Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Identification Of Possible Vectors For Histomoniasis In Turkeys On Commercial Farms In Arkansas And Oklahoma, Treva Dillon

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Histomonas meleagridis, is a parasitic protozoan, commonly found in the gallinaceous species of birds and is the causative agent of Blackhead disease. The cecal worm, known as Heteraskis gallinarum, acts as a vector in the spread of H. meleagridis in gallinaceous birds. H. meleagridis develops inside the cecal worm and in its eggs which allows H. meleagridis a method to survive in the environment. Blackhead disease causes high mortality rates in both chickens and turkeys; however, turkeys are noted to have a higher mortality rate compared to chickens. Molecular diagnostic testing such as PCR has been developed by creating primers …

The Clinical Healthcare Provided To Homeless Communities Across The United States: A Literature Review, Saylor Sisemore

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Homelessness has become a global public health concern as it results in poorer physical and mental health than age-matched people living in permanent housing (Ortiz & Roser, 2017). The area that comprises Northwest Arkansas (NWA), like other areas of the United States experiencing rapid growth, has seen a marked increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness in recent years. The homeless population is one of the most vulnerable and underserved groups of individuals in NWA and beyond. Public health nursing as a discipline is dedicated to providing compassionate care and exceptional service for all members of communities, with special …

Perceived Barriers To Health Care Access And Delivery Among Arkansas Medicaid Beneficiaries, Kimbra D. Butler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Arkansas has historically been one of the lowest ranking states in the United States in education, economy, opportunity, crime and corrections, and health care. Though more than 3 million Arkansans live in the state, nearly 1 million receive Medicaid-funded health insurance. This phenomenological study employed a constructivist paradigm and focused on the perceptions of underserved Arkansans regarding their health and their access to health care; additionally, within this study, the Health Belief Model shifted the study’s focus to individuals’ perspectives, perceptions, experiences, and opinions through interview responses. The research was intended to identify factors that may relate to the higher …

Recovering From Substance Abuse In Arkansas: The Accessibility And Affordability Of Drug Treatment Programs, Whitney King

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is going to examine how people recover from drug addiction and see if there are any similarities due to their socioeconomic statuses at the time of recovery. This research addresses the following questions: How accessible and affordable are drug addiction recovery programs and rehabilitation facilities in Arkansas for mid- to low-income individuals? What are the social costs for people who can’t obtain drug rehabilitation services? The goal of this research is to explore whether there is a lack of affordable recovery programs in the state of Arkansas. This project utilizes survey responses as well as in-depth interviews with …

Breastfeeding In Public: Knowledge And Perceptions On A University Campus, Jessica Tracy Weiss

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Research has shown that exclusive breastfeeding is the best source of nutrition for most infants and offers numerous physical and psychosocial benefits for the newborn and mother. Returning to work or attending university courses and maintaining exclusive breastfeeding is a challenge due to barriers such as time, private space, and public perception of breastfeeding in public. The aim of our study is to provide data, identify barriers and assess education needs to support breastfeeding mothers on a university campus. This study utilizes an adapted version of the Breastfeeding Behavior Questionnaire (BBQ), the Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale (IIFAS), and knowledge …

Racial Disparities In Hypertension Self-Awareness And Hospitalizations For Hypertension-Related Illnesses Among Adult Arkansans, Chimfumnanya Nwanze-Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Black individuals in the United States are twice as likely as White individuals to die of cardiovascular diseases. Between 2010 and 2016 in Arkansas (AR), hypertension (HTN) and HTN-related diseases had an age-adjusted death rate of 230.4 deaths per 100,000 population compared to 173.6 deaths per 100,000 population for Whites. The purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional study was to explore the potential association between HTN self-awareness and emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalization rates for HTN and HTN-related illnesses between Black and White individuals in AR. The socioecological framework was used to explore sociodemographic (SDF) and socioeconomic (SES) factors as …

Addressing Barriers To Maternal Healthcare For Marshallese Islanders In Northwest Arkansas: An Internship Experience, Victoria Richardson

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

The Marshallese community is a rapidly growing population in Northwest Arkansas. Approximately 12,000 people migrated from the Marshall Islands and settled in the state of Arkansas due to the signing of the Compact of Free Association (COFA) in 1986. Although the population in Northwest Arkansas is experiencing rapid growth, there are significant health disparities that coincide with it. Due to vast cultural differences, language barriers, low economic status, and political barriers, the Marshallese community suffers from prenatal health inequalities and poor maternal and fetal outcomes, including low birth-weight infants, premature births, and increased infant mortality. During my internship, I provided …

A Bilingual Approach To Pediatric Occupational Therapy: The Importance Of Communication Between Providers & Spanish-Speaking Families In Northwest Arkansas, Emily Ann Davidson

World Languages, Literatures and Cultures Undergraduate Honors Theses

Due to the demographic demands of Northwest Arkansas and the prevalence of disparities in health care, this study aims to assess the current practices, perceived need, and willingness to provide bilingual Spanish-English outpatient pediatric occupational therapy options in Northwest Arkansas. The hope of this study is to better inform pediatric occupational therapy providers of the growing need for bilingual services so that they may respond appropriately in order to better serve Latino and Spanish-speaking patients and their families or caregivers.

Crumbling Foundations: The Case For Prioritizing Self-Care Among Educational Leaders, Joshua Brent Ray

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There is a potentially dangerous disassociation between human behavior, decision-making, and ethics and the notion that these fundamental aspects of what it means to be human originate simply as the functions of an organ. A deeper knowledge of the operation and limitations of the brain suggests biological input could possess the ability to unknowingly alter human behavior and effectiveness. This study utilizes a research-based understanding of the implications of human health and self-care habits on neurological, psychological, and behavioral function to examine the current practices of educational administrators across Arkansas while exploring systemic and job-based factors within the profession that …

Increasing Low-Income Residents’ Access To Fresh Produce Through A Local Mobile Pantry, Laura Wasson

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Seeds that Feed (STF) is a mobile food pantry located in Fayetteville, Arkansas. STF receives produce from local farmers to distribute to residents in low-income housing sites throughout Northwest Arkansas. According to Feeding America, food insecurity affected 14.3% Washington County, Arkansas’ population in 2016. The purpose of this study was to determine if STF’s model is an effective way to increase individuals’ access to fresh fruits and vegetables and increase their potential to meet the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Patterns (USDA-FP) for to fruit and vegetable consumption. Twenty-three participants from three sites completed the study. A survey was …

Implementing An Honors Nonprofit Internship: Hub Of Hope, Janet Wagner

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Human trafficking is the term used to describe modern-day slavery, which is a global problem, but it is also present here in the United States. During this last year, I have worked with the Northwest Arkansas nonprofit Hub of HOPE. This organization, founded in 2016 by Jennifer Sorey, supports victims of human trafficking and raises awareness by educating Arkansans on the pervasiveness of human trafficking and its implications for our community. As part of my work, I completed the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner training to understand how to work with human trafficking victims who are also victims of sexual assault …

Shifting Abortion Attitudes Using An Empathy-Based Media Intervention: A Randomized Controlled Study, Mary Ellen Hunt

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

U.S. abortion restrictions diminish access and perpetuate a culture of hostility toward abortion seekers. Support for restrictions is high—potentially, because restriction knowledge is low and attitudes are complex. The current study focused on knowledge and support of restrictions and empathy for abortions seekers among Arkansans. The purpose was to evaluate the effectiveness of a video intervention intended to increase awareness of Arkansas abortion restrictions and induce empathy for abortion seekers.

Using a randomized controlled trial with pre-, post-, and follow-up design, a sample of Arkansans (N = 369) were randomly assigned to one of five video conditions--either a control or …

Everybody’S Working (But The Weakened): An Assessment Of Medicaid Work Requirements And Their Administrative Burdens, Samuel Misleh

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Although Medicaid work requirements are currently halted in both Arkansas and Kentucky, this analysis utilizes the data available to make an assessment and estimate of what Kentucky’s Medicaid enrollment will look like if work requirements similar to those Arkansas had are ever implemented. The relative severity of the administrative burden of such requirements provide a tool for comparison, and a difference-in-differences analysis of the change in Medicaid enrollment between Arkansas and West Virginia, a state that has not implemented and currently has no plans to implement Medicaid work requirements, provide the bases for this estimate. After coding the work requirements …

School Nurses' Knowledge And Perceived Role In Mental Health Issues, Kayla Bakker

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background:

There are 74.5 million children in the United States, 17.1 million currently or have previously dealt with a mental disorder (Children’s Mental Health, 2015). Unfortunately, the negative stigma associated with mental health often causes those affected to not seek treatment. School nurses are on the front line of public health problems and deliver safe, effective evidence-based practice to their communities. To rebuild our broken mental health system, community nurses need to build upon school mental health services and encourage more in-school programs (Stephan, Weist, Kataoka, Adelsheim, & Mills, 2007). School nurses must be included in the discussion when …

Elementary School Teachers' Student Health Concerns And Knowledge Of Resources, Aubrey Gahagan

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Teachers are with their students an average of seven to 10 hours a day, five days a week. The substantial amount of time teachers spend with their students allows them to provide helpful insight into health problems children face. The purpose of this study was to identify elementary school teachers’ concerns for student health and to assess their knowledge of resources that address those health concerns. A convenient sample of 86 teachers from three elementary schools in Northwest Arkansas was surveyed. Surveys were used to identify the three main concerns teachers have for their students. A cross-sectional design was used …

A Survey Of A Rural Southwest Arkansas Baptist Church On Attitudes Toward Nutrition And Physical Activity In The Church, Elizabeth Fast

Honors Theses

Background: The Christian Protestant church is known for its dedication to the spiritual well-being of its members. It is also known for its outreach and charity efforts in the community. A large need in the community is health behavior interventions, but more research is needed to assess the appropriateness and the receptiveness of the church to promoting health interventions.

Objective: The purpose of this research was done to evaluate current research regarding health behaviors in the church and contribute to the existing data by conducting a survey of a Baptist church in Southwest Arkansas.

Methods: The study was …

The Emotional Cost Of Caring: Compassion Fatigue Experienced By Nurse Staff On An Inpatient Geriatric Behavioral Health Unit, Susan Annette Campbell

Theses and Dissertations from 2017

Purpose: Research studies on the prevalence of compassion fatigue (CF) in nursing have been conducted in various clinical settings. There has been limited empirical research conducted on nurses working within the geriatric behavioral health setting, which can present increased nursing challenges related to the chronic health problems of aging coupled with acute behavioral health crises. The purpose of this quantitative, descriptive research study was to identify the prevalence of CF in RN and LPN staff within an inpatient geriatric behavioral health unit setting in two comparably sized hospitals. Design/Methods: An electronic survey design (consisting of demographics and the ProQOL v. …

Implementing The Alive! Behavioral Intervention Program In Phillips County, Arkansas, Raeschell Williams

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

The Arkansas Department of Health proposes implementing the Alive! behavioral intervention program in Phillips County, Arkansas to decrease the prevalence of obesity in this community. Alive!, A Lifestyle Intervention Via Email, is an evidence-bases, email-derived, worksite intervention focused on reducing saturated fats, increasing fruit and vegetable intake, and increasing physical activity. As an email-based program, participants will receive weekly emails tailored to their individual goals with reminder emails delivered during the week with small-step goals to help the participant achieve their larger goal. As the country with the highest prevalence of obesity and second highest prevalence of obesity in 2014, …

Comparisons Of Selected Household And Commercial Disinfectants Against Poultry Salmonella Isolates And A Survey Of Internal Parasites In Backyard Poultry In Arkansas, Kayleigh Moyle

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Backyard and exhibition poultry have been gaining in popularity and as such there has been a large increase in the number of small flocks. As the interaction with poultry has increased, so has the opportunity for diseases and parasites, for both birds and people. One of the major zoonotic illnesses is caused by the bacteria Salmonella, which can be found in commercial and small flocks. Salmonella is the number 2 contributor of foodborne illnesses so its prevalence in commercial flocks is of high concern. Despite improved cleaning, disinfection, and biosecurity practices, there is still potential for disease outbreaks and infections …

Toddlers And Technology: An Examination Of How The Digital Surround May Be Related To Prototypic Vocabulary Development And Social Interactions During Play, Hannah Biarnesen Hutcheson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to examine how the digital technology that surrounds young children may be related to prototypic vocabulary development and Social interactions during play. Twenty-six families in the Northwest Arkansas region with children between 15-36 months of age participated in the study. Thirteen children attended a campus preschool, six children attended a grant-funded local preschool, and seven children, all from the Northwest Arkansas area, were part of an earlier home-based study. The materials for the study included a developmental-technology use questionnaire and the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories. Archival videotaped play sessions with the seven home-based children utilized a “Little …

Disparities In Arkansas Mandated Immunization Coverage Among Natural Home And Foster-Care Adolescents, Jerome Essono Ngundue

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Anecdotal evidence indicated vaccine coverage disparities among foster-care (FCA) and natural-home adolescents (NHA). Arkansas laws require 5 vaccines for school entry (FVSE) to prevent 9 common childhood diseases. The study problem was that Pulaski County, Arkansas adolescent birth cohort (PCABC) immunization rates were low compared to U.S. adolescents for these FVSE. This study examined the extent to which (1) PCABC immunization rates were significantly different from those estimated for U.S. adolescents in 2006–2008, (2) NHA and FCA immunization rates were different in 2003– 2008; (3) sociodemographic variables mediate associations between home of residence (HOR), NHA or FCA, and up to …

A Community-Based Participatory Approach To Understanding Health Beliefs, Policies, Barriers, And Solutions Related To The Health Disparities Of Marshallese Cofa Migrants In Arkansas., Pearl Anna Mcelfish

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Public policies have different effects on different populations groups and can perpetuate health disparities among some populations. My research utilizes community-based participatory approach to research in the examination of one unique population: the Marshallese. This dissertation research presents three papers that are part of a cohesive research agenda predicated on community-based participatory research (CBPR) to facilitate policy-oriented learning. My research can be used to inform health policy, health care services, and health education. Chapter Two presents the article titled: Health Beliefs of US Marshallese Regarding Type 2 Diabetes.

This article explores the research question: what health beliefs related to diabetes …

Postcolonialism And The Marshallese Diaspora: Structural Violence And Health In The Marshallese Community In Springdale, Arkansas, Alexander J. Hirata

Master's Theses

Despite moving to the United States for better healthcare, among other benefits, Marshallese Compact of Free Association (COFA) migrants residing in Springdale, Arkansas continue to face similar acute health problems as Marshallese living in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), and often without access to health services. These problems include high rates of noncommunicable diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and thyroid cancer, as well as rare conditions such as Hansen’s Disease.

To research this, I studied the limited texts surrounding the Marshallese diaspora, as well as relevant bodies of literature: postcolonialism, Pacific migration theory, and global health and …

Parental Perceptions Of Their Child's Speech And Language Development, Jana M. Keasler

Honors Theses

This thesis discusses parental knowledge of their child's speech and language development. To assess this topic, a survey was administered to 104 parents of preschool children in Arkadelphia, AR. The survey asked general questions concerning speech and language development in children . Results revealed that parents, regardless of income level or education level, have minimal knowledge of speech and language development in their children. Parents with four or more children scored higher on the survey than parents with three fewer children. Implications for further studies are discussed.

The History Of Nursing In Arkansas, Martha Annette Johnson

Honors Theses

This paper tells very briefly the history of nursing in Arkansas. Because a thorough investigation of the history of nursing would require a longer period of time, I have chosen the most striking events pertaining to the subject.

The information in this paper was taken from unpublished manuscripts, mostly minutes from meetings of various organizations, in the possession of Miss Linnie Beauchamp, R.N., who is currently compiling the information for a book. I am greatly indebted to her for the time and help she has given to me.