Understanding Associations Between Hurricane Harvey Exposure and Mental Health Symptoms Among Greater Houston-Area Residents

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristin Bevilacqua ◽  
Rehana Rasul ◽  
Samantha Schneider ◽  
Maria Guzman ◽  
Vishnu Nepal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
Mental Health Symptoms ◽  
Health Symptoms ◽  
Mental Health Difficulties ◽  
Mental Health Symptomatology ◽  
Surrounding Areas ◽  
Houston Area ◽  
Hurricane Exposure

ABSTRACTObjective:Hurricane Harvey made landfall on August 25, 2017 and resulted in widespread flooding in Houston and the surrounding areas. This study aimed to explore the associations between exposure to Hurricane Harvey and various mental health symptoms.Methods:Self-reported demographics, hurricane exposure, and mental health symptomatology were obtained from residents of the greater Houston area through convenience sampling for a pilot study, 5 months after the storm from January 25-29, 2018 (N = 161).Results:Increased hurricane exposure score was significantly associated with increased odds for probable depression, probable anxiety, and probable posttraumatic stress disorder after adjusting for other factors associated with mental health. No significant associations were found between demographic characteristics and risk of mental health difficulties.Conclusions:Mental health difficulties associated with exposure to Hurricane Harvey were still present 5 months after the storm. Future disaster response programs should focus on providing long-term mental health services to hurricane survivors.

scholarly journals Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: A Systematic Literature Review of Prevention and Intervention Programs for Mental Health Difficulties in Children and Young People

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 280-305
Author(s):  
Emma Harris ◽  
Victoria Samuel
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Acceptance And Commitment Therapy ◽  
Psychological Flexibility ◽  
Mental Health Symptoms ◽  
Prevention And Intervention ◽  
Health Symptoms ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Commitment Therapy ◽  
Acceptance And Commitment ◽  
Mental Health Difficulties

BackgroundAcceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is increasingly being used to treat mental health difficulties, however there is a paucity of reviews concerning ACT with children.AimTo examine the literature about ACT interventions for child and adolescent mental well-being.MethodsSearches for articles reporting on ACT interventions to prevent/reduce child mental health difficulties were undertaken. Methodological quality was assessed and a narrative synthesis was used to summarize findings about mental health symptoms and psychological flexibility.ResultsTen articles were identified focusing on prevention and intervention for anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, anorexia nervosa, and trichotillomania. Most studies found that mental health symptoms reduced following an ACT intervention and psychological flexibility increased. However, findings indicate that other active interventions also led to the same changes.ConclusionsACT is a promising intervention for adolescent mental health, although further research is needed to establish whether reductions in mental health symptoms are due to an increase in psychological flexibility.

Evaluation of Treatment and Other Factors That Lead to Drug Court Success, Substance Use Reduction, and Mental Health Symptomatology Reduction Over Time

2018 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 257-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret Baughman ◽  
Krystel Tossone ◽  
Mark I. Singer ◽  
Daniel J. Flannery
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Drug Court ◽  
Health Indicators ◽  
Risky Behaviors ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Mental Health Symptoms ◽  
Health Symptoms ◽  
Medication Assisted Treatment ◽  
Mental Health Symptomatology

Adults presenting with substance use and mental health disorders in the criminal justice system is well documented. While studies have examined drug courts and medication-assisted treatment (MAT), few have examined social and behavioral health indicators, and even fewer have multiple study periods. This study employed a comprehensive approach to studying the MAT contribution to drug court success; reduce substance use, mental health symptoms, and risky behaviors; and the role that violence or trauma plays in mental health symptomatology. Using three time points, our findings indicated that MAT did not play a significant role in the reduction of substance use, risky behaviors, or mental health symptoms or increasing the odds of successful court graduation. However, there was an overall improvement from intake to termination in reduction of substance use, risky behaviors, and mental health symptomatology. Other factors, including social support, may play a role in drug court graduation. Policy implications are discussed.

scholarly journals Affiliative and prosocial motives and emotions in mental health

2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 381-389 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Evolutionary Approach ◽  
Mental Health Symptoms ◽  
Health Symptoms ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Threat Processing ◽  
Prosocial Motives ◽  
Mental Health Difficulties ◽  
Insight Into

This paper argues that studies of mental health and wellbeing can be contextualized within an evolutionary approach that highlights the coregulating processes of emotions and motives. In particular, it suggests that, although many mental health symptoms are commonly linked to threat processing, attention also needs to be directed to the major regulators of threat processing, ie, prosocial and affiliative interactions with self and others. Given that human sociality has been a central driver for a whole range of human adaptations, a better understanding of the effects of prosocial interactions on health is required, and should be integrated into psychiatric formulations and interventions. Insight into the coregulating processes of motives and emotions, especially prosocial ones, offers improved ways of understanding mental health difficulties and their prevention and relief.

scholarly journals Long-Term Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health among the General Public: A Nationwide Longitudinal Study in China

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (16) ◽  
pp. 8790
Author(s):  
Le Shi ◽  
Zheng-An Lu ◽  
Jian-Yu Que ◽  
Xiao-Lin Huang ◽  
Qing-Dong Lu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
General Public ◽  
Severity Index ◽  
Mental Health Symptoms ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Protection Measures ◽  
Health Symptoms ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Mental Problems

COVID-19 might have long-term mental health impacts. We aim to investigate the longitudinal changes in mental problems from initial COVID-19 peak to its aftermath among general public in China. Depression, anxiety and insomnia were assessed among a large-sample nationwide cohort of 10,492 adults during the initial COVID-19 peak (28 February 2020 to 11 March 2020) and its aftermath (8 July 2020 to 8 August 2020) using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, and Insomnia Severity Index. We used generalized estimating equations and linear mixed models to explore factors associated with long-term mental health symptoms during COVID-19. During the five months, mental health symptoms remained consistently elevated (baseline 46.4%; follow-up 45.1%). Long-term depression, anxiety and insomnia were associated with several personal and work-related factors including quarantine (adjusted OR for any mental health symptoms 1.31, 95%CI 1.22–1.41, p < 0.001), increases in work burden after resuming work (1.77, 1.65–1.90, p < 0.001), occupational exposure risk to COVID-19 (1.26, 1.14–1.40, p < 0.001) and living in places severely affected by initial COVID-19 peak (1.21, 1.04–1.41, p = 0.01) or by a COVID-19 resurgence (1.38, 1.26–1.50, p < 0.001). Compliance with self-protection measures, such as wearing face masks (0.74, 0.61–0.90, p = 0.003), was associated with lower long-term risk of mental problems. The findings reveal a pronounced and prolonged mental health burden from the initial COVID-19 peak through to its aftermath in China. We should regularly monitor the mental health status of vulnerable populations throughout COVID-19.

scholarly journals Do improvements in substance use and mental health symptoms during treatment translate to long-term outcomes in the opposite domain?

2014 ◽  
Vol 47 (5) ◽  
pp. 339-346 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajeev Ramchand ◽  
Beth Ann Griffin ◽  
Mary Ellen Slaughter ◽  
Daniel Almirall ◽  
Daniel F. McCaffrey
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Long Term Outcomes ◽  
Mental Health Symptoms ◽  
Health Symptoms

Mental health difficulties across childhood and mental health service use: findings from a longitudinal population-based study

2019 ◽  
Vol 217 (1) ◽  
pp. 364-369 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Mulraney ◽  
Harriet Hiscock ◽  
Emma Sciberras ◽  
David Coghill ◽  
Michael Sawyer
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Practice Guidelines ◽  
Service Use ◽  
Mental Health Service Use ◽  
Mental Health Symptoms ◽  
Adequate Treatment ◽  
Health Symptoms ◽  
Mental Health Difficulties

BackgroundOver the past 20 years the prevalence of child and adolescent mental disorders in high-income countries has not changed despite increased investment in mental health services. Insufficient contact with mental health services may be a contributing factor; however, it is not known what proportion of children have sufficient contact with health professionals to allow delivery of treatment meeting minimal clinical practice guidelines, or how long children experience symptoms prior to receiving treatment.AimsTo investigate the level of mental healthcare received by Australian children from age 4 years to 14 years.MethodTrajectories of mental health symptoms were mapped using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Health professional attendances and psychotropic medications dispensed were identified from linked national Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme records.ResultsFour trajectories of mental health symptoms were identified (low, high-decreasing, moderate-increasing and high-increasing). Most children with mental health symptoms had few MBS mental health attendances, and only a minority received care meeting study criteria for minimally adequate treatment. Children in the high-increasing and moderate-increasing trajectories were more likely to access care, yet there was no evidence of improvement in symptoms.ConclusionsIt is important that children and adolescents with mental health problems receive treatment that meets minimal practice guidelines. Further research is needed to identify the quality of care currently provided to children with mental health difficulties and how clinicians can be best funded and supported to provide care meeting minimal practice guidelines.Declaration of interestsNone.

Residual Effects of Imprisonment

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marieke Liem
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Personality Traits ◽  
Psychological Problems ◽  
Residual Effects ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Mental Health Symptoms ◽  
Health Symptoms ◽  
Health Counselling

This chapter addresses the effects of long-term incarceration on mental health. The long-term effects of exposure to powerful and traumatic situations, contexts, and structures mean that prisons themselves can bring about psychological problems resulting from prison trauma. Interviewed lifers described symptoms that were not limited to PTSD, but also included institutionalized personality traits (prisonization), social-sensory disorientation, and temporal alienation, or the idea of ‘not belonging’. Taken together, this cluster of mental health symptoms is described as the ‘Post-Incarceration Syndrome’, or PICS. Navigating the conditions of parole often clashed with their need for appropriate mental health counselling.

scholarly journals The Impact of Quarantine on Pain Sensation among the General Population in China during the COVID-19 Pandemic

2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 79
Author(s):  
Jie Sun ◽  
Yong-Bo Zheng ◽  
Lin Liu ◽  
Shui-Qing Li ◽  
Yi-Miao Zhao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
General Population ◽  
National Study ◽  
Mental Health Symptoms ◽  
Health Symptoms ◽  
Constant Pain ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Pain Symptoms ◽  
The Impact

During the pandemic era, quarantines might potentially have negative effects and disproportionately exacerbate health condition problems. We conducted this cross-sectional, national study to ascertain the prevalence of constant pain symptoms and how quarantines impacted the pain symptoms and identify the factors associated with constant pain to further guide reducing the prevalence of chronic pain for vulnerable people under the pandemic. The sociodemographic data, quarantine conditions, mental health situations and pain symptoms of the general population were collected. After adjusting for potential confounders, long-term quarantine (≥15 days) exposures were associated with an increased risk of constant pain complaints compared to those not under a quarantine (Odds Ratio (OR): 1.26; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.03, 1.54; p = 0.026). Risk factors including unemployment (OR: 1.55), chronic disease history (OR: 2.38) and infection with COVID-19 (OR: 2.15), and any of mental health symptoms including depression, anxiety, insomnia and PTSD (OR: 5.44) were identified by a multivariable logistic regression. Additionally, mediation analysis revealed that the effects of the quarantine duration on pain symptoms were mediated by mental health symptoms (indirect effects: 0.075, p < 0.001). These results advocated that long-term quarantine measures were associated with an increased risk of experiencing pain, especially for vulnerable groups with COVID-19 infection and with mental health symptoms. The findings also suggest that reducing mental distress during the pandemic might contribute to reducing the burden of pain symptoms and prioritizing interventions for those experiencing a long-term quarantine.

scholarly journals Cohort profile: the Prospective Research In Stress-Related Military Operations (PRISMO) study in the Dutch Armed Forces

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. e026670 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sija J van der Wal ◽  
Rosalie Gorter ◽  
Alieke Reijnen ◽  
Elbert Geuze ◽  
Eric Vermetten
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Network Models ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Military Operations ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Mental Health Symptoms ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Health Symptoms ◽  
Prospective Research

PurposeThe Prospective Research in Stress-Related Military Operations (PRISMO) study was initiated to gain a better understanding of the long-term impact of military deployment on mental health, and to map the different biological and psychological factors that contribute to the development of stress-related mental health symptoms.ParticipantsThe PRISMO cohort consists of a convenience sample of Dutch military personnel deployed to Afghanistan between 2005 and 2008. Baseline data collection resulted in the recruitment of 1032 military men and women. Combat troops as well as non-combat support troops were recruited to increase the representativeness of the sample to the population as a whole.Findings to dateThe prevalence of various mental health symptoms increases after deployment in PRISMO cohort members, but symptom progression over time appears to be specific for various mental health symptoms. For post-traumatic stress disorder, we found a short-term symptom increase within 6 months after deployment (8.2%), and a long-term symptom increase at 5 years after deployment (12.9%). Several biological vulnerability factors associated with the development of stress-related conditions after deployment were identified, including predeployment glucocorticoid receptor sensitivity and predeployment testosterone level. Thus far, 34 publications have resulted from the cohort.Future plansVarious analyses are planned that will include the prevalence of mental health symptoms at 10 years postdeployment, as well as trajectory analyses that capture the longitudinal development of symptoms. Furthermore, we will use a machine learning approach to develop predictive and network models for several mental health symptoms, incorporating biological, psychological and social factors.

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