Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

"Fueling For A Healthy Life:" A Cooking Class For Adolescent And Young Adult Childhood Cancer Survivors, Hope Dominique

Senior Theses

Following cancer treatment, childhood cancer survivors (CCS) are at an increased risk of developing chronic diseases and face an increased risk of health-related death during adulthood. Recent literature demonstrates that modifying lifestyle factors such as nutrition can reduce the risk of late mortality in survivors, suggesting that interventions promoting a healthy lifestyle may improve quality and quantity of life for CCS. However, many adolescent and young adult (AYA) CCS do not adhere to national dietary guidelines and face both real and perceived barriers to adopting healthier eating habits while in a critical period for establishing behaviors that contribute to lifelong …

Sit Less, Move More: A National Study Of Physical-Activity Behavior And Cancer, Stella O. Nwogugu

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Background: Physical activity is associated with lower risks of cancer, the second leading cause of death among Americans. Yet, sedentary behavior is the prevailing lifestyle for about 80% of American adults. Additionally, cancer survivors remain significantly inactive, even though physical activity has been shown to decrease risk of cancer and cancer recurrence, improve tolerance of cancer therapy, and reduce mortality. This research explores the relative impact of personal agency, social support, and key demographic variables on physical-activity behavior for a national sample of adults as well as how these relationships differ for cancer survivors and their counterparts.

Methods: Using the …

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 …

Comparison Of Mortality Data From Nebraska’S Rural & Metropolitan Health Districts, Claire Figi

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

As there has been minimal research done on the correlation between communities identified as rural or metropolitan and their mortality rates, this research aims to provide baseline evidence that mortality rates associated with non-infectious and infectious diseases are connected to an area’s rural or metropolitan classification. This study analyzed public data from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and the Center for Disease Control to compare mortality rates related to the top two causes of death in both rural and metropolitan health districts of the state of Nebraska, United States. This data was then compared to mortality rates …

Hpv Vaccination In Females: The Role Of Primary Health Care And Primary Health Care Providers, Brooke Bouza

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Two reasons for subpar coverage of the Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine are missed clinical opportunities and nonacceptance of the vaccine upon recommendation from a medical provider. The purpose of study one was to examine factors associated with access and adherence to physician’s recommendations in association with HPV vaccine uptake. Data were obtained from National Health Interview Survey (2017). Variables theoretically related to clinical opportunities and adherence to physician’s recommendations were examined in association with HPV vaccine uptake. Univariate logistic regressions were run to determine the associations between the aforementioned variables and uptake of the HPV vaccine. Multinomial logistic regressions were …

Exploring The Experience Of Psychological Distress For Young Adults With Cancer: Implications For A New Diagnosis Of Medical Traumatic Stress, Audrey Ryan

Counseling and Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate how a serious medical diagnosis, such as cancer, can act as an acute or prolonged trauma. This was explored through the lived experiences of psychological distress of young cancer survivors. Participants were 12 men and women who had been diagnosed with cancer within the past seven years when they were between the ages of 18 and 39. From these interviews several themes emerged that describe the phenomenon of what I have termed medical traumatic stress.

Trauma from a medical event does not currently meet criteria for PTSD in the DSM-5 …

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.

Sun Prevention Fun (Spf): A Multicomponent Sun Prevention Program For Children In Kindergarten And First Grade, Sarah Gouker

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Skin cancer is an important topic in the United States due to the recent increase in cost and mortality. The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to determine if the early implementation of a multicomponent sun prevention program positively impacted kindergarten and first grade students’ knowledge and behavioral intentions to practice safe sun techniques after a one week period. Kotter’s Model of Change and the ACE Star model were utilized to guide this EBP project. An exhaustive review of the literature yielded 12 articles which were used to develop best practices for education on sun safety. The quality …

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 …

Antidepressant Use And Risk Of Colorectal Cancer In The Women's Health Initative, Jenna F. Kiridly

Masters Theses

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer among U.S. women; 63,610 new cases were estimated to have occurred in 2015. Prior studies found a reduced risk of colorectal cancer among antidepressant (AD) users, however, none adjusted for depression, which is itself linked to increased colorectal cancer risk and could confound this relationship. We assessed the relationship between ADs and AD drug classes with risk of colorectal cancer in a prospective cohort of 145,190 women between the ages of 50-79 without a previous history of cancer at enrollment. Current AD use was assessed at baseline. Over an average follow-up of …

Short-Term Outcome Evaluation Of Healthy Habits, Healthy U: A School-Based Cancer Prevention Program, Alicia Anderson

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Healthy Habits, Healthy U (HHHU) is a school-based cancer prevention program. This program is a collaborative effort among Boise State University, St. Luke’s Mountain States Tumor Institute, and the Boise School District. HHHU started in April 2013 as a community outreach initiative designed to teach and reinforce positive health habits in students. HHHU lessons target eighth-grade students and offer a unique approach highlighting the relationships among nutrition, physical activity, sugar-sweetened beverages, and cancer risks, through a variety of educational materials.

The purpose of this study was to assess program efficacy by evaluating short-term outcomes. The study evaluated the effectiveness of …