Understanding the phases and tensions of regenerative agriculture for better health outcomes for farmers

The impact of neighborhood cohesion and social isolation on the mental health of older adults: Mediating effects of subjective well-being.

Social Disconnection in Late Life Mental Illness – Commentary From the National Institute of Mental Health

Mitigating the Impact of Coronavirus Disease-2019 on Child and Family Behavioral Health: Suggested Policy Approaches

Extant literature has established the effectiveness of various mental health promotion and prevention strategies, including novel interventions. However, comprehensive literature encompassing all these aspects and challenges and opportunities in implementing such interventions in different settings is still lacking. Therefore, in the current review, we aimed to synthesize existing literature on various mental health promotion and prevention interventions and their effectiveness. Additionally, we intend to highlight various novel approaches to mental health care and their implications across different resource settings and provide future directions. The review highlights the (1) concept of preventive psychiatry, including various mental health promotions and prevention approaches, (2) current level of evidence of various mental health preventive interventions, including the novel interventions, and (3) challenges and opportunities in implementing concepts of preventive psychiatry and related interventions across the settings. Although preventive psychiatry is a well-known concept, it is a poorly utilized public health strategy to address the population's mental health needs. It has wide-ranging implications for the wellbeing of society and individuals, including those suffering from chronic medical problems. The researchers and policymakers are increasingly realizing the potential of preventive psychiatry; however, its implementation is poor in low-resource settings. Utilizing novel interventions, such as mobile-and-internet-based interventions and blended and stepped-care models of care can address the vast mental health need of the population. Additionally, it provides mental health services in a less-stigmatizing and easily accessible, and flexible manner. Furthermore, employing decision support systems/algorithms for patient management and personalized care and utilizing the digital platform for the non-specialists' training in mental health care are valuable additions to the existing mental health support system. However, more research concerning this is required worldwide, especially in the low-and-middle-income countries.

The agriculture sector encounters the dual challenge of ensuring food security for the growing world population while mitigating its significant contribution to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Regenerative agriculture offers a system-wide approach intended to address this predicament by transforming farming from a carbon source to a significant carbon sink. Regenerative agriculture (RA) can be a promising strategy that focuses on replenishing soil health, structure, and biodiversity lost to degradation, mainly through practices that augment carbon sequestration. In this review, the current understanding of agriculture's contribution to climate change, the principles and practices of RA, and its potential for mitigation are integrated from various literature sources. The essence of regenerative agriculture is the enhancement of soil organic carbon (SOC) through practices that reinforce natural carbon capture and storage mechanisms. The major principles include reducing soil disturbance, maximizing crop diversity, sustaining living roots in the soil, covering the soil throughout the year, and integrating livestock. These practices aid in preserving soil structure (reduces carbon flux), continuous carbon capture through photosynthesis and provisioning of organic matter to the soil web. In addition, this review analyses methodologies for the natural fixation and long-term carbon sequestration. These includes the application of biochar, a soil amendment which helps in reduction of nitrous oxide emissions, cultivation of soil microbial communities (nitrogen fixing bacteria in root nodules of legumes – energy consuming utilizing more carbon from the plants) and promoting arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) which improves binding of soil aggregates (ensuring long-term storage). In addition, this review also examines the scope of emerging scientific interventions in regenerative agriculture such as data-driven precision regenerative agriculture, remote sensing, use of sensors and monitoring, using robotics and automation, all which enables farmers in decision making, reducing reliance in manual labor, as well as identifying areas of concern, and optimize management practices. Incorporating practices like no-till farming, cover cropping and rotational grazing, regenerative agriculture offers a scientifically sound pathway to reduce agricultural emissions, regenerate soil health and actively sequester atmospheric carbon. These methods position it as a crucial solution in the global effort against climate change.

Le développement d’un problème de santé mentale affecte les étudiants de niveau postsecondaire sur tous les plans et peut mettre leur santé, voire leur survie, en péril. Les problèmes vécus pourraient être atténués, ou même évités dans certains cas, en intervenant plus tôt. Les stratégies en prévention et en promotion de la santé mentale mises de l’avant dans les établissements d’enseignement postsecondaire offrent les plus belles possibilités de rejoindre un grand nombre de jeunes adultes. Cependant, malgré l’intérêt grandissant pour de telles initiatives en milieu scolaire, les méta-analyses et les revues des écrits scientifiques recensés mettent en lumière les difficultés reliées à l’évaluation des stratégies utilisées et aux possibilités de répliquer les interventions, particulièrement en ce qui a trait à la promotion. Les stratégies les plus efficaces sur le plan de l’amélioration de la santé mentale semblent être associées à la supervision d’exercices en lien avec l’intervention telles que les exercices de pleine conscience (mindfulness), les techniques cognitives-comportementales, la relaxation et le développement d’habiletés sociales. Par ailleurs, même si elles présentent une plus grande hétérogénéité, les études impliquant une aide technologique (Web, ordinateur, etc.) démontrent des résultats favorables lorsqu’elles utilisent l’approche cognitive comportementale.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are world steps that specifically emphasize efforts to improve people's welfare and health. However, generation Z in the digital era and urbanization faces increasingly complex mental health problems. Various changes and forms of evolution of technological development are not in line and run in harmony with the development of people's lives, in this conceptual research effort to combine various literature that connects the role of mosques in supporting mental health with SDGs goals related to welfare and health. Factors such as academic pressure, social media distractions, and lack of social support are significant mental health problems among generation Z. This research aims to develop the concept of optimizing the role of mosques as a key factor in achieving SDGs related to the mental health of generation Z in the city Mataram. The SDGs specifically emphasize efforts to improve people's welfare and health. This research concept illustrates how mosques can become centers that play an important role in solving SDGs problems and at the same time improving the mental health of generation Z. This includes programs in mosques that support counseling, education on religious values, social skills training, and mental health promotion . In addition, this research highlights the importance of collaboration between mosques, educational institutions, government and community organizations to create a strong ecosystem in improving the mental health of generation Z. By combining resources and knowledge, this concept aims to strengthen efforts towards a healthy and prosperous life. in line with the SDGs. The results of this conceptual research are concepts that provide a theoretical basis for designing integrated generation Z mental health prevention and intervention strategies in the context of the SDGs. This research encourages further attention and concrete steps in optimizing the role of mosques in achieving SDGs goals related to the mental health and welfare of generation Z in Mataram City.

The rising number of displaced children and youth underscores the urgent need for appropriate mental health support. Arts-based interventions (ABI) offer a promising approach to addressing this need. This scoping review aims to map key themes on the effects of the different types of ABI on the mental health of refugee and asylum-seeking children and youth (RASCY), identifying gaps and recommendations for future intervention and mental health policy. Literature was searched across Web of Science, PubMed, ERIC, and Scopus (till March 2024) in the English language. A narrative analysis identified themes and mapped the intervention types to the themes. Four main themes emerged from the eight included studies, indicating that ABI positively impacts RASCY's emotional, psychological, and social wellbeing and behaviour, consistent with the WHO definition of mental health, with an additional outcome: behavioural change. Findings highlight the need for mixed-methods approaches and stand-alone dance, drama and poetry interventions. Future interventions should commit to longer interventions (⩾ 10 weeks), integrate ABI into schools and community settings, and provide training on ABI for both educational and health professionals. There is strong evidence that ABI can effectively improve RASCY's mental health and prevent mental health difficulties by changing behaviour and promoting mental wellbeing. ABI can help these vulnerable populations thrive and contribute to healthier, more inclusive societies. The integration of ABI within mental health intervention and prevention strategies should be promoted and implemented, particularly for RASCY.

Globally, Anxiety and Depression are leading contributors affecting adolescents’ mental health. 1 in 4 adolescent goes through mental health issues that require immediate attention. 1 It is also well documented that many mental health disorders emerge in late childhood and early adolescence and they exacerbate to the burden of these disorders in youth and later in life. 2 In severe cases of anxiety and depression sufferer may commit suicide, it is reported that every 40 seconds one person dies of suicide.3 Globally, suicide is the fourth leading cause of mortality among youth between the ages of 15 to 29 after road traffic accidents. Among teens between 15-19 years, suicide is the second leading cause of death among girls (after maternal and reproductive issues) and the third leading cause of death in boys (after road traffic accidents and interpersonal violence). 4 Pakistan is a developing country with an estimated population of 220 million, of which 50% of the population is between 12- 25 years. A recent study conducted in Pakistan, on 400 high school going adolescents (15-18 years), identified the prevalence of anxiety and depression around 53% among the adolescents enrolled in high school going in Pakistan. 5 The rates of anxiety and depression among adolescent population are alarming in the context of Pakistan; where the mental health human resources are scare. There are only few child and adolescents’ psychiatrists, and hardly any specialized mental health nurses and formalized mental health services for children and adolescents in Pakistan that can be considered at par with the developed world. However, the encouraging news is that if an early preventive intervention in the forms of cognitive behavior therapy are done, it can help and empower children and adolescents to identify their triggers and manage anxiety and depression effectively. 6 Non-specialist preventive mental health strategies may work as alternate options for reducing anxiety and depression, in resource constrained settings like Pakistan. The effectiveness of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy based intervention are already established by non-specialists (Community Health Workers) to reduce postpartum depression among women. 7 These evidences are encouraging and can be replicated to reduce Anxiety and Depression among children and adolescents at schools. Schools are vital pillar to promote children’ cognitive, social, emotional, behavioral and intellectual attainment. Academic institutions are well positioned to implement preventive mental health strategies. Thus, school-based mental health prevention programme can be cost effective well positioned interventions for a LMIC country like Pakistan. 8 Mental health issues of young people require immediate attention. Many of these issues are easily manageable. However, it is challenging to access and provide them mental health services at their convenience. Therefore, it is important to engage main stream academic institutions, to access children and youth to include them for early interventions to address their mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. There is also a need to establish evidence-based interventions to promote mental health and prevent anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation among youth.

This article provides an overview of a new schoolbased mental health initiative currently being trialed in 101 primary schools in Australia. KidsMatter: the Australian Primary School Mental Health Initiative is a population model for supporting student mental health and well-being. Using a whole-school implementation model, it provides schools with a framework, a guided process and key resources to develop and implement a co-ordinated set of mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention (PPEI) strategies for the specific mental health and well-being needs of their students. Through KidsMatter primary schools are engaged in building their capacities for PPEI by promoting a positive school community, teaching social and emotional skills, providing parenting support and education, and facilitating early intervention for students experiencing mental health difficulties. The article describes the rationale and theoretical underpinnings of KidsMatter, outlines key features of the framework, impleme...

Introduction & BackgroundMusic listening in the modern age primarily occurs through streaming platforms such as Spotify (~626 million users). Naturalistic ‘big data’ produced by individuals’ interactions with these platforms provides a novel opportunity to consider music listening beyond the artificial lab setting, and to combine this with mood and mental health records. Objectives & ApproachThe Mood Music study was conducted at the University of Bristol to investigate the use of music listening as a proxy for wellbeing. This study included three forms of data from a sample of 171 university students: Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA), Spotify streaming history, and mental health survey measures (including depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (GAD-7), and wellbeing (SWEMWBS)). Ethical approval was granted by the University of Bristol, and the analysis plan preregistered on OSF. Relevance to Digital FootprintsSpotify streaming history data is produced by individuals’ interactions with the platform, including the timestamp of their listening, the songs they choose to listen to, and the musical characteristics of these tracks. As such, this data acts as a digital trace of individuals’ behaviour. By linking this to individual mood data at four daily time points, we can relate real-time listening activity and mood. ResultsThis study contains survey and EMA data on 171 participants, of which 163 have Spotify streaming data available (total tracks=4,061,696). The streaming datasets were ‘hydrated’ with 15 audio, track, and artist variables (e.g. track tempo, artist popularity) using Spotify’s API. The EMA dataset contains 7520 unique mood records, covering 5 mood variables assessed at 4 daily time points over 2 weeks. We will present details of the music listening patterns, including diurnal and seasonal trends, and link these to mood and mental health. Conclusions & ImplicationsResults suggest that Spotify data is a useful source of real-time information about mood, and that music listening practices reflect people’s responses to real-world events. Using this dataset to understand the time-sensitive links between music listening, mood, and mental health has the potential to inform digital health intervention and prevention strategies using ‘flags’ in listening behaviours to identify low mood in real-time, without relying on self-report.

Considering the high prevalence of mental health conditions among young people and the technological advancements of artificial intelligence (AI)-based approaches in health services, mobile health (mHealth) apps for mental health are a promising way for low-threshold and large-scale mental health promotion, prevention, and intervention strategies, especially for young people. However, insufficient evidence on health-promoting effects and deficient user-centric designs emphasize the necessity for participatory methods in the interventions' development processes. This study aimed to explore young people's everyday experiences using an AI-based mHealth app for mental health promotion based on ecological momentary assessments and ecological momentary interventions. Our analysis of qualitative data focused on exploring young people's use patterns in daily life and mental health-promoting effects. We conducted problem-centered interviews and focus groups with a subsample of 27 young people aged 14 to 25 years, who were among the participants of 2 microrandomized trials testing and evaluating an AI-based mHealth app (AI4U training). Our study used a participatory approach, with "co- and peer researchers" from the dialogue population actively engaged in research processes and data analysis. Structural content analysis guided the qualitative analysis. Participants reported enhanced emotional self-awareness and regulation in daily life through the ecological momentary assessments and ecological momentary interventions. Young people appreciated the AI4U training for managing emotions and stress. They had no trust issues regarding disclosing their mental health via the AI4U training in daily life. Some faced challenges integrating it into their daily routines and highlighted the value of autonomy in use decision-making processes. Our findings reveal that young people benefited from enhanced emotional awareness and management through the use of the AI4U training, appreciating its anonymity for facilitating emotional disclosure. The results suggest that enhanced self-directed use may improve daily life integration, although participants noted that they sometimes avoided using the AI4U training during distress despite recognizing its potential benefits. These findings indicate the importance of balancing directed use and autonomy in digital interventions to harmonize compliance with effectiveness in daily life. We highlight the importance of participatory research for tailored digital mental health solutions.

Food for thought: Making the case for food produced via regenerative agriculture in the battle against non-communicable chronic diseases (NCDs)

Introduction:A 2009 National Academies of Sciences report on child mental health prevention and treatment concluded that screening for mental health risk is an essential component of service delivery. To date, however, there are few practical assessments available or practices in place that measure individual child risk, or risk aggregated at the school or community level. This study examined the utility of a 30-item paper and pencil student self-report screener of behavioral and emotional risk (BER) for surveying community risk among 7 schools.Methods:In 2010, 2,222 students in 3 middle and 4 high schools in a medium-sized school district in Georgia were administered the Behavioral and Emotional Screening System Self-Report Child/Adolescent form (BESS Student). The BESS is designed to measure 4 sub-syndromal BER factors for developing mental health disorders: inattention/hyperactivity, internalizing, school problems, and personal adjustment. Analysis of Variance and Chi Square analyses were used to assess the association between adolescent self-reported BER as an indicator of school BER, grade level, child ethnic identification and gender, socioeconomic status, and special education placement status.Results:BESS scores differentiated well between schools for overall BER and special education status, as well as between grade levels, ethnicity, and gender groups. One high school, known by the school administration to have numerous incidents of student behavior problems, had the most deviant 4 BER domain scores of all 7 schools. Girls rated themselves as having a higher prevalence of BER (14%) than boys (12%); middle school students reported fewer difficulties than high school students.Conclusion:Middle and high school students were capable of identifying significant differences in their own BER across schools, suggesting that universal mental health risk screening via student self-report is potentially useful for identifying aggregated community risk in a given school that may warrant differential deployment of mental health prevention and intervention strategies. BESS results reliably identified individual mental health risk associated with special education placement, which is documented to lead to poor school outcomes such as school dropout and lack of enrollment in post-secondary education.

BackgroundEurope’s aging population increasingly faces social isolation and loneliness, with nearly 20% of older adults living alone. Social isolation refers to an objective lack of social contact, while loneliness is the subjective experience of unmet social needs. Both are prevalent among community-dwelling older adults, driven by life transitions, loss, and declining health. These issues severely impact mental and physical health, increasing risks of depression and suicidal ideation. This scoping review maps the literature, identifies knowledge gaps, and highlights key challenges regarding loneliness and social isolation in this population.MethodsA scoping review was conducted between March and September 2024, following the PRISMA guidelines for scoping reviews. The review adhered to Arksey and O’Malley’s five-stage framework, which includes identifying research questions, searching for and selecting relevant studies, extracting data, and synthesizing results. The search was conducted in major scientific databases, including Embase, CINAHL Plus, Web of Science, and PsycINFO, along with grey literature sources, including doctoral theses and organizational reports.ResultsA total of 45 studies were included, with 66.6% using quantitative methods, 11.1% using qualitative methods, and the remainder being systematic reviews or mixed-method analyses. The studies revealed a significant prevalence of loneliness and social isolation among community-dwelling older adults, with risk factors including health deterioration, widowhood, and loss of social networks. The consequences of loneliness and isolation span physical and mental health issues, including an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, anxiety, depression, and cognitive decline.ConclusionsLoneliness and social isolation among community-dwelling older adults are complex issues with profound implications for physical, mental, and social well-being. Addressing these challenges requires integrative approaches that consider individual, relational, and contextual factors. Further longitudinal and standardized research is needed to improve our understanding of the long-term impacts and effectiveness of interventions to mitigate these issues.