Alternative and Complementary Medicine Commons^™

Evaluating The Integration Of Traditional And Western Medicine In Rural Ghana: The Role Of Healers And The Government, Teresa Nicole Lemon

Poster Presentations

A question of pressing importance for the healthcare system in Ghana is the integration between biomedicine, which is unreachable for many rural citizens, and traditional medicine, which fills in the gaps in access for rural and non-rural citizens seeking care and is utilized by 70% of the population. The WHO promotes integrated health systems and created strategies to assist governments in their efforts.

The Ghanaian government did create policies to aid in integration, but their attempt to integrate was unsuccessful. This, along with other factors, has led some scholars to consider the government’s efforts as “tokenistic”; however, they do not …

Process Modeling The Neuroprotective Effects Of A Plant-Based Diet On Parkinson's Disease, Julia Mitchell

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor symptoms such as tremors, bradykinesia, rigidity, and postural instability. Recent research suggests an avenue for potential neuroprotection through dietary intervention, specifically the adoption of a plant-based diet. A plant-based diet predominantly comprises foods derived from plants, emphasizing fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, and nuts while minimizing or excluding animal products. This thesis aims to explore the biochemical pathways implicated in PD progression and the potential impact of dietary choices on these pathways. The investigation focuses on several key pathways: alpha-synuclein aggregation, the blood-brain barrier crossing of levodopa, oxidative stress, ferroptosis, …

Hispanic Cookbook For Individuals With Diabetes, Jewel Santamaria

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Can a cookbook positively influence the quality of life for Hispanics with diabetes? The purpose of this study was to develop a cookbook that is diabetic-friendly and culturally appropriate using common traditional Hispanic ingredients and methods.

Methods: Recipes for traditional Hispanic dishes were modified to meet nutritional needs for people with diabetes. The modified recipes were very similar to traditional Mexican cuisine, except healthier ingredients and techniques were substituted from the original recipes. Nutritional analysis was conducted using Cronometer software, with inclusions of calories, protein, carbohydrates, and fat in the cookbook. Additionally, a carbohydrate exchange for each recipe …

A Proposal: Healing Impacts Of Writing Groups On Cancer Survivors, Cassandra M. Normand

Journal of Creative Writing Studies

Those diagnosed with cancer not only suffer from the disease itself, but also psychological distress, including feelings of hopelessness, anxiety, and depression. Writing groups have been found to positively impact attendees’ well-being, including decreasing anxiety, depression, and other psychological symptoms. Despite the benefits of writing groups, little research examines the impact of cancer survivors attending writing groups. This study utilized previous literature to create a curriculum for a writing group specifically for cancer survivors. This curriculum was then pilot tested with a group of cancer survivors in May and June of 2022. Psychological symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress were …

Body And Art As Message: An Experience With Chronic Pain, Writing, And The Mind-Body Connection, Mitchell R. James

Journal of Creative Writing Studies

This introduction to the special section of Volume 9, Issue 1 of the Journal of Creative Writing Studies on writing and mind-body connection uses memoir to emphasize the important relationship between writing and the management of chronic pain.

Erratum: 269 Years Of Homoeopathy: The Healing Continues, Subhash Kaushik

Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy

In the original editorial, the number of years for which homoeopathy has persisted, was inadvertently reported as the number of years since the birth of Dr Samuel Hanemann. The editors sincerely apologize for this error. The corrections about this appear below:

• The Title be read as: ‘228 years of Homoeopathy: The healing continues’
• The first line of the article be read as, “This year, as we gear up to celebrate 228 years of homoeopathy (since 1796 is known as the birth year of homoeopathy), it is a matter of pride for the homoeopathic fraternity that homoeopathy continues to …

Faith Community Nursing: Ministering To God's People In Ukraine Through Lamentation, Pam Dandre

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

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Utilizing Aromatherapy To Decrease Anxiety In Adults Experiencing Homelessness, Thomas A. Clawson

Theses and Graduate Projects

This scholarly project analyzes health disparities faced by people experiencing homelessness, specifically in regard to their mental health and how they experience heightened levels of anxiety when compared to individuals who have stable housing. Through a literature review, the use of Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) was analyzed and has shown to be an effective non-pharmacologic treatment for anxiety in a multitude of settings. Utilizing a theoretical framework distilled from Margret Newman’s theory Health as Expanding Consciousness, and Martha Rogers’ The Science of Unitary Human Beings. The quality improvement project was implemented at an inner city resource center for people experiencing homelessness. …

”To Be Or Not To Be – It’S Good”: Actor And Student Experiences In A Drama Club For People With Aphasia, Jade K. Hannan

Senior Theses

Individuals with aphasia, a disorder caused by damage to the brain’s language network, confront a variety of social and emotional struggles. While leaving their cognition largely intact, aphasia tremendously impacts a person’s ability to communicate confidently, fracturing their social network and contributing to feelings of loneliness and frustration. To address this persistent need in the chronic aphasia population, the Play on Words drama club at the University of South Carolina provides a forum for people with aphasia (PWA) to engage in dramatic exercises focused on non-verbal communication of emotions, ideas, and stories, culminating the production of an original devised play. …

Motivations Behind The Rise And Success Of Homeopathy In India, Kavya Patchipulusu

Senior Theses

Homeopathy is a form of medicine that is incredibly controversial and is often labeled as a fraudulent, placebo effect drug, that can have potentially dangerous side effects. This is the picture that is painted of homeopathy in the United States and many other countries in which these medicines are banned in distribution or highly unregulated. In contrast, India has popularized and well-integrated homeopathy into their medical systems with government backing and consistent funding towards accredited homeopathic institutions and funding hospital systems. This paper will explore the circumstances and health care dynamics of India that allowed homeopathy to gain the level …

Music As A Coping Mechanism: Clinical Implications Of How College Students Utilize Music To Cope With Anxiety, Depression, And Daily Stressors, Karly Pikel

Senior Theses

Many college students face stress, anxiety, and/or depression in their daily lives which they cope with in their own ways. Listening to music or playing an instrument are particularly powerful forms of coping that can have a plethora of positive effects on an individual. The purpose of this study was to conduct a survey amongst the University of South Carolina student body to determine how they utilize music to cope in their daily lives. Of 847 respondents, almost all of them reported experiencing some extent of anxiety and/or stress and listening to music to help them cope. Respondents agreed that …

The Impact Of Kangaroo Care On The Weight Gain Of Premature Infants, Heather Vincequere

SACAD: John Heinrichs Scholarly and Creative Activity Days

Premature birth remains a global health concern, affecting approximately 15 million infants annually (WHO, 2023). Kangaroo Care (KC), involving skin-to-skin contact between caregivers and infants, was developed as a promising intervention to mitigate the adverse effects of prematurity. This study aimed to investigate the impact of KC on weight gain among preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Doctors Hospital of Augusta (DHOA). A quasi-experimental quantitative posttest-only design was employed, with eight preterm infants (< 37 weeks gestation) participating in KC for at least 30 minutes daily. Daily weight measurements were collected over a four-week period and compared to the expected weight gain for infants receiving traditional incubator care. Results revealed a statistically significant increase in weight gain among infants receiving KC compared to the historical average for infants in traditional incubator care (t (7) = 2.443, p = 0.022). A large effect size (Cohen's d = 0.864) further supported the significance of these findings. Despite limitations such as a small sample size and convenience sampling, this study emphasizes that KC enhances weight gain in preterm infants, thus improving overall health outcomes. Implementation of KC requires ongoing support from nurse leaders to ensure proper education and successful integration into routine care practices. Nonetheless, continued research with larger samples and improved randomization is warranted to fully understand the long-term benefits of KC in neonatal care settings.

A Comprehensive Review On Solenostemma Argel (Del.) Hayne, An Egyptian Medicinal Plant, Essam Abdel-Sattar, Riham A. El-Shiekh

Bulletin of Faculty of Pharmacy Cairo University

Solenostemma argel (Del.) Hayne, commonly known as Arghel or Hargal, is a desert plant belonging to the family Apocynaceae. It has been used in traditional medicine in various countries, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Libya, Algeria, and Sudan, where it is the primary source. The review is aimed at providing a comprehensive report on Solenostemma argel (Del.) Hayne, including its botanical identification and description, geographical distribution, traditional uses, phytoconstituents, and pharmacological and toxicological properties. A professional search in the available literature was performed through several databases. The search was performed using the following keywords: Solenostemma argel, Argel, chemical structures, biological effects, …

Safety Of Potentised Dilutions Of Rhus Toxicodendron In Wistar Albino Rats, Abanti Goswami, Narasimha Kumar Gv, Vara Prasad Saka, Pankaj Gupta, Bibaswan Biswas, Digvijay Verma

Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy

Background: Rhus toxicodendron (Rhus tox.) is a well-known homoeopathic medicine used to treat inflammatory disorders supported by historical and modern scientific evidence. Objective: The safety testing of 6C, 30C and 200C potencies of Rhus tox. through acute and sub-acute oral toxicity tests as per the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development test guidelines. Methods: For the acute oral toxicity study, Rhus tox. (2000 μL/kg) was administered to rats and observed for 14 days. For the subacute oral toxicity study, Rhus tox. (200 μL/kg) was administered for 28 days and additional recovery groups were included to monitor reversibility, persistence, or delayed …

Usage Of Arsenicum Album 30c As A Prophylactic Medicine In Healthcare Workers Of A Covid Health Centre – A Report, Rekha Thomas, Thankaraj Balakrishnan, Anu Rajesh, George Mathew, Saurabh Kumar Jain, Radhika Agarwal, Anu Kapoor

Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy

The homoeopathic medicine Arsenicum album 30C was recommended as prophylaxis by the Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy, along with general precautions during COVID-19 pandemic. A retrospective cohort study was conducted in Delhi, India, during May–August 2020 to evaluate the effectiveness of Arsenicum album 30C as prophylaxis for COVID-19 in a high-risk group of healthcare workers (HCWs). HCWs (n = 100) were categorised into two groups based on the number of days Arsenicum album 30C was administered during their duty: 7 days (N1 = 38) or 14 days (N2 = 62). Participants underwent COVID-19 testing (rapid antigen test/reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain …

Tinea Cruris Managed With A Single Dose Of Individualised Homoeopathic Medicine: A Case Report, K Sivakumar

Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy

Introduction: Tinea cruris is an infection of the skin over groins by a species of dermatophyte. It is a common ringworm infestation that affects the groin and is caused by Trichophyton rubrum, characterised by red, itchy erythematous plaques extending from the Groin and flexures onto the thighs, buttocks and perianal region of the skin. More than eight million people visit primary care physicians annually to treat tinea-related symptoms. Topical agents are the mainstay in conventional medicine. However, a holistic approach with Homoeopathy for treating tinea cruris can make a difference in terms of both cure and preventing relapse. Case …

Paediatric Cholelithiasis Treated With Homoeopathy: A Case Report, Girish Gupta

Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy

Introduction: Gallstones are formed due to the precipitation of components of bile in the lumen of the gallbladder. The incidence of gallstones is extremely rare in children and patients are mostly asymptomatic. However, biliary colic may occur due to reflexive smooth muscle spasm by the stone obstructing the bile duct and may be the presenting symptom in 50% of cases of paediatric cholelithiasis whereas 25% may have non-specific symptoms, 20% may be asymptomatic and 5–10% may have complicated symptoms. The conventional treatment of gallstones is surgery even in children, whereas homoeopathy can provide non-surgical treatment in such cases. Case …

Obstinate Chronic Venous Ulcer Treated With The Homoeopathic Medicine Silicea: A Case Report, Sumit Paliwal, Laijun Nahar

Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy

Introduction: Vascular leg ulcers are highly prevalent conditions that have difficult management, a high sanitary cost and an impact on the patient’s quality of life. Individualised homoeopathic treatment could be a safe and affordable therapeutic option for venous ulcers. Case Summary: A 35-year-old male was treated with homoeopathic medication for an intractable case of chronic venous ulcer. Individualised homoeopathic medicine, Silicea, was prescribed after thorough case-taking, which led to improvement in subjective and objective symptoms. The Modified Naranjo Criteria score was 8 following the homoeopathic treatment, which shows positive causal attribution of the individualised homoeopathic medicine Silicea in …

Research Highlights, Bhavna Makhija, Khan Sheeba Saleem

Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy

Research Highlights

269 Years Of Homoeopathy: The Healing Continues, Subhash Kaushik

Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy

As we gear up to celebrate 269 years of homoeopathy, it is a matter of pride for the homoeopathic fraternity that homoeopathy continues to evolve globally. Homoeopathy is now a widely used medical system with over 200 million users in 100+ countries. If factors such as strong evidence, wide, global usage, and economic viability can be considered as the pillars that make a healthcare model legitimate for a nation, Homoeopathy, indeed, makes the cut. Given its well-acclaimed abilities of permanent, effective, and safe treatment, homoeopathy went on to be a fundamental part of Indian healthcare. However, despite the relevance and …

Homoeopathic Treatment Of A Child With Internet Gaming Disorder And Atopic Dermatitis: A Case Report, Ashish Mahajan, Nidhi Mahajan, Anuradha Singh, Mohan Lal Chopra

Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy

Introduction: Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is an emerging disorder, recently added to DSM-5, which has a capacity to reach pandemic proportions in the near future. The Indian mobile gaming market has grown significantly over the past few years with many users spending a significant amount of time on mobile games. A patient initially presenting with atopic dermatitis (AD) was subsequently diagnosed with IGD based on the analysis of his mental symptoms and was managed holistically with homoeopathy. Case Summary: A 3-year-old boy primarily presented with AD. During the interrogation of his mental state, he was found to have …

Remodeling Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer's Aggressive Profile And Metabolic Signature By Natural Alkaloid Berberine, Tara Elizabeth Jarboe

NYMC Student Theses and Dissertations

Anaplastic thyroid cancer is a rare, fatal cancer with a five-year survival of 4%. Universally diagnosed at stage IV, anaplastic thyroid cancer is characterized by its lack of differentiation, rapid proliferative rate, highly inflammatory tumor microenvironment, and metabolic dysregulation. Refractory to all established therapies, anaplastic thyroid cancer requires a novel therapeutic approach that targets all of these drivers of anaplastic thyroid cancer carcinogenesis. We propose natural alkaloid berberine as a therapeutic with multitarget efficacy to alter mitochondrial metabolism and reprogram anaplastic thyroid cancer’s aggressive phenotype. Our in vitro model uses monocyte cell line U937, anaplastic thyroid cancer cell lines T238 …

Rapid (Reducing The Anxiety Of Patients In Interventional And Diagnostic) Radiologic Procedures: A Review Of The Literature, Unie Háng, Nathan Sim, Harika K. Bollineni, Arif Musa Md, Foaz Kayali Md, Roger Kakos Md, Monte Harvill Md, Ali Harb Md

Medical Student Research Symposium

Abstract Title: RAPID (Reducing the Anxiety of Patients in Interventional and Diagnostic) Radiologic Procedures: A Review of the Literature

Background: Pre-procedural anxiety is a prevalent concern that can be associated with negative effects for patients including perceived pain. Most interventional radiologic procedures are performed under local anesthesia with minimal sedation if any, which may not be sufficient in relaxing the patient. Effective patient education with appropriate pain management and anxiety control can improve comfort and can yield optimal post-procedural outcomes.

Methods: A search was done with the PubMed database for studies concerning patient anxiety in radiologic procedures. Search terms included, …

Dissecting The Impact Of Medicinal Plants On Systemic Diseases, Karen Ayetiwa

Annual Research Symposium

For this literature review, a range of databases were used such as Google Search, PubMed, and Web of Science (mentioned all the ones you used). The search strategy used was a combination of terms such as "medicinal plant compounds," "plant polysaccharides on metabolic diseases," "effects of berberine on diabetes mellitus," " and "effects of medicinal plants on Alzheimer's." Articles chosen for review were published between 2020 and 2022, and only studies in the English language were considered. The majority of the selected studies were devised to observe and analyze the effects of medicinal plant compounds on various systemic diseases. Medicinal …

Factors Influencing Music Therapists’ Retention Of Clinical Hours With Autistic Clients Over Telehealth During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Nicole M. Richard Williams

Music Faculty Scholarship

The COVID-19 pandemic influenced music therapists to migrate services to online platforms, though some lost clinical hours during the pandemic when telehealth was not a viable option. This survey study aimed to ascertain factors that helped music-based therapists to continue serving autistic clients over telehealth during the pandemic. We surveyed 193 accredited music therapists located mainly in Canada and the United States. In addition to gathering data on general perceptions of telehealth music therapy and Neurologic Music Therapy® (NMT), one-way ANOVAs were applied to determine differences in percent-change loss of clinical hours for music therapists: 1) working in different employment …

Calming The Body, Calming The Mind: A Pilot Study On The Use Of Zero Balancing To Reduce Anxiety, Misty L. Rhoads, Mary Murphy

Journal of Transformative Touch

Background: The predominance of anxiety is currently at record levels, and the need for non-pharmaceutical approaches to help alleviate and decrease the harmful effects of anxiety on an individual and collective level is necessary. This study explored how Zero Balancing supports individuals with anxiety to manage their physical, mental, and emotional health more effectively. Researchers hypothesized that Zero Balancing would lower the perceived severity of general anxiety and lower perceived anxiety symptoms.

Methods: To honor the holistic nature of bodywork and the participants' lived experiences, the researchers utilized a concurrent mixed-methods phenomenological research design. Each participant received one Zero Balancing …

Impact Of Equine Interaction During Psychotherapy On Anxiety And Depression For Residential Treatment Program Patients Experiencing Substance Withdrawal, Molly M. Friend, Molly C. Nicodemus, Clay Cavinder, Caleb Lemley, Pauline Prince, Katherine A. Cagle-Holtcamp, Rebecca M. Swanson

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

As incidences of substance use disorders (SUD) increase in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a need for more effective treatment approaches. Further, treatment approaches currently available struggle to retain patients during the period of substance withdrawal in early treatment due to patients’ withdrawal symptoms including increased feelings of anxiety and depression. Withdrawal symptoms have been linked to dysregulated cortisol concentrations present in this period. Psychotherapy incorporating equine interaction (PIE) has emerged in other populations as a treatment that decreases cortisol concentrations and improves treatment retention. The present study investigated the impact of 4 weeks of PIE on …

The Impact Of Brief Electronic Guided Mindfulness Meditation On Anxiety Scores, Sierra King

DNP Scholarly Projects

In the United States, anxiety rates are on the rise for the general population (Goodwin et al., 2020a). Prolonged and frequent anxiety can become unprompted and problematic (American Psychiatric Association, 2021). Management of anxiety is crucial for overall wellbeing. Access to treatment and resources for anxiety may be limited in rural geographical locations (Morales et al., n.d.). This DNP project sought to determine whether a brief intervention of electronic guided mindfulness meditation (MM) by Insight Timer is effective in decreasing anxiety in a rural populous. Convenience sampling recruited a final total of 11 rural participants who participated in seven sessions …

Winding Path, Monica Blizek

Journal of Religion & Film

This is a film review of Winding Path (dêtetsi vo’i oninjakan) (2023), directed by Alexandra Lazarowich and Ross Kauffman.

Virgin Coconut Oil (Vco) Supplementation Relieves Symptoms And Inflammation Among Covid-19 Positive Adults: A Single-Blind Randomized Trial, Imelda Angeles-Agdeppa, Jacus S. Nacis, Fabian M. Dayrit, Keith V. Tanda

Chemistry Faculty Publications

A clinical study conducted in 2020 showed that virgin coconut oil (VCO) has been found effective in the rapid relief of COVID-19 symptoms and normalization of the C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration among probable and suspected cases of COVID-19. This present study aimed to validate those results and to evaluate the effects of VCO among COVID-19 patients through a 28-day randomized, single-blind trial conducted among 76 SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain report)-confirmed adults, with VCO given as a COVID-19 adjunct therapy. The results showed that VCO recipients were free from symptoms and had normal CRP concentrations by day 14. In comparison, …