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Background: Infertility impacts approximately 16% of couples in the United Statesroughly five million individuals. Experiencing infertility takes a physical and psychological toll on the infertile individual, as well as his/her partner. The goal of the current study was to explore and provide better insight into how infertility affects the roles and daily occupations (Such as self-care and work related tasks) of females. This information can better assist health care providers in providing quality care to such clients. Methods: 21 participants, females ranging in age from 20 to 46 years and experiencing infertility, participated in this qualitative, phenomenological research study. They partook in two telephone interviews aimed at exploring how infertility has impacted their roles and daily occupations. Inductive content data analysis was utilized to analyze the data. Results: Findings resulted in three main themes. Quotes from participants were used to title the themes. They are "when you're dealing with infertility, every aspect of your life is impacted by it", "infertility impacted my areas of interest in life" and "infertility is very lonely". Conclusion: Infertility has the potential to impact every area of a female's life. The emotional impact infertility may have on women, in addition to the physical and time constraints involved with pursuing fertility treatments, frequently resulted in decreased occupational engagement and fulfillment of roles as spouse or friend. Those experiencing infertility need more resources and support to navigate their journey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The objective of this study was to determine how occupational therapy practitioners use assistive technology (AT) when treating clients who have Alzheimer's disease and related dementia (ADRD). Methods: This study utilized a qualitative phenomenological approach in which occupational therapy practitioners were individually interviewed to explore their use of AT with clients who have ADRD. Results: Findings suggest that some assistive technology devices work better for clients at different stages. Clients in the earlier stages of dementia can use a broader range of assistive technology devices, while those in the later stages may not have the ability to use intricate assistive devices. It was also found that assistive technology is primarily used to address safety concerns with the ADRD population. These concerns include elopement, fall prevention, kitchen safety, and medication management. Three main themes were identified in the current study, including Education (for both the client and their family members/caregivers), Safety, and Selection Process. Conclusions: When using AT, occupational therapy practitioners must consider the stage of dementia their client is in, as well as the client's performance skills. Client safety and education were emphasized as key elements of the occupational therapy process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The COVID‐19 pandemic disrupted routine school operations, including school health programs. This study aims to describe the pandemic's impact on school health service delivery from the perspective of Maryland school health partners. METHODS: We conducted semi‐structured interviews with health service representatives from public schools (K‐12) between July and December 2021. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and coded through an iterative process to develop analytic themes. RESULTS: Twenty school health partners from 15 Maryland school districts participated. Participants identified key impacts of COVID‐19 on school health: (1) COVID‐19 disrupted delivery of services such as dental, mental health, and preventative care, (2) COVID‐19 necessitated changes in service delivery platforms, (3) COVID‐19 affected school health staff through increased responsibilities and staffing shortages, and (4) COVID‐19 prompted schools to become hubs for community outreach and health education. IMPLICATIONS FOR SCHOOL HEALTH POLICY, PRACTICE, AND EQUITY: Consideration of school health service disruptions and the increased demands on service providers may inform future priorities for school administrators, health departments, and policymakers. CONCLUSIONS: COVID‐19 impacted the timing and method of service delivery as well as the roles of school health staff and schools themselves in public health and education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]