Appalachian Tennessee and Virginia Schools: A role in suicide prevention using activity involvement and adult connectedness as key markers.

Author Names and Emails

Megan NoeFollow

Authors' Affiliations

Quillen College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, East Tennessee State University

Location

Ballroom

Start Date

4-5-2018 8:00 AM

End Date

4-5-2018 12:00 PM

Poster Number

28

Faculty Sponsor’s Department

Pediatrics

Name of Project's Faculty Sponsor

Kiana Johnson

Faculty Sponsor's Department

Medicine Department of Pediatrics

Classification of First Author

Undergraduate Student

Type

Poster: Competitive

Project's Category

Healthcare and Medicine

Project's Category

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Abstract or Artist's Statement

Background: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2015, suicide was second leading cause of death for adolescents (age 15-24). Over the past 15 years, the suicide rate has increased 24%. Previous research has connected the importance of physical activity as a protective measure to mental health problems such as depression which is often a preceding cursor of suicide. Previous research has also provided evidence supporting adult connectedness to the adolescent as a protective effector for suicide ideology. Although there is leading independent corroboration for each of these factors as preventative measures for suicide, there is limited research on the effect of both components combined. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between usual activity, mental state, adult involvement for connectedness and suicide idealization. Hypothesis: Usual activity alone will have a strong correlation with mental state and suicide idealization. Adult involvement for connectedness alone will have a strong correlation with mental state and suicide idealization. Usual activity and adult involvement together will have the strongest correlation with mental state and suicide idealization. Methods: Data was collected at high schools in Appalachian Tennessee and Virginia. Between January and June 2017, the Adolescent Community Health Survey was conducted among random classrooms. Tennessee schools totaled 444 students and Virginia schools totaled 385 students. Information about the study was given to teachers, parents and students before school visits. Parental permission was written and received before survey was administered. A team of researchers administered and monitored the questionnaire in classrooms where students provided individual responses on the health survey. All data was weighted according to logistic regression statistics. Results: As a result of completing the above procedure, it was learned that physical activity is directly related to suicide ideation with adult connectedness as a mediator. It was also learned that mental health is directly related with suicide with physical activity as a mediator. Conclusions: Ultimately, it was demonstrated that physical activity and mental health has the highest significance to suicide ideation. Parent connectedness is only significant as a mediator. This significantly means the focus to prevent suicide ideation is to focus on intervention for mental health and physical activity. Sub focuses should be on adult connectedness and physical activity to monitor warning signs of suicide ideation.

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Apr 5th, 8:00 AM Apr 5th, 12:00 PM

Appalachian Tennessee and Virginia Schools: A role in suicide prevention using activity involvement and adult connectedness as key markers.

Ballroom

Background: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2015, suicide was second leading cause of death for adolescents (age 15-24). Over the past 15 years, the suicide rate has increased 24%. Previous research has connected the importance of physical activity as a protective measure to mental health problems such as depression which is often a preceding cursor of suicide. Previous research has also provided evidence supporting adult connectedness to the adolescent as a protective effector for suicide ideology. Although there is leading independent corroboration for each of these factors as preventative measures for suicide, there is limited research on the effect of both components combined. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between usual activity, mental state, adult involvement for connectedness and suicide idealization. Hypothesis: Usual activity alone will have a strong correlation with mental state and suicide idealization. Adult involvement for connectedness alone will have a strong correlation with mental state and suicide idealization. Usual activity and adult involvement together will have the strongest correlation with mental state and suicide idealization. Methods: Data was collected at high schools in Appalachian Tennessee and Virginia. Between January and June 2017, the Adolescent Community Health Survey was conducted among random classrooms. Tennessee schools totaled 444 students and Virginia schools totaled 385 students. Information about the study was given to teachers, parents and students before school visits. Parental permission was written and received before survey was administered. A team of researchers administered and monitored the questionnaire in classrooms where students provided individual responses on the health survey. All data was weighted according to logistic regression statistics. Results: As a result of completing the above procedure, it was learned that physical activity is directly related to suicide ideation with adult connectedness as a mediator. It was also learned that mental health is directly related with suicide with physical activity as a mediator. Conclusions: Ultimately, it was demonstrated that physical activity and mental health has the highest significance to suicide ideation. Parent connectedness is only significant as a mediator. This significantly means the focus to prevent suicide ideation is to focus on intervention for mental health and physical activity. Sub focuses should be on adult connectedness and physical activity to monitor warning signs of suicide ideation.