Balancing Acts: Exploring Chronic Illness' Impact on Achievement in Graduate Health Education
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| Title: | Balancing Acts: Exploring Chronic Illness' Impact on Achievement in Graduate Health Education |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Olivia J. Fulton, Lizeth S. Iboy, Bonnie Decker |
| Source: | Journal of Occupational Therapy Education. 2026 10(1). |
| Availability: | Journal of Occupational Therapy Education. 521 Lancaster Avenue, Richmond, KY 40475. e-mail: jote@eku.edu; Web site: https://encompass.eku.edu/jote/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 22 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research Tests/Questionnaires |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Chronic Illness, Graduate Students, Barriers, Academic Achievement, Severity (of Disability), Student Participation, Student Attitudes, Correlation, Allied Health Occupations Education, Depression (Psychology), Anxiety |
| Assessment and Survey Identifiers: | Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales |
| ISSN: | 2573-1378 |
| Abstract: | Graduate students with chronic illness encounter barriers as they navigate graduate programs to achieve their personal goals. Chronic illnesses are often invisible, which makes it more challenging to navigate the educational system. This study aimed to understand participants' ability to engage in their academic environment and how the severity of their symptoms related to their diagnosis impacted participation in lectures, laboratory activities, exams, and competencies. Nineteen participants completed the online survey with questions regarding demographics and perception of how their condition impacted their academic performance on their best days versus worst days. Three assessment tools were incorporated into the survey: the Self-Care of Chronic Illness Inventory (SC-CII), the Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ), and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale--21 items (DASS-21). Findings showed there was a correlation between a diagnosed chronic illness and academic performance among entry-level graduate healthcare students. Overall, school participation was the most significantly impacted area, with an average rating of 4.06. Approximately 70% reported that their diagnosis had at least a considerable effect on their academic performance and participation. On their worst symptom days, all participants reported their academic performance was severely impacted across lectures, labs, exams, and competencies. These findings indicate that healthcare programs need to be sensitive towards meeting the perceived needs of students with a diagnosed chronic illness, particularly on their worst symptom days. Occupational therapy clinicians and faculty can assist students with adapting tasks during the physical class component to facilitate participation when symptoms are exacerbated. Student and faculty advocacy may be required at the institutional level to obtain appropriate accommodations. Further research with a larger sample size and including clinical experiences to yield more comprehensive results and foster more academic support for healthcare graduate students to be successful. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1502593 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 CustomLinks: – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=EJ1502593 Name: ERIC Full Text Category: fullText Text: Full Text from ERIC |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Balancing Acts: Exploring Chronic Illness' Impact on Achievement in Graduate Health Education – Name: Language Label: Language Group: Lang Data: English – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Olivia+J%2E+Fulton%22">Olivia J. Fulton</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lizeth+S%2E+Iboy%22">Lizeth S. Iboy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bonnie+Decker%22">Bonnie Decker</searchLink> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Occupational+Therapy+Education%22"><i>Journal of Occupational Therapy Education</i></searchLink>. 2026 10(1). – Name: Avail Label: Availability Group: Avail Data: Journal of Occupational Therapy Education. 521 Lancaster Avenue, Richmond, KY 40475. e-mail: jote@eku.edu; Web site: https://encompass.eku.edu/jote/ – Name: PeerReviewed Label: Peer Reviewed Group: SrcInfo Data: Y – Name: Pages Label: Page Count Group: Src Data: 22 – Name: DatePubCY Label: Publication Date Group: Date Data: 2026 – Name: TypeDocument Label: Document Type Group: TypDoc Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research<br />Tests/Questionnaires – Name: Audience Label: Education Level Group: Audnce Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink> – Name: Subject Label: Descriptors Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Chronic+Illness%22">Chronic Illness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Graduate+Students%22">Graduate Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Barriers%22">Barriers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+Achievement%22">Academic Achievement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Severity+%28of+Disability%29%22">Severity (of Disability)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Participation%22">Student Participation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Correlation%22">Correlation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Allied+Health+Occupations+Education%22">Allied Health Occupations Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Depression+%28Psychology%29%22">Depression (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Anxiety%22">Anxiety</searchLink> – Name: SubjectThesaurus Label: Assessment and Survey Identifiers Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SU" term="%22Depression+Anxiety+and+Stress+Scales%22">Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales</searchLink> – Name: ISSN Label: ISSN Group: ISSN Data: 2573-1378 – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Graduate students with chronic illness encounter barriers as they navigate graduate programs to achieve their personal goals. Chronic illnesses are often invisible, which makes it more challenging to navigate the educational system. This study aimed to understand participants' ability to engage in their academic environment and how the severity of their symptoms related to their diagnosis impacted participation in lectures, laboratory activities, exams, and competencies. Nineteen participants completed the online survey with questions regarding demographics and perception of how their condition impacted their academic performance on their best days versus worst days. Three assessment tools were incorporated into the survey: the Self-Care of Chronic Illness Inventory (SC-CII), the Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ), and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale--21 items (DASS-21). Findings showed there was a correlation between a diagnosed chronic illness and academic performance among entry-level graduate healthcare students. Overall, school participation was the most significantly impacted area, with an average rating of 4.06. Approximately 70% reported that their diagnosis had at least a considerable effect on their academic performance and participation. On their worst symptom days, all participants reported their academic performance was severely impacted across lectures, labs, exams, and competencies. These findings indicate that healthcare programs need to be sensitive towards meeting the perceived needs of students with a diagnosed chronic illness, particularly on their worst symptom days. Occupational therapy clinicians and faculty can assist students with adapting tasks during the physical class component to facilitate participation when symptoms are exacerbated. Student and faculty advocacy may be required at the institutional level to obtain appropriate accommodations. Further research with a larger sample size and including clinical experiences to yield more comprehensive results and foster more academic support for healthcare graduate students to be successful. – Name: AbstractInfo Label: Abstractor Group: Ab Data: As Provided – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 2026 – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: EJ1502593 |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1502593 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 22 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Chronic Illness Type: general – SubjectFull: Graduate Students Type: general – SubjectFull: Barriers Type: general – SubjectFull: Academic Achievement Type: general – SubjectFull: Severity (of Disability) Type: general – SubjectFull: Student Participation Type: general – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes Type: general – SubjectFull: Correlation Type: general – SubjectFull: Allied Health Occupations Education Type: general – SubjectFull: Depression (Psychology) Type: general – SubjectFull: Anxiety Type: general – SubjectFull: Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Balancing Acts: Exploring Chronic Illness' Impact on Achievement in Graduate Health Education Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Olivia J. Fulton – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Lizeth S. Iboy – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Bonnie Decker IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 01 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-electronic Value: 2573-1378 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 10 – Type: issue Value: 1 Titles: – TitleFull: Journal of Occupational Therapy Education Type: main |
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