Alternative and Complementary Medicine Commons^™

Physical, Emotional, And Occupational Dimensions Of Wellness And Their Applicability: A Feasibility Study, Josephine Savitski

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This feasibility study investigates a health and wellness intervention program based on the 7 Dimensions of Wellness framework, emphasizing evidence-based methods, accessibility, and participant independence. The research combines insights from a comprehensive literature review, which explores resources essential for designing, implementing, and executing health literacy based interventions targeting three dimensions of wellness. The study outlines methods for participant selection, program delivery, and data collection, synthesizing existing research and scholarly works to provide insights into effective strategies, educational tools, and interdisciplinary approaches. Despite the absence of statistical analysis, pre- and post-survey results demonstrate positive trends. Reflections on observed outcomes highlight adaptability, …

Oil Therapy Massage As Complementary Care Of Burns And Wounds, Tristate Burn Care Team, Rosanna Hess

Journal of Amish and Plain Anabaptist Studies

Oil therapy massage is a part of the care of burns and wounds done by plain, lay caregivers in Amish and Mennonite communities across the United States and Canada. Oil therapy massage is used to manage scarring and to improve joint functionality and skin and tissue integrity. The purpose of this article is to describe oil therapy massage as a complementary part of after-burn care in the context of sociocultural values of plain populations in which caregivers are a part of the B&W movement. This article includes a brief description of the caring and sharing culture of plain peoples; a …

Effectiveness Of Speech Intervention Methods In Children With Speech Delays, Andrea Noel, Rachel Windemuth, Brett Porter

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Speech delays in children is a common issue that can be treated by a wide variety of interventions. Our PICOT question is, in children, ages six months to thirteen years, with speech/language delays, how does the addition of innovative and supplemental interventions, compared with standard interventions alone, effect improvements in the delays. All three group members have known someone who has suffered from a speech delay, and we want to research the best possible methods to overcome that obstacle to answer our questions, we will begin to take on the task of creating and writing a systematic review. This review …

Non-Pharmacological Pain Managment In Labor: A Systematic Review, Angela Young, Madison Shipe, Madeline Smith

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

During childbirth, women experience labor pain throughout the three stages of labor. The first stage is where the contractions start and end which creates the need for a form of pain management. Various techniques are used to manage first stage labor pains. The use of non-pharmacological methods is becoming more prevalent because natural births are becoming more popular and pharmacological interventions have side effects and drug interactions. The purpose of this paper is to conduct a systematic review of the literature comparing non-pharmacological pain management methods in women during the first stage of labor. This will answer the PICOT question: …

A Systematic Review: Effectiveness Of Complementary Therapies On Mental Status Of Pediatric Oncology Patients, Sara Fredricks, Jessica Lloyd, Whitney Wendling

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Children with cancer frequently suffer from depression, anxiety, feelings of hopelessness, and psychological stresses related to knowledge of potential risks, associated treatments, and the illness itself. These psychological problems can cause many additional physiological problems for these already chronically ill patients and may be detrimental to their overall health. The purpose of this systematic review is to review and critically appraise the evidence to determine if the use of Complementary and Alternative Methods (CAM), along with standardized care, affects mental health outcomes in pediatric cancer patients. Twenty-one primary source publications between 2013 and 2019 were analyzed for this systematic review. …

The Effect Of Complementary Therapies On The Treatment Of Chemotherapeutic Induced Nausea And Vomiting: A Systematic Review, Kailyn Sickel, Mary Barrett, Abigal Siegenthaler

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Chemotherapy is one of the most prevalent treatment options for cancer patients, but a major side effect of this treatment, chemotherapeutic induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), can often be debilitating and problematic for patients. The goal of this systematic review is to evaluate the effectiveness of complementary therapies in reducing CINV in adult oncology patients. A total of 20 studies were reviewed of adult populations that received standard antiemetic care, with each study failing to yield the same results upon evaluating the effectiveness of complementary therapies on patients’ CINV. The complementary therapies studied included ginger therapy, acupressure, acupuncture, guided imagery …

Vapocoolant Spray’S Effect On Peripheral Inserted Venous Catheter Pain In Adult Patients, Zachary Krol, Fiona Flaherty, Ryan Williams

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Intravenous (IV) cannulation is required to administer medications and fluids to patients. In addition, it is also a recognized source of pain and anxiety in over one-half of all patients requiring IV insertion (Page & Taylor, 2010). Pain management is within nurses’ scope of practice, therefore it’s important to identify effective pain management strategies. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect that a topical vapocoolant spray has on pain in pre-operative adults during IV cannulation. The gate control theory of pain will guide this randomized, experimental study of a convenience sample of adults in an outpatient endoscopic …

The Effect Of Yoga In Reducing Pain Related To Arthritis: An Integrative Review Of The Literature, Meredith Collins, Corinne Reed

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Research shows that arthritis is the most common cause of disability in the United States (Middleton et al., 2013). The PICOT question for this systematic review of literature is “In adults over the age of 40 years, how do yoga interventions, compared to pharmacological pain relief methods alone, affect arthritic pain intensity and frequency?” This systematic review will discuss the possible benefits of using yoga as treatment for both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. The methods for this review included a comprehensive search yielding nineteen credible studies using the databases Search-A-Roo, Google Scholar, and CINAHL Plus for full-text academic journal articles …

Efficacy Of Animal-Assisted Therapy Across Pediatric Care Settings: A Systematic Review, Holly Howser, Thomas Dixon, Jessica Nunez

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

With alternative therapies and complementary medicine becoming increasingly popular and supported by research, it is important for healthcare workers to be prepared to encounter and use these therapies in practice. A common problem in the pediatric healthcare setting is stress in patients and families during healthcare treatment. Animal assisted therapy (AAT), more commonly known as pet therapy, is a form of complementary alternative therapy that has been examined in this population. The purpose of this systematic review is to explore the effect of AAT on treatment outcomes in pediatric patients across clinical settings. The methods used to guide this systematic …

Complementary And Alternative Medicine (Cam) And Adolescent Body Mass Index (Bmi): A National Population-Based Study, Laura Y. Defrain Lpn

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE (CAM) AND ADOLESCENT BODY MASS INDEX (BMI): A NATIONAL POPULATION-BASED STUDY

Abstract

Background

Childhood obesity rates in the United States have remained around 17% since the 1990s - this figure translates to an estimated 12.7 million obese children. Maintaining a healthy weight through adolescence may limit subsequent health risks in adulthood. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) encompasses a variety of non-pharmacological treatments and lifestyle choices that have been utilized in addition to or in place of typical Western medicine. The relationship between adolescent Body mass index (BMI) and the use of complementary and alternative medicine has …

The Effect Of Therapeutic Horseback Riding On Balance And Self-Efficacy In Children With Developmental Disabilities, Alexandra Smola, Lauren Hurley

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Therapeutic horseback riding (THR) has positive health related outcomes in children with developmental disabilities. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a 10-week THR intervention on balance and task-specific self-efficacy in children with developmental disabilities. Bandura’s social cognitive theory and the physical stress theory guided the quasi-experimental study. A pre-test post-test design (N=20) was implemented with a 10-week THR class at a riding center in Midwest United States. The first research question was: In children with developmental disabilities ages 5 to 18, does one 10-week session of THR affect balance? With time 1 balance mean at …

The Effects Of Sustainability As A Positive Attribute On Equine Therapy Design: An Interdisciplinary Study, Andria Sinclair

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Interdisciplinary studies have brought benefits to introducing new solutions to the traditional environment and traditional therapies. Sustainability in relation to design has been suggested in 2006, by the Center for Building Performance and Diagnostic (CBPD) at Carnegie Mellon University to incorporate daylight, solar, heat and ventilation of the natural environment combined with the innovations of current technologies (Whitmore, 2011). This paper will look at how sustainability plays a key role of benefits including those that are health associated with equine therapy design and its relationship to the patient, or end user. Interdisciplinary research in the therapeutic value of equine-human bonding …

A Systematic Review: Non-Pharmacological Interventions For Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea And Vomiting, Miranda L. Ayers, Olateju F. Olowe

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Around 70-80% of patients receiving chemotherapy are at risk of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), which can interfere with appetite and the ability to perform normal activities for daily living. When CINV is severe, psychological distress, depression, and physiological impairment occur. Patients may also stop chemotherapy treatments, which can lead to untimely deaths. The aim of this systematic review was to identify, describe, and evaluate the evidence about the use and effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions, compared to no use of non-pharmacological interventions, on self-reported episodes of CINV among the cancer patients. Twenty articles were reviewed on the use of acupressure, …