Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Health Policy & Management News, Georgia Southern University

Health Policy & Community Health: News & Publications (2011-2018)

• Georgia Southern Examines Informatics as a Strategic Priority

Caphosol For Prevention Of Oral Mucositis In Pediatric Myeloablative Haematopoietic Cell Transplantation., Nathaniel Treister, Michael Nieder, Christina Baggott, Ellen Olson, Lu Chen, Ha Dang, Mark Krailo, Amanda August, Lillian Sung

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: The primary objective was to determine whether topically administered Caphosol, rinsed orally four times daily at the initiation of conditioning, reduces the duration of severe oral mucositis (OM) compared with placebo among children and adolescents undergoing haematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT).

METHODS: This was a Children's Oncology Group multicentre randomised double-blinded placebo-controlled clinical trial. Patients between the ages of 4 and 21 years who were scheduled to undergo myeloablative HCT for any indication were randomised to Caphosol or placebo saline rinses four times daily from initiation of conditioning through day +20. Subjects were assessed daily for OM using the World …

Isolated Abducens Palsy As The First Presenting Sign Of Multiple Sclerosis, Sargon Bet-Shlimon, Mill Etienne

NYMC Faculty Publications

While brain stem involvement in multiple sclerosis (MS) is relatively common, isolated cranial nerve palsies are rare, especially when they represent the initial presenting sign of a new diagnosis of MS. This report describes a patient with no prior history of MS whose sole presenting sign was an isolated abducens palsy. An enhancing pontine lesion was found on MRI which correlated with his abducens palsy, and additional nonactive lesions on MRI led to a diagnosis of MS. This case demonstrates the importance of considering MS as part of the differential diagnosis of patients with isolated cranial nerve palsies.

What's Happening: January 2, 2017, Maine Medical Center

What's Happening

No abstract provided.

An Investigation Of Professionalism Reflected By Student Comments On Formative Virtual Patient Encounters, Ting Dong, William Kelly, Meredith Hays, Norman B. Berman

Dartmouth Scholarship

Background: This study explored the use of virtual patient generated data by investigating the association between students’ unprofessional patient summary statements, which they entered during an on-line virtual patient case, and detection of their future unprofessional behavior.

Method: At the USUHS, students complete a number of virtual patient encounters, including a patient summary, to meet the clerkship requirements of Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, and Pediatrics. We reviewed the summary statements of 343 students who graduated in 2012 and 2013. Each statement was rated with regard to four features: Unprofessional, Professional, Equivocal (could be construed as unprofessional), and Unanswered (students did …

Research Methods In Occupational Health Psychology, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Chu-Hsiang Chang

Publications and Research

http://www.springerpub.com/occupational-health-psychology.html

Occupational Health Psychology (OHP) is a rapidly expanding interdisciplinary field that focuses on the science and practice of psychology in promoting and developing workplace health- and safety-related initiatives. This comprehensive text for undergraduate and graduate survey courses is the first to encompass a wide range of key issues in OHP. It draws from the domains of psychology, public health, preventive medicine,nursing, industrial engineering, law, and epidemiology to focus on the theory and practice of protecting and promoting the health, well-being, and safety of individuals in the workplace and improving the quality of work life.

The text addresses key psychosocial …

The Family Rhabdoviridae: Mono- And Bipartite Negative-Sense Rna Viruses With Diverse Genome Organization And Common Evolutionary Origins, Ralf G. Dietzgen, Hideki Kondo, Michael M. Goodin, Gael Kurath, Nikos Vasilakis

Plant Pathology Faculty Publications

The family Rhabdoviridae consists of mostly enveloped, bullet-shaped or bacilliform viruses with a negative-sense, single-stranded RNA genome that infect vertebrates, invertebrates or plants. This ecological diversity is reflected by the diversity and complexity of their genomes. Five canonical structural protein genes are conserved in all rhabdoviruses, but may be overprinted, overlapped or interspersed with several novel and diverse accessory genes. This review gives an overview of the characteristics and diversity of rhabdoviruses, their taxonomic classification, replication mechanism, properties of classical rhabdoviruses such as rabies virus and rhabdoviruses with complex genomes, rhabdoviruses infecting aquatic species, and plant rhabdoviruses with both mono- …

Finding The Experts In The Crowd: Validity And Reliability Of Crowdsourced Measures Of Children’S Gradient Speech Contrasts, Daphna Harel, Elaine Hitchcock, Daniel Szeredi, José Ortiz, Tara Mcallister Byun

Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Perceptual ratings aggregated across multiple nonexpert listeners can be used to measure covert contrast in child speech. Online crowdsourcing provides access to a large pool of raters, but for practical purposes, researchers may wish to use smaller samples. The ratings obtained from these smaller samples may not maintain the high levels of validity seen in larger samples. This study aims to measure the validity and reliability of crowdsourced continuous ratings of child speech, obtained through Visual Analog Scaling, and to identify ways to improve these measurements. We first assess overall validity and interrater reliability for measurements obtained from a large …

Increased Ros Production In Non-Polarized Mammary Epithelial Cells Induces Monocyte Infiltration In 3d Culture, Linzhang Li, Jie Chen, Gaofeng Xiong, Daret K. St. Clair, Wei Xu, Ren Xu

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Loss of epithelial cell polarity promotes cell invasion and cancer dissemination. Therefore, identification of factors that disrupt polarized acinar formation is crucial. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) drive cancer progression and promote inflammation. Here, we show that the non-polarized breast cancer cell line T4-2 generates significantly higher ROS levels than polarized S1 and T4R cells in three-dimensional (3D) culture, accompanied by induction of the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) pathway and cytokine expression. Minimizing ROS in T4-2 cells with antioxidants reestablished basal polarity and inhibited cell proliferation. Introducing constitutively activated RAC1 disrupted cell polarity and increased ROS levels, indicating that RAC1 is …

Developing Morally Sensitive Policy In The Nicu: Donation After Circulatory Determination Of Death, Michael Van Manen, Nicole Kain

The Qualitative Report

Policy development is an important activity for the practice of healthcare. Policies, after all, may cultivate common practices and ensure that best available evidence is employed in clinical decision making. Qualitative research and individuals with expertise in qualitative research methods have much to offer policy makers. We were confronted with the situation of developing policy for donation after circulatory death (DCD) for our newborn intensive care program. Due the moral-ethical complexities surrounding DCD, and the limited experience with DCD in this context, we approached policy development from an iterative design perspective employing qualitative methods. We describe our experience in employing …

Children And Parents Deserve Better Parental Discipline Research: Critiquing The Evidence For Exclusively “Positive” Parenting, Robert E. Larzelere, Marjorie Lindner Gunnoe, Mark W. Roberts, Christopher J. Ferguson

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

This article critiques the scientific evidence for the emerging view in nonclinical parenting research and in popular books that parents should use only positive methods of parenting and rarely resort to any disciplinary consequences. Four methodological fallacies pervade research used to support this viewpoint: the correlational fallacy (inferring causation from correlations), the trumping fallacy (permitting correlational conclusions to trump stronger causal evidence), the extrapolation fallacy (extrapolating favorable comparisons of under-usage versus over-usage to zero usage), and the lumping fallacy (lumping inappropriate and appropriate usages together). Conclusions based on any of these methodological fallacies are premature at best and counterproductive at …

The Reciprocal Relationship Between Art And Occupational Therapy Practice, Jennifer Fortuna

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Susan Burwash, Ph.D., OTR/L, an occupational therapy professor and artist based in Washington State, provided the cover art for the Winter 2017 issue of the Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT). The featured piece contains Professor Burwash’s signature fauxpals, lampwork glass beads made from molten glass and pure silver foil. Art creates balance between traditional medicine and personal medicine, those meaningful activities that give life purpose. Professor Burwash’s personal medicine is making beautiful things that can be given away.

Changes In Knowledge, Skills, And Confidence In Fieldwork Educators After An Evidence-Based Practice Short Course, Alison Nichols

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: It is critical that fieldwork educators demonstrate effective use of evidence for clinical decision making so that occupational therapy (OT) students learn to apply concepts from the classroom to everyday practice.

Method: OT fieldwork educators completed a 3-hour short course designed to provide instruction on the first three steps of the evidence-based practice (EBP) process: developing a clinical question, searching the literature, and assessing the evidence. The participants completed a pretest on site and posttest 3 weeks after the course to assess their knowledge, skills, and confidence when using EBP. The Adapted Fresno Test was used to …

Generation Y Health Professional Students’ Preferred Teaching And Learning Approaches: A Systematic Review, Caroline Mary Hills, Tracy Levett-Jones, Samuel Lapkin, Helen Warren-Forward

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Generation Y or Millennials are descriptors for those born between 1982 and 2000. This cohort has grown up in the digital age and is purported to have different learning preferences from previous generations. Students are important stakeholders in identifying their preferred teaching and learning approaches in health professional programs. This study aimed to identify, appraise, and synthesize the best available evidence regarding the teaching and learning preferences of Generation Y health professional students. The review considered any objectively measured or self-reported outcomes of teaching and learning reported from Generation Y health professional student perspectives. In accordance with a previously published …

International Service Learning: Occupational Therapists' Perceptions Of Their Experiences In Guatemala, Jason C. Lawson, Myrna R. Olson

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The U.S. is fast becoming more culturally diverse, creating a greater need for entry-level occupational therapists to be culturally competent. In order to increase students’ cultural competence, there is a growing support for international service learning (ISL). The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore the perspectives of occupational therapy practitioners who engaged in ISL as occupational therapy students. Interviews were conducted with nine practicing occupational therapists, all of whom graduated from the same occupational therapy program in the U.S. and participated in an ISL experience in Guatemala. Phenomenological methods were used to analyze the transcribed interviews for …

Using High Fidelity Simulation To Impact Occupational Therapy Student Knowledge, Comfort, And Confidence In Acute Care, Debra M. Gibbs, Mary Dietrich, Emmy Dagnan

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: As the demand for occupational and physical therapists in acute care settings is increasing, students are reporting a need for increased educational preparation to handle the complexities they may face in this setting. This pretest/posttest study examines the impact of an inter-professional high fidelity simulation experience on perceived levels of knowledge, comfort, and confidence among occupational therapy doctorate students when handling an acutely ill patient in an ICU setting.

Methods: Two cohorts of occupational therapy students participated in an inter-professional acute care scenario with high fidelity simulation mannequins (Cohort 1, n = 19; Cohort 2, n = …

Evaluation Of A Coaching Experiential Learning Project On Ot Student Abilities And Perceptions, Erin A. Phillips

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Innovative teaching methods to address emerging practice needs are critical components of effective occupational therapy education. Experiential learning strategies can enhance skill development and translation of knowledge into OT clinical practice. In addition, skills such as coaching may provide important links to health promotion practices. Thirty-two occupational therapy students took part in an experiential project to connect occupational engagement and health for a community of older adults. A pretest/posttest design was used to evaluate program outcomes in student perceived abilities, and narrative reflection papers provided postexperience qualitative information. The students improved in all 10 areas of abilities self-assessment with …

Adapting To A Challenging Fieldwork: Understanding The Ingredients, Emily Raphael-Greenfield, Ivettedari Miranda-Capella, Myra Branch

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Two occupational therapy students were assigned to an inpatient psychiatric unit for their first Level 1 fieldwork. With limited on-site supervision provided, they looked to each other for peer support and collaboration in assisting one patient with severe depression who was considered the “sickest patient on the unit.” The students were able to work together and make a positive intervention with this patient despite their novice status. Understanding what each of them brought personally to this experience as well as the nature of their working relationship and their use of concepts taught in the classroom has important implications for occupational …

Blended Approach To Occupational Performance (Baop): Guidelines Enabling Children With Autism, Jordan M. Skowronski, Jack R. Engsberg

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The performance of daily activities is impacted by motor impairments in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Research has recently demonstrated the prevalence and specificity of motor impairments in people with ASD. The motor learning of individuals with ASD is partially intact, and evidence suggests that a method to alter skill learning and repeated practice of motor sequences might be beneficial. Aiming to use this knowledge to guide occupational therapy interventions, initial guidelines for children with ASD blended Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) with virtual reality (VR) were created. An expert panel reviewed the initial guidelines. The results …

Parental Adherence To A Research Protocol To Investigate The Effect Of The Wilbarger Therapressure Programtm: A Qualitative Study, Hugh Stewart, Kobie Boshoff, Scott Weeks

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: The Wilbarger Therapressure Program^TM is a technique applied by parents at home for sensory overresponsivity in children. The program is anecdotally reported to be demanding on parents, which can affect parental adherence. Currently, there is an absence of high quality research to support the use of the program. This pilot study aimed at developing appropriate research protocols to investigate the effectiveness of the program on the stress response of children with sensory overresponsivity. This article reports on the second phase of the project.

Method: After participating in the trial data collection protocols to investigate the effect …

Perceptions Of Occupational Therapy Involvement In School Mental Health: A Pilot Study, Susan M. Cahill, Brad E. Egan

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Mental health providers outside of occupational therapy, including those who work in school systems practice, often do not fully understand the contribution that occupational therapy practitioners can make to the delivery of mental health services.

Method: The purpose of this mixed methods pilot study is to describe how instructional support staff from one special education cooperative learned about occupational therapy’s role in school mental health and to explain how this education changed the instructional support staff members’ perceptions regarding the involvement of occupational therapy practitioners in school-based mental health services.

Results: Instructional support staff's perceptions about …

Continuing Competence Trends Of Occupational Therapy Practitioners, Ketti Johnson Coffelt, Linda S. Gabriel

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the perceptions and practices of occupational therapists regarding the types of professional development activities they seek to ensure competency. A self-report survey was used to investigate the therapists’ selection of and engagement in professional learning activities. The results from 43 occupational therapists were analyzed. Descriptive results identified the value of a professional development plan and collaboration with colleagues. Self-assessment and searching for and analyzing journal articles emerged as frequently used continuing competence learning practices. The results showed that therapists actively plan and select formal and informal professional activities to promote meaningful …

Outcome Measures With Copm Of Children Using A Wilmington Robotic Exoskeleton, Tracy Shank, Marissa Eppes, Jobayer Hossain, Margaret Gunn, Tariq Rahman

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: The Wilmington Robotic Exoskeleton (WREX) is a body-powered, four degrees of freedom orthosis that allows gravity-minimized movement of the arm at the shoulder and elbow. We sought to measure patient satisfaction and performance with use of the WREX during activities of daily living, play, and at school.

Method: Twenty-five families completed a phone interview based on the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM). These families all had a child, aged 2 to 21years, who had a neuromuscular disorder and who had used the WREX for at least eight months. The parents rated their child’s performance of and satisfaction …

The Role Of Occupational Therapy In Community-Based Programming: Addressing Childhood Health Promotion, Julie D. Kugel, Heather Javherian-Dysinger, Liane Hewitt

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Obesity and poor health habits impact youth’s health and occupational participation. Occupational therapy’s role in preventing and treating obesity continues to emerge in the research literature. This article explores the impact of a community-based program emphasizing health and wellness for female youth.

Methods: Five girls 11 to 13 years of age participated in the healthy occupations program. Before and after the program, the participants engaged in an individual semi-structured interview and completed the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure and the CATCH Kids Club Questionnaire. The youth participated in a focus group midprogram.

Results: The participants were receptive …

State Of The Journal Year 4: Mapping Our Progress, Diane Powers Dirette

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

Attitudes Of Women Offenders Towards Medicaid Enrollment And Coverage Under The Affordable Care Act, Morrisa Barbara Rice

2017 Program & Posters

This phenomenological study explored the attitudes of women offenders in jail about Medicaid enrollment and coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This understanding provided insight for jail leadership and other stakeholders to address barriers and incorporate facilitators identified to make it simpler for women offenders to enroll before released from jail.

How Parenting Behaviors Influence Weight And Health Status Of African American Adolescents, Natasha T. Hourel

2017 Program & Posters

This quantitative secondary data analysis sought to investigate the relationship between parenting styles and practices of African American mothers and fathers residing both inside and outside of the home on the weight status (as measured by BMI percentile) of their adolescent children. Findings indicate variables beyond parenting practices, such as urban/rural residence, must be considered to explain weight status among adolescents.

Multiple Roles As Predictors Of Subjective Well-Being In African American Women, Sha-Rhonda Michea Green-Davis

2017 Program & Posters

Through multiple regression analysis of the NSAL archival data, this study examined how the subjective well-being (SWB) of African American women ages 18-44 (n = 1,877) can be predicted by their age, years of education, household income, number of children, and marital, parental, and employment statuses.

Conflict-Handling Styles Demonstrated By Nursing Students In Response To Microethical Dilemmas, Lorretta Krautscheid, Carissa M. Luebbering, Beth A. Krautscheid

Faculty Publications - College of Nursing

Undergraduate nursing students have reported feeling ill-prepared to handle the conflict that accompanies the routine exposure to microethical dilemmas. Microethical dilemmas, as first defined by Worthley (1997), are routine questionable practices that have the potential to compromise quality patient care, negatively impact workplace culture, and initiate moral distress. Nurse educators employ a variety of strategies to support students’ ability to effectively manage conflict; however, little is known about how students authentically respond to ethical dilemmas. The purpose of this pilot study was to describe the frequency of conflict-handling styles demonstrated by undergraduate nursing students who encountered microethical dilemmas embedded within …

Use Of Management Pathways Or Algorithms In Children With Chronic Cough Chest Guideline And Expert Panel Report, Anne B. Chang, John J. Oppenheimer, Miles M. Weinberger, Bruce K. Rubin, Kelly Weir, Cameron C. Grant, Richard S. Irwin, Chest Expert Cough Panel

Pediatrics Publications

BACKGROUND: Using management algorithms or pathways potentially improves clinical outcomes. We undertook systematic reviews to examine various aspects in the generic approach (use of cough algorithms and tests) to the management of chronic cough in children (aged ≤ 14 years) based on key questions (KQs) using the Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome format.

METHODS: We used the CHEST Expert Cough Panel's protocol for the systematic reviews and the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) methodological guidelines and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation framework. Data from the systematic reviews in conjunction with patients' values and preferences and the clinical context …