Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Cultural Conflict In Medicine: A Moral Debate Between Paternalism And Patient Autonomy, Hannah Webb

Honors Theses

In today’s society filled with globalization and mass movement of people and ideas, there is an ever present question of how each individual society fits into the overall culture of a diversified country such as the United States. The idea of the US as a melting pot has triggered the inability to create a “one size fits all” style of living. In terms of medicine, westernized practices are typically accepted in a majority of the world. However, conflicting traditional practices as well as religious beliefs are still present in some areas of the world as well as in the US …

Differences Between Healthcare Systems In Costa Rica & The United States And How Those Differences Affect The Overall Quality Of Healthcare, Carlie Decker

Honors Theses

This thesis seeks to examine the similarities and differences between the healthcare system employed in Costa Rica and the healthcare system employed in the United States through a series of interviews and web-based research. Four healthcare system components will be examined in order to determine the success of each system. These components include health insurance coverage, access to pharmaceuticals, medical licensing requirements, and medical research.

Following the completion of the interviews and research, I found that United States citizens pay nearly four times the amount Costa Rican citizens do for health insurance coverage. This dramatic increase in price can be …

Physician Assistants: The Rise Of A Career From A Missed Opportunity In Nursing, Madeline Jary

Honors Theses

The implementation of the concept of mid-level providers in healthcare has undoubtedly contributed greatly to the solution of the physician shortage. This shortage of physicians had posed a problem in the delivery of health care for decades, particularly in rural areas. Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants as we know them today may not have existed without previous groundwork and inspiration. The introduction of the nurse clinician concept by Frances Reiter in 1943 led to the later development of a masters nurse clinician program at Duke University by Dr. Eugene Stead and Thelma Ingles. Despite the denial of accreditation of the …

A Holistic Approach To Therapy And Management Of Lower Back Pain, Lauren Ross

Honors Theses

My thesis project is focused on the concept of pain. It is a compilation of input from my intern advisor, a licensed physical therapist, and from my thesis advisor, a professor within the Integrative Holistic Health and Wellness department. It is an exploration of the origin, effects, development, types, perception, costliness and treatments of low back pain, through a holistic, anatomical, neurological and integrative approach. My research is expressed through a thorough power-point project with several diagrams, pictures and information, as well as a research paper containing significant detail.

This thesis project effectively defines what pain is in the body …

Secondary Analysis Of Adolescent And Young Adult Sexual Health In Kalamazoo And Jackson Counties, Kayla Bolter

Honors Theses

Based off of the Healthy People 2020 goals regarding sexual health behaviors and reduction in the proportion of gonorrhea infections among males and females ages 15-44, the purpose of this thesis to provide the necessary evidence that a sexual health education intervention needs to be implemented into the campus of Western Michigan University in order to reduce the rates of gonorrhea among college students aged 20-24 in Kalamazoo County. This is a secondary analysis that compared the reported gonorrhea rates in Kalamazoo County, Michigan to the reported rates of gonorrhea in Jackson County, Michigan. Several components were compared within each …

Secondary Analysis Of Adolescent And Young Adult Sexual Health In Kalamazoo And Jackson Counties, Jenna Moreau

Honors Theses

This secondary analysis is a comparison of two Counties, Kalamazoo and Jackson, to see if the presence of a university has impact on reported Chlamydia cases. Nationally, 20-24 year olds account for the highest number of reported Chlamydia infections. This age group also accounts for the large majority of college students that attend Western Michigan University found in Kalamazoo County. It is believed that by collecting this data, there will be an obvious need for implementation of an education intervention for students at Western Michigan University regarding sexual health.

It was proposed that there would be a higher prevalence of …

Humans' Bonding With Their Companion Dogs: Cardiovascular Benefits During And After Stress, Rebecca A. Campo, Bert N. Uchino

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This study examined whether having one's companion dog present during and after stress posed similar cardiovascular benefits as having a close friend present, even when the relationship quality for both the companion dog and friend was highly positive. Positive aspects of relationship quality for participants' dog and friend were not associated with one another, suggesting that these relationships exist independently. Additionally, compared to participants with a close friend present, those with their dog present had lower heart rate and diastolic blood pressure (p's < .05) while undergoing the stressors, and tended to have lower heart rate and systolic blood pressure (p's < .09) when recovering from stressors. This study indicates that even when relationship quality is similarly high for companion dogs and friends, dogs may be associated with greater reductions in owners' cardiovascular reactivity to stress, particularly if there is a potential for evaluation apprehension in the human friendships. These findings support the value of the human- companion animal relationship in promoting human welfare.

Effects Of Companion Animal Ownership Among Canadian Street-Involved Youth: A Qualitative Analysis, Michelle Lem, Jason B. Coe, Derek B. Haley, Elizabeth Stone, William O'Grady

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In Canada, approximately 150,000 youth are homeless on any given night, and many have companion animals. Through a series of semi-structured interviews, this qualitative study explored the issues and effects of companion animal ownership among street-involved youth from the perspective of the youth themselves. "Pet before self" was the substantive theme, with first level sub-themes of "physical" and "emotional" effects. Previously unidentified findings include benefits of having a companion animal, such as creating structure and routine and decreasing use of drugs. Loss of the companion animal was a negative effect. Youth consistently reported making choices to stay with their animal …

Staff Views On The Involvement Of Animals In Care Home Life: An Exploratory Study, Jane Fossey, Vanessa Lawrence

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This qualitative study examined the views of one hundred and eight care staff working in fifteen care homes in the United Kingdom about the involvement Of animals in the care practices of the home. The perceived benefits and difficulties ofdelivering person-centered and psychosocial care, including the involvement of animals were explored. The findings describe the main themes related to animal involvement elicited from staff. These include the benefits to residents' well-being and the varying challenges that visiting and residential animals pose. The implicationsfor practice are discussed and the need for clearer information for care home teams is identified.

Quantifying Value In Public Health: Using Economic Methods To Analyze System Change, Theresa M. Green

Dissertations

In this time of economic downturn, it is becoming increasingly important for organizations, including those in public health, to “prove their worth,” to show the value in improvement strategies. Health agencies have learned to discuss impact in terms of health outcome and mortality/morbidity measures. However, it is critical that these impacts are also expressed in a way that shows cost-efficiency and economic benefit especially for promising, evidence-based public health interventions. Although several methods of economic evaluation including cost-effective analysis, cost-utility analysis, or cost-benefit analysis and return on investment (ROI) have been used in social sciences and health research, fewer examples …

The Partial Characterization Of The 142r Protein Of Tanapox Virus, Krystal N. Seibert

Dissertations

Due to the complex nature of cancer, a variety of strategies are being employed to treat patients. Among these are oncolytic viruses that conditionally replicate in tumor cells with specific cellular landscapes. Several viruses including Herpesviruses, Adenoviruses, and Poxviruses, predominantly vaccinia virus (VV), have been explored for their oncolytic potential. Most of these viruses can productively infect a variety of cell types and it is one goal to create conditionally lethal viruses that can only replicate in tumor cells. Due to the prevalence of p53 inactivating mutations in cancers viruses that are restricted to p53 null cells are desirable and …

Grip Strength, Multimorbidity, And Disability, Amy M. Yorke

Dissertations

The presence of two or more chronic health conditions, also known as multimorbidity, is one of the most prevalent health disorders experienced by adults. Adults with multimorbidity and functional limitations represent clinical and financial challenges to the current health care system. The purpose of this three-paper dissertation is to examine the relationship between grip strength, multimorbidity, and the prediction of disability in adults. Data from the 2008 Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a nationally representative, longitudinal study completed on Americans age 50 years and over, are used for the dissertation.

The objective of the first paper is to investigate the …

Attachment, Social Support, And Perceived Mental Health Of Adult Dog Walkers: What Does Age Have To Do With It?, F. Ellen Netting, Cindy C. Wilson, Jeffrey L. Goodie, Mark B. Stephens, Christopher G. Byers, Cara H. Olsen

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In part of a larger pilot study of dog walking as a physical activity intervention we assessed levels of attachment, social supports, and perceived mental health of 75 dog owners, identified through a tertiary- care veterinary hospital. Owners completed the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) Social Support Survey, mental health component of the Short-Form-12 (SF-12) Health Survey, and the Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale (LAPS). Of particular interest was that younger owners had stronger attachments to their dogs (r = -.488;p <.001) and less social support (r = .269;p =.021). Our study suggests the importance of companion animals for social support, particularly for those without close friends/relatives. For younger owners, our study reveals vulnerabilities in support networks that may warrant referrals to human helping professionals. We suggest the use of Carstensen's Socioemotional Selectivity Theory as an interpretive framework to underscore the importance of including companion animals as part of the human social convoy, especially in terms of providing affectionate and interactional social support.

The Impact Of Companion Animals On Social Capital And Community Violence: Setting Research, Policy And Program Agendas, Phil Arkow

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The term social capital has been used to describe the networks and other forces that build social cohesion, personal investment, reciprocity, civic engagement, and interpersonal trust among residents in a community. With the exception of three Australian reports describing positive associations between companion animal ownership and social capital, the literature has neglected to include the presence or absence of companion animal residents of communities as factors that could potentially affect social capital and serve as protective factors for community well-being. Companion animals are present in significantly large numbers in most communities, where they have considerable economic impact and provide emotional …

Evaluation Of Modafinil In Preclinical Behavioral Assays Of Abuse Liability, Amanda J. Quisenberry

Dissertations

Modafinil is an FDA-approved drug for the treatment of narcolepsy with efficacy in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome, obstructive sleep apnea, and shift-work sleep disorder. Modafinil’s wake-promoting and cognitiveenhancing effects are reportedly similar to those of traditional psychostimulants, but without the side effects typically associated with these substances. Modafinil has also been investigated as an agonist replacement therapy for psychostimulant dependence, although results of clinical trials are equivocal. Few studies have examined its behavioral effects in combination with psychostimulants and the neuropharmacological actions of modafinil are not well understood. The primary aim of this study was to assess modafinil’s …

Health Information Technology In American Medicine: A Historical Perspective, Kenneth A. Fisher

Transactions of the International Conference on Health Information Technology Advancement

Medical care has had great advances during and especially after the 19th century. With these advances has come the moral imperative to provide care to all in a nation regardless of the ability to pay. One of the great dilemmas of our time is how to provide this care without consuming other national priorities. There exists a debate between government-centered or patient-centered models of care and how electronic medical records could facilitate this process.

Monitoring And Assisting Maternity-Infant Care In Rural Areas (Mamicare), Juan C. Lavariega Dr., Gustavo Córdova, Lorena G. Gómez, Alfonso Avila Dr.

Transactions of the International Conference on Health Information Technology Advancement

We present our project called MAMICare that is motivated by the alarming number of maternity and infant deaths in rural areas due mainly to a poor monitoring of pregnancy progress and lack of appropriate alerting mechanism in case of abnormal gestation evolution. We are proposing an information technology solution based on mobile devices, and health sensors such as ECG (electrocardiogram), stethoscope, pulse-oximeter, and blood-glucose meter to automatically collect relevant health data for a better monitoring of pregnant women. In this paper we address the current status of the maternity infant death problem especially in rural areas of Mexico. We review …

The Role Of Mobile Technology In Enhancing The Use Of Personal Health, Mohamed Abouzahra, Joseph Tan

Transactions of the International Conference on Health Information Technology Advancement

Healthcare industry is essential for the wellbeing of society members, however this industry is characterized by high cost and by plagued by serious medical errors. Personal health records (PHR) can play an important role in solving healthcare problems by enhancing patients’ involvement in their treatment, and improving patient-provider communication. Despite the potential importance of PHR systems, they suffer from low adoption rate because of several factors such as digital divide and lack of training. In this paper we propose that mobile PHR systems (MPHR) can aid in overcoming barriers to adopt PHR. We present a theoretical model based on theory …

Message From The Transactions Editor, Huei Lee

Transactions of the International Conference on Health Information Technology Advancement

No abstract provided.

Predictive Modeling In Post-Reform Marketplace, Wu-Chyuan Gau, Andrew France, Maria E. Moutinho, Carl D. Smith, Morgan C. Wang

Transactions of the International Conference on Health Information Technology Advancement

Healthcare reform changes everything. Annual and lifetime dollar limits, underwriting, and preexisting condition exclusion will all be eliminated by 2014. Insurers must offer coverage to any individual regardless of their health status. An overwhelming majority of those who will be mandated to purchase individual insurance is currently uninsured or under-insured. Insurers have insufficient internal data to estimate costs for this new population. A study on how to apply predictive modeling to deal with risks and uncertainties facing healthcare industry in the post-reform marketplace is presented in this article.

A Study On Generic Prescription Substitution Policy As A Cost Containment Approach For Michigan’S Medicaid System, Khandaker Nayeemul Islam

Transactions of the International Conference on Health Information Technology Advancement

High health care costs have left millions of people unable to buy health insurance and has broadened the state’s responsibility to protect low-income families through Medicaid programs. Increasing health care costs have created severe toll on fiscal management of federal and state governments. Prescription drugs are a significant part of Michigan’s Medicaid costs. Due to the economic recession and the downsizing of auto sector the number of Medicaid beneficiaries in Michigan has increased over the years. Thus it has increased Medicaid prescription drugs program costs at a fast pace, which creates fiscal burden on Michigan in administering the program and …

Standardization Needs For Effective Interoperability, Marilyn Skrocki

Transactions of the International Conference on Health Information Technology Advancement

The Electronic Health Record (EHR) has brought unique challenges in the effort to share information. How data is captured varies from institution to institution. In order for data to be well understood, data should have a definition that is consistent and comprehensively understood by all users of the data. Standardization of how data is captured is critical to allow the production and export of data needed to support quality assessment, decision support, exchange of data for patients with multiple health care providers and public health surveillance. Patient safety and quality improvement are dependent upon embedded clinical guidelines that promote standardized, …

Challenges Of Mobile Healthcare Application Security, Alan Rea

Transactions of the International Conference on Health Information Technology Advancement

Healthcare information technology has overcome many of the Web application security challenges in the past decade. We can now access information more securely and incidents of unintentional data loss are on the decline. However, more must be done to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of mobile applications in the healthcare field. Whether it is physicians using iPads to access treatment histories or patients managing healthcare options via smart phones, the proposed CAP framework (checks, assurances, protection) adds additional security and privacy layers to our modern mobile medical needs.

A Balanced Perspective To Perioperative Process Management Aligned To Hospital Strategy, Jim Ryan, Barbara Doster, Sandra Daily, Carmen Lewis

Transactions of the International Conference on Health Information Technology Advancement

Dynamic technological activities of analysis, evaluation, and synthesis can highlight complex relationships within integrated processes to target improvement and ultimately yield improved processes. Likewise, the identification of existing process limitations, potential capabilities, and subsequent contextual understanding are contributing factors that yield measured improvement. This case study examines process management practices of balanced scorecard and dashboards to monitor and improve the perioperative process, aligned to overall hospital goals at strategic, tactical, and operational levels. Based on a 120-month longitudinal study of an academic medical center, this study investigates how integrated information systems and business analytics can improve perioperative efficiency and effectiveness …

The Impact Of Big Data On The Healthcare Information Systems, Kuo Lane Chen, Huei Lee

Transactions of the International Conference on Health Information Technology Advancement

This article explores the possible impact of big data on healthcare information systems. Possible research issues include: 1). What applications in healthcare information systems are impacted most? 2). What algorithm/programs will be used for big data? 3). What privacy, security, and ethical issues are there for big data? In the biology area, big data becomes the newest technology for genomics. Other possible areas include pharmacovigilance, patient care, and medical supply chain management.

An Empirical Study Of Home Healthcare Robots Adoption Using The Utuat Model, Ahmad Alaiad, Lina Zhou, Gunes Koru

Transactions of the International Conference on Health Information Technology Advancement

Home healthcare initiatives are aimed to reduce readmission costs, transportation costs, and hospital medical errors, and to improve post hospitalization healthcare quality, and enhance patient home independency. Today, it is almost unimaginable to consider this initiative without information technology. Home healthcare robots are one type of the emerging technologies that hold promise for making clinical information available at the right place and right time. Several robots have been developed to facilitate home healthcare such as remote presence robots (e.g., RP2) and Paro. Most previous research focus on technical and implementation issues of home healthcare robots, there is a need to …

The Principles Of Good Health Care In The U.S. In The 2010s, Andrew S. Targowski

Transactions of the International Conference on Health Information Technology Advancement

The purpose of this investigation is to define the principles of good health in the U.S. in the 21st century. The interdisciplinary, civilizational methodology is applied to establish roots of this health care at the national level. Among findings are; well-being of Americans” is the constitutional opportunity of an American, good health of Americans is a constituent of their well-being, basic health care should be perceived as the controlled right of a citizen. Human and societal wisdom requires mentally healthy people. Human and societal wisdom requires well educated citizens. The state of health care of the Americans is in a …

What Is Your Informatics Skills Level? --The Reliability Of An Informatics Competency Measurement Tool, Xiaomeng Sun, Sharie Falan

Transactions of the International Conference on Health Information Technology Advancement

To determine the reliability of the nursing informatics self- assessment tool which was developed and extended from Kaminski’s assessment tool among health care students. It was hypothesized that there would be no significant difference in participant responses for a test/retest survey completed by nursing students.

Managing Government Regulatory Requirements For Security And Privacy Using Existing Standard Models, Gregory Schymik, Dan Shoemaker

Transactions of the International Conference on Health Information Technology Advancement

This paper posits the use of a well-established standard approach to Federal compliance, which can be easily adapted to satisfy all legal and regulatory requirements for protection of patient personally identifiable information (PII) in health organizations. This approach is embodied in the three standards that dictate how to comply with the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA). These standards also provide an excellent foundation for organizing a secure operation anywhere. The discussion revolves around the application of the FIPS 199 and FIPS 200/NIST 800-53(4) standard approach to the satisfaction of the present and upcoming legal and regulatory requirements for health …

Mobile Health Information Technology And Patient Care: Methods, Themes, And Research Gaps, Bahae Samhan, Majid Dadgar, K. D. Joshi

Transactions of the International Conference on Health Information Technology Advancement

The focus of the healthcare industry on delivering Patient-Centered Care (PCC) using Mobile Health Information Technologies (MHIT) is rapidly increasing, yet this critical area is still under-researched in the IS/IT literature despite the fact that mobile devices and their applications are widely spread and are likely to change the way of using and applying healthcare services. In this study we further analyze the literature reviewed in Dadgar et al (2013) to uncover research gaps in the area of MHIT which needs further attention. This work posits a preliminary research agenda, in forms of gaps, which can help propel future work …