Public Health Commons^™

Reducing Stress Related To Injection Therapy: A Zen Bundle Approach, Valoree Bowen

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Background: Needle fear and stress are common barriers preventing adults from seeking necessary medical treatments, including intramuscular (IM) injection therapy. Research highlights the need for evidence-based interventions to mitigate this fear and improve patient experience.

Objective: This evidence-based pilot project included a Zen Bundle—an intervention incorporating shared decision-making, aromatherapy, and distraction—to evaluate the impact on stress reduction and patient satisfaction in a retail vitamin shop in North Texas.

Methods: The project utilized a pre-and post-intervention design over eight weeks. Participants completed pre-surveys assessing stress levels using a Visual Analog Scale before choosing an intervention (aromatherapy, distraction, or both) during IM …

An Application Of The Transtheoretical Model To Vaping Cessation: Measure Development For The Processes Of Change, Autumn Tamlyn

Open Access Master's Theses

Statement of the Problem: An estimated 18.6% of individuals aged 18-24 and 15.9% of individuals aged 25-29 are vaping, with approximately half of the individuals in each of these groups reporting daily use. With vaping behavior on the rise, the current study aims to provide valuable information to understand patterns of vaping behavior to support intervention development and implementation.

Method: The aim of the current study was to develop a Processes of Change (POC) measure for vaping cessation in a young adult population in the United States. Previous POC measures, extensive qualitative literature review, and review of existing …

Psychological Impacts In Exercise Riders And Professional Jockeys Following Injury, Kelley M. Renner

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

One of the most well-known equestrian sports, horse racing, is not only a cornerstone of Kentucky’s economy, but also a vital part of its culture, with professional jockeys playing an essential role in the local communities and traditions that define the state. Despite its popularity and financial impact, mental health challenges within the sport have continually been shrouded in silence and ignored in research (Ball et al., 2007). Equally concerning is the high injury prevalence, and psychological impact of these injuries (e.g., psychological distress, depression, anxiety, loss of identity, and self-esteem (King et al., 2022; Losty et al., 2019; McConn-Palfreyman …

Supports For Mental Well-Being Valued By Healthcare Workers: Qualitative Analysis Of Data From A Canadian Cohort Of Healthcare Workers During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Shannon Marie Ruzycki, Anil Adisesh, Quentin Durand-Moreau, France Labrèche, Tanis Zadunayski, Erica Stroud, Nicola Cherry

Études primaires

A prospective cohort of 4964 HCWs from four Canadian provinces was established early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were invited to comment about workplace mental health supports at three time points. We performed a thematic content analysis of responses from 1738 participants using the Social Support Behaviour Code framework to categorize barriers to support as informational, tangible, emotional, social, or expressing esteem. Themes were synthesized into suggestions for healthcare organizations to prepare for future crises. Formal and informal peer support, workplace mental health supports, and one-on-one counseling were most often mentioned as valued. Analysis suggested that workplace social networks as …

Expériences Vécues Et Perceptions De Personnes Étudiantes Internationales Sur Les Mesures Et Les Services Offerts Par Les Universités Québécoises Pendant La Pandémie De Covid-19 = Experiences And Perceptions Of International Students Regarding Measures And Services Offered By Quebec Universities During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Farrah Bérubé, Jessica Dubé, Jorge Frozzini, Daniel Côté

Études primaires

Cet article fait état d’une partie des résultats d’une recherche menée auprès de personnes étudiantes internationales (PÉI) qui fréquentaient des universités québécoises pendant la pandémie de COVID-19. La recherche portait sur les usages sociaux des technologies de l’information et de la communication (TIC) et sur la qualité de vie des PÉI en période de confinement. Les résultats présentés et discutés dans cet article se rapportent plus spécifiquement aux expériences et perceptions des PÉI sur les mesures et les services offerts par les universités en contexte de confinement. Afin de répondre à cet objectif, des entretiens semi-dirigés, menés auprès de 40 …

Caretaker Of Captors: The Experience Of Role Conflict Among State Correctional Officers, Camille M. Botticelli-Pohl

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

A variety of policies at the national level over the last 70 years have resulted in the mass incarceration of various marginalized populations, inclusive of individuals with mental health problems or severe mental illness. Although Constitutional mandates require that psychology staff be available at all state and federal facilities, these providers spend a fraction of the time with incarcerated people than correctional officers do. Correctional officers seem to play an important, if often overlooked, supporting role in the management of the day-to-day lives of people in custody, including elements of their mental health care. They are also, theoretically, tasked with …

Geriatric Care In Corrections: An Exploratory Study Of Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives On The Needs Of An Aging Prison Population, Cynthia A. Scheiderer

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The incarcerated population in the United States is aging. The proportion of adults 55 or older in prison rose from 3% in 1993 to 16% at year-end 2022 (Carson & Sabol, 2016; Carson & Kluckow, 2024). Researchers have consistently found evidence that the prevalence of disabilities and functional impairment is higher among older adults who are incarcerated than among those in the community. As the incarcerated population ages, corrections professionals responsible for providing safety, housing, and health care must respond to the needs of the population. In this qualitative study, 21 corrections professionals from the disciplines of custody, classification, medical, …

Reply [To Burnout Reflections: Musings On Bianchi And Schonfeld’S Five Focal Areas], Renzo Bianchi, Irvin Sam Schonfeld

Publications and Research

Contrary to what one might assume, the burnout construct did not emerge from systematic research. The definition of burnout was formulated in the 1970s based on prenotions and anecdotal evidence. No sound empirical studies, no in-depth theoretical reflections, not even a review of the stress literature underpinned the introduction of the construct. It is thus unsurprising that some observers regard the edifice of burnout research with scepticism. The pioneers of burnout research neglected basic scientific standards and, by overlooking the abundant work of contemporary stress researchers, deprived themselves of important safeguards against illusions of novelty making big claims based on …

Frequency And Perceived Influence Of Menopausal Symptoms On Training And Performance In Female Endurance Athletes, Heather M. Hamilton, Natalie M. Yarish, Kristin E. Heron

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Menopause is associated with several negative health concerns and common menopausal symptoms. Physical activity is essential to mitigate these negative effects, but menopausal symptoms may interfere with participation in physical activity. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency and the perceived negative effect of menopausal symptoms among female endurance athletes. Female runners, cyclists, swimmers, and triathletes 40–60 years of age were recruited (N = 187). Participants completed an online, anonymous survey that included self-reported menopausal status; the Menopausal Rating Scale (MRS), a validated measure for assessing menopausal symptoms; and the perceived effect of menopausal symptoms on …

Therapy-Based Strategies To Support Tummy Time In Infants Post-Hospital Discharge: A Scoping Review Protocol, Ketaki Inamdar, Sonia Khurana

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Tummy time is essential for infant development, yet many caregivers face significant challenges with adherence due to behavioral and contextual barriers. While numerous tummy time interventions exist, a limited understanding of their behavioral components hinders effective replication and implementation. This scoping review aims to identify multidisciplinary interventions used to promote tummy time in infants aged 0–12 months, evaluate their impact on adherence, developmental and health outcomes, and examine the behavior change techniques employed using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). Following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology, a comprehensive search will be conducted in MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science Core Collection, …

Smart Goal-Setting On Behaviors To Enhance Intrinsic Motivation For Exercise: A Pilot Study With Orangetheory Fitness Participants, Adam Relitz

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Abstract

PURPOSE: Sustaining long-term motivation for exercise remains a challenge within health and fitness, particularly when extrinsic factors like weight loss dominate motivational strategies. This study investigates the role of behavioral SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goal-setting in fostering intrinsic motivation, a self-driven form of engagement, among participants in a structured fitness program. The primary aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of a SMART goal-setting curriculum in promoting intrinsic motivation and behavior-based goals over external outcomes like losing weight. METHODS: Participants (N = 24) were recruited from a fitness challenge program and selected one behavioral SMART goal from a …

Money Matters: Investigating The Emotional, Cognitive, And Biological Pathways Connecting Maternal Early Life Financial Insecurity And Parenting Quality, Elise Power, Stacey N. Doan

CMC Senior Theses

Early life adversity has been shown to have a variety of negative effects on adult functioning, including parenting quality, with implications for child wellbeing. Adverse early life experiences including poverty have been linked to long-term disruptions in emotional, cognitive, and physiological functioning that compromise the ability to provide sensitive, nurturing care. The present study investigated whether emotional regulation difficulties, physiological regulation, and cognitive function mediate the relationship between early life financial insecurity and parenting quality. A sample of 132 mother-child dyads completed self-report measures, biological samples, and cognitive assessments. A multiple mediation model ran in SPSS, revealed a significant indirect …

Post-Migration Living Distress And Suicidal Behavior In Refugee Populations Resettled In Vermont, Phoebe K. Lewis

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The study of refugee psychology and suicidal distress is a comparatively nascent field when compared with the body of research concerning non-refugee populations. Over the past fifty years, however, the post-migration refugee experience has been the subject of growing clinical interest. In particular, the construct of post-migration living distress (PMLD) has been identified as a salient factor contributing to psychological distress in refugee populations. This dissertation explores the relationship between PMLD and suicidality in a sample of refugees resettled in a New England city. Guided by the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (IPTS), this dissertation considers how elements of the post-migration …

Approval Of Parent-Child Aggression As A Mediator Of Intergenerational Child Abuse Risk: An Evaluation Of Racial Differences, Casie H. Morgan, Christina M. Rodriguez, Doris F. Pu, Zoe O. Elkins

Psychology Faculty Publications

Purpose

Personal history of parent-child aggression (PCA) can predict future parenting behavior, but some effects may differ between racial groups. Black parents in the U.S. are more likely to encounter discrimination and personally experience and approve of PCA, which may account for previously reported group differences. This study examined whether personal PCA history predicted later parental child abuse risk mediated by PCA approval across the transition to parenthood, and whether effects differed by race.

Methods

Expectant parents (non-Hispanic White sample: 95 mothers with 86 fathers; Black sample: 94 mothers with 85 fathers) participated in a prospective longitudinal study, assessed prenatally …

Psychometric Evaluation Of A Novel Measure Of Trauma-Related Cannabis Use To Cope, Sage E. Hawn, Terrell A. Hicks, Christopher Latourrette, Anita Thomas, Daniela Chaname, Sarah Ehlke, Abigail Powers Lott

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and cannabis use disorder (CUD) are commonly comorbid and are associated with many negative public health outcomes. One plausible explanation for this comorbidity comes from a self-medication framework, which suggests people use cannabis to cope with PTSD symptoms. Despite theoretical and empirical evidence for PTSD-related cannabis use to cope, no measure of this construct exists.

Objective: We sought to address this gap by developing and validating a novel measure of PTSD-specific cannabis self-medication, which we have termed the Trauma-Related Cannabis Use to Cope (TRCU) questionnaire.

Method: The psychometric properties of the TRCU and how it …

Evaluation Of A 20-Item Version Of The Trauma-Related Drinking To Cope Questionnaire, Sage E. Hawn, Lauren Smith, Kaytlin Armitage, Selah Ball, Cathy Lau-Barraco, Abigail Powers, Ananda B. Amstadter

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objectives: This study sought to develop and psychometrically evaluate an expanded version of the Trauma-Related Drinking to Cope (TRD) scale, a four-item self-report tool, which was developed to address a crucial gap in self-medication research. Before the development of the TRD, no measures existed which assessed alcohol use for coping with symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) specifically. Previous work showed that the TRD has strong psychometric properties and clinical utility in its ability to identify individuals with PTSD who may be at risk for developing comorbid alcohol use disorder (AUD). The aim of the present study was to develop …

A Multilevel Framework For The Promotion Of Maternal Mental Health And Well-Being During The Perinatal Period, Jenn A. Leiferman, Jessica Walls Wilson, Charlotte V. Farewell, Chelsea Walker-Mao, James F. Paulson

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Depression and anxiety are prevalent in the perinatal period and may contribute to adverse maternal and child health outcomes. A focus on multilevel protective factors may be effective in promoting well-being and increasing quality of life (QOL) in the perinatal period while simultaneously reducing or preventing depression and anxiety symptoms. We tested a conceptual model that posits specific personal, social, and community factors affecting depression, anxiety, and QOL among pregnant and postpartum individuals.

Methods: Four hundred and thirty-eight pregnant or postpartum individuals completed a 121-item cross-sectional survey composed of validated tools that assessed multilevel protective factors, health behaviors, and …

Assessing The Relationship Between Perceived Psychological And Physical Pain In Adults With Orthopedic Pain, Daniel C. Karimi Dehkordi

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Suicide remains a public health concern in the U.S., particularly among individuals experiencing chronic pain and psychological distress. This cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between perceived physical and psychological pain in 41 adults with chronic orthopedic conditions. The relationship between other risk and protective factors and perceived levels of pain distress was also examined. Results showed a significant positive correlation between psychological distress and physical pain (r(39) = 0.388, p < .05) and psychological distress and depressive/anxiety symptoms (r (39) = 0.477, p < .01). Psychological distress was moderately associated with feelings of hopelessness (r (39) = 0.403, p < .01), however, the relationship between physical pain and hopelessness was weak and nonsignificant (r (39) = -0.06, p = .71). Contrary to expectations, emotional support did not buffer the effects of psychological distress (r (39) = 0.07, p = 0.66). Mediational analysis confirmed that emotional support did not influence the relationship between physical pain and psychological distress (Beta (β) = -0.969, p = 0.572; Sobel Z = 0.5598, p = 0.575). Age was not correlated with psychological distress (r (39) = -0.24, p = 0.13) or mental health symptoms (r (39) = -0.05, p = .77). While there was no significant difference across sex, males reported higher mental health symptomatology and psychological distress scores than female counterparts. These findings underscore the direct impact of physical pain on psychological distress and challenge assumptions about the protective role of social support. The study highlights the need for integrated, multidisciplinary interventions targeting both physical and psychological pain to mitigate suicide risk among individuals with chronic orthopedic conditions. Future research should iii explore alternative support mechanisms and resilience-building strategies to address the complex interplay of pain, distress, and suicidality.

Weighted Family History Density Of Substance Use: Influence On Participant Substance Use Onset, Escalation, And Duration, Carleigh A. Litteral

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Substance use disorders impose a staggering toll on the United States (U.S.), straining healthcare systems, destabilizing communities, and profoundly impacting both individuals and families. Approximately one in six Americans aged 12 and older had a past-year substance use disorder in 2022 (Key Substance Use, 2022), and nearly one-third of adults experience a substance use disorder in their lifetime (Wu, 2010), contributing to an economic burden exceeding $400 billion annually (National Drug Threat Assessment, 2011). Family history of substance use disorders is a key predictor of vulnerability, with individuals who have affected relatives being 2–8 times more …

Stigma Of Obesity And Healthcare Utilization, Moya A. O'Leary

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The impact of personal factors on healthcare utilization is an essential area of research to improve overall health outcomes among the population. This study explored the relationship between perceived stigma and healthcare avoidance among men and evaluated the relationship between self-reported body mass index (BMI) and avoidance of healthcare appointments due to weight-related stigma and other reasons. This study found no significant relationship between BMI and avoidance of preventive medical appointments due to perceived stigma. However, men from all weight categories endorsed avoiding preventive healthcare appointments due to weight-related reasons and for other reasons. This study explored the reported reasons …

Journey To Well-Being: An Exploration Of Thrivership Post-Domestic Violence, Kader Gumus

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Domestic violence profoundly affects multiple facets of a survivor’s life. While most existing literature on survivorship addresses the immediate aftermath of domestic violence, this study delves into the extended process following the trauma of abuse to attain “thrivership,” a new concept in the scholarly and practice literature that emphasizes enduring well-being and flourishing. This dissertation examines the journeys from surviving to thriving for 13 women who transformed themselves and their lives to achieve well-being after traumatic domestic violence. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory was applied to examine the multiple layers of environmental influences on an individual’s development, including the micro, meso, …

"Does Anyone Believe Me"?: The Traumatization Of Domestic Violence Survivors In The Criminal Justice System, Olivia Depalma

Master of Arts in Human Services

Survivors of domestic violence are often subject to chronic trauma as well as a heightened risk of injuries and mental health problems and disorders. The intention of the author is to focus on how trauma impacts a survivor’s ability to maneuver and interact with the criminal justice system (CJS). Prior studies have shown how survivor’s behaviors, usually the result of trauma, can lead to misconceived notions and beliefs in court officials and those involved in the CJS. Survivors will often face judgment, doubt, and criticism in the CJS, and this can impact their willingness to come forward, report the abuse, …

Maternal Adverse Childhood Experiences And Infant Visual-Limbic White Matter Development, Catherine H. Demers, Benjamin L. Hankin, Mercedes Hoeflich Haase, Erin Todd, M. Camille Hoffman, C. Neill Epperson, Martin A. Styner, Elysia Poggi Davis

Psychology: Faculty Scholarship

Background

Maternal adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are robust predictors of mental health for both the exposed individual and the next generation; however, the pathway through which such intergenerational risk is conferred remains unknown. The current study evaluated the association between maternal ACEs and infant brain development, including an a priori focus on circuits implicated in emotional and sensory processing.

Methods

The sample included 101 mother-infant dyads from a longitudinal study. Maternal ACEs were assessed with the Adverse Childhood Questionnaire dichotomized into low (0 or 1) and high (≥2) groups. White matter microstructure, as indexed by fractional anisotropy (FA), was assessed …

Addressing The Public Health Concern Of Maternal Mortality In Houston, Texas, Lucy Couture

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Maternal mortality remains a pressing public health concern in the United States, with disproportionate consequences for marginalized communities. Despite being a developed nation, the U.S. reports one of the highest maternal mortality rates among its peers, with approximately 80% of maternal deaths deemed preventable. Texas reflects this national crisis, particularly affecting Black women, whose maternal mortality rate is significantly higher than that of other racial and ethnic groups. This thesis explores maternal mortality trends in Houston, Texas, analyzing the roles of systemic inequities, social determinants of health, and disparities in access to quality care. Drawing on data from the Texas …

Biological Validation Of Peak-Width Of Skeletonized Mean Diffusivity As A Vcid Biomarker: The Markvcid Consortium, Alison M Luckey, Saptaparni Ghosh, Chen-Pin Wang, Alexa Beiser, Rebecca Bernal, Zhiguang Li, Djass Mbangdadji, Elyas Fadaee, Haykel Snoussi, Angel Gabriel Velarde Dediós, Hector A Trevino, Monica Goss, Laura J Hillmer, Christopher E Bauer, Adam M Staffaroni, Lara Stables, Marilyn Albert, Jayandra J Himali, Thomas H Mosley, Lars Forsberg, Vilmundur Guðnason, Baljeet Singh, Herpreet Singh, Kristin Schwab, Joel H Kramer, Gary A Rosenberg, Karl G Helmer, Steven M Greenberg, Mohamad Habes, Danny J J Wang, Brian T Gold, Hanzhang Lu, Arvind Caprihan, Myriam Fornage, Lenore J Launer, Konstantinos Arfanakis, Sudha Seshadri, Charles Decarli, Pauline Maillard, Claudia L Satizabal

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Peak-width of skeletonized mean diffusivity (PSMD), a neuroimaging marker of cerebral small vessel disease (SVD), has shown excellent instrumental properties. Here, we extend our work to perform a biological validation of PSMD.

METHODS: We included 396 participants from the Biomarkers for Vascular Contributions to Cognitive Impairment and Dementia (MarkVCID-1) Consortium and three replication samples (Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research in Genomic Epidemiology = 6172, Rush University Medical Center = 287, University of California Davis Alzheimer's Disease Research Center = 567). PSMD was derived from diffusion tensor imaging using an automated algorithm. We related PSMD to a composite measure …

Us Or Them: How Covid-19 Vaccine Priority Influences Perceptions Of Local-Migrant Worker Relations, Tengjiao Huang, Haochen Zhou, Liz Jones, Chin Wen Cong

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare pre-existing societal fault lines, placing immense strain on intergroup relations and giving rise to xenophobic sentiments. Drawing on Realistic Conflict Theory (RCT) and Social Identity Approach (SIA), our study examined how the public allocation of COVID-19 variant vaccines could influence the dynamics between local citizens and migrant workers, and under what conditions. One key idea is that valued resource distribution that favour migrant workers may produce increased perceptions of realistic threats among local citizens which could lead to exacerbated negative attitudes and behaviours of high-status local citizens towards low-status migrants, whereas higher fairness perceptions of …

Association Of Common And Rare Variants With Alzheimer’S Disease In More Than 13,000 Diverse Individuals With Whole-Genome Sequencing From The Alzheimer’S Disease Sequencing Project, Wan-Ping Lee, Seung Hoan Choi, Margaret G Shea, Po-Liang Cheng, Beth A Dombroski, Achilleas N Pitsillides, Nancy L Heard-Costa, Hui Wang, Katia Bulekova, Amanda B Kuzma, Yuk Yee Leung, John J Farrell, Honghuang Lin, Brian W Kunkle, Adam Naj, Elizabeth E Blue, Frederick Nusetor, Dongyu Wang, Eric Boerwinkle, William S Bush, Xiaoling Zhang, Philip L De Jager, Josée Dupuis, Lindsay A Farrer, Myriam Fornage, Eden Martin, Margaret Pericak-Vance, Sudha Seshadri, Ellen M Wijsman, Li-San Wang, Alzheimer's Disease Sequencing Project;, Gerard D Schellenberg, Anita L Destefano, Jonathan L Haines, Gina M Peloso

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common disorder of the elderly that is both highly heritable and genetically heterogeneous.

METHODS: We investigated the association of AD with both common variants and aggregates of rare coding and non-coding variants in 13,371 individuals of diverse ancestry with whole genome sequencing (WGS) data.

RESULTS: Pooled-population analyses of all individuals identified genetic variants at apolipoprotein E (APOE) and BIN1 associated with AD (p < 5 × 10

DISCUSSION: We observed that complementary pooled-population and subgroup-specific analyses offered unique insights into the genetic architecture of AD.

HIGHLIGHTS: We determine the association of genetic variants with Alzheimer's disease (AD) using …

The Informal, Non-Prescribed Use Of Antiretroviral Medications For Prep Among A National Us-Based Sample Of Gay, Bisexual, And Other Men Who Have Sex With Men: A Cross-Sectional Study, Mance E. Buttram, Matthew S. Ellis, Krishen D. Samuel, Matthew Hayhurst

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Faculty Publications and Presentations

This brief report presents findings on informal, non-prescribed PrEP use among an online sample of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (n = 196). Mean age was 33.4. Participants were Hispanic (13.3%), African American (15.8%), white (63.8%), and other race/ethnicity (6.6%). Informal PrEP users (11%) more frequently reported past year sexually transmitted infections (p < 0.001), group sex (p < 0.001), sex in public (p < 0.01), transactional sex (p < 0.001), ever receiving a formal PrEP prescription (p < 0.05), and ease of finding diverted HIV medications on gay dating/sex apps (p < 0.05). Formal PrEP uptake should be encouraged to mitigate potential negative consequences of informal use.

Predictors Of Belongingness In First-Year College Students: Examining Mental Health And Adjustment, Jordan D. Foreman-Black

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The initial transition to college is a pivotal moment for emerging adults, often influencing whether a student will remain successful. Students face a significant challenge adapting to the new environment that has been compounded by their experiences through the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite these challenges, a sense of belonging for students has been shown to be a key aspect of a successful transition to college. Students are often confronted with increasing levels of mental health challenges throughout the transition, specifically experiencing increasing mental health difficulties or challenges throughout their initial adjustment to college. Moreover, parents have become increasingly involved in students’ …

Initiation Of Hearing Aids Use And Incident Dementia Among Mid-To-Late Life Adults: The Health And Retirement Study 2010-2018, Jingkai Wei, Kun Li, Youngran Kim, Rahul Ghosal, Donglan Zhang, Anwar T Merchant, Casey Crump

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hearing aids may reduce the risk of dementia among individuals with hearing loss. However, no evidence is available from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the effectiveness of hearing aids use in reducing incident dementia. Using target trial emulation, we leveraged an existing longitudinal cohort study to estimate the association between hearing aids initiation and risk of dementia.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The Health and Retirement Study was used to emulate target trials among non-institutionalized participants aged ≥50 years with self-reported hearing loss, without dementia at baseline, and without use of hearing aids in the previous 2 years. …