scholarly journals Mental Health Crisis 911 Calls, Resources, and Inequality

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Frankham

WORKING PAPER Is socioeconomic status a predictor of mental health-related 911 calls independent of mental health? Answering this question is important because knowing which factors are associated with mental health-related calls could influence effective resource allocation. I analyze census tract- level data across three cities and find that a lack of financial resources is positively associated with mental health-related calls, independent of poor mental health. I argue that individuals of low socioeconomic status rely on this public safety net more so than affluent individuals, and that this is an under-recognized mechanism by which individuals of low socioeconomic status with mental illness come into contact with police.

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 673-678 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danielle Carvalho Oliveira Coutinho ◽  
Matheus de França Perazzo ◽  
Paulo Antônio Martins-Júnior ◽  
Saul Martins Paiva ◽  
Leandro Silva Marques ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 312-320 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janine R. Lam ◽  
Jessica Tyler ◽  
Katrina J. Scurrah ◽  
Nicola J. Reavley ◽  
Gillian S. Dite

AbstractLow socioeconomic status (SES) has been established as a risk factor for poor mental health; however, the relationship between SES and mental health problems can be confounded by genetic and environmental factors in standard regression analyses and observational studies of unrelated individuals. In this study, we used a within-pair twin design to control for unmeasured genetic and environmental confounders in investigating the association between SES and psychological distress. We also employed within–between pair regression analysis to assess whether the association was consistent with causality. SES was measured using the Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage (IRSD), income and the Australian Socioeconomic Index 2006 (AUSEI06); psychological distress was measured using the Kessler 6 Psychological Distress Scale (K6). Data were obtained from Twins Research Australia’s Health and Lifestyle Questionnaire (2014–2017), providing a maximum sample size of 1395 pairs. Twins with higher AUSEI06 scores had significantly lower K6 scores than their co-twins after controlling for shared genetic and environmental traits (βW [within-pair regression coefficient] = −0.012 units, p = .006). Twins with higher income had significantly lower K6 scores than their co-twins after controlling for familial confounders (βW = −0.182 units, p = .002). There was no evidence of an association between the IRSD and K6 scores within pairs (βW, p = .6). Using a twin design to eliminate the effect of potential confounders, these findings further support the association between low SES and poor mental health, reinforcing the need to address social determinants of poor mental health, in addition to interventions targeted to individuals.


2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 179-195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liang En Wee ◽  
Peter Daniel ◽  
Aline Sim ◽  
Rui Lee ◽  
Sook Muay Tay ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael E. Silverman ◽  
Laudy Burgos ◽  
Zoe I. Rodriguez ◽  
Omara Afzal ◽  
Alyssa Kalishman ◽  
...  

AbstractThe mental health effects of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on postpartum women are of increasing concern among mental health practitioners. To date, only a handful of studies have explored the emotional impact of the pandemic surrounding pregnancy and none have investigated the consequence of pandemic-related social restrictions on the postpartum mood of those living among different socioeconomic status (SES). All postpartum patients appearing to the Mount Sinai Health System for their postpartum appointment between January 2, 2020 and June 30, 2020, corresponding to before and during pandemic imposed social restrictions, were screened for mood symptomatology using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Each patient’s socioeconomic status (high/low) was determined by their location of clinical service. A total of 516 postpartum patients were screened. While no differences in EPDS scores were observed by SES prior to social restrictions (U = 7956.0, z = − 1.05, p = .293), a significant change in mood symptomatology was observed following COVID-19 restrictions (U = 4895.0, z = − 3.48, p < .001), with patients living in lower SES reporting significantly less depression symptomatology (U = 9209.0, z = − 4.56, p < .001). There was no change in symptomatology among patients of higher SES (U = 4045.5, z = − 1.06, p = .288). Postpartum depression, the most common complication of childbearing, is a prevalent, cross-cultural disorder with significant morbidity. The observed differences in postpartum mood between patients of different SES in the context of temporarily imposed COVID-19-related social restrictions present a unique opportunity to better understand the specific health and social support needs of postpartum patients living in urban economic poverty. Given that maternal mental illness has negative long-term developmental implications for the offspring and that poor mental health reinforces the poverty cycle, future health policy specifically directed towards supporting postpartum women living in low SES by ameliorating some of the early maternal burdens associated with balancing employment-family-childcare demands may assist in interrupting this cycle while simultaneously improving the long-term outcomes of their offspring.


Author(s):  
Masatoshi Tahara ◽  
Yuki Mashizume ◽  
Kayoko Takahashi

College students are one of the most affected groups by self-quarantine due to COVID-19, as they may live in loneliness and anxiety, increasing their risk of mental health crisis. This study aimed to identify risk factors for poor mental health and stress coping strategies among healthcare college students during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. A cross-sectional survey was conducted over 7 consecutive days starting on 28 April 2020 using a web-based questionnaire. The survey assessed socioeconomic characteristics and the General Health Questionnaire-12 score, self-reported health status, anxiety, and satisfaction with daily life, work, leisure, and new activities. Approximately 70% of 223 respondents had poor mental health. Less communication with friends was the main risk factor for mental health problems. Good health status and satisfaction with leisure and new activities were associated with reduced risk of mental health problems. Students with poor mental health tended to seek social support as a stress coping strategy. This study showed that the mental health of students declined during self-quarantine, and loneliness could be the major reason. There is a need for a new form of communication and learning that deals with the isolation and loneliness of students, especially for students living alone.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ping-I Lin ◽  
Gautam Srivastava ◽  
Linda Beckman ◽  
Yunhwan Kim ◽  
Maria Hallerbäck ◽  
...  

The COVID-19 pandemic has yielded extensive impacts globally in the year of 2020. Although the mental health of children and adolescents may be particularly susceptible to stressors stemming from the pandemic and anti-contagion policies, most ongoing efforts are geared toward curbing the viral spread. In the current perspective, we have identified four domains of factors corresponding to an ecological framework that may directly or indirectly influence the mental health of children and adolescents during the pandemic. The evidence suggests that anti-contagion policies might trigger cascades that impact the mental health of children and their families through multiple different sectors that used to form a safety net for youths. Additionally, children with neuropsychiatric disorders could experience exacerbated symptoms during the pandemic. Furthermore, the risk of domestic violence has surged during the pandemic, which further compounds the imminent mental health crisis. A mental health pandemic could be inevitable if no proactive prevention strategies were in place. Therefore, we recommend understanding each individual mental health risk pathway via the ecological framework in order to develop integrative prevention and intervention strategies.


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