Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

System Of Care Implementation In New York State: Prepared For The Nys Conference Of Local Mental Hygiene Directors, Inc., Center For Human Services Research, University At Albany

Behavioral Health Services Reports and Research Briefs

The concept of System of Care (SOC) is a framework with values and principles to guide the field in reforming child-serving systems, services, and supports to better meet the needs of children and youth with or at risk for mental health challenges and their families. The framework includes: 1) a clear philosophy to guide service delivery, 2) an infrastructure to guide services and supports for children, and 3) a broad range of services and supports (Stroul, Blau, & Friedman, 2010, Stroul, 2002).

This report describes the results of two project activities: 1) analysis of quantitative and qualitative data from the …

The Effect Of Physical Activity On Stress In University Students, Faculty, And Staff And How The Covid-19 Pandemic Affected These Variables, Zachary Parisi

2021 Honors Symposium

INTRODUCTION
• Physical activity has been shown in both college aged and broader aged sample sizes as providing health benefits in different areas from mental functioning to increasing VO2 max.
• Changes in DASS-21 made it difficult to have a large enough sample size
• Students who meet the recommendations for vigorous physical activity were less likely to report poor mental health and perceived stress when compared to other students who did not meet those recommendations.
• Within 10 days of COVID-19 being declared a pandemic, there was a 5.5% decrease in mean steps, and within 30 days there was …

The Effects Of Interventions On The Physical And Mental Health Of Undergraduate Engineering Students In North America, Jillian Prince

2021 Honors Symposium

Background
• Stress-induced mental illnesses are common in many undergraduate engineering students
• These can include anxiety, depression, lack of motivation, poor self-regulation, and poor sleeping habits
• Ailments such as these result in decreased retention, lower grades, less cognitive understanding of material, and poor physical and mental health

Purpose
To investigate the effects of interventions on the physical and mental health of undergraduate engineering students in North America to determine what interventions are most successful.

Informative Journaling Application (Unwind) For Ambient Awareness On Mood In Young Adults To Reduce Anxiety And Depression: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial, Jalen Wang

Dartmouth College Undergraduate Theses

The mental health of young adults in America is worsening. Technology-based interventions may offer an accessible way to help with this problem. The objective of the study was to determine the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of an informative journaling application to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression for young adults. In an unblinded trial, 20 individuals age 18-22 were recruited from Dartmouth College and were randomized to either participate in using the informative journaling application (Unwind) (n=10) or were directed to a National Institute of Mental Health pamphlet as part of the control group (n=10). All participants completed the 9-item …

Capital Region Collaborative Community Survey Project To Document Disparate Impacts Of Covid-19, The Albany Minority Health Task Force, Lawrence Schell, Annis Golden, Alex Pieterse, Archana Krishnan, Masahiro Yamamoto, Elizabeth Holdsworth, Pallavi Khurana, Olivia Mata, Amy Williams, Hnin Wai Lwin Myo

Understanding and eliminating minority health disparities in a 21st-century pandemic: A White Paper Collection

The Capital Region Collaborative Community Survey project was undertaken in December 2020- January 2021 to document the social, economic and health impacts of COVID-19 on residents in the Capital Region, particularly in the city of Albany with an emphasis on the impacts on Black and African American (B/AA) communities (n=239). Key findings included B/AA participants reported experiencing general racism or racial discrimination significantly more than other racial groups as did Hispanics. The pandemic impacted employment of Capital Region residents significantly as half of the respondents either lost their jobs or had their hours reduced. B/AA individuals were more likely than …

Exploring The Acculturation Experiences Of Cuban Refugee Doctors And Their Families In Miami: A Phenomenological Study, Nelson Michel Perez

Department of Family Therapy Dissertations and Applied Clinical Projects

Since 1961, the Cuban government has used its medical missions worldwide for diplomatic, ideological, financial, and humanitarian purposes (Huish, 2014; Solano, 2019). Since the collapse of the Socialist Bloc, thousands of Cuban health workers have found a means of economic subsistence and exit from the island through these missions. The U.S. Department of State (2020) declared these medical missions to be forced labor and human trafficking, a move that had multiple consequences for these professionals and their families. From 2006 to 2017, more than 9,000 Cuban health workers entered the Unites States as refugee immigrants, with many settling in South …

Where The Glass Glows: Unpacking The Therapeutic Experiences Of Adult Students In A Community-Based Open Glass Studio During A Pandemic, Shelly A. Palmer

Art Therapy | Electronic Master's Theses 2015 - 2021

This qualitative study used categorizing and theming analysis to learn about how adult students of stained glass and makers of stained glass in a community-based open glass studio understand their experience of working with glass during the CO VID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to acquire an understanding about how working with glass was therapeutic during a pandemic. Open-ended surveys were used to understand the experiences of glass makers (n = 11) and students in a stained-glass studio (n = 26) and their responses were thematically categorized. The findings presented illustrate that creating stained glass objects both inside …

Individual Versus Sequential: The Potential Of Comic Creation In Art Therapy, Christine Phang

Art Therapy | Theses and Dissertations

This research study explored the potential of comics within an art therapy and narrative therapy framework. The process of depicting a past problem as a single image was compared to the process of depicting the same problem as a comic. This study worked with 15 normally functioning adults to compare the effectiveness of the two formats (comics vs. single image) in processing a past problem or challenge. Participants evaluated these two formats through a survey and a brief verbal interview. The quantitative data from the survey and the qualitative data from the interview were analyzed to determine the effectiveness of …

Multi-Theory Model (Mtm) As A Predictor Of Mental Health-Related Treatment Seeking Behavior: The Use Of Telehealth During Covid-19, Dallion Richards

2021 Honors Symposium

The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened psychological distress, particularly in high-risk, college student populations, and required prioritization of telehealth-based care. Help-seeking is critical for harm reduction but understanding the rapid shift to telehealth services is further obscured by significant perceived and definite barriers to utilization. Although tele-mental health services improve access to care and are perceived positively by college students, a prevalence of untreated mental health disorders remains. The objective of this study was to identify psycho-social and behavioral correlates of telehealth-based, psychological help-seeking among college students and investigate the efficacy of the Multi-theory Model of health behavior change (MTM) (Figure. …

Downeast Maine Mat Expansion Project: Year 3 Final Data Summary, Mary Lindsey Smith Phd, Evelyn Ali Bs, Katharine Knight Mph, Tyler Egeland Ba

Substance Use Research & Evaluation

This report summarizes the collaborative effort of Healthy Acadia, its providers, the Downeast Substance Treatment Network, and Downeast Substance Use Response Coalition, to combat opioid use disorder (OUD) in Downeast Maine through multiple evidence-based strategies.

Project goals included the reduction of barriers to accessing medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and the enhancement of MAT services by improving provider capacity through training and implementation of best practice treatment.

For more information, please contact M. Lindsey Smith, PhD, [email protected]

Work-Life Balance Policies And Productivity, Zilola Khashimova

Physician Assistant Studies | Faculty Scholarship

To remain viable, businesses must stay competitive in the global marketplace of today, and to be competitive, businesses must maximize all their resources. Employees are a major resource of a business, and it is imperative that a business maximize the productivity of its employees to stay competitive. Employees who are stressed from demands and issues of family and life outside of work do not make productive employees. Work-life balance practices have been adopted by businesses to provide some relief for employees from this stress with the assumption is that these policies will decrease the stress of the employee making the …

Covid-19 Related Physical And Mental Health Stressors In Families Using A Social Determinants Lens., Elizabeth Vasquez, Erin Bell, Melissa Tracy

Understanding and eliminating minority health disparities in a 21st-century pandemic: A White Paper Collection

Racial and ethnic minorities, those of lower socioeconomic status (SES), and older adults have experienced higher rates of infection, severity of illness, and mortality from COVID-19 than other groups. These populations are also disproportionately affected by financial and social disruptions caused by the pandemic, including job loss, reduction in community services, and disconnection from supportive networks critically important for the health and well-being of families. Further, these same populations often live in multi- generational households and rely on a family-dependent caregiver model. The aim of this project is to beta test an online questionnaire to identify individual and household risk …

Effects Of The Needle Exchange Program Implemented In West Virginia, Amber Graves, Anthony B. Uriarte, Katherine Duty

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Introduction: West Virginia has had a recent spike in infectious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis due to increased rates of injectable drug use. The rising costs associated with such diseases have been a cause for concern in the sector of healthcare and public health. In the state, the exchanging of dirty needles has resulted in the spread of bloodborne pathogens, however, the implementation of needle exchange programs has sought to decrease the rates of infection, improve health outcomes, and lower healthcare costs. However, there is a question as to the effectiveness of such programs.

Purpose of Study: …

Protecting Youth Mental Health: The U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory

United States Natonal Institutes of Health: Materials

Conclusion

As we learn the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic, and start recovering and rebuilding, we have an opportunity to offer a more comprehensive, more fulfilling, and more inclusive vision of what constitutes public health. And for a generation of children facing unprecedented pressures and stresses, day in and day out, change can’t come soon enough.

It won’t come overnight. Many of the recommendations offered in this Advisory require structural buy-in and change.

But everyone has a role to play in combating this mental health pandemic. Without individual engagement, no amount of energy or resources can overcome the biggest barrier …

Examining The Relationship Between Mental Health Conditions And Risk Perception In Determining Covid-19 Preventative Health Behaviors, Krupali Patel

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Depression and anxiety are relatively common among college students and research suggests that risk perceptions may be modulated by these mental health conditions. In addition, studies have demonstrated that higher perception of risk predicts more frequent practice of preventative health behaviors, and this relationship may also be modulated by depression and anxiety. The present study examined the relationship between these factors in the context of COVID-19. Using survey data from undergraduate students, risk perceptions about COVID-19, self-reported practice of COVID-19 preventative behaviors, and their relationship were compared between those with and without the common mental health conditions of Major Depressive …

The Benefits Of Creative Art Therapy For Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Review Of The Literature, Jazlyn Marie Akridge

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder typically diagnosed during childhood. The primary symptoms of ASD include language impairments and deficits in social skills, which can negatively affect the overall quality of life. Traditional treatment for ASD includes medication, applied behavior analysis, physical therapy, and occupational therapy; however, these treatments may have unwanted side effects and fail to address the psychosocial challenges that may result from ASD symptoms. There has been increasing interest in alternative forms of therapy, such as creative art therapies; however, the types of creative art that have been used during therapy and their benefits are …

Karl Tomm’S Internalized Other Interviewing: From Theory To Practice, Robin Akdeniz

Department of Family Therapy Dissertations and Applied Clinical Projects

Over the last 40 years, the Canadian psychiatrist and family therapist Karl Tomm has been a key contributor to postmodern developments in family therapy (Collins & Tomm, 2009; Strong et al., 2008; Tomm, Hoyt, & Madigan, 2001). This dissertation traces the people, ideas, and practices that have influenced Tomm's approach, providing an in- depth examination of the method he developed for putting his ideas into practice: Internalized Other Interviewing (IOI). A systemic, relational approach to the practice of postmodern family therapy uses language as a means to create change. Family therapists routinely use different types of questions to ask clients …

Anxiety Explains Self-Differentiation: Implications For Bowenian Approaches To Marriage And Family Therapy, Reagan Thomas, John Shelley-Tremblay, Harvey Joanning

University Faculty and Staff Publications

This study examined the Bowenian construct of Self- Differentiation (SD), defined as the degree to which a person can think according to their personal beliefs while remaining emotionally connected to the family. This study examined the degree to which negative emotionality accounted for the relationship between SD and Relationship Satisfaction (RS). Emotional Cutoff (EC) emerged as the sole predictor of RS. When Trait Anxiety (TA) was entered into the model it mediated between EC and RS. We discuss the importance of treating anxiety of the individual in family therapy and that SD may best be understood when taking anxiety into …

Exploring Barriers To Care: Provider Efforts To Improve Retention In Urban-Rural Clusters, Kenyata M. Fletcher

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractOver the years, the infection rates for HIV in the United States has changed partly due to lack of engagement and medication adherence which can lead to substantial declines in individual health. Factors that contribute to the individual’s adherence can include transportation cost, childcare, and lack of finances to name a few. These barriers can often be decreased with the help of supportive service providers and improvement in the patient-provider relationship. Currently, there is limited research that explores how to reduce patient barriers to care, specifically in rural areas. This qualitative study examines how Illinois health care providers help HIV-positive …

Lived Experiences Of Pakistani American Women Who Sought Mental Health Treatment, Marriam Ashraf

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractDespite the research on how mental illness manifests in the United States, there is more to be known about mental health in the Pakistani American population. The goal of this qualitative phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of Pakistani American women who sought mental health treatment. Ecological theory provided the framework for the study. Data were collected from semi structured interviews with 10 participants via telephone and face-to-face conversations. Data were analyzed using managing, reading, memoing, describing, classifying, interpreting, representing, and visualizing techniques. Findings indicated that seeking help for mental health played a positive role in participants being …

Service Providers' Perceptions Of Stigma And Its Impact On Mental Health Services, Arthur Gabriel Montes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Stigma is one of the most significant barriers to access and utilization of mental health services in the United States. Delays in receiving mental health services significantly contribute to health disparities and poor health outcomes. Social workers play an integral part in implementing best practices within health care settings and reducing health inequities impacting vulnerable populations. The purpose of this qualitative action research study was to explore social work service providers perceptions' toward stigma and how it affects mental health services among patients in California's Medicaid program. Stigma theory was applied to gain an understanding of how stigma interacts and …

Examining Clinicians' Perspectives Screening For Depression In Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Vickie Lavette Bland

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The United States has a significant diabetes problem. This chronic disease affects the body physically and mentally. One of the emotional effects of diabetes is depression. Depression is often present in individuals with diabetes, chiefly in those with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). While depression is common in T2DM and can interfere with treatment adherence, clinician screening for depression in T2DM patients is low. The purpose of this study was to examine clinicians' attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions concerning screening patients with T2DM for depression. Through a qualitative case study approach centered on reasoned action theory, 3 physicians and 5 nurse …

Mental Health Disparities In Social Work Practice Of Minority Youth Offenders, Beverly Ann Rivera

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractA large number of minority youths placed in the juvenile justice system across the United States have mental health disorders. Most of these youths do not receive mental health services or support within the system, which increases risk factors such as undiagnosed and untreated mental illness and adverse outcomes such as recidivism. This action research sought to uncover whether mental health disparities in social work practice in the juvenile justice system were due to race and ethnicity and asked social workers to recommend strategies to improve mental health availability, access, and provision. Participants in the study were social workers who …

Faith Leaders’ Perceived Role In Mental Health Promotion In Impoverished Communities, Kelly L. Cornish

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The use of faith-based organizations (FBO) for health promotion in vulnerable communities has the potential to improve mental health outcomes by providing resources to community members. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore how faith leaders perceived their role in mental health promotion as a resource to improve access to mental health care in impoverished communities. The health belief model and theory of planned behavior were used as the conceptual framework. Purposeful and snowball sampling was used to recruit eight faith leaders who led a FBO and resided in Cumberland County, NJ. Data were collected using semistructured …

The Social Work Perspective Regarding The Underutilization Of Mental Health Services Among African American Families, Carissma Tempest Hughes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The underutilization of mental health services amongst African American families has been a long-standing concern in the African American community within large metropolitan cities in Texas. The metropolitan cities are Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and McAllen. There remain experiences that impede families’ ability to engage in mental health services. These experiences involve the conflict between prayer and therapy, stigma, lack of awareness of local mental health services, and cultural competency. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore experiences of African American families and how those experiences affect mental health engagement, as well as how practicing …

Criminal Thinking, Age, Psychological Well-Being, And Recidivism Among Recently Released Female Violent Offenders, Nyasia Monae Belfrom

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High rates of incarceration among female inmates as well as high rates of recidivism characterize the U.S. justice system. Though some research has been conducted on gendered differences between prisoners, a gap existed in the application of criminal thinking theory for female offenders following their release. The purpose of this quantitative research study was to analyze the relationship between criminal thinking, age, psychological well-being, and recidivism among recently released female violent offenders in the region of Central Texas through the use of Yochelsen and Samenow’s criminal thinking theory. The sample for this study consisted of N = 98 female participants …

Lived Experiences Of Former Commercialized Sex Workers Seeking Harm Reduction Services In Nevada, Arlynda Yvette Almond

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Commercialized sex work has been considered a high-risk profession. Understanding the social context and application of services that foster wellbeing for this population is of research concern. There is a risk of ineffective service when programs are designed by providers who are not formerly of the profession and not familiar with the unique needs of this population. The problem is that commercialized sex workers who need but do not seek harm reduction services may experience ill-health and lack of wellbeing. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of 10 commercialized sex workers who pursued …

Mental Health Literacy Among Rural And Urban Young Adults In Zambia, Etta Y. Mwambwa-Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Misconceptions that negatively influence attitudes and beliefs about mental illness are still prevalent in Zambia. Researchers have reported that young adults are the most impacted population for mental disorders in Zambia. Researchers have also highlighted mental health literacy (MHL) as a useful strategy for influencing positive attitudes and beliefs about mental disorders. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to investigate the relationship between levels of MHL and attitudes and beliefs about mental illness and health-seeking behaviors of Zambian young adults aged 18 to 24. The study used the health belief theoretical model. A MHL questionnaire was used to …

A Clinical Practice Guideline For Measuring Quality Of Life In Patients With Depression And Anxiety, Mary Fowaah Boateng

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental health conditions affect various aspects of an individual’s quality of life (QOL). Patients with anxiety and depression have a greater risk of having a negative perception of QOL. The gap in practice was the lack of an assessment tool to measure QOL in patients with mental health disorders. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice project was to develop a clinical practice guideline (CPG) recommending the best evidence-based measurement tool for QOL in patients with anxiety and/or depression. The question that guided the CPG was: How should QOL be measured in patients with anxiety and/or depression in the …

Evaluating Racial And Ethnic Disparities In Access To Primary Care Among Gay And Bisexual Men In The Us, A Population At High-Risk Of Hiv Infection, Jessica S. Kiernan, April D. Kimmel

Graduate Research Posters

BACKGROUND: 69% of new HIV diagnoses in the US are among gay and bisexual men, with disparities by race and ethnicity. Primary care providers increasingly provide HIV prevention. Racial and ethnic disparities in primary care access are well-documented, but their persistence among gay and bisexual men is unknown. We examined racial and ethnic disparities in access to primary care among this population.

METHODS: We used nationally representative person-level sociodemographic, health status and utilization data, and data on organizational- and socially determinant barriers to care, from the National Health Interview Survey, 2013-2018. Outcomes were: 1) general physician visit

RESULTS: The sample …