Mental Health
Class
Article
Graduation Year
2018
College
College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Department
Sociology, Social Work & Anthropology Department
Faculty Mentor
Jess Lucero
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Abstract
Mental health disorders are a growing cause of world-wide health-related disabilities. Utah has the highest rates of any mental illness (AMI) in the United States with 22.4% of the population experiencing mental illness; compared to 18.2% across the country. The prevalence of mental health issues in Utah are well-documented, but the context for understanding how local cultural and religious factors influence these issues are not. Thus, the proposed study will examine differences between racial/ethnic and religious groups in Utah when it comes to their help-seeking behaviors, beliefs about mental health stigma, and levels of anxiety, stress, and depression. As part of a larger community-based research and service learning project in a USU social work community practice course, student researchers have, and are currently, collecting survey data from community members across the state to help us gain knowledge about mental health throughout Utah. The data have been collected through neighborhood canvassing, social media survey recruitment and online distribution by various community and religious organizations. Data will be analyzed using STATA statistical software and basic descriptive and bivariate statistics that probe the religious and racial/ethnic differences on the aforementioned mental health issues will be reported. This project will serve as fact finding analysis to help our local and state mental health agencies improve their outreach efforts and public awareness campaigns.
Location
Room 421
Start Date
4-13-2017 10:30 AM
End Date
4-13-2017 11:45 AM
Mental Health
Room 421
Mental health disorders are a growing cause of world-wide health-related disabilities. Utah has the highest rates of any mental illness (AMI) in the United States with 22.4% of the population experiencing mental illness; compared to 18.2% across the country. The prevalence of mental health issues in Utah are well-documented, but the context for understanding how local cultural and religious factors influence these issues are not. Thus, the proposed study will examine differences between racial/ethnic and religious groups in Utah when it comes to their help-seeking behaviors, beliefs about mental health stigma, and levels of anxiety, stress, and depression. As part of a larger community-based research and service learning project in a USU social work community practice course, student researchers have, and are currently, collecting survey data from community members across the state to help us gain knowledge about mental health throughout Utah. The data have been collected through neighborhood canvassing, social media survey recruitment and online distribution by various community and religious organizations. Data will be analyzed using STATA statistical software and basic descriptive and bivariate statistics that probe the religious and racial/ethnic differences on the aforementioned mental health issues will be reported. This project will serve as fact finding analysis to help our local and state mental health agencies improve their outreach efforts and public awareness campaigns.