Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Associations Between Living Alone, Depression, And Falls Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults In The Us, Debasree Das Gupta, Uma Kelekar, Dominique Rice

Kinesiology and Health Science Faculty Publications

Social isolation is closely linked to depression and falls in late life and are common among seniors. Although the literature has highlighted age-related variations in these three geriatric conditions, evidence on heterogeneities across older adult age categories is lacking. To address this gap, we present cross-sectional analyses using indicators of social isolation, depression, and falls of older adults constructed from the most recent Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data. An age-based understanding is critical to improve health interventions since health changes occur at a faster rate among seniors than in any other population subgroup. We included all adults 60 …

Cognitive Behavioral Therapies For The Management Of Chronic Pain, Kira Swensen, Maren Wright Voss, Alise Williams Condie, Ashley Yaugher

All Current Publications

Chronic pain is pain that lasts longer than six months and may continue even after illnesses or injuries have healed (Cleveland Clinic, 2017). Pain signals in the nervous system can remain active for several years if they are altered in the spinal cord, becoming stronger than they normally would or should be (Reichling & Levine, 2009). Chronic pain can also occur without illness or injury (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 2019). Fortunately, many evidence-based strategies for managing chronic pain are available to ease the discomfort. This fact sheet reviews those strategies.

Are Effort And Helpfulness Ratings Of Session Activities Associated With Improved Outcomes In Web-Based Acceptance And Commitment Therapy (Act) For Caregivers?, Hannah R. Cragun

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Family caregivers for people with dementia are providing care for up to ten years because people with dementia are living longer. This role can be demanding because the person with dementia can have behavioral and psychological symptoms that can be stressful for the caregiver to witness and manage. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in its traditional face-to-face format has strong scientific support in helping caregivers to be less depressed and better cope with the stress associated with taking care of their loved one. However, because caregiving is a time-demanding role, caregivers can struggle with accessing face-to-face therapy, making online ACT …

Diet, Nutrition, And Substance Use Disorder, Mateja R. Savoie-Roskos, Ashley Yaugher, Alise Williams Condie, Gabriela Murza, Maren Wright Voss, Kandice Atisme

All Current Publications

Consuming a healthy diet can benefit everyone—especially individuals with substance use disorder (SUD), a disorder that occurs when frequent use of drugs or alcohol causes impairment, health issues, and difficulties with managing daily responsibilities (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA], 2020). Although often overlooked, nutrition can play a key role in the treatment and recovery process for individuals with SUD, and should be included as part of a holistic approach toward recovery. In this fact sheet we will review how diet and nutrition are impacted during an active addiction, and the influence nutrition can have on treatment and …

Postpartum Depression: What Is It And How Can Family And Friends Help?, Latisha Tornabeni, Ty Aller

All Current Publications

Peripartum depression, now called

postpartum depression (PPD), is an adjustment disorder manifesting symptoms throughout pregnancy or after childbirth. Women suffering from PPD often experience feelings of depression and fatigue, making it difficult to carry out daily activities (American Psychological Association, 2013). This condition should not be confused with the “baby blues,” which affects up to 80% of mothers and naturally subsides within a couple of weeks after childbirth (National Institute of Mental Health, 2013). Research shows that one in seven women experience PPD (Wishner et al., 2013). This fact sheet reviews how to work through the process of identifying, supporting, …

#Thisiswhatanxietyfeelslike: Twitter Users’ Narratives About The Interpersonal Effects Of Anxiety, Raechel B. Russo

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Tweets containing the popular hashtag #ThisIsWhatAnxietyFeelsLike were analyzed in this study. Six themes emerged from our phenomenological analysis of relational experiences with anxiety as conveyed by the Twitter users including: (a) deflated self in relation to others and their perceptions; (b) fear, worry and avoidance behaviors that influence relationships; (c) negative emotional responses leading to feeling misunderstood, lonely, and like a failure (self-fulfilling prophecy); (d) social triggers; (e) anxiety management strategies; and (f) things for others to avoid. This paper will highlight how anxiety symptoms affect relationships and interactions with others, and implications for clinical work and future research.