Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Animals In Drama And Theatrical Performance: Anthropocentric Emotionalism, Peta Tait

Animal Studies Journal

This article outlines how nonhuman animals are framed by the emotions of drama, theatre and contemporary performance and considers a distinctive tradition in western culture of enacting animal characters who function as surrogate humans. It argues that, contradictorily, while animal characters confirm anthropocentric emotionalism, drama also contains pro-animal values and concern for animal welfare. Animals embodying emotions in theatrical languages are part of the way animals are used in the traditions of western culture and to think and philosophize with, but they also indicate thinking about the emotions in theatrical performance. The article considers if, however, staging living animals can …

Biomechanical Properties Of Land Based And Shallow Water Wait: A Comparative Review Of Literature, Mostafa Yaghoubi, Philip Fink, Wyatt H. Page, Sarah P. Shultz

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Aquatic locomotion exercises are frequently used in rehabilitation and cross-training for land-based athletes. Hydrostatic pressure, thermal conductivity and drag force affect a person's ability to move; therefore, it is important to understand differences of biomechanical gait in water vs land. This review investigated biomechanical differences between shallow water and land-based exercises. PubMed, Google Scholar, SPORTDiscus and Scopus were searched; 33 studies included walking forward (27), backward (6) and running (6). Electromyographic amplitude was similar or less in submaximal intensity during aquatic gait, in comparison to on land. At maximal intensities, however, the amplitude was similar (n=5) or higher (n=4) in …

International Tourism As A Threat To Public Health In Thailand, Liam G. Lane

Binghamton University Undergraduate Journal

From its unique history, Thailand has embraced its independence and benefited from its cultural and natural beauty. Transitioning from an agricultural to industrial economy due to the emergence of a strong tourism industry, Thailand has experienced a period of intensive urbanization that has re-shaped Thai lifestyle. Materializing as regional and social disparities, these consequences of industrialization have seemingly divided Thai society, separating those who benefit from the tourism sector while marginalizing those who do not. Additionally, this transition has threatened public health statuses within Thailand, and considering the current tourism trends seen over the past 20 years there is a …

Women Exiting Prostitution: Reports Of Coercive Control In Intimate Relationships, Tammy Schultz, Aimee A. Callender, Sally Schwer Canning, Jacey Collins

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

There is burgeoning research on intimate partner violence (IPV) experiences among women globally. However, there is a dearth of research on IPV experiences among marginalized populations in Western countries. Over the past decade, IPV research has shifted from a focus only on physical and sexual violence to include coercive control experiences. These include a continuum of nonviolent behaviors centered on maintaining dominance over one’s partner. However, the empirical literature on examining coercive control among women in prostitution within non-commercial intimate partners is lacking. In this study, we analyzed interviews with 17 women exiting prostitution and examined reported IPV sexual, physical, …

Editorial, H. Luis Vargas

Counseling and Family Therapy Scholarship Review

Editor-in-Chief H. Luis Vargas' editorial for the latest issue of Counseling and Family Therapy Scholarship Review.

Homeless And Helpless: How The United States Has Failed Those With Severe And Persistent Mental Illness, Ashley Gorfido

Journal of Law and Health

The United States has failed its citizens who suffer from severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI). Homelessness is one of the most obvious manifestations of this failure. The combination of a lack of effective treatment, inadequate entitlement programs such as Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), and subpar housing options form systemic barriers that prevent people suffering from mental illness from being able to obtain adequate housing. Cultural beliefs within the United States regarding who is homeless and what homelessness means also play a significant role in the development of positively impactful social welfare programs.

Part II of this Note reviews …

Healthy Vending Policy Increases Sales And Healthy Food Choices, Lauri Wright

Florida Public Health Review

Background: Vending machines can be a source of unhealthy food and beverages, potentially contributing to obesity and obesity-related diseases. However, vending machines are often a source of revenue for schools and hospitals. As such, interventions that improve the healthfulness of the snacks and beverages purchased may be a more acceptable solution than simply banning them from host institutions.

Methods: The purpose of this project was to evaluate the impact of a healthy vending policy to improve the quality of snacks and beverages purchased from vending machines. During the pilot, the usual snacks contained in the vending machines at a hospital …

Generational Impacts Of 1930s Housing Discrimination And The Imperative Need For The Healthy Start Initiative To Address Structural Racism, Brittney Butler, Michael Outrich, Jessica Roach, Arthur James

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

For nearly three decades, Healthy Start Initiative(HSI) has served communities with high rates of adverse pregnancy outcomes--with the goal to lower them by 50%. Despite a large focus on social determinants of health, HSI has narrowly addressed racism. The effects of legal housing discrimination continue to be felt and have profound implications for pregnancy. To understand the historical context of racism in these communities, we geospatially evaluated the relationship between HSI service areas and Home-Owners Loan Corporation(HOLC) graded maps. Using data from John Snow Inc, National Healthy Start Association, and Mapping Inequality we found that 73 of 100 communities served …

The Early Impact Of The Affordable Care Act Upon Colorectal Cancer Screening Utilization In Florida, Aldenise P. Ewing, Laura Baum, Rosalyn Roker, Marlene Joannie Bewa, Tali Schneider, Claudia F. Parvanta, Clement K. Gwede, Cathy D. Meade, Dinorah Martinez Tyson

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background: Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Although preventable and curable through screening, early detection and treatment, a lack of health insurance is a major obstacle to receiving colorectal cancer screening (CRCS). Despite the Affordable Care Act (ACA) increasing access to health insurance by mandating coverage of CRCS, disparities in utilization rates continue. Therefore, researchers sought to better understand ACA related facilitators and impediments that affect the utilization of CRCS and collect specific recommendations from healthcare professionals to increase screening utilization rates in Florida.

Methods: Researchers conducted in-depth interviews with …

Long-Term Outcomes Of Chronic, Recreational Marijuana Use, Celia G. Imhoff

The Corinthian

As numerous variations of cannabis become increasingly legalized in the United States, a growing body of research is emerging that reveals the adverse effects of chronic, recreational, and long-term marijuana use on human mental, emotional, and social development, general cognition, and academic and career performance. Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the nation and its potency continues to rise (Atkinson, 2016; Beaver, 2010; Gilman, 2015). Addiction scientists have found an association between chronic cannabis use and slowed neurocognitive function and information processing, measurable deficits in memory, learning, motivation, attention, persistent irritability, paranoia, insomnia, anxiety disorders, depression, general …

Sex Education In The United States: Implications For Sexual Health And Health Policy, Eliana R. Johnson

The Corinthian

There is much disagreement over what constitutes effective sex education in the United States. There are several reasons why America’s sex education system is outdated and problematic. First, it often advocates only for abstinence, which leaves people unprepared and unable to protect themselves if/when they choose to have sex, leading to higher rates of unintended pregnancies, abortions, and sexually transmitted infections in the U.S. than in any other developed nation in the world. In addition, the culture of fear surrounding sex education leads to negative attitudes among young people about sex. This can not only cause sexual dysfunction and strife …

Effect Of An Intervention To Improve Smoking Cessation Treatment In A Federally Qualified Healthcare Clinic, Shirley A. Camp

The Corinthian

Abstract

Significant progress has been made in the reduction of tobacco use in the United States, but the smoking prevalence among the socially and economically disadvantaged populations (i.e. individuals who are homeless, uninsured, LGBT, and living with HIV) is significantly higher than the general population (CDC, 2018b). As a result, these vulnerable populations carry a disproportionate burden of tobacco-related mortality and morbidity (CDC, 2018b). There is a cost-effective and evidence-based treatment for tobacco use dependence (Fiore et al, 2008), but the delivery by primary care providers to this population is inconsistent (Tyman, Bonevski, Paul, & Bryant, 2014). This study focused …

Dyspraxia In Medical Education: A Collaborative Autoethnography, Eleanor R. Walker, Sebastian C. K. Shaw, John L. Anderson

The Qualitative Report

In this paper we adopt an autoethnographic approach to explore the lived experiences of a UK medical student with dyspraxia within the current culture of UK medical education. An initial review of the literature revealed that there is now growing evidence regarding the difficulties experienced by, and support needed for medical students and doctors with dyslexia. However, no research has been conducted concerning dyspraxia on its own in medical education. Here we seek to provide an in-depth account of a UK undergraduate medical student with dyspraxia. It is hoped that this will have three outcomes: to support both students and …

“How Could You Even Ask That?”: Moral Considerability, Uncertainty And Vulnerability In Social Robotics, Alexis Elder

The Journal of Sociotechnical Critique

When it comes to social robotics (robots that engage human social responses via “eyes” and other facial features, voice-based natural-language interactions, and even evocative movements), ethicists, particularly in European and North American traditions, are divided over whether and why they might be morally considerable. Some argue that moral considerability is based on internal psychological states like consciousness and sentience, and debate about thresholds of such features sufficient for ethical consideration, a move sometimes criticized for being overly dualistic in its framing of mind versus body. Others, meanwhile, focus on the effects of these robots on human beings, arguing that psychological …

The Covid-19 Pandemic And Religious Travel: Present And Future Trends, Daniel H. Olsen, Dallen Timothy

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 has had dramatic effects on both the health and economic stability of countries around the world. While several scholars and media commentators have suggested that the pandemic would be a good time to reset an unsustainable tourism system, left out of these discussions has been the impacts on religion and religious travel. The purpose of this paper is to review the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on religion and religious travel, including the tensions that have arisen between religious communities, governments and health officials. The paper then discusses potential futures regarding religious travel in a …

Rural Appalachia Battling The Intersection Of Two Crises: Covid-19 And Substance Use Disorders, Margaret Miller, Rebekah Rollston, Kate E. Beatty, Michael Meit

Journal of Appalachian Health

During the COVID-19 pandemic, rural Appalachia is at great risk of unforeseen side effects including increased mortality from substance use disorders (SUDs). People living with SUDs are at increased risk for both exposure to and poor outcomes from COVID infection. The economic impacts of COVID-19 must also be considered. As rural Appalachia combats the substance use crisis amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the geographic economic, health and social inequities within our region must be considered. As a national recovery is sought, we should reimagine federal policies that center the economic and public health of rural Appalachia addressing the two crises.

Review Of: From The Front Lines Of The Appalachian Addiction Crisis Healthcare Providers Discuss Opioids, Meth And Recovery, Carl G. Leukefeld

Journal of Appalachian Health

The Journal of Appalachian Health is dedicated to reviewing various types of media related to contemporary concepts that affect the health of Appalachia. As the opioid-related overdose deaths ravish Appalachia, now more than ever, we each must devote energy to understanding addiction and pathways to recovery. Dr. Carl Leukefeld reviews the book From the Front Lines of the Appalachian Addiction Crisis: Healthcare Providers Discuss Opioids, Meth and Recovery.

The Landscape Of Connected Cancer Symptom Management In Rural America: A Narrative Review Of Opportunities For Launching Connected Health Interventions, Ming-Yuan Chih, Anna Mccowan, Sadie Whittaker, Melinda Krakow, David K. Ahern, Eliah Aronoff-Spencer, Bradford W. Hesse, Timothy W. Mullett, Robin C. Vanderpool

Journal of Appalachian Health

Background: The 2016 President’s Cancer Panel called for projects focusing on improving cancer symptom management using connected health technologies (broadband and telecommunications). However, rural communities, like those in Appalachia, may experience a “double burden” of high cancer rates and lower rates of broadband access and adoption necessary for connected health solutions.

Purpose: To better understand the current landscape of connected health in the management of cancer symptoms in rural America.

Methods: A literature search was conducted using four academic databases (PubMed, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO) to locate articles published from 2010 to 2019 relevant to connected cancer symptom management in …

In Their Own Words: How Opioids Have Impacted The Lives Of “Everyday” People Living In Appalachia, Patricia Nola Eugene Roberson, Gina Cortez, Laura H. Trull, Katherine Allison Lenger

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: The opioid epidemic is ravaging people, families, and communities in Appalachia. However, limited research has examined how “everyday” people (e.g., not chronic pain patients, not medical professionals) living in these communities how opioids have impacted their lives.

Objective: Identify the perception of the opioid epidemic on individuals, families, and communities from people living in region most impacted regions.

Methods: Patients were recruited at Remote Area Medical clinics throughout Central and Southern Appalachia to complete interviews online (N = 169) or over the phone (N = 26), including one open-ended question about how opioids have impacted their lives.

Results: Using …

Improving Access To Treatment For Opioid Use Disorder In High-Need Areas: The Role Of Hrsa Health Centers, Michael Topmiller, Jennifer Rankin, Jessica L. Mccann, Jene Grandmont, David Grolling, Mark Carrozza, Hank Hoang, Josh Bolton, Alek Sripipatana

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Despite the opioid epidemic adversely affecting areas across the U.S. for more than two decades and increasing evidence that medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is effective for patients with opioid use disorder (OUD), access to treatment is still limited. The limited access to treatment holds true in the Appalachia region despite being disproportionately affected by the crisis, particularly in rural, central Appalachia.

Purpose: This research identifies opportunities for health centers located in high-need areas based on drug poisoning mortality to better meet MAT care gaps. We also provide an in-depth look at health center MAT capacity relative to need …

Rural Community Toolbox To Help Battle Opioid Epidemic, Liz Carey

Journal of Appalachian Health

An online data repository and toolbox created by the Office of National Drug Control Policy is designed to provide communities with knowledge and resources to fight the opioid epidemic according to their unique needs.

Gut Reactions And Clinical Decisions, Joseph Friedli Md

Clinical Research in Practice: The Journal of Team Hippocrates

The author reflects on a patient encounter where the diagnosis was made by gut reaction.

Clinical Decision Science: Proof Of Concept, James Peter Meza Md, Phd, Nicholus Yee Md, Bennett Riddering Md, Ali Nasrallah Md, Urtė Zableckas Ms, Mbbs

Clinical Research in Practice: The Journal of Team Hippocrates

Clinical decision science, a newly identified area of scholarship, describes how clinical research is used for a patient, within the context of their unique social conditions. We hypothesize that physicians use sociocultural context as an important input to their decision making. We performed a prospective, randomized, double-blind mixed methods study. Family medicine faculty and residents at a community hospital family medicine residency were included in the study. After academic journal club discussing a primary research paper, physicians were asked if they would prescribe medication for a patient who was similar to the subjects in a research paper. However, social and …

Demographic, Psychosocial And Perceived Environmental Factors Associated With Depression Severity In A Midwest Micropolitan Community, Jason D. Daniel-Ulloa, Barbara I. Baquero, Christine M. Kava, Mayra L. Smith-Coronado, Nicole L. Novak, Dan Sewell, Adriana Maldonado, Heidi L. Haines, Claudia Gates, Edith Parker

Health Behavior Research

The purpose of this study was to inform a community-engaged partnership concerned with mental health in their community by exploring factors associated with depression among a sample of residents in a micropolitan city in a rural state. Social and contextual factors are important influences on depression risk, but most research in this area has focused on urban settings. Micropolitan areas (midsize rural communities centered around a population core of 10,000-50,000 people) are home to the majority of rural residents and this specific social and economic context may have unique influences on depression risk. Using a random-digit-dial sampling method, adult residents …

Health Behaviors And Pandemics, Jay E. Maddock, Anna Greer

Health Behavior Research

Human health behaviors are essential to reducing the spread and impact of pandemics. However, most behavioral scientists do not work in the area of pandemics given the infrequency of their occurrences. This editorial examines relevant health behavior theories, in particular the precaution adoption process model, and how these apply to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Going Beyond The Science: Fostering Community Within Health Behavior Interventions For Lasting Change, Katie M. Heinrich

Health Behavior Research

This commentary discusses the author’s views and experience regarding the importance of fostering community for effective and sustainable health behavior change.

Workplace Bullying In Healthcare: A Qualitative Analysis Of Bystander Experiences, Neill James Thompson Mr, Madeline Carter, Paul Crampton, Bryan Burford, Jan Illing, Gill Morrow

The Qualitative Report

Bystander action has been proposed as a promising intervention to tackle workplace bullying, however there is a lack of in-depth qualitative research on the direct experiences of bystanders. In this paper, we developed a more comprehensive definition of bullying bystanders, and examined first person accounts from healthcare professionals who had been bystanders to workplace bullying. These perspectives highlighted factors that influence the type and the extent of support bystanders may offer to targets. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 43 healthcare professionals who were working in the UK, of which 24 had directly witnessed bullying. The data were transcribed and …

Lab Notes

Scientia

Paleo Showcase; Expert Opinions; School of Nursing Director Appointed; EPISTEM Porject; CSH Honors Award Recipients; Diversity Fellowship

A Systems Thinking Framework To Improve Care Of The Terminally Ill: An Australian Case Study, Elizabeth Summerfield

Patient Experience Journal

This paper argues the value of systems thinking to patients, family members and medical practitioners in end-of-life care, particularly as a mechanism for considering when palliative care should be introduced as preferred treatment. It applies a well-established set of tenets in systems thinking retrospectively to a case study of patient care in Australia. This highlights how and where different decisions might have been made, based on a holistic consideration of the patient’s best interests. The case is written from the perspective of a family caregiver. It argues that early, deliberate conversation, framed by systems thinking tenets, can support the call …

Panda: A Case-Study Examining A Successful Audiology And Otology Patient And Public Involvement And Engagement Research Group, Laura Boddy, Richard Allen, Rosalyn Parker, Margaret E. O'Hara, Amy V. Gosling

Patient Experience Journal

There has been increasing involvement of patients and members of the public in research; however, case studies describing patient research groups with hearing loss are non-existent. Such case studies will be valuable, enabling evidence-based dialogue and promoting best practice in the engagement of patients, the public and researchers. This paper aims to discuss this practice. The absence of such dialogue may hinder initial efforts by researchers to realise the potential of Patient and Public Involvement. The objective of this study was to set up and run a patient and public involvement and engagement group in audiology research, use the lessons …