Medical Humanities Commons^™

Paraquat, Parkinson's Disease, And Agnotology, Amit Ray, E. Ray Dorsey

Articles

This commentary examines the controversial relationship between paraquat, a widely used herbicide, and Parkinson's disease through the lens of agnotology—the deliberate production of ignorance for commercial gain. Despite numerous animal and epidemiological studies linking paraquat to Parkinson's disease, its use in the United States doubled from 2013 to 2018. The authors reveal how the manufacturer allegedly employed tactics similar to the tobacco industry, including attempts to discredit scientific researchers and suppress unfavorable findings. While over 30 countries have banned paraquat due to health risks, the EPA reauthorized its use in 2021. The paper argues that internal company documents and emerging …

Ethics And Epidemiology Workshop Report: Towards Ethics-Informed Epidemiology And Epidemiology-Informed Ethics, Zoe Ritchie, Brendan T. Smith Phd, Maxwell J. Smith Phd

Health Studies Publications

Two key groups of researchers have worked in parallel to advance health equity—one on the descriptive component (those in public health sciences, e.g., epidemiologists) and one on the normative component (those in the humanities and social sciences, e.g., philosophers and ethicists). Yet a significant gulf exists between their respective research. Consequently, advances in thinking regarding the philosophical underpinnings and normative requirements of health equity have been largely divorced from the design of public health interventions that seek to reduce health inequities. As a consequence, public health interventions aiming to advance health equity may fail to target the most appropriate populations …

My Heart, Mina Bhatnagar

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

A poem expressing a daughter’s love for her father through their shared passions for cardiology and medicine.

Comentarios Críticos Escritos Por Estudiantes De Medicina Sobre La Evaluación Del Paciente, David Sánchez-Jiménez

Publications and Research

La presente investigación analiza los comentarios críticos producidos por estudiantes chilenos de 3º y 4º de Medicina en la sección Comentario/Reflexión final de la Ficha Clínica con el objetivo de conocer su opinión sobre la experiencia de su estancia hospitalaria y la práctica médica en general, así como de entender los elementos retórico-discursivos que utilizan para posicionar su voz en el texto al evaluar dicha experiencia. Para investigar este fenómeno se realizó un análisis textual computarizado de las categorías gramaticales y los contenidos semántico-funcionales valorativos desde un enfoque cualitativo inductivo-deductivo. Los resultados del estudio mostraron un predominio de los comentarios …

Covid-Dynamic: A Large-Scale Longitudinal Study Of Socioemotional And Behavioral Change Across The Pandemic, Tessa Rusch, Yanting Han, Dehua Liang, Amber R. Hopkins, Carolyn V. Lawrence, Uri Maoz, Lynn K. Paul, Damian A. Stanley, The Covid-Dynamic Team

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused enormous societal upheaval globally. In the US, beyond the devastating toll on life and health, it triggered an economic shock unseen since the great depression and laid bare preexisting societal inequities. The full impacts of these personal, social, economic, and public-health challenges will not be known for years. To minimize societal costs and ensure future preparedness, it is critical to record the psychological and social experiences of individuals during such periods of high societal volatility. Here, we introduce, describe, and assess the COVID-Dynamic dataset, a within-participant longitudinal study conducted from April 2020 through January 2021, …

Mommy, Me, And We: Why Black Mothers Have Turned To Doulas, Janessa Harris

Crossings: Swarthmore Undergraduate Feminist Research Journal

Maternal mortality rates have disproportionately affected black mothers for far too long due to the lack of value that black bodies hold in medical spaces. Because of this concerns voiced by black people are often disregarded and ignored until the very last minute. But what if this was changed? This paper will focus on how black mothers have worked against Western medical systems that silence our voices, but instead turn to doulas who work to make these mothers feel seen, heard, and cared for. Through this, we make birthing a careful and collective effort to turn Mommy&Me to Mommy&We.

Comparison Of Parental In-Person Visitation And Webcam Usage Patterns At A Single-Center Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Shrea Goswami, Emily Mudd, John Chuo, Anirudha Das

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Purpose: Barriers to parents visiting the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in person for infant bonding include socioeconomic status, distance from NICU, and having children at home. Use of NICU bedside webcam can increase access to parent-infant interaction. This study aimed to describe the pattern of webcam logins by parents, relationship of logins to in-person visitation, and maternal factors affecting usage.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, data pertaining to parental webcam logins and in-person visitation, maternal screening for depression, anxiety, and stress, and family sociodemographics were collected from medical records. Relationships between chart variables and webcam or …

Is Biological Death Final? Recomputing The Drake-S Equation For Postmortem Survival Of Consciousness, Adam J. Rock, James Houran, Patrizio E. Tressoldi, Brian Laythe

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies Advance Publication Archive

This participatory team science project extended Laythe and Houran’s (2022) prior application of a famous probabilistic argument known as the ‘Drake equation’ to the question of postmortem survival. Specifically, we evaluated effect sizes from peer-reviewed, empirical studies to determine the maximum average percentage effect that ostensibly supports (i.e., "anomalous effects") or refutes (i.e., "known confounds") the survival hypothesis. But unlike the earlier application, this research included a study-specific estimate of the hypothesized variable of ‘living agent psi’ via a new meta-analysis of empirical studies (N = 17) with exceptional subjects vs participants from the general population. Our updated analysis found …

Blurring The Lines Between "Good" And "Bad" Religion: John Modern's Neuromatic, Jessica A. Johnson

Philosophy Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Scientific Study Of Positive Psychology, Religion/Spirituality, And Physical Health, Kevin S. Masters, Julia K. Boehm, Jennifer M. Boylan, Kaitlyn M. Vagnini, Christina L. Rush

Psychology Faculty Books and Book Chapters

Humans have long been interested in relations among religion/spirituality (R/S), positive psychological constructs, and physical health. Furthermore, many religions attempt to influence behavior through health-related prescriptions about food choices, sexual activity, substance use, and resting. Similarly, positive psychological constructs have been discussed in light of their presumed benefits on both mental and physical health (Ryff & Singer, 1998). However, R/S and positive psychological constructs have only recently become objects of scientific investigation of their associations with physical health.

Lost & Found, Minji Choi, Myeongkyo Kim

MA Projects

Lost and Found focuses on olfactory art and stimulates the sense of smell through
various means and materials. In this exhibition, diverse associations of the sense of smell are evoked through visual art. Through these fragrant works of art, personal, psychological, social, and cultural dimensions are conveyed and explored. The exhibition's title, Lost & Found, refers to the restoration of the sense of smell, which many people have temporarily lost due to the physiological and social effects of COVID-19.

Using Adult Learning Characteristics And The Humanities To Teach Undergraduate Healthcare Students About Social Determinants Of Health, Elizabeth A. Brown, Hannah Kinder, Garrett Stang, Wendy Shumpert

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Authors used an andragogy framework to help undergraduate allied health students better understand social determinants of health (SDOH) using a photo essay assignment. The study examined students’ perceptions of SDOH in various communities, description of health outcomes associated with their chosen SDOH, and lessons learned and suggestions to improve the assignment for future cohorts. Data were extracted from photo essays from 2019–2021 and entered in Microsoft Excel and Word for data analysis after course completion. Conventional qualitative content analysis was used to analyze student evaluation data from open-ended questions. Data were extracted from 53 student essays from 2019 to 2021. …

Evaluation Of A Hospital Pdmp Ehr-Integration Implementation: A Mixed, Heather D. Martin

All ETDs from UAB

Background: Many providers continue to over prescribe opioids for pain, and Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMP) can be used as a tool to assist with appropriate opioid prescribing decisions. Despite mandates requiring opioid prescribers to review patients’ prescribing history in their state’s PDMP, barriers to PDMP success still exist such as a difficult PDMP logon process and having to log on to a separate PDMP system, which can cause access, workflow, time commitment, and ease of use issues and deter providers from using the PDMP. Some health care organizations have implemented PDMP electronic health record (EHR) integration (PDMP EHR-integration) to …

Physical Activity And Related Social Cognitive Theory Constructs By Major Depression Status In Persons With Multiple Sclerosis, Catherine Danielle Jones

All ETDs from UAB

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is highly prevalent among the 1 million per-sons living with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the United States. The prevalence of MDD is nearly 1.7 times higher in persons with MS than in the general population. MDD is associated with negative outcomes in MS, including worse neuropsychological functioning, lower quality of life (QOL), and worse disability. Higher levels of physical activity (PA) are associated with lower depressive symptoms in MS and participation in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) has been recommended for managing depression se-verity in the general population. However, the rates, patterns, and behavioral correlates …

Management Of Opioid Use Disorder In Primary Care, Carolyn Jeffries

Capstone Showcase

The prevalence of opioid use disorder (OUD) in the United States, and worldwide, has drastically increased in the span of 2-3 years. OUD is considered chronic condition and as such requires routine care over a lifetime. This makes OUD patients excellent candidates to be managed by primary care providers (PCPs). This article discusses the various barriers to treatment of OUD in a primary care setting as well methods and models that aim to mitigate these barriers. We will also review how to take a detailed assessment of an OUD patient, mainstays of medication assisted treatment (MAT), and management of side …

Application Of Mixture Models For Doubly Inflated Count Data, Monika Arora, N. Rao Chaganty

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

In health and social science and other fields where count data analysis is important, zero-inflated models have been employed when the frequency of zero count is high (inflated). Due to multiple reasons, there are scenarios in which an additional count value of k > 0 occurs with high frequency. The zero- and k-inflated Poisson distribution model (ZkIP) is more appropriate for such situations. The ZkIP model is a mixture distribution with three components: degenerate distributions at 0 and k count and a Poisson distribution. In this article, we propose an alternative and computationally fast expectation–maximization (EM) algorithm to obtain the parameter …

The Association Of Availability And Accessibility Of Federally Qualified Health Centers On Hospitals' Reported Charity Care, Philip Cendoma

All ETDs from UAB

Hospitals are facing financially challenging times. Each year, billions of dollars are spent by hospitals to provide care to patients that, ultimately, will go unreimbursed. How to effectively provide accessible and affordable health care to the uninsured population continues to be a topic of discussion for policymakers, healthcare administrators, as well as healthcare-based consortiums, and consultant. The cost of charity care consists largely of the care provided to the uninsured population. Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) play an important role in providing primary care to the uninsured population, regardless of the patient’s ability to pay. Based on the 5 A’s …

Strategic Balance In Healthcare Organizations, Corey Spraberry

All ETDs from UAB

The purpose of this dissertation was to assess the relationship between service mix offerings relative to competitors and firm performance. Specifically, this study explores if an optimal point of service offerings in the competitive market is associated with financial performance. This study is important to both researchers and healthcare leaders as it helps understand the relationship between optimal service mix and firm performance. The results find a relationship that suggests a differentiated service mix compared to a generalized service mix is associated with financial performance. Additionally, hospital characteristics are associated with service duplication and differentiation. The findings of this research …

Quantitative Analysis Of The Impact Of Automatically Generated Normal Tissue Contours On Knowledge-Based Planning Model Quality, Samuel Christopher Baker Arnold

All ETDs from UAB

While radiotherapy has become one of the primary standards of treatment for cancer in areas such as the brain, treatment plans are limited by the time it takes physicians to contour CT images used for dose distribution calculations. Automation of the contouring process can not only improve the rate of plan formation but establish an improved standard of care. With the development and implementation of knowledge-based planning (KBP) in radiation oncology, information derived from treatment plans provide machine learning models with years of experience to assess and create future treatment plans. Since KBP model quality rely on contouring from training …

I Would Be Shocked If Someone’S Not Depressed With That Diagnosis”: An In-Depth Exploration Of The Manifestation And Management Of Depression And Anxiety In Patients With Cancer, Carmen Rainey Brown

All ETDs from UAB

Patients diagnosed with cancer experience depression and anxiety at higher rates compared to the general population. Most individuals diagnosed with cancer will experience symptoms of depression and anxiety at some point during their cancer trajectory and not seek care leaving their mental health conditions undiagnosed and untreated, which impact quality of life and cancer outcomes. Patient and providers perspectives are vital to understand the manifestation, care-seeking behaviors, and provider management of depression and anxiety in patients with cancer. This study sought to explore the manifestation of depression and anxiety among patients with cancer and their care seeking behaviors for mental …

Resilience And Vulnerability: The Impact Of Deprivation, Social Capital, And Distance Sensitivity On Mental Health In Covid-19 Vaccine Seekers, Cesar Ivan Landeros

All ETDs from UAB

The COVID-19 pandemic has inflicted profound challenges upon California, exacerbating disparities in care, access, and health outcomes within vulnerable and deprived communities. Especially, this crisis has led to a surge in mental health issues, with anxiety and depression emerging as predominant psychopathologies, and the rates of anxiety and depression are alarmingly high in disadvantaged communities. In California, the strikingly high prevalence of these symptoms at 31.7%, compared to the national average of 32.3%, sounds a critical alarm. Despite empirical investigations into anxiety and depression rates across a range of demographic groups worldwide—such as survivors, healthcare professionals, children, adolescents, and adults—the …

The Effects Of Mobile Shielding On Scatter Radiation In The Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, Lancer Smith

All ETDs from UAB

This research evaluates the effectiveness of a Specialized Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory Shielding Device (SCCLSD) compared to traditional shielding methods in reducing occupational exposure to scattered x-rays, contributing to the ongoing enhancement of radiation safety in the cardiac catheterization laboratory (CCL) setting. The upper component of the SCCLSD comprises a mobile, transparent barrier with lead-equivalent malleable drapes designed to conform to the patient's body contours. It is height-adjustable, creating a protective shield against scatter radiation generated during CCL procedures. The lower portion of the SCCLSD replaces traditional lead-lined drapes, extending further down the table and incorporating additional shielding for staff protection.An …

Senior Executive Experience And The Performance Of Healthcare Organizations, John Patrick Walsh

All ETDs from UAB

SENIOR EXECUTIVE EXPERIENCE AND THE PERFORMANCE OF HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATIONS JOHN P. WALSH HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION ABSTRACT The healthcare industry has become increasingly complex over the past two decades causing concern for stakeholders of hospitals and health systems regarding the future viability. Given the tumultuous times, understanding who is best suited to lead these organizations is essential. While some work has been done studying certain characteristics of the Senior Leaders of these organizations, none have looked at the relationship between the Senior Leader’s work experience comparing those with for-profit experience and those without and performance. Using Upper Echelon’s Theory as a …

The Influence Of A Low Glycemic Load Diet On Appetite In Women With Pcos, Sarah Et Hoover

All ETDs from UAB

Dysregulated appetite may contribute to weight gain and high prevalence of comorbid obesity in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), yet dietary recommendations to promote satiety and facilitate weight maintenance in this population remain scarce. The objective of this dissertation was to determine if women with PCOS have alterations in appetite-regulating hormones that can be manipulated by low glycemic load diet habituation to improve satiety. This was tested by secondary analyses of two randomized controlled dietary intervention trials in women with and without PCOS. First, we explored differences in women with and without PCOS during a standardized liquid meal test …

Patient-Driven Payment Model And The Covid-19 Pandemic External Environment Impact On Nursing Home Industry In The Last 5 Years, Gregory N. Orewa

All ETDs from UAB

Nursing homes face an ever-changing environment and must adapt to achieve organizational success. Recent events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the implementation of the Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM) reimbursement policy have disrupted nursing homes. PDPM put pressure on nursing homes to change their operations and billing practices. The reimbursement policy changed from Resource Utilization Group (RUG) under the Prospective Payment Model (PPS), to PDPM. PDPM, which encourages more value in skilled nursing facility (SNF) spending, has been explored by various studies with respect to nursing home’s reaction in reducing therapy staffing. Three studies follow that examine PDPM and COVID-19 …

Understanding The Impact Of Hospital Price Transparency Initiatives On Consumer Decision-Making To Purchase Healthcare Services, Neel Pathak

All ETDs from UAB

This study examined the influence of hospital list price information on individuals' decision-making to purchase healthcare services. The study collected quantitative data from 550 individuals by administering a hospital price transparency survey. Findings indicate that awareness of hospital list prices and quality outcomes metrics was high, but utilization rates were relatively low among survey participants. Demographic variations were explored with respect to the awareness and utilization of hospital list prices. Quality outcomes and recommendations from friends, family, and physicians emerged as the most important attributes influencing decision-making to purchase healthcare services whereas hospital list prices and social media had a …

Effects Of Dietary R, S-1, 3-Butanediol Diacetoacetate On Components Of Energy Balance And Hepatic Health, Kelsey A. Rushing

All ETDs from UAB

Objective: Exogenous ketone administration presents a possible treatment strategy for obesity and obesity-related diseases. The exogenous ketone ester, R,S-1,3-butanediol diacetoacetate (BD-AcAc2) decreases adiposity and hepatic steatosis in high-fat dietinduced obese mice. In our previous work, carbohydrate energy was removed and replaced with the ketone ester to produce isocaloric diets. The current investigation aimed to determine whether BD-AcAc2 decreases markers of hepatic steatosis and inflammation in lean mice on a high-fat, high-sugar (HFHS) diet without removing carbohydrate energy. Methods: Sixteen 11-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were randomized to one of two groups for 9 weeks (n = 8 per group): 1) Control …

Helpless Observation Of The Unforgotten Trauma, Camilla Reimer

The Art of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Utility, Safwan K. Elkhatib

The Art of Medicine

No abstract provided.

The Scream, Lina Adwer

The Art of Medicine

No abstract provided.