Digital Commons Network^™

Assessing Working Memory In Mild Cognitive Impairment With Serial Order Recall., Sheina Emrani, David J Libon, Melissa Lamar, Catherine C Price, Angela L Jefferson, Katherine A Gifford, Timothy J Hohman, Daniel A Nation, Lisa Delano-Wood, Amy Jak, Katherine J Bangen, Mark W Bondi, Adam M Brickman, Jennifer Manly, Rodney Swenson, Rhoda Au, Consortium For Clinical And Epidemiological Neuropsychological Data Analysis (Cenda)

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: Working memory (WM) is often assessed with serial order tests such as repeating digits backward. In prior dementia research using the Backward Digit Span Test (BDT), only aggregate test performance was examined.

OBJECTIVE: The current research tallied primacy/recency effects, out-of-sequence transposition errors, perseverations, and omissions to assess WM deficits in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

METHODS: Memory clinic patients (n = 66) were classified into three groups: single domain amnestic MCI (aMCI), combined mixed domain/dysexecutive MCI (mixed/dys MCI), and non-MCI where patients did not meet criteria for MCI. Serial order/WM ability was assessed by asking participants to repeat …

Centrilobular Emphysema And Coronary Artery Calcification: Mediation Analysis In The Spiromics Cohort, Surya P. Bhatt, Hrudaya P. Nath, Young-Il Kim, Rekha Ramachandran, Jubal R. Watts, Nina L.J. Terry, Sushil Sonavane, Swati P. Deshmane, Prescott G. Woodruff, Elizabeth C. Oelsner, Sandeep Bodduluri, Meilan K. Han, Wassim W. Labaki, J. Michael Wells, Fernando J. Martinez, R. Graham Barr, Mark T. Dransfield, Spiromics Investigators

Journal Articles: Pulmonary & Critical Care Med

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with a two-to-five fold increase in the risk of coronary artery disease independent of shared risk factors. This association is hypothesized to be mediated by systemic inflammation but this link has not been established.

METHODS: We included 300 participants enrolled in the SPIROMICS cohort, 75 each of lifetime non-smokers, smokers without airflow obstruction, mild-moderate COPD, and severe-very severe COPD. We quantified emphysema and airway disease on computed tomography, characterized visual emphysema subtypes (centrilobular and paraseptal) and airway disease, and used the Weston visual score to quantify coronary artery calcification (CAC). We used …

Can Capture Be Used To Identify Undiagnosed Patients With Mild-To-Moderate Copd Likely To Benefit From Treatment?, Nancy K. Leidy, Fernando J. Martinez, Karen G. Malley, David M. Mannino, Meilan K. Han, Elizabeth D. Bacci, Randall W. Brown, Julia F. Houfek, Wassim W. Labaki, Barry J. Make, Catherine A. Meldrum, Wilson Quezada, Stephen I. Rennard, Byron Thomashow, Barbara P. Yawn

Journal Articles: Pulmonary & Critical Care Med

BACKGROUND: COPD Assessment in Primary Care To Identify Undiagnosed Respiratory Disease and Exacerbation Risk (CAPTURE™) uses five questions and peak expiratory flow (PEF) thresholds (males ≤350 L/min; females ≤250 L/min) to identify patients with a forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV

METHODS: Data from the CAPTURE development study were used to test its sensitivity (SN) and specificity (SP) differentiating mild-to-moderate COPD (n=73) from no COPD (n=87). SN and SP for differentiating all COPD cases (mild to severe; n=259) from those without COPD (n=87) were also estimated. The modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scale and COPD Assessment Test (CAT™) …

Adherence And Perceived Barriers To Oral Antiviral Therapy For Chronic Hepatitis B, Kerui Xu, Li-Ming Liu, Evi A. Farazi, Hongmei Wang, Fedja A. Rochling, Shinobu Watanabe-Galloway, Jian-Jun Zhang

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

BACKGROUND: Globally, of the 248 million people chronically infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV), 74 million reside in China. Five oral nucleot(s)ide analogs (NUCs) have been approved for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in China.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to determine rates of adherence to NUC therapy in patients with CHB, to identify the self-perceived barriers to adherence, and to examine the factors associated with adherence.

METHODS: Questionnaire-based interviews were administered among Chinese patients with CHB at hepatology clinics of a tertiary hospital in the city of Wuhan, China. Adults aged 18 years or …

A New Model Of Wheezing Severity In Young Children Using The Validated Isaac Wheezing Module: A Latent Variable Approach With Validation In Independent Cohorts., Steven M. Brunwasser Phd, Tebeb Gebretsadik, Diane R Gold, Kedir N Turi, Cosby A Stone, Soma Datta, James E Gern, Tina V Hartert

College of Science & Mathematics Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Children (ISAAC) Wheezing Module is commonly used to characterize pediatric asthma in epidemiological studies, including nearly all airway cohorts participating in the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) consortium. However, there is no consensus model for operationalizing wheezing severity with this instrument in explanatory research studies. Severity is typically measured using coarsely-defined categorical variables, reducing power and potentially underestimating etiological associations. More precise measurement approaches could improve testing of etiological theories of wheezing illness.

METHODS: We evaluated a continuous latent variable model of pediatric wheezing severity based on four ISAAC …

Which Neuropsychological Functions Predict Various Processing Speed Components In Children With And Without Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder?, Sarah A Vadnais, Michelle Y Kibby, Audreyana C Jagger-Rickels

Publications

We identified statistical predictors of four processing speed (PS) components in a sample of 151 children with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Performance on perceptual speed was predicted by visual attention/short-term memory, whereas incidental learning/psychomotor speed was predicted by verbal working memory. Rapid naming was predictive of each PS component assessed, and inhibition predicted all but one task, suggesting a shared need to identify/retrieve stimuli rapidly and inhibit incorrect responding across PS components. Hence, we found both shared and unique predictors of perceptual, cognitive, and output speed, suggesting more specific terminology should be used in future research on PS in …

Which Neuropsychological Functions Predict Various Processing Speed Components In Children With And Without Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder?, Sarah A Vadnais, Michelle Y Kibby, Audreyana C Jagger-Rickels

Publications

We identified statistical predictors of four processing speed (PS) components in a sample of 151 children with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Performance on perceptual speed was predicted by visual attention/short-term memory, whereas incidental learning/psychomotor speed was predicted by verbal working memory. Rapid naming was predictive of each PS component assessed, and inhibition predicted all but one task, suggesting a shared need to identify/retrieve stimuli rapidly and inhibit incorrect responding across PS components. Hence, we found both shared and unique predictors of perceptual, cognitive, and output speed, suggesting more specific terminology should be used in future research on PS in …

Analysis Of Current Thyroid Function Test Ordering Practices, Joseph K. Kluesner, Darrick J. Beckman, Joshua M. Tate, Alexis A. Beauvais, Maria I. Kravchenko, Jana L. Wardian Phd, Sky D. Graybill, Jeffrey A. Colburn, Irene Folaron, Mark W. True

Journal Articles: Hospital Medicine

RATIONALE: Current guidelines recommend thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) alone as the best test to detect and monitor thyroid dysfunction, yet free thyroxine (FT4) and free triiodothyronine (FT3) are commonly ordered when not clinically indicated. Excessive testing can lead to added economic burden in an era of rising healthcare costs, while rarely contributing to the evaluation or management of thyroid disease.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate our institution's practice in ordering thyroid function tests (TFTs) and to identify strategies to reduce inappropriate FT4 and FT3 testing.

METHODS: A record of all TFTs obtained in the San Antonio Military Health System during a 3-month …

Coronal Mode Ultrasound Guided Hemodialysis Cannulation: A Pilot Randomized Comparison With Standard Cannulation Technique, Lalathaksha Kumbar, Vivek Soi, Elizabeth Adams, Cheryl Brown-Deacon, Mohamed Zidan, Jerry Yee

Nephrology Articles

BACKGROUND: Infiltrations from cannulation result in significant morbidity including loss of hemodialysis (HD) vascular access (VA). Cannulation is dependent on personnel skill and VA characteristics. Surface marking of VA lacks real-time information and traditional ultrasound (US) devices are large, expensive, requiring skilled operators. Sonic Window© (Analogic Ultrasound, Peabody, MA, USA) is a coronal mode ultrasound device (CMUD) approved for VA cannulation.

METHODS: Single center randomized, prospective pilot study comparing handheld US-guided cannulation of new arteriovenous fistula (AVF) to standard cannulation practices. Patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) on in-center HD who had a new AVF cleared for cannulation and …

Gender Sidelining And The Problem Of Unactionable Discrimination, Jessica K. Fink

Faculty Scholarship

Gender dynamics suffuse virtually every workplace. Indeed, the way that employees interact with one another turns not only on their individual backgrounds, skills and personalities, but also frequently on their gender. While many employees embrace gender diversity at work and appreciate the benefits of incorporating both male and female perspectives into workplace programs and projects, this ideal does not translate into every work environment. In many workplaces, female workers continue to experience unfair (and often unlawful) treatment based upon their gender. The law has done much to outlaw overt gender discrimination at work, providing a legal framework within which female …

Homelessness Predicts Attrition But Not Alcohol Abstinence In Outpatients Experiencing Co-Occurring Alcohol Dependence And Serious Mental Illness., Emily Leickly, Jordan Skalisky, Oladunni Oluwoye, Sterling M Mcpherson, Debra Srebnik, John M Roll, Richard K Ries, Michael G Mcdonell

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

BACKGROUND: Adults experiencing homelessness and serious mental illnesses (SMI) are at an increased risk of poor mental health and treatment outcomes compared with stably housed adults with SMI. The additional issue of alcohol misuse further complicates the difficulties of those living with homelessness and SMI. In this secondary data analysis, the authors investigated the impact of homelessness on attrition and alcohol use in a contingency management (CM) intervention that rewarded alcohol abstinence in outpatients with SMI.

METHODS: The associations between housing status and attrition and alcohol abstinence during treatment, as assessed by ethyl glucuronide (EtG) urine tests, were evaluated in …

Comparative Transcriptomic Analysis Of Human Placentae At Term And Preterm Delivery., Alison G Paquette, Heather M Brockway, Nathan D Price, Louis J Muglia

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Preterm birth affects 1 out of every 10 infants in the United States, resulting in substantial neonatal morbidity and mortality. Currently, there are few predictive markers and few treatment options to prevent preterm birth. A healthy, functioning placenta is essential to positive pregnancy outcomes. Previous studies have suggested that placental pathology may play a role in preterm birth etiology. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that preterm placentae may exhibit unique transcriptomic signatures compared to term samples reflective of their abnormal biology leading to this adverse outcome. We aggregated publicly available placental villous microarray data to generate a preterm and term …

Temporal And Geospatial Trends Of Pediatric Cancer Incidence In Nebraska Over A 24-Year Period, Evi A. Farazi, Shinobu Watanabe-Galloway, L. Westman, B. Rettig, P. Hunt, R. Cammack, John W. Sparks, Don W. Coulter

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

BACKGROUND: Data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) revealed that the incidence of pediatric cancer in Nebraska exceeded the national average during 2009-2013. Further investigation could help understand these patterns.

METHODS: This retrospective cohort study investigated pediatric cancer (0-19 years old) age adjusted incidence rates (AAR) in Nebraska using the Nebraska Cancer Registry. SEER AARs were also calculated as a proxy for pediatric cancer incidence in the United States (1990-2013) and compared to the Nebraska data. Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping was also used to display the spatial distribution of cancer in Nebraska at the county level. Finally, …

The Development Of Azd7624 For Prevention Of Exacerbations In Copd: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Naimish R. Patel, Danen M. Cunoosamy, Malin Fagerås, Ziad Taib, Sara Asimus, Tove Hegelund-Myrbäck, Sofia Lundin, Katerina Pardali, Nisha Kurian, Eva Ersdal, Cecilia Kristensson, Katarina Korsback, Robert Palmér, Mary N. Brown, Steven Greenaway, Leonard Siew, Graham W. Clarke, Stephen I. Rennard, Barry J. Make, Robert A. Wise, Paul Jansson

Journal Articles: Pulmonary & Critical Care Med

BACKGROUND: p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) plays a central role in the regulation and activation of pro-inflammatory mediators. COPD patients have increased levels of activated p38 MAPK, which correlate with increased lung function impairment, alveolar wall inflammation, and COPD exacerbations.

OBJECTIVES: These studies aimed to assess the effect of p38 inhibition with AZD7624 in healthy volunteers and patients with COPD. The principal hypothesis was that decreasing lung inflammation via inhibition of p38α would reduce exacerbations and improve quality of life for COPD patients at high risk for acute exacerbations.

METHODS: The p38 isoform most relevant to lung inflammation was assessed …

Socioeconomic Status And Cigarette Expenditure Among Us Households: Results From 2010 To 2015 Consumer Expenditure Survey, Mohammad Siahpush, Evi A. Farazi, Shannon I. Maloney, Danae Dinkel, Minh N. Nguyen, Gopal K. Singh

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

OBJECTIVES: To examine (1) the association between household socioeconomic status (SES) and whether a household spends money on cigarettes and (2) socioeconomic variations in proportion of total household expenditure spent on cigarettes among smoking households.

METHODS: We pooled data from six consecutive years, 2010-2015, of the Consumer Expenditure Interview Survey. The interviews involved a structured questionnaire about household income, demographics and expenditures including expenditure on cigarettes. Households that reported cigarette expenditure in the previous 3 months were distinguished as smoking households. SES indicators were household poverty status, education and occupation of the head of household. Logistic regression was used to …

Postprofessional Athletic Training Students' Perceptions Concerning The Health Care Competencies, Cailee E. Welch Bacon, Bonnie L. Van Lunen, Dorice A. Hankemeier

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Context: Over a decade ago, the Institute of Medicine indicated that all health care professionals should be educated in several health care competency areas (quality improvement, health care informatics, interprofessional education and collaborative practice, evidence-based practice, and patient-centered care). Despite this initiative, athletic training has only recently incorporated these competencies throughout education.

Objective: To assess postprofessional athletic training students' perceived abilities and importance regarding 6 core competencies.

Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: Self-reported paper survey. Patients or Other

Participants: A total of 221 from a convenience sample of 258 postprofessional athletic training students (85.7%) completed the survey (82 males, 138 females; age …

Objectively Measuring Effects Of Electro-Acupuncture In Parkinsonian Rhesus Monkeys, Rui Zhang, Anders H. Andersen, Peter A. Hardy, Eric Forman, April Evans, Yi Ai, Jin Yue, Guihua Yue, Don M. Gash, Richard Grondin, Zhiming Zhang

Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy Center Faculty Publications

Acupuncture has increasingly been used as an alternative therapy for treatment of Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, the efficacy of acupunture for PD still remains unclear. The present study was designed to objectively and safely monitor anti-parkinsonian effects of electroacupuncture (EA) and brain activity in nonhuman primates modeling human PD. Six middle-aged rhesus monkeys were extensively studied by a computerized behavioral testing battery and by pharmacological MRI (phMRI) scans with specific dopaminergic drug stimulations. All animals were evaluated for behavior and phMRI responses under normal, parkinsonian, parkinsonian with EA treatment and parkinsonian after EA treatment conditions. Stable parkinsonian features were observed …

Differential Presentation And Survival Of De Novo And Recurrent Metastatic Breast Cancer Over Time: 1990-2010., Judith A Malmgren, Musa Mayer, Mary K Atwood, Henry G Kaplan

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

BACKGROUND: Differences in de novo (dnMBC) and recurrent metastatic breast cancer (rMBC) presentation and survival over time have not been adequately described.

METHODS: A retrospective cohort study, 1990-2010, with follow up through 2015 of dnMBC patients (stage IV at diagnosis) and rMBC patients with subsequent distant metastatic recurrence (stage I-III initial diagnosis) [dnMBC = 247, rMBC = 911)]. Analysis included Chi squared tests of categorical variables, Kaplan-Meier survival estimates, and Cox proportional adjusted hazard ratios (HzR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Disease specific survival (DSS) was time from diagnosis or distant recurrence to BC death.

RESULTS: Over time, 1990-1998, 1999-2004, …

Response And Resistance To Paradox-Breaking Braf Inhibitor In Melanomas, Edward J. Hartsough, Curtis H. Kugel, Michael J. Vido, Adam C. Berger, Timothy J. Purwin, Allison F. Goldberg, Michael A. Davies, Matthew J. Schiewer, Karen E. Knudsen, Gideon Bollag, Andrew E. Aplin

Department of Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

FDA-approved BRAF inhibitors produce high response rates and improve overall survival in patients with BRAF V600E/K-mutant melanoma, but are linked to pathologies associated with paradoxical ERK1/2 activation in wild-type BRAF cells. To overcome this limitation, a next-generation paradox-breaking RAF inhibitor (PLX8394) has been designed. Here, we show that by using a quantitative reporter assay, PLX8394 rapidly suppressed ERK1/2 reporter activity and growth of mutant BRAF melanoma xenografts. Ex vivo treatment of xenografts and use of a patient-derived explant system (PDeX) revealed that PLX8394 suppressed ERK1/2 signaling and elicited apoptosis more effectively than the FDA-approved BRAF inhibitor, vemurafenib. Furthermore, PLX8394 was …

Women's Rights In The Health Care System: Caesarean Delivery On Maternal Request, Ann-Claire Larsen

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This article explores a systems-theoretical question on the resonance capacity of medicine and law that has enabled a recent obstetric change. Insights from autopoietic theory guide my analysis of these subsystems' preconditions or self-referencing processes supporting obstetrics to take up pregnant women's requests for caesarean sections for social reasons. Previously, obstetricians performed caesarean sections on medical grounds only. That change became possible: it resonated with obstetrics, despite limitations imposed on obstetrics and law by these subsystems' unique codes and programs, and in light of law's self-determining individual. This article argues that although the change represents a victory for women's human …

Evaluation Of Individual And Combined Markers Of Urine Dipstick Parameters And Total Lymphocyte Count As A Substitute For Cd4 Count In Low-Resource Communities In Ghana, Enoch Odame Anto, Christian Obirikorang, Emmanuel Acheampong, Bright Amankwaa, Bright Oppong Afranie, Sampson Donkor, Isaac Hope, Juliana Jommo, Esther Osaah

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

We evaluated the individual and combined levels of urine dipstick and total lymphocyte count (TLC) as surrogate markers for CD4 count in a low-resource community in Ghana. This cross-sectional study recruited 200 HIV-infected patients from the Saint Francis Xavier Hospital, Assin Fosu, Ghana. Complete blood count, CD4 count, and urine dipstick analysis were measured for participants. The threshold values were determined as/

Common Diagnoses Among Refugee Populations: Linked Results With Statewide Hospital Discharge Database, Kerui Xu, Shinobu Watanabe-Galloway, Ming Qu, Brandon Grimm, Jungyoon Kim

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

BACKGROUND: According to the U.S. State Department's Refugee Processing Center and the U.S. Census Bureau, in the fiscal year 2016, among all states in the United States, Nebraska resettled the highest number of refugees per capita.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to determine the most common reasons for refugees utilizing hospital services in Nebraska between January 2011 and September 2015, and to examine whether refugee patients had increased risks for adverse health conditions compared to non-refugee patients.

METHODS: Statewide linkage was performed between Nebraska Medicaid Program's immigration data, and 2011-2015 Nebraska hospital discharge data inpatient and outpatient files. …

Girls Just Wanna Have Funds, Caley Prunier

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Genotype-Phenotype Study In Patients With Valosin-Containing Protein Mutations Associated With Multisystem Proteinopathy, Ebaa Al-Obeidi, Sejad Al-Tahan, Abhilasha Surampalli, Namita Goyal, Annabel K. Wang, Andreas Hermann, Molly Omizo, Charles D. Smith, Tahseen Mozaffar, Virginia Kimonis

Neurology Faculty Publications

Mutations in valosin‐containing protein (VCP), an ATPase involved in protein degradation and autophagy, cause VCP disease, a progressive autosomal dominant adult onset multisystem proteinopathy. The goal of this study is to examine if phenotypic differences in this disorder could be explained by the specific gene mutations. We therefore studied 231 individuals (118 males and 113 females) from 36 families carrying 15 different VCP mutations. We analyzed the correlation between the different mutations and prevalence, age of onset and severity of myopathy, Paget's disease of bone (PDB), and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and other comorbidities. Myopathy, PDB and FTD was present in …

Gender Differences Among Professional Football Fans: Serious Leisure, Emotional Expressivity, And Cognitive Distortions, Megan E. Wolensky

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Increasingly, people report that leisure activity gives their lives meaning and significantly contributes to the formation of their personal identities. In fact, many individuals rank leisure activities as essential as work, family, and religion. (Gillespie, Leffler, & Lerner, 2010; Stebbins, 1992). Recent research has demonstrated that leisure involvement provides psychological benefits that contribute to wellbeing for both men and women (Caltabiano, 1995; Kim, Heo, Lee, & Kim, 2015). National Football League (NFL) fandom in the U.S. has been identified as a leisure activity that supersedes traditional gender norms and provides opportunities for family and group involvement. Although fandom has been …

Association Of Metformin Treatment With Reduced Severity Of Diabetic Retinopathy In Type 2 Diabetic Patients, Yue Li, Christina Ryu, Metasebia Munie, Salma Noorulla, Satyesh Rana, Paul Edwards, Hua Gao, Xiaoxi Qiao

Ophthalmology Articles

Purpose: To evaluate effects of long-term metformin on the severity of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in high-risk type 2 diabetic (T2D) patients.

Methods: A retrospective chart review study was conducted involving 335 DR patients with T2D ≥ 15 years from 1990 to 2013. The severity of DR was determined by Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study scale. The associations between metformin and DR severity were evaluated. Comparison with stratification for the use of sulfonylurea and insulin was performed to identify possible confounding effects.

Results: Severe nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy or proliferative diabetic retinopathy (SNPDR/PDR) was more often diagnosed in nonmetformin users (67/142, 47%) …

Factors Contributing To Australian Adolescents’ Self-Report Of Their Motor Skill Competence, Amanda Timler, Fleur Mcintyre, Beth Hands

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

An adolescents motor skill competence can affect areas such as sports participation, social activities and future academic or employment decisions. The Adolescent Motor Competence Questionnaire (AMCQ) is a 26-item questionnaire that uses a four point Likert response (never, sometimes, frequently, always) to assess motor-related activities during adolescence. This study aims to provide evidence of the construct validity using Principle Component Analysis (PCA) and to identify factors that contributed to Australian adolescent self-reported motor competence. A final aim was to determine whether individual item responses differed between males and females. The AMCQ was completed by 160 adolescents (M_age = 14.45 …

Predictors Of Noncompliance To Antihypertensive Therapy Among Hypertensive Patients Ghana: Application Of Health Belief Model, Yaa Obirikorang, Christian Obirikorang, Emmanuel Acheampong, Enoch Odame Anto, Daniel Gyamfi, Selorm Philip Segbefia, Michael Opoku Boateng, Dari Pascal Dapilla, Peter Kojo Brenya, Bright Amankwaa, Evans Asamoah Adu, Emmanuel Nsenbah Batu, Adjei Gyimah Akwasi, Beatrice Amoah

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This study determined noncompliance to antihypertensive therapy (AHT) and its associated factors in a Ghanaian population by using the health belief model (HBM). This descriptive cross-sectional study conducted at Kintampo Municipality in Ghana recruited a total of 678 hypertensive patients. The questionnaire constituted information regarding sociodemographics, a five-Likert type HBM questionnaire, and lifestyle-related factors. The rate of noncompliance to AHT in this study was 58.6%. The mean age (SD) of the participants was 43.5 (±5.2) years and median duration of hypertension was 2 years. Overall, the five HBM constructs explained 31.7% of the variance in noncompliance to AHT with a …

Who's Distressed? A Comparison Of Diabetes-Related Distress By Type Of Diabetes And Medication, Jana L. Wardian Phd, Joshua Tate, Irene Folaron, Sky Graybill, Mark True, Tom Sauerwein

Journal Articles: Hospital Medicine

OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that diabetes-related distress would vary by type of diabetes and medication regimen [Type 1 diabetes (T1DM), Type 2 diabetes with insulin use (T2DM-i), Type 2 diabetes without insulin use (T2DM)]. Thus, the aim of this study was to identify groups with elevated diabetes-related distress.

METHODS: We administered the 17-item Diabetes-related Distress Scale (DDS-17) to 585 patients. We collected demographics, medications, and lab results from patient records.

RESULTS: Patients were categorized by type of diabetes and medication: T1DM (n = 149); T2DM-i (n = 333); and T2DM (n = 103). ANOVA revealed significant differences in sample characteristics. ANCOVA …

Effect Of Military Deployment On Diabetes Mellitus In Air Force Personnel, Irene Folaron, Mark W. True, Jana L. Wardian Phd, Tom J. Sauerwein, Alan Sim, Joshua M. Tate, Alexander G. Rittel, Lee Ann Zarzabal, Sky D. Graybill

Journal Articles: Hospital Medicine

Introduction: Military deployments relocate service members to austere locations with limited medical capabilities, raising uncertainties whether members with diabetes can participate safely. Military regulations require a medical clearance for service members with diabetes prior to deployment, but there is a dearth of data that can guide the provider in this decision. To alleviate the lack of evidence in this area, we analyzed the change in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and body mass index (BMI) before and after a deployment among active duty U.S. Air Force personnel who deployed with diabetes.

Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using HbA1c and …