scholarly journals Mental health and well-being in rural communities - factors associated with suicide, and integrated responses

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (S1) ◽  
pp. 75
Author(s):  
Robyn Considine
2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 677-687 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Collins ◽  
Bernadette M. Ward ◽  
Pamela Snow ◽  
Sandra Kippen ◽  
Fiona Judd

There are disproportionately higher and inconsistently distributed rates of recorded suicides in rural areas. Patterns of rural suicide are well documented, but they remain poorly understood. Geographic variations in physical and mental health can be understood through the combination of compositional, contextual, and collective factors pertaining to particular places. The aim of this study was to explore the role of “place” contributing to suicide rates in rural communities. Seventeen mental health professionals participated in semi-structured in-depth interviews. Principles of grounded theory were used to guide the analysis. Compositional themes were demographics and perceived mental health issues; contextual themes were physical environment, employment, housing, and mental health services; and collective themes were town identity, community values, social cohesion, perceptions of safety, and attitudes to mental illness. It is proposed that connectedness may be the underlying mechanism by which compositional, contextual, and collective factors influence mental health and well-being in rural communities.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan A. Muir ◽  
Michael R. Cope ◽  
Leslie R. Angeningsih ◽  
Jorden Jackson ◽  
Ralph B. Brown

Migration is a standard survival strategy in the context of disasters. While prior studies have examined factors associated with return migration following disasters, an area that remains relatively under explored is whether moving home to one's original community results in improved health and well-being compared to other options such as deciding to move on. In the present study, we seek to address this gap in the literature through examining whether return migration, compared to other migration options, results in superior improvements to mental health. We draw upon data from a pilot study conducted 16 months after a series of volcanic eruptions in Merapi, Indonesia. Using ordinal logistic regression, we find that compared to respondents who were still displaced, respondents who had ``moved home'' were less likely to report poor mental health status (OR = 0.50 [95\% CI = 0.26, 0.95]). Likewise, respondents who had ``moved on'' were less likely to report poor mental health status (OR = 0.38 [95\% CI = 0.13, 1.04]). The results suggest that while moving home was an improvement from being displaced, it may have been better to move on, as this yielded superior associations with self-reported mental health.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bradley A Evanoff ◽  
Jaime R Strickland ◽  
Ann Marie Dale ◽  
Lisa Hayibor ◽  
Emily Page ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND The response to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has created an unprecedented disruption in work conditions. This study describes the mental health and well-being of workers both with and without clinical exposure to patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Objective: The aim of this study is to measure the prevalence of stress, anxiety, depression, work exhaustion, burnout, and decreased well-being among faculty and staff at a university and academic medical center during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and describe work-related and personal factors associated with their mental health and well-being. Methods: All faculty, staff, and postdoctoral fellows of a university, including its medical school, were invited in April 2020 to complete an online questionnaire measuring stress, anxiety, depression, work exhaustion, burnout, and decreased well-being. We examined associations between these outcomes and factors including work in high-risk clinical settings and family/home stressors. Results: There were 5550 respondents (overall response rate of 34.3%). Overall, 38% of faculty and 14% of staff (n=915) were providing clinical care, while 57% of faculty and 77% of staff were working from home. Among all workers, anxiety (prevalence ratio 1.37, 95% CI 1.09-1.73), depression (prevalence ratio 1.28, 95% CI 1.03-1.59), and high work exhaustion (prevalence ratio 1.24, 95% CI 1.13-1.36) were independently associated with community or clinical exposure to COVID-19. Poor family-supportive behaviors by supervisors were also associated with these outcomes (prevalence ratio 1.40, 95% CI 1.21-1.62; prevalence ratio 1.69, 95% CI 1.48-1.92; and prevalence ratio 1.54, 95% CI 1.44-1.64, respectively). Age <40 years and a greater number of family/home stressors were also associated with these poorer outcomes. Among the subset of clinicians, caring for patients with COVID-19 and working in high-risk clinical settings were additional risk factors. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the pandemic has had negative effects on the mental health and well-being of both clinical and nonclinical employees. Mitigating exposure to COVID-19 and increasing supervisor support are modifiable risk factors that may protect mental health and well-being for all workers.


2010 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian J. Kelly ◽  
Helen J. Stain ◽  
Clare Coleman ◽  
David Perkins ◽  
Lyn Fragar ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Bradley A. Evanoff ◽  
Jaime R. Strickland ◽  
Ann Marie Dale ◽  
Lisa Hayibor ◽  
Emily Page ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTObjectiveMeasure the prevalence of stress, anxiety, depression, work-exhaustion, burnout, and decreased well-being among faculty and staff at a university and academic medical center during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, and describe work-related and personal factors associated with mental health and well-being.DesignObservational cohort study conducted between April 17 and May 1, 2020 using a web-based questionnaire.SettingMedical and main campuses of a university.ParticipantsAll faculty, staff, and post-doctoral fellows.ExposuresWork factors including supervisor support and exposure to high-risk clinical settings; personal factors including demographics and family/home stressors.Main Outcomes and MeasuresStress, anxiety, depression, work exhaustion, burnout, and decreased well-being.ResultsThere were 5550 respondents (overall response rate of 34.3%). 38% of faculty and 14% of staff (n=915) were providing clinical care, while 57% of faculty and 77% of staff were working from home. The prevalence of anxiety, depression, and work exhaustion were somewhat higher among clinicians than non-clinicians. Among all workers, anxiety, depression, and high work exhaustion were independently associated with community or clinical exposure to COVID-19 [Prevalence Ratios and 95% confidence intervals 1.37(1.09- 1.73), 1.28(1.03 - 1.59), and 1.24(1.13 - 1.36) respectively]. Poor family supportive behaviors by supervisors were also associated with these outcomes [1.40 (1.21 - 1.62), 1.69 (1.48 - 1.92), 1.54 (1.44 - 1.64)]. Age below 40 and a greater number of family/home stressors were also associated with poorer outcomes. Among the subset of clinicians, caring for patients with COVID-19 and work in high-risk clinical settings were additional risk factors.Conclusions and ImplicationsOur findings suggest that the pandemic has had negative effects on mental health and well-being among both clinical and non-clinical employees. Prevention of exposure to COVID-19 and increased supervisor support are modifiable risk factors that may protect mental health and well-being.


10.2196/21366 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (8) ◽  
pp. e21366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bradley A Evanoff ◽  
Jaime R Strickland ◽  
Ann Marie Dale ◽  
Lisa Hayibor ◽  
Emily Page ◽  
...  

Background The response to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has created an unprecedented disruption in work conditions. This study describes the mental health and well-being of workers both with and without clinical exposure to patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Objective The aim of this study is to measure the prevalence of stress, anxiety, depression, work exhaustion, burnout, and decreased well-being among faculty and staff at a university and academic medical center during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and describe work-related and personal factors associated with their mental health and well-being. Methods All faculty, staff, and postdoctoral fellows of a university, including its medical school, were invited in April 2020 to complete an online questionnaire measuring stress, anxiety, depression, work exhaustion, burnout, and decreased well-being. We examined associations between these outcomes and factors including work in high-risk clinical settings and family/home stressors. Results There were 5550 respondents (overall response rate of 34.3%). Overall, 34% of faculty and 14% of staff (n=915) were providing clinical care, while 61% of faculty and 77% of staff were working from home. Among all workers, anxiety (prevalence ratio 1.37, 95% CI 1.09-1.73), depression (prevalence ratio 1.28, 95% CI 1.03-1.59), and high work exhaustion (prevalence ratio 1.24, 95% CI 1.13-1.36) were independently associated with community or clinical exposure to COVID-19. Poor family-supportive behaviors by supervisors were also associated with these outcomes (prevalence ratio 1.40, 95% CI 1.21-1.62; prevalence ratio 1.69, 95% CI 1.48-1.92; and prevalence ratio 1.54, 95% CI 1.44-1.64, respectively). Age <40 years and a greater number of family/home stressors were also associated with these poorer outcomes. Among the subset of clinicians, caring for patients with COVID-19 and working in high-risk clinical settings were additional risk factors. Conclusions Our findings suggest that the pandemic has had negative effects on the mental health and well-being of both clinical and nonclinical employees. Mitigating exposure to COVID-19 and increasing supervisor support are modifiable risk factors that may protect mental health and well-being for all workers.


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