Mental and Social Health Commons^™

Improving Mental Health After Sci: An Occupation-Based Program, Kerston Ring

Spring 2022 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

The purpose of this project was to assess the effectiveness of occupational therapy in promoting positive mental health in those with SCI. Formal conversations related to mental health as well as various leisure activities took place throughout the program. The leisure activities were determined prior to initiating the program during the needs assessment. These were activities that the participants were either familiar with or novel. The activities were client-centered and modified as necessary to meet the client’s needs for full participation. The objectives of this capstone were to conduct a needs assessment to understand what factors could be changed to …

Leisure Activity And Social Participation Group Therapy To Address Geriatric Depression Symptoms, Austin Brown, Keegan Mckay, Lisa Griggs-Stapleton, Rene Wren

Spring 2022 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

This capstone project involved the creation of a group therapy program that used leisure activity and social participation to address geriatric depression.

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.

Wellness Review 2021, Part 2, Brian A. Ferguson, Martin Huecker

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: This article presents Part 2 of the biannual JWellness Review of literature from 2021 (July – December). We emphasize new science and resilience initiatives published outside of JWellness that seek understanding of burnout and thriving among healthcare professionals (HCPs).

Methods: For the interval of July 1 to December 30, 2021, PubMed was queried for empirical and observational research studies, review articles, guideline summaries, letters, and editorials. Of 93 results, we reviewed methods and salient points to arrive at a final list of 48 articles for inclusion.

Literature in Review: Common themes that emerged included teamwork, EMR optimization, group decompression, …

Suicide Risk And School Related Stressors In Veterinary Students, Deanna Arnold

Steeplechase: An ORCA Student Journal

Compared to the general population of the United States, veterinarians are at an increasingly higher risk for suicide. This is commonly associated with stressful work environments, long work hours, poor work-life balance, client demands and complaints, and large amounts of euthanasia procedures. While many studies have been performed to confirm the above statements, few to no studies have been done on students currently enrolled in veterinary school to assess their mental health. This study will survey graduate school students in this field and will evaluate their mental health state and risk factors towards suicide. Through comparing the results of this …

The Academic Work-Life Balance Of Entry-Level Athletic Training Students And Its Implications, Grant Pheil

School of Health and Human Performance Theses

Athletic training students (ATS) have been documented to experience stressors and perceive burnout up to this point in their assimilation into the profession. This is understood through recent work-life balance (WLB) and burnout research within the student population, stemming off research recommendations surrounding the professional setting. However, following current educational shifts and worldwide events, prior research is limited surrounding specific graduate level ATS WLB, stressors, coping responses, and comparisons across ATS demographics. The purpose of this study is to identify this balance in graduate level students and highlight stressors or management techniques that will benefit future students pursuing athletic training …

A Scoping Review: Trauma Informed Care For Justice Involved Youth To Decrease Recidivism, Tamika Beecham, Marissa Gray, Shelby Husband, Diana Dedmon Dnp, Fnp, Bc

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Purpose The purpose of this scoping review was to address trauma-informed care, juvenile justice systems, and recidivism rates. The literature review conducted identified key research and analysis of effective trauma-informed treatment methodologies, referrals, and accessibility of care for justice-involved youth, and the rate change of recidivism related to trauma-informed treatment and interventions.

Background The high rates of recidivism in the juvenile court systems matched with the increased prevalence of psychological trauma in justice-involved youth represent the need for implementing trauma informed care. The scoping review analyzed the research implementing the intervention of trauma informed care to determine if it resulted …

Improving Occupational Engagement: An Occupation-Based Virtual Program For Caregivers Of Individuals With Dementia, Betsabel Garcia, Pam Kasyan-Howe, Kristin Domville, Lisa Schubert

Spring 2022 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Dementia is a progressive disorder that affects many people worldwide including informal caregivers of individuals with dementia (Harrison et al., 2019). Every year, more than 16 million Americans provide more than 17 billion hours of unpaid care for family and friends with Alzheimer’s disease or other related dementias (CDC, 2019). As a result, many informal caregivers experience higher levels of caregiver burden, depression, and anxiety (Amato et al., 2021; Raj et al., 2021; Walter & Pinquart, 2020). This causes an occupational imbalance in caregivers' ability to meet their needs and those of their loved one. Leisure is within occupational therapy's …

Suicide Prevention In Bangladesh: The Role Of Family, S M Yasir Arafat, Tamkeen Saleem, Todd M. Edwards, Syeda Ayat-E-Zainab Ali, Murad M. Khan

Department of Psychiatry

Background: Suicide is a public health problem that gets little attention in Bangladesh especially in prevention aspects. Recent studies revealed that a significant portion of risk factors is closely related to family events. However, potential prevention strategies considering the family structure and involving family dynamics of Bangladesh have not been discussed.
Objectives: We aim to highlight areas of family vulnerability and resilience when the threat of suicide is present, as well as the potential roles of family in suicide prevention in Bangladesh.
Methods: We conducted a thorough narrative and focused literature search and synthesized evidence based on available articles discussing …

Erratum To: Teachers’ Views On Preparation For Employment Of Young Autistic People, Biranavan Thavapalan, Emanuele Maria Merlo

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Background. Contemporary literature indicates that there is significant support and assistance provided by schools for young autistic people, with a positive impact on the accessibility of jobs. Nevertheless, the employment rate of autistic people is unacceptably low in the UK. The current study investigated teachers’ views on the preparation for employment of young autistic people in the UK. Methods. Interviews were conducted with individuals from the educational field and thematic analysis was used to explore the teachers’ views regarding the factors that could have an impact on the preparation for employment of young autistic people. Results. Four main themes emerged …

Decreased Cognition Is Associated With Altered Cardiovascular Autonomic Functions And Decreased Baroreflex Sensitivity In Women With Premenstrual Syndrome, Jothi Marie Feula, Dhanalakshmi Yerrabelli, Gopal Krushna Pal, Soundirarajan Subhashri

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a clinical entity of concern in women of reproductive age group with its onset during the late luteal phase of the menstrual cycle that typically resolves within a few days after the onset of menstruation. Female reproductive hormones stimulate the gene promotor region of Gonadal steroids, which are modulators of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, in association with the autonomic nervous system (ANS), form the stress system, which regulates the homeostatic mechanisms of the body. Disruption of this mechanism can lead to sympathovagal imbalance and cognitive deficits. Objectives: This study was aimed to compare the autonomic functions and …

Menopausal Symptoms: Prediction Of Quality Of Marital Relationship Among Couples, Noshi Iram Zaman, Sundas Shakoor, Shazia Yusuf

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Objective. The current study determined the association between menopausal symptoms and marital quality of life, and explored the role of several demographic variables (education, occupation, and income) on these symptoms. Materials and Methods. The purposive sample included 180 married couples. Wives experiencing premenopause, perimenopause, and postmenopause 35 to 60 years old (M=45.21 & SD=7.47) were recruited from Islamabad and Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Two assessment instruments were used: Menopause Rating Scale- MRS for menopausal symptoms, and ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale- EMS for quality of marital relationship. Results. Wives’ quality of marital relationship was not significantly predicted by menopausal symptoms whereas husbands’ quality …

Anxiety Sensitivity, Uncertainty And Recursive Thinking: A Continuum On Cyberchondria Conditions During The Covid Outbreak, Carmela Mento, Maria Catena Silvestri, Pilar Amezaga, Maria Anna Muscatello, Valentina Romeo, Antonio Bruno, Clemente Cedro

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Background. Cyberchondria is a term used to refer to excessive surfing the web looking for health care information, excessive checking behavior being related to health-related anxiety. This period of quarantine for the Covid-19 pandemic is increasing the pathological use of the internet, and the excessive surfing the web looking for health care information. Another dimension related to the Covid-19 outbreak refers to uncertainty intolerance, for this reason being necessary for the healthcare professionals to provide clear and linear information. Aim. The aim of this review is to identify the psychological correlations connected to cyberchondria in the quarantine period. Methods. Following …

The Vespa Project: Virtual Reality Interventions For Neurocognitive And Developmental Disorders, Emanuele Maria Merlo, Liam Alexander Mackenzie Myles, Salvatore Marco Pappalardo

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

VESPA is a financed project supported by the Sicilian Regional Research and Development funds, and it is structured by the development, research and validation of Virtual Reality (VR) based application for the diagnosis and treatment of neurocognitive conditions. In particular, this article presents its characteristics, referred to as the first (2013-2015) and second (2021-ongoing) generations of VESPA, with particular reference to literature regarding the VR technology application and development, the VR treatment of neurocognitive conditions and prior versions of this intervention. Through a comprehensive review of the research conducted over the last 5 years, evidence has emerged supporting VESPA’s aim …

Reducing Immigration-Related Stress In An Immigrant Population, Stephanie Avdagic

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Immigrants are a growing population in the United States and face stressors specific to immigration. Stress is associated with increased mental and physical health issues, so increased stress puts this population at risk for many health concerns. A review of literature showed that implementing community resource classes for immigrants may help decrease immigration-related stress. The purpose of this evidence-based project was to assess if implementation of community resource classes at a local day center for immigrants could help decrease immigration-related stress. The classes addressed issues such as limited English proficiency and lack of legal immigration status. The Stress of Immigration …

Social Media’S Impact On One’S Mental, Physical, And Emotional Well-Being, Alexandria J. Shearer

Honors College Theses

Social media is widely used in users’ daily lives and is deeply embedded in the world of technology. Cellular devices and their applications have shown primarily negative effects on individuals’ lives. Studies have shown a lower self-esteem in young adults addicted to their smartphone (Aznar-Díaz, et al., et al. 2020). Another study highlighted the reactions to creating one’s own content versus the implications of consuming content. Individuals who created more than they consumed reported a higher level of self-esteem (Hygen, et al., 2021). While there were many studies regarding social media and wellness of young adults, there were gaps in …

The Impact Of Pediatric Opioid-Related Visits On Us Emergency Departments, Tiffany Champagne-Langabeer, Marylou Cardenas-Turanzas, Irma T Ugalde, Christine Bakos-Block, Angela L Stotts, Lisa Cleveland, Steven Shoptaw, James R Langabeer

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: While there is significant research exploring adults' use of opioids, there has been minimal focus on the opioid impact within emergency departments for the pediatric population.

METHODS: We examined data from the Agency for Healthcare Research, the National Emergency Department Sample (NEDS), and death data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sociodemographic and financial variables were analyzed for encounters during 2014-2017 for patients under age 18, matching diagnoses codes for opioid-related overdose or opioid use disorder.

RESULTS: During this period, 59,658 children presented to an ED for any diagnoses involving opioids. The majority (68.5%) of visits were …

The Effects Of Running On Arithmetic Problem Solving, Kayia C. Snyder, Nicholas Smith

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

In this work, we propose to examine the effects of physical activity on academic performance as physical activity is shown to improve mood, energy levels, confidence, and memory retention. We propose to recruit a sample of 200 psychology students from Portland State University. Each student will be asked to take an arithmetic problem-solving test then asked to study the material for three weeks. Of the 200 students, 100 will be randomly assigned to a physical activity condition, in which they will be asked to run 30 minutes prior to studying, then all students will be asked to take a timed …

Post-Intensive Care Syndrome Prevention And Detection In Covid-19 Patients, Bethany Sloane Melega

Student Scholar Showcase

COVID-19 has impacts on patient health beyond the hospital. The trauma that patients, and families of patients, can experience during an admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) can last long after discharge from the ICU and the hospital in general. The psychological and physical impacts of ICU hospitalization can cause patients to experience Post Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS). PICS is the culmination of symptoms that persist after a critical illness that involve all aspects of a patient’s physical and mental well-being and can significantly affect family life and increase recovery time. Due to the strict personal-protective equipment (PPE) usage …

Toward Suicidal Ideation Detection With Lexical Network Features And Machine Learning, Ulya Bayram, William Lee, Daniel Santel, Ali Minai, Peggy Clark, Tracy Glauser, John Pestian

Northeast Journal of Complex Systems (NEJCS)

In this study, we introduce a new network feature for detecting suicidal ideation from clinical texts and conduct various additional experiments to enrich the state of knowledge. We evaluate statistical features with and without stopwords, use lexical networks for feature extraction and classification, and compare the results with standard machine learning methods using a logistic classifier, a neural network, and a deep learning method. We utilize three text collections. The first two contain transcriptions of interviews conducted by experts with suicidal (n=161 patients that experienced severe ideation) and control subjects (n=153). The third collection consists of interviews conducted by experts …