Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Use Of An Animal Model To Explore Prenatal Predictors Of Insulin And Glucose Metabolism In Southwestern Alaskan Yupiit, Julie Jo Kachinski

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Compared to other North American indigenous populations, Southwest Alaskan Yupiit exhibit very low rates of type 2 diabetes despite the occurrence of common risk factors. Contemporary Yupiit obtain a substantial portion of their calories from traditional foods, which contain high amounts of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Epidemiological and experimental animal research has linked glucose and insulin homeostasis with a diet high in omega-3s. This study used an experimental animal model to explore potential diabetes protective effects (for adult offspring) of prenatal maternal nutrition modeled on traditional locally-obtained Yupiit diets. The results of this study showed that the adult offspring whose …

Self-Efficacy And The Predictors For Nclex-Rn® Success For Baccalaureate Nursing Students, Linda Anne Silvestri

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX) is the examination that nursing graduates must pass to attain the title of registered nurse and practice professionally. Each year a substantial number of nursing graduates are unable to enter the nursing profession because of failure on the NCLEX. Failure on this examination is a concern, especially since this country desperately needs nurses. Currently, the United States (U.S.) is faced with a nursing shortage. This shortage significantly impacts the U.S. health care system and requires urgent attention so that the health care needs of the people in this country are met. …

Opportunities For Intervention: Characteristics Of Alcohol Related Visits To United States Emergency Departments, 2003 - 2007, Jonathon Lavalley

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The cycle of alcohol intoxicated patients passing through United States (US) emergency departments (ED) and repeated inpatient detoxification for alcohol inebriates is costly, as these patients are continually exposed to injury and other health and legal consequences of their continued at risk alcohol use. The high proportion of ED resources used by these alcohol intoxicated patients has contributed to increased patient wait times, increased ambulance diversions, forced closures of US EDs, increased numbers of patients leaving without being seen, and an overall reduction in the quality of medical services provided in the ED. In order to contribute to efforts towards …

Empirical Testing Of The Neuman Systems Nursing Education Model: Exploring The Created Environment Of Registered Nursing Students In Nevada’S Colleges And Universities, Diane H. Elmore

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purposes of this paper are to: (a) present the strategies and rationale for creation of a middle range nursing theory that is specific to nursing education, (b) to determine if propositions of the model are valid and appropriate to support further research based on the student-centered education model, and (c) to conduct initial research on the created environment of nursing students, which is one of two the primary constructs of the nursing education model. Use of the Neumans Systems Nursing Education Model (NSNEM), a student centered educational model, which is consistent with the Neumans System Model (NSM) provided the …

Lead Risk Hazards In Pre-1978 Childcare Facilities Located In Clark County, Nevada, Usa, Jessica Marie Newberry

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The harmful health effects of lead exposure have been known for centuries, yet lead is still produced and utilized in a variety of ways. There have been many movements to rid the environment of this toxic metal in hope to reduce the number of individuals who are and who may potentially be exposed. Lead exposure is responsible for a myriad of negative health effects most notably lowering IQ scores in children. Extensive amounts of data have been collected from areas of the country with known lead hazards, hazards that have been identified through hundreds of thousands of elevated blood lead …

Experienced Clinician’S Understanding And Approach To Treatment With Male Survivors Of Child Sexual Abuse, Blendine Perreire Hawkins

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The number of males abused sexually as children are significant and while the awareness of the needs of this population has increased, the process in treatment has not been sufficiently examined. The purpose of this study was to explore experienced clinicians' approach and understanding within treatment with adult male survivors of child sexual abuse. A qualitative research design was utilized, using purposeful expert sampling procedures. In this study, data was collected from phone interviews with five participants who were identified as highly experienced clinicians in the area of male survivors of child sexual abuse treatment. Using qualitative methods within phenomenological …

The Relationship Of A Long-Term Exercise Program And Selected Coronary Risk Factors, Maryse Wells

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to investigate body composition and blood pressure as potential risk factors for coronary artery disease after 3 years of participation in a structured exercise program. The sample group was comprised of 21 male participants (66%) and 11 (34%) female participants with a mean age of 55 years who attended the exercise program and completed health and fitness testing annually. Participants did cardiovascular, strength, and flexibility training 5 days a week with an average attendance of 70%. After 3 years, BMI, waist circumference, and percent body fat increased significantly (p < .01); blood pressure levels did not change significantly (p > .05). Low control of diet …

Effects Of Obesity On The Biomechanics Of Children’S Gait At Different Speeds, Philana-Lee Gouws

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and spatio-temporal gait characteristics of overweight/obese and non-obese school-aged children (12-14 years) at two different walking speeds. Eighty-four overweight/obese (n=28; age: 13.96 ± 0.79 yrs; mass: 74.8 ± 18.21 kg; height: 159.2 ± 7.1 cm and BMI: 29.28 ± 5.64 kg/m2) and non-obese students (n=56; age: 13.72 ± 0.79 yrs; mass: 51.7 ± 10.2 kg; height: 157.8 ± 8.3 cm and BMI: 20.69 ± 2.74 kg/m2) with no present injuries were recruited. Participants were instructed to walk across an electronic walkway in each of two …

Health Care Access Disparities Among Children Entering Kindergarten In Nevada, Nadia Deashinta

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Access to health care is an important factor for the well-being of America's children. The principal goal of this study was examine the 2008-2009 Kindergarten Health Survey data to advance understanding and appreciation of the health status of children in addition to their discrepancies in accessing health care in the state of Nevada (n = 11,073). This dataset serves as a secondary data source to determine whether socio-demographic and medical factors are associated with disparity in accessing health care for children entering kindergarten. This study looked at both independent and combined effects of annual household income, race/ethnicity, primary language spoken …

Enhanced Food Marketing To Children On The Internet: A Content Analysis, Sarah A. Ochsner

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In light of the continuing epidemic of childhood obesity, aggressive food marketing strategies have come under increased scrutiny as a possible contributing factor. It has been acknowledged in numerous studies, that poor nutrient quality of food and beverages dominate children's programming. The growth in child-specific media envoys has further increased favorable opportunities to market food and beverages to children, notably less regulated and parentally unsupervised. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 65% of children aged 6-11 have home access to the Internet; and today, the majority of food manufacturers operate websites appealing to children. The Institute of Medicine issued a …

Relative Deprivation, Relative Gratification, Status, And Health, Samuel A. Holland

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The role of perceived inequity in health was assessed and compared to other social constructs predicted to be relevant in the relationship between inequity and health. Four studies were conducted that demonstrated that a social comparison-based measure of relative deprivation (RD) and relative gratification (RG) can predict health and continues to do so even after accounting for perceived stress, personal income, perceived control, and social participation. A measure of RD/RG was developed that was based on prominent social comparisons and objects of comparison. This measure was reliable and predictive of health in two samplings of different populations. Comparisons of the …

Association Of Body Mass Index, Fruit And Vegetable Intake, And Acculturation In A Sample Las Vegas Hispanic Population, Anne L. Bolstad

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The U.S. is experiencing a rising prevalence of overweightedness that has been identified as the second leading cause for chronic health conditions threatening public health. Overweightedness has grown disproportionately among ethnic sub-groups. In the fastest going minority population in the U.S., Hispanic Americans are observed with disparately high body mass index, placing them at heightened risk for poor health outcomes. Research suggests five servings of fruit and vegetables, in any combination, provides a sound nutritional base for healthful living and helps to maintain normal body weight.

Americans are known to have poor eating habits while foreign-born populations have well balanced …

Nursing Compliance With Standard Fall Prevention Protocol Among Acute Care Hospital Nurses, Anuradha Thirumalai

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of the study was to determine the level of nursing compliance in implementing Fall Prevention Protocol (FPP) in an acute care hospital in a high fall risk patient population and to identify the barriers in complying. This study is important because falls are considered one of the nursing-sensitive quality indicators. The AACN Synergy model for patient care was used as the organizing framework for this study. A total of 24 nurses participated in the study, and a total of 29 high fall risk patients were assessed. The degree of compliance among nursing staff was measured using the modified …

An Evaluation Of Lead In Imported Candies Within Clark County, Nevada, Usa, Lee Reuben Ibarra

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Imported candies from Latin America pose a danger to children because of the potential for those candies to contain harmful levels of lead. This study sought to identify characteristics of imported candies that typically display higher concentrations of lead. This study also explored the Integrated Exposure Uptake Biokinetic model developed by the EPA. Using lead exposure data specific to Clark County, Nevada, the IEUBK model was used to estimate the amounts of candy a child would have to consume in order to raise his blood lead level to over 10µg/dL (the federal allowable limit).

The results showed that candies with …

A Grounded Theory Approach To Faculty’S Perspective And Patterns Of Online Social Presence, Rebecca A. Cox-Davenport

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this research study was to generate a grounded theory regarding the patterns and perceptions of nursing faculty in the formation of social processes in an online course. Employing a grounded theory approach, this researcher built upon the theoretical concepts of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) model (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2000). The CoI model illustrates the inner workings of the educational experience. The model consists of three main components: social presence, teaching presence, and cognitive presence. These three elements overlap to demonstrate how each factor influences the other forms of presence. This study sought to better understand …

The Interim Window: Women’S Experiences During In Vitro Fertilization Leading To Maternal Embryo Attachment, Tammy Mackinnon Lampley

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Infertility affects about 7.3 million women and their partners in the U.S., about 12% of the reproductive-age population. In vitro fertilization (IVF) has been used successfully in the United States since 1981. The number of women seeking artificial reproductive techniques (ART) has increased dramatically and the number of ART cycles performed in the United States has more than doubled, from 64,681 in 1996 to 134,260 in 2005 and 99% of these are IVF. Studies indicated that women rank waiting for the outcome of and IVF treatment and a negative pregnancy result as the most stressful events during their treatment. Although …

Cultural Competence Of Rn To Bsn Students, Dierdre Michelle Riley

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this exploratory research study was to examine the cultural competence of registered nurses returning to school for an RN to BSN program in Nevada. Campinha-Bacote's model, The Process of Cultural Competence in the Delivery of Healthcare Services, was used as a theoretical framework for the study. A secondary analysis of data collected as part of a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Grant was completed. Fifty-three RN to BSN students voluntarily completed the Inventory for Assessing the Process of Cultural Competency Among Healthcare Professionals- Revised (IAPCC-R) electronically in the learning management system of the first nursing course …

The Role Of Visual, Vestibular, And Somatosensory Systems In Postural Balance, Mary Grace Gaerlan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The integration of visual, vestibular, and somatosensory components are used to maintain one's postural balance. Postural control changes over time and body sway increases with age. The different sensory systems begin to develop and refine starting when children are young, while in older adults it begins to decline. Hence, it is important to study the changes that occur in postural balance. There is very little known about balance of younger adults. If balance issues are identified early in adult life it is possible to prevent exacerbation of balance decline as one ages. If nurse practitioners are aware of what dominant …

Impacts On Maternal Diet In A Transitional Community In Rural Costa Rica: Potential Implications For The Developmental Origins Of Obesity-Related Disorders, Allison Cantor

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This thesis examines maternal diet in a rural, transitional community in Costa Rica. Using cross-cultural categories recognized in the ethnographic literature (i.e. dietary taboos, dietary prescriptions, food cravings and the acknowledgment of a special post-partum period diet), maternal dietary practices were identified in the local community through surveys (n=45) and participant-observation (n=5), and to reflect the actual consumption patterns of pregnant and nursing women in the area, 24-hour diet recalls were administered to 5 pregnant or nursing women. In light of the recent changes that increased tourism has brought to the Monteverde Zone, focus groups were employed to determine impacts …

The Effects Of Cellular Theta Breathing Meditation On Cell Mediated Immune Response: A Controlled, Randomized Investigation Of Altered Consciousness And Health, Marjorie D. Hardgrave

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Medical anthropology is well positioned to make contributions to consciousness research based on biocultural approaches that integrate methodologies from the biological, behavioral and social sciences to explore aspects of human health. The ubiquity and perseverance of health related activities involving altered states of consciousness (ASC) across cultures past and present suggest that these potentials are deeply rooted in human sociocultural evolution. Analyzing the relationship between immune function and meditative ASC represents an effort to empirically investigate the adaptive value of these human potentials.

A controlled, randomized investigation of two meditation practices was conducted at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas …

Deaths In Custody In Nevada, 2001-2006, Brian R. Brehman, Terance D. Miethe, Timothy C. Hart

Graduate Research Symposium (2010 - 2017)

A large number of prisoners die each year while under the custody of the state. These deaths include prisoners who are executed under state laws and other deaths in custody from a variety of causes. Nationally, 18,550 individuals died in the custody of a state prison between 2001 and 2006. This state data brief examines deaths in custody in Nevada prisons and jails and compares them to national averages. This report summarizes the prevalence rates for deaths in custody, changes in these custody deaths over time, the cause of these deaths, and compares custody deaths in Clark County jail to …

Evaluating The Comprehensiveness Of Youth Access To Tobacco Legislation, Richard Clark

Graduate Research Symposium (2010 - 2017)

The deadly effects of smoking have been well documented since the 1960s. As laws and ordinances have been instituted at the state level, various measures have been developed in an attempt to measure both the comprehensiveness and effectiveness of such restrictions. This paper seeks to build on the rating systems already developed that currently look at individual laws by developing an overall rating scale of state level smoking restrictions and their effectiveness over time. Results of the overall rating scale will be shared along with recommendations for future research.

Therapeutic Alliance And Client Satisfaction From The Client’S Perspective, Colleen Peterson, Armeda Stevenson, Katherine M. Hertlein, Stephen Fife

Graduate Research Symposium (2010 - 2017)

This was the second phase of a two phase mixed methodology study. Presented is the qualitative portion consisting of semi-structured phone interviews conducted with past clients in order to examine the relationship of the therapeutic alliance and client satisfaction with client retention and termination status.Findings were classified into three main categories: therapist characteristics, treatment structural characteristics and process characteristics.

Defining Intimacy In Diverse Asian Cultures, Blendine Hawkins, Katherine Herlein

Graduate Research Symposium (2010 - 2017)

America has continued to diversify as a nation, welcoming people from every race, culture and continent. The US Census Bureau (2004) reported that there were 13.5 million Asians in America and these numbers are increasing (US Census Bureau, 2004). This indicates that there is a greater demand for competent and effective mental health care to meet the needs of this heterogeneous group. Asian Americans can be best helped by a therapist who is sensitive, knowledgeable and has an understanding about the core values which are present in many Asian cultures. There are limited resources and treatment guides for this population …

The Portrayal Of Schizophrenia In Television: An Experiment Assessing How Viewer Attitudes Are Affected, Lindsey Jo Hand, Paul Traudt

Graduate Research Symposium (2010 - 2017)

Portrayals of schizophrenia in the media have been found to be very negative in nature. This study is an attempt to take research in this area a step further by conducting an experiment measuring attitudes of viewers toward schizophrenia before and after viewing an episode of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit in which a man with schizophrenia is depicted as a dangerous sexual deviant. Participants were given a pretest, viewed the television show and then were given a post-test. The post-test and pretest are identical and consist of questions from the Community Attitudes on Mental Illness (CAMI) scale and …

Mental Health, Naturally: The Family Guide To Holistic Care For A Healthy Mind And Body, P. S. Mcmillen

Library Faculty Research

Inspite of its rather intimidating size, this is a very readable book on the entire gamut of holistic approaches — everything from nutrition to magnets — for treating some of the most prevalent mental health issues.

Outcomes Associated With A Unlv Outdoor Adventures' Women's Wilderness Canoe Trip, Joanna Leigh Libby

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to examine the outcomes associated with a short term women's canoe trip. Short debriefings, field observations and in-depth interviews were used to capture women's experiences and the processes that take place to achieve these experiences.

Eight females from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas participated in a three day canoeing trip led by the University's outdoor program. Their ages range from 18 to 40 and are all affiliated with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in some way.

Results from the participant's interviews highlighted four major themes. These themes are the disengagement from traditional …

Team-Based Learning: Engagement And Accountability With Psychometric Analysis Of A New Instrument, Heidi Ann Mennenga

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

With calls for transformation, innovation, and excellence in nursing education from national bodies of nursing, nurse educators must determine the best possible teaching strategies to meet educational standards. Team-based learning, an innovative teaching strategy, offers educators a structured, student-centered learning environment and may be more effective than current teaching pedagogies in meeting the needs of nurse educators.

The purpose of this study was to (a) examine differences in student engagement between baccalaureate nursing students taught using team-based learning and those taught using traditional lecture, (b) examine how levels of engagement affected examination scores, (c) examine potential differences in student examination …

Development Of A Functional Mri Olfactory Protocol, Jeremy Mangum

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Many people can spend a few days with an acute form of sinusitis, a stuffy nose, or sinus congestion that inhibits their ability to smell, but there are fourteen million Americans over the age of fifty that suffer from some form of chronic olfactory dysfunction. Some neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease have demonstrated that olfactory dysfunction is a frequent and early sign. While these diseases have no known cure, there are medicines that exist to slow the progression of such debilitating illnesses. By identifying such diseases in their early stages, we can improve the quality of …

An Analysis Of Restaurant Food Safety Violations: Human Factors, Non-Human Factors, And Food-Borne Illness, Jai Choung

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

An estimated 76 million food-borne illnesses occur in the United States each year, causing 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Food safety is an increasingly important topic to governmental food regulators, not only in trying to reduce the number of illnesses from contaminated food. Governmental regulators also are becoming aware of the vulnerability of the food supply chain as a target for bioterrorism. Recommendations have been developed to protect the U. S. food supply from terrorism, but little of the research and recommendations relate to the food-service level.

Eighty percent of reported cases …