Abbas Tavakoli
University of South Carolina, College of Nursing, Faculty Member
Research Interests: Nursing, Coping Strategies, Depression, Adolescent, Medicine, and 15 moreHumans, Female, Critical Care Nursing, Data Collection, Grief, Aged, Middle Aged, Hiv Aids, Adult, Hiv seropositivity, Depressive Symptoms, Medicine and Health Sciences, Cross Sectional Studies, Life Change Events, and High risk
Research Interests: Nursing, Primary Health Care, Depression, Fatigue, Medicine, and 15 moreAnxiety, HIV, Population, Humans, African American, Female, Male, Anemia, Hiv Infection, Prevalence, Middle Aged, Adult, Perceived Stress, ANXIETY, and HIV infections(Anxiety, HIV, Population, Humans, African American, Female, Male, Anemia, Hiv Infection, Prevalence, Middle Aged, Adult, Perceived Stress, ANXIETY, and HIV infections)
(Anxiety, HIV, Population, Humans, African American, Female, Male, Anemia, Hiv Infection, Prevalence, Middle Aged, Adult, Perceived Stress, ANXIETY, and HIV infections)
African American women are reported to be less physically active than other population groups. This study examined personal behavioral and psychosocial and environmental factors associated with physical activity in African American women... more
African American women are reported to be less physically active than other population groups. This study examined personal behavioral and psychosocial and environmental factors associated with physical activity in African American women living at or below poverty. Most participants engaged in some moderate physical activity through housework and child care; 71% engaged in activity such as walking from one to seven times per week; but only 5% were vigorously active. Seventy-seven percent were active in the past, but 80% dropped out within 6 months, citing "lack of time and feeling bad" as the main reasons. Exercise self-efficacy was positively correlated with beliefs about physical and social outcomes of activity, with more active than inactive women believing that physical activity had more physical health outcomes. One-third of the women reported that family or friends disapproved of their spending time being physically active, and 45% had never been encouraged to be active by a health professional. However, health professionals' influence was positively correlated with weight reduction but not physical activity participation.
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Data management strategies have become increasingly important as new computer technologies allow for larger and more complex data sets to be analyzed easily. As a consequence, data management has become a specialty requiring specific... more
Data management strategies have become increasingly important as new computer technologies allow for larger and more complex data sets to be analyzed easily. As a consequence, data management has become a specialty requiring specific skills and knowledge. Many new investigators have no formal training in management of data sets. This paper describes common basic strategies critical to the management of data as applied to a data set from a longitudinal study. The stages of data management are identified. Moreover, key components and strategies, at each stage are described.
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This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Nursing at Trace: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Nursing Publications and Other Works by an authorized administrator of Trace:... more
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Nursing at Trace: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Nursing Publications and Other Works by an authorized administrator of Trace: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact
Data management strategies have become increasingly important as new computer technologies allow for larger and more complex data sets to be analyzed easily. As a consequence, data management has become a specialty requiring specific... more
Data management strategies have become increasingly important as new computer technologies allow for larger and more complex data sets to be analyzed easily. As a consequence, data management has become a specialty requiring specific skills and knowledge. Many new investigators have no formal training in management of data sets. This paper describes common basic strategies critical to the management of data as applied to a data set from a longitudinal study. The stages of data management are identified. Moreover, key components and strategies, at each stage are described.
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ObjectivesWarrior Transition Units (WTUs) are specialized military units co‐located with major military treatment facilities providing a Triad of Care involving primary care physicians, case managers, and military leadership to soldiers... more
ObjectivesWarrior Transition Units (WTUs) are specialized military units co‐located with major military treatment facilities providing a Triad of Care involving primary care physicians, case managers, and military leadership to soldiers needing comprehensive medical care. We describe the rationale and methods for studying behavioral health care in WTUs and characterize soldiers assigned to WTUs.MethodsThe Army Warrior Care Project (AWCP) analyzes U.S. Department of Defense Military Health System data to examine behavioral health problems and service utilization among Army soldiers who were assigned to WTUs after returning from Afghanistan and Iraq deployments, FY2008–2015.ResultsWTU members (N = 31,094) comprised 3.5% of the AWCP cohort (N = 883,091). Almost all (96.5%) had one WTU assignment for a median of 327 days; 77.3% were assigned before deployment ended, ≤30 or >365 days post‐deployment; 59.4% had deployment‐related behavioral health diagnoses.ConclusionsAn overwhelming m...
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Background:The global COVID-19 pandemic has brought numerous challenges for conducting the human subjects research needed to advance science and improve health.Objective:The purpose of this article is to discuss how a college of nursing... more
Background:The global COVID-19 pandemic has brought numerous challenges for conducting the human subjects research needed to advance science and improve health.Objective:The purpose of this article is to discuss how a college of nursing at a large public university in the southeast United States has responded to the challenges of conducting research during the novel COVID-19 pandemic.Methods:Seven faculty researchers at the University of South Carolina College of Nursing share their experiences in overcoming the unique challenges of conducting research due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Strategies to overcome the challenges posed by COVID-19 are presented within the context of the research process, career implications, communication, and maintaining morale.Results:Fears of COVID-19 and social distancing measures have hindered participant recruitment, enrollment, and involvement in ongoing studies. Increasing virtual technology use and enhancing safety precautions have assisted researchers to overcome barriers. Scholarly writing has increased for some faculty members whose studies have been stalled by the pandemic, yet others have seen a decline due to additional personal responsibilities. The careers of faculty members across all ranks have been uniquely affected by the pandemic. With most faculty working remotely, enhanced communication strategies at the university and college have supported the research enterprise. Morale has been adversely affected, but a variety of personal and collegial efforts have helped faculty cope and preserve a sense of normalcy during this devastating pandemic.Discussion:Faculty and their ability to conduct the research needed to inform clinical and public health practice have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the challenges of conducting research during this unprecedented crisis, faculty and institutions are taking novel steps to ensure the continuity of scientific progress for improving the health and well-being of patients and populations.
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Sexual risk behavior is a public health problem among adolescents living at or below poverty level. Approximately 1 million pregnancies and 3 million cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are reported yearly. Parenting plays a... more
Sexual risk behavior is a public health problem among adolescents living at or below poverty level. Approximately 1 million pregnancies and 3 million cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are reported yearly. Parenting plays a significant role in adolescent behavior, with mother–adolescent sexual communication correlated with absent or delayed sexual behavior. This study developed an instrument examining constructs of mother–adolescent communication, the Mother–Adolescent Sexual Communication (MASC) instrument. A convenience sample of 99 mothers of middle school children completed the self-administered questionnaires. The original 34-item MASC was reduced to 18 items. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted on the 18-item scale, which resulted in four factors explaining 84.63% of the total variance. Internal consistency analysis produced Cronbach alpha coefficients of .87, .90, .82, and .71 for the four factors, respectively. Convergent validity via hypothesis testing was supported by significant correlations with several subscales of the Parent–Child Relationship Questionnaire (PCRQ) with MASC factors, that is, content and style factors with warmth, personal relationships and disciplinary warmth subscales of the PCRQ, the context factor with personal relationships, and the timing factor with warmth. In light of these findings, the psychometric characteristics and multidimensional perspective of the MASC instrument show evidence of usefulness for measuring and advancing knowledge of mother and adolescent sexual communication techniques.
Research Interests: Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Nursing, Communication, Psychometrics, and 15 moreParenting, Adolescent, Medicine, Discriminant Analysis, Humans, Female, Male, Exploratory Factor Analysis, Questionnaires, Adult, Analysis of Variance, Nursing Assessment, Adolescent Behavior, attitude to health, and Mother child relations
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Purpose: To evaluate the effects of iDecide on prostate cancer knowledge, informed decision-making self-efficacy, technology use self-efficacy, and intention to engage in informed decision-making among African American men. Design:... more
Purpose: To evaluate the effects of iDecide on prostate cancer knowledge, informed decision-making self-efficacy, technology use self-efficacy, and intention to engage in informed decision-making among African American men. Design: One-group, pretest/posttest. Setting: Community settings in South Carolina. Participants: African American men, ages 40 years +, without a prior prostate cancer diagnosis (n = 354). Intervention: iDecide, an embodied conversational agent-led, computer-based prostate cancer screening decision aid. Measures: Prostate cancer knowledge, informed decision-making self-efficacy, technology use self-efficacy, and intention to engage in informed decision-making. Analysis: Descriptive statistics, paired t tests, general linear modeling, Spearman correlations. Results: On average, participants experienced significant improvements in their prostate cancer knowledge ( P ≤ .001), informed decision-making self-efficacy ( P ≤ .001), and technology use self-efficacy ( P ≤...
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BACKGROUND Although there is an abundance of empirical evidence on principals' leadership practices and teacher satisfaction in K-12 settings, a paucity of publications explore nursing faculty job satisfaction as influenced by... more
BACKGROUND Although there is an abundance of empirical evidence on principals' leadership practices and teacher satisfaction in K-12 settings, a paucity of publications explore nursing faculty job satisfaction as influenced by leadership styles of academic deans. This research examined leadership styles of nursing deans to determine whether they correlate with nursing faculty job satisfaction at public U.S. universities with high research activity. METHOD A descriptive, correlational study was conducted with electronic self-administered questionnaires. The sample was recruited from 24 universities; 303 questionnaires were returned. RESULTS Faculty perceived that nursing deans displayed transformational leadership style more frequently. Nursing faculty were moderately satisfied in their jobs, and they were more satisfied with nursing deans who practiced attributed idealized influence. CONCLUSION Three types of leadership behaviors explained significant variance in faculty job satisfaction, indicating the need for training and development focused on effective leadership behaviors. [J Nurs Educ. 2020;59(2):68-75.].
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Context There is growing interest in the relation between repetitive concussions and mental health; however, studies on the relation between concussion frequency and adverse mental health outcomes among female and male youth are lacking.... more
Context There is growing interest in the relation between repetitive concussions and mental health; however, studies on the relation between concussion frequency and adverse mental health outcomes among female and male youth are lacking. Objective To examine the association between self-reported concussion frequency and non-fatal suicidal behaviors among youth and to explore the potential interaction of biological sex. Design Retrospective cross-sectional survey. Setting National Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. Participants 28,442 United States secondary school students. Main Outcome Measure(s) Exposure variables included frequency of self-reported sport/recreation-related concussion within the previous 12-months (0, 1, ≥2). Outcome variables included feelings of self-reported sadness/hopelessness, suicidal ideation, planning, and attempts. Covariates included age, sex, race/ethnicity, bullying victimization, sexual orientation, and physical activity. Results Students that ...
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In recent years, an increasing number of researchers have been able to access survey microdata files. These researchers perform various analyses to summarize the data and to describe relationships in a target population. Many of these... more
In recent years, an increasing number of researchers have been able to access survey microdata files. These researchers perform various analyses to summarize the data and to describe relationships in a target population. Many of these researchers use analytic software without having a good understanding of the statistical underpinnings behind the methods being applied. Some of the issues facing the researchers include understanding the survey weights, understanding informative sampling, using variances that are modeldependent, incorporating survey design information into the modeling process, and integrating data from more than one survey. In this paper we discuss a framework within which these issues may be discussed.
BACKGROUND Previously, we recorded periods of time with foot higher than abdominal temperatures in association with infection in preterm infants. Monitoring dual temperatures may be an important tool to assess infant instability.... more
BACKGROUND Previously, we recorded periods of time with foot higher than abdominal temperatures in association with infection in preterm infants. Monitoring dual temperatures may be an important tool to assess infant instability. Currently, incubators cannot measure and display dual temperatures in servo-control mode. PURPOSE To examine the usability of GE Healthcare's Giraffe OmniBed with research software to measure, display, and record dual temperatures, and their differences while in servo-control. In addition, nurses' perceptions of the use and display of dual temperatures and differences were evaluated. METHODS A multiple-case, mixed-methods design. Abdominal and foot temperatures were measured, displayed, and stored for 28 days for 14 preterm infants. Nurses were surveyed for satisfaction and preferences with the dual temperature display. Nurses noted abnormal temperature differences and infant condition in bedside journals. RESULTS Study infants were 26 to 31 weeks of gestational age and 670 to 1410 g. Abdominal, foot, and the abdominal-foot temperature difference was measured, recorded, and downloaded successfully in all infants over all days. Nurses liked using dual temperature display with the abdominal-foot temperature difference. Surveys indicated preferences for larger displays and alarms for abnormal values. Thermal instability, stimulation, and thermistor detachment were associated with abnormal thermal gradients. Two exemplar cases are presented. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE Monitoring dual temperatures adds information to the clinical assessment. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH Studies are needed to examine relationships between abnormal thermal gradients and infections, infant stability, and nursing care along with the underlying physiologic mechanisms. Studies are needed for wireless dual temperature monitoring.
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Objective: Our objective was to validate a novel irritant gas syndrome agent (IGSA) triage algorithm for use in an emergency department (ED). We assessed efficiency, accuracy, and precision of our IGSA triage algorithm based on... more
Objective: Our objective was to validate a novel irritant gas syndrome agent (IGSA) triage algorithm for use in an emergency department (ED). We assessed efficiency, accuracy, and precision of our IGSA triage algorithm based on signs/symptoms of actual patients.Design: After characterizing the signs/symptoms of an actual IGSA exposure event, we developed and validated the IGSA triage algorithm using a simulated computer exercise to compare the IGSA triage algorithm to the preferred hospital triage algorithm, the Emergency Severity Index (ESI).Setting: This study was a simulated computer exercise using surveys developed in Research Electronic Data Capture software. Nurse volunteers simulated triaging 298 patients.Participants: Patient data included 146 patients treated during the disaster as well as 152 unexposed patients. Twenty-six nurse volunteers were assigned to triage the patients using one of the algorithms in the simulated computer exercise.Main Outcome Measure(s): The precis...
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Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) is a more sophisticated method of analysis of variance. Analysis of covariance is used to compare response means among two or more groups (Categorical variables) adjusted for a quantitative variable... more
Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) is a more sophisticated method of analysis of variance. Analysis of covariance is used to compare response means among two or more groups (Categorical variables) adjusted for a quantitative variable (Covariate), thought to influence the outcome (Dependent). A covariate is a continuous variable that can be used to reduce the Sum Square Error (SSE) and subsequently increase the statistical power of an ANOVA design. There may be more than one covariate. The purpose of this paper is to overview of Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) using GLM with two examples in SAS with interpretation to use for publication.
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HIV disease continues to grow at a staggering rate among women, with women of color becoming the group most frequently affected. Previous research has supported hope as an important factor associated with better health, quality of life,... more
HIV disease continues to grow at a staggering rate among women, with women of color becoming the group most frequently affected. Previous research has supported hope as an important factor associated with better health, quality of life, recovery from illness, and increased survival in life threatening illnesses such as HIV disease. The purpose of this study was to describe levels of hope in HIV-infected, African-American women, and to examine the relationships among hope and the women's reported symptoms, stage of illness, and perceived relationship with her primary health care provider (PHCP). A descriptive, quantitative design was used. The sample consisted of 49 African-American women 18 to 45 years of age. Face-to-face structured interviews were conducted. Hope was measured using the Herth Hope Scale, and the quality of the relationship with one's PHCP was measured using the Relationship with the PHCP Scale. The level of hope in these HIV-infected women was lower than women with breast cancer and hospitalized adults with cancer. No significant differences were found in level of hope related to relationship status, income, stage of illness, or if a woman had or did not have children. Hope was positively associated with a more positive relationship with the PHCP (r = .33, P = .02). This finding underscores the importance of the quality of the PHCP's relationship with their clients.
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Many SAS ® procedures can be used to analyze large datasets with correlated data. This study was a secondary analysis of data obtained from the South Carolina Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office (RFA), which includes medical claims from all... more
Many SAS ® procedures can be used to analyze large datasets with correlated data. This study was a secondary analysis of data obtained from the South Carolina Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office (RFA), which includes medical claims from all health care systems in South Carolina (SC). We used the SAS procedure, GENMOD, to analyze a large dataset with correlated data from Military Health Care (MHS) system beneficiaries who received inpatient behavioral health care in South Carolina Health Care Systems from 2005 to 2014. Behavioral health (BH) was defined by Major Diagnostic Code (MDC) 19 (mental disorders and diseases) and 20 (alcohol and drug use). MDCs are formed by dividing all possible principal diagnoses from the International Classification Diagnostic (ICD-9) codes into 25 mutually exclusive diagnostic categories. The sample included a total of 6,783 BH visits and 4,827 unique military service members, veterans, and their adult and child dependents who have MHS insurance coverage. PROC GENMOD included a multivariate GEE model with type of BH hospitalization (mental health or substance abuse) as the dependent variable; and gender, race, age group, and discharge year as predictors. Hospital ID was used in the repeated statement with different correlation structures. Gender was significant for both independent correlation (p = .0001) and exchangeable structure (p = .0003). However, age group was significant using the independent correlation (p = .0160), but non-significant using the exchangeable correlation structure (p = .0584). SAS is a powerful statistical program for analyzing large, correlated datasets with categorical outcomes.
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Supplemental digital content is available in the text. Abstract Life-saving response to mass casualty incidents (MCIs) requires education and training. Participation in an MCI full-scale exercise provided nursing students with a rare... more
Supplemental digital content is available in the text. Abstract Life-saving response to mass casualty incidents (MCIs) requires education and training. Participation in an MCI full-scale exercise provided nursing students with a rare opportunity to experience a simulated disaster from the patient perspective to better understand the unique issues involved in mass casualty response. This innovative teaching approach enabled students to undergo triage and decontamination as victims of a chemical MCI and participate in a research study. We describe student feedback on this learning experience and the implications of incorporating a full-scale MCI for providing a patient perspective into nursing curricula.
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The need to calculate statistics for various groups or classifications is ever present. Calculating such statistics may involve different strategies with some being less efficient than others. A common approach by new SAS programmers who... more
The need to calculate statistics for various groups or classifications is ever present. Calculating such statistics may involve different strategies with some being less efficient than others. A common approach by new SAS programmers who are not very familiar with PROC MEANS is to create a SAS data set for each group of interest and to execute PROC MEANS for each group. This strategy can be resource-intensive when large data sets are involved. It requires multiple PROC MEANS statements due to multiple input data sets and involves multiple output data sets (one per group of interest). In lieu of this, an economy of programming code can be achieved using a simple coding strategy in the DATA step to take advantage of PROC MEANS capabilities. Variables that indicate group membership (1 for group membership, blank for non-group membership) can be created for each group of interest in a master data set. The master data set with these blank/1 indicator variables can then be processed with ...
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Many SAS ® procedures can be used to analyze longitudinal data. This study employed a multisite randomized controlled trial design to demonstrate the effectiveness of two SAS procedures, GLIMMIX and GENMOD, to analyze longitudinal data... more
Many SAS ® procedures can be used to analyze longitudinal data. This study employed a multisite randomized controlled trial design to demonstrate the effectiveness of two SAS procedures, GLIMMIX and GENMOD, to analyze longitudinal data from five Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Centers (VAMCs). Older male veterans (n = 1222) seen in VAMC primary care clinics were randomly assigned to two behavioral health models, integrated (n = 605) and enhanced referral (n = 617). Data were collected at baseline, and 3, 6, and 12 month follow-up. A mixed-effects repeated measures model was used to examine the dependent variable, problem drinking, which was defined as count and dichotomous from baseline to 12 month follow-up. Sociodemographics and depressive symptoms were included as covariates. First, bivariate analyses included general linear model and chi-square tests to examine covariates by group and group by problem drinking outcomes. All significant covariates were included in the GLIMM...
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The purpose of this study was to examine the effect text messages (TM) immunization reminders have on immunization rates in the first 7 months of life. This randomized-control trial enrolled 57 parent/infant dyads and had a 74% completion... more
The purpose of this study was to examine the effect text messages (TM) immunization reminders have on immunization rates in the first 7 months of life. This randomized-control trial enrolled 57 parent/infant dyads and had a 74% completion rate (43) at the end of the study period. The study was approved by Committee on Human Subjects at the University of Hawaii Institutional Board Review. All participants completed a demographics form and a Barriers to Immunization Survey (SHOTS survey) at the start and end of the study. Parents received TM at 4, 7, 12, 15, 20, & 23 weeks of child's age. The intervention group received immunization reminders and the control group received healthy baby messages. In the overall mixed model, between enrollment and 7 months of age, the barriers to immunizations decreased for all parents significantly. There were no significant differences in immunization rates between groups at 7 months of age. Positive responses from regarding TM interventions show this is a promising intervention, but further research is required regarding how to address behavior change and motivation for health prevention behaviors with TM.
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To develop further the nursing diagnosis risk for aspiration by determining risk factors present in patients who aspirated. The case-control design was used to compare cases (n = 131) and controls (n = 206) on past and present exposures... more
To develop further the nursing diagnosis risk for aspiration by determining risk factors present in patients who aspirated. The case-control design was used to compare cases (n = 131) and controls (n = 206) on past and present exposures thought to be risk factors for aspiration. Data were analyzed using univariate and multiple logistic regression. The following risk factors were statistically significant and comprise the final model: altered level of consciousness, metoclopramide (known to accelerate gastric emptying), vomiting, seizures, and unable to change own position. The risk factors of altered level of consciousness and delayed gastric emptying are currently included in the NANDA taxonomy for the nursing diagnosis risk for aspiration. These risk factors are not included in the taxonomy: vomiting, seizures, and unable to change own position. Results of the study have been submitted to the Diagnosis Review Committee for consideration to further develop this diagnosis.
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Objective: To describe the methods of evaluating currently available triage models for their efficacy in appropriately triaging the surge of patients after an all-hazards disaster.Design: A method was developed for evaluating currently... more
Objective: To describe the methods of evaluating currently available triage models for their efficacy in appropriately triaging the surge of patients after an all-hazards disaster.Design: A method was developed for evaluating currently available triage models using extracted data from medical records of the victims from the Graniteville chlorine disaster.Setting: On January 6, 2005, a freight train carrying three tanker cars of liquid chlorine was inadvertently switched onto an industrial spur in central Graniteville, SC. The train then crashed into a parked locomotive and derailed. This caused one of the chlorine tankers to rupture and immediately release ~60 tons of chlorine. Chlorine gas infiltrated the town with a population of 7,000.Participants: This research focuses on the victims who received emergency care in South Carolina.Results: With our data mapping and decision tree logic, the authors were successful in using the available extracted clinical data to estimate triage ca...
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This study investigated the relationships among role conflict, role ambiguity, organizational commitment, and job satisfaction experienced by clinical team members in a hospital undergoing reengineering. The sample consisted of 409... more
This study investigated the relationships among role conflict, role ambiguity, organizational commitment, and job satisfaction experienced by clinical team members in a hospital undergoing reengineering. The sample consisted of 409 registered nurses (RNs) and 278 non-RNs. Participants who experienced much role conflict and ambiguity exhibited less organizational commitment and job satisfaction. RNs had more role conflict and ambiguity than non-RNs. No significant differences in role conflict and role ambiguity, organizational commitment, and job satisfaction were observed between RNs working on medical-surgical units and those on specialty units. Strategies that reduce role conflict and role ambiguity to increase organizational commitment and job satisfaction are discussed.
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The absence of the father in the resident home is an increasing trend in the United States, and the belief that the absence of fathers is lined with a variety of social pathologies is gaining national momentum. This study explored the... more
The absence of the father in the resident home is an increasing trend in the United States, and the belief that the absence of fathers is lined with a variety of social pathologies is gaining national momentum. This study explored the relationship of father absence on self-esteem and self-reported sexual activity among rural southern adolescents. A sample of 1,409 adolescents (558 males and 851 females) aged 11 to 18 years was surveyed, and the Miller Self-Esteem Questionnaire (MSQ) was used to measure self-esteem. Analysis revealed that increased sexual activity occurred by adolescents in homes where no father present in the residence. Although a statistical significance was noted in the relationship between father absence and lower self-esteem, the magnitude of the difference was not large. Further, no relationship between self-esteem and sexual activity was noted. Seemingly, the absence of the father has a potentially detrimental effect on adolescents' lifestyle choices. Cons...
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Lack of outcomes-based research results in uncertainty about the effectiveness of any of the current triage systems in determining priority of care during actual chemical disasters. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the... more
Lack of outcomes-based research results in uncertainty about the effectiveness of any of the current triage systems in determining priority of care during actual chemical disasters. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the level of injury severity extrapolated from 5 triage systems correlated with actual injury severity outcomes of victims exposed to a chlorine disaster. Using secondary data analysis, data for 631 victims were merged, de-identified, and analyzed. Using logic models from the triage systems, the actual injury severity was compared with the extrapolated injury severity classifications. Analysis showed weak to modest correlations between the extrapolated injury severity triage outcome classifications and the actual injury severity outcomes (Spearman correlation range 0.38 to 0.71, P < .0001). There was slight to fair agreement between the extrapolated injury severity triage outcome classifications and the actual injury severity outcomes (weighted κ = - ...
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PURPOSE The purpose of this article is to describe a culturally competent, dietary self-management intervention designed to improve physiological outcomes, diabetes self-management, and costs of care for high-risk African Americans with... more
PURPOSE The purpose of this article is to describe a culturally competent, dietary self-management intervention designed to improve physiological outcomes, diabetes self-management, and costs of care for high-risk African Americans with type 2 diabetes. METHODS A longitudinal, quasi-experimental design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention for 23 adult African Americans from a physician practice group in rural South Carolina. The intervention consisted of 4 low-fat dietary education classes, 6 discussion groups, and follow-up. Intervention sessions were provided by a dietitian and nurse case managers and framed as social events; families were encouraged to participate. RESULTS Data suggest that the intervention significantly improved fat-related dietary habits, Al C values, fasting blood glucose, and frequency of acute care visits. A trend in reduction of lipids and weight also was observed. CONCLUSIONS Culturally competent dietary self-management provides a mea...
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Purpose The purpose of this study was to test effects of a culturally competent, dietary self-management intervention on physiological outcomes and dietary behaviors for African Americans with type 2 diabetes. Methods A longitudinal... more
Purpose The purpose of this study was to test effects of a culturally competent, dietary self-management intervention on physiological outcomes and dietary behaviors for African Americans with type 2 diabetes. Methods A longitudinal experimental study was conducted in rural South Carolina with a sample of 97 adult African Americans with type 2 diabetes who were randomly assigned to either usual care or the intervention. The intervention consisted of 4 weekly classes in low-fat dietary strategies, 5 monthly peer-professional group discussions, and weekly telephone follow-up. The culturally competent approach reflected the ethnic beliefs, values, customs, food preferences, language, learning methods, and health care practices of southern African Americans. Results Body mass index and dietary fat behaviors were significantly lowered in the experimental group. At 6 months, weight decreased 1.8 kg (4 lb) for the experimental group and increased 1.9 kg (4.2 lb) for the control group, a ne...
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Research Interests: Psychology, Nursing, Psychometrics, Family, Aging, and 15 morePublic Health, Medicine, Humans, Connectedness, Female, Male, Interpersonal Relations, Aged, Questionnaires, Public health systems and services research, Chi Square Distribution, Geriatric Assessment, Nursing Assessment, Friends, and attitude to health
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Sexual risk behavior is a public health problem among adolescents living at or below poverty level. Approximately 1 million pregnancies and 3 million cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are reported yearly. Parenting plays a... more
Sexual risk behavior is a public health problem among adolescents living at or below poverty level. Approximately 1 million pregnancies and 3 million cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are reported yearly. Parenting plays a significant role in adolescent behavior, with mother–adolescent sexual communication correlated with absent or delayed sexual behavior. This study developed an instrument examining constructs of mother–adolescent communication, the Mother–Adolescent Sexual Communication (MASC) instrument. A convenience sample of 99 mothers of middle school children completed the self-administered questionnaires. The original 34-item MASC was reduced to 18 items. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted on the 18-item scale, which resulted in four factors explaining 84.63% of the total variance. Internal consistency analysis produced Cronbach alpha coefficients of .87, .90, .82, and .71 for the four factors, respectively. Convergent validity via hypothesis testing wa...
Research Interests: Communication, Aging, Adolescent, Medicine, Comorbidity, and 15 moreItaly, Factor analysis, Discriminant Analysis, Humans, Female, Male, Mental Disorders, Aged, Adult, Analysis of Variance, Cross Sectional Studies, Adolescent Behavior, Homes for the Aged, attitude to health, and Mother child relations
Cigarette smoking among American women attending college has increased dramatically since the 1980&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s. To develop effective smoking prevention and cessation programs,... more
Cigarette smoking among American women attending college has increased dramatically since the 1980&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s. To develop effective smoking prevention and cessation programs, a better understanding of factors associated with smoking in college women is needed. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine if selected factors (stress, stress management, nutrition, physical activity, alcohol consumption, and race) were related to smoking in college women. A sample of 354 college women in a southeastern state, 18-22 years of age, participated in the study. Logistic regression analysis indicated that White race (p = &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; .001), alcohol consumption (p = .0013), and limited physical activity (p = .0078) were significantly associated with smoking. Physically active college women were 2 times less likely to be smokers. However, physical activity mediated the effect of stress and stress management on smoking. Additionally, stress management confounded the effect of stress on smoking. Therefore, in addition to alcohol avoidance, exercise (as a stress management strategy) may be an important component of primary prevention and smoking cessation programs for college women.
Research Interests: Nursing, Health Behavior, Physical Activity, Community Health, Body Image, and 15 moreAdolescent, Humans, Female, Community health nursing, Exercise, Logistic Regression Analysis, Alcohol Consumption, African Americans, Adult, Analysis of Variance, Health surveys, European Continental Ancestry Group, Chi Square Distribution, Logistic Models, and attitude to health
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Stigma has grave consequences for persons living with HIV/AIDS. Stigma hampers prevention of HIV transmission to sexual partners and to unborn babies, diagnosis, and early treatment, and negatively affects mental and physical health,... more
Stigma has grave consequences for persons living with HIV/AIDS. Stigma hampers prevention of HIV transmission to sexual partners and to unborn babies, diagnosis, and early treatment, and negatively affects mental and physical health, quality of life, and life satisfaction. Internalized stigma of HIV/AIDS may have even more severe consequences than perceived or enacted stigma. The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument to measure internalized stigma in those with HIV/AIDS. Data were drawn from the Rural Women&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s Health Project. Research assistants administered structured interviews at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Instruments used in these analyses included a demographic data form, the Centers for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), the Perceived Stigma Scale (PSS), and the Internalized Stigma of AIDS Tool (ISAT). Exploratory factor analysis confirmed that the ten items of the ISAT measure a single factor that explains 88% of the variance in the construct. Internal consistency was demonstrated by a Cronbach&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s alpha of .91 (Time 1), .92 (Time 2), and .92 (Time 3). Convergent validity was supported with significant positive correlations with the CES-D (rho = 0.33, p &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0.0001) and the PSS (rho = 0.56, &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0.0001). The Internalized Stigma of AIDS Tool appears to be a reliable and valid instrument to measure internalization of the stigma of HIV/AIDS. It may be of value in research and clinical assessment.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Leadership and job satisfaction are two factors that have been regarded as fundamental for organizational success. It has been shown that employees with high job satisfaction levels are likely to be more productive and exert more effort... more
Leadership and job satisfaction are two factors that have been regarded as fundamental for organizational success. It has been shown that employees with high job satisfaction levels are likely to be more productive and exert more effort in pursuing organizational interests. The purpose of this study was to identify perceived leadership styles of nursing deans to determine whether they correlate with nursing faculty job satisfaction. The study used many SAS® procedures to analyze descriptive, correlational data. The sample for this national study consisted of 303, out of 1626 recruited, full-time nursing faculty members from 24 public, research universities with very high research activity in the United States. The result show there is positive significant linear relationship between transformation leadership style and transactional leadership with job satisfaction. Also, the result indicated that there is negative significant relationship between passive leadership style and job satisfaction (r=-.43). The result of multiple regression indicated that different leadership styles (transformational, transactional, and passive) are related to the job satisfaction after controlling with interaction with dean. The R square for transformational, transactional, and passive leadership on job satisfaction were .38, .13, and .26; respectively. SAS® is powerful software to analyze any types of data.