NEWS – Page 2 – O-SEE LAB

Oregon Speech-Language and Hearing Association Conference

We had a lot of representation at this year’s Oregon Speech-Language and Hearing Association Conference! Our participants this year included: Dr. Shune, collaborator Dr. Reva Barewal, current Ph.D. students David Bayne, Ting-fen Lin, and Bedoor Nagshabandi; lab alumni Rachel Gulliford, Marissa White, and Lauren Zinnershine.

Barewal, R. & Shune, S. (2020). Transitional foods: Updates on their behavior, use, and benefits in both adult and pediatric populations.

*Bayne, D., *Gulliford, R., Thompson, A., *White, M., & Shune, S. (2020). Developing a hospital-based simulation lab for increased educational exposure.

*Bayne, D., Barewal, R., & Shune, S. (2020). The use of enhanced foods to reduce malnourishment.

*Lin, T., Deshmukh, R., & Shune, S. (2020). Swimming against the currents of work-related stress in healthcare.

*Zinnershine, L., *Nagshabandi, B., & Shune, S. (2020). Speech-language pathologists’ perceptions of factors affecting dysphagia adherence in the inpatient setting.

URA award goes to Cameron Davis!

A big CONGRATULATIONS to Cameron Davis for winning one of the Undergraduate Research Awards. They won a 2020 UO Libraries’ Undergraduate Research Award for their thesis work entitled “Post-stroke dysphagia’s impact on survivors and spousal caregivers; The importance of perceptual congruence”. The annual program honors UO students who produce exceptional original research and scholarship using UO Libraries collections and resources. Cameron is currently pursuing their Master’s degree in speech-language pathology at Portland State University.

More info on their award here

Cameron’s article can be viewed here

COPD and dysphagia

Congratulations to O-SEE Lab doctoral student Ting-fen Lin on her first publication!

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading global cause of death and disability. The literature has previously established clear psychological characteristics of COPD-related dysphasia (swallowing difficulties). However, COPD and dysphagia are both also intimately tied to breathing and contribute to a cascade of secondary physio-psycho-emotional sequelae, such as COPD exacerbation, anxiety, depression, increased economic burden, social isolation, and decreased quality of life. Ultimately, we propose a model that more comprehensively captures the constellation of interrelated disease characteristics and consequences, highlighting a need for researchers and healthcare providers to consider disease impact more broadly in order to maximize treatment outcomes.

Check out the details about her new publication here

Transitional foods webinar

Dr. Shune and Dr. Reva Barewal presented a wonderful webinar on transitional foods for the National Foundation of Swallowing Disorders. The webinar was aimed at healthcare providers, patients, and caregivers impacted by dysphagia, and students learning about swallowing disorders. Transitional foods were defined and categorized in depth.

Here is a link to the info and a recording of the webinar: Webinar Recording

ABSSD Webinar for Dysphagia Awareness Month

A big thank you to the American Board of Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders for inviting Dr. Shune and Dr. Ashwini Namasivayam-MacDonald to speak about caregiver burden as part of their Dysphagia Awareness Month series. It was wonderful to be able to share our recent work and discuss opportunities for both clinicians and researchers to better engage with caregivers and family members.

In case you missed it, a recording of the Zoom session is available on their Facebook page here.

In light of COVID-19 and the increased burden placed on caregivers, the ABBSD has focused on honoring caregivers this Dysphagia Awareness Month. They have created a number of wonderful infographics that they have been sharing on their social media throughout the month, including:

Speaking to caregiver burden

A brand new publication out by Dr. Samantha Shune and Ashwini Namasivayam-MacDonald. Read on to learn more.

The biopsychosocial ramifications of dysphagia are widespread. However, its influence on informal caregivers and families is often overlooked. Ultimately, the health and well-being of an entire family is central to care provision. This tutorial introduces readers to the current literature on dysphagia-related caregiver burden and third-party disability, illustrates the consequences of such burden on both caregivers and patients, and suggests strategies for better supporting patients’ informal caregivers.

The link to the article can be found here.

Undergraduate Research Symposium

While this year’s undergraduate research symposium looked a little differently, O-SEE undergrads took the technology challenges in stride and did excellent jobs with the new Zoom format. Congratulations to Cameron Davis, Eric Graboyes, Natalie Hanson, and Carissa Hartmann who all presented at this year’s conference.

Comparing transitional state foods

Transitional foods are under-utilized in the adult population as they may provide an opportunity to optimize eating pleasure and nutrition for individuals on a modifed texture diet. Yet, little is known about the behavioral properties of transitional foods and no research to date has explored the dissolution of known transitional foods in adults. This study aimed to understand the extent of dissolution of five transitional snacks items in relationship to time, tongue pressure, and amount of saliva.

Click here to find out more

The impact of social mimicry on drinking behaviors in older, healthy adults

Individuals with dysphagia, particularly in the presence of dementia, are at high risk for decreased nutrition and hydration. Unfortunately, current treatment options are not without limitations and often ignore the crucial social aspects of mealtimes. The aim of this exploratory, proof-of-concept study was to examine whether the social phenomenon of nonconscious behavioral mimicry can increase drinking behaviors in healthy older adults.

Link to full article can be found: here

Exploring an obesity prevention intervention program for Latinx immigrant families

An obesity preventive intervention program for preschool families, Healthy Balance, was tested in 2 sequential pilot trials. The first pilot tested the original and translated group intervention in a heterogeneous population (65 families), and the second tested the feasibility of a culturally adapted version for Latinx immigrant families (27 families). No significant study 1 intervention effects were found. However, in study 2, there were significant improvements in parent body mass index, neck circumference, and blood pressure. These studies suggest that targeting family system change and tailoring the intervention for Latinx immigrant populations is feasible and has the potential to improve obesity-related biomarkers.

Link to full article found: here