Mental and Social Health Commons^™

Evaluation Of Possible Suicide Attempt And Treatment Of Chronic Serotonin Syndrome: A Case Report, Lalitya Karra, Colin Villarin

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

No abstract provided.

Health Data And Policy Related To Methamphetamine-Use Suicide In Mississippi, Mary C. Drane

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research is to investigate how methamphetamine use in Mississippi, especially in its rural areas, intersects with public health, policy, and suicide outcomes in the state. Mississippi's methamphetamine crisis has evolved significantly, shifting from locally produced drugs to cartel-supplied crystal methamphetamine, while state and federal policies have struggled to keep pace with the scale and complexity of the problem. Using a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, this research analyzed CDC Wonder multiple causes of death data and SAMHSA Treatment Episode Data Set Admissions (TEDS-A) data from 2018 to 2024 alongside four qualitative key informant interviews with stakeholders across …

Hospital-Presenting Self-Harm And Suicide Among Justice-Involved Adolescents On Community-Based Orders: A Population-Based Cohort Study, Emaediong I. Akpanekpo, George Karystianis, Jocelyn Jones, Tony Butler

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective To estimate the incidence and identify risk factors for hospital-presenting self-harm and suicide among justice-involved adolescents serving community-based orders in New South Wales, Australia. Method We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study of 44,887 adolescents aged 10–17 years at first proven offence who received community-based orders between 1994 and 2020. Hospital and emergency department records were linked with mortality, child protection, and justice data. Cox regression estimated hazard ratios (HRs) for self-harm, and Fine-Gray models estimated subdistribution HRs for suicide, accounting for competing risks. Results Over 163,676 person-years, 1901 adolescents had a first self-harm episode (11.6 per 1000 person-years), …

The State Of Mental Health In The Mountain West, 2025, Cason Noll, Anirudh Polagani, Taylor Volk, Olivia K. Cheche, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet presents data on the mental health of youth and adults, as well as the availability of mental health care, across the five Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah in 2025. The data are derived from "The State of Mental Health in America 2025,” originally published by Mental Health America (MHA).

Older Adults And Suicide: Protective Pathways To Apply Shores In Counseling, Anna A. Ellenson, Jenny L. Cureton

Adultspan Journal

Older adult suicide (OAS) is a growing concern as the U.S. population continues to age and access to counseling expands. Despite legal and ethical requirements, counselors are often underprepared to address suicide in later life, especially through the lens of suicide protective factors (SPFs). This conceptual article introduces SHORES, a research-informed mnemonic (Skills and strategies for coping, Hope, Objections to suicide, Reasons for living/Restriction of means, Engaged care, and Support), to help counselors assess, intervene, and plan treatment with older adults. We review literature on OAS, highlight gaps in counselor training, and provide an application guide for using SHORES with …

Prevention Of Suicide As Perceived By Educated Adults In Ondo Metropolis, Ondo State, Nigeria, Margaret Kehinde Soetan

Buletin Konseling Inovatif

This study investigated prevention of suicide as perceived by educated adults in Ondo metropolis, Ondo State, Nigeria. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for this study. Population of the study consisted of all educated adults in Ondo metropolis, Ondo State. The sample comprised two hundred (200) educated adults randomly selected from the metropolis. Structured questionnaire was used as instrument to collect data for the study. Data collected was analysed using mean, ranking, t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results revealed the perception of prevention of suicide as giving people hope for a better life after current problems are resolved, …

A Content Analysis Of Prison/Custodial Suicide In Bangladesh, Anisur Khan, Rasel Hussain

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Suicide is the leading cause of death in prisons and custodial settings globally. International studies have consistently shown that prisoners and detainees are at a higher risk of suicide compared to the general population. Despite Bangladesh having a large prison population, there is no scholarly work on suicide within these settings. Against this backdrop, this study explored online newspaper content analysis capturing the characteristics of prison and custodial suicide in Bangladesh from 2014–2024. A total of 20 suicide cases were identified during this period. The data were arranged based on year-wise trends, age, sex, type of custody, nature of criminality, …

Caregiver Perceptions, Knowledge, And Likelihood To Intervene With Suicidal Youth, Amber L. Willwerth

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study utilized an online survey to target primary caregivers of a child aged 5-18. The survey highlighted factors regarding caregiver involvement in suicide prevention efforts, such as their knowledge, comfort and confidence intervening with a youth experiencing suicidality, and barriers to doing so. It was found that caregivers who had experienced suicide prevention training reported higher levels of comfort and confidence intervening with their own child and another child than those who had not, as well as lower levels of worry. Higher levels of education were also found to predict lower levels of worry, suggesting that further training and …

Seeking Existential Meaning In The “Sea Of Trees:” A Qualitative Exploration In The Depths Of Japan’S Aokigahara “Suicide” Forest, Sophia Bates

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This thesis explores the intercultural perceptions of suicidality and the role that these perceptions have on meaning of life in Japanese culture through an exploratory, autoethnographic analysis of my journey walking through Japan’s Aokigahara “suicide” Forest. In June 2024, I traveled to Fujikawaguchiko, Japan to conduct an autoethnographic analysis of my experiences walking through Aokigahara Forest using shinrin-yoku and mindful walking (Jung, 2014) as supplemental research methodologies to make empirical observations and take notes on my journey walking through suicide forest as an embodied sensory experience. Drawing upon the research and ideas of cultural anthropologist and existential philosopher Ernest Becker, …

A Program Evaluation: Insomnia In Adults With Major Depression Disorder With Cognitive Behavioral Therapy For Insomnia (Cbt-I), Taylor E. Wilson

Dissertations

Abstract

Problem: In 2023, Compass Health Network (CHN) data analysts found that 91% of CHN patients in the United States who have died by suicide reported problems with sleep, which was the highest risk factor for suicide. The objective of this program evaluation project is to evaluate CHN CBT-I effectiveness on patients ‘suicidality by improving their insomnia.

Methods: CHN quality improvement (QI) project used a quantitative method pre/post score design. Quantitative aggregate data was collected on the participants who met the inclusion criteria via retrospective and prospective chart review prior to CHN implementing the intervention. CBT-I clinicians collected PHQ-9, Columbia-Suicide …

Exploring Predictors Of Treatment Response To Glp-1 Receptor Agonists For Smoking Cessation, Luba Yammine, Constanza De Dios, Robert Suchting, Charles E Green, David A Nielsen, Consuelo Walss-Bass, Joy M Schmitz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Understanding predictors of smoking cessation medication efficacy facilitates the ability to enhance treatment effectiveness. In our pilot trial, exenatide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, adjunct to nicotine patch improved smoking abstinence compared to nicotine patch alone. This secondary analysis explores potential baseline characteristics associated with differential treatment response to exenatide.

Aims and methods: The parent trial randomized (1:1) 84 smokers with prediabetes and/or overweight to once-weekly placebo or exenatide, 2 mg, subcutaneously. All participants received nicotine patch (21 mg) and brief smoking cessation counseling, with biologically confirmed 7-day point prevalence abstinence at week 6 (end-of-treatment) deemed the primary outcome. …

Assessment Of Mental Wellbeing Programs In The Construction Industry, Evan James Olszak

Construction Management

Mental health problems are very prevalent within the construction industry, and there is not enough attention put towards the mental wellbeing of employees in the industry. The construction industry is ranked #2 for deaths by suicide, and #1 when mining and extraction are included (CDC, 2021). Previous research has been done to understand the severity of the issue, and some programs have been started to spread awareness and train employees. The issue arises in a lack of analysis of these programs. The programs that are being used are still in their infancy and require a comprehensive review to understand the …

Interacting Immediate And Long-Term Action Regulation In Suicidal Behavior, Nicholas Murphy, George Kypriotakis, Marijn Lijffijt, Sidra Iqbal, Tabish Iqbal, Dania Amarneh, Brittany O'Brien, Amanda Tamman, Ynhi Thomas, Nidal Moukaddam, Thomas R Kosten, Lynnette A Averill, Sanjay Mathew, Alan C Swann

Staff and Researcher Publications

Background: Suicide is a prominent cause of death across the lifespan, especially between 10 and 34 years old. Most suicides are first attempts, during crises with unpredictably fluctuating risk, arising insidiously from mechanisms related to long-term exposure to psycho-bio-social risk factors. Identifying susceptibility from interacting immediate and long-term mechanisms of action regulation could prevent suicidal crises.

Methods: We investigated interacting immediate and long-term regulation of action in risk for suicide. Immediate processes were assessed through affective and behavioral symptoms and a computer measure of impaired action-regulation, the Immediate Memory Task (IMT). Long-term processes included history of trauma, stress, and addictive …

Burnout And Self-Efficacy: Exploring The Rewards And Challenges Faced By Crisis Counselors Working In Emergency Department Settings, Ellen Dotas

Dissertations, 2020-current

This dissertation explores burnout and self-efficacy in counselors who work with clients in crisis in emergency department settings. Mental health and emergency departments are two areas that tend to report higher levels of burnout than are reported in other occupational fields. While much research has been done on the topics of burnout and self-efficacy, limited information is available about counselors who work in these crisis roles. This dissertation follows a three-manuscript format and includes a conceptual, qualitative, and quantitative manuscript. The conceptual manuscript explores the nature of the crisis assessment itself, focusing on the area of risk assessment. The qualitative …

The Sun Shines Beyond The Mountains: The Creation Of A Suicidality Needs Assessment For Lesotho, Layhla Currier

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The country of Lesotho has the highest suicide mortality rate in the world. Although this is true, there has seldom been research into the cause of this astronomical rate, and even less evaluating how to address the issue. This study focused on the analysis of available data to better understand the possible causes of the high suicide rate in Lesotho. Additionally, a suicidality needs assessment was created to collect data regarding mental health, social support, risk factors, and previous suicidality from Basotho (moniker for residents of Lesotho) in a non-stigmatizing way. Two varying suicidality assessments were used to create this …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 100, No. 3, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

Magazine edition of the College Heights Herald for the period February 17 - April 20, 2025.

• Wilborn, Price. You Matter & You Are Not Alone
• Smith, Kane. Peggy Crowe Reflects on Counseling Center in Face of Staff Shortages
• Stafford, Hallie. Help with Horses – New Beginnings Therapeutic Horse Riding
• Hawkins, Kaylee. How a WKU Professor Helps Improve Student Mental Health – Jay Gabbard, National Alliance on Mental Illness Recovery Support Group
• McMahon, Jake. More Than a Coach – Brent Chumbley, Track & Field
• Simpson, Libby. WKU’s American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Brings Mental Health Into the Light
• Hardesty, Emma. Trans …

Cultural And Religious Perspectives On Suicide And Healing, Arielle Friedman

be Still

This essay is built off of a paper I wrote in a college global health course on culture and mental illness. I have always been fascinated by cultural interpretations of illness & believe that as a future physician, it is my responsibility to educate myself and others on the complex interplay between religious ideologies & recognition/management of biological disease in order to provide appropriate patient-centered care.

Personality Factors Associated With Manner Of Death: A Psychological Autopsy Study, Christopher I Gurguis, Scott D Lane, Edison Leung, Joy M Schmitz, Consuelo Walss-Bass, Thomas D Meyer

Staff and Researcher Publications

Psychological autopsies are a well-established tool for understanding contributing factors in suicide completion. These tools have been used less often to understand personality characteristics of people with other manners of death (e.g. overdose). This study examined personality characteristics related to the manner of death in 83 autopsy cases using the UTHealth Psychological Autopsy Interview Schedule (UTH-PAIS), a psychological autopsy which assesses the presence of mental illness or substance use disorder but also includes items to capture transdiagnostic personality factors. Exploratory factor analysis of the items assessing personality factors was used to examine patterns in personality, and these factors were confirmed …

Gatekeeper Perspectives On Suicide Prevention, Anne Woolston

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Suicide is a profound public health problem across the United States that has lasting effects on individuals, families, and their communities (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], n.d.b). Suicide affects all ages and is a serious concern across the life span. However, rates of suicidality are higher among youth. Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death among people 55 to 64 years of age, the fourth leading cause of death for people 35 to 54 years of age, and the second leading cause of death for people 10 to 34 years of age (CDC, n.d.a). Recently, more attention …

Investigating Suicide Risk Factors Among Appalachian West Virginian Adults, Erin D. Caswell, Angela M. Dyer, Summer D. Hartley, Caroline P. Groth, Mary Christensen, Sahiti K. Tulabandu, Bryce K. Weaver, Ruchi Bhandari

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Suicide rates in the United States have increased over the past two decades, with rural areas, particularly the Appalachian Region, facing unique challenges that elevate suicide risk. These include economic hardships, social isolation, and limited access to mental health services.

Purpose: This study addresses critical gaps in understanding lifetime suicide risk in West Virginia (WV), a predominantly rural state entirely within the Appalachian Region. By identifying the factors driving urban-rural differences in suicide risk, this research seeks to inform interventions tailored to the state's distinct needs and provide insights applicable to the broader Appalachian Region

Methods: Using 2021 Mountain …

Is Suicide Among The Elderly Population Warranted Or Preventable, Ericka King

CSU Tower Day

Tower Day 2025 Undergraduate Poster 2nd place Winner

Growing old is perceived differently among world cultures. In some cultures, elders are revered and celebrated. However, in other cultures, growing old is dreaded and feared. Current Western culture depicts aging negatively through media, beauty marketing, and in general society. The elderly population is also a lost population as they are often forgotten about and overlooked. With aging comes with illness, depression, change in activities of daily living, financial stressors, isolation, societal changes, and death of loved ones, and eventually self. Chronic illness(es) can make it harder for the elderly to maintain …

Recognizing Adult Male Mental Health Needs: An Intervention Looking At Education In Rural Communities, Eugene W. Winans Jr

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

This DNP Project examined the role of student nurses and their confidence levels when assisting adult male patients experiencing a mental health crisis. The majority of suicide acts are attributed to men. Thus, this subject requires specific insight and instructions when it comes to proper ways to assist these patients. Incorporating evidence from a pre-test and post-test survey, this project demonstrates that student nurses lack confidence in how to deal with men who are experiencing a mental health crisis. The analysis gained from this project demonstrates the important role nurses play in recognizing, speaking to, and assisting in the treatment …

An Analysis Of Alcohol, Mental Health, And Suicide, Motassem Bayyoud, Megan Galluch

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Suicide rates in Montana, Iowa, Ohio, and New Jersey vary strongly and encompass the wide range seen across all fifty states in America. Previous research has told us that there is a significant relationship between Alcohol Use Disorder and the ideation, attempt, and completion of suicide. Additionally, most people who are victims of suicide suffer from mental disorders. People use alcohol to cope with mental health and alcohol leads to deteriorating and adverse outcomes in a person’s life. To attempt to better understand the relationship between these variables and why suicide rates differ so widely, an analysis of binge drinking, …

Effectiveness Of Post-Discharge Interventions Following Psychiatric Hospitalization On Readmissions And Suicide Prevention Among Adolescents, Maria Paz Eladia Posadas

Nursing | Student Research Posters

Background: Suicide is a pervasive and far-reaching issue. Psychiatric hospitalization is often used as an intervention for individuals, including adolescents, experiencing suicidal ideation and/or behavior. However, post-discharge care may lack structure or clearly defined follow-up services, which can result in rehospitalizations and increased suicidality. Objective: The goal of the proposed research study is to investigate how implementation of peer support groups for adolescents following psychiatric hospitalization can assist in reducing readmissions and mitigating suicide risk. This can also help shape strategies for managing care after discharge. Method: The proposed research study utilizes a quantitative quasi-experimental design to determine the efficacy …

Multidisciplinary Lethal Means Safety Counseling Design And Implementation: Training And Identifying Barriers In A Children's Hospital, Cassandra L. Stegall, Brendon Carnell, Jaime M. Golden, Rupa Kapoor, John H. Fanton, Paul C. Mullan, Alexandra P. Leader

Department of Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Background

Access to lethal means contributes significantly to suicide completion. Lethal means safety counseling (LMSC) is an injury prevention strategy to limit access to firearms, medications, and other means of injury. Not previously evaluated in the trauma setting, this study aims to design and implement a standardized LMSC protocol for pediatric patient discharge education in emergency (ED), trauma, and inpatient psychiatry settings.

Methods

A single-center quality improvement study at an academic pediatric urban tertiary Level-one trauma center was performed from July 2023 to February 2024. Protocol was implemented for pediatric patients discharged from three departments: ED, surgery trauma service, and …

Mental Health Trends Among African American High School Students, Alexis Heard

Theses and Dissertations

Adolescent mental health is a major public health issue in the U.S., with African American high school students facing a rapidly worsening crisis. While all youth show increasing rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidality, African American adolescents are at greater risk due to systemic racism, socioeconomic inequality, community violence, and limited access to culturally responsive care. Few national studies have examined mental health trends among this group. This study (1) examines 2011–2021 trends in persistent sadness/hopelessness, suicidal ideation, suicide planning, and suicide attempts among African American high school students; (2) explores gender differences; and (3) compares these patterns to national …

Opportunities To Address Health Disparities In Suicidality For Sexual And Gender Minority Youth In Public Systems, Dana M. Prince, Kathleen Lewis, Peter S. Hovmand

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Extension Agents’ Perceptions Of Community Readiness For Farm Stress And Suicide Prevention Efforts, Paula Yuma, Melissa Pearman Fenton, Lorann Stallones, Morgan Valley

Transforming Communities

The aim of the present study is to describe how Extension Agents in rural Colorado perceive their communities’ readiness to engage with farm stress and suicide prevention services and resources. Interviews were conducted with Extension Agents from five Colorado counties experiencing high suicide rates. Interview questions were based on a Community Readiness for Community Change framework, and inductive analysis was used to generate themes from the data. Results demonstrate that while prevention efforts are underway, community awareness remains low. In addition to structural barriers associated with rurality (e.g., lack of mental health providers), stigma remains a significant barrier to help-seeking. …

Understanding The Transitional Needs Of Servicemembers To Veterans: A Focus On Mental, Social, And Behavioral Health, Marieann C. Raguso

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to fill the gaps on the transitional American veterans’ lived experience using their own voice. The reconstruction of an American Veteran’s identity after transitioning back into civilian life is a process with many challenges. Transitional practices often fail to help veterans to acculturate back into the civilian world. This includes the formulation of identities and associations. There is a lack of consistency in military transitional practices leading to identity loss and the formulation of mental and behavioral disorders. The aim of this study is to examine the lived experiences of veterans who have transitioned back …

Addressing Adolescent Suicide In South Korea, Alyssa Kang

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Suicide is a prevalent issue that widely affects all demographics in South Korea. Among adolescents, it is the leading cause of mortality with an average rate of 7 deaths per 100,000 people. Some of the most significant factors that influence the risk of suicidal ideation and attempts are cultural stigma and academic stress. Other factors, such as bullying and family structure, also increase the likelihood of suicide, while specific characteristics including internet addiction, socioeconomic status, and substance abuse have been found to be predictors of suicide. Adolescent suicide attempts in Korea also increase the individual's risk for future attempts, and …