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Well-Being Among Parents Of Young Adults With Intellectual Disabilities When Transitioning From High School, Teshawnia Thompson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Transition out of high school for young adults with intellectual disabilities (IDs) has been described as a stressful time for individuals and their families, with increased demands for caregiving and parental support. A lack of research is associated specifically with those individuals with moderate IDs and their parents' experiences of well-being during the transition process. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand how parents of young adult-aged children with moderate IDs experience well-being as their child transitions from high school to adulthood. Ryff's model of psychological well-being was used as the conceptual framework to better understand and explore …

Aging Studies Minor, Family And Consumer Sciences

Program Revisions/Additions

No abstract provided.

Enhancing The Nurse Aide Student's Knowledge Of Evidence-Based Geriatric Care Practices, Vivienne Mcdaniel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Certified nurse aides provide approximately 65% of care to more than 1.4 million older adults residing in nursing homes who have been diagnosed with 1 or more chronic illnesses or debilitating conditions. Licensed nurses rely on nurse aides to report potentially harmful status changes in geriatric residents. Nurse aides often receive limited education and do not have a structured care process to guide them in their practice in the geriatric population. The purpose of this educational quality improvement project was to develop a geriatric-specific nurse aide care process to increase the knowledge of student nurse aides regarding processes to identify …

Implications For Public Policy Regarding Gay Seniors Living In Suburban Florida, Brian Fuss

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In less than 20 years over 6 million lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals will be over 65 years old designated as seniors according to the Older Americans Act. When public policies for the aging population are implemented, LGBT individuals are forgotten, especially those living in nonmetropolitan areas. Using a purposeful convenience sample and a phenomenological approach 7 gay seniors residing in Florida suburban areas were interviewed to explore their lives as they age. Aging policies were investigated through the social construction of deservedness lens to ascertain individual political power while exploring (a) the challenges of living in suburban …

The Impact Of Fall Efficacy On Occupational Performance In Community-Dwelling Older Adults, Michelle Fong, Araya Moua, Erin Denola, Merit Franklin

Student Research Posters

Falls are a major health concern in the older adult (OA) population. While there is research on falls and their prevention, research on how low fall efficacy (FE) impacts the occupational engagement of the OA population is limited. FE is defined as the confidence a person has in his/her ability to complete a task without falling (Tinetti & Powell, 1993). A qualitative study was conducted using a phenomenological approach to explore the lived experiences of OAs with low FE and the impact on occupational performance. Participants who scored ≤ 6 on the Modified Fall Efficacy Scale (MFES) engaged in a …

Occupational Responses Of Older Adults Following Partner Loss, Carol Huang, Jane Song, Peter Behr, Stephanie Sterner

Student Research Posters

Spousal loss has been frequently identified as a life stressor that can greatly impede one’s ability to age at home. The purpose of this study is to identify the occupational changes that commonly result after this event and their impacts on one’s ability to age in place. This study utilized a qualitative phenomenological research design. Eight participants were recruited from an educational program for older adults and were interviewed using a semi-structured interview format. Researchers transcribed and coded all interviews to determine emergent themes. Two major categories of themes were found: occupational and intrinsic responses. The areas of occupation that …

Ecological Implications Of Foraging And Life-History In Three Cold-Adapted Species, Andrew Von Duyke

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This research investigates the ecology of: ringed seals (Pusa hispida), moose (Alces alces), and bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus). Each of these species draws upon specialized strategies to meet the physical demands of life in their extreme environments. However, they are currently experiencing unprecedented changes in their habitats. This work adds to what is known about the behavior, physiology, and population dynamics of cold-adapted species—providing insights of value for an improved understanding of foraging and life-history theory, and informing conservation and ecosystem monitoring efforts. Chapter 1 provides a brief introduction to the scope of work …

Gene Silencing In Tribolium Castaneum As A Tool For The Targeted Identification Of Candidate Rnai Targets In Crop Pests, Eileen Knorr, Elane Fishilevich, Linda Tenbusch, Meghan L. F. Frey, Murugesan Rangasamy, Andre Billion, Sarah E. Worden, Premchand Gandra, Kanika Arora, Wendy Lo, Greg Schulenberg, Pablo Valverde-Garcia, Andreas Vilcinskas, Kenneth E. Narva

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

RNAi shows potential as an agricultural technology for insect control, yet, a relatively low number of robust lethal RNAi targets have been demonstrated to control insects of agricultural interest. In the current study, a selection of lethal RNAi target genes from the iBeetle (Tribolium castaneum) screen were used to demonstrate efficacy of orthologous targets in the economically important coleopteran pests Diabrotica virgifera virgifera and Meligethes aeneus. Transcript orthologs of 50 selected genes were analyzed in D. v. virgifera diet-based RNAi bioassays; 21 of these RNAi targets showed mortality and 36 showed growth inhibition. Low dose injection- and …

Prevalence And Trends In Morbidity And Disability Among Older Mexican Americans In The Southwestern United States, 1993–2013, Marc A. Garcia, Adriana M. Reyes

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

This study examines the prevalence of morbidity and disability among older Mexican Americans using 5-year age groups. Twenty-year panel data from the Hispanic Established Populations for the Epidemiological Study of the Elderly are used to make detailed comparisons by nativity and gender. Results show that prevalence rates for most chronic conditions for both males and females do not vary by nativity. For disabilities, nativity is a significant predictor of increased instrumental activity of daily living disability for foreign-born females and reduced activity of daily living disability for U.S.-born males. Additionally, results show significant interactions between nativity and age cohorts, with …

A Comprehensive Analysis Of Morbidity Life Expectancies Among Older Hispanic Subgroups In The United States: Variation By Nativity And Country Of Origin, Marc A. Garcia, Catherine Garcia, Chi-Tsun Chiu, Mukaila Raji, Kyriakos S. Markides

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Background and Objectives: Although a clear advantage in mortality has been documented among older Hispanic subgroups, particularly the foreign-born, research examining health selectivity in morbidity life expectancies among older Hispanics are scarce. Differences in sociocultural characteristics among Hispanic subgroups may influence racial/ethnic and nativity disparities in morbidity. Research examining the heterogeneity among older Hispanic subgroups may further our understanding of why some Hispanics are able to preserve good health in old age, while others experience a health disadvantage. Thus, the primary goal of this analysis is to examine racial/ethnic, nativity, and country of origin differences in morbidity life expectancies among …

The Role Of Education In The Relationship Between Age Of Migration To The United States And Risk Of Cognitive Impairment Among Older Mexican Americans, Brian Downer, Marc A. Garcia, Joseph Saenz, Kyriakos S. Markides, Rebeca Wong

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Prior research indicates age of migration is associated with cognitive health outcomes among older Mexican Americans; however, factors that explain this relationship are unclear. This study used eight waves from the Hispanic Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly to examine the role of education in the risk for cognitive impairment (CI) by nativity, age of migration, and gender. Foreign-born women had a higher risk for CI than U.S.-born women, regardless of age of migration. After adjusting for education, this risk remained significant only for late-life migrant women (risk ratio [RR] = 1.28). Foreign-born men who migrated at …

Role Of Microbes In The Development Of Alzheimer's Disease: State Of The Art - An International Symposium Presented At The 2017 Iagg Congress In San Francisco., Tamàs Fülöp, Ruth F Itzhaki, Brian J. Balin Phd, Judith Miklossy, Annelise E Barron

PCOM Scholarly Works

This article reviews research results and ideas presented at a special symposium at the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG) Congress held in July 2017 in San Francisco. Five researchers presented their results related to infection and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Prof. Itzhaki presented her work on the role of viruses, specifically HSV-1, in the pathogenesis of AD. She maintains that although it is true that most people harbor HSV-1 infection, either latent or active, nonetheless aspects of herpes infection can play a role in the pathogenesis of AD, based on extensive experimental evidence from AD brains and infected cell …

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Female Retirement Living Seniors And Their Social Relationships, Kathy Procyk

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Objective

This research examines the lived experiences of seniors living within a retirement home (RH) and their social relationships with friends, family, and RH peers. The phenomena is explored through two perspectives (the senior and their support person) in order to better understand how retirement home living affects individuals’ social patterns and social well-being.

Methods

The theoretical orientation used to guide this study was phenomenology. After completing a background questionnaire, one-on-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 women living in a retirement home and 7 primary support persons. Interviews were transcribed verbatim for further data analysis. Field notes, member checks, …

Antibiotic Prescribing For Treatment Of Acute Pediatric Illnesses By Advanced Practice Nurses, Deborah J. Whitehurst

DNP Projects

Antibiotic over-prescribing by physicians for the treatment of acute respiratory tract illnesses have been examined in a variety of settings. Different studies have examined nurse practitioner (NP) prescribing practices both in the United States and various international settings. There have been limited studies specifically examining antibiotic prescribing practices in the pediatric population. However, no studies were found which compared population specific NP groups. The purpose of this study was to understand differences in antibiotic prescribing practices among advanced practice pediatric providers.

The goal of this project was to describe and compare antibiotic prescribing practices of pediatric nurse practitioners (PNP) and …

Evaluation Of Aprn Transition To Practice Program, Frances Hines

DNP Projects

The purpose of this quality improvement project is to evaluate the newly implemented APRN Onboarding Model. The Onboarding pilot began in the summer of 2018. This project focused on the second offering (pilot) of the onboarding program which occurred in June of 2018. The APRN participants of the onboarding consisted of newly hired APRN’s into Norton Healthcare. Both Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioners and Family Nurse Practitioners were included in this program evaluation. For this program evaluation a single survey instrument was developed to measure participants demographic, educational and work experience. Additionally perceptions of their level of confidence and self-efficacy …

An Assessment Of Potentially Inappropriate Medications Among The Elderly And The Effect Of An Educational Intervention On Provider Knowledge Of These Medications, Amanda Brown

DNP Projects

Objectives: The aims of this study were to assess potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) or Beers medications among outpatient older adults within one Midwestern healthcare system, to determine rates of patient education on Beers medications, and to pilot an educational intervention for providers.

Methods: This study involved two parts. For part 1 of the study, a randomized retrospective chart review of 493 older adult patients seen in 2017 from four practices was conducted to assess Beers medication prescriptions and rates of patient education. Following the chart review, for part 2 of the study, an educational intervention was delivered to two providers …

Risk For Depression In Coronary Heart Disease Patients Meriting Post-Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Screening; Feasibility Of Nurse-Led Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Among Patients With Depressive Symptoms, Joy L. Coles

DNP Projects

PURPOSE: The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to implement depression screening with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) among patients with Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) who have undergone a Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) and demonstrate the feasibility of a nurse-led Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) intervention.

METHODS: A non-experimental pre-test and post-test design was completed to screen for depression among patients post CABG in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) at a University Hospital using the PHQ-9. A sample of 21 patients were identified and selected from a convenience sample by pulling every eligible record from …

ปัจจัยทางจิตวิทยากับผลต่อการใช้เครือข่ายสังคมออนไลน์ของผู้สูงอายุ, ชานนท์ ศิริธร

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

งานวิจัยครั้งนี้มีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อ 1.) ศึกษาลักษณะการใช้เครือข่ายสังคมออนไลน์ของผู้สูงอายุ 2.) เพื่อศึกษาปัจจัยทางจิตวิทยาทั้งภายในและภายนอกกับผลต่อการใช้เครือข่ายสังคมออนไลน์ของผู้สูงอายุ 3.) เพื่อศึกษาเปรียบเทียบปัจจัยทางจิตวิทยาภายใน ปัจจัยทางจิตวิทยาภายนอก และการรับรู้คุณลักษณะของนวัตกรรม และ 4.) เพื่อศึกษาเปรียบเทียบการเห็นคุณค่าในตนเองและความพึงพอใจในชีวิต ระหว่างผู้สูงอายุที่มีปริมาณความเข้มข้นในการใช้เครือข่ายสังคมออนไลน์ระดับมากกับผู้สูงอายุที่มีปริมาณความเข้มข้นในการใช้เครือข่ายสังคมออนไลน์ระดับน้อย กลุ่มตัวอย่างเป็นผู้สูงอายุทั้งชายและหญิงที่มีอายุ 60 ปีขึ้นไป โดยทำการสัมภาษณ์เชิงลึกกับผู้สูงอายุ รวมทั้งสิ้น 25 คน จากนั้นทำการวิจัยเชิงสำรวจกับผู้สูงอายุที่มีปริมาณความเข้มข้นในการใช้เครือข่ายสังคมออนไลน์ระดับมาก และผู้สูงอายุที่มีปริมาณความเข้มข้นในการใช้เครือข่ายสังคมออนไลน์ระดับน้อย รวมทั้งสิ้น 730 คน ซึ่งทั้งหมดอาศัยอยู่ในเขตกรุงเทพมหานคร ผลการวิจัยเชิงคุณภาพพบว่า ผู้สูงอายุตัดสินใจใช้งานเครือข่ายสังคมออนไลน์เนื่องจากแรงกระตุ้นจากเพื่อน ลูกหลาน และบุคคลที่ชื่นชอบ โดยจะใช้งานใน 4 ลักษณะ ได้แก่ ใช้สร้างความสัมพันธ์กับคนอื่น ใช้หาข้อมูลข่าวสาร ใช้แสดงอารมณ์ความรู้สึก และใช้สร้างความภูมิใจในตน โดยปัจจัยที่แตกต่างกันอย่างมากระหว่างผู้สูงอายุที่ใช้งานเครือข่ายสังคมออนไลน์กับผู้ที่ไม่ได้ใช้งานคือ การรับรู้ความสามารถของตน (Self-efficacy) นอกจากนี้ยังพบว่า การใช้งานเครือข่ายสังคมออนไลน์ช่วยส่งเสริมให้ผู้สูงอายุเกิดการสร้างเสริมพลังในตนเอง (Self-Empowerment) โดยเฉพาะในการหาข้อมูลที่เป็นประโยชน์ต่อสุขภาพ ซึ่งส่งผลทำให้ผู้สูงอายุเรียนรู้การดูแลสุขภาพได้ด้วยตนเอง ไม่ต้องพึ่งพาผู้อื่น นำมาซึ่งการเห็นคุณค่าในตนเองและความพึงพอใจในชีวิต ส่วนในการวิจัยเชิงปริมาณ ผลการวิเคราะห์การถดถอยพหุคูณพบว่า ตัวแปรที่มีประสิทธิภาพในการพยากรณ์การใช้เครือข่ายสังคมออนไลน์ของผู้สูงอายุมากที่สุดคือ ปัจจัยทางจิตวิทยาภายในตัวผู้สูงอายุ (Adjust R2 = .325) ซึ่งพยากรณ์ได้ที่ร้อยละ 32.5 ถัดมาคือ ปัจจัยทางจิตวิทยาภายนอกตัวผู้สูงอายุ (Adjust R2 = .313) ซึ่งพยากรณ์ได้ที่ร้อยละ 31.3 และคุณลักษณะของนวัตกรรม (Adjust R2 = .187) ซึ่งพยากรณ์ได้ที่ร้อยละ 18.7 ตามลำดับ

The Effect Of Stress Induced Premature Senescence On The Expression Of Heterogeneous Ribonucleoieoprotein, Yuriy Pechenyy

Dissertations and Theses

The role of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNP) in cellular senescence is yet to be defined. Cellular senescence is a terminal growth arrest in somatic cells. It is thought to be the consequence of telomeric shortening that acts as a DNA damage signal. Conversely, cells induced into premature senescence (SIPS) by oxidative stress, is independent of telomere attrition. Premature senescence has been proposed to be physiologically relevant as it can be induced by treatment with chemotherapeutic agents. In particular, we are studying the roles of hnRNP A1 and A2 in the maintenance of the senescence phenotype. hnRNPs are a family of …

Motivations And Satisfaction Of North Dakota Deer Hunters During A Temporal Decline In Deer Populations, Kristen E. Black, William F. Jensen, Robert Newman, Jason R. Boulanger

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Achieving state wildlife agency biological goals for deer (Odocoileus spp.) management may often conflict with hunter desires. Concomitantly, better information is needed to optimize agency deer herd management goals with hunters’ social goals. In 2016, we surveyed 3,000 North Dakota, USA, resident deer hunters using a self-administered mail survey to gain a better understanding of motivations, satisfaction, and hunter demographics that may be used to inform hunter recruitment and retention (HRR) efforts during a period of reduced statewide deer populations. With deer-gun license availability strictly limited, we explored the possibility that some gun hunters may have been engaging …

Proof-Of-Concept Testing Of A Real-Time Mhealth Measure To Estimate Postural Control During Walking: A Potential Application For Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries, Hyunhwa Lee, Sunchul Lee, Laura Salado, Jonica Estrada, Jacob White, Venkatesan Muthukumar, Szu-Ping Lee, Sambit Mohapatra

Nursing Faculty Research

Background: Most individuals with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) experience post-injury deficits in postural control. Currently available measures of postural control are lab-based or supervised, which may hinder timely symptom assessment for individuals with mTBI, including Asian populations, who do not seek initial screening post-injury. In this proof-of-concept testing study, we introduce a real-time mobile health (mHealth) system to measure postural control during walking. The proposed mHealth system can be used for home-based symptom assessment and management of mTBI. Methods: In our proposed mHealth system, a smartwatch, a smartphone, and a cloud server communicate to measure, collect, and store body …

Role Of Marital Quality In Explaining Depressive Symptoms After Marital Termination Among Older Adults, Minzhi Ye, Alfred Demaris, Monica A. Longmore

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

This study assesses whether prior marital quality moderates the impact of divorce or widowhood on subsequent depression. Poor marital quality may buffer depression associated with divorce/widowhood; conversely, the effect of divorce/widowhood on depression could be exacerbated by previous marital quality. Three waves from the National Survey of Families and Households based on respondents, ages 50 and older, (N = 2,570) included eight marital quality measures. We find limited evidence suggesting higher marital quality elevates, while lower marital quality decreases, depression after divorce. No moderating effects were found for widowhood. Additionally, health condition is more important than current marital status …

The Great Potential Of Redox Active Ligands: Applications In Cancer Research And Redox Active Catalysis, Meredith Miles

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Metal N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes have recently gained much popularity due to their tunable, steric, and electronic properties. Applications for such versatile molecules include organocatalysis, olefin metathesis, sundry cyclization reactions, and materials chemistry. Redox active NHCs are of special interest due to their ability to alter the electronic properties of the metal centers they are ligated to. In the first chapter, Au(I)-NHC complexes were synthesized and tested for biological activity in human cancer cell lines. Increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cellular systems has proven to be a successful pathway for treating cancer. The redox active group in this case …

Relationship Of Body Composition With Muscle Performance In Older Adults, Bethany Ann Moore

All ETDs from UAB

Background and Purpose: There is a well-established association between loss of muscle mass and decline in muscle strength and neuromuscular performance in older adults. However, fat mass may diminish the effect of muscle mass on functional performance in older adults. The relationships between percent total body fat, muscle strength, and neuromuscular performance in older adults is unknown. The purpose of this study is to assess the independent relationships between percent total body fat, muscle strength, and neuromuscular performance in older adults. Methods: Dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was used to measure fat mass and leg lean mass in 60 older adults …

Racial Disparities In Oncology Clinical Trial Participation: A Qualitative Exploration, Soumya J. Niranjan

All ETDs from UAB

Introduction: Current rates of participation for racial and ethnic minorities in cancer clinical trials are significantly lower when compared to non-Hispanic whites. The patients’ perspective on reasons for low participation is abundant. Yet, very little is known from the perspective of clinical and research professionals who are actively involved in patient recruitment. This study seeks to understand their perspective on how the external environment associated with the health care system contributes to limited participation of racial and ethnic minority groups in cancer clinical trials. To that effect, the health services utilization framework was utilized. Data/Methods: EMPaCT data with 91 qualitative …

Evaluating The Legality Of Age-Based Criteria In Health Care: From Nondiscrimination And Discretion To Distributive Justice, Govind Persad

Publications

Recent disputes over whether older people should pay more for health insurance, or receive lower priority for transplantable organs, highlight broader disagreements regarding the legality of using age-based criteria in health care. These debates will likely intensify given the changing age structure of the American population and the turmoil surrounding the financing of American health care. This Article provides a comprehensive examination of the legality and normative desirability of age-based criteria. In the Article, I defend a distributive justice approach to age-based criteria. Rather than viewing age as a personal characteristic akin to race or religion, the distributive justice approach …

Creative And Expressive Arts In Practicum Supervision : Perceptions And Experiences Of Counselor Educators, Oksoon Lee

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Counseling practicums are vital in counselor education and a significant transitional period from a student to a counselor. Practicum provides for the application of theory and counseling skills that students have learned during the coursework. It is also memorable moment to meet a real client for the first time. Practicum supervisees have to prove their counseling skills and capacities as professional counselors. However, in this stage, practicum supervisees experience a high level of anxiety, self-doubt and low self-efficacy that keeps them from being fully present with and therapeutically responding to their clients. Creative/expressive arts have been utilized in counselor education …

The Association Between Asymptomatic And Mild Neurocognitive Impairment And Adherence To Antiretroviral Therapy Among People Living With Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Violet Awori, Peter Mativo, Gerald Yonga, Reena Shah

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background: Asymptomatic cognitive impairment in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients has recently been recognised as part of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders. This has been implicated as one of the causes of poor adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Objective: To assess the association between neurocognitive impairment (asymptomatic and mild forms) and adherence to ART.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey involving 218 participants consecutively sampled from those attending the HIV treatment clinic at Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi. Data collected included quantitative primary data on pre-defined baseline characteristics, neurocognitive assessment by Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) tool (Appendix 1), instrumental …

Consequences Of Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Activation: Thymic Atrophy And Therapeutic Liposomal Nanoparticles, Joanna Michelle Kreitinger

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The Aryl hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor best known for its role in xenobiotic metabolism of environmental pollutants. Activation of the AhR by its prototypical ligand 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-pdioxin (TCDD) leads to pronounced thymic atrophy and severe immunosuppression. Studies of AhR activation can have dual applications: to better understand AhR-mediated immunotoxicity and to harness its immunomodulatory effects for therapeutic use. Here, we first aimed to determine whether AhR-mediated thymic atrophy was ligand-dependent through the use of dietary and endogenously sourced ligands, indole-3-carbinol (I3C) and 2-(19 H-indole-39 -carbonyl)-thiazole-4-carboxylic acid methyl ester (ITE) respectively. We also aimed to identify key mediators …

Gerontological Social Work Roles In Disaster Preparedness And Response, Nancy Kusmaul, Allison Gibson, Skye N. Leedahl

Human Development and Family Science Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.