Digital Commons Network^™

Cultivating Nursing Student Competency Through Serious Gaming Simulation-Enhanced Prebriefing, Shopha M. Tserotas

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Problem: Simulation is an effective teaching strategy for undergraduate nursing students, providing a safe environment for learning in a low-risk setting. However, students are not fully prepared to take full advantage of high-fidelity simulation activities. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of serious gaming simulation-enhanced prebriefing on student competency and simulation effectiveness. Methodology: The study employed a quantitative, cross-sectional, quasi-experimental design using secondary data. Participants included undergraduate nursing students in a southern private university. The students were enrolled in the prelicensure nursing program and the obstetric or the transition to practice course. The control group received …

Planning For The Future Of The Easthampton Council On Aging, Caitlin E. Coyle, Sue Berger

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

This report describes an assessment undertaken by the Center for Social & Demographic Research on Aging (CSDRA) within the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston, on behalf of the ad hoc Senior Center Building Committee. The goals of this project were to document the features of other communities building processes, engage residents in preliminary conversation about their needs and preferences as they consider aging in Easthampton. Results of that work are described in this report and recommendations to the ad hoc building committee are provided. These recommendations are meant to provide an objective description of this preliminary community …

Risk Factor Patterns For Elder Abuse Among United States Indigenous Peoples: Native Elder Maltreatment Survey Secondary Data Analysis, Maylynn Riding In

Theses and Dissertations

Elder abuse is a significant public health issue, with findings indicating that 9% to 10% of older adults in the United States experience abuse. This figure is likely mirrored among Indigenous Peoples residing within tribal boundaries, although specific data is scarce. This study aims to fill the gap in understanding the prevalence and risk factors associated with elder abuse among United States Indigenous Peoples (USIP) through a secondary data analysis of the Native Elder Maltreatment Survey (NEMS). The NEMS employs two key instruments: the Hwalek-Sengstock Elder Abuse Screening Test (HS EAST), which is validated for community use, and the Native …

Populations Digitally Excluded From Education: Issues, Factors, Contributions And Actions For Policy, Practice And Research In A Post-Pandemic Era, Don Passey, Jean Gabin Ntebutse, Manal Yazbak Abu Ahmad, Janet Cochrane, Simon Collin, Asmaa Ganayem, Elizabeth Langran, Sadaqat Mulla, Ma. Mercedes T. Rodrigo, Toshinori Saito, Miri Shonfeld, Saunand Somasi

Department of Information Systems & Computer Science Faculty Publications

This conceptual paper draws on a wide range of research and policy literature, providing a contemporary view of issues, factors and practices that affect education for digitally excluded populations. Concern for how education for digitally excluded populations can be supported is focal to this paper, with different sections offering key related perspectives. From an analysis of issues, factors and practices, actions for policy, practice and research are identified. Given a key finding that power issues can have major effects on plans, implementation processes and outcomes when addressing needs of education for digitally excluded populations, the paper concludes by offering frameworks …

Enhancing Wellbeing In The Assisted Living Setting: Musical Memories And Pill Prep, Kinsey Hopkins, Audrey Maskiewicz, Ashley Nguyen, Kailynne Van Winkle

ELMSN E-Portfolio. A collection of Scholarly and Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Msw Portfolio, Dallin C. Ball

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

The Provision Of Healthcare For Older Adults In A Massachusetts Jail/House Of Correction: Perspectives From Providers, Laura Driscoll

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

THE PROVISION OF HEALTHCARE FOR OLDER ADULTS IN A MASSACHUSETTS JAIL/HOUSE OF CORRECTION: PERSPECTIVES FROM PROVIDERS November 2024 Laura C. Driscoll, B.S., Boston University M.S.P.T., Boston University DPT, MGH Institute of Health Professions M.S., University of Massachusetts Boston Ph.D., University of Massachusetts Boston Directed by Professor Jan Mutchler The aging population in U.S. jails is growing rapidly presenting significant challenges for healthcare provision within carceral settings. Older adults in these facilities often experience complex health conditions, including chronic diseases and age-related impairments, that require specialized care. Despite this, limited research has explored the experiences of healthcare providers tasked with caring …

Democratizing The Early Identification Of Alzheimer's Disease And Access To Care: The Role Of Psychologists In Brief Assessment, Jacqueline S. Hogan

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

As Alzheimer’s disease (AD) presents a growing public health challenge, accessible early detection tools are urgently needed. This study used data from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) (N = 1,536) to evaluate the ability of machine learning models to predict a conversion from normal cognition or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to AD. A brief neuropsychological battery, including the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale–Cognitive Subscale (ADAS13), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), and Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ), was employed. The Gradient Boosted Trees model demonstrated superior performance, achieving an F1 score of 0.88, recall of 0.93, precision …

News You Can Use— Helping Older Adults Make Informed Food Choices, Chih-Cheng Lu, Sarah Francis

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

This cross-sectional study investigates the impact of the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) Nutrition Education With Seniors (NEWS) program on the food-related challenges faced by older adults. The study used quarterly evaluations spanning 2012 to 2022, focusing on the application of newsletter information; 3,281 surveys were completed. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were employed for sociodemographic analysis, while z-tests with Bonferroni correction compared column proportions. Respondents were primarily female (64.5%), aged 60-69 (52.1%). Many encountered a decreased food supply (47.1%), yet experienced no impacts from these changes (47.3%.) Most used NEWS information for food choices (79.7%) and resource management (83.9%), …

Economic Disadvantage During Childhood, Obesity, And Diabetes Across Three Birth Cohorts Of Older Mexicans, Jesús-Daniel Zazueta-Borboa, Rafael Samper-Ternent, Rebeca Wong, Neil Mehta

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVES: Diabetes prevalence has increased markedly in Mexico. We examined the individual and joint contributions of economic disadvantage during childhood (EDDC) and elevated body weight on diabetes prevalence in 3 cohorts of Mexican adults.

METHODS: Data on those 60-69 years old from the 1930-1939, 1940-1949, and 1950-1959 birth cohorts in Waves 1 (2001), 3 (2012), and 5 (2018) of the Mexican Health and Aging Study were used. EDDC was defined as the absence of a toilet in the household before age 10. Body mass status was defined using self-reported perceived body image at age 50. Diabetes was based on respondent …

Integrating Responsible And Ethical Conduct Of Research Into Cures: A Longitudinal Study Observing Professional Development Of Fellows Within The Ethics Network For Course-Based Opportunities In Undergraduate Research, Aimee Angelica Hernandez-Gaytan

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Meeting Aerobic Physical Activity Guidelines And Associations With Physical Fitness In Men With Metastatic Prostate Cancer: Baseline Results Of The Multicentre Interval-Gap4 Trial, Lisa Umlauff, Stacey A. Kenfield, Robert U. Newton, Nicolas H. Hart, Fred Saad, Kerry S. Courneya, Rosemary Greenwood, Wilhelm Bloch, Moritz Schumann

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: This study compared the physical activity level of men with metastatic prostate cancer at baseline of the multicentre INTERVAL-GAP4 trial to the American Cancer Society guidelines and examined associations with physical fitness. Methods: A total of 140 men on androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) were included in this cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the INTERVAL-GAP4 trial. Exclusion criteria included a maximum of 1 h of vigorous aerobic exercise or one structured resistance exercise session per week but no restrictions on habitual physical activity. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was assessed using a modified Godin–Shephard Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire. Physical fitness …

Quality Of Life Programs For Older Adults In Assisted Living, Annelise Moore

Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstones

This doctoral capstone project focused on enhancing the quality of life (QoL) for residents in Wesley Court Assisted Living through individual programs designed to increase leisure, social participation, and/or mental wellness. Literature states the critical importance of integrating personalized, clientcentered programming in assisted living communities, addressing a pressing issue of limited opportunities for meaningful engagement, which can lead to isolation, depression, and diminished wellbeing among older adults. Approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Abilene Christian University’s Occupational Therapy Doctoral program, the project spanned 14 weeks and involved needs assessments, pre- and post-surveys, and personalized program implementation. Four residents …

The Lived Experience Of Older Adults Using Telemedicine Services, Cathy Anne Cahill

Theses & Dissertations

The coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the subsequent pandemic transformed the healthcare delivery system in the U.S. Telemedicine became an essential mode of healthcare, and its usage increased significantly during the public health emergency. Telemedicine improved access to care, especially for vulnerable patient populations and those with chronic medical conditions. There were many other benefits, including convenience, cost savings, and reduced coronavirus transmission. It also reduced the strain on healthcare facilities and overburdened healthcare providers. A qualitative, Heideggerian phenomenological method of inquiry was conducted to understand the experience of the older adult population utilizing telemedicine services. These methods included a description …

Computer Use Frequency And Cardiovascular Health In Middle-Aged And Older Adults, Meilan Hu, Shu Fen Diong, K. T. A. Sandeeshwara Kasturiratna, Andree Hartanto

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

With increased computer usage amongst midlife and older adults, concerns are emerging with regards to the potential adverse health effects of computer use given the sedentary habits it may encourage. The current study aims to investigate the relationship between computer use and cardiovascular risk in midlife and older adults. From the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States II: Biomarker Project (2004–2009) and the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS II), 2004–2006, we examined five cardiovascular risk biomarkers—high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, interleukin-6, and C-reactive protein—in relation to self-reported general …

Positive And Negative Affect Differentially Predict Individual Differences And Intra-Individual Changes In Daily Cognitive Failures In Younger And Older Adults, Ysabel A. Guevarra, Nadyanna M. Majeed, Nur Eva Alisha Binte Mohamed Hisham, Andree Hartanto

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

(1) Background: Cognitive failures, including lapses in attention, memory, and executive functioning, can negatively affect daily performance and well-being. Negative and positive affectivity have been implicated in cognitive functioning, yet their relationship with cognitive failures remains underexplored. This study investigates the impact of positive and negative affect on cognitive failures, using daily diary methods to examine both within-person and between-person associations in a sample of younger adults from Singapore and adults across the lifespan from the United States (US). (2) Methods: Participants (Singapore: N = 253, US: N = 1726) completed daily diaries over seven (Singapore) or eight (US) consecutive …

Connecting, Serving, And Adapting: Perspectives On The Transition To Adulthood From Latino Young Adults With Asd, Parents, And Providers, Antonio F Pagán, Juliana L Vanderburg, Katherine A Loveland, Ron E Acierno, Thomas D Meyer

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Advancing interventions and supports for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) requires understanding that ASD is a lifelong developmental difference. However, little is known about the unique experiences of autistic young adults, parents, and community providers in the Latino community. The purpose of this study was to improve access to inclusive community based setting by identifying and learning about barriers and needs experienced by young adults, parents, and community providers of autistic individuals across the lifespan, but particularly during the transition to adulthood. Ten community providers, eighteen parents of autistic children, and five young adult self-advocates participated in focus groups. …

Survival Of The Smartest? The Evolutionary Ecology Of Cognition In Anolis Lizards, Mahaut V. Sorlin

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Cognitive processes such as learning, memory, and decision-making are integral to an organism’s fitness, allowing to integrate cues from its environment and adjust its behavior accordingly. Historically, cognitive abilities were thought to have evolved according to a Scala Naturae design—an idea that has since been disproven—which suggested that complex cognitive abilities were exclusive to “higher” taxa. This perspective has created significant phylogenetic gaps in our understanding of cognitive evolution. In this dissertation I aimed to address this issue by investigating the evolution of cognition in reptiles, focusing on the green (Anolis carolinensis) and the brown anole (Anolis …

Efficacy And Feasibility Of Intradialytic Plantar Electrical Stimulation In Patients With Diabetes: A Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Trial, Myeounggon Lee, Abdullah Hamad, Mehrnaz Azarian, Jaewon Beom, Abderrahman Ouattas, Mohammad Dehghan Rouzi, Naima Rodriguez, Nhi Quach, Rania Ibrahim, Mincy Mathew, Talal Talal, Fadwa Al-Ali, Bijan Najafi

Center on Aging Staff Publications

Objective: This study investigates the efficacy and feasibility of electrical stimulation (E-Stim) on sensory fibers of the plantar region during hemodialysis sessions, aiming to improve mobility in patients with diabetes by providing a connection between E-Stim and enhanced mobility with minimal patient effort required.

Research design and methods: Participants aged ≥18 years with diabetes undergoing hemodialysis and able to walk at least 10 m with or without aid were recruited and divided into an intervention group receiving 1-h intradialytic E-Stim three times a week and a control group using an identical nonfunctional device for 12 weeks. Gait, physical activity, patient-reported …

Chronic Β3-Ar Stimulation Activates Distinct Thermogenic Mechanisms In Brown And White Adipose Tissue And Improves Systemic Metabolism In Aged Mice, Duraipandy Natarajan, Bhuvana Plakkot, Kritika Tiwari, Shoba Ekambaram, Weidong Wang, Michael Rudolph, Mahmoud A Mohammad, Shaji K Chacko, Madhan Subramanian, Stefano Tarantini, Andriy Yabluchanskiy, Zoltan Ungvari, Anna Csiszar, Priya Balasubramanian

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Adipose thermogenesis has been actively investigated as a therapeutic target for improving metabolic dysfunction in obesity. However, its applicability to middle-aged and older populations, which bear the highest obesity prevalence in the United States (approximately 40%), remains uncertain due to age-related decline in thermogenic responses. In this study, we investigated the effects of chronic thermogenic stimulation using the β3-adrenergic (AR) agonist CL316,243 (CL) on systemic metabolism and adipose function in aged (18-month-old) C57BL/6JN mice. Sustained β3-AR treatment resulted in reduced fat mass, increased energy expenditure, increased fatty acid oxidation and mitochondrial activity in adipose depots, improved glucose homeostasis, and a …

Health Implications Of Racial Differences In Serum Growth Differentiation Factor Levels Among Men With Obesity, Siresha Bathina, Virginia Fuenmayor Lopez, Mia Prado, Elliot Ballato, Georgia Colleluori, Maryam Tetlay, Dennis Tan Villareal, Sanjay Mediwala, Rui Chen, Clifford Qualls, Reina Armamento-Villareal

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Growth differentiation factor (GDF15) has been considered a biomarker and recently a hormonal driver for diseases in different populations. However, the role of GDF15 as a biomarker of health outcomes in obese men from different racial/ethnic background has not been evaluated. The objective of this study was to investigate the racial/ethnic differences on the relationship between GDF15 and markers of glucometabolic status, hormonal profile, body composition and bone mineral density (BMD) in obese men. One hundred ninety-three obese men from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds were enrolled. BMD and body composition were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Serum GDF15, osteocalcin, C-terminal …

Thermotherapy Has Sexually Dimorphic Responses In App/Ps1 Mice., Samuel A Mcfadden, Mackenzie R Peck, Lindsey N Sime, Makayla F Cox, Erol D Ikiz, Caleigh A Findley, Kathleen Quinn, Yimin Fang, Andrzej Bartke, Erin R Hascup, Kevin N Hascup

Articles

A thermoregulatory decline occurs with age due to changes in muscle mass, vasoconstriction, and metabolism that lowers core body temperature (Tc). Although lower Tc is a biomarker of successful aging, we have previously shown this worsens cognitive performance in the APP/PS1 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We hypothesized that elevating Tc with thermotherapy would improve metabolism and cognition in APP/PS1 mice. From 6-12 months of age, male and female APP/PS1 and C57BL/6 mice were chronically housed at 23 or 30°C. At 12 months of age, mice were assayed for insulin sensitivity, glucose tolerance, and spatial cognition. Plasma, hippocampal, and …

Advance Care Planning In Rehabilitation: Training Nurses And Social Workers To Facilitate Discussions, Celeste Christiansen

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Patients and healthcare workers fail to hold advance care planning (ACP) discussions. Social workers perceive a lack of time and feel unprepared to hold ACP conversations.

PICOT: The PICOT question that guided this project was: Do patients in acute inpatient rehabilitation (P) who receive education and resources about ACP from trained nurses and social workers (I) accept and participate in ACP (O) compared to prior standards of care (C) while on the rehabilitation unit (T)?

Evidence: The public and healthcare workers have limited knowledge of ACPs and their role in these discussions. People are more likely to hold …

Autopercepción De Envejecimiento A Temprana Edad En Pobladores De Escasos Recursos Económicos, Luis Hesneide Morales López

The Qualitative Report

Un buen número de personas que viven en condiciones de pobreza se consideran personas de la tercera edad a pesar de que no están en esa etapa de sus vidas. Además, afirman con nostalgia que todo tiempo pasado fue mejor en comparación con la situación actual en la que viven. En este estudio cualitativo de enfoque fenomenológico participaron 181 pobladores que viven en precariedad económica de las tres regiones del Perú: Chimbote (costa), Juliaca (sierra) y Pucallpa (selva), quienes participaron en el estudio a través de entrevistas a profundidad y grupos focales. Se puede aseverar que tales percepciones afectan sus …

The Impact Of Chronic Stress On The Aging Process, Toriana Alfieri

The Cardinal Edge

Chronic stress can be characterized as a prolonged stressor that negatively impacts one’s life and has been associated with a variety of adverse health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease and immune system suppression. Given that chronic stress undeniably impacts health as a whole, it is reasonable to assume that it may also affect the aging process. The purpose of this literature review is to investigate the impact of chronic stress on the aging process with a specific focus on the 12 hallmarks of aging: genomic instability, telomere attrition, epigenetic alterations, loss of proteostasis, disabled macroautophagy, deregulated nutrient-sensing, mitochondrial dysfunction, cellular senescence, …

Amplifying The Coloring Art Of A Friend With Alzheimer’S Disease Through Collaboration, Liz Langdon

International Journal of Lifelong Learning in Art Education

The act of coloring pages, is recognized for its therapeutic value and this research shows how amplifying the artistry of a practitioner with Alzheimer’s disease enhances understanding about the disease, improves relationships and adds value to an underrated art practice. My collaboration with a neighbor experiencing Alzheimer’s disease involved presenting her coloring pages as fine art in a gallery, increasing recognition of the practice as valuable for maintaining normalcy and serving as a model for other people with dementia (PWD) and their caregivers.

Experiences Of A Digital Health Innovation For Older Adults Living With Long-Term Health Problems: The Selfstrength Application, Cecilia Åberg, Catharina Gillsjö, Jenny Hallgren, Mia Berglund

College of Nursing Faculty Publications

There is a national call for digital health innovations in the provision of health and social care, especially for older adults in the context of home. The Reflective STRENGTH-Giving Dialogue (STRENGTH) method is used to provide individual and holistic care using recurrent dialogues. The SelfSTRENGTH application (app) was developed to support reflection and stimulate activity that enables achievement of meaningful life projects. The objective of the study was to describe how the use of the SelfSTRENGTH app is perceived by older adults living with long-term health problems. A qualitative, descriptive and inductive design. Data, analyzed using a phenomenographic approach, consisted …

Cultivating A Career In Geriatric Emergency Medicine, Shan W. Liu, Angel Li, Kei Ouchi, Carolina Diniz Hooper, Esteban Franco Garcia, Wendy C. Coates

Journal of Geriatric Emergency Medicine

No abstract provided.

Utilization Patterns In Frailty: Don’T Miss The Forest For The Trees, Kathryn E. Callahan

Journal of Geriatric Emergency Medicine

No abstract provided.

Reducing Falls On A Cardiac Telemetry Unit, Tracey C. Fields

MSN Student Capstones

No abstract provided.