Public Health Education and Promotion Commons^™

Characteristics Of Adult Icu Patients With Device Associated Nosocomial Infections, Doramarie Arocha

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nosocomial infections are a cause of concern for hospital patients and the incidence rates of these infections are greater in intensive care units (ICUs) due to the invasive nature of treatments, additional risk factors and comorbidities, and therapies used. Invasive devices, such as vascular central lines, Foley catheters, and mechanical ventilators pose a risk for critically ill patients in the ICUs to develop device-related, healthcare-associated infections (HAI). The purpose of this study was to describe the epidemiological characteristics of patients who developed device-related HAIs within 3 ICU units (medical-surgical, cardiovascular, and neurosurgical) of an academic medical facility. The ecosocial theory …

Community And Patient-Centered Medical Home In The Care Of Chronically Ill Patients, Victor A. Carrillo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Large portions of the US population live in poor inner-city communities. Health needs assessment data have shown that these communities have disproportionately high rates of chronic illnesses. The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) model was developed to address the gaps that exist in the primary care system, and emphasizes a redesign of primary care that is patient centered, utilizes multiple levels of healthcare professionals, information technology, and care coordination. However, little evidence exists on the value of this model which may explain why it has not gained wide acceptance by primary care providers. Therefore, this study was designed to examine the …

Emergency Room Utilization Of Participants With Mental Health Conditions Enrolled In Health Home Services, Amanda Duff

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Large numbers of individuals utilize the ER each year for mental health reasons. The health home agency in this study was designed under the Affordable Care Act with the intention of increasing patient self-management thus decreasing high-cost service utilization. The effectiveness of health homes in reducing mental health-related ER visits has remained unexplored. In this study, the relationship between participation in this program and ER utilization was examined, using the theoretical framework of the Health Belief Model. The sample of 128 health home participants with documented mental health conditions was selected using systematic random sampling. A one-way, repeated-measures t-test and …

Risk Of Maternal Smoking On Breastfed Infants And The Development Of Otitis Media, Judith C. Ogbonna

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite advances in health promotion through efforts to reduce tobacco smoking, tobacco-related health conditions have continued to be significant. Exposure to secondhand smoke has been identified as a health risk also in addition to infant health risks related to maternal smoking. In contrast, breastfeeding has been found to promote infant health and is strongly encouraged. Despite literature supporting both of these statements, the combined effects of both breastfeeding and maternal smoking on infant wellbeing have not been delineated. Otitis media represents a common health problem among infants and young children. Tobacco exposure has been shown to increase its incidence while …

Influence Of Teacher Participation On Student Fitness And Student Participation In Physical Education, Whitney Morris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Physical activity plays a key role in the health of children. Childhood obesity is increasing in the United States, and children are spending less time being physically active. Active participation by a physical education (PE) teacher in physical activities has been suggested as a means of promoting student fitness. The purpose of this quasi-experimental quantitative study was to determine whether modeling of physical activity by a PE teacher would increase student participation and physical fitness. Bandura's social learning theory provided the theoretical framework for the study. Participants included 311 4th and 5th grade elementary students enrolled in physical education classes. …

The Underuse Of Hospice Care In The African American Military Beneficiary Population, Wanda Castleberry Richards

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hospice services provide a holistic approach to end-of-life care to terminally ill patients though there is some evidence to suggest that African American military beneficiary populations may not access hospice care as often as expected. The purpose of this nonexperimental study was to evaluate reasons for the low use of hospice care among the terminally diagnosed members of this population, between the ages of 18 and 64. Kolcaba's comfort theory provided the theoretical framework for this study. The research explored whether a statistically significant difference exist among African Americans military beneficiaries population as compared to non-Hispanic Whites pertaining to their …

Adventist Affiliation And Type 2 Diabetes Pre- And Post-Complete Health Improvement Program (Chip), Janie Unruh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adventists following a plant-based diet have half the prevalence and incidence of type 2 diabetes than nonvegetarian Adventists. This study used a quantitative, correlational study design to assess if there was a significant difference in type 2 diabetes prevalence rate between Adventists and non-Adventists preprogram, and if there were significant differences in biometrics between Adventists and non-Adventists with diabetes pre- and post-Complete Health Improvement Program (CHIP). This study incorporated the social ecological model for its conceptual framework and examined pre- and postprogram changes among Adventists (n=210; 20.1%) and non-Adventists (n=836; 79.9%) with type 2 diabetes. It used secondary data from …

Type 2 Diabetes In Offspring Of Diabetic African American Women, Toby Valentino Yak

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The prevalence of Type 2 diabetes is greater among African American women and their offspring than it is among Caucasian women and their offspring. In Iowa, there has been a gap in public health knowledge regarding risk factors associated with Type 2 diabetes in African American women and their offspring. The behavioral change wheel model was used to guide this study. This research study was a quantitative, retrospective cohort using primary data to investigate the association between a sample of diabetic African American and the occurrence of diabetes in their offspring. The sample included 105 diabetic African American women between …

Assessment Of Her2-Neu In Breast Cancer Lines Upon Differential Exposures To Xenoestrogens, Abha Aggarwal

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Synthetic xenoestrogens have differential estrogenic properties. Research has shown that exposures to xenoestrogens could promote breast cancer by disrupting normal function of the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her2) gene. Although animal models demonstrated a connection between xenoestrogen exposure and Her2 activity, no study using human cells has systematically examined their carcinogenic potential influencing the Her2 gene expression. Furthermore, breast cancer cells are phenotypically disparate (ER+, Her2+), with some phenotypes (Her2+), leading to more aggressive disease. This study aimed to dosimetrically assess the carcinogenic potential of commonly used xenoestrogens influencing Her2 gene expression, and delineate cellular phenotypes at greater …

Attitudes And Barriers To Intimate Partner Violence Screening And Follow-Up During Prenatal Care As Reported By Survivors In The El Paso, Texas Region, Luz Maria Luna

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

About 37.1% of Hispanic women in the United States have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) (Breiding, 2014). In Texas, family violence cases among women comprised 73% of the total complaints (Texas Department of Public Safety 2012), and fatalities of women by an intimate partner totaled 102 women in 2011 (Office of Court Administration, 2013). In El Paso, Texas, the Center Against Sexual and Family Violence (CASFV) received 823 people in its emergency shelter from 2012 to 2013 and 70% of those residents were women (Center Against Family Violence, 2015). The Healthy People 2020 has assigned developmental objective IVP-39, under the …

Identification Of Leishmania Spp. And Trypanosoma Cruzi In Sylvatic Animals In El Paso County, Texas, Mariel Christina Matamoros

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background Leishmaniasis and Chagas's Disease are two of the seventeen diseases considered as Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTF) by the CDC. Ten million people worldwide are at risk of being infected by Leishmaniasis and Chagas' disease affects six million people in the world; however, these are mostly cases in Latin America. The vector for Chagas' disease, triatomine, has been identified near El Paso, Texas region to be positive for Trypanosoma cruzi. Recent studies have also shown positive results for Chagas' disease and Leishmaniasis in sylvatic animals in El Paso.

Objective To determine the prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi and/or Leishmania spp. infection …

Gender Differences In Initiation Into Methamphetamine Use In A Mexico-U.S. Border City, Amir Gerardo Hernandez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

BACKGROUND & SIGNIFICANCE: The literature indicates that there are gender differences in drug use patterns but there is minimal information available on initiation into methamphetamine (meth) use by gender, especially on the border region. Along the U.S.-Mexico border, Cd. Juarez and Tijuana have been described as being in a potential state of a meth outbreak due to drug trafficking, substance abuse, migration, violence, and poverty. AIMS & OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study are to describe current methamphetamine users in Cd. Juarez and their drug using behaviors and identify gender differences in their socio-demographic characteristics, initiation into meth use, recent …

Prevalence Of Dental Caries In Mexican-American Children And Adolescents Attending Rawlings Pediatric Dental Clinic In El Paso, Texas, Andrea Aguila

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Abstract

Background and significance: Dental caries is the most common infectious disease in childhood, causing negative long and short term effects in a child’s life. Children living in poverty are twice as likely to be affected by dental caries compared to those living above the poverty level. Of this poverty group, Mexican-American children are the most affected. In the US-Mexico border communities 83% of the population is Hispanic with the majority of them being of Mexican descent, and 30% of those live in poverty. The United States Mexico border is also characterized by a rapid population growth, high unemployment rates, …

Gender Differences In Risk Behaviors And Health Outcomes Due To Methamphetamine Use In A Mexico-U.S. Border City, Priscilla Guevara

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Methamphetamine (meth) is a stimulant known to affect the central nervous system (CNS). When individuals are under the influence of meth, their judgment is impaired which can lead them to make irrational decisions and engage in high-risk behaviors, such as having unprotected sex and needle sharing. Thus the behaviors of meth users can place them at high risk of contracting infectious diseases such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Few studies highlight gender differences in meth use, fewer studies address high-risk behaviors and health outcomes attributed to meth use by gender. El Paso, TX …

A Comparison Of The 2013 Aha/Acc/Tos Guideline For The Management Of Overweight And Obesity In Adults To Clinical Outcomes Of A Plmm Intervention Among Hispanics, Silvia Salinas-Lopez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Obesity is a serious and costly condition, causing a higher prevalence of chronic diseases and having an average medical cost of $1,430 higher than non-overweight patients (Finkelstein, Trogdon, Cohen, & Dietz, 2009). With more than two thirds of U.S. adults suffering from overweight or obesity, health organizations have recognized the disease as a threat to the well-being of the nation. In 2013, the American Health Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) among other stakeholders developed a set of guidelines and recommendations for primary health providers in order to reduce overweight, obesity and concomitant conditions (Jensen et al., …

A Qualitative Study Of How Communities Think About And Act Upon Hunger In The Presence Of A Food Banking System, Eliza Miriam Fishbein

Theses and Dissertations

Hunger is often addressed by providing food directly to those experiencing symptoms of food insecurity and hunger. Even with the availability of government food assistance programs, food insecurity and hunger rates continue to rise. Many local community organizations (e.g., small food banks, faith-based organizations, schools) across the country have come together to create and implement a variety of nongovernment food programs. Although there is no evidence these programs lower food insecurity and hunger rates, community organizations appear to be strongly committed to sustaining these programs. Little is known about the basis for this commitment, i.e., “ the will to act …

Implementation Processes And Impacts Of School Store Policies In South Korea, Seul Ki Choi

Theses and Dissertations

With the concern of unhealthy school food environments, the South Korean government enacted two school nutrition policies to reduce unhealthy foods in school stores. The first policy banned on soft drinks sales in school stores enacted in 2007. The second policy restricted energy-dense nutrient-poor (EDNP) food sales in school stores enacted in 2009. This study aims to examine the changes in adolescents’ food intake and foods sold in school stores due to the two policies and to understand the policy implementation processes.

The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys were used to examine trends in adolescents’ energy intake from …

The Roots Of Perspective In The American Context: News Media Discourse And Stakeholder Perspectives About The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Nicholas Younginer

Theses and Dissertations

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program serves 46 million people but is controversial. The media is positioned to influence political and public opinions about SNAP policy. This study identifies the SNAP media discourse and investigates perspectives of SNAP participants and frontline workers about the program.

I employed a mixed-methods design with two aims. Aim 1 gathered 295 articles across six news outlets, semi-inductively coding the articles for characters, assignment of responsibility, and framing of the article. I then ran chi-square tests for difference between employed frame and responsibility and employed frame and political ideology.

Aim 2 collected a sample of 20 …

Sustainability Of Food And Nutrition Security Policies During Presidential Transitions: Integrating Socio-Political And Nutritional Sciences, Jessica Liana Escobar-Alegría

Theses and Dissertations

Presidential transitions are uncertain periods in which relationships among power, accountability, and electoral support of a democratic process do not hold. Transitions challenge collaboration towards implementing policies contributing to food and nutrition security (FNSP). Sustaining these policies during transitions is critical for reaching long-term goals. Knowledge gaps remain on how to perform strategic multisectoral work during transitions to maximize FNSP sustainability.

This study aimed to examine what determines FNSP sustainability during presidential transitions and responded to the questions: How do policy actors define sustainability? What are the mechanisms determining policy sustainability? What are the implications of terminal logic behavior (TLB) …

Contextualizing Multilayered Sexual Subjectivities Of Heterosexual Black Female Undergraduate Students At A Predominantly White Institution In The South, Amarachi Rossana Anakaraonye

Theses and Dissertations

This study uses an intersectional theoretical framework to examine Black college women’s sexual health by focusing on how they engage in sexual decision making within their social contexts. This qualitative study analyzed 20 individual in-depth interviews of Black female undergraduate students, ages 18-22, who attend a predominantly white institution (PWI) in the Southeastern United States. The themes that emerged from qualitative data analysis include Black female undergraduate students’ perceptions of the sexual culture of their campus and the protective strategies they employ to navigate the sexual culture in order to achieve and/or maintain physical, emotional, and social well-being. Key findings …

Perceptions Of Infertility Among Arab Women In The U.S, Zena Hamdan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Infertility is a serious public health issue. Infertile couples may perceive infertility differently based on their own cultural background. There is a paucity of literature about how infertility is perceived among Arab women living in the United States. The purpose of this study was to be able to understand how Arab women who live in Dearborn, Michigan feel about infertility and to understand their concerns and worries about their health status. The primary research questions asked Arab women how they perceive infertility and how infertility may impact their future. This qualitative case study was guided by the social support theory …

Wellness Intervention As A Quality Of Life Predictor In Mentally Ill Veterans, Tosha Lashon Ellis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Veterans with serious mental illness (SMI) are at high risk of developing conditions such as insulin resistance, obesity, and smoking, which may lead to chronic medical problems. As a result, the morbidity and mortality of people with SMI are high compared to the general population. It appears that integrated care improves the wellbeing of veterans; however, there is a gap in the literature on wellness-based interventions for veterans with SMI. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the association between a wellness intervention for veterans and their perceived quality of life (QOL). Social cognitive theory was the theoretical …

Creating A Community Of Practice To Prevent Suicide Through Multiple Channels: Describing The Theoretical Foundations And Structured Learning Of Pc Cares, Lisa Wexler, Diane Mceachern, Gloria Difulvio, Cristine Smith, Louis F. Graham, Kirk Dombrowski

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

It is critical to develop practical, effective, ecological, and decolonizing approaches to indigenous suicide prevention and health promotion for the North American communities. The youth suicide rates in predominantly indigenous small, rural, and remote Northern communities are unacceptably high. This health disparity, however, is fairly recent, occurring over the last 50 to 100 years as communities experienced forced social, economic, and political change and intergenerational trauma. These conditions increase suicide risk and can reduce people’s access to shared protective factors and processes. In this context, it is imperative that suicide prevention includes—at its heart— decolonization, while also utilizing the “best …

Assessment Of The Knowledge And Skills Of School Personnel To Respond To Diabetic Emergencies In Georgia Public Schools, Alesha Wright

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Diabetes is a common chronic disease that affects children in the United States. As children with diabetes attend school, the ability to appropriately manage their diabetes is essential to preventing life-threatening health complications. The purpose of the study was to assess school personnel’s knowledge of diabetes and perceived self-competence in performing diabetes management skills in response to a diabetic emergency. For the present study, a diabetic emergency was operationalized to include hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, or diabetic ketoacidosis. A cross-sectional survey design, utilizing a fifty-two item self-administered questionnaire that accentuated the causes and symptoms of diabetes, definition of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia, and …

Current Concussion Education Practices In Ncaa Member Institutions: A Descriptive Study, Samuel E. Johnson Ii

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Purpose: To investigate concussion education implementation methods in NCAA member institutions.

Methods: Of the 1,078 athletic trainers across all NCAA Divisions that were contacted, 355 were included in this study. Participants were asked to complete the Current Concussion Education Practices Questionnaire (CCEPQ). The CCEPQ consisted of four sections: demographics, concussion education questionnaire, perceived effectiveness of concussion education, and limitations/barrier to providing concussion education. Outcome frequencies were used to report survey results. Respondent division-level categorical differences across survey items were assessed with a 2X3 chi-square test of independence.

Results: Providing concussion education occurs in 98.9% of NCAA member institutions. Educating student …

Association Of Religious Commitment And Perceived Stress Levels In College Students, Brianna N. Carter

Honors College Theses

Background: College students report a higher level of stress related to daily functioning (Kreig, 2013). First year students who report feeling overwhelmed has doubled in current years while colleges have reported an increase in the use of on-campus counseling services (up 8% over the past three years) (Kreig, 2013; American Psychological Association, 2014). Previous studies in older adult populations link religiousness to better mental health (Moreira-Almeida, Neto, & Koenig, 2006), suggesting that religion can be used as a coping resource when faced with stressful events (Hood, Hill, & Spilka, 2009). Utilizing the Transactional Theory of Stress and Coping, this study …

El Rol De Los Servicios Sociales En El Acompañamiento De Mujeres Durante El Proceso De Interrupción Legal Del Embarazo En Un Hospital Público En La Provincia De Buenos Aires / The Role Of Social Services In The Accompaniment Of Women During The Process Of Legally Terminating A Pregnancy In A Public Hospital In The Province Of Buenos Aires, Judy Rivière

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

El acceso a la Interrupción Legal del Embarazo (ILE) sigue siendo limitado para muchas mujeres en Argentina. En la mayoría de los hospitales públicos, no se hace la ILE. Este tema es todavía muy polémico y tiene implicaciones diferentes, no solo en el nivel provincial, sino también en el nivel municipal. En las instituciones donde se hacen interrupciones del embarazo, los profesionales de la salud tienen mirada abierta que incluyen factores biopsicosociales. Por eso, las trabajadoras sociales, que miran la salud desde la perspectiva de determinantes sociales, tienen un rol importante en la facilitación del acceso a la ILE para …

Análisis De Las Políticas Públicas De Prevención Del Cáncer De Cuello Uterino Vinculadas Al Control Del Virus Del Papiloma Humano (Vph) En Argentina / An Analysis Of Argentina’S Public Health Prevention Strategies Of Cervical Cancer Related To The Control Of The Human Papiloma Virus (Hpv), Caroline Seman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

El objetivo general de este estudio es analizar las políticas públicas de prevención del cáncer de cuello uterino (CCU) basadas en la incorporación de nuevas tecnologías como el test de VPH (Virus del Papiloma Humano) y la vacuna contra el VPH en Argentina. Los objetivos específicos son 1) describir la implementación del test de VPH y la campaña de vacunación obligatoria contra el VPH como estrategias de prevención primaria del CCU a nivel nacional: 2) identificar los factores que las facilitan y las obstaculizan. El CCU es el segundo cáncer más diagnosticado en las mujeres de Argentina. Desde el año …

Obesity Among Women In Rural Kenya: Knowledge, Beliefs, And Perceptions., Ann Mugo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity or being overweight is a prevalent health concern around the world. Despite the growing problem in developing countries such as Kenya, there is scant literature available on obesity or being overweight among women in rural Kenya. This research study provides information necessary for bridging the gap in understanding the perceptions, beliefs, and knowledge of obesity among women in rural Kenya. This study used the social cognitive theory (SCT) framework to assist in understanding the impact of obesity or being overweight among women living in rural Kenya. Participants were women aged 20 to 45 recruited from a local church in …

Factors Associated With Primary And Secondary Sexual Transmission Of Hiv In Concurrent Relationships In Kenya, Daphne Parker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This phenomenological study was designed to understand the lived experiences of a purposive sample of 9 participants from local villages in Nairobi, Kenya, who had sexual behaviors that contributed to higher HIV risk exposure. Past studies have provided information about the increased rates of HIV infection; however, little has been done to identify the solutions for minimizing the negative impact of HIV among concurrent partnerships. The study investigated the role of high risk cultural practices among participants in married and cohabitating unions. The conceptual framework of the study was gender and power theory, which addresses the complex sexual relationships between …