Life review writing produces numerous psychosocial benefits for older adults, who are at risk for isolation and depression. This article shares findings from a study that examined the experiences of older adults participating in a life review writing group. The impact of gender composition on the group dynamic was also explored. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, this study explored the experiences of six women and one man who participated in a life review writing group. Six unifying themes emerged from the research findings: (1) legacy, (2) connecting with others, (3) reflection, (4) vitality, (5) structure of the group, and (6) gender dynamics. Implications for theory, practice, and research are discussed.

Using an appreciative inquiry method, this study explored the experiences of women who participated in off-site postsecondary correctional education (PSCE). Semistructured interviews were conducted with four women who participated in study release, a program in which women who are incarcerated are permitted to leave the prison facility on a daily basis in order to attend postsecondary education courses at a nearby university or community college. Findings indicate one unifying theme among study participants: the restoration of one's humanity through participation in PSCE. Connected to this unifying theme are two subthemes: (1) restoration of self and (2) restoration of connection and community. Implications for policy, practice, and research are discussed, including involving women and women's voices in advocacy efforts to shape correctional policy from a punitive to restorative approach, offering choice of study in PSCE, providing PSCE opportunities that are off-site, fostering connections among PSCE participants and those who support them, and considering measures beyond recidivism to measure PSCE success. Limitations and suggestions for future research are addressed.

Transgender or nonbinary (TNB) individuals in the United States South experience higher rates of physical and mental health disparities when compared to their cisgender counterparts. Societal, interpersonal, and individual stigmas contribute to these disparities by increasing the levels of stress in the TNB population, which is a primary factor in higher morbidity and mortality. However, there is a paucity of research examining the impact of these stigmas on health through the lived experiences of TNB people living in Appalachia. An interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) research design was used to collect and analyze semi-structured interviews with TNB individuals living in Appalachia. Transcribed interviews were analyzed repeatedly by two analysts to identify emergent themes which focused on understanding an individual's lived experiences through interpretation. Ten participants from four Appalachian states within three Appalachian sub-regions participated in this study. Three shared healthcare themes were identified: experiences of stigma related to gender, the impact of stigma on personal wellbeing and perception of health, and the need for affirming TNB healthcare services. Respondents noted that chronic stress factors such as continual and compounding experiences of stigma and discrimination, stemming from religion or lack of affirming providers, negatively impacted their health. TNB individuals living in Appalachia experience chronic societal, interpersonal, and individual stressors that negatively impact their health. By addressing the stigmas, public health leaders, policymakers, and providers can improve access to health care and the health and quality of life of Appalachian TNB people.

Introduction: The Health Educators Academy at Western Carolina University was developed by the Dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences. Interdisciplinary fellows in the 2015 HEA focused on competency based education (CBE), which naturally incentivizes collaborative, interdisciplinary and interprofessional work. The 2015 Health Educator Academy Fellows researched healthcare competencies and designed curriculum changes that aligned within these parameters. This article discusses the creation of a first-year, interprofessional healthcare course that emphasizes CBE as well as interprofessional practice. Interprofessional Goals: The 2015 Academy Fellows believed that a collaborative course in the first-year curriculum that builds upon integral competencies would help introduce a structure that would support further IPE in later courses. Background of CBE: The recent expansion of CBE in higher education is a result of a number of factors, including changing demographics, the increase in student debt, declining state funding, and the need for accountability markers and improved learning outcomes. First- Year Experience: First-year seminars were first designed to ease the transition to college for students and to increase both retention and persistence to graduation. Proposed CBE Course: Three foundational interprofessional global health competencies domains were implemented into the first-year experience course: collaboration, partnering and communication; ethics; and sociocultural and political awareness. Reflection and Lessons Learned: In reflecting upon the process of designing a first-year interprofessional, competency-based course, the members of the Health Educator Academy organically implemented many educator and curricular best practices that facilitate collaboration in health care delivery. Future Plans: Rather than deal with complex health issues from a single, specialized approach, healthcare providers will need to work as a team to meet the needs of patients as well as the broader community. Courses such as a first-year seminar based on interprofessional competency-based curriculum can begin the process of teaching students to think collaboratively and critically. This type of course will provide some of the tools that students will need once they leave the university and enter the professional realm.

No abstract