Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Role Of Environmental Stressors Experienced During Childhood In The Development Of Dissociative Identity Disorder, Jazmin Conway

PCOM Capstone Projects

The purpose of this research was to determine how environmental stressors that occur during the early childhood years can lead to the development of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) and diagnosis in the adult years. Over the years, childhood trauma has become increasingly prevalent worldwide and despite this increase, continues to remain a significantly unaddressed public health issue (Beilharz et al., 2020). The trauma experienced can include physical, sexual, emotional, and either physical or emotional neglect from a caregiver (Beilharz et al., 2020). Over the years, DID has been the center of controversy in the field of psychology. There have been …

Medicinal Cannabis (Thc Vs. Cbd): Effects On Anxiety, Ptsd, And Epilepsy, Olivia Grace Griswold

PCOM Capstone Projects

As of November 4th, 2020, thirty-six states and four territories (District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands) have approved a measure that regulates cannabis for medicinal use (Markle & Nativio, 2019). In particular, Pennsylvania law allows residents with twenty-three different medical conditions to apply for an ID card that will enable them to purchase medical marijuana from dispensaries. Some of the medical conditions included are anxiety disorders, autism, epilepsy, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). As more states approve marijuana for medicinal use, researchers continue to investigate the interaction between medicinal cannabis and the endocannabinoid system.

The cannabis …

Vitamin Deficiency And Depression, Maddison Jeffries

PCOM Capstone Projects

Depression, or major depressive disorder, has affected how people think, feel, and behave. As well as psychological problems, depression has also been a comorbid factor in other emotional and physiological disorders. The actual cause of depression is unknown. Researchers have worked to understand the connections and conditions a person may experience for depression to develop. One commonly researched path to depression is vitamin deficiency. A variety of vitamins like B6, B12, folate, and vitamin D have been linked extensively to depression as a possible cause. A continuation of research expands into how a deficiency of these vitamins causes depression. Low …

The Neuroplasticity Of Depression: How Antidepressants And Cognitive Behavior Therapy (Cbt) Can Reverse Depression, Vahid Harbi

PCOM Capstone Projects

Depression is a complex disorder influenced by biological, psychological, and environmental factors (Santarelli et al., 2016). Depression is one of the most common forms of mental illness worldwide (WHO, 2021), yet the pathogenesis of depression and the mechanism of how antidepressants reverse depression remain unclear (Liu et al., 2017). The symptoms of depression are evident to most individuals, but the symptoms’ persistent nature remains a mystery to most. The four primary regions of the brain involved in depression are the Prefrontal Cortex (PFC), hippocampus, amygdala, and Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC) (Hayley et al., 2013). This review presents the prevailing literature …

Neurological And Psychological Effects Of Covid-19 On Cognitive Impairment, Saba Mufti

PCOM Capstone Projects

Increasing evidence suggests that individuals affected with COVID-19 may be at high risk for developing long-term neurological consequences (Heneka et al., 2020). Psychological stress may also increase risk in cognitive impairment, which can lead to mental fatigue. However, research studies suggest that there is a relationship between physiological and psychological factors affecting cognitive function (Scott et al., 2015). The mechanistic understanding of neurological symptoms in patients affected with COVID-19 regarding whether they emerge from mental illness or directly from the invasion of SARS-CoV-2 into the central nervous system is limited (Mahammedi et al., 2020). Factors affecting the brain can lead …

Exploring The Relationship Between Traumatic Brain Injury And Post-Traumatic Epilepsy: A Review, Alayna Nelson

PCOM Capstone Projects

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2020), traumatic brain injury (TBI) is considered a major public health problem in the United States. Each year, 2.53 million Americans, including 812,000 children, document a TBI-related emergency room visit (CDC, 2020). TBI is a disruption in the brain’s normal function, caused by a bump or blow to the head or by penetrating head injury (CDC, 2020). These injuries range in severity and can cause damage to one or multiple areas of the brain (Oleksii et al., 2019). Mild TBI, often used synonymously with concussion, comprises more than 90% of TBI …

Sars-Cov-2 Infection’S Link To Behavior: A Review Of Coronaviruses And The Potential For Sars-Cov-2 To Damage The Brain’S Structure And Function, Grace Anne Wilgucki

PCOM Capstone Projects

Human Coronaviruses were discovered in the 1960s and were found to be a cause of the common cold, inducing mild symptoms on those infected (Santacroce et al., 2020). However, due to adaptation and co-evolution, more dangerous variations of Coronaviruses emerged in the early 2000s, causing severe infection of the respiratory tract (Ye et al., 2020). Notably, the outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) were devastating, as these HCoVs could inflict respiratory disease that can be fatal (Wong et al., 2016). Most recently, the emergence of a new strain of Human Coronavirus has taken …

Exploring Downstream Effects Of Racial Trauma Leading To Ptsd: A Review Of Systemic Physiological And Neurobehavioral Alterations, Alexis Verwoert

PCOM Capstone Projects

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating psychiatric disease that often follows acute or chronic exposure to extreme stress. Hallmarks of this disorder include stressors, intrusion symptoms, avoidance, negative alterations in cognition and mood, and alterations in arousal and reactivity (Bovin, 2015). Since it was first defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-III (DSM-III), the diagnostic criteria for PTSD have evolved to encompass stressors as they may occur repeatedly across the lifespan (Bovin, 2015). Physiological and behavioral consequences of this extreme stress manifest themselves as systemic alterations in form and function. As is true of many diagnosable …

Traumatic Brain Injury (Tbi): The Progressive Neurodegeneration And Mental Health Decline In United States Veterans, Andrew R. Wiener

PCOM Capstone Projects

Since the year 2000, the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center reported 414,000 documented cases of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) among individuals serving in the United States Armed Forces (Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, 2020). Traumatic events to the head as a result from car accidents, falls, explosions, and gunshot wounds can lead to a disruption of normal cognitive functioning. Roughly 80% of diagnosed TBIs are mild in nature, commonly referred to as concussions, and can range from mild, moderate, severe, and penetrating (O’Neil et al., 2013). However due to the difficulty of diagnosing a TBI most cases go …

Asthma, Language Barriers, And Children, Karen Alejandres

PCOM Capstone Projects

In the United States, asthma affects nearly six million children annually and disproportionately affects minority children. Children who come from minorities are three times more likely to visit the emergency department than non-minority children. Additionally, Hispanic children are more likely to have avoidable asthma hospitalizations than non-Hispanic whites. Hispanic children also have decreased rates of asthma medication adherence. Previous research has identified that many social and cultural determinants like language barriers, socioeconomic status, and clinician attitudes play a crucial role in the delivery and treatment of pediatric asthma. More specifically, language barriers play a significant role in the overall understanding …

A Review Of The Social Determinants Of Health Concerning Cancer-Related Outcomes Among Hispanics/Latinos In The United States, Christina Elizabeth Gareis

PCOM Capstone Projects

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death among Hispanics/Latinos because they are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced stages of cancer than non-Hispanic Whites (Yanez et al., 2016). Additionally, Hispanics/Latinos are more likely to experience a poor quality of life after receiving a cancer diagnosis (Yanez et al., 2016). Cancer-related outcomes are influenced by several aspects such as social, cultural, behavioral, and biological factors. Oncology research is limited with regard to understanding and addressing the underlying factors that can impact cancer-related outcomes for Hispanics/Latinos because much of the research has focused on nonHispanic Whites. Therefore, it is …

Alternative Response To Mental Health- Related 911 Calls, Nayo Macauley

PCOM Capstone Projects

Over the last 3 decades, efforts to improve interactions between law enforcement and mentally ill individuals has resulted in several training programs for police officers with the goal of reducing the risk of violent altercations and incarceration and instead, seeking to connect this population to the resources they need. Despite widespread mental health training for police officers, people suffering from mental illness were found to be 16 times more likely to be met with excessive force resulting in injury or death when police officers responded to a 911 call. The review will investigate the largest mental health training program called …

A Review Of The Accessibility And Affordability Of Contraception For Women’S Self-Care And Reproductive Health, Alexis Henderson

PCOM Capstone Projects

The use of contraception has afforded many women the opportunity to gain control over their reproductive health while also advancing their education and career goals. Additionally, hormonal contraceptives have improved women’s quality of life by treating and preventing specific clinical symptoms and conditions. Nonetheless, disparities and barriers to accessing affordable reproductive care still affect many populations of women. This study examines the accessibility and affordability of contraception for women’s reproductive and self-care needs, including treating and preventing clinical symptoms, conditions, and pregnancy. A literature review of PubMed databases was completed for studies in the United States between January 2013 and …

Assessing The Role Of The Inequitable Food Environment In The Obesity Epidemic, Samuel G. Latzsch

PCOM Capstone Projects

The prevalence of obesity has more than doubled in the United States within the past forty years, and children that are raised obese are more likely to have health complications and a shorter lifespan. The onset of the obesity epidemic coincided with numerous factors which likely played a significant role in drastically shifting the food environment and dietary habits of Americans. The food production industry notable capitalized on industrialism and innovative technology to mass produce packaged products that are energy-dense and full of preservatives to increase shelf-life duration. These measures which aimed to secure widespread food availability have resulted in …

Emotional Abuse In Children Under Five, Julia Perfidio

PCOM Capstone Projects

This capstone project aims to discuss the difficulties in diagnosing and assessing the risk of emotional abuse in children under five. Emotional abuse is often broadly defined but can be generalized as abuse where a guardian will excessively criticize a child and make them feel unwanted [10]. Diagnosing emotional abuse in this age group is difficult as children are less likely to be around outsiders (non-family members) who could detect these signs. In addition, the signs and definitions of emotional abuse are unique to each case and vary among states [8,10,11]. Emotional abuse could affect the child's development and then …

Incorporating Adverse Childhood Experiences In Medical Student Trauma-Informed Training, Mary Catherine Minke

PCOM Capstone Projects

One of the emerging fields in public health has become how behavior and personal experiences shape the health experience. Particularly, there is interest in understanding how the environment that one lives in changes one’s biology, causing disease, and how interventions can combat this change. A 1998 study conducted by the CDC and Kaiser Health first characterized negative household environments that suffered from dysfunction or abuse and showed how this could be a leading cause of death in adults (Vincent, et al., 1998). Researchers termed these Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Since that time, additional studies have found that those who suffered …

Sexual Health In The Asian-American Population Of The United States, Pallavi Sindhu

PCOM Capstone Projects

Cultural factors, including language barriers and stigma associated with the topic of intercourse, can lead to lapse in sexual education and avoidance of treatment for sexually-transmitted diseases (CDC, 2020). Few studies explore this discrepancy in the immigrant population. For example, Lee, P.-I. et al. (2020) explores the significance of educating the parents of children between the ages of 6-18 years on sexual health topics. The result indicated significantly higher improvement in characteristics, such as, sexual knowledge and development of self-efficacy, in the experimental group as compared to the control one. Based on previous studies analyzed, the researchers believe that this …

The Influence Of Racial Barriers On Maternal Mortality In Black Women In The United States, Mariah Williams

PCOM Capstone Projects

In the United States, Black women are 3-4x more likely to die a pregnancy related death compared to that of white women. The maternal mortality rate in the U.S. has continually been on the rise for years, and the racial disparities amongst Black mothers have only become more apparent. This capstone paper will be examining the factors contributing to maternal mortality in the United States, especially those based in racial inequity, inequality, and biases. Much of the research on the issue analyzes access, racism, racial biases, medical mistrust, and provider-patient relationships as contributing factors to the disparities we see in …

Designing For Disability: Making Activities Of Daily Living More Manageable Through 3d Printing, Mashaal Syed

PCOM Capstone Projects

While there have been many innovations developed for those with physical disabilities in recent years, a multitude of unmet needs still remain. This review seeks to highlight designs, public policies, and other initiatives that have been established to assist this population thus far. Information has been curated from databases including, but not limited to, Pubmed and Policymap.

With the advent of new and affordable technologies such as 3D printing, it is now more possible than ever before to bring one’s ideas to life; from creating customized prosthetics to wheelchair attachments for water bottles and umbrellas, we are able to quickly …

A Systematic Review Of Late Effects, Current Models Of Follow-Up In Three Pennsylvania Health Network Settings, And Survivor Care Plans For Brain Neoplasm Survivor, Megan Elizabeth Donlick

PCOM Capstone Projects

Introduction: Brain neoplasm survival rates have increased substantially in developed countries due to modern medical interventions, research, and enhanced therapeutic options. As the second leading cause of pediatric cancers, this has been a topic of interest within the field of public health. With mortality decreasing, scientists are now focusing the lens on the long-term outcomes of survivors, coined “survivorship” and subsequent late effects. These effects are the combined neurocognitive, psychological, and social deterioration and deficits experienced due to the brain pathology itself or exposure to associative treatments. This phenomenon is now appearing frequently in the literature. The aim of this …

The Opioid Overdose Epidemic And Deceased Donor Liver Transplantation, Edmund Peacock

PCOM Capstone Projects

Objective: To study the effects and trends of the opioid overdose epidemic on deceased donor liver transplantation and examine how some regions more effectively utilize their population of overdose deaths for recovery of livers for transplant. Background: Increases in the rate of overdose deaths have led to a growing portion of the deceased organ donor population arising from overdose events1, 2 . Many transplant centers and recipients decline these livers from overdose donors due to concern for disease transmission and the stigma around addiction and drug use 3 . The risks of using these livers for transplant are continuing to …

Homelessness Interventions For The Youth, Christopher Stuever

PCOM Capstone Projects

Objective: Gather information on the current policies and interventions used in the United States to form a comprehensive understanding of what has been successful and what has failed in their implementation that has led to the current epidemic of homelessness among the youth and young adult population in the United States. Background: In a nation boasting wealth and success, the United States continues to fall short when it comes to taking care of its overwhelming homeless population. A specific area of concern within this population comes with the alarming number of young adults and children that experience homelessness every year. …

Analyzing Social Determinants Of Health: Asthma Morbidity And Mortality Of Black Americans, Jeremiah Kinsey

PCOM Capstone Projects

Asthma is the most common respiratory disease in the United States with over 20 million Americans living with the disease in 2019. Black Americans share a disproportionate amount of these cases, having a higher incidence of asthma morbidity and a higher prevalence of asthmatic episodes. In addition, Black American asthma mortality rates are 75% higher than that of White counterparts according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This study investigates the social determinants of health (SDOH) associated with asthma mortality of Black Americans.

Unfortunately, SDOH and socioeconomic status (SES) can paint an asthmatic patient’s outcome. Exposure and …

The Legalization Of Marijuana And Its Potential Effect On Youth In The United States, Hannah Biedny

PCOM Capstone Projects

Even though cannabis’ federal status remains under Schedule I categorization the legality of recreational marijuana is rapidly changing across the United States. As of March 2021, sixteen states plus Washington, D.C. have legalized cannabis’ recreational use and dispensaries (DISA Global Solutions, 2021). Considerable controversy follows this trend in drug legalization, specifically regarding its public health impact on children. As states continue to proceed with the decriminalization and legalization of cannabis, those in the public health field are concerned with how this will impact children across the country, as historically, “adolescents and young adults are among the highest users of marijuana” …

Manifestations Of Food Insecurity In Pediatric Populations, Kelsey S. Rowe

PCOM Capstone Projects

Food insecurity is the inability to acquire food required for a healthy lifestyle. Childhood food insecurity impacts 13.6% of American children, approximately 5.3 million children are living in food insecure households. Food insecurity is a major public health concern in the United States and must be eradicated in order to develop a healthy nation. This paper focuses on the manifestations of food insecurity in pediatric populations and possible interventions. Data was collected from peer reviewed articles that were obtained using EBSCOhost and Pubmed.gov. Research found food insecurity is associated with anemia, poor school performance, behavioral health disorders, stunting, wasting, obesity, …

Addressing And Remedying Racism In Medical Education, Sana Khalid

PCOM Capstone Projects

There is no denying the prevalence of racial inequity in medicine. For decades, various studies have shown us that racial and ethnic disparities exist, and many have made concerted efforts to promote health equity. However, we continue to see these disparities persist. It is becoming increasingly obvious that the emerging driver of this continued inequity is racism. The insidious nature of racism allows it to seamlessly manifest itself at all levels of healthcare, including medical education. However, medical education is where we may find the most success at mediating racism in healthcare due to our ability to mitigate the biases …

Is Sexuality A Choice? An Analysis Of The Facts And Factors That Influence One’S Sexual Orientation, Brandon Scott Hodges

PCOM Capstone Projects

Sexual orientation is often viewed as the sex or gender to which one is attracted to; however, it is not that simple. Also, though many believe the default is for one to be attracted to the opposite sex and any other claim of sexual attraction is a choice; that is not true. Sexual orientation is the result of a complex combination of one’s genes, environment, and hormones. As a result, not only is sexuality not a choice, but just as there are so many different colors, there are so many different sexual orientations beyond heterosexual, such as homosexual, bisexual, and …

Prenatal Counseling From Obstetricians As A Potential Point Of Intervention To Increase Childhood Vaccination Rates In Pennsylvania, Kaitlyn Davis

PCOM Capstone Projects

Vaccine hesitancy is a major public health concern in Pennsylvania, and the reasons for it vary from religious to philosophical. One subgroup of vaccine hesitant parents chooses not to vaccinate because they are misinformed and uneducated about the significance and the safety of vaccines. The objective of this study is to consider the use of an infographic to encourage pregnant women to ask their obstetricians about the importance and safety of vaccines as a way of increasing childhood vaccination rates.

Finding points of intervention to increase childhood vaccination rates is important. In order for a population to maintain herd immunity, …

Facilitating Firearm Safety Counseling In Pediatric Primary Care To Decrease Gun Deaths In Children And Teens In Philadelphia, Bianca Lacay

PCOM Capstone Projects

Gun violence is a public health epidemic that affects the lives of children. The United States has the highest firearm deaths in children and adolescents among other high-income countries (University of Michigan, 2019). The Second Amendment ratified in 1791 protects the rights of citizens to keep and bear arms. This policy made by the founding fathers underlie controversial debates in the present day, resulting in different federal, state, and local gun laws. Due to the varying gun policies, firearm homicide rates of children and adolescents are climbing like never before. Firearms suicide is even more frequent than homicide and is …

Effect Of Maternal Microbiome On Offspring Neurodevelopment: A Review, Zoe Beausoleil

PCOM Capstone Projects

The purpose of this paper is to delve into the maternal influence on the offspring microbiome, and how maternal lifestyle factors and choices; mode of birth, feeding method, stress and the interventions used to alleviate said stress, maternal age, substance use, exercise, and nutrition, alter the microbiome and therefore affect the neurodevelopment of the offspring. The human microbiome is composed of billions of bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses that occupy the gut, skin and other areas of the body. Numerous studies have illustrated the importance of the microbiome in healthy human physiologic processes including energy metabolism, gut health, immune function …