[Usefulness of the comprehensive geriatric assessment for evaluating the health of older adults].

Science.gov (United States)

Gálvez-Cano, Miguel; Chávez-Jimeno, Helver; Aliaga-Diaz, Elizabeth

2016-06-01

Older adults comprise a heterogeneous population group that usually has a high disease burden, comorbidities, and, in many cases, subclinical conditions that compromise their health and quality of life. In addition to the physical component, the health conditions of elderly individuals are significantly influenced by cognitive and affective components, social and family factors such as abandonment, and functional factors including the ability to perform everyday activities. In response to this complex scenario, the comprehensive geriatric evaluation constitutes a multidimensional and interdisciplinary diagnostic tool that assesses the health of older adults in all of its complexity by considering the physical, mental, social/family, and functional needs to obtain full knowledge of older person's health status and creating a plan that consists of appropriate and individualized interventions that considers the preferences and values of older individuals and their families.

Chart review of electroconvulsive therapy practice from a tertiary care geriatric mental health set up

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Akanksha Sonal

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT is frequently used treatment procedure, and is utilized more often for severe, treatment-resistant, or refractory psychiatric disorders. However, published data on the use of ECT is limited, more so for special population like older adults. Aim: The aim of the study was to explore the clinical, demographic, and diagnostic profiles of older adults, and the parameters of ECT treatment, in a tertiary care Geriatric Mental Health set up. Materials and Methods: Approval to review the case notes was obtained from the Institutional Ethical Committee. The individuals were aged 60 years and above and had received ECT between January 2014 and May 2017. The relevant details pertaining to the aims of the study were recorded in a spreadsheet. Results: Twenty-five courses (absolute number = 191 of ECT were given to 21 patients (mean age = 67.44 ± 9.8 years with mean of 7.64 ± 3.6 ECT per patient. Majority of the patients belonged to age group 60–69 years, and were male (81%. Depression was the most common diagnosis for giving ECT (43% in these individuals, and poor response to pharmacological treatment (81% was the most common indication. The mean duration of the seizure elicited was 28.8 ± 13.2 s, and a therapeutic response was seen in 86% of cases. No major complications were noted during ECT treatment. Conclusion: When used judiciously and with trained staff, ECT is an effective and relatively safe mode of treatment even in older adults.

Geriatric pharmacology and pharmacotherapy education for health professionals and students: a systematic review

Science.gov (United States)

Keijsers, Carolina J P W; van Hensbergen, Larissa; Jacobs, Lotte; Brouwers, Jacobus R B J; de Wildt, Dick J; ten Cate, Olle Th J; Jansen, Paul A F

2012-01-01

AIMS Given the reported high rates of medication errors, especially in elderly patients, we hypothesized that current curricula do not devote enough time to the teaching of geriatric pharmacology. This review explores the quantity and nature of geriatric pharmacology education in undergraduate and postgraduate curricula for health professionals. METHODS Pubmed, Embase and PsycINFO databases were searched (from 1 January 2000 to 11 January 2011), using the terms ‘pharmacology’ and ‘education’ in combination. Articles describing content or evaluation of pharmacology education for health professionals were included. Education in general and geriatric pharmacology was compared. RESULTS Articles on general pharmacology education (252) and geriatric pharmacology education (39) were included. The number of publications on education in general pharmacology, but not geriatric pharmacology, has increased over the last 10 years. Articles on undergraduate and postgraduate education for 12 different health disciplines were identified. A median of 24 h (from 15 min to 4956 h) devoted to pharmacology education and 2 h (1–935 h) devoted to geriatric pharmacology were reported. Of the articles on education in geriatric pharmacology, 61.5% evaluated the teaching provided, mostly student satisfaction with the course. The strength of findings was low. Similar educational interventions were not identified, and evaluation studies were not replicated. CONCLUSIONS Recently, interest in pharmacology education has increased, possibly because of the high rate of medication errors and the recognized importance of evidence-based medical education. Nevertheless, courses on geriatric pharmacology have not been evaluated thoroughly and none can be recommended for use in training programmes. Suggestions for improvements in education in general and geriatric pharmacology are given. PMID:22416832

Comprehensive geriatric assessment

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2007-09-14

Sep 14, 2007 ... i.e. difficulty performing simple physical and mental tasks necessary for daily life. ... Definition. Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is a multidimensional .... The formation of a programme of therapy is decided on.

[Mini-Mental State Examination in geriatrics : An evaluation of diagnostic quality].

Science.gov (United States)

Beyermann, S; Trippe, R H; Bähr, A A; Püllen, R

2013-12-01

Several studies have identified moderate reliability and validity for the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Some researchers showed the superiority of other dementia screening tests over the MMSE considering the test quality criteria. The aim of this study was the evaluation of MMSE, especially in the area of geriatrics. MMSE and DemTect were carried out with 154 geriatric patients: 71 persons without cognitive impairment and 83 persons without delirium showed cognitive impairments as revealed by the DemTect. In addition, we also applied the Clock-Drawing-Test (CDT), Reisberg-Scale, Geriatric Depression-Scale (GDS, 15-item version) and the Confusion-Assessment-Method (CAM). According to the multitrait-multimethod approach, MMSE's convergent and divergent validity is similar to that of the DemTect. Both tests correlate only moderately with Spearman (r = 0.609) and revealed similar results for dementia in 57.1 % of the patients. MMSE showed low reliability and moderate reliability (Cronbach's α = 0.82) when ten items with low discriminatory power were excluded from the total test score. Difficulty of all items is only moderate (p = 0.86) and only eight items of the MMSE showed good test difficulty. All in all, DemTect and MMSE are not interchangeable. The MMSE estimates the average cognitive impairment of patients as considerably less pronounced than the DemTect. MMSE is, thus, not an instrument that would be recommended for the identification of mild cognitive impairment. In this case, tests with higher reliability and validity should be used.

The relationship between geriatric depression and health-promoting behaviors among community-dwelling seniors.

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Chang, Chyong-Fang; Lin, Mei-Hsiang; Wang, Jeng; Fan, Jun-Yu; Chou, Li-Na; Chen, Mei-Yen

2013-06-01

People older than 65 years old account for about 10.9% of Taiwan's total population; it is also known that the older adults experience a higher incidence of depression. Public health nurses play an important role in promoting community health. Policymaking for community healthcare should reflect the relationship between health-promoting behavior and depression in community-dwelling seniors. Therefore, the encouragement of healthy aging requires strategic planning by those who provide health promotion services. This study was designed to elicit the health-promoting behaviors of community seniors and investigate the relationship between geriatric depression and health-promoting behaviors among seniors who live in rural communities. We used a cross-sectional, descriptive design and collected data using a demographic information datasheet, the Health Promotion for Seniors and Geriatric Depression Scale short forms. The study included 427 participants. Most were women; mean age was 75.8 years. Most were illiterate; roughly half engaged in a limited number of health-promoting activities. The Geriatric Depression Scale score was negatively associated with health-promoting behavior. Social participation, health responsibility, self-protection, active lifestyle, and total Health Promotion for Seniors score all reached statistical significance. Multivariate analysis indicated that geriatric depression and physical discomfort were independent predictors of health-promoting behavior after controlling the confounding factors. Participants practiced less than the recommended level of health-promoting behaviors. We found a negative correlation between the geriatric depression score and health-promoting behavior. Results can be referenced to develop strategies to promote healthy aging in the community, especially with regard to promoting greater social participation and increased activity for community-dwelling older adults experiencing depression.

Validity of the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology-Functional Assessment Tool and Mini-Mental State Examination for detecting the incidence of dementia in older Japanese adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Shimada, Hiroyuki; Makizako, Hyuma; Park, Hyuntae; Doi, Takehiko; Lee, Sangyoon

2017-12-01

Numerous neuropsychological tests are implemented in the clinical setting. However, a readily available cognitive test is required to detect the risk of dementia in the community setting. A total of 4151 persons aged ≥65 years participated in the present prospective cohort study. We assessed cognitive performance using the Mini-Mental State Examination and the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology-Functional Assessment Tool. The National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology-Functional Assessment Tool includes tests of story and word list memory, attention and executive function, processing speed, and visuospatial skill to screen for cognitive impairment. All measurements were transformed to Z-scores to compare among the cognitive tests. The incidence of dementia was determined using data collected by the Japanese Health Insurance System over 36 months. After an average of 43 months, 180 (4.3%) participants were diagnosed with dementia. Survival analyses showed that the probability of dementia was significantly associated with all cognitive tests, except for visuospatial skill. The processing speed test showed the highest hazard ratios for the incidence of dementia (Z-score: hazard ratio 0.61, 95% confidence interval 0.50-0.75, P Mini-Mental State Examination, play an important role in detecting the risk of dementia in the community setting. Further analysis is required to identify the risk of dementia in older people without global cognitive impairment. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 2383-2388. © 2017 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Older Californians and the Mental Health Services Act: Is an Older Adult System of Care Supported?

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Kietzman, Kathryn G; Dupuy, Danielle; Damron-Rodriguez, JoAnn; Palimaru, Alina; del Pino, Homero E; Frank, Janet C

2018-01-01

This policy brief summarizes findings from the first study to evaluate how California's public mental health delivery system has served older adults (60 years of age and over) since the passage of the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) in 2004. Study findings indicate that there are unmet needs among older adults with mental illness in the public mental health delivery system. There are deficits in the involvement of older adults in the required MHSA planning processes and in outreach and service delivery, workforce development, and outcomes measurement and reporting. There is also evidence of promising programs and strategies that counties have advanced to address these deficits. Recommendations for improving mental health services for older adults include designating a distinct administrative and leadership structure for older adult services in each county; enhancing older adult outreach and documentation of unmet need; promoting standardized geriatric training of providers; instituting standardized data-reporting requirements; and increasing service integration efforts, especially between medical, behavioral health, aging, and substance use disorder services.

Occupational health for an ageing workforce: do we need a geriatric perspective?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Koh David

2006-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Extending retirement ages and anti-age discrimination policies will increase the numbers of older workers in the future. Occupational health physicians may have to draw upon the principles and experience of geriatric medicine to manage these older workers. Examples of common geriatric syndromes that will have an impact on occupational health are mild cognitive impairment and falls at the workplace. Shifts in paradigms and further research into the occupational health problems of an ageing workforce will be needed.

Nursing Home Social Workers and Allied Professionals: Enhancing Geriatric Mental Health Knowledge

Science.gov (United States)

Bonifas, Robin P.

2011-01-01

Research has highlighted the challenges social services professionals face in providing quality psychosocial care to persons living in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). A primary area of difficulty is addressing the needs of persons with mental health conditions, including problematic behaviors associated with dementia. This study evaluated the…

Addressing Geriatric Oral Health Concerns through National Oral Health Policy in India

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Abhinav Singh

2015-01-01

Full Text Available There is an escalating demand for geriatric oral healthcare in all developed and developing countries including India. Two-thirds of the world’s elderly live in developing countries. This is a huge population that must receive attention from policy-makers who will be challenged by the changing demands for social and health services including oral health services. Resources are limited thus rather than being aspirational in wanting to provide all treatment needed for everybody, this critique presents a road map of how we might answer the present and future geriatric oral health concerns in a most efficient manner in a developing country. Viewing the recent Indian demographic profile and the trends in oral health, pertinent policy subjects have been discussed concerning the oral health needs of the elderly and also the associated challenges which include strategies to improve quality of life, strategies to train and educate the dental workforce and above all the role of healthcare systems towards realization of better aged society in India and other developing countries

Nursing Assessment and Intervention to Geriatric Patients Discharged From Emergency Department

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rosted, Elizabeth Emilie; Poulsen, Ingrid; Hendriksen, Carsten

% of geriatric patients have complex and often unresolved caring needs. Objective: To examine the effect of a two-stage nursing assessment and intervention to address the patients uncompensated problems given just after discharge from ED and one and six months after. Method: We conducted a prospective...... nursing assessment comprising a checklist of 10 physical, mental, medical and social items. The focus was on unresolved problems which require medical intervention, new or different home care services, or comprehensive geriatric assessment. Following this the nurses made relevant referrals...... to the geriatric outpatient clinic, community health centre, primary physician or arrangements with next-of-kin. Findings: Primary endpoints will be presented as unplanned readmission to ED; admission to nursing home; and death. Secondary endpoints will be presented as physical function; depressive symptoms...

Physical and mental health aspects of elderly in social care in Poland

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Dobrzyn-Matusiak D

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Dorota Dobrzyn-Matusiak,1 Czeslaw Marcisz,2 Ewelina Bąk,3 Halina Kulik,1 Ewa Marcisz4 1Department of Nursing Propaedeutics, 2Department of Gerontology and Geriatric Nursing, School of Health Care, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland; 3Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Bielsko-Biała, Bielsko-Biała, Poland; 4Department of Anxiety Disorders, Hospital of Ministry of Internal Affairs, Katowice, Poland Background: The objective of the study was to evaluate health aspects in elderly individuals in social, institutional, and home care in Poland.Methods: A total of 300 elderly individuals in care in Poland were included in the study. The subjects were divided into three groups: residents of long-term care institutions (group I, residents of adult day-care homes (group II, and community-dwelling subjects (group III. Each group consisted of 100 subjects. Questionnaires evaluating the following physical and mental dimensions of health were used: SF-36 Health Survey, basic activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, Geriatric Depression Scale, and Mini–mental state examination.Results: It was found that the health aspects of the elderly varied depending on whether care was provided in an institutionalized or a home environment, and the lowest health status was found in the elderly receiving in-home care. Furthermore, home-based elderly indicated significant limitations in performing basic activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living, as well as a higher prevalence of depression and cognitive impairment.Conclusion: The elderly in long-term institutionalized care, both in a residential home and adult day-care homes, were characterized by a better physical and mental health status than those receiving in-home care. It seemed that worse health status, including the more frequent depression occurrence and cognitive function disorders in the elderly using the nursing care at their homes

Geriatric medicine leadership of health care transformation: to be or not to be?

Science.gov (United States)

Heckman, George A; Molnar, Frank J; Lee, Linda

2013-01-01

Geriatric Medicine is well-suited to inform and lead health-care system redesign to address the needs of seniors with complex conditions. We posit that geriatricians must urgently consider how to "brand" Geriatric Medicine in a manner that garners active support from those outside the specialty, including how to adapt practice patterns to better meet the needs of patients and of the health-care system.

gerIatrIc ImperatIve

African Journals Online (AJOL)

developments of geriatric medicine in the medical schools and hospitals of Europe .... including physical, mental, social, economic, functional and environmental .... occupational therapy and speech therapy has grown over the years, further ...

Successful mental health aging: results from a longitudinal study of older Australian men.

Science.gov (United States)

Almeida, Osvaldo P; Norman, Paul; Hankey, Graeme; Jamrozik, Konrad; Flicker, Leon

2006-01-01

The authors investigated the associations of medical and lifestyle factors with the mental health of men in their 80s. This was a prospective study of a community-representative cohort of older men. Successful mental health aging was defined as reaching age 80 years with Mini-Mental State Examination score (MMSE) of 24 or more and Geriatric Depression Scale-15 items (GDS-15) score of 5 or less. Of 601 men followed for 4.8 years, 76.0% enjoyed successful mental health aging. Successful mental health aging was inversely associated with age (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.87; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.81-0.94), non-English-speaking background (HR = 0.42; 95% CI: 0.21-0.85), and the consumption of full-cream milk (HR = 0.63; 95% CI: 0.45-0.89), and directly associated with high school or university education (HR = 1.92; 95% CI: 1.34-2.75) and vigorous (HR = 1.89; 95% CI: 1.17-3.05) and nonvigorous physical activity (HR = 1.50; 95% CI: 1.05-2.14). Marital status, smoking and alcohol use, weekly consumption of meat or fish, and a medical history of hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, diabetes, myocardial infarction, and stroke were not associated with mental health outcomes in men aged 80 years or over. Three in four men who reach age 80 years undergo successful mental health aging. Factors associated with successful mental health aging include education and lifestyle behaviors such as physical activity. Lifestyle modification by means of increasing physical activity and reducing saturated fat intake may prove to be a safe, inexpensive, and readily available strategy to help maximize the successful mental health aging of the population.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Clinical Practices for Patients With Dementia Among Mental Health Providers in China: City and Town Differences.

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Hsiao, Hsin-Yi; Liu, Zhaorui; Xu, Ling; Huang, Yueqin; Chi, Iris

2016-01-01

Mental health providers are the major resource families rely on when experiencing the effects of dementia. However, mental health resources and manpower are inadequate and unevenly distributed between cities and towns in China. This study was conducted to examine similarities and differences in knowledge, attitudes, and clinical practices concerning dementia and working with family caregivers from mental health providers' perspectives in city versus town settings. Data were collected during focus group discussions with 40 mental health providers in the Xicheng (city) and Daxing (town) districts in Beijing, China in 2011. Regional disparities between providers' knowledge of early diagnosis of dementia and related counseling skills were identified. Regional similarities included training needs, dementia-related stigma, and low awareness of dementia among family caregivers. Culturally sensitive education specific to dementia for mental health providers and a specialized dementia care model for people with dementia and their family caregivers are urgently needed. Implications for geriatric practitioners and educators are discussed.

MANAJEMENT OF INSOMNIA IN GERIATRIC PATIENTS

OpenAIRE

Cokorda Istri Devi Larayanthi

2013-01-01

Sleep is an unconscious condition that is relatively more responsive to internal stimuli. Insomnia is a sleep disorder with characteristic difficulty of initiating sleep or difficulty in maintaining sleep. Insomnia is divided into 2 primary insomnia and secondary insomnia. Conection with age, the function of organs in the body decreases. So that geriatric patients are susceptible to illnesses, especially insomnia. Many of the causes of insomnia in geriatric mental disorders, psychiatric, gene...

Associations of Various Health-Ratings with Geriatric Giants, Mortality and Life Satisfaction in Older People

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Puvill, Thomas; Lindenberg, Jolanda; Gussekloo, Jacobijn

2016-01-01

Self-rated health is routinely used in research and practise among general populations. Older people, however, seem to change their health perceptions. To accurately understand these changed perceptions we therefore need to study the correlates of older people's self-ratings. We examined self......-rated, nurse-rated and physician-rated health's association with common disabilities in older people (the geriatric giants), mortality hazard and life satisfaction. For this, we used an age-representative population of 501 participant aged 85 from a middle-sized city in the Netherlands: the Leiden 85-plus......) were included as geriatric giants. Participants provided a score for life satisfaction and were followed up for vital status. Concordance of self-rated health with physician-rated (k = .3 [.0]) and nurse-rated health (k = .2 [.0]) was low. All three ratings were associated with the geriatric giants...

Perception of health care providers toward geriatric oral health in Belgaum district: A cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Mehta, Nishant; Rajpurohit, Ladusingh; Ankola, Anil; Hebbal, Mamata; Setia, Priyanka

2015-05-01

To access knowledge and practices related to the oral health of geriatrics among the health care providers practicing in urban and rural areas. Older adults have identified a number of barriers that contribute to lack of dental service use. However, barriers that clinicians encounter in providing dental treatment to older adults are not as clear-cut. 236 health professionals (of allopathy, ayurveda, and homeopathy) from urban and rural areas were assessed by means of structured questionnaire related to oral health practices and beliefs. Doctors practicing in urban areas assessed dental care needs more frequently (P = 0.038) and performed greater practices related to oral health of geriatrics (P = 0.043) than the doctors practicing in primary health care (PHC) centers (rural) (P = 0.038). Owing to the relative lack of knowledge among rural practitioners, there is a need to integrate primary health care with oral care in rural areas.

MANAJEMENT OF INSOMNIA IN GERIATRIC PATIENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cokorda Istri Devi Larayanthi

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Sleep is an unconscious condition that is relatively more responsive to internal stimuli. Insomnia is a sleep disorder with characteristic difficulty of initiating sleep or difficulty in maintaining sleep. Insomnia is divided into 2 primary insomnia and secondary insomnia. Conection with age, the function of organs in the body decreases. So that geriatric patients are susceptible to illnesses, especially insomnia. Many of the causes of insomnia in geriatric mental disorders, psychiatric, general medical conditions, medications, certain substances, and others. Management of insomnia in geriatric patients were divided into 3 method: 1 manage underlying cause, 2 nonpharmacological therapies such as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT, and 3 pharmacological therapies such as benzodiazepine and non-benzodiazepine that eszopiclone and Ramelteon. Pharmacological treatment in geriatrics should follow the rule "start low, go slow", starting dose of ½ of the adult dose, and its use in the short term.

An Approach of Initiating Geriatric Screening OPD at the Rural Health Training Centre of SMVMCH, Pondicherry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muruganandham R

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Objectives: To study the common chronic health problems among the elderly patients attending in recently initiated geriatric screening OPD at the RHTC. Material and Methods: Since one year, screening OPD has been started at RHTC of SMVMCH, for old patients (>60 years, twice a week. A team of trained medical interns, a post-graduate, a faculty in Community Medicine and a counselor screen and counsel the elderly patients for common medical and mental health problems. The screening tool is structured and has been adopted for patients of geriatric OPD at RHTC. The screening tool consist of General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-5, Psychosis screening, Alzheimer’s disease (AD8 questionnaire and checklist of common medical conditions. Patients were screened for early detection of health problems followed by counseling them/their caregivers and referral to specialty OPD for further care. Results: Total 512 elderly patients were screened over 4 months period from the start of geriatric OPD. Out of them, 276 (54% and 117 (23% were between the age group of 60-65 years and 66-70 years respectively. Among them 387 (75% were below poverty line and 68 (13.3% were having some kind of health insurance. GHQ score indicates that 255 (50% patients had a score more than one and it was significantly higher among females compared to males. About 76 (16.8% elderly had a score of > 1 for psychosis, out of which only 12 (14% were referred to the higher centre. AD8 score shows 204 (40% patients attended the clinic having a score more than 1 and it is significantly higher among females compared to males. Counseling for caregivers was given only in 13 (6% of the patients with high AD8 score. Common chronic conditions present among them were joint pains (310, 60%, visual disturbances (247, 48%, hearing difficulty (120, 23.4% and hypertension (107, 21%. Conclusion: The proportion of people with AD8 score more than 1 is high and most common chronic condition seen is joint pain

The association between nutritional status and frailty characteristics among geriatric outpatients.

Science.gov (United States)

Kurkcu, M; Meijer, R I; Lonterman, S; Muller, M; de van der Schueren, M A E

2018-02-01

Frailty is a common clinical syndrome in older adults and is associated with an increased risk of poor health outcomes, e.g. falls, disability, hospitalization, and mortality. Nutritional status might be an important factor contributing to frailty. This study aims to describe the association between nutritional status and characteristics of frailty in patients attending a geriatric outpatient clinic. Clinical data was collected of 475 patients who visited the geriatric outpatient department of a Dutch hospital between 2005 and 2010. Frailty was determined by: incontinence, Activities of Daily Living (ADL), Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL), mobility, Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE). Nutritional status was represented by the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) and plasma concentrations of several micronutrients, whereby MNAnutritional status could prove usefulness in early clinical detection and prevention of frailty. Copyright © 2017 European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Oral Health and Salivary Profiles of Geriatric Outpatients in Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hosp ital

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Aji Kurniawan

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Population of geriatric patients would increase in line with that of elderly population. Health problems related to this group of people would have impact on general and oral health maintenance aiming for good quality of life. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the profile of oral health, saliva, and oral mucosa on geriatric patients at Geriatric Policlinic in Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital. Materials and Methods: This research was a descriptive crosssectional study, which data was taken using questionnaire containing basic demographical information and oral clinical examination using standard form used by Faculty of Dentistry Universitas Indonesia. Results: The study included 75 geriatric patients, ranging from 60 to 86 of age. The mean of DMF-T score of 69 geriatric patients was 4.68 ±2.893, OHI-S 2.790 ±1.102, PBI 0.779±0.585. The mean of unstimulated salivary pH score was 6.618 ± 0.54 and stimulated buffer capacity of saliva was 7.46±2.827. Mean of salivary flow rate is 0.24mL/min and 39 people had hiposalivation. 93 normal variations and 117 pathological oral lesion was found. Conclusion: This study showed that poor oral health status and pathological oral lesion found in this study elderly population could be caused from poor salivary flow, pH saliva, and buffer capacity of saliva. Systematic oral examination of the elderly is of considerable importance and ought be carried out regularly by a dentist in collaboration with the physician; making holistic management of the elderly properly performed.DOI: 10.14693/jdi.v17i2.46

School Mental Health Resources and Adolescent Mental Health Service Use

Science.gov (United States)

Green, Jennifer Greif; McLaughlin, Katie A.; Alegría, Margarita; Costello, E. Jane; Gruber, Michael J.; Hoagwood, Kimberly; Leaf, Philip J.; Olin, Serene; Sampson, Nancy A,; Kessler, Ronald C.

2014-01-01

Objective Although schools are identified as critical for detecting youth mental disorders, little is known about whether the number of mental health providers and types of resources they offer influence student mental health service use. Such information could inform the development and allocation of appropriate school-based resources to increase service use. This paper examines associations of school resources with past-year mental health service use among students with 12-month DSM-IV mental disorders. Method Data come from the U.S. National Comorbidity Survey Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A), a national survey of adolescent mental health that included 4,445 adolescent-parent pairs in 227 schools in which principals and mental health coordinators completed surveys about school resources-policies for addressing student emotional problems. Adolescents and parents completed the Composite International Diagnostic Interview and reported mental health service use across multiple sectors. Multilevel multivariate regression was used to examine associations of school mental health resources and individual-level service use. Results Roughly half (45.3%) of adolescents with a 12-month DSM-IV disorder received past-year mental health services. Substantial variation existed in school resources. Increased school engagement in early identification was significantly associated with mental health service use for adolescents with mild/moderate mental and behavior disorders. The ratio of students-to-mental health providers was not associated with overall service use, but was associated with sector of service use. Conclusions School mental health resources, particularly those related to early identification, may facilitate mental health service use and influence sector of service use for youths with DSM disorders. PMID:23622851

Mental health conditions in Korean atomic bomb survivors. A survey in Seoul

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koshimoto, Rika; Nakane, Hideyuki; Kim, Hyen

2011-01-01

More than 60 years have elapsed since the atomic bombings to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and since all of the atomic bomb survivors have become old, the importance of caring their mental health has become increasing in Japan. Although approximately 70% of overseas atomic bomb are living in Korea, there have been quite few studies on their mental health. The objectives of the present study were to elucidate whether the mental health conditions of atomic bomb survivor in Korea are similar to those in Japan. The subjects were 181 Korean atomic bomb survivors living in Korea (cases) and 209 outpatients of a hospital in Seoul who were not exposed to atomic bombs (controls). Interviewers administered them at the hospital a questionnaire with Impact of Event Scale-Revised, General Health Questionnaire 12 (GHQ-12), Korean version of short form Geriatric Depression Scale and the K scale of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. Excluding subjects with incomplete responses we analyzed 162 cases and 189 controls. The proportion of subjects with high score of GHQ-12 (≥4) was significantly higher in cases (78/162 or 48.1%) than in controls (42/189 or 22.2%) (p<0.0001, Fisher's exact test). The present results, though preliminary, indicate that atomic bomb survivors in Korea have also mental health problems similar to those observed in Japanese atomic bomb survivors, indicating the necessity of a larger study. (author)

Significance of mental health legislation for successful primary care for mental health and community mental health services: A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Ayano, Getinet

2018-03-29

 Mental health legislation (MHL) is required to ensure a regulatory framework for mental health services and other providers of treatment and care, and to ensure that the public and people with a mental illness are afforded protection from the often-devastating consequences of mental illness.  To provide an overview of evidence on the significance of MHL for successful primary care for mental health and community mental health servicesMethod: A qualitative review of the literature on the significance of MHL for successful primary care for mental health and community mental health services was conducted.  In many countries, especially in those who have no MHL, people do not have access to basic mental health care and treatment they require. One of the major aims of MHL is that all people with mental disorders should be provided with treatment based on the integration of mental health care services into the primary healthcare (PHC). In addition, MHL plays a crucial role in community integration of persons with mental disorders, the provision of care of high quality, the improvement of access to care at community level. Community-based mental health care further improves access to mental healthcare within the city, to have better health and mental health outcomes, and better quality of life, increase acceptability, reduce associated social stigma and human rights abuse, prevent chronicity and physical health comorbidity will likely to be detected early and managed.  Mental health legislation plays a crucial role in community integration of persons with mental disorders, integration of mental health at primary health care, the provision of care of high quality and the improvement of access to care at community level. It is vital and essential to have MHL for every country.

Teacher Candidate Mental Health and Mental Health Literacy

Science.gov (United States)

Dods, Jennifer

2016-01-01

Providing teacher candidates with a strong foundation in mental health literacy during their teacher education program is crucial in ensuring novice teachers are prepared to support the mental health needs of their students. In addition to responding to students, teacher candidates are typically at an age when mental health disorders are common…

Geriatric work-up in the Nordic countries. The Nordic approach to comprehensive geriatric assessment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sletvold, O; Tilvis, R; Jonsson, A

1996-01-01

A group established by the Nordic professors of geriatrics has developed a position document presenting a shared and updated review of geriatric work-up as a way of comprehensive geriatric assessment in the Nordic countries. The main intention is that the document will serve as support and help f...... languages, and the translated versions should ideally have been subjected to validity and reliability testing. However, so far no scale meets these demands regarding all the five Nordic languages.......A group established by the Nordic professors of geriatrics has developed a position document presenting a shared and updated review of geriatric work-up as a way of comprehensive geriatric assessment in the Nordic countries. The main intention is that the document will serve as support and help...... for the clinician concerned with hospital based geriatric medicine. It may also be useful for quality control and teaching. Not least, it may be useful for health professionals other than geriatricians. To some extent, the position of geriatric medicine in the Nordic countries varies between the countries. However...

Co-creation by the ABIM Geriatric Medicine Board and the AGS - Helping Move Geriatrics Forward.

Science.gov (United States)

Leff, Bruce; Lundjeberg, Nancy E; Brangman, Sharon A; Dubow, Joyce; Levine, Sharon; Morgan-Gouveia, Melissa; Schlaudecker, Jeffrey; Lynn, Lorna; McDonald, Furman S

2017-10-01

The American board of internal medicine (ABIM) establishes standards for physicians. The American geriatrics society (AGS) is a not-for-profit membership organization of nearly 6,000 health professionals devoted to improving the health, independence, and quality of life of all older people. Beginning in 2013, ABIM redesigned its governance structure, including the role of the specialty boards. Specialty boards are charged with responsibilities for oversight in four main areas: (1) the assessments used in initial certification and maintenance of certification (MOC); (2) medical knowledge self-assessment and practice assessment in the specialty; (3) building relationships with relevant professional societies and other organizational stakeholders; and (4) issues related to training requirements for initial certification eligibility within the specialty. The aim of this paper is to inform the geriatrics community regarding the function of geriatric medicine board (GMB) of the ABIM, and to invite the geriatrics community to fully engage with and leverage the GMB as a partner to: (1) develop better certification examinations and processes, identifying better knowledge and practice assessments, and in establishing appropriate training and MOC requirements for geriatric medicine; (2) leverage ABIM assets to conduct applied research to guide the field in the areas of training and certification and workforce development in geriatric medicine; (3) make MOC relevant for practicing geriatricians. Active engagement of the geriatrics community with ABIM and the GMB will ensure that certification in geriatric medicine provides the greatest possible value and meaning to physicians, patients, and the public. © 2017, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2017, The American Geriatrics Society.

Age Differences in the Association of Social Support and Mental Health in Male U.S. Veterans: Results From the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Weiner, Melissa R; Monin, Joan K; Mota, Natalie; Pietrzak, Robert H

2016-04-01

To examine the associations between multiple aspects of social support-perceived support, structural support, and community integration-and mental health difficulties in younger and older male veterans. Drawing from Socioemotional Selectivity Theory (SST), we hypothesized that greater support would be more strongly negatively related to mental health difficulties in older than younger veterans. Cross-sectional Web survey of younger and older male veterans recruited from a contemporary, nationally representative sample of veterans residing in the United States. Data were drawn from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study. Participants were 290 younger male veterans (mean age: 37.0 years, SD: 6.9, range: 21-46) and 326 older male veterans (mean age: 81.7 years, SD: 3.2, range: 78-96). Participants completed measures of sociodemographic and military characteristics, perceived and structural social support, community integration, and mental health difficulties. In contrast to SST, higher perceived support was associated with fewer mental health difficulties in younger but not older veterans. In line with SST, community integration was associated with fewer mental health difficulties in older but not younger veterans. Structural support was not associated with mental health difficulties in either group. Results of this study provide mixed support for SST and suggest that different aspects of social support may help promote the mental health of younger and older male U.S. veterans. Promotion of community engagement may help promote mental health in older veterans, whereas promotion of functional social support may help promote mental health in younger veterans. Copyright © 2016 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. All rights reserved.

Latino Mental Health

Science.gov (United States)

... How Do Mental Health Conditions Affect the Latino Community? Common mental health disorders among Latinos are generalized anxiety disorder , major ... quality care. Lack of Information and Misunderstanding about Mental Health Overall, the Latino community does not talk about mental health issues. There ...

Health care: economic impact of caring for geriatric patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Rich, Preston B; Adams, Sasha D

2015-02-01

National health care expenditures constitute a continuously expanding component of the US economy. Health care resources are distributed unequally among the population, and geriatric patients are disproportionately represented. Characterizing this group of individuals that accounts for the largest percentage of US health spending may facilitate the introduction of targeted interventions in key high-impact areas. Changing demographics, an increasing incidence of chronic disease and progressive disability, rapid technological advances, and systemic market failures in the health care sector combine to drive cost. A multidisciplinary approach will become increasingly necessary to balance the delicate relationship between our constrained supply and increasing demand. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Relationships among Communication Self-Efficacy, Communication Burden, and the Mental Health of the Families of Persons with Aphasia.

Science.gov (United States)

Tatsumi, Hiroshi; Nakaaki, Shutaro; Satoh, Masayuki; Yamamoto, Masahiko; Chino, Naohito; Hadano, Kazuo

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the relationships among communication self-efficacy (SE), communication burden, and the mental health of the families of persons with aphasia using structural equation modeling (SEM). This study examined 110 pairs of persons with aphasia receiving home care and 1 family caregiver per person with aphasia. The survey items for this study consisted of the Communication Self-efficacy Scale, the Communication Burden Scale, the Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form-Japanese, and the Health-Related Quality of Life: SF-8 Health Survey. The relationships between the constructive concept of "communication self-efficacy" and "communication burden," and "mental-health status" were analyzed using SEM. The results of the SEM analysis revealed that a high communication SE of the families was associated with low burden of communication and good mental-health status. Psychoeducational programs that address the communication SE of family caregivers may have the potential to reduce the burden of communication and to improve the mental health of caregivers. These programs could lead to an enhanced quality of life for both persons with aphasia and their families. Copyright © 2015 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Transformation of children's mental health services: the role of school mental health.

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Stephan, Sharon Hoover; Weist, Mark; Kataoka, Sheryl; Adelsheim, Steven; Mills, Carrie

2007-10-01

The New Freedom Commission has called for a transformation in the delivery of mental health services in this country. The commission's report and recommendations have highlighted the role of school mental health services in transforming mental health care for children and adolescents. This article examines the intersection of school mental health programs and the commission's recommendations in order to highlight the role of school mental health in the transformation of the child and adolescent mental health system. Schools are uniquely positioned to play a central role in improving access to child mental health services and in supporting mental health and wellness as well as academic functioning of youths. The New Freedom Commission report articulated several goals related to school mental health: reducing stigma, preventing suicide, improving screening and treating co-occurring disorders, and expanding school mental health programs. The authors suggest strategies for change, including demonstrating relevance to schools, developing consensus among stakeholders, enhancing community mental health-school connections, building quality assessment and improvement, and considering the organizational context of schools.

Mental Health: Keeping Your Emotional Health

Science.gov (United States)

... Basics Sports Safety Injury Rehabilitation Emotional Well-Being Mental Health Sex and Birth Control Sex and Sexuality Birth ... PPD) Home Prevention and Wellness Emotional Well-Being Mental Health Mental Health: Keeping Your Emotional Health Mental Health: ...

Hierachy of needs of geriatric patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Majercsik, E

2005-01-01

The aim of the study is to contribute to the improvement of the quality of care of geriatric patients. In order to be able to improve the geriatric care we have to know clearly the needs of the elderly patients. The hierarchy of needs of geriatric patients in clinical circumstances had to be assessed by a psychometric technique based on a motivational approach. The process was based on the method of paired comparisons, and a duly composed questionnaire was administered to the geriatric patients who were proven to have consistent thinking and surpassed a pre-established threshold in the Mini Mental State Examination. The evaluation of the responds leads to a numerical derivation (on an interval scale) of the hierarchy of needs. The received hierarchy of needs proved to oppose the general hypothesis of Maslow's motivation theory. This may induce a necessary shift in the approach to the care of the elderly, and accentuate the self-actualization and esteem needs beside the overtly emphasized physiological care. Copyright (c) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel

Spatial Variability of Geriatric Depression Risk in a High-Density City: A Data-Driven Socio-Environmental Vulnerability Mapping Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, Hung Chak; Lau, Kevin Ka-Lun; Yu, Ruby; Wang, Dan; Woo, Jean; Kwok, Timothy Chi Yui; Ng, Edward

2017-08-31

Previous studies found a relationship between geriatric depression and social deprivation. However, most studies did not include environmental factors in the statistical models, introducing a bias to estimate geriatric depression risk because the urban environment was found to have significant associations with mental health. We developed a cross-sectional study with a binomial logistic regression to examine the geriatric depression risk of a high-density city based on five social vulnerability factors and four environmental measures. We constructed a socio-environmental vulnerability index by including the significant variables to map the geriatric depression risk in Hong Kong, a high-density city characterized by compact urban environment and high-rise buildings. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of the variables were significantly different, indicating that both social and environmental variables should be included as confounding factors. For the comprehensive model controlled by all confounding factors, older adults who were of lower education had the highest geriatric depression risks (OR: 1.60 (1.21, 2.12)). Higher percentage of residential area and greater variation in building height within the neighborhood also contributed to geriatric depression risk in Hong Kong, while average building height had negative association with geriatric depression risk. In addition, the socio-environmental vulnerability index showed that higher scores were associated with higher geriatric depression risk at neighborhood scale. The results of mapping and cross-section model suggested that geriatric depression risk was associated with a compact living environment with low socio-economic conditions in historical urban areas in Hong Kong. In conclusion, our study found a significant difference in geriatric depression risk between unadjusted and adjusted models, suggesting the importance of including environmental factors in estimating geriatric depression risk. We also

What Is Mental Health?

Science.gov (United States)

... Myths and Facts Recovery Is Possible What Is Mental Health? Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social ... mental health problems and where to find help . Mental Health and Wellness Positive mental health allows people to: ...

Geriatric fall-related injuries | Hefny | African Health Sciences

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Falls are the leading cause of geriatric injury. ... and outcome of geriatric fall-related injuries in order to give recommendations regarding their prevention. Methods: All injured patients with an age ≥ 60 years who were admitted to ...

[Geriatric health promotion and prevention for independently living senior citizens: programmes and target groups].

Science.gov (United States)

Dapp, U; Anders, J; Meier-Baumgartner, H P; v Renteln-Kruse, W

2007-08-01

Nearly all diseases in old age that are epidemiologically important can be reduced or prevented successfully through consequent changes in individual lifestyle, a systematic provision of measures in primary prevention (i.e. vaccination programmes) and the creation of health promoting settings. However, at the moment the amount of potential for preventative interventions is neither systematically nor sufficiently utilised in Germany. Two different preventative approaches: a) multidimensional advice session in small groups through an interdisciplinary team at a geriatric centre (seniors come to seek advice offered at a centre) or b) multidimensional advice at the seniors home through one member of the interdisciplinary team from the geriatric centre (expert takes advice to seniors home) were tested simultaneously with a well-described study sample of 804 independent community-dwelling senior citizens aged 60 years or over, without need of care and cognitive impairments recruited from general practices. Information about target group specific approaches in health promotion and prevention for senior citizens were retrieved from analyses of sociodemographic, medical, psychological and spacial characteristics of this study sample. The majority of the study sample (580 out of 804 or 72.1%) decided to participate: a) 86.7% (503 out of 580) attended at the geriatric centre and sought advice in group sessions and b) 13.3% (77 out of 580) decided to receive advice in a preventive home visit. A total of 224 seniors (224 out of 804 or 27.9%) refused to participate at all. These three target groups were characterised on the basis of their age, gender, education, social background, health status, health behaviour, use of preventive care, self perceived health, functional disabilities, social net and social participation and distance or accessibility of preventative approaches. The 503 senior citizens who participated in small group sessions at the geriatric centre were

MENTAL HEALTH: ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE

OpenAIRE

Muzdalifah M. Rahman

2015-01-01

The purpose of this paper was to explain the concept of mental health perspective Contemporary Psychology, describes the mental health of an Islamic perspective and describes how mental health recovery. The theory used is the concept of mental health perspective Contemporary Psychology, and the concept of mental health perspective Islamic Psychology Writing is writing method using qualitative research methods. Mental health is avoiding an Islamic perspective of all symptoms, complaints and...

Impact of a collaborative interprofessional learning experience upon medical and social work students in geriatric health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Gould, Paul Robert; Lee, Youjung; Berkowitz, Shawn; Bronstein, Laura

2015-01-01

Interprofessional collaborative practice is increasingly recognized as an essential model in health care. This study lends preliminary support to the notion that medical students (including residents) and social work students develop a broader understanding of one another's roles and contributions to enhancing community-dwelling geriatric patients' health, and develop a more thorough understanding of the inherent complexities and unique aspects of geriatric health care. Wilcoxon Signed Rank Tests of participants' scores on the Index of Interdisciplinary Collaboration (IIC) indicated the training made significant changes to the students' perception of interprofessional collaboration. Qualitative analysis of participants' statements illustrated (1) benefits of the IPE experience, including complementary roles in holistic interventions; and (2) challenges to collaboration. The findings suggest that interprofessional educational experiences have a positive impact upon students' learning and strategies for enhanced care of geriatric patients.

Building Psychosocial Programming in Geriatrics Fellowships: A Consortium Model

Science.gov (United States)

Adelman, Ronald D.; Ansell, Pamela; Breckman, Risa; Snow, Caitlin E.; Ehrlich, Amy R.; Greene, Michele G.; Greenberg, Debra F.; Raik, Barrie L.; Raymond, Joshua J.; Clabby, John F.; Fields, Suzanne D.; Breznay, Jennifer B.

2011-01-01

Geriatric psychosocial problems are prevalent and significantly affect the physical health and overall well-being of older adults. Geriatrics fellows require psychosocial education, and yet to date, geriatrics fellowship programs have not developed a comprehensive geriatric psychosocial curriculum. Fellowship programs in the New York tristate area…

A literature review of the application of the Geriatric Depression Scale, Depression Anxiety Stress Scales and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist to community nursing cohorts.

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Jacqui; Annells, Merilyn

2009-04-01

To explore through literature review the appropriateness of three common tools for use by community nurses to screen war veteran and war widow(er) clients for depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. War veterans and, to a lesser extent, war widow(er)s, are prone to mental health challenges, especially depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Community nurses do not accurately identify such people with depression and related disorders although they are well positioned to do so. The use of valid and reliable self-report tools is one method of improving nurses' identification of people with actual or potential mental health difficulties for referral to a general practitioner or mental health practitioner for diagnostic assessment and treatment. The Geriatric Depression Scale, Depression Anxiety Stress Scales and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist are frequently recommended for mental health screening but the appropriateness of using the tools for screening war veteran and war widow(er) community nursing clients who are often aged and have functional impairment, is unknown. Systematic review. Current literature informs that the Geriatric Depression Scale accurately predicts a diagnosis of depression in community nursing cohorts. The three Depression Anxiety Stress Scales subscales of depression, anxiety and stress are valid; however, no studies were identified that compared the performance of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales in predicting diagnoses of depression or anxiety. The Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist predicts post-traumatic stress disorder in community cohorts although no studies meeting the selection criteria included male participants. This review provides recommendations for the use of the Geriatric Depression Scale, Depression Anxiety Stress Scales and The Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist based on examination of the published evidence for the application of these screening tools in samples

Undergraduate mental health nursing education in Australia: More than Mental Health First Aid.

Science.gov (United States)

Happell, Brenda; Wilson, Rhonda; McNamara, Paul

2015-01-01

Mental Health First Aid training is designed to equip people with the skills to help others who may be developing mental health problems or experiencing mental health crises. This training has consistently been shown to increase: (1) the recognition of mental health problems; (2) the extent to which course trainees' beliefs about treatment align with those of mental health professionals; (3) their intentions to help others; and (4) their confidence in their abilities to assist others. This paper presents a discussion of the potential role of Mental Health First Aid training in undergraduate mental health nursing education. Three databases (CINAHL, Medline, and PsycINFO) were searched to identify literature on Mental Health First Aid. Although Mental Health First Aid training has strong benefits, this first responder level of education is insufficient for nurses, from whom people expect to receive professional care. It is recommended that: (1) Mental Health First Aid training be made a prerequisite of preregistration nurse education, (2) registered nurses make a larger contribution to addressing the mental health needs of Australians requiring care, and (3) current registered nurses take responsibility for ensuring that they can provided basic mental health care, including undertaking training to rectify gaps in their knowledge.

[Geriatrics or geriatricization of medicine : Quo vadis geriatrics?

Science.gov (United States)

Kolb, G F

2017-12-01

This article examines the question whether and how geriatrics will change in the future and whether in view of the demographic changes the trend will go more in the direction of a further expansion of geriatrics or more towards a geriatricization of individual specialist medical fields. The different development of geriatrics in the individual Federal States can only be understood historically and is absolutely problematic against the background of the new hospital remuneration system. Geriatrics is a typical cross-sectional faculty and still has demarcation problems with other faculties but has also not yet clearly defined the core competence. This certainly includes the increasing acquisition of decentralized joint treatment concepts and geriatric counselling services in the future, in addition to the classical assessment instruments. Keywords in association with this are: traumatology and othopedics of the elderly, geriatric neurology and geriatric oncology. Interdisciplinary geriatric expertise is increasingly being requested. Outpatient structures have so far not been prioritized in geriatrics. An independent research is under construction and it is gratifying that academic interest in geriatrics seems to be increasing and new professorial chairs have been established. It is not possible to imagine our hospital without geriatrics; however, there is still a certain imbalance between the clearly increased number of geriatric hospital beds, the representation of geriatrics in large hospitals (e.g. specialized and maximum care hospitals and university clinics), the secure establishment in further education regulations and the lack of a uniform nationwide concept of geriatrics.

Grip strength as a frailty diagnostic component in geriatric inpatients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dudzińska-Griszek J

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Joanna Dudzińska-Griszek, Karolina Szuster, Jan Szewieczek Department of Geriatrics, School of Health Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland Background: Frailty has emerged as a key medical syndrome predictive of comorbidity, disability, institutionalization and death. As a component of the five frailty phenotype diagnostic criteria, patient grip strength deserves attention as a simple and objective measure of the frailty syndrome. The aim of this study was to assess conditions that influence grip strength in geriatric inpatients.Patients and methods: The study group consisted of 80 patients aged 78.6±7.0 years ( X ± SD, with 68.8% women, admitted to the Department of Geriatrics. A comprehensive geriatric assessment was complemented with assessment for the frailty phenotype as described by Fried et al for all patients in the study group. Functional assessment included Barthel Index of Activities of Daily Living (Barthel Index, Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale and Mini-Mental State Examination.Results: Three or more frailty criteria were positive in 32 patients (40%, while 56 subjects (70% fulfilled the frailty criterion of weakness (grip strength test. Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that two independent measures showed positive association with grip strength – Mini-Mental State Examination score (β=0.239; P=0.001 and statin use (β=0.213; P=0.002 – and four independent measures were negatively associated with grip strength – female sex (β=–0.671; P<0.001, C-reactive protein (β=–0.253; P<0.001, prior myocardial infarction (β=–0.190; P=0.006 and use of an antidepressant (β=–0.163; P=0.018. Low physical activity was identified as the only independent qualitative frailty component associated with 2-year mortality in multivariate logistic regression analysis after adjustment for age and sex (odds ratio =6.000; 95% CI =1.357–26.536; P=0.018.Conclusion: Cognitive

Mental Health Mobile Apps: From Infusion to Diffusion in the Mental Health Social System.

Science.gov (United States)

East, Marlene Lynette; Havard, Byron C

2015-01-01

The roles of mental health educators and professionals in the diffusion of mental health mobile apps are addressed in this viewpoint article. Mental health mobile apps are emerging technologies that fit under the broad heading of mobile health (mHealth). mHealth, encompassed within electronic health (eHealth), reflects the use of mobile devices for the practice of public health. Well-designed mental health mobile apps that present content in interactive, engaging, and stimulating ways can promote cognitive learning, personal growth, and mental health enhancement. As key influencers in the mental health social system, counselor educators and professional associations may either help or hinder diffusion of beneficial mHealth technologies. As mental health mobile apps move towards ubiquity, research will continue to be conducted. The studies published thus far, combined with the potential of mental health mobile apps for learning and personal growth, offer enough evidence to compel mental health professionals to infuse these technologies into education and practice. Counselor educators and professional associations must use their influential leadership roles to train students and practitioners in how to research, evaluate, and integrate mental health mobile apps into practice. The objectives of this article are to (1) increase awareness of mHealth and mental health mobile apps, (2) demonstrate the potential for continued growth in mental health mobile apps based on technology use and acceptance theory, mHealth organizational initiatives, and evidence about how humans learn, (3) discuss evidence-based benefits of mental health mobile apps, (4) examine the current state of mHealth diffusion in the mental health profession, and (5) offer solutions for impelling innovation diffusion by infusing mental health mobile apps into education, training, and clinical settings. This discussion has implications for counselor educators, mental health practitioners, associations

Registro de prácticas discentes: Instrumento reflexivo para el estudiante en salud mental y geriatría

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Mercedes Abades-Porcel

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Objetivo. Analizar las reflexiones del estudiantado de enfermería recogidas en el registro de su experiencia práctica en salud mental y geriátrica en la Escuela Universitaria de Enfermería del Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau (HSCSP EUI. Metodología: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo, transversal, basado en los informes recibidos de estudiantes de tercer año de la EUE en el curso 2012 y 2014. Los datos recogidos fueron las variables sociodemográficas (sexo, edad, nacionalidad y las respuestas a las 2 preguntas abiertas extraídas de las memorias de estudiantes, mediante una herramienta especialmente diseñada para ello. La muestra incluyó 158 memorias de estudiantes (81,6% mujeres y 18,3% hombres. Se realizó un análisis cualitativo y cuantitativo de los datos con el programa SPSS de Windows. Los resultados mostraron que el estudiantado consideraba más visible el trabajo en equipo y la comunicación terapéutica en geriatría y salud mental que en las unidades de alta complejidad. Además, encontraron que la relación humana y la unión entre el paciente y las enfermeras era mucho más humanista. También observaron que enfermería estaba más involucrada y motivada que en otras unidades clínicas más técnicas. Conclusión: el estudiantado de enfermería percibía la experiencia práctica en geriatría y en salud mental como transformadora, y consideraba que profundizar en el conocimiento de las enfermedades y las necesidades de la persona tanto en salud como en enfermedad les aporta un mayor crecimiento personal y profesional.

Utility of the Care Dependency Scale in predicting care needs and health risks of elderly patients admitted to a geriatric unit: a cross-sectional study of 200 consecutive patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Doroszkiewicz H

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Halina Doroszkiewicz,1 Matylda Sierakowska,2 Marta Muszalik3 1Department of Geriatrics, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland; 2Department of Integrated Medical Care, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland; 3Department and Clinic of Geriatrics, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Bydgoszcz, Poland Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the usefulness of the Polish version of the Care Dependency Scale (CDS in predicting care needs and health risks of elderly patients admitted to a geriatric unit.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 200 geriatric patients aged ≥60 years, chronologically admitted to a geriatrics unit in Poland. The study was carried out using the Polish version of the CDS questionnaire to evaluate biopsychosocial needs and the level of care dependency.Results: The mean age of the participating geriatric patients was 81.8±6.6. The mean result of the sum of the CDS index for all the participants was 55.3±15.1. Detailed analysis of the results of evaluation of the respondents’ functional condition showed statistically significant differences in the levels of care dependency. Evaluation of the patients’ physical performance in terms of the ability to do basic activities of daily living (ADL and instrumental ADL (I-ADL showed statistically significant differences between the levels of care dependency. Patients with high dependency were more often prone to pressure ulcers – 13.1±3.3, falls (87.2%, poorer emotional state – 6.9±3.6, mental function – 5.1±2.8, and more often problems with locomotion, vision, and hearing. The results showed that locomotive disability, depression, advanced age, and problem with vision and hearing are connected with increasing care dependency.Conclusion: CDS evaluation of each admitted geriatric patient enables us to predict the care needs and health risks that need to be reduced and the disease states to be improved. CDS

Frailty and geriatric syndromes in elderly assisted in primary health care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vera Elizabeth Closs

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to describe the association between frailty and geriatric syndromes (GS [cognitive impairment (CI; postural instability (PI; urinary/fecal incontinence (UFI; polypharmacy (PP; and immobility (IM] and the frequency of these conditions in elderly people assisted in primary health care. Five hundred twenty-one elderly participants of The Multidimensional Study of the Elderly in the Family Health Strategy (EMI-SUS were evaluated. Sociodemographic data, identification of frailty (Fried phenotype and GS were collected. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was performed. The frequency of frailty was 21.5%, prefrailty 51.1% and robustness 27.4%. The frequency of CI was 54.7%, PP 41.2%, PI 36.5%, UFI 14% and IM 5.8%. The odds of frailty when compared to robustness and adjusted for gender, age, depression, self-perception of health, nutritional status, falls, vision and hearing, was significantly higher in elderly with CI, PI and PP. The adjusted odds of prefrail when compared to robustness was significantly higher only in elderly with CI. The most frequently presented number of GS (0-5 was two geriatric syndromes (26.87%. The frequency of frailty was high among elderly in primary health care and was associated with three of five GS (CI - PI - PP.

Public and Private Responsibility for Mental Health: Mental Health's Fourth Revolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Dokecki, Paul R.

Three revolutions in the history of mental health were identified by Nicholas Hobbs: the humane revolution, the scientific and therapeutic revolution, and the public health revolution. The shift of responsibilities for mental health and substance abuse services from the public to the private sector may constitute a fourth mental health revolution.…

Effects of inpatient geriatric interventions in a German geriatric hospital: Impact on ADL, mobility and cognitive status.

Science.gov (United States)

Bordne, S; Schulz, R-J; Zank, S

2015-06-01

Given the demographic changes, the need for effective geriatric intervention is obvious. Geriatric care aims to maintain the highest possible level of independence and quality of life and to reduce the risk of need for care. This study investigated the benefits of geriatric care on functional performance, mobility and cognition. This study involved a retrospective analysis of clinical data from 646 patients. At hospital admission and discharge functional status was assessed using the Barthel index. Mobility was evaluated by means of the Tinetti test and cognition by the mini-mental state examination (MMSE). A follow-up was conducted on 112 patients 2-5 months after hospital discharge. Statistical analysis included t-tests including Cohen's d for effect size and multivariate regression analysis. The mean age of the study population was 81.1 ± 7.1 years including 439 women (68%) and 207 men (32%). There were significant average improvements for activities of daily living (ADL), mobility and cognition comparing discharge and admission scores. For functional and mobility status, effect sizes were medium to high. Regression analyses showed that ADL improvement was predicted by functional, mobile and cognitive status at admission. Follow-up analyses revealed a high percentage of former patients still living at home and an overall maintenance of ADL levels. Geriatric patients seem to experience long-term improvements during geriatric treatment, which appears to fulfill its aim of recovering independence. For a better understanding of relevant factors for the recreation of geriatric patients, further research is needed, e.g. with respect to the impact of the nutritional status.

Spatial Variability of Geriatric Depression Risk in a High-Density City: A Data-Driven Socio-Environmental Vulnerability Mapping Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hung Chak Ho

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Previous studies found a relationship between geriatric depression and social deprivation. However, most studies did not include environmental factors in the statistical models, introducing a bias to estimate geriatric depression risk because the urban environment was found to have significant associations with mental health. We developed a cross-sectional study with a binomial logistic regression to examine the geriatric depression risk of a high-density city based on five social vulnerability factors and four environmental measures. We constructed a socio-environmental vulnerability index by including the significant variables to map the geriatric depression risk in Hong Kong, a high-density city characterized by compact urban environment and high-rise buildings. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs of the variables were significantly different, indicating that both social and environmental variables should be included as confounding factors. For the comprehensive model controlled by all confounding factors, older adults who were of lower education had the highest geriatric depression risks (OR: 1.60 (1.21, 2.12. Higher percentage of residential area and greater variation in building height within the neighborhood also contributed to geriatric depression risk in Hong Kong, while average building height had negative association with geriatric depression risk. In addition, the socio-environmental vulnerability index showed that higher scores were associated with higher geriatric depression risk at neighborhood scale. The results of mapping and cross-section model suggested that geriatric depression risk was associated with a compact living environment with low socio-economic conditions in historical urban areas in Hong Kong. In conclusion, our study found a significant difference in geriatric depression risk between unadjusted and adjusted models, suggesting the importance of including environmental factors in estimating geriatric depression risk

Mental Health

Science.gov (United States)

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel and act as ... stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from ...

Mental Health in Cypriot Citizens of the Rural Health Centre Kofinou

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Georgios Stavrou

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Objective: The main purpose of this study was to investigate the mental health of Cypriot citizens living in the current difficult period of economic recession. The specific objective was to investigate the different factors (gender, age, socio-economic factors, etc. that may affect the levels of emotional distress, anxiety, and depression in patients attending the Rural Health Centre of Kofinou. Materials and Methods: The sample consisted of a total of 300 Cypriots who visited Kofinou Health Centre in the period between July and September 2015. For the middle-aged citizens, the Greek version of the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS was applied to 150 persons [1], while for the visiting senior citizens (aged over 65 years, the Greek version of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS was used [2]. Results: HADS: A total of 150 people of average age 47 ± 11.5 years (min 23–max 64 participated in the study. Fifty-six percent were women. Seventy-seven percent stated they had a reduction in income (mean reduction 35% ± 25% and 46.7% suffered from chronic disease. The 36.6% and 28.7% of the visitors showed moderate or severe forms of anxiety and depression, accordingly. Higher emotional distress is associated with lower educational level (b = −2.63, p < 0.001, lower income (b = −1.07, p = 0.017, and the presence of a chronic disease (b = 5.45, p < 0.001. The same factors are significantly associated with higher anxiety (Education: b = −1.20, p = 0.003; Income: b = −0.64, p = 0.01; Chronic disease: b = 2.82, p = 0.001. Additionally, a reduction in income (>35% is associated with increased depression (p = 0.028. GDS: 150 patients out of which 77 were women (51.3%. The average age of participants was 72 ± 5.5 years. Ninety-three (62% participants declared a reduction in income due to the financial crisis (mean reduction 20% ± 8%, while 139 (92.7% stated that they had chronic disease. Fifty-three participants (35.3% thought they had

Observation of influences of mental health promotion and mental intervention on mental health status of professionals

OpenAIRE

Jiang, Shu-Qiang; Zhang, Jian-Ling

2015-01-01

Objective: To observe the influences of mental health promotion and mental intervention on mental health status of professionals. Method: 2878 professionals for physical examination were selected and randomly divided into treatment group and control group, with 1443 professionals and 1435 professionals, respectively. Then, the difference of mental health status before and after mental intervention between two groups was compared. Results: In treatment group, the proportion of people with heal...

Analysis and Management of Geriatric Anxiety.

Science.gov (United States)

Sallis, James F.; Lichstein, Kenneth L.

1982-01-01

Reviews the prevalence, negative health implications, and clinical management of geriatric anxiety. Proposes an interactive model of geriatric anxiety whereby physical disease and anxiety processes enter into reciprocal stimulation as a function of diminished capacity to withstand stress and hypervigilance of stress symptomatology. Outlines…

How does maternal oxytocin influence children's mental health problem and maternal mental health problem?

Science.gov (United States)

Tse, Wai S; Siu, Angela F Y; Wong, Tracy K Y

2017-12-01

This study aims to explore the interrelationship among maternal oxytocin (OT) responsiveness, maternal mental health, maternal parenting behavior, and mental health of children under a free-play interaction. 61 mother-child dyads were recruited for the study. Maternal mental health problem and parenting self-efficacy were measured using self-reported questionnaires. The mental health problems of children were also evaluated using a mother-reported questionnaire. Furthermore, salivary OT was collected before and after a standardized 10min free-play interaction. Parenting behaviors, including eye gaze and touch, were measured during the free-play interaction. Maternal OT responsiveness was significantly associated with less maternal mental health problem, touch frequency, and mental health problem of children but not with parenting self-efficacy. In the multivariate linear regression analysis that considers maternal OT responsiveness and maternal and children's mental health problems, maternal OT responsiveness was not associated with the mental health problems of children. This result suggested that maternal mental health problem played a mediational role between maternal OT responsiveness and the mental health problem of children. Results supported the assertion that maternal OT responsiveness contributed to the increased risk of maternal mental health problems and, subsequently, the risk of mental health problems of their children. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

School Mental Health Resources and Adolescent Mental Health Service Use

Science.gov (United States)

Green, Jennifer Greif; McLaughlin, Katie A.; Alegria, Margarita; Costello, E. Jane; Gruber, Michael J.; Hoagwood, Kimberly; Leaf, Philip J.; Olin, Serene; Sampson, Nancy A.; Kessler, Ronald C.

2013-01-01

Objective: Although schools are identified as critical for detecting youth mental disorders, little is known about whether the number of mental health providers and types of resources that they offer influence student mental health service use. Such information could inform the development and allocation of appropriate school-based resources to…

Deployment, Mental Health Problems, Suicidality, and Use of Mental Health Services Among Military Personnel.

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, Carol; Stanley, Ian H; Hom, Melanie A; Lim, Ingrid C; Joiner, Thomas E

2016-01-01

Following deployment, soldiers may struggle to cope with the after-effects of combat service and experience increased suicidality. Therefore, connection to mental health services is vital. Research regarding the relationship between deployment, suicidality, and mental health connections has been equivocal, with some studies finding a link between deployment history and mental health outcomes, and others not. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of military deployment on mental health and service utilization outcomes using a longitudinal design. Deployment history, mental health visits, symptoms of suicidality, and various mental health outcomes were assessed in a sample of 1,566 Army recruiters at study entry and 18-months follow-up. Deployment history was positively associated with mental health visits, number of major depressive episodes, and acquired capability for suicide at baseline; however, no significant relationship between deployment, mental health visits, and any other suicide or mental health-related outcomes emerged at baseline or follow-up. Findings suggest a disconnection from mental health services among military personnel. Implications for treatment and suicide prevention efforts among military personnel are discussed.

Significance of mental health legislation for successful primary care for mental health and community mental health services: A review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Getinet Ayano

2018-03-01

Conclusion: Mental health legislation plays a crucial role in community integration of persons with mental disorders, integration of mental health at primary health care, the provision of care of high quality and the improvement of access to care at community level. It is vital and essential to have MHL for every country.

MENTAL HEALTH: ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muzdalifah M. Rahman

2015-02-01

of mental health, especially mental health needs to be developed with an Islamic perspective various studies and research, especially the development of mental health recovery means Islamic perspective.

Utility of the Care Dependency Scale in predicting care needs and health risks of elderly patients admitted to a geriatric unit: a cross-sectional study of 200 consecutive patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Doroszkiewicz, Halina; Sierakowska, Matylda; Muszalik, Marta

2018-01-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate the usefulness of the Polish version of the Care Dependency Scale (CDS) in predicting care needs and health risks of elderly patients admitted to a geriatric unit. This was a cross-sectional study of 200 geriatric patients aged ≥60 years, chronologically admitted to a geriatrics unit in Poland. The study was carried out using the Polish version of the CDS questionnaire to evaluate biopsychosocial needs and the level of care dependency. The mean age of the participating geriatric patients was 81.8±6.6. The mean result of the sum of the CDS index for all the participants was 55.3±15.1. Detailed analysis of the results of evaluation of the respondents' functional condition showed statistically significant differences in the levels of care dependency. Evaluation of the patients' physical performance in terms of the ability to do basic activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental ADL (I-ADL) showed statistically significant differences between the levels of care dependency. Patients with high dependency were more often prone to pressure ulcers - 13.1±3.3, falls (87.2%), poorer emotional state - 6.9±3.6, mental function - 5.1±2.8, and more often problems with locomotion, vision, and hearing. The results showed that locomotive disability, depression, advanced age, and problem with vision and hearing are connected with increasing care dependency. CDS evaluation of each admitted geriatric patient enables us to predict the care needs and health risks that need to be reduced and the disease states to be improved. CDS evaluation should be accompanied by the use of other instruments and assessments to evaluate pressure ulcer risk, fall risk, and actions toward the improvement of subjective well-being, as well as correction of vision and hearing problems where possible and assistive devices for locomotion.

Disaster mental health

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henderson, Silja; Berliner, Peter; Elsass, Peter

2015-01-01

In this chapter we focus on disaster mental health, particularly theoretical and research-based implications for intervention. The field of disaster mental health research is vast and impossible to cover in a single chapter, but we will visit central research, concepts, and understandings within...... disaster mental health and intervention, and refer to further literature where meaningful. We conclude the chapter with recommendations for further research....

Consumer attitudes towards evidence based mental health services among American mental health consumers.

Science.gov (United States)

Teh, Lisa B; Hayashi, Kentaro; Latner, Janet; Mueller, Charles W

2016-10-01

The Consumer Attitudes towards Evidence Based Services (CAEBS) scale is a 29-item questionnaire designed to assess public views on the role of science in helping to guide mental health treatment. The aim of the current study was to assess the Factor structure the CAEBS in an online sample of adults seeking information about mental health services. The CAEBS was administered to a nationwide sample of participants from websites offering classified advertisements for mental health related study participation (n = 312). An Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) suggested four factors based on 26 of the items: Beliefs Regarding Therapists' Practices, Attitudes about Mental Health Policy, Negative Personal-Level Attitudes toward EBPs, and Negative Societal-Level Attitudes towards EBPs. In order to increase consumer empowerment within the mental health-care system and develop policies supporting EBP usage, mental health professionals need to increase communication with the public to address these concerns and leverage positive attitudes. © 2016 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Mental Health Mobile Apps: From Infusion to Diffusion in the Mental Health Social System

OpenAIRE

East, Marlene Lynette; Havard, Byron C

2015-01-01

The roles of mental health educators and professionals in the diffusion of mental health mobile apps are addressed in this viewpoint article. Mental health mobile apps are emerging technologies that fit under the broad heading of mobile health (mHealth). mHealth, encompassed within electronic health (eHealth), reflects the use of mobile devices for the practice of public health. Well-designed mental health mobile apps that present content in interactive, engaging, and stimulating ways can pro...

Pakistan mental health country profile.

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Karim, Salman; Saeed, Khalid; Rana, Mowaddat Hussain; Mubbashar, Malik Hussain; Jenkins, Rachel

2004-01-01

The Republic of Pakistan is a South East Asian country with a population of over 140.7 million. Its population is fast growing and the majority (70%) live in rural areas with a feudal or tribal value system. The economy is dependent on agriculture and 35% of the population live below the poverty line. Islam is the main religion and 'mental illnesses' are stigmatized and widely perceived to have supernatural causes. The traditional healers along with psychiatric services are the main mental health service providers. The number of trained mental health professionals is small as compared to the population demands and specialist services are virtually non-existent. Lack of data on prevalence of various mental illnesses and monitory constraints are the major hurdles in the development of mental health services. A number of innovative programmes to develop indigenous models of care like the 'Community Mental Health Programme' and 'Schools Mental Health Programme' have been developed. These programmes have been found effective in reducing stigma and increase awareness of mental illness amongst the adults and children living in rural areas. Efforts by the government and mental health professionals have led to the implementation of a 'National Mental Health Policy' and 'Mental Health Act' in 2001. These aim at integrating mental health services with the existing health services, improving mental health care delivery and safeguarding the rights of mentally ill people. A favourable political will and the help of international institutions like the World Health Organization are required to achieve these aims.

[Mental Health: Concepts, Measures, Determinants].

Science.gov (United States)

Doré, Isabelle; Caron, Jean

Objectives This article aims to situate the concept of mental health in a historical perspective. This article presents the most commonly used measurement tools in Canada and elsewhere in the world to assess specific and multiple dimensions of mental health; when available, psychometric properties are discussed. Finally, research findings on quality of life and mental health determinants are presented.Methods A literature review of concepts, measurement and determinants of mental health is presented in this paper. The selection of measurement scales presented is based on the findings of the research reports conducted by the second author, an expert on mental health measures, for Health Canada and Statistics Canada.Results Mental health is more than the absence of mental illness; rather it is a state of complete well-being, which refers to our ability to enjoy life and deal with the challenges we face. Accordingly, mental health and mental illness are not extremes of the same continuum, but distinct yet correlated concepts. The traditional conceptualization suggesting that mental health represents simply the absence of mental illness has been replaced, in the last few decades, by a more holistic characterization, which directly concerns public health. The components of mental health include emotional well-being/quality of life (QOL) and psychological and social well-being. Mental health influences the personal and social functioning of individuals, justifying the importance of intervening upstream to promote mental health. Specific scales are relevant for obtaining a detailed measure of one aspect of well-being in particular (emotional/quality of life, psychological or social well-being); however, to account for the global mental health status, measurement tools that integrate all three forms of well-being (emotional, psychological and social) should be privileged. A diversity of determinants at the individual, social and neighbourhood levels influence quality of

Mental Health and African Americans

Science.gov (United States)

... Minority Population Profiles > Black/African American > Mental Health Mental Health and African Americans Poverty level affects mental health ... compared to 120% of non-Hispanic whites. 1 MENTAL HEALTH STATUS Serious psychological distress among adults 18 years ...

Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program: facilitating physical health care for people with mental illness?

Science.gov (United States)

Happell, Brenda; Platania-Phung, Chris; Scott, David

2013-10-01

People with serious mental illness have increased rates of physical ill-health and reduced contact with primary care services. In Australia, the Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program (MHNIP) was developed to facilitate access to mental health services. However, as a primary care service, the contribution to physical health care is worthy of consideration. Thirty-eight nurses who were part of the MHNIP participated in a national survey of nurses working in mental health about physical health care. The survey invited nurses to report their views on the physical health of consumers and the regularity of physical health care they provide. Physical health-care provision in collaboration with general practitioners (GPs) and other health-care professionals was reported as common. The findings suggest that the MHNIP provides integrated care, where nurses and GPs work in collaboration, allowing enough time to discuss physical health or share physical health activities. Consumers of this service appeared to have good access to physical and mental health services, and nurses had access to primary care professionals to discuss consumers' physical health and develop their clinical skills in the physical domain. The MHNIP has an important role in addressing physical health concerns, in addition to the mental health issues of people accessing this service. © 2012 The Authors; International Journal of Mental Health Nursing © 2012 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Information in mental health: qualitative study of mental health service users

OpenAIRE

Powell, John; Clarke, Aileen

2006-01-01

Background  Despite the widespread proliferation of consumer health information provision, little is known about information needs or information‐seeking behaviour in mental health. A qualitative study was therefore undertaken to explore these issues for mental health service users.

Population mental health: evidence, policy, and public health practice

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Cohen, Neal L; Galea, Sandro

2011-01-01

... on population mental health with public mental health policy and practice. Issues covered in the book include the influence of mental health policies on the care and well-­ being of individuals with mental illness, the interconnectedness of physical and mental disorders, the obstacles to adopting a public health orientation to mental health/mental ill...

Romantic relationships and mental health.

Science.gov (United States)

Braithwaite, Scott; Holt-Lunstad, Julianne

2017-02-01

This paper reviews the research on relationships and mental health. Individuals who are more mentally healthy are more likely to select into relationships, but relationships are also demonstrably associated with mental health. The type of relationship matters - evidence suggests that more established, committed relationships, such as marriage, are associated with greater benefits than less committed unions such as cohabitation. The association between relationships and mental health is clearly bidirectional, however, stronger effects are observed when mental health is the outcome and relationships are the predictor, suggesting that the causal arrow flows more strongly from relationships to mental health than vice versa. Moreover, improving relationships improves mental health, but improving mental health does not reliably improve relationships. Our review of research corroborates the view that relationships are a keystone component of human functioning that have the potential to influence a broad array of mental health outcomes. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Acute mental health care according to recent mental health ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective: This is the third of three reports on the follow-up review of mental health care at Helen Joseph Hospital (HJH). The study reviewed existing South African standards for mental health care facilities. Architectural principles and implications for the use of space were deducted from recent legislation. Objectives were to ...

Child Mental Health: MedlinePlus Health Topic

Science.gov (United States)

... events and children (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish Topic Image MedlinePlus Email Updates Get Child Mental Health ... in childhood Traumatic events and children Related Health Topics Bullying Child Behavior Disorders Mental Disorders Mental Health ...

Physical health monitoring in mental health settings: a study exploring mental health nurses' views of their role.

Science.gov (United States)

Mwebe, Herbert

2017-10-01

To explore nurses' views of their role in the screening and monitoring of the physical care needs of people with serious mental illness in a mental health service provider. There is increasing awareness through research that people with serious mental illness disproportionately experience and die early from physical health conditions. Mental health nurses are best placed as front-line workers to offer screening, monitoring and interventions; however, their views on physical care interventions are not studied often. Qualitative exploratory study. The study was carried out in a mental health inpatient centre in England. Volunteer sampling was adopted for the study with a total target sample of (n = 20) nurses from three inpatient wards. Semistructured interviews were conducted with (n = 10) registered mental health nurses who had consented to take part in the study. Inductive data analysis and theme development were guided by a thematic analytic framework. Participants shared a clear commitment regarding their role regarding physical health screening and monitoring in mental health settings. Four themes emerged as follows: features of current practice and physical health monitoring; perceived barriers to physical health monitoring; education and training needs; and strategies to improve physical health monitoring. Nurses were unequivocal in their resolve to ensure good standard physical health monitoring and screening interventions in practice. However, identified obstacles have to be addressed to ensure that physical health screening and monitoring is integrated adequately in everyday clinical activities. Achieving this would require improvements in nurses' training, and an integrated multiservice and team-working approach. Attending to the physical health needs of people with serious mental illness has been associated with multiple improvements in both mental and physical health; nurses have a vital role to play in identifying and addressing causes of poor

Workplace Violence in Mental Health: A Victorian Mental Health Workforce Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Tonso, Michael A; Prematunga, Roshani Kanchana; Norris, Stephen J; Williams, Lloyd; Sands, Natisha; Elsom, Stephen J

2016-10-01

The international literature suggests workplace violence in mental health settings is a significant issue, yet little is known about the frequency, nature, severity and health consequences of staff exposure to violence in Australian mental health services. To address this gap, we examined these aspects of workplace violence as reported by mental health services employees in Victoria, Australia. The project used a cross-sectional, exploratory descriptive design. A random sample of 1600 Health and Community Services Union members were invited to complete a survey investigating exposure to violence in the workplace, and related psychological health outcomes. Participants comprised employees from multiple disciplines including nursing, social work, occupational therapy, psychology and administration staff. A total of 411 members responded to the survey (26% response rate). Of the total sample, 83% reported exposure to at least one form of violence in the previous 12 months. The most frequently reported form of violence was verbal abuse (80%) followed by physical violence (34%) and then bullying/mobbing (30%). Almost one in three victims of violence (33%) rated themselves as being in psychological distress, 54% of whom reported being in severe psychological distress. The more forms of violence to which victims were exposed, the greater the frequency of reports of psychological distress. Workplace violence is prevalent in mental health facilities in Victoria. The nature, severity and health impact of this violence represents a serious safety concern for mental health employees. Strategies must be considered and implemented by healthcare management and policy makers to reduce and prevent violence. © 2016 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Mini mental state examination in geriatric stroke patients. Validity, differences between subgroups of patients, and relationships to somatic and mental variables.

Science.gov (United States)

Agrell, B; Dehlin, O

2000-12-01

To study the validity of the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) in geriatric stroke patients, 116 patients were tested 2-8 weeks and 6 months post-stroke. A neuropsychological test battery consisting of five tests measuring memory, calculation and spatial ability was used for validation. Motor activity, depression, aphasia and activities of daily living were assessed. Confusion in the acute stage, Barthel Index, depression scores, level of motor activity, and most of the neuropsychological tests correlated to the MMSE. Logistic regression showed 4 independent variables which could predict the MMSE scores. A factor analysis showed 3 factors which could explain 53% of the variance. The sensitivity for detecting dementia was 56%, and increased to 68% if patients with isolated spatial dysfunction were excluded. The MMSE had acceptable validity in detecting cognitive dysfunction early poststroke in this old patient population.

Parent-reported Mental Health Problems and Mental Health Services Use in South Australian School-aged Children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jing Wu

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Background:Monitoring and reporting childhood mental health problems and mental health services utilization over time provide important information to identify mental health related issues and to guide early intervention. This paper aims to describe the recent prevalence of parent-reported mental health problems among South Australian (SA children; to identify mental health problems associated characteristics; and to describe mental health services utilization and its related characteristics among this population. Methods:Parent-reported mental health problems were assessed against the first item of the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire. School-aged children were randomly sampled monthly and data were collected using a surveillance system between 2005 and 2015. Associations between mental health problems and various factors were analysed using univariable analysis and multivariable logistic regression modelling. Results:Prevalence of parent-reported mental health problems among children was 9.1% and 9.3% for children aged 5 to 11 years and children aged 12 to 15 years, respectively. No change in prevalence was observed during the past decade. Mental health problems were associated with male sex, long-term illness or pain, negative school experiences, not living with biological parents, and living in a rental dwelling. Less than half (48.7% of the children with mental health problems received professional help. An increasing trend was found in mental health services utilisation among children aged 5 to 15 years. Utilization of mental health services was associated with male sex, older age, long-term illness or pain, and feeling unhappy at school. Conclusion:This study reports the prevalence of parent-reported mental and mental health services utilisation among SA school-aged children. Identified characteristics associated with mental health problems and mental health services utilisation provide useful information for the planning of

Community mental health nurses’ experience of decentralised and integrated psychiatric-mental health care services in the Southern mental health region of Botswana (part 1

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.K. Maphorisa

2002-09-01

Full Text Available Since the inception of the decentralisation and integration of psychiatric mental health care services into the general health care delivery system in Botswana, there has never been a study to investigate what community mental health nurses are experiencing due to the policy. Many of these nurses have been leaving the scantily staffed mental health care services in increasing numbers to join other sectors of health or elsewhere since the beginning of the implementation of the policy. During the research study, phenomenological in-depth interviews were conducted with three groups of 12 community mental health nurses altogether. An open central question was posed to each group followed by probing questions to explore and describe these nurses’ experience of the decentralisation and integration of psychiatric-mental health care services. After the data was analysed, related literature was incorporated and guidelines for advanced psychiatric nurses were formulated and described to assist these nurses to cope with the decentralisation and integration of psychiatric-mental health care services. The guidelines were set up for the management of the community mental health nurses who are experiencing obstacles in the quest for mental health which also interfere with their capabilities as mental health care providers.

India mental health country profile.

Science.gov (United States)

Khandelwal, Sudhir K; Jhingan, Harsh P; Ramesh, S; Gupta, Rajesh K; Srivastava, Vinay K

2004-01-01

India, the second most populated country of the world with a population of 1.027 billion, is a country of contrasts. It is characterized as one of the world's largest industrial nations, yet most of the negative characteristics of poor and developing countries define India too. The population is predominantly rural, and 36% of people still live below poverty line. There is a continuous migration of rural people into urban slums creating major health and economic problems. India is one of the pioneer countries in health services planning with a focus on primary health care. Improvement in the health status of the population has been one of the major thrust areas for social development programmes in the country. However, only a small percentage of the total annual budget is spent on health. Mental health is part of the general health services, and carries no separate budget. The National Mental Health Programme serves practically as the mental health policy. Recently, there was an eight-fold increase in budget allocation for the National Mental Health Programme for the Tenth Five-Year Plan (2002-2007). India is a multicultural traditional society where people visit religious and traditional healers for general and mental health related problems. However, wherever modern health services are available, people do come forward. India has a number of public policy and judicial enactments, which may impact on mental health. These have tried to address the issues of stigma attached to the mental illnesses and the rights of mentally ill people in society. A large number of epidemiological surveys done in India on mental disorders have demonstrated the prevalence of mental morbidity in rural and urban areas of the country; these rates are comparable to global rates. Although India is well placed as far as trained manpower in general health services is concerned, the mental health trained personnel are quite limited, and these are mostly based in urban areas. Considering this

Clinical preference for factors in treatment of geriatric depression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Riepe MW

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Matthias W Riepe Mental Health and Geriatric Psychiatry, Psychiatry II, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany Abstract: Little is known about symptom preferences of clinical psychiatrists in the treatment of geriatric depression and preferences for avoiding adverse drug effects. Participants (board-certified psychiatrists were recruited prior to a lecture on geriatric depression during a continuing education program. An analytic hierarchy process was performed and participants were asked for pairwise comparison of criteria guiding them in appraising therapeutic efficacy, and in avoiding toxicity and adverse events. Of the 61 participants from the continuing education program, 42 (69% returned their data sheet. Avoidance of cardiotoxicity was regarded as more important than avoidance of hepatotoxicity or hematotoxicity. Concerning adverse events, highest preference was given to avoidance of falls and drug interactions, followed by avoidance of sedation, weight change, and impairment of sexual function. The most important preferences for appraisal of therapeutic efficacy were suicidality over ability to concentrate and sleep. Clinical psychiatrists have a hierarchy of preferences for treatment goals and avoidance of adverse events and toxicity. This raises the question for future research whether these preferences cause differences in prescription patterns in clinical practice even though a multitude of antidepressants are similarly effective when judged with instruments used in clinical trials. Keywords: depressive disorder, symptoms, analytic hierarchy process, toxicity, adverse events, symptoms

Mental Health and Mental Disorder Recommendation Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruchiwit, Manyat

2017-12-01

The characteristic differences among the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries in terms of trade and investment, society and cultural values, medical information and technology, and the living and working environment have become major health problems in terms of mental disorders. The purpose of this article is to identify the gaps in those aspects, to propose mental health and mental disorder recommendation programs, and to recommend policies for policy makers and research investors. A comparative analysis and literature review of existing policy, including overviews of previous research were used to generate a synthesis of the existing knowledge of the mental health and mental disorder recommendation programs. The review results recommend mental health and mental disorder programs for policy makers, research investors, and stakeholders in order to strengthen the directions for implementing these programs in the future. The healthcare provision in each country will not be limited only to its citizens; the healthcare markets and target groups are likely to expand to the neighboring countries in the context of changes in domestic and international factors, which have both positive and negative impacts according to the political, economic, and social situations of the influencing countries.

Mental Health staff views on improving burnout and mental toughness

OpenAIRE

Posner, Zoe; Janssen, Jessica; Roddam, Hazel

2017-01-01

Purpose- Burnout in mental health staff is acknowledged as a major problem. The purpose of this paper is to gain an understanding of mental health staff views on improving burnout and mental toughness in mental health staff.\\ud Design/methodology/approach-Ten participants from two mental health rehabilitation units across the North West of England took part in a Nominal Group Technique (NGT). Participants consisted of mental health workers from varied roles in order to\\ud capture views from a...

Malaysian mental health law.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Nusrat N; Yahya, Badi'ah; Abu Bakar, Abd Kadir; Ho, Roger C

2015-05-01

The Malaysian Mental Health Act 2001 did not come into effect until the Mental Health Regulations 2010 came into force. The Act provides a framework for the delivery of comprehensive care, treatment, control, protection and rehabilitation of those with mental disorders. The Act governs the establishment of private and government psychiatric hospitals, psychiatric nursing homes and community mental health centres. This paper outlines the provisions of the Act and the Regulations.

Stigma and Mental Illness: Investigating Attitudes of Mental Health and Non-Mental-Health Professionals and Trainees

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Allison L.; Cashwell, Craig S.

2010-01-01

The authors explored attitudes toward adults with mental illness. Results suggest that mental health trainees and professionals had less stigmatizing attitudes than did non-mental-health trainees and professionals. Professionals receiving supervision had higher mean scores on the Benevolence subscale than did professionals who were not receiving…

Mental health in prisons: A public health agenda.

Science.gov (United States)

Fraser, A

2009-01-01

Mental illness affects the majority of prisoners. Mental health issues are beginning to take a central position in the development of prison health services, reflecting this burden of disease. This change in focus is not before time. But prison mental health services cannot exist in isolation. Public health systems should lead provision of care for patients with acute and severe illness. A whole prison approach to health and, specifically, mental health will offer the greatest likelihood that offenders will thrive, benefit from imprisonment, and lead law-abiding lives after release. Public awareness of the scale and commitment of prisons to mental health and illness, and understanding of prisons' role in society, are necessary developments that would protect and enhance public mental health, as well as creating a healthier and safer society. This article draws on recent reviews, information and statements to set out a public health agenda for mental health in prisons.

Building a comprehensive geriatric health care system: a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Bleiweiss, L; Simson, S

1976-01-01

This case study focuses on the efforts of three urban medical care institutions--a Health Maintenance Organization, a nursing home, and a university hospital--to form an interorganizational relationship. The purpose of the relationship was to utilize the services of the three organizations in order to respond to the comprehensive health needs of an urban geriatric population. Movements in this triadic organizational relationship are described and analyzed in terms of four conceptual stages--exploration, negotiation, interaction and performance, and termination. Problems arising during these stages were not resolved and the relationship was terminated after approximately two years of existence. A sociological discussion of the case focuses on why the relationship failed. The organizational relationship was disrupted by three stresses that occurred during the four stages of the relationship. Stresses emerged for each organization in the areas of organizational integration, professional coordination, and environmental adaptation, making it difficult for the three to become integrated into an organizational system. As a result, the HMO, the nursing home, and the hospital did not benefit from relationships that could have enabled them to develop the multi-organizational system necessary to sustain an innovative, comprehansive geriatric health project. If, as Whitehead said, the greatest invention of the nineteenth century was the invention of the method of invention, the task of the succedding century has been to organize inventiveness. The difference is not in the nature of invention or of inventors, but in the manner in which the context of social institutions is organized for their support.

National Institute of Mental Health

Science.gov (United States)

... to content Home Health Information Health Information Home Mental Health Information Statistics Consumer Health Publications Help for Mental ... signs and symptoms of depression in men. More Mental Health Services Research Conference Register now for the nation’s ...

Geriatric trauma.

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, Sasha D; Holcomb, John B

2015-12-01

The landscape of trauma is changing due to an aging population. Geriatric patients represent an increasing number and proportion of trauma admissions and deaths. This review explores recent literature on geriatric trauma, including triage criteria, assessment of frailty, fall-related injury, treatment of head injury complicated by coagulopathy, goals of care, and the need for ongoing education of all surgeons in the care of the elderly. Early identification of high-risk geriatric patients is imperative to initiate early resuscitative efforts. Geriatric patients are typically undertriaged because of their baseline frailty being underappreciated; however, centers that see more geriatric patients do better. Rapid reversal of anticoagulation is important in preventing progression of brain injury. Anticipation of difficult disposition necessitates early involvement of physical therapy for rehabilitation and case management for appropriate placement. Optimal care of geriatric trauma patients will be based on the well established tenets of trauma resuscitation and injury repair, but with distinct elements that address the physiological and anatomical challenges presented by geriatric patients.

"We Are Not Really Marketing Mental Health": Mental Health Advocacy in Zimbabwe.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reuben Hendler

Full Text Available Few people with mental disorders in low and middle-income countries (LMICs receive treatment, in part because mental disorders are highly stigmatized and do not enjoy priority and resources commensurate with their burden on society. Advocacy has been proposed as a means of building political will and community support for mental health and reducing stigma, but few studies have explored the practice and promise of advocacy in LMICs.We conducted 30 semi-structured interviews with leaders in health and mental health in Zimbabwe to explore key stakeholder perceptions on the challenges and opportunities of the country's mental health system. We coded the transcripts using the constant comparative method, informed by principles of grounded theory. Few interview questions directly concerned advocacy, yet in our analysis, advocacy emerged as a prominent, cross-cutting theme across participants and interview questions.Two thirds of the respondents discussed advocacy, often in depth, returning to the concept throughout the interview and emphasizing their belief in advocacy's importance. Participants described six distinct components of advocacy: the advocates, to whom they advocate ("targets", what they advocate for ("asks", how advocates reach their targets ("access", how they make their asks ("arguments", and the results of their advocacy ("outcomes".Despite their perception that mental health is widely misunderstood and under-appreciated in Zimbabwe, respondents expressed optimism that strategically speaking out can reduce stigma and increase access to care. Key issues included navigating hierarchies, empowering service users to advocate, and integrating mental health with other health initiatives. Understanding stakeholder perceptions sets the stage for targeted development of mental health advocacy in Zimbabwe and other LMICs.

"We Are Not Really Marketing Mental Health": Mental Health Advocacy in Zimbabwe.

Science.gov (United States)

Hendler, Reuben; Kidia, Khameer; Machando, Debra; Crooks, Megan; Mangezi, Walter; Abas, Melanie; Katz, Craig; Thornicroft, Graham; Semrau, Maya; Jack, Helen

2016-01-01

Few people with mental disorders in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) receive treatment, in part because mental disorders are highly stigmatized and do not enjoy priority and resources commensurate with their burden on society. Advocacy has been proposed as a means of building political will and community support for mental health and reducing stigma, but few studies have explored the practice and promise of advocacy in LMICs. We conducted 30 semi-structured interviews with leaders in health and mental health in Zimbabwe to explore key stakeholder perceptions on the challenges and opportunities of the country's mental health system. We coded the transcripts using the constant comparative method, informed by principles of grounded theory. Few interview questions directly concerned advocacy, yet in our analysis, advocacy emerged as a prominent, cross-cutting theme across participants and interview questions. Two thirds of the respondents discussed advocacy, often in depth, returning to the concept throughout the interview and emphasizing their belief in advocacy's importance. Participants described six distinct components of advocacy: the advocates, to whom they advocate ("targets"), what they advocate for ("asks"), how advocates reach their targets ("access"), how they make their asks ("arguments"), and the results of their advocacy ("outcomes"). Despite their perception that mental health is widely misunderstood and under-appreciated in Zimbabwe, respondents expressed optimism that strategically speaking out can reduce stigma and increase access to care. Key issues included navigating hierarchies, empowering service users to advocate, and integrating mental health with other health initiatives. Understanding stakeholder perceptions sets the stage for targeted development of mental health advocacy in Zimbabwe and other LMICs.

Peruvian Mental Health Reform: A Framework for Scaling-up Mental Health Services

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Toyama, Mauricio; Castillo, Humberto; Galea, Jerome T.; Brandt, Lena R.; Mendoza, María; Herrera, Vanessa; Mitrani, Martha; Cutipé, Yuri; Cavero, Victoria; Diez-Canseco, Francisco; Miranda, J. Jaime

2017-01-01

Background: Mental, neurological, and substance (MNS) use disorders are a leading cause of disability worldwide; specifically in Peru, MNS affect 1 in 5 persons. However, the great majority of people suffering from these disorders do not access care, thereby making necessary the improvement of existing conditions including a major rearranging of current health system structures beyond care delivery strategies. This paper reviews and examines recent developments in mental health policies in Peru, presenting an overview of the initiatives currently being introduced and the main implementation challenges they face. Methods: Key documents issued by Peruvian governmental entities regarding mental health were reviewed to identify and describe the path that led to the beginning of the reform; how the ongoing reform is taking place; and, the plan and scope for scale-up. Results: Since 2004, mental health has gained importance in policies and regulations, resulting in the promotion of a mental health reform within the national healthcare system. These efforts crystallized in 2012 with the passing of Law 29889 which introduced several changes to the delivery of mental healthcare, including a restructuring of mental health service delivery to occur at the primary and secondary care levels and the introduction of supporting services to aid in patient recovery and reintegration into society. In addition, a performance-based budget was approved to guarantee the implementation of these changes. Some of the main challenges faced by this reform are related to the diversity of the implementation settings, eg, isolated rural areas, and the limitations of the existing specialized mental health institutes to substantially grow in parallel to the scaling-up efforts in order to be able to provide training and clinical support to every region of Peru. Conclusion: Although the true success of the mental healthcare reform will be determined in the coming years, thus far, Peru has achieved a

Peruvian Mental Health Reform: A Framework for Scaling-up Mental Health Services

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mauricio Toyama

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Background Mental, neurological, and substance (MNS use disorders are a leading cause of disability worldwide; specifically in Peru, MNS affect 1 in 5 persons. However, the great majority of people suffering from these disorders do not access care, thereby making necessary the improvement of existing conditions including a major rearranging of current health system structures beyond care delivery strategies. This paper reviews and examines recent developments in mental health policies in Peru, presenting an overview of the initiatives currently being introduced and the main implementation challenges they face. Methods Key documents issued by Peruvian governmental entities regarding mental health were reviewed to identify and describe the path that led to the beginning of the reform; how the ongoing reform is taking place; and, the plan and scope for scale-up. Results Since 2004, mental health has gained importance in policies and regulations, resulting in the promotion of a mental health reform within the national healthcare system. These efforts crystallized in 2012 with the passing of Law 29889 which introduced several changes to the delivery of mental healthcare, including a restructuring of mental health service delivery to occur at the primary and secondary care levels and the introduction of supporting services to aid in patient recovery and reintegration into society. In addition, a performance-based budget was approved to guarantee the implementation of these changes. Some of the main challenges faced by this reform are related to the diversity of the implementation settings, eg, isolated rural areas, and the limitations of the existing specialized mental health institutes to substantially grow in parallel to the scaling-up efforts in order to be able to provide training and clinical support to every region of Peru. Conclusion Although the true success of the mental healthcare reform will be determined in the coming years, thus far, Peru

Mental health in schools and public health

OpenAIRE

Adelman, Howard S; Taylor, Linda

2006-01-01

Health policy and practice call for health and mental health parity and for a greater focus on universal interventions to promote, prevent, and intervene as early after problem onset as is feasible. Those in the public health field are uniquely positioned to help promote the mental health of young people and to reshape how the nation thinks about and addresses mental health. And schools are essential partners for doing the work.

Improving access to geriatric mental health services: a randomized trial comparing treatment engagement with integrated versus enhanced referral care for depression, anxiety, and at-risk alcohol use.

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Bartels, Stephen J; Coakley, Eugenie H; Zubritsky, Cynthia; Ware, James H; Miles, Keith M; Areán, Patricia A; Chen, Hongtu; Oslin, David W; Llorente, Maria D; Costantino, Giuseppe; Quijano, Louise; McIntyre, Jack S; Linkins, Karen W; Oxman, Thomas E; Maxwell, James; Levkoff, Sue E

2004-08-01

The authors sought to determine whether integrated mental health services or enhanced referral to specialty mental health clinics results in greater engagement in mental health/substance abuse services by older primary care patients. This multisite randomized trial included 10 sites consisting of primary care and specialty mental health/substance abuse clinics. Primary care patients 65 years old or older (N=24,930) were screened. The final study group consisted of 2,022 patients (mean age=73.5 years; 26% female; 48% ethnic minority) with depression (N=1,390), anxiety (N=70), at-risk alcohol use (N=414), or dual diagnosis (N=148) who were randomly assigned to integrated care (mental health and substance abuse providers co-located in primary care; N=999) or enhanced referral to specialty mental health/substance abuse clinics (i.e., facilitated scheduling, transportation, payment; N=1,023). Seventy-one percent of patients engaged in treatment in the integrated model compared with 49% in the enhanced referral model. Integrated care was associated with more mental health and substance abuse visits per patient (mean=3.04) relative to enhanced referral (mean=1.91). Overall, greater engagement was predicted by integrated care and higher mental distress. For depression, greater engagement was predicted by integrated care and more severe depression. For at-risk alcohol users, greater engagement was predicted by integrated care and more severe problem drinking. For all conditions, greater engagement was associated with closer proximity of mental health/substance abuse services to primary care. Older primary care patients are more likely to accept collaborative mental health treatment within primary care than in mental health/substance abuse clinics. These results suggest that integrated service arrangements improve access to mental health and substance abuse services for older adults who underuse these services.

Contradictions In Mental Health: Stigma, Mental Health Literacy And Disclosure (Or Not Of A Mental Disorder Diagnosis.

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manuel torres cubeiro

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Mental illnesses affect 25% of any given population. The literacy of human population about mental health doesn’t not much the scientific knowledge available about Mental disorders (MDs. Developed countries invest in mental health less than their 9% of their GDPs. There is a contradiction, or discrepancy, between the incidence of MD in human population and how human societies react about them. This discrepancy has long been evident in the literature of medical sociology. In this article we analyze three medical sociology related concepts that have been coined to understand this contradiction: first, mental health literacy; second, stigma of mental ailments; and finally, the disclosure (or not of the diagnosis of a mental illness. With this article we try to solve short use of these concepts in medical sociology in Spanish.

Role of the police in linking individuals experiencing mental health crises with mental health services

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2012-01-01

Background The police are considered frontline professionals in managing individuals experiencing mental health crises. This study examines the extent to which these individuals are disconnected from mental health services, and whether the police response has an influence on re-establishing contact. Methods Police records were searched for calls regarding individuals with acute mental health needs and police handling of these calls. Mental healthcare contact data were retrieved from a Psychiatric Case Register. Results The police were called upon for mental health crisis situations 492 times within the study year, involving 336 individuals (i.e. 1.7 per 1000 inhabitants per year). Half of these individuals (N=162) were disengaged from mental health services, lacking regular care contact in the year prior to the crisis (apart from contact for crisis intervention). In the month following the crisis, 21% of those who were previously disengaged from services had regular care contact, and this was more frequent (49%) if the police had contacted the mental health services during the crisis. The influence of police referral to the services was still present the following year. However, for the majority (58%) of disengaged individuals police did not contact the mental health services at the time of crisis. Conclusions The police deal with a substantial number of individuals experiencing a mental health crisis, half of whom are out of contact with mental health services, and police play an important role in linking these individuals to services. Training police officers to recognise and handle mental health crises, and implementing practical models of cooperation between the police and mental health services in dealing with such crises may further improve police referral of individuals disengaged from mental health services. PMID:23072687

Public mental health.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindert, Jutta; Bilsen, Johan; Jakubauskiene, Marija

2017-10-01

Public mental health (PMH) is a major challenge for public health research and practice. This article is organized in six parts. First, we will highlight the significance of PMH; second, we will define mental health and mental disorders; third, we identify and describe determinants of mental health and mental disorders on which we worked in the past 10 years since the establishment of the PMH section such as social determinants and violence. Fourth, we will describe the development of the EUPHA PMH section and provide details on vulnerable groups in the field of PMH, on violence as a main determinant and on suicide as an outcome which affects all countries in the European region. Fifth, we describe policy and practice implications of the development of PMH and highlight the European dimension of PMH. We will conclude this article by providing an outlook on potential further development of PMH as regards research and policy and practice. Finally, we hope that the EUPHA PMH section will contribute to public health in the next 25 years and we can contribute to improvement of PMH in Europe. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Common Mental Health Issues

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Stock, Susan R.; Levine, Heidi

2016-01-01

This chapter provides an overview of common student mental health issues and approaches for student affairs practitioners who are working with students with mental illness, and ways to support the overall mental health of students on campus.

Acute mental health care and South African mental health legislation

African Journals Online (AJOL)

information on mental health care outcome, to do a cost analysis and to establish a quality assurance cycle that may facilitate a cost ... clinical record reviews of mental health service delivery, training ... (d) describe the demographic and clinical profile of HIV positive ..... accommodate the differentiated but integrated care of.

Holistic Health: Does It Really Include Mental Health?

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Kimberly K. McClanahan

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Holistic health, incorporating mind and body as equally important and unified components of health, is a concept utilized in some health care arenas in the United States (U.S. over the past 30 years. However, in the U.S., mental health is not seen as conceptually integral to physical health and, thus, holistic health cannot be realized until the historical concept of mind-body dualism, continuing stigma regarding mental illness, lack of mental health parity in insurance, and inaccurate public perceptions regarding mental illness are adequately addressed and resolved. Until then, mental and physical health will continue to be viewed as disparate entities rather than parts of a unified whole. We conclude that the U.S. currently does not generally incorporate the tenets of holistic health in its view of the mental and physical health of its citizens, and provide some suggestions for changing that viewpoint.

Holistic health: does it really include mental health?

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McClanahan, Kimberly K; Huff, Marlene B; Omar, Hatim A

2006-03-14

Holistic health, incorporating mind and body as equally important and unified components of health, is a concept utilized in some health care arenas in the United States (U.S.) over the past 30 years. However, in the U.S., mental health is not seen as conceptually integral to physical health and, thus, holistic health cannot be realized until the historical concept of mind-body dualism, continuing stigma regarding mental illness, lack of mental health parity in insurance, and inaccurate public perceptions regarding mental illness are adequately addressed and resolved. Until then, mental and physical health will continue to be viewed as disparate entities rather than parts of a unified whole. We conclude that the U.S. currently does not generally incorporate the tenets of holistic health in its view of the mental and physical health of its citizens, and provide some suggestions for changing that viewpoint.

Rural Mental Health Ecology: A Framework for Engaging with Mental Health Social Capital in Rural Communities.

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Wilson, Rhonda L; Wilson, G Glenn; Usher, Kim

2015-09-01

The mental health of people in rural communities is influenced by the robustness of the mental health ecosystem within each community. Theoretical approaches such as social ecology and social capital are useful when applied to the practical context of promoting environmental conditions which maximise mental health helping capital to enhance resilience and reduce vulnerably as a buffer for mental illness. This paper explores the ecological conditions that affect the mental health and illness of people in rural communities. It proposes a new mental health social ecology framework that makes full use of the locally available unique social capital that is sufficiently flexible to facilitate mental health helping capital best suited to mental health service delivery for rural people in an Australian context.

Mental health policy and development in Egypt - integrating mental health into health sector reforms 2001-9

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Siekkonen Inkeri

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Following a situation appraisal in 2001, a six year mental health reform programme (Egymen 2002-7 was initiated by an Egyptian-Finnish bilateral aid project at the request of a former Egyptian minister of health, and the work was incorporated directly into the Ministry of Health and Population from 2007 onwards. This paper describes the aims, methodology and implementation of the mental health reforms and mental health policy in Egypt 2002-2009. Methods A multi-faceted and comprehensive programme which combined situation appraisal to inform planning; establishment of a health sector system for coordination, supervision and training of each level (national, governorate, district and primary care; development workshops; production of toolkits, development of guidelines and standards; encouragement of intersectoral liaison at each level; integration of mental health into health management systems; and dedicated efforts to improve forensic services, rehabilitation services, and child psychiatry services. Results The project has achieved detailed situation appraisal, epidemiological needs assessment, inclusion of mental health into the health sector reform plans, and into the National Package of Essential Health Interventions, mental health masterplan (policy guidelines to accompany the general health policy, updated Egyptian mental health legislation, Code of Practice, adaptation of the WHO primary care guidelines, primary care training, construction of a quality system of roles and responsibilities, availability of medicines at primary care level, public education about mental health, and a research programme to inform future developments. Intersectoral liaison with education, social welfare, police and prisons at national level is underway, but has not yet been established for governorate and district levels, nor mental health training for police, prison staff and teachers. Conclusions The bilateral collaboration programme

Children's Mental Health

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... Español (Spanish) Recommend on Facebook Tweet Share Compartir Mental health in childhood means reaching developmental and emotional milestones, ... is doing to improve access to care. Children’s Mental Health: What's New Article: U.S. Children with Diagnosed Anxiety ...

Development of Mental Health Indicators in Korea

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Han, Hyeree; Ahn, Dong Hyun; Song, Jinhee; Hwang, Tae Yeon

2012-01-01

Objective Promoting mental health and preventing mental health problems are important tasks for international organizations and nations. Such goals entail the establishment of active information networks and effective systems and indicators to assess the mental health of populations. This being said, there is a need in Korea develop ways to measure the state of mental health in Korea. Methods This paper reviews the mental health indicator development policies and practices of seven organizations, countries, and regions: WHO, OECD, EU, United States, Australia, UK, and Scotland. Using Delphi method, we conducted two surveys of mental health indicators for experts in the field of mental health. The survey questionnaire included 5 domains: mental health status, mental health factor, mental health system, mental health service, and quality of mental health services. We considered 124 potential mental health indicators out of more than 600 from indicators of international organizations and foreign countries. Results We obtained the top 30 mental health indicators from the surveys. Among them, 10 indicators belong to the mental health system. The most important five mental health indicators are suicide rate, rate of increase in mental disorder treatment, burden caused by mental disorders, adequacy of identifying problems of mental health projects and deriving solutions, and annual prevalence of mental disorders. Conclusion Our study provides information about the process for indicator development and the use of survey results to measure the mental health status of the Korean population. The aim of mental health indicator development is to improve the mental health system by better grasping the current situation. We suggest these mental health indicators can monitor progress in efforts to implement reform policies, provide community services, and involve users, families and other stakeholders in mental health promotion, prevention, care and rehabilitation. PMID:23251193

Mental Health, Racism, and Sexism.

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Willie, Charles V., Ed.; And Others

This volume, successor to the 1973 volume "Racism and Mental Health," presents a range of perspectives on mental health, prejudice, and discrimination. Contributors are of multiracial, multiethnic, and gender-diverse backgrounds. They use their existential experiences to analyze pressing mental health and mental illness issues. Contributions…

Mental health beliefs and barriers to accessing mental health services in youth aging out of foster care.

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Sakai, Christina; Mackie, Thomas I; Shetgiri, Rashmi; Franzen, Sara; Partap, Anu; Flores, Glenn; Leslie, Laurel K

2014-01-01

To examine the perspectives of youth on factors that influence mental health service use after aging out of foster care. Focus groups were conducted with youth with a history of mental health needs and previous service use who had aged out of foster care. Questions were informed by the Health Belief Model and addressed 4 domains: youth perceptions of the "threat of mental health problems," treatment benefits versus barriers to accessing mental health services, self-efficacy, and "cues to action." Data were analyzed using a modified grounded-theory approach. Youth (N = 28) reported ongoing mental health problems affecting their functioning; however, they articulated variable levels of reliance on formal mental health treatment versus their own ability to resolve these problems without treatment. Past mental health service experiences influenced whether youth viewed treatment options as beneficial. Youth identified limited self-efficacy and insufficient psychosocial supports "cueing action" during their transition out of foster care. Barriers to accessing mental health services included difficulties obtaining health insurance, finding a mental health provider, scheduling appointments, and transportation. Youths' perceptions of their mental health needs, self-efficacy, psychosocial supports during transition, and access barriers influence mental health service use after aging out of foster care. Results suggest that strategies are needed to 1) help youth and clinicians negotiate shared understanding of mental health treatment needs and options, 2) incorporate mental health into transition planning, and 3) address insurance and other systemic barriers to accessing mental health services after aging out of foster care. Copyright © 2014 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Global mental health and the National Institute of Mental Health Research Domain Criteria.

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Weine, Stevan Merill; Langenecker, Scott; Arenliu, Aliriza

2018-05-01

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) project presents innovative ways of investigating mental illness based on behavioral and neurobiological measures of dimensional processes. Although cultural psychiatrists have critiqued RDoC's implications and limitations for its under-developed focus on context and experience, RDoC presents opportunities for synergies with global mental health. It can capture aspects of clinical or sub-clinical behavior which are less dependent upon Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5) and perhaps better elucidate the role of culture in disease expression and resilience. Aim/Results: This article uses the example of migration to describe several starting points for new research: (1) providing components for building an investigable conceptual framework to understand individual's mental health, resilience and adjustment to migration challenges or social adversities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and (2) identifying measurable factors which determine resilience or vulnerability, to guide development and evaluation of targeted prevention, treatment and recovery strategies for mental health in LMICs. In such ways, RDoC frameworks could help put the new cutting edge neurobiological dimensional scientific advances in a position to contribute to addressing mental health problems amid social adversities in LMICs. However, this would require a much-expanded commitment by both RDoC and global mental health researchers to address contextual and experiential dimensions.

The Meaning and Predictive Value of Self-rated Mental Health among Persons with a Mental Health Problem.

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McAlpine, Donna D; McCreedy, Ellen; Alang, Sirry

2018-06-01

Self-rated health is a valid measure of health that predicts quality of life, morbidity, and mortality. Its predictive value reflects a conceptualization of health that goes beyond a traditional medical model. However, less is known about self-rated mental health (SRMH). Using data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey ( N = 2,547), we examine how rating your mental health as good-despite meeting criteria for a mental health problem-predicts outcomes. We found that 62% of people with a mental health problem rated their mental health positively. Persons who rated their mental health as good (compared to poor) had 30% lower odds of having a mental health problem at follow-up. Even without treatment, persons with a mental health problem did better if they perceived their mental health positively. SRMH might comprise information beyond the experience of symptoms. Understanding the unobserved information individuals incorporate into SRMH will help us improve screening and treatment interventions.

Pilot study of comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) in allogeneic transplant: CGA captures a high prevalence of vulnerabilities in older transplant recipients.

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Muffly, Lori S; Boulukos, Melissa; Swanson, Kate; Kocherginsky, Masha; Cerro, Paula Del; Schroeder, Linda; Pape, Lisa; Extermann, Martine; Van Besien, Koen; Artz, Andrew S

2013-03-01

Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is frequently used in oncology to measure the health status of older adults with cancer, but it has not been studied in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). We conducted a prospective pilot study of CGA in allogeneic HCT recipients aged ≥50 years to examine the prevalence of vulnerabilities in this population. Patients aged ≥50 years eligible for HCT were enrolled. CGA consisted mainly of self-reported, performance-based, and chart-extracted measures evaluating domains of comorbidity, physical and mental function, frailty, disability, and nutrition. Of 238 eligible patients, 166 completed CGA and underwent HCT. Only 1% had a Zubrod Performance Status score >1; 44% had high comorbidity defined by the Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Comorbidity Index, and 66% had high comorbidity defined by the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale-Geriatrics. The presence of additional vulnerability was frequent. Disability was present in 40% by Instrumental Activities of Daily Living. Self-reported physical and mental function were significantly lower than population age group norms, 58% were pre-frail, and 25% were frail. Among those with Zubrod Performance Status score of 0, 28% demonstrated disability, 58% were pre-frail, 15% were frail, 35% reported low physical function, and 55% reported low mental function. CGA uncovers a substantial prevalence of undocumented impairments in functional status, frailty, disability, and mental health in older allogeneic HCT recipients. Copyright © 2013 American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Smartphone Applications for Mental Health

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Vona, Pamela L.; Santostefano, Antonella M.; Ciaravino, Samantha; Miller, Elizabeth; Stein, Bradley D.

2016-01-01

Abstract Many adolescents and adults do not seek treatment for mental health symptoms. Smartphone applications (apps) may assist individuals with mental health concerns in alleviating symptoms or increasing understanding. This study seeks to characterize apps readily available to smartphone users seeking mental health information and/or support. Ten key terms were searched in the Apple iTunes and Google Play stores: mental health, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar, trauma, trauma in schools, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), child trauma, and bullying. A content analysis of the first 20 application descriptions retrieved per category was conducted. Out of 300 nonduplicate applications, 208 (70%) were relevant to search topic, mental health or stress. The most common purported purpose for the apps was symptom relief (41%; n = 85) and general mental health education (18%; n = 37). The most frequently mentioned approaches to improving mental health were those that may benefit only milder symptoms such as relaxation (21%; n = 43). Most app descriptions did not include information to substantiate stated effectiveness of the application (59%; n = 123) and had no mention of privacy or security (89%; n = 185). Due to uncertainty of the helpfulness of readily available mental health applications, clinicians working with mental health patients should inquire about and provide guidance on application use, and patients should have access to ways to assess the potential utility of these applications. Strategic policy and research developments are likely needed to equip patients with applications for mental health, which are patient centered and evidence based. PMID:27428034

Mental Health Service Delivery Systems and Perceived Qualifications of Mental Health Service Providers in School Settings

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Dixon, Decia Nicole

2009-01-01

Latest research on the mental health status of children indicates that schools are key providers of mental health services (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2003). The push for school mental health services has only increased as stakeholders have begun to recognize the significance of sound mental health as an essential part of…

Continuing interprofessional education in geriatrics and gerontology in medically underserved areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Toner, John A; Ferguson, K Della; Sokal, Regina Davis

2009-01-01

There is a widening gap between the health care needs of older persons and the treatment skills of the health care professionals who serve them. This gap is especially severe in rural areas, where there is a shortage of and inadequate collaboration between health care professionals and poor access to services for older persons. There is also a special opportunity in rural areas, particularly those designated as "medically underserved," for continuing interprofessional education as a vehicle for retaining health care professionals who tend to leave medically underserved areas for more lucrative professional opportunities elsewhere. In collaboration with the Consortium of New York Geriatric Education Centers, the Columbia-New York Geriatric Education Center at the Stroud Center of Columbia University has developed the Program for Outreach to Interprofessional Services and Education (POISE). The purpose of POISE is to develop, implement, evaluate, and sustain interprofessional education and training for health care learners, while emphasizing improved access to health services for the geriatric population in medically underserved areas. The POISE model was designed as an effective approach to teaching the core geriatrics and gerontology curriculum endorsed by the national (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) network of Geriatric Education Centers to health care learners in medically underserved areas of upstate New York. This article describes the adaptation and implementation of the POISE model.

Acute mental health care and South African mental health legislation ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective: This is the first of three reports on a follow-up review of mental health care at Helen Joseph Hospital (HJH). In this first part, qualitative and quantitative descriptions were made of the services and of demographic and clinical data on acute mental health care users managed at HJH, in a retrospective review of ...

76 FR 17999 - Geriatrics and Gerontology Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting

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2011-03-31

... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Geriatrics and Gerontology Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting... Committee Act) that a meeting of the Geriatrics and Gerontology Advisory Committee will be held on April 14... pertaining to geriatrics and gerontology. The Committee assesses the capability of VA health care facilities...

75 FR 54232 - Geriatrics and Gerontology Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting

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2010-09-03

... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Geriatrics and Gerontology Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting... Committee Act) that a meeting of the Geriatrics and Gerontology Advisory Committee will be held on September... pertaining to geriatrics and gerontology. The Committee assesses the capability of VA health care facilities...

77 FR 14860 - Geriatrics and Gerontology Advisory Committee, Notice of Meeting

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2012-03-13

... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Geriatrics and Gerontology Advisory Committee, Notice of Meeting... Committee Act) that a meeting of the Geriatrics and Gerontology Advisory Committee will be held on April 11... matters pertaining to geriatrics and gerontology. The Committee assesses the capability of VA health care...

78 FR 6406 - Geriatrics and Gerontology Advisory Committee, Notice of Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-30

... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Geriatrics and Gerontology Advisory Committee, Notice of Meeting.... App. 2, that a meeting of the Geriatrics and Gerontology Advisory Committee will be held on April 10... matters pertaining to geriatrics and gerontology. The Committee assesses the capability of VA health care...

Police and mental health clinician partnership in response to mental health crisis: A qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

McKenna, Brian; Furness, Trentham; Oakes, Jane; Brown, Steve

2015-10-01

Police officers as first responders to acute mental health crisis in the community, commonly transport people in mental health crisis to a hospital emergency department. However, emergency departments are not the optimal environments to provide assessment and care to those experiencing mental health crises. In 2012, the Northern Police and Clinician Emergency Response (NPACER) team combining police and mental health clinicians was created to reduce behavioural escalation and provide better outcomes for people with mental health needs through diversion to appropriate mental health and community services. The aim of this study was to describe the perceptions of major stakeholders on the ability of the team to reduce behavioural escalation and improve the service utilization of people in mental health crisis. Responses of a purposive sample of 17 people (carer or consumer advisors, mental health or emergency department staff, and police or ambulance officers) who had knowledge of, or had interfaced with, the NPACER were thematically analyzed after one-to-one semistructured interviews. Themes emerged about the challenge created by a stand-alone police response, with the collaborative strengths of the NPACER (communication, information sharing, and knowledge/skill development) seen as the solution. Themes on improvements in service utilization were revealed at the point of community contact, in police stations, transition through the emergency department, and admission to acute inpatient units. The NPACER enabled emergency department diversion, direct access to inpatient mental health services, reduced police officer 'down-time', improved interagency collaboration and knowledge transfer, and improvements in service utilization and transition. © 2015 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Effect of a steam foot spa on geriatric inpatients with cognitive impairment: a pilot study

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Koike, Yoshihisa; Kondo, Hideki; Kondo, Satoshi; Takagi, Masayuki; Kano, Yoshio

2013-01-01

Purpose To investigate whether a steam foot spa improves cognitive impairment in geriatric inpatients. Methods Geriatric inpatients with cognitive impairment were given a steam foot spa treatment at 42°C for 20 minutes for 2 weeks (5 days/week). Physiological indicators such as blood pressure, percutaneous oxygen saturation, pulse, tympanic temperature, and sleep time and efficiency were assessed. Cognitive function and behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia were assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination, Dementia Mood Assessment Scale, and Dementia Behavior Disturbance scale. Results Significant decreases in systolic (P steam foot spas. A significant improvement was seen in the Mini-Mental State Examination score (P steam foot baths. In this study, a control group was not used. Raters and enforcers were not blinded. Conclusion The results of this pilot study suggest that steam foot spas mitigate cognitive impairment in geriatric inpatients. PMID:23717038

Mental Health and Asian Americans

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... Data > Minority Population Profiles > Asian American > Mental Health Mental Health and Asian Americans Suicide was the 9th leading ... Americans is half that of the White population. MENTAL HEALTH STATUS Serious psychological distress among adults 18 years ...

States Pass Diverse Slate of Mental Health Legislation in 2013. Mental Health: 2013 Legislative Session

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Thomsen, Jennifer

2014-01-01

Recent violence in schools and on college campuses has brought into sharp focus the need to address mental health issues in educational settings. Getting students with mental health problems the help they need, without stigmatizing mental illness, may help prevent future tragedies. Children with mental health problems face a host of challenges,…

Poverty and mental health: What should we know as mental health professionals?

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Lepiéce, Brice; Reynaert, Christine; Jacques, Denis; Zdanowicz, Nicolas

2015-09-01

Social inequality as a social and economic phenomenon has become an issue of common interest in Europe and other societies worldwide, mainly after the recent global financial and economic crisis that occurred in 2008. The increasing gap observed between socioeconomically advantaged and disadvantaged people has caused intensive debates in politics, social sciences and in the field of public health. Today, poverty is considered as a major variable adversely influencing health. In this paper we will discuss the link between poverty and mental health. We conducted a literature search focusing on three main objectives: (I) to investigate the definition of "poverty"; (II) to determine the association between poverty and major mental health problems; and (III) to discuss the extent to which poverty could be both a cause and a consequence of mental health. We identified a total of 142 relevant papers, published between 1995 and 2014, only 32 were retained. Main findings are summarised in this paper. Poverty can be considered as a risk factor for mental illness. Yet the relation between poverty and mental health is complex, without direct causation, and bidirectional. As poverty has severe consequences not only on health but also on the whole society, combating poverty should be placed high on the political agenda.

"A constant struggle to receive mental health care": health care professionals' acquired experience of barriers to mental health care services in Rwanda.

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Rugema, Lawrence; Krantz, Gunilla; Mogren, Ingrid; Ntaganira, Joseph; Persson, Margareta

2015-12-16

In Rwanda, many people are still mentally affected by the consequences of the genocide and yet mental health care facilities are scarce. While available literature explains the prevalence and consequences of mental disorders, there is lack of knowledge from low-income countries on health care seeking behavior due to common mental disorders. Therefore, this study sought to explore health care professionals' acquired experiences of barriers and facilitators that people with common mental disorders face when seeking mental health care services in Rwanda. A qualitative approach was applied and data was collected from six focus group discussions (FGDs) conducted in October 2012, including a total of 43 health care professionals, men and women in different health professions. The FGDs were performed at health facilities at different care levels. Data was analyzed using manifest and latent content analysis. The emerging theme "A constant struggle to receive mental health care for mental disorders" embraced a number of barriers and few facilitators at individual, family, community and structural levels that people faced when seeking mental health care services. Identified barriers people needed to overcome were: Poverty and lack of family support, Fear of stigmatization, Poor community awareness of mental disorders, Societal beliefs in traditional healers and prayers, Scarce resources in mental health care and Gender imbalance in care seeking behavior. The few facilitators to receive mental health care were: Collaboration between authorities and organizations in mental health and having a Family with awareness of mental disorders and health insurance. From a public health perspective, this study revealed important findings of the numerous barriers and the few facilitating factors available to people seeking health for mental disorders. Having a supportive family with awareness of mental disorders who also were equipped with a health insurance was perceived as vital for

Prevalence of factors associated with malnutrition among acute geriatric patients in Norway: a cross-sectional study.

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Jacobsen, Ellisiv Lærum; Brovold, Therese; Bergland, Astrid; Bye, Asta

2016-09-06

Data on acute geriatric patients' nutritional status are lacking, and the associations among physical function, sarcopenia, health status and nutritional status are not sufficiently investigated in this population. The aims of this study are to investigate (1) nutritional status and sarcopenia in a group of acute geriatric patients, (2) the association between nutritional status, physical function and sarcopenia in acute geriatric patients, controlling for health status. A cross-sectional study. Two acute geriatric hospital wards in Norway. This study included 120 patients with a mean age of 82.6±8 years. The following inclusion criteria were used: age ≥65 years and admitted to an acute geriatric ward. The exclusion criteria included terminal illness, Mini-Mental State Examination Physical function was measured using the Barthel activities of daily life index and the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). Sarcopenia was diagnosed using the mid-arm muscle circumference, gait speed and grip strength, in accordance with the EWGSOP algorithm. Diseases are organised by organ system classification. On the basis of the MNA classification, nearly one in two patients were at risk of malnutrition, while one in four were malnourished. Sarcopenia was present in 30% of the patients. A multivariate linear regression model was estimated and showed significant independent associations between SPPB score (β 0.64, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.90), sarcopenia (β -3.3, 95% CI -4.9 to -1.7), pulmonary disease (β -2.1, 95% CI -3.7 to -0.46), cancer (β -1.7, 95% CI -3.4 to -0.033) and nutritional status. Our study shows a high prevalence of risk of malnutrition, malnutrition and sarcopenia. Further, the results indicate that a low total SPPB score, sarcopenia, cancer and pulmonary disease are significantly associated with declines in nutritional status, as measured by the MNA, in acute geriatric patients. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not

Public mental health – using the Mental Health Gap Action Program to put all hands to the pumps

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RICHARD eUWAKWE

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Mental ill health constitutes a huge portion of the GBD but the majority of people with mental health problems do not receive any treatment, a scenario much worse in developing countries where mental health personnel are in gross short supply. The mhGAP was launched to address this gap, especially by training non-mental health professionals to deliver effective services for selected priority mental health problems. Especially in developing countries, people with mental health problems consult traditional healers either as a first step in the pathway to biomedical mental health care or as the sole mental health service providers. Bridging the gap between mental health needs and available services in developing countries must incorporate traditional healers, who are ubiquitously available, easily accessible and acceptable to the natives. Although there are barriers in forging collaborations between traditional and biomedical mental health care providers, with mutual respect, understanding and adapted training using the mhGAP guide it should be possible to get some traditional healers to understand the core principles of some priority mental health problems identification, treatment and referral.

Mental health and disorders. Editorial.

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Wittchen, Hans-Ulrich

2014-01-01

Mental health and mental disorders pose a tremendous challenge to the societal, health, and research policies in Europe, and sound advice is needed on a potential strategy for mental health research investment. Toward this goal, the ROAMER initiative ("Roadmap for Mental Health Research in Europe") was launched to map the current state of the art, to identify gaps and to delineate advances needed in various areas and domains of mental health research in Europe. To further stimulate discussions among the scientific community and stakeholders on how to improve mental health research and to promote an improved research agenda for the next decade, this IJMPR topic issue presents the overall ROAMER methodology as well as a series of selected papers highlighting critical issues of psychological approaches and interventions as outcomes of the ROAMER work package 5 "Psychological research and treatments". Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Physiotherapy and Mental Health

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Probst, Michel

2017-01-01

Physiotherapy in mental health care and psychiatry is a recognized specialty within physiotherapy. It offers a rich variety of observational and evaluation tools as well as a range of interventions that are related to the patient’s physical and mental health problems based on evidence-based literature and a 50-year history. Physiotherapy in mental health care addresses human movement, function, physical activity and exercise in individual and group therapeutic settings. Additionally, it conne...

Mental Health - Multiple Languages

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... and Well-Being 1 - Stress - Amarɨñña / አማርኛ (Amharic) MP3 Siloam Family Health Center Health and Well-Being ... Well-Being 2 - Mental Health - Amarɨñña / አማርኛ (Amharic) MP3 Siloam Family Health Center What Is Mental Distress - ...

Measurement-based management of mental health quality and access in VHA: SAIL mental health domain.

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Lemke, Sonne; Boden, Matthew Tyler; Kearney, Lisa K; Krahn, Dean D; Neuman, Matthew J; Schmidt, Eric M; Trafton, Jodie A

2017-02-01

We outline the development of a Mental Health Domain to track accessibility and quality of mental health care in the United States Veterans Health Administration (VHA) as part of a broad-based performance measurement system. This domain adds an important element to national performance improvement efforts by targeting regional and facility leadership and providing them a concise yet comprehensive measure to identify facilities facing challenges in their mental health programs. We present the conceptual framework and rationale behind measure selection and development. The Mental Health Domain covers three important aspects of mental health treatment: Population Coverage, Continuity of Care, and Experience of Care. Each component is a composite of existing and newly adapted measures with moderate to high internal consistency; components are statistically independent or moderately related. Development and dissemination of the Mental Health Domain involved a variety of approaches and benefited from close collaboration between local, regional, and national leadership and from coordination with existing quality-improvement initiatives. During the first year of use, facilities varied in the direction and extent of change. These patterns of change were generally consistent with qualitative information, providing support for the validity of the domain and its component measures. Measure maintenance remains an iterative process as the VHA mental health system and potential data resources continue to evolve. Lessons learned may be helpful to the broader mental health-provider community as mental health care consolidates and becomes increasingly integrated within healthcare systems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Mental health-related discrimination as a predictor of low engagement with mental health services.

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Clement, Sarah; Williams, Paul; Farrelly, Simone; Hatch, Stephani L; Schauman, Oliver; Jeffery, Debra; Henderson, R Claire; Thornicroft, Graham

2015-02-01

This study aimed to test the hypothesis that mental health-related discrimination experienced by adults receiving care from community mental health teams is associated with low engagement with services and to explore the pathways between these two variables. In this cross-sectional study, 202 adults registered with inner-city community mental health teams in the United Kingdom completed interviews assessing their engagement with mental health services (service user-rated version of the Service Engagement Scale), discrimination that they experienced because of mental illness, and other variables. Structural equation modeling was conducted to examine the relationship of experienced discrimination and service engagement with potential mediating and moderating variables, such as anticipated discrimination (Questionnaire on Anticipated Discrimination), internalized stigma (Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale), stigma stress appraisal (Stigma Stress Appraisal), mistrust in services, the therapeutic relationship (Scale to Assess Therapeutic Relationships), difficulty disclosing information about one's mental health, and social support. Analyses controlled for age, race-ethnicity, and symptomatology. No evidence was found for a direct effect between experienced discrimination and service engagement. The total indirect effect of experienced discrimination on service engagement was statistically significant (coefficient=1.055, 95% confidence interval [CI]=.312-2.074, p=.019), mainly via mistrust in mental health services and therapeutic relationships (coefficient=.804, CI=.295-1.558, p=.019). A 1-unit increase in experienced discrimination via this pathway resulted in .804-unit of deterioration in service engagement. Findings indicate the importance of building and maintaining service users' trust in mental health services and in therapeutic relationships with professionals and countering the discrimination that may erode trust.

AAGP position statement: disaster preparedness for older Americans: critical issues for the preservation of mental health.

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Sakauye, Kenneth M; Streim, Joel E; Kennedy, Gary J; Kirwin, Paul D; Llorente, Maria D; Schultz, Susan K; Srinivasan, Shilpa

2009-11-01

The Disaster Preparedness Task Force of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry was formed after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans to identify and address needs of the elderly after the disaster that led to excess health disability and markedly increased rates of hopelessness, suicidality, serious mental illness (reported to exceed 60% from baseline levels), and cognitive impairment. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) outlines risk groups which fail to address later effects from chronic stress and loss and disruption of social support networks. Range of interventions recommended for Preparation, Early Response, and Late Response reviewed in the report were not applied to elderly for a variety of reasons. It was evident that addressing the needs of elderly will not be made without a stronger mandate to do so from major governmental agencies (Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA] and SAMHSA). The recommendation to designate frail elderly and dementia patients as a particularly high-risk group and a list of specific recommendations for research and service and clinical reference list are provided.

Selected indicators of mental health in the elderly - the participants the University of the Third Age

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Martina Tomagová

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Aim: The aim of the research study is to identify the selected indicators of mental health, such as meaning of life, experience of well-being, hope, and feelings of loneliness and depression in the elderly participating in the University of the Third Age, in relation to their age and gender. Design: A quantitative descriptive study. Methods: The selection of respondents was deliberate. The sample consisted of 147 seniors with a mean age of 67.4 (± 4.9 years enrolled at the University of the Third Age at Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University. Data were collected by means of self-assessment scales - the Life Meaningfulness Scale, Snyder´s Hope Scale, the Emotional Habitual Subjective Well-being Scale, the Loneliness Scale, and the Geriatric Depression Scale. Results: Seniors considered their life meaningful, and expressed a high level of hope. Their emotions were predominately positive. We identified low levels of loneliness and found no indication of depressed mood. We identified significant differences between men and women in evaluation indicators of mental health only in the frequency of positive emotions. Conclusion: The study indicates the presence of salutogenic factors affecting the mental health of the sample of seniors in the process of active aging. The results could form the basis for implementing preventive strategies in clinical nursing practice.

PALLIATIVE CARE IN GERIATRICS: CURRENT ISSUES AND PROSPECTS

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I. P. Рonomareva

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the study is to identify the main problems and prospects of development of palliative care in geriatrics at the present stage. Method of research was to analyze the printed and electronic databases that meet the stated issues. The results of the study highlight the problems of the development of palliative care in geriatric practice: the lack of a developed procedure of rendering palliative care and adequate elderly patient selection criteria, the lack of trained professional staff. The main prospects-association of palliative practices and concepts of modern geriatrics required specialized geriatric assessment and the provision of clinical, medical, social and socio-psychological geriatric syndromes. While promising option for the development of palliative care geriatrics is the integration into the existing health care system, acceptance of the fact that it is a part of the specialized geriatric care. This requires the involvement and training of not only specialists with medical education, but also persons without medical training from among social workers and volunteers working in palliative care. Therefore, the obtained data allowed to conclude that topical is the development of palliative care in geriatrics, taking into account not only clinical but medico-social, socio-psychological features.

Sustained improvements in students' mental health literacy with use of a mental health curriculum in Canadian schools.

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Mcluckie, Alan; Kutcher, Stan; Wei, Yifeng; Weaver, Cynthia

2014-12-31

Enhancement of mental health literacy for youth is a focus of increasing interest for mental health professionals and educators alike. Schools are an ideal site for addressing mental health literacy in young people. Currently, there is limited evidence regarding the impact of curriculum-based interventions within high school settings. We examined the effect of a high-school mental health curriculum (The Guide) in enhancing mental health literacy in Canadian schools. We conducted a secondary analysis on surveys of students who participated in a classroom mental health course taught by their usual teachers. Evaluation of students' mental health literacy (knowledge/attitudes) was completed before and after classroom implementation and at 2-month follow-up. We used paired-samples t-tests and Cohen's d value to determine the significance and impact of change. There were 265 students who completed all surveys. Students' knowledge significantly improved between pre- and post-tests (p mental health. This is the first study to demonstrate the positive impact of a curriculum-based mental health literacy program in a Canadian high school population.

Mental health triage in emergency medicine.

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Smart, D; Pollard, C; Walpole, B

1999-02-01

The aim of this study was to: (i) develop a triage scale consistent with the National Triage Scale (NTS) for patients with mental health problems attending emergency departments; and (ii) to reduce emergency waiting times, transit times and improve skills assessing mental health problems. We developed a Mental Health Triage Scale (MHTS) consistent with the NTS. The MHTS was then implemented using a structured education package, and evaluated from March to August 1994. Further evaluation occurred after 2 years. A four-tiered MHTS was produced: category 2, violent, aggressive or suicidal, danger to self or others or with police escort; category 3, very distressed or psychotic, likely to deteriorate, situational crisis, danger to self or others; category 4, long-standing semi-urgent mental health disorder, supporting agency present; and category 5, long-standing non-acute mental health disorder, no support agency present. Patients with illness, injury or self-harm were triaged using combined mental health and medical information. Mean emergency waiting times and transit times were reduced. More consistent triaging for mental health patients occurred, and more consistent admission rates by urgency. Reduced mental health 'did not waits' showed improved customer satisfaction. Mental Health Triage Scale was considered appropriate by liaison psychiatry and its use has continued at 2 years follow-up. A systematic approach to mental health triaging produced a workable scale, reduced waiting times, transit times, and provided effective and consistent integration of mental health patients into a general emergency department.

Health status, geriatric syndromes and prescription of oral anticoagulant therapy in elderly medical inpatients with atrial fibrillation.

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Bo, Mario; Sciarrillo, Irene; Maggiani, Guido; Falcone, Yolanda; Iacovino, Marina; Grisoglio, Enrica; Fonte, Gianfranco; Grosjean, Simon; Gaita, Fiorenzo

2017-03-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of geriatric syndromes among older medical inpatients with atrial fibrillation, and their association with use of vitamin K antagonists. A retrospective study of patients aged ≥65 years discharged with a diagnosis of atrial fibrillation from the Acute Geriatric Ward was carried out. Stroke and bleeding risk were evaluated according to the CHA 2 DS 2 -VASC and HAS-BLED scores. Comorbidity, cognitive status, functional autonomy and contraindications to vitamin K antagonists were also considered. Atrial fibrillation was documented in 1078 of 3650 patients (29.5%, mean age 83.4 ± 6.6 years, 60.3% women). Contraindications to vitamin K antagonists were documented in 24.9% of patients. Prescription of vitamin K antagonists at discharge was 37.8% and 47.9%, in the overall sample and in those without contraindications, respectively. In the overall sample, prescription of vitamin K antagonists was associated with younger age, permanent/persistent atrial fibrillation, home discharge, less comorbidity, higher hemoglobin levels, better functional independence, known atrial fibrillation at admission and lower HAS-BLED score. Among patients without contraindications to vitamin K antagonists, their use at discharge was independently associated with younger age, permanent/persistent atrial fibrillation, home discharge, higher hemoglobin levels and CHA2DS2-VASC score, better functional autonomy, and greater number of drugs. We showed a high prevalence of atrial fibrillation among older medical inpatients, who have a poor health status and a high prevalence of geriatric syndromes. Vitamin K antagonists were prescribed in less than half of the patients; underuse was mainly accounted for by a high prevalence of comorbidities/contraindications, poor health status and limited functional autonomy. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 416-423. © 2016 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Cultural diversity and mental health.

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Gopalkrishnan, Narayan; Babacan, Hurriyet

2015-12-01

Cultural diversity and its impact on mental health has become an increasingly important issue in a globalised world where the interactions between cultures continue to grow exponentially. This paper presents critical areas in which culture impacts on mental health, such as how health and illness are perceived, coping styles, treatment-seeking patterns, impacts of history, racism, bias and stereotyping, gender, family, stigma and discrimination. While cultural differences provide a number of challenges to mental health policy and practice they also provide a number of opportunities to work in unique and effective ways towards positive mental health. Ethno-specific approaches to mental health that incorporate traditional and community-based systems can provide new avenues for working with culturally diverse populations. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2015.

Teen Mental Health: MedlinePlus Health Topic

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... Trichotillomania (Nemours Foundation) Health Check Tools How's Your Self-Esteem? (Quiz) (Nemours Foundation) Statistics and Research Combinations of Types of Mental Health Services Received in the Past Year Among Young Adults (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) ...

Mental health service delivery following health system reform in Colombia.

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Romero-González, Mauricio; González, Gerardo; Rosenheck, Robert A

2003-12-01

In 1993, Colombia underwent an ambitious and comprehensive process of health system reform based on managed competition and structured pluralism, but did not include coverage for mental health services. In this study, we sought to evaluate the impact of the reform on access to mental health services and whether there were changes in the pattern of mental health service delivery during the period after the reform. Changes in national economic indicators and in measures of mental health and non-mental health service delivery for the years 1987 and 1997 were compared. Data were obtained from the National Administrative Department of Statistics of Colombia (DANE), the Department of National Planning and Ministry of the Treasury of Colombia, and from national official reports of mental health and non-mental health service delivery from the Ministry of Health of Colombia for the same years. While population-adjusted access to mental health outpatient services declined by -2.7% (-11.2% among women and +5.8% among men), access to general medical outpatient services increased dramatically by 46%. In-patient admissions showed smaller differences, with a 7% increase in mental health admissions, as compared to 22.5% increase in general medical admissions. The health reform in Colombia imposed competition across all health institutions with the intention of encouraging efficiency and financial autonomy. However, the challenge of institutional survival appears to have fallen heavily on mental health care institutions that were also expected to participate in managed competition, but that were at a serious disadvantage because their services were excluded from the compulsory standardized package of health benefits. While the Colombian health care reform intended to close the gap between those who had and those who did not have access to health services, it appears to have failed to address access to specialized mental health services, although it does seem to have promoted a

Mental health care in Nepal: current situation and challenges for development of a district mental health care plan.

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Luitel, Nagendra P; Jordans, Mark Jd; Adhikari, Anup; Upadhaya, Nawaraj; Hanlon, Charlotte; Lund, Crick; Komproe, Ivan H

2015-01-01

Globally mental health problems are a serious public health concern. Currently four out of five people with severe mental illness in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC) receive no effective treatment. There is an urgent need to address this enormous treatment gap. Changing the focus of specialist mental health workers (psychiatrists and psychologists) from only service delivery to also designing and managing mental health services; building clinical capacity of the primary health care (PHC) workers, and providing supervision and quality assurance of mental health services may help in scaling up mental health services in LMICs. Little is known however, about the mental health policy and services context for these strategies in fragile-state settings, such as Nepal. A standard situation analysis tool was developed by the PRogramme for Improving Mental health carE (PRIME) consortium to systematically analyze and describe the current gaps in mental health care in Nepal, in order to inform the development of a district level mental health care plan (MHCP). It comprised six sections; general information (e.g. population, socio-economic conditions); mental health policies and plans; mental health treatment coverage; district health services; and community services. Data was obtained from secondary sources, including scientific publications, reports, project documents and hospital records. Mental health policy exists in Nepal, having been adopted in 1997, but implementation of the policy framework has yet to begin. In common with other LMICs, the budget allocated for mental health is minimal. Mental health services are concentrated in the big cities, with 0.22 psychiatrists and 0.06 psychologists per 100,000 population. The key challenges experienced in developing a district level MHCP included, overburdened health workers, lack of psychotropic medicines in the PHC, lack of mental health supervision in the existing system, and lack of a coordinating body in the Ministry

D-day for mental health.

Science.gov (United States)

2005-02-16

THERE COULD be no better time for a review of mental health nursing. It is 11 years since the last one, which in itself suggests change must be overdue if professional practice is to keep pace with health service reforms. As the largest professional group in mental health care, nurses will be relied on to deliver the reforms outlined in the Mental Health Bill, as well as the measures to improve race equality in the service. Nurses will also be promoting good mental health as outlined in last autumn's public health white paper. All these initiatives can only benefit from the chance to take stock.

78 FR 12831 - Geriatrics and Gerontology Advisory Committee, Notice of Meeting Amendment

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-25

... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Geriatrics and Gerontology Advisory Committee, Notice of Meeting....S.C. App. 2, that a meeting of the Geriatrics and Gerontology Advisory Committee has been... and the Under Secretary for Health on all matters pertaining to geriatrics and gerontology. The...

Chronic Childhood Trauma, Mental Health, Academic Achievement, and School-Based Health Center Mental Health Services

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Larson, Satu; Chapman, Susan; Spetz, Joanne; Brindis, Claire D.

2017-01-01

Background: Children and adolescents exposed to chronic trauma have a greater risk for mental health disorders and school failure. Children and adolescents of minority racial/ethnic groups and those living in poverty are at greater risk of exposure to trauma and less likely to have access to mental health services. School-based health centers…

Holistic Health: Does It Really Include Mental Health?

OpenAIRE

McClanahan, Kimberly K.; Huff, Marlene B.; Omar, Hatim A.

2006-01-01

Holistic health, incorporating mind and body as equally important and unified components of health, is a concept utilized in some health care arenas in the United States (U.S.) over the past 30 years. However, in the U.S., mental health is not seen as conceptually integral to physical health and, thus, holistic health cannot be realized until the historical concept of mind-body dualism, continuing stigma regarding mental illness, lack of mental health parity in insurance, and inaccurate publi...

[Geriatrics, a form of holistic health care. A bright spot in difficult financial economic times?].

Science.gov (United States)

Dillmann, E B

1984-02-01

Geriatrics has a functional aim, also in a clinical setting; it determines meaningful priorities in the process of diagnosis and treatment of the vulnerable elderly patient and is of a horizontal nature within the other specializations. Additional tasks of geriatrics are the development of adjusted methods for examination and treatment, the pursuing of early onset diagnostics, to supply specific information and the training of geriatric specialists. Clinical geriatric examination should only take place after evaluating the patient in his or her living conditions at home. The patient should thereby fulfil the geriatric trias, that no admission in a nursery home or psychiatric hospital is indicated, that examination at home or at the outpatient department is impossible and that an emergency situation necessitates admission. Ambulantory geriatric care is indispensable for the well functioning of a clinical geriatric department and the two should form an unbreakable tie, which could eventually be transformed into a personal union. A geriatric department in a general hospital is limited in its indications for the admission of geriatric patients, has high operating costs and should be restricted in size per regio, having a minimal capacity of 25 to 30 beds. The geriatric team is broad in composition and strong in coherence. The period of admission of the patient should not exceed six weeks. A regional social-geriatric circuit combines a geriatric department of a general hospital with the ambulantory social-geriatric service, the admission and indication committee of nursing homes into a well tuned system of provisions for the aged.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Shared decision-making, stigma, and child mental health functioning among families referred for primary care-located mental health services.

Science.gov (United States)

Butler, Ashley M

2014-03-01

There is growing emphasis on shared decision making (SDM) to promote family participation in care and improve the quality of child mental health care. Yet, little is known about the relationship of SDM with parental perceptions of child mental health treatment or child mental health functioning. The objectives of this preliminary study were to examine (a) the frequency of perceived SDM with providers among minority parents of children referred to colocated mental health care in a primary care clinic, (b) associations between parent-reported SDM and mental health treatment stigma and child mental health impairment, and (c) differences in SDM among parents of children with various levels of mental health problem severity. Participants were 36 Latino and African American parents of children (ages 2-7 years) who were referred to colocated mental health care for externalizing mental health problems (disruptive, hyperactive, and aggressive behaviors). Parents completed questions assessing their perceptions of SDM with providers, child mental health treatment stigma, child mental health severity, and level of child mental health impairment. Descriptive statistics demonstrated the majority of the sample reported frequent SDM with providers. Correlation coefficients indicated higher SDM was associated with lower stigma regarding mental health treatment and lower parent-perceived child mental health impairment. Analysis of variance showed no significant difference in SDM among parents of children with different parent-reported levels of child mental health severity. Future research should examine the potential of SDM for addressing child mental health treatment stigma and impairment among minority families.

What does self rated mental health represent

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daphna Levinson

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Background. Unlike the widely used self rated health, the self rated mental health was found unsuitable as a proxy for mental illness. This paper analyses the relationships between the self ratings of physical health, mental health and overall health, and their association of with the objective indicators for physical and mental health. Design and methods. The study is a secondary analysis of data from a nationwide representative sample of the non-institutionalized adult residents of Israel in 2003 that was collected via computer-assisted personal interview methods [n=4859].Results. The self rated physical health and the self rated mental health were strongly related to each other yet the self rated mental health was not related to chronic physical conditions and the self rated physical health was not related to mental disorders. In a multiple logistic regression analysis, those with positive self rated mental health had 93 times the odds of reporting positive overall health whereas those with positive self rated physical health had 40 times the odds of reporting positive overall health. Conclusions. The self rating of mental health presents a qualitatively different dimension from mental illness. The self rated mental health is two times more important than the self rated physical health in predicting the self rated overall health

The Carter Center Mental Health Program: addressing the public health crisis in the field of mental health through policy change and stigma reduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Palpant, Rebecca G; Steimnitz, Rachael; Bornemann, Thomas H; Hawkins, Katie

2006-04-01

Some of the most pervasive and debilitating illnesses are mental illnesses, according to World Health Organization's The World Health Report 2001--Mental Health: New Understanding, New Hope. Neuropsychiatric conditions account for four of the top five leading causes of years of life lived with disability in people aged 15 to 44 in the Western world. Many barriers prevent people with mental illnesses from seeking care, such as prohibitive costs, lack of insurance, and the stigma and discrimination associated with mental illnesses. The Carter Center Mental Health Program, established in 1991, focuses on mental health policy issues within the United States and internationally. This article examines the public health crisis in the field of mental health and focuses on The Carter Center Mental Health Program's initiatives, which work to increase public knowledge of and decrease the stigma associated with mental illnesses through their four strategic goals: reducing stigma and discrimination against people with mental illnesses; achieving equity of mental health care comparable with other health services; advancing early promotion, prevention, and early intervention services for children and their families; and increasing public awareness about mental illnesses and mental health issues.

Hawaii's public mental health system.

Science.gov (United States)

VanderVoort, Debra J

2005-03-01

The following article addresses the nature of and problems with the public mental health system in Hawaii. It includes a brief history of Hawaii's public mental health system, a description and analysis of this system, economic factors affecting mental health, as well as a needs assessment of the elderly, individuals with severe mental illness, children and adolescents, and ethnically diverse individuals. In addition to having the potential to increase suicide rates and unnecessarily prolong personal suffering, problems in the public mental health system such as inadequate services contribute to an increase in social problems including, but not limited to, an increase in crime rates (e.g., domestic violence, child abuse), divorce rates, school failure, and behavioral problems in children. The population in need of mental health services in Hawaii is under served, with this inadequacy of services due to economic limitations and a variety of other factors.

Poverty, social stress & mental health.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuruvilla, A; Jacob, K S

2007-10-01

While there is increasing evidence of an association between poor mental health and the experience of poverty and deprivation, the relationship is complex. We discuss the epidemiological data on mental illness among the different socio-economic groups, look at the cause -effect debate on poverty and mental illness and the nature of mental distress and disorders related to poverty. Issues related to individual versus area-based poverty, relative poverty and the impact of poverty on woman's and child mental health are presented. This review also addresses factors associated with poverty and the difficulties in the measurement of mental health and illness and levels/impact of poverty.

International Student Mental Health

Science.gov (United States)

Prieto-Welch, Susan L.

2016-01-01

This chapter describes the mental health status of international students in institutions of higher education, unique challenges these students face and their impact on mental health, and suggestions for ways to address these challenges.

Mental health, participation and social identity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Johannsen, Gundi Schrötter; Elstad, Toril

2017-01-01

pointed out how people with mental illness protect their identities through consealment in order to avoid stigmatisation. Changes in the organisation of mental health services, from a mainly hospital-based psychiatry towards mental health work in local communities, have highlited issues of participation......, social incluison and integration for people who live with mental health problems. Aiming to support people in daily life, community mental health services that facilitate active participation are encouraged internationally (WHO 2001b, 2005,2013). From these perspectives, we will present our studies from...... a Danish ond Norwegian community mental health service, and relate our findings and the discussion of them to the overall themes of participation, social identity and mental helath....

Art and mental health in Samoa.

Science.gov (United States)

Ryan, Brigid; Goding, Margaret; Fenner, Patricia; Percival, Steven; Percival, Wendy; Latai, Leua; Petaia, Lisi; Pulotu-Endemann, Fuimaono Karl; Parkin, Ian; Tuitama, George; Ng, Chee

2015-12-01

To pilot an art and mental health project with Samoan and Australian stakeholders. The aim of this project was to provide a voice through the medium of art for people experiencing mental illness, and to improve the public understanding in Samoa of mental illness and trauma. Over 12 months, a series of innovative workshops were held with Samoan and Australian stakeholders, followed by an art exhibition. These workshops developed strategies to support the promotion and understanding of mental health in Samoa. Key stakeholders from both art making and mental health services were engaged in activities to explore the possibility of collaboration in the Apia community. The project was able to identify the existing resources and community support for the arts and mental health projects, to design a series of activities aimed to promote and maintain health in the community, and to pilot these programs with five key organizations. This project demonstrates the potential for art and mental health projects to contribute to both improving mental health and to lowering the personal and social costs of mental ill health for communities in Samoa. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2015.

Poor Pre-Pregnancy and Antepartum Mental Health Predicts Postpartum Mental Health Problems among US Women: A Nationally Representative Population-Based Study

Science.gov (United States)

Witt, Whitney P.; Wisk, Lauren E.; Cheng, Erika R.; Hampton, John M.; Creswell, Paul; Hagen, Erika W.; Spear, Hilary A.; Maddox, Torsheika; DeLeire, Thomas

2011-01-01

Purpose Mental health problems disproportionately affect women, particularly during childbearing years. However, there is a paucity of research on the determinants of postpartum mental health problems using representative US populations. Taking a life course perspective, we determined the potential risk factors for postpartum mental health problems, with a particular focus on the role of mental health before and during pregnancy. Methods We examined data on 1,863 mothers from eleven panels of the 1996-2006 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). Poor postpartum mental health was defined using self-reports of mental health conditions, symptoms of mental health conditions, or global mental health ratings of “fair” or “poor.” Results 9.5% of women reported experiencing postpartum mental health problems, with over half of these women reporting a history of poor mental health. Poor pre-pregnancy mental health and poor antepartum mental health both independently increased the odds of having postpartum mental health problems. Staged multivariate analyses revealed that poor antepartum mental health attenuated the relationship between pre-pregnancy and postpartum mental health problems. Additionally, significant disparities exist in women's report of postpartum mental health status. Conclusions While poor antepartum mental health is the strongest predictor of postpartum mental health problems, pre-pregnancy mental health is also important. Accordingly, health care providers should identify, treat, and follow women with a history of poor mental health, as they are particularly susceptible to postpartum mental health problems. This will ensure that women and their children are in the best possible health and mental health during the postpartum period and beyond. PMID:21349740

Mental health service users' experiences of mental health care: an integrative literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Newman, D; O'Reilly, P; Lee, S H; Kennedy, C

2015-04-01

A number of studies have highlighted issues around the relationship between service users and providers. The recovery model is predominant in mental health as is the recognition of the importance of person-centred practice. The authors completed an in-depth search of the literature to answer the question: What are service users' experiences of the mental health service? Three key themes emerged: acknowledging a mental health problem and seeking help; building relationships through participation in care; and working towards continuity of care. The review adds to the current body of knowledge by providing greater detail into the importance of relationships between service users and providers and how these may impact on the delivery of care in the mental health service. The overarching theme that emerged was the importance of the relationship between the service user and provider as a basis for interaction and support. This review has specific implications for mental health nursing. Despite the recognition made in policy documents for change, issues with stigma, poor attitudes and communication persist. There is a need for a fundamental shift in the provider-service user relationship to facilitate true service-user engagement in their care. The aim of this integrative literature review was to identify mental health service users' experiences of services. The rationale for this review was based on the growing emphasis and requirements for health services to deliver care and support, which recognizes the preferences of individuals. Contemporary models of mental health care strive to promote inclusion and empowerment. This review seeks to add to our current understanding of how service users experience care and support in order to determine to what extent the principles of contemporary models of mental health care are embedded in practice. A robust search of Web of Science, the Cochrane Database, Science Direct, EBSCO host (Academic Search Complete, MEDLINE, CINAHL Plus

The promotion of mental health and the prevention of mental health problems in child and adolescent

OpenAIRE

sunmi cho; yunmi shin

2013-01-01

Improving mental health and reducing the burden of mental illness are complementary strategies which, along with the treatment and rehabilitation of people with mental disorders, significantly improve population health and well-being. A Institute of Medicine report describes a range of interventions for mental disorders that included treatment and maintenance, reserving the term “prevention” for efforts that occur before onset of a diagnosable disorder. Mental health problems affect 10&am...

Fried frailty phenotype assessment components as applied to geriatric inpatients

OpenAIRE

Bieniek, Joanna; Wilczy?ski, Krzysztof; Szewieczek, Jan

2016-01-01

Joanna Bieniek, Krzysztof Wilczynski, Jan Szewieczek Department of Geriatrics, School of Health Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland Background: Management of geriatric patients would be simplified if a universally accepted definition of frailty for clinical use was defined. Among definitions of frailty, Fried frailty phenotype criteria constitute a common reference frame for many geriatric studies. However, this reference frame has been tested primarily in ...

Retirement and mental health: analysis of the Australian national survey of mental health and well-being.

Science.gov (United States)

Butterworth, Peter; Gill, Sarah C; Rodgers, Bryan; Anstey, Kaarin J; Villamil, Elena; Melzer, David

2006-03-01

Nation-wide research on mental health problems amongst men and women during the transition from employment to retirement is limited. This study sought to explore the relationship between retirement and mental health across older adulthood, whilst considering age and known risk factors for mental disorders. Data were from the 1997 National Survey of Mental Health and Well-being, a cross-sectional survey of 10,641 Australian adults. The prevalence of depression and anxiety disorders was analysed in the sub-sample of men (n = 1928) and women (n = 2261) aged 45-74 years. Mental health was assessed using the Composite International Diagnostic Instrument. Additional measures were used to assess respondents' physical health, demographic and personal characteristics. The prevalence of common mental disorders diminished across increasing age groups of men and women. Women aged 55-59, 65-69, and 70-74 had significantly lower rates of mental disorders than those aged 45-49. In contrast, only men aged 65-69 and 70-74 demonstrated significantly lower prevalence compared with men aged 45-49. Amongst younger men, retirees were significantly more likely to have a common mental disorder relative to men still in the labour force; however, this was not the case for retired men of, or nearing, the traditional retirement age of 65. Men and women with poor physical health were also more likely to have a diagnosable mental disorder. The findings of this study indicate that, for men, the relationship between retirement and mental health varies with age. The poorer mental health of men who retire early is not explained by usual risk factors. Given current policy changes in many countries to curtail early retirement, these findings highlight the need to consider mental health, and its influencing factors, when encouraging continued employment amongst older adults.

Mental Health Insurance Parity and Provider Wages.

Science.gov (United States)

Golberstein, Ezra; Busch, Susan H

2017-06-01

Policymakers frequently mandate that employers or insurers provide insurance benefits deemed to be critical to individuals' well-being. However, in the presence of private market imperfections, mandates that increase demand for a service can lead to price increases for that service, without necessarily affecting the quantity being supplied. We test this idea empirically by looking at mental health parity mandates. This study evaluated whether implementation of parity laws was associated with changes in mental health provider wages. Quasi-experimental analysis of average wages by state and year for six mental health care-related occupations were considered: Clinical, Counseling, and School Psychologists; Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors; Marriage and Family Therapists; Mental Health Counselors; Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers; and Psychiatrists. Data from 1999-2013 were used to estimate the association between the implementation of state mental health parity laws and the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act and average mental health provider wages. Mental health parity laws were associated with a significant increase in mental health care provider wages controlling for changes in mental health provider wages in states not exposed to parity (3.5 percent [95% CI: 0.3%, 6.6%]; pwages. Health insurance benefit expansions may lead to increased prices for health services when the private market that supplies the service is imperfect or constrained. In the context of mental health parity, this work suggests that part of the value of expanding insurance benefits for mental health coverage was captured by providers. Given historically low wage levels of mental health providers, this increase may be a first step in bringing mental health provider wages in line with parallel health professions, potentially reducing turnover rates and improving treatment quality.

[Rehabilitation for musculoskeltal disorders in geriatric patients].

Science.gov (United States)

Shirado, O

1997-07-01

Aging is typically accompanied by gradual but progressive physiological changes and an increased prevalence of acute and chronic illness in any organs. Musculoskeltal system is one of the most involved organs in geriatric patients. Appropriate roles in geriatric rehabilitation for musculoskeltal disorders should be emphasized not only to treat the disorders, but also to prevent many complications cause by specific disease or injury. Representative management methods in geriatric rehabilitation are introduced in this section. Rest is often effective, especially in the acute phase of illness or injury. However, cautions should be paid in disuse syndrome which may be produced by prolonged bed rest. Major manifestations in this syndrome includes muscle weakness and atrophy, joint contracture, decubitus, osteoporosis, ectopic ossification, cardiovascular impairment, pneumonia, urological and mental problems. Physical agents such as heat, cold, light and pressure have been used as therapeutic agents. Electrical stimulation is often effective in the treatment of low-back pain syndrome. Traction is the act of drawing, or a pulling force. Its mechanism to relieve pain seems to immobilize the injured parts, to increase peripheral circulation by massage effect and to improve muscle spasm. Brace is very effective to control acute pain in musculoskeltal system. However, long-term wear of brace should be avoided to prevent the disuse syndrome. Exercise is one of the most important rehabilitation modalities. This includes stretching and muscle strengthening programs. Education of body mechanism in activity of daily living is essential in rehabilitation of geriatric patients.

VA National Mental Health Statistics - 2015

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Veterans Affairs — VAMC-level statistics on the prevalence, mental health utilization, non-mental health utilization, mental health workload, and psychological testing of Veterans with...

Mental Health Screening Center

Science.gov (United States)

... Releases & Announcements Public Service Announcements Partnering with DBSA Mental Health Screening Center These online screening tools are not ... you have any concerns, see your doctor or mental health professional. Depression Screening for Adult Depression Screening for ...

Disaster Management: Mental Health Perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Math, Suresh Bada; Nirmala, Maria Christine; Moirangthem, Sydney; Kumar, Naveen C

2015-01-01

Disaster mental health is based on the principles of 'preventive medicine' This principle has necessitated a paradigm shift from relief centered post-disaster management to a holistic, multi-dimensional integrated community approach of health promotion, disaster prevention, preparedness and mitigation. This has ignited the paradigm shift from curative to preventive aspects of disaster management. This can be understood on the basis of six 'R's such as Readiness (Preparedness), Response (Immediate action), Relief (Sustained rescue work), Rehabilitation (Long term remedial measures using community resources), Recovery (Returning to normalcy) and Resilience (Fostering). Prevalence of mental health problems in disaster affected population is found to be higher by two to three times than that of the general population. Along with the diagnosable mental disorders, affected community also harbours large number of sub-syndromal symptoms. Majority of the acute phase reactions and disorders are self-limiting, whereas long-term phase disorders require assistance from mental health professionals. Role of psychotropic medication is very limited in preventing mental health morbidity. The role of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) in mitigating the mental health morbidity appears to be promising. Role of Psychological First Aid (PFA) and debriefing is not well-established. Disaster management is a continuous and integrated cyclical process of planning, organising, coordinating and implementing measures to prevent and to manage disaster effectively. Thus, now it is time to integrate public health principles into disaster mental health.

The promotion of mental health and the prevention of mental health problems in child and adolescent

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

sunmi cho

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Improving mental health and reducing the burden of mental illness are complementary strategies which, along with the treatment and rehabilitation of people with mental disorders, significantly improve population health and well-being. A Institute of Medicine report describes a range of interventions for mental disorders that included treatment and maintenance, reserving the term “prevention” for efforts that occur before onset of a diagnosable disorder. Mental health problems affect 10&#8211;20% of children and adolescents worldwide. Despite their relevance as a leading cause of health-related disability and their long lasting consequences, the mental health needs of children and adolescents are neglected. Early intervention can help reduce the significant impacts that children and adolescents with serious mental health problems may experience. Screening is the first step in early intervention, recognizing emotional and behavioral problems and providing help at an early stage. It is essential to implement early intervention in a sensitive and ethical manner to avoid any of the negative outcomes.

Australian Rotary Health: a major contributor to mental illness research and mental health awareness in Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Jorm, Anthony; Sawyer, Michael; Gillett, Joy

2012-08-01

Australian Rotary Health (ARH) was established in 1981 with the goal of supporting family health research in Australia. Since 2000, ARH has supported research relevant to mental health and mental illness. This article describes the early history of the fund, the reasons for the move to mental illness research, some examples of research projects that have had a beneficial impact and the branching out into mental health community awareness raising and stigma reduction. ARH has emerged as a major non-government supporter of mental illness research. It has also effectively engaged Rotary clubs at a local level to increase community awareness of mental illness and to reduce stigma.

Evolving society and mental health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dipesh Bhagabati

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Numerous issues related to culture, occupation, gender, caste, and health, to name a few, have faced harshness of society from time immemorial. Reasons are debatable, ranging from somewhat understandable to completely unacceptable. There is no doubt that society is dynamic and it has changed its view on many of the issues with passing time. Mental health is one such issue which society has neglected for quite a long time. Even today, mental health and mentally ill people face stigma and discrimination in their family, society, and at their workplace. People do not feel comfortable talking about mental health, even if they know that there cannot be any health without a healthy mind. But, as Albert Einstein has said “learn from yesterday, live for today, and hope for tomorrow”, everything is not lost. The mentally ill patients who were once abandoned and left on their own have now started to get humane care and attention. This article discusses this very pertinent topic of changing society and mental health.

Common geriatric emergencies in a rural hospital in South‑Eastern ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Common geriatric emergencies in a rural hospital in South‑Eastern Nigeria. ... by emergency health conditions that predispose them to higher risk of disability and ... The geriatric patients seen within the study period who met the selection ...

The 2013 Canadian Forces Mental Health Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Bennett, Rachel E.; Boulos, David; Garber, Bryan G.; Jetly, Rakesh; Sareen, Jitender

2016-01-01

Objective: The 2013 Canadian Forces Mental Health Survey (CFMHS) collected detailed information on mental health problems, their impacts, occupational and nonoccupational determinants of mental health, and the use of mental health services from a random sample of 8200 serving personnel. The objective of this article is to provide a firm scientific foundation for understanding and interpreting the CFMHS findings. Methods: This narrative review first provides a snapshot of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), focusing on 2 key determinants of mental health: the deployment of more than 40,000 personnel in support of the mission in Afghanistan and the extensive renewal of the CAF mental health system. The findings of recent population-based CAF mental health research are reviewed, with a focus on findings from the very similar mental health survey done in 2002. Finally, key aspects of the methods of the 2013 CFMHS are presented. Results: The findings of 20 peer-reviewed publications using the 2002 mental health survey data are reviewed, along with those of 25 publications from other major CAF mental health research projects executed over the past decade. Conclusions: More than a decade of population-based mental health research in the CAF has provided a detailed picture of its mental health and use of mental health services. This knowledge base and the homology of the 2013 survey with the 2002 CAF survey and general population surveys in 2002 and 2012 will provide an unusual opportunity to use the CFMHS to situate mental health in the CAF in a historical and societal perspective. PMID:27270738

Utilization of Mental Health Services in School-Based Health Centers.

Science.gov (United States)

Bains, Ranbir M; Cusson, Regina; White-Frese, Jesse; Walsh, Stephen

2017-08-01

We summarize utilization patterns for mental health services in school-based health centers. Administrative data on school-based health center visits in New Haven, Connecticut were examined for the 2007-2009 school years. Relative frequencies of mental health visits by age were calculated as a percentage of all visits and were stratified by sex, ethnicity/race, and insurance status. Mental health visits accounted for the highest proportion of visits (31.8%). The proportion of mental health visits was highest at 8 years (42.8%) and at 13 years (39.0%). The proportion of mental health visits among boys (38.4%) was higher than among girls (26.7%). Hispanic students had a lower proportion of mental health visits than black students (23.5% vs 35.8%) in all but 2 age groups. Students in the white/other ethnicity category had higher proportions of mental health visits than Hispanic and black students between ages 12 and 15. Students with no health insurance (22.5%) had lower proportions of mental health visits than students covered by Medicaid (34.3%) or private insurance (33.9%). The percentage of mental health visits by students with private insurance was highest (37.2%-49%) in the 13-15 age range. Usage patterns for mental health issues show pronounced, nonrandom variation relative to age and other demographic characteristics especially with 8-year-old boys. © 2017, American School Health Association.

Promoting mental health as an essential aspect of health promotion.

Science.gov (United States)

Sturgeon, Shona

2006-12-01

This paper advocates that mental health promotion receive appropriate attention within health promotion. It is of great concern that, in practice, mental health promotion is frequently overlooked in health promotion programmes although the WHO definitions of health and the Ottawa Charter describe mental health as an integral part of health. It is suggested that more attention be given to addressing the determinants of mental health in terms of protective and risk factors for both physical and mental conditions, particularly in developing countries. Examples of evidence-based mental health programmes operating in widely diverse settings are presented to demonstrate that well designed interventions can contribute to the well-being of populations. It is advocated that particular attention be given to the intersectorial cooperation needed for this work.

Focus group reflections on the current and future state of cognitive assessment tools in geriatric health care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Whitehead JC

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Jocelyne C Whitehead,1 Sara A Gambino,1 Jeffrey D Richter,2 Jennifer D Ryan1,3,41Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest, 2Independent Human Factors Consultant, Toronto, ON, Canada; 3Department of Psychology, 4Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CanadaObjective: This study provides insight into the thoughts and opinions of geriatric health-care professionals toward cognitive assessments and the use of emerging technologies, such as eye-tracking, to supplement current tools.Methods: Two focus group sessions were conducted with nurses and physicians who routinely administer neurocognitive assessments to geriatric populations. Video recordings of the focus group sessions were transcribed and a thematic analysis was performed.Results: Participants reported the need for assessment and diagnostic tools that are accessible and efficient, and that are capable of accommodating the rapid growth in the aging population. The prevalence of more complex ailments experienced by older adults has had repercussions in the quality of care that the clients receive, and has contributed to lengthy wait times and resource shortages. Health-care professionals stated that they are hampered by the disjointed structure of the health-care system and that they would benefit from a more efficient allocation of responsibilities made possible through tools that did not require extensive training or certification. Eyetracking-based cognitive assessments were thought to strongly complement this system, yet it was thought that difficulty would be faced in gaining the support and increased uptake by health-care professionals due to the nonintuitive relationship between eyetracking and cognition.Conclusion: The findings suggest that health-care professionals are receptive to the use of eyetracking technology to assess for cognitive health as it would conserve resources by allowing frontline staff to administer assessments with minimal training

Understanding the acceptability of e-mental health - attitudes and expectations towards computerised self-help treatments for mental health problems

OpenAIRE

Musiat, Peter; Goldstone, Philip; Tarrier, Nicholas

2014-01-01

Background E-mental health and m-mental health include the use of technology in the prevention, treatment and aftercare of mental health problems. With the economical pressure on mental health services increasing, e-mental health and m-mental health could bridge treatment gaps, reduce waiting times for patients and deliver interventions at lower costs. However, despite the existence of numerous effective interventions, the transition of computerised interventions into care is slow. The aim of...

Juvenile mental health courts for adjudicated youth: role implications for child and adolescent psychiatric mental health nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Burriss, F Antoinette; Breland-Noble, Alfiee M; Webster, Joe L; Soto, Jose A

2011-05-01

Juvenile mental health courts for adjudicated youth. To describe the role of psychiatric nurses in reducing mental health disparities for adjudicated youth via juvenile mental health courts. ISI Web of Knowledge; Sage Journals Online; HighWire; PubMed; Google Scholar and Wiley Online Library and websites for psychiatric nursing organizations. Years included: 2000-2010. Juvenile mental health courts may provide a positive and effective alternative to incarceration for youth with mental health problems with psychiatric nurses playing a key role in program implementation. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Mental health promotion in comprehensive schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Onnela, A M; Vuokila-Oikkonen, P; Hurtig, T; Ebeling, H

2014-09-01

The purpose of this paper is to describe a participatory action research process on the development of a professional practice model of mental health nurses in mental health promotion in a comprehensive school environment in the city of Oulu, Finland. The developed model is a new method of mental health promotion for mental health nurses working in comprehensive schools. The professional practice model has been developed in workshops together with school staff, interest groups, parents and students. Information gathered from the workshops was analysed using action research methods. Mental health promotion interventions are delivered at three levels: universal, which is an intervention that affects the whole school or community; selective, which is an intervention focusing on a certain group of students; and indicated, which is an individually focused intervention. All interventions are delivered within the school setting, which is a universal setting for all school-aged children. The interventions share the goal of promoting mental health. The purposes of the interventions are enhancing protective factors, reducing risk factors relating to mental health problems and early identification of mental health problems as well as rapid delivery of support or referral to specialized services. The common effect of the interventions on all levels is the increase in the experience of positive mental health. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Gerontology and Geriatrics in Latin America: Conceptual Approaches and Health Care Teams

Science.gov (United States)

Gomez, Fernando; Curcio, Carmen Lucia

2013-01-01

The underlying rationale to support interdisciplinary collaboration in geriatrics and gerontology is based on the complexity of elderly care. The most important characteristic about interdisciplinary health care teams for older people in Latin America is their subjective-basis framework. In other regions, teams are organized according to a…

Racial Differences in Mental Health Recovery among Veterans with Serious Mental Illness.

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Mana K; Hack, Samantha M; Brown, Clayton H; Medoff, Deborah; Fang, Lijuan; Klingaman, Elizabeth A; Park, Stephanie G; Dixon, Lisa B; Kreyenbuhl, Julie A

2018-04-01

Black consumers with serious mental illness (SMI) face significant challenges in obtaining quality mental health care and are at risk for experiencing significant disparities in mental health care outcomes, including recovery from mental illness. Patient-provider interactions may partly contribute to this disparity. The purpose of the current study was to understand the effects of race, psychosis, and therapeutic alliance on mental health recovery orientation among Veterans with SMI. Participants were Veterans who had an SMI being treated at two Veteran Affairs outpatient mental health clinics by a psychiatrist or nurse practitioner. Participants completed the Behavior and Symptom Identification Scale (BASIS-24), Mental Health Recovery Measure, and patient-report Scale to Assess the Therapeutic Relationship (STAR-P) which includes three subscales: positive collaboration, positive clinician input, and non-supportive clinician input. Regression analyses were used to determine interactive effects of race, psychosis severity, and therapeutic alliance variables. The sample was 226 Veterans (50% black, 50% white). Black participants were slightly older (p mental health recovery (p mental health recovery orientation for black participants. Conversely, for white participants, positive collaboration had little effect on the negative relationship between psychosis severity and mental health recovery orientation. Increased levels of psychosis may inhibit patients' perceptions of their ability to recover from SMI. However, for black participants, positive collaboration with mental health providers may moderate the effects of psychotic symptomatology.

The opinions of Turkish mental health nurses on physical health care for individuals with mental illness: A qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Çelik Ince, S; Partlak Günüşen, N; Serçe, Ö

2018-05-01

Individuals with mental illness have significantly higher mortality and morbidity than the general population due to physical illnesses. Mental health nurses play a key role in providing care for common physical problems and protecting and promoting healthy lifestyles. Little is known from previous studies in the international literature about the attitudes, behaviours and thoughts of mental health nurses on providing physical health care. Mental health nurses mostly focus on the existing physical health problems of individuals with mental illness. However, mental health nurses do not include practices of disease prevention and physical health promotion for individuals with mental illness. The desire to see positive changes in individuals with mental illness, receiving positive feedback, feeling useful and happy, and feeling satisfied with their profession motivate mental health nurses in terms of providing physical health care. The knowledge and skill required of mental health nurses to provide physical health care need to be increased. Institutions should employ expert nurses who are able to guide mental health nurses to provide physical health care. It is important to provide adequate physical infrastructure and human resources to provide better physical health care in mental health services. Background Mental health nurses play an important role in improving the physical health of individuals with mental illnesses. However, there are limited studies of their attitudes and practices about physical health. Therefore, there is a need for qualitative studies to clarify the issue. The aim of this study was to determine mental health nurses' opinions about physical health care for individuals with mental illness. This study was carried out in Turkey. A qualitative descriptive approach was taken in the study. The sample consisted of twelve mental health nurses selected by purposeful sampling. In-depth interviews were conducted using a semi-structured interview format

Partnerships to promote mental health of NSW farmers: the New South Wales Farmers Blueprint for Mental Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Fragar, Lyn; Kelly, Brian; Peters, Mal; Henderson, Amanda; Tonna, Anne

2008-06-01

To describe the process and outcome of development of a framework for planning and implementation of a range of interventions aimed at improving the mental health and wellbeing of farmers and farm families in New South Wales (NSW). In response to a major drought in New South Wales (NSW), key agencies were invited to participate in a longer-term collaborative program aimed at improving the mental health and well-being of the people on NSW farms. These agencies became the NSW Farmers Mental Health Network. The Australian National Action Plan for Promotion, Prevention & Early Intervention for Mental Health 2000 proposed a population health approach base encompassing the range of risk and protective factors that determine mental health at the individual, family and community and society levels. It incorporated three traditional areas of health activity into programs aimed at achieving improved mental health for the Australian population - mental health promotion, prevention activities and early intervention. Although the farming population was not identified as a priority population, research has identified this population to be at high risk of suicide, and of having difficulty in coping with the range of pressures associated with life and work in this industry. Participants were agencies providing services across rural NSW in the fields of farmer and country women's organisations, financial counselling services, government departments of primary industries and health, mental health advisory and support services, charitable organisations and others. The NSW Farmers Blueprint for Mental Health (http://www.aghealth.org.au/blueprint) was developed to be 'a simplified summary of key issues that need to be addressed, and the major actions that we can be confident will be effective in achieving our purpose'. It has identified 'steps' along 'pathways to breakdown' from the range of known mental health and suicide risk factors that are relevant to the NSW farming population

Contextual Exploration of a New Family Caregiver Support Concept for Geriatric Settings Using a Participatory Health Research Strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Dorant, Elisabeth; Krieger, Theresia

2017-11-28

Family caregivers are the backbone of the long-term care support system within the home environment. Comprehensive caregiver support programs require collaboration and coordination within the system. A new public health concept, Vade Mecum, aims to harmonize and professionalize family caregiver support initiatives in geriatric care settings in the Euregion Maas-Rhine. Exploration of the new concept recently started in Germany to gain in-depth insight into current support and the needs of the geriatric care team and family caregivers. Within the context of an exploratory qualitative study, a participatory health research (PHR) strategy was applied to make optimal use of experience and knowledge from the system. Care professionals, engaged as co-researchers, were responsible for decisions about the research question, data collection methods and procedures of engaging family caregivers. A research team representing all professions within the geriatric department was formed. Research objectives were formulated and an appropriate mix of qualitative data collection methods consisting of interviews, focus groups and story-telling was chosen. Needs and expectations of the new concept, and practical solutions for involving family caregivers were discussed. A PHR strategy resulted in initiating a qualitative study in a geriatric care setting carried out by care professionals from the department. Knowledge was generated in a co-creative manner, and co-researchers were empowered. A comprehensive understanding of the system serves as a starting point for advancement of the new family caregiver concept.

Mental Health Concerns: Veterans & Active Duty

Science.gov (United States)

... dialing 1-800-273-8255 and pressing 1. Mental Health Concerns There are three primary mental health concerns ... care or call 911. How Will Asking for Mental Health Treatment Affect My Career? Military personnel have always ...

Current models of positive mental health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stanojević Dragana Z.

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The concept of positive mental health represents not merely the absence of mental disease but presence of high level of happiness and well-being. In this paper we mentioned shortly the earliest concept of mental health, presented by Marie Jahoda in the mid-twentieth century. After that, we described two traditions in understanding and researching of subjective well-being: hedonic and eudaimonic approach. First approach focuses on investigation of positive affects and happiness as emotional and life satisfaction as cognitive component of subjective well-being. Second tradition emphasizes potentials and competences that person develops to the highest level, in personal and social area. Both psychological and social well-being are core concept of positive mental health psychology, designated together as positive functioning. The psychological well-being comprises six dimensions: self-acceptance, positive relations with others, environmental mastery, autonomy, purpose of life and personal growth. Social well-being consists of five dimensions: social integration, social acceptance, social contribution, social actualization and social coherence. By integrating hedonic and eudaimonic well-being as well as absence of mental disease, Corey Keyes introduced concept of complete mental health. People with complete mental health have reported absence of disease during past year and presence of high level of emotional, psychological and social well-being (flourishing. People with incomplete mental health have also reported absence of mental disease but low level of positive functioning (languishing. Keyes thought there are people with complete and incomplete mental illness; both groups report presence of mental disease, but second group has high level of positive functioning. Models of positive mental health are widely used in research studies as well as in programs for prevention and promotion of mental health. .

Mental health expectancy--the European perspective

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jagger, C; Ritchie, K; Brønnum-Hansen, Henrik

1998-01-01

The increase in life expectancy observed over the last decade has particular relevance for mental health conditions of old age, such as dementia. Although mental disorders have been estimated to be responsible for 60% of all disabilities, until recently population health indicators such as health...... expectancies have concentrated on calculating disability-free life expectancy based on physical functioning. In 1994, a European Network for the Calculation of Health Expectancies (Euro-REVES) was established, one of its aims being the development and promotion of mental health expectancies. Such indicators...... may have an important role in monitoring future changes in the mental health of populations and predicting service needs. This article summarizes the proceedings and recommendations of the first European Conference on Mental Health Expectancy....

Interactions between youth and mental health professionals: The Youth Aware of Mental health (YAM) program experience

Science.gov (United States)

Wasserman, Camilla; Postuvan, Vita; Herta, Dana; Iosue, Miriam; Värnik, Peeter; Carli, Vladimir

2018-01-01

The Youth Aware of Mental health (YAM) experience Youth stand at the core of much mental health promotion, yet little is written about their experiences of such efforts. We aimed to take this on by interviewing youth after they participated in Youth Aware of Mental Health (YAM), a universal mental health promotion program. YAM has a non-anticipatory methodology that provides youth with a safe space for reflection, role-play, and discussion. Addressing everyday mental health, YAM invites the experiences and issues relevant to the youth present to influence the program in a slightly different direction every time. The YAM instructor guides the participants but does not present the youth with given formulas on how to solve their problems. Like any mental health promotion, YAM appeals to some more than others in its intended audience and individuals engage with the program in many different ways. We set out to learn more about these experiences. Conversations about mental health Thirty-two semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15–17 year olds in Estonia, Italy, Romania and Spain. In these interviews, the researchers made an effort to discuss mental health in terms relevant to youth. Still, wide-ranging levels of motivation, ease with engaging in dialogue with mental health professionals, and comfort with the format and content of YAM were detected. The youth were clustered in five different groups relating to their positioning vis-à-vis the researcher during the interview. The following evocative labels were used: “interested”, “foot in the door”, “respect for authority”, “careful”, and “not my topic”. Corresponding labels were devised for their YAM experience: “engaged”, “initially hesitant”, “cautious”, “eager to please”, or “disengaged”. We also observed that the researchers brought their own expectations and employed a variety of approaches that led to anticipating answers, stating the obvious, or getting along

Cannabis use and mental health

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Gastel, W.A.

2013-01-01

Cannabis use has been implicated as a risk factor for mental health problems, (subclinical) psychotic symptoms in particular. If cannabis use was a cause of these problems, cessation would lead to improved public mental health. If cannabis use was a mere consequence of a predisposition for mental

Home care assistants’ perspectives on detecting mental health problems and promoting mental health among community-dwelling seniors with multimorbidity

Science.gov (United States)

Grundberg, Åke; Hansson, Anna; Religa, Dorota; Hillerås, Pernilla

2016-01-01

Introduction Elderly people with multiple chronic conditions, or multimorbidity, are at risk of developing poor mental health. These seniors often remain in their homes with support from home care assistants (HCAs). Mental health promotion by HCAs needs to be studied further because they may be among the first to observe changes in clients’ mental health status. Aim To describe HCAs’ perspectives on detecting mental health problems and promoting mental health among homebound seniors with multimorbidity. Methods We applied a descriptive qualitative study design using semi-structured interviews. Content analyses were performed on five focus group interviews conducted in 2014 with 26 HCAs. Results Most HCAs stated that they were experienced in caring for clients with mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and high alcohol consumption. The HCAs mentioned as causes, or risk factors, multiple chronic conditions, feelings of loneliness, and social isolation. The findings reveal that continuity of care and seniors’ own thoughts and perceptions were essential to detecting mental health problems. Observation, collaboration, and social support emerged as important means of detecting mental health problems and promoting mental health. Conclusion The HCAs had knowledge of risk factors, but they seemed insecure about which health professionals had the primary responsibility for mental health. They also seemed to have detected early signs of mental health problems, even though good personal knowledge of the client and continuity in home visits were crucial to do so. When it came to mental health promotion, the suggestions related to the aim of ending social isolation, decreasing feelings of loneliness, and increasing physical activity. The results indicate that the HCAs seemed dependent on supervision by district nurses and on care managers’ decisions to support the needed care, to schedule assignments related to the detection of mental health

Policy for better mental health

OpenAIRE

Richard Layard

2014-01-01

Treating mental illness should be a top national priority, especially as proven psychological therapies effectively cost nothing. Richard Layard explains how CEP research has led to a new deal for mental health - but much remains to be done. Mental illness has much greater economic costs than physical illness - but evidence-based ways of treating mental health problems have no net cost to the Exchequer.

Chronic Childhood Trauma, Mental Health, Academic Achievement, and School-Based Health Center Mental Health Services

OpenAIRE

Larson, S; Chapman, S; Spetz, J; Brindis, CD

2017-01-01

Children and adolescents exposed to chronic trauma have a greater risk for mental health disorders and school failure. Children and adolescents of minority racial/ethnic groups and those living in poverty are at greater risk of exposure to trauma and less likely to have access to mental health services. School-based health centers (SBHCs) may be one strategy to decrease health disparities.Empirical studies between 2003 and 2013 of US pediatric populations and of US SBHCs were included if rese...

Promoting Mental Health and Preventing Mental Illness in General Practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Steve; Jenkins, Rachel; Burch, Tony; Calamos Nasir, Laura; Fisher, Brian; Giotaki, Gina; Gnani, Shamini; Hertel, Lise; Marks, Marina; Mathers, Nigel; Millington-Sanders, Catherine; Morris, David; Ruprah-Shah, Baljeet; Stange, Kurt; Thomas, Paul; White, Robert; Wright, Fiona

2016-01-01

This paper calls for the routine integration of mental health promotion and prevention into UK General Practice in order to reduce the burden of mental and physical disorders and the ensuing pressure on General Practice. The proposals & the resulting document (https://ethicscharity.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/rcgp_keymsg_150925_v5.pdf) arise from an expert 'Think Tank' convened by the London Journal of Primary Care, Educational Trust for Health Improvement through Cognitive Strategies (ETHICS Foundation) and the Royal College of General Practitioners. It makes 12 recommendations for General Practice: (1) Mental health promotion and prevention are too important to wait. (2) Work with your community to map risk factors, resources and assets. (3) Good health care, medicine and best practice are biopsychosocial rather than purely physical. (4) Integrate mental health promotion and prevention into your daily work. (5) Boost resilience in your community through approaches such as community development. (6) Identify people at increased risk of mental disorder for support and screening. (7) Support early intervention for people of all ages with signs of illness. (8) Maintain your biopsychosocial skills. (9) Ensure good communication, interdisciplinary team working and inter-sectoral working with other staff, teams and agencies. (10) Lead by example, taking action to promote the resilience of the general practice workforce. (11) Ensure mental health is appropriately included in the strategic agenda for your 'cluster' of General Practices, at the Clinical Commissioning Groups, and the Health and Wellbeing Board. (12) Be aware of national mental health strategies and localise them, including action to destigmatise mental illness within the context of community development.

Chicano Aging and Mental Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Miranda, Manuel, Ed.; Ruiz, Rene A., Ed.

Focusing on the direction future research on the Chicano elderly should take, the 10 papers address theory development, methodological approach, social policy and problems, mental health service delivery, and issues of mental illness. The first seven papers discuss: the theoretical perspectives of research pertaining to mental health and the…

Mental Health Consultation Among Ontario's Immigrant Populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Islam, Farah; Khanlou, Nazilla; Macpherson, Alison; Tamim, Hala

2017-11-16

To determine the prevalence rates and characteristics of past-year mental health consultation for Ontario's adult (18 + years old) immigrant populations. The Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) 2012 was used to calculate the prevalence rates of past-year mental health consultation by service provider type. Characteristics associated with mental health consultation were determined by carrying out multivariable logistic regression analysis on merged CCHS 2008-2012 data. Adult immigrant populations in Ontario (n = 3995) had lower estimated prevalence rates of past-year mental health consultation across all service provider types compared to Canadian-born populations (n = 14,644). Amongst those who reported past-year mental health consultation, 57.89% of Ontario immigrants contacted their primary care physician, which was significantly higher than the proportion who consulted their family doctor from Canadian-born populations (45.31%). The factors of gender, age, racial/ethnic background, education level, working status, food insecurity status, self-perceived health status, smoking status, alcohol drinking status, years since immigration, and age at time of immigration were significantly associated with past-year mental health consultation for immigrant populations. Ontario's adult immigrant populations most commonly consult their family doctor for mental health care. Potential exists for expanding the mental health care role of primary care physicians as well as efforts to increase accessibility of specialized mental health services. Integrated, coordinated care where primary care physicians, specialized mental health professionals, social workers, and community educators, etc. working together in a sort of "one-stop-shop" may be the most effective way to mitigate gaps in the mental health care system. In order to effectively tailor mental health policy, programming, and promotion to suit the needs of immigrant populations initiatives that focus on

Application of TQM to mental health: lessons from ten mental health centers.

Science.gov (United States)

Sluyter, G V

1996-01-01

The principles and techniques of total quality management (TQM) have only recently been applied to the field of mental health. This article reviews issues and offers some preliminary observations, based on the author's consultation and training work with ten state-operated mental health organizations in Missouri (Jul 1, 1994-Jun 30, 1995). Since many mental health organizations have operated in the public sector as part of large, hierarchical state agencies, the legacy of bureaucratic structures and a command and control leadership style may pose additional challenges. Two types of training have proven helpful in the Missouri project: general overview or awareness training for all staff and specialized training for team leaders and facilitators. To be successful with TQM, mental health organizations should clearly delineate their governing ideas, continuously reinforce them with all staff, and use the ideas as a measuring stick for progress. Some of the organizations in the Missouri project link their governing ideas and strategic planning efforts with critical success factors and the measurement methodology to track them. This dimension, which may include a quality council, a quality department, and quality improvement (QI) teams, also extends to the way in which facilities are organized and function. The structure evolving from a team-oriented, time-limited, data-based, and problem-solving approach can facilitate the functioning of the entire organization. The philosophy and techniques of TQM are as applicable to mental health as to health care in general--the question is one more of motivation than of fit.

Monitoring positive mental health and its determinants in Canada: the development of the Positive Mental Health Surveillance Indicator Framework

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Orpana

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The Mental Health Strategy for Canada identified a need to enhance the collection of data on mental health in Canada. While surveillance systems on mental illness have been established, a data gap for monitoring positive mental health and its determinants was identified. The goal of this project was to develop a Positive Mental Health Surveillance Indicator Framework, to provide a picture of the state of positive mental health and its determinants in Canada. Data from this surveillance framework will be used to inform programs and policies to improve the mental health of Canadians. Methods: A literature review and environmental scan were conducted to provide the theoretical base for the framework, and to identify potential positive mental health outcomes and risk and protective factors. The Public Health Agency of Canada’s definition of positive mental health was adopted as the conceptual basis for the outcomes of this framework. After identifying a comprehensive list of risk and protective factors, mental health experts, other governmental partners and non-governmental stakeholders were consulted to prioritize these indicators. Subsequently, these groups were consulted to identify the most promising measurement approaches for each indicator. Results: A conceptual framework for surveillance of positive mental health and its determinants has been developed to contain 5 outcome indicators and 25 determinant indicators organized within 4 domains at the individual, family, community and societal level. This indicator framework addresses a data gap identified in Canada’s strategy for mental health and will be used to inform programs and policies to improve the mental health status of Canadians throughout the life course.

Randomised active programs on healthcare workers' flu vaccination in geriatric health care settings in France: the VESTA study.

Science.gov (United States)

Rothan-Tondeur, M; Filali-Zegzouti, Y; Golmard, J-L; De Wazieres, B; Piette, F; Carrat, F; Lejeune, B; Gavazzi, G

2011-02-01

Because of a lack of efficacy of influenza vaccination in elderly population, there are still numerous outbreaks in geriatric health care settings. The health care workers (HCW) flu vaccination is known to get herd immunity and decrease the impact of influenza in elderly population living in geriatric health care settings. However, the rates of vaccinated HCWs are still low in France. The French Geriatric Infection Risk Institute (ORIG) performed the VESTA study, a three-phase multicentre to identify factors limiting vaccination in HCWs, and to develop and implement active programs promoting HCWs influenza vaccination. To implement multicenter programs to enhance HCW influenza vaccination. It was a cluster randomised interventional studies. 43 geriatric health care settings (GHCSs), long term care and rehabilitation care settings in France. 1814 Health care workers from 20 GHCSs in the interventional group and 2,435 health care workers in 23 GHCSs in the control group. After the failure of a first educational program giving scientific information and. tested during the 2005-06 flu season in 43 HCSs, a second program was designed with the help of marketing experts, one year after Program 1. The objectives were to involve HCWs in the creation of "safety zones", and to give personal satisfaction. Program 2 was tested during the 2006-07 season. 20 of the 24 HCSs from the Program 1 cluster were included in the Program 2 cluster (1,814 HCWs), and 16 of the 19 HCSs from the Control 1 cluster, plus 7 new HCSs with interest in participating, were included in the Control 2 cluster (23 HCSs; 2,435 HCWs). The efficacy of each program was assessed by calculating and comparing the percentage of vaccinated HCWs, from all HCSs taken together, in the program and control clusters. Program 1 failed to increase the HCW vaccination coverage rate (VCR) (Program 1: 34%; Control 1: 32%; p > 0.05),). Program 2 increased the VCR in HCWs (Program 2: 44%; Control 2: 27%; Chi2 test, p active

Mental health: More than neurobiology

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fried, E.; Tuerlinckx, F.; Borsboom, D.

2014-01-01

The decision by the US National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to fund only research into the neurobiological roots of mental disorders (Nature 507, 288; 2014) presumes that these all result from brain abnormalities. But this is not the case for many people with mental-health issues and we fear

Workplace mental health: developing an integrated intervention approach

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background Mental health problems are prevalent and costly in working populations. Workplace interventions to address common mental health problems have evolved relatively independently along three main threads or disciplinary traditions: medicine, public health, and psychology. In this Debate piece, we argue that these three threads need to be integrated to optimise the prevention of mental health problems in working populations. Discussion To realise the greatest population mental health benefits, workplace mental health intervention needs to comprehensively 1) protect mental health by reducing work–related risk factors for mental health problems; 2) promote mental health by developing the positive aspects of work as well as worker strengths and positive capacities; and 3) address mental health problems among working people regardless of cause. We outline the evidence supporting such an integrated intervention approach and consider the research agenda and policy developments needed to move towards this goal, and propose the notion of integrated workplace mental health literacy. Summary An integrated approach to workplace mental health combines the strengths of medicine, public health, and psychology, and has the potential to optimise both the prevention and management of mental health problems in the workplace. PMID:24884425

Early geriatric consultation increases adherence to TQIP Geriatric Trauma Management Guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Southerland, Lauren T; Gure, Tanya R; Ruter, Daniel I; Li, Michael M; Evans, David C

2017-08-01

The American College of Surgeons' Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP) Geriatric Trauma Management Guidelines recommend geriatric consultation for injured older adults. However it is not known how or whether geriatric consultation improves compliance to these quality measures. This study is a retrospective chart review of our institutional trauma databank. Adherence to quality measures was compared before and after implementation of specific triggers for geriatric consultation. Secondary analyses evaluated adherence by service: trauma service (Trauma) or a trauma service with early geriatric consultation (GeriTrauma). The average age of the 245 patients was 76.7 years, 47% were women, and mean Injury Severity Score was 9.5 (SD ±8.1). Implementation of the GeriTrauma collaborative increased geriatric consultation rates from 2% to 48% but had minimal effect on overall adherence to TQIP quality measures. A secondary analysis comparing those in the post implementation group who received geriatric consultation (n = 94) to those who did not (n = 103) demonstrated higher rates of delirium diagnosis (36.2% vs 14.6%, P quality indicators is needed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Factors for success in mental health advocacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Hann, Katrina; Pearson, Heather; Campbell, Doris; Sesay, Daniel; Eaton, Julian

2015-01-01

Mental health advocacy groups are an effective way of pushing the mental health agenda and putting pressure on national governments to observe the right to health; however, there is limited research that highlights best practices for such groups in low-resource settings. In an effort to improve the scaling up of mental health in Sierra Leone, stakeholders came together to form the country's first mental health advocacy group: the Mental Health Coalition - Sierra Leone. Since its inception, the group has worked towards raising the profile of mental health in Sierra Leone and developing as an advocacy organisation. The study's aim was to investigate views on enabling factors and barriers associated with mental health advocacy in a low-income country using a community-based participatory approach and qualitative methodology. Focus groups (N=9) were held with mental health stakeholders, and key informant interviews (N=15) were conducted with advocacy targets. Investigators analysed the data collaboratively using coding techniques informed by grounded theory. Investigators reveal viewpoints on key factors in networking, interacting with government actors, and awareness raising that enabled mental health advocacy aims of supporting policy, service delivery, service user rights, training for service delivery, and awareness raising. The investigators outline viewpoints on barriers for advocacy aims in framing the issue of mental health, networking, interacting with government actors, resource mobilization, and awareness raising. The findings outline enabling factors, such as networking with key stakeholders, and barriers, such as lack of political will, for achieving mental health advocacy aims within a low-resource setting, Sierra Leone. Stakeholder coalitions can further key policy development aims that are essential to strengthen mental health systems in low-resource settings.

Geriatric syndromes: medical misnomer or progress in geriatrics?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Olde Rikkert, M.G.M.; Rigaud, A.S.; Hoeyweghen, R.J. van; Graaf, J. de

2003-01-01

Both in geriatric and internal medicine journals, and in medical textbooks certain (aggregates of) symptoms are labelled as 'geriatric syndromes'. In frail elderly patients a large number of diseases present with well-known and highly prevalent atypical symptoms (e.g. immobility, instability,

Health Problems of Mentally Disabled Individuals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hatice Yildirim Sari

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Mentally disabled individuals are at risk of health problems. In fact, health problems are more frequent in mentally disabled individuals than in the general population and mentally disabled individuals less frequently use health care facilities. It has been shown that mentally disabled individuals frequently have nutritional problems. They may suffer from low weight, malnutrition, high weight, pica, iron and zinc deficiencies and absorption and eating disorders. Activities can be limited due to motor disability and restricted movements. Depending on insufficient liquid intake and dietary fiber, constipation can be frequent. Another problem is sleep disorders such as irregular sleep hours, short sleep, waking up at night and daytime sleepiness. Visual-hearing losses, epilepsy, motor disability, hepatitis A infection and poor oral hygiene are more frequent in mentally disabled children than in the general population. The mentally disabled have limited health care facilities, poorer health status than the general population and difficulties in demanding for health care and expressing health problems. Therefore, they should be provided with more health promotion services. [TAF Prev Med Bull 2010; 9(2.000: 145-150

Dangerousness and mental health policy.

Science.gov (United States)

Hewitt, J L

2008-04-01

Mental health policy development in the UK has become increasingly dominated by the assumed need to prevent violence and alleviate public concerns about the dangers of the mentally ill living in the community. Risk management has become the expected focus of contemporary mental health services, and responsibility has increasingly been devolved to individual service professionals when systems fail to prevent violence. This paper analyses the development of mental health legislation and its impact on services users and mental health professionals at the micro level of service delivery. Historical precedence, media influence and public opinion are explored, and the reification of risk is questioned in practical and ethical terms. The government's newest proposals for compulsory treatment in the community are discussed in terms of practical efficacy and therapeutic impact. Dangerousness is far from being an objectively observable phenomenon arising from clinical pathology, but is a formulation of what is partially knowable through social analysis and unknowable by virtue of its situation in individual psychic motivation. Risk assessment can therefore never be completely accurate, and the solution of a 'better safe than sorry' approach to mental health policy is ethically and pragmatically flawed.

Quick Guide: Mental Health-Secondary Transition

Science.gov (United States)

National Technical Assistance Center on Transition, 2016

2016-01-01

Recently researchers have begun focusing on young adults with mental health disorders transitioning into adulthood. Research exploring the importance of mental health support in secondary transition have yielded positive outcomes. For example, strong collaboration between educational and mental health agencies ensuring academic, employment, and…

Trajectories of mental health problems in children of parents with mental health problems: results of the BELLA study.

Science.gov (United States)

Plass-Christl, Angela; Otto, Christiane; Klasen, Fionna; Wiegand-Grefe, Silke; Barkmann, Claus; Hölling, Heike; Schulte-Markwort, Michael; Ravens-Sieberer, Ulrike

2017-11-24

Children of parents with mental health problems (CPM) have an increased risk for behavioral and psychological problems. This study investigated the age- and gender-specific course as well as predictors of mental health problems in CPM using the longitudinal data (baseline 1- and 2-year follow-ups) of a German general population sample from the BELLA study. Children and adolescents aged 11-17 years (at baseline) who had a parent with mental health problems (n = 325) were analyzed. The mental health problems of the children were assessed by the self-reported version of the strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ). We used individual growth modeling to investigate the age- and gender-specific course, and the effects of risk as well as personal, familial and social protective factors on self-reported mental health problems in CPM. Additionally, data were examined differentiating internalizing and externalizing mental health problems in CPM. Results indicated that female compared to male CPM showed increasing mental health problems with increasing age. Mental health problems in CPM were associated with lower self-efficacy, worse family climate and less social competence over time. Internalizing problems were associated with lower self-efficacy, less social competence and more severe parental mental health problems. Externalizing problems were associated with lower self-efficacy, worse family climate and lower social competence. The main limitations of the study are the short time period (2 years) covered and the report of mental health problems by only one parent. Our findings should be considered in the development of treatment and prevention programs for mental health problems in CPM.

Women and mental health

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Kohen, Dora

2000-01-01

... for the individual. Covering issues including perinatal psychiatric disorders, depression, eating disorders, schizophrenia, and alcohol and drug abuse - from a female perspective - Women and Mental Health will prove a valuable tool for all those working in the fields of mental health. Dora Kohen is a Consultant Psychiatrist and an Honorary Senior...

Women and mental health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Unaiza Niaz

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Issues related to the mental health of women are a priority these days. Many international organisations working in the field of psychiatry are having sections on it now. This approach can go a long way in the improvement of the available mental health services for this population.

Reciprocity in global mental health policy

OpenAIRE

White, Ross; Sashidharan, S.P.

2014-01-01

In an attempt to address inequalities and inequities in mental health provision in low\\ud and middle-income countries the WHO commenced the Mental Health Gap Action\\ud Programme (mhGAP) in 2008. Four years on from the commencement of this\\ud programme of work, the WHO has recently adopted the Comprehensive Mental\\ud Health Action Plan 2013-2020. This article will critically appraise the strategic\\ud direction that the WHO has adopted to address mental health difficulties across the\\ud globe. ...

Geriatric Fever Score: a new decision rule for geriatric care.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Min-Hsien Chung

Full Text Available Evaluating geriatric patients with fever is time-consuming and challenging. We investigated independent mortality predictors of geriatric patients with fever and developed a prediction rule for emergency care, critical care, and geriatric care physicians to classify patients into mortality risk and disposition groups.Consecutive geriatric patients (≥65 years old visiting the emergency department (ED of a university-affiliated medical center between June 1 and July 21, 2010, were enrolled when they met the criteria of fever: a tympanic temperature ≥37.2°C or a baseline temperature elevated ≥1.3°C. Thirty-day mortality was the primary endpoint. Internal validation with bootstrap re-sampling was done.Three hundred thirty geriatric patients were enrolled. We found three independent mortality predictors: Leukocytosis (WBC >12,000 cells/mm3, Severe coma (GCS ≤ 8, and Thrombocytopenia (platelets <150 10(3/mm3 (LST. After assigning weights to each predictor, we developed a Geriatric Fever Score that stratifies patients into two mortality-risk and disposition groups: low (4.0% (95% CI: 2.3-6.9%: a general ward or treatment in the ED then discharge and high (30.3% (95% CI: 17.4-47.3%: consider the intensive care unit. The area under the curve for the rule was 0.73.We found that the Geriatric Fever Score is a simple and rapid rule for predicting 30-day mortality and classifying mortality risk and disposition in geriatric patients with fever, although external validation should be performed to confirm its usefulness in other clinical settings. It might help preserve medical resources for patients in greater need.

Mental health/illness and prisons as place: frontline clinicians׳ perspectives of mental health work in a penal setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Nicola; Jordan, Melanie; Kane, Eddie

2014-09-01

This article takes mental health and prisons as its two foci. It explores the links between social and structural aspects of the penal setting, the provision of mental healthcare in prisons, and mental health work in this environment. This analysis utilises qualitative interview data from prison-based fieldwork undertaken in Her Majesty׳s Prison Service, England. Two themes are discussed: (1) the desire and practicalities of doing mental health work and (2) prison staff as mental health work allies. Concepts covered include equivalence, training, ownership, informal communication, mental health knowledge, service gatekeepers, case identification, and unmet need. Implications for practice are (1) the mental health knowledge and understanding of prison wing staff could be appraised and developed to improve mental healthcare and address unmet need. Their role as observers and gatekeepers could be considered. (2) The realities of frontline mental health work for clinicians in the penal environment should be embraced and used to produce and implement improved policy and practice guidance, which is in better accord with the actuality of the context - both socially and structurally. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Geriatric and Student Perceptions following Student-led Educational Sessions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kristin Janzen

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: The objective of this study was to measure the effect of student-led educational events on geriatric patient and student participant perceptions in a community setting. Methods: Students led three events at a senior community center, focusing on learning and memory, sleep hygiene, and arthritis pain. The participants were geriatric patients who themselves were providers of support to homebound peers (“clients” through an independently organized program. Geriatric participants completed pre- and post-event surveys to measure changes in familiarity with the topics. Student participants also completed pre- and post-event surveys that tracked changes in their comfort in working with the geriatric population. Results: Each event demonstrated at least one positive finding for geriatric patients and/or their clients. Students reported increased comfort in working with and teaching the geriatric population following the first and third events, but not the second. Conclusion: Student-led educational sessions can improve perceived health-related knowledge of geriatric participants while simultaneously exposing students to the geriatric patient population. Overall, both students and geriatric participants benefited from these events. Practice Implications: Incorporation of single, student-led educational events could be mutually beneficial to students and the elderly population in the community and easily incorporated into any healthcare curriculum. Funding:This work was supported by a Butler University Innovation Fund Grant. Treatment of Human Subjects: IRB review/approval required and obtained   Type: Original Research

Understanding the acceptability of e-mental health--attitudes and expectations towards computerised self-help treatments for mental health problems.

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Musiat, Peter; Goldstone, Philip; Tarrier, Nicholas

2014-04-11

E-mental health and m-mental health include the use of technology in the prevention, treatment and aftercare of mental health problems. With the economical pressure on mental health services increasing, e-mental health and m-mental health could bridge treatment gaps, reduce waiting times for patients and deliver interventions at lower costs. However, despite the existence of numerous effective interventions, the transition of computerised interventions into care is slow. The aim of the present study was to investigate the acceptability of e-mental health and m-mental health in the general population. An advisory group of service users identified dimensions that potentially influence an individual's decision to engage with a particular treatment for mental health problems. A large sample (N = 490) recruited through email, flyers and social media was asked to rate the acceptability of different treatment options for mental health problems on these domains. Results were analysed using repeated measures MANOVA. Participants rated the perceived helpfulness of an intervention, the ability to motivate users, intervention credibility, and immediate access without waiting time as most important dimensions with regard to engaging with a treatment for mental health problems. Participants expected face-to-face therapy to meet their needs on most of these dimensions. Computerised treatments and smartphone applications for mental health were reported to not meet participants' expectations on most domains. However, these interventions scored higher than face-to-face treatments on domains associated with the convenience of access. Overall, participants reported a very low likelihood of using computerised treatments for mental health in the future. Individuals in this study expressed negative views about computerised self-help intervention and low likelihood of use in the future. To improve the implementation and uptake, policy makers need to improve the public perception of such

Television and the promotion of mental health

OpenAIRE

Milošević Ljiljana

2011-01-01

Current media campaigns, realized within national campaigns and actions on mental health prevention and promotion, are considered in this paper, in the context of expert public relation, as well as the whole society, towards mental health. Mental health promotion is determined as a range of activities by which individuals, community and society are being enabled to take control over mental health determinants and to improve it, but also as an action for improvement of mental health posi...

Integrating physical and mental health promotion strategies

OpenAIRE

Palma, Jessica Anne

2010-01-01

While health is defined as ‘a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being’, physical and mental health have traditionally been separated. This paper explores the question: How can physical and mental health promotion strategies be integrated and addressed simultaneously? A literature review on why physical and mental health are separated and why these two areas need to be integrated was conducted. A conceptual framework for how to integrate physical and mental health promotion st...

Mental health informatics

CERN Document Server

Song, Insu; Yellowlees, Peter; Diederich, Joachim

2014-01-01

This book introduces approaches that have the potential to transform the daily practice of psychiatrists and psychologists. This includes the asynchronous communication between mental health care providers and clients as well as the automation of assessment and therapy. Speech and language are particularly interesting from the viewpoint of psychological assessment. For instance, depression may change the characteristics of voice in individuals and these changes can be detected by a special form of speech analysis. Computational screening methods that utilise speech and language can detect subtle changes and alert clinicians as well as individuals and caregivers. The use of online technologies in mental health, however, poses ethical problems that will occupy concerned individuals, governments and the wider public for some time. Assuming that these ethical problems can be solved, it should be possible to diagnose and treat mental health disorders online (excluding the use of medication).

Cannabis Use and Mental Health Problems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Ours, J.C.; Williams, J.

2009-01-01

This paper investigates whether cannabis use leads to worse mental health. To do so, we account for common unobserved factors affecting mental health and cannabis consumption by modeling mental health jointly with the dynamics of cannabis use. Our main finding is that using cannabis increases the

Geriatric health policy in India: The need for scaling-up implementation.

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Paul, N Sherin Susan; Asirvatham, Mathew

2016-01-01

In an anticipation of the rising geriatric population in India, the Central government constituted the National Policy for Older Persons in 1999 to promote the health and welfare of senior citizens in India. A major strategy of this policy is to encourage families to take care of their older family members. The policy also encourages voluntary organizations to supplement the care provided by the family and provide care and protection to vulnerable elderly people. The implementation of this policy, particularly in the rural areas, has been negligible and calls for a scaling-up of programs to address the physical, psychological, and social needs of the poor. Due to breakdown of the joint family system and the migration of the younger generation to the towns and cities, the elderly parents in the villages are left to fend for themselves. Too old to work and with little or no source of income, the elders are struggling even to satisfy their basic needs. This article primarily focuses on the various facets of elderly care in India. As a fledgling nation in elderly care, we should take cues from other nations who have pioneered in this field and should constantly evolve to identify and face the various challenges that come up, especially from rural India. The Rural Unit for Health and Social Affairs Department of a well-known Medical College in South India has developed a "senior recreation day care" model which proves to be a useful replicable model to improve the quality of life and nutritional status of the elderly in the lower rungs of society. More than a decade since its inception, it is now the right time to assess the implementation of our geriatric health policy and scale-up programs so that the elderly in our country, irrespective of urban and rural, will have a dignified and good quality life.

Home care assistants’ perspectives on detecting mental health problems and promoting mental health among community-dwelling seniors with multimorbidity

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Grundberg Å

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Åke Grundberg,1,2 Anna Hansson,2 Dorota Religa,1 Pernilla Hillerås1,2 1Division of Neurogeriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences, and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, 2Sophiahemmet University, Stockholm, Sweden Introduction: Elderly people with multiple chronic conditions, or multimorbidity, are at risk of developing poor mental health. These seniors often remain in their homes with support from home care assistants (HCAs. Mental health promotion by HCAs needs to be studied further because they may be among the first to observe changes in clients’ mental health status. Aim: To describe HCAs’ perspectives on detecting mental health problems and promoting mental health among homebound seniors with multimorbidity. Methods: We applied a descriptive qualitative study design using semi-structured interviews. Content analyses were performed on five focus group interviews conducted in 2014 with 26 HCAs. Results: Most HCAs stated that they were experienced in caring for clients with mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and high alcohol consumption. The HCAs mentioned as causes, or risk factors, multiple chronic conditions, feelings of loneliness, and social isolation. The findings reveal that continuity of care and seniors’ own thoughts and perceptions were essential to detecting mental health problems. Observation, collaboration, and social support emerged as important means of detecting mental health problems and promoting mental health. Conclusion: The HCAs had knowledge of risk factors, but they seemed insecure about which health professionals had the primary responsibility for mental health. They also seemed to have detected early signs of mental health problems, even though good personal knowledge of the client and continuity in home visits were crucial to do so. When it came to mental health promotion, the suggestions related to the aim of ending social isolation, decreasing feelings of

Atheism and mental health.

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Whitley, Rob

2010-01-01

The exploration of the impact of religiosity on mental health is an enduring, if somewhat quiet, tradition. There has been virtually no exploration, however, of the influence of atheism on mental health. Though not a "religion," atheism can be an orienting worldview that is often consciously chosen by its adherents, who firmly believe in the "truth" of atheism-a phenomenon known as "positive atheism." Atheism, especially positive atheism, is currently enjoying something of a renaissance in the Western liberal democracies-a trend often referred to as the "new atheism." I argue that atheism, especially positive atheism, should be treated as a meaningful sociocultural variable in the study of mental health. I argue that atheism (just like theism) is an appropriate domain of study for social and cultural psychiatrists (and allied social scientists) interested in exploring socio-environmental stressors and buffers relating to mental health. Specifically, I argue that (1) atheism needs to be accurately measured as an individual-level exposure variable, with the aim of relating that variable to psychiatric outcomes, (2) there needs to be greater systematic investigation into the influence of atheism on psychiatry as an institution, and (3) the relation of atheism to mental health needs to be explored by examining atheistic theory and its practical application, especially as it relates to the human condition, suffering, and concepts of personhood.

Working Together for Mental Health: Evaluation of a one-day mental health course for human service providers

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Grootemaat, Pam; Gillan, Cathie; Holt, Gillian; Forward, Wayne; Heywood, Narelle; Willis, Sue

2006-01-01

Background The Working Together For Mental Health course is an 8-hour course designed to demystify mental illness and mental health services. The main target group for the course is people working in human service organisations who provide services for people with mental illness. Methods A questionnaire was administered to all participants attending the course during 2003 (n = 165). Participants completed the questionnaire before and immediately after the course, and at three month follow-up. Results A response rate of 69% was achieved with 114 people completing the questionnaire on all three occasions. The responses showed a significant improvement in the self-assessed knowledge and confidence of participants to provide human services to people with a mental health problem or disorder, three months after the course. There was no significant improvement in participants' attitudes or beliefs about people with a mental health problem or disorder at three month follow-up; however, participants' attitudes were largely positive before entering the course. Conclusion The Working Together For Mental Health course was successful in improving participants' confidence and knowledge around providing human services to people with a mental health illness. PMID:17074097

Medicalization of global health 2: The medicalization of global mental health.

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Clark, Jocalyn

2014-01-01

Once an orphan field, 'global mental health' now has wide acknowledgement and prominence on the global health agenda. Increased recognition draws needed attention to individual suffering and the population impacts, but medicalizing global mental health produces a narrow view of the problems and solutions. Early framing by advocates of the global mental health problem emphasised biological disease, linked psychiatry with neurology, and reinforced categories of mental health disorders. Universality of biomedical concepts across culture is assumed in the globalisation of mental health but is strongly disputed by transcultural psychiatrists and anthropologists. Global mental health movement priorities take an individualised view, emphasising treatment and scale-up and neglecting social and structural determinants of health. To meet international targets and address the problem's broad social and cultural dimensions, the global mental health movement and advocates must develop more comprehensive strategies and include more diverse perspectives.

Mental health nurses' perspective of workplace violence in Jordanian mental health hospitals.

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Al-Azzam, Manar; Al-Sagarat, Ahmad Yahya; Tawalbeh, Loai; Poedel, Robin J

2017-10-27

The purpose was to assess the mental health nurses' perspectives of workplace violence in mental health departments in Jordan. A cross-sectional correlation study was utilized to address the study's purposes. Data were collected using self-reported questionnaires from nurses working in governmental mental health departments in Jordan. The findings indicated that 80% of the respondents were victims of at least one violent act in the last 2 years. Verbal abuse was the most indicated type of violence. Patients were considered the main source of violence. Policies and legislations addressing workplace violence should be implemented, and nurses should be trained on using such policies. Hospital managers should create a safe work environment by enforcing effective security measures and maintaining adequate staffing. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Mental health service utilization in sub-Saharan Africa: is public mental health literacy the problem? Setting the perspectives right.

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Atilola, Olayinka

2016-06-01

The severely constrained resources for mental health service in less-developed regions like sub-Saharan Africa underscore the need for good public mental health literacy as a potential additional mental health resource. Several studies examining the level of public knowledge about the nature and dynamics of mental illness in sub-Saharan Africa in the last decade had concluded that such knowledge was poor and had called for further public enlightenment. What was thought to be mental health 'ignorance' has also been blamed for poor mainstream service utilization. These views however assume that non-alignment of the views of community dwellers in sub-Saharan Africa with the biomedical understanding of mental illness connotes 'ignorance', and that correcting such 'ignorance' will translate to improvements in service utilization. Within the framework of contemporary thinking in mental health literacy, this paper argues that such assumptions are not culturally nuanced and may have overrated the usefulness of de-contextualized public engagement in enhancing mental health service utilization in the region. The paper concludes with a discourse on how to contextualize public mental health enlightenment in the region and the wider policy initiatives that can improve mental health service utilization. © The Author(s) 2015.

Factors for success in mental health advocacy

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Hann, Katrina; Pearson, Heather; Campbell, Doris; Sesay, Daniel; Eaton, Julian

2015-01-01

Background Mental health advocacy groups are an effective way of pushing the mental health agenda and putting pressure on national governments to observe the right to health; however, there is limited research that highlights best practices for such groups in low-resource settings. In an effort to improve the scaling up of mental health in Sierra Leone, stakeholders came together to form the country's first mental health advocacy group: the Mental Health Coalition – Sierra Leone. Since its inception, the group has worked towards raising the profile of mental health in Sierra Leone and developing as an advocacy organisation. Design The study's aim was to investigate views on enabling factors and barriers associated with mental health advocacy in a low-income country using a community-based participatory approach and qualitative methodology. Focus groups (N=9) were held with mental health stakeholders, and key informant interviews (N=15) were conducted with advocacy targets. Investigators analysed the data collaboratively using coding techniques informed by grounded theory. Results Investigators reveal viewpoints on key factors in networking, interacting with government actors, and awareness raising that enabled mental health advocacy aims of supporting policy, service delivery, service user rights, training for service delivery, and awareness raising. The investigators outline viewpoints on barriers for advocacy aims in framing the issue of mental health, networking, interacting with government actors, resource mobilization, and awareness raising. Conclusions The findings outline enabling factors, such as networking with key stakeholders, and barriers, such as lack of political will, for achieving mental health advocacy aims within a low-resource setting, Sierra Leone. Stakeholder coalitions can further key policy development aims that are essential to strengthen mental health systems in low-resource settings. PMID:26689456

Behavioral health leadership: new directions in occupational mental health.

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Adler, Amy B; Saboe, Kristin N; Anderson, James; Sipos, Maurice L; Thomas, Jeffrey L

2014-10-01

The impact of stress on mental health in high-risk occupations may be mitigated by organizational factors such as leadership. Studies have documented the impact of general leadership skills on employee performance and mental health. Other researchers have begun examining specific leadership domains that address relevant organizational outcomes, such as safety climate leadership. One emerging approach focuses on domain-specific leadership behaviors that may moderate the impact of combat deployment on mental health. In a recent study, US soldiers deployed to Afghanistan rated leaders on behaviors promoting management of combat operational stress. When soldiers rated their leaders high on these behaviors, soldiers also reported better mental health and feeling more comfortable with the idea of seeking mental health treatment. These associations held even after controlling for overall leadership ratings. Operational stress leader behaviors also moderated the relationship between combat exposure and soldier health. Domain-specific leadership offers an important step in identifying measures to moderate the impact of high-risk occupations on employee health.

Rural Mental Health

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... social networks While there are drawbacks to small communities when it comes to mental health, there are positives as well. The close-knit ... to refer patients to facilities outside of the community. The Substance Abuse and Mental ... Administration (SAMHSA) maintains the 2016 National Directory ...

Mental health service users' experiences of diabetes care by Mental Health Nurses: an exploratory study.

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Nash, M

2014-10-01

This paper is a report of a study exploring mental health service users' (MHSUs') experiences of diabetes care. Diabetes is a growing clinical concern in mental health nursing practice. However, little is known about MHSUs' experience of diabetes care. This is a descriptive qualitative study. Semi-structured telephone interviews were held between June and October 2011, with seven MHSUs who had diabetes. Participants reported experiences of stigma and diagnostic overshadowing (DO) when reporting symptoms of diabetes or when feeling unwell. Participants also encountered a split between their mental health and diabetes care needs, which resulted in a lack of holistic or integrated care. All participants mentioned experiencing complications of diabetes even to the extent of diabetic ketoacidosis. Mental health nurses (MHNs) must critically reflect on their attitudes towards service users that report physical symptoms to ensure that stigma and DO do not constitute barriers to appropriate screening and treatment. The complex relationship that exists between mental illness and diabetes requires MHNs to ensure physical and mental health care are wholly integrated and not split. Education needs are apparent so that symptoms and complications can be recognized and treated accordingly. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Undergraduate Nursing Students' Attitudes toward Mental Illness and Mental Health Nursing

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Konzelman, Lois

2017-01-01

Historically, nurses have lacked recognition for the work they do, especially in the area of mental health. There is a shortage of qualified mental health nurses to meet the demand for services. Many rural areas in the United States have few or no mental health services to offer communities. Encouraging positive attitudes toward mental health…

Dual factor model of mental health: Co-occurrence of positive mental health and suicide ideation in inpatients and outpatients.

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Teismann, Tobias; Brailovskaia, Julia; Siegmann, Paula; Nyhuis, Peter; Wolter, Marcus; Willutzki, Ulrike

2017-12-06

Positive and negative mental health are independent but correlated concepts. Yet, it is unknown whether positive mental health does co-occur with suicide ideation. The present study aimed to determine the proportion of patients who have positive mental health as well as suicide ideation. Inpatients (N=100) and outpatients (N=182) completed self-report measures of positive mental health, suicide ideation and lifetime suicide attempts. Eleven outpatients (6%) and ten inpatients (10%) with suicide ideation reported moderate to high levels of positive mental health. Lifetime suicide attempts were less likely in inpatients who suffered from suicide ideation in the presence of positive mental health. Positive mental health does co-occur with suicide ideation and should be considered as a protective factor in suicide risk assessments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Study of Veterans Administration/Department of Defense Health Care Resources Sharing at Keller Army Community Hospital West Point, New York 10996

Science.gov (United States)

1984-04-01

Comnmunity Health Nursing (1) Nurse Anesthetists (2) Inhalation Therapy IPPB Treatments Humidity Aerosol Chest Physiotherapy Arterial Blood Samples OB...Continuing Health (12) Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (13) Post-Traumatic Stress Unit (14) Geriatric C. Outpatient Program - Mental Hygiene Clinic 3...Service consists.of a large professional staff of Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, Nurse Instructors, Geriatric Consultant Nurse and a

Positive mental health: is there a cross-cultural definition?

Science.gov (United States)

Vaillant, George E

2012-06-01

SEVEN MODELS FOR CONCEPTUALIZING POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH ARE REVIEWED: mental health as above normal, epitomized by a DSM-IV's Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) score of over 80; mental health as the presence of multiple human strengths rather than the absence of weaknesses; mental health conceptualized as maturity; mental health as the dominance of positive emotions; mental health as high socio-emotional intelligence; mental health as subjective well-being; mental health as resilience. Safeguards for the study of mental health are suggested, including the need to define mental health in terms that are culturally sensitive and inclusive, and the need to empirically and longitudinally validate criteria for mental health.

Improving Mental Health in Schools

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Rossen, Eric; Cowan, Katherine C.

2015-01-01

Students do not leave their mental health at the front door when they come to school. From wellness to serious illness, a student's mental health status is integral to how they think, feel, interact, behave, and learn. Decades of research and experience have laid a solid foundation and framework for effectively providing mental health…

Mental health training programmes for non-mental health trained professionals coming into contact with people with mental ill health: a systematic review of effectiveness.

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Booth, Alison; Scantlebury, Arabella; Hughes-Morley, Adwoa; Mitchell, Natasha; Wright, Kath; Scott, William; McDaid, Catriona

2017-05-25

The police and others in occupations where they come into close contact with people experiencing/with mental ill health, often have to manage difficult and complex situations. Training is needed to equip them to recognise and assist when someone has a mental health issue or learning/intellectual disability. We undertook a systematic review of the effectiveness of training programmes aimed at increasing knowledge, changing behaviour and/or attitudes of the trainees with regard to mental ill health, mental vulnerability, and learning disabilities. Databases searched from 1995 onwards included: ASSIA, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Clinical Trials (CENTRAL), Criminal Justice Abstracts, Embase, ERIC, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Social Science Citation Index. Courses, training, or learning packages aimed at helping police officers and others who interact with the public in a similar way to deal with people with mental health problems were included. Primary outcomes were change in practice and change in outcomes for the groups of people the trainees come into contact with. Systematic reviews, randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and non- randomised controlled trials (non-RCTs) were included and quality assessed. In addition non-comparative evaluations of training for police in England were included. From 8578 search results, 19 studies met the inclusion criteria: one systematic review, 12 RCTs, three prospective non-RCTs, and three non-comparative studies. The training interventions identified included broad mental health awareness training and packages addressing a variety of specific mental health issues or conditions. Trainees included police officers, teachers and other public sector workers. Some short term positive changes in behaviour were identified for trainees, but for the people the trainees came into contact with there was little or no evidence of benefit. A variety of training programmes exist for non-mental health professionals who come into contact with

[Students Having Parents with Mental Health Issues and Teachers' Mental Health Literacy].

Science.gov (United States)

Bruland, Dirk; Kornblum, Katharina; Harsch, Stefanie; Bröder, Janine; Okan, Orkan; Bauer, Ullrich

2017-12-01

Students Having Parents with Mental Health Issues and Teachers' Mental Health Literacy Mental health issues of parents of school children often negatively affects the children as well, including their school performance and social behavior in the school setting. Teachers are then required to take actions with regards to supporting children in their coping with and mastering of their home situation and their responds to educational demands. As such, schools' and teachers' actions can either support affected children and fulfill a protective function or respond inappropriately, with negative impact on the affected children. Although the societal discussion about and acceptance of mental illnesses have increased in recent years, scientific knowledge on how well teachers are prepared for meeting the needs of affected students remains insufficient. Therefore, this research study examines teachers' attitudes towards, knowledge about, and competencies regarding children affected by a mentally ill parent. 15 in-depth interviews and 3 focus groups (n = 11) with teachers from primary and secondary schools were conducted and systematically analyzed. Although burdens in the family are perceived as major influences on children's school day and performance, teachers report to not feel sufficiently prepared for and uncertain about supporting and coping with the special needs of affected students. Instead they report to "learn from a case to case" basis. Recognizing the family situation of children with mentally ill parents is reported to be especially difficult for teachers. Responding inadequately and insensitive to the needs of affected children was perceived as a serious burden for teachers themselves. While schools can function as entry points to professional social help systems, teachers frequently reported barriers and challenges in accessing, communicating, and collaborating with these systems. The practical implications of these results regarding the "Mental Health

An overview of Uganda's mental health care system: results from an assessment using the world health organization's assessment instrument for mental health systems (WHO-AIMS

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Cooper Sara

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The Ugandan government recognizes mental health as a serious public health and development concern, and has of recent implemented a number of reforms aimed at strengthening the country's mental health system. The aim of this study was to provide a profile of the current mental health policy, legislation and services in Uganda. Methods A survey was conducted of public sector mental health policy and legislation, and service resources and utilisation in Uganda, in the year 2005, using the World Health Organization's Assessment Instrument for Mental Health Systems (WHO-AIMS Version 2.2. Results Uganda's draft mental health policy encompasses many positive reforms, including decentralization and integration of mental health services into Primary Health Care (PHC. The mental health legislation is however outdated and offensive. Services are still significantly underfunded (with only 1% of the health expenditure going to mental health, and skewed towards urban areas. Per 100,000 population, there were 1.83 beds in mental hospitals, 1.4 beds in community based psychiatric inpatient units, and 0.42 beds in forensic facilities. The total personnel working in mental health facilities were 310 (1.13 per 100,000 population. Only 0.8% of the medical doctors and 4% of the nurses had specialized in psychiatry. Conclusion Although there have been important developments in Uganda's mental health policy and services, there remains a number of shortcomings, especially in terms of resources and service delivery. There is an urgent need for more research on the current burden of mental disorders and the functioning of mental health programs and services in Uganda.

Mental Health Utilization Among Diverse Parenting Young Couples.

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Albritton, Tashuna; Angley, Meghan; Gibson, Crystal; Sipsma, Heather; Kershaw, Trace

2015-09-01

Mental health issues often become apparent as adolescents emerge into young adulthood. The use of mental health services is low among adolescents and young adults, and use is particularly low among minorities. In this study, we examine mental health utilization among diverse young parenting couples. The sample consisted of 296 couples. We used the social-personal framework to examine personal, family, partner relationship, and environmental predictors for using mental health services. We used the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model to assess actor and partner effects on mental health utilization. We also examined moderator effects for gender and internalizing and externalizing behaviors. We found that being female, being White, higher income, more conduct problems, and less anxious romantic attachment predicted mental health utilization. Significant moderator effects included depression × gender, depression × medical insurance, and stress × Latino. Implications for community mental health practice include conducting mental health assessments during medical visits and systematic mental health follow-up for individuals and couples with identified mental health and support needs. Future research should include married couples and the spouse's influence on mental health use and examine relevant parenting factors that may also predict mental health utilization among couples.

Health trends in a geriatric and special needs clinic patient population.

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Lee, Katherine J; Ettinger, Ronald L; Cowen, Howard J; Caplan, Daniel J

2015-01-01

To quantify differences and recent changes in health status among patients attending the Geriatric and Special Needs Dentistry (GSND) and Family Dentistry (FAMD) clinics at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry. A total of 388 randomly selected records from patients attending the GSND or FAMD clinics from 1996-2000 or from 2006-2010 were reviewed. Univariate and bivariate analyses were conducted, followed by multivariable logistic regression analyses to compare characteristics of patients across clinics. Between the two GSND cohorts, the mean number of medications reported increased from 4.0 to 6.5 (p Special Care Dentistry Association and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Perceived barriers on mental health services by the family of patients with mental illness

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Rr Dian Tristiana

2018-01-01

Conclusion: Families whose members suffered from mental illness still experienced barriers in relation to mental health services even with universal health coverage. Improved mental health services are related to the health insurance coverage, affordability, availability of mental health services and stigma reduction in the health professionals and wide community.

Feed-back between geriatric syndromes: general system theory in geriatrics.

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Musso, Carlos G; Núñez, Juan F Macías

2006-01-01

Geriatrics has described three entities: confusional syndrome, incontinente and gait disorders, calling them geriatric giants. Aging process also induces changes in renal physiology such as glomerular filtration rate reduction, and alteration in water and electrolytes handling. These ageing renal changes have been named as nephrogeriatric giants. These two groups of giants, geriatric and nephrogeriatric, can predispose and potentiate each other leading old people to fatal outcomes. These phenomenon of feed-back between these geriatric syndromes has its roots in the loss of complexity that the ageing process has. Complexity means that all the body systems work harmoniously. The process of senescence weakens this coordination among systems undermining complexity and making the old person frail.

Older adults in jail: high rates and early onset of geriatric conditions.

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Greene, Meredith; Ahalt, Cyrus; Stijacic-Cenzer, Irena; Metzger, Lia; Williams, Brie

2018-02-17

The number of older adults in the criminal justice system is rapidly increasing. While this population is thought to experience an early onset of aging-related health conditions ("accelerated aging"), studies have not directly compared rates of geriatric conditions in this population to those found in the general population. The aims of this study were to compare the burden of geriatric conditions among older adults in jail to rates found in an age-matched nationally representative sample of community dwelling older adults. This cross sectional study compared 238 older jail inmates age 55 or older to 6871 older adults in the national Health and Retirement Study (HRS). We used an age-adjusted analysis, accounting for the difference in age distributions between the two groups, to compare sociodemographics, chronic conditions, and geriatric conditions (functional, sensory, and mobility impairment). A second age-adjusted analysis compared those in jail to HRS participants in the lowest quintile of wealth. All geriatric conditions were significantly more common in jail-based participants than in HRS participants overall and HRS participants in the lowest quintile of net worth. Jail-based participants (average age of 59) experienced four out of six geriatric conditions at rates similar to those found in HRS participants age 75 or older. Geriatric conditions are prevalent in older adults in jail at significantly younger ages than non-incarcerated older adults suggesting that geriatric assessment and geriatric-focused care are needed for older adults cycling through jail in their 50s and that correctional clinicians require knowledge about geriatric assessment and care.

Mental Health of Prisoners: Identifying Barriers to Mental Health Treatment and Medication Continuity

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Connell, Nadine M.

2014-01-01

Objectives. We assessed mental health screening and medication continuity in a nationally representative sample of US prisoners. Methods. We obtained data from 18 185 prisoners interviewed in the 2004 Survey of Inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities. We conducted survey logistic regressions with Stata version 13. Results. About 26% of the inmates were diagnosed with a mental health condition at some point during their lifetime, and a very small proportion (18%) were taking medication for their condition(s) on admission to prison. In prison, more than 50% of those who were medicated for mental health conditions at admission did not receive pharmacotherapy in prison. Inmates with schizophrenia were most likely to receive pharmacotherapy compared with those presenting with less overt conditions (e.g., depression). This lack of treatment continuity is partially attributable to screening procedures that do not result in treatment by a medical professional in prison. Conclusions. A substantial portion of the prison population is not receiving treatment for mental health conditions. This treatment discontinuity has the potential to affect both recidivism and health care costs on release from prison. PMID:25322306

Mental health among students of pedagogical universities

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Malinauskas R.

2010-06-01

Full Text Available This article deals with questions of mental health among students of pedagogical universities. There were analysed differences in the level of mental health among sporting and non-sporting students. Two methods were used in the inquiry. Stepanov's questionnaire was used to estimate the level of mental health, Gundarov's questionnaire was used to evaluate psychical satisfaction. The sample consisted of 263 sporting students (athletes and 288 non-sporting students. Results have shown that the level of mental health among sporting students was higher than the level of mental health among non-sporting students.

Mental Health Services in School-Based Health Centers: Systematic Review

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Bains, Ranbir Mangat; Diallo, Ana F.

2016-01-01

Mental health issues affect 20-25% of children and adolescents, of which few receive services. School-based health centers (SBHCs) provide access to mental health services to children and adolescents within their schools. A systematic review of literature was undertaken to review evidence on the effectiveness of delivery of mental health services…

Mental Health

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... well Feeling guilty, worthless, or helpless Thinking about suicide or hurting yourself Other mental health conditions include anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and personality disorders. For a good description ...

The Impact of Mental Health Reform on Mental Illness Stigmas in Israel.

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Ben Natan, Merav; Drori, Tal; Hochman, Ohad

2017-12-01

This study examined public perception of stigmas relating to mental illness six months after a reform, which integrated mental health care into primary care in Israel. The results reveal that the public feels uncomfortable seeking referral to mental health services through the public health system, with Arab Israelis and men expressing lower levels of comfort than did Jewish Israelis. The current reform has not solved the issue of public stigma regarding mental health care. The study suggests that the current reforms must be accompanied over time with appropriate public education regarding mental illness. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mental health challenges among adolescents living with HIV.

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Vreeman, Rachel C; McCoy, Brittany M; Lee, Sonia

2017-05-16

Mental health is a critical and neglected global health challenge for adolescents infected with HIV. The prevalence of mental and behavioural health issues among HIV-infected adolescents may not be well understood or addressed as the world scales up HIV prevention and treatment for adolescents. The objective of this narrative review is to assess the current literature related to mental health challenges faced by adolescents living with HIV, including access to mental health services, the role of mental health challenges during transition from paediatric to adult care services and responsibilities, and the impact of mental health interventions. For each of the topics included in this review, individual searches were run using Medline and PubMed, accompanied by scans of bibliographies of relevant articles. The topics on which searches were conducted for HIV-infected adolescents include depression and anxiety, transition from paediatric to adult HIV care and its impact on adherence and mental health, HIV-related, mental health services and interventions, and the measurement of mental health problems. Articles were included if the focus was consistent with one of the identified topics, involved HIV-infected adolescents, and was published in English. Mental and behavioural health challenges are prevalent in HIV-infected adolescents, including in resource-limited settings where most of them live, and they impact all aspects of HIV prevention and treatment. Too little has been done to measure the impact of mental health challenges for adolescents living with HIV, to evaluate interventions to best sustain or improve the mental health of this population, or to create healthcare systems with personnel or resources to promote mental health. Mental health issues should be addressed proactively during adolescence for all HIV-infected youth. In addition, care systems need to pay greater attention to how mental health support is integrated into the care management for HIV

Poverty dynamics and parental mental health: Determinants of childhood mental health in the UK.

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Fitzsimons, Emla; Goodman, Alissa; Kelly, Elaine; Smith, James P

2017-02-01

Using data from the British Millennium Cohort Study (MCS), an ongoing longitudinal study of a cohort of 18,827 children born in the UK in 2000-2001, we investigate important correlates of mental health issues during childhood. MCS respondents were sampled at birth, at age 9 months, and then when they were 3, 5, 7 and 11 years old. Each sweep contains detailed information on the family's SES, parenting activities, developmental indicators, parental relationship status, and indicators of parental mental health. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the related Rutter scale were used to identify behavioral and emotional problems in children. In this paper, childhood problems are separated into four domains: hyperactivity, emotional symptoms, conduct problems, and peer problems. We focus on two aspects of this relationship at ages 5 and 11-the role of temporary and persistent poverty and the role of temporary and persistent mental health problems of mothers and fathers. At ages 11 and 5, without other controls in the model, persistent and transitory poverty have strong estimated associations with all four domains, with somewhat stronger estimated effects for persistent poverty. After a set of controls are added, we document that both persistent levels of poverty and transitions into poverty are strongly associated with levels of and transitions into childhood mental health problems. Similarly, sustained levels and transitions into mothers' mental health problems are strongly associated with levels and transitions into children's mental health problems. This is much less so for fathers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Legal abortion for mental health indications.

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Cook, R J; Ortega-Ortiz, A; Romans, S; Ross, L E

2006-11-01

Where legal systems allow therapeutic abortion to preserve women's mental health, practitioners often lack access to mental health professionals for making critical diagnoses or prognoses that pregnancy or childcare endangers patients' mental health. Practitioners themselves must then make clinical assessments of the impact on their patients of continued pregnancy or childcare. The law requires only that practitioners make assessments in good faith, and by credible criteria. Mental disorder includes psychological distress or mental suffering due to unwanted pregnancy and responsibility for childcare, or, for instance, anticipated serious fetal impairment. Account should be taken of factors that make patients vulnerable to distress, such as personal or family mental health history, factors that may precipitate mental distress, such as loss of personal relationships, and factors that may maintain distress, such as poor education and marginal social status. Some characteristics of patients may operate as both precipitating and maintaining factors, such as poverty and lack of social support.

The cost of dysphagia in geriatric patients

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Westmark S

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Signe Westmark,1 Dorte Melgaard,1,2 Line O Rethmeier,3 Lars Holger Ehlers3 1Center for Clinical Research, North Denmark Regional Hospital, Hjørring, Denmark; 2Department of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, North Denmark Regional Hospital, Hjørring, Denmark; 3Danish Center for Healthcare Improvements, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark Objectives: To estimate the annual cost at the hospital and in the municipality (social care due to dysphagia in geriatric patients.Design: Retrospective cost analysis of geriatric patients with dysphagia versus geriatric patients without dysphagia 1 year before hospitalization.Setting: North Denmark Regional Hospital, Hjørring Municipality, Frederikshavn Municipality, and Brønderslev Municipality.Subjects: A total of 258 hospitalized patients, 60 years or older, acute hospitalized in the geriatric department.Materials and methods: Volume-viscosity swallow test and the Minimal Eating Observation Form-II were conducted for data collection. A Charlson Comorbidity Index score measured comorbidity, and functional status was measured by Barthel-100. To investigate the cost of dysphagia, patient-specific data on health care consumption at the hospital and in the municipality (nursing, home care, and training were collected from medical registers and records 1 year before hospitalization including the hospitalization for screening for dysphagia. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to determine the relationship between dysphagia and hospital and municipality costs, respectively, adjusting for age, gender, and comorbidity.Results: Patients with dysphagia were significantly costlier than patients without dysphagia in both hospital (p=0.013 and municipality costs (p=0.028 compared to patients without dysphagia. Adjusted annual hospital costs in patients with dysphagia were 27,347 DKK (3,677 EUR, 4,282 USD higher than patients without dysphagia at the hospital, and annual health care costs in the

Dystonia: Emotional and Mental Health

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... Support Frequently Asked Questions Faces of Dystonia Emotional & Mental Health Although dystonia is a movement disorder that impacts ... emotion as well as muscle movement. For years, mental health professionals have recognized that coping with a chronic ...

Interactions between youth and mental health professionals: The Youth Aware of Mental health (YAM) program experience.

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Wasserman, Camilla; Postuvan, Vita; Herta, Dana; Iosue, Miriam; Värnik, Peeter; Carli, Vladimir

2018-01-01

Youth stand at the core of much mental health promotion, yet little is written about their experiences of such efforts. We aimed to take this on by interviewing youth after they participated in Youth Aware of Mental Health (YAM), a universal mental health promotion program. YAM has a non-anticipatory methodology that provides youth with a safe space for reflection, role-play, and discussion. Addressing everyday mental health, YAM invites the experiences and issues relevant to the youth present to influence the program in a slightly different direction every time. The YAM instructor guides the participants but does not present the youth with given formulas on how to solve their problems. Like any mental health promotion, YAM appeals to some more than others in its intended audience and individuals engage with the program in many different ways. We set out to learn more about these experiences. Thirty-two semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15-17 year olds in Estonia, Italy, Romania and Spain. In these interviews, the researchers made an effort to discuss mental health in terms relevant to youth. Still, wide-ranging levels of motivation, ease with engaging in dialogue with mental health professionals, and comfort with the format and content of YAM were detected. The youth were clustered in five different groups relating to their positioning vis-à-vis the researcher during the interview. The following evocative labels were used: "interested", "foot in the door", "respect for authority", "careful", and "not my topic". Corresponding labels were devised for their YAM experience: "engaged", "initially hesitant", "cautious", "eager to please", or "disengaged". We also observed that the researchers brought their own expectations and employed a variety of approaches that led to anticipating answers, stating the obvious, or getting along better with some of the youth. These modes of interaction were categorized under: "favoritism", "familiarity", "frustration

What characterizes persons with poor mental health?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Anne Illemann; Davidsen, Michael; Kjøller, Mette

2014-01-01

analysed by means of logistic regression models. Results: Men and women with poor mental health are characterized by being single, having a long-term illness, not being able to rely on help from others in case of illness and by feeling that family and friends demand too much of them. Men with poor mental...... health were further characterized by being a heavy smoker, and having a BMI below 25. Women with poor mental health were further characterized by being 16-44 years old and sedentary in leisure time. CONCLUSIONS THE PREVALENCE OF POOR MENTAL HEALTH IS HIGHER AMONG WOMEN THAN MEN, AND DIFFERENT FACTORS...... CHARACTERIZE MEN AND WOMEN WITH POOR MENTAL HEALTH THE PRESENT FINDINGS SUPPORT THE NOTION THAT BOTH SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHICS AND LIFESTYLE FACTORS ARE INDEPENDENTLY RELATED WITH POOR MENTAL HEALTH WE SUGGEST TAKING INTO ACCOUNT ALL THESE AREAS OF LIFE WHEN PLANNING ACTIVITIES TO PREVENT POOR MENTAL HEALTH AND WHEN...

Effect of Dynamic Meditation on Mental Health.

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Iqbal, Naved; Singh, Archana; Aleem, Sheema

2016-02-01

Although traditional meditation has been found to be effective in improving physical and mental health of subjects, there was a paucity of research of the effect of active or dynamic meditation on these variables. Therefore, the present study was aimed at studying the effect of dynamic meditation on mental health of the subjects. Total sample of the present study comprised 60 subjects, 30 each in experimental and control group. Subjects in experimental group were given 21-day training in dynamic meditation. Mental health of the experimental and control group subjects was measured in pre- and post-condition with the help of Mental Health Inventory developed by Jagadish and Srivastava (Mental Health inventory, Manovaigyanik Parikshan Sansthan, Varanasi, 1983). Obtained data were analyzed with the help of ANCOVA. In post-condition, experimental group scored better than control group on integration of personality, autonomy and environmental mastery. Effect sizes of dynamic meditation on these dimensions of mental health were large. However, experimental group and control group did not differ significantly on positive self-evaluation, perception of reality and group-oriented attitude dimensions of mental health in post-condition. Overall, dynamic meditation training was effective in improving mental health of the subjects.

Zambia mental health country profile.

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Mayeya, John; Chazulwa, Roy; Mayeya, Petronella Ntambo; Mbewe, Edward; Magolo, Lonia Mwape; Kasisi, Friday; Bowa, Annel Chishimba

2004-01-01

This country profile for Zambia was compiled between 1998 and 2002. The objectives of the exercise were to first of all avail policymakers, other key decision makers and leaders in Zambia, information about mental health in Zambia in order to assist policy and services development. Secondly, to facilitate comparative analyses of mental health services between countries. The work involved formation of a core group of experts who coordinated the collection of information from the various organizations in Zambia. The information was later shared to a broad spectrum of stakeholders for consensus. A series of focus group discussions (FGDs) supplemented the information collected. There are various factors that contribute to mental health in Zambia. It is clear from the Zambian perspective that social, demographic, economic, political, environmental, cultural and religious influences affect the mental health of the people. With a population of 10.3 million and annual growth rate of 2.9%, Zambia is one of the most urbanized countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Poverty levels stood at 72.9% in 1998. In terms of unemployment, the most urbanized provinces, Lusaka (the capital city), and the copper-belt are the most affected. The gross domestic product (GDP) is US$3.09 billion dollars while per capita income is US$300. The total budget allocation for health in the year 2002 was 15% while the proportion of the GDP per capita expenditure for health was 5.6%. The HIV/AIDS prevalence rates stand at 20% among the reproductive age group 15-49 years. Political instability and wars in neighbouring states has resulted in an influx of refugees. Environmental factors affecting the country include natural and man-made disasters such as floods and drought, mine accidents, and deforestation. To a large extent in Zambia, people who are mentally ill are stigmatized, feared, scorned at, humiliated and condemned. However, caring for mental ill health in old age is positively perceived. It is

Malaysia mental health country profile.

Science.gov (United States)

Parameshvara Deva, M

2004-01-01

Malaysia is a tropical country in the heart of south east Asia with a population of 24 million people of diverse ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds living in harmony in 330,000 km(2) of land on the Asian mainland and Borneo. Malaysia, which lies on the crossroads of trade between east and west Asia, has an ancient history as a centre of trading attracting commerce between Europe, west Asia, India and China. It has had influences from major powers that dominated the region throughout its history. Today the country, after independence in 1957, has embarked on an ambitious development project to make it a developed country by 2020. In this effort the economy has changed from one producing raw material to one manufacturing consumer goods and services and the colonial health system has been overhauled and social systems strengthened to provide better services for its people. The per capita income, which was under 1,000 US dollars at independence, has now passed 4,000 US dollars and continues to grow, with the economy largely based on strong exports that amount to over 100 billion US dollars. The mental health system that was based on institutional care in four mental hospitals at independence from British colonial rule in 1957 with no Malaysian psychiatrists is today largely based on over 30 general hospital psychiatric units spread throughout the country. With three local postgraduate training programmes in psychiatry and 12 undergraduate departments of psychiatry in the country--all started after independence--there is now a healthy development of mental health services. This is being supplemented by a newly established primary care mental health service that covers community mental health by integrating mental health into primary health care. Mental health care at the level of psychiatrists rests with about 140 psychiatrists most of whom had undertaken a four-year masters course in postgraduate psychiatry in Malaysia since 1973. However, there continues to be

Geriatric Syndromes in Hospitalized Older Adults Discharged to Skilled Nursing Facilities

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, Susan P.; Vasilevskis, Eduard E.; Saraf, Avantika A.; Jacobsen, J. Mary Lou; Kripalani, Sunil; Mixon, Amanda S.; Schnelle, John F.; Simmons, Sandra F.

2016-01-01

Background Geriatric syndromes are common in older adults and associated with adverse outcomes. The prevalence, recognition, co-occurrence and recent onset of geriatric syndromes in patients transferred from hospital to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) are largely unknown. Design Quality improvement project. Setting Acute care academic medical center and 23 regional partner SNFs. Participants 686 Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized between January 2013 and April 2014 and referred to SNFs. Measurements Nine geriatric syndromes were measured by project staff -- weight loss, decreased appetite, incontinence and pain (standardized interview), depression (Geriatric Depression Scale), delirium (Brief-Confusion Assessment Method), cognitive impairment (Brief Interview for Mental Status), falls and pressure ulcers (hospital medical record utilizing hospital-implemented screening tools). Estimated prevalence, new-onset prevalence and common coexisting clusters were determined. The extent that syndromes were commonly recognized by treating physicians and communicated to SNFs in hospital discharge documentation was evaluated. Results Geriatric syndromes were prevalent in more than 90% of hospitalized adults referred to SNFs; 55% met criteria for 3 or more co-existing syndromes. Overall the most prevalent syndromes were falls (39%), incontinence (39%), decreased appetite (37%) and weight loss (33%). Of individuals that met criteria for 3 or more syndromes, the most common triad clusters included nutritional syndromes (weight loss, loss of appetite), incontinence and depression. Treating hospital physicians commonly did not recognize and document geriatric syndromes in discharge summaries, missing 33–95% of syndromes present as assessed by research personnel. Conclusion Geriatric syndromes in hospitalized older adults transferred to SNF are prevalent and commonly co-exist with the most frequent clusters including nutritional syndromes, depression and incontinence. Despite

Mental Health Literacy in Young Adults: Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of the Mental Health Literacy Questionnaire

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pedro Dias

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Mental health literacy (MHL is considered a prerequisite for early recognition and intervention in mental disorders, and for this reason, it has become a focus of research over the past few decades. Assessing this construct is relevant for identifying knowledge gaps and erroneous beliefs concerning mental health issues, to inform the development of interventions aimed at promoting mental health literacy as well as the evaluation of these interventions. Recently, we developed a new self-reporting measure (MHLq for assessing mental health literacy in young people (12–14 years-old, meeting the need to assess MHL from a comprehensive perspective of the construct instead of focusing on a restricted number of mental disorders or specific dimensions (e.g., knowledge concerning specific disorders; stigma. The present study aimed to adapt the MHLq for the young adult population and to examine its psychometric properties, according to the following steps: (1 item adaptation, using a think aloud procedure (n = 5; (2 data collection (n = 356, aged between 18 and 25 years old; and (3 psychometric analyses (exploratory factor analysis and internal consistency analysis. The final version of the questionnaire included 29 items (total scale α = 0.84, organized by four dimensions: (1 knowledge of mental health problems (α = 0.74; (2 erroneous beliefs/stereotypes (α = 0.72; (3 help-seeking and first aid skills (α = 0.71; and (4 self-help strategies (α = 0.60. The results suggest that the MHLq-adult form is a practical, valid, and reliable screening tool for identifying gaps in knowledge, beliefs, and behavioral intentions related to mental health and mental disorders, planning promotion programs, and evaluating intervention effectiveness.

Mental Health: What's Normal, What's Not?

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Healthy Lifestyle Adult health Understanding what's considered normal mental health can be tricky. See how feelings, thoughts and behaviors determine mental health and how to recognize if you or a ...

Mental health as rational autonomy.

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Edwards, R B

1981-08-01

Rather than eliminate the terms "mental health and illness" because of the grave moral consequences of psychiatric labeling, conservative definitions are proposed and defended. Mental health is rational autonomy, and mental illness is the sustained loss of such. Key terms are explained, advantages are explored, and alternative concepts are criticized. The value and descriptive components of all such definitions are consciously acknowledged. Where rational autonomy is intact, mental hospitals and psychotherapists should not think of themselves as treating an illness. Instead, they are functioning as applied axiologists, moral educators, spiritual mentors, etc. They deal with what Szasz has called "personal, social, and ethical problems in living." But mental illness is real.

Mental health need and access to mental health services by youths involved with child welfare: a national survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, Barbara J; Phillips, Susan D; Wagner, H Ryan; Barth, Richard P; Kolko, David J; Campbell, Yvonne; Landsverk, John

2004-08-01

This study assessed the relationship between the need for and use of mental health services among a nationally representative sample of children who were investigated by child welfare agencies after reported maltreatment. Data were collected at study entry into the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being and were weighted to provide population estimates. Nearly half (47.9%) of the youths aged 2 to 14 years (N = 3,803) with completed child welfare investigations had clinically significant emotional or behavioral problems. Youths with mental health need (defined by a clinical range score on the Child Behavior Checklist) were much more likely to receive mental health services than lower scoring youth; still, only one fourth of such youths received any specialty mental health care during the previous 12 months. Clinical need was related to receipt of mental health care across all age groups (odds ratio = 2.7-3.5). In addition, for young children (2-5 years), sexual abuse (versus neglect) increased access to mental health services. For latency-age youths, African-American race and living at home significantly reduced the likelihood of care. Adolescents living at home were also less likely to receive services, whereas having a parent with severe mental illness increased (odds ratio = 2.4) the likelihood of service use. Routine screening for mental health need and increasing access to mental health professionals for further evaluation and treatment should be a priority for children early in their contact with the child welfare system.

Mental Health Handbook for Schools

OpenAIRE

Atkinson, M; Hornby, G

2002-01-01

This text provides information on a range of mental health problems that confront teachers and discusses their underlying causes. It considers what schools can do to help pupils and reflects on the role of the mental health services.

Postdoctoral Teaching of Geriatric Dentistry in U.S. Dental Schools.

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Ettinger, Ronald L; Goettsche, Zachary S; Qian, Fang

2017-10-01

The aim of this study was to determine the number and size of postdoctoral teaching programs in geriatric dentistry in U.S. dental schools and other health professions educational institutions and those programs with Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) funding. In 2015, all 67 U.S. dental schools were contacted via email with a questionnaire to ask if they had a postdoctoral program in geriatric dentistry; if they did, they were asked to report the length and size of the program. Directors of all 16 HRSA-funded geriatric fellowships were also invited to participate in the survey. Fifty-six of the 67 (83.6%) dental schools and 15 of the 16 (93.8%) HRSA-funded programs completed the questionnaire. Postdoctoral geriatric dentistry programs were reported in 12 dental schools and six medical institutions, although only six programs were currently accepting fellows. The length of the programs was 12-36 months. The maximum number of residents in any program was ten. The oldest program was in Minnesota; it began in 1981. The newest program was beginning in 2017 at Boston University as a revised version of its previous HRSA-funded program. The loss of HRSA funding has had a major negative impact on the number of training programs. Future research is needed to determine how the loss of HRSA-funded programs has affected the availability of educators in geriatric dentistry for dental schools and the services provided to the geriatric community.

Improving work functioning and mental health of health care employees using an e-mental health approach to workers' health surveillance: pretest-posttest study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ketelaar, Sarah M.; Nieuwenhuijsen, Karen; Bolier, Linda; Smeets, Odile; Sluiter, Judith K.

2014-01-01

Mental health complaints are quite common in health care employees and can have adverse effects on work functioning. The aim of this study was to evaluate an e-mental health (EMH) approach to workers' health surveillance (WHS) for nurses and allied health professionals. Using the waiting-list group

Managing the demands of the preregistration mental health nursing programme: The views of students with mental health conditions.

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Ramluggun, Pras; Lacy, Mary; Cadle, Martha; Anjoyeb, Mahmood

2018-05-30

An increasing number of students with a pre-existing mental health condition are enrolling on preregistration mental health nursing programmes. The challenges faced by these students in managing the demands of the programme have not been fully explored. Mental health and well-being is an integral part of providing a healthy university in which students can flourish. The purpose of the study was to explore how students with an underlying mental health issue manage the demands of the mental health nursing programme. The outcomes of the study are aimed at informing inclusive teaching and learning and current student support provision. Ethics approval was given. Students from two universities in South East England who met the criterion of having a pre-existing mental health condition when enrolling on the mental health preregistration nursing programme were invited to take part. Nine students took part in the study. Using an interpretative descriptive design, 1:1 face-to-face, audio-taped, semistructured interviews were undertaken. The data were analysed using a framework approach, and this revealed four main themes: timing of disclosure; managing lived experience in learning environments; students' coping mechanisms, and experience of support. Recommendations for practice was that approved education institutes (AEIs) should ensure they have a robust, inclusive practice by implementing strategies to develop these students' resilience, and enhance their learning and the current support provisions. This will ensure the barriers to disclosing their mental health conditions are recognized and minimized to enable these students to fully contribute to their own learning and teaching experience. © 2018 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Mental Health Nurses Attitudes and Practice Toward Physical Health Care in Jordan.

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Ganiah, Amal N; Al-Hussami, Mahmoud; Alhadidi, Majdi M B

2017-08-01

Patients with mental illnesses are at high risk for physical disorders and death. The aim of this study is to describe mental health nurses' attitudes and practice toward physical health care for patients with mental illnesses. A descriptive cross-sectional design was used to collect data using self- reported questionnaire from 202 mental health nurses working in mental health settings in Jordan. The study adopted translated version of Robson and Haddad Physical Health Attitudes Scale to the Arabic language. There was significant positive correlation between the participants' positive attitudes and their current practice (r = .388, p = .000), mental health nurses who have more positive attitudes regarding physical health care involved physical health care more in their current practice. Mental health nurses' attitudes affect the quality of care provided to patients with mental illnesses. The results provide implications for practice, education, and research.

Effects of perceived discrimination on mental health and mental health services utilization among gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons.

Science.gov (United States)

Burgess, Diana; Tran, Alisia; Lee, Richard; van Ryn, Michelle

2007-01-01

Previous research has found that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals are at risk for a variety of mental health disorders. We examined the extent to which a recent experience of a major discriminatory event may contribute to poor mental health among LGBT persons. Data were derived from a cross-sectional strata-cluster survey of adults in Hennepin County, Minnesota, who identified as LGBT (n=472) or heterosexual (n=7,412). Compared to heterosexuals, LGBT individuals had poorer mental health (higher levels of psychological distress, greater likelihood of having a diagnosis of depression or anxiety, greater perceived mental health needs, and greater use of mental health services), more substance use (higher levels of binge drinking, greater likelihood of being a smoker and greater number of cigarettes smoked per day), and were more likely to report unmet mental healthcare needs. LGBT individuals were also more likely to report having experienced a major incident of discrimination over the past year than heterosexual individuals. Although perceived discrimination was associated with almost all of the indicators of mental health and utilization of mental health care that we examined, adjusting for discrimination did not significantly reduce mental health disparities between heterosexual and LGBT persons. LGBT individuals experienced more major discrimination and reported worse mental health than heterosexuals, but discrimination did not account for this disparity. Future research should explore additional forms of discrimination and additional stressors associated with minority sexual orientation that may account for these disparities.

42 CFR 441.106 - Comprehensive mental health program.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... health and public welfare resources; including— (i) Community mental health centers; (ii) Nursing homes... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Comprehensive mental health program. 441.106... Comprehensive mental health program. (a) If the plan includes services in public institutions for mental...

Survey of mental health needs of Hamedanian people

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

farshid Shamsaei

2010-02-01

Full Text Available For all individuals, mental, physical and social health is vital strands of life that are closely interwoven and deeply interdependent. And mental health is crucial to the overall well-being of individuals, societies and countries. Objectives: The aim of this study is to identify the mental health needs of Hamedanian people. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. The participants consist of 1300 persons who were selected by stratified sampling. A 30- item questionnaire was used to gather data from the samples. It consisted of three parts: A-demographic factors, B-questions related to mental health service delivery and C- questions related to mental health needs. Results: Results showed that the Hamedan city people believed that mental health services are inadequate, they did not access services near their home (76% and mass media educational programs about services was poor(34%. The expressed needs of people were: mental health education (72%, established mental health centers in schools (52. 8% and factories (50. 7% and expanding the comprehensive mental health centers in the city(57. 8%. Expanding the assurance services (85. 6%, modifying wrong beliefs and ideas about mental illness (42. 6%, and improving the mental health in society. Conclusion: Community based mental health services should to provide comprehensive and local cares and treatments. Services should be comprehensive in that they provide a range of facilities to meet the mental health needs of the population at large as well as of special groups, such as children, adolescents, women and elderly people.

Mental health system in Saudi Arabia: an overview

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Qureshi NA

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Naseem Akhtar Qureshi,1 Abdulhameed Abdullah Al-Habeeb,2 Harold G Koenig3 1General Administration for Research and Studies, 2Mental Health and Social Services, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA Background: There is evidence that mapping mental health systems (MHSs helps in planning and developing mental health care services for users, families, and other caregivers. The General Administration of Mental Health and Social Services of the Ministry of Health over the past 4 years has sought to streamline the delivery of mental health care services to health consumers in Saudi Arabia. Objective: We overview here the outcome of a survey that assessed the Saudi MHS and suggest strategic steps for its further improvement. Method: The World Health Organization Assessment Instrument for Mental Health Systems was used systematically to collect information on the Saudi MHS in 2009–2010, 4 years after a baseline assessment. Results: Several mental health care milestones, especially provision of inpatient mental health services supported by a ratified Mental Health Act, were achieved during this period. However, community mental health care services are needed to match international trends evident in developed countries. Similarly, a larger well-trained mental health workforce is needed at all levels to meet the ever-increasing demand of Saudi society. Conclusion: This updated MHS information, discussed in light of international data, will help guide further development of the MHS in Saudi Arabia in the future, and other countries in the Eastern Mediterranean region may also benefit from Saudi experience. Keywords: Saudi Arabia, mental health system, organization, legal issues, research, training

Health system preparedness for integration of mental health services in rural Liberia.

Science.gov (United States)

Gwaikolo, Wilfred S; Kohrt, Brandon A; Cooper, Janice L

2017-07-27

There are increasing efforts and attention focused on the delivery of mental health services in primary care in low resource settings (e.g., mental health Gap Action Programme, mhGAP). However, less attention is devoted to systematic approaches that identify and address barriers to the development and uptake of mental health services within primary care in low-resource settings. Our objective was to prepare for optimal uptake by identifying barriers in rural Liberia. The country's need for mental health services is compounded by a 14-year history of political violence and the largest Ebola virus disease outbreak in history. Both events have immediate and lasting mental health effects. A mixed-methods approach was employed, consisting of qualitative interviews with 22 key informants and six focus group discussions. Additional qualitative data as well as quantitative data were collected through semi-structured assessments of 19 rural primary care health facilities. Data were collected from March 2013 to March 2014. Potential barriers to development and uptake of mental health services included lack of mental health knowledge among primary health care staff; high workload for primary health care workers precluding addition of mental health responsibilities; lack of mental health drugs; poor physical infrastructure of health facilities including lack of space for confidential consultation; poor communication support including lack of electricity and mobile phone networks that prevent referrals and phone consultation with supervisors; absence of transportation for patients to facilitate referrals; negative attitudes and stigma towards people with severe mental disorders and their family members; and stigma against mental health workers. To develop and facilitate effective primary care mental health services in a post-conflict, low resource setting will require (1) addressing the knowledge and clinical skills gap in the primary care workforce; (2) improving physical

Participative mental health consumer research for improving physical health care: An integrative review.

Science.gov (United States)

Happell, Brenda; Ewart, Stephanie B; Platania-Phung, Chris; Stanton, Robert

2016-10-01

People with mental illness have a significantly lower life expectancy and higher rates of chronic physical illnesses than the general population. Health care system reform to improve access and quality is greatly needed to address this inequity. The inclusion of consumers of mental health services as co-investigators in research is likely to enhance service reform. In light of this, the current paper reviews mental health consumer focussed research conducted to date, addressing the neglect of physical health in mental health care and initiatives with the aim of improving physical health care. The international literature on physical healthcare in the context of mental health services was searched for articles, including mental health consumers in research roles, via Medline, CINAHL and Google Scholar, in October 2015. Four studies where mental health consumers participated as researchers were identified. Three studies involved qualitative research on barriers and facilitators to physical health care access, and a fourth study on developing technologies for more effective communication between GPs and patients. This review found that participatory mental health consumer research in physical health care reform has only become visible in the academic literature in 2015. Heightened consideration of mental health consumer participation in research is required by health care providers and researchers. Mental health nurses can provide leadership in increasing mental health consumer research on integrated care directed towards reducing the health gap between people with and without mental illness. © 2016 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Teen Mothers' Mental Health.

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SmithBattle, Lee; Freed, Patricia

2016-01-01

Psychological distress is common in teen mothers. High rates of distress are attributed to teen mothers' childhood adversities and the challenges of parenting in the context of chronic stress, cumulative disadvantage, and limited social support. We describe the prevalence of psychological distress in teen mothers; what is known about its origins and impact on mothers and children; factors that promote teen mothers' mental health and resilience; and the many barriers that make it difficult to obtain traditional mental healthcare. We also briefly review the few studies that test interventions to improve teen mothers' mental health. Because barriers to traditional mental health treatment are ubiquitous and difficult to remedy, the second article in this two-part series calls for nurses in healthcare settings, schools, and home visiting programs to screen pregnant and parenting teens for adverse childhood experiences and psychological distress, and to integrate strength-based and trauma-based principles into their practice. Creating a supportive setting where past traumas and psychological distress are addressed with skill and sensitivity builds upon teen mothers' strengths and their aspirations to be the best parents they can be. These approaches facilitate the long-term health and development of mother and child.

Substance Use and Mental Health

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... and Alcohol Tobacco Learn More Substance Use and Mental Health Drugs and Alcohol Did you know that addiction ... Plus – also en Español Treatment Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA): SAMHSA’s National Helpline: 1-800-662- ...

Improving exchange with consumers within mental health organizations: Recognizing mental ill health experience as a 'sneaky, special degree'.

Science.gov (United States)

Scholz, Brett; Bocking, Julia; Happell, Brenda

2018-02-01

Stigmatizing views towards consumers may be held even by those working within mental health organizations. Contemporary mental health policies require organizations to work collaboratively with consumers in producing and delivering services. Using social exchange theory, which emphasises mutual exchange to maximise benefits in partnership, the current study explores the perspectives of those working within organizations that have some level of consumer leadership. Interviews were conducted with 14 participants from a range of mental health organizations. Data were transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analytic and discursive psychological techniques. Findings suggest stigma is still prevalent even in organizations that have consumers in leadership positions, and consumers are often perceived as less able to work in mental health organizations than non-consumers. Several discourses challenged such a view - showing how consumers bring value to mental health organizations through their expertise in the mental health system, and their ability to provide safety and support to other consumers. Through a social exchange theory lens, the authors call for organizations to challenge stigma and promote the value that consumers can bring to maximize mutual benefits. © 2017 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Strategic plan for geriatrics and extended care in the veterans health administration: background, plan, and progress to date.

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Shay, Kenneth; Hyduke, Barbara; Burris, James F

2013-04-01

The leaders of Geriatrics and Extended Care (GEC) in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) undertook a strategic planning process that led to approval in 2009 of a multidisciplinary, evidence-guided strategic plan. This article reviews the four goals contained in that plan and describes VHA's progress in addressing them. The goals included transforming the healthcare system to a veteran-centric approach, achieving universal access to a panel of services, ensuring that the Veterans Affair's (VA) healthcare workforce was adequately prepared to manage the needs of the growing elderly veteran population, and integrating continuous improvement into all care enhancements. There has been substantial progress in addressing all four goals. All VHA health care has undergone an extensive transformation to patient-centered care, has enriched the services it can offer caregivers of dependent veterans, and has instituted models to better integrate VA and non-VA cares and services. A range of successful models of geriatric care described in the professional literature has been adapted to VA environments to gauge suitability for broader implementation. An executive-level task force developed a three-pronged approach for enhancing the VA's geriatric workforce. The VHA's performance measurement approaches increasingly include incentives to enhance the quality of management of vulnerable elderly adults in primary care. The GEC strategic plan was intended to serve as a road map for keeping VHA aligned with an ambitious but important long-term vision for GEC services. Although no discrete set of resources was appropriated for fulfillment of the plan's recommendations, this initial report reflects substantial progress in addressing most of its goals. © 2013, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2013, The American Geriatrics Society.

Challenges in mental health nursing: current opinion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sabella D

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Donna Sabella, Theresa Fay-Hillier College of Nursing and Health Professions, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA Abstract: The current mental health care system in the US continues to struggle with providing adequate care and services to all that require it due to limited resources, biases from both other professions and the public, and the complexities of treatment of many of those individuals or populations that suffer from mental illness. Mental health nurses, also referred to as psychiatric nurses, are impacted by those same biases, limited resources, and complexities in their role. This paper provides a brief history of mental health nursing and a discussion of the current challenges faced within the profession. It will also include how the public's perception of both those who have mental illness and those who treat it is based on the sensationalism of those who are violent, and misunderstanding of current treatments. It is imperative that mental health nurses continue to define and educate other health care professionals as well as the general public of the role of the mental health nurse and those who suffer from mental illness. Unfortunately, some of the same bias that was present in the 1930s remains today, but perhaps with perseverance and education it will not continue into the future. Keywords: mental health, psychiatric nursing, pre- licensure, post-licensure challenges, professional obstacles, public perception

Poor oral health, a potential new geriatric syndrome

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Putten, G.J. van der; Baat, C. de; Visschere, L. De; Schols, J.

2014-01-01

This article presents a brief introduction to the medical aspects of ageing and age-related diseases, and to some geriatric syndromes, followed by a discussion on their impact on general and oral healthcare provision to community-dwelling older people. Recent investigations suggest that inflammation

Cultural change and mental health in Greenland

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bjerregaard, Peter; Curtis, Tine; Greenland, Population Study

2002-01-01

In Greenland, the rapid sociocultural change of the last 50 years has been paralleled by an epidemiological transition characterized by a reduction in infectious diseases, an increase in cancer and cardiovascular diseases, and an increased prevalence of mental health problems. During 1993......-94 and 1997-98, two health interview surveys were conducted among Inuit in Greenland and Inuit migrants in Denmark. The response rates were 71 and 55%. Information on mental health was obtained from 1388 and 1769 adults. As indicators of mental health, the prevalence of potential psychiatric cases according...... of poor mental health: as a result of successful integration into the modern Greenlandic society, some population groups have better mental health compared to other groups....

Generational attitudes of rural mental health nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Crowther, Andrew; Kemp, Michael

2009-04-01

To determine how attitudes of rural mental health nurses differ across generations. Survey. Mental health services in rural New South Wales. Practising mental health nurses. Survey responses. Survey response rate 44%. A total of 89 mental health nurses, clustered in inpatient units and community health centres, responded. Of these nurses, 4 were veterans, 52 baby boomers, 17 Generation X and 5 Generation Y. There are significant differences in how mental health nurses from different generations view their work, and in what is expected from managers. Managers need to modify traditional working styles, allowing greater flexibility of employment. They must also accept lower staff retention rates, and facilitate the development of younger staff.

Integration of Mental Health into Primary Health Care in a rural ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective: Mental health has been identified as a major priority in the Ugandan Health Sector Strategic Plan. Efforts are currently underway to integrate mental health services into the Primary Health Care system. In this study, we report aspects of the integration of mental health into primary health care in one rural district in ...

World Health Organization's Mental Health Atlas 2005:implications for policy development

Science.gov (United States)

SAXENA, SHEKHAR; SHARAN, PRATAP; GARRIDO, MARCO; SARACENO, BENEDETTO

2006-01-01

In 2005, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the second edition of the Mental Health Atlas, consisting of revised and updated information on mental health from countries. The sources of information included the mental health focal points in the Ministries of Health, published literature and unpublished reports available to WHO. The results show that global mental health resources remain low and grossly inadequate to respond to the high level of need. In addition, the revised Atlas shows that the improvements over the period 2001 to 2004 are very small. Imbalances across income groups of countries remain largely the same. Enhancement in resources devoted to mental health is urgently needed, especially in low- and middle-income countries. PMID:17139355

Poverty and mental health in Indonesia.

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Tampubolon, Gindo; Hanandita, Wulung

2014-04-01

Community and facility studies in developing countries have generally demonstrated an inverse relationship between poverty and mental health. However, recent population-based studies contradict this. In India and Indonesia the poor and non-poor show no difference in mental health. We revisit the relationship between poverty and mental health using a validated measure of depressive symptoms (CES-D) and a new national sample from Indonesia - a country where widespread poverty and deep inequality meet with a neglected mental health service sector. Results from three-level overdispersed Poisson models show that a 1% decrease in per capita household expenditure was associated with a 0.05% increase in CES-D score (depressive symptoms), while using a different indicator (living on less than $2 a day) it was estimated that the poor had a 5% higher CES-D score than the better off. Individual social capital and religiosity were found to be positively associated with mental health while adverse events were negatively associated. These findings provide support for the established view regarding the deleterious association between poverty and mental health in developed and developing countries. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comorbidity profile and healthcare utilization in elderly patients with serious mental illnesses.

Science.gov (United States)

Hendrie, Hugh C; Lindgren, Donald; Hay, Donald P; Lane, Kathleen A; Gao, Sujuan; Purnell, Christianna; Munger, Stephanie; Smith, Faye; Dickens, Jeanne; Boustani, Malaz A; Callahan, Christopher M

2013-12-01

Patients with serious mental illness are living longer. Yet, there remain few studies that focus on healthcare utilization and its relationship with comorbidities in these elderly mentally ill patients. Comparative study. Information on demographics, comorbidities, and healthcare utilization was taken from an electronic medical record system. Wishard Health Services senior care and community mental health clinics. Patients age 65 years and older-255 patients with serious mental illness (schizophrenia, major recurrent depression, and bipolar illness) attending a mental health clinic and a representative sample of 533 nondemented patients without serious mental illness attending primary care clinics. Patients having serious mental illness had significantly higher rates of medical emergency department visits (p = 0.0027) and significantly longer lengths of medical hospitalizations (p mentally ill group (p seriously mentally ill. The differences in healthcare utilization between the groups remained significant after adjusting for comorbidity levels, lifestyle factors, and attending primary care. Our findings of higher rates of emergency care, longer hospitalizations, and increased frequency of falls, substance abuse, and alcoholism suggest that seriously mentally ill older adults remain a vulnerable population requiring an integrated model of healthcare. Copyright © 2013 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Individual factors and perceived community characteristics in relation to mental health and mental well-being.

Science.gov (United States)

McAneney, Helen; Tully, Mark A; Hunter, Ruth F; Kouvonen, Anne; Veal, Philip; Stevenson, Michael; Kee, Frank

2015-12-12

It has been argued that though correlated with mental health, mental well-being is a distinct entity. Despite the wealth of literature on mental health, less is known about mental well-being. Mental health is something experienced by individuals, whereas mental well-being can be assessed at the population level. Accordingly it is important to differentiate the individual and population level factors (environmental and social) that could be associated with mental health and well-being, and as people living in deprived areas have a higher prevalence of poor mental health, these relationships should be compared across different levels of neighbourhood deprivation. A cross-sectional representative random sample of 1,209 adults from 62 Super Output Areas (SOAs) in Belfast, Northern Ireland (Feb 2010 - Jan 2011) were recruited in the PARC Study. Interview-administered questionnaires recorded data on socio-demographic characteristics, health-related behaviours, individual social capital, self-rated health, mental health (SF-8) and mental well-being (WEMWBS). Multi-variable linear regression analyses, with inclusion of clustering by SOAs, were used to explore the associations between individual and perceived community characteristics and mental health and mental well-being, and to investigate how these associations differed by the level of neighbourhood deprivation. Thirty-eight and 30 % of variability in the measures of mental well-being and mental health, respectively, could be explained by individual factors and the perceived community characteristics. In the total sample and stratified by neighbourhood deprivation, age, marital status and self-rated health were associated with both mental health and well-being, with the 'social connections' and local area satisfaction elements of social capital also emerging as explanatory variables. An increase of +1 in EQ-5D-3 L was associated with +1SD of the population mean in both mental health and well-being. Similarly, a

Undergraduate nursing students' attitudes toward mental health nursing.

Science.gov (United States)

Thongpriwan, Vipavee; Leuck, Susan E; Powell, Rhonda L; Young, Staci; Schuler, Suzanne G; Hughes, Ronda G

2015-08-01

The purpose of this study was to describe undergraduate nursing students' attitudes toward mental health nursing and how these attitudes influenced their professional career choices in mental health nursing. A descriptive, online survey was utilized to examine students' perceptions of mental health nursing. A total of 229 junior and senior nursing students were recruited from eight nursing colleges in Midwestern United States to participate in this survey. Students of different ages, genders, ethnicities, and nursing programs did not report significantly different perceptions of: (a) knowledge of mental illness; (b) negative stereotypes; (c) interest in mental health nursing as a future career; and (d), and beliefs that psychiatric nurses provide a valuable contribution to consumers and the community. Negative stereotypes were significantly different between students who had mental health nursing preparation either in class (p=0.0147) or in clinical practice (p=0.0018) and students who had not. There were significant differences in anxiety about mental illness between students who had classes on mental health nursing (p=.0005), clinical experience (p=0.0035), and work experience in the mental health field (p=0.0012). Significant differences in an interest in a future career in mental health nursing emerged between students with and without prior mental health experience and between students with and without an interest in an externship program with p-values of 0.0012 and students have to mental health nursing through clinical experiences, theory classes, and previous work in the field, the more prepared they feel about caring for persons with mental health issues. Published by Elsevier Ltd.