Mental Health Factors Research Articles

A systematic review of protective and promotive factors in refugee mental health

A systematic review of protective and promotive factors in refugee mental health

Social processes as the missing link: cross-sectionally testing a conceptual model on social mediators of early psychopathological development.

Research suggests that most mental health conditions have their onset in the critically social period of adolescence. Yet, we lack understanding of the potential social processes underlying early psychopathological development. We propose a conceptual model where daily-life social interactions and social skills form an intermediate link between known risk and protective factors (adverse childhood experiences, bullying, social support, maladaptive parenting) and psychopathology in adolescents - that is explored using cross-sectional data. N = 1913 Flemish adolescent participants (Mean age = 13.8; 63% girls) were assessed as part of the SIGMA study, a large-scale, accelerated longitudinal study of adolescent mental health and development. Self-report questionnaires (on risk/protective factors, social skills, and psychopathology) were completed during class time; daily-life social interactions were measured during a subsequent six-day experience-sampling period. Registered uncorrected multilevel linear regression results revealed significant associations between all risk/protective factors and psychopathology, between all risk/protective factors and social processes, and between all social processes and psychopathology. Social processes (social skills, quantity/quality of daily social interactions) were uniquely predicted by each risk/protective factor and were uniquely associated with both general and specific types of psychopathology. For older participants, some relationships between social processes and psychopathology were stronger. Unique associations between risk/protective factors and psychopathology signify the distinct relevance of these factors for youth mental health, whereas the broad associations with social processes support these processes as broad correlates. Results align with the idea of a social pathway toward early psychopathology, although follow-up longitudinal research is required to verify any mediation effect.

Impact of self-restraint by COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in college students-COVID-19 Longitudinal survey of the 2nd and 3rd waves

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in students at university. [Method] 1880 students from university were surveyed. Survey period: July-August 2020 Demographic factors were used department, grade, gender, age. Mental health factors (PHQ-9 Japanese version, GAD-7 Japanese version, IES-R) were used. Decreased motivation to learn, loneliness: Japanese version UCLA loneliness scale was used. [Results] As a result of the survey, in (July-August), 737 patients (123 males and 614 females) were recovered (recovery rate 40.9%). As a result, in terms of gender difference, males had a higher total of "loneliness" than females and had a higher total of PTSD and "invasive symptoms". Students whose parents corresponded to corona had high "anxiety" and "depression". Students who felt rumors had high scores for "PTSD," "depression," "anxiety," and "loneliness." Students "seeking support" also scored higher on PTSD, depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Those who were "not very careful" about infection control were more likely to be depressed than those who were "careful", and those who were "quite careful" were less motivated to learn. Family structure and parental profession have no effect. In addition, the relationship between each psychiatric symptom (PTSD, depression, anxiety disorder) and "loneliness" and "motivation to learn" was examined using covariance structure analysis. When the model was examined, the models of "loneliness" ⇒ "decreased learning motivation" ⇒ "PTSD" ⇒ "depression" and "anxiety" were verified. In other words, it was shown that it is important to deal with "loneliness" to improve mental health and learning motivation during the COVID 19 pandemic. [Conclusion] At the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, college students may be high-risk persons with mental health problems.

Occupational future time perspective and mental health problems across adolescence: Random-intercept cross-lagged panel analysis and alternative variations.

Adolescence is a crucial developmental stage characterized by escalating mental health issues as well as an increasing awareness of future career possibilities. Occupational future time perspective has been shown to be a promotive factor for social functioning and mental health, and a component in evidence-based clinical practices and randomized controlled trial intervention studies. However, it requires more rigorous and ecological corroboration from longitudinal analysis at the within-person level. Random intercept cross-lagged panel models with several adjustments and sensitivity analyses were applied to the longitudinal data from the Zurich Project on the Social Development from Childhood to Adulthood (Zurich, Switzerland), to analyze how occupational future time perspective and psychological/neurodevelopmental outcomes (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms/externalizing/internalizing problems) covaried across ages 13 (N = 1365), 15 (N = 1446), and 17 (N = 1305) in the years 2016, 2018, and 2020, after controlling for sex (52% male), SES, and school type. A small effect was found in a random intercept cross-lagged panel model whereby occupational future time perspective at age 15 predicted externalizing problems at age 17 (β = .146, p = .05, [95% CI = 0.000, 0.292]), and in a random intercept (contemporaneous) reciprocal panel model specification attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms at age 17 were contemporaneously associated with occupational future time perspective at age 17 (β = -.310, p < .05, [95% CI = -0.580, -0.041]). No cross-lagged associations were found to be robust across different model specifications/adjustments. These findings suggest that improving occupational future time perspective may have limited impact on enhancing mental health, offering valuable insights for school-based interventions. Further research and replication are necessary to confirm these results.

Depression and excessive internet use: The mediating roles of anxiety and intellectual difficulties

The Internet has become an integral part of modern life, providing easy access to resources that fulfill various human needs. This study examines the factors influencing Excessive Internet Use (EIU) among adolescents, with a focus on mental health, intellectual difficulties and sociodemographic factors, to better understand risk factors and inform targeted interventions. A total of 155,166 adolescents aged 13–17 years participated in this questionnaire-based study, utilizing national survey data. The findings reveal a social gradient in EIU, with disadvantaged groups—such as girls, sexual minorities, and those from lower/middle socioeconomic statuses—showing a higher tendency towards EIU compared to advantaged groups, including boys, heterosexuals, and individuals from higher SES backgrounds. Regression analysis identified intellectual difficulties and anxiety disorders as the strongest predictors of EIU. Mediation analysis underscore the mediating roles of anxiety and intellectual difficulties in the relationship between depressive symptoms and EIU. The moderation analysis indicated that the relationship between depressive symptoms and EIU was weaker among disadvantaged adolescents. The findings suggest that interventions addressing EIU should be tailored to the specific needs of disadvantaged groups, particularly girls, sexual minorities, and those from lower-SES backgrounds, who are at higher risk. Additionally, the attenuated impact of depressive symptoms on EIU in these groups indicates that anxiety disorders and intellectual difficulties may play a more critical role in driving EIU, highlighting the importance of comprehensive mental health strategies that extend beyond treating depression alone.

Social Media Exposure and Other Correlates of Increased e-Cigarette Use Among Adolescents During Remote Schooling: Cross-Sectional Study.

Little is known about the role of exposure to e-cigarette-related digital content, behavioral and mental health factors, and social environment on the change in adolescent e-cigarette use during COVID-19 shelter-in-place orders and remote schooling. The aim of the study was to examine changes in adolescent e-cigarette use during shelter-in-place and remote schooling in association with exposure to e-cigarette-related digital content and other correlates: stronger e-cigarette dependence, feeling lonely, inability to socialize, e-cigarette use to cope with shelter-in-place, and the number of family members aware of participants' e-cigarette use. A cross-sectional survey conducted between August 2020 and March 2021 included 85 California adolescents (mean age 16.7, SD 1.2 years; 39/85, 46% identified as female and 37/85, 44% as Hispanic) who reported e-cigarette use in the past 30 days. Multivariable penalized logistic regressions determined associations adjusted for age, race and ethnicity, and mother's education. The outcome of increased e-cigarette use was defined as more frequent use of e-cigarettes of the same or stronger nicotine or tetrahydrocannabinol concentration. Almost all respondents (83/85, 98%) reported using social media more since shelter-in-place, and 74% (63/85) reported seeing e-cigarette digital content. More than half (46/85, 54%) reported increased e-cigarette use during shelter-in-place. Most individuals who increased use were exposed to e-cigarette digital content (38/46, 83%) compared to those who did not increase e-cigarette use (25/39, 64%), but the association was nonsignificant after adjusting for demographics (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 2.34, 95% CI 0.71-8.46). Respondents who felt lonely (AOR 3.33, 95% CI 1.27-9.42), used e-cigarettes to cope with shelter-in-place (AOR 4.06, 95% CI 1.39-13.41), or had ≥2 family members aware of participants' e-cigarette use (AOR 6.42, 95% CI 1.29-39.49) were more likely to report increased e-cigarette use. Almost all participants reported using social media more during shelter-in-place, with many respondents reporting increased e-cigarette use, and significant associations with loneliness and use to cope with shelter-in-place. Future interventions should consider leveraging digital platforms for e-cigarette use prevention and cessation and address the mental health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Predicting the Risk of Loneliness in Children and Adolescents: A Machine Learning Study.

Loneliness is increasingly emerging as a significant public health problem in children and adolescents. Predicting loneliness and finding its risk factors in children and adolescents is lacking and necessary, and would greatly help determine intervention actions. This study aimed to find appropriate machine learning techniques to predict loneliness and its associated risk factors among schoolchildren. The data were collected from an ongoing prospective puberty cohort that was established in Chongqing, Southwest China. This study used 822 subjects (46.84% boys, age range: 11-16) followed in 2019. Five models, (a) random forest, (b) extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), (c) logistic regression, (d) neural network, and (e) support vector machine were applied to predict loneliness. A total of 39 indicators were collected and 28 predictors were finally included for prediction after data pre-processing, including demographic, parental relationship, mental health, pubertal development, behaviors, and environmental factors. Model performance was determined by accuracy and AUC. Additionally, random forest and XGBoost were applied to identify the important factors. The XGBoost algorithm with SHAP was also used to interpret the results of our ML model. All machine learning performed with favorable accuracy. Compared to random forest (AUC: 0.87 (95%CI: 0.80, 0.93)), logistic regression (AUC: 0.80 (95%CI: 0.70, 0.89)), neural network (AUC: 0.80 (95%CI: 0.71, 0.89)), and support vector machine (AUC: 0.79 (95%CI: 0.79, 0.89)), XGBoost algorithm had the highest AUC values 0.87 (95%CI: 0.80, 0.93) in the test set, although the difference was not significant between models. Peer communication, index of general affect, peer alienation, and internet addiction were the top four significant factors of loneliness in children and adolescents. The results of this study suggest that machine learning has considerable potential to predict loneliness in children. This may be valuable for the early identification and intervention of loneliness.

O IMPACTO DO USO DE CIGARROS ELETRÔNICOS NA SAÚDE MENTAL DOS ADOLESCENTES: UMA REVISÃO SISTEMÁTICA

Objective: To analyze the impact of electronic cigarette use on adolescent mental health, identifying motivational and risk factors associated with the use of these devices. Method: A systematic literature review was conducted using the PubMed and Virtual Health Library (BVS) databases, with descriptors in Portuguese and English. Studies published between 2019 and 2024 that analyzed the relationship between electronic cigarette use and the mental health of adolescents aged 12 to 24 years were included. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 10 studies were selected for analysis. Results: The main motivational factors for the use of electronic cigarettes include curiosity, the perception of lower risk compared to traditional cigarettes, sensory appeal, and social influence. Risk factors include adverse childhood experiences, mental health problems, substance use, and poor academic performance. The review indicated a strong association between the use of electronic cigarettes and increased symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders in adolescents. Additionally, the importance of stricter public policies and psychological support programs is emphasized to mitigate the negative effects of electronic cigarette use among young people.

Trauma, resilience and significant relationships: Sex differences in protective factors for military mental health.

Military service is historically a male-dominated occupation, as such, the majority of research examining the development of mental disorder in Australian Defence Force members has had primarily male samples. While there have been mixed findings internationally regarding sex differences in rates of mental disorder and subthreshold symptoms among military personnel, across studies, the evidence tends to suggest that female military members are at least as likely as males to experience subthreshold mental health symptoms and have similar or higher rates of posttraumatic stress disorder despite the differences in roles during service. What is less understood is the impact of sex differences in symptom emergence over time and in predictors of clinical disorder. The sample included a longitudinal cohort of Australian Defence Force members (N = 8497) surveyed at Time 1 (2010) and followed up at Time 2 (2015) on measures of anger, self-perceived resilience, trauma exposure, deployment exposure, suicidality, help-seeking, relationship satisfaction and mental health disorder symptoms. Outcomes included Subthreshold Disorder (above the optimal screening cut-off on the 10-item Kessler distress scale or posttraumatic stress disorder checklist) and Probable Disorder (above the epidemiological cut-off on the 10-item Kessler distress scale or posttraumatic stress disorder checklist). Results found that while lifetime trauma exposure remained the strongest predictor of later probable disorder emergence among both males and females, for females specifically, self-reported resilience was also a significant protective factor. In contrast, being in a significant relationship at Time 1 was a protective factor against the development of subthreshold disorder in males. For the first time, sex differences in mental health symptom emergence over time have been explored in a large Australian cohort of military members. The capacity to adapt and bounce back after adversity emerged as a proactive factor against poor mental health for females in the military and could be addressed as part of routine skills training. Social support from significant relationship was particularly important for males' mental health, suggesting that maintaining positive relationships and supporting military spouses and partners are critical for males' mental health.

Smartphone Screen Time Characteristics in People With Suicidal Thoughts: Retrospective Observational Data Analysis Study.

Smartphone-based monitoring in natural settings provides opportunities to monitor mental health behaviors, including suicidal thoughts and behaviors. To date, most suicidal thoughts and behaviors research using smartphones has primarily relied on collecting so-called "active" data, requiring participants to engage by completing surveys. Data collected passively from smartphone sensors and logs may offer an objectively measured representation of an individual's behavior, including smartphone screen time. This study aims to present methods for identifying screen-on bouts and deriving screen time characteristics from passively collected smartphone state logs and to estimate daily smartphone screen time in people with suicidal thinking, providing a more reliable alternative to traditional self-report. Participants (N=126; median age 22, IQR 16-33 years) installed the Beiwe app (Harvard University) on their smartphones, which passively collected phone state logs for up to 6 months after discharge from an inpatient psychiatric unit (adolescents) or emergency department visit (adults). We derived daily screen time measures from these logs, including screen-on time, screen-on bout duration, screen-off bout duration, and screen-on bout count. We estimated the mean of these measures across age subgroups (adults and adolescents), phone operating systems (Android and iOS), and monitoring stages after the discharge (first 4 weeks vs subsequent weeks). We evaluated the sensitivity of daily screen time measures to changes in the parameters of the screen-on bout identification method. Additionally, we estimated the impact of a daylight time change on minute-level screen time using function-on-scalar generalized linear mixed-effects regression. The median monitoring period was 169 (IQR 42-169) days. For adolescents and adults, mean daily screen-on time was 254.6 (95% CI 231.4-277.7) and 271.0 (95% CI 252.2-289.8) minutes, mean daily screen-on bout duration was 4.233 (95% CI 3.565-4.902) and 4.998 (95% CI 4.455-5.541) minutes, mean daily screen-off bout duration was 25.90 (95% CI 20.09-31.71) and 26.90 (95% CI 22.18-31.66) minutes, and mean daily screen-on bout count (natural logarithm transformed) was 4.192 (95% CI 4.041-4.343) and 4.090 (95% CI 3.968-4.213), respectively; there were no significant differences between smartphone operating systems (all P values were >.05). The daily measures were not significantly different for the first 4 weeks compared to the fifth week onward (all P values were >.05), except average screen-on bout in adults (P value = .018). Our sensitivity analysis indicated that in the screen-on bout identification method, the cap on an individual screen-on bout duration has a substantial effect on the resulting daily screen time measures. We observed time windows with a statistically significant effect of daylight time change on screen-on time (based on 95% joint confidence intervals bands), plausibly attributable to sleep time adjustments related to clock changes. Passively collected phone logs offer an alternative to self-report measures for studying smartphone screen time characteristics in people with suicidal thinking. Our work demonstrates the feasibility of this approach, opening doors for further research on the associations between daily screen time, mental health, and other factors.

The association of resilience with HbA1c and key psychosocial factors in emerging adults with type 1 diabetes.

Emerging adults (EAs) with type 1 diabetes (T1D) have difficulty meeting glycemic targets and have a high prevalence of mental health comorbidities. Resilience, the ability to harness resources needed to sustain one's emotional and physical well-being, may be a key factor impacting poor mental health and glycemic outcomes. We aimed to (a) evaluate the association between resilience, HbA1c, and key psychosocial factors and (b) explore whether resilience moderates the relationship between psychosocial factors (depression, diabetes-related distress, anxiety) and HbA1c in EAs with T1D. EAs with T1D (N = 233) (mean age = 19.9 years (SD = 1.6), range 16.8-24.7) seen at an EA-specific diabetes clinic completed resilience, diabetes-related distress, depression, and anxiety measures and had their HbA1c level evaluated. We used linear regression models and conducted moderation analyses for the resilience factor. Resilience was strongly associated with HbA1c, depression, diabetes-related distress, and anxiety in EAs with T1D. We did not find evidence that resilience moderates the relationship between depression, anxiety, or diabetes-related distress and HbA1c. This study found that resilience is a highly relevant psychological factor associated with HbA1c and a key mental health factor for EAs with T1D. Novel interventions are needed to ameliorate high diabetes-related distress and HbA1c, and bolstering resilience may be one avenue to explore. Future research on resilience should longitudinally characterize and evaluate whether resilience may be a mechanism underlying the relationship between poor psychosocial outcomes and not meeting glycemic targets in EAs with T1D.

Depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation in sexual minority adolescents: An examination of social reward responsiveness and support as moderators

Sexual minority (SM) youth are at increased risk of depression and suicidal ideation (SI), due in part to discrimination and other stressors. This raises questions about social factors that may increase risk or resilience to stressors commonly faced by SM youth. The goal of this multimethod study was to examine both neural processing of social feedback and perceived social support as potential moderators of the association between SM identity, depressive symptoms, and endorsement of SI in adolescents. For this study, 165 adolescents aged 14–17 (22.42 % identifying as SM) were oversampled for current depression. Participants self-reported social support, depressive symptoms, and SI. Electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded while participants completed a computerized peer interaction task in which the reward positivity (RewP) component was measured in response to social acceptance vs. rejection feedback. We tested social RewP and social support as moderators of associations between SM identity, depressive symptoms, and whether SI was reported. SM youth reported lower social support and elevated depressive symptoms and were more likely to endorse SI compared to non-SM youth. Social RewP moderated the associations between SM identity, depressive symptoms, and SI such that SM youth with blunted neural responses to social acceptance had higher depression and were more likely to endorse SI. Lower social support was associated with greater depressive symptoms and SI, but social support was not a significant moderator of the association between SM identity and symptoms. This is among the first studies to use affective neuroscience methods to examine social processes in SGM youth and our findings underscore the role of social factors in SGM youth mental health.

Sensitivity analysis of human error in the steel industry: exploring the effects of psychosocial and mental health risk factors and burnout using Bayesian networks.

Human error and the high rates of fatalities and other occupational accidents in the steel industry are of significant global relevance. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of psychosocial, mental health, and burnout risk factors on human error probabilities in an industrial environment using Bayesian networks. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2023. The participants were 252 employees of a steel company. Error probabilities related to the tasks of participants were estimated using the Human Error Assessment and Reduction Technique (HEART). Other data was collected using a survey that consisted of demographic information, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, Depression Anxiety Stress Scales, and a short version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire. A theoretical model was drawn in GeNIe academic software (version 2.3). The results showed that all the studied variables were able to significantly affect the distribution of human error probabilities. Considering a distribution of 100% for the high state of these variables, the results showed that the greatest increases in error probability were related to two burnout dimensions: emotional exhaustion (29%) and depersonalization (28%). All the variables, with a probability of 100%, increased the probability of high human error probabilities by 46%. The most important variables in terms of their effect on human error probabilities were burnout dimensions, and these variables also had a mediation effect on the psychosocial and mental health variables. Therefore, preventive measures to control human error should first focus on managing the risks of burnout in workers. This, in turn, can also reduce the effect of psychosocial risk factors and mental health problems on human error in the workplace.

The "effects of wind turbine sound on working memory" (a pre-registration plan)

Although research on the effects of wind turbine sound (WTS) over mental health factors is increasing, very little attention has been given to the potential effects of WTS over subtle cognitive processes, such as concentration or memory. The "brainwave entrainment hypothesis" is rooted in neuropsychological research demonstrating that brain oscillations are modulated by external rhythms. In addition, perceived annoyance to wind turbines seems to be a phenomenon in which both visual and psychological variables interact with acoustic stimulation. However, annoyance is a concept rarely operationalised in the literature. Our study aims to experimentally assess the effects of WTS on working memory. Working memory is recognised as a basic process, playing a crucial role in unconscious everyday processes (e.g., perceiving an object's trajectory despite input interruptions when blinking), as well as deliberate processes (e.g., carrying out arithmetic operations). By exploring variations in performance during a memory task, while being exposed to WTS samples, we could highlight acoustic characteristics of the WTS stimuli that interfere-or not-with cognitive processes. These data, combined with within-block ratings of annoyance, can provide us with index of annoyance directly related to the acoustic properties present in WTS recordings.

Association of sleep quality, smartphone addiction, and depressive symptoms among undergraduate medical students in Nepal

IntroductionWhile research has examined the connections between sleep quality, smartphone addiction, and depressive symptoms in general, no studies focused on undergraduate medical students in Nepal have specifically tested the complex relationship between these factors. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the interaction between smartphone addiction, sleep quality, and depressive symptoms among undergraduate medical students of Maharajgunj Medical Campus, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 212 undergraduate medical students at Maharajgunj Medical Campus, Tribhuvan University, Nepal. Sleep quality, smartphone addiction, and depressive symptoms were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Smartphone Addiction Scale Short Version, and Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 26 via the bootstrap model approach.ResultsOut of the total participants, 67.9% were male. Males showed higher scores in smartphone addiction and depressive symptoms than females (b = 5.3, Bca 95% CI:1.2, 9.1, p < 0.05). The unadjusted model indicated that the presence of smartphone addiction explained 36.5% of the indirect impact of sleep quality on depressive symptoms. However, in the adjusted model, after introducing socio-demographic, behavioral, and educational variables as covariates, this percentage decreased to 33.02%.ConclusionThis study highlights the significant role of both smartphone addiction and sleep quality in mediating the indirect effect on depressive symptoms among undergraduate medical students. Smartphone addiction emerged as a key mediator of depressive symptoms, indicating a potentially important factor in mental health. Investigating this relationship further through longitudinal studies will be crucial for developing effective preventative and therapeutic approaches.

Effect of chiropractic care on low back pain for active-duty military members: Mediation through biopsychosocial factors.

This study evaluates biopsychosocial factors as mediators of the effect of chiropractic care on low back pain (LBP) intensity and interference for active-duty military members. Data from a multi-site, pragmatic clinical trial comparing six weeks of chiropractic care plus usual medical care to usual medical care alone for 750 US active-duty military members with LBP were analyzed using natural-effect, multiple-mediator modeling. Mediation of the adjusted mean effect difference on 12-week outcomes of PROMIS-29 pain interference and intensity by 6-week mediators of other PROMIS-29 physical, mental, and social health subdomains was evaluated. The effect difference on pain interference occurring through PROMIS-29 biopsychosocial factors (natural indirect effect = -1.59, 95% CI = -2.28 to -0.88) was 56% (95% CI = 35 to 96) of the total effect (-2.82, 95% CI = -3.98 to -1.53). The difference in effect on pain intensity occurring through biopsychosocial factors was smaller (natural indirect effect = -0.32, 95% CI = -0.50 to -0.18), equaling 26% (95% CI = 15 to 42) of the total effect (-1.23, 95% CI = -1.52 to -0.88). When considered individually, all physical, mental, and social health factors appeared to mediate the effect difference on pain interference and pain intensity with mental health factors having smaller effect estimates. In contrast with effects on pain interference, much of the effect of adding chiropractic care to usual medical care for US military members on pain intensity did not appear to occur through the PROMIS-29 biopsychosocial factors. Physical and social factors appear to be important intermediate measures for patients receiving chiropractic care for low back pain in military settings. Further study is needed to determine if the effect of chiropractic care on pain intensity for active-duty military occurs through other unmeasured factors, such as patient beliefs, or if the effect occurs directly.

Sociodemographic and Mental Health Factors Associated with Obesity in Resettled Refugees in Syracuse, New York.

Resettled refugees have been exposed to stressful and life-threatening events preresettlement and are among the most marginalized and vulnerable groups in society. Postresettlement, they face challenges when assimilating to an unfamiliar host country, which renders them vulnerable to adverse health outcomes including obesity, a major public health burden. This study was conducted to examine the association of mental health and sociodemographic factors, including language proficiency and educational attainment, with obesity in first-generation resettled refugees. We used data from electronic health records from the Adult Ambulatory Medicine Clinic of the State University of New York Upstate, Syracuse, NY. The probability of being overweight and obese (class I and class II) relative to normal weight was estimated using fully adjusted multinomial logistic regression models with relative risk ratios (RRRs). Relative to male refugees, female refugees were more likely to have class I obesity (RRR=1.83; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.19, 2.80) and class II obesity (RRR=4.07; 95% CI=2.41, 6.87). Limited English proficiency increased the risk of being overweight (RRR=2.02; 95% CI=1.29, 3.17) and having class II obesity (RRR=2.14, 95% CI=1.20, 3.81). A clinical mental health diagnosis increased the risk of class I (RRR=2.00; 95% CI=1.35, 2.96) and class II (RRR=1.76; 95% CI=1.15, 2.71) obesity. Having no formal education was associated with decreased risk of class II obesity (RRR=0.42; 95% CI=0.19, 0.90). Obesity prevalence and subsequent related morbidity continue to be major public health burdens in vulnerable, often underserved populations in the United States. Further investigation into social determinants of obesity in refugees in a community setting that captures the unique experiences of heterogenous refugee groups outside the clinical setting is warranted.

Psychological factors and diabetic foot ulceration: a scoping review of the bi-directional relationship between diabetic foot ulcer healing and mental health factors

Introduction Diabetic foot ulceration (DFU) is a major complication of diabetes and is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. Psychological factors are believed to play a role in wound healing, but it remains uncertain if psychological interventions can help individuals with an active DFU, or a history of DFUs, to achieve complete or improved wound healing or prevent recurrence. Objective The objective of the proposed scoping review is to investigate the emotional consequences/burden of living with DFU and to examine how psychosocial factors may impact progression and management of ulcerations. Methods This review will be conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) will guide the reporting of results. Discussion While factors such as stress, depression, social support, and adherence to treatment have been identified as variables that may negatively affect DFU healing, there is a need for a greater understanding of how psychological and behavioural variables such as these may influence ulcer incidence, healing and recurrence in people with diabetes. This review will comprise of a broad and systematically mapped synthesis of the identified data. Findings will be used to provide a better understanding of the bi-directional relationship between DFU and psychological variables and will provide direction for the development or adaptation of a tailored psychological intervention that will aim to optimise wellbeing and improve outcomes for individuals with DFU.

Supportive-leadership training to improve social connection: A cluster-randomized trial demonstrating efficacy in a high-risk occupational context.

The high, and still rising, rate of loneliness is a threat to public health (Office of the Surgeon General, 2023), with negative mental and physical health consequences (e.g., Holt-Lunstad, 2021). Given that loneliness is a risk factor for poor mental health, efforts to address loneliness are urgently needed. Workplaces can facilitate an employee's social connection through supervisor support training, which can help mitigate loneliness. Among occupational groups, the military is at higher risk for mental health disorders, suicide, and loneliness (Fikretoglu et al., 2022; Naifeh et al., 2019). This study evaluated the efficacy of an evidence-based supportive-leadership training intervention targeting active-duty U.S. Army platoon leaders and targeting both proactive support behaviors that help bolster employee social connection and responsive support behaviors, including destigmatizing mental health. Ninety-nine platoon leaders (69.7% of eligible leaders) completed the 90-min training that consisted of both in-person and computer-based components. Using a cluster-randomized controlled trial design, intervention effects were tested using an intent-to-treat approach and revealed a significant effect, whereby loneliness of service members whose leaders were randomized to the intervention group (N = 118) was significantly reduced compared to loneliness reports for service members in the control group (N = 158). Additionally, service members with higher baseline loneliness were more strongly and positively impacted by the supervisor training, reporting higher levels of supportive behaviors from their leaders at 3 months postbaseline. In sum, these results suggest how workplaces, especially those that are considered high-risk occupations, and their leaders play a critical role in a national strategy to address Americans' well-being. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Mental health, water, and food: Relationships between water and food insecurity and probable depression amongst adults in Mexico

BackgroundWater and food insecurity often co-occur, and have independently been identified as potential risk factors for poor mental health. Their interlinkages are only just beginning to be explored; even less is known about how the relationships vary by gender. Understanding the independent associations of water and food insecurity with mental health, as well as their joint effects, can help identify which interventions might be most appropriate for improving health. MethodsWe explored how probable depression covaried with water and food insecurity using nationally representative data from the Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey 2021 (ENSANUT 2021, n = 13,126). Cross-sectional data were collected on household water, food insecurity, and probable depression amongst adults were collected. We used multivariable logistic regression models to examine the association of water and food insecurity with moderate-to-severe probable depression: and we stratified the models by sex. ResultsHousehold water insecurity was associated with higher odds of probable depression amongst women (1.37 OR, CI: 1.13–1.66) and men (1.30 OR, CI: 0.92–1.83). When controlling for household food insecurity, the association between probable depression and water insecurity was no longer important, however, household food insecurity was associated with higher odds of probable depression. Those experiencing joint water and food insecurity had the highest odds of probable depression (2.70 OR, CI: 2.13–3.40). The associations between water insecurity, food insecurity and mental health did not differ by sex. ConclusionConcurrent water and food insecurity increase the likelihood of probable depression amongst both men and women. Strategies to mitigate both resource insecurities could improve mental health.