Description of dissertation
Myocardial infarction (MI) negatively impacts many aspects of patient quality of life, one of which is sexual health. Sexual health is a crucial component of quality of life for many individuals; however, sexual function is critically understudied in the post-MI population. This lack of research has left health care providers and patients unsure on how sexual function components change and what psychosocial factors influence it. Identification of modifiable predictors of both increased and decreased function is paramount before effective interventions can be developed. Therefore, the purpose of my dissertation research was to illuminate the changes in sexual function over time and apply exploratory modeling to examine potential predictors of function in patients post-MI.
Dissertation committee
Debra L. Barton, PhD, RN, AOCN, FAAN (Chair) - School of Nursing, University of Michigan
Matthew A. Davis, PhD, MPH - School of Nursing, University of Michigan
Elizabeth A. Jackson, MD, MPH - Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Jacqui Smith, PhD (Cognate) - Department of Psychology and Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan
Daniela Wittmann, PhD, LMSW - Department of Urology, University of Michigan
Substantive skills obtained
Survey selection and appraisal
Prospective data collection design
Active patient screening, consent, follow up, and incentives
Data management
Regression and longitudinal modeling analysis techniques using Stata and SAS statistical software
Published dissertation can be accessed through this link