Public Health and Community Nursing Commons^™

African American Men And Ostrich Behavior, Debbie Slack-Gay

Doctoral Projects

This project explores why African American men choose Ostrich Behavior when it comes to health care prevention and maintenance as related to hypertension. The population was African American men, ages18–80, in Northern California. Men were recruited while getting a haircut or waiting for one or after church services. Blood pressure readings were taken and a health questionnaire was administered. The results show that even if hypertension is known, men ages 18–45 go to fewer office visits than African American men in other age groups, and older men tend to seek medical care and take medication if prescribed.

Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention In 18 To 24-Year-Old Heterosexual Men: Pilot Study, Susan P. Mckeefrey

Doctoral Projects

The CDC reported that there were over 20 million cases in the United States and half affected young adults, 15 to 25-year olds. Strategies STD prevention have been developed by the CDC but does not include avoiding alcohol or other similar agents in the context of a sexual encounter. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of STD prevention education intervention by improving Condom Use Self-Efficacy in heterosexually 18 to 24-year old men. It was hypothesized self-efficacy would improve with a face-to-face brief educational intervention. A quasi-experimental, pre-/post-test design with simple randomization of subjects into control and …

Undiagnosed Depression In The Elderly And Healthcare Education, Nancy J. Wynn-Grundy

Doctoral Projects

This descriptive study examined undiagnosed depression in the elderly and how it affects the elderly from retaining healthcare education. It is estimated by 2029, 20% of the United States population will be age 65 and older (Colby & Ortman, 2014). Depression in the elderly who have chronic diseases, is estimated to be undiagnosed up to 40% (Chaoyang et al., 2009). A hallmark symptom of depression is the inability to concentrate. It is unknown if undiagnosed depression will affect the older adult from retaining pertinent healthcare education. The 30 point Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) was administered to a class of elderly …

An Exploration Of Social Capital Among Nurses In The Ambulatory Setting, Anna Lutz, Tamara Mckinnon

Doctoral Projects

Bullying and lateral violence are a sadly, common phenomena among nurses. While this issue has been examined within the inpatient, acute setting, it has not been widely researched in the ambulatory setting. This concept is usually looked at from a negative standpoint, looking at the levels of lateral violence. The purpose of this research study was done to explore the levels of social capital, also known as positive peer support, among nurses in the ambulatory setting. The participants of the study were 39 registered nurses from a public health department and an embedded care management department. The tool used was …

The Effectiveness Of California Assembly Bill 2109: Personal Belief Exemptions For Kindergarten Immunizations, Lilli Shizuka Goishi-Bessey

Doctoral Projects

The numbers of vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs) in the United States has declined with the development, administration, and effectiveness of vaccines during the 1970s and 1980s. As the eminent threat of VPDs to the public began to wane, parents started questioning the safety and necessity of vaccines. When parents were given the option of selecting personal belief exemption (PBE) waivers for state mandated immunizations for their incoming kindergarten children, an increase in PBEs and the number of VPD outbreaks began to occur. To counter the growing trend of PBEs, and to prevent outbreaks of VPDs in school settings and communities, …

A Phenomenological Assessment Of Factors That Affect Medication Adherence Among Hypertensive Nigerian Immigrants, Beulah Iroegbu

Doctoral Projects

This qualitative study explored the perceptions that affect medication adherence among hypertensive Nigerian immigrants in Sacramento, California. The research questions focused on factors that influenced the adherence to hypertension medication; specifically, how the sample population explained the cause of hypertension and whether culture and religion impacted the cause and management of hypertension. A phenomenological approach was used to understand perceptions about medication adherence. A predefined group of 9 acted as a purposive sample and was given semi-structured individual interviews. Qualitative data analysis of the interviews was performed using Colaizzi's 7-step method. Results from the study found the cause of hypertension …

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Home Visitation Is Associated With A Decrease In Home Care And Healthcare Utilization Errors In High Risk Infants, Rupalee Patel

Doctoral Projects

The Santa Clara Valley Health and Hospital System’s (SCVHHS) Babies Reaching Improved Development and Growth in their Environment (BRIDGE) program was developed in 2011 to optimize high risk infants' care transition from Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to home. In addition to hospital discharge teaching and public health nursing efforts, NICU infants need further in home support given their medical vulnerability after discharge. The objectives of the SCVHHS BRIDGE program are to provide caregiver interventions to minimize home care errors after NICU discharge and to optimize health care access and utilization across the transition of care. SCVHHS NICU infants at …

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder And Mindfulness Practice In Children And Adolescents: A Comprehensive Review Of Evidence-Based Research, Donna Nikander

Doctoral Projects

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most common mental illness in the United States among male and female children and adolescents between the ages of 3 and 17. The emerging fields of neurobiology and neuroimaging have proposed a relationship between mindfulness meditation therapies—initially referred to as mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and now simply known as mindfulness—and improvements in attention and self-regulation, two major problem areas for ADHD sufferers. Furthermore, recent studies suggest that mindfulness therapies may be effective in reducing symptoms of ADHD in children and adolescents. The purpose of this paper is to review, analyze and synthesize the …

Sexually Transmitted Disease Education And Effects On Condom Use In College Students, Patricia Alvarez

Doctoral Projects

In the United States, nearly 50% of the sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) reported each year occur in adolescents and young adults ages 15-24. An IRB approved, exploratory mix method research study was conducted in a California Community College to investigate participants' opinions on STD education tools, effectiveness, and to rank preferred instructional methods used in 51h-12'h grades. One hundred and thirteen students participated and reported use of variety of educational tools with the lecture technique selected by almost 80% surveyed. Demonstration of condom application had highest percent ranked as number one for the preferred educational tool; yet had the least …

Pilot Study: Avoiding Readmissions Of Heart Failure Patients Across Transitions Of Care, Analiza Baldonado

Doctoral Projects

Background: A major problem facing the U.S. healthcare system is avoidable hospital readmissions. Patients with Heart Failure (HF) face variety of barriers to health care and are at higher risk for readmissions. To address this problem, evidence-based interventions focused on safe transition from hospital to home are needed.

Methods: A quality improvement pilot project was implemented to evaluate the feasibility of evidence based interventions in preventing avoidable readmissions. The project setting was in a 900 bed health care system. The descriptive statistical methods were means and frequencies. The Transition Coordinator (TC) enrolled a convenience sample of 30 participants. The evidence …

Eligibility, Recruitment, And Retention Of African Americans With Severe Mental Illness In Community Research, Michelle Hampton, Mary White, Linda Chafetz

Faculty Publications

Data that addresses severely mentally ill (SMI) African Americans (AAs) likelihood to participate in clinical research is limited. This study’s purpose was to determine if differences exist between races regarding eligibility, recruitment, and retention in a community-based clinical trial. The sample included 293 participants. Data sources included clinical records and interviews. Logistic regression was used for analysis. AAs were as likely to participate and to complete followup interviews as Whites. In contrast to studies about non-mentally ill AAs, AAs with SMI appeared to be as willing to consent to and to remain in clinical research studies as Whites.

Stress Reduction: A Neighborhood Introduction, Barbara D. Johnson

Master's Projects

Responding to reported health concerns a stress reduction program was developed for residents of an urban Latino neighborhood struggling with poverty, crime, and limited access to healthcare. The revised Health Promotion Model (HPM) was used as a framework (Pender, 1996). A qualitative study testing a 5-week Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) intervention was imbedded into the program 18 months after its implementation. Utilizing a pre/post test design participants were predicted to demonstrate significant reductions in post-intervention mean scores for 3 self-report measures, the Cohen Perceived Stress Scale, General Sleep Disturbance Scale, and a modified Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale. A 91% drop …

Recruitment And Retention Of African Americans With Severe Mental Illness In Community Research, Michelle Hampton, Mary White, Linda Chafetz

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Knowledge Of Type Ii Diabetes And Its Complications Among Adult Vietnamese Immigrants, Thao Phuong Le

Master's Projects

This was a non-experimental quantitative study using survey method to assess diabetic knowledge of 102 adult Vietnamese immigrants. The Health Belief Model provided the theoretical framework, and the 24-item diabetes knowledge questionnaire was adopted from the Starr County Texas study to use for this study. Data were categorized and analyzed using descriptive methods such as frequency and percentage. The findings indicated that lack of knowledge about diabetes was a significant issue among the Vietnamese immigrant population. Health care providers should develop an appropriate cultural educational program about diabetes to help the Vietnamese population to detect diabetes early and to control …

Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of An Anaphylaxis Training Program For Unlicensed Assistive Personnel, Jean A. Litarowsky

Master's Projects

This study evaluated a training program designed to prepare unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) in high school settings to recognize and respond effectively to an anaphylactic emergency. Subjects included 53 adults employed by a high school district in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. A training model was developed based on Bandura's theory of sources of self-efficacy. Knowledge and perceived self-efficacy of participants were measured before and after the training program to determine if a theory-based anaphylaxis recognition and epinephrine auto-injector training program would increase participants' knowledge and self-efficacy in responding to an anaphylactic emergency. Paired t-tests revealed significant improvement …

Public Health Nurse Interventions For Women In Dependency Drug Court, Ann Somervell

Master's Projects

There are an increasing number of children placed into foster care due to abuse and neglect. Parents of these children often have difficult drug abuse problems leading to the removal of their children. The cost of caring for these children is staggering reaching billions dollars. One program in Santa Clara County that has been created to assist parents is dependency drug court. This court utilizes many disciplines including nursing in its efforts to stabilize and reunify the children. Previous research has shown that home visitations by the public health nurse using interventions based on support of the family has aided …

Coping And Social Support For Parents Of Children With Autism, Edith H. Luther

Master's Projects

The increased incidence of autism in children impacts families, educators, and health professionals. A descriptive survey design was used to obtain responses from parents of autistic children in public schools. Data collection instruments included The Social Support Index, SSI (McCubbin, Patterson, and Glynn, 1982), and The Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scale, F-COPES (McCubbin, Olson, and Larsen, 1981 ). The majority of parents of autistic children perceived that they had support within their families and communities. One half of the families identified serious stressors in addition to autism. Acquiring social support and reframing were the coping strategies used most frequently. …

The Relationship Between Companion Animals And Health Status Among Older Adults Living In The Community, Agnes M. Eytchison

Master's Projects

A study was conducted on 18 older adult pet owners and non-pet owners residing in a mobile home park to determine self-perception of health status and the level of attachment to pets. Self-reported health status was high and equal for both pet owners and non-pet owners. The level of attachment to the pets was also high. Studies have demonstrated human-animal interactions being beneficial to both individuals and families; but for many residents of mobile home parks and common interest developments, such as condominiums and townhouses, rules prevent companion animal ownership. Family Nurse Practitioners (FNPs) aware of the benefits of animal …

Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of The "Youth Leadership" Class In The Prevention Of Adolescent Depression, Jacqueline Oria

Master's Projects

Depression in adolescence is a common and potentially life-threatening health problem. Depending upon the severity of symptoms, anywhere from 2% to 40% of teenagers are affected with depression (Sadler, 1993). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of prevention strategies on decreasing the rate of depression in adolescents. It is hoped that a class addressing specific skills identified as having an impact on adolescent depression will affect the youth participating in the program.

Self-Esteem: The Impact Of A Course In Growth And Development On Fifth Grade Students, Mary Jang

Master's Projects

Teens in the United States have the highest pregnancy, abortion, and sexually transmitted disease rates among the developed countries. The social and financial costs of teen births are staggering. Research shows that high self-esteem is significantly related to resistance to group pressures, willingness to express unpopular opinions, family adjustment, creativity, and effective communication between parents and youth. The research question is: Will a 5-hour course in growth and development increase the level of self-esteem in fifth grade students? A convenience sample of 20 students (13 girls and 7 boys) who attend a public elementary school in San Jose, California, comprised …

Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of A Health Education Program For Classroom Assistants, Patricia A. Robinson

Master's Projects

Classroom Instructional Assistants are being used more frequently to provide care for medically fragile children who are mainstreamed into the regular education setting. The purpose of this evaluative study was to develop a beginning health curriculum that could be provided as an inservice program for classroom Instructional Assistants. Content for the inservice consisted of handwashing, medication administration, asthma, and seizures. This study used a pretest and posttest design to look at the effectiveness of the educational inservice. There were 17 participants, 16 of whom completed the pretest and posttest. A pretest was administered prior to the inservice followed by a …

Women's Perception Of Provider, Social, And Program Support In An Outpatient Drug Treatment Program, Melaine Marie Salmon

Master's Projects

The purpose was to explore perceptions of pregnant and parenting substance abusing women in an outpatient drug treatment program regarding provider and social support. Also identified were aspects of the rehabilitation program perceived by the women as assisting them to maintain abstinence from substance use. Data were collected through a demographic questionnaire and a tool designed by the authors based on the Social Stress Model of Substance Abuse (Lindenberg, Gendrop, & Reiskin, 1993) and the literature of social support. The majority of the women were satisfied with their social support from family and friends. Sixty-seven percent of the women felt …

Does The Congestive Heart Failure Program Improve Patient's Functional Health Status?, Lily Lu

Master's Projects

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a significant health problem in the U.S. There are over 2 million Americans diagnosed with CHF, with 200,000 CHF related deaths every year. A CHF Comprehensive Care Program in a Northern California medical center began in August, 1997 to case manage and educate CHF patients and their family members. The program educated CHF patients to self-manage the chronic condition by daily weight, low sodium diet, medication adherence, activity and rest balance, and daily exercise. This study used a one group. Pre and post test study design to evaluate the effectiveness of the CHF program. The …

Wheels At Camp, Judith A. Medlin

Master's Projects

Students with special needs are being included into regular education classrooms in increasing numbers. Teachers in these classrooms are often reluctant to include students with special needs on overnight field trips. This reluctance stems from the teacher's concern for the associated responsibilities. The purpose of this project is to demonstrate the process developed and used to successfully send a fully included student with disabilities to camp with his non-disabled peers. Dorthea Orem' s theory of nursing provided the conceptual framework for this case example. Overnight field trips (e.g., science camp) that are fun and safe learning experiences for the student …

An Hiv/Aids Educational Workshop For Adolescents, Sharron Anne Daggett

Master's Projects

Adolescents are threatened with infection by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (IIlV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Data reveal that the number of adolescents infected with HIV is increasing. Adolescent risk taking behaviors and lack of preventive education are major factors associated with this rise. Family nurse practitioners (FNPs) who care for adolescents have a duty to offer their patients preventive health care. Adolescents can participate by attending HN and AIDS prevention workshops that will present them with facts. Adolescents who attend these workshops will gain the knowledge to protect themselves against mv and AIDS. The workshop in this study was …

Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of A Direct Observed Therapy Program With Vietnamese Tuberculosis Patients, Jacqueline T. Mac

Master's Projects

Tuberculosis (TB) has long been recognized as a major public health problem. The rate of TB is high in immigrants and the frequency of drug resistance is increasing. A major reason for the development of resistant infections as well as relapse is poor adherence to TB treatment. In response to this problem, direct observed therapy (DOT) was introduced to the TB program in Santa Clara County in 1993. The purpose of this study is to compare the completion rates, relapse rates, and sputum conversion rates between a DOT group and a non-DOT group of Vietnamese TB patients. A chart review …

Parish Nursing: A Resource And An Opportunity, Janice W. Swing

Master's Projects

Do you know people in the community who do not understand their health needs? Are you aware of people who do not have access to health services? Parish nursing draws on the strengths of people in a congregation to promote physical, mental, and spiritual health for the congregation and its local community. Hospital nurses may want to use parish nurses as a valuable resource for discharge planning. Community nurses may also need the support of parish nurses for clients. Additionally, for experienced nurses who belong to a faith community, serving as a parish nurse satisfies a need for something new. …

Breast Self-Examination Teaching For Women In Chemical Dependency Programs, Michelle B. Lessard Jungwirth

Master's Projects

Fifty-two women from 5 chemical dependency programs participated in a 1 hour health education program teaching breast self-examination using breast models. Tactile skills and general information about breast cancer and breast self-examination were presented. The program was evaluated for its ability to teach this high risk population. Nine true/false questions and lump detection skills were evaluated using_a pretest/posttest non-experimental design. A level of significance for the true/false questions was set at .01, and for lump detection skills it was set at .05. Dependent t tests was used to statistically analyze the data. Participants improved their general knowledge about breast cancer …