Recommendations for Academic Programs to Best Support Occupational Therapy Students: Student Perspectives

Declining occupational therapy student mental health and well-being is well described in the literature. However, there is a lack of literature describing recommendations from the student perspective that could help academic programs as they develop and implement support programming. Involving students in the process can be beneficial as they are experts in their experiences. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to describe recommendations current occupational therapy students had for their academic programs to best support them during their educational experience. The study sample consisted of 628 entry-level masters and doctoral occupational therapy students from 31 states. Participant responses to one open-ended question compromised the raw data. Data was analyzed line by line using a multi-tiered coding process. Five themes emerged from the data related to faculty/student interactions, in-classroom learning, out of classroom support, programmatic recommendations, and no recommendations. Many of the participants’ recommendations were consistent with the general recommendations found in the literature. However, occupational therapy academic programs could incorporate the participants’ recommendations into their local level programming while also highlighting occupational therapy’s distinct values. To promote student well-being, consider all contexts and factors that impact their students’ occupational performance and incorporating meaningful, occupation-based activities inside and outside of the classroom. As occupational therapy programs are successful in supporting their students, they could contribute to their university systems’ wider campus efforts highlighting the profession’s unique role in promoting health and well-being

Mechanism of aortic medial matrix remodeling is distinct in patients with bicuspid aortic valve

ObjectivesPatients with bicuspid aortic valves (BAV) are predisposed to developing ascending thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAA) at an earlier age than patients who develop degenerative TAAs and have a tricuspid aortic valve (TAV). The hypothesis tested is that BAV-associated aortopathy is mediated by a mechanism of matrix remodeling that is distinct from that seen in TAAs of patients with tricuspid aortic valves.MethodsAortic specimens were collected during ascending aortic replacement, aortic valve replacement, and heart transplants from nonaneurysmal (NA) donors and recipients. Matrix architecture of the aortic media was assessed qualitatively using multiphoton microscopy followed by quantification of collagen and elastin fiber orientation. α-Elastin was determined and matrix maturity was assessed by quantifying immature and mature collagen and lysyl oxidase (Lox) expression and activity in aortic specimens. Matrix metalloproteinase-2/9 activity was quantified in aortic smooth muscle cells.ResultsElastin and collagen fibers were more highly aligned in BAV-NA and BAV-TAA cases than in TAV-TAA cases, whereas TAV-TAA cases were more disorganized than TAV-NA cases. α-Elastin content was unchanged. Immature collagen was reduced in BAV-NA and BAV-TAA cases when compared with TAV-NA and TAV-TAA cases. Mature collagen was elevated in TAV-TAA cases compared with TAV-NA and BAV-TAA cases. There was a trend toward elevated Lox gene expression and activity and matrix metalloproteinase-2/9 activity for TAV-TAA, BAV-NA, and BAV-TAA specimens.ConclusionsThe highly aligned matrix architecture in patients with BAVs indicates that wall remodeling is distinct from TAV-TAA. Altered matrix architecture and reduced collagen maturity suggest that the effector molecules mediating the remodeling of TAAs are different in BAV and TAV cases

Examining Perceived Stress and Diet Quality Among Low-Income Families Engaged with a Nutrition-Based Food Assistance Program

Abstract Introduction: Evidence suggests poor-quality diets and high levels of stress have negative impacts on health, especially in low-income families in the southern United States. Nutrition-based food assistance programs were developed to meet nutritional needs of food insecure clients. The purpose of this scholarly project was to explore the relationship between perceived stress and diet quality among low-income families engaged with a nutrition-based food assistance program. Methods: A retrospective and observational design was used to analyze previously collected survey responses from clients participating in a nutrition-based food assistance program in Nashville, TN (N = 425). Descriptive statistics and Spearman’s correlation were used to explore relationships between the variables of fruit intake, vegetable intake, Perceived Stress Scale-4 (PSS-4) score, and total number of visits to the nutrition-based food assistance program from change between pre- and post-survey responses (n = 120). Results: The mean change in fruit intake was 0.16 (n = 119) and the mean change in vegetable intake was 0.08 (n = 119). A negative correlation was found between change in fruit intake and change in PSS-4 score (rs = -.182; p = .053), as well as change in vegetable intake and change in PSS-4 score (rs = -.026; p = .786). Conclusion: As found in other studies, diet quality for low-income families improved with consistent access to free healthy foods. PSS-4 scores also declined with increased engagement with a nutrition-based food assistance program. Further research should explore perceived stress and diet quality during a non-pandemic year