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Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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Articles 1891 - 1920 of 2122

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Predictors Of Knowledge Of Stroke And Intent To Call 911 Among African Americans, Hyacinth Idu Hyacinth Jan 2015

Predictors Of Knowledge Of Stroke And Intent To Call 911 Among African Americans, Hyacinth Idu Hyacinth

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Stroke is associated with significant health disparity and predominantly affects the elderly. Stroke outcome is significantly improved if an individual is able to get "clot-bursting" medication. A significant predictor of an on-time arrival to the emergency room for treatment in the event of a stroke is the ability to accurately recognize stroke signs and symptoms. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors (demographic, socioeconomic, and educational) that predict the knowledge of stroke signs/symptoms and intent to call 911 in the event of a stroke. The study was grounded in the social ecological theoretical model and analyzed archived …

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Coalitions Members' Perceived Methods To Prevent Adolescent Marijuana Usage After Legalization, Lanise A. Hutchins Jan 2015

Coalitions Members' Perceived Methods To Prevent Adolescent Marijuana Usage After Legalization, Lanise A. Hutchins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Community coalitions have had successful reductions in adolescent substance abuse, and the legalization of marijuana presents an opportunity for these coalitions to re-evaluate their current methods and messages for preventing adolescent marijuana usage. Using the theory of planned behavior, the purpose of this qualitative study was to determine how legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes affects the methods and messages of coalitions and how the coalition members perceive their efforts to reduce adolescent marijuana usage post-legalization in Colorado. Participants were obtained by recommendations from the executive director in each of four coalitions. A purposive sample of 12 coalition members was …

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Exploring Yoga As A Holistic Lifestyle For Sustainable Human And Environmental Health, Julia A. Leischner Jan 2015

Exploring Yoga As A Holistic Lifestyle For Sustainable Human And Environmental Health, Julia A. Leischner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Improved health indicators, mental and physical health outcomes, and sustainable lifestyle practices have been found among yoga practitioners. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of mixed styles of yoga practice on the health and behaviors of yoga practitioners. The relationship between yoga and body mass index (BMI), self-reported disease diagnosis, participation in other types of physical activity, adoption of healthy and sustainable lifestyle and dietary behaviors, perceived improvements in medical conditions that yoga was used to treat, quality of life resulting from yoga practice, and the reasons for beginning and continuing yoga were observed and tested …

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The Association Of Maternal Health Literacy Levels And Preterm Birth, Aimee Moynihan Jan 2015

The Association Of Maternal Health Literacy Levels And Preterm Birth, Aimee Moynihan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to the CDC, each year approximately 0.06 % of the world's population dies in infancy. The March of Dimes indicated that the leading causes of infant mortality include birth defects, preterm birth, low birth weight, sudden infant death syndrome, maternal complications of pregnancy, and respiratory distress syndrome, most of which are considered preventable with access to adequate prenatal care by mothers. The goal of this study was to examine the association between maternal health literacy levels and preterm birth. This research was based on the theoretical framework of the Interaction Model of Client Health Behavior. The hypothesis for this …

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Predictors Of Physician Use Of The New Nia Alzheimer's Assessment Protocols, Richard Norman Schultz Jan 2015

Predictors Of Physician Use Of The New Nia Alzheimer's Assessment Protocols, Richard Norman Schultz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Consensus is lacking on early diagnostic criteria and the exact symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD). A new, in-office test may help physicians detect the early symptoms of AD, based upon new National Institute of Aging (NIA) criteria. However, a gap exists in knowledge regarding physicians' current use or intent to use the new protocols. Choreographing the descriptive AD terminology in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV-TR and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) is recommended. Thus, the purpose of this study was to understand possible contributing factors to physician's use or intent to use of the new …

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Technology As A Health Intervention And The Self-Efficacy Of Men, Karen Denise Maxwell Jan 2015

Technology As A Health Intervention And The Self-Efficacy Of Men, Karen Denise Maxwell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mortality rates in the United States are higher for men than they are for women as a result of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Despite these disproportionate rates, few health interventions are targeted to men, and limited knowledge exists regarding the specific components needed to design technology health tools to appeal to men. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between the use of technology health tools and the role of self-efficacy in men and the influence on participation in healthy lifestyle behaviors. A quasi-experimental design was used to analyze data collected …

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Faculty Perceptions Regarding Best Practices In Clinical Dental Hygiene Assessment, Brenda Kaye Walstead Jan 2015

Faculty Perceptions Regarding Best Practices In Clinical Dental Hygiene Assessment, Brenda Kaye Walstead

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative case study explored faculty perceptions regarding best practices and uses of assessment in a dental hygiene program at a small northwestern college. It was discovered that faculty in the program were assessing students in their clinical courses using widely varied methods, designs, and scoring tools. Faculty neither calibrated processes nor communicated about this problem. In addition, a review of the assessments in this local setting indicated a significant gap in the current guidelines for best practices in clinical assessment procedures. Knowles' adult learning theory served as the foundation for this study. Research questions were designed to obtain clinical …

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Practice Guidelines For Self-Management Of Osteoarthritis Pain In The Home-Based Settings, Oyesola Omowunmi Akintan Jan 2015

Practice Guidelines For Self-Management Of Osteoarthritis Pain In The Home-Based Settings, Oyesola Omowunmi Akintan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a debilitating chronic illness that can prevent older adults from accomplishing their activities of daily living or ambulate without pain. The project's purpose was to develop and disseminate multidisciplinary educational practice guidelines to nurses for use in older homebound male Veteran's Administration OA patients to improve home-based pain management and self-care preventative strategies. Orem's theory of self-care management constituted the theoretical framework. The design was a quality improvement project and involved formation of 6 panels of interdisciplinary teams who reviewed the American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) and Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) guidelines. The ASA and OARSI …

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Facilitating Weight Tolerance Among Health And Fitness Majors Toward Obese Persons, Stephanie Boss Jan 2015

Facilitating Weight Tolerance Among Health And Fitness Majors Toward Obese Persons, Stephanie Boss

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Weight bias exists in some health-related degree programs. Overweight and obese persons who experience weight bias in health-related services often delay or avoid medical attention altogether. Guided by the attribution theory, the purpose of this sequential explanatory study was to examine weight bias among health majors at a southwest regional university to illuminate how attitudes can affect the level of care provided to overweight persons. The Attitudes toward Obese Persons (ATOP) scores from a convenience sample of 184 health majors revealed that participants' scores were found to be significantly lower than the midpoint (60) of the ATOP scale, M = …

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Nitrate In Private Wells:Knowledge, Oppinions,And Perceptions Of Stakeholders, Augustus D. Jaja Jan 2015

Nitrate In Private Wells:Knowledge, Oppinions,And Perceptions Of Stakeholders, Augustus D. Jaja

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine data describing nitrate concentration and cases of congenital cardiac defects. Residents with private wells and other stakeholders need data to make informed environmental decisions about the adverse health implications of nitrate contamination of private well water. Researchers have examined the exposure of nitrate in contaminated groundwater, but they have not examined nitrate levels in unregulated water systems. This gap in the literature highlighted the need to provide nitrate data for future research and private well users. Guided by the social ecological model, a quantitative, cross-sectional, nonexperimental design was used to survey …

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Psycho-Social Resilience And Risky Hiv Behaviors Among Black Males Who Have Sex With Males, Wilson Osaro Iyokho Jan 2015

Psycho-Social Resilience And Risky Hiv Behaviors Among Black Males Who Have Sex With Males, Wilson Osaro Iyokho

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The incidence rate of HIV among Black males having sex with Black males (BMSM) is high compared to that of other racial groups. Researchers have established the association between inappropriate sexual practices, age, income, and environmental determinants and HIV positive status among BMSM. Guided by resilience theory, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between HIV risk behavior and resiliency with the goal of identifying a new intervention to mitigate the HIV infection rate in the BMSM community. The theoretical framework used for this study was the resilience theory. This theory is concern with the phenomenon of …

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Correlations Between Childhood Obesity And Obesogenic Environmental Variables Within Durham County, North Carolina, Eureka Capri Daye Jan 2015

Correlations Between Childhood Obesity And Obesogenic Environmental Variables Within Durham County, North Carolina, Eureka Capri Daye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The application of geographic information systems was used to map obesogenic conditions by zip code tabulation areas in Durham County, North Carolina and evaluated associations between those conditions and the understudied area of early childhood obesity. Of the thirty one percent of the children in Durham County, North Carolina who were considered obese in 2010, four hundred and thirty three (1:5) 2 - 4 year old children who received supplemental nutrition services for women, infants and children were obese with BMI levels greater or equal to the 95th percentile and were used as the criterion variable in the study (N=433). …

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Prehospital Staffing And Road Traffic Accidents: Physician Versus Trained Nonphysician Responders, Timothy A. Grant Jan 2015

Prehospital Staffing And Road Traffic Accidents: Physician Versus Trained Nonphysician Responders, Timothy A. Grant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Road traffic deaths, which affect people in their productive years, are projected to be the third leading cause of death by the year 2030. While most studies have focused on road infrastructure and vehicle safety, this study examined something new: the impact of prehospital response to road traffic accidents on the rate of death. Some countries send physicians to the scene of an accident; some send paramedics or registered nurses. The question this research sought to answer was whether the use of physician responders resulted in a lower rate of death compared to the use of nonphysician responders. The literature …

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The Effects Of Barriers Toward Fighting Childhood Obesity Within Head Start, Vanessa Chaney Jan 2015

The Effects Of Barriers Toward Fighting Childhood Obesity Within Head Start, Vanessa Chaney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Childhood obesity is associated with significant morbidity and mortality and poses a health care burden. Child care facilities serve at the forefront in fighting childhood obesity among preschoolers. Since 2009, a significant shift has occurred in studying child care settings among children aged 3-5 in North Carolina and South Carolina in response to the rising rates of obesity in this population. Some of the hypothesized determinants of childhood obesity among preschoolers in North Carolina and South Carolina are outdoor activity, staff behavior, center's size and location. The purpose of this study was to investigate if significant relationships exist between childhood …

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Glioblastoma Multiforme: Geographic Variations In Tumor Size, Treatment Options, And Survival Rate, Susan Rebecca Nohelty Jan 2015

Glioblastoma Multiforme: Geographic Variations In Tumor Size, Treatment Options, And Survival Rate, Susan Rebecca Nohelty

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a destructive brain cancer that results in death 12 to 15 months after diagnosis. The purpose of this retrospective study was to determine if variations in tumor size at diagnosis, treatment options, and survival rate occur in GBM patients living in urban and rural areas of the United States. Using the behavior model of health services as the theoretical framework, this study used secondary data sets of GBM cases reported from 1988 to 2011 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program. Tumor size was measured in millimeters; treatment was evaluated by ascertaining the number of …

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Perceived Factors Contributing To Coronary Heart Disease In African American Women, Funmilola O. Sholanke Jan 2015

Perceived Factors Contributing To Coronary Heart Disease In African American Women, Funmilola O. Sholanke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American women (AAW) suffer from disproportionately high death rates due to coronary heart disease (CHD) compared to Caucasian women. Although there have been a number of studies targeting African American adults with CHD in clinical interventions, very few studies have addressed the social determinants of health and the influence of AAW's perceptions of health factors on health outcomes. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to fill the gap in the existing knowledge base by examining the lived experiences of 10 AAW diagnosed with CHD with a focus on the perceptions of environmental, socioeconomic, and cultural factors related to …

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Interpersonal Safety Of Active Duty Women In The Deployed Environment Of Bagram Afghanistan, Cynthia Tara Ferguson Jan 2015

Interpersonal Safety Of Active Duty Women In The Deployed Environment Of Bagram Afghanistan, Cynthia Tara Ferguson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States Armed Forces, 30% of women in the military suffer physical assault each year; in 2009, there were 22 reported cases of sexual assault in the U.S. Central Command. Aggravated assault, gang violence, sexual assault, homicide, and suicide can damage the morale of military personnel at a deployed site and collectively cost millions of dollars over time. Interpersonal violence in the United States military is destructive to the military system and directly diminishes mission readiness. This study was designed to illuminate the environmental, cultural, and political influences that affect interpersonal safety among military women in the deployed …

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School Administrator And Staff Member Perceptions Of A Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Program, Sharon Lacretia Mcconnell-Smith Jan 2015

School Administrator And Staff Member Perceptions Of A Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Program, Sharon Lacretia Mcconnell-Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mississippi is among the states with the highest teenage pregnancy rates, and the study site is among the high schools with the highest teenage pregnancy rates in the state. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify successful practices and areas for improvement in the implementation of a teenage pregnancy prevention program (TPPP) at the study site based on the perspectives of school administrators and staff members. Bandura's social cognitive theory provided a conceptual framework for considering behaviors and the social contexts in which they occur. Twelve participants were interviewed, including 3 administrators and 9 staff members. Data …

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Weight Management Counseling And Obesity Severity In Children With Special Health Care Needs, Adeola Sonaike Jan 2015

Weight Management Counseling And Obesity Severity In Children With Special Health Care Needs, Adeola Sonaike

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Epidemiologic surveillance indicates an increased susceptibility to obesity among children with special health care needs (SHCN) in comparison to children without. The present study investigated this disparity in weight severity between both groups, with a focus on the provision of obesity management counseling by physicians. This study consisted of a retrospective medical record review that acknowledged the effect of patient-provider interactions on health behaviors and risk perceptions. An independent sample t test compared the incidence of clinician-initiated obesity management counseling received by children with SHCN to that which was received by children without SHCN. This t test revealed a statistically …

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Knowledge, Attitudes, Beliefs, And Behaviors Of Diabetes Among Afro-Caribbeans Near Brooklyn, Sophia I. Allen Jan 2015

Knowledge, Attitudes, Beliefs, And Behaviors Of Diabetes Among Afro-Caribbeans Near Brooklyn, Sophia I. Allen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Literature has found that some minority groups with diabetes have a negative perception of medical professionals when a health problem occurs. This trend is particularly problematic with the diabetes epidemic in the United States. African Americans are more than 2 times as likely to die from diabetes than are Whites, and diabetes prevalence has increased exponentially in New York City where a majority of Afro-Caribbeans live. To address this problem, a cross-sectional design was used to recruit Afro-Caribbeans diagnosed with type 2 diabetes across 7 churches to examine whether shared knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors about diabetes screening and its …

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The Effects Of Financial Literacy On Patient Engagement, Melanie Meyer Jan 2015

The Effects Of Financial Literacy On Patient Engagement, Melanie Meyer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health care reform has caused consumers to learn more about what it means to have health insurance and its costs. Patient engagement, a critical component of health care reform, reflects provider and consumer attention to shared decision making between patient and physician. The problem addressed in this study is that although researchers have studied patient engagement, there has been insufficient exploration of the relationship between financial literacy and patient engagement, which could negatively impact health outcomes not only for patients or consumers but for society as a whole. The purpose of this quantitative research was to determine if a relationship …

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Effects Of Education On Victims Of Domestic Violence, Julette N. Anderson Jan 2015

Effects Of Education On Victims Of Domestic Violence, Julette N. Anderson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this project was to improve support for victims of domestic violence. To that end, this project developed an evidence-based program to provide information about domestic violence including safe and confidential ways to seek assistance, rights as cohabiting intimate partners, and the resources available to community members. Several approaches were used to develop, validate, and plan for implementation and evaluation of this program, which was developed for 3 sites in Broward and Miami-Dade counties where the project is situated. The program logic model and the social ecological model, including the individual, relationship, community, and societal levels, were used …

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Assessment Of Vitamin D Levels And Depression Among Adults In The United States, Troy Jean-Luc Owens Jan 2015

Assessment Of Vitamin D Levels And Depression Among Adults In The United States, Troy Jean-Luc Owens

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Vitamin D is essential to optimizing health; vitamin D deficiency (VDD) can increase risk of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and insulin resistance. VDD occurs when individuals do not receive sufficient oral intake or obtain adequate sun exposure. Previous researchers indicated there is a relationship between VDD and depression, while others have indicated there is no relationship. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between vitamin D levels and depression, and how this relationship might be moderated by an individual's demographic characteristics (gender, age, smoking status, or marital status). This study was a quantitative data analysis of archival data …

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The Association Between Exhaled Nitric Oxide In Exhaled Breath Condensate And Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Colin Mitchell Jan 2015

The Association Between Exhaled Nitric Oxide In Exhaled Breath Condensate And Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Colin Mitchell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a progressive and nonreversible disease, is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity throughout the world. Detecting COPD early in the disease process will help in decreasing later stage COPD severity. Because airway inflammation is a hallmark of COPD, it has been proposed that measuring exhaled nitric oxide, a marker of inflammation, in exhaled breath condensate could prove to be an inexpensive and efficient method to detect COPD in outpatient settings. Using the hypothetico-deductive theory as a guideline, this study used secondary data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007 to 2010 to …

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Relationship Between Modality And The Degree Of Knowledge Retention In Bioterrorism Training, Gaylon Rashun Crawford Jan 2015

Relationship Between Modality And The Degree Of Knowledge Retention In Bioterrorism Training, Gaylon Rashun Crawford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A public health workforce must be trained to react quickly, especially in the case of terrorist attack. Political leaders and emergency management experts have often cited inadequate emergency training as a contributing factor in the public health system's failed preparations for a bioterrorist event. As a result of these failures, billions of dollars have been allocated towards correcting infrastructure deficiencies including training for public health nurses (PHNs), who are critical to a communitywide medical response. This quantitative study used Pearson's correlation and a multivariate regression analysis to evaluate the most effective modality of bioterrorism training (BTT) for PHNs working in …

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Knowledge Of Overdiagnosis And The Decision To Participate In Breast Cancer Screening, Kimberly T. Nembhard Jan 2015

Knowledge Of Overdiagnosis And The Decision To Participate In Breast Cancer Screening, Kimberly T. Nembhard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2014, breast cancer was the second leading cause of death among Canadian women, with women over age 50 years making up 82% of the identified cases. To address this issue, the Ontario Breast Screening Program developed a media campaign that promoted the benefits of mammogram screening, but not the associated risks (i.e., false-positive, false-negative, radiation exposure, and overdiagnosis). This study was designed to determine whether there was a statistically significant relationship between knowledge of overdiagnosis and participation in mammogram screening. This cross-sectional, correlational study used schema theory supported by the effective health communication model. Forty-one women were invited to …

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Knowledge Of Diabetes Mellitus And Health-Preventive Behaviors Among African American Adults, Wanka Ndifor Jan 2015

Knowledge Of Diabetes Mellitus And Health-Preventive Behaviors Among African American Adults, Wanka Ndifor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the risk within the African American population of developing diabetes, its complications, and the benefits associated with timely management and treatment of diabetes. The study also looked at how such knowledge may be related to preventive health behaviors. The Risk Perception Survey-Developing Diabetes and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System questionnaires were employed in this study. The theoretical basis of this study was the health belief model. This was a cross sectional, quantitative study with 126 participants. Descriptive analysis was employed to calculate the mean scores and frequencies across each …

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Evaluating Retention Strategies For At-Risk Undergraduate Nursing Students, Joanna L. Ramsden-Meier Jan 2015

Evaluating Retention Strategies For At-Risk Undergraduate Nursing Students, Joanna L. Ramsden-Meier

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As there continues to be a nursing shortage and a lack of diversity in the nursing profession, it is important to retain at-risk students who have been admitted to nursing programs. The purpose of this program evaluation was to compare at-risk students who had not received retention services to at-risk students who had received retention services at a Midwestern college. A formative evaluation was conducted using information from three sources: the college, the students, and the community. Guided by a constructivist theory defined by Ponticell, this study examined the effectiveness of the retention program in terms of its impact on …

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Relationships Between The Coordinated School Health Program And Childhood Obesity In Tennessee, Tekeela Shonta Green Jan 2015

Relationships Between The Coordinated School Health Program And Childhood Obesity In Tennessee, Tekeela Shonta Green

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Childhood obesity rates have increased nationwide, but rates of childhood obesity are higher in Tennessee (TN). The Coordinated School Health (CSH) Program is a multicomponent approach designed to improve academics and health in children in Tennessee; however, researchers have not evaluated the 8 components of the plan and the impact it has on weight in children. The purpose of the study was to determine if a relationship existed between the Coordinated School Health Program and obesity in children. The conceptual framework for this study was Bandura's social cognitive theory. One hundred forty CSH coordinators in TN were surveyed and the …

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Association Between Psychological Trauma From Assault In Childhood And Metabolic Syndrome, W Sumner Davis Jan 2015

Association Between Psychological Trauma From Assault In Childhood And Metabolic Syndrome, W Sumner Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Metabolic syndrome and its component conditions of hypertension, obesity, and insulin resistance are on the increase in United States. Metabolic syndrome substantially increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes (T2D). To date, no published study has examined the relationship between psychological traumas from physical and/or sexual assault in childhood and metabolic syndrome or its components. This study, using the psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) model, investigated associations between psychological trauma (physical/sexual abuse) in childhood and metabolic syndrome in adulthood using data from the Midlife in the United States II (MIDUS-II) study. This research was undertaken to investigate whether a history …

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