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Integrating Oncology Into Entry-Level Physical Therapist Curricula, Shana Harrington, Christopher M. Wilson, Morgan Zaranec, Lori Boright

Oncology Rehabilitation in Practice

Print issue available for $25.

Background: Cancer and its treatments commonly result in adverse effects that impair function, well-being, and quality of life, necessitating access to skilled physical therapists (PTs). Although oncology is an essential component of physical therapist practice, entry-level education in cancer rehabilitation has historically been limited. In 2025, the Essential Competencies for Physical Therapy Entry-Level Education in Oncology were developed through a mixed-methods, modified Delphi process, establishing 19 competencies across six domains and defining minimum expectations for new graduates. To support translation of these competencies into academic curricula, a practical implementation resource was needed.

Purpose: To …

A Poetic Call For And A Reflection And Commentary On Clarity, Understanding, Hope, Courage, And Compassion, Carroy U. Ferguson

Psychology Faculty Publication Series

Finding a published poem I had written as a teenager, titled “The Heavens Weep.” this article uses that poem as the basis for a commentary that reflects on the state of the world today (2026),  As a commentary, the article uses the poetic and metaphoric words in the poem as a relevant "reality check" for what is still going on today.  In essence, the commentary is about a call for Clarity, Understanding, Hope, Courage, and Compassion, or what I call Archetypal Energies, Higher Vibrational Energies that operate deep within our individual and collective psyches to creatively urge us to "see" …

Utilization Of An On-Site Primary Care Clinic – An Evaluation, Joulvous Jarvis Drake

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Employers incorporate on-site primary care clinics into their workplace health strategies to improve employees’ access to timely care and chronic disease management and reduce absenteeism and healthcare-related costs. Yet despite the demonstrated organizational and health benefits, many worksite clinics experience lower-than-expected utilization. Purpose: This evaluation project aimed to identify the behavioral and structural factors that influenced employee utilization of a corporate on-site primary care clinic. Method: A quantitative, cross-sectional design was used to evaluate the factors contributing to employees’ low utilization of the on-site primary care clinic. Approximately 1,000 eligible full-time employees at a large corporate campus in Texas …

Increasing Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Rates Among Adolescents In The Primary Care Setting: A Quality Improvement Project, Chioma Rosemary Ike

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. It is the most common viral infection of the reproductive system, and it is responsible for most cervical cancer cases worldwide. Many HPV-related cancer deaths can be prevented simply through vaccination. The vaccine is most effective when administered before exposure to the virus. Despite the HPV vaccine’s proven safety and efficacy, its uptake remains suboptimal. Purpose: This quality improvement (QI) project trained providers at a pediatric and family clinic in an effective communication strategy to increase HPV vaccination uptake among adolescents. It encouraged providers to …

Evaluating The Discus Throw As An Ancient Greek Combat Training Tool Through Modern Performance Metrics, Daniel R. Porter

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

This study’s purpose was to explore the correlations between peak velocity in a rotational throw with a medicine ball, peak force (PF) and rate of force development (RFD) in an isometric mid-thigh pull, time to failure in a plank test, and peak velocity in a sword thrust task, which was also tested for reliability. Twenty-seven recreationally trained male participants between the ages of 18-35 completed the study. The sword thrust task was significantly correlated with the medicine ball throw (p = 0.012, r = 0.475, r² = 0.226, 95% CI [0.724, 0.116]) and PF (p = 0.045, r …

Formulation And Analysis Of Physiochemical And Sensory Properties Of Ready-To-Mix Whey Protein Phospholipid Concentrate Beverage, Chris Jaquin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Whey protein phospholipid concentrate (WPPC) is commonly recovered as a coproduct in filtration process whose aim is to obtain whey protein isolate (WPI) from whey protein concentrate (WPC). Whey protein phospholipid concentrate is high in milk fat globule membrane (MFGM), which has been shown in rodent and human studies to have a variety of physiological benefits, including an increase in exercise capacity. Whey protein phospholipid concentrate is currently considered as an underused dairy coproduct, with most of it either being disposed of or used as animal feed. This research consisted of incorporating WPPC in a protein shake–like beverage at a …

Youth Agricultural Engagement And Its Association With Dietary Diversity, Household Food Insecurity, And Nutritional Status In Southwest Nigeria, Sherif Olasoji

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Youth remain underserved in nutrition research, policy, and programming despite being an integral part of the food systems. While the nutrition-sensitive agriculture framework has been established, there is limited evidence demonstrating how youth engagement in agriculture can serve as a pathway to improve nutritional outcomes. The study assessed youth agricultural engagement and its association with household dietary diversity, household food insecurity, and nutritional status in southwest Nigeria.

Using a cross-sectional design, data on socio-demographic characteristics, agricultural engagement, dietary diversity, household food insecurity, body mass index, and skin carotenoids were collected from 143 youth aged 15 to 35 from Ekiti, Osun, …

The Impact Of Point Of Care Hepatitis C Virus Rna Testing On Diagnosis, Treatment Initiation, And Linkage To Care In Marginalized Populations, Maria Simpson

Medical Laboratory Science Independent Study Projects

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains a major public health concern, particularly among marginalized and high-risk populations who experience barriers to timely diagnosis, treatment initiation, and linkage to care. Traditional laboratory-based HCV testing often requires multistep workflows and follow-up visits, contributing to delayed confirmation of active infection and loss to care. This literature review examines how point-of-care HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA) testing affects time to diagnosis, treatment initiation, and linkage to care compared with standard laboratory-based testing. Evidence from systematic reviews, community-based trials, correctional settings, supervised consumption sites, diagnostic performance studies, and cost-effectiveness analyses indicates that point-of-care RNA testing shortens turnaround …

Standardized Training Methodologies For Medical Laboratory Science Students And Their Importance For Student Success, Maria Simpson

Medical Laboratory Science Independent Study Projects

Clinical education is a critical component of Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) programs, serving as the primary bridge between academic instruction and professional practice. However, traditional clinical rotation training models often struggle to keep pace with rapid advancements in laboratory technology, expanding professional responsibilities, workforce shortages, and heightened patient safety expectations. The purpose of this capstone project is to examine the key factors driving the need to update training methodologies in MLS clinical rotations and to evaluate contemporary educational approaches that better prepare students for entry-level practice. This project addresses systemic challenges faced by clinical laboratories, such as staffing constraints, heavy …

The Effects Of Education And Training On Clinical Staff’S Knowledge, Perception, And Clinical Practice Of The Medication Reconciliation Process, Stephanie A. Williams

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Medication-related harm affects approximately one in 30 patients in healthcare settings. Accurate medication reconciliation (MedRec) is essential for identifying medication discrepancies, preventing medication errors, and reducing adverse drug events. Clinical staff play a critical role in ensuring the accuracy of medication lists in primary care settings.

This evidence-based quality improvement project evaluated the effect of a structured MedRec training intervention on MedRec knowledge, perceptions, and practices among clinical staff in a primary care clinic in Southeast Texas. The project used a single-group, quantitative, quasi-experimental design. A convenience sample of 32 clinical staff members completed knowledge and perception assessments before and …

How Recent Medicaid Defunding Has Impacted San Bernardino County Residents Access To Health Care Services, Samantha I. Rios

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background: Medicaid is a critical source of health insurance for low-income populations in the United States, providing access to essential preventative, primary, and reproductive health care services (Donohue et al., 2022). The Medicaid defunding of 2025 and policy changes that follow have raised concerns regarding increased barriers to care, particularly among low-income and vulnerable populations who rely on safety-net providers such as Planned Parenthood (Planned Parenthood, 2025). The purpose of this study was to examine how the 2025 Medicaid defunding has impacted access to general and reproductive health care services among residents of San Bernardino County, California.

Conclusion: The research …

Hope Kit Program, Monica Reuber

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Suicide is a leading cause of death in adolescents and young adults, with a disproportionate burden of those deaths in rural areas such as Kansas. High rates of depressive symptoms, suicidal thoughts, and suicidal attempts, combined with a shortage of mental health providers, emphasize the need for community-based intervention.

This capstone is designed to develop a plan for Hope Kits, a proposed suicide prevention program, among youth in grades 7-12 in Sheridan County, Kansas to improve coping skills, promote help-seeking behavior, and reduce suicide risks.

A logic model guides the program development, which aligns with available literature and Social Cognitive …

Rural/Urban Disparities In Utilization Of Diabetes Self-Management Training (Dsmt) To The Fee-For-Service Medicare Population, 2017–2024, Wanying Zhu, Aleksandr Taraskin, Jeffrerey Talbert

Rural & Underserved Health Research Center Publications

Key Report Highlights

• A significant rural DSMT access gap exists. Rural beneficiaries accounted for 20.1% of Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes but only 7.8% of DSMT participants.

• Geographic availability remains limited. Only 16.8% of counties with DSMT utilization were rural.

• Access, not demand, appears to be the primary challenge. Rural counties offering DSMT achieved utilization rates more than twice those observed in urban counties (6.0% vs. 2.5%).

• Expanding rural DSMT capacity may represent a high-impact opportunity to improve diabetes self-management support among underserved Medicare beneficiaries.

Non-Metropolitan Vs. Metropolitan Variations In Alcohol, Illicit Drug, And Prescription Therapeutic Drug Misuse, Tyrone F. Borders

Rural & Underserved Health Research Center Publications

Key Findings

Alcohol Use. The prevalence of past year and past 30-day drinking was lower among non-metropolitan (non-metro) than metropolitan (metro) residents. However, non-metro drinkers engaged in more frequent binge drinking than metro drinkers. Drinking 3-5, 6-19, and 20-30 days over the past 30 days were higher among non-metro than metro residents.

Illicit Drug Use. Hallucinogens were the mostly commonly used illicit drugs among non-metro as well as metro residents. Methamphetamine use was significantly higher among non-metro than metro residents.

Prescription Pain Reliever Use. The misuse of prescription pain killers, primarily prescription opioids, was higher among non-metro than …

High-Deductible Health Plans In Rural And Urban Populations: Outpatient Utilization And Out-Of-Pocket Costs, Aaron P. Smith, Jefferey Talbert

Rural & Underserved Health Research Center Publications

Overview of Key Findings This policy brief explores rural-urban differences in High-Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) enrollment, subsequent healthcare utilization, and out-of-pocket (OOP) costs. ▪ HDHP enrollment was uncommon. Rural residents were slightly less likely to enroll than urban residents across all demographic groups. ▪ Switching plans influenced utilization. Compared to those who did not change healthcare plans, switching from a Traditional plan to a HDHP was associated with a larger reduction in 2022 outpatient visits for both rural and urban residents. Moving from a HDHP to a Traditional plan was associated with a smaller reduction in 2022 outpatient visits for …

Online Group Neurobehavioral Therapy (Nbt) For Veterans With Epilepsy And Major Depressive Disorder (Mdd), Melissa F. Fadipe

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Background: Veterans with epilepsy experience high rates of psychiatric comorbidity, most commonly major depressive disorder (MDD). Barriers to accessing mental health care—including geographic distance, transportation limitations related to seizure-related driving restrictions, and fragmented care between neurology and psychiatry, contribute to the underdiagnosis and undertreatment of MDD in this population. Neurobehavioral Therapy (NBT), a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)-informed psychotherapy developed for individuals with seizures, has demonstrated benefits for psychological distress and quality of life. Internet-based interventions and short message service (SMS) text messaging offer promising strategies to address access barriers; however, limited research has examined the feasibility and acceptability of delivering …

Polyphenol Diet And Exercise As Neuroprotection From Effects Of Alzheimer's Disease, Michelle Morgan

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Healthy non-pharmacological lifestyle factors, such as regular physical exercise and a dietary supplementation, have been shown to significantly improve cognitive outcomes over time compared to a more sedentary lifestyle and poor diet. Furthermore, exercise may serve as a potential protective factor in attenuating the effects associated with cognitive decline that are characteristic of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Further, evidence indicates that certain diet interventions can also attenuate the effects of neurodegeneration and positively impact longevity. Supplementation of polyphenols, such as ellagic acid (EA), which are abundant in pomegranate juice, may help provide neuroprotective benefits and elicit a …

Race-Associated Egfr And Kras Mutation Profiles In Lung Adenocarcinoma, Lovyanne Vergel De Dios, Catherine Wu, Salique Hassan Shaham, Manish K. Tripathi

School of Medicine Publications

Background: Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most prevalent histologic subtype of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and exhibits considerable molecular heterogeneity. Among the most clinically significant driver alterations are mutations in EGFR and KRAS, both of which influence treatment selection and oncologic outcomes. The prevalence of these mutations varies by race, yet racial minority populations remain underrepresented in genomic studies. EGFR alterations are more frequently observed in Asian patients, while KRAS mutations predominate in non-Asian cohorts. This study aimed to characterize race-associated differences in driver mutation prevalence among Asian, Black, and White patients with LUAD. Methods: A retrospective secondary cohort …

The Effectiveness Of Treatment Options For Localized Prostate Cancer: A Meta-Analysis Of Cross-Sectional And Cohort Studies, Pius Omolewa, John Bressan, Nassrine Noureddine

All Faculty Scholarship

Background: Prostate cancer is one of the most common malignancies among men worldwide, with incidence rates rising steadily over the past decades. Although the widespread adoption of PSA screening has improved early detection, it has also sparked extensive debate regarding overdiagnosis and overtreatment. Against this backdrop, balancing the avoidance of unnecessary interventions with the need to ensure favorable patient outcomes has become a central challenge in clinical decision-making. Methods: Articles published from 2010 through 2025 were searched in five databases. The cross-sectional and cohort studies examined the effects of treatment options on localized prostate cancer. Results: From the analysis of …

Improving Obesity Management In Primary Care Through Provider Education, Natalie Anderson

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Childhood obesity is a significant public health concern associated with metabolic, cardiovascular, and psychosocial complications. Despite the availability of evidence-based pediatric obesity management guidelines, adherence to these guidelines remains inconsistent in primary care settings. Purpose: This evidence-based quality improvement project aimed to determine whether provider education on the 2023 American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Clinical Practice Guideline for the Evaluation and Treatment of Children and Adolescents With Obesity, combined with implementation of an electronic health record (EHR) clinical decision support prompt, improved provider knowledge and adherence to guideline-recommended obesity management practices. Method: A pre-post quasi-experimental study was …

Experiential Learning In Child Life Education, Amanda L. Lockett

All Dissertations

Child life specialists support children and families during healthcare experiences and other stressful life events, making it important for child life students to develop both knowledge and practical skills before entering the profession. This study explored how current child life students and recent graduate experienced hands-on learning activities in their child life education. Through interviews, a survey, and follow-up reflection, participants described how activities like role play, case studies, realistic scenarios, activity play plans, and teaching plans influenced their learning and professional development. Participants shared these experiences helped them learn to apply what they learned in the classroom into real …

A Word From The Writing Team (August 2026), Pam Walter, Mfa, Laura Deloretta, Phd

A Word From the Writing Team (Newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Measuring Health System Readiness In Saint Lucia Using International Health Regulations Capacity Indicators, Melissa Steele

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Emerging infectious diseases continue to challenge national health systems, particularly in small island developing states with limited preparedness resources. Limited evidence comparing the International Health Regulations (2005) State Party Self-Assessment Annual Reporting (IHR SPAR) capacities of small island developing states with those of high-income countries limits efforts to identify preparedness gaps and strengthen health systems. The purpose of this quantitative comparative study was to evaluate Saint Lucia's preparedness using IHR SPAR indicators, compare its preparedness with the United States, and assess changes between 2023 and 2024. Guided by the World Health Organization Health System Framework, a quantitative cross-sectional design using …

Impact Of Media Guidelines On Suicide-Related Reporting Quality And Suicides: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Simone Scotti Requena, Vikas Arya, Thomas Niederkrotenthaler, Mark Sinyor, Michiko Ueda, Matthew J. Spittal, Jane Pirkis

Center for Policy Design and Governance

This brief summarizes "Impact of media guidelines on suicide-related reporting quality and suicides: A systematic review and meta-analysis," co-authored by Simone Scotti Requena, Vikas Arya, Thomas Niederkrotenthaler, Mark Sinyor, Michiko Ueda, Matthew J. Spittal, and Jane Pirkis in Crisis.

Addressing Food Pantry Capacity To Offer Medically Tailored Groceries For Food Insecure Individuals With Chronic Disease In Rural South Carolina, Anna G. Taylor

All Theses

This study examines the feasibility of implementing medically tailored grocery (MTG) programs within rural food pantries in South Carolina to better serve food-insecure individuals living with chronic diseases. Using a mixed-methods design, the study aimed to assess current pantry capacity, identify barriers and facilitators to MTG implementation, and evaluate strategies to strengthen MTG delivery.

The intervention was guided by three implementation science frameworks: the Six-Step Knowledge Sharing Model, the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), and the RE-AIM evaluation framework. Data collection occurred in two phases. In Phase 1, statewide focus groups, capacity surveys, and inventory assessments were conducted to …

Decision-Making Criteria In Polygenic Embryo Screening: A Survey Of Reproductive Medicine Physicians, Rémy A Furrer, Aayushi Gandhi, Dorit Barlevy, Shai Carmi, Todd Lencz, Stacey Pereira, Gabriel Lázaro-Muñoz

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Purpose: Polygenic embryo screening (PES) examines embryos for their genetic likelihood of developing complex conditions and traits. The commercialization of PES places reproductive endocrinologists and infertility specialists (REIs) as the primary decision-makers in its use, despite professional guidelines cautioning that PES is not ready for clinical use.

Methods: This survey examines how 152 US REIs perceive and approach potential clinical decision-making scenarios regarding the use of PES.

Results: REIs were more likely to offer PES for medical conditions (up to 62% for cancer) than for traits (eg, 0% for skin color, 10% for body mass index). When evaluating 11 potential …

Extending Genome-Wide Association Studies To Admixed Cohorts With High Degrees Of Relatedness, Taotao Tan, Alejandra Vergara-Lope, José Jaime Martínez-Magaña, Nirav N Shah, Yi-Sian Lin, Kai Yuan, Jaime Berumen, Jesus Alegre-Díaz, Pablo Kuri-Morales, Roberto Tapia-Conyer, Joel Gelenter, Janitza L Montalvo-Ortiz, Wei Zhou, Jason M Torres, Elizabeth G Atkinson

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

Admixed populations comprise a large portion of the human population worldwide, but are often excluded from genome-wide association studies (GWASs) due to analytic challenges. Our group developed Tractor, a local-ancestry-informed GWAS tool designed for admixed samples that produces accurate ancestry-specific effect sizes and boosts the discovery power to identify ancestry-enriched loci. However, Tractor operates under an assumption of unrelated samples. Here, to address this gap, we propose Tractor-Mix, which allows for well-calibrated association studies in datasets containing admixed samples with relatedness. Extensive simulations show that this method is competitive with other state-of-the-art approaches that do not produce ancestry-specific results. Empirical …

An Update On The Role Of Multimodal Analgesia In Perioperative Pain Management, Whitney N. Kuwamoto, Grace C. Eddy, Edward R. Mariano, Eric S. Schwenk

Department of Anesthesiology Faculty Papers

Multimodal analgesia has become a foundational principle of acute perioperative pain management and enhanced recovery and involves the application of nonpharmacologic, pharmacologic, and/or interventional techniques. The overall goal of this approach is to apply a combination of different modalities that target discrete points along the pain pathway and thereby avoid the overreliance on opioids and associated side effects. Since our review in 2018, there have been significant developments that have prompted an updated review of multimodal analgesia. In this article, we identify and summarize important trends that influence the current approach to acute perioperative pain management as well as provide …

Impact Of Trisomy 21 On Post Pull-Through Enterocolitis And Bowel Function In Children With Hirschsprung Disease: A Pcplc Analysis., Marshall W. Wallace, Scott S. Short, Rachel C. Crady, Ron W. Reeder, Hira Ahmad, Kelly Austin, Andrea Badillo, Casey M. Calkins, Megan M. Durham, Julie R. Fuchs, Christopher Gayer, Julia E. Grabowski, Jamie C. Harris, Charles R. Hong, Ankur Rana, Rebecca M. Rentea, Nelson Rosen, Payam Saadai, Caitlin A. Smith, K Elizabeth Speck, Cristine S. Velazco, Richard J. Wood, Michael D. Rollins

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

INTRODUCTION: We evaluated whether Trisomy 21 (T21) affected bowel management use, ability to toilet train for stool, and rates of Hirschsprung-Associated Enterocolitis (HAEC) in children with Hirschsprung disease (HD). We hypothesized that T21 would be associated with increased rates of HAEC, bowel management program (BMP) use, and delayed toilet training for stool.

METHODS: Children with HD in the Pediatric Colorectal and Pelvic Learning Consortium (PCPLC) database who underwent primary pull-through were included and stratified by T21 status: HD only versus HD + T21. Children requiring a redo pull-through, initially managed with a stoma, or those who had inadequate follow-up were …

Blood-Based Circular Rnas For Early Diagnosis Of Alzheimer's Disease, Bridget Phillips, Jessie Sanford, Menghan Liu, Matt Johnson, Katherine Gong, Kristy Bergmann, Joseph Lowery, Allison Flynn, William Brock, Brenda Sanchez Montejo, Nicholas Sykora, John Budde, John C Morris, Joel S Perlmutter, Paul T Kotzbauer, Richard J Perrin, Laura Ibanez, Carlos Cruchaga, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD) before the development of clinical symptoms is critical for enabling the use of new treatments. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are highly stable non-coding RNAs enriched in the brain that can cross the blood-brain barrier. Here, analyzing blood data from 1,221 individuals with AD and healthy individuals, we identified 34 circRNAs associated with AD status. A predictive model including these 34 circRNAs was comparable to plasma phosphorylated Tau-217 (pTau217) in classifying AD based on biomarker-confirmed (amyloid-β and Tau) status and replicated in independent samples from the Knight-Alzheimer Disease Research Center (n = 551: 76 AD, 475 cognitively …