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Effects Of World Health Organization’S Educational Interventions On Clinical Competency Of Community Midwives In Managing Postpartum Hemorrhage, Afifah Abu-Ul-Hayat, Sarfaraz Masih, Madiha Mukhtar

Journal of Asian Midwives (JAM)

Background: Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is considered to be one of the most important causes of maternal mortality especially in low resource countries such as Pakistan. Community midwives (CMWs) have a very important role in the provision of midwifery care and their clinical competency are very crucial for the handling of PPH. This study evaluates the effect of a World Health Organization (WHO)-based educational intervention on the clinical competency of CMWs in Hazara Town, Quetta, in managing PPH.
Objective: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a WHO based educational intervention on improving the clinical competency of CMWs in managing …

Perceptions Of Risky Sexual Behavior Among Female Students: A Qualitative Analysis Of Contributing Factors, Consequences, And Prevention Strategies, Leila Bozorgian, Fatemeh Ansari, Fatemeh Janipour, Solmaz Mohammadi

Journal of Asian Midwives (JAM)

Background: Risky behaviors among young people are a significant concern for societies worldwide, leading to physical and psychosocial damage. Despite efforts to raise awareness about such risky behaviors over the past two decades, their prevalence continues to rise. Therefore, this study aimed to explain perceptions of the prevalence of risky sexual behaviors among female students.
Methods: A qualitative descriptive study using a conventional content analysis approach was conducted from August to mid-September 2024 in Yasoj, Iran. The study participants were selected using purposive sampling. The data were collected using semi-structured interviews conducted with 18 female students. Data collection …

Development And Validation Of Risk Assessment Tools For Hypertensive Disorder In Pregnancy, Vanitha K, Hepsibah Sharmil, Vijayalakshmi Kandasamy

Journal of Asian Midwives (JAM)

Aims and Background: Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDP) have significant impact on both mothers and newborns leading to complications such as Eclampsia, Preterm delivery, Renal and cardiac problems, Intra Uterine Growth Retardation (IUGR) and Intra Uterine Fetal Death (IUFD). Early screening of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy is essential in the prevention and management of these complications. This research study aims to develop and validate a risk assessment tool for hypertensive disorders in pregnancy.
Materials and methods: A mixed-method research was carried out from December 2023 to December 2024 consisting of two steps. Step one involved the development of …

Nsu Library Link - Summer 2025 - Volume 2.1, Nova Southeastern University

NSU Florida Link Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Research On The Evaluation Of Information Ecological Environment Quality For Online Health Communities, Qingwei Li, Yan Xu, Xueqin Zhao

Journal of Scientific Information Research

[Purpose/significance] To evaluate the information ecological environment quality of online health communities, reveal the problems existing in the information ecological environment quality of online health communities, and put forward specific suggestions, in order to provide reference for the healthy development of online health communities.

[Method/process] Firstly, the evaluation index system of online health community information ecological environment quality was constructed through literature investigation and expert investigation. Secondly, AHP is used to construct the evaluation index hierarchy model of online health community information ecological environment quality and calculate the weight of each index. Finally, the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method is used …

Research On Traditional Family Values Incorporating Data Enhancement And Transfer Learning, Qiaoling Chen, Hao Wang, Xiaomin Li

Journal of Scientific Information Research

[Purpose/significance] This research conducts in-depth exploration and knowledge discovery of ancestral hall couplets, a critical carrier of traditional family ethics, to facilitate their adaptive inheritance in contemporary society while introducing innovative perspectives and methodologies to the field.

[Method/process] We constructed a hierarchical classification system for traditional family values by synthesizing academic consensus, then developed the Annotation Keyword Data Enhancement(AK-DA-SKB-TC) model using idiomatic allusions with annotated keywords as source data and couplets as target data. Leveraging transfer learning, we achieved automated family tradition classification for couplets, followed by rigorous reliability validation. Multi-dimensional analysis of classification results uncovered evolutionary patterns and contextual …

Prevalence And Determinants Of Hearing Loss In Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Cross-Sectional Study In A Tertiary Care Center In Saudi Arabia, Redha A. Alrumaih, Amal A. Alshaik, Manal A. Hasan, Layan B. Almulla, Sarah I. Alsamin, Jood K. Alotaibi, Batool A. Alattas, Lojain M. Maawadh

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of hearing loss in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and identify predictive factors associated with its development. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Rheumatology Clinic of King Fahad Hospital of the University, Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia, between November 2023 and March 2024، involving patients diagnosed with SLE. Demographic data, clinical presentation, laboratory results, and medication history were collected. Pure-tone audiometry, speech audiometry, and tympanometry were used to assess hearing. Results: Fifty-three patients with SLE were included. The prevalence of hearing loss was 15%, with 87.5% of cases being sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Logistic …

Moving Drives You Crazy, Michelle C. Dziurgot

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

The Editor-in-Chief shares her frustrating experience moving a dental office. Key challenges included dental insurances dropping the practice from networks during recredentialing, causing denied claims for 30-60 days despite no changes to tax ID or NPI. State regulations also required new payments for radiation tubes, rather than crediting previous payments, despite a reduction in equipment. Furthermore, dental supply companies and movers did not take responsibility for broken equipment during the move. Despite these "insane and archaic" hurdles, most patients transitioned, and the article concludes with a comprehensive resource list for practice address changes

Staff Matters: I Need To Fire Someone. Help!, Jodi Schafer Sphr, Shrm-Scp

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Terminating an employee is a challenging and risky decision for "at will" employers in Michigan. This article provides best practices, starting with assessing legal risks like discrimination claims. It emphasizes the importance of documenting performance issues, feedback, and training provided, as well as adhering to employee handbook policies. Consideration should be given to offering severance packages, which may include pay in lieu of notice or a larger sum with a legal separation agreement. For the termination meeting, plan brief talking points, have a second person present, choose a quiet time, and ensure retrieval of practice property and removal of system …

Mda Services: Cut Costs, Not Care: Solving Your Staffing Challenges With Medva, Reva Darling

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

The MDA has endorsed MEDVA, a virtual assistant staffing solution, to help members improve operational efficiency and reduce administrative burdens in dental practices. MEDVA provides experienced, HIPAA-compliant, non-clinical human professionals for tasks such as appointment scheduling, insurance verification, and billing. This partnership aims to address high turnover and rising overhead by offering cost-effective staffing solutions. MDA members receive special benefits, including a discounted hourly rate of $9.75, which is significantly lower than average Michigan rates for similar in-person roles. MEDVA’s service includes access to trained virtual assistants, proprietary technology, and a client success team

Implementing A Team-Based Approach To Reduce Blood Culture Contamination Rates In The Emergency Department: A Quality Improvement Initiative, Melissa Lockhart

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Blood culture contaminations (BCC) present significant risks to patients, including adverse drug reactions and the exacerbation of antibiotic resistance. BCC can also result in millions of dollars in financial burdens for hospitals due to the need for follow-up testing, treatment complications, and antibiotic stewardship efforts. At this facility, the contamination rate in the emergency department (ED) consistently exceeds the national benchmark of 3%. Contributing factors include high patient turnover and increased nursing workloads, which can lead to shortcuts in essential practices such as hand hygiene and skin disinfection before collection.

Purpose: This project aimed to evaluate whether implementing a …

National Patient Safety Goals: Reducing Health Care Disparities In Adult Patients With Alcohol Misuse, Jolie M. Carpenter

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: An estimated 76 million people worldwide suffer from alcohol use disorder, accounting for almost two million deaths annually. The Joint Commission has made it a requirement to screen all patients admitted to an inpatient facility for health-related social needs, including alcohol use. By doing so, outpatient resources can be provided appropriately.

Purpose: The facility of interest does not currently have a discharge follow-up protocol. The purpose of this project was to implement an evidence-based protocol to follow-up one week after discharge to determine if patients accessed the community resources provided for alcohol use disorder and to determine whether the …

Unsuitable Underlying Cause-Of-Death Statements: Implementation And Evaluation Of A Structured Process For Healthcare Providers Certifying Natural Causes Of Death In An Outpatient Setting, Naida Rutherford

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Accuracy in death certification is crucial for effective public health initiatives. Inaccuracies in unsuitable Underlying Cause-of-Death (UCOD) statements can distort mortality statistics, influence health policy, and impact resource allocation. In South Carolina, changes in the death registration process and the introduction of an unsuitable cause-of-death list highlighted an urgent need for structured training among certifiers to enhance accuracy in death documentation.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to implement a standardized training program for healthcare providers certifying natural causes of death and assessing the impact of reducing the unsuitable underlying cause-of-death inaccuracies in an outpatient hospice setting.

Project …

Implementing A Screening Tool To Increase Palliative Care Referrals For Patients With Metastatic Cancer, Rebecca N. Hegwood

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Palliative care (PC), when prescribed early for patients with metastatic cancer, has proven beneficial to the oncology patient and family by improving quality of life, decreasing stressors, and preventing premature discontinuation of therapy.

Purpose: This Doctor of Nursing quality improvement project aimed to determine if implementing a screening tool for patients newly diagnosed with metastatic cancer would increase PC referrals.

Project Design: The Five Item Palliative Care Screening Tool evaluated patients with a new metastatic cancer diagnosis. Secondary data was used to initiate a PC referral if the patient scored a five or greater on the screening tool. Project …

Implementation Of A Triage Assessment Area To Decrease Left Without Being Seen Rates In The Emergency Department, Margaret Mary T. Steed

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Left without being seen (LWBS) is a concern for emergency departments (EDs) nationwide. LWBS involves patients who sign into the ED and leave prior to being seen by a medical provider. LWBS has been linked to increased wait times in the ED.

Purpose: The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project is to aid with decreasing LWBS rates in a local ED. Many tools aid with decreasing LWBS rates, including nurse-initiated protocols and standardized order sets. Despite available tools, LWBS rates remain elevated at 0.95% for the local ED.

Project Design: The evidence-based DNP quality improvement project …

Increasing Colorectal Cancer Screening Rates For Patients Without Insurance, Andrea F. Day

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States (U.S.), ranking as second most prevalent overall. Despite many initiatives, screening rates remain low, especially among clinic patients without insurance. The lack of an evidence-based screening protocol exacerbates these issues and increases the risk of advanced cancer and death. Initial data showed that 0% of patients were screened according to recommended guidelines.

Purpose: The project implemented a standard screening protocol to increase colorectal cancer screening rates in a rural Alabama free clinic for patients ages 45-64 lacking insurance.

Project Design: This quality improvement …

Improving The Detection Of Refractive Errors In First And Third Graders, Tameka J. Bolden

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Vision is a crucial component of the learning process, with academic tasks being heavily dependent on visual acuity. Undetected or diagnosed visual impairments can significantly alter a student’s educational performance and overall development. Currently, in Alabama, kindergarten, second, and fourth grade students are the only students to receive routine vision screenings; therefore, regular screening for visual acuity and eye issues is critical for school health programs. Early screening, diagnosis, and correction of refractive errors prevent permanent visual impairment and support academic success by reducing educational barriers and delayed cognitive impairment.

Purpose: This project aims to improve the early detection …

Influenza And Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Correlating Adult Immunization With Exacerbation Reduction After Implementation Of The Global Initiative For Obstructive Lung Disease Recommendations In A Rural Clinic, Jessica Semyonova

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may experience exacerbations of the disease, leading to disease progression, decreased lung function, increased mortality, and decreased quality of life. However, one of the clinician’s best tools in preventing exacerbations may be the distribution of annual influenza immunizations.

Purpose: This project aimed to determine whether implementing an influenza vaccination protocol would increase influenza vaccination uptake and decrease COPD exacerbation rates.

Project Design: An influenza vaccination protocol was implemented over an eight-week period. During that time, data was gathered and compared to data from the previous year when a vaccination …

Enhancing Patient Outcomes: The Sepsis Navigator Approach, Temeka L. Parker

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Sepsis is the leading cause of hospital mortality, accounting for over $20 billion dollars in total healthcare costs and more than 5 million deaths annually worldwide. The increased burden of sepsis led the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) to institute a quality core measure known as the Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock Management Bundle (SEP-1) as a protocol for sepsis treatment. CMS reports national SEP-1 compliance at 62% and 61% for Alabama. The undisclosed project site reports a much lower SEP-1 compliance average of 49% over six months. Compliance with the SEP-1 bundle improves overall patient outcomes and …

Commit To Sit: Does Purposefully Sitting With Adult Medical-Surgical Patients At A Rural Hospital Impact Patient Satisfaction?, Jolie A. Puckett

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Patient satisfaction surveys encourage patients to provide feedback about their experiences with healthcare organizations, and the surveys also play a critical role in identifying gaps in care that may contribute to patient harm. Effective communication between nurses and patients is crucial for delivering high-quality healthcare; therefore, initiatives to enhance this communication should be explored and implemented.

Purpose: This quality improvement project aimed to evaluate whether sitting with patients improved patient satisfaction scores for a medical-surgical unit within a Northwest Georgia inpatient facility.

Project Design: A pre- and post-design method was utilized to compare patient satisfaction scores before and after …

Utilizing Text Messaging To Increase Annual Mammogram Screening Compliance, Lacey B. Santa Cruz

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Routine mammography can lessen breast cancer deaths, but many patients do not follow the current screening guidelines. Limited access to mammography and insufficient awareness lead to missed screening appointments.

Purpose: The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to improve annual mammogram adherence among women aged 40-74 by implementing an electronic medical record (EMR)-based text reminder system.

Project Design: Secondary patient data was collected from a privately owned, rural family practice clinic. Using the Mobilize-Assess-Plan-Implement-Track (MAP-IT) quality improvement framework, the project implemented a text message reminder intervention through the EMR. Eligible patients received a text reminder …

Investigating Individual Variability In Autistic Identity And Its Moderating Effects On Mental Health And Quality Of Life, Sydney Richelle Terroso

Theses and Dissertations

The autistic community has long voiced the mental health of autistic adults as a key clinical and research priority. Autistic identity, or the recognition and embrace of core autistic traits as integral to an individual's identity as a whole, may be a potential target for therapeutic approaches aimed at supporting well-being and quality of life. The current study investigates individual differences in self-reported autistic identity scores by demographic factors and by features of autism and health history using online survey data from N=225 autistic adults. Additionally, with a subset of the participants who completed an interconnected study of current mental …

Social Comparison Target Selections As Health Information Preferences: Exploring Contextual Influences Among Women In Midlife With Elevated Risk For Cardiovascular Disease, Emmanuel Lapitan

Theses and Dissertations

Insufficient physical activity (PA) heightens the risk of chronic illnesses including cardiovascular disease (CVD), particularly among women in midlife with conditions such as hypertension. Behavioral interventions often use psychoeducation and skills training to increase PA, but how individuals interact with health-relevant information and how this relates to daily PA behavior is unclear. Health information preferences vary between individuals, but whether they vary for the same individual across contexts has been understudied. In particular, the role of contextual factors in predicting social comparison (i.e., evaluating oneself relative to others to obtain information about oneself) are not well understood. The purpose of …

The Evolution Of Agriculture Marketing: Harnessing Data Analytics To Understand Generational Shifts And Influencer Trends, Lexi Schweigert

Theses

The findings reveal that data analytics plays a crucial role in shaping marketing strategies in agriculture. Generational shifts, particularly among Gen Z and Alpha, are driving changes in consumer preferences and expectations. Influencers are also playing an increasingly important role in shaping the perception of agriculture and food among these generations.

Customizing Ai Strategies Across Multiple Generations, Matthew Harrer

Theses

This project investigates how artificial intelligence can help brands and marketers connect more effectively with Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z. The literature review lays the groundwork that focuses on consumer behaviors and the integration of AI into digital marketing practices for each generation. The second part of the project involves a secondary data analysis of 21 recent marketing surveys and reports that explores topics related to trust, personalization, and social media. By integrating the findings into an insightful guidebook, marketers will be able to maximize these insights into clear actionable strategies.

Supporting On Their Own Terms: Eu Institutions’ Discourses On Mindanao, Vincent Carlo A. Legara

European Studies Department Faculty Publications

This paper critically examines the nature and dynamics of European Union (EU) engagement in Mindanao. The southern Philippines is historically home to Muslims, with a special region that is the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), formerly known as the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, where Muslims compose the majority of the population. Muslim Mindanao gained greater autonomy in 2019 after decades of violent conflict and the persistence of weak democratic institutions. Since the 1970s, Muslim secessionist movements have clashed against government troops for independence. These have contributed to poor human development indicators in Mindanao. The EU, previously the …

Feedback Frequency And Skill Learning In College Athletes: "A Multivariate Analysis", Andrew Gannon

Doctorate in Kinesiology

This study aims to look at feedback frequency with college athletes through augmented feedback with a novel sports skill. While there is research on feedback frequency, much of that research has been conducted using children and general population college students as participants; there is very limited research on athletes as participants. Athletes possess a unique characteristic as they are typically advanced in motor skills and routinely receive feedback in the practice of their sport. Participants in the study were NCAA Division II college athletes (N=82) from one of nine sports. Using a modified golf putt, participants tried to land a …

Using The Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership Common Data Model For A Multi-Registry Intensive Care Unit Benchmarking Federated Analysis: Lessons Learned, Aasiyah Rashan, Daniel P Püttmann, Nicolette F De Keizer, Dave A Dongelmans, Ronald Cornet, Otavio Ranzani, Wangari Siika, Matthew Smith, Steve Harris, Abi Beane

Anaesthesiology, East Africa

Objective: Federated analysis is a method that allows data analysis to be performed on similar datasets without exchanging any data, thus facilitating international research collaboration while adhering to strict privacy laws. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of using federated analysis to benchmark mortality in 2 critical care quality registry databases converted to the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership (OMOP) Common Data Model (CDM), describing challenges to and recommendations for performing federated analysis on data transformed to OMOP CDM.

Materials and Methods: To identify as many challenges as possible and to be able to complete the benchmarking phase, …

Editorial: The Role Of Diagnostics In Eliminating Schistosomiasis As A Public Health Problem: Trend And Need, James Mwansa, Moses J. Chimbari, Nilanjan Lodh

Clinical Lab Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Biocomputing Approach To Modeling And Modulating Calcium Signaling, Sehee Sun

School of Computing: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Biocomputing is an emerging field that seeks to perform computational tasks using biological substrates and processes. Unlike conventional computing systems based on silicon hardware, biocomputing leverages the parallelism, energy efficiency, and complex dynamics of living systems. Among various cellular mechanisms, calcium (Ca2+) signaling stands out as a central regulator of diverse biological functions, offering a promising basis for programmable logic and control in living cells.

This thesis introduces a novel framework for modeling and modulating Ca2+ dynamics using biologically inspired Boolean logic circuits. Specifically, we propose the Ca2+ Boolean Logic (CaBL) model, in which Ca2+ fluxes and interactions are abstracted …