Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Promoting Healthier Treatment Outcomes In Obese Cancer Patients Taking High Dose Methotrexate, Carly Dell'ova

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cancer and obesity rates continue to rise, creating enormous public heath burdens to the individual and at the national and global levels, reducing quality of life, and increasing spending. Moreover, the relationships between cancer and obesity are not well understood. A commonly used chemotherapy for several types of cancer is high dose methotrexate (HDMTX). Along with chemotherapy, especially at high doses, comes toxicity to specific organs and the entire body. However, limited research has been conducted on obese cancer patients as they are often excluded from clinical studies. Practitioners need to better understand how to dose these patients to provide …

Why Some Cancer Patients Chose Fasting Instead Of, Or With, Conventional Treatments, Richard Alvin Sacks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract Conventional cancer treatment consists of some combination of three therapies: chemotherapy, surgery and radiation. The purpose of this study was to understand why some individuals diagnosed with cancer elected to follow an alternative course of treatment, consisting of fasting on juices or water only rather than, or in addition to, conventional cancer treatment. The theory chosen to guide this study was the Markula Center for Applied Ethics framework for ethical decision making. Research questions were designed to understand the decision-making process of study participants in choosing fasting on juice or water only, rather than, or in addition to, the …

The Factors Urban African American Men Perceive As Preventing Early Prostate Cancer Screening, Joel Mongo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Prostatic carcinoma, or prostate cancer, is the leading cause of death among adult males in the United States. The highest rate of prostate cancer is found in males of African American ethnicity, as males within this cohort are 50% more likely to develop prostate cancer than other ethnicities. African Americans men are 1.6 times more likely to develop prostate cancer and 2.4 times more likely to die from it than Caucasians. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the perceptions of urban African American men about factors that prevent them from seeking and receiving prostate cancer screening, and …

Predictors Of Depression Screening Among Cancer Patients In U.S. Ambulatory Settings, Joseph Oluyinka Fawole

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Depression is a common mental health comorbidity in cancer diagnoses, affecting 8-24% of cancer patients. Despite the high prevalence of depression among cancer patients, it is often unrecognized and untreated, thereby representing an enormous psychological distress source among the cancer patient population. The purpose of this study was to explore and establish the factors that predict depression screening among cancer patients in the ambulatory care setting in the United States. The health belief model guided the study. Secondary data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey were analyzed to evaluate the predictors of depression screening in patients diagnosed with cancer. …

Relationship Between Pm2.5 Levels And Cancer Incidences In Interior Alaska, Sandra G. Lewis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Exposure to high levels of ambient air particulates < 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5) in the Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB) and the resulting impact on cancer incidence is the focus of this study. Climate, geography, and culture influence PM2.5 levels, particularly during the long cold season. While this study considers lung cancer incidences from PM2.5 exposure, the primary focus of the study is the incidences of all other types of cancers from exposure to PM2.5, because of the limited research done on this topic. This quantitative, retrospective, cohort study considered the incidences of new cancer diagnoses in the population during a 10-year period (January 1, 2008-December 31, 2017). The 2 FNSB Zip Codes, designated “hot spots,” frequently see spikes in PM2.5 during the long cold season. These areas are densely populated and contain the EPA-regulated air quality monitors. Cancer diagnoses in the hot spot Zip Codes were compared to cancer diagnoses in outlying Zip Codes (non-hot spots) that experience less PM2.5 and are more consistently within the EPA air quality guidelines. EPA monitors are not yet located in the non-hot spots. Cancer patient data were obtained from the Fairbanks Memorial Hospital Cancer Center. The results demonstrated that a strong association was found between PM2.5 exposure and non-lung cancers (OR = 1.37; RR = 1.36; p < 0.001); and between PM2.5 exposure and lung cancer (OR = 1.87; RR = 1.88; p < 0.001). These findings may be used to promote an increased awareness among FNSB residents of the potential impact on cancer diagnoses from inhaling high levels of PM2.5, so residents may change their behavior in favor of alternatives to biomass burning to improve air quality.

Impact Of Chlorpyrifos Exposure On Colorectal Cancer In Agricultural Communities In Ohio, Vicky Knisley-Henry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cancer diagnosis in the United States, and second in Ohio, for both men and women. In 2019, there were an estimated 145,000 cases of new CRC diagnoses and will lead to more than 50,000 deaths. Results from a systematic review indicate that chlorpyrifos use in agriculture is linked to the incidence of breast and lung cancers and has a possible association with CRC. Grounded in the social-ecological model, this study investigated the association between exposure to chlorpyrifos and CRC rates in agricultural communities in Ohio. The quantitative cohort design method utilized secondary data …

Association Of Adaptive Early Phase Study Design And Late Phase Study Results In Oncology, Donna Elise Levy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This quantitative study assessed the association of the design methods used for early phase oncology studies (adaptive versus traditional) and the outcome of late stage clinical trials. Differences by cancer type and by drug classification were also assessed. The theoretical and conceptual frameworks used were the general systems theory and the design and evaluation of complex interventions, respectively. Units of analysis were individual oncology studies in the ClinicalTrials.gov database and Bayesian logistic modeling was applied on a random sample of 381 studies initiated after November 1999 to December 2016. When assessing study design and outcome, there were lower odds of …

Leptin Level Variance In Adults With And Without Cancer, Vilisa Chatman-Terry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

In 2018, health statistics revealed that, despite the many preventive measures established,

cancer was the second leading cause of death in the United States and the leading cause

of death in 22 states, exceeded only by heart disease. With obesity/leptin levels reaching

pandemic levels worldwide, and cancer having a well-known association with obesity,

both chronic diseases represent a large proportion of public health challenges. Guided by

the social ecological model, the purpose of this cross-sectional, quantitative study was to

examine if a significant difference exists in leptin levels among adults with different

types of obesity-associated and common cancers and …

Korean Immigrant Women's Perceptions Of Cervical Cancer Screening In Hawaii, Eurina Yujin Cha

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Minority immigrant women are more likely to be diagnosed with and suffer from cervical cancer compared to other minority women in the United States. The purpose of this qualitative ethnographic study was to explore cultural health perceptions, behaviors, and barriers to cervical cancer prevention among Korean immigrant women (KIW) in Hawaii. The health belief model and the social-ecological model were used to guide the study. Data were collected using individual structured interviews with 20 KIW ages 21 to 65 who are first-generation KIW immigrant to Hawaii. Data were coded and analyzed to identify themes. Findings revealed that participants (a) prefer …

Long-Term Health Impacts Of Cell Phone-Driven Radiofrequency Radiation Exposure In Humans, Ndukaku Omelu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Uncertainties still exist about the safety of cell phone use and the level of cell phone-driven radiation. The purpose of the current inquiry was to determine the long-term health impacts of cell phone-driven radiation via the use of cell phones. In this cross-sectional study, which was based on socio-ecological theory, secondary data from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey were analyzed to assess the difference in the prevalence of thyroid cancer, mouth/tongue/lip cancer, and heart disease between exposed and non-exposed/less exposed cell phone-driven radiation groups in the United States. Logistic regression was used to address three research questions. Findings initially …

Association Between Altitude And Bronchopulmonary Cancer, Hung Ching

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As a validation study, this study addressed an under-researched area of bronchopulmonary cancer mortality and incidence. The association between altitude and bronchopulmonary cancer mortality and incidence was investigated using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research. The theoretical framework for my study was Bronfenbrenner's ecological model. This model emphasizes the relevance of social and physical environments that influence patterns of disease and injury and shape responses to these patterns of disease and injury. The age-adjusted bronchopulmonary cancer mortality and incidence rates per 100,000 people in the highest elevation and lowest elevation states …

Factors Associated With Late Stage Diagnosis Of Cervical Cancer In The United States, Marianne S. Pelletier

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cervical cancer represents a significant public health problem in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the prognosis is related to stage at diagnosis, with the 5-year survival rate being 91.2% for early stage disease and only 17.0% for those with late stage disease. There is a gap in the literature examining the association of insurance status with late stage cervical cancer diagnosis across a large segment of the United States population. There is also a gap in the literature examining women residing in the United States with late stage cervical cancer diagnosis and identifying …