Focused Discussions
(Asynchronous)
Factors Associated with Psychological Distress among People with Physical Disabilities View Digital Media
Focused Discussion Maya Kagan
Psychological distress among people with physical disabilities (PWPD) might affect their physical morbidity, reduce their quality and duration of life, and increase their need for healthcare services. Therefore, the current study assesses the association between demographic factors (gender, education, and employment status), health and disability-related factors (type of disability, visibility of the disability, disability duration, and self-rated health), and psycho-social factors (perceived discrimination and perceived social support), and psychological distress among people with physical disabilities (PWPD) in Israel. The data were collected through structured questionnaires, administered to a sample of 433 PWPD. The findings suggest negative associations between education, employment status, duration of disability, self-rated health, and perceived social support, and between psychological distress among PWPD. In addition, the findings indicate a positive association between perceived discrimination and psychological distress. No association was found between gender, type of disability, and visibility of the disability and psychological distress. Self-rated health had a greater effect on psychological distress than the other factors highlighted in this study.
Music Therapy and Neuropsychology: Binaural Waves and Brain Waves View Digital Media
Focused Discussion Anna Maria Lozowska Maroufi
Music therapy is known primarily as a form of psychotherapy, in a very wide range of this influence. Also in rehabilitation we find a wide application of music therapy, where it plays a supporting role for movement and respiratory kinesiotherapy or correction of posture defects. As a sociotherapist, I must admit that music therapy is increasingly used as a form of rehabilitation therapy for prisoners or working with addicted people (alcoholism, drug addiction). As a teacher and music therapist, I must emphasize the importance of music therapy in working with mentally, cognitively and developmentally handicapped children. I work with autistic children, with Asperger's syndrome, ADHD, etc. Music therapy is also used perioperatively, during surgery, or in preparing the patient for surgery.
Exploring the Dietary Experiences of Tongan Americans: Barriers and Facilitators to Healthy Dietary Behaviors View Digital Media
Focused Discussion Victor Kaufusi, Moniqueca Kaufusi
Over the past two decades, the quality of the Tongan-American diet has become of increasing concern to researchers, health professionals, and within the Tongan American communities. Obesity and non-communicable diseases have increased among this population in the last 20 years with obesity now being considered to be an epidemic among Tongan-Americans. Likewise, Tongans have the fifth highest percentage of obese people in the world. In addition, the prevalence of diabetes among Tongan-American adults is also twice as high (21%) as compared to the U.S. population (10%). These health disparities could be addressed by exploring the experiences with dietary behaviors among this population given the link between dietary behaviors and obesity and other chronic diseases such as diabetes. Thus, the purpose of this qualitative study is to better understand the dietary experiences and attitudes of Tongan Americans that contribute to the disproportionate rates of obesity and other chronic diseases in an effort to inform culturally tailored health strategies to address the high incidences.
Providing Mental Health Care in the Immediate/Urgent Care Clinic Setting: Expanding Access to Mental Health Through an Innovative Delivery System View Digital Media
Focused Discussion James (Todd) Mc Gahey, Melanie Wallace
The Covid-19 pandemic has exponentially exacerbated the need for mental health services. Access to mental health providers has been limited to physicians, especially psychiatrist, and many people have been deterred from seeking mental health services due various difficulties and challenges. These include the scarcity of psychiatrist, the wait time or scheduling challenges and the stigma associated with mental health. This paper examines the prospects of embedding mental health providers in urgent/immediate care facilities. This provides seamless transitions from physical health to mental health and provide a place where all health needs can be met simultaneously. This proposal will also increase accessibility to mental health care through psychotherapy and psychopharmacology, decreasing the prevalence of mental health issues in a community.
Supportive Green Spaces: Understanding Student Experience of Campus Design During COVID-19 View Digital Media
Focused Discussion Jeannine Chester, Vanita Naidoo
Using the findings of this mixed methods study on green spaces and campus design, we examine how student experience during COVID-19 can inform the return to campus. Social Work schools can focus on built environment to support student mental health, academic engagement, well-being, and belonging. In this comparative analysis of two campuses, located in a suburban and rural context, the fundamental differences in use and perception of campus green space was examined to better understand the student experience.
