Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Mobile Produce Markets: A Strategy For Increasing Access To Fruits And Vegetables Among Low Income Urban Residents, Bi-Sek J. Hsiao

Masters Theses

Mobile produce markets (MPM) are a community-based strategy to improve produce access in areas with few fruits and vegetables (FV) retail options. The purpose of this thesis is to assess the functionality of MPM in low-income urban neighborhoods. This thesis includes three studies. Study 1 investigates FV availability in areas around MPM locations (n=13). We found limited fresh FV availability in stores, but high prevalence of 100% juice, and canned FV and beans. Study 2 applied questionnaire data from MPM shoppers (n=143) to assess MPM experiences. Chi Square was used to compare shopping behaviors between older (≥ 60) and younger …

The Adoption Of Harm Reduction By Abstinence Program Staff: A Qualitative Analysis, Morgan Coe

Masters Theses

Opioid overdose fatalities have quadrupled in the United States since the turn of the century, and are becoming increasingly recognized as a nationwide epidemic. While naloxone (narcan) has long been the standard treatment for overdose in clinical settings, it has not been issued to opioid users or their family members in the U.S. until relatively recently. As naloxone distribution and overdose training become more widespread, they are being incorporated into more and more abstinence-oriented settings including detoxes, halfway houses, and outpatient methadone and suboxone treatment programs. This qualitative study explored whether the staff at such programs found that training their …

Pneumococcal Pneumonia In The Older Adult: Increasing Patient Education And Vaccination, Jessica E. Valletta

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Background:Pneumococcal disease is a transmitted infectious illness that results in serious complications and death every year in the United States. Given their increased susceptibility to the potential complications of this disease, patients aged 65 and older are considered to be high-risk, but vaccination compliance for this population remain well below state and national goals.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to increase pneumococcal vaccination rates among adults aged 65 and older in a primary care clinic by increasing patient education.

Methods: An educational intervention was implemented within a large primary care practice located in Central Massachusetts. Educational …

Improving Hpv Vaccination Initiation And Completion Rates: A Qi Project, Princy M. Varughese

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common sexually transmitted infection in the United States and is the cause of most cervical cancers in women, as well as anogenital cancers, oropharyngeal cancer, and genital warts in both men and women (Centers for Disease Control [CDC], 2014b). The HPV vaccine is recommended for preteen girls and boys to protect against HPV infections (CDC, 2011). In line with the goal of Healthy People 2020, the purpose of this evidence-based quality improvement (QI) project was to implement a text message reminder system, and calculate the completion rate of the 3-dose HPV vaccination series among adolescents …