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Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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Public Sponsored Health Insurance To Improve Health Outcomes With Implications For Government Health Policy, Design, And Decision Making, Steven M. Wagner Jan 2011

Public Sponsored Health Insurance To Improve Health Outcomes With Implications For Government Health Policy, Design, And Decision Making, Steven M. Wagner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This research sought to ascertain the extent to which providing public sponsored health insurance (PSHI) to previously uninsured Mexican-American Hispanics improves health outcomes among those requiring ongoing treatment to control diabetes. Prior research utilizing insurance access theory; access, equity, and health outcome interrelationship theory; health affordability theory; and financial and resource burden theory suggests the uninsured receive less care than the insured, with delayed treatment, leading to chronic conditions. This research tested each of those major theoretical constructs into a blended conceptual framework based on the notion that providing health insurance helps alleviate the disabling effects of diabetes among this …


The Effect Of Phytoestrogen Chemoprevention Of Prostate Cancer, Ruel Slyfield Michelin Jan 2011

The Effect Of Phytoestrogen Chemoprevention Of Prostate Cancer, Ruel Slyfield Michelin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Prostate cancer (CaP) remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer and second leading cause of cancer mortality among men in several ethnic groups in the United States. Lower CaP incidence among Asian men has been attributed to increased intake of soy derived phytoestrogens (SDPs); however, its association has not been extensively explored in U.S. men. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect size of serum prostate specific antigen (sPSA) and serum estradiol (sE2) following dietary SDP intervention. The study was based on an original conceptual model that aims to avert early prostate tissue damage through identification of critical …


Factors Affecting Cervical Cancer Screening Among African Women Living In The United States, Mosunmola Adeyemi Jan 2011

Factors Affecting Cervical Cancer Screening Among African Women Living In The United States, Mosunmola Adeyemi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

More than half of the incidents and mortality rates from cervical cancer occur among minority groups, including immigrant women from continental Africa living in the United States. Although researchers have examined cervical cancer screening practices among minority populations, including Black women in Africa and in the United States, there are few studies on cervical cancer screening and associated risk factors, specifically among African women living in the United States. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between selected factors and cervical cancer screening practices among African immigrant women living in the United States. Using the behavioral model …


Effect Of Education On Stigma Of Epilepsy In South Eastern Nigeria, Augustina Chinyelu Maduakor-Ugo Jan 2011

Effect Of Education On Stigma Of Epilepsy In South Eastern Nigeria, Augustina Chinyelu Maduakor-Ugo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a need for epilepsy-based health education programs to enlighten Nigerian communities and reduce the stigma associated with epilepsy. Epilepsy in Nigeria is viewed by some as a contagious and an infectious disease or a condition imposed from the gods, possessed by demons, as the work of witchcraft, or punishment from ancestral spirits, which are all related to a lack of knowledge about epilepsy leading to stigmatization of persons with epilepsy. Guided by the stigma theory, the purpose of this community-based, cross sectional study was to quantitatively examine the effect of an educational program on interpersonal, internalized, and institutional …


Perspectives Of Women In Nairobi Kenya Toward Malaria Control, Catherine Kisavi-Atatah Jan 2011

Perspectives Of Women In Nairobi Kenya Toward Malaria Control, Catherine Kisavi-Atatah

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Malaria infection has been and continues to be a serious public health concern that has mystified many in the public health care industry. One area in Sub Saharan Africa that continues to feel the devastating effects of malaria is in Nairobi, Kenya. This qualitative research study explored the attitudes of women in Nairobi, Kenya and how they view intervention measures already introduced by public health care experts in fighting malaria. The phenomenological research approach used purposeful sampling to recruit 16 women from Nairobi, Kenya to participate in semi-structured, open-ended interviews. The ecological systems theory was used as a lens of …


A Case Study Of Primary Healthcare Services In Isu, Nigeria, Raymond Ogu. Chimezie Jan 2011

A Case Study Of Primary Healthcare Services In Isu, Nigeria, Raymond Ogu. Chimezie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Access to primary medical care and prevention services in Nigeria is limited, especially in rural areas, despite national and international efforts to improve health service delivery. Using a conceptual framework developed by Penchansky and Thomas, this case study explored the perceptions of community residents and healthcare providers regarding residents' access to primary healthcare services in the rural area of Isu. Using a community-based research approach, semistructured interviews and focus groups were conducted with 27 participants, including government healthcare administrators, nurses and midwives, traditional healers, and residents. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's 7-step method for qualitative data analysis. Key findings included …


Values, Perceptions, Conceptions, And Peacebuilding: A Case Study In A Mexico City Neighborhood, Mauricio Meschoulam Jan 2011

Values, Perceptions, Conceptions, And Peacebuilding: A Case Study In A Mexico City Neighborhood, Mauricio Meschoulam

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mexico is not a country at peace. Despite the government's fight to restore stability, violence has erupted since 2006 in several areas of the territory. According to Vygotsky's social constructivism and to Galtung's integral perspective of peace, some elements of peacelessness are informed by values, perceptions, and conceptions about violence and peace. These topics have not been qualitatively investigated in Mexico. The purpose of this case study was to explore the process involving the social construction of values, perceptions, and conceptions in regard to organized criminal violence and peace possibilities in Mexico. Research questions focused on the role of mass …


Evaluation Of Capacity For Best Practice Of Clinical Vaccine Research In Western Kenya, Sylvie Anne Kwedi Jan 2011

Evaluation Of Capacity For Best Practice Of Clinical Vaccine Research In Western Kenya, Sylvie Anne Kwedi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African institutions that perform health research need to continuously evaluate their practices in order to ensure compliance with international standards of good clinical practice (GCP). This mixed-methods study, undertaken at one clinical research site in Western Kenya, was an evaluation of GCP compliance at the site, research participants' satisfaction with research procedures, and research participants' comprehension of informed consent. The qualitative portion of the study involved audit of the site's compliance with GCP standards. The quantitative portion was an assessment of participant satisfaction and informed consent comprehension, undertaken through interviews with a sample of 297 participants. Thematic analysis of the …


Exploring Identity Management At Community Colleges In Texas With Open Access To College Computer Networks, Michael John Callahan Jan 2011

Exploring Identity Management At Community Colleges In Texas With Open Access To College Computer Networks, Michael John Callahan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The study addressed the lack of identity management practices in Texas community colleges to identify guest users who access college computers. Guest user access is required by Texas law and is part of the state's mission to bridge the technology gap; however, improper identification methods leave the college vulnerable to liability issues. The purpose of this study was to eliminate or mitigate liabilities facing colleges by creating and using security policies to identify guest users. This study combined the theoretical concepts of Cameron's internal security management model with the external trust models of the Liberty Alliance and Microsoft's Passport software. …


The Relationship Of Self-Care To Burnout Among Social Workers In Health Care Settings, Jennifer D. Weekes Jan 2011

The Relationship Of Self-Care To Burnout Among Social Workers In Health Care Settings, Jennifer D. Weekes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Self-care is critical in minimizing the symptoms of burnout among human services professionals, but specific information on the role of self-care among social workers in healthcare settings is limited. This correlational study was designed provide a fuller understanding of this relationship. Orem's theory of self-care and the theory of reasoned action and planned behavior served as the theoretical foundations of this study. The sample included 185 members of the National Association of Social Workers, who volunteered to participate in this study. Participants completed online versions of the Maslach Burnout Inventory and Self-Care Assessment Work Sheet. Correlation and analysis of variance …


Credit Default Swaps Regulation And The Use Of Collateralized Mortgage Obligations In U.S. Financial Institutions, Jon Patraic Neill Jan 2011

Credit Default Swaps Regulation And The Use Of Collateralized Mortgage Obligations In U.S. Financial Institutions, Jon Patraic Neill

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The fast and easy global movement of capital throughout the financial system, from lenders to borrowers and through intermediaries and financial market participants, has been recognized as a source of instability associated with illiquidity and financial crises. The purpose of this research was to better understand how regulation either enables or constrains capital movement. The theoretical framework comprised 2 contrasting public policymaking models, Arrow's rational-comprehensive model and Kingdon's garbage can model, which were used to derive opposing hypotheses. The research question addressed the nature of the relationship between Credit Default Swaps (CDSs) regulations and the flow of capital into Collateralized …


The Effects Of Writer's Workshop On Writing Achievement In The Kindergarten Classroom, Mary Mester Jan 2011

The Effects Of Writer's Workshop On Writing Achievement In The Kindergarten Classroom, Mary Mester

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Only one quarter of American students in Grades 4, 8, and 12 were considered at or above the proficient level in writing in 2002 and 2007. The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify the effect of the instructional strategy known as writer's workshop on students' writing achievement. Writer's workshop is an instructional strategy involving daily writing and systematic lessons. The research question guiding this study examined the writing achievement of students taught through writer's workshop versus students taught through the county's writing curriculum which utilizes journal writing on a regular basis but does not involve systematic lessons or …


The Impact Of Professional Development In Data Based Decision Making On The Teaching Practices Of Educators, Nancy Harris Jan 2011

The Impact Of Professional Development In Data Based Decision Making On The Teaching Practices Of Educators, Nancy Harris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The utilization of educational data by teachers' at the classroom level to plan lessons and assessments is limited. Professional development is one tool that can be used to build data literacy in teachers. This study assessed how professional development in data based decision making impacted educators' efficacy and use of educational data. This research was based on constructivists learning theories and used professional development as a model for changing teachers' instructional practices. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of professional development in data-based decision-making on teacher efficacy and use of data at the classroom level. A …


A Phenomenological Approach To Examining Perceptions Of Middle School Students And Their Educators About Their Service-Learning Experiences, Mccafferty, Anita J. Stewart Mccafferty Jan 2011

A Phenomenological Approach To Examining Perceptions Of Middle School Students And Their Educators About Their Service-Learning Experiences, Mccafferty, Anita J. Stewart Mccafferty

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A primary purpose of public education is to ensure that all citizens have the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to participate in a democracy. Service learning is a democratic, constructivist, instructional strategy that connects academic learning with community needs. This phenomenological study described: (a) how youth, their educators, and community partners who experience service learning perceive its effects on themselves, their schools, and their community lives and (b) how professional-development opportunities need to be structured in order to encourage high quality civics education instruction. The problem this study addressed was how to solve youth civic and political disengagement. This study relied …


Barriers And Supports To Implementation Of Principal Leadership For School Change, Jodi M. Delucia Jan 2011

Barriers And Supports To Implementation Of Principal Leadership For School Change, Jodi M. Delucia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Practices for supporting school change have not been implemented consistently in K-12 schools in the United States. Researchers have not studied the needs of K-12 principals who fail to implement these practices, and barriers or supports to implementation have not been identified. The purpose of this sequential explanatory mixed methodology study was to understand K-12 principals' perceptions of the supports and barriers related to their abilities to implement the practices of challenging the process, inspiring a shared vision, enabling others to act, modeling the way, and encouraging the heart. Seven public school principals and 29 teachers in their schools completed …


Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Novice Teacher Support Structures, Kitty B. Warsame Jan 2011

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Novice Teacher Support Structures, Kitty B. Warsame

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teachers are leaving their profession at alarming rates. As a result, retaining novice teachers has become a major concern for policy makers, school districts, administrators, and teaching staff throughout the United States. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of novice teacher induction support structures in a southwestern US state. The conceptual framework is based on research examining teacher attrition; this study extends the research by examining school-based and university-based programs. Research questions focused on the perception of novice teachers regarding mentoring experiences at their certifying universities and employing school districts. Three research questions examined school district …


Relative Pricing Of Publicly Traded U.S. Electric Utility Companies, Nicholas Stephen Jewczyn Jan 2011

Relative Pricing Of Publicly Traded U.S. Electric Utility Companies, Nicholas Stephen Jewczyn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the financial turmoil of 2008, U.S. firms reported debt-ratios that differed from the debt-ratios calculated from balance sheets. The problem is that investors bought common stock expecting initial investment return and lost money when companies delisted. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine sample securities pricing with the application of synthetic assets and debt accrued. Addressed in the research questions was whether those securities were (a) underpriced compared with return-on-assets (ROA), (b) overpriced compared with ROA, (c) a debt-ratio higher than 60% and also overpriced, (d) underpriced with a synthetic asset added, or (e) related by relative …


An Action Plan For Improving Mediocre Or Stagnant Student Achievement, Kimberley B. Redmond Jan 2011

An Action Plan For Improving Mediocre Or Stagnant Student Achievement, Kimberley B. Redmond

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although all of the schools in the target school system adhere to a school improvement process, achievement scores remain mediocre or stagnant within the overseas school in Italy that serves children of United States armed service members. To address this problem, this study explored the target school's improvement process to discover how different stakeholder groups viewed that process. The aim of these investigations was to determine if different stakeholder groups' competing values hindered the school's improvement efforts. The conceptual framework of this study was Schein's organizational culture theory along with recent findings by Creemers and Kyriakides that show that school …


Responses Of Successful Latina Students To Academic Challenges Of Prerequisite Nursing Courses, Julie Wiggins Nadeau Jan 2011

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 Jan 2011

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 …


The Relationship Of Provider Cultural Competence And Utilization Of Prenatal Care In The Hmong Of Minnesota, Cynthia J. Larson Jan 2011

The Relationship Of Provider Cultural Competence And Utilization Of Prenatal Care In The Hmong Of Minnesota, Cynthia J. Larson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Experts suggest that the cultural competence of healthcare providers is a critical factor impacting healthcare services to the ethnically diverse patient populations in the U.S. and that it may play a role in improving outcomes and reducing health disparities; however, the association between cultural competence and health outcomes remains unclear. This study used a cross-sectional quantitative design grounded by cultural competency constructs and the ethnic origins theory to explore the relationships between provider cultural competence, adequacy of prenatal care, and neonatal health outcomes in Hmong women, a population whose cultural beliefs affect their use of early and adequate prenatal care. …


Latino English Language Learners In Middle School And The Effect Of General Education Teachers' Use Of The Lesson Study Collaborative Model, Chauncey Dante Reese Jan 2011

Latino English Language Learners In Middle School And The Effect Of General Education Teachers' Use Of The Lesson Study Collaborative Model, Chauncey Dante Reese

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

General education content teachers in an urban middle school are responsible for the academic performance of Latino English language learners (ELLs) but lack specialized training in language acquisition. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate content teachers' use of the lesson study collaborative model in teaching Latino ELLs. The theoretical framework of cooperative learning and the lesson study planning model guided this study. The research questions addressed the specific English as a second language (ESL) conversations and planning that occurred in interdisciplinary team meetings and lesson study implementation in teaching practice and student performance. Typological analysis of …


Ethical Leadership And Good Governance In Nigerian Local Governments, Bartholomew Okechukwu Okagbue Jan 2011

Ethical Leadership And Good Governance In Nigerian Local Governments, Bartholomew Okechukwu Okagbue

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research literature identifies ethical leadership, a leadership grounded in ethical norms and practice, as a critical vehicle for achieving organizational goals and fostering good governance. However, little research on leadership has focused on the public sector, leaving a gap in the literature. Leadership in governance is a concern in local government in Nigeria; in spite of the 1976 reforms, the country still lacks good governance and corresponding socioeconomic development. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore an ethical leadership model, and determine how such a model could inspire and sustain good governance in Nigerian local government administration. …


Content Area Literacy: Relationship Between Lesson Design And Professional Development, Jodi Owens-Kristenson Jan 2011

Content Area Literacy: Relationship Between Lesson Design And Professional Development, Jodi Owens-Kristenson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite Minnesota's investment in professional development in content area literacy, secondary students are not showing expected literacy gains. A lack of literacy proficiency limits future options for students. The purpose of this study was to examine content-area literacy strategy inclusion and its relationship to professional development in the context of complexity theory, efficacy theory, transformational learning theory, structured teaching, and constructivism. A cross-section correlation survey research study was conducted to investigate the relationship of time spent in systematic professional development, type of professional development, rate of strategy inclusion, and confidence in literacy strategy inclusion in lesson design. Convenience sampling was …


Increasing Students' Academic Involvement: Chilean Teacher Engagement With Learners In Blended English As A Foreign Language Courses, Christopher P. Johnson Jan 2011

Increasing Students' Academic Involvement: Chilean Teacher Engagement With Learners In Blended English As A Foreign Language Courses, Christopher P. Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Learning English as a foreign language (EFL), a highly valued skill in the Chilean marketplace, is an arduous and complex personal endeavor requiring high student motivation. Reflecting this challenge is the heightened anxiety among EFL students, whose work has been associated with historically meager results. Blended learning, the fusion of face-to-face and online content delivery and assessment, offers a promising solution to EFL learner reticence. Evidence suggests that an active online teacher presence in a blended EFL course can enhance student engagement. The purpose of this study was to discover the perceptions of EFL instructional specialists concerning (a) student involvement …


Emotional Support In Managing Cardiovascular Diseases Among Hispanic And Non- Hispanic Menopausal Women, Claudette Andrea Jan 2011

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 …


Barriers To Healthcare Access For Members Of The Bronx Ghanaian Immigrant Muslim Community In New York City, Adam A. Musah Jan 2011

Barriers To Healthcare Access For Members Of The Bronx Ghanaian Immigrant Muslim Community In New York City, Adam A. Musah

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cultural beliefs on healthcare in the 21st century by the African immigrants in the United States have contributed to the severity of illnesses in their communities. The results of this research identified the healthcare barriers experienced by members of the Bronx Ghanaian Immigrant Muslim Community (BGIMC) in New York City. The purpose of this research was to investigate the influence of education, immigration status, health insurance status, and cultural beliefs on the BGIMC members' perceived access and willingness to use healthcare services for various ailments. A sample of 156 male and female members of the BGIMC completed the survey questionnaire. …


Stakeholders' Roles In Prioritizing Technical And Vocational Education And Training In Postconflict Liberia, Edward S. Forh Jan 2011

Stakeholders' Roles In Prioritizing Technical And Vocational Education And Training In Postconflict Liberia, Edward S. Forh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Postconflict governments and counterparts have collaborated to provide skills training to communities as a critical postconflict development strategy. In these undertakings, the role of community members remains largely undefined. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive case study was to understand the perceptions held by rural community members regarding the role they played in influencing government's policy priority for technical and vocational education and training (TVET) as a local human development strategy in postconflict Liberia. The conceptual framework was based on human capital theory and concepts of motivation and achievement. Fourteen participants were purposefully selected for the study. Data were collected …


Experiences And Perceptions Of Pregnant Unmarried Adolescent Girls In Nigeria, Priscilla N. Asonye Jan 2011

Experiences And Perceptions Of Pregnant Unmarried Adolescent Girls In Nigeria, Priscilla N. Asonye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sexual activity among unmarried adolescents is a major public health problem in Nigeria, because unmarried pregnant girls are more likely to have multiple sex partners and are less likely to use contraceptives, putting them at greater risk for sexually transmitted diseases (STD), unplanned pregnancy, abortion, social isolation, and poverty. Teen pregnancy and STD rates are on the rise in Nigeria, yet few data exist on the experience of the adolescents themselves. This phenomenological study was designed to explore the in-depth experiences of 10 pregnant, unmarried adolescent girls aged 16-19, including the factors contributing to their sexual activity. An ecological model …


Teacher Workload: A Formula For Maximizing Teacher Performance And Well-Being, Norma A. Sugden Jan 2010

Teacher Workload: A Formula For Maximizing Teacher Performance And Well-Being, Norma A. Sugden

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has shown that teacher workload is intensifying and teachers are increasingly leaving the profession prior to having taught for 35 years. The purpose of this mixed method, sequential, phenomenological study was to determine (a) how workload intensification impacts teacher performance and well-being, (b) whether or not workload intensification was a primary factor in teachers’ choosing to leave the profession early, and (c) a formula for maximizing teacher performance and well-being. Apple’s workload intensification thesis was the theoretical framework for this study. Quantitative data obtained via a survey (N=484), together with qualitative data collected via four focus group sessions and …