Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

A Content Analysis Of Acculturating Hispanics’ Artwork: Implications For Art Therapy, Sarah Bufogle

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Research in art therapy and other mental health fields on Hispanics is limited. In an attempt to further understand Hispanics and the impact of the acculturation process, this study explores similarities and/or differences between the content of drawings of Hispanics who have lived in the United States for 7 years or less and non-Hispanics. Participants consisted of 9 Hispanics and 11 non-Hispanics. A content analysis of the Free Choice Drawing was utilized to determine graphic differences between drawings of both groups. It was hypothesized that there might be considerable visual differences between drawings by acculturating Hispanics and by non-Hispanics.

The …

Visual Journaling: An Intervention To Influence Stress, Anxiety And Affect Levels In Medical Students, Amanda Patton

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Research has shown that medical students suffer from higher levels of stress and anxiety than the general population, increasing their risk of health problems, mental illness and suicide. This study looked at the effects of visual journaling as a possible stress reduction technique. Visual journaling combines written journaling, which has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, and artmaking, which has been shown to improve mood. Five students and five staff members attending or working at Eastern Virginia Medical School participated in the research. The study consisted of an initial session, which involved participants completing pretests of the State-Trait Anxiety …

A Study To Determine Factors That Inhibit Compliance With Engaging In Recommended Papanicoaou Smear Screenings In African American Women, Valecia Gail Carter-Vaughn

Dissertations

Papanicolaou (Pap) smear screenings help to detect abnormal cervical cells in the cervix. African American women are usually diagnosed in the later stages of cervical cancer. The purpose of this study was to determine factors that inhibit compliance with Pap smear screening in African American women.

Ninety-three African American women ages 18 or older, attending an urban health clinic participated in this descriptive design study to answer three research questions: 1) What factors inhibit compliance with recommended Pap smear screening in African American women age 18 or older? 2) Is there a difference between participants who attended the mobile clinic …

Art Therapy With Native American Cancer Survivors: An Observation Of Nonverbal Communication Styles, Kathryn Dengler

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

There is a high morbidity rate among Native American women with breast cancer. Research suggests that traditional beliefs in addition to miscommunication within the healthcare setting may affect the treatment Natives receive. This study observed the nonverbal communication patterns of ten Native American cancer survivors participating in an art psychoeducational workshop. Mapping techniques and situational analysis were used to observe nonverbal communication patterns during the workshop. It was hypothesized that Native Americans would use nonverbal cues more readily than verbal communication.

The results of the study supported the hypothesis. Nonverbal cues were the primary means of communication throughout the workshop. …

Prostate Cancer Patients’ Physiological Responses To Coloring A Mandala Or Working A Maze Puzzle, John Daniel Lorance Jr.

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Prostate cancer presents the patient with numerous stressors including diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, possible income hardship, and social implications. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of a known stress-reducing art task on levels of stress, anxiety and immunity. Four participants diagnosed with prostate cancer were randomly assigned to either a control group that worked a maze puzzle or an experimental group that colored a pre-designed mandala. Pretest-posttest measurements included psychological and physiological indicators of stress, anxiety and immunity. In summary, coloring a pre-designed mandala enhanced immunity and significantly lowered levels of anxiety. This randomized, controlled investigation …

Guidelines For Group Art Therapy Videos: Connecting Group Process With Production, Sarah D. E. Newton

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Group art therapy professionals, educators, and students have limited resources available to enhance learning and professional practice. Video productions and literature about group art therapy have seemingly decreased over the past 10 years. Due to the limited number of group art therapy videos, few resources exist for training purposes. This study employed an exploratory mixed-method design with a preliminary qualitative analysis of currently available group psychotherapy and group art therapy videos and follow-up quantitative analysis of a needs assessment from group art therapy educators. It was hypothesized that the survey results will demonstrate a generalized dissatisfaction among art therapy educators …

An Exploration Of The Effects Of An Arm Movement Intervention Upon Artwork: Implications For Art Therapy, Alicia K. Hurst

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Why have pioneers of art therapy and modern art therapists discussed the importance of body movement in art therapy and yet not one study has been conducted to test its benefits? How can an art therapist overlook body movement in an art therapy session when one must move in order to create art? Observing the need for more research in this area, this study explored how body movement may affect art using one of Florence Cane’s (1951/1983) arm exercises and the scribble technique.

Four adult volunteers were individually videotaped while completing the scribble technique, then the arm exercise, and then …

Maxillary Incisor Crown Form And Crowding In Adolescent Orthodontic Patients, Kortne King Frederick

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Dental crowding occurs when the mesiodistal tooth crown widths exceed the space available in the dental arch for proper alignment. Previous research dealing with this common orthodontic problem has measured mesiodistal (MD) tooth widths or clinical tooth height-to-width ratios from dental casts. The present study used full mouth periapical series of dental radiographs, which provided an opportunity to study anatomical crown form of the maxillary incisors, as measured from the cementoenamel junction (CEJ), in relation to crowding. The aim of this study was to evaluate the statistical association between maxillary incisor crown form and the extent of crowding in adolescent …

The Experience Of Volunteering For Hurricane Katrina Relief / Theoretical Explanations For Nurses’ Involvement As Volunteers In Global Disasters, Deborah Ulmer

Theses and Dissertations

This study is about the nature of nurses' decision making related to volunteering to provide humanitarian aid in a major national disaster. Additionally, it is about the lived experience of nurses who volunteered in that disaster. It is a transcendental phenomenological study using the approach of Clarke Moustakas and the purpose of the study was to describe the experiences of the nurses, their reasons for volunteering, and the impact of their experience on their lives several years later.

Effects Of Altered Superoxide Dismutase Expression On Age-Related Functional Declines And Survival In Drosophila, Ian Martin

Theses and Dissertations

Most organisms experience progressive declines in physiological function as they age. A number of studies in a variety of species support a strong link between oxidative damage, age-related functional declines and life span determination. Here, manipulating the expression levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) isoenzymes SOD1 and SOD2, resulted in altered functional senescence and survival characteristics in Drosophila. Overexpression of cytosolic Sod1 using the yeast GAL4/UAS system conferred a 30-34% increase in mean life span and resulted in an attenuated senescence of odor avoidance behavior in aging flies. Tissue-specific Sod1 overexpression selectively in the nervous system or muscle failed to reproduce …

Electrical Behavior Of Non-Aqueous Formulations: Role Of Electrostatic Interactions In Pressurized Metered Dose Inhalers (Pmdis), Reshma Kotian

Theses and Dissertations

Aerosol electrostatics is an important property of pharmaceutical aerosols. The electrostatic properties of pMDI aerosols have been shown to be a function of both formulation and packaging components. The modified ELPI enables measurement of aerosol charge as a function of particle size, and the simultaneous determination of the mass distribution using chemical analysis. However, in order to fully assess the cause and effects of aerosol electrostatics in terms of its biological and regulatory implications, it is necessary to understand the basic charging mechanisms inside the pMDI formulation.

Electrical resistivity and zeta potential measurements confirmed the presence of charged species within …

Inflammatory Regulation Of Cysteine Cathepsins, Blaine Creasy

Theses and Dissertations

Cysteine cathepsins B, L and S are endosomal/lysosomal proteases that participate in numerous physiological systems. Cathepsin expression and activity are altered during various inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, neurodegenerative diseases and cancers. Early immune responses to microbial pathogens are mediated by pattern-recognition receptors, including Toll-like receptors (TLR). Signaling through TLR causes cell activation and release of inflammatory mediators, which can contribute to the severity of chronic inflammatory diseases. The impact of TLR cell activation on cathepsins B, L and S activities was investigated using live-cell enzymatic assays. Individual ligands of TLR4, TLR2 and TLR3 increased intracellular activities of the …

Contamination Of Dental Waterlines: Efficacy Of Seven Waterline Treatments And Three In-Office Bacteria Test Kits, Adam Davis

Theses and Dissertations

This study compared seven dental unit water line (DUWL) treatments and three in-office bacteria test kits. Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) 1:10 in tap water weekly; 3 drops of NaOCl in 1 liter of water; Dentapure® DP 40; ICX™ tablet; Sterilex® Ultra powder; Lines™; and Selective Micro® Dental-Clean. Traditional culture technique was compared to HPC Dental Sampler; Aquasafe™ Dental Unit Water Line Test Kit; and Bacteria in Water Test Kit. Eight dental units in the Virginia Commonwealth University Graduate Endodontic Clinic were randomly assigned treatment regimens. Samples were taken weekly initially and after flushing for 1 minute. In conclusion NaOCl hypochlorite 1:10 …

Designing Non-Saccharide Heparin/Heparan Sulfate Mimics, Arjun Raghuraman

Theses and Dissertations

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are complex biopolymers that play important roles in inflammation, coagulation, angiogenesis, cell adhesion and viral invasion by interacting with several different proteins.1,2 Structurally, GAGs are built up of several different sulfated disaccharide units.3 Specific GAG sequences that uniquely recognize their cognate proteins exist. Such specificity typically arises from the binding of unique sulfation patterns on the linear GAG chain to highly electropositive protein domains. Thus, these highly charged, sulfated biopolymers potentially represent a new class of therapeutics. Yet, the major stumbling block to the development to these agents is their extremely complicated and tedious chemical synthesis. We hypothesized …

Predictors Of Re-Hospitalization For Home Healthcare Patients, Brenda Fischer Phd, Msn, Mba, Rn, Cphq

Dissertations

The overall purpose of this study was to examine the predictive capability of OASIS admission data for acute care re-hospitalization of home healthcare patients. Secondary data analysis using logistic regression was conducted on retrospective data from OASIS collected during the time period of July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2007. This study was conducted in a Medicare certified Home Health organization that is part of the largest public health system in California. The sample of 1802 patients with complete episodes of care was derived from a data set of 5,523 patients. All patients were included in the analysis and logistic …

A Quantitative And Qualitative Inquiry Into Moral Distress, Compassion Fatigue, Medication Error, And Critical Care Nursing, Jeanne Maiden Phd, Ms, Rn, Cns

Dissertations

A correlational embedded mixed method design was used for this study. A purposive sample of 205 critical care nurses (CCNs) provided quantitative data for the study. A focus group interview of five CCNs provided the qualitative data. The Moral Distress Scale (MDS), Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL), and Medication Administration Error (MAE) Scale and demographics form were used to measure quantitative data. Quantitative findings included the majority of participants were female (91.7%); mean age 47 (SD = 7.91) years; mean years worked as a nurse was 23 (SD = 8.48); mean years worked on respective unit was 13.6 (SD …

Dyspnea: Effect Of Auricular Acupressure In End Stage Lung Cancer Patients, A Pilot Feasibility Study, Roger Alan Strong Phd

Dissertations

Introduction: Dyspnea is a debilitating symptom, common in advanced lung cancer patients, and poorly controlled. The National Institutes of Health has promoted the need for research regarding end of life care symptom control. Purpose: Conduct a feasibility study evaluating auricular acupressure effects on dyspnea in hospice lung cancer patients. Theoretical framework: The UCSF School of Nursing Symptom Management Faculty Group's Model for Symptom Management was used for the conceptual framework. The model includes three dimensions: symptom experience, symptom management strategies, and symptom outcomes. The Human Energy Field Theory provided context for using auricular acupressure. Aim: Conduct a pilot study evaluating …

Obesity Risk Knowledge, Self-Efficacy, And Physical Activity In Families Of Adolescents, Elaine M. Rutkowski Phd, Msn, Rn, Cns

Dissertations

There were no significant relationships found between parental obesity risk knowledge and physical activity in their children. nor between parent's self efficacy and their children's physical activity. In addition there was no significant relationship between the adolescents' obesity risk knowledge and their physical activity. There was, however, a statistically significant relationship between adolescent's self efficacy and physical activity. The result of the correlation between parent's self-efficacy and their level of physical activity was not significant but approached significance (p = .07) and may be identified as a trend. There was a statistically significant negative correlation between parents who describe their …

Clinical Significance Of Chronic Kidney Disease In The Elderly, Kathryn Marie Daniel

Nursing Dissertations - Archive

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common chronic disease which can be very costly to treat if it progresses to end stage renal disease. Screening for chronic renal insufficiency is widely available, yet little is known about which screening estimation formula is most appropriate in the elderly patient. Review: The two most common formulas for estimation of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) are the Cockcroft/Gault, developed in 1976 and the MDRD, developed in 1999. Both are based on demographic variables such as age, gender, and race as well as the laboratory variable of creatinine. The Cockcroft/Gault formula also includes patient …

Effects Of Dichotic Auditory Training On Children With Central Auditory Processing Disorder, Kiley Edwards Stephenson

Doctoral Dissertations

(Central) auditory processing disorder (CAPD) is a condition in which individuals with normal hearing present with difficulties often associated with hearing loss. While there are currently many tests available for the CAPD assessment, there are very few therapies for the remediation of a CAPD. A new therapy program, called Dichotic Auditory Training (DAT), aimed at improving the performance of those individuals with CAPD, was the focus of this study. Eight children between the ages of seven and twelve went through the four week training. The Staggered Spondaic Word (SSW) test, the SCAN-C/A, and a test designed after the DAT …

Review Of Medical Imaging Devices For The Integration Of Medical Technology And Earmold Production And Grant Proposal Development, Michelle L. Saltarrelli

Doctoral Dissertations

The first purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of a medical device to replace the current method of earmold production. The medical device would be used to scan the external ear (i.e., external auditory canal and pinna), scan the dimensions to an imaging software system, and finally send the three-dimensional image electronically to a milling machine for the production of earmolds and hearing aid shells. Currently, audiologists use an eight step process described by Dillon (2001) which due to the invasive nature of the procedure presents potential complications to both the clinician and client, The potential complications …

Efficacy Of Central Auditory Processing Case History Form Used At The Louisiana Tech University Speech And Hearing Center, Michelle L. Smith

Doctoral Dissertations

Central auditory processing disorder (CAPD) is a deficiency in processing of auditory information. Due to this deficiency, a variety of behaviors can be seen including listening difficulties in background noise, difficulties following oral instruction, and difficulties discriminating and identifying speech sounds. These behaviors result in inattention and academic difficulties. With these characteristics being present in other disorders such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, language/learning deficits, and high functioning autism (i.e., Asperger's syndrome) diagnosis of CAPD becomes complicated.

The Louisiana Tech University Speech and Hearing Center uses a CAPD case history for a child that was adopted from Robert Keith in 2003. …

Day Care Surgery At A New University Teaching Hospital: A Review Out Of The Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi, Edwin Mogere

Master of Medicine in General Surgery

Introduction: Day Care Surgery (DCS) is the surgical care of patients on a planned non-residential basis. The objective of the study was to assess the performance of DCS in the context of a developing country within the private sector. Data from a new DCS unit was compared to internationally accepted indicators of the quality of care. Methodology: A hospital based retrospective chart review of all patients operated on within 10 surgical subspecialties was performed. The review period was the June 2006 to July 2007(12 months). Analysis (SPSS version 11.5): Outcome measures included in-patient to DCS ratio in the various specialties; …

The Effect Of Acute Resistance Training On Resting Metabolic Rate In Men, Steven William Ball

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of different frequencies of resistance training on an individual's resting metabolic rate (RMR). Six healthy males between the ages of 18 and 35 participated in two separate trials. The first trial involved two full-body resistance training bouts, 48 hours apart with RMR measurements pre- and post-bout and a RMR measurement 24 hours following each. The second trial consisted of four split-body resistance training bouts on four consecutive mornings with RMR measurements pre- and post-bout each morning with a fifth morning for one final RMR measurement, 24 hours after the final …

Real-Time Ultrasound Simulation For Medical Training And Standardized Patient Assessment, Bo Sun

Computational Modeling & Simulation Engineering Theses & Dissertations

With the increasing role played by ultrasound in clinical diagnostics, ultrasound training in medical education has become more and more important. The clinical routine for ultrasound training is on real patients; therefore monitored and guided examinations involving medical students are quite time-constrained. Furthermore, standardized patients (SPs), who are increasingly used in medical school for teaching and assessing medical students, need to be augmented. These SPs are typically healthy individuals who can not accurately portray the variety of abnormalities that are needed for training especially when medical examinations involve instrument interactions. To augment SPs in a realistically effective way and also …

Mortality Prognostication In Long-Term Care Residents: The Mds-Chess Scale, Caroline Etland Phd, Msn, Cns

Dissertations

Quality end of life (EOL) care for the elderly continues to be a challenge, in part due to late referral for palliative and/or hospice services. The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of the MDS-CHESS scale (Hirdes, Frijters & Teare, 2003) in predicting 6-month mortality in a stable American nursing home (NH) population. A secondary aim was to determine any differences in mortality between the 2 sites. A sample of 191 residents of two NHs was analyzed in a retrospective, correlational cohort study, using data collected from the federal MDS database. Correlational statistics and logistic regression were …

Investigation Of A Validation Technique For The Registration Of 3d Points Directly To Subjects With Pectus Excavatum, Taryn Tacosa Cuper

Computational Modeling & Simulation Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Pectus excavatum (PE) is a congenital deformity that results in a "caved in" appearance of the chest wall. The cause of this condition is unknown, but research suggests that an in vivo investigation of the biomechanical properties of the costal cartilages of subjects with PE may offer insight. Force and deflection measurements are proposed as a way to obtain this data; however, accurate location of cartilage from the skin level would be required for such an effort. Given the multiple potential sources of error with this process, a validation procedure to ensure the appropriateness of the findings must be developed; …

Optimism And Smoking Cessation : The Effect Of Positive Expectations On Participation And Success In Interventions To Promote Smoking Cessation, Chelsea Mao

Public Health Theses

Optimism has been shown to predict both positive health outcomes and positive health behavior. This study aimed to determine whether optimism could predict greater success in smoking cessation and intervention adherence among smokers enrolled in a randomized control trial comparing two six-week smoking interventions. Optimism was measured prior to intervention initiation using a measure of dispositional optimism (LOT-R), and a measure of situational optimism designed by the author. Objective measures of expired carbon monoxide and intervention attendance data were used to evaluate three outcomes: smoking cessation, smoking reduction, and intervention adherence. Linear and logistic regression models were used to assess …

The Application Of Innovative High-Throughput Techniques To Serum Biomarker Discovery, Izabela Debkiewicz Karbassi

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Time-of-flight mass spectrometry continues to evolve as a promising technique for serum protein expression profiling and biomarker discovery. As seen in our initial SELDI-TOF MS and MALDI-TOF MS profiling study of serum for the assessment of breast cancer risk, many profiling strategies typically employ single chemical affinity beads or surfaces to decrease sample complexity of dynamic fluids like serum. However, most proteins, captured on a particular surface or bead, are not resolved in the lower mass range where mass spectrometers are most effective. To this end we have designed an expression profiling workflow that utilizes immobilized trypsin paramagnetic beads in …

Cannabinoids: A Novel Treatment Strategy For Retinal Neurodegenerative Disorders, Sandeep Samudre

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Synthetic and naturally occurring cannabinoids are known to decrease intraocular pressure (IOP). Glaucomatous damage to the retina and optic nerve progresses even after therapy to maintain normal intraocular pressure (IOP). Topical application of cannabinoids decreases IOP while not affecting blood pressure or heart rate. Based upon their effects on other tissues, we hypothesize that these analogs reduce IOP and may also confer direct neuroprotective effects on the retina, possibly via CB1 and/or CB2 receptors. The purpose of this study is to determine if the newly synthesized CB agonists, lipid soluble O-1812 (CB 1), and water soluble O-2545 (CB 1

The …