Medicine and Health Commons^™

Mujeres Hispanas Y Latinas: Influencias Culturales Y Religiosas En El Uso De Métodos Anticonceptivos, Paola Martinez

World Languages and Cultures Senior Capstones

This paper analyzes the importance of sexual and reproductive health for women’s overall wellbeing, focusing on how religious and cultural factors significantly influence contraceptive use in Hispanic and Latina communities. Religious affiliation, particularly within Catholicism and evangelical Christianity, promotes values that may discourage contraception, impacting STI prevention and family planning. Sociocultural constructs like machismo and familism reinforce these barriers, limiting women’s autonomy. Additionally, a lack of sexual education and distrust in healthcare systems contribute to unplanned pregnancies and increased STI risks. The analysis suggests that culturally sensitive educational programs could improve access to reliable information and empower women to make …

Poner En Práctica Las Regulaciones Federales: Habilitando A Los Pacientes Dominio Limitado Del Inglés, Caitlyn Gailey

World Languages and Cultures Senior Capstones

This paper examines the gaps in the U.S. healthcare system that affect the Hispanic community, focusing on language barriers and cultural competence. It highlights the challenges faced by Limited English Proficiency (LEP) patients, who may struggle with medical terminology, leading to misdiagnosis and improper treatment. The paper advocates for culturally sensitive language services, including qualified interpreters, translated documents and signage in order to improve communication, patient satisfaction, and reduce medical errors. It calls for systemic changes to ensure equitable care for all patients, regardless of language or cultural background.

Los Inmigrantes Indocumentados Y Su Pelea Para La Salud Medica En Los Estados Unidos, Alejandro Del Rello

World Languages and Cultures Senior Capstones

This essay explores the critical issue of healthcare access for undocumented immigrants in the United States. Despite contributing significantly to the economy through labor and taxes, undocumented immigrants face systemic barriers to medical care, including lack of insurance, fear of deportation, and economic troubles. These barriers result in untreated illnesses, mental health struggles, and increased use of emergency services, which generate higher long-term costs. The paper argues for inclusive healthcare policies, such as Medicaid expansion and protections for patient privacy, to improve public health, reduce disparities, and enhance economic stability. Drawing from U.S. and international examples, the essay demonstrates that …

El Uso De Las Prácticas Curativas No Occidentales En Lugar De Y Dentro De La Cultura Biomédica, Lynda Gulledge

World Languages and Cultures Senior Capstones

This paper explores the difficulties that the Hispanic community faces when accessing healthcare in the United States, which emphasizes the use of biomedical culture. Topics such as cultural and linguistic barriers, past and present healthcare policies, and the use of non-Western medical practices are examined. Furthermore, this paper explores the history and use of curanderismo as an accessible and culturally appropriate form of healthcare. Lastly, the integration and acknowledgement of curanderismo in biomedical culture is explored and encouraged in order to create a more holistic healthcare experience for the Hispanic community.

Help-Seeking For Problematic Alcohol Use: Stigma, Shame, & Guilt, Olivia G. Chapell

2025 Honors Symposium

Stigmatization is a prevalent barrier to help-seeking behaviors in problematic alcohol users, especially among college-aged students. By using a cross-sectional electronic survey method, the relationship between personal or immediate family experience with substance-related treatment and perceptions of stigmatization was assessed.

Is There An Association Between Living In A Rural Area And The Incidence Of Postoperative Complications Or Hospital Readmissions Following Left Ventricular Assist Device (Lvad) Implantation, Compared To Urban Lvad Recipients? A Systematic Review., Samrat Gollapudi, Abhiram Gollapudi, Sri Banala, Sheraj Singh, Kiran Tadi

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are utilized as a therapeutic option for patients with end-stage heart failure. While LVAD implantation can enhance survival rates and quality of life, the procedure has its risks, and postoperative complications are common. This review aims to investigate whether there is an association between living in a rural area and the incidence of postoperative complications or hospital readmissions following LVAD implantation, compared to urban LVAD recipients.

METHODS: A comprehensive literature review examined studies that compared postoperative outcomes between rural and urban LVAD recipients. Data on adverse events, hospitalizations, and mortality rates were extracted, focusing …

The Role Of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners: Addressing The Shortage And Its Implications For Healthcare, Isabel Mary Mccarthy

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background: Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE) are registered nurses specifically trained to perform forensic examinations and provide medical and emotional support to sexual assault victims. Many nursing programs lack formal education on SANE practices, which can hinder students' preparedness to address such cases in their future careers.

Method: A mixed-methods, three-phase approach to evaluate the effectiveness of a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) training module within the Dominican University of California Nursing Program. 40- 60 nursing students will be separated into two separate community health classes with one given module in SANEs nursing and the other not. Both classes …

Access To And Utilization Of Dental Care Services By Older Adults In Nigeria: Barriers And Facilitators, Sunkanmi Folorunsho, Victor Ajayi, Munirat Sanmori, Medinah Suleiman, Raji Abdullateef, Abdulazeez Abdulganiyu

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Aims: Nigeria’s rapidly aging population presents urgent challenges for the healthcare system, particularly in oral health, which remains an overlooked aspect of well-being. While older adults are especially vulnerable to dental issues such as tooth loss, periodontal disease, and oral pain, access to care remains limited due to systemic, economic, and cultural barriers. This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of older Nigerians in accessing and utilizing dental care, with the goal of identifying key barriers, facilitators, and policy-relevant insights.

Methods: Fifteen participants aged 50–83 years were purposively selected from urban and peri-urban areas of Ilorin, North- Central …

Engaging The Community, Providing Hopes, Mackenzie Peeke, Margaret West, Alyssa Wilkinson, Matthew Serrata, Michael Baroody, Conner Tembe, Chrisney Yerena

HOPES Free Clinic Publications

Founded in the 1970s as a grassroots effort to provide care to the underserved population of Hampton Roads, Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) has long been committed to community-centered care. The HOPES Free Clinic is a manifestation of that mission. Launched in 2011 as a student-run phone triage service, the Health Outreach Partnership of EVMS Students (HOPES) later transitioned to provide direct clinical services—becoming the first student-run free clinic in the Commonwealth of Virginia. In 2014, HOPES integrated into Community Engaged Learning to enhance and solidify its efforts. Since its inception, medical and health professions students have partnered with volunteer …

The Geography Of Care: Rural Versus Urban Caregiver Perspectives On Community Resources For Parkinson’S Disease Management, Rebecca Jones

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study investigated the experiences and perceptions of caregivers for individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) in rural versus urban settings, with particular emphasis on their access to and utilization of community resources. Through semi-structured interviews with 30 caregivers, the research explored how geographical location impacts caregiving challenges, support systems, and resource accessibility. Using Andersen's Behavioral Model of Health Services Use as a theoretical framework, the study revealed both universal caregiving challenges and location-specific barriers. While all caregivers reported significant emotional burden and healthcare system navigation difficulties, rural caregivers faced distinct challenges related to resource accessibility and specialized care availability. …

Exploring Lgbtq+ Competency In Healthcare, Jordan Whiteman

Honors College Theses

Marginalized groups such as the LGBTQ+ community are known to face healthcare disparities that negatively affect their process of navigating healthcare systems. This project explores the perceived lack of representation and understanding of the LGBTQ+ community within healthcare settings, exposing the deficits in knowledge for unique challenges and inequalities these patients may face. By viewing the literature, a myriad of complications faced by LGBTQ+ people in clinical settings can be identified. They possess a generalized feeling of mistrust towards the healthcare system. Healthcare staff overall describe low confidence with caring for this demographic. Heteronormativity’s presence in the field of healthcare …

Sexual And Reproductive Health Access Among Racial/Ethnic Minority College Students, Srithanvi Pasunuri

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is critical for individual well-being, yet significant disparities in access persist among racial and ethnic minority college students in the United States. These inequities, driven by systemic barriers such as financial constraints, cultural stigmas, and inadequate campus resources, contribute to higher rates of unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and poor health outcomes within these populations. This systematic review aims to identify and synthesize existing literature on the barriers to SRH access for racial and ethnic minority college students, explore how cultural, social, and institutional factors influence service utilization, and assess interventions proven effective in …

Barriers To Postpartum Depression Treatment: Availability And Accessibility Of Maternal Behavioral Health-Inclusive Support Groups For Low-Income Populations, Radhika S. Venkatesan

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The maternal health crisis is a prevalent and concerning issue in the United States. The lack of efficient availability and accessibility to health care services plays a significant role in augmenting this problem. One health care service that is often understudied is support groups, for prevalent issues like postpartum depression. Considering the socioeconomic burdens of low-income mothers, this paper analyzed the accessibility and availability of maternal health support groups across counties in Florida, with varying amounts of individuals below the federal poverty level (%BPL). Essentially, Florida counties were divided into one of four categories depending on their %BPL. A Fisher’s …

Rwanda's Natural Remedies: A Fresh Look At The Fight Against Malaria, Leandre Nsabimana Ndisanze

Pomona Senior Theses

Malaria remains one of the most devastating parasitic diseases globally, disproportionately affecting sub-Saharan Africa, where Rwanda continues to face high transmission rates and rising resistance to conventional interventions. Despite decades of control efforts, the emergence of drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum and insecticide-resistant Anopheles mosquitoes threatens to reverse recent gains. This research responds to the urgent need for sustainable and culturally relevant alternatives by exploring the therapeutic potential of Rwandan traditional medicinal plants. These indigenous remedies, long used by local healers, offer an underexplored reservoir of bioactive compounds that may provide the basis for novel antimalarial drugs.

The central hypothesis of this …

Social Determinants Of Mental Health Outcomes, Ariana Fein

Honors Theses

Mental health disorders, particularly anxiety and depression, are a growing global concern with profound consequences on individuals' well-being and societal functioning. The burden of these disorders is not only psychological but also economic, affecting quality of life. Mental health outcomes are heavily influenced by a range of social determinants, such as financial status, education, and access to healthcare. While extensive research has focused on WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic) countries, there remains a significant gap in understanding how these determinants affect mental health in low-resource settings or non-WEIRD countries. This study aimed to address this gap by exploring the …

An In-Depth Review Of Euthanasia-Related Practices, Arguments For/Against Them, And Proposed Solutions For Their Most Glaring Legal/Ethical Problems, Macon Plecha

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This paper’s goal is to cover the topic of euthanasia-related practices at great length. Terminology, history, and current programs around the world are discussed first, with the last point covering a wide geographical range: Colombia, Japan, Israel, and Africa, to name a few outside of the Western world standard. Arguments for and against euthanasia-related practices are explored. Within these arguments, several pressing legal and ethical issues arise, and the most severe of these are expanded on through the offering of potential solutions: how to handle stand-alone psychiatric cases, how to improve advanced directives and poor reporting rates, and how to …

Navigating Sexual And Gender Diversity: A Quality Improvement Project To Increase Provider Cultural Competencies For Sexual And Gender Minorities In Mental Health Outpatient Facilities, Shermeen Chandani

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose: Sexual and gender minority (SGM) populations experience healthcare disparities related to stigma, discrimination, and limited provider cultural competency. In outpatient psychiatric settings, non-affirming practices can negatively affect patient engagement, trust, and continuity of care. This quality improvement project aimed to enhance staff sexual and gender minority cultural competency (SGMCC) and strengthen affirming clinical processes.

Background: The project was implemented across two outpatient psychiatric clinics with approximately 28 multidisciplinary staff members. At baseline, no formal SGM cultural competency training or standardized documentation practices for preferred names and pronouns existed.

Methodology: A Plan–Do–Study–Act framework with a pre/post-test design was used. The …

Organizational And Structural Factors In Building The Therapeutic Alliance In A Work Rehabilitation Program With Injured Immigrant Workers In Quebec, Daniel Côté, Maude Arsenault, Jessica Dubé

Études primaires

Abstract

The therapeutic alliance is central to occupational rehabilitation, particularly for immigrant workers who face unique challenges of migration and of social and occupational integration. This study explores the development and maintenance of this alliance between immigrant workers with compensated work injuries and their care providers during work rehabilitation. Using ethnography, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups, the qualitative case study involved 7 injured immigrant workers and their interdisciplinary clinical team. The study identified several factors that weakened the alliance, including administrative complexity, conflicting views on pain and disability, cultural stereotypes, and interorganizational communication issues. Many of these challenges were systemic …

Learning To Be An Autistic Therapist: Personal Steps Towards An Autism-Affirming Psychotherapy, Sasha D. Strong

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

How can Autistic therapists understand and support themselves, and how can this help them support their clients? In this paper, I recount my personal journey of healing and growth as an Autistic psychotherapist, 16 months after self-identification. Here is an overview of conceptual frameworks from #actuallyautistic authors, critical theory, queer theory, and social justice that I have found helpful. I also share some of the therapeutic and wellness approaches that have been important to me, including mindfulness and bodyfulness. Organic knowing has been pivotal for me in discerning between masking and aliveness, and regaining a choice around masking behaviors. This …

The Camden Study - A Pregnancy Cohort Study Of Pregnancy Complications And Birth Outcomes In Camden, New Jersey, Usa., Stephanie Shiau, Xinhua Chen, Ayana April-Sanders, Ellen C Francis, Shristi Rawal, Megan Hansel, Kehinde Adeyemi, Zorimar Rivera-Núñez, Emily S Barrett

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy is a unique stage of the life course characterized by trade-offs between the nutritional, immune, and metabolic needs of the mother and fetus. The Camden Study was originally initiated to examine nutritional status, growth, and birth outcomes in adolescent pregnancies and expanded to study dietary and molecular predictors of pregnancy complications and birth outcomes in young women.

METHODS: From 1985-2006, 4765 pregnant participants aged 12 years and older were recruited from Camden, NJ, one of the poorest cities in the US. The cohort reflects a population under-represented in perinatal cohort studies (45% Hispanic, 38% non-Hispanic Black, 17% White …

Reduction Of Seclusion And Restraint Among Children And Adolescents In An Inpatient Psychiatric Hospital: A Health Policy Analysis, Huma Moez

Doctors of Nursing Practice (DNP) Final Projects, 2020-current

Background: Seclusion and restraint (SR) or restrictive intervention in inpatient/ acute psychiatric hospitals, emergency departments, crisis stabilization units, residentials, or group homes is a pressing and an immediate concern in mental health settings, particularly for children and adolescents, for whom SR rates are higher. The Joint Commission and other national organizations have made significant strides in prioritizing the reduction and elimination of SR among children and adolescents due to its negative physical and psychological consequences.

Objective: This DNP project will aim to provide the results of a policy analysis to present evidence-based techniques and a resulting re-envisioned policy recommendation to …

Mortalidad Por Cirrosis En Guatemala 2018: Patrones E Inequidades, Cristian Ramírez, Luis Pablo Méndez-Alburez, María Fernanda Piedrasanta, Alejandro Cerón

Anthropology: Faculty Scholarship

El presente estudio busca analizar la mortalidad por cirrosis en Guatemala. El propósito es identificar posibles criterios epidemiológicos que orienten la priorización de acciones de salud pública. El riesgo de morir por cirrosis en Guatemala muestra marcadas desigualdades por departamento, las cuales son mayores al comparar por municipio. El riesgo de morir es también más alto en hombres, en personas mestizas o ladinas, en niveles educativos bajos, y en personas que se dedican a ocupaciones elementales. Las medidas de salud pública orientadas a los municipios y grupos en mayor riesgo son de suma importancia para la prevención de muerte por …

Impacting Community Well-Being Through Effective Engagement Using The Seed Method, Carlin Rafie, Emily B. Zimmerman, Angelina Hargrove, Theodora Biney Amissah, Samantha Lee

Journal of Extension

Cooperative Extension can make a significant impact on health in the United States through effective community engagement that focuses on the complex socio-ecological factors that impact health. The Stakeholder Engagement in Question Development Method (SEED Method) employs community based participatory research principles to engage communities in research, problem-solving, and action planning. Projects employing the SEED Method engage community members from diverse backgrounds, create community capacity, result in tangible outcomes, and foment inter-organizational trust and networking. A SEED Toolkit is available on the Extension Foundation Campus site and provides implementation instructions, tools and timelines, and potential applications within Extension.

State Capacity And Covid-19 Responses: Comparing The Us States, Kiran Auerbach, Joshua Y. Lerner, Hannah M. Ridge

Political Science Faculty Articles and Research

This article addresses the interstate differences in outcomes from the coronavirus disease COVID-19 pandemic by focusing on state capacity. State capacity refers to states’ ability to create and implement policy. We posit that states want to limit death and destruction within their borders. COVID-19 created an instance in which states had a shared, preferred outcome but had very different levels of success. Using a novel measure of state capacity that allows for subnational comparisons – and is independent of ideological political will – we show that states with greater capacity experienced fewer excess deaths during 2020 and more successfully distributed …

Understanding The Impact Of Covid-19 On Yoga Instruction: Examining Teaching Methodology, Class Components, And Injury Patterns In The Northeastern Us, Sojung Kim, June Solow, Donald H Lein, Harshvardhan Singh

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the impact of COVID-19 on the perspectives of yoga instructors (YIs) regarding teaching methodology, class components, and yoga-related injuries among their clients DESIGN: A cross-sectional design in this study.

SETTING: A total of 407 YIs from Northeastern United States completed a customized, web-based survey.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Chi-square tests were carried out to determine changes in yoga teaching format before and during the pandemic, as well as the counts of yoga related injuries between face-to-face (FtoF) and online teaching format. Independent t tests were used to compare the characteristics of yoga teaching elements.

RESULTS: …

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' …

Protein Consumption And Risk Of Cvd Among Us Adults: The Multi-Ethnic Study Of Atherosclerosis (Mesa), Ji Yun Tark, Ruosha Li, Bing Yu, Alexis C Wood, Nikhil S Padhye, Marcia C De Oliveira Otto

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Although some randomized trials have reported beneficial effects of protein intake on cardiometabolic risk factors, evidence from prospective studies have not supported a strong link between protein intake and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. It is also unclear whether diversity in protein intake plays a role in CVD risk.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated prospective associations of (1) protein intake, overall and by food source and (2) diversity of protein sources with risk of CVD, coronary heart disease (CHD), and stroke.

METHODS: In a multi-ethnic cohort of 5879 U.S. adults (45-84 years), who were free of CVD at baseline, protein intake was …

Exploring Body Composition And Sexual Behavior In South Texas College Students, Soyoung Kwon, Shannon Shen

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

In this exploratory study, we examined the understudied relationship between body composition and sexual behavior among freshmen college students, addressing a gap in empirical research. Our sample consisted of 217 nonclinical college students recruited from a university in the southwestern United States; a majority of the students were Hispanic (70%) and freshmen (95%). Using multivariate logistic regression, we explored associations of body mass index, body fat percentage, and fat mass index with sexual behaviors. More than half of the participants were either overweight (22.5%) or obese (30.4%), and nearly 70% fell outside the healthy range of body fat. Results showed …

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 …

Credentialing Care: Covid-19 And The Bureaucratization Of Doulas, Ellen Block, Julie Johnson Searcy, Angela N. Castañeda

Sociology Faculty Publications

Doulas in the United States offer embodied, informational, and continuous one-on-one care to birthing people. Doulas have historically sought certification to gain knowledge through training and to gain legitimacy for healthcare providers and clients. During the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals required doulas to provide proof of certification. The COVID-19 pandemic, and the proliferation of state-sponsored doula programs, has sparked a shift in how doulas are viewed and regulated, enabling new forms of bureaucratic oversight and control. Based on participant observation, surveys, and semi-structured interviews, we examine the connection between certification and care including motivations doulas have for certification, the perceived value …