Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Interventions Developed To Guide Pediatric Type One Diabetes Management And Transition Of Care: A Systematic Review, Danielle Pehr-Szeliga, Aneta Rutkowski

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Background: Within the context of pediatric Type 1 Diabetes (PT1D), transition management is the process of shifting PTID responsibility from caregiver to child as they approach adulthood. With PT1D on the rise, effective transition management strategies are increasingly important to ensuring safe self-management of PT1D. The main objective of this systematic review is to summarize developmentally appropriate interventions that support youth and caregivers through the transition of PT1D.

Methods: CINAHL, PubMed, and Web of Science were used to identify studies for this review. Inclusion criteria included primary research articles in English, published from 2014-2024, and focused on children ages 1-19 …

Integrated Computational Approaches: Elucidating Molecular Mechanisms Of Pathogenic Proteins And Designing Novel Inhibitors Against Mycobacterium Tuberculosis And Sars-Cov-2, Justin David Carbone

Theses and Dissertations

Chapter 1 introduces computational strategies in computer aided drug design (CADD), focusing on physics-based methodologies to enhance drug discovery. This chapter also discusses the theoretical foundations and practical applications of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations including free energy and stochastic kinetic analysis. In Chapter 2, CADD methods lead to development of inhibitors targeting the RNA Dependent RNA Polymerase (RdRP) of SARS-CoV-2. Inspired by the nucleotide inhibitor Molnupiravir, we aim to design a combinatorial library of 72 novel inhibitors capable of impeding a dual threat inhibition mechanism inducing lethal mutations along with stalling viral replication with specific selectivity to RdRp over Human …

When Helping Hurts: The Association Between Hamilton's Rule And Suicide Risk, Katherine L. O'Connell

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Emergency telecommunicators are critical as first responders and often experience great reward and distressing consequences of their work. This study investigates the suicide risk among these first responders, drawing on the Eusocial Theory of Suicide, which suggests that individuals may engage in altruistic self-sacrifice after weighing benefits, costs, and relatedness using a mathematical model, Hamilton’s Rule. Proxy variables were used: perceived social support and perceived work cohesion for relatedness, compassion satisfaction for benefit, and compassion fatigue for cost. The study was a non-experimental, cross-sectional self-report survey of predominantly White cisgender heterosexual female emergency telecommunicators (N = 346) in Washington, …

When Helping Hurts: The Association Between Hamilton's Rule And Suicide Risk, Katherine L. O'Connell

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Emergency telecommunicators are critical as first responders and often experience great reward and distressing consequences of their work. This study investigates the suicide risk among these first responders, drawing on the Eusocial Theory of Suicide, which suggests that individuals may engage in altruistic self-sacrifice after weighing benefits, costs, and relatedness using a mathematical model, Hamilton’s Rule. Proxy variables were used: perceived social support and perceived work cohesion for relatedness, compassion satisfaction for benefit, and compassion fatigue for cost. The study was a non-experimental, cross-sectional self-report survey of predominantly White cisgender heterosexual female emergency telecommunicators (N = 346) in Washington, …

Sars-Cov-2 Neurotropism: Understanding Effects At The Blood-Brain Barrier And Hematogenous Neuroinvasiveness, Taylor E. Martinez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus responsible for COVID-19, has provisional counts of over 110 million documented cases and 1.218 million deaths (as of February 2024) in the United States since January 2020. SARS-CoV-2 is an airborne respiratory virus that primarily infects the lungs via the ACE2 receptor but has well-documented secondary target organs including the kidneys, the gastrointestinal tract, the heart, and the skin. SARS-CoV-2 also infects the brain, but the hematogenous route of viral entry to brain is still not fully characterized. Understanding how SARS-CoV-2 traverses the blood-brain barrier (BBB) as well as how it …

Factors Associated With Digestive System Cancer Screening In Texas., Stella Green

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Walden University College of Health Sciences and Public Policy This is to certify that the doctoral study by Stella Green has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the review committee have been made. Review Committee Dr. Shanna Barnett, Committee Chairperson, Public Health Faculty Dr. Simone Salandy, Committee Member, Public Health Faculty Chief Academic Officer and Provost Sue Subocz, Ph.D. Walden University 2024 The specific research problem in this study was that despite the high prevalence of digestive system cancer, screening for digestive system cancer has not been optimized, …

Factors Associated With Digestive System Cancer Screening In Texas., Stella Green

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The specific research problem in this study was that despite the high prevalence of digestive system cancer, screening for digestive system cancer has not been optimized, thus compromising early diagnosis and treatment. Early detection and treatment of digestive system cancer can generate better patient outcomes and enhance quality of life. The purpose of this quantitative correlation study guided by the social ecological model was to examine whether demographic factors (age, sex, race/ethnicity, marital status), socioeconomic status (education level, employment status, income level), and health behaviors (physical activity, tobacco use, healthcare coverage) are associated with receiving digestive cancer screening in Texas. …

The Polyaneuploid Cancer Cell State And Therapeutic Resistance: Eco-Evolutionary Dynamics In Structured Populations, Anuraag Bukkuri

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, I develop and apply eco-evolutionary modeling techniques to understand how the polyaneuploid cancer cell (PACC) state, entered when aneuploid cells exit the cell cycle after S phase and undergo a whole genome duplication, contributes to therapeutic resistance. Since resistance remains one of the primary causes of treatment failure in cancer patients, it is critical to understand how such demographic state transitions allow for acclimatization of cancer cells to therapeutic stressors and how they interact with evolutionary processes to promote irreversible resistance.

In Chapters Two and Three, I lay the foundation for this work. In Chapter Two, I …

The Inflammatory Exposome Of Major Depressive Disorder In An Egyptian Sample, Reem Deif

Theses and Dissertations

Major depressive disorder (MDD) has been recognized as a global public health concern affect-ing the lives of 264 million people with increasing prevalence worldwide. Inspired by the expo-somic research, this study aims to investigate the dynamic and complex interplay between dif-ferent demographic, lifestyle, environmental factors and bimolecular factors that are potentially involved in the pathology of MDD in a sample of Egyptian adults living in Cairo. This is in an attempt to acknowledge the biological underpinnings of MDD without underestimating the role of environmental influences. The context of Egypt provides richness to the current study given the national transition from …

An Evaluation Of The Irish Rugby Football Union (Irfu) Coach Education Framework In School And Club Settings, Kevin Smith

Theses

This thesis aimed to evaluate the Irish Rugby Football Union Coach Education Framework (IRFU-CEF) and its subsequent effect on coach behaviours/perceptions, training session content, and athlete perceptions in multiple rugby union settings. The IRFU-CEF was designed to educate coaches in How to coach, as opposed to more traditional forms of coach education that are typically designed to deliver content of What to coach. A baseline analysis (Study 1) was conducted to examine current behaviours/perceptions in a rugby union coaching environment. An IRFU-CEF intervention (Study 2) was delivered to coaches in the form of a single episode as a coach education …

Predictors Of Complementary Alternative Medicine Usage Among Diabetic Adults In The United States, Erlina Kearse-Lewis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Available data for the last two decades have shown that the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is increasing, with users including adult diabetics around the world. There is not a strong consensus concerning the influence of socioeconomic factors on the use of CAM by adult diabetics. The purpose of this retrospective cross-sectional study was to examine the use of CAM among U.S. adults 21 years and older diagnosed with diabetes and whether income influences the use of CAM among adult diabetics after adjusting for age, gender, and location. Cross-sectional data from the 2017 National Health Interview Survey represented …

Factors Affecting African Americans’ Participation In Alzheimer’S Disease Clinical Trials, Morounsayo Abimbola Awosika-Olumo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Racial minority U.S. populations are underrepresented in clinical trials. Ensuring people from diverse backgrounds join clinical trials is key to advancing health equity. Participants in clinical trials should represent the patients’ population. The purpose of this quantitative study was to assess the association of individual-level factors (age, sex, marital status, family history of Alzheimer’s disease, living arrangement), health-related factors (smoking and alcohol), and socioeconomic status (years of education, employment status, health insurance status) and the interest in clinical trial participation among African Americans (AAs). The theoretical foundation that grounded this study was the health belief model. Secondary data from 214 …

Factors Affecting African Americans’ Participation In Alzheimer’S Disease Clinical Trials, Morounsayo Abimbola Awosika-Olumo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Racial minority U.S. populations are underrepresented in clinical trials. Ensuring people from diverse backgrounds join clinical trials is key to advancing health equity. Participants in clinical trials should represent the patients’ population. The purpose of this quantitative study was to assess the association of individual-level factors (age, sex, marital status, family history of Alzheimer’s disease, living arrangement), health-related factors (smoking and alcohol), and socioeconomic status (years of education, employment status, health insurance status) and the interest in clinical trial participation among African Americans (AAs). The theoretical foundation that grounded this study was the health belief model. Secondary data from 214 …

Studies In Natural Product-Inspired Complex Molecule Synthesis: Synthesis Of 26-Norpentacyclic Triterpenoids And Anhydroryanodol, Zachary D. Stempel

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Natural products have long served as a stimulus for growth and innovation to advance the field of organic chemistry. This thesis describes efforts in complex molecule synthesis that demonstrate the broad value of programs in natural product total synthesis and natural product-inspired function-oriented synthesis. The first part of this thesis describes a function-oriented synthesis approach to pentacyclic triterpenoids through design of a simplified 26-norpentacyclic triterpenoid platform to promote future medicinal exploration in this area. These studies yielded a divergent asymmetric synthesis of 26-norgermanicol and 26-norlupeol as well as the discovery of a new class of androgen receptor antagonist that is …

Predictors Of Complementary Alternative Medicine Usage Among Diabetic Adults In The United States, Erlina Kearse-Lewis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Available data for the last two decades have shown that the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is increasing, with users including adult diabetics around the world. There is not a strong consensus concerning the influence of socioeconomic factors on the use of CAM by adult diabetics. The purpose of this retrospective cross-sectional study was to examine the use of CAM among U.S. adults 21 years and older diagnosed with diabetes and whether income influences the use of CAM among adult diabetics after adjusting for age, gender, and location. Cross-sectional data from the 2017 National Health Interview Survey represented …

The Joint Effects Of Sleep And Pain, And Moderations By Work Characteristics, Christina Xuong Mu

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Reactivity describes interindividual differences in the physiological or emotional responses following an antecedent stressor. For instance, higher stressor reactivity to shorter sleep (i.e., those who report greater stressor severity following shorter-than-usual sleep) and higher negative affective reactivity to stressors (i.e., those who report more negative affect following a stressful event) have worse mental and physical health. Pain reactivity to shorter sleep is a novel concept that describes differences in pain responses following a night of shorter-than-usual sleep. Higher pain reactivity to shorter sleep means that individuals report more pain locations or higher pain severity following shorter-than-usual sleep the previous night, …

“I Had To Go There For My Own Safety” Negotiations Of Access And Autonomy Among Dc Birth Settings, Elizabeth Avery Borgmann

Geography Undergraduate Senior Theses

Childbirth experiences are shaped by spatial context. This study considers the relationships between access to, selection of, and experiences with labor and delivery care among Black birthing people in Washington, DC. Informed by Reproductive Justice and reproductive geographies frameworks, I employ a mixed methods GIS design that integrates mapping of potential spatial access with qualitative analysis of community members’ lived experiences. On the quantitative side, nearest-neighbor and 2-step floating catchment area analyses reveal an east-west gradient of potential spatial access to labor and delivery wards, with low access concentrated in predominantly Black and low-income census tracts of Wards 5, 7, …

Assessing The Uptake Of Biosimilar Insulin Glargine Among Physicians For The Treatment Of Diabetes In South Africa, Euganthri Pillay

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In South Africa, diabetes is a serious problem where 1 in 9 adults has diabetes, making it the country with the highest diabetes prevalence on the African continent. Even though insulin is an absolute necessity for treating diabetes, it is unaffordable to millions. Biosimilar insulins, however, are innovative medicines that are similar but not exact copies of the originator insulin, making alternative treatment affordable to patients. The problem is that, in South Africa, it is still not known whether patients have access to biosimilar insulin in a country where diabetes is rampant. The diffusion of innovation theory was used to …

Compassion Satisfaction, Compassion Fatigue, Managerial Support, And Intent To Leave Among Mental Health Nurses, Victoria N. Duncan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The turnover rate among mental health nurses is consistently higher than other areas of nursing practice creating a shortage. Factors that contribute to nursing turnover, leaving the profession, and a subsequent shortage of mental health nurses include compassion satisfaction (CS), compassion fatigue (CF), managerial support, and intent to leave. The purpose of this study, guided by Stamm’s theory, was to determine if there was a relationship among CS, CF, managerial support, and intent to leave in mental health nurses. The Professional Quality of Life Scale was used to measure CS and CF, the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work …

Assessing The Uptake Of Biosimilar Insulin Glargine Among Physicians For The Treatment Of Diabetes In South Africa, Euganthri Pillay

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In South Africa, diabetes is a serious problem where 1 in 9 adults has diabetes, making it the country with the highest diabetes prevalence on the African continent. Even though insulin is an absolute necessity for treating diabetes, it is unaffordable to millions. Biosimilar insulins, however, are innovative medicines that are similar but not exact copies of the originator insulin, making alternative treatment affordable to patients. The problem is that, in South Africa, it is still not known whether patients have access to biosimilar insulin in a country where diabetes is rampant. The diffusion of innovation theory was used to …

Compassion Satisfaction, Compassion Fatigue, Managerial Support, And Intent To Leave Among Mental Health Nurses, Victoria N. Duncan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The turnover rate among mental health nurses is consistently higher than other areas of nursing practice creating a shortage. Factors that contribute to nursing turnover, leaving the profession, and a subsequent shortage of mental health nurses include compassion satisfaction (CS), compassion fatigue (CF), managerial support, and intent to leave. The purpose of this study, guided by Stamm’s theory, was to determine if there was a relationship among CS, CF, managerial support, and intent to leave in mental health nurses. The Professional Quality of Life Scale was used to measure CS and CF, the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work …

Hemoglobin A1c Values In Patients With Two Types Of Insurance, Patricia Ann White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death for adults in the United States. Evidence suggests that not all patients receive the same level of care and discrepancies may be based on the type of health care coverage they have. Providers use Hemoglobin A1C (A1C) as the primary test to indicate treatment success for persons with diabetes. Providers may be ordering this critical lab value differently based on the patient’s insurance plan. In this project, A1C levels in diabetic patients receiving managed care versus traditional Medicare were evaluated. It is important to understand if potential disparities in care exist. The …

Hemoglobin A1c Values In Patients With Two Types Of Insurance, Patricia Ann White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death for adults in the United States. Evidence suggests that not all patients receive the same level of care and discrepancies may be based on the type of health care coverage they have. Providers use Hemoglobin A1C (A1C) as the primary test to indicate treatment success for persons with diabetes. Providers may be ordering this critical lab value differently based on the patient’s insurance plan. In this project, A1C levels in diabetic patients receiving managed care versus traditional Medicare were evaluated. It is important to understand if potential disparities in care exist. The …

Quality Of Life Factors In Children With Dual Diagnosis Stuttering And Autism Spectrum Disorder, Kristen N. Rollins

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Addressing quality of life is a critical part of speech-language pathology. Understanding quality of life deficits and challenges in our patients’ lives allows us to provide well-rounded treatment. Quality of life in children who stutter and children with autism spectrum disorder has been heavily researched (children with autism spectrum disorder to a lesser extent). However, despite approximately 1 in 1000 children being dually diagnosed with stuttering and autism spectrum disorder (Briley & Ellis, 2018), quality of life in this population has never been researched. This thesis aims to determine whether children diagnosed with both conditions experience similar quality of life …

Restoring, Protecting, And Expanding Abortion Access In The United States: Seeking Consensus Through The Delphi Method, Sarah Pickering

Dissertations and Theses

Background: The Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization Supreme Court decision exacerbated inequitable access to abortion in the US. Agreement is needed on which strategies should be prioritized to restore, protect, and expand abortion access.

Methods: We convened a multidisciplinary, geographically diverse Delphi panel of clinical, research, policy, legal, and advocacy experts to reach consensus (i.e., agreement >67%) on recommended actions. Using feedback from three rounds of surveys, and input from a select expert advisory group (N=10), we iteratively refined the statements and recommendations.

Results: The panel (N=85) developed 25 consensus statements and 32 recommendations for action by advocates, funders, …

A One Health Approach To Enhancing Sars-Cov-2 Surveillance, Lauren C. Cybulska

Dissertations and Theses

Background

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) in humans, can also infect domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) and cats (Felis catus). Susceptibility and viral transmissibility in these species are concerns for public health due to the spillover risk to humans or other animals. This dissertation uses a One Health framework to explore key issues on this topic. We aim to identify gaps in understanding of SARS-CoV-2 in companion animals and investigate novel surveillance methods through human, animal, and environmental health perspectives.

Methods

Paper 1 provides an in-depth exploration of …

Exploring Associations Between Poverty, Race/Ethnicity, Gender, And Childhood Obesity In Cherokee County, South Carolina, Lillie Mae Hall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Childhood obesity (CHO) rates have increased significantly worldwide over the last decade. The magnitude of CHO extends beyond physical health to include economic stability, social connections, and access to daily living resources. CHO is complex and requires a multifaceted approach that may differ from traditional prevention approaches and treatment. Over the years, interventions have focused on maintaining a balance of healthy eating and active living to reduce weight and promote lifelong behavior change. Body mass index (BMI) surveillance studies have been conducted in Cherokee County, South Carolina since 2012 to assess and inform CHO interventions. However, the data have not …

Perception Of Pre-Existing Dm2 Management Among Pregnant Asian Indian Immigrants During Covid-19, Sanya Bedi Grewal

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease that exerts a significant burden among communities by increasing healthcare costs, reducing productivity, higher rates for premature mortality, and tangible socioeconomic burden, which overall reduces the quality of life. The purpose of the study was to explore the perception of pregnant Asian Indian immigrants regarding diabetes self-management strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Five women were recruited via purposive sampling from Facebook groups. Data were collected via individual interviews using Facebook groups. The health belief model was used to help understand and interpret the findings. Clarke and Braun’s thematic analysis method was used to …

Impact Of Telehealth On Type 2 Diabetes Self-Management During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Nancy Olivo Marshall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The incidence of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is on the rise, particularly among adults aged 18 years and older. Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels are commonly used by healthcare professionals to assess glucose variability; fluctuations are associated with an increased risk of adverse effects. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of self-directed management of HbA1c levels through telehealth. The purpose of this retrospective quantitative study was to investigate the effectiveness of self-directed management of HbA1c levels using telehealth among T2DM diagnosed adults at a community health service organization in the northeastern U.S. from December 2018 to 2022. Using multivariate regression …

Exploring Associations Between Poverty, Race/Ethnicity, Gender, And Childhood Obesity In Cherokee County, South Carolina, Lillie Mae Hall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Childhood obesity (CHO) rates have increased significantly worldwide over the last decade. The magnitude of CHO extends beyond physical health to include economic stability, social connections, and access to daily living resources. CHO is complex and requires a multifaceted approach that may differ from traditional prevention approaches and treatment. Over the years, interventions have focused on maintaining a balance of healthy eating and active living to reduce weight and promote lifelong behavior change. Body mass index (BMI) surveillance studies have been conducted in Cherokee County, South Carolina since 2012 to assess and inform CHO interventions. However, the data have not …