RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Eldah Elias
Independent Research I G/T
2017-2018
Title:​ Change for Communities: How Care Resolves Crisis

Introduction and Overview of Research:​ Mental illness has long been excluded from
discussion amongst communities or in non-medical surroundings. Similarly, abusiveness of
alcohol, drugs, or both is seldom an issue which many are willing to handle, unless they are
affected. As a result of such stigma in society, those struggling with dual diagnosis (the
simultaneous occurrence of mental illness and substance use) obtain little support and rarely
progress to practicing better treatment methods. To further complicate matters, nearly 50 percent
of persons with substance abusiveness struggle with one or behavioral illnesses, as well. It is
vital to these individuals and the enterprises that suffer without their inclusion that comorbid
illness is addressed and treated diligently.

Background and Rationale: ​It has been shown that this concurrent illness is not sufficiently
treated by isolating substance use from mental illness and aiming to treat them separately. This is
due to the cyclical nature of the illness, which is substance use leading to the development of
behavioral illnesses or mental illness prompting one to self-medicate with alcohol and/or drugs.
Therefore, understanding and combating concurrent illness requires specific treatment that
identifies the parts of each illness which are inducing one another. The importance of
understanding concurrent illness is that its effects are widespread and continuously growing. In
the United States, alone, opioid addiction, specifically, has skyrocketed to more than 115
overdose-related deaths per day (NIH). Areas in the Midwest have one of the greatest opioid
overdose afflictions and are often overlooked, not to mention they lack the domestic resources to
treat themselves and desperately need external help. They suffer, but with plentiful access to
opioids, the crisis spreads across their communities and destabilizes them entirely. Such
tragedies can be prevented by properly addressing existing societal stigma, lack of government
aid to high-risk areas, and the continued practice of proven-to-be-ineffective treatment methods
that remain in hospitals.
Additionally, aside from the persons with concurrent illness, society suffers from the
costs of it. Costs related to behavioral health disorders (specifically, mental illness, drug abuse,
and alcohol abuse) have totalled to superfluous amounts- $129 million, $58 billion, and $86
billion, respectively (Rice et al.). The deleterious costs are mainly from treatment expenses,
which, anew, have proven to be unproductive a majority of the time. When money is lost, society
cannot benefit from a thriving workforce and overall are less accomplished. Individuals with
dual diagnosis are often discouraged when it appears the workforce is not open to them, or that
they are not appealing candidates, a result of poorly integrated societies and over-stigmatized
notions. This exacerbates the situation by driving said individuals away from opportunities
which they and their communities could benefit from. For this reason, community integration is
necessary to encourage the well-being of dual diagnosis patients and strengthen the whole of a
community, not to mention communities are, of course, further ravaged if aggressive behaviors
of behaviorally unstable individuals ensue.

Research Methodology:
Research Question​:
How can the dual diagnosis be highlighted in society as especially detrimental, and then
how can that be changed?
 RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Eldah Elias
Independent Research I G/T
2017-2018
Research Thesis:
Dual diagnosis of mental illness and substance addiction has severe costs to society and
afflicted individuals. The lack of proper treatment as a result of narrow observation of the illness,
poor government funding, and the absence of attention to the individuals that need it result in a
continuously developing problem. In the United States, alone, drug abuse and overdose on drugs
has grown to a historic amount. The accompanying ailment of mental illness and the costs
produced by the two illnesses generate great concern which show changes in protocol of how
illnesses are addressed in America are needed.
Research Design Model:
In researching behavioral illnesses and the dual presence of mental illness and substance
use, meta-analysis as a form of mixed-method research is the most conducive to agreeable
findings. Additionally, greater obstructions to clear findings are present when trying to observe
challenges of dual diagnosis patients in person, and conducting an experiment on those
individuals presents several other difficulties. It is difficult to speak with sensitive individuals
about their experience(s) with co-morbid illness, and due to state/federal privacy laws,
behavioral health facilities are limited concerning their internal handling of patients’ affairs. An
experiment is not the most plausible method of conducting research until extensive research to
understand the topic has been conducted because the researcher would lack corroborative results
and form an unreliable conclusion. Meanwhile, a survey of patients with comorbid illness may
not be as truly reflective as studying observed and collected behavior by other researchers,
because a survey naturally insinuates bias. Therefore, meta-analysis, in this case, is the most
practical research method to limit bias, increase the likelihood of agreeable findings, and access a
wide variety of information.
Data Collection:
Gathering data by meta-analysis is the most beneficial research method for understanding
dual diagnosis because information on the topic is best accessible through existing findings.
Article-based research of this topic resulted in numerous derived findings in which multiple
factors could be observed, so information regarding dual diagnosis can be most usefully gathered
when synthesized from multiple studies with a connected theme, thus corroborating one another.
This central theme can help develop important breakthroughs, such as plans to address the
comorbid illness emergency. In the product that will be proposed, the three objectives are to
increase public awareness of comorbid illness, build strong programs to aid those requiring it,
and emphasize the importance of reintegration after treatment. Collection of data by studies
which aimed to understand similar problems as those identified by the researcher positively
shaped the plan that will be enacted to address comorbid illness.

Product Objectives:
To fully utilize the research conclusions about comorbid illness, publicizing the negative
impacts of comorbid illness in a brochure/pamphlet will allow for the main message to be widely
distributed. Additionally, the dispersal of this product is tactful because highly commercialized
areas as well as bereft ones can easily access pamphlets or brochures. Distribution centers can be
set up in cities, in which pedestrians can easily collect information about comorbid illness, and in
areas despondent from lack of resources, pamphlets can still be used because it contrasts the
 RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Eldah Elias
Independent Research I G/T
2017-2018
frequently digitally-based community outreach messages regarding dual diagnosis that aren’t
unfailingly accessible.

Logistical Considerations:
Organizations such as the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMHSA) or the National Institute of Health (NIH) will be approached with the opportunity to
support the advertisement. Message-analysts will be needed, to compose an appropriate
advertisement that incites action and provides a great sense of efficacy to the target audience.
The cooperation of print companies will also be needed. By linking the advertisement with
nearby facilities to treat behavioral illnesses, the target audience of mentally ill persons or
substance users are better exposed to available treatment. While these facilities may not be
optimized to treat the dual diagnosis by first creating awareness, the next step of improving
treatment (and later, reintegration) will follow. The costs of the production will be fulfilled
primarily by sponsors, people or groups willing to endorse this product knowing it will have
majoritarian benefits, and the payment of its sole producer.

Approval:

_____________________ _____________________
Student Signature G/T Resource Teacher Signature Mentor/Advisor Signature

References:

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 RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Eldah Elias
Independent Research I G/T
2017-2018
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