Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Perceptions Of Non-University Affiliated Dietetic Internship Program Directors Regarding Education Requirements To Obtain A Master’S Degree As An Entry-Level Dietitian, Abigail Sullivan, Roschelle A. Heuberger

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The Commission on Dietetic Registration announced that entry-level eligibility requirements to become a registered dietitian would increase to include obtaining a Master’s degree. The objective of this study was to explore perceptions of non-university affiliated dietetic internship program directors regarding proposed education requirements. Methods: Directors participated in a phone survey of structured questions related to the topic. The population of focus was non-university affiliated dietetic internship program directors. Results: Program directors expressed viewpoints of positive, negative, and mixed regarding the increase in education requirements. Diversity and autonomy were among concerns expressed by program directors. Conclusion: The research found that …

Identifying United States And Territory Requirements For Childhood Vaccination Exemptions, Emily Groth Dunn

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Children are required by law to receive vaccinations to enter school. States and territories offer exemptions for parents who refuse to vaccinate their children. Types of exemptions vary by state or territory, as does the exemption claiming process. The purpose of this research was to identify the various education-related processes implemented by states and territories which allow parents to exempt children from vaccinations. Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to immunization managers in the 50 United States, District of Columbia, the United States Indian Health Service, and eight United States territories. Managers reported vaccination requirements for their jurisdiction (collectively referred …

The Study Of The Development Of Negation In Bilingual Spanish/English And Monolingual English Speakers, Isabel Cristina Verduzco

Master's Theses

Problem

Negation is one of the first concepts learned early during childhood and one of the most important ones for communication. Current studies focus on how negation is developed universally in each specific language and how it is governed by patterns of acquisition, however, there are factors that may affect this process. How does learning two languages simultaneously affect the normal development of negation? Analyzing how the exposure to two different languages affects the normal development of negation is important for understanding how bilingualism influences normal language development. This study is also important for the analysis of speech and language …

A Comparison Of Vocal Health, Hygiene, And Perceptions In Student Teachers, Voice Music Majors, And Speech-Language Pathology Majors: A Preliminary Study, Kenreah Lavaughn Brown

Master's Theses

Problem

There are many college/university students studying to become teachers, professional singers, and speech-language pathologists. Yet, despite research available on the risk of developing voice disorders in these areas of study, very little was found on such individuals while in the college setting. This is particularly true for speech-language pathologists who have limited research available overall.

Method

Nineteen students between the ages of 18- 43 years old, completed pre-and-post-testing of the Glottal Function Index (GFI), Voice Hygiene Questionnaire (VHQ), and the objective measures (maximum phonational frequency range, sustained phonation, jitter, and shimmer).

Results

The chi-square of independence results showed that …

Study Of The Ability To Detect Humor In Visual Images By 2-5 Year Olds, Sonovia Latoya Mcfall

Master's Theses

Problem

Understanding the impact that humor can have as a form of therapy has been studied mostly in relation to mental and spiritual healing. As a result, little focus has been given to understanding the types of humor and how one’s understanding of and appreciation for types of humor develop over time. Gaining an understanding of humor development is important due to discoveries that the use of humor is a great intervention tool when working with children. Nevertheless, the use of pictures (with humor) is often used within speech therapy sessions, but seldom used correctly due to the lack of …

Theory Of Mind And Negation, Jasmine Buckins

Master's Theses

Problem

There is an extensive amount of research on theory of mind, which is the ability to attribute mental states (e.g., beliefs, intents, desires, knowledge, etc.) to oneself and others and to comprehend that others have beliefs, desires, intentions and perspectives that may be different from one’s own. Some researchers have investigated the potential prerequisites or developmental milestones that may be required in order for a theory of mind to be developed in young children. Some researchers have concluded that certain factors play a role in theory of mind development. These factors include environmental, cognitive and linguistic components. However, in …

Discovering A Novel Antifungal Target In Downstream Sterol Biosynthesis Using A Squalene Synthase Functional Motif, Kristin Brooke Linscott

Theses and Dissertations--Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry

The sterol biosynthetic pathway is essential for growth of all eukaryotic cells and the main target of antifungal agents. The emergence of resistance to these antifungals in an already ill patient population indicates a need to develop drugs that have a broad spectrum of activity among pathogenic fungi and have minimal patient toxicity. Squalene synthase is the first committed step in the sterol pathway and has been studied intensively for development of antifungal agents. While the overall architecture of this enzyme is identical throughout eukaryotes, it was shown that plant and animal genes cannot complement a squalene synthase knockout mutation …

A Prospective Investigation Of Joy And Trait Gratitude, Madeline R. Greaves

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

This prospective study examined the relationship between trait gratitude and future joy. The purpose was to determine if trait gratitude could predict future joy. Previously, studies have not examined the specific relationship between these two emotions, but there is good reason to believe that joy is a distinct positive emotion, and gratitude may be foundational for the experience of joy. The study was done with university students taking the GRAT, GQ-6, and measures of joy at two time points, seven to nine weeks apart. Data were analyzed from 149 participants recruited from psychology classes. Participants with higher trait gratitude at …

A Retrospective Review Of The After-Hours Social Work Service In A Tertiary-Care Public Hospital In Australia, Manoj Pereira, Georgina Wire, Kathy Stiller

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: After-hours social work (SW) services seem to be provided in many major healthcare centres but there appear to be no data describing these services, in terms of the number of patients seen, their characteristics, types of problems, SW interventions provided, their effectiveness or the impact of providing after-hours services on the provider. The aim of this study was to investigate the patient characteristics and types of interventions provided to patients who received an after-hours SW service and the effect of providing these services on the service-provider. Method: A retrospective review of data collected on patients who had received after-hours …

Effectiveness Of A Wearable Fitness Tracker: Practice Implications In Allied Health -- A Single Case Study, Thomas William Miller

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

ABSTRACT

Purpose: The purpose of this single case study was to examine the effectiveness of utilizing a wearable fitness tracker device in self-monitoring behavior change in complying with prescribed treatment. It was hypothesized that using a wearable self-monitoring device while involved in the treatment of multiple medical conditions will be beneficial to behavioral compliance and behavioral change in an overweight type 2 diabetic, geriatric subject being treated by a multidisciplinary health team utilizing an integrated treatment model.

Methods: An exploratory single case study research design is employed to explore those situations in which the intervention, a wearable monitoring device, is …

Use Of The Kawa Model For Teambuilding With Rehabilitative Professionals: An Exploratory Study, Jennifer E. Lape, Brian D. Scaife

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The KAWA model, a culturally-sensitive model of occupational therapy practice, can enhance patient-provider collaboration, but its use as a tool for teambuilding and collaboration among an interprofessional group has not been studied. Teambuilding has been positively correlated with job satisfaction, and quality of client care. The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to identify potential uses of the KAWA model and areas for future research related to teambuilding. Method: Trainings on the model, including a review of model components, its potential utility with clients, and an interactive activity, were provided to two rehabilitative teams (N=26) within two skilled …

Influence That Service In A Pro Bono Clinic Has On A First Full-Time Physical Therapy Clinical Education Experience, Daria Porretta, Jill Black, Kerstin Palombaro, Ellen Erdman

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Physical therapist education programs strive to prepare their students for full-time clinical experiences in a variety of ways. Experiential and service learning in authentic contexts reportedly help students make connections between the classroom and the clinic. The purpose of this study was to explore the influences that service in a physical therapy pro bono clinic has on a first full-time clinical education experience.

Methods: Participants were all third year doctoral physical therapy students at Widener University who were entering their first full-time clinical education experience. Sixteen participants kept journals throughout their first full-time clinical experience regarding the impact …

The Influence Of Pre-Professional Curricula On Components Of The Physical Therapist Clinical Performance Instrument, Molly Goldwasser, Kyle Covington

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Background and Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate any association between pre-enrollment curricula and clinical performance in physical therapy professional schools. Specifically, does the type of undergraduate institution (as defined by Carnegie classification type) influence performance on components of the Physical Therapist Clinical Performance Instrument? Methods: The study methods include a retrospective quantitative review of student educational records from the Duke Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) classes of 2013 to present. Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to determine significance of the dependent variables. Results: Results indicated that when the Carnegie Classifications were consolidated to five categories, there was …

Pattern Of Alteration In Foot Mechanics When Carrying Loads Unilaterally In Hand, Deepashini Harithasan, Baharudin Omar, Aatit Paungmali

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

PURPOSE: Carrying weight in one hand is a common functional activity. This study investigated the effects of incremental loads carried in one hand unilaterally and its influence on the foot mechanics [plantar pressure, maximum force and contact area]. METHOD: Twenty healthy individuals were tested, in standing and walking, while carrying different weights (no load, 5 kg, 7.5 kg and 10 kg) using their right hand. ANCOVA was conducted separately for the right and left leg to address the effect of incremental loads on the foot mechanics within each leg with navicular drop index and Q angle as covariates. Paired t …

Investigating A Physiotherapy Clinical Simulation Assessment Tool Using The Delphi Approach, Anne Jones, Allison Mandrusiak, Belinda Judd, Christopher Gordon, Jennifer Alison

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

ABSTRACT

Purpose: Simulation in physiotherapy education is increasing, but a standardised assessment tool for student performance in simulation has not been developed. The Assessment of Physiotherapy Practice (APP) is a validated tool for student performance in the clinical workplace, and has been used recently for simulation despite its relevance for this context being unknown. The purpose of the study was to gain consensus about which APP items should be included in a tool to assess physiotherapy students’ performance in simulation. The relevance of items was considered for both single patient encounters, and longitudinal (multiple) encounters. Methods: An online Delphi approach …

Perceptions Of Tenure And Promotion Guidelines And Criteria Among Athletic Training Doctoral Students, Stephanie M. Mazerolle, Thomas Bowman, Joanne Klossner

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Evidence suggested that athletic training doctoral candidates are being socialized through a variety of formal and informal experiences to prepare them for roles in higher education. It is unclear, however, if they are aware of the expectations associated with tenure and/or promotion which are necessary for transition into higher education. Perceptions of tenure and promotion among doctoral students preparing to enter the athletic training professoriate were investigated. Methods: Twenty-four students (16=females, 8=males, average age=28±3 years) completed one-on-one telephone interviews. Data were analyzed using a general inductive approach, with a peer review and multiple analyst triangulation completed for rigor. …

Reducing The Rate Of Late Stage Breast Cancer Through Effective Health Communication: An Opinion Piece, Rachele Hendricks-Sturrup

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Health and illness are traditionally characterized and treated differently across various ethnic groups, which encourages American health systems serving these diverse populations to explore culturally competent and safe ways to effectively reduce illness within such populations. Certain ethnic groups of women in the United States (US) bear greater risk of late stage breast cancer because of various circumstances, which include but are not limited to a lack of insurance or underinsurance and discomfort with and/or resentment toward the US healthcare system. The dominant culture and the social aspects of the modern American health system often and most favorably serve …

Testing Cross-Sectional And Prospective Mediators Of Internalized Heterosexism On Heavy Drinking, Alcohol Problems, And Psychological Distress Among Heavy Drinking Men Who Have Sex With Men, Alexis Kuerbis, Ethan Mereish, Marie Hayes, Christine Davis, Sijing Shao, Jon Morgenstern

Publications and Research

Objective: Minority stress theory is often used as a causal explanation for substance use among lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations. This study tested whether drinking to cope with stress (DTC), loneliness, and gay community participation (GCP) mediated the relationship between one type of minority stress (i.e., internalized heterosexism, IH) and behavioral health outcomes. Method: Utilizing secondary data analysis and the PROCESS procedure, relationships between IH, the mediators (DTC, loneliness, and GCP), and outcomes (heavy drinking, alcohol problems, and psychological distress) were explored, both cross-sectionally and in a lagged manner, among both treatment seeking and non-treatment seeking problem drinking men who …

Properties And Optimization Of Respiratory Navigator Gating For Spiral Cine Dense Cardiac Mri, Sean Michael Hamlet

Theses and Dissertations--Electrical and Computer Engineering

Cardiac magnetic resonance (MR) imaging can non-invasively assess heart function. Displacement encoding with stimulated echoes (DENSE) is an advanced cardiac MR imaging technique that measures tissue displacement and can be used to quantify cardiac mechanics (e.g. strain and torsion). When combined with clinical risk factors, cardiac mechanics have been shown to be better predictors of mortality than traditional measures of heart function.

End-expiratory breath-holds are typically used to minimize respiratory motion artifacts. Unfortunately, requiring subjects to breath-hold introduces limitations with the duration of image acquisition and quality of data acquired, especially in patients with limited ability to hold their breath. …

Ultrasound Shear Wave Elastography And Liver Fibrosis: A Prospective Multicenter Study, Joyce Sande, Suleman Verjee, Sudhir Vinayak, Farin Amersi, Munir Ghesani

Imaging & Diagnostic Radiology, East Africa

Aim: To assess the accuracy of shear wave elastography (SWE) alone and in combination with aminotransferase platelet ratio index (APRI) score in the staging of liver fibrosis.

Methods: A multicenter prospective study was conducted to assess the accuracy of SWE (medians) and APRI to predict biopsy results. The analysis focused on distinguishing the different stages of liver disease, namely, F0 from F1-4, F0-1 from F2-4, F0-2 from F3-4 and F0-3 from F4; F0-F1 from F2-F4 being of primary interest. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve was computed using logistic regression model. The role of age, gender and …

Training Midwives To Perform Basic Obstetric Point-Of-Care Ultrasound In Rural Areas Using A Tablet Platform And Mobile Phone Transmission Technology—A Wfumb Coe Project, Sudhir Vinayak, Joyce Sande, Harvey Nisenbaum, Christian Pállson Nolsøe

Imaging & Diagnostic Radiology, East Africa

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has become a topical subject and can be applied in a variety of ways with differing outcomes. The cost of all diagnostic procedures including obstetric ultrasound examinations is a major factor in the developing world and POCUS is only useful if it can be equated to good outcomes at a lower cost than a routine obstetric examination. The aim of this study was to assess a number of processes including accuracy of images and reports generated by midwives, performance of a tablet-sized ultrasound scanner, training of midwives to complete ultrasounds, teleradiology solution transmissions of images via internet, …

Antenatal Umbilical Coiling Index And Newborn Outcomes: Cohort Study, Josephine Mwikali Ndolo, Sudhir Vinayak, Micah Ominde, William Stones

Imaging & Diagnostic Radiology, East Africa

Objectives: We aimed to test the predictive value of antenatal umbilical coiling index (aUCI) among a prospectively recruited cohort of antenatal women.

Methods: Women with singleton pregnancies were recruited at their second‑trimester scan. Images of the umbilical cord were used to calculate the aUCI. Pregnancy and birth outcomes were recorded and statistical associations between aUCI and small for gestational age (SGA) using international standard birth weight centiles and preterm birth were investigated (n = 430).

Results: aUCI results were consistent with the literature and showed good reproducibility between observers. Abnormal aUCI was not associated with SGA, but there was a …

The Modification Of Two Tools To Measure Emotional Intelligence In Undergraduate Student Nurses: A Mixed Method Pilot Study, Laurel Collin

Theses

Nurses need a range of strategies to manage their clinical practice while helping patients to cope with their health problems. Stress and inefficient coping skills of student nurses have been shown to lead to attrition within the university and later, on graduation, in the workplace. Student nurses can learn some of these strategies as they are expected to cope with issues associated with the practical nature of nursing, university demands and home life. One strategy offered is the use of emotional intelligence (EI). An ability to monitor and regulate emotions may contribute to an increase in the repertoire of coping …

Development, Implementation, Evaluation And Validation Of A Haemophilia Nurses’ Education Program In South Africa, Jill Smith

Theses

Haemophilia is a rare, inherited bleeding disorder found in all races and ethnic groups. Intervention regimens are more complicated in developing countries, such as South Africa, where numerous challenges present impediments to effective health care. This study investigated the value of the Haemophilia Nurses’ Education Program (HNEP) in the South African context where no comparable program of training for haemophilia nurses exists.

The HNEP has been in operation in South Africa for some fifteen years. The researcher, as one of the key instigators of the HNEP, was keen to determine whether the course was delivering the outcomes that had been …

The Perceived Utility Of Personalized Genomic Medicine In Individuals With A Family History Of Heart Disease: A Pilot Study, Dana Margaret Mittag

Theses and Dissertations

According to the World Health Organization (2005), cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one cause of death in most countries. Assessing a patient’s risk for heart disease may include incorporating factors such as their gender, age, weight, tobacco history, cholesterol, blood pressure, family history, and more recently, genetics. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have made it possible to identify risk loci for many of the common, complex disorders, including coronary artery disease (CAD). As the medical genetics community undergoes a shift from a genetics focus to a genomics oriented focus, genomic medicine is becoming more accessible. Research has begun to examine …

Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptor M1’S Impact On Fear Extinction Learning, Joshua R. Mcelroy

Theses and Dissertations

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health disorder that can occur following a traumatic event like combat, assault, or disaster. Individuals with PTSD are unable to extinguish fear memories which can become chronic and disabling. However, it remains unclear why some individuals exposed to a traumatic event develop PTSD while others are resilient. Acetylcholine plays a critical role in fear learning, but its role in fear extinction is less well understood. In this investigation, we used a rat model of fear extinction to determine if individual differences in extinction learning are correlated with markers of cholinergic signaling. Cholinergic markers …

Inflammatory Potential Of Diet And Pancreatic Cancer Risk: Interaction And Mediation Analysis In Two Prospective Cohorts, Jiali Zheng

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Inflammation plays a pivotal role in pancreatic cancer etiology and can be modulated by diet. We aimed to examine the association between inflammatory potential of diet, assessed with the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DIITM), and pancreatic cancer risk in two prospective cohorts, the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial and the National Institutes of Health American Association of Retired Persons (NIH-AARP) Diet and Health Study. We explored effect modification by important inflammation-related lifestyle factors, and investigated whether type-2 diabetes mediated the association in a pooled analysis of both studies.

Methods: A total of 101,449 and …

Exercise Recommendations For Active Adults At Risk For Sudden Cardiac Death: “Can I Continue To Exercise?”, Kacie Lynn Baker

Theses and Dissertations

Sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS) is due to genetic conditions associated with cardiac ion channelopathies and cardiomyopathies. Many of these conditions have exercise guidelines regarding eligibility and disqualification recommendations for competitive athletes through the American Heart Association and the American College for Cardiology. This study investigates how medical professionals communicate these exercise recommendations to patients, and in turn, how well patients understand these recommendations. The study also explores motivations for either continuing or discontinuing an exercise practice after a diagnosis. A questionnaire was distributed through cardiac disease-focused support groups and organizations. Data from 67 individuals with a SADS condition were …

Focus Groups As A Method To Build Library Services And Partnerships Across The Institution, Courtney R. Butler, Megan Molinaro

Posters

BACKGROUND: Children's Mercy is an independent, non-profit, 367-bed pediatric health system with multiple clinic locations and a strong focus on research. It offers a pediatric residency program and over 37 subspecialty fellowship programs.

New initiatives go through many steps from conception to implementation. The focus of this case study is to describe how gathering feedback from stakeholders during proposal development provided valuable insight, secured stakeholder collateral to support requests for administrative approval and funding, and marked the beginning of new productive institution-wide partnerships.

PROJECT STAGES:
Identify Needs
Identify Stakeholders
Evaluate Software
Conduct Focus Groups
Develop Fair Market Analysis/Executive Summary
Convene …

Hematuria Without Microalbuminuria, Angela Ferguson, Vimal Chadha, Amy Wiebold, Uttam Garg

Posters

Background

Microabubiminuria is a condition in which small amounts of albumin are excreted in the urine without overt nephropathy. Based on the

American Diabetic Association classification, microalbuminuria is defined as urinary excretion of albumin of 30–300 mg per 24 hours or 20–200 mcg/min or 30–300 mcg/mg creatinine. Various conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and impaired renal tubular reabsorption can lead to microalbuminuria. Microalbuminuria is an indicator and predictor of the development of overt nephropathy. If identified and treated early, overt nephropathy can be prevented and averted. Proteinuria and hematuria are the two most common urinary abnormalities encountered during routine urinalysis. …