Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

A Nhanes 2005-2006 Data Analysis Examining Early Childhood Factors, Food Security, Medical Insurance, And Childhood Obesity, Assanatu Iyatunde Savage

Presidential Alumni Research Dissemination Award

The purpose of this study, and primary research question, was to examine the relationships among early childhood factors, food security, and family medical insurance and childhood obesity. There are many factors associated with the overweight and obesity epidemic. Hence, creating solutions must be addressed on various platforms such as early childhood influences, food security/insecurity, and family availability of health insurance. Relevant and aggregate data on factors affecting childhood obesity could potentially lead to age appropriate interventions to prevent childhood obesity and its sequelae. The literature noted the social cognitive theory in addressing the relationship between parents, the environment, and childhood …

Service Learning In Higher Education Exercise Science Programs, Wendy Bjerke Ph.D.

Journal of Sustainable Social Impact

Service Learning in Higher Education Exercise Science Programs

ABSTRACT

Research Category

INTRODUCTION: Service Learning (SL) describes teaching methods that incorporate student service activities with specific learning objectives. SL has been applied to allied health higher education programs.

PURPOSE: To determine the applicability of SL to exercise science courses. SL data associated with an undergraduate course in exercise physiology serving a local fire department is examined.

METHODS: Among 90 firefighters, resting heart rate, blood pressure, estimated relative VO2 max, body composition, lower extremity power, upper body strength, flexibility, and perceived stress was assessed pre and post an education and physical …

Determinants Of Prostate Survival In Arizona: Demographic And Clinical Characteristics, Gudeta D. Fufaa

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

In investigating the determinants of survival of prostate cancer cohorts, characterization of the cohort in terms of competing underlying causes of death would be appropriate. Atherosclerotic heart disease, bronchitis, acute myocardial infarction, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, and stroke were found to be the major causes of death among prostate cancer cohorts aside from prostate cancer. A population-based assessment of the codeterminants of mortality and a demographic and clinical determinant of prostate cancer survival was undertaken. Average survival time and survival curves of the various age categories were significantly different. The average survival time and survival curves of …

Perceived Self-Efficacy Of Licensed Counselors To Provide Substance Abuse Counseling, Nichelle Chandler, Michelle Perepiczka, Richard S. Balken

Walden Faculty and Staff Publications

This nationwide, quantitative study documented licensed counselors' perceived self-efficacy of adequately providing substance abuse services. Despite their lack of substance abuse training, counselors were highly confident in their ability to provide quality substance abuse services. Counselor training implications are discussed.

Dietary Education In School-Based Childhood Obesity Prevention Programs, Manoj Sharma

Walden Faculty and Staff Publications

The purpose of this article was to review school based interventions designed to prevent childhood and adolescent obesity that focused on modifying dietary behavior and were published between 2000 and May 2009. A total of 25 interventions met the criteria. The grade range of these interventions was from K to 12; 13 studies exclusively targeted elementary school, 2 targeted both elementary and middle school, 9 exclusively targeted middle school, and 1 targeted high school. The majority of the interventions focused on both dietary and physical activity behaviors, whereas 8 interventions focused exclusively on dietary behaviors. Approximately one-half of the interventions …

A Retrospective Population Based Cohort Study Examining The Black White Gap In Infant Mortality, Ina Marie Peoples

Presidential Alumni Research Dissemination Award

Black women in one US City have more than a 2-fold likelihood of experiencing a death in the womb or an infant death within the first year of life when compared to Whites. The purpose of this retrospective population based cohort study was to examine the unexplained high rates of Black fetal and infant (feto-infant) mortality in this city. The study was built on the perinatal periods of risk (PPOR) model. The PPOR model maps each death in a geographic region into four distinct periods of risk based on birth weight and age at death. The study relied upon 51,303 …

Relationship Between Graduate Students’ Statistics Self-Efficacy, Statistics Anxiety, Attitude Toward Statistics, And Social Support, Michelle Perepiczka, Nichelle Chandler, Michael Becerra

School of Counseling and Human Services Publications

Statistics plays an integral role in graduate programs. However, numerous intra- and interpersonal factors may lead to successful completion of needed coursework in this area. The authors examined the extent of the relationship between self-efficacy to learn statistics and statistics anxiety, attitude towards statistics, and social support of 166 graduate students enrolled in master’s and doctoral programs within colleges of education. Results indicated that statistics anxiety and attitude towards statistics were statistically significant predictors of self-efficacy to learn statistics, yet social support was not a statistically significant predictor of self-efficacy. Insight into how this population responds to statistics courses and …

Lessons Learned Conducting Breastfeeding Intervention Research In Two Northern Plains Tribal Communities, Mary Beth Stepans, S Wilhelm, K Rodehorst-Weber, T Aguirre, M Hertzog, M Clarke, A Herboldsheimer

Walden Faculty and Staff Publications

AIM:

The overall purpose of this article was to describe the challenges and benefits of conducting breastfeeding intervention research with two Native American Tribal communities.

METHODS:

A focus group with an interpretive approach was used to collect data within this qualitative study as a means of incorporating a complex, holistic, subjective interpretation of the case managers' perceptions and experiences. In addition, researchers' field notes were used. Findings are discussed in relation to Rogers' Diffusion of Innovation Framework.

RESULTS:

Themes that emerged during the focus group discussions were related to innovation, relative advantage, complexity, compatibility, trialability, and observability.

CONCLUSIONS:

Conducting research …

All-Terrain Vehicle-Related Injuries And Hospitalization: An Examination Of The Influence Of Age And Alcohol Or Drugs, Shelby Bohl, Manoj Sharma, Chester Jones

Walden Faculty and Staff Publications

All-terrain vehicle (ATV) related injuries are a significant source of morbidity, mortality, disability, and hospitalization, and serious injuries among the elderly are increasing. In addition, alcohol and drug use are prevalent among those injured in ATV-related incidents. However, studies indicate varying alcohol and drug use patterns among age groups and less attention has been paid to the experience of older adults and to the influence of substance abuse (alcohol or drug involvement). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between age, substance abuse and hospitalization resulting from ATV incidents among injured adults over the age of …

Relationship Between Graduate Students' Statistics Self-Efficacy, Statistics Anxiety, Attitude Toward Statistics, And Social Support, Michelle Perepiczka, Nichelle Chandler, Michael Becerra

Walden Faculty and Staff Publications

Statistics plays an integral role in graduate programs. However, numerous intra- and interpersonal factors may lead to successful completion of needed coursework in this area. The authors examined the extent of the relationship between self-efficacy to learn statistics and statistics anxiety, attitude towards statistics, and social support of 166 graduate students enrolled in master’s and doctoral programs within colleges of education. Results indicated that statistics anxiety and attitude towards statistics were statistically significant predictors of self-efficacy to learn statistics, yet social support was not a statistically significant predictor of self-efficacy. Insight into how this population responds to statistics courses and …

Patients' Perspectives On Discussing Complementary And Alternative Medicine Therapies With Conventional Doctors, Deborah A. Mcninch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Currently, little is known about patients' perceptions and beliefs in discussing complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) with their conventional medical (CM) doctor. The purpose of this descriptive research was to show whether CAM-using patients have an interest in discussing CAM treatments with their CM doctor for comprehensive care as described by the health belief model (HBM) constructs of perceived susceptibility, perceived seriousness, and perceived benefits of taking action. A sample of 165 participants age 18 or older from 2 chiropractic clinics in the midwestern United States completed a Likert-scaled survey. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression …

The Impact Of Teacher Collaboration In A Professional Learning Community On Teacher Job Satisfaction, Donna V. Ackerman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A dilemma in some local educational institutions is the lack of a supportive teacher community which could lead to decreased teacher job satisfaction. The purpose of this study was to describe to what extent teacher collaboration in a professional learning community (PLC) impacts teacher job satisfaction. Theoretical foundations by DuFour, Eaker and DuFour supported the relationships between PLC and teacher collaboration. Herzberg's theory of motivation and Maslow's hierarchy also served as frameworks in this study. An interpretive, qualitative research design was used to explore potential connections between collaboration and job satisfaction. Research questions addressed how scheduled school day collaborative time …

Association Between Vegan, Vegetarian, And Omnivorous Diets And Overweight And Obesity, Daniel Sullivan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Overweight and obesity and associated health risks have become epidemic in several regions around the world. Numerous studies have addressed the dietary habits of vegetarians and vegans in terms of disease prevention and nutritional deficiencies but the relationship between overweight and obesity and the demographic, psychosocial, lifestyle, and dietary intake of omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans has received less attention. Guided by the social-ecological model, this study included a cross-sectional, quantitative, anonymous web-based survey to obtain dietary information on omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans. Vegans demonstrated a significantly lower mean and median body mass index ( p=0.00) than omnivores, semi-vegetarians, and vegetarians. …

Hardiness And Attitude On Hypertension Treatment Adherence Among Nigerian Health Care Workers, Chinwe N. Egwuagu-Ndubisi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Racial and ethnic minorities in the United States have higher rates of hypertension than European Americans. In this ethnographic study, 30 Nigerian immigrant health care workers with hypertension described their self-efficacy management of the disease to ascertain the relationship between health-related hardiness, individual attitudes on compliance, and medication adherence self-efficacy. Using a mixed methods designs comprised of survey tools and focus-group questionnaires, the research questions were focused on understanding attitudes and health practices within Nigerian culture that support self-efficacy management. The theoretical framework for this study is the social learning theory and the social cognitive theory postulated by Bandura. Content …

A Synthesized Model Of Compliance Based On Physician And Patient Reported Barriers To Hypertension Guidelines, Pamela Ballou-Nelson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hypertension affects as many as 50-70 million Americans; early and consistent compliance to hypertension guidelines is important to prevent heart attack and stroke, both leading causes of death in the United States. Despite the advances in medicine and health-care technology, the effectiveness with which hypertension is managed at the individual and community level is less than optimal. The research questions in this study addressed the lack of physician compliance to hypertension guidelines and why patients fail to follow guidelines. Improving hypertension management depends on bridging the gap between physician awareness of evidence-based guidelines and patient compliance. Grounded theory was used …

Middle School Teachers' Perceptions Of Barriers Of Managing Student Behavior, Winifred Nicole Whitlock

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite training and support, many middle school teachers struggle to create, implement, and enforce research-based strategies to manage students' behaviors. The purpose of this case study was to examine teachers' perceptions about the barriers of managing student behavior. The research questions investigated 9 teachers' perceived barriers of managing student behavior at one middle school and the observed actions of these teachers' reactions to student behavior. Each participant was asked to participate in a 45-minute semistructured interview to examine their perceived barriers of managing student behavior and the strategies they use to manage student behavior relative to McGregor's theories X and …

Effects Of A Web-Based Decision Aid On African American Men's Prostate Screening Knowledge And Behavior, Beverly Layton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American men have the highest prostate cancer occurrence and deaths of any population, yet many are unaware of screening opportunities or prognoses if diagnosed with the disease. The focus of this study was to learn whether a web-based prostate health education decision aid would increase prostate cancer knowledge, declared intention to be screened, and the likelihood of scheduling a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. The transtheoretical model of behavior change served as the theoretical framework for the study to assess readiness to adopt new behaviors. A total of 128 African American men between the ages of 40--65 without a history …

Vipassana Meditation And Teacher Decision-Making, Jeffrey Ronald Glogowski

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this grounded theory study was to build a theory about the process and function teachers construct around the effect Vipassana meditation has on stress, teaching, and decision-making. This study addressed the problem of how teachers respond to daily tasks and demands that can negatively impact their longevity in the profession. The starting point was the conceptual framework, including resolving cognitive dissonance, choice theory, mindfulness, and the perspective of Vipassana meditation. The research questions addressed how Vipassana meditation influences a teacher's daily routine, decision-making, classroom management, general procedures, and stressful situations. The data collection was done in 2 …

Addressing Limited Clinical Experiences For Nursing Students, Shelly Eisert

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This descriptive case study addressed the problem that nursing students at a small community college lacked clinical experiences that promoted identification of their strengths and weaknesses in knowledge and skills expected of nurses. The interest in this individual case and purpose of this study was to understand the clinical learning activities nursing students at this site believed were effective strategies for evaluating their strengths and assessing areas needing improvement in their nursing practice. The theoretical foundation of adult learning formed the basis of this descriptive case study using a survey design to assess the students' perceptions of clinical learning activities …

Roles Of Internal Locus Of Control And Self-Efficacy On Managing Job Stressors And Ryff's Six Scales Of Psychological Well-Being, William A. Howatt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to investigate the roles internal locus of control and self-efficacy play in moderating how employees manage their perceived work stress and positively engage in the behaviors that facilitate autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, self-acceptance, positive relations with others, and purpose in life. Investigators have documented the relationship between perceived workplace stress and strain and showed that how employees cope with perceived stress influences their psychological and physical health. However, there is less information available about the relationship between how employees cope with perceived workplace stress and engage in behaviors that facilitate their psychological well-being. …

Resilience As A Protective Factor Against Compassion Fatigue In Trauma Therapists, Daniel P. David

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many adults in the United States experience posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) within their lifetimes. Researchers have identified compassion fatigue (CF), which debilitates mental health providers as a result of being exposed to their clients' traumatic experiences, as an occupational hazard. The purpose of this study was to examine whether a correlation exists between the presence of CF and the level of resilience. A confidential survey using the Connors-Davidson Resilience Scale, the Professional Quality of Life Scale Version 5, and a demographic questionnaire were given to graduate-level mental health clinicians who self-identified as routinely working with and/or treating trauma victims in …

Acceptance And Usage Of Electronic Health Record Systems In Small Medical Practices, Ritu Tannan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

One of the objectives of the U.S. government has been the development of a nationwide health information infrastructure, including adoption and use of an electronic health records (EHR) system. However, a 2008 survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics indicated a 41.5% usage of the EHR system by physicians in office-based practices. The purpose of this study was to explore opinions and beliefs on the barriers to the diffusion of an ERH system using Q-methodology. Specifically, the research questions examined the subjectivity in the patterns of perspectives at the preadoption stage of the nonusers and at the postadoption …

Self-Hypnosis And Volitional Control Of Finger Temperature Among Adults, Joseph Swope

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Raynaud's disease is a condition in which circulation to the hands becomes restricted, causing an uncomfortable sense of cold and occasionally injury. The cause of Raynaud's disease is unknown. Earlier studies have shown that hetero-hypnosis is effective in the treatment of Raynaud's disease. Cost and access to providers limit such a treatment's availability. Theories of hypnosis suggest that self-hypnosis underlies all hypnotic processes. This study examined the utility of self-hypnosis and focused attention on the volitional control of hand temperature. Forty-three adult participants ranging in age from 19 to 77 years with no hypnosis experience were randomly divided into 2 …

The Relationship Between Depression And Cognitive Deterioration In Older Adults, Rakesh Chand

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The population structure of the United States is changing; the older age group is increasing in size relative to the younger generation. The trend is expected to continue, especially starting in 2020, when the baby boomer population---estimated at 80 million---will be reaching their 65 th birthday, a time associated with increasing health complications, including depression and dementia. The study employed a holistic paradigm as the conceptual framework to examine the association between depression and dementia in older adults, and generated a grounded theory to illuminate the relationship between depression and dementia. This theory was then used to assess the efficacy …

Attachment, Parentally Bereaved Adolescents, And High School Outcomes In A Large Inner-City High School, Silvana Amar

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

U.S. and world communities face the challenges of understanding how children grieve and of giving them sufficient social and educational support. Inner-city minority adolescents have not been represented well in the bereavement and attachment literature. The purpose of the quantitative study was to use the attachment theory to understand the impact of parental bereavement on these adolescents. Data were collected using the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI), the Piers-Harris Children's Self- Concept Scale (2nd ed.), and school records. MANOVAs were used to analyze the influence of attachment organization, bereavement status, and gender on self-concept and academic and behavioral functioning in school. …

Wage Equality Among Internationally Educated Nurses Working In The United States, Sat Ananda Hayden

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Discrimination against immigrants based on country of origin, gender, or race is known to contribute to wage inequality, lower morale, and decrease worker satisfaction. Healthcare leaders are just beginning to study the impact of gender and race on the wages of internationally educated nurses (IENs). Grounded in Becker's theory of discrimination, this cross-sectional study examined nursing wages for evidence of wage inequality among IENs working in the United States using secondary data collected in the 2008 quadrennial National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses. Ordinary least square regression coupled with the Blinder-Oaxaca wage decomposition was used to analyze the wages of …

Religious-Base Social Relationship And The Psychological Well-Being Of The Elderly: Gender And Race Variations, Eugene C. Uche

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

More people in the United States are approaching retirement age, a trend which has resulted in increased study on life satisfaction and psychological well-being of the elderly. Previous researchers have focused on the relationship between religious social support and life satisfaction; however, there remains a gap in the literature regarding how race and gender may influence this association. Knowledge of interactions between religiosity, gender, and race will enable counselors working with different groups of religiously inclined clients to develop and implement religious-based interventions specific to their clients. Guided by the social ecological model, the purpose of this study was to …

The Influence Of Community Support Services In Reducing Potentially Preventable Readmissions, Camille Rose Bash

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Recently, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) ranked all hospitals based on Medicare readmission rates for heart attacks, heart failure, and pneumonia. CMS offered subsidies to hospitals ranked in the 4th quartile to develop community support services to reduce the problem of potentially preventable readmissions (PPRs). CMS cited 4 of the 5 hospitals in Prince George's County in the 4th quartile. The purpose of this quantitative research study was to investigate the relationship between community support services and the reduction of PPRs in Prince George's County. The Evans and Stoddart field model of health and well-being guided this …

Implementing Core Values In The High-Tech Industry, Arthur J. Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Previous research has indicated that the path-goal theory is an effective way to study leadership behavior; however, a gap exists in the literature with respect to its achievement-oriented and participative leadership dimensions in high-tech organizations. In this quantitative study, the effects of a core values intervention on the four leadership dimensions of House's path-goal theory were evaluated at a semiconductor manufacturer with a focus on the differences between supervisors and non-supervisory personnel. Data were gathered from the validated, company-developed Corporate Culture Survey that was administered pre and post intervention. Data were also gathered from a categorization task that sorted the …

Effect Of Clinical Laboratory Practitioner Licensing On Wages, Mary Hotaling

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Professional licensing directly affects about 29% of U.S. workers and is considered a primary means to establish and maintain health care practitioner competence. Clinical laboratory practitioner licensing was largely ignored in the literature with only 2 studies 30 years apart that provided conflicting conclusions regarding wage effects. This research provided the first study of clinical laboratory practitioner licensing effects on wages after controlling for human capital and individual characteristics wage determinants. This nonexperimental correlational study extended the literature on licensing effects on wages, including women's wages and professions not uniformly licensed across 50 states. The theoretical foundation relied on the …