Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Accessiblehomepro As An Educational Intervention: Preparing Occupational Therapy Students To Perform Home Safety Assessments, Laryn O'Donnell

Theses and Dissertations

The growing aging population of the United States urges occupational therapy practitioners to address the population's home safety needs. However, current occupational therapists need more resources and education to conduct comprehensive home safety evaluations. This study employed a pretest-posttest mixed methods design using occupational therapy students (n=17) to investigate the potential of AccessibleHomePRO as an educational intervention to enhance OT student knowledge of home safety assessments, perceived knowledge, which is known as the belief in your level of knowledge, and self-efficacy, which refers to the confidence in completing a task. AccessibleHomePRO (AHP) is a novel multifaceted assessment that leverages artificial …

The Environment Of Interprofessional Education In Graduate Education: Exploring Professional Programs Of Occupational Therapy, Physician Assistant, And Physical Therapy, Allison R. Kaczmarek

Theses and Dissertations

Interprofessional education (IPE) is an educational approach of increasing popularity in professional schools for the preparation of a collaborative ready healthcare workforce. The accrediting bodies of professional education programs in occupational therapy (OT), physician assistant (PA), and physical therapy (PT) have incorporated standards for outcomes addressing IPE. Although they have endorsed the Health Professions Accreditors Collaborative (HPAC) consensus document on quality IPE, we do not have a contemporary snapshot of the IPE environments in the curriculum of their accredited programs. This dissertation, a collection of three distinct inquiries, has two aims: first, to provide a description of IPE as it …

Student Response To Varied Instructional Methods In Level I Fieldwork Experiences, Camille Cj Turner

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to investigate student responses to three different instructional strategies used to fulfill level I fieldwork requirements: traditional in-clinic rotation, a combination of virtual simulation and traditional in-clinic rotations, and virtual simulation. A multi-decade occupational therapy (OT) fieldwork shortage was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, in which OT education programs struggled to provide accreditation-required clinical education. Virtual simulation programs were utilized to fulfill some requirements, particularly more introductory-level fieldwork. Several cohorts of a Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy “bridge” program for licensed, practicing Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants and Physical Therapist Assistants were the subjects of …

The Impact Of Patient Characteristics On Dysphagia Therapy Utilization And Feeding Outcomes For Premature Infants In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Tiana Nguyen

Theses and Dissertations

Medical advances have significantly increased the survival rates of preterm infants at lower gestational ages. However, infants born at lower gestational ages have an increased risk for developmental disabilities and oral feeding difficulties. A stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is very costly and inadequate oral feeding is the most common barrier to discharge for premature infants. Infants can receive dysphagia therapy services during their NICU stay that focuses on the development of oral feeding and swallowing skills. However, literature to this date has mainly focused on the impact of therapy services for premature infants after NICU discharge. …

Interrater Reliability Of The Accesstools Assessment With Novice Raters, Qussai Mohammed Obiedat

Theses and Dissertations

Public buildings accessibility is of societal importance for all individuals, especially people with disabilities (PWD). Despite of all the efforts that have been made on the societal and community levels, PWD are still limited from participating in the community due to inaccessible environments. One of the major limitations in the current practices regarding public buildings’ accessibility is the lack of a commonly accepted, comprehensive, and metrically sound tool to objectively measure the accessibility of public buildings. Such a measure is needed. AccessTools is a newly developed assessment tool to identify, document, and objectively measure the complete accessibility of different building …

Tummy Time In Infancy: Real-World Assessments And Associations With Developmental Outcomes In Early Childhood, Ketaki Inamdar

Theses and Dissertations

Tummy time or awake, supervised, prone play is an important developmental play position in infancy. Engaging in more than 15 minutes of tummy time per day is associated with a lower risk of plagiocephaly, lower body mass index, and achievement of higher motor scores in full-term and at-risk preterm infants. However, there are significant gaps in the measurement of tummy time in current literature. Conventionally used subjective parent reports have not been validated against gold standard direct observation, and the feasibility and real-world validity of objective solutions such as wearable sensors has not been examined in full-term and at-risk preterm …

Effects Of Seat And Axle Position On Pain, Pathology, And Independence In Pediatric Manual Wheelchair Users With Spinal Cord Injury, Hannah Frank

Theses and Dissertations

Manual wheelchair (MWC) users with spinal cord injury (SCI) rely heavily on their upperextremities to complete daily occupations. Due to repetitive shoulder use during wheelchair mobility and propulsion, MWC users are at greater risk of shoulder pain and shoulder pathology, and thus decreased independence, and lower quality of life. The relative fit of the wheelchair and its parameters are critical and can further impact the user’s propulsion biomechanics. Parameters such as seat angle and axle position may put the user in detrimental shoulder positions for longer periods of time, impacting health outcomes even more. Although the effects of wheelchair setup …

Intentions To Use Telerehabilitation For Communication And Treatment For Vision Impairments, Eric E. Hicks

Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Approximately 8.1 million people in the United States 18 and older have difficulty performing one or more daily activities because of vision impairment or blindness (Erickson, Lee, & von Schrader, 2020; Taylor, 2018). If the impairments caused by vision loss are not addressed, they can result in financial difficulties, suffering, disability, loss of productivity, and decreased quality of life (National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 2011). Currently, in-person low vision rehabilitation services are the gold standard for teaching people how to adapt to and compensate for these deficits, however, the access and utilization of these services …

Establishing Content And Face Validity Of An Assessment To Evaluate The Attitudes, Self-Efficacy, And Knowledge Of Pre-Professional Students Related To Assistive Technology For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd), Cynthia Amy Ruedinger

Theses and Dissertations

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of the study was to create an online assessment in order to better understand the knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy that pre-professional students have in the fields of assistive technology and ASD and establish content and face validity for this assessment.METHOD. 12 content experts, both professors and practitioners, within the fields of occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech language pathology, and special education, as well as experts in autism spectrum disorder and assistive technology, participated in the content validation process. A total of 16 students within these disciplines completed the assessment with pilot data gathered and provided feedback on …

Biomechanical Analysis Of Stroke Patterns And Functional Outcomes In Pediatric Manual Wheelchair Users, Paige Louise Aschenbrener

Theses and Dissertations

Approximately 88,0000 manual wheelchair (MWC) users are under the age of 21 in the United States (Kaye, LaPlante, & Kang, 2000). More than half of pediatric MWC users with spinal cord injury (SCI) report shoulder pain later in life and are at higher risk for developing upper extremity (UE) overuse injuries (Vogel & Zebracki, 2015). During MWC propulsion, a stroke pattern is the path the hand follows with respect to the pushrim (Boninger et al., 2002). Current clinical guidelines for adults recommend sole use of the semicircular stroke pattern as best practices because a MWC user is able to spend …

Comparing Sensory Accessibility Needs In Deaf And Low Vision Populations: An Explorative Study, Anna Bruckbauer

Theses and Dissertations

Objective. The objective of the study is to compare hypothesized similar sensory accessibility needs of Lighting, Acoustics, Openness, Color/Contrast, and Services/communication for the hard of hearing and low vision population. Background. The Americans with Disability Act – Architectural Barriers Act Design Guidelines (ADA-ABA, 2004, 2015) provides guidelines to increase accessibility of public buildings for individuals covered by the ADA (1990). However, these guidelines often fall short of providing functional and practical guidelines to be accessible for all. Extant building rating tools fail to attend to the overlap of functional needs for the hard of hearing and/or low vision populations. Thus, …

Upper Extremity Kinematics And Pain Outcomes During Activities Of Daily Living In Pediatric Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Olivia Yanez Wilwert

Theses and Dissertations

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a group of heritable connective tissue disorders, consisting of thirteen different subtypes. Among the thirteen, Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) is the most common. Individuals with this condition present with frequent joint instability that results in ongoing subluxations and dislocations. Secondary diagnoses of this condition include chronic pain, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). The diagnostic process of hEDS is convoluted by the lack of a genetic identifier (Malfait et al., 2017). Individuals with hEDS are often not diagnosed until later in adulthood, leaving their adolescent life full …

The Impact Of Occupational Therapy Acute Care Services On Readmission Rates For Patients In Medicare’S Hospital Readmission Reduction Program, Jessica M. Edelstein

Theses and Dissertations

The United States (US) health care system is faced with the daunting challenge to make healthcare payments commensurate with quality of care provided. To assess quality, metrics for reimbursement have been established by Medicare. One such quality metric is hospital readmissions (readmissions). Readmissions are associated with poor patient outcomes and costly. Associated poor patient outcomes include higher risk for mortality, deconditioning, nutritional issues and cognitive impairments. As a result, readmissions cost Medicare $26 billion annually. Current strategies for reducing readmissions in the US are fragmented and hospital-specific. While specific strategies may vary, hospitals that have low readmissions rates tend to …

A Review Of Factors, Seating Design, And Shape Capture Methods For Reducing Pressure Injury Risk, John A. Damiao

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation in the form of three papers ready for submission to peer-reviewed journals is submitted toward the requirements of the PhD in Health Related Sciences program at Virginia Commonwealth University. Chapter One provides an introductory overview of the project, including: (a) an overview of pressure injuries, (b) the impact of seating as an intervention, and (c) aims of the three-paper dissertation in addressing various aspects of pressure injury prevention. Each paper is unique and singular in its focus, yet all share the overlying aim of addressing pressure injury risk associated with wheelchair seating. Paper One describes the unique facilitators …

Relationship Of Demographic Characteristics Of Occupational And Physical Therapists Towards Their Knowledge And Attitude On Person-Centered Care In Skilled Nursing Facilities, Sadashiv R. Aggarwal

Theses and Dissertations

The study aimed to assess the relationship of specific demographic characteristics of occupational (OTs) and physical therapists (PTs) with their knowledge and attitudes towards principles of Person-Centered Care (PCC) in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). The study further examined if knowledge and/or attitudinal differences exist between OTs and PTs towards PCC. The proposed descriptive study used the Person-Centered Care theory, which is a holistic (bio-psychosocial-spiritual) health care delivery approach. PCC delivers services that are respectful and individualized, allowing negotiation of care, and offering choice through a therapeutic relationship where persons receiving care are empowered to be involved in health decisions at …

Effects Of A Sensory Diet On Attention And Participation In Children With Autism, Leighanne Smith-Mrkaja

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to provide initial knowledge regarding sensory diets and sensory-based interventions. The need for classroom-based sensory interventions are not always considered, especially with the high number of students diagnosed with ASD at the researcher’s school. Often sensory intervention may not be considered educationally relevant, especially in the prekindergarten level. With the proper training and materials, as well as the guidance of the school-based occupational therapist, teachers, other therapists, classroom assistants, parents, and school-based staff might be able to utilize sensory-based activities like sensory diets to increase participation, positive behaviors, and attention. The following applied research study …

Effects Of Patient Characteristics On Outpatient Rehabilitation Outcomes In Patients With Lumbar Impairments, Jenna Powers

Theses and Dissertations

Lumbar spine impairments affect an individual’s ability to perform activities of daily living, making it pertinent to understand the importance of rehabilitation and variables influencing clinical outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine variables (demographics, health conditions, and biopsychosocial) that contribute to larger functional status (FS) improvement for patients with lumbar spine impairments seeking outpatient rehabilitation therapy. This study was a secondary data analysis of data collected by FOTO Inc. (Knoxville, TN, USA). A sample of 221,168 participants with lumbar spine impairments were analyzed. Correlations were performed to examine the strength of the linear relationship between variables of …

Pre-Operative Versus Post-Operative Kinematic Assessment And Functional Outcomes Of The Thoracohumeral Joint In Adults With Rotator Cuff Tears, Margaret French

Theses and Dissertations

PRE- OPERATIVE VERSES POST-OPERATIVE KINEMATIC ASSESSMENT OF THE THORACOHUMERAL JOINT IN ADULTS WITH ROTATOR CUFF TEARS

by

Margaret E. French

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2018

Under the Supervision of Brooke A. Slavens, PhD

This project investigated upper extremity (UE) motion and functional outcomes before and after full-thickness supraspinatus rotator cuff (RC) repair through kinematic analyses of three Activities of Daily Living (ADL) tasks. RC repair is a standard procedure known to alleviate pain, weakness, and stiffness, with improvements of decreased pain and increased range of motion (ROM). Eight (8) subjects (63.6 ± 6.3) with a supraspinatus RC tear participated in …

The Cognitive And Functional Impact Of Open Heart Surgery: A Pilot Study Including Three Common Procedures (Coronary Artery Bypass Graft, Heart Valve Replacement, And Left Ventricular Assist Device), Robert Fix

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the impact of open heart surgery (Coronary Artery Bypass Graft, Heart Valve Replacement, or Left Ventricular Assist Device placement) on cognition, functional performance, and mood in the three months following surgery. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Kettle Test (KT), Physical Self Maintenance Scale (PSMS), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HD) measured global cognition, functional cognition, functional performance, and mood states, respectively.

Thirteen male participants (ages 38 – 75) completed assessments at four time points -- when they were scheduled for surgery, within one week prior to surgery, before hospital discharge after surgery, and three months after …

Wording Matters: The Impact Of Disability Identification In Post-Secondary Education, Jacqueline Marie Love

Theses and Dissertations

Background. The prevalence of students with disabilities (SWD) in postsecondary education has increased over the last 30 years. Moreover, the literature suggests that prevalence statistics may be gross underestimations since large percentages of students have not disclosed their disability to the university they attend. This could have significant negative outcomes. When students do not disclose, the university is less able to accommodate their individual academic needs, resulting in poor academic achievement and even failure to obtaining a degree. Inaccurate identification of SWD also impacts the accuracy of demographic information used to interpret educational research, inform educational policy and can erode …

Using Photovoice To Understand The Meaning Of Social Participation As It Impacts Transitions For Student Veterans, Caitlin Gene Dobson

Theses and Dissertations

Student veterans encounter a variety of social pressures that civilian students do not, making the transition from military life to student civilian challenging. The issue of military personnel transitioning to roles as student veterans is one that is relevant to occupational therapy, as the profession promotes social participation as a meaningful occupation. It has been found that veterans find social relationships to be a critical challenge in the process of transitioning to the university and the civilian world (Plach & Haertlein Sells, 2013).

Additionally, this issue is important to occupational therapy as a factor in promoting mental health. Mental health …

What Influences School-Based Occupational Therapists’ Decision-Making? A Qualitative Study, Cynthia Helen Clough

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Occupational therapists in school-based practice make daily service delivery decisions about when, where, and how to provide interventions to children with disabilities. The services provided by these occupational therapists have the potential to support or limit a child’s access to general education curriculum and environments which, in turn, impacts vocational, financial, social, and community life outcomes. Service delivery decisions about pulling children out of classrooms, pushing services into classrooms, and / or providing consultation are made based on the ways therapists define and differentiate their role from that of other school personnel, how they interpret Individual Education Plans for …

The Impact Of Chemotherapy And Radiotherapy For Breast Cancer On Cognition And Functional Performance: A Comparative Analysis Of Survey Data Taken At Three Time Points Post-Treatment, Ann Marie Potter

Theses and Dissertations

Cognitive impairment related to treatment for breast cancer, affects as many as 75% of patients in study samples (Jansen, Cooper, Dodd & Miaskowski, 2011). Deficits in the cognitive domains of short-term memory, attention, speed of information processing, judgment, reasoning, spatial attention, and verbal memory have been documented. The extent to which these deficits impact functional performance within this population has not yet been quantified. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of breast cancer on self-reported cognition and functional performance in the six months post-completion in two groups of breast cancer survivors, a chemotherapy group and chemotherapy …

Examining The Lived Experience Of Caregivers Learning A Home Program From A Pediatric Occupational Therapist, Michelle Finet

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences of family caregivers as they learned a home program from an occupational therapist for their child. Gaining information from the caregiver on experiences with patient education may enable therapists to develop an understanding of the needs of caregivers during the educational process that occurs when a therapist is giving the caregiver a home program. Meeting the learning needs of the caregivers may possibly reduce the amount of overall therapy needed by the child. This phenomenological approach sought to answer the following research questions: (a) what are the lived experiences …

Video Modeling To Increase Interaction For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder In A Museum Setting Using An Application On A Tablet, Bethany Miota Miota

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis was to perform an exploratory study to determine if the ScanDo! app intervention is an assistive technology that increases interaction for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in a museum setting. The ScanDo! app intervention presented a video demonstration that modeled the interaction for each learning station by scanning the QR code attached to the station. Using a naturally occurring baseline single-subject design with ABA and reversed ABA phases, two children with ASD and their parents visited the grocery store exhibit at a children’s museum. Observers of the trials and questionnaires completed by parents before …

A Feasibility Study Of Using Headspace For Mindfulness Among Individuals Undergoing Surgical Repair Of The Rotator Cuff, Hanna Rae Paul

Theses and Dissertations

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have been found to help reduce psychological distress and pain in chronic musculoskeletal conditions. However, very limited evidence exists determining the impact of mindfulness on psychological distress and pain in acute musculoskeletal conditions including rotator cuff tears. Among individuals undergoing surgical repair of a rotator cuff tear, it is not clear how mindfulness may be combined with usual care, given the requirement of intense training as part of frequently used MBI protocols. The purpose of the present study was to determine if it was feasible to combine Headspace, a mobile application for mindfulness training that can be …

Ipad Application For Pain Assessment In Youths With Developmental Disabilities And Complex Communication Needs, Alyssa Rose Guard

Theses and Dissertations

Aims: Development of a new pain assessment for youths with communication challenges. The Guard-Putzer Pain Assessment Domains (gPAD) for the iPad was designed and tested as a more universally accessible way for youths, ages 7-to-12 years, with a developmental disability (DD) to express their private pain experiences through self-report. Methods: A two-phase process developed the design for an app, created an interactive prototype, and tested its face validity and user interface. This work included a review of current assessments and pain apps as well as completed a survey to obtain descriptive data on clinical practicality of the gPAD. Fifteen occupational …

Survey Of Assessing Pain In Clinical Practice And Applicability Of A New Assessment, Michelle Rose Konz

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

SURVEY OF ASSESSING PAIN IN CLINICAL PRACTICE AND APPLICABILITY OF A

NEW ASSESSMENT

by

Michelle Konz

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2016

Under the Supervision of Professor Joyce Engel, PhD

Aims The purpose of this study is to identify pain assessments that are being used to measure an individual’s pain experience and to discover how occupational therapists are currently assessing pain in youths who have complex communication needs with a developmental disability (DD). Methods Phase 1: A literature review was conducted through the use of electronic databases to research 17 different methods of pain assessment to create descriptive charts to …

Translating Modified Ashworth Scale Into Functional Measures And Quantitative Kinematic Values: A Pilot Study, Patrick Frigge

Theses and Dissertations

TRANSLATING MODIFIED ASHWORTH SCALE INTO FUNCTIONAL MEASURES AND QUANTITATIVE KINEMATIC VALUES: A PILOT STUDY

by

Patrick D. Frigge

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2016

Under the Supervision of Professor Ying-Chih Wang, PhD

Introduction: Spasticity is a motor disorder characterized by a velocity-dependent increase in tonic stretch reflexes. The gold standard for assessing spasticity in stroke patients is the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), but the scale is highly subjective to the clinician’s opinion and previous experience and lacks psychometric fidelity. Numerous studies have criticized the scale’s subjectivity and lack of rater reliability. Development of a quantitative spasticity device in routine clinical care …

The Effects Of Applied Grip Force, Frequency And Duration On Ratings Of Perceived Exertion, Jessica Lynne Gall

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the interactions of various combinations of frequency and duration that result in the same duty cycle at a given applied grip force (measured in % maximum voluntary contraction (MVC)) to determine their relative effect on perceived exertion. Eight female subjects (median age 20.5 years) performed 27 randomized trials containing combinations of dynamic grips, performing each combination twice. Each session contained three 25 minute trials, with a minimum of 12 minutes of rest between trials. The design used a 3x3x3 factorial protocol: i) 3 grip forces (10%, 25%, 40%) ii) 3 duty cycles (25%, 50%, 75%) iii) 3 …