Juyoung Park

Interests

Research

Dr. Park’s research is dedicated to enhancing health and promoting quality of life in geriatric populations, particularly those who are physically and cognitively vulnerable. Her current focus is on utilizing technology-based interventions to manage chronic pain and improve cognitive functions in those populations.Dr. Park’s research is designed to enhance health and promote quality of life in geriatric populations, especially those who are physically and cognitively vulnerable. She is particularly focused on technology-based nonpharmacological interventions, such as tDCS and complementary mind-body practices (e.g., online chair yoga, qigong) to manage chronic pain and improve cognitive functions in older adults.

Teaching

Behavioral Intervention Quantitative Research Methods

Courses

Scholarly Contributions

Journals/Publications

• Huff, A. J., Park, J., Montero-Hernandez, S., Park, L., Lee, C., Pollonini, L., & Ahn, H. (2025). Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) detects brain changes for apathy and pain in patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias: An exploratory study. NeuroImage: Reports, 5(Issue 3). doi:10.1016/j.ynirp.2025.100266
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  Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) are degenerative and progressive in nature and are often accompanied by chronic pain and neuropsychiatric symptoms, which can be early signs and aggravators of ADRD. This exploratory study explores the relationship between self-reported pain, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and pain-evoked cortical hemodynamic changes measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) in the prefrontal and primary motor and somatosensory brain cortices bilaterally, stratified by high or low cognitive function in individuals with ADRD. This study analyzed baseline data of 40 individuals with mild to moderate ADRD with knee osteoarthritis. Baseline data from 40 individuals with mild to moderate ADRD and knee osteoarthritis were analyzed. Measures included self-reported pain, depression, and apathy, along with fNIRS-derived cerebral hemodynamic responses to sub-threshold thermal pain stimulation across five brain regions. The study revealed significant negative correlations for oxyhemoglobin and apathy in the right prefrontal cortex associated with low cognitive function (p = .04) and significant positive correlations for oxyhemoglobin and apathy in the right somatosensory region (p = .04) and for oxyhemoglobin and pain in the medial prefrontal cortex (p = .04) associated with higher cognitive function. Study findings suggest that fNIRS may provide valuable biomarkers for apathy and depression in individuals with ADRD and chronic osteoarthritic pain, with differential patterns based on cognitive function, suggesting neuropsychiatric symptoms may manifest differently depending on the patient's cognitive status. Future studies should explore its utility in larger, diverse samples and clinical interventions targeting neuropsychiatric symptoms.
• Krause-Parello, C. A., Park, J., & Newman, D. (2025). Examining Preliminary Efficacy of a Qigong Intervention in Veterans with Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study. Pain Management Nursing, 26(Issue 2). doi:10.1016/j.pmn.2024.10.013
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  Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the preliminary efficacy of an 8-week qigong intervention in managing biopsychosocial outcomes in veterans with chronic low back pain (CLBP). Design: The study design was a longitudinal randomized controlled trial (RCT). Methods: Multimodal assessments (e.g., biomarkers and psychological and social measures) over multiple time points to assess the preliminary efficacy of an 8-week qigong intervention versus wait-list control group in veterans with CLBP. Results: Participants in the qigong intervention group showed greater improvement in pain intensity (p =.047), pain interference (p =.040), pain-related disability (p =.027), and sleep disturbance (p =.002). Other psychosocial outcomes were nonsignificant. A statistically significant relationship between biological outcomes (pro-inflammatory cytokines) and psychosocial outcomes was identified (e.g., tumor necrosis factor [TNF] and physical function [p
• Lee, C., Kwoh, C. K., Park, J., Park, L., & Ahn, H. (2025). Disparities in Clinical and Experimental Pain Between Non-Hispanic White and Asian American Individuals With Knee Osteoarthritis and the Role of Pain Catastrophizing: Pilot Study in Florida. Asian Pacific Island Nursing Journal, 9. doi:10.2196/64415
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  Background: Although a few studies have delineated the disparities in knee osteoarthritis (KOA) pain between non-Hispanic White and Asian American individuals, a significant research gap persists in elucidating the mechanisms underlying these differences. Objective: This pilot study aims to examine psychological factors, specifically pain catastrophizing and negative affect, as potential explanatory mechanisms for these dissimilarities. Methods: A cross-sectional design was used. Forty community-dwelling participants aged 50-70 years with self-reported KOA pain, including 20 non-Hispanic White and 20 Asian American individuals, were recruited in North Central Florida. Clinical KOA pain intensity was assessed using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and the 4 subscales of the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire-2. Quantitative sensory testing was conducted to measure experimental sensitivity to heat- and mechanically induced pain, including heat pain, pressure pain threshold, and punctate mechanical pain, as well as inhibitory pain processes through conditioned pain modulation. Pain catastrophizing was evaluated using the Coping Strategies Questionnaire-Revised Pain Catastrophizing subscale, while negative affect was assessed using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. Bayesian mediation analyses were used to examine both direct and indirect effects (mediation) between variables. Results: Asian American individuals exhibited higher pain catastrophizing scores than non-Hispanic White individuals. Pain catastrophizing, at high levels, contributed to WOMAC and Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire-2, which measured clinical pain. Race had no direct effects on these pain scores but exerted significant indirect effects via pain catastrophizing (WOMAC pain: 0.96, 95% CI 0.03-2.16; continuous pain: 0.84, 95% CI 0.18-1.70; intermittent pain: 0.78, 95% CI 0.03-1.71; neuropathic pain: 0.43, 95% CI 0.03-0.95; and affective pain: 1.05, 95% CI 0.24-1.99); thus, pain catastrophizing likely fully mediated the relationship between race and these pain measures. While Asian American individuals reported greater experimental pain sensitivity (heat pain, pressure pain threshold, and punctate mechanical pain) than non-Hispanic White individuals, these racial effects were not mediated by pain catastrophizing. Asian American individuals reported higher negative affect scores compared with non-Hispanic White individuals; however, negative affect did not mediate the relationship between race and any pain measures. Conclusions: The results demonstrate the contribution of pain catastrophizing to clinical pain in Asian American individuals with KOA and identify it as a potential mechanism underlying group differences in KOA pain between non-Hispanic White and Asian American individuals. However, caution is warranted due to the exploratory nature of this study and the treatment of Asian American individuals as a monolithic sample. Hence, future replication with larger and more diverse samples is necessary. Additionally, the lack of mediation effects of pain catastrophizing in the relationship between race and experimental pain suggests the need to explore other factors, such as biological, genetic, social, and environmental influences. Moreover, further research is essential to clarify the role of negative affect.
• Lee, C., Park, J., Fain, M., Galvin, J. E., Park, L., & Ahn, H. (2025). Immediate and long-term effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on pain relief in older adults with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias: A pilot study. Geriatric Nursing, 63. doi:10.1016/j.gerinurse.2025.03.025
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  We simultaneously assessed the impact of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on mitigating both self-reported pain and pain behaviors to more objectively explore its effects in older adults with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. The analysis investigated 40 participants randomly (1:1) subjected to active and sham tDCS for 20 min on 5 consecutive days. Multi-group latent transition analysis enabled the simultaneous evaluation of both pain domains in a single model and analysis of their changes as a function of intervention exposure by modeling the transition probabilities of latent classes and comparing these changes between groups. Two pain categories (“high pain” and “low pain”) were identified based on the numeric rating scale and mobilization–observation–behavior–intensity–dementia scale scores. Overall, tDCS demonstrated better effects in helping participants transition to a “low pain” status during and after the intervention (∼3 months) compared with sham stimulation, demonstrating its immediate and enduring effects.
• Lee, C., Park, J., Kwoh, C. K., Fain, M., Park, L., & Ahn, H. (2025). Home-Based, Remotely Supervised Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Improves the Overall Pain Experience of Older Adults With Knee Osteoarthritis. Pain Research & Management, 2025(Issue 1). doi:10.1155/prm/1783171
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  Objective: Chronic pain in knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a multidimensional phenomenon requiring thorough assessment and appropriate treatment. We assessed the impact of home-based, remotely supervised transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on the overall pain experience of older adults with knee OA by simultaneously examining its effects on multiple pain domains-pain intensity, pain interference, and pain catastrophizing-using multigroup latent transition analysis (LTA). Methods: This secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial involved 120 participants with knee OA pain, randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive 15 daily sessions of 2-mA tDCS or sham tDCS (20 min per session) over three weeks, with real-time remote supervision. Pain intensity was measured using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and the pain subscale of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) Index. Pain interference was measured using the WOMAC functional scale. Pain catastrophizing was assessed using the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS). All the measures were assessed at baseline and at the end of each week (weeks 1, 2, and 3), after the participants had completed five tDCS sessions per week. Multigroup LTA enabled the simultaneous measurement of multiple pain domains and analysis of their changes as a function of intervention exposure by modeling the transition probabilities of latent classes and comparing these changes between the groups. Results: Based on the NRS, WOMAC, and PCS scores, three latent categories were identified: "high pain (all scores high)," "moderate pain (all scores moderate)," and "low pain (all scores low)." Active group participants with "moderate pain" at baseline had a 24.2% probability of transitioning to "low pain" after Week 1, whereas sham group participants remained stagnant during this interval. Notably, 37.6% of active group participants with "high pain" at Week 1 transitioned to "moderate pain," while 35.8% of those with "moderate pain" at Week 1 transitioned to "low pain" by Week 2 (after an additional five sessions). Nevertheless, no noticeable changes were observed in the sham group during this period. No pronounced intervention effects were noted by Week 3. Conclusions: Simultaneously modeling pain-related measures enriches our understanding of the efficacy of tDCS in improving the overall pain experience among older adults with knee OA. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04016272.
• Park, J. (2025).

  Minimally important difference and responsiveness to change of numerical rating scale for menstrual pain severity.

  . The Journal of Pain, 29(105092). doi:10.1016/j.jpain.2025.105092
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  Menstrual pain affects 45%-95% of reproductive-age females, impacts quality of life, and potentially increases the risk of other chronic pain conditions. Psychometrically sound measurement tools are essential for advancing research and clinical care in menstrual pain. Numerical rating scales (NRS) are widely used to assess pain severity including menstrual pain. However, there are gaps in understanding the minimally important difference (MID) and responsiveness to change of NRS in the context of menstrual pain. This study evaluated the MID and responsiveness to change of the NRS for menstrual pain severity. The study involved 100 participants aged 14-42 who were menstruating. Participants completed two surveys about 24 hours apart, measuring menstrual pain severity (worst, least, average menstrual pain in the past 24 hours, and current menstrual pain) on a 0 (no pain) to 10 (extremely severe) scale. MID were estimated using distribution-based approaches (standard error of measures and effect size) and anchor-based approaches (using symptom interference and retrospective recall of change as anchors). Responsiveness was assessed through standard response mean and receiver operator curve analysis. Triangulating different methods, the MID estimates were close to 1 point. The NRS of menstrual pain severity were responsive to pain improvement (standard response mean ranged from 0.44 to 0.61, p
• Park, J., Lee, C., & Ahn, H. B. (2025).

  Differential association of inflammation with pain and physical function in knee osteoarthritis by race: Focusing on non-Hispanic Whites and Asian Americans. 

  . Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 33, S432. doi:10.1016/j.joca.2025.02.631
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  Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the leading causes of pain, daily living impairments, and disability in people aged ≥ 45 years. Although local inflammation aggravates OA joint pathologies, systemic inflammatory markers are also elevated in OA, especially in the presence of symptoms such as pain and reduced functional function. Notwithstanding, the evidence remains controversial. Racial/ethnic minority groups, owing to systemic inequities and environmental challenges, may develop a different inflammatory fingerprint than their non-Hispanic White (NHW) counterparts (i.e., epigenetics). They are also disproportionately susceptible to chronic knee OA pain. Nonetheless, most studies on inflammation and knee OA symptoms have failed to specify the racial composition of their samples, predominantly included NHW participants, or adopted typical approaches that report average effects from race/ethnicity-adjusted analyses, possibly obscuring crucial dissimilarities. Overlooking such differences potentially hinders the development of personalized approaches to analgesic care and interventions that improve physical function, ultimately impeding efforts to reduce pain inequities across groups. This pilot study investigated the relationship between inflammation and knee OA symptoms (i.e., pain and physical function) by race. Specifically, we compared NHWs to Asian Americans.
• Park, J., Lee, C., Chen, C., Sun, X., & Ahn, H. B. (2025). Heterogeneous Treatment Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Knee Osteoarthritis Pain and Symptoms. The Journal of Pain, 29. doi:10.1016/j.jpain.2025.105029
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  Although transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been widely reported as a safe and effective brain stimulation technique for managing knee osteoarthritis (KOA) pain and symptoms, studies indicate significant variability in treatment effects among individuals. This study aimed to identify the predictors of such heterogeneity in older adults with KOA receiving tDCS, with the goal of enhancing personalized treatment strategies. This secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial included 60 participants with symptomatic KOA who underwent 15 daily sessions of 2-mA active tDCS (20 minutes per session) over three weeks. Initially, a multi-trajectory latent class growth analysis was conducted to identify salient patient groups based on the longitudinal trajectories of key symptom parameters—pain severity as per the Numeric Rating Scale, and the pain, stiffness, and physical function subscales as per the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index—from baseline to the 3-month follow-up post-intervention. Two distinct trajectory groups were identified: Group 1 (n = 29, “Low initial symptoms with considerable improvement”); and Group 2 (n = 31, “High initial symptoms with minimal improvement”). Thereafter, bivariate analysis examined associations between the trajectory groups and baseline sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Compared to Group 1, individuals in Group 2 were less likely to have higher educational attainment, had a higher body mass index, and exhibited greater pain catastrophizing, punctate mechanical pain, temporal summation of pain, and impaired conditioned pain modulation (all p
• Park, J., Lee, C., Fain, M. J., & Ahn, H. B. (2025).

  Home-based, remotely supervised transcranial direct current stimulation improves the overall pain experience of older adults with knee osteoarthritis.

  . Pain Research and Management, 1-11.
• Park, J., Lee, C., Fain, M. J., Lin, L., & Ahn, H. B. (2025).

  Home-based transcranial direct current stimulation improves central pain mechanisms and clinical pain in knee osteoarthritis: A randomized controlled trial. 

  . Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 33(1), S483 –S484.
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  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a 3-week, home-based transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) nonpharmacological treatment on experimental pain sensitivity and its relationship with clinical pain intensity in older adults with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Experimental pain sensitivity, assessed through controlled laboratory testing, provides critical insights into underlying pain processing mechanisms, including central sensitization and descending pain inhibition. These mechanisms often contribute to chronic pain and are implicated in conditions such as knee OA. Clinical pain intensity, on the other hand, represents patients' real-world experiences of pain. Investigating this connection could help to identify treatment strategies that target both physiological and perceived pain, improving overall pain management and enhancing quality of life for patients with chronic pain conditions. We hypothesized that active tDCS would reduce experimental pain sensitivity more than sham tDCS and that the reduction would correlate with improvement in clinical pain intensity, highlighting the role of central mechanisms in modulating pain.
• Park, J., Lee, C., Kim, H., Kim, Y., Kim, S., & Ahn, H. B. (2025).

  Predictors of the treatment effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on knee osteoarthritis pain: A machine-learning approach.

  . Brain Stimulation,18(1),, 18(1), 456-457. doi:10.1016/j.brs.2024.12.533
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  Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been recognized as a safe and effective intervention for treating knee osteoarthritis (KOA) pain; however, research has suggested the heterogeneity of treatment effects across participants. This study aimed to identify the sociodemographic and clinical predictors of such heterogeneity in older adults with symptomatic KOA undergoing tDCS, thereby enhancing personalized treatment strategies. Specifically, we analyzed active and sham tDCS groups separately to account for placebo or sham effects. This study entailed secondary data analysis of a double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled, phase II, parallel-group pilot clinical trial involving 120 participants with KOA pain. These participants were assigned to 15 daily telehealth-delivered sessions of either active 2-mA tDCS (n=60) for 20 min or sham stimulation (n=60) over 3 weeks. The primary outcome was the change in Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain subscale scores, measured from baseline to after the 15 tDCS sessions in both the active and sham groups. Predictive modeling using random forest (RF) and artificial neural network (ANN) algorithms was utilized, with model performance assessed based on R-squared values. The impact of predictive features on treatment outcomes was examined using several feature selection methods, including Lasso, BorutaSHAP, Chi2, F-regression, and R-regression. The RF and ANN models both effectively predicted treatment effects, indicating the potential of machine learning to enhance patient-specific treatment strategies. In the active group, the predominant features included age, average heat pain tolerance at the knee at baseline, baseline WOMAC functional score, and the duration of KOA. In the sham group, the major features comprised the duration of KOA, Kellgren–Lawrence scale score of the affected knee, baseline pain catastrophizing score, average heat pain tolerance at the knee at baseline, and baseline WOMAC functional score. Characterizing these predictive factors can inform personalized tDCS protocols, potentially improving treatment effects.
• Park, J., Montero-Hernandez, S., Huff, A. J., Lee, C., Pollonini, L., Park, L., Lin, L., Telkes, I., Galvin, J. E., Hoang, J., & Ahn, H. (2025). Advancing pain assessment in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias: Functional near-infrared spectroscopy for investigating brain activity. British Journal of Pain. doi:10.1177/20494637251384009
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  Background: Pain assessment in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) is challenging due to cognitive decline and communication barriers, limiting the reliability of self-report and observational tools. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) offers a noninvasive measure of cerebral hemodynamic responses and may serve as an objective biomarker for pain. This pilot study evaluated the feasibility of fNIRS for pain assessment in ADRD, using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) solely as a controlled cortical modulation paradigm to test fNIRS sensitivity, rather than as a therapeutic intervention. Methods: Forty older adults with mild to moderate ADRD were randomized to active (n = 20) or sham (n = 20) tDCS for 5 consecutive days to generate controlled cortical modulation. Pain was assessed using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), Mobilization-Observation-Behavior-Intensity-Dementia-2 (MOBID-2), and fNIRS responses to standardized pain stimuli. Hemodynamic changes in prefrontal and somatosensory cortices were analyzed to determine whether fNIRS detected pain-related brain activity. Results: NRS and MOBID-2 scores were significantly correlated at baseline (r = .605, p < .001) and post-intervention (r = .567, p < .001). In the active tDCS condition, pain stimulation elicited significant cortical hemodynamic changes that correlated with pain scores (p < .05), supporting fNIRS’s sensitivity for detecting pain-related neural responses. In the sham group, only a few significant correlations were observed post-intervention (e.g., frontal cortex r = .44, p = .049; prefrontal cortex r = .52, p = .017), which were less consistent compared to the active condition. Conclusion: fNIRS demonstrated feasibility as an objective pain assessment tool in ADRD. tDCS served only as a probe to induce cortical modulation for evaluating fNIRS performance. In this study, tDCS functioned as a probe to induce cortical modulation for evaluating fNIRS sensitivity, not as a therapeutic intervention. Larger trials are needed to confirm fNIRS validity for clinical application.
• Park, J., Samuel, M., Huff, A. J., Luca, P., Lin, L., Galvin, J. E., & Ahn, H. B. (2025).

  Pain-evoked functional activation combining transcranial direct current stimulation with brain imaging in older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. 

  . Brain Stimulation, 18(1), 393–394.
• Park, J., Tong, H., Kang, Y., Miao, H., & Ahn, H. B. (2024). Responders and nonresponders with knee osteoarthritis to transcranial dierct cunrret stimulation. Innovation in Aging, 8(1), 251.
• Besser, L. M., Wiese, L., Cook, D. J., Holt, J., Magzamen, S., Minor, B., Mitsova, D., Park, J., Sablan, O., Tourelle, M., & Williams, C. (2024). Rural Roads to Cognitive Resilience (RRR): A prospective cohort study protocol. PLOS ONE, 20(1). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0312660
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  Ambient air pollution, detrimental built and social environments, social isolation (SI), low socioeconomic status (SES), and rural (versus urban) residence have been associated with cognitive decline and risk of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). Research is needed to investigate the influence of ambient air pollution and built and social environments on SI and cognitive decline among rural, disadvantaged, ethnic minority communities. To address this gap, this cohort study will recruit an ethnoracially diverse, rural Florida sample in geographic proximity to seasonal agricultural burning. We will (1) examine contributions of smoke-related fine particulate matter (PM) exposures to SI and cognitive function; (2) determine effects of built and social environments on SI and cognitive function; and (3) contextualize SI and cognitive function among residents from different ethnoracial groups during burn and non-burn seasons.
• Krause-Parello, C. A., Park, J., & Newman, D. (2024). Examining Preliminary Efficacy of a Qigong Intervention in Veterans with Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study. Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management Nurses.
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  The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the preliminary efficacy of an 8-week qigong intervention in managing biopsychosocial outcomes in veterans with chronic low back pain (CLBP).
• Lee, C., Kim, Y., Kim, S., Cohen, B., Ahn, H. B., Park, J., & Kim, H. (2024). TRAJECTORIES OF CHRONIC PAIN AMONG OLDER VETERANS: IDENTIFYING PAIN-WORSENING PREDICTORS VIA MACHINE LEARNING. Innovation in Aging, 8(1), 1221. doi:doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igae098.3909
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  https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igae098.3909
• Lee, C., Park, J., Fain, M., Galvin, J., & Ahn, H. (2024).

  Immediate and sustainable effects of tDCS on pain in older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia.

  . Innovation in Aging, 8(S1), 1250. doi:10.1093/geroni/igae098.3999
• Park, J., & Ahn, H. B. (2024). Translating innovative technology-based interventions into nursing practice. Research in nursing & health, 47(4), 366-367.
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  Technology‐based treatments are reshaping nursing practice, improvingpatient outcomes, and fostering innovation. It is important fornurses to remain abreast of emerging trends and integrate technologyeffectively into their daily responsibilities
• Park, J., Ahn, H. B., Huff, A. J., Montero-Hernandez, S., Lin, L., & Park, L. (2024). Subjective and objective pain assessment in persons with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias: Comparisons among self-report of pain, observer-rated pain assessment, and functional near-infrared spectroscopy. . The Journal of Pain, 25(S4), 49.
• Park, J., Ahn, H. B., Krause-Parello, C., & Newman, D. (2024).

  Assessing a qigong intervention for military veterans with chronic low back pain. 

  . Integrative and Complementary Therapies, 30(3), 108-116.
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  Qigong is a mind-body approach to manage Chronic Low Back Pain in veterans who receive care through the Veterans Health Administration and in the community. For future studies, a larger sample would provide a higher level of empirical evidence to support qigong practice for CLBP in veterans. Future studies should assess sustainability of the intervention.
• Park, J., Elizabeth, w., Heather, H., Gonzales, M., & Jaber, T. (2024). Feasibility and efficacy of addiction-focused eye movement desensitization reprocessing in adults with substance abuse disorder. . Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work, 21(3), 282-299.
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  Purpose: Addiction-focused eye movement desensitization reprocessing (AF-EMDR) is a potential add-on therapy for treating addiction cravings, but its effects in individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) are under-researched. This study aimed to assess the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of AF-EMDR on cravings, addiction-related perseverations, and irrational cognitions in people with SUD.Methods: This pilot study used a two-arm randomized controlled trial (RCT) design with an experimental group (AF-EMDR + CBT) and a control group (CBT only). Thirty participants from a recovery center in Florida were recruited and randomly assigned to either group.Results: All participants completed the four-session AF-EMDR intervention. Both groups showed significant reductions in cravings, perseverative thoughts, and irrational cognitions, but no significant difference was found between groups.Conclusions: While AF-EMDR shows promise in reducing cravings, further clinical trials with larger samples are needed to evaluate its efficacy and sustainability in SUD treatment.
• Park, J., Engstrom, G., & Ouslander, J. G. (2024). Prescribing Benzodiazepines and Opioids and Clinical Characteristics Associated With 30-Day Hospital Return in Patients Aged ≥75 Years: Secondary Data Analysis. Journal of gerontological nursing, 50(4), 25-33. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.3928/00989134-20240312-02
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  The current study compared prevalence of opioid or benzodiazepine (BZD) prescription and co-prescription of opioids and BZD at discharge and return to a community hospital within 30 days, as well as identified clinical characteristics associated with hospital return in patients aged ≥75 years.
• Park, J., Hung, L., Levine, H., Call, D., Celeste, D., Lacativa, D., Riley, B., Riley, N., & Zhao, Y. (2024). Technology-based group exercise interventions for people living with dementia or mild cognitive impairment: A scoping review. PloS one, 19(6), e0305266. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0305266
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  Older people living with dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are more vulnerable to experiencing social isolation and loneliness due to their cognitive and physical impairments. Increasingly integrating technology into group exercises contributed to the improved resilience and well-being of older adults living with dementia and MCI. The purpose of this scoping review was to identify the various types, feasibility, outcome measures, and impacts of technology-based group exercise interventions for people with dementia or MCI. We utilized the Joanna Briggs Institute approach, a three-step process. A comprehensive literature search on five databases-CINAHL, MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and PsycInfo-until January 2024 yielded 1,585 publications; the final review included 14 publications that recruited a total of 379 participants, with mean age of 69 (SD = 4.21) years to 87.07 (SD = 3.92) years. Analysis of data showed three types of technology-based group exercise interventions for people with dementia or MCI: (a) exergames, (b) virtual cycling or kayak paddling, and (c) video-conferencing platforms. In addition, we identified three key impacts: (a) feasibility and accessibility; (b) physical, psychosocial, and cognitive benefits; and (c) adaptations necessary for persons with dementia or MCI. Our study suggests that technology-based group exercise interventions are feasible and acceptable to persons with dementia or MCI. Future studies should involve individuals with dementia and their caregivers in the design and implementation of technology-based group exercise programs.
• Park, J., Krause-Parello, C., Newman, D., Chen, K., Rejit, R., Bellot, R., Delva, R., Cadet, D., Kirkland, D., & Ahn, H. (2024). Assessing a Qigong Intervention for Military Veterans with Chronic Low Back Pain. Integrative and Complementary Therapies, 30(3). doi:10.1089/ict.2024.27207.jyp
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  Background: Veterans have a high prevalence of opioid prescriptions to manage chronic low back pain (CLBP), resulting in increased risk of becoming addicted and overdosing. It is important to identify effective and safe mind–body interventions to reduce opioid use for veterans with CLBP. Qigong, a mind–body therapy, is a promising approach to manage CLBP in veterans. This study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of qigong and examined whether pain is reduced after a qigong intervention. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 31 participants were randomized to the qigong intervention (n = 15) or a wait-list control group (WLCG; n = 16). The qigong intervention was conducted twice weekly in 45-minute sessions for 8 weeks (total of 16 sessions). Participants who completed the qigong intervention were invited to participate in a focus group conducted through videoconferencing. In addition to assessing feasibility and acceptability of the qigong intervention, pain intensity, pain interference, and low back pain and disability were measured at baseline and postintervention. Results: Qigong is a feasible intervention for veterans with CLBP, based on retention (83%), attendance (70%), and fidelity (100%), with no injury or other adverse events. Qigong was acceptable to the veterans with CLBP, who reported that they would continue to practice qigong to manage CLBP for long-term effects. Statistically significant differences in reduction in pain intensity (p = .047), pain interference (p = .04), and pain-related disability (p = .028) between the qigong group and WLCG from baseline to postintervention were identified. Conclusion: Qigong is a mind–body approach to manage CLBP in veterans who receive care through the Veterans Health Administration and in the community. For future studies, a larger sample would provide a higher level of empirical evidence to support qigong practice for CLBP in veterans. Future studies should assess sustainability of the intervention.
• Park, J., Tong, H., Kang, Y., Miao, H., Lin, L., Telkes Ergun, I., Martorella, G., Fox, R., & Ahn, H. B. (2024). Comparison of responders and nonresponders with knee osteoarthritis after transcranial direct current stimulation. Pain management, 1-12.
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  The study compared responders and nonresponders to transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) regarding clinical pain outcomes in knee osteoarthritis (OA) patients.
• Wong, K. L., Hung, L., Wong, J., Park, J., Alfares, H., Zhao, Y., Mousavinejad, A., Soni, A., & Zhao, H. (2024). Adoption of Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Robots in Long-Term Care Homes by Health Care Providers: Scoping Review. JMIR aging, 7, e55257.
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  Long-term care (LTC) homes face the challenges of increasing care needs of residents and a shortage of health care providers. Literature suggests that artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled robots may solve such challenges and support person-centered care. There is a dearth of literature exploring the perspectives of health care providers, which are crucial to implementing AI-enabled robots.
• Woodruff, E., Park, J., Howard, H., Gonzalez, M., & Jaber, T. (2024). Feasibility and Efficacy of Addiction-Focused Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing in Adults with Substance Use Disorder. Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work (United States), 21(3). doi:10.1080/26408066.2023.2271927
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  Purpose: Addiction-focused eye movement desensitization reprocessing (AF-EMDR) is a viable add-on therapy to treat memories that drive addiction cravings. However, little research has explored AF-EMDR and its effects in people with substance abuse disorder (SUD). The purposes of this study were to determine the feasibility of conducting AF-EMDR and to test the preliminary efficacy of AF-EMDR on overall cravings experienced by persons with SUD, craving, perseverations associated with addiction, and irrational cognitions related to addiction. Methods: This pilot study used a two-arm randomized controlled trial (RCT) design with an experimental group (AF-EMDR + cognitive behavioral therapy [CBT]) and a control group (CBT Only). Thirty participants were recruited from a residential program or a partial hospitalization program in a recovery center in Florida, from October 2021 through January 2022 and randomly assigned to the experimental group (n = 15) or the control group (n = 15). Results: All participants adhered to the four-session 60-min AF-EMDR intervention and post-intervention data collection; 98.33% completed all four sessions. Results indicated significant reductions in cravings, perseverative thoughts about substance of choice, and irrational cognitions among participants in both the experimental (AF-EMDR + CBT) and control (CBT Only) groups during the intervention; however, there was no significant difference between groups. Conclusions: The results showed positive trends in decreasing craving. However, more clinical trials with a larger sample are necessary to assess the efficacy and sustainability of such effects in persons with SUD.

Presentations

• Park, J., Cook, D., Minor, B. J., Williams, C., Holt, J. K., Besser, L., Mitsova, D. M., & Wiese, L. (2025, November).

  Watch-Sensed Socialization and Cognitive Task Performance for Older Adults in a Rural Community.

  . Gerontological Society of America (GSA) 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting. Boston, MA, United States..
• Park, J., Lee, C., Huff, A. J., Montero-Hernandez, S., Pollonini, L., Lin, L., & Galvin, J. E. (2025, February).

  Pain-evoked functional activation combining transcranial direct current stimulation with brain imaging in older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

  . 6th International Brain Stimulation Conference. Kobe, Japan..
• Park, J., Williams, C., Wiese, L., & Holt, J. (2025, November).

  Examining the Influence of Modifiable Risk Factors for ADRD in a Rural Cohort

  . Gerontological Society of America (GSA) 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting. Boston, MA: Gerontological Society of America.
• Montero-Hernandez, S., Pollonini, L., Park, J., Huff, A., Park, L., Lin, L., & Ahn, H. (2024, September). Subjective and objective pain assessment in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia with fNIRS. . the VIII Biennial Meeting of the Society for Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy. Birmingham, United Kingdom.: Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy.
• Park, J., Tong, H., Kang, Y., Miao, H., & AHn, H. (2024). Responders and nonresponders with knee osteoarthritis to transcranial direct current stimulation. Annual scientific meeting of the Gerontological Society of America. Seattle Washington: Gerontological Society of America.
• Park, J., Tong, H., Kang, Y., Miao, H., & Ahn, H. (2024, November). Responders and nonresponders with knee osteoarthritis to transcranial direct current stimulation.. Gerontological Society of America Annual Scientific Meeting. Seattle, WA: Gerontological Society of America.

Poster Presentations

• Kroenke, K., Ahn, H., Park, J., Lee, C., Wu, J., & Chen, X. (2025, April 29–May 2).

  Minimally important difference and responsiveness to change of numerical rating scale for menstrual pain severity

  . US Association for the Study of Pain (USASP) Annual Scientific Meeting. Chicago, IL.
• Park, J., Huff, A. J., Montero-Hernandez, S., Lee, C., Pollonini, L., & Ahn, H. B. (2025, July).

  Functional near-infrared spectroscopy detects biomarkers: Neuroimaging brain changes for apathy and pain in patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias 

  . Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC). Toronto, Canada.
• Park, J., Lee, C., & Ahn, H. B. (2025, April).

  Differential association of inflammation with pain and physical function in knee osteoarthritis by race: Focusing on non-Hispanic Whites and Asian Americans

  . OARSI 2025 World Congress on Osteoarthritis. Incheon (Seoul), South Korea.
• Park, J., Lee, C., Fain, M. J., Lin, L., & Ahn, H. B. (2025, April).

  Home-based transcranial direct current stimulation improves central pain mechanisms and clinical pain in knee osteoarthritis: A randomized controlled trial

  . OARSI 2025 World Congress on Osteoarthritis. Incheon, Seoul.
• Park, J., Lee, C., Kim, H., Kim, Y., Kim, S., & Ahn, H. B. (2025, February).

   Predictors of the treatment effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on knee osteoarthritis pain: A machine-learning approach

  . 6th International Brain Stimulation Conference. Kobe, Japan..
• Park, J., Park, J., Williams, C., Holt, J., & Wiese, L. (2025, July).

  Social isolation and loneliness in diverse rural environments 

  . Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC). Toronto, Canada.
• Andrade, F., Ornelas, J., Park, J., Engstrom, G., Shih, R., & Telkes, I. (2024, July). Feasibility and acceptability of objective pain assessment using multimodal sensing signals in older adults with Alzheimer's disease: Preliminary results of a pilot study.. Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC24).
• Lee, C., Park, J., Ahn, H., Kim, Y., Kim, S., Cohen, B., & Ahn, H. B. (2024, November). Trajectories of chronic pain among older Veterans: Identifying pain-worsening predictors via machine learning. Gerontological Society of America 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting. Seattle, WA.: Gerontological Society of America.
• Lee, C., Park, J., Fain, M., Galvin, J., & Ahn, H. (2024, November). Immediate and sustainable effects of tDCS on pain in older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.. Gerontological Society of America 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting. Seattle, WA: Gerontological Society of America.
• Park, J. (2024). Trajectories of chronic pain among older Veterans: Identifying pain-worsening predictors via machine learning. Gerontological Society of America 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting. Seattle, Washington.
• Park, J., Andrade, F., Ornelas, J., Engstrom, G., Shih, E., Ahn, H., & Telkes, I. (2024). Feasibility and acceptability of objective pain assessment using multimodal sensing signals in older adults with Alzheimer's disease: Preliminary results of a pilot study. The Neuromodulation 2024 Conference. New York City, NY.: The Neuromodulation.
• Park, J., Andrade, F., Ornelas, J., Engstrom, G., Shih, R., & Ilknur, T. (2024). Feasibility and acceptability of objective pain assessment using multimodal sensing signals in older adults with Alzheimer's disease: Preliminary results of a pilot study.. Alzheimer's Association International Conference. Philadelphia, PA: Alzheimer's Association.
• Park, J., Lee, C., Fain, M., Galvin, J., & Ahn, H. (2024). Immediate and sustainable effects of tDCS on pain in older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.. Gerontological Society of Ameria 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting. Seattle Washington.
• Park, J., Lee, C., Kwoh, K., Fain, M., Park, L., & Ahn, H. (2024, August). Transcrnial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) improves the overall pain experience of older adults with knee osteoarthritis. The Neuromodulation 2024 Conference. New York City.
• Park, J., Monero-Hernandez, S., Huff, A., Lindsey, P., & Hyochol, A. (2024, April). Subjective and objective pain assessment in persons with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias: Comparisons among self-report of pain, observer-rated pain assessment, and functional near-infrared spectroscopy. 2024 U.S. Association for the Study of Pain Annual Scientific Meeting. Seattle, Washington: U.S. Association for the Study of Pain.
• Park, J., Montero-Hernandez, S., Pollonini, L., Huff, A., Lin, L., & AHn, H. (2024). Subjective and Objective Pain in Assessment in Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia with fNIRS. Biennial Meeting of the Society for Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (SfNIRS). Birmingham. UK..