Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Fall 2021

Scientia

A Decade of Progress and Success; Speech Language Pathology Program; COVID-19 Long-Hauler Study; Peer Mentors Initiative; Faculty Update; Expert Engagement: Three CSH initiatives further education and scholarship while supporting communities in need; Strategic Command: Business consultant and med tech expert Stephen Sichak helps others face pandemic challenges; Taking Care: A School of Nursing research team plumbs the pandemic experiences of nurses nationwide

55-Word Stories: Insight Into Healthcare, Nancy E. Krusen

Translational Science in Occupation

Narrative medicine and health humanities focus on arts, ethics, and clinical practice. Many health education programs incorporate creative activities to facilitate learner self-awareness and insight. We include them to address programmatic themes of professional growth and translational science.

Co-Design Of A Personalised Digital Intervention To Improve Vegetable Intake In Adults Living In Australian Rural Communities, Katherine M. Livingstone, Jonathan C. Rawstorn, Laura Alston, Stephanie R. Partridge, Amber Bastian, Kate Dullaghan, Sarah A. Mcnaughton, Gilly A. Hendrie, Lauren C. Blekkenhorst, Ralph Maddison, Yuxin Zhang, Scott Barnett, John C. Mathers, Stephanie L. Godrich

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Diets low in vegetables are a main contributor to the health burden experienced by Australians living in rural communities. Given the ubiquity of smartphones and access to the Internet, digital interventions may offer an accessible delivery model for a dietary intervention in rural communities. However, no digital interventions to address low vegetable intake have been co-designed with adults living in rural areas. This paper describes the co-design of a digital intervention to improve vegetable intake with rural community members and research partners. Methods: Active participants in the co-design process were adults ≥ 18 years living in three rural Australian …

Implementation Of A Toolkit To Increase Patient Outreach For Annual Lipid Screening In Native Americans With Diabetes: A Quality Improvement Project, Samantha Owen

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects

Executive Summary

Background and Significance: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the Unites States (CDC, 2022). People with diabetes experience a higher rate of cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality compared to people without diabetes and Native Americans have the highest prevalence of diabetes (14.9%) among any ethnic group in the United States (ADA, 2022b; Li et al., 2021). Native Americans also have a high rate of other cardiovascular risk factors, including obesity, hypertension, smoking, and alcohol use (OMH, 2021). Cardiovascular disease events and mortality can be greatly reduced with early recognition and treatment with lipid lowering therapies …

What Is The Effect Of Telehealth And The Internet Of Medical Things (Iomt) On Outcomes When Used In At-Risk Pregnancies: A Scoping Review Of The Components Of Remote Maternal Monitoring For Hypertensive Disorders That Can Successfully Be Done Via Digital Technology?, Leighton Pitter

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

IoMT (Internet of Medical Things) is an emerging technology that facilitates individualized remote e-health services to improve patient's quality of life and satisfaction while decreasing healthcare expenditures. The objective of this scoping review is to explore the usage of IoMT and remote patient monitoring (RPM) in at-risk pregnancies for hypertensive disorders to mitigate pregnancy-related complications. IoMT and other devices in an intelligent health system can meaningfully ameliorate maternal care management in the United States (U.S.). Wearables and nearables, subcategories of IoMT, can be utilized to facilitate patient-centered care and promote excellence in health maintenance/management through a holistic continuum of care …

Artistic Expression Of Medical Experiences Of Mothers Of Color: Perspectives Using Art Therapy, Lauren Barrett

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to qualitatively examine perspectives of mothers of color living in the US and their experiences in the healthcare system through art therapy. The study aimed to further identify personal narrative experiences of mothers of color navigating the healthcare system, promote individual voices, and acknowledge disparities impacting those within marginalized communities. The participants in this study included a total of eight identified mothers of color (non-White) living in the US. Participants took part in four weeks of consecutive art therapy sessions either in 60-minute group or individual virtual meetings. One art therapy directive was provided …

The Relationship Between Sun Protective Behavior, Health Beliefs, Attitudes, And Norms Of Sun Exposure Among College Athletes, Avery B. Snyder

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to access the relationship between sun protective behavior, health beliefs, attitudes, and norms of sun exposure among college athletes. An electronic survey was provided to student athletes for about two weeks in October of 2023. Prior to student participation the Institutional Review Board approved the protocol and data collection. The survey was sent to the students by the athletic director through an app called Teamworks that connects to all the athletes at Coastal Carolina. The majority of students who took the survey reported they did not wear sunscreen in past games/practices. Of those who …

Mental Health Among Collegiate Athletes, Stella Elise Fairbanks

Honors Thesis

Mental health has become increasingly more linked with athletics, especially collegiate athletics. There has been an increase in public acknowledgment of the presence of mental health in sports, specifically, more athletes are speaking about their mental health struggles as well as more research is being conducted in order to gain a greater understanding of the relationship between mental health and athletics. This literature review discusses athletes’ personal experiences of their mental health struggles, the presence of stigma associated with mental health and athletics, and the results of the recent NCAA, National Collegiate Athletic Association, research. This thesis aims to uncover …

Identifying Phytoremediation Performing Plant Species That Can Be Utilized In The Improvement Of Heavy Metal Contaminated Soils, Ashley Clark*, Samuel Mutiti

Graduate Research Showcase

Heavy metal pollution is a problem associated with industrialization and development. Two major metals that are commonly mined and can enter the environment, which can jeopardize communities’ health, are copper (Cu) and lead (Pb). There are different options for reducing heavy metal pollution in the environment via remediation efforts, including physical, chemical, and biological methods. However, physical and chemical remediation can be costly and labor-intensive, making them unsuitable for regions that do not have the funds to utilize these practices. Biological remediation is a more cost-conservative practice that has been shown in many studies to be effective in the gradual …

Implementation Of A Doula-Supported Postpartum Wellness Toolkit In A Black Community-Based Maternal Wellness Program, Janice Luethje, Leslie Torres

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects: College of Nursing

Objective: The objective of this project was to expand the areas of focus within a maternal wellness program at a Black community center and to evaluate the satisfaction levels of the doulas who utilized the material during postpartum home visits. The toolkit covers a range of postpartum topics in the areas of nutrition, exercise, sexual health, mindfulness, and social support as well as a postpartum mental health screening tool.

Design: This quality improvement project included three distinct phases: The pre-implementation phase, the implementation phase, and the post-implementation phase.

Setting: The project location was a Black community center in Lincoln, Nebraska. …

Effects Of An Educational Evidence-Based Website To Improve Breast Health Knowledge And Self-Efficacy Of Breast Self-Examination: Interim Analysis, Mackenzie Koch, Jennifer Cera, Brooke Hancock, Elizabeth Graham

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects: College of Nursing

Purpose and Aims

Breast disease, whether benign or malignant, encompasses a wide array of diagnoses. Breast self- examination (BSE) is a simple screening assessment that improves early recognition and diagnosis. With changes in the 2021 ACOG practice guidelines from mandatory to optional provider-performed clinical breast examinations (CBE), it is imperative for patients to possess basic breast health knowledge and accurate BSE techniques. Current standard patient education is provided via brochures or pamphlets. An educational multimedia website was created using ACOG guidelines to impart knowledge and demonstrate proper BSE techniques. Aims were to evaluate changes in participant’s (1) breast health knowledge …

Examining Young Adult E-Cigarette Users By Device Type: A Latent Class Analysis, Mufazzela Tabassum

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Examining Young Adult E-Cigarette Users by Device Type: A Latent Class Analysis

Purpose. This study examined which factors influence the type(s) of e-cigarette devices someone uses and if there are heterogeneous groups of young adult e-cigarette users.

Methods. This study first quantitatively explored if there are heterogeneous groups of e-cigarette users by utilizing data from an online cross-sectional survey. E-cigarette users (n = 595) were able to participate in the survey if they were 18-29 years of age, used an e-cigarette for 1-5 days in the past 30 days, own their own e-cigarette, and live in the United States. Participants …

Impact Of Medicaid Redetermination On Underserved Populations In Region 7 States: A Review, Brianna Parr

Capstone Experience

When the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency ended in May of 2023, Medicaid began the process of redetermination across the states and returned to its original eligibility rules. Because of this, the healthcare status of many Americans was affected, resulting in the loss of healthcare coverage for millions of people. Of those who have lost coverage, children make up almost half of the total. This paper assesses the negative effects of Medicaid redetermination on children and other underserved populations in communities across the four states in Region 7 (Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas) and identifies programs that these states can implement …

Exploring The Lived Experience Of Self-Care In Young Adults With Type 2 Diabetes, Holly Berry-Price

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction

The prevalence of prediabetes in adults aged 18 or older was as high as 38% between 2017-2020. Youth-onset T2DM is a more aggressive phenotype than T2DM that occurs later in life. Young adults with T2DM have poorer health outcomes, lose an average of 15 years of life, all resulting in significant economic burden impacting the person. Current self-management interventions do not improve health outcomes in young adults with T2DM.

Purpose

The purpose of this research was to explore the self-care experiences of young adults living with T2DM.

Methods

Existential hermeneutic phenomenology informed the research. Inclusion criteria as follows: adults …

How To Evacuate When Disaster Strikes: A Literature Review Of Hospital Evacuations, Grant Orr

Capstone Experience

Hospitals are an essential component of any community’s infrastructure, and due to the nature of their services they are vulnerable when a disaster strikes. If a disaster is severe enough to warrant a hospital evacuation, both hospital and community leaders must decide how to proceed with the resources at their disposal. Organizations such as the World Health Organization, the United Nations, and the United States Department of Health and Human Services offer general guidance, but specifics as to how a hospital should proceed with an evacuation are left to individual hospital leaders and emergency management teams. This capstone project will …

A Responsible Parrhesia? A Review Of The Price Of Secrecy, Sara Tafakori

RadioDoc Review

The Price of Secrecy immerses the listener in stories of individual trauma, of child abuse and rape, yet also draws lessons from them of wider social significance. It includes moments of narrative catharsis, interspersed with repeated reminders that the stories are unfinished and open-ended—that the solutions lie out there, in social action, rather than in the stories themselves. The series also gestures towards structural critique, especially of ‘the legal constraints’ it identifies, yet it places greater importance on changing the wider culture through challenging the culture of secrecy and shame around victims’ stories of rape and abuse. This centrally means …

Organizational Executions And Policies On Workplace Health Promotion: A Cross-Sectional Study In Thailand, Taechit Taechamanodom, Pornchai Sithisarankul, Jate Ratanachina

Chulalongkorn Medical Journal

Background: The workplace, as an environment, exerts a profound impact on the health and well-being of the workforce, thereby assuming a pivotal role in both economic prosperity and societal advancement. Within organizational contexts, the human resources (HR) department assumes a pivotal role in the holistic care and administration of the workforce, encompassing multifaceted dimensions of health and well-being.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the executions and potential of workplace health promotion policies in workplaces in Thailand.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken among the human resources (HR) executives and personnel across listed 814 enterprises located in Rayong province and …

Attitude And Attitudinal Structures Toward Physical Education And Their Influences On Physical Activity Behavior, Yubing Wang, Yaogang Han, Pan Li, Binn Zhang

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine middle and high school students’ cognitive and affective attitude and their cognitive-affective attitudinal structures toward physical education (PE). The effects of cognitive and affective attitude and attitudinal structures on physical activity (PA) in PE and outside of school were also examined. Methods: 1773 Chinese middle and high-school students participated in this study. SEM, Chi-square test, ANOVAs, and Contingency tables were adopted to address the research questions. Results: The results showed that most students (>90%) were holding positive cognitive and affective attitude toward PE. Students’ affective attitude significantly influences their PA …

Occupational Therapy Students' Perceptions Of Managing Stress On Fieldwork Through Occupational Engagement, Rebecca Kvasnicka

Research Days

Stress is a major concern that increases in graduate school impacting academic performance. Due to this issue, graduate students must find ways to manage stress and maintain well-being to promote occupational performance. The purpose of this study was to identify the perceived effectiveness of occupations chosen by graduate level OT students in maintaining well-being and managing stress during level II fieldwork. This descriptive research described and explored occupations utilized to manage stress and their effectiveness. Data was gathered using SurveyMonkey and analyzed for frequencies of responses and common themes. 34 participants completed the survey. Our results identified occupations OT students …

Faith Community Nursing: Ministering To God's People In Ukraine Through Lamentation, Pam Dandre

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

None

The Effect Of The Covid Pandemic On Parish Nursing In The Uk, Helen Wordsworth

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

This article describes the impact that the Covid pandemic of 2020/2021 had on the work of UK Parish Nurses and the churches with which they worked. It explains how they adapted to the restrictions imposed by the government, changing the nature of the interventions they were able to make. It concludes that the resilience, flexibility, and creativity of the Parish nurses and of their national umbrella organisation, Parish Nursing Ministries UK, have enabled the emergence of a growing and vibrant ministry.

Creating A Best Practice Model For Reopening Parish Nurse Sites Post-Pandemic, Mary Lynne Knighten Dnp, Rn, Nea-Bc

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic brought many changes to the healthcare delivery system. Parish nurses, faith community nurses, and congregational nurses found their practice frequently adapting to comply with government issued restrictions and the changing needs of the community. QueensCare Health & Faith Partnership (QHFP), a parish nurse program which is part of QueensCare, a non-profit public benefit corporation, and St. Dominic Catholic Church in Los Angeles, California designed a replicable model for safely reopening parish nurse sites. QHFP provides supportive healthcare services and case management services at no charge to underserved and vulnerable populations in cooperation with numerous churches, temples, …

Guest Editorial, Phyllis Ann Solari-Twadell Phd, Rn, Mpa, Faan

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

None

Reducing Sexually Transmitted Infection In African American Teenage Adolescents: Developing A Culturally Competent Health Program For Underserved Communities, Brandolyn I. Burks

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Proper education and programming can help reduce Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among adolescents. This research aimed to help lay the framework for determining ways to ensure African American young adult adolescents aged 18–19 years have the necessary information and resources to make healthy decisions regarding their sex lives and experiences. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to understand what lived experiences and gaps of knowledge contribute to the contracting of STIs to develop a culturally competent health program to reduce the high rate of infections among African American 18–19-year-old adolescents living in underserved communities. The theory guiding this …

Preparatory Program For Women During Pregnancy/Postpartum And Transitioning Back To Work Or School, Bria Runnels, Rebecca King

Spring 2024 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Despite the importance of maternal health during the prenatal, postnatal, and parenting stages, there is a lack of research on the role of occupational therapists (OTs) in addressing the occupational challenges faced by women during this transitional phase. This dissertation aims to develop a program that raises awareness of the role of occupational therapy in maternal health and promotes occupational therapists as part of an interdisciplinary team within the scope of maternal health care. By adapting co-occupation for mothers, occupational therapists can play an important role in individualizing occupations for enhanced transitioning and overall quality of life. The study highlights …

Exploring The Experience Of Healthcare-Related Epistemic Injustice Among People With Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Joanne Hunt, Jessica Runacres, Daniel Herron, David Sheffield

The Qualitative Report

Myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a chronic, disabling yet clinically “contested” condition, previously theorised through a lens of epistemic injustice. Phenomena conceptually close to epistemic injustice, including stigma, are known to have deleterious consequences on a person’s health and life-world. Yet, no known primary studies have explored how people with ME/CFS experience healthcare through a lens of epistemic injustice, whilst a dearth of research explicitly exploring healthcare-related injustice from a patient perspective has been noted. This qualitative study seeks to address this gap. Semi-structured interviews and interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) were used to explore the experiences of …

Evidenced-Based Strategies To Increase Cervical Cancer Screening Rates, Tuong Cat Vo Bsn-Rn, Nada Salloukh Bsn-Rn, Tatiana Elena Swanson Bsn-Rn, Xiao Mie Cindy Zhu Bsn-Rn, Laura Taylor Reed Dnp, Aprn, Fnp-Bc

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Purpose/Background

Cervical cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer affecting women worldwide (Staley et al., 2021). With cervical cancer being a preventable disease, an effective method of reducing healthcare costs and mortality is primary prevention, such as screenings. Financial burdens and barriers to accessing medical care may result due to the lack of proper cervical cancer screenings. Detecting cervical cancer includes screening women 21 to 65 years old with a Papanicolaou (PAP) test every three years. Women aged 30 to 65 years old can extend the screening of cervical cancer by having a Human Papillomavirus (HPV) test along with …

Protocols For Postpartum Hemorrhage, Nicole A. Mitchell, Wilbur Greene, Samantha Claxton, Lydia Lester

Student Scholar Showcase

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the protocols for postpartum hemorrhage and lack of implementation, how race may play a role in care, the different effect on maternal lives; physically and mentally, and more effective treatment options. Many women all over the world struggle with postpartum hemorrhaging as it is a life-threatening complication that can follow giving birth. There are standard protocols set in place for different facilities that relay how the healthcare professionals should act in that situation. The PICOT question, “In child-bearing women, how do protocols for postpartum hemorrhage compared with a lack …

Lai Antipsychotics Vs. Oral Antipsychotics: Treatment Adherence, Relapses, And Readmissions, Natalie N. Lewis Bsn, Rn, Mallory F. Johnson Bsn, Rn-Bc, Tyler N. Halle-Todd Bsn, Rn, Natalie N. Ragland Bsn, Rn, Sharon H. Little Dnp, Aprn, Fnp-Bc, Jacqueline Sharp Dnp, Aprn,Pmhnp-Bc

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Purpose/Background

Schizophrenia is a lifelong illness with recurrent and often debilitating symptoms that may impair daily functioning, cognition, behaviors, socialization, emotions, and expression. It is recognized as a global mental health burden that affects the individual, their family, and society. Medication nonadherence and resulting relapse detrimentally affect the patient’s physical and mental health and quality of life. They are associated with increased hospitalization and emergency room visits, substance use, suicide, and homelessness. Current guidelines endorse second-generation antipsychotics such as Risperidone and Aripiprazole as the first-line treatment for most cases of psychosis. However, long-acting injectable (LAIs) atypical antipsychotics are a promising …

Playing It Sun Safe: A Quality Improvement Project, Sarah P. Tarr, Kathryn K. Dambrino, R. David Phillippi, Ashley Karpinos

DNP Scholarly Projects

Background: Athletes who play outdoor sports have multiple risk factors for the development of skin cancer. Literature highlights the need for the use of evidence-based strategies to improve the knowledge and utilization of sun protection practices in this high-risk population. Methods: Playing it Sun Safe was a multifaceted skin cancer prevention initiative implemented in a population of collegiate soccer athletes in collaboration with a university athletic department and campus health clinic. Evidence-based interventions were designed through application of the Health Belief Model (HBM) and were implemented using the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) quality improvement framework. Purpose: The two-fold aim …