Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Efficacy Of Cannabis As A Substitute Addiction For Opiates, Clark Furlong

Theses and Graduate Projects

Background: Approaches to opiate addiction focus on abstinence and/or a harm reduction model that often utilizes substitute medications. Methadone and suboxone are the most prescribed drugs for opiate maintenance therapy. The long-term side effect profile and health consequences are undesirable. Research is looking for healthier alternatives.

Purpose: Opiate maintenance therapy participants have a mortality rate greater than twelve times that of the normal population, we seek to discover if cannabis can be a useful/safer alternative.

Methods: Following a comprehensive literature review a 7-question online survey was designed with SurveyMonkey to gauge current Augsburg students’ perception of cannabis as an alternative …

How Has Telehealth Impacted Access To Mental Health Services In The Hispanic Population In Minnesota?, Jesse Ochoa

Theses and Graduate Projects

Background: The Hispanic population in the US continues to grow and mental health services still have barriers lowering access to care.

Purpose: The purpose of this literature review is to look at the stressors and perceptions of mental health in Hispanics and analyze how telehealth has impacted access to care despite the barriers present.

Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted using google scholar using the search terms With this search criteria, 600 articles were available. Inclusion criteria were studies that provided a comprehensive view about specific topics like telehealth with the hispanic population, mental health specific to Hispanic needs, …

Metal(Loid) Uptake And Physiological Response Of Coix Lacryma-Jobi L To Soil Potentially Toxic Elements In A Polluted Metal-Mining Area, Qun Zhao, Hongyan Liu, Longhua Wu, Peter Christie, Xuewen Wang, Ghulam Rasool, Guilan Peng

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Coix lacryma-jobi L. is a traditional medicinal plant in east Asia and is an important crop in Guizhou province, southwest China, where there are elevated levels of soil mercury and arsenic (As). Exposure to multiple potentially toxic elements (PTEs) may affect plant accumulation of metal(loid)s and food safety in regions with high geological metal concentrations. Field experiments were conducted to study the effects of PTEs on metal(loid) accumulation and physiological response of C. lacryma in different plant parts at three pollution levels. Total root length, number of root tips, number of branches, and number of root crosses increased with increasing …

Pediatric Glioma Immune Profiling Identifies Tim3 As A Therapeutic Target In Braf Fusion Pilocytic Astrocytoma, Shashwat Tripathi, Hinda Najem, Corey Dussold, Sebastian Pacheco, Ruochen Du, Moloud Sooreshjani, Lisa Hurley, James P Chandler, Roger Stupp, Adam M Sonabend, Craig M Horbinski, Rimas V Lukas, Joanne Xiu, Giselle Lopez, Theodore P Nicolaides, Valerie Brown, Nitin R Wadhwani, Sandi K Lam, Charles David James, Ganesh Rao, Maria G Castro, Amy B Heimberger, Michael Decuypere

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Despite being the leading cause of cancer-related childhood mortality, pediatric gliomas have been relatively understudied, and the repurposing of immunotherapies has not been successful. Whole-transcriptome sequencing, single-cell sequencing, and sequential multiplex immunofluorescence were used to identify an immunotherapeutic strategy that could be applied to multiple preclinical glioma models. MAPK-driven pediatric gliomas have a higher IFN signature relative to other molecular subgroups. Single-cell sequencing identified an activated and cytotoxic microglia (MG) population designated MG-Act in BRAF-fused, MAPK-activated pilocytic astrocytoma (PA), but not in high-grade gliomas or normal brain. T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 3 (TIM3) was expressed on MG-Act and …

Mobile Sensing-Based Depression Severity Assessment In Participants With Heterogeneous Mental Health Conditions, Bishal Lamichhane, Nidal Moukaddam, Ashutosh Sabharwal

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Mobile sensing-based depression severity assessment could complement the subjective questionnaires-based assessment currently used in practice. However, previous studies on mobile sensing for depression severity assessment were conducted on homogeneous mental health condition participants; evaluation of possible generalization across heterogeneous groups has been limited. Similarly, previous studies have not investigated the potential of free-living audio data for depression severity assessment. Audio recordings from free-living could provide rich sociability features to characterize depressive states. We conducted a study with 11 healthy individuals, 13 individuals with major depressive disorder, and eight individuals with schizoaffective disorders. Communication logs and location data from the participants’ …

Pediatric Glioma Immune Profiling Identifies Tim3 As A Therapeutic Target In Braf Fusion Pilocytic Astrocytoma, Shashwat Tripathi, Hinda Najem, Corey Dussold, Sebastian Pacheco, Ruochen Du, Moloud Sooreshjani, Lisa Hurley, James P Chandler, Roger Stupp, Adam M Sonabend, Craig M Horbinski, Rimas V Lukas, Joanne Xiu, Giselle Lopez, Theodore P Nicolaides, Valerie Brown, Nitin R Wadhwani, Sandi K Lam, Charles David James, Ganesh Rao, Maria G Castro, Amy B Heimberger, Michael Decuypere

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Despite being the leading cause of cancer-related childhood mortality, pediatric gliomas have been relatively understudied, and the repurposing of immunotherapies has not been successful. Whole-transcriptome sequencing, single-cell sequencing, and sequential multiplex immunofluorescence were used to identify an immunotherapeutic strategy that could be applied to multiple preclinical glioma models. MAPK-driven pediatric gliomas have a higher IFN signature relative to other molecular subgroups. Single-cell sequencing identified an activated and cytotoxic microglia (MG) population designated MG-Act in BRAF-fused, MAPK-activated pilocytic astrocytoma (PA), but not in high-grade gliomas or normal brain. T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 3 (TIM3) was expressed on MG-Act and …

Awareness Of Nutrition's Impact On Mental Health And Ketogenic Diet’S Therapeutic Potential For Mental Illness And Other Chronic Disorders, Innocent Nsengiyumva

Theses and Graduate Projects

Mental health affects millions of people worldwide, and current pharmaceutical treatment approaches often lead to worse outcomes, weight gain, and increased cardiovascular risk. The ketogenic diet offers hope in the treatment of schizophrenia and other neurological and psychiatric disorders. The aim of this project is to explore public awareness of nutritional psychiatry and the ketogenic diet’s clinical utility for various conditions including schizophrenia, mood disorders, Parkinson’s, and multiple sclerosis. Study participants (n=108) completed a 12-question survey about individual nutritional habits and current knowledge of KD. Responses were obtained from medical students, practicing healthcare professionals, college undergraduate students, and members of …

Increasing Occupational Engagement In Adults With Anxiety And Depression Through Martial Arts, Alfred Franklin, Keisa Boykin

Summer 2024 OTD Capstone Symposium

This poster is for a capstone project that developed a martial arts program for adults with anxiety and depression to increase occupational engagement in these individuals.

Karate For Adolescent’S Mental Health, Brooke Albertson, Lakeisa Boykin, Amanda Piepgras

Summer 2024 OTD Capstone Symposium

Description: Mental health is essential for overall health because it affects emotional, psychological, and social well-being, which affects how individuals feel, act, and think (Center for Disease [CDC], 2022). Everyone can react differently to the same issue, which can cause diverse health risks (Gopalkrishnan, 2018). Mental health affects how people handle stress, interact with others, make choices, and participate in occupations that are important to them (CDC, 2022). Mental health issues are most prevalent in young adult, teen, and pre-teen populations.

By promoting based karate program, occupational therapy can prevent and/or reduce mental health issues (Bird, et al., 2019; Jurewicz, …

The Transition From In Person Sessions To Telemental Health Sessions For College Counseling Center Counselors, Katherine L. Karimian

Doctoral Dissertations

This study was conducted by applying Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to explore the lived experiences of college counseling center (CCC) counselors during their rapid switch from in person to online services as a result of university and colleges moving to remote education during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic (~March 2020 - August 2021). Six participants from different regions of the United States were interviewed via Zoom and analyzed through IPA. There were five themes that emerged:Blurred work/home boundaries, interpersonal relationships within work setting, adapting to teletherapy, impact of teletherapy on services, and preferring remote work. Emergent subthemes were parenting, …

Proximity Analysis Of Native Proteomes Reveals Phenotypic Modifiers In A Mouse Model Of Autism And Related Neurodevelopmental Conditions, Yudong Gao, Daichi Shonai, Matthew Trn, Jieqing Zhao, Erik J Soderblom, S Alexandra Garcia-Moreno, Charles A Gersbach, William C Wetsel, Geraldine Dawson, Dmitry Velmeshev, Yong-Hui Jiang, Laura G Sloofman, Joseph D Buxbaum, Scott H Soderling

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

One of the main drivers of autism spectrum disorder is risk alleles within hundreds of genes, which may interact within shared but unknown protein complexes. Here we develop a scalable genome-editing-mediated approach to target 14 high-confidence autism risk genes within the mouse brain for proximity-based endogenous proteomics, achieving the identification of high-specificity spatial proteomes. The resulting native proximity proteomes are enriched for human genes dysregulated in the brain of autistic individuals, and reveal proximity interactions between proteins from high-confidence risk genes with those of lower-confidence that may provide new avenues to prioritize genetic risk. Importantly, the datasets are enriched for …

Occupational Therapy’S Role In The Success And Positive Outcomes Of Youth Within The Foster System, Cassidy Solomon

Student Capstone Papers

This capstone paper will discuss the development of an occupational therapy program to support the needs of youth within the foster system and prepare this population to live independently. Background information including statistics, the need for occupational therapy, and the program specifics such as rationale, significance, and objective are discussed. The development of an occupational therapy program to aid in the success of children within the foster care system helps close a gap in research that will contribute to this population's success and positive outcomes. The purpose of this capstone was to develop a program for children in the foster …

Disparities And Protective Factors In Pandemic-Related Mental Health Outcomes: A Louisiana-Based Study, Ariane L. Rung, Evrim Oral, Tyler Prusisz, Edward S. Peters

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a wide-ranging impact on mental health. Diverse populations experienced the pandemic differently, highlighting pre-existing inequalities and creating new challenges in recovery. Understanding the effects across diverse populations and identifying protective factors is crucial for guiding future pandemic preparedness. The objectives of this study were to (1) describe the specific COVID-19-related impacts associated with general well-being, (2) identify protective factors associated with better mental health outcomes, and (3) assess racial disparities in pandemic impact and protective factors. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of Louisiana residents was conducted in summer 2020, yielding a sample of 986 Black …

Unmc Quick Checks: An “Opt-Out” Model For Health Profession Student Appointments With Mental Health Counseling Services, Hannah K. Tandon Md, Taylor J. Kratochvil Md, Ms, Katherine L. Keiser Ms, Limhp, Nicole J. Kent Bs, Kaitlyn E. Schultis Bs, Jeffrey W. Knapp Msw, Jeffrey P. Gold

Innovations in Health Sciences Education Journal

Background: Health professions trainees experience high rates of anxiety and depression but are often reluctant to seek help. Institutional outreach during pre-clinical training may identify vulnerable students, improve resource awareness, and destigmatize psychological counseling. The University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) Quick Check program is a novel opt-out program connecting health professions students to mental health counselors.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate student perceptions and utilization of mental health resources after participation in the UNMC Quick Check program.

Methods: For this limited pilot study, second-year pharmacy students were assigned to UNMC Quick Check appointments with UNMC …

The Role Of Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment In Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, Kathryn Workman, Andrea M. Bodine, Md, Victoria Tuttle, Do

Advances in Clinical Medical Research and Healthcare Delivery

Context: The United States opioid epidemic has been an ongoing public health crisis. Nationally, maternal opioid use resulted in 82% increase in Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS), from 2010 to 2017. The opioid withdrawal process of NAS can lead to somatic dysfunctions. Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) may decrease muscular and fascial strain in the body and provide relaxation to the NAS neonate.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to compare the length of hospital stay (LOS) of NAS neonates who received OMT, and neonates given standard medical care without OMT and to evaluate the change in weight of the two …

It’S More Than Skin Deep: Evaluating Mental Health Care In Dermatology Settings, Emma Kraft

Theses and Graduate Projects

Background: There is a high prevalence of mental health comorbidities in those with dermatologic conditions given the visible nature of many conditions. However, mental health often fails to be addressed due to lack of mental health education, stigma around mental health, and lack of mental health resources for patients. Purpose: This research study aims to assess how patients and providers experience and address mental health in dermatology settings. Methods: A systematic literature review was performed analyzing the relationship between dermatologic conditions and mental health. Additionally, a survey was conducted to assess how dermatology providers approach mental health in dermatology settings. …

Factors Affecting Mental Health Of College-Aged Individuals, Jada Shannon

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

College can be a trying time for many students, from the stresses of a new academic load to dealing with financial insecurities. This could be a time where mental health issues, like anxiety and depression, are first starting to emerge, and many look to find ways to cope that may not be beneficial. Previous research has looked at many factors individually as to what the underlying factors could be, but none examine the main factors, sleep, physical activity, social media, and digital technology, simultaneously and little is known about how these factors affect anxiety and depression, as well as the …

Utilizing The 4ms Framework To Create A Structure And Process To Support Voluntary Health Assessments In Affordable Housing, Elyse Perweiler, Jennifer Degennaro, Sherry Pomerantz, Marilyn Mock, Margaret Avallone, Aaron Truchil, Stephen Singer

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: A growing number of older adults live in senior affordable housing, many with limited support systems and representing underserved or disadvantaged populations. Staff in these buildings are in a unique position to identify and address the healthcare and biopsychosocial needs of their residents and link them to services and supports.

METHODS: Staff in four affordable housing sites received training on the 4Ms approach to caring for older adults and conducting resident health assessments. They learned to collect comprehensive health information using a 4Ms Resident Health Risk Assessment (4Ms-RHRA) and results are entered into a customized electronic database. Embedded flags …

Occupational Therapy’S Role Within The Foster System, Cassidy Solomon, Cassandra Nelson

Summer 2024 OTD Capstone Symposium

This poster will discuss the development of an occupational therapy program to support the needs of youth within the foster system to prepare this population to live independently. Background information including statistics, the need for occupational therapy, and the program specifics such as rationale, significance, and objective are displayed. The development of an occupational therapy program to aid in the success of children within the foster care system helps to close a gap in research that will contribute to the success and positive outcomes of this population. The purpose of this capstone was to develop a program for children in …

World Psychiatric Association-Asian Journal Of Psychiatry Commission On Public Mental Health, Dinesh Bhugra, Michael Liebrenz, Antonio Ventriglio, Roger Ng, Afzal Javed, Anindya Kar, Egor Chumakov, Helena Moura, Edgardo Tolentino, Susham Gupta, Roxanna Ruiz, Tarek Okasha, Margaret S. Chisolm, Joao Castaldelli-Maia, Julio Torales, Alexander Smith

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Although there is considerable evidence showing that the prevention of mental illnesses and adverse outcomes and mental health promotion can help people lead better and more functional lives, public mental health remains overlooked in the broader contexts of psychiatry and public health. Likewise, in undergraduate and postgraduate medical curricula, prevention and mental health promotion have often been ignored. However, there has been a recent increase in interest in public mental health, including an emphasis on the prevention of psychiatric disorders and improving individual and community wellbeing to support life trajectories, from childhood through to adulthood and into older age. These …

Applying Emotionally Focused Group Therapy With Collegiate Student-Athletes Experiencing Disordered Eating And Poor Body Image, Emily Wagener

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

Rates of eating disorders and sub-clinical disordered eating continue to rise each year, with higher rates seen among athletes than non-athletes (Curry, 2010). Fueled Athletes is a group-style intervention for collegiate student-athletes that uses Emotionally Focused Therapy to help group members identify and transform emotions that contribute to poor body image and disordered eating behaviors. The mission of Fueled Athletes is to create a program that addresses eating problems and body image disturbances experienced by student-athletes by creating a safe space, building a support network which will lead to decreasing rates of ED / DE within the student-athlete population. Future …

Development Of A Thwarted Belonging Measure In Older Adults: An Application To Neighborhood Context And The Moderating Role Of Neuroticism, Jaclyn Elisa Keenoy

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This research focuses on thwarted belonging (TB), its associations with the neighborhood contextual factors of social cohesion and physical disorder in older adults, and the moderating role of neuroticism. TB is a key component of the Interpersonal Psychological Theory of Suicide (IPTS) that has serious implications for health and well-being (Van Orden et al., 2012). Despite these implications, TB is less frequently investigated outside of the suicide literature. Thus, the first aim of this research was to create a valid measure of TB in a sample of 5,001 older adults using data from the Health and Retirement Study using a …

Engagement And Retention Of College Students With Anxiety And Depressive Symptoms In A Digital Mental Health Intervention Using A Brief Peer Support Model, Emily A. Kline

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) show promise in improving access to mental health care for college students suffering from depression and anxiety symptoms. Nonetheless, the usefulness of DMHIs is limited by high user attrition. Leveraging peer support among college populations may be a feasible and cost-effective option to improve DMHI engagement and improve mental health outcomes. This open pilot study evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and initial efficacy of a skill-based peer support group in enhancing user engagement in a DMHI for depression and anxiety symptoms. Participants were 20 undergraduate students at a university in New Jersey with elevated depression and …

Potential Impact Of Curative And Preventive Interventions Toward Hepatitis C Elimination In People Who Inject Drugs-A Network Modeling Study., Lin Zhu, William W. Thompson, Liesl Hagan, Liisa M. Randall, Abby E. Rudolph, April M. Young, Jennifer R. Havens, Joshua A. Salomon, Benjamin P. Linas

Center on Drug and Alcohol Research Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Injection-equipment-sharing networks play an important role in hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission among people who inject drugs (PWID). Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatments for HCV infection and interventions to prevent HCV transmission are critical components of an overall hepatitis C elimination strategy, but how they contribute to the elimination outcomes in different PWID network settings are unclear.

METHODS: We developed an agent-based network model of HCV transmission through the sharing of injection equipment among PWID and parameterized and calibrated the model with rural PWID data in the United States. We modeled curative and preventive interventions at annual coverage levels of …

Buprenorphine Prescribing Characteristics Following Relaxation Of X-Waiver Training Requirements., Paul J. Christine, Rouba A. Chahine, Simeon D. Kimmel, Nicole Mack, Christian Douglas, Thomas J. Stopka, Katherine Calver, Laura C. Fanucchi, Svetla Slavova, Michelle R. Lofwall, Daniel J. Feaster, Michael Lyons, Jerel M. Ezell, Marc R. Larochelle

Center on Drug and Alcohol Research Faculty Publications

IMPORTANCE: Local-level data are needed to understand whether the relaxation of X-waiver training requirements for prescribing buprenorphine in April 2021 translated to increased buprenorphine treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether relaxation of X-waiver training requirements was associated with changes in the number of clinicians waivered to and who prescribe buprenorphine for opioid use disorder and the number of patients receiving treatment.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This serial cross-sectional study uses an interrupted time series analysis of 2020-2022 data from the HEALing Communities Study (HCS), a cluster-randomized, wait-list-controlled trial. Urban and rural communities in 4 states (Kentucky, Massachusetts, New York, and Ohio) …

A Culturally Responsive Approach To Mindfulness And Mental Health Informal Education, Anastasia Jerbic-Gonzalez

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The qualitative study examined the mental health aspects of marginalized elementary school students in addition to constructing and implementing a culturally responsive and sustaining mindfulness program to observe if there were improvements regarding emotional regulation and awareness. To achieve this, I constructed a culturally responsive and sustaining mindfulness program, implemented this program, and studied the responses from students. The research questions that fueled this study include: (1) What types of negative emotions do marginalized elementary students experience? What is the root cause for marginalized students experiencing negative emotions during their elementary school years? (2) How can incorporating mindfulness techniques embedded …

The Impact Of Sense Of Loneliness On Geriatric Depression: The Mediating Role Of Sense Of Mattering And Psychological Adjustment Download Pdf, Haya K. Aman Ms.

psychology

Background

Depression is a highly prevalent mental disorder in older adults, and among its highest risk factors is loneliness. Although this relationship is commonly evident, the mechanisms underlying it, such as sense of mattering and psychological adjustment, lack exploration. The current research aims to examine the relationship between loneliness and geriatric depression and explore the mediating roles of sense of mattering and psychological adjustment.

Methods

A sample of 200 older adults (63.5% females; mean age = 75.6; SD = 8.806) were recruited from 24 geriatric homes in Cairo, Egypt. Participants responded to the Arabic versions of the Mini-Mental State Examination …

The Frequency And Predictive Factors Of Change In Alcohol Consumption During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Results From A Multi-Country Longitudinal Study, Carolien Verhei, Nadja Alexandrov, Erica I. Lubetkin, Gouke J. Bonsel, John N. Yfantopoulos, Mathieu F. Janssen, Stephanie C.E. Schuit, Suzanne Polinder, Pleunie P.M. Rood, Juanita A. Haagsma

Publications and Research

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had multiple health and behavioral effects in the general population worldwide, including effects on nutritional and lifestyle behavior such as alcohol consumption. This study aimed to determine the frequency of and predictors for change in alcohol consumption two years after onset of the COVID-19 pandemic among participants from the general population of six countries. Methods: Longitudinal study design with 4999 participants (47% male; aged 18–75 years) from a general population cohort from six countries: Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (US). Measurements: Three web-based surveys at …

Contributors To Faculty Wellness In An Academic Emergency Department Before And During The Pandemic: A Qualitative Study, Nicholas D. Hartman, Casey Glass, Manoj Pariyadath, Kathleen Hosmer, Meagan Hunt, Nicklaus Ashburn, Cedric Lefebvre

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Burnout is well known as a prevalent hazard in emergency medicine (EM) careers, but the literature is less clear about what specific work-related factors actually contribute to wellness and burnout among academic EM faculty.

Objectives: 1) To explore themes and specific concerns that contribute to faculty wellness in an academic emergency department, in a qualitative fashion. 2) To determine whether these themes and concerns changed appreciably in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: EM faculty members at an academic institution were invited to participate in the study, including an on-line survey and a structured interview. Survey results were …

Stigma Reduction And Resiliency Training For First Responders (Srrt-Fr): A Feasibility And Initial Efficacy Evaluation, Thalia P. Nicholson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

First responders, especially law enforcement, frequently encounter individuals experiencing substance use concerns. Previous research has documented that a greater understanding of substance use disorders promotes a decrease in stigmatizing perspectives. We present a novel approach to training law enforcement officers to improve their interactions with community members exhibiting substance use disorders, while also promoting their professional well-being. The present study sought to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the Stigma Reduction and Resiliency Training for First Responders (SRRT-FR) in a sample of law enforcement officers, as well as its efficacy in decreasing stigmatizing perspectives towards substance use disorders and increasing …