Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Onboarding And Resource Guide Development At Lipscomb University Ideal Program, Folasade S. Alalade

OTD Capstone Projects

The Lipscomb IDEAL program is a two-year inclusive postsecondary program that supports young adults with intellectual disabilities in areas such as education, employment, and independent living. Following the IDEAL program, students have the opportunity to continue their postsecondary experience through the Advanced Program (AP), where they further develop skills. This capstone project focused on creating onboarding materials for students and families transitioning from the IDEAL program to the AP in order to better support and prepare them for this next phase. The second component of the project involved researching assistive technology (AT) and artificial intelligence (AI) tools beneficial to this …

Supporting Holistic Wellness In Transitional Housing: Implementation Of A Wellness Program For Individuals Experiencing Homelessness, Ashley Lauren Kirk

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

Housing insecurity and homelessness continue to increase in the United States, with over 771,480 individuals experiencing homelessness on a single night in 2024—an approximate 18% increase from 2023 (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2024). Individuals facing homelessness often experience complex physical, mental, and emotional health challenges that can hinder successful community reintegration. The capstone site was a nonprofit organization that provides transitional housing through a relationship-centered model emphasizing individualized support and resource accessibility to those experiencing homelessness. The purpose of this project was to develop a comprehensive toolkit to educate residents on holistic wellness, provide practical strategies for …

Connectivity, Classroom, And Contagion: An Ecological Analysis Of Testing Availability, Sex Education, And Sti Rates In The Upper Midwest, Macey M. Boerhave

Honors Thesis

Rural and frontier communities in the Upper Midwest face unique challenges that shape how young people access sexual health information and testing. While sexually transmitted infection (STI) rates continue to rise nationally, less is known about how sexual health education, digital access, and geographic distance influence these trends at a county level. This study examines the relationship between broadband internet access rates, poverty rates, proximity to free or low-cost STI testing sites, and county-level STI rates among individuals aged 15-24 in selected counties across South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Nebraska. Using an ecological, cross-sectional design, county-level STI surveillance …

Utility Of Right Ventricular Mass Ratios In Recipients With Pulmonary Hypertension: A United Network For Organ-Sharing Database Analysis, Matthew P. Weber, Danial Ahmad, Howard J. Eisen, Eugene Storozynsky, René J. Alvarez, J. Eduardo Rame, Keshava Rajagopal, John W. Entwistle, Charles Hoopes, Vakhtang Tchantchaleishvili

Division of Cardiology Faculty Papers

PURPOSE: There is a lack of data reviewing the role of predicted cardiac mass ratio (PCMR) in transplant recipients with pulmonary hypertension (PH). In particular, the right ventricular (RV) mass ratio (RVMR) is a component of PCMR not yet studied separately for this purpose. We aimed to review the relationship of PCMR and RVMR with PH in terms of post-transplant overall survival.

METHODS: The United Network for Organ-Sharing (UNOS) database was queried for primary heart transplant (HTx) patients from 2004 to 2023. Predicted RVMR was calculated for donors and recipients. A parsimonious multivariable model Cox model was formed for risk …

Promoting Participation In Adults With Intellectual Disabilities (Id) Through Inclusive Theatre Education And A Professional Theatre Partnership, Lila R. Clark

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

Intellectual Disabilities (ID) are characterized by a deficit in intellectual and adaptive function that affects between 1% and 3% of the general population (Patel et al., 2020). As young people age out of the school system between 18 and 21 years of age, opportunities for meaningful participation in their community drop drastically (Codd & Hewitt, 2020). This lack of opportunity can lead to decreased overall mental health and quality of life, possibly explaining why adults with ID are disproportionately affected by mental illness when compared to their typically developing peers (Hall, 2017; Pinals et al., 2022). The purpose of this …

Evaluating A Low-Burden, Client-Centered Home Activity Program For Stroke Survivors: A Mixed Feasibility Study, Latia A. Jones

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

Importance

Stoke survivors often find it difficult to adhere to home exercise programs (HEPs), specifically those that are repetitive, impairment-based, or require technology, which can create barriers related to digital literacy, cognitive load, and access (Mahmood et al., 2019; Bol et al., 2018; Verma et al., 2022; Lang et al., 2007).

Objective

To evaluate the feasibility, usability and acceptability, and perceived usefulness of a low-burden, client-centered home activity program for adults with chronic stroke.

Design

A mix-methods feasibility study using structured quantitative measures and semi-structured qualitative interviews conducted after one week of home activity use.

Setting

MUSC Stroke Recovery Research …

Addressing Financial Toxicity In Student-Run Free Clinics (Srfcs) Through Development Of Inventory System And Community Resource Guide For Durable Medical Equipment (Dme), Samantha Boggess

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

Student run free clinics (SRFC) provide care to uninsured or under insured patients with physical and mental health impairments. Under insured patients must make difficult decisions about their healthcare, not based on best practices, but on what they can reasonably afford.  For example, they may have to forego durable medical equipment (DME) (e.g., shower chairs, wheelchairs, and self-care equipment)or treatments due to high out-of-pocket costs.

Financial toxicity (FT) refers to the negative impact of medical expenses on patients’ health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and can lead to poor physical and mental health outcomes. FT is a new concept that has …

Improving Implementation And Effectiveness Of Self-Regulation Strategies In Clinical And Home-Based Settings, Carlie M. Foltz

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

Self-regulation is defined as an individual’s ability to manage behavior, emotions, thoughts, and attention in order to achieve goal-directed actions (Chen et al., 2024). Occupational therapists support participation in meaningful occupations such as school, play, and self-care, where limited self-regulation skills may hinder engagement. Despite the well-documented importance of self-regulation, inconsistent implementation and assessment of self-regulation tools limit carryover and long-term effectiveness.

This doctoral capstone project, completed in collaboration with a local pediatric occupational therapy rehabilitation clinic, aimed to improve the implementation and carryover of self-regulation tools for children ages 4-13. As identified in a prior needs assessment, children reported …

Enhancing Pediatric Outpatient Occupational Therapythrough Self-Regulation Interventions, Teresa L. Marinaccio

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

Enhancing Pediatric Outpatient Occupational Therapy  Through Self-Regulation Interventions

Self-regulation is defined as the understanding, acceptance, and regulation of emotional responses necessary for successful adaptation to one’s psychosocial environment, goal achievement, and overall mental health (Alarcón-Espinoza et al., 2022). This project was conducted in collaboration with two Charleston based mentors who developed a self-regulation education program with the mission to empower children and their caregivers through research-informed, trauma-sensitive strategies. The program emphasizes interoception, mindful awareness, and compassionate connection to support children in understanding their sensory needs and fostering emotional regulation.

The purpose of this project was to expand pediatric self-regulation resources …

Effects Of A Major Disruption On Mental Health Of Pregnant Women In South Carolina, Lizmarie Maldonado

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Mental health conditions are a leading cause of death among pregnant and postpartum women, and untreated mental health conditions are associated with adverse maternal and birth outcomes. Major disruptions, such as pandemics, hurricanes, or wildfires, create unprecedented challenges and may impose additional stressors during an already vulnerable time. Community or medical care disruptions during such events may lead to adverse health outcomes. This dissertation seeks to characterize the impact of a recent major disruption on mental health outcomes among pregnant women using administrative claims data for all births in South Carolina in 2019 and 2020. By leveraging unique data sources, …

Suena Como Nosotros: A Spanish-English Storybook For Growing Voices, Stephanie Czajka

Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this project is to address the lack of speech therapy resources available to bilingual Spanish-English-speaking children between the ages of four to six. It will target common speech and language difficulties observed in children during the critical language development period, between the ages of four and six. This book will provide an accessible, culturally relevant speech therapy resource that can be used in the comfort of the home. Through the creation of this book, equity in healthcare access will be promoted, and bilingual pride and identity will be supported. The objectives of this project include designing and …

Supporting Positive Interactions With Individuals With Disabilities: A Law Enforcement Guide, Brittany James Jefferson, Mary Jan Greer

Spring 2026 OTD Capstone Symposium

This capstone project developed an educational guide to support law enforcement officers in creating safe and effective interactions with individuals with disabilities. A needs assessment informed the guide’s development, which was grounded in occupational therapy principles and the Person Environment Occupation Performance (PEOP) model. The guide was implemented within a law enforcement setting and evaluated through officer feedback. Findings indicated strong baseline experience among officers, with added value in providing structured strategies to support communication, interpretation, and de-escalation. This project highlights the role of occupational therapy in promoting inclusive, community-based practice.

Translating Self-Regulation Concepts Into Practice: A Pediatric Outpatient Occupational Therapy Activity Toolkit, Catherine Spaulding

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

Translating Self-Regulation Concepts into Practice: A Pediatric Outpatient Occupational Therapy Activity Toolkit 

Self-regulation is a foundational skill that enables individuals to manage emotions, behaviors, attention, and physiological responses to engage meaningfully in daily life. In childhood, the development of self-regulation predicts academic success, social relationships, mental health, and lifelong wellbeing (Philpott-Robinson et al., 2023; Robson et al., 2020). When children experience self-regulation difficulties, early identification and intervention by pediatric occupational therapists (OTs) can help prevent future mental health and wellbeing challenges (Philpott-Robinson et al., 2023). Pediatric OTs support self-regulation through sensory-based strategies, mindfulness practices, environmental modifications, caregiver education, and collaboration …

Enhancing Occupation-Based Engagement For Adults With Idd, Miranda Brown, Mary Jan Greer

Spring 2026 OTD Capstone Symposium

This study aimed to explore the importance of occupation-based engagement for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) through the lens of occupational therapy (OT). Literature review and needs assessments informed the development of client-centered interventions and program modules. Project outcomes highlighted the benefit of increased opportunity and appropriate grading of occupation-based engagement for adults with IDD, as well as education for community-based site staff and caregivers.

Play For All: Promoting Inclusivity And Providing Modifications For Kids With Disabilities Within An Indoor Play Space, Yasmeen Ikbal, Mary Jan Greer

Spring 2026 OTD Capstone Symposium

Children’s environments need to be enhanced to match their developmental levels (Winter & Dempsey, 1994). There is a lack of tools, play equipment, and structures specifically targeted to children with disabilities (Therrien et al., 2022). Lack of opportunities for these children can hinder their development (Mullick, 2013). This capstone intends to educate staff and parents on how to promote inclusivity by increasing their understanding of disabilities, creating accessible environments, adapting activities, and building confidence in supporting children with disabilities to participate in their occupations.

Medication Nonadherence And Social Participation For African American Adults With Low Vision, Shakeda Mcghee, Mary Jan Greer Phd, Otr, Jaimee Fielder

Spring 2026 OTD Capstone Symposium

The concept of this capstone is to analyze how quality of life (social participation, health management) is affected in adults ages 18-55 with low vision/blindness with conditions to include diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and cataracts.

Correspondence: Dean Elizabeth Martin And Frenesi Wilson Concerning Employment, Dr. Elizabeth Martin, Frenesi Wilson

Correspondence

Correspondence between Dr. Elizabeth Martin, dean of the School of Nursing at the University of North Alabama and Frenesi Wilson, PhD candidate at the University of Texas-Austin, concerning employment. Within in this November and December 1975 correspondence, Frenesi Wilson decline's Dean Martin's offer of a faculty position as an assistant professor due to the commitment of her PhD program. However, Dr. Wilson eventually joins the program as dean on July 19, 1976.

Pamela Charlene Kennamer: Nursing Student Correspondence, License & Pin, Pamela Charlene Kennamer

Correspondence

Correspondence pertaining to nursing student Pamela Charlene Kennamer Corble's admittance to Florence State University as a transfer student in May of 1973. Kennamer was a member of one of UNA's, formerly Florence State University, first graduating classes in nursing. Documents in the final pages of the pdf, include her registration for the state nursing exams in 1976 and official license and nursing pin.

Conceptual Framework With Annotations, College Of Nursing, Florence State University

Documents

The document includes the conceptual framework for the School of Nursing at Florence State University dated April 27, 1976. It also features several handwritten annotations that amend and reword portions of it dated July 21, 1996. Overall, the framework argues the impact of the nursing school's interactions with broader society in helping its students reach self-actualization through its pedagogical practices.

Poems By Nursing Students, Anonymous, A. Jann Davis, L M. A, Larry Atkins

Documents

A series of four poems presumed to be authored by nursing students in approximately the 1980s on themes related to mortality and grief.

The first poem "Thoughts of a Dying Person" is written by an anonymous author whose speaker questions the things in life they would do differently if they had more time. Its form is more prose like than the others in the document and could be considered flash fiction or prose poetry but seems to fit the poetic category more through the usage of a triangular shaping of the poem.

The second poem, an untitled piece by A. …

Information Sheet For High School Day, School Of Nursing, University Of North Alabama

Documents

Information sheet prepared by the University of North Alabama Student Nurses' Association for High School Day held on November 17, 1976. The document explains the School of Nursing's founding in 1973 and the admission process for those seeking a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).

Integrating Zotero With Your Writing: From Research To Publication – Hslic Workshop Apr 2026, Evelyn Wang

HSLIC Faculty and Staff Instructional Resources

This HSLIC workshop presentation provides a practical, step‑by‑step guide to integrating Zotero into the research and writing workflow. Topics include installing and configuring Zotero and the Zotero Connector, collecting references from databases and web pages, organizing items with collections, subcollections, tags, and PDF attachments, inserting citations and generating bibliographies in Microsoft Word and Google Docs, managing and annotating PDFs, handling title case versus sentence case, detecting and merging duplicate records, and using advanced features such as Zotero sync, group libraries, collaboration tools, custom citation styles, and ZoteroBib.

Occupational Therapy And Periodontics Collaboration To Improve Hand Health And Fine Motor Skills In Dental Student, Zainab Alsuwaiyan

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Background: A study conducted in 2023 by the Occupational Therapy (OT) Department and Marquette University school of dentistry (MUsoD) demonstrated that many student participants scored below average on hand function testing, indicating a need for occupational therapy intervention. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of occupational therapy–led training for periodontics and registered dental hygienist faculty on the performance of dental students in the Introduction to Clinical Practice course (DEIN 7114). Methods: Faculty teaching in DEIN 7114 were recruited for this study. They participated in educational sessions led by occupational therapy faculty focusing on musculoskeletal disorders …

Exploring The Role Of Cine-Virtual Reality In Empathy And Awareness Of Social Determinants Of Health Among Occupational Therapy Students, Leah M. Stade, Madison Mckeever, Emma Gardner, Jana L. Wardian Phd

Innovations in Health Sciences Education Journal

Understanding social determinants of health (SDOH) is crucial for Occupational Therapy students to develop empathy and deliver optimal healthcare. This study explores using web-based 360° cinematic virtual reality (cine-VR) simulations in Level I fieldwork to address SDOH education and occupational engagement before community-based exposure.

This mixed methods study involved surveys and thematic analysis of written reflections from fifty students in a distance-based program at a Midwest university. Students viewed 12 web-based immersive cine-VR modules about a client experiencing multiple SDOH impacts. Surveys were conducted at baseline, post-intervention, and 6-weeks post-intervention, measuring empathy using the Jefferson Empathy Scale and attitudes toward …

Contributing Factors Of Contralateral Breast Cancer In Patients With Brca Mutation (On-Brca Ii Study, Korea-Bsg 11), Seon-Hi Shin, Sung Gwe Ahn, Jai Min Ryu, Sae Byul Lee, Hyung Seok Park, Eun-Shin Lee, Janghee Lee, Byeongju Kang, Sanghwa Kim, Eun Young Kim, Young-Joon Kang, Sun Young Min, Moohyun Lee, Se-Kang Kim, Hong-Kyu Kim, Chihwan David Cha

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: The cumulative risk of contralateral breast cancer (CBC) in BRCA1/2 carriers is remarkably higher than in non-carriers. This study aimed to investigate the clinicopathological predictors associated with the risk of metachronous CBC among breast cancer patients with BRCA1/2 mutations using correspondence analysis.

Methods: This retrospective study included patients who underwent BRCA testing between January 2008 and December 2018. The inclusion criterion was patients being between 20 and 80-years-old with invasive breast cancer (pT1-3, N0-3). We performed univariate and multivariate survival analyses to assess the risks associated with BRCA mutations, and conducted correspondence analysis to identify contributing factors for CBC …

Identifying Major Sources Of Leptospira Interrogans In San Juan Bay And Río Grande De Loíza Estuaries Of Puerto Rico, Logan Mccullers, Dave Bachoon

Biology Theses

This study evaluated the presence of pathogenic Leptospira interrogans, potential carriers, and environmental factors influencing their occurrence in the San Juan Bay Estuary (SJBE) and Río Grande de Loíza (RGDL) watersheds of Puerto Rico from 2024–2025. Detection of this pathogen from water samples was performed using the lipL32 PCR assay. The likely hosts of L. interrogans were determined using fecal source tracking (FST) assays for human (HF-183), canine (BacCan-UCD), equine (HoF597), and rat mitochondrial DNA NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 gene (RatMt) markers. In 2024, 91 samples were collected (March: 50; June: 41), and in 2025, 124 samples were collected …

Epigenome-Wide Association Study Of Blood Proteome In The Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities Study, Yang Li, Aditya Surapaneni, Zulema Rodriguez-Hernandez, Pascal Schlosser, Eugene P Rhee, Eric Boerwinkle, Bing Yu, Megan L Grove, Kelly V Ruggles, Josef Coresh, Morgan Grams

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Characterizing the relationship between DNA methylation and circulating proteins is critical to understanding the epigenetic regulation of the human plasma proteome. Here, we performed an epigenome-wide association study of 5,032 circulating proteins in 1,449 White and 315 Black participants from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities cohort. We identified 12,500 significant protein quantitative trait methylation (pQTM)-protein associations involving 1,647 proteins. Among 7,796 unique pQTMs, 14.7% were classified as cis-pQTMs, which were enriched for fundamental cellular processes, whereas trans-pQTMs were predominantly linked to immune-related functions. Trans-pQTMs also exhibited stronger associations with demographic, lifestyle, and clinical traits as compared with cis-pQTMs. We identified …

Exploring Healthcare Career Pathways: Survey Findings From The Unmc High School Alliance Program, Jana L. Wardian Phd, Rachael Jaixen, Jaynie Bird, Heidi Kaschke

Innovations in Health Sciences Education Journal

The ongoing demand for a well-prepared and adequately staffed healthcare workforce in the United States highlights the value of effective educational pipeline programs. The University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) High School Alliance (HSA) was created as an immersive, academic enrichment initiative to expose motivated high school students from a range of educational and socioeconomic backgrounds to health professions, with the long-term aim of strengthening the healthcare workforce in Nebraska. This article evaluates the design, curriculum, and measurable impact of the UNMC HSA over its 16-year history. Students participate daily throughout the school year, engaging in courses such as patient …

Choice-Aya: Adapting An Evidence-Based Contraceptive Counseling Intervention For Adolescents And Young Adults Experiencing Homelessness., Mariah E. Brewe, Anna Burns, Nikolaus Schuetz, Taylor Stephens, Emma Francis, Haylie Yost, Stephani L. Stancil

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

INTRODUCTION: Adolescents and young adults (AYA) experiencing homelessness face an increased risk of reproductive violence, unintended pregnancy, and barriers accessing healthcare. While interventions focused on efficacy-first contraceptive counseling are successful at increasing rates of long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) use, little is known about how an efficacy-first approach is received by AYA experiencing homelessness given unique factors associated with their reproductive health care. We aimed to adapt the evidence-based CHOICE contraceptive counseling approach for AYA experiencing homelessness.

METHODS: Focus groups discussion with AYA experiencing homelessness were conducted to understand prior reproductive health care experiences and contraception counseling preferences, comparing efficacy first …

The Use Of Radiofrequency In The Treatment Of Erectile Dysfunction, Sarah Ponce, Nikola Rakic, Beatriz Hernandez, Mohit Khera

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.