Digital Commons Network^™

Navigating End-Of-Life Decisions: Cultural Considerations For Latine Patients, Michelle Carbajal Hernandez

Honors Capstones

Healthcare professionals face many challenges when communicating terminal illness prognoses for individuals. This responsibility to address a terminal prognosis is further complicated when communicating with Latine patients who may face multiple barriers within the healthcare system and whose cultural preferences influence end-of-life care planning (Carrion, 2010). For example, Latines are less likely to enroll in end-of-life (EOL) care services (e.g., hospice) (Barragan-Carrillo et al., 2022). As well as engage in end-of-life care planning than White Non-Latines (Shen et al., 2016). To understand this hesitancy towards EOL care options, this literature review aims to explore how terminally ill Latine and …

Factors Associated With Child Protective Services Referrals In Young Children With Isolated Skull Fractures., Karli Breeden-Carino, Joanne N. Wood, Cindy W. Christian, Tagrid M. Ruiz-Maldonado, Daniel M. Lindberg, Angela Bachim, Lori Frasier, Terra N. Frazier, Nancy S. Harper, Sara E. Kruczek, Farah Brink, Jennifer E. Wolford, Jan Leonard, M Katherine Henry

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

OBJECTIVE: Many young children with isolated skull fractures are referred to child protective services (CPS) despite being assessed to have a low likelihood of abuse. We sought to identify factors associated with CPS referrals in this population and to quantify hospital-level variation.

METHODS: We performed a multicenter retrospective cross-sectional study of children < 2 years with skull fractures with or without a small underlying intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) and no additional injuries undergoing a child abuse pediatrics (CAP) subspecialty evaluation. We explored associations between demographic factors, clinical characteristics, psychosocial risk factors, and hospital site with CPS referral status. We performed multivariable logistic regression, adjusting for transfer status and all significant covariates from unadjusted analyses. We utilized marginal standardization to calculate the estimated probability of CPS referrals at each site, adjusting for all factors in the final model.

RESULTS: Of 528 children, 303 (57.4%) were referred to CPS, with 86.5% referred before CAP consultation. In multivariable logistic regression, presence of psychosocial risk factors (OR 4.00; 95% CI 2.25, 7.11), in-person CAP consult (OR 3.93; 1.61, 9.62), inflicted or no trauma history provided (OR 6.15; 3.30, 11.45), …

Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome, Children's Mercy Kansas City

Clinical Pathways

No abstract provided.

Dental Insurance Status Among Formerly Incarcerated Older Adults, Alexander Testa, Rafael Samper-Ternent, Dylan B Jackson, Kyle T Ganson, Vahed Maroufy, Jason M Nagata, Ana C Neumann

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Formerly incarcerated individuals have poorer oral health and less frequent dental care utilization than the general population. However, prior work has overlooked the relationship between prior incarceration and disparities in dental insurance coverage. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (n = 11,638), findings from multiple logistic regression analyses demonstrate that formerly incarcerated older adults are significantly less likely to have dental insurance coverage (odds ratio [OR] = 0.745, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.608, 0.912). After accounting for the income-to-poverty ratio, this association was no longer statistically significant. Analyses using the Karlson-Holm-Breen method demonstrated that approximately 45% of …

Caregiver Challenges And Health Access For Individuals With Developmental Disabilities In Mississippi, Kirsten Cunningham

Honors Theses

Current literature has highlighted the health disparities faced by individuals within the disability community and how it affects the care they receive. However, for many individuals with developmental disabilities, they require caregivers to make medical decisions for them. The purpose of this study is to focus on the caregiver’s perspective of caregiver stress, physical access to care, and health literacy to combat the challenges faced when getting access to healthcare resources for individuals with developmental disabilities in Mississippi. The researcher hypothesized, based on the literature review, that caregivers with higher levels of educational attainment would have less caregiver stress, more …

Bridging The Gap: A Trauma-Informed Approach To Real-Time Counselor Support Training At Kesem, Elizabeth Fallon

Capstone Projects

This capstone project involved the development and implementation of a trauma-informed care training program for college-aged counselors within Kesem, a nonprofit organization supporting children affected by a parent or caregiver’s cancer. The project addressed gaps in existing counselor training related to recognizing and responding to trauma in real time. The literature identified increased risk for psychosocial challenges in this population, including anxiety, depression, as well as the importance of peer support, safe environments, and developmentally appropriate communication.

The training program included different modules on trauma, grief, and child development, as well as interactive role-play scenarios tailored to different age groups …

Life Skills To Promote Independence Following Discharge From Inpatient Psychiatric Care, Alli Bammert

Capstone Projects

This doctoral capstone experience focused on program development through the creation and implementation of a structured life skills program and the initial planning of a simulated life skills training space within an inpatient psychiatric setting at Kalamazoo Psychiatric Hospital. Individuals with serious mental illness often experience barriers to community reintegration following hospitalization and benefit from opportunities to practice daily living skills prior to discharge (Gibson et al., 2011). In response to this need, a 12-week life skills curriculum was developed and piloted to address topics including daily routines, medication management, emotional regulation, grocery shopping, cooking, employment readiness, technology use, and …

Social Skill Program Development: Social Thinking Curriculum, Anna Holman

Capstone Projects

This capstone project examined the implementation of the Social Thinking It: Tweens and Teens curriculum to support adolescent social participation within a group-based setting. Social participation is a core domain of occupational therapy; however, many adolescents experience challenges with communication, emotional regulation, and peer relationships. This project addressed a gap in structured, evidence-based social skills programming at the capstone site. Primary objectives included implementing the Social Thinking curriculum, facilitating weekly group sessions, evaluating participant engagement, and skill development. Intervention strategies included role-playing, guided discussion, modeling, and reflective activities embedded within the curriculum framework. Outcomes demonstrated increased participant engagement and improved …

Creative Art-Based Program To Address Body Image In Cancer Survivors And Caregivers, Tisa Lightfoot

Capstone Projects

This doctoral capstone experience (DCE) explored the role of occupational therapy in promoting the use of creative art-based interventions to address body image in cancer survivors and caregivers. Within the oncology population, body image concerns are a prevalent psychosocial factor that affects survivors’ self-perception, emotional well-being, and occupational engagement in their daily lives. To address this gap, a six-week program was developed to promote art as a meaningful occupation to support the psychosocial well-being related to body image in cancer survivors and caregivers. Additional initiatives of the program included resource development and integration of education on current literature on the …

Occupational Therapy And Grief: Building Knowledge, Justifying Scope, And Supporting Practice, Jessica Jacques

Capstone Projects

Grief can disrupt individuals’ ability to participate in meaningful daily occupations (Hoppes & Segal, 2010), yet occupational therapy (OT) remains underutilized in grief support. Given OT’s focus on occupational performance, practitioners are uniquely positioned to address the functional and emotional challenges associated with grief. Despite this alignment, a gap exists in structured, occupation-based grief support, as well as limited integration of OT within community-based grief services. This capstone aimed to address this need by developing and implementing grief-informed, occupation-based resources and educational materials. Objectives included revising a grief resource manual, creating evidence-based handouts for community and school settings, promoting sensory …

Sensory Processing At A Children’S Advocacy Center: Staff Education And Resource Development To Support Trauma-Informed Care, Hayley Jackson

Capstone Projects

This capstone addresses a critical gap in understanding sensory processing within trauma-informed care for children who have experienced sexual abuse. Occupational therapy (OT) offers a unique perspective for supporting children’s sensory processing and regulation needs; however, OT is not utilized in Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) settings. This project aimed to enhance understanding of OT's scope within trauma-informed care, provide education on sensory-based strategies, and develop resources to support regulation in clinical, home, and school settings. Project objectives were achieved through the development of caregiver and educator handouts, a SMART room sensory binder, a visual schedule binder, SMART movement cards, and …

An Occupational Therapy Approach To Sensory Education: Training Paraprofessionals To Support Students’ Sensory Needs, Sophia Hubber

Capstone Projects

Sensory processing plays an important role in the development and participation across the lifespan and is a key focus of occupational therapy (OT) in school settings. This doctoral capstone project addresses the gap in sensory education and training among paraprofessionals, who spend much of the day supporting students with the highest level of needs. While occupational therapists have extensive knowledge in sensory processing, their large caseloads often limit the opportunities to provide direct education to staff.

To address this gap, the project involved collaborating with the occupational therapy department, conducting research on sensory processing, and developing five educational videos with …

A Topic Modeling Analysis Of Stigma Dimensions, Social, And Related Behavioral Circumstances In Clinical Notes Among Patients With Hiv, Ziyi Chen, Yiyang Liu, Mattia Prosperi, Krishna Vaddiparti, Robert L Cook, Jiang Bian, Yi Guo, Yonghui Wu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: To characterize stigma dimensions, social, and related behavioral circumstances in people living with HIV (PLWHs) seeking care, using natural language processing methods applied to a large collection of electronic health record (EHR) clinical notes from a large integrated health system in the southeast United States.

Methods: We identified a cohort of PLWHs from the University of Florida (UF) Health Integrated Data Repository and performed topic modeling analysis using Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) to uncover stigma-related dimensions and related social and behavioral contexts. Domain experts created a seed list of HIV-related stigma keywords, then applied a snowball strategy to iteratively …

Gynecological Effects Of Sex Trafficking, Tracey Sylvester

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

No abstract provided.

Mental Health Consequences Of Sex Trafficking, Brenda Myers-Powell

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

No abstract provided.

Examining The Relationship Of Work Stressors And Resilience Among Inpatient Oncology Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Study:, Blanca Melida Vasquez-Clarfield

Theses & Dissertations

Burnout among inpatient oncology nurses remains a concern in a specialty marked by high patient acuity, complex care regimens, emotional intensity, and repeated exposure to suffering and death. Resilience is often discussed as a protective resource in nursing, yet less is known about how personal resilience and work resilience relate to work stress and burnout within inpatient oncology practice. This study examined the relationships among perceived work stress, personal resilience, work resilience, and burnout among registered nurses working in inpatient oncology units. It also explored whether selected nurse characteristics were associated with these variables and how nurses described workplace stressors, …

A Market Of Care Skills: Profiting From Professional Education And Practice, Yasmin Y. Ortiga

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Who profits from the commodification of care and how does such accumulation occur? Focusing on the case of the nursing care market, this paper shows how professional schools and local hospitals within source nations like the Philippines profit from nurses seeking the credentials to qualify for jobs overseas. While existing studies show how nursing skills are exploited and undervalued, this paper argues that it is the process of skilling itself that allows for the accumulation of profit, regardless of whether nurses leave their origin countries to work abroad. This study reveals how global care economies are tightly linked to local …

Black Equality In Ocd Neurogenomics (Belong): Study Protocol, Iasha J Williams, Dalia Y Marquez, Kara E Lopez-Lengowski, Malini Bommiasamy, Ogechi Cynthia Onyeka, Slayton J Underwood, Juliana E Avery, Jacob Gluckman, Thariana Pichardo, Rhea Chandler, Yulu Brown, Katie Mangen, Emma Grace Choplin, Black Equality In Ocd Neurogenomics (Belong) Study Team, Sonyia C Richardson, Joseph D Buxbaum, Eric A Storch, James J Crowley, Sidney H Hankerson, Dorothy E Grice

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic, serious psychiatric disorder that affects 2%-3% of the population and is associated with high personal and societal costs. Genetic factors are estimated to explain roughly half the risk of developing OCD, and genomic studies are just beginning to identify common and rare genetic variants mediating this risk. A major goal of genomic studies is to yield insights into the etiology of OCD and identify molecular targets for the development of novel therapeutics. However, the overwhelming majority of subjects in existing genetic studies are of European ancestry, limiting the generalizability of these findings. To address …

Food For Health: Nourishing Transitions, Kamryn Pfenning, Grace Beauchamp, Shauntel Nutile, Morgan Brummels, Melanie Menning

Innovations in Health Sciences Education Journal

This is an abstract from the Spotlight on Scholarship event in 2026.

Meet The Team: Exploring Health Professional Roles And Responsibilities In An Introductory Interprofessional Course, Elizabeth W. Blake, Kimberly A. Taylor, Beverly Baliko, Teri Browne, Donna D. Ray, Abbas Tavakoli Drph, Mph, Me

Publications

Introduction: Health professional academic programs require interprofessional education (IPE) to meet accreditation standards and better prepare students for collaborative patient care. The Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) includes the roles and responsibilities of the health professions as a key domain of IPE curricula. A learning module focusing on this domain was developed for an interprofessional introductory course involving 12 health professions. Adaptations to this module over time aimed to enhance content and student knowledge. Methods: Students were assigned to small interprofessional teams throughout the course and completed modules aligned with the IPEC core competencies. The first module highlighted roles and responsibilities. …

The Role Of Health Workers In Interprofessional Collaboration For Cancer Patient Navigators: A Scoping Review, Agung Subakti Nuzulullail, Aulia Diah Rahayu, Rury Nindya Taluphyta, Ika Arif Lidiyana, Mohamad Rusdiyansyah, Petrus Paris Rumsori, Riyati Riyati, Suci Wahyu Hariyanto, Wa Ode Umi Kalsum, Sri Hartini

Jurnal Keperawatan Indonesia

Cancer remains a leading cause of death worldwide. The complexity of cancer care demands strong interprofessional collaboration (IPC), particularly within cancer patient navigator (CPN) programmes. However, research examining IPC in the context of CPN implementation is still limited. This scoping review aims to explore the various roles of healthcare workers in the IPC process within cancer navigator programme interventions. The review was conducted using four databases: PubMed, Clinical Key, EBSCOhost, and ScienceDirect. The Arksey and O'Malley framework was used to address the research question: “What is the role of health workers in interprofessional collaboration within cancer patient navigation?” Study selection …

Social Isolation And Firearm Secure Storage In The Usa: Results From The 2022 Brfss, Alexander Testa, Daniel Semenza, Dylan B Jackson, Karyn Fu, Sandra Mckay, Kyle T Ganson, Jason M Nagata, Jack Tsai

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Firearm secure storage (ie, storing firearms unloaded and locked) is recommended to reduce unintentional injuries and suicides. However, the relationship between psychological states, such as social isolation, and firearm secure storage practices is under-researched.

Methods: Data are from 7136 individuals with firearms in their households from the 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Multinomial logistic regression was used to explore the relationship between social isolation and firearm storage.

Results: Among respondents, 71.6% reported storing firearms unloaded, 14.2% stored firearms loaded and locked and 14.2% stored firearms loaded and unlocked. Most respondents reported feeling 'never' (40.7%) or 'rarely' (33.3%) socially …

Domains That Influence Underrepresented Community Wellbeing And Engagement: A Literature Review, Nicole Sung, Mei Lin Chen-Lim, Phd, Rn, Ccrc, Aunja Richards, Bis, Florence Ling, Phd

Student Papers, Posters & Projects

Introduction

Inner-city neighborhoods, such as those in Philadelphia, vary in demographics, resources, access, safety, and overall health. Local non-profits that serve these communities require more understanding of the areas they serve to efficiently align resources and meet the local community needs. Community partnerships, including youth in the community, are key informants as they share lived experiences, navigate neighborhood conditions, and identify barriers and priorities.

A Scoping Review Of Gender-Based Violence Interventions Conducted In Afghanistan, Wahiba Abu-Ras, Basil H. Aboul-Enein, Patricia J. Kelly, Dilshod Achilov

College of Nursing Faculty Papers & Presentations

BACKGROUND: Gender-based violence (GBV) remains one of the most pervasive human rights and public health challenges worldwide, with disproportionate impacts on women and girls in conflict-affected and fragile states. Afghanistan represents one of the most restrictive environments for women's rights, where structural, cultural, and political barriers severely limit the implementation and evaluation of GBV-prevention programs. This scoping review aims to identify and critically appraise GBV prevention and response interventions implemented in Afghanistan and assess their contribution to advancing gender and health equity.

METHODS: Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines and the PICOS framework, nine databases were systematically searched for studies published between 2010 …

Spatial Narrative Beyond The Proscenium: Set Design As A Tool For Wellness, Christina Griffey

LSU Master's Theses

Inspired by a health crisis that led to spending time in medical settings, this thesis examines how our surroundings impact our well-being. By developing a framework that explores the topics of storytelling, space, place, theatre, and expanded scenography, I propose that set design can be used as a tool for wellness. I explore several disciplines through the lens of set design and highlight the disciplines, professionals, and designers that are contributing to the creation of therapeutic environments using scenographic practices.

Exploring The Intersection Of Faith, Empathy, And Healthcare Trust In The Experience Of Informal Caregivers, Dr. Julie Yonker, Elizabeth Yuniwo, Jamie Lee, Mesalenuo Tsurho, Meral Moawad, Toluwani Adekunle

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

• Informal caregivers—adults providing unpaid medical or physical care to family or friends with adult-onset conditions—are essential yet often unrecognized contributors to U.S. health care. 
• One in four adults serve as caregivers, providing care valued at over $600 billion (AARP 2025). 
• Despite their vital role, many lack training, social support, and connection to professional care networks. 
• Public health professionals can promote sustainable, whole-person care by integrating caregiver training and referral systems into practice.

Advancing Hope: Clinical Trials In Pediatric Cancer, Michael Smith, Kevin Ginn

Pediatrics in Practice: A CME Podcast

Clinical trials are the backbone of progress in pediatric oncology, offering new pathways to treatment and survival for children facing cancer. In this episode, we sit down with Kevin Ginn, MD, a leading expert in pediatric cancer research, to explore why clinical trials matter, how pediatricians can support families through the process, and what innovations are shaping the future of care. From ethical considerations to practical challenges, Dr. Ginn shares insights that empower pediatricians to guide families with confidence and compassion.

Click here to stream the podcast episode.

Comprehensive, Multidisciplinary Care For Fragile X-Associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome, James A. Bourgeois, Andrea Schneider, Jessica Klusek Ph.D., Ccc-Slp, Thomas R. Christensen, Ellie Levin, Kendall Gardner, Ariel A. Jacobi, Randy J. Hagerman

Faculty Publications

Objective: 

The authors reviewed the pathophysiology, clinical genetics, phenotype, and comprehensive clinical management of Fragile X-associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome (FXTAS), a neurodegenerative disorder affecting FMR1 premutation carriers (55–200 CCG repeats).

Participants: 

A multispecialty and multidisciplinary team of authors with backgrounds in psychiatry, pediatrics, clinical psychology, speech and language pathology, and neurosciences.

Evidence: 

Review of English language sources on the clinical phenomenology, genetics, pathophysiology, and clinical management of FXTAS from 2001 (the original report) through 2025, with emphasis on the general medical, psychiatric, and neurological features of FXTAS and its multispecialty and multidisciplinary clinical management.

Consensus process:

All authors contributed to the …

Food Insecurity’S Influence On Obesity, Hypertension, And Diabetes In Rural Vermont And Adirondack New York, Lindsay Morse

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Food insecurity (FI) is a persistent public health challenge in the United States and disproportionately affects rural communities. Guided by syndemic theory, this quantitative cross-sectional study examined associations between FI and chronic disease outcomes among rural residents of Vermont and the Adirondack region of New York. Social determinants of health screenings and electronic medical records from 35 rural primary care sites were analyzed. Secondary data from n = 72,505 adults were used to evaluate these relationships. Binary logistic regression models assessed obesity, hypertension (HTN), and diabetes (DM), and a multinomial logistic regression model evaluated the combined presence of obesity and …

Creating A Culture Change Around Stroke: Integrating Process Improvement To Reduce Door-To-Needle Time, Shayna Brewer, Benedict Pereira, Rose Bisellach, Jason Greenspan

Providence Nursing Research Conference 2023 – Present

No abstract provided.