Women's Health Commons^™

Risk Factors Associated With Infant Mortality Among Very Low Birthweight Infants Of Teenage Mothers In San Bernardino County, C. Letitia Henry

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background. Typically, infant mortality decreases as maternal age increases in teenagers. In contrast to these national data, San Bernardino County (SBC) experienced a different phenomenon in 1989-1994 among very low birthweight (VLBW) infants. The infant mortality rate (IMR) of VLBW infants born to mothers under 17 years old (283 per 1000 live births) was significantly lower than the IMR of VLBW infants born to mothers between the ages of 17-19 years old (430 per 1000 live births) (p = .02).

Purpose. The purpose of the study was to explain the discrepancy between IMRs of VLBW infants of younger teenage mothers …

The Relationship Between Tamoxifen And Depressive Symptoms In Women With Breast Cancer, Terry Marie Lynn

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine whether women with breast cancer and the presence of the drug tamoxifen, are more severely depressed than women with breast cancer and the absence of tamoxifen. Average Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores did not differ between the two sub-groups; however, two significant group differences were found. First, 10 women in the tamoxifen group had scores of zero (versus 4 in the absence of prescribed tamoxifen group). Research has shown that scores of zero do not always reflect an absence of depression. Second, the most severely depressed women (BDI scores in the 25 …

Identification Of Variables Influencing Women's Breast Cancer Detection, Sherri Duckworth Kemp

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This study investigated the variables influencing women's breast cancer detection behavior. Using social learning theory as an organizing framework. factors influencing women's decisions to seek breast cancer detection and the respondent's personal demographics were examined for their contribution to explaining women's decisions to seek breast cancer detection.

A [convience] sample from a university medical center provided data for the study. Data were gathered with a voluntary questionnaire. A total of 25 employees from the medical center participated in the study during the winter quarter of 1994.

The findings of the study provide insight into some of the variables affecting women's …

The Influence Of Prepregnancy Weight And Maternal Weight Gain : On Birth Weight Among Black Wic Participants In San Bernardino County, Marta Lukas Sovyanhadi

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Birth records show that San Bernardino County has the highest black infant mortality rate of the 16 counties in California with the largest proportion of African-Americans births. Although total infant deaths in San Bernardino County had fallen to 8.6 per 1,000 live births by 1992, the infant mortality rate among the black population of the county was close to two times higher at 16.8 per 1,000. This is the first study to address the high infant mortality rate among blacks in San Bernardino County. Factors which may affect the black infant mortality rate were examined.

Subjects were drawn from a …

Assessment Of Maternal Substance Abuse And Neonatal Exposure, Carol Jean Dauenhauer Giese

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Infants born to adolescent and young adult mothers who abuse substances, are at high risk for chemical dependency and its sequelae. There is a need to identify such infants and their mothers so that intervention will be available to them. The purpose of this study was to develop a systematic approach to evaluate mothers and infants for potential drug use and improve the quality of the nurses decisions.

This research project involves two sub-projects. In Part A, a Substance Abuse Assessment Tool (SAAT) was developed. The hospital nurses used the SAAT March 1, 1990, through April 12, 1990. The incidence …

The Effects Of Moderate Exercise Training On Nutrient Intake In Mildly Obese Women, Leann Onasch

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The relationship between moderate exercise training (five 45 min sessions/week, brisk walking at 62+2% V0_2max for 15 weeks) and changes in nutrient intake was investigated in a group of 36 sedentary, mildly obese women, conducted using a two (exercise, EX and nonexercise, NEX groups) x three (baseline, six-, 15-week testing sessions) factorial design, with data analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA. The pattern of change over time between groups for kilocalorie intake tended to be different between groups [F(2,68)=2.50,p=0.089] with the EX group experiencing a significant decrease versus baseline by 15 weeks. Significant group x time interactions were found for …

Relationship Between Dietary Intake And Reproductive Hormones In Premenopausal Vegetarian And Nonvegetarian Seventh-Day Adventist Women, Joan M. Spuehler

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

There is evidence that specific nutrients may modify hormonal balance and contribute to breast cancer etiology. To investigate the relationship between dietary nutrients and plasma reproductive hormones and to determine hormone-nutrient interrelationships, we measured plasma estrogens, androgens. progesterone and prolactin levels in 10 premenopausal Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) vegetarian and 10 premenopausal SDA nonvegetarian women. Over three days in each of three consecutive months. diet records and fasting midluteal blood samples were collected. The nonvegetarians consumed significantly more protein, total and saturated fats, oleic and linoleic acids, and cholesterol than did the vegetarians. Hormonal status of the two groups did not …

Association Of Drinking-Related Locus Of Control And Treatment Outcomes In Female Alcoholics, Patricia A. Townsend

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

[Abstract Not Included]

The Effect Of Nursing Discharge Counseling Sessions On The Pre-Discharge Anxiety Level Of The Neurotically-Depressed Female In A Community Hospital Setting, Deborah Snyder Galasso

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Discharge from the hospital has been identified as a time when patients are in need of additional nursing support. The prospect of leaving the protective hospital environment to return to the home environment with its life stresses can cause anxiety. This study was designed to test the effect of a nursing intervention, discharge counseling sessions, on the anxiety level of the neurotically-depressed female prior to discharge.

The null hypothesis guiding this study was: nursing discharge counseling sessions will have no significant (α=0.05) effect on the pre-discharge anxiety level of the neurotically-depressed female in a community hospital setting. The State-Trait Anxiety …

Relationship Between Some Demographic Characteristics And Adverse Reactions Experienced By Women Undergoing A Therapeutic Abortion While Awake, Karen K. House

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

With the liberalization of abortion laws by the Supreme Court in 1973, American women have been able to obtain therapeutic abortions in hospitals and out-patient clinics in ever increasing numbers. With the increased number of women seeking abortions the medical field has responded with abortion procedures that are safe and relatively quick. With the speed doctors use to perform the procedure, many women may wish to take advantage of the medically safer method of abortion under local anesthesia. However, some women are unable to withstand the psychological and physical stress associated with a therapeutic abortion while awake. It would be …

A Descriptive Study Of Women's Attitudes Towards Obtaining Or Not Obtaining Papanicolaou Smears, Linda J. Shults

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

It was the purpose of this study to identify the attitudes of a selected group of women which influenced their participation in Papanicolaou testing. These attitudes were inferred from the reasons women gave for obtaining the test. The subjects were randomly selected from the telephone book of a medium-sized town in Southern California. The 135 women who participated in the telephone interview were considered to be the respondents in the study.

A review of the literature revealed that through the annual use of the Papanicolaou smear, approximately 11,000 deaths every year from uterine and cervical cancer could be prevented, Attitudes …

Daily Temperature Rhythm In Hospitalized Female Patients, Phyllis L. Mcelmurry

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The study was designed to determine the hour when temperature peaks occur in adult hospitalized females, and to find if factors such as age and natural or surgical menopause with replacement therapy affect the thermal circadian cycle. Previous studies indicated that the temperature peak occurs in afternoon or early evening, but there were no investigations to determine if aging, sex, or menopause affects the temperature cycle.

The sample included 62 female patients, 29 between 21 and 62 years of age, and 33 between 65 and 90 years. Each subject admitted to the study was screened against fifteen qualifying criteria. Some …

Using A Participating Relationship To Improve Teen-Age Unwed Mother's Self-Esteem, Linda Gail Reeves

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The study was to provide an approach to help teen-age unwed mothers increase their feelings of self-esteem and thereby attain a conceptual buffer for better coping with life. Self-esteem was defined as individual perception of the worth of oneself relative to that of significant others. The hypothesis tested was that the participating relationship a community health nurse has with a teen-age unwed mother will significantly increase the mother's self-esteem as measured by statistical Q-Sort analysis.

A convenience sample of twenty teen-age unwed mothers was obtained from referrals from San Bernardino County Health, Welfare, and Probation Departments. The girls were between …

Sensory Stimulation To Produce Micturition In The Cerebral Vascular Accident Patient, Mary Alice Pearce

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

An experimental study was conducted in a university and a convalescent hospital using eight female CVA patients with urinary incontinence to test the hypothesis that the experimental technique of icing and brushing LI dermatome skin area would increase the probability that the CVA patient would void within a prescribed time and place. A modified one group method was used in which the patient served as her own control by participating in two types of bladder training programs over an eight to twelve hour period for four consecutive days. Program A used the experimental technique; Program B omitted the experimental technique. …

Altered Body Image Following Radical Mastectomy, Julia Lee Anne Mcconnell

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to identify reactions and adjustments to the altered body image following radical mastectomy. It was felt that nurses could be of more assistance to women facing this experience if they knew and understood the common reactions which occur.

Other studies have indicated that major areas of adjustment focus upon dress and appearance. Sexual and social relationships, and curiosity of others. The disruption of a body image makes necessary certain adjustments in the individual's perceptions of himself.

The method of research in this study was descriptive survey with the use of partially structured interviews. Thirty-five …