Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Sensory Processing, Chronic Pain, And Recovery From Substance Use, Claire Ruth, Susan Macdermott, Becki Cohill, Karen Park

Spring 2021 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Background: Those with chronic pain have worse drug and alcohol treatment outcomes and higher rates of relapse compared to those without pain or with reduced pain (Ilgen et al., 2020).

Methods: A descriptive study was employed with the aim of determining what are the sensory processing pattens of those with co-morbid chronic pain and in recovery for substance use. All participants completed the Adolescent and Adult Sensory Profile, the Brief Pain Inventory, and the Personal Recovery Outcome Measure (PROM).

Results: From the preliminary findings, individuals with co-morbid chronic pain and substance use may have atypical sensory processing in areas of …

Occupational Therapy In Youth Violence: An Occupation-Based Program For At-Risk Youth, Jasmine Shahin, Pam Kasyan-Howe, Kristin Domville

Spring 2021 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Throughout the years, youth participating in violence has become an increased concern around the nation as there is an increase in media outlets displaying tragedies, such as mass school shootings caused by students. The at-risk youth population is a specific population disadvantaged in engaging in safe and health-promoting activities due to limited resources or opportunities. As a result, at-risk youth make decisions based on their disadvantaged environment (Farajzadegan et al., 2018; Gallagher et al., 2015a). Factors including socioeconomic status, social support from family or friends, and mental health impact an individual’s opinions, attitudes, and interests as well as their occupational …

The Role Of Occupational Therapy With The Homeless Population: A Scoping Review, Shelby Osborne, Steven M. Gerardi, Gina Benevente

Spring 2021 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Homelessness is a global and national occurring pandemic. Individuals experiencing homelessness tend to lack education; health resources; stress management; social, independent, vocational, and leisure skills. These causes of homelessness create adverse impacts on occupations leading to situations described as occupational injustice and barriers to occupational engagement. Due to these adverse impacts on occupations, homelessness is of concern to the occupational therapy profession. It is necessary to identify in what behaviors occupational therapy practitioners are engaging with this population to increase occupational performance and decrease occupational injustice.

The theoretical framework of the Model of Human Occupation and the Occupational Therapy Practice …

Directing Attention In Second Language Phonological Contrast Learning, Laura Conover

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Why are some people better at learning new languages than others? There is a rich body of research examining this issue from multiple perspectives and at all levels of language. This study attempts to add to that knowledge at the most fundamental level of language by examining potential influences on the learning of novel phoneme contrasts. The purpose of this study was to explore whether individual differences in attentional capabilities would help adults learn a non-native phonological contrast, and whether providing explicit directions that would guide the learners’ attention could help boost their performance. VCV recordings of the Thai /p/ …

The Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Postgraduate Endodontic Programs In The United States, Bianca Aboubakare, James Chen, Johnah C. Galicia

Pacific Faculty Work

In December 2019, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first identified as an acute infectious disease in Wuhan, China, and subsequently led to an ongoing pandemic. At the onset of the pandemic, dental professionals were understood to face the greatest exposure risk to SARS-CoV-2 due to aerosolization of fluids from the oral cavity and respiratory airways. As a result, dental professionals, including academic institutions and their students and residents, halted much of their operations to minimize exposure risks and potentially slow the spread of infection to peers and patients alike. Currently, there is little in the literature that describes the …

Disparities In Meeting Uspstf Breast, Cervical, And Colorectal Cancer Screening Guidelines Among Women In The United States, Gabriel A. Benavidez, Anja Zgodic, Whitney Zahnd, Jan Eberth

Faculty Publications

Introduction

Many sociodemographic factors affect women’s ability to meet cancer screening guidelines. Our objective was to examine which sociodemographic characteristics were associated with women meeting US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) guidelines for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening.

Methods

We used 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data to examine the association between sociodemographic variables, such as race/ethnicity, rurality, education, and insurance status, and self-reported cancer screening for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer. We used multivariable log-binomial regression models to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios and 95% CIs.

Results

Overall, the proportion of women meeting USPSTF guidelines for breast, cervical, …

Dexmedetomidine Or Propofol For Sedation In Mechanically Ventilated Adults With Sepsis, Christopher G Hughes, Patrick T Mailloux, John W Devlin, Joshua T Swan, Robert D Sanders, Antonio Anzueto, James C Jackson, Aimee S Hoskins, Brenda T Pun, Onur M Orun, Rameela Raman, Joanna L Stollings, Amy L Kiehl, Matthew S Duprey, Lan N Bui, Hollis R O'Neal, Allison Snyder, Michael A Gropper, Kalpalatha K Guntupalli, Gregg J Stashenko, Mayur B Patel, Nathan E Brummel, Timothy D Girard, Robert S Dittus, Gordon R Bernard, E Wesley Ely, Pratik P Pandharipande, Mends2 Study Investigators

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Guidelines currently recommend targeting light sedation with dexmedetomidine or propofol for adults receiving mechanical ventilation. Differences exist between these sedatives in arousability, immunity, and inflammation. Whether they affect outcomes differentially in mechanically ventilated adults with sepsis undergoing light sedation is unknown.

METHODS: In a multicenter, double-blind trial, we randomly assigned mechanically ventilated adults with sepsis to receive dexmedetomidine (0.2 to 1.5 μg per kilogram of body weight per hour) or propofol (5 to 50 μg per kilogram per minute), with doses adjusted by bedside nurses to achieve target sedation goals set by clinicians according to the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale …

Are Underprivileged And Less Empowered Women Deprived Of Respectful Maternity Care: Inequities In Childbirth Experiences In Public Health Facilities In Pakistan, Waqas Hameed, Mudassir Uddin, Bilal Iqbal Avan

Community Health Sciences

Background: Attainment of healthcare in respectful and dignified manner is a fundamental right for every woman regardless of the individual status. However, social exclusion, poor psychosocial support, and demeaning care during childbirth at health facilities are common worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. We concurrently examined how women with varying socio-demographic characteristics are treated during childbirth, the effect of women's empowerment on mistreatment, and health services factors that contribute to mistreatment in secondary-level public health facilities in Pakistan.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted during August-November 2016 among 783 women who gave birth in six secondary-care public health facilities …

Inpatient Pediatric Nurses’ Knowledge, Attitudes, Beliefs, And Practices Of Infant Safe Sleep, Francince Bono-Neri

Theses & Dissertations

Background According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 3,600 infants died suddenly and unexpectedly in the US in 2017 (CDC, 2020a). These deaths occurred among infants less than 1 year of age, having no immediately obvious cause. These sudden unexpected infant deaths (SUID) have three commonly reported mortality (or vital records) codes, which include Accidental Suffocation and Strangulation in Bed (ASSB), Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), and other ill-defined deaths (CDC, 2020b; Mathews, MacDorman, & Thoma, 2015). These infant fatalities, with infant defined as a newborn through 12 months of age, collectively fall under the umbrella …

Health-Related Quality Of Life Across Recent Pediatric Obesity Classification Recommendations., William R. Black, Kelsey B. Borner, Marshall T. Beauchamp, Ann M. Davis, Meredith Dreyer, Brooke Sweeney, Sarah Hampl

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Extreme body mass index (BMI) values (i.e., above the 97th and below the 3rd percentiles) are inaccurately represented on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's growth curves, which may limit the utility of BMI percentile and BMI z-score for capturing changes in clinical outcomes for patients at extreme weights. Modeling child obesity severity based upon the percentage of BMI in excess of the 95th percentile (BMI95pct) has been proposed as an improved metric to better capture variability in weight at extreme ends of growth curves, which may improve our understanding of relationships between weight status and changes in clinical …

Herbal Extracts As Neuroprotective Agents In An In-Vitro Model Of Aluminum Neurotoxicity, Nada Ezzelarab

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Aluminum toxicity due to environmental or industrial exposure, medical applications, or from cooking utensils is a serious medical problem. The current study aims to investigate three herbal extracts: pomegranate peel extract, Achillea fragrantissima extract, and papaya fruit extract to combat this neurotoxicity.

Methods: Chemical characterization of the three extracts were evaluated using HPLC MS while their neuroprotective activity was assayed using MTT assay on SHSY5Y cells and nitric oxide levels.

Results: Using HPLC-MS chromatography, we have identified twenty-one compounds in the hydro-alcoholic Achillea fragrantissima, seventeen were determined in the pomegranate peel, eleven were assessed in the Carica papaya …

Activation Of The Cognitive Control Network Associated With Information Uncertainty, Tingting Wu, Kurt P. Schulz, Jin Fan

Publications and Research

The cognitive control network (CCN) that comprises regions of the frontoparietal network, the cingulo-opercular network, and other sub-cortical regions as core structures is commonly activated by events with an increase in information uncertainty. However, it is not clear whether this CCN activation is associated with both information entropy that represents the information conveyed by the context formed by a sequence of events and the surprise that quantifies the information conveyed by a specific type of event in the context. We manipulated entropy and surprise in this functional magnetic resonance imaging study by varying the probability of occurrence of two types …

Conditional Survival Among Patients With Oropharyngeal Cancer Treated With Radiation Therapy And Alive Without Recurrence 5 Years After Diagnosis, Kristina R Dahlstrom, Juhee Song, Peter F Thall, Clifton D Fuller, Katherine A Hutcheson, Faye M Johnson, G Brandon Gunn, Jack Phan, Steven J Frank, William H Morrison, Renata Ferrarotto, David I Rosenthal, Erich M Sturgis, Adam S Garden

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Risk of recurrence among patients with oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) who survive 5 years is low. The goal of this study was to assess long-term survival of patients with OPC alive without recurrence 5 years after diagnosis.

METHODS: This study included newly diagnosed patients with OPC, who had been treated with radiation and were alive without recurrence 5 years after diagnosis. Overall survival (OS) probabilities beyond 5 years were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Factors associated with OS were determined using Bayesian piecewise exponential survival regression. Standardized mortality ratios for all-cause death were estimated controlling for study year, age, and …

Isolation, Effects And Characterization Of A Peripheral Tissue Injury Extract Causing Endothelial Cell Dysfunction, Ileus And A Precipitous Death, Joshua Bird, Anthony Bauer

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Basic

Communication Plan To Raise Awareness For Dementia And Promote Caring Closet, Aishwarya Potluri, Prachi Joshi

Eagle Showcase: Excellence in Service-Learning (Archived)

This poster was designed to communicate the products developed for Rockin'Out Alzheimer’s, an organization to help caregivers in providing everyday essentials for at-home dementia patients, in Statesboro, GA.

The authors collaborated with the organization and helped to develop communication materials for their program -"Caring Closet" which was aimed at providing diapers, bed-pads, barrier creams and other necessary items to qualified individuals suffering with dementia. The authors helped to set up a webpage, a Facebook page and design an infographic for "Caring Closet" and helped communicate about the program in the community. The end results were then compiled and presented in …

“Squash The Spread Of Covid-19 In Bulloch County” Program, Osaremhen Ikhile, Karabi Barai

Eagle Showcase: Excellence in Service-Learning (Archived)

The purpose of this service-learning project was to assist the organization “Squash the Spread Bulloch County” with bolstering communication of health information regarding COVID-19. Evidence-based theory, diffusion of innovations was used to dispel fear regarding COVID-19, reassure residents of their rights, answer their questions, build trust in the health care system and ultimately ensure the adoption of health behaviors that would reduce the spread of COVID-19 in Bulloch county. These hinged upon earlier group research to understand public attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs that hinder the adoption of the desired health behaviors to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Adherence to recommendations …

Grant Application For The Hearts And Hands Clinic, Christine Cooper, Ariellah Ward

Eagle Showcase: Excellence in Service-Learning (Archived)

During our service-learning course on public health funding and grant writing, we had the opportunity to work at the Hearts and Hands Clinic. During the pandemic, many families lost their income and healthcare insurance. Thus, facing uncertainties about where to obtain medical care. The clinic wanted to expand its existing chronic care program to an underserved community in Evans County. Our task was to prepare a grant application for the clinic to secure the funding needed to help vulnerable adults better manage their chronic disease and prevent further complications. Engaging in this applied experience allowed us to improve our implementation …

Provision Of Free Oral Health Services In Bulloch County For Uninsured, Low-Income Individuals., Blerta Shehaj, Paige Perry

Eagle Showcase: Excellence in Service-Learning (Archived)

Improving the oral healthcare needs of rural populations involves practical, tailored, and flexible approaches to expand oral health services and increase the oral health workforce. The Hearts and Hands Clinic provides free primary health care services for Bulloch County residents aged 18 and older, uninsured, and those who live below 200% of the federal poverty guideline. This service-learning summer project aimed to identify potential organizations that would provide funding for oral health activities of the clinic and develop a grant application to the selected organization. By the end of this service-learning project, the students were able to identify the multiple …

Mental Health Services For Underserved Communities In Bulloch County: A Service-Learning Project With The Hearts And Hands Clinic., Aurela Nikaj, Kadiatou Diallo

Eagle Showcase: Excellence in Service-Learning (Archived)

The increasing demand for mental health services during the COVID-19 global pandemic was the driving force behind our collaboration with the Hearts and Hands Clinic in a service-learning project. The project aimed to prepare a grant application at Betty and Davis Fitzgerald Foundation. Our objective was to secure funding for the clinic, enabling it to expand its staff and offer free mental health services for underserved communities in Bulloch County. This project helped us apply the knowledge gained from the Public Health Funding and Grants course to real-life challenges amid COVID-19, enhanced our critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and, most …

The Impact Of Cochlear Implants On Educational Interpreting, Lauren Hall, Kathryn Jones, Nicole Denu Thorn

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Theoretical Proposal

The Role Of Social Media In Advancing Undergraduate Nursing Students’ Education And Professional Identity, Cortney Maffett, Rachel Joseph

Liberty University Research Week

Graduate

Theoretical Proposal

Viewpoints Of Church Leadership On Signed Language Interpreters, Cameron Strowbridge, Nicole Denu Thorn

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Theoretical Proposal

Improving Nurse Job Satisfaction To Improve Health Outcomes, Jessica Campbell, Shanna Akers

Liberty University Research Week

Graduate

Theoretical Proposal

Fully Protected: A Look At Ppe And The Armor Of God, Catherine Mcelroy, Thomas Kazmierczak, Rachel Joseph

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Theoretical Proposal

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome And Insulin Resistance: An Evaluation Of Treatment Modalities And Complication Prevention, Sarah Mann, Jerry Harvey

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Theoretical Proposal

The Effects Of Emotional Education On The Mental Health Of Future Nurses, Summer Hepler, Cynthia Goodrich

Liberty University Research Week

Graduate

Theoretical Proposal

Perinatal Bereavement And The Appalachian Culture Of Southeastern West Virginia, Summer Hepler, Cynthia Goodrich

Liberty University Research Week

Graduate

Theoretical Proposal

Mild To Moderate Concussions And Mental Health In Collegiate Athletes: Should Psychological Criteria Be Added To The Ncaa Concussion Screening Tool, Megan Briceland, Thomas Kazmierczak, Rachel Joseph

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Theoretical Proposal

Flipped Learning, Robin Pearson-Boothe, Rachel Joseph

Liberty University Research Week

Graduate

Remote - Theoretical Proposal

A Smartphone Intervention To Reduce Hospital Readmission Rates In Adult Patients Who Have Heart Failure, Jami L. Crisman

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Heart failure (HF) is the leading cause of 30-day hospital readmission, with up to 23.5% of Medicare beneficiaries requiring subsequent admission within 30 days post hospital discharge (CMS, 2020a). Mobile-health applications (MHA), such as smartphone applications, have emerged as cost-effective methods to safely manage chronic disease in the outpatient setting (Inglis et al., 2015). The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to evaluate the impact of a MHA on HF-related 30-day readmission rates. The Iowa Model Revised guided the implementation of the project in a rural, for-profit hospital in Northwest Indiana. An extensive literature search was conducted, and …