ANNUAL STUDENT RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM
IN INTEGRATIVE
APPROACHES
TO HEALTH
APRIL 9TH 2015Keynote Speaker
320 BETHUNE Michaela Hynie
10:00 AM -4:30 PM Associate Director, YIHR
- Showcasing York’s interdisciplinary
spirit
- Exploring multiple dimensions
in the study of health
Special thanks to Sponsors:
Faculty of Health
Faculty of Education
Faculty of Environmental Studies
Faculty of Graduate Studies
York Federation of Students
Introduction
On behalf of Graduate Research Association of Students in Public Health (GRASP) and York Institute of Health Research (YIHR), we would like to welcome you to the 2015 Student Research Symposium.
Our theme for this year’s conference, “Integrative Approaches to Health” is a testament to the growing recognition that improving health and healthcare requires an interdisciplinary approach—an approach seeking to align individual and system-level determinants of health. Such an approach is increasingly recognized as a public health priority to counter the rising tide and improve the lived experience of chronic disease.
This year’s symposium features submissions from undergraduate and graduate student researchers at York University in various health-related fields, including: Psychology, Kinesiology, Health Science, and Health Policy, to promote an integrative understanding of health.
We hope this year’s conference provides you with ample opportunities for understanding, discovery, and interdisciplinary discussion.
Have fun!
GRASP Executive Team & YIHR
Arsh Randhawa Abid Azam Meysam Pirbaglou
President Vice-president Academic Affairs
Kiara Clory IqraAshfaq Sarah Pludwinski
Career & Community Communications Treasurer
Dawn Smith Sumeet Saini Emily Hostland
Secretary Undergraduate Liaison Project Coordinator
Alisa Fitisova Sara Ghandaharian JananyJeyasundaram
Executive Volunteer Executive Volunteer YIHR Student Representative
Neuropsychological Findings of Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Shevaugn Johnson
Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is a severely debilitating, widely spread, and under-researched condition affecting men and women equally. It is only recently that BDD has been classified in the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel of Mental Disorders as a variant of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Both individuals with BDD and OCD display obsessive-compulsive tendencies, such as symmetry obsessions and checking behaviors. Although limited, recent studies have found neuropsychological commonalities between BDD and OCD, suggesting impairments in executive functioning. 60 male and female undergraduate research participants from York University were recruited to participate in a two-part study. Given the similarities in symptomology and neuropsychological impairments between the disorders, this study utilized a response inhibition, symmetry span, spatial span, and global local task, and correlated participant scores with responses on screening measures for BDD. It is predicted that participants with higher scores on screening measures will display poor response inhibition, as BDD sufferers find it difficult to resist compulsions, such as mirror checking. It is also predicted that participants scoring higher on BDD symptomology will produce higher scores on symmetry measures, as sufferers tend to be obsessed with facial symmetry. It is also predicted that participants with higher screening scores will be more likely to perceive the local rather than the global aspects of the task, as BDD sufferers generally focus on specific aspects of appearance, such as the nose. Finally, it is predicted that participants scoring higher on BDD screening measures will perform better on the Spatial Span task, as it has been highly correlated with the Symmetry Span test.
Weighed down by weight stigma
Kristi Mellom
Exposure to weight-stigmatizing messages can threaten the social identity of individuals who perceive themselves as overweight, causing involuntary physiological and emotional reactions, and depletions in self-control when presented with high calorie food. Preliminary results observed in a sample of self-perceived overweight women suggest that the depletion in self-control can be explained as a result of cognitive depletion, demonstrated by poorer performance on a measure of effortful inhibition. This two-time, within subjects experiment builds upon these findings. It tests the prediction that exposure to a weight-stigmatizing message can cause a depletion in cognitive resources, and affect multiple facets of cognition in both males and females. York University undergraduate students are assigned to read a news article about stigma faced by overweight individuals in the work field, or a control article. Their baseline performance on a task battery is compared at time one, to their performance after having read the news article at time two. It is predicted that exposure to the weight-stigmatizing news article will cause a depletion in cognitive performance in self-perceived overweight individuals of both genders, but not those who do not perceive themselves as overweight on measures of effortful response inhibition, working memory, and executive attention. It is also predicted that greater body dissatisfaction, weight stigma consciousness, and body fat percentage will significantly predict a higher degree of cognitive depletion.
Factors related to differences between measured and predicted RMR
Rebecca Christensen
Objective: Age, sex, weight, and height are commonly used to predict RMR in lieu of expensive and time-intensive measures. However, prediction equations are not created from bariatric populations where they are commonly used. Thus, their accuracy in the bariatric population is unknown. Methods: A sample of 1324 adults from the Wharton Medical Clinic was analyzed. RMR was measured using indirect calorimetry and predicted using the Harris Benedict equation. The difference between mRMR and pRMR was stratified by sex then separated into tertiles to represent over, under or accurately estimated pRMR. Differences in age, BMI, ethnicity, kcal/kg, mRMR and type II diabetes status were examined using chi-square and one-way ANOVA where appropriate. Results:pRMR underestimated mRMR by -21.1 ± 384.8 kcal/day in men and -113.6 ± 302.3kcal/day for women. Age, ethnicity and type II diabetes status did not differ among pRMR groups in men or women (P>0.05). Men who had an overestimated pRMR had slightly higher BMI than those who were under or accurately estimated (43.7 ± 8.9 vs. 40.0 ± 7.5 or 40.3 ±7.2kg/m2) (P<0.05). Women with over and underestimated pRMR did not differ by weight or BMI (P>0.05). Conclusion: While there are large individual variations in RMR, the accuracy of pRMR does not appear to be related to common demographic factors or disease status in men and women. However, there may be a greater tendency for RMR to be overpredicted in men with greater obesity.
Couple Coping with a Permanent Ostomy: A Grounded-Theory Analysis
Jason Isaacs
Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in Canada. It is a form of cancer that begins in the large intestine or rectum. A common treatment for this type of cancer is a colostomy, the surgical creation of an opening in the abdomen wall through which waste will pass. This abdominal device is known as an ostomy. Social, physical, and sexual problems associated with an ostomy separate colorectal cancer from other cancers. Colorectal cancer is mostly diagnosed in middle and later adulthood, a time in which many individuals are married. Thus, an ostomy is a core stressor among couples facing colorectal cancer. This research is designed to provide a qualitative understanding of how couples adjust to and cope with an ostomy, following a colostomy surgery. The sample of interest is four married, heterosexual couples: two couples in which the female is an ostomy patient, and two couples in which the male is an ostomy patient. Analyses will be based on verbatim transcripts from in-depth dyadic interviews with the four couples. The qualitative method of analysis is Grounded Theory, a method that involves the systematic interpretation of verbal accounts of, in this case, patient-caregiver experiences adjusting to cancer and the appliance. It is believed that this research will impart knowledge to ostomy patients, their partners, and healthcare professionals about the ostomy itself as well as ostomy-related lifestyle changes (e.g. change in diet, extra medical expenses, etc.). Ultimately, these results can be used to foster better quality of life among individuals with an ostomy as well as to better ostomy services offered by healthcare professionals.
Plasticity of the Connexin 36 Nexus: The Role of Cytoskeletal Dynamics
Cherie Brown
Electrical synapses, the gap- junctions of the nervous system, are specialized channels that allow intercellular communication between neurons and glia. Connexin 36 (Cx36), a major component of neural gap junctions, is expressed widely throughout the CNS and implicated in memory formation and learning. Our group has previously demonstrated that electrical (Cx36) and chemical synapses share a common molecular mechanism for synaptic plasticity. This mechanism drives learning, memory and behavior. Our investigations raised the question, which additional proteins serve as critical mediators of Cx36 specific plasticity. Since transport of Cx36 to the plasma membrane is a prerequisite, we proposed that the delivery, insertion and removal of Cx36 from the Nexus could be a critical step in electrical plasticity, directing our investigations towards interactions with cytoskeletal and transport proteins. Bioinformatics and proteomic analysis let us hypothesize that tubulin and actin, the basic unit of microtubules and microfilaments respectively, interact with Cx36, facilitating transport to the membrane. In the present study we have successfully identified interactions of Cx36 with the cytoskeleton and associated proteins using a combination of in vivo and in vitro cellular and molecular techniques involving GST-pull down and Site Directed Mutagenesis to determine interaction sites. The live cell imaging technique known as FRAP was used to investigate cytoskeletal dynamics at the Cx36 Nexus using wild type and mutants, and pharmacological blockers. We conclude that tubulin- and actin- dependent trafficking is critical to modulate the strength of Cx36 synapses. We anticipate that these results contribute to our understanding of neurological disorders affecting learning and memory.
Bill S-8: A Continued Failure in Addressing Systemic Water Inequities for Canadian First Nations Communities
Farihah Ali
First Nations (FN) people in Canada have suffered from poor health due to the absence of standards and regulations regarding drinking water and wastewater systems. In June 2013, the Federal Government implemented Bill S-8: The Safe Drinking Water for First Nations Act to address the inequitable health disparities FN communities faced due to lack of access and delivery of water and wastewater systems in their communities. As such, the primary research question of this paper seeks to address the effectiveness and appropriateness of Bill S-8 in alleviating the poor health outcomes due to unclean, unsafe and inaccessible water and wastewater systems on FN communities. Effectiveness and appropriateness will be measured by conducting an evidence-based scoping review to examine the consultation process of the bill, the overall implementation plan, as well as the current situation of FN communities and their relationship with water and wastewater systems. The paper is premised on a post- colonial framework. The post-colonial framework will offer an understanding of the evolving ‘after-effects’ of colonial relations, and the way these experiences have aggravated the water quality issues on FN communities. The results have proven that Bill S-8 is not an effective or appropriate bill in addressing these chronic issues. The research has shown proof that the bill was implemented with the lack of meaningful consultation, with the lack of appropriate resources (funding) and has evidently not improved the current status of FN and their access and delivery of clean and safe drinking water and wastewater systems. As a result, FN communities continue to fare poor health outcomes. The paper will thus serve as a guide in examining the dynamic complexities and problems that stimulate the continuous health inequities Canadian FN people face in relation to water and wastewater quality and delivery in their communities.
Expanding our understanding of couple coping during illness: It’s not all about “We”
Molly McCarthy
The diagnosis and treatment of major illness is a stressful and disruptive experience for both patients and their intimate partners. Couples who take on a united or “We” orientation toward coping are thought to be most resilient during health crises. However, just as the course of major illness is a variable experience, spotted with “highs” and “lows”, we propose that couples’ orientation toward coping with major illness undergoes similar fluctuations – and that these fluctuations are normal and can even support the couple’s adjustment. Specifically, the “I-We” Classification of Couple Coping and Adjustment to Cancer proposes that couples undergo shifts in their sense of togetherness (“We”- ness) and separateness (“I”-ness) during their cancer experience, which may either affirm or erode their mutual identity. Couples adjusting to breast (n=7) and prostate (n=5) cancer were interviewed about their adjustment experiences. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and a theoretical thematic analysis was conducted to identify shifts in couples’ sense of “I” and “We” and their impact on the couples’ shared identity. The “I-We” classification system was then applied to a different yet related population of couples coping with colorectal cancer (n=9), serving as a novel approach to member checking as a means of validation and an opportunity to further refine the framework. The resultant classification system describes 33 “I-We” shifts that couples may undergo during their adjustment. This research broadens our understanding of what constitutes “resilient” couple coping during illness and carries implications for clinicians working to support couples facing major health crises.
The association of pain and depression with marital status in patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease
Ismael Abdullah
Depression and pain are significant clinical problems that are comorbid with Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, the relationship of these variables with the marital status of PD patients has not been explored in previous studies. Therefore, the goal of this study was to assess the possible relationship between depression prevalence, depression severity and pain interference with the marital status of the sufferers of PD. This study included 40 PD patients and 40 healthy control participants assessed for depression prevalence and severity using The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The same individuals were also assessed for pain interference using the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI). Results: When compared to the control groups, the PD (Single) group was found to have the highest prevalence of depression, followed by the PD (Married) group whereas the Control (Single) group was found to have a higher prevalence than the Control (Married) group (P<0.0001). A main effect was found on depression severity (P<0.0001) but no significant differences were observed between the PD groups. Lastly, PD (Single) patients had significantly greater pain interference scores than the PD (Married) patients (P<0.05) with no other significant case-control or control-control group differences. Marital status may have a mitigating effect on patient depression and pain interference. We recommend more studies to evaluate its effectiveness.
The HIV/AIDS Social Movement in South Africa: The Changing role of the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC)
Samantha Manley
South Africa continues to experience the greatest HIV epidemic globally, with approximately 10% of the population infected with HIV/AIDS. This paper utilizes South Africa to develop a case for why the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) has become one of the most successful public health social movement organizations in South Africa and how their tactics and strategies have not only contributed to their success but to (at times) holding the government and its legitimacy accountable by evoking a right-to-health mandate to address gaps in the treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS. This paper examines the relationship between the TAC’s rights-based health demands, and the greater HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention campaigns. The TAC is the social movement organization around which much of the HIV/AIDS social movements are formed. The TAC became a model for successful social movements through its balance of state-society relations, its use of strategies and tactics that were useful and respected during the anti-apartheid struggle, and their ability to harness legitimacy through the international community in support of the right-to-life, which translated into the government providing antiretroviral (ARV) treatment to HIV-positive persons in South Africa. With free access to ARVs now available in the country, largely as a result of the TAC efforts, how do we explain donor funding cuts to the TAC, placing the organization in a vulnerable position whereby they may have to dismantle? This problematic raises important questions of how success should be measured and what direction the HIV/AIDS social movement is taking in post-apartheid South Africa?
My Social Support Affects my Thinking- An interactionist Approach to Rumination
Schekina Israel
Intrusive and repetitive thinking, otherwise known as rumination, is a mental and emotional process that has been well studied in the literature. Rumination has often been studied in the context of cognition and personality, but seldom in the context of social processes. Research on rumination in the context of social processes is important because humans are social creatures, so their thought processes must be impacted in some way by their social interactions. With the increasing concerns of bullying, work productivity and climates, as well as social media‘s impact on functioning, it is quite important to determine what kind of social processes determine rumination in what ways. As such, the current study seeks to take an interactionist stance while evaluating the impact of perceived social support and personality on rumination patterns. Furthermore, in line with positive psychology thinking, this study also aims to identify adaptive ruminative patterns that may yield to better mood outcomes and less depression. In this study, we examine the interaction between personal traits and social support as it relates to rumination patterns. We hypothesize that when certain personality traits combine with different types of social support, the result will be different rumination patterns (adaptive and maladaptive). This is thought to lead to different mood and depression outcomes.