Initiatives by schools and programs of public health are crucial to support instructors in further integrating inclusive pedagogies into their teaching. We conducted a process evaluation of the pilot implementation of an Inclusive Teaching Reflection Tool at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health. The aims of the evaluation were to assess the uptake and use of the Tool by departments and instructors, types of changes instructors planned to make in their courses, and recommendations for future implementation. We employed a convergent mixed-methods design in which data from qualitative interviews, completed Tools, and quantitative surveys were separately collected and analyzed before findings were merged for interpretation. We conducted eight interviews with 12 key informants, collected 155 completed Tools (46% of courses) from the initial implementation semesters (Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Fall 2023), and collected responses from 39 instructors teaching in Fall 2022 on a brief online survey (57% response rate). We analyzed qualitative data using thematic analysis and conducted descriptive statistics of quantitative data. Common facilitators and barriers to using the Tools were support for implementation, alignment with school and department goals regarding inclusive excellence, alignment with instructors’ teaching processes and priorities, usability, and time. Instructors used the Tool to identify changes in course content, materials, implementation, and professional development. Our evaluation findings suggest that the Inclusive Teaching Reflection Tool may be a feasible strategy for helping programs and instructors integrate inclusive pedagogies into their teaching. Multilevel efforts are needed to sustain future use of the Tool.
Elizabeth Reisinger Walker, Robin E. McGee, Erica Hsu et al.· Pedagogy in health promotion· 0 citations
BACKGROUND
In the U.S., about one million people with active epilepsy are adults aged 55+. Older adults with epilepsy (OAWE) experience complex health conditions that compromise quality of life (QOL). The contribution of depressive symptom dimensions to health-related QOL remains underexplored in OAWE.
METHODS
We analyzed baseline data from 13 epilepsy self-management studies in the CDC-sponsored MEW-DB (Managing Epilepsy Well Database), including adults ages 55 and older (N = 198). The primary outcome was health-related QOL, assessed via the 10-item Quality of Life in Epilepsy scale (QOLIE-10), which was inverse rank normalized (mean = 0, SD = 1). Primary predictors included the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) total score, cognitive and somatic symptom sub scores, and suicide ideation. Multivariable mixed-effects linear regression was used to assess associations. Models included a random intercept for originating study.
RESULTS
Participants were x̄ = 60.8 years (range: 55-79); 60.6% female and 68.7% White. On average, participants had mild depressive symptoms (mean PHQ-9 = 8.3). Depressive symptom severity was significantly associated with worse QOL. Cognitive (β = 0.17 SD, 95% CI: 0.12-0.21, p = 5.6 × 10-13), somatic (β = 0.19 SD, 95% CI: 0.14-0.23, p = 3.3 × 10-17), and total depressive (PHQ-9 total) symptoms (β = 0.10 SD, 95% CI: 0.08-0.12, p = 3.8 × 10-21) were associated with worse QOLIE-10 total scores when adjusting for likely confounders. Suicide ideation was not associated with QOLIE-10 (β = 0.07 SD, 95% CI: -0.15 to 0.29, p = 0.51). Past 30-day seizure occurrence was associated with worse total QOLIE-10 only when depressive terms were excluded from the multivariable model (β = 0.38 SD, 95% CI: 0.05-0.72, p = 0.024).
CONCLUSIONS
Among OAWE, depressive symptoms are strongly linked to reduced QOL. These findings underscore the importance of integrated mental health screening and intervention for OAWE.
Elaine T. Kiriakopoulos, Farren Briggs, Nicole Fiorelli et al.· Epilepsy & Behavior· 0 citations