Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

How Are The Features Of Infant Directed Speech Related To Cradling Bias?, Tiffany S. Jacob

Honors Capstones

The current study explored whether the cradling bias observed in mothers of very young infants is related to acoustic features of infant directed speech. Six mothers were asked to set their 4-month-old infants down and pick them up to determine which side mothers used to cradle their infants. Mothers were placed in two groups: left-sided cradling bias and right-sided cradling bias. The mothers were then recorded as they talked to their infants while they shared books and simple toys designed to elicit the vowels /i/, /a/, and /u/. Vowel fundamental frequency (/i, a, u/) and word length (i.e., “sheep, shop, …

Evaluation Of Awareness, Knowledge, And Preventive Intervention Of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Among Chinese Young Adults, Yi Du

Theses & Dissertations

The prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) among Chinese young adults (CYA) aged 18-25 years ranges from 4.7% to 15.1% and has kept increasing in recent years. Previous studies reported limited awareness and knowledge of NALFD among middle-aged and older Chinese populations, however, they have not investigated awareness in CYA, for which there is no well-validated questionnaire. There is currently no efficacious educational intervention on NAFLD for CYA.

The objectives were 1) to develop and validate a questionnaire which can be used to assess the awareness and knowledge of NAFLD among CYA; 2) to assess the awareness and knowledge …

Contextual Factors And Sti/Hiv Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Hispanic Youths Aged 13 To 24 Years, Mariam Taiwo

Theses & Dissertations

Despite the growing population of Hispanics and several efforts to combat the high STI/HIV rates among Hispanic youths aged 13 to 24 years in the United States, this population continues to experience stark disparities in STI/HIV and is underrepresented in STI/HIV research relative to their White peers. This dissertation consists of three distinct studies designed to identify and understand the contextual factors of STI/HIV sexual risk behaviors across the social-ecological model that are pertinent to Hispanic youths.

Results from the first study showed that STI/HIV sexual risk behavior varied by Hispanic youths’ acculturation types and moderated by gender. We found …

Effects Of Music Exposure On Autobiographical Memory In Alzheimer's Patients: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Gregory Vance

Honors Theses

The progression of Alzheimer’s disease is primarily characterized by a loss of memory concerning past events, as well as a lack in ability to create new memories. While this spans across many subsets of memory, such as recognition, recall, and autobiographical memory, there seems to be a lesser impact on musical memory in those with Alzheimer’s. Multiple studies have suggested that exposure to music and introduction of music therapy can even improve other aspects of memory in Alzheimer’s patients. This systematic review and meta-analysis sought to examine the relationship between music exposure and autobiographical memory specifically. A pool of electronic …

Ageism, Eldercare, And Healthcare: An Examination Of Growing Old In Costa Rica, Akshaya Vijayasankar

Honors Theses

The world’s aging population and the Covid-19 pandemic have revealed the high level of ageism against older adults around the globe, which has resulted in an overall decreased quality of life for elders. Societies are now faced with the challenge of creating a suitable and equitable model of care to support their aging population. Despite the recent publication of the World Health Organization's Global Report on Ageism, there is still a large gap in the literature regarding ageism. This paper addresses the issues of institutional ageism in the eldercare and healthcare sector. I argue that Costa Rica serves as a …

Determining The Distribution Of Elemental Compounds And Oxidative Potential Across Fine Particulate Matter (Pm2.5) Filters, Allie Michelle Sidwell

Honors Theses

Fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) is a complex mixture of particles and sorbed chemicals that poses serious, adverse effects on human health such as increasing cardiovascular and respiratory morbidity and mortality. There is ongoing research into the impacts of PM_2.5 of differing chemical compositions, sampling location, and the mechanisms for the observed health effects. To conduct these analytical and toxicology studies of PM_2.5, researchers often split filters into sections. This process allows multiple, often destructive, assays to be performed. Our previous research showed chemical composition differences across PM_2.5 filters. The goal of our study was …

Assessment Of Spatial Skills In Human Anatomy And Physiology Students, Abigail Carroll

Honors Theses

Visual spatial skills are an individual’s ability to mentally and manipulate the shapes, forms and positions of objects. Spatial skills are necessary for adequate learning in many settings. Few studies have assessed spatial skills compared to success in Anatomy and Physiology in undergraduate students. Most students in this course are on a health profession track. Due to the increasing health care demands and need for competent health care professionals, this study assesses the innate spatial skill ability in students and acquired additional learned spatial skills. This study tests 17 students with the paper-folding test, blank page test, and two surveys …

An Occupation-Based Approach To Empower Individuals Experiencing Homelessness, Sydney L. Bodensteiner

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Individuals experiencing homelessness often have decreased occupational participation in all domains of occupational therapy practice. The purpose of this capstone experience was to explore the role of occupational therapy among individuals experiencing homelessness. in Rapid City, SD. A Needs Assessment was developed in collaboration with Fork Real Community Café and the HOPE Center in order to identify the occupational needs of individuals experiencing homelessness in the Rapid City community. With the needs identified, I led holistic, client-centered, individual and group interventions to increase the occupational participation of guests. For individual interventions, guests completed the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure to determine …

Rehabilitation Through Reintegration: Supporting Survivors Of Stroke, Alexander T. Wiemann

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

After returning home from inpatient care, survivors of stroke have several ongoing needs related to this transition that are not always fully addressed, leading to poor community reintegration and psychosocial well-being. The purpose of this capstone project was to modify a community-based occupational therapy program to improve community reintegration and psychosocial well-being among survivors of stroke. One significant modification was the implementation of a survivor support group focused on psychosocial topics. Interviews and formal assessments conducted with participants indicated several perceived benefits from the support groups as well as a decrease in depression and anxiety and an increase in community …

Occupational Therapy’S Role In Sensory Play Education In Daycare Setting, Bianca K. Claussen

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Sensory integration involves individuals’ ability to interpret and understand their sensations to optimize their ability to participate in daily activities. Sensory integration begins at the beginning of a child’s life and continues developing and changing as individuals grow. Early childhood education is a crucial part of development, health, and the child’s overall well-being. The purpose of my capstone experience was to explore and educate the staff on the importance of sensory play. Three approaches were utilized throughout this capstone experience to provide the staff with a wide array of activities. These included observations to understand how the center completed their …

Controlling Hypertension: A Self Blood Pressure Monitoring Program Plus Health Coaching Compared To Health Coaching Alone, Jordan Joynt, Alex Watson

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

While nearly half of adults in the United States have hypertension, only about one quarter of those adults have adequately controlled hypertension. Providing a nurse-led coaching program in combination with home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) has been shown to improve blood pressure control. A rural family practice clinic in the Illinois Metro East area proposed a clinical trial to test a nurse-led coaching program in combination with home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) in decreasing blood pressure long-term. Both intervention and control groups received nurse-led hypertension coaching, while the intervention group also received a home blood pressure cuff. The results showed …

Quantifying Intra- And Interlimb Use During Unimanual And Bimanual Tasks In Persons With Hemiparesis Post-Stroke, Susan V. Duff, Aaron Miller, Lori Quinn, Gregory Youdan Jr., Lauri Bishop, Heather Ruthrauff, Eric Wade

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Individuals with hemiparesis post-stroke often have difficulty with tasks requiring upper extremity (UE) intra- and interlimb use, yet methods to quantify both are limited.

Objective

To develop a quantitative yet sensitive method to identify distinct features of UE intra- and interlimb use during task performance.

Methods

Twenty adults post-stroke and 20 controls wore five inertial sensors (wrists, upper arms, sternum) during 12 seated UE tasks. Three sensor modalities (acceleration, angular rate of change, orientation) were examined for three metrics (peak to peak amplitude, time, and frequency). To allow for comparison between sensor data, the resultant values were combined into …

Neurological And Psychiatric Symptoms Of Covid-19: A Narrative Review, Amber N, Edinoff, Maithreyi Chappidi, E. S. Alpaugh, Bailey C. Turbeville, Evan P. Falgoust, Elyse M. Cornett, Kevin S. Murnane, Adam M. Kaye, Alan D. Kaye

Pacific Faculty Work

Recently dubbed Long COVID or Long-Haul COVID, those recovering from the initial COVID-19 infection may maintain clinical signs for longer than two or more weeks following the initial onset of the infection. The virus can gain entry into the CNS through axonal transport mediated through the olfactory nerve or hematogenous spread and can also cross the blood–brain barrier to access the temporal lobe and the brainstem. The neurologic and neuropsychiatric symptoms associated with COVID-19 patients are becoming a highly studied area due to the increased frequency of reported cases. Multiple hospital case series and observational studies have found a headache …

Compassion Fatigue In Nebraska Medicine Icu Nurses, Jena M. Mcfadden, Jessica M. Harms

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects: College of Nursing

Abstract

Objective: As caregivers in high-pressure and demanding environments, critical care/intensive care unit (ICU) nurses are at risk for compassion fatigue. The purpose of this study is to explore compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction levels within ICU specialty nursing at Nebraska Medicine during COVID.

Aims: Four aims were considered throughout the course of the study: 1. How do overall compassion fatigue (CF) and satisfaction (CS) at Nebraska Medicine’s ICU’s compare with national norms? 2. How do (CF) and (CS) levels (mild, moderate, severe) differ between the Intensive Care Units?3. Do years of experience correlate with compassion fatigue levels (mild, moderate, …

Evaluation Of Nurse Delirium Screening And Intervention For Hospitalized Older Adult Hip Fracture Patients, Mary Onyarin

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects: College of Nursing

Introduction: Delirium is associated with longer hospital stays, increased mortality, high medical costs, and poorer functional outcomes (Oh et al., 2014; Robinson & Eiseman, 2008). This project evaluated the use of the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) tool to screen hospitalized older adult hip fracture patients for delirium. This project also measured the effectiveness of the implementation of the Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP) volunteers as a non-pharmacological intervention to alleviate delirium. This project was implemented on the Orthopedic/Neurological unit of a Midwest tertiary care hospital.

Methods: The study had a retrospective, descriptive design. The investigators evaluated the use of the …

Identifying Moral Distress In Emergency Nurses, Sarah Taylor

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects: College of Nursing

Abstract Moral Distress (MD) is an ongoing reality for emergency department (ED) nurses and often emerges when caring for patients at the end of life. Repeated exposure to MD can result in resignation from the nursing profession. This study measured moral distress using the Measure of Moral Distress for Healthcare Professionals (MMD-HP) survey tool. The goal was to identify stressors known to cause moral distress, measure the frequency of their occurrence during the COVID-19 pandemic, and analyze the correlation to influence ED nurses to leave the position. The MMD-HP ranks the frequency of occurrence of stressful situations leading to moral …

Individualized Pain Plans For Pediatric Sickle Cell Patients, Teresa Zingale, Morgan O'Malley, Michael Marx

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects: College of Nursing

Background: Vaso-occlusive (VOC) pain crisis in sickle cell pediatric patients is a hallmark symptom, and both unpredictable and crippling. There is a lack of evidence as to what is best practice to avoid a VOC pain crisis in pediatric sickle cell patients. Individualized Pain Plans were created and trialed based off the format asthma action plans with goals to improve overall pain management and to prevent or decrease emergency department visits and hospitalizations.

Aims: This is a cross-sectional and quality improvement study designed to evaluate the effectiveness of previously implemented Individualized Sickle Cell Pain Plans in a midwestern children’s hospital. …

Development Of A Patient Educational Resource On Carrier Screening, Katelyn Watkin, Kristen Fishler Malone, Sara Fisher

Capstones: Genetic Counseling

Objective: Previous studies suggest carrier screening is not consistently offered to all patients meeting national guidelines. Introducing basic carrier screening options prior to an appointment could potentially decrease the time providers spend discussing this screening, while increasing patient awareness. Our goal was to create an educational handout that was a source of baseline knowledge on carrier screening, accessible, and non-directive.

Methodology: We developed this educational handout in four phases: preliminary research, resource development, stakeholder feedback, and revision. Preliminary research involved compiling existing guidelines published by professional organizations such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American …

Investigating The Effect Of Meaningful Relationships On Team Chemistry, Isabel N. Fairbanks

Honors Thesis

Team chemistry in sports is one of the more vital factors that potentially impacts the overall success of a team. There is increasing growth in the school of thought surrounding the use of team building in sports to develop the best teams built for success. Many programs exist in athletics and other environments that strive to promote strong team culture. This literature review examines the influence sports psychology has on the success of a sports team and current programs that exist in both the business environment and athletics, intending to improve team culture. Furthermore, the book containing the experiment on …

Gut Commensals Modulate Siv/Shiv Pathogenesis And Therapeutics, Samuel Johnson

Theses & Dissertations

Despite significant advancements in combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), ongoing inflammation in the brain and gut remain two of the most significant hurdles in the health of people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Additionally, a viral reservoir in each compartment inhibits cure efforts by allowing rapid viral rebound following cART interruption. Emerging understanding of the gut-brain axis (GBA) implicates each compartment in the modulation of the other in a complex bi-directional interaction mediated by vagus innervation, circulating lymphocytes, and microbiome composition and biproducts. Using multiple models of the simian (and simian-human) immunodeficiency virus (SIV/SHIV) and therapeutic intervention, I present how …

Dexmedetomidine To Reduce Ponv, Amanda Johnson Srna, Joshua Lawrence Srna, Staci Martinez Srna, Taylor Mayberry Srna, Dwayne Accardo Dnp, Crna, Aprn

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Purpose/Background Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) contribute to patient dissatisfaction, discomfort, adverse outcomes, and increased healthcare costs. Despite current protocols that aim to reduce PONV by prevention/antiemetic administration, PONV continues to be a common manifestation in many postoperative patients (Elvir-Lazo et al., 2020). This scoping review aimed to analyze available research on the efficacy of dexmedetomidine to reduce perioperative opioid requirements and PONV.

Methods Synthesis of this scoping review began with a systematic approach to search databases and identify eligibility criteria articles. Of the 21 articles that met criteria, a synthesis table was formed to visualize the qualitative (smoking status, …

The Impact Of Sleep On Athletic Performance: A Review Of The Literature, Rylan J. Pratt

Honors Thesis

This paper reviewed the literature regarding sleep and athletic performance, specifically identifying the problem of sleep debt in student athletes, the effects of sleep debt, and what factors negatively influence sleep, along with how to improve sleep. The literature revealed that it is common for athletes to not get adequate sleep. Sleep debt can have psychomotor and physiological effects on the body, which decreases optimal athletic performance. The many factors that negatively impact sleep include high intensity training sessions, travel, sleep disturbances, caffeine and/or alcohol consumption, and pre-competition anxiety. Recommendations for athletes that are struggling to achieve adequate sleep include, …

Machine Learning Derivation Of Four Computable 24-H Pediatric Sepsis Phenotypes To Facilitate Enrollment In Early Personalized Anti-Inflammatory Clinical Trials, Yidi Qin, John C Lin, Allan Doctor, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Thrombotic microangiopathy-induced thrombocytopenia-associated multiple organ failure and hyperinflammatory macrophage activation syndrome are important causes of late pediatric sepsis mortality that are often missed or have delayed diagnosis. The National Institutes of General Medical Science sepsis research working group recommendations call for application of new research approaches in extant clinical data sets to improve efficiency of early trials of new sepsis therapies. Our objective is to apply machine learning approaches to derive computable 24-h sepsis phenotypes to facilitate personalized enrollment in early anti-inflammatory trials targeting these conditions.

METHODS: We applied consensus, k-means clustering analysis to our extant PHENOtyping sepsis-induced Multiple …

Development And Evaluation Of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Protocols For General Abdominal And Orthopedic Surgery With Focus On Preoperative Hydration And Multimodal Management In Preoperative And Postoperative Phases, Kristin Wolff, Sadie Spilker

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) is described as an evidence-based, patient-centered, interdisciplinary team developed protocol utilized to decrease the patient’s stress response to surgery, maintain preoperative physiologic function, and expedite recovery (American Association of Nurse Anesthetists [AANA], 2017). Existing evidence displayed the benefits of utilizing ERAS protocols in various surgical procedures, including general and orthopedic cases. Studies showed one must employ the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative components of the ERAS protocols to achieve maximum benefits. A critical access hospital in Illinois utilized some components of ERAS protocols, mainly the intraoperative portions, but lacked the full utilization. Goals of the review …

Psychological Trauma Alters T-Lymphocyte Inflammation And Redox Through Sympathetic Mechanisms, Safwan K. Elkhatib

Theses & Dissertations

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a devastating psychiatric disorder characterized by distinctive symptom clusters, including intrusive memories (i.e., flashbacks), avoidance of related stimuli, affective changes, and hyperarousal. Strikingly, patients with PTSD face a significantly increased risk for a number of inflammation-driven pathologies, ranging from cardiovascular to autoimmune disease. Yet, the exact etiology of this increased risk remains unknown. The immune system is known to be strongly influenced by the sympathetic nervous system, and sympathetic overactivity is a hallmark of PTSD. Lymphoid organs, such as the spleen, are richly innervated by sympathetic nerve fibers which terminate near adaptive immune …

Ethical Sensitivity Of Padis Care Among Critical Care Nurses: A Mixed Methods Study, Denise Waterfield

Theses & Dissertations

Critically ill patients often experience distressful and impactful symptoms and conditions that include pain, agitation/sedation, delirium, immobility, and sleep disruption (PADIS). The presence of PADIS can affect recovery and long-term patient outcomes. An integral part of critical care nursing is PADIS prevention, assessment, and management. To better understand the complexities of PADIS care, two reviews of the literature were completed. The first is an integrative review of the use of PADIS assessment tools by critical care nurses. The second is a qualitative systematic review of the literature on the integration of care ethics and nursing workload. Ethical sensitivity of everyday …

Regulation Of Pancreatic Cancer Progression By Micronutrients, Chunbo He

Theses & Dissertations

Cancer cells rely on altered metabolism to support their uncontrolled proliferation under harsh conditions. Understanding the mechanisms of how metabolic alterations support tumor growth may provide a way to enhance current therapies. Vitamins are micronutrients that our body needs in small quantities but are essential for health maintenance. A number of metabolic processes relevant to cancer initiation and progression are also regulated by vitamins. Here, our studies showed that pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells display an aberrant metabolism of vitamin B6 (VB6) to support their fast proliferation. VB6 was highly demanded and rapidly metabolized by PDAC cells. Depletion of VB6 …

Nurse Job Satisfaction In The Midst Of A Pandemic, Reynaldo Gonzales

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Strategies and intervention for nursing recruitment and retention are critical needs at the hospital unit management level especially during this time of coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Research Question: What are the unit-levels of nurse job satisfaction among eight satisfaction dimensions (i.e., satisfaction with extrinsic rewards, scheduling, family/work balance, co-workers, interaction, professional opportunities, praise/recognition, and control/responsibility) in an acute medical-surgical unit?

Objectives The objective of this project is to systematically obtain unit-level input to explore nurses’ views and experiences as it relates to job satisfaction.

Methodology: This is a descriptive cross-sectional convenience study measuring job satisfaction among Registered Nurses …

Evidence Of Areca Nut Consumption In The United States Mainland: A Cross‑Sectional Study, Irene Tami‑Maury, Suzanne Nethan, Jessy Feng, Hongyu Miao, George Delclos, Ravi Mehrotra

School of Medicine Publications

Background

Areca nut (AN) is an addictive substance consumed in the Southeast region and is highly associated with oral premalignant lesions and oral cancer. The impact of AN use in the United States (US) is largely unknown, but the products are readily available and probably used by a significant fraction of Asian immigrants or descendants living in the US. We aimed at assessing AN use prevalence among the Asian community in Houston, Texas.

Methods

A cross-sectional questionnaire was used to interview adult individuals (≥ 18 years of age) who self-identified as Asian immigrants or descendants residing in Houston. Means, frequencies, …

The Critical Value Of Maternal And Child Health (Mch) To Graduate Training In Public Health: A Framework To Guide Education, Research And Practice Comment, Julianna Deardorff, Michelle Menser Tissue, Patricia Elliott, Arden Handler, Cheryl Vamos, Zobeida Bonilla, Renee Turchi, Cecilia Sem Obeng, Jihong Liu, Holly Grason

Faculty Publications

Introduction

In light of persistent health inequities, this commentary describes the critical role of maternal and child health (MCH) graduate training in schools and programs of public health (SPPH) and illustrates linkages between key components of MCH pedagogy and practice to 2021 CEPH competencies.

Methods

In 2018, a small working group of faculty from the HRSA/MCHB-funded Centers of Excellence (COEs) was convened to define the unique contributions of MCH to SPPH and to develop a framework using an iterative and consensus-driven process. The working group met 5 times and feedback was integrated from the broader faculty across the 13 COEs. …