Mental and Social Health Commons^™

Understanding Collegiate Aviation Pilot Mental Performance Studies And Future Research Opportunities, Debra Henneberry, Stephanie Brown, Flavio Coimbra, Julius Keller

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (2022), fatigue is defined as “a condition characterized by increased discomfort with lessened capacity for work, reduced efficiency of accomplishment, loss of power or capacity to respond to stimulation, and is usually accompanied by a feeling of weariness and tiredness” (p. 2). Further outcomes of fatigue include tiredness, weakness, lack of energy, lethargy, depression, and lack of motivation (ICAO, 2016). Stress can release cortisol which can in turn cause sleep issues leading to fatigue (Harvard, 2021). In one study Mendonca, Keller, and Albelo (2023) found 69% (n = 192) percent of collegiate aviation pilots …

A Structured Program For Pilots And Traffic Controllers With Mental Issues., Ian Blair Fries M.D.

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

A Structured Program for Pilots and Traffic Controllers with Mental Issues.

by Ian Blair Fries, M.D. Senior HIMS AME, MRO, SAP.

Many pilots and controllers are avoiding appropriate mental care that would have to be reported to the FAA, or omitting required notification of mental care they have received. Either option is detrimental to air safety and personal health.

I propose a structured aviation program to handle mental issues similar to the HIMS Program for pilots with alcohol and/or drug abuse and dependence. The HIMS Program is extremely successful with about 85 percent of pilots who participate recovering and returning …

Creating An Interactive Guide To Support Health Disparities Competency, Lauren E. Robinson, Stephanie Henderson, Cayla M. Robinson, Rebecca J. Morgan, Beth Reeder

2024 R&I Day

Authors share their educational resource developed for the health sciences, that guides users in awareness of health disparities, vulnerable populations, and social determinants of health, directing them to specific guidance and resources available through the library.

Exploring The Developmental Effects Of Antidepressants In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Alexandra Van Stone

Annual Research Symposium

It is so important to explore the potential side effects of antidepressants especially if these side effects could lead to a future detriment to an individual’s financial and social well-being. A better understanding of these side effects in regards to human developmental issues is imperative considering issues related to mental health and depression affect a large percentage of the population. In this study, we tested if Caenorhabditis (C.) elegans could be a potential model organism to predict possible side effects associated with select antidepressants. Their developmental problems potentially encountered upon drug treatment may be encountered in humans.

Evaluating The Oral Health-Related Quality Of Life Among Dental Patients In South India - A Descriptive Study, Dheekshitha P K, Sudeep C B Dr., Sunil P M Dr., Suji M Dr.

Annual Research Symposium

This study aims to evaluate the oral health-related quality of life among dental patients in South India.

Temporal Relation Between Pubertal Development And Peer Victimization In A Prospective Sample Of Us Adolescents, Jessica A. Marino, Elysia Poggi Davis, Laura M. Glynn, Curt A. Sandman, Jennifer Hahn-Holbrook

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Peer victimization typically peaks in early adolescence, leading researchers to hypothesize that pubertal timing is a meaningful predictor of peer victimization. However, previous methodological approaches have limited our ability to parse out which puberty cues are associated with peer victimization because gonadal and adrenal puberty, two independent processes, have either been conflated or adrenal puberty timing has been ignored. In addition, previous research has overlooked the possibility of reverse causality—that peer victimization might drive pubertal timing, as it has been shown to do in non-human primates. To fill these gaps, we followed 265 adolescents (47% female) prospectively across three-time points …

Calming The Body, Calming The Mind: A Pilot Study On The Use Of Zero Balancing To Reduce Anxiety, Misty L. Rhoads, Mary Murphy

Journal of Transformative Touch

Background: The predominance of anxiety is currently at record levels, and the need for non-pharmaceutical approaches to help alleviate and decrease the harmful effects of anxiety on an individual and collective level is necessary. This study explored how Zero Balancing supports individuals with anxiety to manage their physical, mental, and emotional health more effectively. Researchers hypothesized that Zero Balancing would lower the perceived severity of general anxiety and lower perceived anxiety symptoms.

Methods: To honor the holistic nature of bodywork and the participants' lived experiences, the researchers utilized a concurrent mixed-methods phenomenological research design. Each participant received one Zero Balancing …

Pets In Practice: A Practical Guide To The Introduction Of Dogs To Mental Health Work Settings Derived From The Direct Experiences Of Staff, Tatiana (Tia) Urgasova, Donna Sloss, Mary Lavelle

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

The aim of this study was to evaluate the introduction of dogs in mental health workplace settings: specifically, exploring staff perspectives on the acceptability of dogs in mental health teams; the impact of the dogs on themselves directly, their patients, and their team; and the challenges of implementing dogs in mental health settings. This qualitative study design used semi-structured interviews. Twelve participants were interviewed; six from a Crisis Assessment and Treatment team, five from a Recovery College team, and one from the Inpatient and Outreach Psychiatric Service. Interviews were transcribed and six key themes were identified: facilitating staff well-being, improving …

Analyzing The Ramifications Of Climate Change On Mental Health, Salvatore A. Medori

CAFE Symposium 2024

When thinking about the vast array of impacts that the climate crisis has on humanity, there are many things that come to mind, but mental health impacts are likely not one of them. Even though research demonstrates that mental effects from any form of disaster far exceed the physical health implications mental health impacts of the largest disaster facing humanity since the Second World War are rarely considered at all, let alone when solutions are being created. This has led to a hidden crisis emerging underneath an even larger crisis, with serious consequences for most individuals across the globe. The …

Selective Mutism In The Classroom, Audrey Whisman

CAFE Symposium 2024

Selective Mutism is an extreme form of anxiety where in social situations, you completely freeze. It affects around 1 child in every 5 classrooms, but is considered to be one of the most misunderstood mental health disorders. Audrey Whisman created a curriculum program and guidebook which she will use to educate school professionals and teachers about what symptoms look like and how they can best support their students.

Proposal Of A Private Caretaker-Completed Questionnaire To Assess The Suitability Of Domestic Cats For Animal-Assisted Interventions, Alina Simona Rusu, Iulia Francesca Pop, Christine Olsen, Magdalena Nawarecka-Piątek, Michal Plewczynski, Eivind Øverli Holm, Dennis C. Turner

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

The objective of this study was to develop a caretaker-completed questionnaire entitled “Cats’ Behavioral Suitability for Animal-Assisted Interventions” (CatSAAI), covering two categories of items associated with seven feline personality factors. These feline personality factors were previously identified and validated by Mikkola et al. (2021) on a large sample of domestic cat guardians. The aim of the CatSAAI questionnaire is to facilitate the interpretation of the behavioral suitability or unsuitability of each individual cat for inclusion in feline-assisted interventions, while considering the prevention of stress and risks in AAI settings for both people and animals. The tool was proposed by an …

It Takes A Village To Raise A Grandchild: Developing Communities Of Support For Grand-Families On Pei, Canada, Christina Murray, Laura Bain, Nora Spinks, Donald Avery

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

In this practice brief, we outline our research focused on grandparents raising grandchildren in Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada. Specifically, we highlight a series of collaborative community workshops implemented as part of our research project. Using a participatory action research approach, we worked with grandparents raising grandchildren to co-design and implement the workshops, which we titled It Takes a Village to Raise a Grandchild. These workshops brought together grandparents raising grandchildren and key community members, including clergy, educators, healthcare providers, politicians, social services, child services, and researchers. The goal of these workshops was to build awareness and increase understanding …

Female Breast Cancer Survivor’S Perspective Of Support Systems In Trinidad And Tobago, Andrea Mcdonald, Isabella Granderson, Olivia Johnson, Antoinette W. Coward, Brendon Bhagwandeen

The Journal of the Research Association of Minority Professors

Globally, breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women. The Cancer Registry of Trinidad and Tobago indicated that 45.9% of the breast cancer cases belonged to the African ethnicity, 27.5% Asian Indian, and 14.7% mixed ethnicity. Research on female breast cancer survivors' perspectives on support systems and care within the Caribbean region is limited. Therefore, this study aims to examine female breast cancer survivors' perspective of support systems in Trinidad and Tobago. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 74 cancer survivors attending support groups. To be eligible, the participants had to be females 18 years or older, residents of …

The Impact Of Brief Electronic Guided Mindfulness Meditation On Anxiety Scores, Sierra King

DNP Scholarly Projects

In the United States, anxiety rates are on the rise for the general population (Goodwin et al., 2020a). Prolonged and frequent anxiety can become unprompted and problematic (American Psychiatric Association, 2021). Management of anxiety is crucial for overall wellbeing. Access to treatment and resources for anxiety may be limited in rural geographical locations (Morales et al., n.d.). This DNP project sought to determine whether a brief intervention of electronic guided mindfulness meditation (MM) by Insight Timer is effective in decreasing anxiety in a rural populous. Convenience sampling recruited a final total of 11 rural participants who participated in seven sessions …

The Mda Member Assistance Program: Real Help When You Need It, Lisa Knowles Dds

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This health and well-being feature focuses on the MDA Member Assistance Program, an invaluable resource for dentists navigating the myriad challenges of professional and personal life. The author shares personal experiences and testimonials, highlighting the diverse benefits offered by the program, from mental health counseling to work-life resources. The article emphasizes the program's accessibility, confidentiality, and the wide range of topics it addresses, making it a crucial tool for dentists seeking support and guidance.

J Mich Dent Assoc February 2024

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Every month, The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association brings news, information, and features about Michigan dentistry to our state's oral health community and the MDA's 6,200+ members. No publication reaches more Michigan dentists!

• The February issue previews the 2024 Annual Session in Lansing, highlighting 61 courses, 48 speakers, and Michigan’s largest dental exhibit hall
• A Feature article on The MDA Member Assistance Program: Real Help When You Need It
• News You Need, including The MDA announcement of John Tramontana as the new CEO/executive director
• The MDA Student Debt Resource Center
• Updates on the MDA website refresh
• Celebrating National Children’s …

Making Cities Mental Health Friendly For Adolescents And Young Adults, Pamela Y. Collins, Moitreyee Sinha, Tessa Concepcion, George Patton, Thaisa Way, Layla Mccay, Augustina Mensa-Kwao, Helen Herrman, Evelyne De Leeuw, Lukoye Atwoli

Brain and Mind Institute

Urban life shapes the mental health of city dwellers, and although cities provide access to health, education and economic gain, urban environments are often detrimental to mental health1,2. Increasing urbanization over the next three decades will be accompanied by a growing population of children and adolescents living in cities3. Shaping the aspects of urban life that influence youth mental health could have an enormous impact on adolescent well-being and adult trajectories4. We invited a multidisciplinary, global group of researchers, practitioners, advocates and young people to complete sequential surveys to identify and prioritize the characteristics of a mental health-friendly city for …

Methamphetamine-Induced Dna Double-Stranded Breaks: The Impact Of The Dopamine Transporter And Insights Into The Mechanisms Of Dna Damage In Mouse Neuro 2a Cells, Lizette Couto

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Methamphetamine (METH) abuse remains a global health concern, with emerging evidence highlighting its genotoxic potential. In the central nervous system METH enters dopaminergic cells primarily through the dopamine transporter (DAT), which controls the dynamics of dopamine (DA) neurotransmission by driving the reuptake of extracellular DA into the presynaptic neuronal cell. Additional effects of METH on the storage of DA in synaptic vesicles lead to the dysregulated cytosolic accumulation of DA. Previous studies have shown that after METH disrupts intracellular vesicular stores of DA, the excess DA in the cytosol is rapidly oxidized. This generates an abundance of reactive oxygen species …

Telehealth Treatment For Opioid Use Disorder In Missouri’S Urban And Rural Areas Prior To And Since Covid-19, Aurora Rojo, Rashmi Ghonasgi, Zachary Budesa, Rachel Winograd

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a chronic health condition that can be adequately treated when individuals have access to needed services. Telehealth services can be delivered remotely through audio-visual technological communications rather than in-person visits, which can greatly improve care accessibility. Following the onset of COVID-19, there were swift clinical and policy adaptations to promote telehealth services across medical and behavioral health fields. This study aims to identify changes in the frequency of telehealth for OUD treatment in Missouri’s rural and urban counties prior to and since the onset of COVID-19. Chi-square tests and analysis of changes between years and …

More Physicians Alone Won’T Solve Rural America’S Health Care Problems, Atul Grover

Marshall Journal of Medicine

Policymakers have voiced their hope that locating family doctors and other primary care physicians within rural communities would, by itself, improve the health status of rural residents. However, access does not necessarily translate to better health. Rural populations face disproportionately worse health outcomes and inequities compared to urban populations. To improve the health care of rural America, it is critical to define—and periodically reassess—the problem and identify varying targeted policies.