Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Education Of The Effects Of Obesity Medications And A Stepwise Approach To Mitigate Prevalence And Encourage Lifestyle Medicine For Primary Care Physicians, Kiely M. Curran

Department of Nutrition Student Projects

My Capstone project is an Educational Manual that emphasizes a healthcare team approach to the treatment and management of obesity. The Educational Manual consists of a standardized protocol in management of obesity in patients and a document with summarized references for primary care providers; and a simplified document for patient education. There is a growing interest in the usage of obesity medications. The purpose of my Capstone project is to provide a simplified manual for the primary care provider to reference to make knowledgeable and patient-centered decisions in the prescription of obesity medications and decisions in weight-management. My methodology included …

Preventing Diabetes Through Prediabetes Screening And Treatment In Primary Care, Dewona Beal

Doctoral Projects

Diabetes is an epidemic in the United States. There are three types of diabetes: type 1, 2, and gestational diabetes. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is the most common type of diabetes. This type of diabetes can be prevented or delayed. In persons with T2DM, the body cannot use insulin well to keep blood glucose within normal limits. Several factors, including genetics, lifestyle such as poor diet and physical inactivity, obesity, insulin resistance, hormones, and certain medications, can cause it. A precursor to T2DM is prediabetes. Prediabetes is when blood sugar levels are elevated but not elevated enough to be …

Chronic Lower Back Pain Among Women In India: Evidence-Based Approach To Risk Factors And Interventions, Aelita Matosova

Master's Projects and Capstones

Chronic lower back pain (CLBP) is a prevalent issue worldwide, affecting about 1.71 billion people, with a significant proportion being women. CLBP is a major health concern in India, particularly among women, which were 80% reported experiencing this condition. Several factors, such as personal beliefs, sociocultural norms, restricted healthcare access, repetitive movements, and psychological aspects, contribute to this high prevalence leading to severe health and economic implications, including reduced work productivity and income. Although there have been several reports on prevalence and risk factors of CLBP, to our knowledge, there has not been enough work focusing on evidence-based interventions to …

Sleep And Multimorbidity In The Canadian Longitudinal Study On Aging, Shreni Patel

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Sleep health is a latent construct comprising various sleep measures such as duration, quality, initiation, maintenance, and daytime sleepiness. This thesis compared the association of two measures of sleep health, a conventional summary score and a pooled index, with incident multimorbidity over a 3-year follow-up in 30,097 middle- to older-aged adults from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging. At baseline, approximately 26% and 29% of participants with multimorbidity displayed poor sleep patterns according to additive and pooled indexing methods. Longitudinal analysis indicated that those with additive scores of 4 to 5 at baseline had a 1.54 (95% CI: 1.18, 2.03) …

The Risk Factors Associated With Personal Protective Equipment Usage Rates In The Central States By Generalized Multilevel Models, Carter E. Vogel

Capstone Experience

Background: Agriculture producers in the United States face some of the highest rates of fatal and non-fatal injuries among all occupations. This includes a high risk of respiratory damage when working in dusty environments, chemical and health hazards when working with pesticides or other dangerous chemicals, and hearing damage when working in noisy environments. These risks can be reduced using personal protective equipment (PPE). While some workplaces are required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to provide necessary PPE and monitoring according to the risks of a job, many small farms are not required by OSHA to provide …

Promoting Positive Sexual Health Behaviors Among Rural College Students: Results Of A Targeted Sti Prevention Program, Julie Loyke

Doctoral Projects

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a significant public health concern, with 26 million new cases diagnosed annually in the U.S. Emerging adults aged 18 to 25 years, which are included in the age group of Americans who have the highest rates for the three most common STIs: chlamydia, gonorrhea, and HPV (cdc.gov., 2020). Unfortunately, there is a paucity of research on the effects of STI education interventions on the attitudes and knowledge regarding STIs in this age group, especially in rural youth. While STI rates are high among adolescents and young adults nationally, rural youth have different behavioral risk factors …

Implementing Outpatient Screening Of Adult Patients At High Risk For Peripheral Artery Disease, Coral Roseberry

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Background: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a prevalent chronic vascular disease that remains often underdiagnosed and inadequately treated. The development of PAD increases both with age and with the presence of modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors. Risk factors for PAD include smoking, diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and chronic kidney disease. Furthermore, PAD can be an indicator of systemic atherosclerosis which is associated with coronary artery disease, carotid stenosis, and cerebrovascular disease. Undiagnosed obstructive PAD contributes to damaging atherosclerotic sequelae such as claudication, ulcers, infections, peripheral neuropathy, and amputations. It is common for PAD to exist in the absence of symptoms; therefore, …

Wernicke's Encephalopathy: Mapping The Risk Factors Throughout The State Of South Carolina, Shannon M. Rychener

Senior Theses

Wernicke’s Encephalopathy is a consistently underrecognized neurodegenerative brain disorder resulting from prolonged thiamine deficiency. Clinical presentation of the disease results from brain lesions attributable to thiamine deficiency. Because these lesions occur in various locations in the cerebral cortex, symptoms can vary significantly. Varied presentation of symptoms, in addition to the lack of a widely accepted biomarker for the disorder cause challenges to clinicians when identifying and diagnosing the disorder. Due to these challenges, healthcare providers must heavily rely on patient history and risk factor prevalence when multiple symptoms of the disorder are present. By mapping the prevalence of the four …

Risk Factors And Outcomes Of Acute Kidney Injury Among Covid-19 Patients At A Tertiary Hospital In Kenya, Susan Cheruiyot

Theses & Dissertations

Background: Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), a novel infection caused by the SARS-Cov-2 virus, was declared a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. Three years later, 350,000 Kenyans had gotten the infection, with approximately 5,700 reported related deaths. Despite emerging research on the new virus, studies from the African continent on the impact of COVID-19 on the kidneys have been few. Early studies suggest that up to 75% of patients with COVID-19 have a derangement in their kidney function as evidenced by new onset proteinuria and hematuria. That said, the prevalence of acute kidney injury has varied greatly across populations, …

Navigating Missed Visits In Hiv Primary Care: Exploring Risk Factors Associated With Missed Visits, Jiaying Hao

All ETDs from UAB

The HIV care continuum is a public health model that outlines the steps or stages people with HIV go through from diagnosis to achieving and maintaining viral suppression. Retention in care, a key component of the HIV care continuum, is critical in achieving good health outcomes for people with HIV (PWH) and preventing HIV transmission. Consistent HIV care is essential for the health of PWH as a part of retention in care. De-spite no standard measure for retention in care to PWH, the missed (no-show) vis-its/appointments is one of the most commonly used methods for evaluating retention in HIV care. …

Urban/Rural Disparities Of Thyroid Cancer Using The Integrated Cancer Repository For Cancer Research (Icare2), Sunita Regmi

Capstone Experience

Abstract:

Background and objective: Multiple studies have shown that the place of residence and the distance to travel from one's residence to nearby health care providers impact cancer diagnosis and treatment. The stage of cancer at the time of diagnosis is paramount for cancer treatment and affects survival. Disparities in cancer treatment exist which affect the outcome disproportionately to certain segments of the population. To date, much of the focus has been on the racial and socioeconomic disparities in the management of thyroid cancer. The effect of geography and location (urban-rural status) on thyroid cancer stage diagnosis has …

Toolkit For Screening Older Adults Desiring To Age In Place In Independent Living, Sister Raymond Marie Labonte

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The world is experiencing an increase in the aged population. This increase stimulated the popular theme of aging in place. Much time, effort and research have been channeled into exploring this model as an alternative to assisted living or skilled nursing settings for senior citizens worldwide. Elders desire to age in place. Current, recent, and decades old literature identifies this preferential option of the elderly and supports the need to develop plans and tools to assist elders to be able to successfully age in place. This quality assurance project is the venture to create both a congregate living community and …

Unearthing An Emerging Neglected Bacterial Disease: Evidence Of Spotted Fever Group Rickettsioses In El Salvador, Kyndall Christian Braumuller

Theses and Dissertations

The main objectives of this dissertation were to investigate the seroprevalence of Spotted Fever Group Rickettsioses (SFGR) antibodies in a specific vulnerable population at high risk for vector-borne disease in El Salvador, understand the relevant risk factors for SFGR past and acute infection in this same population through logistic regression modeling, and clarify the presence of SFGR bacteria in locally collected ticks.

SFGR are a group of bacterial diseases caused by species in the Rickettsia genus of the phylogenetic spotted fever group. These are tick-borne diseases (TBD) that have been described in almost every region of the world. SFGR are …

The Implementation Of A Validated Csec Screening Tool For Youth Age 11 - 17 In A Pediatric Emergency Room, Julie Clark, Josie Doss, Krystal E. Canady, Yameika Head Md

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Translational and Clinical Research Projects

Youth are a vulnerable population due to their age, developmental level, and dependability on others. Child abuse is a public health issue that addresses a broad range of inflicted harm ranging from neglect to physical and sexual maltreatment. A severe form of child sexual abuse is the Commercial Exploitation of Children (CSEC), also known as Child Sex Trafficking (CST), and Human Minor Sex Trafficking (HMST). For purposes of this paper, CSEC is used for CSEC, CST, and HMST. Commercial sexual exploitation of children includes sexual crimes involving children and adolescents for gain. Due to the child being less than 18 …

Identifying Risk Factors For Anchoring Bias During Emergency Department Transitions Of Care, Roni Matin

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Transitions of care have been associated with breakdowns in communication and medical errors. In emergency departments (ED) these handoffs are typically known as sign outs. Sign outs provide continuity of care for ED patients whose diagnosis and care fall across shift changes. They are short interactions where pertinent information and responsibility for the patient is transferred to the physician assuming care for them. However, these exchanges may also be an opportunity for cognitive biases to be transferred or introduced, leading to erroneous decision making. Anchoring bias is known to have a significant impact on clinical decision making. Yet, little is …

Assessing Preventative Lifestyle Interventions In The Filipino-American Population To Decrease Risk Of Type Ii Diabetes, Brandon Christopher Flores

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background

Type II Diabetes is a concerning global health issue and must be addressed. Given the unfortunate risks of T2D in the Filipino populations, prevention efforts must begin in this select population. There is strong empirical support for utilizing lifestyle interventions such as nutrition and physical exercise to prevent these diseases in adults; but it is not clear whether the same holds true for Filipino populations.

Objective

This thesis examines lifestyle management efforts such as weight reduction, family support, nutrition changes, and physical activity to prevent type 2 diabetes in Filipino-Americans.

Methods

The methods of the thesis will present a …

Etiology Of Firefighter Injuries: A Health Care Practitioner Perspective, Alyssa Quinn Eastman

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

BACKGROUND: Structural firefighting involves the performance of rigorous occupational tasks in unpredictable, dynamic, and hot environments which increases firefighters’ risk of injury. Specifically, the National Fire Protection Association reported that musculoskeletal injuries account for 56% of non-fireground and 41% of fireground injuries. Furthermore, physical training is the most common cause of injury, accounting for one-third of all injuries and resulting in 41% of post-injury absences from work. There is limited research identifying occupational and exercise injury risk factors among firefighters. However, experienced health care practitioners working with fire departments may provide critical insight into potential mechanisms of these common injuries. …

Risk Factors Contributing To Urinary Tract Infections (Uti) In Neonates, Jennifer V. Harshman

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Urinary tract infections (UTI) in neonates are caused by many types of risk factors such as increased length of maternal labor, physiologic maternal conditions, prematurity, and decreased birth weight. Identification of potential risk factors for UTI in neonates can lead to rapid assessment and early interventions to treat urinary infection in the neonate before it transitions to a severe or life-threatening condition, such as a kidney infection or septicemia.

The primary purpose of this literature review was to examine risk factors predisposing neonates to UTI. The secondary purpose was to identify if length of time to drug therapy used to …

Examining A Fatigue Management Model That Identifies Risk Factors And Consequences Of Fatigue In Older Individuals, Maral Torossian

Doctoral Dissertations

Fatigue is experienced by 40-74% of older individuals living with a chronic disease. Despite advances in scientific knowledge around risk factors and consequences associated with fatigue, a comprehensive model that can serve as a guide for healthcare providers caring for older individuals with fatigue is lacking. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine a fatigue model based on the Theory of Unpleasant Symptoms (TUS). The model included psychological, physiological, and situational risk factors of fatigue, as well as fatigue outcomes, such as physical, social, and cognitive performances, perceived health, and quality of life (QOL). This was a secondary …

How Do Modifiable Risk Factors Impact The Progression Of Alzheimer’S Disease?, Shamso Jama

Theses and Graduate Projects

Alzheimer’s disease remains a significant health burden that affects millions in the United States. This research pursued to shed light on the modifiable risk factors and help individuals at high risk for Alzheimer’s disease minimize the chances of cognitive decline. A search of literature was conducted on databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and Medline. Randomized control trials, longitudinal studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses were identified and included in the paper. The modifiable risk factors that play a role in the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease include stress, inadequate physical exercise, lack of sleep hygiene, and lack of social …

Early Indicators Of Cognitive Dysfunction: The Role Of Mild Behavioral Impairment, Hillary J. Rouse

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Older age is associated with an increased risk for cognitively impairing diseases such as dementia. Despite significant research to find ways to cure this disease, there has been little success. However, a critical need when an intervention is discovered is a need to find ways to identify people who are at the greatest risk of developing dementia earlier in the disease process so that interventions can be implemented at that time. This could potentially lessen their risk or delay when they are diagnosed. Using longitudinal data from the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC), the aims of this current dissertation were …

Clinical Consequences And Determinants Of False Positive Blood Cultures In Adult Hospitalized Patients, Sidra Liaquat

Theses & Dissertations

Blood cultures are the gold standard for detecting blood stream infections. However, in the US, 0.6-6% of all blood cultures get contaminated leading to adverse clinical outcomes such as unnecessarily prolonged hospital stay and antibiotic therapy. Using electronic medical records, we explored the clinical outcomes and patient-specific risk factors of contaminated blood cultures in an era where rapid blood culture testing was being utilized to provide blood culture results within hours. Rapid blood culture test results can help clinicians in early and more effective management of patients with contaminated blood cultures, thus improving clinical outcomes. We also studied the impact …

"Incidence, Prevalence And Risk Factors Of Retinopathy Of Prematurity In Indian Scenario-A Systematic Review And Meta- Analysis", Ashwitha H Gamsa

Manipal College of Health Professions, Manipal Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Factors Affecting The Mortality Rate Of Older Patients With Covid-19 In Nebraska: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Erin Johnson

Capstone Experience

The pandemic spread of COVID-19 is a continued global health emergency. The objectives of this paper were to examine Factors affecting the mortality rate of older patients with COVID-19 in Nebraska. A longitudinal analysis of data gathered from the Nebraska Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NEDSS) was performed. Included were 322 individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 in the month of October 2020. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate the time to death of individuals over the age of 65 after a positive COVID-19 diagnosis and the probability of survival to any given time point. The effect of multiple risk …

Relationship Between Global Cognition And Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Alexia Sebghati

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is currently affecting the lives of 5.8 million Americans and is expected to double within the next 30 years. With an aging populace of baby boomers, this will place great economic strain on the U.S. creating a burden of almost $1 trillion in healthcare costs. Currently, there is no cure for AD. However, studies report that many individuals with AD experience changes in the brain up to 10-15 years before the disease’s onset. It is imperative to detect future risk of developing AD or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) before significant cognitive changes arise. Many of the risk …

Scoping Review Of Female Sex Workers Risk Factors And Interventions, Colleen White

OT Student Capstones

A considerable amount of the stigma surrounding sex work can be contributed to the misconception of why women enter or do not exit sex work. The purpose of this research was to summarize the current knowledge of sex work using the scope of occupational therapy to enhance sex workers health and well-being. To achieve this, a scope of the literature for interventions that address this issue and their effectiveness, as well as literature that addressed risk factors for entering and remaining in sex work was conducted. The original search was conducted in June of 2021 and yielded a total of …

Risk Factors For Workplace Sexual Harassment In Female Truck Drivers, Kimberly Marie Riddle

Theses and Dissertations--Nursing

Sexual harassment is one of the most common forms of workplace violence in the United States. Sexual harassment is defined as unwanted verbal and physical behaviors of a sexual nature (e.g., physical advances, requests for sexual favors, inappropriate sexist or sexual comments or jokes, pornography, or other unwanted conduct) that creates an uncomfortable working environment or interferes with the employee’s job responsibilities. In general, it is estimated that nearly one in every two women have experienced sexual harassment at the workplace over their lifetime. In male-dominated occupations, such as truck driving, law enforcement, firefighting, and construction, females may have a …

Reducing Adverse Outcomes In Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients Undergoing Hepatectomies, Yongyue Qi

Theses & Dissertations

The incidence and mortality of liver cancers are increasing in the United States. In addition to the classic risk factors of hepatic viral infection and high alcohol consumption, non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), has emerged as a risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The most effective curative treatment for HCC is liver resection (hepatectomy), however, hepatectomy is a major operation with potential risks of mortality, hospital readmission and other adverse outcomes such as postoperative complications and longer hospital stay. The reported 90-day mortality and 30-day readmission rates following a hepatectomy vary widely across studies, most of which have limitations due …

Protecting The Integument: Changing Nursing Practice To Prevent Pressure Injuries, Latonya Lawery

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

The purpose of this project is to assess and improve nurses’ knowledge of pressure injuries and pressure injury preventions using evidence-based guidelines and a southeastern United States hospital’s skin integrity policy. My population of focus is direct care professional nurses caring for adults and geriatric patients in the acute care setting.

Design and Methods: The DNP student’s project is a quality improvement project using a Quasi-experimental design, which includes using a pre-test (Appendix A) and post-test (Appendex B). FADE (Appendix C) is the quality improvement method chosen for this project. FADE (Appendix C) is an acronym representing focus, analyze, develop, …

Identifying Risk Factors For Developing Post-Operative Complications After Breast Reconstruction Surgery In Breast Cancer Patients, Kelsey Akin

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Project

The purpose of this project was to identify risk factors for the development of post-operative complications in breast cancer patients after breast reconstruction surgery. The author first identified possible risk factors through a literature review and evaluated a current risk assessment tool being used in current practice. A retrospective chart review was conducted of fifty charts of patients who underwent a mastectomy and breast reconstruction surgery for the treatment of breast cancer. The author compared possible risk factors from the groups of patients who developed complications versus those who did not. The author found two possible relationships between two identified …