Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Expecting The Inevitable: Daca And Mental Health, Jade Gardener

Capstones

On September 5, 2017, Attorney General, Jeff Sessions announced that the Trump Administration was ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Better known as DACA, the passed into action in 2012 by the administration of former President Obama, was heralded for providing young undocumented adults the ability to do things such as legally work and attend college.

The repeal of DACA is just beginning to affect the mental health of recipients. Researchers contend that the repeal of the DACA is a violent act that thus results in the psychological distress. Citing research published in American Association for the Advancement …

Mental Hell, Jesenia De Moya, Hanaa' Tameez, Maritza Villela

Capstones

Mental Hell explores how difficult it is for low-income Latinos in New York City to access mental health care. Through explanations from experts and the personal stories of three Latinas New Yorkers who have gone through the process of trying to get the care they need, the story guides the reader through the many roadblocks this demographic encounters specifically under the insurance of Medicaid.

This is an extremely important topic that affects many New Yorkers, and we believe something needs to be done to make this type of healthcare more accessible for Latinos. New York City has a very high …

Beyond The End Line - Putting The Mental Health Of Female Athletes First, Katherine Scholten

Honors Projects

Currently one in five adults are affected by mental illness. Student-athletes are a population that is under diagnosed for mental illness. In the world of college athletics, mental pain is as regular as physical pain. Coaches often push their athletes to suffer in silence for the betterment of the team. The NCAA has recognized the importance of mental health in college athletics, yet there is still much work to be done among universities across the country. This document is to serve as a resource and a guide on the effects of mental health among female student athletes and the best …

Support And Care For The Mental Health Of Collegiate Athletes, Brynn C. Griffith

Student Publications

While college is often one of the best times of a person’s life, it is also often one of the most challenging. College students are under immense pressure to succeed in all of their activities while still doing well in their classes and graduating within four years. This especially holds true for collegiate athletes. Student-athletes are under constant pressure to succeed in both the classroom as well as the athletic field. Balancing these challenges can be overwhelming for athletes to handle. Stress from academics and the new social structure is tough but when athletics are added, sometimes it gets to …

Category 5, Michael A. Gregori (Landscape Architecture), Kelly Dutertre (Accounting), Catalina Arce Elton (Marketing), Griffin Voight (Landscape Architecture)

Nexus Maximus

Follow Elizabeth and her family through this family oriented video series which highlights topics such as preparing for a hurricane, how to help those affected by a storm and raises awareness for mental health after a natural disaster.

Nexus Maximus IV

The Challenge: Innovation for Refugees and Displaced Populations

One of the great challenges of our time is how to help refugees and displaced populations, and how to prevent the causes in the first place. Every minute, 24 people around the world are forced to flee their homes. That’s 34,000 people a day who leave everything behind in the hope …

“From The Edge Of The Abyss To The Foot Of The Rainbow – Narrating A Journey Of Mental Health Recovery” The Process Of A Wounded Researcher, Samantha J. Robertson, Diane Carpenter, Maggie Donovan-Hall

The Qualitative Report

In the UK, mental health service users are asked to “tell their stories” within clinical settings as a tool for diagnosis, formulation and treatment plans. Retelling, reliving and reflecting on traumatic and distressing experiences is not a benign activity. Yet the process of reframing lived experience within a personal narrative could support the development of: a more positive identity; self-management skills and improved social connections (Slade, 2009) and therefore contribute to mental health recovery. This is an exploration of my process as a wounded researcher in the development of a version of my narrative as an autoethnography. I developed a …

A Demonstration Project To Address Juvenile Drug Addiction, Mary Ellen Broaddus

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

The rise in adolescent drug use and addiction is becoming a worldwide phenomenon. An eleven year study of youth in European countries found drug use widespread and increasing (Molinaro, Sicilian, & Curzio, 2011). In 2013 there were over 2.8 million new users of illicit drugs, over half of whom were under 18 years of age (‘Drug Facts’, 2015).

Adolescents are at unique risk because biochemical distinctions in their brains, when compared with adults, prompt more risk-taking behaviors (Gallager, 2014). Health risks are considerable and include hypertension, stroke, convulsions and seizures, and liver disease such as cirrhosis and hepatitis. In 2013 …

Testing An Integrated Model Of Help Seeking With Ethnically Diverse Primary Care Patients, Bianca Teresa Villalobos

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Structural and attitudinal barriers prevent many individuals from accessing professional mental health services and often times lead to the premature termination of treatment. Although research findings suggest that the integration of mental health services in primary care can increase access to services and reduce stigma for typically underserved populations, dropout occurs at high rates. The current study aims to: (1) identify correlates of attitudinal and structural barriers in a primary care setting, and (2) test the ability of the Integrated Model of Seeking Help (IMoSH) to predict follow-up for behavioral health visits. In particular, it was hypothesized that attitudinal barriers …

Substance Use Disorders, Violence, Mental Health, And Hiv: Differentiating A Syndemic Factor By Gender And Sexuality, Kiyomi Tsuyuki, Eileen V. Pitpitan, Maria A. Levi-Minzi, Lianne A. Urada, Steven P. Kurtz, Jamila K. Stockman, Hilary L. Surratt

Center for Health Services Research Faculty Publications

This paper measures syndemic substance use disorder, violence, and mental health and compares the syndemic among HIV-infected heterosexual men, heterosexual women, and men who have sex with men (MSM). Data were from a sample of high needs substance-using, HIV-infected people in South Florida between 2010 and 2012 (n = 481). We used confirmatory factor analysis to measure a syndemic latent variable and applied measurement invariance models to identify group differences in the data structure of syndemic co-morbidities among heterosexual men, heterosexual women, and MSM. We found that variables used to measure the syndemic fit each sub-group, supporting that substance use …

Mental Health 101: Teaching Students And Campus Leaders How To Help Those In Crisis, Megan B. Kuhnly

Senior Honors Projects

One in four Americans ages 18 and older live with a diagnosable mental health disorder. Due to this high prevalence it is very likely that everyone will encounter someone dealing with a mental health crisis in his or her lifetime. Many college students will experience a crisis during their four years of study due to the high levels of stress and psychological triggers. However, we are often not taught how to help these individuals and the resources available are not well advertised. This lack of education and awareness leads to many students being forced to suffer alone and their mental …

Mental Health Rehabilitation In Victims Of Sex Trafficking, Kayla E. Freemire

Senior Honors Theses

Human trafficking is a global epidemic that leaves victims with short- and long-term physiological, psychological, and sociological issues. The mental health needs of trafficked persons have become a topic of research in both medical and psychiatric circles. In order to comprehensively understand the mental health consequences of trafficking, the process must be defined and related to the mental health effects on its victims. The specific mental health disorders diagnosed within this population will be discussed. Treatments used currently for this population will be reviewed, along with future treatments presently being researched and evaluated regarding their potential for use in the …

Climate Change, Natural Disasters, And Suicide: A Systematic Review, Ans Irfan, Peter Lapuma

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Background.
Natural disasters are projected to increase due to climate change. Mental health is not a well-researched area in public health, particularly as it relates to environmental health and in the aftermath of natural disasters. The suicide rate is approximately 13 per 100,000 people in the US, nationally. This already high suicide rate warrants researching this area mental health. Understanding the relation between natural disasters and suicide rates might help alleviate human suffering and potentially save lives in the future, in post-disaster settings. This research will further the knowledge of the association between natural disasters and suicide and provide foundation …

Una Exploración Del Proceso De Recuperación Frente A Desastres Y Las Fuentes De Resiliencia En Alimapu, "La Tierra Quemada” / An Exploration Of The Disaster Recovery Process And Sources Of Resilience In Alimapu, "La Tierra Quemada", Alison Stewart

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The history of Chile has been fraught by natural and socionatural disasters. Nevertheless, research on the mental health effects on the disaster survivors and the mechanisms used to overcome the catastrophes and mend the psychological damage is scarce. Therefore, this descriptive study explored the experiences of those that were affected by the great fire of Valparaíso, Chile in 2014 and the work of those involved in the recuperation process in order to reveal the manner in which resilience is manifested among the communities of disaster sufferers. The sample population was composed of 7 disaster survivors from the communities of Cerro …

El Suma Qamaña: La Convivencia En Relación A La Salud Según La Gente Aymara De Arica, Codpa, Y Putre / El Suma Qamaña: Coexistence In Relation To Health According To The Aymara People Of Arica, Codpa, And Putre, Alison Ogawa

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Suma qamaña, comúnmente conocido como buen vivir o convivir bien, es un concepto andino relacionado con la manera en que la gente entiende la vida y conceptualiza la salud. Es un modelo de armonía en que se busca un equilibrio con todas las cosas, incluida la comunidad, la naturaleza, la espiritualidad, la familia, el cuerpo, y la mente. Esta investigación busca responder a la pregunta ¿Cómo se entiende y vive la salud en el marco del concepto del buen vivir de la gente aymara de Arica, Codpa, y Putre? También, intenta explicar el concepto del buen vivir o suma qamaña, …

From The Top Down: Assisting Critical Care Nurses In Coping With Job Stresses, Cynthia R. Bryant

Senior Honors Theses

Critical Care nurses are faced with traumatic scenarios on a daily basis at work and are expected to remain professional in the face of chaos. In the midst of caring for their patients and catering to each family’s emotional needs, their own mental health tends to get pushed aside. Nurses are expected to remain supportive to sick patients and their families while enduring psychologically disturbing images and sounds, witnessing phases of the dying process, and hearing end-of-life care decisions being made. Because these nurses are only human, their energy reserves are rapidly depleted and they are left emotionally exhausted. Nurses …

Police Say Leadership Is Ignoring Ptsd., Tiffany Thomas

Capstones

Nearly one in every five officer has symptoms of PTSD according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Depression, PTSD, anxiety and suicidal thoughts are all results of unmanaged stressors. These issues can have a huge impact on an officer’s physical and mental well-being, and can accumulate over the course of his or her career. As police are under fire for a series of killings of innocent black people, they believe their PTSD issues are being overlooked.

Police officers are on the front line of violence and high risk situations but the toll on their mental health is often overlooked. …

Understanding The Processes That Shape Cross Sector Service Provision In The Towards Flourishing Mental Health Promotion Strategy: A Secondary Analysis Utilizing Constructivist Grounded Theory Methodology, Shannon E. Winters

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In Canada, many national, provincial, and regional policies indicate that working together within and across sectors in health and social care is necessary and expected but evidence to support this call is lacking. This dissertation study explored the concept of cross sector service provision (CSSP), defined as: independent, yet interconnected sectors working together to better meet the needs of service users and improve the quality and effectiveness of service provision. The intent was to advance our understanding of processes involved in shaping service provision offered by two or more sectors. The thesis contains three studies. A Scoping Review that explored …

Understanding Increasing College Anxiety: The Need For Anxiety Awareness Campaigns, Taylor Mosher

Journalism

The following study investigates national trends toward increasing anxiety among the college student demographic with particular attention paid to the ways in which public awareness campaigns may be implemented as a method for reducing stigma, increasing awareness of anxiety conditions, and connecting students to critical resources.

In order to improve understanding surrounding student anxiety, the following research was conducted in two parts. First, secondary national research was conducted analyzing relevant literature surrounding anxiety trends among college students, the response of universities across the nation, and potential methods by which to relieve student anxiety. Following the conclusion of this research, primary …

Coping Styles And Depression Among Patients With Solid Organ Cancers Attending Two Tertiary Care Hospitals Of Karachi: A Cross Sectional Study., Khadija Vadsaria, Adnan Jabbar, Iqbal Azam Syed, Sameera Rizvi, Ghulam Haider, Haider Naqvi

Community Health Sciences

Cancer undoubtedly affects patients in all aspects. Cancer diagnosis is a stressful event and coping is the primary mechanism used to adjust and counteract the stress. This study aims to assess the coping styles and prevalence of depression among solid organ cancer patients during treatment phase, attending two tertiary care hospitals of Karachi. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among solid organ cancer patients at Aga Khan University Hospital and Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Center. Coping and depression were assessed by Brief COPE and Self Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ) 20 respectively. Purposive sampling technique was used to recruit 488 patients. Coping styles …

The Reciprocal Relationship Between Art And Occupational Therapy Practice, Jennifer Fortuna

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Susan Burwash, Ph.D., OTR/L, an occupational therapy professor and artist based in Washington State, provided the cover art for the Winter 2017 issue of the Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT). The featured piece contains Professor Burwash’s signature fauxpals, lampwork glass beads made from molten glass and pure silver foil. Art creates balance between traditional medicine and personal medicine, those meaningful activities that give life purpose. Professor Burwash’s personal medicine is making beautiful things that can be given away.

A Critical Review Of Experiences Of Mentally Ill African Immigrants Living In The U.S, Josephine Moraa Masita

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Historically, the U.S. has been known to lead the world in refugee resettlement. To date, the U.S. remains the top refugee resettlement country. Refugees are mostly people who have been forced to flee their home countries due to war, persecution, and violence. Because of their immigration status, unique backgrounds, religion, culture, values, perceptions, language barrier, perceived discrimination and stigmatizations, mentally ill immigrants especially those from African countries have posed a challenge to healthcare providers in the U.S. Purpose: The purpose of this research is to review and discuss experiences of mentally ill African immigrants living in the United States. …

Adolescents In Bangladesh: A Situation Analysis Of Programmatic Approaches To Sexual And Reproductive Health Education And Services, Sigma Ainul, Ashish Bajracharya, Laura Reichenbach, Kate Gilles

Reproductive Health

The health of Bangladesh’s 29.5 million adolescents, who make up nearly one-fifth of the country’s total population, is critical to the country’s future, but issues surrounding adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) remain taboo. ASRH initiatives have been implemented by both the Government of Bangladesh and nongovernmental organizations, but with limited coordination, documentation, or evaluation, making it difficult to know what worked well and what did not. This report presents findings from a comprehensive review and situation analysis of ASRH programming in Bangladesh, carried out by the Evidence Project/Population Council, with financial support from USAID/Bangladesh, as part of a larger …

The Journey Of Out-Of-School Girls In Ethiopia: Examining Migration, Livelihoods, And Hiv, Annabel Erulkar, Girmay Medhin, Lemi Negeri

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Rates of urbanization in Ethiopia are increasing, and based on available data, HIV prevalence among urban girls who are in-migrants is significantly higher than among girls who are native to the area. Likewise, a significant number of out-of-school girls who migrate end up in low-status, exploitative, or risky professions, such as domestic work and sex work. This study of out-of-school girls in six regions of Ethiopia aimed to explore patterns of migration, transitions into different work roles, and situations that may put out-of-school migrant girls at increased risk of HIV infection or be protective and beneficial. Based on the study’s …

Community Engagement In Sgbv Prevention And Response: A Compendium Of Interventions In The East And Horn Of Africa And The Great Lakes Region, Zahra Mirghani, Joanina Karugaba, Nicholas Martin-Achard, Chi-Chi Undie, Harriet Birungi

Reproductive Health

This document captures efforts by UNHCR and its partners in promoting community engagement to combat sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in the East & Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes Region. The compendium of tools reflected here is drawn from the responses of several actors to various forms of SGBV. The diversity of these efforts involves a range of demographic groups (in terms of gender and age), geographic contexts (rural, urban), and intended outcomes (SGBV prevention, response, or both). The interventions described are also at various stages of development or maturity, and varied in scope, with a few having …

Adolescent Health: Priorities And Opportunities For Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (Rksk) In Uttar Pradesh [Hindi], Sapna Desai

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

The Government of India in 2014 signaled its commitment to adolescent health through introduction of a national strategy, Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK). Targeting adolescents aged 10–14 and 15–19, the program aims to ensure universal coverage of health information and services for all adolescents—those in and out of school, married or unmarried, and in vulnerable groups. Envisaged as a paradigm shift to address adolescent health beyond sexual and reproductive health, RKSK spans six domains: nutrition, sexual and reproductive health, mental health, injuries and violence including gender-based violence, substance misuse, and non-communicable diseases. This policy brief presents evidence on adolescent health …

Policing The Mentally Ill In Coronado, Ca, Jennifer Susan Ayres

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The growing number of individuals suffering from mental illnesses and their inability to access intervention methods has adverse effects on the criminal justice system. These impairments increase the likelihood that police officers will have negative attitudes about persons with mental illnesses. This study sought to understand whether police officers' empathy, education, experience outside of work as well as on the job, and officers' training in the field of mental health all related to police officers' attitudes relating to persons with mental illness. The purpose of this study was to expand the body of knowledge and determine how factors such as …

Adolescent Health: Priorities And Opportunities For Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram, Sapna Desai

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

The Government of India in 2014 signaled its commitment to adolescent health through introduction of a national strategy, Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK). Targeting adolescents aged 10–14 and 15–19, the program aims to ensure universal coverage of health information and services for all adolescents—those in and out of school, married or unmarried, and in vulnerable groups. Envisaged as a paradigm shift to address adolescent health beyond sexual and reproductive health, RKSK spans six domains: nutrition, sexual and reproductive health, mental health, injuries and violence including gender-based violence, substance misuse, and non-communicable diseases. This policy brief presents evidence on adolescent health …

Life History Of Sonia Zimmerman, Ph.D., Otr/L, Faota, Emily Kollodge, Samantha Scheel

Oral History Posters

Occupational therapy (OT) has evolved over its 100 year existence as a profession. There are many individuals who facilitated changes in the profession, however not all of them are written about textbooks. This life history is one of 29 life history interviews which are part of a larger project, Life Histories of Individuals Who Have Been Influential in Developing Occupational Therapy and North Dakota and Wyoming. The purpose of the project is to gather information about the history and evolution of IT practice through the life history of an individual who has been influential in developing OT. This study …

Life History Of Cassie Hilts, Mot, Otr/L, Nichole Arn, Mackenzie Funke

Oral History Posters

This life history report is one of 29 life history interviews which are a part of a larger project, Life History of Individuals Who Have Been Influential in Developing Occupational Therapy (OT) in North Dakota and Wyoming. The purpose of the project is to gather information through life histories of individuals who have been influential in developing practice in North Dakota and Wyoming. It is anticipated that the life history process will be a powerful way to gather this information. This study is intended to provide current and future generations of occupational therapists a view of history and how occupational …

The Relationship Between Religiosity And Depression Among Sampled Kenyans In The Twin Cities Metro Area, Dorcas Waite

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to assess whether there is a relationship between the self-reported level of religiosity and the self-reported level of depression among sampled Kenyans in the Twin Cities Metro Area, in Minnesota. The sample consisted of 63 individuals who were members or visitors at Destiny Faith Ministries and United Seventh-Day Adventist Church.

Results showed that 98.4% (n=60) of participants identified themselves with a specific religion, 90.4% (n=57) scored 40 and above on the religiosity scale, which indicated strong religiosity. Majority of participants (66.8%, n=42) indicated that they had been bothered for several days by at least …