Research Guide


Overview

This research guide is designed to help locate information regarding Mental Health
Disorders. Included in this guide will be a wealth of material geared toward this growing
issue in the United States. Simply put, the lack or absence of mental health is receiving
more attention now than in the past, because it is causing individuals to lose time out of their lives and work, which is costing the U.S. billions due to treatment, social
security payments, homelessness, incarceration and lost earnings.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Cognition Disorders- Patients- Mental Health

Community Mental Health Disorders in Old Age

Diagnostic and Statistical manual of Mental Disorders

Organic Mental Disorders

Speech Disorders in Children- Patients- Mental Health

Keywords

Mental Disorders

Mental Health Disorders

Health Care Costs

Mental Health

Community Mental Health Disorders





Reference Sources

The Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders, Ellen Thackery and Madeline Harris
Book
Detroit, MI: Gale Group, c2003.
RC437.G35.2003
This reference will provide descriptions of mental disorders and their affect of the brain.

Encyclopedia of Mental Health, Ada P. Kahn and Jan Fawcett
Book
New York: Facts on File, c2001
RC437.K34.2001
This reference will also provide in depth information regarding mental disorders.

The American Heritage Stedman’s Medical Dictionary
Book
Boston: Houghton Mifflin, c1995
610.3 S81
This reference will provide a more medically inclined description of mental disorders.

Print Books

Mental Health in America: A reference handbook. Donna Kemp. Santa Barbara, CA:
ABC-CLIO, 2007.
This book documents the evolution of mental health and its policies from colonial times
to the present. It also includes the insurance problems that offends the field of study.

Mental Health and Mental Illness. Patricia Barry. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, 2002.
This book goes in depth with the definitions of, care of, and the psychosocial aspects of Mental illness. It also provides care plans and professional treatment of mental disorders.

Early Detection and Management of Mental Disorders. Mario Maj. John Wiley and Sons, 2004.
This book provides information on the detection and management of mental disorders.

Periodicals

Wootton, Ruth. “Prejudice in mind: Nurse Ruth Wootton describes how disclosing a history of mental illness lost her jobs and friends. (Reflections) Nursing Standards 22.44 (July 9, 2008): p. 26 (2).
This tells how mental illness can affect your employment and social life.

“Psychologically draining: mental illness issues are costing nation. (Intelligence).” Pharmaceutical Representative 38.6 (June, 2008): p. 11 (1).
This article shows how mental health is costing the U.S.

Sullivan, Michelle G. “Collaborative Care ideal in serious mental illness. (Mental Health).” Family Practice News 38.12 (July 15, 2008): p. 17 (1).
This article expounds on the serious mental illness cases.

Website Resources

The link listed below will take you to the website of the National Institute of Mental Health, where you can find credible information regarding mental disorders. The information on this site is up to date and each mental disorder is defined. It provides current research statistics and funding.
www.nimhinfo@nih.gov

This website will provide statistical information in regards to mentally ill patients who are treated in Emergency Rooms, Physician Offices, and who are residents of Nursing Homes. It also gives information on mortality rates, including suicide.
www.cdc.gov/nchs

Reflection 5

I must say that it has been a great summer! I have enjoyed Lib3 as it has given me so much information on how to find and research subjects, topics, books and utilize the multiple resources for research purposes. This is not my first online course, but with each course something is always new. I have taken an online library course (Lib1) previous to this one, and some of the material was a refresher but most was new. In this course, what was different, is that we utilized a text book as with the other there was no textbook. I feel that student interaction is less, because in a classroom you put names to faces, and yes I do prefer face to face classes, only because I like to put names to faces and possibly meet new friends.
Online classes can be easy, but only if you are not a procrastinator, because it could get you into trouble. I would not take a theory/lecture type class online, because I would be setting myself up for failure...I'm not that diligent:o) As for Lib3, the online learning experience is very appropriate and I believe it to be the best way to take the course. It gives you flexibility and the bulk of the course instruction can be done online. LBCC offered the Lib3, one semester in a face to face setting and I did enroll, but unfortunately I had to drop the course for reasons beyond my control, which is why I wanted to take it this summer. Overall, I had a great time learning.

Reflection 4

Information Competency is the ability to recognize the need for information, knowing where to obtain the information, choosing the proper source and retrieving the correct information, knowing how to organize, analyze, and synthesize the information and then use and communicate the information. Is Information Competency Important? Yes! It is very important to me as a student, because researching information is present in most courses, be it a book, person, or project. Being competent in information retrieval helps the process and enables me to be a successful student.
I think that I am an information competent student. Since taking this course, I have learned so much and am grateful for it. I have been able to enhance what I already knew about obtaining research material. I know which resources are reputable and which are not. It surprised me to learn that a resource that I used previously and quite often was not reliable. The course has not only been education, but very fun and interesting.

Reflection 3

I am certainly overwhelmed with the wealth of information that I have gathered over the period of this course, but I am enjoying visiting the various research and reference sites. I tend to stick to old habits as I love to visit the library and feel the books; I will definitely use the internet and search engines for information needed for my research when I can't get to the library. I am very attached to Pro Quest as it is a easy site to navigate and gather information from. I will definitely use it for research purposes.

Reflection 2

Libraries have always been of interest to me, because of the quiet, peaceful environment, and the overwhelming selection of material it carries. I use the library to just get away some times. This is why the internet in my opinion will not replace libraries. There are still individuals who aren't computer savvy and do not have access to the internet, so they have to utilize libraries. I use the internet in my life to cut down on expenses. I pay bills on line and sometimes I shop online. I also communicate with friends online, which is something that I will do less of, because it is better to speak with and visit friends as often as possible. Lib 3 has provided me with tools that I can use to seek out scams and hoaxes. I am pleased with what I have learned thus far.

Reflection 1

I find the course interesting and fun, but I am finding myself fumbling around alot. Not because I do not understand or can't navigate the internet and the different library sites. It is that I have been a bit overwhelmed with other activities. I have since found that I like blogging and not having to go to the library for materials is a great convenience. When visiting the library, I found it to be so calming and relaxing. It was a great get away for me and gave me a chance to gather my bearings and work my way back on track... I am enjoying the experience.

Visiting the Library

I visited the Long Beach Public Library (main branch) today, June 22, 2008. I do have a few libraries closer to my home, but I have always found this library to be comfortable and inviting, and it is downtown among all of the fun things to do. The library is located downtown at 101 Pacific Avenue, Long Beach , CA 90822 and the phone number is (562)570-7500 and the website is www.lbpl.org. As you can see, I have been to this library before. The LBPL has many books that can be checked out and also lot’s of material that can not be checked out, but each time I come here I tend to linger, read magazines and check out books for my daughter; it also provides VHS tapes, CD's, DVD's, audio books, and other materials, it also has an information center that cater to individuals with disabilities and handicaps, it offers volunteers to assist individuals with any questions they may have. I note that the library provides the use of computers that have braile keyboards and internet access . It has manual page turners, walkers, wheelchairs, scooters, seat lifters to provide easier access for disabled people. The Long Beach Public Library offers programs for children, parents, teachers, and for seniors it has books in large print and they provide bookclubs.I love that this library is very roomy and seems to accommodate the many people that visits and is separated into two levels. The ground level gives access to books of fiction/non-fiction, childrens books, electronic information, and reference books. The lower level has music material, movies, audio books, and a special room with cultured material that can not be checked out of the library.This library operates on the dewey decimal system and has an awsome reference section that covers a vast variety of information. It has phone books, maps, atlases, U.S. regulated codes for California, magazines and periodicals. In this section, you must utilize the materials at the library as they can not be checked out. I had a wonderful Sunday afternoon at the library and can't wait to visit again. The least attractive thing that I found about this library is that the Sunday hours were minimal.

Today

Today is always a revelation of what is going on in your life...there is always something to do, something you need to do or even had to do...but does Today completely reveal itself? Of course it does....Its has been said to take each day as it comes, and some of us do, but still sometimes it is hard to get out of bed and greet Today when it arrives... I greet each Today with a smile and a thank you, because Today does not arrive for some...Today is on my mind and that is why I am blogging Today, my mind is tired of Today and I am awaiting Tonight....