Essential Competencies for Oncology in Physical Therapist Professional Education Programs: Results of a Mixed Methods Modified Delphi Study.

Objective: The objective was to establish consensus-based competencies for oncology within physical therapist professional education programs in the United States.

Methods: A mixed-methods approach implementing a sequential exploratory design that included 3 phases was used to establish oncology competencies for physical therapist professional education programs. Participants in each phase were physical therapists representing diverse practice settings, experience levels, and geographical regions.

Disparities in Physical Therapy Outcomes Based on Race and Ethnicity: A Scoping Review.

Objective: This scoping review synthesizes and summarizes the evidence on racial and ethnic disparities in outcomes after physical therapist treatment.

Methods: Four databases from 2001 through 2021 were searched for articles reporting physical therapy outcomes across racial and ethnic groups. The Arksey and O'Malley methodological framework was adapted for this scoping review.

Current State of Entry-level Physical Therapy Oncology Curricula in the United States: A Faculty Survey.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of oncology rehabilitation education in current physical therapist educational programs in the United States, including oncology rehabilitation content characteristics, delivery, and instructional resources.

Review Of Literature: By 2030, more than 21 million survivors of cancer in the United States (US) will be living with multisystem side effects depending on the treatment delivered. In addition, the sociopsychological factors associated with cancer treatment require that physical therapists are equipped with a unique body of knowledge, skills, and abilities.

The Changing Landscape of Intercultural Mindset in 616 Doctor of Physical Therapy Students Over the Past 7 Years and the Implications for Doctor of Physical Therapy Cultural Competence Education.

Introduction: This prospective longitudinal study will report the results of a quantitative analysis of the change in Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) scores and the distribution of students in 5 orientations along the Intercultural Developmental Continuum (IDC) in 8 cohorts of Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students during their academic preparation.

Review Of Literature: The expanding interest in developing intercultural sensitivity in an increasingly more complex and diverse health care environment calls for the dissemination of research on the effectiveness of innovative curricular models that include psychometrically strong outcome measures. Research suggests that health care providers can develop intercultural sensitivity when provided with didactic knowledge, experiential learning, self-reflection, mentoring, and a systematic individualized development plan.

Justice in Educational Content: A Guide to Racial and Cultural Representation in Academic and Clinical Teaching and Assessment.

Background And Purpose: Case-based instruction is broadly used in health professions education, including physical therapy education. Case-based instruction can support achievement of higher-order, applied, learning objectives and clinical reasoning. Instructors strive to represent the diversity of the clinical population in case studies and may have explicit intercultural competency objectives.

Racial disparity in breast cancer survivorship: themes from a series of four national healthcare provider live virtual forums.

Purpose: Significant disparity exists in the diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship outcomes among Black breast cancer (BC) survivors. Black BC survivors have more significant survivorship issues and a greater burden of illness than White counterparts. Barriers to rehabilitation exist for all BC survivors but are magnified in Black BC survivors.

Crises as the Crucible for Change in Physical Therapist Education.

This Perspective issues a challenge to physical therapists to reorient physical therapist education in ways that directly address the crises of COVID-19 and systemic racism. We advocate that professional education obligates us to embrace the role of trusteeship that demands working to meet society's needs by producing graduates who accept their social and moral responsibilities as agents and advocates who act to improve health and health care. To achieve this, we must adopt a curriculum philosophy of social reconstruction and think more deeply about the why and how of learning.

The prevalence of wound management physical therapist practice in the state of Texas.

Introduction: Wound management has become one of the ten physical therapy (PT) certification specialty areas. With this advanced clinical designation opportunity, more PT specialists and residencies with integumentary and wound management expertise will be needed for the educational and practice training of future specialists.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to characterize wound management practice by licensed physical therapists in Texas.

Incidence and predictors of axillary web syndrome and its association with lymphedema in women following breast cancer treatment: a retrospective study.

Purpose: Axillary web syndrome (AWS) presents as a common postsurgical complication in individuals with breast cancer. Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) contributes to the shoulder and arm morbidity common in breast cancer survivors and often associated to cancer treatment. A paucity of literature exists evaluating the risk factors for developing AWS and the association between AWS and BCRL.

Examining Factors That Contribute to Delayed Wound Healing in Children with Tracheostomy Wounds.

Objective: To identify variables that may contribute to delayed wound healing times in pediatric patients with tracheostomy wounds.

Design: Researchers identified 134 charts spanning January 2013 to June 2017; 95 charts met the inclusion criteria. The study examined Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing (PUSH) scores, pressure injury staging, and albumin levels.

Current Wound Care Education in Entry-Level Doctor of Physical Therapy Curricula.

Objective: To investigate how wound care instruction is currently delivered within entry-level doctor of physical therapy (DPT) educational curricula.

Methods: An electronic survey was distributed to 226 DPT programs in the US. The questionnaire contained 27 questions about the characteristics of the wound care instruction as well as the credentials, clinical experience, and teaching experience of the instructors.

Pediatric Tracheostomy Wound Healing: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objective: To compare wound products by measuring time to granulation tissue and time to complete wound healing for tracheostomy wounds in the pediatric population.

Methods: Investigators identified 134 charts of patients treated January 2013 and June 2017; 93 charts met the inclusion criteria. This study compared the use of a foam dressing (n = 34) to the foam dressing plus a wound filler (n = 59) in patients who developed or were admitted with a wound caused by a tracheostomy device.

DPT Student Perceptions of the Physical Therapist Assistant's Role: Effect of Collaborative Case-Based Learning Compared to Traditional Content Delivery and Clinical Experience.

Introduction: Doctor of physical therapy (DPT) student learning about role delineation of physical therapist assistants (PTAs) is essential to ethical and legal practice.

Methods: Survey assessment of three DPT student cohorts compared collaborative interprofessional case-based learning with PTA students to traditional curriculum delivery strategies. Control cohorts were assessed one time.

Significance of Nonphysical Predictors of Distress in Cancer Survivors.

Background: The Distress Thermometer (DT) is a well-validated tool that is frequently used in patients with cancer to screen for general distress and to generate referrals. However, a majority of the DT problem list items relate to physical concerns; this may lead to psychosocial issues being overshadowed.

Objectives: The purpose of the current study is to examine the endorsement rates for nonphysical items, as well as the relationship between these items and overall DT scores.

The Relationship Between Perceived Racism/Discrimination and Health Among Black American Women: a Review of the Literature from 2003 to 2013.

Objectives: The purpose of this paper was to systematically review the literature investigating the relationship between perceived racism/discrimination and health among black American women.

Methods: Searches for empirical studies published from January 2003 to December 2013 were conducted using PubMed and PsycInfo. Articles were assessed for possible inclusion using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2009 framework.

An analysis of the distress thermometer problem list and distress in patients with cancer.

Purpose: Patients with a cancer diagnosis experience complex issues that can cause distress. The purpose of this study is to identify factors associated with overall distress for a diverse population of cancer survivors.

Methods: Researchers conducted a secondary data analysis of distress ratings (n = 1205) for people receiving outpatient care at a Midwestern US cancer center from 2005 to 2009 to describe the relationships between distress factors and need for assessment of distress.

Time-dependent alterations in rat macrovessels with type 1 diabetes.

Vascular complications are associated with the progressive severity of diabetes, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. This study quantifies functional vascular parameters and macrovascular structure in a rat model of type 1 diabetes. While there was no difference in the systemic arterial elastance (Ea) with 50 days of diabetes, changes were noted in the aorta and femoral artery including increased tunica media extracellular matrix content, decreased width of both the media and individual smooth muscle cell layers, and increased incidence of damaged mitochondria.

Electrocardiographic changes with the onset of diabetes and the impact of aerobic exercise training in the Zucker Diabetic Fatty (ZDF) rat.

Background: Early markers of diabetic autonomic neuropathy (DAN) in an electrocardiogram (ECG) include elevated R wave amplitudes, widening of QTc intervals and decreased heart rate variability (HRV). The severity of DAN has a direct relationship with mortality risk. Aerobic exercise training is a common recommendation for the delay and possible reversal of cardiac dysfunction.