Rural Health Commons^™

Strategic Transition Planning And Post-Graduation Preparedness For Students In Secondary School, Kelsey Renae Armentrout

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The transition period between high school and post-graduation life can be a challenging time for many students. Young adults may follow different paths, including going into the workforce or attending post-secondary education, as well as learning how to navigate life skills such as paying bills, buying a house or a car, applying for jobs, obtaining insurance, and occupations within the adult life stage. While young adults may learn about these things throughout their high school career, it is likely that the feelings of unpreparedness are continuously relevant. The purpose of this DCE is to develop and implement learning modules for …

Improving Access To Treatment For Alcohol Use Disorder For Veterans: An Evidence-Based Practice Policy Analysis, Mary Rizzo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is common among veterans and is associated with poor health outcomes. Although extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX) is an effective treatment, maintenance injections at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System are only available at the main medical center, requiring many veterans to travel long distances each month.

Purpose: The purpose of this evidence-based practice policy analysis was to evaluate the feasibility of offering XR-NTX injections at Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC) and develop a policy recommendation to improve access to care.

Intervention: This project examined the current XR-NTX administration process and compared it with alternative approaches used within the …

Rurality, Infant Feeding Practices, And Perinatal Cardiovascular Health Behaviors, Elly Marie Marshall

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States, with higher rates in rural areas. While limited healthcare access contributes to this disparity, other factors remain unclear. Breastfeeding provides long-term protection against cardiovascular disease, but modern infant feeding practices are complex and may impact maternal cardiovascular health (CVH) in unexpected ways. Healthy CVH behaviors of sufficient sleep duration, adequate physical activity, a healthy diet, and nicotine avoidance can enhance protection against future cardiovascular disease risk. Therefore, the aims of this dissertation are to 1) assess associations between rurality and first trimester CVH behaviors; 2) synthesize …