Theses/Dissertations - Public Health
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/2104/11078
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Browsing Theses/Dissertations - Public Health by Author "Ylitalo, Kelly R."
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Item Assessing physical activity behaviors among patients in a federally qualified health center (FQHC) : implications for physician-based physical activity counseling.(2020-04-08) Gutierrez, Mariela Alejandra, 1994-; Ylitalo, Kelly R.Physical activity (PA) is beneficial for overall health. However, the high prevalence of physical inactivity is concerning. Race/ethnic minority groups, such as Blacks and Hispanics, report significantly lower levels of PA. Behavior change theories, such as the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), can help understand PA behavior adoption and maintenance. Assessing the relationship between SCT constructs and PA among diverse patient populations can help improve physician-based PA counseling, a primary care initiative to increase PA levels. This study assessed SCT constructs and the self-reported PA of a sample of federally-qualified health center patients. Self-efficacy and self-regulation of PA behavior were the most significant SCT constructs associated with PA behavior among patients. Physician-based PA counseling should incorporate strategies to increase self-efficacy and self-regulation. Moreover, the racial/ethnic differences of the associations between SCT constructs and PA suggest physician-based PA counseling programs should be tailored to the behavioral needs of diverse patient populations.Item Firefighters who died by suicide : an epidemiologic study of suicide means, sociodemographic and psychiatric risk factors, and other precipitating circumstances.(2020-04-03) Pennington, Michelle Lynn, 1991-; Ylitalo, Kelly R.Suicide is a significant and growing public health problem and it is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. Firefighters, in particular, are thought to be at high risk for suicide due to chronic workplace stress. In recent years, more firefighters have died from suicide than in the line of duty. The purpose of this thesis was to describe suicides among firefighters using national suicide death data in an effort to inform tailored suicide prevention and screening efforts among first responders with the goal of lowering suicide mortality among the fire service. Data from the National Violent Death Reporting System (2003 – 2017) for 722 firefighters and 192,430 non-firefighters was analyzed. Results show differences between sociodemographic, risk factor, and toxicological profiles of firefighter and non-firefighter decedents and that sociodemographic and risk factors among firefighters differ by suicide means.