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North Carolina Medical Journal 2020The technology landscape has rapidly evolved in recent years, with social media now playing a central role in the lives of youth. Social media has created both...
The technology landscape has rapidly evolved in recent years, with social media now playing a central role in the lives of youth. Social media has created both significant new challenges and exciting opportunities. Research is beginning to uncover how specific social media experiences may influence youth mental health.
Topics: Adolescent; Humans; Mental Health; Social Media
PubMed: 32132255
DOI: 10.18043/ncm.81.2.116 -
Social Science & Medicine (1982) Dec 2017There is a strong link between mental health and physical health, but little is known about the pathways from one to the other. We analyse the direct and indirect...
There is a strong link between mental health and physical health, but little is known about the pathways from one to the other. We analyse the direct and indirect effects of past mental health on present physical health and past physical health on present mental health using lifestyle choices and social capital in a mediation framework. We use data on 10,693 individuals aged 50 years and over from six waves (2002-2012) of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Mental health is measured by the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES) and physical health by the Activities of Daily Living (ADL). We find significant direct and indirect effects for both forms of health, with indirect effects explaining 10% of the effect of past mental health on physical health and 8% of the effect of past physical health on mental health. Physical activity is the largest contributor to the indirect effects. There are stronger indirect effects for males in mental health (9.9%) and for older age groups in mental health (13.6%) and in physical health (12.6%). Health policies aiming at changing physical and mental health need to consider not only the direct cross-effects but also the indirect cross-effects between mental health and physical health.
Topics: Aged; Female; Health Status; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Mental Health; Middle Aged; United Kingdom
PubMed: 29132081
DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.11.008 -
Annual Review of Public Health Apr 2020There is growing recognition in the fields of public health and mental health services research that the provision of clinical services to individuals is not a viable... (Review)
Review
There is growing recognition in the fields of public health and mental health services research that the provision of clinical services to individuals is not a viable approach to meeting the mental health needs of a population. Despite enthusiasm for the notion of population-based approaches to mental health, concrete guidance about what such approaches entail is lacking, and evidence of their effectiveness has not been integrated. Drawing from research and scholarship across multiple disciplines, this review provides a concrete definition of population-based approaches to mental health, situates these approaches within their historical context in the United States, and summarizes the nature of these approaches and their evidence. These approaches span three domains: () social, economic, and environmental policy interventions that can be implemented by legislators and public agency directors, () public health practice interventions that can be implemented by public health department officials, and () health care system interventions that can be implemented by hospital and health care system leaders.
Topics: History, 20th Century; History, 21st Century; Humans; Mental Disorders; Mental Health; Mental Health Services; Patient-Centered Care; United States
PubMed: 31905323
DOI: 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040119-094247 -
European Neuropsychopharmacology : the... Feb 2020Promotion of good mental health in young people with and without mental disorders has received little empirical research attention and interventions for improving mental... (Review)
Review
Promotion of good mental health in young people with and without mental disorders has received little empirical research attention and interventions for improving mental health in young people are not well established. This situation could be explained among other reasons due to the difficulties to define and operationalise what good mental health is. The current manuscript, produced by the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology Thematic Working Group on the Prevention of Mental Disorders and Mental Health Promotion (ECNP TWG PMD-MHP), presents a critical review of the available operationalizations for good mental health. A pragmatic conceptual operationalisation of good mental health is a much-needed step towards more standardised research in this field. Good mental health can be defined as a state of well-being that allows individuals to cope with the normal stresses of life and function productively. Universal and selective interventions are suitable to promote mental health. Core domains that define good mental health encompass: (i) mental health literacy, (ii) attitude towards mental disorders, (iii) self-perceptions and values, (iv) cognitive skills, (v) academic/ occupational performance, (vi) emotions, (vii) behaviours, (viii) self-management strategies, (ix) social skills, (x) family and significant relationships (xi) physical health, (xii) sexual health, (xiii) meaning of life, (xiv) and quality of life. These domains should be widely traceable in the literature and can be used to conduct further empirical research in the field of good mental health. Such data can lead to more robust evidence to identify and establish the pathways to follow in order to improve mental health.
Topics: Cognition; Emotions; Humans; Mental Disorders; Mental Health; Quality of Life; Self Concept; Social Skills
PubMed: 31901337
DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2019.12.105 -
Psychiatria Polska Jun 2017The authors propose a new approach to the definition of mental health, different than the definition proposed by the World Health Organization, which is established... (Review)
Review
The authors propose a new approach to the definition of mental health, different than the definition proposed by the World Health Organization, which is established around issues of person's well-being and productivity. It is supposed to reflect the complexity of human life experience.
Topics: Health Status; Health Status Indicators; Humans; Mental Disorders; Mental Health; Psychotropic Drugs; Socioeconomic Factors
PubMed: 28866712
DOI: 10.12740/PP/74145 -
American Journal of Public Health Oct 2014We systematically reviewed 12 epidemiological studies to determine whether an association exists between diet quality and patterns and mental health in children and... (Review)
Review
We systematically reviewed 12 epidemiological studies to determine whether an association exists between diet quality and patterns and mental health in children and adolescents; 9 explored the relationship using diet as the exposure, and 3 used mental health as the exposure. We found evidence of a significant, cross-sectional relationship between unhealthy dietary patterns and poorer mental health in children and adolescents. We observed a consistent trend for the relationship between good-quality diet and better mental health and some evidence for the reverse. When including only the 7 studies deemed to be of high methodological quality, all but 1 of these trends remained. Findings highlight the potential importance of the relationship between dietary patterns or quality and mental health early in the life span.
Topics: Adolescent; Child; Diet; Humans; Mental Health; Risk Factors; Socioeconomic Factors
PubMed: 25208008
DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2014.302110 -
Journal of Affective Disorders Jan 2018Mental health problems in college and their associations with academic performance are not well understood. The main aim of this study was to investigate to what extent...
BACKGROUND
Mental health problems in college and their associations with academic performance are not well understood. The main aim of this study was to investigate to what extent mental health problems are associated with academic functioning.
METHODS
As part of the World Mental Health Surveys International College Student project, 12-month mental health problems among freshmen (N = 4921) was assessed in an e-survey of students at KU Leuven University in Leuven, Belgium. The associations of mental health problems with academic functioning (expressed in terms of academic year percentage [or AYP] and grade point average [GPA]) were examined across academic departments.
RESULTS
Approximately one in three freshman reports mental health problems in the past year, with internalizing and externalizing problems both associated with reduced academic functioning (2.9-4.7% AYP reduction, corresponding to 0.2-0.3 GPA reduction). The association of externalizing problems with individual-level academic functioning was significantly higher in academic departments with comparatively low average academic functioning.
LIMITATIONS
Limited sample size precluded further investigation of interactions between department-level and student-level variables. No information was available on freshman secondary school academic performance.
CONCLUSIONS
Mental health problems are common in college freshman, and clearly associated with lower academic functioning. Additional research is needed to examine the potentially causal nature of this association, and, if so, whether interventions aimed at treating mental health problems might improve academic performance.
Topics: Achievement; Belgium; Female; Humans; Male; Mental Health; Prevalence; Social Adjustment; Students; Universities; Young Adult
PubMed: 28802728
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2017.07.044 -
Journal of Medical Internet Research Aug 2020Although mental health issues constitute an increasing global burden affecting a large number of people, the mental health care industry is still facing several care... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Although mental health issues constitute an increasing global burden affecting a large number of people, the mental health care industry is still facing several care delivery barriers such as stigma, education, and cost. Connected mental health (CMH), which refers to the use of information and communication technologies in mental health care, can assist in overcoming these barriers.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this systematic mapping study is to provide an overview and a structured understanding of CMH literature available in the Scopus database.
METHODS
A total of 289 selected publications were analyzed based on 8 classification criteria: publication year, publication source, research type, contribution type, empirical type, mental health issues, targeted cohort groups, and countries where the empirically evaluated studies were conducted.
RESULTS
The results showed that there was an increasing interest in CMH publications; journals were the main publication channels of the selected papers; exploratory research was the dominant research type; advantages and challenges of the use of technology for mental health care were the most investigated subjects; most of the selected studies had not been evaluated empirically; depression and anxiety were the most addressed mental disorders; young people were the most targeted cohort groups in the selected publications; and Australia, followed by the United States, was the country where most empirically evaluated studies were conducted.
CONCLUSIONS
CMH is a promising research field to present novel approaches to assist in the management, treatment, and diagnosis of mental health issues that can help overcome existing mental health care delivery barriers. Future research should be shifted toward providing evidence-based studies to examine the effectiveness of CMH solutions and identify related issues.
Topics: Delivery of Health Care; Health Services Research; Humans; Mental Health
PubMed: 32857055
DOI: 10.2196/19950 -
BMJ Open Jun 2015Lack of consensus on the definition of mental health has implications for research, policy and practice. This study aims to start an international, interdisciplinary and...
OBJECTIVE
Lack of consensus on the definition of mental health has implications for research, policy and practice. This study aims to start an international, interdisciplinary and inclusive dialogue to answer the question: What are the core concepts of mental health?
DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS
50 people with expertise in the field of mental health from 8 countries completed an online survey. They identified the extent to which 4 current definitions were adequate and what the core concepts of mental health were. A qualitative thematic analysis was conducted of their responses. The results were validated at a consensus meeting of 58 clinicians, researchers and people with lived experience.
RESULTS
46% of respondents rated the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC, 2006) definition as the most preferred, 30% stated that none of the 4 definitions were satisfactory and only 20% said the WHO (2001) definition was their preferred choice. The least preferred definition of mental health was the general definition of health adapted from Huber et al (2011). The core concepts of mental health were highly varied and reflected different processes people used to answer the question. These processes included the overarching perspective or point of reference of respondents (positionality), the frameworks used to describe the core concepts (paradigms, theories and models), and the way social and environmental factors were considered to act. The core concepts of mental health identified were mainly individual and functional, in that they related to the ability or capacity of a person to effectively deal with or change his/her environment. A preliminary model for the processes used to conceptualise mental health is presented.
CONCLUSIONS
Answers to the question, 'What are the core concepts of mental health?' are highly dependent on the empirical frame used. Understanding these empirical frames is key to developing a useful consensus definition for diverse populations.
Topics: Consensus; Female; Health Surveys; Humans; Male; Mental Health; Qualitative Research
PubMed: 26038353
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2014-007079 -
The International Journal of... Jan 2016Mental health issues in the workplace are a growing concern among organizations and policymakers, but it remains unclear what interventions are effective in preventing... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Mental health issues in the workplace are a growing concern among organizations and policymakers, but it remains unclear what interventions are effective in preventing mental health problems and their associated organizational consequences. This synthesis reports on workplace mental health interventions that impact absenteeism, productivity and financial outcomes.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the level of evidence supporting mental health interventions as valuable to work outcomes.
METHODS
Databases were searched for systematic reviews between 2000 and 2012: Medline, EMBASE, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, DARE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and TRIP. Grey literature searches included health-evidence.ca, Rehab+, National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC), and Institute for Work and Health. The assessment of articles for inclusion criteria and methodological quality was conducted independently by two or more researchers, with differences resolved through consensus.
RESULTS
The search resulted in 3363 titles, of which 3248 were excluded following title/abstract review, with 115 articles retrieved for full-text review. 14 articles finally met the inclusion criteria and are summarized in this synthesis.
CONCLUSION
There is moderate evidence for the effectiveness of workplace mental health interventions on improved workplace outcomes. Certain types of programs, such as those incorporating both mental and physical health interventions, multicomponent mental health and/or psychosocial interventions, and exposure in vivo containing interventions for particular anxiety disorders had a greater level of research evidence to support their effectiveness.
Topics: Absenteeism; Humans; Mental Health; Mental Health Services; Work; Workplace
PubMed: 26772593
DOI: 10.15171/ijoem.2016.607