Bioethics and Medical Ethics Commons^™

Algorithmic Bias: Causes And Effects On Marginalized Communities, Katrina M. Baha

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Individuals from marginalized backgrounds face different healthcare outcomes due to algorithmic bias in the technological healthcare industry. Algorithmic biases, which are the biases that arise from the set of steps used to solve or analyze a problem, are evident when people from marginalized communities use healthcare technology. For example, many pulse oximeters, which are the medical devices used to measure oxygen saturation in the blood, are not able to accurately read people who have darker skin tones. Thus, people with darker skin tones are not able to receive proper health care due to their pulse oximetry data being inaccurate. This …

Nursing Education In Complementary Alternative Modalities: A Case Study, Deborah Bird

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this embedded case study was to describe the preparation for and utilization of complimentary alternative modality (CAM) interventions by an experienced Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) prepared nurse practitioner (NP) working in an outpatient setting.

Background: Given the widespread use of CAM by the American public and the potential complications involved in combining CAM and standard medical care, a lack of educational preparation in CAM interventions by NPs delivering primary care in outpatient health care settings represents both a potential risk and a missed opportunity to provide holistic patient care. Such a lack of knowledge also …

The Brain On Death Row: Reconciling Neuroscience & Categorical Exemptions From Execution, Alexa Johnson-Gomez

Minnesota Journal of Law, Science & Technology

No abstract provided.

The Health Care Industry Is Ready For A Revolution: Its Privacy Laws Are Not, Erin Rutherford

Minnesota Journal of Law, Science & Technology

No abstract provided.

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

Stratford Campus 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 …

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

Stratford Campus 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 …

The Blurred Lines Between Medicine And Wellness: A Historical Approach Comparing Osteopathic Physicians, Chiropractors, And Physical Therapists, Heather Soled, Dylan Trawinski, Sonya Priven, Sheam Jahan

Stratford Campus Research Day

In modern society, there stands a large number of medical titles with nuances that complicate the layperson’s ability to differentiate standard of care and capabilities. As the world evolves, new job opportunities in the medical and related fields are being constructed to provide positions with various levels of certifications that qualify many caregivers to provide similar and often coexisting levels of care. Some disciplines may agree or disagree on principle; this is just one point of confusion for the mass. Furthermore, disciplines that disagree on principle may still apply analogous treatment models. Such confusion has yielded several challenges for less …

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

Stratford Campus 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), …

Infertility: An Evaluation Of Treatment Modalities And Ethical Considerations, Elise Ferenczy

Senior Honors Theses

This thesis reviews a variety of options for treatment of infertility, along with ethical considerations for each. The basis for ethical concerns will be primarily a biblical worldview, as the goal is to support Christian couples in decisions regarding infertility treatment. The biblical worldview is outlined to provide readers with an understanding of its core principles, and the Bible is used as the primary source for ethical discussion. The most common etiologies of infertility are outlined, followed by treatment modalities grouped by category. While some modalities present very few ethical concerns, others require careful consideration in many regards. Many of …

The Ethical Dilemmas Epigenetic Editing In Utero Presents To Christians, Victoria Hendrix

Senior Honors Theses

The development of CRISPR epigenetic editing technology was initially impactful due to its potential for disease treatment. However, despite the potential benefits of epigenetic technology, there exist ethical dilemmas surrounding its use in utero. The review of the ethical dilemmas of epigenetic editing in utero from a Christian perspective showed that research in epigenetic editing is promising, yet fraught with peril. The basic ethical issues of epigenetic editing in utero stem from its inaccuracy, lack of research concerning its effects on offspring, an incomplete understanding of gene interactions, and its connection to eugenics. The ethical concerns particularly relevant to Christians …

Wellness Review 2022, Part 2, Martin Huecker, Brian A. Ferguson, Jacob Shreffler

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Similar to prior reviews, the Journal of Wellness editors searched the literature from the second half of 2022 for an interesting and impactful selection of publications on wellness in healthcare professionals.

Methods: Editors conducted a standard keyword search in Pubmed, focusing chiefly on large journals, interventional trials, and other prospective research. We included papers published between July 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022.

Literature Review: Finding several hundred publications, we excluded editorials, reviews, and some smaller, less generalizable papers. A final 25 significant studies focusing on wellness in medical professionals were sorted into the following categories: logistics, creativity / …

The Impact Of Champion Training On A Two-Clinician Indwelling Urinary Catheter Insertion Technique To Prevent Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infection (Cauti), Punitha Stevenson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections are a most common and preventable health care associated infection. Approximately 15% to 25% of hospitalized patients receive a urinary catheter during their hospital stay. The PICOT question that guided this quality improvement project was: How does a two-clinician indwelling urinary catheter insertion technique affect the CAUTI rate over one month in one unit? To answer the question, 19 high-quality studies that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were reviewed. These articles recommended using CAUTI bundle and champion training by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reduce CAUTIs and catheter days. This evidence-based intervention …

Attitudes Toward Personal Health Data Sharing Among People Living With Sickle Cell Disorder, Exemplar For Study Of Rare Disease Populations, Rebecca Baines, Sebastian Stevens, Zainab Garba-Sani, Arunangsu Chatterjee, Daniela Austin, Simon Leigh

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Purpose: Rare conditions are often poorly understood, creating barriers in determining the value treatments can provide. This study explored barriers and facilitators to personal health data sharing among those with one particular group of rare hematologic disorders, ie, sickle cell disorder (SCD) and its variants.

Methods: A single online focus group among those > 18 years of age and living with SCD was conducted. Participants (N = 25) were recruited through a United Kingdom-based SCD charity. Discussions were transcribed verbatim, with data therein analyzed using inductive thematic analysis.

Results: Five primary motivators for sharing health data were identified: improving awareness; knowing …

Patients And Families As Partners In Patient-Oriented Research: How Should They Be Compensated?, Monika Novak-Pavlic, Jan Willem Gorter, Michelle P. Phoenix, Samantha K. Micsinszki, Kinga Pozniak, Lin Li, Linda Nguyen, Alice K. Soper, Elaine Yuen Ling Kwok, Jael N. Bootsma, Francine Buchanan, Hanae Davis, Sandra Abdel Malek, Karen M. Van Meeteren, Peter L. Rosenbaum

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Patient and family engagement has become a widely accepted approach in health care research. We recognize that research conducted in partnership with people with relevant lived experience can substantially improve the quality of that research and lead to meaningful outcomes. Despite the benefits of patient-researcher collaboration, research teams sometimes face challenges in answering the questions of how patient and family research partners should be compensated, due to the limited guidance and lack of infrastructure for acknowledging partner contributions. In this paper, we present some of the resources that might help teams to navigate conversations about compensation with their patient and …

Peer-Supervision Of Nursing Professionals: A Shield Against Burnout, Kyle Gamache, Sarah Gamache, Joseph Robillard

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Burnout is a major risk in healthcare professions and is a significant contributor to the current nursing shortage. Strategies to combat burnout of healthcare professionals are in desperate need. The purpose of this project is to introduce the clinical peer supervision model as a method to alleviate burnout in nursing professionals.

Approach: Eight nurses from in-patient settings participated in a peer-supervision support group, modeled after existing European nursing and mental health provider-support protocols. To assess the effect of this intervention, qualitative data analysis was conducted on the transcripts of session and the results described. All participants reported statistically high …

Delivery Of The Immune System: Understanding The Development Of The Human Immune System Based On Birth Mode, Sara Abbas

Faculty Curated Undergraduate Works

The creation of the immune system starts from the womb. The expecting mother plays an immense role outside of the genetic influence in developing a neonate’s immune system. The mode of birth has a substantial impact, as the neonate’s initial moments can have lasting impacts on the making of a proper immune system. A mother should have the choice in choosing between a vaginal birth or a cesarean section and this paper looks to provide aid in the decision process by contrasting the two modes in terms of immunological impact, especially as the rate of c-sections climb (1,2). The approach …

The Revolutionary Genome Editor: Crispr-Cas9 Systems, Grace Spade

Senior Honors Theses

Genetic engineering is the modification of an organism's genetic material to alter its traits through adding, deleting, or changing specific genes. CRISPR-Cas9 systems are groundbreaking tools for genetic engineering, in short utilizing a molecule called RNA to guide a protein called Cas9 to a specific location in DNA to add, delete, or replace genes. The history of how the CRISPR-Cas9 systems came into existence, how it was adapted from a natural defense system in bacteria, and its mechanism of action in both are explained. Its applications, both present and future, competing genetic modifiers, advantages and disadvantages, and the ethical dilemmas …

In Vitro Gametogenesis: A Research Timeline And Implications For The Future Of Assisted Reproductive Technology, Nicole Buckley

Senior Honors Theses

The novel reproductive technology, In Vitro Gametogenesis (IVG), includes the process of obtaining mature viable germ cells from pluripotent stem cells. To do so, embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells are specified to primordial germ cells and differentiated to form gametes that undergo further maturation, which subsequently may undergo in vitro fertilization to form an embryo. With this capability, IVG holds the power to provide a novel treatment option for human infertility. As of now, research has been conducted on mice successfully, and with limited success in humans. Future research will likely focus on discovering the species-specific differences …

The Ethical Challenges Of Newborn Screening Programs In The United States, Devin Donovan

Senior Theses

Newborn screening programs have been mandated throughout the United States since the 1960s, and technological advancements have allowed for their evolution into the essential public health entities they are today (Arnold 558). These programs screen newborns for a variety of congenital and genetic conditions in all states, but each state varies in conditions screened and policies for collecting and using samples. Residual blood spots are a key component of these programs because they are often used for secondary purposes, such as for quality assurance and public health or biomedical research (Botkin et al. 121). Ethical challenges have arisen related to …

Where Do We Draw The Line? The Ethical Dilemma Involved In Genetic Engineering And Gene Therapy, Amber Schrag

Senior Honors Theses

Genetic engineering and gene therapy are greatly disputed in our time. With the advancement of technology, one has the power to manipulate genes in the body, which raises the questions: What is our role in this? Is there a limit to this power, or should there be? This paper reviews the uses of this technology and evaluates the ethics from a scientific and Biblical point of view. It is concluded that using gene therapy to help cure diseases is very beneficial in both the scientific and Biblical realm as it is restoring individuals back to health and wholeness.