The article “Effectiveness of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for Active Duty Soldiers in a Military Mental Health Clinic” written by Reger et al. suggests that virtual reality exposure therapy (VRE) is an effective tool for treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (2011). It provides an account of a retrospective study that explores the connection between VRE treatment and its effect on PTSD symptoms in soldiers who received seven sessions on average. The research findings show that even the soldiers who have been previously exposed to other forms of therapy report a significant reduction of combat-related PTSD symptoms (Reger et al., 2011). It can be argued that the study is inconclusive because the consistency in the number of sessions was missing making it impossible to establish dose-response relationships (Reger et al., 2011). Nonetheless, taking into consideration the promising results of the study, it can be argued that randomized clinical trials could prove the positive clinical outcomes of VRE treatment for PTSD. However, future tests are needed to establish the degree to which VRE is more or less effective in comparison to other treatments (Reger et al., 2011).
The authors of the lecture titled “Practice of Virtual Reality Case Teaching Using in the Military Training Based on Virtools” argue that case teaching effect of military theory can be utilized in military academies (Long & Dhillon, 2014). They claim that such practice will help to employ numerous 3D models and alternant engines thus lessening the effects of training resistance. Moreover, it will make the teaching of military tactics more efficient by “replacing real scene with virtual environment” (Long & Dhillon, 2014). Military fighting, commanding exercise and equipment security drills are some of the possible applications for virtual reality case teaching in military (Long & Dhillon, 2014). The authors of the lecture claim that such approach to teaching is more effective than a conventional one. It provides a significant stimulus to sensory organs thus making a learning process more engaging for students. The goal of learning is being achieved through the application of addictive multi-variable nodes of virtual play that compel learners to engage in the studying process on the multidimensional level (Long & Dhillon, 2014). It can be argued that VR teaching method is characterized by the subjectivity of student experience. However, it is possible to reduce this effect by application of other military training methods and practices. It can be concluded that the lecture provides ample justification for the use of virtual reality in the military.
The chapter “Military VR Applications” in the book Virtual Reality Technology written by Burdea and Coiffet in 2008 describes the importance of the use of VR technology in the increasingly complex world of military hardware. The authors argue that considering that simulator training needs to be easily upgradable because of the short lifespan of various equipment, VR provides a flexible solution for education programs of numerous military branches. The chapter provides an overview of the possible applications of VR in the Army, the Navy and the Air Force (Burdea & Coiffet, 2008). The US Army could use VR training for single soldier simulators as well as platoon-level leadership training (Burdea & Coiffet, 2008). The US Navy could significantly improve their education programs aimed at improving operator performance with the use of VR technology. Training scenarios created with the help of VR simulators could help to enhance cognitive and perceptual skills of officers that need to navigate surfaced submarines (Burdea & Coiffet, 2008). The use of VR by the US Air Force significantly reduces the costs of aircraft flying simulators. Moreover, VR technology is easily transportable and upgradable therefore its use for pilots has numerous positive practical implications. It can be said, that the chapter provides a comprehensive account of the use of VR technology in the military.
The article “Stereoscopic-3D Vision to Improve Situational Awareness in Military Operations” published in the Proceedings of the First International AVR Conference, argues that use of Sterescopic-3D Vision could lead to the increase of the situational awareness in battlespaces (De Paolis & Mongelli, 2014). The authors claim that operators performing Network Centric Operations are opened to the negative influence of information overload that might result in the reduction of their decision-making capacities which, in turn, might cause disastrous consequences for a military operation. The article presents a case of military personnel using LOKI and the Command and Control system for Electronic Warfare (De Paolis & Mongelli, 2014). It argues that numerous elements of performance such as completion time, a number of errors, sense of presence and depth impression could be enhanced by S3D visualization (De Paolis & Mongelli, 2014). The authors conclude that VR technology could offer a unique user interface that significantly enhances an operator’s performance and viewing comfort (De Paolis & Mongelli, 2014).
De Paolis, L.T., & Mongelli, A. (Eds). (2014). Proceedings of the First International Conference, AVR: Augmented and Virtual Reality, New York, NY: Springer.
Long, S., & Dhillon B.S. (Eds.). (2014). Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Man-Machine-Environment System Engineering: Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering. Heidelberg, Germany: Springer-Verlag.
Reger, G., Holloway, K., Candy, C., Rothbaum, B., Difede, J., Rizzo, A.,…Gahm, G. (2011). Effectiveness of virtual reality exposure therapy for active duty soldiers in a military mental health clinic. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 24(1), 93-96.
The Effectiveness of Mental Health Benefits in the Employee Benefits Package
Mental health matters have changed the views that a significant number of employers across the globe used to have, which focused on health as a responsibility of an individual employee. It is notable that, in the past decade, health care professionals demonstrated that mental health problems are also strongly correlated with a number of chronic health problems.
This could imply that persons who have specific chronic illnesses have increased chances of developing difficulties related to mental disorders. In the contemporary world, a significant number of employees are working past their retirement age and this could mean that many generations are being utilised in the workplace at the same time.
The involvement of many workers in the workplace concurrently shows that a large proportion of personnel are raising their families as well as taking care for their elderly parents who are in great need of specialised and personal care. It is worth noting that this could lead to high rates of employee stress and absenteeism (Marlow, 2002).
For example, in 1999, it was shown that 6 percent of workers were absent from work on some or all days of the week. When they were asked why they were absent, they gave their personal reasons. It is notable that the figure did not decrease 10 years later when the level of absenteeism was proved to be 8.2 percent (Marlow, 2002).
The adoption of technological applications in the workplace has also been blamed for the increasing levels of employee stress. The use of Wi-FI, email and hi-tech mobile phones, among other products of technological advancements, makes a significant number of staff to spend more hours working.
In fact, it is argued that the use of technological applications make many workers leave work when they walk out of the door at the end of the day or when they are on vacation. The fact that a considerable number of staff are being continuously connected tom their work issues could mean that personnel are exposed to more situations that could make them develop stress related to work.
The high rates of work involvement could also imply that employees do not have an adequate time to disengage from their work lives. In turn, there is a compromise with regard to the health work-life that is important for workers in the modern world. It is more worrying because workers take their work-related problems to their homes and take their personal problems to the workplace.
It has been shown that 20% of adults a high probability of developing a mental abnormality, which could be detected through conventional and highly specialised diagnostic methods.
The big number of personnel who could develop a mental illness annually could result in huge financial implications for business establishments (employers). For example, it approximated that companies spend an average of 90 billion USD annually to cater for medical expenses incurred by workers with regard to treating mental illnesses.
It has been demonstrated that employee absenteeism has more chances of being caused by stress and anxiety rather than being caused by physical injury or illness. Employers have to accept about 30% of disability cases that could be termed as having a corporate aspect.
The high percent can be attributed to the fact that short-term disability claims in the workplace can increase by about 10% annually. However, it is worth noting that in any given year, only less than a third of adults with diagnosable mental disorder actually seek and receive treatment.
With time, a number of business establishments are acknowledging the fact that the health of workers could either negatively or positively impact them. For example, an organisation that is exemplified by a significant number of personnel who have good health could have excellent individual performance outcomes. In turn, the outcomes have an overall positive influence on the competitiveness of a firm.
In fact, an organisation that is relatively competitive in comparison with its competitors could have unique performance results.
Continued research in the areas of personnel health and productivity levels of firms has demonstrated that a considerable number of employers are aware of the critical responsibilities in ensuring that workers achieve better health outcomes (Marlow, 2002). As a result, many employers are investing in programmes that could be utilised to improve their employees’ wellbeing (Marlow, 2002; Sharar, 2009).
It was noted that during the ten-year period from 1987 to 1997, the number of persons who sought treatment for stress in the US alone increased three times. Furthermore, the number of patients who were actually diagnosed with any form of depression and given antidepressant drugs doubled in the same period, i.e. from 37.3% in 1987 to 74.5% in 1997.
However, it is important to note that cases of psychotherapy reduced insignificantly from 71.1% to 60.2% (Goetzel, Ozminkowski, Sederer & Mark, 2002). It is no doubt that workers who present with mental health problems such as depression and anxiety could have more needs of health care attention, relatively high rates of absenteeism and a higher probability of developing disabilities, some of which could be life-threatening.
Several factors have been blamed for these outcomes. For example, low levels of motivation and poor work attitudes in the workplace could negatively impact many workers. This could result in increased turnover and worsened performance outcomes of organisations.
However, in the recent past, managers of firms have concentrated on understanding the correlations between health of personnel and their productivity. The focus has led to the adoption of new ways of thinking with regard to staff. In fact, many employers view their personnel as vital resources as opposed to the line item expenses view that was previously adopted.
Thus, a significant number of managers aim at attracting and retaining intellectual capital, which is characterised by excellent health. There is a strong correlation between employees’ health outcomes and their performances in the workplace.
It would be important to formulate a business case for improved awareness that would focus on problems, which would be related to employee mental health. Such a case would act as an essential foundation for improving health, containing medical cost and improving productivity of personnel in the workplace.
In 2002, it was noted that about seventy-five individuals who suspected that they were suffering from depression sought medical interventions from their primary care doctors. However, only 50% of the persons was found to be in need of treatment while 20% of the people was advised to seek the attention of mental health specialists (Goetzel et al., 2002).
Some of the important gains that have been realised with regard to reducing the negative impacts of mental health issues can be attributed to the Mental Health Parity Act. The health act was signed into law by the then president of the US, Bill Clinton.
It seeks to reduce variations that are experienced with regard to how health care insurance plans aim at treating offering treatment for health benefits related to mental functioning and offering treatment options to cater for medical and surgical benefits (Morton & Aleman, 2005). It is important noting that all the benefits can be exemplified by either lifetime or yearly benefits, which are evaluating the US dollar.
However, one of the greatest demerits of the mental health act is that it does not authorise employers to provide their workers with mental health coverage. In addition, it only seeks to focus on employers who give plans that are characterised by a well defined mental health coverage (Morton & Aleman, 2005).
Ueda and Niino (2012) contend that personnel who work for business establishments that are exemplified by excellent mental health benefits often report relatively high levels of job satisfaction and feelings of quality treatment that is practised by their employers (Ueda & Niino, 2012).
On the other hand, if an employer does not adopt programmes that focus on effective mental health care benefits, then it would incur comparatively high costs. From a long-term standpoint, the costs would be attributed to the significant number of workers who would end up untreated and result to the use of non-psychiatric impatient and outpatient services.
Ueda and Niino (2012) demonstrate that the number of the untreated personnel is threefold the number of treated workers. It has also been noted that 50% of workers’ visits to primary health care providers are as a result of clinical signs that have no physical link (McClellan, McKethan, Lewis, Roski & Fisher, 2010). However, such symptoms are often correlated to cases of depression or anxiety.
The signs can show in the forms of chest pain, dizzy spells, abdominal pain, disrupted sleep patterns, fatigue, and headaches. Furthermore, it is evident that workers who are characterised by untreated mental health problems have 50% more likelihood of visiting non-mental health professionals than those who are fully diagnosed with the health conditions and offered the best treatment.
A focus on the managed care benefits, especially with regard to depression treatment, has shown that the retention depressed workers results in worse health outcomes (Morton & Aleman, 2005).
It is worth to note that problems related to mental malfunctioning contribute to more lost days in the workplace than other illnesses, for example, gout arthritis and diabetes (Marlow, 2002). In fact, personnel have been shown to miss work in more than 217 million days as a result of worse productivity, which is caused by mental issues and disorders that are caused by abuse of various substances either in the workplace or at home.
The proportion of the lost days annually has a great negative impact on the economy of the US. Specifically, the nation employers in the US incur losses amounting to 17 billion dollars yearly. However, it is important noting that the costs that are related to mental and drug abuse disorders are relatively high. They have been estimated to range from 79 to 105 billion US dollars (Kowlessar, Henke, Goetzel, Colombi & Felter, 2010).
It is worrying that disability costs, which directly correlate with cases of psychiatric disorders, are on an upward trend. Among individuals aged between 15 and 44 in the US and Canada, disabilities are mainly caused by mental and drug abuse issues. In the context of the US alone, the two disorders combined significantly contribute to both short-term and long-term disabilities.
Research has shown that psychotherapy is superior to medication with regard to managing mental disorders. In one study, forty-six health clinics participating in 6 managed care organisations were offered exhaustive training programmes that aimed at assessing the benefits of adopting either psychotherapy or medication (Morton & Aleman, 2005).
One of the clinics was a normal health clinic, which acted as a reference for comparison. Using a sample size of 1350 patients, the study was conducted over a two-year period that involved following the study participants retrospectively. At the end of the follow-up, it was noted that individuals who focused on psychotherapy achieved more benefits than those who focused on the use of medication treatment.
However, the initiative that used psychotherapy approaches proved to be more expensive than the one using medications to manage mental disorders.
Although alcohol consumption, clinical depression and social phobia have been identified as the main causes of the most significant number of lost workdays, there is a huge worry for employees and employers with regard to the quality of health care that workers receive in order to manage their mental health problems (McClellan et al., 2010; Young, Klap, Sherbourne & Wells, 2001).
It is undisputable that behavioural health care outcomes vary among workers. Young and colleagues (2001) argue that the uneven provision of excellent behavioural health attention that is offered to personnel in the US makes a considerable number of Americans receive sub-standard care.
For example, it is approximated that only about 32.7% of persons are treated for mental or drug abuse disorders receive adequate treatment. Furthermore, health care professionals who treat workers suffering from the two disorders greatly influence the quality of treatment that they receive (Young et al., 2001).
Generally, it has been demonstrated that mental health patients who receive care from mental health specialists have better chances of receiving high quality care than those who seek services of general health care practitioners. Below are some of the reasons that are given by workers who do not seek mental health care (Young et al., 2001):
High treatment costs
Assumption with regard to fast healing
Problematic health insurance policies
Lack of interest in treatment
Insufficient time
Fear to take medications
General lack of knowledge
Presence of access barriers
Even though workers could lack mental health issues, they could experience a number of stressors that could be caused by the nature of their work and factors in their personal lives (EASNA, 2009). Such stressors could have many impacts on individuals both at home and in the workplace.
In the workplace, personnel could be exemplified by low levels of job satisfaction, which could culminate in poor performance outcomes (Ueda & Niino, 2012). Employers can tackle the problem by ensuring that workers access consultation services that would be aimed at enabling them to understand their emotional and work-related issues.
After they are treated, they would undergo short-term counselling and advising those in need to longer-term care seek services of more specialised services from specific care providers. Some employers are also utilising Employee Assistance programmes (EAPs) that focus on educating both employers and workers about skills that could be important in tackling general issues as they arise (Taranowski & Mahieu, 2013).
The use of approaches that are based on EAP has the potential of helping employers to increase improvement levels in the workplace. In addition, they are the strategies are essential in the costs that are incurred by organisations as a result of managing behavioral health issues (Taranowski & Mahieu, 2013).
A large-scale study was conducted in 1998 to evaluate the costs associated with managing personnel suffering from depression and those who did not have the condition. It involved 46,000 workers who were randomly selected from many organisations. The study demonstrated that staff who self-reported major depression spent $2907 more than those who did not suffer from the health condition.
Only 14.3% of the study participants were shown to have sought services of specialised mental health care professionals. They included psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers. In many instances, employers do not evaluate the negative impacts of mental health problems that affect their staff. The failure to conduct thorough evaluations can be attributed to three reasons (Taranowski & Mahieu, 2013).
First, there are inadequate resources that can be applied by managers in firms. Second, there is no consensus with regard to the modest quality mental health care should be commonly used. Third, there is a general believe that mental health care can result in disability.
When addressing workplace strategies of dealing with issues that are associated with mental malfunctions, it is important to understand that medical doctors, public health officials and psychologists have developed such approaches independently. The professionals have asserted that stigmatisation in the workplace due to mental health issues.
In fact, stigmatisation remains an omnipresent challenge towards the attainment of excellent health outcomes. For example, a study was conducted in the US that involved 6,399 workers who were randomly selected from thirteen organisations. Its findings showed that 62% of the personnel understood the procedures for accessing organisation resources, which contained important information about depression care.
However, only 29% of the respondents expressed confidence in sharing their mental problems with their seniors. The unwillingness of workers to disclose their mental health issues o their supervisors can be attributed to culture and norms in firms, which do not support such disclosures.
Thus, interventions are also aimed at transforming unsupportive attitudes of leaders and managers in the workplace (Taranowski & Mahieu, 2013). The adoption of accommodation approaches is key to enabling seniors to accommodate personnel who develop mental health conditions.
Finally, it would be important for employers to their roles in impacting the health their workers, which would result in improved performance outcomes. The roles include implementing tested worker education initiatives, offering services for screening and early diagnosis, promoting health, eliminating barriers to accessing care, and providing worker assistance programmes (EASNA, 2009; Kowlessar et al., 2010; Sharar, 2009).
Conclusions
In conclusion, it is evident that mental health issues have great impacts on the performances of individual workers in the workplace. Consequently, workers who suffer from the health conditions could affect the overall performance of an organisation. It is worrying because the number of workers who are diagnosed with clinical depression and stress, among other mental problems, is increasing annually.
The quality of mental health care that is received by personnel in the US is very low. Several studies have been conducted with regard to the topic because of its significance of the economy of US organisations and the overall economy of the nation. The Mental Health Parity Act is important in reducing the suffering that mentally ill workers undergo, which significantly reduce their performances.
When addressing mental health issues in the workplace, it is essential to underscore the roles of employers in helping their staff to attain excellent mental health care. In addition to providing supportive norms, they also aim at offering screening and early diagnosis, among other services.
Goetzel, R. Z., Ozminkowski, R. J., Sederer, L. I., & Mark, T. L. (2002). The business case for quality mental health services: why employers should care about the mental health and well-being of their employees. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 44(4), 320-330.
Kowlessar, N. M., Henke, R. M., Goetzel, R. Z., Colombi, A. M., & Felter, E. M. (2010). The influence of worksite health promotion program management and implementation structure variables on medical care costs at PPG Industries. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 52(12), 1160-1166.
Marlow, S. (2002). Regulating labour management in small firms. Human Resource Management Journal, 12(3), 25-43.
McClellan, M., McKethan, A. N., Lewis, J. L., Roski, J., & Fisher, E. S. (2010). A national strategy to put accountable care into practice. Health Affairs, 29(5), 982-990.
Morton, J. D., & Aleman, P. (2005). Trends in employer-provided mental health and substance abuse benefits. Monthly Lab. Rev., 128, 25.
Sharar, D. A. (2009). Do employee assistance programs duplicate services offered through mental health benefit plans? Compensation & Benefits Review, 41(1), 67–73.
Taranowski, C. J., & Mahieu, K. M. (2013). Trends in Employee Assistance Program Implementation, Structure, and Utilization, 2009 to 2010. Journal of Workplace Behavioral Health, 28(3), 172-191.
Ueda, Y., & Niino, H. (2012). The Effect of Mental Health Programs on Employee Satisfaction with Benefit Programs, Jobs and the Organization. Business and Management Review, 2(1), 27-38.
Young, A. S., Klap, R., Sherbourne, C. D., & Wells, K. B. (2001). The quality of care for depressive and anxiety disorders in the United States. Archives of general psychiatry, 58(1), 55-61.
This program is proposed as a federal service delivery system. To guarantee that this requirement is met and the policy falls within federal jurisdiction, it is essential to address four dimensions of the program. First, it is federal because outright money payments and strict control over implementation are required. Because veterans served the state, it is imperative to assure that they are treated with equal respect and provided with adequate care across the country. The federal government is the only body that has enough resources and authority to support this initiative. Second, it is a direct service delivery system, i.e. the government is the direct and only supplier of healthcare services (Sanborn, 2013). Moreover, a high level of centralization is recommended, as it is assumed that strictly centralized program control is key to its success. Finally, this initiative requires detailed actions and decisions, which are closely connected to the determination of eligibility (Birkland, 2011). Meeting these criteria would make the program a federal fall within federal jurisdiction.
Financing of Policy
Because this initiative is a federal program, the federal budget is the main source of financing. Here, the foundation for allocating resources is the Tax Code, as taxes make up the basis of the state budget, and are later redirected to funding healthcare needs (Oliver, 2014). Nevertheless, just like in the case of other federal programs, additional sources of financing are acceptable. For instance, necessary funds can be withdrawn from state and local budgets. Moreover, the role of powerful private organizations such as the American Medical Association should not be underestimated, as their donations can help fill the existing funding gaps (Barr, 2016). Another option is attracting private contributions to healthcare units constructions or seeking discounts for providing healthcare services to those, who fall within the requirements of the program (Gholipour & Rouzbehani, 2016). Even though the last two recommendations are not directly connected to financing the initiative, they are beneficial for guaranteeing its success and addressing the mental needs of veterans as well as making the program more easily accessible.
Political, Administrative, and Financial Feasibility
The political feasibility of a governmental program can be determined by estimating the current situation in the existing environment and identifying barriers and opportunities for introducing the change (Mason, Gardner, Outlaw, & O’Grady, 2016). As for now, the issue of veterans’ mental health is addressed by another federal program – Veteran Health Administration. Nevertheless, access to adequate care is limited. Moreover, some significant problems such as high suicide rates among veterans are not addressed on a nationwide basis (Bagalman, 2016).
As for barriers and opportunities, the focus is usually made on the perception of implementing the proposed change (Patel & Rushefsky, 2014). Bearing in mind existing problems, launching a separate program focused on mental needs is recommended and politically feasible, as it would improve the image of the government. Speaking of administrative feasibility, the primary challenge is to determine who is eligible to care. However, in this case, the program is feasible because the government already has developed frameworks for drawing appropriate conclusions. That is why carrying it to another policy is all that is needed. Finally, as for financial feasibility, this initiative is easy to implement because funds can be redirected from the currently existing unit of the Veteran Health Administration to the whole new organization. From the perspective of governmental management, it would not take much effort and resources to support this change.
Barr, D. A. (2016). Introduction to U.S. health policy: The organization, financing, and delivery of health care in America. Baltimore, MD: Hopkins University Press.
Birkland, T. A. (2011). An introduction to the policy process: Theories, concepts, and models of public policymaking. New York, NY: Routledge.
Gholipour, R., & Rouzbehani, K. (2016). Social, economic, and political perspectives on public health policy making. Hershey, PA: IGI Global.
Mason, D. J., Gardner, D. B., Outlaw, F. H., & O’Grady, E. T. (2016). Policy and politics in nursing and health care. St. Louis, MI: Elsevier.
Oliver, T. R. (2014). Guide to U.S. health and health care policy. Washington, DC: CQ Press.
Patel, K., & Rushefsky, M. E. (2014). Healthcare politics and policy in America. Armonk, NY: M. E. Sharpe.
Sanborn, C. J. (2013). Case management in mental health services. New York, NY: Routledge.
The health need of an individual requires adequate and careful management. By implication, various aspects of the human anatomy undergo specific changes based on tissue growth. This thesis highlighted the correlation between mental health and body mass index. Thus, we studied the relationship between body mass index, health, and mental health among Latin American adolescents. Data for the study was collected from a secondary source. The CHIS data for adolescents (2011-2012) was tested using Chi-square statistical analysis to evaluate the study. The research will support various social policy frameworks across Latin America. Consequently, the study has direct implications on nursing practice, adolescent nutrition value, and families.
Introduction
As young people move from adolescence to adulthood, they confront numerous somatic, mental, and social changes. However, it is unexpected that young people will encounter mental misery. Studies carried out by the California Survey Institute revealed that 4.3% of youths have confronted a genuine depressive issue. By implication, the growth phase of an adolescent influences his or her health status. Expanding U.S. weight rates influence all age clusters, including teenagers. The research institute found that 19% of American kids and young people were corpulent, totaling 15.5 million people. The CDC expressed that stoutness rates in this age range have tripled in the past three decades. Lawler and Nixon (2011) examined the relationship between body mass record (BMI) and body challenges and stated that higher BMI among different components, related to more prominent body disappointment for adolescents. Body disappointment was identified with an expanded danger for both gloom and other mental concerns, such as dietary issues (Lawler & Nixon, 2011).
The expressions “overweight” and “corpulent” classify weight status as sound standard (CDC, 2012). The CDC characterizes these terms by using the BMI estimation. BMI is viewed as a concrete measure of an individual’s muscle to fat ratio, utilizing one’s weight, and tallness as a part of the computation. A BMI of 18.5- 24.9 is viewed as sound, though a BMI from 25-29.9 is viewed as overweight, and a BMI of 30 or higher is viewed as large (CDC, 2012). The alarming survey conducted in 2014 revealed that over 33% of American grownups were sorted as fat (CDC, 2012). Rates of adolescent weight have been followed and huge increments can be seen since the 1980s, particularly in the Midwestern, Southeastern states, and Latin America (CDC, 2012). From 2010- 2014, 20.4% of American young people were viewed as corpulent (Ogden, Carroll, Kit, & Flegal, 2012). Youth rotund was equally spread around the nation than adolescent corpulent from 2010-2014.
Socioeconomic Status of Latin American Adolescents
The survey examined the socioeconomic status of Latin American adolescents. The socioeconomic variables include age, sex, ethnicity, age, housing, income, educational attainment, and occupation. Family income and subjective social status are additional components of the SES. These components were evaluated to test the correlation with BMI. Different components of the SES were categorized based on accompanying factors. For example, the participant’s residence was categorized as rural and urban centers.
In contemplating hazard components for weight, ethnic, and racial foundations have been considered. Kids from ethnic minorities, for example, African American and Hispanic youngsters, will probably be overweight (Babey, Hastert, Wolstein, & Diamant, 2010. Elements counting group, family, and financial status were tested, and it was observed that people living in overwhelmingly Hispanic or non- Hispanic Black people group will probably be large, and people of these ethnic foundations will probably live in groups with less health-related challenges (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). A study led in California revealed that family salary and obesity are contrarily connected, particularly as to male adolescents (Babey et al., 2010).
It creates the impression that there is a complex interaction of components prompting obesity in both grownups and youth, which will be essential to investigate keeping in mind the goal to better comprehend corpulent and its connection. Consequently, few kinds of literature have studied the relationship between mental health and body mass index. Nutritionist argued that an individual body mass index positively or negatively affect health and mental health. The CHIS data center, among different offices, advances the learning of wellbeing concerns identified with corpulence. They give instructive apparatuses and suggestions for prevention and recuperation. Nonetheless, there is a lack of assets looking at the connection between weight and emotional well-being. By implication, researchers have been looking at corpulence’s impacts on the mental prosperity of adolescents and adults (Mustillo, Budd, & Hendrix, 2013).
Weight is a medical challenge of the 21st century as reported by many kinds of literature and surveys. Its commonness has tripled in numerous nations since the 1980s, and the quantities of those influenced keep on rising at a disturbing rate, especially among youngsters. Corpulent controls 3-9% of health expenses and 12-15% of death in various parts of Latin America (Lawler & Nixon, 2011). Heftiness brings a colossal weight of inability and mortality and in addition to a monetary test. A sound way of life mitigates obesity and improves mental health (Lawler & Nixon, 2011). The World Health Organization defines a Body Mass Index (BMI) as a straightforward record of weight-for-tallness that is used to order underweight, overweight, and stoutness in grownups. It is characterized as the weight in kilograms partitioned by the square of the tallest in meters (kg/m2). For instance, an adolescent who weighs 78kg and whose stature is 1.78 m will have a BMI of 24.62.
Body mass index and obesity influence various medical challenges that affect the quality of life. Consequently, BMI, mental health, and health conditions affect the psychological development of adolescents. Changes in Latin America’s dietary and wellness propensities, for example, overconsumption of calories and an inexorably inactive way of life, have altogether added to this epic ascent in weight‐gain. Since the mid-1990s, the normal weight of the Latin American grown-up is expanding by one pound every year, and subsequently, the quantity of Latin Americans on eating regimens has risen definitely (Gaesser, 2003). Eating carbs have little effect on the ascent of heftiness in Latin America. A few studies have demonstrated that a past filled with food abstinence increases the chances for ensuing huge weight pick up. Although eating less does not lead to corpulence, an eating regimen attitude may prompt constant weight vacillations (Gaesser, 2003).
Public health suggestions support weight reduction in overweight and hefty people. Nevertheless, the significance of weight to health and mental health in Latin America is still vague. Today’s society will contend for weight reduction because it affects health and mental fitness. A few studies have demonstrated that aggregate mortality diminishes in overweight populaces to ordinary and underweight populaces (Gaesser, 2003). Diet therapists revealed that getting in shape, enhance cardiorespiratory wellness, heart rates, muscle flexibility, and reduce aggregate cholesterol through active sports.
Corpulence is a public issue in the US and Latin America, and as such has influenced different research recommendations. Various literatures have reported a relationship between heftiness and different types of mental pain, including uneasiness and depressive issues. Consequently, the timing and heading of the relationship amongst corpulence and mental misery stay disputable. Some proof proposes that obesity in childhood and adolescents builds the danger of creating temperament or tension issues in adulthood. Some literatures show that depressive indications, especially in adolescents improve the probability of obesity in adulthood. The adolescent phase is a physiological development and a danger period when nervousness and depressive indications are created. Thus, nervousness and melancholy has been connected with adiposity.
Consequently, depression, depressive indicators, and expanded adiposity facilitate the causes that underlie the advancement of mental pain and corpulence. The directionality of impact remains dubious as to misery influencing weight increase, body mass index, and mental health. Evaluating whether mental misery and expanded adiposity occur in adolescence will improve the quality of life. Although pre-adulthood is a preventive phase of obesity, there are measurable difficulties in concentrating on both adiposity and misery. By implication, variables of heterogeneity of teenage populaces affect BMI data collection and analysis. Thus, research testing can distinguish subgroups in the populace for which the relationship amongst mental health and BMI is significant. Consequently, this study provides an opportunity that allows testing theories identified with class enrollment. The present study concentrates on health, mental health, and BMI among Latin American adolescents.
Scope and Significance of the Study
The quantity of youngsters and teenagers who are overweight or fat worldwide is disturbing. As a result, we will conduct a survey to evaluate the pervasiveness of overweight and stoutness of adolescents in Latin America. We will look at specific databases (CHIS) and literature for significant studies carried out among Latin American adolescents between 2011 and 2012. Markers approved for the study include BMI (kg/m2) for all adolescents and weight-for-tallness. From the perspective of the number of adolescents who are overweight or hefty, the related hindering impacts on wellbeing and the expense of human services frameworks, execution of projects to screen, and forestall unfortunate weight pick up in kids and young people are required in Latin America.
The present exploration was vital because it gave the data in regard to the issue of body weight and psychological wellness status. Moreover, there are few kinds of literature on the relationship between BMI and psychological wellness concerning Latin American adolescents, thus, this study checked on the specific relationship among Latin American adolescents. As an aftereffect of findings on the topic, the recommendations will mitigate the challenge, guaranteeing that individuals know the significance of keeping a perfect weight to manage psychological wellness. This study will expose the significance of taking consideration of physical body status to avoid negative impacts on emotional wellness among Latin American adolescents.
Purpose, Hypothesis, Objectives, and Research Questions
This study investigates the relationship between body mass index and mental health. Consequently, the study investigates the correlation of body mass index, health, mental health among Latin American adolescents. Thus, the study focuses on Latin American adolescents. The relationship between BMI and medical conditions stimulates this research analysis. By implication, the study will evaluate the research questions below.
Is there a correlation between body mass index and mental health?
Is there a relationship between body mass index and health?
Is there a correlation with mental health, body mass index, and general health among Latin American adolescents?
The research objectives of this study can be summarized below.
To evaluate the social-demographic qualities of the Latin American adolescent.
To explore the correlation of BMI, mental health, and health among Latin American adolescents.
To evaluate the level of psychological distress among Latin American adolescents.
To understand the impact of body mass index on mental and public health among adolescents.
The research hypotheses for the study will be summarized below
Impact of BMI among Latin American adolescents.
The correlation of BMI and mental health among Latin American adolescents.
The effect of high and low BMI on the mental health of Latin American adolescents.
The hypothesis presented below is based on the research questions. The research question investigates the relationship between BMI and mental health.
Hypothesis 1
There is a significant correlation between health and BMI among the Latin American population.
Hypothesis 2
There is a significant difference between low and high BMI as it relates to mental health.
Study Limitations
This study considers the limitations of articles on Latin American population. As a result, we will evaluate related studies based on their relevance to BMI and mental health. Thus, the inclusion criteria include BMI, health, psychological distress, depressions, and obesity.
Variables of the Research
Factors were picked because of their importance to the present study and questions. The accompanying demographic factors include age, sexual orientation, ethnicity, weight, stature, and BMI. The variables were carefully selected to facilitate the validity and reliability of the study. By implication, BMI is the dependent variable for this study. However, the independent variables for the study include health, mental health, Latin American adolescents, and socioeconomic status. The components of the socioeconomic variable include age, sex, and other demographic factors.
Table 1
Independent variables
Dependent variables
Age
Feel Nervous Past 20 Days
BMI
Feel Restless Past 30 Days
Ethnicity
Feel Depressed Past 20 Days
Sex
Anxiety signals for the past 20 days
Socioeconomic status
Stress
Theoretical framework
Physical and mental prosperity are impacted by numerous components. This study relies on the biopsychosocial model by George L. Engle. The model expressed three components, which are organic, mental, and social variables that contribute to one’s psychological wellness. In other words, it is the connection between one hereditary inclination, emotional well-being, conduct (mental), and sociocultural environment (social) that demonstrates an individual’s health status. Thus, the relationship between BMI, health, and mental health relies on the biopsychosocial model. Figure 1 describes the biopsychosocial model. This study showed that organic, mental, and social components correlate with body mass and contribute to one’s psychological wellness.
By implication, an individual is influenced by his or her psychological factor. Consequently, adolescents with negative psychological factors such as depression, anxiety, and dissatisfaction affect his or her health and mental status. The social and biological factors influence an individual’s mental health. Body mass file is classified into two, which are sound, weight, and undesirable weight. Figure 1 displays the intermediary variable between mental wellness and body mass index. Previous literature revealed that BMI influences an individual’s self-worth.
Being overweight as a youngster adversely affect self-regard, mental self-view, self-concept, and physical appearance. Consequently, being overweight affects the individual’s athletic or physical ability. Previous literature revealed that obesity is associated with sorrow in adolescents. The mental health of adolescents treated in clinical settings has been equated with cancer patients. However, surveys have reasoned that disregarding antagonistic social and interpersonal results, stout youngsters may just have direct levels of body disappointment. Consequently, obesity affects the individual and causes low self-esteem. Evidence additionally proposes that fat teenagers are not pre-bound for discouragement. Longitudinal studies have additionally found that wretchedness can foresee stoutness in young people. Some medical surveys revealed that weight in puberty prompted dejection in adulthood. Consequently, pre-adult depressive side effects, particularly among young women, create a health hazard.
The BMI growth charts are both cautious and conservative; therefore, children above the cutoff mark are excessively fat and at health risk (Treachman & Brownell, 2001). In the past 30 years, there has been a reported increase in BMI growth. In a study looking at 70 years of BMI data showed that children born in 1973-1999 had the largest BMI values from 8 years of age and onward, compared to the other cohorts (Treachman & Brownell, 2001). The amount of children with a BMI above the 85th percentile cutoff point is also increasing rapidly (Treachman & Brownell, 2001). There are a few disadvantages of utilizing BMI as a wellbeing pointer. BMI does not consider sexual orientation, race, age, wellness level, or ethnicity (Treachman & Brownell, 2001). BMI likewise does not separate between incline mass and fat mass (Treachman & Brownell, 2001). This impediment is particularly risky with more seasoned adolescents because they have a tendency to lose and gain weight.
Epidemiological studies have exhibited that high BMI, predictable with overweight or weight is connected with a more serious danger of mortality. A conceivable clarification for this relationship is the obtuseness of BMI to real wellbeing status. Surveys revealed that people with normal BMI have an overweight‐obese metabolic system. Overweight and hefty people will probably be inactive and have lower oxygen levels than their non‐overweight partners. As indicated by the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study from Dallas, Texas, high-impact wellness levels may alleviate much, if not all, of the hazard connected with stoutness (Gaesser, 2003). Stout men who are delegated “fit” in light of a practice treadmill test have demised rates lower than lean‐fit men. Information from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Framework (BRFSS) demonstrates that the absence of physical activity is more critical than the abundance of body weight as an indicator of cardiovascular mortality (Gaesser, 2003).
Definition of Terms
Body Mass Index (BMI)
A man’s measurement relies on weight and height. Mathematically, BMI = weight/height (squared). The BMI indicates an individual’s body mass. Researchers use this measurement to categorized participants as normal or obese. Thus, obesity is associated with high BMI.
Misery
Depression is a state of anxiety or a decrease in positive temperament. Depression is the absence of intrigue or delight and unavoidable sentiments of defenselessness and sadness among other side effects (Lawler & Nixon, 2011).
Obese
A measurement defined by high BMI. Obesity has several side effects, which include depression, anxiety, and psychological distress.
Mental Distress
Psychological side effects experienced by a person that is a “nonspecific pointer of past-year emotional well-being issues, for example, uneasiness or mindset issue” Pointers used in the present study will incorporate state of mind side effects and usage of emotional well-being administrations.
Body Mass Index (BMI)
The present study characterizes Body Mass Index (BMI) or body weight as a way to quantify the perfect body mass by figuring weight in kilograms isolated by stature in meters squared. The amount of children with a BMI above the 85th percentile cutoff point is also increasing rapidly (Treachman & Brownell, 2001). There are a few disadvantages of utilizing BMI as a wellbeing pointer. BMI does not consider sexual orientation, race, age, wellness level, or ethnicity (Treachman & Brownell, 2001). BMI likewise does not separate between incline mass and fat mass (Treachman & Brownell, 2001).
Emotional wellness Status
Emotional wellness has been characterized as a decent condition of prosperity. Meanwhile, emotional well-being status has been characterized operationally in this present study as the level of the psychological wellness itself.
Sadness
In this present study, sadness scale evaluated dysphoria, misery, depreciation of life, self-expostulation, absence of intrigue/inclusion, and dormancy
Tension
In this present study, tension scale evaluated autonomic excitement, skeletal muscle impacts, situational nervousness, and subjective experience of edge influence (Lawler & Nixon, 2011).
Stress
In this present study, it was realized that the stress scale to assess levels of ceaseless non-particular excitement. It evaluated trouble unwinding, apprehensive excitement, and being effortlessly disturbed/upset, fractious/over-responsive, and anxious (Lawler & Nixon, 2011).
Operational Definition
Body Mass Index (BMI)
In this present study, BMI was arranged into 4 gatherings that are underweight, typical weight, overweight, and fat. Underweight was assigned when the BMI is 17.5. Normal weight was assigned between 19.5 and 24.9. However, overweight was assigned between 26 and 29.7, and corpulence as a BMI of 30 or higher. Nevertheless, this concentrate just centered around three gatherings of BMI that are typical weight, overweight, and corpulent. Ordinary weight was classified as sound weight, however, overweight and stout were ordered as unfortunate weight.
Emotional well-being status
In this present study, emotional well-being status was measured by utilizing DASS21. The aftereffect of DASS21 scale was alluded s to decide the status of psychological well-being. The higher the consequence of discouragement scale, the lower the level of emotional wellness status.
Literature Review
While talking about the results of corpulence, accentuation has been always on the negative implications for an individual. However, few researches analyze the impact of body mass index and obesity in adolescents. These literatures look at the variables of corpulence, psychosocial impacts of weight, and adolescent results. However, this study focuses on the relationship between BMI and mental health among adolescents. Consequently, the study will evaluate the correlation of body mass index, health, and mental health among Latin American adolescents.
Corpulence Threat Factors
Different components have been distinguished as adding to or relating with high BMI. Studies on the topic examined different risk factors as they affect the sample population. This review of literatures considers different papers on obesity. Crossman, Sullivan, and Benin (2006) examined how the family variable identified with adolescent stoutness. The analysts utilized information from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, which incorporated reactions from around 80,000 seventh graders to twelfth graders in the United States (Crossman et al., 2006). The variables used for the research include parental characters, household arrangement, family cohesion, parental heftiness, and adolescent weight status. Juvenile weight and self-regard were surveyed by body mass index, a self-regard scale, and physical exercises, recreation, and a proper breakfast.
The study observed that overweight in puberty was a danger indicator of the individual’s adult life. Consequently, the researchers concluded that the probability of being overweight expanded by 81.2% for youngsters at danger of corpulence. Furthermore, being obese as a youngster expanded chances of being an overweight grown-up by 22.92%. Consequently, the study revealed that overweight guardians expanded danger for their children, particularly for male kids. Parental trait and socioeconomic status were indicated as intervening elements, however, principally decreased danger for females. The result revealed that the family structure factor was insignificant. By implication, family structure has no relationship with the participant’s body mass index.
Babey et al. (2010) used California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) information to look at the connection between socioeconomic status and pre-adult heftiness. The analysts utilized variables identifying with wage and BMI to evaluate the correlation with obesity. The analysts discovered the measurable significance in the relationship between income and corpulence, with those from lower levels of wage encountering prominent predominance of high BMI. The results revealed that male adolescents demonstrated the more prominent occurrence of corpulence than females.
Consequently, the report revealed Latin American adolescents experienced stoutness more than White young people. Thulitha Wickrama, Wickrama, Bryant, and Chalandra (2006) have additionally contemplated the relationship between wage and weight, with an emphasis on group assets. The analysts used information from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent data, with an aggregate specimen of 20,440 teenagers (Thulitha Wickrama et al., 2006). Largely, those of African Americans and Hispanic foundation were observed to encounter heftiness at adolescents. Destitution inside a participant’s family and group were both connected with higher danger for heftiness. Group destitution had an exceptional effect, with adolescents from low pay encountering higher rates of stoutness than people from higher pay families. This relationship was consistent for White teenagers.
Sivalingam et al. (2011) analyzed grown-up danger components, including comprehension of heftiness and self-impression of corpulence. Analysts gave overviews to more than 1,000 participants at general medical service center, with the respondents being 47 years old. Demographic inquiries, BMI, and their view of corpulence were recorded. Most members were conversant with corpulence as a health challenge concern, and a negative component of mental health. The researchers revealed that White participants were well informed about their BMI than African American or Hispanic respondents. Nevertheless, in the general populace, women and those of higher socioeconomic status were ready to see their weight status.
Psychosocial Effects of Corpulence on Adults
Researchers have examined the effects of obesity on mental and social status of the individual. Research has been done to assess the social impacts that weight can have on the individual. One conspicuous psychosocial impact of corpulence is humiliation. Vartanian and Silversetein (2013) led a study to distinguish generalizations connected with corpulence, while looking at the correlation of these attributes with social status. With a goal to answer these inquiries, the analysts gathered information from 81 college students using overviews. The researchers evaluated the responses of the participants based on social perceptions of obesity.
Members provided additional information about their perspectives on weight and life’s general convictions. The results revealed that corpulent people display lower societal position. Although respondents communicated a comprehension of social generalizations of the weight as being apathetic, their perspectives of cliché attributes reflected social perspectives. The study concluded that cultural stereotype directly affects the individual’s psychological status. By implication, social views of obesity affect an individual mental health. Studies by Vartanian and Silverstein (2013) suggested that a higher status nullified a portion of the negative generalizations connected with heftiness.
This study demonstrated that corpulence influenced social shame, much as an individual can be demonized for their ethnic or racial foundation. The presence of weight disgrace has been a genuine concern, even among medical experts. Treachman and Brownell (2001) analyzed the perceptions of caregivers on obesity. At a gathering, they furnished such experts with an implicit-association test (IAT) and in addition an overview about weight-inclination (Treachman & Brownell, 2001). The implicit-association test showed that members matched negative credits to people with higher BMI. Nevertheless, in the inclination overview, members appeared to be unbiased, beside an impression that slim individuals are exceptionally energetic. Human service suppliers appeared to have lower levels of inclination than other people in the society.
Quick, Hanlon, El-Redy, Puhl, and Glazebook (2013) led another study that analyzed the impression of human services experts towards corpulence people. Medical students were evaluated for their level of weight predisposition, and reasons for weight inclination. Results on a Fat Phobia Scale demonstrated negative demeanors toward those arranged as overweight or corpulent, with 13.5% of members indicating high predisposition scores (Swift et al., 2013). The inclusion variables for the study were nursing profession, high BMI, and mental distress.
Ashmore, Friedman, Reichmann, and Musante (2008) looked into stigma’s mental impacts on obese people. The specialists evaluated different stress indications and eating behaviors of the sample population. Their study included 93 fat men and women as members, who took the Stigmatizing Situations Inventory Survey (SSI) that evaluated stigma patterns and its occurrence (Ashmore et al., 2008). Members exhibited mental functioning through the Brief Symptoms Inventory (Ashmore et al., 2008). The results revealed that 98% received negative remarks based on their weight. The well-known demonizing circumstances for members were unflattering suppositions about them, encountering physical obstructions, strategic distance from them or avoided because of weight, and listening to harmful remarks by kids. However, most members had encountered a few of these circumstances. Both mental misery and gorging practices were associated with slandering encounters.
Savoy, Almeida, and Boxer (2012) examined the relationship between disgrace, depressive side effects, and adapting systems corpulent adults. The scientists trusted that weight belittling was connected with expanded mental pain, and that adapting style influenced this relationship. Members took the Myers and Rosen’s Stigmatizing Situations Inventory, looking at sort and the recurrence of vilification (Savoy et al., 2012). They additionally took a Stressful Urban Life Event Scale, measuring urban anxiety in the most recent year, an evaluation of adapting methodologies, and the Achenbach and Rescorla’s Adult Self Report of mental pain (Savoy et al., 2012). The results revealed the correlation between mental pain and stigmatization. Obese members experienced shame, depressive side effects, and tended to utilize withdrawal as an adapting system. The study revealed that distinctive adapting techniques influenced how an individual reacted to shame. The individuals who utilized issue-centered measures experienced less depressive side effects, while those with emotion focused methodologies, for example, denying issues, experienced more depressive signs.
Interaction between Mental Health and Obesity in Adolescents
Teenagers are not resistant to weight-based disgrace experienced by grownups. Greenleaf and Weiller (2005) evaluated physical education instructors to ascertain their perceptions on obesity. Members complete the Anti-fat Attitudes Scale form and a Perceptions of Youth Obesity and Physical Education Questionnaire (Greenleaf & Weiller, 2005). They were additionally given an Expectations Questionnaire, which solicited them to rate their level from concurrence with articulations about physical, social, and scholarly desires of fat and non-hefty teenagers (Greenleaf & Weiller, 2005). The researchers revealed that PE educators displayed anti-fat mentalities and lower desires of the physical and thinking capacities of overweight adolescents. The PE instructors saw heftiness as an essential social theme and a challenge for adolescents.
Puhl and Luedsicke (2012) contemplated weight-based shame by analyzing a school environment. The researchers selected 394 participants from East Coast secondary schools. Young people in their concentrate, particularly females, reported sentiments of sorrow and bitterness meted by companions. The results revealed that 50 percent of participants encountering weight-based torment reported negative enthusiastic reactions with young women. Young women experienced pain disparagement than young men, and experienced negative feelings with every occurrence. These negative passionate reactions to stigmatization were identified with undesirable adapting methodologies, for example, shirking, and voraciously consuming food. Social results were additionally talked about; with teenagers having poor grades or playing hooky with every prodding episode.
Simpkins, Schaefer, Price, and Vest (2013) analyzed BMI and its relationship to adolescent peers. Information was gotten from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, which assessed teenagers from two secondary schools (Simpkins et al., 2013). One secondary school was fundamentally Caucasian, while the second had a differing populace. The results revealed that participants particularly females, chose companions who were of comparative BMI and physical movement. Furthermore, individuals with elevated amounts of physical action were seen to have more companions. Social variety was observed with high BMI teenagers among the sample population. Stigmatization is a predominant concern affecting overweight and large teenagers.
Jeffers, Cotter, Snipes, and Benotsch (2013) examined the impacts of media weight on the emotional wellness of young people. The researchers assessed the sample population using scales for despondency and body image. The result was consistent with previous literatures on the topic. By implication, participants with higher BMI displayed negative emotions. However, the body mass index was not responsible for emotional distress. Thus, media sentiments influenced stigmatization of obese adolescents. With psychosocial elements, for example, disgrace and media weight becoming important factors. Presnell, Bearman, and Stice (2004) analyzed social elements that put young people in danger for body disappointment.
The scientists reviewed more than 500 secondary school understudies, utilizing the Perceived Sociocultural Pressure Scale, Ideal-Body Generalization Scale, Social Support Scale, Body Dissatisfaction Scale, and BMI estimation (Presnell et al., 2004). The results revealed that women showed elevated amounts of body disappointment than men. However, components for body disappointment, for example, media weight was insignificant during the research. Negative influence was the major indicator of body disappointment in men, while weight from companions was the significant measurement of body disappointment for women.
Obesity and Mental Health
With noteworthy psychosocial variables identified with heftiness, it is vital to consider how psychological wellness is identified with stoutness (Yue, Ying, & Yang, 2009). One generally seen type of mental pain is gloom. Yue et al. (2009) investigated the connection between BMI and dejection utilizing Canadian grown-up as members. The scientists analyzed variables such as age and sex and its correlation. Information was collected from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), and included overview data from 59,652 teenagers (Yue et al., 2009). Consequently, the review questions for the research include weight order, wage, training, movement level to mention a few. The researchers demonstrated that women had a higher predominance of discouragement, yet had a lower predominance of being overweight or corpulent than men. Thus, overweight and underweight influenced depression and stigmatization. Weight expanded danger of dejection by 30%, while being underweight expanded danger of gloom by 40%.
Mustillo et al. (2013) analyzed the degree of how weight-based shame causes mental misery in pre-adult females. The researchers investigated the contrasts in long and fleeting mental trouble on youths of various racial foundations. Information was gained from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s Growth and Health Study, which gave longitudinal information from 2,379 young females between the ages 10 to 20 (Mustillo et al., 2013).
The study saw a relationship between weight and mental misery, and additionally a relationship between being named as fat and encountering mental pain. Parental naming as children unequivocally influenced youths. These kids placed emphasis on peer names at old age. In spite of these similitudes, mental misery was introduced distinctively taking into account ethnicity. Mental misery influenced influence White women into youthful adulthood than it accomplished for Black men, with both populaces encountering trouble as a quick aftereffect of weight naming. Overweight status and mental misery if experienced, persevered after some time for both groups. Previous surveys highlighted how dejection danger can change after some time.
Merten, Wickrama, and Williams (2008) investigated the connection between corpulence and mental misery after some time. The analysts speculated that being overweight in youth prompted depressive side effects in adulthood and negative psychosocial results, for example, lower levels of training and status occupations. The specialists utilized information from the Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health that conducted interviews on youths (Merten et al., 2008). Information was initially gathered with members between ages 12 and 18, and was gathered again between ages 19 and 26. While young men did not indicate solid connections, women who were overweight, or who shown depressive side effects, showed lower status accomplishment in adulthood. These outcomes were reliable for both White and African American young women. This study highlights the influence of weight and other psychosocial components on the mental health of adolescents.
Frisco, Houle, and Martin (2009) analyzed the connection between genuine weight, apparent weight, and depressive side effects. The researchers assessed the influenced of weight perceptions on the individual. Consequently, the research team approved two hypotheses for the study.
The principal hypothesis talked about double jeopardy, which proposed that danger components had an added substantial impact. For instance, being both overweight and having an unreasonable impression of one’s weight influenced depressive manifestations than just being overweight. The other hypothesis tested was health congruence, which recommended that the incongruence between perceived and real wellbeing cause depressive side effects. The scientists utilized information from the Add Health Longitudinal Study, a survey including youths from seventh to twelfth grade (Frisco et al., 2009). The researchers established proof for hypothesis two, demonstrating that weight observation assumes a more prominent part in mental pain than genuine weight. For instance, the study established that regardless of the genuine weight, when young women considered themselves heavier than they were, they displayed depressive manifestations.
Granberg, Simons, Gibbons, and Melby (2008) examined some African American students based on severe depressive manifestations. The specialists conjectured that being overweight, or seeing oneself as overweight, have mental results that interceded by defensive social elements. The authors communicated a conviction that African American women have a more adaptable perspective of proper self-perception, and that social connections invalidated the mental misery of being overweight or seeing oneself as overweight.
With the objective to test these speculations, the specialists utilized the Family and Community Health Study (FCHS), which gave information of 343 respondents between the ages of 12 and 14 (Granberg et al., 2008). Misery scores of these young women were low, however, observed weight gain and high BMI corresponded with depressive indications. The results revealed that public perceptions of obesity influenced an individual’s mental health. Consequently, expanded cooperation with non-African Americans was connected with depressive indications, while living in African American neighborhoods diminished the probability of depressive indications.
Vogt (2010) analyzed weight recognition in connection to sex, with the conviction that men and women had distinctive perspectives of the “perfect” body nomenclature. Information concerning eleventh graders was gained from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Mental Health (Vogt, 2010). Surveys on obesity reflected past studies demonstrating weight recognition instead of real weight to be associated with mental misery. Young women occupied with weight reduction practices were connected to diminished self-regard. In addition, a woman’s view of being overweight was connected to negative self-regard and discouragement.
The results were distinctive for young men without symptoms of mental misery. By implication, the respondents were unfazed with weight, apparent heftiness, and weight reduction practices. Bearman, Presnell, Martinez, and Stice (2006) examined the correlation of body disappointment, sex, and despondency. Using self-report surveys at different time, they noted changes in body disappointment. Young women demonstrated body disappointment; a pattern not consistent in young men. Despite BMI, male members demonstrated a typical dispersion of body fulfillment and disappointment, showing that genuine weight is not a noteworthy indicator of body disappointment.
Weight and Severe Mental Distress
Previous literatures have talked about corpulence and negative weight observation as identified with mental pain and despondency. Different studies have analyzed the connections between weight and extreme levels of mental misery. Dave and Rashad (2009) analyzed the correlation of overweight, apparent overweight, despondency, and suicide hazard among secondary school students. Data for the review was gathered from ninth-twelfth graders in the United States. The confidential data were retrieved from the Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance System (YRBSS) (Dave & Rashad, 2009). The study revealed that overweight teenagers were prone to weight reduction practices through undesirable means. Both young men and women were found saw themselves as overweight, notwithstanding when they were normal. This relationship was more grounded for young women. Of the females overviewed, 37.4% trusted themselves to be overweight while just 23% were sorted as overweight by BMI score.
The researchers revealed that apparent weight gain expanded suicide hazard for young women by 8.5% and 3.5% of male respondents. The results analysis demonstrated that those with incongruent, or unreasonable, impression of their bodies were at expanding danger for melancholy when contrasted with those with practical body discernments. The study exhibited a potential connection between weight discernment and suicide hazard. Kim, Moon, and Kim (2011) have facilitated this examination, speculating that melancholy, unlikely self-perception, and weight control practices influence suicide practices in young people. The researchers argued that contrary view of the world, for example, implausible self-perception and feeling the requirement for weight control practices can incline a man to experience discouragement and self-destructive ideations. Kim et al. (2011) utilized the 2007 YRBSS to obtain information from 11,134 secondary school students. The results revealed that females were in serious danger for self-destructive practices than males.
By implication, gloom, improbable self-perception, and weight control practices were associated with suicide hazard. Crow, Eisenberg, Story, and Neumark-Sztainer (2008) examined information about weight control practices, body disappointment, and weight status. The scientists conjectured that these elements are associated with self-destructive ideations or practices. Thus, weight control practices significantly influenced suicide hazard in women.
Ethnic Disparity and Corpulence
Claire Wang, Gortmaker, and Taveras (2011) analyzed ethnic patterns in extremely large people. Utilizing information from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study, examined corpulence patterns from the mid-1970s until 2006, with members arranged as non-Hispanic Black, non-Hispanic White, and Mexican American (Claire Wang et al., 2011). Black and Mexican American youths were observed to be seriously corpulent. Those at most elevated danger were Mexican American young men and Black young women. However, White teenagers were not affected by weight gain and suicide hazard.
Albrecht and Gordon-Larsen (2013) examined the impact of ethnic disparity in juvenile stoutness. Notwithstanding, their study was longitudinal, analyzing contrasts in BMI variety. Utilizing information from the National Study of Youthful Health, they analyzed respondents categorized as White, Hispanic, and Asian (Albrecht & Gordon-Larsen, 2013). The results revealed that respondents had comparable BMIs at youthful ages. Hispanic participants demonstrated increments in BMI after some time than White or Asian members. However, Asian participants had a lower BMI than other groups, a pattern that stayed predictable after some time. Although, there was some ethnic disparity in BMI changes after some time, puberty phase was prominent among respondents.
Higgins and Dale (2012) used information from the Health Survey for Britain (HSE) to assess the relationship between corpulence and ethnicity. The study selected kids from ages 2 to 15. Specialists looked at BMI, parental heftiness, and parental socioeconomic status. The three significant ethnicities included were Black African, Caribbean, and White. Among these ethnicities, parental heftiness was observed to be associated with adolescence corpulence. Having a hefty mother or father was connected with corpulence, particularly involved with a corpulent or overweight mother and her girl. Jackson examined ethnic varieties in the psychosocial results of corpulence.
The specialists analyzed varieties in instructive achievement among Black and White people using their body mass index. Information originated from the National Health Interview Survey from 1997- 2008 (Jackson et al., 2013). The study observed that BMI expanded for all ethnicities, with Whites demonstrating a quicker rate of BMI change after some time. However, Black respondents had a higher BMI than White members. Furthermore, it was found that Black women with post-secondary school trainings were overweight or larger than White women of the same instructive foundation. By implication, ethnicity, sexual orientation and socioeconomic as demonstrated by instructive fulfillment were considered.
Anderson et al. (2011) analyzed ethnic disparity based on weight and psychological well-being. The specialists directed a longitudinal investigation of young people with BMI and discouragement for White, Black, and Hispanic females. The researchers acquired information through the Trial of Activity for Adolescent Young women (Anderson et al., 2011). The results revealed that Black and Hispanic young respondents have a higher BMI. As to melancholy, White respondents had minimal levels of wretchedness in 6th grade, while Black members had the largest amounts. Hispanic and White respondents demonstrated increments in gloom after some time. White respondents with high BMIs at more youthful ages were exposed to wretchedness as adults.
Physical Fitness and Body Mass Index
Being physically fit has many positive benefits in both adults and children. Mental health can be improved by combining efforts of cardiovascular and muscular fitness while both employ a positive effect on the cardiovascular system. There is also strong evidence indicating that adolescence physical fitness is related to skeletal bone health (Lawler & Nixon, 2011). Surveys on physical fitness indicated that the bone mineral content of the whole body was directly associated with several aspects of physical fitness, including respiratory fitness, muscular fitness, and speed/agility (Lawler & Nixon, 2011). Mental health can be defined as how individuals think, act, and feel. Adolescents and children can also experience mental health disorders including anxiety, depression, or personality disorders (Lawler & Nixon, 2011). Previous studies revealed that self-esteem is affected by physical fitness (Vartanian & Silverstein, 2013)
Thus, physical fitness is a useful health marker in adolescence. The number of physical and mental health benefits reinforces the need for physical fitness testing for monitoring health (Vartanian & Silverstein, 2013).
Physical fitness enhancement, including high-intensity training and vigorous-physical activity, should be a major goal in public health promotion (Vartanian & Silverstein, 2013). Consequently, physical fitness involves an array of fitness, including cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular fitness, speed/agility, balance, and flexibility. To acquire the overall fitness of the individual, physical activities must be encouraged. Body mass index (BMI) is the most common and widely adopted method for measuring the weight status or obesity. BMI is the best and available way to measure obesity levels in a large group setting (Treachman & Brownell, 2001). In children, there is no specific cutoff point to indicate obesity; instead, there are gender-specific growth reference charts that are used to interpret BMI measurements.
The BMI growth charts are both cautious and conservative; therefore, children who are above the cutoff are excessively fat and at increased health risk (Treachman & Brownell, 2001). In the past 30 years, there has been a reported increase in BMI growth. In a study looking at 70 years of BMI data showed that children born in 1973-1999 had the largest BMI values from 8 years of age and onward, compared to the other cohorts (Treachman & Brownell, 2001). The amount of children with a BMI above the 85th percentile cutoff point is also increasing rapidly (Treachman & Brownell, 2001). There are a few disadvantages of utilizing BMI as a wellbeing pointer. BMI does not consider sexual orientation, race, age, wellness level, or ethnicity (Treachman & Brownell, 2001). BMI likewise does not separate between incline mass and fat mass (Treachman & Brownell, 2001). This impediment is particularly risky with more seasoned adolescents because they have a tendency to lose and gain weight
Epidemiological studies have exhibited that high BMI, predictable with overweight or weight is connected with a more serious danger of mortality. A conceivable clarification for this relationship is the obtuseness of BMI to real wellbeing status. Surveys revealed that people with normal BMI have an overweight‐obese metabolic system. Overweight and hefty people will probably be inactive and have low oxygen levels than their non‐overweight partners. As indicated by the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study from Dallas, Texas, high-impact wellness levels may alleviate much, if not all, of the hazard connected with stoutness (Gaesser, 2003).
Stout men who are delegated “fit” in light of a practice treadmill test have demised rates lower than lean‐fit men. Information from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Framework (BRFSS) demonstrates that the absence of physical activity is more critical than the abundance of body weight as an indicator of cardiovascular mortality (Gaesser, 2003). By implication, there is a possibility that a fit person that is delegated overweight or corpulent as indicated by BMI may have a lower danger of mortality than an ordinary weight person without physical activity.
Literature Review Table
Author(s)
Sample
Measures/ Data Analysis
Results
Crossman, Sullivan, and Benin (2006)
-n= 300 Adolescents and parents
Data was collected from the United States National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health.
The authors examined the impacts of family environment and practices while in school grades 7 through 12 on their weight status. Parental stoutness affects male and female children. Researchers concluded that the probability of being overweight expanded by 81.2% for youngsters at the danger of corpulence. Furthermore, being obese as a youngster expanded the chances of being an overweight grown-up by 22.92%. Consequently, the study revealed that overweight guardians expanded danger for their children, particularly for male kids.
Babey, Hastert, Wolstein, and Diamant (2010)
-n= the researchers selected 17 535 respondents using the California Health Interview Survey between 2001 and 2007.
Interviews were conducted in five languages. Consequently, the researchers used digital phone surveys.
The analysts discovered the measurable significance in the relationship between income and corpulence, with those from lower levels of wage encountering prominent predominance of high BMI. The results revealed that male adolescents demonstrated a prominent occurrence of corpulence than females. Consequently, the report revealed Latin American adolescents experienced stoutness more than White young people.
Thulitha Wickrama, Wickrama, Bryant, and Chalandra (2006)
-n= the researchers examined 20,000 adolescents
Questionnaires were used for the study
Largely, those of African Americans and Hispanic foundations were observed to encounter heftiness at adolescents. Destitution inside a participant’s family and the group were both connected with higher danger for heftiness. Group destitution had an exceptional effect, with adolescents from low pay encountering higher rates of stoutness than people from higher pay families. This relationship was consistent with White teenagers.
Sivalingam, S. K., Ashraf, J., Vallurupalli, N., Friderici, J., Cook, J., & Rothberg, M. (2011)
-n= 970 Participants were examined. Participants were US Whites, African American, and Hispanics
The researchers used the cross-sectional survey method.
Most members were conversant with corpulence as a health challenge concern, and a negative component of mental health. The researchers revealed that White participants were well informed about their BMI than African American or Hispanic respondents. Nevertheless, in the general populace, women and those of higher socioeconomic status were ready to see their weight status.
Vartanian and Silversetein (2013)
-n=the authors conducted a qualitative study on obesity.
The results revealed that corpulent people display a lower societal position. Although respondents communicated a comprehension of social generalizations of the weight as being apathetic, their perspectives of cliché attributes reflected social perspectives. The study concluded that cultural stereotype directly affects the individual’s psychological status. By implication, social views of obesity affect an individual mental health.
Treachman and Brownell (2001)
n= the authors examined 84 health professionals.
Participants filled the Association Test
Members appeared to be unbiased, besides an impression that slim individuals are exceptionally energetic. Human service suppliers appeared to have lower levels of inclination than other people in the society.
Swift, Hanlon, El-Redy, Puhl, and Glazebook (2013)
n= 1130 students
Questionnaires were distributed to 1130 participants. Respondents signed the consent form.
Results on a Fat Phobia Scale demonstrated negative demeanors toward those arranged as overweight or corpulent, with 13.5% of members indicating high predisposition scores.
Ashmore, Friedman, Reichmann, and Musante (2008)
-n= 93 respondents completed the questionnaire survey
Quantitative design was sued for the research
The results revealed that 98% received negative remarks based on their weight. The well-known demonizing circumstances for members were unflattering suppositions about them, encountering physical obstructions, strategic distance from them or avoided because of weight, and listening to harmful remarks by kids. However, most members had encountered a few of these circumstances. Both mental misery and gorging practices were associated with slandering encounters.
Savoy, Almeida, and Boxer (2012)
-n= 199 participants completed the study evaluation. The sample population undergraduates and Bariatric participants.
Quantitative design was used
The results revealed the correlation between mental pain and stigmatization. Obese members experienced shame, depressive side effects, and tended to utilize withdrawal as an adapting system. The study revealed that distinctive adapting techniques influenced how an individual reacted to shame. The individuals who utilized issue-centered measures experienced less depressive side effects, while those with emotion-focused methodologies, for example, denying issues, experienced more depressive signs.
Greenleaf and Weiller (2005)
n= 105 PE instructors
Questionnaires were used for the study
The researchers revealed that PE educators displayed anti-fat mentalities and lower desires of the physical and thinking capacities of overweight adolescents. The PE instructors saw heftiness as an essential social theme and a challenge for adolescents.
Puhl and Luedicke (2012)
–n= 394 Caucasians
Binary regression method was used to analyze the data
Young women experienced pain disparagement than young men and experienced negative feelings with every occurrence. These negative passionate reactions to stigmatization were identified with undesirable adapting methodologies, for example, shirking, and voraciously consuming food. Social results were talked about; with teenagers having poor grades or playing hooky with every prodding episode.
Simpkins, Schaefer, Price, and Vest (2013)
-n= 1896 adolescents were examined
Questionnaires were distributed to participants. Percentile design was used for the study.
The results revealed that participants particularly females, chose companions who were of comparative BMI and physical movement. Furthermore, individuals with elevated amounts of physical activity were seen to have more companions. Social variety was observed with high BMI teenagers among the sample population. Stigmatization is a predominant concern affecting overweight and large teenagers.
Jeffers, Cotter, Snipes, and Benotsch (2013)
-n= 743 The authors conducted an online survey.
Online survey platform
The result was consistent with previous literature on the topic. By implication, participants with higher BMI displayed negative emotions. However, the body mass index was not responsible for emotional distress. Thus, media sentiments influenced the stigmatization of obese adolescents.
Presnell, Bearman, and Stice (2004)
-n= 531 teenagers Were selected
Correlation design was used
The results revealed that women showed elevated amounts of body disappointment than men. However, components for body disappointment, for example, media weight was insignificant during the research. Negative influence was the major indicator of body disappointment in men, while weight from companions was the significant measurement of body disappointment for women.
Yue et al. (2009)
-n= 59,652 13-18 years of age
Questionnaires were used for the study.
The researchers demonstrated that women had a higher predominance of discouragement, yet had a lower predominance of being overweight or corpulent than men. Thus, overweight and underweight influenced depression and stigmatization. Weight expanded danger of dejection by 30% while being underweight expanded danger of gloom by 40%.
Mustillo et al. (2013)
-n= 2,379 young females between the ages of 10 to 20
Multiple linear regression analysis
The study saw a relationship between weight and mental misery, and a relationship between being named as fat and encountering mental pain. Parental naming as children unequivocally influenced youths. These kids placed emphasis on peer names at old age.
Merten, Wickrama, and Williams (2008)
–n= 7,881 African Americans, 2,864 White males and 3,029 females
Questionnaire and statistical regression
The analysts speculated that being overweight in youth prompted depressive side effects in adulthood and negative psychosocial results, for example, lower levels of training and status occupations. The specialists utilized information from the Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health.
Frisco, Houle, and Martin (2009)
-n= 6,557 male and 6,126 female respondents
Questionnaires were used for the study.
The researchers established proof for hypothesis two, demonstrating that weight observation assumes a more prominent part in mental pain than genuine weight. For instance, the study established that regardless of the genuine weight, when young women considered themselves heavier than they were, they displayed depressive manifestations.
Granberg, Simons, Gibbons, and Melby (2008)
-n= body size measurement
Correlations and t-test were used for the study.
The results revealed that public perceptions of obesity influenced an individual’s mental health. Consequently, expanded cooperation with non-African Americans was connected with depressive indications, while living in African American neighborhoods diminished the probability of depressive indications.
Vogt Yuan (2010)
-n= 12,814 adolescents
Statistical analysis
The results were distinctive for young men without symptoms of mental misery. By implication, the respondents were unfazed with weight, apparent heftiness, and weight reduction practices.
Bearman, Presnell, Martinez, and Stice (2006)
-n= 428
Consent forms and questionnaires were used.
Despite BMI, male members demonstrated a typical dispersion of body fulfillment and disappointment, showing that genuine weight is not a noteworthy indicator of body disappointment.
Dave and Rashad (2009)
-n= data between 1999 and 2007.
Chi-square analysis
The study revealed that overweight teenagers were prone to weight reduction practices through undesirable means. Both young men and women were found saw themselves as overweight, notwithstanding when they were normal. This relationship was more grounded for young women. Of the females overviewed, 37.4% trusted themselves to be overweight while just 23% were sorted as overweight by BMI score.
Kim, Moon, and Kim (2011)
N = 11,134 adolescents
Statistical analysis
The scientists conjectured that these elements are associated with self-destructive ideations or practices. Thus, weight control practices significantly influenced suicide hazards in women.
Claire Wang, Gortmaker, and Taveras (2011)
N = 33781
Black and Mexican American youths were observed to be seriously corpulent. Those at most elevated danger were Mexican American young men and Black young women. However, White teenagers were not affected by weight gain and suicide hazard.
Albrecht and Gordon-Larsen (2013)
N = 6936
The results revealed that respondents had comparable BMIs at youthful ages. Hispanic participants demonstrated increments in BMI after some time than White or Asian members. However, Asian participants had a lower BMI than other groups, a pattern that stayed predictable after some time.
Higgins and Dale (2012)
N = 7047 children were examined
Statistical analysis
Among these ethnicities, parental heftiness was observed to be associated with adolescence corpulence. Having a hefty mother or father was connected with corpulence, particularly involved with a corpulent or overweight mother and her girl.
Jackson et al., 2013
N = 174,228 respondents
Statistical analysis
The study observed that BMI expanded for all ethnicities, with Whites demonstrating a quicker rate of BMI change after some time. However, Black respondents had a higher BMI than White members.
Anderson et al. (2011)
N = 918 teenage girls
Questionnaires and statistical analysis
The results revealed that Black and Hispanic young respondents have a higher BMI. As to melancholy, White respondents had minimal levels of wretchedness in 6th grade, while Black members had the largest amounts.
Methodology
Study Design
The present study was an engaging quantitative study, using optional information. Information was gained from the CHIS 2011-2012 database. The CHIS study was directed through the University of California Los Angles (UCLA) Center for Health Policy Research, with the 2011-2012 overview including reactions from 2,799 young people (CHIS, 2012). CHIS information gives data about different wellbeing challenges affecting California occupants (CHIS, 2012).
The motivation behind the present study was to give data about the relationship between weight status and psychological well-being, both of which are independent points in the CHIS review. The IBM programming, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 21.0, was utilized as a part of the investigation of BMI, health, mental health, and demographics from CHIS 2011-12 adolescents’ data.
Information Collection Method
The study on BMI, health, and mental health was analyzed using secondary data. Optional information was gained through CHIS, an extensive study of California young people. Information was accumulated with the aim of giving statewide and global wellbeing data about the inhabitants. Overviews were led through random digit dialing (RDD), with both landlines and mobile phones included throughout the study period. Family units from each of the 58 California districts were incorporated into a request to make a differing and delegate test of the general populace (CHIS, 2012).
Sampling Method
Information was gathered from 2,800 were youths between 2011 and 2012. For overview, teenagers were sorted as those with ages going from 12 to 17. The greater part of youthful members ordered themselves as Latin American adolescents. For the present study, information from 2,400 members was used.
Study Instrument Design
The present study used reactions to collect inquiries from the 2011-2012 CHIS review instruments. Factors were picked because of their importance to the present study and questions. The accompanying demographic factors include age, sexual orientation, ethnicity, weight, stature, and BMI. One question concerning the general wellbeing condition was joined in the study. Consequently, the accompanying factors on emotional wellness care and concerns were incorporated: encounters of genuine mental trouble, discouragement, and utilization of mental and enthusiastic directing. BMI and mental misery were factors given by CHIS. BMI was computed using weight and stature.
Genuine mental pain was measured through a blend of six psychological well-being factors, including: feeling apprehensive, feeling sad, feeling eager or uneasy, feeling discouraged, feeling that everything was an exertion, and feeling useless (CHIS, 2012). CHIS has not yet unveiled how they found out these factors.
Psychological Well-Being Scale
The K6 is prescribed as a basic measure of mental trouble and as a measure of results taking after treatment for normal psychological wellness issues. It comprises six inquiries concerning depressive and uneasiness side effects that the respondent has encountered. The self-report style of inquiries helps with proof of emotional well-being issues. The test also evaluates the need for medical treatment. The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6) is a shortened rendition of the K10, broadly utilized measure for either screening or seriousness. Because of the K6’s quickness and consistency crosswise over sub-tests, it is favored when screening for state of mind or uneasiness issue.
Each of the six variables were coded so that the more prominent the recurrence of side effects, the higher the score. The psychological distress matched the assigned values for six entries. The six things that went from a score of 4 for reaction “constantly” and 0 for “not in the slightest degree”. The greatest value is 24 and the base esteem is 0. A score of at least 13 on the misery scale demonstrates if the respondent likely has mental pain amid the previous month. The six variables include: felt nervous past 20 days, feel hopeless past 20 days, feel anxious past 20 days, and feel depressed past 20 days.
Data Analysis
The present study utilized SPSS to dissect factors from the CHIS information set. Univariate examination was used for fitting factors and gave data concerning recurrence appropriations, means, and standard deviations. Bivariate investigation was led to test explore questions. Bivariate correlational examinations were directed to evaluate for a relationship between BMI and discouragement and additionally between BMI and encounters of genuine mental trouble. For all other bivariate tests, information was categorized into two gatherings by weight status: underweight/sound weights amass with BMI going from 9-24, and an overweight amass, with a BMI of 25 or above.
A Chi-square test was utilized to evaluate the relationship between BMI, health, and mental health among Latin American adolescents. Free gatherings t-tests were utilized to look at the relationship between both sex and encounters of discouragement, and sex, and encounters of genuine mental trouble, by BMI. Free gatherings t-tests were likewise used to look at the relationship between general wellbeing condition, discouragement, and genuine mental misery by BMI. Finally, One-way ANOVA examination was utilized to decide the relationship using CHIS data.
Constraints of the Study Methodology
Constraints existed inside the plan of this study. A large number of these impediments relate to the populace available to CHIS examination. The Latin American population inside this study was as constrained. While profitable data was gotten from an examination of the CHIS information set, one must consider the presence of puzzling factors. Unexamined variables, for example, socioeconomic factors, singular history, and family history cannot be tested using the CHIS data. In addition, reactions are liable to socially attractive quality predisposition.
Numerous people and societies have a shame against emotional well-being consideration, so the utilization of advising administrations or the declaration of mental misery might be underreported. A last restriction exists inside the study instrument. The CHIS review concentrates on physical wellbeing than psychological wellness, restricting the measure of available, significant information. Two factors, BMI, and genuine mental trouble were given by CHIS and computed using different factors.
Social Work Ethics
The study on BMI, health, and mental health were analyzed using secondary data. By implication, we had no reason to endanger participants.
Variable Table
Research Question:
Is there a correlation between body mass index and mental health?
Dependent Variable:
Body Mass Index
Independent Variable:
Mental Health
Data:
California Health Interview Survey, CHIS 2011-2012 Adolescent Survey. UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. Los Angeles, CA: December 2011
The sample populations were drawn from the CIS survey template 2011-2012. As a result, 2,104 California youth was tested in the CHIS review. Please note that the sample populations were collected from the CHIS survey 2011-2012. The sample responses were based on the research topic. The present study used reactions to collect inquiries from the 2011-2012 CHIS review instruments. Factors were picked because of their importance to the present study and questions. The accompanying demographic factors include age, sexual orientation, ethnicity, weight, stature, and BMI.
The study investigated BMI, Health, and Mental Health among Latin American adolescents. Results collected were analyzed using statistical methods of analysis. The results were consistent with previous research studies. Table 1 showed the gender composition of the sample population. From the analysis, 49.6% were male, while 50.4% were female. The age composition of participants showed that adolescents chosen were between 12 and 17 years. By implication, the mean value of the age variable was 14.55 years. Additional information includes the geographical location of the participants. (SD = 4.734).
The geographical locations of participants were: 54.8% were Whites, 40.3% were Latina, and 4.9% were African Americans. However, the BMI of the subjects ran from 50 to 240 pounds, with the mean being about 132.62 pounds (SD = 22.263). Tallness ran from 46-77 inches, with a mean of 64.6 inches (SD = 4.691). BMI was found to run somewhere around nine and 52, with a mean of 22.36 (SD = 4.734). A BMI of 18.5-24.9 was viewed as sound. From the analysis, 22.3% were arranged as overweight or fat, with 77.7% classified as underweight/solid weight.
Self-reported mental health was observed to be poor or reasonable in 7.9% of members, with 92.1% reporting it as amazing or great. The individuals who had gotten medical help in the past year made up 10.6% of the populace, with 89.4% had no counseling. Young people were solicited to report their encounters from melancholy in the last month. Reactions ran from 0 to 4, with 4 showing elevated amounts of dejection. The mean reaction was.3346 (SD =.75111), showing low levels of dejection inside the example. Scores of genuine mental misery went from 0 to 24, with a mean score of 3.99 (SD = 3.497), showing low levels of mental trouble experienced by the populace.
Bivariate Results
A Chi-Square test was used to analyze the relationship between the utilization of mental health, BMI, and health of Latin American adolescents. The results were observed to be huge (x2 (1, N = 1990) =.515, p =.473), showing that there was a significant relationship between high and low BMI. The results revealed that variations in BMI affected the relationship between the health and mental health of adolescents in Latin America. By implication, the bivariate connection examination was used to inspect the relationship between BMI and mental pain, and in addition the relationship between BMI and wretchedness.
The outcomes demonstrated a positive relationship between BMI and mental pain (r =. 079, p =. 005), proposing that young people with higher BMI had more elevated amounts of mental trouble. Investigation moreover demonstrated BMI to be related to encounters of dejection in the last month (r =.064, p =.003), implying that those with higher BMI will probably encounter misery. However, a statistical t-test was used to decide sexual orientation contrasts with participants in mental trouble (Tables 5 and 6). The subjects were put into two bunches based on their BMI: overweight population (n = 470) and underweight/sound weight aggregate (n = 1634).
There was a measurably huge contrast between overweight males and females in their mental misery (t = – 2.194, df= 438, p =.001). The results revealed that overweight females (M = 4.02, SD = 3.318) experienced more mental trouble than overweight male adolescents (M= 3.89, SD = 3.307). There was a measurable distinction between overweight males and overweight females in their level of discouragement (t = – 3.441, df= 468, p =.001). Overweight females (M=.5670, SD =.94465) experienced higher discouragement than overweight boys (M=.2967, SD =.77020).
Consequently, there was a critical distinction between underweight/sound weight boys and underweight/sound weight females in their mental pain (t = – 4.368, df= 1632, p =.001). Underweight/sound weight females (M= 3.14, SD = 4.695) experienced more prominent mental pain than underweight boys. The result was consistent with previous literature on BMI and obesity. There was a measurably critical distinction between underweight/sound weight males and underweight/solid weight females in their level of discouragement (t = – 3.178, df= 1632, p =.005). Underweight/solid weight females (M =.4799, SD =.69861) had more levels of misery compared with underweight/sound weight boys (M=.2334, SD =.603).
One-way ANOVA examination was utilized to analyze if ethnic contrasts were responsible for mental misery in overweight adolescents. The subjects were categorized into overweight and underweight bunches. In the overweight category, no noteworthy contrast was found among ethnic gatherings in their mental pain (F =.628; df = 2; p =.534) or levels of sorrow (F = 2.157; df= 1; p =.215). In the underweight/solid weight category, the relationship between ethnicity and mental misery was observed to approach criticalness (F = 1.515, df= 2, p =.072), while the relationship between ethnicity and level of dejection (F = 7.747, df = 2, p =.005) was huge. The results revealed that underweight/solid weight Latin Americans (M=.5205, SD =.91456) encountered dejection, trailed by underweight/solid weight Latinos (M =.3658, SD =.77813), and finally underweight/solid weight Caucasians (M =.2570, SD =.64437).
The research also evaluated the relationship between mental misery and general wellbeing condition based on their BMI values. Factual criticalness was found in the overweight population (t = – 2.622, df= 438, p =.005). Overweight people with a poor general wellbeing condition (M= 5.71, SD = 4.452) were found to encounter more mental misery than overweight people with the great wellbeing condition (M= 4.11, SD = 3.637). This relationship was observed in underweight/sound weight people. The results revealed that general wellbeing condition was associated with mental trouble (t = – 4.802, df = 1632, p =.005), demonstrating that underweight/sound weight people with a poor general wellbeing condition (M= 5.71, SD = 4.572) experienced more prominent mental trouble than those with the great general wellbeing condition (M= 3.78, SD = 3.287). Based on the research variables, we conducted several independent tests to evaluate the relationship between despondency and general wellbeing condition, with members split by BMI status.
The results showed a significant correlation with the overweight populace (t = – 3.554, df = 468, p =.005), demonstrating that overweight teenagers with poor general wellbeing condition (M =.7849, SD = 1.13108) experienced prominent levels of sadness than overweight youths with great general wellbeing condition (M=.3369, SD =.76530). General wellbeing condition was observed to be associated with the general wellbeing condition in the underweight/sound weight test (t = – 5.165, df= 1632, p =.005), with underweight/sound weight people of poor general wellbeing condition (M=.7260, SD =.94664) encountering prominent levels of sadness than underweight/sound weight people with the great general wellbeing condition (M=.2889, SD =.69370).
Table 1: Demographic characteristics of variables
Item
n
%
Mean
Gender
Female
1061
52.4
Male
1043
47.5
Age
14.55 (1.699)
12
329
15.6
13
342
16.1
14
361
17.2
15
363
17.0
16
370
17.5
Weight
131 (32.3)
Height
63.6 (4.7)
BMI
22.4 (4.6)
Sound weight(BMI <25)
1634
77.6
Obese (BMI > 25)
470
Ethnicity
Latino
1153
54.8
South America
103
4.8
North/Central America
843
40.4
Mental health / General wellbeing
Excellent /good
1945
94.3
Poor
159
5.7
Care Services (counseling)
Yes
256
12.2
No
1848
87.8
Table 2: Psychological distress analysis
Item
N
Range
Mean
Depression
2104
0.4
.34 (.75)
Severe distress
2104
0.24
2.99 (3.5)
Table 3: Care Services (counseling) Adolescent BMI
Obese/overweight
Sound weight
Variable
n
%
n
%
x2
df
p
Care
Yes
60
14.7
160
10.5
.42
1
.37
No
410
83.3
1360
89.5
Table 4: Relationship between BMI and Severe Distress
Item
r
p
BMI (depression)
.078
0.05
BMI (severe distress)
.065
0.03
Discussion of Results
This section incorporates a rundown of the present study’s discoveries while looking into their connection to earlier research. Suggestions towards social work practice, approach, and the study’s multicultural pertinence were discussed. Finally, suggestions for future research are tended to.
Discussions of Findings
The research verified statistical correlations and significance with the research questions. The research questions will be summarized below.
Is there a correlation between body mass index and mental health?
Is there a relationship between body mass index and health?
Is there a correlation with mental health, body mass index, and general health among Latin American adolescents?
By implication, the results answered the research questions. The result revealed the correlation between BMI and mental health. Huge results were found for most of the exploration questions. Higher BMI was related to encounters of genuine mental misery and health. Sexual orientation was found to assume a part in the relationship between BMI, mental health, and discouragement. Both overweight and underweight/sound weight females were found to experience more mental misery and discouragement than their male partners.
Ethnicity was significant in the relationship between BMI, mental health, and health of Latin American adolescents. The results revealed that high and low BMI affects the mental health and health of Latin American adolescents. This sign was revealed in various results of analysis. Ethnicity was not a critical indicator of mental pain or melancholy in the overweight example. The general wellbeing condition was altogether connected with genuine mental pain and melancholy in the underweight, sound, weight, and overweight examples, with the poor general wellbeing condition connected to more elevated amounts of melancholy and misery for both categories.
Examination with Previous Literatures
The discoveries of the present study are predictable with earlier writing that relates BMI to mental health and health of adolescents. Although limited articles were available on the BMI status of women, existing studies suggested that a high body mass index affects women. In particular, this study found that higher BMI was identified with higher levels of melancholy. Yue et al. (2009) found that the danger of despondency was higher for those at the extremes of the BMI scale, being overweight or underweight. The present study found a comparable result in overweight members, however, did not investigate the relationship between underweight status and mental health. Two kinds of literature additionally connected BMI to mental health, something that was reflected in the present study’s outcomes. Dave and Rashad (2009) found that stoutness and the impression of heftiness were connected to suicide chance. Kim et al. (2011), found comparable results, with gloom, doubtful body discernment, and weight control practices connected to suicide.
The present study addressed related inquiries through the possibility of “genuine mental trouble,” however, did not have entry to information concerning the participant’s suicide level in CHIS information sets. Consequently, the present study examined previous literature with genuine mental trouble being fundamentally identified with BMI. The study found a relationship between sex, sadness, and mental health. In both the overweight and underweight tests, females encountered mental trouble and sadness. Earlier writing discovered comparable results, with women more inclined to experience dejection and higher hazard for suicide (Kim et al., 2011).
Sexual orientation was analyzed in connection with unreasonable weight recognition, with females having unreasonable weight discernments (Dave and Rashad, 2009). These improbable recognitions were connected to lower self-regard in females (Vogt Yuan, 2010). Numerous studies have analyzed this relationship between BIM weight discernment, mental pain, and despondency. The researchers revealed that weight discernment was identified with mental worries than genuine weight. In underweight, solid weight, and overweight specimens, the study revealed that poor mental health was identified with elevated amounts of sadness and mental pain. This is suggestive that mistaken view of self as the social ramifications it makes could be firmly identified with mental trouble and wretchedness as BMI.
Finally, the present study analyzed the mental health and health of adolescents in relationship with BMI and psychological wellness. Numerous studies have discovered connections between these components. Latin American adolescents were prone to a serious hazard for high BMI than Caucasian teenagers (Andersen et al., 2011; Claire et al., 2011; Jackson et al., 2013). Surveys have established the consistency in results with the present study. The results revealed that adolescents with low and high BMI show varying degrees of stability.
By implication, adolescents with low BMI are stable than teenagers with higher BMI values. This result correlates with previous studies that suggested low self-esteem for higher BMI status. These discoveries were not reflected in the present study’s outcomes, with ethnicity found to have no critical relationship with BMI and emotional wellness in the overweight populace. In any case, in the underweight/solid weight populace, ethnicity was observed to be identified with despondency in a way that reflected earlier studies. Different components could represent these racial and ethnic aberrations, including social perspectives of weight and body sort, SES, and group variables.
Suggestions for Social Work Policy and Practice
As talked about, numerous heftiness intercessions concentrate on the physical and therapeutic results of corpulence. This takes into account the making of precautionary measures, empowering sound way of life, and endeavoring to lessen corpulence predominance. While this concentration is critical, for making a more beneficial populace, and diminishing future requests on restorative administrations, the mental impacts of weight on youths cannot be disregarded. With such an expansive populace affected by high BMI, it will be critical to give psychosocial administrations and assets to improve mental health. The present study highlights the relationship between high BMI and expanded encounters of mental pain and sadness.
This information gives data about emotional wellness components and a superior comprehension of a populace in need. Realizing that the overweight pre-adult populace might need counseling administrations could permit group associations or schools to enforce frameworks and policies that address emotional wellness needs. Examined discoveries demonstrated that, regardless of the positive relationship between BMI and mental pain, overweight young people were not mindful of the benefits of counseling services.
These services reduce the effects of depression and poor mental health on individuals. Although the present study cannot distinguish the anomaly, bridging the gap would be valuable in program improvement. By implication, this study proposes a need to connect with the overweight populace. Demographic variables incorporated into the study suggest practical needs. Females more prone to experience sadness identified with BMI may require more consideration than male young people concerning weight-related misery. The present study did not observe ethnicity to be a hazard for the overweight populace in their encounters of mental misery and despondency. Albeit social competency is essential in any mediation, ethnicity might be more applicable to safeguard measures with Latin American youth encountering larger amounts of corpulence.
Finally, poor mental health and the health of adolescents were connected to expand mental misery and despondency in both underweight/sound weight and overweight tests. This shows self-recognition and self-regard are connected to emotional well-being concerns. Building self-regard, positive self-recognition, and using quality perspective will be critical in counseling overweight populace. Social workers will use this information to improve the general wellbeing of Latin American adolescents. Most caregivers will work with youths, whether in a family setting, community or school environment to improve the quality of life. Having an expanded learning of the physical and mental results of adolescent heftiness will be vital in understanding their experience. This learning will help social specialists in influencing arrangement and additionally in giving both safeguard and direct mediations.
Suggestions for Multicultural Training
This study did not locate a significant relationship between ethnicity and BMI in overweight young people. Notwithstanding, this does not imply that ethnicity neglects to assume a vital part. Specialists have discovered connections between ethnicity, weight, and the connection between ethnicity and the mental reaction to heftiness. Similarly, as with other social work intercessions, those identifying with stoutness ought to be composed of social competency and thought. Ethnicity does not represent every social variable.
Family, people group, SES, and arrangement assume parts in Latino societies. Elements are going from the social goals of excellence to access to quality care, for example, good nourishment, and safe neighborhoods, add to stoutness rates and ensuing youthful results. Thus, such components ought to be considered in forming intercessions. The survey examined the socioeconomic status of Latin American adolescents. The socioeconomic variables include age, sex, ethnicity, age, housing, income, educational attainment, and occupation. Family income and subjective social status are additional components of the SES. These components were evaluated to test the correlation with BMI. Different components of the SES were categorized based on accompanying factors. For example, the participant’s residence was categorized as rural and urban centers.
Proposal for Future Research
The present study tended to the mental impacts of heftiness in puberty, utilizing information from different members at a solitary time point. Nevertheless, longitudinal research would give a more prominent comprehension of the extending impacts of BMI, health, and mental health including the seriousness and span of mental trouble. Such a longitudinal study could look at the different phases between youth and adulthood, demonstrating a superior comprehension of hazard elements and necessities. Consequently, representing extra demographic components would be valuable. The present study did not analyze the underweight populace independently from the sound weight populace. Concentrating on the underweight populace, especially the relationship between BMI and psychological wellness is a potential road for further research.
Consequently, SES is another demographic element to consider. Scientists have analyzed the connection between SES and corpulence; however, fusing this information would help with building an extensive learning of situational variables affecting the overweight populace. Recognizing SES and would help with distinguishing potential bewildering factors in the present study. Thus, it is useful to obtain information from a more extensive populace, looking at weight-related qualities, goals, and practices. Securing wellbeing information from different states would give provide a valid and reliable test.
Thus, the capacity to secure information with a more particular concentrate on psychological wellness could give advance detail and exhaustive comprehension of youthful encounters. The health need of an individual requires adequate and careful management. By implication, various aspects of the human anatomy undergo specific changes based on tissue growth. This thesis highlighted the correlation between mental health and body mass index. Thus, we studied the relationship between body mass index, health, and mental health among Latin American adolescents. Data for the study was collected from a secondary source. The CHIS data for adolescents (2011-2012) was tested using the chi-square statistical analysis to evaluate the study. The research will support various social policy frameworks across Latin America. Consequently, the study has direct implications on nursing practice, adolescent nutrition value, and families.
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NYS OMH operates more than 1300 psychiatric facilities in the State of New York and has its headquarters in Albany. The other facilities have field offices but major decisions are made at the headquarters (Nag & Sengupta, 2007). NYS OMH is located in a 5,000 acres piece of land which comprises more than 33 million square feet.
The major obligation of NYS OMH is “to protect its information assets and computer information systems collected or created as part of its ongoing business” (NYS OMH 2003a, p.1). This obligation is observed under the State and the Federal Statutory and regulatory requirements (NYS OMH, 2011).
Therefore, given the functions of NYS OMH, IT security is required to ensure data and sensitive information belonging to different clients and patients is safeguarded. The purpose of the paper is to carry for an analysis on IT security breach prevention with respect to NYS OMH.
Foundation
NYS OMH is a constituent of the Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc (UCLA Health Services Research Center, 2009). NYS OMH is a not-for-profit outfit whose responsibility is improve research and training, in addition to providing research assistance to the mental hygiene department in the state of New York.
All the research programs in the NYS are administered and overseen by the organization. As part of the foundation, NYS OHM offers necessary assistance to ensure the mental wellbeing and welfare of New Yorkers are achieved as stipulated its mission statement.
History
In the nineteenth century, there emerged different mental health systems and facilities in New York Stat. Under the State Care Act, the facilities were established with the intention of ensuring better mental health welfare to New Yorkers. Due to the increased demand for mental retardation and mental health services, the State Department of Mental Hygiene was founded in 1927.
In the 1950s, the mental health sector was faced with increased professionalization of staff, growth and institutionalization as the demand for effective and safe mental retardation and mental health services increased. The number of the State Mental Institutions offering better services to mentally challenged people continued to increase.
Between 1950s and 1960s, the New York State set an example by assuming the responsibility of taking care of the mentally challenged persons (Benjamin & Brecher, 1988). In 1954, the State’s Community Mental Health Services Act was enacted to oversee services delivery to retarded and mentally disabled persons. The following years saw the formation of the New York State Department of Mental Health.
The NYS OMH was founded as a corporation that would oversee the delivery of better services to the mentally challenged persons. The legislature has been offering an assistance of $ 3 million annually to NYS OMH as part of financial funding.
Between 1982 and 1986, the beds offered to mentally challenged persons in NYS OMH were increased to 2,020 beds from 982 (Benjamin & Brecher, 1988). This is an indication that the OMH has been expanding slowly and slowly.
NYS OMH operates under a five year strategic plan which ensures that its set strategic goals as stipulated in the company’s mission statement and visions are achieved (Mangurian et al., 2010).
The organization has experienced rapid expansion because it currently runs over 4,500 programs in the NYS. As a large city with a large population, NYS operates a comprehensive mental health system which serves an estimated 700,000 persons annually. In addition, NYS OMH certifies, regulates and oversees over 4,000 programs run by nonprofit agencies and the local government.
Agency Affairs
The affairs of the agency (NYS OMH) are operated and run from its headquarters. It operates different psychiatric facilities with headquarters in New York. However, field managers in different psychiatric facilities coordinate operations with the headquarters.
In addition, the agency oversees, regulates and certifies an estimated 2,500 programs run by nonprofit agencies and local governments (UCLA Health Services Research Center, 2009). Also, an oversight committee oversees that all these programs have been facilitated and are run well.
Organizational Analysis
The objective of NYS OMH is to promote the well being and mental health of New York residents. The mission of the organization as stated by Hogan (2010) is;
‘To facilitate recovery for young to older adults receiving treatment for serious mental illness, to support children and families in their social and emotional development and early identification and treatment of serious emotional disturbances, and to improve the capacity of communities across New York to achieve these goals” (p.2).
The values of New York State OMH are recovery, resilience, excellence, respect, disparities elimination, cultural competence, positive emotional, and social developments (Hogan, 2010). Like any other organization, NYS OMH has different stakeholders who are part of its daily operations.
Some of its major stakeholders are patients, nongovernmental organizations, the New York State, nonprofit agencies, and local governments. All these stakeholders are provided with different programs and psychiatric services.
The leadership style used by NYS OMH ensures that accountability and transparency are realized. The organizational leadership major focus is the promotion of mental health with the objective of reducing stigma and fear among the people (Hogan, 2010).
It also conducts mental health research with the aim of advancing prevention, treatment and recovery. Furthermore, it provides state operated inpatient and outpatient mental health support and services to New Yorkers.
NYS OMH has a well set organizational chart which foresees the management of the organization. At the top of the organization is the office of the commissioner who chairs NYS OMH meetings.
Sitting on the board of the company are representatives from the office of counsel, division of financial management, office of medical director, public information, intergovernmental affairs, and consumer affairs. A well elaborated organizational chart of NYS OMH as adopted from the company’s website is presented below.
Figure 1: Organizational Chart of NYS OMH
Source: NYS OMH (2012b)
As shown in the organizational chart, NYS OMH has five major field offices (mental health regions) and they are the New York City, the Long Island, the Hudson River, the Central and the Western regions. All these regions are coordinated through the central NYS OMH office in Albany. The organizational structure of NYS OMH is simple and as a result it allows easy and effective running of operations.
NYS OMH operates using the latest information technology. For instance, the company operates using Oracle database, and Spatial Ware server, GIS technology and internet and internet. In other words, NYS OMH has established a network that facilitates easy connection between the field offices and the headquarters.
The IT system has been established in such as way that safety and health related issues are spotted quickly as they emerge. Moreover, the company has a well established emergency response system.
The IT of the NYS OMH is headed by facility directors. Under each facility director is a security manager who controls all security operations in each of the NYS OMH run facilities. Under the Security Management Systems, it becomes easy to control any form of security breach in the company.
SWOT Analysis
SWOT analysis as an analytical tool gives an internal assessment of an organization by exploring the weakness and strengths experienced internally and opportunities and threats resulting from the outside environment.
Strengths
One of the major strengths of NYS OMH is the presence of a well established Security Management System (SMS). Basically, the SMS is an application system which is web based. Both local and state facilities staff members use this application to have an access secured and sensitive web based applications such as PSYCKES Medicaid and Patient Characteristics Survey (PCS).
As a result, the company is able to reduce security breach on its data and information. In addition, the SMS allows the security manager to expand the system network or reduce the number of persons accessing sensitive data. The SMS has replaced previous requests for access paper forms which were used to get access data. This has not only enhanced security but has also increased efficiency and confidentiality in NYS OMH.
NYS OMH has adopted state-of-art technology to carry out its operations and services with clients and visiting persons. Less sensitive information is made available online on its website. Through the use internet privacy policy, the company is able to increase the confidence levels of businesses and individuals. All the major components required are available on OMH website.
Others information system tools and application established are such as authentication, encryption, auditing and monitoring tools which increase security levels in the organization.
NYS OMH has put in place an emergence response system operated through Oracle database and Spatial Ware server based GIS technology which is accessible via OMH intranet (Nag & Sengupta, 2007). This allows OMH system to analyse many “what if” scenarios.
In addition, safety and health related issues can easily be spotted and addressed. Also, federally reimbursed costs are easily tracked once they are uploaded. It also becomes easier to track how such costs have been incurred thus increasing the levels of transparency.
The company operates more than 2,500 psychiatric facilities and over 4,500 programs in New York State. This gives the company monopoly as it is the sole provider of data and information related to mental health in NYS. By cooperating with nonprofit agencies and local government, the company is able to offer netter services not only in NYS but in U.S.
Weaknesses
Numerous campaigns have been carried in the past to have the company closed because of mistrust. Basically, there has been a claim that funds channeled to mental health services have not been accountable for. In addition, the funds have been channeled to other functions instead of the stipulated functions.
This has a high chance of damaging the reputation and the trust people have on the company. Given that the company is majorly funded through taxpayers’ money, funding may be cut down if the claims are found to be true.
The company depends highly on information technology for data storage and processing. It also relies on the internet to carry out it transactions. Despite the fact that technology is important since it increase efficiency, it is prone to security related problems. Management of the networks is a major challenge that the company faces is managing a large network with specialized facilities (Nag & Sengupta, 2007).
This is because coordination is required between field managers and the headquarters administrators without any form security breach. The company depends highly on federal state funding. This implies that the company experiences budget cuts. It is not a fully independent body as it is part of the Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc which means it cannot make all informed and corporate decisions without the foundation.
Threats
New York has the largest multi-faceted mental health system serving over 700,000 persons annually (NYS OMH, 2012). This means that it stores very sensitive information of almost all New Yorkers. With the latest advancement in technology and the presence of computer geeks, the information is prone to IT security breaches.
This means that the information can be accessed by unauthorized party through hacking or be corrupted through computer viruses and software (Ammenwerth, Graber, Herrman, Burkle & Konig, 2003). This can jeopardize the privacy and the confidentiality of the information stored in OMH database.
NYS OMH database store diversified data types which threaten effective distribution of data and information. In addition, multitude computing platforms are required to keep the network linked and connected (Nag & Sengupta, 2007.
As a result, this threatens the welfare and the functionality of the OMH Security Management System. The system is prone to inside jobs which can lead to extraction and access of sensitive data and information by authorized personnel for malicious reasons. Unauthorized access by authorized personnel to sensitive data is an IT breach of security which jeopardizes personal information and data.
Opportunities
Advancement in technology and information gives OMH the opportunity to embrace the latest technology. This would help the company offer safe and innovative alternatives to healing and mental health recovery. In addition, other than increasing treatment effectiveness, technology opens a window for adopting the latest technology for research on mental health related issues (Sinclair, 2001).
With regard to the issue of IT security breach, the organization will invest in the latest data storage facilities. OMH can also improve on the security systems used by adopting more advanced security systems and protocols.
Web based application in mobile phones, tablets, and androids Smartphone ensure that personal data and information is made accessible at anytime and from anywhere. This ensures that business and interested individuals can have access to information increase the level of corporation.
Literature Review
This section of the research study uses different materials with the objective of exploring IT security breach and measures which are undertaken to reduce its occurrence.
Definition of IT Security Breach
In simple terms, security breach is the violation of the set protocols, procedures, and processes by a third party. It can also be termed as security violation after another organization or individual gets illegal access to secured data or information. Legally, security breach is a criminal offence and a liability to an organization. This is because it reduces the level of trust and operations of an organization.
Either internally or externally, unauthorized access to information or data acts as an IT security breach (Appari & Johnson, 2008; Fleming, 2009). The presence of hackers, malicious software, and viruses pose a threat to companies which really heavily to IT such as NYS OMH.
With the advancement in technology, health agencies inclusive of NYS OMH use electronic applications and means to get, use, maintain, and store personal health data and information (Myers, Frieden, Bherwani & Henning, 2008; Ko & Dorantes, 2006). Although electronic data and information formats improve performance in running of health operations, they pose a potential threat to privacy.
This is because data can be duplicated or transmitted easily through other information systems components to unauthorised parties. As a result, security breaches occur which threaten confidentiality and privacy of patients’ information. Security breach can be both electronic and physical (Myers et al. 2008).
For example, it can be electronic if information is copied and transported through laptops or flash devices and made available through the use of wired networks from any location in the world. In addition, transfer of information and network access management are vulnerable to security breaches such as interception by hackers and infection by malicious software or virus.
According to Myers et al. (2008), public health departments and agencies are prone to external and internal intruders who pose a great threat to IT security. If their security and electronic access to an organization database is not been revoked they stand out as the largest threat to security breach. Hackers and burglars may get access to sensitive information thus threatening the security levels of information.
Hanover (2012) opine that in April this year, three high profile and high volume data breaches took place in the U. S where more than 1.3 million healthcare consumers were affected. The three counts of security breach were as a result of lost backup tapes, hacker activities, and inappropriate access and internal misconduct by an employee.
Hanover (2012) adds that these breaches occurred in three weeks consecutive in the healthcare sector. As a result, the issue of security breach has raised a heated debate.
Therefore, the three cases are an example of the need to adopt multi prolonged approach to ensure security to information and data available to healthcare organizations inclusive of NYS OMH. Consequently, there is need to consider and assess internal threats, physical security threats, intrusion and network security.
Countermeasures to security breach
The government has envisioned the adoption of electronic healthcare records by all HMOs (Appari & Johnson, 2008). This will ultimately reduce the threat posed by IT security breach. Through the implementation and adoption of different countermeasures, security related risks on the healthcare sector can be curtailed (Laverdière-Papineau, 2008).
According to Kwon and Jonson (2012), majority of organization in the healthcare sector fail to curb IT security threats because they belief that security breach is only a technical issue. However, there has been a shift in viewing ways of reducing security breach issues achieved by adopting a social perspective framework of IT security.
Education, policies, and organizational culture are some of measures which are used to support technical measures in curtailing security breach (Kwon & Johnson, 2012). Strategic approaches have been adopted by different organization in the healthcare sector to mitigate security issues caused by the rapid change in technology. As a result, hospitals and healthcare agencies have been able to protect patients’ information.
Once enacted in an organization, compliance policies and regulatory policies ensure that patients’ information is protected. Regulatory compliance is not only an internally implemented strategy but is also an external policy (Kwon &, Johnson, 2012). The rationale behind the preceding statement is that organizations like hospitals share patients’ information with third parties who may lack compliance regulatory policies.
Therefore, the implementation of regulatory compliance makes third parties liable to compliance security breach policies. As noted by Al-Hakim (2007), security countermeasures improve security by creating a more secure network.
There are three major areas of countermeasures adopted by organization to prevent IT security breach. These are software, operational and management areas. Management countermeasures are concerned with preventative level (Al -Hakim, 2007). For example, policies are designed constituting breach and the resultant consequences in case security breach occurs (Asfaw, 2008).
In operational countermeasures, detection and preventive controls are offered. Some of the detection and preventive measures are such as use of surveillance cameras, security guards, and biometrics systems, use of passwords, identification badges and logging as well as auditing attempted access with the objective of determining any unauthorized access.
Technical countermeasures entail the use of hardware and software to offer protection to web application and networks. Some of the commonly applied tools are such as public-key infrastructure, firewalls, virtual private networks, encryption, intrusion-detection systems, authentication, upgrades and software patches and access point configurations (Al -Hakim, 2007).
Given that most of the healthcare agencies use network configurations, these technical measures play an integral role in security maintenance. In addition, these measures ensure that patients’ data and information is only accessible by authorized parties.
Governments have regulations provided to healthcare providers which encourage maintenance of security and privacy of patients’ information when transmitting data and keeping patients recorded. For example, in U.S there is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act while in Canada, theirs is PHIA (Asfaw, 2008).
In Europe there are legal policies which make healthcare providers accountable for any breach of privacy in respect to patients’ data and information (Mennerat, 2002). These compliance requirements make it possible to maintain confidentiality and privacy of sensitive information.
Myers et al. (2008) note that technical training is one of preventive measures adopted by healthcare agencies. This is because most security breaches occur internally and do not result from external hackers. As a result, educational initiatives are important in ensuring that a cultural change is incorporated in the healthcare sector.
Preventive measures are embedded in organizational and electronic policies to reduce human error which can result to breach of security.
This can be realized through preventive engineering via the adoption of recent technologies such as multifactor or single authentication (Myers et al., 2008). Some organizations have supported this with high level confidentiality policy to all personnel who have access to very sensitive information.
Compare and contrast
There are different software and programs used to reduce security breach not only in health sector but in other sectors. One of these is the WORM (Write Once, Read Many) program which according to Myers et al. (2008) and Null and Lobur (2010) has electronic and technology signatures.
The benefit associated with this program is that it prevents tampering of data after the creation of the initial files. This means that the WORM has the capacity to protect the duplication of health related data and information thus curtailing security breach (Richards & Heathcote, 2001). The only limitation is that WORM is an expensive program but it is worthy every the implementation.
Some organizations use virtual private network (VPN) to run networked transmissions. Just as described by Al –Hakim (2007), VPN is used to create an encrypted network and channels between the network and the user’s wireless device, hence hiding data and information transmission. It reduces cost and ensures network scalability (Mitchell, 2012; Shinder, 2001).
This means that organizations with many branches can share costs through sharing of communication lines. The only limitation of VPN is that its reliability may be compromised if not well implemented (Shinder, 2001). Reliable and outstanding internet connection is necessary to ensure that communication is carried securely.
Other programs are such as firewalls which prevent unauthorized persons from having access to stored data and information. The only limitation is that some firewalls can be passed through by computer hackers. Firewalls allow only authorized persons have access to patient’s data and information (Al-Hakim, 2007).
Virus which can harm or tamper with stored data or information can be prevented through use of computer software. For example, antivirus such as Norton and MacAfee can be used to prevent any malicious software or virus which may lead to security breach.
Diagnosis of the Problem or Improvement
The major problem experienced by NYS OMH is on the management of its large network of specialized facilities from its headquarters without security breach. Basically, a challenge is experienced while managing all these facilities and while transmitting data from the OMH intranet system.
Statement of the Research Problem
NYS OMH like any other large corporation which provides services to a wider range of clients is faced with challenges in managing its diverse networked facilities from its headquarters without experiencing security breach. Basically the field personnel and the office administrators of the OMH have to keep in conduct.
Field managers who are obligated with serving specific clients have to carry their operations safely and effectively. The problem associated with the management of networked specialized facilities in NYS OHM is because the company deals with diversified data types. In addition, multitude computing platforms are required without experiencing security breach on its information systems (Nag & Sengupta, 2007).
Research Questions
Broadly, the identified research questions for the study are:
What are the strategies utilized by companies to foster IT security?
How can IT security be improved in organizations like NYS OMH?
Review of the Related Literature
The review of the related literature will provide the foundation for a written strategy and implementation plan to address the identified areas of concern.
Strategies applied to Foster IT Security
Different organizations employ different strategies to foster IT security in their organizations. One of these strategies is the implementation of compliance regulatory policy. As noted by Kwon and Johnson (2012), compliance policies foster IT security as data or information cannot be accessed without facing the set penalties.
This observation has been supported by Schiff (2009) who opine that data protection policy limits incidents associated security breach. A good protection policy limit access to sensitive information, puts into place response plan to handle security breach, uses strong encryption of storage devices, and considers privacy and confidentiality policies.
In a study that was conducted by Kwon and Johnson (2012), the researchers concluded that compliance is highly applied as a security management tool against third party breaches and training. To complement compliance regulatory, organizations run security audits as part of routine checks. In addition, practical guidelines and strategic goals are applied as part of the compliance regulatory (Andrés & Kenyon, 2004)
As part of strategic planning, some organizations adopt confidentiality and privacy policies as part of enhancing security of patients’ information (Myers et al., 2008). However, it is only about a third of the public health facilities in US which have implemented this policy to foster IT security.
Nonetheless, through the government, some acts such as HIPAA have been enacted which strengthen protection of healthcare information in the public sector. Despite the fact that most of the public health agencies are exempted from HPAA, the policy however requires privacy and confidentiality of patients’ information especially when it is transmitted electronically.
An organization like Amazon uses access control policies which require authentication of users before logging into the system (AWS, 2012). This can be adopted by other organizations to promote security in the healthcare sector.
Some organizations have gone to the extent of incorporating multifactor authentication as part of security check. According to AL-Hakim (2007), the use of biometric authentication system, people with access to sensitive would be countable in case of security.
In addition, it becomes easy to monitor and control access to networks and sensitive areas. Lastly, secure networks are applied if an organization has a multi-faceted connection with other facilities.
Ways to Improve IT Security
IT security can be improved through the incorporation of non-routine disclosure protocols. For this strategy to be effective, some important confirmation should be made to avoid security breach.
As opined by Myers et al. (2008), organizations should have the disclosure specify if it is authorized by law or policy, verify the integrity of the data being disclosed, determine the individual accessing the information, and ensure the information is send in a secure manner.
Organizations can set security policies as part of organizational culture to foster security check (Clark & McGhee, 2008). For example, security policies would prohibit employees from looking at patients’ information, deny employees from having access to high sensitive or classified information, put into place internal security checks, and ensure that employees cannot have access to guest operating system.
These protocols prohibit internal security breach which is considerably high compared to external breach (AWS, 2012). Educative programs and training can also be carried at organizational level to create awareness among employees on the importance of protecting patients’ information and data from unauthorized persons (Meyers et al., 2008). This would foster security improvement at organizational levels.
One of practical ways of improving information security state is through frequent information security assessments. Vladimirov et al. (2010) opine that information security assessments should be carried on regular basis. This would eliminate any tangible security gaps thus improving security of information.
This has been supported by Colling, York and Colling (2010) observation that security assessment acts a countermeasure as it determines security breach points. However, it should be noted that security assessment is carried at organizational level to determine and evaluate any possible security risks.
This is supported by security audit which ensure that the system operates as required and no IT security alert is posed (Colling, York & Colling, 2010).
Other ways of improving IT security include regular audits, background checks on all personnel who have access or handle sensitive information, and hosting of patients’ sensitive information and data on ‘thin clients workstations’ (Myers et al. 2008). Hosting patients’ sensitive information on thin clients workstations ensure that information is not easily transferred from main computer or database to secondary storage devices.
Rules and regulation may be passed which prohibit access by every employee to data rooms containing highly classified patients’ information. This is achieved through the use of authentication measures such as biometric validation. Video surveillance on data storage rooms could also be an effective way of preventing security breach.
Research Design/ Methodology
Collis and Hussey (2007) describe methodology as an approach used in research to organize and plan the general approach in which the research goals and questions are addressed
The research is descriptive in nature and qualitative research design has been adopted. Basically, since the research is more concerned with IT security breach, primary materials will be used to provide any relevant information and data which answers the stipulated research questions.
For example, data and information will be collected from NYS OMH website and different publications for easy analysis. Owing to the nature of the study, it would be appropriate to use qualitative research design since no generalization is required in respect to the case study. As noted by Williams (2007), qualitative research methods allow the researcher to get data and information related to the specific phenomenon under study.
The research is a case study based on the New York Office of Mental Health and the major focus will be on IT security breach. Given that NYS OMH is networked to other facilities all over NYS, the primary data collected will assist in determining the already available IT security strategies and define ways which can be applied to improve its security.
Primary data collection has been chosen because it is cheap, saves time, most important information needed can be collected from the company’s website and it is cost effective (Runciman, 2002). The only drawback is that the information may be biased since the owner (NYS OMH) like any public interested party may be willing to foster a positive image.
Presentation and Analysis of Data
Based on the research findings, NYS OMH faces a major challenge in dealing with the management of its network of specialized facilities. The company has established and adopted internet privacy policy as a strategic measure against IT security breach (NYS OMH, 2012c). The policy draws its consistence from Personal Privacy Protection Law, the Freedom of Information Law, and the Internet Security and Privacy Act (NYS OMH, 2010).
The company also operates under the Federal Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act which is safeguarded under the HIPAA (NYS OMH, 2003; Brown & Brown, 2011). This fosters information security in the company.
Several changes have been made on the HIPAA rules such as increase in breach penalties, incorporation of accounting for disclosure, and enactment of security breach notifications (NYS OMH, 2010). All these improvements have been adopted by NYS OMH and according to its commissioner; OHM is working towards the improvement of privacy policy.
Since most of the operations of NYS OMH are based on Web Application, the company has adopted Security Management System which is based encryption (NYS OMH, 2012a). However, the company has not undertaken encryption protocols but it is on the verge of implementing EMR (electronic medical records) (NYS OMH, 2012a).
Analysis
Based on the research findings, it is evident that NYS OMH has adopted strategies which foster IT security on its network. For example, the company has adopted and continued to train its employees on HIPAA and HITECH Act with the objective of improving its security. As acknowledged by Myers et al. (2008), the HIPAA is necessary since it safeguards patients’ information by preventing security breach.
Furthermore, HITECH Act has incorporated important clauses which encourage high penalties for persons of engage in security breach ranging from $50,000 to $1, 500,000 in a single year (NYS OMH, 2010). OMH has a well established Security Management Systems which foster security on patients’ information. This has made its network secure from any viable security breach.
As advocated by Al-Hakim (2007) and Meyers et al. (2008) on employee training and training initiatives as part of awareness creation, OMH has been training its employees to understand the need and importance of privacy and confidentiality. This will be a milestone as it will prevent security breaches from inside the organization.
In addition, the company is ensuring that its employees are acquainted with the requirements of HITECH Act and HIPAA as part of improving security (NYS OMH, 2010). NYS OMH has established SMS which is run through electronic authentication (NYS OMH, 2012c). Just like any other security fostering program, the SMS as a strategy will not only improve security in OMH but will also foster security.
The adoption of EMR, SIEM and DLP is an indication that OMH has realized the essence of fostering IT security. It can be concluded that, despite the fact that OMH is on the verge of adopting multifactor authentication it has so far shown its ability in fostering and improving security by safeguarding patients’ information.
Recommendations
Based on the findings analysis, the following suggestions have been recommended which can be used to improve IT security in NYS OMH. Employees working in different NYS OMH facilities need to be trained on the importance of security maintenance. This will not only create awareness but will encourage employees to be champions in preventing security breaches.
Security assessments can be carried from time to time to ensure that no security breach is being encountered. In addition, security assessments would ensure any form of security breach is noted and immediate action undertaken.
Owning to the fact that most of the NYS OMH are run through networking, more secure user protocols would be recommendable. This is because they assist in preventing any intrusion on the data being transmitted.
NYS OMH can set up regulatory compliance policies which can be supported by the confidentiality and privacy policy. These policies would enhance the already existing protocols and security counter measures thus improving security in NYS OMH.
Implementation Plan
To improve the NYS OMH security, the following implementation processes outlined below are deemed viable. Definition, selection and identification of the most appropriate countermeasures for improving IT security in NYS OMH are the first steps in the implementation process (Jones & Ashenden, 2005). It should be noted that the implementation plan should be achievable and supported by considerate timeframe like two years.
The implementation manager with the help of an IT security consultant should then sign off each of the identified and selected countermeasures and security strategies.
Consultation between the security risk managers, security managers and head of security in each facility should carried to ensure that the implementation process is not hampered. Upon approval and agreement, the implementation process can be initiated in the first phase. The table below represents different phases and activities which will be undertaken during the implementation process.
Table 1: Implementation plan
Phases/stages
Activities
Duration/time frame
Remarks on the progress of the implementation
1
Initiation of the selected, identified and defined security strategy. Personnel involved in security should be involved in this phase to make them acquainted to the new security protocols
3 months
2
Review of the progress of the implementation process
1 month
3
Departmental installation of the agreed upon strategies
2 months
4
Cost benefits analysis to determine whether the strategies have more benefits or costs. This determines whether the implementation process will continue.
2 months
5
Monitoring and evaluation of selected countermeasure before full implementation
3 months
6
Final process and launch of the improved system to all other facilities
6 months
7
Full implementation, evaluation and monitoring
Evaluation and monitoring are continuous processes and should not be stopped hence lack of specific time frame.
Reference List
Al-Hakim, L. (2007). Web mobile-based applications for healthcare management. Hershey, PA: IRM Press.
Ammenwerth, E., Graber, S., Herrman, G., Burkle, T., & Konig, J. (2003). Evaluation of health information systems – problems and challenges. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 71(2), 125-135.
Andrés, S., & Kenyon, B. (2004). Security Sage’s guide to hardening the network infrastructure. Rockland, MA: Syngress.
Appari, A., & Johnson, M. E. (2008). Information security and privacy in healthcare: current state of research. Hanover, NH: Dartmouth College.
Asfaw, E. (2008).Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA): Confidentiality and Privacy from the Perspectives of the Consumer and the Physician. USA.: ProQuest
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Benjamin, G., & Brecher, C. (1988). The Two New Yorks: State-city relations in the changing federal system. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
Brown, S. A., & Brown, M. (2011). Ethical issues and security monitoring trends in global healthcare: Technological advancements. Hershey, PA: Medical Information Science Reference.
Clark, C. L., & McGhee, J. (2008). Private and confidential?: Handling personal information in social and health services. Bristol, UK: Policy.
Colling, R. L., York, T. W., & Colling, R. L. (2010). Hospital and healthcare security. Amsterdam: Butterworth-Heinemann.
Collis, J., & Hussey, R. (2003). Business Research: A practical guide for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan
Fleming, D. A. (2009). Ethics conflicts in rural communities: Health information technology. Hanover. NH: Dartmouth College Press
Hanover, J. (2012). 3 massive security breaches in 3 weeks: Taking a closer look. Web.
Hogan, M. F. (2010). NYS OMH Strategic framework. Web.
Jones, A., & Ashenden, D. (2005). Risk management for computer security: Protecting your network and information assets. Burlington, MA: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann.
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Kwon, J., & Johnson, M. E. (2012). Security practices and regulatory compliance in the healthcare industry. Journal of American Medical Informatics Association.
Laverdière-Papineau, M.-A. (2008). Towards systematic software security hardening. Ottawa: Canada.
Mangurian, C., Miller, G. A, Jackson; Li, C. T. H, Essock, S. M., & Sederer, L. I. (2010). State mental health policy: Physical health screening in state mental health Clinics: The New York health indicators initiative. Psychiatric Services, 61(4), p.1.
Mennerat, F. (2002). Electronic health records and communication for better health care: proceedings of EuroRec ’01. Amsterdam: IOS Press
Mitchell, B. (2012). What Are the Advantages and Benefits of a VPN? Web.
Myers, J., Frieden, T. R., Bherwani, K. M., Henning, K. J. (2008). Ethics in public health research. American Journal of Public Health, 98(5), 793–801.
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Null, L., & Lobur, J. (2012). Essentials of computer organization and architecture. Sudbury, Mass: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
NYS OMH (2003). HIPAA awareness training. Web.
NYS OMH (2003a). Introduction to confidentiality and non disclosure agreement, data exchange agreement and computer application sharing agreement. Web.
NYS OMH (2010). Federal HITECH Act: Protecting patient privacy and data security. Web.
NYS OMH (2011). Frequently Asked Questions. Web.
NYS OMH (2012). About OMH. Web.
NYS OMH. (2012a). Description of the Security Management System. Web.
NYS OMH. (2012b). New York State Office of Mental Health organization chart. Web.
NYS OMH. (2012c). Internet privacy policy. Web.
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Vladimirov, A. A. et al. (2010). Assessing information security: Strategies, tactics, logic and framework. Ely: IT Governance Pub.
Williams, C. (2007). Research methods. Journal of Business & Economic Research, 5(3), 65-71.
Community mental health services are reserved for the people who are suffering from mental illnesses. Health care facilities such as specialized hospitals for people with mental disorders initially provided the services. The coming of reforms in this sector has led to the closure of many mental hospitals because of violation of patients’ rights.
Most mentally ill persons were neglected in mental hospitals (Atkinson, 2006). It is perceived that the ignorance in mental hospitals was caused by the sudden increase of patients. Besides that, Richards and Campania (2010) explain that the mental hospitals were not serving their intended purpose of meeting the needs of the mentally ill, but one expected that for every mental hospital that is closed a community-based center replaces it.
This would bring the services closer to the people who need them the most. The establishment of mental hospitals may have been a noble idea, but there are many people who continue to suffer in silence because they cannot afford the required money to send their loved ones to such institutions.
Similarly, the quality of service delivered in mental hospitals was very poor probably due to congestion. According to Golightley (2004), prior to the implementation of the changes many mentally retarded person could not get access to medical services because the insurance companies had barred them from taking medical cover. This means that unless friends and relatives help such persons, their health will continue to deteriorate.
It is in this regard that insurance companies are being encouraged to streamline their requirements to make insurance cover affordable to many people. This is because currently it is mostly the employed who are able to buy insurance products. This implies that governments have to combine efforts to assist the people who are in extreme poverty by paying for their mental health services (Power, 2010).
Weare (2000) contends that the reforms in mental health services require the government to hire more medical personnel. This is because lack of enough personnel has been sighted as one of the core reasons for the decline in the quality of mental health services. This suggests that governments have to borrow more money because as new experts are being hired there is also technology and infrastructure, and all of these are to be carried out by governments.
That is why non-governmental and private entities are required to help in improving the delivery of mental health services. Among the approaches employed in improving service delivery in this sector is the incorporation of mental health centers with existing general health care centers and establishing new ones at the community level. When services are brought closer to the people, there is no excuse of not accessing them (Atkinson, 2011).
The major hurdle in implementing changes in mental health services has been lack of money to facilitate the construction of new facilities and recruitment of more personnel. It is expected that once these measures are put in place the quality of mental health services will go up because there will be many service providers, and thus there will be stiff competition (Golightley, 2004).
This means that mental health service providers will have to improve their work and reduce their service charge rates. Presently, people are simply taking what is available because they do not have alternatives (Segal & Segal, 2011). However, there are several options that can be used to solicit funds for the implementation processes. Power (2010) suggests that one of the most common methods entails taxation and borrowing money from the public through treasury bonds.
In addition, governments can make mental health insurance compulsory through taxation and social insurance. The government should also instill a law to make sure that each person has an insurance coverage, and failure to this implies that they are subject to fines. This will ensure that anybody who needs metal health care can easily get it. Employers should ensure that their employees are having an insurance coverage to qualify for better health care providers such as Medicaid.
Richards and Campania (2010) agree that the emerging data-oriented healthcare will aid in providing the number of mentally ill inhabitants in a given area as well as more manageable health records in electronic form as compared to the traditional health care. These records assist the health providers to store patient’s data and examine their health improvements.
According to Power (2010), the health care providers are coming up with ways to have all their patients’ health record stored electronically because this will manage and reduce the cost of record keeping. The health care providers will be capable of accessing patients records, which may be in another state, and this will be enabled by a software system. These records will also be accessible to the patients.
Online health care systems will help the patients to prevent chronic diseases by learning how to manage and prevent them. With these medical reforms, it will enhance communication between doctors will be capable of analyzing the patient’s conditions from different locations.
The healthcare act, approved in 2010 in Unites States, has set a standard for insurance care that is bought by companies and individuals. It has also increased chances of Medicaid access by making sure that a large number of mental health patients were are capable of getting covers from Medicaid.
The law also permitted the health care providers to give demonstrations with tests of how to treat patients, which is meant to improve on mental health care. The law has also put in place the long-term reforms of care of the mental challenged patients while also encouraging opening of more medical homes based on mental health (Segal & Segal, 2011).
The reforms in health care cannot be complete without the reforms of the mental care professionals. These professionals include the psychiatrists, social workers, nurses and counselors. If more training is given, they will be capable of dealing with complex conditions and provide better health services to the mental patients.
With each professional skills differing, they should be trained, considering the level at which they are able to handle disorders because the role of a psychiatrist cannot be compared to that of a nurse. Specialists should also enhance their relationship with patients to give better service thus the patients will be able to communicate their feelings (Power, 2010).
In this regard, the worldwide mental health has come out to help in the research, learning, and applying skills. Its focus is improving the mental health while making sure those patients, especially from less developed countries, get equal opportunities just like the others in developed countries while considering the cultural and political differences.
Atkinson (2006) conforms that with the global mental reforms, the mental care needs have been established together with identification of different conditions in each country. Patients will now be able to get treatments of conditions, which were not treatable in their countries because of diversity of many professionals from all over the globe.
In conclusion, health care providers should improve mental health care so that it can be affordable to all. In the US, these care services are not fully extended to the black population. They should be set up in several places so that they can be accessible to every patient.
This will be achieved if mental health professional will monitor and give care to everybody in the society and the government should hire mobile mental health care providers since it is the citizen’s right to have equal access to health care services and quality health care, despite their financial status and backgrounds.
References
Atkinson, J. (2006). Private and Public Protection: Civil Mental Health Legislation. Edinburg: Dunedin Academic Press.
Golightley, M. (2004). Social Work and Mental Health Learning Matters. New York: McGraw Hill.
Power, A. K. (2010). Transforming the Nations Health: Next steps in Mental Health Promotion. American Journal of Public Health, 100 (12), 2343-2346.
Richards, K.C. & Campania, C. (2010). Self Care and Wellbeing in Mental Health Professionals. The Mediating Effects of Self-awareness and Mindfulness. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 32 (3), 247.
Segal, M. S. & Segal, J. (2011). Improving Emotional Health: Health guide. New York: McGraw Hill.
Weare, K. (2000). Promoting Mental, Emotional and Social Health. A Whole School Approach. London: Routledge.
Physical and mental health issues are very widespread in United States. These issues affect everyone despite gender, age or race (Kendall, 2009). Consequently, they have been a cause of so many problems in the society. These problems include:
Homelessness,
Unsteady and broken families
Substance abuse and dependence
Non-employment and poverty
Lack of residential stability
Spread of diseases including HIV
Ways to lower or Control Spiraling Health Care Cost
Insufficient funds is among the barriers to proper health care is a barrier to proper health care in the United States of America. This means that the funds given are not enough to cover for provision of proper medical care for all who need it. In addition, f funds provided are not used appropriately and sufficiently in ways that help those suffering from mental and physical illnesses (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2009).
Thus, if there would be an increase in the funds and a clear way of follow-up to ensure that the funds provided for medical care are used for that goal and in the best way so as to benefit all who need it, then these rising health care costs would be easily controlled.
Furthermore, the revision of present insurance plan for public so as to strengthen it and give people authority to negotiate for lower prices of medical care; services and goods, would help in controlling the rising medical care cost.
Giving people the chance to bargain would mean that each would reach a reasonable fee which he or she is able to cater for and this means that everyone is able to access medical care which is an important thing.
This would especially be applicable in insurance plans which are sponsored by the government. If this is done, then it will force the private medical insurance providers to lower their prices too thus benefiting everyone.
In addition, there is need to reduce the spending done on any medical procedures which have low benefit and yet cost so much. This would make patients not to overspend on unnecessary medical procedures which are not are not worth the cost.
We cannot deny the fact that there is a correlation between crime, substance abuse and health care. Generally, those suffering from mental and physical illnesses are affected by various problems among them homelessness. These homeless people normally suffer from substance abuse since they are not in a place where they can be properly attended to.
Most of them normally self-medicate themselves which leads to addictions (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2009). In addition, since these people lack good physical health, it becomes very hard for them to get employment thus resulting in crime and substance abuse due to frustration.
Most criminals are also involved in substance abuse. Due to this problem of using drugs, these people end up with health problems. In a certain study which involved 661 male prisoners who abuse drugs, it was found out that a criminal history which was more extensive was connected to more problems in the general physical health. This was in comparison to mental health (Mateyoke A, et al, 2011). This therefore, proves that there is indeed an existing correlation between crime, substance abuse and health care.
The cost of health care contributes to substance abuse since when people like the homeless are unable to meet the cost of health care, they result in self medication which leads to addiction while on the other hand, people who are involved in crime are also mostly involved in substance abuse thus increasing the number of people in need of health care.
References
Kendall, D. (2009). Social Problems in a Diverse Society. 5th Ed. New York. Allyn & Baco
Matekoye, A. Webster, Hiller, J., Leukefeld, S. (2011). Criminal History, Physical and Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Services Use Among Incarcerated Substance Abusers, Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, Vol. 19, Kentucky. University of Kentucky
National Coalition for the Homeless, (2009). Mental Illness and Homelessness. National Coalition for the Homeless
Campaigning for the improvement of late life mental health has become increasingly important in the modern society. Owing to the snowballing number of older people around the world, there is a need to address the transitions in late life with a view of improving the physical, psychological, social, economic, and interpersonal aspects amongst the older population. It has been revealed that older people develop diverse attitudes, preferences, behaviors, and political attachments among other changes. This essay provides an overview of the changes that occur in late life with a view of addressing various mental health concerns.
Psychological Changes in Adulthood
Personality
According to Ferrini and Ferrini (2003), the psychological traits of individuals significantly change as they progress into their late life. Earlier studies indicated that personality changes only occurred in childhood developmental stages until adolescence. However, recent studies show that such traits change even in old age. Various life events such as occupation, marriage, and parenthood have been perceived as key factors that determine the personality of an individual (Ferrini & Ferrini, 2003).
Retirement
While retirement offers a good opportunity for participation in alternative activities such as getting involved with family matters, others see it as a life event that results in prolonged periods of solitude and dormancy. Indeed, Shahrestani, Quach, Mueller, & Rose (2010), revealed that some retirees develop a feeling of worthlessness. Retirement is usually associated with negative aspects such as reduced earnings, disposal of possessions, and moving of homes among others. Such changes have a direct impact on the wellbeing of the old people.
Relationships
Mikulincer and Shaver (2010) reveal that the most critical aspects underlying the mental health and wellbeing of human beings in late life include collective and civic involvement. The strength and quality of the social relationships and engagement in communal activities are strongly associated with the fitness, welfare, and the value of life amongst the elder people. According to Mikulincer and Shaver (2010), the probability of reducing depression increases as an old person confides more relationships with friends and family. These situations can bring about poor mental health.
Mental Impacts of Physical, Psychological, Social, Economic, and Interpersonal Losses on Late Life
The progression of life from young to old age involves significant brain changes that result in physical, psychological, social, economic, and interpersonal losses owing to reduced cognitive abilities (Shahrestani et al., 2010). This state of affairs brings about various effects that continue to worsen the mental well-being of the elderly people. For instance, reduced physical and psychological activity can lead to social discrimination. Economic loss also contributes to poor mental health as the elderly struggle to minimize expenditure. These situations leave the old people struggling with loneliness, isolation, and low-self-esteem. As a result, they suffer from depression and other mental hitches that can even result in madness and/or suicide (Wu, Schimmele, & Chappell, 2012).
Positive Effects of Late Life Transitions
Nevertheless, some elderly people enjoy the positive effects of late life transitions. Events such a retirement can offer an opportunity for rest depending on the attitude of the elderly people. It can be a chance to spend quality time with friends and family besides giving back to the community. Elsewhere, marriage relationships bring about positive later life experiences as the elderly witness change and continuity of generations (Wu et al., 2012). As a result, grandparenthood also becomes an important aspect of the elderly in the society.
Analysis of the Overall Impact of Psychological Change in Late Adulthood
The effect of growing older is seen in reduced psychological, emotional, and social activities amongst the elderly people. Psychological changes in late adulthood bring about special challenges to life. At the outset, there is amplified dependency. According to Schaie and Willis (2010), many elderly individuals require help in accomplishing day-to-day activities. At this point, family members, close kinsfolks, friends, and nurses among other persons become significantly important as they extend assistance to the old-aged individuals. Another impact is the development of solitude and connectedness. Although some people become lonely in their later life, others opt to re-establish social connections with a view of creating late life relationships. Such associations are crucial in improving social support amongst the elderly persons.
Impact of such Issues on the Mental Health of the Elderly
Köhler, Thomas, Barnett, and O’Brien (2010) reveal that physical, psychological, social, economic, and interpersonal losses have significant impacts on the mental health of the elderly. For instance, increased dependency can lead to feelings of indignity, culpability, and burden. This state of affairs can further result in depression, especially in communities where dependency is perceived as a burden (Köhler et al., 2010). Intentional deprivation of care is common among the caregivers of the elderly people. This practice brings about increased mental pressure that can result in permanent melancholy, insanity, or even suicide.
How the Risk for Mental Disorders has increased as a result of such Changes
The deterioration of the health of the elderly people in late life is perceived to increase the risk for mental disorders (Ferrini & Ferrini, 2003). The escalation of mental problems is common amongst old-aged individuals who experience inadequate social, emotional, psychological, and economic support. Physical and interpersonal changes have been noted to increase mental health issues in late life. Köhler et al. (2010) posits that the number of people experiencing late life mental problems is likely to increase from 30 to 50 percent in the next five years.
Reference List
Ferrini, A., & Ferrini, R. (2003). Health in the Later Years. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Web.
Köhler, S., Thomas, A., Barnett, N., & O’Brien, J. (2010). The pattern and course of cognitive impairment in late-life depression. Psychological medicine, 40(4), 591-602. Web.
Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. (2010). Attachment in adulthood: Structure, dynamics, and change. New York, NY: Guilford Press. Web.
Schaie, K., & Willis, S. (2010). Handbook of the Psychology of Aging. New York, NY: Academic Press. Web.
Shahrestani, P., Quach, J., Mueller, L., & Rose, M. (2012). Paradoxical physiological transitions from aging to late life in Drosophila. Rejuvenation research, 15(1), 49-58. Web.
Wu, Z., Schimmele, C., & Chappell, N. (2012). Aging and late-life depression. Journal of Aging and Health, 24(1), 3-28. Web.
There is a way to follow the key developments that emanated from two government reports about the crucial need of improving the UK’s mental health practice. The first report was dubbed as “a cross-government mental health outcomes strategy” for all UK residents (Department of Health, 2011).
The second report was known as the “implementation framework” that was produced after the government collaborated with groups like the Royal College of General Practitioner and the Local Government Association (National Health Service, 2012).
It is imperative to find out the possible outcome of these reports in upgrading the country’s capabilities when it comes to mental health information and communication. It is also important to discover how these developments affected the process of information dissemination for public awareness and public service. One way to analyze the impact of these two government reports is to determine its possible influence in shaping the content of three leading websites that specialize in helping UK residents that are suffering from the consequences of mental health problems.
Background
Andrew Lansley, the Secretary of State for Health and Paul Burstow, the top executive for the Minister of State for Care Services placed their signatures on a document that outlines an ambitious plan. The same thing can be said of the “implementation framework” signed by Sir David Nicholson, the Chief Executive of the National Health Services, and Duncan Selbie, the Chief Executive of Public Health England.
The report from the Department of Health and the National Health Service outlined an endeavor to enhance the nation’s health care system by fixing the shortcomings of the mental health sector. Any attempt to improve a national health care delivery system is always perceived as an extremely difficult task (The UK’s Faculty of Public Health, 2016). The challenge of improving the government’s health care program is rooted in the high demand for quality care and the spiraling cost of treatment and prevention programs (Roche, 2016).
In other words, government leaders and health care workers are always struggling against the consequences of managing finite resources (Economic and Social Research Council, 2016). From this perspective, it is easy to make the pronouncement that the most prudent thing to do is to aim for cost-efficiency and not initiate an attempt to create something grand (The King’s Fund, 2015).
However, the aforementioned ministers of health and top executives of key government agencies, those who were responsible for the UK’s present-day health care system expressed a desire to set lofty goals (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2010). In the two government reports mentioned earlier, there was no discussion of streamlining the operations. On the other hand, a radical way of perceiving and appreciating the UK’s contemporary health care policy was introduced to the public. This “No Health without Mental Health” framework attempts to elevate the importance of mental health issues in the same way that people give value to the treatment and prevention of heart diseases and cancer.
Before going any further, it is important to point out that policymakers were not only wary of the inevitable challenges created by the management of limited resources. One can make the argument that at the time of writing, the proponents of the new health care policy were concerned by the difficulties caused by the absence of a dominant political party. In the past, the privilege to govern the United Kingdom was contested by a few dominant political parties.
Due to the absence of competition from a plethora of political organizations, it was relatively easy to “produce a clear majority for a single party” at the end of every election cycle (Rucki, 2015). However, in the year 2010, there was a hung parliament, and the opposite came true because not a single political party was able to dominate the British electoral process. As a result, a coalition government was formed between the Liberal Democrats and the Conservative Party.
David Cameron representing the Conservative Party took the reins as the Prime Minister, and Nick Clegg representing the Liberal Democrats was chosen as Deputy Prime Minister (Rucki, 2015). In addition to the possible complications and deadlocks that may arise from an uneasy alliance between political rivals, political analysts were also worried about a chain-reaction caused by a financial deficit not seen since the end of the Second World War (Crawford and Johnson, 2015).
These were the socio-economic forces operating in the background when the UK’s ministers of health attempted to create a new mechanism that would deal with the country’s mental health shortcomings. Be that as it may, there is a clear parameter in measuring the success of the said initiative. Assessing the impact of the government’s “No Health without Mental Health” strategy requires the examination of the application of the implementation framework, and figuring out the effect of the implementation process on the activities of at least three key stakeholders.
Key Areas of Development
Insights gleaned from the study of two government reports uncovered the Department of Health’s two-pronged approach in the establishment of new policies and new mindsets when it comes to the delivery of health care services for mental health patients. The first level of development requires the creation of a strategy. The second level requires the creation of an appropriate framework. The strategy component provides the mental image of the expected outcome and the rationale for the said undertaking. The implementation framework provides the real-world implementation of the said strategy.
The policymakers behind the creation of the cross-government health outcomes strategy were guided by several core principles. For example, policymakers acknowledged the need to work with stakeholders and other partners. Second, they acknowledged the need to move away from a “centralized type” of governance so that they aimed to give back the control to the citizens in the context of creating flexibility in the decision-making process. Finally, the jewel in this crown was the commitment to help those in need regardless of socio-economic background, and this included infants, children, young people, adults, and the elderly (Department of Health, 2011).
The implementation framework as documented in the second government report contained four major sections, and these are listed as follows:
set out how to make the necessary changes to turn the strategy’s vision into reality;
measuring and reporting the progress in the implementation of the said strategy;
figure out how local organizations can help the government; and
figure out how local organizations can effectively utilize the government’s assistance in the context of mental health services (National Health Service, 2012).
About the first component of the implementation framework, the lofty ideal “parity of esteem” is being translated as creating greater access to mental health services from day one. In other words, there is a need to enhance the level of importance of preventing and treating mental health issues (Centre for Mental Health, 2016).
The proponents of the implementation framework did not shy away from using tough measures of success indicators. The first key to success is to increase the number of patients that can recover from the effects of mental health problems. The second key to success is to reduce the under 21 mortality in citizens with severe mental illness (National Health Service, 2012). Finally, the proponents wanted to increase the number of people reporting that the utilization of mental health services enabled them to feel safe and secure.
About the third component, the implementers of the strategy highlighted the need to work closely with mental health service providers to improve early detection. Furthermore, the proponents of the implementation framework identified the need to utilize the power of information to provide innovative services to the community.
The fourth component ensures the participation of the government in mental health issues that are beyond the scope of local organizations. For example, it is the responsibility of the national government to improve payment schemes to improve access to mental health services. It is also within the scope of the national government’s authority to ensure that patients will have a diversity of choices when it comes to mental health services. Finally, the national government takes care of ancillary support systems, such as housing, social justice, the criminal justice system, and employment opportunities.
Impact on Three Leading Mental Health Websites
The reports provided the framework to help the stakeholders to understand the needs of the population. The two documents also revealed the government’s implementation strategy to improve the health care delivery system in the UK by enhancing the prevention, treatment, and recovery of citizens affected with a mental health problem. However, it is high time to initiate a real-world assessment of the said strategy by looking at how three mental health websites managed the information dissemination process in favor of the general public. In this regard, the assessment process requires looking into the activities of two non-government organizations and one NHS-backed group.
The first one in the block is the organization called “Mind”, a non-government group that relies on donations to operate at least one thousand services all over the UK. The plethora of services include counseling, training, crisis helplines, employment, and drop-in centers (Mind, 2016). This particular organization is an asset when it comes to the national government’s objective of improving mental health care.
The performance of this group enhanced the credibility of the national government after revealing the plan to work with stakeholders and to transfer control of the decision-making process back to the citizens. Nevertheless, it is important to point out that the critical feedback regarding the success of the government’s implementation framework was made evident in the use of the Information Standard when helping those who needed treatment.
According to the official website of “Mind”, a significant number of people expressed their gratitude to the group, because they have found a place where they could access reliable information about their mental health issues (NHS England, 2016). As a result, another major milestone was reached, and this was the goal to increase the number of citizens that were self-reporting positive feelings of security and safety.
Another non-government organization that is included in the assessment process is the one called the “Mental Health Foundation.” The group’s focus is to work with citizens living in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The key difference between the “Mental Health Foundation” and “Mind” is that the former focused on rigorous research and evidence-based intervention strategies. In other words, this group provides a specialized service, one that deals with rigid scientific protocols to ensure evidence-based assertions regarding mental health problems.
Aside from leveraging a sophisticated research-based knowledge acquisition process, the Mental Health Foundation also shares information regarding treatment choices. In this regard, the group is another example of a successful implementation of the strategy to work with people on the local level. At the same time, the group’s importance is magnified in its capability to cover critical areas of need without the encumbrances oftentimes associated with national governments.
Furthermore, not only does Mental Health Foundation give a tremendous boost to the government’s initiative of enhancing the information dissemination output, but it also provides top-quality information regarding early detection, care, and prevention by spearheading research projects that do not require funding from the national treasury. Also, there is a certain feature of the Mental Health Foundation’s website that illustrates the success of the implementation framework in terms of expanding the scope of the government’s drive to educate people on the importance and availability of mental health services. In one section of the group’s website, one can find links to other organizations with specific capabilities that are more suited to the needs of the person seeking help (Samaritans, 2016).
The last website under consideration is the NHS Choices; this is the official website of the UK’s National Health Services. This website was created to accomplish the specific goals outlined in the aforementioned implementation framework. For example, NHS Choices is the number one destination when it comes to reliable information discussing the subject matter of mental health problems.
Be that as it may, there is a unique feature of the website that highlighted specific measures of progress, and this section provides information on how people can have access to different options when it comes to developing a plan in dealing with certain mental health problems (NHS Choices, 2016). This website also offers links to ancillary support systems, such as pharmacies, home care facilities, and consultants that can help deal with problems related to symptoms of mental health issues.
Conclusion
The UK government created an ambitious plan of enhancing the nation’s health care delivery system. The cornerstone of this initiative was the “No health without mental health” initiative. The government set lofty goals because the desired outcome was to change people’s perspective when it comes to the importance of mental health. One of the goals highlighted was to achieve “parity of esteem” so that mental health patients were able to access top-quality care.
At the onset, it was clear to the policymakers that it was impossible to accomplish the said lofty goals without collaborating with different stakeholders and partners. To ensure the success of the program, it was deemed necessary to develop a strategy and a corresponding implementation framework. Thus, there came about an outcome’s strategy to ensure early detection and increasing access to reliable information regarding mental health illnesses.
The implementation framework was added to make sure that there was an appropriate mechanism that could help determine the keys to success. The effectiveness of the implementation framework was analyzed by looking into the information dissemination process of three important websites that served as information hubs regarding mental health issues. At first glance, the effectiveness of the implementation framework was apparent, because the said websites were repositories of reliable information. However, certain features of the said three websites validated the initiatives of the government as expressed in the outcomes strategy.
For example, the websites were effective showcases when speaking about the development of a cost-efficient system of delivering information to the general public. In the case of the Mental Health Foundation, the group’s website did not only serve as a sort of warehouse for practical information but at the same time, the organization behind the website was also instrumental in the acquisition of information through scientific research.
Also, the two non-government groups showcased ways to collaborate with local groups to expand the health care delivery efforts of the government. It will require another round of research to determine the progress and success rate of the national government with regards to the “No health without mental health” initiative. Nevertheless, the presence of the three websites provided enough evidence to conclude that the UK government is on the right track in enhancing the health care delivery process and in reducing the number of people suffering from the impact of mental health problems. It is a good starting point for the coalition government.
References
Centre for Mental Health (2016) Children and young people. Web.
Abnormal involuntary movement scale (AIMS) examination
The skill of maintaining patient examination with the help of a 12 item AIMS is needed to determine if one suffers from tardive dyskinesia. It can be used for the first time to define the problem and then to check its severity. As a rule, the examination is included indirect observation. An unobtrusive client observation should be maintained beforehand when one is at rest (Patel & Jakopac, 2011).
Patient/Client Situation
A patient who takes antipsychotic medication came for examination because he was likely to suffer from movement disorders, including tardive dyskinesia, because of it. He needed to be monitored and assessed to indicate a problem before it became critical and could be prevented or at least minimalized.
Specific Description of Skill Used/Observed
I have taken notes seeing a nurse performing an AIMS examination. She met a patient in a waiting room and observed him for a while before the examination, noticing the way he moves and speaks. Then she started to ask questions regarding the motion of the patient’s face, upper and lower extremities, and trunk. They were taken from the guideline, which allowed us to avoid biases. Still, additional responses were added to clarify information or provide feedback and support.
Evaluation
I found the nurse’s skills to be effective, as she maintained the conversation clearly and did not emphasize the fact that it was an experiment, which allowed the client to remain calm. She asked 12 questions that are offered by a guideline and referred to the presupposed observation. She also had a printed scale with her, which reduced inaccuracy and provided an opportunity to enhance the quality of notes. She even counted the speed of tremor movements to differentiate similar conditions that require various types of treatment. What is more, the nurse later underlined that it is significant to define if the movements are involuntary because it can affect one’s conclusions.
Assessing for suicide risk
Mental health professionals must be able to determine those individuals who are at risk for suicide because they can save one’s life in this way. Thus, they need to understand this phenomenon, manage personal reactions and beliefs, develop a collaborative, therapeutic relationship with a client, maintain the appropriate environment, deepen into legal and ethical issues related to this theme, and be able to document the risk so that the information can be shared with other professionals.
Patient/Client Situation
The skill of assessing for suicide risk is mainly needed when working with depressed and unstable patients. A client with abnormal sleep and mood changes visited a healthcare facility because was not able to cope with his condition without external help.
Specific Description of Skill Used/Observed
A nurse observed his behavior for a while before starting the assessment and noticed that a patient is not willing to interact with others. Then she started a conversation, trying to ensure her involvement and willingness to help. She asked the patient about his condition and then also discussed with him a range of warning signs. What is more, she was interested in the potential risk factors and asked about job and family difficulties, chronic illnesses, etc.
Evaluation
I believe that this skill was effective, as the nurse received an opportunity to gather as much information as possible, including those things the patient knew beforehand, revealed during the examination, and left unnoticed. She noted his subconscious reactions, such as gestures and mimics to understand the situation better.
Providing client or family teaching
Patients should be able to take care of themselves because they will not receive nurse’s assistance after the discharge. In the same way, it is significant for their relatives to know how to support this person and provide everything needed to reach positive health outcomes.
Patient/Client Situation
A patient had an appendectomy and is going to be discharged from the hospital soon. Still, he is not ready to get back to his everyday routine yet. His postoperative suture requires treatment, he should not be engaged in intensive physical activities, should take medicines, and improve nutrition.
Specific Description of Skill Used/Observed
The nurse started educating the patient stimulating his interest. She explained what he should do at home and why. She asked the client about his specific concerns and discussed them also. Allocating the tasks, the nurse considered the patient’s opportunities and asked his family to join so that they can also learn what should be done and how. She showed all tools that would be used and allowed the client and his relatives to “play” with them for a while, mentioning what they do right and correcting when something is wrong. She provided them with manuals and video materials to refer to them when having problems. Also, she noticed what should be done if some problems occur.
Evaluation
I believe that the nurse had an opportunity to indicate the patient’s learning style beforehand, but I have no proves of this. Still, I find her skills effective as she provided various education materials and even allowed the patient and his family to practice. She asked questions to find out what they believe to be difficult and encouraged them to share their ideas. Finally, she educated on her example and underlined that they could find more assistance in the hospital if need. It is also critical that she promised to repeat this lesson before the discharge.
Intervening to reduce agitation and/or anxiety
Those patients who are agitated or anxious do not just prevent nurses and other healthcare professionals from providing appropriate services but also are likely to hurt themselves or the people around them. Thus, nurses must be able to calm them.
Patient/Client Situation
A patient with the symptoms of anxiety came to the hospital because he thought that he had the flu. He was not able to sit at his place calmly and was constantly trying to attract attention.
Specific Description of Skill Used/Observed
The nurse asked him to come down and tell her what was wrong. She noted the peculiarities of his behavior also. The professional spoke to him in a low, calm voice. She reassured him and provided feedback. She tried to establish eye contact with a patient and hold his hand while speaking. Then she turned on calm music and asked if the patient is fine with it. Then she referred to calmative.
Evaluation
This skill was effective as the nurse tried to cope with anxiety without medical treatment from the very beginning, which was likely to have a positive influence on one’s condition and allow the nurse to deepen in the situation. She observed the patient’s behavior and tried to build trust-based relations with him so that her influence increased. As a result, he found out how to compose himself, became calmer, and the dose of calmative was reduced.
Using self-disclosure
This skill allows a nurse to enhance a patient’s emotional and mental state by sharing personal ideas and experiences. It is critical to use this skill when a client requires help but not when a physician has a desire to share (Dexter & Wash, 2013).
Patient/Client Situation
A patient who has divorced just recently came to the hospital. She was upset over this situation and could not pull herself together. As a result, she had a headache and insomnia in addition to a depressed condition.
Specific Description of Skill Used/Observed
Seeing that a patient has a problem, a nurse started a conversation with her, asking about her general condition. She encouraged the patient to share her ideas of why she feels bad so that the situation with divorce was revealed without any interference into one’s personal life. The nurse did not evaluate the event but said that she could understand the client as she had experienced a similar situation. She disclosed the fact that she had a divorce and mentioned how she survived it.
Evaluation
I believe this skill to be effective, as it allowed the nurse to make the customer feel better. She got a better understanding of the patient’s situation and provided some insight in this way. Still, the nurse did not provide a lot of information about herself, which allowed her to avoid negative consequences. In addition to that, this skill allowed the nurse to build trust-based relations with her client, which was likely to enhance their further interaction and have positive influences on the quality of care provided and achieved health outcomes.
Assisting with discharge planning
This skill is needed when a patient is going to be discharged soon. A nurse needs to consider various alternatives based on the patient’s condition and determine whether the goals of the treatment were met.
Patient/Client Situation
A patient who suffered from depression and spent several weeks in an inpatient facility is going to be discharged in three days. A nurse was going to help with discharge planning so that the very procedure was clearly described and it was stated what and should be done by the patient after the discharge (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2014).
Specific Description of Skill Used/Observed
The professional assessed community resources and support systems to find out how the patient would get home, and who will assist him, etc. She checked medications availability for one to continue treatment. The nurse prepared a summary of the client’s stay and his condition on discharge. She also mentioned recommendations for aftercare. She also prepared a list of services that are likely to be interesting to the patient and beneficial for his condition.
Evaluation
This skill was effective as it allowed the nurse to assist in discharge planning and make it easier for the patient and other professionals involved in his treatment to maintain this procedure. The nurse did not interfere with the patient’s private life but prepared a list of options that can be rather beneficial during the follow-up and aftercare processes. What is more, she prepared a lot of documentation that is likely to be required by other professionals who will treat this patient in the future. In this way, they also will have an opportunity to find out his previous health and history, which is critical for the allocation of appropriate care.
References
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2014). Discharge planning. Web.
Dexter, C., & Wash, M. (2013). Psychiatric nursing skills: A patient-centered approach. San Diego, CA: Springer.
Patel, C., & Jakopac, K. (2011). Manual of psychiatric nursing skills. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.