Digital Commons Network^™

Assessing Current Telehealth Mobile Applications In The United States: Accessibility, Privacy, And Care Delivery, Rosemary K. Frugé

Honors Theses

Telehealth has improved patient access by reducing barriers to convenient, cost-effective, and quality health care. Telehealth mobile applications allow individuals to remotely access services through smartphone-based platforms. The purpose of this study was to evaluate leading telehealth applications available in the United States, analyzing key factors that influence platform selection, including cost, prescribing and diagnostic capabilities, user feedback, and data privacy practices. Applications were identified through keyword-based searches of major app stores using the term “telehealth,” and each app was systematically evaluated using predefined criteria. Findings highlight variability across platforms in pricing transparency, service offerings, and privacy disclosures, despite generally …

Issue 480 February 19-March 5, 2026, The Local Voice

The Local Voice

Featured Articles: "Mississippi Arts Commission Funds Writer Studio at Greenfield Farm."; "Beth Ann Fennelly’s The Irish Goodbye and the Art of Truth-Telling."; "The View Beyond The Balcony: Ice Storm Fern in Your Own Words."

Families Touched By Dementia Support Mind Center, Bill Dabney

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – Though a recent anonymous million-dollar match helps bring the campaign to build a central clinic for the Memory Impairment and Neurodegenerative Dementia Center closer to success, reaching the $10 million goal is possible because of the many gifts the University of Mississippi Medical Center has received since the campaign's launch in 2023.

New Faculty Guide, 2025, University Of Mississippi. Provost

New Faculty

No abstract provided.

Jtc 25: Committed To Her Cause, Clara Turnage

University of Mississippi News

This story is part of the 2025 Journey to Commencement series, which celebrates the pinnacle of the academic year by highlighting University of Mississippi students and their outstanding academic and personal journeys from college student to college graduate.

The Association Of Opioid Prescribing Continuity And The Risk Of Opioid Use Disorder Among Older Adults, Prachi Prajapati, Shadi Bazzazzadehgan, Yi Yang, Kaustuv Bhattacharya, Shishir Maharjan, John P. Bentley, Sujith Ramachandran

Annual Poster Session 2024-2025

Study objective: To evaluate the association between opioid prescribing continuity and risk of opioid use disorder (OUD) among older Medicare beneficiaries on long term opioid therapy (LTOT).

Comparative Effectiveness Of Biologic Or Targeted Synthetic Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs In Terms Of Opioid Tapering And Discontinuation Among Medicare Beneficiaries With Rheumatoid Arthritis, Shadi Bazzazzadehgan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objectives: Pain is the most common patient-reported outcome in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), frequently managed with long-term opioid therapy (LTOT), despite limited evidence supporting its efficacy and safety. Given the inflammatory nature of RA pain, biologic or targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (b/tsDMARDs) may relief pain and facilitate opioid withdrawal. This study compared rates of any opioid tapering, rapid opioid tapering, and opioid discontinuation among Medicare beneficiaries with RA who initiated b/tsDMARDs, including tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi bDMARDs), non-TNFi bDMARDs, or Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKi).

Methods: A new-user cohort study design was implemented using 5% Medicare (2012-2020). Beneficiaries with RA, …

Finding Aid For The Jan Ruehling Polio Era Collection (Mum00813)

Archives & Special Collections: Finding Aids (alphabetical)

Correspondence, newspaper clippings, and records related to the life and work of Jan Ruehling, as well as the 20th century polio epidemic of the United States of America.

Minimizing Patient Migration: Enhancing Safety And Comfort For Patients And Caregivers In Bedridden Care, Danielle Pasquini

Honors Theses

Biomedical engineering seniors at the University of Mississippi embark on a senior project aimed at addressing an unmet clinical need. Our team, consisting of Kelsie Hand, Christian Miller, and Danielle Pasquini, identified a prevalent issue of bedridden patients slipping down in bed, leading to increased repositioning by caregivers. This not only impacts patient comfort but also poses risks of complications such as pressure ulcers and caregiver injuries. In our efforts to tackle the issue of patient slippage among bedridden individuals, our team introduced a novel solution comprising a non-slip vest for patients and a corresponding non-slip sheet attachment. This integrated …

April 25, 2024, The Daily Mississippian

Daily Mississippian (all digitized issues)

No abstract provided.

Opioid Tapering And Its Associations With Risk Of Opioid Use Disorder And Mortality Among Older Adults, Yi Yang, Sujith Ramachandran, Kaustuv Bhattacharya, Shishir Maharjan, Ike Eriator, Shadi Bazzazzadehgan, John P. Bentley

Annual Poster Session 2023-2024

Corresponding with CDC’s Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain in 2016 and policies and procedures enacted by payers, quality organizations, and state agencies, prescriptions for opioid medications have witnessed a sharp decreasing trend with increases in opioid dose tapering and discontinuation. But opioid-related mortality has not shown a parallel decline. Several observational studies have explored the potential adverse effects of opioid dose tapering and discontinuation, with a growing focus on the rate of dose tapering. We hypothesized that many of the negative consequences of opioid tapering may be associated with the rate of opioid tapering or discontinuation.

Mental Health In Rural Mississippi Counties: Experiences And Beliefs Of African American Pastors, Angela R. Adams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

African Americans seek formal mental health treatment services at lower rates than white Americans (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA], 2024) and higher risk of mental illness exists among rural African Americans (Haynes et al., 2017). Religiousness and spirituality have emerged as widely utilized coping methods among African Americans, therefore it is important to understand pastoral perspectives on mental health. In addition to the type of services being sought, the decision to seek help plays an important role in treatment utilization. Along these lines, two theoretical frameworks were used to formulate this study, the Theory of Planned Behavior …

Final Session. The Impact Of Storytelling: The Pass It On Project, Gloria Burgess, Karen Davidson-Smith, Cade Smith, Elizabeth Mitchell Prewitt

School Library Symposium

Learn about this exciting act of kindness campaign through a guided conversation with author Dr. Gloria Burgess. Her book, Pass It On, has been used to support Mississippi Studies in 4th and 8th grades. Discover how this partnership between the UM Center for Community Engagement, UM School of Education, the University Museum, and the Lafayette County School District, led to the creation of an activity trunk participants can use at their schools. Participants will also hear from speakers Dr. Karen V. Davidson Smith, UM School of Education Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion/Clinical Associate Professor, and Dr. Elizabeth Mitchell Prewitt, …

Pharmacy Matters - November 2023, University Of Mississippi. School Of Pharmacy

Pharmacy Matters Newsletters

Featured stories: "School of Pharmacy Celebrates Gratitude Month," "Pharmacy Students Join in UM Effort to Combat Opioid Overdose," "Pharmacy Alumna Among University Distinguished Alumni Honorees," "Professor Awarded $1.2M NIH Grant," "UM Partners with PainVox to Pinpoint Origin Sites of Chronic Pain," "Pharmacy Researchers Secure STTR Grant," "Pharmaceutics Professor Wins Prestigious International Award"

Pharmacy Matters - August 2023, University Of Mississippi. School Of Pharmacy

Pharmacy Matters Newsletters

Featured stories: "Pharmacy Grad Named Young Alumni of the Year," "For the Love of Pharmacy: SOP Benefits from Alumni Estate Gift," "Maniruzzaman Named Chair of the Department of Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery," "Professor Recognized for Expertise in Nonprescription Medicines," "Ole Miss Alumna to Lead Alabama Pharmacy Association"

At The End Of Life: Conceptualizing Human Dignity And Assisted Suicide Debates In Contemporary Germany, Edith-Marie Green

Honors Theses

As medicine improves and breakthroughs on cures for illnesses formerly thought deadly continue to develop, the global population continues to age. This has introduced new concerns about aging and end-of-life health care. One proposed end-of-life healthcare solution is assisted suicide, although the practice is not without its controversies. The case of assisted suicide in Germany is of particular interest for a variety of reasons, and the practice has not had an easy path there. A series of debates in 2015 led to the practice being banned, but that ban was overturned in 2020 by Germany’s Constitutional Court. While assisted suicide …

Issue 417: May 4-18, 2023, The Local Voice

The Local Voice

No abstract provided.

Rurality Across The World: An Exploration Of Access To Physicians In The Rural United States And Potential Applications Abroad, Edith-Marie Green

Honors Undergraduate Research Poster Symposium

A sixth of the U.S. population lives in a rural area. Those in rural areas face a disproportionate lack of access to physicians and acute emergency care, along with preventive medicine; one can make the reasonable assumption that those living in rural areas in other countries face similar conditions. This paper is centered around access to medical facilities, rurality, and place of death and utilizes data from the National Longitudinal Mortality Study. Stratified analyses were conducted based on age groups and cause of death. While the measured association between death in a medical facility and rurality in this study is …

Students, Staff To Join Community For Mlk Day Of Service Activities, Edwin B. Smith

University of Mississippi News

Volunteers gathering to honor King's legacy through community engagement

Evaluation Of Quality Ratings In Healthcare: Is There Evidence Of Disparities In Their Applications?, Irene B. Nsiah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examined racial and ethnic disparities in: (1) the impact of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) policy and payment changes to the Medicare Part D Star Ratings Program on adherence to diabetes, renin-angiotensin system antagonists (RASA) and statin medications, (2) the spillover effect of this program onto nontargeted therapies used to treat hypertension (calcium channel blockers and beta blockers), and (3) insulin non-persistence among Medicare beneficiaries, and quantified the contribution of sociodemographic, clinical and cost factors associated with the racial and ethnic disparities.

For objectives 1 and 2, interrupted time series (ITS) analyses were conducted using …

The Effect Of Work Accommodations On The Risk Of Relapse In Physicians And Nurses With Co-Occurring Substance Use And Mental Health Disorders, Corbin Watson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Accessing reasonable work accommodations may be difficult for healthcare professionals with impairments, particularly those who suffer from mental health and substance use disorders (MHSUD). The use of workplace accommodations by medical professionals who also have MHSUD may experience barriers to their accommodations. The article explores (1) the difference between the types of work accommodations and (2) the types of barriers healthcare professionals with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders experience and how they impact their risk of relapse. Implications for physicians, nurses, and counselors are discussed.

Distraction By Any Other Name? The Impact Of Music On Social Exclusion Recovery, Sydney G. Wicks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Across three experiments, this work investigated whether the effectiveness of music on social exclusion recovery was greater than that of other distracting noises. I hypothesized that listening to music would be effective in improving needs satisfaction after instances of rejection (being explicitly disliked; Study 1) or ostracism (being ignored; Studies 2-3). Further, I examined whether this effectiveness was mediated by reduced rumination, increased emotional engagement (feeling moved by audio), and increased parasocial experiences (sense of one-sided psychological bonds). Ultimately, music was shown to be effective (albeit, relatively) in improving one’s needs when compared to a baseline condition. Additionally, listening to …

Queer Community In Charlottesville, Virginia: Contradictions, Ambivalence, And Fragmentation, Cecelia Parks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Charlottesville, Virginia, is a small city full of contradictions, especially with regard to queer community. In this article, I explore those contradictions by examining five queer Charlottesville residents’ experiences of queer community through oral history interviews. Specifically, I try to understand how narrators’ ambivalence about the existence of queer community in Charlottesville and the necessity of such community has changed since the 1970s. These five narrators see and feel some aspects of queer community in Charlottesville but feel disconnected from queer community in others; for example, they highlight the well-attended Pride festival but do not feel like they know many …

Medication Use And Adherence In Rheumatoid Arthritis, Jennifer Marie Toth Harris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background/Objectives

Adherence can impact the effectiveness of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFis) in treating rheumatoid arthritis. If rheumatoid arthritis reaches the end-stage, joint replacement may be needed. Unplanned readmissions after joint replacement is a Medicare quality measure. The first objective of this study was to determine the optimal adherence threshold for TNFis in rheumatoid arthritis. Using that threshold and the traditional 0.8 threshold, the second objective was to find the relationship between adherence to TNFis and opioid use in rheumatoid arthritis. Finally, prediction of unplanned readmissions in patients who had a knee or hip arthroplasty was the final objective.

Methods …

Finding Aid For The Bishop Duncan Montgomery Gray, Jr. Collection (Mum00766)

Archives & Special Collections: Finding Aids (alphabetical)

Collection consists of correspondence, newspaper clippings, and other materials relating to the life and career of Gray, a clergyman and civil rights advocate.

Speech-Language Pathologists' Skills And Knowledge In Dysphagia Management In Long-Term Care Facilities, Madelyn Griffin

Honors Theses

An increasing amount of current research indicates the prevalence of oral and pharyngeal dysphagia in all age groups, with a higher number of cases present in the geriatric population. Dysphagia is common in age-related diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and Dementia. The purpose of this study was to investigate the knowledge and skills of speech- language pathologists (SLPs) working in long-term care, in the area of oral and pharyngeal dysphagia. Participating SLPs responded to a survey asking to self-identify their knowledge/skills in oral and pharyngeal dysphagia. The findings from this study revealed the variety of expertise of SLPs …

Providing Culturally Competent Eldercare For Asian Americans, Britney Ngo

Honors Theses

As the Asian American elderly population continues to grow, it is important to acknowledge cultural factors that may impact their behavior, attitudes, preferences, and decisions in the context of eldercare. Cultural competency acknowledges and considers these factors while providing care that includes biophysical factors of healthcare as well as non-medical dimensions of care such as language and culture.

This thesis seeks to address the applications of providing culturally competent eldercare to Asian Americans and offer future recommendations to care settings that have limited resources by utilizing a multidisciplinary review of literature accompanied by interviews with representatives from On Lok, a …

Mlk Day Of Service Gives Students A Chance To Give Back, J. B. Clark

University of Mississippi News

Service opportunities range from yard work to voter registration

Opioid Tapering And Mental Health Crisis In Older Adults, Shishir Maharjan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Opioid tapering and discontinuation have been increasing in recent years with the implementation of national prescribing guidelines. The study aimed to examine the relationship between opioid tapering and mental health crisis events in older Medicare beneficiaries.

Methods: A nested case-control study was conducted using the 2012-2018 5% national Medicare claims data. Older adults with chronic noncancer pain (CNCP) who were receiving long-term opioid therapy (LTOT) were included in the study Cases were defined as individuals experiencing mental health crisis events; controls were identified using incidence density sampling. The opioid tapering velocity was measured in the 120-day hazard period that …

Immune-Related Adverse Events Of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: Incidence, Risk Factors, Clinical Outcomes, And Economic Burden In Older Adults With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Yiran Rong

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To fill the gap in existing literature related to immune-related adverse events (irAEs) induced by immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), this dissertation focused on: 1) assessing the incidence, spectrum and risk factors for the development of irAEs; 2) assessing the clinical impact of irAE occurrence on survival and treatment discontinuation; 3) analyzing and estimating the incremental economic burden of irAEs among an older population in the United States (US). A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the SEER-Medicare 2020 linkage database in order to evaluate the three study objectives. The dissertation included 8,175 patients diagnosed …