McNair Scholar 2019 Yosan T. Tsegai
Yosan T. Tsegai is a senior at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, majoring in Kinesiology with a minor in Public health. Her research interest involves exploration of interventions for people with disabilities that improve motor function and increase leisure activity. Ms. Tsegai plans on pursuing a Doctorate in Pediatric Occupational Therapy with an emphasis in Public Health.
My dream is to pursue a career in pediatric occupational therapy and public health. I plan to help close all the discrepancies and negative assumptions towards people with disabilities across the world and guide them to live to their full potential.
Research project
Exploring Measures of Balance and Cardiovascular Health in a Dance Style Leisure Program for Adults with Down Syndrome and Related Disorders
Abstract: Due to sedentary behavior, people with Down syndrome have a high prevalence of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. Their physical inactivity is caused by low muscle tone, decreased strength, and low metabolism leading to developmental delays in motor skills different than a typical developing child. The purpose of this study is to examine measures that can be incorporated into larger scale study of dance style leisure program in designing an intervention to counter the deleterious effects related to Down syndrome and related genetic disorders. For this study, 14 young adults with Down syndrome and related disorders volunteered to participate in the dance style intervention. Participants are dancers in a local dance troupe who meet once a week for an hour-long training. Two different measurements were tested to see if the measures are sensitive in providing information with this population. The measures tested were the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, Second Education (BOT 2) to determine balance skills and a Fitbit to measure steps per session and cardiovascular responses. Results will influence the design of a larger study.
Faculty mentor
Dr. Patricia Schaber is currently an associate professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy and Rehabilitation Science and former occupational therapy practitioner at the University of Minnesota Medical Center- Fairview Memory Clinic. Dr. Schaber earned her Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from the University of Minnesota, Masters in Pastoral Studies and Social Justice from the University of St. Thomas. She attended the University of Minnesota where she received her PhD in Family Social Science with a Gerontology research minor. She has studied cognitive-functional assessments and occupational therapy interventions with older adults with memory loss.