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Analyzing Regional Impact Of Caregiving On Obesity Prevalence Among U.S. Adults, Myra Callis Johnston

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Historically, sparse research efforts have focused on informal caregiving as a possible risk factor for developing chronic illnesses across the United States. Identifying additional subgroups at higher risk of becoming obese could provide insights into where public health practitioners, the health care community, and policy makers can direct limited resources through a more targeted approach. The theoretical foundation for the current project was the social cognitive theory. In this secondary correlational analysis using the 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data set, the relationship between …

The Impact Of Staff Education On Nurses And Medical Assistants' Knowledge Of Hiv Prevention And Screening, Eurekia Denise Samuel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractIn some U.S. ambulatory clinics, limited time is available for patient education during primary care, which is a barrier to increasing the recommended annual screening for HIV of persons with risk factors between the ages of 13 and 64. One solution to removing this barrier is the expansion of the role of frontline staff so that patient education, particularly in the areas of secondary prevention and routine testing, can occur at the beginning of the visit during initial checking in and assessments. At the project site, a rural ambulatory clinic in the southern United States, however, the frontline staff lacked …

Obesity-Related Health Behaviors And Stress Among Sexual Minority Women, Kristen Andrea Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adult obesity rates have continued to rise with 40% of the adult population in the United States currently being categorized as obese. Sexual minority women are more prone to obesity than heterosexual women. Obesity has been linked to several causes of premature and preventable death and has often been attributed to changeable health behaviors such as physical activity, diet, and sleep. Additionally, stress has been shown to impact health behaviors as well as rates of obesity. Sexual minority women are known to experience more stress due to their minority status, a concept described in minority stress theory which states that …

Nutrition Practices And Obesity Standards Among Obese, African American Women, Martina Peterson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity in the United States has been labeled a national pandemic. Obesity occurs across all populations, regardless of age, sex, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, education level, or geographical region; however, it has disproportionately affected African American women. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to gain an understanding of African American women’s behaviors that are preventing them from conforming to nutrition and obesity standards of the body mass index (BMI) guidelines. The targeted population for this study was 10 obese or morbidly obese African American women, ages 30 to 45. The data were collected using telephone interviews due to the …

Type 2 Diabetes And Pesticide Exposure Among U.S. Hispanic Migrant Farmworkers, Judith Faustin-Gabriel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractHispanic migrant farmworkers provide indispensable services to the United States, yet they are low-paid, uninsured employees working in extremely hazardous conditions. Public health and other healthcare professionals have worked to address the impact of pesticide exposure in the Hispanic migrant population. Although pesticides have been associated with various chronic diseases, limited evidence and studies have established an association between pesticide exposure and Diabetes Type 2 (DT2) among Hispanic migrant farmworkers. Guided by fundamental causes theory, this study addressed whether there is a relationship between agricultural pesticide exposure and DT2 among Hispanic migrant farmworkers in the United States who participated in …

Paradigm In Social Security Measures: Impetus For Policy Reform In Zimbabwe, Locary Kuponandishe Hlabanu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was intended to address lack of knowledge regarding how the social security system in Zimbabwe is perceived by recipients and government employees and what policy reforms could be sought. The study explored perceptions of participants regarding the existing social security system in Zimbabwe. The welfare state theory guided the detailed inquiry. A qualitative case study research design was used to extract feelings, thoughts, and intentions of recipients of social security and government employees and to explore how the results could be applied to improve social security policy in Zimbabwe. Data were collected from a nonrandom purposefully selected sample …

Social Work Practice And Childhood Obesity In Cumberland County In North Carolina, Patience Dione Ngalle

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2018, approximately 20% of children aged 5 to 22 years in the United States suffered from childhood obesity, which results in long-term mental health needs. The purpose of this project was to better understand the effective strategies used by clinical social workers in addressing the mental health needs of obese children. Systems theory formed the conceptual framework for this study. The study also included a basic qualitative design. Six clinical social workers from six different practices based in Cumberland County, North Carolina, participated in this study. The results from computer-aided qualitative data analysis of the interview data that followed …

Determinants Of Fruit And Vegetable Consumption For Adults In The Panhandle Of Nebraska, Erin Marie Norman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low fruit and vegetable (F/V) consumption has been documented and is associated with increased risk of chronic disease. Previous studies have revealed that consuming the recommended servings of F/V per day can be influenced by many determinants including healthy eating self-efficacy, cooking confidence, perceived family support, perceived access, perceived quality, and perceived cost of fruits and vegetables. The purpose of this study was to examine these determinants of F/V consumption at the individual level of the socioecological model for adults ages 18 years and older residing in the panhandle of Nebraska. The socioecological model (SEM) provided the theoretical framework for …

Paraprofessionals’ Perceptions Of The Need For Professional Development In An Afterschool Program Setting, Terry Chapman Walker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAfterschool workers often lack the training and formal education that would help them perform their jobs effectively. There is little research on professional development available to such paraprofessional workers. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore afterschool workers’ perceptions of needed training. The central question focused on the perceptions of paraprofessional workers in afterschool programs regarding how professional development supported their work. Subquestions included what paraprofessional workers in afterschool programs identified as their primary learning needs and what approaches to professional development supported their work. The conceptual framework centered on Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy and Knowles’s model …

The Successful Road Of Reentry After Conviction, Coretta Paula Butts

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractA problem exists for ex-convicts who are undergoing re-assimilation: their career options are limited once the label of ex-convict is applied to them. Labeling, which has created a gap between unsuccessful prisoner reentry and successful prisoner reentry, is a prevalent issue in the United States. Although research is available on the effects of labeling, limited information is available regarding the social effects labeling has on ex-convicts during their reentry process. The purpose of the study was to examine the current policies and procedures of Hillsborough County reentry programs in the state of Florida to investigate why they are failing to …

Effects Of Differing Education Levels On Respiratory Therapy Hiring Decisions In Pennsylvania, Ronald Curtis Aumiller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many healthcare professions struggle with knowing what the entry-level educational requirement should be for their profession. This study looked at the educational level of hiring managers for respiratory therapy and whether that affected their decisions on hiring associate or baccalaureate degree graduates in the state of Pennsylvania. The quantitative internet-based questionnaire surveyed respiratory therapy hiring managers in hospitals in Pennsylvania. The power theory, with the use of expert power, organizational culture and change, and ethnographic principle, was used to examine how hiring managers choose their employees. An invitation was sent to 70 respiratory hiring managers in Pennsylvania to participate on …

Evaluating Compliance With The Produce Safety Rule And Managing Mycotoxins, Yvette May Molajo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Foodborne diseases are the cause of many illnesses that occur from foods that contain mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are produced from fungi and are environmental and carcinogenic agents that contaminate agricultural foods during preharvest and postharvest conditions. While researchers have conducted many studies on mycotoxin occurrence and production, there is a significant gap in the current literature regarding which environmental factors could put farmers’ ability to remain in compliance with the Food Safety Modernization Act’s Produce Safety Rule at risk. Therefore, the purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate which environmental factors could put farmers’ ability to remain in compliance with …

Examination Of The Efficacy Of The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act To Reduce High School Childhood Obesity Rates System, Catrina Lashawn Morgan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The rapid rise in U.S. high school student obesity rates to 20.8% in 2018 presented significant risks to the health and well-being of American children and foreshadowed increased future healthcare costs. To address high school obesity, Congress passed the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA) in 2010 that mandated the U.S. Department of Agriculture develop regulations to nutrition to improve the nutrition of school cafeteria breakfasts and lunches. The purpose of this quantitative study was to test for changes between 2009 and 2016 in high school obesity rates attributable to the HHFKA using Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System data, adjusted for …

Health Literacy Staff Education For Heart Failure Management, Ifeoma Onyeiwu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Heart failure (HF) is a chronic disease with progressive deterioration that occurs over years or decades. There is a need for individuals affected by HF to be educated regarding this complex disease. Health literacy, an integral part of health and wellness, is one's ability to understand and use health information. Ninety million adults in America have difficulty understanding and using health information, resulting in higher rates of hospitalization and use of emergency services among patients. Limited health literacy may lead to billions of dollars in avoidable healthcare costs. This DNP project addressed health literacy as it relates to medication adherence …

Misuse Of Prescription Pain Relievers Among Pregnant Women In The United States, Winnie Chebet Rono

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The non-medical use of prescription pain relievers has increased remarkably, posing social and public health concerns particularly in developed countries such as the United States. The management of pain experienced by pregnant women poses a challenge to clinicians considering the effects of the regimen on unborn babies. Guided by the health belief model, which aims to predict health-related behavior in terms of certain health beliefs and explain change and behavior maintenance as well as to guide health behavior interventions, this cross-sectional study aimed to understand the associations between misusing pain relievers and social determinants of health such as education level …

Predictors Of Obesity Among Young Adults In The State Of Maryland, Kala Shahi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractObesity has become a global wellness concern for young adults. In the past, there were very few studies conducted on predictors of obesity among young adults, even though there have been several studies on the potential predictors of obesity on the general population. The social ecological model was used to guide this quantitative cross-sectional study to identify the possible predictors of obesity among young adults. The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System was used to analyze the potential predictors of obesity among young adults between the ages 18 – 34 years old in Montgomery County, Frederick County, and Princess Georges County, …

Nursing Home Nurse Turnover And The Association To Workload, Absenteeism, And Number Of Beds, Justin Ryan Gracieux

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The aging population in the United States has resulted in an increased need for quality nursing home care, which includes a stable nursing staff and reduced workforce instability. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between direct care nursing staff turnover rates for RNs, licensed vocational nurses (LVNs), and certified nursing assistants (CNAs) concerning workload, absenteeism, and number of beds in Texas nursing homes. The relational coordination theory provided the theoretical framework for understanding the underlying issues and communication needs that may relate to staff turnover. Secondary data from 11,336 direct resident care nursing staff …

Safety Planning: Self-Management Approaches For Intimate Partner Violence In Ohio, Yvette Clemons

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractIntimate partner violence (IPV) is a global health education and promotion burden that has affected one in four women in the United States between the ages of 18-24, who are at increased risk of subsequent negative health outcomes of sexually transmitted inflections, mental health and substance abuse disorders, exacerbated suicidal ideations, and death. Exploring the health education needs and learning preferences of women affected by IPV who have utilized self-management strategies during safety planning interventions was the purpose for this phenomenological qualitative study and aligned the four research questions. SurveyMonkey was used to conduct interviews of 30 women align with …

Language Acculturation Effect On Diabetes Prevalence And Self-Care Skills In Puerto Ricans, Gerardo Lazaro

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Diabetes, a silent, chronic disease that involves demanding long-term self-care skills, affects adult Puerto Ricans disproportionately. Based on the health belief model, a theory that predicts health behavior, and the theory of language barriers, which predicts the effects of language on beliefs and behavior, this quantitative nonexperimental study analyzed the relationship of the preference of Puerto Ricans in Boston to use and speak Spanish (language acculturation) to diabetes prevalence and 4 diabetes self-care skills (healthy eating, being active, taking medication, and healthy coping). Data on 1,506 initial participants in the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study were used from 3 study …

Social Determinants Of Type 2 Diabetes And Health In Caribbean Women, Kathleen Tuitt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Type 2 diabetes is a pressing public health issue for women in the Caribbean. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of prediabetes, overweight/obesity, and Type 2 diabetes and the predictive relationship of social determinants, weight status, physical activity, and race/ethnicity on Type 2 diabetes diagnosis of women in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Further research was needed to understand why Caribbean women are at such high risk for Type 2 diabetes and obesity. A quantitative, nonexperimental design, involving the analysis of secondary data published by the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System at the Centers …

Lived Experiences Of Nurse Faculty Teaching Patient Safety Risks From Smartphone Distractions, Nicole Irene Helstowski

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Smartphone distractions frequently occur in healthcare, disrupting nurses’ provision of patient care and threatening patient safety. To ensure safe care for patients, nurse faculty must prepare prelicensure nursing students with the knowledge, skills, and behaviors that they need to mitigate patient safety risks. A lack of research regarding how nurse faculty teach nursing students about patient safety risks from smartphone distractions was the concern for this study. The purpose of this qualitative, descriptive phenomenology study was to identify and report the lived experiences of undergraduate nurse faculty regarding teaching about patient safety risks from smartphone distractions in prelicensure nursing programs …

Faculty Perceptions Of Preparing Bachelor Of Science In Nursing-Registered Nurse Students For Primary Health Care, Gloria J. Hopkinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Healthcare systems rely on nurses to provide essential healthcare services in primary healthcare settings. However, few nursing school graduates seek careers in primary healthcare (PHC). The purposes of this exploratory, qualitative study guided by the patient-centeredness theory were to explore the beliefs and attitudes of nursing faculty who teach Bachelor of Science in nursing level PHC courses, how they incorporate PHC into the nursing curriculum, and what strategies they use to promote student interest in PHC. Participants of this study included seven faculty who teach PHC courses at two universities in the Midwest. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and …

Homeless Shelter Social Workers’ Lived Experiences As Providers For Older Schizophrenic Women, Joan Marcy Spencer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The costs of social change efforts addressing homelessness among mentally ill individuals has increased in the United States over the past 40 years. Social workers face challenges with developing or executing individualized housing and mental health plans for older homeless women with schizophrenia. The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences among homeless shelter social workers who help women with schizophrenia during housing and mental health support implementation. This transcendental phenomenological study was anchored with Husserl’s theoretical context of human perceptions of reality within previous subjective experiences. The research question was: When implementing mental health and housing …

Perception Of Clinic Staff On Weight Reduction Program For Young Adult Females, Ifeyinwa Cordelia Ibeanu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity, a common disease among young people in the United States, is defined as aBMI of 30 or more. Among the most prevalent noncommunicable diseases, obesity is reported as a significant public health issue for the general population. The management of younger adults’ obesity requires advanced skills and knowledge to promote healthier lifestyles while directly addressing the factors that contribute to the condition. As a result, this project was designed to evaluate the staff perception of an evidence-based educational program on weight reduction among young adult females (ages 18-25) diagnosed with obesity at outpatient clinic in a Northeastern mid-Atlantic States. …

The Combined Impact Of Race And Education On Obesity Among U.S. Adults By Fidelis Okoye, Fidelis Chidi Okoye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Walden University

College of Health Professions

This is to certify that the doctoral dissertation by

Fidelis Okoye

has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the review committee have been made.

Review Committee Dr. Vasileios Margaritis, Committee Chairperson, Public Health Faculty Dr. Srikanta Banerjee, Committee Member, Public Health Faculty Dr. James Rohrer, University Reviewer, Public Health Faculty

Chief Academic Officer and ProvostSue Subocz, Ph.D.

Walden University2021

AbstractThe Combined Impact of Race and Education on Obesity Among U.S. Adults by Fidelis Okoye

MA, Walden University, 2009BS, Marygrove College, 2001

Dissertation …

The Use Of Vocational Services By Formerly Incarcerated Citizens Who Obtained Employment, Marianne Gonta

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Almost 2.3 million people are incarcerated in correctional facilities across the United States. More than 95% of this population will be released to return to society at some time. People returning from prison can be at a disadvantage as they compete for work. They might be challenged by known barriers to employment, like restrictions on work opportunities and powerful stigma, resulting in a social problem. While some correctional facilities provide vocational services, 75% or more of citizens returning to U.S. communities from prison cannot obtain sustainable wage employment. Yet, it appears there is little research illuminating the pathways used by …

Nigerian Pensioners’ Knowledge, Attitudes, And Beliefs About Type 2 Diabetes, Nnawuihe Ugochukwu Nwosu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractDiabetes is one of the leading killer diseases globally, and it is on the rise, especially in developing countries like Nigeria. The high prevalence of undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes in developing African countries has been attributed to a lack of knowledge and awareness about the disease, unbelief in modern healthcare efficacy, and limited healthcare services access. The purpose of this study was to explore the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about Type 2 diabetes among pensioners in Nigeria. A qualitative phenomenological research design was used for the study. The constructs of the health belief model formed the study’s theoretical framework. Data …

Nonprofit Organizations’ Program Evaluation Of Education Toward Prevention Of Teens Using Electronic Cigarettes And Vaping, Paulette Scott

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe pervasiveness of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and vaping among teenagers has led to a need for effective interventions to address this problem. One type of intervention that nonprofit organizations (NPOs) such as the American Lung Association (ALA) have adopted is the use of educational programs. For instance, ALA introduced an educational program referred to as Nicotine Dependence: Education, Prevention, Tobacco, and Health (INDEPTH), which acts as an alternative to suspension and citation of teens engaged in e-cigarette smoking or vaping. Despite such interventions, the use of e-cigarettes persists, suggesting the need to determine the perceived effectiveness of such programs. This …

The Pertinence Of Risk Management In Behavioral Healthcare Organizations, Mary Darden-Robinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The role of risk management in healthcare settings addressing physical issues has been a focus for scholars since the 1950s. Researchers have demonstrated that effective risk mitigation in physical healthcare settings can decrease medical errors, poor patient care, and litigation. Although there has been a significant focus on the implications of risk management in these settings, there is less research related to this relationship within the context of behavioral healthcare. The purpose of this study was to explore risk-management processes in the setting of a midsized for-profit behavioral health organization on the East Coast of the United States. The Baldrige …

Strategies For Catalyzing Clinicians’ Support Of Telemedicine Programs In Rural Communities, Jonathan Liwag

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Clinicians’ failure to accept contemporary technology has been a critical barrier to telemedicine program adoption. Staff technical challenges and resistance to change can affect technology return on investment, which concerns telemedicine program leaders. Grounded in Davis’s technology acceptance model, the purpose of this qualitative, descriptive single case study was to explore strategies used by program leaders in the Marianas Islands who successfully gained clinicians’ acceptance of contemporary technology. The participants were 5 program leaders recommended by their institution because of their leadership role and telemedicine technologies experience. Data were collected from 4 face-to-face and 1 audio teleconference interview with the …