Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Effects Of World Health Organization’S Educational Interventions On Clinical Competency Of Community Midwives In Managing Postpartum Hemorrhage, Afifah Abu-Ul-Hayat, Sarfaraz Masih, Madiha Mukhtar

Journal of Asian Midwives (JAM)

Background: Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is considered to be one of the most important causes of maternal mortality especially in low resource countries such as Pakistan. Community midwives (CMWs) have a very important role in the provision of midwifery care and their clinical competency are very crucial for the handling of PPH. This study evaluates the effect of a World Health Organization (WHO)-based educational intervention on the clinical competency of CMWs in Hazara Town, Quetta, in managing PPH.
Objective: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a WHO based educational intervention on improving the clinical competency of CMWs in managing …

Perceptions Of Risky Sexual Behavior Among Female Students: A Qualitative Analysis Of Contributing Factors, Consequences, And Prevention Strategies, Leila Bozorgian, Fatemeh Ansari, Fatemeh Janipour, Solmaz Mohammadi

Journal of Asian Midwives (JAM)

Background: Risky behaviors among young people are a significant concern for societies worldwide, leading to physical and psychosocial damage. Despite efforts to raise awareness about such risky behaviors over the past two decades, their prevalence continues to rise. Therefore, this study aimed to explain perceptions of the prevalence of risky sexual behaviors among female students.
Methods: A qualitative descriptive study using a conventional content analysis approach was conducted from August to mid-September 2024 in Yasoj, Iran. The study participants were selected using purposive sampling. The data were collected using semi-structured interviews conducted with 18 female students. Data collection …

Development And Validation Of Risk Assessment Tools For Hypertensive Disorder In Pregnancy, Vanitha K, Hepsibah Sharmil, Vijayalakshmi Kandasamy

Journal of Asian Midwives (JAM)

Aims and Background: Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDP) have significant impact on both mothers and newborns leading to complications such as Eclampsia, Preterm delivery, Renal and cardiac problems, Intra Uterine Growth Retardation (IUGR) and Intra Uterine Fetal Death (IUFD). Early screening of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy is essential in the prevention and management of these complications. This research study aims to develop and validate a risk assessment tool for hypertensive disorders in pregnancy.
Materials and methods: A mixed-method research was carried out from December 2023 to December 2024 consisting of two steps. Step one involved the development of …

Research On Traditional Family Values Incorporating Data Enhancement And Transfer Learning, Qiaoling Chen, Hao Wang, Xiaomin Li

Journal of Scientific Information Research

[Purpose/significance] This research conducts in-depth exploration and knowledge discovery of ancestral hall couplets, a critical carrier of traditional family ethics, to facilitate their adaptive inheritance in contemporary society while introducing innovative perspectives and methodologies to the field.

[Method/process] We constructed a hierarchical classification system for traditional family values by synthesizing academic consensus, then developed the Annotation Keyword Data Enhancement(AK-DA-SKB-TC) model using idiomatic allusions with annotated keywords as source data and couplets as target data. Leveraging transfer learning, we achieved automated family tradition classification for couplets, followed by rigorous reliability validation. Multi-dimensional analysis of classification results uncovered evolutionary patterns and contextual …

Implementing A Team-Based Approach To Reduce Blood Culture Contamination Rates In The Emergency Department: A Quality Improvement Initiative, Melissa Lockhart

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Blood culture contaminations (BCC) present significant risks to patients, including adverse drug reactions and the exacerbation of antibiotic resistance. BCC can also result in millions of dollars in financial burdens for hospitals due to the need for follow-up testing, treatment complications, and antibiotic stewardship efforts. At this facility, the contamination rate in the emergency department (ED) consistently exceeds the national benchmark of 3%. Contributing factors include high patient turnover and increased nursing workloads, which can lead to shortcuts in essential practices such as hand hygiene and skin disinfection before collection.

Purpose: This project aimed to evaluate whether implementing a …

National Patient Safety Goals: Reducing Health Care Disparities In Adult Patients With Alcohol Misuse, Jolie M. Carpenter

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: An estimated 76 million people worldwide suffer from alcohol use disorder, accounting for almost two million deaths annually. The Joint Commission has made it a requirement to screen all patients admitted to an inpatient facility for health-related social needs, including alcohol use. By doing so, outpatient resources can be provided appropriately.

Purpose: The facility of interest does not currently have a discharge follow-up protocol. The purpose of this project was to implement an evidence-based protocol to follow-up one week after discharge to determine if patients accessed the community resources provided for alcohol use disorder and to determine whether the …

Unsuitable Underlying Cause-Of-Death Statements: Implementation And Evaluation Of A Structured Process For Healthcare Providers Certifying Natural Causes Of Death In An Outpatient Setting, Naida Rutherford

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Accuracy in death certification is crucial for effective public health initiatives. Inaccuracies in unsuitable Underlying Cause-of-Death (UCOD) statements can distort mortality statistics, influence health policy, and impact resource allocation. In South Carolina, changes in the death registration process and the introduction of an unsuitable cause-of-death list highlighted an urgent need for structured training among certifiers to enhance accuracy in death documentation.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to implement a standardized training program for healthcare providers certifying natural causes of death and assessing the impact of reducing the unsuitable underlying cause-of-death inaccuracies in an outpatient hospice setting.

Project …

Implementing A Screening Tool To Increase Palliative Care Referrals For Patients With Metastatic Cancer, Rebecca N. Hegwood

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Palliative care (PC), when prescribed early for patients with metastatic cancer, has proven beneficial to the oncology patient and family by improving quality of life, decreasing stressors, and preventing premature discontinuation of therapy.

Purpose: This Doctor of Nursing quality improvement project aimed to determine if implementing a screening tool for patients newly diagnosed with metastatic cancer would increase PC referrals.

Project Design: The Five Item Palliative Care Screening Tool evaluated patients with a new metastatic cancer diagnosis. Secondary data was used to initiate a PC referral if the patient scored a five or greater on the screening tool. Project …

Implementation Of A Triage Assessment Area To Decrease Left Without Being Seen Rates In The Emergency Department, Margaret Mary T. Steed

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Left without being seen (LWBS) is a concern for emergency departments (EDs) nationwide. LWBS involves patients who sign into the ED and leave prior to being seen by a medical provider. LWBS has been linked to increased wait times in the ED.

Purpose: The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project is to aid with decreasing LWBS rates in a local ED. Many tools aid with decreasing LWBS rates, including nurse-initiated protocols and standardized order sets. Despite available tools, LWBS rates remain elevated at 0.95% for the local ED.

Project Design: The evidence-based DNP quality improvement project …

Increasing Colorectal Cancer Screening Rates For Patients Without Insurance, Andrea F. Day

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States (U.S.), ranking as second most prevalent overall. Despite many initiatives, screening rates remain low, especially among clinic patients without insurance. The lack of an evidence-based screening protocol exacerbates these issues and increases the risk of advanced cancer and death. Initial data showed that 0% of patients were screened according to recommended guidelines.

Purpose: The project implemented a standard screening protocol to increase colorectal cancer screening rates in a rural Alabama free clinic for patients ages 45-64 lacking insurance.

Project Design: This quality improvement …

Improving The Detection Of Refractive Errors In First And Third Graders, Tameka J. Bolden

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Vision is a crucial component of the learning process, with academic tasks being heavily dependent on visual acuity. Undetected or diagnosed visual impairments can significantly alter a student’s educational performance and overall development. Currently, in Alabama, kindergarten, second, and fourth grade students are the only students to receive routine vision screenings; therefore, regular screening for visual acuity and eye issues is critical for school health programs. Early screening, diagnosis, and correction of refractive errors prevent permanent visual impairment and support academic success by reducing educational barriers and delayed cognitive impairment.

Purpose: This project aims to improve the early detection …

Influenza And Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Correlating Adult Immunization With Exacerbation Reduction After Implementation Of The Global Initiative For Obstructive Lung Disease Recommendations In A Rural Clinic, Jessica Semyonova

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may experience exacerbations of the disease, leading to disease progression, decreased lung function, increased mortality, and decreased quality of life. However, one of the clinician’s best tools in preventing exacerbations may be the distribution of annual influenza immunizations.

Purpose: This project aimed to determine whether implementing an influenza vaccination protocol would increase influenza vaccination uptake and decrease COPD exacerbation rates.

Project Design: An influenza vaccination protocol was implemented over an eight-week period. During that time, data was gathered and compared to data from the previous year when a vaccination …

Enhancing Patient Outcomes: The Sepsis Navigator Approach, Temeka L. Parker

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Sepsis is the leading cause of hospital mortality, accounting for over $20 billion dollars in total healthcare costs and more than 5 million deaths annually worldwide. The increased burden of sepsis led the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) to institute a quality core measure known as the Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock Management Bundle (SEP-1) as a protocol for sepsis treatment. CMS reports national SEP-1 compliance at 62% and 61% for Alabama. The undisclosed project site reports a much lower SEP-1 compliance average of 49% over six months. Compliance with the SEP-1 bundle improves overall patient outcomes and …

Commit To Sit: Does Purposefully Sitting With Adult Medical-Surgical Patients At A Rural Hospital Impact Patient Satisfaction?, Jolie A. Puckett

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Patient satisfaction surveys encourage patients to provide feedback about their experiences with healthcare organizations, and the surveys also play a critical role in identifying gaps in care that may contribute to patient harm. Effective communication between nurses and patients is crucial for delivering high-quality healthcare; therefore, initiatives to enhance this communication should be explored and implemented.

Purpose: This quality improvement project aimed to evaluate whether sitting with patients improved patient satisfaction scores for a medical-surgical unit within a Northwest Georgia inpatient facility.

Project Design: A pre- and post-design method was utilized to compare patient satisfaction scores before and after …

Utilizing Text Messaging To Increase Annual Mammogram Screening Compliance, Lacey B. Santa Cruz

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Routine mammography can lessen breast cancer deaths, but many patients do not follow the current screening guidelines. Limited access to mammography and insufficient awareness lead to missed screening appointments.

Purpose: The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to improve annual mammogram adherence among women aged 40-74 by implementing an electronic medical record (EMR)-based text reminder system.

Project Design: Secondary patient data was collected from a privately owned, rural family practice clinic. Using the Mobilize-Assess-Plan-Implement-Track (MAP-IT) quality improvement framework, the project implemented a text message reminder intervention through the EMR. Eligible patients received a text reminder …

Using The Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership Common Data Model For A Multi-Registry Intensive Care Unit Benchmarking Federated Analysis: Lessons Learned, Aasiyah Rashan, Daniel P Püttmann, Nicolette F De Keizer, Dave A Dongelmans, Ronald Cornet, Otavio Ranzani, Wangari Siika, Matthew Smith, Steve Harris, Abi Beane

Anaesthesiology, East Africa

Objective: Federated analysis is a method that allows data analysis to be performed on similar datasets without exchanging any data, thus facilitating international research collaboration while adhering to strict privacy laws. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of using federated analysis to benchmark mortality in 2 critical care quality registry databases converted to the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership (OMOP) Common Data Model (CDM), describing challenges to and recommendations for performing federated analysis on data transformed to OMOP CDM.

Materials and Methods: To identify as many challenges as possible and to be able to complete the benchmarking phase, …

Biocomputing Approach To Modeling And Modulating Calcium Signaling, Sehee Sun

School of Computing: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Biocomputing is an emerging field that seeks to perform computational tasks using biological substrates and processes. Unlike conventional computing systems based on silicon hardware, biocomputing leverages the parallelism, energy efficiency, and complex dynamics of living systems. Among various cellular mechanisms, calcium (Ca2+) signaling stands out as a central regulator of diverse biological functions, offering a promising basis for programmable logic and control in living cells.

This thesis introduces a novel framework for modeling and modulating Ca2+ dynamics using biologically inspired Boolean logic circuits. Specifically, we propose the Ca2+ Boolean Logic (CaBL) model, in which Ca2+ fluxes and interactions are abstracted …

Childhood Asthma Biomarkers Derived From Plasma And Saliva Exosomal Mirnas, Abdelnaby Khalyfa, Mohit Verma, Meghan M. Alexander, Zhuanhong Qiao, Tammy Rood, Ragini Kapoor, Trupti Joshi, David Gozal, Benjamin D. Francisco

Biomedical Sciences

Asthma, the most common chronic respiratory condition in children, involves airway inflammation, hyper-responsiveness, and frequent exacerbation that worsen the airflow and inflammation. Exosomes, extracellular vesicles carrying microRNAs (miRNAs), play a key role in cell communication alongside other types of communication and are promising markers of asthma severity. This study compares exosomal miRNA and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) profiles in boys with asthma, focusing on differences between those with normal lung functions and those with severe airflow obstruction. This study enrolled 20 boys aged 9–18 years with asthma, split into two groups based on their lung function. Ten had normal lung …

Translating The Hba1c Lab Test Name And Results From English To Arabic For Enhanced Patient Access And Workflow Efficiency, Aiman M. Alrawabdeh

Translational Projects (Open Access)

In Jordan, where the healthcare system primarily operates in English, Arabic-speaking patients encounter significant challenges in understanding laboratory test names and results, including Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), an essential diagnostic indicator for diabetes management. The lack of multilingual access to medical information limits health literacy and patient autonomy, increasing dependence on healthcare staff for translation assistance. This translational informatics project addressed these challenges by developing and implementing an Arabic translation process for the HbA1c lab test name and results. HbA1c was selected as it is a standard lab test among patients with diabetes in Jordan; nearly 30% of Jordanians had type …

Artificial Intelligence In Healthcare And Science, Sally Brown, Catherine Gouge, Anurag Srivastava

Artificial Intelligence Exhibit

This section explores AI's impact on science and healthcare, including medical diagnostics and treatments, and scientific research.

Developing A Curriculum Audit Tool For Justice, Equity, Diversity, And Inclusion In Occupational Therapy Education, Whitney M. Cranna, Sarah Mckinnon

Translational Science in Occupation

Background: The OT profession is calling for intentional pedagogy that builds future practitioners’ capacity for embodying justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion (JEDI) values; however, the interpretation and application of this mission remain subjective and nebulous. Developing a theory-driven audit tool may help standardize and clarify JEDI pedagogy needs to enhance OT preparation and practice.

Objective: Using a culturally responsive, justice-based theoretical lens, this paper describes the development of a JEDI Curriculum Audit Tool for a Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy (PP-OTD) program.

Design: Quantitative systematic evaluation of curricular alignment with JEDI principles, including a 3-prong retroactive self-evaluation approach.

Setting: Curriculum …

Perioperative Business Services, Laila Perez, Jacquelyn Mancini Mba

Research Scholars

No abstract provided.

Investigating The Neural Mechanisms Underlying Values-Based Leadership Behavior, Brooke Johnson, Gerald Mcglinn M.A., Acc

Research Scholars

No abstract provided.

Systemic Exogenous Progestins With Or Without Estrogens Are Associated With Decreased Rates Of Venous Procedures For Varicose Veins, Paarth Jain, Adam M. Ostrovsky, Paul J Dimuzio, Luis H. Eraso, Michael Nooromid, Dawn Salvatore, Babak Abai

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVES: Risk factors for varicose veins (VVs) such as female sex, pregnancy, and obesity are high estrogen states, yet the role of systemic progestins with or without estrogens (SPEs) in VV management is not well characterized. This study investigates how SPE use affects rates of venous procedures for patients with VV.

METHODS: The TriNetX database was queried for subjects with International Classification of Diseases, 10th edition, diagnoses of asymptomatic VV, chronic venous insufficiency, and complicated VV (inflammation or ulceration). Patients were divided into a control cohort with no subsequent SPE use, a progestin-only cohort, and a combined estrogen-progestin (CEP) cohort. …

Exploring Covid-19 Vaccination Behavior: A Cross-Country Study Among Pregnant And Postpartum Women In Brazil, Ghana, Kenya, And Pakistan, Rupali Limaye, Berrhaun Fesshaye, Emily Miller, Prachi Singh, Saleem Jessani, Muhammad Asim, Ferdinand Okwaro, Sarah Saleem, Marleen Temmerman, Muhammad Asim

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

Pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV2 are more likely to be hospitalized and require ventilation, compared to non-pregnant women. Although the development of the COVID-19 vaccine was regarded as a scientific breakthrough among many, the pace of development in combination with delayed and unclear recommendations for maternal vaccination led to slower vaccine uptake among this population. We explored the decision-making process for COVID-19 vaccination among pregnant and postpartum women in four countries: Brazil, Ghana, Kenya, and Pakistan through 201 in-depth interviews. A grounded theory approach was used for analysis, and a socio-ecological framework was used to synthesize emerging themes. Four levels …

Beyond The Bone: A Misdiagnosis Of Paget’S Disease Reveals Polyostotic Mazabraud Syndrome, Michael Higham, Stephanie Campbell, Amanda Killeen

School of Podiatric Medicine Publications

Introduction: Mazabraud Syndrome is a rare benign condition characterized by polyostotic fibrous dysplasia and intramuscular myxomas. Due to its overlapping radiographic features, it is frequently misdiagnosed. We present a case where Mazabraud Syndrome was misdiagnosed as Paget’s disease for nearly 6 decades.

Case Presentation: A 59-year-old woman presented to the podiatry clinic with complaints of numbness and sharp pain of the left foot while in stance. Her surgical history is positive for numerous lower extremity myxomas excised over her lifetime, beginning in adolescence, and now with non-mobile soft tissue mass at the porta pedis of the left foot for 1 …

Issues That Ministers Identify As Factors Contributing To Anxiety And Depression, Heather Sawtelle

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Although mental health is an emerging topic within the church community, the stigmatization of mental illness within ministers’ lives can create a myriad of personal beliefs that can lead to shame and discontent in ministers’ lives. Many ministers have daily stressors that compromise their mental health, and these stressors can contribute to depression or anxiety. This study defined mental health issues and described mental illness’ influence on ministers’ lives and the factors that contribute to mental health issues. This health condition, described as mental illness, involves significant changes in thinking, emotion, behavior, distress, and problems functioning in social, work, or …

Dean's Report- Summer-Fall 2025, Marina K. Holz

GSBMS Dean’s Report

No abstract provided.

Cazyme Gene Cluster Diversity In Human Gut Microbiome, Yi Xing

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In gut microbiome research, carbohydrate-active enzyme gene clusters (CGCs) have emerged as key functional units for understanding microbial glycan degradation. Unlike taxonomic or broad pathway annotations, CGCs offer gene-cluster-level resolution and capture substrate-specific microbial functions. However, their diversity and distribution in relation to host metabolic phenotypes, such as obesity, remain poorly characterized. This study tests the hypothesis that the composition and abundance of fiber-targeting CGCs vary between obese and healthy human gut microbiomes, reflecting distinct microbial carbohydrate utilization strategies. To examine this, we constructed a high-quality reference CGC dataset comprising 94,019 clusters from the Unified Human Gastrointestinal Genome and profiled …

Overcoming Maternal Antibody Interference In Swine Influenza: Advancing Dna Vaccine Strateies For Enhanced Immune Protection In Piglets, Danh Cong Lai

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Maternally derived antibodies (MDAs) play a vital role in protecting neonates from infectious diseases, but their presence at the time of vaccination can interfere with vaccine-induced immune responses, thereby reducing vaccine effectiveness. MDA interference has been documented in pigs vaccinated with whole inactivated virus (WIV) vaccines against swine influenza A virus (IAV). In this thesis, we evaluated the efficacy of a lipid nanoparticle encapsulated DNA (LNP-DNA) vaccine against swine IAV in the presence and absence of MDAs, comparing it to a WIV vaccine. In MDA-negative piglets, both the LNP-DNA and WIV vaccines induced strong immune responses and effectively prevented the …