Mental and Social Health Commons^™

Digital Health Intervention For Children With Adhd To Improve Mental Health Intervention, Patient Experiences, And Outcomes: A Study Protocol, Nancy Herrera, Franceli L. Cibrian, Lucas M. Silva, Jesus Armando Beltran, Sabrina E. B. Schuck, Gillian R. Hayes, Kimberley D. Lakes

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most prevalent childhood psychiatric condition with profound public health, personal, and family consequences. ADHD requires comprehensive treatment; however, lack of communication and integration across multiple points of care is a substantial barrier to progress. Given the chronic and pervasive challenges associated with ADHD, innovative approaches are crucial. We developed the digital health intervention (DHI)—CoolTaCo [Cool Technology Assisting Co-regulation] to address these critical barriers. CoolTaCo uses Patient-Centered Digital Healthcare Technologies (PC-DHT) to promote co-regulation (child/parent), capture patient data, support efficient healthcare delivery, enhance patient engagement, and facilitate shared decision-making, thereby improving access to …

Health Outcomes Reported By Healthcare Providers And Clients Of A Community-Based Medically Tailored Meal Program, Jessica M Sautter, Jule Anne Henstenburg, Adrian Glass Crafford, Ian Rowe-Nicholls, Victor S Diaz, Kaitlyn Ann Bartholomew, Julia S Evans, Maria R Johnson, Jeffrey Zhou, Deeksha Ajeya

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: Medically tailored meal (MTM) programs provide home-delivered meals to people living with serious illness and poor nutritional status. Client outcome studies have found evidence of decreased healthcare utilization and cost savings associated with MTM program participation, and inconclusive evidence of change in health measures. The purpose of this study was to use a novel observational framework to describe the client profile and change in health outcomes using routinely collected health and program data from a community-based MTM program at MANNA (Philadelphia, PA).

METHODS: Clients reported their self-rated health and experiences of food insecurity and malnutrition. Healthcare providers reported clients' …

Expansion And Evaluation Of Level Ii And Iii Recovery Residences For People Taking Medications For An Opioid Use Disorder: Project Homes (Housing For Mar Expanded Services) Study Protocol, J M Wilkerson, Kathryn R Gallardo, Serena Rodriguez, Henry Shelton Brown, Cecilia M Ganduglia Cazaban, James J Yang, Estevan R Herrera, Isaiah Niles Zoschke, Hannah L N Stewart, Sheryl A Mccurdy

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: As the US continues to battle the opioid epidemic, recovery residences remain valuable services for people in recovery. While there is a growing body of literature describing positive outcomes experienced by people who live in recovery residences, little is known about the experience of people who live in these residences while taking medications for an opioid use disorder (MOUD) as part of their recovery. Thus, this study has three aims: (1) expand the availability of recovery residences that meet the National Alliance for Recovery Residences standards in Texas and serve individuals taking medications for an opioid use disorder as …

Age-Related Decline In Blood-Brain Barrier Function Is More Pronounced In Males Than Females In Parietal And Temporal Regions, Xingfeng Shao, Qinyang Shou, Kimberly Felix, Brandon Ojogho, Xuejuan Jiang, Brian T Gold, Megan M Herting, Eric L Goldwaser, Peter Kochunov, Elliot Hong, Ioannis Pappas, Meredith Braskie, Hosung Kim, Steven Cen, Kay Jann, Danny J J Wang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) plays a pivotal role in protecting the central nervous system (CNS), and shielding it from potential harmful entities. A natural decline of BBB function with aging has been reported in both animal and human studies, which may contribute to cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disorders. Limited data also suggest that being female may be associated with protective effects on BBB function. Here, we investigated age and sex-dependent trajectories of perfusion and BBB water exchange rate (kw) across the lifespan in 186 cognitively normal participants spanning the ages of 8-92 years old, using a non-invasive diffusion-prepared pseudo-continuous arterial …

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Combined With Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation For Depression: A Randomized Clinical Trial, Dongsheng Zhou, Xingxing Li, Shuochi Wei, Chang Yu, Dongmei Wang, Yuchen Li, Jiaxin Li, Junyao Liu, Shen Li, Wenhao Zhuang, Yanli Li, Ruichenxi Luo, Zhiwang Liu, Jimeng Liu, Yongming Xu, Jialin Fan, Guidong Zhu, Weiqian Xu, Yiping Tang, Raymond Y Cho, Thomas R Kosten, Xiang-Yang Zhang

Staff and Researcher Publications

IMPORTANCE: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) are both recognized as effective treatments for depression when applied individually. However, it is unknown whether rTMS combined with tDCS has better efficacy in the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD).

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical effectiveness and safety of rTMS, tDCS, tDCS + rTMS, and sham tDCS + sham rTMS after 2 weeks of treatment in patients with MDD.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This double-blind, sham-controlled randomized clinical trial was conducted from November 2021 to April 2023 at 3 hospitals in China (Kangning Hospital affiliated with Ningbo …

Burnout And Employee Satisfaction Of Mental Health Clinicians In Corrections, Jeremy C. Capuyon, Lindsay Gietzen

Pacific Journal of Health

Approximately 1.9 million individuals are currently incarcerated within the United States. Rehabilitation and preparation for parole back into the community is common goal amongst correctional facilities. Mental health clinicians (social workers and psychologists) within the correctional facilities are providers who assist in the rehabilitation of inmates. Unfortunately, mental health clinicians in correctional facilities experience high rates of burnout and low levels of job satisfaction, resulting in an increase in turnover rates. This research project looks to investigate the impact burnout and employee satisfaction has on mental health clinicians who work in correctional settings. Furthermore, this research project compares burnout and …

Successful Application Of Craniosacral Therapy In A Case Of Colic In An 8-Week-Old Baby, Caro O’Neill, Angie Butterfield

Journal of Transformative Touch

This case study reports on the effectiveness of CranioSacral Therapy (CST) for an eight-week-old baby boy experiencing colic. A CST pediatric protocol was utilized during two sessions, a week apart, in May 2023. An improvement in symptoms was recorded after the first treatment. After the second treatment the baby was no longer presenting with symptoms related to infant colic. This case suggests that CST can be an effective support for babies experiencing infant colic.

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Psychosis And Personality Changes Following Traumatic Brain Injury, David Hanna, Sonya Priven, Nathan Carroll, Heba Ekladios, Adriana Fitzsimmons

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Psychotic disorders following traumatic brain injury (TBI) are a significant concern in psychiatry, with chronic sequelae often overlooked. The pathophysiology of post-TBI psychosis involves neuroplasticity and neuronal remodeling, potentially exacerbating vulnerabilities to chronic psychotic disorders. Differentiating post-TBI psychosis from primary schizophrenia and other psychotic conditions is crucial for appropriate treatment. This case report discusses a 63-year-old male with a history of TBI from a gunshot wound sustained in adolescence, who later developed schizophrenia. The report explores the patient's psychiatric symptoms, cognitive dysfunction, personality changes, and imaging findings. The report examined the complex relationship between TBI and psychotic symptoms, considering genetic, …

Culturally Responsive, Trauma-Informed, Continuity Of Care(R) Toolkits: A Scoping Review, Ellen Mcevoy, Storm Henry, Maedeh Aboutalebi Karkavandi, Jillian Donnelly, Madeleine Lyon, Natalie Strobel, Jacqui Sundbery, Helen Mclachlan, Della Forster, Thiago Melo Santos, Simone Sherriff, Rhonda Marriott, Catherine Chamberlain

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Models of care that are culturally responsive, trauma-informed and provide continuity of care(r), are important components of care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents during the broad perinatal period (pregnancy to 2 years after birth; first 1000 days). Many health services do aim to incorporate these concepts in care provision, but often focus on only one.

Aim: To identify practical toolkits that guide implementation of culturally responsive care, trauma-informed care, or continuity of care(r) in the perinatal period, and map the key elements.

Methods: A scoping review was conducted. Relevant databases and grey literature were searched to identify …

Summary Of: Reaching Structurally Vulnerable Populations Using Low-Barrier Covid-19 Testing Clinics Co-Created With Community Based Organizations, David Ngandu, Gloria Sclar, Ambia Ahmed, Sumayo A Awale, Caroline Fernandes, Joshua Goldstein, Hina Hashmi, Shruti Joshi, Et Al.

Northern New England Clinical & Translational Research

The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affected people from structurally vulnerable communities. There was a need to improve COVID-19 testing in these communities to reduce viral spread and connect to treatment.

Study @ "Reaching Structurally Vulnerable Populations Using Low-Barrier COVID-1" by David Ngandu, Gloria D Sclar et al.

Nevada Problem Gambling Treatment System, Annual Report - Fiscal Year 2024, Andrea Dassopoulos, Jared Weissman, Bo J. Bernhard

International Gaming Institute Faculty Research

In FY2024, Nevada Problem Gambling Services offered outpatient, residential treatment, and crisis intervention across five Problem Gambling Specialty Clinics statewide. Collectively, these clinics served 427 Nevada residents. Northern Nevada’s Bristlecone Family Resources and New Frontier Treatment Center provided both outpatient and residential services, while Southern Nevada’s Dr. Robert Hunter International Problem Gambling Center, Mental Health Counseling and Consulting (MHCC), and Hope Medical Center offered outpatient services to individuals affected by gambling and their concerned others.

Outpatient enrollments increased by 19% this fiscal year, while residential enrollments remained steady at the state-funded clinics. Additionally, 809 Nevadans were screened for gambling-related issues …

Mental Fatigue And Self-Care In Informal Oncology Caregivers: A Descriptive Mixed Methods Study, Megan Wayne

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Purpose:

This dissertation study aimed to enhance understanding of informal caregiver wellbeing by exploring the presence of mental fatigue, the relationships among mental fatigue, self-care, and informal oncology caregiver quality of life (QOL), and determining whether differences exist in self-care engagement and QOL between caregivers who report high and low levels mental fatigue.

Problem:

Healthcare is becoming increasingly reliant on informal caregivers for the management and care of individuals with serious illnesses such as cancer. Previous research has shown that informal caregivers routinely experience many negative effects as a result of providing care including decreased mental health and …

Roger Williams University Law Review Symposium: Trauma-Informed Lawyering: Approaches To Advocating For Diverse Populations November 15, 2024, Roger Williams University School Of Law

School of Law Conferences, Lectures & Events

No abstract provided.

Perceptions Of Substance Use Among The Latino Community In Massachusetts: A Qualitative Analysis, Fabián Torres-Ardila, Mariana Beu Rae, Germán Chiriboga, Kathryn G. Bateman, Daniela Bravo, Astha Lama, Leandra Vallejo

Gastón Institute Publications

The Mauricio Gastón Institute is a part of the Collaborative of Asian American, Native American, and Latino and African American Institutes (CANALA), linking institutes at the University of Massachusetts Boston that are dedicated to serving communities of color.1 In collaboration with CANALA, the Gastón Institute took part in a project that aims to help the Massachusetts Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS) better understand how Latino, Black, and Asian American communities in Massachusetts perceive and experience the opioid crisis. The Gastón Institute’s study focused on the Latino community and aimed to answer the following questions: 1. To what extent, and …

Reach Out When Help Is Needed, Michelle C. Dziurgot Dds

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This editorial emphasizes the importance of recognizing signs of emotional distress, particularly in the dental field, where long work hours and patient stress can take a toll. It highlights the need for suicide prevention and awareness training, advocating for open communication and mental health support within work families.

The author shares a personal story of losing a colleague and stresses the value of the American Dental Association's Postvention Toolkit. The Michigan Dental Association’s Member Assistance Program is also recommended as a resource for mental health and emotional support.

Building Resilience: A Specialty Clinic Tailored To Older Adults At Risk For Violence And Abuse, Melba A Hernandez-Tejada, Deborah M Little, Madeline J Bruce, Sarly Butte, Jason Burnett, Leila Wood, Ron Acierno

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: Both structural (e.g., ageism) and personal (e.g., stigma) barriers hinder older adults' access to and engagement with mental health care. These barriers are particularly problematic for those vulnerable to interpersonal violence and abuse (e.g., due to social isolation). This study presents a quality improvement program aimed at older adults who have experienced significant stressful events, particularly elder mistreatment, within a larger trauma specialty clinic. Leveraging home-based telemedicine, the clinic provides evidence-based psychotherapy tailored to the needs of older adults.

Methods: From 2021 through 2023, the authors retrospectively examined treatment initiation, engagement, completion, and clinical outcomes among 231 older adults …

Increased White Blood Cell In Young Adults With Family Histories Of Alcohol And Other Substance Use Disorders, Mustafa N Mithaiwala, Nikki S Phillips, Dylan H Nguyen, Melanie S Beehler, Harrison S Ballard, Andrea S Vincent, William R Lovallo, Peter Kochunov, L Elliot Hong, Jason C O'Connor, Steve Cole, Ashley Acheson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Individuals with a family history of alcohol or other substance use disorders (FH+) are at increased risk for developing alcohol and other substance use disorders (AUD/SUD) compared to individuals with no such family histories (FH-). FH+ young adults have blunted stress reactivity, lower cognitive performance and altered frontal white matter microstructure compared to FH- controls. We hypothesized that family history of AUD/SUD disrupts neuroendocrine regulation of the immune system in FH+ individuals, resulting in altered blood immune cell composition, inflammation and neurocognitive alterations that, ultimately, increases risk for AUD/SUD and associated psychopathology. We examined white blood cell (WBC) parameters derived …

Perceived Partner Responsiveness Alters The Association Between Marital Distress And Well-Being In Dementia Spousal Caregivers, Vincent D Lai, Jensine Paoletti-Hatcher, E Lydia Wu-Chung, Itee Mahant, Daniel L Argueta, Kelly N Brice, Bryan T Denny, Charles Green, Luis D Medina, Paul E Schulz, Jennifer M Stinson, Cobi J Heijnen, Christopher P Fagundes

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Caregivers for spouses with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) experience drastic changes in the marital relationship that may put them at risk for worsening well-being. Perceived partner responsiveness, or feeling cared for, understood, and appreciated by one's spouse, may help mitigate these effects. In this study, we investigated the associations between marital distress, perceived partner responsiveness, and psychological and physiological well-being indicators among ADRD spousal caregivers.

Method: A sample of 161 caregivers provided blood samples and completed self-report measures of marital distress, perceived partner responsiveness, and depressive symptoms. We tested hypotheses in our sample cross-sectionally based on two theoretical …

Metabolic Stress Induces A Double-Positive Feedback Loop Between Ampk And Sqstm1/P62 Conferring Dual Activation Of Ampk And Nfe2l2/Nrf2 To Synergize Antioxidant Defense, Eun-Ji Choi, Hyun-Taek Oh, Seon-Hyeong Lee, Chen-Song Zhang, Mengqi Li, Soo-Youl Kim, Sunghyouk Park, Tong-Shin Chang, Byung-Hoon Lee, Sheng-Cai Lin, Sang-Min Jeon

Staff and Researcher Publications

Co-occurring mutations in KEAP1 in STK11/LKB1-mutant NSCLC activate NFE2L2/NRF2 to compensate for the loss of STK11-AMPK activity during metabolic adaptation. Characterizing the regulatory crosstalk between the STK11-AMPK and KEAP1-NFE2L2 pathways during metabolic stress is crucial for understanding the implications of co-occurring mutations. Here, we found that metabolic stress increased the expression and phosphorylation of SQSTM1/p62, which is essential for the activation of NFE2L2 and AMPK, synergizing antioxidant defense and tumor growth. The SQSTM1-driven dual activation of NFE2L2 and AMPK was achieved by inducing macroautophagic/autophagic degradation of KEAP1 and facilitating the AXIN-STK11-AMPK complex formation on the lysosomal membrane, respectively. In contrast, …

Socio-Economic Disparities In Prenatal Prognosis And Intervention Accessibility, Simona Raluca Iacoban, Madalina Piron Dumitrascu, Camil Laurentiu Bohiltea, Ioan Dumitru Suciu, Silviu Cristian Voinea, Nicolae Suciu

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Objectives. This study aimed to assess the impact of socio-economic factors on prenatal care accessibility and outcomes and to evaluate the effectiveness of specialized integrative prenatal care in mitigating these disparities. Materials and Methods. A prospective cohort study was conducted between 2020 and 2023 in Bucharest, Romania, involving 100 pregnant women. Participants were equally divided into two groups that received standard and specialized prenatal care. Data were collected through structured interviews, medical record reviews, and standardized questionnaires at multiple time points during pregnancy and postpartum. Results. Women receiving integrative care had longer gestation periods (37.8 vs. 37.6 weeks), higher average …

Healthy Community Healthy Mind: An Evidence-Based Culturally Sensitive Aboriginal Child And Adolescent Mental Health Program, Shane Murphy, Kirra Roberts

Journal of the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet

This brief report describes an area of promising practice and a model of care that encapsulates the intersection of non-Indigenous methods and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being, and doing. The Ballarat and District Aboriginal Cooperative (BADAC) Aboriginal Child and Adolescent Mental Health Program provides evidence-based mental health practice integrating the cultural knowledge and lived experience of Aboriginal staff, clients, and families. The program focus is on building trust with community and clients. This paper presents the outcomes from the first year of the program. Data from referral and assessment processes and outcomes for the young people …

The Recent History And Near Future Of Digital Health In The Field Of Behavioral Medicine: An Update On Progress From 2019 To 2024, Danielle Arigo, Danielle E Jake-Schoffman, Sherry L Pagoto

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

The field of behavioral medicine has a long and successful history of leveraging digital health tools to promote health behavior change. Our 2019 summary of the history and future of digital health in behavioral medicine (Arigo in J Behav Med 8: 67-83, 2019) was one of the most highly cited articles in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine from 2010 to 2020; here, we provide an update on the opportunities and challenges we identified in 2019. We address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on behavioral medicine research and practice and highlight some of the digital health advances it prompted. We …

The Impact Of Changes In Depression On Cardiovascular Outcomes In Patients With Coronary Heart Disease., Nishant Vatsa, Josiah Bennett, Sonika Vatsa, Alireza Rahbar, Daniel A Gold, Vardhmaan Jain, Matthew E Gold, Alexander Razavi, Adithya Yadalam, Shivang Desai, Muhammad Owais, Joy D Hartsfield, Yi-An Ko, Laurence Sperling, Viola Vaccarino, Puja K Mehta, Arshed A Quyyumi

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: Depression is associated with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Whether longitudinal changes in depression affect MACE in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) remains unknown.

OBJECTIVES: The authors evaluated the hypothesis that increasing or persistent depression predicts MACE in patients with CHD.

METHODS: At baseline, 3,483 Emory Cardiovascular Biobank participants (median age 65.5 years, 31.6% female) completed the Patient Health Questionnaire 8 (PHQ8) for depression evaluation. At 1 year, 2,639 of these event-free participants repeated the questionnaire. Depression was defined as a PHQ8 score >9 and change in depressive symptoms (Δ" role="presentation"> PHQ8) was year 1 score minus baseline …

Demographic Characteristics, Perinatal Smoking Patterns, And Risk For Neonatal Health Complications Among Pregnant Smokers In The United States Who Begin Using Electronic Cigarettes During Pregnancy: A Descriptive Study Using Population-Based Surveillance Data., Hui Nian, Rachel Odland, Samantha Mindlin, Lin Ammar, Hilary Tindle, Angela M Miller, Kelli K Ryckman, Ethan Xie, Tina V Hartert, Brittney M Snyder, Steven M Brunwasser, Pingsheng Wu

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

INTRODUCTION: Health agencies have called for research evaluating e-cigarette (EC) use in supporting prenatal smoking cessation. This study aimed to describe (1) the characteristics of smokers who begin using electronic cigarettes (ECs) during pregnancy, (2) how frequently smokers reduce or eliminate pre- and post-natal combustible cigarette (CC) use, and (3) the risk for neonatal health complications among smokers who initiate ECs during pregnancy.

AIMS AND METHODS: Pregnant women using CCs exclusively during prepregnancy, who participated in a U.S. surveillance study, were classified by their reported late-pregnancy smoking behavior as CC-exclusive users, EC initiators, or quitters. EC initiators were further subclassified …

Early Use Of Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics In Bipolar Disorder Type I: An Expert Consensus, Martha Sajatovic

Faculty Scholarship

Introduction: Long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) are not routinely offered to patients living with bipolar disorder type I (BP-I), despite widespread evidence that supports their benefits over oral antipsychotics, particularly in early disease. Methods: A round-table meeting of psychiatrists convened to discuss barriers and opportunities and provide consensus recommendations around the early use of LAIs for BP-I. Results: LAIs are rarely prescribed to treat BP-I unless a patient has severe symptoms, sub-optimal adherence to oral antipsychotics, or has experienced multiple relapses. Beyond country-specific accessibility issues (e.g., healthcare infrastructure and availability/approval status), primary barriers to the effective use of LAIs were identified …

Policy-Relevant Differences Between Secondhand And Thirdhand Smoke: Strengthening Protections From Involuntary Exposure To Tobacco Smoke Pollutants, Georg E Matt, Lydia Greiner, Rachael A Record, Heather Wipfli, Jamie Long, Nathan G Dodder, Eunha Hoh, Nicolas Lopez Galvez, Thomas E Novotny, Penelope J E Quintana, Hugo Destaillats, Xiaochen Tang, Antoine M Snijders, Jian-Hua Mao, Bo Hang, Suzaynn Schick, Peyton Jacob, Prue Talbot, E Melinda Mahabee-Gittens, Ashley L Merianos, Thomas F Northrup, Lara Gundel, Neal L Benowitz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Starting in the 1970s, individuals, businesses and the public have increasingly benefited from policies prohibiting smoking indoors, saving thousands of lives and billions of dollars in healthcare expenditures. Smokefree policies to protect against secondhand smoke exposure, however, do not fully protect the public from the persistent and toxic chemical residues from tobacco smoke (also known as thirdhand smoke) that linger in indoor environments for years after smoking stops. Nor do these policies address the economic costs that individuals, businesses and the public bear in their attempts to remediate this toxic residue. We discuss policy-relevant differences between secondhand smoke and thirdhand …

Characterizing The Progression From Mild Cognitive Impairment To Dementia: A Network Analysis Of Longitudinal Clinical Visits, Muskan Garg, Sara Hejazi, Sunyang Fu, Maria Vassilaki, Ronald C Petersen, Jennifer St Sauver, Sunghwan Sohn

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: With the recent surge in the utilization of electronic health records for cognitive decline, the research community has turned its attention to conducting fine-grained analyses of dementia onset using advanced techniques. Previous works have mostly focused on machine learning-based prediction of dementia, lacking the analysis of dementia progression and its associations with risk factors over time. The black box nature of machine learning models has also raised concerns regarding their uncertainty and safety in decision making, particularly in sensitive domains like healthcare.

Objective: We aimed to characterize the progression of health conditions, such as chronic diseases and neuropsychiatric symptoms, …

Health Risks Associated With Adopting New-Generation Disposable Products Among Young Adults Who Use E-Cigarettes, Shuyao Ran, James J Yang, Megan E Piper, Hsien-Chang Lin, Anne Buu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

New-generation disposable e-cigarettes have become increasingly popular among young adults in the USA since the FDA's partial flavor ban. This study aims to examine longitudinal changes in health risks among young adults who adopted these novel products, as well as the health effects of device types beyond the effects of other important e-cigarette characteristics. This study recruited e-cigarette users via voluntary response sampling from three college campuses in the USA to respond to four-wave online surveys conducted in four consecutive semesters. Among the participants who adopted disposables during the study, their health risks (dependence symptoms, respiratory symptoms, combustible tobacco use) …

A Student-Community Partnership To Enhance Cancer Research Training, Rebecca J. Melillo, Christiane El Khoury, Amy L. Shaver, Moriah L. Cunningham, Nathalia Benavides, Quezia Lacerda, Felix J. Kim, Amy E. Leader

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Despite the importance of community involvement in research, little formal training in community outreach and engagement (COE) is offered to cancer research trainees. A collaboration between the Office of COE and the Office of Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination (CRTEC) at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Jefferson led to the COE-CRTEC Trainee Working Group, a unique program in which trainees in cancer research each created a novel COE initiative.

METHODS: Four cancer research trainees were selected to serve as COE Program Liaisons (CPLs), each aligned with one of the four cancer center research programs. Each CPL …

Young Children’S Mental Well-Being In Low-Income South African Settings: A Qualitative Study, Catherine E. Draper, Caylee J. Cook, Elizabeth A. Ankrah, Jesus A. Beltran, Franceli L. Cibrian, Jazette Johnson, Kimberley D. Lakes, Hanna Mofid, Lucretia Williams, Gillian R. Hayes

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

This qualitative study aimed to capture community perspectives of the risks and protective factors for social emotional development and mental health of young children in low-income South Africa settings, and was conducted as one component of a larger study with the ultimate aim of co-designing the Mazi Umntanakho (‘know your child’) digital tool. Twenty focus group discussions (n = 154, 97% female) were held with staff of community-based organisations (CBOs) and community health worker (CHW) programmes in urban and rural sites from four geographical regions. Data were analysed thematically, and grouped according to components of nurturing care (responsive caregiving, safety …