Variability in Institutional Screening Practices Related to Collegiate Student-Athlete Mental Health

Context: Universal screening for mental health concerns, as part of the preparticipation examination in collegiate sports medicine settings, can be an important and feasible strategy for facilitating early detection of mental health disorders. Objective: To assess whether sports medicine departments at National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) member colleges have policies related to identifying student-athlete mental health problems, the nature of preparticipation examination screening related to mental health, and whether other departmental or institutional screening initiatives are in place. I also aimed to characterize the variability in screening by institutional characteristics. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: College sports medicine departments. Patients or Other Participants: Team physicians and head athletic trainers at NCAA member colleges (n = 365, 30.3% response rate). Main Outcome Measure(s): Electronic survey of departmental mental health screening activities. Results: A total of 39% of respondents indicated that their institution had a written plan related to identifying student-athletes with mental health concerns. Fewer than half reported that their sports medicine department administers a written or verbal screening instrument for symptoms of disordered eating (44.5%), depression (32.3%), or anxiety (30.7%). The strongest predictors of mental health screening were the presence of a written plan related to identifying student-athlete mental health concerns and the employment of a clinical psychologist. Additionally, Division I institutions and institutions with a greater ratio of athletic trainers to student-athletes tended to engage in more screening. Conclusions: The substantial among-institutions variability in mental health screening suggests that opportunities exist to make these practices more widespread. To address this variability, recent NCAA mental health best-practice guidelines suggested that institutions should screen for a range of mental health disorders and risk behaviors. However, at some institutions, staffing deficits may need to be addressed to allow for implementation of screening-related activities.

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Technology-Based Interventions to Improve Help-Seeking for Mental Health Concerns: A Systematic Review

Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1177/02537176211034578 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 025371762110345

Author(s):

Jemimah A. Johnson ◽

Prachi Sanghvi ◽

Seema Mehrotra

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Crucial Role ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Significant Proportion ◽

Mental Health Disorders ◽

Health Concerns ◽

Low Middle Income Countries ◽

Health Disorders ◽

Mental Health Concerns

Background: Despite the high prevalence of mental health disorders worldwide, a significant proportion of distressed individuals do not seek professional help. Digital technology can be a potential bridge to reduce the treatment gap for mental disorders. A systematic review was undertaken to examine the technology-based interventions aimed at improving help-seeking attitude, intention, or behavior for mental health concerns. Methods: The literature search was conducted in January–February 2020 through various e-databases using relevant keywords that targeted help-seeking interventions for mental health disorders via different technology modes. Results: 21 studies (15 randomized controlled trials and six non-randomized studies) were reviewed. The included studies were published between April 2006 to February 2020. Majority of the interventions led to an increase in the help-seeking variables. The crucial role of online delivery, participant involvement, and embedded links to professional services in encouraging help-seeking is highlighted. The review emphasizes the need for understanding utility of multicomponent interventions with personalized elements targeting help-seeking behavior, particularly in low-middle-income countries, and studies involving longer duration follow-ups. Conclusion: This systematic review is the first of its kind to examine technology-based interventions to improve help-seeking for mental health and suggests that such interventions play a crucial role in positively impacting help-seeking. The complex interplay between the relevant variables such as mental health literacy, stigma, help-seeking attitude, intention and behavior, and the intervention components that may have a differential bearing on these variables are issues that merit urgent attention in further research.

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Athletic Trainers’ Ability To Recognize, Refer, And Follow Up With Collegiate Student-athlete Mental Health Disorders

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise ◽

10.1249/01.mss.0000466090.33409.11 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 47 ◽

pp. 504

Author(s):

James Robinson ◽

Brittany Rodden ◽

Robert Floyd

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Athletic Trainers ◽

Mental Health Disorders ◽

Student Athlete ◽

Health Disorders

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Addressing the Need for Mental Health Screening of Newly Resettled Refugees

Journal of Primary Care & Community Health ◽

10.1177/2150131916636630 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

pp. 199-203 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Kelly Polcher ◽

Susan Calloway

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Primary Care ◽

Community Health ◽

Emotional Distress ◽

The United States ◽

Mental Health Disorders ◽

Health Screening ◽

Mental Health Screening ◽

Refugee Health ◽

Health Disorders

Background and Purpose: Refugees resettling to the United States are at increased risk for mental health disorders, which can lead to difficulty with adaptation and poor health outcomes. Standardized mental health screening of refugees is often neglected at primary care and community health clinics. A pilot project aimed to initiate early mental health screening for newly resettled adult refugees was implemented at a community health center in Fargo, North Dakota. Methods: Current refugee screening processes were evaluated to determine appropriate timing for refugee mental health screening. This took into consideration time, staffing, interpreter availability and the refugee “honeymoon” phase following resettlement. The Refugee Health Screener–15 (RHS-15) was identified as an efficient, valid, and reliable tool for assessing emotional distress in this population and was integrated into refugee health screening practices. Results: The RHS-15 was administered to 178 adult refugees with arrival dates between August 1, 2013 and July 31, 2014. Of those screened, 51 (28.6%) screened positive for risk of emotional distress. Follow-up with primary care provider was completed with 30 (59%) of those who screened positive. Half (15) requested mental health treatment. Although the largest group of refugees during this period of time were resettling from Bhutan, refugees from Iraq had greater incidence of positive screening compared with those from Bhutan. Refugees from Iraq were also found to have significantly higher scores on the RHS-15. Conclusions: Although there are some challenges to implementing a standardized mental health screening for refugees, this pilot reiterates the need for standardized mental health screening of refugees. Routine mental health screening should be a part of the overall comprehensive health assessment provided to refugees nationwide. Considerations should be taken in regards to how refugees from Iraq have even greater risk of mental health disorders compared to other refugee groups.

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Addressing the Mental Health Needs of Latino Children in Immigrant Families

Clinical Pediatrics ◽

10.1177/0009922816679509 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 56 (7) ◽

pp. 648-658 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Tania Maria Caballero ◽

Lisa Ross DeCamp ◽

Rheanna E. Platt ◽

Harita Shah ◽

Sara B. Johnson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Primary Care ◽

Immigrant Families ◽

Mental Health Disorders ◽

Health Screening ◽

Mental Health Screening ◽

Screening Tools ◽

Pediatric Primary Care ◽

Latino Children ◽

Health Disorders

Latino children in the United States, whether immigrants themselves or children in immigrant families, are at high risk for mental health disorders stemming from poverty, exposure to trauma, assimilation stressors, and discrimination. The timely identification and treatment of mental health disorders in Latino children are compromised by limited healthcare access and quality as well as the lack of routine mental health screening in pediatric primary care. Here we review Spanish-language validity and implementation studies of Bright Futures previsit mental health screening tools and models of care. We identify strengths and weaknesses in the literature and suggest tools for use in mental health care assessment, management, and treatment for Latino children in pediatric primary care. Pediatricians can improve care of Latino children through awareness of risk factors for mental health disorders, integration of evidence-based screening tools, and advocacy for culturally tailored mental health resources.

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