Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Effects Of Personal Health Assessments On Health Knowledge And Health Behavior Among Students Enrolled In An Undergraduate Personal Health Course, Jennifer Peeso

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this research was to determine whether personal health assessments would increase Personal Health 100 students' health knowledge and healthy behaviors. This research is important because of the objectives set by Healthy People 2000 to promote health and because of the need for comprehensive school health education programs. By focusing on health promotion in the school setting, more effective preventive programs can be devised. The factors investigated included health knowledge and the following health behaviors: exercise, alcohol consumption, use of tobacco, sleep, breakfast, sexual activity, and seatbelt use. These factors were chosen based on a longevity theory. Data …

A Study Of Student Health Services In Four-Year Post-Secondary Institutions, Timothy Laugh

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to address any changes in select organizational and director or CEO attributes between 1989 and 1994, as well as, to determine whether or not college student health services are systematically evaluating their programs and incorporating efficiency measures used in other health care settings. The population of study was student health services at four-year institutions of post-secondary education in the United States. This researcher resurveyed the sample used by Kevin E. Charles in 1989 in order to allow the evaluation of temporal trends. The sample was a stratified, random sample of 400 institutions. Data were …

The Relationship Between Risk For Drug Abuse And Meaning In Life, Paul Turner

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Drug abuse continues to be one of the most significant problems in the United States today. Attempts to understand drug abuse have produced numerous multidimensional prevention and treatment models. These models have resulted in the identification of psychological, social and biological risk factors related to drug abuse. In this study, the risk for drug abuse was assessed in 311 college students. A questionnaire was developed to measure risk. The questionnaire assessed risk for abuse predicted by the following factors: academic performance, coping and psychological health, religiosity, family and peer drug use, and the individual's past and current drug use. Based …

Factors Which Predict The Initiation And Use Of Alcohol In Rural Adolescents, Charlotte Swint

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this research was to determine whether a selected group of factors are significant when trying to predict the use of alcohol by adolescents who live in rural areas. This research is important because most of the studies concerning drug and alcohol use in adolescents have focused on adolescents who live in urban areas. The results of such studies may not be generalizable to rural populations. The factors investigated included the following: availability of alcohol, peer influence, parental influence, tobacco use, gender, and grade level. These factors were chosen based on their inclusion in four prominent theories regarding …

Health Attitude Changes As A Result Of Participating In A Worksite Prenatial Education Program, Vickie Gibson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine whether differences in health beliefs exist between participants attending worksite prenatal education classes and participants receiving only prenatal education self-help materials. A multiple treatment study was performed on a sample of convenience of 169 women enrolled in Fruit of the Loom's worksite prenatal education program. Group 1 subjects received class and materials while Group 2 subjects received materials only. Study participants were asked to complete an 18-item Likert scale questionnaire prior to enrolling in the program and again upon completion. Sixty-two subjects completed both the pre- and posttest questionnaires. Analysis of covariance …

An Assessment Of Associations Between Selected Health Practices And Mental Wellness, Ginger Bomar

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between mental well-being and selected health behaviors. A cross-sectional study was performed on a sample of 490 students at Western Kentucky University during the 1993 Spring, Summer, and Fall semesters. Study participants completed the Participant Data Sheet, General Weil-Being Schedule, and the Health Behavior Instrument. The data were gathered and analyzed via correlation analysis which revealed a relationship between mental well-being and certain health behaviors. The correlations between general well-being and selected health behaviors were stronger among males than females. There was a relationship found between mental well-being and hours …

The Relationship Between Meaning In Life & The Utilization Of Health Care Services: An Epidemiological Cross-Sectional Study, Matthew Eitutis

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between meaning in life and utilization of health care services. An epidemiological, cross-sectional study was performed on a sample of 282 students at Western Kentucky University and 49 employees at the Barren River District Health Department. Study participants completed the Life Attitude Profile--Revised and the Participant Data Sheet. The data gathered and analyzed via correlation analysis showed no overall significant relationship between the two variables for this sample. The possible impact that overall mental health status has on the utilization rates of health care services rust be examined in the …

A Measurement Of Productivity For Kentucky Home Health Care Registered Nurses Full-Time Equivalence By Organizational Type, Kathy Holderman

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In today's competitive home health industry, productivity has become a major concern, and establishing productivity expectations is necessary for survival. Productivity can be described as a relationship between the outputs produced by an organization and the inputs provided to create the outputs. This means that the outputs consist of the number of home visits performed and the inputs consist of the time, supplies, mileage, and administrative support necessary for producing home visits. In order to have a complete understanding of productivity, one must understand the importance of examining significant service delivery factors that are unique to the home health industry. …

An Analysis Of Substance Abusers' Field Dependence & Time Spent In Rehabilitative Therapy, Robert Fane

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This project was designed to determine if significant differences existed between the level of psychological differentiation, as determined by the Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT), of individuals entering a treatment center for chemical dependency and the length of stay at the facility.

The subjects consisted of 43 white males who were seeking treatment for addiction to mood altering chemicals at a regional treatment facility in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Each subject was interviewed to collect pertinent background information pertaining to past substance abuse and was evaluated to determine psychological differentiation, utilizing the GEFT.

It was determined through an analysis of variance …

The Influence Of Marketing Strategies On Employee Perception Of A Small Rural Kentucky Hospital, Renee Perkins

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

A well-known fact relating to health care in the 1990s is the delimma being faced by small rural hospitals across the United States. They are now at a crossroads between survival and closure. This thesis addresses the influence that effective marketing strategies can have on the outcome of rural hospitals if such strategies are targeted to the right populations Although the patients, the community, and the physicians are important target groups, this thesis addresses the impact marketing can have on the employee population and how that population can, in turn, affect community perception.

This is the first study to be …

The Evaluation Of The School-Based Flouride Mouthrinse Program In A Fluoridated Community, Motoki Nakanaga

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a school-based fluoride mouthrinse program in a fluoridated community. Such an evaluation is important because the effect of such programs may decrease over time due to the widespread use of fluoride.

Two elementary schools were chosen. One had a fluoride mouthrinse program: the other did not. The subjects were children in grades one and six. Their caries experience was examined using dft. dfs. DFT, and DFS scores.

There were no statistically significant differences between the two schools. The program had no significant effect in the community studied.

Adapting The Health Knowledge Inventory For Use With High School Seniors, Cara Case

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Knowledge alone is not enough to ensure that the individual will act in a healthy manner or choose positive health behaviors. However, knowledge may enable one to engage in sound health practices. Health education must respond to the changes in American culture by developing approaches that achieve maximum communication and learning. The purpose of this thesis is to assess the suitability of the Health Knowledge Inventory – High School Version (HKI-HS) for testing with high school seniors. A field test was performed to assess whether the HKI-HS is an appropriate measurement instrument of personal health knowledge among high school seniors. …

Communication Barriers Between Teenagers & Parents About Sex & Sex-Related Topics: A Survey Of Teenagers In Sex Education Class, Karen Bonnell

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Public concern about teenage pregnancy and the threat of sexually transmitted diseases like AIDS make sex education information vital for today's teenagers. A 1986 Harris survey of 1,000 teenagers cited parents as their primary source of sex education information, but 42% said they would be too nervous or afraid to bring up the subject of contraception or birth control with their parents. States like Kentucky have mandated sex education courses for all public schools to provide necessary instruction for teenagers.

This study identifies communication barriers which teenagers say prevent communication with their parents about sex and sex-related topics. Questionnaires were …

Barren River District Health Department Health Education/Risk Reduction Demonstration Projects, Rebecca Bruce

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In July 1980, the Barren River District Health Department (BRDHD), serving eight counties (combined population approximately 204,000) in Southcentral Kentucky, was selected as a demonstration site under the auspices of the federal Health Education Risk Reduction (HERR) Program. With continued HERR funding for eight years, the BRDHD developed several successful health promotion projects. Major components of these projects include: 1) community health promotion, which serves to identify high -risk groups in the community and provide them with health education-health promotion services, 2) school health education which included the development of a preschool health education curriculum, 3) teacher education workshop, which …

Children Raised By Homosexual Parents: Sexual Orientation, Mental & Sexual Health, Theresa Gramlich

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Sex and morals have often been factors in custody disputes. Courts have felt that giving custody of children to homosexual parents would create an environment not in the best interest of the child. Many mental health professionals argue that these decisions have been based on prejudice and homophobia. The purpose of this study was to evaluate research on the sexual orientation of children raised by homosexual parents and review data on the mental/psychosexual health of these children. These studies revealed no difference between children raised by gay/lesbian parents versus those raised by heterosexual parents on IQ scores, gender identity, or …

Indicators Of Academic Success In A Medical Record Technology Program & Their Relationship To Attainment Of A Passing Score On The Accreditation Examination, Karen Sansom

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

During the selection and retention process in a medical record technology program, it is advantageous to identify those students who will fulfill the program's course requirements, as well as subsequently pass the accreditation examination. Graduates of such a program at Wbstern Kentucky University were studied to identify these demoaraphic and academic indicators. Using a stepwise multiple regression analysis, the variables of high school grade point average (GPA), college GPA, and composite ACT score were found to be significantly related to medical record GPA. Using the maximum Rsquare improvement technique, the variables of high school GPA, college GPA, age entering the …

Adolescent Smoking Status And Socioeconomic Dependence On The Tobacco Crop In Southeastern Kentucky, Gregory Colwell

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of the study was to quantify the relationship between adolescent smoking and economic dependence on the tobacco crop. A survey of 1322 students from a random sample of all secondary schools in four counties in southeastern Kentucky was performed. The survey gathered information concerning smoking behavior and social variables. Chi-square analysis was performed to assess the relationships between these variables in students from families who worked with tobacco and families who did not.

Chi square analysis of female adolescent smoking behavior revealed a significant association between the instances of adolescent smoking and age, friend smoking status and sibling …

The Effect Of Prospective Payment System On Coding Practices In Kentucky Hospitals, Doris Thayer

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of the prospective payment system on coding practices, resource allocations, quantitative and quantitative standards and organizational structure in medical record departments of 108 acute care, general medical and surgical hospitals in Kentucky.

The study results revealed changes in coding practices consistent with the demand under the prospective payment system for more timely, complete and accurate information for billing purposes. Additionally, accurate data were needed to establish a reliable case-mix data base upon which future reimbursement formulas would be based. Increases in human and capital resources, especially in the area of …

Effects Of Dietary Calcium Levels On Human Blood Pressures, Janice Mearkle

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The prevalence of hypertension in the U.S. and similar industrialized countries continues to rise. Millions of people are affected in America alone. Usual treatment includes a low sodium diet, weight loss if needed, and drug therapy. Some health providers also encourage stress management as an adjunct to therapy. These treatments have been shown to be effective but patient compliance continues to be poor. Past research has explored the relationships between dietary calcium and hypertension and has found that there is an interaction between blood calcium levels and high blood pressure. The research reported here was a test of the relationship …

Dental Care In Long-Term Care Facilities Of Warren County, Kentucky, Lesa Dean

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Many physical changes occur as one ages, including changes associated with the oral cavity. A review of the literature suggests that the provision of dental care to institutionalized elderly patients presents problems due to a variety of factors. The purpose of this study is to assess the level or dental care provided to residents of long-term care facilities located in Warren County, Kentucky. In addition, secondary objectives Include the ascertainment of who provides dental care to residents and the amount or in-service dental training made available to staff members of the facility.

Each administrator of the long term care facilities …

A Survey Of Health Promotion Activities Of Health Systems Agencies, Norma Schira

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The National Health Planning and Resources Development Act. Public Law 93-641, the last major step in the regulation of the health care system, created a network of health system agencies and state level health planning agencies. Subsequent legislation, the Health Planning and Resources Development Amendment 1929, Public Law 96-79, amended 1974 Law and changed the role and function of health systems agencies to include more regulatory activities. By 1981, the activities of Health System Agencies were being curtained by the action of the Reagan administration.

The Health promotion/wellness movement which seeks to improve health has been developing as a compliment …

A Need Assessment For A Four-Phase Cardiac Rehabilitation Program In Bowling Green, Kentucky, Steven Melia

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to assess the need for a four-phase cardiac rehabilitation program in Bowling Green, Kentucky, that would serve the South Central part of Kentucky, most specifically, the Barren River Area Development District (BRADD). This assessment was based on three questionnaires mailed to cardiac patients, area cardiologists and area hospital administrators.

Each population (patients, cardiologists and administrators) received separate questionnaires. The patient questionnaires consisted of three separate mailings: initial mailing, first follow-up, second follow-up. An interval of ten days separated each mailing. Follow-up phone calls to the cardiologists and the hospital administrators were employed for assurance …

A Comparison Of Selected Nutrition Factors Of Personal Care Residents With Nutrition For The Elderly Residents., Jill Kay Costin

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Persons in the Nutrition for the Elderly program in Barren River Area Development District in Kentucky and personal care residents at Lakeview Nursing Home, Morgantown, Kentucky, and Glasgow Rest Home, Glasgow, Kentucky participated I this study on a voluntary basis. The population consisted of an intact sample of sixty-eight persons: forty-six personal care residents (PC residents) and twenty-two Nutrition for the Elderly participants (NE participants). The Ne participants and Pc residents were compared to determine which received the best nutritional care. Selected parameters of nutritional assessment were compared for the two groups be means of a t test. The groups …

Selected Nutritional Practices Of Adult Males Residing In Sumner County, Tennessee, Mary Hayes

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this research was to determine selected nutritional practices of adult males. A survey instrument was developed to determine (a) what meals adult males ate and where these meals were eaten, (b) the level of activity of adult males in menu planning, food purchasing, and food preparation, (c) practices related to weight reduction, (d) practices related to nutrition of the family, and (e) selected demographic variables as related to nutritional practices.

The survey instrument was administered to 156 adult males who were members of civic organizations in Sumner County, Tennessee. The subjects ranged in age from 24 to …

An Evaluation For Modification (Shorter) Of The Kirby-Bauer Susceptibility Test, Walter Norris Jr.

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The Kirby-Bauer test for determining antibiotic effectiveness is widely used in laboratories. The 10 to 20 hour incubation time needed to obtain useful results is a disadvantage of that test. This experimental research was developed to test a modification which could provide useful results in 5 hours.

The modification employed in this experimental technique used an increased inoculum at a 1.0 McFarland standard instead of the customary 0.5 standard. The 2 to 5 hour incubation period in the trypticase soy broth was deleted. The Mueller Hinton plates were incubated for 5 hours and then observed for resistant and/or sensitive patterns. …

Effects Of Analgesia On The Newborn, Linda Roe

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Obstetric analgesia and anesthesia is an important concern today. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of analgesia used in labor and delivery on the mother and newborn. The information obtained in this study evaluated the amount, time and types of analgesia and the effects on the mother and the newborn.

Previous research has indicated adverse effects of analgesia and anesthesia on both mother and newborn, but conclusive results have not been obtained. Depressed respiratory function, increased use of oxygen, and low Apgar scores are among the effects reported for the newborn. Decreased uterine function, decreased satisfaction …

Occupational Injury Control Through System Safety Analysis - A Comparative Study, Victor Aeby

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The study was a comparative retrospective analysis to determine the effectiveness of MORT (Management Oversight and Risk Tree), a system safety method, in reducing the incidence and cost of occupational injuries occurring at the Tennessee Wheel and Rubber Company. Implementation of MORT on April 1, 1974 at the plant facility allowed for statistical comparison of accidents between the time periods April 1, 1972 through March 31, 1974 and April 1, 1974 through March 31, 1976.

Data on injury incidence were gathered by researching the company's worker compensation reports. Cost figures for injuries were drawn from computer printouts provided by the …

A Comparison Of Two Instructional Methods In Teaching An Introductory Course In Health, Charlotte Mitchell

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this research was to determine the effectiveness of the independent study method of instruction in promoting health knowledge and health attitude change. The experimental method was compared to the traditional classroom model of instruction.

A random sample of ten subjects was taken for the experimental group and matched control subjects were then selected. Control subjects were chosen based on the demographic variables of age, race, sex, academic classification and grade point average.

A pretest-posttest design using two standardized instruments was employed to measure the health knowledge gain and health attitude change. Data was statistically analyzed by use …

Leisure Preferences Of The Elderly In Bowling Green Nutrition Programs, Lawrence Prochazka

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The objective was to identify the leisure preferences of elderly in Bowling Green Nutrition Programs. This objective was to be accomplished through the utilization of a leisure preference test. Since no leisure preference test was found, the study was significant not only for the results obtained but also to evaluate this new test.

The test was designed after the format utilized in the Edwards Personal Preference Test. Major categories were selected and each was composed of five leisure opportunity statements. Each category was placed in opposition to every other category four times to comprise the test. A test was then …

A Philosophical Concept Of Patient Education In The Small Hospital, Michael Rush

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In recent years, many dramatic changes have occurred in the nation's health care delivery system, particularly in health education. The National Consumer Health Information and Promotion Act was enacted in 1976. In response to this legislation, the nation's health education efforts were greatly expanded through the creation of a Bureau of Health Education within the Center for Disease Control and establishment of the Office of Health Information and Promotion in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Department of Health, Education and Welfare. A National Center for Health Education was also established. Health education was prominently included among the …