Public Health Commons^™

Cuisine As A Compass: Exploring The Therapeutic Benefits Of Community, Cooking, And More Within The Lgbtqia+ Population, Sera Shevchenko, Karen Park Otd, Otr/L, Bcp, Susan Macdermott Otd, Otr/L

Fall 2024 OTD Capstone Symposium

Background: The LGBTQIA+ population experiences unique barriers to occupation and well being. Anti-LGBTQ legislation encroaches on inclusive and affirming care affecting occupational access. Limited occupational participation and additional exhaustive adaptive strategies to engage in occupations safely have an emotional cost. This research study explores how food or mealtime occupations such as cooking, eating, and hosting can support LGBTQIA+ well-being. This research was made possible by LGBTQIA+ participants that are experts of their lived experience.

Methods: This mixed methods research used both qualitative and quantitative methods to gather data on the significance of food-based occupations, culture, mental health, and identity in …

Sex Education Program For Individuals With Disabilities, Kalynne Coates, Keisa Boykin

Fall 2024 OTD Capstone Symposium

The purpose of this project is to develop and implement a program to discuss the ADL of sex education with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

Volunteering For Medically Underserved Children: Clinic With A Heart–Back-To-School Clinics, Isabella Marie Kerby Kessinger

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Medically underserved children, often from low-income families or areas with limited healthcare resources, face significant barriers in accessing essential medical services and represent a fundamental challenge to equity and social justice. School physicals and back-to-school clinics play a crucial role in addressing these healthcare needs, serving as a gateway to educational and extracurricular opportunities.

Clinic With a Heart (CWH), a non-profit medical and dental clinic in Lincoln, Nebraska, serves as a model for addressing healthcare disparities. In 2023, CWH provided 3,109 visits to 1,846 unique patients, with 83% lacking health insurance and 63% having household incomes below $16,000 annually. The …

An Innovative Community‐Led Education And Recruitment Program To Increase Clinical Research Participation Among Black Americans, Bahar Niknejad, Ethlyn Mcqueen Gibson, Travonia Brown-Hughes, Katie Mcdonough, Ebony Andrews, Deborah Hudson, Hamid Okhravi

Glennan Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology Faculty Publications

Background: Previous studies attest to a lack of awareness about Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and limited participation of Black Americans in AD clinical trials. The AHEAD Study is a multicenter trial focused on preventing AD by evaluating the effectiveness and safety of Lecanemab in individuals with preclinical AD. The study aims to recruit at least 15% from underrepresented populations, including Black Americans. To achieve this goal, our study site utilizes a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach and developed a Community Education and Recruitment Program (CERP) designed to increase the participation of Black individuals in the AHEAD Study.

Method: In a collaborative …

Understanding And Intervening In Children's Tick Risk Perceptions And Protective Behaviors: A Grounded Theory, Ariel Dawdy

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Children, ages 8 years and younger, are at a particularly high risk of contracting a tick-borne disease. This is partially due to the misconceptions spread about tick protective behavior and a poor understanding of how antibiotic treatment can help. Because most communities and families believe that tick control is the individual’s responsibility, looking at the interaction between ticks and human children is essential to understanding the individual’s motivations to protect themselves. To help alleviate the number of individuals contracting tick-borne diseases, misconceptions must be addressed, intervention programs implemented, and a behavioral change must occur. This study used a qualitative research …

Taking A Closer Look At Tpack: Examining Teacher Perspectives Of The Knowledge, Competencies, And Context Needed For Improved Remote Education In Grades 4-8, Jennifer Christine Buth Bell

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

Though wrought with challenges, the COVID-19 Pandemic, which led to the closure of schools worldwide and forced educators into a rapid transition from traditional to Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT), held some promise for furthering the integration of digital technology in schools. But now, years following the crisis, policymakers, administrators, and teachers continue to grapple with how best to incorporate lessons learned and improve the future of teaching and learning in both traditional and remote settings. This mixed-methods study (n = 21; n = 6) followed an explanatory sequential design to collect and analyze data from a sample of 4th-8th …

Assessing Sedimentation Impact Through Dem, Point Cloud, And Discharge Analysis, Shandell Thomas

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This study focused on five arroyos flowing into the Rio Grande, in the stretch between Caballo Dam and Las Cruces, New Mexico. Drone imagery was acquired from study areas in each arroyo. Photogrammetry was used to create high-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs), point clouds, drone imagery and potential discharges were acquired for each arroyo. Investigation of seven different methods resulted in the selection of the Terrain Ruggedness Map (TRM) as a predictor of surface roughness, along with high-resolution DEMâ??s to illustrate small and low-relief channel features. The five arroyos with varying sediment sizes and characteristics were studied to understand how …

Examining The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences, Coping Behaviors, And Metabolic Syndrome In Mexican-American Men, Paulina Torres

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been increasing in the US over recent years. Individuals who have experienced adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and developed maladaptive coping strategies are at increased risk of developing MetS. Hispanic men might have an increased risk of developing MetS due to higher exposure to ACEs and increased use of maladaptive coping strategies.Purpose: To examine the relationship between ACEs, coping, and MetS among Mexican-American men. Methods: A secondary analysis of cross-sectional study of 100 adult men from El Paso, Texas in 2018-19. ACEs were examined using the 10-item ACE questionnaire. Coping was assessed through …

Obesity: Influencing Behavioral Consumption Through Meal Kit Distribution, Alejandro Hernandez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Founded in 2002, Everyone’s Harvest is a grassroots nonprofit dedicated to providing access to healthy, affordable fruits and vegetables through certified farmers markets and community food programs. Its key initiatives—Fresh Rx, Market Match, Edible Education and Farms Together —focus on alleviating nutrition insecurity and combating diet-related health conditions by providing vulnerable populations the resources to purchase, or receive, fresh produce and gain nutritional knowledge. This study explores a new intervention: the distribution of farmers' market meal kits as a complementary strategy to the current Edible Education program. These meal kits, which feature seasonally available produce and pre-measured ingredients, aim to …

Bridging The Gap: Fostering Open Dialogue On Resource Access And Service Needs, Cameron Castillo

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This project investigates whether there are additional resources desired by clients or are needed to better support said clients in their recovery at the Interim, Inc. organization. This agency is a nonprofit organization whose sole purpose is to build community connections through providing services to individuals facing mental health and substance use challenges. While there is a wide range of programs available, there may still be clients with unmet needs. The purpose of this project was to identify any service gaps by conducting separate surveys of clients and staff members. Through the use of open-ended questions, the expectation of receiving …

Comprehensive Community Medicine, Alexander Walther

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Comprehensive Community Medicine (CCM) is a theoretical framework designed to address the complex needs of individuals with dual diagnoses of mental illness and substance use disorders (SUDs). Dual diagnosis is highly prevalent, particularly among populations experiencing homelessness, and is associated with poorer health outcomes and increased healthcare service utilization. Structural inequities, including a fractured healthcare system, exacerbate the challenges faced by this vulnerable group. Research indicates that effective care for dually diagnosed individuals requires a layered approach addressing clinical, systemic, legal, and housing barriers.

The development of CCM has been informed by interviews with local stakeholders, including County EMS board …

Parenting With Grace, Eva Nelson Cole

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Parents are often caught off guard by the upheaval of adding children to their lives. Feelings of guilt, shame, isolation, and depression can arise when parents are faced with the demands and stressors that come along with having children. Studies have shown that children who have distressed parents endure lasting negative outcomes that can extend into the primary school years (Mihelic et al., 2018). Educating parents and giving them some awareness about what to expect can make a real difference. To have these conversations, I created a two-part parenting workshop for new parents at Parents’ Place in Pacific Grove, CA. …

A031: Design And Practice Of Ai-Powered Precision Teaching Model For Public Physical Education Courses In Universities, Dongxiao Liu, Xuankun Sun, Aowei Zhang

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Background/Purpose: Five major teaching pain points often occur in the teaching of public physical education courses in universities: (1) First pain point is easy to have deviations in movement cognition and self-practice. (2) It is difficult to accurately grasp the intensity and density of exercise. (3) Lack of process and phased teaching evaluations can inhibit the cultivation of autonomous exercise drive. (4) Unhealthy aesthetics have a negative impact, leading to a deviation in aesthetic perception among students. (5) Students lack autonomous learning ability and have difficulty cultivating post-class exercise habits. How to resolve these "pain points" are now the key …

A040: The Effect Of Blended Online And Offline Physical Education On The Health-Related Indexes Of Undergraduates, Shijun Gong, Aowei Zhang, Dongxiao Liu, Yanxin Liu

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Background/Purpose: With the explosive development of artificial intelligence, many scholars have carried out research around the combination of online and offline physical education courses. Current research has focused on developing the application of information technology in the classroom teaching of physical education. The main purpose addressed in this study was to investigate the possible effects of implementing such a blended online and offline physical education at home on the health-related indices of students.

Method: Totally 14,708 college students participated, including 6,125 males and 8,583 females. In the analysis approach, research was adopted using SPSS 26.0, specifically the paired-samples T test …

A046: Recreational Skiing Injury Rate: A Case Study Of A Ski Resort In Central New York, Hongwei Guan, David Guan, Xiaoran Li

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Background/Purpose: More people in China are participating in snow sports, especially after the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Despite health benefits, skiing and snowboarding are associated with injury risk. Ski safety and injury prevention are essential for sustainable operation of ski resorts with the rapid development of snow sports in China. The purpose of this study was to examine the injury rate at a popular medium-sized ski resort in Central New York and compare it with that of similar ski resorts in Northeastern China.

Method: Direct ski patrol observation and injury incident reports of three seasons from 2020-21 to 2022-23 were …

A049: Associations Between 24-Hour Accelerometer-Derived Novel Metrics With Health-Related Physical Fitness In Chinese Adolescents, Yanping Qiu, Lijuan Wang, Huan Chen, Xiaoqing Li

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Background/Purpose: Time-use estimates are commonly utilized for describing 24-hour movement behaviors. Nonetheless, the average acceleration (AvAcc), intensity gradient (IG) and the most active X minutes (MX metrics) have been proposed as 24-hour movement behaviors novel metrics describing the volume of activity, the intensity distribution and the most active time periods of the 24-h cycle. This cross-sectional study aimed to examine associations between 24-h accelerometer-derived metrics and health-related physical fitness in Chinese adolescents.

Methods: This study recruited 240 students aged 12-18 (143 males, 97 females) from a middle school in Haizhu District, Guangzhou City. The data collection period was from March …

A052: Construction Of Ski Instructors' Competency Evaluation Index System Based On O*Net Working Analysis, Juan Ran, Hongyan Wang

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Background/Purpose: Skiing has emerged as a preeminent activity in ice and snow tourism, with ski resorts significantly bolstering the winter tourism economy. However, the burgeoning demand for instructors, coupled with the increasing number of enthusiasts, poses critical challenges for the sport's development. To address these issues, we have undertaken a comprehensive competency assessment to inform the training and retraining of instructors. This evaluation is also pertinent for selecting unlicensed instructors.

Method: The study involved 12 experts and 250 ski instructors from Jilin Province. Research was conducted using keywords such as 'competency model' and 'instructor quality'. The O*NET questionnaire and a …

A055: The Relationship Between Grip Strength And Quality Of Life In The Elderly Based, Fanhao Meng

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched the "Decade of Healthy Ageing" from 2021 to 2030 to address the challenges of a rapidly ageing global population. The extension of human lifespan is a manifestation of social progress, but aging and increased longevity may be accompanied by problems such as reduced physical and mental abilities and increased risk of diseases, which affects quality of life (QOL). Grip as an indicator of strength and is associated with physical activity in older adults. It is readily applicable in clinical and community settings, and there is an association between grip strength and health-related …

A058: The Impact Of Multi-Directional Training On Change-Of-Direction Speed And Short-Distance Sprint Ability In Tennis Student-Athletes, Ke Zhang, Yue Zhao, Zhihui Zhou, Haijun Wu

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Objective: Tennis, characterized by rapid multi-directional sprints, involves lateral movements along the baseline constituting approximately 70% of gameplay, with each single movement covering around 3 meters. On average, there are 2-4 direction changes per point, and each stroke requires 0.4 seconds. Recognizing the imperative need for tennis players to rapidly change direction and execute short-distance sprints, influenced by factors like the ball's trajectory, opponent's movements or disguise movements, this study aimed to investigate the impact of three weeks of multi-directional sprint training on the change-of-direction speed and short-distance sprint ability of tennis student-athletes.

Methods: Nineteen male tennis athletes with an …

A062: Experimental Research Of Impact Of Large-Unit Soccer Teaching On Elementary School Students' Physical Health, Yin Zhao, Ziming Shao

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Objective: The "Compulsory Education Curriculum Standards: Physical Education and Health(2022 Edition) in China" explicitly proposes that from grades 3-6, at least one sport from six major specialized sports skills should be chosen for at least 18 class periods of relatively systematic and complete teaching, enabling students to not only master the sports skills of the chosen project but also deepen their comprehensive experience and understanding of the sport. Long-standing issues in elementary school football teaching include superficial teaching depth, isolated and incoherent content, and disconnection between educational stages. There is an urgent need for physical education teachers to organize systematic …

A059: Multidimensional Interpretation And Development Strategies For The International Communication Of Dragon And Lion Dancing, Weiyan Wang, Li Zhou, Cuili Zhai

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

The dragon and lion dance, as the bright treasure of Chinese traditional sports culture, demonstrates Chinese cultural confidence and distinct national characteristics, serving as an important showcase for China's image. However, the international communication of dragon and lion dance faces numerous challenges, including understanding barriers caused by cultural differences, limitations in promotion scope, uneven overall development levels, and balancing cultural impact with cultural identity. These issues are pertinent to the future development of dragon and lion dance.

After conducting a literature analysis, the historical origins, cultural connotations, and communication processes of dragon and lion dances were systematically examined, laying a …

A063: Electroencephalogram (Eeg) Signal Analysis For College Students' Attention And Meditation Level In Yoga Courses, Zhonghui He, Fangxin Li, Xi Qi, Honglin Chen

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

PURPOSE: Yoga is associated with psychological and physiological benefits, including relaxation and increased attention. Electroencephalograms (EEG) signals reflect the electrical activity of the brain and transformed Alpha and Beta brainwaves into meditation and attention values. This study primarily aimed to measure college students’ attention and meditation level in yoga courses. The secondary aim was to explore yoga’s effect on students’ cognitive ability.

METHODS: The study selected two yoga classes in the first semester of 2023 in an academic university in China. Using convenience sampling methods, 16 college students who attended yoga courses voluntarily participated in this study. All learning phases, …

A064: An Experimental Study On Pe Teachers' Motivational Style Change On Adolescents' Physical Activity, Zhigang Xue

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Research background: Realistic demands: The decline of adolescents' physical health has been the focus of global attention. Current needs: Youth physical activity needs to be improved. Key issue: The interest and motivation of adolescents to participate in physical activity are generally low. Ways to improve: physical education can effectively promote the physical activity of teenagers in their leisure time. It is of great theoretical and practical value to study the integration of planned behavior theory and self-determination theory to explain adolescents' leisure time physical activity behavior to promote physical activity level using physical activity interventions.

Research method: Mainly through the …

A066: Differences In Body Stability During Continuous Turning In Older And Younger Adults, Yulong Bo

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Background/Purpose: The deterioration of body stability with age remains an area of interest, particularly in the context of continuous turning during walking among older adults. This study aimed to describe the characteristics of body stability during continuous turning in older and younger individuals, as well as identify potential risk factors, providing a theoretical basis for fall prevention in older adults during continuous turning.

Methods: Fifteen older adults (mean age 69.58 ± 3.84 years) and fifteen younger individuals (mean age 23.93 ± 1.14 years) were recruited from the community. Participants were asked to walk around an 8-shaped continuous turning path (diameter …

A068: A Case Study Of Hippy Family Intervention On Motor Ability In Children With Developmental Delays, Jiayu Zhou, Xiaozan Wang, Qinping Xu

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Background: The phenomenon of motor retardation caused by serious insufficient physical activity of children is increasing. Improving the family's parenting knowledge and skills can promote the family's healthy lifestyle and have a positive impact on the healthy development of children.

Method: The children with developmental delays were followed in their natural state for three months, combined with the "HIPPY family intervention model" to improve their family's parenting knowledge and skills, and to intervene in the behavioral performance and physical activity of children with motor development delays.

Results: After 3 months of HIPPY family intervention, TGMD showed an overall upward trend, …

A070: Research On The Promotion Strategy Of Sports Tourism Consumption Based On Consumer Evaluation, Wang Yan, Jinsheng Liu

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Background/Purpose: Recently, challenges coupled with constraints such as shrinking demand and weakening consumption expectations have greatly increased the complexity and vulnerability of the internal and external environment of the sports tourism consumption system. Consumer evaluation is an important way of consumption decision-making reference and information exchange, which affects consumers' purchase decision, consumption experience, habits and attitude. Sports tourism boutique project is a consumption project and key consumption content with sports tourism characteristics. The purpose of this study was to conduct an analysis of the consumption evaluation of specific Chinese sports tourism boutique projects through the user evaluation data from Ctrip …

A073: Factors Affecting Continuous Use Of Metaverse-Based Sports Products: Based On Perceived Value, Enjoyment, And Immersion, Qiao Yang, Aisha Wang

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Purpose: Metaverse technology has introduced a new era of sports interaction, offering users an extraordinary virtual environment for immersive experiences. However, there is still a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding the determinants of continuous use in metaverse-based sports products. This study aimed to delve into the factors influencing the continuous use of sports products based on the metaverse.

Methods: To collect data for this study, an online questionnaire survey was conducted among Chinese digital natives residing in major cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen) who frequently used metaverse-based sports products. A total of 634 participants were collected, of which 520 …

A083: Effects Of Muscle Energy Technique On Neuromuscular Function In Patients With Non-Specific Lower Back Pain, Zhipeng Zhou, Jianbin Zhao

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Background/Purpose: Non-specific lower back pain (NLBP) is one of the most common causes of disability worldwide. In patients with NLBP, reduced lumbar flexion-relaxation and reduced variability of muscle activity distribution are reported as abnormal muscle activity. Muscle energy technique (MET) is used to be a conservative, non-pharmacological treatment method for somatic dysfunctions of the musculoskeletal system. However, the effect of MET approach on the flexion-relaxation phenomena (FRP) is unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of MET on pain, lumbar function, and FRP in patients with NLBP.

Methods/Design: Thirty patients with NLBP were randomized into …

A082: Theoretical Deconstruction And Value Implication Of Physical Participation Of Fitness Group Under Field Theory, Mengyu Huo, Pengfei Gao, Guangbin Bai, Xinyan Shi, Chongqing Hu, Ruidi Wang

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Research background: In the transformation of consumer society, the body is gradually regarded as an important symbol. People are often willing to consume for the body in different ways to seek the shaping of body image. Therefore, the value of body shaping through sports has been gradually paid attention to, and "Fitness fever" has gradually become a new fashion. Based on this, Pierre Bourdieu's social practice theory makes a rational interpretation of the participation behavior of individual actors in the field of sports and analyzes the value correlation between individual sports behavior and society, which is another important consideration for …

A088: Virtual And Real: An Exploration Of The Body Sense Of Generation Z E-Sports Players, Yuxin Luo, Xianglin Luo, Lu Liu

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Background：The advent of eSports has catalyzed a fresh wave of contemplation within the sports science community regarding the concept of the body. With the digital revolution, eSports has emerged as a significant segment within the realm of sports, further solidified by its recognition in prestigious events like the Asian Games. However, despite its elevated status, eSports continues to grapple with skepticism over its 'non-physical' nature due to the apparent lack of physical activity that characterizes traditional sports. Exploring Generation Z's experiences in eSports enhances our grasp of digital gaming's corporeal aspects and unveils complex ties between the body, eSports, …