-
Enhancing Athletic Participation: Continuous Glucose Monitoring for Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes Athletes
Danielle Santiago
Background: Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a lifelong autoimmune condition requiring exogenous insulin, daily insulin management, and blood glucose monitoring (Kahanovitz et al., 2018). Diagnosis, often in childhood, brings overwhelming challenges for children and parents. While no cure exists, advances in monitoring and insulin delivery enhance blood sugar control and quality of life (Mayo Clinic, 2023)
Problem Statement: It is suspected that children with T1DM develop a fear of hypoglycemia (FOH) that deters exercise. Cockroft et al. (2023) found that 70% of youth with T1DM do not meet the recommended amount of exercise (Cockcroft et al., 2023). Physical education teachers (PE teachers) and coaches are trained in RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) for sprains, CPR and other basic life support, and preventing and treating heat exhaustion, so they may accept being trained to interpret CGM data as well.
-
Family-Based Interventions Impact on Pediatric Obesity
Renee Camins
Background: Obesity rates among children in the United States have been on the rise, with 19.7% of children aged 2-19 classified as obese (CDC, 2022). Low socioeconomic status is a risk factor for pediatric obesity,Children from low-income households are more likely to be overweight or obese than their peers from higher economic backgrounds. Obesity can lead to serious and chronic health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and breathing difficulties, and is also a risk factor for leading causes of death in adults including stroke, cardiovascular disease, and cancer (CDC, 2022). Educational interventions and access to exercise resources may offer promising solutions for addressing pediatric obesity and improving health outcomes. Objective: The object of the proposal is to conduct research on obesity trends and educational interventions to combat obesity. The research proposal will then investigate the effectiveness of a specific evidence-based educational intervention and resources provided to families in reducing obesity rates. The proposal intends to determine whether these interventions and resources can contribute to a decline in obesity rates. Method: The proposal will consist of a quasi experimental design. The convenience sample will consist of low-income families with children 4-11 years of age that have a BMI greater than 30. Sample size will include 150 children recruited through pediatric doctors offices in Marin County. The participants will be given a pre test questionnaire, and a post test after the intervention.
-
Fatherhood and the Influence of Spouses Postpartum Depression on Relationship Satisfaction
Emma Salinas
Postpartum depression and the effects it has on women have long been well studied and documented, however, little research has been done on how this illness affects these women’s partners. Considering the significant amount of research conducted on postpartum depression (PPD) from the perspective of women and the increasing trend towards family-oriented approaches, it is vital to further undertake studies concentrating on the male perspective of coping with a partner who has PPD. This in turn opens a new and important area of research for the clinical psychology community. This research proposal aims to focus on fathers’ coping styles when living with a partner suffering from postpartum depression as well as how it may influence/alter relationship satisfaction. This research proposal would include a mixed-method research design using both semi-structured, face-to-face interviews conducted individually and surveys. The sample size would include 20 couples, 10 fathers, and 10 mothers currently experiencing postpartum depression. Couples would be voluntarily recruited through a flier at their pediatricians’ offices. Inclusion criteria would include all participants being over the age of 18, having a partner with clinically diagnosed postpartum depression, living together with said partner, and being at least 2 months postpartum. The results from this study have not yet been collected but are presumed to reveal multiple themes describing the fathers’ journey through their partners’ postpartum depression. These findings would not only highlight a need for pre-emptive education on maternal PPD and more accessible resources but also assessing fathers’ emotional responses to parenthood and their partners’ depression.
-
Garden-Based Nutrition Education for Low Income Hispanic School Children
Larry Bui
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's 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 as a way to remedy this knowledge deficit, however a gap remains as to whether or not this model can be viable for low-income, culturally diverse populations. Aim: The purpose of this literature review is to investigate the importance of diet in reducing childhood obesity while exploring the effects of gardening-based nutrition education on dietary choice improvements. This literature review presents gardening-based nutrition education models as an effective and sustainable method of obesity reduction by establishing a connection between improved dietary knowledge and dietary choices, thus leading to a lower incidence of obesity. Method: A quasi-experimental design with a convenience sample of 200 subjects split into an interventional and a control group. The interventional group will receive an 11-weeks long nutrition education program to accompany the children’s regular school hours. Participants will be between the ages of 7-10, consistent with the ages of third to fifth grade elementary school children. Both groups will take a pre and post test using the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) Survey where results will be further plotted along a radar plot in order to examine each individual scoring component of the HEI. Result: The expectation is that the interventional group will see improvements to the HEI scores in each category compared to the control group, with the exception of decreased added sugars.
-
Healthcare Access Among Low-Income Latinx Communities: A Culturally Sensitive and Intersectional Approach
Gabriela Meza
Various factors, including immigration status, language barriers, age, and socioeconomic status, influence healthcare service utilization among the Latinx population. This study seeks to assess whether culturally sensitive care addressing intersectional factors enhances health access and outcomes in low-income Latinx communities (Purpose). The research proposes a longitudinal quasi-experimental study involving 400 Latinx participants aged 18 and above in low-income urban Los Angeles neighborhoods. A control group of 200 participants and an intervention group of 200 will be established, with the latter receiving culturally sensitive interventions when seeking care during the study. A pre-study survey will collect demographic information, health history, healthcare utilization, patient satisfaction, barriers, challenges, and open-ended comments. After the survey, participants will continue their usual activities, possibly receiving care. After 12 months, a post-study survey will be conducted, covering pre-study elements and adding health outcomes, feedback, and overall satisfaction (Method). The study anticipates finding that intersectional factors, such as immigration status, impact healthcare utilization irrespective of health insurance status. The chi-squared test is expected to exceed the critical value, indicating a significant difference between control and intervention groups. Overall, the study anticipates demonstrating that culturally sensitive healthcare focusing on intersectional factors leads to better health outcomes and improved access (Results). This research underscores the imperative for healthcare equity in Latinx communities, emphasizing that culturally sensitive healthcare enhances health outcomes, patient satisfaction, and access—a fundamental human right (Conclusion).
-
How Implicit Bias Leads to Racial Disparities in Maternal Care and Experiences
Mia Yee
Background: Maternal mortality rates have decreased all over the world. However, in the United States, the maternal mortality rate has been steadily increasing. Women of color reportedly are forced to accept the burden of an unequal association between race and morbidity & mortality due to implicit discriminatory attitudes of healthcare professionals. Objective: To better understand the relationship between implicit bias and maternal care in the San Francisco Bay Area between non-Hispanic White & Black women and to explore racial disparities in their maternal narratives. A literature review was performed and a study is proposed. Future Directions: To Identify the differences in maternal care among women of color so that possible interventions can be researched and implemented to improve patient-centered maternal care to all women and to reduce discriminatory practice in the San Francisco Bay Area.
-
Improving Spiritual Care Competency Among Intensive Care Unit Nurses: Promoting Holistic Patient Care Towards End-of-Life
Joanne Nguyen and Dana Bagis
Intensive care unit (ICU) nurses play a crucial role in providing physiological stabilizing care in a dynamic and fast-paced environment, often marked by constant changes and variability in complex patients. Despite their specialization, the aspect of spiritual care tends to be overlooked, particularly in the context of end-of-life care. This is significant because previous studies have shown that a lack of spiritual care leads to poorer health outcomes, decreased coping, increased depression, and diminished quality of life for patients. This research proposal aims to investigate the spiritual care competency among ICU nurses who partake in spiritual care based training, with the overarching goal of promoting holistic patient care, especially for patients approaching the end of life. The literature review encompasses a threefold examination of spiritual care practice from diverse perspectives, including those of nurses, patients, and chaplains. The focus is on identifying barriers to spiritual care nursing practice, understanding the impacts of spiritual care on patients' well-being (or the lack thereof), exploring nurses' perceptions regarding their capacity to provide spiritual care, and evaluating the effectiveness of spiritual training sessions. Building upon these insights, a quasi-experimental study has been designed to assess the effects of spiritual care training on improving nurse competency and enhancing holistic patient care. The findings from this research have the potential to contribute to the development of targeted interventions and training programs that address the specific spiritual care needs of ICU nurses, ultimately enhancing the quality of care provided to patients, particularly those nearing the end of life.
-
Improving the Psychosocial Effects of a Burn Injury
Leila Young
Burn injuries are an existing risk factor of social impairment. The main priority of care for a burn patient includes the focus on pain management and wound care. However, scarce research has been studied on how to improve the psychological adjustment of burn victims. There is limited availability of evidenced based practice that is related to promoting a healthy social life after a burn. Without interventions to help re-engage burn victims with society, they will turn to negative coping mechanisms such as avoidance, isolation and distancing. The goal of this study is to enhance the social interaction of burn survivors during their recovery. This mixed method study aims to improve social impairment of burn victims in the Bay Area with the use of journaling. A pre and post test will be given, using the tool PROMIS-29, to acknowledge the psychological state of the burn victims before and after the journaling intervention. The sample size will include 100 participants that have been recruited through burn centers, burn units, in-patient hospitals and support groups. Participants will write journal entries each day for six weeks. The journal entries will be examined for similar themes and the results of this study will demonstrate the psychological wellbeing of the participants. In evaluation, the post test and journal entries will show the impact of the intervention of psychosocial ramifications. The literature suggests that there is no reason to focus on the psychological dynamic of burn victims. This study will identify interventions that progress the development of psychological dynamics and ability to interact in society of burn victims in the Bay Area. This study will provide evidenced based practice that can be used to further the research of burn survivors.
-
In-Person Vaccine Education and Parental Vaccine Acceptance
Sophia Zhao
Understanding the reasons behind parental vaccination hesitancy plays a critical role in community health, preventing vaccine preventable diseases, and increasing vaccination rates. It is crucial to determine how different vaccination promotion and education methods can be used to increase vaccine acceptance in parents as they play an integral role in their child's health and well-being. This research poster aims to determine the effects in-person vaccine education has in vaccine hesitant parents.
-
Kangaroo Care Education for Low Socioeconomic Status Families in The Neonatal Care Unit
Joara Peterson
The early contact between mother and baby is known as skin-to-skin, also referred to as “kangaroo care” (KC). It involves placing the baby on the mother’s chest as soon as it is appropriate (Thompson, 1979). This interaction was primarily for bonding but many researchers have discovered additional benefits. There is significant correlation between kangaroo care and weight gain (especially for low birth weight infants), as well as body temperature and heart rate regulation, which reduces the risk of medical complications. It also decreases levels of stress in mothers and babies by lowering the release of cortisol hormone (Mohammadi et al. 2021). The purpose of this study is to investigate the disparities in access and utilization of KC for newborns. The study will also assess the impact of these disparities on maternal and infant outcomes such as weight gain, temperature regulation, neurocognitive enhancement, particularly among families of low-socioeconomic status. A literature review investigated research on topics such as benefits of kangaroo care, challenges and disparities for implementation of kangaroo care for families with low socioeconomic status, and prenatal teaching as an intervention. Pregnant women will be randomly assigned to either the control or experimental group receiving the intervention. We will use descriptive statistics to compare the means of the two groups of women. The inferential statistics will be used to determine the p-value and predict statistical significance . If the p-value is lower than 0.05 there will be a higher probability that the results are statistically significant and not by random chance that prenatal education will increase kangaroo care as an intervention, therefore we can reject the null hypothesis.
-
Lived Experiences of People with Substance Use Disorder as Healthcare Education to Develop Empathy for this Population
Whitney Bynum
Stigmas that develop among healthcare workers regarding patients with substance use disorder include: "drug-seeking", "violent", and "unmotivated". These beliefs can decrease the quality of care provided and results in less people seeking out needed treatment. Healthy People's 2030 goals include reducing drug and alcohol addiction. In order to do this, healthcare workers need to show empathy and form trusting relationships with this patient population. Building a trusting relationship allows the patient to be more receptive to help and suggestions. Learning the life story of a patient can help healthcare workers develop empathy and reduce negative attitudes.
-
Maternal Postnatal Depressive Symptoms and Its Effects on Infant Bonding
Tammy Nguyen
The objective of this thesis is to gain insight on precipitating factors that increase postpartum mother’s depressive symptoms, including stress and anxiety, and how attachment is influenced. Maternal-infant bonding is defined as the emotional relationship and interaction between mother and infant. Postnatal depressive symptoms typically are under-diagnosed due to a lack of education and the stigma of believing that the effects are “normal” consequences of motherhood. Those affected may not seek professional help. Unrealistic expectations about bonding with their infants can have a negative mental health impact on mothers and influence infants’ behaviors. High expectations of needing to be a perfect mother or not meeting certain goals for their child’s care can make mothers feel unaccomplished, increase stress and frustration, lead to parental burnout, and in severe cases, resentment towards their infant. Many factors impact maternal experiences in the postpartum phase, including economic stressors and marital differences, but most importantly infant behaviors. Mothers who struggle to meet their infant’s needs, such as feeding, diaper changes, or sleeping arrangements may encounter negative infant reactivity emotions, which only deepens their depression.
To investigate, primary research articles about mother-infant attachment and bonding and causes of ineffective attachment were examined. A plan for future study will include the Maternal Role Attainment Theory by Ramona Mercer. The study will use a prospective longitudinal mixed methods design. Two hundred pregnant women will be followed until one-year postpartum. Quantitative data collection will include surveys asking about mother’s anxiety on a rating scale. Qualitative data will be gathered on infants’ emotional reactivity when stressed and interventions used by mothers to console them. This research may offer insights that aids nurses in providing effective care for mothers with postpartum depression and their newborns.
-
Medical Cannabis in Pediatric Patients with Chronic Pain and Diseases
Marissa Colombo
Pediatric chronic pain has seen a disturbing rise which ends up affecting the child’s routine and impacting their family’s lives. Medical cannabis has Food and Drug Administration-approved derivatives, yet the studies that focus on medical cannabis do not discuss targeting pain in pediatric patients. Children who experience chronic diseases and treatment-resistant pain are not normally offered medical cannabis as a treatment option which needs to change. The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of medical cannabis within the pediatric population. If children experience pain that is similar to adults, withholding techniques that can help alleviate their pain should be avoided. The study will assess how pediatric patients adapt to medical cannabis. The proposed research design is a quantitative, test-retest study focused on pediatric patients who are 3-12 years old and have been diagnosed with a chronic disease, treatment-resistant pain, or both. There will be a collaboration with Bay Area pediatric outpatient offices. The study will use the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale and Likert Scale. There are many ethical considerations surrounding this study since pediatric patients are a vulnerable population due to their varying mental capacities. Post-treatment, patients and parents will re-evaluate pain and daily living. Statistical analysis will help identify areas for further research regarding different demographics. The results are anticipated to provide valuable contributions to pediatric pain management.
-
Nurse-Led Education for Postpartum Depression in Primiparous Asian-American Mothers
Colleen Peralta
The postpartum period is a critical point when women remain a vulnerable in the hospital setting. This stems from various physical, emotional and psychological changes that women face after childbirth, when patient support and attention is vital. For instance, the postpartum stage poses risk to women for complications, such as postpartum depression (PPD). When left untreated and misdiagnosed, PPD can lead to adverse maternal outcomes, such as: problems with mother-infant bonding, difficulty breastfeeding, and an increased risk for suicide (Mayo Clinic, 2022).
Asian-American mothers with postpartum depression face unique challenges, including the stigma surrounding mental health, which remains prevalent within the this community. This can make it challenging for mothers to open up and seek mental health care for postpartum depression. As a result, it is important to investigate the Asian-American population of mothers in order to provide quality maternal healthcare for all patients.
-
Polypharmacy: Increasing Medication Adherence
James C. Kelly
Polypharmacy is a common problem among older adults where they take multiple medications concurrently, leading to negative health outcomes such as adverse drug reactions, drug-drug interactions, and non-adherence to medications. To address this issue, a randomized controlled trial (RCT) is proposed that will involve elderly patients (aged 65 years or older) who are taking five or more medications. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the intervention or control group, with the intervention group receiving nurse-led medication therapy management (MTM) and patient education to improve medication adherence. The Health Belief Model can be used to educate and empower older adults on the risks associated with polypharmacy and help them make informed decisions about their medication regimen. The proposed RCT has the potential to improve medication adherence and reduce negative health outcomes associated with polypharmacy, ultimately improving the overall health and well-being of the older adult population.
-
Prevalence of Hypoglycemia Induced by Overtreatment in Elderly Type Two Diabetics Using Continuous Blood Glucose Monitors
Alyssa Mae T. Tubera
Background: The most common way of reading blood glucose (BG) levels in type II diabetics is by manually pricking one’s finger with a needle and measuring the glucose through a monitoring device. There has been an increased use in continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) that permits clients to wear a sensor on their arm that simultaneously records glucose levels throughout the day and reports the results to a smartphone or monitoring device. Depending on the result and whether the patient is using insulin, it will determine how much medication will be administered. There is little research on the impacts of using CGM devices in conjunction with antihyperglycemic drugs in type II diabetics who live independently and are over age 65.
Objective: To examine devices that monitor BG continuously compared to devices that monitor BG with periodic finger sticks. The question arises: Are elderly patients with type II Diabetes who live independently and use these devices, disproportionately affected by hypoglycemic episodes induced by over-treatment with anti-diabetic drugs?
Literature Review: Research highlighted benefits of using CGM devices versus self-monitoring BG such as recording glucose levels at night, increased self-care behavior, and decreased hemoglobin A1C. Other factors may contribute to hypoglycemia such as physical exercise, prolonged fasting, and use of ACE inhibitors. There remains a knowledge gap in the impact that CGM devices have on independent type II diabetics who live independently.
Proposal:
Purpose: To gather data on prevalence of hypoglycemia in independent, type II diabetics ≥65 years old while using CGM devices and antidiabetic medications
Population: type II diabetics ≥65 years who live independently, use CGM devices, and antihyperglycemic medications
Study Design: Prospective Longitudinal observational study
Study Method: Survey
Clinical Significance:
Study intends to bring awareness of possible complications of using CGM devices in type II diabetics ≥65 who live independently.
-
Promoting Parental Comfort to Facilitate Conversations on Adolescent Sexual Health and Behaviors
Angelina Jolie Banes and Lauren Liddell
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 intervention using the Media Aware Parent program. The outcomes will be measured by pre and post-intervention surveys and the Parent-Adolescent Communication Scale. The expected results are that the intervention will increase the knowledge, confidence, and comfort levels of parents and teens regarding sexual health issues, and improve the quality of communication between them. The findings could potentially contribute to the development of more effective sexual health education programs and communication strategies for families.
-
Sex Education in Chinese American Adolescents
Onsheng Seto
Comprehensive sex education has shown improvements in lowering STIs and unplanned pregnancies among adolescents. Implementing a sex education course provides youths the tools to develop a safe and positive view of sexuality which encourages them to approach sex and sexual health wisely and confidently. The findings of this study aims to promote comprehensive sex education as well as bring awareness to the disparity in teen pregnancy and STIs among ethnic groups. This research proposal seeks to evaluate the efficacy of comprehensive sex education in Chinese American adolescents while taking cultural considerations to better understand their practices, beliefs, and attitudes on sex.
-
Sexual Education In Adolescence: Contraception Education For Adolescents Leads To Improved Sexual Practices
Marie Poellinger and Erica Jade Fong
Adolescents of low socioeconomic status from 13-18 years of age face many challenges when it comes to maintaining safe sexual health practices, leading to unwanted pregnancies and exposure to sexually transmitted diseases (STI’s). Challenges include:
-
economic barriers → limited access to health care or lack of health insurance
-
lack of proper sex education and therefore limited knowledge around contraceptive
Addressing these challenges is crucial for better sexual health outcomes. The nurse’s role is essential in providing education about contraceptive options, access to local resources, and guidance pertaining to safe sexual health practices (Dixon, 2014)
-
-
Supportive Interventions for Adults with Needle Phobia
Camille Alyssa Bustos
The focus on addressing needle phobia has primarily been limited to psychology clinics, leaving a gap in support for those receiving injections from health care professionals in the hospital or clinic setting. It is important for health care providers and mental health professionals to work together to address this gap and ensure that individuals with needle phobia have access to the care and treatment they need (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2022).
A collection of research posters authored by students from the Department of Nursing at Dominican University of California.
Printing is not supported at the primary Gallery Thumbnail page. Please first navigate to a specific Image before printing.
