Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Depressive Symptoms Among Farm Women Aged 50 And Older, Cheryl Dean Witt

Theses and Dissertations--Nursing

Alarming rates of suicide among production farmers have prompted researchers to investigate factors associated with depressive symptoms among this population. Aspects of farm life and farming can contribute to higher levels of depressive symptoms. Higher levels of depression can also increase an individual’s risk of injury and development of chronic disease, impacting overall quality of life. Despite the approximate 3.5 million farm women in the U.S., current research has focused on the male farmer.

Men and women have different responses to stressors, and women in general have a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms. Farm women can be further subjected to …

A Lifestyle Intervention To Decrease Risk Of Developing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus In A Rural Population, Amanda Culp-Roche

Theses and Dissertations--Nursing

Individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are at risk for developing life-threatening comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease (CVD). As a consequence, T2DM is associated with increased morbidity and mortality and decreased quality of life, thus highlighting the importance of prevention of T2DM. Further, the prevalence of T2DM is substantially greater in rural populations compared to urban populations, making rural individuals particularly appropriate targets for T2DM prevention.

T2DM is a largely preventable disease that is associated with modifiable risk factors such as poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, and obesity. Lifestyle interventions to improve these modifiable risk factors have been used to …

Neurochemical Factors Associated With The Initial Pathophysiological Reaction To Large Vessel Occlusion Stroke, Sarah R. Martha

Theses and Dissertations--Nursing

Ischemic stroke is the leading cause of disability world-wide and affects over 800,000 people per year in the United States. The majority of these strokes are ischemic due to a blockage of blood flow to the brain. Damage to the brain occurs at the onset of stroke, neuronal cell death is irreversible and therefore, quick treatment to remove blockage is critical factor in the recovery from stroke. Mechanical thrombectomy as a treatment for ischemic stroke provides an ideal opportunity to collect blood distal and proximal to the cerebral thrombus to examine neurochemical changes occurring during stroke.

The purpose of this …

Race-Based Discrimination, Occupational Stress, And Depression In Black Registered Nurses, Arica A. Brandford

Theses and Dissertations--Nursing

The purpose of this dissertation was to examine depression, experiences of work-related racism, and occupational stress among black nurses. Nursing is a highly stressful and demanding profession that can negatively affect health. Underscoring this is the high rate of depression experienced by nurses. In fact, nurses experience depression at a rate twice that of individuals in other occupations. Examining depression in nurses can provide insights that can inform measures addressing the psychological health of this group. This may be particularly important in black nurses who, in addition to the already high occupational stress associated with nursing, may experience additional stress …

Caregivers’ Influence On Patients’ Heart Failure Self-Care, Hospital Readmission And Mortality, Linda Clements

Theses and Dissertations--Nursing

Background: Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of hospitalization, readmissions, and death in the United States. Patients hospitalized for HF are at risk for readmission, in- hospital mortality, and early post-discharge death. In the United States, inpatient care has been estimated to cost $83,980 over the lifetime of each patient with HF. The majority of patients with HF depend on caregiver support for successful HF self-care, which is essential for optimal patient outcomes. Support from caregivers is thought to be important for better self-care, and lower readmission and mortality rates. Yet, there are few studies considering the influence of …

Association Of Skeletal Muscle And Psychological Responses To Immobility After Major Injury, Jacob T. Higgins

Theses and Dissertations--Nursing

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the physical and psychological responses to the combination of major trauma (Injury Severity Score [ISS] > 15) and variable periods of immobility. Specific aims were to: 1) develop a conceptual model that illustrates physiological and psychological alterations that occur after injury and subsequent immobility, and their association with skeletal muscle responses and recovery; 2) evaluate daily measures of skeletal muscle strength (bicep and quadricep) using dynamometry and skeletal muscle (rectus femoris and biceps brachii) muscle thickness measured with ultrasound in patients after major trauma; and 3) assess the predictive ability of anxiety and …

Gay Men And Satisfaction With Health Care Interactions, Michael Huggins

Theses and Dissertations--Nursing

The purpose of this research was to determine relationships among depression, anxiety, self-rated physical and mental health, self-advocacy, internalized homophobia, and quality of patient-provider communication to satisfaction with health care interactions. These were measured while controlling for select demographic variables: age; ethnicity; urban or rural domicile; relationship status; household income; highest educational attainment; health insurance; disclosure to health care provider as a gay man; reason for last healthcare visit; and, general health self-rating. The specific aims of this study were to: 1) identify general characteristics of gay men in this sample; 2) examine how levels of satisfaction with health care …

The Impact Of Maternal Nutrition During Pregnancy On Inflammation And Birth Outcomes, Lori Ogden

Theses and Dissertations--Nursing

More than 85% of American adults do not consume recommended amounts of fruits or vegetables. Preterm birth and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are common adverse conditions affecting pregnancy and are leading causes of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Preterm birth affects nearly 10% of all births in the United States and is on the rise, as are hypertensive disorders, which have increased by 25% over the last two decades. Pregnancy is a state of controlled inflammation, and dysregulation has been linked to preterm birth and other adverse gestational outcomes. A healthy diet is recommended in pregnancy, but little is …

Barriers And Facilitors Of Healthcare Use Among People Who Inject Drugs, C. Brooke Kuns-Adkins

Theses and Dissertations--Nursing

Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is an infection that can have grave consequences when left untreated. Hepatitis C can be easily eradicated with direct acting antiviral therapy. People who inject drugs (PWID) and inmates are among those with the highest incidence of HCV. However, cure rates among this population remains low. This is, in part, related to an interruption in the HCV care cascade such that only 30% of PWID are linked to care and only 8% of those receive treatment. Inadequate screening and failure to be linked to HCV care remain the largest impediments to treatment success. There is limited …

End-Of-Life Decision-Making In Patients With A Cardiac Device, Jessica Harman Thompson

Theses and Dissertations--Nursing

Heart failure (HF) is one of the top causes of mortality in the United States and globally. In order to combat the high mortality rates of this disease, medical technology, including internal cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) and left ventricular assist devices (LVAD), have become one of the most common treatments. Over the past 10 years the utilization of these cardiac devices has increased exponentially, which has created a new phenomenon of how we discuss death with patients who have one of these devices. The purpose of this dissertation is to increase understanding of the end-of-life decision making processes and current experiences …

Frailty In Patients Undergoing Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation, Candice Falls

Theses and Dissertations--Nursing

Heart failure is a progressive condition that affects over 5.7 million Americans and costs associated with heart failure account for 2-3 % of the national health care budget. The high rates of morbidity and mortality along with increased costs from readmissions associated with advanced heart failure have led to the exploration of advanced treatments such as left ventricular assist devices (LVADs). LVADS have demonstrated morbidity and mortality benefit but cost remains extensive with costs per quality-adjusted years > $400,000. With this in mind, it is important to identify those who are most likely to benefit from an LVAD to avoid unfavorable …