Mental and Social Health Commons^™

Marijuana And Depression, Pratik Sharma, Ramona Stone

Public Health Sciences Student Work

Purpose: As the country struggles to address an epidemic of alcohol and E-cigarette, a wide-ranging category of natural substance “marijuana” have provoked a new sense of public urgency over the past decade. Notwithstanding the federal ban, selling and use of non-medical marijuana continues to escalate due to state legalization process. The purpose of this cross-sectional study is to determine the relationship between marijuana use and depression.

Methods: The 2013-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (CDC) data was used to test the association between marijuana use and depression. This nationally representative weighted sample included N=62,769 adults ages 14 years or …

Challenges Of Pediatric Disease In Adulthood, Dennis J. Baumgardner, Brian Chicoine

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Some chronic diseases — such as the rare bone disease X-linked hypophosphatemia, the impetus for a study reported within Volume 7, Issue 2 of the Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews — are diagnosed in childhood but become more symptomatic in adulthood. In this editorial, the challenges, pitfalls, and opportunities regarding the care of adults with childhood-onset chronic diseases are examined using Down syndrome, cystic fibrosis, congenital heart disease, and Hirschsprung disease as examples.

Mental Health In The School System: Providing Tools And Resources For Teachers, Hannah Skinner

Student Capstone Papers

This capstone project's aim was to look at the mental health needs of school aged children, and how Occupational Therapists can help to meet their needs in the school system. The doctoral student completed a background on mental health statistics and needs in children, and also completed a literature review on occupational therapy’s role in mental health and schools, mindfulness, and current practices in the United States.

A gap was identified after a literature search was completed: While the school systems understand mental health is an area that should be addressed, there is a gap in providing these tools and …

The Effects Of Involvement In Religious Practices On Recovering Substance Users., Taylor Currier

Honors Theses

This paper reviews empirical studies focused on spirituality and its effects on those in the recovery process from substance abuse. This paper will look at qualitative studies as well as quantitative research to see which form has derived the best results on how spirituality has affected substance abuse recovery. Prolonged recovery is the goal for those that struggle with substance use. Behavior change is an important in sustaining sobriety with those dealing with addiction. It is predicted that those who engage in spiritual growth within their community have a higher likelihood of prolonged recovery than those that do not believe …

Take A Hike – No Really, It’S Good For Your Health, Nathan Weller

BU Well

Mental health and its treatment remain prevalent concerns across the United States. As such, the importance of activities that promote mental well-being cannot be understated. One such example includes the use of nature to minimize negative, depressive thoughts while promoting their positive counterparts. This new area of focus, often known as ecotherapy, will be detailed in the following article.

An Aching For Affection, Tj Quinlan

BU Well

As humans, we’ve needed companionship from the beginning of time. Therefore, what does a true relationship look like in today’s society? In this world of newly emerging relationships, many people have either experienced, seen, or heard of a toxic relationship. This article dives deep into what makes a toxic relationship, how to notice the red flags, and how to ultimately fix or end it.

The Not So Hidden Dangers Of Vaping, Hannah Lee

BU Well

The use of e-cigarettes and vaping devices has become a widely accepted trend in our society. These devices come with many negative effects that pose harm to one’s health. This article examines the truths about these dangers and the risks associated with vaping.

Get Your Head In The Game: On And Off The Field, Katelyn Le

BU Well

Mental health has recently become a popular topic on college campuses. New resources and programs are being implemented to ensure the mental wellbeing of students, however, on-campus athletic programs seem to be lagging behind. Athletic departments have trainers and methods to track physical wellness, but often do not have tools to measure mental wellness. This article not only explores the transition and challenges of student athletes, but sheds light on the intense mental aspect of college athletics.

117— The Effects Of Comorbid Alcohol And Cocaine Use On A Cognitive Maze Task, Shreyya Malik

GREAT Day Posters

In U.S., 1 out of 4 adults reported binge drinking in the past month, a prevalence that increases to over 50% in college populations. Binge drinking is a common precursor for alcohol use disorder, and risk of polydrug use also increases.Cocaine is frequently used in combination with alcohol. Little is known about the history of binge drinking and comorbid cocaine influence on memory. We developed a mouse model of alcohol and cocaine co-use to investigate how comorbidity influences performance on a working memory task. We ran two groups of mice that differed in their history of alcohol use. Group 1 …

118— Environmental Enrichment As A Treatment For Cocaine Relapse, Shreyya Malik

GREAT Day Posters

Cocaine addiction is a problem for millions of people, however we are still lacking an effective treatment. It is characterized by compulsive behaviour which marks difficulties in remaining abstinent, with a high risk of relapse. Here, I focus on the interaction between the post-drug environment and drug-seeking by testing one potential environmental treatment, an enriched environment (EE), to reduce risk of cocaine relapse. This study proposes to investigate neural circuits involved in environmental protection of context-induced relapse. Mice exposed to cocaine will be assessed for preference of a cocaine-associated context using the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm. Mice will then …

167— Success Or Struggle Of A College Student Based On Mental Health? A Review Of Suny Geneseo's Support Services, Keyanti Chavis

GREAT Day Posters

While there is research on mental health at SUNY Geneseo, few studies have examined firsthand accounts associated with the support services provided by the university and with individuals who have or have not had access to these resources. In this poster, I will present data from eight weeks of ethnographic data among students and staff on Geneseo’s campus. Lack of awareness about support services provided, complex stigmatization of mental health, and lack of appropriate funding and outside resources create the biggest barriers for receiving and facilitating mental health support services. I argue that a greater emphasis on mental health across …

The Effect Of Grooming And Therapeutic Riding By Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder On Equine Salivary Cortisol Concentrations, Morgan Shields

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

The use of horses in therapeutic riding programs, especially for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), has grown, yet the impact of grooming and riding on equine stress levels remains unknown. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of grooming and therapeutic riding on salivary cortisol concentrations of 10 horses in a therapeutic riding program. Samples were taken pre and post over two control and grooming days and over two series of nine therapeutic riding lessons for adolescents with ASD. On grooming days, each horse was groomed using a set protocol. On riding days, horses were ridden …

Novel Method Of Supplementing Current Depression Treatments: Using Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response-Centered Therapy To Improve Constipation-Associated Comorbidity Of Depression, Shivam Patel

Virginias Collegiate Honors Council Conference

One-third of individuals struggling with constipation also suffer chronically from comorbid depression, but the evidently shared etiology has remained relatively ambiguous. This proposed study aims to analyze the role of Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR), a newly recorded neural phenomenon that causes relaxing “tingles” from unique “triggers” in a subset of individuals, in altering serotonin (5-HT) levels within the ENS to aid with both depression and constipation. In depressed individuals, reduced 5-HT has been clinically accepted as a key symptom and is frequently treated with ineffective SSRIs. Prospective alternative methods of non-invasive treatment, such as ASMR, would not only aid …

Public Stigma And Self-Stigma Of Depression In College Students, Peyton Lee

DNP Projects

A large body of literature portrays the long-term, increased presence of mental illness stigma in college students, a vulnerable population at high risk of victimization. However, literature lacks sufficient research differentiating between the separate forms of mental illness stigma as well as consistent research examining stigma specific to the mental illness of depression in college students. A cross-sectional, web-based survey design was utilized to collect quantitative data from 432 students at a private, four-year university in the southeastern United States. The primary investigator both described the presence of and relationship between levels of perceived public stigma, personal public stigma, and …

A Nutritional And Environmental Analysis Of Local Food Pantries Accessible To College Students In Rural North Carolina, Emily E. Frymark, Jonathon Stickford, Alisha Farris

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Food insecurity is a growing concern among college students and is especially prevalent in rural areas. Food pantries often serve as a resource to food insecure individuals yet, their policies, standards, and nutritional quality vary due to the unpredictability of food donations.

Purpose: To examine the nutritional quality of food items and adherence of best practices at local food pantries accessible to college students near a university in rural Appalachia.

Methods: Three food pantries in North Carolina were selected due to their proximity to a local, rural university. Food items were analyzed for nutrient and food …

Antidepressants Versus Music Therapy: Which Treatment Is Better For Treating Depression In Parkinson's Disease?, Emaan Dawood

Virginias Collegiate Honors Council Conference

Music and medicine are merging to treat depression in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Antidepressants, the current standard, demonstrate mixed effects in clinical trials, warranting other treatment options. Here, I compare music therapy to antidepressants in the treatment of depression in PD via literature review. Studies of depressed PD patients undergoing music therapy and/or antidepressants were reviewed with attention to variables including depression (on a patient-reported outcome) that were measured pre- and post- therapy. In the music studies, improvements were seen in depression. Methodological inconsistencies across these studies, a paucity of studies, and small sample sizes, however, necessitate more research to reach …

The Influence Of End Of Life Education On Stress, Anxiety, And Attitude Of The Healthcare Profession Student, Chiquesha Davis

DNP Final Reports

Providing comfort and support to the dying patient is a significant part of the dying process. When soothing a patient, who is dying, the goal is to prevent or relieve suffering as much as possible. Respecting the patient's health and quality of life goals and decisions is essential. Healthcare profession students can experience multiple levels of anxiety, stress, and a negative attitude while taking care of the dying patient. The implementation of a successful intervention is at the cornerstone of helping reduce stress, anxiety, and attitude change in healthcare profession students. The application can also have a positive impact on …

How To Help Children Develop Emotional Resilience During Coronavirus, Xiaoyan Zhang, Mary Kate Schutt

Population Health Research Brief Series

Help your child build resilience in the face of adversities with tips from experts. The great uncertainty we are facing during COVID-19 has left many of us anxious, stressed, defensive, and short-sighted. Children are more vulnerable than adults to the emotional impact of traumatic events that disrupt their normal lives.

#Selfcare: Perspectives From Instagram, Luke Nguyen, Colin Mullis, Bailey Rydzewski, Julie Williams Merten Phd

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Background: While widely-used by clinicians, self-care has recently emerged as a trending term in mainstream and social media. Informal health and support communities have formed on social media sites such as Instagram, which hosts more than one billion monthly users and ranks as the second most popular social networking application in the United States.

Purpose: This study investigated how the term self-care is portrayed on Instagram. In particular, the researchers examined how self-care was depicted across the six dimensions of wellness and four established self-care themes including illness prevention, management of chronic illness, promotion of optimal health, and early detection …

Celebrities In Rehab: Who Is More At Risk?, Skye Downey, Anastasia Kuhles, Beth Kulikov, Vanessa Martinez, Karl Schneider, Sydney Weinreb, Tes Tuason Phd

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Does celebrity status make people more likely to need rehab? The purpose of the current study is to better understand the trends in substance abuse rehabilitation admittance among celebrities from 2005 to 2020. The authors became interested in the topic due to its myriad implications within the clinical mental health counseling field. Popular lore indicates a positive correlation between celebrity status and substance abuse. Previous studies have covered the predictive factors of celebrity downfall, but few have gone into specific trends among rehabilitation admittance. This mixed method review is designed to further look at the specific factors in celebrity status …