scholarly journals THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MENTAL HEALTH HISTORY AND SYMPTOMS, SEX, AND RECOVERY TIME IN A CONCUSSED PEDIATRIC POPULATION

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4_suppl3) ◽  
pp. 2325967120S0023
Author(s):  
Richard Cameron Allred ◽  
Sara Stremlau ◽  
Richard Gerkin ◽  
Steven Erickson ◽  
Jamie Pardini

Background: The Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) are mental health screening instruments that assess symptoms of depression and anxiety. Studies of patients with concussion suggest that history of mental illness is associated with prolonged recovery; however, little research has examined the value of these tools in a concussed pediatric population (Iverson et al., 2017). Hypothesis/Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the relation between anxiety and depression symptoms, mental illness history, sex, and time to recover in a concussed pediatric population. We hypothesized that mental health symptoms and history, and female sex would predict longer recoveries in the pediatric population. Methods: IRB-approved retrospective chart review was used for data collection. Demographics, self-reported mental health history, GAD-7, and PHQ-9 scores were acquired for 250 adolescents ages 12-18 (45.2% female) who presented to an outpatient concussion clinic for their initial visit. Days to recover was imputed for all patients who had been discharged by clinic physicians based on international return to play standards. Results: Mann-Whitney U tests were used for analysis of this nonnormally distributed data. Males were found to recover more quickly than females (female median = 15 days, IQR 7-27; male median = 12 days, IQR 6-23; p=.013). No significant differences were observed in days to clearance based on reported history of mental health disorder (p=.066). Individuals who scored above cutoff (see Kroenke et al., 2001; Spitzer et al., 2006) on the GAD-7 (below cutoff median = 12.00 days; above cutoff median = 21.00 days) and PHQ-9 (below cutoff median = 23.5 days; above cutoff median = 57.00 days) required longer recovery times (p <.001). Conclusion: We found longer recovery times in females versus males, and in those whose scores fell above cutoff for the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 at their initial clinic visit. Although a trend existed, there were no significant differences in recovery time for those who reported a mental health history compared to those who did not. Results suggest that the GAD-7 and PHQ-9 may be useful screening measures in a concussion clinic and may provide additional insight into potential recovery times for pediatric patients.

2009 ◽  
Vol 195 (5) ◽  
pp. 420-426 ◽  
Author(s):  
David M. Fergusson ◽  
L. John Horwood ◽  
Joseph M. Boden

BackgroundThere has been continued interest in the extent to which women have positive and negative reactions to abortion.AimsTo document emotional reactions to abortion, and to examine the links between reactions to abortion and subsequent mental health outcomes.MethodData were gathered on the pregnancy and mental health history of a birth cohort of over 500 women studied to the age of 30.ResultsAbortion was associated with high rates of both positive and negative emotional reactions; however, nearly 90% of respondents believed that the abortion was the right decision. Analyses showed that the number of negative responses to the abortion was associated with increased levels of subsequent mental health disorders (P<0.05). Further analyses suggested that, after adjustment for confounding, those having an abortion and reporting negative reactions had rates of mental health disorders that were approximately 1.4–1.8 times higher than those not having an abortion.ConclusionsAbortion was associated with both positive and negative emotional reactions. The extent of negative emotional reactions appeared to modify the links between abortion and subsequent mental health problems.


2012 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chad A. Rose ◽  
Susan M. Swearer ◽  
Dorothy L. Espelage

The documentary Bully was released nationwide in theaters in March 2012. Originally titled The Bully Project, the filmmakers followed five families whose lives had been turned upside down by bullying. Two of the families in the movie lost their sons, Tyler and Ty, to suicide, and three of the youth in the movie,Alex, Kelby, and Ja'Meya, were bullied in school and on the school bus. The movie shows the devastating consequences of bullying and the depressingly poor response on the part of adults. What the movie does not address is the mental health history of one of the boys, who commits suicide, as well as the developmental disabilities affecting another boy in the movie, who was born prematurely (Bazelon, 2012). Understandably, this is a difficult narrative. The filmmakers did not want to delve into the complexity of mental health issues and bullying for fear of creating a story line that those who are bullied are obvious victims. However, by not addressing the issues of ADHD, bipolar disorder, Asperger syndrome, and developmental disabilities, an important narrative was missed. Bullying is a complex phenomenon, and both mental health and physical health difficulties play into involvement in bullying. While there is no narrative that those who are bullied somehow deserve such egregious treatment, we shirk our professional responsibilities if we do not shed light on the compelling evidence that youth with disabilities are at great risk for involvement in bullying-both for bullying others and for being bullied (AbilityPath.org, 2011; Rose, Monda-Amaya, & Espelage, 2011). The purpose of this article is to review the research on bullying and students with disabilities and to propose an inclusive narrative: when differences are celebrated rather than used as fuel for maltreatment, a world will be created where bullying is not tolerated. This will be a better world for everyone.


2020 ◽  
Vol 65 (4) ◽  
pp. 281-283
Author(s):  
Jennifer She ◽  
Jennifer McCall ◽  
Jessica Pudwell ◽  
Maria Kielly ◽  
Ashley Waddington

2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (12) ◽  
pp. 3873-3889 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos C. Mahaffey ◽  
Danelle Stevens-Watkins ◽  
Carl Leukefeld

Mental health problems are 3 times higher among prisoners than the general population. After release, reentry barriers and other factors can exacerbate mental problems. This study of 250 African American ex-offenders examines the relationship between sociobehavioral factors and mental health. Independent variables included self-reported health, alcohol use, employment, and history of mental problems before prison. Covariates included the number of immediate family with mental problems and the number of serious conflicts with family members or friends. Analyses revealed that men who had serious conflicts, used alcohol more often, reported less than excellent health, and not employed were more likely to report being troubled by mental problems. Family mental health history was not statistically significant. The current study adds to the literature by identifying selected factors associated with the mental health of African American male, ex-offenders. Findings from this study can inform interventions to address mental health issues and reduce recidivism.


Crisis ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 363-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graham Pluck ◽  
Kwang-Hyuk Lee ◽  
Randolph W. Parks

Background: Homelessness is associated with an increased incidence of mental illness and risk of self-harm, including suicide. Aims: To assess the prevalence of self-harm (including nonsuicidal self-injury and attempted suicide) among a UK sample of homeless adults and to compare demographic, clinical, and homeless-related variables to determine which are linked to self-harm in this population. Method: A sample of 80 homeless adults were interviewed regarding history of self-harm, mental health history, demographic, and homeless-related information. Results: Sixty-eight percent of the sample reported past acts of self-harm. Those with histories of self-harm started using significantly more substances since becoming homeless and were younger when they first became homeless. They were also significantly more likely to have a past psychiatric admission and thoughts of self-harm in the past year. Conclusion: Self-harm is common among homeless adults and linked to long-term and enduring social and mental health concerns.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 129-145
Author(s):  
Kathryn Martin

The Spirit of Vaslav Nijinsky is a short comic created in 2016, telling the story of the famed ballet star who, in 1919, suffered a mental breakdown that resulted in a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Before his breakdown, Vaslav Nijinsky was known as ‘The God of Dance’, and regarded as the greatest male ballet star of his generation. His success as a ballet dancer paired with the details of his later life often associates him with the stereotype of a genius artist succumbing to madness. The nature of live art means the majority of Nijinsky’s work no longer survives intact, with only snippets of static documentation and ephemera left in the wake of performances hinting at his genius. However, in the lead up to his diagnosis, Nijinsky left two concrete bodies of work that are now regarded as important in the field of mental health history. First are a series of abstract drawings, and second are a collection of notebooks now known as The Diary of Vaslav Nijinsky. Both are fascinating documents on the subject of mental illness and served as the main inspiration for the narrative of the comic. The story of Nijinsky’s life and career has become the stuff of legend because of his enigmatic quality as a historical figure. This article explores the ephemera and historical documentation associated with this fascinating yet intangible artist, and how they inspired the content, process and aesthetic of The Spirit of Vaslav Nijinsky.


CNS Spectrums ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 205-206
Author(s):  
Muhammad Zaidi ◽  
Kurt Brown ◽  
Aquanette Brown ◽  
Dominique Neptune ◽  
Vicenzio-Holder Perkins

AbstractA 46 year old Caucasian male veteran with a mental health history of Bipolar Disorder was admitted to the inpatient psychiatric unit following an episode of mania. He was re-started on his outpatient medication regimen for mood stabilization with Quetiapine, Lamotrigine, and Clonazepam. He improved initially, however, on hospital Day 3, the veteran was noted to have acute worsening of manic and psychotic symptoms including, decreased need for sleep, excess energy and responding to internal stimuli. Additionally, he developed symptoms which were atypical for mania, including unprovoked agitation, depersonalization, difficulty sustaining attention, and visual hallucinations. These mental status changes were associated with, excessive motor movement, walking with bizarre postures, squatting, laying taut on the ground, and standing still for several minutes in uncomfortable positions. At this time, Seroquel was switched with Olanzapine for management of mania and psychosis. On physical exam, his vital signs were notable for tachycardia and fever, his extremities were noted to have a normal range of motion; he also experienced loss of bowel continence. The treatment team initiated a medical work up for delirium which revealed no infectious, neurological, or metabolic cause. Of note, there was concern for benzodiazepine withdrawal; however, adequate management did not relieve the symptoms. The veteran was transferred to medicine and neurology was consulted to assist with medical workup. His neuroleptic and benzodiazepine medications were discontinued at that time, except for Lamotrigine. The veteran was then transferred back to psychiatry after medical stabilization, Lamotrigine was discontinued at that time. He was started on Haloperidol, Benztropine and restarted on Clonazepam. At this time, veteran experienced improvement on his mental status exam, with resolution of mania, psychosis, and delirium. However, after two days of treatment, he developed acute rigidity in his extremities. Intramuscular Benztropine and Lorazepam improved his rigidity. Haloperidol was discontinued because of side effects and the veteran was managed with Risperidone and Ativan. He continued to show improvement in his mental status examination and was discharged on a medication regimen of Risperidone, Clonazepam, and Benztropine. The veteran experienced signs and symptoms which were atypical in nature for Bipolar Mania, such as fever, movement disorder, and delirium. This presentation is consistent with a rare medical condition, Delirious Mania for which limited research is available. Delirious mania meets the criteria for mania and delirium with out an underlying medical disorder. Delirious mania is a potentially life threatening but under-recognized neuropsychiatric syndrome. Early recognition and aggressive treatment can significantly reduce morbidity and mortality.


2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 619-619
Author(s):  
C Hoyle ◽  
M Mrazik ◽  
D Naidu

Abstract Objective Investigation of anxiety and depression symptoms at baseline and following sport related concussion in a population of professional and collegiate football players. Method A quasi-experimental prospective longitudinal design was implemented. Participants included 198 Canadian Football League and University of Alberta varsity football players at baseline. Additionally, this study tracked 13 concussed athletes, 12 orthopaedic control athletes, and 15 healthy control athletes over approximately a 2 month period. Statistical analysis included an ANOVA and repeated measures ANOVA to identify differences in mental health at baseline as well as after injury at 3 time points (24-48 hours post injury, asymptomatic, and 1 month post return to play). Results At baseline, players who had a history of 1 or more concussions reported a greater number of anxiety and depression symptoms in comparison to players who did not have a history of concussion (F(2, 197) = 66.75, (p =.000)). At the group level, there were no differences in anxiety and depression symptoms between players who sustained a concussion, orthoepic injury, or no injury across the four time points measured (depression (F(3, 58) = 1.05, (p =.404); anxiety (F(3, 58) = 1.65, (p =.151)). However, individuals who sustained a concussion displayed significant changes in symptoms of anxiety (F(3, 12) = 9.004, (p =.000)) and depression (F(3, 12) = 11.396, (p =.000)) over time. Specifically, concussed players reported an increase in anxiety related symptoms between baseline report and 24-48 hours post injury (p = .042), a decrease between 24-48 hours and 1 month post return to play (p = .002) and a decrease between asymptomatic and 1 month post return to play (p = .036) time points. Additionally, players who sustained a concussion reported a significant increase in depressive symptoms between 24-48 hours post injury and 1 month post return to play (p = .029) and a decrease between asymptomatic and 1 month post return to play (p = .014) time points. This change over time was not found in the orthopaedic injury (depression (F(3, 11) = 2.467, (p =.14); anxiety (F(3, 11) = 2.242, (p =.15)) or healthy control groups (depression; (F(3, 14) = 2.177, (p =.17); anxiety; F(3, 14) = 1.435, (p =.30)). Conclusions Results from this study suggest that a history of concussion impacts baseline self-report of anxiety and depression symptoms. Furthermore, players who sustained a concussion experienced subtle increases in anxiety and depressive symptoms in the short term and not in the long term. Players with who sustained an orthopaedic injury and healthy players did not show these changes in anxiety and depression symptom report. It appears that in this small sample concussion produced unique outcomes related to mental health functioning in the short term.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document