Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Patient Satisfaction With The Nurse Practitioner, Diane Mcmahen

MSN Research Projects

Due to the increased need for nurse practitioners to provide primary health care and the current national emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention, nurse practitioners can help solve the health care delivery dilemma. The purpose of this descriptive study was to identify the level of satisfaction for patients who received care by a nurse practitioner. Orem's Nursing Systems Theory was utilized to guide the study. The research questions were is there a difference in the perception of patient satisfaction when comparing nurse practitioners and physicians as health care providers? and do demographic variables correlate to patient use of a …

Residents' And Nursing Staff's Perceptions Of The Needs Of Nursing Home Residents, Joan M. Pritchard

MSN Research Projects

Historically, perceptions of nursing home residents have been based on stereotypes which compromise individuality. Care has been structured for efficiency of the organization, with staff emphasis on activities of daily living (ADL). Indeed, most residents move into nursing homes when they can no longer manage alone. The purpose of this descriptive study was to replicate research by Lindgren and Linton (1991) which focused on perceptions of residents' needs in nursing homes. Pender's Health Promotion Model provided the theoretical framework. The following research question was addressed : Do residents and nursing staff differ in their perceptions of residents' needs in nursing …

Women's Perception Of Heart Disease As A Health Risk Associated With Identified Risk Factors, Kathy Mckay

MSN Research Projects

Heart disease has been identified as the leading cause of death in women in the United States, affecting an estimated 21,000 women under the age of 65. While these figures are alarming, population survey data have shown women do not perceive heart disease as a priority health problem- The purpose of this descriptive study was to investigate women's perception of heart disease as a health risk. The Health Belief Model served as the theoretical framework for this study. Two research questions guided this study: Is there a significant correlation between selected demographic variables and perception of heart disease as a …

Health Beliefs And Adherence To Cardiac Exercise Following A Cardiac Event, Marianne Foster

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of cardiac patients' health beliefs regarding exercise and their adherence to an exercise program following a documented cardiac event. A sample of 90 subjects, recovering from a recent cardiac event, was selected from two acute care medical centers in southwestern Michigan and northwestern Michigan. Each subject responded to a mailed questionnaire six to eight weeks post hospitalization which assessed perceived benefits, perceived barriers and self-efficacy as they related to a regular, aerobic exercise program.; Descriptive statistics, along with t-test and chi-square were used to analyze the data. Findings include (a) …

Health Promotion Lifestyle Behaviors Of African American Women In A Rural Setting, Phyllis Polk Johnson

MSN Research Projects

A complete understanding of health promoting behavior patterns has not been achieved by health care professionals. The lack of understanding of health promoting behavior patterns is particularly true in relation to African American women. The lack of understanding is in part due to the limited research conducted regarding health care practices among minority populations. The purpose of this descriptive study was to describe the health promoting lifestyle behaviors of African American women in a rural setting in Mississippi. The Madeleine Leninger Cultural Care Theory was used as the theoretical framework for this study. Data were collected utilizing the Health Promotion …

The Association Between Perceived Family Support And Psychological Well-Being In Infertile Couples, Linda Marquardt Mintle

Health Services Research Dissertations

A correlational research design utilizing a cross-sectional survey methodology was used to investigate the association between perceived family support and psychological well-being in infertile couples. Family stress theory and the construct of boundary ambiguity were conceptual frameworks applied to the developmental family life cycle. Respondents were 35 married infertile couples with primary infertility recruited from a private For-profit infertility clinic located in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Responses on the Moos and Moos (1984) Family Environment Scale and from the SCL-90-R developed by Derogatis (1977) measured perceived family support and psychological distress respectively. Major findings indicated that infertile couples rated their families …

The Influence Of National Culture On Work-Related Values And Job Satisfaction Between American And Filipino Registered Nurses, Karin Polifko-Harris

Health Services Research Dissertations

This ex post facto study explored the effects of national culture on work-related values and job satisfaction between American and Filipino registered nurses. Three questionnaires were used: Hofstede's Values Survey Module 94, the Survey of Work Values and the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire. The all-female sample comprised 88 American and 56 Filipino registered nurses employed at an urban acute care facility in South Hampton Roads, Virginia.

A major finding of the study is the direction and intensity of the country scores in the Values Survey Module 94, especially in the Filipinos' scores. The masculinity value was reported as strongly feminine for …

Parent Knowledge Of Fas And The Risks Of Heavy Drinking During Pregnancy, Kimberly Lynne Spring

Masters Theses

The purpose of this mini-study was to determine the level of parent knowledge of FAS and the risks of drinking during pregnancy.; The parents involved in this mini-study were members of a small, primarily rural community and had one or more children enrolled in grades kindergarten through four in the Hart Public School District.; A questionnaire was developed and mailed to a random sample of parents who were chosen from the school enrollment lists. Results of the survey indicated that the majority of parents had some basic knowledge of the term FAS; however they felt that they lacked enough knowledge …

The Effects Of Partial Hospitalization On Acute Psychiatric Hospital Readmission Days, William E. Turner Iii

Health Services Research Dissertations

Using the theoretical construct of recidivism and pathway and gatekeeper variables associated with it, this study compared the effects of a combination of partial and acute psychiatric hospitalization and only acute psychiatric hospitalization on the total number of acute hospital readmission days over a 12 month period using a causal-comparative design. Two hundred and forty cases were randomly selected from an existing database which contained information on a population of urban insurance beneficiaries who had accessed psychiatric care during a two year period. The group accessing a combination of acute care and partial care had significantly higher readmission days. Age, …

Incidence Of Cervical Dysplasia In Women With And Without Cytology Suggestive Of Human Papillomavirus, Deanna Mackie

MSN Research Projects

Significant controversy has existed in the areas of management of women with cervical cytological diagnoses of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) and ASCUS suggestive of human papillomavirus (HPV). The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of cervical dysplasia in women with and without cytology suggestive of HPV in order to improve patient management. The Bethesda System was utilized as the basis for a conceptual physiological framework. Orem's self-care theory was shown to support the framework. The researcher hypothesized that there would be no difference in the incidence of cervical dysplasia in women with cytology suggestive …

Identification And Characterization Of Mitochondrial Dna Variants In Alzheimer's Disease, Natasha Singh Hamblet

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder that affects a significant portion of the human population regardless of ethnicity or gender. A mitochondrial hypothesis of AD has been proposed based on a number of studies which establish altered oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and ATP synthesis in AD tissue. ATP demand is most prevalent in the brain; damage to OXPHOS could severely impair brain metabolism, thereby leading to a decline in cognitive function. Four out of five complexes in the OXPHOS pathway are partly encoded by mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA); thus, this may be a crucial site of lesions that alter brain …

In Vitro Expression Of Human Zona Pellucida Protein 3, Chih-Wei Chen

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Human zona pellucida protein 3 (hZP3) is the putative receptor on the zona pellucida of the mature oocyte that recognizes and binds sperm, and therefore plays a critical role in fertilization.

A full length cDNA of hZP3 (1278 bp) was amplified from the human ovary mRNA by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The hZP3 cDNA was subcloned into PSK and pREP4 expression vectors. The cDNA of hZP3 was further characterized by restriction mapping, PCR, auto-sequencing and Southern blot analysis by using an internal oligonucleotide probe, and found to be identical to the one reported by J. Dean. Using autosequencing, 289 …

Informational Supports For Caregivers Responsible For Spouses With Alzheimer's Disease, Janet Lynn Mathews

Dissertations and Theses

Alzheimer's disease currently affects four million Americans and is increasing as "America grays." Although health complications can cause death within the first two to ten years, some persons with Alzheimer's disease live twenty years. Because three times as many persons with the disease live at home instead of in institutions, caregiver researchers have investigated caregiving in the home environment, focusing on caregivers' perspectives. Surprisingly, many caregivers reported that they did not receive the information or support they needed to manage home care from the traditional information resources, family and medical providers. The purpose of this study was to explore what …

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder In Parents Of Traumatic Brain Injury Patients, Carol Farr

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) produces cognitive, behavioral, and affective deficits with resulting problems such as improper social behavior, increased aggression, emotional, personality and characterological changes. The impact upon the survivor, the sibling, as well as the parental subsystem has been well documented in the literature. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has been diagnosed in several different types of trauma survivors, although rarely have individual psychological symptoms been studied in parents.

This research examined the possible vulnerability factors that are associated with TBI and their potential influence upon PTSD symptomology. Questionnaires were mailed to 266 parents of TBI patients with a response …

Regulation Of The Insulin-Like Growth Factor System By Retinoic Acid In Human Osteoblast Cells, Yuehua Zhou

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Retinoic acid (RA) is an important regulator of growth and differentiation in many cell types, including bone. However, its effects on human osteoblast cell growth and differentiation have not been well studied. Therefore, I investigated the effect of RA on proliferation and differentiation of normal human bone cells (HBCs) and human osteosarcoma, SaOS-2 cells. RA decreased baseline as well as serum-stimulated proliferation in normal HBCs. To determine the effect of RA on differentiation, expression of several osteoblastic differentiation markers were studied. RA decreased type I procollagen mRNA levels and l,25(OH)₂D₃-stimulated osteocalcin and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) mRNA …

Predicting Intentions Of Physical Therapy Students To Practice Primary Prevention, Sharon Potter Anderson

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Physical therapy (PT) has traditionally been a hands-on, tertiary-care field. Although the American Physical Therapy Association has mandated a broader perspective, little primary prevention is yet being reported in the U. S. An attitude change toward prevention must occur if physical therapists can be expected to become involved in preventive physical therapy. The purpose of this project was to determine predictors of physical therapy student intention to perform primary prevention with a questionnaire based on Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior. The theory uses attitude, subjective norm and perceived control to predict intention based on beliefs and strength of beliefs in …

Examination Of The Predictive Validity Of Risk Assessment Screening, Patricia Mary Morressy

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Child Protective Services ( CPS) have been under growing pressure to implement risk assessment systems over the past ten years (Dueck, H. J., English, D.J., Depanfilis, and Moote, G.T. (1993). This emphasis has come largely from the increasing number of reported allegations of child abuse and neglect (Doueck, et. al.) However, increasingly individuals involved in custody battles use the CPS reporting system to retaliate against one another. Because these reported cases require the action of CPS, the increase in allegations has overburdened the system. As a result, resources have diminished and challenges to screeners to make accurate risk assessments have …

Factors Associated With Successful Long-Term Weight Loss Maintenance In Women, Renie Del Ponte

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Abundant literature exist on interventions for weight loss documenting the existence of a weight loss maintenance problem (Wadden & Bell, 1990; Kay man et al., 1990; Wadden et al., 1989). Very few individuals are successful at maintaining their weight loss for at least two years for reasons that are not clearly understood. This retrospective study examined factors, identified in a review of the scientific literature, shown to be associated with weight loss maintenance. A screening questionnaire was presented to all female patients (n=271) entering physician offices for routine health maintenance care from February 1, 1994 through June 30, 1994. Fifty-three …

Space Closure Efficiency With Modified Ceramic Brackets : A Comparative Study, Kirk A. Specht

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine if the rate of extraction site closure was determined by the type of ceramic bracket used. A new ceramic bracket with a metal archwire slot was compared with a conventional ceramic bracket. Twenty patients were randomly assigned the metal slot ceramic bracket and conventional ceramic to one half of their maxillary arch respectively. The distribution was even left and right.

Retraction was started and completed on an 0.016" stainless steel round continuous archwire. One hundred gram sentalloy springs provided a uniform retraction force and were reactivated every four weeks to maintain a …

Ornithine Decarboxylase And Polyamines In Perinatal Hypoxia, Satyaseelan Packianathan

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Hypoxic and hypoxic/ischemic episodes contribute to various neurological aberrations, learning disabilities, et cetera in surviving infants. Despite major advances in understanding the pathophysiology of hypoxia, the cellular basis for hypoxic-mediated injury remains poorly understood. In addition, the role of developmentally essential enzymes vis á vis their contributions, or lack thereof, to hypoxic-mediated injury has not been adequately investigated. In the series of studies comprising this dissertation, we tested the hypothesis that acute and/or chronic hypoxia affect the activity of omithine decarboxylase (ODC; E.C. 4.1.1.17), the developmentally essential enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis, in the fetal and newborn rat brain. Fetal and …

Periodontal Repair In Dogs : Evaluation Of Rhbmp-2 Carriers, Lauralee Nygaard

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This study evaluated candidate carriers for recombinant human bone morphogenic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) in periodontal reconstructive surgery.

Canine demineralized bone matrix (DBM), bovine inorganic crystallene bone matrix (Bio-Oss), bovine derived microfibrillar collagen matrix (Helistat), poly (D,L-lactide-coglycolide) micropaiticles (PLGA), and polylactic acid granules (Drilac) were used with rhBMP-2 (20 (µg/100 µl implant volume) in routine critical size canine supraalveolar periodontal defects. Contralateral defects in six beagle dogs were randomly assigned to receive: DBM/rhBMP-2, DBM-control, Bio-Oss/rhBMP-2, Helistat/rhBMP-2, PLGA/rhBMP-2, or Drilac/rhBMP-2, all with autologous blood except for Helistat and PLGA. Animals were sacrificed eight weeks post-surgery and block sections of the defects were processed …

The Rotations Of Maxillary Molars, Mandibular Molars, And Maxillary First Premolars In Acceptable Occlusions, G. Kristian Hansen

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The rotation of the maxillary molars is considered important in the orthodontic treatment of malocclusions. In this study a computer analysis program was developed to examine the rotations of maxillary molars, mandibular molars, and maxillary first premolars in casts of permanent dentitions with acceptable occlusions. Ninety three sets of untreated "acceptable occlusion" models from the collection of the Foundation for Orthodontic Research (FOR) were scanned on a flat bed scanner at 600 dots per inch (dpi). The images were analyzed using custom software on a computer. Measurements were made by relating maxillary first permanent molars to the midline, the archform, …

A Comparison Of Retentive Strengths Of Two Types Of Inner Surface Treatments Of Orthodontic Bands, Jean M. Rathbun

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Band failure during orthodontic treatment results in a potential for decalcification and/or caries and may cause a prolonged treatment time. An increase in the bond strength at the cement/band interface would likely decrease clinical band failure. Sand-blasting and photo-etching have been suggested to improve this bond.

This study investigated the retentive strengths of untreated orthodontic bands, sand-blasted bands and photo-etched bands when cemented with glass polyalkenoate cement on extracted human molars. The sand-blasted bands and photo-etched bands were both found to have significantly stronger bond strengths (p

Experimental Peri-Implant Tissue Breakdown In Rhesus Monkeys, Oliver Hanisch

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The aim of this investigation was to characterize peri-implant tissue breakdown following ligature-induced plaque accumulation around osseointegrated implants in the rhesus monkey. Two hydroxyapatite-coated cylindrical implants were inserted bilaterally in the second premolar and first molar region of both mandible and maxilla in four non-human primates (Macaca mulatto). The implants were left submerged to osseointegrate for one year. Eight weeks after healing abutment connection, a two-month plaque control program was initiated. At the end of this period, clinical and radiographic recordings were carried out, and peri-implant subgingival microbial samples were obtained (baseline). Subsequently, cotton ligatures were placed around …

The Effects Of Rapid Palatal Expansion Therapy On The Periodontal Tissues Of The Central Incisors, Richard Gutierrez

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The periodontal structures around the maxillary central incisors in thirty-nine post-orthodontically treated patients, twenty-five of these patients had experienced Rapid Palatal Expansion (RPE), were examined to determine the periodontal consequences associated with two ways of managing the resultant diastema. In fourteen patients the diastema closure was assisted by elastomeric chain and in eleven patients the diastema closure was not assisted. Fourteen non-RPE orthodontically treated patients served as controls. Height of attached gingiva, gingival sulcus depth, attachment level, and alveolar bone level were recorded. One examiner, using calibrated techniques, performed all the measurements. The RPE groups and the control group all …

Plastic Deformation Of A Polycarbonate Bracket : Utilizing A New Testing Apparatus, Terri L. Alfred

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to investigate the plastic (permanent) deformation of a polycarbonate bracket (Miura, RMO) under the following different conditions: (1) untreated, (2) immersed in 37°C-water for 120 days, and (3) immersed in 60°C-water for 24 hours. Ten brackets for each condition were tested, with a total of 30 brackets tested. Each bracket was bonded to a metal mesh pad which was tack welded to a solid stainless steel ring. The assembly was placed under a loading frame. This loading frame removes variables such as bond adhesive strengths, distortion of a wire used to deform the bracket …

A Model Of Cytomegalovirus Association With The Development Of Heart Graft Atherosclerosis, Evan Skowronski

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The development of graft atherosclerosis in heart transplant recipients has been associated with the development of post-transplant cytomegalovirus infection. The mechanism of this involvement, however, remains unclear. I undertook a study to determine the role of cytomegalovirus in the development of graft atherosclerosis. First, a rapid method of detecting cytomegalovirus based on capillary polymerase chain reaction and gel electrophoresis was employed to determine the presence of cytomegalovirus in a wide variety of clinical samples. Detection of cytomegalovirus is a lengthy procedure under normal conditions, and timely detection of cytomegalovirus in transplant recipients may allow intervention early enough to block the …

Identification Of Variables Influencing Women's Breast Cancer Detection, Sherri Duckworth Kemp

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This study investigated the variables influencing women's breast cancer detection behavior. Using social learning theory as an organizing framework. factors influencing women's decisions to seek breast cancer detection and the respondent's personal demographics were examined for their contribution to explaining women's decisions to seek breast cancer detection.

A [convience] sample from a university medical center provided data for the study. Data were gathered with a voluntary questionnaire. A total of 25 employees from the medical center participated in the study during the winter quarter of 1994.

The findings of the study provide insight into some of the variables affecting women's …

The Experimental Verification Of The Efficacy Of Finite Element Modeling To Dental Implant Systems, Thomas D. Baiamonte

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The finite element method has previously been used to evaluate the stress distribution surrounding the dental implant to bone interface. However, prior finite element analysis models used have not been validated for the bone to implant interface. The objective of this study is to investigate whether the current Ansys finite element analysis model is an accurate biological representation of the observed clinical conditions. This will be accomplished by comparing data obtained experimentally of stress versus strain and the three dimensional computer generated finite element model.

The results indicate finite element method using the Ansys program for modeling is in agreement …

Modulation Of Neutrophil Functions By Neurotransmitters Implicated In Stress, Chok Ping Wan

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Stress has long been implicated in immune modulation. People under chronic stress have no change in the circulating basal levels of catecholamines while plasma levels of neuropeptide Y (NPY) are significantly increased. Sympathetic nerve fibers with NPY have been found to innervate immune organs. It was hypothesized that NPY might be a mediator in immune modulation in people under chronic stress. Human neutrophils were used as a model to study the effects of NPY alone or together with norepinephrine on the immune system. We now report that NPY modulates oxidative burst (OB) triggered by zymosan in human neutrophils while it …