Public Health and Community Nursing Commons^™

Respiratory Illnesses In Women And Children From Ghana: Problem Identification And Intervention, Stephanie Dale

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Rural communities in the upper east region of Ghana currently cook with traditional coal pots that produce increased levels of smoke resulting in rapid fuel consumption, increased air pollution, and high levels of respiratory illness in the women and children who use them. New stoves have been developed that remain similar to the traditional ones in use but are designed to provide a variety of benefits such as lowering the cost of fuel, reducing air pollution, and decreasing rates of respiratory illness in women and children. The purpose of this research study was to identify why women have not begun …

A Global Perspective On Intersecting Social And Systemic Barriers Experienced By Grandparent-Caregivers: A Qualitative Systematic Review, Schola N. Matovu, Deborah M. Whitley, Heather M. Young

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

Globally, many grandparents are taking on the caregiving role for their grandchildren without public or government interjection of support, particularly financial assistance for basic needs such as housing, health care and living expenses. This paper aimed to broaden understanding of social and systemic barriers experienced by grandparent-caregivers across the globe. Of the 2,828 relevant grandparent caregiving studies identified in the literature, 34 representing eight countries met our inclusion criteria to answer the research question and the focus of this paper: What are the social and systemic barriers experienced by grandparent-caregivers across the globe? We utilized Noblit’s and Hare’s (1988) meta-ethnography …

Knowing The Patient As A Person: Social Media Listening And Gadamerian Analysis Of Nurses’ Expressions Shared During The Covid-19 Global Health Pandemic, Janusz A. Kaleta

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Background: COVID-19 has dramatically changed human-to-human interactions from in-person to the nonhuman domain of virtual space. In January 2021, every 28 seconds one person died of COVID-19 in the United States. An average of 3,100 Americans died each day during the deadliest month of the pandemic. As of January 2023, the number of COVID-19 deaths in the USA surpassed 1.000.000 people. In hospitals, human-to-human interactions were often limited to seeing one’s eyes behind the face shields, and respirator masks, and hearing a muffled voice, or sounds of the ventilators. In New York State 452 nurses died during the pandemic.

Research …

Ethnic Minorities And Family Health History: An Autoethnography Of Guyanese Americans And Kidney Disease, Dhaneesha R. Bahadur

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Exploring family health histories (FHHs) has emerged in recent years as an inexpensive genomic tool in public health. Families and clinicians can also use them to uncover family histories and experiences, which could inform better lifestyle choices to prevent or delay the onset of diseases. Exploring family health histories focuses on an individual’s genetic makeup and considers differences in lifestyle and environment. Despite national campaigns, it is an underutilized tool that could lead to engagement in effective strategies and better health outcomes. One important and serious condition that families should be more aware of is chronic kidney disease (CKD). One …

Effectiveness Of Antibiotic Stewardship For Healthcare Providers At Urgent Care Clinics, Helen Titilope Adewole

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Antibiotics have revolutionized modern medicine; however, the overuse in urgent care and primary care significantly contributes to the global burden of infections resistant to available antimicrobial medicines. Approximately 30% of the antimicrobials prescribed in acute care settings are unnecessary. Patient demand for antibiotics has seemingly skyrocketed following the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Practitioners must be knowledgeable about antibiotic stewardship initiatives, such as the wait-and-see approach, to reduce antibiotic overuse and improve the trajectory of antibiotic resistance and patient health outcomes. The gap in practice was the limited awareness of scientific evidence-based tools to partner with patients and improve antibiotic prescription patterns. …

Prevalence Of Sickle Cell Trait And Needs Assessment For Uptake Of Sickle Cell Screening Among Secondary School Students In Kampala City, Uganda, Shamim Namukasa, Sarah Nakaziba, Grace Among, Lydia A Sasira, Posiano Mayambala, Joseph Atukwatse, Mary Namuguzi, Ahmed Sarki, Rose Maina

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background Sickle cell disease (SCD) is one of the most frequent and traumatizing genetic disease in Uganda, with the prevalence of the sickle cell trait (SCT) estimated at 13.3% leading to serious psycho-social and economic impact on the patients and their families.

Aim This study aimed to determine the burden of SCT and factors influencing the uptake of screening services among secondary school students in Uganda.

Methods We used an analytical cross-sectional design with a multi-stage sampling approach. A total of 399 students from four secondary schools in Kampala City were enrolled in this study. Data were gathered using semi-structured …

Garden-Based Nutrition Education May Lead To Increased Dietary Knowledge In Low Income Hispanic School Children, Larry Bui

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background: Childhood obesity is a pressing public health concern in the United States, with rates continuing to increase in recent years. This problem disproportionately affects Latino children as well as those from low socioeconomic status. It is well established that nutrition knowledge deficiencies and resulting poor dietary habits are some of the most common contributing factors to childhood obesity. Garden-based nutrition education programs have been introduced to remedy this knowledge deficit; however, a gap remains regarding whether this model can be viable for low-income, culturally diverse populations.
Aim: This literature review investigates the importance of diet in reducing childhood obesity …

Cultural Wounds Find Release: Art Therapy And First Generation Immigrants’ Mental Health, Crystal Soojung Yi, Dennis Chavez Calderon

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background: First-generation immigrants in the United States confront significant mental health challenges rooted in cultural identity conflict. Specifically, these challenges are linked to elevated rates of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as indicated by Lindert et al. (2009). Art therapy holds promise as an intervention for treating mental health and identity conflicts in a variety of populations. Yet, little is known about how art therapy can improve the experience of first-generation immigrants experiencing cultural identity conflicts.

Objective: This study aims to assess the effectiveness of art therapy in improving the mental health and cultural identity conflicts of first-generation …

Promoting Parental Comfort To Facilitate Conversations On Adolescent Sexual Health And Behaviors, Angelina Jolie Banes, Lauren Liddell

Nursing | Senior Theses

This thesis proposal will investigate the impact of a comprehensive digital sexual health education program on the comfort levels of parents and teens when discussing sensitive topics such as pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The research is guided by Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory, which emphasizes the need to assess and address individuals’ self-care deficits, including the ability to engage in safe and informed sexual behaviors. The research design is a quantitative, quasi-experimental study with a one-group pre and post-test design. The sample consists of 50 parents and 50 teens from Marin County, who will participate in an online …

Effects Of Menopause On Coronary Artery Disease, Angelica Gonzales

Nursing | Senior Theses

Menopausal women, 40 to 60 years old, have an increased risk of developing coronary artery disease (CAD) when they experience hormonal changes. Which then can lead to unwanted cardiac events. Within the literature review of this paper, it was found that there are factors of menopause that may further increase the risk of coronary artery disease in menopausal women. Such factors include whether a woman underwent surgical or natural menopause and the timing when menopause began. Additionally, within the review, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was explored to determine whether the possible intervention can decrease the progression and risk of developing …

Empowering Low-Income Women With Breast Cancer: Promoting Acupuncture At Community Health Fairs, Katrina Ramos

Nursing | Senior Theses

While research has explored the positive effects of acupuncture on cancer and cancer treatment symptoms, a notable gap exists in understanding its impact on lower-income populations. These individuals encounter barriers to accessing acupuncture, such as limited availability, cost, and provider knowledge. This longitudinal study aims to assess the impact of community health fairs, featuring acupuncture information for breast cancer and chemotherapy-induced symptoms, on the acceptance and utilization rates of acupuncture among low-income women with breast cancer. Collaborating with the Women’s Cancer Resource Center and a local non-profit integrative cancer care clinic in Oakland, we will conduct a three-day health fair …

Furry Friends & Brighter Futures: Enhancing The Life Skills Of Toddlers With Autism Through Animal Assisted Therapy, Abigail Rosales Tolentino

Nursing | Senior Theses

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) encompasses a broad spectrum of challenges that impact social interaction, communication, and behavior. While Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) stands as a common therapeutic approach, there is a growing recognition of the need for personalized interventions. Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) emerges as a promising avenue for enhancing social interactions. This study focuses on the utilization of dogs in AAT for toddlers aged 12 to 36 months with confirmed ASD diagnoses. The experimental group will undergo a combined intervention involving standard ABA therapy alongside weekly AAT sessions, whereas the control group will receive standard ABA therapy alone. Pre- …

Factors Associated With Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy In South Central Appalachia, Florence M. Weierbach, Rebecca Adkins Fletcher, Ingrid E. Luffman, Cynthia Meyer, Janet M. Keener, Manik Ahuja, Hadii M. Mamudu

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: The newly emergent COVID-19 virus reached pandemic levels in March 2020. By the middle of August 2020, there were over 1 million deaths attributed to COVID-19 in the U.S., with those in rural areas outpacing urban counterparts. Prior to emergency approval of the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccine formulations, mitigation efforts addressing individual behavior were challenging. However, even with the entrance of these three new vaccines, herd immunity was not achieved in rural areas, as vaccine uptake remained low there. Although there has since been an abundance of COVID-19-related research addressing health literacy, vaccine hesitancy and overall …

Reducing Food Scarcity: The Benefits Of Urban Farming, S.A. Claudell, Emilio Mejia

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Urban farming can enhance the lives of communities and help reduce food scarcity. This paper presents a conceptual prototype of an efficient urban farming community that can be scaled for a single apartment building or an entire community across all global geoeconomics regions, including densely populated cities and rural, developing towns and communities. When deployed in coordination with smart crop choices, local farm support, and efficient transportation then the result isn’t just sustainability, but also increasing fresh produce accessibility, optimizing nutritional value, eliminating the use of ‘forever chemicals’, reducing transportation costs, and fostering global environmental benefits.

Imagine Doris, who is …

Associated Factors Related To Self-Management Behaviors Among People With Type 2 Diabetes In Myanmar, Aye Nyein Oo, Jiraporn Lininger, Sirirat Leelacharas

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Diabetes is a global health concern that affects individuals and the healthcare system. This study aimed to describe the relationships between personal and environmental factors and self-management behaviors in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: This research included 100 individuals with T2DM who were recruited through convenient sampling from three government hospitals in Myanmar. Data collection was fulfilled using a standardized interviewer-administered questionnaire consisting of demographic information, the Diabetes Management Self-Efficacy Scale, the New Short-Form Health Literacy Instrument, the 24-item version of the Diabetes Knowledge Questionnaire, the Social Support Questionnaire, and the Summary of Diabetes …

Attitudes Toward Caring For Older Adults Among Undergraduate Nursing Students At A Public University In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Azera Hasra Ismail, Siti Zuhaida Hussein, Aslina Mohamed Yasi, Nurul Izzati Ishak, Nurul Nazira Mohd Yazar, Nur Syafiqah Sabri

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: The growing number of elderly members of the population is expected to increase the demand for more dedicated nursing students committed to providing excellent care. This study aims to determine prevailing attitudes toward the care of older adults among undergraduate nursing students at a public university in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Methods: This is a quantitative cross-sectional survey of 107 undergraduate nursing students enrolled at a public university in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The students were recruited using stratified random sampling. The respondents’ attitudes toward caring for older adults were measured using 14 items from the Geriatrics Attitudes Scale …

Factors Associated With Postacute Covid-19 Syndrome Among Patients In Malaysia, Ahtheemathurra Ballasingam, Farida Islahudin, Siti Azdiah Abdul Aziz, Mohd Makmor-Bakry

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Post-acute COVID-19 is known to affect multiple organs. It is essential to determine factors that affect post-acute COVID-19 syndrome and medications needed by patients for optimized care.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted among patients recruited by stratified sampling from two COVID-19 hospitals in Malaysia. Patients were followed up for 6 months using a standard questionnaire to identify demographics, symptoms, medications taken, and factors associated with post-acute COVID-19 syndrome.

Results: A total of 388 were successfully followed up. The most frequently reported symptom was respiratory symptoms (N = 168, 43.30%), of which cough (N = …

Age, Body Mass Index, Physical Activity And Quality Of Life In Turkish Pregnant Woman With And Without A Diagnosis Of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Comparative Study, Yaren Nur Tayyar, Hatice Kahyaoglu Sut

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: This study aimed to examine and compare the age, body mass index (BMI), physical activity (PA), and quality of life (QOL) of third-trimester Turkish pregnant women with and without a diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Methods: A comparative study was conducted in the obstetrics clinic of a university hospital in Turkey, and it included 210 women (GDM women = 105 and non-GDM women = 105). Personal Information Form, International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ), and World Health Organization Quality of Life-Short Form-Turkish (WHOQOL-Bref-TR) were used.

Results: The age and BMI of GDM women were higher …

Historic Redlining And Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review, Noa T. Kraus, Sarah Connor, Krista Shoda, Scott Emory Moore, Elliane Irani

Faculty Scholarship

Objective: The purpose of this systematic review was to synthesize the existing literature on the associations between historic redlining and modern-day health outcomes across the lifespan. Method: This review searched PubMed and CINAHL for peer-reviewed, data-based articles examining the relationship between historic redlining and any health outcome. Articles were appraised using the JBI critical appraisal checklist. The results were synthesized using a narrative summary approach. Results: Thirty-six articles were included and focused on various health outcomes, including cardiovascular outcomes, breast cancer incidence and mortality, firearm injury or death, birth-related outcomes, and asthma outcomes. Most of the included articles (n = …

Review Of: Caring For The Low German Mennonites: How Religious Beliefs And Practices Influence Health Care—Judith Kulig, Christina Klassen Jeffries

Journal of Amish and Plain Anabaptist Studies

My personal interest in reviewing this particular book is that I am a Low German speaking Mennonite involved in healthcare. As a disclaimer, I am not super fluent in the language. I was also not technically raised in the culture as described in this book, but I live in this community and know many people in this culture. As a healthcare worker, I was interested in reading this book to see what would be applicable to my practice. I was also curious how the book would apply to living in the Low German community. [First paragraph.]