Digital Commons Network^™

Emotional Support In Managing Cardiovascular Diseases Among Hispanic And Non- Hispanic Menopausal Women, Claudette Andrea

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Effective recognition and proper treatment of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in Hispanic woman is a public health problem that needs further investigation. Guided by the stress and coping social support theory, the purpose of this cross-sectional survey study was to examine the relationship between attitudes, emotional support, and the perception of success in managing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in 335 Hispanic women living in Atlanta, Georgia. Correlations, independent-sample t tests, simple linear regression, and multiple linear regressions showed ethnicity as a moderating variable between the perception of success in handling CVD and emotional support, while emotional support was shown to be a …

Responses Of Successful Latina Students To Academic Challenges Of Prerequisite Nursing Courses, Julie Wiggins Nadeau

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nursing schools struggle to prepare enough nurses to meet the health care needs of a diverse and aging population in the United States. Many students do not complete their degrees, contributing to the problem. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore and describe how successful Latina students experience and respond to the academic challenges of prerequisite nursing courses. The nursing shortage; healthcare needs of Hispanic patients; student outcomes; self-efficacy, achievement goal orientation, and academic help-seeking; and Hispanic cultural values framed the study. Using semistructured private interviews, the researcher explored the lived experiences of 6 successful Latina students when …

The Relationship Between Overweight And Obesity And Acculturation Of 12- To 19-Year-Old Mexican American Children, Elsa Ramirez-Brisson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mexican Americans, one of the fastest growing segments of the population, have been identified as having above-average rates of obesity. Yet, among this group, obesity rates seem to differ by immigrant status: recent immigrants, immigrants who have lived in the United States more than 15 years, and U.S.-born Mexican Americans. Guided by the acculturation phenomenon and the social ecological model, the current study assessed all 1,732 Mexican American children 12-19 years old who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2003 and 2008 to determine the association between body mass index (BMI) and language, years living in …

Effects Of Neurofeedback On Neuropsychological Functioning In An Adult With Autism, Michael J. Lucido

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Autism spectrum condition (ASC) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that impacts physiological processes, cognition, functional behaviors, social-communication, and often has comorbidities. One approach gaining empirical support for ASC treatment is neurofeedback. Neurofeedback uses operant conditioning to normalize cerebral activity through auditory and visual reinforcement. Live Z-score Training (LZT) has become the latest advancement in neurofeedback. There is no published research to date on LZT neurofeedback in adulthood ASC. The purpose of this study was to evaluate LZT's impact on neuropsychological measures in an adult with ASC. A multiple baseline single-case research design was used with a convenience sample of one …

A Qualitative Study Of Bariatric Patients And Their Social And Emotional Experiences After Surgery, Denise Hall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Previous research has indicated that the majority of individuals who undergo bariatric surgery have histories of psychological disorders. Only a paucity of research has examined the social and emotional effects of bariatric surgery on patients. Using Kelly's personal construct theory as the conceptual framework, this phenomenological study was designed to gain more insight into how this life-altering bariatric surgery transforms patients socially and emotionally. Fifteen participants who had undergone bariatric surgery in the past 10 years were interviewed for the study. The interviews were transcribed and coded. Similar themes found within the interviews were identified as the primary themes of …

Racial /Ethnic Disparities In Hypertension In United States Residents: A Cross-Sectional Study Of Potential Explanatory Covariates, Franklin I. Opara

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Racial/ethnic disparities persist in hypertension (HTN) prevalence in the United States, and African Americans are disproportionately affected. The incidence is more than two-folds in African Americans compared to Caucasians, and mortality is highest among African Americans. Understanding the risk factors in HTN and how these factors vary across racial/ethnic groups is essential to reducing the mortality among African Americans. This study examined the prevalence of HTN among a sample non-institutionalized U.S. residents (N = 30,852), assessed racial/ethnic disparities and determined factors associated with racial/ethnic variance in HTN. A cross-sectional design was used to address these aims, utilizing the National Health …

The Effect Of Breastfeeding On The Bmi Of Hispanic Preschool Children, Linda M. Kilby

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The American Academy of Pediatrics and World Health Organization recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first 4-6 months of life to reduce risk of obesity in pre-school children. Previous research has indicated a high rate of obesity among Hispanic children in the northeastern United States. There is also a gap in the literature regarding the effectiveness of exclusive breastfeeding in preventing obesity among preschool Hispanic children. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine if there was an association between exclusive breastfeeding and obesity among pre-school Hispanic children enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Education Program for Women, Infants and …

Beliefs And Attitudes Regarding Health -Enhancing Behaviors In African American And Caucasian Women, Cassaundra Murray

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A disproportionate number of African American (AA) women are overweight, obese, and more likely to have weight related health concerns compared with Caucasian (C) women. Previous research indicates perception about health-enhancing behaviors influences AA females' health behavior. A gap exists in the current literature regarding AA women's perception of eating and exercise behavior and the impact social support has on AA women's adherence to USDA recommendations. The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to examine AA women's weight locus of control, perceived susceptibility to weight related diseases, and perceived barriers to healthy eating and exercise relative to C women; …

Promoting Breast Cancer Screening Among Chinese American Women Through Young Children's Theatrical Performance, Angela Sun

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has revealed that underutilization of breast cancer screening by ethnic minorities often is related to language difficulties and cultural values and beliefs about cancer. The problem addressed in this secondary data analysis was the late diagnosis of breast cancer in the Chinese immigrant community. The purpose of the quasi-experimental study was to test the efficacy of a theatrical preschool performance, guided by the diffusion of innovation theory, in educating Chinese American women about breast cancer detection. The research questions sought to determine whether the performance increased the participants' knowledge of breast cancer screening guidelines and whether country of origin, …

Mandated Differentiated Instruction Effectiveness Examined, Kathlyn Joan Graham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Educational institutions are implementing curriculum mandates without data to support the benefits of the mandates to students. The purpose of this concurrent, mixed-method study, which utilizes quasi-experimental and case study approaches, was to address the effectiveness of mandated differentiated instruction in a suburban high school. This study investigated the significant differences in achievement before and after the implementation of differentiation as well as differences in achievement between a school that mandated the use of differentiation and one that did not. The study also investigated strategies used to implement differentiation and student and teacher attitudes toward it. For ninth grade literature …

A Comparison Of Lifestyle Intervention Sessions And Clinical Screening As Motivators In The South Dakota Wisewoman Program, Jacy Clarke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

WISEWOMAN (WW) is a comprehensive program for medically underserved women in South Dakota (SD), aged 30 to 64, which aims to reduce morbidity and mortality from chronic diseases. Screening services include blood total cholesterol, blood pressure and blood glucose, and body mass index (BMI). Lifestyle intervention (LSI) sessions are also offered to address physical activity and nutrition. The purpose of this retrospective longitudinal study was to quantitatively examine whether the combination of LSI's and clinical screenings or clinical screenings alone lead to improvements in blood pressure, blood glucose, total cholesterol, and/or BMI at rescreening 10 to14 months from initial screening. …

The Lived Experience Of Hiv-Positive Tanzanian Orphans, Carol A. Parker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this investigation was to generate a context- specific model of the lived experience of HIV positive Tanzanian orphans. With the advent of anti-retroviral drugs, Sub-Saharan African populations with high burdens of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) face annually accumulating increases in the number of HIV positive children, and ultimately adults. Perinatally infected, these children often become orphans while still young. Extended interviews were performed with a purposive sample of 12 HIV infected orphaned children between 9 and 12 years of age. Half of the research participants lived in an orphanage and half were children living with guardians in …

Changing The Negative Behavioral And Development Outcomes To A Toxic Prenatal Environment Through Maternal Education, Angela Eileen Laughlin Lebedev

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of current education materials on changing maternal smoking attitudes. Children are affected by prenatal exposure to tobacco smoke. Although there are educational efforts to discourage pregnant women from smoking, the practice continues in a significant number of pregnancies. New materials, based on current research, were also evaluated for effectiveness. The theoretical framework for this study was adult learning theory presented by Knowles which made the assumption that an individual is shaped by environmental systems, that adult learning is affected by previous knowledge they bring to the learning and that adults …

Changing The Negative Behavioral And Developmental Outcomes To A Toxic Prenatal Environment Through Parent Education, Angela Elieen Laughlin Lebedev

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of current education materials on changing maternal smoking attitudes. Children are affected by prenatal exposure to tobacco smoke. Although there are educational efforts to discourage pregnant women from smoking, the practice continues in a significant number of pregnancies. New materials, based on current research, were also evaluated for effectiveness. The theoretical framework for this study was adult learning theory presented by Knowles which makes the assumption that an individual is shaped by environmental systems, that adult learning is affected by previous knowledge they bring to the learning and that adults …

Prognostic Factors Of Varying Treatment Outcomes For Onychomycosis (Nail Fungal Infection) Patients, Bin Cai

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Prevalence of onychomycosis, as high as 26.9% in the general population, can be reduced by improving current antifungal treatment. This could be accomplished by understanding prognostic factors, especially healthy nail growth, associated with achieving complete cure. This population-based study aimed to evaluate if healthy nail length or percentage of total full nail length as healthy can be early indictors for complete cure. Logistics regression analyses were performed by comparing variables between a population who achieved the complete cure and a population who failed after both populations received the same antifungal treatment in two large randomized double-blinded clinical trials that assessed …

A Study Of The Decision To Remove Children From Their Parents By Child Welfare Supervisors, Charles F. Lorbeer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A STUDY OF THE DECISION TO REMOVE CHILDREN FROM THEIR PARENTS BY CHILD WELFARE SUPERVISORS

by Charles F. Lorbeer

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Aqueil Ahmad

Committee Members: Dr. Aqueil Ahmad, Dr. Robert Butters, and Dr. Ashakant Nimbark,

The goal of this study was to analyze the decision by child welfare supervisors to remove children from their parents. This was accomplished by studying the effect that three specific factors have on that decision. The three factors were 1) physical abuse, 2) domestic violence and substance abuse, and 3) availability of services to help the family.

Decision theory provided the conceptual framework for …

Early Intervention And Parenting Support In The Public Schools: An Inalienable Right For All, Heidi Berlinger

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The present study was designed to document the effects of early intervention and parenting support, and to provide a model program proposal for federal adoption. Specifically, this paper redefines the term "readiness" to recognize the diverse needs of infants and their families.

Research indicates several factors influence school readiness: physical well-being and motor development including proper prenatal, perinatal, and early childhood care and nutrition; social and emotional development; approaches toward learning; language usage; and cognition and general knowledge. Parental understanding of how to facilitate the advancement of young children in these areas is extremely important. Without this knowledge parents are …

The Impact Of A Nursing Case Management Model On Quality Of Care As Defined By Length Of Stay, Health Outcomes, And Patient Satisfaction, Gladeen A. Ayer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this research was to investigate the impact of a nursing case management model versus a traditional modified primary care model on quality of care. Quality of care in this study was defined (by the provider) as length of stay, (by the client) as patient satisfaction and (by the professional) as meeting outcomes of appropriate clinical standards of care.

The study used a quasi-experimental design on the experimental (case managed) and control (modified primary care) groups. A non-random sample was selected for the patient population due to existing hospital protocol. The sample consisted of 100 patients (641 total …

To What Extent Current In Service Education Programs At Hospital Level In Puerto Rico Help The Newly Professional And Technical Nurse In The Development Of Practical Nursing Skills, Andrea Guzman Berrios

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

THE PROBLEM

This study was directed to determine to What Extent Inservice Educational Programs in Puerto Rico help the Newly Professional and Technical Nurse in the Development of Practical Nursing skills and Fulfillment of Needs.

PROCEDURE

Eight current inservice educational programs were analyzed from four private and four state hospitals. The sample was composed of two hundred professional and technical nurses both sexes, plus a number of forty seven administrative nursing personnel included in the study, based on their relationship within inservice programs and graduate nurses' performance in practice. The main instrument used in the study was a questionnaire validated …

Health Counseling For The Overweigh Adolescent Girl, Elizabeth J. Handley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was undertaken for the purpose of seeing how a health counseling program for overweight adolescent girls could be developed in a secondary high school setting. Initially, the study developed out of an awareness and concern for the problem of obesity among teenage girls, especially those in a secondary school. To provide a strong background for the use in both planning and executing a health counseling program, the study reviewed the health literature dealing especially with several topics:

a. The prevalence of obesity.

b. The relationship of obesity to mental and physical health.

c. The influence of food faddisms …

Implementation Of Migrant Education Program In The Richgrove School District, Bob L. Blancett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Justification of the problem.

A significant percentage of the children attending school in the Richgrove School District are identified as migrant students. Migratory children often were two or more grades below grade level in reading, spoke little or no English, tended to withdraw from the school environment, had poor self-concepts, lacked nutritionally balanced meals, and had few, if any, previous health records.

The present study is an outgrowth of the Richgrove School District's effort to develop and provide an educational program designed to meet the needs of migratory children residing within its attendance boundaries.

The problem.

The problem was to …

A Comparison Of Third Grade Reading Practices, Objectives, And Achievment Test Results Between A Conventional Program And A Behavioral Objective Approach Program, Charles Henry Massey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The study was concerned with investigating student achievement testing results, age and sex differences, and teaching practices between a behavioral objective type program and a convetional type program (arbitrarily defined) for the teaching of reading to third grade children as measured by standardized test instruments.

Thirty-one third grade students (16 boys and 15 girls) in the experimental class, with a median age of eight years, were compared with a control class of 33 students (19 boys and 14 girls), with a median age of nine years, as available small samples. Both groups were taught by one teacher.

The instructional materials …