Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Improving Mental Health Support For Nursing Students Through Mental Health First Aid (Mhfa) Training Of Clinical Faculty, Amy Sands

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

This project aimed to implement a process improvement program at the Louisville campus of Galen College of Nursing to improve the mental health support for nursing students through the training of Clinical Instructors (CIs) in using adult Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and the ALGEE actions described within that program.

Exploring Arab Americans’ Preferences Towards Telemedicine As A Mental Health Treatment, George G. Kidess, Liam Browning, Nicole Oska, Liza Hinchey, Arwa Saleem, Sadie Knill, Malaak Elhage, Arash Javanbakht

Medical Student Research Symposium

Introduction

Arab Americans—a large minority group in the United States—experience higher rates of mental illness and relatively lower rates of treatment compared to the general population. While some factors leading to this disparity have been proposed, data in the literature remains lacking. This study aims to explore Arab-American mental health perspectives with regards to their preferences towards telemental health as a treatment option.

Methods

Responses were collected through an anonymous bilingual Qualtrics survey from both Arab and non-Arab participants (n=294, ages 18+). Participants’ perceptions towards telemental health and mental illness stigma were assessed, performing comparisons between Arabs and non-Arabs, as …

Investigating Arab American Perspectives On Barriers To Mental Health Treatment, Arwa Saleem, Liam Browning, Nicole Oska, George Kidess, Liza Hinchey, Sadie Knill, Malaak Elhage, Arash Javanbakht

Medical Student Research Symposium

Purpose: Compared to the general population, Arab Americans experience higher rates of mental illness and lower rates of mental health treatment. While some causes of this discrepancy have been suggested, there are many gaps in the literature since Arab Americans are not recognized as an ethnic group in the United States. This study aims to analyze Arab-Americans’ outlook on mental health by identifying and addressing the barriers to receiving mental health treatment.

Methods: An anonymous bilingual Qualtrics survey was conducted and responses were collected from Arab and non-Arab participants (n=294, ages 18+). The participants’ viewpoints on barriers between Arabs and …

Barriers To Mental Health Seeking Among Army Aviation Personnel: A Preliminary Report, Aric J. Raus

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

This research explores barriers to mental health seeking, self-reported symptoms, and perspectives on self-help mental-wellness options among U.S. Army Aviation Personnel. Safe aviation operations require constant focus and mental clarity. These requirements expand when considering the implications and added stress of military operations, especially in combat scenarios. Yet, recent studies demonstrate that aviation personnel avoid seeking healthcare due to fears of losing their medical certification. This report provides preliminary results from the first known study on barriers to mental health seeking among U.S. Army aviation personnel. Utilizing an anonymous survey instrument, facilitated primarily through Social Media recruiting of current and …

Asian Americans Have Relatively Low Anxiety But Experienced Large Increases In Anxiety Between 2020 And 2022, Tianqi Zhou

Population Health Research Brief Series

Anxiety has harmful effects on physical health. This new data slice uses data from the 2020-2022 National Health Interview Surveys to measure the anxiety levels among adults ages 18+ by race and ethnicity in the United States. Results show that Asian adults have lower average anxiety levels than other ethnoracial groups, but they experienced the largest increase in average anxiety levels between 2020 and 2022.

The Image Of Schizophrenia In Spain's Healthcare System, Meghan Webb

CISLA Senior Integrative Projects

Schizophrenia affects thousands of people in Spain and is one of the most serious mental health disorders in existence. Despite its this characteristic, schizophrenia did not always get the proper attention it deserved within the country’s healthcare system. This was largely due to the influence that the Spanish government had, and continues to have, over the healthcare system, giving it the power to choose how the disorder was represented. Therefore, what does that mean for schizophrenia in Spain’s healthcare system today? This essay will explore the ways in which schizophrenia was represented in Spain’s healthcare system through an examination of …

Exploring The Mental Health Experience Of Perinatal Military Spouses Based In Sigonella, Italy, Lyndsey Dannenberg

Capstone Experience

The perinatal period can have a profound impact on the mental health of women, their infants, and their families, especially when it comes to depression and anxiety disorders. This study aims to delve into the experiences of perinatal mental health among military spouses stationed overseas, on Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy, and contribute to the limited research on active-duty military spouses and their perinatal mental health while stationed overseas. The research uses a qualitative phenomenological approach, seeking to provide valuable insights into the lived experiences of military spouses and their perinatal mental health. Risk factors associated with perinatal mental illness …

The Perpetuation Of Hiv Risk In Latinx Immigrations: A Cross-National Perspective, J. M. Aleman

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Research indicates that migration is a social determinant of health that increases the risk of acquiring HIV. What is less understood, however, are the pathways through which immigration influences HIV risk. This study employed a cross-national perspective and utilized a social determinants of health framework to understand how structural factors, such as economic conditions and immigration policies and their enforcement, influence HIV risk among migrants. While mobility, migration and displacement are associated with increased HIV risk, they are not inherently the cause but rather a condition under which vulnerability is increased indicating that other distal, upstream, or structural forces are …

Social Media And Mental Health: The Public Health Impact And Future Policy Directives, Renae A. Merrill

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The relationship between social media use among young people and the increasing concerns of mental health problems in the U.S. and globally is on systemic agendas. Furthermore, research on social media use and mental health indicate reasons to suspect a causal relationship, but more work needs to be done. Therefore, this three-article dissertation seeks to explore (1) associations between social media use, personality, and depression; (2) associations between social media emotional support, anxiety, and personality; and (3) the relationship between social media use and mental health using Deborah Stone’s causal stories framework. Findings from this study provide an improved understanding …

Serving Those Who Served: Renegotiating Support And Benefits For U.S. Military Veterans With Less Than Honorable Discharges, Mariah Brennan, Emily Graham

Population Health Research Brief Series

Approximately 1 in 7 veterans are discharged from the military under less than “Honorable” conditions. Veterans with less than “Honorable” discharges experience bias and stigma related to their discharge, which can lead to elevated risk for behavioral and mental health challenges and homelessness. This brief summarizes the different military discharge types, explains how less than “Honorable” discharges can affect veteran health, identifies groups of veterans who are at risk of receiving a less than “Honorable” discharge, and makes policy recommendations for the Department of Defense (DoD), civilian employers, and community healthcare providers.

Sexual Minorities Are More Depressed And Anxious Than Heterosexuals In The U.S., Especially Among Women, Joshua Grove

Population Health Research Brief Series

Depression and anxiety are harmful to health. People who suffer from depression or anxiety are more likely to engage in risky health behaviors and have higher risk of various chronic diseases and premature death. This data slice uses data from the 2022 National Wellbeing Survey to explore the prevalence of depression and anxiety among U.S. adults ages 18-64. The results show that sexual minority adults are significantly more likely than those who identify as heterosexual to suffer from depression and anxiety, and differences in prevalence rates between sexual minority and heterosexual women are larger than the differences between men.

The Fortify Resilience Initiative, Nausheen Jamal, Deepu George, Maria Hernandez, Evan Garcia, Myrna Ruiz, Salvador Arellano Iii

Research Symposium

Purpose: The Fortify Resilience Initiative focuses on building and sustaining a culture of wellbeing for Residents and Fellows (R/Fs) at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) School of Medicine’s (SOM) Graduate Medical Education (GME) residency and fellowship programs. In order to address the multitude of threats to physician wellness and to mitigate the silent, but pernicious effects of burnout on these physician learners serving in the RGV, this Initiative from the Office of GME will strengthen existing wellbeing pathways while expanding additional solutions that will work to sustain wellbeing. Utilizing a combination of prevention, promotion, and intervention strategies …

Interdisciplinary Integrated Primary And Behavioral Healthcare (I2pbh) Initiative, John Ronnau, Deepu George, Maria Hernandez, Evan Garcia, Myrna Ruiz

Research Symposium

Purpose: The Interdisciplinary Integrated Primary and Behavioral Healthcare (I²PBH) initiative will train University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) mental health graduates to deliver high quality, evidence-based Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) services in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) – a high-need, high-demand, medically underserved Hispanic region along the US-Mexico border. Specifically, the I²PBH initiative will train 24 UTRGV mental health graduates annually to deliver high-quality Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) clinical services through the evidence based Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) model. With a training emphasis on basic/advanced theory and clinical skills in the PCBH model, students …

Primary Care Behavioral Health Partnerships Advancing & Transforming Health Sciences (Pcbh Paths), Kristan Diaz-Rios, Deepu George, Maria Hernandez, Evan Garcia, Myrna Ruiz, Salvador Arellano Iii

Research Symposium

Purpose: Primary Care Behavioral Health Partnerships Advancing & Transforming Health Sciences (PCBH PATHS) is a workforce development pipeline project aimed at permanently augmenting UTRGV’s institutional capacity to address shortage of an Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) competent workforce locally, regionally and nationally. Our initiative, aligned with UTRGV strategic priorities and key initiatives, will integrate basic(model specific strategy and operational elements), mid-level (role identity and profession specific behavioral competencies specific to each health profession), and advanced (behavioral medicine clinical skills) applications of the evidence based PCBH model of delivery. A PCBH focused delivery system (clinical and educational), in which primary care providers …

Use Of Mobile Technology To Identify Behavioral Mechanisms Linked To Mental Health Outcomes In Kenya: Protocol For Development And Validation Of A Predictive Model, Willie Njoroge, Rachel Maina, Frank Elena, Lukoye Atwoli, Anthony Ngugi, Srijan Sen, Stephen Wong, Linda Khakali, Andrew Aballa, James Orwa, Moses Nyongesa, Jasmit Shah, Amina Abubakar, Zul Merali

Brain and Mind Institute

Objective:This study proposes to identify and validate weighted sensor stream signatures that predict near-term risk of a major depressive episode and future mood among healthcare workers in Kenya.

Approach: The study will deploy a mobile application (app) platform and use novel data science analytic approaches (Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning) to identifying predictors of mental health disorders among 500 randomly sampled healthcare workers from five healthcare facilities in Nairobi, Kenya.

Expectation: This study will lay the basis for creating agile and scalable systems for rapid diagnostics that could inform precise interventions for mitigating depression and ensure a healthy, resilient …

Mental Health Problems Among Elementary School Students Mandated To E-Learning: A Covid-19 Rapid Review Caveat, Renée M. D'Amore, Angelina N. Halpern, Lauren R. Reed, Kevin M. Gorey

International Journal of School Social Work

Extended lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic mandated millions of students worldwide to e-learning and by default made many of their parents proxy homeschool teachers. Preliminary anecdotal, journalistic and qualitative evidence suggested that elementary school children and their parents were probably most vulnerable to this stressor and most likely to experience mental health problems because of it. We responded with a rapid review of 15 online surveys to estimate the magnitude of such risks and their predictors between 2020 and 2021. The pooled relative risk of mental health problems among school children and their parents was substantial (RR = 1.97). Moreover, …

Older Adults With A History Of Psychiatric Conditions Experience More Cognitive Decline Than Older Adults Without This History, Maria T. Brown, Miriam Mutambudzi

Population Health Research Brief Series

Having psychiatric conditions (such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and major depressive disorder) throughout one’s life can lead to faster rates of cognitive decline as one ages. This data slice explores the associations between psychiatric history and cognitive function among U.S. White, Black, and Hispanic adults ages 65 and older from 1995-2014. Findings demonstrate that having a history of psychiatric problems is related to lower cognitive functioning and a faster rate of cognitive decline for all three groups, but Black and Hispanic adults experience steeper declines compared with White adults.

Building Sustainable Environmental Activism Programs For Youth, Aminah Habib

Master's Projects and Capstones

As the negative impacts of climate change become more and more common across the United States, many youth are experiencing eco-anxiety or other negative mental health impacts due to the state of the environment. Engaging with activism has been named as a potential mitigator of the negative impacts of climate change among youth, but the relationship between activism and youth well-being is an emerging area of research. To explore this relationship, this scoping review explored and synthesized available literature to inform the next steps. In addition to the community-level and society-level contributions that come from youth activism, there are also …

The Use Of Therapeutic Gardening In Addiction Recovery, Sophia Agne

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: Numerous recent studies have emerged detailing the benefits of horticultural therapy on mental health and wellness. Despite this, substance use disorder treatment facilities rarely include an outdoor component in their programming. The project seeks to examine the advantages of incorporating therapeutic gardening as a complementary part of addiction treatment.

Context: The microsystem where the study was conducted was at a 32-bed residential substance abuse treatment facility for adult men who have previously been involved in the criminal justice system. The treatment approach employed at the facility aligns with the Integrated Dual Disorder Treatment (IDDT) curriculum, which emphasizes mental health-informed …

Sharing My Story Through Public Speaking: Young People And Mental Health, Alexandra Isabella Bush

Honors Theses

Recent years have shown a worsening mental health crisis in America. Between the high prevalence of mental illness, lack of treatment, high rates of suicide and overdoses, and increasing rates of substance use, the United States has an abundance of problems, all of which relate to mental health. One contributing factor is the insufficient education about mental health topics, also known as mental health literacy. Therefore, American citizens lack necessary knowledge, such as the signs and risk factors of mental illness, treatment options, and ways to improve mental health, to name a few. One impact of low mental health literacy …

Links Between Mental Health And Employment Outcomes Among Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Emma Atkinson

Honors Theses

Problem: Mental health outcomes related to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have been extensively researched, although most research in the area is on children with ASD. Studies on adults with ASD are scarcer. More specifically, studies that analyze the association between mental health and work-life balance (WLB) as well as mental health and job satisfaction (JS) among employed adults with ASD is limited. The purpose of this study was to analyze the association between mental health and WLB among adults with ASD, the association between mental health and perceived JS among adults with ASD, and whether or not ASD severity moderates …

Effects Of Nurse-Patient Relationship On Medication Adherence Of Mental Health Patients, April Monica Magbual

Nursing | Student Research Posters

Medication adherence among mentally ill patients (MIP) is a significant issue in healthcare which require extra support & guidance to encourage better recovery. Administering medication is a critical role of nurses that must be performed effectively and appropriately. Employing a nurse-patient relationship (NPR) and nursing presence has been shown to create a positive outcome and an essential characteristic to improve medication adherence. However, there is insufficient research exploring NPR and medication adherence specifically for MIPs. Participants’ cultural variations, age range, specific interventions & economic factors influencing medication compliance are missing.

The Economic, Mental Health, And Social Stressors During The Covid-19 Pandemic Among Native Americans In South Dakota, Savannah E. Lukkes

Honors Thesis

American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities test positive for COVID-19 and experience higher mortality than other racial and ethnic groups. These high rates of vulnerability could be connected to the systemic inequalities that have been experienced for centuries. This study aimed to compare socioeconomic stressors, concerns, and mental health experiences during the early COVID-19 pandemic between AI/AN and non-AIAN populations in South Dakota. The study sample (n=1,586) was grouped by AI/AN and non-AI/AN status based on self-identification of being AI/AN alone or in combination with another race/ethnicity. Participant responses to socioeconomic stressors and concerns (e.g., top concerns, level of concern, self-isolation, …

College Students' Relationship With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder And Learning Accommodations At The University Of Nebraska-Lincoln, Brianna Danehey, Kim Hansen Dr., Chelsea Witt Dr.

Honors Theses

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can provide many challenges for college students due to difficulties focusing, multi-tasking, and staying organized. Colleges are required to offer academic accommodations to students with disabilities in an attempt to provide students with an equitable learning environment. However, accommodations may be ineffective if they are highly unattainable, unused by the student once granted, or hindered by university faculty.

The objective of this study was to identify barriers to receiving effective and beneficial academic accommodations for individuals with ADHD at the University level and to provide insight into college students' knowledge and relationships relating to the …

Editorial: Assessing And Addressing Health Inequities And Disparities: The Role Of Health Informatics, Gulzar H. Shah, Anjum Khurshid, Joanne Chopak-Foss

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The End Of The “Chemical Imbalance” Theory Of Depression - What Now?, Austin Brown

Population Health Research Brief Series

For decades, those diagnosed with depression have been told they suffer from a “chemical imbalance.” This explanation involves neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, thought to be the main neurochemical responsible for major depressive disorders. Growing research challenges this theory and the need for medication therapies for depressive symptoms. This brief summarizes new findings examining the theory that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance and calls for healthcare professionals and patients to consider the market influences and social structures that impact health.

Mental Health Problems Among Elementary School Students Mandated To E-Learning: A Covid-19 Rapid Review Caveatmandated To E-Learning: A Covid-19 Rapid Review Caveat, Renee M. D'Amore, Angelina N. Halpern, Lauren R. Reed, Kevin M. Gorey

Social Work Publications

Extended lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic mandated millions of students worldwide to e- learning and by default made many of their parents proxy homeschool teachers. Preliminary anecdotal, journalistic and qualitative evidence suggested that elementary school children and their parents were probably most vulnerable to this stressor and most likely to experience mental health problems because of it. We responded with a rapid review of 15 online surveys to estimate the magnitude of such risks and their predictors between 2020 and 2021. The pooled relative risk of mental health problems among school children and their parents was substantial (RR = 1.97). …

Mental Health In Sports Media, Samuel Ridgley

Communication & Media Studies | Senior Theses

This paper looks at the increasingly popular conversation surrounding mental health in sports. It provides a glimpse into how common the struggle of mental health can be for many high-level athletes while also examining the narrative and expectations that society and the media have created. The paper also provides examples of prominent athletes from a variety of different sports and delves into their personal mental health experiences in the eyes of the media. The goal of this paper is to show the progression and change of how the media portrays mental health amongst athletes in today’s ever-changing world.

An Analysis On Mental Health In College Sports At A Small Faith-Based Midwest University, Terrence Jordan, Mckinley Egland-Young, Kendrick Maynor Jr.

Concordia Journal of Communication Research

Throughout universities around the world, every day, the mental health of college students is tested. Specifically, collegiate athletes may feel uncomfortable, or uncertain seeking out resources to assess their overall mental health. There are numerous reasons athletes may be either comfortable, or uncomfortable seeking out these resources. Some reasons can include being seen as a sign of weakness, there are no resources for athletes, or they are uncertain about what resources are available to them. The researchers chose to investigate the mental health of two different sports teams at a university. Specifically, the researchers explored these athletes and their mental …

Veteran Access To Mental Health Services And How It Contributes To The Rates Of Suicide, Kameron R. Grigsby

Kentucky Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

This essay is an exploration of the access Veterans have to mental health services and how such access or lack thereof contributes to the rates of suicide among the Veteran population. The purpose of this essay is to examine various factors that influence Veteran access to mental health care and how these factors can be improved or eliminated. By analyzing such factors, healthcare professionals may begin to further implement provisions and practices to decrease the rising rate of suicides among Veterans.