Theses and Dissertations from UMD
Permanent URI for this communityhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/2
New submissions to the thesis/dissertation collections are added automatically as they are received from the Graduate School. Currently, the Graduate School deposits all theses and dissertations from a given semester after the official graduation date. This means that there may be up to a 4 month delay in the appearance of a give thesis/dissertation in DRUM
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Item MENTAL HEALTH IN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN BANGLADESH: AN EXAMINATION OF CURRENT PRACTICES, SERVICE USE, AND AN EXPLORATION OF THE ACCEPTABILITY OF MHEALTH FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND MINDFULNESS(2021) Sifat, Munjireen Sara; Green, Kerry M; Public and Community Health; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The prevalence of mental health problems, such as depression and suicide, is high in Bangladesh. The incidence of mental health problems in Bangladesh is highest in young adulthood and often occurs in university students. Mobile health apps are effective in Bangladesh for chronic health problems, though there is no current literature on the use of mHealth for mental health promotion in Bangladesh, nor in the university student population in Bangladesh. The study utilizes a multi-method design informed by Self-Determination Theory and the Technology Acceptance Model to explore motivational factors for mental health practices, such as coping techniques, and use of professional services, such as therapy. The quantitative component includes regression analysis of an online survey delivered to students currently enrolled in universities in Bangladesh to determine current attitudes and practices of mental health services (n=350) and the possibility of using mHealth for mental health (n=311). The qualitative component involves thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with randomly selected students (n=12) who complete the quantitative portion of the study, regarding their opinion of mHealth for mental health app content. Results show that subjective perception of needing mental health support was the strongest predictor of clinical service utilization. Additionally, the perception of viewing mental health positively was associated with actual use of clinical services, but the association became insignificant after adjusting for the perceived need. One's social influences predicted perceived need for mental health support; and knowledge about mental health predicted positive views of clinical mental health care. Intent to use general mHealth is driven by social influence, ease of use, and perceived utility. According to this study, mobile health services are acceptable to this population and can be helpful for students with barriers to accessing traditional mental health services. The qualitative interviews revealed that students felt that guided mindfulness exercises relieved stress, and the potential of having easy access to such exercises on an app on their phone overcame barriers they had previously encountered. These findings suggest that an app with mindfulness exercises may be worth developing and testing in Bangladesh in order to promote student mental health.Item The role of elders' resources in the receipt of family support in Matlab, Bangladesh(2005-08-08) Subaiya, Lekha; Kahn, Joan; Sociology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Family support for the South Asian elderly is usually considered to be given automatically to all, without taking into consideration the available resources of the elder, or their gender and marital status. These assumptions are problematic because they do not accord agency to the elder, nor do they account for their differential access to resources. Elders' own characteristics could play an important role in the transfer of support between generations, and it is likely that these relationships differ by gender and marital status. The main objective of this dissertation is to assess intergenerational transfers in Bangladesh from the perspective of the elderly to provide a benchmark study of the level of support given by adult children, and to examine the role of elders' own resources in intergenerational dynamics. Using a sample of 3354 men and women aged 50 and over from the 1996 Matlab Health and Socio-economic Survey, I use logistic regression techniques to assess the impact of ownership of land and physical functionality on elders' receipt of transfers of space, money and time. I use a theoretical framework that builds on altruism and exchange theory, and the empirical literature, to present factors associated with transfers to elder parents in rural Bangladesh. The results demonstrate that vulnerable elders are receiving support, but, as well, their resources influence their receipt of transfers. Specifically, widows and elders with poor ability to function on a daily basis are likely to receive support from their children in the form of sharing of space and the transfer of money. Married men and widows who own land are more likely to receive money transfers from non-resident children. Gender, marriage and coresidence are important conditioning factors in the receipt of support from adult children.