Public Health Commons^™

Effects Of Bingocize® On Overall Physical Activity, Functional Performance, Blood Glucose Level, Sleep Quantity, And Quality Among Older Adults In Assisted-Living Facilities, Sepehr Rassi

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Bingocize® has been established as an effective falls prevention exercise program for older adults, but its effects on older adults residing in assisted-living facilities have not been examined. The purpose of this investigation was to assess the effects of Bingocize® on overall physical activity level, functional performance, blood glucose level, sleep quantity and quality in older adults who live in assisted-living facilities. Participants (N = 13; mean age 86.23 ± 3.90) were asked to participate in Bingocize® while wearing activity trackers (Fitbit Charge 3 HR) for 10 weeks. The activity trackers were used to assess the average number of steps …

Effects Of Bingocize® On Quality Of Life, Fall Risk, And Health Knowledge In Community-Dwelling Older Adults, Alyssa Kathryn Dispennette

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Quality of life (QOL) is an important aspects of overall well-being in older adults. QOL is associated with functional, physical, and psychological health; all of which can be improved with increased physical activity. A high fall risk is associated with low physical function and QOL. One in four older adults experiences a fall each year, making it necessary to focus public health interventions towards decreasing fall risk and improving QOL in older adults. Bingocize® is a health promotion program designed to promote health, health knowledge, physical activity, and social engagement among older adults. The purpose of this study was to …

Assessment Of Ergonomics In Indian Dental Practice: A Workplace Analysis, Divya Gadde

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Dental practice requires unique working conditions such as prolonged working hours, strained body postures and laborious, high finesse dental techniques. However, it can be more efficiently performed by the application of ergonomics, rather than physically forcing the worker's body to fit the job. Posture is highly influenced by factors such as inadequate working level, incorrect patient positioning, and poor visual comfort. In order to eliminate musculoskeletal disorders it is necessary to control these and other factors, and design the human work environment to be more ergonomic. The aim of this study was to assess ergonomics within Indian dental practice and …

Investigating The Motivation Factors Of Food Choice During The Transition Of High School Into College Life Among College Students Attending Western Kentucky University, Yu-Hsuan Chen

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Most individuals with chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, and type 2 diabetes, were diagnosed in their late adulthood. The fact that these chronic diseases is a consequence of long-term unhealthy behaviors is often ignored. The unhealthy behaviors are often traced back to the young adulthood (age 18-25). Some young adults may participate in unhealthy behaviors, such as unhealthy diet, under the perception that they are “still young”. However, it is often overlooked that once a habit is established, it is difficult to eliminate or modify it. Furthermore, the awareness that the development of the chronic disease is …

Consumer Knowledge, Perception And Attitudes Of Unlabeled Genetically Modified Foods Of An Educated Population In The State Of Kentucky, Aldious A. Waite

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Genetically modified (GM) foods technology is a novel idea for improving food and crop production, but the supposed health risk of GM foods, such as possible negative long-term health effects to humans, animals and the environment, have provoked the European Union to create assessment protocols to monitor and regulate the safety of GM foods and crops. This research investigates the perception and attitudes of unlabeled GM foods of the WKU faculty and staff. A survey was administered via WKU Qualtrics, and chi-square tests were performed to see how the benefits and disadvantages of GM foods may affect the purchasing decisions …

Using The Theory Of Planned Behavior To Explain Physical Activity Among College Students, Ese B. Aghenta

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The health benefits of physical activity include improved cardiovascular health, reduced rates of diabetes and other metabolic diseases, weight maintenance and improved bone and mental health (United States Department Health & Human Services (2008). According to the American College Health Association National College Health Assessment (ACHA-NCHA, 2013), only 20.0% of college students in the United States meet this recommendation. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) attempts to explain the intention to perform behaviors that are not under an individual’s complete volitional control and has been highly utilized in predicting intention and performance of physical activity (Courneya, Nigg & Estabrooks, 1998). …

Structure Matters: Examining Illness Behavior Using Parsons's Sick Role, Angela D. Byrd

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Although Talcott Parsons’s sick role theory, as described in 1951 in The Social System, has been severely criticized for its inapplicability to chronic illnesses, a portion of the theory is still a relevant and necessary factor in terms of understanding and treating chronic illness today. Using data from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey, this study looks at the individual effects of sex, age, race, cohabitation, education and region of residence on the likelihood of chronically ill patients considering themselves limited in their amount or kind of work as an indicator of sick role adaptation. Results show statistically significant relationships …

An All-Terrain Vehicle Safety Educational Program: Is It Effective In Improving Attitudes, Safety Knowledge, And Behaviors In Adolescents Ages 12 To 18?, Kim Elaine Young Vickous

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

All terrain vehicles (ATVs) are a popular source of recreation. For some rural adolescents, ATVs are frequently used for agricultural work. Whether for work or recreation, many adolescents operate ATVs improperly either from a lack of knowledge, poor judgment or they engage in risky behaviors resulting in injuries and fatalities.

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) has devoted resources to provide ATV safety programs to educate adolescents statewide. However, there are no known studies evaluating the effectiveness of this KDA intervention. Therefore, a pilot study was proposed to determine the effectiveness of The KDA ATV safety program in improving ATV …

The Influence Of Marketing Strategies On Employee Perception Of A Small Rural Kentucky Hospital, Renee Perkins

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

A well-known fact relating to health care in the 1990s is the delimma being faced by small rural hospitals across the United States. They are now at a crossroads between survival and closure. This thesis addresses the influence that effective marketing strategies can have on the outcome of rural hospitals if such strategies are targeted to the right populations Although the patients, the community, and the physicians are important target groups, this thesis addresses the impact marketing can have on the employee population and how that population can, in turn, affect community perception.

This is the first study to be …

Adapting The Health Knowledge Inventory For Use With High School Seniors, Cara Case

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Knowledge alone is not enough to ensure that the individual will act in a healthy manner or choose positive health behaviors. However, knowledge may enable one to engage in sound health practices. Health education must respond to the changes in American culture by developing approaches that achieve maximum communication and learning. The purpose of this thesis is to assess the suitability of the Health Knowledge Inventory – High School Version (HKI-HS) for testing with high school seniors. A field test was performed to assess whether the HKI-HS is an appropriate measurement instrument of personal health knowledge among high school seniors. …

Communication Barriers Between Teenagers & Parents About Sex & Sex-Related Topics: A Survey Of Teenagers In Sex Education Class, Karen Bonnell

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Public concern about teenage pregnancy and the threat of sexually transmitted diseases like AIDS make sex education information vital for today's teenagers. A 1986 Harris survey of 1,000 teenagers cited parents as their primary source of sex education information, but 42% said they would be too nervous or afraid to bring up the subject of contraception or birth control with their parents. States like Kentucky have mandated sex education courses for all public schools to provide necessary instruction for teenagers.

This study identifies communication barriers which teenagers say prevent communication with their parents about sex and sex-related topics. Questionnaires were …

Barren River District Health Department Health Education/Risk Reduction Demonstration Projects, Rebecca Bruce

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In July 1980, the Barren River District Health Department (BRDHD), serving eight counties (combined population approximately 204,000) in Southcentral Kentucky, was selected as a demonstration site under the auspices of the federal Health Education Risk Reduction (HERR) Program. With continued HERR funding for eight years, the BRDHD developed several successful health promotion projects. Major components of these projects include: 1) community health promotion, which serves to identify high -risk groups in the community and provide them with health education-health promotion services, 2) school health education which included the development of a preschool health education curriculum, 3) teacher education workshop, which …

Children Raised By Homosexual Parents: Sexual Orientation, Mental & Sexual Health, Theresa Gramlich

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Sex and morals have often been factors in custody disputes. Courts have felt that giving custody of children to homosexual parents would create an environment not in the best interest of the child. Many mental health professionals argue that these decisions have been based on prejudice and homophobia. The purpose of this study was to evaluate research on the sexual orientation of children raised by homosexual parents and review data on the mental/psychosexual health of these children. These studies revealed no difference between children raised by gay/lesbian parents versus those raised by heterosexual parents on IQ scores, gender identity, or …

Adolescent Smoking Status And Socioeconomic Dependence On The Tobacco Crop In Southeastern Kentucky, Gregory Colwell

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of the study was to quantify the relationship between adolescent smoking and economic dependence on the tobacco crop. A survey of 1322 students from a random sample of all secondary schools in four counties in southeastern Kentucky was performed. The survey gathered information concerning smoking behavior and social variables. Chi-square analysis was performed to assess the relationships between these variables in students from families who worked with tobacco and families who did not.

Chi square analysis of female adolescent smoking behavior revealed a significant association between the instances of adolescent smoking and age, friend smoking status and sibling …

A Survey Of Health Promotion Activities Of Health Systems Agencies, Norma Schira

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The National Health Planning and Resources Development Act. Public Law 93-641, the last major step in the regulation of the health care system, created a network of health system agencies and state level health planning agencies. Subsequent legislation, the Health Planning and Resources Development Amendment 1929, Public Law 96-79, amended 1974 Law and changed the role and function of health systems agencies to include more regulatory activities. By 1981, the activities of Health System Agencies were being curtained by the action of the Reagan administration.

The Health promotion/wellness movement which seeks to improve health has been developing as a compliment …

A Comparison Of Two Instructional Methods In Teaching An Introductory Course In Health, Charlotte Mitchell

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this research was to determine the effectiveness of the independent study method of instruction in promoting health knowledge and health attitude change. The experimental method was compared to the traditional classroom model of instruction.

A random sample of ten subjects was taken for the experimental group and matched control subjects were then selected. Control subjects were chosen based on the demographic variables of age, race, sex, academic classification and grade point average.

A pretest-posttest design using two standardized instruments was employed to measure the health knowledge gain and health attitude change. Data was statistically analyzed by use …

A Philosophical Concept Of Patient Education In The Small Hospital, Michael Rush

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In recent years, many dramatic changes have occurred in the nation's health care delivery system, particularly in health education. The National Consumer Health Information and Promotion Act was enacted in 1976. In response to this legislation, the nation's health education efforts were greatly expanded through the creation of a Bureau of Health Education within the Center for Disease Control and establishment of the Office of Health Information and Promotion in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Department of Health, Education and Welfare. A National Center for Health Education was also established. Health education was prominently included among the …