Reducing The Stigma Surrounding Mental Illness In Box Elder County, April Litchford

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

Targeted efforts to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness in Box Elder County provided education and resources to identify and treat individuals suffering from these issues. Utah State University Extension’s efforts to address mental health reached thousands of individuals and generated new partnerships with county organizations.

An Assessment Of 50 State Early Hearing Detection And Intervention Websites: Is Needed Information Being Provided For Parent Decision Making?, Nichole Westin, Donna Sorkin

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Growth of the Internet as an information resource has provided expanded opportunities for families to easily gather information on a range of topics, including health related topics. State Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) websites and other electronic data sources are an important opportunity to support families seeking information on options for their children who have been identified as deaf or hard of hearing. A review was undertaken between August and September 2021 of the 51 US EHDI (state and DC) websites and related information (such as links to others’ sites) to determine if information that is specifcally discussed in …

“It’S About Walking Alongside A Family”: Practitioner Perspectives On Caregiver Coaching With Families Of Children Who Are Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing, Dorie Noll, Sheila Moodie, Ian D. Graham, Beth Potter, Elizabeth M. Fitzpatrick

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Practitioners utilize caregiver coaching in early intervention services, but coaching principles and practices are not well understood in the context of listening and spoken language (LSL) services with families of children who are deaf or hard of hearing. The purpose of this study was to examine practitioners’ experiences with coaching, including definitions, training, and practices they utilize in their work with families. Using semi-structured, qualitative interviews and video observation discussions, this study examined the perspectives of 14 practitioners providing LSL services to families at three intervention sites in the US and Canada. Results indicate that practitioners’ underlying beliefs about their …

Application Of Intervention Mapping To Address Lost To Intervention In Early Hearing Detection And Intervention, Torri Ann Woodruff-Gautherin, Kathleen Cienkowski

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Abstract

Purpose: Detail the application of intervention mapping as a protocol for developing a novel way to address lost to intervention within the early hearing detection and intervention systems.

Design: Intervention mapping (IM) is an approach to behavior change that is typically utilized in public health initiatives. This six-step process walks health program developers, researchers, and policy makers through a rigorous research and community-based approach to understanding why a health concern or problem is present in a community. While using IM to address lost to intervention in Early Hearing Detection and Intervention programs, the focus is on why families, after …

A Systematic Review Of The Effects Of Lena-Based Feedback On Parent-Child Language Interactions In Families With Young Children, Beula M. Magimairaj, Naveen K. Nagaraj, Ana Caballero, Karen F. Munoz, Karl R. White

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Enhancing parent language interactions with children beginning in infancy is important because it results in better language abilities, social skills, and academic outcomes in children. A number of researchers have suggested that parent language interactions with children could be enhanced by giving parents feedback about their language interactions using the Language Environment Analysis (LENA) system. The LENA system records communication exchanges between a child and the adult caregiver and provides an automated analysis of adult word count, child vocalization count, and conversational turn count. We did a systematic review of the studies that investigated the use of LENA-based feedback to …

Nurses’ Perceptions Of The Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Program, Aaron Michael Roman, Michelle O'Connor Kensey

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

This study explores the knowledge and perceptions of the newborn hearing screening (NBHS) program from the perspective of nurses and nursing support staff. Registered nurses and nursing support staff (n = 84) completed a digitally administered survey that queried their understanding of JCIH guidelines, perceptions around NBHS administration, and parental anxiety. The results demonstrated that while most respondents felt comfortable and confident about NBHS administration, there was a significant difference in their understanding of appropriate screening milestones compared to JCIH recommendations. Participants further demonstrated an interest in additional learning opportunities related to the NBHS.

Impact Of Social Determinants Of Health On Early Hearing Detection And Intervention Screening/Diagnosis Outcomes, Nannette Nicholson, Ellen A. Rhoades, Rachel E. Glade, Laura Smith-Olinde

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Purpose

We reviewed how Social Determinants of Health relate to health inequities and disparities for Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programs. Then, we examine links between specific sociodemographic factors (maternal age, maternal education, ‘race’/ethnicity) and hearing screening and diagnostic audiology follow-up for newborns in the U.S. and its territories.

Methods

Maternal demographic, hearing screening and diagnostic data extracted from publicly available Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) records were reported to CDC by personnel responsible for EHDI programs. Data were subjected to statistical analysis using analysis of variance and multiple regression techniques.

Results

Results showed no significant differences …

Assessing Impact Of Covid-19 Pandemic On Receipt And Timeliness Of Newborn Hearing Screening And Diagnostic Services Among Infants Born In Four States, Suhana Ema, Sana Charania, Xidong Deng, Charles Rose, Craig A. Mason, Marcus Gaffney, Brandt Culpepper, Michael Lo, Tri Tran, Marcia Fort

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

The study compares receipt and timeliness of newborn hearing screening and follow-up diagnostic services between the pre-pandemic birth cohort and the pandemic birth cohort in four participating states. Findings from this study will help inform state Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programs in the future should major public health event occur again.

Likely Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Newborn Hearing Screening And Follow-Up Services In The United States In 2020, Kelly Dundon, Suhana Alam, Xidong Deng, Mia Morrison, Treeby Brown, Karl R. White, Linda Hazard, Macia Fort, Kirsten R. Coverstone, Craig Mason, Marcus Gaffney

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

This perspective aims to highlight aspects of the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) newborn hearing screening and follow-up processes that were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and considers factors that likely impacted follow-up after newborn hearing screening among infants born in the United States during 2020. Efforts to minimize the potential impact of missed or delayed identification of hearing loss in infants and young children will also be discussed to help guide future program improvement activities.

Webinars As A Tool For Increasing Awareness Of Diabetes Prevention And Management Programs, Cindy Jenkins, Carrie Durward, April Litchford, Catherine Hansen, Annette Prall, Caitlyn Jasumback

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

Stakeholders sought to reduce the burden of preventable diabetes among adults in Utah via a “Food as Medicine” webinar series. The “Food as Medicine” webinar series sought to increase awareness of and enrollment in public diabetes programs. Evaluation results from the webinar series indicated an increase in awareness of diabetes programs and nutrition information needed to improve personal diabetes management.

Training The Next Generation Of Practitioners In Early Intervention And Telepractice: Three University Models, K. Todd Houston, Lauri Nelson, Kristina Blaiser

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to shape the provision of family-centered early intervention services for children who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing and their families. In programs, schools, and centers, direct in-person contact with families have been significantly curtailed as a means to limit the exposure to and spead of the virus. Emergency remote learning has lead to an increase in telepractice, also referred to as teleintervention, as the designated model of service provision. Most early interventionists, speech-language pathologists, and teachers of the Deaf were not sufficiently trained to suddenly implement emergency remote teaching or telepractice services, but service providers had no …

Telepractice-Based Assessment Of Children Who Are Deaf/Hard-Of-Hearing: Focus On Family-Centered Practice, Kristina M. Blaiser, Lauri Nelson, K. Todd Houston

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Ongoing assessment and progress monitoring is considered best practice to serve children who are Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing (DHH) yet logistics related to provider shortages, distances between families, and illness make regular assessment difficult if not impossible. In the last ten years, telepractice has become a more commonly used service delivery model for serving children who are DHH and their families, however, many providers lack the training needed to adequately assess this population (Behl & Kahn, 2015). With explicit planning of the assessments and tools needed on both sides of the camera, providers can create a shared framework to collect the information needed …

A Review Of Current Pediatric Tele-Audiology Ehealth Platforms, Alex Meibos

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify current pediatric tele-audiology hearing technology platforms for young children with hearing loss and their families.

Method: An exploratory, descriptive design was used to evaluate features of available pediatric tele-audiology platforms for parents and audiologists to implement for young children. The study explored internet resources including hearing industry websites, for information related to specific eHealth platform features designed to support pediatric hearing devices currently available to audiologists and families.

Results: Of the websites reviewed, only four major technology companies were found to have pediatric tele-audiology ready platforms designed to support young children …

Outcome Of Newborn Hearing Screening Program In A Tertiary Care Centre, South India., S. Sija, V. K. Gireeshan, V. T. Ajith Kumar Professor And Head Of The Department, T. V. Rajesh Additional Professor

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Objective

To determine the coverage and outcome of Universal Newborn Hearing Screening (UNHS) Program in Government Medical College Manjeri, South India. To study the prevalence of hearing loss (HL) among those children screened, to describe the characteristics of confirmed cases, and the status of speech and language development acquired by them at follow up.

Design

Hospital based retro prospective study.

Methods

Data were collected from all newborns who underwent Universal Newborn Hearing Screening (UNHS) over a four-year period (November 2014 to October 2018). Cases with confirmed hearing loss were studied by pre-structured questionnaire and telephonic interview. Speech and language …

Usability And Feasibility Of A Spoken Language Outcome Monitoring Procedure In A Canadian Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Program: Results Of A 1-Year Pilot, Olivia Daub, Barbara Jane Cunningham, Marlene P. Bagatto, Janis Oram Cardy

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Abstract

Purpose: Best practice recommendations for Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programs include routine spoken language outcome monitoring. The present article reports on pilot data that evaluated the usability and feasibility of a spoken language outcome monitoring procedure developed for Ontario’s Infant Hearing Program (IHP). This procedure included both Program-level monitoring using omnibus language tests from birth to 6;0 and individual vulnerability monitoring of key domains of spoken language known to be at risk in children who are deaf/hard-of-hearing.

Methodology: Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in the IHP piloted the new procedures for one year and provided feedback on the procedure …

Association Between Craniofacial Anomalies And Newborn Hearing Screening Fail Rate, Kaitlyn Sheapp, Ruth S. Marin, Larry Medwetsky

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Purpose: Increased knowledge of the prevalence of various craniofacial anomalies and their associated risks for hearing loss can help guide 1) development of evidence-based practice regarding detection and documentation of risk factors at birth and 2) health care professionals to make appropriate recommendations for follow-up testing and monitoring.

Method: Records were reviewed for 39,813 infants born at Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center and White Oak Medical Center between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2019 to determine the association between the presence of craniofacial anomalies and newborn hearing screening fail rates, as well as the prevalence of confirmed hearing …

Adaptation Of The Conditioned Assessment Of Speech Production In Spanish, Alliete R. Alfano, Daniel Gonzalez, David J. Ertmer

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to describe the adaptation of the Spanish adaptation of the CASP.

Method: The authors adapted each segment into Spanish, then had 41 participants complete a survey to determine if each adapted segment was representative of the Spanish phonologic system. Thirty-six children (half with typical hearing, half with hearing loss) completed the CASP in English and Spanish. Paired samples t-tests were run to compare English and Spanish CASP scores between children with hearing loss and those with typical hearing.

Results: All segments were adapted as needed into Spanish. There was no statistical difference between …

Improving Newborn Hearing Screening Through Collaboration And Communication, Mary Duncan, Marissa Schuh, Shannon Haynes, Anita Taylor, Gwen Moreland, Raleigh Jones, Matthew Bush, Jennifer Shinn

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Purpose: Hearing loss is the number one birth defect among children. There are significant consequences of delayed diagnosis and failure to obtain timely intervention, particularly for a child’s speech and language development. Design and implementation of successful newborn hearing screening (NHS) programs can be challenging. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate improved efficiency and effectiveness of a large NHS program through the implementation of a team approach engaging both ambulatory and hospital services.

Methodology: A Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis was used to develop an improved NHS program focused on improving patient care. The SWOT analysis …

“It Gives Me Confidence”: Caregiver Coaching From The Perspective Of Families Of Children Who Are Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing, Dorie Noll, Sheila Moodie, Ian D. Graham, Beth Potter, Elizabeth M. Fitzpatrick

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Caregiver coaching is utilized in early intervention services with families of children who are deaf or hard of hearing to increase caregivers’ skills and confidence in supporting their child’s language development, but few studies have examined coaching from the perspective of the caregivers. The purpose of this study was to increase understanding of caregivers’ experiences of coaching in the context of listening and spoken language intervention services. Using semi-structured, qualitative interviews, this study examined 13 caregivers’ perspectives at three intervention sites in the US and Canada. Results indicate that caregivers perceive that practitioner characteristics, expectations, and the evolution of the …

Hearing Screening In North Carolina's Nicu And Well-Baby Nurseries: Impact Of Jcih 2019 And Covid-19, Jackson Roush, Shannon Culbertson, Chloe Gratzek, Jane Khin, Alexandra Mccormick, Stephanie Ortega, Madison Rock, Kathryn Sobon, Jenna Van Bosch, Hannah Siburt, Marcia Fort

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Purpose: Over an 18-month period in 2020–2021, the North Carolina Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) program in collaboration with the North Carolina Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program conducted a statewide examination of newborn hearing screening practices in North Carolina’s 24 Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) and 86 well-baby nurseries to determine how current protocols and procedures conform to those recommended by the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (JCIH) in its Year 2019 Position Statement: Principles and Guidelines for Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Programs. The COVID-19 pandemic emerged during the study period and motivated …

Family Perspectives On Developmental Monitoring: A Qualitative Study, Sarah Behrens, Evan Dean, Marisol Torres

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Developmental monitoring, an ongoing process to identify children at risk for developmental delays, is an essential component to the identification of a developmental disability in young children. In collaboration with families, medical professionals are expected to monitor the development of a child; however, current research focuses on screening with less attention on developmental monitoring and the role of the family. Here, we show the experiences of families with medical professionals specific to developmental monitoring and how families obtain and develop knowledge on child development. We analyze qualitative data from a sample of family caregivers using semi-structured interviews. With a thematic …

Experiential Learning Through Participatory Action Research In An Interdisciplinary Leadership Training Program, Jessica L. Franks, Stephanie D. Baumann, Marvin So, Angela M. Miles, Jorge M. Verlenden, Teal Benevides, Mark Crenshaw, Stephen Truscott, Daniel Crimmins

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Background: Experience in multidisciplinary collaboration among healthcare providers, leaders in public health, and educators is essential to effectively address the diverse needs of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families.

Purpose: We describe three participatory action research (PAR) projects from an interdisciplinary training program, which used experiential learning to enhance leadership competencies and promote inclusive services. Trainees report their leadership growth as providers and advocates for children with I/DD using experiential learning through PAR.

Approach: Trainees discuss their engagement with organizations serving children with I/DD and ways that experiential learning supported leadership skill development, …

Equitable Vaccine Access Within An Age-Based Framework, Alan B. Cobo-Lewis

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Objectives: When vaccine supply was limited, several states adopted age-based prioritization for Covid-19 vaccine eligibility because it is simple (especially when age is quantized by decade) and age is strongly associated with Covid-19 mortality. But this approach raises equity concerns based in law and ethics. I propose data-driven solutions for equitable policy within an age-based framework. Methods: Using CDC and Census Bureau data, I analyzed 538,627 U.S. Covid-19 deaths by age and race-ethnicity through February 2021 and compared the risk ratios to published data on risk ratios for other conditions. Results: Covid-19 mortality rose 2.56-fold per decade of life. Down …

Covid Anxiety And Stress In Higher Ed (Cash), Letitia Bergantz, Christopher E. Curtis

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Access the online Pressbooks version of this article here.

College is a time of increased stress and anxiety. The current changes in attendance and methods of instruction due to COVID-19 have demonstrated even higher levels of stress, anxiety, and mental health issues. Tailoring interventions to the specific needs of a campus community has been proposed as an appropriate means to the current crisis. This study identifies the mental health needs of students at a rural college as they pertain to the effects of the pandemic.

Questionnaires collected data from college students (N=33) at Athens State University, a rural university in …

Fertility Control Options For Management Of Free-Roaming Horse Populations, Ursula S. Bechert, John W. Turner Jr., Dan L. Baker, Douglas C. Eckery, Jason E. Bruemmer, Candace C. Lyman, Tulio M. Prado, Sarah R. B. King, Mark A. Fraker

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The management of free-roaming horses (Equus ferus) and burros (E. asinus) in the United States has been referred to as a “wicked problem” because, although there are population control options, societal values will ultimately determine what is acceptable and what is not. In the United States, free-roaming equids are managed by different types of organizations and agencies, and the landscapes that these animals inhabit vary widely in terms of access, size, topography, climate, natural resources, flora, and fauna. This landscape diversity, coupled with contemporary socioeconomic and political environments, means that adaptive management practices are needed to …

No Difference In Corticosterone Concentrations Between Missouri Three-Toed Box Turtles Living In An Urban And A Rural Site, Bennett A. Lamczyk, Jamie L. Palmer, Corinne P. Kozlowski, Stephen Blake, Sharon L. Deem

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Baseline health data for species of conservation concern are important for understanding threats to the long-term viability of populations. One indication of health is physiological stress among individuals. Corticosterone (CORT) is frequently used to quantify stress in free-living reptile populations, as high values may be associated with reduced fitness. Herein, we describe and validate methods for quantifying blood CORT levels in three-toed box turtles (Terrapene mexicana triunguis). We subsequently use this information to evaluate stress levels in 2 populations of free-living three-toed box turtles in Missouri, USA. To our knowledge, this is the first quantification of CORT levels …

Dehydration And Mortality Of Feral Horses And Burros: A Systematic Review Of Reported Deaths, John Derek Scasta, Eric Thacker, Jacob D. Hennig, Karl Hoopes

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Water is a requirement for all organisms, including equids. Dehydration-caused mortality of feral horses (Equus ferus caballus) is often cited as a cause of concern and as justification for management of feral horses, yet a paucity of information exists on the matter. We conducted a systematic review from September 1, 2020 through January 15, 2021 of available news reports of feral horse and burro (E. asinus) dehydration mortalities and public interventions to save horses using a public search engine with a priori defined search term combinations and additional snowball sampling. We found 15 uniquely reported mortality …