Digital Commons Network^™

Fall 2021

Scientia

A Decade of Progress and Success; Speech Language Pathology Program; COVID-19 Long-Hauler Study; Peer Mentors Initiative; Faculty Update; Expert Engagement: Three CSH initiatives further education and scholarship while supporting communities in need; Strategic Command: Business consultant and med tech expert Stephen Sichak helps others face pandemic challenges; Taking Care: A School of Nursing research team plumbs the pandemic experiences of nurses nationwide

55-Word Stories: Insight Into Healthcare, Nancy E. Krusen

Translational Science in Occupation

Narrative medicine and health humanities focus on arts, ethics, and clinical practice. Many health education programs incorporate creative activities to facilitate learner self-awareness and insight. We include them to address programmatic themes of professional growth and translational science.

Latinas In The United States Facing Healthcare Access Challenges In A Mid-Size Urban Community, Nathan M. Lee, Deborah Kessler

Journal of Global Awareness

This study examines the discrepancies and underlying factors in access to healthcare resources regarding breast and cervical cancer for Latinas in a mid-sized urban midwestern community. A survey was conducted at clinics hosted by a local non-profit organization, and forty participants completed surveys for this study (n=40). Bivariate correlation analysis in SPSS determined that significant positive correlations were found between the subjects’ knowledge of the signs and symptoms of cervical cancer and their knowledge of the recommended frequency of receiving pap smears (p

Differences In Immigrant And U.S. Native Born Patients’ Experiences In The American Healthcare System: A Correlational Study, Betaneya W. Daniel

Virginia Journal of Public Health

Objective: To examine any perceived barriers that might exist in the United States healthcare system and gather data on how different patients experience the system.

Methods: The study utilized a correlational analysis with usage of a Likert scale survey administered to U.S.- born natives, immigrants, and healthcare providers. The survey assessed respondents of their access to healthcare services, barriers to healthcare services, healthcare provider trust/relationships, and health institutions’ relations. Another survey assessed healthcare providers’ belief in the efficacy of their services and health institutions’.

Results: No statistically significant differences were found between U.S. natives and immigrants, but notable distinctions were …

Health Equity: Communicating Impaired Water Status, Emily Potter

Virginia Journal of Public Health

Introduction: Land use changes in the Rivanna River and James River Watersheds have increased the number of impaired recreational waters, and there is a disparity in the equitable communication of these impairments to different populations. Ineffective communication contributes to inequities in access to safe, accessible, and affordable water for vulnerable populations, placing public health at risk.

Methods: This study uses secondary data from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Watershed Index Online (WSIO) Indicator Data Tables, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Rivanna River Association, and James River Association. Correlations, linear regression, and percent change were used to identify statistically significant trends …

Addressing Farm Safety: Farm Safety Dinner Theaters In The Shenandoah Valley, Tammy Kiser, Michelle Seekford, Jeremy Daubert

Virginia Journal of Public Health

Statistics demonstrate that farm safety and wellness issues affect all ages in the agricultural community. However, an increased proportion of youth and older farm workers comprise the highest rates of farm-related morbidity and mortality. Engaging farmers in increasing safe practices in the agricultural community is an important, ongoing challenge.

Methodology

Farm Safety Dinner Theaters, an initiative created through community-based participatory research (CBPR) at the University of Kentucky, provide a relaxed environment where farmers and their families can identify safety and wellness issues, watch as the actors process these issues, and enjoy a meal. Seeing the situations played out in theater …

Mentorship Matters: Promising Results From Vpha’S Pilot Mentorship Program, Ashley Tharpe, Stacey B. Plichta, Anna R. Robertson, Kim Baskette

Virginia Journal of Public Health

Purpose

The Virginia Public Health Association (VPHA) Pilot Mentorship Program seeks to support public health students, early career professionals, and career switchers throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia in their growth as public health professionals. The program provides opportunities for participants to gain job-seeking and professional communication skills through live webinars, to connect with each other through online networking events, to manage stress through wellness webinars, and to interact with experienced public health professionals.

Methods

VPHA formed a volunteer committee to develop and implement the program in Fall 2022. Initially, the program was envisioned as a traditional one-to-one mentoring program; however, …

Describing Trends In Virginia's Dentist And Dental Hygienist Workforce: Challenges And Opportunities, Shillpa Naavaal, Yetty Shobo, Barbara Hodgdon

Virginia Journal of Public Health

Purpose: Regular assessment of the dental workforce is essential to improve the population's oral health. This analysis aimed to understand the trends in the distribution of dentists and dental hygienists (DHs) in Virginia.

Methods: Annual survey data (2013-2022) of dentists and DHs from the Virginia Department of Health Professions Healthcare Workforce Data Center was used to examine the trends in provider distribution by age, gender, race/ethnicity, and geography across Virginia.

Results: In 2022, there were 5,720 dentists and 5,290 DH licensees in Virginia. In the dentist workforce, there was a high representation of those aged ≥60 years (23%), males (58%), …

Assessing Health Needs In A Dominican Republic Community During An Interprofessional Service-Learning Trip, Gabriela Andonie, Hanna Rotundo, Ashanti Jones, Logan Dugas, Shylon Francis

Journal of Interprofessional Practice and Collaboration

Purpose: International medical missions may increase access to medicines and care, but international teams must understand local needs to implement appropriate services. In 2023, a multidisciplinary team from our institution partnered with a nonprofit organization in the barrio of Cienfuegos, Dominican Republic with the goal of strengthening local health services. The primary objective of this study was to identify health-related needs in Cienfuegos from the perspective of community members and local health care workers.

Methods: A qualitative study was conducted as part of a service-learning initiative. After obtaining informed consent, the investigators conducted individual semi-structured interviews facilitated by multi-lingual interpreters. …

The Covid-19 Vaccine Challenge Innovation Sprint: The Utility Of Active Learning In Fostering Interdisciplinary Collaboration In The Hypothetical Development Of A Covid-19 Vaccination Campaign, Jennifer Shaffer Foster, Gabriel N. Attallah, Ritika Bhajiawala, Steven J. Gabriel, Ray Huang, Parveen Attai, Maisha Rahman, Maia Weiss, Sadia M. Rifah, Oluwademilade Daniel Aguda, Dean S. Seneca, Lina Mu

The SUNY Journal of the Scholarship of Engagement: JoSE

In this paper, we discuss the design, goals, and outcome of the COVID-19 Vaccine Challenge Innovation Sprint, which provided an extracurricular, active learning opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students in Fall 2020. The design of the competition drew elements from both innovation sprints, commonly employed in technology and entrepreneurship, and global health case competitions which are largely used in academic settings. Interdisciplinary, multi-level teams of students were tasked with advancing an equitable (and at the time, hypothetical) COVID-19 immunization program with the goal of reaching as many people as possible in the region surrounding the university. We provide student participants’ …

Using College Students As Peer Leaders In A Tobacco Prevention Program And The Effect On Student Participant Smoking Beliefs And Social Influence Leadership, Elizabeth A. Kleitz, Namuna Sunar, Greenlee Rigby

Undergraduate Research Journal for the Human Sciences

This study evaluates the effectiveness of using college students as peer leaders in an after-school tobacco prevention program for upper elementary students. Thirty-three students and three counselors participated in a six-week intervention, focusing on social influence and active-learning strategies. The program aimed to improve students' smoking outcome expectancies and their ability to influence peers against tobacco use. Despite following best practices, the study found no significant changes in students' smoking beliefs or observed leadership abilities. These results suggest that while initial anti-tobacco beliefs remained strong, the short duration and structured setting may have limited opportunities for significant behavioral changes. This …

The Use And Effectiveness Of Diet And Physical Activity As Interventions For Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. A Review., Caroline C. Jones, Jinkyung Park

The Corinthian

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder that is common among women who are of reproductive age, most commonly in ages between 15 and 44 years of age (Moran et al., 2010). While the exact cause of PCOS is unknown, it is widely believed by many experts that genetic factors including excess levels of insulin and excess androgen are attributing factors (Moran et al., 2010) . Women with PCOS experience several different signs and symptoms including; infrequent or prolonged menstrual periods leading to infertility and the development of cysts (Iatrakis et al., 2006). Some other common symptoms of PCOS …

Addressing Mental Health In Young Adults: A Modern Approach Compared To Previous Generations, Breeha A. Shah

DePaul Journal of Health Care Law

The escalating prevalence of mental health issues among today's young adults underscores the vital importance of addressing mental health in the pursuit of public health objectives. In response to this, The House Education and Labor Committee issued a report on the Mental Health Services for Students Act of 2020 (the Act), to amend the Public Health Service Act relating to school children. This revision seeks to bolster the support for students and young people by ensuring their access to comprehensive mental health programs within the school environment. The Act recognizes that safeguarding mental health is an immediate concern for public …

When A Health Insurance Provider Says “No”: A Health Insurance Claim Navigation Tool, Dorothy Nuckols, Catherine Sorenson

The Journal of Extension

The purpose of health insurance is to pay for preventative and nonpreventative health care. Unfortunately, claim denials are frequent and most people do not contested these denials. Consumers lack both knowledge and self-efficacy to challenge their health insurance decision. Conflict is stressful can occur when a health insurance claim is denied unexpectedly. Faced with uncertainty of health care cost coverage, consumers are more likely to delay or forgo healthcare and jeopardize their health. To address this challenge, increase awareness of claim appeal processes and to provide consumer guidance, [STATE] Extension developed a Health Insurance Claim Navigation Tool.

An Observational, Retrospective, Study To Assess Sehetna Wellness Program Impact On Employees’ Well-Being And Health, Wafaa Saeed, Lina Shaker, Laila Ghanem, Mohamed El Aziz, Omer Mostafa, Rabab Youssef

BAU Journal - Health and Wellbeing

Wellness is an ongoing process that leads to realizing one's full potential, with studies showing reduced inpatient admissions, healthcare costs, and improved health-related quality of life through participation in large-scale wellness programs. SEHETNA program is a wellness initiative conducted with the Egyptian Group for Import and Export (EGMED) to enhance employees’ well-being. This study aimed to assess the SEHETNA wellness program impact on the general health of employees. This is a retrospective descriptive observational study including employees enrolled in wellness program for up to 12-months in 2021. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS. Descriptive analysis was done, categorical variables …

Improving Healthcare Workers’ Biohazardous Spill Safe Handling Skills, Zeina Mhanna, Ahmad Tassi

BAU Journal - Health and Wellbeing

All healthcare workers (HCWs) are exposed to biohazardous material. Biohazardous material may come in the form of spills, posing a risk of infection to (HCWs) who are not trained on how to safely handle them. While international guidelines recommend training HCWs on how to safely handle biohazardous spills in order to improve their skills, there are no studies that tackled this recommendation. The aim of this study is to improve HCWs’ biohazardous spill safe handling skills through training, and to evaluate the association between the HCWs’ improvement level and demographical characteristics. The study was conducted in a Southern Lebanese hospital …

Knowledge And Attitude Of Lebanese Adults Towards Asthma In Beirut, Lebanon, Farah Hatem Haidar, Doaa Issa, Maha Aboul Ela, Karim Raafat

BAU Journal - Health and Wellbeing

Asthma, a serious global health problem, has been an area of interest due to its increasing prevalence, expanding treatment costs, and rising burden on patients and the community. Since asthma cannot be cured, clinical episodes can be prevented and controlled by adequate management and sufficient knowledge of the disease. Appropriate treatment may relieve asthma symptoms and improve quality of life. However, poor knowledge of asthma disease and medication use, misdiagnoses, misuse of inhalers and inadequate self-management of disease symptoms may have a greater impact on the disease process. Therefore, assessment of the population’s knowledge and attitude toward asthma is essential. …

Methods And Variability In Physician Associate Student Advocacy Education, Jason P. Prevelige, Lindsay Gietzen

Pacific Journal of Health

Objective: To assess the current practices of PA programs pertaining to how advocacy education is taught to their students and to determine differences among the programs.

Methods: PA program directors were interviewed about advocacy education including time allotted, when it is provided, learning objectives, source materials, teaching methods, determination of competency, and tracking of student advocacy participation after graduation.

Results: All noted that advocacy education is important, however meaningful, in-depth, instruction can be limited for a variety of reasons. Such reasons include limited educational time to ensure that a sizeable set of standards is met, limited access …

Extension-Clinical Approach To Covid-19 Testing And Vaccination, Camden Bryan, Rhonda Matthews, Kapri Kreps, David Thornal, Danielle Mcfall, David Sudduth, Michelle Parisi

The Journal of Extension

Vaccination rates against COVID-19 are lower in rural areas across the country, including SC. This paper highlights the work conducted by Clemson Cooperative Extension Service in SC to increase rural access to COVID-19 testing and vaccine services. Extension Agents engaged in clinical and community partnerships to coordinate COVID-19 vaccine and testing clinics in rural and underserved communities. Agents established 204 test clinics and 220 vaccination clinics. The total number of people tested and vaccinated was 9,331 and 2,037, respectively. The success of this project shows Extension agents can be instrumental in bridging the gap between clinical resources and rural communities.

Physical Activity In Underserved Preadolescents: Characterization Of Accumulation And Patterns, Alma I. Behar, Matthew T. Mahar, Gregory Norman, John P. Elder, Michael Pratt, Patricia Dionicio, Noe C. Crespo

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Objectives: The increasing rates of physical inactivity and sedentary behaviors among youth are a significant public health concern. The greatest disparities in physical activity (PA) are experienced by underserved (racial/ethnic minority, low-income) youth. This study aimed to characterize accelerometer-measured PA behaviors in a sample of low-income, predominantly Latino, preadolescents. Methods: Participants wore wrist worn GENEActiv accelerometers for 7 days. PA levels were classified as sedentary (< 50 mg), light (50-150 mg), moderate (> 150-500 mg), vigorous (> 500 mg), and MVPA (≥ 150 mg). Time spent in PA levels and sedentary time (ST), prevalence of meeting MVPA guidelines, and PA volume were estimated from accelerometer data. Three-way …

Emotion Regulation Strategies And Perceived Emotional Intelligence: The Effect Of Age., Iwanna Sepiadou

Adultspan Journal

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between perceived emotional intelligence and the reported use of cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression. We also investigated the possible effects of age on the aforementioned variables. The total sample consisted of 379 people (158 men, 220 women, 1 unreported). Across participants, 273 were young (20-39 years old) and 106 were middle-aged (40-65 years old). We found statistically significant positive correlations between the dimensions of perceived emotional intelligence and the reported use of cognitive reappraisal and negative primarily correlations between the dimensions of perceived emotional intelligence and the reported use of …

Successful Application Of Craniosacral Therapy In A Case Of Acute Ptosis Following A Covid-19 Infection., Efterpi Rompoti

Journal of Transformative Touch

This case study offers a unique insight on the effectiveness of CranioSacral therapy (CST) in a 49 year old woman experiencing an acute stage of a viral infection (Covid-19) causing a partial left Oculomotor nerve palsy. A CST glial/Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) specific protocol was utilised over 2 consecutive days. The patient recovered fully after 5 days. The results of this particular case can open up the possibility of utilising CST more widely in treating cranial nerve palsies following a viral infection to support the healing process and the functional restoration.

Early Detection Of Mental Health Problems In University Students, Allyson Dajana Espinoza García

Revista de la Facultad de Medicina Humana

Due to community transmission and the increase in cases during the COVID-19 pandemic, preventive measures had to be adopted, including social isolation and quarantine, which have had effects on people's mental health. Thus, the restriction of free movement, the discontinuity of routines, the decrease in social interaction, the lack of traditional learning methods, as well as the new academic, technological and psychological demands have generated an increase in tension, stress and anxiety in young people.

Toxic Megacolon. Case Report, Roger Sernaque Mechato, Stephanie Tahnne Castillo Arias, Silvana Ñaupari Jara, Flor Milagros Mendoza Barreto

Revista de la Facultad de Medicina Humana

Toxic megacolon is a fatal disease, most commonly occurring as a complication of inflammatory bowel disease, infections, and intestinal ischemia. It is characterized by the presence of bloody diarrhea, abdominal distension, signs of systemic toxicity, and segmental colonic dilation is observed in imaging studies. The diagnosis according to Jalan's criteria are: colonic dilation more than 6cm, three of the following: fever, tachycardia, leukocytosis or anemia, and any of the following criteria: hypotension, hypovolemia, electrolyte disorder and altered mental status. This article presents the case of a female patient who was admitted with abdominal pain and chronic diarrhea with an imaging …

Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma Associated To Breast Implants In Latin America, Gianella Fernanda Ugarte, Carlos Noriega-Baella

Revista de la Facultad de Medicina Humana

Dear Editor, After reading the 2023 publication by Manjarres A. et al. in your esteemed journal on cancer and breast implants, I would like to contribute additional data regarding breast implant-associated anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) in Latin America. This work highlights the lack of knowledge and evidence in Latin American countries, a crucial aspect given the classification of BIA-ALCL as a new pathological entity by the World Health Organization in 2016.

Lymph Node Tuberculosis With Genital Involvement: Case Report, Joel Isaac Atencio Paulino, Waldir Paucar Huaman, Deivi Nick Galarza Caceres, Jeampier Bendezu Meza, Jhonatan Mauricio Crispin Ayala

Revista de la Facultad de Medicina Humana

We present the case of a 44-year-old male patient with a family history of lymphoma and hyperthyroidism. He started the disease three months before admission to hospital with pain in the right leg, abdominal pain, weight loss and night sweats. He was diagnosed in his hospitalization with ascites in a cavity of undetermined etiology, and multiple polygastric and fossa lymph nodes right iliac. At 6 months, the symptoms persist and a nodule is added on the penis, left testicular edema and purulent discharge from the right inguinal node, being diagnosed orchiepididymitis. Initially he had negative markers for tuberculosis (TB), however, …

Successful Intrabdominal Preterm Pregnancy: A Case Report, Saida Anyul Abud-Flores, Marco Andrés González Martínez, Arturo García-Galicia, Carlos Alberto López-Bernal, Álvaro José Montiel-Jarquín, Gisela Alonso Torres, Nancy Rosalía Bertado Ramírez, Laura Andrea Reyes-Luna

Revista de la Facultad de Medicina Humana

Introduction: Ectopic pregnancy is any gestation in which the implantation site of the fertilized egg is located outside the endometrial cavity. Abdominal ectopic pregnancy represents 1.4% of these. Case report: 28-year-old patient with two previous cesarean sections; bilateral tubal obstruction during the last operation. The patient was admitted to the hospital with blood pressure of 180/130 mm Hg that did not respond to medical treatment and not progression to labor so it was decided to interrupt the pregnancy by cesarean section. During surgery, a small uterus with extrauterine pregnancy was observed adhered to the serosa of the cecum, ascending colon, …

Miliary Tuberculosis In An Immunocompetent Patient: Case Report, Renzo Steffano Valle Farfan, Alejandro Manuel Peña Villalobos, Walter Jesus Espinoza Hernandez, Steffano Alessandro Valle Farfan

Revista de la Facultad de Medicina Humana

Milar Tuberculosis (TB) is a presentation with a fatal outcome if it is not diagnosed or treated on time; although certain conditions are required to develop this presentation. In this In this article, the case of a 48-year-old man with no pathological history is studied, who started the disease with a time of six months with an initial diffuse gastrointestinal pain and later one month before admission presented progressive respiratory symptoms; he was admitted for emergencies where bilateral diffuse miliary compromise was evident in the chest computed tomography; upon admission, he was administered oxygen and support measures, an HIV test …

Transforming Medical Education In The 21st Century: The Role Of Competency-Based Medical Education, Fernando Ramos Zaga

Revista de la Facultad de Medicina Humana

Introduction: With the changing landscape of medical education, it is crucial to critically examine existing approaches and frameworks. competency-based medical education (CBME) emerges as a promising paradigm shift, which prioritizes learner-centered, outcome-oriented development of skills, knowledge, and attitudes. Objective: To identify the essential structural and procedural adjustments needed for effective implementation of CBME. It underscores the importance of reorganizing educational institutions, adapting instructional and assessment techniques, and fostering acceptance of CBME in the classroom. Results: To effectively deliver CBME, it is imperative to restructure educational institutions to focus on competency-based curricula and personalized instruction. Also, there is a need to …

Heart Failure Secondary To A Snake Bite. The Intensivist's Vision: Case Report, Andrés Alirio Restrepo Bastidas, Mateo Aguirre Flórez, Jaime Andrés Hoyos Muñoz, Melissa Gonzales Ramírez, David Ricardo Echeverry Piedrahita

Revista de la Facultad de Medicina Humana

Background: Ophidic accident is a neglected disease that affects tropical countries. Latin America is the second region after Africa, with the most cases worldwide. Local lesions accompany its clinical course up to systemic affectations such as renal, hematological, and neurological lesions. Cardiac complications are rare, especially in patients who do not have cardiovascular risk factors. There are reports of acute myocardial infarction, but there is little information about heart failure due to Bothrops spp. Case report: We present the case of a 25-year-old man without cardiovascular risk factors who was admitted to the intensive care unit and developed heart failure …