Candace Christina Hopkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A gap in practice at CES Elementary School (pseudonym) was the lack of data driven instructional decision making. This lack has contributed to the problem of low school scores on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR). Low STAAR scores have negatively impacted student, teacher, and administrator retention. Data chats were implemented to help overcome the problem and improve practice, but this did not work. Hence, the purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of data chats that occurred within CES’s professional learning communities. The study was conceptually guided by the theory of action. Teachers’ perceptions …

Strategies To Mitigate The Effects Of Identity Theft In The Hospitality Industry, Patricia Lee Jirsa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Leaders in the U.S. hospitality industry experience significant losses in profitability, increased mitigation cost, and reduced revenues because of business and consumer identity theft. Grounded in the fraud triangle theory and the fraud diamond theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore strategies leaders in the hospitality industry use to mitigate identity theft. A purposeful sample of 5 leaders of 5 different hospitality businesses in Montana participated in the study. Data were collected through semistructured interviews, member checking, and a review of company documents. During data analysis using Yin’s 5-step process, 3 key themes emerged: a new …

A Multiple Case Study Of School Administrators On Use Of Disciplinary Measures, Michele L. Jones-Pace

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Disproportionately high rates of out-of-school suspension and expulsion of African American children represent an ongoing issue in the U.S. public school system. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory was used as the theoretical framework for this multiple case study. The research question focused on the perceptions, perspectives, and experiences of a purposeful sample of 7 high school principals and what they believed were the reasons for persistently high rates of out-of-school suspension for African American students. The principals represented Title I and non-Title I schools located in urban, rural, and suburban regions of a southern state. Data from individual interviews and archival data …

Teachers' Perceptions Of Teaching In An Inclusive Classroom, Maya Johnstone

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Classroom teachers often experience feelings of ineffectiveness and struggle to meet the needs of students in the inclusion classroom setting within the local school district. Guided by Bandura’s self-efficacy theory, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate elementary teachers’ perceptions of their confidence to teach in the inclusive classroom. Semistructured interviews with a purposeful sample of 7 elementary inclusion teachers (3 general education teachers; 4 special education teachers) from the local district were conducted. Data analysis using open and axial coding revealed 7 emergent themes: (a) need for inclusion-specific professional development and training on differentiated instruction, (b) …

Bachelor Of Social Work Students’ Experience Of Moral Reasoning At An Evangelical Christian University, David Scott King

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Scholars have documented a lack of effective education and training for integrating faith and social work practice. Also, researchers have identified challenges regarding conflicting philosophical paradigms in social work and cultural changes among emerging adults affecting evangelical Christian universities teaching faith integration. However, little information is available regarding the experiences of students and conflicts between social work values and their religious beliefs. This study was an investigation of the experiences of social work students when considering value conflicts between their religious beliefs and social work practice. The research questions examined the moral reasoning of students at an evangelical university considering …

African American High School Graduates’ Perceptions Of Their African American Principal’S Leadership, Patricia Mitchell Marzett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a need to increase high school graduation rates for African American students, decrease dropout rates, and narrow or close the achievement gap between African American students and White students. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to determine the perceptions of African American students who graduated from high school regarding the leadership of their African American principal. Delgado and Stefancic’s critical race theory and Bass’s transformational leadership constitute the conceptual framework for this study. Nine participants who graduated from high schools led by an African American principal were interviewed, and transcripts were analyzed using in vivo coding. …

Organizational Climate And Employee Engagement, Romie Mejalli

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although research shows that disengaged employees contribute to increased health and hiring costs in for-profit organizations, there is a gap in the literature concerning the relationship between organizational climate (OC) and employee engagement (EE) in nonprofit organizations (NPOs). In this study, it was hypothesized that employee answers to the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-17 (UWES-17) and OC surveys (for example, of management styles and innovation) would predict EE in a NPO. The study further addressed the question of whether age or the division in which the employees worked influenced the relationship between OC and EE. Kahn’s engagement theory served as the …

How Older Nigerians View The Impact Of Migration On Their Health, Jayne Nwankwo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Migration into the United States opens windows of opportunity, but also involves difficult experiences that impact the health of migrants. In this qualitative study, the meanings that Nigeria migrants (aged 65–80) placed on their migration experiences were explored in relation to their health and well-being. Literature revealed no prior migration study on this population. The social constructivist approach provided the framework for this study. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 13 participants that fell within the selection criteria. Face to face interview was used to obtain participants’ view of health; their challenges to adaptation to the United States; the impact …

Sociopolitical Determinants Of Parental Acceptance Of Childhood Vaccination In Abuja, Nigeria, Lawrence Madu Ohammah

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the efficacy of vaccines, some parents still reject vaccination of their children, resulting in low vaccination coverage, a greater burden of vaccine-preventable diseases, and high infant mortality. The purpose of this study was to investigate the sociopolitical determinants of vaccination status among children, aged 0-24 months, and identify the factors that drive vaccine hesitancy. The social ecological model served as the theoretical framework. The study research design was a quantitative cross-sectional survey. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect primary data from parents and caregivers in 384 randomly selected households from 48 settlements in the Abuja Municipal Area Council. …

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder And Social Work Practice In Suffolk, Va., Porcha Lynn Porter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a well-known disorder that children are increasingly diagnosed with, but the school setting is still unprepared for this disorder. Research has also shown that there is still a need for school staff be more educated and trained on this disorder so that they can see how the environment, including the school setting, plays a significant role in increasing the symptoms including adding to the stigma. The gap in literature found that the social expectations that shape the school environment can create a challenge for children with an ADHD diagnosis and contribute to the stigma …

Lived Experiences Of Gay Men And Barriers To Reporting Intimate Partner Violence, Nicola A. Seahorn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Gay men encounter barriers when reporting same-sex intimate partner violence (IPV) to officials. This phenomenon is vital to address, given that IPV impacts gay men more than others in the LGBTQ community, with gay men making 31.5% of the IPV reports among that population. The identified gap in the literature showed the lack of research regarding the lived experiences of barriers encountered by gay men in reporting IPV, which was the purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study. Merten’s strain theory served as a framework to answer the study’s two research questions on how barriers in reporting IPV affect gay men’s …

Treatment Interventions For Tobacco Cessation At An Inpatient Mental Health Facility, Stephanie Marie Stansell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 36.5% of adults with any mental illness use tobacco compared to 25.3% of adults without a mental illness; however, there are limited data to determine the best approaches for tobacco cessation among the mentally ill. The purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental study was to investigate the differences among 1-on-1 counseling versus group counseling in tobacco cessation rates among psychiatric patients aged 18 years old and older who were identified as a tobacco user upon admission to …

Intercultural Communication Between African American Managers And Hispanic Workers With Esl, Reva Ann Stanton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

By 2050, individuals of Hispanic descent will represent nearly 30% of the total American population with English as a second language (ESL). The problem addressed the lack of strategies being used by African American Managers on communicating with Hispanic workers with ESL. The purpose of the study was to explore what communication strategies African American managers can use when managing Hispanic workers with ESL in a government agency in Illinois. The importance of this study is exemplified in the findings; the results provided a new way of thinking about the social world that is interwoven in an intercultural environment. The …

Strategies To Enhance Department Store Improvement Of Brand Marketing, Theodore Turner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, 46% of retail businesses fail to increase revenue due to ineffective marketing strategies. Retail business leaders who do not implement successful and viable strategies are at a high risk of failure. Grounded in Alderson and Cox’s marketing theory and Bastos and Levy’s marketing-driven branding functional standards, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies department store marketing managers use to improve brand marketing. The participants were 5 department store marketing managers in the Northeastern region of a metropolitan area in Virginia who improved the brand image of their retail stores. Data were …

Perceptions, Potholes, And Possibilities Of Using Digital Voice Assistants To Differentiate Instructions, Adrian A. Weir

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Access to technologies and understanding the potential uses of technology to differentiate instruction have been a concern for the teachers and students in a local school district located in the southeastern United States. Despite the emergence of digital voice assistants (DVAs) as tools for instructions, teachers lack knowledge and strategies for using DVAs to differentiate instruction in their classrooms. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify teacher knowledge and strategies employed among special education (SPED) teachers using DVAs to differentiate instruction in their classrooms. The concepts of Carol Tomlinson’s differentiation theory and Mishra and Koehler’s TPACK framework served …

Acculturative Experiences Of African American Military Wives In An Arctic Environment, Demetria Roshan White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

United States military wives typically relocate every few years with their active-duty husbands. But little is known about the acculturative stress and stressors associated with relocating and reestablishing a military home in an Arctic environment. This qualitative research focused on African American women who were also military wives and the acculturative stress they encountered in relocating to an Arctic environment. Face to face interviews provided a platform for 10 military wives to share their personal experiences. The acculturative stress that African American military wives’ acculturative stress and stressors encountered in relocating from a non-Arctic to an Arctic environment are not …

Impact Of Social Economic Factors On U. S. Veterans’ Access To Care, William Kwaku Adjei Ofori

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Coronary heart disease (CHD), the leading cause of death worldwide, affects about 8.45 million United States veterans, individuals honorably discharged from the active military, naval services, and air services. The purpose of this study was to determine whether veterans’ access to care is associated with income level determinants, such as job status, education level, and location. Using the social cognitive theory as the framework, the study examined the extent to which income level and the other social determinants, impacted access to care for veterans with CHD. The 2016 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, the nation’s leading data system was the …

Maternal Discrimination Stress And Negative Birth Outcomes Among Black Women, Quantrilla Y. Ard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Black women are more than twice as likely as White women to experience losing their infants in the first year of life. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine relationships between maternal discriminatory stress and negative birth outcomes such as preterm delivery, low birth weight, very low birth weight, and infant death among Black women with varying levels of education. This study was grounded in critical race theory and Black feminist theory, positing that Black women are the sum of intersecting identities that shape their world view. A sample of 107 Black women were recruited by convenience and …

Social Determinants Of Adherence To Antiretroviral Therapy Among Hiv+ Youth, Wanza Rochelle Bacon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Young adults, especially African American men who have sex with men (MSM) have the lowest rates of antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence among all age groups; however, they experience greater than 50% of all new Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infections among individuals 13 to 24 years of age. Despite the availability of ART, young MSM continue to experience suboptimal rates of adherence and are one of the most vulnerable populations for contracting HIV. Grounded in the social cognitive theory, my aim for this quantitative cross-sectional study was to investigate the relationship between diverse social determinants and ART adherence among young adult …

Comparison Of Affordable Care Act And Ryan White Coverage On Treatment Compliance, Engagement, Affordability, And Health Status For People Living With Hiv/Aids, Todd Blum

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) provides HIV care to uninsured people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Although the RWHAP has helped PLWHA achieve a viral suppression rate of 84%, this does not meet the 90% target goals under the U.N. 90-90-90 plan to end the AIDS epidemic. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was enacted to enhance access and health status, but outcomes have not been measured for PLWHA. The purpose of this quantitative correlational cross-sectional study was to determine whether PLWHA enrolled in an ACA qualified health plan (ACAQHP) achieved improved health status compared to PLWHA enrolled in the RWHAP. …

Compassion Fatigue And Police Use Of Force, Amanda K. Devan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Compassion fatigue is a natural response to caring, where burnout and exhaustion result from helping professions which includes police officers. Exposure to trauma and stress increases the risk of developing compassion fatigue in helper professions and may have negative implications on overall mental health and physical well-being. However, not much is known about the behavioral effects of compassion fatigue among police officers during use-of-force incidents. The purpose of this study was to examine whether compassion fatigue in police officers is predictive of use-of- force incidents. The theoretical foundation was Figley’s theory of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue. Survey data were …