Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Detection Of Sars-Cov-2 Nucleocapsid And Spike Antibodies In Serum Of Covid-19 Vaccinated And Infected Patients Utilizing Immunoblot Assay, Suzanna Horn

Honors Theses

In 2020, the world was introduced to COVID-19, a strain of Coronavirus that quickly caused a pandemic at the global scale. COVID-19 was reported to cause 5.94 million deaths between 2020-2021, and it continues to prevail amongst society in 2024. Many methods of preventing COVID-19 infection arose throughout this time period; however, mRNA vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein became the most effective way to protect the population from COVID-19’s destructive reign.

Although society has made significant scientific strides in Coronavirus testing and vaccination efforts, there are many improvements that must be made to better protect our society from …

‘News Reporting On Possible Origins Of The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Critical Review And Case Study’, Raya M. Fanuzzi

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

This project is a critical analysis of news reports that discuss the potential origins of the 'COVID-19' pandemic for the purposes of identifying themes and trends in the actual reporting. Around 500 news reports published in the U.S. were analyzed and over 100 of them were selected for the critical review. Articles were found using 'Access News Archive' and Google search engine. Original methods for analyzing and reviewing articles were developed and used. A case study is included aside from the review which focuses specifically on trends in fact-check reporting during the pandemic.

Contributing Factors And Interventions For Increased Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection (Clabsi) Rates During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Literature Review, Brittney Perry

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this literature review is to determine the contributing factors of CLABSI rate increases during the COVID-19 pandemic and identify interventions which restored CLABSI rates to pre-pandemic levels to guide healthcare professionals’ actions during the next pandemic. Background: In the first two decades of the 21^st century, CLABSI rates were reduced in United States hospitals by innovating safer patient care practices. However, there was a significant increase in the annual CLABSI rate in 2020 and 2021, increasing the average length of stay, mortality rate, and cost to the U.S. healthcare system. Methods: An extensive search of CINAHL …

Impact Of Covid-19 On Individuals With Aphasia: Effects On Quality Of Life And Communication, Kaci L. Gammon

Honors College Theses

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) help people with aphasia (PWA) manage their communication symptoms and become more independent by supporting them linguistically and emotionally. During COVID-19, speech and language services were not as readily available to PWA due to quarantine restrictions resulting in isolation within this population. Individuals with aphasia had to redirect and find a new way to function daily. This study explored factors that affected quality of communication and quality of life for PWA during the pandemic, including technology, living situation, timing of stroke, and speech-language pathology services. Through an online survey, PWA from across the country expressed how their …

Covid-19 Vaccination: A Study Of College Students’ Perceptions Regarding Inoculation Post-Covid Infection, Analisa Harter, Wilma Matti

Honors College Theses

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), known as Covid-19, was first identified in China and proclaimed a pandemic in March 2020 by the World Health Organization (WHO). Covid-19 is a virus transmitted via respiratory droplets and becomes airborne when a person who carries the virus coughs, sneezes, or breathes out droplets, and the virus enters a susceptible host. Since the pandemic outbreak, three vaccines have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Despite FDA approval, many Americans are hesitant to receive Covid-19 vaccinations. The perceived severity of SARS-CoV-2 and the perceived safety of the vaccine appear to …

Undergraduate Major And Covid-19 Vaccination Rates Among University Of South Carolina Students, Rebecca Stoltz

Senior Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic brought new vaccines to the forefront of public attention, and with it came a wide array of different opinions. The University of South Carolina did not require students to receive a COVID vaccine, so the decision was left entirely to the individual. Many of my peers have shown support or voiced opposition to the vaccine, and I noticed that those who opposed tended to fall within certain major categories. This study seeks to determine whether a correlation exists between undergraduate major groups and vaccination status, and to gather student attitudes and concerns surrounding vaccines. Among 172 survey …

Generation Of Chimeric Rhinoviruses Presenting Sars-Cov-2 Broadly Neutralizing Epitopes And Their Antigenicity Characterization, Danish Ansari

Biotechnology Theses

The global COVID pandemic is not yet fully under control as there were over 21 million new cases of SARS-CoV-2 infections and over 50,000 deaths globally as of January of 2022. A heavily mutated variant of concern, Omicron is responsible for most of these cases which demands an urgency for a new vaccine. NIH reports over 180 vaccine candidates that use various strategies currently in development. However, a recurring concern with these vaccines is that the continuous viral mutations decrease the efficacy of vaccines. Therefore, we proposed to construct a human rhinovirus (HRV) based chimeric virus containing highly conserved, broadly …

The Effects Of Sensory Processing On Mask-Wearing, Sarah Slone, B.S., S/Ot, Tylar Stambaugh, B.S., S/Ot, Anna Weneck, B.S., S/Ot, Emily Yeager, B.A., S/Ot, Barbara Warnock, Dhsc, Otr/L, Christine Raber, Phd, Otr/L

Occupational Therapy Research Projects

Abstract

Purpose: The global coronavirus pandemic has changed how people participate in life. Wearing a mask has become a normal aspect of daily routines due to public mandates, yet masks tend to create difficulties with ability to process stimuli within the environment and can potentially interrupt participation within life. There is little research into effects of mask-wearing on sensory processing for all ages as it is a recent pandemic.

Method: An online survey was used to describe mask-wearing habits of college-aged adults and impact on sensory experiences. An additional optional interview, which included completion of the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile, further …

Japan’S Covid 19 Infection Rate: A Focus On Tokyo Neighborhoods, Lauren Koerner

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis asks, are neighborhood demographic and economic variables connected to COVID-19 infection rates in Tokyo, Japan? I hypothesize that variation in urbanization and neighborhood demographics account for Japan’s low, though not uniform COVID-19 infection rates. This thesis applies several anthropological perspectives: The biocultural perspective because I look at epidemiology of COVID 19 considering socio-cultural, economic, and ecological factors as well as biological susceptibilities. The critical biocultural perspective because I look at how structures of power and inequality may impact health and healthcare access. Biomedical/applied anthropology, well placed to study the current epidemiologic situation of COVID 19 in Japan and …

Transitioning From Face-To-Face To Telehealth Speech And Language Services Due To The Covid-19 Pandemic: Perceptions Of Persons With Aphasia And Their Ehelpers, Emma Logan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to investigate the perceptions of the aphasia community, as well as their caregivers, that are provided speech and language services and how their services were affected due to transitions because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The recency and novelty of the pandemic warrants research of many areas related to health care, including that of speech language pathology.

An online survey was completed by nine persons with aphasia and three eHelpers. Participants were recruited through a university clinic and by informational fliers through social media. Participants with aphasia qualified by having experiences with speech and …

The Effects Of Animal Companionship On Mental Health During Covid-19, Hailey Burton

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of animal companionship on mental health during COVID-19 for Deaf and Hard of Hearing people. Through the use of qualitative methodology, specifically that of phenomenology, the lived experiences of participants who adopted animals during the pandemic and the effect of this decision on their mental health and quality of life is examined to better understand the relationship between animal companionship and mental health states such as anxiety, loneliness, and depression. An autoethnographic framework is utilized wherein I reflexively analyzed my own choices for adopting an animal companion during the pandemic …

Food Insecurity In Collegiate Athletes During Covid-19, Elizabeth Swindell

Honors Theses

A study done by Georgetown University in 2019 found that one-fourth of NCAA, D1 collegiate athletes experience food insecurity. The study purpose was to examine food security levels in student athletes at a southern university and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food security in these students. A survey was completed by student athletes to determine their food security levels during the 2020 academic year at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey included questions relating to food security based on the USDA’s food insecurity module as well as questions specifically related to the impact of food security …

The Impact Of Social Isolation During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Personal Account Of Social Isolation, Patricia Espinal Ramos

Communication & Media Studies | Senior Theses

I am no stranger to social isolation and its effects on my mental, emotional and physical health. A variety of factors such as limited research, misconceptions associated with its impact mainly in older adults, and its interchangeability with loneliness, previously impeded people’s knowledge and understanding of the subject. This research paper is a hybrid of personal experiences as well as quantitative and qualitative data that analyzed how the restrictions shed light on the effects and misconceptions of social isolation, especially in the disabled community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Females and males survey participants (N- 68) were asked to report their …

Understanding Public Emergency Preparedness Before And During The Coronavirus Outbreak: Implications For Effective Public Health And Risk Communication., Raphael Adjetey Fumey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a dramatic loss of human lives globally and presents an unprecedented challenge to public health, the world of work, and our food systems. The social and economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is devastating, putting several millions of people at risk of falling into extreme poverty, with over 500 million people being undernourished. It is evident from the data on COVID-19 cases, deaths, and hospitalizations that the United States is the worse hit country, which can be attributed to the lack of preparedness at the individual, environmental, and government levels. This study applied …

Themes And Associations Concerning The Covid-19 Pandemic: Autoethnography, Amber Mcgannon, Ebunoluwa O. Adedeji

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Per the college of nursing, my proposed project will discuss living during uncertain times and unusual times of change. This APA formatted paper will be an autoethnography, meaning that we will review the perspectives of COVID through the lens of culture, research, and our own perspectives and experiences. Everyone has experienced changes during the COVID-19 pandemic due to self-isolation. Examples of change include changes in learning, working, thinking, teaching, and behaving. Using acquired nursing skills such as critical thinking, reflection, inquiry, and evidenced-based practice; my partner and I will dissect and discuss these changes and how they have affected ourselves, …

Characteristics Of Covid-19 Vaccine-Hesitant Ucf College Students And Potential Avenues For Increasing Vaccination Rates, Justin A. Barthel

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic has been an ongoing disaster that has devasted millions of lives. With the development of COVID-19 vaccines in late 2020, there was a potential for populations to gain artificial active immunity in order to prevent future outbreaks. However, despite successful clinical trials, millions of citizens have been hesitant to receive the COVID-19 vaccines (Khubchandani et al., 2021). Demographics of the most prominent US vaccine-hesitant populations consist of ethnic/racial minorities and Republicans groups (Khubchandani et al., 2021). Little information is known about COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in colleges and universities. Colleges provide an elevated risk for infection through their …

Morality-Based Messaging? An Examination Of State Health Departments’ Facebook Posts In Advertising Covid-19 Vaccines, Kylee R. Casner

Honors Theses and Capstones

COVID-19 vaccination is an important public health tool in curbing the COVID-19 pandemic, but vaccination rates in the U.S. are inadequate for reaching herd immunity, leaving public health officials to develop strategies to increase vaccination rates. The field of public health has historically used stigmatizing messaging to encourage health behaviors. Through a content analysis COVID-19 Facebook posts made by the Alabama Public Health, Mississippi State Department of Health, Rhode Island Department of Health, and Vermont Department of Health, this study explores the types of messaging used to influence COVID-19 vaccination behavior and looks to determine if stigmatization of non-vaccination is …

Patients With Covid-19 And Prone Positioning: An Integrative Review, Catherine Jordan

Master of Science in Nursing Final Projects

Aim: Describe nursing research that has studied prone positioning in patients with COVID-19 and the outcomes.

Background: Prone positioning has been a well-studied intervention in patients experiencing acute respiratory distress syndrome. The intervention has proven to provide beneficial physiological effects.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using electronic databases. Key search terms were: Covid-19, Coronavirus, outcomes, and prone position. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were outlined and the articles examined for each. Whittemore and Knafl’s (2005) integrative approach was used to conduct this review.

Discussion: This review evaluated the different criteria physicians utilized in their decision to implement prone …

Examining The Healthcare Journeys Of African American Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes Amid Covid-19, Lei Edmerson

Honors Theses

The overall purpose of this study is to explore the pandemic experience of African American’s with Type 2 Diabetes. This study was done to highlight a specific group of people who live with a chronic illness and the steps they took to ensure their safety during a pandemic. The COVID- 19 pandemic had been shown to adversely and disproportionately impact minorities and those with diabetes in regards to mortality rates. This study aims to bring light to the stories of those dealing with more than just the pandemic. It wanted to explore how they made it thus far, and if …

The Efficacy Of Tocilizumab As A Therapeutic Treatment For Sars-Cov-2 Infections: An Integrative Literature Review, Amanda Vancene Peterson

Nursing Masters Papers

The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and resulting COVID-19 infection has spread from a cluster of unidentified pneumonia cases in Wuhan, China, into an ongoing global health crisis. The strain on the healthcare systems and loss of human life has made finding ways to treat severe COVID-19 infections of the utmost importance. Mortality from COVID-19 has been shown to result from an overwhelming inflammatory response similar to the cytokine release syndrome seen in certain autoimmune reactions (Tleyjeh et al., 2020). It also can be seen after chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy for certain cancers. It is hypothesized that treatments targeting the …

The Impact Of Interruptions In Gender-Affirming Medical Care During Covid-19 On Anxiety And Depression Among Trans And Non-Binary People In Canada: A Longitudinal Study, Sara Todorovic

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Background. Transgender and non-binary (TGNB) populations experience disproportionally high levels of anxiety and depression; it is imperative we investigate how the COVID-19 pandemic may have impacted the mental health of TGNB communities. Methods. Among a Canadian sample of TGNB persons aged >=15 years, we used multiple linear regression to examine whether interruptions in gender-affirming care were associated with anxiety and depression, and whether that effect was modified by pre-pandemic mental health. Results. Anxiety and depression levels were high both pre-pandemic and during the pandemic. Approximately a quarter of TGNB persons experienced interruptions in hormonal care. After adjusting for confounders, there …

University Student Health Services Covid-19 Pandemic Response: A Program Evaluation, Joy Dougherty

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Manuscripts

The COVID-19 pandemic began in China in December 2019, and continued to spread globally throughout the following months. The impact of the virus led to Universities nationwide closing their campuses. Strategic COVID-19 master plans were created to ensure that students, faculty, and staff could return to a safe environment for the fall semester. The role of University Student Health Services (SHS) departments became critical.

The SHS team incorporated telemedicine visits along with new policies, procedures, protocols, and guidelines to maximize the safety of the students, faculty, and staff upon their return to campus. This program evaluation focused on the strengths …

The Impact Of Obesity On Covid-19 Outcomes In A High-Risk, Majority Hispanic Community Sample, Maxwell A. Lawlor

Capstone Experience

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused over 33.7 million cases and 605,000 deaths in the United States¹. Factors associated with increased odds for hospitalization, death, and other poor outcomes include age, comorbid conditions like cardiovascular disease and lung disease, and obesity. COVID-19 has also disproportionately affected Hispanic communities across the United States and in Omaha. Potential explanations for this disparity include social determinants of health, particularly occupational factors, structural challenges to access healthcare services, and increased medical comorbidities including obesity. In this retrospective cohort study, we used patient data from April to May 2020 (N=1,000) …

County Youth Athletics Response To Covid-19 Pandemic, Elise Schaller

Dissertations

Problem: To ensure safe participation in youth athletics and prevent COVID-19 transmission during the COVID-19 pandemic, St. Louis County Department of Public Health (DPH) implemented Youth Sports Guidelines on October 14, 2020. This project aimed to identify level of adherence to precautions listed in the guidelines at six county public high school athletic events.

Methods: An observational descriptive study design was used to monitor guideline adherence at high school athletic events. Two observers tallied violations by participants and spectators to Youth Sports Guidelines at St. Louis County public high school athletic events. Six high-frequency contact (basketball and wrestling) events …

Mental Health Concerns Of Frontline Registered Nurses Associated With The Covid-19 Pandemic, Julie Ingle

Dissertations

Problem

COVID-19 caused local healthcare facilities to admit patients with COVID-19 at increasing rates, critically overloading healthcare system resources. Caregiver-related stress associated with the COVID-19 pandemic placed frontline registered nurses (RNs) at risk for mental health consequences (Havlioglu & Demir, 2020; Shechter et al.,2020).

Methods

This quality improvement project used a descriptive design to administer a collection of validated instruments assessing anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and demographics. A purposive sample of RNs were recruited from the COVID-19 units in a local hospital, and the survey was distributed via email.

Results

During the implementation period (April 4, 2021-May 15, …

Attitudes Toward Sars-Cov-2 In Frontline Healthcare Workers And First Responders, Michelle Tiffany Arrington

Dissertations

Problem: To date, little evidence exists to understand attitudes of SARS-CoV-2 in frontline healthcare workers (HCW) and first responders (FR), related to best practices in mitigating virus spread. The purpose of this project was to assess attitudes toward COVID-19 in young adults, ages 18-44 years old, who are frontline workers related to their adherence to PPE guidelines, social distancing, hand hygiene, community exposures, and vaccinations.

Methods: A descriptive survey design using five-point Likert scale questions and 26 open-ended questions and was implemented one-year after onset of the pandemic. A purposive sample working in a large, urban, Midwest metropolitan area was …

An Examination Of Covid-19 Health Behaviors And Public Health Messaging Using The Health Belief Model And Organization-Public Relationship Quality, Aaron L. Nichols

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the context of the most severe pandemic in over 100 years, this study examined public health behavior and public health messaging using the health belief model (HBM) and organization-public relationships (OPR) as frameworks. The study employed a cross-sectional survey of students (N = 288) and employees (N = 203) at a large public university in the southeastern United States. First, the study empirically tested the components of the HBM as determinants of engaging in public health behaviors meant to slow or prevent the spread of COVID-19 and found all components of the model to be significantly related to engaging …

Exploring Social Determinants Of Covid-19 Related Sickness And Suffering In The Bronx, Hamida Chumpa

Student Theses and Dissertations

Through a positivistic and phenomenological approach, the study examines social determinants of COVID-19 related sickness and suffering in the Bronx, New York City, New York, ZIP codes 10462, 10472, 10467, 10458, 10474, and 10464. I utilize a violence paradigm (structural and everyday violence) to describe the social determinants of risk and sickness-related suffering and deploy an assemblage framework to shed light on how these determinants create negative synergies that undermine wellbeing and render certain communities vulnerable to extreme suffering. The mixed methods include 64 surveys and eight interviews. Analysis methods include a descriptive analysis of survey results and a thematic …

Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On The Health Of American Indians, Heather Bates

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Papers

COVID-19 has been most devastating to the elderly and those living in dense communities, which disproportionately affects American Indians as they are medically underserved. American Indians tend to live in multigenerational housing which puts them at higher risk for transmission of COVID-19. To determine other risk factors and the long-term physical and mental health impacts of COVID-19 on American Indians, a literature review was completed using metaanalyses and case studies. The results of this study confirm that age is the most substantial risk factor for severe COVID-19 illness, complication, and mortality, regardless of race or ethnicity. However, American Indians are …

Covid-19 Serological Diagnostic Development Using A Sars-Cov-2 Rbd Foldon Fusion, Joey Emery Breckenridge Jr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Serological tests are conducted to assess humoral response against viral protein antigens, to assess viral exposure and protection from pathogens. The rapid development and modularity of serological assays have proven critical to managing the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The receptor binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 is within the trimeric Spike protein and serves as a highly immunogenic target for potentially neutralizing antibodies. Current receptor binding domain serological assays use recombinant monomers or dimers of the receptor binding domain. The receptor binding domain is presented to the immune system natively in the context of the Spike protein trimer. Therefore, a recombinant trimeric receptor …