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Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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Reliable Data Collection: A Tool For Data Integrity In Nigeria, Stella Tonye Whyte Jan 2021

Reliable Data Collection: A Tool For Data Integrity In Nigeria, Stella Tonye Whyte

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Unreliable and poor-quality data is a significant threat to governmental institutions because of its devastating impact on nations' social and economic well-being. Managers in government organizations require reliable data to inform economic planning and decision-making. Grounded in the theory of total quality management, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies information technology (IT) managers in sub-Saharan African countries use to ensure the reliability of data. The participants were 12 IT managers in three government establishments in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria, responsible for ensuring the data reliability for economic planning and decision-making. The data collection …


Social Ecological Factors Affecting Marijuana Use Among Young Adults In The United States, Temple Oritsegbubemi Jagha Jan 2021

Social Ecological Factors Affecting Marijuana Use Among Young Adults In The United States, Temple Oritsegbubemi Jagha

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractCurrent knowledge of young adults’ marijuana use centers around individual risk factors and negative health effects (i.e., mental disorder), with less focus on contextual circumstances. In this study, I examined the association between demographic (i.e., gender, race, education, employment, income, and population density), social (i.e., risk perception and religious beliefs influence), living context (i.e., difficulty getting marijuana, poverty level, and county metro status), and marijuana use among young adults. The social-ecological model guided this study. In this quantitative cross-sectional study, data from the 2019 U.S. National Survey on Drug Use and Health that included 14,226 young adults aged 18 to …


A Behavioral Healthcare Approach To At-Risk Youth Substance Prevention Program Development, Debra Mcintyre Jan 2021

A Behavioral Healthcare Approach To At-Risk Youth Substance Prevention Program Development, Debra Mcintyre

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Providing quality services that meet the needs of clients is key to organizational sustainability for behavioral health organizations. Strategic development of substance prevention programs for at-risk youth will play an important role in capacity building. The focus of this study was to identify the need for developing a targeted and effective substance abuse prevention program to support at-risk youth who have trauma experiences before they begin misusing substances to cope with their challenges. The Baldrige excellence framework was used to guide this descriptive case study of a behavioral health organization in the Northeastern region of the United States. The data …


Succession Planning Strategies In Family Businesses, Vivian Akosua Dwumor Amanquah Jan 2021

Succession Planning Strategies In Family Businesses, Vivian Akosua Dwumor Amanquah

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Only one-third of family businesses remain operational into the second generation and approximately one-eighth into the third generation. Succession planning is critical to family-owned businesses, as most businesses will collapse moving to the fourth generation and beyond. Grounded in the family systems theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies family business leaders use to implement a succession plan. The participants included six senior executives from three family businesses in Ghana who implemented successful strategies for succession planning. The data sources were semistructured interviews and a review of organizational documents, including statutes; articles of incorporation, …


Association Between Asymptomatic Malaria Infection And Pregnancy Outcome In Delta State, Nigeria, Sadiatu Sally Obi Jan 2021

Association Between Asymptomatic Malaria Infection And Pregnancy Outcome In Delta State, Nigeria, Sadiatu Sally Obi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Pregnant women are vulnerable due to the pregnancy-induced suppressed immunity in malaria-endemic areas. Asymptomatic malaria in pregnancy (MiP) threatens both the mother, fetus, and neonate via chronic placental malaria which impacts maternal-neonatal exchange. Some studies reported that MiP risk factors vary across locations, however, there are few studies on MiP and pregnancy outcome in Nigeria. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between asymptomatic placental malaria infection and pregnancy outcome among parturients in Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria. This study was developed with a quantitative methodology that utilized primary and secondary healthcare data from 483 subjects aged 18–49 …


Parental Stress And Coping In U.S. And Caribbean Immigrant Parents Of Adolescents, Simone A. Wright Jan 2021

Parental Stress And Coping In U.S. And Caribbean Immigrant Parents Of Adolescents, Simone A. Wright

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The immigrant population in the U.S. is growing, and the way immigrants cope with the stress of parenting may differ from parents in their host country. There is a gap in the literature regarding knowledge about how Caribbean parents cope with parenting stress compared to U.S. parents. The purpose of this quasi-experimental quantitative study was to predict coping strategies used by Caribbean immigrant and U.S.-born parents of adolescents living in the U.S based on country of origin using transactional stress and coping theory as frameworks. Thirty-seven U.S.-born and 37 Caribbean-born caregivers living in the U.S. were recruited from social media …


An Educational Program For Nurses To Improve Culturally-Appropriate Mental Health Assessment For Nigerian Immigrant Youth In Central Florida, Blessing Anyaiwe Onyekachi Jan 2021

An Educational Program For Nurses To Improve Culturally-Appropriate Mental Health Assessment For Nigerian Immigrant Youth In Central Florida, Blessing Anyaiwe Onyekachi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractNigerians, like other immigrants, face many health issues with rising waves of conflict and political instability that contribute to high migration rates. As a result, when they arrive in other countries, these immigrants not only have to deal with the trauma they left behind but face issues such as cultural stereotypes, stigma, lack of insurance, cultural and language barriers, poor communication, social discrimination, and low socioeconomic status. The question that this project addressed was whether an educational program for nurses would improve knowledge on culturally-appropriate mental health assessment for Nigerian immigrant youth in Central Florida. This was a nursing staff …


Teaching Guidelines For Screening Prostate Cancer In African American Men, Joain Sophie Silvera Jan 2021

Teaching Guidelines For Screening Prostate Cancer In African American Men, Joain Sophie Silvera

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAfrican American (AA) men have the highest incidence of prostate cancer (PCa) compared to their White and Hispanic counterparts and a higher mortality rate than any other ethnicity. While biological and socioeconomic factors are to be blamed, many AA men are not aware of the opportunities for screening or the prognoses for the condition. There is an obvious need for increased awareness in AA men concerning preventative screening for PCa. Following the Walden University Clinical Practice Guideline Manual and guided by the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation (AGREE II) model to guide and validate the newly developed clinical …


Relationship Between Cultural And Religious Practices And Ebola Virus In Freetown, Sierra Leone, Richmond Samuel Kpange Jan 2021

Relationship Between Cultural And Religious Practices And Ebola Virus In Freetown, Sierra Leone, Richmond Samuel Kpange

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The 2014 Ebola virus epidemic in the West Coast of Africa was a historically unprecedented epidemic with a sustained spread in multiple West African nations, including Sierra Leone. The World Health Organization (WHO) classified Sierra Leone as a high Ebola-affected country as it reported the highest number of deaths (14,124) during the last Ebola outbreak compared to other Ebola-affected countries. Public health experts have given little attention to the impact of sociocultural factors on infectious diseases, especially Ebola. The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether there is a relationship between the spread of EVD and a patient’s gender, …


Impact Of Electricity On Industrial Output In Nigeria: A Systems Perspective, Chidi Vincent Ike Jan 2021

Impact Of Electricity On Industrial Output In Nigeria: A Systems Perspective, Chidi Vincent Ike

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lack of access to electricity, both in quantity and quality, has been a recurring problem in Nigeria. Scholars have investigated the relationship between electricity consumption and economic development with diverse outcomes, but they have not considered the subsystems that constitute the electricity delivery system. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between monthly industrial output in Nigeria and available monthly power generation capacity, available monthly power transmission capacity, and monthly power distribution capability. Systems theory was the theoretical framework for this study. Data were collected on the monthly industrial output and operational data on electric …


Complexity Thinking And Broadband Internet Penetration In Lagos, Nigeria, James Hyacinth Akpoja Jan 2021

Complexity Thinking And Broadband Internet Penetration In Lagos, Nigeria, James Hyacinth Akpoja

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Considering the speed at which information and knowledge can transverse nations and organizations, the importance of broadband Internet connectivity cannot be overstated. The general problem is that the Nigerian broadband Internet penetration is considerably low, at 33% compared to other parts of the world. The specific problem is that community members and leaders have the behavioral intention to allow broadband Internet infrastructure deployment (BIID) at the local community level in Lagos. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between perceived usefulness (PU), perceived benefits (PB), perceived ease of use (PEoU), and perceive security (PS), and …


Social Support Experiences Of Stably Housed Emancipated Foster Youth, Camron L. Whitacre Jan 2021

Social Support Experiences Of Stably Housed Emancipated Foster Youth, Camron L. Whitacre

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Youth emancipating from foster care are at increased risk of housing instability and homelessness and have reduced access to needed social supports to aid in the difficult transition to independent living. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the lived formal social support experiences of stably housed emancipated foster youth. Purposive sampling techniques and inclusion criteria guided the recruitment of nine study participants from a state-administered postemancipation services program to take part in semistructured interviews. A conceptual framework, including social convoy and attachment theories, informed inquiry, and interpretation of findings. Participant lived experiences illuminated the importance of …


Effects Of Intervention And Prevention Programs On Youth Risk-Taking Behavior In Monroe County, Audrey D. Davis Jan 2021

Effects Of Intervention And Prevention Programs On Youth Risk-Taking Behavior In Monroe County, Audrey D. Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Crime committed by adolescents between the ages of 13 and 16 is a recurring issue in the United States. Research showed a number of contributing factors associated with youth risk-taking behaviors and juvenile delinquency. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to improve the understanding of the relationship between intervention and prevention programs and curbing risk-taking and delinquency among adolescents between the ages of 13 and 16 in Monroe County, New York. This study addressed the connection between modern theories of deviance and programs of juvenile delinquency intervention as conceptualized by Chapman as the theoretical framework. Using intrinsic case …


Relationship Between Cultural And Religious Practices And Ebola Virus In Freetown, Sierra Leone, Richmond Samuel Kpange Jan 2021

Relationship Between Cultural And Religious Practices And Ebola Virus In Freetown, Sierra Leone, Richmond Samuel Kpange

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The 2014 Ebola virus epidemic in the West Coast of Africa was a historically unprecedented epidemic with a sustained spread in multiple West African nations, including Sierra Leone. The World Health Organization (WHO) classified Sierra Leone as a high Ebola-affected country as it reported the highest number of deaths (14,124) during the last Ebola outbreak compared to other Ebola-affected countries. Public health experts have given little attention to the impact of sociocultural factors on infectious diseases, especially Ebola. The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether there is a relationship between the spread of EVD and a patient’s gender, …


Living In An Oil-Polluted Region In Nigeria As A Risk Factor In Colorectal Cancer Development, Steve Nwachi Onya Jan 2021

Living In An Oil-Polluted Region In Nigeria As A Risk Factor In Colorectal Cancer Development, Steve Nwachi Onya

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Due to differences in exposure to various risk factors, colorectal cancer (CRC) rates differ in regions of Nigeria. Although the people living in the Southsouth, an oil-producing region, are concerned that they are most affected, there is insufficient research to address these concerns. The purpose of this quantitative ecological study was to investigate whether living in the oil-polluted region in Nigeria is associated with an excess CRC incidence rate. The potential spatial autocorrelation of CRC incidence among the contiguous regions was also examined. The study was grounded in the ecosocial theoretical framework. Data were extracted from the Nigeria National System …


Reduced Recidivism In Drug Offenders By Treatment Involving Motivational Interviewing, Meleeka Clary Jan 2021

Reduced Recidivism In Drug Offenders By Treatment Involving Motivational Interviewing, Meleeka Clary

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractIncarcerated substance users frequently recidivate because of a lack of substance treatment; it was not known whether motivational interviewing (MI) significantly reduces recidivism among substance users. The purpose of this quantitative study was to evaluate the effectiveness of MI as a treatment method for reducing recidivism among incarcerated individuals with substance use disorders. Social cognitive and extrinsic motivation theories served as the theoretical foundation for the study. Motivation is an important factor in offender engagement with treatment and has been linked to improved treatment outcomes. The research questions asked whether the availability of MI in detention facilities was significantly related …


Instructional Practices Associated With Science Proficiency Of English Language Learners, Sherly Yadira Soto-Ortiz Jan 2021

Instructional Practices Associated With Science Proficiency Of English Language Learners, Sherly Yadira Soto-Ortiz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe study addressed the gap in fifth-grade science proficiency between English language learners (ELLs) enrolled in two different science programs in a large school district in the Southeast United States. The Inspire program was implemented in 125 schools, while a combination of Inspire and Promoting Science among English Language Learners (PSELL) developed to facilitate science learning for non-English learners, was implemented in 25 schools. A concurrent mixed-methods case study design was used to examine how instructional practices of each program were (1) aligned with the instructional framework of the Sheltered Instructional Observation Protocol (SIOP), (2) how the two programs supported …


Impact Of New York State Clean Energy Policy Initiative On Renewable Energy Generation, Barry Braimahsaliu Omo-Ikirodah Jan 2021

Impact Of New York State Clean Energy Policy Initiative On Renewable Energy Generation, Barry Braimahsaliu Omo-Ikirodah

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The New York State renewable portfolio standard program failed to reach its successive targets and did not meet estimated percentage capacity in all program years. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between 6 predictors variables (policy standard and objective, resources and incentive, inter-organizational communication and enforcement activities, characteristics of the implementing agencies,economic,social, and political conditions and disposition of implementers) and implementation performance. Pressman and Wildavsky Implementation theory provided the framework for the study. Data were collected from 251 anonymous participants from the Qualtrics survey audience residents of New York City’s 5 counties. Multiple linear regression …


How Women Who Have Recidivated Describe Their Readiness For Employment After Release From Prison, Simba Kathleen Fox Jan 2021

How Women Who Have Recidivated Describe Their Readiness For Employment After Release From Prison, Simba Kathleen Fox

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since the 1980s, the population of women prisoners incarcerated in the state of California had significantly increased by 500% more than that of the male prisoners. The United States had more incarcerated women than any other country. Along with this alarming rise in female incarceration, recidivism rates were also higher among female inmates. This problem has negatively affected women in California; whereas 57% of the women released from prison were rearrested within three to seven years. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological research study was to investigate how 18 women who had recidivated with the same or a different criminal …


Retrospective And Forecasting Analysis Of Increased Long Term Care Demand In Niagara, Breanne Alissa Hines Jan 2021

Retrospective And Forecasting Analysis Of Increased Long Term Care Demand In Niagara, Breanne Alissa Hines

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A problem exists within the Canadian healthcare system as many patients experience longer lengths of stay (LOS) in acute care (AC) and complex care (CC) beds within hospitals because of a lack of long term care (LTC) facilities. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extra days patients wait for placement and assess the benefits of increasing the number of LTC beds. The theoretical framework used was the four-level model of the health care system. Research questions involved 2017-2019 data for the number of LTC beds required to eliminate waits and evaluate beds needed in the future. This …


Health Beliefs And Nonadherence To Prescribed Medication Among African Americans Diagnosed With Hypertension, Monique D. Porter Jan 2021

Health Beliefs And Nonadherence To Prescribed Medication Among African Americans Diagnosed With Hypertension, Monique D. Porter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Perceptions of high blood pressure among African Americans and medicationnonadherence contribute to worsening cardiovascular disease compared to other racial groups; thus, they may suffer an increased lack of control of hypertension due to their subjective health beliefs. This study aimed to uncover health beliefs that result in nonadherence to medication advice, building on existing research associated with high blood pressure disparities despite recommendations for high blood pressure medication use. In this qualitative phenomenological study, the health belief model was used to identify the health beliefs of 12 African American patients with hypertension who were non-adherent to taking their prescribed medication. …


Risk Factors For Foodborne Illness Outbreaks In Retail Food Establishments, Brendalee Viveiros Jan 2021

Risk Factors For Foodborne Illness Outbreaks In Retail Food Establishments, Brendalee Viveiros

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite policies and interventions over the last two decades, foodborne illness remains a significant public health concern. According to the CDC’s Foodborne Disease Outbreak Surveillance System, 60% of reported foodborne illness outbreaks involved food that was prepared at a restaurant. Reducing foodborne illness outbreaks that occur at restaurants would have a significant impact on the overall number of foodborne illnesses that occur each year. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively analyze the differences in risk factors in food establishments that have had a foodborne illness outbreak compared to food establishments that have not. This study used Reckwitz’s theory …


College Students' Decision Making And Experiences In Changing Their Stem Major And Their Career Choice, Rachel Ann De Los Reyes Jan 2021

College Students' Decision Making And Experiences In Changing Their Stem Major And Their Career Choice, Rachel Ann De Los Reyes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education continues to be a priority to the United States. A large body of research exists around the topic of STEM education and retention in STEM majors in higher education, yet there continues to be a low retention rate in STEM fields and a shortage of STEM workers in the United States. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projected that even with the current focus on the nation’s STEM retention, the demand for STEM professionals will outpace the number of qualified people. There is a limited body of knowledge regarding the college students’ experiences …


Teachers’ Motivations To Use Data In Making Instructional Decisions, Theodore Scott Murray Jan 2021

Teachers’ Motivations To Use Data In Making Instructional Decisions, Theodore Scott Murray

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Student achievement levels on state standardized tests consistently declined at a high school in the Midwestern United States even after the district established the expectation that teachers use data-driven decision making to guide instruction. The school administration wanted to understand why teachers use data-driven decision making to guide instruction. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the reasons and motivations behind teachers’ use of data driven decision making (DDDM) to inform instruction in accordance with district expectations. This study was guided by self-determination theory which focuses on the intrinsic and extrinsic motivations of individuals and the internal and …


Disparities In The Use Of Radiation Therapy For Postlumpectomy Breast Cancer, Deborah Rothley Jan 2021

Disparities In The Use Of Radiation Therapy For Postlumpectomy Breast Cancer, Deborah Rothley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Early-stage breast cancer can be highly curable when properly treated using national standards of care. However, disparities in treatment, including radiation therapy after lumpectomy, may result in disproportional mortality rates in African American women. The purpose of this study was to add to the body of research to help determine the reasons for an underutilization of radiation therapy among African American women and whether the disparity has continued by analyzing recent patient data. Anderson’s behavioral model was used to frame the study and help determine the associations between the predisposing and enabling independent variables of race, age, health insurance status, …


Lived Experiences Of Parents Regarding Their Elementary-Age Child’S Exclusion From School Due To Behavioral Problems, Lauren Claire Ferber Jan 2021

Lived Experiences Of Parents Regarding Their Elementary-Age Child’S Exclusion From School Due To Behavioral Problems, Lauren Claire Ferber

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractDisciplinary exclusion, particularly school expulsion, presents a significant challenge to school-age children and their families. Although the impacts of disciplinary exclusion from school on children are well-known, less is known about how this phenomenon affects their parents. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of parents who have a child who has been subjected to disciplinary exclusion due to behavioral problems in the classroom. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory provided the framework for this study. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with 12 parents of children who faced exclusion. Four themes emerged from coding analysis: …


College Persistence And Fictive Kinship Of African American Male Alumni From A Historically Black University, Sandra Marie Riley Jan 2021

College Persistence And Fictive Kinship Of African American Male Alumni From A Historically Black University, Sandra Marie Riley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractCollege persistence to degree completion by African American males remains a problem in higher education with little known about the supportive experiences of alumni from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand the role fictive kin relationships played in the persistence and degree completion by African American male alumni from HBCUs. Brooks and Allen’s concept of fictive kin relationships and Tinto’s persistence theory in higher education were the framework to explore how African American male alumni from an HBCU characterized the role fictive kin relationships played in their college persistence to …


African American, Adult Men Reared By Their Single, African American, Custodial Fathers, Christopher Eugene Joe Jan 2021

African American, Adult Men Reared By Their Single, African American, Custodial Fathers, Christopher Eugene Joe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A vast number of researchers have studied the impact that African American father absence has on the developmental outcomes of African American, male children. Others have noted the steady increase of single, African American, custodial fathers and have suggested African American, male children who grow up in these households are likely to experience positive developmental outcomes. However, their research stopped short of examining how this unique family structure impacted child development from the son’s perspective. The purpose of this qualitative study was to provide an understanding of how the childhood well-being of sons was affected by growing up with a …


Social Support Of Caregiver Sons Of Parents With Dementia, Ralph Callanta Pascual Jan 2021

Social Support Of Caregiver Sons Of Parents With Dementia, Ralph Callanta Pascual

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the growing number of male caregivers, few researchers have examined social supports for caregiver sons of parents with dementia. The purpose of this qualitative interpretative phenomenological study was to contribute to the empirical literature on the social support of caregiver sons of aging parents with dementia. The research question centered on the lived experience of social support of caregiver sons of parents with dementia. The theoretical framework was the social role theory. The sample consisted of eight caregiver sons of parents with dementia. Participants were interviewed using semi-structured, researcher-developed questions. The results were generated from coding and thematizing processes, …


Crisis Mitigation And Ethical Decision-Making In A Nonurban Community A Social Work Perspective, Lisa Marie Woolston Jan 2021

Crisis Mitigation And Ethical Decision-Making In A Nonurban Community A Social Work Perspective, Lisa Marie Woolston

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While social workers respond to human and natural disasters daily, they also respond to other crises equally important. The 2019-2020 global health pandemic has required social workers to prepare for the unknown. Social workers must prepare for those events by planning, training, and knowing agency policies, and procedures (formal rules). This capstone study's objective was explored through a qualitative action research methodology discovering ways social workers use ethics for decision-making during crisis mitigation in a nonurban community. A biomedical ethical decision-making model, along with the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics was utilized to understand what guides social …