Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

An Interval Training Bout On Cognitive Performance In Healthy Adults, David Young

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cognitive performance has been shown to improve with regular aerobic exercise training. Despite this, most Americans do not adhere to current exercise prescription guidelines. High intensity interval training (HIIT) has been suggested as a lower time commitment, more enjoyable alternative to regular aerobic exercise. Twenty nine apparently healthy college-aged adults were recruited and administered a high intensity interval training session with a pre- and 24 hours-post-exercise cognitive performance test. No changes were found in performance following the bout of high intensity interval training. No significant interactions were observed when comparing performance to gender, training age, training goal, or intra-exercise rating …

Investigating The Effects Of Endurance Training On Heart Rate Variability In Female Swimmer Athletes, Joshua G. Beck

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is important for elite endurance athletes to have practical and reliable means of measuring fatigue throughout their training. Variations in Autonomic Nervous System activity (ANS) may provide an effective marker of fatigue and of recovery. ANS control of heart rate is well known to be affected by exercise training, and those adaptations can be determined using measures of heart rate variability (HRV). Previous research has examined the effect of training on HRV and ANS control of heart rate in males, there is a lack of any comprehensive studies that address adaptations in female athletes. Therefore, the purpose of this …

Preventing Childhood Obesity: A Mixed Methods Study Into The Perceptions Of African Americans In A Rural Community, Dayna S. Alexander

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Preventing childhood obesity is a global priority due to adverse health risks and financial burdens. With childhood obesity rates stabilizing it is difficult to determine which factors alone (i.e., genetic, environmental, behavioral, or demographic) increase susceptibility to childhood obesity. Parents influence childhood obesity risk factors through their parenting styles and behaviors. Social behavioral theories and public health evidence demonstrate including parents in childhood obesity efforts could assist in reducing childhood obesity rates. The objective of this study was to assess perceptions of childhood obesity among African Americans with children enrolled in a rural elementary school in the Deep South. The …

Concussion Reporting Rates At The Conclusion Of A Collegiate Athletic Career, Frances C. Gilbert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Context: Concussions are common sports-related head injuries, with an estimated 1.6-3.8 million sport-related traumatic brain injuries occurring each year. Proper diagnosis of a concussion often lies in self-reporting symptoms, however, an estimated 50-80% of concussions remain unreported. More than half of college athletes indicate they have no head injury knowledge including potential consequences, however, more than 80% would have reported a head injury if they had understood the potential risks. This lack of knowledge may create the potential for unrecognized concussive injury, therefore causing vast underreporting. Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the current reported …

Landing Technique Assessment Utilizing Laboratory-Based Landing And Simulated Basketball Landing Tasks, Hiromi Kowata

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Context: The Landing Error Scoring System (LESS) is a two-dimensional landing technique assessment tool that is readily available to clinicians. However, the LESS merely assesses a contrived landing, rather than dynamic, complex movements that may occur during actual athletic performance. Objective: To compare the LESS scores and knee joint kinematics between the LESS vertical-drop jump (DVJ), and two simulated basketball landing performances, jump-stop jump shot (JS) and rebounding (RB). Design: Prospective, cross-sectional study. Setting: An intramural basketball court. Participants: Twenty-five female recreational basketball players (Age: 20.96±1.70, Height (cm): 166.07 ± 9.10, Weight (kg): 68.54 ±12.17). Intervention(s) …

Obesity, Food Insecurity And The Impact On Perceptions And Behaviors Toward Dietary Nutrition In Low Income Women In Georgia, Amanda Lowe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the paradoxical relationship between obesity and food insecurity and the subsequent impact of this relationship on perceptions and behaviors towards diet and nutrition among low-income women in Georgia. Specifically, this study sought to investigate whether factors such as poverty, education, socio-economic status, and participation in food assistance programs influence obesity outcomes among low-income women in Georgia. A sequential exploratory mixed-method research design was conducted for this study. Using qualitative and quantitative measures, the study employed key informant interviews with 16 administrators and staff members from the Women, Infant and Children (WIC) program …

Exercise Behavior Patterns In Emerging Adulthood: An Exploration Of Predictor Variables From Self-Determination Theory And Transtheoretical Model, Chad R. Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

During the transition from childhood to adulthood, young people establish patterns of behavior and make lifestyle choices that affect both their current and future health (NCHS, 2010). Emerging adulthood – a new conception of development for the period from the late teens through the twenties – focuses on individuals ages 18-25 who did not have a child, own a home, or have sufficient income to be fully independent (Arnett, 2000). Very little is known about social influence, motivational mediators, and motivation on exercise behavior within this developmental period. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the influence of …

Comparing Hyperhydration Ability Between A Glycerol Solution And A Sodium Solution On Dehydration And Performance In Runners, Stephanie L. Marz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine how inducing hyperhydration with a glycerol solution and a sodium solution prior to exercise influenced performance and hydration status during a moderate set-intensity exercise bout followed by a time-to-exhaustion bout when compared to a control solution containing water only. Six well-trained runners ages 21 to 38 with an average relative VO₂ peak of 57 ml/kg/min participated in three trials. Each trial included a 2.5 hour hyperhydration phase where participants ingested a solution containing water, glycerol, or sodium. Following hyperhydration, participants ran for 90 minutes at 65% of their HRR followed by …

Assessing Sports Nutrition Knowledge Of Adolescent Atheltes And Their Parents: An Intervention Approach, Meredith F. Hawk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a sports nutrition intervention on nutrition knowledge and dietary choices among adolescent female soccer players and their parents. Participants from this study were year-round, travelling soccer team members recruited from the Augusta Arsenal Soccer Club in addition to one parent of the minor (n=38). Adolescent athlete participants in the study completed a demographic survey including information on their age, school grade, position typically played, years in sport, whether or not they participated in any other sports, and if they had ever taken a nutrition class. In addition, a parent …

Robustness Of Multiple Imputation Under Missing At Random (Mar) Mechanism: A Simulation Study, Priyanka Garg

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Missing data is an unavoidable issue in controlled clinical trials and public health research and practice. Presence of missing data and applying inappropriate methods of analysis generates biased estimates and reduces power of study. It is very important for investigators to use appropriate methods of analysis to deal with missing data in order to maintain internal (power of study) and external (generalization of sample results to larger population) validity of study. The focus of this dissertation is to compare different methods to deal with missing data in controlled clinical trials and public health research and practice. In addition, this dissertation …

Evaluating The Efficacy Of A Childhood Lead Poisoning Risk Model As An Accurate Predictor Of Lead Exposure, Christopher R. Rustin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lead poisoning is a significant public health problem with paint from old housing exposing thousands of children and leading to negative health and social outcomes. Identifying the highest risk children exposed to lead is important to public health agencies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and assess the efficacy of a new geographically-based lead risk model that when combined with a child's physical address, predicts the extent of a child's risk of lead poisoning on a numeric risk scale. This model is unique because it calculates risk at the address level from parcel attributes of age and type …

Ncaa Division I Head Coaches' Experiences With Eating Disorders And Disordered Eating In Female Athletes: A Qualitative Analysis, Caitlyn Pecinovsky

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In today's sport, NCAA Division I female athletes are under a constant pressure to reach an elite level of perfection in athletic performance, frequently adhering to the assumption that there is an inverse relationship between body size and performance level (Petrie & Sherman, 2007). Additionally, coaches have unrealistic expectations about weight and body image, which adds pressure on athletes to conform to certain weight or image driven standards. Perceptions that coaches hold about eating disorders and disordered eating present a set of risk factors that may increase the likelihood of female athletes developing maladaptive eating patterns (Scoffier, Maiano, & d'Arripe-Longueville, …

Concussion Knowledge And Attitudes In English Football (Soccer), Joshua Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While concussions are prevalent in soccer, outside the US there has been limited investigation into soccer players' knowledge and attitudes regarding concussions. The purpose of the study was to access English soccer player' concussion knowledge and attitudes. This study used a cross sectional mixed methodology design. Participants included 26 respondents (Age: 23.4 ± 4.5 years, playing experience 16.4 ± 4.4 years) playing for a Championship team in England (Response rate: 89.6%). Fifty percent of respondents had a diagnosed concussion history. Participants were administered the valid and reliable ROCKAS-ST survey divided into 5 sections and includes 3 constructs: concussion knowledge (CKI), …

Epidemiology Of Hospital Acquired Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus In A Veterans Affairs Medical Center Spinal Cord Injury Unit: Fiscal Years 2008-2011, Rebecca B. Stone

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this retrospective case-control study was to assess risk factors contributing to hospital acquired methicillin Staphylococcus aureus (HA-MRSA) and gain a better understanding of the burden of HA-MRSA infection in patients with spinal cord injuries. The study was also conducted to see if new information would be found on HA-MRSA infections and validate or refute current research for patients in a dedicated spinal cord injury unit at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center. During the study period, the infection control department identified 95 cases of HA-MRSA. Additional data retrospectively collected were basic demographics, admitting diagnosis, presence of varying comorbidities, …

The Effectiveness Of Education Interventions On Coaching Education Students’ Concussion Knowledge, Retention, And Attitudes, Brienna L. Simons

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Context: Coaches who don’t have access to qualified health care providers need to be well educated on prevention, detection, assessment, and management of sport-related concussion to help decrease the risks associated. Due to the lack of assessment on educational interventions there is no way to determine the validity of the content. Objective: Determine which of three online concussion education interventions was most influential on coaches’ concussion knowledge, retention of knowledge, and their effects on attitudes amongst a sample of coaching education students. Participants: 233 coaching student’s recruited, used 154 for data analysis (71% male, x̅ age = 21.2 ± 1.68 …

Concussion Knowledge In Amateur Motocross, Kristina Miller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that there are 1.6-3.8 million sports related traumatic brain injuries in the United States annually which occur in both mainstream and extreme sports. Many of these concussions have been associated with collisional sports, like football, but high risk extreme sports, like motocross, also have many opportunities for collisions to occur. Unlike traditional varsity sports motocross races, especially at the amateur level, do not require more than advanced life support at a race in case of emergency situation leaving the amateur rider to recognize and decide on concussion management. Purpose of this study …

Choice Response Time Differences Between Recently Recovered Concussed And Healthy Student-Athletes, Tiffen Tapia-Lovler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Some 1.6 to 3.8 million sports-related concussions occur annually in the United States. Utilization of test batteries and exercise protocols are recommended to ensure athletes recover completely. Many batteries involve response time (RT) tests, which show response time increases post concussion. A major limitation of RT tests is that all are done in static position. Additionally, many studies show a lingering effect on RT. The addition of RT tests to check for lingering symptoms could be beneficial. The purpose of this study was to see if significant differences could be found in RT tests involving dynamic movement between healthy studentathletes …

Impedance Changes In Biceps Brachii Due To Isometric Contractions And Muscle Fatigue Using Electrical Impedance Myography (Eim), Travis Orth

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Electrical impedance myography (EIM) is a non-invasive technique used to evaluate neuromuscular conditions by using a quantitative parameter called impedance (Z). It relies upon the application and measurement of high-frequency, low-intensity electrical current imbedded over a localized muscle to determine its opposition to current flow. In brevity, impedance determines the resistance of muscle fibers due to changes in muscle composition. The objective of this thesis was to establish a relationship between muscles at rest and during isometric contractions at various force levels(25%, 50%, and 100% of maximum voluntary contraction) of the biceps brachii over a multifrequency spectrum. Impedance measurements due …

Do The Opportunities Offered During The School Day Provide The Recommended Physical Activity Levels For Children?: An Assessment Of The Upson County Pre-Kindergarten And Elementary School Physical Activity Occurrences, Cheryl Lynn Robinson Gaddis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Problem Statement: Almost 90% of students do not meet the national recommendations for physical activity in school. The purpose of this study was to determine the need for school policy changes to incorporate classroom-based physical activity programs in an effort to increase school physical activity levels for children in grades pre-kindergarten through five by assessing the levels of and the barriers/facilitators to physical activity engagement.

Methods: This was a sequential explanatory mixed methods study utilizing school board members, principals, and teachers in the Upson County School System as participants. The online survey was adapted from the School Health …

Motivation, Need Support And Need Satisfaction In Youth Soccer Players, Erica Lippitt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Author's abstract: Physical activity levels and obesity rates vary greatly across ethnic groups in the United States (CDC, 2011). One popular way to increase physical activity levels in youth is through youth sport participation, which may be influenced by athlete motivation. Numerous studies have determined motivation levels in youth sport participants, but very little done in comparing levels across different ethnic groups. Identifying differences in motivation levels based on ethnicity can allow coaches and sport administrators to adjust practices and program setups to increase participation and meet needs of player competence. The purpose of the study was to determine if …

African American Grandparents Raising Their Grandchildren In Rural Areas: A Phenomenological Investigation In South Georgia, Emmanuel Nii Okai Clottey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Grandparents are increasingly raising their grandchildren in the United States of America. Those grandparents who live in rural areas face limited resources to help them raise their grandchildren. This phenomenological study is an investigation of the phenomenon of African American grandparents raising their grandchildren in Southeastern rural Georgia and the resources available to them. It looked at what it will take to start a faith-based or community-based support group for these Africa American grandparents raising their grandchildren in a rural setting. The concept of phenomenology served as the theoretical foundation for the study with social ecological model and social support …

Expanding The Understanding Of The Social Determinants Of Health To Support Community Readiness For Change, Nandi A. Marshall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Addressing the Social Determinants of Health is critical if we truly want to achieve health equity. The World Health Organization's Commission on the Social Determinants of Health (2008) recognized the need to broaden the understanding of these determinants among the general public to facilitate change in communities. Using a concurrent transformative case study, this mixed methods design explored the potential increase in 1) awareness of the social determinants of health, 2) understanding of context and 3) organizational empowerment through the use of Photovoice and Action planning with a Rural Diabetes Community Coalition in Southeast Georgia. Engaging the coalition through these …

The Influence Of Federally Qualified Health Centers On Selected Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions In Georgia, Mary W. King Mathis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Author's Abstract: Ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs) resulting in hospitalizations make up a substantial proportion of health care costs, but should not because these conditions are manageable in quality primary care settings that promote prevention in an effort to avoid exacerbations that can lead to hospitalization. The use of emergency departments (EDs) as a safety net for ACSCs has increased the burden on hospitals because patients who do not regularly utilize primary care often resort to the use of EDs for treatment of ACSCs. Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) are designed to provide consistent, high-quality primary care to all people, …

Effect Of Honey On Anaerobic Performance In Male Collegiate Soccer Players, Katelyn G. Woolfolk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Author's abstract: Carbohydrate supplementation has been associated with increased performance in aerobic and anaerobic activity. Honey, specifically, has shown to increase performance in aerobic exercise as well as provide other health benefits. The purpose of this study was to see if honey, a natural substance, has a positive effect on anaerobic performance, rates of perceived exertion, and gastrointestinal distress. Subjects consisted of 18 healthy, Division 1 collegiate male soccer players (19.39 ± 0.85 yr, 75.39 ± 7.97 kg). All had no allergies and were cleared for participation by a certified athletic trainer. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three …

Athlete And Coach Knowledge, Attitudes, And Perceptions Of Sickle Cell Trait And National Collegiate Athletic Association Mandated Testing: Recommendations For Intervention, Raymona Holloway Lawrence

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Individuals with Sickle Cell Trait have died suddenly after extreme exertion during military training, athletic practice or games (Kerle & Nishimura, 1996; Harrelson, Fincher & Robinson, 1995; Howe & Bowden, 2007). One of those deaths, Dale Lloyd, a football player at Rice University, prompted a change in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Sports Medicine Handbook Guideline 3c: The Student Athlete with Sickle Cell Trait. Effective August 2010, the NCAA Division I Proposal No. 2009-75-B mandated sickle cell trait testing in all Division I athletes unless documented results of a prior test are provided to the institution or the student-athlete …

Fear Of Failure, Experience, And Division As Predictors Of State Anxiety In Usfa Epee Fencers, Elizabeth Helen Athanas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research looks for the sources of state anxiety for individual athletes prior to competition, which can be debilitating (Gould, 1993; Gould, Horn & Spreeman, 1983). Non-elite athletes who are high trait anxious (possibly fear of failure) have higher state anxiety than elite athletes (Conroy, 2002; Gould, Horn & Spreeman, 1983). Fencers may be prone to elevated state anxiety. No research links these variables together in fencing. The purpose of the study is to examine fear of failure, experience, and division as predictors of state anxiety for epee fencers prior to competition. Epee fencers (N = 145) who competed in the …

Utility Of Health Belief Model Constructs In Predicting Dietary Behaviors Among Female University Students: A Pilot Investigation, Vanessa Emily Anderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between Health Belief Model constructs as they related to dietary behaviors in a sample of university women 18-to-25 years of age (n=182). A cross-sectional, non-experimental design was utilized. Independent sample t-tests compared the mean of body mass indices (BMI) to dietary risk and race. Odds ratios amassed relationships between race and healthy food choices. Nearly one-third (32.4%) of participants were either overweight or obese. Black females had significantly higher BMI than white females; however, dietary risk from less-than-adequate fruit and vegetable consumption and consumption of high-fat foods were not related to race. Focus group participants …

Television Viewing Habits, Body Mass Index, Dietary Behaviors And Physical Activity Among University Students, Mary Catherine Ball

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between TV-viewing, BMI, dietary behaviors and physical activity in a purposive sample of university students. Twenty-three items from the National College Health Risk Behavior Survey were used. For data analysis, students were placed into dichotomous categories for TV-viewing risk; dichotomous categories were also created for each DV. Chi-square tests examined relationships between demographic and risk-behavior correlates and Ss' self-reports of TV-viewing; subsequent analyses were run for Ss who were normal- and overweight/obese. Odds ratios with 95% CI were also computed. TV-viewing was related to decreased use of diet/exercise to control weight and an increased likelihood …

Contagious Discourse: Germs, Mass Media, And The Shaping Of Reality, Amy Richardson Ballagh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over the past two decades, mass media coverage of certain infectious diseases has become more abundant. News reports of many of these contagious illnesses invoke fear in many people, such as Ebola and pandemic influenza; multidrug-resistant strains of infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis; and agents of biological warfare, a concern that is now at the forefront with many Americans due to the most recent act of bioterrorism on American soil following the events of September 11th. This dissertation focuses on the American public's perception of infectious diseases, particularly as portrayed in the cultural science curriculum. I examine the cyclic nature …