How to Implement a Model to Get Youth Off Drugs and Out of Crime

Shares lessons learned from implementing the Reclaiming Futures model for coordinating successful substance abuse treatment for minors in the juvenile justice system at ten sites. Explains the planning and implementation phases of the model

Environmental Protection, Energy Policy and Poverty Reduction – Synergies of an Integrated Approach

This paper describes the mechanisms that link poverty reduction with climate and energy policy. First, there is a brief analysis of the relationship between ongoing climate change, energy use and poverty. This analysis is followed by an overview of different policy options that have the potential to fight poverty while simultaneously limiting global warming and environmental degradation. Mitigating climate change, transforming the energy systems in developing countries and financing adaptation to climate change are pointed out as central policy fields governments and developing agencies should focus on. Furthermore, one can argue that new technologies to increase energy efficiency and the dissemination of renewable energy systems have an especially strong impact on poverty. Access to clean and cost-efficient energy has a direct effect on the income generation potentials of the poor. Finally, this paper identifies appropriate financing mechanisms to implement the aforementioned strategies.

Between-Year Survival and Rank Transitions in Male Black-Capped Chickadees (\u3cem\u3ePoecile Atricapillus\u3c/em\u3e): A Multistate Modeling Approach

In dominance-structured animal societies, variation in individual fitness is often related to social status. Like many passerine birds, Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) have a short average adult life-expectancy (Ø2 years); however, the maximum recorded life span is \u3e5× as long. Enhanced annual survival could contribute to greater lifetime reproductive success for male Black-capped Chickadees with high social rank. We used multistate capture–mark–recapture models to estimate annual survival of male Black-capped Chickadees in Ontario using resighting and recapture data collected from 1997 to 2002. Our goal was to evaluate support for an influence of rank on annual survival and estimate its effect size for a food-supplemented study site. We also statistically modeled the probability of between-year rank transitions. Model selection based on Akaike’s information criterion provided support for an effect of rank on survival. However, multimodel inference revealed that the size of the effect was rather small. Over the six study years, model-averaged estimates of the survival benefit of high versus low rank ranged from 5.0 to 7.3%. As expected, survival was strongly year-dependent, with model-averaged estimates of annual survival probability varying between 0.36 and 0.73. Age was an important predictor of the probability of rank transitions. Low-ranked second-year birds were less likely than older low-ranked birds to advance to high rank between years; likewise, high-ranked after-second-year birds were less likely to drop in rank. Other studies have found larger effects of rank on survival than we observed here. Future research should consider how interactions between social and environmental factors influence annual survival

Analysis of Role Changes for Women with Breast Cancer Related Lymphedema to Return to Work

Breast Cancer survivors diagnosed with secondary lymphedema have decreased quality of life and experience greater challenges when attempting to return to work compared to survivors who do not have secondary lymphedema. Limited research is available in understanding the impact breast cancer-related lymphedema has on survivors transitioning from traditional medical care to return to work. Occupational therapists specializing in Lymphedema therapy have the unique training skills and knowledge to address the challenges this population faces, as well as the tools needed to educate patients and their family members on how to manage returning to work, and make any adaptations to their work environment in order to achieve overall satisfaction and quality of life. A quantitative study was done to identify the impact BCRL has had on the role changes survivors with secondary lymphedema experience, as well as satisfaction with work. Results collected from the study were indicative of decreased overall satisfaction with return to work secondary to diagnosis, significant role changes with decreased independence and difficulties from employers, as well as little to no therapeutic services addressing return to work during this survivorship phase. Future recommendations include developing a program addressing return to work and successful techniques manage lymphedema symptoms of the affected limb within the work environment.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstones-spring2022/1042/thumbnail.jp

Improving Occupational Engagement: An Occupation-Based Virtual Program For Caregivers of Individuals with Dementia

Dementia is a progressive disorder that affects many people worldwide including informal caregivers of individuals with dementia (Harrison et al., 2019). Every year, more than 16 million Americans provide more than 17 billion hours of unpaid care for family and friends with Alzheimer’s disease or other related dementias (CDC, 2019). As a result, many informal caregivers experience higher levels of caregiver burden, depression, and anxiety (Amato et al., 2021; Raj et al., 2021; Walter & Pinquart, 2020). This causes an occupational imbalance in caregivers\u27 ability to meet their needs and those of their loved one. Leisure is within occupational therapy\u27s (OT\u27s) practice domain and utilized to facilitate occupational engagement (AOTA, 2020). The purpose of the program development type project was to implement an occupation-based program for informal caregivers of individuals with dementia that incorporates leisure to help improve occupational engagement (Chiu et al., 2020; DiLauro et al., 2017; Lee et al., 2020).https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstones-spring2022/1017/thumbnail.jp

Exploration of Occupational Problems and Concerns in Individuals with Long-Covid (Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2)

Long-Covid is a complex illness causing disruption in the lives of millions of individuals suffering from its symptoms resulting from Covid-19 infection. With over 65 million confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 10% of individuals expected to experience Long-Covid, knowledge in this area is important to support occupational therapy practice. The purpose of this qualitative research project is to provide knowledge on the reported occupational performance problems and concerns being experienced by individuals with Long-Covid to help fill this gap in research and provide some guidance for OT evaluation and intervention.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstones-spring2022/1013/thumbnail.jp

Qualitative Exploration of the Perception and Satisfaction of Occupational Engagement and Level of Awareness of Treatment options for Parous Women with Pelvic Floor Dysfunction.

This poster looks to provide an overview of the results of the capstone project looking to fill a gap in the literature regarding the impact that pelvic floor dysfunction has on the occupational engagement of parous women, and their knowledge of occupational therapy treatment options for pelvic floor dysfunction (Burkhart et al, 2021). Data collection occurred over 2 weeks and the inclusion criteria for this study consisted of parous (having beard children) women, ages 18 to 65, and having at least 1 symptom of pelvic floor dysfunction (i.e., urinary problem, bowel problem, or pelvic organ prolapse). The research questions were, what are common problem areas in occupational performance for parous women diagnosed with pelvic floor dysfunction? How do parous women diagnosed with pelvic floor dysfunction rate their satisfaction related to problem areas in occupational performance? Lastly, what awareness do parous women with pelvic floor dysfunction have of treatment options available to them? Although all areas presented to be problems areas for the participants of this study, the most common problem areas were functional mobility, active recreation, and self-care. The average satisfaction of each occupation was less than a 5.5 out of 10. 84.6% of participants state that they were not at all aware that occupational therapists treat pelvic floor concerns. At least 61.5% of participants rated themselves as not having any knowledge of treatment options concerning their pelvic floor symptoms based on the 1-10-point Likert scale interview.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstones-spring2022/1028/thumbnail.jp

Fostering Community Participation for Youth with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: An Occupation-Based Program for Caregivers

Caregiver expectations influence outcomes of youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) as they seek more independence transitioning from adolescence to adulthood. The purpose of this program development capstone project is to promote realistic expectations of caregivers of youth by improving caregiver youth relationships and facilitating activities. Strategies of current and evidence-based programs that support caregivers of youth with IDD, such as Maximizing Adolescent Post-Secondary Success and TrASDition training. The American Occupational Therapy Association Vision 2025 aligns with the program as it aims to provide caregivers equal opportunity, access to care, and expands an individual’s capacity to advocate for caregivers. Program participants met inclusion criteria: youth 14 to 24 year’s old, caregivers and youth speak and understand English, and have an electronic device to access the virtual program. Flyers were handed out to identified pairs as candidates most receptive and those who would gain the most benefit from the 6-week program. Ensuring caregivers had unrealistic expectations rather than realistic expectations and lack of clinical experience working with caregivers and youth with IDD were challenges for the project. Site staff knowledge of current skills and preferences of caregivers and youth, local resources to direct caregivers to, and mentorship during development of program were supports for the project. The Model of Human Occupation takes a holistic approach on viewing meaningful activities and relationships of caregivers in their environment and was used in the program to look at how caregivers organize their thoughts, roles, and choose tasks to participate in.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstones-spring2022/1021/thumbnail.jp

Descriptive Study of a Healthy Weight Management Program For Overweight or Obese Children and Youth

The rise in obesity among children and youth in the last 20 years is a public health concern. The prevalence of childhood obesity has multiplied worldwide in the last four decades (“The Heavy Burden of Obesity and the Economics of Prevention,” 2019). Obesity is a complex chronic disease in which abnormal or excessive accumulation of body fat impairs health (Wharton et al., 2020). Childhood obesity can profoundly affect children\u27s physical health, social and emotional well-being, and self-esteem (Rankin et al., 2016 & Purnell et al., 2018). The problem is a lack of an occupation-based evaluation tool utilized to link occupational participation to health, well-being, and quality of life to improve occupational engagement for children and youth who are obese and overweight ages 8-16 (Benjamin Neelon et al., 2016; Gold et al., 2018., p. 308-309;J. Kugel et al., 2017; Pandita et al., 2016; Pizzi, 2016; Pizzi & Orloff, 2015; Pizzi & Vroman, 2013). The purpose of this qualitative research capstone project is to pilot the Pizzi Healthy Weight Management Assessment PHWMA on children and youth ages 8-16 to improve health, well-being, and Quality of life, and occupational engagement for youth who are overweight and obese. This study aimed to investigate health behaviors, well-being, occupational engagement, and overall quality of life and how the PHWMA along with the Six Modules Occupation Based Program for Healthy Behaviors, can change children and youth outlook on health behaviors.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesfall2021/1034/thumbnail.jp

Exploration of Occupational Therapy’s Role Within the LGBTQ+ Population

There are an estimated 11 million individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ in the United States (Rosendale et al., 2019). With this number steadily increasing, it is important that occupational therapists continue to become culturally competent and educated on different strategies to transform the way individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ are given and receive treatment. The problem is that there is a gap in the literature supporting occupational therapist cultural competence to integrate occupational roles of the LGBTQ+ population into their evaluation and intervention. Without culturally competent educational opportunities, the health care system is inadequately prepared to provide responsive health care (Singer, 2015). The purpose of this quantitative research type capstone project will be to analyze the evaluation and intervention strategies occupational therapists can use to better serve the LGBTQ+ population. This paper supports the beneficial role occupational therapy has in addressing the needs of the LGBTQ+ population. The author believes that occupational therapists have the expertise and competence to improve OT services in the LGBTQ+ population and play a big role in the quality of life of individuals who identify as LGBTQ+.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesfall2021/1033/thumbnail.jp