HEALTH Research Institute

Mental Health Outcomes

We believe mental health is a substantial part of an individual’s overall health. It affects how we think, feel and behave. Through research, we determine how stress and mental illness contributes to populations developing chronic diseases, and we create strategies to improve mental health and overall wellness.

Featured Publications

Organizational Characteristics and Readiness for Tobacco-Free Workplace Program Implementation Moderates Changes in Clinician’s Delivery of Smoking Interventions within Behavioral Health Treatment Clinics
Heart Rate Variability and Anxious Arousal: Unique Relations With Sleep-Related Problems in Stress-Exposed Adolescents
Poor Sleep and Emotion Dysregulation Mediate the Association Between Depressive and Premenstrual Symptoms in Young Adult Women
Factor structure and validation of the mental health checklist (MHCL) for use in isolated, confined and extreme environments
Sleep-related Problems and Suicide Behavior and Ideation Among Black and White Trauma-Exposed Psychiatric Inpatients

Latest News

Pandemic Sets Off Future Wave of Worsening Mental Health Issues

Worry, Fear of COVID-19 Amplifies Risk of Substance Abuse

In High and Low Enforcement Jurisdictions Alike, Most Latino High School Students Express Fear of Deportation

HRI mentee, Jodi Berger Cardoso, led a research effort on how Latino high school students in Harris…

2020 Stresses Plus Self-Medicating Can Be Deadly

Dr. Ezemenari Obasi, Director of HRI, is featured in this important article regarding drug overdose…

A Leading Sleep Researcher Addresses Some Important Questions Regarding Stress and Anxiety

2020 has been a year like no other bringing with it trauma and mental health challenges. We did a Q…

Dr. Obasi is a Featured Expert During Viewing of George Floyd

Dr. Obasi was a featured expert on Houston's ABC13 News Today. He discussed the traumatic…