Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Psychological And Psychosocial Effects Of Contemplative Practices In The Athletic Population: A Systematic Review, Victoria Baker

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Mental health concerns in athletes are becoming a primary focus for institutions, companies, coaches, and more. An athlete carries an abundant load of stressors due to their lifestyle. The stressors can negatively impact an athlete by producing anxiety, depression, insomnia, and other mental health issues. Previous studies have found a connection between the use of contemplative practices on psychological and psychosocial effects in athletes, creating an opportunity to evaluate the research of contemplative practices in the athletic population. A systematic review was conducted using nine electronic databases. Seven studies were included in this review, each assessing how contemplative practices affect …

Effectiveness Of Harm Reduction And Narcan Education For Young Adults, Jason Bolfango

Nursing | Student Research Posters

Education on the Harm Reduction Model is an upstream preventative approach to addressing the opioid crisis and a strategic method to promote safety among young adults.

Swosu Research And Scholarly Activity Fair 2024, Swosu Office Of Sponsored Programs

SWOSU Research and Scholarly Activity Fair Programs

On behalf of the members of the University Research and Scholarly Activity Committee (USRAC) and the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) at Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) - Welcome to the Thirty-Second SWOSU Research and Scholarly Activity Fair! There are 61 poster presentations and 10 oral presentations involving over 100 student and faculty researchers, writers, presenters, artists, collaborators, and faculty sponsors encompassing activities from the SWOSU Departments of Biological Sciences, Chemistry & Physics, Engineering Technology, Kinesiology, Language & Literature, Mathematics, Music, Parks and Recreation Management, Pharmacy, Psychology, and Social Sciences.

Empathy, Ethics, And Empowerment: Supervising The Transpersonal Therapist, John Elfers, Patty Hlava

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

This grounded theory study addressed the question What model explains the essential qualities, skills, and competencies of an effective supervisory relationship for transpersonal therapists in training? It emerged out of a recognition that current training models for supervisors were not inclusive of competencies to address the needs of therapist trainees who are oriented toward a transpersonal approach to psychotherapy. The results of 22 interviews with trainees and supervisors surfaced a fundamental tension within the supervisory relationship in the distinction among the primary responsibility of the supervisor for ensuring client welfare, and encouraging supervisees to develop their personal therapeutic orientation …

Psychological Energy: Early Theorists In The Analytical Tradition, Michael Da

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

Since the dawn of Western psychology, theorists have used variations of the term “energy” to describe the dynamic forces at work within the psyche and the soma and the psychotherapeutic processes of change. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, terms used for psychological energy included “libido,” “psychic energy,” “orgone energy,” “bioenergetics,” and “psycho-energetics.” This paper uses philosophical hermeneutics to compare the major theorists of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century: William James, Pierre Janet, Sigmund Freud, C. G. Jung, Wilhelm Reich, Alexander Lowen, and Roberto Assagioli. Analysis reveals these theorists generally agreed psychological energy is (a) a …

Empowering Caregivers In The Prevention Of Clinical Delirium For At Risk Older Adults Boarding In The Emergency Department Setting, Danielle Brewer

DNP Projects

Background: Emergency Department (ED) overcrowding is a global healthcare crisis documented in the literature for more than a decade, impacting patient outcomes and resource availability. While awaiting delayed transfer to an inpatient room, older adults in the ED remain vulnerable to developing acute delirium. Boarding potentiates the risk for worsening health outcomes, which are further compounded by delirium. Scarcity of resources and time constraints delay delirium detection and increase risk for down-stream hospital-acquired complications, higher cost, and prolonged length of stay. Current ED models do not prioritize caregiver partnership or involvement in delirium-conscious care, which is a holistic approach to …

Pupillometry As A Viable Augmentative And Alternative Communication Pathway: A Machine Learning Application, Kouadio Marc-Antoine Niamba

Dissertations and Theses

Every year, clinicians diagnose 5000 new Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) cases in the United States (Mehta et al., 2018). ALS is a degenerative neuromuscular disease that prevents neurons from sending impulses to the muscles, thus resulting in paralysis and death. People with ALS (PALS) not only experience limited mobility but also lose their ability to communicate. Although the disease currently remains incurable, efforts to improve the patients’ communication are increasingly leading toward Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems (Beukelman and Mirenda, 2013). AAC systems are assistive technologies that propose to counteract the defects resulting from ALS through non-verbal communication channels. …

Implementing Social Determinants Of Health Data Collection In A Large Urban Pediatric Hospital Setting, Stormee Williams, Kristina Hill, Barry Owen, Forest Melton

Research

No abstract provided.

The Effectiveness And Feasibility Of Telehealth Occupational Performance Coaching With Young Adults With Intellectual Disabilities: A Case Study, Mara Sampson

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: College students with intellectual disabilities (ID) experience occupational performance barriers, impeding participation. Limited evidence-based techniques are available to therapists working with this population. Telehealth Occupational Performance Coaching (OPC) has been found to be an effective treatment technique for improving occupational performance and self-determination for populations outside of college students with ID.

Purpose: The purpose of this experimental case study was to test whether participation in a telehealth OPC program for college students with ID increases occupational performance, occupational satisfaction, and self-determination.

Theoretical Framework: Self-Determination Theory and the Canadian Model of Occupational Performance and Engagement (CMOP-E) provide for the theoretical …

A Tai Chi And Qigong Mind-Body Program For Low Back Pain: A Virtually Delivered Randomized Control Trial, Yang Yang, Sydne Mccluskey, Mohamad Bydon, Jaspal Ricky Singh, Robert D. Sheeler, Karim Rizwan Nathani, Ana C. Krieger, Neel D. Mehta, Joshua Weaver, Libin Jia, Sharo Decelle, Robert C. Schlagal, Jay Ayar, Sahar Abduljawad, Steven D. Stovitz, Ravindra Ganesh, Jay Verkuilen, Kenneth A. Knapp, Lin Yang, Roger Härtl

Publications and Research

Background: Mind-body treatments have the potential to manage pain, yet their effectiveness when delivered online for the treatment of low back pain (LBP) is unknown. We sought to evaluate whether a virtually delivered mind-body program integrating tai chi, qigong, and meditation (VDTQM) is effective for treating LBP.

Methods: This randomized controlled trial compared VDTQM (n=175) to waitlist control (n=175). Eligible participants were at least 18 years old, had LBP for at least 6 weeks, were not pregnant, had not previously taken tai chi classes, and had not undergone spine surgery within 6 months. The treatment group received a 12-week VDTQM …

Examining Stigma In Rural Mental Health Care Settings: A Mixed Methods Approach, Lainie Krumenacker

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

More than half of Americans will be diagnosed with a mental illness in their lifetime (CDC, 2021), yet stigma towards mental health affects both patients and providers. Although programs exist to address stigma, improve cultural competency among providers, and educate families on the importance of support, facilities are often limited on programs they provide due to allocation of resources and funds. Without a shift in treatment and programing, stigma will continue to impact patient care and outcome.

This study explored stigma among mental health providers in rural communities, while exploring potential differences in treatment among patients due to race. Mental …

The Impact Of Waiting Times On Patient Satisfaction And Patient Care At A Tertiary Health Care Institution In Kenya: A Cross-Sectional Study, Soud Seif Soud

Master of Internal Medicine

Introduction: Patients spend significant time waiting for care. This often influences patient satisfaction, perceived quality and access to care, and utilisation of various healthcare services. Waiting time and resulting implications remain understudied in low- and middleincome countries like Kenya. This study aimed to describe the impacts of waiting times on patient satisfaction and care at a tertiary healthcare institution in Kenya.

Method: We conducted a prospective cross-sectional study between March 2023 and July 2023 at the Emergency Room (ER) at Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire, looking at demographics and patient wait …

Identifying Youth Appeals In Alcohol Alternative Social Media Content Through Framing, Melina Oneal

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Proposed regulations for alcohol advertising prevent beverage companies from targeting people under the legal drinking age. However, similar regulations for alcohol alternative beverages are less explored, which could allow alcohol alternative products to create awareness for alcoholic beverages among youth. Alcohol alternatives beverages, including no-alcohol and low-alcohol products, are increasing in popularity and can function as compliments to alcoholic products to decrease the total alcohol volume consumed or as substitutes for alcoholic products. Framing theory can be operationalized through the Content Appealing to Youth Index, an index of content elements found in research literature to be appealing to youth, to …

Pleated Plasma Membrane Complex In Spermatids Of The Western Siren, Siren Nettingi (Caudata: Sirenidae), S.E. Trauth

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

I investigated the pleated plasma membrane complex of linear folds and biflagellar entities in developing spermatids of the Western Siren, Siren nettingi. My primary goal was to reveal the ultrastructural morphology of these distinctive cellular folds (usually 8 in number) as they support the flagellar formation of biflagellated sperm found in this salamander and in other members in the family Sirenidae. My results reveal that the biflagellar components (2 sets of axonemes, undulating membranes, and axial fibers), termed biflagellar complex, develop between folds or are attached onto these folds. The folds themselves are transitory and do not directly contribute to …

Autopathography Across Media: Trauma And Fluid Embodied Subjectivity, He (Kristen) Shen

Honors Theses

Illness memoirs with first-person point of view have gained more attention in recent years among medical sociologists and anthropologists. Different from traditional “case histories”written by doctors that are in danger of ignoring patients’ voices, autopathograhical works delineate narrators’ transformative experiences of persons to patients, emphasizing the importance of gaining social understanding of illness. Focusing on three works within the category of autopathography across genres and media forms in the late 1950s and contemporary periods, The Cancer Journals (1980) written by Audre Lorde, The Collected Schizophrenias (2019) written by Esmé Weijun Wang, and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007) directed …

Étude De La Gestion De La Crise Sanitaire Liée À La Covid-19 Pour Soutenir La Transition Vers De Nouvelles Organisations Du Travail Dans Le Secteur De L’Administration Publique, Bénédicte Calvet, Martin Chadoin, Maud Gonella, Élise Ledoux, Denys Denis, Isabelle Berger

Rapports de recherche scientifique

La pandémie de la COVID-19 a surpris la population générale et a largement touché les milieux de travail qui ont dû se réorganiser. De nombreuses personnes se sont retrouvées en situation de télétravail imposé alors que d’autres, les travailleurs et travailleuses dits « essentiels » ont dû se conformer à de nombreuses restrictions sanitaires sur leur lieu de travail. Face à l’urgence, plusieurs guides et outils ont été diffusés auprès des entreprises de plusieurs secteurs d’activité économique, afin de les soutenir dans la mise en place de mesures en santé et en sécurité du travail (SST) conformes au contexte pandémique, …

Variability In Perceptions Of Complementary Health Approaches Among Graduate Student Trainees, Delaney C. Bilodeau

Theses and Dissertations

Complementary Health Approaches (CHAs) encompass a diverse range of practices which are often used both independently and alongside conventional medical treatments. Understanding how graduate students training in different fields perceive CHAs is important because these professional trainees will go on to occupy roles as healthcare practitioners, researchers, policy makers, and consumers. This study used sequential rank agreement methods (Ekstrøm, Gerds, & Jensen, 2019) to investigate variations in perceptions of CHAs in a sample of graduate students (N = 416) from 140 possible training programs. Ratings of CHA familiarity, perceptions of CHA legitimacy, and willingness to recommend CHAs were compared …

Intersectionality, Racial Discrimination And Oral Healthcare Utilization Among Black Adults In Baltimore City, Maryland, Briona M. Phillips

Theses and Dissertations

INTRODUCTION: Oral health is essential for overall well-being, yet disparities persist, particularly among marginalized populations including Black adults. Limited access to and underutilization of oral healthcare services exacerbate these disparities. Discrimination, both individual and systemic, acts as a significant barrier to accessing care, contributing to disparities in oral health outcomes. Individuals facing discrimination experience mistrust and fear within oral healthcare settings, leading to delayed or avoided care. Therefore, investigating and addressing discrimination among Black adults is essential for promoting equitable access to oral healthcare, improving overall oral health outcomes, and lessening existing disparities.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this dissertation was …

Root Causes Of Homelessness In Marin County And Prevention Strategies, Michaela George, Kelsey Bas, Joe Blakely, Naila Saghir, Garrett Siebels, Liliana Valle-Contreras, Sehrish Khan

Global Public Health | Student Research Posters

Even with increased prevalence of homelessness in the US, there is limited research that investigates circumstances that can lead to homelessness. This lack of understanding perpetuates the inequities in health and wellbeing, access to basic necessities, effective prevention strategies and meaningful policy changes.

More individuals are experiencing homelessness in California than ever before In Marin, the Ritter Center (RC) strives to prevent and resolve homelessness and improve the health and well-being of individuals living in poverty

How Financial Status Affects Food Decisions In Households Of Marin City, Joe Blakely

Global Public Health | Student Research Posters

• Food insecurity is a multifaceted issue influenced by various factors, including socioeconomic status and access to nutritious foods. Research has shown that low-income households often face challenges in accessing healthy food options due to financial constraints.
• Cultural and psychological factors also play significant roles in shaping food choices among low-income populations. Additionally, the availability and affordability of healthy foods within local food environments significantly impact dietary behaviors.
• Economic factors such as income levels and household expenses further compound the challenges of food insecurity. Studies on food spending decisions among low-income demographics revealed that financial constraints often force families to prioritize …

Bird’S Nest Drawing: Exploring The Attachment Of Left-Behind Children In China, Ziyi Su

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

To explore the attachment of left-behind children (LBC), this mixed-methods study analyzed the Bird’s Nest Drawings (BND) and narratives from 117 fourth graders from Shaanxi and Gansu, China. Overall, the BND of LBC showed less secure-attachment features. These distinctions can be seen in several pictorial elements, and manifest differently across gender groups and rural versus urban groups. Drawings and narratives revealed eight underlying themes of absence, longing, and support from parent and peer attachment. Children creatively communicated complex emotions and attachment experiences through the metaphor of the bird’s nest, ranging from abandonment, loneliness, and vulnerability, to coping, hope, and resilience. …

Art-Based Autoethnographic Study Of A Senior Professional Woman Of Color's Journey, Raceal Mcwhorter

Art Therapy | Doctoral Dissertations

This proposed dissertation study is a visual autoethnographic qualitative study of the recalled lived experiences of a senior woman of color's journey to become a spiritual art therapist professional during the 20th to 21st Century in the United States of America. This study interprets the memories of events in my lifetime, looking back through the lens of a spiritual mental health art therapist practitioner. The adverse effects of the legacy and enforcement of silence on women and black people. I hope that by describing my lived experiences and felt sense -- and illustrating my arduous journey to overcome societal racism, …

(Plant)Ing Traditional Roots: Exploring An Impact Of Environmental Shifts On Traditional Phytotherapy Practices In The Cusco Region Of Perú, Nicole Elizabeth Wilmot

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis investigates the potential outcomes of environmental shifts on plant-based medical practices in the Cusco region of Peru. Located in the Andes mountain range, at a high elevation, the environment varies immensely, specifically in the various types of native plants in the region. Historically, using plants as natural forms of medicine or healthcare has been deeply rooted in many indigenous communities, traditions, and cultures globally. Environmentally, there have been potential changes and shifts in temperature, water, and soil that affect the nutrition and health of plants to maintain their beneficial properties. Due to various factors, adaptations or shifts to …

Age-Related Longitudinal Changes In Gray Matter Microstructure, Jessica Hayes

Wayne State University Theses

Measures of the brain’s microstructure may be more sensitive markers of aging than macrostructural measures. However, it remains unclear exactly how gray matter microstructure changes during aging and how this relates to changes in macrostructure. The present study evaluated how neurite density, orientation dispersion, and gray matter volume changed over a three-year period in a sample of healthy older adults. The role of age in modifying structural change within the hippocampus, precuneus, and rostral anterior cingulate cortex was also considered. Repeated measures general linear models additionally evaluated whether degree of change in microstructure between the first two measurement occasions modified …

Lead Bioaccessibility And Commonly Measured Soil Characteristics (Detroit, Mi, Usa) – Phase 1, Sabrina R. Good, Allison R. Harris, Patrick Crouch, Conor T. Gowan, William D. Shuster, Shawn P. Mcelmurry

Open Data at Wayne State

Contaminated urban soil is one of the major contributors to child Pb exposure. To gain a better understanding of Pb risk in urban areas, composite samples were collected from 142 residential, privately owned, parcels in Detroit, Hamtramck, and Highland Park, Michigan, with approval from the property owners. The proximity of soil sampling and former smelter locations were also reported. Sample were collected from areas covered with turf grass. Four samples were collected, one from each cardinal direction (north, south, east, and west), 20 cm from an aluminum tent stake driven into the center of the sampling site. Soils were collected …

Impact Of A Covid-19 Related Lockdown On The Experience Of Informal Caregiving In Singapore, Vicky Mengqi Qin, Abhijit Visaria, Rahul Malhotra

ROSA Journal Articles and Publications

Introduction: Lockdowns, while limiting COVID-19 transmission, can affect provision of care by informal caregivers and their caregiving experience. We assessed, among informal caregivers in Singapore, (a) the perceived impact of a 2-month (April to May 2020) nationwide lockdown on their care provision, (b) correlates of different perceptions of the impact of the lockdown on care provision, and (c) association of different perceptions of the impact with negative and positive experiences of caregiving. Methods: In the August 2020 wave of the Singapore Life Panel (SLP; nationally representative, longitudinal monthly survey of Singapore citizens and permanent residents aged 50-70 years at baseline), …

Swimming: A Great Decision And An Even Better Journey, Eva M. Hunnius

Emerging Writers

Swimming is loved, feared, and cherished by so many around the world. People love it because it gives them a sense of freedom and peace, while also receiving a great workout. Some may fear it because they do not know how to swim, or they feel like there are many dangers and risks to swimming. Others cherish it because it is the only sport they have ever known. In my case, swimming is one of the only things that has been with me since I was a little kid. This remains true for many athletes. In this discussion, I hope …

The Efficacy Of Botulinum Toxin Use In Service Members And Veterans With Migraine And Post-Traumatic Headache Disorders: A Scoping Review, Qing Zhao Ruan, Daniel J Pak, David E Reece, Rohan Jotwani, Sean Li, Moises Dominguez, Alan David Kaye, R Jason Yong, Abdulrazaq Albilali, Sadiq Bhayani, Jamal Hasoon, Michael E Schatman, Jun Beom Ku, Thomas T Simopoulos, Sait Ashina, Christopher L Robinson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: To delineate the trend of use of botulinum toxin, including onabotulinum toxinA (OTA), in active military personnel and veterans with the diagnoses of migraine and post-traumatic headache (PTH) and describe the efficacy of botulinum toxin administration.

Background: Service members and veterans represent a unique population in the medical management of headache disorders, particularly migraine. They exhibit higher susceptibility to pain of greater intensity and longer durations, possibly due to their history of exposure to combat, trauma, and the associated psychological stresses. Given the burden and morbid nature of these headache disorders, prophylactic measures to reduce migraine attacks and disability …

A Validation Study Of The Occupational Depression Inventory In Poland And Ukraine, Krystyna Golonka, Karine O. Malysheva, Dominika Fortuna, Bożena Gulla, Serhii Lytvyn, Leon T. De Beer, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Renzo Bianchi

Publications and Research

This study examined the psychometric and structural properties of the Polish and Ukrainian versions of the Occupational Depression Inventory (ODI). We relied on two samples of Polish employees (NSample1 = 526, 47% female; NSample2 = 164, 64% female) and one sample of Ukrainian employees (NSample3 = 372, 73% female). In all samples, the ODI exhibited essential unidimensionality and high total-score reliability (e.g., McDonald’s omegas > 0.90). The homogeneity of the scale was strong (e.g., 0.59 ≤ scale-level Hs ≤ 0.68). The ODI’s total scores thus accurately ranked individuals on a latent occupational depression continuum. We found evidence of complete measurement invariance …

Improving Spiritual Care Competency Among Intensive Care Unit Nurses: Promoting Holistic Patient Care Towards End-Of-Life, Joanne Nguyen, Dana Bagis

Nursing | Senior Theses

Intensive care unit (ICU) nurses play a crucial role in providing physiological stabilizing care in a dynamic and fast-paced environment, often marked by constant changes and variability in complex patients. Despite their specialization, the aspect of spiritual care tends to be overlooked, particularly in the context of end-of-life care. This is significant because previous studies have shown that a lack of spiritual care leads to poorer health outcomes, decreased coping, increased depression, and diminished quality of life for patients. This research proposal aims to investigate the spiritual care competency among ICU nurses who partake in spiritual care-based training, with the …