Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™
Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Keyword
-
- Veterans (25)
- Mental health (15)
- Mental Health (13)
- Employment (10)
- Opioid Crisis (10)
-
- Research brief (10)
- COVID-19 (9)
- Depression (9)
- Military (7)
- Coronavirus (5)
- Substance Use (5)
- Suicide (5)
- Anxiety (4)
- Children (4)
- Combat (4)
- Demography (4)
- Education (4)
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (4)
- Substance abuse (4)
- Substance use (4)
- Alcohol (3)
- Health and wellness (3)
- Opioids (3)
- Population Health (3)
- Research briefs (3)
- Women veterans (3)
- Adolescence (2)
- Child Health (2)
- Civilian reintegration (2)
- Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) (2)
- Publication Year
- Publication
- Publication Type
Articles 1 - 30 of 82
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
States’ Covid-19 Restrictions Were Associated With Increases In Drug Overdose Deaths In 2020, Douglas A. Wolf, Shannon M. Monnat, Jennifer Karas Montez, Emily E. Wiemers, Elyse Grossman
States’ Covid-19 Restrictions Were Associated With Increases In Drug Overdose Deaths In 2020, Douglas A. Wolf, Shannon M. Monnat, Jennifer Karas Montez, Emily E. Wiemers, Elyse Grossman
Population Health Research Brief Series
Drug overdoses surged in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic. Public health experts raised concerns in the pandemic’s early months about how the pandemic and the policies enacted to stem it might increase overdose risk. This brief summarizes the findings of a paper that used national data to identify how states’ COVID-19 policies affected drug overdose rates among U.S. adults ages 25-64 during the first year of the pandemic. Results show that counties located in states that adopted more aggressive in-person activity restrictions experienced larger increases in 2020 than counties located in states with fewer limitations. State economic support policies …
The U.S. Military Does Not Adequately Prepare Members For Transition From Service, Emily Graham
The U.S. Military Does Not Adequately Prepare Members For Transition From Service, Emily Graham
Population Health Research Brief Series
Nearly 250,000 U.S. military members transition out of service each year. The Transition Assistance Program (TAP) provides information, tools, and training to prepare service members for their transition to civilian life. However, nearly half of veterans say the military did not adequately prepare them for their transition from service. This issue brief highlights the shortcomings of veteran transition programs, like TAP, and provides recommendations for improving transition outcomes through more holistic programs.
Older Adults Are At Greater Risk Of Opioid Use Disorder In Communities With High Social Vulnerability, Tse-Chuan Yang, Seulki Kim, Stephen A. Matthews, Carla Shoff
Older Adults Are At Greater Risk Of Opioid Use Disorder In Communities With High Social Vulnerability, Tse-Chuan Yang, Seulki Kim, Stephen A. Matthews, Carla Shoff
Population Health Research Brief Series
The prevalence of opioid use disorder (OUD) among older adults has increased and imposes a heavy burden on the health care system in the United States. This brief summarizes findings from a study that used data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to examine how county characteristics contributed to the prevalence of OUD among Medicare beneficiaries age 65+ in U.S. counties in 2021. They found that the prevalence of OUD among these adults is higher in counties with more place-level social vulnerability (e.g., socioeconomic disadvantage, high housing cost burden).
Asian Americans Have Relatively Low Anxiety But Experienced Large Increases In Anxiety Between 2020 And 2022, Tianqi Zhou
Asian Americans Have Relatively Low Anxiety But Experienced Large Increases In Anxiety Between 2020 And 2022, Tianqi Zhou
Population Health Research Brief Series
Anxiety has harmful effects on physical health. This new data slice uses data from the 2020-2022 National Health Interview Surveys to measure the anxiety levels among adults ages 18+ by race and ethnicity in the United States. Results show that Asian adults have lower average anxiety levels than other ethnoracial groups, but they experienced the largest increase in average anxiety levels between 2020 and 2022.
The Federal Government Must Revise Public Housing Policies To Protect Vulnerable Populations From Evictions, Caroline Grabowski
The Federal Government Must Revise Public Housing Policies To Protect Vulnerable Populations From Evictions, Caroline Grabowski
Population Health Research Brief Series
Over 100,000 Americans are now dying from drug overdoses annually, signifying that the goal of the 1986 Anti-Drug Abuse Act (ADAA) to end illicit drug use has not been achieved. What’s more, numerous statutes within the ADAA have created or worsened housing instability among people who use drugs and their families. This is because the ADAA allows public housing officials to use their own discretion when determining evictions and lease refusals and has disproportionately harmed individuals in public housing who did not participate in the drug-related activities that led to their eviction. This brief describes how the ADAA negatively affects …
Serving Those Who Served: Renegotiating Support And Benefits For U.S. Military Veterans With Less Than Honorable Discharges, Mariah Brennan, Emily Graham
Serving Those Who Served: Renegotiating Support And Benefits For U.S. Military Veterans With Less Than Honorable Discharges, Mariah Brennan, Emily Graham
Population Health Research Brief Series
Approximately 1 in 7 veterans are discharged from the military under less than “Honorable” conditions. Veterans with less than “Honorable” discharges experience bias and stigma related to their discharge, which can lead to elevated risk for behavioral and mental health challenges and homelessness. This brief summarizes the different military discharge types, explains how less than “Honorable” discharges can affect veteran health, identifies groups of veterans who are at risk of receiving a less than “Honorable” discharge, and makes policy recommendations for the Department of Defense (DoD), civilian employers, and community healthcare providers.
Sexual Minorities Are More Depressed And Anxious Than Heterosexuals In The U.S., Especially Among Women, Joshua Grove
Sexual Minorities Are More Depressed And Anxious Than Heterosexuals In The U.S., Especially Among Women, Joshua Grove
Population Health Research Brief Series
Depression and anxiety are harmful to health. People who suffer from depression or anxiety are more likely to engage in risky health behaviors and have higher risk of various chronic diseases and premature death. This data slice uses data from the 2022 National Wellbeing Survey to explore the prevalence of depression and anxiety among U.S. adults ages 18-64. The results show that sexual minority adults are significantly more likely than those who identify as heterosexual to suffer from depression and anxiety, and differences in prevalence rates between sexual minority and heterosexual women are larger than the differences between men.
Treatment For Mental Health And Substance Use: Spillovers To Police Safety, Monica Deza
Treatment For Mental Health And Substance Use: Spillovers To Police Safety, Monica Deza
Center for Policy Research
We study the effect of community access to mental health and substance use treatment on police officer safety, which we proxy with on-duty assaults on officers. Police officers often serve as first-responders to people experiencing mental health and substance use crises, which can place police officers at risk. Combining agency-level data on police officer on-duty assaults and county-level data on the number of treatment centers that offer mental health and substance use care, we estimate two-way fixed-effects regressions and find that an additional four centers per county (the average annual increase observed in our data) leads to a 1.3% reduction …
Older Adults With A History Of Psychiatric Conditions Experience More Cognitive Decline Than Older Adults Without This History, Maria T. Brown, Miriam Mutambudzi
Older Adults With A History Of Psychiatric Conditions Experience More Cognitive Decline Than Older Adults Without This History, Maria T. Brown, Miriam Mutambudzi
Population Health Research Brief Series
Having psychiatric conditions (such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and major depressive disorder) throughout one’s life can lead to faster rates of cognitive decline as one ages. This data slice explores the associations between psychiatric history and cognitive function among U.S. White, Black, and Hispanic adults ages 65 and older from 1995-2014. Findings demonstrate that having a history of psychiatric problems is related to lower cognitive functioning and a faster rate of cognitive decline for all three groups, but Black and Hispanic adults experience steeper declines compared with White adults.
How Has The Opioid Crisis Affected Health, Health Care Use, And Crime In The United States?, Johanna Catherine Maclean, Justine Mallatt, Christopher J. Ruhm, Kosali Simon
How Has The Opioid Crisis Affected Health, Health Care Use, And Crime In The United States?, Johanna Catherine Maclean, Justine Mallatt, Christopher J. Ruhm, Kosali Simon
Population Health Research Brief Series
The U.S. opioid crisis is the deadliest drug crisis in the nation’s history and is not abating. This brief summarizes what is known about the relationships between opioid misuse, health, healthcare use, and crime. The authors show that the opioid crisis has led to worsening health, increased mortality, increased healthcare use, and modest increases in crime. In addition, the policies designed to curb opioid misuse and its associated harms have had only limited success.
Opioid Treatment Programs Can Reduce Opioid-Related Emergency Department Visits And Foster Care Placements, Lindsey Rose Bullinger, Vivian Wang, Kenneth A. Feder
Opioid Treatment Programs Can Reduce Opioid-Related Emergency Department Visits And Foster Care Placements, Lindsey Rose Bullinger, Vivian Wang, Kenneth A. Feder
Population Health Research Brief Series
The U.S. opioid epidemic has led not only to unprecedented increases in opioid overdoses, functional impairment, and deaths among adults but also harmed children. After lifting a long-standing moratorium on drug treatment programs and increasing the number of medication-assisted opioid treatment programs (OTPs), Indiana saw a decrease in emergency overdose treatments and foster care placements. This brief explores the positive effects of medication-assisted treatments on children and their caregivers and the cost savings for foster care agencies.
Which Demographic Groups And Which Places Have The Highest Drug Overdose Rates In The U.S.?, Shannon M. Monnat
Which Demographic Groups And Which Places Have The Highest Drug Overdose Rates In The U.S.?, Shannon M. Monnat
Population Health Research Brief Series
Although the drug overdose crisis has affected all demographic groups and places in the United States, overdose rates are much higher in some sub-populations and places than others. This brief describes demographic and geographic differences in fatal drug overdose rates from 1999-2020. Throughout most of this period, fatal drug overdose rates were highest among young and middle-aged adult White and Native American males and middle-aged and older Black males. Rates have been consistently highest in Appalachia, but in recent years have spread throughout several regions in urban and rural areas alike. Although opioids have been the main contributor, cocaine- and …
Federal Medication-Assisted Treatment Expansion Grants Do Not Reduce Homelessness, Andrew Sullivan, Changwe Park
Federal Medication-Assisted Treatment Expansion Grants Do Not Reduce Homelessness, Andrew Sullivan, Changwe Park
Population Health Research Brief Series
Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is an evidence-based intervention that, combined with counseling and behavioral therapies, can effectively treat opioid use disorders. However, MAT is underused due to multiple barriers. To increase access to MAT, the U.S. government awarded grants to local governments and nonprofit organizations to increase and retain the number of people receiving MAT. This brief examined differences in homelessness and employment outcomes between places that received a MAT grant and those that did not. They found that these grants did not reduce homelessness or unemployment rates in the places that received funding and concluded that their effectiveness may have …
The Oxycontin® Reformulation In 2010 Increased States’ Food Insecurity Rates, Colleen Heflin, Xiaohan Sun
The Oxycontin® Reformulation In 2010 Increased States’ Food Insecurity Rates, Colleen Heflin, Xiaohan Sun
Population Health Research Brief Series
The massive surge in opioid misuse and overdose over the past three decades has led to major family, economic, and social disruptions in the United States. OxyContin® - a highly potent, extended-release opioid was among the most commonly-abused narcotics throughout the 2000s. After reformulating OxyContin® to make it more difficult to inhale or inject, many people with opioid use disorders switched to using street drugs. The reformulation had many other unanticipated consequences. This brief shows that states with higher initial OxyContin® misuse rates had an increase in food insecurity after OxyContin® reformulation. The authors argue that public policies must consider …
How Has The Opioid Overdose Crisis Affected Child Maltreatment In The U.S.?, Alexander Chapman
How Has The Opioid Overdose Crisis Affected Child Maltreatment In The U.S.?, Alexander Chapman
Population Health Research Brief Series
This brief summarizes results from a study examining the association between U.S. county-level opioid mortality rates and child maltreatment rates from 2007 to 2017. Places with higher opioid overdose mortality rates have higher rates of child maltreatment. Poverty makes this problem worse - where the proportion of families in poverty increases, the association between fatal opioid overdose rates and child maltreatment also increases. Findings suggest that intervening in opioid use by reducing poverty has the potential to markedly decrease the incidence of child maltreatment.
Over Two-Thirds Of Opioid Overdose Victims In Canada Were Employed Before They Died, Alexander Cheung, Joseph Marchand, Patricia Mark
Over Two-Thirds Of Opioid Overdose Victims In Canada Were Employed Before They Died, Alexander Cheung, Joseph Marchand, Patricia Mark
Population Health Research Brief Series
As in the United States, drug overdose is the leading cause of unnatural death in Canada, with most overdoses involving opioids. The authors of this brief quantify the lost labor productivity from opioid overdoses in Canada. They show that from 2016 to 2019, over two-thirds of opioid overdose victims were working and contributing to the economy before they died, with those employed in construction, trades, and transportation having the highest opioid overdose rates. The authors argue that destigmatizing drug use, ensuring a safe supply, and improving access to medical care and take-home Naloxone kits are critical for reducing overdose deaths.
The Opioid Epidemic Has Disrupted Children’S Living Arrangements, Mónica L. Caudillo, Andres Villarreal, Philip N. Cohen
The Opioid Epidemic Has Disrupted Children’S Living Arrangements, Mónica L. Caudillo, Andres Villarreal, Philip N. Cohen
Population Health Research Brief Series
The contemporary drug overdose crisis has had profound impacts on children and families in the United States. This brief summarizes how children’s living arrangements have changed during the opioid epidemic. The authors find that opioid overdose deaths are associated with decreasing shares of children living with two married parents and increases in shares of children living with unmarried but cohabiting parents, single fathers, and adults other than their parents. These changes have been most pronounced among White children.
U.S. Counties With Higher Drug Overdose Rates Have Lower School Test Scores, Rajeev Darolia, Sam Owens, John Tyler
U.S. Counties With Higher Drug Overdose Rates Have Lower School Test Scores, Rajeev Darolia, Sam Owens, John Tyler
Population Health Research Brief Series
The impacts of the contemporary U.S. drug overdose crisis on child and family wellbeing have been profound. This brief describes the link between county-level opioid overdose rates and children’s test scores, finding that counties with higher overdose rates have lower average 3rd and 8th-grade test scores than counties with lower overdose rates. The relationship between higher overdose rates and lower test scores is particularly strong in rural counties. The places with the highest overdose rates and lowest test scores tend to be economically-disadvantaged, suggesting that economic investments may be needed to address the issue.
Counties With Higher Prescription Opioid Presence Have Slower Student Learning Rates, Jessica Drescher, Carrie Townley-Flores
Counties With Higher Prescription Opioid Presence Have Slower Student Learning Rates, Jessica Drescher, Carrie Townley-Flores
Population Health Research Brief Series
The adverse impacts of the U.S. opioid crisis have been documented in many domains, but surprisingly little attention has been directed to understanding how the opioid crisis has affected children’s educational outcomes. This brief shows that students in counties with high levels of opioid prescribing are learning more slowly over time than their peers in counties with low levels of opioid prescribing. In addition to directing more support to schools, the authors advocate for policies that address the underlying social conditions that lead to prescription opioid misuse.
The U.S. Should Increase Access To Medication For Opioid Use Disorder Among Incarcerated Individuals, Cody Nagle
The U.S. Should Increase Access To Medication For Opioid Use Disorder Among Incarcerated Individuals, Cody Nagle
Population Health Research Brief Series
Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) is among the most common medical diagnoses for people in jails and prisons. Those leaving incarceration without substance use treatment are 40 times more likely than the general public to have a fatal overdose, making it the leading cause of death for people recently released. This brief describes the use of Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) and Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) as realistic and legally protected approaches to reducing overdoses upon exiting incarceration. It also calls for federal regulation and guidance on the use of MOUD in prisons, jails, and drug courts to ensure each …
The End Of The “Chemical Imbalance” Theory Of Depression - What Now?, Austin Brown
The End Of The “Chemical Imbalance” Theory Of Depression - What Now?, Austin Brown
Population Health Research Brief Series
For decades, those diagnosed with depression have been told they suffer from a “chemical imbalance.” This explanation involves neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, thought to be the main neurochemical responsible for major depressive disorders. Growing research challenges this theory and the need for medication therapies for depressive symptoms. This brief summarizes new findings examining the theory that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance and calls for healthcare professionals and patients to consider the market influences and social structures that impact health.
Combating Social Isolation And Loneliness Among Veterans After Separation From Military Service, Emily Graham
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.
Refugee Gardening: An Opportunity To Improve Economic Conditions, Food Security, And Mental Health, Laura-Anne Minkoff-Zern, Rashmi Gangamma, Bhavneet Walia, Anna Zoodsma
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. …
Native American Mental Health: Adding Culture To The Conversation, Margaret Rose
Native American Mental Health: Adding Culture To The Conversation, Margaret Rose
Population Health Research Brief Series
American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) experience higher rates of depression, suicide, and psychological distress compared to other communities in the United States. Despite this, they are less likely to receive mental health services due to barriers such as lack of resources, limited mental health service access, stigma, and mistrust of providers. This issue brief describes the influence of colonialism on AI/AN mental health and discusses how barriers to mental health treatment can be addressed by integrating AI/AN culture into traditional mental health services and increasing AI/AN presence in mental health occupations.
Social Support Protected Mental Health During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jennifer Kowalkowski, Danielle C. Rhubart
Social Support Protected Mental Health During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jennifer Kowalkowski, Danielle C. Rhubart
Population Health Research Brief Series
Social support can protect mental health from the stressors of life during times of widespread crisis, like the COVID-19 pandemic. Using nationally representative data on U.S. working-age adults (18-64), this brief shows that those who reported having emotional support from family and friends were less likely to report negative mental health effects from the COVID-19 pandemic (32.9%) compared to those without emotional support (50.2%). Adults with higher levels of instrumental support – being able to count on someone for a $200 loan or for a place to live - were also less likely than those without those types of support …
Resilience Is Low Among Both Military And Non-Military Populations With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Kelsey Roberts, Janet Wilmoth, Shannon M. Monnat
Resilience Is Low Among Both Military And Non-Military Populations With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Kelsey Roberts, Janet Wilmoth, Shannon M. Monnat
Population Health Research Brief Series
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects the lives of 12 million people in the United States. While commonly thought of in relation to military personnel and veterans, PTSD is also common among the general public. Resilience - the ability to cope with stressful events - is essential for recovering from PTSD. This data slice uses data from the National Wellbeing Survey to examine resilience among U.S. working-age adults with and without PTSD by their relationship to the military. Results show that those with PTSD have less resilience than those who have not experienced PTSD. In addition, those with military experience are …
The Associations Between Closeness To Residential Mother And Father During Adolescence And Young Adult Depressive Symptoms And The Corresponding Moderation Of Biological Sex, Mckenna Quinn Farley
The Associations Between Closeness To Residential Mother And Father During Adolescence And Young Adult Depressive Symptoms And The Corresponding Moderation Of Biological Sex, Mckenna Quinn Farley
Theses - ALL
Past research has suggested that adolescent parent-child relationships may have an impact on adolescent and young adult mental health. However, there are gaps in the previous research regarding relationships between these areas. The goal of the present study is to examine the relationship between an individual's closeness to their residential mother and father in adolescence and their depressive symptoms in young adulthood. The study also looks at how the biological sex of the individual moderates this relationship, and further examines if parental closeness has any significant role in the relationship on young adult depression above the effect of adolescent depression. …
Mental Health After Injury: How Neighborhoods Impact Recovery, Bryce Hruska, Maria Pacella-Labarbara, Ivan E. Castro, Richard L. George, Douglas L. Delahanty
Mental Health After Injury: How Neighborhoods Impact Recovery, Bryce Hruska, Maria Pacella-Labarbara, Ivan E. Castro, Richard L. George, Douglas L. Delahanty
Population Health Research Brief Series
Each year in the United States, there are over 90 million injury-related emergency department visits, resulting in $4.2 trillion in costs related to medical care, loss of work, and reduced quality of life. Nearly a quarter of injury survivors are diagnosed with a new mental health disorder within the first year of injury. This brief examines several aspects of neighborhood context and their relationship to PTSD symptom severity following an injury. Results show that survivors living in neighborhoods with higher racial segregation and lower socioeconomic status report higher PTSD symptom severity.
Safe Consumption Sites Are Critical To Reducing Drug Overdoses, Alexandra Punch
Safe Consumption Sites Are Critical To Reducing Drug Overdoses, Alexandra Punch
Population Health Research Brief Series
In 2021, over 100,000 people died from drug overdoses in the United States, resulting in the country’s deadliest year on record for drug overdoses. Much of the increase in drug overdose rates over the past several years has been due to fentanyl, a highly potent manufactured opioid with a high risk of overdose. Coupled with the risk of transmission of blood-borne diseases, such as HIV and Hepatitis C from sharing drug paraphernalia, individuals who use drugs face numerous challenges in safely consuming drugs. This issue brief advocates for the implementation of safe consumption sites across the U.S. and calls for …
Unhealthy Workplace Conditions Contribute To Physician Suicide, Mariah Brennan Nanni, Alexandra Punch
Unhealthy Workplace Conditions Contribute To Physician Suicide, Mariah Brennan Nanni, Alexandra Punch
Population Health Research Brief Series
Physicians have the highest suicide rate of all professions. High-stress working environments, long hours, burnout, substance use, and financial stress all contribute to high physician suicide rates. Adding fuel to the fire, COVID-19 has intensified this long-term problem. This issue brief describes the unhealthy workplace conditions that contribute to poor mental health among physicians and calls for policies that encourage physicians to seek help and rest without the fear of punishment.