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International Journal of Emergency Mental Health and Human Resilience | ISSN: 1522-4821 | Volume 20
November 26-27, 2018 | Los Angeles, USA
Psychiatry, Mental Health Nursing and Healthcare
World Summit on
Applied Psychology, Psychiatry and Mental Health
International Conference on
&
Improving heart health in behavioral health patients with a history of trauma through an integrated
care program
Serena Bonomo
New York University, USA
T
here is an established association between trauma and high blood pressure. The Sunset Terrace Integration and Recovery
(STIR) Program is a SAMSHA grant-funded initiative that addresses the physical health of those with serious mental
illness, providing medical and mental health screenings 3 times over 12 months and free health classes to those interested.
To date, 504 patients have enrolled and/or completed the 12 month program. The sample is 80% Hispanic, 70% female and
over 18 years old (n=457). 55% out of the patient sample reported a history of trauma or violence in their baseline interview
when asked, “Have you ever experienced violence or trauma in any setting (including community/school violence; domestic
violence; physical, psychological, or sexual maltreatment/assault within or outside of the family; natural disaster; terrorism;
neglect; traumatic grief)?” We also made an ‘overall trauma score’ to quantify the severity of traumatic stress symptoms such as
feeling numb and detached from others, having nightmares and avoiding situations that remind them of the trauma. There was
a significant, positive correlation between patients’ BP and their overall trauma score (r=0.068, p=0.02). Those who reported
trauma also reported significantly lower social functioning (M=3.36, SD=0.876) at baseline than those without a history
(M=3.7, SD=0.878); [t(245)= -3.057, p=0.002]. By 12 months, a paired samples t-test showed that those with a history of
trauma had improvement in systolic blood pressure (t(67)=2.264, p=0.02) and diastolic blood pressure (t(68)=2.025, p=0.047).
An improvement in LDL (t(68)=2.51, p=0.014) was also observed from BL (M=86.42, SD=51.3) to 12 months (M=62.28,
SD=60.1). These findings provide preliminary support that integrated care services may serve as a beneficial care model to treat
comorbid psychiatric and medical conditions for patients, especially those with a history of trauma or violence.
Biography
Serena Bonomo completed her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from New York University College of Arts and Science in 2017, where she graduated Summa Cum
Laude with honors in Psychology Research. She is currently works at NYU Langone Sunset Terrace Family Health Center in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, where she
assists in operating a 4-year, SAMSHA grant funded program to improve cardio metabolic health in behavioral health and psychiatric patients. She has a passion
for helping patients who have experienced trauma and will continue to pursue this interest in her graduate psychology program at NYU beginning in the fall of 2018.
serena.bonomo@nyumc.orgSerena Bonomo, Int J Emerg Ment Health, Volume 20
DOI: 10.4172/1522-4821-C5-024