Mental and Social Health Commons^™

Medicaid Home Visitation And Maternal And Infant Care And Health: A Reassessment Of Program Effectiveness, Cristian Meghea, Zhiying You, Jennifer E. Raffo, Lee Anne Roman

Michigan Journal of Public Health

Introduction: The Maternal Infant Health Program, MIHP, is Michigan's largest home visiting program for Medicaid-eligible pregnant women and infants. Prior quasi-experimental propensity score matched MIHP evaluations were limited by the possibility of selection bias due to the limited available baseline characteristics. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of MIHP including previously unobserved baseline characteristics to mitigate the possibility of selection bias.

Methods: We analyzed health care and outcomes of mothers and their infants using linked administrative and screening data. All Medicaid pregnant women with a singleton birth in Michigan between 2009 and 2012 who were prenatally …

Symptom Severity, Self-Efficacy And Treatment-Seeking For Mental Health Among Us Iraq/Afghanistan Military Veterans, Mary Keeling, Nicholas Barr, Hazel Atuel, Carl A. Castro

Social Work Faculty Research

Military veterans have high rates of mental health problems, yet the majority do not seek treatment. Understanding treatment-seeking in this population is important. This study investigated if symptom severity and self-efficacy are associated with treatment-seeking among US Iraq/Afghanistan veterans. Survey data from 525 veterans meeting clinical criteria for PTSD and depression were included of which, 54.4% had sought treatment in the past 12 months. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that high symptom severity was associated with treatment seeking, whereas high self-efficacy was associated with a decreased likelihood to seek treatment. Self-efficacy could be an underlying mechanism of treatment seeking decisions.

Barriers And Promoters Of Retention Of Direct Care Workers In Community Mental Health Agencies, Shinobu Watanabe-Galloway, Brent Khan, Mogens (Bill) Baerentzen, Zaeema Naveed

Reports and White Papers: Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska

Demand for behavioral health direct-care providers is increasing due to shortage of licensed behavioral health providers. However, high turnover has been reported among them with limited exploratory research. The present study aimed to identify a wide variety of barriers and promoters of retention and strategies to retain direct care workers. An online, self-administered survey designed to measure demographics, job satisfaction, perceived importance of various job aspects, intention to leave, perceived stress and sources of stress was administered among 179 direct care workers from four agencies. Multiple logistic regression exhibited higher odds of intending to leave for those who had higher …

The History Of Lobotomies: Examining Its Impacts On Marginalized Groups And The Development Of Psychosurgery, Simon Godin, Brett Leblanc

Psychology from the Margins

Frontal lobotomies, which are defined as the lesioning of the frontal lobe from the rest of the brain, were performed extensively from the 1930s to the 1960s in Europe and the United States, significantly impacting psychology and psychosurgery. The history of frontal lobotomies features many different practitioners with diverse methods; however, the overwhelming majority of popular lobotomists committed unethical actions by today’s standards that led to the direct marginalization of specific demographics. Using a framework guided by an exploration of those historically disempowered by the performance of lobotomies, this review article traces the lobotomy’s historical progression, focusing on the unethical …

Promoting Bike Safety And Physical Activity In The Community: The Kenton-Hardin County Family Bike Program, Jamie Hunsicker

Ada Chats

No abstract provided.

Minding The Mindfulness Research In Healthcare: More Data On Diversity Are Urgently Needed, Basant Pradhan

Cooper Rowan Medical Journal

Amongst the myriads of applications of meditative practice, mindfulness meditation can be arguably the simple yet most evidence-based type of meditative method. This simple and age-old technique emphasizes upon cultivating in the practitioner a nonjudgmental awareness on a moment-to-moment basis. Mindfulness meditation was introduced to the American audience in the early 1990’s by Jon Kabat-Zinn, and beginning the early 2000s has seen an exponential growth trajectory that continues to this day. However, its rising popularity has given rise to considerable misinformation and misunderstanding as well.

Participatory Art And Aging: Proposal For Dementia Prevention Strategy, Colette Brown

Augsburg Honors Review

As the population age increases, and Alzheimer's disease death rates increase, the need for dementia prevention therapies grows in relevance and necessity. A cooperative model for teaching Conceptual art to older adults is proposed as a dementia prevention strategy. Preventive benefits of the proposed strategy are preliminarily suggested to improve: l) cognitive reserve (CR), where a strong CR has been associated with longer lasting functionality in dementia patients; 2) cognitive lifestyle, a behavioral measure of CR; and 3) neuroplasticity, with promoting neuroplasticity being the goal of many non-pharmacological dementia prevention studies. Texts on art therapy, Conceptual art, social practice, neuroplasticity, …

A Health Disparity Action Plan: Achieving Equity Through Clinical Trials, Affordable Care, And Professional Development, Daniel Schafer, Shefa Moten, Ayesha Khan, Mauro Ferrari, Boris Lushniak, Edwin Burkett, Asad Moten

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Given the threatened nature of affordable care in the United States, it is crucial to underscore its importance. What is more, the reason such care is so important is the presence of an oft-unacknowledged disparity in access to quality care in this country and, indeed, around the world. A world without health disparities can be achieved and will be characterized by prompt and quality care available to all and at all stages of the care continuum. Further insurance reform is needed beyond the Affordable Care Act, while local care must be more accessible in rural, urban, and other underserved areas. …

Year Of Inquiry Into Student Mental Health, José M. Torres, Amber Stitziel Pareja, Katie Berger, Monika Narain '21, Ray Shang '20

Publications & Research

Year of Inquiry Objectives

• To engage in an in-depth examination of a current challenge that significantly influences IMSA’s work and mission
• To identify both the scope of and potential solutions to the challenge
• Topic: Student mental health and well-being

Year Of Inquiry Into Student Mental Health, José M. Torres, Amber Stitziel Pareja, Katie Berger, Monika Narain '21, Ray Shang '20

Student Publications & Research

Year of Inquiry Objectives

• To engage in an in-depth examination of a current challenge that significantly influences IMSA’s work and mission
• To identify both the scope of and potential solutions to the challenge
• Topic: Student mental health and well-being

The Effects Of Group Music Therapy On Levels Of Anxiety, Depression, Well-Being, Functional Disability, And Distress In Adult Congolese Refugees, Elise Hawkes

SMU Journal of Undergraduate Research

Refugees have a variety of mental health needs due to their experiences, including trauma, anxiety, and depression. Psychotherapy, one of the main modalities for treatment, presents limitations including language barriers and negative stigmas. Music therapy might help to overcome these limitations due to its reliance upon music, rather than verbal language, as the therapeutic medium, and due to music’s ubiquitous cultural prevalence. Music therapy has been shown to have positive effects on sleep quality, well-being, trauma symptoms, social function, and mood. Music therapy training and research results have demonstrated ways to connect with clients through music and overcome cross-cultural barriers. …

Adolescent And Young Adult Mental Health Is Better In States That Mandate More School Mental Health Policies, Stephanie Spera, Shannon M. Monnat

Population Health Research Brief Series

Mental health problems and suicide rates have increased among adolescents and young adults over the past several years. This research brief shows that adolescent and young adult mental health is better in states that mandate more school mental health policies, including school-based mental health centers, professional development in suicide prevention, and social-emotional curricula.

From One Period To The Next... : Menstruation And The Psychoanalytic Process Of Working Through To The Feminine, Loryn L. Hatch

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation delves into the theoretical treatment and place of menstruation in psychoanalysis. Beginning in Chapter I with a broad and varied overview of menstruation with a primary focus on Western culture, some of the persistent ideas and themes, as well as their effects, are illustrated to help pose core questions about menstruation, including how to think about its simultaneous presence and absence within the social discourse and its relationship to psychoanalysis. Chapter II explores the appearances of menstruation in Freud’s body of work, including its relationship to the burgeoning field of psychoanalysis and the fixed place it holds in …

Psychological Distress And Its Associated Factors Among Informal Care Givers Of Disabled Young Adults With Traumatic Brain Injuries, Samera Punjwani, Yasmin Parpio, Rubina Barolia, Muhammad Shahzad Shamim, Nargis Asad

Department of Surgery Docs

Objective: To measure the psychological distress among the informal caregivers of disabled young adults with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and to identify its associated factors.
Methods: An analytical cross sectional study was conducted with 76 informal caregivers of young adults (19 - 50 years) with TBI, using admission records of one of the tertiary care hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan from 2015 to 2016. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire comprising a general demographic questionnaire and the General Health Questionnaire- 28. The effect of the predictors on the psychological distress was determined by applying multiple linear regression analysis.
Results: The …

Insight Gains Of Narrative Case Studies, H. Luis Vargas

Counseling and Family Therapy Scholarship Review

The Editor provides an Editorial for the new issue.

Psychosocial Mediators Of Perceived Stigma And Suicidal Ideation Among Transgender Women, Krishna Kiran Kota, Laura F. Salazar, Rachel E. Culbreth, Richard A. Crosby, Jamal Jones

Health, Behavior & Society Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Transgender women (TGW) in the U.S. experience high rates of stigma, depression, and elevated rates of suicide. This study examined correlates of suicidal ideation and estimated the conditional indirect effects of perceived stigma and psychosocial mediators on suicidal ideation.

METHODS: Using a cross-sectional study design, TGW (N = 92) were recruited through snowball sampling in Atlanta, Georgia. Structured interviews were conducted. Suicidal ideation was assessed by combining two variables that measured suicidal thoughts. Logistic regression models were performed to identify the potential risk and protective factors for suicidal ideation. We examined hypothesized psychosocial factors, including anxiety, depression, psychosocial impact …

Web-Based Graphic Representation Of The Life Course Of Mental Health: Cross-Sectional Study Across The Spectrum Of Mood, Anxiety, Eating, And Substance Use Disorders., Robin Leora Aupperle, Martin P. Paulus, Rayus Kuplicki, James Touthang, Teresa Victor, Hung-Wen Yeh, Tulsa 1000 Investigators, Sahib S. Khalsa

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Although patient history is essential for informing mental health assessment, diagnosis, and prognosis, there is a dearth of standardized instruments measuring time-dependent factors relevant to psychiatric disorders. Previous research has demonstrated the potential utility of graphical representations, termed life charts, for depicting the complexity of the course of mental illness. However, the implementation of these assessments is limited by the exclusive focus on specific mental illnesses (ie, bipolar disorder) and the lack of intuitive graphical interfaces for data collection and visualization.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop and test the utility of the Tulsa Life Chart (TLC) as a …

Books: The Original And Final Refuge For Mental Wellness, Kyle Christopher Miller

Journal of Wellness

An appreciation for literature and how reading fights to stay relevant in the fast moving era of technology.

Anxiety-Related Issues In Cancer Survivorship, Maresi A. Berry-Stoelzle, Anna C. Mark, Peter Kim, Jeanette M. Daly

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine patient opinions about anxiety in cancer survivorship, particularly the role of the primary care provider in management of anxiety related to the trajectory of long-term cancer survivorship.

Methods: Respondents to a mass email (N = 22,000) were invited to participate in 1 of 3 institutional review board-approved focus group meetings. Inclusion criteria were being an adult patient older than 25 years of age, having any type of cancer diagnosis, and being at least 18 months from treatment. The following specific issues were discussed: role of the primary care provider …

Access To Autism Spectrum Disorder Services For Rural Appalachian Citizens, Angela Scarpa, Laura S. Jensen, Denis Gracanin, Sharon L. Ramey, Angela V. Dahiya, L. Maria Ingram, Jordan Albright, Alyssa J. Gatto, Jen P. Scott, Lisa Ruble

Journal of Appalachian Health

Background: Low-resource rural communities face significant challenges regarding availability and adequacy of evidence-based services.

Purposes: With respect to accessing evidence-based services for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), this brief report summarizes needs of rural citizens in the South-Central Appalachian region, an area notable for persistent health disparities.

Methods: A mixed-methods approach was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data during focus groups with 33 service providers and 15 caregivers of children with ASD in rural southwest Virginia.

Results: Results supported the barriers of availability and affordability of ASD services in this region, especially relating to the need for more ASD-trained providers, …