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- Creators: Barrett, The Honors College
- Creators: Division of Teacher Preparation
Pediatric obesity is associated with lower quality of life (QOL) and populations with high obesity rates, such as Latinos, are especially vulnerable. We examined the effects of a 12-week diabetes prevention program on changes in weight-specific QOL in Latino youth.
Method:
Fifteen obese Latino adolescents (BMI%=96.3±1.1;age=15.0±1.0) completed a 12-week intervention. Youth completed weight-specific QOL measures at baseline, post intervention, and 1-year follow-up. For comparison purposes, intervention youth were matched for age and gender with lean controls.
Results:
At baseline, obese youth exhibited significantly lower weight-specific QOL compared with lean youth (70.8±5.4 to 91.2±2.2, p<0.005). The intervention did not significantly impact weight (90.6±6.8 to 89.9±7.2kg, p=0.44). However, significant increases in weight-specific QOL were observed (70.8±20.9 to 86.2±16.9, p<0.001). Post-intervention QOL scores were no longer significantly different than lean controls (P=0.692). Data from nine youth who returned for follow-up indicated that increases in weight-specific QOL were maintained over time (90.5±4.5 to 85.8±5.9, p=0.74).
Conclusion:
These results indicate that a community-based diabetes prevention program can result in sustained improvements in weight-specific QOL among obese Latino youth. Lifestyle interventions that focus on social interaction and physical activity, rather than weight-loss per se, may help improve the psychosocial health of obese Latino youth.
Brave Bears was a Barrett creative project that operated under local non-profit organizations, Amanda Hope Rainbow Angels and Arizona Women’s Recovery Center. Amanda Hope Rainbow Angels provides support and education for children fighting cancer and their families. Arizona Women’s Recovery Center provides rehabilitation programs for women fighting substance abuse and housing for the women and their children. The Brave Bears Project was focused on helping children in these situations cope with the trauma they are experiencing. The children received a teddy bear, which is a transitional object. In addition, a clay pendant with the word, “brave” pressed into it was tied around the bear’s neck with a ribbon. A poem of explanation and encouragement was also included.<br/><br/>The teddy bear provided comfort to children experiencing emotionally distressing situations as they receive treatment for their illness or as their mom undergoes rehabilitation. This can be in the form of holding the teddy bear when they feel frightened, anxious, lonely or depressed. The “brave” pendant and poem seek to encourage them and acknowledge their trauma and ability to persevere.
Eat Drink Smoke is an illustrated journal/memoir about trauma, addiction and mental illness. It is a creative project wherein storytelling is used as therapy.
The purpose of this study is to collect baseline internal and external pressure data for the three most commonly used pelvic circumferential compression devices (PCCD). Unstable pelvic fractures as a result of automobile accidents, falls, and other traumatic injuries mortality rate [3]. Early use of pelvic circumferential compression devices can mitigate fatal outcomes [4]-[5]. Prolonged eternal pressure above 9.3kPa can result in long-term soft tissue damage and pressure ulcers [7]. This study hypothesizes that the application of the three most commonly used PCCDs would result in the same mean maximum point pressure exertion. To study this, internal and external, both analog and digital, pressure apparati were used to collect data. The results of this data collection demonstrate a discrepancy in the pressure distribution between right and left greater trochanters within each PCCD. Additionally, the results suggest there is an effect of internal packing on the pressure exertion externally at the two greater trochanters within each PCCD. Lastly, the differences in pressure exertion between each PCCD, internally and externally, were inconclusive as some compared metrics resulted in statistically significant results while others did not. The methodologies employed in this study can be improved through fixation of pressure collection instruments, utilization of digital pressure mats, and removal of confounding factors. The results of this study indicate that digitized, discrete data over a fixed time interval may be clinically useful, suggesting that a digital data collection would yield more reliable data. Additionally, internally mounted pressure sensor data will provide more precise results than the analog method employed herein, as well as provide insight towards bone reduction and displacement following the application of PCCDs. Finally, the information gathered from this study can be utilized to improve upon existing technologies to create a more innovative solution.