Breakout #4: Saturday, 2pm

While many believe in miracles and the power of prayer to heal, there is relatively little medical and scientific investigation of healing prayer. The Global Medical Research Institute was formed in 2012 with the mission of researching effects of healing prayer, focused mainly on case reports of remarkable healing following prayer and randomized controlled clinical trials of prayer effects on medical outcomes. We review several recently published case reports of remarkable healings following prayer as well as preliminary findings from a randomized controlled trial conducted at the University of Maryland School of Medicine on the efficacy of Christian prayer in a clinical setting for pain and anxiety.

Objectives:

1. Describe the current literature on Christian healing prayer 
2. Assess recent case studies and preliminary clinical trial findings on Christian healing prayer

Citations:

1. Matthews, D. A., Marlowe, S. M., & MacNutt, F. S. (2000). Effects of Intercessory Prayer on Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Southern Medical Journal, 93, 1177– 1186. 
2. Romez, C., Zaritzky, D., & Brown, J. W. (2019). Case Report of gastroparesis healing: 16 years of a chronic syndrome resolved after proximal intercessory prayer. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 43, 289–294. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2019.03.004
3. Romez C, Freedman K, Zaritzky D, Brown JW. Case report of instantaneous resolution of juvenile macular degeneration blindness after proximal intercessory prayer. Explore (NY). 2021 Jan-Feb;17(1):79-83. doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2020.02.011. Epub 2020 Feb 28. PMID: 32234287. 
4. Brown, C. G., Mory, S. C., Williams, R., & McClymond, M. J. (2010). Study of the therapeutic effects of proximal intercessory prayer (STEPP) on auditory and visual impairments in rural Mozambique. Southern Medical Journal, 103, 864–869. https://doi.org/10.1097/SMJ.0b013e3181e73fea

Katherine is an Assistant Professor of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. She is a member of CMDA, AAPLOG, AAFP, MDAFP, MedChi, and the Baltimore County Medical Association. Dr. Jacobson received her B.S. Degree from University of Maryland, College Park and her MD from the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Dr. Jacobson advises her campus Christian Medical Society and recently completed a clinical trial on Christian proximal (in-person) and virtual intercessory prayer for healing for pain and anxiety in her outpatient office.
Brenda is tenured faculty at Lee University, Cleveland, Tennessee. She has taught courses in the School of Nursing (BSN and DNP) and the Emergency Management major. Dr. Jones earned a PhD in Public Health from Walden University, a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Florida, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of South Florida. She has practiced as a Certified Nurse Midwife, Family Nurse Practitioner, and National Healthcare Disaster Professional. Dr. Jones serves on the Board of Directors for the Global Medical Research Institute and the Rural Health Association of Tennessee.
Jennifer is the Executive Director of the Maryland Organization of Nurse Leaders Inc./ Maryland Nurse Residency Collaborative. Dr. Zipp has been a nurse for 24 years and has expertise in NRPs, Mentorship, Professional Development, EBP and Research. She was recently Faculty at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON). Dr. Zipp received her BSN (’00) Masters of Science in Health Services/ Leadership & Management (’12) and her DNP (’18) from UMSON where she also earned her Teaching in Nursing and Health Professions Certificate. Her DNP work focused on implementation of a mentorship program in augmentation of the Vizient/ AACN NRP.

Poverty and health are closely associated. The nations of poverty host lowest life expectancy, greatest child mortality, and highest preventable deaths. Three interventions are especially effective. First, promotion of broad-based economic development which usually enhances health infrastructure. Second, mitigation of military conflict, which especially afflicts those most vulnerable. Third, deployment of specific interventions that have proven particularly effective against the leading diseases of poverty including early detection of pneumonia, provision of safe drinking water, and malaria prevention bed nets. This presentation makes extensive use of interactive questions between the presenter and the audience.

Objectives:

1. Describe the importance of broad-based economic development in mitigating the diseases of poverty
2. Summarize how military conflict contributes to diseases of poverty
3. List at least three specific interventions that have proven particularly effective in combating diseases of poverty

Citations:

1. Neglected Tropical Diseases- an Effective Global Response to Local Poverty-Related Disease Priorities. Infectious Diseases and Poverty, 2020
2. Global Tuberculosis Report 2020 – Reflections on the Global TB Burden, Treatment and Prevention Efforts. International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2021
3. Measles in the 21st Century- Progress Toward Achieving and Sustaining Elimination. Journal of Infectious Disease, 2021

Nicholas is President and Professor of INMED, the Institute for International Medicine. He is also part-time faculty at Research Medical Center Family Medicine Residency. Over a two-year period, Dr. Comninellis served inner-city citizens at Shanghai Charity Hospital. Over another two years, he led a healthcare ministry in the war-besieged nation of Angola in southern Africa. Dr. Comninellis next served for six years in the Kansas City public hospital before launching INMED in 2003. Dr. Comninellis is a classical guitarist and faculty advisor for Cru at University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Tuberculosis (TB) is still among the leading causes of death among people living with HIV worldwide. Individuals with HIV are more susceptible to contracting TB due to a weakened immune system and most cases of TB either go undiagnosed, poorly managed or untreated. TB is preventable, curable and manageable among people living with HIV. There is a need for a comprehensive approach to address the co-infection of HIV and TB. Weaknesses in healthcare systems contribute to the poor quality of HIV/TB care. In HIV/TB care, there is a need for timely diagnosis, effective treatment and prevention of both diseases. Improving HIV/TB care would improve the quality of life and reduce the burden on the public health systems in areas with high prevalence.

1. Objectives:
   Explain the relationship between HIV and TB. 
2. Identify key concepts in HIV/TB care. 
3. Identify healthcare disparities associated with the HIV/TB care. 

Citations:

1. Quality of TB care among people living with HIV: Gaps and solutions. Naidoo K, Gengiah S, Singh S, Stillo J, Padayatchi N. Quality of TB care among people living with HIV: Gaps and solutions. Journal of Clinical Tuberculosis and Other Mycobacterial Diseases. 2019;17:100122. doi:10.1016/j.jctube.2019.100122 
2. WHO Goals and Beyond: Managing HIV/TB Co-infection in South Africa. Olivier C, Luies L. WHO goals and beyond: Managing HIV/TB co-infection in South Africa. SN Comprehensive Clinical Medicine. 2023;5(1). doi:10.1007/s42399-023-01568-z 
3. Addressing TB-related mortality in adults living with HIV: a review of the challenges and potential solutions. Sullivan A, Nathavitharana RR. Addressing TB-related mortality in adults living with HIV: a review of the challenges and potential solutions. Therapeutic Advances in Infectious Disease. 2022;9:204993612210841. doi:10.1177/20499361221084163 
4. HIV-associated tuberculosis. Hamada Y, Getahun H, Tadesse BT, Ford N. HIV-associated tuberculosis. International Journal of STD & AIDS. 2021;32(9):780-790. doi:10.1177/0956462421992257 
5. Improving cascade outcomes for active TB: A global systematic review and meta-analysis of TB interventions. Marley G, Zou X, Nie J, et al. Improving cascade outcomes for active TB: A global systematic review and meta-analysis of TB interventions. PLoS Medicine. 2023;20(1):e1004091. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1004091

Rebecca Martha is currently pursuing her MPH in epidemiology at Liberty University. She received her medical degree from Makerere University in Uganda. While in medical school, she got the opportunity to work at the hospital level in Kalisizo & Rakai district where HIV/AIDS initially emerged in Uganda and remains a rampant problem. Following her graduation from medical school, she worked as general practitioner with a focus on pediatrics and neonatology at St. Francis hospital Nsambya. Dr. Nantale later evolved into the public health sector under Africa Humanitarian Action, the health implementing partner for UNHCR in Uganda for refugees at urban and tertiary level. She has a vast knowledge and exposure in the management of HIV/TB in resource limited settings.

Community health workers (CHWs) significantly enhance healthcare delivery in middle- and low-income countries. This breakout session explores CHWs’ impact on health screenings and public health initiatives in rural Guatemala and Honduras. Health screenings in these regions involved comprehensive questionnaires and health assessments. Educational sessions emphasized preventive care, with CHWs demonstrating varying levels of proficiency. The studies highlight significant health disparities, such as anemia prevalence, and underscore the importance of CHWs in addressing these issues. Despite limitations, the research calls for ongoing training and sustainable health education programs to improve health outcomes in these communities.

Objectives:

1. Understand the Role of Community Health Workers (CHWs): Participants will be able to describe the critical functions and contributions of CHWs in healthcare missions, particularly in middle- and low-income countries.
2. Analyze Health Screening Methods and Outcomes: Participants will learn to evaluate the methodologies used in health screenings and interpret the results to identify health disparities and needs within rural communities in Guatemala and Honduras.
3. Develop Strategies for Sustainable Health Education: Participants will be able to propose effective training and educational strategies for CHWs, focusing on preventive care and sustainable health interventions to improve community health outcomes.

Citations:

1. Attin, Oswald M.; Castillo, Gineska; Sibert, Grace; and Harper, Andrea (2023) “Empowering Community Health Workers in Guatemala,” Virginia Journal of Public Health: Vol. 8: Iss. 1, Article 6. Available at: https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/vjph/vol8/iss1/6 
2. Sibert G, Durham N, Castillo G, Attin O. Assessing community health needs in rural Guatemala and Honduras: Outcomes and benefits of community health screenings. Presented at: APHA 2024 Annual Meeting and Expo; 2024; Minneapolis. 
3. Wells R, Breckenridge ED, Linder SH. Wellness project implementation within Houston’s Faith and Diabetes initiative: a mixed methods study. BMC Public Health. 2020;20(1):1050. Published 2020 Jul 2. doi:10.1186/s12889-020-09167-6

Ginseka is a Venezuelan physician with a Master’s in Public Health from FIU. Fluent in Spanish and English, she excels in leadership and communication. Dr. Castillo began her career in rural Venezuela and later worked with Pediatric Associates in South Florida, focusing on compliance and patient-centered care. She now serves as Director of the Master of Public Health Program online and as an Instructional Mentor at Liberty University. Her expertise spans medical practice, privacy administration, international health, preventive medicine and chronic disease management, making her a respected public and community health education figure.

This presentation will discuss the role of rehabilitation in healthcare missions, both in mission hospitals and clinics held during short term mission trips.

Objectives:

1. Understand the role of rehabilitation therapies in healthcare missions
2. Understand the importance of rehabilitation to mission hospitals
3. Understand the role of rehabilitation therapies in communities served on short term mission trips

Citations:

1. Dupre AM, Goodgold S. Implementation of a physical therapy needs assessment in Nicaragua [abstract] [Internet]. Physical Therapy Online. 2005. http://aptaapps.apta.org/Abstracts/abstract.aspx?abnum=QUNQUFBUMDV8UE8tU0ktMTMtVEguSFRNTAPublished 2005. [cited 2014 Apr 28]
2. Faanes E. Experiences of physical therapists who participate in disaster relief work in Haiti [Doctor of Physical Therapy Research Paper]. Saint Paul, MN: St. Catherine University Sophia. 2012. [cited 2013 March 20] Available from: http://sophia.stkate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1013&context=dpt_papers
3. Liao H, Lai J, Chai H, Yaung C, Liao W. Supply of physical therapists in member countries of the World Confederation for Physical Therapy. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice. 1997;13:227-34. http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/09593989709036466
4. Nixon S, Cleaver S, Stevens M, Hard J, Landry M. The role of physical therapists in natural disasters: what can we learn from the earthquake in Haiti? Physiother Can. 2010;62:167–8. Available from:http://dx.doi.org/10.3138/physio.62.3.167
5. Steele D, Beitman C. Inclusion of physical therapy services on a short term mobile medical mission team to Nicaragua: a qualitative description study of team members’ observations and recommendations for improvement. Christian Journal for Global Health. 2015: 2 (2): (39-51). DOI: 10.15566/cjgh.v2i2.81
6. Sykes K. Short-term medical service trips: a systematic review of the evidence. Am J Public Heal. 2014;104:e38-48. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2014.301983. [Epub 2014 May 15].

Roy, PT, MHA, Wadsworth “Skip” is retired after 51 years at WakeMed Health and Hospitals, Raleigh, NC. He continues to serve as a PT in a mission hospital in Kenya, East Africa. He is a member of the leadership team of Christian Physical Rehab Professionals at Christian Medical & Dental Associations, is the rehabilitation champion of the Friends of Tenwek Organization, and serves as the director on the board of the volunteers at WakeMed Health and Hospitals. He received his BS in pre-medicine from The Pennsylvania State University, his certificate in physical therapy from Duke University, and his master’s of healthcare administration from Pfeiffer University. Mr. Roy has given multiple conference presentations on the topic of therapy in healthcare missions settings. He has personally taken 12 trips to serve at Tenwek Mission Hospital in Bomet, Kenya and has also served on a healthcare missions trip to Turkey. 

This presentation will explore the challenges and opportunities associated with the period between receiving a call to mission work and actual deployment to the field. We will examine the length of preparation time, strategies for maintaining the freshness and vitality of the call, and methods for leveraging the preparatory season to enhance one’s effectiveness in mission service.

Objectives:

1. Describe some of the common challenges and obstacles that Western healthcare professionals face when transitioning to a practice in a majority world context
2. Discuss unique opportunities that Western healthcare professionals can capitalize upon as healthcare missionaries serving cross-culturally
3. Describe the length of time that preparation for healthcare missions service consumes, and ways to remain fresh, vibrant, and effective through these years.

Citations:

1. ACGME Data Resource Book 2023-2024. Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education; 2023. Available at: https://www.acgme.org/globalassets/pfassets/publicationsbooks/dataresourcebook2023-2024.pdf. Accessed 2024-11-26.
2. American Medical Association. Specialty Preferences and After Med School Numbers. AMA. https://www.ama-assn.org/medical-students/specialty-profiles/specialty-preferences-and-after-med-school-numbers. Accessed 2024-11-26.
3. Gunderson CG, Sussman DA. The Medical Scientist Training Program: 50 Years and Counting. J Clin Invest. 2017;127(7):2415-2419. doi:10.1172/JCI94138. PMID: 28691927; PMCID: PMC5753449.
4. Tazelaar G. Challenges and trends in global healthcare missions. J Christ Nurs. 2011 Jul-Sep;28(3):152-7. doi: 10.1097/cnj.0b013e31821da634. PMID: 21853716.

Thomas is the Director of Global Health Strategies at International Mission Board, in Richmond, VA. His undergraduate studies were at Florida Southern College (BS in Biology), and he went on to obtain his MD from University of Alabama School of Medicine and his MPH (epidemiology) from UAB School of Public Health. His pediatric residency training was completed at Children’s Hospital of Alabama. He worked in a majority world context in the Far East for 26 years, and has now been overseeing global health strategies for a major mission sending organization where he helps oversee and coordinate the work of hundreds of healthcare missionaries working cross-culturally. He has unique insight into what it takes to prepare for effective service in this context.