Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Mental Health Benefits Of Physical Activity In Older Adults, Adrian Kurt Zitzmann

Master of Science in Nursing Family Nurse Practitioner

Physical activity is the fountain of youth, strengthening both the physical body as well as the mind, leading to better emotional stability and a general sense of well-being. The population over age 65 is nearing retirement age and are transitioning from a high paced work and family life to a slower and less active “empty nest” lifestyle. Among adults over age 65, will implementing an exercise program for 30 minutes per day increase mental well-being? The benefits of physical activity will be supported by gathering a group of older adults ages 65 and up from a local retirement community to …

Parent And Child Anxiety Evaluated During An Early Period Of The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Mixed-Methods Study, Karla M. Abela, Darlene Acorda, Stanley Cron, Geri Lobiondo-Wood

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Purpose: The objective of this study was to explore parent and child anxiety during the pandemic. Unlike previous pandemics, measures implemented to prevent the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus have been much more limiting.

Methods: An explanatory convergent mixed-methods design was used to describe anxiety of children 9–17 years of age and their parents during August–October 2020. Adult and child versions of State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were used to examine levels as measured on STAI’s state-anxiety subscale. Web-based interviews with a subset of patients were conducted qualitatively to analyze anxiety-related themes.

Results: A total of 188 parents …

Mental Health, Chronic Disease, And Substance Use: Findings From Rural Texas, Subi Gandhi, Ryan Glaman, Elizabeth Wachira, Muna Bashir, Sushma Sharma, Chelsea Mowles, Jasmine Luttrell

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

There are vital links among mental health conditions, chronic diseases, and substance use disorders. Simultaneous examination of the relationship among these three conditions is essential for providing well-integrated care to rural residents who have limited resources and for representing medically underserved areas. We aimed to assess the burden of behavioral health conditions and chronic diseases from a rural Texas community to garner context-specific insights and inform effective health promotion strategies in similar communities. We conducted a cross-sectional study among 181 residents from various zip codes in a rural Texas county. A self-administered, 18-item health-needs questionnaire was used to collect data …

Book Review: Urban Health | Emerging Public Health Perspectives, Demi Miriam

Journal of Research Initiatives

Book Review

Book Title: Urban Health | Emerging public health perspectives

Editors: Fernandes & Grewal, 2021

Publisher: Global South Strategies

Publication: 02 September 2021

City: Mangalore, India

Total No. of Pages: 341

Price (in INR): 950 (Paperback)

ISBN-13: 978-8195336418

Pandemic-Related Caregiver Burden Among Public Health Workforce: A Mixed-Method Analysis, Tony Lee

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by a highly contagious novel virus called SARS-CoV-2, has led to significant global morbidity and mortality. The healthcare workforce (HCW) is disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and is more likely to report depression, burnout, moral injury, compassion fatigue, and post-traumatic stress. However, research among the public health workforce (PHW) remains limited. Given the burden of COVID-19 itself, coupled with the work-related pressure of rapid pandemic management strategies, risk of exposure, potential fatigue, etc., understanding the mental health needs of PHW and related professionals is critical. As such, the purpose of this study is to …

Social Determinants Of Health And Depression Among African American Adults: A Scoping Review Of Current Research, Brooks Yelton, Daniela B. Friedman, Samuel Noblet, Matthew C. Lohman, Mark M. Macauda, Mayank Sakhuja, Katherine H. Leith

Faculty Publications

Depression in the United States (US) is increasing across all races and ethnicities and is attributed to multiple social determinants of health (SDOH). For members of historically marginalized races and ethnicities, depression is often underreported and undertreated, and can present as more severe. Limited research explores multiple SDOH and depression among African American adults in the US. Guided by Healthy People (HP) 2030, and using cross-disciplinary mental health terminology, we conducted a comprehensive search to capture studies specific to African American adults in the US published after 2016. We applied known scoping review methodology and followed Preferred Reporting Items for …

Returning To A New Normal: A Study Examining Student's Perceptions And Experiences Of Campus Reopening During Covid-19, Cara Tonn, Anne Dumadag, Hira Nadeem, Brenda Berumen-Flucker, Priyanka Patel, Hadiza Galadima

College of Health Sciences Posters

Background: Existing research on the mental health and academic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic reports adverse effects during the early stages of the pandemic due to the abrupt campus closures. However, with the relaxation of some restrictions, college students are allowed to return to in-person learning amid new policies. This study aims to assess students' perceptions on several topics related to the pandemic during campus reopening.

Methods: A 22-question cross-sectional survey based on stratified sampling was conducted among 1,025 students at Old Dominion University, and responses were collected via Qualtrics^TM in January 2022. The survey records socio-demographic information, self-reported …