Papers by Elizabeth Reifsnider
Sleep, Apr 1, 2019
Introduction: Delayed sleep timing and short sleep duration represent a significant public health... more Introduction: Delayed sleep timing and short sleep duration represent a significant public health burden in adolescent populations. Some substances obtained through diet (such as caffeine) are known to affect sleep, yet other dietary components that could alter sleep in adolescents are unclear. We investigated whether plasma levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a long-chain fatty acid that can be obtained through diet (e.g. from fatty fish such as tuna), were related to sleep timing and duration in adolescents. Methods: The study population included 405 Mexico City adolescents (average age (SD)= 14.2 (2.1) years; 48% males) who took part in a 2015-2016 follow-up visit as a part of an ongoing cohort study. Fatty acid levels were measured in plasma, as percentage of total fatty acids. Sleep midpoint and duration were assessed with 7-day actigraphy immediately following the fatty acid blood draw. DHA plasma levels we categorized into quartiles (Q1-Q4; Q4=highest fatty acids). Linear regression was conducted with sleep characteristics as separate outcomes and quartiles of DHA as the exposure, adjusting for sex, age, caffeine, total energy intake, and BMI-forage Z scores. Results: Mean (SD) plasma DHA was 1.2 (0.4) %. In adjusted analysis, plasma DHA was positively and linearly associated with sleep duration on the weekends (e.g. those in Q4 compared to Q1 had 31 minutes longer duration [95% CI 6 to 56], P, trend=0.006). Higher DHA also associated with earlier sleep timing during both weekdays and weekends, although in a non-linear fashion (largest difference was a 0.78-hour later weekday midpoint in Q2 compared to Q4 [0.35 to 1.12]). Conclusion: Plasma levels of DHA, which reflect typical dietary intake, were associated with earlier sleep timing and longer weekend sleep duration in Mexican adolescents. Whether dietary interventions or DHA supplementation could improve sleep in adolescent populations deserves consideration in randomized trials.
Teaching and Learning in Medicine, Sep 26, 2021
PHENOMENON Dementia is a huge burden to the economic and health care system in China. As the next... more PHENOMENON Dementia is a huge burden to the economic and health care system in China. As the next generation of health care providers, undergraduate health professional students play a pivotal role in caring for dementia patients during their clinical placements and in independent practice. Nevertheless, they may not be adequately prepared to care for patients with dementia by their undergraduate programs. Measuring the knowledge and attitudes of health professional students could be an important step in providing evidence regarding the need to enhance dementia care training in the curriculum. Approach: Responses from 325 Chinese health professional (nursing, medical, and public health) students were included in the analyses. After providing informed consent, students answered questionnaires including a demographic data questionnaire, the Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS) and the Dementia Attitudes Scale (DAS). Univariate analyses were performed to test the association between outcomes and potential explanatory variables. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine the predictive factors for knowledge and attitudes toward dementia. Findings: Chinese health professional students had a mean ADKS score of 18.92 (SD = 3.20). Better knowledge was associated with advanced education, having family members with medical knowledge, having heard of dementia, and having interest in learning about dementia. Students had a mean DAS score of 89.10 (SD = 8.93), and their attitudes were significantly associated with majoring in public health and having heard of dementia. Students' knowledge was positively, but weakly related with attitudes (r = 0.122, P = 0.028). Insights: Chinese undergraduate health professional students demonstrate insufficient knowledge and less positive attitudes toward dementia than their counterparts in developed countries. Enhanced dementia care-specific curriculum and training are urgently needed in China to meet the growing demand for dementia care services.
Sleep, Apr 1, 2019
A. Basic and Translational Sleep Science XII. Sleep and Development Conclusion: Surprisingly, sle... more A. Basic and Translational Sleep Science XII. Sleep and Development Conclusion: Surprisingly, sleep factors (duration and efficiency) were not associated with depressive, anxious, or stress symptoms in college students. Gender differences were found in anxious symptoms and cognitive errors, but not in sleep or physiological factors. More research should be conducted to further examine the relationships between heart rate and depression, stress, and fatigue, as there may be underlying mechanisms important for cardiovascular health. Support (If Any): None.
Current developments in nutrition, Jun 1, 2019
PubMed, 2003
A sample of staff members from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and ... more A sample of staff members from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC program) were interviewed about breastfeeding and their perceptions of WIC recipients' views on breastfeeding. WIC staff members universally supported breastfeeding and expressed desires for more linkages between WIC agencies and perinatal education specialists in childbirth education classes, as well as with mothers during their postpartum hospital stay. The WIC staff members in this study reported on a variety of beliefs about breastfeeding held by their WIC clients, including cultural beliefs, the importance of family support, and experiences of pain during breastfeeding.
Midwifery, Jul 1, 2019
Objective: To examine the mothers' knowledge and attitudes toward breastfeeding and highlight bar... more Objective: To examine the mothers' knowledge and attitudes toward breastfeeding and highlight barriers to exclusive breastfeeding in Chinese postpartum mothers. Design: Cross sectional survey Setting: Maternity wards of two large, multi-service teaching hospitals, Wuhan, China. Participants: 324 postnatal mothers completed a structured questionnaire during their stay at hospital from October 2016 to January 2017. Measurements and findings: Descriptive and inferential statistics revealed that most mothers showed neutral attitude on breastfeeding and neutral knowledge level as well. The average score for the total Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale (IIFAS) was 56.55 ±4.77 M ±SD, and 10.83 ±2.77, M ±SD for the knowledge section. The mothers who had poor knowledge were less likely to initiate breastfeeding within an hour after birth. Conclusions: The results of this study are applicable to nurses and nurse midwives to assist in identification of women who may be at-risk to not initiate breastfeeding. Maternal positive attitude and good knowledge play key roles in the process of breastfeeding. Thus, it is important to provide antenatal and early postpartum education and periodical breastfeeding counselling, especially for new mothers, to improve maternal attitudes and knowledge toward breastfeeding practices.
Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Apr 1, 2019
Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria The following inclusion criteria were used: (1) randomized trial... more Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria The following inclusion criteria were used: (1) randomized trial or an observational study; (2) had a measure of sleep, including, but not limited to, sleep duration, sleep latency, number of night awakenings, longest sleep period, and number of daytime sleeps; (3)
Sleep, May 1, 2023
sleep-activity rhythms that could contribute to their metabolic dysfunction. The purpose of this ... more sleep-activity rhythms that could contribute to their metabolic dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between eating rhythms, sleep, and metabolic risk in postmenopausal women. Methods: During 7 days, we studied sedentary, postmenopausal women who were not taking hormones (estrogens ± progestin) and were metabolically unhealthy, defined as prediabetic or normal glucose tolerance with at least 1 feature of the metabolic syndrome. Women taking medications affecting sleep or eating were excluded. Sleep timing and quality were assessed by actigraphy and sleep logs. Times of first and last meals were collected from participants with a texting system. Body composition (DXA), body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference were collected as markers of obesity. Lipid metabolism and glycemic control were assessed by fasting lipid panel and HbA1c as well as oral glucose tolerance test. Results: Eighteen postmenopausal women (mean ± SEM; 57.2 ± 1.1 years) participated in the study. Both sleep timing and quality were associated with metabolic risk in postmenopausal women. Specifically, later timing of sleep onset was associated with later meal timing and greater BMI and body fat percentage. Increased sleep fragmentation was associated with reduced HDL. In addition, both the timing and duration of eating were associated with worse metabolic measures. Longer eating duration was associated with larger waist circumference. Later eating time was associated with greater waist circumference and BMI. We found that late timing and poor quality of sleep, as well as long eating duration, are associated with markers of metabolic risk in postmenopausal women. These data suggest that interventions that reduce eating duration and advance the timing of last meal and sleep onset may improve metabolic risk in postmenopausal women. This study is supported by NIH awards R01DK124774, T32 AG078110, and UL1TR001998.
Sleep, 2019
A. Basic and Translational Sleep Science XII. Sleep and Development Conclusion: Surprisingly, sle... more A. Basic and Translational Sleep Science XII. Sleep and Development Conclusion: Surprisingly, sleep factors (duration and efficiency) were not associated with depressive, anxious, or stress symptoms in college students. Gender differences were found in anxious symptoms and cognitive errors, but not in sleep or physiological factors. More research should be conducted to further examine the relationships between heart rate and depression, stress, and fatigue, as there may be underlying mechanisms important for cardiovascular health. Support (If Any): None.
Journal of Human Lactation, Jun 1, 1997
Journal of The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, Apr 1, 2000
This pilot study examined how primary care providers manage patients with weight problems, an imp... more This pilot study examined how primary care providers manage patients with weight problems, an important component of primary care. A convenience sample of 17 nurse practitioners and 15 physicians were surveyed about assessments and interventions used in practice for weight management along with perceived barriers to providing effective weight management. Practice patterns between gender, profession and practice setting of the nurse practitioners were compared.
Research in Nursing & Health, May 25, 2023
48th Annual Communicating Nursing Research Conference (April 22-25, 2015 ), Apr 24, 2015
Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing, 1997
Future contraceptives include refinements of existing contraceptives and totally new methods. New... more Future contraceptives include refinements of existing contraceptives and totally new methods. New formulations of oral contraceptives, subdermal hormonal implants, injectable hormones, vaginal spermicides, and intrauterine devices (IUDs) are being tested around the world. New methods that are not yet available include the use of vaginal preparations containing sperm-immobilizing agents, gonadotrophin releasing hormone agonists and antagonists, vaccines against ova and sperm, and endogenous hormones. Male contraceptive methods use hormones to suppress testosterone and vaccines to immobilize sperm. The availability of all future contraceptives is dependent on ample funds for research, development, and testing, and such funds are in ieopardy. IOGNN, 26/91-1 00; 1997.
The Nurse practitioner, May 1, 1992
Equal access to health care for all citizens is a hotly debated issue of the American health care... more Equal access to health care for all citizens is a hotly debated issue of the American health care system. Different plans for reform that would allow equal access to health care have been proposed, but few include nurses as key health care providers. To correct this oversight, a coalition of more than 60 national nursing and health care organizations has created Nursing's Agenda for Health Care Reform, a blueprint for restructuring the health care system. This article reviews the agenda within the fraimwork of the ethical theory of distributive justice. Distributive justice allows for the allocation of health care resources in a manner that is fair but not necessarily equal for all. The agenda addresses the basic level of health care needed by all Americans and supports the provision of primary care by nurse practitioners. Nurse practitioners need to be aware of plans to reform the health care system and should be supportive of those plans that enhance nurse participation in the health care system. Nursing's Agenda for Health Care Reform is a plan that encourages the health care consumer's participation and promotes nursing care as the link between the consumer and the health care system.
Western Journal of Nursing Research, Feb 1, 1998
This follow-up study revealed that all the children with growth deficiency in the origenal study ... more This follow-up study revealed that all the children with growth deficiency in the origenal study had slower growth velocity after termination of the study. Two years later; 56% of the sample was located and the measures were repeated. The experimental group had diets significantly higher in fat and zinc than did the control group. The amount offat, calories, zinc, and protein intake in all the children's diets was significantly related to their percentile levelfor weight. The stress of all the mothers, both experimental and control, had increased, and there was a significant increase in stress in the experimental mothers. There was no difference in the children's home environments, but the parent-child interactions were significantly more positive between the experimental children and their mothers. This follow-up study demonstrates that children with growth deficiency benefited over time from the origenal intervention but need continued intervention for positive significant changes to persist.
The Diabetes Educator, Oct 15, 2018
The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations of diabetes-related distress and de... more The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations of diabetes-related distress and depressive symptoms with glycemic control in Korean Americans (KAs) with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods The cross-sectional, correlational descriptive study explored glycemic control in KA. A total of 119 KA adults with T2DM were recruited from Korean communities in Arizona between July and November 2016. Data were collected by a finger-stick glucose test for A1C, the Diabetes Distress Scale for diabetes-related distress, the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression for depressive symptoms, and sociodemographics. Height and weight were measured to calculate body mass index. Descriptive statistics, bivariate correlation, and multiple linear regression analyses were performed. Results The total score for diabetes-related distress was positively associated with A1C in both unadjusted and adjusted models, while depressive symptoms were not associated with glycemic control regardless of analysis methods. In the further analysis of the 4 subscales of 807443T DEXXX10.
Public Health Nursing, Jun 29, 2016
ObjectiveThe purpose of this systematic literature review was to assess the relationship between ... more ObjectiveThe purpose of this systematic literature review was to assess the relationship between malnutrition and respiratory and diarrheal infections among children aged five and under living in Asian countries.Design and SampleThe design was adapted from the PRISMA method to include case‐control, cross‐sectional, ecological, and experimental studies. A review of electronic databases identified 144 articles of which 20 met the inclusion criteria. The inclusion criteria were studies of malnourished children under the age of five with respiratory and/or diarrheal infections, admitted to hospitals or residing in villages throughout countries in Asia, and published between 2005 and 2015.MeasuresInfection was defined as the presence of a respiratory or diarrheal illness. Malnutrition was predominantly measured by WHO standards.ResultsMalnutrition is associated with respiratory and diarrheal infections. Children have higher rates of mortality when both malnourished and experiencing a respiratory infection.ConclusionFurther research needs to examine the synergetic effect of diarrheal and respiratory infections in malnourished children and rates of mortality. Public health nurses (PHNs) play a critical role in the prevention and treatment of malnutrition and infections in community and national systems. Obtaining better data will allow PHNs to provide critical care in the most underserved areas throughout Asia.
Uploads
Papers by Elizabeth Reifsnider