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Browsing by Author "Weaver, Jennifer, committee member"

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    Occupational therapists' perspectives on their unique role in pelvic health
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2023) Fyhrie, Jennifer, author; Schmid, Arlene A., advisor; Weaver, Jennifer, committee member; Fruhauf, Christine A., committee member
    Introduction: Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) may present as urinary/fecal incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and/or pelvic pain. These symptoms have been shown to cause disruption to individuals' activities of daily living and decrease quality of life. Conservative estimates indicate 28 million women are affected by PFD worldwide. The core of occupational therapy (OT) is to mitigate barriers to engagement in occupations of one's choosing, yet there is a gap in the literature detailing occupational therapy practitioners' (OTP) perspectives on their unique contributions in pelvic health. Methods: This exploratory descriptive study utilized an online survey to purposively recruit OTPs and screen individuals for an interview. Inclusion criteria required that participants a) be a licensed or retired OTP, b) have at least one year experience as an OTP, and c) have any professional experience in pelvic health. One-on-one semi-structured interviews occurred on a virtual platform, were audio-recorded, and transcribed. Using Dedoose software, thematic inductive analysis was conducted. Results: Thirty-one individuals completed the survey, 21 were eligible to participate, and 13 participated in an interview. It was found that OTPs believe they offer a unique contribution to the pelvic health field. Three primary qualitative themes were generated that elaborate on this belief: OTPs apply a psychosocial lens, the OT approach is comprehensive, and OTPs use occupation-focused interventions when working with people with PFD (e.g., consider the influence of client mental health as client preferences, culture, and lifestyle). Conclusion: This study identified the perceptions of OTPs regarding their unique approach to working with clients in pelvic health. Data suggests that OTPs complement the biomechanical focus of other pelvic health providers by recognizing the role of mental health and intervening to down-regulate the nervous system.
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    Promoting adherence to cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia in the medically complex case
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2023) Lovell, Emily R., author; Eakman, Aaron, advisor; Weaver, Jennifer, committee member; Broussard, Josiane, committee member
    Objective. The purpose of this study is to explore how a medically complex case responded to cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) in a community-based setting based on adherence to treatment recommendations. Method. A mixed-methods retrospective case study design was used to explore answers to two research questions: 1) How effective is CBT-I for an individual with insomnia comorbid with bipolar disorder? 2) How is CBT-I tailored for an individual with insomnia comorbid with bipolar disorder in a real-world setting? 3) How do we assess adherence to CBT-I delivered by an occupational therapist? Data sources included sleep diaries, service logs, pre-/post-treatment assessments, and interviews with the client and therapist. Results. Improvements in sleep latency, wake after sleep onset, early morning awakening, total sleep time, and sleep efficiency were observed. The most noteworthy improvements were a gain of almost two hours of total sleep time and a post-treatment SE of 95%. Likewise, scores on the Insomnia Severity Index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Sleep Disorders Symptoms Checklist-25, Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep scale, Sleep Hygiene Index, Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology, and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 all improved to the extent that the client no longer met criteria for chronic insomnia. Overall adherence to the behavior components of CBT-I was very high. High motivation and scheduling and engaging in activities emerged as factors that promote adherence from the interview conducted with the client. A therapeutic relationship emerged as a factor that promotes adherence from the interview conducted with the therapist. Conclusion. CBT-I can be safely delivered by occupational therapists to individuals with bipolar disorder. Large improvements in sleep were observed and the client had high adherence to treatment protocols.