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The Effectiveness Of Two Types Of Adjunct Acupuncture Exposures On In Vitro Fertilization Outcomes, Lindsey Vacovsky

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

One out of every 8 couples experiences infertility. Few publications exist examining the association between the addition of adjunctive therapies when applied to the in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedure and pregnancy outcome. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of 2 types of adjunct acupuncture exposures on IVF outcomes by applying the concept of the epidemiology triad. The association between the type of adjunct acupuncture exposure received (the independent variable) and pregnancy (the outcome) was determined via binary logistic regression using SPSS software. Medical records of women having received the IVF procedure along with adjunct acupuncture were …

Body Weight Self-Perceptions And Experiences Of Nigerian Women Immigrants, Fatimah Binta Ali

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low-income immigrants in the United States experience declining health with increasing length of stay in the country. Their declining health over time has been associated with increased smoking, obesity prevalence, and higher risk for developing diabetes and heart disease. How immigrants perceive their body weight and size, influenced by social interaction, culture, gender, and acculturation is also significant to healthy weight maintenance. Not knowing one's healthy weight could result in body weight misperception and resistance to attaining a healthy weight. The aim of this qualitative study, based on the social constructivist framework, was to understand Nigerian women immigrants' (NWI's) body …

Strategies For Sustainability Of Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises In Ghana, John Kwaku Amaglo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) account for 92% of all Ghana firms, providing 60% of citizens' employment and contributing about 70% of Ghana's income from gross domestic products. Within the first 5 years of operation, 40% of new businesses fail. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies used by Ghanaian SME manufacturing leaders in the fruit industry to sustain business for longer than 5 years of operation. The conceptual framework for this study was open systems theory and complexity theory. The population for this study was 5 Ghanaian SME manufacturing business leaders in the fruit industry …

Suicide Attempts And Their Contributing Factors Among African American Veterans, Gervline Blaise

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. The rate of suicide attempts among veterans in the United States has increased tremendously since 2001, which has left the Department of Veterans Affairs deeply concerned. The purpose of this study was to examine if there is an association between suicide attempts among African American/Black veterans and mental health support, income level, marital status, education level, and unemployment status. This quantitative study used the socio-ecological model to explain the association of the contributing factors to suicide attempts. Descriptive statistics, chi-square, and logistic regression were used to analyze …

Caregivers' Challenges In Accessing Services For Children With Autism, Anita Payne Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The perspective of the caregiver is vital to understanding the experiences of raising a child with autism, including the challenges faced in accessing services. The purpose of this qualitative, transcendental phenomenological study was to examine the lived experiences of primary caregivers raising a school-age child with autism and to bring about an understanding of the challenges faced in accessing services. Resiliency theory provided the conceptual framework for the study. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 11 participants raising a child with autism in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Data were analyzed using Moustakas's descriptive approach. Results yielded 5 themes: overall …

Separated By The Child Welfare System: The Journey Of One Set Of Fraternal Twins, Jocelyne Coan Bond

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study explored the separation of twins in foster care and examined how their lived experiences relate to their interpersonal relationships as adults. Many researchers have studied the long-term impact of nontwin sibling separation in foster care, but little is known about the separation of twins, leaving a significant gap in existing literature. The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences twins who were separated in foster care as relates to their interpersonal relationships during adulthood. A qualitative, narrative approach was used to gather the lived experiences of one set of twins. The research questions examined how …

Community Risk Factors And Health Inspection Violations In Mississippi Delta Census Tracts, Chrystal S. Early

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A concerning public health issue in America is about food deserts urban and rural communities that lack grocery retailers that offer affordable, nutritious, and diverse foods. Empirical evidence has shown significant associations between neighborhood disadvantage/disorder risk factors of high poverty and high percentages of ethnic minority residents with presence/ absence of healthy food retailers in food deserts. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study, framed by the disparities in food safety conceptual model, was to examine if county-level poverty, number of African American residents, number of elderly (i.e., age 65 or older) residents, vehicle ownership, and crime rates were significantly …

The Impact Of Parental Support On The Health Behaviors Of Transgender Young Adults, Jill Hingston

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Paralleling recent increased public awareness of transgender issues, gender nonconforming youth are coming out at increasingly earlier ages. It is important to understand the impact that family acceptance or family rejection has on the health outcomes of transgender young people, who are at increased risk of discrimination, prejudice, harassment, victimization, violence, and possible mental health issues and who are understudied. This understanding can be framed within the minority stress model and Carl Rogers' theory of self, which provide insight into how minority groups experience negative reactions from both society and an internalized sense of congruence. The purpose of this descriptive, …

Teachers' Perspectives Of Their Engagement Of Fathers In Early Childhood Classrooms, Tymeshia L. Gadson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite positive effects of parent engagement on children's school success, prior research into parent engagement has relied almost exclusively on interactions by mothers and has not included fathers. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perspectives of preschool teachers regarding their engagement with fathers of children in their classrooms. The conceptual framework was Epstein's 6 types of parental involvement. Three research questions, regarding teachers' perspectives of father engagement, teachers' reported efforts to increase the engagement of fathers, and the barriers teachers describe in increasing fathers' engagement, form the basis of this study. This was a qualitative …

Depression Screening In Poststroke, Shannah Lowe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Depression, a sequela of stroke, is underrecognized and underreported. The American Heart/Stroke Association estimated 1/3 of patients develop depression after a stroke. Depression after a stroke has negative influence on stroke recovery through decreased participation in rehabilitation, and increased morbidity and mortality. The American Heart/Stroke Association recommended that depression screening be conducted on stroke patient; however, there is a lack of guidance regarding the optimal time and tools for depression screening. The practice problem identified was the absence of depression screening in poststroke patients at the project site. The project question focused on identifying evidence-based approaches for depression screening in …

Predictors And Risk Factors Of Ebola Virus Disease In Sierra Leone, Kandeh Kamara

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sierra Leone had the highest number of cases of Ebola virus disease in history during the 2014 Ebola epidemic. The purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional study was to examine the relationship between sociocultural and behavioral risk factors and Ebola status among women and men ages 15 to 49 years in Sierra Leone. The ecological model served as the theoretical framework. Secondary data were collected from the Sierra Leone Ebola Disease Survey. Results of chi-square tests revealed that attending a funeral (p = .001), touching a dead body at a funeral (p = .023), contact with a sick person (p = …

The Influence Of Spirituality On Stressful Marriages In The Matanuska-Borough Of Alaska, Cheryl Vanessa Puryear

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Because marriage brings two individuals who may or may not come from the same background into an intimate relationship, there are times when a marriage can be stressful. Although spirituality may be useful in coping with marital stress, there are few published studies on the influence of spirituality on stress in marriages in recent years. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of spiritualty on stress in marriages. Differentation-based spirituality, an outgrowth of Kerr and Bowen's spirituality theory, served as the theoretical framework. A phenomenological research design was used to explore whether spirituality was a factor that …

Perspectives Of Sierra Leoneans Healthcare Workers' Mental Health During The Ebola Outbreak, Guy O. Taylor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The mental health of healthcare workers during the Ebola outbreak in West Africa was a serious concern for healthcare professionals and the mental health field. One area in West Africa where healthcare workers played a significant role during the Ebola outbreak of 2014 and 2015 was Sierra Leone. This qualitative research study was designed to explore the perceptions of Sierra Leoneans healthcare workers' mental health, how they coped, and treatment they received while providing care for Ebola virus patients. This study, with a phenomenological research approach, used purposeful sampling to recruit 10 healthcare workers to participate in semi structured, open-ended …

Demographic And Symptomology Differences Among Sexually Assaulted Children With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Kathleen Bethel-Pracht

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Trauma due to sexual assault becomes a life changing event during a child's critical developmental years. Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory outlines the process of understanding an individual's environment and how disruptions in one level may affect other levels. This study determined if gender and ethnicity among sexually traumatized children diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) predict symptom severity as measured by the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSCC) after controlling for the socioeconomic level and home environment. The population consisted of 126 children aged 8 through 16 with at least a second-grade reading level. Multiple regression examined whether male and …

Nature Of Stressors On Female Law Enforcement Academy Recruits, Sandra Patricia Dillard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A problem in law enforcement academy training is that female recruits endure more stressors than male recruits endure. This can lead to fewer females opting for careers as law enforcement officers. The purpose of this study was to explore the unique stressors on female recruits when they are held to the same standards as males. The feminist theory was used as the theoretical framework for this study to depict how stress is perceived for the female. The first research question examined how outside stressors affected female trainees. The second research question examined how job-€related stressors affected female trainees. In-€depth, semistructured …

Parent Perceptions Of Biofeedback Treatment Effectiveness For Pediatric Migraine, Andrea Grando Weber

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Gate control theory posits the idea that the brain and spinal cord have the ability to control the perception of pain sensation throughout the body. Biofeedback provides a proven way to teach a person how they may control their heart rate, breathing, and skin temperature. Through this process, individuals learn to lessen their migraine frequency and intensity. There are no studies to date that have measured the effectiveness of biofeedback in conjunction with medication for migraines in children despite established evidence of success in adults. In this study, an online format via SurveyMonkey was used to document the perceptions of …

Association Of Health Facility Delivery And Risk Of Infant Mortality In Nigeria, Susan Adaku Ukwu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Infant mortality (IM) incidence in health facility systems during or after infant delivery is

substantially high in Nigeria. In this quantitative, cross-sectional study, the effects of skill

birth attendants (SBAs), prenatal care, and providers of prenatal care on IM in health

facility delivery centers were examined. The Mosley and Chen theoretical framework

informed this study and was used to explain the relationship between SBAs, prenatal

care, and providers of prenatal care and IM. One hundred and sixty infant deaths were

examined among mothers who used an SBA versus those who did not, mothers who had

prenatal care versus those without, …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Counter-Narrative Tactics In Preventing Radicalization, Ellen Berman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The U.S. Department of State disseminates counter-radicalization information through social media but has been unable to reach users due to an inability to create engaging posts due to a lack of understanding of the interests of the general population. The purpose of this quantitative study was to assess the utility of data analytics when administering counter-radicalization social media campaigns. The population for this study were social media posts published on the Quilliam Facebook page between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2018. The nonexperimental quantitative descriptive research design sought to examine the correlation between the independent variables (topic of a …

Built Environments And Childhood Obesity Epidemic In The Immigrant Population, Monique M. Nurse

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A lack of adequately built environments can negatively affect obesity rates among adolescents. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to determine if there is a relationship between the presence of built environments and childhood obesity among the immigrant population living in Cobb County Georgia. The social ecological model was used to explain how environmental factors may influence behavior. The research questions addressed whether walkability and elements of built environments such as to healthy foods and access to parks and recreational areas of census tracts affect childhood obesity when adjusting for race/ethnicity and immigrant population in Cobb County. Data …

The Lived Experiences Of Male Victims Of Intimate Partner Violence, Arielle Chieko Woodyard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of male victims of intimate partner violence (IPV). Few studies exist about the experiences of men who are victims of female-perpetrated IPV and there are not many studies about these men's experiences in seeking and receiving psychological help. Maslow's hierarchy of needs and Peck's gender role strain paradigm guided this study to understand victimology and perceptions of gender roles. Research questions attempted to understand the lived experiences of male IPV victims of female-perpetrated IPV, accessing supportive and psychological services, and their experiences of these services. Seven male individuals were recruited through flyers in …

High School Science Teachers' Perspectives On Their Technology Knowledge, Content, And Pedagogy, Mentor Mentor Jr.

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In a southeastern U.S. school district, it was unknown how teachers integrated technology into their classroom teaching in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum. Teachers should be knowledgeable of their content, pedagogy of the content, and delivery instruction to improve students' learning outcomes. The purpose of this bounded qualitative case study was to examine how teachers integrated technology into their teaching to improve science students' learning outcomes. Mishra and Koehler's and Shulman's theories of technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge served as the conceptual framework. Purposeful sampling was used to select 12 certified science teachers, with at least 1 …

Understanding Nonoffending Caregiver Protection In Child Sexual Abuse, Christina Lynn Sally

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Child sexual abuse is a global issue that has affected children, families, and communities for centuries regardless of socioeconomic, religious, ethnic, race, or multicultural factors and distinctions. Sexually abused children may be reluctant to disclose sexual abuse due to perceptions or realities that their nonoffending caregiver (NOC) will not believe their reports and may fail to provide adequate protection. The purpose of this quantitative study was to assess if child demographics (i.e., age, sex, and race/ethnicity); type of sexual offense (i.e., contact or noncontact); and perpetrator relationship to the child (i.e., familial or extrafamilial) predict a NOC's response (i.e., protection …

Caribbean Students' Experience Of Readiness For The Secondary Education Certificate Exam, Cleon Pauline Athill

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While there is general agreement about its importance, the construct of educational readiness is nebulous with much debate about what constitutes readiness. Readiness has been found to be a multidimensional psychological construct from a psychometric perspective. However, there is a growing awareness that this psychometric focus is lopsided, and that readiness does not only reside in the child. Further, there is an accompanying appreciation that readiness research may need to focus more on the subjective experience of individuals within the context of their environment. This phenomenological study, using Bronfenbrenner's social-ecological model, explored how Antigua and Barbudan students experienced readiness as …

Interpreting Belonging In People With Developmental Disabilities: A Case Study, Photovoice Exploration, Tullio Orlando

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In this qualitative study, the social construct of community citizenship as perceived in the worldviews of adults with developmental disabilities living in a large eastern city was explored. While authors report government-sponsored institutionalization and custodial care is no longer as common, the voices of people with developmental disabilities are still to be heard on what they think about being participating members of their communities rather than segregated as they once were. This study provided a group of adults with developmental disabilities an opportunity to help others better understand their thoughts about belonging. A combined case study and photovoice research approach …

Strategies For Implementation Of Electronic Health Records, Carlene Vassell-Webb

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Implementation of electronic health records (EHRs) is a driver for the improvement of health care and the reduction of health care costs. Developing countries face substantial challenges in adopting EHRs. The complex adaptive system conceptual framework was used to guide this single case study to explore strategies that health care leaders used to successfully implement the EHR system. Data were collected from 6 health care leaders from an island in the Caribbean using a semistructured interview technique. Data were analyzed using the Bengtsson's 4-stage data analysis process, which includes decontextualization, recontextualization, categorization, and compilation. The results of the study yielded …

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder And Psychopathy In The General Adult Population, Kathryn Richelle Wilson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the fastest growing mental disorders in the United States. More children are being diagnosed than ever before, and many of these individuals are finding that at least one other emotional, behavioral, or mental disorder often accompanies ADHD (including psychopathy). The number of individuals in the prison population with both ADHD and psychopathy is on the rise. Because of these increases, including what is being seen in the prison population, this study aimed to identify if there was a relationship between ADHD and psychopathy in the general population, and if there were specific …

School Personnel Perspectives On Supporting Teachers Of Students With Social-Emotional And Academic Needs, Ana Elisa Lee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Thirty percent of elementary schools that serve underprivileged students in a Texas school district are considered low-performing according to state standards in the 2016 2017 school year. Little is known about the perspectives on the support teachers need while teaching students with high social-emotional and academic needs. The purpose of this general qualitative study was to examine perspectives on principal support for teachers who teach these populations. Data were collected through interviewing 9 teachers, 3 principals, 3 counselors, 3 instructional coaches, and 1 district academic leader. Social cognitive theory, role theory, and cognitive evaluation theory constituted the conceptual framework. Individual …

Informal Caregivers' Lived Experiences Caring For A Black Man Receiving Hemodialysis, Tanikka Joy Greene

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Numerous quantitative studies have assessed caregiver burden in multiple chronic diseases, but an identified gap and underrepresentation exists in the literature regarding studies using an inductive approach that allow informal caregivers to describe the lived experiences of caring for Black men receiving hemodialysis. The transactional model of stress and coping and the stress process model guided this study. The key research questions centered on the experiences, psychological, physical, and financial limitations associated with caregiving. This phenomenological study used a purposive sample of 15 unpaid primary caregivers over the age of 18 caring for a Black male on hemodialysis from Mecklenburg …

Impact Of Socioeconomic Status And Health-Seeking Behavior On Malaria In Pregnancy, Ifeanyi Livinus Udenweze

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Malaria in pregnancy remains a public health challenge in Nigeria despite the fund appropriation for malaria control. The health challenges of malaria in pregnancy vary with populations and there is limited knowledge on the impact of the socioeconomic status and health-seeking behavior on malaria in pregnancy in Nigeria. The objective of this cross-sectional quantitative survey was to examine whether socioeconomic status and health-seeking behavior predict malaria in pregnancy in Nigeria using the social cognitive theoretical model. The data from a 2015 Nigeria Malaria Indicator Survey was used in this study. Data were analyzed using chi-square, binary, and multivariate logistics regression …

Trends In Prevalence And Predictors Of Undernutrition Among Children In South Central, Monica Kabahimba Zikusooka

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Undernutrition is a global public health challenge. In Somalia, undernutrition is chronic with the situation often graded for emergency response. The purpose of this study was to provide contextual evidence regarding trends of prevalence and predictors of undernutrition in South Central Somalia. Following the UNICEF conceptual framework of determinants of undernutrition, the study examined which individual, household, and society factors were associated with undernutrition. Using secondary data from cross-sectional nutritional surveys implemented by the Somalia Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit from 2007 to 2012, a sample of 75,756 and 60,856 children aged 6-59 months was used in analyzing trends …