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"Challenging The Known." 16th Annual Research Week: Event Proceedings, University Of The Incarnate Word

Excellence Summit (Research Week) Archived Proceedings

Presentations of completed and ongoing research activity conducted by graduate students, undergraduate students, and faculty at University of the Incarnate Word. Includes poster, podium, visual arts, interactive demo, and creative and performing arts presentations. Coordinated and presented by the Office of Research and Graduate Studies.

The Invisible Epidemic: A Concussion Assessment Among University Faculty And Staff, Emily R. Brown, Jacqueline D. Villanueva Arevalo

Student Scholar Showcase

Background: The present body of research is deficient, and institutions frequently lack defined return-to-learn policies for students who have incurred or been diagnosed with a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI)/concussion.

Purpose: This research study aims to determine the level of knowledge and awareness university faculty and staff currently have at a private university in the Mid-Atlantic Region.

Participants: 64 collegiate faculty and academic staff

Methods: A Cross-sectional, web-based Faculty and Staff Concussion Awareness and Knowledge survey was completed by participants, consisting of 9 demographic, 21 Likert Scale, and 1 multiple-option question.

Results: Initial descriptive and frequency statistics of the 64 …

Evaluation Of Concussion Assessment Tools For Collegiate Athletes, Jacqueline D. Villanueva Arevalo, Emily R. Brown

Student Scholar Showcase

BACKGROUND: Due to the increase in sports-related concussions in the United States, there is a rising concern about concussion assessments in collegiate athletes with regard to long term vestibular ocular motor dysfunction and post-concussion syndrome.

PURPOSE: Due to varying practices in concussion diagnosis, this systematic review analyzed three concussion diagnostic instruments, The King Devick, Screening Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT-5), and Vestibular Oculomotor Screening Tool (VOMS), to determine the most appropriate instrument(s) for reducing vestibular ocular-motor dysfunction and post-concussion symptoms in collegiate athletes.

METHODS: Nested Knowledge was used to identify articles from PubMed, Europe Pubmed Central, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases. Key search …

Colon Cancer Screening And The Association With Colon Cancer Incidence And Mortality Rates In Ethnic Minority Groups, Jovonne Smith

Student Scholar Showcase

Colorectal cancer (CRC) continues to be a public health burden and is the second leading cause of American cancer deaths. Strides have been made in the medical community, and there has been an overall decrease in CRC rates. This decrease is primarily due to a cumulative decline in late-onset colorectal cancer diagnosis (LOCRC), defined as CRC cancer in adults over the age of 50 years. CRC continues to burden American Indians and Alaska Natives (AIAN) and Non-Hispanic Black individuals (NHB) disproportionately. The incidence and mortality rates remain disproportionately higher than other ethnic groups, and the survival rate is lower than …

The Importance Of Educating Adolescent Mothers In The Postpartum Period, Sydney Price, Madelyn Travis, Reagan Schwable

Scholars Week

Due to the lack of policy or procedure for individualized education for adolescent mothers, we concluded that a educational checklist in the charting system would be the most effective way to properly educate young mothers during this confusing stage in their life. Specific education helps to improve perceived quality of care, safety/wellbeing in the young mother and newborn, and reducing the risks of complications such as postpartum depression or issues with pregnancy later on. In summary, ensuring that teenage mothers are fully educated before discharge will provide for better mother and baby outcomes.

The Benefits Of Family Presence During Resuscitation, Abigail Harris, Payton Hale, Audrey Jeziorski

Scholars Week

The research provided analyzes the benefits and fears concerning Family Presence During Resuscitation (FPDR) as a standard practice in healthcare facilities. Evidence is available that FPDR supports increased familial satisfaction and psychological outcomes as well as benefits to the patient and healthcare team involved in resuscitation efforts, however this practice is not consistently implemented in healthcare facilities. Three main studies were analyzed throughout this research in order to determine the causation of inconsistent and absent policies regarding FPDR. The analysis of these studies determined that there is a lack of guidelines, education, and policies resulting in absence of family members …

Beyond The Bmi: Expanding Quantitative Methods To Study Health For All Bodies, Kieran Chase, Daniel Oron

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

The public health field is beginning to reckon with its role in perpetuating and reinforcing systemic anti-fatness. Emerging evidence for the devastating health impacts of stigma call into question decades of research and policy that labels the size of people’s bodies as diseased. However, even as we acknowledge the harmful effects of stigma, the field is materially and institutionally invested in a health paradigm that centers weight loss and size-related proxies for health, such as the BMI. Public health scholars interested in questions related to nutrition, chronic disease, and exercise must begin to expand their research focus to imagine non-stigmatizing …

Serotonin And Migraine, Sophia A. Kogan

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

Migraine, experienced by more than 1 billion people, is the second leading cause of disability worldwide. It is a physiologically complex disorder with nervous, vascular, and inflammatory components, and is associated with genetic factors and environmental influences. Migraine triggers are poorly understood, and sufferers have little control in preventing migraines from occurring. The aim of this review is to bridge the physiological migraine processes with lifestyle behaviors that can be modified by individuals, focusing on serotonin.

Migraines can be initiated when an external event triggers the release of vasodilators such as calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), leading to cranial vasodilation, headache, …

(Un)Weighted Assumptions: Anti-Fatness & Health, Kieran Chase, Nell Carpenter, Madysen Schreiber

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

This lecture/discussion session aims to expand and add nuance to public health students’, professors’, and practitioners’ understanding of the interplay between body size and health. We will begin by naming and challenging common assumptions about the relationship between bodyweight and health outcomes. We will then argue for the consideration of weight-related stigma as a Fundamental Cause of Disease as defined by Phelan and Link, and for institutionally embedded anti-fat bias at the policy level (e.g., insurance policy, medical equipment) as a cause of population health inequity as defined in Whitehead’s Health Equity Framework. We offer these frameworks in contrast to, …

Does Sph Curricula Promote ‘Health Equity’, Reproduce Injustice, Or Both?, Jesse Yarnold

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

Does SPH Curricula Promote ‘Health Equity’, Reproduce Injustice, or both?

The social justice movements of recent years (preceded by [generations of] insurmountable suffering) have facilitated a collective recognition of the systemic effects of racism and epistemic violence. Despite the ambitious and well-intentioned vision of “health equity” as defined by epidemiologic scholarship - progress is slow and injustices prevail.

Students, scholars, and researchers of ‘Public Health’ are uniquely positioned to imagine and create innovative ways of understanding and addressing the harmful inequities and injustices perpetuated by white settler colonialism. I argue that Academic institutions delivering Public Health education are uniquely positioned …

Determinants Of Modern Contraceptive Use Among Young Women In Ghana: A Mixed-Methods Study Design, Adjoa N. Manu

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

Background: Only 20% of sexually active women aged 15-24 in Ghana used contraception during their last sexual intercourse. Young women are highly exposed to the risks associated with having unprotected sexual intercourse, such as unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.

Objective: To use an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design to examine the determinants of modern contraceptive use among young women in Ghana using population-based data and identify the types of contraceptive methods the population know and use.

QUAN Design: Analysis of the 2017 Ghana Maternal Health Survey data, a nationally representative cross-sectional survey.

QUAN Findings: The male …

Investing In Family Planning, Education, And Empowering Of Women And Girls To Mitigate The Impact Of Climate Change: An Exemplary Case Of Rwanda., Adjoa N. Manu

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

Countries where population growth is high are often highly impacted by the climate crisis despite not being a significant contributor to historical greenhouse gas emissions. This has created a global inequality in that countries with poorly developed infrastructure are 15 times more likely to have deaths due to climate related disasters such as floods, droughts, and storms compared to wealthy countries that can better protect against similar events. While the climate crisis impacts everyone, women and girls are at a higher risk because of their unique health needs and roles in the community. The effects of climate change can be …

Housing Quality In Philadelphia, Pa: An Urban Health Equity Indicators Approach, Jennifer Piacentini

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

Philadelphia is also the poorest large city in the country, and many residents live in substandard housing. Poor housing quality is associated with poor physical health outcomes as well as mental health issues (Schilling et al., 2022). Many homes in Philadelphia are of poor quality partially due to the median house age being 93 years, and the fact that 75% of homes are more than 50 years old (Jay, 2017). It has also been found that Black households are disproportionately impacted by housing quality issues. The Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia’s Home Repair programs are invaluable, and work with homeowners to …

History Of Hypertension And Urinary Incontinence Among Adults Aged 40 And Older: A Cross-Sectional Study From The National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey, Puthyda Keath, Karla Cordova Nicolas

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

Introduction: Urinary incontinence (UI) impacts over 200 million individuals world-wide, though little is known about the causes of this condition. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine prevalence of UI and the association between a history of hypertension and UI in older adults. A secondary aim was to determine if sex modified the association between history of hypertension and UI.

Methods: This study utilized data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2016 cycles. We included 9,717 U.S adults (≥40 years) with complete information on history of hypertension, UI and other independent variables. Participants with …

Impact Of Industrial Disasters On The Mental Health Of Vietnamese Americans On The Gulf Coast, Vivian L. Duong

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

An explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig caused 200 million gallons of crude oil to spill on the Gulf Coast over a five-month span. About 16,000 miles of coastline, ecosystem and marine life along Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas were contaminated. This disaster and the recovery process caused social, financial, and ecological shocks, resulting in adverse psychosocial and physical health outcomes, health disparities, and socioeconomic inequality. Among the oil spill's most affected and vulnerable populations are the Vietnamese American communities that settled on the Gulf Coast after the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. The plight of …

Map The System: Presence And Impact Of Ppcps In Water, Emma Vandermeulen, Ruby Mitchell

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

In a changing climate, there is growing emphasis on protecting our water sources and developing systems for conserving and reusing water. While many contaminants of concern are monitored and addressed by water treatment systems, pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are generally not accounted for. PPCPs in water systems have been an increasing concern as detection of these products has increased over the last few decades. Studies have been exploring the impact of antibiotics, antidepressants, contraceptives, and other anthropogenic products on our water system and how these substances interact with local ecosystems. Our main research questions are to understand what …

Qualitative Evaluation Of Medical Student Perceptions Of Chronic Disease, Mallory A. Decampos-Stairiker, Viviane Cahen, Sarah Dzubay, Saffron Evergreen, Rachel Shore

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

Background:
Chronic disease is becoming increasingly common around the world. Students in different US medical training programs are exposed to varying amounts of chronic disease education and are taught unique ways of approaching chronic disease management. The purpose of this study is to investigate allopathic and naturopathic medical students’ attitudes, understandings, and perceptions of chronic diseases and their management.

Methods:
This study was conducted as a class project for UNI 504: Qualitative Methods for Health Professionals. We conducted virtual interviews during February 2023 with five allopathic and five naturopathic medical students from around the United States. Demographic information on …

The Prevalence Of Osteoporosis And Low Femoral Neck Bone Density Among Never-Smoking U.S. Adults With Exposure To Secondhand Smoke: A Cross-Sectional Study Using The National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey (Nhanes), Felicia Zhou, Mikaela Haglund

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

Objective

Epidemiologic studies have observed an association between exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) and low bone mineral density (BMD) among current and past smokers. However, there is a knowledge gap in elucidating this association among never-smoking adults. The objective of this study is to examine the association between SHS exposure, measured by serum cotinine levels, and BMD for never-smoking U.S. adults.

Methods

This cross-sectional analysis included 3,224 never-smoking U.S. adults aged 50 years and older from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey cycles 2007-2008, 2009-2010, and 2013-2014. Serum cotinine, a biomarker for tobacco exposure, was the exposure variable while …

Consensus Panel For Assessing Usability And Acceptability Of Mobile Health Autism Screeners, Gabriella Tangkilisan, Luis Andres Rivas Vazquez, Sarabeth Broder-Fingert, Plyce Fuchu, Benjamin Sanders, Katharine Zuckerman

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

Abstract:

Background:

Parents go online to assess whether their child has symptoms of autism. Though early autism identification is important, language, cultural, and technological barriers may impede equitable access to online autism screening tools.

Objective:

To create consensus recommendations for equitable design of autism screening apps and websites using an online panel of parents, autistic self-advocates, health and educational providers, autism researchers, and online screening tool developers.

Methods:

We invited 6 parents (4 of autistic and 2 of typically-developing children), 2 autistic adults, 3 early intervention providers, 3 pediatric primary care providers, and 3 autism online screening app/website developers to …

Client-Reported Quality Of In-Facility Medication Abortion Compared With Pharmacy-Based Self-Managed Abortion In Bangladesh, Laura E. Jacobson Mph, Sarah E. Baum, Erin Pearson, Rezwana Chowdhury, Nirali M. Chakraborty, Julia Goodman, Caitlin Gerdts, Blair Darney

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

Objective: We used the newly developed Abortion Care Quality (ACQ) Tool to compare client-reported quality of medication abortion care by modality (facility-based versus pharmacy-based self-managed abortion (SMA)) in Bangladesh.

Study Design: We used the abortion client ACQTool exit and 30-day follow-up surveys and bivariate statistics to compare 18 client-reported quality indicators grouped in six domains and eight abortion outcomes, by service modality. We used multivariable logistic regression to identify factors associated with selected quality indicators and outcomes (abortion affordability, information provision, and knowing what to do for an adverse event), controlling for client socio-demographic characteristics.

Results: Of 550 abortion clients, …

Telehealth Family Navigation For Early Autism Services Access: The Autism Alert Project, Mohadeseh Solgi, Avneet Sidhu, Annie Hoang, Alicia Feryn, Joseline Raja-Vora, Patricia Cavanaugh, Michelle Tae, Eric Fombonne, Katharine Zuckerman

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

Background: Delays in access to educational services for autism are common and more likely among children from families of color and/or with low income. In-person family navigation accelerates autism diagnosis; however, the effectiveness of telehealth autism diagnostic navigation is unknown.

Objectives: To test preliminary feasibility and efficacy of a telehealth autism navigation program.

Method: This was a site-randomized pilot trial of autism family navigation for Oregon children in 2021-2022. The intervention used layperson family resource specialists based at Oregon’s Help Me Grow program as navigators for families of children with autism symptoms. Pediatric clinics with >30% Medicaid, located in 5 …

Iliotibial Band Syndrome: Risk Factors, Treatment And Practical Implication To Military Training, Trinton Robinson

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

To investigate the causes and treatments of ITBS and suggest the implementation into military physical training practices.

Clabsi Prevention Methods, Noah Heine, Talon Cockrel

Scholars Week

Infection and the risk thereof is one of the major concerns regarding patient outcomes in the health care facility. One of the interventions with the highest causes of infection is the use of central lines. These lines provide necessary venous access for medication administration but can cause infections called CLABSI or Central Line Acquired Bacterial Infection. The purpose of our article was to research CLABSI prevention methods and provide a new policy using these safe effective methods. These new methods include the use of stat locks for central line securement, using antimicrobial lines, and flushing/locking the central line with a …

Abstract Book (Pdf), School Of Public Health

School of Public Health Delta Omega Honors Day Poster Sessions

The collection of abstracts for the 20XX Delta Omega Honors Day Poster Session.

Field Research Safety And Community Engagement, Reyna Tlamasico, Tristan Ferguson

2023 Midwest Ecology & Evolution Conference

Community engagement and safety are an important aspect of GPS tree logging fieldwork. As part of the Green Heart Louisville Project, we conducted field work to GPS log trees and conducted concurrent community engagement and implemented a health and safety plan (HASP). To make ourselves visible to the community, we made it a requirement to always wear visible Green Heart branding, such as t-shirts, hats, and backpacks. We fielded many inquiries about our presence, so we would politely inform them about why we were there, what we were doing, and explain to them about the nature of the Green Heart …

Data Management Of Environmental Monitoring Data For Human Health Studies, Mia Jeftic

2023 Midwest Ecology & Evolution Conference

Data Management of Environmental Monitoring Data for Human Health Studies

As part of a study to evaluate exposures in health, samples were taken from 26 participants monitoring air quality inside of their homes over a 4-year period. Our study contained 7 air quality monitors which took recordings every 10 seconds, per participant, per visit and stored it for future use. This led to millions of data points which, after finishing each visit, were extracted, downloaded, and transformed into text files. These files were initially very unorganized and needed to be arranged in a way for them to be useful for …

Spatiotemporal Patterns Of Ticks And Tick-Borne Disease Dynamics At Neon Sites Across A Sub-Continental Scale., Ana Sofia Rivera

2023 Midwest Ecology & Evolution Conference

At local scales, dynamics of ticks and tick-borne diseases such as Lyme disease are driven by resource pulses, such as mast seeding in forest trees, that creates increases in tick hosts. Tick-borne diseases in humans have nearly doubled between 1940 and 2004 and understanding the dynamics of infectious diseases has long been of interest for ecologists. The family Ixodidae is the most capable of transmitting pathogens to humans and tick-borne diseases are the most common vector of illness in the United States. The objective of this research is to characterize the spatiotemporal dynamics of ticks and tick-borne diseases, which may …

The Ethical Dilemma Of Discovering Misattributed Paternity In Living Kidney Donation, Zehra Mehdi

Undergraduate Research and Scholarship Symposium

A major ethical dilemma in living kidney donation is the sharing of information about either the recipient or donor. Ethical policies have been created for donor’s and recipient’s privacy, generally called “Confidentiality Policy for Patient/Recipient.” This policy ends up clashing when it comes to discovery of misattributed paternity. The discovery of misattributed paternity reveals information that is directly linked to both donor and recipient. This information is the discovery by healthcare provider that the recipient (father or child) is not biologically related to the donor (father or child). Each case of misattributed paternity can vary, such as the age of …

Risk Of Upror Increases With Increased Curve Correction After Fusion In Severe Syndromic And Neuromuscular Early Onset Scoliosis, Alondra Concepcion-Gonzalez, Christina C. Rymond, Kevin Lu, Rishi Sinha, Theodore Quan, Hiroko Matsumoto, Afrain Z. Boby, Prakash Gorroochurn, Amer Samdani, Lindsay Andras, Mark Erickson, Purnendu Gupta, Joshua Pahys, Michael G. Vitale, Benjamin D. Roye, Pediatric Spine Study Group

GW Research Showcase 2021-2026

No abstract provided.

The Fitness, Rest, And Exercise For Strength And Health (Fresh) Study: Impact Of Covid-19 On Cardiorespiratory Fitness Of College Students, Catherine E. Alvaro, Kyle Levers, Jennifer Cook, Adelaide Feek, Lihi Kadosh, Annika Stadler, Jennifer Sacheck

GW Research Showcase 2021-2026

No abstract provided.