Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Dietary Inflammatory Index During Pregnancy And Changes Over Time: Associations With Post-Partum Sleep Duration And Quality And Depressive Symptoms., Nowrin Tamanna

Theses and Dissertations

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Sleep and mental health are two important factors for a new mother, as adequate sleep and a healthy mind help her prioritize self-care, seek support when needed, and create a nurturing environment for both her and her baby. Among various plausible theories exploring the etiology of sleep disturbances and depression, the concept of inflammation is gaining attention. This study examined the hypothesis that more pro-inflammatory diets during pregnancy are associated with a decrease in sleep quality and duration, abnormal sleep timing and higher Edinburg Postnatal depression score (EPDS) scores 6 months and 12 months post-partum.

METHODS: A secondary …

Improving Self-Efficacy In Heart Failure Care, Tracy Bennett Mcleod

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Problem Statement: Heart Failure contributes significantly to the morbidity and mortality of the adult population and is one of the leading causes of 30-day readmissions. The cost of heart failure is a substantial healthcare burden. Purpose: The purpose of this project was to determine if implementing the “Rise Above Heart Failure” educational program would improve heart failure knowledge, weight monitoring, and reduced re-admission rates in heart failure patients. Methods: A pre-test and post-test survey named The Dutch Heart Failure Knowledge Scale was utilized. Van der Wal, Jaarsma, Moser, and Van Veldhuisen (2005) developed this questionnaire to evaluate patients' knowledge. The …

Advancing Use Of Nutrition Knowledge To Improve Practice By Policy And Program Communities In India During A Political Transition, Edward A. Frongillo Jr., Jessica L. Escobar-Alegria

Faculty Publications

Models are needed for how to advance use of knowledge by programs and policy officials to make evidence-based decisions about nutrition. How to advance use of nutrition knowledge in India from 2011 to 2015 during a political transition was investigated through studying a knowledge initiative led by the International Food Policy Research Institute. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 37 diverse participants, and 1091 news articles, 318 Twitter and 175 Facebook posts, 12 YouTube events, 65 knowledge products, and 130 engaging events were assessed. Open-axial coding, content and themes analysis, triangulation, and process tracing were used. The knowledge initiative analyzed the …

Knowledge Assessment Of Anti-Snake Venom Among Healthcare Practitioners In Northern Nigeria, Auwal A. Bala, Abubakar Jatau, Ismaeel Yunusa Ph.D., Mustapha Mohammed, Al-Kassim H. Mohammed, Abubakar M. Isa, Abubakar S. Wada, Kabiru A. Gulma, Inuwa Bello, Sani Malami

Faculty Publications

Introduction: Anti-snake venom (ASV) is the standard therapy for the management of snakebite envenoming (SBE). Therefore, the knowledge of ASV among healthcare practitioners (HCPs) is essential for achieving optimal clinical outcomes in snakebite management. This study aimed to assess knowledge of ASV among the HCPs in northern Nigeria.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving eligible HCPs from different healthcare settings in northern Nigeria. The participants were recruited into the study using a combination of online (via Google Form) and face-to-face paper-based survey methods. The ASV knowledge of the respondents was measured using a validated anti-snake venom knowledge assessment tool …

Building Implementation Science In Nutrition, Andrea M. Warren, Edward A. Frongillo Jr., Rahul Rawat

Faculty Publications

The field of nutrition has been investing in the development of many nutrition-specific and -sensitive policies and programs aimed at improving population-level malnutrition in all its forms. When there is a need to learn about a new system, programmatic context, or target population to understand how to effectively deploy an intervention to help improve nutrition, it is important to be able to ask a broad range of questions, both in topic and in scope. Our aim is to provide a simple and conceptually clear definition and principles to elaborate the science of implementation for nutrition to distinguish it from other …

Men’S Vasectomy Knowledge, Attitudes, And Information-Seeking Behaviors In The Southern United States: Results From An Exploratory Survey, Ashley L. White, Rachel E. Davis, Deborah Lynn Billings Phd, Emily S. Mann

Faculty Publications

Vasectomy is one of the few options men have to manage their reproductive capacity and take on a more equitable role in pregnancy prevention. While the method is underused throughout the United States, the southern states have a lower prevalence rate compared to the rest of the country. Existing survey research does not assess what men know or think about the procedure as a means of understanding why this is the case. We created and conducted an exploratory survey to assess men’s knowledge, attitudes, and information-seeking behaviors about vasectomy in the Southern United States. We used targeted Facebook advertising to …

Development And Psychometric Properties Of A Prostate Cancer Knowledge Scale For African American Men, Otis L. Owens, Abbas Tavakoli Drph, Theda Rose, Nikki R. Wooten

Faculty Publications

African American men have the highest prostate cancer-related mortality nationally. In response to this disparity, targeted interventions are emerging to enhance African American men's prostate cancer (PrCA) knowledge to ensure they are equipped to make informed decisions about PrCA screening with health-care providers. African American men's PrCA knowledge has been measured inconsistently over time with limited psychometric evidence. The factor structure of this construct in African American men is relatively unknown. This study describes the development and psychometric evaluation of an 18-item Prostate Cancer Knowledge Scale among 352 African American men. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted using weighted least …

Intervention Design Elements Are Associated With Frontline Health Workers' Performance To Deliver Infant And Young Child Nutrition Services In Bangladesh And Vietnam, Phuong Hong Nguyen, Sunny S. Kim, Lan Mai Tran, Purnima Menon, Edward A. Frongillo

Faculty Publications

Background: Frontline health workers (FLWs) are needed for delivering interventions at scale to reduce maternal and child undernutrition, but low- and middle-income countries often face inadequate FLW performance.

Objectives: We examined whether and how intervention design elements such as training, supervision, and mass media improved FLW performance in delivering nutrition services.

Methods: Survey data were collected in 2010 and 2014 as part of impact evaluations of Alive & Thrive (A&T) interventions to improve infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices in Bangladesh and Vietnam. FLWs in A&T intensive (A&T-I) areas received specialized IYCF training, job aids, and regular supportive supervision. …

Chemotherapy Knowledge And Health Literacy Among Women With Breast Cancer, Pearman Detreville Parker

Theses and Dissertations

Chemotherapy education is imperative for patients to gain the knowledge to manage side effects, adhere to prescribed cycles, and recognize the severity of symptoms that require immediate provider contact. Two vital factors – the readability of teaching materials and the patient’s health literacy – must be considered during chemotherapy education. However, materials are often not assessed for readability. Further, the influence of a patient’s health literacy level and demographic factors on chemotherapy knowledge has not yet been investigated. The specific aims are to: (1) critique the readability and format of chemotherapy education materials; (2) explore how women with breast cancer …