Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Interdisciplinary Health Fair And The Tendencies Of Young Adults To Receive Follow-Up Health Care, Alexandra Scheidt

Honors Theses

The following proposal outlines the planning, implementation, and follow-up regarding an organized health fair that aims to promote healthy lifestyle in a minority population. The health fair will be conducted on October 9' 2012 at Climax Scott's Alternative High School. The populations addressed through this project include: 60 students ranging from 16-19 years of age, 30 individuals 19 years or older and 10 teachers. The health fair will be organized by three senior-level Bronson School of Nursing students: Alexandra Scheidt, Abby Smith, and Kaelyn Momoe. The thesis project committee consists of: Dr. Sally Vliem, Professor Wendy Kershner, and Professor Alice …

A Comparison Of Caregiver And Speech-Language Pathologist's Ratings Of Speech Outcome In Oral Cleft Clinic, Emily Swain

Honors Theses

Background: Cleft lip and/or palate is one of the most common congenital anomalies. The goal of treatment of cleft palate is normal speech, but a proportion of children with clefts exhibit speech disorders. Various outcome measures are used, but relatively few have focused on self-assessment or caregiver perception of outcome. The studies that have been done focus on comparing parents' and speech-language pathologists' ratings of speech outcome. These studies can be used to determine the degree to which caregivers are satisfied with speech outcome over time.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the relationship between speech ratings …

Residential Treatment Of Adult Women With Eating Disorders, Chelsea Cook

Honors Theses

A qualitative-type study was done in which residents of a residential eating disorder facility were interviewed about their eating disorder and daily life in the treatment center. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics uses the Nutrition Care Process which includes Intervention amongst its four steps. This study will look at the intervention of nutrition education and counseling on these residents and relate it back to Social Learning theory.

Eight residents agreed to the study. All participants were female, and ages ranged from 18-38 with an average age of 24.75. The registered dietitian serving the residents was also interviewed. Interviews were …

When Evil Met Science: Nazi Medicine And Eugenics, Ashley Corey

Honors Theses

During World War II, millions of innocent people were murdered in Nazi Germany. For Hitler and his followers, having a pure race meant having a strong, unified country, and Germany took this idea to extreme and disturbing lengths. Corruption filled the government at all levels. As physicians were the only people authorized to run the gas chambers, traditional healers became death symbols. The Nazis and their physicians used their power to manipulate and murder for the collective goals of the country, as well as the personal gains that came with the high-end job titles. As I reveal the history and …

Prevalence Of Pregnancy Folkloric Beliefs Among Nurse-Midwifery Client Populations, Iris Aleece Campbell

Honors Theses

OBJECTIVE: To explore prevalence of pregnancy related folklore beliefs by conducting a survey of CM/CNMs in the United States. Research questions included: What folklore beliefs are most commonly encountered by nurse-midwives? Does the prevalence of folklore beliefs differ by geography? Does the type of folklore beliefs differ by the ethnicity and culture of the nurse-midwifery clientele?

METHODS: After IRB and ACNM approval, a geographically diverse sample of 1,000 active CM/CNM members was sent an invitation email. The survey was developed following a literature review to include 12 pregnancy beliefs. Responders were asked to rate how frequently they heard each (never-I, …

Tendencies Of Young Adults To Receive Follow-Up Care, Abby Smith

Honors Theses

The following proposal outlines the planning, implementation, and follow-up regarding an organized health fair that aims to promote healthy lifestyle in a minority population. The health fair will be conducted on October 9^, 2012 at Climax Scott’s Alternative High School. The populations addressed through this project include: 60 students ranging from 16-19 years of age, 30 individuals 19 years or older and 10 teachers. The health fair will be organized by three senior-level Bronson School of Nursing students: Alexandra Scheidt, Abby Smith, and Kaelyn Monroe. The thesis project committee consists of: Dr. Sally Vliem, Professor Wendy Kershner, and Professor …

What Is Your Informatics Skill Level? The Reliability Of An Informatics Competency Measurement Tool Developed From Kaminski's Assessment Tool., Xiaomeng Sun

Honors Theses

Objectives: 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. Methods: A survey was administered (N = 25) via a test/retest methodology at Western Michigan University. Results: For the majority of the statements, there were no significant differences between test and retest responses (p>0.05). Conclusions: The study showed that the majority of the statements were reliable. Recommendations related to the study were discussed.

Physical Activity In Health Profession Students, Sara Haller

Honors Theses

Physical inactivity is a major issue for college-aged students. The purpose of this study is to explore the use of text messages as an intervention to increase physical activity in students who attend classes at the College of Health and Human Services. Physical activity is bodily movement that requires the expenditure of energy (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011a). A quasi-experimental study using a convenience sample was conducted in order to answer the research question. Students (n=134) were recruited from the College of Health and Human Services and were asked to fill out a demographics questionnaire and sign an …

Physical Activity In Health Profession Students, Andrea Mahon

Honors Theses

Physical inactivity is a major issue for college-aged students. The purpose of this study is to explore the use of text messages as an intervention to increase physical activity in students who attend classes at the College of Health and Human Services. Physical activity is bodily movement that requires the expenditure of energy (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011a). A quasi-experimental study using a convenience sample was conducted in order to answer the research question. Students (n=134) were recruited from the College of Health and Human Services and were asked to fill out a demographics questionnaire and sign an …

The Gluten-Free Diet: An Effective Treatment For Autistic Spectrum Disorders?, Susanna Zammit

Honors Theses

In 2006, autism was recognized as a national problem due to a sharp increase in the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Characteristics of autism include impairments in the areas of social interaction, communication, and play, while demonstrating restricted or repetitive interests and activities. Children diagnosed with ASDs may also develop angry outbursts or feeding difficulties. An estimated one-third of autistic children have a gastrointestinal (GI) disorder. Theories as to why GI distress is common with autism have resulted in the research of different therapeutic treatments. Most notably, researchers have completed studies on the gluten-free, casein-free (GFCF) diet as a …

Maternal Ethnicity Age, And Income Characteristics Associate With Breastfeeding, Jill Matthews, Alberta Stover, Jennifer Harrison, Sharon Long

Research and Creative Activities Poster Day

No abstract provided.

Supporting Identity In Aphasia: A Survey Of Speech-Language Pathologists, Katie Strong

Research and Creative Activities Poster Day

No abstract provided.

Promoting Physical Activity In Health Profession Students, Kelly Elrod

Research and Creative Activities Poster Day

No abstract provided.

An Exploration Of The Relationships Between Body Image, Hair Removal, Pornography, And Women's Sexual Self-Efficacy, Elissa Allen

Research and Creative Activities Poster Day

No abstract provided.

Study Of The Insulin Mimetic Sodium Orthovanadate In Glucosamine Induced Insulin Resistnace In Primary Rat Hepatocytes, Kalan Mcpherson

Masters Theses

Insulin resistance and type II diabetes is a disease state characterized by a lack of sensitivity of insulin to provoke a proper response in insulin sensitive tissues. Currently, we utilize glucosamine to increase flux through the Hexosamine Biosynthetic Pathway (HBP) to induce an insulin resistance like state in primary rat hepatocytes. We tested the effectiveness of the insulin mimetic sodium orthovanadate to determine if it could elicit an insulin-like response under these conditions. Mixed results were obtained on the effectiveness of vanadate as an insulin mimetic in this insulin resistant model.

A Content Analysis Of Music Therapy Theses And Dissertations From 2000 To 2012 From Amta Approved Graduate Programs, Liisa G. Flores

Masters Theses

The purpose of this content analysis was to categorize, code, and analyze trends related to graduate music therapy theses/dissertations completed from the year 2000 to 2012. Information was gathered related to what American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) approved schools have graduate programs and how many students have graduated from these institutions. Research questions addressed in this study were to determine (1) who were the thesis/dissertation advisors for students, (2) what was the type of goal for the research, (3) what types of studies were completed, and (4) what populations were studied.

Results included 35 schools offering graduate music therapy degrees. …

Preschoolers With Speech And Language Impairment: Case Studies From A Teacher-Delivered Phonological Awareness Program, Katherine J. Wickham

Masters Theses

Past and present research demonstrates early reading success related to phonological awareness (PA) instruction conducted individually or in small groups outside of the preschool classroom. This study investigated the effects of an explicit, intensive and teacher-delivered PA instruction for children with speech sound disorder and language impairment as part of the preschool curriculum. The investigator examined the performance of individual cases in both groups, those who received instruction and the control. Two participants in each of the experimental (E1 and E2) and control (C1 and C2) groups had standardized scores indicating deficits in speech and/or language. These children who received …

Counselor Educator Knowledge, Experience, Attitudes And Beliefs Toward Complementary And Alternative Medicine, Jennifer Mills Langeland

Dissertations

Following growing public interest and widespread use, many health professions have begun to explore the attitudes toward, knowledge of and experience with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) of the various stakeholders within their professions. This foundational information has enabled disciplines such as medicine, nursing, psychology, and marriage and family therapy to take a closer look at how students, patients, clients, and faculty think about and utilize CAM and its relevance to their professions. Surveying the practices and attitudes of stakeholders has been an important starting point for professions undertaking the task of integrating these practices into training programs.

This study …

Journey Of A Peace Journalist, Robert Koehler

Center for the Study of Ethics in Society Papers

Presented October 15, 2012. 2012 Winnie Veenstra Peace Lecture.

Expressing Emotions Through Participation In Painting, Molly Bathje

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The cover of the Winter 2013 Open Journal of Occupational Therapy, titled Miles eMOTION, was created by Miles Scharfenberg, an 18-year-old young man with multiple developmental impairments. Miles’ story and his artwork provide a reflection on the ways in which creativity and art can enhance the lives of people with disabilities and their families. Miles’ art exists because of his drive toward engagement and participation in life, but also essential is his mother’s commitment to providing opportunities for him to be creative. The Miles eMOTION series of paintings can inspire occupational therapists, families, caregivers, and people with disabilities to …

Online Learning Of Safe Patient Transfers In Occupational Therapy Education, Cynthia L. Hayden

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Online higher education is steadily increasing. For programs in allied health to be offered effectively in an e-learning format, clinical psychomotor skills need to be addressed. The aim of this research was to design, implement, and evaluate an online safe patient transfers module for occupational therapy assistant (OTA) students. The efficacy of teaching safe patient transfers in an e-learning environment was appraised using both quantitative and qualitative analysis. The applied research project was completed at a Tennessee community college. A convenience sample of eighteen students participated in the pilot study. Twenty-five students participated in the subsequent study. The instructional design …

The Training And Use Of Service Dogs In Occupational Therapy Education, Mary Isaacson

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The purpose of this study is to describe the role of occupational therapy fieldwork students in the training of service dogs. Ethnography is an approach that strives to explore and describe the point of view of people. Ethnographers view the researcher as an instrument to gain insight into the subject. This researcher utilized her own experiences as an occupational therapist, an occupational therapy educator, and as a volunteer dog trainer of service dogs. She then validated the process through interviews with key informants. The results indicate that occupational therapists and occupational therapy students are capable of playing a significant role …

International Occupational Therapists Continuing Education Needs And Opportunities: A Survey, Husny Amerih

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapists (OTs) are expected to maintain up-to-date knowledge and clinical competence by engaging in continuing professional education (CPE). The objective of this research was to obtain information on CPE needs and opportunities in developed and developing countries. A survey was created and emailed to 520 OTs in various countries, asking questions about CPE requirements, opportunities, and the avenues of CPE available to OTs. One hundred-nineteen OTs from 17 different countries responded. Of the 119 OTs, 28 practice in developing countries and 91 practice in developed countries. Thirty-nine percent of the OTs in developing countries stated that they have certain …

An Evaluation Of The Potential Effectiveness Of A Tai Chi Program For Health Promotion Among People With Severe Mental Illness, Ann M. Chapleau, Diane Powers Dirette

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

In response to the significant health disparities among persons with severe mental illness (SMI), this pilot study was developed to evaluate the potential effectiveness of a Tai Chi program provided to adults who are members of a psychosocial clubhouse program. A non-randomized, controlled pretest-posttest design was used, and qualitative data from a program evaluation survey is shared to provide insight into the strengths and limitations of this explorative study. A simplified, beginner-level Tai Chi program was provided twice a week for 12 weeks. Changes in cardiac and pulmonary function and perceived quality of health were measured. Results support the potential …

Functional Improvement In Older Adults After A Falls Prevention Pilot Study, Pei-Fen J. Chang, Yong-Fang Kuo

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Falls are a costly, disabling, and life-threatening risk in the elderly. Improvements in physical function, balance, lower extremity strength, and health-related quality of life are hypothesized to help mitigate fall risk. In this pilot study, six women and men with an average age of 81 years participated in a 6-week exercise and education program created to reduce risk of falls. Evaluations were made at baseline and at 6 weeks on four tests: the Functional Status Questionnaire, the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), the Six-minute Walk Test, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life–BREF 26-question test. Scores indicated significant improvement in …

A Survey To Determine The Reliability Of Dynamometer And Pinch Gauge Dial Readings Among Certified Hand Therapists, Theodore I. King Ii

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Using a cross-sectional descriptive study design, surveys were mailed to 200 randomly selected certified hand therapists of the American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT) to determine how they document analog dynamometer and pinch gauge dial readings. Three different needle settings for the dynamometer and pinch gauge were presented in picture format. For each instrument, one needle setting was just above a gauge marker, one was just below a gauge marker, and one was set exactly between two gauge markers. A total of 126 out of 200 surveys were returned for a participation rate of 63%. For the dynamometer readings, therapists …

Letter From The Editor: The Importance Of Frames Of Reference, Diane Powers Dirette

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

Treatment Of Food Selectivity In Children With Autism: A Review Of Literature And Introduction To Holistic Treatment Approach, Tara Swodzinski

Honors Theses

Food selectivity is a problem in many of the lives of children with autism. Limited food repertoires can negatively affect nutritional status and the quality of life for these children and their families. The precise cause of this food selectivity is unknown although a number of reasons have been posited. This inability to pinpoint an exact cause has lead to a debate between researchers about whether behavioral or physiological issues are to blame. This paper first explores both of these options. Then, a new clinical program at WMU OT Unified Clinics is described that focuses on a holistic approach used …

2013 News, College Of Education And Human Development

Family and Consumer Sciences News

• Textile and Apparel Studies Welcomes 9 Internationals to WMU
• FCS Student Starts New Student Organization: The Student Design Showcase
• FCS Professor Takes Sabbatical to Study Vocational Education in Ukraine
• New Online Peer Review Journal Launching Online: Grandfamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy
• Textile and Apparel Faculty Members Present at National Research Conference
• Assistant Professor Co-Wrote Article Published in Child & Family Social Work
• Professor Appointed to National Teaching Standards Board
• CTE Professor Selected as Visiting Scholar
• Interior Design Students Visit Herman Miller
• Outstanding Career and Technical Education Research Journal Article Award

A Beginning Education In The Anatomy And Function Of The Human Visual Apparatus For Grades 2-4, Evan Andrews

Honors Theses

The human visual apparatus is a remarkable feat of evolution that is nearly a complete mystery to many in the general population. Introducing such a challenging topic is difficult, but, if done in an enjoyable and interactive way to a young audience, the eye can become exciting instead of confusing. The primary objective of this project was to create a short lesson for elementary school students that gave an understanding of the eye's basic anatomy and functions. A fast-paced, interactive format was decided on that included units on the major eye components; color vision and how it can be affected; …