Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Primary Care Family Nurse Practitioners’ Practices O F Assessment For The State O F Thriving Among Community-Based Elders, Judy Labonte

MSN Research Projects

The increasing life span of people within the developed world may produce major health problems for the elder. These health problems lead to premature declines in function and cognition. Many healthcare professionals do not recognize these declines until the need for institutionalized care is urgent. Research has demonstrated that healthcare professionals either fail to recognize or address these declines, contributing to poor outcomes for the elder and the exponential rise in healthcare expenses o f the Medicare and Medicaid funds. This exploratory, descriptive study was designed to examine the level of assessment by primary care family nurse practitioners (FNPs) for …

Identification Of Common Variables Among A Select Group Of Children With Autism, Angela Yarbrough

MSN Research Projects

Autism has become the topic of much recent debate. Autism is a serious, lifelong developmental disability characterized by significant impairments in reciprocal social interactions and communication skills, as well as a restricted and repetitive pattern of interests and or behaviors (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). Minimal information is available about the prevalence or causes of the disorder in the United States. The purpose of this descriptive study was to find and identify common variables among a select group of children diagnosed with autism. Roger's Science of Unitary Human Beings served as the theoretical framework for this study. Rogers (1980) states that …

Effects Of Mentholatum On Onychomycosis Of The Toenail, Susan Cappleman

MSN Research Projects

As many as 25% of the population age 60 years and older may be affected by onychomycosis, a chronic infection that is difficult to cure. Onychomycosis can cause pain and soft tissue injury that can lead to infection affecting gait from discomfort. Current oral medications available for the treatment of onychomycosis are costly and can pose the risk of serious side effects. The purpose of this study was to determine if the use of Mentholatum was an effective and cost-efficient means to treat onychomycosis of the toenail in elders. The Neuman Systems Model was used as the theoretical framework: specifically, …

The Effect Of Active Exercise On Rectus Femoris Cooling Time, Blaine C. Long

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Context: The ability for cryotherapy to influence subcutaneous temperature has mainly been considered during resting skeletal muscle. However, most injuries occur when subcutaneous temperatures have been physically active. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of ice on exercised rectus femoris musculature and the effect of exercise on cooling rectus femoris musculature to 1 0°C below resting temperature. Design and Setting: Two 2 x 2 repeated measures designs were used. The study was conducted in the Sports Injury Research Laboratory at Indiana State University. Subjects: Six (age= 26.0 ± 3.2 yrs, ht = 181.6 ± 2.4cm, …

Certified Athletic Trainers' Knowledge And Perception Of Professional Preparation Involving Eating Disorders Among Athletes, Emily Jo Reliford

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Context: It was unclear in the current research how Certified Athletic Trainers (ATC) perceived their professional preparation about eating disorders and disordered eating. Objective: To establish how ATCs perceived their professional preparation and educational background in managing eating disorders. Design and Setting: A 42 item web based survey was specifically created for this study and disseminated to certified members of the NATA. Subjects: The survey was disseminated to 14,477 certified NATA members. The response rate was 13.6% (n=l 966) with a mean age 31.87±7.82. Measurements: This survey consisted of an 11 question demographics section, 13 Likert ( 1-7) scale questions, …

Can You Just Say No? The Impact Of Critical Thinking On Advertisement Activated Alcohol Expectancies, Sarah A. Forbes

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol expectancies appear to be the crux of alcohol advertisement effectiveness. Research has supported the notion that alcohol expectancies predict future drinking, but the expectancies must be activated by cues before they can influence drinking. Alcohol ads are one possible cue. The extent to which ads activate these expectancies could predict the extent to which drinking is influenced. One way to test this idea was to vary participants' attention to alcohol ads, thus varying expectancy activation. This study also examined whether or not critical thinking could undo the influence of activated expectancies. Four conditions were created for the study: control, …

External Ankle Stablization: Male High School Basketball Players' Perceptions On Functional Performance, Renae E. Bomar

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The purpose of this study was to measure and report athletes' perceptions of the effects an external ankle support has on functional performance, and to gain knowledge ofwhat type of ankle support the athletes choose to wear. Design and Setting: A questionnaire containing demographic information and 4 construct areas was designed to focus on assessing high school male basketball players' perception of functional performance while wearing an external ankle support. Survey p~ckets were sent to high school certified athletic trainers (ATCs) to be distributed to each male basketball player. Subjects: Approximately 770 surveys were sent out to ATCs in …

Prediction Of 1976 Diabetes Incidence From 1960 Animal Product Consumption Among California Seventh-Day Adventists, Arnold Vang

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The prevalence of diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes in the US has been estimated at more than 16 million individuals (King, 1998). This has led to research into lifestyle practices (Astrup, 2001; Touomilehto, 2001), which has identified several of primary prevention. High fat diet and type 2 diabetes has been attributed to the wellareas known mechanisms of hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinaemia and insulin resistance (Ferrannini, 1999; Reaven, 1988).

We examined the association between all animal product consumption, specific animal product consumption and diabetes incidence among California Seventh-day Adventists who were cohort members of the Adventist Mortality Study (Kahn, 1984) and the Adventist Health …

Breast Cancer - Preventive Care And Screening Patterns Among Hispanic Women In The Rio Grande Valley, Sreelatha Gobburu

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Although breast cancer rates are lower among Hispanic women than among white women, Hispanics are more likely to die from this disease. This may be related to the fact that Hispanic women are less likely to practice preventive care methods such as Breast Self Exam (BSE) and Mammography. Cultural beliefs and attitudes about diseases play a significant role in Hispanic health behavior. Access to and availability of medical services, affective reactions towards cancer screening and treatment methods, and socioeconomic and demographic factors are stronger determinants of health care practices of Hispanic women. This study examines screening patterns of Hispanic women …

Effectiveness Of A Practice Regimen For Decreasing Floor Rise Time In Older Adults, Deborah Waldschmidt Gibbs

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Some older adults experience extended periods of time lying on the floor waiting for help to arrive because they can not rise up independently (Campbell et al., 1990; Nevitt, Cummings, and Hudes, 1991). In many of these cases the older adults are not seriously injured, yet they lack the ability to rise up (Tinetti and Speechley, 1989; Vellas, Cayla, Bocquet, Pemille, and Albarede, 1987). Body Recall, an exercise program that teaches floor rising to older adults, advocates practicing getting up from the floor as a method for retaining this ability. The benefit of Body Recall is only anecdotal and has …

How Individuals Understand Depression: Attributions, Stigma, And Treatment Recommendations, Erin A. Pladsen

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study examined participants' beliefs/attributions about depression, their help seeking recommendations for depressed individuals, and the stigma associated with depression. Participants were asked to read a vignette that described a target person who is suffering from depression, and they were asked to complete various questionnaires based upon the vignette. Overall, the results indicated that individuals did not possess negative attitudes toward mental illness, that individuals more strongly recommended professional mental health assistance, and that individuals did not tend to stigmatize depressed individuals. Results did indicate that the label of depression and the gender of the target person affected provider type …

Sibling Death In Childhood: An Evaluation Of The Literature Regarding Inclusion Of Minority Cultures, 1990–2002, Joyce Kay L. Cherry

Community & Environmental Health Theses & Dissertations

This evaluation seeks to determine the extent to which the professional literature concerning bereaved children in the United States includes African American, Hispanic American, and Asian American children whose siblings have died in childhood.

A literature search identifies 58 articles, published between 1990 and 2002, concerning children under age 19 living in the United States whose siblings have died. Articles are sorted by time frame and classified by type. There are 31 descriptive articles consisting of five literature reviews, five commentaries, five case studies, and 16 narratives; there are 27 research articles. Analysis determines the extent to which race, culture, …

Effects Of Ultrasonic Scaling And Hand-Activated Scaling On Tactile Sensitivity In Dental Hygiene Students, Danielle Leigh Ryan

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

This study was conducted in order to determine if tactile sensitivity varies in dental hygiene students who use the ultrasonic scaler as compared to those who scale with handactivated instruments. A convenience sample of 40 consenting, first year dental hygiene students were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The 40 students had not yet used the ultrasonic scaler nor had any history of injuries or disabilities to the dominant arm, wrist or hand. After establishing a baseline tactile sensitivity score with the Vibratory Sensory Analyzer (VSA), experimental group subjects used the ultrasonic scaler to remove 4cc's of artificial calculus …

Bridging Oceans: An Occupational Therapist's Journey Toward Client-Centeredness, Anna Liedberg Miron

Masters Theses

This study blends an autobiographical approach with a person's own narrative about her recovery experience to create an analytic framework for exploring how narratives of clients and practitioners can be used to inform occupational therapy practice. Beth and I shared 12 hours of audio-taped conversations about her recovery/rehabilitation experience one year after she had experienced a stroke. Beth was intimately involved in the process of editing her story during the research process. Narrative analysis that takes into account the flow of time was used in addition to identification of key stories that Beth felt were important in her recovery-process. Congruence …

Athletic Trainers' Perceptions Of Competence In Therapeutic Exercise, Christopher J. Jones

Masters Theses

As the athletic training profession continues to expand, it is necessary to evaluate the preparedness of the entry-level certified athletic trainer (ATC). The purpose of this research is to determine if entry-level certified athletic trainers perceive that they have the knowledge and skills necessary to perform specific tasks related to therapeutic exercise.

An online questionnaire was sent out to 450 entry-level certified athletic trainers in District Four. A total of 69 subjects returned the survey for a response rate of 15.3%. The questionnaire utilized a Likert-type scale consisting of questions derived in the area of therapeutic exercise of the NATA …

Effect Of Proprioceptive Input Combined With “Handwriting Without Tears” On The Handwriting Of Children With Learning Disabilities, Jodie M. Guy

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of"Handwriting Without Tears" on students' handwriting, and to explore if providing proprioceptive input before implementing "Handwriting Without Tears" has an effect on the legibility and accuracy of handwriting. Three first-grade and three second-grade students who received direct occupational therapy services were divided into two treatment groups. Those students in treatment group A received a combination of proprioceptive input and the "Handwriting Without Tears" program during their treatment session. Those students in treatment group B received only the "Handwriting Without Tears" program. Each student completed the Minnesota Handwriting Test (MHT) before …

Response To Craniosacral Therapy In An Infant With Plagiocephaly, Amy Taylor Johnson

Masters Theses

Objective

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of utilizing craniosacral therapy (CST) techniques to influence head symmetry and motor skill development of an infant with plagiocephaly. The study is an ex post facto single case study, analyzing the results of data from previously conducted intervention utilizing a craniosacral therapy approach.

Method

The infant in this case study received gentle hands on treatment using the cranium and sacrum to influence the membrane system that encloses the cerebrospinal fluid. Developmental positioning, myofascial release, and sensorimotor techniques were incorporated. The student investigator treated the infant 8 times over a …

An Evaluation Of Methylphenidate Preference In Adults Diagnosed With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Emily Kathleen Macdonald

Dissertations

Methylphenidate (MPH) is widely used in the treatment of ADHD, and is associated with positive effects across a wide range of domains. In spite of the clinical effectiveness of MPH, concern has arisen with respect to its abuse potential. The present study examined the reinforcing effects and participant-rated effects of MPH in adults diagnosed with ADHD. Participants included 10 volunteers (ages 18-22) diagnosed with ADHD who were receiving MPH treatment. The reinforcing effects were assessed using a double-blind choice procedure with 4 sampling and 8 choice sessions. During sampling sessions, participants completed a self-report questionnaire before receiving either placebo or …

Interaction Between Adrenergic And Nitric Oxide-Releasing Nerves In Cerebral Arteries, Emmanuel Ngu Mbaku

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Of all body tissues, the brain is the least tolerant of ischemia so much that interruption of cerebral blood flow by 5 sec can cause syncope, with irreversible tissue damage if the ischemia last a few minutes. In this respect, the body has an imperative duty of ensuring constant and adequate blood supply to the brain. It does so through a series of intrinsic and extrinsic control factors of which adrenergic and nitric oxide-releasing nerves are components. My research examined the interaction between these two nerve-types with emphasis on the mechanisms involved as well as on changes in their functions …

Effects Of Moral Sensitivity And Moral Climate On Moral Reasoning, Marita Louise Mahoney

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

As healthcare professionals, psychology students and psychologists are expected to behave ethically and morally. It is assumed that moral and ethical reasoning in psychology students develops through exposure to ethical dilemmas within ethics classes and during clinical training experiences. Rest's Four Component Model of Moral Behavior, a neo-Kohlbergian approach to understanding moral development, posits an interaction of Moral Sensitivity, Moral Motivation, Moral Reasoning and Moral Character. Moral sensitivity, or awareness of a moral dilemma, is posited to cue the moral reasoning process, though little is known about how the training environment can facilitate or hamper such developments. Fifty".'two psychology-graduate students …

Effects Of Mtad On Some Physical Properties Of Enamel And Dentin, Tanya Kristina Machnick

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Recently, a Mixture of Tetracycline, an Acid, and a Detergent (MTAD) has been advocated to remove smear layer and disinfect canals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of MTAD the flexural strength and modulus of elasticity of dentin as well as its effect on the bond strength to enamel and dentin. In Part I, dentin bars were randomly assigned to eight groups treated either with various concentrations of NaOCl (5.25%, 2.65%, 1.31%, 0.66%), 17% EDTA, MTAD, saline, or according to a clinical protocol with 1.3% NaOCl and then 5 min of MTAD. …

Ultrasonic Removal Of Bacteria From Plated Cells, Cecilia Chi-Pei Kao

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Children often present with dental trauma to pediatric emergency departments and pediatric dental offices. There is a wide spectrum of types of dental trauma. Although research has been done concerning the treatment of avulsed teeth, the current recommendations in the published guidelines might still be improved for better long term prognoses. One may speculate that ultrasonification of an avulsed tooth prior to replantation may dislodge existing surface bacteria and improve the prognosis for the tooth. This was as an in vitro study to test this concept. Epithelial cells were grown in 6-well tissue culture plates. Standardized amounts of Staphylococcus aureus …

The Effect Of Ultrasonics On Fibroblast Cells, Sheila A. Harris

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The field of dentistry uses the debriding properties of ultrasonic vibration. It is unknown if this property is detrimental to the periodontal ligament (PDL) of an avulsed tooth. This information is important when a clinician is faced with a debris-covered avulsed tooth following a traumatic event. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect that ultrasonic vibration has on those PDL cells most numerous and most vital to a successful tooth replantation, namely, the fibroblasts.

Several fibroblast cell sources were exposed to varying ultrasonic times. These included a commercially available cell line of human foreskin fibroblast (HFF), a …

Distraction Osteogenesis In Edentulous Alveolar Bone With Rhbmp-2 Enhancement, Liviu F. Eftimie

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Distraction osteogenesis, a unique system of affecting rapid bone healing in fractures, realigning malformed bones, and lengthening congenitally short and traumatically shortened bones has become an increasingly utilized technique for the maxillofacial region. The use of distraction osteogenesis has been described for increasing the height of edentulous mandibular alveolar ridges while concurrently forming new bone within the ridge to allow for adequate reconstruction. A standard protocol for performing distraction osteogenesis in the maxillofacial region has been well documented in the literature. Standard distraction osteogenesis requires an initial surgery to place the distraction osteogenesis device and mobilize the segment to be …

Exploring The Physician’S Processes: Diagnosing Autism, Gwennyth Li Sze Palafox

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Physicians are customarily the first point of contact for parents who are concerned about a child’s development. Thus, it is important for physicians to be current and educated about childhood disorders and subsequent treatment for those disorders. Recently, empirical evidence has led to the proposal of early indicators of autism supporting that autism may be diagnosed accurately in children less than three years old. Furthermore, formal screening and assessment parameters developed by medical organizations have been proposed in order to identify autism as early as possible (American Academy of Neurology, 2000). While the proposed parameters and empirical evidence support early …

Potential Mechanisms Explaining The Antitumor Effect Of Total-Body Irradiation, Glen Michael Miller

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

While numerous reports have documented that radiation exposure increases the risk for malignancy and suppresses immune mechanisms, increasing evidence has suggested that low-dose total-body irradiation (TBI) may alter leukocyte composition and function leading to heightened immune responsiveness and long-term remission of certain cancers. Having observed that moderate-dose TBI produces an antitumor effect in the Lewis lung carcinoma (EEC) model, the major goal of this study was to determine whether changes in tumor growth could be correlated with radiation-induced alterations of immune system parameters. The governing hypothesis was that selective immune augmentation, i.e. upregulation of specific leukocyte subsets, is primarily responsible …

Cultural And Psychological Influences On Diabetic Adherence, Keikilani Mcmillin-Williams

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Diabetes mellitus is a serious disease that poses a particular healthcare challenge because progression is considered controllable (Cox, et al, 1985; Vinicor, et al, 1996) yet treatment adherence, and thus outcome, is very poor (Gonder-Frederick, Cox, & Ritterband, 2002; Goodall, 1991). Culture is a lethal risk factor for diabetic contraction and treatment maintenance. Latinos within the United States are two-to-three times more likely to develop complications and die than non-Latinos (Haffner et al, 1996; Rubin, Peyrot, & Saudek, 1991) and are less likely to adhere to treatment (Lipton, Losey, Giachello, Mendez, & Girotti, 1998). Efforts to eliminate health disparities have …

Investigation Of Parental/Caregiver Concerns Of Children With Spasticity, Lynda Johnson-Cross

Masters Theses

Although there is capacious documentation on the concerns associated with parenting/care giving the disabled child, the concerns of parents/caregiver of children with the specific condition of spasticity is lacking. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to begin to determine the concerns of parents/caregivers of children with spasticity as they specifically relate to care giving. An extensive qualitative based survey interview was utilized to gather information from three informants. Analysis revealed clusters of concerns in the Nature of Caregiving, Spasticity Encounters, and Parental/Caregiver Comments.

Are Antinuclear Antibodies And Rheumatiod Factor Positivity More Prevalent In Apparently Healthy Smokers Compared To Ex-Smokers And Never Smokers?, Susan Nyanzi

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Context: There is now consistent evidence from population and epidemiological studies that cigarette smoking is an independent risk factor for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), via Rheumatoid Factor (RF) production (Deighton, 1997; Saag, 1997; Silman, 1996; Uhlig, 1999; Wolfe, 2000). Antinuclear Antibodies (ANA) are another collection of autoantibodies that are being associated with smoking and RA initiation. To our knowledge, no studies have examined the effects of smoking on both ANA and RF simultaneously in healthy subjects.

Objectives: To determine whether cigarette smoking has an effect on ANA and RF positivity in healthy blood donors.

Design, Setting, Participants: This was a cross-sectional, …

The Role Of Health Promotion In Physical Therapy, Brenda L. Rea

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate physical therapy practice patterns in four focus areas of Healthy People 2010 (focus area #6, disability and secondary conditions by looking at psychological well-being; focus area #19, nutrition and overweight; focus area #22, physical fitness and activity; focus area #27, tobacco use) and identify self-efficacy and outcome expectations related to those practice patterns across California, New York and Tennessee using Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory as a framework. It was hypothesized that physical therapists’ self-efficacy and outcome expectations in the four focus areas of Healthy People 2010 would be significantly associated with …