Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Opportunities For Mental Health Interventions In Rural Mississippi Communities During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Quantitative Analysis, Brice Fortinberry

Theses and Dissertations

COVID-19 presented unique challenges for rural Mississippi communities including impacts on the mental health of rural individuals. This research study aimed to identify opportunities for mental health interventions to provide health promotion professionals with quantitative data on the accessibility and the likelihood of engagement with mental health-fostering behaviors. A secondary objective of this research was to categorize these behaviors within the constructs of the Social Ecological Model. Demographics for rural Mississippi communities were collected and displayed, and using multivariate analyses including Spearman’s correlation and a Mann-Whitney U test the correlation between mental health fostering behaviors and demographic factors was obtained. …

Implementation Of A Diabetes Education Program In The Correctional Setting: A Project Proposal, Raymond Lengel

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Diabetes is a chronic disease requiring patient responsibility to ensure good control and reduced morbidity and mortality. Incarcerated diabetic adults suffer from poor control and complications associated with their disease partly due to their limited health literacy. Arming diabetics with knowledge related to diabetes improves disease control and healthcare outcomes. The proposed final scholarly project involves the implementation of a diabetic education initiative to assess the effects of diabetic-specific education on self-care activities. The proposed quality improvement project will be framed with the Plan-Do-Study-Act and Nola Pender's Health Promotion Model. The proposed final scholarly project involves obtaining a baseline assessment, …

Developing Tools For The Implementation And Evaluation Of Participatory Worker Health Promotion Interventions, Ryan J. Walsh

WUSM Theses and Dissertations – All Programs

The chronic disease burden among American workers leads to substantial expenditures on healthcare, lost productivity at work, and reduced quality of life. Workers from communities of lower socioeconomic status (SES) shoulder a disproportionate burden of chronic diseases and costs. A promising strategy for addressing this population health burden is to develop and implement participatory worker health promotion interventions in workplaces. Part of this effort to develop and implement these programs entails improving the quality of evaluation tools and approaches. Thus, we completed a series of secondary analyses of a large participatory worker health promotion program trial called Working For You. …

Building Resilience Through Pregnancy Utilizing Tools From Occupational Therapy And Yoga, Rachel Brown

OTD Capstone Projects

This doctoral capstone project was completed through a partnership with Nurture Nashville, a local yoga and movement studio focused on promoting wellness and connection for pregnant and postpartum people throughout their journey in motherhood. The primary focus of this project was developing resources to promote resilience during the perinatal period by utilizing tools from both occupational therapy and yoga practice. Outcomes included the synthesis of research into a resilience toolkit, the creation and implementation of a 5-week yoga and sharing circle curriculum, and the re-establishment of a community-centered studio event titled “Meet the Doulas.”

Understanding The Relationship Between Undergraduate Students’ On-Campus Employment Status And Their Reported Sense Of Belonging To The Campus Community Post The Covid-19 Pandemic, Samantha Martinez

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Belonging has been studied for decades with many researchers concluding that humans have an inherent need to belong. Although each person’s level of need to belong differs, it is a deeply rooted human motivation that impacts a person’s feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. Individuals develop a sense of belonging when they feel connected to others. The postsecondary journey allows for unique experiences and opportunities that foster a sense of belonging, which can assist college students to flourish in many aspects of their lives. Research has shown that belonging significantly impacts student well-being and academic achievement, making the topic imperative to continue …

Covid-19 Vaccine Uptake Among College Students, Erin Hoening, Elizabeth Morse, David Phillippi, Krystal Huesmann

DNP Scholarly Projects

Background: Public health strategies to improve COVID-19 vaccine uptake among college students living in residential communities varied, some universities opted to mandate COVID-19 vaccines while other universities opted to promote and influence the choice for vaccination.

Purpose: This descriptive, cross-sectional study examined the voluntary uptake of COVID-19 vaccines among residential students on a college campus in the southeastern U.S. that elected an evidence-driven health promotion strategy that included strong health promotion messaging coupled with coordinated efforts to make the vaccine accessible and appealing to students on campus.

Methods: Analysis of vaccine uptake was derived from campus electronic health records during …

Social Capital And Food Insecurity In Two Counties In Wisconsin, Yvonne Denise Greer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hunger and food insecurity are public health issues with 38 million people in the US struggling with food hardship. This study examined if there was a relationship between four types of social capital (SC) (bonding, bridging, community structural-formal, and community structural-informal), income, and food insecurity risk (FIR), in two counties in Wisconsin. A quantitative descriptive correlational study design involving multiple linear regression analysis and the integral model framework was conducted with cross-sectional secondary data from the 2014-2016 Survey of the Health of Wisconsin. Participants were from Milwaukee (n = 335) and Dane County (n = 235). Results revealed that in …

Care Of The Healthcare Provider, Kari Hullinger, Emily Moscardelli

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Evidence has shown a strong correlation between a healthy provider and the positive care that the provider can promote to others. Many evidence-based health promotion programs have been implemented throughout many health systems. These programs have shown improvement of the providers’ overall health. And in return, these providers are able to better care for their patients. Detailed reports have shown many health consequences that healthcare providers have acquired due to long hours, intense training, lack of time, lack of sleep, and the concept of always putting their patients first. A health system in Springfield, Illinois was examined to determine if …

Occupational Therapy Health Promotion Interventions For Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Scoping Review, Shashank Mehrotra

Manipal College of Health Professions, Manipal Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Population aging is an inevitable process. It is predicted that, by 2025, there is to be an increase in the world’s population aged 60 years and older to a total of 2 billion, up from 900 million in 2015 (WHO, 2018). Health promotion intervention is one such strategy that can be applied to improve the health and lifestyle of the elderly (Duplaga, M., Grysztar, M., Rodzinka, M., & Kopec, A. 2016). We aimed to review the available health promotion intervention protocols, facilitators, and barriers to such interventions, and the experiences of older adults after receiving these interventions. Methods and …

Addressing Hidden Barriers To Follow Up Healthcare: A Community Referral Pilot Project, Amber Williams

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Objective: The project was aimed to reduce the number of participants lost to primary care follow-up following a mobile health unit screening event.

Design: A pilot study program screening tool implementation was utilized to address the hidden barriers of the Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) during a Winter 2021 event.

Sample: A group of 12 participants were screened during a mobile health unit event. Eight of the participants opted to be a part of the pilot study.

Measurements: A comparison ratio of Primary Care follow up was compared from the Winter of 2020 with Winter of 2021, where the screening …

The Association Of Demographic And Clinical Characteristics And Self-Reported Sleep Duration Among Patients With Prediabetes, Priyanka Chaudhary

Capstone Experience

Background: Sleep has been recognized as a critical component of healthy development and overall health. However, sleep duration has emerged as an important lifestyle factor that influences endocrine function and glucose metabolism. There remains a dearth of research to assess sleep duration among patients with prediabetes.

Objective: To evaluate the association between socio-demographic and clinical characteristics and self-reported sleep duration among patients with prediabetes.

Methods: Baseline data (n=599) was used from a diabetes prevention trial. A chi-square test was used to assess the differences between the groups of sleep duration for the categorical, whereas the t-test was used for the …

Creating Focused Occupational Therapy Interventions For Clients With Heart Failure In Skilled Nursing Facilities, In Hwa Chae, Camille Marcia Schilling, Elena Ruth Vaccaro

Occupational Therapy | Graduate Capstone Projects

The ultimate goal of the SNF is to help clients stabilize their medical conditions and attain their therapy goals so that they can return home (Orr, Boxer, Dolansky, Allen, & Forman, 2016). However, approximately 27% of heart failure (HF) clients are readmitted to the hospital after being discharged from the SNF (Allen et al., 2011). High readmission rates may be due to the cognitive (Dickson, Tkacs, and Riegel, 2007), psychosocial (Halliday, 2010), and lifestyle barriers (Maeda, Shen, Schwarz, Farrell, & Mallon, 2013) HF clients face. However, interventions in the SNF tend to emphasize activities of daily living (ADLs) and therapeutic …

Program Evaluation: Wellness For Life, Patricia Wagner

Capstone Experience

Specific Aim: The specific aim of this program evaluation is to assess the effectiveness of the employee wellness program (Wellness for Life program) at Community Hospital (CH) in McCook, Nebraska through the analysis of biometric data, personal health assessment results, and survey results.

Significance: The evaluation of this program is important to ensure CH is aiding their employees so they might lead healthy lives at a time when the health of our country is incredibly poor.

Background: CH is a small critical access hospital that employs 323 people in McCook, Nebraska. In 2013 CH decided to offer a formal employee …

Biological And Social Links Between Eating Behavior And Stress Among College Students, Kailyn M. Mutsch

Honors Thesis

Stress and eating behaviors are known to be correlated in all ages but is primarily associated with young adults. This correlation can be attributed to both biological and social links. In this review, I detail the effects of stress on the brain in a biological manner and the areas of the brain associated with eating behavior. I will also discuss social factors that could contribute to the correlation between stress and eating behavior in college students. Stress is a major factor in optimal digestion and health. A majority of students report experiencing times of stress or feeling overwhelmed throughout their …

Evaluation Of The Coordinated Approach To Child Health (Catch) Program In Third Through Fifth Graders In Northern Illinois, Paulina Karecka

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Background: The Coordinated Approach to Child Health (CATCH) is a school-based education program designed to improve dietary habits and increase physical activity among children and adolescents based on the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of CATCH program, delivered by dietetic interns and Northern Illinois University (NIU) students, to 3rd-5th graders in Northern Illinois, in increasing their nutrition knowledge and healthy choices behavior. Methods: In total, 167 elementary school children in grades 3-5 in Northern Illinois participated in a non-experimental program evaluation study. We delivered 6 CATCH lessons throughout the academic year …

Promotion Of Lifestyle Changes By Community Pharmacists Among Adults With Hypertension In Nigeria, Olanike Olawunmi Kehinde

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The growing prevalence of hypertension is a global public health problem. Lifestyle modification is the first-line best practice for the management of hypertension, however there is not enough focus on healthcare professionals’ competencies in managing hypertension in Nigeria. The perspectives of Community Pharmacists (CPs) about promotion of lifestyle modification (PLM) among adults with hypertension have not been explored in Nigeria though they play an essential role in healthcare in the community. This phenomenological study was conducted to document the experiences of CPs about PLM by using in-depth interviews. Social cognitive theory and the health promotion model were used as frameworks …

Condom Dispenser Program, Madilynn Turner

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Health and Wellness Services (HWS) at California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) takes an integrative health approach to support the CSUMB campus community. There six entities that make up HWS, however, the Condom Dispenser Program (CDP) was implemented under Health Promotion and Education (HPE). The mission of HPE is to ensure that CSUMB community members are reaching holistic wellness through the adoption of healthy behaviors. This goal is met through programming, outreach, and education that is provided.

The need that was discovered through analysis of the National Collegiate Health Assessment (NCHA) was that students are not using condoms to prevent …

Global Occupational Therapists’ Health And Wellness Interventions With Community-Dwelling Older Adults, Catherine Keegin, Lyndsey Lehman, Hannah Meier, Megan Weinberg

Older Adult

Rationale: The profession of occupational therapy (OT) has an opportunity to positively impact health and wellness for community-dwelling older adults with the approaching global increase of the aging population (He, Goodkind, & Kowal, 2016). Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore occupational therapists’ use of health promotion and wellness approaches to facilitate healthy aging with community-dwelling older adults in a global context. Results: Four qualitative themes were uncovered: perceptions of older adults, safety, the role of OT, and preventive versus reactive care. Participants with 10 or more years of experience addressed spirituality in practice more often than those …

Alcohol Use, Dietary, And Exercise Behaviors: A Latent Profile Analysis Of Young Adult Lifestyle Behaviors, Ryan Wesley Grant

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As individuals enter adulthood, their lifestyles and lifestyle behaviors begin to change drastically. These lifestyle behavior changes in emerging adulthood provide a foundation for future health behaviors that often persist through all of adulthood. The aim of this study was to use Latent profile analyses (LPA) to discover distinct profiles of homogenous groups of young adults based on alcohol, diet, and exercise behaviors. Overall, five distinct profiles for both males and females were identified: Moderates, Unhealthy Eaters, Medium Drinkers, Healthier Eaters and Exercisers, and Heavy Drinkers. Heavy Drinkers and Unhealthy Eaters were the highest risk groups and reported the highest …

Wellness Programming For Men In Long-Term Care, Katie Hautman, Ashley Heinze

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Introduction: The purpose of this project was to develop a wellness guide for staff to implement in long-term care (LTC), to increase participation of meaningful activities and well-being for male residents of all abilities, both physically and psychosocially.

Methodology: A literature review was conducted to understand the need for activities of male residents in LTC. Sources included: online databases, textbooks, and government websites. The Canadian Model of Occupational Performance and Engagement (CMOPE) was selected to direct the development of the program guide. The CMOP-E promotes engagement in occupations and enablement of occupational performance, both of which are important for male …

Using Leisure As A Therapeutic Activity To Enhance Health, Well-Being, And Quality Of Life Among Long Term Care Residents, Olivia Mayasich, Alexis Tyce

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose The purpose of this scholarly project is to address health, well-being, and quality of life with the use of leisure activities as modalities with residents in long term care (LTC) facilities.

Methodology The results of a thorough literature review supported the need for a program to address leisure participation in residents in LTC facilities. An abundance of literature supporting participation in leisure to enhance health, well-being, and quality of life emerged from the literature review, revealing an obvious gap between literature and practice. The information gathered in the literature review helped guide the development of a program manual to …

Occupational Therapy’S Role In Post Cva Education, Sadie Larson, Brooke Westrich

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The average literacy rate for healthcare client education materials is currently 11th-16th grade (Dignan & Hunter, 2015). Due to cognitive impairments, difficulty understanding healthcare education materials increases after experiencing a stroke (Danzl et al., 2016). Poor health education results in lower adherence to treatment and limited participation in everyday activities at home (DeMarco, Nystrom, & Salvatore, 2011). Clients and caregivers specifically reported a lack of understanding of post-stroke impairments (O'Connell, Baker, & Prosser, 2003).

A literature review was conducted on topics related to health literacy, post-stroke residual deficits, client education, and occupational therapy’s role in client education. There was an …

A Group Protocol For Promoting Wellness In Rural Community-Dwelling Older Adults, Emily Bachmeier, Laurel Busch

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: In the United States, there are currently 46 million citizens aged 65 and older. This number is projected to more than double by the year 2060 (Mather, 2016). As the elderly population continues to grow, the need for evidence-based, client centered prevention programs for community-dwelling older adults becomes more crucial to promote independence and preserve well-being in the community. Older adults living in rural areas are at an even higher risk of losing independence secondary to decline in activity tolerance, which further elevates their need for targeted interventions (Park, Kim, & Lee, 2015). Creating a preventative program to maintain …

Well-Being And Health Promotion Template, Nichole Arn, Cody Mach

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this scholarly project was to develop an occupational therapy intervention template that could be utilized at LaGrave on First. LaGrave on First is a new Housing First facility that opened in Grand Forks, ND during the summer of 2018. Literature reviews regarding occupational therapy and its' role with the homeless population were limited and challenging to find, especially with a Housing First emphasis. Within this scholarly project, the reviewed literature was used to develop an intervention guide that could be implemented in conjunction with other occupational therapy interventions for this population. The interventions were created for …

Missoula Prescription Produce Program: Lessons Learned 2015-2017, Harley Fredriksen

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The Missoula Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Produce program (MFVPP) started in 2015 as a partnership between Garden City Harvest (a Missoula, MT food-security non-profit) and the Providence Endocrinology Center (a local health clinic focused on diabetes care). MVFPP allows physicians, physician assistants, and dieticians to prescribe fresh produce to their patients. Patients must be of low income and suffer from chronic disease. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of the MFVPP to lead to improved biometric measurements for patients. This paper also discusses the program’s limitations and complications and aims to chart a path forward for …

Bariatric Surgery Regain And Long-Term Weight Loss Among Women: Self-Efficacy, Social Support And Health Promotion Lifestyle Behaviors, Raelene Z. Brooks

Dissertations

Although bariatric surgery appears to produce success in a short period of time immediately after surgery, weight regain over time in this population cannot be ignored. Understanding the relationship between potential psychosocial predicting post-surgical variables influencing bariatric surgery may prevent long-term weight regain. The purpose of this research is to examine self-efficacy, social support, and lifestyle habits and their relationship to long term weight loss and regain in women post bariatric surgery. Weight regain is observed as early as 18 months to 2 years after bariatric surgery. Patients face challenges sustaining the dramatic lifestyle changes required to ensure positive long-term …

It's About Time! Gdm: A Transformative Postpartum Process. A Constructivist Grounded Theory Study, Natalie Giannotti

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Abstract

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is defined as glucose intolerance with onset or first diagnosis during pregnancy, and affects 3.7%-18% of Canadian women (Canadian Diabetes Association, 2013). Social support can help women with a history of GDM be successful in achieving optimal health postpartum. The purpose of this constructivist grounded theory (GT) study (Charmaz, 2011) was twofold: (1) To explore the social support processes of women with a history of GDM as they navigate through the healthcare system postpartum, to restore and maintain their health, and (2) To critically examine facilitating factors and barriers to engaging in health behaviours within …

Secondary Stroke Prevention And Support: An Occupational Therapy Program, Kaitlyn Bosch, Jamie St. Germain

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Many individuals in the United States experience a recurrent stroke and evidence suggests that strokes, primary and secondary, could be prevented through lifestyle modifications. The objective of the scholarly project was to develop an occupational therapy (OT) led secondary stroke prevention program to address modifiable risk factors for stroke. A literature review was conducted to identify research to support development of this program. Based on the review of literature and through the use of the Model of Human Occupation, The Secondary Stroke Prevention and Support: An Occupational Therapy Program was designed to address competence in the occupational role of managing …

A Review Of Community Aging In Place Programs To Minimize Social Isolation In Older Adults, Heather J. Goodwater, Joanna M. Yutrzenka

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The aging baby boomer population calls for new solutions to enable older Americans to age in place in their communities of choice. Nine out of ten adults age 50 and older prefer to remain in their homes indefinitely as they age, or as long as they possibly can (Gonyea, & Burnes, 2013). However, program funding that supports aging in place does not come close to keeping pace with the rapid growth of the 65 and older population (American Institutes for Research, 2016). There are a limited number of programs in place to address socialization in community-dwelling older adults. The prevalence …

The S.P.I.R.I.T. Program: Spirituality Promotion Interdependence Resiliency Inclusive Therapy, Alycia Heisler, Brianna Safranski

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: Native American children and adolescents are some of the most underserved people in the United States (Warzak, Dogan, & Godfrey, 2011). Common mental health problems this population typically experiences are depression, suicidal thoughts or ideation, traumatic experiences, substance use, and results of historical trauma (Brockie, Dana-Sarco, Wallen, Wilcox, & Campbell, 2015). They have the highest rates of these mental health problems, more than any other ethnic group (Evans-Campbell, Walters, Pearson, & Campbell, 2012). There is a need for preventative programs to be implemented with elementary school-aged Native American children and adolescents (Ohl, Mitchell, Cassidy, & Fox, 2008; Stigler, …