This study examined risks and resources to assess depressive symptom variation among a sample of Marshallese adolescents attending a Northwest Arkansas high school. A self-administered questionnaire ...was completed by 10th-12th-grade students (N = 1,493). With a general response rate in excess of 78%, the subsample (n = 208) represented 75% of all Marshallese students attending the high school and approximately 9% of the total K-12 Marshallese population. Average depressive symptom (CES-D) scores for Marshallese adolescents were 17.3; high enough to exceed the clinical caseness cut-off (16+) typically used as an evaluative criteria. Regression results found females and students who self-identified in lower social class categories reported more depressive symptoms than males and self-identified higher-class students. Marshallese students with poorer grades, higher exposure to school risks, and higher exposure to gangs reported more depressive symptoms; social (friends) and psychological (self-esteem) resources were both significant and negative in their association with depressive symptoms. These results represented the first comprehensive examination of depressive symptomatology among Marshallese adolescents living anywhere in the continental United States. Findings were discussed in the context of significance for clinical interventions at school and community levels.
Public Policy Relevance Statement
Little is known about mental health symptomatology among Marshallese adolescents. This study identified key risks associated with depressive symptom reporting as well as social and psychological resources associated with lower depressive symptom reporting among this special subgroup of Pacific Islander adolescents. The findings suggest a need for clear school policy/programming related to identifying students at risk for negative mental health outcomes, and importance of helping to develop strategies for this type of preventive or intervention programming.
Research regarding the association between food insecurity and weight status among youth has produced mixed results. However, few studies on this topic have utilized data that includes survey ...responses from children themselves regarding their experience with food insecurity. This study was undertaken to examine the association between food insecurity and weight status among youth, as well as the potential mediation by psychosocial factors. A survey of 5th-7th grade students was administered to gather information on food insecurity, social and psychological resources, and health. The primary analysis includes OLS (Ordinary Least Squares) regression conducted using SPSS software and Sobel's test for mediation. Results suggest a positive association between food insecurity and weight status even when controlling for key demographic variables. In addition, we find that this association is mediated by psychosocial factors—namely, perceived social status and depression. Insights from this work highlight the need to consider non-nutritional pathways through which food insecurity impacts health as well the need to continue surveying youth directly when examining their experiences with food insecurity.
Food insecurity is of heightened concern during and after natural disasters; higher prevalence is typically reported in post-disaster settings. The current study examines food insecurity prevalence ...and specific risk/resource variables that may act as barriers or advantages in accessing food in such a setting. Using a modified quota sample (
= 316), Hurricane Harvey survivors participated in face-to-face interviews and/or online surveys that assessed health, social and household factors, and sociodemographic characteristics. Using logistic regression analyses we find that social vulnerabilities, circumstantial risk, and social and psychological resources are important in determining the odds of food insecurity. Hispanic and/or Nonwhite survivors, renters, and those persons displaced during the natural disaster have higher food insecurity odds. Survivors with stronger social ties, higher levels of mastery, and a greater sense of connectedness to their community are found to have lower food insecurity odds. A more nuanced analysis of circumstantial risk finds that while the independent effects of displacement and home ownership are important, so too is the intersection of these two factors, with displaced-renters experiencing significantly higher odds than any other residence and displacement combinations, and particularly those who are homeowners not displaced during the disaster. Strategies for addressing differential risks, as well as practical approaches for implementation and education programming related to disaster recovery, are discussed.
A random, representative probability sample (N = 168) of homeless adults in northwest Arkansas was studied to assess the role of religious attendance, the perceived importance of religion, and ...spirituality in determining depressive and anxiety symptomatology. The independent effects of specific life experiences and other psychosocial resources on depression and anxiety were also examined. In contrast to previous research, we found that religiosity and spirituality were not significant factors in lowering mental health symptomatology, after controlling for other social and psychological resources. These findings are discussed in the context of what may or may not be important to homeless persons when considering their mental health outcomes and quality of life.
Introduction: The diversity of information on social media provides a ubiquitous possibility for social comparison. Online social comparisons have both detrimental and beneficial effects; besides ...lowering one’s self-esteem, heightening loneliness and addiction, they also bring together people with similar interests which may offer a form of social support. Aims: This study examines a path model for understanding the link between social comparison and social media addiction while examining online social support, loneliness, and self-esteem. Methods: Hungarian university students (N = 201, 70.6% women, aged between 18 and 30 years, SD = 2.77) completed an online survey in the spring of 2022. Results: The final path model suggests that social comparison can directly contribute to social media addiction. This link was mediated by loneliness and self-esteem, resulting in a path with different outcomes: a) social comparison may strengthen loneliness (β = .22, p < .001) which can lead to lower self-esteem (β = .60, p < .001), and b) social comparison may have a negative effect on self-esteem (β = -.22, p < .001) which can reduce social media addiction (β = -.26, p < .001). In addition, social comparison may help obtain online social support (β = .15, p < .050) which can reduce loneliness (β = -.41, p < .001) but increase the likelihood of addiction (β = .26, p < .001). Conclusions: These findings draw attention to the double-edged sword of social comparison and online social support: we need to learn to consciously manage online social comparison tendencies.
Extant research clearly points to a correlation between place and health, specifically as it pertains to chronic diseases like obesity. The present study examines this relationship among a diverse ...set of compositional place indicators and obesity rates across census tracts in the 500 largest cities in the United States.
Using data compiled from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation 500 Cities project and the Census’ American Community Survey, the analyses examined aggregate relationships between sociodemographic, socioeconomic, and housing characteristics of census tracts and crude prevalence obesity rates in over 27,000 census tracts located in the 500 largest cities in the United States.
Multivariate analysis confirms the place-chronic health connection. Regardless of variable groups, deteriorating places with higher concentrations of low-income, minority populations reported more obesity prevalence.
Place matters. The continuing burden of zip code in the United States for disenfranchised populations will likely continue to force policymakers to examine the role that place-based prevention and place-focused medical care plays in the future health and well-being of U.S. residents.
Bovine mastitis is an inflammation of the mammary gland, and it is the most common infectious disease in dairy cattle. Mastitis reduces milk yield and quality, costing dairy farmers millions of ...dollars each year. The aim of this study was to develop a point-of-need test for identifying mastitis pathogens that is field portable, cost-effective and can be used with minimal training. Using a proprietary polymer-based milk sample preparation method to rapidly extract pathogen DNA in milk samples, we demonstrated quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) assays for six common bovine bacterial mastitis pathogens: Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus dysgalactiae, Streptococcus uberis, Mycoplasma bovis and Escherichia coli. We also implemented this sample preparation method on a prototype point-of-need system in a proof-of-concept field trial to evaluate user experience. Importantly, the protype system enabled a sample-to-result turnaround time of within 70 min to quantitatively detect all six target pathogens. The key advantage of our point-of-need prototype system is being culture-independent yet providing automated milk sample preparation for molecular identification of key mastitis pathogens by non-expert users. Our point-of-need prototype system showed a good correlation to laboratory-based qPCR for target pathogen detection outcomes, thus potentially removing the need for milk samples to be transported off-site for laboratory testing. Above all, we successfully achieved our objective of developing a point-of-need biosensor technology for mastitis and increased its readiness level with industry partners towards technology commercialization.
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•Developed and validated six different bovine mastitis qPCR assays.•Constructed a prototype system to automate milk sample preparation for qPCR.•Performed laboratory testing and field trial of the prototype system.
This study examines the relationship between social capital, poverty, limited food accessibility, and food insecurity among fifth to seventh graders (N = 317), ages 10 to 14, attending a middle ...school in Northwest Arkansas. Using survey data that overcomes methodological limitations of previous research on youth food insecurity, we answer the following questions: Does social capital have a direct impact on youth food insecurity? And, does social capital buffer the influence of negative circumstances on youth food insecurity? The broader theoretical question asks “In places where there is an abundance of natural, economic, and technological resources, what stands in the way of consistent access to food for everyone?” Regression analysis finds that various indicators of social capital have a significant relationship with food insecurity even after controlling for multiple sociodemographic and circumstantial factors. In addition, significant moderating effects reveal the unique capability of two-parent households to buffer the impact of poverty and limited accessibility.
Social support from family, friends, and others enhances the quality of life and acts as an important protective mechanism against mental health problems. The purpose of this study is to investigate ...how social support is related to mental health outcomes among Jordanian adolescents. Data were collected in 2020 from public and private schools in Irbid governorate, Jordan. Multistage cluster sampling was used to recruit students from 8th - 12th grades (N = 2741; ages 13-18 years). The study finds social support is related to higher levels of life satisfaction and self-esteem. The negative association between social support and depressive symptoms is also significant. Our findings underscore the importance of the role of social support, especially support from family. This support is important to adolescents' mental health and underscores the importance of policymakers giving greater attention to the family dynamic and its impact on student well-being.
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