Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Providing Context To The "Unknown": Patient And Provider Reflections On Connecting Personal Tracking, Patient-Reported Insights, And Ehr Data Within A Post-Covid Clinic, Shaan Chopra, Jeanee Carroll, Jessica Pater

Health Services and Informatics Research

COVID Long Haul (CLH) is an emerging chronic illness for which the healthcare system continues to seek a common understanding of symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. CLH experiences can differ drastically, necessitating personalized care plans. Because patients interact with different clinicians during their CLH journey, it becomes important to ensure interoperability and understand clinical relevance of different data that can support clinicians in making appropriate recommendations. We conducted qualitative research where we interviewed 13 patients, conducted a focus group with 8 clinicians, and analyzed care plan follow-up records. We report patient and clinician expectations from and interactions with clinic data. We …

Designing For Researcher Access In The U.S. Mortality Data Ecosystem, Dylan Thomas Doyle, Casey Fiesler, Jessica Pater, Jed R. Brubaker

Health Services and Informatics Research

Access to mortality data is critical for researchers for various reasons, including the development of life-saving medical interventions. However, high-quality mortality data is typically unavailable for researchers to access in a timely manner due to bottlenecks and inefficiencies in the coordination of managing mortality data across a vast information ecosystem. To identify opportunities to improve access to mortality data, we conducted a qualitative interview study with 20 experts with direct knowledge and experience with mortality data systems. From these interviews, we mapped the mortality data ecosystem and found that policy constraints are the main underlying cause of bottlenecks and inefficiencies. …

Genomic Insights For Personalised Care In Lung Cancer And Smoking Cessation: Motivating At-Risk Individuals Toward Evidence-Based Health Practices, Tony Chen, Giang Pham, Louis Fox, Nina Adler, Xiaoyu Wang, Jingning Zhang, Jinyoung Byun, Younghun Han, Gretchen R B Saunders, Dajiang Liu, Michael J Bray, Alex T Ramsey, James Mckay, Laura J Bierut, Christopher I Amos, Rayjean J Hung, Xihong Lin, Haoyu Zhang, Li-Shiun Chen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer and tobacco use pose significant global health challenges, necessitating a comprehensive translational roadmap for improved prevention strategies such as cancer screening and tobacco treatment, which are currently under-utilised. Polygenic risk scores (PRSs) may further motivate health behaviour change in primary care for lung cancer in diverse populations. In this work, we introduce the GREAT care paradigm, which integrates PRSs within comprehensive patient risk profiles to motivate positive health behaviour changes.

METHODS: We developed PRSs using large-scale multi-ancestry genome-wide association studies and standardised PRS distributions across all ancestries. We validated our PRSs in 561,776 individuals of diverse ancestry …

Tumor-Associated Edema In Children With Kaposi Sarcoma: 14 Years' Experience At Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi, Fatsani Rose Manase, Allison Silverstein, William Kamiyango, Jimmy Villiera, Clement Dziwe, Claudia Wallrauch, Tom Heller, Mark Zobeck, Tamiwe Tomoka, Michael E Scheurer, Carl E Allen, Nmazuo Ozuah, Rizine Mzikamanda, Nader Kim El-Mallawany, Casey L Mcatee

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Background/objectives: Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a common lymphatic endothelial cancer among children with and without HIV in central and eastern Africa. Despite its clinical heterogeneity, its various clinical phenotypes are often grouped together in staging and treatment algorithms. Patients with KS tumor-associated edema, referring to hard, non-pitting lesions which often lead to chronic disability, represent a unique, understudied subgroup of children with KS. To continue our work defining the distinct phenotypes of pediatric KS, this study aimed to assess the clinical progression and outcomes of KS edema in children.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at Kamuzu Central Hospital …

Multi-Organ Gene Expression Analysis And Network Modeling Reveal Regulatory Control Cascades During The Development Of Hypertension In Female Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat, Eden Hornung, Sirisha Achanta, Alison Moss, James S. Schwaber, Rajanikanth Vadigepalli

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Hypertension is a multifactorial disease with stage-specific gene expression changes occurring in multiple organs over time. The temporal sequence and the extent of gene regulatory network changes occurring across organs during the development of hypertension remain unresolved. In this study, female spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were used to analyze expression patterns of 96 genes spanning inflammatory, metabolic, sympathetic, fibrotic, and renin-angiotensin (RAS) pathways in five organs, at five time points from the onset to established hypertension. We analyzed this multi-dimensional dataset containing ~15,000 data points and developed a data-driven dynamic network model that accounts for …

Ephb4-Rasa1 Inhibition Of Piezo1 Ras Activation Drives Lymphatic Valvulogenesis, Di Chen, Yipei Tang, Philip E Lapinski, David Wiggins, Eva M Sevick, Michael J Davis, Philip D King

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: EPHB4 (ephrin receptor B4) and the RASA1 (p120 Ras GTPase-activating protein) are necessary for the development of lymphatic vessel (LV) valves. However, precisely how EPHB4 and RASA1 regulate LV valve development is unknown. In this study, we examine the mechanisms by which EPHB4 and RASA1 regulate the development of LV valves.

METHODS: We used LV-specific inducible EPHB4-deficient mice and EPHB4 knockin mice that express a form of EPHB4 that is unable to bind RASA1 yet retains protein tyrosine kinase activity (EPHB4 2YP) to study the role of EPHB4 and RASA1 in LV valve development in the embryo and LV …

Evaluation Of A Trauma-Informed Care (Tic) Training Program Across Community Health Centers In Texas: A Qualitative Study, Jihye Choi, Efrat K Gabay, Aimee Rachel, Aniela Brown, Roxana Cruz, Qiheng Yan, Paula M Cuccaro

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: In April 2019, Texas Association of Community Health Centers launched the Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) program in community health centers across Texas. This initiative aimed to transform organizational culture for consistent delivery of TIC by providing training and coaching opportunities for Trainers and Champions in each health center. This study is an interim qualitative evaluation to gain participants' insights into their experiences of and perceptions about TIC training as part of the TIC initiative.

METHODS: We conducted semi-structured key informant interviews via Zoom with Trainers across four cohorts of participating health centers between February 2020 and April 2023. We used …

The Rna Receptor Rig-I Binding Synthetic Oligodeoxynucleotide Promotes Pneumonia Survival, Yongxing Wang, Vikram V Kulkarni, Jezreel Pantaleóngarcía, Michael K Longmire, Mathilde Lethier, Stephen Cusack, Scott E Evans

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Pneumonia is a worldwide threat to public health, demanding novel preventative and therapeutic strategies. The lung epithelium is a critical environmental interface that functions as a physical barrier to pathogen invasion while also actively sensing and responding to pathogens. We have reported that stimulating lung epithelial cells with a combination therapeutic consisting of a diacylated lipopeptide and a synthetic CpG oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) induces synergistic pneumonia protection against a wide range of pathogens. We report here that mice deficient in TLR9, the previously described receptor for ODN, still displayed partial ODN-induced protection. This prompted us to seek an alternate ODN receptor, …

The Impact Of Hearing Aid User Speech On Environment Classification And Own Voice Listener Preferences, Robert Andrew Budinsky Iii

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hearing aids (HA) have improved over the past few decades with advanced signal processing, such as environment classification and background noise reduction, but are still limited by challenges related to when the user is speaking. These challenges include the potential interference a HA user’s voice has on device environment classification and the potential influence a HA has on own voice (OV) sound quality. However, the effects of OV on HA environment classification and signal processing are not well established, nor are the desired HA program settings regarding OV listening preferences. In this study, a combination of electroacoustic and behavioral methods …

Modeling Antisense Oligonucleotide Therapy In Mecp2 Duplication Syndrome Human Ipsc-Derived Neurons Reveals Gene Expression Programs Responsive To Mecp2 Levels, Sameer S Bajikar, Yehezkel Sztainberg, Alexander J Trostle, Harini P Tirumala, Ying-Wooi Wan, Caroline L Harrop, Jesse D Bengtsson, Claudia M B Carvalho, Davut Pehlivan, Bernhard Suter, Jeffrey L Neul, Zhandong Liu, Paymaan Jafar-Nejad, Frank Rigo, Huda Y Zoghbi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Genomic copy-number variations (CNVs) that can cause neurodevelopmental disorders often encompass many genes, which complicates our understanding of how individual genes within a CNV contribute to pathology. MECP2 duplication syndrome (MDS or MRXSL in OMIM; OMIM#300260) is one such CNV disorder caused by duplications spanning methyl CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2) and other genes on Xq28. Using an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) to normalize MECP2 dosage is sufficient to rescue abnormal neurological phenotypes in mouse models overexpressing MECP2 alone, implicating the importance of increased MECP2 dosage within CNVs of Xq28. However, because MDS CNVs span MECP2 and additional genes, we generated human …

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation For Fibromyalgia-Like Syndrome In Patients With Long-Covid: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial, Alejandro Zulbaran-Rojas, Rasha O Bara, Myeounggon Lee, Miguel Bargas-Ochoa, Tina Phan, Manuel Pacheco, Areli Flores Camargo, Syed Murtaza Kazmi, Mohammad Dehghan Rouzi, Dipaben Modi, Fidaa Shaib, Bijan Najafi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

This study investigated the effect of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) for fibromyalgia-like symptoms including chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and/or gait impairment in twenty-five individuals with long-COVID. Participants were randomized to a high dose (intervention group, IG) or low dose (placebo group, PG) TENS device. Both groups received daily 3-5 h of TENS therapy for 4-weeks. The Brief Pain Inventory assessed functional interference from pain (BPI-I), and pain severity (BPI-S). The global fatigue index (GFI) assessed functional interference from fatigue. Wearable technology measured gait parameters during three 30-feet consecutive walking tasks. At 4-weeks, the IG exhibited a greater decrease …

Daily Diagnostic Quality Computed Tomography-On-Rails (Ctor) Image Guidance For Abdominal Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (Sbrt), Rachael M Martin-Paulpeter, P James Jensen, Luis A Perles, Gabriel O Sawakuchi, Prajnan Das, Eugene J Koay, Albert C Koong, Ethan B Ludmir, Joshua S Niedzielski, Sam Beddar

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for abdominal targets faces a variety of challenges, including motion caused by the respiration and digestion and a relatively poor level of contrast between the tumor and the surrounding tissues. Breath-hold treatments with computed tomography-on-rails (CTOR) image guidance is one way of addressing these challenges, allowing for both the tumor and normal tissues to be well-visualized. Using isodose lines (IDLs) from CT simulations as a guide, the anatomical information can be used to shift the alignment or trigger a replan, such that normal tissues receive acceptable doses of radiation.

METHODS: This study aims to …

Unlocking Intracellular Oncology Targets: The Unique Role Of Antibody-Based T-Cell Receptor Mimic (Tcrm) Therapeutics In T-Cell Engagers (Tces) And Antibody-Drug Conjugates (Adcs), Jeffrey Molldrem, Dongxing Zha

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Effectively targeting intracellular tumor-associated proteins presents a formidable challenge in oncology, as they are traditionally considered inaccessible to conventional antibody-based therapies and CAR-T cell therapies. However, recent advancements in antibody engineering have revolutionized this field, offering promising new strategies to combat cancer. This review focuses on the innovative use of T-cell receptor mimic (TCRm) antibodies within the therapeutic frameworks of T-cell engagers (TCE) and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). TCRm antibodies, designed to recognize peptide-MHC complexes rather than cell surface proteins, integrate the capacity of T-cells to reach intracellular targets with the unique strengths of antibodies. When incorporated into T-cell engaging therapeutics, …

Microglia Drive Diurnal Variation In Susceptibility To Inflammatory Blood-Brain Barrier Breakdown, Jennifer H. Lawrence, Asha Patel, Melvin W. King, Collin J. Nadarajah, Richard Daneman, Erik S. Musiek

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is critical for maintaining brain homeostasis but is susceptible to inflammatory dysfunction. While transporter-dependent efflux of some lipophilic substrates across the BBB shows circadian variation due to rhythmic transporter expression, basal transporter-independent permeability and leakage is nonrhythmic. Whether daily timing influences BBB permeability in response to inflammation is unknown. Here, we induced systemic inflammation through repeated LPS injections either in the morning (ZT1) or evening (ZT13) under standard lighting conditions; we then examined BBB permeability to a polar molecule that is not a transporter substrate, sodium fluorescein. We observed clear diurnal variation in inflammatory BBB permeability, …

Polygenic Risk For Alcohol Use Disorder Affects Cellular Responses To Ethanol Exposure In A Human Microglial Cell Model, Xindi Li, Arpana Agrawal, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Polygenic risk scores (PRSs) assess genetic susceptibility to alcohol use disorder (AUD), yet their molecular implications remain underexplored. Neuroimmune interactions, particularly in microglia, are recognized as notable contributors to AUD pathophysiology. We investigated the interplay between AUD PRS and ethanol in human microglia derived from iPSCs from individuals with AUD high-PRS (diagnosed with AUD) or low-PRS (unaffected). Ethanol exposure induced elevated CD68 expression and morphological changes in microglia, with differential responses between high-PRS and low-PRS microglial cells. Transcriptomic analysis revealed expression differences in MHCII complex and phagocytosis-related genes following ethanol exposure; high-PRS microglial cells displayed enhanced phagocytosis and increased

Hurp Facilitates Spindle Assembly By Stabilizing Microtubules And Working Synergistically With Tpx2, Venecia Alexandria Valdez, Meisheng Ma, Bernardo Gouveia, Rui Zhang, Sabine Petry

2020-Current year OA Pubs

In vertebrate spindles, most microtubules are formed via branching microtubule nucleation, whereby microtubules nucleate along the side of pre-existing microtubules. Hepatoma up-regulated protein (HURP) is a microtubule-associated protein that has been implicated in spindle assembly, but its mode of action is yet to be defined. In this study, we show that HURP is necessary for RanGTP-induced branching microtubule nucleation in Xenopus egg extract. Specifically, HURP stabilizes the microtubule lattice to promote microtubule formation from γ-TuRC. This function is shifted to promote branching microtubule nucleation through enhanced localization to TPX2 condensates, which form the core of the branch site on microtubules. …

Gender Representation Of Presenters At American Academy Of Ophthalmology Conferences From 2004-2019, Eleanor Burton, Chase Paulson, Ayesha Patil, Ruby Garcia, Sydni Johnson, Josie White, Adriana Rush, Devin Eddington, Jeff H. Pettey, Rachel G. Simpson

Journal of Academic Ophthalmology

Importance: Gender equity is an important topic in medicine and accurate trends are essential to evaluate historical, current, and future trends.

Objective: To describe changes in gender representation at American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) meetings from 2004 to 2019.

Participants: Presenters at the American Academy of Ophthalmology meetings from 2004 to 2019.

Design & Setting: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study. Data was extracted using AAO annual and subspecialty meeting archives for every third year between 2004 and 2019. Sessions were stratified by category and subspecialty. Poster sessions were excluded. Gender was considered binary and determined …

Predictors Of Ophthalmology Resident Research Engagement, Shreya Luthra, Natalie Anne Homer

Journal of Academic Ophthalmology

Purpose

United States Ophthalmology Residency programs employ many strategies to foster resident academic productivity. The present study assesses the efficacy of these initiatives in promoting research engagement.

Methods 

A 19-question electronic survey was administered to current PGY2 - PGY4 U.S. ophthalmology residents. Primary outcome measures included peer-reviewed publications and national conference presentations while in residency.

Results 

Eighty-one ophthalmology residents completed the survey, including trainees across all ages, genders, and regions. Of respondents, 34.5% reported allocated research time, 96.3% a required research project, 32.1% a research mentor, and 27.1% a formal research curriculum. Only 7% of respondents had not yet published …

Representation Of Women At Select Academic Ophthalmology Institutions In The United States, Hazem M Mousa, Camryn Thompson, Sri Meghana Konda, Keke Liu, Jay Rathinavelu, Terry Lee, Katherine Peters, Kevin J. Jackson, Laura Enyedi, Pratap Challa, Sharon Fekrat

Journal of Academic Ophthalmology

Purpose: To investigate the representation of women among ophthalmology faculty members at select academic institutions in the United States (US).

Design: Cross-sectional study

Subjects: Clinical faculty members at the top 20 academic ophthalmology institutions in the U.S. according to US News and World Report ranking

Methods: Gender as reported on institutional websites either directly or via pronouns, academic rank, medical school graduation year, and subspecialty were collected about clinical faculty members with MD, MD/PhD, MBBS or DO from their respective institutional websites. The number of publications for each faculty member was collected using Scopus ® (Elsevier, …

Cataract Simulator Training And Medical Student Attitudes Towards Ophthalmology, Victor Sanchez, Christian Diaz, Zachary Elkin, Laura Palazzolo, Andrea Blitzer, Manjool Shah, Christina R. Prescott

Journal of Academic Ophthalmology

Introduction: Simulation-based learning offers novel opportunities to teach ophthalmology to medical students and inspire interest in the field. Eyesi surgical simulators have become widely adopted by ophthalmology departments and may serve a purpose in medical student education. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of cataract simulators on medical student attitudes towards ophthalmology and to assess their performance/improvement on a series of simulator tasks.

Methods: This was a prospective, cross-sectional study of 31 medical students. Participants were recruited through an email sent via the school’s listserv. Enrolled students completed a series of tasks on the …

Real-World Assessment (Rwa): Validity Evidence For Cataract Surgery With A Tool Your Faculty Will Actually Use, Grace L. Paley, Hui Zhao, Victoria M. Addis, Casey J. Beal, Geetha K. Davis, Gabriela M. Espinoza, Michael S. Lee, Stacy L. Pineles, Jamie B. Rosenberg, Robert T. Swan, Misha F. Syed, Evan L. Waxman, Susan M. Culican

Journal of Academic Ophthalmology

Background: We developed and implemented a real-world assessment tool (RWA) for resident surgery. It was designed to improve utility by reducing faculty and trainee cost (completion and training time, cognitive burden). RWA uses an entrustability scale where higher scores indicate a resident’s readiness for independent surgical practice. We describe a two-phase implementation of RWA and report validity evidence for cataract surgery assessment.

Methods: RWA was developed iteratively with resident and faculty input and piloted at a single residency program in phase 1. Phase 2 implemented RWA at 11 ophthalmology residency programs. The main outcome measures were 1) number …

Student Perceptions Of A Novel No-Cost Mobile Application For Ophthalmic History And Physical Examination, Soryan Kumar, Anagha Lokhande, Spandana Jarmale, Arnav Kumar, Samantha Rosenthal, Grayson W. Armstrong, Michael Migliori, Jamie Schaefer

Journal of Academic Ophthalmology

Background: Mobile applications have shown promise in enhancing medical trainee performance. In ophthalmology, a comprehensive mobile app can streamline the trainee education process by providing guidance for patient intake. Language barriers pose additional challenges impacting the quality of care for Spanish-speaking patients; literature has documented the adverse impacts of inadequate translation on quality of medical care for both trainees and patients. We aim to develop a free mobile application to guide medical trainees through the ophthalmic patient intake process and assist with Spanish-language translation.

Methods: We developed EyeCheck as a free mobile application for ophthalmology trainee education with …

Community Outreach Vision Screenings With Student-Led Eye Health Education Improves Student Eye Health Knowledge And Ophthalmic Health Disparities Awareness, Tannia M. Rodriguez, Karim Dirani, Samantha M. Arsenault, Ryan Lee Freedman, John-Michael Guest, Kathleen George, Collin Richards, Leo Hall, Mark S. Juzych, Anju Goyal

Journal of Academic Ophthalmology

BACKGROUND: The high prevalence of vision impairment and discordant lack of eye care utilization makes it essential to develop effective avenues to educate the future physician work force regarding basic eye health knowledge and ophthalmic health disparities. The public is often not aware that blinding eye diseases can begin asymptomatically. It is important for medical students to understand basic eye health knowledge, such as blinding eye diseases can begin asymptomatically. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of an eye health knowledge 5-Point Teaching Intervention (5PTI) and structured patient intake form on student eye health knowledge and …

Using A Rabbit Model To Understand The Impact Of Oral Versus Intravenous Transmission Of Epstein-Barr Virus, Meera Mohammed Al Ameri

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

The isolation of Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) in 1964 from a case of Burkitt lymphoma prompted a surge in research on the biology of this oncogenic virus and its role in the pathogenesis of associated malignancies. Over half a century later, a number of pertinent questions on the dynamics of EBV and the cellular targets of primary infection remain poorly defined. One major obstacle in EBV research has been the lack of a suitable small animal model. EBV is a highly human tropic virus. We have recently established a novel rabbit model of EBV infection that appears to mimic natural infection …

Where Do Gorillas Get Their Protein? Plant-Based Diet For A Healthier Lifestyle, Cheryl Track

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

After watching what they thought to be an interesting and educational documentary on nutrition, my friends, Sharon and Scott, felt inspired to challenge themselves by undertaking some dietary changes apart from their regular eating habits. What started out as a short “trial run” to explore plant-based dieting, Sharon and Scott quickly realized this alternative eating style proved beneficial. In a short period of time, two individuals with their own fitness and wellness goals saw noticeable changes in lab results and experienced positive changes to their overall health – enough evidence leaving them convinced the “trial run” with plant-based dieting should …

Grief And Loss: Catholic Filipino Traditions, Edgar D. Montesa

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

Catholic Filipino traditions regarding death, loss, and grief, consist of Christian, paganistic and animistic elements. The peculiar beliefs and practices reflect ethnic Filipinos' values and views of things. They help contemporary Filipinos cope with a loved one's death and with the challenges posed by a pandemic. They have certain implications for faith community nurses.

A Phone Coaching Intervention To Improve Blood Pressure And Hypertension Self-Management Practices In A Community-Based Setting: Pilot Study, Ann Moore, Pandora Goode, Elijah Onsomu, Dionne Roberts

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

Hypertension is common in the African American (AA) community, and AAs have disproportionately lower rates of blood pressure control in comparison to other races. Because hypertension self-management practices are performed mostly by patients and family members, there is a critical need to acquire adequate hypertension self-management practices. Phone Coaching (PC) has been supported in the literature as an effective intervention to improve hypertension self-management practices. The purpose of this project was to pilot test a 12-week hypertension self-management program with a phone coaching component for AAs in a community-based setting to improve blood pressure measures and self-management practices. All participants …

Feasibility Of Virtual Lifestyle Physical Activity Program For South Asian Indian Immigrant Women: Dance And Spousal/Partner Dyad Meetings, Manju Daniel Dr., Susan Weber Buchholz Dr., Pamela Semanik Dr., Sachin Vispute

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

Culturally relevant, physical activity (PA) interventions are important in lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in South Asian Indian immigrant (SAI) women. This 12-week study aimed to determine the feasibility (recruitment, engagement, satisfaction, obtaining measures, retention) of implementing a virtual lifestyle PA program. The outcomes measured included steps/day; minutes of moderate-vigorous PA (MVPA/week) and cardiovascular health measures (aerobic fitness, blood pressure, body mass index, and waist circumference) in women. The intervention targets included benefits/barriers to PA, self-efficacy, social support, and couples’ satisfaction. We recruited six SAI spousal/partner dyads (women aged 40-65 years; < 7,500 average steps/day). The intervention included: (a) Fitbit for PA prescription and step goal setting for women; (b) Bollywood-style women-only weekly dance sessions via Zoom; and (c) dyad behavioral group meetings every two weeks via Zoom. Dance and group meeting attendance for women was 100%. The majority (83.3%) wore a Fitbit > 91.6% of days. Overall mean client satisfaction …

I’Ll Just Weight On The Lord: The Lived Experience Of Obesity, Spirituality, And Health Behaviors In African American Women, Andrea S. Poynter, Florence M. Weierbach

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

Obesity is one of the fastest growing health concerns impacting all racial, ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic groups in the United States of America. Obesity has gained nationwide attention due to its health-related disorders such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and various cancer types that increase the annual medical cost on a financially stressed health system (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2022). Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in all races and genders within the US with African American women comprising a majority of those impacted by this chronic health condition (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Offices of …

Exploring The Barriers And Supports Of Faith Community Nurses Serving In Alaska: A Qualitative Study, Nathan T. West, Phd, Lauren M. Kiker, Ba, Beverly R. Bateman, Msn, Rn, Fcn, Krista Jones, Dnp, Msn, Rn, Phna-Bc, Faan

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

Decades of research exist on the public health impact of faith community nurses (FCNs), particularly congregational health promotion and disease prevention. However, the literature exploring the barriers and supports FCNs experience when serving their communities is limited. Thus, guided by Ziebarth’s (2016) conceptual framework of faith community nursing, this study explored the lived experiences of FCNs (N = 8) delivering care to faith communities in Alaska. Thematic analyses of qualitative data revealed three major themes including 1) the descriptions, characteristics, and roles performed by FCNs (e.g., active listening, policy-level recommendations); 2) barriers and other factors impacting FCNs’ delivery of care …