Digital Commons Network^™

Strong Foundations: Supporting Mental Well-Being In School-Age Youth, Skylar Simpson

Occupational Therapy | OTD Capstone Projects

School-age youth in the United States increasingly face stressors that disrupt their overall mental well-being, highlighting a need for accessible preventative interventions. To address this gap, this doctoral capstone project developed a program titled Strong Foundations: Supporting Mental Well-Being in School-Age Youth, an evidence- and occupation-based program consisting of various interventions designed to enhance the well-being of youth attending a San Francisco Recreation and Park (SFRPD) community-based summer camp. Through embedding occupational therapy-based programming into an environment that currently lacks dedicated mental well-being promotion methods, the Strong Foundations aims to foster mental well-being among school-age youth through occupational engagement that …

The Role Of Occupational Therapy In Developing Aquatic Programs For Children Diagnosed With Autism, Giavanna Stavros

Occupational Therapy | OTD Capstone Projects

There is a need for inclusion in therapeutic aquatic programming for children diagnosed with autism (ASD), as their increased participation in aquatic interventions and activities promotes safety and well-being for this population. Pediatric occupational therapists (OTs) are vital to fill this gap in skill, as pediatric OTs consistently work with children diagnosed with ASD (Jaicks, 2024), and core principles of the occupational therapy (OT) profession include enhancing one’s safety and well-being (American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), 2025). Children diagnosed with ASD must have the opportunity to engage in swimming and aquatic therapy, as this population is at a higher risk …

Wearable Biosensors For Continuous Monitoring Of Chronic Kidney Disease: Materials, Biofluids, And Digital Health Integration, Anupamaa Sivasubramanian, Shankara Narayanan, Gymama Slaughter

Center for Bioelectronics Publications

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive and irreversible disorder affecting over 850 million individuals globally and is associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and healthcare burden. Conventional diagnostic approaches rely on intermittent laboratory measurements, including serum creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and urinary albumin, which provide limited temporal resolution and fail to capture dynamic physiological changes. Recent advances in wearable biosensing technologies offer new opportunities for continuous, non-invasive monitoring of biochemical and physiological markers relevant to renal function. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of wearable biosensors for CKD monitoring, focusing on sensing mechanisms (electrochemical, optical, and field-effect transistor), …

Covid-19 Pandemic-Induced Social Isolation: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Exploration Of Age And Time, Renee Reedy

Dissertations and Theses

Lockdown measures during the COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally altered social functioning, creating an urgent need to understand the lived experience of isolation across life stages. This qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study explored how age and time shaped social isolation during the pandemic. Sixteen participants from three-generation households—adolescents (n=5), adults (n=6), and older adults (n=5)—were interviewed approximately five years post-isolation. Recruitment occurred through ResearchMatch, and interviews were conducted between February and March 2025. Participants represented diverse racial, ethnic, and geographic backgrounds, with isolation periods ranging from 27 to 426 consecutive days (¯x = 165 ± 124 days). Data analysis followed Gadamer’s hermeneutic circle …

A Mixed Methods Study On Mexican American Satisfaction And Perception Of Clinical Trials, Grace Manzo

Dissertations and Theses

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration sets expectations on the collection and reporting of race and ethnicity data. Ethnic data for Mexican Americans is often reported as “Hispanic or Latino.” Mexican Americans make up a significant percentage of “Hispanic or Latinos,” however, they remain significantly underrepresented in clinical trials. Grounded in Expectation-Disconfirmation Theory (EDT) and Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), this mixed-methods study investigates the relationship between satisfaction and perception of Mexican Americans who have participated in an ophthalmology clinical trial. This research aimed to understand the relationships among satisfaction with the clinical trial process, patient-reported outcomes, and …

Long Acting Beta2-Adrenergic Receptor Agonists Reverse Diabetic Nephropathy And Liver Steatosis In Murine Models Of Diabetes And Are Associated With Protection In Retrospective Human Studies, Brennan Winkler

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) affects 13.9% of men and 14.3% of women worldwide, a total of approximately 828 million people. Patients with diabetes are at risk of several complications including diabetic nephropathy (DN) and metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). These diseases eventually lead to end stage kidney disease (ESKD) and liver failure requiring dialysis and organ transplantation. In addition, diabetes exacerbates disease severity of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), the most common potentially lethal genetic disease to affect humans with a prevalence of 1 in 500-1000. Therefore, a therapeutic approach that can attenuate organ damage and restore function in patients with DM, …

A Scenario Analysis Of The Impact Of H.R.1 2025 Medicaid Coverage Loss And Payment Reductions On U.S. Hospital Operating Margins, Tangee Pruitt

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

The “Big Beautiful Bill” is expected to affect the financial health of U.S. hospitals. We performed a scenario analysis using five case studies combined with national data on payer mix information to illustrate potential impact in 2027. The scenarios explored the following question: What is the expected healthcare access and economic impact of H.R.1 under three sets of assumptions: 1) loss of Medicaid coverage for 10% or more of an institution’s current patients who will then become uninsured; 2) decrease in Medicaid payments by 10% or more; 3) loss of Medicaid coverage and decrease in Medicaid payments simultaneously. We defined …

Creative Works By Courtney Doherty, Courtney Doherty

The Art of Medicine

• Inside Voices
• Starting Lineup

Art Of Medicine - 2026

The Art of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Counseling And The Neurodiversity Paradigm: A Call To Action, Emily Goodman-Scott, Rawn Boulden, Aaron Albright, Jenna Alvarez, Betsy M. Perez

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

The counseling profession is rooted in prevention, wellness, mental health, and a critical social justice approach to serving historically marginalized communities, including people with disabilities. The overarching construct of disability comprises subtypes, such as neurodivergence. Given the prevalence of neurodivergent individuals worldwide (approximately 15%-20%), the counseling profession must be prepared to support this community. At the same time, there is a dearth of peer-reviewed literature on neurodiversity specifically for the counseling profession. In this article, we address a timely topic in the profession. We discuss utilizing a critical counseling lens and centering marginalized identities, such as people with disabilities; prominent …

Qualitative Exploration Of Covid-19 Vaccine Uptake Among Healthcare Workers In Sierra Leone: Do The ‘Trusted Messengers’ Trust The Vaccine?, Ifeolu David, Enid Schatz, Wilson Majee

Population Health Leadership and Analytics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introduction

Vaccine hesitancy is a global issue, and the important role of healthcare workers in addressing vaccine hesitancy is well documented. However, there is limited theory-guided research on the uptake of COVID-19 vaccinations among healthcare workers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study examined COVID-19 vaccine uptake among healthcare workers in Sierra Leone and assessed the relevance of the 5C model—which posits that vaccine uptake is shaped by confidence, complacency, constraints, calculation and collective responsibility—in explaining their vaccination attitudes, intentions and behaviours.

Methods

24 indepth interviews were conducted in 2022 with healthcare workers in Freetown, Makeni and Kenema. The …

A Qualitative Study Exploring Female Graduate Assistants In Athletics: Gender-Oriented Career Barriers And Coping Strategies, Jin Park, Jiyoung Park

Faculty Publications - Kinesiology and Recreation

This study explored the perceptions of female graduate assistants who worked in the NCAA division I athletic department regarding the barriers to their career success in the sport industry and their coping mechanisms through the lens of social cognitive career theory. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 female graduate assistants who were working in the athletic department of an NCAA Division I institution. The participants felt pressured to prove their value at work because of the perceived gender stereotypes against women working in sport and the belief in the glass ceiling for women working in a sport organization. To overcome …

Localized Periodontitis In Young Individuals: Aggregatibacter Jp2 Clone, Immunological Dysfunctions And Other Stories, Luigi Nibali, Meaad M. Alamri, Manuela Maria Viana Miguel, Luciana M. Shaddox

Oral Health Science Faculty Publications

Grade C molar-incisor pattern periodontitis (C-MIP) is the latest in a series of names given to a unique phenotype, characterized by an aggressive and rapid loss of tooth-supporting structures, starting early in life and usually affecting first molars and incisors. Although much less prevalent than the more generalized “chronic” forms of this disease in adults, it affects mostly young individuals of lower socioeconomic status and African descent, or from mixed-race populations, and shows a strong familial aggregation, pointing to a possible genetic contribution, yet not fully elucidated. Even though most of the studies report this disease in adolescents/young adults, it …

Championing Weight-Neutral Healthcare: A Review Of Resources From Medical Students For Size Inclusivity, Samantha Guss

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

Medical Students for Size Inclusivity (MSSI) is a volunteer-led organization of medical students across the United States challenging weight bias in healthcare and advocating for equitable, weight-inclusive care (https://sizeinclusivemedicine.org). Recently MSSI has developed three “informed consent resources” about intentional weight loss interventions, focusing on glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist medications (such as Ozempic©), bariatric surgery, and pediatric weight management. The three resources are grounded in weight-neutral care and are designed to supplement information from healthcare providers by sharing more nuanced information about the research on the interventions, potential alternatives, and approaches to health that are not focused on body weight. …

Building Adolescent Wellness Through Fitness, Serena Mora Ba

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

Adolescence is a critical period marked by significant growth and change that builds foundations for adulthood, for both neurodivergent (ND) and neurotypical (NT) teens. ND individuals have numerous strengths but also experience challenges such as low self-confidence and high anxiety that impact occupational engagement, health and wellbeing. Occupational therapy (OT) promotes health management, including physical activity (PA) and social emotional health promotion. OT can support skills such as emotional regulation, executive functioning and adaptive approaches, to promote healthy participation in everyday life. Evidence suggests providing PA positively impacts psychosocial wellbeing in NT adolescents. However, ND teens often have limited access …

Dnp Repository: Using Technology To Help Nurse Leaders Make A Global Impact, Cynthia Plonien, Cathy Brown, Vanessa Garrett

Nursing Faculty Publications & Presentations - Archive

No abstract provided.

Meta-Analysis: Diabetes Mellitus And The Risk Of Endometrial Cancer, Tricia Ho, Marika Ongpauco, Han Ha Ngoc Nguyen

Physician Assistant Studies | Graduate Research Papers

Background: Many studies have looked at the relationship between diabetes mellitus and development of endometrial cancer. This study provides an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of the estimated effect of diabetes and the risk of endometrial cancer.

Methods: Some studies were found on databases such as PubMed and Iceberg. The remaining studies were extracted from the initial studies found. Binary data was collected and the raw data was imputed into a Fixed Effects Model.

Results: A total of 25 studies were included in this meta-analysis, generating statistically significant results (p < 0.001, OR 2.05, 95% Cl 1.92-2.19).

Discussion: Diabetes is found to be …

Post-Stroke Depression (Psd) And Occupational Therapy (Ot) Intensity: A Retrospective Medicare Claims Analysis, Lauren H. Allen

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

Purpose: Post stroke depression (PSD) is the most frequent and burdensome mental health complication following a stroke, affecting approximately one third of survivors. Examining how PSD relates to outpatient occupational therapy (OT) utilization may help identify gaps in post-stroke mental health care and reveal whether current billing practices adequately capture OT services.

Project Goals: This project aimed to determine whether an early PSD diagnosis predicts outpatient OT treatment intensity and describe patterns of OT billing related to mental health, including mental health current procedural terminology (CPT) code use and CPT code distributions.

Site: This project was conducted in collaboration …

Caught In The Midwife’S Hands: A Black Feminist Exploration Of Reproductive Health And Justice In Massachusetts, Nina Bakum

Gender, Sexuality, and Intersectionality Studies Honors Papers

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Home Birth Integration On Maternal-Neonatal Outcomes And Patient Satisfaction: An Integrative Review, Mary E. Hillaker, Jennifer K. Jacobitz

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Home birth is a safe option for low-risk populations. As awareness of home birth increases, so do the families choosing home birth. Governing bodies recommend well integrated maternal health systems, yet the impact of level of integration on perinatal outcomes and patient satisfaction has not been specifically examined. The purpose of this integrative review is to identify the impact home birth integration has on maternal and neonatal outcomes, patient satisfaction, and how communities can improve their integration level.
Methods: A keyword search of current literature was conducted using CINAHL, PubMed, and Scopus databases. An additional hand search of 2 …

Intersections Of Art And Medicine, Lina Adwer

EMET Projects

No abstract provided.

Genomic Determinants Of Appetite Regulation And Their Role In Obesity Risk, Timothy J. Renier

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Over 40% of US adults and 20% of children live with obesity. It is related to increased risks of diseases including type II diabetes and cancer, is a source of harmful stigma, and impairs child development. Appetitive traits describing patterns of food approach and avoidance behaviors may serve as windows into the underlying pathophysiology of obesity. As both obesity and appetitive traits are heritable, common genetic drivers of obesity may lead to phenotypic obesity through appetitive traits as a disease mechanism. Additionally, GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) have been shown to exert their profound clinical effects in part by modulating appetite. …

Advancing Food Equity Through Explainable Ai (Xai): Identifying Place-Based Factors And Conditions Of Food Security, Leslie Hoglund, Hyoshin Park

Health Behavior, Policy & Management Faculty Publications

Food behaviors, food security, and their association with socioeconomic factors constitute a critical area of study with implications for public health, economic stability, and social equity. Understanding these relationships are essential for developing effective policies and interventions that promote sustainable, healthy food systems and greater food equity. This paper employs explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) methods to identify key features influencing household food behaviors. The insights gained from the XAI analysis are further utilized in conjunction with inverse reinforcement learning (IRL) to examine expert behaviors related to eating habits satisfaction. The XAI results reveal that household health conditions, spending patterns, and …

Sketching Ot Theory: The Meaning Of Visual Notetaking To Learning Occupational Therapy Theory For Ot Students, Julia Henderson, Delainey Ebel, Ilona Jones, Katie Lee Bunting

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Visual notetaking is a creative learning strategy used in health professions education. This study defines it as any form of notes, recorded using physical or electronic means, that are not solely text-based, but incorporate some degree of color, symbolism, shapes, diagrams, and/or other visual imagery to represent concepts. While no previous studies have investigated visual notetaking in the context of occupational therapy education, occupational therapy’s prevalent use of visual representations to convey complex, relational, and holistic theoretical concepts suggests that visual notetaking may have potential as an inherently aligned and effective pedagogical approach for teaching occupational therapy theory. Our study …

Study Approaches And Mindset In Predicting Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Student Well-Being: A Multiple Linear Regression Analysis, Elena Wong Espiritu, Katie Eison, Maya Pakulski, Alandry Vise, Alexandria West, Ava Woessner

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Academic factors (grades, assignments, study approaches, study strategies, rigorous curriculums, workload) and mindset factors (academic resilience, educational self-efficacy) are known individual factors that impact student well-being. However, if and how these factors in combination predict well-being in occupational therapy students has not been explored. The purpose of this study was to explore study approaches and mindset factors in predicting entry-level occupational therapy student well-being. Entry-level occupational therapy students (master’s and doctorate) from across the United States were recruited (N = 305). Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, data was collected using four standardized assessments and analyzed using a multiple linear regression. …

Winter 2026, Humayun Islam

PMI Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Sexually Dimorphic Effects Of Gpnmb Modulation On Vertebral Bone Mass Regulation And Intravertebral Disc Health, Hakem Altawil, Fayez Safadi

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Osteoporosis and vertebral degeneration are major contributors to musculoskeletal morbidity, yet the molecular mechanisms regulating vertebral bone and intervertebral disc (IVD) homeostasis remain incompletely understood. GPNMB (osteoactivin) has been identified as a regulator of bone remodeling, though its role in spine health is unclear. This study evaluated the effects of GPNMB deficiency on lumbar vertebral bone microarchitecture and IVD integrity in a sex-dependent context.

Six-month-old male and female wild-type (WT) and GPNMB knockout (KO) mice were analyzed using micro–computed tomography (µCT) of lumbar vertebrae (L4–L6) and histological assessment of the L5–L6 IVD. KO males exhibited increased bone volume fraction, bone …

Cone Beam Computed Tomography For Endodontics: Incidental Findings And Respective Significance, Erin J Key, Nina K Anderson, Dan Colosi, Mina Mahdian

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence, distribution, and follow-up recommendations of incidental findings in cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans acquired for endodontic treatment.

Methods: This was a retrospective review of limited field-of-view (FOV) CBCT images for endodontic evaluation obtained at the Stony Brook University School of Dental Medicine between 2018 and 2022. All scans were reviewed by 1 oral and maxillofacial radiology (OMR) resident and all incidental findings were corroborated with the radiology report approved by 1 of 2 board-certified OMRs. Data extracted for each case included age, gender, and reason for scan; and …

The Effects Of Speak Out! On Hypokinetic Dysarthria In Individuals With Idiopathic Parkinson’S Disease, Linden King

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this single subject research study was to prove the efficacy of SPEAK OUT! therapy in improving loudness, rate of speech, and quality of life for individuals who have hypokinetic dysarthria due to Parkinson’s Disease. In this A-B-A design, five weeks of SPEAK OUT! therapy was provided twice a week to four individuals with a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. Results showed an increase in loudness in conversation and improved quality of life measured by statistical and visual analysis. These findings contribute to the research behind the use of SPEAK OUT! therapy for individuals with HKD due to PD.

An Introduction For Nursing Research: An Open Educational Resource For The Undergraduate Nursing Student, Ellen Benjamin

OER Textbooks

The purpose of this text is not to prepare you to independently conduct research, but to help you become an informed and critical consumer of research. The ability to systematically evaluate the strengths, limitations, and applicability of research findings is known as critical appraisal. Critical appraisal is an expected competency of baccalaureate-prepared nurses [5] and requires a foundational understanding of research principles and methods. This book will introduce the research process, including common research methodologies, data collection and analysis approaches, ethical considerations, and strategies for translating research evidence into nursing practice.