Digital Commons Network^™

Self-Efficacy, Perceived Skills, And Real Knowledge Of Speech-Language Pathologists, Meredith Lynn Baker-Rush

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although speech language pathologists' (SLPs) knowledge of communication and swallowing has been undisputed, their knowledge and skills related to tracheostomy and mechanical ventilation (MV) seem varied. The consequences associated with the presence of tracheostomy or MV demonstrate the necessity of training. Guided by Bandura's social cognitive theory, this study was designed to determine if SLPs' training influenced self-efficacy and real knowledge, and to evaluate trends associated with SLPs' pursuit of specialized training. A total of 236 SLPs practicing in the United States responded to a researcher-developed knowledge and confidence test for tracheostomy and mechanical ventilation (KCT-TMV). Data were analyzed via …

Understanding A School's Response To Childhood Obesity, April Dawn Goins-Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Childhood obesity has become a national epidemic. Although many of the consequences of childhood obesity are known, such as physical, social, emotional, and academic effects on a student's development, there is a lack of literature on the topic of childhood obesity in Native American tribes. The purpose of this case study was to explore how school personnel address the effects of obesity on students' social, emotional, academic, and physical development in an elementary school in the southwest United States where 90% of the students are Native Americans. Bronfenbrenner's socioecological model served as the theoretical foundation. The research questions explored strategies …

The Development And Content Validation Of An Adult Obesity Educational Program, Abel Okuma

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Overweight and obesity in patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are at epidemic levels in the United States. The problem identified for this DNP project is the incidence of overweight and obesity in IDD. The framework used involved the quality model for improvement. For this DNP project a new program called the Daily-Enhanced Physical Activities Program (DEPA) was developed to promote weight loss, reduce sedentary activities, and optimal body mass index (BMI) for IDD patients. Local experts consisting of two registered nurses, two physical therapists, and one direct support personnel working with IDD patients were recruited. Each expert reviewed …

Emerging Pathogens In Cystic Fibrosis Patients At Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center (Vcumc), Emily M. Hill

Theses and Dissertations

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disorder affecting 70,000 individuals worldwide. This disease is characterized by the buildup of mucus in the airways leading to chronic lung infections resulting in pulmonary failure and death in 95% of CF patients. Routine surveillance of CF pathogens using traditional microbiology culture guides management and treatment of CF patients. Molecular profiling studies have revealed emerging pathogens that may play a role in CF lung disease by either directly causing infection or upregulating the virulence factors of classic CF pathogens, such as P. aeruginosa; however, routine CF culture protocols have not been modified …

Professional Development To Enhance Instructional Leadership And Practice Of Central Office Administrators, Cheryl A. R. Mccue

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Professional Development to Enhance Instructional Leadership and Practice of

Central Office Administrators

by

Cheryl A. R. McCue

M. Ed., Lehigh University, 1990

BS, Kutztown University, 1987

Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Education

Walden University

June 2016

Decades of research and practice suggest that educational administrators need to experience opportunities for professional development and continuous learning. This project study addressed the problem regarding the lack of a formal or systemic plan for professional development of central office administrators in a large suburban school district in northeastern United States. Supported by Lave …

Parental Perceptions Of Childhood Overweight And Obesity In Four-Year-Olds In Northeastern North Carolina, Crystal Keyes Terry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Childhood obesity has increased due to factors such as more television time, less outside play, parents' lack of education about nutritious meals, and eating more fast food versus home cooked meals. Research has been performed on many school-aged children; however, there is a gap in research as it pertains to preschool children. Preschool age learning is when children are most receptive to habit-forming activities. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to assess the parental perceptions of 11 preschool parents in rural Northeastern North Carolina of 4-year-old children who have been told by a health care professional that their …

Motivation For Volunteering With Older Adults In A Rural Community, Tonia Maria Truesdell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Baby Boomer generation in the United States is growing older, and the number of adults age 65 years or older is expected to double by 2050. The increase in older adults combined with the reduction in services to older adults has created a gap in available social services and volunteers are needed to fill those gaps. This quantitative, nonexperimental study was designed to identify the motivations of volunteers who served the socialization needs of isolated older adults in a rural U.S. community. The functional approach theory was utilized to explain how volunteers engage in the same volunteer activity for …

Determinants Of Obesity Among Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Adults, Lindsay Buchko

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Trends of obesity increased over the last 3 decades with the obesity rate doubling from 1980 to 2010. People with disability are more likely to experience health disparities including obesity compared to the general population. Yet research on the determinants of obesity such as self-efficacy, hearing levels, and deaf acculturation styles among those who are deaf or hard of hearing (HoH) is limited. This cross-sectional study, using the social cognitive theory framework, examined BMI and self-efficacy differences between deaf/HoH adults and hearing adults, aged 20 years and older. This study also examined the associations between BMI or self-efficacy and factors …

Perceived Barriers To Oral Health Care Access For Massachusetts' Underserved Parents, Doudelyne Cenafils-Brutus

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Poor oral care is detrimental to the overall health of the population. In the United States, oral health diseases affect millions of individuals, especially children and adolescents. Guided by the health belief model, the purpose of this study was to identify parents' perceived barriers to oral health care access among their 5- to 10-year-old children. A phenomenological approach was used to gather data and thematically analyze interview data from 20 parents who were recruited from a health center in the northeastern United States. All participants had at least one child between 5-10 years old and all identified as under-served. Data …

Risk Factors For Hypertension Among African-Born Immigrants In The United States, John Ojih

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Essential hypertension (HTN) has been and continues to be a serious public health problem across the globe, particularly among Black races, with an estimated morbidity rate of over 1 billion people and an estimated mortality rate of 9.4 million people worldwide. Essential HTN can lead to a host of chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease (CVD), stroke, myocardial infarction, brain damage, kidney failure, and retinopathy. The main purpose of this quantitative, descriptive, nonexperimental study was to investigate the association of physical inactivity, length of stay in the United States, immigrants' health status, and food security as risk indicators in the development …

The Perception Of Obesity Among African American Women 35 Years And Older In Houston, Texas, Bernadette Ebere Osuji

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As obesity has reached an epidemic level, the female population age 35 years and older is struggling with increased risks of death from type 2 diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers. The purpose of this study was to explore the perception of overweight and obesity among African American women 35 years and older in Houston, Texas. A phenomenological approach was adopted for this study to explore the perception of overweight and obesity among African American women 35 years and older in Houston, Texas. This study was also guided by the Health Belief Model as a conceptual framework …

Rural Obese African American Women And Depression, Food Culture, And Binge Eating, Tracee Tamiko Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The rural African American population has a high incidence of severe psychosocial problems and a skewed perception of obesity, despite obesity's extremely high prevalence rate in this population. Despite the acknowledgements of these problems, there is a gap in literature relative to the effective treatments for obese African Americans diagnosed with depression. This study measured correlations between obesity and depression, binge eating, and food culture amongst African American women residing in Jefferson County, MS. The health belief model was used to guide an assessment of beliefs, perceptions, susceptibility, cues to action, and self-efficacy. A cross-sectional design was used based on …

Identifying Misconceptions Associated With Inaccurate Survey Reporting In The Combined Use Of Caffeine And Alcohol, Kathryn Polak

Theses and Dissertations

Research on college student use of caffeine combined with alcohol (CAC) and public health concern over such use has been hampered by the absence of psychometrically sound measures of caffeine and CAC use. The present study examined agreement between survey (CAS) and interview (TLFB) methods for collecting data on caffeine, alcohol and CAC use. Participants were N=50 college students randomized to complete CAS followed by TLFB or the reverse. Qualitative follow-up interviews with N=15 participants were used to identify factors contributing to CAS-TLFB discrepancies. Responses varied by method of administration, with largest discrepancy magnitudes found for CAC, followed …

Fresh Fruits And Vegetables In A Rural Elementary School: A Mixed-Methods Program Evaluation, Patricia Marie Moore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Program is a federally funded program intended to increase public school students' fruit and vegetable consumption. The purpose of this mixed-method study was to evaluate the implementation of this program at a rural southwestern Title 1 elementary school to determine teacher perceptions of the program and whether the program met federal goals. Social ecological model and social cognitive theory grounded the investigation. The mixed method design included semi-structured interviews with 11 teachers accompanied by an anonymous web-based open response questionnaire and document reviews. Descriptive statistics were reported for Likert scale survey items and invoice documents …

Exploring Obesity Risk Factors In Five Regions Of Virginia, Karen Toth Carpenter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity continues to weaken our nation physiologically, psychologically and financially with an overall prevalence rate of 34.9% or 78.6 million Americans affected. Variance in obesity prevalence rates, in the state of Virginia, account for over a 15% difference from one health district to the next. The purpose of this research was to better explore the regional obesogenic factors that may exist among five health districts in the state of Virginia. The socio ecological theory provides the conceptual framework of the study to understand the variance in regional obesity rates, as a function of the contributing risk factors that a region …

After-School Activities Policy And The Atlanta Fulton Public Library System, Vincent Chukumah

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Public libraries are evolving from their traditional role as promoters of literacy to a new role as providers of community resources, including after-school activities for teenagers. A policy mandate for such activities appears to be lacking though, which might impact negatively their effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to get a better understanding of the existing policy and implementation mechanisms of after-school activities offered by the Atlanta Fulton Library System in Georgia to at-risk teenaged patrons. Moore's theory of innovation and public value provided the theoretical framework for the study. An embedded case study research design was used to …

Proteomic Profiling Of Maize Opaque Endosperm Mutants Reveals Selective Accumulation Of Lysine-Enriched Proteins, Kyla J. Morton, Shangang Jia, Chi Zhang, David R. Holding

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Reduced prolamin (zein) accumulation and defective endoplasmic reticulum (ER) body formation occurs in maize opaque endosperm mutants opaque2 (o2), floury2 (fl2), defective endosperm*B30 (DeB30), and Mucronate (Mc), whereas other opaque mutants such as opaque1 (o1) and floury1 (fl1) are normal in these regards. This suggests that other factors contribute to kernel texture. A liquid chromatography approach coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) proteomics was used to compare non-zein proteins of nearly isogenic opaque endosperm mutants. In total, 2762 proteins were identified that were enriched for biological processes such …

Modeling Effects Of Diet On Human Gut Microbiota, Richard Thomas Agans

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The human gut microbiota is integrally involved in the metabolism of nutrients contained within the human diet. Studies into human nutrition have primarily been carried out using human and animal models. These studies are extremely important in our understanding of human nutrition, however, suffer from inherent limitations including unique microbial compositions between individuals, compliance in human studies, inability to carry out mechanistic studies, and inability to interrogate proximal regions of the gut without applying invasive techniques. In vitro gut simulator systems circumvent many of these limitations in animal and human models by allowing control of gut environmental conditions, decreasing variability …

Motivating Parents Of Kids With Asthma To Quit Smoking: The Effect Of The Teachable Moment And Increasing Intervention Intensity Using A Longitudinal Randomized Trial Design, Belinda Borrelli, Erin M. Tooley

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Aims—We tested two aims: 1) The Teachable Moment (TM): whether second hand smoke exposure (SHSe) feedback motivates cessation in parents of children with asthma vs. parents of healthy children (HC) and 2) whether greater intervention intensity (Enhanced-PAM) produces greater cessation than a previously tested intervention (Precaution Adoption Model; PAM).

Design and interventions—Aim 1: Two home visits (asthma education or child wellness), and cessation induction using Motivational Interviewing and SHSe feedback. Aim 2: Post home-visits, parents with asthmatic children were randomized to PAM (n=171; 6 asthma education calls) or Enhanced-PAM (n=170; 6 asthma education/smoking cessation calls + repeat SHSe …

Cancer Health Literacy And Hospitalization In The First Five Years Following A Cancer Diagnosis, Laura A. Cartwright

Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: The field of health literacy research has been focused recently on developing more accurate measurement tools and understanding the relationship between health literacy and health outcomes. Individuals with lower levels of health literacy have worse health outcomes, including hospitalization rates, compared to those with adequate health literacy. This relationship has yet to be examined in the cancer patient population, although significant relationships between health literacy and cancer knowledge, screening behavior and quality of life have been found. This study is the first to examine the relationship between health literacy and hospitalization rates in a cancer patient population, and the …

Unhealthy Weight Control Behaviors In Adolescents : Are There Classes Of Risk?, Grace M. Van Schoick

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This quantitative secondary analysis was undertaken to determine if classes of risk exist for the use of Unhealthy Weight Control Behaviors (UWCBs) in adolescents. Engagement in UWCBs increases the likelihood that an adolescent would develop a full-syndrome eating disorder, which are both difficult and expensive to treat. Using data previously collected as part of the 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, it was possible to conduct a Latent Class Analysis (LCA) using 8,885 responses which contained data about a number of potential risk factors that might influence a participant’s likelihood to engage in UWCBs. Factors considered were gender, race/ethnicity, experiences …

Reentering Survivors: Invisible At The Intersection Of The Criminal Legal System And The Domestic Violence Movement, Courtney K. Cross

Articles

Like all returning citizens, women coming home after incarceration face significant challenges to successful reentry. In addition to the collateral consequences of their criminal convictions, reentering women also encounter uniquely gendered obstacles. This Article explores one such obstacle: the relationship between women's reentry and domestic violence. Women on probation or parole who are also experiencing domestic violence too often fall into a blind spot in which the structure of community supervision pressures them to remain in unsafe homes and also punishes them when the abuse they endure interferes with their ability to comply with the conditions of their release. Because …

The Tribes Of Maycomb County: The Continuing Quest To Transcend Our Differences, Steven H. Hobbs

Articles

No abstract provided.

An Examination Of The Technical And Relational Hypotheses Of Motivational Interviewing In A Sample Of African American Adolescent Girls Seeking Obesity Treatment, Rachel L. Boutte

Theses and Dissertations

Adolescent obesity has increased exponentially over the past three decades in the United States. In response, behavioral interventions have been developed and implemented to address this epidemic; however, treatment adherence is often suboptimal. Motivational interviewing (MI) is a directive, person centered approach to reducing patient ambivalence about change, which has been shown to increase engagement in obesity interventions. The current study investigated the underlying process of MI by exploring two different, but related pathways that explain how change happens (e.g., the technical and relational hypotheses) in the context of a multidisciplinary obesity intervention with African American adolescent girls (N …

Mechanisms Of Antixenosis And Antibiosis Of Ash Against Emerald Ash Borer, Chad Michael Rigsby

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), is an invasive forest pest causing widespread mortality of ash (Fraxinus spp.) in North America. Host resistance research and the development of resistant hosts offers a promising strategy for the long-term conservation of ash and management of EAB. Manchurian ash (F. mandshurica) shares an evolutionary history with EAB in Asia, resulting in its greater resistance relative to naive North American ashes. In the following studies I investigate antixenosis and antibiosis mechanisms of resistant and susceptible ashes. Antixenosis in Manchurian ash was demonstrated by quantifying substantially lower oviposition on this species relative to …

Effect Of Oasis-Ultra Matrix On The Healing Rate Of Stage Iv Pressure Wounds, Abdelfatah Shaban Abou Issa

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: (Oasis-ultra) is an extra cellular collagen rich matrix derived from porcine intestinal sub-mucosa. A prospective, multi-centered, randomized, single-blinded clinical trial was conducted to study the effects of Oasis-ultra combined with negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) on the healing rate of stage IV pressure wounds versus NPWT alone. Materials and Methods: Twelve subjects were involved in the study: six patients in the study group and six in the control group. NPWT was changed twice a week for all subjects, and Oasis-ultra was applied weekly. The wounds were measured weekly, and the healing rate was calculated for each subject for 12 …

Correlating Innate Functional Recovery From Stroke Either With Stem Cell Proliferation And/Or Limb Rehabilitation, Devipriyanka Nagarajan

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

In the present study 10-12 month female rats were examined for functional recovery from stroke and this recovery was compared with the stem cell/progenitor cell proliferation in the brain (which was measured by Ki67). The cell proliferation indicated by Ki67 showed a 6 fold increase in control animals compared to the rehabilitation animals. The contralateral functional recovery in control animals were 46.6% and in the rehabilitation animals were 24.5%. The physical rehabilitation was carried out to determine if limb rehabilitation can promote greater functional recovery. The results showed that when the animals were made to over use their impaired limb …

Chemosensitivity In Mealworms And Darkling Beetles (Tenebrio Molitor) Across Oxygen And Carbon Dioxide Gradients, Andrew King Patterson

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Breathing in most insects is controlled through a negative feedback loop consisting of signals (O₂, CO₂, pH), sensors (chemoreceptors), integrators (neural ganglia), and effectors (spiracles over tracheae). I hypothesized that mealworms and their adult counterparts Darkling beetles, Tenebrio molitor, can sense anoxic and hyperoxic environments and preferentially avoid these environments. I also hypothesize that mealworms are attracted to hypercarbia while Darkling beetles avoid hypercarbia. I constructed a test arena to create an O₂ or CO₂ gradient. Velocity, total distance traveled, and time spent in each area of the O₂ or CO₂ gradients …

Data Management And Data Facilitation In Multi-Center Large Cohort Health Care Studies, Wei Wang

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Data management and data facilitation is the foundation and a critical part for scientific investigations, especially with large cohort studies on health care, which may have multiple components collected from different institutes or different areas due to efficiency, cost, enrollment considerations. In this thesis, I consider how to design and to implement data management with multi-center health care research data. The research project that I joined focuses mainly on environmental health science, and the primary goal is to investigate the impact of nutritional and toxicant exposures in environment during fetal and early postnatal life on individual’s health outcomes over the …

Benthic Marine Calcifiers Coexist With Caco3-Undersaturated Seawater Worldwide, Mario Lebrato, Andreas J. Andersson, Justin Baker Ries, Richard B. Aronson, Miles D. Lamare, Wolfgang Koeve, Andreas Oschlies, Maria Débora Iglesias-Rodríguez, Sven Thatje, M. Amsler, Stephanie C. Vos, D. O. B. Jones, H. A. Ruhl, A. R. Gates, J. B. Mcclintock

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Ocean acidification and decreasing seawater saturation state with respect to calcium carbonate (CaCO3) minerals have raised concerns about the consequences to marine organisms that build CaCO3 structures. A large proportion of benthic marine calcifiers incorporate Mg2+ into their skeletons (Mg-calcite), which, in general, reduces mineral stability. The relative vulnerability of some marine calcifiers to ocean acidification appears linked to the relative solubility of their shell or skeletal mineralogy, although some organisms have sophisticated mechanisms for constructing and maintaining their CaCO3 structures causing deviation from this dependence. Nevertheless, few studies consider seawater saturation state with respect to the actual Mg-calcite mineralogy …