Digital Commons Network^™

The Efficacy And Safety Of Creatine Supplementation In The General Population, Cody Baxter

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Papers

The purpose of this study was to determine whether supplementation with creatine monohydrate is efficacious beyond the realm of its most popular use, which is in athletics. This study investigated the safety of creatine supplementation in the general population. References were collected through a review of PubMed and Scopus databases. Initial keywords searched were creatine supplementation and creatine safety. Where possible, trials with human subjects were utilized. Studies focused on creatine’s effects in athletes or weightlifting parameters were eliminated. Topics were further narrowed down by conditions with the most amount of research and medical concerns recognized as common to primary …

Childhood Trauma: An Analysis Of Associated Co-Morbidities And Various Psychotherapies, Brittney L. Benson

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Papers

American and European studies suggest that anywhere from 14 to 67% of children have experienced at least one traumatic event throughout their life. Furthermore, about 13.4% of them go on to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or symptoms (Diehle, J., Opmeer, B.C., Boer, F., Mannarino, A.P., & Lindauer, R.J., 2015). One study suggests that as many as 63.9% of adults suffer from ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) (CDC, 2016). The 4th Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV) states that PTSD is the most common Axis I disorder in children that are victims of abuse with statistics ranging from 20% …

Integrative Medicine In Primary Care, Ashley M. Bjornerud

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Papers

Integrative medicine (IM) is an approach to care that puts the patient at the center and addresses the full range of physical, emotional, mental, social, spiritual and environmental influences that affect a person’s health (Rakel, 2017). Commonly, integrative medicine is associated with complementary and alternative medicine therapies (CAM). These are two separate entities. CAM is one of the modalities used in integrative medicine.

The review of the literature on IM analyzed studies in primary care settings in all parts of the world. Definitions of IM and CAM are evaluated. Defining what IM is and how to incorporate this approach in …

Screening Techniques For Alzheimer’S Disease, Christina Nicole Brooks

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Papers

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease that affects more than 55 million Americans. By the year 2050, experts project this disease will have increased three fold. Many screening techniques have been investigated to detect this disease early and begin treatment to slow its progression. The purpose of this study was to explore which medical modalities are the most effective for screening of Alzheimer’s disease. This literature review includes three databases, including PubMed, CINHAL, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Topics that were researched include: cognitive screening tests, neuroimaging, laboratory diagnostic testing, DNA, and combined studies. Research was conducted from October …

Glycemic Control And Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: Current Standard Treatment Vs. Closed-Loop Insulin Pumps, Kelsey Daley

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Papers

As of 2015, 9.4% of the US population had a diagnosis of Diabetes Mellitus (DM). Although most of the data sets studied encompass type 1 (T1) and type 2 (T2) DM data in all ages of patients, the focus of this project will be primarily on T1DM patients. A thorough review of the current literature reveals that there are effective methods currently available for the management of T1DM patients. These methods include: closed-loop insulin pumps that integrate a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) and insulin pump into one effective system that calculates the needed insulin doses through complicated algorithms, CGM with …

New Ways Of Predicting Efficacy Of Antidepressants, Kayla Ternes

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Papers

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a neuropsychiatric condition that is becoming increasingly prevalent in our country. According to Cai, Huang, and Hao (2015), MDD is “common and devastating” (p. 61) and has a very complex pathophysiology. Until recently, a definitive etiology had not been found, however, new evidence has suggested that Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cognitive-emotional biomarkers may be a key into the mechanism of this disorder.

My literature review of articles found in PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and PsychINFO within the last ten years focused on the hypotheses of the pathophysiology of MDD, cognitive-emotional biomarkers, and BDNF. The …

Secondary Stroke Prevention And Support: An Occupational Therapy Program, Kaitlyn Bosch, Jamie St. Germain

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Many individuals in the United States experience a recurrent stroke and evidence suggests that strokes, primary and secondary, could be prevented through lifestyle modifications. The objective of the scholarly project was to develop an occupational therapy (OT) led secondary stroke prevention program to address modifiable risk factors for stroke. A literature review was conducted to identify research to support development of this program. Based on the review of literature and through the use of the Model of Human Occupation, The Secondary Stroke Prevention and Support: An Occupational Therapy Program was designed to address competence in the occupational role of managing …

The Experience Of Being A Male Occupational Therapy Practitioner At Varying Points In The Career: A Qualitative Study, Zachary Bohn, John Leclerc

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Problem Statement: The experience of being a male in a female-dominated profession has not been well researched or documented through either an inductive or deductive lens in regards to how this social context affects the male occupational therapist’s ability to function in his professional role. Subsequently, there are a dearth of guideposts and evidence that male occupational therapy students and practitioners have to understand the influence of their gender in the profession from a professional development standpoint.

Purpose: The purpose of this research study was to understand the experience of being a male occupational therapist amidst the female-dominated …

Moving Past Homelessness: A Program For Success, Benjamin Becher, Jaime Johnson

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Homelessness is a pervasive problem in the United States, and lack of job searching and work skills contribute to the situation (Helfrich, Chan, & Sabol, 2011). Although there are programs available that provide services to the homeless population, these programs typically do not extensively address work-related needs (Herzberg & Finlayson, 2001; Roy et al., 2017). A literature review was conducted using numerous databases and an informal interview was conducted with a key stakeholder at Seton House, a transitional housing program for homeless single parents. With this information, a program was developed to address vocational needs for the homeless, titled Work …

Occupational Justice Concerns For Muslim Refugees In The United States, Emily Adams, Megan Peterson

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background: Individuals are being displaced at alarming rates and many are from countries with a Muslim majority. Countries are beginning to study the effects of trauma and displacement on quality of life for refugees. The United States however, is lacking in studies involving health care, quality of life, and occupational justice concerns with Muslim refugees.

Objectives: To identify the experiences of Muslim refugees resettling in the United States and the resulting occupational justice issues, using Occupational Perspective of Health (Wilcock & Hocking, 2015) as an overarching theory.

Methods: Participants were obtained through convenience and snowball sampling. Participants …

A Group Protocol For Individuals With High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder: Transitioning Into College, Annika Eckholm, Karol Santistevan

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The numbers for young adults with a disability transitioning to college are increasing yearly (U.S. Department of Education, National Center of Education Statistics, 2016). Changes and transitioning to the college context is particularly challenging for individuals with high functioning autism (HFA) (Elias & White, 2017; Wehman et al., 2014). The purpose of this scholarly project was to develop a group protocol as a resource for young adult students with HFA to transition successfully in a college setting.

Methodology: A literature review was conducted on topics relating to individuals with HFA, success and barriers to college, effective interventions …

The 12-Steps Of Alcoholics Anonymous: A Guide For Occupational Therapists, Jena Roeber, Jillian Schaeffer

Occupational Therapy Capstones

A 2016 survey conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found that 15.1 million people ages 12 and older had alcohol use disorder. An estimated 2.2 million people 12 years old or older in 2016 received specialized treatment in the past year, which represents about 10.6 percent of the people in need of treatment (SAMHSA, 2016). Occupational therapy offers a unique role that can be utilized in the treatment of individuals with alcohol use disorder. Wasmuth, Crabtree, and Scott (2014) suggest that occupational therapy can be unique in substance use rehabilitation as real-life activities in natural …

An Occupational Therapy Perspective Of A School-Based Suicide Prevention Program With A Peer-Mentorship Emphasis, Maddie Bjornstad, Karyssa Kimery

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in adolescents today (Pisani et al., 2012; Katz et al., 2013). Zalsman et al. (2016), reported the recognition of suicide prevention as a public health priority has helped to encourage research, detection, treatment, and management of individuals at risk for suicide, however the implementation of proven, evidence-based, and cost-effective strategies are the duty of public health policy makers and healthcare providers. Occupational therapists are trained to help individuals determine what occupations are meaningful and completed in order to feel a sense of self-efficacy, therefore occupational therapy can play a critical role …

Occupational Deprivation In Adolescents From Low-Income And Food Insecure Homes: A Screening Tool And After School Program, Claire Eidenschink

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Adolescents who experience food insecurity are exposed to an increased risk of health disparities related to cognitive, psychosocial, and physical functioning (Cook & Frank, 2007). Each of these domains of functioning impacts occupational performance in all roles that an adolescent assumes. Of note, the role of a student is drastically impacted. Therefore, a program to address strategies for meeting basic needs within a familiar setting, such as a school, is relevant and necessary for this population. Such a program would offer an opportunity to close the gap in disparities and increase health outcomes of adolescents who experience food insecurity as …

Evolution Of Occupational Therapy Practice: Life History Of Lavonne Fox, Ph.D., Otr/L, Drew Mapes, Hannah Halbakken

Oral History Student Papers

The purpose of this qualitative life history study was to gather information about the history and evolution of occupational therapy (OT) practice in North Dakota and Wyoming through life histories of individuals who have been influential in developing OT in these two states. The individual chosen for this study was Lavonne Fox. A purposive sampling method was used to select the participant for the study. A semi-structured interview was done with Lavonne Fox at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences. The researchers transcribed the interview data verbatim. From this data, codes, categories, themes, and assertions …

Occupational Therapy's Involvement With The Ymca In Developing A Program To Address Activities Of Daily Living In Those With Parkinson's Disease, Michaela Johnson, Emilea Berhow

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The purpose of Occupational Therapy’s involvement with the YMCA in Developing a Program to Address Activities of Daily Living in Those with Parkinson’s Disease was to create a protocol that addresses the needs of those with Parkinson’s Disease (PD), specifically focusing on the area of activities of daily living (ADL). Through the use of occupational therapy perspectives and techniques, this program focuses on increasing and/or maintaining independence and safety during daily tasks in those with PD.

This program was influenced by the Person-Environment-Occupation model due to the transactional approach towards occupational performance. This model focuses on finding the best “fit” …

A Review Of Community Aging In Place Programs To Minimize Social Isolation In Older Adults, Heather J. Goodwater, Joanna M. Yutrzenka

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The aging baby boomer population calls for new solutions to enable older Americans to age in place in their communities of choice. Nine out of ten adults age 50 and older prefer to remain in their homes indefinitely as they age, or as long as they possibly can (Gonyea, & Burnes, 2013). However, program funding that supports aging in place does not come close to keeping pace with the rapid growth of the 65 and older population (American Institutes for Research, 2016). There are a limited number of programs in place to address socialization in community-dwelling older adults. The prevalence …

Treatment Post Total Knee Arthroplasty With Common Peroneal Nerve Palsy, Megan Berndt

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Introduction. With more than 600,000 knee replacements performed each year in the United States, functional exercise is necessary post-surgery. Patients who undergo knee replacements often attend physical therapy after surgery, which has been found to have significant effects on functional outcomes. In rare cases, patients experience a post-surgical complication of common peroneal nerve palsy (CPNP), and interventions must be adjusted based on the patient's specific needs.

Purpose. This is a case report describing the interventions for a patient with a right total knee arthroplasty ([R] TKA), multiple co-morbidities, and a post-surgical complication of CPNP.

Methods. A 78-year-old …

Childhood Trauma: An Analysis Of Associated Co-Morbidities And Various Psychotherapies, Brittney L. Benson

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

American and European studies suggest that anywhere from 14 to 67% of children have experienced at least one traumatic event throughout their life. Furthermore, about 13.4% of them go on to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or symptoms (Diehle, J., Opmeer, B.C., Boer, F., Mannarino, A.P., & Lindauer, R.J., 2015). One study suggests that as many as 63.9% of adults suffer from ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) (CDC, 2016). The 4th Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV) states that PTSD is the most common Axis I disorder in children that are victims of abuse with statistics ranging from 20% …

New Ways Of Predicting Efficacy Of Antidepressants, Kayla Ternes

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a neuropsychiatric condition that is becoming increasingly prevalent in our country. According to Cai, Huang, and Hao (2015), MDD is “common and devastating” (p. 61) and has a very complex pathophysiology. Until recently, a definitive etiology had not been found, however, new evidence has suggested that Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cognitive-emotional biomarkers may be a key into the mechanism of this disorder.

A literature review of articles found in PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and PsychINFO within the last ten years focused on the hypotheses of the pathophysiology of MDD, cognitive-emotional biomarkers, and BDNF. The …

Electromyographic Activity Of Hamstrings And Quadriceps Muscle During Jumping And Landing: Pilot Study, Jayla Greene, Brecca Wahlund, Jay Mittlieder, Adam Lutz

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose. The purpose of this pilot study was to see if there was a difference in amount of electromyographic (EMG) activity in the quadriceps (vastus medialis and vastus lateralis) compared to amount of EMG activity in the hamstrings (biceps femoris and semitendinosus) in active male and female subjects during vertical jumping and landing. In addition, we looked at the amount of knee flexion that occurred in the male and female subjects shortly after landing from a vertical jump.

Methods EMG activity was recorded using a Noraxon TeleMyo DTS telemetry unit with a sampling rate of 1 kHz. EMG …

Associations Among Acne Vulgaris And Western Diet, Kate Meredith Suda

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

Acne vulgaris is one of the most common dermatologic conditions, especially among the adolescent population.

The pathogenesis of acne is largely multifactorial, with heredity and hormones strongly contributing to one’s risk of developing the chronic inflammatory skin condition.

High prevalence rates of acne in the adolescent population cannot be attributed to heredity alone, but by the influence of Western diet (WD) that overstimulates insulin-like growth factors (IGFs).

The purpose of this scholarly project is to determine if there is an association between the presence of acne vulgaris and the consumption of WD, and if a physiological link between the high …

Collaboration Of Music Therapy And Physical Therapy: A Case Study For Treatment Of A Patient With Chronic Stroke, Matthew Aymond, Michelle Sanders

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose: Stroke is one of the leading causes of death in the United States and can cause severe, debilitating, and lasting effects. Although a fair amount of research has been performed on treatment of individuals following a stroke, few studies exist looking at the collaborative efforts of physical therapy and music therapy.

Case Description: This case follows the 13-week interdisciplinary care of an 83-year old female patient with chronic impairments following a cerebrovascular accident suffered approximately 2 years prior.

Interventions: Following an initial evaluation, the patient performed 11 one-hour treatment sessions over an 11-week period. …

Educational Materials For Implementation Of Cognitive Interventions Across Practice Settings, Ashlyn Grindberg, Nicholas Wahlstrand

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to develop educational materials for the UND occupational therapy (OT) program to address cognitive strategies for intervention across populations.

Methods: A literature review was conducted to determine the need for our product. The review of literature included the role of OT in functional cognition, use of cognitive intervention strategies with populations, and specific frames of references used in OT practice settings. It was found that new OT practitioners did not feel prepared to address cognitive deficits across populations when moving from one setting to another.

Results: The Adult Learning Theory …

A Vocational Training Program For High School Students With Disabilities On An Alternative Track To Graduation, Natalie Jennings, Michael Lehnerz

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Problem: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2017), in 2016 the employment rate for persons with a disability was 17.9 percent compared to 65.3 percent for persons without a disability. The discrepancy between the employment rates can partially be contributed to a lack of high school readiness preparation as evidenced by Evert Cimera, Gonda, and Vaschak (2015) who found that the referral rates of transition-aged youth decreased from 62.3 percent in 2004 to 50.0 percent to 2013.

Purpose: The purpose of this scholarly project is to minimize the gap during the transition from high school to vocational …

Promoting Successful Community Re-Integration For Incarcerated Juveniles: The Role Of Occupational Therapy To Enhance Quality Of Life, Madison Gerszewski, Bailey Odegaard

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The purpose of this scholarly project is to present a manual for occupational therapists working with juvenile delinquents in their transition into the community following incarceration. The intended outcome of the project is for juvenile delinquents to be independent, successful members of the community.

A literature review pertaining to juvenile delinquents was conducted and addressed recidivism, risk factors, and unmet needs. At this time, there are no practice guidelines in the United States that capture occupational therapy’s scope of practice when working with adolescents who have been involved in the criminal justice system.

A manual was developed in order to …

Occupational Therapy's Role In Sport: A Website On Promotion And Education For Ot's And Coaches, Alison Host, Kaitlin Mankie

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The number of individuals participating in the sport of hockey is on the rise. This rise in popularity also means the risk of injury becomes greater. Occupational therapy (OT) works to provide a holistic and client-centered approach when treating individuals that can allow them to return to play safely and effectively. However, OT is not commonly thought of when assisting in the treatment of hockey player injuries. Due to OT not being commonly utilized in the area of hockey-related injuries, such as concussion and the upper extremities, there is also a lack of literature to provide further insight …

Treating Peri And Postnatal Depression & Anxiety, Emily M. Stevenson

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

- The objective of this research is to evaluate the commonly prescribed treatment methods for prenatal and postnatal depression, focusing on the efficacy of antidepressant medications and nonpharmacologic treatments while evaluating the effects these medications have on the fetus/breastfeeding infant.

- The method of research included 15 studies completed within the past ten years on women who were pregnant or who had delivered a baby within the past 12 months. One study did evaluate long-term effects on offspring, which included a participant number of 3,342 children who were exposed to antidepressants during pregnancy. The total number of participants in the …

Exercise In The Treatment Of Major Depressive Disorder, Larissa Ann Haug

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

Objective

The purpose of this systematic literature review is to determine how exercise can be incorporated into the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) and its efficacy.

Methods

In this review, four databases were searched including SportDiscus, Pubmed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and PsycInfofrom October 1 to January 5, 2018. A variety of key terms were used when searching. Works chosen for review were published after the year 2000, were peer reviewed, and included randomized control trials (RCTs), pilot studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. Sources that were excluded included those published prior to the year 2000, had poor study …

Results From Australia’S 2018 Report Card On Physical Activity For Children And Youth, Natasha Schranz, Vanessa Glennon, John Evans, Sjaan Gomersall, Louise Hardy, Kylie D. Hesketh, David Lubans, Nicola D. Ridgers, Leon Straker, Michalis Stylianou, Grant R. Tomkinson, Stewart Vella, Jenny Ziviani, Tim Olds

Education, Health & Behavior Studies Faculty Publications

A decades worth of high quality surveillance sources have consistently shown that Australian kids are not meeting the physical activity (PA) guidelines of at least 60 min moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) each day of the week. This is concerning because physical inactivity is assocaited with a myriad of unfavourable health outcomes. This paper will summarise the results from the 2018 Active Healthy Kids Australia (AHKA) PA Report Card, with the assigned grades based upon representative national and state/territory-based data sources (see Figure 1 for 2018 Report Card cover).