Linking Community Service and Interprofessional Education: The Salus University Veterans Readiness Initiative

The interdisciplinary author team has developed a model for community partnered, multisensory (hearing vision balance) outreach screening events to identify Veterans who have sensory/sensorimotor problems and link them with care while also providing an interprofessional (IPE) learning experience for students and faculty. Returning Veterans enrolled in community college to enhance employability sometimes struggle with non-specific visual, auditory and/or vestibular symptoms that interfere with academic performance. These Veterans may have experienced a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or concussion. Salus University has partnered with the Philadelphia VA Medical Center and two community colleges, to conduct an interdisciplinary outreach screening on two community college campuses in two successive years. Audiology (AuD) and Optometry (OD) student teams supervised by Salus University Audiology and Optometry faculty members administered a customized, 21-item interdisciplinary symptom-rating questionnaire and conducted screening tests of hearing, vision, balance, and tinnitus. To date, 37 students and seven faculty have participated in the screening events. All student and faculty participants attend a one-hour, pre-event training session, and students complete a post-event outcome assessment questionnaire that includes four questions about the inter-professional experience. Content analysis reveals a high frequency of positive words and phrases and self-identified learning outcomes, as well as recommendations for improvement. The students appreciate learning about a sensory system different from their intended area of practice. They also find it beneficial to observe the performance of clinical screening tests utilizing equipment different from their own. The Veterans appreciate the on-campus convenience and opportunity to work with AuD/OD student/faculty teams. We conclude that integrating IPE into a community service activity engages students, fosters meaningful, active learning, promotes confidence as healthcare professionals, and deepens student appreciation and understanding of different healthcare professions. Two-three measurable learning objectives relevant to conference goals: The participant will: Become knowledgeable about the Salus University Veterans Readiness Initiative as a collaborative community-based interprofessional multisensory screening endeavor. Understand the Salus University Veterans Readiness Initiative as an effort to engage patients in developing a new integrated interprofessional education and care model. Recognize the Salus University Veterans Readiness Initiative as an innovative approach to engaging and preparing students and faculty for interprofessional collaboration and care

The effect of cataract on early stage glaucoma detection using spatial and temporal contrast sensitivity tests

Background: To investigate the effect of cataract on the ability of spatial and temporal contrast sensitivity tests used to detect early glaucoma. Methods: Twenty-seven glaucoma subjects with early cataract (mean age 60 ±10.2 years) which constituted the test group were recruited together with twenty-seven controls (cataract only) matched for age and cataract type from a primary eye care setting. Contrast sensitivity to flickering gratings at 20 Hz and stationary gratings with and without glare, were measured for 0.5, 1.5 and 3 cycles per degree (cpd) in central vision. Perimetry and structural measurements with the Heidelberg Retinal Tomograph (HRT) were also performed. Results: After considering the effect of cataract, contrast sensitivity to stationary gratings was reduced in the test group compared with controls with a statistically significant mean difference of 0.2 log units independent of spatial frequency. The flicker test showed a significant difference between test and control group at 1.5 and 3 cpd (p = 0.019 and p = 0.011 respectively). The percentage of glaucoma patients who could not see the temporal modulation was much higher compared with their cataract only counterparts. A significant correlation was found between the reduction of contrast sensitivity caused by glare and the Glaucoma Probability Score (GPS) as measured with the HRT (p<0.005). Conclusions: These findings indicate that both spatial and temporal contrast sensitivity tests are suitable for distinguishing between vision loss as a consequence of glaucoma and vision loss caused by cataract only. The correlation between glare factor and GPS suggests that there may be an increase in intraocular stray light in glaucoma

An ‘incredible community’ or ‘disgusting’ and ‘weird’? Representations of breastmilk sharing in worldwide news media

© 2021 The Authors. Maternal & Child Nutrition published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Breastmilk sharing via the internet has become more popular in recent years, with a resultant increase in media attention. It is actively discouraged by public health bodies in at least three countries. We undertook a qualitative analysis of worldwide English language news media (online newspaper articles and transcripts of television and radio pieces) focusing on peer-to-peer breastmilk sharing during a 24-month period (2015–2016). One hundred eleven news articles were analysed semiotically for positive (n = 49) and negative (n = 90) depictions of breastmilk sharing and the actors involved. Three countries published the majority of the articles: United States (n = 42), United Kingdom (n = 24) and Australia (n = 20). Topics associated with using shared breastmilk included perceived insufficiency, having surgery or taking medication, or the prematurity of the baby. Reports of women who gave and received breastmilk were largely positive although sometimes confused with women who sell breastmilk, who were demonised. The breastmilk itself, however, was considered as potentially contaminated and possibly dangerous; calls for action (n = 33) focused on increasing regulation and safety. Peer-to-peer milk sharing and the commercial availability of human milk are activities that occur within social and cultural contexts, and, as such, the ways in which they are represented in the news media reflect the ways in which they are also represented more widely in society. Increased understanding of normal infant feeding practices is needed, alongside guidance on how to better support breastfeeding. News media outlets can facilitate this through reporting risk in line with evidence. Further research should be undertaken to understand the safety of breastmilk sharing and the experience of those who participate