Digital Commons Network^™

Branding The Divide: Political Ideology And The Strategic Challenges Of Higher Education Marketing, Oscar J. Early Mr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how first-year students experience and interpret institutional branding within the context of their personal and social identities, with particular attention to the role of political ideology. While previous research had examined general branding strategies and declining public trust in higher education, scholars have given little attention to the ways in which prospective students make meaning from institutional messaging during one of the most significant transitions of their lives.

I conducted interviews with 12 first-year students from four-year colleges and universities across South-Central Appalachia. The phenomenological analysis revealed that students’ interpretation of …

Behavioral Manifestations Of Childhood Abandonment: African-American Men's Reflections And Strategies To Support Teenage Boys In K-12 Education, Jarmel Bell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the behavioral manifestations of childhood abandonment as reflected in the lived experiences of African-American men and to identify strategies that may support African-American boys in K–12 educational settings. Although there has been limited documentation regarding the direct connection between childhood abandonment and behavioral challenges in school environments, this study seeks to address that gap by capturing the reflections of African-American men who experienced abandonment during their formative years. These reflections provide insight into how abandonment may shape behavior in educational spaces and what types of interventions or supports might have made a …

Assessing Post-Pandemic Engagement In The Supplemental Nutrition Program For Women, Infants, And Children (Wic) In Northeast Tennessee, Christen Minnick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since 1974, the federal Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) has provided healthy food resources, nutrition education, and provider referrals for families at risk for poor nutrition. Public health professionals have consistently presented evidence that WIC engagement reduces premature births and infant mortality, improves child health and development, and increases specialized care access for participants. While average monthly participation in WIC has increased since the program’s inception, trends indicate that only around half of eligible families have consistently engaged with the program since 2011. Research has linked declining WIC participation to administrative burden, citing learning, psychological, compliance, …

Educator Perceptions Of Mindfulness Education In Rural Elementary Schools In Tennessee, Mary C. Shepherd-Mcgown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine educator perceptions of mindfulness instruction and the alignment of school policies in rural elementary schools in Tennessee. Despite growing interest in mindfulness in education, few studies have investigated how these practices are experienced and implemented within under-resourced, rural contexts.

Guided by Bandura’s Social Learning Theory (SLT) and framed conceptually by the Whole-School Mindfulness (WSM) model, the study explored how social, organizational, and policy factors influence the adoption of mindfulness practices. SLT provided a theoretical lens for understanding how educator behaviors are shaped through observation, modeling, and reinforcement, while the WSM framework …

A Comparative-Correlational Study On The Mental Health And Well-Being Of First-Generation Students At A Historically Black College And University, Shedred Jackson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the mental health and well-being of first-generation college students (FGCS) in comparison to non-first-generation college students (NFGCS) at a private Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in the Southeast. This study was undertaken to investigate students' mental health and well-being, as well as their use of, access to, and the availability of mental health services. A comparative-correlational research design was employed to collect and analyze the data. The study used a sample size of 388 responses from undergraduate college students enrolled at the private HBCU. Of the 388 students in the sample, …

Teacher Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten Attendance, Kimberly Taylor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the perceptions of educators with respect to student enrollment in voluntary pre-kindergarten classes provided through the Tennessee Department of Education in public schools. The data collection strategy used to gain teacher perspectives was through conducting one-on-one interviews with 15 educators in three Tennessee school districts. To qualify for the study, teachers must have been teaching in kindergarten classrooms that receive students who had previously been enrolled in the school’s pre-kindergarten program. Data collection and analysis were based on the Grounded Theory approach which uses data that is systematically gained and analyzed to …

Bud On The Ballot: A County-Level Analysis Of Citizen Support For Cannabis Legalization, Amelia G. Jennings

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cannabis research has often emphasized usage rates among certain groups of citizens, focusing mostly on demographic factors. A less studied topic within the cannabis literature pertains to the predictors of voting patterns of legalization referendums. Past research on this topic has examined states with similar characteristics, which calls into question the generalizability of results. The current study attempts to broaden the scope of knowledge in this area by partially replicating a previous study that explored county-level voting patterns, while also exploring the potential influence of the declining agricultural industry in predicting support for cannabis legalization. This was accomplished by analyzing …

Undergraduate Students' Perceptions Of Sense Of Belonging And Engagement Opportunities In The Campus Community, Shelby Jo Akers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This non-experimental, correlational, quantitative study examined the relationship between undergraduate students’ perceptions of sense of belonging and their participation in university programming and engagement opportunities at a medium-sized public institution in the Southeastern United States. Guided by the Integrative Framework for Belonging (Allen et al., 2021), the study explored how specific student factors including academic major, campus residency status, class standing, primary mode of instruction, and employment status intersect with engagement to shape students’ sense of belonging. Engagement opportunities that were measured included dimensions of campus facility use and participation in clubs and organizations. Questions related to perceptions of the …

"That Was Something I Had To Get Used To”: Communication Challenges Of African Graduate Teaching Assistants, Mohammed Hafiz Nabila

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined the communication challenges and adaptive strategies of African Graduate Teaching Assistants (AGTAs) in U.S. higher education, focusing on East Tennessee State University. The study aimed to understand how AGTAs navigate linguistic, cultural, and institutional barriers in their teaching roles. Using semi-structured interviews with seven participants, data were analyzed through thematic analysis to identify key patterns and meanings. Findings revealed challenges related to accents, cultural adjustment, and limited institutional preparation. Faculty mentorship played a vital role in shaping AGTAs’ confidence, interpretation of challenges, and professional growth. However, lack of support often led to isolation and self-doubt. The …

A Leslie System For A Demographic Simulation: From An Actuarial Point Of View, David Kings

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis develops a discrete stochastic linear systems interpretation of age–stage demographic evolution grounded in Leslie operators and realized in a discrete-event simulation implemented with salabim. The central claim is that one annual cycle of the simulation constitutes a cone-preserving, stochastic affine transformation on a high- dimensional population state vector indexed by age, sex, marital status, household type, employment, and education, and that the composition of yearly operators yields a random matrix product whose top Lyapunov exponent is the stochastic counterpart of the Perron–Frobenius growth rate (Caswell, 2001; Tuljapurkar, 1997)[1, 2]. The actuarial bridge is constructed by mapping simulated survival …

Perceptions Of Choral Teachers On The Characteristics Of A Secondary Choral Program, Nathan Dale Rhea

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of choral teachers on the characteristics of a successful secondary choral program. The study focused on the main characteristics of excellence, success, and sustainability. The literature showed that there was a significant amount of research on the music curriculum, standards, and various assessment strategies but minimal research on perceptions on the characteristics of excellence, success, and sustainability of a choral music program at the secondary level.

Data collection strategies included individual interviews of eight participants who were choral music educators. The analysis of data occurred through the lens of the …

Isolation, Chemical Characterization, And In-Vitro Cytotoxic Evaluation Of Novel Polar Flavonoids From Chromolaena Leivensis, Matthew Tohatsu Tetteh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on isolation, chemical characterization, and in-vitro cytotoxic evaluation of novel polar flavonoids from chromolaena leivensis. A 95% ethanolic extract of c. leivensis shipped by Prof. Ruben Torrenegra from University of Applied and Environmental Sciences, Bogota, Colombia, was dissolved in 1:1 methanol/chloroform mixture and its purity analyzed by TLC. The sample was eluted with toluene/methanol in an increasing order of polarity on silica gel, resulting in 49 fractions labelled CLA1 to CLA49. Among these fractions, CLA10 (1) and CLA19 (2) obtained yellow and white crystals. They were analyzed by GCMS, IR, and …

Comparative Value Of Echocardiography Vs. Right Heart Catheterization In Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction, Nathanael Tran, Mohammad Shaar, Hussein Al-Sudani, Ramy Sedhom, Hamza Akhtar, Kevin Bryan Lo, Gregg S. Pressman

Einstein Health Papers

BACKGROUND: Echocardiography and right heart catheterization (RHC) are useful in the evaluation of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). We compared the two among decompensated HFpEF patients to determine their relative value in predicting all-cause mortality and a composite of cardiovascular (CV) death and heart failure (HF) readmission at 1 year.

METHODS: One hundred seventy-eight decompensated HFpEF patients who underwent both procedures and survived to hospital discharge were retrospectively identified. Hospital records and the National Death Index were queried to determine outcomes. Echocardiographic and invasive parameters were tested for significant associations with each outcome. Additionally, three predictive models were …

In This Issueclinical Practice Guidelinesreview Articleoriginal Articles

Saudi Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

Navigating Challenges In Management Of Difficult-To-Treat Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyps In The Greater Gulf, Osama A. Marglani, Abdul Razzak Juratli, Athari Maatouq Alwael, Ghassan Hussain Alokby

Saudi Medical Journal

ABSTRACT Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) poses significant management challenges, particularly in treatment-resistant cases, greatly affecting patients’ quality of life. This paper provides consensus-based recommendations to guide clinicians in managing difficult-to-treat CRSwNP in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. A modified Delphi method was used to gather expert opinions from GCC specialists through surveys and discussions, achieving consensus on 14 key statements for CRSwNP management. Key criteria identified for difficult-to-treat CRSwNP included early recurrence after surgery, comorbid atopic diseases, and frequent need for oral steroids. The importance of structured histopathology reporting and understanding inflammatory characteristics to differentiate patients with …

Interventional Study Of The Iselfie Heart Health Tool For Assessment Of Vital Signs (Heart Rate, Blood Pressure, And Oxygen Saturation) In The Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia, Abdulaziz S. Alhomod, Demah Abdulaziz Almowanes, Robert Scooter Plowman, Azhar Quddus, Hassan Mohamed, Mahmut Karakaya, Ahmed Elgebaly, Jamilah Alrahimi, Raed Alkutshan, Adel Tash

Saudi Medical Journal

ABSTRACT Objectives: To validate the diagnostic performance of the iSelfie Heart Health tool compared to standard-of-care devices, focusing on accuracy, reliability, and classification capabilities. Methods: Vital sign measurements from 579 participants were analyzed using the iSelfie tool in calibrated and non-calibrated modes. Further analyses applied the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) standards and criteria for cuff-based blood pressure (BP) devices. Primary endpoints included mean absolute error (MAE) and cumulative error percentages for all vital parameters. Binary and multi-class classification analyses evaluated the device’s performance to categorize hypertension grades. Results: In calibrated mode, the iSelfie tool demonstrated high …

Prevalence Of Respiratory Distress Syndrome Among Late Preterm Infants Admitted To A Neonatal Intensive Care Unit In Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Study, Abdulmohsen K. Alswayed, Kamal Ali, Amjad O. Alharbi, Ghadah K. Alnami, Haifa M. Bindokhi

Saudi Medical Journal

ABSTRACT Objectives: The objective of this research was to identify how common Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is and explore related factors in late preterm infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted over 1 year (2021). Infants with a gestational age of 34 to 36 weeks were selected using a consecutive, non-probability sampling method. Clinical, neonatal, and maternal factors were analyzed to assess their impact on the prevalence of RDS in this gestational age group. Results: The majority of infants in the …

Satisfaction With The Saudi Healthcare System: Findings From The 2019 Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia World Health Survey, Ali M. Alzahrani, Holly C. Felix

Saudi Medical Journal

ABSTRACT Objectives: To provide details on patient satisfaction with the Saudi healthcare system and patient characteristics associated with satisfaction levels using nationally representative survey data. Methods: A cross-sectional secondary analysis was conducted using the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia World Health Survey (KSAWHS 2019) data, which collected information on demographics, health status, chronic conditions, and access to and use of healthcare services among Saudi adults aged ≥15 years. Descriptive statistics and logistics regression analyses were performed to identify significant predictors of satisfaction with Saudi healthcare services. Results: Between April and July 2019, 8,912 individuals completed the KSAWHS 2019 individual questionnaire. Out …

Discharge Against Medical Advice Among Pediatric Patients: A Retrospective Study From A Saudi Tertiary Emergency Department, Elaf A. Alshammari, Atheer M. Aljeraibah, Haya M. Aldabas, Saad M. Alqahtani, Raseel S. Alghamdi, Abdulrahman M. Alsharif, Yahya K. Alyahya, Abdullah I. Almojali

Saudi Medical Journal

ABSTRACT Objectives: To investigate the incidence, parental reasons, and predictors of emergency room (ER) revisits following discharge against medical advice (DAMA) in a pediatric center in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted between January 2020 and December 2024 at a tertiary care hospital. Pediatric patients aged 0-14 years who signed the DAMA during ER visits were included. Medical records of patients with DAMA were reviewed to collect demographic data, diagnoses, reasons for DAMA, and outcomes. Results: Among 446,251 ER visits, 2,336 (0.52%, 95% CI: 0.50%–0.55%) involved caregiver-signed DAMA. These rates ranged from 0.45% (2020) to 0.69% (2023). …

Real-World Evidence Of Nusinersen Treatment For Patients With Spinal Muscular Atrophy In The Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia: Initial Insights From The Saudi National Spinal Muscular Atrophy Program, Ahmed H. Al-Jedai, Hajer Yousef Almudaiheem, Tareef Y. Alaama, Fahad Abdo Bashiri, Mohammed Abdelrahman Almuhaizae, Fouad Abdullah Alghamdi, Aljohara A. Alsakran, Fahad Zuriqan Ibrahim

Saudi Medical Journal

ABSTRACT Objectives: To assess the clinical and functional outcomes of 110 patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) program who received nusinersen treatment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Methods: Motor assessments were performed using the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia infant test of neuromuscular disorder (CHOP-INTEND) and Hammersmith infant neurological examination (HINE) for type 1 SMA, the Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale–Expanded (HFMSE) for types 2 and 3 SMA; the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) for ambulant type 3 SMA, and the revised upper limb module (RULM) for types 2 and 3 SMA. Results: Data included all SMA types (type 1, 2.72%; …

Correlation Of Clinical And Laboratory Findings Of Dehydration With Ultrasonographic Measurements, Yusuf Yilmazturk, Abdullah Sadik Girisgin, Mustafa Alpaslan, Necmi Baykan

Saudi Medical Journal

ABSTRACT Objectives: To assess bedside ultrasonographic readings in conjunction with laboratory and clinical results, as well as to look into the efficacy of these measurements while evaluating patients who are being monitored for dehydration and managing their therapy. Methods: We assessed 300 patients, 150 of whom were in the case group and 150 in the control group. Laboratory results throughout therapy, clinical dehydration, vital signs, and bedside ultrasonography results were all documented. A vena cava inferior collapsibility index of 50% or higher, dry oral mucosa, decreased skin turgor, and a fresh onset of altered consciousness were all considered clinical indicators …

Respiratory Distress Syndrome In Late Preterm Infants: Are We Doing Enough To Prevent It?, Adeeb Khawaji

Saudi Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

Prevention: Bend It Like Bekham, Mirvat Alasnag, Adel Tash

Saudi Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

Launch Of Online Learning Course On Using The Iarc Atlas Of Breast Cancer Early Detection

Saudi Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

Stronger Infection Prevention And Management, Better Maternal Outcomes

Saudi Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

Borderplex Business Barometer, Volume 9, Number 12, Thomas M. Fullerton Jr., Steven L. Fullerton

Border Region Modeling Project

No abstract provided.

Metabolic Screening In Veterans On Antipsychotics Mood Stabilizer, Joy Nneka Eke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Summary This Doctor of Nursing Practice project was conducted to examine a quality improvement initiative that sought to address metabolic syndrome screening consistency for veterans on antipsychotic medications at a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs health system located in the Midwest region of the United States. The project centered on whether the quality improvement program assessing compliance with the current metabolic syndrome screening process reflects increased early detection of metabolic syndrome to prevent cardiovascular complications. Data collection involved comprehensive chart reviews of 50 veterans’ records. The data collected were analyzed using a specially designed quality improvement initiative assessment form developed …

Executive Summary: Executive Leadership System Improvement Workplace Violence, Mercedes Ivette Tejada

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Introduction This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Executive Leadership Project is focused on the reduction of workplace violence in a critical access hospital using an organized prevention program. Workplace violence in nursing is increasing, exposing the health of staff, patient safety, and quality of care in critical access hospitals. The question of the DNP project is: In nurses (P) in small critical access hospitals, how does implementing a structured workplace violence prevention program (I) compared to having no formal violence prevention strategy (C) impact the occurrence of workplace aggression and perceptions of safety among staff (O)? This practicum project used …

Pet Ownership And Health-Related Quality Of Life Among Middle-Aged Adults, Kristi Martin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Pet ownership continues to be part of modern society in the United States. Researchers have explored pet ownership’s impact on chronic diseases and aging populations, but research on health-related quality of life is limited. Grounded in the socioecological model, this quantitative study analyzed data from the 2005-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (N = 10,348) to investigate the impact of pet ownership on health-related quality of life among low-income adults aged 30-50 years. Chi-square tests were performed to analyze the associations between age, income, gender, and race with three health-related quality of life metrics. Results showed no statistically significant …

The Effect Of Gender, Race, And Age On 30-Day Readmission Rates Among Heart Failure Patients In Mississippi, Patricia Ann Mondy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A sizeable number of U.S. heart failure patients are readmitted within 30 days of hospital discharge. There was a need to explore ways to reduce this number and improve the care of heart failure patients when they are discharged home. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to determine if there is a relationship between age, gender, and race of heart failure patients and 30-day readmissions in the U.S. state of Mississippi in 2019. The dependent variable was heart failure 30-day readmissions, and the independent variables were age, gender, and race. Wagner’s chronic care model was the theoretical framework …