Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Social Capital Variables As Predictors Of Hiv Risk-Taking Behaviors Among Sub-Saharan African Immigrants In The United States, Gbadebo Ogundiran Ogungbade

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Vulnerable populations, including immigrants, are often at risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection because of their risk-taking behaviors. This study investigated risk-taking behavior for HIV infection among Sub-Saharan African (SSA) immigrants in United States. Using social capital as a theoretical foundation, the study aimed to address the question, is there any association between social capital assets of educational opportunity, employment, and eligibility for social assistance and HIV risk-taking behavior, defined as condom use before sex (CUBS) among SSA immigrant in the U.S? Potential participants were recruited through religious and social organizations in a southwestern US state. The survey generated …

The Effects Of An Integrated Behavioral Health Initiative On The Behavior Of Providers In An Ob/Gyn Primary Care Clinic, Dean Moritz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The separation between behavioral services and traditional medicine is increasingly being seen as counterproductive on personal and societal levels. Despite this, there has been little research examining how integrated models blending mental and physical health services could be implemented. The literature revealed that behavioral interventions have been incorporated into traditional medical treatments, but this often has been piecemeal in nature and has yielded equivocal results. This study examined the assertion that effective integration between behavioral and medical services will increase the standard of care for the patient. Integration in this study was accomplished by colocating a psychologist on the primary …

The Responses Of Bamenda Disability Organizations To Hiv And Aids: A Multiple Case Study, Lynn Cockburn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Cameroon, many disabled people (an estimated 10-20% of the population) have inadequate access to education and health care, and disabled people's organizations (DPOs) are advocating for social change. Yet, there is a scarcity of information regarding how African DPOs address HIV and AIDS. The purpose of this study was to assess how DPOs in Cameroon have responded to AIDS in the disabled population and to identify strategies to enable DPOs to manage AIDS issues. This study was guided by the complex adaptive systems theory as the theoretical framework. The research questions focused on what DPOs have done to develop …

Perceptions Of Leadership Effectiveness In The Management Of Intergenerational Work-Values Conflict: An Antecedent Of Organizational Citizenship Behavior Of Perioperative Registered Nurses, Patricia G. Wright

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Studies reveal a progressive net decrease in the nursing profession across four generations, creating a shortage that poses a critical threat to the health care delivery system and to the health and safety of patients within that system. Research also suggests that generational cohorts reflect social change in attitudes toward work-life balance, organizational commitment, personal-professional relationships, autonomy, focus on career advancement, and actions that represent organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Previous research grounded in theoretical frameworks of organizational behavior, leadership, and social capital indicates that leadership support of workforce diversity and effectiveness in conflict management influence OCB. However, little research explores …

Promoting Breast Cancer Screening Among Chinese American Women Through Young Children's Theatrical Performance, Angela Sun

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has revealed that underutilization of breast cancer screening by ethnic minorities often is related to language difficulties and cultural values and beliefs about cancer. The problem addressed in this secondary data analysis was the late diagnosis of breast cancer in the Chinese immigrant community. The purpose of the quasi-experimental study was to test the efficacy of a theatrical preschool performance, guided by the diffusion of innovation theory, in educating Chinese American women about breast cancer detection. The research questions sought to determine whether the performance increased the participants' knowledge of breast cancer screening guidelines and whether country of origin, …

Locus Of Control And Adjustment To Vision Loss Among People With Age Related Macular Degeneration, Delinda Stinnette

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

People aged 65 and older account for 12.8% of the population and for 30% of all visually impaired individuals. Age-related Macular Degeneration (ARMD) has been identified as a significant public health issue, with a potential 8 million Americans at risk. While the literature supports a connection between LOC and adaptation to ARMD, there is a gap in the current literature supporting this relationship even when other factors are controlled (i.e. age, sex, education, type of ARMD, when diagnosed, the use of medical treatments, the use of visual assistance devices, participant engagement in rehabilitation, and depression). The present survey study used …

A Case Study Of Factors Influencing Health Benefit Offerings By Small Businesses, Richard J. Dahlkemper

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

If the United States is turning to consumer-driven health plans to control costs and improve access, research is needed regarding the perception of such plans among small businesses. Nearly half of Americans are employed by small businesses where access to health insurance has declined most rapidly. Reviews of the literature revealed solid theoretical bases for high expectations regarding the diffusion of consumer-driven health plans among small businesses, but relatively little information was found regarding the attitudes of small businesses toward emerging health plan models. Qualitative case studies of 6 small employers in the Ogden, Utah, area were conducted to address …

Faces In The Mirror: Exploring Conflict Styles Of Adults In School Communities Using The Face -Negotiation Theory, Christine D. Gross

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This correlation study focused on the lack of understanding of the relationship between social self-image "face" and conflict styles among adult employees on school campuses. An individual's social self-image may involve concerns for the social representation of oneself, another individual, or a relationship. Limited research pertaining to the degree face concerns affect conflict styles within school communities is a problem for school administrators because conflict styles can influence conflict outcomes and impact workplace quality on school campuses. This study relied on Ting-Toomey's face-negotiation theory, which proposes that individuals prefer conflict styles based upon face concerns. Research questions explored correlations between …

Factors Affecting Retention Of Veteran Classroom Teachers: A Q -Method Study, Theresa Hollingsworth Hafen Corry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teacher attrition compromises efforts to provide a quality teacher in every classroom, and attrition brings high financial and organizational costs to school districts. Yet, there are few studies on retention of veteran teachers. Within a framework of economic, organization, and attrition theories, the purpose of this study was to provide a clearer focus on factors that contribute to the retention of veteran teachers using Q-methodology. The independent variables were 49 participants from a large school district in the southwest United States. The dependent variable was the Q-sample of multiple factors. Using previous literature, a concourse was developed. The P-sample of …

Intuitive Decisions As A Means Of Preventing Medical Errors, Lynette M. Savage

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Medical errors occur despite precautionary measures. Limited research has focused on intuition in preventing medical errors. The problem addressed in this study explored the role of intuition by health care team members in preventing medical errors from reaching hospitalized patients. The research questions focused on the differences in response to medical errors by health care team members from 3 West Coast hospitals. The theoretical framework included human error, personality typing, skill acquisition, and a model of intuition. In this exploratory mixed method study 1,836 unusual occurrence reports submitted over 6 months were analyzed. Of the 710 health care team members …

Personality Traits, Self -Efficacy Of Job Performance, And Susceptibility To Stress As Predictors Of Academic Performance Of Nurse Education Programs, Nancy Wilson-Soga

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The United States is experiencing a shortage of registered nurses, and institutions of higher education are unable to graduate enough prepared nurses to reduce this employment shortage. A significant relationship between personality traits and academic performance has been found; however, how personality traits combine with students' self-efficacy of job performance and stress susceptibility to impact nursing students' academic performance has yet to be demonstrated. This study, grounded in the five-factor model (FFM) of personality traits, self-efficacy, and stress theories, sought to determine whether self-assessments of the NEO-Five Factor Inventory, the Nursing Practice Self-Efficacy survey, and the Susceptibility Under Stress Survey …

Foodborne Or Pandemic: An Analysis Of The Transmission Of Norovirus-Associated Gastroenteritis And The Role Of Food Handlers, M. S. Dreyfuss

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study examined the strength of association between food workers and food to norovirus in comparison to bacteria associated with foodborne-related gastroenteritis by whether norovirus had a direct (physical evidence), indirect (statistical evidence), or suspect (neither of the two) association with food or food handlers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers norovirus to cause the largest number of foodborne-related gastroenteritis cases in the United States. The association of norovirus with foodborne outbreaks through its information data collection form focuses on the food worker as the typical source. Yet, many outbreaks are not foodborne in nature. The gap in …

Understanding Middle School Students' Perspectives Regarding Physical Activity And Fitness, Susan Yesalonia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research confirms inactivity increases in adolescence and that unfit youth are at risk of acquiring cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, or other significant physical disorders later in life. Thus, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the experience of chronically inactive children who were exposed to an exercise intervention program. The specific focus of the research was to better understand the essential educational needs of the participants and the effective elements of the program, Moving for Fun (MFF), a 7-week after-school fitness intervention program designed to modify chronic inactivity. Open-ended interviews and 3 observations were conducted with 8 middle …

Beliefs And Attitudes Regarding Health -Enhancing Behaviors In African American And Caucasian Women, Cassaundra Murray

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A disproportionate number of African American (AA) women are overweight, obese, and more likely to have weight related health concerns compared with Caucasian (C) women. Previous research indicates perception about health-enhancing behaviors influences AA females' health behavior. A gap exists in the current literature regarding AA women's perception of eating and exercise behavior and the impact social support has on AA women's adherence to USDA recommendations. The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to examine AA women's weight locus of control, perceived susceptibility to weight related diseases, and perceived barriers to healthy eating and exercise relative to C women; …

Intrapersonal And Community-Related Influences Of Rural Adolescent Pregnancy: A Mixed-Method Approach, Kimberly Becknel Brodie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The majority of data on adolescent pregnancy pertains to urban communities, therefore, the individual and social influences associated with adolescent pregnancy in rural communities have not been extensively explored. The pregnancy rate among adolescent women aged 15 to 19 in rural Vance County, North Carolina, is 113.7 per 1,000, nearly twice the state average. This sequential mixed-method study used the social ecological model to evaluate the intrapersonal and community-related factors associated with adolescent pregnancy in this rural area. A quantitative survey assessed intrapersonal factors, namely sexual health knowledge, sex-related attitudes, and self-esteem in pregnant or parenting and nonpregnant or nonparenting …

A Comparison Of Lifestyle Intervention Sessions And Clinical Screening As Motivators In The South Dakota Wisewoman Program, Jacy Clarke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

WISEWOMAN (WW) is a comprehensive program for medically underserved women in South Dakota (SD), aged 30 to 64, which aims to reduce morbidity and mortality from chronic diseases. Screening services include blood total cholesterol, blood pressure and blood glucose, and body mass index (BMI). Lifestyle intervention (LSI) sessions are also offered to address physical activity and nutrition. The purpose of this retrospective longitudinal study was to quantitatively examine whether the combination of LSI's and clinical screenings or clinical screenings alone lead to improvements in blood pressure, blood glucose, total cholesterol, and/or BMI at rescreening 10 to14 months from initial screening. …

Factors Related To Caring For The Elderly Among Three Generations Of Nurses, Joanna Fairley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Three generations of registered nurses make up the current nursing workforce: Baby boomers, Gen X, and Gen Y. Each generation brings its own values, behaviors, and beliefs to the workplace. The generational diversity among nurses needs to be assessed along with other factors, such as social values of the elderly, anxiety toward aging, and practice settings, to examine how each factor impacts registered nurses' attitudes toward caring for the elderly. An exploration of these factors is significant to nurse leaders, since nurses have been known to display negative attitudes toward the elderly. The theoretical foundation for this study was based …

Personal And Professional Spirituality: Muslim Social Workers' Perspectives, Cheryl W. El-Amin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research in the area of religion and spirituality in social work practice is lacking minority practitioner representation. This phenomenological study explored the questions of how American Muslim social workers define and experience the religious/spiritual, and perceive the propriety of integrating either, in practice. Ibn Khaldun and Durkheim, early social theorists, suggested that group feeling and affiliation impact personal and professional perception and decision making. American societal views of Muslims are often negative and uninformed. A group of 15 Muslim practitioners with bachelor's or more advanced degrees in social work were recruited through a survey administered via an Internet survey site. …

The Lived Experience Of Hiv-Positive Tanzanian Orphans, Carol A. Parker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this investigation was to generate a context- specific model of the lived experience of HIV positive Tanzanian orphans. With the advent of anti-retroviral drugs, Sub-Saharan African populations with high burdens of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) face annually accumulating increases in the number of HIV positive children, and ultimately adults. Perinatally infected, these children often become orphans while still young. Extended interviews were performed with a purposive sample of 12 HIV infected orphaned children between 9 and 12 years of age. Half of the research participants lived in an orphanage and half were children living with guardians in …

The Application Of Learning Organization Principles To Church Growth, Colleen S. Bryan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While many studies showed evidence of the use of learning organization theory in a variety of venues, these theories have been studied in a limited capacity in church settings. This research attempted to substantiate the presence of learning organization principles in churches experiencing growth, and to refine a tool to measure these characteristics in churches. Relationships and strengths of association between and among 3 learning organization principles of leadership, job structure and systems, and performance and development, and degrees of growth defined as negative, plateau, and positive growth were examined in a sample of Nazarene churches via a revised survey …

Application At The Bedside: Moving From Knowing How To Knowing Why In Nursing, Joyel J. Brule

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The nursing field is beginning to emerge as a profession with curricula that emphasis nursing as a discipline distinguished from a medically dominated paradigm. This changing focus places emphasis on professional competence upon graduation and entry into practice to foster fitness for purpose within an environment of continuously changing expectations of the nurse by society. Despite a growing body of research on transition into practice, a gap exists as to when this transition occurs and how this finding may influence educational preparation of nurses. This qualitative, exploratory study examined nurses’ perceptions of their transformation from novice to professional practitioner by …

Academic Incentives Impact On Increasing Seventh -Graders Physical Activity During Leisure Time, Jeffrey Scott Brinker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Recent research clearly demonstrates that a decrease of physical activity has occurred among young people. Hence, the purpose of this study was to examine the impact of external motivation on physical activity. Drawn from self-determination theory, the specific research question examined if academic incentives effectively motivated 7th grade students to participate in a 3-week fitness program. A quasi-experimental pre-post design examined treatment and control groups drawn from a sample of 24 students from three physical education classes. The treatment group received academic incentives whereas the control group received no external incentives but were asked to complete the same fitness Program. …

Prognostic Factors Of Varying Treatment Outcomes For Onychomycosis (Nail Fungal Infection) Patients, Bin Cai

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Prevalence of onychomycosis, as high as 26.9% in the general population, can be reduced by improving current antifungal treatment. This could be accomplished by understanding prognostic factors, especially healthy nail growth, associated with achieving complete cure. This population-based study aimed to evaluate if healthy nail length or percentage of total full nail length as healthy can be early indictors for complete cure. Logistics regression analyses were performed by comparing variables between a population who achieved the complete cure and a population who failed after both populations received the same antifungal treatment in two large randomized double-blinded clinical trials that assessed …

Beliefs, Perceptions, And Preferences For Treatment In Latinas With Breast Cancer, Barbara Ann Kreling

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research documents that breast cancer is the leading cause of death in Latina females. The exact numbers are unknown, but studies reveal that Latinas with breast cancer underuse recommended follow-up chemotherapy, decreasing their rates of survival. Although several factors may be responsible, cultural influences are a possible barrier. However, there is a gap in the literature about how culture affects decisions about breast cancer treatment. This focused ethnographic study examined the role of cultural beliefs and perceptions in the decision-making process for Latina women about whether or not to receive chemotherapy following a breast cancer diagnosis. Drawing from Douglas' cultural …

Predictors Of Middle School Girls' Engagement In Suspendable School Offenses., Barbara Harlow Cavanaugh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite research evidence that social context and personal characteristics are related to girls' violent behavior, little is known about the relative contribution of such antecedents. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the relative strength of predictors of school violence among a sample of middle school girls. Of special interest were the intervening variables, because knowledge of their relative strength could enable schools to design targeted interventions to reduce school violence. Social learning theory formed the theoretical foundation for the study. A four-part survey consisting of sociodemographic items, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, an amended version of the Attitudes …

The Correlation Between The Levels Of Education Of Clinical Laboratory Personnel And The Accuracy Of Peripheral Blood Smear Results, Susan J. Leclair

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study correlated the performance accuracy of peripheral blood differentials evaluated by clinical laboratory scientists and clinical laboratory technicians. Fifty-one senior-year students from four clinical laboratory science baccalaureate programs and 37 second-year students from five clinical laboratory technician programs were given 10 peripheral blood differentials to perform. Results were compared to the values assigned by the Rajamaki method of proficiency testing. There was a significant discrepancy in the levels of accuracy between the two cohorts, suggesting that the results of peripheral blood differentials performed by clinical laboratory technicians is suspect. Facilities wishing to maintain or improve the quality of laboratory …

The Influence Of Antimicrobial Use On Bacterial Resistance, James T. Griffith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Antimicrobial resistance is becoming an increasingly serious problem accompanied by relatively few studies examining the relationship between use and resistance. The present study undertakes a twenty year analysis of antimicrobial production and factors affecting antimicrobial use for a particular microorganism (Stp. faecalis)/antimicrobial agent (Cephalothin) combination. The period is inclusive of the market introduction of the agent and considerate of prescribing practices to the present time. The accumulated data reveal that there is indeed a relationship between total drug availability (medicinal, agricultural) and increased antimicrobial resistance. The data also suggest that national (or global) use changes would likely have a long …

The Effect Of Kinesthetic And Demonstration Techniques Of Instruction Upon Standing Broad Jump Performance, Howard Philip Meyer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A test of standing broad jump ability was administered to ninety-three sixth grade boys to compare the kinesthetic and demonstration methods of instruction. The subjects were classified on the Neilson-Cozens Classification Index and divided into three groups. The first group received the kinesthetic method of instruction, the second group was instructed using the demonstration method, and the third group did not receive any formal instruction.

The data were examined by computing the mean and standard deviation of each pre-test and post-test group. The mean and standard deviation of the pre-test scores were 60.61 and 7.589. The mean and standard deviation …

Health Counseling For The Overweigh Adolescent Girl, Elizabeth J. Handley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was undertaken for the purpose of seeing how a health counseling program for overweight adolescent girls could be developed in a secondary high school setting. Initially, the study developed out of an awareness and concern for the problem of obesity among teenage girls, especially those in a secondary school. To provide a strong background for the use in both planning and executing a health counseling program, the study reviewed the health literature dealing especially with several topics:

a. The prevalence of obesity.

b. The relationship of obesity to mental and physical health.

c. The influence of food faddisms …

A Curriculum For The Profoundly Retarded Children In A Development Center For Handicapped Minors, Charles William Koontz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The development of the infant from birth to four years will approximately parallel the stages of development of the profoundly retarded children enrolled in the Development Centers for Handicapped Minors ( DCHM ) in California. The retarded child is a human being and may be assumed to have the same basic equipment as the normal child. If we expand and prolong the development stated of the normal child we will be able to lead the DCHM child through these states in slow motion to insure progress.

To develop a curriculum, an assessment of the abilities of the child was necessary. …