Public Health Education and Promotion Commons^™

Dual Panics: A Media Analysis Of Narratives On The Role Of Unauthorized Migration In America's Overdose Crisis, Morgan Godvin

University Honors Theses

Background: The realms of drug policy and immigration policy have long been fueled by misinformation, where sensationalism and panics help shore up political support. Most recently, the "border crisis" has been invoked to explain the "overdose crisis" in mass media narratives. Although the increase in migration is being blamed for illicit drug flows, drug importation occurs primarily through legal points-of-entry. The extent and excess visibility of false narratives linking overdose to migration in mainstream media is unknown.

Methods: We used the Media Cloud ecosystem to compile and characterize mainstream media content published between June 2021 and July 2021 regarding the …

Hand Hygiene For Health Promotion, Phyllis Knight-Brown

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

For many years public health organizations, such as The World Health Organization (WHO) and The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), have stressed the need for proper hand hygiene. Proper hand hygiene requires a prescribed process to rid the hands of potentially infecting organisms by using soap and water (handwashing) or hand sanitizer (sanitizing). These processes need to be performed at critical times to promote infection prevention. Many studies have shown that hand hygiene is a learned behavior that becomes habitual over time, and behavior change mechanisms in addition to education are needed to affect a long-term change in …

Language Acculturation Effect On Diabetes Prevalence And Self-Care Skills In Puerto Ricans, Gerardo Lazaro

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Diabetes, a silent, chronic disease that involves demanding long-term self-care skills, affects adult Puerto Ricans disproportionately. Based on the health belief model, a theory that predicts health behavior, and the theory of language barriers, which predicts the effects of language on beliefs and behavior, this quantitative nonexperimental study analyzed the relationship of the preference of Puerto Ricans in Boston to use and speak Spanish (language acculturation) to diabetes prevalence and 4 diabetes self-care skills (healthy eating, being active, taking medication, and healthy coping). Data on 1,506 initial participants in the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study were used from 3 study …

Prevalence Of Metabolic Risk Factors With Abnormal Obesity Measures Among The Tobagonian Adult Population, Joanne Cruickshank

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAn increase of metabolic risk factors is a public health threat to the well-being of the population of Tobago; this increase is poorly documented and understood. According to a review of evidence-based research, studies linked metabolic risk factors to the high prevalence of obesity. However, there was a gap specific to the Tobagonian population. This cross-sectional quantitative study assessed the evidence of metabolic risk factors to determine whether obesity measures correlated with metabolic risk factors among a sample from Tobago. Guided by the social-ecological theory, a self-reported survey was used to collect primary data from 270 participants during a workplace …

Contraceptive Use Among Northern Nigerian Women Ages 15 To 49 Years, Hadiza Balarabe Usman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractContraception remains the most effective modern way of controlling unwanted pregnancies among sexually active women. The purpose of this study was to investigate contraceptive use among northern Nigerian women ages 15 to 49 years. The study was anchored on social ecological model, which examined contraceptive use at the individual, interpersonal and community levels. Univariate, bivariate, Chi-square test of independence and logistics regression were conducted using secondary data from the Nigerian Demographic Health Survey 2018. 39,928 women, ages 15 to 49 years in the northwest region of Nigeria were sampled and only 6% used contraceptives. Results showed that a significant association …

Social Determinants And Academic Success For Online Undergraduates Mediated By Mental Health, Jamie Michelle Claus Getz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSocial determinants of health (SDH) are social and economic systems that directly contribute to health disparities and inequalities. This study examined SDH and their relation to education, also an SDH. The relationship between SDH and online undergraduate achievement, as measured by grade-point average (GPA), was studied. Cumulative inequality is the theoretical framework that guided the study; it underscores the complexity of interaction between personal, social, and environmental stressors in relation to a student’s academic performance. The quantitative survey design allowed for potential relationships between variables to be observed and studied based on the survey responses per self-report from 212 online …

Contraceptives Use Among Reproductive-Age Women In New Juaben Municipality, Ghana, Phyllis Abrah

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This research study was an investigation into the factors associated with the use of modern contraceptives among reproductive-age women in the New Juaben Municipality of the Eastern Region of Ghana. Reproductive-age women in the Municipality have been found to have a high rate of unplanned pregnancies despite the availability of modern contraceptives. Telephone interviews were conducted with 15 reproductive-age women (20 to 39 years) from the New Juaben Municipality who were recruited voluntarily using purposive sampling technique. The research was based on the health belief model to explore the knowledge, perceived threats, perceived barriers, perceived benefits, self-efficacy, and cues to …

Social/Cultural Factors In Preschool Immunizations, Mozambique, Kristine Gayle Bernabe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Immunizations are scientifically proven, effective global health interventions that prevent infectious diseases and save lives. Yet, in Mozambique at the national level, less than 65% of children are fully immunized, i.e., received all the basic/routine vaccinations. The overall purpose of the doctoral study was to conduct quantitative research examining the sociocultural factors that may impact childhood immunization status in the context of the social ecological model. The study examined the relationship between child’s gender, mother’s and her husband/partner’s educational level, household wealth index, religion, ethnicity/language, urban-rural residency, and province/region with the child’s full immunization status in Mozambique. Secondary analysis of …

The Lived Experience Of African American Young Adult Men With Hiv And Self-Care Collaborative Management, Barbara A. Moore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAfrican American young adult (AAYA) men living with HIV often lack interventions that address the influence that HIV has on their quality of life, especially their relationships. Self-care collaborative management (SCCM) concerns related to disclosure and stigmatization complicate social, psychological, and SCCM behaviors. Intervention programs addressing these concerns should be based on relevant, accurate information, but this information is lacking for AAYAs. The purpose of this research was to explore and describe the lived experiences of male AAYAs with HIV and their use of SCCM. The study method was qualitative; Husserl’s transcendental phenomenology was the design. The individual family self-management …

Physical Distress And Psychological Outcomes: An Examination Of Hurricane Katrina Rebuilders, Danita M. Muse

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractHurricane Katrina made land fall in New Orleans on August 29, 2005. When Hurricane Katrina came ashore at the mouth of the Mississippi River it struck with such vengeance that the protective levees surrounding the New Orleans area were breached. The purpose of this quantitative research is to broaden the understanding the relationship between two phenomena: physical distress and posttraumatic growth among Hurricane Katrina rebuilders who rebuilt their lives 15 years following a natural disaster along the Gulf Coast. The Conservation of Resources and Self-Efficacy Theory were the theoretical framework for this study. The research questions examined if statistically significant …

Emergency Encounters: A Cross Sectional Study Of A Rural Emergency Room, Selynto Rodrecca Anderson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

It is very difficult for certain populations to obtain access to healthcare within the United States, particularly in rural areas. Typically, individuals who live in rural areas are far less healthy than those who live in more urbanized areas. Although there have been some improvements made to ensure there is adequate health care for all, barriers still exist. A few examples of these barriers are socioeconomic status, education, and job status. In this study, adult patients from a rural Southeastern hospital were surveyed via those who came to the emergency room seeking care, and via those who came to the …

An Examination Of The Absence Of A Comprehensive Smokefree Law In Georgia On College And University Campuses, Nakki Price

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractCigarette smoking is the number one preventable cause of death and disability in the United States. Although there are policies that govern the use of tobacco products, there are jurisdictions that do not employ these policies. Comprehensive smokefree laws govern private-sector entities and prohibit smoking in public places, specifically restaurants, bars, and workplaces. While states have the authority to implement these laws, some include exceptions that limit the intention of the law. Colleges and universities are specific communities for learning and serve as housing for students and an employer for the greater community. There is a gap in the literature …

Sociodemographic And Pregnancy Risk Factors Associated With Place Of Delivery Among Northern Nigerian Women, Daniel Ali

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractOne out of every 13 women in Nigeria die during childbirth. In Nigeria, over 60% of deliveries that take place at home were attended to by an unskilled person. This study involved using Thaddeus and Maine’s three delays model to determine the influence of sociodemographic factors (woman’s age, woman’s residence [rural/urban], woman’s and husband’s education level, husband’s occupation, household wealth), pregnancy risk factors (antenatal care usage, wanted pregnancy, and birth order) on the choice of place of delivery amongst women of reproductive age (15-49 years) in Northern Nigeria. This quantitative cross-sectional study used the National Demographic Health Survey of 2018. …

A Study Of Public Awareness About The Threat Of Earthquakes, Mike Allen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Noticeably absent from the existing literature was a correlation study which would have gauged individual awareness for earthquakes. The literature search provided one quantifiable narrative that correlated college education with awareness about earthquakes; the study found that college graduates scored higher points on the awareness test for earthquakes than their counterparts who had no college education. The research question for this study examined the possible correlations between personal characteristics and awareness about earthquakes. A survey was developed and used to find hypothesized correlations between public awareness and a number of variables such as age, gender, education, income, and professional leadership. …

Understanding Female Somali Noncollege Graduate Immigrant’S Experiences With Cervical Cancer Screening Services, Rachel Anyu Anyu-Lainjo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractHealthcare disparities exist in cervical cancer screening worldwide particularly in women of East African descent compared to non-African women. Previous research has investigated the reasons for low participation in cervical cancer screening among Blacks, minorities, and immigrant populations. Limited research has focused on immigrant women in the United States of America, specifically immigrants from Somalia who currently live in St. Cloud, Minnesota. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the perception of Somali immigrant women ages 25 - 45 years who have not earned a college degree and their lived experiences with cervical cancer screening. Two conceptual frameworks …

Examining The Factors That Lead To Latinas Stopping Breastfeeding Across The United States, Dulce Ruelas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Breastfeeding is the optimal nutrition for an infant, yet only 25.4% of women in the United States decide to breastfeed. A Latina's choice for infant feeding must be made with accurate information as breastfeeding may reduce infant mortality and decrease chronic conditions such as obesity, depression, and diabetes. The study's purpose was to examine if Latinas are influenced by suggestions to not breastfeed by family members and health care providers or by events that may have happened at the hospital. Grounded in the theory of planned behavior, this study reviewed if social influences, marital status, and maternal education link to …

Social Support, Substance Use, And Mental Health Services Utilization Among African Americans, Thomas Symche Bendu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental illness is more prevalent among African Americans than their Non-Hispanic White counterparts; however, this population is less inclined to receive behavioral treatment. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between perceived social support, substance use, and gender with mental health care services utilization among African Americans. The social ecological model and social support theory grounded this study. The research design was a quantitative cross-sectional analysis of the 2016 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey. The sample consisted of 486,3030 African American adults that represented the U.S. population using weighted estimates. The overall logistic regression models for the …

Experiences Of Married, First-Time Pregnant Adolescents When Seeking Care In Kano State, Yashua Alkali Hamza

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Kano State in Northern Nigeria has very high maternal mortality rates. Early marriage and early pregnancies between 15 to 18 years of age are two of the most significant factors in the high maternal mortality rates in Kano State. This phenomenological qualitative research study focused on young first-time mothers’ experiences of seeking care between the ages of 15 and 18. The study’s theoretical framework was the feminist theory of intersectionality. Colaizzi’s seven-step method was the means used for data analysis. This study found that young adolescent first-time pregnant women in Kano City faced significant barriers at home and in health …

Association Between Asymptomatic Malaria Infection And Pregnancy Outcome In Delta State, Nigeria, Sadiatu Sally Obi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Pregnant women are vulnerable due to the pregnancy-induced suppressed immunity in malaria-endemic areas. Asymptomatic malaria in pregnancy (MiP) threatens both the mother, fetus, and neonate via chronic placental malaria which impacts maternal-neonatal exchange. Some studies reported that MiP risk factors vary across locations, however, there are few studies on MiP and pregnancy outcome in Nigeria. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between asymptomatic placental malaria infection and pregnancy outcome among parturients in Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria. This study was developed with a quantitative methodology that utilized primary and secondary healthcare data from 483 subjects aged 18–49 …

Factors Associated With Help-Seeking Behaviors Among Persons With Serious Psychological Distress, Minn A. Oh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Serious psychological distress (SPD) is an important individual and public health concern, but inconsistent results exist in the literature in terms of help-seeking behaviors and health-related outcomes among persons with SPD. The purpose of this study was to address this issue and understand clinical factors, access and quality of care factors, and sociodemographic factors associated with help-seeking behaviors among adults with SPD using the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS). CHIS data were collected in 2015 as a part of a two-year cycle (2015-2016) and surveyed 42,089 adults. For multivariable analyses, logistic regression analyses were performed. Participants with chronic health conditions …

Change Fatigue, Job Satisfaction, And Organizational Commitment Among Nurses, Melissa Kapping

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The healthcare environment is complex and ever-changing, which has a direct impact on the nurse. The effects of the constant change to the nurse may result in the development of change fatigue, which causes the loss of trust in the organization, a feeling of resentment, and a sense of apprehension while depleting the individual’s reserves. The purpose of this correlational study guided by Lazarus and Folkman’s stress and coping theory was to determine if there is a relationship between (a) job satisfaction and change fatigue and (b) organizational commitment and change fatigue in nurses who work in an outpatient clinical …

Associations Between The Use Of Bed Nets And Malaria Infection On The School Performance Of Juveniles In Ghana, Ans Bumbokuri

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Millions of malaria cases are reported yearly in sub-Saharan Africa, events which adversely influence children’s school performance. The purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional study was to investigate the effectiveness of major malaria control policies in reducing malaria cases as a means of improving academic performance among school children in the greater Accra region of Ghana. A secondary data set was obtained from the 2014-2016 data from the Ghana Malaria Indicator Survey (GMIS). Findings indicated that bed net use and malarial episodes in children of participant recorded a p-value of 0.43 which is a significant association between the variables. The likelihood …

Addressing Hidden Barriers To Follow Up Healthcare: A Community Referral Pilot Project, Amber Williams

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Objective: The project was aimed to reduce the number of participants lost to primary care follow-up following a mobile health unit screening event.

Design: A pilot study program screening tool implementation was utilized to address the hidden barriers of the Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) during a Winter 2021 event.

Sample: A group of 12 participants were screened during a mobile health unit event. Eight of the participants opted to be a part of the pilot study.

Measurements: A comparison ratio of Primary Care follow up was compared from the Winter of 2020 with Winter of 2021, where the screening …

Subclinical Stress On Obesity Among Obese African American Women, Dr. Nosakhare Osasu Idehen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractObesity is a complex disease linked to genetics, health behaviors, upstream social determinants of health, and psychosocial stress. Obesity-related chronic diseases and opportunity cost significantly impact individuals and communities. Current prevention policies focus on diet and exercise without demonstrating the benefits of stress coping strategies in obesity management. Subclinical racial minority and gender stress heighten hypervigilance, psychological overload, poor stress coping strategies, inflammation, and obesity. Subclinical stress varies with race and gender, and it is higher in African American (AA) women. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the lived experience of subclinical racial minority and gender stress …

Hpv Vaccination Rates Among Males In Minority Populations, Andrew Lemke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ethnic minorities are less likely to be vaccinated in comparison to White individuals. As a result, Blacks have one of the highest rates of human papillomavirus (HPV)-related complications. The purpose of the quantitative study was to identify significant factors predicting initiation of HPV vaccination in Black male adolescents. The study was based on the constructs of Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior and used a cross-sectional design that involved weighted data from the 2018 National Immunization Survey (n=395,067) conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The research questions were based on how factors such as fear, family involvement, sexual …

Challenges To Successful Health Care Transition Among Hiv Positive Youth With Perinatal Acquisition, Tyler Andrew Termeer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

To ensure stability in the continuum of health care for HIV-positive youth with perinatal acquisition, there is a need for a successful transition from pediatric to adult primary care. However, there are a growing number of perinatally infected HIV-positive young persons remaining in pediatric care beyond the age of 21. Using Mohr’s program theory and a phenomenological approach, the lived experiences of Ohio HIV clinicians were examined to determine why many perinatally infected HIV-positive youths are remaining in pediatric care beyond the age of 21. Audio recorded video interviews via SKYPE were conducted with 12 participants, transcribed, underwent thematic analysis, …

Comparison Of The Therapeutic Efficacy Of Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatments, Kacy Smith Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune condition that causes chronic joint pain and destruction. The current standard regimen of monotherapy disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) treatments may not be as effective as that of combination therapy of a DMARD and a biologic agent in treating RA. The purpose of this study was to answer the question, is there a difference in the therapeutic efficacy of combination DMARD treatments with a biologic, compared to monotherapy DMARDs without a biologic, in U.S. Caucasian women between the ages of 30 and 60 that have been diagnosed with RA? Guided by the theoretical framework …

Health Literacy Of University Students In Covid-19 Pandemic And Infodemic: A Pakistani Perspective, Rozeen Shaukat, Muhammad Asif Naveed

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This research investigated the levels of health literacy among Pakistani university students in the Covid-19 pandemic and infodemic. The university students were surveyed using an online questionnaire at two public sector universities and one private sector university in Punjab-Pakistan. The administration of the data collection instrument was completed with permission from concerned authorities. A total of 374 responses received which were imported to SPSS and analyzed by applying descriptive as well as inferential statistics. The results revealed that the health literacy of university students in the Covid-19 pandemic and infodemic was not at an optimal level as these participants expressed …

Sociodemographic Factors Associated With Childhood Vaccination Status In Sokoto State, Nigeria, Dauda Milgwe Madubu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Immunization remains one of the most successful and cost-effective public health interventions worldwide. Despite the critical role of vaccines in improving childhood and maternal health, Sokoto state recorded the lowest childhood vaccination completion rate among the 37 states in Nigeria with only 5% of children aged 12-23 months having had full childhood vaccination based on data from the 2018 demographic and health survey. The factors associated with the state’s low childhood vaccination status have not been explored. The study examined the relationship between the sociodemographic factors including parents’ socioeconomic and ethnoreligious factors, place of residence, and children’s biological characteristics and …

Type 2 Diabetes And Pesticide Exposure Among U.S. Hispanic Migrant Farmworkers, Judith Faustin-Gabriel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractHispanic migrant farmworkers provide indispensable services to the United States, yet they are low-paid, uninsured employees working in extremely hazardous conditions. Public health and other healthcare professionals have worked to address the impact of pesticide exposure in the Hispanic migrant population. Although pesticides have been associated with various chronic diseases, limited evidence and studies have established an association between pesticide exposure and Diabetes Type 2 (DT2) among Hispanic migrant farmworkers. Guided by fundamental causes theory, this study addressed whether there is a relationship between agricultural pesticide exposure and DT2 among Hispanic migrant farmworkers in the United States who participated in …