Each year, the CPNP Foundation presents the Defining the Future grant program, and we are pleased to share that all four of the 2018 grant recipients had their poster abstracts accepted for the 2019 CPNP Annual Meeting. We followed up with the 2018 grant recipients to learn more about their experience and how the Defining the Future grant impacted their projects. Click on the title of each project to view the final poster!
Destiny Boutain, 2020 PharmD Candidate, Xavier University of Louisiana: Assessing Mental Health Knowledge Amongst HBCU Students
The study aims to investigate whether poor perception or knowledge are barriers to utilization of mental health resources on an HBCU campus. Despite documented disparities in mental health treatment in African Americans and Hispanic populations, there is a paucity of literature devoted to the opinions and knowledge of mental illness in HBCUs. This study established baseline knowledge and utilization of resources at an HBCU, in order to more effectively promote and develop mental health interventions for students. Because of The CPNP Foundation Defining the Future Grant, we were able to implement a successful project at our HBCU. We are so grateful for CPNPF and their continuous support on our journey. Our funds provided us transportation to the 2019 Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City where we were able to present our research and network with other amazing professionals. With this opportunity, we are pleased to continue on the road to becoming successful pharmacists and thrilled to provide meaningful contributions to the profession. Again, thank you to the CPNP Foundation for everything!
Abby MacCauley*, 2019 PharmD Candidate, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy: Pharmacist and Pharmacy Student Wellness and Mental Health Analysis
The goal of our project was to examine wellness among pharmacists and pharmacy students as comprehensively as possible. We did this by creating a survey that assessed three domains of wellness: mental health, physical health, and personal health. We administered the survey to all actively licensed pharmacists in the state of North Carolina and to all students enrolled in a PharmD curriculum at 12 schools of pharmacy across the United States.
The CPNP Foundation's Defining the Future Grant allowed us to offer incentives for survey participation as well as assisted with poster printing costs. The grant also assisted with travel costs for attending the CPNP Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City so that we could present our preliminary results. Our survey found that there was a high risk for burnout among both pharmacists and students, and a trend toward higher rates of mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety among students. We plan to continue our analysis of these survey results so that we can provide better insight into schools and employers regarding where proactive measures might be most beneficial in supporting pharmacists and students. Thanks to the CPNP Foundation, we were able to communicate these results in a variety of professional settings and to exchange ideas about how to optimize wellness within our profession.
Sarah Piccuirro, 2022 PharmD Candidate, University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy: Incorporating Mental Health First Aid into Pharmacies and Pharmacy Schools: A Description of Methodology and Screening Results
Receiving the CPNP Foundation Defining the Future Research Grant has been an incredible experience. Beyond providing financial support, this grant allowed our research team to explore the important role of pharmacists in addressing mental health. Our goal was to outline the process of implementing pharmacist-led mental health screenings in a university-affiliated community pharmacy and to measure the impact of these services. Through our research, we initiated many important conversations within the University of Texas at Austin about the ability of community pharmacists to provide vital support to patients experiencing a mental health crisis. The highlight of the experience was presenting our poster at the CPNP Annual meeting and speaking with leaders in the field of psychiatric pharmacy. I would encourage anyone with a passion for psychiatric pharmacy and an interest in research to apply for the CPNP Foundation Defining the Future Research Grant.
Lusi Zhang**, 2020 PharmD Candidate, University of Minnesota: BDNF Val66Met Polymorphisms, Antidepressant Use, and Cognitive Performance: A Moderation Analysis in Patients with Psychotic Disorders
Cognitive impairment directly relates to functional outcomes in patients with psychosis, including psychosocial skills and vocational attainment. Our study was designed to investigate the relationship among brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), psychotropic medication use, and cognitive performance within patients with psychotic disorders. We believe that it would provide valuable information on identifying a biomarker for severe cognitive impairment and clarifying cognitive implication of psychotropic medications.
I feel so grateful to the CPNP Foundation for awarding me The Defining the Future Grant. It has highly promoted my research project and sponsored my participation at CPNP 2019 where I presented my results as a Research Trainee Award finalist. As a first-year attendee, the support and recognition I received from this grant provided me great encouragement and opportunities to attend several programming events and gain networking experiences within the CPNP community. My experience with the CPNP Foundation has strongly motivated me to maintain my dedication to translational research in psychiatric pharmacy. I would highly recommend this program to any students, residents, and fellows who are passionate about research in behavioral health and psychiatry.
* CPNP Foundation Strategic Goals Award Runner-up
** Research Trainee Award Runner-up