Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Mental Health Of Medical Students Regarding The Covid-19 Pandemic, Parth Patel, Richard Jermyn, Arvind Venkataraman

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Mental health has taken a global priority as more realize that it is just as important as physical health in the overall health of a person. Medical students have faced mental health issues for decades and have been shown to suffer more than the general population. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has only deteriorated this issue. Many primary databases such as PubMed were used. The results indicate that medical students have extremely high rates of depression, burnout, anxiety, and stress that can affect their education but also carry over into their professions. Although many interventions increase mental wellness in medical school, …

Barriers To Doula Use In New Jersey After 2021 Medicaid Coverage Expansion, June Solow, Aashna Reddy, Natali Sharma, Jonathan Lewis

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: Doulas are trained non-clinical professionals that provide continuous support to a pregnant mother from the prenatal to postpartum period. Presence of a doula has been shown to benefit both mother and newborn health.

Purpose: To determine what prevents doula utilization in New Jersey.

Methods: A review of the current literature about doulas, mothers, clinicians, and legislation in other states was conducted. This included qualitative and quantitative data gathered in the United States.

Results: The most significant barrier from both the mother’s and doula’s perspectives is cost. Besides cost, diversity and number of doulas is low. A major barrier to …

Effects Of Income And Language On Health Literacy: A Study Between A Student-Run Free Clinic And A Family Medicine Office, Sahil Parikh, Emily Forester, Alisha Basak, Arpan Bhagat, Leah Cliatt, Usmaan Al-Shehab, Rebecca Moore

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: Over one-third of the US population exhibit limited health literacy, leading to negative health outcomes and lifestyle choices. By employing the NVS assessment, RCHC sought to compare the health literacy levels of uninsured patients at their facility with those of insured patients at the Rowan Family Medicine office in Hammonton, NJ. This study aimed to assess specific factors that may influence health literacy levels.

Methods: This is an IRB-approved study which surveyed patients enrolled at the RCHC and Rowan Family Medicine Office between February 2021 and March 2023. Patients were given a nutrition label and verbally answered the NVS …

Brief Review: Kano Model In Healthcare, James Espinosa, David Ho, Alan Lucerna, Henry Schuitema

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Here we discuss the use of the Kano Model in the hypothetical example of a re-design of resident conference experience. Kano appreciated that there were a number of attributes to quality. These are discussed in this brief review.

Zoom Fatigue: Case Presentation And Brief Review, Alan Lucerna, James Espinosa, Risha Hertz, Robin Lahr, James Lee

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

In this review, we discuss the phenomenon of what has been called Zoom Fatigue—a sense of fatigue as well as physical and emotional stress that can be associated with teleconferencing (especially long teleconferences with minimal breaks). The Zoom Fatigue Scale is discussed as well as various theories to explain the phenomenon. Some preventive strategies are discussed.

Language Barrier Contributions To Food Insecurity In Spanish-Speaking Populations, Amin Khan, Leeza Kumar, Edanur Kilic, Stephen Acheampong

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Food insecurity refers to a household or individual’s inability to access adequate food to obtain a healthy lifestyle. This contributes to health concerns such as birth defects, low nutritional intake, anemia, cognitive problems, mental health disorders, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. Low-income rural community members lack access to full grocery stores and often turn to convenience stores with unhealthy, expensive, and fewer food options. The aim of this study was to determine how language barriers affect Spanish-speaking populations with limited English proficiency. The research for this project was obtained from Google, Google Scholar, and PubMed. Keywords included “health disparities,” “Spanish-speaking,” …

Impact Of Draft Order On Stress Sonography Of The Ulnar Collateral Ligament Of The Elbow In Professional Baseball Pitchers: An 18-Year Study, Adeeb Hanna, John Sonnier, Brian Fliegel, Matthew Sherman, Michael Ciccotti, Robert Jack, Steven Cohen

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: The MLB draft is a common route for players to enter professional baseball in the United States. Individuals taken in earlier rounds are typically higher-performing players. When looking at pitchers specifically, higher performance at the amateur level may be associated with increased frequency of adaptive change in the throwing elbow.

Purpose/Hypothesis: To determine if players taken in earlier rounds of the MLB draft have a greater frequency or extent of pathological change in the elbow, as measured by dynamic stress ultrasound.

Study Design: Retrospective Cohort Study Methods: Dynamic stress ultrasounds (SUS) were performed over an 18-year period on the …

The Correlation Between Traumatic Brain Injury And Incarceration Among Adult Males In The United States, Shadi Shams

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The United States has one of the largest growing prison populations in the world. A large amount of social and economic resources go towards the cost and maintenance of correctional facilities each year. Additionally, the current correctional programs are insufficient in assisting inmates with getting back to society; especially those with traumatic brain injury (TBI) who often remain undiagnosed and are usually treated unfairly in the prison system instead of receiving the appropriate help. Prior scholarly work has shown that patients in the post-TBI stage are more likely to enter the judicial system. In the recent population-based cohort study, the …

Barriers To Colorectal Cancer Screening For Low-Income Hispanic Men In Urban Areas Between 50-75, Alex Vega

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Although CRC screening rates have improved in non-Hispanic whites (NHW), Hispanic adult males (HAM) aged 50-75 in urban areas continue to experience low screening rates and higher CRC morbidity and mortality. This review aims to identify the barriers to CRC screening among HAM and propose targeted interventions to increase screening rates. A comprehensive literature review was conducted using databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Key search terms included "colorectal cancer", "screening", "Hispanic adult males", "urban", "barriers", and "interventions". Factors identified include poverty, language …

Cardiovascular Disease Prediction Modelling: A Machine Learning Approach, Usmaan Al-Shehab, Maduka Gunasinghe, Yousuf Elkhoga, Nimay Patel, Juliana Yang

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The objective of this project is to utilize the UCI Heart Disease dataset to identify physiological biomarkers that are highly correlated with heart disease incidence. A predictive model can then be developed using these biomarkers to estimate the likelihood of someone having or developing a heart-related condition. This study compares the efficacy of predicting cardiovascular disease as an outcome using three machine learning algorithms: Support Vector Machine, Gaussian Naive Bayes, and logistic regression. Support Vector Machine works by creating hyperplanes between data points to conduct classification. Gaussian Naive Bayes works by using the conditional probabilities of events to classify the …

Food Insecurity And Dietary Restrictions, Courtney Williams, Savana Rodriguez, Tiffany Guerrero, Stephen Acheampong, Vanesa Pizutelli

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

According to the USDA Food Insecurity affects around 10.2 percent of the US population as of 2021. For families that have members with certain dietary restriction such as, but not limited to diabetes, hypertension, gluten intolerance, lactose intolerance, and food allergies, the challenge of securing food becomes an even greater burden with having to navigate food banks or discount stores that may not offer food items that meet their dietary requirements. Families with dietary restrictions often face greater food insecurity and less access to food. More research is needed to understand the challenges families with dietary restrictions face regarding food …

Resource Accessibility And Navigation For The Autism Spectrum Community, Nadia Barouk, Ashley Foster, Izabellar Tulasi, Vanessa Pizutelli

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Autism Spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects 1 in 35 children in New Jersey. Families and individuals with ASD require various types of resources and social support, but at times face obstacles in accessing these resources. The aim of our project was to identify issues in resource accessibility in the ASD community in South Jersey. We conducted literature reviews and interviews with local stakeholders. Our research revealed three main areas that pose challenges in resource accessibility such as: difficulty in acquiring a formal diagnosis, difficulty in navigating available resources, and disparities in available resources based on age. …

Perinatal Experiences Of People With Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Preliminary Scoping Review, Tanvi Shah, Andrea Iannuzzelli, Venkateswar Venkataman

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that is diagnosed in early childhood, typically in people who are assigned male at birth. However, this diagnosis and the sensory and behavioral divergence that comes with ASD stay with people throughout their lives. Based on the DSM-V diagnostic criteria and the history of how Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders were first identified, many people who do not identify as male and/or present atypically do not receive a formal diagnosis until later in life or self-diagnose. This in turn has led to a lack of research in both populations that do not …

Healthcare Disparities In The Lgbtqia+ Community: A Scoping Review Of Community Vs Provider Experiences, Uttara Hardikar, Alisha Vincent, Venkateswar Venkataman, Millicent Channell

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: It is well-established that healthcare disparities exist in the LGBTQIA+ community. The divide is a growing concern exacerbated by recent changes in the healthcare and sociopolitical climate. To eliminate this divide and find ways to deliver better outcomes to the LGBTQIA+ is a dire need. This report analyzes the possible reasons from the community as well as the providers perspective, with a goal to find best practices that could be implemented in both components.

Methods: A scoping literature review was carried out as described below to collect perspectives from both sides: patients as well as providers.

Results: From patient …

Immigration Status And Household Income As Predictors Of Childhood Obesity, Bhaumik Patel, Jeffery Powers

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Childhood obesity rates have been on a remarkably steep rise in recent years. According to recent literature, the rate in the United States alone has more than doubled compared to other regions in the world such as Australia, Canada and Europe1,2 . Especially in the African immigrant community, there has been speculation of a higher prevalence of childhood obesity in the United States3 . This warranted further investigation into demographic factors impacting childhood obesity rates and their subsequent consequences with other clinical diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. The CDC reports that in 2011-2014, among individuals ages 2 to …

Trends In Opioid Usage And The Covid-19 Pandemic, Priya Brahmbhatt, Jeffery Powers

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The opioid epidemic and the COVID-19 pandemic have affected individuals in the United States in various capacities, and new avenues to reduce the harmful effects of both public health crises must be explored. It has been found that those with substance use disorders have an increased risk for COVID-19 (Wang 2021). There have been more visits to emergency rooms for substance overdose during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic (Holland 2021). This research project attempted to understand the trends amongst opioid users during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, in …

Global Comparison Of Health Policies Focused On Gestational Diabetes: Recognizing Pertinent Gaps, Muskanjot Kaur, Isvita Marfatia, Samarth Gupta, Swetha Sundaram, Anudeep Deevi, Venkat Venkataraman

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Introduction: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a condition that affects 14.7% of women globally and occurs when a mother develops diabetes during the course of her pregnancy.1 Increased insulin resistance in pregnant mothers can lead to further complications, such as a larger baby, increased risk of the baby developing Type II diabetes, having low blood sugar, and even premature birth, which can lead to respiratory issues. The lack of policies in place to address GDM in various countries worldwide highlights the need for this literature. It is necessary to compile policies that are currently in place and to further discuss …

Cultural Food Accomodations In South New Jersey, Anahit Stepanyan, Resty Mercado, David Jiang

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

NJ is a melting pot of different cultures and ethnicities, each bringing their own unique customs and traditions. Of these traditions, diet and food are one of the most renowned distinctions and some of the most celebrated.

In response, several Public School districts have made halal and kosher food reforms to accommodate the rise in the Muslim and Jewish student body.

These menu accommodations were made in response to concerns about a lack of halal food options, which negatively impacted Muslim and Jewish students' health and mental well-being and can be recognized as a health disparity disadvantaging Muslim American student …

Breaking Down Barriers: Investigating Structural And Systemic Factors That Contribute To Covid-19 Disparities In African American Communities In New Jersey, Fazal Choudhary, Suraj Pothineni

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the lives of millions of Americans; however, minority communities have been hit the hardest as infection rates continue to sky rocket and new variants arise. As of October 5, 2021, the CDC reports that African Americans make up a similar share of cases relative to the overall population, at about 12%, but have a significantly higher rate of deaths compared to the population, at approximately14%. African American communities are being disproportionately affected because of higher incidence of chronic diseases, inadequate access to health care, and poorer living and working conditions, which increases their vulnerability …

Maldi-Tof Ms Based Proteomic Fingerprinting Of Total Serum Plasma For Somatic Pain Syndromes, Isaiah Pinkerton, Venkateswar Venkataraman

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

There are racial and ethnic disparities regarding pain management within the United States, and that disproportionately affects women of color. There is also a fundamental lack of information regarding the biological mechanism by which pain sensitization and perception occurs, and how it could be affected by both neurologic and somatic pain syndromes.

Methods: Research was performed on principal electronic scientific databases including Google Scholar, PubMed, and Embase with search terms “MALDI-TOF”, “ESI-MS”, “Pain”, and “Biomarkers”, as well as other modifiers to narrow the literature search.

Results: Studies on comparison between MALDI-TOF and other traditional analysis platforms, including Electrospray Ionization (ESI-MS), …

Exploring Risk Factors For Major Depressive Disorder For Female Patients Aged 18 Or Older Living In Ocean County, New Jersey, James Mack

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: The incidence and prevalence of major depressive disorder has been increasing worldwide, in the United States of America, and on a local level. The population of Ocean County, New Jersey, a predominantly Caucasian, female, middle-aged population, may be at increased risk of developing major depressive disorder.

Purpose: To explore the social determinants of health and risk factors for major depressive disorder for female patients aged 18 or older living in Ocean County, New Jersey.

Methods: This literature review mainly used PubMed and Scopus for journal articles and utilized governmental databases for additional population data.

Results: Analyses conducted on social …

Inflammatory Marker Levels Among Patients Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder And Congenital Heart Defects, Patrick Pearce, Venkateswar Venkataraman, Andrea Iannuzzelli, Jennifer Lecomte

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and congenital heart defects (CHD) are conditions that both confer an immense increase in standard of care, and utilization of medical resources addressing comorbidities. One shared symptom that has been consistently cited is inflammation. This review sought to explore the levels of Tumor Necrosis Factor-𝞪 (TNF-𝞪) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) between patients diagnosed as having either ASD or CHD. By compiling published data containing the mean values of these two inflammatory markers within these populations, it was shown that while both have significantly elevated levels compared to a phenotypically normal demographic, there is no significant difference between …

Evaluation Of Available Medical Interpretation Resources Available To Spanish-Speaking Patients In Nj Ahec Counties, Magdalene Lederer, Cindy Nativi, Madhav Patel, Joseph Mendoza, Nhi Tran, Yesha Patel, Melissa Vincent, Rebecca Moore

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

According to the US Census Bureau Spanish is the most common non-English language spoken in the US. Despite the growing population of Spanish-speaking individuals, most healthcare providers can only communicate in English. Linguistic differences between patients and providers have been identified to impact the quality of care received, therefore, it is not surprising that Spanish-speaking patients have been found to be less satisfied with healthcare. Language barriers in healthcare lead to poor compliance and underuse of services which eventually negatively impact health outcomes. Several studies found that the most effective communication tools are often underutilized, with healthcare providers relying on …

Gestational Diabetes Among The South Asian Diaspora In The United States Of America: A Scoping Review, Anudeep Deevi, Mariam Sharobeem, Gabrianna Andrews, Rahul Ubrani, Venkateswar Venkataraman

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Aim: The scoping review was conducted to review the current knowledge base regarding gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) among South Asians in the United States. In addition, the review was meant to identify any gaps in knowledge, specifically about the current care received by South Asians as well as the associated adverse health outcomes.

Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus was conducted. Key words ""gestational diabetes South Asians in the United States" were used as search terms. Search was restricted to U.S. articles published on or after 01/01/2013 with key words. Articles were screened by …

End Of Life Symptom Management In The Emergency Department, Alice Chang, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The Emergency Department is at times the only place patients can turn to for symptom relief. In an aging population, this means that more patients are presenting to the ED towards the end of life (EOL). Emergency medicine (EM) prides itself as a specialty that handles disease-directed treatment for a variety of acute conditions. In contrast, palliative care (PC) is focused on improving the quality of life (QOL). It has become essential for EM physicians to care for patients who are not seeking life-sustaining measures, but instead quality of life interventions. Patients with serious illness, even hospice patients, present to …

Addressing The Health Needs Of The (D/D)Eaf And Hard Of Hearing Community, Zainab Krayem, Rachel Jeff-Macauley, Nicolette Falco, Vanesa Pizutelli

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines deaf to describe an individual who has total or partial hearing loss. However, the term carries much more weight as it breeds its own culture, Deaf culture, to be exact. There’s an emphasis placed on the spelling where deaf, spelled with a lowercase d, refers to individuals who are born deaf and grew up within this deaf culture. Whereas, members who identify as Deaf with a capital D have lost their hearing later on in life, and did not necessarily grow up within deaf culture. There is often a discrepancy whereby members who identify as d/Deaf or …