Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

American Virtual Institute: The Covid Practicum, Mitchell Stotler

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

The American Virtual Institute: The COVID Practicum is a practicum experience focused on presenting to Hungarians and other international attendees about American wellness, leadership, and lifestyle. This practicum experience was completed entirely online via Zoom, Google Meets, and Facebook Live over the 2020-2021 academic year.

Spirituality And Opioid Addiction Recovery, Carol A. Ammon, Msn, Mba, Dnp, Stacey Boyer, Psyd, Stephen Dutton, Mdiv, Pd, Courtney Slater, Phd

Full-Text Theses & Dissertations

Purpose: Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) is chronic relapsing disease and requires intense rehabilitation. A link between spirituality and addiction recovery. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether addressing spiritual concerns among hospitalized patients with OUD warrants a specific intervention to assist patients with their unique spiritual needs.

Methods: This qualitative-only study recruited fourteen eligible participants and resulted in five qualitative interviews. The FICA Spiritual Assessment Tool© was used to conduct the interviews and all interviews were coded for theme development.

Results: The results of this study demonstrated that spirituality as a phenomenon in addiction recovery can be determined …

Stress And Coping Among American Indian And Alaska Natives In The Age Of Covid-19, Tristesse Burton, Johanna E. Adlam, Megan Murphy-Belcaster, Melva Thompson-Robinson, Carolee Dodge Francis, Daryl Traylor, Eboni Anderson, Kristina Ricker-Boles, Sutton King

Honors College Faculty Research

The COVID-19 pandemic compounds stressors of daily life among American Indian/Alaska Natives. This study investigated the impact of COVID-19 among American Indian/Alaska Natives and non-Hispanic whites by examining depressive symptoms, overall stress, resilience, and coping, utilizing the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping. Of the 207 individuals participating in this study, 109 identified as American Indian/Alaska Native and 98 as non-Hispanic white. Despite demographic similarities, American Indian/Alaska Natives exhibited more stressors related to COVID-19 as well as higher depressive symptom scores compared to non-Hispanic whites. Furthermore, COVID-19 stressors were more positively correlated with depressive symptoms for American Indian/Alaska Natives than …

Improvisation As A Teaching Tool For Improving Oral Communication Skills In Premedical And Pre-Biomedical Graduate Students, Marianne Phelps, Catrina White, Lin Xiang, Hollie I. Swanson

Theatre and Dance Faculty Publications

Objective:

To evaluate the relationship between training in theatre improvisation and empathy, communication, and other professional skills.

Methods:

Undergraduate and graduate students who were participants of a 10-week summer undergraduate research program engaged in theatre improvisation techniques during a 3-hour workshop. In Study #1, a de-identified, self-report questionnaire (known as the Empathy Quotient) was administered prior to and following the workshop. Paired sample 2-tailed t-tests were performed to evaluate pre- and post-test scores. To identify additional benefits of engaging in theatre improvisation techniques, Study #2 was performed. Here, a survey was administered to the participants following their completion of …

Life Repurposed: Finding A New Calling Through Meaningful Occupation, Jennifer K. Fortuna

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Kelly Allen, an occupational therapist and artist based in Grand Rapids, MI, provided the cover art for the Spring 2021 edition of the Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT). “Follow” is a 16” x 20” painting made from oil on panel. The painting, which features a coati from Central America, is from Kelly’s Animal Totem series. After more than 2 decades as a fine artist and educator, she began searching for a career change. Kelly’s background in fine art and her desire to help others prepared her for a career in occupational therapy. Certain events in Kelly’s life aligned not …

Effective Imagery In Scientific Etextbooks, Jordan Moore

Scholars Week

This presentation overviews the benefits of eTextbook images in the fields of science.

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 96, No. 25, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news. This issue contains articles:

• Mitchell, McKenna. Miles (and a Virus) Apart: How Long Distance Couples Are Navigating COVID-19
• Non-Stop Semesters Have Increased Student Burnout
• Dobbs, Jack. Just Jammin’ – Horse Cave
• Latimer, Jacob. New Provost to Promote Student Success – Robert Fischer aka Bud
• Tolbert, Ellie. Facebook Page for Women Creates Community – WKU Sorority Swap
• Moore, Jake. WKU Set to Play Middle Tennessee State University in 1^st Conference Matchup – Softball
• Sparkman, Wyatt. Hilltoppers Claim First C-USA Sweep Over Marshall – Baseball
• Kieser, Nick. Holding the Rope: …

"Inclusive Inquiry." 14th Annual Research Week: Event Proceedings, University Of The Incarnate Word

Excellence Summit (Research Week) Archived Proceedings

Presentations of completed and ongoing research activity conducted by graduate and undergraduate students and faculty at University of the Incarnate Word. Coordinated and presented by the Office of Research and Graduate Studies.

Ada News - 04/12/2021, American Dental Association, Publishing Division

ADA News

Established in 1970 as the official newspaper of the American Dental Association, the ADA News serves practicing dentists and others allied to the dental profession in the U.S. and internationally. It is the No. 1 source of news and information about the many benefits and services the ADA delivers to members daily as well as timely information on scientific, social, political and economic developments affecting dentistry and health care.

Remembering., Emmanuel Philor

Jefferson Hospital Staff Papers and Presentations

This reflection heightens the value of the role of chaplain during the time of the pandemic.

Immunization Verification At Christian Camps, Katherine Stacey

Senior Honors Theses

No standard exists among Christian camps regarding immunization verification for program participants. The best practice for Christian camps regarding immunization verification is debated because of religious reasons, camper and staff safety, and state mandates. This research examines the current practice of Christian Camp and Conference Association (CCCA) affiliated camps regarding immunization verification. It was conducted by emailing a seven-question survey to over 700 CCCA camps. Just over 100 camps responded. The study found that roughly two-thirds of CCCA camps practice no method of immunization verification. In response to this result, the researchers propose a best practice for Christian camps regarding …

Systematic Visuo-Textual Analysis: A Framework For Analysing Visual And Textual Data, Nicole Brown, Jo Collins

The Qualitative Report

As qualitative research has evolved, researchers now often combine interviews with the production of photographs, artefacts, collages, maps or drawings and the like. However, in practice, the artefacts produced are used to eliciting experiences and stimulating conversations rather than as data, per se, which is often due to the lack of guidelines for how to deal with the artefacts as data in a systematic analytical process. In this article, we present the Systematic Visuo-Textual Analysis, a framework developed to provide much-needed support for qualitative researchers in analysing artefacts in combination with interviews. Drawing on existing frameworks for visual and textual …

In With A Runny Nose, Out In A Body Bag: Why Is It So Difficult For Black Women To Leave The Hospital Alive?, Chelsea Carter

Scholars Week

In the Black community, there is an unspoken understanding about Black people going to the doctor with a runny nose, and leaving in a body bag. A recent article published by The Oprah Magazine demonstrates that racism is rampant in the United States healthcare system, and it is taking the lives of Black women at an alarmingly disproportionate rate (Stallings, 2018). When seeking medical treatment, many Black women are at the mercy of doctors who possess an implicit bias against Black women. Simply put, implicit bias describes the phenomenon in which people behave and treat others based on negative preconceptions …

The Opioid Crisis Meets Covid-19 Pandemic, Hannah M. Westerman

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

Abstract: How have the COVID-19 pandemic and the Opioid Crisis have collided to create a negative effect on those who abuse drugs and other substances? These two wicked problems are now collectively making it more difficult for those to recover and overcome substance and drug abuse worsening the Opioid Epidemic. With no clear answer in sight can vaccines and more accessible rehab help to progress these wicked problems?

Corruption In Capsules: How It Is Legal For Companies To Put Harmful Ingredients In Vitamins And Dietary Supplements, Emily Leggiero

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

The vitamin and supplement industry has increased exponentially in profits as well as potential products on the market since the turn of the century. However, these products are not regulated, nor do they undergo any premarket clinical research or testing. Public health is compromised by vitamins and supplements that are available for American consumption that is disproportionately unregulated to their chemically similar counterparts. This wicked problem is facilitated through the combination of historical legislative definitions that has since been distorted for corrupt administrative gain through the allotment of corporate expenditures. Company disbursements are made to the same policymakers that create …

Obesity: A Growing Concern In America, Julie T. Garrity

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

No abstract provided.

Drug Addiction & Mental Health, Tyler Burkholder

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

Drugs have a serious effect on our mental health, and mental health has a major effect on drug abuse and addiction. There is a reason so many drug users usually need to keep going back to rehab. It is because drugs affect mental health to a point where you aren’t the same person during and even after drug addiction. Poor mental health also can be a major cause influencing people to start doing drugs. People with depression, anxiety disorders, mood disorders are more prone to drug use. That is why we need to make it a public policy to screen …

Save The Rich, Connor Harris

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

The problem of medication pricing and lobbying in the healthcare industry has caused millions of people within the United States to not be able to afford medications essential to their lives. Pharmaceutical companies are taking advantage of the need people have for certain drugs by setting the sale price far higher than it costs to produce. My suggested solution is to make lobbying illegal in the United States so that pharmaceutical companies would not have control over government officials who pass laws to help or hurt the issue of medication pricing. Illegalizing government lobbying will take away the incentive politicians …

The Struggle Of Mental Health Within College Students, Skyler R. West

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

One in five college students have thoughts of committing suicide daily. We often wonder what may lead to thoughts like this. This essay uses a subjective approach to broaden the knowledge of readers regarding mental health problems within college students. In this essay, readers discover the statistical findings of factors like alcohol, nicotine, schoolwork and athletics factoring into a student's psychological destressed mental state. Without having available and anonymous resources accessible to them, students are not able to get the help they need.

Mental Health In Music: Why Are We Not Talking About It?, Christian Pence

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

The music business has taken many hits over the past 20 years, and we are seeing musicians slowly going extinct. There are so many factors that are hurting musicians, and workers in the music business. Back in the 80’s and 90’s, we were investing in music like no tomorrow. So many concerts were happening, and so many Broadway shows were going on. We were really supporting our musicians, and we were helping them in any way we could. But society, has not been investing in musicians, causing certain problems, like financial stability, mental health problems, and making music more of …

Physician Burnout: Stress Within The Health Care System, Aidan Hauser

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

As our nation’s healthcare system expands, more stress and responsibility are placed on our physicians and frontline healthcare workers. The pressures of the daily job often prove extremely damaging to the employee’s mental and physical health. Physician and worker burnout is a growing epidemic that is damaging our care providers more and more every day. Burnout effects not only workers, but all of those surrounding them as well. This plague is not going to be repaired by one single change, but it is clear that many adjustments must be made to reform our healthcare system.

Mental Health And Covid-19, Haley Thiel

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

The recent pandemic has taken a toll on everyone’s mental health. Transitioning to full freedom and opportunity to lockdown with no human interaction was a huge adjustment. The global pandemic especially hit home to college students and had a significant impact on universities. In this paper we discuss and analyze how the pandemic has shifted college students mental health and the negative toll it had. We will examine how anxiety, depression, and other general mental health disorders have skyrocketed in college students during the pandemic. The need for reform and attention on college campuses to preserve students mental health is …

The Covid Ceiling: Super-Moms Are Struggling, Verónica C. Gonzales

Faculty Scholarship

COVID Ceiling is the unique combination of identity, discipline, and academic work requirements with care crisis and public health crisis that is contributing to the current and soon larger wave of mental health crises.

Obesity Among Hispanics: The Relationship To Lifestyles, Socioeconomic Characteristics, And Education, Stacey Harmer

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Honorable Mention Winner

In the Hispanic community, there are multiple factors that increase the probability of obesity. Among them are the diets and changes in diets over the past several decades, lifestyles and urbanization that have promoted sedentarism, status in society and stratification, education, and gender. Among the populations, women have higher risk of obesity in the Hispanic community. Education and socioeconomic status plays differing roles in the rates of obesity in developed and developing countries. Socioeconomic status affects the resources and support that are available. Urbanization increases the likelihood of adopting diets that are higher in fats and refined …

Invisible Tolls Of Immigration: Mental Health Among Young Immigrants, Mira Shoukry, Nuria Ibanez

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

This brief literature review details existing research surrounding the topic of mental health among young immigrants while bringing attention to a widely ignored issue. While those born in the United States are generally aware of the large Hispanic immigrant population in the country, most do not witness the extremely difficult and often traumatic process of immigration. A search of the PubMed database has revealed a severe lack of research into the unique factors affecting the mental health of young immigrants. Despite limited studies, there appears to be a general consensus that immigrant children in particular are at a significantly increased …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 96, No. 24, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news. This issue contains articles:

• Latimer, Jacob. Original Title IX Reporter Anticipates Records Release – Nicole Ares
• Bunton, Gabrielle. Bowling Green’s Redevelopment Effect on Black Community – Shake Rag, Jonesville
• Gaskin, Loren. How Twitch Will Be the Future of Media
• Meyer-Thornton, Zane. Nestled in Nature – Lost River Cave
• Gaylord, Kaden. Appreciating Success in Women’s Sports – Softball, Soccer, Volleyball, Basketball
• Sparkman, Wyatt. Hilltoppers Drop Series at Florida International University, Host Marshall – Baseball
• Lamb, Cassady. WKU Volleyball Set to Play in NCAA Tournament

Five Love Languages: Assessment Of Marital Satisfaction In African American Couples, Freddricka C. Lee

LSU Master's Theses

This mixed-methods study examined marital satisfaction among five (n = 10) heterosexual, African American married couples. In particular, this study examined how acknowledging a partner’s love language (Chapman, 1995) can affect these couples’ level of marital satisfaction. The participants were native to the South and ranged from 26-55 years of age. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of the data revealed couples were satisfied with their marriages. Although only marginally significant, the findings also revealed acknowledging a spouse’s love language was positively related to higher levels of marital satisfaction. Seven themes emerged throughout the interviews, namely communication; financial stability; understand a spouse’s …

Ceramic Studio Assistant, Allison Jones, Adam Yungbluth

2021 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Oral Presentations

The research project will focus on learning the various activities involved in running a college level Ceramics Studio. Activities will include clay mixing for Ceramics 1 courses, mixing studio glazes & slips, firing bisque, reduction, soda, & wood kiln, and other activities to improve the Ceramics Studio.

The Art Of Preservation, Sinclaire Dorsey, Melissa Yungbluth

2021 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Oral Presentations

Proper preservation of creative works is imperative to sustaining documentation for future generations’ education. Exhibition designers, such as the students awarded with the undergraduate research fellowship for the Golding-Yang gallery, must be mindful of the environmental factors that impact creative works. For instance, light sensitivity of the materials can be overwhelmed by ultraviolet and infrared radiation produced by the sun. Atmospheric humidity, when not regulated, will destroy irreplaceable artwork that could provide future historians a better understanding of modern culture. Extreme temperatures are devastating to the preservation of artistic works. The regulation of these environmental factors will provide future generations …

Low Stress Handling Techniques In Shelter Animals And The Overall Effects On Physiological Parameters, Ashley Swim, Courtney Smart, Amy Staton

2021 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Oral Presentations

Animal shelters tend to be a very stressful environment for dogs as there are many new sounds, smells, and animals. This stress is not only bad for their psychological health and can lead to behavioral issues, but it can also have an impact on their physical health. Stress impacts multiple systems of the body, resulting in increased heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, temperature and even blood glucose levels in dogs. The impact stress has on these systems can lead to a compromised immune system and increases the probabilities of the dog becoming ill. However, by using Fear Free methods, …