Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Effect Of Dry Needling To The Multifidus Muscle On Resting And Contracted Thickness Of Transversus Abdominis In Subjects With Low Back Pain, Shane Collins, Abbay Dow, Daniel Rincon

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Study Design: Randomized, double-blinded, controlled clinical trial. Objective: To measure the effects of dry needling to the lumbar multifidus (MF) muscle for any change in resting and contracted thickness of the transversus abdominis (TrA) muscle as well as symptoms and disability in individuals with low back pain (LBP). Background: Recent studies have demonstrated that individuals with LBP have diminished co-activation of the lumbar MF and TrA muscles, which when working appropriately in healthy individuals, contributes to spinal stability and function. A significant change in the resting and contracted thickness of TrA has been found with dry needling to the lumbar …

Preventing Non-Contact Acl Injuries In Female Athletes: What Can We Learn From The Dancers?, Sarah Crow, Thomas Crowther, Trenton Saupan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Study design: Cross-sectional case control.
 Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of dance experience and movement instruction on lower extremity kinematics and muscle activation during landing tasks Background/Aim: Current research demonstrates that dancers exhibit a much lower incidence of ACL injuries when compared to athletes of other sports despite the fact that dancers jump and land frequently in their training and performance. The mechanism that underlies this disparity is unclear.
 Methods: We analyzed lower extremity biomechanics during landing in 27 subjects (age 18-25 years, 12 dancers and 15 non-dancers). In the non-instructed (NI) conditions, participants …

The Effects Of Patellofemoral Taping On Patellofemoral Joint Alignment And Contact Area, Ryan Epstein, Ron Garcia, Nicole Riley

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Purpose/Hypothesis: It is widely accepted that patellofemoral pain (PFP) is the result of excessive stress between the retro-patellar surface and the femoral trochlea. Elevated patellofemoral joint (PFJ) stress may be associated with a reduction in PFJ contact area resulting from patellar malalignment (e.g., lateral displacement, lateral tilt, or patellar alta and/or quadriceps imbalance). McConnell and Kinesio taping techniques are commonly used to address PFP and improve PFJ alignment. It has been theorized that PFJ taping can alter the PFJ alignment which may increase the patella’s contact area within the femoral trochlea, thereby resulting in a reduction in PFP. To date, …

Influences Of Body Composition, Multimorbidity And Polypharmacy On Physical Mobility Of Older Adults, Chieh Chen, Linna Sestini, Rachel Wilde

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background and Purpose: The prevalence of falls, and the resulting injuries and complications reflect a key concern in the older adult population. An increased risk of falls is highly correlated with decreases in physical mobility and related functions. The Timed Up-and-Go test (TUG) has an established reliability and validity in assessing physical function and the risk of falling in the older adult population. With age, a person typically has an increased number of health morbidities, which may be reflected in changing body composition and the number of medications associated with diseases. However, the influence of these factors on physical mobility …

Thrust Joint Manipulation Utilization By Us Physical Therapists, Sean Reilly, Rebecca Slaughter, Erwin Ventura

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Study Design: Online survey study. Objective: To determine physical therapists’ utilization of thrust joint manipulation (TJM) and their comfort level in using TJM between the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions of the spine. We hypothesized that physical therapists who use TJM would report regular use and comfort providing it to the thoracic and lumbar spines, but not so much for the cervical spine. Background: Recent surveys of first professional physical therapy degree programs have found that TJM to the cervical spine is not taught to the same degree as to the thoracic and lumbar spines. Methods: We developed a survey …

Effects Of Simple Postural Instructions On Running Form Modification In Recreational Runners – Preliminary Findings, Elizabeth Billington, Scott Devries, Kenshin Scoggin

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background and purpose: Running is one of the most popular exercises but it is also an activity with a high incidence of injury. Running form modification involving a forward lean of the trunk and forefoot strike pattern has been shown to be effective in attenuating the impact forces of the lower extremity. However, it is currently unknown how these changes can be most effectively instructed and learned by the runners. Previous studies have shown that practicing a motor task with an external focus can facilitate learning and retention when compared to the more common internal focus instructions. The purpose of …

Use Of A Mobile Application To Increase Patient Compliance To A Prescribed Home Exercise Program And Improve Outcomes, Ellie Cobb, Jed Hurst, Ethan Konshuk

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Methods: The creator of the app offered free use of their app to a physical therapy clinic. As the app is only compatible with Apple products, the clinic used the app with any patient that had an iPhone. Retrospective review was conducted to determine if differences in patient outcomes were observed. Patients who had access to an iPad or iPhone were considered part of the “app group” and used the mobile app to reference and report PT HEP compliance. Patients without access to an iPad or iPhone were considered part of the “non-app group” and received traditional PT HEP prescription …

Balance Confidence And Fear Of Falling Avoidance Behavior Are Most Predictive Of Falling In Older Adults: A Prospective Analysis, Sarrie Oscar, Jessica Sasaoka, Kyle Vaughn

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background: Evidence suggests that there are several fall predictors in the elderly population, including previous fall history and balance impairment. To date, however, the role of psychological factors has not yet been thoroughly vetted in conjunction with physical factors as predictors of future falls. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine which measures, physical and psychological, are most predictive of falling in older adults. Design: This was a prospective cohort study. Methods: Sixty-four participants (mean age=72.2 years, SD=7.2; 40 women, 24 men) with and without pathology (25 healthy, 17 with Parkinson disease, 11 with cerebrovascular accident, 6 with …

Heel-Raised Foot Posture And Weightlifting Shoes Do Not Affect Trunk And Lowerextremity Biomechanics During A Barbell Back Squat, Javier Ibarra, Derek Oldroyd, Ryan Zane

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background and Purpose: It is claimed that wearing weightlifting shoes with a raised-heel can improve posture and leg muscle activation, and reduce the risk of back injuries during a barbell back squat. However, these proclaimed biomechanical effects have not been thoroughly investigated. The purpose of this study was to compare the thoracic, lumbar, and lower extremity biomechanics during barbell back squat in 3 foot posture conditions. Subjects: 14 healthy recreational weightlifters (7 male and 7 female) between the ages of 18-50 participated in the study. A minimum of 2 years weightlifting experience and regular training with the barbell back squat …

Assessing Clinical Significance Of The Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment And Cognitive Testing Battery When Comparing Adjusted And Unadjusted Rci Methods For Different Ranges Of Baseline Scores, Ashley N. Figaro

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The growing concern revolving around the dangers of sports-related concussions have led to the most recent implementation of neurocognitive (NC) test batteries as a means to objectively determine the presence of a cognitive defect. Whereas any other sports-related injury can be diagnosed with tools such as an x-ray or MRI, a concussion represents a metabolic disturbance that cannot be identified by these diagnostic tools. Many neurocognitive test batteries employ statistical techniques to derive cut off scores in order to represent significant or insignificant changes as compared to individual baseline scores, or pre-established normative values. If an individuals’ post-injury score exceeds …

Concurrent Mental Health And Sport Performance Enhancement In An Athlete Initiating Behavioral Intervention With No Assessed Pathology: A Case Examination Supporting Optimization, Yulia Gavrilova

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Collegiate athletes are often exposed to unique environmental stressors that may negatively impact the way they think, behave, and feel in athletic, academic, and social domains, potentially compromising their performance and mental health when cognitive and behavioral skills are relatively underdeveloped. Behavioral interventions have been shown to enhance cognitive and behavioral skills in persons with assessed mental health deficits in the general population. However, little is known about the relative effects of psychologically-based programs in persons who do not evidence pathology. Along these lines, The Optimum Performance Program in Sports (TOPPS), based on Family Behavior Therapy, was recently developed with …

Developing Registered Nurse Competency In Diabetes Care, Elizabeth Ortiz

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background and purpose: As the cost of health care continues to climb in the United States, hospitals are seeing longer lengths of stay and associated costs resulting from the complications of diabetes mellitus (DM). Registered nurses (RNs) play a critical role in caring for patients with DM. Rapid changes in the care of DM require continuing education on the current trends and the use of evidence-based practices to prevent hypoglycemia as a serious complication of lowering blood glucose levels. This doctoral project assessed the knowledge levels of RNs caring for patients with DM in the hospital setting.

Methods: Eighty-five RNs …

An Examination Of Early Colorectal Cancer Screening Guidelines For African Americans: Hints From The Hints Data, Torhonda C. Lee, Arlesia L. Mathis, Matthew T. Dutton

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background: Despite the overall gains in reducing colorectal cancer (CRC) deaths due to the increase in screening, minority racial/ethnic groups who have disparately higher rates of death compared to Whites, also have disproportionately lower screening rates. Patient-provider communication about screening has a strong influence on the uptake of screening. In much the same way that gradual impact was made after the 1996 implementation of guidelines recommending screening starting at age 50 for those at average risk, it may be expected that the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) guidelines suggesting screening start at 45 for Blacks combined with a recent …

Facilitators And Barriers To Type 2 Diabetes Self-Management Among Rural African American Adults, Dina Byers, Katy Garth, Dana Manley, Diane Chlebowy

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify facilitators and barriers to self-management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among African American adults living in rural communities. Research indicates that African Americans experience higher rates of T2DM and diabetes-related complications than other ethnic groups. In Kentucky, diabetes is now the fourth leading cause of death by disease among African Americans.

Methods: Twenty-two African American adults with T2DM were recruited from three churches in rural communities in Kentucky. Three focus groups were conducted to identify factors that made managing diabetes easier (facilitators) and factors that made managing diabetes more …

Developing Capacity, Skills, And Tobacco Control Networks To Address Tobacco-Related Disparities: Leadership And Advocacy Institute To Advance Minnesota’S Parity For Priority Populations (Laampp), Linda M. Bosma, Raffaele Vacca, Raymond G. Boyle, Jaime L. Martinez, Rod Lew

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Priority populations disproportionately experience tobacco-related disparities, despite population level declines in tobacco use. The Leadership and Advocacy Institute to Advance Minnesota’s Parity for Priority Populations (LAAMPP) recruits and trains African immigrants/African Americans, Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders, American Indians, Chicano/Latinos, and LGBTQ community members to develop leaders to address tobacco harms in their communities. This paper describes and evaluates the LAAMPP Institute, and discusses lessons learned through the Institute and future directions for community-based tobacco-control efforts.

The mixed-methods evaluation included qualitative key informant interviews with LAAMPP Fellows and community and project contacts, a Skills Assessment Tool, project case studies, and a social …

"Mi Niño Con Asma": Hispanic/Latina Mothers, Environmental Justice, And Photovoice At The Front Lines Of The Asthma Epidemic, Robin A. Evans-Agnew Rn, Phd, Julie Postma Rn, Phd, Lee Sledd M. Ed

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Asthma is an important environmental justice concern for first generation Mexican-Americans. Families experience disparities in housing conditions, access to care, and legal marginalization. Little is known about how Hispanic/Latina mothers of children with asthma navigate these oppressions.

Problem: The purpose of this paper is to describe the discourses of environmental justice of a group Hispanic/Latina caregivers of children with asthma.

Method: A photovoice design was used with Hispanic/Latina mothers (n=11) in Tacoma, Washington, to take, discuss, select and display phototexts to policymakers that communicated their experiences and opinions in managing asthma for their child. Using critical narrative analysis, phototexts were …

Community-Engagement To Support Cardiovascular Disease Prevention In Disparities Populations: Three Case Studies, Deborah C. Glik, Mienah Zulfacar Sharif, Katherine L. Tucker, Shirley A. Tejada, Michael L. Prelip, Alice S. Ammerman, Thomas C. Keyserling, Shioban E. Torres, Stephanie Jilcott Pitts

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death in the United States, and are characterized by socioeconomic, geographic, ethnic, and gender disparities in risk, morbidity and mortality. In response, public health efforts have moved beyond approaches focusing on individual-level behavior change toward culturally appropriate community-focused efforts. In specific, engagement of community partners is now recognized as essential to facilitate changes at multiple levels to improve cardiovascular disease outcomes.

This paper shares lessons learned to deepen appreciation for the unique challenges community-engagement in health disparities research entails, including variations in practice, time commitment, and complexity. This paper presents three case studies …

Sex Disparities In Access To Acute Stroke Care: Can Telemedicine Mitigate This Effect?, Catherine Wolff, Amelia K. Boehme, Karen Albright, Tzu-Ching Wu, Michael Mullen, Sean Savitz, Charles Branas, James Grotta, Brendan Carr

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background: Women have more frequent and severe ischemic strokes than men, and are less likely to receive treatment for acute stroke. Primary stroke centers (PSCs) have been shown to utilize treatment more frequently. Further, as telemedicine (TM) has expanded access to acute stroke care we sought to investigate the association between PSC, TM and access to acute stroke care in the state of Texas.

Methods: Texas hospitals and resources were identified from the 2009 American Hospital Association Annual Survey. Hospitals were categorized as: (1) stand-alone PSCs not using telemedicine for acute stroke care, (2) PSCs using telemedicine for acute stroke …

The Construct And Predictive Validity Of Psychosocial Correlates Of Television Viewing, Raheem Paxton, Pascal Jean-Pierre, Saehwan Park, Yong Gao Dr., Stephen Herrmann, G J. Norman

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background: Many studies have examined the consequences of prolonged television viewing, but few studies have examined the psychological states that contribute to this behavior. In this study, we evaluated the construct and predictive validity of psychosocial correlates of television viewing in a population of African American (AA) breast cancer survivors (BCS).

Methods: AA BCS (N = 342, Mean age = 54 years) completed measures of decisional balance, self-efficacy, family support, and time spent watching television online. Exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) was used to examine the construct and predictive validity as well as the differential item functioning of the instruments …

Dental Health Practices In Us College Students: The American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment Findings, Lori Dewald Edd, Atc, Mches, F-Aahe

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the dental health seeking practices of US college students. Participants: The total number of college students who participated in the ACHA-NCHA survey from 2000-2013 was 1,201,531. Methods: The data requested were the demographic questions and the dental health question from both the ACHA-NCHA I and II. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results: The percentage of students who reported having a dental exam and cleaning in the last year averaged 76.6% in this study period of time. However, dental health care declined annually following their freshman year. More females …

Development And Implementation Of A Culturally Tailored, Community-Based Intervention To Raise Awareness Of Brain Health Among African Americans, Mary Ann K. Hall, Ashani Johnson-Turbes, Felicia T. Fuller, Petra Niles, Shileah Cantey-Mcdonald

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

African Americans bear a disproportionate burden of age-related cognitive impairment in the United States compared to Whites or Hispanics. African Americans experience greater prevalence, higher risk, and lower rates of treatment and diagnosis for dementia. In response to these health disparities the Alzheimer’s Association developed and implemented the Healthy Brain Initiative (HBI) demonstration project, the first community-level intervention to help reduce health disparities related to cognitive impairment among African Americans. The HBI promotes awareness of brain health, understanding of the heart-brain connection, and seeks to increase African American baby boomers engagement in health-protective behaviors to promote brain and overall health. …

Unemployment Rate, Smoking In China: Are They Related?, Qing Wang, Jay Shen, Christopher R. Cochran

School of Public Health Faculty Research

Background: Studies on the relationship between unemployment rate and smoking have yielded mixed results. The issue in China has not been studied. This study aims to examine the influence of unemployment rate on smoking in China. Methods: Logit model and two-stage least squares (2SLS) estimation were used to estimate the effects. Estimations were done for 4585 individual over 45 using data from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study conducted in Zhejiang and Gansu provinces in 2008 and 2012. Results: A percent increase in the unemployment rate resulted in the increase in the likelihood of smoking by a combined 9.1 percent …

Examining Differences Between Asian Americans And Whites For Gambling And Drinking, Kanisha Wilson, Gloria Wong-Padoongpatt, Wilson To, Taylor Lott, Naweed Yusufzai, Trevor Neeley, Todeh Toomians, Chase Shropshire, Nolan Zane

AANAPISI Poster Presentations

Limited research have examined the ethnic differences in gambling and drinking among emerging adults, therefore; little is known about what is placing Asian American at-risk for involvement with these behaviors. The purpose of this study was to examine ethnic differences in risk factors between Asian Americans and White Americans for gambling and drinking at the two levels of involvement: abstinence and problems. The main objective 1) if there are ethnic differences among emerging adults in gambling and drinking involvement, 2) why these differences exist, and 3) which impulsivity and psychological distress variables are specific to each of these ethnic groups. …

An Integrative Neurological Model For Basic Observable Human Behavior, Ryan M. Francis

Calvert Undergraduate Research Awards

The scientific method uncovers information from the natural world in small increments. This spurs the design of models to explain how the pieces fit together and to identify future targets of research. This is especially the case in psychology, where visualizing concepts is an advantageous practice. One all too common criticism of cognitive and behavioral models in psychology is the lack of a biological basis. This paper aims to alleviate part of this issue by integrating currently understood biological and neurological mechanisms that drive psychological phenomena into a predictive and descriptive model for basic human behavior. To accomplish this task, …

Cancer-Related Fatigue Trajectory And Biological Correlates Of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Patients During Chemotherapy, Timothy D. Ogburn, Nada Lukkahatai

AANAPISI Poster Presentations

Pediatric recruitment included a patient with acute lymphocytic leukemia. Blood chemistry and blood indices were analyzed and the patient reported physical, mental, and emotional statuses in a PROMIS questionnaire. At baseline, week 1, week 2, and week 3 Fatigue fluctuated over time while there was a decrease in anxiety, pain, and depression. Suspected fatigue biomarkers were not quantified.

Regulation Of Cancer Stem Cells By Protein Post-Translational Modifications, Emily Khanh Pham, Hui Zhang

AANAPISI Poster Presentations

Various diseases are caused by defective genes or mutations within the DNA. These mutations can cause cancer cells, which are usually treated through chemotherapy and radiation. However, these methods have not completely effective towards cancer stem cells, a group of cancer cells that possess stem cell properties and are capable of initiating cancer. In order to discover new methods of targeting these specific cells, technology for genome engineering will enable researchers to further study genetic requirements within these cells. The method of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas9 will help cleave and alter genomic sequences to potentially correct the …

Improving Capstone Papers For Baccalaureate Nursing Students: With An Evidence-Based Partnership Between A Health Sciences Librarian And A Nurse Educator, Xan Goodman, Cheryl Perna, Pamela Marie Juniel, Rachelle Weigel

Library Faculty Presentations

This presentation will describe a partnership between a nursing faculty member and a health sciences librarian to improve capstone papers submitted by Baccalaureate Nursing students in the last semester of their program.

Academic health sciences librarians will find the description of partnering and applying evidence-based librarianship in the classroom informative, specifically for academic librarians who struggle with the question of, should librarians teach APA? This project involved: an instruction intervention, developing a rubric, scoring capstone papers and developing supplementary materials to support the capstone assignment.

The nursing faculty member noticed that the APA errors in capstone papers were egregious. To …

Association Between Depression And Aggression In Rural Women, Laetitia Meyrueix, Gabriel Durham, Jasmine Miller, K. Bryant Smalley Phd, Psyd, Jacob C. Warren Phd

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Rural women represent approximately 20% of women living in the United States, yet research on the specific mental health needs of rural women is limited. Given the well-recognized gender-linked disparity in depression, its correlated symptoms in women still need much investigation. While emerging notions of depression in men embrace potential symptoms related to irritability and aggression, less research has focused on the potential role of aggression in depressed women. This connection may be particularly relevant for rural women who face unique mental health stressors in comparison to their urban counterparts. The purpose of this study was to examine if aggression …

Attitudes Toward Breast Cancer Genetic Testing In Five Special Population Groups, Amelie G. Ramirez, Patricia Chalela, Kipling J. Gallion, Edgar Muñoz, Alan E. Holden, Linda Burhansstipanov, Selina A. Smith, Evaon Wong-Kim, Stephen W. Wyatt, Lucina Suarez

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Purpose: This study examined interest in and attitudes toward genetic testing in 5 different population groups.

Methods: The survey included African American, Asian American, Latina, Native American, and Appalachian women with varying familial histories of breast cancer. A total of 49 women were interviewed in person. Descriptive and nonparametric statistical techniques were used to assess ethnic group differences.

Results: Overall, interest in testing was high. All groups endorsed more benefits than risks. There were group differences regarding endorsement of specific benefits and risks: testing to “follow doctor recommendations” (p=0.017), “concern for effects on family” (p=0.044), “distrust of modern medicine” (p=0.036), …

Hawai‘I’S Caring Communities Initiative: Mobilizing Rural And Ethnic Minority Communities For Youth Suicide Prevention, Jane J. Chung-Do, Deborah A. Goebert, Kris Bifulco, Tasha Tydingco, Antonia Alvarez, Davis Rehuher, Jeanelle Sugimoto-Matsuda, Bridget Arume, Pohai Wilcox

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Youth suicide is a serious, yet preventable, public health concern for ethnic minorities and rural communities. This paper describes the youth leadership model utilized by Hawai‘i’s Caring Communities Initiative (HCCI) and provides reflections on the important factors for success in implementing a youth and community advocacy project for youth suicide prevention. HCCI partnered with six youth and community organizations who serve ethnic minority and rural communities across the State of Hawai‘i to train youth leaders and community members in suicide prevention, in order to develop community awareness activities that are grounded in each community’s strengths and needs. The work of …