Medical Humanities Commons^™

Contributors To Faculty Wellness In An Academic Emergency Department Before And During The Pandemic: A Qualitative Study, Nicholas D. Hartman, Casey Glass, Manoj Pariyadath, Kathleen Hosmer, Meagan Hunt, Nicklaus Ashburn, Cedric Lefebvre

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Burnout is well known as a prevalent hazard in emergency medicine (EM) careers, but the literature is less clear about what specific work-related factors actually contribute to wellness and burnout among academic EM faculty.

Objectives: 1) To explore themes and specific concerns that contribute to faculty wellness in an academic emergency department, in a qualitative fashion. 2) To determine whether these themes and concerns changed appreciably in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: EM faculty members at an academic institution were invited to participate in the study, including an on-line survey and a structured interview. Survey results were …

From Academia To Action: The Aligncare Journey In Pet Health Equity, Michael J. Blackwell Dvm, Mph, Candice Hinkle Mba, Katy H. Carpenter, Linda Daugherty Mpa, T' Fisher, Kayla Anderson Mssw, Jamie Clanin Dvm, Brittany Permaul Mph, Beth Fagiola

Social Work Publications and Other Works

Imagine a future where every family, regardless of their financial situation, has access to the veterinary care their beloved pets need, along with essential services such as housing and transportation. In this vision of aligned communities, pets are recognized as integral family members, and their well-being is vital to the entire family's health and happiness. AlignCare offers a pathway to this future by providing a comprehensive, community based One Health system that aligns resources and services to support families holistically.

This report details the research, development, and testing of AlignCare by the Program for Pet Health Equity at the University …

The Consequences Of Homophobia: Analysis Of Discriminatory Medical And Legislative Policies And Their Influence On Health Disparities, Kaiden J. Fandel

Honors Thesis

Are there specific roots that influence the introduction and incorporation of discriminatory medical policies? What are the sources of such stigma, discrimination, and prejudice, in what forms does such discrimination take place, and what negative impacts does such hatred have on health outcomes, quality of care, and health disparities? Through a review of existing literature on this topic, intertwining the examination of the evolution of discriminatory policies and other explanatory literature in the United States, this thesis aims to answer the questions above, and explain the roots of such homophobic discrimination and its prevalence in the United States. Through the …

Effect Of Maternal Adverse Childhood Experiences (Aces) And Maternal Resiliency On Early Childhood Outcomes On Vaccination Adherence And Emergency Department Visits, Leslie Abraham Md, Hsiao-Wei Banks Ba, John P. Gaughan Ms, Phd, Alla Kushnir Md

Cooper Rowan Medical Journal

Introduction: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are traumatic events that occurred to an individual during ages 0-17 years. The 1998 Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) suggested higher ACE scores contributed to negative future health outcomes. The tool is now used to screen at-risk populations for the development of chronic health conditions. Protective factors, such as resilience, were later studied and found to offset the negative health impacts of traumatic childhood events. The 7Cs questionnaire was a tool developed to measure resilience in adolescents and demonstrated better health outcomes despite the presence of higher ACE scores. This pilot study evaluated whether higher …

Psychological Violence And Manipulative Behavior In Couple: A Focus On Personality Traits, Carmela Mento, Clara Lombardo, Nicholas Whithorn, Maria Rosaria Anna Muscatello, Antonio Bruno, Maura Casablanca, Maria Catena Silvestri

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Psychological violence is characterized by systematic denigration and humiliation of the partner (victim). It is an insidious and manipulative behavior put in place to ensure that the victim begins to doubt themselves, and their own judgments, to the point of feeling confused and wrong. This behavior pattern is called Gaslighting and the personality traits are characterized by lack of empathy, psychopathy, narcissism and Machiavellianism. These three conditions are part of the so-called dark triad and distinguished by the lack of empathy. The aim of this study is to explore psychological aspects and consequences of Gaslighting phenomena. This systematic review was …

Using Drama Therapy To Foster Peer Support Among Nurse Leaders, Chyela Rowe

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This study explored the use of drama therapy to support the social-emotional experiences of nurse leaders at a mid-sized regional hospital system in the Southeastern United States. Nurse leaders have experienced profound changes to their work environments in recent years and burnout has been at an all-time high among healthcare workers globally. Organizational supports for nurses and nurse leaders are both inadequate to meet the needs and under-resourced. The research questions explored 1) whether the drama therapy peer support initiative improved outcomes and 2) whether there was a significant relationship between measures, and 3) what nurse leaders described as facilitators …

Medical Interpreters' Work Impact On Their Lives: Understanding Medical Interpreters' Work Experience, Nicholas M. Herrarte Smith

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

Medical interpreters in the US are crucial health workers that specialize in facilitating communication between non-English-speaking patients and English medical professionals. Although much research has been done regarding the positive impact of professional medical interpreters on LEP (limited English proficient) patients' health, it is less known how medical interpreters’ lives are impacted in this line of work. Thus, this study was aimed at gaining a better understanding on the impact that this line of work has on the lives of medical interpreters. For this study, a survey was created with questions regarding demographics, interpretation’s certification process, interpreter’s satisfaction/experience, and mental …

Awareness & Prevention Of Health Hazards For Americans Embarking In Space Tourism, Krzysztof Zembrzuski

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Since the beginning of spaceflight, keeping humans healthy has been a serious concern. Prior to 2021, astronauts had to undergo an elite selection process to embark in space travel. Now that commercial spaceflight is a reality, the criteria to experience space has been significantly loosened, raising health concerns to a larger and unhealthier pool of travelers. Most commercial spaceflight clients are anticipated to be middle-aged adults, which implies many will suffer from high blood pressure and heart disease, both of which are frequent ailments in this age group. Because of the massive compression the body undergoes during takeoff and return, …

The Correlation Between Traumatic Brain Injury And Incarceration Among Adult Males In The United States, Shadi Shams

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The United States has one of the largest growing prison populations in the world. A large amount of social and economic resources go towards the cost and maintenance of correctional facilities each year. Additionally, the current correctional programs are insufficient in assisting inmates with getting back to society; especially those with traumatic brain injury (TBI) who often remain undiagnosed and are usually treated unfairly in the prison system instead of receiving the appropriate help. Prior scholarly work has shown that patients in the post-TBI stage are more likely to enter the judicial system. In the recent population-based cohort study, the …

An Exploration Of The Social And Economic Factors That Influence The Mental Health Of Lgbtq College Students, Alexandria Mh Fossum

Senior Theses

LGBTQ individuals face a much higher prevalence of psychiatric disorders and mental health issues than their heterosexual, cisgender counterparts. The added academic pressures of college introduce a unique set of challenges that LGBTQ students face. This thesis includes a review of academic literature and data examining the intersections between social isolation, institutional discrimination, and financial insecurity and the effects they have on the mental health outcomes of LGBTQ college students. The paper is accompanied by a documentary consisting of a set of interviews of LGBTQ college students, giving a more personal insight into the multitude of factors that affect their …

A Resident Retreat With Emergency Medicine Specific Mindfulness Training Significantly Reduces Burnout And Perceived Stress, James O'Shea, Mark Dannenfelser, Melissa White, Anwar Osborne, Timothy P. Moran, Michelle D. Lall

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: We hypothesize that a resident retreat with mindfulness training tailored for Emergency Medicine (EM) physicians can significantly reduce levels of burnout and perceived stress in EM residents.

Methods: We conducted an intervention study of 60 EM residents undergoing an annual resident retreat with a 2.5-hour mindfulness training. The retreat was a department-funded 2-day off-site experience with a wellness theme. The training was developed and delivered by an EM physician (JO'S) who is a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) teacher trainee, and a certified MBSR teacher (MD). The training focused on techniques that can be used on shift, such as mindful …

Gender Dysphoria Versus Acute Psychosis: Can One Properly Diagnose Gender Dysphoria Solely During Acute Psychosis?, Kristy A. Fisher, Samantha Scemla, Clara L. Alvarez Villalba, Jessica Kroin

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Gender dysphoria occurs when a discrepancy between one’s sex assigned at birth and one’s gender identity causes distress or impairment in function, which can lead ultimately to seeking treatment in the forms of psychotherapy, hormonal therapy, and/or gender-affirming surgery. Clinical care guidelines also recommend pharmacological treatment of psychiatric comorbidities if indicated. A review of the current literature demonstrates comorbidity between gender dysphoria and psychosis, including cases of gender dysphoria with schizophrenia and the occurrence of gender dysphoria symptoms during manic or psychotic episodes. The existing literature has yet to specifically examine gender dysphoria amongst individuals with schizoaffective disorder. The authors …

Correlation Between Social Media Use And Eating Disorder Symptoms: A Literature Review, Makenna Rose Burger

Kinesiology and Public Health

Importance: Social media is a pervasive influence in modern society presenting many potential public health implications.

Objective: The purpose of this literature review is to synthesize current research regarding social media and eating disorders.

Methods: Primary research was gathered from Google Scholar and OneSearch database resulting in 7 articles. Articles were examined for common themes.

Results: Common themes found in the resulting research is the prevalence of ‘thinspiration’, gamified content, and overlap of eating disorders with other mental illnesses. Several articles found a significant correlation between social media use and the severity of eating disorder symptoms. …

The Program To Reduce Implicit Bias In Carroll Hospital Center Using The Implicit Association Test, Katherine E. Traynor

Capstone Showcase

Natural brain processes make all individuals susceptible to unconscious bias; however, stressful, fearful, or anger-evoking situations as well as the negative influence of media and social surroundings increase the risk of holding obstructive bias, and there is a greater risk of being negatively impacted by this phenomenon when belonging to a minority population (Rose & Flores, 2020). As a result, high rates of infant mortality (10.2 deaths per 1,000 live births for the Non-Hispanic Black population compared to 4.1 in the White population) and cardiovascular related diseases (190.0 cases per 1,000 in the Non-Hispanic Black population compared to 161.3 in …

Rebuilding A Foundation Of Trust: A Call To Action In Creating A Safe Environment For Everyone, Cynda H. Rushton, Laura J. Wood, Karen Grimley, Jerry Mansfield, Barbara Jacobs, Jason A. Wolf

Patient Experience Journal

Well before the COVID-19 pandemic, incivility and physical threats directed toward healthcare employees and often registered nurses was a growing concern by Chief Nurse Executive (CNE) leaders. In 2019, conversations initiated by The Beryl Institute’s Nurse Executive Council (NEC) to consider how best to achieve a much-needed balance between patient/family and staff safety have now become a critical priority to ensure the safety of everyone receiving and providing health care services. The heart of this work was organized around a set of newly developed ethical precepts designed to guide the exploration of key concepts. A call to action grounded in …

Work The Heart, Train The Brain, Monica Sciturro, Jenna Knafo

be Still

No abstract provided.

The Path To Balance, Snigdha Ila, Pallavi Velagapudi, Vishal Ila

be Still

No abstract provided.

An Intersectional Approach To Time Poverty: A Pilot Study Of Time Poverty And Black Women’S Perceived Health Based On Semi-Structured Interviews, Lauriane Ngaya Fonkou

McNair Scholars Program

The term “time poor” describes people disproportionately burdened by responsibilities and inflexible work schedules resulting in little to no discretionary time. Time poverty was brought to my attention via the social media app TikTok where Black women creators expressed how time poverty affects them. Given that Black women are an especially vulnerable population in terms of health, I became curious about the relationship between time poverty and Black women’s health. However, the existing sociomedical science literature on time poverty does NOT adequately account for Black women’s subjectivity because the research considers mediators of class OR gender OR race but does …

Art And Empathy: Self Discovery In A Dark Forest, Younser Lee

Graduate School of Art Theses

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 40 million people report feelings of depression, anxiety, and stress as the world moves at an increasingly rapid pace and faces unprecedented challenges. However, many ignore these negative thoughts and fail to acknowledge them as a serious issue. My art, which shares my own experiences, creates safe, cathartic places for viewers to think about their own emotional experiences. Crucial to this process is my use of daily objects and the creation of individualized, participatory, and multisensory experiences.

My art relates to daily life and the negative emotions that we experience daily. I …

The Silence Of Food Insecurity: Disconnections Between Primary Care And Community Organizations, Nicole K. Runkle, David A. Nelson

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Purpose: Food insecurity is a prominent issue in the United States, and it is well established that food insecurity is linked to health and chronic illnesses. Studies show that screening for food insecurity is not yet part of standardized practice among all primary care physicians, nor are care providers comfortable with how to proceed with a patient who presents with this issue. Food insecurity is often handled by community-based organizations (CBOs) such as food pantries. Family medicine and pediatric clinics (FMPC) and CBOs hold unique relationships with their clients and can benefit from partnerships with each other to improve health …

Effectiveness Of Two Frequently Used Screening Tools In Identifying Depression And Anxiety In Collegiate Athletes, Adriana C. Isacke Do, Amy Haskins Phd, Christina Holt Md, Msc, Williams Dexter Md, Facsm

Journal of Maine Medical Center

Introduction: To determine whether the Electronic Pre-participation Physical Examination (EPPE), a proprietary and frequently used tool, is an effective method for depression and anxiety screening in the collegiate athlete population as compared to the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4).

Methods: College athletes at a Division III university completed PHQ-4 questionnaires and a proprietary EPPE. Positive reponse rates to depression and/or anxiety for both questionnaires were collected and analyzed with a kappa (κ) statistic.

Results: Among 420 students, we found that 9 (2%) reported depression and/or anxiety via the EPPE. Of the 26 students (6%) who answered positively on the PHQ-4, we …

Optimizing Wellness In Academic Emergency Medicine, Kristen E. Nordenholz, Al'ai Alvarez, Michelle D. Lall, Christine Stehman, Cindy C. Bitter, Emily L. Hirsh, Rita Manfredi, Rosanna D. Sikora, Dave W. Lu, Leon D. Sanchez, Matthew L. Wong, Steven Bird, Andra L. Blomkalns

Journal of Wellness

Introduction

Academic Emergency Physicians (EPs) face additional unique challenges in optimizing wellness compared to community EPs.

Objective

Our objective was to explore specific individual and systems challenges that academic EPs encounter that affect their wellbeing and professional fulfillment in emergency medicine (EM).

Methods

An expert group of academic EPs convened in 2019 at the annual meeting of the Society of Academic Emergency Medicine to investigate the overall causes of burnout in healthcare providers, the effects of burnout on the healthcare system, specific causes of burnout in EM, and the distinct challenges facing academic emergency physicians.

Results

We outline specific causes …

Optimist Prime- Emergency Medicine Residents Are An Optimistic Group, Nicole Battaglioli, Sarah Mott, Tim P. Moran, Simiao Li-Sauerwine, Matt Melamed

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: No study before has been conducted looking at the level of optimism and pessimism in emergency medicine residents and how it may be linked to resident burnout. This is the first national- level assessment of these personality factors.

Methods: This was a prospective survey study leveraging data obtained through the 2017 National Emergency Medicine Resident Wellness Survey, which included the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R). The Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R) is a 10-item tool that measures levels of optimism versus pessimism.

Results: We found that the majority of our resident respondents scored in the moderate category of the LOT-R. Additionally, …

Don't Worry Alone, Aldis H. Petriceks

Journal of Wellness

No abstract provided.

In Search Of Psychiatric Kinds: Natural Kinds And Natural Classification In Psychiatry, Nicholas Slothouber

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In recent years both philosophers and scientists have asked whether or not our current kinds of mental disorder—e.g., schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder—are natural kinds; and, moreover, whether or not the search for natural kinds of mental disorder is a realistic desideratum for psychiatry. In this dissertation I clarify the sense in which a kind can be said to be “natural” or “real” and argue that, despite a few notable exceptions, kinds of mental disorder cannot be considered natural kinds. Furthermore, I contend that psychopathological phenomena do not cluster together into kinds in the way that paradigmatic natural kinds (e.g., chemical …

"Free Indirect Suicide: An Unfinished Fugue In H Minor", Seo-Young J. Chu

Publications and Research

In this lyric essay/work of creative nonfiction (listed among “Notable Essays & Literary Nonfiction” in Best American Essays 2020), Seo-Young Chu uses poetry, autotheory, and creative nonfiction to explore the generational trauma/postmemory han she inherited from her parents and the importance of destigmatizing mental illness through dialogue.

The Predictors Of Juvenile Recidivism: Testimonies Of Adult Students 18 Years And Older Exiting From Alternative Education, La Toshia Palmer

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this descriptive, qualitative study was to identify and describe the importance of the predictors of juvenile recidivism and the effectiveness of efforts to prevent/avoid juvenile recidivism as perceived by previously detained, arrested, convicted, and/or incarcerated adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education in Northern California. A second purpose was to explore the types of support provided by alternative schools and the perceived importance of the support to avoid recidivism according to adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education.

Methodology: This qualitative, descriptive research design identified …

I’M Going To Tell You A Little About Myself: Illness Centrality, Self-Image And Identity In Cystic Fibrosis, Susan Horky Lcsw, Laura Sherman Licsw, Julie K. Polvinen Ba, Medhavi Saxena Md, Michael Rich Md

Patient Experience Journal

This study assessed the illness centrality of adolescents with CF and the specific ways that CF may affect adolescents’ identities, through the qualitative analysis of video narratives. Adolescents with CF were loaned video cameras and asked to “show us your life outside the hospital” and to “teach your healthcare team about your CF.” Four major themes were identified related to illness centrality: CF is Central, CF is Compartmentalized, CF is Integrated into Self Image, CF is Denied. Integration and compartmentalization often co-existed. Four themes emerged related to the role of CF in self-image and identity: (1) Valence (positive or negative); …

Web Resources For Physician Wellness, Elizabeth C. Lawrence

Office of Physician and Student Wellness (OPSW)

A current listing of websites, TED talks, and podcasts related to physician wellness and resiliency.

Humor In Medicine: A Literature Review Of Humor’S Potential Therapeutic Value In Health Care, Weston Michael Grant

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Using humor and laughter within the health care field has the potential to be relevant to patients during treatment, to the patient-caregiver relationship, to the subjective well-being of health care providers, and to the environments’ (e.g., work settings) impact on group relationships (e.g., colleagues). A review of the literature examines how the psychological and physiological effects of laughter and humor within the human body impact health and well-being, how humor and laughter improve the patient-practitioner relationship, and if humor and laughter can potentially impact physician burnout. Several possible implications for these findings are discussed, such as professional medical comedians, improvements …