The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate a vaccination education module and evaluate its effectiveness to improve vaccine beliefs and behaviors among college freshmen. The participants included 177 college freshmen at one Utah university. Participants were eligible for this study if admitted as a new freshman during the 2019-2020 school year. The study was a cross-sectional pre- and post-education evaluation assessing vaccine beliefs and behaviors using a Likert-type scale. After completing the vaccination education module, participants' vaccine beliefs and behavioral intentions improved. Participants reported they were more likely to be up-to-date on personal vaccines and more likely to expect other students to be up-to-date on their vaccinations. Participants were more likely to ask other students to vaccinate and were also more likely to ask their family members to be vaccinated. In conclusion this online vaccination education module effectively improved participants' vaccine beliefs and behavioral intentions.

Hepatitis is an infectious disease that affects millions of people worldwide. The current project seeks to achieve two objectives: 1) To understand how hepatitis policies affect hepatitis prevalence in prison, and 2) To understand how hepatitis prevalence in prison affects the general population. Using a content analysis of correctional policies available through each state Department of Corrections (DOC) and secondary data from the 2010 Census, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Corrections Compendium; hepatitis prevalence and policies are analyzed. The content analysis employed for this study revealed that some states have more comprehensive policies than others. However, all states may benefit from modifying their policies to meet recommendations constructed by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Findings from descriptive statistics also suggest changes in HIV prevalence and policies positively affect hepatitis C prevalence. Future research should be dedicated to examining how personal interactions in prison also affect prevalence rates.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Questionnaires were sent to 500 orthodontists in all states of the U.S., inquiring about the methods of sterilization used for hand instruments (mirrors, explorers, band pushers, etc.) and hinged instruments (pliers). The practitioners were asked if their sterilization/disinfection methods had been changed recently, and if any changes in methods were due to the risk of disease transmission. Opinions were also solicited regarding the importance of complete sterilization (i.e., destruction of all organisms). An opportunity was provided to rate the effectiveness of the sterilization method in use. Finally, information was requested on any barrier methods used routinely. The most commonly used method for hand and hinged instruments was cold sterilization with a 2% glutaraldehyde solution. This solution was used by 46.5% of the office for hand instruments, and by 33.5% of the offices for hinged instruments. Quaternary ammonium compounds were used by 26.5% of the offices for hand instruments, and by 19.2% for hinged instruments. Wiping with alcohol was used by 30.4% of the offices for hinged instruments. The most common heat sterilization method used was the chemiclave system (11.5% for hand instruments and 9.1% for hinged). Of the offices surveyed, 45.5% had changed their methods within the past two years. Of that group, 66.9% had changed as a result of the increased problem with transmissible diseases. Of the offices that had not changed recently, 64.1% were considering doing so as a result of the disease transmission concern. Complete sterilization was considered very important by 47.5% of respondents, while 41.6% ranked it somewhat important. Of the orthodontists surveyed, 16.1% felt that they achieved an excellent level of asepsis in their offices, followed by 58.7% who rated it good, 23.4% average, and 1.4% poor. Protective eyewear was worn by 52.4 % of those surveyed, while gloves and masks were worn routinely by 21.3% and 21.6% of the practitioners, respectively. On the basis of the literature review, the most effective cold sterilization method (other than ethylene oxide) for the orthodontic office appears to be a 2% glutaraldehyde solution. This technique will not corrode plier joints or the stainless steel surfaces. The best heat sterilization method for the orthodontic office is the chemiclave system, due to its lack of corrosion problems, as well as its relatively rapid cycle time. Ultrasonic cleaning of all instruments prior to sterilization is highly recommended.

Thesis--University of Michigan, 1946.

Thesis (M.P.H.)--University of Michigan, 1946.

Thesis (M.P.H.)--University of Michigan, 1946.

Thesis--University of Michigan, 1946.

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / According to the WHO (2017), non-communicable diseases (NCDs) which include stroke, cancer, heart disease, chronic respiratory disease and diabetes is the leading cause of death and is responsible for seventy one percent of deaths worldwide. Beaglehole et al., (2009) reported that management of chronic diseases depends primarily on early detection of early disease, identification of high-risk status, interventions including pharmacological and psychosocial intercessions and long term follow up with monitoring and promotion of adherence to treatment.

Purpose: The purposes of this research are to evaluate the effectiveness of a vaccine education module (VEM) in 1) contributing to new vaccine knowledge of university freshmen; and 2) identifying common vaccine concerns of university freshmen before and after completing the VEM. Methods: A VEM, including information about vaccine-preventable diseases, benefits of vaccines, principles of community or herd immunity, and where to go to get vaccinated, was created for freshman students. Student vaccine concerns were identified using a pretest/posttest quasi-experimental design using an online questionnaire before and after completing the VEM. After the VEM, participants were also asked to identify newly acquired knowledge. Results: Prior to viewing the VEM, the most common participant vaccine theme was the overall decrease of vaccination rates in the general population. After completing the VEM, the most common vaccine concern was the erosion of community immunity. The second most common theme were concerns about vaccine safety. Participants were also concerned about their own vaccination status. When asked what new knowledge they gleaned from the VEM, participants most frequently reported learning information about communicable diseases. Data were collected in the fall of 2019. Conclusions: Following the completion of the VEM, freshman university students reported fewer concerns about vaccine safety and more concerns regarding their current vaccination status. This demonstrates how a VEM contributes to vaccination knowledge and addresses vaccination concerns in university students.

Aims: Unmet needs have mainly been investigated with formal and informal adult caregivers and ill individuals within psycho-oncology; findings indicate unmet needs are associated with negative affective state and caregiver burden. Research relating to adolescent children’s experiences of unmet needs during parental illness has, in the main, been based upon parental reports or professional opinion, yet research suggests that parental reports can downplay the effects and it is important to ask the adolescent child for their opinion. Adolescence is a transitional time in development; this may make the illness experience and subsequent needs vary from those of formal and informal adult caregivers. This thesis pragmatically investigates adolescent children’s firsthand accounts of unmet psychosocial and supportive care needs when they have a parent with a non-communicable disease. Methods: Systematic Review: To inform the direction of the thesis and capture all relevant published literature, a comparative systematic review was carried on adolescent’s experiences of unmet needs when they have a parent with a NCD, cancer or psychological problem. The review was conducted using standardized procedures and guidance from the Cochrane collaboration. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis: Qualitative methodology was used to investigate seven adolescent’s experiences of unmet psychosocial and supportive care needs in relation to having a parent with a NCD. Participants were recruited through institutions of further and higher education. Quantitative Research: Pearson’s correlation and multiple regressions were used to test associations between unmet needs, depression, stress, anxiety and quality of life, and to determine the applicability of the revised version of the Offspring Cancer Needs Inventory (OCNI) for individuals who have a parent with a NCD. One hundred and seven adolescent children completed the revised version of the OCNI, the DASS-21 (depression, anxiety, and stress) and AC-QoL (Adult carers’ quality of life) scales. Findings: Systematic Review: In the review 1479 papers were considered. Seven met the inclusion criteria, of these five papers related to cancer, one to chronic illness and one to psychological problems. Results suggest that adolescents had informational, supportive and recreational needs, and did not want to worry parents by asking them questions. The lack of hits and the disparity between illness groups is problematic in making comparisons and drawing definitive conclusions. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis: Four interdependent themes emerged from the data, two relating to interpersonal needs (Information Needs and Support Needs), and two relating to intrapersonal needs (Need for 4 Acknowledgement and Need to be Them-Self), each had their own number of sub-themes. Adolescent’s had a variety of needs that could be partially met through honest and accurate information, interpersonal support and acknowledgment of their caring role within the family. The interdependence of the needs indicated that the fulfilment of one need has the potential of meeting other needs. Unmet needs were comparable to those of adolescent children who have a parent with cancer; as such it was deemed that the new version of the OCNI would be suitable for use with individuals who had a parent with a NCD. Quantitative Research: Ninety-Three percent of adolescents reported at least one unmet need. Analysis suggests that the unmet needs variables were co-dependent and correlated with depression, stress, anxiety, and quality of life. Certain unmet need variables predicted stress, anxiety, depression, and quality of life. Conclusion: The findings of this thesis indicate that adolescent children who have a parent with a NCD have a variety of unmet needs, and that these are associated with affective state and well-being. It is suggested that counselling psychologists are well placed to provide psychological and needs based interventions based upon the findings within this thesis. More research is required in this area to determine cause and effect; owing to counselling psychologists working with the lifespan they would be well placed to further the knowledge in this area.