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- All Subjects: Culture
- Member of: Barrett, The Honors College Thesis/Creative Project Collection
- Status: Published
Description
This paper explains what factors influence mental health issues and what type of care is provided in various countries. The countries in this study will include the United States, Japan, Ethiopia and South Africa, all of which have varying degrees of ethnic diversity, economic status and understanding of mental health issues. It discusses the specific healthcare systems in each country, as well as the attitudes and problems associated with depression and schizophrenia, two prevalent mental health disorders. This paper examines the different ways that a diagnosis is reached for schizophrenia and major depression in these different countries, as well as what methods are used for treating individuals with these disorders. It will also examine the prominent notion that schizophrenia has better outcomes in developing countries than in places that have wider medical care available. It then discusses what treatments are available in each country, as well as social constructs that exist regarding those treatments in order to understand the ways that treatments can be expanded to improve outcomes. This paper will then examine the different outcomes of these mental health disorders that are common in each country, and conclude with ideas on how to make global mental health a reality.
ContributorsOlsen, Rachel Lindsay (Author) / Gaughan, Monica (Thesis director) / Wood, Reed (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / School of Human Evolution and Social Change (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
Alcohol use disorder is a major problem worldwide and can result in a number of significant physical, social and economic consequences. Specifically when comparing the prevalence of alcohol use disorders in the United States and Spain, it is much higher in the United States, at 13.9% compared with 1.5% in Spain. While there are a number of factors that contribute to a person’s risk, this thesis focuses on possible cultural explanations for these differences. After analyzing current literature surrounding alcohol trends and differing cultures in the US and Spain, the differences could be attributable to the dry drinking culture in the US, and the culture surrounding university - living and college towns in the US. The findings of this study suggest that culture, norms and attitudes surrounding drinking have a large impact on alcohol use disorder, and the US could benefit from implementing strategies to change these norms and attitudes surrounding alcohol, as well as train healthcare providers to have effective, brief counseling conversations.
ContributorsBailey, Kayla (Author) / Taylor, Teri (Thesis director) / Gaughan, Monica (Committee member) / Cotner, Kali (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / College of Health Solutions (Contributor) / Watts College of Public Service & Community Solut (Contributor)
Created2023-05
Description
Ecological modeling can be used to analyze health risk behaviors and their relationship to ecological factors, which is useful in determining how social environmental factors influence an individual’s decisions. Environmental interactions shape the way that humans behave throughout the day, either through observation, action, or consequences. Specifically, health risk behaviors can be analyzed in relation to ecological factors. Alcohol drinking among college students has been a long concern and there are many risks associated with these behaviors in this population. Consistent engagement in health risk behaviors as a college student, such as drinking and smoking, can pose a much larger issues later in life and can lead to many different health problems. A research study was conducted in the form of a 27 question survey to determine and evaluate the impact of ecological factors on drinking and smoking behaviors among Arizona State University students. Ecological factors such as demographics, living conditions, contexts of social interactions, and places where students spend most of their time were used to evaluate the relationship between drinking and smoking behaviors and the ecological factors, both on- and off- campus. The sample size of this study is 541 students. Statistical tests were conducted using Excel and RStudio to find relationships between patterns of health risk behaviors and various ecological factors. The data from the survey was analyzed to address three main questions. The first question analyzed drinking behaviors in relation to demographics, specifically gender and race. The second question assessed drinking behaviors with participation in Greek life and clubs on campus. The third question evaluated the relationship between health risk behaviors and students’ living conditions, such as living on or off campus. The results show that while gender does not have a statistically significant influence on drinking behaviors, race does. White individuals are more likely to engage in drinking behaviors and are more at risk than non-whites. Participation in Greek life was shown to be statistically significant in determining health risk behaviors, while involvement in clubs was not. Finally, on campus students are less likely to engage in health risk behaviors than off-campus students.
ContributorsWerbick, Meghan Lindsay (Co-author) / Andrade, Amber (Co-author) / Naik, Sparshee (Co-author) / Mubayi, Anuj (Thesis director) / Gaughan, Monica (Committee member) / School of Human Evolution & Social Change (Contributor, Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor, Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
ABSTRACT
Overview: There has been very little research done into the topic of mental illness in general, and Alzheimer’s Disease specifically, in Guatemala. The existing research accounts for prevalence of mental illness in Guatemala with an estimated prevalence of a mental illness of 27.8% (Guatemalan Government, 2009). Alzheimer’s Disease is less well researched.
Research Question: This research addresses this gap in knowledge by focusing on the stigma felt toward people who had Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia (ADRD) by the people of Guatemala.
Participants: One-hundred twenty-four individuals over the age of 18 were recruited for participation. Participants were recruited through opportunity samples in artisan markets in Antigua.
Procedures: Participants completed a survey including demographic questions, the Dementia Attitudes Scale (O’Connor & McFadden 2010), as well as open-ended questions regarding the causes, symptoms, and treatments for Alzheimer’s. The study was conducted from July 2, 2018 to August 2, 2018.
Results: The average DAS score of 100.31± 14.01 found in this study is similar to results from other studies conducted in the United States (O'Connor & McFadden, 2010). Factor analysis did not verify the existence of sub-scales in the survey, as found in previous studies. The free-response questions indicated that many people may believe that ADRD is an inherited disease or one that is caused by factors outside of their control.
Conclusions: The high DAS score of 100.31± 14.01 matches other studies that used the DAS. Scores of 103.51± 13.43 (Scerri & Scerri, 2013) were reported in other studies and interpreted as positive as it relates to stigma. This points to a low stigma level in Guatemala. The failure to verify the sub-scales leads to the conclusion that although scales are validated in western nations, they may not be culturally portable. The DAS scale may not be measuring the same thing in this sample’s population versus previous studies sample populations.
Overview: There has been very little research done into the topic of mental illness in general, and Alzheimer’s Disease specifically, in Guatemala. The existing research accounts for prevalence of mental illness in Guatemala with an estimated prevalence of a mental illness of 27.8% (Guatemalan Government, 2009). Alzheimer’s Disease is less well researched.
Research Question: This research addresses this gap in knowledge by focusing on the stigma felt toward people who had Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia (ADRD) by the people of Guatemala.
Participants: One-hundred twenty-four individuals over the age of 18 were recruited for participation. Participants were recruited through opportunity samples in artisan markets in Antigua.
Procedures: Participants completed a survey including demographic questions, the Dementia Attitudes Scale (O’Connor & McFadden 2010), as well as open-ended questions regarding the causes, symptoms, and treatments for Alzheimer’s. The study was conducted from July 2, 2018 to August 2, 2018.
Results: The average DAS score of 100.31± 14.01 found in this study is similar to results from other studies conducted in the United States (O'Connor & McFadden, 2010). Factor analysis did not verify the existence of sub-scales in the survey, as found in previous studies. The free-response questions indicated that many people may believe that ADRD is an inherited disease or one that is caused by factors outside of their control.
Conclusions: The high DAS score of 100.31± 14.01 matches other studies that used the DAS. Scores of 103.51± 13.43 (Scerri & Scerri, 2013) were reported in other studies and interpreted as positive as it relates to stigma. This points to a low stigma level in Guatemala. The failure to verify the sub-scales leads to the conclusion that although scales are validated in western nations, they may not be culturally portable. The DAS scale may not be measuring the same thing in this sample’s population versus previous studies sample populations.
ContributorsPotts, Michael Andrew (Author) / Maupin, Jonathan (Thesis director) / Gaughan, Monica (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05