<p> The purpose of this project was to develop a curriculum related to the safety and effectiveness of dietary supplement use in athletes, including both recreational and competitive athletes. A review of literature was conducted to investigate current research and scientific evidence regarding dietary supplements and athletic performance. Using this evidence-based foundation, the curriculum was then designed as a series of three interactive sessions for athletes. The sessions incorporate lectures, case studies, discussion questions, and group activities to facilitate group learning. The project was reviewed by an expert panel and adjustments were made based upon their recommendations. This curriculum was designed for implementation at the community level and is adaptable based upon the needs of a particular community. An evaluation tool was developed for future program review and adjustment. The curriculum was not pilot tested.</p>

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, Dept. of Higher Education, 2007. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-09, Section: A, page: 3756. Adviser: Nancy Chism. Title from dissertation home page (viewed May 8, 2008).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of California, San Francisco, 2008. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-09, Section: B, page: 5320. Adviser: Patricia Benner.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, 2009. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Jul 22, 2010). Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 70-12, Section: B, page: 7516. Adviser: Susan E. Middlestadt.

<p> In this study, autism parent-led support groups and the contribution these groups had in creating parental advocacy were studied. The primary purpose of the study was to determine if autism parent-led support groups promoted advocacy skills of parents of children with autism. The secondary purpose of the study was to evaluate the level and extent of support provided by parent-led support groups. The qualitative data collection was done through individual interviews of parents of children with autism whose children were of any age. Through data analysis 6 major themes were identified: advocacy, emotional support, difficulty with funding, informational support, instrumental support, and appraisal support. Parents indicated that parent-led support groups assisted them in acquiring advocacy skills and provided good emotional support, informational support, and appraisal support. This research was important because parents of children with autism have greater problems with treatments than parents of children with other chronic developmental disorders, and many parents felt they needed to obtain advocacy skills in order to find the best interventions for their child. The social change implication of this study is that people can better understand the impact that parent-led support groups can have in facilitating advocacy among parents who participate in the groups. This study also brings to light the support these groups provide, and how this support impacts their lives.</p><p>

<p> African Americans diagnosed with diabetes are less likely to self-manage diabetes-specific modifiable risk factors. As a result, utilization of healthcare services occurs at a greater rate than other racial groups, and thereby incurs higher than expected healthcare costs. This ethnographic study explored the elements of diabetes educational material African Americans in a large city in the southern part of the United States found most useful to facilitate self-management of their disease. Bandura's self-efficacy theory provided the theoretical framework. Research questions addressed the preferred educational content, layout of material, and methods for educational delivery and caregiver support. A purposive sample of 30 African Americans with diabetes who had engaged in diabetes education classes participated in this study. Data were collected through in-depth personal interviews, which were inductively coded and then categorized around emergent themes. A key finding of this study is that participants preferred group learning formats, but perceived educational material to be confusing and difficult to understand. They also expressed some preferences for the use of color, pictures, and presentation of graphical information that may provide the basis for a revision of educational materials. Interestingly, participants indicated a tendency to seek out church members rather than family for support. The positive social change implications of this study include recommendations to healthcare professionals to adopt educational curricula that reflect cultural nuances and needs of target populations in order to support better health outcomes for at-risk populations and cost efficiency improvements.</p>

<p> Human Papillomavirus (HPV), the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States, was firmly linked to a new subset of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC's) in late 2007. With growing rates of West Virginians affected by HPV-related oral cancers it becomes pertinent to verify that public healthcare professionals of all disciplines are aware of this causal relationship and educating their patients. The purpose of this study was to determine the knowledge level, attitudes and behaviors of a convenience sample of West Virginia's public healthcare professionals regarding the oral implications of HPV before and after and educational presentation. A pre- and post- intervention survey methodology was utilized with an additional survey mailed to the sample population four months later. Chi-square tests for independence and binary logistic regression were utilized to determine any significant differences of answer choice on all three surveys. Statistical analysis revealed a significant increase in knowledge concerning oral cancer related to HPV on two of the three survey questions (X2= 6.4, p=0.03, X2=6.3, p=0.02). After the educational lecture participants indicated they were more likely to engage and educate the public about oral cancer caused by HPV (X2= 4.2, p =0.08), encourage their at-risk patients to seek oral cancer screenings (X2=2.1, p=0.18) and claim to have taken every opportunity to speak with patients about oral cancer caused by HPV (X2=14.5, p=0.0001). Knowledge of and patient education efforts by West Virginia public healthcare providers concerning the oral implications of HPV has increased as a result of the lecture. The knowledge gain indicated knowledge deficiencies on the topic which indicates the topics' future application for interprofessional education (IPE). It is recommended that this topic be applied to IPE in other states or within other settings such as the correctional environment or Native American reservations.</p>

<p> Behavioral complications, such as Inappropriate Sexual Behavior (ISB), are developed in many cases of dementia. Sex, even for those with dementia, is a primary need, but supporting this need in an appropriate manner may overwhelm caregivers. The purpose of this project was to create a curriculum for Dementia Friendly Community (DFC) residential caregivers on the topic of sexual expression among older adults with dementia. By offering training on sexuality and dementia it is expected that caregivers can increase the DFC's provision of quality of life. This project presented an assessment tool and plan on how to manage ISB, activities relevant to the discussed topics, and curriculum evaluation forms. Expert reviewers offered recommendations to further improve the curriculum's quality.</p>

<p> The elderly population is among the fastest growing populations in the United States. Finding and consuming medications safely and effectively are challenging endeavors for this population. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a widely consumed class of medications among the elderly population, with 70% of individuals consuming over-the-counter (OTC) NSAIDs once a week and 34% using them daily. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine whether (a) patients are aware of the risks associated with the consumption of NSAIDs, and (b) there are differences in awareness based upon specific demographic characteristics and levels of patient-physician communication. The health belief model (HBM) was used to interpret the results. The HBM is a social cognition framework that takes into account different perceptions, namely, perceived susceptibility of acquiring a health condition, perceived severity of the condition and its consequences, perceived barriers to engaging in the recommended behavior, perceived benefits of engaging in the recommended behavior, and perceived costs of engaging in the recommended behavior. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the data. The results, which were based upon a cross-sectional survey of 124 participants, showed that the participants' awareness of adverse events associated with NSAIDs use was not associated with sociodemographic variables, rates of consumption, or patient-physician communication. The findings will give the key stakeholders more insight into the issue of preventable adverse events that might lead to the establishment of more safety programs and informatics structural systems to monitor the consumption of OTC NSAIDs and improve lines of communication to protect the elderly population.</p>