On January 16, 2013, President Barack Obama called for a “national conversation to increase understanding about mental health” and directed Secretary Kathleen Sebelius of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Secretary Arne Duncan of the U.S. Department of Education to launch a National Dialogue on Mental Health. Creating Community Solutions is an […]
Archives for July 2013
Operation Lone Star: Health fairs in ‘Medically Underserved’ Rio Grande Valley
The Rio Grande Valley has been deemed a Medically Underserved Area by the federal government for years. It’s with that dubious distinction in mind and the high number of uninsured here that the 15th annual event known as Operation Lone Star is held in San Juan. Those who visit PSJA High School can receive a range […]
Stigma as a Fundamental Cause of Population Health Inequalities
Bodies of research pertaining to specific stigmatized statuses have typically developed in separate domains and have focused on single outcomes at 1 level of analysis, thereby obscuring the full significance of stigma as a fundamental driver of population health. In this article the authors provide illustrative evidence on the health consequences of stigma and present […]
Stigma, Mental Health, and Resilience in an Online Sample of the US Transgender Population
A study of 1,093 people identifying as male-to-female and female-to male transgender found a relationship between a person’s psychological distress and stigma. Among the participants, 44 percent had signs of depression, 33 percent had signs of anxiety, and 28 percent had mental health problems that were expressed in physical symptoms. According to the researchers, the […]
Rural Children Experience Different Rates of Mental Health Diagnosis and Treatment
Using data on children ages 5-17 from the 2002-2008 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), this study examines 2 research questions: Do patterns of children’s mental health diagnosis and service use (e.g., office visits and psychotropic medications) differ by rural-urban residence? What is the effect of income and insurance type on use of mental health services? […]
Study of Veterans Finds Links Between Outdoor Activities, Improved Mental Health
Veterans participating in extended outdoor group recreation show signs of improved mental health, suggesting a link between the activities and long-term psychological well-being, according to results of a new University of Michigan study. 98 veterans were surveyed before and after a multi-day wilderness recreation experience, which involved camping and hiking in groups of between six […]