Mental and Social Health Commons^™

Similarity Based Classification Of Adhd Using Singular Value Decomposition, Taban Eslami, Fahad Saeed

Parallel Computing and Data Science Lab Technical Reports

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common brain disorders among children. This disorder is considered as a big threat for public health and causes attention, focus and organizing difficulties for children and even adults. Since the cause of ADHD is not known yet, data mining algorithms are being used to help discover patterns which discriminate healthy from ADHD subjects. Numerous efforts are underway with the goal of developing classification tools for ADHD diagnosis based on functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging data of the brain. In this paper, we used Eros, which is a technique for …

The Effect Of Dance And Team Sports On Mental Health, Kayla Hulburt

Honors Senior Capstone Projects

This study uses the World Health Organization model of physical, social, and mental health to examine the effect of participating in dance and team sports during childhood on mental health in adulthood. Prior research has suggested that physical activity is strongly integrated with mental and social health and therefore is a protective factor among mental illness. However, there is not sufficient research comparing the differences among dance and team sports on mental health. This study hypothesized that dancers would experience more positive mental health in adulthood than team sports due to the basis of physical activity in dance, but the …

Enhancing Survivorship: An Evaluation Of Social/Emotional Training For Facilitators Of The Livestrong At The Ymca Program, Alyssa Lamonica

Health Sciences Student Work

Introduction: Cancer survivorship groups are able to provide a safe space for those who are battling cancer and for those in remission. Facilitators of these programs are reaching emotional thresholds where they feel ill equipped to handle the psychological needs of group participants. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the social/emotional training provided to facilitators of the LIVESTRONG at the YMCA program. Methods: Pre and post surveys were administered to nine training participants in order to assess their feelings and perceptions of social and emotional wellness before and after participating in the training. Follow-up interviews were conducted …

Melodies, Memories, And Meaning: The Use Of Music Therapy For Persons With Dementia, Emily A. Carl

Selected Honors Theses

Dementia is a growing public health issue, as there are 24.3 million people currently diagnosed worldwide. Being that there is no cure, non-pharmacological interventions are important to optimize quality of life for this population. Music therapy is a nonpharmacological intervention with fine usability for dementia patients. This thesis will examine the positive effects of music therapy on the behavioral symptoms, mood management, self-esteem, language skills, cognition, and reminiscence for the individual with dementia based on existing literature and will provide practice recommendations for the clinical use of music therapy and research. A short literature review will focus on the field …

(Video) Dirty Cotton: Occupational Pesticide Exposure And Elevated Suicide Risk Among Male Cotton Farmers In India, Bethany Natalia Kondavaty

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Purpose: The aim of this critical analysis was to examine the association (or lack thereof) of occupational pesticide exposure and elevated suicide risk among male cotton farmers in India.

Methods: A literature review was performed using Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases. The review included documents published before and after year 2002. Children were excluded from the search as well as women, with exception to research on gender differences in suicide.

Results: Studies outside India show a positive correlation between work-related pesticide exposure and suicide. Animal studies have shown that pesticides, as organophosphates, are toxic, …

Evaluation Of Group Movement Programs (Plié And Paired Plié) For People With Memory Loss, Alzheimer’S Disease Or Dementia, Martin Blanco, Deborah Barnes

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Today, one in ten people ages 65 and older have Alzheimer’s dementia. This serious condition often causes great suffering among affected individuals and their families, and there are no medications that stop or slow the disease. It is therefore important to evaluate alternative interventions that may benefit both patients and their care partners. Preventing Loss of Independence through Exercise (PLIÉ) and Paired PLIÉ are group movement programs that combine neuroscience and integrative medicine for individuals with dementia. We analyzed data from [N=39] anonymous evaluation surveys performed as part of two ongoing randomized control trials. Survey data included general questions on …

A Multivariate Analysis Of Nationwide Changes In Opioid Prescriptions From 2012-2016, Drishti Pillai, Leighton Ku

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Background

Between 2012 and 2016, the opioid overdose mortality rate in the U.S. almost doubled from 7.4 to 13.3 per 100,000 population, leading to calls for a national opioid crisis. This crisis has generated interest in Medicaid’s dual role as a health insurance system that provides reimbursement for both prescription opioid analgesics like Oxycodone used to treat chronic pain, which could inadvertently fuel addiction, and prescription opioids used as treatment medication to help people survive and recover from drug abuse, such as Naloxone.

Methods

In this study, we conduct a multi-variate analysis of Medicaid prescription drug utilization data for the …

Active And Passive Stress Management Mechanisms In Physically Active Young Adults, Krista Lepping, Melissa Napolitano

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Background: Physical activity and stress are common factors that affect the health and wellness of young adults worldwide. Higher levels of stress in students can lead to increased blood pressure and decreased immune system defenses. Previous studies have found that students who report more physical activity also report lower levels of stress. Perceived stress is subjective, however, and therefore the amount of physical activity that affects stress levels could vary. Additionally, extensive research has yet to be conducted on the different coping mechanisms that physically active students use to relieve stress. These mechanisms may include physical activity as a …

Cross-Sectional Comparison Of Behavioral Risk Factors For Hiv/Hcv In People Who Inject Drugs (Pwid) In Egypt, Sarah Martinez, Amira A. Roess, Monica S. Ruiz, Atef Bakhoum, Ehab El Kharrat

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Background

Egypt has the greatest HCV prevalence worldwide at 15% and a concentrated HIV epidemic in male people who inject drugs (PWID) at 6.8%, who are at a high risk for HCV infection as well. Injection drug use is criminalized in Egypt, and there is limited availability of harm reduction programs. Drug-use and sexual risk behaviors between PWID and the general population have not been studied there.

Methods

To address this gap, a cross-sectional HIV/HCV epidemiological study of 632 consenting injection drug users in Cairo and Alexandria was conducted. Bivariate logistic regression analysis was done to evaluate the associations between …

Improving Adolescents’ Driving Behaviors Through A Personal Narrative-Based Psychosocial Intervention In Serbia, Hagere Yilma, Rajiv Rimal, Nargis Ryskulova

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Objectives: Road traffic crashes continue to be the leading cause of death among adolescents. While males are more vulnerable to crashes than females, driver education interventions are less likely to succeed among males than females. Some studies suggest that stronger optimistic bias and overconfidence bias in males may be the reason for this.

Methods: In a quasi-experiment conducted in Serbia, forty schools were stratified by size and randomly assigned to watch a road traffic safety presentation utilizing personal narratives or to a control arm. Surveys were administered before the intervention (N=1,449) and again six months later (N=1,072). Data was …

(Video) Reframing Discourse: Using Brfss Data To Deconstruct Influences Of Parenthood On Depression And Lgbtq+ Mental Health, Kate Luxion

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Introduction: Rates of depression contribute to the mental health epidemic, with parents in the United States considered a population at greater risk. Framing of mental health and depression has remained centered on cisgender, heterosexual identities (cis-heteronormative) despite diversity in family constellations. This presentation looks to reframe and expand the discussion on LGBTQ+ parents, depression, and mental health. The hypotheses tested look first at the differences in depression diagnosis. Second, the number of poor mental health days per month are examined for differences between the subsamples.

Methods: The study reviewed data from the 2014-2016 BRFSS surveys (n=371,268) focused on parents as …

(Video) Differences In Psychosocial And Behavioral Risk Profiles Of Cigarette Smokers And E-Cigarette Users Among Minnesota Adolescents: 2016, Tara E. Jenson

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Background/Objectives: Rates of cigarette smoking among adolescents have been trending downward, however rates of adolescent e-cigarette use rates are now twice those of adolescent cigarette smoking nationally. The objective of this study was to examine the association of demographic, socioeconomic, psychosocial and health behavioral factors as surveyed by the Minnesota Student Survey with cigarette smoking and e-cigarette use among Minnesota adolescents.

Methods: This study analyzed the 2016 Minnesota Student Survey (MSS), an anonymous, school-based, cross-sectional survey of students in grades five, eight, nine and eleven. The 2016 MSS contains a total of 168,733 records, 118,198 of which were …

Resilience Of Children With Chronic Health Conditions: The Impact Of Neuropsychiatric Comorbidities, Sarah Bernstein, Sandra Cushner-Weinstein

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

BACKGROUND: Resilience, the ability to overcome adversity and effectively recover from stressful experiences, is a complex theory with many contributing factors. Previous studies have shown that condition-specific summer camps for children with chronic health conditions increase resilience and adaptive coping skills, change attitudes toward the illness, and improve quality of life. The aim of this study was to determine how neuropsychiatric comorbid diagnoses such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disability, and anxiety disorder influence the resilience of children with chronic health conditions.

METHODS: Children with chronic health conditions including autism, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, Tourette’s syndrome, sickle cell anemia, …

Tipsheet: Student Mental Health And Resources, Unl Office Of The Executive Vice Chancellor

United States Public Health Resources

Stress, depression, anxiety, alcohol abuse, eating disorders, and other mental health challenges affect at least 1 in 5 college students*. Faculty can be an important source of support for UNL students. Here are some strategies for supporting student mental health:

1. Communicate the importance of mental health. Mental health is just as important as physical health. When someone breaks a leg they go to the hospital. Mental illness is the same thing. If someone is feeling depressed they should seek treatment. Normalize mental health by talking about getting support if you notice your students struggling with stress, depression, anxiety, etc. …

Improving Primary Care Utilization For Transgender Patients At An Fqhc, Timothie J. Rochon, Dnp, Rn, Cnm

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Transgender and Gender-Nonconforming (TGNC) populations comprise approximately 6% of the U.S. population. Socially and within the medical treatment system TGNC individuals face widespread stigmatization and discrimination which negatively impacts their mental, physical, and emotional health and contributes to health disparities. Real and perceived barriers to safe and effective healthcare are worsened by the scarcity of primary care providers knowledgeable in caring for these populations.

Objectives: The aim of this quality improvement project was to examine the impact of inclusive gender-affirming integration on the utilization of preventive and primary care services.

Methods: A one group pre- and post-intervention design was …

;, Anthony Santangelo

Vázquez-Valarezo Poetry Award

The poem tells a personal story between my best friend and me during our freshman year at Augustana. Through her struggles with mental health, I learned to understand and accept people different than me. One of the main reasons I wrote this is to demonstrate the detriments of mental health stigma and the mindset that must be adopted to combat this.

Stress Of Infertility: Can The Couple Cope?, Faiza Alam, Taseer Ahmed Khan, Rehana Rehman

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

No abstract provided.

A Qualitative Study Of Adult Perspectives Of Loyola Marymount’S Summer Arts Workshop, Colleen Stafford

LMU Theses and Dissertations

This research is a qualitative exploration of the impacts of Loyola Marymount’s Summer Arts Workshop from the perspective of the youth participant’s teachers and caregivers. The intention of this research was to compare findings in the literature of similar youth arts programs to LMU’s through examination of a previously unexplored perspective. Data was collected through an arts based focus group as well as paper-pencil questionnaires including both Likert scale and open ended questions. Themes emerged through thorough analysis of all data collected and presented both themes of specific program impacts and opportunities for future program improvements. The findings of this …

Pearl Lagoon's White Lobster: The Societal, Economic, Political And Autonomous Effects, Rafely Palacios

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua is home to the greatest number of impoverished individuals in the country. However, the people of Pearl Lagoon - a municipality in the South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region - have found a way to escape their poor economic situations.

Due to the municipality’s close proximity to drug routes utilized by Colombian cartels and to the country itself, community members have turned to the drug trade in hopes of pursuing financial secureness. With the introduction of the “white lobster” or cocaine packets, the community as a whole has transformed its social, economic, and political spheres. In …

Access To Mental Health Care For Depression Among Latina Women In Adams County, Alison P. Lauro

Student Publications

This research project focused on what barriers prevent Latina women in Adams County from accessing mental health care. A survey was distributed to 52 women over several weeks. These participants, particularly immigrant and undocumented women, have lower rates of health insurance, low incomes, and limited transportation, and the county does not have accessible, Spanish speaking mental health professionals, which makes it nearly impossible for these women to access mental healthcare in the county.