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The Discrepancy in Cardiac Rehabilitation Referrals for Patients of Different Minority Backgrounds.
No full textPatients who have attended a cardiac rehabilitation (CR) program have been shown to better manage their cardiovascular issues and improve their overall quality of life. Although there are known benefits of CR, it seems that CR referrals are only being given to some patients with common exclusions of those from a minority background such as race, gender, education level and lower socioeconomic status. This gap in the current healthcare system is showing that these patients are being excluded from the physician side. Hospitals in the Twin Cities area may perform better with the survey and questionaries since their main demographic of patients in the area is minority patients. The methodology used in this study is using a physician focused survey and several qualitative questions via Zoom interviews to gather information from current cardiologists practicing in the Twin Cities area. Utilizing current practicing cardiologists who are employed at United Hospital, interviewing these physicians will help to identify the barriers that patients are facing when it comes to CR referrals, their thoughts on CR benefits, the referral process and quality of the program. The results from this study concluded that even from a physician’s point of view, there are limitations and barriers for their patients participating in CR. Each participant stated the importance of their patients participating in CR in order to improve their overall health. Although improvements can be made to the referral system to better serve the physicians that are ordering CR for their cardiology patients
The Make-Up of High School Activities Directors in Minnesota: How Many Females and Minorities are Filling These Positions?
No full textThis study was designed to explore the current make-up of high school activities directors (ADs) in Minnesota. While the study will not investigate the reasons why there are fewer female and minority ADs, it will seek statistical data to show the diversity of ADs. In addition, this study will gather data on how many years the current ADs have held their position in an effort to see if white males stay in the position longer than their female and minority counterparts. The study will gather data relative to the size of the school and where the school was located to help understand if these factors influence the number of women and minorities that were ADs. While this study will be limited to high schools in Minnesota, further studies could investigate data on high schools in other states, and ADs at the college level
The Relationship Between Athletic Footwear and Lower Body Injuries in Athletes
No full textFootwear is a luxury that most people in our society take for granted. Shoe help support our feet and keep our bodies healthy. Footwear is also a large component of athletic performance. Athletic footwear has also been known to help both athletic performance and keep an athlete injury free. The real question is what kind of shoe helps an athlete achieve both objectives? This research proposal aims to answer that question by investigating the relationship between athletic footwear and lower body injuries. Researchers would contact area college athletic trainers around the Twin Cities to inquire about potential student-athlete participation. Thirty collegiate student-athletes would be selected to participate would fill out a background survey. The participants would represent varying injury, shoe, and athletic backgrounds. During the study, the participants would inform the researchers through a daily questionnaire about how they are feeling each day when it comes to aches, pains, and injuries. In addition, participants will be observed during their training sessions to see how their biomechanics work. There has been research done about the myth in the relationship between athletic footwear and injuries, but there is not a lot of evidence to support either side. The goal of this research is to better inform athletes, coaches, and athletic trainers about the effect their footwear choices have on their ability to stay injury-free
Using Research, Innovation and Collaboration to link Undergraduate and DPT Students
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Research demonstrates a lack of connectedness between undergraduate (UG) and graduate students at universities around the U.S. This stems from: A lack of awareness of available resources and programs A lack of mentorship Insufficient face-to-face interaction COVID-19 Pandemic.
UG students have reported receiving little information surrounding their prospective fields of study,2 including the field of physical therapy (PT). Establishing continued relationships among faculty and students aids in retention rates,3 and graduate mentorship programs reduce feelings of isolation.4 The purpose of this work was to develop systems to increase connectedness for UG students in alignment with the PT Moves Me Campaign established by APTA.
Description
A needs assessment was conducted in 2021 with UG and DPT students. Results aligned with our research and prompted further action. A PT Club and Peer Mentoring Program (PMP) were established in 2022 in an attempt to promote the profession and bridge the gaps in connectedness between the undergraduate and DPT students at CSP.
The PT Club is innovative in that it intentionally links UG and DPT students. Many institutions have a Pre-PT club, catering only to UG students. Through the initiation of the PT Club, prospective UG students receive structure, guidance, and direction from current CSP DPT students and faculty.
The PMP pairs UG students with a current DPT student, which helps develop personal relationships. UG students are also able to observe DPT student research, integrated clinical experiences, or lectures/labs. Peer mentoring guides have been created based on UG student needs as they matriculate through UG studies.
Observation
The CSP PT Club has hosted multiple meetings and attended various club marketing events on campus, catering to UG and DPT students alike. Students were able to vote on topics they would like to explore further and this includes review of the DPT application process, observation hours and clinical experiences, various specialties, and practice settings. There are several students actively involved in the program.
Through the PMP, undergraduate students became involved in various DPT class lectures and labs, participated in DPT research, and collaborated with their DPT peer mentors to establish confidence and preparedness to take the next steps in their academic career.
Conclusion
The PT Club and PMP were established in response to a needs assessment that was previously conducted. Both have been successful in connecting UG students to the DPT program, which aligns with research and the PT Moves Me campaign by APTA. 6 Succession of the PT Club and mentorship roles will be established each Spring to ensure sustainability of systems established.
Implications
Implementing PMP and and PT Club at universities with both UG and graduate PT programs will be beneficial to students in both programs, allowing for the sharing of valuable information and guidance that isn’t always accessible to students. This will also help expand the reach of institutions by increasing engagement of PT students and prospective students alike
Vestibulo-oculomotor Function Following a Competitive Season Versus a Non-competitive Season in Collegiate Football Players
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Background Football athletes experience a high number of head impacts during competitive play that do not cause immediate observable signs or symptoms. Research shows that exposure to repeated subconcussive impacts has a negative effect on the vestibulo-oculomotor (V-O) system and can result in long term neurologic dysfunction. Little is known about the ability of the V-O system to recover if an athlete is given an extended time away from subconcussive impacts.
Purpose To investigate the difference in V-O function following a non-competitive (due to COVID-19) vs. a competitive season in cleared-to-play football players.
Methods
Participants 32 Division II football players from Concordia University, St. Paul ages 19-23. Data was collected in 2021 following a non-competitive season and in 2022 following a competitive season.
V-O Tests Dynamic Visual Acuity (DVA) Near-Point Convergence (NPC)
Results No statistically significant differences in V-O test results were found between the non-competitive and competitive season. Nearly 60% of the athletes had at least one positive V-O test after the competitive season.
Conclusion Time away from subconcussive impacts due to a non-competitive season does not appear to have significantly influenced V-O function in collegiate football players. However, of concern is the large number of cleared-to-play athletes testing positive in at least one assessment tool.
Clinical Relevance The vestibular system has the opportunity to recover, yet we are still unable to draw firm conclusions about the amount of time away from head impacts that is necessary for full recovery For many of our participants, a single season away from head impacts was not enough time to recover It is recommended that there be further investigation into time away from contact sports and return-to-play protocols in season
DII Fan Engagement
No full textThis project proposed a study that would investigate strategies a director of marketing within college athletics could use to help with fan engagement within a mid-sized Division II University at home basketball games. The method for this study would be a survey given to students to fill out based on their experiences at a Division II basketball game. If conducted, the results of this project would be beneficial for all mid-sized Division II University athletic departments, especially for their marketing plans each year for their basketball team(s)
Osseointegration in the Prosthetics Industry: How Does it Compare to Socket Based Suspension?
No full textOsseointegration, or bone implantation is the next step in prosthetic technology. It allows transfemoral amputees to not require the use of a socket with their prosthesis. In 2020 the Osseoanchored Prostheses for the Rehabilitation of Amputees (OPRA) Implant System was approved in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration. If a previous transfemoral socket user that has passed the contraindication and indication standards switches to osseointegration, their quality of life and proprioception would increase, and their skin breakdown would decrease.
The study aims to measure the benefits through qualitative conversation and interviews with the patients, qualitative before and after videos, osseoperception measurements through the footplate, and through functional ability measurements of hip range of motion, TUG tests, and AMPPro testing.
This will be a long term study of three years in which the patient will meet with the team of prosthetists, doctors, physical therapists, and researchers more frequently at the start of the osseointegration process. The interviews and measurements will become less frequent over time, happening every 6 months
The Effect of Spinal Stabilization and Resistance Training Exercises on Functional Capacity of Low Back Pain Workers
No full textSpinal stabilization exercises coupled with resistance training have been found to be effective in the treatment of lower back injuries. In this paper, this exercise model will be incorporated into a graduated return-to-work program, with gradually increasing levels of activity. This paper will also include a proposed plan to evaluate the effectiveness of this program on pain, injury, and occupational performance. Work hardening and work conditioning programs, such as the one included in this paper, may help workers recover from lower back injuries and return to work in a timely, safe, and efficient manner
Efficacy of Prosthetic Foot, Knee, and Ankle Component Usage in the Extreme Sports of Cycling, Surfing, Snowboarding, and Skiing
No full textProsthetic componentry has consistently progressed throughout the years as new technology is developed and tested to meet the high demands of our athletes. As more technology becomes available to us, it gives us the possibility to develop devices that will assist athletes in their specialized areas such as snowboarding, surfing, skiing, and cycling. Because of the extreme nature and conditions that these athletes perform in, devices must be made that are durable enough to endure large forces of impact, environmental factors, and be highly reliable. It is essential that the athlete is able to be confident in their prosthesis as this is their most important piece of equipment and failure of their device could prove to be very determinantal as the activities they perform often include high risk. In order for these devices to be developed and fine tuned so that the athlete can perform their tasks to the best of their ability, the movements and motions that are used in these sports must be studied, mimicked, and tested out by amputees with high levels of fitness. By utilizing different testing methods and questionnaires, engineers and prosthetists were able to gather data which aided in the development of sport specific prosthetic devices. The significance of developing these advanced devices is to provide the amputee with a safe, dependable tool that they are able to utilize while performing these extreme activities
Hmong Parents\u27 Perspectives on the Effectiveness of Hmong Language and Culture Programs
Get PDFIn this dissertation, I examined Hmong parents\u27 perspectives on the effectiveness of Hmong language and culture (HLC) programs in helping their children maintain the Hmong language and cultural practices. It was guided by three research questions that sought to uncover Hmong parents\u27 experiences with heritage language shifts (HLS), their perceptions of their children\u27s experiences, their perceived effectiveness of Hmong language and culture programs, and the roles they believe home and school play in the language and culture maintenance process. Drawing from a phenomenological research approach, narratives from semi-structured interviews with nine Hmong parents from two Hmong charter schools brought forward themes that highlighted the HLS experiences of Hmong parents and their children, the perceived effectiveness of HLC programs, and recommendations for current HLC programs. The salient themes that emerged from the data revealed: 1) family structure plays a major role in the heritage language and cultural maintenance process, 2) Hmong children can understand Hmong but not speak it, 3) parents are doing all they can to help maintain the language and cultural practices in the home to no avail, and 4) HLC programs were effective in helping Hmong students develop a broader Hmong vocabulary, literacy skills in Hmong, and increased interest in cultural practices. Although HLC programs were perceived by parents as being effective, they also provided recommendations for improvement to current programs