Digital Commons Network^™

Implementation Of Home Exercise Programs In A Pro-Bono Clinic: An Exploratory Study, Joseph M. Day

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Because the number of return visits in a pro-bono setting is low and distributed over a longer timeframe, home exercise programs (HEP) adherence is crucial for patient success. The purpose of this study is to describe a process for HEP delivery and to collect measures of HEP adherence on patients at a pro- bono physical therapy clinic. Methods: Thirteen participants were instructed to perform at least four exercises at home. Exercises were chosen based on best available practice. Exercise images, instructions, and daily logs were populated using PHYSIOTEC® software. A follow up phone call was conducted approximately 4 days …

Paramedics’ Confidence And Perceived Competence When Attending To Varied Patient Presentations: A Mixed-Method Study, Nicholas J. Waltrich, Jade Sheen, Mathew Ling

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Paramedics are routinely called to patients presenting with mental health concerns. Previous literature suggests paramedics find this patient group challenging. However, no study has investigated whether paramedics find mental health presentations (MHP) more challenging relative to other patient presentations, or whether certain paramedic variables relate to their perceived ability to manage MHP. This study investigates differences in paramedics’ perceived ability to attend to MHP compared to other patient presentations, and whether their perceived ability is related to their level of experience or location of work (metropolitan or rural). The study also explores paramedic’s experiences and perspectives of MHP. Method: …

Impact And Experiences Relative To Critical Incidents And Critical Incident Stress Management, Peggy N. Haller, Elizabeth R. Neil, Justin P. Young, Matthew J. Drescher, Lindsey E. Eberman

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Typically, athletic trainers (ATs) have relied on external support networks to debrief after a critical incident (CI). ATs report focusing on improving work-related processes after a CI rather than their emotional response to the CI. The purpose of this study was to identify both the short-term emotional impacts of CIs and what coping strategies ATs use to address their emotional response to CIs. Methods: We used a cross-sectional, web-based survey, distributed to a random sample of NATA members to explore the perceived effects of CIs on ATs. Participants (n=73, 36±11y) were primarily women (n=53, 72.6%), working in the college/university …

Self-Efficacy Of Dietetics Educators Preparing To Implement A New National Education Model, Janet Millikan, Susan W. Arendt

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The Future Education Model (FEM) was introduced in 2017 and included changes to the existing dietetics education model, such as a shift in degree requirements and a change in Accreditation Standards based on competency-based programming. Starting in 2019, dietetics educators could apply to begin implementing the FEM at their institutions. Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) served as the framework for this research. SCT can be used to understand individuals’ motivations in various contexts, including workplace environments like higher education. Self-efficacy is one component of SCT; self-efficacy in dietetics educators may be an important indicator of potential success implementing the mandatory …

A Survey Of Interventions For Cancer Survivors Provided By Occupational Therapy Practitioners, Katie M. Polo, Mary F. Baxter

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Currently, there is a lack of research exploring evidence-based occupational therapy intervention practices at the activity level in survivorship care, which is important to identify for future research and clinical needs of the profession. The purpose of this study was to describe what activity level interventions OT practitioners are using and report any practice trends that might exist. Method: A cross-section design was used with non-probability purposive sampling to recruit occupational therapy practitioners working with adults living with and beyond cancer. A three-phase process for survey development and implementation was used, as recommended by the literature, for improving content …

Initial Efforts To Manage Ipe During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Reports From The Big Ten Academic Alliance, Laura J. Smith, Laura Romito, Heather B. Congdon, Frank J. Ascione, Mark Fitzgerald, Kelly Karpa, Andrea Pfeifle, Brian Sick, Hossein Khalili

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic required higher education institutions to quickly transition to a virtual platform. This was challenging for those involved in interprofessional education (IPE), given the goal that students from two or more professions learn about, from, and with one another. The Big Ten IPE Alliance is a subgroup of the larger Big Ten Academic Alliance. The purpose of this paper is to share the collective experiences of multiple large, research intensive universities in addressing the challenge of implementing IPE programs under the conditions established by the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: To better understand how the Big Ten schools dealt …

Are Attitudes Toward Evidence-Based Practice Different Between The United States And Chinese Occupational Therapy And Physical Therapy Students?, Yongyue Qi, Bobbi S. Greiner, Angela Patterson, Keli Mu, Heather Javaherian-Dysinger, Kate E. Decleene Huber

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Evidence-based practice (EBP) integrates the best evidence from research, clinician expertise, and patient preferences and values to deliver the highest quality of care to improve patient outcomes. Occupational therapy (OT), physical therapy (PT), and rehabilitation students gain exposure to EBP through both didactic and experiential learning. The differences in cultural, educational systems, and student learning styles between the United States and China may lead to different students’ perceptions and attitudes towards EBP. The purpose of the study was to characterize and compare the perceptions of and attitudes towards EBP between the U.S. and Chinese OT and PT students. Methods: …

Bioactive Curcumin And Its Effects On Lowering Systemic Inflammation As Measured By Crp: A Systematic Review, Lauren A. Katakowski, Susan Hewlings

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to analyze and evaluate evidence supporting curcumin lowering the systemic inflammatory marker, CRP in humans. Methods: A systematic literature search was completed using PubMed and MEDLINE databases. Results: After inclusion and exclusion criteria, 9 studies were evaluated, and the percent change of CRP blood levels was calculated and analyzed. Results: The results for these studies show strong statistical significance for the C3 complex with Bioperine and nano curcumin. Bioactive curcumin exhibits a higher percent decrease of blood level CRP than trials using only curcumin or turmeric. Conclusion: Overall bioactive curcumin/ curcumin with Bioperine …

State-Trait Anxiety And The Relationship With Patient Outcomes Following Tka, Alma K. Crouch, Jennifer Bunn, Michelle Green

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: To analyze the relationships between state (S) and trait (T) anxiety and functional outcome measure performance in patients following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) receiving physical therapy (PT). Methods: Nineteen patients (62.7±9.9 years) who recently underwent TKA completed testing post-TKA and at discharge that included the modified Lower Extremity Functional Scale (mLEFS), Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Pain Catastrophizing Questionnaire (PCQ), knee range of motion (ROM), thirty-second chair stand test (30s-CST), and the timed up and go (TUG) test. Additionally, NPRS, ROM, 30s-CST, and TUG measures were taken at three and five weeks following TKA. Results: …

Impact Of Student Debt On Decisions Of Terminal Clinical Education Experiences In Physical Therapist Education, Jennifer W. Rodriguez, Whitney Davidson, R Joseph Palmer Iii, Mary Jane Rapport

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Student debt is of growing concern in physical therapy and other health professions in the United States. This study explored the extent to which finances and other factors influenced student decision making when applying to and selecting terminal clinical education experiences. Methods: An online survey was developed and distributed to 250 recent graduates of a Doctor of Physical Therapy Program (2016-19). A logistic regression model was used to determine the relationship between respondents’ reported student debt and other factors when choosing a nontraditional model (the yearlong internship model (YLI)/residency model) or the traditional 4-month model. A 5-point Likert scale …

Extended Scope Physiotherapists Are Effective And Safe In The Emergency Department: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Brittany Souter, Anne Jones, Lorraine Sheppard, Michael Crowe

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Extended scope physiotherapists (ESPs) are an innovative approach to service delivery that have emerged in response to increasing pressures on emergency departments (EDs). While previous systematic reviews have suggested that ESPs have a positive impact on ED outcomes, clinical practice recommendations based on limited evidence highlight a pressing need for evaluation studies to truly determine their effectiveness and safety in this setting. Therefore, the objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of ESPs when delivering services in EDs. Method: Systematic literature searches were conducted using the online databases: Medline (Ovid), CINAHL …

A Qualitative Study Of The Process Undergraduate Health Professions Students Utilize While Conducting A Scoping Review, Dawn De Vries, Betsy Williams

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The purpose of this research study was to inform pedagogy on the effectiveness of journaling as a tool to gauge synthesis and application of course content to a scoping review. The research question asked is “Is reflective journaling effective in helping undergraduate health profession students understand and apply course research concepts and ideas directly to an academic project?” The researchers used a reflective journaling activity to enhance student learning and to explore student application of course lectures to a scoping literature review. Method: Students were required to complete the journaling activities as a class assignment. Four journal …

Pain Education Training In New York State Physical Therapy Programs: What We Do Well, Where The Gaps Are, And What Can Be Improved, Joseph Tatta, Marcia Spoto, Joseph Lorenzetti

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Essential pain education produces graduates who are competent in contemporary pain management. Despite various educational resources, surveys demonstrate minimal pain content in entry-level physical therapist education programs. This paper examines 1) the learning content of pain education and faculty expertise teaching core pain content, 2) whether pain education content is sufficient to prepare physical therapists to meet the needs of contemporary pain management, and 3) whether standardization of pain education in entry level Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs is advantageous. Methods: A pain education survey was developed and sent to all accredited DPT program directors in New York …

Investigating Doctor Of Physical Therapy Student Stress During Pandemic Related Curricular Changes, Keithann Halle, Jennifer D. Hastings

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Introduction: Stress level in physical therapy students has been a focus of research due to multiple documented effects related to physical health, mental health, and ability to learn. Self-reflection has also been a focus of education research, relating it to personal learning, critical thinking, and demonstrable development of professional behaviors and skills. The aim of this study is to investigate student stress in response to programmatic changes wrought by the pandemic and whether stress impacted student self-reflection. Review of literature: Self-reflection is positively associated with growth of professional behavior and academic performance. Student level of self-reflection has been shown to …

Prevalence Of Sexual Harassment Toward And Burnout Among Allied Healthcare Professionals, Stephen A. Cage, Meredith N. Decker, Brandon J. Warner, Kendall Goldberg, Diana M. Gallegos, Julianne Goza

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Burnout is a psychological cognitive-affective syndrome that is defined by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced accomplishment. Burnout has been identified as a common issue in several allied healthcare professions, and is often contributed to by stress, workload, and social support. At the time of this study, there appears to be no published research on the relationship between levels of sexual harassment and levels of burnout. The purpose of this was to describe the prevalence of burnout and sexual harassment among allied healthcare professionals and students. A secondary purpose was to examine the potential relationship between sexual harassment and burnout …

The Effect Of Tai Chi On Dynamic Balance In Younger Adults: Implication For Physical Therapy Practice, Anthony O'Neill, Debra A. Beazley, Lori Bolgla

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of Tai Chi on the dynamic balance in younger, active community-based adults with no history of lower extremity injury or balance problems. Methods: Fourteen subjects (4 males / 10 females; age 23.6 + 6.2 years-old; height 166.5 ± 11.1 cm; weight 75.9 ± 19.3 kg) completed a 13-week undergraduate Tai Chi course. Dynamic balance was assessed at the beginning and the end of the course using the Y-Balance test. Results: Post-hoc testing showed significant improvements in anterior (P=0.007) and posterior lateral (P=0.003) reach distances with …

Attitudes Toward Covid-19 Vaccination Among Occupational Therapy Professionals And Students In Early 2021, Stephen A. Cage, Brandon J. Warner, Diana M. Gallegos, Heidi M. Cage, Diane P. Brown Phd, Otr

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: After the widespread transmission of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, the first COVID-19 vaccination received emergency use authorization in the United States in December of 2020. Current research has shown the authorized COVID-19 vaccines to be safe and effective at preventing severe illness. At the time of this study, there appears to be no published research on the attitudes and receipt of COVID-19 vaccinations among occupational therapy professionals and students. The purpose of this study is to describe the attitudes and receipt of COVID-19 vaccinations among occupational therapy professionals and students in early 2021. Methods: A total of …

Polychlorinated Organic Contaminants In Baleen From North Pacific Ocean Whales, Briana R. Coulter

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Persistent organic pollutants (POP) have been detected and analyzed in various baleen whale tissues (blubber, muscles, liver, etc.) This study concentrated on detecting 7 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and 14 organochlorine pesticides from baleen, a baleen whale tissue never before analyzed for POPs. These data were used to investigate temporal and geographic trends by sampling at every 1 cm interval along the length of the baleen plate. Four species of baleen whales stranded in the North Pacific Ocean were included in this study: gray (n=2), humpback (n=2), minke (n=1), and blue (n=1) whales. Organic contaminant concentrations were analyzed with respect to …

‘Bunkering Down’: How One Community Is Tightening Social-Ecological Network Structures In The Face Of Global Change, Michele L. Barnes, Lorien Jasny, Andrew Bauman, Jon Ben, Ramiro Berardo, Örjan Bodin, Josh Eli Cinner, David A. Feary, Angela M. Guerrero, Fraser A. Januchowski-Hartley, John T. Kuange, Jacqueline D. Lau, Peng Wang, Jessica Zamborain-Mason

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

1. Complex networks of relationships among and between people and nature (social-ecological networks) play an important role in sustainability; yet, we have limited empirical understanding of their temporal dynamics.
2. We empirically examine the evolution of a social-ecological network in a common-pool resource system faced with escalating social and environmental change over the past two decades.
3. We first draw on quantitative and qualitative data collected between 2002 and 2018 in a Papua New Guinean reef fishing community to provide contextual evidence regarding the extent of social and environmental change being experienced. We then develop a temporal multilevel exponential random graph model using …

The Craft Of Using Nvivo12 To Analyze Open-Ended Questions: An Approach To Mixed Methods Analysis, Jane Elliott

The Qualitative Report

The aim of this paper is to explore and explicate a method for using NVivo12 to analyze the responses to open-ended questions in surveys. It focuses on the features of NVivo12 that facilitate this particular type of mixed-methods research. Open-ended questions are used within surveys across a wide variety of disciplines and provide opportunities for participants to provide their own perspectives on a topic of interest. However, they can be challenging to analyze; if the survey has a large sample size, a very considerable corpus of text will be generated, yet the text associated with any single individual is likely …

University Social Responsibility From The Transformative Ecofeminism Perspective, Luky Patricia Widianingsih, Iwan Triyuwono, Ali Djamhuri, Rosidi Rosidi

The Qualitative Report

This study aims to find conceptual innovations, with a focus on the scope of University Social Responsibility in the perspective of transformative ecofeminism. The basic belief that guides action in this research is the transformative worldview. The research approach is based on feminism with the data collection process carried out by observation, in-depth interviews, documentation, and FGDs. The two data research rigour strategies chosen were to maintain the credibility (internal validity) and reliability of the research data through triangulation of techniques and sources and to carefully review the documentation of research procedures/protocols and databases. The presentation of data and the …

Ethnofiction And Interior Protest: Scholar-Activism In The Yemenite Children Affair, Tova Gamliel

The Qualitative Report

In this article, ethnofiction is discussed as a scholar-activist methodology that offers advantages for interior protest within community borders. The case study centers on the affair of the abducted Yemenite-Jewish children in Israel. Ethnographic studies and the researcher’s experience with members of the community serve as sources for a dramatic dialogue that reflects the definition of, and coping with, a problem as the topic of protest in the affair. The connection between the case study and its sources of information is stressed and the ethnodrama is instantiated as a transformative methodology. The findings on the acceptance of this ethnofiction in …

Safe And Effective Prescribing With Dyslexia: A Collaborative Autoethnography, Sebastian C. K. Shaw, Michael Okorie, John L. Anderson

The Qualitative Report

Prescribing medicines is the most common patient-level intervention made by doctors in the United Kingdom. However, this is associated with a potential for harm. Whilst dyslexia can bring many strengths, it also impacts reading and writing abilities and therefore has the potential to contribute to errors in the prescribing process if dyslexic doctors are unsupported. This paper explores the experiences of Seb – regarding prescribing and prescribing education – as a dyslexic medical student and doctor. We hope that this might spark more research on this overlooked issue. This is a collaborative, analytic, autoethnographic study within an interpretivist paradigm. Firstly, …

Abuse Of Benzodiazepines Among The Elderly Population, Sofia A. Padilla

College of Pharmacy Student Research

Throughout the years, benzodiazepines are safe drugs to treat several conditions among the elderly population, including anxiety, mixed anxiety-depression, and insomnia. However, inappropriate use of this drug, together with known risks such as cognitive impairment, delirium, and falls, is on the rise in these recent years, making the elderly population more inclined to suffer adverse effects when using them. The literature review paper will examine the use of benzodiazepines among the elderly population and their abuse through various published articles that addressed these concerns. The paper will also examine some potential solutions that will reduce the inappropriate use of benzodiazepine …

University Students’ And Teachers’ Wellbeing During Covid-19 In Bangladesh: A Qualitative Enquiry, Shaila Sultana, M Moninoor Roshid, Md. Zulfeqar Haider, Rubina Khan, Mian Md. Naushaad Kabir Phd, Akhter Jahan Phd

The Qualitative Report

The wellbeing of teachers and students has emerged as a common concern in research studies in recent times, specifically during the critical period of COVID-19. Based on the findings drawn from the qualitative data through focus group discussions of five groups of teachers (16 females and 8 males) and students (10 males and nine females) at the tertiary level of education in Bangladesh, this paper shows that online teaching during COVID-19 is affected by personal and social challenges, and consequently, both teachers and students experience anxieties and stresses. Teachers are anxious because of the university authorities' surveillance, frequent pay cuts, …

Science Learning From The School Garden Through Participatory Action Research In Nepal, Kamal Prasad Acharya, Chitra Bahadur Budhathoki, Milan Acharya

The Qualitative Report

Nepal's NORHED/Rupantaran project designed and developed participatory action research through school gardening. This study explored the ways for the community schools, science teachers and basic level (grade five to eight) students to foster a sense of agency in the school science curriculum through life-based experiential learning. Qualitative research design on thematic and verbatim methods are used to collect and analyze the data in this study. The findings show that school gardening activities are helpful and productive for science teaching and learning. The evidence from participatory action research experiences in actual school settings would provide new insights for policymakers to transform …

Covid-19: Teacher Interns’ Perspectives Of An Unprecedented Year, Cheryl L. Burleigh, Andrea Wilson, Jim Lane

The Qualitative Report

During COVID-19, digital learning took on an unprecedented central focus in K-12 education. This study applied photovoice qualitative methodology to record and understand the lives and reality for teacher interns as they adapted to abrupt changes in the way they designed and delivered instruction while living homebound during a pandemic. Teacher interns shared their stories of transitioning to virtual or distance learning. Participants (n = 97) were a demographically and culturally diverse group of K-12 public school teacher interns from California. The findings from this study illuminate the need for U.S. public K-12 schools to develop specific professional development training …

The Lived Experience Of Waitresses In Hospitality Sector: A Phenomenological Study On Work Related Abuse And Its Coping Mechanisms Among Selected Waitresses In Hospitality Sector In Bahirdar City, Northwestern Ethiopia, Kidus Yenealem Mefteh, Gebremeskel Mesafint Dessie, Wossen Lulie Teshome

The Qualitative Report

A significantly high number of employed women work in vulnerable work environment. Waitresses’ working in the hospitality sector experience different kind of work-related abuse. This study aims to explore waitresses work related abuse and its coping mechanisms in the hospitality sector in Bahirdar city, Ethiopia. A descriptive phenomenological study was conducted to describe the lived experience of waitresses in the work environment. Data were collected through an in-depth interview with waitresses. Participants of the study were selected by non-probability sampling. The collected data were inductively coded and developed into themes. Different kinds of data quality assurance mechanisms were employed to …

A Decade Of Gigascience: A Perspective On Conservation Genetics, Stephen James O'Brien

Biology Faculty Articles

Wide interest in species conservation is young. To many it began early in 1903 when Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir set up a camp under the Grizzly Giant in the Mariposa Grove of California's Yosemite Valley. Over three days they decided to broaden the US National Park footprint across the USA. Conservationists were inspired in the coming decades by the writings of wildlife conservation pioneers—Osa Johnson (I Married Adventure), Karen Blixen (Out of Africa) and Rachel Carson (The Silent Spring). Countless crusaders developed a passion for preserving dwindling species in those early days, yet …

The Textual-Visual Thematic Analysis: A Framework To Analyze The Conjunction And Interaction Of Visual And Textual Data, Gabriela Trombeta, Susan M. Cox

The Qualitative Report

Visual methods offer an innovative approach to qualitative research through their potential to prompt dialogue, enrich verbal and textual data, and enable participants to communicate about difficult topics. However, the use of visual methods requires that researchers rethink methodological aspects of data generation and analysis, especially when working with participant-generated images. Although there are now many analytical frameworks and guidebooks providing instructions on the analysis of textual and visual materials, detailed descriptions of how these elements are brought together are often missing from research reports, precluding novice and other researchers from understanding how findings were attained. Our aim in this …