Digital Commons Network^™

The Acute Effects Of Heat Exposure On Cognitive Function, René Barbier

Presentations - 2026

Passive heat exposure negatively impacts: •Executive function & response inhibition •Attention & processing speed •Workplace productivity

Older adults face heightened vulnerability to cognitive decline under heat stress (Schlader et al., 2015).

Who is most affected?

•Outdoor & industrial workers •Athletes training in summer heat •First responders (firefighters, EMTs) •Older adults with thermoregulatory decline

San Antonio context: persistent summers, growing population, occupational health implications.

Using Ai-Based Predictive Scheduling To Improve Patient Flow And Reduce Wait Times In Healthcare Clinics, Oscar Martinez

Posters - 2026

• Healthcare systems face increasing challenges in patient access and wait times
• Average wait times for specialist care continue to rise, creating:
  • Delays in treatment
  • Reduced patient satisfaction
  • Increased system inefficiencies (Sanford, 2025)
• A major contributor is operational bottlenecks, defined as:
  • Points of congestion that slow or disrupt service flow
• Hospitals typically operate under process layouts, which:
  • Handle diverse patient needs
  • Reduce specialization efficiency
• Contributing factors to bottlenecks:
  • Physician shortages and burnout
  • Administrative burden
  • Inefficient scheduling systems (Moura & Pinho, 2025)
• AI offers potential solutions through:
  • Predictive scheduling
  • Automation of administrative processes
  • Data-driven optimization of patient flow

A Qualitative Socioecological Exploration Of Community Health Promoters’ Barriers And Facilitators In Cardiovascular Disease Prevention In Kenya, Emily Muchina, Maureen Akolo, Rose Maina

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background:

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain a growing public health challenge in low- and middle-income countries, where there is an upsurge of risk factors. Community health promoters (CHPs) have the potential to play a crucial role in CVD prevention and care to underserved communities in Kenya. However, there are limited studies on their experiences, which are likely shaped by multilevel barriers and facilitators across the individual CHP, the community, relationships with primary health systems, and societal-level policies and structures. This study explored the barriers and facilitators shaping CHPs’ experiences in mitigating CVD in Kenya.

Methods:

A qualitative descriptive study was conducted …

Healthcare Systems & Policy Implications For The Impact Of State Medicaid Reimbursement Rates On Access To Primary Care Services In Rural Communities: Turning Knowledge Into Action, Miriam Martinez

Posters - 2026

• Where a child lives can determine whether they receive care or go without it. • Access to primary care is essential for prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment, but rural areas face persistent challenges such as provider shortages and geographic isolation. • Medicaid serves as the primary source of health coverage for low-income children; however, reimbursement rates vary by state and are often lower than other forms of insurance. • This study examines how Medicaid reimbursement policy contributes to disparities in access to care for rural children and reflects broader structural inequalities within the healthcare system.

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 …

Justice, Autonomy, Beneficence, And Non-Maleficence: The Global Failure To Heed Ethical Mandates In Birth Spaces, Julia Dees

Richard T. Schellhase Essay Prize in Ethics

Respectful and safe care in all birthing spaces has long been an ideal that global communities fail to meet. Birthing people are disrespected, physically or emotionally harmed, or left to completely fend for themselves during a period of extreme emotional and medical vulnerability. Historically, autonomy especially has been ignored in birthing spaces with medical trends like the twilight sleep, where women were drugged into a state of unconsciousness during birth (Taylor, 2023), demonstrating the desire of western medicine, in particular, to reduce birthing people to bystanders in their own birth. While birth trends and medical treatments have changed throughout time, …

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 …

Start With What They Know: Using Motivational Interviewing To Create A Cooking Class, A Culinary Intervention For Teens (Autistic And Non-Autistic), Gwendolyn S. Tedder

LEND Trainee Presentations

Autistic teens are at greater risk for having heart disease and diabetes as adults. Food particularity, sensory issues, fixed mindset, and anxiety over trying new things can slow down their interest in preparing food for themselves. Nurturing basic cooking skills and gently encouraging trying new foods would provide more nutritional options to teens as they move into adulthood. A cooking class preceded by Motivational Interviewing (MI) developed further interest in preparing food afterward in teens, both autistic and non-autistic, and in trying new foods for autistic teens with food concerns.

The Effects Of Body Mass Index On Fertility And In Vitro Fertilization, Morgan R. Kidd

Honors College Theses

In-vitro fertilization (IVF) is the most widely used type of assisted reproductive technology for treating infertility arising from a number of conditions. As obesity rates continue to climb in the United States, infertility has been discovered to have a direct correlation. Individuals that fall below or above the healthy body mass index range are found to have disrupted regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, resulting in diminished reproductive health. Those that are diagnosed as infertile due to conditions caused by the effects of low body mass index or high body mass index may seek assisted reproductive technologies to intervene in achieving …

Cure Sound Project: Study In Silence?, Quezia Abrao, Deeya Bhadresa, Elisa Castro, Fiona Coulbourne, Carlos Flores, Lizzeth Holguin, Lazarus Maldonado, Jeremy Mares, Andrew Martini, Nicole Matthews, Katherine Montero, Mariana Reyes, Jacob Rodriguez, Julieta Ruiz, Eliana Sanchez, Gabriela Varela

Posters - 2026

Difference in sound levels in study areas across campus can affect students’ ability to work and learn efficiently 1.

According to the WHO, safe sound levels are measured to be around 70dB 2. Some study areas on campus experience sound levels exceeding the safe threshold. Unsafe sound levels are considered to be at or above 85dB 3. These unsafe and excessive noise levels negatively affect a student’s ability to concentrate and work efficiently which correlates to a decrease in class performance, attention deficits, and stress 4.

This study aims to get a base-line measurement of dB levels in common study …

Obesity In The Rio Grande Valley: Applying An Evidence-Based Public Health Approach, Erika Pineda-Horta

Posters - 2026

What structural and social determinants drive elevated adult obesity rates in the Rio Grande Valley, and what evidence-based interventions can reduce adult obesity prevalence in Hidalgo County by 5% by 2030?

Objective: This study applies an EBPH framework to (1) characterize the burden and structural determinants of adult obesity in the RGV, and (2) propose a culturally responsive, evidence-based intervention targeting adults aged 18+ in Hidalgo County.

Adult obesity is clinically defined as a Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m² in adults aged 18 and older (CDC, 2022). It is a chronic, multifactorial non-communicable disease shaped by structural, social, and …

Volunteering: Service To Humanity Is The Best Work Of Life, William Chase Dds, Maom

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Dr. William Chase reflects on a 45-year career enriched by dental volunteering and humanitarian missions. Chronicling his experiences treating patients in the Philippines and Brazil, he illustrates how altruism provides professional satisfaction that transcends financial gain. The article outlines various domestic opportunities for service, such as the MDA Foundation’s Mission of Mercy and the Donated Dental Services (DDS) program. Chase provides a checklist for interested volunteers and encourages colleagues to emerge from their comfort zones to provide life-altering care to underserved populations locally and abroad.

News You Need: Annual Session, Board Updates, And Regulatory News, David Foe

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This comprehensive news section provides essential updates for Michigan dentists, including details on the 2026 Annual Session highlights and the launch of the "HERM-E" AI member assistant. It features critical regulatory reminders concerning mandated reporting for child abuse and neglect. The document also covers oral cancer prevention, dental therapy scholarship updates, and the appointment of new members to the Michigan Board of Dentistry. Additionally, it lists upcoming House of Delegates meetings and resources for donated treatment, ensuring members are informed on professional responsibilities.

Assessing Aesthetic Responsiveness Among Patients In A Free Clinic Setting, Jack E. Pitts

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Art therapy has been increasingly recognized as a complementary intervention in healthcare settings, with demonstrated benefits for stress reduction and overall biopsychosocial well-being (Liu 2022; Magsamen, 2014). However, limited research has explored aesthetic engagement within medically underserved and economically disadvantaged populations. This study uses the Aesthetic Responsiveness Assessment to examine the relationship between art and patients receiving care at the Central Virginia Free Clinic in Lynchburg. The survey consists of 14 Likert-scale questions assessing individuals’ cumulative aptitude across three domains: aesthetic appreciation, intense aesthetic experience, and creative behavior. There was an additional 15th qualitative question that assessed the desire for …

Rural Health In Pike County: A Richard & Magnolia Community Health Needs Assessment, Victoria Bracey

Honors Theses

Rural communities across the United States suffer from poor health outcomes due to lack of resources and other compounding factors that make access to quality healthcare difficult. Mississippi is a predominantly rural state, and in the southwestern region of Mississippi lies the community of Magnolia and the community of Richard within Pike County. To better understand the health needs of Pike County, a community health needs assessment was conducted. This study aimed to assess the needs of Pike County in southwest Mississippi through the use of a community health needs assessment using focus groups. Two focus groups, with a total …

Impact Of Cannabis And Cannabis Legalization On Us Atrial Septal Defect Rates, Albert Stuart Reece, Hulse

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Atrial septal defect (ASD) affects 1:11.3 children in some US states; however, the antecedents of these trends are yet to be identified. A total of 1882 ASD rates (ASDRs) for 2003–2020 were sourced from the National Birth Defects Prevention Network reports. A total of 406,893 ASDs are reported. Substance (cigarettes, binge alcohol, cannabis, cannabinoids, analgesics, cocaine) exposure data were taken from the National Survey of Drug Use and Health. Income and ethnicity data were derived from the US Census. Adjustment was performed by mixed effects, survey and generalized additive regression. Causal analysis was by inverse probability weighting and E-values. Data …

Brain Candy: Wayne State University School Of Medicine Journal Of Arts And Culture, 13th Edition, Wayne State University School Of Medicine Gold Humanism Honor Society

Gold Humanism Honor Society

Brain Candy incorporates paintings, written pieces, and poetry from all the medical classes at Wayne State University School of Medicine to shed light on the creative process in medicine, the city of Detroit, and the experiences of health care providers. This year, the journal is organized into four sections, each of which denotes a particular time period within medical school. The first edition of Brain Candy was published online and in print in 2009, produced by a generous grant by the Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS). The edition featured poetry, nonfiction, short fiction, and different types of artwork. With generous …

Gynecological Effects Of Sex Trafficking, Tracey Sylvester

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

No abstract provided.

Developing Scenario-Based Strategies For Health, Climate, And Environmental Preparedness: The One Health, One Earth Approach, T C Chakraborty, Cenlin He, Minghao Qiu, Jennifer D Stowell, Douglas Fritz, Sunil Kumar, Qiang Guo, Ying Xiong, Georgia Destouni, Qian Xiao, Xindi C Hu, Kelvin C Fong, Yun Hang, John Nielsen-Gammon, Rima Habre, Jennifer R Bratburd, Christopher W Tessum, Antarpreet Jutla, Gabriel M Filippelli, Thanh H Nguyen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Climate change amplifies many threats to human health. Despite advances in understanding climate change dynamics and impacts, there remains a critical gap in translating scientific knowledge into equitable, and community‐driven health interventions. The inaugural One Earth, One Health workshop sought to explore this gap through human‐centered design exercises involving interdisciplinary researchers from climate and Earth sciences, engineering, epidemiology, microbiology, and environmental health. Although participants did not co‐develop solutions with affected communities, they used stakeholder role‐playing to guide ideation and lay groundwork for actionable plans. Through these methods, participants identified community needs and proposed prototype solutions to alleviate health threats …

Traumatic Brain Injury And Risk Of Early-Onset Dementia: A Population-Based Cohort Study, Barbara A Olson-Bullis, Paul S De Vries, Kristine Yaffe, Alexa Beiser, Abbas Dehghan, Elizabeth A Peterson, Rachel Zmora, John J Stephen, Denise Scholtens, Maxwell Mansolf, Lenore J Launer, Richard F Maclehose, Pamela L Lutsey, Norrina B Allen, Sanaz Sedaghat

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: We investigated the association between traumatic brain injury (TBI) and incidence of early-onset dementia (EOD) versus late-onset dementia (LOD).

Methods: We included 501,710 UK Biobank participants (average age 56.5). Over a median 13.6 years of follow-up, 836 developed EOD (before 65) and 8947 developed LOD (after 65). We estimated hazard ratios (HRs) for TBI's association with EOD and LOD using Cox proportional hazard models with TBI as a time-varying exposure and coefficient.

Results: TBI was associated with higher risk of both EOD (HR: 4.06 [95% confidence interval: 3.13, 5.26]) and LOD (HR: 2.51 [2.31, 2.72]. Among participants included in …

Robo2 Variants Associated With Atrial Septal Defect Define A Novel Regulatory Element, Arun Sharma, Olivia Layton, Angela Tai, Tarsha Ward, Lauren K Wasson, Joshua M Gorham, Erica Mazaika, Valentina N Lagomarsino, Tracy L Young-Pearse, Elizabeth Goldmuntz, Hiroko Wakimoto, A J Agopian, David M Mckean, Steven R Depalma, William T Pu, Christine E Seidman, Bruce D Gelb, Jonathan G Seidman

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Atrial septal defects (ASDs) are a prevalent type of congenital heart disease. Previous GWAS (Genome-Wide Association Studies) have identified common variants associated with ASDs, though their mechanisms remain unknown. We aimed to expand insights into the architecture of common variants associated with ASD risk and elucidate functional mechanisms.

Methods: We conducted a GWAS using isolated ASD cases and healthy controls and replicated findings in an independent cohort. We examined epigenetic marks within this ASD locus in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes and fetal human hearts. We characterized the consequences of deletions introduced by CRISPR-Cas9 mutagenesis of human induced …

Continuous Versus Bolus Norepinephrine Administration To Treat Hypotension After Induction Of General Anaesthesia In Low-To-Moderate Risk Noncardiac Surgery Patients: A Randomised Trial, Dominik Müller, Alina Kröker, Alina Bergholz, Christian Zöllner, Daniel I Sessler, Bernd Saugel

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Hypotension after induction of general anaesthesia (postinduction hypotension) is common in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery and frequently requires treatment with vasopressors such as norepinephrine. We tested the hypothesis that giving norepinephrine continuously using a syringe infusion pump, compared with giving it as repeated manual boluses, reduces postinduction hypotension within 15 min after starting induction of general anaesthesia in low-to-moderate risk noncardiac surgery patients.

Methods: Patients undergoing elective noncardiac surgery were randomised to either continuous norepinephrine infusion or manual bolus norepinephrine administration intravenously during induction of general anaesthesia. In both groups, norepinephrine was administered through a peripheral venous catheter. Blood …

The All-Payer Claims Database After The Gobeille Supreme Court Decision: Assessing The Impact On Fatal Opioid-Related Overdose Research, Wenjun Li, Thomas J Stopka

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: To determine the consequences of the Gobeille v. Liberty Mutual Supreme Court decision on the representativeness of the Massachusetts all-payer claims database (APCD). The loss of individuals captured in the APCD may vary demographically, geographically, and in the capture of fatal opioid-related overdose (OOD).

Data sources and study setting: We used 2013-2021 data from the Massachusetts Public Health Data Warehouse (PHD), which links person-level APCD records to other datasets. The APCD includes commercially-insured health claims mandatorily reported pre-Gobeille. Post-Gobeille, reporting from self-insured plans, a subset of commercially-insured plans, became voluntary.

Study design: In a repeated cross-sectional design, we compared …

Advancing The Understanding Of Palliative Care In Singapore: Knowledge, Attitudes, Receptiveness, And The Moderating Role Of Media Information-Seeking Preferences, Su Lin Yeo, Angel Lee, Raymond Han Lip Ng, May O. Lwin, Yumin Lin

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Introduction: Despite the growing demand for palliative care, this specialized medical care remains severely underutilized, with almost 50% of countries worldwide lacking access. Given that misperceptions and stigma continue to hinder progress in healthcare policy, this study aims to examine the relationships between palliative care knowledge, attitudes, and receptiveness to better understand how public health communication can enhance awareness and understanding of the topic in Singapore. Applying the adapted knowledge-attitude-practice (KAP) model, it further extends theory by examining the moderating role of media information-seeking between knowledge and receptiveness.Methods: Mixed-mode surveys involving 1,226 participants (926 online and 300 in-person respondents), representing …

Lessons Learned From The Implementation Of A Pragmatic Trial Evaluating Non-Pharmacological Approaches To Dementia Care In Us Nursing Homes, Carin Wong, Catherine V. Piersol, Felicia Chew, Cara Lekovitch, Victoria Shier, Mike Morris, Jenny Martínez, Julie Britton, Natalie E. Leland

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

RATIONALE: The consistent delivery of effective evidence into nursing home practice has been shown to enhance quality of care and residents' outcomes. Pragmatic trials enable the evaluation of efficacious interventions in a real-world context, including care of residents living with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD). Yet, there are limited pragmatic trials conducted in nursing homes and even less evidence on the strategies to successfully conduct such research in this setting.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the lessons learned from a pragmatic trial and provide recommendations for future successful studies in United States (US) nursing homes.

METHODS: Drawing on a case example …

Beyond Parallel Programmes: A Roadmap For Operational Integration Of Family Planning And Nutrition In Low- And Middle-Income Countries, Marleen Temmerman, Samuel Ojong

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

No abstract provided.

Beyond Parallel Programmes: A Roadmap For Operational Integration Of Family Planning And Nutrition In Low- And Middle-Income Countries, Marleen Temmerman, Samuel Ojong

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

No abstract provided.

Knowledgable Births: Advancing Informed Consent In Maternal Healthcare, Ella A. Forrester

Senior Theses

Background:

Informed consent is both a legal requirement and an ethical cornerstone of healthcare, ensuring that patients understand and voluntarily agree to medical treatments. However, evidence suggests that the informed consent process is often inadequately implemented in maternal healthcare settings, particularly during childbirth. While giving birth, women retain full decision-making capacity but are not consistently provided with sufficient information or support to exercise this right. Contributing factors include ineffective patient–provider communication, limited health literacy, and insufficient access to culturally responsive educational resources.

Methods:

This study aimed to address gaps in accessible prenatal education by developing an online resource platform, Know …

The Role Of Community Health Workers In Rural South Carolina, Sarah W. Haselden

Senior Theses

This paper aims to explore the role of Community Health Workers (CHWs) in rural South Carolina through a literature review as well as the data supplied from the Community Health Alignment Initiative (CHAI) and Community Health Workers Changing Outcomes in SC (CCOSC). Through reviewing the collection of materials and data, the effectiveness of CHWs can be studied. Community Health Workers (CHWs) provide a unique aspect to primary care within communities through their aid in prevention of health conditions. CCOSC and CHAI collected data throughout South Carolina to determine the needs of communities and how CHWs can work to address those …

Visits Related To Alcohol, Substance Use, And Mental Health In New Mexico’S Emergency Departments: Social Determinants Of Health And Discharge Disposition, 2021-2024, Samuel L. Swift, Maya Stefanovic, Dylan Pell

Population Health Research and Scholarship

No abstract provided.