Digital Commons Network^™

Feasibility And Acceptability Of A Mobile App And Wearable Device For Collecting Mental Health Survey And Passively Sensed Data Among Health Care Workers In Kenya: Mixed Methods Pilot Study, Linda Khakali, Andrew Aballa, Dorcas G. Mwigereri, Willie Njoroge, Rachel Maina, Amos Bunde, Peris Musitia, Moses Nyongesa, James Orwa, Jasmit Shah, Anthony Ngugi, Lukoye Atwoli, Amina Abubakar, Zul Merali

Brain and Mind Institute

Background: Mobile apps and wearable devices may help to facilitate early detection of mental health conditions by providing objective, real-time data to supplement other forms of feedback and diagnoses. Few studies have investigated the acceptability and feasibility of using a mobile app to track survey- and wearable-based data in mental health research in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Objective: This pilot study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of using a mobile app and wearables to capture mental health–based survey data and passively sensed data among Kenyan health care workers.

Methods: A mixed methods study was conducted among health care workers …

Mindful Self-Compassion To Reduce Pain Interference Among Adults With Osteogenesis Imperfecta, Amena Sediqi, Roya Al-Khalili, Saunya Dover, Corien Peeters, Adam Khalif, V Reid Sutton, Frank Rauch, Brendan Lee, Eric A Storch, Marie-Eve Robinson

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Between 60 and 80% of adults with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) experience chronic pain and associated interference. Currently available pain therapies often provide marginal efficacy. Mindful self-compassion (MSC) has emerged as a promising intervention for coping with chronic pain. We conducted a single-center 8-week pilot intervention study to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a MSC program among adults with OI and co-occurring chronic pain. Individuals attended the validated MSC course consisting of 8 weekly virtual 2-h sessions. Participants completed a battery of validated questionnaires assessing pain, various aspects of well-being, and physical function at baseline and post-intervention. Participants wore the …

Neural Correlates Of Recognition Memory And Metamemory In Breast Cancer Survivors: An Event-Related Potential Study, Dishari Zaman Azad

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Breast cancer survivors (BCS) often report noticeable cognitive difficulties despite showing limited impairment on standardized neuropsychological tests. Some have theorized that this is simply an insensitivity of standardized testing to subtle cognitive changes (test-insensitivity hypothesis), whereas others have suggested there are early neural changes that are detected by patients but precede detection by these tests (early signal hypothesis) or that when they achieve normal performance, it is through saliently effortful compensatory processes (compensation hypothesis). The present study tested these theories by assessing metamemory and recognition memory retrieval in BCS and non-cancer controls (NCC) using both behavioral and event-related potential (ERP) …

How To … Coach Problem Representation To Strengthen Diagnostic Reasoning In Trainees, Cody Clary, Adam Cohen, Satid Thammasitboon

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Problem representation (PR) is a concise synthesis of clinical information that captures the core diagnostic problem in a single statement, often referred to as a 'one-liner'. Although central to diagnostic reasoning, this skill is frequently underdeveloped in medical training. Many trainees struggle to transform clinical data into meaningful representations, which can hinder communication, diagnostic reasoning and patient safety. The Assessment of Reasoning Tool-Reconstructed (ART-R) provides a structured framework that educators can adapt as a coaching rubric to strengthen PR during clinical teaching. Using the ART-R, faculty can guide trainees to refine their PR by focusing on three elements: (1) clarity …

Early Neurodevelopmental Outcomes In Children With Congenital Heart Disease., Mike Seed, Dawn Ilardi, Valerie Rofeberg, Cynthia Ortinau, Caren Goldberg, Garrett Reichle, Lauren Bush, Justin Elhoff, Amy Jo Lisanti, Jennifer Butcher, Caitlin Rollins, Andrew Van Bergen, Shabnam Peyvandi, Emily Bucholz, Stephanie Cox, Lyla Hampton, Jacqueline Sanz, Sonia Monteiro, Shruti Tewar, Kiona Allen, Caroline Lee, Kristi Glotzbach, Nneka Alexander, Laurel Bear, Corinne Anton, Renee Sananes, Linh Ly, Gina Boucher, Kelly Wolfe, Lindsay Edwards, Elizabeth J. Willen, Alexander Tan, Christina Ortega, Erica Sood, Anjali Sadhwani, Kari Crawford Plant, Lauren Quigley, Jessica Pliego, Elizabeth Valles, Abbey Hines, David Wypij, Thomas Miller

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

IMPORTANCE: Neurodevelopmental impairments are common in children with congenital heart disease.

OBJECTIVES: To compare neurodevelopmental outcomes by cardiac diagnosis and identify associations between medical and social factors and early neurodevelopmental outcomes among children with congenital heart disease.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cross-sectional analysis used neurodevelopmental follow-up data obtained between May 1, 2019, and June 30, 2022, and entered into the Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Outcome Collaborative (CNOC) registry, with linkage to the Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care Consortium registry. Children younger than 30 months from 25 CNOC sites were studied. Data analysis was performed between January 2023 and December 2024.

EXPOSURES: Patients …

Prevalence Of Smoking In Patients With Seizures: Epilepsy Vs. Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures, Ali A. Asadi-Pooya, Mohsen Farazdaghi, Nafiseh Mirzaei Damabi, Ava Asadi-Pooya, Nayyereh Akbari, Amir Rezaei

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Objective: Smoking is the second most significant cause of early death and disability worldwide. Considering existing clinical and psychological differences between patients with epilepsy and psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES), it was assumed that these 2 groups of patients vary in their rates of smoking. This retrospective study was based on an electronic dataset of patients with seizures. Methods: All patients aged 20 years or older were surveyed at the outpatient epilepsy clinic of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in Shiraz, Iran, between 2008 and 2020. Age at seizure onset, sex, and the final diagnosis were entered into the database for …

Initial Injury Type And Violent Reinjury, Nicholas Szoko, Daphne Lew, Taylor Kaser, Zoe M Miller, Matt Vogel, Michael A Mancini, Lindsay M Kranker, Christopher Behr, Vicki Moran, Rachel Ancona, Kristen Mueller

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Importance: Violent injuries are the leading cause of death among children and young adults in the United States. Violent injury may increase the risk of subsequent injury (ie, violent reinjury), but it is unclear how this risk varies across different injury types (eg, blunt assault, stabbing, firearm).

Objective: To describe patterns of violent reinjury across different injury types to inform tailored prevention strategies.

Design, setting, and participants: This multicenter cohort study included patients who presented with violent injuries to 2 adult and 2 pediatric level I trauma centers in St Louis, Missouri, from January 2016 to December 2023.

Exposures: Violent …

The Interplay Between Osteosarcopenia And Intrinsic Capacity: Insights And Associations With All-Cause Mortality In The Toledo Study For Healthy Aging, Ivan Baltasar-Fernandez, Pedro L. Valenzuela, Irene Rodríguez-Gómez, Fabio Quiñonez-Bareiro, Luis M. Alegre, Konstantinos Prokopidis, Leocadio Rodriguez-Mañas, Ignacio Ara, Oscar Rosas-Carrasco, Lana J. Williams, Robinson Ramirez-Vélez, Julie A. Pasco, Guy Hajj-Boutros, Raman Agnihotram, Marc Sim, Wayne Lok Ok Choo, Mahdi Imani, Ana M. Ayala-Copete, Julia Chabot, Miguel G. Borda, Nailton J. Neto, Claire Godard-Sebillotte, Howard Bergman, Anna Andrianova, Hidenori Arai, Pierrette Gaudreau

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Osteosarcopenia—the coexistence of osteopenia/osteoporosis and sarcopenia—is associated with numerous adverse health outcomes, but its association with intrinsic capacity (IC) remains unknown. We aimed to explore the associations of osteosarcopenia with IC and all-cause mortality in older adults. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of IC and a prospective analysis of all-cause mortality in 1142 participants from the Toledo Study for Healthy Aging (75.1 ± 6.0 years, 53.1% women). Participants were classified as having no musculoskeletal disorders, osteopenia/osteoporosis, sarcopenia, or osteosarcopenia (DXA- and EWGSOP2-based criteria). IC was operationalized as a composite score integrating locomotion, cognition, psychological, vitality, and sensory domains. …

Remote Hr-Guided High-Intensity Interval Training With Weekly Health Monitoring In Breast Cancer Patients During Chemotherapy: A Moderation Analysis Of Physiological Predictors, Madara Ketlīna Štarka-Rantiņa, Rudolfs Ceseiko, Martins Campa, Maksims Zolovs, Greta Franceska Jermolenko, Kristaps Eglitis, Alicia Llorente, Aija Linē, Aija Klavina

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: The study aimed to investigate the effects of a six-month remotely monitored heart rate – guided high-intensity interval training (HIIT) program on aerobic capacity, functional performance, and weekly self-reported health outcomes in women with stage II–III breast cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Materials and methods: Fifty-six women (mean age 47 ± 8 years) were randomly assigned (1:1) to a HIIT group or a control group (CG). Thirty-five participants were included in analyses (HIIT group = 17; CG = 18). HIIT group performed 4 × 4-minute HIIT sessions at the intensity of 85–95% of the peak heart rate, two to three …

Enhancing Emergency Department Preparedness For Amniotic Fluid Embolism Through Evidence-Based Simulation Training, Olivia M. Smoak

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Maternal mortality in the United States remains a significant and worsening public health concern, with increasing reliance on emergency departments (EDs) as access points for maternal care. Emergency clinicians are therefore more likely to encounter high-acuity obstetric emergencies, including maternal cardiac arrest and amniotic fluid embolism (AFE), yet often receive limited formal training in these conditions. Simulation-based education, interdisciplinary training, and cognitive aids have been identified as effective strategies to improve performance in high-risk, low-frequency events.

The purpose of the evidence-based practice project was to evaluate whether an interdisciplinary simulation with obstetric-led debrief and introduction of the AFE checklist improves …

Perinatal Mental Health Screening And Care Among Those With Pregnancy Complications, Alison N Goulding, Terri L Fletcher, Emily S Miller

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Perinatal mental health conditions are common and, without effective treatment, can contribute to adverse maternal and child outcomes. In the United States, mental health conditions are a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality, contributing to over 20% of pregnancy-related deaths. This expert review aims to assess current literature and provide recommendations regarding mental health care in high-risk patients who experience pregnancy complications. Individuals experiencing pregnancy complications are at increased risk for perinatal mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder, as compared to those with uncomplicated pregnancies. Despite this increased disease burden, there is limited research on …

Clinician Perspectives On Fistula Mental Health, Victoria K. Leonard

Doctoral Dissertations

Background – Obstetric fistula is a childbirth injury caused by prolonged labor that leads to stillbirth and incontinence, spurring social exclusion and isolation. These layers of trauma put women with fistula at great risk for psychological suffering, which has profound negative socioeconomic impacts on them, their families, and communities. This study captured treatment as usual at Comprehensive Community Based Rehabilitation in Tanzania (CCBRT), the country’s largest provider of fistula care.

Method – Improving holistic fistula treatment requires engaging the clinicians who care for women with fistula. This study aimed to investigate the training, beliefs, and treatment approaches of nurses and …

Can Behavioral Interventions Promote Health Equity In Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes? A Narrative Review Of Promising Treatments, Paul T. Enlow, Jaquelin Flores Garcia, Julia Price, Kristen A. Torres, David V. Wagner

Department of Pediatrics Faculty Papers

Purpose of review: Synthesize data on whether existing behavioral interventions can improve health equity among youth with type 1 diabetes.

Recent findings: While existing behavioral interventions demonstrated efficacy in improving health and/or psychosocial outcomes, evidence that these same interventions may improve health equity were lacking. Most interventions were evaluated using predominantly White and affluent samples and some studies did not report on racial, ethnic, or sociodemographic characteristics of their sample. Only a few interventions have been adapted for youth from minoritized backgrounds. Recent multisystemic and technology/mHealth interventions recruited samples that were sociodemographically representative of youth experiencing disparities, suggesting that these …

Gastrointestinal Symptoms After Sport-Related Concussion: Prevalence And Patterns In A Multi-Cohort Analysis, Emma Finnegan, Ed Daly, Katherine J. Hunzinger, Lisa Ryan

Department of Exercise Science Faculty Papers

Background/Objectives: Concussions occur across all sports globally; however, inconsistent symptom recognition continues to challenge diagnosis, management, and recovery. Although concussion effects extend beyond neurological dysfunction, gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms remain insufficiently captured within current assessment frameworks and may influence athletes’ fuelling choices and food tolerance during recovery. This study aimed to describe the prevalence and patterns of GI symptoms reported among athletes with a history of concussion and to explore whether symptom prevalence and burden differed by sex and country. Methods: A total of 401 adult athletes (225 males; mean age 32.4 ± 11.3 years) with a history of concussion were …

Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scoring Implementation In A Critical Access Hospital, Jasmine A. Hobbs

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Mechanically ventilated patients who are boarding in rural emergency departments face an increased risk of inconsistent sedation management due to the lack of standardized protocols and the extended transfer times to higher levels of care. The variability in sedation practices can lead to both under- and over-sedation, which negatively affects patient comfort, safety, and clinical outcomes. Research suggests that sedation protocols incorporating the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS) can shorten mechanical ventilation duration and improve clinical outcomes. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the effectiveness of a targeted educational intervention on improving nursing knowledge and comfort with the RASS …

A Remote Intervention To Improve Medication Nonadherence Guided By A Marker Of Risk Derived From The Electronic Health Records Of Adolescent Transplant Recipients, Eyal Shemesh, Ravinder Anand, Rachel A Annunziato, Emily M Fredericks, Jennifer Garcia, Nitika Arora Gupta, Lawrence C Kleinman, Alyssa Kriegermeier, Krupa R Mysore, Vicky L Ng, Steven J Lobritto, Shreena Patel, Emily Rothbaum Perito, Elizabeth B Rand, Rene Romero, Robert S Venick, Sarah Duncan-Park, Jeffrey Mitchell, Sarah G Anderson, Margaret L Stuber, Miguel Reyes-Múgica, George V Mazariegos, Benjamin L Shneider

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Improving medication adherence in adolescents who had a liver transplant (iMALT), a prospective, block-randomized, single-blind, controlled multisite study in 13 pediatric transplant centers, used the medication level variability index (MLVI) to identify nonadherent adolescents. It compared a 2-year remote behavioral telemetric intervention (TI) that focused on adherence and addressed barriers to standard of care (SOC). The primary endpoint was the composite incidence of centrally determined (3 masked pathologists) rejection, death, retransplantation, or consent withdrawal. In 148 participants (TI group, n = 72 and the SOC group, n = 76), with a mean age 15.5 years, there were twice as many …

Recognizing Early Eating Disorder Signs In Pediatrics, Sarah Gubara, Sara R. Gould

Pediatrics in Practice: A CME Podcast

A concise guide for frontline clinicians on early physical and behavioral red flags — changes in growth trajectory, micronutrient concerns, exam‑time anxiety or sudden “healthy” eating shifts. Dr. Sara Gould emphasizes practical 24‑hour recalls, when to order labs/EKG and how to use longitudinal data from well visits to detect problems sooner.

Click here to stream the podcast episode.

Surgical Site Infection Prevention And Education With Breast Reconstruction Patients - An Evidence-Based Practice Project, Monica Gaspard

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Introduction and Background

Breast cancer is a disease characterized by abnormal cell growth that develops from interactions including genetics, environment, and cellular functions (Taurin & Alkhalifa, 2020). Breast cancer is common in women, and breast reconstruction is a main course of treatment (Taha et al, 2023). One in eight women may have breast cancer in their lifetime (Tedesco & Loerzel, 2020). In the United States, 151,641 breast reconstruction surgeries were reported in 2022 by the American Society of Plastic Surgery (Perez et al., 2024). The infection rate after breast reconstructive surgery can be as high as 25% and occurs within …

Associations Between Neighborhood Disadvantage, Cannabis Use, And Patient-Reported Outcomes Among Patients With Cancer, Brittney Greene, Shilpa Ghosh, Craig Colder, Salimah Meghani, Brooke Worster, Rebecca Ashare

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: Cannabis use is proliferating among oncological populations. However, research is limited on whether cannabis routes and sources are associated with neighborhood disadvantage and whether it moderates the relationship between neighborhood disadvantage and patient-reported outcomes (PROs). This analysis evaluates the relationship between neighborhood disadvantage and cannabis source and route, and their association with PROs.

METHODS: Analyses included 106 patients with cancer from varying levels of neighborhood disadvantage. Logistic regressions tested the association of neighborhood disadvantage with cannabis source (i.e., regulated vs. unregulated) and route (i.e., inhaled vs. consumed/other formulations). Multilevel regressions tested the association of neighborhood disadvantage with PROs (e.g., …

Joint Disease And Demographic Factors In Clinical Populations Of Medically Underserved Communities, Blake C. Martin, Juan Lopez-Alvarenga, Michael Sander

School of Medicine Publications

Background: The Rio Grande Valley is a medically underserved, demographically unique population that warrants the exploration of various conditions.

Objectives: We sought to analyze the demographic disparities between the different types of common joint conditions in this community. We hypothesized that osteoarthritis would be the most common joint condition and that the demographics between the various joint conditions would vary depending on age, sex, BMI, and ethnicity.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort, from January 1, 2018, to September 4, 2024. Patients’ charts were obtained using the ICD-10 diagnosis codes M15-M19 for osteoarthritis, M05-M06 for rheumatoid arthritis, M10 or M1A …

Relaxation Activities And The Effects Of Sleep Quality On High-Achieving Females, Kaitlynn Cusipag

InnovateHER Meeting 2026

The overall goal of this study was to help improve the sleep quality of high-achieving female high school students. This study’s goal was to determine whether the difficulty of crossword puzzles and coloring pages had an impact on sleep quality and stress levels. Sleep is crucial for the well-being and daily performance of teenagers

Difference Between Postural Sway, Functional Fitness, And Behavioral Measures In Older Adult Fallers & Non-Fallers, Olivia Maus, Rebecca Brandhorst, Andrea Geisenhof, Kyle Reason

InnovateHER Meeting 2026

BACKGROUND: Falls are among the leading causes of injury, hospitalization, and loss of independence among older adults. There is not enough research to determine how body composition, fitness, and postural sway affect balance.

METHODS: Participants completed surveys measuring behaviors around fall risk, assessment of body composition, postural sway, and functional fitness.

RESULTS: There was a significant difference between OF and ONF on the FES-I (p=0.05; d=-0.41) and the ABC-6 (p=0.008; d=0.57). There was significance on condition three of the mCTSIB (p=0.007; d=-.58), and composite score (p=0.04; d=-0.43).Significance between groups was approached on condition one of the mCTSIB (p=0.06; d=-0.39).

CONCLUSIONS: …

Use Of Tyrx Antibacterial Envelope In Inflatable Penile Prosthesis Surgery: A Prospective Pilot Study., Jack T. Rifkin, Julia A. Baran, Brian H. Im, Tej J. Desai, Jordan Dehoratius, Oleksandr Kolesnikov, Paul Chung

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Infection remains a major concern in inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) surgery. Medtronic's TYRX Absorbable Antibacterial Envelope is a polypropylene mesh pocket delivering minocycline and rifampin for 7 days and fully absorbing in 9 weeks. It is currently FDA-approved for use with cardiac pacemakers and neuromodulation devices. There is no indication for use in IPP surgeries, particularly for enveloping the scrotal pump during implantation.

AIM: This pilot study evaluates the feasibility, safety, and early patient-reported outcomes with the use of the absorbable antibacterial envelope during IPP surgery.

METHODS: Fifteen men who underwent primary or revision IPP placement by a single …

Rhythms Of Hippocampal Function And Memory After Moderate Prenatal Alcohol Exposure, Lilliana May Sanchez

Psychology ETDs

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders involve morphologic and neurobiological abnormalities in offspring subjected to prenatal alcohol exposure. Although not as well studied as high exposure, moderate prenatal alcohol exposure represents the most common and undetected form in humans. While learning and memory deficits have been well characterized at the behavioral level in humans with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and in animal models of moderate prenatal alcohol exposure, few studies have determined the circuit or systems level mechanisms of the behavioral deficits. A complete understanding of the neural bases of memory deficits after moderate prenatal alcohol exposure is needed to ultimately identify …

Multiple Interest Holder Perspectives Of The True Grit Sci Residential Program: A Mixed Methods Program Evaluation, Keara Mcnair

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Young adults with spinal cord injury (SCI) face significant challenges during the transition to adulthood, including barriers to independence, community participation, and psychosocial adjustment (Ingimarsdóttir et al., 2023; Zebracki et al., 2010). Current rehabilitation models in the United States prioritize short-term physical recovery and offer limited support for the developmental and contextual needs that shape long-term outcomes after SCI, particularly during transitions from inpatient rehabilitation to the community (Anderson et al., 2024; Bryden & Gran, 2024). Community-based programs may help address these gaps, though few have been rigorously evaluated using implementation science frameworks that attend to health equity, contextual influences, …

The Contribution Of Psychophysiological Stress Factors On Muscle Cramp Susceptibility, Lauren D. Levine

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Exercise-associated muscle cramps (EAMCs) are painful phenomenon that involves involuntary muscle spasms occurring during physical activity or directly after. 1 The landscape of the research on EAMC etiology has expanded from focusing on a single prevailing cause (e.g., hydration status) to a more holistic approach of how numerous factors contribute to the onset of neuromuscular fatigue, and the significance of each factor in those who suffer from EAMC. Following the multifactorial theory of cramp pathophysiology, this research sought to advance the knowledge of cramp susceptibility by investigating if there is a relationship between common psychophysiological factors like high anxiety, sleep …

Development And Evaluation Of A Training Program On Pain Assessments For Pediatric Care Teams In Skilled Nursing Facilities, Rudy Velasquez-Correa

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This capstone project was a program development and quality improvement initiative at Silver State Pediatrics focused on improving consistency and confidence of pediatric care staff in assessing and documenting pain in children, particularly those who are non-speaking and medically complex. Although validated tools such as the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC), revised-FLACC (R-FLACC), and Non-communicating Children’s Pain Checklist-Revised (NCCPC-R) exists, inconsistent training and limited interdisciplinary communication have led to variability in clinical practice. This project involved implementing a brief, 20-30-minute interdisciplinary training session for nursing and rehabilitation staff on the use of validated pediatric pain assessment tools and collaborative …

Effectiveness Of Cognitive Stimulation Therapy On The Quality Of Life Of Adults With Dementia: A Secondary Analysis, Evelyn Airam

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This secondary analysis study evaluated the effectiveness of Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) on quality of life (QoL), depressive symptoms, and cognitive function in 108 community-dwelling older adults with cognitive impairments, including dementia. Outcomes involved Quality of Life (QoL) measured by the Quality of Life in Alzheimer’s Disease (QoL-AD), symptoms of depression by the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD), and cognitive function using the Saint Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS). After the CST, significant improvements were observed in QoL (p = .004), depressive symptoms (p = .002), and cognitive function (p < .001), with small effect sizes. Additionally, a significant interaction between sex and dementia diagnosis status was found in predicting cognitive changes, suggesting that the relationship between dementia diagnosis and cognitive improvement differs by sex. No between-group differences were found for QoL or depression. Findings support CST as a multidimensional, non-pharmacological intervention that improves cognitive, psychological, and social outcomes. Although effects were small, consistent improvements are clinically meaningful given the progressive nature of dementia. This study extends existing literature by demonstrating CST’s effectiveness in a community-based setting and reinforces its alignment with occupational therapy’s emphasis on participation and holistic care. Results highlight the need for early intervention and expanded access to CST programs to enhance quality of life in this population.

Enhancing Psychosocial Well-Being And Quality Of Life In Parkinson’S Disease: Integrating Patient Experiences And Physical Therapists’ Expertise, Adetayo Adeoti Babarinde

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by a wide range of non-motor symptoms that often affect the quality of life of persons with Parkinson’s disease (PwPD) even more profoundly than the motor symptoms typically associated with the condition. These non-motor symptoms include olfactory and gastrointestinal dysfunction, cognitive impairments, sleep disturbances, and psychological and social concerns. Psychosocial concerns include the mental, emotional, and social impact of PD on an individual’s functioning and, overall well-being. They reflect the interplay between symptoms of the disease, psychological development and functioning, personal relationships, and environmental factors. Mental health and psychosocial concerns such as depression, anxiety, fear …

From Early Adversity To Adult Health: Quality-Of-Life Consequences In A Mental Illness In Saudi Arabia, Rawan Saad Alghamdi, Ahmad A. Mirza, Ibrahim Fae Asiri, Fatemah Samir Alghamdi, Nawaf Abdulaziz Alharthi, Shaymaa A. Abdalal, Iman K. Ramadan

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: Childhood trauma (CT) is prevalent among bipolar disorder (BD) patients and exacerbates clinical outcomes, which may impact the quality of life (QoL). This study explores the prevalence of CT and its association with QoL among BD patients in Saudi Arabia. Methods: Cross-sectional study conducted among adults with BD during the euthymic phase. Sample size was estimated using a single-proportion approach (target n=141), and participants recruited by convenience sampling of eligible outpatients. CT was assessed using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), and QoL using the the Brief Quality of Life in Bipolar Disorder (Brief QoL.BD). Results: The CT prevalence was …