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open access

Retirees' Attitudes Toward Mental Illness Treatment: A Life-Course Perspective

Description: This purpose of this dissertation was to examine the attitudes of retirees toward mental illness treatment. Secondary data from the Survey Research Center at the University of North Texas was utilized for this study. The focus was on the influence that gender, income, education, race/ethnicity, personal experience, fear, goodwill, and social control might have had on retirees' attitudes toward mental illness treatment. An n = 225 was selected out of the existing data to serve as the sample popu… more
Date: May 2010
Creator: Starkey, Thomas Wayne, Jr.
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Resident Rights and Electronic Monitoring

Description: The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine resident, family member and staff perceptions of electronic monitoring and their effect on resident rights. The sample consisted of 53 nursing home residents, 104 staff and 25 family members, in the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex, from a nursing facility in which residents utilize video cameras in their rooms (Nursing Facility 1), two nursing facilities that have video cameras in their common rooms areas (Nursing Facility 2 and 3) and a nursing … more
Date: August 2010
Creator: Shashidhara, Shilpa
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Domestic Violence Shelters in Texas: Responding to Programming Needs of Older Victims of Intimate Partner Violence

Description: This study examined if domestic violence shelters in Texas are responding to the needs of older female victims of intimate partner violence. Data for this study was collected through online questionnaire surveys of 45% of Texas domestic violence shelters. Findings of this study indicated that less than 10% of Texas shelters are providing specialized programming for older victims of IPV. In Texas, the demographic growth of older adults has remained comparable to increased national trends. The st… more
Date: December 2010
Creator: Lozano, Yvonne M.
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

End of Life Care: African Americans' Disproportionate Use of Hospice

Description: The United States of America is a country composed of various ethnicities. This country is considered to be a multi-cultural society. There are various cultural traditions values, norms and superstitious practices within each ethnic group. Attitudes toward end of life care are complex and vary differently across each ethnic group. This study explored factors that explained African Americans' disproportionate use of hospice. Access to hospice care was address, experience with hospice was ex… more
Date: December 2010
Creator: McDonald, Ray
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

The Impact of Genetics, Socioeconomic Status, and Lifestyle Factors on Visual Health in an Adult Population

Description: The purpose of this dissertation was to understand how genetics, socioeconomic status (SES), and lifestyle factors influence the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy in an adult population in Dallas County. Two hundred fifty-three older adults participated in this study as the sample. Crosstabulation and binary logistic regression were utilized to analyze the data. Results indicated a disparity among participants' test scores, visual health s… more
Date: December 2010
Creator: Mitzel, Gina Marie
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

An Exploratory Study of Factors Influencing the Effectiveness of the Amob/vll Program for Participants in North Central Texas

Description: This study assessed falls efficacy and confidence-related changes among participants attending the a Matters of Balance/Volunteer Lay Leader (AMOB/VLL) falls prevention program for older adults, based on their residential location. Data were examined from 431 older Texans enrolled in AMOB/VLL during a two-year period, and assessed at baseline and post-intervention. Results indicate that participants significantly increased falls efficacy, reduced activity interference due to their health, and … more
Date: December 2011
Creator: Ewing, Charles W.
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Predictors Of Physical Activity Participation In The Older Foreign-born Population In The United States: Data From The National Health Interview Survey (Nhis) 2002-2009

Description: Promoting physical activity in older adults is an important part of healthy aging. With an increasing older foreign-born population in the United States, there is limited information on physical activity participation in this group and even less for those experiencing difficulties in physical functioning and chronic illnesses. The primary objective of the study was to determine how physical factors, psychological issues, chronic illnesses, pain symptoms, perceived health status, and number of y… more
Date: December 2011
Creator: Junrith, Kittiwan
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Senior Graduating Nursing Students: Career Choices in Gerontological Nursing in Response to Expanding Geriatric Population

Description: Access to healthcare is needed and wanted by people of all ages and especially by those of the older population. The number of people in the 65 years of age and older population is rapidly growing with their needs expected to have a significant impact on the existing healthcare system and healthcare providers. The impact will be critical given the severe shortage of healthcare providers, especially of nurses and the rate of services being more often provided in non-hospital settings. The obje… more
Date: December 2011
Creator: Anders, Judith E.
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Effect of Age on Likelihood to Test for Hiv

Description: HIV/AIDS can affect individuals of any age. Efforts to educate those considered to be most at-risk, based on the age at which the most individuals are infected, are ongoing and public. Less work and mainstream education outreach, however, is being directed at an older population, who can be more likely to contract HIV, is more susceptible to the effects of HIV, and more likely to develop AIDS, than younger persons. Guided by the Health Belief Model theory, research was conducted to determine wh… more
Date: May 2012
Creator: Dreyer, Katherine
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Proposed Therapeutic Art to Diminish Agitation in Elder Care

Description: This research study examines the decreased agitation level utilizing nonpharmacological therapeutic interventions in dementia patients, age 65 and older. The study examined the following question: Will a therapeutic art program diminish agitated behaviors in persons diagnosed with dementia, aged 65 and older? In this quasi-experimental research design, the sample consisted of 19 participants in 3 groups, selected using these criteria: must be receiving services from a long term care facility, b… more
Date: May 2012
Creator: Curington, Bonnie Dearen
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Caregiver Perceptions of Wandering Behavior in the Adrd (Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias) Patient

Description: The dissertation examined family caregivers’ perceptions of wandering behavior after their loved one has been diagnosed with ADRD (Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias). Semi-structured in-depth face-to-face interviews of a convenience sample of 22 caregivers in the Dallas metropolitan area were conducted. Responses were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. The use of qualitative methods facilitated the study of how caregivers of a loved one with ADRD understood and explained in t… more
Date: August 2012
Creator: Dickson, Patricia
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Working Baby Boomers’ Knowledge of Retiree Health Benefits and Costs

Description: This study was exploratory in nature, with the purpose of examining the relationships between working Baby Boomers’ knowledge of retirement health benefits and health costs and actions they have taken to prepare for retirement. An online survey was completed by 209 Baby Boomers who are employed by three city governments in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The research showed that health benefits knowledge does not predict retirement preparation but that Baby Boomers who demonstrate higher level… more
Date: August 2012
Creator: Henning, Janet L.
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

An Exploratory Study of the Comprehension, Retention and Action of the Denton County Older Population in Regards to Disaster Preparedness Education

Description: The purpose of this exploratory study was to operationalize the responses from a sample of the community dwelling older population from Denton County, Texas on disaster preparedness education given by Denton County Health Department (DCHD) personnel. The goals and objectives were drawn from the Texas Public Health and Medical Emergency Management 5-Year Strategic Plan 2012-2016. It was hypothesized that after the disaster preparedness education was received, then comprehension, retention, and … more
Date: December 2012
Creator: Knight, Rebekah P.
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Predictors of Quality of Life (Qol): Comparing Baby Boomers, Older Adults, and Younger Adults Using Data From the 2010 National Health Interview Survey

Description: The purpose of this study was to identify factors that predict quality of life (QOL) for aging adults and to examine and compare Baby Boomers', Older Adults' and Younger Adults' responses to the 2010 National Health Interview Survey/QOL Functioning and Disability. Significant findings included several significant values based on the multivariate regression to estimate a model to predict QOL. In particular, being male, four ethnicities other than white, being older than Boomer, age in 10 years, … more
Date: December 2012
Creator: Bryce, Helen Roult
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Determinants of the Applications to the Institutional Care in Turkey: Darulaceze Example

Description: Although institutional care has started to be outmoded in the developed countries with development of different models of care, it still has a considerable place in the developing countries such as Turkey. This is because, changes in the demographic structure, extended family, and urban development of Turkey has brought about several aging problems leading older adults to end up in institutions. Loneliness was one of the significant reasons given in the Social Inquiry Survey of Applicants of … more
Date: May 2013
Creator: Esendemir, Serif
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Evaluation of Law Enforcement and the Court System in Texas: Perspectives of Adult Protective Services Case Managers

Description: The purpose of this study was to examine perceptions of Texas Adult Protective Services (APS) case managers (CM) in regard to their relationships with the law enforcement community and area courts. The sample consisted of 138 Texas APS CMs. The survey measured respondents' perceived strengths and weaknesses of their relationships with both the law enforcement community and with area courts. Items also included respondents' interest in receiving additional training and their perceptions of level… more
Date: May 2013
Creator: Weaver, Matthew S.
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Homeless Predictors in the Older Adult Population

Description: This secondary research study uses data from two convenience samples of homeless persons in Central Arkansas collected during 2004 and 2011 Point in Time Counts. The prevalence of predictors of homelessness are compared across years, and also compared by age (<50 and > 50) controlling for year of survey. The number of older adults increased significantly between 2004 and 2011 surveys, and reporting serious mental illness and veteran status significantly decreased from 2004 to 2011. Age differe… more
Date: May 2013
Creator: Lewallen, Jina P.
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Internet Health Information and Patient-health Professional Relationship

Description: The purpose of this study was to investigate patient use and presentation of Internet health information and its effect on patient-health professional relationship from a sample of residents at active adult communities in Texas. Five sites were used to recruit the 260 participants between November 2012 and January 2013. The data were received using a self-administered survey. Using Cronbach’s alpha, logistic regression and regression analysis through SAS, the data revealed that older respond… more
Date: August 2013
Creator: Williams, TimMarie Chloe’ Uvonne
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Churches, Social Service Access and Korean-american Elders: an Exploratory Study

Description: This study examined how Korean co-ethnic churches serve as connections between Korean seniors and the agencies that offer social and health care services. The study developed from a pilot outreach program funded by the North Central Texas Council of Governments’ Area Agency on Aging (NCTAAA) to inform Korean seniors about Medicare-related programs between February and May of 2011. The results of the pilot program suggested that the Korean-American church can be an effective place for program ou… more
Date: December 2013
Creator: Kim, Eunkyung
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Long Distance International Caregiving to Elderly Parents Left Behind: a Case of Nigerian Adult Children Immigrants in Usa

Description: The intent of this qualitative, grounded theory study was to understand why the Nigerian (Igbo) adult immigrants in the United States provide long distance international caregiving to their elderly parents left behind in Nigeria, the challenges they encounter, and their views on long-term service care. This study was grounded in semi-structured interviews of 20 Igbo adult immigrants residing in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metropolis. Analysis of the literature demonstrates a lack of existent topic on… more
Date: December 2013
Creator: Okoro, Onyekachi
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Witchcraft: a Targeted Societal Discrimination Against Women in Northern Ghana

Description: A combination of aging and poverty is becoming dominant in African society today, at a time when African countries are expected to be recovering from poverty, and are projected to house the economic growth of the next century. The emergence of aging in African context and the aging of the world population will expose the weakness of the current mechanisms used for older people around the world. As economies grow around the world, the distribution gap between the affluent and the poor widens, … more
Date: December 2013
Creator: Atumah, Oscar Nwagbo
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Disaster Experience and Self-efficacy As Factors Influencing Emergency Planning in Community-dwelling Older Adults

Description: This study design was to identify and examine how disaster experience, self-efficacy, and demographic factors influence disaster preparedness in community-dwelling older adults. Current data indicates the United States is rapidly aging. Parallel to this significant increase among the elderly population, natural disasters are more prevalent. Consequently, older adults are affected adversely by these disasters and exposure to social vulnerabilities during the disaster cycle. For the purpose of… more
Date: August 2014
Creator: Symonette, Erika
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Chronic Homelessness and the Aging Population: Findings in a Homeless Sample from Arkansas

Description: Understanding underlying mechanisms and pathways that lead to chronic homelessness would help develop intervention strategies that could help prevent subsequent episodes of homelessness. Quantitative data for this cross-sectional study was gathered by interviewing individuals who were homeless in the State of Arkansas, using a structured survey between 2007 and 2011. Qualitative data was gathered using semi-structured interviews between 2016 and 2018. Chi-square statistics and a multivariate lo… more
Date: December 2018
Creator: Chekuri, Lakshminarayana
Partner: UNT Libraries
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