Wellness Check: Mental Health

The impact of oral health management on mental health outcomes remains inconclusive

1. In this scoping review, only one study demonstrated a positive association between oral health management and mental health outcomes.

2. However, the remaining studies did not show a significant impact of oral health management on mental health and psychological disease.

Evidence Rating Level: 2 (Good)

Oral health has been implicated in various systemic diseases, such as diabetes and pneumonia, and some have postulated that there may also be a relationship with mental health outcomes. However, there is limited research into the relationship between oral health management and psychological disease. Therefore, the objective of the present scoping review was to evaluate the literature on the impact of oral health management on mental health outcomes.

Of 105 identified records, 3 studies were included from various databases from 2017-2021. Randomized controlled trials that evaluated oral health management in patients with mental health problems were included. Studies were excluded if they were not written in English. The review was performed using the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews and the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology framework. The risk of bias was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool Version 2018. The primary outcome was the impact of oral health management on mental health outcomes.

The results found that only one study showed an improvement in mental health outcomes through oral health management. However, this study also integrated psychosocial support as part of the intervention. The remaining studies did not find that oral health management significantly impacted mental health outcomes. Despite these results, the study was limited by the small number of articles analyzed which may have impacted the significance of the findings. Nonetheless, the present study provided an initial framework for future studies to explore the relationship between oral health management and mental health.

Youth engagement enhances several aspects of mental health research

1. In this systematic review, engaging youth in mental health research was found to be helpful across all stages of the research process.

2. However, youth engagement in mental health research may be more costly and resource intensive.

Evidence Rating Level: 1 (Excellent)

Community engagement has been increasingly recognized as an important factor in research. Though adults have been involved in this process, youth involvement, especially within the domain of mental health research, has not been well described. As a result, the objective of the present systematic review was to evaluate and summarize the impact of youth engagement in mental health research.

Of 2836 identified records, 14 studies were included from various databases from 2014-2022. Studies were included if participants were between the ages of 8-25 years and if they described at minimum one youth research activity and one impact of youth engagement. Studies were excluded if youth were involved only in the development stage of an intervention. The review was performed using PRISMA guidelines. The primary outcome was the impact of youth engagement on mental health research.

The results demonstrated that youth engagement at all levels of mental health research was helpful in moving projects forward— whether it was through enhancing data collection, improving dissemination, etc. However, practical issues associated with youth engagement included recruitment and funding. Despite these results, the study was limited by the fact that youth were involved only in the later stages of the review and not in the design, which may impact its relevancy. Nonetheless, the present study demonstrated the importance of engaging youth in mental health research.

Parental mental health influenced child mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic

1. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, worsening parental mental health was associated with poorer mental health outcomes in their children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2. In addition, the quality of the relationship between the parent and child was an important mediator in the transmission of mental health disorders.

Evidence Rating Level: 1 (Excellent)

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced changes on many families and resulted in parents having to manage greater childcare demands than usual. Currently, studies evaluating children of parents with a mental illness, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, are limited. As a result, the objective of the present systematic review and meta-analysis was to synthesize the available research exploring the link between parental mental health symptoms and the mental health outcomes of their children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of 431 identified records, 83 (n=86,658 parents, 82,312 children) studies were included from various databases from 2020-2022. Studies were included if they reported parental mental health symptoms and their effects on their children’s mental health. Studies that did not report associations between child and parent variables were excluded. The review was performed using PRISMA guidelines. The risk of bias was assessed using the AXIS tool. The primary outcome was child mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The results demonstrated that mental health symptoms experienced by parents (e.g., depression, anxiety) correlated significantly with worsened mental health outcomes in their children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, parenting stress had the greatest impact on child mental health outcomes. However, the quality of the parent-child relationship mediated the transmission of mental health disorders from parent to child. Despite these results, the study was limited by the inclusion of mostly cross-sectional studies, which prevented the determination of causality. Nonetheless, the present study added important knowledge of how parental mental health symptoms can influence the psychopathology of their children.

The Medical Outcomes Short Form 12 questionnaire is often used in patients with type 2 diabetes

1. In this systematic review, the most common validated questionnaire used to evaluate the quality of life and mental health in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) was the Medical Outcomes Short Form 12 (SF-12).

2. In addition, the SF-12 was found to be the most reliable, easiest to use, least time consuming, and available across many languages.

Evidence Rating Level: 1 (Excellent)

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) presents a worldwide burden and has significant effects on both quality of life and mental health. Currently, limited evidence is available pertaining to these measures in patients with T2DM. As a result, the objective of the present study was to summarize the most commonly used validated quality of life and mental health questionnaires in patients with T2DM.

Of 489 identified records, 40 (60% cross-sectional, 22.5% clinical trials, 17.5% cohort) studies were included from various databases from 2011-2022. Population-based studies that investigated patients with T2DM, health-related quality of life, and mental health assessments were included. Studies were excluded if the study populations consisted of pediatric patients, healthy adults, or fewer than 50 participants. The review was performed using PRISMA guidelines. Quality appraisal was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal checklist. The primary outcome was the most used validated health-related quality of life and mental health assessment in patients with T2DM.

The study results demonstrated that the Medical Outcomes Short Form 12 (SF-12) was the most commonly used validated questionnaire among patients with T2DM. Furthermore, the SF-12 was the most reliable, easiest to use, least time-consuming, and was available across many languages. Despite these results, the study was limited by the heterogeneity of the included studies, which impacted the findings of the meta-analysis. Nonetheless, the present study suggested that the SF-12 questionnaire may be useful for identifying and monitoring the mental health of patients with T2DM.

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