Epidemiology of Technology Use and Mental Health in the United States

Author(s):  
Seth W. Whiting ◽  
Rani A. Hoff

Advancements in technologies and their mass-scale adoption throughout the United States create rapid changes in how people interact with the environment and each other and how they live and work. As technologies become commonplace in society through increased availability and affordability, several problems may emerge, including disparate use among groups, which creates divides in attainment of the beneficial aspects of a technology’s use and coinciding mental health issues. This chapter briefly overviews new technologies and associated emerging applications in information communication technologies, social media networks, video games and massively multiplayer online role-playing games, and online gambling, then examines the prevalence of use among the general population and its subgroups and further discusses potential links between mental health issues associated with each technology and implications of overuse.

2020 ◽  
Vol 53 ◽  
pp. 169-182
Author(s):  
Jurg Gerber ◽  
Ahram Cho

Mental health issues experienced by jail inmates in Texas: An overview of diagnostic problemsThe main purpose of the article is to show selected aspects of prisoners’ mental health in the United States using the example of the state of Texas. The article indicates the nature and scope of needs in the area of inmates’ mental health in various correctional units and shows some aspects of the diagnosis problems. The authors analyze the reasons for the transfer of responsibility for mental health of prisoners sentenced to the administration of correctional facilities, especially jails. The article also shows the needs of the Prison Administration regarding convicts’ mental health training and classification systems for prisoners in Texas.


Author(s):  
Vesela Ivanova ◽  
Vaska Stancheva-Popkostadinova

Anne O. Freed (1917–2012) is among the pioneers in clinical social work in the United States. She served as a clinician, administrator, researcher, lecturer, and mentor. She advanced clinical social work practice and furthered the awareness of mental health issues in geriatric practice. Anne introduced clinical social work to Bulgaria.


10.2196/13179 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. e13179
Author(s):  
Ronelle Jansen ◽  
Marianne Reid

Background Caregivers of adolescents with mental health issues experience challenges that may result in the caregivers having a variety of unmet needs. There is a growing need to support these caregivers. Effective support to strengthen positive caregiving behavior in caregivers may address their challenges. Communication technologies offer novel opportunities to assist these caregivers and may contribute to strengthening caregiver behavior. However, little is known about the use of communication technologies among caregivers of adolescents with mental health issues. Objective The study aimed to answer the question: “What is the best evidence available to strengthen positive behavior of caregivers of adolescents with mental health issues using communication technology.” Methods A systematic review of articles published between January 2007 and August 2018 was conducted. Searches included articles of multiple study designs from EBSCO Host and Scopus platforms with prespecified eligibility criteria. Methodological quality was evaluated using the applicable Critical Appraisal Skills Programme and Joanna Briggs Institute assessment tools. Results The search yielded 1746 articles. Altogether, 5 articles met the eligibility criteria and were included in the review for data synthesis. Data analysis and synthesis identified three thematic conclusions reflecting the types of communication technologies used, caregivers as the target population, and strengthening of positive behavior through determinants of the Integrated Model of Behavior Prediction. Conclusions The review reported the usefulness of communication technology by caregivers. Caregivers also demonstrated improvement in self-efficacy, knowledge, parent-child communication, and parental skills reflecting positive behavior. Although the use of communication technology is expanding as a supportive intervention to address caregivers’ needs, the evidence for usefulness among caregivers of adolescents with mental health issues is still scarce. More research and information related to preferred methods of communication delivery among caregivers of adolescents is still needed.


Author(s):  
Ben Tran

Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) are one of the fastest growing ethnic communities in the United States. Often referred to as the model minority, first coined by William Peterson, in 1966, AAPIs in the U.S. number approximately 15 million and represent more than 100 languages and dialects. However, few studies have investigated psychological consequences of internalizing the model minority. The purpose of this chapter is delve into the other side of the model minority façade, the less glamorous side of model minority, one of the causes of Asian Americans' psychological and mental health issues: the history of model minority, the concept of stereotype, and the various psychological and mental health issues, the reputation of the concept of psychological issues, and mental health services. While there is sacred empirical evidence in the support of the claim that direct causality exists between model minority and psychological and mental health issues, validities and correlations can be established, through the shared classification of diagnosed symptoms.


2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (5) ◽  
pp. 589-611 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryce E. Stoliker

Correctional institutions in the United States witness higher rates of suicide compared with the general population, as well as a higher number of attempted suicides compared with completed cases. Prison research focused little attention on investigating the combined effects of inmate characteristics and prison context on suicide, with studies using only one level of analysis (prison or prisoner) and neglecting the nested nature of inmates in prisons. To extend this literature, multilevel modeling techniques were employed to investigate individual- and prison-contextual predictive patterns of attempted suicide using a nationally representative sample of 18,185 inmates in 326 prisons across the United States. Results revealed that several individual-level factors predicted odds for attempted suicide, such as inmate characteristics/demographics, prison experiences, having a serious mental illness, and symptoms of mental health issues. Some prison-contextual variables, as well as cross-level interaction effects, also significantly predicted odds for attempted suicide. Policy and research implications are discussed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 7
Author(s):  
Kristin Reid ◽  
Nancy Armstrong ◽  
Dana Todd

BACKGROUND: Mental health and wellness outreach has been an area of concern at colleges and universities in the United States and a variety of electronic methods have been used to successfully promote health and wellness. This pilot project was in response to a previous descriptive study examining mental health issues on campus. AIMS: The primary aim of this project was to determine if implementing a peer-led outreach program in the form of bi-weekly, short-form educational videos would increase knowledge of mental health and wellness in students developing the videos. The secondary aim was to provide students an alternate clinical assignment that improved presentation development and group dynamics. METHODS: Nursing students enrolled in a psychiatric nursing course collaborated in small groups to create bi-weekly videos on topics related to mental health and wellness. RESULTS: The peer-led outreach intervention demonstrated positive outcomes, such as increased understanding of the common mental health issues facing college students and awareness of campus, as well as outside resources to assist with mental health and wellness. CONCLUSION: This project may increase the body of knowledge related to the importance of campus outreach, peer support, and general awareness of mental wellness and resources during pandemic restraints. Utilizing condensed, peer-led educational outreach via video format has the potential to aid in the educational development of psychiatric nursing students.


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 109-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philippe D. Vincent ◽  
Pierre-Marie David

Abstract Suicide rates are high in high-income countries like Canada and the United States, where 10 to 12 people per 100 000 commit suicide every year. In the United States, in 2011 there were 73.3 emergency room visits per 100 000 people for suicide attempts with prescription drugs. The latter were also involved in 13% of completed suicides between 1999 and 2013. In most cases, these drugs were distributed by members of our profession who could not predict this outcome. This led us to create an initiative to teach pharmacy students how to prevent suicide. A literature review and online search were performed to find documentation about pharmacists' commitment to the cause, but very little information exists. Thus, a training session was developed for third-year pharmacy students that includes basic statistics, arguments for involving pharmacists in suicide prevention, role-playing, tools to evaluate suicide risk, thoughtful verbatims of interview techniques, and case studies. It is delivered during the mental health theme of the psychiatry course. In 5 years, around 1150 students have participated in the course, of whom approximately 950 are now practicing pharmacists. This intervention may have prevented some suicides, although the impact is impossible to measure. The objective of this paper is to describe the creative process of designing a suicide prevention training session for pharmacy students, while inspiring a mental health sensitive readership to this noble cause. This article does not provide guidelines on how to replicate this initiative, nor does this article replace proper training on suicide prevention.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Giyeon Kim ◽  
Sylvia Y Wang ◽  
Soohyun Park ◽  
Stacy W Yun

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.


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