Mental and Social Health Commons^™

Preparing For Pandemics: Lesson Plan Design For Children In Elementary School, Daniella Rivera, Enkhtsogt (Steve) Sainbayar, Saleem Choudry, Brittany Vaughn Pierce, Roxana Nouri-Nikbakht, Joy H. Lewis D.O., Phd

Intellectus

Context: The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated distance learning to attenuate the spread of the virus, and school-aged children were particularly affected by this change. Because of their age and education level, children generally lacked understanding about the pandemic and the preventive measures necessary to prevent the spread of this and other infectious diseases. It is unknown how many schools nationwide incorporated disease-prevention education in their curriculums during the pandemic. Therefore, developing distance learning interventions that convey these topics at their level of understanding is important to improve health literacy and raise their awareness of factors that positively influence health.

Objective: To …

Integration Of A Culturally Appropriate Method Of Delivering Health Information In A Non-Clinical Setting, Nancy Nguyen, Merett Saad, Andrew Vo, Alejandro Castaneda, Uriel Martinez, Jonathan Do, Kevin Trembley, Imran Javaid, Hargurbir Alhuwalia, Jaskirat Malhi, Carolina Quezada M.D., Joy H. Lewis D.O., Phd

Intellectus

Context:

A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (ATSU-SOMA) has an established partnership with Family HealthCare Network (FHCN). Initial meetings with the local community outreach department identified that a substantial majority of the Hispanic population served by this health center may lack access to health education. In particular, Spanish-speaking patients at the health center may face language barriers that impair the transfer of health education between the providers, patients, and their families.

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to provide health educational presentations in Spanish in order to improve health knowledge relating to women’s and children’s health. …

Covid-19 Infection With Severe Hypothermia In A Fully Vaccinated Patient, Kathleen E.H. Douangchak

Intellectus

Hypothermia is an uncommon presentation of COVID-19 infection, typically observed in patients with severe disease prior to the availability of vaccines. However, the occurrence of hypothermia in vaccinated patients with COVID-19 disease has not yet been documented. This case reports a rare presentation of severe hypothermia in a 41-year-old female with COVID-19 disease, who suffered from several comorbidities, including heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, chronic pericardial effusion, nephrotic syndrome, CKD 4, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, thyroid cancer status post-thyroidectomy with resultant postsurgical hypothyroidism, glaucoma, and anemia of chronic disease. Upon presentation, the patient was encephalopathic with hypothermia of 27.2 …

Form, Function, And Meaning Of Hiking In Bipoc Communities, Karen Rosales, Karen Park

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

This poster presentation is about understanding the form, function, and meaning for hiking in BIPOC communities. This study used a mixed methods approach to obtain quantitative data through a survey and qualitative data through an interview. Through the use of an Occupational Science approach this study aimed to capture the lived experience of those participating in hiking. Understanding the knowledge of individuals occupations is beneficial for Occupational Therapist when working with versatile populations to understand their motivation and culture.

Community Reintegration Of Formerly Incarcerated Persons: An Occupational Therapy Guidebook, Shauntrice Woodberry, Angela Labrie Blackwell Phd, Otr, Steven Gerardi Phd, Otr

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

The recidivism rates in the US are the highest, as the current research suggests the majority of offenders (two-thirds) released from prison in any given year will be reincarcerated within three years (Eggers et al., 2006). The high rates of recidivism suggest that the criminal justice system has not been able to successfully identify the needs of incarcerated individuals necessary to support the success of their community integration process.

Since there are no published guidelines available to OT practitioners to guide their provision of community reintegration services to formerly incarcerated persons, the product of this capstone was a guidebook.

Exploring The Post-Surgical Needs Of Guatemalan Children And Their Families From Low Socioeconomic Status (Ses) Communities Using An Occupational Therapy Perspective, Diana Del Carmen Tojin Romero, Karen Aranha, Angela Labrie Blackwell

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Background: Despite a decline in infant mortality rates in the Global South (GS), there has been a rise in congenital and developmental disabilities. International short-term medical (ISTM) missions in Guatemala seek to address the surgical needs of children from low SES communities, but the understanding of the impacts of such assistance and the post-surgical needs of these communities remains limited. Embracing the Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA) to healthcare as a foundation for this study recognizes health as a fundamental human right. The main tenets of this approach will guide this investigation to understand the post-surgical needs of children and their …

The Perceived Benefits Of Belonging To A Community Organization For People With Parkinson's Disease (Pwpd): An Ethnographic Study, Alexis Fortes, Mary Ann Smith, Karen Aranha, Kelli Cabrera

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Background: Persons with Parkinson’s (PwPD) seek to age in place and slow the functional decline that comes with the disease process. Membership in community-based and fitness programs provides a social safe environment that significantly impacts an individual’s psychological well-being and occupational independence. The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) supports and promotes partnering with community organizations that promote and valuemaintaining occupational independence for community dwellers.

Objective: This study investigated the perceived benefits of belonging to a community organization that supports health management and well-being for PwPD.

Methods: A qualitative ethnographic study used immersive participant observation, and conducted two …

Evidence Based Practices To Guide Practitioners On Providing Racially Informed Care (Ric): A Scoping Review, Veronica Ajose, Angela Labrie Blackwell, Charae Mcconnell

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

All forms of racism impact the health, well-being, safety, and occupations of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). There is a gap in Occupational Therapy (OT) curricula and literature on how practitioners should address the issue of racism. This presentation presents the background, problem, purpose, methods, results, and implications for occupational therapy practice for a scoping review that sought to review sought to identify and synthesize interventions that align with Racially Informed Care (RIC).

Leisure Exploration For Individuals Recovering From Substance Use Disorder, Laura Head, Susan Macdermott Otd, Otr/L

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Individuals in recovery from a substance use disorder often report feeling the desire to fill their time with meaning and that time they spent misusing substances was unfulfilling. This poster provides background on what a substance use disorder is and the effects it may have on a person's life. It also dives into the methods used to create, propose, and implement a creative expression group for homeless transitional-aged youth, 18-25, and an exercise group for individuals in recovery from SUD. Finally, this poster discusses the implications of implementing and maintaining programs occupational therapist lead programs in community mental health settings.

Enhance The Use Of Arts, Crafts, And Creative Expression Within Ot Practice, Genevieve England, Susan Macdermott

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Through the evolution of occupational therapy, the presence of arts and crafts within the profession has decreased. It is a possibility that the cause stems from lack of exposure to crafts, decreased craft related coursework within OT school programming, as well as the shift towards medical model-based OT interventions. The purpose of this project was to gain an understanding of arts and crafts and/or creative expression within OT practice in order to create an effective program.

Estimation Of Health Risks Caused By Metals Contained In E-Cigarette Aerosol Through Passive Vaping, Anne Buu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

It is expected that secondary exposure to e-cigarette aerosol (passive vaping) will soon become an issue of public health. Passive vaping inhales e-cigarette aerosol containing similar harmful substances as active vaping. However, parallel studies on passive vaping are minimal. Therefore, there is a need for passive vaping-related health risk studies to assess the impact of vaping on public health. This research conducted a series of experiments in a room using a puffing machine and the Mobile Aerosol Lung Deposition Apparatus (MALDA) to study e-cigarette aerosol respiratory deposition through passive vaping. The experimental data acquired were applied to estimate the deposited …

Enhancing Long-Term Outcomes: Implementing Community Engaged Research To Augment Substance Use Disorder Treatment, Kevin M. Quinn

Masters Theses

The Universal Evaluation Tool is an intuitive self-assessment instrument to enhance long-term treatment outcomes for Guiding Light’s residential addiction rehabilitation program. Designed as a versatile method for collecting primary data, the Universal Evaluation Tool can be administered to clients at any point during the recovery program (i.e., intake to discharge). The data collected from the survey can be used as a framework to guide treatment decisions, develop personalized care plans, offer insight into a client’s progress, and collect baseline data (e.g., sociodemographic characteristics) on a treatment population for use in grant applications.

A pilot study to generate preliminary data was …

A Survey Analysis Of Southeastern U.S. Dairy Producers’ Emotional States And Their Subjective Pain Perception Of Dairy Cows, Michelle M. Schuh

Theses and Dissertations

Dairy producers play a central role in evaluating and seeking treatment or care for animal pain. The primary aim of this study is to examine dairy producers’ emotional states and professional quality of life and analyze the relationship between these variables and their perception of pain in dairy cattle. Dairy farm owners and managers of 65 southeastern U.S. herds participated in a survey that included demographic information, the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale, a modified Professional Quality of Life Scale, and 23 items requiring participants to evaluate various painful conditions in cattle.

Dog Tired: Examining The Relation Between Dog And/Or Cat Ownership And Owners’ Sleep, Courtney J. Bolstad

Theses and Dissertations

Sleep is an essential part of life, and obtaining quality sleep is important for various areas of functioning. Behaviors to promote sleep include physical activity, managing stress, reducing anxiety symptoms, maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, and obtaining bright light exposure. Many of these behaviors overlap with benefits observed from pet ownership (PO). The present study aimed to examine the relation between PO and sleep as well as moderators and mediators of this relation. Four research questions were examined: 1) Is PO significantly related to sleep? 2) Does gender moderate the relation between PO and sleep? 3) Do sleep-promoting behaviors (i.e., …

Students Of Color And Covid-19: Experiences, Coping Strategies, And Supports, Amie S. Kang, Barbora Hoskova, Chung Yu Liu, Arisa Viddayakorn, Molly Binder, Belle Liang, Betty S. Lai

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

The coronavirus disease of 2019, known as the COVID-19 pandemic, is a disaster event that posed significant physical, social, financial, and mental health risks to college students. Disproportionate experiences of stressors position students of color as a population particularly vulnerable to the negative impacts of COVID-19, thus, the current study assessed the impact of COVID-19 on undergraduate students of color in the United States. Students participated in semi-structured in-depth interviews about their experiences with stressors during the pandemic. Data were analyzed using conventional content analysis and revealed themes including (a) the pandemic’s impact on students; (b) basic needs as college …

Addressing Psychosocial Client Factors In People With Cancer: An Occupational Therapy Guidebook, Hannah Marlette, Steven M. Gerardi, Tiffany Bystra

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

People with cancer have an increased risk of impaired occupational engagement and occupational performance due to the physical, cognitive, and psychosocial impacts of cancer and cancer treatment (Duker & Sleight, 2019; Pergolotti et al., 2016; Polo & Smith, 2018).

The involvement of occupational therapy (OT) in the care of people with cancer remains limited, resulting in a finite amount of literature on OT interventions to address this population (Pergolotti et al., 2016). The primary focus of OT for people with cancer has been on physical client factors and interventions, and people with cancer report that their psychosocial factors are being …

Pediatric Firearm Injury Epidemiology At A Level 1 Trauma Center From 2019 To 2021: Including Time Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Irma T Ugalde

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Firearms are a leading cause of death in children. The demand for firearms increased following COVID-19 "stay-at home orders" in March 2020, resulting in record-breaking firearm sales and background checks. We aim to describe the changes in pediatric firearm-related injuries, demographics, and associated risk factors at a Level 1 trauma center in Houston before and during the COVID 19 pandemic.

RESULTS: The total number of pediatric firearm-related injury cases increased during March 15th to December 31st, 2020 and 2021 compared to the same time period in 2019 (104 verses 89 verses 78). The demographic group most affected across years …

Geriatric Interest Plan For Individuals With Dementia: Improved Quality Of Life, Alexis T. Francois

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

The purpose of this Capstone experience was to identify the specific needs to improve the quality of life for individuals with Dementia and Alzheimer’s. According to the Alzheimer’s Association (2022a), 1 in 9 people aged 65 and older have dementia. It is imperative for people living with this disease to be actively involved in meaningful activities that can reduce their negative symptoms. People with dementia constitute 40% of patients with significant depression (Alzheimer’s Association, 2022a). The common risk factors that increase the likelihood of depression in these adults include social isolation and loneliness, lack of exercise, and functional limitations that …

Csf1r Regulates Schizophrenia-Related Stress Response And Vascular Association Of Microglia/Macrophages, Fangling Xuan, Junchao Huang, Hongna Li, Wenjin Chen, Baopeng Tian, Zhiren Wang, Shuping Tan, Alexander Zharkovsky, L Elliot Hong, Yunlong Tan, Li Tian

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Microglia are known to regulate stress and anxiety in both humans and animal models. Psychosocial stress is the most common risk factor for the development of schizophrenia. However, how microglia/brain macrophages contribute to schizophrenia is not well established. We hypothesized that effector molecules expressed in microglia/macrophages were involved in schizophrenia via regulating stress susceptibility.

METHODS: We recruited a cohort of first episode schizophrenia (FES) patients (n = 51) and age- and sex-paired healthy controls (HCs) (n = 46) with evaluated stress perception. We performed blood RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) and brain magnetic resonance imaging, and measured plasma level of colony stimulating …

My Happy Baby Is Back: Zero Balancing, Craniosacral Therapy And A Baby’S Journey To Becoming Mobile, Veronica Quarry

Journal of Transformative Touch

Alison began receiving ZB and CST at 13 months of age due to gross motor delays: at that age she was only able to sit somewhat rigidly. After the first session, Alison changed` from being very unhappy and seemingly frustrated to being happy and more calm. Within one month of weekly sessions, Alison was able to be on her tummy, began to crawl, became more agile in seated play, was squatting and standing and took her first steps.

The Efficacy Of Group-Based Acceptance And Commitment Therapy For Decreasing Post-Stroke Depression To Improve Functional Outcomes, Lindsay Marie Folsom

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

An Occupation Based Program: Supporting Mothers Through Pregnancy And Postpartum, Precious Barnett, Monica Watford, La'shandra Russell

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

This capstone project aimed to discover the effects of occupational therapy services with women who may experience or who are at risk for postpartum depression. Supporting Mothers Through Pregnancy and Postpartum is the developed capstone program. This program included occupation-based activities and resources to encourage occupational participation and engagement. This program used an integrative approach to support the participants of this project. This poster presentation includes background information regarding this population, the methods used to develop the program, program topic themes and goals, and links to view the program’s deliverables.

Identifying Associations Between The Family Environment And Anxiety And Depression Among Children Ages 0-17 In The United States, Reagan A. Richardson, Nicole M. Holt

OUR Journal: ODU Undergraduate Research Journal

This study analyzes whether physical, emotional & neurological, family environment, or community-related factors display the strongest association with anxiety and depression among children ages 0-17 in the United States.

Using IBM SPSS v. 27, we conducted a univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis on data from the 2017 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) with a sample size of 21,599. Our independent variables included 30 questions from the NSCH which were compared to a mental health index score.

Our study shows that about 10.6% of children suffer from either anxiety, depression, or both, and the univariate model found that 19 …

A Program Evaluation Of Domestic Violence Screening At A Large Urban Hospital., Taylor L'Heureux

Doctor of Nursing Practice Papers

Domestic violence has been deemed a direct invasion and violation of human rights by the World Health Organization (2021). Due to the continuous rise in cases of domestic violence, national organizations like the United States Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) have recommended that healthcare providers screen patients for this abuse. The purpose of this study was to reinforce the current screening procedure and protocol to ensure that each patient was screened for domestic violence before being discharged from the hospital. This study evaluated a quality improvement project formed to promote the completion of a preexisting domestic violence screening form that …

Introduction Of A Policy Adherence Plan In An Outpatient Buprenorphine Treatment Clinic., Stacie Switzer Cheney

Doctor of Nursing Practice Papers

Abstract

Background: Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) is one of the most effective pharmacological therapies for opioid dependence. Regular urine drug screening to include random urine drug screens at least once a month is a key factor in improving quality care for those receiving treatment in an outpatient MAT clinic.

Problem: A rural outpatient MAT clinic has a current random urine policy that is not being utilized when treating clients with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). This increases the risk of diversion and misuse of buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone), thus increasing the risk of overdose and death for OUD patients.

Environment: This project was implemented …

Older Women’S Stories Of Covid-19 Loss: Communicated Narrative Sense-Making Through Photography, Anne Walker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The diverse array of challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic make it difficult to assess the full impact of this global health crisis. More than 300,000 older Americans died, leaving a nation of grieving survivors in their absence. This profound loss of life will undoubtedly inform the field’s understanding of grief and grieving for many years to come. Pre-pandemic, older women in the United States understood grief to be part of their life stage; COVID-19 amplified the grief experience through both cumulative losses and the isolation particular to the novel coronavirus response. However, few qualitative studies explore older women’s grief, …

A Call To Action: Person-Centered Care Aligned With Reproductive Justice For Incarcerated Pregnant People With Substance Use Disorder, Essence Hairston, Aunchalee El Palmquist, Andrea K. Knittel, Kevin Mensah-Biney, Crystal M. Hayes, Amelia Mack, Hendrée E. Jones

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Although research has proven that jails and prisons are ineffective in preventing or reducing substance use among pregnant people, the USA continues to rely heavily on the criminal legal system as its intervention. Pregnant people with an opioid use disorder are more likely to experience incarceration than pregnant people without an opioid use disorder. In some states, pregnant people are transported from jail to prison through the process of safekeeping in order to receive physical or mental health care that the jail does not provide, despite conviction status. When pregnant and postpartum safekeepers with an opioid use disorder experience incarceration, …

Greater Portland Health Homeless Opioid User Service Engagement Program: Final Evaluation Report, Mary Lindsey Smith Phd, Evelyn Ali Bs, Tyler Egeland Ba, Katharine Freund Mph, Thomas Chalmers Mclaughlin Msw, Phd, Katie Rosingana Ba

Substance Use Research & Evaluation

Given the high rates of overdoses in the Bayside area of Portland, Maine, as well as the shortage of providers and services to meet the complex medical and social determinant of health (SDOH) needs of individuals who are experiencing homlessness (IWAEH), with funds from the State of Maine, Greater Portland Health and Preble Street collaborated to implement the HOUSE Program. The HOUSE Program was implemented in the Greater Portland metropolitan area with a specific focus on expanding the continuum of care at Greater Portland Health’s Bayside Homeless site to include comprehensive SUD treatment, case management and housing services to IWAEH. …

Neuroimaging Manifestatations In Covid-19 And Its Sequelae, Abhigna M, Vikram Patil

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged as a novel pathogenic virus in late 2019, infecting millions of people with severe pulmonary infections. It spread worldwide in a short time and became a pandemic, after which the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a public health emergency. Central nervous system involvement by COVID-19 is already an established entity in the literature. The aim of this study was to evaluate in detail the acute and delayed neurological manifestations of COVID -19.

RESULTS: COVID-19 infection can cause various neurologic manifestations and imaging findings. The most common neuroradiological abnormality is cerebrovascular …

Clinical And Demographic Attributes Of Patients With Diabetes Associated With The Utilization Of Telemedicine In An Urban Medically Underserved Population Area, Lisa Ariellah Ward, Gulzar H. Shah, Kristie C. Waterfield

Health Policy & Community Health: Faculty Publications

Marginalized populations often experience health disparities due to the significant obstacles to care associated with social, economic, and environmental inequities. When compared with advantaged social groups, these populations frequently experience increased risks, poorer health outcomes, and reduced quality of life (QoL). This research examines the clinical and demographic characteristics—age, gender, and race—related to patients with varying stages of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), comparing the utilization of telemedicine (TM) with traditional healthcare face-to-face (F2F) appointments in an urban medically underserved population area (UMUPA). A logistic regression model, was used to analyze retrospective electronic patient health records (EHRs) from 1 January …