Grant Award
The Alzheimer’s Association Research Fellowship for All (AARFA) awarded $160,000 to Dr. Laura Block for her project titled Behavioral Symptoms at End-of-Life: Impact on Residents and Family. Mentored by Dr. Caroline Stephens, with co-mentors Dr. Jacqueline Eaton and Dr. Eli Iacob, Dr. Block will examine how behavioral symptoms among nursing home residents with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias influence end-of-life care and family caregiver health and decision-making. The findings will lay the groundwork for future resident- and family-centered interventions to improve end-of-life care and caregiver well-being.
Community Engagement
Dr. Brenda Luther, pre-licensure students Jackie Quispe Zurita and Lara Latham, and Aaron Enz participated in Healthy Start West Valley City at Centennial Park. Dr. Luther, Jackie, and Lara supported the Sports Physical Clinic, took community members' blood pressures, educated community members about preventing high blood pressure, and generally educated visitors about healthy lifestyle habits.
Presentations
Faculty and staff gave poster presentations at the American Deafness and Rehabilitation Association meeting in Salt Lake City.
- Barriers to CGM Use in Blind/Low Vision and Deaf/Hard of Hearing Populations with Medicaid. Andrew Bray, Allyson Hughes, Jaycee Moore, Chinue Wilford, Dr. Michelle Litchman
- DeafDiabetesCan.org: The First Diabetes Education Website in American Sign Language. Dr. Michelle Litchman, Karissa Mirus, Dr. Shinduk Lee, Lorne Farovitch, Dr. Nancy Allen, Dr. Eli Iacob, Dr. Catherine Elmore
- Designing Scripts and Storyboards for Cardiac Information Videos for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Individuals. Sydney Lemon, Andrew Bray, Krystal Nguyen, Dr. Catherine Elmore, Dr. Nancy Allen, Dr. Michelle Litchman
- Developing an American Sign Language Glossary of Cardiometabolic/Cardiovascular Terms. Krystal Nguyen, Karissa Mirus, Dr. Catherine Elmore, Dr. Nancy Allen, Dr. Michelle Litchman
Heather Thiesset moderated the American College of Healthcare Executives of Utah webinar, Partnerships for Success: Public Health and Health System Collaboration, which featured Dr. Jake Steenblik, Mark Hyde, and Megan Johnson. The event reached a national audience and explored how public health professionals and healthcare systems can collaborate to strengthen community health. Dr. Steenblik shared his perspectives from his work in local and international public health, healthcare, and nursing.
Professional Service
The American Academy of Nursing Board of Directors appointed Dr. Perry Gee to the Standing Committee on Scientific Leadership. The committee is charged with elevating the role of nurse scientists in the field, within science policy sectors, and as health care leaders. Key responsibilities include identifying and assisting in the development of programmatic opportunities across the career continuum, identifying nurse scientists to serve in federal advisory roles, and reviewing and recommending recipients for future American Academy of Nursing science awards and grants.
Dean Marla De Jong is serving a term as Co-Chair of the Utah Organization of Nurse Leaders (UONL) Academic Leadership Committee (ALC). UONL represents and cultivates nursing leadership across the continuum to improve health care throughout Utah. Composed of deans and directors of accredited nursing programs in Utah, the ALC fosters nursing education and coordinates topics pertaining to academic nursing education. Minhvan Thach coordinates meetings, documents meeting minutes, and supports a range of administrative functions.
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing and the American Academy of Nursing invited Dean Marla De Jong to attend a virtual meeting and help inform the National Institute of Nursing Research on its future direction. Participants helped advance the future of nursing science by identifying key scientific priorities, discussing health challenges, and providing recommendations about the role of nursing science in improving health and healthcare.
Student Recognition
Amy Mahtre-Owens successfully defended her dissertation titled Perinatal Depression Care Experiences Among Individuals Receiving Standard Treatment and Seeking Supplemental Resources: A Qualitative Study. Committee members were Dr. Alycia Bristol (Chair), Dr. Gwen Latendresse (Co-Chair), Dr. Marcela Smid, Dr. Sara Simonsen, and Dr. Ryoko Kausler.
Publications
Alpert ER, Kent-Marvick J, Caceres O, Perner A, Momplaisir FM, Sonalkar S, Keddem S. A meta-synthesis on perceptions of possibility for HIV infection among cisgender and heterosexual women. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. Epub ahead of print. https://doi.org/10.1097/QAI.0000000000003950
Bahabadi SJ, Jones JL, Litchman M, Gren L, Schliep K, Allen NA. A Qualitative Analysis of Healthy Eating among White, Hispanic, and Black Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. J Diabetes Clin Res. 2026;8(1):38-46. https://doi.org/10.33696/diabetes.8.078
Hollingshaus M, Bandyopadhyay A, Smith HR, Meeks HD, Ornstein KA, Iacob E, Tay D, Utz RL, Newman MG, Stephens C. Linking decedents and their family members to study multiple end-of-life outcomes in various settings from a population registry. MethodsX. 2026;17:104099. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mex.2026.104099
Taylor-Swanson LJ, Alires A, Asay KM, Austin S, Crandall L, Ellis J, Kent-Marvick J, Lane AM, Hernandez-Liquin A, Melot S. “You are medicine”: Recovery of knowledge, dignity, and well-being in Native midlife women’s menopause experiences. Etuaptmumk: The Journal of Two-Eyed Seeing. 2026;7(3). https://doi.org/10.59401/ej.v7i3.61