Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Dietary Assessments And Their Association With Psychological Factors, Inflammation, And Cardiovascular Health Outcomes, Junghee Kang

Theses and Dissertations--Nursing

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels, are the leading cause of death worldwide, causing one-third of deaths each year. Diet is one of the most important behavioral risk factors for CVD. The effects of behavioral risk factors, such as diet, may lead to increased blood pressure, increased blood glucose, raised blood lipids, and overweight and obesity. Inflammation contributes to the development of CVD and can be influenced by diet. Dietary assessment indices can measure diet quality from an individual's dietary intake by scoring food and nutrient intakes. However, the mediation effects of diet …

Associations Between Psychosocial Stressors, Genes, And Cardiovascular Disease In At-Risk Adults, Kaitlin Voigts Key

Theses and Dissertations--Nursing

Psychosocial stressors have a significant adverse impact on cardiovascular health. While better medical treatments and increased emphasis on healthy lifestyle have improved cardiovascular health for many in the United States over the past 50 years, there are persistent inequities in cardiovascular disease (CVD) rates, with the highest rates among populations burdened by chronic exposure to psychosocial stressors such as discrimination and anxiety, among others. Genetic factors may interact with these stressors further influencing the rates of CVD in these populations. The purpose of this dissertation is to examine associations among psychosocial stressors and other CVD risk factors, and the influence …

Factors Associated With Taste Perception And Dietary Consumption Patterns In Individuals With Or At-Risk For Cardiovascular Disease, Jennifer L. Smith

Theses and Dissertations--Nursing

Excessive intake of sodium, sugar, fats, and other unhealthy dietary patterns significantly contribute to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and, among those with diagnosed CVD, to deleterious outcomes. Taste perception is one of the most important factors influencing dietary intake and there are many factors that can alter it such as medication and genetic variations. Yet there has been relatively little research on influences of taste perception on self-management of CVD and CVD risk.

The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the association of various factors and taste perception in order to add to our understanding of what may or …

Psychological Distress And Cardiac Disease, Tracey Vitori

Theses and Dissertations--Nursing

The purpose of this dissertation was to evaluate the association of psychological distress with cardiac disease, events, and mortality. Specific aims were to: 1) to evaluate the association between hostility level and recurrence of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and all-cause mortality in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD); 2) to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) hostility and anxiety subscales in a group of incarcerated participants at high risk of cardiovascular disease; and 3) to evaluate the association of patient and caregiver psychological state with quality of life in both patient and caregiver, and postoperative complications …

Adherence To Physical Activity Among Individuals With Or Without Cardiovascular Disease, Zyad T. Saleh

Theses and Dissertations--Nursing

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major public health problem and a primary cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Regular physical activity is recommended for prevention and management of CVD. Despite the cardiovascular health benefits of physical activity most adults are physically inactive. Therefore, the aim of this dissertation was to examine the factors associated with adherence to physical activity among individuals with or without CVD.

The first paper is a report of a study conducted to examine which baseline demographic (age, gender, marital status, socioeconomic status, and place of residency), psychosocial (social support, depression, anxiety, and fatalism), …