Digital Commons Network^™

Constantly Connected: What Healthcare Providers Need To Know About Vicarious Trauma In An Evolving Digitally Connected Global Community., Meghan Kanya, Patricia Davis, Gail Robertson

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Easy access to streaming news and sensational headlines has transformed society's exposure to traumatic narratives. From personal stories on social media platforms to news articles about violence in communities, patients and their caregivers may not recognize their exposure as traumatic nor recognize their psychological sequalae as unhealthy. In addition, youth with trauma-related mental health symptoms are not consistently identified in pediatric primary care clinics. Due to the increase in proximity to traumatic stories, healthcare providers working with youth require additional skills designed to engage patients and families in conversations about exposure to violence via technology and symptoms of vicarious trauma. …

A Risk Score To Predict Recurrent High Intensity Inpatient Resource Utilization For Children With Medical Complexity., Charles Maloy, Jessica L. Bettenhausen, Y Raymond Chan, Leah Jones, Kathryn Kyler, Laura Plencner, Jessica Markham, Jacqueline Walker, Smit Shah, Sian Best, Jonathan Ermer, Shelby Chesbro, Maria Newmaster M.D., Henry T. Puls

Posters

Background Children with medical complexity (CMC) use a greater amount of inpatient resources and stand to benefit from unique care models and coordination. However, hospital resources can be limited, and a better understanding of which CMC are high resource users could improve hospital and staff planning. Objective: To develop a risk score predictive of recurrent high intensity inpatient utilization among CMC. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of children < 18 years old with ≥3 complex chronic conditions (CCC) discharged from one of 48 children’s hospitals in the Pediatric Health Information System during 2021 and 2022. To reflect CMC typically cared for by a general medical service, children with cardiac procedures, dialysis, oncology, or transplant CCCs, and index hospitalization mortality were excluded. We used multivariable logistic regression to determine factors present on the index hospitalization associated with ≥5 hospitalizations or ≥3 hospitalizations with one lasting ≥25 days within any 365-day period (high inpatient utilization) in 2021-2023. We developed risk scoring system using model coefficients and defined the optimal risk score cutoff to maximize sensitivity and specificity. We then applied the risk score cutoff to children discharged to determine (a) ratio of predicted:actual CMC with recurrent high resource use and (b) the total predicted daily volume on 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile days for each hospital. Results: Of 44,432 included children , 9,596 (21.6%) had high inpatient utilization (Table). Children under 1 year of age had the highest odds of high inpatient utilization (OR 2.26 [95% CI: 2.16, 2.37]) and all CCC and technology groups (except metabolic) met statistical significance (Figure 1). The optimal risk score cutoff was 29 and predicted 17,411 (39.2%) CMC as high inpatient resource utilizers; the predicted:actual ratio of CMC with high inpatient utilization was 1.81. The mean daily census of the 50th, 75th, and 90th percentiles across hospitals was 28 CMC with recurrent high utilization (± 17), 34 (±18), and 39 (±19; Figure2). Conclusions: It is feasible to develop a risk score predictive of recurrent high inpatient utilization among CMC. There is substantial variability in volume of CMC with high utilization between pediatric hospitals. The risk score cutoff values can be modified to suit different applications and institution-specific objectives. These applications could include a dedicated service line or staffing. Alternatively, this could identify patients who would benefit from more formal handoff from inpatient to outpatient providers.

Developing A Curriculum Audit Tool For Justice, Equity, Diversity, And Inclusion In Occupational Therapy Education, Whitney M. Cranna, Sarah Mckinnon

Translational Science in Occupation

Background: The OT profession is calling for intentional pedagogy that builds future practitioners’ capacity for embodying justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion (JEDI) values; however, the interpretation and application of this mission remain subjective and nebulous. Developing a theory-driven audit tool may help standardize and clarify JEDI pedagogy needs to enhance OT preparation and practice.

Objective: Using a culturally responsive, justice-based theoretical lens, this paper describes the development of a JEDI Curriculum Audit Tool for a Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy (PP-OTD) program.

Design: Quantitative systematic evaluation of curricular alignment with JEDI principles, including a 3-prong retroactive self-evaluation approach.

Setting: Curriculum …

Issues That Ministers Identify As Factors Contributing To Anxiety And Depression, Heather Sawtelle

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Although mental health is an emerging topic within the church community, the stigmatization of mental illness within ministers’ lives can create a myriad of personal beliefs that can lead to shame and discontent in ministers’ lives. Many ministers have daily stressors that compromise their mental health, and these stressors can contribute to depression or anxiety. This study defined mental health issues and described mental illness’ influence on ministers’ lives and the factors that contribute to mental health issues. This health condition, described as mental illness, involves significant changes in thinking, emotion, behavior, distress, and problems functioning in social, work, or …

Patient-Centered Approach To Decrease Length Of Stay, Erika Beck

All Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects

Problem: Unmet social needs contribute to hospital readmissions and extended inpatient stays, placing strain on care coordination and hospital throughput. Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), such as housing instability, lack of transportation, or food insecurity, are often unaddressed in clinical workflows. At the project site, a gap in effectively integrating SDOH into the discharge planning process led to delayed discharges and increased length of stay (LOS). Additionally, 41.20% exceeded the Geometric Mean Length of Stay (GMLOS), surpassing the organizational benchmark of 40.17%. Gaps in standardized assessment and communication of SDOH data limited the ability to plan timely discharges and connect …

Author Reply: Investment Case For Mental Health, Cyprian Mostert

Population Health, East Africa

No abstract provided.

Medicaid Managed Care Organization Service Coverage And Diagnosis And Treatment Of Opioid Use Disorder: Evidence From Quasi-Random Auto-Assignment In Kentucky, Shelby R. Steuart, Miguel Antonio G Estrada, Christina Andrews Ph.D., Colleen M. Grogan, Olivia M. Hinds, Emily C. Lawler, Lauren A. Peterson, Felipe Lozano-Rojas, Emily C. Lawler, Lauren A. Peterson, Felipe Lozano-Rojas, Melissa A. Westlake, Coady Wing, Amanda J. Abraham

Faculty Publications

Introduction

Opioid-related mortality continues to claim tens of thousands of American lives annually. Medicaid plays an outsized role in financing opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment, paying for almost 40% of all Americans who received OUD treatment in 2017. Methods

Using Medicaid T-MSIS Analytic Files data and a novel data set of Medicaid managed care organization (MCO) plan coverage, we examined the relationship between comprehensiveness of benefits for OUD treatment provided by Medicaid MCO plans and the likelihood of OUD diagnosis and medications for OUD (MOUD) receipt among newly enrolled Medicaid beneficiaries in Kentucky. We use two stage least squares to …

A Mixed Methods Study Exploring The Lived Experience Of Shared Trauma In Psychiatric Nurses During Covid-19, April Lynne Hutto

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Psychiatric nurses (PNs) had a unique lived experience of shared trauma (ST) during the COVID-19 pandemic. These nurses experienced the same traumatic event, COVID-19, with associated trauma symptoms as their patients. This mixed methods study aims to triangulate data on ST in PNs using a quantitative and qualitative study. Methods: PN (N=24) completed a semi-structured interview during the summer and fall of 2024. A quantitative study PN (N=552) in spring 2023, using the Shared Trauma and Professional Posttraumatic Growth (STPPG) inventory, was completed with descriptive and inferential statistics using SAS 9.4. A thematic analysis of the interviews was completed …

Chronic Illness Education 2025: Building Healthy Habits: Preventative Strategies For Childhood Obesity, Alissa Ward, Cameron Craig, Chloe Sutlick, Gabrielle Henry, Isabelle Adams, Jerimiah Gumma, Omer Abdullah, Sami Zaidi

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Chronic Illness Education 2025: Resources To Improve Diabetes Mellitus In Adult Males, Abdul Naser Zamzami, David Echeverri, Isabella Costa, Musaed Al Rashidi, Pooja Menon, Xiaohan Zhan, Zain Abdun-Noor

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

A Cross-Sectional Examination Of Missed Infection Control Practices Among Nurses In The Jordanian Hospitals, Muhammad Ahmed Alshyyab, Rania Ali Albsoul, Gerard Fitzgerald, Diana Arabiat

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Missed infection control practices may negatively impact quality healthcare and patient safety in acute health care settings. Hence, more research is urgently needed especially in Arab countries. To investigate the elements and reasons of missed infection control activities among nurses in Jordan. The sociodemographic correlates with missed infection control activities were also examined. Methods: A cross sectional design was utilized in this study. A convenience sample of 960 nurses from seven hospitals in the North of Jordan was used. The Missed Nursing Care Infection Prevention and Control (MNCIPC) Survey was employed to collect the data. Data were analyzed using …

The Artichoke Model: A Conceptual Framework For Positive Food Environments In Early Childhood Education And Care (Ecec) Settings, Ros Sambell, Audrey Elford, Tori Overstone, Rebecca Byrne, Kirsty Elliott, Sandra Vale, Penelope Love, Lisa Vincze, Leanne Elliston, Fiona Nave, Janny Goris, Emma Esdaile, Amanda Devine

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The Artichoke Model is a conceptual framework developed to support the understanding of the breadth and influence of food environments in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) settings. It identifies twelve interrelated components spanning food provision, mealtime practices, curriculum integration, staff capacity, family engagement, and systemic enablers such as policy, equity, and environmental sustainability. Represented visually as an artichoke with the child at its centre, the model encourages holistic analysis, recognising that sustainable change requires the interconnected operation of all components, rather than isolated interventions. The Artichoke Model is intended as a tool for researchers, policymakers, and advocates to guide …

Interprofessional Education Confidence In Health Professions Education Assessment: Are Learners Ready For Interprofessional Collaborative Practice?, Nicole E. Brown, Anthony J. Goreczny, Natalie Schirato, Jodi Schreiber, Sarah Jameson, Timothy Braun, Mary Dee Fisher

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Interprofessional education (IPE) is critical to developing skills necessary for interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP). Although much IPE research focuses on competence as an outcome, little research examines learner confidence in competence, which is likely to translate didactic knowledge into application of clinical skills. The current study aimed to assess student levels of confidence in skill competence related to the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) core competencies. Methods: Students from multiple health professions programs (nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, physician assistant, graduate psychology), graduate biology, and undergraduate programs participated in the study (N=188). The Interprofessional Education Evaluation of Confidence (IPEEC) …

The Effect Of Computer-Mediated Communication On Occupational Positive Mental Health Mediated By Work-Family Enrichment In Workers In Remote Areas: Analysis Using Structural Equation Modelling, Herlando Junanta, Suryo Wibowo, Herqutanto ., Dewi Yunia Fitriani, Titis Mariyamah, Dewi Sumaryani Soemarko

Occupational and Environmental Medicine Journal of Indonesia

Objective: This study aims to examine the effect of computer-mediated communication (CMC) on occupational positive mental health (OPMH) mediated by work-family enrichment (WFE) in workers in remote areas using the CMC, OPMH-40, and WFE questionnaires. Method: The latent variables in this study are CMC, OPMH, and WFE. The observed variables include all items from CMC, OPMH, and WFE. The sample technique used was total sampling, revealing that 349 workers in the project department of an oil and gas company located in the West Papua Province of Indonesia expressed their willingness to participate as research participants. To test research hypotheses using …

Transforming Care: An Academic And Community Symposium On Transgender Care And Experience, Alison Sutton-Ryan, Kimberly Van Vulpen

Transforming Communities

Background: Transgender experience is often excluded from education and training. An emphasis has been often placed on sexual identities instead of gender differences rendering transgender care invisible in the healthcare system (Gahagan & Colpitts 2017). Lack of education and training has created significant barriers to accessible gender-affirming care, contributing to disproportionately high levels of discrimination for transgender individuals seeking medical services (Redcay et al., 2021). Purpose: The Interprofessional Education Symposium on Transgender Care and Experience was an innovative initiative developed by the newly formed Transgender Interprofessional Care Team (TICT) at a medium-sized suburban university. This collaborative team, comprising key …

Secondary Youth-Level Mechanisms Of Change In Parent Training For Anxious Youth, Jacey L Anderberg, Kelly Barry, Blake M Upshaw, Katie H Mangen, Samuel D Spencer, Andrew G Guzick, Daphne M Ayton, Amanda D Palo, Abigail E Candelari, Eric A Storch

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Parent-focused treatments are a promising approach for addressing youth anxiety outside of traditional therapist-delivered modalities. Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) has preliminarily demonstrated efficacy for reducing family accommodation (FA), a key treatment outcome for youth anxiety.

Objective: Since the mechanisms of SPACE remain relatively understudied, we examined youth-reported distress tolerance (DT), anxiety sensitivity (AS), and negative automatic thoughts as candidate mechanisms of SPACE using data from a previously conducted clinical trial.

Methods: In a sample of N = 68 youth (M age = 10.2; 52% male; 62% White), we examined: (a) associations among candidate mechanisms and …

The Relationship Between Prenatal Stressful Life Events And Breastfeeding Initiation Among Mississippi Mothers, Candon Garbo, Katie C. Hall, Disha Jhaveri, Jung Hye S. Lee, Deanna Howington, Mina Qobadi, Mary Wesley

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Background: Early initiation of breastfeeding increases the likelihood of exclusive breastfeeding, which can be linked to improving both the mother’s and infant’s health. However, breastfeeding rates in Mississippi continue to be one of the lowest in the United States, with infant mortality and morbidity rates at the highest. Purpose: This study aims to explore the impact SLEs may have on initiating breastfeeding, as research is limited. Methods: Analyzed data from 2016 to 2021 Pregnancy Risk Assessment and Monitoring System (PRAMS) was used to determine a correlation between life stressor experiences during pregnancy and initiation of exclusive breastfeeding with a sample …

Quality Improvement Project Building Community Of Practice Through An Affiliate App Virtual Forum, Patricia J. Pease

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Establishing community and support for pediatric hematology and oncology Advanced Practice Providers can be challenging. Asynchronous working schedules, lack of protected time, and geographical distance hinder these efforts. Extending professional support and collaboration to providers is vital to ensure communication, interprofessional teaming, and collaborative care of the high-acuity patient population. Given the availability of virtual forums, this project explores the ability of a virtual, synchronous Community of Practice (VCoP) to enhance interprofessional collaboration for affiliated Advanced Practice Providers (APPs). This project utilizes the validated Assessment of Interprofessional Team Collaboration II (AITCS-II) to assess pre- and post-intervention interprofessional collaboration via a …

Turkish Translation, Validity, And Reliability Of The European Organization For Research And Treatment Of Cancer Quality Of Life-High Dose Chemotherapy29 In Patients Undergone Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Vesi̇le Yildiz Kabak, Sevi̇lay Karahan, Eli̇fcan Aladağ Karakulak, Tüli̇n Düger, Songül Atasavun Uysal, Fulya İpek-Erdem, Hakan Göker

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Our aim was to investigate psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the European organization for research and treatment of cancer quality of life-high dose chemotherapy29 (EORTC QLQ-HDC29) in patients treated with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).

Materials and methods: Patients between the ages of 18 and 65 years and undergone HSCT were included. The European organization for research and treatment of cancer quality of life questionnaire–cancer30 the Eastern cooperative oncology group performance score, and the functional assessment of cancer therapy–bone marrow transplant were used to determine convergent validity. Reliability was assessed through the calculation of Cronbach’s alpha and …

Exploring Facilitators And Barriers Of Medically Tailored Meal Interventions For Patients Hospitalized With Acute Heart Failure: A Qualitative Study, Ihab Hassanieh, Sang Gune K Yoo, Jing Li, Virginia Mckay, Mark D Huffman

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Acute heart failure (AHF) is associated with high rehospitalization, morbidity, and mortality rates. Implementing medically tailored meal (MTM) interventions may help to optimize nutrition and improve outcomes for patients with AHF. This study aimed to explore facilitators and barriers to implementing an MTM intervention in a tertiary hospital.

METHODS: From August 2023 to October 2023, we conducted semistructured interviews with health care workers and patients with AHF at Barnes Jewish Hospital in Saint Louis, Missouri. The study used the updated Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research 2.0 to assess 5 domains: MTM characteristics, inner and outer settings, individual characteristics, and …

Psycho-Analysis Will Not Save Us: Reflections On The Gen Z Mental Health Crisis, Victor Dubitans

Middle Voices

Generation Z (born between 1997 – 2012) is characterized as having both unprecedented mental health awareness and unprecedented mental distress. An apparent contradiction with troubling implications for the mental health field: Either the response to the mounting crisis has been insufficient or the field forms part of the problem. Taking seriously Wilks’ (2023) criticism of “therapeutic overreach” of the contemporary mental health field in the lives and development of youth, this paper attempts a selfanalysis and moral inventory about the field’s potential complicity in the crisis and in the history of hysteria. Lacan’s writings on the “analyst’s discourse” are considered …

The Role Of Neuroscience In Mental Health Management Within The Adhd Population, Kadi Rae Smith

University Honors Theses

Neuroscience-based educational interventions play a role in the management of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), including the regulation of ADHD-correlated depression and anxiety. Existing research shows that elevated rates of depression correspond to anxiety within the ADHD community; approximately 8.83% of the global population. Social ostracization and isolation are established contributors to depression and anxiety which are commonly comorbid with ADHD. The need exists for further investigation of the beneficial impact that an accurate, biological understanding of how the brain works has on the mental health of the ADHD population, and by extension their families, education systems, and medical industries. …

Building Media Literacy In Adolescence: A Cognitive Behavioral Clinician's Manual To Combat Misinformation And Misdiagnosis During Sessions, Patricia Sacchetti

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

This paper examines the role of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in countering misinformation that youth encounter on social media and other informal sources, with the goal of creating a manual for mental health clinicians. The use of CBT by clinicians working with adolescents to combat the issue of misinformation and misdiagnosis has received little attention in the literature. Mental health clinicians’ knowledge of media literacy as a psychological construct can foster an effective treatment style by building upon the foundation of well-established theory and practice, such as CBT. CBT is a multifaceted treatment that can help guide mental health clinicians …

Etchings Of The Exiled, Jan A. Wozniak

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

No abstract provided.

Development Of Recommendations For The Future Of Telehealth Use Among Sexual And Gender Minorities (Sgm), Jeffrey A. Wilhite

Dissertations and Theses

It is now well-documented that sexual and gender minoritized individuals (SGMs) face consistent stigmatization from not just the health care system, but also from overarching community, federal, and societal entities. Subsections of the SGM community, like gay men for example, face higher rates of eating disorders, certain cancers, alcoholism, mental illness and even obesity, when compared to heterosexual counterparts. Many of these challenges could be exacerbated by current political administration efforts to silence the community. Ensuring access to clinical care is one way of preserving the health and livelihood of the community. Telehealth, or synchronous, remote based clinical care, can …

The Ecology Of Gender-Based Violence For Syrian Refugee Women In Tripoli And Akkar, Dima Masoud

Dissertations and Theses

Lebanon is a country that suffers from multiple economic, political, and health crises. Additionally, the mass displacement of Syrian refugees to Lebanon after the war in Syria over a decade ago has left Syrian refugees vulnerable, including the vulnerability of Syrian refugee women to gender-based violence (GBV). While these conditions have affected all of Lebanon, this dissertation focuses on the regions of Tripoli and Akkar in northern Lebanon. Tripoli and Akkar are regions that border Syria, which means that an influx of Syrian refugees, mostly unregistered, comes in. While other regions in Lebanon also border Syria, Tripoli and Akkar are …

Exploring Prelicensure Bsn Students’ Knowledge Of Mindfulness Meditation Using A Smartphone App To Manage Stress And Promote Resilience: A Qualitative Single Case Study, Beth Kelley, Kara Schacke, Alex Boggs, Shelley Blackwood

Wisdom & Compassion: The LUSON Journal

Stress is a detrimental factor in nursing school. Stressors contribute to an unacceptable nursing student attrition rate that has risen to 30% in 2021. The problem is that prelicensure, Bachelor of Science of Nursing (BSN) students' knowledge of mindfulness meditation using a smartphone app to manage stress and promote resilience is not known. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore pre-licensure, BSN students’ knowledge of mindfulness meditation using a smartphone app to manage stress and promote resilience.

Children In Foster Care: Outcomes And Nursing Implications, Rachel A. Joseph, Emily Etterman

Wisdom & Compassion: The LUSON Journal

Background: Approximately 407,000 children remained in the foster care system by the end of 2020, with 217,000 entering and 224,000 exiting the system. The foster care system is meant to be a temporary living arrangement for children born into or raised in non-flourishing homes. However, the uniqueness of the system and the interactions of foster parents lead to undesirable foster home situations while the child is left in the system for longer times. The child in foster care faces several adverse life events that make it difficult for the child to develop into a successful adult. Purpose: This paper examines …

Volume 2, Issue 2 - Complete Issue

Wisdom & Compassion: The LUSON Journal

No abstract provided.

A Qualitative Analysis Of A Culturally Adapted Pcit Training For Black And Latine Clinicians: Creating Communities For Providers Of Autistic Youth, Harlee Onovbiona, Felipa Chavez, Lauren Quetsch, Ashley Scudder

Psychology Faculty Publications

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is a widely known evidenced-based treatment (EBT) that has been used with Latine, Black, and neurodiverse children to improve the parent-child relationship and reduce challenging behaviors. Although considerable efforts have been made to disseminate PCIT to the wider community, fewer strides have been made to reach Black and Latine families in underserved communities—especially for families with neurodiverse children. One method to bridge the service gap for Black and Latine families is to train Black and Latine clinicians who primarily serve Black and Latine communities. Thus, the current pilot utilized a qualitative design and the Ecological Validity …