Browsing by Subject "Quality of Life"

Now showing 1 - 10 of 10
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    All Wood Products Neighborhood Dispute Report
    (2004) Cornwall, Faith
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    Comparison of quality of life and health behaviors between melanoma survivors and controls
    (2016-01) Vogel, Rachel
    Unlike most cancer types, melanoma incidence has been increasing over the past 30 years in the United States. The unique characteristics of melanoma argue for research that captures the specific issues faced by melanoma survivors. Studies of long-term melanoma survivors are lacking, and the survivorship research to date has been limited by the inability to make comparisons with a population control group. The goal of this dissertation was to document the long-term effects of a melanoma diagnosis and treatment on survivors and compare their quality of life and health behaviors with population controls. First, a series of focus groups were conducted to describe the breadth of experiences among melanoma survivors, focusing on the experience at diagnosis, ongoing physical, emotional and social concerns, and behavioral changes since diagnosis (Manuscript 1). Based on these data, a comprehensive questionnaire to address the quality of life issues faced by melanoma survivors was designed and tested. Finally a cross-sectional study of melanoma survivors and population controls was conducted. The goal was to collect data to evaluate the impact of melanoma on long-term survivorship focusing on quality of life (Manuscript 2) and sun exposure and protection behaviors (Manuscript 3). A total of 592 melanoma survivors and 518 controls completed the survey. Results indicate that long-term survivors of melanoma reported similar general physical and emotional quality of life as controls. In addition, while they generally reported greater use of sun protection behaviors than controls, a significant subgroup experienced sunburn in the past year, putting them at elevated risk for future melanomas. The data presented in this dissertation suggest that long-term melanoma survivors reported similar quality of life as controls, though opportunities exist to improve their sun exposure and protection behaviors.
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    Financial Socialization from Chosen and Origin Families: Links to Resource Access and Quality of Life for LGBTQIA Adults
    (2022-12) Callaway, Kenzi
    Current literature has established that LGBTQ folks experience unique barriers to quality of life, and that support from both family of origin (FoO) and chosen family are associated with higher quality of life for LGBTQ folks. The unique relationships formed by LGBTQ persons (i.e., chosen families) can be a supplement to family of origin support, including financial support. Financial socialization and support (FSS) are highly associated with quality of life and reports of financial stability for adults in general. However, little is known about the relationship between financial health and quality of life of LGBTQ populations. This study investigated the relationships between financial socialization and support, sources of FSS, resources, and quality of life. Overall, this study aimed to assess how financial socialization and support related to quality of life in an LGBTQ-specific sample while centering the role of the unique support systems LGBTQ people create. LGBTQ adults with varying identities were recruited via Amazon MTurk (N=976). Results from multiple linear regression analysis reported that access to resources and source of financial support (family of origin, chosen family, and/or both) were significantly linked to scores of quality of life. Quality of financial socialization and support was linked to quality of life in this sample above and beyond all other variables. These findings suggest that the quality of financial socialization and support matters above and beyond source or number of sources of support. Implications for mental health and other support-centered practitioners include a more comprehensive understanding of financial health for LGBTQ persons specifically. These findings support other studies that found financial socialization and support to be instrumental in achieving financial and general quality of life.
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    Long-term Outcome of Patients with Persistent Pain Following Root Canal Treatment: The National Dental Practice-Based Research Network
    (2018-05) Hryvenko, Iryna
    About 10% of patients report persistent pain 6 months after root canal treatment (RCT). Little is known about the longer-term outcomes of such patients, their additional care, or factors associated with chronification of their persistent pain. We aimed to measure the longer-term outcomes of patients found to have persistent pain at 6 months and assess for characteristics that differed among patients whose persistent pain continued at 3-years post-RCT versus those whose pain resolved. Finally, we explored long-term pain outcomes of the available specific diagnoses that had been derived for the persistent pain at 6 months after RCT. Forty-five patients previously found to have persistent pain 6 months following RCT from the National Dental Practice Based Research Network were approached for a 3-year follow-up, and 27 participated (60%) in the survey. Frequency of self-reported pain (occurring ≥1day(s) in the past month with an average intensity of ≥1/10), its impact on the ability to carry out daily activities, and additional utilization of healthcare were measured. Differences in patient-, pain-, tooth-, dentist-related characteristics were assessed between those patients who continued to experience persistent pain and those whose pain resolved by the 3-year follow-up. Pain outcomes were also assessed in the light of the specific diagnoses derived for the persistent pain by a board-certified endodontist and an orofacial pain practitioner at 65±41 days (~8 months) post-RCT using the data available from the nested study on patients in Midwest region. Five (19%) patients met criteria for pain at 3.4 years (range: 3.1-3.9) post-RCT, which was moderate in intensity, occurred for about 3 days in the preceding month, and for only one patient, kept them from usual activities and work. Patients whose persistent pain resolved since 6-month follow-up received similar amounts of additional care within each follow-up time window as those whose pain continued. Yet, cumulatively over the 3 years, 4/5 (80%) patients whose pain continued received dental care with no reduction in average pain intensity. Longer duration of pre-operative pain and higher intensity and interference of persistent pain at 6 months were found among patients with pain chronification. Specific diagnoses for the persistent pain at 6 months after RCT were available for 15/27 (56%) patients and included odontogenic (6), temporomandibular disorder (TMD) (5), mixed odontogenic-TMD (1), persistent dento-alveolar pain disorder (1), and pain-free by the time of evaluation (2). Ten (77%) out of the 13 examined patients improved over the 3 years regardless of the diagnosis or treatment. Eleven (85%) of them had TMD and/or headache either as co-morbid unrelated diagnoses (6, 46%) or the causes (6, 46%) of the persistent tooth pain. Chronicity of persistent pain at 3 years post-RCT was infrequent. Most patients improved without additional treatments, and those who received additional care did not necessarily have reduced pain. Our preliminary study indicates that chronification of pain may be associated with characteristics previously identified to be related to chronification of pain. Patients presenting for initial RCT and suffering persistent pain after it might need to be carefully evaluated and managed for various orofacial pain conditions mimicking or co-existing with odontogenic pain to improve short- and long-term treatment outcomes.
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    ReMix Project: Juxtaposition Arts
    (2007) Bell, Joyce
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    The Role Of Values In Decision-Making Of Small, Vegetable Farmers In The Minneapolis-St. Paul Foodshed
    (2018-05) Ambrose, Graham
    In a simplified and often romanticized view of agriculture, many consumers may think small, vegetable farmers are a straight forward group—persons in rural areas seem similar in nature through planting, growing, harvesting, and selling their produce. In reality, the farmers making up the small, vegetable farming community are complex and diverse. For example the farmers who participated in this study have identities as business-minded farmers who use social networks as a means of gaining skills and business connections, farmers who rely heavily on close-knit family groups and see farming purely as a job, farmers who fell in love with the humbling work of farming and see it as a connection to a higher cause, and generational farmers who see farming as a way to change the food system. Layered underneath each of these typologies is a complexity of forces driving small, vegetable farmers to farm. These dynamics forces influence how individuals evolve as farmers and interact with policies. This paper uses a mixed methods approach to better understand the values of small, vegetable farmers serving Minneapolis. With the goals of Homegrown Minneapolis, the food policy council for Minneapolis, in mind this paper aims to give better insight to decision-makers. By better understand the perceived pathway for change rooted in farmers’ perception of quality of life, epistemology, and perceived barriers, policy makers are better be able to create targeted polices and, in turn, reach the key goals outlined by Homegrown Minneapolis.
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