scholarly journals Toxoplasma gondii and Psychopathology: Latent Infection Is Associated with Interpersonal Sensitivity, Psychoticism, and Higher Testosterone Levels in Men, but Not in Women

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier I. Borráz-León ◽  
Markus J. Rantala ◽  
Severi Luoto ◽  
Indrikis Krams ◽  
Jorge Contreras-Garduño ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Evolutionary Biology ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Interpersonal Sensitivity ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Psychopathological Symptoms ◽  
Host Interactions ◽  
Testosterone Levels

Abstract Objective The ability of parasites to hijack the nervous system, manipulating the host’s physiology and behavior in ways that enhance the parasite’s fitness while damaging host fitness, is a topic of ongoing research interest in evolutionary biology, but is largely overlooked in mental health research. Nevertheless, recent evidence has shown that Toxoplasma gondii infection can change host testosterone levels and influence the development of some psychiatric disorders. Here, we tested this hypothesis in a mixed sample of 213 non-clinical subjects. Methods Participants (nmales = 108, nfemales = 105) provided 5 ml of blood to quantify testosterone levels and Toxoplasma gondii antibodies. The Symptom Checklist-90-Revised was used to assess psychopathological symptoms. Results The results showed that Toxoplasma-infected men had higher testosterone levels and scored higher in Interpersonal Sensitivity and Psychoticism symptoms than non-infected men. Toxoplasma-infected women did not differ from control women. Conclusions Framed in an evolutionary framework, the findings suggest that the elevated testosterone levels and the expression of psychopathological symptoms can be seen as the result of the manipulation exerted by Toxoplasma gondii either to reach its definitive host or to increase its spread. Future research can benefit from integrating insights from evolutionary biology and parasite-host interactions with physiology, immunology, and mental health to develop a better understanding of mental health etiology.

scholarly journals Advancing Indigenous Mental Health Research

2020 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 235-249
Author(s):  
Joseph P Gone ◽  
Laurence J Kirmayer
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Transcultural Psychiatry ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Ethical Awareness ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Conceptual Clarity ◽  
Indigenous Mental Health

The articles in this issue of Transcultural Psychiatry point the way toward meaningful advances in mental health research pertaining to Indigenous peoples, illuminating the distinctive problems and predicaments that confront these communities as well as unrecognized or neglected sources of well-being and resilience. As we observe in this introductory essay, future research will benefit from ethical awareness, conceptual clarity, and methodological refinement. Such efforts will enable additional insight into that which is common to Indigenous mental health across settler societies, and that which is specific to local histories, cultures and contexts. Research of this kind can contribute to nuanced understandings of developmental pathways, intergenerational effects, and community resilience, and inform policy and practice to better meet the needs of Indigenous individuals, communities and populations.

scholarly journals Researchable questions to support evidence-based mental health policy concerning adult mental illness

2002 ◽  
Vol 26 (10) ◽  
pp. 364-367 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graham Thornicroft ◽  
Jonathan Bindman ◽  
David Goldberg ◽  
Kevin Gournay ◽  
Peter Huxley
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Policy ◽  
Health Department ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Future Research Agenda ◽  
Department Of Health ◽  
National Service Framework ◽  
Mental Health Department

Policy makers find much mental health research irrelevant to their concerns. What types of research would directly assist those who formulate policy? The two purposes of this paper are (i) to identify important gaps in completed research, particularly in relation to the National Service Framework (NSF) for Mental Health (Department of Health, 1999a) and the NHS Plan (NHS Confederation, 2001); and (ii) to translate these gaps into researchable questions that can contribute to a debate about the future research agenda for general adult mental health in England.

Mental Health for Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) and Women Who Have Sex with Women (WSW)

2020 ◽  
pp. 341-355
Author(s):  
Anna C. Salomaa ◽  
Jes L. Matsick
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Sexual Behavior ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Research Funding ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Black Msm ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Categorization System ◽  
Sex With Men

This chapter reviews mental health research of sexual minorities who are defined by their same-gender sexual behavior. Women who have sex with women (WSW) and men who have sex with men (MSM) encompass not only those who identify as LGBQ+ but also people who identify as heterosexual or are unsure of their sexual orientation. The authors discuss the implications of this broad categorization on the study of mental disorders and psychological distress and present the typical rates of risk for WSW and MSM overall and within subgroups (e.g., heterosexual-identified WSW, Black MSM). This area of research is often hindered by the multiple ways in which MSM and WSW groups can be defined and the vast heterogeneity of people who fall within these categories. Further, because of the origins of WSW/MSM-terminology in HIV/AIDS research, there is a gendered imbalance in allocation of research funding toward MSM over WSW. Future research should address the limitations of this categorization system in understanding mental health by including multiple measures of sexuality to create a fine-grained understanding of which experiences of WSW/MSM transfer risk and by addressing the paucity of research on WSW and their mental health.

Critical analysis of mental health research among construction project professionals

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bashir Tijani ◽  
Jin Xiaohua ◽  
Robert Osei-Kyei
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Time Pressure ◽  
Health Management ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Working Hours ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Job Burnout ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type

Purpose Mental ill-health among construction project professionals (CPPs) is a significant, persistent and unresolved problem that sparked the proliferation of literature worldwide. Despite the diverse research publications, a systematic review to reveal forms of mental ill-health, cause of mental ill-health and coping is lacking. Design/methodology/approach This paper aims to systematically reviews the existing body of knowledge on mental health in the construction project by analyzing 60 papers published between 1989 and 2020 (years inclusive) using the preferred reporting item for systematic reviews and meta-analysis. Academic journals between 1989 and 2020 were selected for this study because the first published paper on the mental health of construction managers commenced in 1989 and current studies are published in 2020. Findings The findings show that stress, job burnout, depression, anxiety and substance use disorder (SUD) are prominent forms of mental ill-health among CPPs, with an absence of project-related measuring scales for evaluating the mental ill-health symptoms. Moreover, generic stressors including long working hours, time pressure and work overload were used to establish the root causes of mental ill-health by ignoring construction project related stressors for mental ill-health. Problem-focused coping is more efficient than emotional focused coping in mitigating work stress, job burnout, depression, anxiety, but little is known on the influence of coping strategies on SUD. Knowledge gaps and future research directions were identified. This research contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the implications of mental health management on construction projects. Originality/value The findings of this study contribute toward understanding the need to investigate individual mental ill-health as against the existing practices of considering all forms of mental ill-health as one umbrella. It also challenges limitations in the utilization of generic stressors to determines factors for mental ill-health by the introduction of the Swisse cheese theoretical model.

scholarly journals The nature buffer: the missing link in climate change and mental health research

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naseem Dillman-Hasso
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Mental Health Benefits ◽  
C 32 ◽  
Health And Well Being ◽  
Impacts Of Climate Change

AbstractThe connections between climate change and mental health are well known (Berry et al., Int J Publ Health 55(2):123–132, 2010; Clayton and Manning 2018; Kim et al., J Environ Sci Health C 32(3):299–318, 2014). Research also points to the positive impacts of nature on mental health, well-being, and attention (Capaldi et al., Int J Wellbeing 5(4):1–16, 2015; Kaplan and Kaplan 1989; Tillmann et al., J Epidemiol Community Health 72(10):958–966, 2018). However, no empirical research has examined how degradation of nature as a result of climate change can impact the mental health benefits that nature provides. This paper first reviews the existing research on the negative mental health consequences of climate change and the benefits of nature exposure for stress, mental health, and well-being. The connection between these two lines of research is examined in order to fully understand the impacts of climate change on mental health. Suggestions for future research are included.

scholarly journals Looking Back to Move Forward: Reflections on the Strengths and Challenges of the COVID-19 UK Mental Health Research Response

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ola Demkowicz ◽  
Margarita Panayiotou ◽  
Sam Parsons ◽  
Amy Feltham ◽  
Louise Arseneault ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Research Community ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
The Face ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
The Uk

In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the swift response of mental health research funders and institutions, service providers, and academics enabled progress toward understanding the mental health consequences. Nevertheless, there remains an urgent need to understand the true extent of the short- and long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, necessitating ongoing research. Although the speed with which mental health researchers have mobilized to respond to the pandemic so far is to be commended, there are valid concerns as to whether speed may have compromised the quality of our work. As the pandemic continues to evolve, we must take time to reflect on our initial research response and collectively consider how we can use this to strengthen ensuing COVID-19 mental health research and our response to future crises. Here, we offer our reflections as members of the UK mental health research community to discuss the continuing progress and persisting challenges of our COVID-19 response, which we hope can encourage reflection and discussion among the wider research community. We conclude that (1) Fragmentation in our infrastructure has challenged the efficient, effective and equitable deployment of resources, (2) In responding quickly, we may have overlooked the role of experts by experience, (3) Robust and open methods may have been compromised by speedy responses, and (4) This pandemic may exacerbate existing issues of inequality in our workforce.

scholarly journals Self-Perceived Facial Attractiveness, Fluctuating Asymmetry, and Minor Ailments Predict Mental Health Outcomes

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier I. Borráz-León ◽  
Markus J. Rantala ◽  
Severi Luoto ◽  
Indrikis A. Krams ◽  
Jorge Contreras-Garduño ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Fluctuating Asymmetry ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Facial Attractiveness ◽  
Interpersonal Sensitivity ◽  
Paranoid Ideation ◽  
Psychopathological Symptoms ◽  
Mixed Sample ◽  
Minor Ailments ◽  
Perceived Attractiveness

Abstract Objective Phenotypic markers associated with developmental stability such as fluctuating asymmetry, facial attractiveness, and reports of minor ailments can also act as indicators of overall physical health. However, few studies have assessed whether these markers might also be cues of mental health. We tested whether self- and other-perceived facial attractiveness, fluctuating asymmetry, and minor ailments are associated with psychopathological symptoms in a mixed sample of 358 college students, controlling for the effects of body mass index, age, and sex. Methods We applied the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) questionnaire to assess psychopathological symptoms, a battery of questionnaires about self-perceptions of facial attractiveness, and gathered information about the number of previous minor ailments as well as demographic data. Other-perceived attractiveness was assessed by an independent mixed sample of 109 subjects. Subjects’ facial fluctuating asymmetry was determined by geometric morphometrics. Results The results revealed that in both men and women, higher self-perceived attractiveness and fewer minor ailments predicted lower scores of Somatization, Obsessive–Compulsive, Interpersonal Sensitivity, Depression, Anxiety, Phobic Anxiety, Paranoid Ideation, Psychoticism, and a General Psychopathology Index. Higher facial fluctuating asymmetry was associated with higher Interpersonal Sensitivity, but did not contribute to its prediction when controlling for the other studied variables. Conclusions The observed strong associations between self-perceived attractiveness, minor ailments, and psychopathology indicate common developmental pathways between physiological and psychological symptomatology which may reflect broader life history (co)variation between genetics, developmental environment, and psychophysiological functioning.

Review of global mental health research in the construction industry

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 385-410
Author(s):  
Janet M. Nwaogu ◽  
Albert P.C. Chan ◽  
Carol K.H. Hon ◽  
Amos Darko
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Global Mental Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Work Systems ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
Bibliographic Records

Purpose The demanding nature of the construction industry poses strain that affects the health of construction personnel. Research shows that mental ill health in this industry is increasing. However, a review mapping the field to determine the extant of research is lacking. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to conduct a scientometric review of mental health (MH) research in the construction industry. Design/methodology/approach A total of 145 bibliographic records retrieved from Web of Science and Scopus database were analyzed using CiteSpace, to visualize MH research outputs in the industry. Findings Top co-cited authors are Helen Lingard, Mei-yung Leung, Paul Bowen, Julitta S. Boschman, Peter E.D. Love, Martin Loosemore and Linda Goldenhar. Previous studies focused on healthy eating, work efficiency, occupational stress and workplace injury. Emerging research areas are centered around physiological health monitoring, work ability, and smart interventions to prevent and manage poor MH. Research limitations/implications Result is influenced by the citations in retrieved articles. Practical implications The study found that researchers in the construction industry have intensified efforts to leverage information technology in improving the health, well-being, and safety of construction personnel. Future research should focus on developing workplace interventions that incorporate organizational justice and flexible work systems. There is also a need to develop psychological self-reporting scales specific to the industry. Originality/value This study enhances the understanding of researchers on existing collaboration networks and future research directions. It provides information on foundational documents and authors whose works should be consulted when researching into this field.

scholarly journals Mental Health of Asian American Older Adults: Contemporary Issues and Future Directions

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Giyeon Kim ◽  
Sylvia Y Wang ◽  
Soohyun Park ◽  
Stacy W Yun
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Asian Americans ◽  
Asian American ◽  
The United States ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Current State ◽  
Mental Health Issues

Abstract Given the increased attention to older Asian Americans due to their increasing numbers in the United States, this article aims to provide a collective appraisal of older Asian American mental health issues by reviewing trends in older Asian American mental health research over the past 2 decades. This review article provides an overview of the current state of mental health and care research on older Asian Americans and vital factors associated with older Asian American mental health and care. We also identify gaps in current research on Asian American mental health issues and propose 5 potential areas for future research into which gerontologists need to put more effort during the next decade. Ways to reduce disparities in mental health and improve the quality of mental health of older Asian Americans are also discussed.

Comparative Effectiveness Research on Asian American Mental Health: Review and Recommendations

2010 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 21-38
Author(s):  
Frederick Leong ◽  
Zornitsa Kalibatseva
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Asian American ◽  
Comparative Effectiveness Research ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Comparative Effectiveness ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Research Infrastructure ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Effectiveness Research ◽  
Data Infrastructure

The purpose of this manuscript is to describe the comparative effectiveness research (CER) paradigm and its important role in guiding current federal funding of research and examine how this paradigm can be used to guide Asian American mental health research. We will begin with a review of comparative effectiveness research and provide several examples of Asian American studies, which fit into the paradigm. In discussing how we may map the CER onto Asian American mental health research, the problem of differential research infrastructure will be introduced and used to frame our recommendations for future research. We provide some recommendations for using CER in Asian American mental health research by noting the need for multiple approaches due to the problem of differential research infrastructure, and expanding the human capital and data infrastructure. The pros and cons of randomized control trials (RCT) are discussed and an example of a study being planned by the authors is presented to illustrate how to undertake studies on Asian American mental health using the CER paradigm.

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