Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Lifestyle Tools For Men’S Health And Disease Prevention: Well-Being Through Nutrition, Physical Activity, Stress Management, And Connection, Leigh A. Frame

Clinical Research and Leadership Faculty Publications

Mental health is an often-overlooked aspect of overall health and wellness (well-being). Mental illness is increasingly common with 1 in 5 American adults experiencing it annually, and 1 in 20 suffering from a serious mental illness each year [1]. Treatment rates for mental illness are lower in men (37.4%) compared to women (51.2%) [1]. Globally, treatment rates are similar with an estimated cost to the global economy of $1 trillion annually, yet less than 2% of government health expenditure is for mental health worldwide [2]. Despite this, only nine studies have been published specifically targeting men’s mental health through lifestyle …

Development Of A Web-Based Diabetes Prevention Program (Dpp) For Chinese Americans: A Formative Evaluation Approach, Ming-Chin Yeh, Wincy Lau, Zoey Gong, Margrethe Horlyck-Romanovsky, Ho-Jui Tung, Lin Zhu, Grace X. Ma, Judith Wylie-Rosett

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Increasing evidence demonstrates that an online Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) can delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. However, little has been done for Chinese Americans. This study, using Community-Based Participatory Research and Intervention Mapping approaches, describes a formative research process in the development of a culturally and linguistically tailored online DPP program among Chinese Americans with prediabetes living in New York City. Using a triangulation approach, data were collected to inform the development of an online DPP curriculum through (1) a literature review, (2) three focus groups (n = 24), and (3) a community advisory board meeting among 10 …

Aa And Dha Are Decreased In Paediatric Ad/Hd And Inattention Is Ameliorated By Increased Plasma Dha, John J. Miklavcic, Ellen Ivity, Ian M. Macdonald, Liana Urichuk, Vera C. Mazurak, Christina Rinaldi, Michael T. Clandinin

Food Science Faculty Articles and Research

The purpose of this study was to assess long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) status in relation to socio-behavioral outcomes in children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD). In a case-control design, plasma phospholipid fatty acid content was assessed in children aged 5–12 years with AD/HD and in typically functioning children. Dietary intakes of LCPUFAs arachidonic acid (AA; 20:4n6) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n3) were quantified using a four-day food record, polymorphisms were determined in FADS1 and FADS2, and socio-behavioral outcomes were assessed using the Conners 3 Parent Rating Scales in a cross section of children with AD/HD. Compared to …

A Qualitative Exploration Of The Use Of Service Dogs In Veterans With Post Traumatic Stress Disorder And Traumatic Brain Injury, Jennifer Shiroff, Kathy Gray, Gabrielle Santulli, Stephen Didonato, Jacqueline O'Rourke Fulford

College of Nursing Faculty Papers & Presentations

Objective

This qualitative research was conducted to add to the body of knowledge that supports the benefits of service dogs (SDs), as a tertiary treatment modality, to veterans with post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and/or traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Methods

This grounded theory research design utilized open‐ended, semi‐structured interviews with veterans (n = 10) who were using SDs as a treatment modality for PTSD and/or TBI. Transcripts were analyzed using NVivo qualitative software until data saturation was achieved.

Results

Results from the data analysis identified 4 major themes with concurrent subthemes. The most prominent themes were functional status, impact of …

The Effect Of A Wellness Curriculum On First Semester Jmu Pa Students, Abigail Larson, Jeanine Aberbook

Physician Assistant Capstones, 2020-current

Physician Assistant (PA) programs are rigorous graduate-level medical programs that achieve a Master’s degree but complete an equal number of credits as a Doctorate degree. They are notorious for triggering high levels of stress pre-matriculation as well as upon matriculation. While this is a well-known topic discussed between students and incoming students, it is an under-researched topic. As a result of the lack of research in physician assistant education regarding implementing a wellness curriculum and the desire to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms in first semester PA student, the faculty and students at James Madison University (JMU) implemented a …

Prevalence And Predictors Of Burnout Syndrome Among Italian Psychologists Following The First Wave Of The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study, Pietro Crescenzo, Francesco Chirico, Giuseppe Ferrari, Lukasz Szarpak, Gabriella Nucera, Raffaella Marciano, Livio Tarchi, Diego Denicolo, Assunta Maiorino, Kavita Batra, Manoj Sharma

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Introduction: The main objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and predictors of Burnout Syndrome (BOS) among Italian psychologists following the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic. As a secondary objective, geographical differences in the prevalence of BOS symptoms were investigated across regional macro-areas in this category of workers. Methods: Using a non-probabilistic convenience sample, four-hundred sixty-eight participants responded to an online survey which included psychometric valid questions from the Maslach Burnout Inventory and The Big Five Inventory-10. Descriptive and inferential statistics were utilized to analyze the data. Results: The overall prevalence of BOS in the study sample was …

The Resident View In Community- Based Care Residential Settings, Diana L. White, Ozcan Tunalilar, Serena Hasworth, Jaclyn Winfree

Institute on Aging Publications

The Resident VIEW is a measure of person-centered care (PCC) from residents’ perspectives and was previously studied in nursing homes. The current study presents descriptive data for the Resident VIEW in community-based care settings including assisted living, residential care (AL/RC), and adult foster homes (AFH). Using a two-stage sampling design, we recruited 31 AL/RC and 119 AFH in Oregon and completed face-to-face structured interviews with 227 and 195 residents, respectively. Residents provided ratings for both the importance of and their experience with 66 items that tapped into PCC practices in eight domains. Results are provided for each item, many of …

Combating Social Isolation And Loneliness Among Veterans After Separation From Military Service, Emily Graham

Population Health Research Brief Series

Half of U.S. veterans report feeling like they don’t belong in society after separation from military service. Lack of belonging is often associated with feeling socially isolated or lonely. These feelings may increase the risk of veterans experiencing poor mental and physical health outcomes. This brief explores the negative impacts of social isolation and loneliness on veteran health and wellbeing. It calls for expanded veterans programing that connects veterans to each other while mimicking the values veterans miss about military life, including camaraderie, identity, purpose, physical activity, and learning.

Reducing Suicide Reattempts With A Telephone Follow Up Program, Bailey Breaux

MSN Capstone Projects

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Most people can say they know at least one person who has committed suicide or has considered suicide. The number of deaths continues to rise, and they aren’t stopping anytime soon. Many of these patients visit emergency rooms around the country seeking help for their depression and suicidal ideation. Some are brought into the emergency department following a suicide attempt and their visit only predicts another one happening in the near future. Some hospitals around the globe has tried to stop this recurrence of suicide reattempts by …

Suicide Among South Asians In The United States: A Growing Public Health Problem, Aruna Jha, Manik Ahuja, Rajvi J. Wani

ETSU Faculty Works

This research study quantifies and describes suicide among South Asian Americans (SAAs), an emerging population that are underrepresented group in suicide research. The purpose of this study was to examine key characteristics of suicide deaths among SAAs. Data were employed from DuPage County, IL, a county with a large SAA population. Following federal recommendations for disaggregating Asian American data at a granular level, four SAA researchers used name recognition to identify all SAA cases classified as suicide in the DuPage County coroner’s database from 2001 to 2017 (N = 38). Coroner’s reports were analyzed for contextual details and correlating …

Rural Health Action Network Enhanced Outreach Initiative. Year One Final Report, Mary Lindsey Smith Phd, Karen Pearson Mlis, Ma, Evelyn Ali Bs

Substance Use Research & Evaluation

Healthy Community Coalition (HCC), in coordination with the Rural Health Action Network (RHAN) of greater Franklin County, is implementing a multi-faceted outreach program to improve health outcomes among the rural poor living with chronic conditions in greater Franklin County, Maine.

The goals of the Franklin County Rural Health Action Network Enhanced Outreach Initiative (RHAN-EOI) include:

• Expand access to quality services;
• Expand training for community health extenders;
• Decrease hospital admissions, emergency department use, and costs; and
• Improve communication and care coordination across project partners

This report highlights the implementation and progress of HCC RHAN in Year 1. For more information, please …

Medication Assisted Treatment: Prescription Drug And Opioid Addiction Expansion Project, Mary Lindsey Smith Phd, Katharine Knight Mph, Mark Richards Bs, Tyler Egeland Ba, Evelyn Ali Bs

Substance Use Research & Evaluation

Greater Portland Health (GPH) in collaboration with Preble Street Resource Center was awarded a Medication Assisted Treatment: Prescription Drug & Opioid Addiction (MOUD-PDOA) grant from SAMHSA. The GPH MOUD-PDOA project will include a mixed-methods evaluation led by Catherine E. Cutler Institute. The evaluation team will build knowledge and provide feedback to inform the implementation and refinement of the GPH MOUD-PDOA Program.

Evaluation Goals:

• Document program strategies and identify barriers and facilitators to implementation
• Examine the efficacy of using a continuum of treatment services to increase access to MOUD among vulnerable populations in underserved communities
• Assess the impact of the intervention …

Law Library Blog (December 2022): Legal Beagle's Blog Archive, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Law Library Newsletters/Blog

No abstract provided.

Mental Health Needs Among Minority Aviation Students, Jorge L. D. Albelo Ph.D., Stacey Mcintire

Publications

Higher education, including science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, benefit our society and economic growth. However, overcoming gender disparity and increasing the retention of underrepresented minorities within these programs is challenging. Mental health across higher education has shown to be on the rise, and when it comes to the mental health needs of aviation students, research shows that underrepresented minorities experience unique challenges in achieving academic success. This paper focused on identifying aviation minority students' unique challenges in a small STEM university. This mixed-methods action research study collected quantitative data using an adapted version of the Counseling Center Assessment …

Does Social Pension Buy Improved Mental Health And Mortality Outcomes For Senior Citizens? Evidence From South Africa's 2008 Pension Reform, Cyprian Mostert, Diana Mackay, Alex Awiti, Manasi Kumar, Zul Merali

Brain and Mind Institute

In South Africa, men were traditionally eligible to receive government pensions at 65 years. However, that eligibility criterion was changed in 2008 to allow men to receive a pension payout at 60 years. This study is designed to quantify the impact of the 2008 pension reform on mental health outcomes (depression and traumatic stress) and deaths among 60-year-old men from disadvantaged households without advanced education. This analysis used secondary data issued by Statistic South Africa- General Household Survey. Men who reported earning a pension at 60 years from 2008 to 2014 were exposed to the 2008 pension reform and thus …

Cultural And Contextual Adaptation Of Mental Health Measures In Kenya: An Adolescent-Centered Transcultural Adaptation Of Measures Study, Vincent Nyongesa, Shillah Mwaniga, Joseph Kathono, Obadia Yator, Beatrice Madeghe, Sarah Kanana, Beatrice Amugune, Naomi Anyango, Darius Nyamai, Manasi Kumar

Brain and Mind Institute

Introduction: There is paucity of culturally adapted tools for assessing depression and anxiety in children and adolescents in low-and middle-income countries. This hinders early detection, provision of appropriate and culturally acceptable interventions. In a partnership with the University of Nairobi, Nairobi County, Kenyatta National Hospital, and UNICEF, a rapid cultural adaptation of three adolescent mental health scales was done, i.e., Revised Children’s Anxiety and Depression Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and additional scales in the UNICEF mental health module for adolescents.

Materials and methods: Using a qualitative approach, we explored adolescent participants’ views on cultural acceptability, comprehensibility, relevance, and completeness of …

Re-Imaging The Future In Urban Studies And Built Environment Discourse: A Neurourbanism Perspective, Emeka Ndaguba, Jua Cilliers, Sijekula Mbanga, Kerry Brown, Sumita Ghosh

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Neurological constructs are being applied in various fields; within urban studies and built environments, neurourbanism stands out. To understand this concept, this study seeks to conduct a scientometric analysis of the concept of neurourbanism. To do so, we gauged the intellectual structure and clarified the influencers and emerging themes while seeking to identify essential gaps in neurourbanism research in urban studies and the built environment. Data were sorted from Dimensions Artificial Intelligence platform because of its reliability in providing the needed dataset accurately, and the Citespace software was used to analyze the data. Our results suggest plurality in explaining the …

Mental Health, Substance Use, And The Importance Of Religion During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Ji-Yeun Park, Thushara Galbadage, Hyuna Lee, David C. Wang, Brent M. Peterson

Faculty Articles & Research

COVID-19 impacted multiple facets of life, with implications on physical, mental, and societal health. Specifically, long COVID and related losses have exacerbated complex and prolonged grief responses and mental disorders including depression and anxiety. These mental health concerns are in turn associated with increased detrimental coping strategies including substance use disorders (SUD). The social and interpersonal implications of SUD are varied. Secondary data analyses from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) collected during the COVID-19 pandemic revealed an increase in substance use behaviors and mental health problems. Self-reported religious activities had a positive meditating effect on reducing …

Nexus Between Animal Welfare, Environment, And Sustainable Development: Resource Document, Wellbeing International

Nexus – UNEP – Animal Welfare, Environment, Sustainable Development

This Resource Document has been developed to explore the Nexus (links) between Animal Welfare, the Environment, and Sustainable Development. The document includes relevant citations and reports addressing the topics encompassed by the Nexus. It will be maintained as a “living document” (subject to revision) in the WellBeing International Studies Repository. The original document and subsequent revisions will be kept in the Repository to provide a record of the changes.

Molecular Insights And Clinical Outcomes Of Drugs Of Abuse Adulteration: New Trends And New Psychoactive Substances, Annagiulia Di Trana, Diletta Berardinelli, Eva Montanari, Paolo Berretta, Giuseppe Basile, Marilyn A. Huestis, Francesco Paolo Busardò

Institute of Emerging Health Professions Faculty Papers

Adulteration is a well-known practice of drug manufacturers at different stages of drug production. The intentional addition of active ingredients to adulterate the primary drug may enhance or mask pharmacological effects or may produce more potent drugs to increase the number of available doses and the dealer's profit. Adulterants found in different drugs change over time in response to different factors. A systematic literature search in PubMed and Scopus databases and official international organizations' websites according to PRISMA guidelines was performed. A total of 724 studies were initially screened, with 145 articles from PubMed and 462 from Scopus excluded according …

Resilience And Prenatal Mental Health In Pakistan: A Qualitative Inquiry, Shireen Shehzad, David Arthur, An-Sofie Van Parys, Nicole Letourneau, Gail Wagnild, Shahirose Sadrudin Premji, Nargis Asad, Olivier Degomme

School of Nursing & Midwifery

Background: Women in Pakistan suffer from a high rate of depression. The stress of low-income, illiteracy, exposure to violence and living in a patriarchal society are predisposing vulnerabilities for depression, particularly during and following pregnancy. The resilience of an individual plays a significant role in promoting prenatal mental health, but this has yet to be thoroughly researched. In this article, our objective is to identify the core characteristics of resilience among pregnant women, which will then help us in developing an intervention.
Methods: The exploratory-descriptive study was conducted over 6 months in five different antenatal hospitals in Sindh, Pakistan. A …

The Student Athlete Wellness Portal: Translating Student Athletes’ Prescription Opioid Use Narratives Into A Targeted Public Health Intervention, Anne E. Pezalla, Hyejeong Choi, Francis Mckee, Michelle Miller-Day, Michael L. Hecht

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

Background and Objectives: The opioid epidemic has permeated all strata of society over the last two decades, especially within the adolescent student athletic environment, a group particularly at risk and presenting their own challenges for science and practice. This paper (a) describes the development of a web-based intervention called the Student Athlete Wellness Portal that models effective opioid misuse resistance strategies and (b) details the findings of a single-group design to test its effectiveness. Materials and Methods: Formative research included 35 student athletes residing in the United States, ages 14 to 21, who had been injured in their …

Depression Awareness Programs For Adolescents: A Scoping Review, Kincharska N. Freeman Msn, Aprn, Fnp-C, Cnor, Michelle Rickard Dnp, Cpnp-Ac

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

The purpose of this DNP project is to determine if receiving school-based depression awareness education affects the depression scores of adolescents between 10 and 19 years of age.

Exposure To Unpredictability And Mental Health: Validation Of The Brief Version Of The Questionnaire Of Unpredictability In Childhood (Quic-5) In English And Spanish, Natasha G. Lindert, Megan Y. Maxwell, Sabrina R. Liu, Hal S. Stern, Tallie Z. Baram, Elysia Poggi Davis, Victoria B. Risbrough, Dewleen G. Baker, Caroline M. Nievergelt, Laura M. Glynn

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Unpredictability is increasingly recognized as a primary dimension of early life adversity affecting lifespan mental health trajectories; screening for these experiences is therefore vital. The Questionnaire of Unpredictability in Childhood (QUIC) is a 38-item tool that measures unpredictability in childhood in social, emotional and physical domains. The available evidence indicates that exposure to unpredictable experiences measured with the QUIC predicts internalizing symptoms including depression and anxiety. The purpose of the present study was to validate English and Spanish brief versions (QUIC-5) suitable for administration in time-limited settings (e.g., clinical care settings, large-scale epidemiological studies). Five representative items were identified from …

Refugee Gardening: An Opportunity To Improve Economic Conditions, Food Security, And Mental Health, Laura-Anne Minkoff-Zern, Rashmi Gangamma, Bhavneet Walia, Anna Zoodsma

Population Health Research Brief Series

Every year, thousands of refugees enter the United States. Conditions prior to resettlement, such as exposure to conflict, persecution, and loss, as well as conditions after resettlement, such as isolation and adjustment to a new culture, impact refugee mental health, economic security, and food security. Refugee access to land and resources for gardening has been shown to have quality of life benefits, including enhanced food security and mental health outcomes. This research brief summarizes the results of a recent study that examined how community gardening may reduce food insecurity and adverse mental health among refugees living in Central New York. …

Understanding The Mental Health Impact And Needs Of Public Healthcare Professionals During Covid-19 In Pakistan : A Qualitative Study, Waqas Hameed, Anam Shahil Feroz, Bilal Iqbal Avan, Bushra Khan, Zafar Fatmi, Noreen Afzal, Hussain Jafri, Mansoor Ali Wassan, Sameen Siddiqi

Community Health Sciences

Objectives: A dearth of qualitative studies constrains in-depth understanding of health service providers' perspectives and experiences regarding the impact of COVID-19 on their mental health. This study explored the mental health impact and needs of of public sector healthcare workers during COVID-19 who working in secondary-level and tertiary-level healthcare settings of Pakistan.
Design: An exploratory qualitative study.
Setting: Twenty-five secondary-level and eight tertiary-level public hospitals of Sindh and Punjab provinces of Pakistan.
Participants: In-depth interviews were conducted with 16 health service providers and 40 administrative personnel. Study data were analysed on NVivo V.11 using the conventional content analysis technique.
Results: …

Exploring Graduate Student Mental Health And Service Utilization By Gender, Race, And Year In School, Mikhila N. Wildey, Meghan E. Fox, Kelly A. Machnik, Deborah Ronk

Peer Reviewed Articles

Objective: The current study explored differences in mental health problems, services utilization, and support of graduate students by gender, race/ethnicity, and year in school.

Participants: Participants consisted of 734 graduate students from a large, Midwestern university.

Methods: Graduate students answered a series of questionnaires in fall 2021 assessing their mental health, services utilization, and perception of services.

Results: Women (vs men) and participants in their second year and beyond (vs first year) reported greater mental health problems, negative impact of the pandemic, and more services utilization. White (vs non-White) participants reported greater negative impact of the pandemic, greater services utilization, …

精神病及癌症照顧者的社會支持及需要研究報告, Chak Kwan, Dickon Chan, Meng Soi, Florence Fong, Mun Yu, Vera Tang, Hiu Tung, Angel Chan, Sheung Wan, Wanda Wong, Mei Ling Lee

APIAS Research Report 研究報告

本研究旨在探討非正式照顧者在照顧60歲或以上受精神病或癌症困擾的家庭成員時遇到的困難、長時間照顧工作帶來的問題和他們的非正式社會支持。同時亦針對他們的需要提出相關建議。受精神問題及癌症困擾的年長患者數字持續上升，這兩類患者的非正式照顧者(下文統稱為照顧者)多面對因患者的情緒起伏和病情轉變化而帶來的巨大壓力。為深入了解他們的現況和為制定相關政策及服務提供參考，研究團隊以半結構性訪談的方法搜集了15位精神病及癌症患者的照顧者和17位服務提供者的意見。

研究結果發現，精神病患者照顧者常遇到的困難包括：缺乏私人空間、經濟壓力大、對相關疾病資訊不了解和因社會的負面標籤不願向外界求助。同時，他們因要長時間照顧患者，人際關係、身體狀況和就業狀況均受到負面影響。對於照顧癌症家屬的照顧者，他們多不了解現有的支援服務，而且需要面對沉重的經濟壓力。由於需要長時間照顧患者，照顧者的日常生活和心理狀況皆受到影響，他們與患者的關係轉差。這兩類照顧者的非正式社會支援網絡主要為家人、朋友及教會會友。

針對照顧者的需要，研究團隊提出了五個建議。一、加強公眾教育以去除社會對精神病患者的負面標籤，減低患者家人及照顧者對尋求外界協助的顧慮。二、增加暫託服務的資源和人手以縮短輪候時間，並推行以地區為本的照顧者「社區保姆」計劃，提供空間予照顧者暫時離開患者，以處理突發或私人事務。三、設立地區性照顧者服務中心，提供輔導服務，推行照顧者技巧培訓、經濟諮詢、喘息活動和「社區保姆」計劃，令到照顧者可以在同一個服務單位獲得所需的服務。四、政府可透過線上資源整合平台為照顧者提供相關照顧資訊，讓照顧者及其家庭更易知悉社會支援服務。對於年長的照顧者，建議政府可以在他們常出現或較容易接觸到的地方擺設攤位街站，派發相關小冊子。五、增加照顧者的經濟支援，提供「喘息及活動津貼」，並且將「照顧元素」融入經濟援助項目，使到綜援申請人和長者生活津貼領取人可獲得一定比率的照顧者津貼金額。

Patterns Of Suicide And Self-Harm In Pakistan: A Retrospective Descriptive Study Protocol, Nargis Asad, Summaiya Tariq, Asra Qureshi, Mohammad Zaman, Mustafa Aslam, Farhat Mirza, Murad Khan

Brain and Mind Institute

Introduction Suicide is a major global public health problem. Low-income and middle-income countries contribute 78% of all suicidal deaths. Pakistan, a South Asian country, lacks official statistics on suicides at national level. Statistics on suicide are neither collected nationally nor published in the annual national morbidity and mortality surveys. Medicolegal reports on suicides and self-harm are extremely rich and important source of information but greatly underused in Pakistan. We aim to examine the patterns of suicides and self-harm retrospectively in patients who were registered with medicolegal centres (MLCs) in Karachi, during the period January 2017 to December 2021.

Methods and …

Factors Associated With Loss Of Motivation And Hesitation To Work Amongst Frontline Health Care Providers During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Survey From A Developing Country, Mehreen Malik, Syeda Tayyaba Rehan, Farheen Malik, Jawad Ahmed, Chaudhary Abdul Fatir, Hassan Ul Hussain, Asiyah Aman, Muhammad Junaid Tahir

Department of Anaesthesia

Background: The COVID-19 took over the world in 2020 and a lockdown has been imposed seeing its fast spread. Frontline health care workers (HCWs) were reported frequently with a lack of motivation, hesitancy and unwillingness to perform their duties during this pandemic. This cross-sectional survey aims to evaluate the factors associated with lack of motivation and increased hesitancy among the frontline HCWs to perform their duties during COVID-19 pandemic.
Materials and methods: A total of 239 HCWs were included in this web-based cross-sectional study, who have worked during the COVID-19 pandemic. The anonymous online questionnaire was sent to all faculty, …