Psychiatric and Mental Health Commons^™

Alzheimer's Patients’ Mental Health During The Covid 19 Pandemic, Maryanna Schweininger, Yvonne Maduka, Ajh'shana Collins

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a degenerative brain disease caused by β Amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, which results in memory loss and cognitive decline. It is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Approximately 50% of those with AD experience some degree of depression during the course of the disease, which has been shown to accelerate functional decline, institutionalization, and even mortality.

Many who cannot care for themselves live in an assisted living facility or retirement home. Since the beginning of the COVID 19 pandemic, people have been urged to social distance in order to decrease the …

Mental Health And Covid-19, Haley Thiel

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

The recent pandemic has taken a toll on everyone’s mental health. Transitioning to full freedom and opportunity to lockdown with no human interaction was a huge adjustment. The global pandemic especially hit home to college students and had a significant impact on universities. In this paper we discuss and analyze how the pandemic has shifted college students mental health and the negative toll it had. We will examine how anxiety, depression, and other general mental health disorders have skyrocketed in college students during the pandemic. The need for reform and attention on college campuses to preserve students mental health is …

Associations Among Stress, Anxiety, Depression, And Emotional Intelligence Among Veterinary Medicine Students, Julia Wells, Kylie Watson, Robert E. Davis, Syed Siraj A. Quadri, Joshua R. Mann, Ashutosh Verma, Manoj Sharma, Vinayak K. Nahar

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

Background: Veterinary students are faced with immense pressures and rigors during school. These pressures have contributed to elevated levels of stress, anxiety, and depression (SAD) among veterinary students relative to the general population. One proposed concept to help students combat SAD is that of emotional intelligence (EI). We explored the relationship between EI and SAD among veterinary students at a college in the Southeast United States. Methods: A crosssectional study design was implemented among a convenience sample of 182 veterinary medical students. The survey instrument contained 56 items that elicited information about students’ demographics, perceived stress, anxiety, and depression, and …

The Influence Of Prenatal Yoga On Mental Health In Pregnancy During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Cathryn Duchette

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The COVID-19 pandemic poses risks to the mental health of expecting mothers as studies have demonstrated increased levels of stress and anxiety for new and expectant mothers during the pandemic. Prenatal yoga has been shown to be effective for improving mental health during pregnancy, but no research has been done to determine its effect on mental health during a pandemic. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of a 10-week prenatal yoga intervention on the mental health of pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Baseline levels of anxiety and depression were high, with an average depression score …

Suicide Prevention And Mood Disorders: Self-Exclusion Agreements For Firearms As A Suicide Prevention Strategy, Melvin G. Mcinnis, Stephen B. Thompson, Sofia D. Merajver, Carl E. Schneider

Articles

Suicide involves a complex set of behaviors and emotions that lead up to actions that may be based on planning and forethought or the result of impulse. While there are a host of antecedent circumstances the presence of a mood disorder, primarily depression, is the most common factor in suicide. While management of depression is recognized as important prevention strategy in depression, the means by which suicide occurs must be a critical element of prevention. Policies that lower access to the means for suicide will decrease the fatality. Guns are associated with half of suicides and the case fatality rate …

The Relationship Between Depression And Cardiovascular Disease, Jomaries O. Gomez

The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal

While there has been extensive research on the link between depression and cardiovascular disease, few reviews have summarized the array of findings. In this literature review, we examined approximately 50 clinical papers and research studies to determine if reducing depression could reduce the risk of having a cardiovascular incident and if reducing the severity of cardiovascular disease could reduce depression. We identified two major mechanisms through which depression affects the cardiovascular system. We present evidence that depression and cardiovascular disease may have a reciprocal relationship. For instance, depression is as much of a risk factor for heart disease as smoking …

Unmet Needs Are Associated With Increased Stress And Poor Physical And Mental Health In Early Adulthood, Colleen Heflin, Katie Green, Ying Huang, Asiya Validova

Population Health Research Brief Series

Material hardship, such as not being able to pay bills, negatively affects both physical and mental health. This research brief examines how different types of material hardship (difficulty paying for food, bills, and health care) are associated with self-rated health, depression, sleep problems, and suicidal thoughts among U.S. young adults (ages 24-32).

Chronic Use Of Non-Medical Abdominal Compressors: Medical And Psychological Implications, Sawsan Edriss, Bushra Azom, Manar Edriss, Mustafa Edriss, Ann-Cathrin Guertler, Eva Waineo Md, Diane L. Levine Md

Medical Student Research Symposium

The popularity of waist cinchers, shapewear, abdominal binders, corsets, and waist trainers has increased in the population. Although corsets have been part of western fashion since the 18th century, abdominal compressors remain in style even today. In 2018, sales for shapewear worldwide were estimated at 2.26 billion USD. 1 Despite its popularity, shapewear safety and medical effects have not been widely studied.

In 1968, “Pantygirdle Syndrome” was described, attributing vulvitis, urethritis, and urinary tract infections to materials used from the “pantygirdle”. 2 The article describes that the girdle caused gastrointestinal symptoms with diaphragmatic and stomach displacement causing gastro-esophageal reflux disease …

Associations Between Stress, Anxiety, Depression, And Emotional Intelligence Among Osteopathic Medical Students, Nicole A. Doyle, Robert E. Davis, Syed Siraj A. Quadri, Joshua R. Mann, Manoj Sharma, Richard M. Wardrop, Vinayak K. Nahar

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

Context: Stress, anxiety, and depression affect medical student populations at rates disproportionate to those of general student populations. Emotional intelligence (EI) has been suggested as a protective factor in association with psychological distress. Objective: To explore the relationships between EI and stress, anxiety, and depression among a sample of US osteopathic medical students. Methods: From February to March 2020, a convenience sample of medical students enrolled at an osteopathic medical school in the southeastern region of the United States were invited to complete a voluntary and anonymous 54-item online questionnaire that included sociodemo-graphic items as well as validated and reliable …

Punishing The Victim: Model Rule 1.16(A)(2) And Its Relation To Lawyers With Anxiety, Depression, And Bipolar Disorder, Daniel G. Esquivel

St. Mary's Journal on Legal Malpractice & Ethics

Abstract forthcoming.

A Predictable Home Environment May Protect Child Mental Health During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Laura M. Glynn, Elyssia Poggi Davis, Joan L. Luby, Tallie Z. Baram, Curt A. Sandman

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Objective

Information about the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescent and adult mental health is growing, yet the impacts on preschool children are only emerging. Importantly, environmental factors that augment or protect from the multidimensional and stressful influences of the pandemic on emotional development of young children are poorly understood.

Methods

Depressive symptoms in 169 preschool children (mean age 4.1 years) were assessed with the Preschool Feelings Checklist during a state-wide stay-at-home order in Southern California. Mothers (46% Latinx) also reported on externalizing behaviors with the Strengths & Difficulties Questionnaire. To assess the role of environmental factors in …

Effectiveness Of Two Frequently Used Screening Tools In Identifying Depression And Anxiety In Collegiate Athletes, Adriana C. Isacke Do, Amy Haskins Phd, Christina Holt Md, Msc, Williams Dexter Md, Facsm

Journal of Maine Medical Center

Introduction: To determine whether the Electronic Pre-participation Physical Examination (EPPE), a proprietary and frequently used tool, is an effective method for depression and anxiety screening in the collegiate athlete population as compared to the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4).

Methods: College athletes at a Division III university completed PHQ-4 questionnaires and a proprietary EPPE. Positive reponse rates to depression and/or anxiety for both questionnaires were collected and analyzed with a kappa (κ) statistic.

Results: Among 420 students, we found that 9 (2%) reported depression and/or anxiety via the EPPE. Of the 26 students (6%) who answered positively on the PHQ-4, we …

A Protocol For Improving Early Recognition And Treatment Of Bipolar Disorder, Zelluyah Gaitho

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

In bipolar disorder, patients present to a clinician during depressive episodes often leading to a misdiagnosis. In turn, this could lead to inappropriate treatment. This failure to diagnose could be attributed to lack of use of validated screening tools and deviation from clinical guidelines. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to develop a protocol that will help improve early recognition and treatment of bipolar disorder by using the Mood Disorder Questionnaire. A training program was developed to increase knowledge on the proper use of the Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ) and the Quality-of-Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire-Short Form (Q-LES-Q-SF). …

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

Dartmouth College Undergraduate Theses

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

Comparing The Trends Of Postpartum Depression Screening Scores During And Before The Covid-19 Pandemic, Elif S. Duran, Dung Dang, Tony Ogburn

MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years

Introduction:

Postpartum depression includes major and minor depressive disorders affecting women in the time period after childbirth. The studies reviewed in our literature found that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the risk of postpartum depression for women. Our study location, the Rio Grande Valley is one of the hardest-hit locations by the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Our patient population is also one with the higher risk factors for postpartum depression. As such, we are expecting the psychological impact of the pandemic to be even more magnified, and thus, actions need to be taken to support the vulnerable population …

Improving Employee Mental Health: Addressing Depression At The Workplace, Gerald G. Chia Dr.

DNP Scholarly Projects

Abstract Background: Depression is a serious mental health challenge in the US. As frontline workers who are responsible for taking care of a myriad of patients daily, health workers are usually exposed to depressive situations which eventually results in them developing the mental health condition. The purpose of the current project was, therefore, to develop an intervention which helps to improve employee mental health in healthcare settings with focus on depression and examine workplace factors which influence depression among employees of the Outpatient Mental Health Clinic in Washington District of Columbia. Methods: A pre-intervention survey was conducted among 43 employees. …

Differences In Smoking Behaviors And Readiness To Change For Patients With Copd And Differing Categories Of Depression, Jessica M. Floyd

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death in the world. Depression is a common comorbidity of COPD and affects patient outcomes and smoking cessation. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe factors influencing smoking behaviors and readiness to change in patients with comorbid COPD and depression.

Aims: The research question that guided this study was, “What are the relationships among smoking, COPD, and depression?” The following aims stemmed from the research question: to describe the characteristics of a convenience sample of people living with COPD and differing categories of depression who …

Social Media And Mental Health In Adolescents And Young Adults: A Systematic Review, Dawn Ritter, Kimberly Ray, Celia Keefe

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The goal of our project is to increase understanding of the link between social media use and mental illness in teens and young adults. Our objective is to write a systematic review of the literature to answer the PICOT questions: (1) In teens and adults, younger than 25 years, what is the relationship between social media use and mental illness? (2) In teens and adults, younger than 25 years, what is the effect of interventions, such as social media as a resource, on mental health promotion and well-being? The motivation for our project comes from the increased use of social …

The Effects Of Music Therapy On Older Adults With Dementia: A Systematic Review, Sydney Swogger, Kahli Throckmorton

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Older adults with dementia experience difficulties throughout the progression of the disease, including decreased quality of life and mental health (Weise et al., 2018). Nonpharmacological interventions, such as music therapy and music listening, may be one solution to affect mental health outcomes in this population. The two authors seek to answer the following PICOT formatted question: In older adults, ages 65 and older, with dementia, how does music therapy, compared with treatment as usual, affect depression and anxiety? Twenty primary sources, published from 2014 to 2019, were reviewed and critically appraised. The sources were diverse with regards to country of …

The Harm In Seeking Care: Assessing The Relationship Between Healthcare Discrimination And Healthcare Avoidance Behaviors In The Past Year And Since The Start Of The Coronavirus Pandemic In A Transgender And Gender Independent Sample, Kyle L. Mason

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Gender minorities encounter a myriad of barriers to accessing general and gender affirming healthcare. Financial disparities impacting affordability of healthcare costs and insurance-based denials for gender-affirming care are among prominent barriers discussed. Considerations of the prevalence of stigma, discrimination, and erasure of gender minority identities must not be neglected when seeking to understand healthcare accessibility and utilization in this population. Previous researchers have examined gender minority patients’ experiences of discrimination in healthcare settings and delaying care due to fear of discrimination. There is a dearth of knowledge about the relationship between lifetime exposure to varied forms of healthcare discrimination …

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

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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

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

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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

Ambivalence Over Emotion Expression And The Effects Of Religious Coping In African American Christians, Anya Loraine Dobbs

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African Americans are 10% more likely than non-Hispanic Whites to report having serious mental health issues from psychological stressors. Mental health concerns, such as depression and anxiety, that arise from psychological stressors, are more than likely to go untreated in African Americans. African Americans are more likely to turn to religion- their church, their pastors, and fellow parishioners to address these concerns. Religion and religious coping has influenced African Americans’ attitudes regarding help-seeking and mental health treatment, with the “Black Church” historically being a source of many things, including mental health care. Pargament’s theory of religious coping served as a …

Mindfulness Based Stress Interventions In Physician Assistant Programs, Lucas Vance

Physician Assistant Capstones, 2020-current

Mindfulness based interventions (MBI) have been used successfully in a variety of venues from the treatment of chronic pain to reducing stress in the workplace. The benefits of MBI programs that have been studied range from self-reported anxiety, depression, and empathy levels to levels of cortisol¹ to amygdala changes seen on magnetic resonance imaging.² MBI programs have been studied in pre-medical, medical, and graduate schools, as well as, nursing programs, and generalized healthcare cohorts.

Investigating The Psychological Impact Of Covid-19 Among Healthcare Workers: A Meta-Analysis, Kavita Batra, Tejinder Pal Singh, Manoj Sharma, Ravi Batra, Nena Schvaneveldt

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Previous meta-analyses were conducted during the initial phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, which utilized a smaller pool of data. The current meta-analysis aims to provide additional (and updated) evidence related to the psychological impact among healthcare workers. The search strategy was developed by a medical librarian and bibliographical databases, including Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Scopus were searched for studies examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological health of healthcare workers. Articles were screened by three reviewers. Heterogeneity among studies was assessed by I2 statistic. The random-effects model …

Wicked Problems: Depression, Sebastian Wendolowski

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

Depression is a disorder that can affect anybody and is the leading cause of disability and disorders in the United States. This year, due to COVID-19, it has hit an all time high, affecting many more people. Suicide rates have been steadily growing across all ages, and this year is at a record high too, showing correlation with depression. There are two types of depression, major depressive disorder and chronic depressive disorder. Diagnosis of depression is typically done physically or through a questionnaire, which is compared into a DSM-5. There are many risk factors for depression and other common mental …

Changes In Depression And Physical Activity Among College Students On A Diverse Campus After A Covid-19 Stay-At-Home Order, Courtney Coughenour, Maxim Gakh, Jennifer R. Pharr, Timothy Bungum, Sharon Jalene

School of Public Health Faculty Research

The numerous negative health impacts of COVID-19, which include expected changes to psychiatric illness and physical activity (PA), are disproportionately distributed in the United States. Mental illnesses and physical inactivity are prevalent among U.S. college students. This study examined whether there was a change in minutes of PA and depression scores after a stay-at-home order and examined predictors of these changes. An online survey was sent to all undergraduate and graduate students attending a large, diverse university via an electronic newsletter. The survey requested information about demographic and academic data, cardiorespiratory fitness, and depression symptoms. Paired t-tests and logistic regression …

Covid-19, Anxiety, And Depression: Evidence From The U.S. Household Pulse Survey, Xiaoyan Zhang

Population Health Research Brief Series

A large share of U.S. adults report feelings of anxiety and depression during COVID-19. The interactive figure allows you to explore demographic differences in reports of depression and anxiety among U.S. adults during COVID-19.

Scope Of Attention Variation As A Function Of Anxiety And Depression, Kathleen Anne O'Donnell

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

As a social species, correct emotional perception is so vital, that the human brain has evolved a mechanism to control attentional choices by exerting a narrowed field of perception during danger, called the scope of attention (SoA). The SoA determines what information will be focused on or ignored by blocking the perception of non-relevant items and increasing selective focus on danger; even if danger is merely a sad-face. The emotional items blocked from perception cannot be remembered because they were never perceived. But, attention-control to emotional stimuli also varies with mood, as seen in mood-disorders. A mood-disorder’s effect upon the …

Mental Health Screening For Low Income Adolescents: An Evidence-Based Project, Allison Bryden

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Abstract

TITLE: Mental Health Screening For Low-Income Adolescents

BACKGROUND: Nearly 80% of adolescents in the United States will suffer from a mental illness and not receive evaluation or services. Children from low socio-economic backgrounds have an increased risk of mental health disorders which permeate into adulthood, leading to additional negative sequel and lower quality of life. Among adolescent mental health conditions, depression and anxiety are the most common. Literature has suggested provider intuition alone has low sensitivity and specificity for detecting mental illness and that screening tools are indicated.

PURPOSE: The aim of this project is to implement standardized routine …