Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Mental Health Among Collegiate Athletes, Stella Elise Fairbanks

Honors Thesis

Mental health has become increasingly more linked with athletics, especially collegiate athletics. There has been an increase in public acknowledgment of the presence of mental health in sports, specifically, more athletes are speaking about their mental health struggles as well as more research is being conducted in order to gain a greater understanding of the relationship between mental health and athletics. This literature review discusses athletes’ personal experiences of their mental health struggles, the presence of stigma associated with mental health and athletics, and the results of the recent NCAA, National Collegiate Athletic Association, research. This thesis aims to uncover …

Mothers' Perceptions Of Stigma: Implications For Early Identification And Treatment For Children With A History Of Prenatal Opioid Exposure, Pamela Jane Holland

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

There is a lack of research that specifies the long-term effects on a child’s language development when prenatally exposed to opioids (Fill et al.,2018; Rutherford et al., 2022). Despite this, children prenatally exposed to opioids are more likely to be referred for, qualify for, and receive therapy services secondary to developmental delays and speech/language deficits. (Kaltenbach et al., 2018). Stigma continues to be a barrier to the initiation of early intervention services for children prenatally exposed to opioids (Levickis et al., 2020; Livingston et al., 2011; Peacock-Chambers et al., 2020). This phenomenological study aims to understand the perceptions of the …

Lived Experiences Of People With Substance Use Disorder As Healthcare Education To Develop Empathy For This Population, Whitney Bynum

Nursing | Senior Theses

The negative attitudes and feelings of healthcare workers towards patients with substance use disorder are well documented. These include, but are not limited to, believing a person with this disease is “drug seeking”, “violent”, and “unmotivated”. While this population has challenging issues to address, these beliefs can decrease the quality of care provided and results in less people seeking out needed treatment. Reducing stigmas through alternative education methods, like learning the life story of a patient, can help health care workers develop feelings of empathy and compassion. Subsequently, this education can result in better care and outcomes for these patients. …

Impact Of Covid-19 On Latinx And Black Communities, Carolina Zuluaga

Dissertations

This critical literature review project explored the impact of COVID-19 on Latinx and Black communities. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of September 28, 2022, around 16% of COVID-19 cases in the United States were among Latinx people, and 14% of cases were among Black people (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). Since COVID-19 began, clinicians have become more conscious of the effects of health disparities within racial and ethnic minorities, which has warranted increased advocacy by educating health and mental health providers and creating and providing resources to these communities and clinicians. The review …

Mental Health Wellness In The Latino Population: Improving Phq-9 Scores In Depressed Patients With Comorbid Type Ii Diabetes, Amanda Cuellar

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Major depressive disorder is one of the most common mental health conditions. In the United States, 8.1% of the population have symptoms of depression. Patients with diabetes are 2–3 times more likely to experience symptoms of depression compared to the general population. Having these chronic conditions simultaneously can cause complications in both. The purpose of this study was to improve depression scores for patients who have comorbid type II diabetes. This project took place in a rural community with the Latino population. The nurse practitioner led an evidence-based practice project implementing treatment of depression with medication management, individual psychotherapy, and …

Addressing The Opioid Epidemic In Minnesota: Improving Health Outcomes By Expanding Harm Reduction Strategies A Prospective Policy Analysis, Lisa Lau Heller

Graduate Projects & Research

Background: Morbidity and mortality from opioid misuse is worsening in Minnesota, and synthetic opioids have exacerbated the public health problem for vulnerable communities. People who inject drugs (PWID) due to social, health, economic and environmental factors are experiencing increased fatal overdoses. Minnesota has a broad approach to tackling the opioid crisis, but policies are needed, using new harm reduction strategies, to address the existing gaps.

Methods: A prospective policy analysis was conducted using a public health and trauma informed approach using an extensive literature review to understand ways to improve health outcomes in PWID. A Center for Disease Control policy …

Surviving The Stigma: Incorporating Mental Health Literacy To Increase Help-Seeking In California First Responders, Yvonne C. Newson

Master's Projects and Capstones

First responders are at risk of developing mental health problems due to repeated exposure to traumatic incidents, increasing their chance of developing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, substance abuse, suicidal ideation, and suicide. Unfortunately, first responders do not recognize that they may have a mental illness and are reluctant to seek help. This paper will discuss the prevalence of mental health problems among first responders and the barriers to their help-seeking. These barriers include the stigma around mental illness within the culture, the assessability of professional help, and the lack of mental health literacy regarding their well-being. Further discussion will focus …

Rated T For Therapy: How Video Games Portray Mental Illness And Their Effects On Social Stigmas, Christine Wendell

All Theses

Mental illness has always been a tricky subject for us to tackle as a society due to the social stigmas surrounding it. Historically, people with mental illness were seen as violent and unstable and would often need to be committed for public safety; however, a large majority of people with mental illness do not fit that bracket and often don’t reach out for help due to that fear of being “othered” by society. As time went on, these tropes faded to purely entertainment mediums but the stigmas still remain. Many video games specifically hold onto these tropes for shock value …

The Weight Of The World: An Examination Of Stigma And Social Pressure Through The Lens Of Superheroes, Kiersten Burtz

Honors Projects

Ever since the early 20th century, the world, and America in particular, has been infatuated with superheroes,super-powered beings who are capable of more than mankind could ever fathom. These stories tend to have similar themes and conventions. The hero (often a man) is born with or develops extraordinary abilities. As he grows and learns more about these abilities, he feels a duty to help those weaker than he is and subsequently becomes a hero—rescuing civilians from accidents, natural disasters, and other super-powered beings who choose to use their power for evil. To keep those he loves safe from these evildoers, …

Impacts Of Stigma On Female Service Members, Alisha Weatherly-Kershaw

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

There are a variety of factors that prevent people from seeking mental health treatment. The stigma associated with mental health disorders or seeking treatment is a primary deterrent. This stigma is particularly impactful within the armed forces when they are assessed for fitness for duty. Because most research examines stigma’s impact on male military members, this study aims to identify the type of stigma that creates the most significant barrier to female service members seeking mental health treatment. Results indicate that stigmatizing perceptions of service members significantly impact female service members holding negative views towards seeking treatment.

Hiv Stalks Bodies Like Mine: An Autoethnography Of Self-Disclosure, Stigmatized Identity, And (In)Visibility In Queer Lived Experience, Steven Ryder

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines self-disclosure of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) status within the context of communication between long-standing friends. For the purposes of my study, I define this type of friendship as those who have known me for at least two years and with whom I communicate regularly. These are friends who tend to know a variety of personal details about me, ranging from superficial to private and trivial to essential. I use autoethnography to ground the study in my lived experience. By doing so, I present intimate accounts of my communication with others across my lifespan to function as background …

Mental Health In Sports Media, Samuel Ridgley

Communication & Media Studies | Senior Theses

This paper looks at the increasingly popular conversation surrounding mental health in sports. It provides a glimpse into how common the struggle of mental health can be for many high-level athletes while also examining the narrative and expectations that society and the media have created. The paper also provides examples of prominent athletes from a variety of different sports and delves into their personal mental health experiences in the eyes of the media. The goal of this paper is to show the progression and change of how the media portrays mental health amongst athletes in today’s ever-changing world.

Examination Of Exposure Types Association With Stigma And Impacts On Sharps Injury Reporting In Ambulatory Surgical Centers, Timothy William Lynch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Public health depends on the efficiency of work delivery among healthcare workers (HCWs) and their positive goal orientation in healthcare. Effective minimizing of needlestick and sharp injuries (NSSIs) and timely reporting are fundamental to meeting public health goals. The specific research problem addressed through this study is whether the independent variable of exposure type (needle stick injury, splash exposure injury, other sharp injuries) has an association with stigma associated with sharps injury reporting (dependent variable) among HCWs in ambulatory surgical centers. A quantitative, cross-sectional design involving secondary data analysis was used. Regression was used to analyze pre- and post-workshop survey …

The Impact Of Psychiatric Labels And Sexual Orientation On Attitudes Toward People With Pedophilic Attractions, Gabriel Traub

Senior Projects Spring 2023

This study explores whether framing pedophilic attractions as a mental disorder and/or manipulating the sexual orientation of these attractions impacts attitudes toward people with pedophilic attractions (PPA). This study used an experimental 2 (Pathological Language vs. Non-Pathological Language) by 2 (Heterosexual vs. Homosexual) between-subjects design, in which online participants read a vignette describing a fictional subject’s pedophilic attractions. Both independent variables were manipulated within the vignette, in that the subject’s attractions were either given a pathological or non-pathological explanation, and were either heterosexual or homosexual. To assess stigmatizing attitudes, participants reported their affective responses, agreement with beliefs/stereotypes about the individual, …

Illness Stigma, Social Connectedness, And Health In People Living With Chronic Illness: A Structural Equation Model, Abigail Brooke Crawford

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The complexity of chronic or unexplained conditions may lead to potential stigma for those suffering long-term symptoms as they do not follow the expected pattern of recovery following diagnosis and treatment. Experiencing such illness-related stigma has potential for leading to a belongingness identity of detachment with implications for health across physical, social, and psychological dimensions. This study aimed to examine the relationship between stigma, social connection, mental health, physical health, and social functioning in a group of 231 participants with ongoing symptoms of chronic illness through structural equation modeling. The fit indices all suggest that the model reasonably fits the …

Barriers, Challenges &Successes Among Human Service Professionals Stigma Reduction Treatment Among People With Mental Illness, Maureen Epps

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, over 9 million people in the United States suffer from a mental illness (MI). Although human service professionals seek the best practices to treat people with MI, people with MI sometimes struggle to seek treatment because of stigma. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the barriers and challenges of human service professionals who experienced using a stigma reduction treatment on a person with MI. The mental illness stigma framework and Goffman’s stigma theory provided the conceptual framework for the study. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with eight …

Examination Of Exposure Types Association With Stigma And Impacts On Sharps Injury Reporting In Ambulatory Surgical Centers, Timothy William Lynch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Public health depends on the efficiency of work delivery among healthcare workers (HCWs) and their positive goal orientation in healthcare. Effective minimizing of needlestick and sharp injuries (NSSIs) and timely reporting are fundamental to meeting public health goals. The specific research problem addressed through this study is whether the independent variable of exposure type (needle stick injury, splash exposure injury, other sharp injuries) has an association with stigma associated with sharps injury reporting (dependent variable) among HCWs in ambulatory surgical centers. A quantitative, cross-sectional design involving secondary data analysis was used. Regression was used to analyze pre- and post-workshop survey …

Predictors And Outcomes Of Patient Stigma Perception Appraisal: Developing And Testing Of A Dynamic Stigma Model Of Mental Illness, Sebastian Kwadwo Gyamfi

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Background

The psychosocial perspectives of stigma have been explored over the years. However, research that encompasses the study of stigma as a socio-cultural, religious, and moral phenomenon is lacking. This study aimed to develop and test a Dynamic Stigma Model of Mental illness (DYSMO) among a cohort of Outpatients receiving care in Ghana.

Methods

The study examined hypothesized relationships within a newly developed stigma model using structural equation modeling techniques. A non-probabilistic convenience sampling technique was used to recruit 330 participants at the Out-Patient Department of two psychiatric hospitals in Southern Ghana.

Results

Confirmatory factor analysis produced a final model …

Examining Culturally Adapted, Values Based, Mental Health Stigma Reduction And Help-Seeking Messages For Asian Americans, Anna M. Ying

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Mental health stigma is a ubiquitous concern impacting help-seeking in the United States and worldwide, including in college students. Insufficient attention has been given to the cultural context of stigma and help-seeking in Asian Americans, constructs in which culture has inherent relevance. The current study was the first to develop and test the acceptability of an online culturally adapted, values-based stigma and help-seeking intervention for Asian American college students, intentionally framing the benefits of therapy and mental wellness as congruent with values-based behaviors, intending to reduce the social costs and stigma of impaired functioning. A sample of 115 East, South, …

Advancing Treatment For Opioid Use Disorder In A Rural Emergency Department, Jill M. Wabbel

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Background: The opioid epidemic escalated in the United States due to the availability of prescription opioids, heroin, and synthetic opioids like fentanyl. Unfortunately, access to treatment is not always accessible, especially in rural communities with limited resources.

Local Problem: Tehama County is a rural county in northern California with limited access to treatment for opioid use disorder. The local Emergency Department (ED) and primary care-based Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) clinic collaborated to increase access. However, services remain under-actualized due to limited understanding of MAT best practices, stigma related to substance use within the ED culture, and poor articulation between the ED …

Exploration In Mental Performance For Division 1 Sec College Football Student Athletes, Alex Burgdorf

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

The stigma surrounding mental health in sports has made intervention difficult. “There is a need for various actors to provide more effective strategies to overcome the stigma that surrounds mental illness, increase mental health literacy in the athlete/coach community, and address athlete-specific barriers to seeking treatment for mental illness” (Castadelli-Maia et.al 2019). The athletes in the football program at the University of Tennessee face more pressure today than ever in history. They have their class schedule, practice and training every day, and meetings with their position coaches. Now, with the introduction of name, image, and likeness (NIL) allowing players to …

Depression, Gerardo Serrano

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Depression is a common illness worldwide, with an estimated 3.8% of he population affected, including 5.0% among adults and 5.7% among adults older than 60 years (Schomerus et at., 019). Approximately 280 million people in the world have depression (Schomerus et at., 2019). Depression is different from usual mood fluctuations nd short-lived emotional responses to challenges in everyday life. Especially hen recurrent and with moderate or severe intensity, depression may become serious health condition. It can cause he affected person to suffer greatly and unction poorly at work, at school and in he family. At its worst, depression can lead …

“The Worst Part About My Pregnancy Was Stuff That Didn’T Have To Do With My Pregnancy”: Medicaid Beneficiaries’ Pregnancy Intentions & Experiences In South Carolina, Andrew Michael Chen

Senior Theses

Low-income women and women of color experience adverse birth outcomes at disproportionately higher rates in the United States than most people who give birth. This thesis examines individual interviews conducted with 30 low-income women whose most recent birth was covered by Medicaid, the United States’ largest means-tested public health insurance program. The aim of this thesis is to examine how the women in the study thought about pregnancy, and how they described their intentions to become or avoid becoming pregnant at various times in their life. While public health researchers often frame pregnancy as an event that is either intended …

Reducing The Stigma Associated With Maternal Substance Use Disorder In A Rural Midwest Hospital And Clinic, Jami Vineyard

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Project

The purpose of this study was to determine if an educational resource provided to maternal healthcare providers, more specifically, providers in a Midwest regional hospital and clinic, would reduce the stigma associated with maternal substance use disorder (SUD). This project also aimed at increasing provider knowledge on the disease process of maternal SUD and current treatment guidelines.

A quantitative research design was used for this study. There was no control group; therefore, it is a quasi-experimental study. Qualtrics were utilized to design a pre-test and post-test. An email including a brief description of the study, an invitation to participate, and …

Perceptions Of Perinatal Nurses Caring For Perceived Stigmatized Patients During The Covid-19 Pandemic In Perinatal Settings: A Qualitative Study, Deborah Tucker

Dissertations

Perinatal nursing consists of caring for women before, during, and shortly after the birth experience, providing a unique opportunity for nurses to care for women and families in a fundamental moment of life (Simpson et al., 2020). This qualitative descriptive study design allows for straight descriptions of phenomena to evaluate perceptions of nurses caring for perceived stigmatized patients in the perinatal setting during the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic. As research gaps were identified, the following research questions were developed and used to guide this study:

1. What are the perceptions of caring in perinatal nurses who deliver care to perceived stigmatized …

Identification Of Individual And Regional Features Impacting Hiv/Aids Knowledge And Sentiment, Stetson Ledbetter

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Despite constant media coverage and public interest in current epidemics, the prevalence and lack of awareness of HIV/AIDS is often overlooked on campuses and communities associated with colleges and universities. Several interrelated factors, such as LGBTQ+ status, being a college student, gender, coming from a rural area, ethnicity, and educational attainment are known to contribute to behaviors regarding sexual health, especially non-curable diseases such as HIV/AIDS. Consequently, it is imperative to explore trends in both the HIV/AIDS knowledge and sentiments towards individuals with HIV/AIDS in college environments. Current work utilizes a nonprobability sample recruited through media platforms, representing individuals that …

The Complexities Of Guilt, Shame, Stigma, And Substance Use Among A Sample Of United States Substance Using Adults, Nicole A. Doyle

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background: Guilt, shame, stigma, substance use (problematic/nonproblematic), and help-seeking intention, are complex interrelated constructs that have not been collectively examined in community substance using adults, with mere pieces of each construct previously studied in various populations. Guilt pertains to an action (i.e., I did something bad) whereas shame pertains to the person (i.e., I am bad). Guilt has been shown to function adaptively by prompting individuals to repair transgressive behavior where shame has been shown to function maladaptively by prompting individuals to withdraw and compound the global negative feelings of the self. Stigma of substance use is pervasive and leads …

The Underdiagnosis Of Adhd In Black Females, Kiana Clerkley

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background

Historically, Black women have continued to face discriminatory practices within the various branches of healthcare in America, including mental health.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to explore the reasons for and factors contributing to the underdiagnosis of Attention Deficit- Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) among Black females.

Methods

This study was conducted using both quantitative and qualitative methods by use of collecting self-report scales and conducting individual interviews. Eight Black women were recruited by posting fliers on social media accounts that served as ADHD support groups among women. I collected data with the results of the self-report scale and …

Helping Our Heroes: An Evaluation Of Mental Health And Organizational Policies Surrounding Suicide Prevention And Postvention Strategies For Nebraska First Responders, Maria S. Mickles

Capstone Experience

Suicide is ranked as one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Over 40,000 individuals die by suicide each year (Stanley, Hom, & Joiner, 2016; Vigil et al, 2021), and, in 2020, it was ranked in the top 9 causes of death for all ages (10-64), and second for those 10-14 and 25-34 years of age (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). These statistics disproportionately reflect first responders (i.e., firefighters, dispatchers, law enforcement, EMS, paramedics, etc.), as they die by suicide more than the general public (National EMS Management Association, 2016). Within their line of work …

A Comparison Of Stigma Levels For Individuals With Psychological Disorders And Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities, Isabella E. Wood

Honors Theses

This study compared nine aspects of stigmatization (blame, anger, pity, help, dangerousness, fear, avoidance, segregation, coercion) amongst schizophrenia, binge eating, and intellectual disabilities. The overall MANOVA was significant, F(18, 183) = 89.95, p < .001, Wilks’ Lambda = .10. When the results for the dependent variables were considered separately, all nine dependent variables reached significance (p < .001). Schizophrenia scored highest in all categories except blame and pity. Blame was the highest for binge eating and pity was the highest for intellectual disabilities. Efforts to reduce stigmatization must be tailored to each disorder.