Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Understanding The Resources, Barriers, Facilitators And Interests About Aging And Dementia Research Of Community Members From The Rio Grande Valley, Karla Daniela Lopez Lorenzo, Rosa V. Pirela Mavarez, Gabriela Osuna, Kendra Stine, Nahalie Chacon De Alvarez, Noe Garza, Gladys E. Maestre

Research Symposium

Background: One of ten people aged 65 develops Alzheimer’s Disease and it is one of the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. The Rio Grande Valley (RGV) is mostly constituted by Hispanic/Latinos (93%), a population that has a 1.5X increased risk of AD onset. Nevertheless, there are not enough resources to support people living with dementia and their care partners. This study will leverage research efforts deployed by the RGV Alzheimer’s Disease Resource Center for Minority Aging Research to understand the social representations about the resources, barriers, facilitators, and interests of the RGV community about dementia and Alzheimer’s …

A Neurodevelopmental Perspective To Improve Innovation In Preventive Treatment Of Substance Use Disorders, Ismael Perez, John Vandeberg, Mario Gil

Research Symposium

Background: Midbrain dopaminergic neurons have been associated with substance use disorders (Blaess & Ang, 2015). Understanding their neurodevelopment during early stages of life is fundamental for innovating preventive care treatments. The animal model Monodelphis domestica has been proposed as an excellent candidate to study neurodevelopmental changes due to the ease of access to see changes in their embryonic development (Mate et al., 1994). The purpose of our study is to inform how brain cells, including and especially dopaminergic neurons, mature by quantifying their number during early development. Additionally, the study aims to compare different midbrain areas and track neurodevelopmental changes …

Primary Care Behavioral Health Partnerships Advancing & Transforming Health Sciences (Pcbh Paths), Kristan Diaz-Rios, Deepu George, Maria Hernandez, Evan Garcia, Myrna Ruiz, Salvador Arellano Iii

Research Symposium

Purpose: Primary Care Behavioral Health Partnerships Advancing & Transforming Health Sciences (PCBH PATHS) is a workforce development pipeline project aimed at permanently augmenting UTRGV’s institutional capacity to address shortage of an Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) competent workforce locally, regionally and nationally. Our initiative, aligned with UTRGV strategic priorities and key initiatives, will integrate basic(model specific strategy and operational elements), mid-level (role identity and profession specific behavioral competencies specific to each health profession), and advanced (behavioral medicine clinical skills) applications of the evidence based PCBH model of delivery. A PCBH focused delivery system (clinical and educational), in which primary care providers …

Residential Treatment Of Substance Use Disorder And Related Comorbidities In Older Adults, Dale J. Dyben

Research Symposium

Purpose: Substance Use Disorders (SUD) are a leading contributor to health problems and premature mortality in the United States. Stigma and misconceptions about persons with SUD contribute to negative outcomes. The misconception that older adults do not suffer from severe SUD has contributed to a paucity of treatment options that meet the unique needs this population.

Description: The Center for Older Adult Recovery (COAR) at Hanley Center in West Palm Beach, Florida provides a model for residential treatment of older 65 and older with severe SUD and related medical and mental health comorbidities. Older adults who meet DSM-V diagnostic …

The Impact Of Social Isolation On The Neural Pathways Of Dopamine Neurons In The Ventral Tegmental Area (Vta) And The Nucelus Accumbens (Nac): Implications For The Treatment Of Depression, Anxiety, And Drug Addiction., Cristian M. Botello, Sasawan Heingraj, John L. Vandeberg, Mario Gil

Research Symposium

As the literature on the Monodelphis domestica continues to grow, it is important to contribute to the knowledge base regarding neural pathways and their role in social behavior in this species. Previous studies have provided evidence that increased activity in ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurons were associated with more social activity in mice. It is also known that in traditional rodent models, the Nucleus Accumbens (NAcc) is implicated in interaction reward processes like motivation; however, more research is needed to elucidate the role of the NAcc in social behavior of the M. domestica. The present study was designed …

Adverse Childhood Experiences And Resilience In Medical School Students: A Scope Of Medical Literature, Andrea Soto Abarca, Yvette Cortino, Juan Carlos Lopez Alvarenga, Maya Guevara

Research Symposium

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) represent types of childhood trauma that are associated with long-term negative effects on health and wellbeing. An elevated number of ACEs can lead to depression, suicidality, alcoholism, and substance use. Factors that can protect a person from increased health risks include resilience, which is broadly defined as the ability to bounce back from adversity. Few studies have analyzed the exposure of ACEs in medical students, however, there is extensive literature on how low levels of resilience are linked to higher rates of depression, fatigue, and burnout among medical students. Little is known about the …

Does Social Media Matter When It Comes To Rank Lists? A Survey Of Applicants For General Surgery Residency During Covid-19, Justin M. Greco, Alessandra Storino, Priyanka V. Chugh, Tara S. Kent, Donald Hess, Dmitry Nepomnayshy, Kimberly Ellis, Jonathan S. Abelson

The Lahey Journal

Abstract:

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic greatly disrupted traditional social interactions between residency applicants and General Surgery programs. There is no previous research on the influence of social media in General Surgery residency recruiting.

Methods: We performed a multi-institutional survey of General Surgery residency applicants from the Northeast United States about the effect social media had on their decision to interview and rank programs, after the results of the 2021 National Resident Matching Program. The survey was sent to 311 e-mail addresses. The 22-question survey consisted of multiple choice, Likert Scale, and free text responses.

Results: 66 applicants completed the survey …

Mixed Method Approach Towards The Life Of University Students During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Raihan Khan, Andrew White, Tony Jehi

Department of Health Sciences - Faculty Scholarship

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted the higher education system. This mixed-methods study aimed to assess COVID-19 fear, anxiety, and stress among Shenandoah Valley college students.

Methods

An online survey was fielded and completed by n=680 students. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 students.

Results

The mean participant age was 22.14±5.48 years, and primarily White (81.9%), women (80.4%), and undergraduate (78.0%) students. Approximately 41% were enrolled in health-related majors (41.4%). Women students had significantly higher anxiety, depression, and fear of contracting COVID-19 than men. Undergraduate students had significantly higher depression than graduate students. Qualitative analysis revealed several major themes: …

The Effects Of Resistance Training On Jumping And Selected Power Variables Of The Lower Limbs In Female Soccer Players, Tomasz Chamera, Magdalena Prończuk, Piotr Smok, Miłosz Drozd, Małgorzata Michalczyk, Adam Maszczyk

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Introduction: The aim of the study was to compare the effects of a 6-week intervention of combined soccer training with resistance training on strength and power variables in highly trained female soccer players. It was hypothesized that 6 weeks is sufficient for a significant improvement in jumping ability and power to occur due to the intervention. The study involved 34 female soccer players of the top women’s league (22 ± 5 years old, body height 167 ± 5 cm, body weight 60 ± 8 kg). The players were divided into two groups of 17 participants. The control group performed 3 …

Abductor And Adductor Strength Relation To Sprint Performance In Soccer Players, Paulina Królikowska, Artur Gołaś, Petr Stastny, Jakub Kokstejn, Wojciech Grzyb, Michal Krzysztofik

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Introduction: The hip muscle strength plays an important role in sprinting and non-contact injuries, where their role in soccer players needs to be recognized. This study aimed to examine the relationship between the strength of hip abductor (Abd), hip adductor (Add) and linear sprint performance (5 m and 35 m). Sixteen professional soccer players (Second Polish League) participated in the study (age = 24 ± 3.2 years, body mass = 75.3 ± 9.58 kg, height = 179 ± 5.6 cm, soccer training experience = 8 ± 2.9 years). 5 m and 3 m linear sprint performance was described by: peak …

What Evidence-Based Medicine (Ebm) Doesn't Say About Allergen-Specific Immunotherapy (Ait), Gabriele Di Lorenzo, Marcello Melluso, Alessandro Rodolico

Translational Medicine @ UniSa

Evidence-based allergology for the treatment of allergic rhinitis with allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) has been used in publications by the companies manufacturing AIT. The purpose of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) is to provide physicians, health authorities, patients, and their families with the best evidence upon which to base treatment decisions. However, some RCT results may do more harm than good because they serve the commercial interests of the companies producing and marketing AIT more than the interests of patients. Allergic rhinitis is a trivial disease that is not life-threatening and is easily controlled by drugs. In this paper, we analyze some …

Selection Homophily And Peer Influence For Adolescents’ Smoking And Vaping Norms And Outcomes In High And Middle-Income Settings, Jennifer M. Murray, Sharon Sánchez-Franco, Olga L. Sarmiento, Erik O. Kimbrough, Christopher Tate, Shannon C. Montgomery, Rajnish Kumar, Laura Dunne, Abhijit Ramalingam, Erin L. Krupka, Felipe Montes, Huiyu Zhou, Laurence Moore, Linda Bauld, Blanca Llorente, Frank Kee, Ruth F. Hunter

Economics Faculty Articles and Research

The MECHANISMS study investigates how social norms for adolescent smoking and vaping are transmitted through school friendship networks, and is the first study to use behavioral economics methodology to assess smoking-related social norms. Here, we investigate the effects of selection homophily (the tendency to form friendships with similar peers) and peer influence (a social process whereby an individual’s behavior or attitudes are affected by peers acting as reference points for the individual) on experimentally measured smoking and vaping norms, and other smoking outcomes, in adolescents from high and middle-income settings. Full school year groups in six secondary schools in Northern …

Revisiting The Master Food Volunteer Program: Examining How To Enhance Nutrition Education In The United States, Stacey Viera, Lindsey Haynes-Maslow

The Journal of Extension

America’s diet-related illness crisis intersects with a lack of nutrition literacy, nutrition security, and systemic inequities. The Cooperative Extension Service’s (CES) national infrastructure could potentially provide equitable access to quality nutrition education in the US utilizing a Master Food Volunteer (MFV) model. This research brief examined preliminary evidence for the MFV model as a support for CES agents and paraprofessionals, and results show a paucity of evidence. Further research and a pilot program with pre-established measures for health-related knowledge and behaviors could elucidate the model’s potential to increase equitable access to evidence-based programming, nutrition, and implementation guidance.

Development And Evaluation Of Impact Statements For The Expanded Food And Nutrition Education Program (Efnep), Kylie Pybus, Ronald L. Gibbs Jr., Karen Franck, M. Catalina Aragón

The Journal of Extension

Extension professionals often communicate program outcomes to external stakeholders using impact statements. We developed and evaluated four impact statements for the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP). We drafted the statements after conducting literature reviews for core content areas of EFNEP that include diet quality, food resource management, physical activity, and food safety. Subsequently, we evaluated the statements by facilitating expert panels made up of subject matter experts and communication professionals (n=14) from 12 Land-grant Universities. These impact statements aim to support EFNEP and other Extension professionals when communicating program value with key external stakeholders.

Building Strength Through Collaboration: What Faith Community Nurses Need To Know, Marcia A. Potter

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

This article is a practical guide and viewpoint narrative that offers definitions, justifications for, process steps, and a how-to checklist for Faith Community Nurses considering collaboration between multiple agencies outside of their own. The author offers simple guidelines and how-to advice on securing success, avoiding risks, and preventing costly misunderstandings between cooperating agencies when combining resources.

Dispensing With Reductionism And Dualism: Biological Anthropological Perspectives Towards Understanding Disease, Epidemics, And Pandemics, Anne Grauer

Anthropology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

At no time in recent history has the topic of disease, epidemics and pandemics been more at the forefront of public conversation than it is now. Previously, the threat of epidemics such as Ebola, the 1918 influenza epidemic, and the plague, were commonly framed as “back then” or “over there.” Perhaps COVID ended the public's delusion. For biological anthropologists, however, the perspective has differed appreciably. Pandemics and epidemics are viewed as integral and repeated aspects of human existence, and the kindling to start an outbreak of gargantuan proportion has been delicately stacked for centuries (if not millennia). If the public …

Building On The Health Policy Analysis Triangle: Elucidation Of The Elements, Aysha Zahidie, Saima Asif, Meesha Iqbal

Community Health Sciences

The health policy triangle first presented in the 20th century by Walt and Gilson has been extensively used at local, national, regional, and international levels to assess health policies related to communicable and non-communicable diseases, physical and mental health, antenatal and postnatal care, and human resources, services, and systems. However, the framework lacks intricate details for the four pillars in the triangle viz: 'content,' 'context', 'actors', and 'processes. We propose a checklist of elements to be considered for each pillar; to ease and enhance the process of policy analyses for researchers and policymakers across the globe, including low- and middle-income …

The Social Determinants Of Health And Reentry: An Exploratory Study, Makayla Lewis, Brian Schaefer, Heather Ouellette

The Cardinal Edge

Being released from jail affects a person’s ability to secure basic needs such as health, housing, and employment. Compounding these barriers are issues related to returning to impoverished communities, complicated relationships with families and support systems, and minimal reentry opportunities within jails and upon release. This study explores how the Opportunity Network’s reentry workbook is working to address the social determinants of health and improve perceptions of successful reentry outcomes.

One Size Doesn’T Fit All: Attitudes Towards Work Modify The Relation Between Parental Leave Length And Postpartum Depression, Christine Y. Chang, Sabrina R. Liu, Laura M. Glynn

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between parental leave length and maternal depressive symptoms at six- and twelve-months postpartum and whether this relation was influenced by women’s attitudes towards leave, whether leave was paid or unpaid, and the reason they returned to work. The sample included 115 working women recruited during pregnancy as part of a larger longitudinal study. Analyses revealed that maternal attitudes toward leave influenced the association between leave length and depressive symptoms. Specifically, longer leaves were associated with increased depressive symptoms for women who missed their previous activities at work. Furthermore, women who missed work …

Social Vulnerability Of The People Exposed To Wildfires In Us West Coast States, Arash Modaresi Rad, John T Abatzoglou, Erica Fleishman, Miranda H Mockrin, Volker C Radeloff, Yavar Pourmohamad, Megan Cattau, J Michael Johnson, Philip Higuera, Nicholas J Nauslar, Mojtaba Sadegh

Student and Faculty Publications

Understanding of the vulnerability of populations exposed to wildfires is limited. We used an index from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to assess the social vulnerability of populations exposed to wildfire from 2000-2021 in California, Oregon, and Washington, which accounted for 90% of exposures in the western United States. The number of people exposed to fire from 2000-2010 to 2011-2021 increased substantially, with the largest increase, nearly 250%, for people with high social vulnerability. In Oregon and Washington, a higher percentage of exposed people were highly vulnerable (>40%) than in California (~8%). Increased social vulnerability of …

Self Determination Theory And Health Behavior Interventions, Anna T. Simpson

The Cardinal Edge

Physical and mental health contribute to a person’s overall sense of well-being. People generally want to live happy and healthy lives, so they make decisions that will increase their well-being. Many factors contribute to our health, but health behavior is something we can modify. Health behavior interventions aim to promote healthy choices and a sense of well-being in patients. Interventions have a theoretical basis that influences the design of the intervention. Public health interventions have used self-determination theory (SDT) and its components to guide interventions that promote health behavior change in various populations. This paper will seek to understand the …

Influence Of Apathy And Grit On Exercise Adherence For Persons With Parkinson’S Disease: A Cohort Study, Erica J. Kiernan, Evan M. Pucillo, Christopher M. Wiedman

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease in the United States. A preponderance of evidence supports exercise and physical activity as an effective intervention to slow the progression of motor symptoms in persons with PD. However, less study has been given to the influence of non-motor symptoms of PD, such as apathy and grit, on adherence to therapeutic exercise programs. The primary aim of this study was to characterize levels of apathy and grit in individuals with PD and explore any relationship to adherence in a community exercise program. Due to the importance of caregiver interaction, …

Training And Instruction Of Learning And Study Strategies Improve Academic Performance In Rehabilitation Students, Evan M. Pucillo, Gabriela Perez

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Prior study has demonstrated that certain learning strategies can be improved with training and instruction. As a result, downstream academic success may be potentiated. However, it is unclear if instructional intervention can influence academic outcomes among rehabilitation students. The purpose of this study was to compare changes in grade point average (GPA) after exposure to a set of standardized self-paced training modules on the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) in Physical therapy (PT) and Occupational therapy (OT) students. Methods: A causal-comparative design was used, and a multi-center convenience sample collected N=75 entry-level PT and OT students [PT: 41(55%); …

The Role Of Emotional States And Mental Techniques In Dancesport: A Systematic Review, Sara Aliberti, Gaetano Raiola, Domenico Cherubini

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Introduction: Psychological states during competition seem to be an important factor to determine successful performance. Therefore, the analysis of emotions is essential to understand how emotions can support sports performance. This systematic review aimed to summarize the studies examining the influence of emotional states on dancesport (DS) performance and the use of mental techniques to improve psychological preparation to face the competition. Material and methods. Web of Science, Scholar, Scopus and Pubmed databases were used to search studies. The screening process was summarized within the PRISMA 2020 flowchart. Results. Only 9 articles met our inclusion criteria. The results demonstrated that …

Progress Reimagined: A Generation Z Perspective On Belfast In Relation To The Unsdgs., Lucy Love Haman, Rebecca F. Macleod, Emilee E. Ernster, Camryn Moore, Erin Miller, Daron Baltazar, Ricardo Jackson

Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

This research explores a contemporary outsider view of Belfast, through the eyes of Generation Z visiting college students, in relation to how three United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are carried out (Good Health and Well-Being, Climate Action, and Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions). To learn through firsthand accounts, the researchers utilized ethnographic and phenomenological methods, as interacting with locals to gather community inputs, surveying different groups in the city, Abstract: recording quotes said by citizens and displayed at billboards, and For Peer Review applying personal sensory experiences. It was found that a political deadlock plays a major role in the …

Can The Date Of Last Menstrual Period Be Trusted In The First Trimester? Comparisons Of Gestational Age Measures From A Prospective Cohort Study In Six Low-Income To Middle-Income Countries, Archana Patel, Carla M. Bann, Vanessa R. Thorsten, Sowmya R. Rao, Adrien Lokangaka, Antoinette Tshefu Kitoto, Melissa Bauserman, Lester Figueroa, Nancy F. Krebs, Fabian Esamai, Sherri Bucher, Sarah Saleem, Robert L. Goldenberg, Elwyn Chomba, Waldemar A. Carlo, Shivaprasad Goudar, Richard Derman, Marion Koso-Thomas, Elizabeth Mcclure, Patricia L. Hibberd

Global Health Articles

OBJECTIVES: We examined gestational age (GA) estimates for live and still births, and prematurity rates based on last menstrual period (LMP) compared with ultrasonography (USG) among pregnant women at seven sites in six low-resource countries.

DESIGN: Prospective cohort study SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: This study included data from the Global Network's population-based Maternal and Newborn Health Registry which follows pregnant women in six low-income and middle-income countries (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guatemala, India, Kenya, Pakistan and Zambia). Participants in this analysis were 42 803 women, including their 43 230 babies, who registered for the study in their first trimester based …

Building The Health Silk Road Within The Belt And Road Initiative From A Systematic View, Shouyang Wang, Qin Bao, Qi Zhang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Life and health are common challenges faced by mankind, and the building of the Health Silk Road is the fundamental content of the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative. There are great differences in the level of economic and social development of the countries and regions along the Belt and Road. Under the increasingly complex and severe global biosecurity situation, scientific guidance from a systematic perspective is required for comprehensively improving the medical and health conditions and life and health quality of different countries and regions. Aiming at the challenges faced by the building of the Health Silk …

Cumulative Incidence Of Physical And Sexual Dating Violence: Insights From A Long-Term Longitudinal Study, Jeff R Temple, Elizabeth Baumler, Leila Wood, Kelli Sargent Franco, Melissa Peskin, Christie Shumate

Student and Faculty Publications

Decades of inquiry on intimate partner violence show consistent results: violence is woefully common and psychologically and economically costly. Policy to prevent and effectively intervene upon such violence hinges upon comprehensive understanding of this phenomenon at a population level. The current study prospectively estimates the cumulative incidence of sexual and physical dating violence (DV) victimization/perpetration over a 12-year timeframe (2010–2021) using diverse participants assessed annually from age 15 to 26. Data are from Waves 1–13 of an ongoing longitudinal study. Since 2010 (except for 2018 and 2019), participants were assessed on past-year physical and sexual DV victimization and perpetration. Participants …

Factors Affecting Rural Women’S Involvement In Physical Activity In Ghana, Alice Quainoo, T. A. Loeffler

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

A qualitative study approach was used to explore the factors affecting rural women’s involvement in physical activity in Ghana. Most prior research has been done in African urban areas thus, neglecting the rural areas. Purposive sampling and a semi-structured interview method were used to interview nine women aged 40-60 years living in three rural areas in the central region of Ghana. The interviews were conducted by phone, translated, transcribed, and then coded using NVivo software package. The constant comparative method was used to analyze the data. The data presented eight enablers and five barriers to physical activity involvement for rural …

Age- And Sex-Specific Reference Values Of Biventricular Flow Components And Kinetic Energy By 4d Flow Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance In Healthy Subjects, Xiaodan Zhao, Ru-San Tan, Pankaj Garg, Ping Chai, Shuang Leng, Jennifer Ann Bryant, Lynette L S Teo, Tee Joo Yeo, Marielle V Fortier, Ting Ting Low, Ching Ching Ong, Shuo Zhang, Rob J Van Der Geest, John C Allen, Teng Hong Tan, James W Yip, Ju Le Tan, Marina Hughes, Sven Plein, Jos J M Westenberg, Liang Zhong

Student and Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Advances in four-dimensional flow cardiovascular magnetic resonance (4D flow CMR) have allowed quantification of left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) blood flow. We aimed to (1) investigate age and sex differences of 4D flow CMR-derived LV and RV relative flow components and kinetic energy (KE) parameters indexed to end-diastolic volume (KEi

METHODS: We performed 4D flow analysis in 163 healthy participants (42% female; mean age 43 ± 13 years) of a prospective registry study (NCT03217240) who were free of cardiovascular diseases. Relative flow components (direct flow, retained inflow, delayed ejection flow, residual volume) and multiple phasic KEi

RESULTS: …