Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Estimation Of Health Risks Caused By Metals Contained In E-Cigarette Aerosol Through Passive Vaping, Wei-Chung Su, Jinho Lee, Kai Zhang, Su-Wei Wong, Anne Buu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

It is expected that secondary exposure to e-cigarette aerosol (passive vaping) will soon become an issue of public health. Passive vaping inhales e-cigarette aerosol containing similar harmful substances as active vaping. However, parallel studies on passive vaping are minimal. Therefore, there is a need for passive vaping-related health risk studies to assess the impact of vaping on public health. This research conducted a series of experiments in a room using a puffing machine and the Mobile Aerosol Lung Deposition Apparatus (MALDA) to study e-cigarette aerosol respiratory deposition through passive vaping. The experimental data acquired were applied to estimate the deposited …

A Survey Analysis Of Southeastern U.S. Dairy Producers’ Emotional States And Their Subjective Pain Perception Of Dairy Cows, Michelle M. Schuh

Theses and Dissertations

Dairy producers play a central role in evaluating and seeking treatment or care for animal pain. The primary aim of this study is to examine dairy producers’ emotional states and professional quality of life and analyze the relationship between these variables and their perception of pain in dairy cattle. Dairy farm owners and managers of 65 southeastern U.S. herds participated in a survey that included demographic information, the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale, a modified Professional Quality of Life Scale, and 23 items requiring participants to evaluate various painful conditions in cattle.

Dog Tired: Examining The Relation Between Dog And/Or Cat Ownership And Owners’ Sleep, Courtney J. Bolstad

Theses and Dissertations

Sleep is an essential part of life, and obtaining quality sleep is important for various areas of functioning. Behaviors to promote sleep include physical activity, managing stress, reducing anxiety symptoms, maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, and obtaining bright light exposure. Many of these behaviors overlap with benefits observed from pet ownership (PO). The present study aimed to examine the relation between PO and sleep as well as moderators and mediators of this relation. Four research questions were examined: 1) Is PO significantly related to sleep? 2) Does gender moderate the relation between PO and sleep? 3) Do sleep-promoting behaviors (i.e., …

Students Of Color And Covid-19: Experiences, Coping Strategies, And Supports, Amie S. Kang, Barbora Hoskova, Chung Yu Liu, Arisa Viddayakorn, Molly Binder, Belle Liang, Betty S. Lai

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

The coronavirus disease of 2019, known as the COVID-19 pandemic, is a disaster event that posed significant physical, social, financial, and mental health risks to college students. Disproportionate experiences of stressors position students of color as a population particularly vulnerable to the negative impacts of COVID-19, thus, the current study assessed the impact of COVID-19 on undergraduate students of color in the United States. Students participated in semi-structured in-depth interviews about their experiences with stressors during the pandemic. Data were analyzed using conventional content analysis and revealed themes including (a) the pandemic’s impact on students; (b) basic needs as college …

Addressing Psychosocial Client Factors In People With Cancer: An Occupational Therapy Guidebook, Hannah Marlette, Steven M. Gerardi, Tiffany Bystra

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

People with cancer have an increased risk of impaired occupational engagement and occupational performance due to the physical, cognitive, and psychosocial impacts of cancer and cancer treatment (Duker & Sleight, 2019; Pergolotti et al., 2016; Polo & Smith, 2018).

The involvement of occupational therapy (OT) in the care of people with cancer remains limited, resulting in a finite amount of literature on OT interventions to address this population (Pergolotti et al., 2016). The primary focus of OT for people with cancer has been on physical client factors and interventions, and people with cancer report that their psychosocial factors are being …

Pediatric Firearm Injury Epidemiology At A Level 1 Trauma Center From 2019 To 2021: Including Time Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Cynthia Orantes, Hei Kit Chan, Daniel Walter, Summer Chavez, Irma T Ugalde

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Firearms are a leading cause of death in children. The demand for firearms increased following COVID-19 "stay-at home orders" in March 2020, resulting in record-breaking firearm sales and background checks. We aim to describe the changes in pediatric firearm-related injuries, demographics, and associated risk factors at a Level 1 trauma center in Houston before and during the COVID 19 pandemic.

RESULTS: The total number of pediatric firearm-related injury cases increased during March 15th to December 31st, 2020 and 2021 compared to the same time period in 2019 (104 verses 89 verses 78). The demographic group most affected across years …

Geriatric Interest Plan For Individuals With Dementia: Improved Quality Of Life, Alexis T. Francois

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

The purpose of this Capstone experience was to identify the specific needs to improve the quality of life for individuals with Dementia and Alzheimer’s. According to the Alzheimer’s Association (2022a), 1 in 9 people aged 65 and older have dementia. It is imperative for people living with this disease to be actively involved in meaningful activities that can reduce their negative symptoms. People with dementia constitute 40% of patients with significant depression (Alzheimer’s Association, 2022a). The common risk factors that increase the likelihood of depression in these adults include social isolation and loneliness, lack of exercise, and functional limitations that …

Csf1r Regulates Schizophrenia-Related Stress Response And Vascular Association Of Microglia/Macrophages, Ling Yan, Yanli Li, Fengmei Fan, Mengzhuang Gou, Fangling Xuan, Wei Feng, Keerthana Chithanathan, Wei Li, Junchao Huang, Hongna Li, Wenjin Chen, Baopeng Tian, Zhiren Wang, Shuping Tan, Alexander Zharkovsky, L Elliot Hong, Yunlong Tan, Li Tian

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Microglia are known to regulate stress and anxiety in both humans and animal models. Psychosocial stress is the most common risk factor for the development of schizophrenia. However, how microglia/brain macrophages contribute to schizophrenia is not well established. We hypothesized that effector molecules expressed in microglia/macrophages were involved in schizophrenia via regulating stress susceptibility.

METHODS: We recruited a cohort of first episode schizophrenia (FES) patients (n = 51) and age- and sex-paired healthy controls (HCs) (n = 46) with evaluated stress perception. We performed blood RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) and brain magnetic resonance imaging, and measured plasma level of colony stimulating …

My Happy Baby Is Back: Zero Balancing, Craniosacral Therapy And A Baby’S Journey To Becoming Mobile, Veronica Quarry

Journal of Transformative Touch

Alison began receiving ZB and CST at 13 months of age due to gross motor delays: at that age she was only able to sit somewhat rigidly. After the first session, Alison changed` from being very unhappy and seemingly frustrated to being happy and more calm. Within one month of weekly sessions, Alison was able to be on her tummy, began to crawl, became more agile in seated play, was squatting and standing and took her first steps.

The Efficacy Of Group-Based Acceptance And Commitment Therapy For Decreasing Post-Stroke Depression To Improve Functional Outcomes, Lindsay Marie Folsom

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

An Occupation Based Program: Supporting Mothers Through Pregnancy And Postpartum, Precious Barnett, Monica Watford, La'shandra Russell

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

This capstone project aimed to discover the effects of occupational therapy services with women who may experience or who are at risk for postpartum depression. Supporting Mothers Through Pregnancy and Postpartum is the developed capstone program. This program included occupation-based activities and resources to encourage occupational participation and engagement. This program used an integrative approach to support the participants of this project. This poster presentation includes background information regarding this population, the methods used to develop the program, program topic themes and goals, and links to view the program’s deliverables.

Identifying Associations Between The Family Environment And Anxiety And Depression Among Children Ages 0-17 In The United States, Reagan A. Richardson, Nicole M. Holt

OUR Journal: ODU Undergraduate Research Journal

This study analyzes whether physical, emotional & neurological, family environment, or community-related factors display the strongest association with anxiety and depression among children ages 0-17 in the United States.

Using IBM SPSS v. 27, we conducted a univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis on data from the 2017 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) with a sample size of 21,599. Our independent variables included 30 questions from the NSCH which were compared to a mental health index score.

Our study shows that about 10.6% of children suffer from either anxiety, depression, or both, and the univariate model found that 19 …

A Program Evaluation Of Domestic Violence Screening At A Large Urban Hospital., Taylor L'Heureux

Doctor of Nursing Practice Papers

Domestic violence has been deemed a direct invasion and violation of human rights by the World Health Organization (2021). Due to the continuous rise in cases of domestic violence, national organizations like the United States Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) have recommended that healthcare providers screen patients for this abuse. The purpose of this study was to reinforce the current screening procedure and protocol to ensure that each patient was screened for domestic violence before being discharged from the hospital. This study evaluated a quality improvement project formed to promote the completion of a preexisting domestic violence screening form that …

Introduction Of A Policy Adherence Plan In An Outpatient Buprenorphine Treatment Clinic., Stacie Switzer Cheney

Doctor of Nursing Practice Papers

Abstract

Background: Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) is one of the most effective pharmacological therapies for opioid dependence. Regular urine drug screening to include random urine drug screens at least once a month is a key factor in improving quality care for those receiving treatment in an outpatient MAT clinic.

Problem: A rural outpatient MAT clinic has a current random urine policy that is not being utilized when treating clients with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). This increases the risk of diversion and misuse of buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone), thus increasing the risk of overdose and death for OUD patients.

Environment: This project was implemented …

Older Women’S Stories Of Covid-19 Loss: Communicated Narrative Sense-Making Through Photography, Anne Walker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The diverse array of challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic make it difficult to assess the full impact of this global health crisis. More than 300,000 older Americans died, leaving a nation of grieving survivors in their absence. This profound loss of life will undoubtedly inform the field’s understanding of grief and grieving for many years to come. Pre-pandemic, older women in the United States understood grief to be part of their life stage; COVID-19 amplified the grief experience through both cumulative losses and the isolation particular to the novel coronavirus response. However, few qualitative studies explore older women’s grief, …

A Call To Action: Person-Centered Care Aligned With Reproductive Justice For Incarcerated Pregnant People With Substance Use Disorder, Essence Hairston, Aunchalee El Palmquist, Andrea K. Knittel, Kevin Mensah-Biney, Crystal M. Hayes, Amelia Mack, Hendrée E. Jones

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Although research has proven that jails and prisons are ineffective in preventing or reducing substance use among pregnant people, the USA continues to rely heavily on the criminal legal system as its intervention. Pregnant people with an opioid use disorder are more likely to experience incarceration than pregnant people without an opioid use disorder. In some states, pregnant people are transported from jail to prison through the process of safekeeping in order to receive physical or mental health care that the jail does not provide, despite conviction status. When pregnant and postpartum safekeepers with an opioid use disorder experience incarceration, …

Greater Portland Health Homeless Opioid User Service Engagement Program: Final Evaluation Report, Mary Lindsey Smith Phd, Evelyn Ali Bs, Tyler Egeland Ba, Katharine Freund Mph, Thomas Chalmers Mclaughlin Msw, Phd, Katie Rosingana Ba

Substance Use Research & Evaluation

Given the high rates of overdoses in the Bayside area of Portland, Maine, as well as the shortage of providers and services to meet the complex medical and social determinant of health (SDOH) needs of individuals who are experiencing homlessness (IWAEH), with funds from the State of Maine, Greater Portland Health and Preble Street collaborated to implement the HOUSE Program. The HOUSE Program was implemented in the Greater Portland metropolitan area with a specific focus on expanding the continuum of care at Greater Portland Health’s Bayside Homeless site to include comprehensive SUD treatment, case management and housing services to IWAEH. …

Neuroimaging Manifestatations In Covid-19 And Its Sequelae, Abhigna M, Vikram Patil

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged as a novel pathogenic virus in late 2019, infecting millions of people with severe pulmonary infections. It spread worldwide in a short time and became a pandemic, after which the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a public health emergency. Central nervous system involvement by COVID-19 is already an established entity in the literature. The aim of this study was to evaluate in detail the acute and delayed neurological manifestations of COVID -19.

RESULTS: COVID-19 infection can cause various neurologic manifestations and imaging findings. The most common neuroradiological abnormality is cerebrovascular …

The Journey From Drug Addiction To Drug Withdrawal: A Christian Gospel Rehabilitation Program In Taiwan, Pi-Ming Yeh

ETSU Faculty Works

Background

World Drug Report estimates the number of opioid users at 53 million and identifies opioids as responsible for two thirds of the 585,000 people who died as a result of drug use in 2017.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to analyze the testimonies of 30 people regarding their journeys from drug addiction to drug withdrawal in Taiwan.

Methods

This was a qualitative research design. The sample inclusion criteria were as follows: (a) being a drug abuser, (b) completed the Christian Gospel Drug Withdrawal Program or church-sponsored program, and (c) shared their related testimony on the Good TV …

Adverse Childhood Experiences Among Adolescent Girls In Residential Treatment: Relationship With Trauma Symptoms, Substance Use, And Delinquency, Akemi E. Mii

Department of Psychology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) refer to negative events during childhood or adolescence including abuse, maltreatment, and exposure to household dysfunction (Kalmakis & Chandler, 2014). ACEs are associated with negative outcomes including mental and behavioral health concerns and offending (Fox et al., 2015). The risk of negative outcomes associated with ACEs increases when an individual experiences polyvictimization (experiencing multiple types of adverse events; Felitti et al., 1998; Finkelhor et al., 2011). A majority of adolescents served by residential treatment programs (RTPs) have experienced polyvictimization (Briggs et al., 2013). Research examining juvenile offending and youth delinquency has focused on boys. Thus, research …

Examining The Experience And Impact Of Teen-To-Teen Crisis Line Work For Youth Volunteers: A Pilot Study, Taylor Kalgren

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

For young people, suicide is a leading cause of death. In addition, suicidal thoughts and behaviors begin during adolescence, and rates are high during this developmental period. Crisis lines are one of the oldest suicide prevention strategies used today. Crisis line work is challenging, and therefore, examining the health and safety of these operators is critical. Teen-to-teen (t2t) crisis lines are a unique resource where adolescent volunteers help their similarity aged peers. The goal of this pilot study was to begin to evaluate the impact of t2t crisis lines for youth volunteers. Twenty youth crisis line volunteers (ages 15-20) were …

Navigating The Legal Landscape Of Mental Health In The Workplace: Insights For The Dental Practice, Gary Chamberlin Milr, Jd

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Dealing with an employee’s mental health situation poses complex challenges for human resource professionals. Dental practices, typically run by busy dentists or administrative managers, often lack a human resource professional and the legal expertise needed to navigate the intricacies of employment laws pertaining to mental health disabilities. Moreover, mental health issues in the workplace are sensitive, private matters that intersect with disability and leave laws and are still associated with cultural stigmas despite evolving societal attitudes. This article provides specific scenarios that give insights into the legal issues when managing dental office employees with mental health conditions. Readers should address …

J Mich Dent Assoc August 2023

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Every month, The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association brings news, information, and features about Michigan dentistry to our state's oral health community and the MDA's 6,200+ members. No publication reaches more Michigan dentists!

In this issue, the reader will find the following original content:

• A cover story on new dentist’s perceptions of professionalism.
• A feature on legal considerations when addressing employee wellness.
• A feature on the meaning of wellness by ADA Trustee Dr. Brett Kessler.
• Practice guidance on conducting a HIPAA security risk analysis.
• Commentary “The New Golden Age of Dentistry.”
• Editorial and regular department articles on MDA Foundation …

The Mediation Effects Of Adaptive Blindness Strategies On The Relation Between Institutional Betrayal From Military Sexual Assault And Mental Health Symptoms, Rachel L. Davies

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Military sexual assault is a serious and prevalent issue. The frequency with which military sexual assault occurs and the nature of the response to these events within the military system may contribute to institutional betrayal. Institutional betrayal is the failure of an institution, such as the military, to prevent sexual assault from occurring and/or the failure to support a survivor after sexual assault. Adaptive blindness strategies are forms of coping strategies that help individuals navigate a relationship they depend on when there is a betrayal. Two adaptive blindness strategies are self-blame and minimization. Although the adaptive blindness strategies may allow …

The Lived Experiences Of 911 Dispatchers With Compassion Fatigue: An Interpretive Phenomenology, Angela Johnson

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

911 dispatchers are the “first” first responders in an emergency and play an intrinsic role in the public safety continuum. 911 dispatchers are exposed to daily and cumulative stress from the repeated empathic engagement of those they serve, and from shift work, staffing shortages, and inability to make mistakes. However, there is a dearth of peer reviewed literature on 911 dispatchers and compassion fatigue (CF). CF is described as the emotional and physical exhaustion experienced due to the constant exposure to the trauma of others. CF symptomology in 911 dispatchers has far reaching implications for not only the citizens …

The Influence Of Minority Stress, Coping, And A Pandemic On The Relationship Between Sexual Orientation And Mental Health: A Mixed Methods Study, James Michael Macchia

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

For decades, scientific literature has shown that sexual minority individuals across populations are disproportionately affected by negative mental health outcomes when compared to their heterosexual counterparts. These disparities are largely attributable to minority stress. Coping is a significant factor that can impact the content and severity of mental health outcomes and coping behaviors have been shown to vary based on sexual orientation. Mental health outcomes may also differ between sexual minority subgroups due to additional factors such as double discrimination and bisexual invisibility/erasure. Moreover, factors such as internalized homophobia and community connectedness have demonstrated strong associations with sexual minority mental …

Exploring Methods To Reduce Stress In College Students: Dog-Assisted Therapy, Ashley A. Green

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Many young adults find their college years to be highly stressful. The American College Health Association (2021) found 48% of college students reported moderate to severe levels of psychological stress. Research has found that chronic stress, commonly found in the college population, can adversely affect the health and academic performance of college students (Campbell & Svenson, 1992). Universities have begun experimenting with and adopting a variety of strategies to help students manage stressors associated with college attendance. These initiatives have included relatively well-researched procedures such as meditation and yoga as well as emerging practices. Recently, some colleges have begun testing …

Effects Of A Self-Forgiveness Intervention On Recovery From Substance Use Disorders, Michael Saltzman

Dissertations

Previous research has highlighted the relationship between shame, guilt, and problematic substance use (Gueta, 2013; Luoma et al., 2019; McGaffin et al., 2013; Rahim & Patton, 2015). Self-forgiveness has been associated with positive outcomes for individuals in recovery with substance use disorders (SUDs), though only one prior study has explored the effects of a selfforgiveness intervention for individuals in treatment (Scherer et al., 2011). This study examines the effects of a self-forgiveness intervention on state shame and guilt, state self-forgiveness, and drug avoidance self-efficacy, and it is the first intervention study to focus on self-forgiveness for individuals with SUDs receiving …

Fibroblast-Derived Pi16 Sustains Inflammatory Pain Via Regulation Of Cd206+ Myeloid Cells, Rachelle Garrity, Neha Arora, Md Areeful Haque, Drew Weis, Ronnie T Trinh, Sanjay V Neerukonda, Susmita Kumari, Ibdanelo Cortez, Eroboghene E Ubogu, Rajasekaran Mahalingam, Diana Tavares-Ferreira, Theodore J Price, Annemieke Kavelaars, Cobi J Heijnen, Andrew J Shepherd

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Originally identified in fibroblasts, Protease Inhibitor (PI)16 was recently shown to be crucial for the development of neuropathic pain via effects on blood-nerve barrier permeability and leukocyte infiltration, though its impact on inflammatory pain has not been established. Using the complete Freund’s Adjuvant inflammatory pain model, we show that Pi16-/- mice are protected against sustained inflammatory pain. Accordingly, intrathecal delivery of a PI16 neutralizing antibody in wild-type mice prevented sustained CFA pain. In contrast to neuropathic pain models, we did not observe any changes in blood-nerve barrier permeability due to PI16 deletion. Instead, Pi16-/- mice display reduced macrophage density …

Assessing Sexual Minority Women’S Barriers And Facilitators To Seeking And Accessing Mental And Physical Healthcare: A Mixed Methods Study, Charlotte A. Dawson

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Sexual minority women (SMW) experience greater mental and physical health concerns when compared to heterosexual women. Three key areas of health SMW report these disparities are: mental health, binge eating/body size, and sexual and reproductive health. SMW also report difficulties accessing healthcare in these three areas. An exploratory sequential mixed methods design was utilized to assess barriers and facilitators to healthcare access for young SMW. Study 1 included 20 semi-structured interviews with SMW, resulting in themes of barriers and facilitators identified by participants. These themes were converted into scale items. In Study 2, an expert panel of mental and physical …