Digital Commons Network^™

Assessing Gaps In Services For Geriatric Patients With Mental Health Needs, Angela Nelson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Older adults in southwest Minnesota have limited options regarding mental health services. Sanford Tracy Medical Center and Sanford Westbrook Medical Center sought to identify the needs of this population so they can better serve their patients. The following research questions were asked: Do local service providers feel gaps in services exist for older adults experiencing mental health needs in the rural southwestern Minnesota communities of Tracy and Westbrook and the surrounding areas? Do area service providers feel that geriatric patients would benefit from a mental health intervention implemented within the primary healthcare setting? A survey of area geriatric service providers …

Communalism Predicts Prenatal Affect, Stress, And Physiology Better Than Ethnicity And Socioeconomic Status, Cleopatra M. Abdou, Christine Dunkel Schetter, Belinda Campos, Clayton J. Hilmert, Tyan Parker Dominguez, Calvin J. Hobel, Laura M. Glynn, Curt A. Sandman

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

The authors examined the relevance of communalism, operationalized as a cultural orientation emphasizing interdependence, to maternal prenatal emotional health and physiology and distinguished its effects from those of ethnicity and childhood and adult socioeconomic status (SES). African American and European American women (N = 297) were recruited early in pregnancy and followed through 32 weeks gestation using interviews and medical chart review. Overall, African American women and women of lower socioeconomic backgrounds had higher levels of negative affect, stress, and blood pressure, but these ethnic and socioeconomic disparities were not observed among women higher in communalism. Hierarchical multivariate regression analyses …

Medical Education Digest, Vol. 11 No. 6 (November/December 2009), Nova Southeastern University

Medical Education Digest

No abstract provided.

Com Outlook Fall 2009, College Of Osteopathic Medicine

COM Outlook

No abstract provided.

Interventions For Autism Spectrum Disorders: State Of The Evidence, Lindsey Tweed Md, Mph, Nancy Connolly Mppm, Amy Beaulieu

Children, Youth, & Families

The number of children in Maine with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) has increased significantly over the past decade. Since 2000, the number of children receiving Special Education services for ASD in Maine schools jumped from 594 to 2,231in 2008 – an increase of 276%. A recent study estimated that the total cost of caring for a person with autism over his or her lifetime can reach $3.2 million, with more than $35 billion spent collectively per year (Ganz, 2007). To conserve already scarce resources and of-fer the best possible services to children with ASD, it is necessary to identify and …

Posttraumatic Spiritual Growth: A Phenomenological Study Of Cancer Survivors, Ryan Myles Denney

Dissertations

A small but growing body of research has sought to investigate the specific role of religion and spirituality in posttraumatic growth. Recently investigations have begun to focus on spiritual growth following trauma, specifically that of cancer patients and survivors. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate how having cancer effects the spiritual growth of cancer survivors across a multidimensional conceptualization of spirituality (Hill 2005; Tsang & McCullough, 2003). The researcher investigated the lived experience of thirteen cancer survivors with posttraumatic spiritual growth using a phenomenological method of data analysis. Participants reported experiencing spiritual growth across the following domains …

Quality Of Life And Depression: Outcome Markers For A Weight Management Program, Cecilia Dueñas

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Pediatric obesity has become a national epidemic and current trends suggest a continued increase. Obese children have been found to have higher incidences of depression and a lower quality of life (QOL) than children from other often more severe medical populations. As a result, weight management programs are on the increase with the majority measuring outcome success through weight loss and decreased body mass index (BMI). It is evident however, that health factors are not the only factors associated with obesity, and that psychosocial components are important as well. The Loma Linda University Growing Fit Program is unique in that …

Implications For Child Welfare Teaching And Human Services Personnel Perspectives Experiences Of Children With Special Needs, Sarah Huesmann

Honors Capstones

Capstone submitted as a graduation requirement for the BSU Honors Program.

Com Outlook Spring 2009, College Of Osteopathic Medicine

COM Outlook

No abstract provided.

Children's Health Insurance Program: The Dynamics Of Federalism And Health Care Policy, Erik White

Political Science Theses and Capstones

On February 4^th, 2009, President Obama signed into law the reauthorization of the Children Health Insurance Program. The federal government will now spend 30 billion dollars towards the goal of ensuring that more children in the United States are insured. I investigate this particular health care policy and look at the different dynamics that affect the ultimate goal of universal health insurance for children. Because this program allows for state flexibility under broad federal guidelines, one is able to look at individual states, and their particular actions and characteristics, to determine the best approach to insuring the most …

Virginia's Money Follows The Person Demonstration, Jason A. Rachel, Karen Lawson

Case Studies from Age in Action

Educational Objectives

1. Describe Virginia's Money Follows the Person Demonstration project, including the new services available to individuals through Virginia's Medicaid-funded home and community-based waiver program.

2. Explain how Virginia's Money Follows the Person Demonstration project, being administered by the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS), would assist an individual in transitioning from a long-term care facility to the community.

3. Illustrate how someone might experience the MFP processes from pre-transition through post-transition.

Violence Against Women Raises Risk Of Cervical Cancer, Ann L. Coker, Claudia Hopenhayn, Christopher P. Desimone, Heather M. Bush, Leslie Crofford

CRVAW Faculty Journal Articles

Background: An emerging literature suggests that violence against women (VAW), particularly sexual violence, may increase the risk of acquiring a sexually transmitted infection (STI) and, therefore, may be associated with cervical cancer development. The purpose of this cross-sectional analysis was to determine if women who had experienced violence had higher prevalence rates of invasive cervical cancer.

Methods: Women aged 18–88 who joined the Kentucky Women’s Health Registry (2006–2007) and completed a questionnaire were included in the sample. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to adjust odds ratio (OR) for confounders (e.g., age, education, current marital status, lifetime illegal drug use, …

Ethnic Disparities In Cervical Cancer Survival Among Medicare Eligible Women In A Multiethnic Population, Ann L. Coker, Katherine S. Eggleston, Xianglin L. Du, Lois Ramondetta

CRVAW Faculty Journal Articles

To determine predictors of cervical cancer survival by socioeconomic status (SES), urbanization, race/ethnicity, comorbid conditions, and treatment among elderly Medicare-eligible women whose conditions were diagnosed with cervical cancer in a multiethnic population.

Methods: A total of 538 women with cervical cancer aged 65 years or older were identified from 1999 to 2001 from the Texas Cancer Registry and were linked with the state Medicare data and Texas Vital Records to determine survival times. All women had similar access to care through Medicare fee-for-services insurance. A composite measure of SES was created using census tract-level data as was urbanization. Treatment and …

The Lived Experiences Of Older African Americans Residing In Urban Nursing Homes, Marilynn Gail Byrd Knall

Wayne State University Theses

As huge numbers of baby boomers reach old age, an increased need for nursing home care in the future is inevitable. Older people face more complex health issues that often lead to debilitation or disability and thus the need for long-term care. The numbers of consumers needing long-term care services will more than triple during the next 30 years.

African Americans compose less than 10% of nursing home residents and even at age 84 and older, when the likelihood of nursing home placement is higher, proportionately fewer African Americans live in nursing homes. The underrepresentation of ethnic minorities groups in …

Frequent Users Of The Emergency Department: A Policy Proposal, Tina Ann Olson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Research has extensively documented that a small number of Emergency Department (ED) patients make disproportionate use of emergency services (Okin et al., 2000). The term “Frequent Users” is used to describe patients who utilize ED services more than four times per year (Byrne et al., 2003). Frequent Users are often times patients with chronic medical, mental health, alcohol and drug problems, as well as other psychosocial issues (Fulde & Duffy, 2006). Homeless people also appear to have significantly higher ED rates than the general population (Pope et al., 2000). Immanuel St. Joseph’s-Mayo Health System (ISJ) ED appears to have many …

Llmhs Elderly Services Outreach Program: Lincoln, Lyon & Murray Human Services, Jamie Olson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Right now there is a lack of professional and community knowledge regarding the services LLMHS provides to those over age 65. Thus, there are elderly who are in need of help who are not getting connected to a county long term care social worker. The elderly may need help to simply get connected to resources, have questions answered, correct misconceptions about long term care, get recommendations, or assistance paying for home and community based services. There are also many providers and professionals with questions about what LLMHS does and does not do as well as what the assistance programs can …

In Step With Our Parents: 3-Part Educational Series, Kate Boisen-Macdonald

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this project is to educate adult children caring for their parents, so they can identify as caregivers so they can better cope with, identify with, and/or navigate the role of care giving, and be aware of the resources available to them.

Social Work Involvement In Supporting Survivors Of An Unexpected Death In An Emergency Department, Jennifer E. Buchanan

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

People occasionally present to a hospital’s emergency department (ED) after an event such as a heart attack or a motor vehicle accident that results in their sudden and unexpected death. Although members of the ED attempt to support the survivors as much as possible, due to the fast pace of the environment and responsibilities to other patients, the survivors may not always be provided with the necessary resources and support. This can leave survivors feeling isolated and confused about the appropriate course of action after this type of experience. A planned, organized approach delivered by educated and sensitive staff can …

Com Outlook Fall 2008, College Of Osteopathic Medicine

COM Outlook

No abstract provided.

A New Age In Dementia Care: Turning Evidence Into Practice

Center for Applied Research on Aging and Health Conferences

A New Age in Dementia Care: Turning Evidence into Practice Come celebrate the opening of the new Living Laboratory for Elder Care.

September 17, 2008 7:30 am - 4:30 pm Thomas Jefferson University, Dorrance H. Hamilton Building 1001 Locust St., Philadelphia, PA 19107

Speakers Include:
Christine Arenson, MD Associate Professor Director, Division of Geriatric Medicine Department of Family and Community Medicine Jefferson Medical College Director, Eastern-Pennsylvania Delaware Geriatric Education Center Co-Director Jefferson InterProfessional Education Center Thomas Jefferson University

Louis D. Burgio, PhD Harold R. Johnson Endowed Chair in Gerontology, Professor of Social Work Research Professor, Institute of Gerontology School …

Digest Of The Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine (Spring 2008), Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine

Digest

The Spring 2008 issue of the Digest of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine includes the following articles:

• Opening Remarks
• PCOM Updates and Kudos
• Development News
• The Arts in Medicine: A Powerful Force of Healing
• Visual Arts: Another Kind of Voice
• Dance: Staying Alive
• Creative Writing: Breaking Down Barriers
• Photography: A Different View
• Year One: Observations from Four Residents
• The Heart of the Matter: Long QT Syndrome Research
• Class Notes
• In Memoriam
• My Turn Essay
• PCOM Events

Geriatric Training And Education (Gte) Projects, Edward F. Ansello

Director's Editorials from Age in Action

The Geriatric Training and Education (GTE) initiative is supporting 15 different projects in the current fiscal year that are affecting Virginians in each region, from certified nursing assistants to family caregivers of relatives with dementia to long-term care staff helping elders at the end of life.

No Wrong Door: Virginia’S Key Strategic Initiative For Long-Term Care, Molly Huffstetler

Case Studies from Age in Action

Educational Objectives

1. Describe the rationale, current activities, and vision for No Wrong Door as it pertains to seniors, adults with disabilities, and their caregivers throughout Virginia.

2. Demonstrate the positive potential for collaboration among local long-term care service providers, both public and private.

3. Illustrate the benefits of coordinating long-term care services for an individual through Virginia’s No Wrong Door.

2007 Cancer Care Annual Report, Children's Mercy Hospital

Cancer Center Annual Reports

Annual report of cancer care and oncology services at the Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City MO, a pediatric medical center.

The Psychosocial Effects Of Pediatric Cancer On Young Adult Cancer Survivors, Jacob D. Schaefer

Graduate Research Papers

Childhood cancer is a current problem in our society. Today survivor rates are increasing. There are increased numbers of childhood survivors dealing with the after affects of cancer as they move into adulthood. Research correlations between childhood problems and adulthood problems have emerged. Issues of psychological, social, and physical concerns have created difficulties for childhood cancer survivors. However, there have been mixed results as some researches show healthy adaptation while others indicate abnormal daily functioning of children and young adults. Future research areas should focus on individual coping methods, social function of young adult survivors, and the human developmental process …

Oncolog Volume 53, Number 06, June 2008, Karen Stuyck, Virginia M. Mohlere, David Stouter, David Jenkins

OncoLog MD Anderson's Report to Physicians (All issues) Archives

• Psychotherapy Extends Cancer Care Beyond the Physical
• House Call: Understanding How Cancer Spreads
• DiaLog: Teaming Spiritual and Medical Care, by Rev. David Stouter, Chaplain, Department of Chaplaincy and Pastoral Education, and Rev. David Jenkins, Director, Department of Chaplaincy and Pastoral Education
• Radical Trachelectomy: A Fertility-Sparing Option for Invasive Cervical Cancer

Understanding The Relationship Between The Diligence Inventory-Higher Education Edition And The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator In The Admission Of College Students To An Orthopaedics-Based Honors Program, Michael A. Harstine

Dissertations

Problem. The Orthopaedic Scholar Institute (OSI) Team realized its need for a more objective selection and admission process that, as much as possible, quantified the characteristics desired in OSI students rather than relying solely on referral perception, intuition, and an interview, but it did not have a clear method or approach to do so. Administering standardized inventories that highlighted these desired characteristics and aided in the selection and admission process seemed to be an objective approach to obtain more quantifiable data. The problem for my study was, therefore, whether the Myers- Briggs Type Inventory (MBTI) alone could measure a student’s …

Racial Differences In Birth Outcomes: The Role Of General, Pregnancy, And Racism Stress, Tyan Parker Dominguez, Christine Dunkel Schetter, Laura M. Glynn, Calvin J. Hobel, Curt A. Sandman

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Objective: This study examined the role of psychosocial stress in racial differences in birth outcomes.

Design: Maternal health, sociodemographic factors, and 3 forms of stress (general stress, pregnancy stress, and perceived racism) were assessed prospectively in a sample of 51 African American and 73 non-Hispanic White pregnant women.

Main Outcome Measures: The outcomes of interest were birth weight and gestational age at delivery. Only predictive models of birth weight were tested as the groups did not differ significantly in gestational age.

Results: Perceived racism and indicators of general stress were correlated with birth weight and tested in regression analyses. In …

Stress And Blood Pressure During Pregnancy: Racial Differences And Associations With Birthweight, Clayton J. Hilmert, Christine Dunkel Schetter, Tyan Parker Dominguez, Cleopatra M. Abdou, Calvin J. Hobel, Laura M. Glynn, Curt A. Sandman

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

OBJECTIVE: To extend findings that African American women report greater stress during pregnancy, have higher blood pressure (BP), and are twice as likely to have low birthweight infants relative to white women. This study examines a) racial differences in associations between stress and BP during pregnancy, and b) the combined effects of stress and BP on infant birthweight in a sample of 170 African American and white women.

METHODS: A prospective, longitudinal study of pregnant women was conducted in which measures of BP, stress, and other relevant variables were collected. Multiple measures of systolic and diastolic BP were taken at …

Developing "Human Functioning And Rehabilitation Research" From The Comprehensive Perspective., Gerold Stucki, Jan Dietrich Reinhardt, Gunnar Grimby, John Melvin

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine Faculty Papers

With the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) the World Health Organization (WHO) has prepared the ground for a comprehensive understanding of Human Functioning and Rehabilitation Research, integrating the biomedical perspective on impairment with the social model of disability. This poses a number of old and new challenges regarding the enhancement of adequate research capacity. Here we will summarize approaches to address these challenges with respect to 3 areas: the organization of Human Functioning and Rehabilitation Research into distinct scientific fields, the development of suitable academic training programmes and the building of university centres and collaboration networks.