Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Staff Education: Nutrition Education In The Intellectually /Developmentally Disabled Community, Claire C. Bradley-Davalos Msn Rn

Master's Projects and Capstones

The objective of my project is to develop staff education regarding a nutrition initiative developed to address the 44% obesity rate among clients in our care. My target population is direct care staff working in the Intellectually/Developmentally Disabled (IDD) community, and high functioning clients who live independently in the community. The staff knowledge was tested pre- and post-education to demonstrate knowledge retained. Staff are required to get a score of 80 or better to pass. Test results are interpreted to see which content areas need further teaching or clarification. Initial results indicate that four areas of education need to be …

Nurses’ Perceptions Of Self As Role Models Of Health, Shelia Hurley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Given the sad state of obesity and lifestyle-related illnesses in the US, nurses, as the largest and most trusted health profession, must take the cause of health promotion seriously and personally. This study seeks to close the gap in knowledge of nurses’ perception of self as a role model of health and personal healthy lifestyle behaviors. This study focuses on four specific behaviors that lead to a healthy lifestyle: limit alcohol, avoid tobacco, improve nutrition, and engage in physical activity. The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between nurses’ health practices and their perceptions of self as …

Intravenous Acetaminophen Reduces Opioid Use For Postoperative Pain In Obese Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy, Kimberly S. Burks

Doctoral Projects

Opioid-induced respiratory depression is categorized as a sentinel event, which is an unanticipated occurrence that may result in severe injury or death. Although the incidence of opioid-induced respiratory depression is 0.2 to 2%, this issue persists as a substantial basis of morbidity and mortality. The obese population has multiple physiologic elements that increase their risk for opioid-induced respiratory depression. This retrospective study examined if intravenous (IV) acetaminophen reduces opioid consumption in the postoperative period in obese patients who underwent a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Adequately controlled postoperative pain provides for greater patient satisfaction, decreased hospital length of stay (LOS), and reduced costs …

Association Between Socioeconomic Status And Bmi Among People With Schizophrenia And Bipolar Disorder, Nicholas Guenzel

Theses & Dissertations

Background: Many health disparities among individuals with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are due to obesity-associated diseases. Several causes of obesity have been discovered, but few risk factors are known. In the general public, low socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with obesity.

Objective: Examine the relationship between SES and body mass index (BMI) among people with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Design: A secondary analysis of the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys dataset. The psychiatric group (N=480) included individuals with symptoms of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Those reporting no symptoms were controls (N=5,161). Childhood SES variables included mother and father education and profession, …

Psychiatric Comorbidities And Bmi: An Exploratory Analysis, Nicholas Guenzel

Theses & Dissertations

Background: Individuals with most forms of mental illness have higher rates of obesity than members of the general public putting them at an increased risk for many physical health problems that reduce both quality of life and life expectancy. The presence of multiple comorbid psychiatric disorders has been associated with poorer clinical outcomes in other mental health measures such as disability and sobriety and is proposed as a risk factor for elevated BMI (body mass index) in this study.

Objective: Determine if multiple psychiatric comorbidities are associated with elevated BMI and, if so, which combinations are linked with the greatest …

Association Between Adverse Events In Childhood And Bmi Among People With Schizophrenia And Bipolar Disorder, Nicholas Guenzel

Theses & Dissertations

Background: People with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder die significantly earlier than members of the general public (16-18 years and 12-13 years, respectively). Diseases associated with obesity such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke account for much of this discrepancy. People with mental illness often have difficulty losing weight despite intensive interventions. As a result, nurses caring for patients with mental illness need to monitor their weight diligently and implement individualized interventions to promote achieving or maintaining a healthy weight. Because intensive interventions come with some risk and expense, programs must target individuals with the most potential to develop obesity. In …

Wecan Implementation For Parents Of At-Risk Hispanic Adolescents In Middle School, Shannon Leigh Devita

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Abstract

CDC-reported childhood obesity rates have tripled in the past three years. Among children in grades five, seven and nine, 30% are overweight or obese, with Hispanic students more likely to be overweight than White students. This evidence-based project examined the effectiveness of NHLBI’s WeCan! for at-risk middle-school-age Hispanic children and parents. The program was implemented at school in two weekly sessions, and its effectiveness was evaluated using the WeCan! survey. The program resulted in improved knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes related energy balance, portion size, healthy foods, physical activity, and screen time and may be useful in other school settings.

Health Education To Decrease Obesity In Adolescents With Asthma, Mitzie Eumarie Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity increases asthma severity and is costing the health care industry a significant amount of money. Decreasing adolescents' obesity will decrease the risk for chronic health problems, which can have a significant impact in adulthood. Implementing a school-based health education program can decrease the prevalence of obesity amongst adolescents. This program will be implemented by school nurses in the after-school program at Public School 59 (P.S) in New York City. The purpose of this project is to develop adolescents' school-based obesity prevention policies and documentation which will focus on increasing their nutrition education, increasing physical activities, and providing skills to …

Weight Management Of Women Of Childbearing Age, Marcia Hagen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Black River Memorial Hospital identified obesity as a priority health concern in its rural service area; this concern was in line with the county's needs assessment. It was identified that women of childbearing age affect the lifestyle and health choices of their families and that they are at higher risk for the additional health risks associated with obesity affecting pregnancy and birth. Despite the identification of these risk factors, the factors that affect healthy weight management have not been well understood. Using the life course theory, a qualitative inquiry in the form of a structured interview was developed with local …

Examining The Relationship Between Type And Extent Of After-School Care Use And High Bmi In Children Ages 5-17, Morgan E.B. Chojnacki

DNP Projects

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and after-school care use in school age children and adolescents in Kentucky. The specific aims of this study were to examine differences in BMI groups (high versus normal/low) by: a) type and b) extent of after-school care use.

Methods: Parents of children age 5-17 years were administered a 21-item survey which assessed the amount of time their children spent in specific types of after-school care. BMI of the child/adolescent participants were obtained at the time of the survey. High BMI was defined …

Obesity Surveillance In Childhood, Jessica Garcia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Current practice behaviors for obesity management have remained refractory. Research has shown that lack of time and poor training/skills by primary care providers has led to poor or absent obesity counseling in practice. The purpose of this intervention was to facilitate obesity counseling in a pediatric office by using an evidence-based model called the 5As model of behavioral change. Lewin's change theory was the framework for this project to help clinicians transition their practice to include the 5As model in practice. The project consisted of a 30-minute power point presentation that included 2 case samples demonstrating how the 5As would …

Examining The Effectiveness Of An Intervention To Increase Provider Assessment Of Overweight And Obesity In The Primary Care Setting, Kristena R. Lea

DNP Projects

Obesity is an epidemic among adults in the United States, leading to a multitude of co-morbidities and billions of dollars in annual healthcare expenditures. Although primary care is the ideal setting for identification and treatment of overweight/obesity, it is often overlooked by providers. This capstone project was formed by three manuscripts, which were written to explore the lack of overweight/obesity identification and treatment in the primary care setting. Emphasis was made throughout the three manuscripts on the importance of providers using body mass index (BMI) as an objective means to discuss overweight/obesity with patients. The first manuscript is an integrative …

Evaluation Of The Move Program On Weight Loss Among Veterans, William Justin Allen

DNP Projects

The most current estimations from the CDC classify more than one third of the American population as obese (2011). This epidemic continues to contribute to a number of chronic diseases across the country including diabetes and heart disease, both associated with high morbidity and mortality (NHLBI, 1998). Billions of dollars are spent annually on obesity and obesity related conditions.

Perhaps this is what led the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to select Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity as a Leading Health Indicator in Healthy People 2020. The updated NHLBI guidelines, based on clinical evidence, offer a blueprint …

Childhood Nutrition And Lifestyle In Owensboro, Kentucky, Mckenzie J. Mattingly

DNP Projects

According to the CDC, childhood obesity is now one of the leading health problems in the United States. Thirty-five percent of adults in the United States are obese. Kentucky is the 12th most obese state for adults. and the 7th most obese state for children. The State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America, states that Kentucky’s adult obesity rate is currently 31.6 percent. This is up from 21.7 percent in 2000 and 12.7 percent in 1990. Primary care providers must work to help prevent these numbers from continuing to climb. Since our population of children who are overweight …