America’s Legacy of Redlining: State-Sponsored Segregation and Disenfranchisement of Urban Minority Communities

Redlining, the act of designating areas on residential maps as too risky to issue and insure mortgages, in place from 1934 to 1968, disproportionately affected people of color. The effects of redlining remain prominent nearly a century later and continue to contribute to racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities

How Well do We Understand Mental Health?

Roughly 9.8 million adults in the United States, representing 4% of the U.S. adult population, have a diagnosis of a serious mental illness (SMI). An additional 16.1 million (6.7%) have a diagnosed depressive disorder. Millions more know people with serious mental illness or depression. Poor mental health is a massive and growing public health crisis. Its looming presence begs the question: Do we, as a society, truly understand different mental illnesses

The Collapse of Health Care: The Effects of COVID-19 on U.S. Community Health Centers

The closure of community health centers is likely to have widespread detrimental impacts on the country’s public health and economy for years to come

Stories from the Frontlines of the COVID-19 Response in New York

This brief features the stories of a nurse and national guardsman from Central NY who served on the frontline of the COVID-19 response during the early days of the outbreak in New York City. These frontline workers described patient overcrowding, equipment shortages, feeling physically and emotionally exhausted, and lessons learned from their experiences

Homelessness during COVID-19: Understanding and Preventing Risk of Virus Spread in this Vulnerable Population

Individuals experiencing homelessness are older and have a lower life expectancy compared to the average American. This brief describes how individuals who are homeless are experiencing COVID-19 and efforts by various cities and organizations to prevent transmission

Protecting your Mental Health during COVID-19

COVID-19 has presented an onslaught of change and uncertainty, leaving many people feeling isolated and disconnected. This brief describes strategies we can try to protect our mental health during this uncertain time

Exploring mental health literacy among undergraduate students

Background: Society’s understanding of mental illness is integral to reducing stigma and encouraging individuals to seek care. The purpose of this study is to investigate mental health literacy in college students, explore the use of campus mental health service, and to examine whether students’ mental health literacy differ in relation to individual characteristics. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional and descriptive approach to explore mental health literacy and mental health service among undergraduate students. A sample of 277 undergraduate students and 9 employees at the University Counseling Center at a large public university in the Northeastern United States agreed to participate in the study and completed the study via the Qualtrics survey software from Feb 2020 to March 2020. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the large public university. Descriptive statistics, T-test, and ANOVA test were used to analyze data. Results: There were found to be significant relationships between mental health education, major, gender and mental health literacy among undergraduate students. The study found that undergraduate students have a relatively good mental health literacy. Results from the clinicians at the counseling center showed high rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidality among undergraduate college students, barriers of family and self-stigma, moderate knowledge of resources on campus, and poor knowledge of resources off campus. Discussion: There are a multitude of avenues through which mental health literacy of depression, anxiety, and suicidality can be improved. To address individual behaviors and influences of the microsystem, improved access to information and education should be considered. Conclusion: The findings of this study show that undergraduate students at this university have a relatively good mental health literacy, and thus, have an understanding of different mental illnesses, reduced stigma and resources on campus and in the community

Results from the SU Health & Wellness Goal Survey

In Spring 2019, SU’s Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion surveyed over 600 SU faculty, staff, and undergraduate and graduate students to identify their goals related to health and wellness. This research brief summarizes the top ranked goals, including increasing physical activity, improving diet and nutrition, and better managing stress. There were interesting differences in goals across SU roles, sexes, and racial/ethnic groups