Matching Items (16)
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- All Subjects: Health
- Creators: School of International Letters and Cultures
- Creators: Levinson, Simin
- Member of: Theses and Dissertations
- Resource Type: Text
Description
This project studies trends in the corporate wellness sphere and what companies are currently doing to promote wellness among their employees. It outlines several key studies on diabetes and obesity and shows the economic impact these lifestyle diseases have on the healthcare system. It also covers how the Affordable Care Act is supporting preventative behavior, how companies are promoting wellness, and the long-term benefits of doing so. It examines the effectiveness of current corporate wellness programs, highlights best practices, and identifies areas for improvement. These findings are used to propose a realistic, holistic corporate wellness plan that will promote wellness among employees and reduce a companies' long-term healthcare costs.
ContributorsRobottom, Danielle P. (Author) / Hall, Rick (Thesis director) / Levinson, Simin (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
Because children do not have the same decision-making powers as adults in matters affecting their health, their opinions have often been underrepresented in research (Bradding & Horstman, 1999). However, there is growing interest in the way that children view health because this knowledge elicits the development of more child-centered and effective approaches to health education and intervention (Bradding & Horstman, 1999). Professionals have often utilized the write-and-draw technique in school settings to gain a better understanding of how to best implement health education programs. The "bottom-up" approach of the write-and-draw method encourages participation and has been shown to elicit thoughtful responses about how children conceptualize health (Pridmore & Bendelow, 1995). This study uses the write-and-draw method to perform a cross- cultural comparison of child perspectives of health in the United States and Guatemala, countries that represent contrasting paradigms for child health. The results of this study are consistent with previous research, especially the emergent health themes. Children from the United States and Guatemala predominantly depicted health in terms of food. Guatemalan students were more likely to refer to hygienic practices and environmental conditions, while US children mentioned vegetables, water, and exercise as being healthy. For the unhealthy category, themes of poor hygiene, chips, fat/grease, fruit, carbohydrates, and environment were mentioned more often in Guatemala, while U.S. students listed sweets and fast food more frequently. Results support claims made in other literature that children's concepts of health are shaped by life experience and social context. Potential applications of the research include exposing areas (themes) where children are less likely to understand health implications and developing educational curriculum to increase a more comprehensive understanding of health.
ContributorsRenslow, Jillian Marie (Author) / Maupin, Jonathan (Thesis director) / BurnSilver, Shauna (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Human Evolution and Social Change (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
This project studies trends in the corporate wellness sphere and what companies are currently doing to promote wellness among their employees. It outlines several key studies on diabetes and obesity and shows the economic impact these lifestyle diseases have on the healthcare system. It also covers how the Affordable Care Act is supporting preventative behavior, how companies are promoting wellness, and the long-term benefits of doing so. It examines the effectiveness of current corporate wellness programs, highlights best practices, and identifies areas for improvement. These findings are used to propose a realistic, holistic corporate wellness plan that will promote wellness among employees and reduce a companies' long-term healthcare costs.
ContributorsRobottom, Danielle P. (Author) / Hall, Rick (Thesis director) / Levinson, Simin (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
Short-term medical volunteer work via a nongovernmental organization is a popular tool for students in the health care field to gain experience, while further providing communities that normally lack health care options the opportunity to receive free care. One such organization, VIDA Volunteer Travel, has been successful in implementing this model in Central America. However, organizations of this form have not been evaluated for effectiveness or improvement. This exploratory study examines the effectiveness of VIDA based on six qualifying characteristics that make up a successful NGO. The researcher conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 21 individuals, including VIDA staff members in Costa Rica and Nicaragua, health professionals working for VIDA, local community leaders, and volunteers participating in VIDA's programs. Summaries and quotes of these interviews were uploaded and analysed using Atlas.ti to identify common words and themes from the interviews. Informants frequently identified the organization as sustainable, both from a fiscal and ecological standpoint. The organization also successfully managed volunteers, although post-trip follow-up was lacking. Adherence to the mission statement and distribution of supplies allowed for improved organization and successful structure of the organization. Education and health promotion was also emphasized, although implementation of this education into the communities was lacking. Collaboration with the community and volunteers allowed for stringent, successful treatment to be given to patients, and ethical guidelines set up by the organization allowed for self-governance and improvement of the NGO. This study suggests future research opportunities for the organization, to evaluate its own impact and opportunities for improvement. Furthermore, suggestions are addressed that allow the organization to improve upon its well-implemented infrastructure, and allow for future organizations to use VIDA as a model for improvement.
ContributorsPearson, Presley Kyle (Author) / Yoshioka, Carlton (Thesis director) / Wang, Lili (Committee member) / Larsen, Dale (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor)
Created2013-05
Description
Regenerative medicine is a relatively new area of interest among researchers and physicians alike and has truly come to light within the last twenty years. Its purpose is to “regenerate” cells in our body to return tissue and organs systems to their normal functions by utilizing innate cell mechanisms. Uses have ranged from growing completely new body tissue in labs, to promoting the repair of damaged neurons. More recently, the use of regenerative medicine techniques such as stem cell and platelet rich plasma therapy has seen significant growth throughout high level and professional sports. Beginning in the early 2000s, treatments quickly gained popularity as professional athletes began using them as an alternative to surgery, but this came before any concrete scientific support. This thesis paper will analyze the current statistical data supporting the use of platelet rich plasma and stem cell therapy and associated regulations to describe the connection between regenerative medicine and sports.
ContributorsFritzke, Jack Teodor (Author) / Washo-Krupps, Delon (Thesis director) / Foster, William (Committee member) / Levinson, Simin (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
Attending a university is a stressful transition for many students leaving their respective support systems. Many universities attempt to mitigate this stress by offering numerous campus resources such as, tutoring services, counseling services, and health services. However, research has shown that many of these resources are under utilized by the general student population because of barriers that include student perception, awareness, and access. Being able to understand these barriers that lead to the under utilization of campus resources can assist with creating resources that are more visible, engaging, and attractive to student populations on many campuses. The question being asked is: how to create an engaging health resource that is attractive, visible, and accessible to students?
Based on research analyzed on the barriers between students and campus resources, the optimization of student outreach, and marketing strategies directed towards students, the creation of a student-led campus health resource followed. Analysis of this research showcased that the medium in which students resources were promoted, and the framework of the resource have an impact on students' awareness of the resource, attractiveness of the student resource, and student resource engagement. Based on these analyses and results, the creation of HealthU occurred to provide a visible, engaging, and attractive student resource to the Arizona State University student body.
Based on research analyzed on the barriers between students and campus resources, the optimization of student outreach, and marketing strategies directed towards students, the creation of a student-led campus health resource followed. Analysis of this research showcased that the medium in which students resources were promoted, and the framework of the resource have an impact on students' awareness of the resource, attractiveness of the student resource, and student resource engagement. Based on these analyses and results, the creation of HealthU occurred to provide a visible, engaging, and attractive student resource to the Arizona State University student body.
ContributorsAlcazar, Ivan (Co-author) / Mora, Leslie (Co-author) / Freeman, Javon (Co-author) / Byrne, Jared (Thesis director) / Sebold, Brent (Committee member) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
Ecological modeling can be used to analyze health risk behaviors and their relationship to ecological factors, which is useful in determining how social environmental factors influence an individual’s decisions. Environmental interactions shape the way that humans behave throughout the day, either through observation, action, or consequences. Specifically, health risk behaviors can be analyzed in relation to ecological factors. Alcohol drinking among college students has been a long concern and there are many risks associated with these behaviors in this population. Consistent engagement in health risk behaviors as a college student, such as drinking and smoking, can pose a much larger issues later in life and can lead to many different health problems. A research study was conducted in the form of a 27 question survey to determine and evaluate the impact of ecological factors on drinking and smoking behaviors among Arizona State University students. Ecological factors such as demographics, living conditions, contexts of social interactions, and places where students spend most of their time were used to evaluate the relationship between drinking and smoking behaviors and the ecological factors, both on- and off- campus. The sample size of this study is 541 students. Statistical tests were conducted using Excel and RStudio to find relationships between patterns of health risk behaviors and various ecological factors. The data from the survey was analyzed to address three main questions. The first question analyzed drinking behaviors in relation to demographics, specifically gender and race. The second question assessed drinking behaviors with participation in Greek life and clubs on campus. The third question evaluated the relationship between health risk behaviors and students’ living conditions, such as living on or off campus. The results show that while gender does not have a statistically significant influence on drinking behaviors, race does. White individuals are more likely to engage in drinking behaviors and are more at risk than non-whites. Participation in Greek life was shown to be statistically significant in determining health risk behaviors, while involvement in clubs was not. Finally, on campus students are less likely to engage in health risk behaviors than off-campus students.
ContributorsWerbick, Meghan Lindsay (Co-author) / Andrade, Amber (Co-author) / Naik, Sparshee (Co-author) / Mubayi, Anuj (Thesis director) / Gaughan, Monica (Committee member) / School of Human Evolution & Social Change (Contributor, Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor, Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
This study aims to explore the prevalence of smartphone, smartwatch, and fitness tracker ownership among college students, and compare the popularity of each device in tracking health-related habits such as physical activity, eating, and sleep. In addition, this study aims to analyze the effectiveness of each device for achieving personal health goals in all three categories. Research for this study was conducted using an Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved survey that was distributed electronically to various Greek and student organizations around Arizona State University campuses. In total, 183 responses were considered, with participants ranging from ages 18 to 23. Participants were required to own or possess a smartphone to be eligible to complete the survey. After seven days of data collection, the results were then analyzed using Qualtrics. The results revealed that smartwatch and fitness tracker ownership is not prevalent within the Arizona State University demographic. In addition, after comparing device popularity across each habit-tracking category, it is apparent that the smartphone is the most used device for tracking. Finally, when looking at device effectiveness in relation to achieving health goals, smartwatches consistently scored higher than smartphones. Supplemental research should be conducted to further explore the prevalence and effectiveness of habit tracking. This research should include a larger sample size and a more evenly spread gender demographic.
ContributorsMeyer, Allison Hope (Author) / Levinson, Simin (Thesis director) / Carr, Natasha (Committee member) / Industrial, Systems & Operations Engineering Prgm (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
This creative project seeks to demonstrate the nutritional and financial benefits of cooking in versus eating out to college age students. We sought to determine what factors significantly differentiated restaurant meals versus home-cooked versions, and how we could share this information with our peers to potentially influence them to make a healthy lifestyle change. The first step was to determine the factors that influence college-aged students eating habits, and was presented with a review of relevant literature in several topics. We researched food literacy in young adults, the impact of fast food, social media's role in healthy eating habits, health behavior change in young adults, and the benefits of home cooking to obtain a general baseline of the knowledge of college-aged students. The initial research was utilized to write more effective blog posts that appropriately addressed our targeted demographic and to determine what platforms would be most appropriate to convey our information. These ideas were taken and then translated into a blog and Instagram account that contained healthy, copycat recipes of popular restaurant meals. We wrote 30 blog posts which were made up of 20 original recipes, 8 nutrition informational posts, and an introduction/conclusion. Finally, a focus group was hosted to ascertain the opinions of our peers, and to determine if they would be willing to make a lifestyle change in the form of cooking more frequently as opposed to eating out regularly. We provided them with a pre and post survey to gather their opinions before and after reviewing the findings of our research and project. We concluded that if given the information in an accessible way, college students are willing to eat in, not out.
ContributorsKirch, Jayme Elizabeth (Co-author) / Sanford, Victoria (Co-author) / Lehmann, Jessica (Thesis director) / Martinelli, Sarah (Committee member) / Levinson, Simin (Committee member) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / School of Human Evolution and Social Change (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
According to the CDC, diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the U.S. and rates are continuing to rise nationally and internationally. Chronically elevated blood glucose levels can lead to type 2 diabetes and other complications. Medications can be used to treat diabetes, but often have side effects. Lifestyle and diet modifications can be just as effective as medications in helping to improve glycemic control, and prevent diabetes or improve the condition in those who have it. Studies have demonstrated that consuming vinegar with carbohydrates can positively impact postprandial glycemia in diabetic and healthy individuals. Continuous vinegar intake with meals may even reduce fasting blood glucose levels. Since vinegar is a primary ingredient in mustard, the purpose of this study was to determine if mustard consumption with a carbohydrate-rich meal (bagel and fruit juice) had an effect on the postprandial blood glucose levels of subjects. The results showed that mustard improved glycemia by 17% when subjects consumed the meal with mustard as opposed to the control. A wide variety of vinegars exists. The defining ingredient in all vinegars is acetic acid, behind the improvement in glycemic response observed with vinegar ingestion. Vinegar-containing foods range from mustard, to vinaigrette dressings, to pickled foods. The benefits of vinegar ingestion with carbohydrates are dose-dependent, meaning that adding even small amounts to meals can help. Making a conscious effort to incorporate these foods into meals, in addition to an overall healthy lifestyle, could provide an additional tool for diabetics and nondiabetics alike to consume carbohydrates in a healthier manner.
ContributorsJimenez, Gabriela (Author) / Johnston, Carol (Thesis director) / Lespron, Christy (Committee member) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05