Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Helping Schools Support Transgender And Non-Binary Students, Nina Feinberg, Naomi Koliba

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

According to the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, LGBT middle and high school students are twice as likely to be bullied and are five times more likely to attempt suicide.

Coping with a stressful environment at school puts LGBT youth at risk of detriment to mental health, educational inequities, and even physical harm.

Adults at school who have relationships with youth are in a position of power to uplift and advocate for LGBT youth, and to educate those around them to create a safe environment for everyone to learn.

While teachers and other staff may offer students support, they may …

Addressing Adolescent And Young Adult Mental Health During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Megan Boyer

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

This quality improvement project at South Burlington Family Medicine aimed to investigate the mental health of individuals ages 13-25 in our practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible patients received a PHQ-9 questionnaire with two additional questions related to COVID-19. Recommendations for future interventions to serve this population were made based on these preliminary findings, with the goal of doing a full PDSA cycle in the near future.

Cyberbullying: A Resource For School-Aged Children, Adolescents, And Parents In Milton, Vermont, James K. Rohwer

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Cyberbullying occurs when harmful words or actions by one or more persons are intentionally and repeatedly directed against another person in the digital world through text message, social media, e-mail, apps, online video games, forums, etc. Today, more children and adolescents are connected to the internet than ever before, which puts them at risk of becoming victims of cyberbullying. Many victims, as well as parents of victims, may not be familiar with the resources that are available to them in the areas in which they live when concerns of cyberbullying arise. Therefore, the goal of this project was to create …

An Educational Module For Adolescents On Cannabis Following Its Legalization, Anna Lidofsky

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Recreational use of cannabis has been recently legalized in Vermont. One year prior to its legalization, 42% of high school students in Washington County reported at least one-time use of cannabis. An educational module for adolescents was developed to address the increasing potency of cannabis and health risks associated with its use.

Provider Opinion: Should We Screen And Counsel Parents Of Teen Drivers Regarding Texting/Distracted Driving?, Daniel Lambert

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Adolescent texting and driving has been directly responsible for the deaths of 11 teenagers every day. 33% of teenagers in Vermont admit to texting and driving making it one of the most prevalent risky behaviors in their age group. Currently there is no routine screening recommendation for parents with adolescent drivers addressing texting and driving. Mobile application information can improve parental monitoring and prevent texting and driving habits from forming in adolescents.

Smoking Prevention Program For Adolescents: A Hands-On Approach, Sean Closs

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

This project is an initial pilot idea for hands-on experiences to reinforce smoking prevention in adolescents. The proposed idea is to have students specifically those identified 'at-risk', being given opportunities to interact with pathology specimens on-site at the hospital, introduce spirometry, and real-world panel discussions. The resources of the hospital provide a unique opportunity for promotion of this public health goal.

Headphones And Adolescents: Hearing Loss Prevention, Taylor Sommer

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Headphone use of adolescents is on the rise due to increased availability of personal listening devices. Hearing loss has also increased in adolescents. This project aims at preventing noise-induced hearing loss by educating adolescents on proper use of headphones.

Driving Under The Influence Of Marijuana: Education Of Vergennes Union High School Students, Margaret S. Johnston

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

The leading cause of death for high school students is motor vehicle accidents and the risk of involvement in a motor vehicle accident increases 10-fold after marijuana smoking. There are many misconceptions surrounding driving under the influence of marijuana in adolescents and few high schools are spending adequate time addressing this issue directly. The 2015 Vermont Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that 18% of students in Addison County rode in a car or other vehicle in the past 30 days with someone who was using marijuana. This project was designed to present information about driving under the influence of marijuana …

Rural Teens And Stress, Morgan R. Pratt

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Stress is significantly associated with risk taking behavior and increasing depression/anxiety among teens. There is no shortage of stressors experienced within the teenage years.This project's aim is to create a pamphlet that can be available for teens in rural Vermont. It will contain apps for healthy lifestyle, stress, mood, mindfulness as well as local help line numbers for teens in crisis and signs and symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Hidden Adolescent Risks: Provider Education On Non-Suicidal Self-Injury, Bailey Fay

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) has been shown to be a strong risk factor for suicidal ideation and suicide attempt. One study has shown over 50% of people engaging in NSSI have at least one suicide attempt in their lifetime. The 2015 Vermont Youth Risk Behavior Survey found 17% of high school students reported non-suicidal self-injury at least once in the past year. This reflects roughly one in four females and one in ten males. Furthermore, these numbers have increased significantly since 2013. In an effort to promote awareness of NSSI in the primary care setting, a handout was created for providers …

Adolescent Sex Education, Carolyn Payne

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

This project identified a significant need for adolescent sex education and curriculum development in Vermont and the United States. A comprehensive sex education presentation was developed, reviewed by experts in the field, and piloted at The Boys and Girls Club of Burlington. Subjective results were positive and future strategies to teach students, evaluate effectiveness, and expand impact were developed.

Slow Foods For Health Increasing Knowledge Of Glycemic Index In Adolescents For Healthier Food Choices, Meredith Kayleigh Sooy

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions through the United States affect all age groups, genders, and races. This is especially troubling in the pediatric population where 12.5 million children were found to be overweight in 2010. Many adolescents have inadequate knowledge of nutrition basics to make healthy choices. Based on interviews within the community of Colchester, VT a need for information about the glycemic index was seen. A handout geared towards adolescents was created with information about the glycemic index and using this information to make healthy food choices. This handout was made available to all providers of Colchester Family Practice …

Providers’ Views On Transition Of Healthcare For Youth With Developmental Disabilities, Cordelia Y. Ross

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Problem: Youth with DD have conditions that may limit their ability to function, with resulting social, emotional, or behavioral sequelae, and experience difficulty transitioning from child to adult health care. Also, adult providers may lack training and comfort level in working with patients with DD. For example, youth with ASD need an adult provider who understands autism but doesn’t see every health or behavior problem as a result of autism.

National Need: 1 in 6 children in the U.S. has a DD. Each year, almost half a million of these children transition into adulthood. As for ASD, 1 in 68 …