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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences
Neighborhood Factors, Depression, And Body Mass Index Among Patients With Lupus In Georgia, Aisha L. Hill
Neighborhood Factors, Depression, And Body Mass Index Among Patients With Lupus In Georgia, Aisha L. Hill
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Elevated BMI (overweight and obesity) is a common health-related issue and affects more than half of the lupus population. Weight issues lead to additional health-related issues, such as heart disease and disabilities in the lupus population. To address the shortage of research focusing on this specific issue in the lupus population, one approach is a novel outlook on how neighborhood factors have the capability of determining or altering behaviors, such as physical activity, healthy eating, and healthy social relationships. Another variable to consider is depression and its capability of altering interactions, relationships, self-esteem, or even the inflammatory state of the …
Epidemiology Of Marijuana Use And Mental Health In The Context Of Changing Policies, David G. Harvey Ii
Epidemiology Of Marijuana Use And Mental Health In The Context Of Changing Policies, David G. Harvey Ii
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
There is a growing body of evidence supporting the association between cannabis use and the development of mental health disorders, but few studies have addressed this association following the recent increase in marijuana legalization laws. Therefore, using the social ecological model and the self-medication theory of addiction as theoretical frameworks, the purpose of this retrospective database study was to assess the relationship between marijuana use and major depression and suicidal ideation in both adults and adolescents in 2008 and 2017. Data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health were analyzed using logistic regression at the p < .05 threshold for statistical significance. Results demonstrated positive, statistically significant relationships between marijuana use and both major depression and suicidal ideation for both adults and adolescents in both 2008 and 2017. Further, the strengths of these relationships generally increased between 2008 and 2017, coincident with the increase in marijuana legalization laws. These findings provide empirical support to the association between cannabis use and the development of mental health disorders, and that the strength of these associations is increasing following the increase in marijuana legalization laws. This study has important implication for positive social change by identifying significant relationships between cannabis use and the development of mental health disorders and revealing that these relationships are strengthening over time, coincident with the increase in marijuana legalization laws.