Medical Humanities Commons^™

Social Media Addiction Affecting Mental Health Of College Women, Praneetha Rajkumar, Don D. Shamilov, David F. Lo

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

In our digital society, many teenagers and young adults use the many forms of social media, which are applications that enable users to create, share, and view content. Addiction to sites such as Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat is a rising concern due to the impact it has on the mental health of young women, particularly those aged 18-25. Addiction can result in spending an unreasonable amount of time on social media, being overly preoccupied with social media content, or having day-to-day activities that revolve around social media usage. Different sources of data were reviewed to understand why mental health concerns …

Relationship Between Caregiver Burden And Socioeconomic Status, Nikitha Pappachen, Maithri Goud

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

In this study, caregiver burden measures the psychosocial strain a caregiver experiences as a result of caring for a person with autism. In addition, this study focuses on the effect of socioeconomic status on caregiver burden. A previous study found an association between lower primary caregiver education level and more sleep problems for children with autism³. Thus, the finding focuses on the child with autism as opposed to the caregiver burden. Other studies focus on elements that affect caregiver burden such as sleep quality, mental health, and cultural aspects. If it is known that socioeconomic status significantly affects …

The Effect Of Guided Meditation On Student Doctor-Patient Interactions, Aneela Rampersad, Samantha Plasner

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Healthcare students are under stress and can use different methods to cope with it. Mindfulness techniques such as guided meditation has been used as a way of helping these students reduce their stress levels. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether guided meditation has an effect on student doctors that translates into more positive interactions with patients. This study found that the student doctors who completed guided meditation felt less frustrated and less impatient while interacting with patients than student doctors who did not perform the guided meditation. Future studies on this topic should recruit more participants so …

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 …

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, …

Onset Of Multiple Chronic Conditions And Depressive Symptoms: A Life Events Perspective., Maureen Wilson-Genderson, Allison R Heid, Rachel Pruchno

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Faculty Scholarship

Background: While the association between depressive symptoms and chronic illness has been the subject of many studies, little is known about whether depressive symptoms differ as a function of the illnesses people have as they transition to living with multiple chronic conditions.

Methods: Self-reports of five diagnosed chronic conditions (arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and pulmonary disease) and depressive symptoms were provided by 3,396 people participating in three waves of the ORANJ BOWL

Results: Between 2006 and 2014, controlling for age, gender, income, race, and a lifetime diagnosis of depression, people who transitioned to having a diagnosis of multiple chronic …

Effects Of Caregiver Burden And Satisfaction On Affect Of Older End-Stage Renal Disease Patients And Their Spouses, Maureen Wilson-Genderson, Rachel A Pruchno, Francine P Cartwright

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Faculty Scholarship

We examined the extent to which a 2-factor model of affect explains how the burdens and satisfactions experienced by caregivers influence their own well-being and that of the spouses for whom they provide care. Using data from 315 older patients with end-stage renal disease and their spouses, we extended tests of Lawton et al.'s (1991) 2-factor model both longitudinally and dyadically. Multilevel modeling analyses partially support the 2-factor model. Consistent with the model, mean caregiver burden has a stronger effect on both caregiver and patient negative affect than does mean caregiver satisfaction. Contrary to the model, mean caregiver satisfaction has …

Depressive Symptoms And Marital Satisfaction In The Context Of Chronic Disease: A Longitudinal Dyadic Analysis, Rachel Pruchno, Maureen Wilson-Genderson, Francine P Cartwright

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Faculty Scholarship

These analyses examined the longitudinal relationships between depressive symptoms and marital satisfaction over a 2-year period as experienced by 315 patients with end-stage renal disease and their spouses. Using multilevel modeling, the authors examined both individual and cross-partner effects of depressive symptoms and marital satisfaction on patients and spouses, testing bidirectional causality. Results indicate that mean and time-varying depressive symptoms of both patients and spouses were associated with their own marital satisfaction. Although mean marital satisfaction was associated with own depressive symptoms for both patients and spouses, time-varying marital satisfaction did not affect depressive symptoms for either patients or spouses. …