NHS FPX 4000 Assessment 2 Applying Research Skills

NHS FPX 4000 Assessment 2 Applying Research Skills

Name

Capella university

NHS FPX 4000 Developing a Health Care Perspective

Prof. Name

Date

Applying Research Skills

Mental illnesses are a growing concern in the United States, with approximately 57.8 million affected individuals in 2021. The severity of these health conditions ranges from moderate to life-threatening (National Institute of Mental Health, 2023). Despite growing awareness, several healthcare concerns revolve around mental health concerns, such as inadequate services and accessibility, stigmatization, and inadequate resources to seek mental health support. This assessment applies relevant research skills to find credible and reliable information about healthcare concerns related to mental health, presenting an annotated bibliographic of peer-reviewed literature. 

Professional Relevance and Experience 

This issue is professionally relevant to nursing practice as nurses, being the frontline workers, are imperative in identifying and managing these conditions. Moreover, they significantly contribute to destigmatizing mental health problems through education and awareness initiatives and advocating for patients’ holistic well-being (Mbome, 2022). A standout professional experience involved a 28-year-old female patient with injuries from a car accident. Despite physical trauma, she showed signs of depression and anxiety, attributed to limited mental health support services in her rural area. Through attentive care and empathetic communication, I built a professional rapport with the patient, where she opened up about her struggles due to societal stigma. This encounter reaffirmed my dedication to advocating for holistic, patient-centered mental health care.

Identifying Peer-Reviewed and Scholarly Articles

I used academic and healthcare databases such as PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Google Scholar to search for scholarly articles on mental health concerns. Moreover, I used relevant keywords such as “mental health prevention,” “mental health accessibility,” “mental health in rural areas,” and “stigma associated with mental health.” I used relevant filters within the databases to find credible and up-to-date information. These filters included publication date and review articles, and I sorted articles by relevance. The chosen articles are relevant to mental health as they significantly contribute to understanding and addressing mental health concerns from various perspectives, such as highlighting the importance of combating stigma, especially in resource-limited settings, exploring the specific barriers faced by marginalized groups, and offering insights into preventive measures and promotion strategies for mental well-being.

Assessing Credibility and Relevance of Information Sources

The CRAAP criteria were applied to evaluate the authenticity and relevance of the selected sources. Muis et al. (2022) state that the CRAAP criteria are currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose. All selected articles are published between 2020-2024, ensuring currency and updated information. Moreover, the articles directly address mental health concerns, confirming relevance to the research topic. Furthermore, the authors have demonstrated expertise in mental health and healthcare, enhancing the authority of resources. The articles published in peer-reviewed journals ensured rigorous review processes, promoting the accuracy of content. Lastly, the purpose of each article is scholarly, offering insights and strategies to combat mental health issues, aligning with the topic. Thus, the CRAAP criteria validated the reliability and significance of the chosen sources.

Annotated Bibliography

Javed, A., Lee, C., Zakaria, H., Buenaventura, R. D., Cetkovich-Bakmas, M., Duailibi, K., Ng, B., Ramy, H., Saha, G., Arifeen, S., Elorza, P. M., Ratnasingham, P., & Azeem, M. W. (2021). Reducing the stigma of mental health disorders with a focus on low- and middle-income countries. Asian Journal of Psychiatry58(58), 102601. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajp.2021.102601

The article aims to explore various stigmas associated with mental health and evaluate the measures to reduce the stigma and enhance help-seeking behaviors in low-socioeconomic populations. According to this article, mental health stigma impacts patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals. Several cultural, social, and religious factors are involved in stigmatization. Drawing on existing literature and their research, the authors propose multifaceted approaches to combat stigmas, such as mental health policies, long-term and culturally sensitive awareness campaigns, capacity building for the mental health workforce, and enhanced access to services.

The authors conclude by emphasizing the urgent need for targeted interventions to reduce mental health stigma as these efforts improve access to mental health care and population well-being in LMICs. The reason to include this article is justified by its direct relevance to mental health stigma, a significant concern around mental health issues despite growing awareness. This article offers valuable insights into addressing this critical global health issue to enhance communities’ well-being. 

NHS FPX 4000 Assessment 2 Applying Research Skills

Mongelli, F., Georgakopoulos, P., & Pato, M. T. (2020). Challenges and opportunities to meet the mental health needs of underserved and disenfranchised populations in the United States. Focus18(1), 16–24. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.focus.20190028 

This article investigates the gap in accessibility and the quality of mental health services, specifically for minority populations. According to the authors, underserved populations are most affected by the gap in access to mental health services. The article provides insights from the literature on the causes of mental health disparities among this population. These causes include inadequate healthcare insurance, community-based initiatives, stigma, workforce shortages, and geographical barriers. It also discusses the opportunities available to address these challenges, such as community-based interventions, culturally competent care, policy initiatives, telehealth, and training of healthcare professionals.

This article concludes that organizational changes, financial arrangements, and provider training are essential to improve mental health accessibility. However, population-related factors must be assessed and addressed to provide community-centered care. The reason for including this article is that it offers a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted nature of the lack of mental health access by identifying challenges and opportunities. These insights are crucial for healthcare professionals, policymakers, and advocates seeking to improve mental health outcomes for marginalized groups. 

NHS FPX 4000 Assessment 2 Applying Research Skills

Morales, D. A., Barksdale, C. L., & Beckel-Mitchener, A. C. (2020). A call to action to address rural mental health disparities. Journal of Clinical and Translational Science4(5), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1017/cts.2020.42

Rural populations in the US are significantly affected by mental health disparities. This article discussed the research framework from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) that comprehensively delves into the issue. According to the framework, several biological, sociocultural, and system-related aspects contribute to disparities. However, the call to action is a three-pronged approach. The article concludes that innovative care models, suicide prevention strategies, and increased mental health providers will result in reduced disparities and desired impacts on mental health in the rural population.

This article is included as it provides invaluable information related to impediments encountered by rural populations in attaining mental health support, aligning with the need to address these barriers to care. Additionally, the article offers actionable recommendations for addressing rural mental health disparities. It is a valuable resource for healthcare professionals, policymakers, and community leaders to enhance patient outcomes and mental health services in rural areas.

Singh, V., Kumar, A., & Gupta, S. (2022). Mental health prevention and promotion—A narrative review. Frontiers in Psychiatry13(13). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.898009 

Several literature studies present ideas on preventing and promoting mental health through contemporary strategies. However, a comprehensive understanding of challenges and opportunities in their implementation is still lacking. This article reviews literature studies that examine the efficiency of mental health prevention and promotion efforts in different care settings. The review thoroughly examines mental health prevention and promotion interventions, such as community-based initiatives, psychoeducation, early intervention strategies, and technology advancement.

NHS FPX 4000 Assessment 2 Applying Research Skills

The article concludes the need for a multifaceted mental health prevention and promotion approach. Moreover, it emphasizes collaboration and early and targeted interventions for vulnerable populations. It underscores the potential of preventive measures in reducing the burden of mental health disorders and promoting resilience among communities. The reason for including this article is that it discusses the prevention and promotion of mental health as crucial components of holistic patient care. Healthcare professionals and other stakeholders can use these insights to reduce the prevalence of mental health disorders and improve mental well-being. 

Learnings from the Research

This annotated bibliography provides a comprehensive understanding of mental health issues and concerns revolving around them, such as stigma and lack of mental health access. Through my research, I’ve gained valuable insights into the multifaceted nature of the issue and the various factors influencing it. Key learning points from these articles include the pervasive stigma surrounding mental health, particularly in underserved communities, and how to overcome the stigmatization to improve mental well-being (Javed et al., 2021). Another key learning is that several challenges surround mental health disparities. However, opportunities can also be leveraged to reduce inequities and address mental health challenges (Mongelli et al., 2020).

Moreover, I learned the importance of incorporating mental health services into primary healthcare environments and addressing population-centric barriers to reduce mental health disparities using a three-way approach: innovative care models, suicide prevention, and addressing the shortage of mental health providers (Morales et al., 2020). Lastly, preventive measures and promotion strategies are crucial in combating mental health inequities and augmenting the overall well-being of communities (Singh et al., 2022). These sources helped me gain comprehensive analyses of these topics and learn evidence-based strategies and insights into reducing stigma to address access barriers and promote mental health. They enhanced my understanding by highlighting the complexities of mental health concerns and emphasizing the importance of holistic, patient-centered approaches to care.

References

Javed, A., Lee, C., Zakaria, H., Buenaventura, R. D., Cetkovich-Bakmas, M., Duailibi, K., Ng, B., Ramy, H., Saha, G., Arifeen, S., Elorza, P. M., Ratnasingham, P., & Azeem, M. W. (2021). Reducing the stigma of mental health disorders with a focus on low- and middle-income countries. Asian Journal of Psychiatry58(58), 102601. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajp.2021.102601 

Mbome, A. V. (2022). Nurses’ role in reducing mental health stigma in health care. Walden University. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=12815&context=dissertations 

NHS FPX 4000 Assessment 2 Applying Research Skills

Mongelli, F., Georgakopoulos, P., & Pato, M. T. (2020). Challenges and opportunities to meet the mental health needs of underserved and disenfranchised populations in the United States. Focus18(1), 16–24. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.focus.20190028 

Morales, D. A., Barksdale, C. L., & Beckel-Mitchener, A. C. (2020). A call to action to address rural mental health disparities. Journal of Clinical and Translational Science4(5), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1017/cts.2020.42

Muis, K. R., Denton, C., & Dubé, A. (2022). Identifying CRAAP on the Internet: A source evaluation intervention. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal9(7), 239–265. https://doi.org/10.14738/assrj.97.12670 

National Institute of Mental Health. (2023, March). Mental illness. Nimh.nih.gov. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness 

Singh, V., Kumar, A., & Gupta, S. (2022). Mental health prevention and promotion—A narrative review. Frontiers in Psychiatry13(13). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.898009