Health Promotion in Focus
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From Burnout to Balance : How Burnout Affects Our High Performing High Achievers View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Caitlin Long
The phenomenon of burnout has been studied since the 1970s, but has recently come to light in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has shifted workforce capacity in unimaginable ways. Burnout, now deemed a global mental health crisis of epidemic proportions, is alarming and costly, and has devastating effects for employees, employers, and their organizations as a whole. The following mixed-methods study will look at how burnout affects the mind, body and spirit of some of our most high achieving, high performing elite students and staff members at the University level. The study looks at one intervention of a comprehensive wellness pilot workshop, used to help build resilience, and potentially, both prevent and ameliorate burnout in this cohort. It assesses pre- and post- survey data regarding validated stress, overwhelm, and burnout indicators, as well as diving deeper into the lived experiences of this group related to burnout. This study can provide value in bridging the gap between academia and industry regarding burnout, and to demonstrate viable, strategic ways to curtail the burden of burnout on our system as a whole. Less burnout, coupled with improved well-being, job satisfaction, and productivity should warrant improved and sustainable performance of these institutions.
Happy Endings: An Analysis of “Kicker Quotes” in Cancer Patient Narratives Used to Promote Cancer Care Centers View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Maria McLeod
This study examines the endings of 100 cancer patient survivor narratives featured on the websites of three leading U.S. teaching hospitals as the “final words,” signifying closure and shaping readers’ lasting impression of the experiences described. These narratives, posted between 2019-2021, appear as blogposts included as part of the corresponding hospitals’ websites promotional material. The 100 cancer survivor story endings, positioned at the point of resolution within the story arc, are examined for their function within the narrative structure. In addition, endings are analyzed as rhetorical devices, intended to shape the readers’ perception of events by suggesting the conflict (cancer) is no longer a significant threat to the story’s subject (cancer patient). Thus, the central research question is: How do cancer survivor story endings serve to frame the patient’s experience with cancer as the narrative’s complicating event that, within the traditional story-telling formula employed, requires resolution? This analysis also includes implications for ethical practices in creating promotional content by teaching hospitals that advocate a scientific, evidentiary based approach to cancer treatment. Initial findings reveal that of the 100 cancer survivor narrative endings, 93 are quotes — know, in journalistic terms as “kicker quotes” — while the remaining are non-quote summations. Therefore, attention is given to the significance of ending narrative testimonials with quotes, the majority of which are in the featured patient’s voice. Endings were examined using qualitative textual analysis, documenting common themes and tropes, in addition to using grounded theory as the basis for conducting emergent qualitative research.
Comparison of the Body Image Attitudes of African-American and Afro-Caribbean Immigrant Women: A Social Cognitive Perspective View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Melany Chambers
The purpose of this study (part of a larger study) was to identify similarities and differences in the body image attitudes of African-American and Afro-Caribbean immigrant women, thereby exploring whether differentiated obesity-related message designs are indicated. This qualitative study was guided by social cognitive theory and an interpretive phenomenological approach. Textual analysis Identified themes and conceptual relationships in the in-depth interview data, collected from a combination (convenience and snowball) sample of 25 participants. Despite many obesity messages and interventions, the prevalence of obesity and associated chronic diseases in African-American women remains the highest among all population groups in the US. We also now know that obesity worsened during COVID-19. Despite calls for culturally sensitive message designs, most obesity-related interventions and messaging target the African-American female population as a homogeneous group. This undifferentiated approach ignores cultural and other differences among members of the subgroups that comprise this population. This study was therefore designed to identify cultural differences between African-American women born and raised in the US and Afro-Caribbean immigrant women to determine (1) whether there is value in differentiating the obesity messages targeting these subgroups (2) some salient issues, which, if incorporated at the design stage, may result in more effective messages for each group.
Analysis of Human Lactoferrin Purified from Breast Milk View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Karina Jeanette Parra Saavedra, Josue Raymundo Solís Pacheco, Adriana Macaria Macias Lamas, Blanca Rosa Aguilar Uscanga
Human lactoferrin (hLf) is an approximately 80 kDa iron-binding glycoprotein of the transferrin family. hLf is found in breast milk as one of the most important bioactive components with multiple functions, most notably antimicrobial and immunomodulatory activities. The objective of this work was to have an effective HPLC method applied for the quantitative analysis of hLf, besides of purification procedure to obtain lyophilized hLf from breast milk samples and its characterization, as an alternative for getting and monitoring a multifunctional protein. Lyophilized hLf was obtained by purification through a heparin affinity column followed by ultrafiltration with a 30 kDa membrane. The final solution was lyophilized and the product was analyzed by HPLC, FTIR spectroscopy, and SDS-PAGE electrophoresis. The product was stored at 4-8 °C and analyzed by HPLC after 1, 3, and 6 months to determine analytical stability. Lactoferrin purification was performed satisfactorily, obtaining an average recovery percentage of 90% of the protein after the column and 70% recovery of the molecule after ultrafiltration and lyophilization, demonstrating the presence of the protein by chromatographic, infrared, and electrophoretic analysis. After analytical stability analysis, the maximum protein loss was 11% after 6 months of storage. These results suggest that a lactoferrin product from breast milk with potential therapeutic functions is possible.
