Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

“For Haitian Culture, Being Older [Is] A Blessing”: Perceptions Of Aging, Elderhood, And Dementia In A Haitian Born Sample, Melissa K. Eustache

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates how first-generation Haitian immigrants in the United States understand and interpret dementia within the intersecting contexts of culture, migration, and biomedicine. While dementia is constructed as a pathological “loss of self” and a public health epidemic, in American biomedical and popular discourse, this study examines how Haitian-born individuals—socialized within a non-Western cultural and spiritual framework—make sense of cognitive decline and impairment in ways that diverge from Western biomedical narratives. Guided by theoretical orientations from medical anthropology, including Mark Nichter’s idioms of distress, Margaret Lock’s local biologies, and neuroanthropology, this research explores how cultural models of illness, aging, …

First-Line Met Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors Versus Immunotherapy ± Chemotherapy For Patients With Met Exon 14 Skipping Mutant Metastatic Nsclc, Federica Pecci, Hui Li, Alessandro Di Federico, Jia Wu, Hong Chen, Eleonora Gariazzo, Francesco Mantuano, Edoardo Garbo, Mihaela Aldea, Valentina Santo, Don Gibbons, Hai Tran, Francesco Paoloni, Guilherme Rossato De Almeida, Giulio Metro, Andrea De Giglio, Francesco Gelsomino, Xinan Wang, Marcello Tiseo, Julia Rotow, Andrea Ardizzoni, J Jack Lee, Mark M Awad, Alfredo Addeo, Lingzhi Hong, Marcelo V Negrao, Pasi A Jänne, John V Heymach, Jianjun Zhang, Biagio Ricciuti, Xiuning Le

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: First-line treatment options for MET exon 14 skipping-mutant metastatic non-small cell lung cancer vary because of differences in drug approvals and clinical experience. This study investigates factors influencing outcomes with first-line MET tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) versus immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) ± chemotherapy.

Experimental design: Clinicopathologic data were collected from patients with metastatic MET exon 14 skipping-mutant non-small cell lung cancer treated with first-line MET TKI or ICI ± chemotherapy at five centers. Primary endpoints were real-world progression-free survival (rwPFS) and overall survival (OS) to first-line MET TKI versus ICI ± chemotherapy. Subgroup analyses by clinical and tumor characteristics …

Oligomeric Cystatin C Supports The Immunosuppressive Activity Of Myeloid Cells Through Interaction With Inhibitory Receptors, Chengcheng Zhang, Yubo He, Xiaoye Liu, Jingjing Xie, Meng Fang, Xing Yang, Ryan Huang, Qi Lou, Bufan Li, Ankit Gupta, Cheryl Lewis, Marc I Diamond, Ningyan Zhang, Zhiqiang An, Cheng Cheng Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Amyloid proteins are linked to various diseases; however, their functional roles in immunity and cancer remain unclear. Here, we establish a direct link between oligomeric cystatin C-a cysteine cathepsin inhibitor and a well-characterized amyloidogenic protein-within the tumor microenvironment and the immune inhibitory receptors LILRB2 and LILRB5 on myeloid cells. We demonstrated that human LILRB2 and LILRB5, along with their murine counterpart PIRB, serve as functional receptors for cystatin C oligomers. Engagement of these inhibitory receptors by oligomeric cystatin C enhances the immunosuppressive activity of myeloid cells, leading to T-cell suppression and tumor progression. Deletion of the CST3 gene, which encodes …

How Life Enrichment Farms Promote Independence, Health, And Well-Being Through Vocational Skills And Sensory Processing Skills, Olivia Stanek

Honors Theses

There is limited knowledge about life enrichment farms and their role in supporting individuals with disabilities. This project aimed to highlight how occupational therapy can collaborate with these farm-based programs to promote independence, health, and well-being among younger adults with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities. An evidence-informed approach and qualitative research methods were used to explore this question, including a literature review and an interview with AACORN Farms, a life enrichment farm located in Michigan. Findings were further examined through occupational therapy activity analysis to identify the vocational, sensory, and meaningful engagement opportunities embedded within the various areas …

Vitamin D Is Glucoprotective In Aging Males But Not Females, Olivia Z B Ginnard, Maria Morales, Ji Youn Youn, Yong Xu, Stephanie R Sisley

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Vitamin D supplementation is linked to many beneficial health outcomes in the geriatric population, such as decreased mortality, epigenetic aging, and fracture risk. Conversely, type 2 diabetes is strongly linked to vitamin D deficiency in older adults. However, there is a discrepancy between clinical trials in adults on the efficacy of vitamin D treatment in prediabetes and diabetes. In addition, human data indicates there may be sexual dimorphism in the effect of vitamin D deficiency on dysglycemia that is more pronounced in men. These incongruities may be due to our limited understanding of the underlying mechanisms of vitamin D in …

Validation Of A Two-Item Short Form Of The Perceived Health Competence Scale, Devika Nair, Jacquelyn S Pennings, Hayden B Bosworth, Kenneth E Freedland, Sunil Kripalani, Elisa J Gordon, Gurjeet S Birdee, Justin M Bachmann

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Perceived health competence is a construct encompassing individuals’ confidence in managing their health and health-related behaviors. The 8-item Perceived Health Competence Scale (PHCS-8), developed to measure this construct, has established psychometric properties including test-retest reliability and predictive validity for health behaviors and clinical outcomes. We aimed to validate the 2-item Perceived Health Competence Scale (PHCS-2), an abbreviated version of the PHCS-8, for use in clinical and research settings where respondent burden is a primary concern. METHODOLOGY: We conducted a psychometric validation study using pooled data from 482 participants across two cohort studies conducted in an integrative medicine clinic. Participants …

A Role For Gut Mycobiome And Altered Fungal-Bacterial Interactions In Women With Endometriosis†, Chandni Talwar, Ashirbad Guria, Kristi Hoffman, Scott Biest, Patricia Jimenez, Ramakrishna Kommagani

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Endometriosis is a gynecological pathology prevalent in reproductive age women in which the inner uterine wall (endometrium) grows outside as ectopic lesions. The inflammation resulting from these growing implants closely associates with disease severity, causing chronic pain and infertility. Emerging studies have found altered bacterial communities in endometriosis and a causal role for gut bacteria in endometriosis. However, the role of the gut mycobiome, i.e., the fungal component of the microbiome in endometriosis is a current knowledge gap that needs to be addressed. In this study, utilizing the stool samples from women with endometriosis, we found that the gut fungal …

Mta-Cooperative Prmt5 Inhibitors Are Efficacious In Mtap-Deleted Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor Models, Xiaochun Zhang, Dana C Borcherding, Yang Lyu, Guangfeng Wang, Kevin He, Gorkem Oztosun, Ishita Sachdeva, Liuzhan Yang, Kuangying Yang, Angela C Hirbe, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

PURPOSE: Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST) are highly aggressive sarcomas with poor prognosis. The enzyme methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP) is lost in ∼25% to 50% of MPNSTs, which is associated with loss of the tumor suppressor gene CDKN2A. Inhibition of PRMT5 was found to be synthetically lethal in cells with MTAP loss due to accumulation of the substrate methylthioadenosine (MTA), an endogenous PRMT5 inhibitor. TNG908 and TNG462 are clinical-stage MTA-cooperative PRMT5 inhibitors that demonstrate selectivity for MTAP-deleted (null) cells over MTAP-proficient [wild-type (WT)] cells. Both compounds drive durable tumor regressions in various cancer xenograft models with MTAP loss.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: …

2025 Graduate Research Day Agenda (Pdf), Graduate Studies

Dr. Joseph M. Moerschbaecher, III Graduate Research Day

The 4th Annual Dr. Joseph Moerschbaecher, III Graduate Research Day Agenda (PDF)

From Chest Pain To Recovery: A Rare Case Of Anomalous Origin Of The Circumflex Artery From The Pulmonary Artery In A Child And The Role Of Timely Surgical Intervention, A.V. Kauk, Serezha Manukian, A.N. Arkhipov, A.V. Voitov, I.A. Soynov

Journal of the Saudi Heart Association

This report highlights the diagnostic challenges and successful surgical management in a symptomatic pediatric case with anomalous origin of the circumflex artery from the pulmonary artery. A 4-year-old boy presented emergently with dyspnea and substernal pain. Coronary angiography identified the circumflex artery originating anomalously from the right pulmonary artery. Emergency surgical reimplantation to the aorta was performed, with subsequent normalization of cardiac function (EF 67% at 3-month follow-up). Although exceptionally rare, anomalous origin of the circumflex artery from the pulmonary artery requires high clinical suspicion in pediatric patients with ischemic symptoms. Early anatomical correction yields excellent outcomes, as demonstrated in …

Corrigendum To “The Usefulness Of 3d Heart Models As A Tool Of Congenital Heart Disease Education: A Narrative Review” [J Saudi Heart Assoc. 37 (2025) Article 1]

Journal of the Saudi Heart Association

No abstract provided.

Improving Staff Knowledge And Competency In Saint Louis University Mental Status Dementia Screening, Arteece Noel Crum

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Summary Early recognition of cognitive decline is vital to improving outcomes and maintaining patient safety across healthcare settings. The Saint Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS) screening tool assists nurses in detecting early cognitive changes; however, inconsistent administration and interpretation of the screening tool can reduce its effectiveness. A gap in staff knowledge regarding scoring, education-level adjustments, and documentation accuracy was identified at the practice site. To address this gap in practice, I developed and implemented a staff education program focusing on SLUMS administration and evidence-based clinical response to abnormal scores. The practice-focused question guiding this Doctor of Nursing Practice project …

Comparison Of Two Clinical Education Models On Confidence, Resilience, Organizational Commitment, And Stress And Burnout Of New Graduate Registered Nurses, Lenore Reilly

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The transition to independent clinical practice is a stressful experience that may lead many new graduate RNs (NGRNs) to leave their first role within a year. Effective clinical education can help prepare NGRNs for the dynamic environment of the acute care setting. The purposes of this study, guided by Meleis’s transitions theory, were to determine if there was (a) a difference in confidence in NGRNs who experienced a dedicated education unit (DEU) and NGRNs who experienced a traditional clinical education model (TCEM), (b) a difference in resilience in NGRNs who experienced a DEU and NGRNs who experienced a TCEM, (c) …

Enhancing Ptsd Diagnostic Accuracy Among Immigrant Patients Through Staff Education On The Harvard Trauma Questionnaire, Elijah Machogu Mabururu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This doctor of nursing practice (DNP) project is a staff education initiative addressing the underdiagnoses of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among immigrant patients. The project was developed in response to inconsistent screening practices, lack of standardized tools, and limited provider confidence in assessing PTSD in culturally diverse populations. The purpose is to equip clinical staff with the knowledge and skills to apply the HTQ appropriately and consistently, thereby improving diagnostic accuracy and supporting equitable access to mental healthcare. The practice-focused question guiding this project was: Can an educational intervention using the HTQ improve staff’s ability to identify PTSD symptoms among …

What Are The Barriers And Facilitators To The Acceptance Of Information And Communication Technology-Based Interventions For Improving Resilience And Mental Health Of Healthcare Workers: A Scoping Review Protocol, Elisabete Alves, Ricardo Rodrigues, César Fonseca, Manuel Lopes, Inês Faria, Nina Dalkner, Paul Barach, Frans Folkvord, Jim Ingebretsen Carlson, Eva Reininghaus, Michele Wessa, Yvonne Prinzellner, Vanessa Leung, Eva Turk, Lara Guedes De Pinho

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: Healthcare workers (HCWs) report overwhelming demands and experience crisis levels of burnout and unique challenges that further impair their mental health. Promotion of mental health among HCWs using information and communication technology (ICT) has received little empirical research attention and interventions for improving mental health resilience in HCWs are not well established.

DESIGN: Scoping review to map existing evidence and identify gaps for future research regarding the main barriers and facilitators of the acceptance of ICT-based interventions for improving resilience and mental health among HCWs working in all healthcare settings.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This protocol was developed in accordance …

State-Level Progress And Setbacks In Influenza Vaccination Among Adults ≥65: A Fifteen-Season Analysis From 2009/10 To 2023/24, Luigi Russo, Sara Farina, Raffaele Angelo Macri, William Alan Pentecost, Alessandra Maio, Leonardo Villani, Vittorio Maio, Stefania Boccia, Walter Ricciardi

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: Influenza is a contagious respiratory infection with substantial health and economic consequences worldwide. Annual vaccination is the most effective preventive strategy; however, coverage among older adults remains suboptimal and varies considerably across the United States. This study aimed to examine state-level trends in influenza vaccination coverage among adults aged ≥65 years across fifteen influenza seasons (2009/10-2023/24).

METHODS: State-level vaccination coverage data for adults aged ≥65 years were obtained from the CDC FluVaxView platform, which reports annual estimates by influenza season. The analysis covered the 2009/10 through 2023/24 influenza seasons. Joinpoint regression was used to assess temporal trends and estimate …

Survey On Preparedness And Readiness For Technological Advancements In Ai Sparta Ai, Jegason Phosphorus Diviant

Population Health Research and Scholarship

Generative AI is rapidly entering academic workflows, yet readiness to use these tools in graduate training and the workplace remains unclear. The SPARTA AI was administered online to faculty and graduate students in the University of New Mexico’s Psychology Department and COPH (Feb–Sep 2025). The analytic sample included N=37 respondents. Descriptives, role-stratified academic AI usage, one-sample tests of perceived preparedness vs a 3.0 midpoint, and correlations between AI interest and academic usage were computed; Wilson CIs were used for proportions. The sample comprised 20 faculty and 17 graduate students, primarily from COPH and Psychology. AI usage was generally infrequent across …

A Credibility-Driven Evaluation Of A Community-Based Perinatal Substance Use Disorder Collaborative Care Model, Christina M. Jäderholm, Teshanee T. Williams, Brad M. Wipfli, Lynne C. Messer, Liana B. Winett

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introduction:

Effectively treating substance use disorder (SUD) during pregnancy is critical to preventing adverse health outcomes for both parents and children, including overdose death and family separation. Although evidence supports investing in parental recovery through comprehensive care and support, these approaches remain under-examined, with community perspectives often marginalized due to evaluation challenges. This study evaluated the Substance Use Network (SUN) program, a community-based perinatal SUD recovery model in North Carolina.MethodsWe used a patient-focused journey mapping approach to assess participant engagement, health outcomes, and alignment between participant and provider experiences. The evaluation used a mixed-methods approach, incorporating participant medical record review …

Rabies Virus-Vectored Lyme Disease Vaccine Provides Long-Term Protection Against Tick-Transmitted Borrelia Burgdorferi, Shantel Rios, Bibek Bhattachan, Christoph Wirblich, Anisha Chandwani, Kruthi Vavilikolanu, Jacob F. Myers, Chrysoula Kitsou, Utpal Pal, Matthias J. Schnell

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

Lyme disease (LD) cases have doubled globally. LD is a tick-borne illness caused by the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bb). If untreated, Bb can disseminate to distal organs, causing carditis, arthritis, and meningitis. Currently, no FDA-approved human LD vaccine exists on the market. This study used two approaches to incorporate OspA into the rabies virus (RABV) vaccine vector. We used the RABV-glycoprotein tail (RVG tail) and the Hendra virus (HeV) glycoprotein tail (HVG tail) to incorporate OspA, creating BNSP333-OspA-RVG and BNSP333-OspA-HVG, respectively. Both vaccines produced type-1 biased anti-OspA antibodies, but only BNSP333-OspA-HVG induced neutralizing antibodies and protected against Bb infection. …

Bridging The Knowledge Gap Of Nursing Staff Understanding Patient Medication Discharge Instructions, Tracy L. Outlaw

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The project, a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) staff education project, addresses a gap in nursing practice by focusing on the need for comprehensive knowledge and effective communication skills among nursing staff regarding antidepressant discharge instructions. The practice-focused question is as follows: How does a structured educational program on antidepressant pharmacology and communication strategies impact staff knowledge and satisfaction compared to standard discharge practices? The primary purpose of the project is to improve nursing staff knowledge and communication through a systematic, phased approach that aligns with project management principles through the lens of project management theory, thereby increasing and sustaining …

Impact Of Staff Education On Cultural Competency Knowledge And Skills, Okechukwu Cyril Akunwafor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Summary The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project involved implementing a cultural competency staff education program at an outpatient mental health clinic. The identified practice problem was poor cultural competence practices knowledge among staff, resulting in poor patient engagement and a low patient satisfaction rate. Improving cultural competency in nursing practice was necessary to facilitate therapeutic trust, increase patient treatment adherence, and enhance staff compliance with Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS). The practice-focused question guiding the DNP project was: Does implementing staff education impact their knowledge of cultural competence and confidence in adhering to CLAS? Data were collected through …

Staff Education To Improve Cultural Competence In Mental Health Care, Mariam Farah

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This doctoral project addressed a gap in staff cultural competence at a mental health and addiction services center in the Midwest. I conducted this project to design, implement, and evaluate a staff educational program to improve staff knowledge, cultural awareness, and communication skills. The guiding practice-focused question was: Among staff at the Midwest mental health and addiction services center, how does a structured cultural competence education program compare to current practices in improving staff knowledge of cultural awareness? A 2-day educational session was held to accommodate participation within regular work schedules without interfering with the project site organization’s services. Arrangements …

Prevalence Of Potentially Inappropriate Medications In People Living With Hiv: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Mustapha Muhammed Abubakar, Abdulmuminu Isah, Ruth Jeminiwa, Ibraheem Abioye, Ismaeel Yunusa, Mohammed Abba-Aji, Osagie Kenneth Cole, Jamila Sani, Mukhtar Ijaiya, Chukwuemeka Nwachuya, Yusuf Ibrahim, Mustapha Usman, Duke Daniels, Oluwaseun Samuel Ilugbuhi, Blessing Onyinye Ukoha-Kalu

College of Pharmacy Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Potentially inappropriate medications (PIM) are associated with adverse health outcomes. The use of PIM among persons living with HIV (PLHIV) could be more problematic due to peculiarities such as antiretroviral toxicity and drug-disease interactions. However, PIM among PLHIV continues to receive little attention. Therefore, we aimed to systematically review and estimate the prevalence of PIM among PLHIV.

METHODS: We searched the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases to identify relevant studies from 1 January 2014 to 30 June 2024. Studies included were peer-reviewed articles that determined PIM prevalence using validated explicit or implicit tools and provided statistical information …

Enhancing Patient Follow-Up: Creating And Evaluating Clinical Practice Guidelines On Appointment Reminders Using The Agree Ii Tool, Goretti Numfor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This report presents the outcomes of a quality improvement (QI) DNP practicum project situated at an outpatient facility. The preparation for the practicum project included a situational assessment to determine feasible changes and an appropriate strategy of change leadership. The target practice problem is missed appointments. Keeping appointments is a defining element of plans for care for medical services that require regular assessments and updates. In psychiatric nursing, reminders dictate schedules for the nurse practitioners because they indicate expected encounters and commitments. At the same time, unplanned changes could demand a change of the appointments or rescheduling. Best practice guidelines …

Bridging The Gap: Improving Medication Communication Through The Teach-Back Method At Discharge, Sangeeta Biju Varghese

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Patient experience and hospital readmission rates are both key performance indicators in value-based reimbursement, as defined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Both these indicators have a negative impact not only on patients but also on hospital profitability, and they are closely tied to discharge education. Lack of proper discharge instructions, especially about medication regimen, can result in adverse effects in patients post-discharge, which could have been prevented had they gotten adequate discharge instructions. Research has shown that almost 20% of patients leaving the hospital have an adverse drug event after discharge. Nurses have a key role in …

The Lived Psychosocial Experiences Of Nursing Students Transitioning From In-Person Learning To Virtual Learning: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Lesley I. Gerald-Koram

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore and understand the lived psychosocial experiences of nursing students who transitioned from in-person learning to virtual learning at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the northeast region. The study comprised of 15 participants who were enrolled in accredited nursing programs across New York, who experienced the abrupt shift in learning platforms during a global crisis. The abrupt shift significantly affected the emotional, academic, and professional development of the nursing students. This research was rooted in the growing concern of nursing student mental health, academic engagement, and preparation for clinical …

Separating The Wheat From The Chaff: A Quantitative Pilot Study Of Biblical Christian Spirituality As A Regulator Of Dark Triad Personality Traits, Patricia L. Elston

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A review of the psychological literature on Christianity as a regulator of Dark Triad personality traits over the last 25 years revealed just a handful of quantitative and qualitative studies that relied exclusively upon long-standardized constructs drawn from cultural Christian ideology. Such constructs remain in direct contrast to biblical tenets to opine that Christianity has no important impact upon the development and persistence of highly aversive Dark Triad social attributes. The current quantitative pilot study was conducted in a small sample (n=26) of adult male and female born-again members of an international Evangelical Christian motorcycle ministry whose primary recruitment is …

Latent Classification Of Time-Dependent Transition Rates In Longitudinal Binary Outcome Data, Joonha Chang, Wenyaw Chan

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Continuous-time Markov chain (CTMC) models and latent classification methods are commonly used to analyze longitudinal categorical outcomes in medical research. While CTMC models are popular for their simplicity and effectiveness, their assumption of constant transition rates presents limitations in capturing dynamic behaviors. To address this, non-homogeneous continuous-time Markov chains (NH-CTMCs) have been developed, incorporating time-varying transition rates to enhance model flexibility. In this study, we leverage closed-form transition probabilities for a fully ergodic two-state NH-CTMC model and propose a latent class clustering approach to identify heterogeneous transition rate patterns within the population. We emphasize the potential advantages of these models …

Visualized Shared Mental Modeling: An Adapted Practical Framework For Interdisciplinary Teams Solving Complex Problems In Healthcare, Milan F. Satcher, Asha L. Dees, Joshua M. Johnston, Amro M. Farid, Inas S. Khayal

Dartmouth Scholarship

Healthcare systems and the scientific community are increasingly recognizing the need for multidisciplinary, inter-organizational perspectives and skill sets to tackle the most pressing challenges of our time to improve human health. However, as our approach to scientific inquiry is evolving, our methods of working across teams remain largely unchanged. Using a case example of a human-centered design project focused on improving care transitions during reentry to the community from incarceration, this paper details the importance and function of visualized shared mental models for multidisciplinary teams addressing complex multisystem problems. This paper contributes a practical framework for developing a stakeholder-validated, visualized …

The American Dermatological Association And The Story Of American Dermatology, Thomas N. Helm, Lawrence C. Parish, Amy S. Paller, David M. Pariser

Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.