Health Psychology Commons^™

Religious Commitment As A Predictor Of Lower Blood Pressure In High-Risk Pregnancies Of Southern Appalachia., Anna Vadimovna Ermakova

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Extensive literature review inspired a mediational model of the relationship between Religiosity/Spirituality (R/S) and Blood Pressure (BP) tested through secondary analyses of data from the TIPS program. Participants included 205 (92.1% Caucasian; age M=23.72, SD=5.33) pregnant Southern Appalachian women drawn from the region's at-risk pregnancy population. The only variables correlated with BP were women's weight (r=.430, r=.467, p<.01, for diastolic and systolic BP, respectively) and prenatal care use (r=.138, p<.05, with diastolic BP), but not R/S. Multiple regression analyses confirmed participant weight as the only significant independent predictor of BP. Previous findings of health benefits of R/S cannot be assumed to generalize to pregnant women without further study. Limitations of this study and possible explanations for the findings are discussed.

Community Perceptions Of Prescription Drug Abuse In Eastern Kentucky., Ashley Marie Browning

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Personal interviews exploring attitudes toward prescription drug abuse were completed by 17 residents over 18 years of age from Kentucky's Pike and Letcher counties. In respect to prescription drug abuse research nationwide, much research has been conducted in eastern Kentucky; however, there are seemingly few studies measuring the thoughts and feelings of community members toward the issue. Data gathered during these interviews were coded and themed for emergent content that revealed the prevalence of drug abuse in communities, the role of medical professionals in prescription drug abuse, and a lack of preventative measures to control the cyclic pattern of prescription …

Psychosocial Concerns And Childhood Overweight In Pediatric Primary Care Clinics Serving Rural Appalachia., Suzanne Allen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To examine the prevalence of psychosocial concerns presenting in 3 pediatric primary care clinics serving rural Appalachia. The association between pediatric weight status and psychosocial concerns was examined. Methods: Caregivers of children presenting in one of 3 pediatric primary care facilities completed a demographic questionnaire and the Pediatric Symptom Checklist. Results: Approximately 21.4% of children were identified as having a clinically significant behavioral health concern. Among children with available weight status data, ~53% of the children were identified as overweight. Children identified having significant behavioral concerns were more likely to have a lower weight status than those with nonsignificant …

Living With Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Ibd) : A Test Of The Meaning Making Model Of Coping., Erica Adams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a chronic illness with the potential to affect many areas of one's life through painful physical symptoms and psychological distress. Despite the debilitating nature and increasing prevalence of IBD, there is little research addressing the coping processes and related psychological adjustment among individuals living with the disease. Moreover, there has been no research conducted investigating how those with IBD make meaning out of their illness experience. Research conducted with other illness populations suggests that meaning making, a specific type of coping may have important implications for psychological adjustment. This cross-sectional study examines the coping processes …

Secondary Analysis Of Diabetes And Psychological Distress In American Indian Women From The California Health Interview Survey (Chis)., Audry Marie Greenwell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since European settlers arrived to the United States (U.S.), American Indians (AI) have been separate and unequal members of society. After a long history of discrimination, ethnocide, genocide, and distrust, the AI have become a population with severe disparities, having the highest rates of diabetes, depression, suicide, tuberculosis, and alcoholism than any other minority or majority population in the U.S. The author's purpose for conducting this study was to explore a possible relationship between depression or psychological distress and diabetes in AI women.

AI women are the most under studied group in the country; therefore, a secondary analysis of the …

Measuring Patient Satisfaction After Providing A Choice Of Nourishment Options Between Meals In A Long-Term Care Setting., Samantha Hutson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether providing residents of the James H. Quillen Veterans Affairs Medical Center Community Living Center with a choice of nourishment options between meals would improve their satisfaction with the nourishment administration process. As opposed to being given the same nourishment item each day, residents were offered choices from a nourishment cart based upon their diet order. Sixteen residents completed the pre-survey, participated in the revised nourishment cart system for a 3-week period, and completed the postsurvey. Level of satisfaction was determined by analyzing the responses given by the residents on the pre- …

The Development Of The Self-Injury Self-Report Measure., Sonia Lorraine Coney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite the amount of research that has been conducted on self-injury there is a lack of empirically validated instruments with which to measure self-injurious behavior. The present study developed a measure to examine self-injury and the associated features. Undergraduate students (n = 184) were administered a set of surveys to assess demographics, self-injurious behavior, suicidal ideation, Axis I and Axis II disorders, and impulsivity. Results indicated that a reliable measure, able to assess the extent of self-injury as well as associated features, was developed. Such a measure will enable clinicians to better assess self-injury and enable researchers to more fully …

A Study Of The Effects Of Pet Ownership On Mental Health Among Community-Dwelling Senior Citizens In Northeast Tennessee., E. Marie Southerland

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This cross-sectional study explored the relationship between pet ownership, attachment, and psychological health among community-dwelling senior citizens and evaluated the impact of the placement of an aquarium into a regional senior center. General health, depression, social support, pet attitudes, pet attachment, pet relationships, and attitudes about the aquarium were assessed among 104 members of a senior center.

Symptoms of depression were identified in 17.3% of the participants. Pets were a significant form of social support and attachment to pet owners. No significant relationship was observed between pet ownership, pet attachment, and psychological health. Positive health effects were reported among participants …