Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Quality Of Life In Assisted Living Facilities In Grand Rapids, Nina Alpers

Honors Projects

This research study looked at the quality of life of residents in assisted living facilities in Grand Rapids. The purpose of this study is to consider the life satisfaction of residents of assisted living facilities in Grand Rapids and explore the determinants that can make their time spent at assisted living facilities as enjoyable as possible. This study highlighted the voices of the residents in assisted living facilities by doing a qualitative study using an interview-styled approach that asked the residents about a variety of topics, such as routines, feelings, values, personal facts, health status, care provided, relationships, and views …

Healthcare In Honduras, Emmett Miller

Honors Projects

Healthcare does not exist in a vacuum. It is influenced by the geography of the area where it is provided, the infrastructure available, the politics that impact its funding, and many other factors. The Honduran Health System is no different. This paper will review the healthcare in Honduras and the challenges to its effectiveness. The first area that will be addressed is the geography of Honduras and how this geography has affected the ability of its citizens to access the services provided by the Health System. The second area to be covered will be the infrastructure and training that is …

Cultural Competency In Practicing Audiologists Serving Lgbtqia+ Clients, Stella Omilian

Honors Projects

The primary objective of this project is to cultivate a better understanding of clinicians' cultural attitudes and behaviors within the field of audiology concerning LGBTQIA+ clients. The study describes the attitudes and behaviors of clinical audiologists serving individuals in the LGBTQIA+ community. It also explores a few barriers to healthcare needs for these clients, including hearing habilitation and rehabilitation. An anonymous survey was used to collect data from the clinicians in the United States on their current knowledge of LGBTQIA+ related terminology and language, affirmative attitudes and behaviors, and cultural sensitivity to these clients receiving audiological services. Analysis of the …

Regeneration Of Neurons In Human Brain Tissue; A Revolutionary Concept With Therapeutic Potential, Mackenzie R. Dunn

Other Undergraduate Research

There is current research to suggest that endogenous neuronal regeneration, exogenous neuronal stem cell transplantation and glial cell reprogramming could be prospective therapeutic treatments for neurodegeneration and traumatic injury. With these conditions, there is significant brain atrophy, loss of neurons and loss of synaptic connections which can have devastating effects on executive functioning, cognition, learning and memory. This review will examine these modern approaches to adult neurogenesis, and assess the viable mechanisms and future outlook of these three therapies for neurological regenerative medicine.

Effect Of Exercise Training Intensity On Cognition, Jaclyn Voyt

Honors Projects

A literature review examining the effects of exercise intensity and modality on cognitive performance.

Mental Health Of University Nursing Students: A Literature Review, Mackenzie Carpenter

Honors Projects

This paper explores the ongoing issue of mental health, specifically in nursing students. In addition to maintaining good academic status through exams, assignments, and papers, nursing students must also endure the stressful environment of a clinical setting. Through summarizing research and drawing overall conclusions, this paper examines the contributing and alleviating factors to poor mental health in this population. Data was obtained from studies published from 2017 to 2023 in the CINAHL database, and 11 studies were retrieved from a data collection process to be included in this review. Multiple studies show a low deviation in mental health levels, healthy …

Best West Michigan Hiking Trails, Sarah Brandt

Honors Projects

After visiting 45 parks in the West Michigan area, I narrowed them down to the best 20 for hiking in Allegan, Kent, Muskegon, and Ottawa County. This project is a resource with everything you need to know to explore them for yourself, including education, honorable mentions, and ADA accessible trails.

The Association Between College Age Students' Nutrition Intake And Depression, Mackenzie Allen

Honors Projects

The research performed was to determine a correlation between depression and nutrient intake in college age students. This study used NHANES publicily available data and IBM's SPSS statistical software to analyze a correlation between depression and nutrition/lifestyle variables: vitamin D, vitamin B12, saturated fatty acids, unsaturated fatty acids, fiber, and exercise. The study found that fiber and unsaturated fatty acid intake had a negative correlation with depression, meaning that as the intake of these nutrients increased, depression decreased. This research reveals key factors to improve the nutritional status of college age students, along with their emotional wellbeing.

Trauma And Resiliency, Madelyn Ferguson

Honors Projects

Life is a series of events, some overwhelmingly positive and others devastatingly negative. Because of the inevitability of adversity, one must learn to adapt to negative circumstances. However, people react to trauma in different ways with some seeking to take their own lives and others finding a healthy outlet. What causes such a difference in our reactions to trauma? Is it simply the power of thought or is there a genetic component? What can I do to build my own resilience and promote the resilience of others around me? The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between …

The Freshman 15: The Who, What, And How It Harms Us, Eva Vanwyck

Honors Projects

The Freshman 15: The Who, What, and How it Harms Us is a publicly posted podcast on the harms of the phrase "The Freshman 15" to student health. This project consists of three episodes, each with a different main focus. The first episode covers what "The Freshman 15" is, the history of its origins, and the reality of the term. It also covers why this term affects freshmen specifically and the unique stressors of the transition from high school to college. The second episode covers the stigma around weight and food in the US. It delves into the fatphobia embedded …

Analyzing The Patient-Provider Relationship And Assessing Shortages In Oral Healthcare In Arenac County, Michigan, Aaron Norfleet

Honors Projects

The purpose of this prospective study will be to assess the patient-provider relationship in Arenac County, Michigan, analyze barriers to treatment for rural patients, and develop a meaningful plan to improve upon these categories. The intended outcomes of this study will be the development of a resource for rural oral healthcare providers to better understand and treat the needs of their patients based on knowledge from beyond the chairside, as well as the development of an easily repeatable model for patient-provider analysis. Furthermore, the questionnaires and data collected from this could assist in informing governmental or non-governmental organizations in identifying …

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy For Chronic Pain In Veterans, Mari Bones

Honors Projects

This paper is an exploration of the use of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as treatment for chronic pain amongst veterans. CBT has been used as a treatment options for veterans since 2012 in order to decrease the use and misuse of opioids. It focuses on giving the patient tools to control the impact that chronic pain has on their body and mind. The paper explore this treatment, the aspects of it, complementary treatments, and results.

Intercellular Communication Via Gap Junctions Influences Cell Survival During Hypoxia, Lauren E. Harmon, David L. Geenen

Student Summer Scholars Manuscripts

Stem cell therapy can be beneficial following myocardial infarction. However, when murine bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (mBM-MSCs) are injected into the ischemic area, a large percentage of these cells undergo apoptosis resulting in decreased therapeutic benefits. We hypothesize that the loss of these mBM-MSCs is regulated by intercellular channels or gap junctions (GJs) that provide apoptotic signals passed between ischemic cardiomyocytes and mBM-MSCs. Our research aims to attenuate these GJs by suppressing Connexin-43 (Cx43) expression, the predominant channel-forming protein. We will accomplish this by transiently transfecting a Cx43 siRNA into mBM-MSCs. Our data demonstrate that intracellular fluorescent dyes and …

Exploring Graduate Student Mental Health And Service Utilization By Gender, Race, And Year In School, Mikhila N. Wildey, Meghan E. Fox, Kelly A. Machnik, Deborah Ronk

Peer Reviewed Articles

Objective: The current study explored differences in mental health problems, services utilization, and support of graduate students by gender, race/ethnicity, and year in school.

Participants: Participants consisted of 734 graduate students from a large, Midwestern university.

Methods: Graduate students answered a series of questionnaires in fall 2021 assessing their mental health, services utilization, and perception of services.

Results: Women (vs men) and participants in their second year and beyond (vs first year) reported greater mental health problems, negative impact of the pandemic, and more services utilization. White (vs non-White) participants reported greater negative impact of the pandemic, greater services utilization, …

Engaging Caregivers To Use An Evidence‑Based Intervention For Medicaid Benefciaries With Alzheimer’S Disease: A Pilot Study, Sandra Lee Spoelstra, Alla Sikorskii, Monica Schueller, Viktoria Basso, Autumn Baldwin

Peer Reviewed Articles

Background This pilot study aimed to adapt an intervention, engaging informal caregivers to help clinicians with providing care to improve (or maintain) physical function of individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease or other dementias. To the best of our knowledge, for the frst time, we report on use of the intervention in those with Alzheimer’s Disease or other dementias.

Methods This was a 5-month mixed methods cohort study in a convenience sample of clinicians, caregivers, and benefciaries at 3-Medicaid Home and Community-based Service sites in Michigan. Two content experts and 5 caregivers modifed the intervention. We trained 116 clinicians to engage caregivers …

Results Of A Multi-Site Pragmatic Hybrid Type 3 Cluster Randomized Trial Comparing Level Of Facilitation While Implementing An Intervention In Community-Dwelling Disabled And Older Adults In A Medicaid Waiver, Sandra Spoelstra, Monica Schueller, Viktoria Basso, Alla Sikorskii

Peer Reviewed Articles

Background: Evidence-based interventions that optimize physical function for disabled and older adults living in the community who have difficulty with daily living tasks are available. However, uptake has been limited, particularly in resource-constrained (Medicaid) settings. Facilitation may be an effective implementation strategy. This study’s aim was to compare internal facilitation (IF) versus IF and external facilitation (EF) on adoption and sustainability of an intervention in a Medicaid home and community-based waiver.

Methods: In a hybrid type 3 trial, waiver sites (N = 18) were randomly assigned to implement the intervention using a bundle of strategies with either IF or IF …

Know The Signs Of An Allergic Reaction: Anaphylaxis, Sarah R. Remillard

Honors Projects

The purpose of this project was to develop a food allergy informational poster for use in the classroom. The Center for Disease Control has estimated that an average of two children in each public school classroom in the United States struggled with a food allergy. Meanwhile, other researchers found that 25% of first-time anaphylaxis episodes occurred in classrooms. This Honors Project was developed to address the informational gap concerning anaphylaxis that occurs at schools. The methodology was literature review. The Honor Project's outcome was the informational poster, Know the Signs of an Allergic Reaction: Anaphylaxis, as well as the supplemental …

End The Stigma: Strategies To Improve Mental Health, Alexia M. Frantzeskakis

Honors Projects

The project discusses coping strategies that students can utilize to improve their mental health. A paper, along with five fliers that will be distributed to incoming freshmen were developed. Each flier discusses a different coping strategy on the following topics: physical activity, mindfulness, social media use, routines, and resources available to students in the community.

Mov 300: Kinesiology Oer Curation, Chealsye Bowley

Curated OER Collections

This OER curation is an annotated bibliography of prospective OER for the GVSU course MOV 300: Kinesiology, assembled by request from the instructor.

Nur 621: Clinical Pathophysiology Oer Curation, Chealsye Bowley

Curated OER Collections

This OER curation is an annotated bibliography of prospective OER for the GVSU course NUR 621: Clinical Pathophysiology, assembled by request from the instructor.

Pt 654: Applied Geriatric Practice Oer Curation, Chealsye Bowley

Curated OER Collections

This OER curation is an annotated bibliography of prospective OER for the GVSU course PT 654: Applied Geriatric Practice, assembled by request from the instructor.

Rtx 300: Foundations Of Recreational Therapy Oer Curation, Chealsye Bowley

Curated OER Collections

This OER curation is an annotated bibliography of prospective OER for the GVSU course RTX 300: Foundations of Recreational Therapy, assembled by request from the instructor.

Nur 265: Introduction To Nursing Research And Evidence-Based Practice Oer Curation, Chealsye Bowley

Curated OER Collections

This OER curation is an annotated bibliography of prospective OER for the GVSU course NUR 265: Introduction to Nursing Research and Evidence-based Practice.

Analysis Of A Future Dentist, Monica J. Nagy

Honors Projects

My Senior Honors Project at GVSU is centered around the options I will have in front of me once I graduate from dental school. First I researched what the future of dentistry will look like 10 years from now. The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted the dental field, creating better sanitation and procedural changes that will likely last forever. The second part of my project entailed the creation of a Business Model Canvas for owning a private dental practice. The final aspect of my project is a presentation of my potential plans of action. The powerpoint provides the steps for …

Oral Healthcare Education, Equity And Policy Implementation In Rural Honduran Communities, Alexander J.R. Dyke

Honors Projects

Rural Honduras encompasses many individuals with limited access to a dental professional. Many public health studies demonstrate that dental shortage areas have more dental cavities, missing teeth, and more complex restorations that need periodic treatment. Dental hygiene is undermined at home with limited access to oral health advocates, and dental education becomes more essential. Here, we report an educational consensus and perspectives of rural Honduras through a questionnaire distributed at 13 mobile dental clinics in remote villages. To assess the effectiveness of education, the World Health Organization (WHO) has deemed two important indices in assessing trends: Community Periodontal Index of …

Exploration Of The Healthcare Conditions In The Occupied Palestinian Territories, Awatef Ayesh

Honors Projects

The occupation of Palestine by Israel has had a significant impact on the Palestinian citizens' health care services. The disparities were seen in maternal, infant, and child mortality rates, life expectancy, and measures of mental wellbeing. The health disparities are due to many factors involving economic conditions, food insecurity, environmental exposures, psychological trauma and stress, and access to health services most of which are directly or indirectly linked to the Israeli military occupation of the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt). This project explores the health indicators and examine the social determinants of health in the oPt that may be responsible for …

Cultural Competence In The Care Of Muslim Women Patients, Ayah Ayesh

Honors Projects

Delivering high-quality care to female patients of the Muslim faith requires knowledge of the differences in cultural and spiritual values. Important differences include diet, ideas of modesty, privacy, and touch restrictio. Globally, Muslims represent substantial portions of society and remain the fastest-growing religion in the world. The Muslim faith encompasses several ethnicities with diverse views regarding illness and healthcare. As a result, the care of Muslim patients provides challenges for many non-Muslim healthcare providers. The Islamic faith can influence decision-making, family dynamics, health practices, risks, and the use of healthcare. This paper describes the care of Muslim patients taking into …

Examination Of Covid-19 And The Spanish Flu Of 1918, Caden A. Striegle

Honors Projects

COVID-19, for many across the globe, has been a pandemic the likes of which has never been seen before. It has caused many aspects of life to change in order to adapt to the new limitations and cautions brought about by the global spread of a novel virus. However, almost exactly 100 years prior, a strain of the H1N1 influenza virus also known as the Spanish Flu of 1918, similarly uprooted life for millions of people around the globe. These two pandemics, while similarly leading to great disruption of global health, had many differences in the demographics impacted as well …

Adverse Childhood Experiences: Effects Of Covid-19, Evan Guo

Honors Projects

The evaluation of an adult's health status consists of several entities. These factors can include physical, mental, and emotional health in an individual's history contributing to their overall health. When studying such factors, some researchers emphasize the importance of recognizing events experienced during a person's childhood that affect their development, and therefore, their adult health status. Today, as people continue adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic and changes in regulation of standards for socialization, it is becoming apparent to healthcare researchers how these new modifications are highly impactful to the development of children and adolescents. When studying the various factors that …

Osteopathic Treatments For Soft Tissue, Joint, And Head-Related Pain, Emerson K. Linsley

Honors Projects

The article examines how osteopathic manipulations can help in the treatment or management of pain associated with soft tissue, joint, and head-related injury or disease.