Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Optimizing Pelvic Health: Evaluating The Efficacy Of Prenatal Strength And Resistance Training Combined With Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercises In Reducing Pelvic Organ Prolapse Risk, Samantha Requilman

Nursing | Student Research Posters

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is the descent of pelvic organs—such as the bladder, rectum, or uterus—into the vaginal canal, causing symptoms like discomfort, incontinence, and pain. Beyond physical effects, postpartum women may also experience anxiety, decreased self-confidence, and fear of symptom progression. Research by O’Boyle et al. (2002) highlights that POP studies have focused more on treatment than prevention and suggests that while pelvic floor muscle exercises (PFME) are supported as effective preventive strategies, POP remains prevalent in pregnancy. There are limited research studies on the effectiveness of prenatal resistance training in the prevention of pelvic dysfunctions and this study …

The Sound Of Survival: The Effect Of Personalized Music Selection On Cpr Performance And Anxiety Levels, Carmin A. Dotario

Nursing | Student Research Posters

No abstract provided.

Advanced Screening For Intimate Partner Violence To Prevent Adverse Pregnancy And Maternal Outcomes, Emilia R. Valdez

Nursing | Student Research Posters

Background: Intimate Partner Violence experienced by pregnant individuals contributes to adverse pregnancy outcomes and maternal health. A mother’s exposure to Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) can affect their ability to carry a healthy pregnancy to term (38 – 40 weeks gestational age) and places them at risk for comorbidities including; Preterm birth, Intrauterine Growth Restriction, Low Birth Weight/ Small for Gestational Age, Premature Rupture of Membranes and Miscarriage. The incidence of IPV screening is not accessible to all pregnant individuals due to healthcare providers lack of education, time constraints in the workplace, bias and discomfort towards IPV. The implementation of …

From Policy To Perception: How Government Motivations Shape Front-Of-Package Nutrition Labeling And Influence Consumer Understanding In The Usa, Switzerland, And Chile, Amani Malickel

Switzerland: Global Health and Development Policy

This research examines front-of-package nutrition labeling (FOPNL) systems in three distinct policy environments: the United States (voluntary industry-led), Switzerland (government-endorsed voluntary), and Chile (mandatory warning labels). Through comparative policy analysis and consumer interviews, the study evaluates how different regulatory approaches influence nutritional awareness and purchasing behaviors. Key findings demonstrate that Chile's mandatory warning labels are most effective at reducing consumption of unhealthy foods and improving consumer understanding, particularly among children. In contrast, voluntary systems in the U.S. and Switzerland show limited impact due to inconsistent implementation and industry resistance. The study highlights significant implementation challenges, including First Amendment concerns in …

Comparative Analyses Of Neurorehabilitation Regulations And Health Equity In The U.S., Switzerland, And China: Implications For Universal Health Coverage, Linyue Lu

Switzerland: Global Health and Development Policy

Introduction: As populations age and the burden of neurological conditions rises, equitable access to neurorehabilitation has emerged as a critical yet under-addressed component of Universal Health Coverage (UHC). This comparative study examines how healthcare structures in the United States, Switzerland, and China shape neurorehabilitation equity. Methods: This analysis combines semi-structured interviews with seven healthcare experts (neurorehabilitation clinicians, health economists, and scholars) and a systematic review of peer-reviewed literature, policy documents, and demographic data. Results: In the U.S., fragmented insurance models and high out-of-pocket costs disproportionately limit access for low-income and rural populations. Switzerland’s universal coverage masks the inequities driven by …

Mexico’S Ngos: Medical Mission Network Mexico Red Materno Infantil’S Effectiveness And Strategy Employed To Combat Maternal Mortality In Mexico., Yadira Gonzalez

Switzerland: Global Health and Development Policy

This qualitative case study investigates the role of two non-governmental non-profit organizations. Medical Mission Mexico is a non-profit civil association in Chetumal, Quintana Roo and Red Materno Infantil is a civil society organization in Mexico City. Through expert interviews and case study analysis this research explores how each organization implements strategies tailored to the distinct needs of urban and rural populations. The findings reveal that while both organizations work toward the same maternal health outcomes, their methods are different but still focus on education, community trust, and advocacy. This paper emphasizes the value of these organizations, their strategies, and the …

Exploring The Matriculation And Resource Utilization Of African American Students With Hidden Disabilities In The Health Sciences, Kimberly Houston

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Introduction. Learning disabilities result from genetic and neurobiological factors that alter brain function, such that cognitive processes related to learning are affected. Hidden disabilities can be defined as a non-apparent chronic condition that interferes with a person’s activities of daily living. While learning disabilities may be hidden, there are non-learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, autism, depression, fibromyalgia, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. While all races/ethnic groups have persons within their population who are disabled, African Americans are at a double disadvantage due to race and disability status. Therefore, the intersectionality of race and disability status among African American students in …

The Impact Of Automated Text Messaging System Education On The Self-Efficacy Of Medical Office Staff, Jim S. Jorgensen

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Abstract

Inadequate patient bowel preparation is a leading cause of canceled or repeated colonoscopies, negatively impacting both outcomes and healthcare costs. While automated text messaging systems have improved patient adherence in other clinical areas, they remain underutilized by endoscopy staff due to low self-efficacy. This quality improvement project aimed to evaluate the effect of structured education on the self-efficacy of endoscopy nursing staff in using an automated text messaging system for outpatient colonoscopy preparation at a rural VA Medical Center (VAMC). Guided by Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory and using the Plan-Do-Study-Act model, this project implemented a one-day, hands-on training session …

The Effects Of An Onboarding Checklist On Nursing Faculty Satisfaction, Taressa W. Poole

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Nurse educators play an integral part in combating the nursing shortage. Transitioning clinical nurses to the academic setting can be challenging because experienced clinical nurses often enter the academic setting as novice nurse educators. A literature review suggested that the lack of structured onboarding programs contributes to the satisfaction, retention, and professional development of nurse educators. The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project aims to improve new nurse faculty onboarding by implementing a checklist to structure the onboarding process at the DNP project site. The process change project assesses the effects of a checklist on faculty satisfaction with the onboarding …

Provider Burnout Related To Patient Satisfaction, Sherita A. Lee

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Provider burnout is a critical issue in healthcare, often intensified by increasing demands to meet patient satisfaction benchmarks. This quality improvement project aimed to examine whether a structured stress reduction program could reduce provider burnout and positively influence patient satisfaction scores in a small outpatient clinic. Guided by the PICOT question—In the clinic setting (P), does the implementation of a stress reduction program for providers (I), compared to no intervention (C), lead to improved patient satisfaction scores (O) over a six-week period (T)? —the project used a pre- and post-intervention design. The intervention included mandatory provider breaks, communication training, and …

Precision Drug Dosing And Disease Risk Prediction: Advanced Deep Learning Artificial Intelligence Approaches For Precision Medicine Using Structured Electronic Health Records Data, Bingyu Mao

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Advancements in precision medicine increasingly rely on data-driven approaches to improve clinical decision-making. This work presents three interconnected studies that leverage deep learning, reinforcement learning, and comparative modeling to address key challenges in precision drug dosing and disease risk prediction. Together, these contributions offer novel computational frameworks that enhance model performance, improve dosing strategies, and guide model selection for clinical predictive tasks.

To improve individualized vancomycin therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM), the first study introduces PKRNN-2CM, a novel deep learning framework that integrates a two-compartment pharmacokinetic (PK) model with recurrent neural networks (RNNs). While one-compartment models are commonly used in clinical …

Computational Methods For Enhancing The Quality And Interoperability Of Biomedical Terminologies, Xubing Hao

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Biomedical ontologies or terminologies not only serve as a part of the metadata standards for describing data in the FAIR Data Principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable), but also play a vital role in downstream applications such as cohort identification from electronic health records (EHR). However, there are two critical barriers that may lead to ambiguity, complexity, and inaccuracies in such ontology-based downstream applications. The first barrier is the quality of the ontology. Despite efforts by ontology curators to ensure ontology accuracy and comprehensiveness, errors and inconsistencies are unavoidable. The second barrier is the semantic heterogeneity since human experts may use …

Advancing Genetic Association Discovery In Brain Mri Using Unsupervised And Self-Supervised Deep Learning: Exploring Learning Dynamics, Region-Specific Features, And Spatially Resolved Representations, Sheikh Muhammad Saiful Islam

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Deep learning has unlocked significant potential for advancing the discovery of genetic associations in imaging genetics, particularly in brain imaging using T1-weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Traditional methods for this task often relied on hand-crafted or semi-automated feature extraction, followed by genetic association studies utilizing these features. While effective, these approaches are limited by their lack of data-driven exploration and the generation of features with limited informativeness.

Unsupervised deep learning, in particular, has emerged as a powerful alternative, addressing some of these limitations by enabling automated and data-driven feature discovery. Recent research in this domain has primarily focused on adapting …

Harnessing Knowledge And Data For Clinical Information Extraction In The Era Of Large Language Models, Yan Hu

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The rapid digitization of healthcare records has led to the widespread adoption of Electronic Health Records (EHRs), which contain rich, unstructured clinical notes. These notes hold valuable information for patient care and clinical research, but their complexity and unstructured nature pose significant challenges for effective utilization. Clinical Information Extraction (IE) aims to bridge this gap by transforming unstructured text into structured data, enabling automated analysis. Traditional Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques, such as Named Entity Recognition (NER), have been widely used for clinical IE, but recent advancements in Large Language Models (LLMs) like GPT-3.5, GPT-4, and LLaMA have opened new …

Accelerating Drug Repurposing And Target Discovery Using Deep Learning, Kohong Lin

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Drug discovery is a long-lasting and expensive process. Computational approaches, particularly deep learning techniques, offer the potential to accelerate this process by integrating diverse perspectives from drug discovery theories and capturing intricate patterns within large, multimodal datasets. This dissertation explores deep learning methodologies to accelerate drug repurposing and genetic target discovery. The first aim focuses on integrating multimodal data, including chemical structures, disease genetics, and systems biology, into comprehensive disease knowledge graphs, followed by applying graph neural networks (GNNs) to prioritize repurposable drug candidates. The second aim is to develop a heterogeneous GNN-based approach capable of modelling distinct semantic relationships …

A Three-Year Utilization Analysis Of Branded Second-Generation Antipsychotics At A Regional Health Plan, Kamaladdin Saei, Eddie Miljkovic, Hailey Button

Doctoral External Publications

In the last 30 years,13 new antipsychotic entities have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Today, the majority of those are available generically.

Caplyta (lumateperone), Fanapt (Iloperidone), Rexulti (brexpiprazole), Vraylar (cariprazine), and the most recently approved, Lybalvi (olanzapine/samidorphan), continue to be available only as brand name products.

The cost of antipsychotics in 2023 was $18.04 billion USD.

It is anticipated that this market will continue to increase at about eight percent annually, reaching $37.40 billion by 2032

For Patients’ Sake! Can We Get Some Clarity? Defending The Privilege And Confidentiality Of Patient Safety Work Product, Alyssa Boob

Dickinson Law Review (2017-Present)

In 2000, the Institute of Medicine published To Err is Human: Building a Safe Health System, a report revealing the shocking rate of medical errors plaguing the United States healthcare system. Faced with the horrifying consequences of these medical mishaps, Congress sprang into action. It enacted the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 (PSQIA), which authorized the creation of Patient Safety Organizations (PSOs). Intended to increase transparency and communication amongst healthcare providers, PSOs collect provider medical error data—termed Patient Safety Work Product (PSWP)—and suggest areas of improvement.

The Act grants privilege and confidentiality protections to any information …

South Dakota Department Of Health: Office Of Community Engagement Strategic Plan Fiscal Years 2025-2028, Julia E. Platt

Honors Thesis

The goal of a strategic plan is to ensure that resources are used effectively and efforts are focused where they are most required by means of direction and concentration. The South Dakota Department of Health Office of Community Engagement Strategic Plan Fiscal Years 2025-2028 contains objectives and goals aimed at maximizing the use of resource allocations and solutions to best meet the needs of the OCE and its partners. In order to create those goals and objectives, internal and external needs assessments, along with key informant interviews, were conducted and analyzed to pull data into actionable SMART objectives. Alignment with …

Uterus Didelphys Bicollis Bicolpos —A Case Report, Felix Oindi, Felix Nyagaka

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Uterus didelphys refers to a congenital uterine anomaly that occurs due to failed fusion of the paired Müllerian ducts. It is characterized by two separate noncommunicating uterine horns each with its cervix and fallopian tube. Duplication may be limited to the uterus, cervix or also involve the vagina. Here, we present a case of a 27-year-old primigravida incidentally diagnosed during pregnancy, followed up with cervical cerclage at 13 weeks due to a short cervix and had preterm delivery via cesarean section at 35 weeks. She had a successful pregnancy outcome and an uneventful postnatal course. Uterus didelphys is associated with …

Graduate School Blog - April 2025 Volume 1, Cynthia Haynes

UofM Grad School Blog

The April 2025 UofM Graduate School Blog highlights a month full of events, stories, and celebrations, beginning with Dr. Deborah Tollefsen’s personal graduate school journey, shared during the “Is Graduate School Right for Me?” virtual workshop an inspiring narrative of resilience, mentorship, and finding purpose through education. This edition also spotlights Graduate Student Appreciation Week, featuring a robust lineup of events such as a virtual town hall, resume and job market workshop, student social and awards ceremony, study session, and social dinners all designed to support, celebrate, and connect the UofM graduate student community. With opportunities to hear from …

A Mechanistic Understanding Of The Effect Of Staphylococcus Aureus Vras Histidine Kinase Single-Point Mutation On Antibiotic Resistance, Liaqat Ali, Salima Karki, Gunavanthi D. Boorgula, Amir Mekakda, Brittnee Cagle-White, Shrijan Bhattarai, Robert Beaudoin, Aryanna Blakeney, Sanjay Singh, Shashikant Srivastava, May H. Abdelaziz

Pharmacy Faculty Publications and Presentations

Bacterial genomic mutations in Staphylococcus aureus have been detected in isolated resistant clinical strains, yet their mechanistic effect on the development of antimicrobial resistance remains unclear. Resistance-associated regulatory systems acquire adaptive mutations under stress conditions that may lead to a gain-of-function effect and contribute to the resistance phenotype. Here, we investigate the effect of a single-point mutation (T331I) in VraS histidine kinase, part of the VraSR two-component system in S. aureus. VraSR senses and responds to environmental stress signals by upregulating gene expression for cell wall synthesis. A combination of enzyme kinetics, microbiological, and transcriptomic analyses revealed the mechanistic effect …

A Preliminary Scoping Review Examining The Relationship Between Congenital Syphilis And Access To Care In The United States, Lizbeth Salazar Sanchez, Cheyenne Barnes, Mandy Golman

Honors Nursing Posters

Presented at the Great Plains Honors Council (GPHC), Great Plains Greater Possibilities at The University of North Texas, Denton, TX,

Duty To Care And Job Turnover Intention In The Post-Pandemic Nursing Workforce, Cathleen A. Lopez

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

Natural and human-made disasters are increasing in number and intensity. In 2020, approximately 688.3 million people required assistance from disaster response personnel. During a disaster or pandemic, nurses must weigh their personal and/or family safety against the ethical code of caring for others. The purpose of this convergent mixed-methods study was to examine duty to care and job turnover intention of registered nurses working in patient-facing roles. A convergent mixed method design was used to address research questions by employing the Nash Duty to Care Scale (NDCS) and the Turnover Intent Scale (TIS-6). Open-ended survey questions were used to explore …

Developing And Validating Brain Tumor Organoid Models To Evaluate Novel Therapeutics In Vitro, Dev P. Patel

Senior Theses

Glioblastoma (GBM), a World Health Organization Grade IV brain tumor, remains one of the most aggressive and treatment-resistant malignancies. It is characterized by rapid proliferation, deep infiltration, and a high level of genotypic and phenotypic heterogeneity. Despite advancements in medical technology and neuro-oncology, GBM remains one of the most treatment-resistant cancers with a median survival rate of only nine months post-diagnosis and less than 5% of patients surviving beyond 5 years of diagnosis. The standard treatment constitutes maximum surgical resection followed by chemotherapy and radiation. These therapeutic strategies are blocked by significant challenges like the blood-brain barrier (BBB), and intratumoral …

The Impact Of Discretion On Human Service Workers Supporting The Health Of Unaccompanied Minors In Foster Care, Diana M. Clark

Senior Theses

Unaccompanied children (UCs) are a vulnerable population that enters government custody and accesses healthcare via the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)'s system of care. While prior research has focused on generating policy recommendations to improve healthcare services available to UCs both in ORR custody and following release from custody, this thesis will instead expand upon the experiences of staff members working at ORR-contracted agencies. These workers make decisions that have short- and long-term implications on the health and wellbeing of UCs. Drawing from 65 in-depth interviews with human service workers in ORR-contracted voluntary agencies, this thesis uses street-level bureaucracy framework …

"Health Gatekeepers": The Influence Of Women On Health Practices In Rural, Central Appalachia, Reese Lycan

Senior Theses

Women have historically assumed leadership roles in familial and community health promotion, intervention, and facilitation. While the role of women in family health is globally understood and the historical importance of female leadership has been documented, there remains a gap in knowledge regarding the role of women as “health gatekeepers”. Furthermore, when considering the Appalachian region, there are limited studies regarding women’s place in leadership as far as health is concerned. Therefore, this study employs a hermeneutic phenomenological framework to explore the lived experiences of women in relation to their family and community’s health in rural, Central Appalachia- a region …

Role Of Race And Ethnicity In The Development, Diagnosis, And Treatment Of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus, Gabrielle D. Shupard

Senior Theses

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is the most common metabolic disorder of pregnancy, and rates of this disease have been steadily increasing over the past ten years. GDM disproportionately impacts racial and ethnic minorities at higher rates than their Caucasian counterparts. In this study, the PRECEDE model framework was employed during a literature review to gain a greater understanding of the complex risk factors contributing to differences in the development, diagnosis, and treatment of GDM among these population subgroups. The second part of this study concentrated on reviewing the extent to which current literature evaluates the role of race and ethnicity …

Brain Endothelial Cells As Phagocytes: Mechanisms And Implications, Rudy T. Chang, Mark J. Fisher, Rachita K. Sumbria

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Brain microvascular endothelial cells (BECs) lining the brain capillaries form the anatomical site of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), providing a highly selective barrier to support brain homeostasis and function. While the BBB acts as a barrier to immune cells and pathogens under normal conditions, BECs can facilitate their entry into the CNS via a phagocytosis-like mechanism. A similar process is now increasingly reported for a diverse set of cargos, resulting in the categorization of BECs as “non-professional” phagocytes and redefining the conventional view that these cells are functionally non-phagocytic. This review aims to summarize research demonstrating the capacity of BECs …

Creating Caregiver Education Resources Forcaregivers Of Adults With Alzheimer’S And Dementia, Mary C. Upton

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

This project addressed the significant issue of caregiver burden experienced by individuals caring for loved ones with Alzheimer's disease and dementia. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to develop simplified and easy-to-understand educational resources for these caregivers, focusing on strategies for managing loved ones, community resources, and physical and emotional wellness. The project aimed to enhance the caregiving experience and reduce caregiver burden by increasing their knowledge of physical and cognitive changes, available resources, and self-care strategies.

The project involved caregivers and staff at a dementia-specific medical-model day memory care program. The primary deliverable was a four-part “Caring …

Tuberculosis Screening In The Ambulatory Setting, Children's Mercy Kansas City

Clinical Pathways

No abstract provided.