Mental and Social Health Commons^™

Addressing Culture And Context In Humanitarian Response: Preparing Desk Reviews To Inform Mental Health And Psychosocial Support., M Claire Greene, Mark J D Jordans, Brandon A Kohrt, Peter Ventevogel, Laurence J Kirmayer, Ghayda Hassan, Anna Chiumento, Mark Van Ommeren, Wietse A Tol

Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Faculty Publications

Delivery of effective mental health and psychosocial support programs requires knowledge of existing health systems and socio-cultural context. To respond rapidly to humanitarian emergencies, international organizations often seek to design programs according to international guidelines and mobilize external human resources to manage and deliver programs. Familiarizing international humanitarian practitioners with local culture and contextualizing programs is essential to minimize risk of harm, maximize benefit, and optimize efficient use of resources. Timely literature reviews on traditional health practices, cultural beliefs and attitudes toward mental health and illness, local health care systems and previous experiences with humanitarian interventions can provide international practitioners …

Elucidating Adolescent Aspirational Models For The Design Of Public Mental Health Interventions: A Mixed-Method Study In Rural Nepal, Sauharda Rai, Safar Bikram Adhikari, Nanda Raj Acharya, Bonnie N. Kaiser, Brandon A. Kohrt

Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Adolescent aspirational models are sets of preferences for an idealized self. Aspirational models influence behavior and exposure to risk factors that shape adult mental and physical health. Cross-cultural understandings of adolescent aspirational models are crucial for successful global mental health programs. The study objective was elucidating adolescent aspirational models to inform interventions in Nepal.

Methods

Twenty qualitative life trajectory interviews were conducted among adolescents, teachers, and parents. Card sorting (rating and ranking activities) were administered to 72 adolescents aged 15–19 years, stratified by caste/ethnicity: upper caste Brahman and Chhetri, occupational caste Dalit, and ethnic minority Janajati. …

2017 Annual Report, Center For Applied Research On Substance Use And Health Disparities

Center for Applied Research on Substance Use and Health Disparities Annual Reports

No abstract provided.

Relationship Between Individual Differences In Functional Connectivity And Facial Emotion Recognition Abilities In Traumatic Brain Injury, Arianna Rigon, Michelle W. Voss, Lyn Siobhan Turkstra, Bilge Mutlu, Melissa Duff

Communication Disorders Faculty Research

Although several studies have demonstrated that facial-affect recognition impairment is common following moderate-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), and that there are diffuse alterations in large-scale functional brain networks in TBI populations, little is known about the relationship between the two. Here, in a sample of26 participants with TBI and 20 healthy comparison participants (HC) we measured facial-affect recognition abilities and resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) using fMRI. We then used network-based statistics to ex-amine (A) the presence of rs-FC differences between individuals with TBI and HC within the facial-affect processing network, and (B) the association between inter-individual differences in emotion recognition …

Insomnia, Psychiatric Disorders And Suicidal Ideation In A National Representative Sample Of Active Canadian Forces Members, Don Richardson, A. Thompson, Lisa King, B. Corbett, P. Shnaider, K. St Cyr, C. Nelson, J. Sareen, Jon Elhai, M. Zamorski

MacDonald Franklin OSI Research Centre

Background

Past research on the association between insomnia and suicidal ideation (SI) has produced mixed findings. The current study explored the relationship between insomnia, SI, and past-year mental health status among a large Canadian Forces (CF) sample.

Method

Data was obtained from the 2013 Canadian Forces Mental Health Survey (CFMHS), and included a large representative sample of Canadian Regular Forces personnel (N = 6700). A series of univariate logistic regressions were conducted to test individual associations between past-year mental health status, insomnia, and potential confounds and SI. Mental health status included three groups: 0, 1, or two or more …

The Healthy Relationships Plus Program: National Implementation Summary, Claire Crooks

Healthy Relationships Plus Program Implementation Study

There is a clear need for evidence-based approaches to promote mental health and prevent violence among youth. These programs need to be flexible enough to be implemented in diverse settings. Ideally, they would also address multiple outcomes at once. We know that there is a significant overlap among violence, substance misuse, and unhealthy sexual behaviour (i.e., the adolescent risk triad). These problem behaviours are linked in several ways: they co-occur, they share risk factors, and they frequently emerge within the context of dating and peer relationships. More recently, researchers have identified mental health as an issue that overlays all of …

Teen Relationship Violence And Wellbeing Among Lgbtq+ Youth, Alicia A. Lapointe

Healthy Relationships Plus Program Implementation Study

Many LGBTQ+ youth experience mental health challenges (e.g., depression, anxiety, self-harm, attempting or dying by suicide, etc.) due to homophobia, heterosexism, heteronormativity, transphobia, cissexism, and cisnormativity, and other interlocking oppressions (e.g., racism, colonialism, ableism, sexism, etc.). Due to prejudicial attitudes and beliefs, LGBTQ+ youth may experience interpersonal issues with family members, peers, classmates, co-workers, etc. The HRP for LGBTQ+ Youth was designed to support queer, trans, and gender diverse youth as they navigate and cope with LGBTQ+-based oppression. Since youth groups and GSAs are ‘safer’ venues for LGBTQ+ youth to find support and develop relationships with like-minded folks, they are …

Healthy Relationships And Wellbeing Among Youth Offenders, Amanda J. Kerry

Healthy Relationships Plus Program Implementation Study

Historically, the perception of youth offender treatment programs was “nothing works” (Andrew & Bonta, 2010). Fortunately, we have since shifted from that view and current research suggests that effective programs for youth offenders should aim to reduce re-offending by targeting multiple risk factors and promoting the development of healthy, prosocial skills. Consistent with the effective ingredients of programming, the Fourth R and HRPP programs target multiple risk factors (i.e., substance use, risky sexual behaviour) and promote social and cognitive skill building (i.e., communication skills, help seeking). The goal of this research project was to examine the feasibility and fit of …

Preparing To Parent: Mindfulness In Expectant Parents Exposed To Adversity, Laurel Marie Hicks

Wayne State University Dissertations

Expectant parents who have been exposed to psychosocial risk encounter deleterious psychological (Ashley et al., 2016), and physiological (V. H. Pereira, Campos, & Sousa, 2017) effects. This not only affects the parent-to-be, but also may affect the developing fetus (E. P. Davis et al., 2011) and is linked to poorer infant development (Lefmann & Combs-Orme, 2014). However, not all risk-exposed individuals experience this, many are resilient and still thrive in the face of adversity. Understanding potential risk and resiliency factors in expectant parents is advantageous, so tailored interventions can be devised to improve outcomes. One potential resiliency factor, mindfulness, is …

Gender Differences In Drinking Habits Among College Students, Margaret Anne Demayo

Student Research Posters

Binge drinking is a common problem found among college students. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in six U.S. adults binge drink about four times a month, consuming about eight drinks per binge." Over time, binge drinking in college can cause negative factors for students such as, poor academics and health problems.

The purpose of my study is to evaluate how stress factors such as environment and peer relationships affect drinking habits in male and female college students. Students experience stress factors such as environment (e.g. housing), peer relationships (e.g. peer pressure, relationships), school (e.g. …

Life In Hampton Roads Survey Press Release #2: Police, Race Relations And Attitudes Regarding The Homeless And Mentally Ill In Hampton Roads, Social Science Research Center, Old Dominion University

Life in Hampton Roads Survey Report

[Introductory paragraph]

This report examines regional and sub-regional perceptions of crime and police from the 2017 Life In Hampton Roads survey (LIHR 2017) conducted by the Old Dominion University Social Science Research Center. Data from prior years is also provided when available to show comparisons in responses over time. Responses were weighted by city population, race, age, gender, and phone usage (cell versus land-line) to be representative of the Hampton Roads region.

Translating Mental Health Diagnostic And Symptom Terminology To Train Health Workers And Engage Patients In Cross-Cultural, Non-English Speaking Populations, Bibhav Acharya, Madhur Basnet, Pragya Rimal, David Citrin, Soniya Hirachan, Brandon Kohrt, +Several Additional Authors

Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Faculty Publications

Although there are guidelines for transcultural adaptation and validation of psychometric tools, similar resources do not exist for translation of diagnostic and symptom terminology used by health professionals to communicate with one another, their patients, and the public. The issue of translation is particularly salient when working with underserved, non-English speaking populations in high-income countries and low- and middle-income countries. As clinicians, researchers, and educators working in cross-cultural settings, we present four recommendations to avoid common pitfalls in these settings. We demonstrate the need for: (1) harmonization of terminology among clinicians, educators of health professionals, and health policymakers; (2) distinction …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Smokers’ Perceptions About Lung Cancer Screening, Lindsay Gressard, Amy Degroff, Thomas B. Richards, Stephanie Melillo, Julia Kish-Doto, Christina L. Heminger, Elizabeth Rohan, Kristine Allen

Prevention and Community Health Faculty Publications

Background

In 2013, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) began recommending lung cancer screening for high risk smokers aged 55–80 years using low-dose computed tomography (CT) scan. In light of these updated recommendations, there is a need to understand smokers’ knowledge of and experiences with lung cancer screening in order to inform the design of patient education and tobacco cessation programs. The purpose of this study is to describe results of a qualitative study examining smokers’ perceptions around lung cancer screening tests.

Methods

In 2009, prior to the release of the updated USPSTF recommendations, we conducted 12 120-min, gender-specific …

Do Pediatric Gastroenterology Doctors Address Pediatric Obesity?, Suruchi Batra, Caitlin Yee, Bernadette Diez, Nicholas Nguyen, Michael J Sheridan, Mark Tufano, Natalie Sikka, Stacie Townsend, Suchitra Hourigan

Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Faculty Publications

Objectives:

To assess how often obesity is acknowledged at pediatric gastroenterology outpatient visits.

Methods:

A retrospective chart review was performed to identify obese children seen at a gastroenterology subspecialty clinic over a 1-year period of time; 132 children were identified. Demographics, obesity comorbidities, reasons for referral, diagnosis of obesity, and a plan to address obesity were abstracted. Chi-square or Fisher’s exact tests were used to examine statistical associations.

Results:

Only 49% of children were given a diagnosis of obesity. In total, 52% of children were given a body mass index reduction plan. Those diagnosed with obesity were more likely to …

Situational Analysis To Inform Development Of Primary Care And Community-Based Mental Health Services For Severe Mental Disorders In Nepal, Mangesh Angdembe, Brandon A. Kohrt, Mark Jordans, Damodar Rimal, Nagendra Luitel

Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Nepal is representative of Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC) with limited availability of mental health services in rural areas, in which the majority of the population resides.

Methods

This formative qualitative study explores resources, challenges, and potential barriers to the development and implementation of evidence-based Comprehensive Community-based Mental Health Services (CCMHS) in accordance with the mental health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) for persons with severe mental health disorders and epilepsy. Focus Group Discussions (FGDs, n = 9) and Key-Informant Interviews (KIIs, n = 26) were conducted in a rural district in western Nepal. Qualitative data were coded using …

Schizophrenia’S Relationship With Cardiovascular Morbidity And Mortality, Hannah Jorgensen

Theses and Graduate Projects

Premature morbidity and mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) disproportionately affects individuals with schizophrenia. This research paper systematically reviews articles that examine the theories and causes of increased CVD risk in individuals with schizophrenia. The findings of the review indicate that there are biological, environmental and sociocultural components of the relationship between schizophrenia and cardiovascular disease. Inflammation from the progression of chronic schizophrenia appears to play a part. The side-effect profile of the medications used to treat schizophrenia cause CVD risk factors. The secondary and tertiary symptoms of the disease process result in problems in motivation, cognitive function and self- …

Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms In Pathological Gambling: Potential Evidence Of Anti-Reward Processes, Cheryl L. Green, Ramzi W. Nahhas, Arielle A. Scoglio, Igor Elman

Population and Public Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Excessive gambling is considered to be a part of the addiction spectrum. Stress-like emotional states are a key feature both of pathological gambling (PG) and of substance addiction. In substance addiction, stress symptomatology has been attributed in part to "anti-reward" allostatic neuroadaptations, while a potential involvement of anti-reward processes in the course of PG has not yet been investigated. Methods: To that end, individuals with PG (n = 22) and mentally healthy subjects (n = 13) were assessed for trauma exposure and post-traumatic stress symptomatology (PTSS) using the Life Events Checklist and the Civilian Mississippi Scale, respectively. Results: In …

Depression In Low-Income Adolescents: Guidelines For School-Based Depression Intervention Programs, Gopika Hari

AUCTUS: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship

Adolescent depression is growing in interest to clinicians. In addition to the estimated 2 million cases of adolescent major depressive episodes each year, depressive symptoms in youth have become indicators of mental health complications later in life. Studies indicate that being low-income is a risk factor for depression and that socioeconomically disadvantaged teenagers are more than twice as likely to develop mental illnesses. Only an estimated 1 in 4 children with mental illnesses receive adequate help and 80% of these resources come through schools. Thus, this study focuses on establishing the importance of depression intervention programs in low-income high schools …

Complementary Therapies In Libraries: A Future Perspective, Kellie Sparks

Urban Library Journal

Academic libraries can assist in the efficacy of student learning by offering specialized programming, spaces, and knowledge opportunities that delve into the use of complementary practices and techniques. By regularly offering resources that may be considered non-traditional such as meditation and yoga, libraries can assist students in gaining a greater awareness of themselves and their environment. Libraries can provide these services at the point of need and not limit these methods to only particular times of the academic year. Libraries can also become spaces for further research since much is still being examined regarding the effects of complementary practices on …

Research Proposal: The Effects Of Therapeutic Interventions On Illicit Drug Abuse Among Homeless Adolescents, Alice Baillio, Meghan Stanley, Sarah Kroupa, Rania Ajaj, Paige Rabidoux

OUR Journal: ODU Undergraduate Research Journal

Aim: To compare case management versus community-based therapy on illicit drug abuse among homeless adolescents

Background: Homeless adolescents are at high risk for illicit drug abuse.

Methods:

• A quasi-experimental, multiple baseline time series design

• 52 sessions over a 12-month period

• Baseline assessment and survey on demographics

• Follow-up: closed-ended questionnaire (every four months)

Analysis: Repeated ANOVA test and dependent t-test

Limitations: Lack of recent evidence-based research, a small sample size, self-report data, and length of the study.