Digital Commons Network^™

Pilot Evaluation Of A Cross-Disciplinary Training Addressing Substance Use Among Mississippi Mothers, Saijun Zhang, Catherine Poehling, Xiaoshan Gordy, Chinedu P. Chukwu, Jerome R. Kolbo, Masoumeh Karimi, Matthew Morris, Andrew Voluse, Erin Dehon, Michelle Brassfield, Danielle Lahn, Lisa Slade, Deanna Howington, Kathleen Rhodes, Tearsenee Davis, Sonja Fuqua, Lei Zhang

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) and substance use co-occurring is often managed in siloed systems. Training IPV and related service providers on substance use topics may strengthen screening, response, and referral.

Purpose: To assess whether a pilot training program on substance use disorders (SUDs) in Mississippi improved service providers’ knowledge, preparedness, and attitudes around substance use and satisfaction with the training.

Methods: Pre–post surveys were administered to healthcare and community service providers who completed the training, assessing substance use service-related knowledge, preparedness, and attitudes.  Descriptive statistics and t-tests were used to analyze the data.

Results: Fifty-nine providers completed a …

Effects Of Eight-Week High Interval Training On The Distance Covered During Small-Sided Games Versus League Match In Youth Soccer Players, Dorota Lewandowska, Zbigniew Jastrzebski

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: The aim of the study was to demonstrate the effectiveness of an 8-week high-intensity interval training (HIIT) program on the distance covered by young soccer players during small-sided games (SSG) and a league match. Materials and Methods: The study involved 39 players aged 17–18 years old, divided into two groups, each performing SSG on a pitch with a surface of 90 m² per player (G-90, n = 19) and 180 m² per player (G-180, n = 20). Players (5 × 5) in both groups completed four games, once a week on Tuesdays. Each game lasted 5 minutes with a …

A Combination Of Hyoscyamine And Theophylline For Treatment Of Sick Sinus Syndrome In A Dog, Uraiwan Saengkieo, Arisara Kiatsilapanan, Suwanakiet Sawangkoon

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

A-12-year-old female West Highland White Terrier presented with a history of cardiac syncope. Physical examination revealed bradycardia. Sick sinus syndrome (SSS) was diagnosed with electrocardiography and 24-hour Holter monitoring. However, the owner made the decision to receive the pharmacological therapy. Therefore, a combination of hyoscyamine sulfate and theophylline was prescribed. Following two adjustments of drug dosage and frequency within a year, the total number of heartbeats increased from 58,091 to 73,686 beats, and the mean heart rate increased from 44 to 59 bpm. After the treatment, the dog became stable and no syncopal episodes were detected, despite the presence of …

Support For Human And Civil Rights In Physical Disability, Mental Illness, And Substance Use Disorder, Jessica Williams, Mia Kouveliotes, Nev Jones, Morgan C Shields

2020-Current year OA Pubs

IMPORTANCE: While there is much research on stigma toward marginalized populations, public perceptions regarding deservingness of basic human and civil rights of these groups have not been examined in a nationwide sample of US adults.

OBJECTIVE: To understand the US public's perceptions regarding deservingness of basic human and contested civil rights for people with severe physical disabilities (SPDs), severe mental illness (SMI), and substance use disorders (SUDs).

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cross-sectional study was a nationwide US internet-based quota panel survey of US adults (aged ≥18 years) who completed the survey. Responses were collected from January 17 to February …

Metanet: A Supervised Ensemble Learning Framework For Reconstructing Direct And Functional Tissue-Specific Transcription Factor Networks, Wooseok J Jung, Sandeep Acharya, Daniel P Ruskin, Shu Liao, Vaha Akbary Moghaddam, Zolboo Erdenebaatar, Michael R Brent

2020-Current year OA Pubs

MOTIVATION: Reconstructing tissue-specific transcription factor (TF) networks remains challenging. TF-motif-based methods often lack functional validation, while expression-based methods struggle to distinguish direct binding from indirect regulation. Integration of diverse data types is necessary to accurately prioritize likely functional targets directly bound by TFs across human tissues.

RESULTS: We introduce METANet (Motif Expression TF Association Networks), a supervised ensemble learning framework that combines TF motifs, cis-regulatory element activity, and linear and nonlinear expression-derived features to predict TF binding. Applied to 36 human tissues, predicted METANet maps significantly outperform established methods in identifying direct, likely functional targets of TFs validated by ChIP-seq …

Financial Recovery Capital: Exploring The Role Of Extension Education In Promoting Substance Use Recovery, Alex Elswick, Nichole L Huff, Omolola A. Adedokun, Leslie Workman

Journal of Extension

Substance use is a widespread and complex public health challenge. Financial stress (e.g., unemployment, inadequate housing, transportation access, poor financial literacy) is pervasive among people with substance use disorder (SUD). However, few educational interventions exist to address financial stress for this group. Through the theoretical lens of recovery capital (an asset-based approach that describes the totality of resources that support SUD recovery), we summarize the association between financial stress and substance use, offering implications for Extension educators by highlighting PROFIT, an exemplary program that leverages Extension education as a tool to promote financial recovery capital among people with SUD.

Effects Of Hydrogen-Infused Water On Endurance Performance, Body Hydration Biomarkers, And Health-Related Quality Of Life In Collegiate Athletes (Hydro2eau): A Randomized-Controlled Clinical Trial, Jovan Kuzmanovic, Nikola Todorovic, Marijana Ranisavljev, David Nedeljkovic, Sergej M. Ostojic

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: Hydrogen-infused water (HIW) has attracted considerable interest over the past two decades due to its potential health benefits. However, its effects on exercise performance and hydration biomarkers remain inadequately explored, particularly in physically active populations such as collegiate athletes. This study aimed to investigate the impact of medium-term HIW supplementation on running performance, hydration biomarkers, and health-related quality of life in collegiate athletes. Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial was conducted with twelve collegiate athletes (age: 25.1 ± 3.5 years, six female). Participants consumed 660 mL daily of either HIW (300 µmol/L dihydrogen) or control water (0 µmol/L …

But Mommy, I Can See!, Paul B. Freeman Od

Optometric Clinical Practice

Book Review: Slotnick S, But MOMMY, I can SEE! Illustrations Daniel W. Miller, Newman Springs; 2024. 76 pages, Paperback, $20.95, ISBN: 979-8-88763-556-9, Hardcover, $32.95, ISBN: 979-8-89617-040-2, eBook, $9.99, ISBN: 979-8-88763-557-6

Collective High-Intensity Physical Load And Team Performance In The Fifa U-20 World Cup Chile: Match-By-Match Analysis Of Finalists, Khalid El Mouahid, Salim Khairi, Paweł Chmura, Amine Arfaoui

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: This study aimed to compare the physical and technical-tactical performance profiles of the two finalist teams (Argentina and Morocco) at the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2025 and to examine the relationships between individual physical loads and collective match performance. Materials and Methods: An observational comparative design was applied using official FIFA match reports. Seven matches per team were analyzed. Physical variables included total distance, distances covered in speed zones (Z3–Z5), high-speed running, sprint distance, and maximal speed, while technical-tactical variables described offensive, defensive, and collective behaviors. Between-team comparisons and correlation analyses were conducted using appropriate parametric and non-parametric procedures. …

Benign Jaw Bone Lesions In Athletes Exposed To Craniofacial Trauma: Surgical Treatment And Bone Regeneration Using Biphasic Calcium Sulfate, Damian M. Dudek, Agata Chwarścianek, Izabela Pabin, Łukasz Jaworski, Oliwia Warmusz, Grzegorz Wyrobiec, Ewa Kłodzińska

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Benign cystic and tumor lesions of the jaw bones represent relatively frequent pathological conditions encountered in oral and maxillofacial surgery. Although these lesions are often asymptomatic and slow-growing, they may lead to progressive weakening of bone structure. In individuals exposed to repetitive mechanical forces, such as athletes participating in contact sports, the presence of such lesions may significantly increase the risk of pathological fractures of the facial skeleton. The aim of the present study was to present a clinical case series of a benign jaw bone lesion treated surgically using a biphasic calcium sulfate biomaterial and to discuss the potential …

Selected Determinants Of The Health Quality Of The Diet Of Women Practicing Aerobic Sports, Maria Gacek, Paulina Mazur-Kurach

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: In the context of the importance of nutrition for health and exercise capacity, this study was conducted to assess selected determinants of the health quality of the diet of female athletes training in one of the gymnastics disciplines—aerobic gymnastics. Materials and methods: The study was conducted among 112 women aged 19 to 30 using several research tools, including the Beliefs and Eating Habits Questionnaire KomPAN, the Generalised Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). Statistical analyses were performed using Spearman's correlation coefficients, at a significance level of α = 0.05. Results: The median score for the …

Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty For A Displaced Femoral Neck Fracture In An Above-The-Knee Amputee: A Case Report., Nathaniel J Starcher, Jignesh Patel, Andrew R Golden, Cameron A Kirk

Surgery Articles

Introduction: Femoral neck fractures in patients with ipsilateral above-knee amputations are uncommon and present unique diagnostic, biomechanical, and surgical challenges. The absence of a distal limb limits fracture reduction, intraoperative manipulation, and implant positioning, making standard treatment techniques difficult to perform. Although several fixation and arthroplasty strategies have been described for lower-extremity amputees, reports detailing primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) for displaced femoral neck fractures in young above-knee amputees remain scarce. This case highlights a practical surgical technique utilizing a temporary Steinmann pin as a lever arm to facilitate femoral control during arthroplasty and contributes to the limited orthopedic literature …

Induced Membrane Reconstruction Of A 6-Cm Ulnar Defect With Concurrent Revision Bone Grafting Of Radial Nonunion Following Gustilo-Anderson Type Iiib Open Forearm Fracture: A Case Report., John N Manfredi, Abdullah B Chandasir, Mitchell Lomis, Brent Prenger, Humzah Ali, Kyra Urquhart-Foster, Caleb J Bischoff, Abrar Adil Ansari

Surgery Articles

The induced membrane technique (IMT) is a two-stage reconstructive procedure for critical-sized bone defects. We report a 31-year-old male who sustained a Gustilo-Anderson grade IIIB open fracture of the radius and ulna following a high-energy dirt bike injury, complicated by Serratia marcescens fracture-related infection and septic nonunion. Intraoperative debridement at Stage 1 revealed a 6-cm defect of the ulna, which was managed with an antibiotic-impregnated polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) spacer. A concomitant radial nonunion, identified on postdebridement CT, was addressed at Stage 2 with concurrent revision open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) and autogenous femoral bone grafting. Culture-directed oral antibiotic therapy was …

Factor Structure Of The Neuropsychological Battery In The Mexican Cognitive Aging Ancillary Study (Mex-Cog), Lily Kamalyan, Zachary J. Kunicki, Sangha Jeon, Guanyi Yang, Silvia Mejia-Arango, Alejandra Michaels Obregon, Rebeca Wong, Joseph Saenz, Emily M. Briceño, Miguel Arce Rentería

School of Medicine Publications

Objective: The Mexican Cognitive Aging Ancillary Study administers a comprehensive cognitive assessment based on the Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol. To ensure accurate measurement of cognition for older adults in Mexico, we sought to determine the cognitive factor model of the Mexican Cognitive Aging Ancillary Study battery at Wave 1. Method: Participants were 2,042 adults over the age of 55 living in Mexico in 2016, selected from the Mexican Health and Aging Study survey of 2015. We used confirmatory factor analysis to assess and refine a theoretically driven multiple domain hierarchical factor structure. Correlation estimates between cognitive scores and age and …

Implementation Of A Six-Month Produce Prescription Program For A Rural Medicaid Population Increased Vegetable Consumption And Reduced Food Security In Washington State, Nicole Stendell Hollis, Tafere Belay, Alyssa Castillo, Lupita Silva, Deborah Guack

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of Education and Professional Studies

Objective

Methods

Allergic And Adverse Reactions To Hearing Aid Materials: Clinical Cases And A Proposed Preventive Screening Questionnaire, Margaret Hanger

AuD Capstone Projects - Communication Sciences and Disorders

Abstract (Case 1)

An adverse reaction of the external auditory canal for an adult hearing aid user

Introduction: Contact dermatitis, an allergic skin reaction triggered by exposure to irritants or allergens, has become more common with the widespread use of in-ear devices such as hearing aids. Prolonged contact may lead to redness, itching, pain, and skin breakdown, potentially impacting device use and user satisfaction.

Case Presentation: An adult male who wears a turban was fitted with binaural in-the-ear hearing aids. Shortly after initial use, he experienced bilateral ear discomfort. His hearing aids were remade to address presumed physical fit issues. …

Clinical Presentations, Treatments, And Outcomes Of Pediatric Lupus Nephritis: A Prospective Cohort Study From The Pediatric Nephrology Research Consortium., Melonie Phillips, Mahmoud Kallash, Chloe Tang, Steve Rust, Kia Jubert-Bacon, Scott Wenderfer, Smriti Mohan, Neal Blatt, Don Batisky, Alejandro Quiroga, Tetyana L. Vasylyeva, Nilka Dejesus, Jerome C. Lane

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: There are few prospective studies of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) versus cyclophosphamide (CYC) for pediatric lupus nephritis (pLN) and none evaluating rituximab (RTX).

METHODS: The Prospective Pediatric Lupus Nephritis Registry (ProPeL-R) enrolled patients <  21 years within 4 weeks of an initial kidney biopsy diagnostic of pLN. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected prospectively at enrollment, 3 months, 6 months, and then every 6 months thereafter for up to 5 years of follow-up. For this study, we compared patients receiving initial therapy with corticosteroids (CS) and either MMF (n = 33) vs. CYC (n = 18), and those treated with CS, either MMF or CYC, with RTX (n = 20) vs. without RTX (n = 51).

RESULTS: Histology consisted of 18% class III; 35% class IV; 25% mixed class; and 22% pure class V. Eighty-two percent were female. No significant differences in response or infection rates were identified between those receiving MMF or CYC. There was a significant increase in combined complete (CR) and partial response (PR) at 24 months with RTX use. Overall CR rates at 6 and 24 months were 35% …

Using Electronic Health Record Audit Logs To Identify Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Teams, Liem M Nguyen, Stefanie S Sebok-Syer, Dane Jacobson, Karley Mariano, John Grunyk, Shelby Burk, Yasaman Nourkhalaj, Kimberley Kirk, Jochen Profit, Christian Rose, A Jay Holmgren, Thomas Kannampallil, Daniel Tawfik

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Teamwork influences patient outcomes, but electronic health records (EHRs) do not reliably capture patient care team members, limiting its study. EHR audit logs provide insights into healthcare workers' workflows and may help identify patients' care team members.

OBJECTIVE: To develop, validate, and compare algorithms utilizing EHR audit logs to identify patient-centric primary teams (bedside nurse, frontline clinician, and attending physician) in pediatric intensive care units (ICUs).

METHODS: We observed rounds for 1931 patient days (development = 678; validation = 1253) across pediatric (PICU), neonatal (NICU) and cardiovascular (CVICU) ICUs at a quaternary children's hospital and documented each patient's daytime …

Lightweight Open-Source Reasoning Large Language Model For Evidence Synthesis Screening, David M Dávila-García, Amanda Gilbert, Adam B Wilcox

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate performance and efficiency of a lightweight open-source reasoning large language model (LLM) against an expert-derived reference standard for screening scientific publication databases.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two expert reviewers screened subsets of database records across 3 stages: (1) base eligibility (

RESULTS: Interreader agreement was near-perfect (

DISCUSSION: The LLM achieved high performance and efficiency relative to an expert-derived reference standard for screening.

CONCLUSION: The use of lightweight open-source reasoning LLMs shows promise to support screening in evidence synthesis workflows.

Ceftaroline Pharmacokinetics On Ecmo, A Pediatric Case Report., Kathryn Pavia, Ashton Bellamy, Alaina Burns, Allison Scott, Ethan A. Poweleit

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: In-vitro studies suggest that patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) may struggle to achieve therapeutic ceftaroline exposure to treat infections due to antibiotic sequestration within the ECMO oxygenator; however, there are no published data regarding ceftaroline concentrations from patients supported by ECMO.

PATIENT PRESENTATION: Here we present an analysis of ceftaroline pharmacokinetics in a 5-y-old patient supported on ECMO due to influenza-associated necrotizing pneumonia.

RESULTS: A total of nine concentrations were analyzed, including three concentrations prior to cannulation and six on ECMO. ECMO cannulation was associated with a relatively small change in the volume of distribution (0.17 L/kg to …

Resources For The Caregiver And Older Adult, Riley Kiernan

Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Resources

This resource guide is intended to support older adults, caregivers, and healthcare professionals in accessing local community resources throughout York and Cumberland County, Maine. It provides information on medical equipment loan closets, home health care agencies, aging-in-place resources, disease-specific education, and resources specific for caregiver support. By bringing these resources together in one location, the guide can help reduce barriers to accessing necessary services, promote safety and independence in the home, and provide caregivers with support in navigating new responsibilities. This information may also be useful to other healthcare professionals when educating patients and families, facilitating community referrals, and supporting …

Dean's Report- Fall 2026, Marina K. Holz

GSBMS Dean’s Report

No abstract provided.

Spell: A Scalable Nlp Method Using Regular Expressions And Large Language Models For Clinical Information Extraction, Ricardo Kleinlein, David W Bates, Carolyn Guan, Kathryn J Gray, Vesela P Kovacheva

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and objectives: Electronic health records (EHRs) contain valuable information for research and decision-making, but much resides in unstructured notes that are challenging to analyze at scale. We developed SPELL (Snippet-Primed rEgex LLM Pipeline), a scalable natural language processing workflow that combines regular-expression-based snippet retrieval with locally hosted large language model (LLM) inference to extract structured variables from large collections of clinical narratives.

Methods: SPELL uses task-specific regular expressions to retrieve short context windows ("snippets") from unstructured texts and applies task-prompted LLM inference on snippets rather than full documents. All processing occurs within institutional computing environments. Accuracy was evaluated on …

A Prospective Natural History Study Protocol For Clinical Trial Readiness In Synaptic Disorders, Jillian L Mckee, Sarah M Ruggiero, Kristin Cunningham, Joeylynn Coyne, Ian Mcsalley, Michael C Kaufman, Bintou Bane, Torrey Chisari, Jonathan Toib, Carlyn Glatts, Sarah Tefft, Julie M Orlando, Viveknarayanan Padmanabhan, Alexander K Gonzalez, Alicia Harrison, Charlene Woo, Stephanie A Zbikowski, Rency Dhaduk, Johanna Mercurio, Macie Mccarthy, Jan H Magielski, Zachary Grinspan, Megan Abbott, Juliet Knowles, Hsiao-Tuan Chao, Katherine Xiong, Elizabeth Berry-Kravis, Sepideh Tabarestani, J Michael Graglia, Kathryn Helde, Virginie Mcnamar, Charlene Son Rigby, James Goss, Scott Demarest, Andrea Miele, Benjamin Prosser, Michael J Boland, Samuel R Pierce, Ingo Helbig

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: STXBP1-related disorder (STXBP1-RD) and SYNGAP1-related disorder (SYNGAP1-RD) are two common genetic synaptopathies that are associated with epilepsy, developmental delay, intellectual developmental disorder, and behavioral problems. Both STXBP1-RD and SYNGAP1-RD are potential targets for disease-modifying therapies, but there is limited information in the literature describing the natural history of either disorder, which impedes outcome selection for future clinical trials. The objective of this study is to develop a framework to better define and outline the clinical spectrum and longitudinal trajectories of STXBP1-RD and SYNGAP1-RD natural history, including development, behavior, seizure histories, and electrophysiology.

Methods: Here, we describe a protocol, regulatory …

Early Prediction Of The Breast Cancer Response To Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Based On Intratumoral Interstitial Fluid Pressure Using 3-D Subharmonic-Aided Pressure Estimation, Sung In Choi, Basak Dogan, Corinne E. Wessner, Jessica H. Porembka, Priscilla Machado, B. Bersu Ozcan, Nisha Unni, Maysa Abu-Khalaf, Kenneth Hoyt, Flemming Forsberg, Kibo Nam

Department of Radiology Faculty Papers

Elevated intratumoral interstitial fluid pressure (IFP) may negatively impact the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). This study aimed to predict the breast cancer response to NAC based on intratumoral IFP using 3D contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) with subharmonic-aided pressure estimation (SHAPE). This prospective study enrolled breast cancer patients undergoing NAC from two clinical sites. 3D CEUS was performed at 0%, 10%, and 30% of NAC completion using a GE Logiq E9 with Definity. The pressure gradients between the tumor and adjacent normal tissue were estimated by SHAPE, utilizing the inverse linear relationship between the ultrasound contrast agent’s subharmonic signal amplitude and …

A Deep-Learning Based Biomarker Of Systemic Cellular Senescence Burden To Predict Mortality And Health Outcomes, Shangshu Zhao, Chia-Ling Kuo, Eric J Lenze, Julie L Wetherell, Laura Haynes, Perla El-Ahmad, Richard Fortinsky, George Kuchel, Trevor Harris, Breno S Diniz

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The accumulation of senescent cells is a recognized hallmark of biological aging and is associated with the onset of multiple chronic medical conditions. Senescent cells exhibit a distinct secretory profile, known as the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), which can propagate cellular senescence to neighboring and distant tissues. Measuring SASP factors in blood serves as a practical proxy for cellular senescence burden and may help track disease states and intervention outcomes. We developed and validated a composite SASP Score by integrating large-scale population proteomics data with a semi-supervised deep learning framework. The analytical workflow included: (1) selection of biologically curated SASP …

Sex-Based Disparities In Artificial Intelligence For Cardiovascular Disease: A Scoping Review, Maurgan Lee, Tarek Atasi, Michael Mclellan, Yodit Beru, Jason Booza

Population, Patient, Physician and Professionalism Projects

No abstract provided.

Prevalence Of Vitiligo In East Africa: Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Kedir Seid, Chala Getaneh Jaleta, Sintayehu Samuel Lorato, Mitiku Desalegn, Dawit Tesfaye Rundasa, Yohannes Godie Ashebir, Olyad Kuma Getahun, Gebeyehu Lakew, Mathewos Mekonnen Gemmechu, Mulualem Endeshaw Zeleke, Yibeltal Assefa Atalay, Amlaku Nigusie Yirsaw, Eyob Ketema Bogale, Abiy Hailu Tikuneh, Abas Ali Hassen, Eyasu Alem Lake, Tadesse Nigussie, Bushra Bibi, Fikiru Yigezu Y. Jaleta, Abebe Gedefaw Belete, Genanew Kassie Getahun

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Vitiligo is a chronic skin disorder characterized by the loss of melanocytes, resulting in depigmented macules and patches. No accurate estimate has been made of the prevalence of vitiligo in East Africa.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of vitiligo in East Africa via a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. Eleven articles were retrieved from PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Web of Science and African Journals Online. Microsoft Excel was used to extract the data, which were then exported to STATA 17 …

Women's Experiences Of Menstrual Pain And Perceptions Of Acupuncture: A Qualitative Study, Weiting Liu, Amanda Towell-Barnard, Khui Hung Lee

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Menstrual pain is a common reproductive health concern that can substantially disrupt physical, emotional, and social well-being, yet it is frequently normalised and insufficiently addressed within healthcare encounters. Acupuncture is increasingly used as a complementary approach for menstrual pain management; however, little qualitative research has explored how women understand, interpret, and navigate this option within their menstrual care.

Methods: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted using four online focus groups with 14 women aged 19–46 years residing in Australia who self-reported primary dysmenorrhea. Participants were purposively sampled from respondents to a previous cross-sectional survey study who had indicated willingness …

Chronic Pain And Mobile Health: Are The Apps That Occupational Therapists Recommend Of High Quality?, Jessica Smith, Thuy Tran, Jacqui Hunt, Katrina Liddiard

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Chronic pain is a biopsychosocial experience that can impact peoples' ability to participate in everyday occupations. Mobile health applications, or apps, have the potential to make chronic pain services more effective and accessible. However, the quality of many health apps is not known, which creates a critical challenge for occupational therapists who aim to deliver evidence-informed intervention. This study rated the quality of apps available for Australian occupational therapists to use with clients who have chronic pain.

Consumer and Community Involvement: No consumer and community involvement.

Methods: This study used a cross-sectional descriptive design to (1) identify chronic pain-relevant …