Digital Commons Network^™

Diabetes Distress Among Adults Living In Texas, Jenny Chinedu Ogadi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

About 34.2 million Americans (approximately 10.5% of the total U.S. population) live with diabetes. African Americans are twice as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes and more likely to be less compliant with treatment medication regimens and suffer from related complications, compared to non-Hispanic Whites. Such disparities brought attention to the need to investigate and understand better the diabetes distress of diverse groups of diabetics. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine the relationships between demographic factors (race, age, gender, and educational level), diabetes education, diabetes management, and diabetes distress of adult diabetics in Texas. The theory of …

Disparities In Cervical Cancer Survival Amongst White And African American Women, Lucius Amandi-Tasie Ogoke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cervical cancer disproportionately impacts racial and ethnic minorities in the United States. The continuum in the disturbing morbidity and mortality trends declined markedly in 2020. However, there are more than 13,000 diagnosed cases, and almost 4,300 related deaths, and significant racial disparities in cervical cancer survival persist. The socio-ecological model served as the theoretical framework. Chi-square tests and binary logistic regression analyses were used to analyze data from the National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Ends Results Summary. The purpose of the study was to assess the association between race/ethnicity-related disparities in sociodemographic, histopathological, and treatment-related factors and cervical cancer …

Addiction Therapists’ Working Alliances With Battered Women With Substance Use Disorders, Lee O'Hara

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractIn the United States, 1 in 3 people with a substance use disorder is a woman who experienced domestic violence in her lifespan; yet only 1 of 5 people in treatment are women, which implies gender-specific difficulties to therapeutic engagement. There are documented inequalities and unmet needs among battered women with substance use disorders when therapists vary in their ability to form a working alliance with patients. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of addiction therapists’ working alliances with battered women with substance use disorders. The theoretical framework was based in transcendental phenomenology theory and …

Perspectives Of Kindergarten Through Second Grade Teachers Regarding Methods To Promote Student Engagement In Learning, Laura O'Hayer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed through this basic qualitative study was low levels of engagement in learning exhibited by kindergarten through second (K-2) grade students in rural schools located in the southern region of the United States. The purpose of this study was to explore how K-2 teachers promoted student engagement in learning. The conceptual framework combined constructivist theory and the attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction (ARCS) model. Two research questions guided exploration of how teachers incorporated active instructional practices and provided frameworks for learning; and how teachers incorporated questioning strategies, hands on learning activities, and problem solving exercises. Data were collected …

Public Trust And Citizen Engagement As Tools Of Democrcay For Good Governance In Nigeria, Olukayode Gilbert Ojo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSince Nigeria gained independence in 1960, political leaders' and elected officials' behavior and actions have contributed to a decline in public trust and people's engagement with the democratic system. It is currently unknown whether the concepts of public trust and citizen engagement can be democratic tools for good governance in Nigeria, with its diverse religions, ethnicities, and cultural values. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the Yoruba people’s perceptions of the barriers to and facilitators of public trust and citizen engagement in the Nigerian democratic system. The theoretical framework was polarities of democracy theory, espoused by …

Variables On The Proportion Of Children With Sickle Cell Hemoglobin, Oyekola Oluyimika Oloyede

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe case fatality rate among children living with sickle cell disease was approximately 50% to 90% in Sub-Saharan Africa. Though researchers have contributed social determinants of health more broadly, they have not provided adequate screening information on children living with sickle cell disease aged 6 months to 59 months. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine the association between sickle cell disease status, infection prevention, pain and anemia management, demography, socioeconomic status, and healthcare use. This study included approximately 11,536 genotype results of children under 5-years-old in Nigeria. Bronfenbrenner’s systems theory and Krieger’s ecological theory formed the theoretical …

Nurses’ Knowledge Of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy As A Treatment For Schizophrenia, Iwalola Stella Omojola

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Existing evidence indicates that medications alone are not able to fully manage the psychotic symptoms associated with schizophrenia. Inadequately treated schizophrenia not only affects a patient's physical and mental health but also can lead to the onset of more complex issues such as substance and alcohol abuse disorders, homelessness, family conflicts, and violent behavior. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can assist in bridging the gaps associated with the use of medications in the treatment of schizophrenia. The purpose of this project was to increase the knowledge of nurses working at a private healthcare facility regarding the effective utilization of CBT as …

Cross-Cultural Strategies For Leaders To Improve Organizational Performance, Dianna Olsen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSome nonprofit leaders lack strategies to develop cross-cultural competency for improving organizations’ performance. Cross-cultural competencies are needed to manage culturally diverse work teams effectively. Grounded in cultural competency theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore the strategies nonprofit leaders use to develop cross-cultural competency for improving organizations’ performance. The participants were seven nonprofit leaders who successfully led teams cross-culturally in Mexico and the United States. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, direct observations, and organizational records. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Five themes were identified: collective alliance strategy, co-decision-making strategy, cooperative goal focus …

Management And Recycling Of Secondhand Electronic Devices Case Of Nigeria, Amos Kome Onokpise

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractApproximately 60,000 tons of e-waste from new, secondhand, or used electrical electronics equipment/devices (UEEEDs) are disposed off at the end of their shelf life annually in Lagos, Nigeria. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand better how secondhand or UEEED e-waste was efficiently managed or recycled without resulting in environmental concerns. The study’s conceptual framework was based on Machiavellian and transactional conceptual theories. The research question focused on what influences the choice of management and recycling of electronic devices. Data were collected from 28 participants through semistructured interviews with 8 business owners and 20 focus group UEEED …

Relationship Between Cost, Schedule Overruns, And Project Success In The Nuclear Construction Industry In The United Kingdom, Adesegun Francis Osadare

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Failure to achieve project success due to cost and schedule overruns may negatively affect an organization's financial strength, profitability, and competitive advantage. Organizational leaders must constantly monitor and control projects throughout the life cycle to reduce the impact of cost and schedule overruns and ensure project success. Grounded in the triple constraint model, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between cost, schedule overruns, and project success. Data were collected from 66 project managers, project directors, project control, delivery integration managers, and construction project planners. The multiple linear regression analysis results were significant, F (2,63) …

Influence Of An Afterschool Reading Program On Elementary Student Reading Achievement, Chapple Osborne-Arnold

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractMany elementary school students require and may benefit from supplemental reading support and interventions that can be provided by afterschool programs. The problem addressed in this study was that it was not known if third grade students benefited from an afterschool reading program in one East Tennessee District. The purpose of this quantitative study was to compare end of year scale scores on the Standardized Test for the Assessment of Reading (STAR) of third grade students who attended the afterschool reading program for 30 or more days and those who did not attend the afterschool reading program while controlling for …

Successful Recruitment And Retention Strategies Used By Logistics Hiring Managers, Anna Ouattara

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee turnover results in increased employers’ costs and a decrease in profitability. Transportation hiring managers who lack strategies to recruit and retain employees risk higher employee turnover, resulting in reduced profitability. Grounded in Herzberg’s two factory theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies transportation hiring managers use to recruit and retain employees to reduce employee turnover and improve profitability. The participants were three transportation hiring managers from three transportation companies in Eagan, Minnesota, who successfully implemented strategies resulting in employee retention. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and a review of company documents. Data …

Non-Disclosure Of Child Sexual Abuse: The Lived Experience Of Victims In South Africa, Chima Obiora Ozor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Child sexual assault (CSA) has been reported all over the world. Studies indicated that South Africa has one of the highest incidences with far reaching social, physical and emotional consequences. However, non-disclosure is common, which increases the risk of revictimization. Understanding the complexities surrounding the low reporting and non-disclosure will provide guidance for better intervention of CSA in South Africa. This study explored the past experiences of adults who were sexually abused as minors, and how their experiences and outcomes may have been influenced by factors at the micro, meso, macro, and chrono-system levels of Bronfenbrenner’s social ecological model. The …

Reducing Racial Disparity Of Youths Referred To The Juvenile Center, Kimberly Paige

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2018, The Juvenile Center in St. Louis, Missouri acknowledged that they needed to decrease the racial disparity in the numbers and percentages of Black youths who were overrepresented compared to White youths at the front-end intake step of the facility. The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain insight as to whether there were alternative actions for police officers after they arrested the youths but before they referred them to the front-end intake step of The Juvenile Center. The main method of collecting data was an ethnographic interview in the form of a questionnaire to gather the community …

How Investors Relate Portfolio Returns To Investment Performance Using Financial Options, Nurillo Pashshayev

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This quantitative study addressed the absence of a simple investment model for private investors by analyzing the relationship between the portfolio returns and the investment performance using financial options. The purpose was to determine whether the financial options added to a portfolio can positively influence an investor’s portfolio performance when diversified properly. Modern portfolio theory and option pricing theory were tested to relate portfolio returns to the investment performance using financial options for individual investors in the United States. Secondary data from Yahoo Finance, New York Stock Exchange, Chicago Board of Options Exchange, and TD Ameritrade were used to perform …

Relationship Between Nursing Staffing Hours (Rns & Lpns) And Covid-19 Mortality In Indiana Nursing Homes, Chirag Chandrakant Patel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many nursing homes struggled to meet the needed staffing levels, compromising service delivery in health institutions across the United States. The disproportionate effect of COVID-19 on various health care institutions and staff-patient ratios rejuvenated discussions on the longstanding workforce challenges on quality care and outcomes. The purpose of this quantitative study was to evaluate the relationship between registered nurse (RN) staffing hours and COVID-19 deaths in Indiana private and public nursing home residents based on the data obtained in the Care Compare database and Indiana Department of health COVID-19 portals. The independent study variables were RN …

Perspectives Of Adult Esl Teachers On The Use Of Direct Vocabulary Instruction With Adult Ells, Erica N. Pettis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractWith the growing number of non-native English speakers, improving communication through direct vocabulary instruction (DVI) is important. The problem investigated in this study was that English as a second language (ESL) teachers were not using the strategy DVI, in the ESL classroom. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore ESL teachers’ perspectives about DVI for adult English language learners (ELLs) in a Midwestern state. The conceptual framework was drawn from Vygotsky’s constructivist theory because ESL teachers construct meaning from their experiences and what they have learned about vocabulary to improve reading comprehension for adult ELLs. The research …

Health Responsibility In Community College Students, Christine Phillips

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Community college students are less healthy than 4-year college students, and they tend to have a higher allostatic load than their 4-year counterparts. Although research demonstrated that community college students are at greater risk for physical and mental illness, a better understanding of how community college students perceive their health responsibility was needed. A basic qualitative approach was employed to study how community college students experience health responsibility. Self-determination theory and the health belief model were used to guide the development of a semistructured interview and analysis plan. Thirteen adult credit-seeking students were interviewed. Data were analyzed using a top-down …

Principals’ Perceptions Of How To Reduce Discipline Disparities For Black Students, Brandi Lee Pineda

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Disparity exists in disciplinary actions taken toward Black students compared to White students in the public schools of a county school district in a Southwest U.S. state. Successful school leadership practices are needed to minimize the disproportionality of Black students being expelled, suspended, and routed to the school-to-prison pipeline. The purpose of this basic qualitative case study was to explore school leaders’ perceptions of how to reduce the disciplinary actions taken with Black students in the public schools of a county school district in a Southwest U.S. state. The conceptual framework was critical race theory. The research questions addressed (a) …

Age And Pain Predicting Hospital Length Of Stay Among Individuals With Sickle Cell Disease, Tyanna Qualls

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Most patients with sickle cell disease (SCD), especially those from low socioeconomic status, experience financial constraints in meeting their hospital bills resulting from prolonged hospital stays. The research was guided by Andersen’s (1995) behavioral model of health services (BMHS) as the theoretical framework. The purpose of this retrospective quantitative correlational study was to evaluate whether and the extent to which age and pain crisis affect the length of hospital stay among patients with SCD in the United States. Secondary data were collected from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP). A chi-square test was used to test the relationship between …

Exploring Strategies For Small Business Owners Operating In A Small Town, Jacqueline Rabb

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Brick and mortar small businesses are the hubs of many small towns. However, some small business owners lack strategies to operate in a small town impacted by unstable economic conditions. Brick and mortar small business owners may experience a higher risk of failure if strategies to overcome the challenges of operating in a small town are not effectively implemented. Grounded in the contingency theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies some brick and mortar small business leaders could implement for survival in a post-recession, small-town economy. The participants comprised three small business owners in …

Staff Nurses Lack Of Knowledge And Opioid Use At The Veteran Administration, Cathy J. Ramey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractStaff Nurses’ Lack of Knowledge and Opioid Use at the Veteran Administration By Cathy Ramey

MS, University of Phoenix, 2014BS, Chamberlain University, 2008

Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Nursing Practice

Walden University November 2022

Abstract Opioids are often prescribed for pain management, which may have led to high rates of opioid addiction among veteran populations. The problem identified in this DNP project was the nurses’ lack of knowledge regarding pain management and the use of opioids in the veteran’s (VA) hospital where the project commenced. Using the Analyse, Design, Develop, Implement, …

The Relationship Between Work Engagement, Burnout, And Employee Turnover Intention, Lannita J. Randle

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee turnover can cost an organization 30% to 250% of a worker’s annual compensation to replace and train an employee. Understanding employee intent to leave is vital for human resource managers in the field service industry to help reduce turnover. Grounded in Alderfer’s Existence, Relatedness, and Growth (ERG) theory, the purpose of this quantitative correlation study was to examine the relationship between work engagement, employee burnout, and employee turnover intention in the field service industry. The participants were 169 full-time service repair employees residing in the metropolitan Houston, Texas area who completed the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, Maslach Burnout Inventory, …

Correctional Education And Response To Prison Reentry Of African American Men, Robert Reddick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is limited knowledge of how correctional education programs prepare rural African American men for reentry into society after incarceration. The purpose of this study was to learn how young, rural African American men between the ages of 20 to 30 years perceived their experiences of technical correctional education programs and how such programs aided in reducing recidivism during their reentry process from incarceration. This qualitative study was guided by the institutional theory which purported that correctional education should be based on the population served and not on mirroring other institutions. Using a qualitative phenomenological design, data were collected from …

Strategies To Manage Reduced Demand Among Mattress Manufacturers In Puerto Rico, Damaris Rivera Perez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic reduced consumer demand in Puerto Rico, resulting in manufacturing jobs decreasing from 76,000 in March 2020 to 72,600 in August 2020, and the PMI decreasing falling from 50.5 to 48.1 in the same period. Owners of mattress manufacturing firms in Puerto Rico who lack strategies to increase consumer demand risk financial losses. Grounded in the strategic management theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies owners of mattress manufacturing firms in Puerto Rico use to increase demand for mattresses. The participants included three owners of mattress manufacturing firms in Puerto Rico who …

Relationship Between Nurses’ Perceptions Of Work Environment And Intent To Stay, Ursula Virginia Roberts-Allen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health systems in the United States face a growing shortage of nurses to provide care, including home health agencies looking for approaches to improve retention and reduce attrition. The work environment across all health delivery systems plays a critical role in nurse retention. Studies show increased attrition when nurses perceive their work environment as hostile. This quantitative correlational study guided Watson’s theory of human caring. It explored the relationship between home health nurses’ perceptions of their work environment and their intent to stay in their current position. Archival data from a convenience sample obtained from an extensive multistate multiservice health …

Staff Education On The Benefits Of Pharmacogenetic Testing For Chronic Pain Management, Laura April Robinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Chronic pain management is a growing concern in the medical community with one out of three people in America suffering from chronic pain. This educational practice-focused project identified the value of educating a group of primary care providers (PCP) on pharmacogenetic (PGx) testing offering genetic-based prescribing choices and reducing trial and failure in treating chronic pain patients. The practice-focused question explored if there would be support regarding learning gained by the providers following an evidence-based education process on PGx testing, as shown from pretest to posttest results. The educational model was guided by the analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation …

Fire Safety Education And Increasing Functioning Smoke Detectors In Residential Apartments, Enrique Fernandez Robinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The lack of functioning smoke detectors poses significant life safety risks to people in low-income residential communities. In 2019, a fire incident occurred in an urban Maryland community due to the lack of a functioning smoke detector. Although no deaths or injuries resulted, there was significant property damage and resident displacement. The purpose of this study was to assist a local fire department in an urban area of the state of Maryland with developing and implementing a fire safety community outreach program designed to reduce the percentage of residential homes in a low-income community without functioning smoke detectors. A qualitative …

Experiences Of Social Workers Providing Sentencing Advocacy For Youth Of Color, Steven Robinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The punitive sentencing of minority youthful offenders is contrary to the juvenile justice system’s founding principles of rehabilitation. Moreover, the introduction of mitigation helps to inform the courts’ decisions on the most appropriate recourse; however, few researchers have studied the experiences of social workers who provide sentencing advocacy for minority youth. This basic qualitative study explored the experiences of social workers in Louisiana involved in addressing sentencing disparities of minority youth and the changes social workers perceive as necessary to reduce these disparities. Six social workers in Louisiana were interviewed regarding their experiences related to providing sentencing advocacy for minority …

Strategies For Information Technology Small Business Owners To Sustain Beyond The First 5 Years, Edward Alan Rodarte

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small businesses are the foundation of an economy and spawn innovation, but small business owners fail at an alarming rate because they lack strategies to sustain business operations. Since 50% of small businesses fail within the first 5 years, small business sustainability research is critical to support small business owners. Grounded in entrepreneurial theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to identify strategies information technology (IT) small business owners use to sustain operation beyond the first 5 years. The participants included four IT small business owners in the Southwestern United States who sustained operations beyond the first 5 …