Digital Commons Network^™

Qualitative Health Research Involving Indigenous Peoples: Culturally Appropriate Data Collection Methods, Amy L. Wright, Olive Wahoush, Marilyn Ballantyne, Chelsea Gabel, Susan M. Jack

The Qualitative Report

Historically, health research involving Indigenous peoples has been fraught with problems, including researchers not addressing Indigenous research priorities and then subsequently often failing to utilize culturally appropriate methods. Given this historical precedence, some Indigenous populations may be reluctant to participate in research projects. In response to these concerns, the Government of Canada has developed the Tri-Council Policy Statement (TCPS2): Research Involving the First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples of Canada, which stipulates the requirements for research collaborations with Indigenous communities. Utilizing this policy as an ethical standard for research practices, this paper describes, critiques and synthesizes the literature on culturally …

Assessing Readiness For Clinical Practice: Students’ Perspectives Of Their Veterinary Curriculum, L. Chris Sanchez, Alison Kwiatkowski, Jeff Abbott, Dana N. Zimmel, Linda S. Behar-Horenstein

The Qualitative Report

Studies describing the effectiveness of a veterinary curriculum from the student perspective are currently sparse. The overall purpose of this investigation was to describe students’ perceived preparedness for clinical practice. Three focus group meetings with fourth year veterinary students were conducted. Data were open-coded and categorized to identify themes. Four main themes emerged: Challenging communications, Un/appreciating curricular experiences, Documenting demands impede case involvement, and Hungering for timely, effective feedback. Overall students felt comfortable talking to clients about medicine but less comfortable discussing euthanasia or money; they appreciated the split clinical curriculum but questioned the value of the 1st/2nd year courses; …

Impact Of Interviews On Heterosexual Students' Expressions Of Cultural Competency, Carol Isaac, Linda Behar-Horenstein

The Qualitative Report

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the effects of a cultural competency intervention on dental pre-doctoral students’ attitudes toward individuals of a different sexual orientation. 22 heterosexual students interviewed gay or lesbian individuals and wrote reflective text. Results illustrated that participants found that their interviewees had “surprisingly similar” beliefs and values – especially in the areas of religion and family. Because of their “similar values,” these students expressed respect toward their interviewees who were “so different” than themselves. This conclusion of “sameness” forced them to see homosexuals as people, rather than a stigmatized invisible outgroup, mitigating sexual …

Use Of Mobile Phones For Infant And Young Child Feeding Counseling In Sri Lankan Tea Estates: A Formative Study, Manuj C. Weerasinghe, Upul Senerath, Sanjeeva Godakandage, Hiranya Jayawickrama, Aravinda Wickramasinghe, Indika Siriwardena, Srisothinathan Nimalan, Michael J. Dibley, Ashraful Alam

The Qualitative Report

Despite the availability of free health services, children residing in Sri Lanka’s less developed plantation sector are more likely to be undernourished than children in urban and rural sectors. Hence, we need new approaches to improve their nutritional status. One promising approach involves mobile health initiatives, which is used effectively in other countries in primary health care settings. We studied the nature of mobile phone use in this community, and their perceptions on using m-health counseling for infant and young child feeding. Focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were the study methods. We found that mobile phone usage is common …

Commentary: Filling The Empathy Gap, Peter G. Holub

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Some health professionals save lives; however, all health professionals have the power to save humanity. By saving humanity, I mean restoring mankind’s humaneness, which is the capacity to act with benevolence and compassion towards each other. The daily news, which is rarely new anymore, is all about war, terrorism, migrant crises, human trafficking, child abuse, mass shootings, and stories that reflect mankind’s inability to get along with each other and the planet. The remedy for our ailing humanity is right under our noses.

Athletic Training Students' Perceptions Of Electronic Textbooks And Computer Use In The Classroom, Christopher D. Brown, Shannon David, Michele Monaco

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Academia is currently seeing a surge in technology integration in the classroom. Electronic textbooks (e-textbooks) is expected to grow exponentially in the future. Although there is a rush in use of technology in academia, few studies have evaluated perceptions of electronic textbooks especially among athletic training students. The purpose of this study is to identify athletic training student computer use, if athletic students are using electronic textbooks, and to help understand their perceptions of those electronic texts. Method: A cross sectional survey design was utilized. Participants completed a self-reported online survey. A survey link was emailed to …

Effectiveness Of An Interprofessional Education Event For Graduate Health Professional Students, Lisa J. Knecht-Sabres, James F. Gunn, Christine Conroy, Sarah E. Getch, Susan M. Cahill, Michelle M. Lee, Mae J. Ciancio, Jayne Jaskolski, Lisa Palmisano, Kolbrun Kristjansdottir

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

ABSTRACT

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a single, optional, half-day, interprofessional education (IPE) event for a myriad of graduate-level health professional students (n=44) at a university in Illinois, USA. Methods: The researchers in this study examined students’ performance on two out of six of the domains on the Interprofessiomnal Collaborator Assessment Rubric (ICAR): Roles and Responsibilities and Communication Strategies. This study also investigated quantitative and qualitative findings related to student perceptions regarding this IPE opportunity. Results: Results indicated that students met or exceeded the minimum competency for the ranking of “developing” for …

Non-Medical Use Of Cognitive Enhancing Prescription Medications Among Occupational Therapy And Speech Language Pathology Health Care Students: A Pilot Study, Randy P. Mccombie, Hannah Slanina

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: This research was designed to serve as a pilot study to generate baseline data on non-medical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD) for cognitive/academic enhancement purposes among students representing two healthcare professions, Occupational Therapy (OT) and Speech Language Pathology (SLP) and to assess students’ opinions regarding whether use of these medications constitutes academic “cheating.” Introduction: NMUPD, such as Adderall ® or Ritalin ®, to reduce fatigue, improve memory, and increase concentration to ultimately improve grades has increased among college students in recent years, with estimated use put as high as 35% on some campuses. These drugs appear to be readily …

The Use Of An Online Module To Increase Occupational Therapy Practitioners’ Evidence-Based Practice Knowledge And Skills, Brad E. Egan, Susan Cahill, Cheryl Huber-Lee, Minetta Wallingford

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of an optional, self-paced, online module to increase occupational therapy practitioners’ knowledge and skills related to evidence-based practice (EBP). Method: Participants’ EBP knowledge and skills were evaluated using the Adapted Fresno Test (AFT) after they completed the online module. Results: Twenty-nine occupational therapy practitioners (25 OTR/L, 4 COTA/L) completed the entire 17-month initiative. Nineteen practitioners (65.5%) used the supplemental online module and 10 (34.5%) did not. Analyses of AFT scores revealed a mean test score of 83.00 (n = 19, SD + 31.11) for participants who utilized the online EBP module and …

Issues And Challenges: The Development Of Fair And Equitable Health Policy, Rachele Hendricks-Sturrup

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Public health policy/law is a discipline that seeks to identify opportunities and implement mechanisms to achieve justice in the public health sector. Several public health policies and programs have been implemented by virtue of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and these policies and programs seek to decrease America’s “paradox of excess and deprivation” and address socioeconomic barriers that exist in the U.S. healthcare system. Private healthcare market interests have accused the ACA of intruding heavily into the professional autonomy of the medical profession, eroding healthcare market competition, and driving up national healthcare spending. Counter-arguments defending the ACA state that the …

The Development Of Narrative Reasoning: Student Physical Therapists’ Perceptions Of Patient Stories, Kathryn C. Nesbit, Kenneth E. Randall, Toby B. Hamilton

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Narrative reasoning is an inductive cognitive strategy used to understand patients’ experiences with illness within the biosocial context of their lives. The purpose of this study is to examine the meaning of the patient’s illness experience to physical therapist students and propose a theory of narrative reasoning development in these novice clinicians.The data collected from twenty-one first year physical therapy students consisted of narratives written during their clinical internships describing a patient’s experience with illness and post-internship interviews telling the patient’s story. Data were analyzed in a process of constant comparison, evolving codes, and researcher memoing using both grounded theory …