Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Anxiety, Depression, And Perceived Stress Levels Of Hospice Care Personnel In Georgia, Emily Bauman

Honors College Theses

Working in hospice comes with a variety of unique tasks and stressors that other jobs typically do not require. While this workplace stress can act as a catalyst, too much can be threatening to an individual’s mental state and life in general. Moreover, anxiety and depression can be detrimental to an individual’s life and career. Research has shown positive correlations between stress, anxiety, and depression. The purpose of this study is to use quantitative measures to examine the anxiety, depression, and perceived stress levels of hospice care professionals in Georgia. 12 hospice care workers were quantitatively surveyed regarding their perceived …

Eco Yoga Therapy For Mental Health Related To The Covid-19 Pandemic, Karyn Stein

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

Recently the magnitude of the mental health crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic has been emerging. Reports of anxiety or depression related to COVID-19 have been on the rise globally. Individuals have been living in a perpetual state of the unknown for over two years. Fear of the virus, sickness of oneself or family/friends and social isolation have taken a toll. According to the WHO, anxiety and depression have gone up 25% in the last year (2022). The effects of a rising mental health crisis will be drastic on top of the deaths and sickness related to COVID-19. While governments …

Music And Mental Health: Increasing Awareness And Promoting Wellness, Catherine Sarah Black

Senior Theses

“Music for Mental Health: Increasing Awareness and Promoting Wellness” examines how music might raise mental health awareness and act as a coping resource. Specifically, it 1) argues for the connection between music and mental health, 2) presents a case study of select BTS songs that have been useful in promoting mental health, and 3) describes the efforts of Classical Healing Keys, a non-profit organization designed by the author as a proposal to promote mental health through classical music.

College Students’ Perceptions Of Anxiety And Coping: Physical Activity Versus Alcohol Use, John M. Neville

Honors College Theses

Anxiety is likely to impact every single person in the world. It can, at times, be advantageous; however, at other times, it can be crippling. There is not a consensus as to its cause. But, through years of research it has been discovered it results from structural and chemical changes within the brain. It is believed these changes contribute largely to the development of anxiety. Other factors such as stressors, trauma, and substance abuse may exacerbate anxiety and accelerate its development. This has prompted researchers, scientists, and clinicians to explore ways in which individuals may cope with this condition. For …

Effects Of St713 With Simultaneous Histamine H3 And Dopamine D2/D3 Receptor Antagonist Properties On Cognitive Impairments And Autism-Like Behaviors In Btbr T+Tf/J Mice, Mohammed Mustafa Alawad

Theses

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is a multifactorial neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by two core symptoms which are impairments in social interaction and communication, repetitive and restricted behaviors. Dopamine (DA) and histamine (HA) are two neurotransmitters that are proposed to be involved in several brain disorders including schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, and narcolepsy, all of those disorders are comorbid with ASD. Thus, the palliative effects of the novel multiple-active histamine H3 receptor (H3R) antagonist and dopamine D2/D3 receptor (D2/D3R) antagonist ST-713 with its high H3R antagonist affinity and balanced inhibitory effects on both dopaminergic receptor subtypes D2R and D3R on ASD-like behaviors in …

Music Intervention And Its Effect On State Anxiety: An Integrative Literature Review, Courtney Olek

Nursing Masters Papers

Approximately 5 million patients are admitted to Intensive Care Units (ICU) in the United States for acute or life-threatening medical problems or injuries annually. The ICU patient experience has been described in the literature as dehumanizing, stressful, and anxiety provoking. Given the adverse physiological and psychological effects of sustained state anxiety, it is important anxiety is effectively managed in the ICU environment. Standard care for management of anxiety often relies heavily upon sedative medications and are correlated with poor outcomes when used in high doses and over a long duration. The SCCM recommends nonpharmacologic adjunctive measures to decrease the occurrence …

Utilization Of The Calm Apparatus To Adult Men And Women With Atrial Fibrillation To Decrease Emergency Department Visits For Atrial Fibrillation, Ami Klein

DNP Scholarly Projects

The purpose of this project is two-fold. The first is to determine if the CALM APP use by adult men and women with atrial fibrillation (AF) will decrease anxiety. The second is to determine if decreased anxiety utilizing the CALM APP will deter admissions to the emergency department (ED) for AF in the first month post-catheter ablation of AF. The Zung SAS was used to determine the pre- and post-anxiety scores. The Seven Days of Calm (free app) was used to teach deep breathing and meditation. This study showed a moderate decrease in ED visits with use of the Calm …

Evaluating & Improving Adolescent Mental Health Accessibility In Vt, Kaitlyn A. Surwilo

College of Nursing and Health Sciences Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Project Publications

Background: Rates of anxiety among adolescents are increasing. Providers at a rural Vermont clinic identified the need for an evidence-based process to use when adolescents screen positive for anxiety. Reports from providers regarding the challenges of referring to mental health providers called the accessibility of care into question.

Purpose: The purposes of this quality improvement project are to create an evidence-based toolkit for adolescent anxiety and assess the accessibility of mental health care in Vermont.

Methods: A literature review identified mindfulness and exercise as effective tools for managing anxiety. An anxiety toolkit was designed for adolescents aged 11-18 …

Sars-Cov-2 And Its Impact On Emergency Medicine, Abby Fowler

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic impacted hospitals and healthcare workers throughout the world. This research sought to determine how the pandemic affected the mental health of healthcare workers in critical care, primarily because of hospitals’ focus on finances instead of healthcare workers’ mental well-being. This research included extensive literature review as well as a semi-structured interview with an emergency medicine physician in Ashland, KY, who worked before the COVID-19 pandemic and during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was hypothesized that as hospitals attempted to focus primarily on recovering financial losses incurred from the pandemic, the mental health of clinicians fell through the …

Does Exercise Decrease The Level Of Anxiety In Adults?, Alexa N. Wister

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “Does exercise decrease the level of anxiety in adults?”

Study Design: A systematic review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that were peer reviewed and published between 2016 and 2020.

Data Sources: All articles were published in peer-reviewed journals. Two of the RCTs were researched using Pubmed and one RCT was found using Academic Search Premier, AMED. All studies were selected based on applicability to the clinical question presented in the objective, and if the researched outcomes were patient oriented.

Outcome Measured: A reduction in anxiety …

Does Medical Clowning Impact Anxiety In The Pediatric Population Undergoing Medical Interventions?, Kelso Blaze

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to investigate the question, “does medical clowning impact anxiety in the pediatric patient undergoing medical interventions?”

STUDY DESIGN: Review of three randomized control trials (RCT).

DATA SOURCES: These articles were published between 2012-2021 in English. The in peer-reviewed journals, searched for using PubMed.

OUTCOME(S) MEASURED: The outcomes measured included anxiety level in pediatric patients undergoing medical interventions.

RESULTS: In the RCT led by Dionigi et al., medical clowning led to a reduction in pediatric patient anxiety compared with the control group (P < 0.005), indicated by a mean change from baseline of 17. In the RCT by Felluga et al., medical clowning led to a reduction in pediatric patient anxiety compared with the control group (P < 0.05), indicated by a mean change from baseline of 1. Lastly, Mieri et al. demonstrated a reduction pediatric patient anxiety with medical clowning, indicated by a mean change from baseline of 0.04 with statistical significance of P < 0.05 in the treatment group.

CONCLUSION: All three studies in this review demonstrated that …

Transgenerational Effects Of Chronic Preconception Stress On Developmental And Health Outcomes In Prairie Vole Offspring: Potential Mediation By Parental Emotionality, Mother-Father Bond, Or Parental Care Quality, W. Tang Watanasriyakul

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Background: A positive rearing environment is important for the health and well-being of growing offspring. Chronic parental stress can create a toxic rearing environment, which may impair developmental and sociobehavioral outcomes of the offspring. Specifically, parental stress is linked to unstable parental emotionality, tension between mother and father, and poor parenting quality, although the inter-relatedness of these factors and the mechanisms through which they contribute to the outcomes of the offspring need further investigation. The current study investigated developmental and sociobehavioral outcomes in prairie vole offspring exposed to chronic preconception stress, with parental emotionality, strength of mother-father bond, and parental …

Providing Mbsr Tools To First Year Adn Nursing Students: A Dnp Project, Katherin Brandt

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Abstract

As part of the educational training provided to nursing students it is important to not only provide information regarding stress management, but also to give them tools that they can use to handle stressful situations more effectively. Literature supports the use of mindfulness techniques practiced regularly to decrease stress and anxiety. This DNP project developed, implemented, and evaluated the addition of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) techniques into the curriculum of the first-year Medical Surgical nursing course in a prelicensure Associate Degree Nursing program. The project was guided by Watson’s Theory of Human Caring and the Model for Improvement (PDSA …

The Efficacy Of The Role Of Therapeutic Play In Alleviating Pain Or Anxiety In Pediatric Cancer Patients, Savannah B. Duke

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of therapeutic play in alleviating pain or anxiety in the pediatric cancer patient.

Background: Therapeutic play is an intervention often incorporated within the care of pediatric cancer patients and children with other disease processes to promote well-being. Even though play therapy is supported by research, nurses have the option to implement nursing care interventions in a play-like manner. Therapeutic play is an individualized technique that provides an intentional opportunity for children to express their emotional responses in a controlled environment.

Method: The databases used in this search included CINAHL, MEDLINE, APA PsycINFO, ERIC, and Education …

Nursing Student Self-Efficacy In Clinical Skills, Levels Of Anxiety, And Utilization Of Alternative Education Experiences During The Covid-19 Pandemic, David S. Hart

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Depression And Anxiety Amongst College D1 Athletes, Jessica Radford

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

College student-athletes are having an increasingly amount of mental health concerns recently at an alarming rate. Therefore, researchers should attempt to better understand how student-athletes can cope with their mental health problems to improve their mental and physical well-being. The researcher administered a questionnaire to 300 college students, 150 student-athletes and 150 non-athletes from the University of the Pacific using various modified scales examining emotional intelligence, depression, anxiety, coping strategies, intentions to seek help, self-stigma, public stigma, social network stigma, alcohol consumption, sleep deprivation, and communication competence. The data were analyzed to determine the severity of student-athletes’ mental health and …

Decreasing Anxiety, Depression, And Suicidal Ideation Through The Implementation Of Education And Screening At Chandler Medical Center, Ashley Gillstrap

DNP Projects

PURPOSE: To provide education on high suicide rates within the healthcare community, screen providers for suicide risk factors, and disseminate mental health resources at the University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center (UKCMC). The goal of this intervention is to increase awareness and provide resources to providers to essentially decrease these suicide rates.

METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was used with a non-equivalent group pretest-posttest survey design to examine the effect of an education module about suicide risk factors. Along with a rating of how COVID-19 affected mental health, a Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) was implemented, and mental health resources …

Anxiety, Depression, And Sexual Minority Identity Among First Responders, Kayla Soohy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research indicates that first responders tend to experience high levels of anxiety and depression due to unique stressors associated with first responder employment. This increased risk level for mental health issues among first responders can be exacerbated by the addition of psychosocial stressors. The influence of interpersonal or intrapersonal factors, such as sexual minority identity, on the mental health issues experienced by first responders has remained relatively unexplored. The purpose of this research study was to explore the relationship between type of first responder, sexual identity, anxiety, and depression via a framework rooted in minority stress theory. Data were gathered …

Factors That Affect Anxiety And Acculturation In Syrian Emigrants, Thomas H. Anderson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since the Syrian civil war began in 2011, more than 6 million Syrians have registered as refugees. Many displaced Syrians suffer myriad mental health disorders, including anxiety, which become a burden as they attempt to acculturate into a foreign culture. Research to understand the Syrian refugees has been conducted since the conflict began; however, the findings are inconsistent. Existing academic research does not adequately capture the depth of anxiety of Syrian emigrants, nor does it present an accurate picture of the challenges of acculturation. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the differences in anxiety and acculturation based …

Building Tools For Improved Modulation Of The Human Gabaa Receptor, A Central Nervous System Target For The Treatment Of Anxiety, Garrett Edward Zinck

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

In the U.S., anxiety is recognized as an increasing range of mentally and physically debilitating psychiatric health disorders with significant economic repercussions. Over the last 20 years, several novel anti-anxiety therapies have entered the drug development pipeline, but none have made it to market.

The work in this dissertation focused on structurally modifying valerenic acid (VA), a structurally unique carboxylated sesquiterpene acid found in Valeriana officinalis. VA is putatively reported to have allosteric modulatory activity of the human GABA_A receptor, a ligand-gated ion channel responsible for attenuating neurotransmissions. Structural modeling of VA’s GABA_A receptor interaction suggests that …

Therapeutic Music Effectiveness In Managing Anxiety And Depression Feelings In Cancer Patients, Aida L. Ramos

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractWith the emergence of advances in health care technology, increased life expectancy has exacerbated the manifestation of chronic disease states such as cancer. The side effects of cancer treatments can lead to feelings of depression and anxiety, which can be as devastating as disease process. Many studies have provided evidence supporting the practice problem, therapeutic music effectiveness in managing anxiety and depression feelings in cancer patients. Available pharmacological treatments may result in additional side effects that may outweigh the benefits of their use. Current systematic reviews of literature demonstrating the effectiveness of therapeutic music use as a non-pharmacological thera-peutic adjunct …

The Effects Of Anxiety On Vision Related Performance Among Collegiate Athletes, Aviana R. Fedele

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Anxiety is an intense feeling of worry or fear and can often be overwhelming, taking over someone’s everyday activities. Oftentimes, individuals who have feelings of anxiety or are in stressful situations that are anxiety inducing, they can get physical symptoms such as increased heart rate, sweating, fatigue and rapid breathing. Anxiety can also affect an individual’s quality of vision. In circumstances that are highly stressful, individual’s vision can start to diminish temporarily, affecting the peripheral vision as well as making central vision blurry. This study examines the effects of anxiety and vision quality on athletic performance among collegiate athletes. It …

Improving Self-Care Awareness Among Undergraduate Nursing Students, D'Anna Helms

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

The purpose of this DNP project was to improve self-care (SC) awareness among undergraduate nursing students by educating on the use of constructive SC activities. Twenty-two senior level nursing students attended an educational seminar, completed the Mindful Self-Care Scale – Clinical (MSCS-C) pre- and post-survey, and reflective journaling. A paired-samples t test was calculated to compare the mean pretest score to the mean posttest score. The mean on the pretest was 77.68 (sd= 9.33), and the mean on the posttest was 75.27 (sd= 31.59). A significant increase from pretest to posttest was found (t (21) = .307, p < .05). Thematical analysis revealed enhanced awareness and incorporation of constructive SC activities. Educational interventions which seek to improve SC awareness will generate practical and sustainable acts of SC, thus improving students’ overall success and further empowering students in their transition from graduate to licensed nurses.

Social Media Use And Mental Health: An Educational Intervention To Reduce Depression And Anxiety In Adolescents, Natalie Catlett

DNP Projects

Background: Most adolescents spend a great deal of their time using various social media platforms. However, excessive and maladaptive social media use is correlated with worsening symptoms of depression and anxiety among adolescents.

Objective: This project aimed to determine whether an educational intervention could help decrease overall time spent using social media and improve mood and mental health outcomes among adolescents with depression or anxiety disorders.

Methods: This was a quasi-experiment with a pretest and posttest design. An educational intervention about the relationship between social media use and symptoms of depression and anxiety among adolescents and strategies to minimize risk …

Mindfulness And The Veteran: Increasing Veteran Participation In Mindfulness Programs At A Va Medical Center, Cynthia Lang-Groening

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) supports the use of mindfulness-based therapies for the medical and mental health treatment of veterans. The Wilmington, Delaware VA Medical Center (VAMC) offers mindfulness-based programs in guided imagery, tai chi and mindful meditation; however, the veterans who receive primary care services do not participate in these programs to their full potential. The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) project was to increase veteran participation in the mindfulness-based programs at the Wilmington VAMC. Based on a retrospective chart review of veterans’ electronic medical records (EMR), mindfulness-based program referral and enrollment patterns were analyzed, and …

Health Educator Experience: Recommendations For Physical Activity For Mental Health In Women, Patricia Schneider

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental health issues, specifically anxiety and depression, continue to be a public health crisis in the United States. Despite the established therapies of pharmacology and cognitive behavioral therapy, not all patients seek or find relief using these methods. Therefore, other treatment strategies need to be studied. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand the experiences of health educators who use physical activity as a strategy for anxiety and depression management among middle-aged women as well as their own attitudes, norms, and perceived behavioral controls. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) was leveraged as the theoretical foundation for …

Investigating The Relationship Between Mental Health And Co- Morbidity Management During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Literature Review, Alejandra Soto

Theses and Graduate Projects

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic caused many disruptions to millions of lives, especially with the enforcement of government shutdowns, isolations, and social distancing. These measures lead to increased anxiety and depression in the general population. With many high- risk patient populations having chronic comorbidities, accessing routine medical care and supplies became difficult during the pandemic.

Purpose: How has mental health affected the management of pre-existing comorbidities during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted using the research engine PubMed using the search terms: “pandemic”, “COVID-19”, “comorbidities”, “mental health”, “morbidity”, and “mortality”. Inclusion criteria were studies …

Does Probiotic Supplementation Improve Depression/Anxiety Outcome Measures?, Kathryn M. Decleene

Theses and Graduate Projects

Background: Depression and anxiety continue to be a healthcare burden worldwide. Current depression and anxiety treatments include medications and psychotherapy; however, for many patients this is not enough. Literature has recently come out detailing the gut-brain axis and its potential impact on mental health.

Purpose: This literature review sought to answer the question if probiotics could play a role in the treatment of depression and anxiety. Specifically, does supplementation with a probiotic improve clinical outcome measures of depression, anxiety, or both? Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar using the search terms probiotics, …

A Comparison Of The Magnitude Of The Mental Health Benefits Of Exercising Outdoors Vs Exercising Indoors: A Review, Greta M. Rueschmann

MSU Graduate Theses

Many people in the United States suffer from poor mental health which can lead to suicide, self-harm, or negative effects on job performance and relationships. Not everyone can afford traditional therapy nor feels comfortable with it. With a greater emphasis placed on taking care of one’s mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, there should also be a greater emphasis placed on finding alternative types of therapy that can be matched to individuals based on their personalities and preferences. One such alternative is outdoor exercise. This review was conducted to examine whether exercising or performing physical activity outdoors results in greater …

Systematic Review Regarding The Use Of Mindfulness-Based Mobile Applications To Reduce Psychological Symptoms And Enhance Well-Being Among General And Clinical Population Adults: Benefits, Limitations And Future Directions, Brian Clawson

Theses and Dissertations

Mindfulness is now utilized throughout Western Society and is part of the growing behavioral health, self-help, and wellness movements. Mobile applications have become increasingly popular for a wide variety of uses related to physical health, mental health, and self-improvement. Therefore, mindfulness-based mobile applications have promise both as stand-alone tools for end-users seeking self-help resources and as clinician-recommended adjunctive tools to enhance the process and outcomes of professional therapy. This systematic review identified, reviewed, and synthesized the findings from studies (n = 29) concerning the impact of mindfulness-based mobile applications on specific aspects of psychological functioning in both the general population …