Mental and Social Health Commons^™

An Investigation Into The Relationship Between Obstetric Racism And Postpartum Depression In Black Women, Miguel A. Claxton Iii

University Honors Theses

Postpartum depression is the most common postpartum mood disorder, with 13% of new mothers reporting symptoms within the first year. Adverse birth outcomes, such as low birth weight and preterm birth co-index with the development of postpartum depression. This correlation is particularly alarming considering that Black women have about a 60% higher rate of preterm birth and an 88% higher rate of low birth weight infants than Caucasian women. By utilizing theories of stratified reproduction, necropolitics, and obstetric racism, this paper aims to situate postpartum depression in Black women as a psychological response to systems of medicolegal control and domination. …

Therapeutic Potential Of Psychedelic Drugs, Specifically Magic Mushrooms, Marijuana, And Mdma With Veterans Who Suffer From Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (Ptsd), Misty Schutterle

Counselor Education Capstones

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a stress-based condition that a person develops after being exposed to an overwhelmingly traumatic event. Military troops frequently experience stress and trauma, making them highly susceptible to psychopathology. This paper evaluates nine clinical trials that used either magic mushrooms, marijuana, or MDMA as an adjunct to traditional psychotherapy to treat veterans who suffer from anxiety, depression, PTSD, suicidality, and other psychopathologies. Multiple scholarly journals and articles were read and analyzed, which show support for the therapeutic potential of psychedelic drugs in treating veterans with PTSD. After receiving psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, the research showed participants experienced a …

Trauma Informed Care In Medical Facilities (Terapia Zorientowana Na Traumę W Placówkach Ochrony Zdrowia), Jaroslaw Richard Romaniuk, Kathleen J. Farkas

Faculty Scholarship

The recognition of traumatic experiences across all aspects of human life has spurred the development of research on the impacts of trauma in various segments of society. The Adverse Childhood Experiences Study (ACES) first documented the correlation between childhood trauma exposure and physical and mental health disorders in adulthood. Further studies provided additional evidence of the long lasting impacts of trauma and led to practices to decrease re-traumatizing policies and practices. Trauma informed care (TIC) offers concepts and approaches for successful engagement and effective treatment for trauma survivors. This paper presents six basic principles of TIC and the methods for …

Stress And Burnout Among Undergraduate Music Education Majors: An Examination Of Trends, Influences, And Coping Mechanisms, Emily Carroll

Honors Projects

Previous research points to an increase in undergraduate music education major stress. A stress questionnaire was sent to three Midwest collegiate institutions: one was a mid-sized liberal arts school, another was a conservatory, and the last was a large state institution. Findings confirm concerning elevated levels of stress among undergraduate music education majors. The levels of stress appear to be a universal issue in this particular degree program, implying there is a need for change to better student wellness.

When A Woman Goes To Jail, Renee Onque, Emily Nadal

Capstones

The United States holds 30% of the world’s incarcerated women and the laws protecting their specific needs while in the prison system differ by state. New York, Minnesota and Alabama are introducing innovative ways to improve the birthing experiences of women who are incarcerated. From programs that allow mothers to send their breast milk on dry ice to their babies to nurseries within prisons that allow babies to live with their moms for up to a year, these states are pushing for progressive changes for mothers in the system. https://reneeonque.github.io/capstone/

Low Acceptance Of Helmet-Use And Injuries From Motorcycle Accidents In Rawalpindi And Abbottabad, Pakistan, Maryam Siddiqa, Gulzar H. Shah, A. Munam

Health Policy & Community Health: Faculty Publications

Background: Motorcycle accidents are a major cause of head injuries and the current study evaluated the beneficial impact and effectiveness of helmet usage among injured Motorcycle users. This study has been performed to observe the Motorcycle collisions within 6 months in Rawalpindi and Abbottabad cities of Pakistan

Objectives: Implications of helmet usage were assessed and the risk factors for severe injury during motorcycle accidents were identified.

Results: The multivariate analysis indicated that riders without a helmet were more likely to experience severe (AOR, 2.216; 95% CI, 2.02 to 10.5) or moderate injury (AOR, 1.215; 95% CI, 0.84 …

Self-Measured Blood Pressure Monitoring: A Patient Empowerment Project, Alison Cusmano

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Hypertension is a public health issue estimated to affect 112 million adults by 2030. Primary care patients in an outpatient clinic in Southern California with elevated blood pressure readings in the office did not have an organized system for close follow-up. The purpose of this evidence-based project (EBP) was to educate patients on self-measured blood pressure monitoring (SMBP), Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), diet interventions, and healthy weight loss to improve hypertension rates. Through these interventions, patients developed an understanding of their systolic and diastolic blood pressure goals. Nurse practitioners, medical assistants, and licensed vocational nurses screened for high …

Exploring A Piloted Occupational Therapy Toolkit For Military Children And Youth In Addressing Occupational Performance, Mirely Murcio, Pam Kasyan-Howe, Kristin Domville, Lisa Schubert

Fall 2021 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

In the United States (U.S.) there are more family members than military personal in the Department of Defense force with 62.8% of the 2,619,788 family members are children. Research indicates that children of active-duty service members experience unique challenges compared to same age peers due to military life and culture that create occupational disruptions. Research has shown that evidenced based interventions and assessments are needed to support the resilience of military connected children and youth to support their overall health and mental health resulting from the effects of parental deployment and military stressors.

The problem is that despite growing literature …

New Orleans During A Pandemic: Engaging African American Community Stakeholders On Covid-19 Information, Prevention, Testing And Vaccination, Anthony Thompson

XULAneXUS

This case study examines how the Louisiana Community Engagement Alliance Against COVID-19 Disparities (LA-CEAL) worked to engage African American residents in New Orleans during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on research interviews with Black physicians, pharmacists, and community health providers, along with field notes collected during 12 months of project assistance, the study addresses four research questions concerning African American hesitancy toward COVID-19 treatment and vaccination, strategies for community engagement, clinical trial recruitment, and inclusive research practices during a pandemic. Findings indicate that vaccine hesitancy and research mistrust among Black New Orleanians are rooted in a long history of scientific racism …

Intra-Tumoral Nerve-Tracing In A Novel Syngeneic Model Of High-Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma, Jeffrey L Barr, Allison Kruse, Anthony C Restaino, Natalia Tulina, Sarah Stuckelberger, Samuel J Vermeer, Caitlin S Williamson, Daniel W Vermeer, Marianna Madeo, Jillian Stamp, Maria Bell, Mark Morgan, Ju-Yoon Yoon, Marilyn A Mitchell, Anna Budina, Dalia K Omran, Lauren E Schwartz, Ronny Drapkin, Paola D Vermeer

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Dense tumor innervation is associated with enhanced cancer progression and poor prognosis. We observed innervation in breast, prostate, pancreatic, lung, liver, ovarian, and colon cancers. Defining innervation in high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) was a focus since sensory innervation was observed whereas the normal tissue contains predominantly sympathetic input. The origin, specific nerve type, and the mechanisms promoting innervation and driving nerve-cancer cell communications in ovarian cancer remain largely unknown. The technique of neuro-tracing enhances the study of tumor innervation by offering a means for identification and mapping of nerve sources that may directly and indirectly affect the tumor microenvironment. …

Exploring Occupational Therapy’S Role In Supporting Health And Wellness In The Transition To Motherhood, Katelynn A. Lillibridge, Karen Park, Susan Macdermott

Fall 2021 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

The transition to motherhood [matrescence] is a time of major life changes. All aspects of a new mother’s life are impacted during matrescence as she assumes her new role, identity, responsibilities, and learns the occupational skills of mothering. During this time, health, wellness, and occupational balance may all be impacted. This is a sensitive time for mothers with potential implications for both short and long-term health. Using an occupation-based approach can be a way to provide comprehensive support and care to mothers during this period to promote health and wellness, enhance occupational engagement, and support meaningful co-occupations. Currently …

Transition Program To Postsecondary Education For Students With Traumatic Brain Injury, Eung Gyeong Park, Susan Macdermott, Becki Cohill, Karen Park

Fall 2021 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a condition that occurs due to an external blow to the skull that damages the brain (Carulli et al., 2018). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2.5 million TBI have been reported each year. Many students with TBI face physical, cognitive, environmental, and social challenges in their transition to post-secondary education (Bedell et al., 2017). Individuals with TBI experience social and behavioral changes that interfere with their participation as they face difficulties initiating, regulating their social behaviors, and experiencing increased introversion (Bedell et al., 2017). Physical challenges include fatigue, headaches, sleep disturbances, …

Social Skills Groups For School-Age Children With Autism, Samantha Aybar

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

The present capstone project and experience aimed to develop and implement a 12-week program of social skills peer groups for school-aged children with autism at an outpatient pediatric therapy clinic. The program consisted of weekly peer group sessions targeting a range of social skill topics, such as emotional regulation, conversation skills, and collaborative play. The small group format provided an opportunity for participants to practice skills, learn from others, and obtain feedback on their performance within a supportive environment. A family-centered approach was utilized through providing parent resources, at-home activities, and a parent workshop to better support children’s social skill …

Peer-Led Building Resilience And Enhancing Social-Emotional Skills Program, Danielle K. Enrico

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

The purpose of the Capstone experience was to develop and implement a five-week peer-led building resilience and social-emotional skills training program at a public high school. This program addressed high school students' knowledge, skills, and attitudes regarding resources, social-emotional skills, and resilience. A questionnaire was administered pre and post-program to measure effectiveness. The results indicated an increase in scores, demonstrating a clearer understanding in all three areas.

Using A Social Support Group To Educate And Empower Immigrant Latina Women, Diana N. Rendon

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

The purpose of this capstone project was to promote mental health education and access to vulnerable South Florida Latina Women. The original intent was to establish a program providing families with mental health education, including information about common mental illnesses, signs and symptoms, community resources, and the impacts on occupations. This capstone experience was conducted with the Magnolias Women's Support Group at Caridad Center, located in Palm Beach County, Florida. The focus areas of this capstone were advocacy, policy and program development, and administration. Furthermore, this capstone project was intended to promote health literacy for underserved populations, especially immigrant women.

Potential Effects Of Animatronic Pet Ownership In College Students, Bayleigh Burling

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Bridging Mental Healthcare, Kristin L. White

MSN Capstone Projects

Nurses have an important role in the care given to mental health patients presenting to the emergency department (ED). Without expectations or encouragement toward growth or continued education, the quality of care and the therapeutic ability for care are crippled, as evidenced by nurses' knowledge/competency deficits and negative attitudes. Through ongoing/continued education, the cultivation of a therapeutic culture toward patients that present to the ED for mental health complaints could result. Additionally, these improvements in care, in turn, could promote not only the closure of gaps that exist for quality mental healthcare but may also lead to an increase in …

Deterring Delirium In The Intensive Care Unit, Kimberly Allen

MSN Capstone Projects

There is growing concern about the increase in cases of delirium associated with a critical care hospitalization encounter. Discovery of different types of research that can eliminate or at least minimize occurrences of delirium including early recognition, eye masks and earplug usage, and environmental changes have show promise in reducing the risk of ICU delirium.

Determining The Optimal Healthcare System For America: Comparing The Current American And Universal Healthcare Systems, Tejas Kandharkar

University Honors Program

U.S. citizens ranked healthcare as the most important issue when it comes to voting (Zieff, 2020). The healthcare system’s importance is evident which is why it is important to determine what healthcare system is optimal for America. I used core indicators to compare the current American healthcare system and universal healthcare system and evaluated them for four key parameters. Based on my analysis, I conclusively determined that the universal healthcare system (Score: 8.23/10) is more optimal than the current American healthcare system (Score: 5.10/10). The American system had a somewhat better quality of care but the universal healthcare system was …

Burnout Among Intensive Care Nurses, Julia Brown

MSN Capstone Projects

At a time when the healthcare system is experiencing strain due to the current health crisis and nursing shortages, talking about, and addressing nursing mental health is of the utmost importance. Nurses who work in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) often face more stress due to the patient population they work with. These stresses can lead to burnout and moral distress if not addressed appropriately. Nurses should have a system in place at their workplace and tools readily available to support their mental health while on the job. Through a literature search, it is proposed that an initiation of …

Covid-19 Investigated In Terms Of Disparities: An Analysis Of The Past, Present, And Future Of Public Health In Illinois, Hannah Deblock

University Honors Program

As a relatively new topic, previous literature fails to address the relation of social determinants of health to COVID-19. By combining existing knowledge on previous epidemics, information on the role of social determinants of health, and data on COVID-19, conclusions can be made about the path going forward. Historically, nonpharmacologic interventions such as quarantine periods, face coverings, and social distancing have been used in epidemics such as the Spanish Influenza of 1918-19. In terms of social determinants of health, geographical location, educational level, and income level all play a part in the health of an individual. Rather than emphasizing personal …

Using The Behaviour Change Wheel Program Planning Model To Design Games For Health: Development Study, Michael C Robertson, Tom Baranowski, Debbe Thompson, Karen M Basen-Engquist, Maria Chang Swartz, Elizabeth J Lyons

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Games for health are a promising approach to health promotion. Their success depends on achieving both experiential (game) and instrumental (health) objectives. There is little to guide game for health (G4H) designers in integrating the science of behavior change with the art of game design.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to extend the Behaviour Change Wheel program planning model to develop Challenges for Healthy Aging: Leveraging Limits for Engaging Networked Game-Based Exercise (CHALLENGE), a G4H centered on increasing physical activity in insufficiently active older women.

METHODS: We present and apply the G4H Mechanics, Experiences, and Change (MECHA) …

Systematic Review Of Pathways To Care In The U.S. For Black Individuals With Early Psychosis, Oladunni Oluwoye, Beshaun Davis, Franchesca S. Kuhney, Deidre M. Anglin

Publications and Research

The pathway to receiving specialty care for first episode psychosis (FEP) among Black youth in the US has received little attention despite documented challenges that negatively impact engagement in care and clinical outcomes. We conducted a systematic review of US-based research, reporting findings related to the pathway experiences of Black individuals with FEP and their family members. A systematic search of PubMed, PsycInfo, and Embase/Medline was performed with no date restrictions up to April 2021. Included studies had samples with at least 75% Black individuals and/or their family members or explicitly examined racial differences. Of the 80 abstracts screened, 28 …

Bi-Allelic Variants In Ogdhl Cause A Neurodevelopmental Spectrum Disease Featuring Epilepsy, Hearing Loss, Visual Impairment, And Ataxia, Zheng Yie Yap, Stephanie Efthymiou, Simone Seiffert, Karen Vargas Parra, Sukyeong Lee, Alessia Nasca, Reza Maroofian, Isabelle Schrauwen, Manuela Pendziwiat, Sunhee Jung, Elizabeth Bhoj, Pasquale Striano, Kshitij Mankad, Barbara Vona, Sanmati Cuddapah, Anja Wagner, Javeria Raza Alvi, Elham Davoudi-Dehaghani, Mohammad-Sadegh Fallah, Srinitya Gannavarapu, Costanza Lamperti, Andrea Legati, Bibi Nazia Murtaza, Muhammad Shahid Nadeem, Mujaddad Ur Rehman, Kolsoum Saeidi, Vincenzo Salpietro, Sarah Von Spiczak, Abigail Sandoval, Sirous Zeinali, Massimo Zeviani, Adi Reich, Synaps Study Group, University Of Washington Center For Mendelian Genomics, Cholsoon Jang, Ingo Helbig, Tahsin Stefan Barakat, Daniele Ghezzi, Suzanne M Leal, Yvonne Weber, Henry Houlden, Wan Hee Yoon

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase-like (OGDHL) protein is a rate-limiting enzyme in the Krebs cycle that plays a pivotal role in mitochondrial metabolism. OGDHL expression is restricted mainly to the brain in humans. Here, we report nine individuals from eight unrelated families carrying bi-allelic variants in OGDHL with a range of neurological and neurodevelopmental phenotypes including epilepsy, hearing loss, visual impairment, gait ataxia, microcephaly, and hypoplastic corpus callosum. The variants include three homozygous missense variants (p.Pro852Ala, p.Arg244Trp, and p.Arg299Gly), three compound heterozygous single-nucleotide variants (p.Arg673Gln/p.Val488Val, p.Phe734Ser/p.Ala327Val, and p.Trp220Cys/p.Asp491Val), one homozygous frameshift variant (p.Cys553Leufs∗16), and one homozygous stop-gain variant (p.Arg440Ter). To support the …

Implementing Evidence-Based Treatment Of Patients With Opioid Use Disorder In An Inpatient Addiction Treatment Center, Emily Ashley

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Patients with opioid use disorder are at increased risk for overdose and death should they relapse due to reduced opioid tolerance after a period of abstinence. A retrospective chart review was performed at an inpatient drug and alcohol treatment center to identify areas in need of improvement. The global aim of this project was to promote patient adherence to treatment, as well as increase the prevention of patient overdose and death after inpatient treatment. Project objectives include improving provider management of opioid use disorder through standardizing patient education, increasing prescription of relapse prevention medication, initiating prescription of naloxone at discharge …

Identifying Functional Profiles Of Challenging Behaviors In Autism Spectrum Disorder With Unsupervised Machine Learning, Emily Daskas

Computational and Data Sciences (MS) Theses

Machine learning and deep learning methods are becoming increasingly used in the understanding, identification, and improvement of the diagnosis and treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder. People with ASD often exemplify challenging behaviors that can put their safety, education, and general quality of life at risk. Challenging behaviors are driven by one of four functions. The combination of common occurrences of challenging behaviors and their respective behavioral functions are unique to the individual and circumstance, and the most successful therapies account for both challenging behaviors and their respective functions. Therefore, it is important that research is done on these concepts to …

A Consortium Approach To Building A Recovery-Ready Community In Tooele County, Utah, Maren Wright Wright Voss, Gabriele Ciciurkaite, Erin F. Madden, Katie Zaman, Sandra H. Sulzer

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

Substance Use Disorder (SUD) remains a critical issue in rural and tribal populations of Utah. In response, we created a consortium of recovery programs, tribal partners, social scientists, substance use disorders counselors, and treatment specialists to target prevention, treatment and recovery programming efforts in Tooele County, Utah.

Implementation Of An Interprofessional Fall Prevention Program To Reduce Falls On An Older Adult Inpatient Psychiatric Unit, Teresa Woodson

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Background. Falls are the most reported incidents in the hospital setting, especially among older adults. According to the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI), the number of falls in inpatient psychiatric units is 13-25 per 1,000 patient days, compared to 4 per 1,000 days for medical-surgical units. This DNP project aims to implement an interprofessional fall risk team to reduce falls in an older adult inpatient psychiatric unit. Problem. The psychiatric inpatient units had a total of 31 falls, with 13 (40%) occurring on the older adult unit. Interventions. Education of nursing staff, providers, and physical therapy (PT) …

Substance Use Among College Students During Covid-19 Times: A Negative Coping Mechanism Of Escapism, Manoj Sharma, Kavita Batra

Social and Behavioral Health Faculty Research

No abstract provided.

Feedback-Informed Treatment (Fit) Data Demonstrates The Importance Of The First Session With A Client, Huma Bashir, Josephine F. Wilson, Greta H. Meyer

Human Services Faculty Publications

Feedback Informed Treatment (FIT) is a client-driven, outcome-based approach to enhance treatment outcomes. FIT data from 2,283 clients served by 80 counselors working at nine participating agencies were collected and analyzed to measure client response. These data included Outcome Rating Scale (ORS) scores obtained at the beginning of each session and Session Rating Scale (SRS) scores obtained at the end of each session. TotalORS and Total SRS scores at the first session for the individuals who failed to improve from first to last sessions were significantly lower than the Total ORS and Total SRS scores at the first session for …