Digital Commons Network^™

Mental Health First Aid Training In K-12 Schools, Jenna L. Workman, Brianna L. Schierberg, Grace H. Sullivan, Erin Robinson

Posters-at-the-Capitol

The increasing prevalence of mental health challenges among school-aged children has become a rising public health concern. Recent data indicates that nearly 70% of schools report heightened mental health problems among students, with anxiety and depression being most common (National Center for Education Statistics, 2024). The purpose of this capstone project is to raise awareness of mental health issues in K–12 public schools and to increase faculty and staff confidence in recognizing and assisting students experiencing mental health difficulties through nurse-led Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training. Using Peplau’s Interpersonal Relations Theory as a guiding framework, this project emphasizes the …

Psychological Resilience In The Covid-19 Response: A Systematic Review For Future Public Health Preparedness, Atena Pasha, Abdul-Hanan Saani Inusah, Jannatun Nayem, Xiaoming Li, Shan Qiao

Faculty Publications

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of psychological resilience for well-being. While several reviews have addressed resilience in specific populations or contexts, few have synthesized global literature across diverse populations. This review examines psychological resilience across diverse populations, focusing on measurement, associated factors, and future public health preparedness strategies. Method: Guided by the PRISMA, a thorough search of PsycINFO, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science was conducted in February 2024, including quantitative studies considering psychological resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic published in peer-reviewed English journals from 2020 to 2024, using search terms relevant to psychological resilience and COVID-19. …

Race And Patient-Physician Communication On Blood Pressure Management: Helping Improve Care, Samar A. Nasser, Ashley Pender, Ayan Ali, Kardie Tobb, Keith C. Ferdinand

Division of Cardiology Faculty Papers

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To provide an overview of the relationship of race and ethnicity and patient-physician/clinician communication on blood pressure management.

RECENT FINDINGS: The suboptimal interactions experienced by patients from underrepresented racial and ethnic populations may be improved by enriching relationships among clinicians, population health scientists, policymakers, and community members/leaders. Current care communication and policies for managing hypertension appear to be insufficient. Implementing and disseminating effective strategies to efficiently improve the quality of hypertension care and recognize social determinants of health among minoritized populations is intertwined with enhanced communication.

SUMMARY: Approaches such as self-affirmation—encouraging patients to reflect on their strengths …

Surviving Staten Island: Black Women’S Narratives Of Resilience, Motherwork, And Embodied Trauma, Jazmin Rivera

Student Theses

This oral history dissertation centers the experiences of six Black women who had formative experiences navigating hostile school and community-based settings on Staten Island during the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s. Guided by a conceptual framework that draws on Black orality, Black feminist thought, and endarkened feminist epistemology, this study demonstrates how Black women were required to cross geographic and social boundaries to survive hostile conditions in Staten Island communities and schools. Findings from this study highlight Black women’s use of community cultural wealth to inform their survival strategies and resilience. At the same time, their experiences indicate the potential …

Development And Validation Of A Theoretically Informed Instrument To Measure The Antecedents Of Microbreaking Intentions (I-Mami) Of Procedural Healthcare Workers, Robin Riddle

ETDs from 2020-2029

ABSTRACT Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) affect 77% of nurses and 60% of surgeons, exceeding rates in other occupational sectors and threatening healthcare workforce sustainability. Microbreaking is brief, strategic pause of 20 seconds to five minutes performed every 20 to 40 minutes during medical procedures. It has demonstrated effectiveness in reducing fatigue, improving accuracy, and lowering physiological stress markers without extending medical procedure duration. Despite this evidence, adoption remains limited, and no theoretically informed instruments exist to measure the behavioral determinants of microbreaking intentions among procedural healthcare workers. Investigators of this three-manuscript dissertation developed and established content and construct validity as …

Optimizing Practice Facilitation: A Comprehensive Study On Implementation Fidelity And Its Determinants, Demetria Marie Hubbard

ETDs from 2020-2029

Intervention outcomes cannot be fully understood without examining how implementation strategies are delivered. While implementation fidelity to interventions is well recognized as a determinant of effectiveness, the fidelity of implementation strategies—the methods used to support intervention adoption—remains under-documented and under-assessed. Without this information, it is difficult to contextualize why interventions succeed or fail across diverse settings. This three-paper dissertation focuses on practice facilitation (PF), a widely used strategy in primary care quality improvement, as implemented in the Heart Health Improvement Project (HHIP) in Alabama. HHIP, led by the Alabama Cardiovascular Cooperative and funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and …

Fact Sheet: Kratom, Cadence Johnnie, Ashley Yaugher, Aaron Hunt, Cara Murray, Timothy Keady

All Current Publications

There are many common myths and misunderstandings associated with kratom. Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia. In recent years, kratom use has grown in the United States. It is sold in various forms, including capsules, powders, and most commonly as liquid extracts or “shots." These kratom products are promoted as health supplements, advertised for benefits such as boosting energy, enhancing mood, or producing opioid-like effects. However, most users may not fully understand what they are consuming or the potential risks it carries. Commercial kratom products vary widely in their chemical composition. Synthetic (human-made) or …

Community And Individual Risk Factors Associated With Tuberculosis Treatment Outcomes: Ca, Md, And Oh, [2017-2021]., Kadiatu Banjoko

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There are unsuccessful treatment outcomes with Tuberculosis (TB) disease, although effective therapies exist. This study aimed to identify predictors of unsuccessful treatment using the socioecological model. A quantitative cross-sectional study and multinomial logistic regression analysis were used to measure the associations between long-term care (LTC), homelessness, correctional facility, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), diabetes, excess alcohol, illicit drug use, and TB treatment outcomes of death, lost to follow-up, and treatment refusal. The sample consisted of 7,589 individuals aged 15 and older with pulmonary TB between 2017 and 2021, residing in California, Ohio, and Maryland. Findings indicated a correlation between community factors …

Hiv Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Uptake And Continuation Among 15-24-Year-Old Women In Mulago, Uganda, Dithan Kiragga

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Young women in Uganda face disproportionately high HIV risk compared to the general population. While pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) demonstrates proven effectiveness, poor uptake and nonadherence limit its potential impact. This study examined the relationship between perceived HIV susceptibility, PrEP benefits, behavioral risk factors, service delivery models, and PrEP uptake and continuity among young women aged 15–24 in Uganda, guided by the health belief model. Data were ed from surveillance records at Mulago National Referral Hospital’s STI clinic from January 2024 to September 2025. Of N=23,765 young women screened (median age 21 years; 98.9% single or separated; 48.7% with primary education), …

The Analysis Of Complete Basic Immunization Low Coverage During Covid-19 Pandemic At Community Health Center Pekanbaru, Nuzul Rifqa Sahira

Jurnal Vokasi Indonesia

Complete Basic Immunization (IDL) is the giving of early immunization to infants before their age below one year old consisting of Hepatitis B, BCG, DPT-HB-Hib, Polio (IPV and OPV) and measles. Giving Immunization to children can prevent the occurrence of disease transmission (PD3I). The lowest IDL coverage in Pekanbaru Community Health Center during the Covid-19 pandemic experienced a significant decrease of 58.1%. The study objective was to analyze low IDL coverage in infants during the Covid-19 pandemic. The method was qualitative with phenomenology design. The study informant was 11 people. Data collection was conducted through in-deep interview, observation and document …

Early Atopic Dermatitis And Risk Of Later Autism Spectrum Disorders, Annissa Courtney Heslope-Mathieu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Early-onset atopic dermatitis (AD) affects approximately 10-20% of children in the United States, and emerging evidence suggests potential links between early immune dysregulation and neurodevelopmental outcomes. Limited research has examined whether early AD serves as a specific risk factor for later ASD diagnosis. Guided by life course theory, the purpose of this study was to examine whether AD diagnosed within the first two years of life predicts later diagnosis of ASD among U.S. children younger than five years. A secondary analysis of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study was conducted using a retrospective cohort design. The sample included 2,949 …

Clinical, Imaging And Blood Biomarker Outcomes In A Phase 3 Clinical Trial Of Tau Aggregation Inhibitor Hydromethylthionine Mesylate In Mild Cognitive Impairment And Mild To Moderate Dementia Due To Alzheimer’S Disease, Claude Wischik, Richard G. Stefanacci, Peter Bentham, Serge Gauthier, Henrik Zetterberg, Gordon Wilcock, Lutz Froelich, Alistair Burns, Emer Macsweeney, Clive Ballard, Jin-Tai Yu, Tay Siew Choon, Vahe Asvatourian, Natalia Muehlemann, Jan Priel, Karin Kook, Tenecia Sullivan, Diane Downie, Sonya Miller, Carol Pringle, John Storey, Tom Baddeley, Charles R Harrington, Lewis Penny, Mohammad Arastoo, Roger Staff, Anca-Larisa Sandu, Helen Shiells, Serena Lo, Nafeesa Nazlee, Emily Evans, Claire Hull, Bjoern Schelter

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Hydromethylthionine mesylate (HMTM) targets tau pathology and has tau-independent symptomatic activity.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of HMTM in participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild to moderate dementia due to Alzheimer's disease (AD).

SETTING: 82 centres in Canada, European Union, United Kingdom and United States of America.

PARTICIPANTS: A total of 598 amyloid β-PET positive participants were included; 44% (263) met clinical criteria for MCI due to Alzheimer's disease and 56% (335) were diagnosed with mild to moderate dementia due to AD.

INTERVENTION: HMTM 16 mg/day and 8 mg/day were compared with methylthioninium chloride (MTC) …

Long-Term Mpox Sequelae 11 To 18 Months After Acute Illness : A Cohort Study In Two Us Cities, Preetam A Cholli, Jason Zucker, Karen J Vigil, Faisal S Minhaj, Paul J Weidle, Melanie M Taylor, Brett Gray, Dana L Haberling, Agha Ajmal, Agam K Rao, Anyelina Cantos, Sarah Anne J Guagliardo, Max Flanagan, Gilhen H Rodriguez, Irene Tamí-Maury, Siobhán M O'Connor

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Little was known about persistent sequelae of mpox before the 2022 multinational clade II mpox virus outbreak.

Objective: To characterize post-mpox sequelae 11 to 18 months after acute mpox diagnosis and compare outbreak-associated psychosocial and behavioral impact between at-risk persons who had or did not have mpox.

Design: Cohort study.

Setting: New York City, New York, and Houston, Texas.

Participants: Adults attending HIV, pre-exposure prophylaxis, or sexually transmitted infection clinics diagnosed with mpox during May 2022 to January 2023 (post-mpox) or at risk for but never diagnosed with mpox (no-mpox).

Measurements: All participants completed psychosocial and behavioral self-assessments. A …

Plans4care, A Web Application Providing Caregivers Personalized Solutions To Manage Dementia-Related Care Challenges: Proof Of Concept And Efficacy Trial, Laura N. Gitlin, Eric Jutkowitz, Catherine V. Piersol, Sokha Koeuth, Taylor Sivori, Melinda J. Webster, Rachel N. Barnett, David L. Roth

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: Few dementia caregivers have access to evidence-based support programs. Web applications (app) may address this gap. Plans4Care, a web app, provides caregivers with on-demand personalized solutions to address care challenges. We present results of a proof-of-concept study and describe a trial protocol to test efficacy.

METHODS: To use Plans4Care, caregivers respond to brief onboarding questions, assess dementia patients' cognitive function, identify care challenges, and generate "action plans" (personalized strategies). Telehealth sessions with dementia-trained care advisors are available. A proof-of-concept study evaluated a clickable prototype using standardized technology scales to determine if >75 % scored positively on four criteria (acceptability, …

Reflection Paper: What We Make Together: Art, Adolescence, And Collaborative Research In Action, Natepy Vann

Introduction to Public Health

No abstract provided.

Socioecological Stressors During Covid-19 Among Urban Refugee Youth In Kampala, Uganda: A Qualitative Descriptive Analysis, Sikky Shiqi Chen, Carmen H. Logie, Frannie Mackenzie, Moses Okumu, Robert Hakiza, Brenda Katisi, Daniel Kibuuka Musoke, Aidah Nakitende, Isha Berry, Bay Bahri, Peter Kyambadde

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Limited studies have examined pandemic-related stressors among urban refugee youth in low and middle-income humanitarian countries (LMICs), such as Uganda. We explored the lived experience of COVID-19-related stressors among urban refugee youth in Kampala, Uganda. We analyzed qualitative data (text messages, WhatsApp chats, photos) collected in an interactive mobile health intervention with 346 refugee youth aged 16–24 in Kampala. Findings revealed stressors across socioecological levels: individual (e.g., financial-related distress), social (e.g., limited social interactions), community (e.g., food insecurity), and policy (e.g., unprecedented lockdowns). Findings can inform social work organization pandemic preparedness strategies for economic empowerment and social cohesion with youth.

Development Of The Self-Administered Health Complexity Screening Instrument, Sheila Specker, Rachel Andrew, Emily Drexler, Emily Koithan, Steven Thurber, Steven Frankel

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to develop a self-administered screening tool to assist case managers, primary care physicians, and other clinicians in quickly and accurately identifying patients with complex health needs who require a definitive and detailed case management evaluation. In addition to medical and psychiatric items, this tool incorporates multiple social determinants of health (SDOH), known to add to clinical complexity. PRIMARY PRACTICE SETTING: This instrument is most appropriate for identifying patients with high complexity in the primary care sector. Due to the abundance of such patients with high biopsychosocial complexity and costs of treating these patients, …

A197: Perceptual Behavior And Social Interaction Of Chinese College Students Toward Esports, Xianhua Luo

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Social exchange theory (SET) has been extensively used to recognize students’ perceptual behavior (PB) and social interaction (SI). Research has examined the potential factors of recognition and socialization against the economic factors in individual evaluation, seeking rewards or avoiding costs in relationships. The positive impact of PB and SI is a significant experimental approach to studying social psychology. Therefore, the processes of individuals’ perceptual behavior and their social interactions in Esports might address this research gap. Hence, the purposes of this study were to explain the PBs and SIs toward Esports among college students in China. Method: 341college students were …

A090: Development And Efficacy Evaluation Of Virtual Reality (Vr)-Based Personalized Exercise Prescriptions For Perimenopausal Women, Runze Zhu, Zekai Wu

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Perimenopausal women (aged 45–54) frequently experience climacteric symptoms such as vasomotor disturbances, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular risks due to declining ovarian function and estrogen levels. Approximately 75% of women report varying degrees of discomfort, with 80% exhibiting at least one symptom (e.g., sleep disorders, mood fluctuations). Conventional exercise prescriptions often lack specificity to address individual health disparities and comorbidities (e.g., osteoporosis, metabolic dysfunction). This study aimed to develop a virtual reality (VR)-based personalized exercise prescription system to enhance exercise adherence through immersive experiences and evaluate its efficacy in alleviating perimenopausal physiological and psychological symptoms. A personalized exercise prescription generation system was …

A096: Artificial Intelligence Empowering Physical Education In Higher Education: Logical Tensions And Practical Pathways, Yangguiyi Zhao, Ke Wang, Yaohong Wang

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Driven by the strategies of “education digitalization” and “integration of sports and education”, artificial intelligence (AI) technology is reshaping the core values and practical pathways of physical education in higher education. As AI empowers the construction of university sports systems, it has become a key driving force in addressing the challenges of traditional physical education and responding to educational needs. However, AI-driven educational innovation is not a linear evolution; the interplay of its internal logical tensions and external practical constraints necessitates systematic research and pathway exploration. Method: This study systematically explores the multidimensional tensions and coordinated development pathways of artificial …

A114: The Impact Of Online Screen Sedentary Behaviors On Depressive Symptoms Among Children And Adolescents, Mingming Guo, Wenle Chen, Junkai Zhang

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Previous research suggests that screen-based sedentary behaviors increase the risk of depressive symptoms among children and adolescents. However, the specific associations between various online screen sedentary behaviors and depressive symptoms remain unclear. Therefore, this study conducted a two-year nationwide cross-sectional survey to examine how different types of online screen behaviors affect depressive symptoms in children and adolescents. Method: Drawing on data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), a total of 4,289 students aged 10–18 years (2,001 females) were surveyed in 2020 and 2022. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D8). The frequency of …

A008: The Impact Of Quiet Eye Training On Sport Performance: A Systematic Review, Qina Li, Donjian Li

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Quiet eye training (QET) is a psychological skill training method aimed at improving skill learning and coping with stress by prolonging the duration of quiet eye fixation. Despite a growing empirical evidence base for QET in academic literature, a systematic review of its effectiveness is lacking. Therefore, this paper focuses on the key issue of whether QET can be used as an effective training means to improve sports performance and systematically summarizes and analyzes the related research on the intervention of sports performance through QET. The aim is to explore the underlying physiological mechanisms of QET and assess its practical …

A016: The Impact Of "5e" Teaching Model On College Students' Aerobic Skills And Positive Psychological Qualities, Jiawen Deng, Guanqi Yang

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Higher education is a crucial period for cultivating talents and an important driving force for the country to achieve significant development in the process of educational reform. Combining the "5E" teaching model with aerobics, this study explores whether it can promote college students' aerobics skills and positive psychological qualities, facilitate the improvement of students' comprehensive qualities, and lay a foundation for students' lifelong sports. Twenty-five students were selected from two freshman aerobics elective classes in Shanghai University of Finance and Economics as experimental were divided into an experimental group and a control group for a 16-week teaching experiment. The experimental …

A187: The Comprehensive Impact Of Competitive Liondance On Bio-Psycho-Social Health: Cohort Tracking Study Of Elite Athletes, Yong Zhu

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Competitive lion dance, a traditional sport that integrates artistic performance, cultural heritage, and high-intensity physical training, has not yet been systematically studied for its multidimensional health benefits. Method: This study investigates the comprehensive impact of competitive lion dance on the bio-psycho-social health of elite athletes through a 12-month longitudinal cohort tracking. Thirty-two national-level competitive lion dance athletes (18 males and 14 females, aged 22.5 ± 3.1 years) were recruited and assessed at three time points: baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Biological health indicators included cardiorespiratory fitness (maximal oxygen uptake, VO₂max), muscle strength (isokinetic strength test), and body composition analysis. …

A241: Study On The Health Value Of Chinese Traditional Archery In The Traditional Daoyin Regimen, Jialin Liu, Ning Li

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Chinese archery, as a combination of sport, skill, and culture, is the historical crystallization of Chinese national culture. From the perspective of traditional guided health preservation, this paper systematically combs the theoretical basis and practical methods of Chinese traditional archery and reveals its health preservation thoughts of “Body and spirit co-cultivation”, “Dynamic and static combination”, and “Qi and blood harmony”, enriching the theoretical system of traditional sports regimen. Chinese traditional daoyin health care focuses on “Adjusting body”, “Adjusting breath”, and “Adjusting mind”, and analyzes the unique role of traditional archery in “Three tunes”. This paper demonstrates health health-preserving value of …

A273: Coupling Dilemmas And Strategies Of Physical And Health Education In Chinese Schools Under Physical-Medical Integration, Wei Zhong, Youliang Xu, Wen Xiong, Zijun Yan

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

"Physical-Medical Integration" combines sports science and medical disease prevention, supporting the "Healthy China 2030" strategy. Health education, originating from medicine, is vital for promoting youth health knowledge and is key to integrating with school sports. This study examines the challenges and solutions of combining school sports and health education under this integration. The study uses literature review, mathematical analysis, and logical reasoning. Core journal papers from databases like CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP were analyzed using keywords like "Physical-Medical Integration," "Health Education," and "School Sports" (2000-2025). CiteSpace is used for keyword clustering to support challenge diagnosis. The study also compares policy …

A282: The Impact Of Creative Dance On The Urban Integration Of Migrant Children In China, Xin Lin, Qiaoyi Liang

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Migrant children represent a unique demographic emerging from China's rapid urbanization. Due to disparities in public resource allocation, socioeconomic conditions, and prolonged exposure to unstable living environments, these children often face significant emotional and social challenges. When confronted with conflicts between urban and rural lifestyles and behavioral norms, they are prone to feelings of inferiority and anxiety, leading to communication barriers and social marginalization, hindering their timely integration into urban society. Creative dance emphasizes interpersonal interaction and engagement as an embodied intervention integrating both physical activity and artistic expression. It plays a crucial role in fostering social support networks and …

A303: Is Physical Literacy The Panacea For Gaming Disorder? A Novel Perspective On Exercise Intervention, Shuhan Lin, Zijie Zhao

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Adolescent gaming disorder has become a critical public health issue, driven by its association with reduced physical activity and increased risks of chronic diseases. WHO identifies physical inactivity as the fourth leading global risk factor for mortality. To address this challenge, research highlights the effectiveness of exercise interventions, which work by modulating reward systems, enhancing neuroendocrine adaptability, improving self-efficacy, social skills, and time management. These interventions replace virtual stimuli from gaming with real-world physical engagement, fostering healthier lifestyles. Physical literacy, which emphasizes cultural and holistic engagement with physical activity, extends beyond traditional mechanical exercises and underscores the importance of addressing …

A230: Bibliometric Analysis Of Exercise Interventions For Type 2 Diabetes Over The Past Decade, Haidong Xu, Weiling Huang, Loucheng Yu

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

This study aims to analyze the research status of exercise interventions for type 2 diabetes at home and abroad over the past decade, revealing research hotspots and trends to provide a theoretical basis for diabetes prevention, treatment, and the formulation of personalized exercise prescriptions. Based on the CiteSpace software, relevant literature from 2015 to 2025 was retrieved from the CNKI core journals and the Web of Science (WOS) database. A bibliometric analysis was conducted from multiple dimensions, including annual publication volume, author and institutional collaboration, country/region cooperation, keyword co-occurrence and burst analysis, and knowledge mapping. (1) The number of publications …

A235: The Impact Of Psychological Skills Training On The Sports Performance Of Adolescent Athletes: A Systematic Review, Lingzhi He

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Psychological skills training, as an essential component of competitive sports training, is currently a popular method widely applied to enhance athletes’ performance. Particularly for adolescent athletes, psychological training not only helps them perform at their best in competitive settings but also promotes the comprehensive development of their psychological qualities. However, current research primarily focuses on adult populations, and studies targeting adolescents still have certain limitations. This article aims to review the impact of psychological skills training on the sports performance of adolescent athletes by analyzing the content, methods, and findings of existing research. It summarizes the shortcomings of current studies …