Doctor of Healthcare Administration (D.H.A.), Franklin University, 2025, Health Programs

This study examined the impact of electronic prescription generation and transmission, patient access, and secure electronic messaging on health information exchange (HIE) utilization during healthcare transitions. Leveraging longitudinal data from the 2018 CMS EHR Incentive Program, this research tested hypotheses concerning the influence of these variables on HIE utilization using a quantitative method. Findings from logistic regression analyses indicated that electronic prescription practices (B = 2.265, OR = 9.628, p < .001) and patient electronic access capabilities (B = 1.108, OR = 3.027, p < .001) significantly increased HIE usage, aligning with previous studies that underscored the importance of digital prescription systems and patient empowerment in HIE enhancement. Additionally, secure electronic messaging showed a significant association with HIE utilization (χ²(1) = 126.982, p < .001), further reinforcing the role of secure communication in effective healthcare information exchange. A combined predictive model revealed that electronic prescriptions and patient electronic access drastically improved the likelihood of HIE adoption (B = 4.546, OR = 94.284, p < .001), highlighting a synergistic effect. These findings underscored the need for integrated technological frameworks within healthcare systems to optimize communication and care coordination, ultimately improving patient outcomes. The study advocated continued investment in digital health tools to strengthen HIE systems and enhance healthcare delivery.

Committee: Crissie Jameson (Committee Chair); Sunddip Aguilar (Committee Member); Alexander Akulli (Committee Member) Subjects: Health Care Management

MA, Kent State University, 2022, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Psychological Sciences

Prior time perspective research suggests being future-oriented has beneficial health implications. That research has focused primarily on prevention health behaviors and less so on detection health behaviors. Two studies in the context of dental hygiene examined the relationship between time perspective and health outcomes. Messages concerning plaque-preventing and plaque-detecting mouth rinses were designed and individuals were either randomly assigned to (Study 1) or viewed both (Study 2) messages. Time perspective was assessed via temporal orientation (Study 1) and consideration of future consequences (Study 2). Attitudes, intentions, and preferences for the mouth rinses were primary outcomes. Hypothesis 1 predicted time perspective would positively relate to outcomes and both studies provided some support for this hypothesis. Hypothesis 2 explored the interaction between time perspective and behavioral function (prevention vs. detection). A consistent interaction was found in Study 1 showing future-orientation was associated with more positive outcomes with the detective mouth rinse and present-orientation was associated with more positive outcomes with the preventive mouth rinse. Study 2 data did not support this interaction but did find information avoidance mediated the relationship between time perspective and preference between the mouth rinses; future-orientation led to less information avoidance, which in turn led to greater preference for the prevention mouth rinse and immediate-orientation led to greater information avoidance, which in turn led to greater preference for the detection mouth rinse. Inconsistent findings in the present work may be due to measurement differences of time perspective, differences in study designs, or the use of young adult samples. Even so, this work provides initial evidence that time perspective and behavioral function may create an interactive effect on health outcomes, and that information avoidance may explain this relat (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: John Updegraff (Advisor); Judith Gere (Committee Member); Jennifer Taber (Committee Member) Subjects: Health; Psychology; Social Psychology

PHD, Kent State University, 2024, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration

This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study aimed to investigate how undergraduate students' everyday texting experiences related to their social connectedness. This research was conducted through a quantitative survey and qualitative interviews. The quantitative phase involved a survey distributed to a sample of undergraduate students, assessing their texting frequency, demographic variables (age, gender, race/ethnicity, and living arrangements), and levels of social connectedness using the Social Connectedness Scale-Revised (SCS-R; Lee et al., 2001). The subsequent qualitative phase involved semi-structured interviews with a subset of participants selected based on their survey responses to gain deeper insights into their texting behaviors and perceptions of social connectedness. The study's findings indicated that while texting frequency significantly predicted social connectedness among undergraduate students, demographic variables do not show a substantial impact. Additionally, students' perceptions of texting as a tool for maintaining social connections varied, with some viewing it as a convenient means of communication and others finding it insufficient for meaningful interaction. Key motivations for using texting included convenience, immediacy, and the non-intrusive nature of asynchronous communication (Liu et al., 2014; Hall et al., 2018). Texting was generally viewed as less effective than face-to-face interactions for developing deeper social ties (Derks et al., 2008; Uhls et al., 2014). This study contributed to the limited research on digital communication and social connectedness among undergraduate students by highlighting the significant role of texting frequency in predicting social connectedness (Ehrenreich et al., 2019; Harley et al., 2007). It also underscored the need for educational institutions to develop programs that leveraged texting to enhance peer connections while promoting the balanced use of digital and face-to-face interaction (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Enrico Gandolfi (Committee Chair); Richard Ferdig (Committee Co-Chair); Frank Ryan (Committee Member) Subjects: Adult Education; Communication; Curricula; Curriculum Development; Education; Educational Technology; Instructional Design; Mass Media; Mental Health

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2020, Instructional Technology (Education)

This research study was inspired by the quest to use technological strategies to enhance maternal and child healthcare delivery in Kogi State. Given the technological innovation that the human race has witnessed in every sphere of life in the contemporary world, this study focuses on mobile text messaging as an aspect of that revolution that could improve maternal and child healthcare in Kogi State. With mobile phones commonplace among both rural and urban dwellers, the study looked at the possibility of using the device to construct culture-sensitive messages that would motivate pregnant women and new mothers to keep regular hospital appointments. The World Health Organization's (WHO) approval for the exploration of ehealth strategies in healthcare has become the incentive to governments and non-governmental organizations to leverage its offerings. This qualitative research study was undertaken within the contemplation of Creswell and Creswell's (2018) postulation that health science researchers begin with the theoretical framework of adoption of health practices for improved quality of life. Data were collected from community and religious leaders, maternal and child healthcare providers, as well as pregnant women and new mothers in the state. A thematic coding of data was adopted while textual analysis was used for data synthesis. Results show enthusiastic support of all participants for the strategy.

Committee: David Moore Professor (Committee Chair); Dwan Robinson Associate Professor (Committee Member); Greg Kessler Professor (Committee Member); Benjamin Bates Professor (Committee Member) Subjects: Health Education; Technology

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2018, Anthropology

African Americans have the highest rate of infant mortality in the U.S., making them the target of public health messaging emphasizing safe sleep practices. Problematic is the lack of data on sleeping arrangements of African American infants and reasons for parent's choices. In this thesis, I report results from 11 semi-structured interviews with African American mothers living in Columbus, Ohio neighborhoods with high infant mortality rates. I focused on two research questions: 1) in terms of infant sleep positions, why have African American mothers adopted their current practices 2) how do African American mothers perceive current public health safe sleep messaging. Using grounded theory and profile analysis to analyze the interview data, I identified four major themes regarding mothers' justifications for their infants' sleeping patterns. These were convenience, comfort, active sleeper, and child individuality. In terms of maternal perceptions of safe sleep messaging, I identified three major themes, which included modification, skepticism, and what women referred to as “of age”. Importantly, I learned that African American mothers' criteria for infant sleep positions were not easily integrated into the current public health messaging agenda. I suggest that addressing this disconnect is critical for the development of effective public health messaging aimed at reducing infant mortality.

Committee: Barbara Piperata (Advisor); Anna Willow (Committee Member); Douglas Crews (Committee Member) Subjects: Cultural Anthropology