Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring Postpartum Care: A Guide For Mothers, Amber Joy Matlock

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Title: Exploring Postpartum Care: A Guide for Mothers

Background: Thousands of babies are born in hospitals each year. Before being discharged home from the hospital, mothers receive education from interprofessional team members about their infant’s care, but there is a lack of information and education provided to mothers about their care and postpartum recovery. Without having adequate information on a mother’s recovery, there is an increased risk for poor maternal outcomes to occur during the postpartum journey. Maternal health is an emerging practice area for occupational therapy practitioners; the population is within the scope of practice for the profession. Currently, …

Providing Occupation-Based Mental Health Care For Lgbtq+ Youth Through Telehealth Service Delivery, Hannah Leisenheimer

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose A significant percentage of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning (LGBTQ+) youth in the United States report experiencing serious mental health concerns, yet they face major challenges when it comes to seeking out and receiving mental health care (The Trevor Project, 2022). As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and rapidly expanding technologies, telehealth services have become a norm in the healthcare field (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022; Whaley & McBain, 2023). However, there is a lack of evidence on how to incorporate meaningful, occupation-based interventions to address these mental health needs into telehealth services …

The Distinct Role: A Toolkit To Promote Occupational Therapy Services For Palliative Care Patients In Acute Care Hospitals, Kailey Ann Squier

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: Each year, 56.8 million people receive palliative care services and experience significant impacts overall quality of life. Occupational therapy is well-equipped to maximize engagement in meaningful activities and improve overall quality of life for this population. Despite evidence supporting the unique value of OT, it has had many barriers limiting the ability to expand into palliative care effectively. There is a need to provide education and increase resources to occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) in palliative care. The purpose of this scholarly project was to increase the understanding of OTs’ role in palliative care and promote increased OT services within …

Breaking The Barrier To Leisure Engagement In Long-Term Care Facilities To Enhance Residents’ Health, Well-Being, And Quality Of Life, Callie M. Kleindl

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Title: Breaking the Barrier to Leisure Engagement in Long-Term Care Facilities to Enhance Residents’ Health, Well-being, and Quality of Life

Purpose: The purpose of this scholarly project was to promote leisure engagement for residents with dementia in long-term care (LTC) facilities to enhance their overall health, well-being, and quality of life (QOL).

Methodology: A thorough literature review supported the need for increased leisure engagement in LTC facilities for residents with dementia. Chronic conditions, such as dementia, impact a resident’s ability to engage in meaningful occupations which leads to occupational deprivation. In addition, a decline in leisure engagement has been found …

Addressing Health Care Needs Of Farmers In Rural Areas Through The Lens Of Occupational Therapy, Josie Lynn Huot

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Title: Addressing Health Care Needs of Farmers in Rural Areas through the Lens of Occupational Therapy

Background: Over three million farmers and farm laborers across the United States (U.S.) perform one of the most essential careers to support human life (Hildebrand et al., 2019; USDA, 2020). Farming is considered a highly dangerous job, putting farmers at risk for numerous health concerns, with a high prevalence of musculoskeletal injuries (Fethke et al., 2015; Hildebrand et al., 2019). Low back pain is a leading source of musculoskeletal pain, closely followed by neck pain, both of which are associated with the spine (Davis …

Toolkit For Teachers Who Have Students Who Have Experiences Aces: An Occupational Therapy Guide, Abigail Kasper

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background: Individuals who experience trauma are at a higher risk of experiencing decreased occupational performance, specifically in education. Students are more likely to have decreased emotional and sensory regulation, decreased attention, problem-solving, and social skills, and struggle to transition between activities (Bhsushan, 2021; Fraser et al., 2019; Goddard, 2021; Whiting, 2018). These difficulties can create barriers to participating and succeeding in education. In addition to experiencing barriers while engaging in school, trauma can also result in an increased risk of experiencing long-term health impacts, such as heart disease, obesity, depression, hypertension, and other chronic conditions (Bhushan, 2021; Centers for Disease …

Sensory Toolkit For Childcare Providers And Parents Of Children In The Daycare Setting, Cierra Marie Jacobson

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Title: Sensory Toolkit for Childcare Providers and Parents of Children in the Daycare Setting

Purpose: Around 62% of children in the United States receive care from care-based centers (U.S Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistic [NCES], (2021). Of the children in daycare, about 41% attend for 35 or more hours a week (Capizzano & Adams, 2000). The children’s environment within a daycare provides several sensory experiences that can both support and hinder their success in their daily occupations. When sensory needs are unmet, undesired behaviors can occur and impact their performance in daily occupations (Bodison & Parham, 2017). …

The Virtual Therapist: An Occupational Therapy Practitioner’S Guide To Telehealth Service Delivery In Pediatrics, Jossette Hannah M. Gianan

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this scholarly project was to improve the telehealth competency and confidence of occupational therapy practitioners working in pediatrics through the use of a quick reference resource guide.

Methodology: The development of The Virtual Therapist: An Occupational Therapy Practitioner’s Guide to Telehealth Service Delivery in Pediatrics was guided by the concepts found in the Ecology of Human Performance model (Dunn, 2017). The concepts of person, context, and task were used in the overall creation of the guide, while the five intervention strategies outlined in the model were used in the creation of the intervention plan section. A …

Inclusive Physical Education And Its Impact On Adolescents With Disabilities In A School Setting, Ashley Renee Freund

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background: Adolescents with disabilities frequently encounter barriers preventing participation in physical education alongside their peers. The absence of inclusive practices and adaptations tailored to students with disabilities poses challenges that impact students' physical health and mental well-being (Carbone et al., 2021). Fostering improved mental and physical health for adolescents with and without disabilities is related to group-based programming as well as instructor leadership and knowledge regarding disability and activity modification (Shirazipour et al., 2020). By integrating these elements, physical education teachers can optimize the benefits of participation in physical education, including enhanced mental health, increased physical participation and engagement, and …

Supporting Community Integration For Veterans With Mental Health Conditions Through The Lens Of Recovery: Rise-Ing Together, Erin Marie Ferebee

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Title: Supporting Community Integration for Veterans with Mental Health Conditions Through the Lens of Recovery: RISE-ing Together

Introduction: This paper delves into the VA's commitment, aligned with AOTA guidelines, to enhance Veterans' well-being through the PEO model in occupational therapy during community reintegration. Highlighting recovery as a transformative process, it addresses mental health challenges, including PTSD, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, underscoring the central role of occupational therapy practitioners in providing tailored care. Shifting focus to the environment, drawing on studies (Pedersen & Wiser, 2021; Phelan et al., 2018; Sayer et al., 2021), the paper accentuates challenges and opportunities, …

Addressing Occupational Deprivation And Alienation In Rural Skilled Nursing Facilities Through An Activities Resource Guide, Stephanie Dullum

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this product was to collaborate with residents and the activities department in a rural skilled nursing facility (SNF) to create leisure activities to address common chronic conditions and the needs or wants of the residents. With aging comes more chronic conditions and less physical activity, socialization, and time engaged in activities, affecting quality of life (QOL) and well-being (Causey-Upton,2015; Cudjoe et al., 2020; Nedjeljeko et al., 2021; Portillo et al., 2023; Sen et al., 2022; Smallfield & Molitor, 2018; World Health Organization [WHO], 2022). Providing residents with more meaningful leisure activities will assist the SNF staff …

Peer To Peer: Implementing An Inclusive Program At A Midwestern School, Kaitlyn Rose Ekre

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: Transitioning to and between school settings (i.e., home to elementary, elementary to middle school, middle school to high school) can be a challenging experience for everyone. In middle school, there is an increase in academic, behavioral, and social demands (Chen et al., 2020; Fontil et al., 2020). While most students are able to navigate the different demands of middle school, students with disabilities struggle with building relationships and interacting with their peers along with academics leading to low involvement in extracurricular activities, inconsistent access to the general education classroom, and an absence of peer interactions throughout the day (Biggs …

Occupational Therapy Intervention To Promote Rest And Its Role In Inpatient Rehabilitation Recovery, Kjerstin Drugan

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background: Insufficient sleep is a public health epidemic that affects 10-30% of the population, impacts brain functioning, mood, attention, memory, and healing (CDC, 2015) and increases the likelihood of serious medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease (Ho & Sui, 2018). The rate of sleep difficulties increases to 47-67% in the hospitalized population (Miller et al., 2019). According to Poole et al. (2022), 98% of occupational therapists reported believing that sleep assessment and intervention are important in rehabilitation, but less than 25% implemented any intervention. The physical effects and stress of illness and the inpatient rehabilitation …

Nature-Based Therapy Supporting Veterans With Mental Health Difficulties, Kaitlyne Dittberner

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background: Using nature has been linked to improvements in well-being for individuals with depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (Bettmann et al., 2019). Combining nature with physical activity can increase feelings of revitalization, positive engagement, and energy with decreased feelings of tension, confusion, anger, and depression (Coon et al., 2011). Group-based activities for veterans can assist with the reintegration process back into the community as combat veterans value connections with like peers (Hawkins et al., 2016). Occupational therapy practitioners have the skills to analyze activities to make accommodations to allow veterans to be successful in the occupations in the nature-based …

Making Strides: An Occupational Therapy Program Developing Work Readiness Skills In Adolescents With Aces, Using Equine And Barn Tasks., Lauren Alexis Fischer

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background: The Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2022) defines adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) as any traumatic event that occurs from birth to 18 years. ACEs can lead to various issues in the child's future, such as health problems, mental illness, substance abuse, and challenges with education and employment (CDC, 2022). Associated barriers that inhibit at-risk youth when transitioning into the workforce include lack of work skills, habits, knowledge about labor rights, realistic job opportunities, and how to pursue employment (Ivzori et al., 2020). Increasing support in their pre-vocational skills can increase their success in employment. Rhew et al. …

Physical And Psychosocial Wellness For Individuals With Neurological Impairments, Emmalee Burtsfield

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: Neurological impairments have been identified as the first leading cause of disability across the world and the second leading cause of death globally. There is a substantial financial impact associated with neurological conditions. Therefore, it is essential to consider how effective use of best therapy practices can help to reduce costs accompanying neurological impairments and promote quality of life amongst patients. The goal of this scholarly project was to promote physical and psychosocial wellness for individuals with neurological impairments. The project serves as a resource that can be utilized by patients and caregivers alike. The materials in this resource …

The Wyld Outdoors: A Community Based Occupational Therapy Program To Address Mental Health Strategies In Rural Wyoming, Emily Ray

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Title: The WYld Outdoors: A Community-Based Occupational Therapy Program to Address Mental Health Strategies in Rural Wyoming

Background: Globally, there is an expressed need to address mental health promotion and prevention strategies in community-based settings (World Health Organization [WHO], 2022). To work toward meeting these needs it is important to start at a local level. Statewide initiatives in Wyoming have risen in recent years with goals to expand upon mental and behavioral health, but culture and lack of environmental means significantly impact accessibility to these resources (State of Wyoming [SOW], 2023). Based on literature findings there are even fewer local …

Health Sciences Students’ Career Commitment, Mental Health, And Physical Activity During The Covid-19 Pandemic, David Wrucke, Marie K. Hoeger Bement, April L. Harkins, Sandra K. Hunter, Stacy Stolzman, Astrida S. Kaugars

Physical Therapy Faculty Research and Publications

Objective: To understand the biopsychosocial dimensions of university health sciences students’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Participants: Health sciences students (n = 297) from two universities in July and August 2020.

Methods: Participants completed a Web-based survey asking about depression, anxiety, physical activity, coronavirus threat, and career commitment.

Results: Moderate or severe depression and anxiety were reported by 28.6% and 31.3% of respondents, respectively. Depression and anxiety were positively correlated with perceived coronavirus threat and negatively correlated with career commitment and strenuous physical activity. A change in career commitment interests during the COVID-19 pandemic was reported by 11% of …

Midlife Health Crisis Of Former Competitive Athletes: Dissecting Their Experiences Via Qualitative Study, Jacob J. Capin, Taylor Wolf, Jena Heck Street, Carolyn S. Smith, Shannon L. Lennon, William B. Farquhar, Sandra K. Hunter, Linda B. Piacentine

Physical Therapy Faculty Research and Publications

Sports participation confers many health benefits yet greatly increases injury risk. Long-term health outcomes in former athletes and transition to life after competitive sports are understudied. Ending a sport may pose physical and psychosocial challenges. The purpose was to determine the lived experiences of former competitive athletes and how their sports participation impacted their long-term health and well-being. Former college varsity athletes participated in semistructured interviews focusing on their experiences, including past and current health, the impact of injuries, activity, exercise, diet and transition to life after competitive sport. Thematic analysis was completed using a collaborative, iterative process. Thirty-one (16 …

Enhancing The Service Delivery For Adolescents Using The Mental Health Continuum Through Occupational Therapy, Jadalyn Lane Wagner

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this scholarly project was to understand how occupational therapy services can enhance the quality of mental health services for adolescents and across the life span. The materials developed provide occupational therapy practitioners resources to demonstrate their unique value and role within the interdisciplinary teams and settings within the mental health continuum of care.

Methodology: The Model of Human Occupation was utilized to organize the literature review that led to the creation of the materials (O’Brien, 2017). Reviewing the literature with the model allowed for a thorough understanding of the needs of adolescents with mental illness, the …

Real Individuals Striving For Excellence (Rise): An Occupational Therapy Based Re-Entry Program For A Rural Jail Facility, Kennedy Tooke

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Title: Real Individuals Striving for Excellence (RISE): An occupational therapy based re-entry program for a rural jail facility.

Introduction: The United States criminal justice system continues to be known for currently holding over 2 million people within state, federal, local, and juvenile correctional facilities (prisonpolicy.org, 2021). Jail incarceration rates have increased 15% from 2020 to 2021 following a 26% decline from midyear 2019 (Zeng, 2022). Many individuals involved in the criminal justice system will be arrested again within the same year due to unsuccessful transitions back into the community. The purpose of this scholarly project was to develop a program …

Improving Occupational Performance For Survivors Of Sex Trafficking: An Executive Functioning Program, Riley P. Thomas

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: In 2021, the U.S. reported 10,360 human trafficking cases, of which 7,499 or 72% were explicitly identified as instances of sex trafficking (National Human Trafficking Hotline, 2021). Sex trafficking is “a form of modern-day slavery in which individuals perform commercial sex through the use of force, fraud, or coercion” (National Human Trafficking Hotline, n.d., para. 1). Due to survivors of sex trafficking being exposed to dehumanizing and traumatic events, this may impact the ability to participate and engage in daily activities related to an individual's executive functioning and life skills. The purpose of this scholarly project was to analyze …

Beyond Discrimination: Market Humiliation And Private Law, Hila Keren

University of Colorado Law Review

Market humiliation is a corrosive relational process to which the law repeatedly fails to respond due to the law’s heavy reliance on the discrimination paradigm. In this process, providers of market resources, from housing and work to goods and services, use their powers to reject or mistreat other market users due to their identities. They thus cause users severe harm and deprive them of dignified participation in the marketplace. The problem has recently reached a peak. The discussion in 303 Creative v. Elenis indicates that the Supreme Court might legitimize market humiliation by granting private providers broad free speech exemptions …

Immigration Detention Abolition And The Violence Of Digital Cages, Sarah Sherman-Stokes

University of Colorado Law Review

The United States has a long history of pernicious immigration enforcement and surveillance. Today, in addition to more than 34,000 people held in immigration detention, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shackles and surveils an astounding 376,000 people under its “Alternatives to Detention” (“ATD”) program. The number of people subjected to this surveillance has grown dramatically in the last two decades, from just about 1,700 in 2005. ICE’s rapidly expanding Alternatives to Detention program is a “digital cage,” consisting of GPS-outfitted ankle shackles and invasive phone and location tracking. Government officials and some immigrant advocates have characterized these digital cages as …

Union Autonomy And Federal Intrusion, Hannah Borowski

University of Colorado Law Review

Union autonomy, a critical aspect of the health and growth of unions and employee power broadly, is weakened by (1) the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) attempts to target organized crime through civil Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) litigation against unions and (2) the creation of federal trusteeships in settlement, both of which can be analyzed through litigation between the DOJ and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (Teamsters or IBT) at the end of the 20th century. The field of compliance offers a solution to prevent these breaches of union autonomy. Relying on the Federal Sentencing Guidelines and the …

Facts On Trial: Alliance For Hippocratic Medicine V. Fda And The Battle Over Mailed Medication Abortion, Rachel Rebouché .

University of Colorado Law Review

No abstract provided.

Carbon Pricing For A Just Transition, Jeff Todd

University of Colorado Law Review

The legal tools to avoid the potential disasters of climate change are already available, at least according to economists. Economists overwhelmingly prefer carbon pricing tools like carbon taxes and cap-and-trade programs to combat climate change and guide the energy transition. Carbon pricing is more cost effective at lowering carbon and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) than other legal options such as efficiency standards, renewable portfolio standards, subsidies, and tax credits and deductions. Unlike those other options, carbon pricing targets both the supply of and the demand for GHG-emitting products and services; moreover, it gives firms and consumers flexibility in how best …

Colonizing Queerness, Jeremiah A. Ho

University of Colorado Law Review

This Article investigates how and why the cultural script of inequality persists for queer identities despite major legal advancements such as marriage, anti-discrimination, and employment protections. By regarding LGBTQ legal advancements as part of the American settler colonial project, I conclude that such victories are not liberatory or empowering but are attempts at colonizing queer identities. American settler colonialism’s structural promotion of a normative sexuality illustrates how our settler colonialist legacy is not just a race project (as settler colonialism is most widely studied) but also a race-gender-sexuality project. Even in apparent strokes of progress, American settler colonialism’s eliminationist motives …

A Systematic Qualitative Review: Improving Perinatal Health Outcomes In Communities Of Color, Amelia Abiem

Educational and Organizational Learning and Leadership Dissertations

This systematic qualitative review explored existing literature to understand the strategies community-based perinatal organizations employ to address perinatal morbidity and maternal mortality within communities of color and how cultural congruence healthcare workers may improve the perinatal health outcomes of these communities. This study explored 20 studies published within the United States between 2014 and 2024 focused on strategies employed by perinatal organizations serving marginalized communities and how leveraging cultural congruence may be instrumental in reducing perinatal healthcare inequalities within communities of color.

After a thorough review of these 20 studies, it was determined that key strategies exist for addressing perinatal …

Social Identity Matters: Lived Experiences Of Latina Teachers In Predominantly White Staff Schools, Oksana Rzhiskiy

Educational and Organizational Learning and Leadership Dissertations

The demographic makeup of student populations is undergoing profound shifts, with Latina/o students constituting a significant percentage. However, the representation of Latina/o educators within school systems remains disproportionately low. This incongruity between student demographics and educator representation may pose multifaceted challenges. To address this disparity, the present study delves into the lived experiences of Latina educators, illuminating the nuanced interplay of their social identities within educational contexts, particularly in relation to their interactions with White staff colleagues. Employing a phenomenological approach and supported by social identity theory and transformational leadership theory, this research endeavors to uncover the salient factors shaping …