Experts Matter. Find Yours.

#ExpertPerspective: Did the Covid-19 Pandemic Change Perspectives on Inequality?

Did the COVID-19 pandemic have a silver lining? According to Professor Andrea Dittmann and an interdisciplinary team of researchers, the answer is, “Yes.” In 2020, when it became clear that the COVID-19 pandemic would upend daily life, Andrea Dittmann decided the research she’d been doing could wait. Typically, Dittmann, Assistant Professor of Organization & Management, studies the sources of—and solutions to—inequality in the workplace. “The pandemic is a very distressing thing, but from a research standpoint it’s fascinating to study,” Dittmann said. “The pandemic laid bare all of the inequalities that I’ve been studying for years.” Dittmann, along with colleagues Ellen Reinhart and Hazel Rose Markus from the Department of Psychology, Stanford University; Rebecca Carey, Department of Psychology, Princeton University; Nicole Stephens, Management and Organizations, Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management; and Hannah Birnbaum, Organizational Behavior Area, Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis, decided to study how experiencing personal harm as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic influenced people’s attitudes and behaviors towards equality. In their paper, “Personal Harm from the Covid-19 pandemic predicts advocacy for equality,” published in the January 2023 issue of Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, the researchers write that experiencing greater personal harm in the early stages of the pandemic was “associated with increased advocacy for equality one year later.” These findings are noteworthy. For decades, psychologists have studied Americans’ tendency to rationalize existing inequality as a consequence of individual or “internal” attributes (e.g. differences in work ethic) rather than as a product of larger structural, external, and uncontrollable factors such as bad luck, discrimination, or differences in educational opportunities. “Americans tend to explain people’s life outcomes as free from the constraints of history, other people, and social systems. Instead, life outcomes are seen as a product of individuals’ personal preferences, choices, or enduring characteristics,” they write. Lessons from Firsthand Experience While previous studies have shown that increasing a person’s exposure to inequality—for instance, working in an under-served school or participating in a poverty simulation—can increase people’s endorsement of external attributions for inequality, the COVID-19 pandemic presented the researchers with a real life opportunity to test their hypothesis: that an individual’s firsthand experience of personal harm due to an external force beyond his or her control “will be associated with an increase in their advocacy for equality over time,” they write. Firsthand exposure to inequality confronts people with information contrary to the dominant narrative; it demonstrates how forces beyond individuals’ control can shape people’s opportunities. To conduct their study, the authors recruited a balanced sample (in terms of gender and educational level) of approximately 1500 U.S. citizens between the ages of 18-70. Over the course of a year, they surveyed the participants three times—in May 2020, October 2020 and May 2021. Participants were asked whether they had experienced personal harm as a result of the pandemic (such as disruptions to sleep, poor mental health, financial difficulties, contracting the disease, or having a friend/family member die from the disease) and whether or not experiencing such harm was associated with greater endorsement of external attributions for inequality. Increased Advocacy: A Silver Lining To measure attitudinal and behavioral advocacy for equality, the study included questions about whether there should be universal healthcare, whether the government should provide stimulus checks to help people meet basic needs, and whether or not participants had done anything to combat inequality as a result of the personal harm they had experienced. Had they contacted a public official to express support for reducing social or economic inequality? Had they posted or shared content online that related to reducing social or economic inequality? Even when we ran the most conservative statistical tests, we were still seeing this meaningful relationship between experiencing personal harm and changing your attitude towards inequality and being more willing to stand up and do something about inequality. It speaks to the importance of having direct experience with something that has a disproportionate effect on your life. Dittmann doesn’t know if these attitudinal shifts will be permanent, but she believes the results of the study suggest that research interventions, like asking people to think about people they know who are affected by “large, external shocks” such as climate change or a natural disaster, “could be a way, experimentally, to get more people to see the link, to make these external attributions,” she explained. “While it’s of course awful that so many people experienced this harm due to the pandemic, if there is one good thing that came of it, people were able to shift their attitudes towards inequality. And very importantly, as someone who has done a lot of social psychological research, you don’t expect these effects to persist this long over time. They tend to be more transient. But this study suggests that these could be relatively long term effects.” Looking to know more? Then let us help with your media coverage or research. Andrea is an Assistant Professor of Organization & Management at Emory University's Goizueta Business School. She studies diversity and inequality, particularly employees' social class backgrounds, aiming to promote equity and inclusion at work. Andrea is available to speak with media - simply click on her icon now to arrange an interview today.

Approximately 30 University Police officers recognized for mental health training

Student mental health is a constant concern on a university campus. It is not uncommon for someone in distress to call 9-1-1. A police officer could be the first person to interact with a person who needs specialized attention. To help evaluate and properly handle such situations, every officer at Georgia Southern has completed Crisis Intervention Training (CIT), presented by the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in collaboration with the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, and the Georgia Chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. The training ensures that people with mental illnesses and other brain disorders will receive treatment in lieu of incarceration in most cases. On top of that training, the University System of Georgia offers two additional programs to law enforcement officers: QPR Suicide Prevention Training – QPR stands for Question, Persuade and Refer – the three simple steps anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. Just as people trained in CPR and the Heimlich maneuver help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade and refer someone to help. Adult Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Training – MHFA is a skills-based training course that teaches people how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorder. for police officers to help recognize and handle mental health issues and mental health disorders. So far, almost 30 police officers at Georgia Southern University have completed the three different training programs, earning each officer a Mental Health Initiative pin. “I am very proud of these officers, and appreciate them taking the time to better prepare for handling any situation they may encounter,” said Laura McCullough, chief of police at Georgia Southern. “The pins they now wear are a symbol of the care they invest in our community.” State and University officials lauded the officers’ achievements. “This law enforcement mental health certification program could not come at a better time for our university communities, given the state of mental health in our country and on our campuses,” said Jodi Caldwell, director of Georgia Southern’s Counseling Center. “Law enforcement personnel are increasingly the first responders to individuals experiencing mental health emergencies. It comes as no surprise to the staff of the Counseling Center that Georgia Southern’s University police department is leading the way in Georgia for law enforcement interest and willingness to become trained in recognizing and responding to individuals in mental health distress.” Caldwell spoke at a ceremony last month to present the pins and honor the officers. Also attending were Alexis Belvin, Georgia Southern’s SGA President and Chip Reese, Ed.D., former system project director for the University System of Georgia (USG) Mental Health Initiative. “The USG Mental Health Initiative was launched during COVID to allow us to focus more intentionally on the needs of our students,” Reese said. “We have expanded clinical counseling services and supported mental health and wellness resources and programming across the state. I’m particularly proud of the QPR and MHFA training and hope it will better equip the officers who are already on the first ones we call whenever someone needs help.” The following officers were awarded the Mental Health Initiative Pin: Tim Alderman, Josh Barker, Richard Bashlor, Charles Bowen, Ian Craig, Laurence Croy, Steven Cushner, Sam Derr, Christion Doyle, Bailey Dyches, Jonathan Finley, Danny Garrigus, Kenneth Glover, Clay Gracen, Sarah Grey, Lanier Griswold, Patrick Holloway, Tyrone McBride, Chris McBride, Erk McCurdy, BJ McKellar, Alex Morris, Todd Olsen, Kurt Purtee, Dexter Renfroe, Erick Riner, Lamar Stephens, and Crystal Thomas. Looking to know more - then let us help. Jodi Caldwell, director of Georgia Southern’s Counseling Center, is available to speak regarding this important topic - simply click on here icon here or simply reach out to Georgia Southern Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.

Psychology students launch creative sessions to support wellbeing through art

The Aston Creative Wellbeing Group is run and facilitated by Aston University psychology students The group brings students together outside of class with an aim of supporting health and wellbeing through art The group will be running another nine sessions in spring 2023 due to its popularity. A student-led creative wellbeing group has been set up by psychology students at Aston University, with the help of their tutor, to connect student participants through art and help enhance their wellbeing. The Aston Creative Wellbeing Group, which showcases its creative work on its Instagram page, was so well attended in the autumn term - with more than 120 participants - it is now planning another nine sessions meeting weekly during the spring term to continue its mission to bring students together and support wellbeing. With some initial funding from the University welfare team to purchase ‘start up’ materials, the group ran a range of sessions including rock painting, making postcards, learning to crochet, painting and drawing and making festive decorations during the autumn 2022 term. Dr Kate Nicholls, senior personal tutor and teaching fellow in psychology at Aston University, explained why she supported the group to set up. Kate said: "I was keen to develop some student-led initiatives to support health and wellbeing in the School of Psychology. I also hoped it would help the students develop their professional skills and the practical application of their psychological knowledge. "It was art making and creative activities that sparked an interest from some final year psychology students and the Aston Creative Wellbeing Group was born. The group wanted to use the arts to enhance wellbeing, using creative activities to explore sense-making, aesthetic appreciation, provide entertainment and friendships.” Karla Hitchins, a final year psychology student who set up the group, said: “Running the group slides in nicely with my interests in art psychotherapy, but I also really enjoy arts and crafts in my own time. It has been great fun to facilitate this group. “The aim of the sessions is for people to have a safe space where they can connect with their creative side, as well as with other students. At the University, there are wellbeing and counselling services, but I don’t think there is anything quite like this. “Having somewhere to express your feelings, or to just have a creative outlet is incredibly important and I hope that eventually there will be more arts-based interventions for mental health and wellbeing at all universities.” Psychology student and group facilitator, Molly-Emma Taylor, said: “I've experienced a few mental health wobbles during this term, so having the wellbeing sessions has helped me a lot. "For example, the painting session was an amazing way to let out some pent-up feelings and it gave me time to connect with friends. I don't think I would have got so much out of it had I simply painted alone. “I think that the theme of everyone banding together every two weeks and making art, in whatever form it may be, is pretty awesome. It's always fun to see what everyone makes. “The social media aspect of the group on Instagram is nice too, because it means even if someone wasn't able to make it to a session they can still feel like a part of group and see what other people created.” Jacqueline Maloney, mental health specialist at Aston University said: "As a mental health specialist at the University, I have been thrilled to help promote and support our psychology Students’ initiative to provide creative wellbeing activities for our students. "I am a big believer in the therapeutic potential of the arts and through participation in these sessions I have witnessed students relaxing, laughing, trying new crafts, and enjoying time in creative endeavours. I am so pleased that this session will be continued into 2023." For more information about studying psychology at Aston University, please visit our website.

UConn's Sandra Chafouleas and Feel Your Best Self -- using puppets to support children's social-emotional well-being

The COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on America's children -- parents lost jobs, kids weren't able to go to school, and they were told it was dangerous to see their friends.  From a child's point of view, they seemed to have a lot, if not nearly everything, taken away, and many are still struggling today. Recently, NPR took a deeper look at the challenges kids are facing and found one creative solution that's helping elementary school children to change negative thinking patterns, better understand others' motivations, and face fears that may fuel unhealthy avoidance behaviors. UConn expert Sandra Chafouleas, a professor and school psychologist, is a co-creator of the new program -- called Feel Your Best Self -- which uses puppets to help children develop their social-emotional skills and well-being.  During the pandemic, Wicks sent emails to researchers at the University of Connecticut's Neag School of Education, fishing for collaborators. She'd been wanting to put more of their work online. Her pitch: You want to help kids right now, and we have puppets. One of those emails went to Sandy Chafouleas, a UConn professor and trained school psychologist. Chafouleas was worried about all that extra stress on kids returning from the pandemic and that schools wouldn't be able to help them. "Teachers were stressed. Systems were stressed. Nobody had time to do professional learning to do something complex. That's just ridiculous to think that they could've," Chafouleas says. Denoya, the first-grade teacher at Natchaug Elementary, has seen it firsthand: Kids returned from the pandemic with missing or rusty social and emotional skills. They had trouble sharing, learning how to take turns and dealing with disappointment. "There's just things that they missed out on with not having that socialization, and so we need to find a place to teach it at school too," Denoya says. Anticipating this need, Chafouleas and Wicks cooked up Feel Your Best Self. The idea was, these scripted puppet videos would be easy — and free — for schools to use, even if they don't have a trained mental health specialist on-hand. Which many don't. Or they have one, spread across hundreds and hundreds of kids. That includes Natchaug, where Principal Eben Jones has been unable to fill a vacant school psychologist position for the past two years. Jones says that hasn't stopped him and his staff from prioritizing this kind of emotional and social skill-building. "It is embedded daily," Jones says. "Every teacher has time in the morning to have a morning meeting. And in that morning meeting they build community, share a morning message, you know, play a team-building game and make sure kids are connected to each other." This school year, Denoya and her students are doing one FYBS lesson each week. The FYBS program has exploded over the past year, thanks in part to a flood of grant funding. What began last year at Natchaug with a small team performing virtually – and live, not recorded – in one classroom at a time, became a Herculean effort to script, cast and shoot not one but 12 unique videos, with multiple puppets and performers, that teachers and caregivers can access anytime online, at no cost – in both English and Spanish. "Emily and I often feel like we're hanging on to the end of the caboose right now. This has scaled in ways that are unimaginable," says Chafouleas. Sandra Chafouleas is a UConn Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Educational Psychology and an expert on social-emotional well-being. She's available to speak with the media today -- just click her icon to arrange an interview.

Preterm Birth and Lifelong Health

November is Prematurity Awareness Month—a month that places a spotlight on the current state of maternal and infant health in the United States and globally. According to the nonprofit March of Dimes, one in 10 babies is born preterm each year in the U.S. But what does that mean, and why do we need to consider gestation period post-birth? We sat down with Michelle Kelly, PhD, CRNP, CNE, FAANP, associate professor of nursing at Villanova University's M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, to discuss and explain the importance of preterm education for lifelong health. Q: To begin, what qualifies as preterm birth? Dr. Kelly: A full-term pregnancy lasts 40 weeks. Infants born before the completion of 37 weeks of gestation are preterm. And there are levels of prematurity: Extremely preterm: Infants born before the completion of 25 weeks of gestation. Very preterm: Infants born before the completion of 32 weeks of gestation. Moderately preterm: Infants born between 32-34 weeks of gestation. Late preterm: Infants born between 34-36 weeks of gestation. Q: Why do health practitioners need to be aware of gestation history? DK: Understanding the potential long-term physical and mental health implications is essential to mitigating the risks. Clinicians cannot change the reality that someone was born early. However, clinicians can utilize that information in treatment decisions. Instituting treatment or therapies early can help minimize the expression of that risk and improve future health. Q: What are the health risks for children born prematurely? DK: The earlier an infant is born, the greater the risk to their overall health and development. And while it is much better to be born at 35 weeks instead of 25 weeks, it does not mean that those born closer to term escape all risks. During infancy and childhood, a preterm birth can cause difficulty with breathing, feeding, gaining weight appropriately and achieving important developmental milestones. Research suggests that children and adolescents born at any level of prematurity are at risk for challenges in school, conditions that require physical or behavioral therapy as well as conditions typically associated with immature body systems, such as respiratory issues like asthma. Additionally, long-term follow-up studies indicate that risk continues into adolescence and adulthood. Q: What are some long-term issues that stem from being born preterm? DK: Adolescents and adults born preterm continue to be at risk for reduced lung function, wheezing and asthma. Research findings suggest that there are also cardiovascular risks, particularly an increased incidence of hypertension (high blood pressure). Additionally, an increased incidence of mental health conditions, specifically anxiety and depression, are associated with preterm birth. All these increased risks are modifiable with early recognition and treatment. Q: What recent research has been conducted and what strides have been made to improve the lives of those born preterm? Is the prognosis for those born preterm positive? DK: Today's NICU environment is vastly different from the NICU of the past. Premature babies born in the last 20 years have survival rates that exceed 95 percent for all but the earliest of gestational ages. Increased attention to developmentally supportive care, breastfeeding, kangaroo care and the recognized importance of family presence in the NICU is now the standard of care. Research and advocacy aimed at supporting families touched by prematurity and raising awareness of healthcare providers and K-12 educators are gaining international attention. While being born preterm presents lifelong risks, identifying and communicating one's status with health practitioners early and often allows for effective treatment and positive outcomes.

Partnership with Hims & Hers Expands In-Person Healthcare Access in Four States

Hims & Hers Health, Inc. (“Hims & Hers”, NYSE: HIMS), the trusted consumer-first platform focused on providing modern personalized health and wellness experiences to consumers, and one of the nation’s premier health systems, ChristianaCare, today announced a partnership that will expand access to healthcare services and create a more seamless care journey for patients. The partnership will benefit customers in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and expands the Hims & Hers’ partnership network with providers to now include 10 states and Washington D.C. Hims & Hers offers treatments for a broad range of conditions, including those related to sexual health, hair loss, dermatology, mental health and primary care. This collaboration allows licensed medical providers on the Hims & Hers platform to connect patients with ChristianaCare’s industry leading Center for Virtual Health and extensive primary and specialty care provider network when appropriate. Referrals may occur if a patient presents with a complex medical history, requires additional in-person follow up or evaluation, or needs care for a condition that the Hims & Hers platform does not support. This collaboration advances the Hims & Hers mission to expand access to high-quality, convenient and affordable care by adding another high-quality health system to its growing network of provider relationships. “ChristianaCare stands for excellence in healthcare and is rated as one of the best hospitals in America, making them an excellent and trusted partner in ensuring a high-quality care experience throughout a consumer’s journey,” said Hims & Hers Chief Operating Officer Melissa Baird. “Healthcare consumers today want easy-to-use, on-demand access to high-quality care both digitally and in-person, so our proprietary platform, coupled with partnerships such as ChristianaCare, help them smoothly navigate more of their healthcare needs.” ChristianaCare is one of the country’s most dynamic healthcare organizations that is committed to improving health outcomes, increasing access to high-quality care and lowering the costs for patients. Its Center for Virtual Health makes health care accessible and convenient, available 24/7 through computer, tablet or smartphone. By partnering with Hims & Hers, ChristianaCare gains access to a broader patient population for its Center for Virtual Health and extensive network of primary care, outpatient services, and specialty care services, including its comprehensive stroke center and regional centers of excellence in heart and vascular care, cancer care and women’s health. “ChristianaCare is thrilled to partner with Hims & Hers to make high-quality health care available to its customers who have complex needs or need additional services that Hims & Hers does not provide,” said Sharon Anderson, MS, RN, FACHE, ChristianaCare’s chief virtual health officer and president of ChristianaCare’s Center for Virtual Health. “At ChristianaCare, our Center for Virtual Health provides personalized health care consultations that are immediate, coordinated, continuous and available 24/7, delivering value to our patients and making a positive impact on health,” she said. This partnership with ChristianaCare builds upon established relationships with other high-quality providers, including Carbon Health in California; Oschner in Louisiana; Mount Sinai Health System in New York City; and Privia in the District of Columbia, Georgia, Maryland, Texas, and Virginia. ChristianaCare will provide support to select counties within Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland.

Babies react to taste and smell in the womb – new research

Scientists have recorded the first direct evidence that babies react differently to various smells and tastes while in the womb Study took 4D ultrasound scans of 100 pregnant women to see how their unborn babies responded to flavours from foods eaten by their mothers The research team, which also included scientists from Aston University, scanned some mothers to see fetal facial reactions to the kale and carrot flavours. Scientists have recorded the first direct evidence that babies react differently to various smells and tastes while in the womb by looking at their facial expressions. A study led by Durham University’s Fetal and Neonatal Research Lab, UK, took 4D ultrasound scans of 100 pregnant women to see how their unborn babies responded after being exposed to flavours from foods eaten by their mothers. Researchers looked at how the fetuses reacted to either carrot or kale flavours just a short time after the flavours had been ingested by the mothers. Fetuses exposed to carrot showed more “laughter-face” responses while those exposed to kale showed more “cry-face” responses. Their findings could further our understanding of the development of human taste and smell receptors. The researchers also believe that what pregnant women eat might influence babies’ taste preferences after birth and potentially have implications for establishing healthy eating habits. The study is published in the journal Psychological Science. Humans experience flavour through a combination of taste and smell. In fetuses it is thought that this might happen through inhaling and swallowing the amniotic fluid in the womb. Lead researcher Beyza Ustun, a postgraduate researcher in the Fetal and Neonatal Research Lab, Department of Psychology, Durham University, said: “A number of studies have suggested that babies can taste and smell in the womb, but they are based on post-birth outcomes while our study is the first to see these reactions prior to birth. “As a result, we think that this repeated exposure to flavours before birth could help to establish food preferences post-birth, which could be important when thinking about messaging around healthy eating and the potential for avoiding ‘food-fussiness’ when weaning. “It was really amazing to see unborn babies’ reaction to kale or carrot flavours during the scans and share those moments with their parents.” The research team, which also included scientists from Aston University, Birmingham, UK, and the National Centre for Scientific Research-University of Burgundy, France, scanned the mothers, aged 18 to 40, at both 32 weeks and 36 weeks of pregnancy to see fetal facial reactions to the kale and carrot flavours. Mothers were given a single capsule containing approximately 400mg of carrot or 400mg kale powder around 20 minutes before each scan. They were asked not to consume any food or flavoured drinks one hour before their scans. The mothers also did not eat or drink anything containing carrot or kale on the day of their scans to control for factors that could affect fetal reactions. Facial reactions seen in both flavour groups, compared with fetuses in a control group who were not exposed to either flavour, showed that exposure to just a small amount of carrot or kale flavour was enough to stimulate a reaction. Co-author Professor Nadja Reissland, head of the Fetal and Neonatal Research Lab, Department of Psychology, Durham University, supervised Beyza Ustun’s research. She said: “Previous research conducted in my lab has suggested that 4D ultrasound scans are a way of monitoring fetal reactions to understand how they respond to maternal health behaviours such as smoking, and their mental health including stress, depression, and anxiety. “This latest study could have important implications for understanding the earliest evidence for fetal abilities to sense and discriminate different flavours and smells from the foods ingested by their mothers.” Co-author Professor Benoist Schaal, of the National Centre for Scientific Research-University of Burgundy, France, said: “Looking at fetuses’ facial reactions we can assume that a range of chemical stimuli pass through maternal diet into the fetal environment. “This could have important implications for our understanding of the development of our taste and smell receptors, and related perception and memory.” The researchers say their findings might also help with information given to mothers about the importance of taste and healthy diets during pregnancy. They have now begun a follow-up study with the same babies post-birth to see if the influence of flavours they experienced in the womb affects their acceptance of different foods. Research co-author Professor Jackie Blissett, of Aston University, said: “It could be argued that repeated prenatal flavour exposures may lead to preferences for those flavours experienced postnatally. In other words, exposing the fetus to less ‘liked’ flavours, such as kale, might mean they get used to those flavours in utero. “The next step is to examine whether fetuses show less ‘negative’ responses to these flavours over time, resulting in greater acceptance of those flavours when babies first taste them outside of the womb.”

Expertfile Spotlight on National Plan for Health Workforce Well-Being

ChristianaCare Participates in National Academy of Medicine National Plan for Health Workforce Well-Being and Calls for Collective Movement to Address Burnout Crisis The capacity and well-being of the U.S. health workforce has been under threat for years by an epidemic of burnout, and two years of the COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated this systems issue. Now at least 40% of nurses, 20% of physicians, and more than 25% of state and local public health department employees are considering leaving their professions. Recognizing that the function of the U.S. health system is at stake due to dangerously mounting health care system pressures, the National Plan for Health Workforce Well-Being by the National Academy of Medicine calls for immediate action to safeguard this precious national resource dedicated to protecting the country’s health. ChristianaCare is proud to have contributed this publication. “The NAM Clinician Well-Being Collaborative’s National Plan for Health Workforce Well-Being will drive urgently needed collective action to strengthen health workforce well-being and reverse existing alarming trends in burnout and turnover,” said ChristianaCare Chief Wellness Officer Heather Farley, M.D., MHCDS, FACEP. “ChristianaCare has served as a strategic network partner with the NAM to design this National Plan, which will coordinate action across several priority areas, including understanding the effects of COVID-19 on the health care workforce, recruiting of the next generation, and increasing access to much-needed mental health resources.” The National Plan calls on multiple actors to work together to drive policy and systems change to better support the health workforce and the health of all communities – including health care and public health leaders, government, payers, industry, educators, and leaders in other sectors. A draft of the National Plan was made available for public feedback and received nearly 2,000 constructive comments. To date the final Plan has received endorsements from over 25 organizations representing the diverse organizational membership of the Clinician Well-Being Collaborative and the various actors needed to collectively advance the practical strategies laid out in the Plan – including ChristianaCare. ChristianaCare has been engaged in all National Plan priority areas, such as: The creation and sustaining of positive work and learning environments and culture. Efforts in this priority area include development of the Center for WorkLife Wellbeing, which utilizes a comprehensive, multimodal approach to foster caregiver work-life meaning, connection, and joy. The Center offers multiple support services and culture change initiatives, including the implementation of resident well-being rounds, OASIS rooms for caregiver restoration, and opportunities for caregivers to develop long-standing mutual support systems. The support of mental health and reduction of mental health stigma, which included the championing of the physician mental health bill that became law this year. It also includes psychological first aid training that ChristianaCare has implemented for health system leaders and managers. Additionally, ChristianaCare offers free comprehensive behavioral health support services and an individual peer and group support program to help caregivers when they experience stress in the workplace. The commitment to well-being as a long-term value, which includes integration of caregiver collective well-being as a systemwide strategic goal. The National Plan visualizes that, when all actors take responsibility, we can create a health system in which care is delivered with joy and with meaning, by a committed care team, in partnership with engaged patients and communities. The National Plan identifies a range of actions for the near-, medium-, and long-term to achieve seven priority areas for health workforce well-being, clearly naming associated goals and responsible actors. Access the full National Plan here to learn more about the priority areas for action. For more information on the Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience, of which ChristianaCare is a member, visit this site.

988: What is it and who will it help?

Starting July 16, anyone experiencing substance use issues, a suicidal crisis, or mental health-related distress and seeking support can now simply dial “988” and connect directly with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. 988’s implementation will strengthen and expand the current lifeline call-center infrastructure and capacity to ensure that trained crisis counselors are available via call, text, and chat 24 hours a day. CARF proudly joins the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention and more than 250 partner organizations collaborating as promoters of the 988 Messaging Framework. About 988 988 is confidential, free, and available 24/7/365, connecting those experiencing a crisis with a network of trained crisis counselors located throughout the U.S. Access is available through every landline, cell phone, and voice-over-internet device in the nation. 988 call services are available in Spanish, along with interpretation services in multiple languages. Text and chat are currently available in English only. A long-term goal of 988 is building a robust nationwide crisis response system that links callers to community-based providers that can deliver a full range of crisis care services (e.g., mobile crisis teams or stabilization centers), if needed. And if you're a reporter looking to know more about the new 988 call services, or the role CARF and other organizations are playing in this nationwide effort, let us help with your questions and coverage. Michael Johnson is Senior Managing Director of Behavioral Health at CARF and is an expert in treatment strategies for mental health and substance use disorders. Michael is available to speak with media regarding this topic; simply click on his expert icon to arrange an interview today.

Could eating fruit more often keep depression at bay? New research

Study found frequent fruit eaters had greater positive mental wellbeing The study surveyed 428 adults and looked at the relationship between their consumption of fruit, vegetables, sweet and savoury food snacks and their psychological health The more often people ate fruit, the lower they scored for depression and the higher for mental wellbeing. People who frequently eat fruit are more likely to report greater positive mental wellbeing and are less likely to report symptoms of depression than those who do not, according to new research from the College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University. The researchers’ findings suggest that how often we eat fruit is more important to our psychological health than the total amount we consume during a typical week. The team also found that people who eat savoury snacks such as crisps, which are low in nutrients, are more likely to report greater levels of anxiety. Published in the British Journal of Nutrition, the study surveyed 428 adults from across the UK and looked at the relationship between their consumption of fruit, vegetables, sweet and savoury food snacks, and their psychological health. After taking demographic and lifestyle factors such as age, general health and exercise into account, the research found that both nutrient-rich fruit and nutrient-poor savoury snacks appeared to be linked to psychological health. They also found that there was no direct association between eating vegetables and psychological health. Based on the survey, the more often people ate fruit, the lower they scored for depression and the higher for mental wellbeing, independent of the overall quantity of fruit intake. People who frequently snacked on nutrient-poor savoury foods (such as crisps) were more likely to experience ‘everyday mental lapses’ (known as subjective cognitive failures) and report lower mental wellbeing. A greater number of lapses, was associated with higher reported symptoms of anxiety, stress and depression, and lower mental wellbeing scores. By contrast, there was no link between these everyday memory lapses and fruit and vegetable intake or sweet snacks, suggesting a unique relationship between these nutrient-poor savoury snacks, everyday mental lapses, and psychological health. Examples of these frustrating little everyday mental lapses included forgetting where items had been placed, forgetting the purpose of going into certain rooms, and being unable to retrieve names of acquaintances whose name was on the ‘tip of the tongue’. Lead author, PhD student Nicola-Jayne Tuck commented: “Very little is known about how diet may affect mental health and wellbeing, and while we did not directly examine causality here, our findings could suggest that frequently snacking on nutrient-poor savoury foods may increase everyday mental lapses, which in turn reduces psychological health. “Other studies have found an association between fruit and vegetables and mental health, but few have looked at fruit and vegetables separately – and even fewer evaluate both frequency and quantity of intake. “Both fruit and vegetables are rich in antioxidants, fibre and essential micronutrients which promote optimal brain function, but these nutrients can be lost during cooking. As we are more likely to eat fruit raw, this could potentially explain its stronger influence on our psychological health. “It is possible that changing what we snack on could be a really simple and easy way to improve our mental wellbeing. Conversely, it is also possible that the forthcoming restriction of processed snack foods at checkouts, due to come in this October, could not only improve the country’s physical health, but mental health too. “Overall, it’s definitely worth trying to get into the habit of reaching for the fruit bowl.” For more information about the School of Psychology, please visit our website.